MLB Player News

Wacha (foot) will make a rehab start Monday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League.

According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Sunday that Wacha may need only the one outing in the minors before returning from the 15-day injured list and making his next start with Kansas City this coming weekend in Arlington versus the Rangers. Wacha threw a three-inning simulated game Thursday, so he could be stretched out for close to a typical starter's workload if he's able to tack on another inning during Monday's outing. The right-hander has been on the injured list since June 2 with a non-displaced left foot fracture.

Polanco (hamstring) started at second base in High-A Everett's win over Eugene on Sunday and went 0-for-1 with two walks before being replaced defensively in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Polanco was able to take another step with his time on the field, even if it was relatively brief. The veteran has reached safely in each of his first two rehab games, and he's now poised to shift his assignment to Triple-A Tacoma when the Rainiers resume play Tuesday.

Stripling (elbow), who recently started a throwing program, is already up to a distance of 105 feet in his catch sessions, the Associated Press reports.

The veteran right-hander appears to be making some solid progress, but manager Mark Kotsay still doesn't have a timetable for Stripling to throw a bullpen session or get back on a mound. Therefore, Stripling's IL stint could conceivably last through the All-Star break, although there still appears to be a chance he'll return prior to that point even when factoring in a rehab assignment.

Green gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless seventh inning Sunday to record his sixth save of the season in a win over the Guardians.

The right-hander did his job in a high-leverage spot with the Blue Jays ahead 7-4, but the team's late-inning crew got thinner when Yimi Garcia left the game in the ninth with elbow soreness. Nate Pearson wound up getting the save Sunday, but with Jordan Romano (elbow) just resuming his throwing program this weekend and lacking a firm return date, Green could be Toronto's top closing option in the short term.

Clement went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Guardians.

The utility player got the start at third base and hit ninth, and Clement opened the scoring for the Jays in the second inning by taking Ben Lively deep. Clement has multiple hits in three straight starts with three doubles and Sunday's long ball, and he could be slugging his way into more playing time. On the season, the 28-year-old is slashing .264/.286/.421 with three homers, three steals, 11 RBI and 17 runs in 128 plate appearances.

McCann went 1-for-4 with an RBI single during a loss to the Twins in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday.

The rookie backstop drew a rare start and was able to tack on the final run of the matinee game for the Athletics with his ninth-inning single. McCann boasts an impressive .278/.358/.444 slash line across his first 81 career plate appearances, but Shea Langeliers has been an ironman behind the dish and is garnering the bulk of playing time at McCann's expense.

Barger went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Guardians.

Getting the start in right field and batting seventh, Barger stole the first bag of his MLB career after he led off the second inning with a single. The 24-year-old has started two straight games since his latest promotion, one in right and one at third base, and he's gone 3-for-7 with two RBI and a 1:2 BB:K. Barger could be in line for consistent playing time against right-handed pitching as the Jays look for an offensive spark.

Bliss entered Sunday's win over the Rangers as a pinch runner in the eighth inning, recording a stolen base and scoring a run without logging an official plate appearance.

The rookie worked himself into scoring position with his steal of second base and then was driven home with the Mariners' fourth run by Dominic Canzone's single. The cameo marked Bliss's first appearance on the basepaths since last Monday, as he'd failed to reach in any of the nine plate appearances he'd logged over the previous four games.

Raley went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, a walk and a run in a win over the Rangers on Sunday.

Raley's fourth-inning two-bagger plated Mitch Haniger with the first run of the afternoon and snapped a brief 0-for-7 skid that had encompassed Raley's three previous games. Despite Sunday's production, the offseason addition has tailed off at the plate after a hot start to June, posting a .182 average and .562 OPS with a massive 42.9 percent strikeout rate in his last 12 games.

Lukes underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn UCL in his left thumb, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

The Blue Jays haven't yet established a return timeline for Lukes, who is a member of the 40-man roster. He was up with the big club for one day in early May but has otherwise spent the entire season at Triple-A Buffalo. Lukes had slashed .333/.406/.480 with six home runs and four stolen bases in 192 plate appearances for Buffalo prior to being placed on the 7-day injured list.