MLB Player News

Bickford (back) was activated off the 15-day injured list Friday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Bickford missed three weeks while dealing with tightness in his lower back. He'll return to a middle-innings role with the Dodgers. Alex Vesia heads back to Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding transaction.

Castano (undisclosed) was sent outright to Triple-A Jacksonville by the Marlins on Friday.

The left-hander is currently on the 7-day injured list for Jacksonville, but Castano can choose to elect free agency as this was the second time he's been outrighted off the 40-man.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that Hudson (knee) will head to the Dodgers' spring training complex in Arizona to throw an inning on Tuesday, and if it goes well he should be activated next weekend, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports.

Hudson has missed the entirety of the 2023 season so far, but he was able to throw in back-to-back games for Triple-A Oklahoma City this week. The veteran reliever should be a key cog for the beleaguered Los Angeles bullpen over the second half of the season.

Suter (oblique) was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Suter sustained an oblique injury in Tuesday's 8-6 loss to the Reds and he will now be sidelined for at least a couple weeks. Right-hander Noah Davis was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday to replace Suter on the roster.

Brazoban (2-1) picked up the win in Thursday's 6-4 victory over the Pirates by retiring the only batter he faced.

The right-hander took the mound with two outs and a runner aboard in the eighth inning with the Marlins down 4-1 and got Connor Joe to ground out, making Brazoban the pitcher of record when his offense broke out for five runs in the bottom of the frame. Since his return to the majors following a brief demotion to Triple-A Jacksonville earlier this month, the 33-year-old has delivered three scoreless appearances with a 3:0 K:BB over 3.1 innings, getting credited with a win in two of them.

Chafin (ankle) struck out two over a scoreless and hitless inning in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Nationals.

Chafin rolled an ankle Tuesday and was unavailable to pitch the last two days. He pitched the eighth inning Thursday while Scott McGough recorded the save, his third in as many appearances. Chafin's last save came May 29, though he remains a trusted late-inning arm.

Hudson (knee) pitched for Triple-A Oklahoma City on both Tuesday and Wednesday, allowing one hit and striking out two batters over two scoreless innings.

Hudson has yet to pitch in the majors this season, but his ability to log game action on consecutive days is the latest sign that he's nearing a return. The veteran reliever has tallied seven total appearances in the minors since he began an extended rehab stint in early June, compiling seven scoreless frames during which he's posted a 10:1 K:BB. Hudson could make his 2023 big-league debut as soon as early next week, and he figures to move quickly into a high-leverage role for the Dodgers, who have the second-worst bullpen ERA in the majors this season at 4.88.

Puk earned a save against the Pirates on Thursday, striking out one batter in a scoreless inning.

Puk was summoned in the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead. An error behind him brought the tying run to the plate for Pittsburgh with one out, but Puk retired the next two batters to close things out. The southpaw has successfully converted each of his past four save chances and hasn't allowed any earned runs over eight appearances while posting a 10:1 K:BB since his last blown save May 6. He's emerged as the clear-cut closer for a surprising Marlins squad that ranks third in the National League with 43 wins.

McGough earned his fifth save in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Nationals by retiring both batters he faced. He struck out one.

The right-hander picked up a two-out save Wednesday in Milwaukee and was called upon again Thursday after fellow reliever Joe Mantiply was unable to maintain Arizona's four-run advantage. McGough now has saves in each of his past three appearances, and he hasn't given up an earned run in his past 21 frames. Miguel Castro and Andrew Chafin lead the Diamondbacks with seven and eight saves, respectively, but McGough appears to have become the preferred option in the closing committee.

The Pirates recalled Bolton from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.

With the placement of Bryan Reynolds (back) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Bolton will fill Reynolds' roster spot and rejoin the Pirates' bullpen. Bolton has been solid in Triple-A but has yet to put it together in the majors, holding a 12.38 ERA and 3.00 WHIP through eight innings.