MLB Player News

Westburg (hand) has continued to take one-handed swings and fielding grounders, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Westburg was cleared for the activity Aug. 20 and has continued to do on-field work to avoid getting too rusty as he recovers from a broken hand. He remains in a cast but is expected to return before the regular season concludes.

Wentz tossed two scoreless innings of relief in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Angels. He allowed one hit and struck out three.

Wentz has struggled lately, as he entered Thursday's contest with a 7.07 ERA over his previous 10 appearances, making this a welcome positive performance. The southpaw had a solid April, posting a 0.87 ERA across 10.1 innings that suggested he might emerge as an effective reliever, but it's been mostly downhill since then. Wentz didn't fare much better as a starter in 2023, so he may not factor into Detroit's plans beyond this year.

Bleday went 5-for-5 with a solo home run, two doubles and three total runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Reds.

Bleday went 6-for-39 (.154) over a 10-game span without a multi-hit effort before a massive breakout game Thursday. The outfielder is now hitting .295 (26-for-88) with six homers and five doubles over 23 contests in August. Overall, he has a .249/.330/.460 slash line with 19 homers, 50 RBI, 65 runs scored, 35 doubles, four triples and a stolen base through 131 games as a centerpiece of the Athletics' offense this year.

Coulombe (elbow) resumed throwing off the mound Thursday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.comreports.

Manager Brandon Hyde didn't offer many specifics but did say that Coulombe still has work left to do before returning from the injured list. He is expected back in the second half of September.

Butler went 3-for-4 with three home runs, a walk and four total RBI in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Reds.

Butler hit a two-run blast in the second inning and added solo shots in the fourth and ninth frames, but his power display was overshadowed by a ninth-inning disaster from Grant Holman, who blew a two-run lead. This was Butler's second three-homer game of the season, and he's lifted six long balls while going 13-for-32 (.406) during an eight-game hitting streak. The outfielder is up to a .255/.313/.503 slash line with 19 homers, 51 RBI, 49 runs scored and 12 stolen bases over 100 contests this season. While the Athletics' offense isn't particularly impressive, Butler has done well in the leadoff role versus right-handed pitchers.

McKinstry went 3-for-4 with a double in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Angels.

McKinstry was the only Detroit player with multiple hits, and the lack of production around him prevented him from accumulating any counting stats. While the utility player can pop on occasion, McKinstry is generally not much of an offensive threat, and his lack of consistent playing time limits his fantasy ceiling.

Ginn allowed four runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings in a no-decision versus the Reds on Thursday.

Given that his first major-league start came in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, this was an acceptable performance for Ginn. He yielded a pair of home runs, which were solo shots by Will Benson and Tyler Stephenson, and the Reds were able to scrape together another pair of runs in the fifth. Ginn allowed one run over 3.2 frames in his first two appearances out of the bullpen, but it looks like he has a chance to be a part of the Athletics' rotation over the final month of the season. He's tentatively projected to make his next appearance at home versus light-hitting Seattle.

Eflin (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Thursday and could be in line to start Sunday at Colorado, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Eflin has passed most milestones to return, with Thursday's session being among the final steps. The Orioles expected Eflin's stint on the injured list to last the minimum period, and it appears he is on pace to meet that timeline.

Boyle retired one batter and was charged with three earned runs on no hits and three walks during his relief appearance in Thursday's 10-9 loss to the Reds. He also hit a batter with a pitch.

Boyle's latest stint in the Oakland rotation lasted all of two turns, with the Athletics opting to move him to the bullpen after he struck out eight but gave up five earned runs on five hits and four walks in five innings his last time out Saturday versus Milwaukee. J.T. Ginn shifted from the bullpen to make his first MLB start Thursday, and he gave up four runs over five innings prior to being lifted from the contest. Boyle then entered in the bottom of the sixth and was credited with a hold after departing with a 6-5 lead, even though he loaded the bases prior to exiting the game. Over the long haul, the Athletics are hoping that Boyle's poor control and lack of reliable secondary offerings will be lesser concerns in a relief role, but his first exposure to the bullpen wasn't promising.

Rodriguez (lat) threw from flat ground before Thursday's game against the Dodgers, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Rodriguez threw from flat ground for the second time this week and will progress to work from the mound soon. No exact timeline for his increased activity or activation from the injured list has been revealed.