MLB Player News

Woodruff did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Cubs, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out six over 5.2 scoreless innings.

Woodruff was in complete control throughout the outing, with Miguel Amaya's third-inning double standing as the only hit he allowed. Woodruff has looked outstanding since returning from shoulder inflammation, tossing 11.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits with a 16:2 K:BB across his two starts. The veteran has not issued more than two walks in any outing across the entire season. He is set to face Arizona on the road in his next start.

Double-A Frisco placed Lopez on its 7-day injured list May 27 due to an unspecified injury.

Lopez submitted a 7.20 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and 42:22 K:BB in 35 innings over eight starts before landing on the shelf. The Rangers added the 24-year-old righty to their 40-man roster over the winter, but he didn't appear especially close to earning his first big-league call-up prior to getting injured.

Montgomery (elbow) struck out three over two perfect innings in a rehab start Saturday with Double-A Frisco.

Montgomery was making the second start of his rehab assignment and was supremely efficient, recording his six outs on 20 pitches (15 strikes). Before coming off the 60-day injured list, Montgomery will likely need at least three more starts in the minors to increase his workload and convince the Rangers that he's a viable option for the big-league rotation. The left-hander is working his way back from a hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery, which he underwent last March.

May (back) is slated to start Thursday's series finale in Atlanta.

May didn't end up pitching this past week after experiencing back tightness coming out of his previous start June 21 in Kansas City, but the Cardinals are already considering him ready to go the next time his turn in the rotation comes up Thursday. Before getting knocked around for six runs over two innings in his outing against Kansas City, May had been St. Louis' top-performing starter for more than two months. In his preceding 12 starts from April 10 through June 15, May went 5-4 with a 2.54 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 68:18 K:BB across 74.1 innings.

Kay (6-3) took the loss Sunday against the Royals, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while striking out two and walking one over 3.2 innings.

Kay threw 44 of his 73 pitches for strikes and was unable to slow Kansas City's offense, allowing at least one run in every inning he pitched. The outing continued what has been an up-and-down season for the left-hander, who has alternated strong performances with difficult ones. After striking out eight over six scoreless innings in his previous start, Kay followed it up with Sunday's rough outing. He'll carry a 4.50 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 65:31 K:BB across 80 innings into a rematch against Cleveland, this time on the road.

Rodriguez (back) struck out four and allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in his rehab start for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

The right-hander was no match for lower-level minor-league competition, retiring 12 of the 18 batters he faced while pumping in 37 of his 57 pitches for strikes and generating five whiffs. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki previously said that Rodriguez may need just one start in the minors before returning from the 15-day injured list, but unless the right-hander was able to throw another simulated inning after exiting Sunday's outing, he may need another outing in the minors to build upon his 57-pitch workload. The Angels received strong performances from back-end rotation members Ryan Johnson and Sam Aldegheri in their last starts, so the team can probably afford to play it slow with Rodriguez as he works his way back from lower-back tightness.

Schultz (knee) struck out seven and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks across 4.2 innings Friday in a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte.

Making the third start of his rehab assignment, Schultz built up to 74 pitches (52 strikes) and induced nine whiffs while averaging 95.4 mph with his four-seamer. The White Sox haven't confirmed Schultz's next step, but from both a workload and velocity standpoint, he looks ready to return from the 15-day injured list. Schultz could slot back into the White Sox rotation as soon as Wednesday in Baltimore.

Gasser is slated to start Monday's game against the Reds, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

After Brandon Woodruff was reinstated from the injured list last Monday, the Brewers kept a five-man rotation intact by shifting Gasser to the bullpen. The 27-year-old lefty wasn't needed in relief during the team's series with the Cubs over the weekend, and he'll now step back into a starting role after manager Pat Murphy previously told Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Brewers would shift to a six-man rotation through the All-Star break while Milwaukee closes its first-half schedule with 18 games in 17 days. Gasser -- who has submitted a 3.74 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 24:6 K:BB in 21.2 innings over his last four outings -- looks like an intriguing short-term pickup, particularly in leagues with weekly lineups. He'll tentatively line up for a two-start week, with his second appearance expected to come next Sunday in Arizona.

Wicks worked around a walk to toss a scoreless inning of relief and earn the save in Sunday's 4-3, extra inning win over the Brewers.

With the Cubs starting opener Ryan Rolison, the team had already gone through six pitchers by the time Wicks came on in the 10th. The lefty did a good job of working out of some trouble left behind by Ethan Roberts, and that earned Wicks his first save of the season and just the second of his MLB career. The 26-year-old is still sitting with a rough 13.50 ERA overall, and he's not really in the mix for saves most days as more of a low-leverage option.

Williams did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Mariners, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out six over five innings.

Williams threw 64 of his 103 pitches for strikes and generated 13 swinging strikes, but Seattle pushed across a run in the second inning before adding two more in the third. The right-hander was lifted after five innings, marking his fifth consecutive start without completing six frames after reaching at that mark in each of his previous eight outings. Williams will carry a 3.81 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 117:34 K:BB into his next scheduled start against the White Sox at home.