MLB Player News

Sterner will see a knee specialist at Stanford this week, per MLB.com.

Sterner, who landed on the injured list July 18 due to right knee chondromalacia, recently felt increased soreness when throwing, prompting a visit with a specialist. A more formal timeline for his return should emerge following the right-hander's appointment. Prior to hitting the shelf, Sterner posted a 6.12 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 40:13 K:BB across 42.2 innings of relief work.

Giants manager Tony Vitello said that Houser will start Wednesday's game against the Astros in San Francisco, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Houser will essentially be making a second straight turn through the rotation, after he worked behind an opener and picked up a win while throwing five innings of one-run ball in bulk relief Friday against the Tigers. Trevor McDonald's season-ending elbow injury as well as the recent trades of Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle should keep a rotation spot available for Houser over the balance of the season if he's able to perform well enough to maintain it. Over 23 appearances (14 starts) with the Giants, Houser owns a 4.55 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 65:31 K:BB across 97 innings.

Quantrill is slated to start Wednesday's game against the Angels in Anaheim, Matt Postins of SI.com reports.

The Rangers will go with Quantrill over Jordan Montgomery as the replacement in the rotation for Nathan Eovaldi (elbow), who was placed on the injured list Monday. Quantrill most recently made a one-inning relief appearance Saturday against the Orioles, but the right-hander had started or served as a bulk reliever in each of his prior eight appearances, going 1-4 with a 3.57 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 24:9 K:BB in 35.1 innings during that stretch.

Butler went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 12-4 loss to the Rays.

Butler crushed an elevated cutter from Nick Martinez over the wall in right-center field for a two-run blast in the fourth inning. It marked the outfielder's second homer of August, and he's gone 8-for-38 (.211) across 10 games to start the month. Overall, it's been a year to forget for Butler, as he's slashing .206/.299/.330 with eight homers, 32 RBI, 44 runs and nine stolen bases over 112 contests.

The Red Sox recalled Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.

Gamboa has been up and down between Worcester and Boston several times this season and has pitched well with the big club, logging a 2.08 ERA and 12:5 K:BB across 13 frames. He'll join the bullpen as a replacement for right-hander Seth Martinez, who was designated for assignment.

The Red Sox designated Martinez for assignment Wednesday.

Martinez made only one appearance during his brief time with the Red Sox, allowing one run over one inning of relief in Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays. He's being replaced on the active roster by Alec Gamboa, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester to give the Red Sox a fresh arm in the bullpen.

Torres is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

Torres finds himself on the bench for a third straight game, with the left-handed-hitting outfielder sitting twice against right-handed pitchers during that span. Jose Fermin will get the nod over Torres in left field, but both players may be merely keeping the seat warm for prospect Joshua Baez, who has submitted an .893 OPS at Triple-A Memphis this season and could be in the mix for a late-season promotion.

Irvin (2-6) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up five runs on four hits and two walks over 3.1 innings as the Nationals were downed 8-6 by the Cubs. He struck out four.

After a scoreless top of the first inning, Chicago tagged Irvin for runs in each of the next three frames before the right-hander got the hook after 88 pitches (56 strikes). Irvin has made three starts since coming off the IL in late July, and he's surrendered five runs in two of them while serving up four homers in 13.2 innings, including a solo shot by Pete Crow-Armstrong on Tuesday. Irvin will try to bounce back in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road this weekend against the Mets.

Jeffers is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Orioles.

Jeffers will grab a seat for Wednesday's matinee after starting behind the dish in the first two games of the series. Victor Caratini will do the catching for the Twins.

Culpepper is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Orioles.

It's a routine day off for the rookie after he started the first two games of the series. Ryan Kreidler will step in at shortstop in Culpepper's stead.