MLB Player News

Buehler (6-6) earned the win Saturday in Washington, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks over five innings. He struck out two.

Buehler certainly wasn't dominant, as he induced just seven whiffs on 100 pitches (65 strikes) and tied a season low in strikeouts, but the two earned runs allowed are his best mark since May 25. The veteran right-hander entered Saturday's contest having walked 14 batters across his prior three outings, and it was just his second start of the season issuing no free passes. Despite the bounce-back performance, Buehler's 6.25 ERA and 1.58 WHIP through 15 starts this year don't inspire much confidence.

Gusto will start Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

It seems like Gusto may have a leg up on Colton Gordon, who was the other candidate to start Sunday. Gusto has a 5.33 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 29:4 K:BB in 25.1 innings over his last five starts. He has done well at limiting walks and racking up Ks (seven-plus strikeouts in three of his last four starts), but Gusto has given up four homers in his last three starts. He could get a final first-half start next weekend against the Rangers if he sticks in the rotation past Sunday.

Torres (neck) suggested after Saturday's 1-0 win over the Guardians that he will be fine forward, and manager A.J. Hinch confirmed that Torres was taken out in the first inning as a precaution, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Torres took an elbow from Brayan Rocchio to the neck during a slide at second base and it unsettled him, but the infielder appears to have sustained only a minor injury. Torres is hitting .309 with four home runs, 18 runs, 15 RBI and zero steals over his last 25 games.

DeLuca (shoulder) resumed baseball activities in late June but a rehab assignment has not yet been scheduled, MLB.com reports.

It's been mostly a lost season for DeLuca, who notched 10 hits and four steals in his first eight games before suffering a shoulder injury on a diving play in the field April 6. He had a setback in late April and then briefly began a rehab assignment in late May before suffering another setback and getting shut down for a month. DeLuca has potential in stolen bases, among other roto categories, but it's tough to say when he'll begin his next rehab assignment, and it's concerning that he has already dealt with multiple setbacks while trying to return from this injury.

Bradley didn't factor in the decision in Saturday's loss to the Twins. He gave up three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk over 5.2 innings.

The right-hander limited Minnesota to a single run through five frames but ran into trouble in the sixth as he fell an out short of a quality start. Bradley has just one victory in his past eight starts and has a 5.05 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 37:13 K:BB across 41 innings during that stretch. His final outing before the All-Star break lines up to come in Boston next week.

Poteet (shoulder) recently received an injection and is likely to start throwing in the next several days, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Poteet was placed on the injured list way back on April 22 due to right shoulder inflammation and was later shifted to the 60-day IL on May 30, and it sounds as though his recovery has progressed slowly. Given that he's just getting ready to resume throwing, the right-hander could require a lengthy throwing progression and minor-league rehab assignment before becoming an option to rejoin Baltimore's roster. Poteet is likely looking at a return sometime in August, if he can avoid any setbacks.

O'Neill went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 9-6 extra-inning win over Atlanta.

In his second game since returning from the injured list, O'Neill crushed his third homer of the year. The 30-year-old slugging outfielder has hit eighth in each of these two outings, although it's possible he'll eventually work his way back into the heart of Baltimore's lineup after hitting somewhere between third and sixth in each of his first 18 contests of the season. Given that he's still slashing a woeful .193/.284/.352 with three long balls, three doubles, one triple and 11 RBI through 102 plate appearances, O'Neill likely still has work to do before interim manager Tony Mansolino considers moving him up the batting order.

Cowser went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 9-6 extra-inning win over Atlanta.

Cowser smashed homer No. 8 for the year and his seventh since the beginning of June. The 25-year-old outfielder has provided the Orioles with a boost since coming off the injured list back on June 3 -- he's slashing a productive .240/.291/.531 with seven round trippers, seven doubles, 16 RBI and one stolen base over his last 103 plate appearances. Cowser began the season as Baltimore's leadoff batter but has hit sixth or lower in the lineup in all but one of his last 27 games, although it's worth noting current No. 1 hitter Jackson Holliday is struggling with a .543 OPS across his last 21 outings.

Kittredge threw a spotless seventh inning with no strikeouts in Saturday's 9-6 extra-inning win over Atlanta.

Saturday marked a fourth consecutive perfect outing by the 35-year-old right-hander, who has posted a clean appearance in six of his last eight outings. Kittredge has turned in a scoreless outing in 15 of his 20 appearances this season, and he should continue serving as one of Baltimore's setup men for closer Felix Bautista. Through his first 20.2 innings, Kittredge owns a solid 3.92 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 20:6 K:BB with five holds.

Torres exited Saturday's game against the Guardians with a neck contusion.

Brayan Rocchio's elbow made contact with Torres' head/neck area while Torres was sliding into second base Saturday. Trey Sweeney replaced Torres with Javier Baez sliding to second base. Torres should be considered day-to-day for now.