MLB Player News

Double-A Frisco placed Lopez on its 7-day injured list May 27 due to an unspecified injury.

Lopez submitted a 7.20 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and 42:22 K:BB in 35 innings over eight starts before landing on the shelf. The Rangers added the 24-year-old righty to their 40-man roster over the winter, but he didn't appear especially close to earning his first big-league call-up prior to getting injured.

Vargas went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run, a double, two walks and an additional run scored in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Royals.

After Sam Antonacci drew a leadoff walk in the first inning, Vargas opened the scoring with a 407-foot two-run homer. He later doubled and drew two free passes, reaching base in all four plate appearances. Vargas has now hit safely in six straight games, batting .435 (10-for-23) with three homers during that span. Through 81 games this season, he owns an .866 OPS while slugging his way to 19 home runs, 14 doubles, one triple, 52 RBI, 56 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Montgomery (elbow) struck out three over two perfect innings in a rehab start Saturday with Double-A Frisco.

Montgomery was making the second start of his rehab assignment and was supremely efficient, recording his six outs on 20 pitches (15 strikes). Before coming off the 60-day injured list, Montgomery will likely need at least three more starts in the minors to increase his workload and convince the Rangers that he's a viable option for the big-league rotation. The left-hander is working his way back from a hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery, which he underwent last March.

Lange earned the save Sunday against the White Sox, retiring the side in order in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win.

Lange was called upon to protect a one-run lead and needed just 10 pitches to retire Chicago in order, locking down his seventh save of the season. It was an encouraging bounce-back after he was tagged for five runs while recording just one out in his previous appearance. Despite the uneven results recently, Lange appears to have a firm grip on Kansas City's primary closer role. He now owns a 4.95 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 37:21 K:BB across 36.1 innings.

Kay (6-3) took the loss Sunday against the Royals, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while striking out two and walking one over 3.2 innings.

Kay threw 44 of his 73 pitches for strikes and was unable to slow Kansas City's offense, allowing at least one run in every inning he pitched. The outing continued what has been an up-and-down season for the left-hander, who has alternated strong performances with difficult ones. After striking out eight over six scoreless innings in his previous start, Kay followed it up with Sunday's rough outing. He'll carry a 4.50 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 65:31 K:BB across 80 innings into a rematch against Cleveland, this time on the road.

D'Arnaud (foot) was able to catch from a pitching machine Sunday and has continued to do swinging and throwing in his workouts, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

D'Arnaud is doing nearly every baseball activity except for running, which is the main hurdle he'll need to clear in his recovery from right foot plantar fasciitis before the Angels send him out for a rehab assignment. The veteran backstop has been on the injured list since May 7 due to the injury and appears unlikely to make it back until after the All-Star break.

Rodriguez (back) struck out four and allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in his rehab start for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

The right-hander was no match for lower-level minor-league competition, retiring 12 of the 18 batters he faced while pumping in 37 of his 57 pitches for strikes and generating five whiffs. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki previously said that Rodriguez may need just one start in the minors before returning from the 15-day injured list, but unless the right-hander was able to throw another simulated inning after exiting Sunday's outing, he may need another outing in the minors to build upon his 57-pitch workload. The Angels received strong performances from back-end rotation members Ryan Johnson and Sam Aldegheri in their last starts, so the team can probably afford to play it slow with Rodriguez as he works his way back from lower-back tightness.

Schultz (knee) struck out seven and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks across 4.2 innings Friday in a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte.

Making the third start of his rehab assignment, Schultz built up to 74 pitches (52 strikes) and induced nine whiffs while averaging 95.4 mph with his four-seamer. The White Sox haven't confirmed Schultz's next step, but from both a workload and velocity standpoint, he looks ready to return from the 15-day injured list. Schultz could slot back into the White Sox rotation as soon as Wednesday in Baltimore.

Avila did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four over four innings against the White Sox.

Avila ran into trouble immediately, walking the first batter he faced before serving up a two-run homer to Miguel Vargas. He was tagged again in the second inning, allowing three consecutive hits that led to two more runs. Command continues to be the biggest concern for the right-hander, as he has now issued at least three walks in five of his six starts since joining the rotation. During that stretch, Avila owns a 5.68 ERA and 23:18 K:BB. His next start is set to come Sunday at home against the Phillies.

Torkelson went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 7-5, 10-inning loss to the Astros.

Torkelson started the contest on the bench and didn't enter until the eighth, but he provided a single in his first at-bat, then delivered his 13th home run of the season in the 10th. It was the slugger's first long ball since June 15, and he went just 7-for-37 with 11 strikeouts in between homers. Torkelson remains a boom-or-bust fantasy option who can be frustrating due to his propensity for falling into slumps.