MLB Player News

The Dodgers optioned Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday.

Knack had taken six consecutive turns through the Dodgers rotation, posting a 4.50 ERA and a 28:12 K:BB over 30 innings, but he'll yield his spot to Justin Wrobleski. In four appearances with Oklahoma City this season, Knack logged a 3.98 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP across 20.1 innings.

The Dodgers recalled Wrobleski from Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of Friday's game against the Cardinals.

Wrobleski is set to start Friday's contest, which will be his second MLB start of the campaign. The 24-year-old has stumbled to a 5.09 ERA over 40.2 innings with Oklahoma City, and he's allowed eight runs in nine big-league innings this season. His struggles and lack of strikeout stuff -- he has an 8.3 K/9 at Triple-A -- make him a shaky fantasy option. Landon Knack was optioned to Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.

Stowers is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Rays due to lingering hand soreness, Nate Karzmer of FishOnFirst reports.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Friday that Stowers will be available to pinch hit, but he's currently dealing with hand soreness. Stowers is out of the lineup for a second straight game Friday, but the hand issue appears to be a short-term problem.

Stowers is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Rays.

The left-handed-hitting Stowers didn't start Wednesday's game versus the Rockies against a lefty but did appear as a pinch hitter. He's out of the lineup again following a team off day Thursday, even with righty Zack Littell on the bump for the Rays, so it's possible he's dealing with an injury. Eric Wagaman is in left field for Miami on Friday.

The Marlins recalled Veneziano from Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday.

The left-hander was demoted to Jacksonville in mid-May after posting a 4.86 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB in his first 20 appearances of the season. Veneziano will rejoin the Marlins on Friday with Jesus Tinoco (forearm) landing on the injured list.

Gonzales went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Thursday against the Astros.

Gonzalez has started two of three games since being activated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday. He hit sixth against a right-handed starter Tuesday but slotted into the cleanup spot with southpaw Framber Valdez on the mound Thursday. Despite the ugly effort, Gonzales should get a long look as the starting second baseman for the Pirates after fracturing his ankle Opening Day and missing more than two months.

House could make his major-league debut sooner rather than later, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

After launching another homer Thursday for Triple-A Rochester, House is slashing .325/.367/.651 over his last 20 games with seven homers and 18 RBI, and more importantly, he has a 21.1 percent strikeout rate, a big step up from the 27.8 percent mark he posted through his first 37 games this season. The Nationals have gotten just two homers all season from their third baseman -- only the Cubs have fewer with zero -- and if House can carry his Triple-A momentum with him to the 26-man roster once he does get promoted, he could provide a big upgrade over the likes of Jose Tena, Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong (orbital). James Wood was promoted July 1 of last season, and the organization could consider a similar timeline for House's debut.

The Marlins placed Tinoco on the 15-day injured list Friday with a right forearm strain.

Tinoco didn't strike out a single batted over his last five appearances and had been deployed in low-leverage situations lately, so it's possible he's been hurt for a while. Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com, an MRI on Tinoco's forearm didn't reveal any structural damage, but it's not clear how long he might be shelved.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said his concern level was "not high" after Liberatore exited Thursday's start versus the Royals due to fatigue, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The velocity on the southpaw's four-seamer dropped below 90 mph in the fifth inning, prompting a visit from Marmol and the trainer and the pitcher's eventual removal. However, Liberatore did not undergo imaging after the game and there doesn't appear to be any worry that he's injured. Rather, the pitcher believes mechanical issues were the main factor in him feeling fatigued. Liberatore has struggled in back-to-back starts and it's possible he's going through a "dead arm" phase after he spent the bulk of last season in a relief role. He's tentatively lined up to face the Blue Jays at home next week, but the date of his next start is not set in stone.

Pena is hitting .407 with two home runs, three steals and a 16.7 percent strikeout rate in seven games since being activated off the concussion IL for Single-A Carolina on May 28.

Pena was excellent before the concussion, but he's been even better since a 10-day absence. He shares the left side of the infield with Jesus Made, so Pena has split time between shortstop and third base. He could also end up at second base or could try his hand at center field. On the season, the 18-year-old is slashing .344/.407/.563 with five home runs, 24 steals and a 10.3 percent strikeout rate in 32 games.