MLB Player News

Betances could get some save opportunities going forward after Aroldis Chapman was officially removed from the closer's role Saturday.

The Yankees have the most talented bullpen in baseball, and David Robertson could also be an option in the ninth inning. All manager Joe Girardi said was that Chapman would be used in different situations as they attempt to get him right. Betances is already rostered in most fantasy leagues, but if he is available, he should be added immediately.

Chapman will not serve primarily as the Yankees' closer going forward, as manager Joe Girardi said he will use him "at any point," Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Chapman has given up seven earned runs in his last 4.1 innings, and the Yankees want to take some of the pressure off in an effort to get him right. This is probably the best bullpen in baseball, so Girardi has some nice replacement options in the short term, but David Robertson and Dellin Betances should be considered the top two options for saves going forward. Chapman could certainly reclaim the ninth-inning role, but he will have to right the ship first.

Andriese (hip), who took a comebacker off his shin in Friday's rehab start, feels fine but still needs to make two more rehab starts before coming off the DL, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The comebacker didn't result in an injury, but it forced him from the mound after just two pitches, so this changes his return timetable. Andreise posted a 3.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 61 innings (12 starts) before landing on the DL. He now lines up to be activated to start Sept. 2 against the White Sox.

Gonsalves is still slated to start Sunday for Triple-A Rochester, so it seems the Twins will not turn to him to start one half of Monday's doubleheader, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

He would have been able to start Monday on an extra day of rest, and the Twins need to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, so it would have made some sense, but instead it looks like journeyman Tim Melville will get the call as the 26th man before the Twins move back to a five-man rotation. Gonsalves could still conceivably contribute in the big leagues later this season.

Scott (finger) was activated from the disabled list Friday and returned to the mound for Double-A Bowie.

Scott pitched two innings Friday, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in his return from a blister. It certainly wasn't a sharp outing, but the lefty gets a pass considering he hadn't pitched in nearly three weeks. The O's prospect has enjoyed a fine season in his first full year at Double-A, posting a 2.21 ERA with 76 strikeouts over 21 starts and 61 innings.

Farquhar will join the White Sox prior to Saturday's game against the Rangers.

Farquhar was called up to the big-league club just a month after being released by Tampa Bay. In 37 outings with the Rays this year, Farquhar posted a 4.11 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 35 innings of relief. In a corresponding move, the team placed Reynaldo Lopez on the 10-day DL with a strained back.

Lopez was officially placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained back.

Lopez will miss at least one start after exiting Thursday's game in the fifth inning. According to MLB.com's Scott Merkin, manager Rick Renteria didn't seem too concerned about the right-hander's condition, but stressed that there's "literally no reason to take a chance." Moving forward, Mike Pelfrey could make a spot start in his place, while the club recalled reliever Danny Farquhar from Triple-A Charlotte to join the 25-man roster.

Lawrence was called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Lawrence will rejoin the big-league club after being optioned to Tacoma on Tuesday following four innings of relief against the Orioles. During 17 appearances in the majors this season -- split between the Mariners and Toronto -- the right-hander has accumulated a 6.60 ERA and 1.76 WHIP with a 41:16 K:BB. He figures to slide back into a long-reliever role moving forward.

Norris said he felt healthy after his first rehab start Wednesday in which he allowed four runs on six hits over two innings, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.

While the results weren't great, Norris said he felt good physically after the outing. "I was a little bit rusty but the big thing was I felt healthy," Norris said. "Being rusty, I think that was to be expected. I hadn't really faced batters in close to a month. But in the second inning I felt a lot better [and] more free and easy." The left-hander followed the rehab start with a bullpen session Friday, and he's expected to make two more rehab starts before rejoining the big-league club.

Mayza was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Arash Madani of Sportsnet.ca reports.

In a somewhat surprising move, the Blue Jays sent Mayza right back down to Buffalo after recalling the southpaw less than a week ago. Following his loss during Friday's series opener against the Cubs -- allowing two runs off three hits and a walk in 1.1 innings -- Manager John Gibbons defended his young pitcher, saying, "I think he's throwing the ball great," and that "this is his chance." It appears as though Mayza will only spend a brief time with Buffalo before coming back to the big-league club by the time rosters expand in two weeks.