MLB Player News

Lopez was optioned to Chicago's alternate training site Friday.

This is a performance-based demotion for the hard-throwing righty. Lopez has a 5.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB in nine innings over three starts since coming off the injured list Aug. 22. The shoulder injury that sidelined him may still be affecting his performance, but he will nonetheless be out of the rotation going forward. Carlos Rodon (shoulder) is expected to replace him.

Puk (shoulder) could join the big-league bullpen early next week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Even with the doubleheaders piling up, it sounds like Puk will be used as a reliever once he is activated from the injured list. He will have one more live batting practice session Friday at the alternate training site before joining the big club.

Mengden was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

He is asymptomatic, but will nonetheless have to quarantine until he tests negative, so he should be considered out indefinitely. The Athletics say that Mengden did not violate safety protocols, so there will be no discipline from the team. Mike Minor was added to the active roster in a corresponding move.

Devenski (arm) could return during this current road trip that lasts through Sept. 13, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

He progressed to throwing off a mound in mid-August and the fact that he is traveling with the team suggests his activation could come soon. If Devenski is back to his old self, he could immediately be a setup option ahead of closer Ryan Pressly.

Heller was ejected from Wednesday's loss to Tampa Bay after hitting Hunter Renfroe with a pitch in the fifth inning.

Heller's third pitch drifted far inside and drilled Renfroe on the leg, leading to the right-hander's ejection. The decision to toss Heller was likely escalated due to the heated history between the squads and Tuesday's postgame confrontation following Aroldis Chapman's heater that came dangerously close to Mike Brosseau's head. Heller's general wildness over his career -- he has 14 walks and four HBPs in 30.1 innings -- lends support to his claim that the errant fastball was unintentional, though it remains to be seen whether the league will take further action against him.

Lopez could be replaced by Carlos Rodon (shoulder) in the rotation, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Since Lopez returned from the 10-day injured list, the White Sox have him on a pitch count -- he departed Wednesday after 53 pitches, although he wasn't very sharp. With Rodon expected to come off the IL, possibly by the next turn through the rotation, he could slot in for Lopez. "We'll probably have a discussion at some point and time to go over how we will continue to proceed and make a decision," manager Rick Renteria said. "Not going one way or the other. We'll just have a conversation." Lopez has allowed seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits and six walks while striking out 10 over the nine innings since his return.

Bass pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning Wednesday against the Marlins, leading to his fourth save of the season.

With the recent departure of Jordan Romano (finger) to the 10-day injured list and Ken Giles (forearm) still building up his arm strength, Bass has become the Blue Jays' only realistic candidate to handle the closer role in the short term. The right-hander earned his first save since Aug. 8 and as he was able to withhold a run from scoring for the first time in his last three appearances. Both Romano and Giles are expected back in 2020, but until either one of them returns, Bass figures to remain as the team's primary closer.

Lopez (0-2) was charged with the loss against the Twins on Wednesday, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out two across 1.2 innings.

Making his third start since coming off the injured list, Lopez worked his way into a bases loaded first-inning jam, but luckily struck out Nelson Cruz and induced a double play to escape without damage. Trouble knocked again in the second frame, this time blemishing the score with a solo home run by Jake Cave and a two-run double by Josh Donaldson. That would be the final batter of the night for the 26-year-old. His outing was especially disappointing since he was unable to make it out of the first inning against the Twins during his first start of the year. The right-hander now owns a disappointing 8.38 ERA and 2.28 WHIP across four starts. He'll look to bounce back Tuesday at Pittsburgh.

Jimenez (1-2) allowed a run on a hit and a walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning in a loss to the Brewers on Wednesday. He also hit two batters.

Jimenez had little control in his brief appearance, and the bases-loaded sacrifice fly he allowed to Eric Sogard was enough to stick him with the loss. The 25-year-old Jimenez was pulled from the closer role a week ago and has only made three appearances since. In that span, he's allowed two runs in two innings. Jimenez has an 11.81 ERA, 1.88 WHIP and 11 strikeouts across 10.2 innings this season. With no closing duties expected in his future, he's a non-factor in the fantasy game.

Pressly earned the save against the Rangers on Wednesday after tossing a perfect ninth inning that included two strikeouts.

Called upon to protect a 2-1 lead in the ninth, Pressly barely hesitated in retiring all three of his batters, throwing 11-of-14 pitches for strikes. The 31-year-old now sports a 4.26 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with seven saves across 14 appearances.