MLB Player News

Lorenzen (oblique) struck out four batters and allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks over 5.2 innings Sunday in a rehab start with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Lorenzen looks ready to return from the 15-day injured list after completing his second rehab start, during which he built up to 85 pitches. Before landing on the injured list July 14 due to an oblique strain, the right-hander posted a 4.61 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 99.2 innings. While Cole Ragans (shoulder) likely remains week away from coming off the IL, Lorenzen's upcoming return means that Kansas City will have only two rotation spots available for him and trade-deadline pickups Bailey Falter and Ryan Bergert. Though Bergert has pitched well over his first two outings with Kansas City, he has minor-league options remaining, which could put him at the most risk of losing his starting spot once Lorenzen is activated. Lorenzen could make his return to the big club as soon as this weekend's series versus the White Sox.

The Blue Jays promoted Yesavage from Double-A New Hampshire to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Yesavage will be moving up to his fourth affiliate of the season after beginning the campaign at Single-A Dunedin. In three stops so far, the 2024 first-round pick has collected a 3.01 ERA and 134:30 K:BB across 80.2 innings. Yesavage could push for a big-league promotion in September, perhaps as a reliever or if a need arises in the Blue Jays rotation.

Clemmey struck out eight and walked three over six scoreless, no-hit innings for High-A Wilmington on Sunday.

The 20-year-old southpaw hasn't allowed an earned run in four straight starts, and while he has issued at least three free passes in each, he's also fanned 25 batters in 22.2 innings over that stretch. A second-round pick of the Guardians in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, Clemmey came over to the Nationals in the Lane Thomas trade last year and while his control is still a work in progress, his fastball-slider combo is proving to be too much for Sally League hitters. Given his recent dominance, a cup of coffee at Double-A before the end of the year wouldn't be a surprise.

Blackburn (shoulder) threw 5.2 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He struck out three without walking a batter.

The veteran righty built up to 97 pitches (61 strikes) in the outing, but the Mets still have yet to make a decision on when he will rejoin the big-league roster. Blackburn's rehab assignment ends Aug. 20, so if the team does decide to have him make one more start in the minors, it will be his final one. Over five starts since kicking off his rehab stint July 17, Blackburn's posted a 2.42 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB in 26 innings, and he could represent an upgrade in the New York rotation over Frankie Montas, who has failed to last five innings in three straight trips to the mound while stumbling to a 10.32 ERA.

Yesavage could be promoted to the majors to make his MLB debut in September, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

While the Blue Jays may be more likely to use their extra September roster spot for the pitching staff on a relief arm who's already seen time in the majors this season, such as Lazaro Estrada and Paxton Schultz, letting Yesavage get his feet wet at the top level could be tempting for the organization, especially if the Jays think he'll be ready to compete for a rotation spot next spring. The 22-year-old right-hander has risen from Single-A to Double-A this season and soared up prospect lists in his first pro campaign after being the 20th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, posting a combined 3.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 134:30 K:BB in just 80.2 innings across three levels.

Manoah (elbow) may not have a spot available on the big-league roster when he's completed his rehab assignment, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Trade-deadline acquisition Shane Bieber (elbow) will beat Manoah back from the IL, and once the former Guardian joins the 26-man roster, the Blue Jays will already have six qualified options for the rotation. Manoah could work as a long reliever, but he has minor-league options remaining, and the organization may prefer to have the 27-year-old right-hander finish out the year in the rotation at Triple-A, and focus on getting ready to challenge for a starting job in Toronto next spring -- Bieber holds a player option for 2026 he's likely to decline, while both Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt will be free agents this winter. In his most recent rehab start Aug. 7, Manoah built up to 64 pitches (36 strikes) for Double-A New Hampshire, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks over three innings while striking out two.

Bieber (elbow) built up to 78 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Andres Soto of MLB.com reports.

The veteran righty allowed two runs on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings while striking out six, continuing a tantalizing run that has seen him post a 3.06 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and stellar 23:2 K:BB over 17.2 rehab innings since the All-Star break. The Blue Jays want Bieber to make one more rehab start before they debut their big trade-deadline acquisition, with manager John Schneider indicating his target workload will be 85 pitches. The team has yet to decide whether it will move to a six-man rotation when Bieber is activated from the IL, but Schneider seems to be against it. "You don't want to have that long of a layoff [between starts]," he said Saturday. Bieber hasn't pitched in the majors since April 2, 2024, his last outing with the Guardians before undergoing Tommy John surgery, but it appears as though he'll be ready to handle a regular workload right away once he's activated.

Brown is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays in Toronto, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Brown was moved to the bullpen after the Cubs acquired Michael Soroka ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, but Brown will temporarily move back into the rotation after Soroka strained his right shoulder in his team debut during last Monday's 3-2 loss to the Reds and landed on the injured list. In that same game, Brown came on in long relief and struck out five over four innings, so he should be stretched out enough to handle a typical starter's workload Tuesday. Brown may be in line for just one turn through the rotation, as Jameson Taillon (calf) and Javier Assad (oblique) are both in the midst of rehab assignments and could be ready to return from the IL the next time a fifth starter is needed.

Lodolo (finger) played catch Sunday, MLB.com reports.

After landing on the injured list Tuesday due to a blister on his left index finger, Lodolo has now resumed throwing. He's eligible for activation Aug. 20, but Lodolo still has multiple checkpoints to hit in his recovery from the blister before rejoining the Cincinnati rotation.

The Angels optioned Kochanowicz to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Kochanowicz's second demotion of the season comes after he was lit up for seven runs (six earned) on nine hits and two walks over three innings in Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Tigers. The right-hander now holds a 3-10 record to go with a bloated 6.19 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 107.2 innings in the majors this season, so he may need to have an extended run of success at the Triple-A level before he receives another look in the Los Angeles rotation. Carson Fulmer tossed five innings of long relief behind Kochanowicz on Sunday and could be a candidate to replace the latter in the rotation the next time the Angels require a fifth starter. Victor Mederos and Sam Aldegheri have also been pitching well recently for Salt Lake and Double-A Rocket City, respectively, and could also merit consideration for the open spot in the big-league rotation.