MLB Player News

Johnson threw a 25-pitch bullpen session and felt fine afterwards, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Johnson was shut down in early April with elbow inflammation so this news is a step forward for Johnson. He threw only fastballs, meaning his return to the mound is still not close, though the worst fear of a torn elbow ligament seems to have been averted.

Curtiss was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake City on Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Registerreports.

Curtiss was recalled in a corresponding move that sent Jaime Barria to Triple-A. He's already pitched briefly at the major-league level this season, logging 2.1 innings and striking out one while allowing one earned run. He figures to add depth to the bullpen but likely won't factor much into high-leverage situations.

Barria has been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Barria was crushed by the Royals on Saturday and is now headed to the farm. The Angels have three days off in the next nine days, so they won't need Barria for the time being. However, with Tyler Skaggs looking strong in his return to the mound and the debut of Griffin Canning upcoming, Barria may not get his role as a starter back without injuries or poor performance.

Ortiz was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.

Ortiz worked as a starter in Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 5.87 ERA and 2.02 WHIP across 15.1 innings of work. He struggled especially with his command, surrendering 11 free passes. He appears destined to begin his time in Baltimore as a reliever, though he could also work as a spot starter if the need arises.

Yacabonis was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.

Yacabonis was his hit hard early on this season, posting a 6.32 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 15.2 innings. His last appearance was especially troubling, as he surrendered four earned runs on three homers across two innings Saturday against the Twins.

Bummer was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday.

Bummer will get his first taste of the major leagues this season after Nate Jones (elbow) and Eloy Jimenez (ankle) were placed on the injured list. He has pitched well at Triple-A Charlotte, recording a 2.35 ERA across 7.2 innings of work.

Pruitt was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Pruitt's demotion is to make space for Hunter Wood, who is being reinstated from the family medical emergency list. Pruitt has pitched only 1.2 innings with the Rays this season but has allowed two earned runs on three hits while striking out one.

Lopez didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 9-4 win over the Angels, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks over 3.2 innings while striking out two.

The right-hander got handed a 7-1 lead after three innings, but Lopez couldn't find the plate and threw only 37 of 77 pitches for strikes before getting the hook. He'll take a 5.08 ERA and 31:12 K:BB through 32.2 innings into his next start Thursday, at home against the Rays.

Barria (2-2) took the loss Saturday, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits and a walk over only 1.2 innings while striking out one as the Angels fell 9-4 to the Royals.

Cam Bedrosian tossed a scoreless first inning as the opener, but Barria was in trouble almost as soon as he stepped on the mound as the Angels' primary pitcher -- Ryan O'Hearn ripped a double on the second pitch he threw, and things went downhill from there. The 22-year-old's ERA ballooned to 8.16 as a result of this outing, and while Barria's 10:3 K:BB through 14.1 innings isn't bad, Griffin Canning's pending addition to the rotation could bump him into a more traditional long-relief role or even back to Triple-A.

Pagan allowed one hit but struck out two in one inning to earn his third save of the season Saturday against the Red Sox.

The 27-year-old has seemingly moved into the closer role for the Rays, as he has posted three saves this week. In his first two save opportunities, it's possible manager Kevin Cash was resting some other arms, but on Saturday, Cash used a lot of his top relievers and deployed Pagan in the ninth. The closer role with the Rays is a fluid situation, but Pagan appears to have the role right now. In addition to three saves, he owns a 1.29 ERA, 0.29 WHIP and eight strikeouts in seven innings this year.