MLB Player News

The Nationals recalled Herz from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The left-hander will start Tuesday's game against the Padres. Herz was sent down earlier this month mostly as a means to give him some extra rest around the All-Star break. The left-hander should have a decent chance to remain in the Nationals' rotation for the remainder of the season. Herz holds a 5.17 ERA and 41:9 K:BB over 31.1 innings covering seven starts in the majors this season, which includes a pair of double-digit strikeout games.

Single-A Bradenton placed Kennedy on the 7-day injured list June 16 with an undisclosed injury.

Kennedy, a 19-year-old southpaw, logged a 4.70 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 60:11 K:BB in 53.2 innings across 11 starts for the Marauders before landing on the shelf. His 3.35 xFIP and 21.6 K-BB% were strong marks, and he is a better prospect than his Single-A ERA suggests.

Triple-A El Paso placed Otto on its 7-day injured list Sunday with an unspecified injury.

Otto remains on the Padres' 40-man roster and began the season on the club's 15-day injured list while recovering from a right teres major strain. After Otto made five rehab appearances between El Paso and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, the Padres activated him from the IL and optioned him to the Triple-A club. Since then, Otto had made six appearances for El Paso and struck out 11 over 8.2 innings while giving up three earned runs on eight hits and six walks, but he's now been shut down again with an injury. It's unclear whether he's dealing with a setback related to the previous shoulder issue or if he's tending to a new concern.

Atlanta recalled Williams from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Williams is taking the roster spot vacated by Austin Riley (personal), who was placed on the paternity list. He could see some reps in the infield while Riley is away but is likely to be sent back down to the minors when the latter returns later this week.

Atlanta placed Riley on the paternity list Monday.

Riley was removed from Monday's 4-1 loss to the Reds in the ninth inning after his wife went into labor, and he's now officially on the paternity list as he welcomes a new arrival to the family. He is expected to be back with Atlanta for the start of its series Thursday against the Mets, per David O'Brien of The Athletic. Nacho Alvarez is handling third base Tuesday while Zack Short occupies second base.

Martinez will start Tuesday's game in Atlanta, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

It will be Martinez's first start since May, as each of his last 17 appearances have come in relief. He has not reached the 40-pitch mark since May, so this should be a relatively limited outing for the righty. Martinez could earn additional starts, although that will depend on the status of Carson Spiers (shoulder).

Hilliard went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's extra-innings win against the Red Sox.

Hilliard blasted a clutch home run in the 10th inning to tie the game at 7-7. It was his third homer of the season, and he's also hit .290 with five RBI and seven runs scored across 13 games in July. Hilliard is currently locked into a large-side platoon role in left field, though the impending returns of Nolan Jones (back) and Kris Bryant (oblique) will likely jeopardize his playing time.

Schunk went 2-for-5 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Monday's extra-innings win over the Red Sox.

Schunk has only started six of 19 games since being promoted for his big-league debut, and he's accrued just 23 plate appearances as a result. The initial return isn't promising, as he's hitting just .136 with a 34.8 percent strikeout rate, though the uneven playing time likely isn't helping him settle in. Schunk also managed the first multi-hit game of his career Monday.

Blackmon went 2-for-6 with a two-run home run and a walk in Monday's 9-8 victory over the Red Sox in 12 inning.

Blackmon opened the game's scoring with a two-run shot in the third inning. It was his seventh long ball of the season and fourth in July. Despite the recent power surge, he's hitting just .235 this month. Blackmon's slash line sits at .253/.331/.416 with 29 extra-base hits and 42 runs scored through 314 plate appearances.

Tovar went 3-for-7 with an RBI and a run scored in Monday's extra-innings win over Boston.

Tovar singled and scored during Colorado's four-run third inning and he later delivered a walk-off single in the 12th. He's collected multiple hits in seven of his last eight games, including six in a row. During that eight-game span, Tovar owns a 1.330 OPS with eight extra-base knocks. His season slash line is up to .280/.307/.476 with 46 extra-base hits and 47 RBI through 98 games.