MLB Player News

Adams retired only one batter Sunday against Miami while allowing four runs on two hits and two walks.

The right-hander has been solid out of the bullpen this season, but he simply did not have his best stuff Sunday. Adams threw only seven of 16 pitches for strikes and walked a pair of batters in addition to giving up a double and a single. The four earned runs he allowed were his most in a single game this season and exceeded the total earned runs he had given up over his previous 41 outings combined. Adams' ERA jumped from 1.82 to 2.83 as a result of the poor performance.

Stephenson (back) was able to complete a long-toss session off flat ground in the outfield Sunday prior to the Rockies' 3-2 loss to the Dodgers, the Associated Press reports.

The right-handed reliever has been on the shelf since late June with upper-back tightness. He could be ready to get back on the mound for a bullpen session during the upcoming week.

Ponce de Leon (shoulder) started Triple-A Memphis' win over Louisville on Sunday, firing two scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits, issued two walks and recorded two strikeouts.

The rehabbing right-hander worked up to 39 pitches, 22 which found the strike zone. Ponce de Leon now has three scoreless frames with the Redbirds under his belt, and with the team's official site reporting the Cardinals would like him to build up to around 50 pitches before activation, it appears very likely the 29-year-old is due for at least one more rehab outing.

Estevez (2-2) was tagged with the loss in relief Sunday against the Dodgers after allowing one run on two hits across one inning.

Estevez hurled the eighth inning and was credited with the loss after allowing the decisive run of the game on a solo homer from star catcher Will Smith. Estevez has now allowed at least one run in three of his last five relief appearances and owns a 6.00 ERA across nine appearances this month.

Bickford (1-1) earned the win in relief Sunday against the Rockies after tossing a scoreless inning, allowing one hit.

Bickford pitched the eighth inning and while he allowed a single from Brendan Rodgers to begin the frame, he settled down quickly and needed just 11 pitches (eight strikes) to retire the side. This was Bickford's third straight scoreless outing, and he owns a 3.60 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP in 13 appearances (10 innings) this month.

Wilson was recalled as expected ahead of his scheduled start in the nightcap of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets.

Wilson will merely be the 27th man for the twin bill, so it's likely he heads right back to the minors following the game. He's still just 23 years old, but he's shown little reason to get excited this year or in any of his other three partial seasons in the big leagues, posting a 6.46 ERA in seven starts this season and a 6.14 ERA in 73.1 innings for his career.

The Padres optioned Knehr to Triple-A El Paso on Thursday.

Knehr returned to the minors one day after he was called up to make a spot start in the second half of a doubleheader with Atlanta. He has yet to be officially credited with any statistics from that start; he gave up three runs on one hit and two walks over 1.2 innings, departing with a 5-2 lead before the game was suspended in the bottom of the fifth due to inclement weather while the Padres held a one-run advantage. Atlanta and San Diego are expected to make up the contest during their series in late September, so Knehr's statistics won't appear on his season-long ledger until the suspended game is completed.

Clarke (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch simulated inning Saturday.

Clarke's been on the injured list since the middle of June with a strained right teres muscle. The right-hander is expected to next pitch in a "B" game at Salt River Fields, the site of the organization's training complex.

Rainey (lower leg) retired two of the five batters he faced in his first rehab outing with Triple-A Rochester on Sunday. He was charged with an earned run on one hit and two walks during the 24-pitch outing.

Pitching in a game for the first time since June 27, Rainey struggled to find the zone, as he pumped in only 11 pitches for strikes. The outing wasn't all bad for Rainey, who recorded both of his outs via strikeout. if Rainey shows improved control in his next outing with Rochester, it could be enough for the Nationals to activate him from the 10-day injured list.

The Padres are targeting early August for Lamet's (forearm) return from the 10-day injured list, and he's most likely to work out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever upon being activated, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. "At the end of the day, the rotation is some place I want to get back to, but I'm here to help the team. I'm here to help the team win," Lamet said, regarding a potential move to the bullpen. "So, if that's what my role is right now and that's what I need to do to help, of course I'm going to do it."

Though Lamet avoided offseason surgery to address the elbow/forearm injury that cropped up last September, he's incurred multiple setbacks in 2021 and has had his workloads monitored carefully when available, as he's covered more than four innings in only one of his nine starts to date. Lamet looks to be making good progress in his recovery from forearm inflammation, but the Padres don't seem inclined to have him ramp up for starting duty. Since Lamet would most likely be excluded from the three- or four-man rotation the Padres expect to roll out in the postseason, manager Jayce Tingler is incentivized to have the right-hander get acclimated to working out of the bullpen over the final few weeks of the regular season. Even if Lamet takes well to the role and quickly becomes a key part of the bridge to closer Mark Melancon, the 29-year-old's fantasy value would still take a hit if he does in fact transition from starting to relief duty.