MLB Player News

Allen (5-4) allowed two runs on four hits and four walks over six innings Friday, striking out five and earning a win against the White Sox.

The only damage against Allen came in the third inning, a nice turnaround after he'd been tagged with nine runs and four homers in his previous two outings before Friday's quality start. However, the four walks tied his season high. The 24-year-old rookie dropped his season ERA to 3.65 with an 85:32 K:BB through 86.1 frames. Allen lines up to face the Blue Jays at home next week.

Ashcraft did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks over eight innings in the Reds' 6-3 loss to Washington. He struck out five.

The right-hander allowed just one run through seven innings and was a pitch away from escaping the eighth with a 3-1 lead, but Joey Meneses smashed a two-run homer to tie the game on Ashcraft's 100th pitch of the night. It was still another positive outing overall for Ashcraft, who has delivered six quality starts in his last seven turns to bring his ERA down to 5.18 for the season.

Stripling will start Saturday's game against the Athletics, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Stripling worked behind an opener his last time out and posted respectable numbers, but he will move back into a traditional starting role Saturday. He had been building up in the rotation in the weeks following his return from a back injury, tossing quality starts over six innings in his July 19 and 24 appearances. The right-hander has a 3.71 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 19:1 K:BB in 26.2 innings since being activated from the injured list in early July.

Wesneski allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one over three innings in Friday's 8-0 loss to Atlanta.

Wesneski mopped up after starter Kyle Hendricks allowed seven runs over four innings. The Cubs became buyers at the deadline, which leaves Wesneski on the outside looking in at a rotation spot, at least for the time being. He threw 50 pitches Friday, with the lone blemish being a homer allowed to Austin Riley in the seventh inning.

Hendricks (4-6) took the loss Friday, allowing seven runs on eight hits over four innings against Atlanta. He struck out three without issuing a walk.

Hendricks had been pitching well, posting a 3.26 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in his last three starts coming into Friday, but he ran into the buzzsaw that is the Atlanta lineup. The NL East leaders hit three home runs in the game -- two against Hendricks -- to tie the 2019 Twins for the most home runs through 107 games in MLB history, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Hendricks has shown this season that he still has some of his old magic, but the right-hander will remain susceptible to the occasional blowup given his lack of whiffs.

Fried (3-1) earned the win Friday, allowing three hits over six scoreless innings against the Cubs. He struck out eight without issuing a walk.

Making his first start in the majors since May 5, Fried showed no ill effects from the forearm injury that cost him three months. In fact, he appeared close to peak form, as the lefty got 16 called strikes and nine swinging strikes on 72 pitches. Expect him to add to his workload over his next couple starts, with the team looking to build Fried up gradually after the long layoff. He lines up for a road start in Pittsburgh next week.

Wacha (shoulder) will make a rehab start for Triple-A El Paso on Saturday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The expectation is that Wacha will throw between 50-60 pitches in his first live action since July 1. Wacha has been ramping up slowly after a brief shutdown period following his placement on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. He figures to require at least one more rehab outing beyond Saturday before slotting back into the Padres' rotation.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that Eovaldi (forearm) will be out for another 2-3 weeks, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Bochy had previously expressed optimism that Eovaldi would be able to return from the 15-day injured list when first eligible next weekend, but the 33-year-old right-hander just resumed throwing on flat ground and still has a lot of hurdles to clear in his recovery from a forearm strain. He's now tracking more toward a late August return.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Friday that France is being moved to the bullpen only temporarily, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

France will be available in relief as a piggyback option Sunday behind Jose Urquidy (shoulder), who is returning from the 60-day injured list to start the Astros' series finale with the Yankees. Even though France will move to the bullpen this weekend, the Astros seem willing to roll with a six-man rotation for at least a portion of the stretch run. The 28-year-old France has delivered a sharp 2.85 ERA through 91.2 innings (15 starts) this season with Houston.

Keuchel will make his Twins debut in a start Sunday versus the Diamondbacks, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Keuchel could get a long look in the Minnesota rotation as Joe Ryan spends at least a few weeks on the IL while recovering from a lingering groin strain. It's hard to know what to expect from Keuchel as a fantasy streaming option, but the veteran left-hander had pitched to an impressive 1.13 ERA with 28 strikeouts across 32 innings (six starts) for Triple-A St. Paul since inking a minor-league contract with the Twins on June 22.