MLB Player News

Gausman (ankle) threw on flat ground Thursday and is scheduled for a bullpen session Friday to determine when he will make his next start, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Gausman underwent a follow-up MRI on Thursday, which confirmed that he had a bone bruise in his ankle rather than a fracture. While that's good news, his status for a potential start Sunday at Seattle is uncertain. If he is unable to take the mound Sunday, Max Castillo is the likeliest candidate to start, with Gausman then tentatively slotting into Tuesday's matchup against the Phillies.

Smyly (oblique) threw a bullpen session Thursday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Smyly is following a similar rehab plan to Marcus Stroman (shoulder), and the duo threw bullpen sessions in front of the Cubs' training and coaching staffs Thursday. Smyly has already made one rehab start with High-A South Bend, so the team could opt to activate him soon and limit his pitch count. Alternatively, he could be sent back to the minors to complete at least one additional outing prior to rejoining the big-league rotation. Clarification on Smyly's status should come in the next couple days.

Stroman (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

He recently rejoined the team after one rehab start with Triple-A Iowa, and the bullpen session could be the final step before the right-hander returns from the injured list. Stroman will continue to be evaluated after Thursday's session, and there should be more details regarding his status within the next few days.

Sanchez (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Sanchez resumed mound work in mid-June and has continued to throw side sessions over the last several weeks. The right-hander isn't expected to be cleared to pitch in 2022, but it's encouraging to see him continue to throw off a mound.

Luzardo (forearm) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Luzardo began his throwing program in mid-June and has now progressed to throwing off a mound. The left-hander has been sidelined nearly two months with a forearm strain, so he'll likely require multiple rehab starts in the minors before being cleared to join the big-league rotation.

Kikuchi was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday due to a neck strain.

Kikuchi struggled in his start Tuesday at Oakland, allowing four earned runs across 2.1 innings. There was no indication that he dealt with an injury during the game, though he'll now be sidelined until after the All-Star break. The team has not announced a replacement in the rotation, but Thomas Hatch recently made an unsuccessful spot start for the big-league club while Max Castillo was recalled to fill Kikuchi's spot on the roster.

Miley (shoulder) played light catch Thursday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

This is at least the second time that Miley has thrown since being placed on the injured list June 11. However, he still needs to ramp up his intensity and will likely require at least a short rehab assignment before being activated. Given that, he almost certainly will not be back prior to the All-Star break and early August could be a more realistic target.

Contreras was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis following the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Reds.

Contreras picked up his third win of the season during Thursday's matinee by allowing a run on four hits and a walk while striking out seven in six innings. However, he'll head back to the minors after left-hander Eric Stout was recalled to provide an extra arm in the bullpen during the nightcap. Contreras has performed relatively well during his major-league tenure this year, so it seems likely that he'll be back with the Pirates soon.

Detmers will likely start Friday's game against the Orioles, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

The Angels need somebody to fill a rotation spot for Friday's matchup in Baltimore after Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list, and Detmers will likely rejoin the active roster after being sent down in late June. He allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out 14 in six innings during a start at Triple-A Salt Lake on June 29, and he'll be pitching on full rest if he ultimately takes the mound for the Angels in Baltimore.

Lorenzen was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to July 4, due to a right shoulder strain.

It's unclear exactly how long Lorenzen has been dealing with the injury, though he's struggled across his past three starts with a 9:11 K:BB and 16 earned runs allowed over 11 innings. According to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, the 30-year-old is scheduled to undergo an MRI, the results of which should provide an indication of whether or not he'll spend more than the 15-day minimum on the shelf.