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.

Fulmer allowed two earned runs on one hit and four walks while striking out three batters over five innings of long relief in Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Tigers.

Jack Kochanowicz started for the Angels and was roughed up, giving up seven runs (six earned) over three-plus frames to get stuck with the loss. Fulmer entered in the fourth and remained on the mound for the remainder of the contest, throwing 85 pitches to Kochanowicz's 84. While Fulmer was wild -- only 49 of his offerings were strikes, and he walked four batters -- the only hit he gave up was a two-run home run to Riley Greene. The right-hander's pitch count was his second-highest of the season, falling just shy of the 88 he tallied against Texas on July 10. Kochanowicz was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake following the poor start, and while Los Angeles has not yet announced how it plans to handle his spot in the rotation, Fulmer is a logical candidate to step into a starting role, given the hefty workload he handled Sunday.

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.

The Twins activated Buxton (rib) from the 10-day injured list Monday. He'll start in center field and bat leadoff in the Twins' series opener versus the Yankees.

Buxton has been out of commission since late July due to left rib cartilage irritation, but he will skip a rehab assignment and go directly back onto the active roster for the start of the Twins' series in New York. Carson McCusker was sent down to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move.

The Red Sox will designate Burdi for assignment Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The transaction will free up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of left-hander Jovani Moran, who will be called up from Triple-A Worcester. Burdi has allowed two runs with a 4:3 K:BB over three innings at Worcester since returning from a hip injury. The righty reliever has pitched well this season when healthy, so he could receive interest via trade or waivers.

Alexander is expected to pitch in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Elvis Peguero in Monday's game against the Tigers, Jack Ankony of SI.com reports.

Alexander made a 3.1-inning start versus the Phillies on July 30, but his last two appearances have come out of the Chicago bullpen. In his most recent outing last Wednesday against the Mariners, Alexander shined in long relief behind starter Jonathan Cannon, striking out five batters while allowing just two baserunners over 4.1 scoreless frames and 67 pitches. With Cannon having since been demoted to Triple-A Charlotte, Alexander will essentially be taking his spot in the rotation Monday, as Peguero is expected to work just one or two innings before Alexander likely steps in and covers multiple frames out of the bullpen.

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.

Canha (elbow) went 1-for-2 with a hit by pitch and RBI with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sunday.

Canha made his third rehab appearance with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sunday as he works his way back from left elbow epicondylitis. He's 3-for-11 with a homer and five RBI so far during the assignment. Before landing on the injured list July 8, the veteran was batting .212/.272/.265 with just four extra-base hits and six RBI over 46 games. Canha's versatility could help him carve out at-bats, but steady playing time is unlikely with Mike Yastrzemski and Randal Grichuk joining the roster and Jac Caglianone (hamstring) nearing a return.

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.