-
Michael Kopech SP | LAD
White Sox's Michael Kopech: Picks up fourth win
Kopech (4-8) earned the win Thursday, allowing one run on two hits and four walks over 5.2 innings against the Mets. He struck out five.
Kopech struggled with command again Thursday, issuing at least four walks for the fourth time in his last five starts. However, the 27-year-old was able to limit the damage, holding the Mets to just two hits en route to his first win since May 24. Kopech lowered his ERA to 4.29 with a 1.39 WHIP and 102:57 K:BB through 18 starts (92.1 innings) this season. He's currently lined up for a home matchup with the Cubs in his next outing.
-
Jose Suarez RP | ATH
Angels' Jose Suarez: Begins rehab assignment
Suarez (shoulder) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the Angels' Arizona Complex League team Tuesday, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two batters.
Suarez last pitched for the Angels on May 7, when he departed his start against Texas after 2.2 frames with left shoulder discomfort. He was moved to the 60-day IL on June 20 but recently began throwing to hitters before taking part in the ACL game Tuesday. Per MLB.com, Suarez will make another rehab start Sunday, this time with a full-season affiliate. It hasn't yet been decided whether the left-hander will work as a starter or a reliever upon his eventual return to the big club.
-
Mike Clevinger RP | PIT
White Sox's Mike Clevinger: Sixty pitches in next session
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Thursday that Clevinger (biceps) will get up to 60 pitches in his next throwing session, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Grifol didn't divulge when or where it will take place, but it will be on the heels of a three-up, three-down bullpen session Wednesday during which the manager said Clevinger "felt good and he looked good." Theoretically, the 60-pitch session could be Clevinger's final test before he rejoins Chicago's rotation, although the team has not confirmed as much.
-
Peyton Battenfield SP | NYM
Guardians' Peyton Battenfield: Reaches fifth inning in rehab start
Battenfield (shoulder) covered 4.1 innings in his rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Columbus, striking out six while allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks.
The start was the third of Battenfield's rehab assignment and his first at Columbus after the previous two came with Double-A Akron. Though he's had issues with walks in two of his three rehab outings, Battenfield has reached the fifth inning in both of his last two starts, and he built up to 79 pitches Tuesday. With Shane Bieber (elbow) joining Cal Quantrill (shoulder) on the injured list coming out of the All-Star break, Battenfield could be an option to join the big club when Cleveland next requires a fifth starter, either Sunday versus the Phillies or early next week against the Royals.
-
Grayson Rodriguez SP | LAA
Orioles' Grayson Rodriguez: Draws another start
Rodriguez is scheduled to make his next start Saturday versus the Rays at Tropicana Field.
After a seven-week stay in the minors, Rodriguez was called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday and rejoined the Orioles rotation as a replacement for Cole Irvin, who was moved to the bullpen. Rodriguez fell short of a baseline quality start in his outing against the Dodgers, but after working five innings while striking out four and allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks, the Orioles were satisfied enough with his performance to give him another turn through the rotation. If Rodriguez avoids the home-run problems that befell him earlier this season, he could be headed for an extended stay in the big leagues, barring the Orioles adding another established starting pitcher ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
-
Kevin Gausman SP | CHC
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Listed as Saturday's starter
Gausman (side) is listed as the Blue Jays' starting pitcher for Saturday's game in Seattle, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.
Gausman will be cleared for his first start of the second half after he completed a bullpen session without issue Wednesday. The right-hander was scratched from his last scheduled outing this past weekend against the Padres with left side discomfort, but he was never placed on the 15-day injured list.
-
Ken Waldichuk SP | WAS
Athletics' Ken Waldichuk: Struggles with control Wednesday
Waldichuk didn't factor into the decision against the Red Sox on Wednesday, allowing four earned runs on five hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out five.
Waldichuk worked up to 90 pitches despite not making it out of the fifth inning, as only 50 of his offerings found the strike zone. The left-hander started off on the wrong foot when he surrendered a two-run home run to Justin Turner in the first inning, and after holding Boston off the board for the next three frames, Waldichuk was chased after surrendering an RBI single to Rob Refsnyder in the fifth. The 25-year-old will be looking to reverse what is now a two-start rough patch the next time he takes the hill, as Waldichuk has pitched to a 7.88 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across the eight innings covering that pair of outings, albeit while also recording 10 strikeouts.
-
Zack Greinke SP | KC
Royals' Zack Greinke: Activated for Thursday's start
Greinke (shoulder) was activated from the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Greinke needed just a minimum stay on the IL while recovering from right shoulder tendinitis. The veteran hurler will rejoin the Royals rotation Thursday with a home matchup against the Tigers. He'll bring a 5.44 ERA into the outing.
-
Touki Toussaint RP | LAA
White Sox's Touki Toussaint: Remains winless
Toussaint (0-3) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up five runs on four hits and four walks over six innings as the White Sox were downed 5-1 by the Mets. He struck out three.
The right-hander was able to give Chicago some length, hanging around for 107 pitches in his longest outing of the season, but he threw only 57 strikes. Toussaint has a 4.41 ERA and 12:9 K:BB in 16.1 innings while making three straight starts for the White Sox, but with Mike Clevinger (biceps) still working his way up to a rehab assignment, he'll likely continue to plug a hole in the rotation at least through the end of July.
-
Jose Berrios SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jose Berrios: Fans nine in tough loss
Berrios (8-7) took the loss Wednesday as the Blue Jays fell 2-0 to the Padres, giving up two runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out nine.
The right-hander delivered his 11th quality start of the season on 106 pitches while generating an impressive 34 called or swinging strikes, but the Toronto offense couldn't solve Yu Darvish and the San Diego bullpen. Berrios' nine strikeouts tied his season high, and since the beginning of June he's posted a 2.83 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 52:15 K:BB over 54 innings. He'll try to get back in the win column in his next outing, set for early next week on the road against the Dodgers.