MLB Player News

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Sale (ribcage) will likely be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Saturday's game in Philadelphia, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

With Sale checking out well physically following his third and final rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Gwinnett, he'll be on track to rejoin the Atlanta rotation one week later for what will be his first start with the big club since June 18. Before suffering a left ribcage fracture in his start against the Mets that day, Sale had delivered an impressive encore to his Cy Young-winning season in 2024, turning in a 2.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 114:26 K:BB in 89.1 innings with Atlanta. The veteran lefty tossed 77 pitches in his final outing with Gwinnett and could have his workload monitored carefully Saturday, but fantasy managers will likely still want to activate Sale this week as he rejoins the big club.

Flaherty (7-13) took the loss Sunday against the Royals, allowing eight runs on 10 hits over five innings. He struck out three.

Most of the damage against Flaherty came in the third inning, when Kansas City scored six runs after stringing together seven straight two-out hits. It was a disappointing outing overall for Flaherty after the right-hander held the Astros scoreless over seven frames his last time out. Flaherty's ERA sits at 4.87 through 26 starts (136.2 innings) this season with a 1.30 WHIP and 165:50 K:BB. He'll look to turn things around in his next outing, tentatively scheduled as a rematch with the Royals in Kansas City next week.

Lugo did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Tigers, allowing six runs on six hits and two walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out five.

It's been a tough month for Lugo, who's struggled to an 8.87 ERA while allowing eight homers across five starts (23.1 innings) since the beginning of August. Overall, the veteran right-hander's ERA sits at 3.99 this season with a 1.24 WHIP and 120:51 K:BB in 25 starts (142 innings). Lugo will look to get back on track in his next outing, tentatively scheduled as a rematch with the Tigers at home next week.

The Angels reinstated Soriano (personal) from the restricted list Sunday.

Soriano wasn't ready to rejoin the Angels after the maximum three days on the paternity list, so the club shifted him to the restricted list Saturday in a procedural move. He's slated to make his next start Monday versus the Rangers.

Wiggins struck out two batters and allowed no hits and two walks over three scoreless innings for Double-A Knoxville in his start Sunday.

Wiggins hadn't pitched since July 19 in what appears to have been a deliberate plan on the Cubs' part to limit the 23-year-old righty's workload in his second season following 2023 Tommy John surgery. Wiggins didn't exhibit any signs of rust in his return and owns a shiny 1.93 ERA and 50:17 K:BB in 38 innings for Knoxville on the season.

Manager Bruce Bochy announced Sunday that deGrom (shoulder) will start Monday's game against the Angels in Arlington, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The veteran right-hander threw a bullpen session Saturday with no issues, clearing the way for him to take the mound after having his previous start skipped as a precautionary measure due to shoulder fatigue. DeGrom's 24 starts and 140.1 innings this season are already his highest totals since 2019, and he's looked fully like his usual dominant self with a 2.76 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 148:30 K:BB.

Blackburn tossed 3.1 relief innings against the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out two batters. He didn't factor in the decision.

When Blackburn entered in the sixth inning, the Yankees were down but not entirely out, trailing 5-1. The righty did fine by getting to the ninth without giving up any runs, but he was shelled in the final frame, when Boston teed off for seven runs on seven hits against him. Yankees manager Aaron Boone elected to allow Blackburn to essentially take one for the team, as the hurler threw 71 total pitches -- more than starter Will Warren, who tossed 69 pitches over four innings. Needless to say, things couldn't have gone much worse for Blackburn, who was making his debut with the Yankees after the team signed him to a contract Thursday.

The Astros optioned Blubaugh to Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday.

Blubaugh's latest stint with the big club lasted just one day, as the right-hander was put to work in long relief in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Orioles and was unlikely to be available for at least the next few days. The Astros recalled John Rooney from Triple-A to join the bullpen as a replacement for Blubaugh, who struck out four and gave up two earned runs on three hits and one walk over four innings during Saturday's appearance en route to picking up his second win.

The Brewers recalled Patrick from Triple-A Nashville to start Sunday against the Giants, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander was temporarily promoted for a spot start during Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs and will rejoin the Brewers to close out the weekend series versus the Giants. Patrick took the loss in Chicago after giving up five runs (three earned), but he's mostly been an effective rotation piece during his rookie season with a 3.61 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 99:32 K:BB over 99.2 innings at the big-league level.

Fitts could be the favorite to start Monday's game against the Orioles at Camden Yards, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Fitts initially looked set to work out of the bullpen when he was called up from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, but the team now has a hole in its rotation after manager Alex Cora said Friday that the struggling Walker Buehler has been moved to a relief role. The Red Sox have made Fitts available out of the bullpen during their four-game series with the Yankees, but he hasn't been used in any of the first three contests. If the team stays away from Fitts in Sunday's series finale, the right-hander would likely become the logical choice to take the hill Monday. Triple-A Worcester rotation member Kyle Harrison is another candidate to get called up to potentially start Monday's contest.