MLB Player News

Mahle (shoulder) is in line to come off the 15-day injured list to start Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Just as manager David Bell suggested would be the case shortly before the All-Star break, Mahle will be ready to step back into the rotation for the Reds' first series of the second half after spending close to the minimum amount of time on the shelf with a minor right shoulder strain. With the Reds safely out of contention for the playoffs, the team could be open to making Mahle available via trade ahead of the Aug. 2 deadline if the price is right. Mahle, who will be arbitration-eligible for a final time in 2023, has logged a 4.48 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 17 starts this season, but most underlying metrics (3.85 SIERA, 3.20 xERA) paint a rosier picture of his performance to date.

McCullers (forearm) is scheduled to make a rehab start Friday for Double-A Corpus Christi, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reports.

McCullers is expected to toss two innings Friday in San Antonio in what will mark his first game action since October, when he exited in Game 4 of the Astros' ALDS matchup with the White Sox due to forearm discomfort. Given the length of his absence, the right-hander will need to make multiple starts during his rehab assignment while gradually upping his pitch count. He could be ready to make his return from the 60-day injured list at some point around mid-August.

The Brewers optioned Alexander to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.

After making starts in his first two appearances of the month for the Brewers, Alexander was deployed in a bulk-relief role in his final outing before the All-Star break in Sunday's loss to the Giants. He struggled mightily while working out of the bullpen, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. The Brewers aren't certain to get Adrian Houser (elbow) back from the 15-day injured list by the time the team next requires a fifth starter July 26 versus the Twins, so prospect Ethan Small could be a candidate to get a call-up from Nashville to fill Alexander's spot in the rotation.

DeGrom had his simulated game pushed back from Tuesday to Thursday after he experienced mild soreness around his shoulder Sunday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Though the soreness cropped back up Sunday, deGrom was able to play catch Monday and Tuesday without any renewed discomfort. DeGrom appears to have steered clear of setback, as the Mets relayed that his simulated outing was pushed back "out of an abundance of caution." Even so, the two-day delay in what was expected to his final tune-up session before returning from the 60-day injured list will likely take him out of the mix for making a start this weekend against the Padres. DeGrom could be ready to make his season debut at some point next week, assuming the Mets are comfortable plugging him into the rotation without sending him out for another minor-league rehab start beforehand.

Senzatela (shoulder) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Friday's game in Milwaukee.

Senzatela initially appeared on track to make his return from the IL for Colorado's final game before the All-Star break last weekend against the Pirates, but the Rockies ultimately decided he was better off getting some additional recovery time. The right-hander built up to five innings in his rehab start July 12 with Triple-A Albuquerque, so he's not expected to face any limitations as he slots back into Colorado's rotation coming out of the break.

Strasburg (ribs) isn't expected to return to action in 2022 after the Nationals transferred him to the 60-day injured list last week, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Strasburg is eligible to come off the IL in mid-August, but the Nationals -- who headed into the All-Star break with an MLB-worst 31-63 record -- don't seem to have much motivation to rush him back. Though Heyman relays that Strasburg won't require another thoracic syndrome surgery for an injury that is being classified as a stress reaction of the ribs, the issue is considered nerve-related, so the non-contending Nationals are likely to take precaution with the veteran right-hander. Since re-signing on a seven-year, $245 million contract after helping lead Washington to its first World Series title in 2019, Strasburg has made only eight starts for the club.

Sale underwent surgery on his broken left pinky finger Monday.

Sale suffered a left fifth finger proximal phalanx fracture after being hit by a comebacker in the first inning Sunday against the Yankees. In other words, he broke his left pinky finger and will now be out at least a month following surgery. Sale believes he will pitch again this season and we've yet to see an official timeline from the Red Sox. Nonetheless, the left-hander won't likely be fantasy relevant until early September at the soonest.

The Athletics confirmed Montas (shoulder) will start the second game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Tigers in Oakland.

Montas was never forced to the injured list, and he'll make his return to action coming out of the All-Star break having not pitched in 18 days on account of a sore right shoulder. Though Montas' shoulder responded well to an aggressive bullpen session over the weekend, the Athletics could be careful with his workload Thursday with the hope of avoiding any potential setback to his arm ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The non-contending Athletics firmly put themselves in the seller camp even before the season began, and Montas currently ranks as the team's most prized trade asset in what is shaping up to be a weak market for starting pitchers. Before the shoulder issue surfaced, Montas had been in the midst of a strong statistical season, having turned in a 3.26 ERA and 1.09 WHIP to go with 100 strikeouts over 96.2 innings.

Ashby (2-7) was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Giants after giving up two earned runs on three hits and no walks while striking out two over one inning.

Ashby was called upon on three days' rest to start the Brewers' final game before the All-Star break, but he essentially served as an opener for what ended up being a bullpen day for Milwaukee. Even though he came into the outing knowing he wouldn't work deep into the start, Ashby didn't have his best stuff and put Milwaukee an early 2-1 hole the team was unable to dig out of. He heads into the break with a 4.57 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 69 innings this season.

Dunn (shoulder) struck out three and surrendered eight runs (three earned) on nine hits and two walks Sunday in his rehab start for Triple-A Louisville.

Dunn made the fifth start of his rehab assignment and his fourth in a row at Louisville, with whom he's posted a 5.93 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 13.2 innings. Though Dunn now appears to have recovered from the strained right shoulder that has kept him on the shelf all season, the 26-year-old doesn't look as though he'll have a spot waiting for him in the Reds rotation upon being activated. Instead, look for the Reds to simultaneously option him to Louisville once he's reinstated to allow him to work out the kinks in the minors before he potentially joins the big-league rotation later on in the season.