MLB Player News

The Tigers designated Hernandez for assignment Thursday.

Hernandez was a waiver claim of the Tigers in June and is now headed back to waivers after he coughed up 13 runs (12 earned) over 10.2 frames for Detroit. The righty has been unable to translate his plus velocity into consistent results at the major-league level, with his career 11.1 percent walk rate being a big reason for that.

Kirk isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against Detroit.

After going 6-for-19 with an RBI and two runs scored during Toronto's six-game homestand, Kirk will get a breather to begin the team's eight-game road trip. Tyler Heineman will fill in behind the plate and bat eighth for the Blue Jays.

The Mariners optioned Garcia to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday.

Garcia got hit feet wet at the big-league level this week, surrendering two runs (one earned) with a 1:3 K:BB over two innings. His spot on the roster and in the bullpen is being absorbed by Jackson Kowar.

The Mariners recalled Kowar from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday.

Since being optioned to Triple-A in mid-June, Kowar has given up six runs (three earned) over nine innings while striking out 12 batters and walking seven. He owns a 2.08 ERA through 8.2 frames with the Mariners this year, but his career 8.38 ERA will keep him limited to a low-leverage role in Seattle's bullpen. Brandyn Garcia was optioned to Tacoma in a corresponding move.

The Rays optioned Bradley to Triple-A Durham on Thursday.

Bradley has really struggled with consistency this season, most recently following up six shutout innings against the Orioles in his first start of the second half with a dud versus the White Sox on Wednesday, when he yielded four runs over just 1.2 frames. Overall, Bradley holds a 4.61 ERA across 21 starts, and his strikeout rate has dropped all the way to 20.2 percent. He'll try to get back on track at Durham and could receive another opportunity later this season. Joe Boyle is the likeliest option to take Bradley's spot in the Rays' rotation.

Trout went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in a loss to the Mets on Wednesday.

Trout extended his on-base streak to nine games with a solo shot in the third inning. The veteran slugger has posted a .991 OPS with two long balls and nine RBI during that nine-game span, though he's also struck out at a 31.8 percent clip. Trout is at a .237/.359/.467 slash line on the campaign with 18 home runs, 45 RBI, 40 runs and two stolen bases through 76 contests.

Caballero went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run, a walk and a stolen base Wednesday against the White Sox.

Caballero continues to see inconsistent playing time, starting three of six games since the All-Star break. That hasn't stopped him from racking up steals, however, as he is tied for the league lead with 33 on the season. Caballero offers little else from a fantasy perspective, as he has only 27 RBI and 34 runs scored across 259 plate appearances for the campaign.

High-A Asheville placed Brito on its 7-day injured list June 25 due to an unspecified injury.

Before spending the past month on the shelf, Brito had emerged as one of the more exciting arms in the lower levels of the Houston system. The hard-throwing righty had accrued a 3.28 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 65:28 K:BB in 49.1 innings over his 12 starts with Asheville.

Simpson went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a walk and a stolen base Wednesday against the White Sox.

Simpson has occupied the leadoff spot in the Rays' lineup for the last seven games and has excelled in the role. He's gone 9-for-30 with only two strikeouts while scoring six runs and stealing five bases. Since being recalled June 24, he's hit .341 with 12 runs scored and 12 stolen bases across 24 games.

Bieber (elbow) is expected to throw around 55 pitches Sunday in his next scheduled rehab start, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

The Guardians have yet to determine which affiliate Bieber will join for what will be the third start of his current rehab assignment, but High-A Lake County and Triple-A Columbus are his most likely destinations since both will be hosting games. In his latest outing for Lake County on Tuesday, Bieber spotted 30 of his 43 pitches for strikes while punching out four and allowing one earned run in three innings. After Sunday's start, Bieber will likely make at least two more appearances in the minors before potentially returning from the 60-day injured list in early or mid-August.