MLB Player News

Fairbanks (lat) could return Saturday or Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Fairbanks has been out all year after tearing his lat in March, but he may be back in time to make an appearance prior to the All-Star break. If he pitches well, he could carve out a role in the Rays' closer committee, though the team is unlikely to appoint him or anyone else as their dedicated ninth-inning man.

Sulser (lat) threw 10 pitches off a mound recently, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Sulser resumed playing catch in late June and took another step in his recovery process by throwing off a mound. Although he had a limited pitch count and didn't throw at full strength, he'll presumably keep working on building back up. The right-hander has been on the injured list for a month, so he'll require a rehab assignment prior to rejoining the Marlins.

Bender (back) began a rehab assignment with the Marlins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Thursday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Bender has been sidelined since late May due to a back injury, but it's encouraging that he's now been cleared to return to game action. His rehab assignment will shift to Single-A Jupiter on Sunday, and he'll likely be in the mix to rejoin the Marlins shortly after the All-Star break.

Loup (0-3) took the loss against Houston on Thursday, allowing an unearned run on one hit in the 10th inning.

Loup came on in the 10th and gave up a one-out single to Jeremy Pena that allowed the automatic runner to score, but he got out of the frame without absorbing any additional damage. However, the Angels were unable to respond in the bottom of the frame, saddling the veteran reliever with the tough-luck loss. Loup had a perfect 6-0 record with the Mets last season, but he's dropped all three of his decisions so far in 2022.

Castro will undergo an MRI on his right shoulder, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Castro hasn't pitched since Sunday, when he allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk while failing to record an out against the Red Sox. His injury likely contributed to his struggles, and an MRI should help provide a better idea of the severity of the issue. It's not yet clear whether the right-hander will be available again prior to the All-Star break or whether he'll require a trip to the injured list.

Loaisiga pitched two-thirds of an inning against the Reds on Thursday, allowing three run on four hits. He did not walk or strike out any batters.

Loaisiga missed nearly two months with a shoulder injury, so his return was a welcome sight for the Yankees bullpen. However, things didn't go as planned in his first game back, as the right-hander gave up four singles and three runs that turned a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 deficit. Loaisiga was exceptional for New York last season, but he's struggled to an 8.31 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 18:10 K:BB over 17.1 innings so far in 2022.

Thompson was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Friday.

The left-hander was optioned to Triple-A on Monday but will return to St. Louis with Dakota Hudson (neck) landing on the injured list. Thompson has been effective when up in the majors with a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB across 20 innings.

Hudson was placed on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain Friday.

While Hudson won't be able to pitch for at least 15 days, it's possible he won't wind up missing a single game in which he would have appeared. He just started Thursday against the Dodgers, so he wasn't going to pitch in any of the last three games prior to the All-Star break. The Cardinals then have two off days in the first week after the break, so they won't need to carry five starters. Unless reports emerge that his neck strain is particularly serious, it's possible this move represents little more than a bit of clever roster management. Hudson will be eligible to return July 30. Zack Thompson was recalled to take his place on the roster.

Luetge (2-3) took the loss against Cincinnati on Thursday, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out one batter in the 10th inning.

The teams played to a 4-4 draw through nine frames, and Luetge was tasked with putting the clamps on the Reds in the 10th. The left-hander was unable to do so, surrendering a pair of doubles and a single that collectively resulted in a trio of runs. Though the Yankees responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, they were unable to come all the way back and get Luetge off the hook. This was the first time since May 19 that he had allowed multiple runs in an outing. In the 20 innings between the two appearances, he had logged a 0.90 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Cisnero was placed on the bereavement list Friday.

Cisnero was activated off the 60-day injured list earlier in the day after recovering from a shoulder injury but exits the active roster just a few hours later for an unrelated reason. He'll likely miss the final few games before the All-Star break before returning for the start of the second half. Angel De Jesus was recalled to take his place on the roster.