MLB Player News

Alzolay (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment with the Cubs' Arizona Complex League affiliate Friday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Alzolay has been on the shelf since mid-May with a right flexor strain but is ready for game action. The reliever will need many rehab appearances and will eventually move up to a higher affiliate, so he's likely still at least a couple weeks away from a return.

Brown (neck) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Brown had to be shut down again just before the All-Star break due to lingering discomfort in his neck, but he appears to be feeling better. The right-hander hasn't made a game appearance in six weeks, so he's going to need several rehab outings before becoming an option for the Cubs again.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Merryweather (ribs) is on track to return by next weekend "at the latest," Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Merryweather has allowed one run with a 3:0 K:BB over three innings on his rehab assignment and will make a fourth appearance Friday, this one with Triple-A Iowa. He's been out since early April with a rib stress fracture but should quickly rejoin Chicago's high-leverage crew once activated.

The Cubs selected Tinoco's contract from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

Tinoco was acquired from the Royals in a trade Tuesday and will go straight onto the major-league roster rather than report to Iowa. The 29-year-old reliever holds a career 4.58 ERA and 61:47 K:BB over 57 appearances at the major-league level. He allowed nine runs over 10 innings in a stint with the Rangers earlier this season.

Simpson (elbow) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session July 9, MLB.com reports.

Simpson opened the season on the injured list after being diagnosed with left elbow neuritis, but he appeared to be tracking toward a brief stay on the shelf. However, after making a rehab appearance April 6, Simpson incurred a setback and ultimately underwent surgery later that month. Nearly three months later, Simpson is finally starting to make some real progress in the recovery process as he conducts his rehab at the Marlins' facility in Jupiter, Fla. He could be cleared to start facing hitters in live batting practice shortly after the All-Star break.

The Dodgers outrighted Hernandez to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Wednesday.

Hernandez was acquired via trade from the Pirates just over a month ago and had thrown two scoreless innings with the Dodgers' rookie-level club. He's now off the 40-man roster but will remain in the organization. Look for him to eventually settle in at Triple-A Oklahoma City as a bullpen arm.

Uribe underwent surgery on his right knee Wednesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Uribe's return timeline had been uncertain heading into the operation, though he's now been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 campaign and hopes to be ready for the start of spring training. The 24-year-old reliever will finish the year with a 6.91 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across 14.1 innings in the majors.

Kilian (shoulder) made the fifth appearance of his rehab assignment Sunday for Triple-A Iowa, retiring the lone batter he faced on six pitches.

Prior to this season, Kilian had made all but three of his professional appearances as a starter, but the Cubs look to be preparing him for a relief role as he makes his way back from a teres major strain on his right shoulder, which has kept him on the shelf since spring training. He's worked out of the bullpen in all five of his rehab appearances to date, tossing no more than two innings and 32 pitches in any of those outings.

McLean will focus on pitching going forward, SNY Mets reports.

He cited the physical toll that doing both hitting and pitching was taking on his body, but his 52.2-percent strikeout rate in 69 plate appearances as a hitter at Double-A likely also factored into the decision. McLean is a very exciting pitching prospect, sporting one of the best high-spin sliders in the minors and a mid-90s fastball with good movement. There's perhaps another level of upside with McLean on the mound now, considering he had been trying to be a two-way player up until this point and can just focus on pitching going forward. The 6-foot-2 righty has been unlucky at Double-A (.358 BABIP, 21.1 HR/FB), leading to a 5.35 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, but his 3.86 xFIP hints that better days are ahead.

The Mets claimed Young off waivers from the Giants on Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse.

Young was traded from the Reds to the Giants for outfielder Austin Slater earlier this month and now will be moving on to a third organization in just over a week. The left-handed reliever has made three scoreless appearances in the majors this season and holds a 2.19 ERA and 23:8 K:BB over 24.2 frames during his time at the Triple-A level in 2024.