MLB Player News

Hildenberger was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

This move comes after Hildenberger allowed three runs on three hits while recording just one out in Wednesday's game against the Angels, raising his ERA to 8.36 on the season. The right-hander should rejoin the big-league bullpen once he smooths some kinks out in the minors. A corresponding roster move is expected to be announced prior to Thursday's series opener in Seattle.

Johnson (elbow) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Johnson will pitch two innings for the PawSox on Wednesday, and if everything goes off without a hitch, the southpaw will throw three or four innings in his next rehab appearance, likely to come Monday. Seeing as Johnson has been sidelined since April 6, he'll likely need to make a handful of rehab starts before being cleared to rejoin the big club.

Burke was placed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Frisco on April 23 due to a recurrence of a blister on his left hand in addition to left shoulder fatigue, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Burke's blister first surfaced after his initial start April 4, but he spent less than two weeks on the IL before returning to action. However, it only took two starts for the blister to crop again and result in another shutdown period. Fortunately for the 22-year-old, the Rangers view neither the blister nor the shoulder injury as a long-term concern, suggesting a return to action may be imminent for the 2014 third-round pick.

Soto was recalled from Double-A Erie ahead of his scheduled start against the Astros on Wednesday.

Soto fired 88 pitches in his big-league debut Saturday -- allowing seven runs on nine hits across four innings -- so he's only expected to pitch a "couple" of innings in Wednesday's outing, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Woodbery also reports that Soto is expected to stick in the rotation for another turn Sunday against the A's; that start will also come on three days' rest, so Soto figures to see a similar pitch count in that outing as well. Ryan Carpenter was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to free up a spot on the roster for Soto.

Manaea has completed three bullpen sessions at extended spring training and has thus far avoided any setbacks in his recovery from left shoulder surgery, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Perhaps more encouraging than Manaea's lack of setbacks is the fact that his fastball velocity has been sitting in low 90s, roughly on par with where it was before he was shut down with the shoulder issue last August. Even if his velocity holds steady when he ultimately goes on a minor-league rehab assignment later this summer, Manaea will need to prove he can locate his changeup effectively before the Athletics consider bringing him back from the 60-day injured list. He's tentatively trending toward a return to the Athletics at some point in August or September.

Puk (elbow) tossed a simulated game Monday at extended spring training, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "It went really well and I feel great," Puk said after the session. "So far it's been clear sailing and hopefully it stays like that up until the finish line."

The simulated game marked Puk's first action against live hitters since undergoing Tommy John surgery 14 months ago. He'll likely remain in Arizona for at least another week or two, and if all goes according to plan, Puk could begin a rehab assignment by the end of the month or in early June. Since Puk will require several starts in the minors to condition his arm for a starter's workload, it's unlikely he'll be an option for the Oakland rotation until July at the earliest.

Cordero was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays on Wednesday and optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Cordero has found a new home after being designated for assignment by the Nationals last week. Prior to being removed from Washington's 40-man roster, the 27-year-old compiled a 6.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 17:9 K:BB in 15 innings with Triple-A Fresno.

Betances (shoulder) played catch from 90 feet Wednesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Betances continues to slowly work his way back from a shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined all season. While this is a step in the right direction for the big right-hander, manager Aaron Boone said he doesn't know when Betances will resume mound work, leaving the reliever without a timetable for his return.

Graterol (back) started Tuesday for Double-A Pensacola, tossing five scoreless innings in a 3-0 win over Chattanooga. He gave up three hits and two walks and struck out three.

Graterol departed early in his prior start May 8 after experiencing tightness in his trapezius muscle, but the issue was never viewed as a significant concern. As anticipated, he returned to action on five days' rest and looked sharp during the 80-pitch outing. Through eight turns with Pensacola, Graterol has posted a 1.69 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while striking out 39 over 42.2 innings.

Phillips was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk prior to Wednesday's doubleheader against the Yankees.

Phillips will serve as bullpen depth for Wednesday's twin bill before heading back to the minors afterward, given his status as the team's 26th man. In 11 appearances for the Orioles this season, Phillips owns a 7.11 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 16:10 K:BB across 12.2 innings.