MLB Player News

Mears (shoulder) received an injection and began playing catch again Monday, MLB.com reports.

Mears threw a bullpen June 16 and was on the right track in his recovery from a right shoulder impingement, but the 29-year-old came out of the session dealing with the same soreness and pinching feeling that landed him on the shelf in the first place. After receiving an injection in his shoulder, the right-hander is back to throwing and will look to build up in rehab without any further setbacks. Before being placed on the injured list May 29, Mears posted a 5.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 15:11 K:BB across 19.1 innings.

Mikolas is expected to work in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Carson Palmquist during Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.

The Nationals will likely let the left-handed Palmquist cover the first inning or two, sparing the right-handed Mikolas from at least one matchup with left-handed hitters Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber (back), both of whom typically occupy top-three spots in the order. Working as a bulk reliever for his turns through the rotation is nothing new for Mikolas, who has started in just six of his 16 appearances so far this season. As a reliever, Mikolas has turned in a 4.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 8.8 K-BB% over 49 innings, with all of those ratios being markedly better than what he's provided as a starter.

The Rockies placed Hill on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder tendinitis.

It's unclear how long Hill's shoulder has been bothering him. He's notched saves in two of his last three outings but has had a rough June overall, allowing nine runs with a 5:8 K:BB over six innings covering nine appearances. Hill will be eligible for activation in early July, but with the nature of the injury, he could require additional down time.

The Rockies recalled Halvorsen from Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday.

Colorado sent Halvorsen back to Triple-A on June 17, but he'll be eligible to rejoin the big club a week later after right-hander Jaden Hill (shoulder) was moved to the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Rockies will likely limit Halvorsen to lower-leverage spots during his upcoming stint in the big leagues; the reliever has posted a 3.31 ERA in 16.1 innings with Colorado this season but has walked nearly as many batters (14) as he's struck out (16).

Leiter (hip) began a throwing progression Monday, MLB.com reports.

Leiter was placed on the injured list Saturday (retroactive to Thursday) due to a right hip impingement, but he didn't require much down time before resuming throwing. The Athletics are hopeful that the right-hander can return to the big-league club when first eligible July 3. In 29.2 innings this season, Leiter owns a 4.85 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 31:10 K:BB with four saves.

The Nationals recalled Palmquist from Triple-A Rochester, and he'll serve as the team's opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Though he'll eventually settle into the Washington bullpen, Palmquist will be making his team debut in a starting role. The Nationals are likely counting on the left-handed Palmquist to cover the first inning or two, hoping that he can limit the effectiveness of a Philadelphia lineup that typically features two left-handed hitters in Kyle Schwarber (back) and Bryce Harper in the top three spots. Right-hander Miles Mikolas will take over in bulk relief once Palmquist exits the contest.

The Cubs recalled Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday.

Hollowell was just sent down Tuesday but returns to take the roster spot of the injured Ben Brown (neck). He will operate in a middle-relief role.

The Cubs placed Brown on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a neck strain.

Brown wasn't known to be nursing a neck issue, as he cruised to his second win in as many starts during his most recent appearance Friday against the Blue Jays. He'll be eligible to return from the IL in early July, but the Cubs haven't yet provided a timeline for Brown's activation. Brown boasts a 1.70 ERA and 41:11 K:BB over 42.1 innings covering eight starts since entering the Chicago rotation.

Rooker (knee) is still not participating in any baseball activities as of Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

Rooker hit the injured list June 12 due to a bone bruise in his left knee and has yet to make much headway in his recovery. The Athletics hope to have a better idea of his status next week, though that suggests a return before the end of June is unlikely. Before being shelved, the veteran hit .200/.281/.389 with 10 homers, 29 RBI, 20 runs and two stolen bases across 48 games.

Adames went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Athletics.

Adames doubled in the second inning before coming around to score. The veteran shortstop also added a single in the fourth, marking his first multi-hit performance since June 5. The 30-year-old has struggled in June, slashing .174/.230/.420 with 10 runs scored, eight RBI and five home runs across 74 plate appearances.