MLB Player News

Atlanta recalled Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett, and he'll start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

Chris Sale had been listed as Atlanta's scheduled starter for Monday, but the big club will build in some extra rest for the All-Star lefty and have him take the hill Tuesday. In his last start in the majors June 26 against the Cardinals, Elder took the loss while allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four over six innings. The 24-year-old right-hander is 1-3 across six major-league starts this season with a 5.76 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 29.2 innings.

Sale is no longer scheduled to start Monday's series opener in Arizona and will instead take the hill Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The southpaw appeared poised for a two-start week to close out Atlanta's first-half schedule, but that's suddenly in jeopardy after the club chose to call up Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Monday. While he could still be available to start Atlanta's final game before the break Sunday in San Diego on four days' rest, since Sale has already been named to the National League All-Star team, the coaching staff might prefer not to use him that day in advance of the Midsummer Classic. Even if Sale ends up getting just one start this week, fantasy managers will likely still want to keep him active, given that he's gone 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.84 WHIP since serving up a season-high eight earned runs June 1 versus Oakland.

The Reds optioned Ashcraft to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

Ashcraft's latest stint in the Reds rotation lasted three turns, and he allowed 10 runs with an 8:6 K:BB over 15 innings. Nick Lodolo (finger) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list later this week, and the Reds have elected to keep Carson Spiers as their No. 5 starter over Ashcraft.

The Mariners optioned Hancock to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday.

Hancock was called up from Tacoma to make a spot start in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays, giving up two runs on six hits and one walk over four innings. With Bryan Woo (hamstring) set to return from the 15-day injured list week, Hancock is headed back to Tacoma to rejoin its rotation.

Keller (10-5) earned the win Monday, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks over eight innings against the Mets. He struck out six.

The 28-year-old cruised to his second straight season with double-digit wins, allowing just one extra-base hit -- a two-run Brandon Nimmo homer in the sixth. Keller has been reliable since June 1, pitching to a 3.09 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 44:8 K:BB over 43.2 innings across seven starts. The Pirates right-hander is scheduled to make his last outing of the first half against the White Sox in Chicago this weekend.

The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Unless the Nationals place another player on the injured list in a corresponding move, Herz won't be eligible to rejoin Washington for another 15 days. Though Herz was tagged for five runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings in his most recent start in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com suggests that the left-hander's demotion likely isn't a result of the Nationals being dissatisfied with his performance. Instead, Washington is likely just giving him some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break, with Herz being a candidate to rejoin the big-league rotation when a fifth starter is needed to begin the second half of the season. Washington recalled right-hander Joan Adon from Triple-A to replace Herz on the 26-man active roster and provide a fresh arm out of the bullpen in the short term.

The Nationals recalled Adon from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Adon has made all but two of his 28 career big-league appearances as a starter, but he appears poised to work out of the Washington bullpen after he transitioned to a relief role at Rochester in late June. Over his five relief outings at Triple-A, Adon struck out five while allowing seven baserunners over 5.1 scoreless innings.

The Twins activated Paddack (arm) from the 15-day injured list Monday.

Paddack will rejoin the Twins rotation and start Monday versus the White Sox after missing the past two weeks with right arm fatigue. He didn't make a rehab start prior to being activated, so it's possible Paddack will be a little limited from a pitch count perspective Monday. Reliever Josh Winder was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move.

Gausman tinkered with his mechanics ahead of Friday's start against the Mariners, in which he tied his season high with 10 strikeouts, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "I definitely had a bit of a different delivery today, and that was by design," Gausman said after the outing. "It's something we're trying to get back to what I was doing in 2021. I think it will allow me to be around the zone a little bit more."

The veteran right-hander saw his fastball average 1.4 mph more than it had this season coming into the start, while the movement on his splitter was more effective as a result of the tweaks. "I was getting way too much horizontal movement on my splitter and not enough vertical movement," Gausman said. "I haven't looked at the metrics, but I could tell that it was carrying the zone. To me, that shows the vertical was there on my splitter. Guys are going to swing more at it when it looks like it's going to be in the zone longer." Gausman, who missed much of spring training due to shoulder fatigue, has had an inconsistent beginning to the season and will carry a 4.64 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 24.0 percent strikeout rate into his next start -- numbers all well below the standard he established during his career resurgence in San Francisco in 2020-21.

Wrobleski dropped to 0-1 after giving up four earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings in Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Brewers.

In what was his big-league debut, Wrobleski had some impressive moments, which included touching 98 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball on one of his four punchouts. The lefty, who turns 24 later this week, pounded the zone and gave up a couple home runs on the day. His fastball averaged 95 mph, and he threw mostly cutters and sliders off the fastball while mixing in a few changeups. Manager Dave Roberts hinted after the game that while he was impressed with Wrobleski's poise and pitch efficiency, the Dodgers will make a move to call up a reliever to take Wrobleski's place on the roster before Tuesday's game against the Phillies. The Dodgers have five healthy starters besides Wrobleski, but Roberts noted that the young lefty will likely be back in the majors soon.