MLB Player News

Leiter (hip) began a throwing progression Monday, MLB.com reports.

Leiter was placed on the injured list Saturday (retroactive to Thursday) due to a right hip impingement, but he didn't require much down time before resuming throwing. The Athletics are hopeful that the right-hander can return to the big-league club when first eligible July 3. In 29.2 innings this season, Leiter owns a 4.85 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 31:10 K:BB with four saves.

The Cubs recalled Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday.

Hollowell was just sent down Tuesday but returns to take the roster spot of the injured Ben Brown (neck). He will operate in a middle-relief role.

The Cubs placed Brown on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a neck strain.

Brown wasn't known to be nursing a neck issue, as he cruised to his second win in as many starts during his most recent appearance Friday against the Blue Jays. He'll be eligible to return from the IL in early July, but the Cubs haven't yet provided a timeline for Brown's activation. Brown boasts a 1.70 ERA and 41:11 K:BB over 42.1 innings covering eight starts since entering the Chicago rotation.

Matsui tossed 2.1 innings in relief against Atlanta on Tuesday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three batters.

Matsui has gone at least two frames seven times through 18 appearances so far this season after doing so in just five instances across 61 regular-season outings last year. The shift in role has been working well for the southpaw, as he carries a 1.67 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through 27 total innings. Matsui doesn't have any holds, wins or saves, which severely dents his fantasy utility, though he has been more effective at missing bats this season. The Japanese reliever has fanned at least one batter in every one of his appearances thus far, and his 29.0 percent strikeout rate is a vast improvement over his 22.4 percent mark last season.

The Twins recalled Funderburk from Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Funderburk will provide the Twins with another left-handed option out of the bullpen in what will be his third stint of the season with the big club. He's notched six holds and one save while pitching to a 3.44 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 10:16 K:BB in 18.1 innings over 21 appearances with Minnesota.

The Twins optioned Rojas to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Minnesota moved Rojas to the minors and designated right-hander Austin Voth for assignment after the two pitchers covered the first six innings of Tuesday's 12-3 loss to the Dodgers. Prior to making the two-inning start for Minnesota, Rojas hadn't pitched for the big club since late May after he had been shelved due to triceps inflammation. The Twins will likely have the young lefty get further stretched out as a member of the rotation at Triple-A.

The Cubs recalled Ferguson from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Ferguson will serve as the 27th man on the Cubs' roster for Wednesday's doubleheader against the Mets. The righty reliever gave up one run over 1.1 innings in his lone appearance for the Cubs earlier this season. Ferguson will likely be sent back down to Iowa after the twin bill.

Fairbanks gave up two runs on two hits in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Rangers. He struck out one.

Called in to protect a 6-2 lead, Fairbanks made things interesting by serving up a two-out solo shot to Joc Pederson before hitting Wyatt Langford with a pitch and giving up an RBI triple to Brandon Nimmo. Josh Jung then nearly tied the game on a hanging slider, but instead the ball came up a couple feet short of the fence in center field for the final out. Fairbanks has had a bumpy June, posting a 5.19 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 11:4 K:BB in 8.2 innings, but he's gone a perfect 5-for-5 in save chances this month while adding a win and a hold in nine appearances.

The Marlins optioned Fulton to Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday.

Fulton's stay with the Marlins lasted just one week, with the lefty striking out three batters and allowing no hits and one walk over three scoreless innings between his two relief appearances. He'll head back to Jacksonville and will likely move back into the rotation while he gives up his spot on the Marlins' 26-man active roster to right-hander Eury Perez (gracilis), who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Wednesday against the Rangers.

Rogers gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits in one inning of relief Tuesday to take his third blown save of the season in an extra-innings loss to the Astros.

With Louis Varland getting some rest after throwing 40 pitches while working two of the prior three days, manager John Schneider had to look to other high-leverage options in a close game. Jeff Hoffman got the final two outs in the eighth inning with the score tied 4-4, and after the Blue Jays took a two-run lead in the bottom of that frame, Rogers got the call in the top of the ninth. The veteran right-hander couldn't close the door, giving up back-to-back singles to Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez to begin the inning and watching both eventually come around to score on a catcher's interference call and a sacrifice fly. The earned run was the first on Rogers' ledger since May 25, although he did get tagged for five unearned runs against the Cubs on June 19. On the season, he sports a 1.91 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 20:12 K:BB over 37.2 innings with one win, two saves and 17 holds, and he may be due for some rest of his own -- only teammates Mason Fluharty (42 appearances) and Braydon Fisher (40) have appeared in more games this season than Rogers.