MLB Player News

German (shoulder) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Astros.

The 29-year-old had shoulder issues surface during the offseason and landed on the 60-day IL in mid-March, but he's now poised to make his 2022 debut for New York. German appeared in five games during his rehab assignment, and he last pitched July 15 for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and fired six scoreless innings. He threw 65 pitches during that outing, so he should face some workload limitations in his first couple big-league starts of the year. German will fill the rotation spot of Luis Severino, who was placed on the IL with a low-grade lat strain just before the All-Star break.

Springs (lower leg) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list to start Sunday's game in Kansas City, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Springs was moved to the IL on July 10 due to right lower leg tightness, but he'll end up spending close to the minimum amount of time on the shelf so long as he completes a bullpen session Thursday or Friday without any renewed discomfort. Before being shelved with the injury, Springs had made a productive early-season transition from the bullpen into the rotation. Over his first 11 starts, Springs has produced a 3.02 ERA while striking out 59 in 53.2 innings.

Dunning (ankle) is in line to return from the 15-day injured list to start the Rangers' game in Seattle on Tuesday, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Dunning was placed on the IL on July 11 with a right ankle impingement, but he'll end up spending the minimum amount of time on the shelf due to the injury. The right-hander is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday for the Rangers' rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate, and assuming he comes out of that outing unscathed, he shouldn't face any major workload restrictions in his return to the Texas rotation next week. Before being shut down prior to the All-Star break, Dunning went 1-6 with a 4.42 ERA and 84:37 K:BB in 95.2 innings over his 18 starts.

Paxton (elbow) remains limited to throwing bullpens and has yet to resume facing live hitters, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

According to Cotillo, Paxton suggested just under a month ago that he planned on throwing live batting practice around the All-Star break or the week after, so he could be poised to take the next step forward in his rehab from Tommy John surgery within the next few days. Paxton has previously said that he's eyeing a mid-August return, though that may be ambitious at this point since he has yet to start a minor-league rehab assignment.

The Yankees plan to activate German (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list to start the second game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Astros, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 Houston reports.

Jordan Montgomery will take the hill for the opening game of the twin bill before the Yankees turn to German in Game 2 for what will be the latter pitcher's season debut with the big club. German was placed on the 60-day injured list in mid-March after he had shoulder troubles crop up during his offseason throwing program, but the right-hander was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in late June and looks to be back to full health. He ended his rehab assignment on a high note last weekend, tossing six scoreless innings in a 65-pitch outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Though the Yankees likely won't want to push German past 80 or 90 pitches Thursday, the 29-year-old looks like he'll have some temporary security as the team's No. 5 starter while Luis Severino (lat) is likely sidelined until at least early-to-mid-August.

The Astros recalled Bielak from Triple-A Sugar Land and designated him as their 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader with the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Bielak has been working as a swingman for Sugar Land this season, but he'll be available as a multi-inning option in relief for either end of Thursday's doubleheader. The right-hander is expected to report back to Sugar Land immediately following the twin bill.

The Yankees recalled Sears from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and designated him as the 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader in Houston.

Sears will be available as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen for both ends of the twin bill before likely returning to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Though the Yankees have an opening in the rotation with Luis Severino (lat) recently landing on the injured list, the team is expected to turn to Domingo German (shoulder) -- who is on the 60-day IL but is ready for activation -- rather than Sears when a fifth starter is needed for the first time coming out of the All-Star break.

Milone is expected to work out of the bullpen to begin the Mariners' second-half schedule, as Seattle intends to call up George Kirby from Triple-A Tacoma to take the hill when a fifth starter is first needed Tuesday against the Rangers, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The veteran lefty had already made his last appearance before the All-Star break out of the bullpen, though he had been deployed as the primary pitcher behind an opener in a July 13 doubleheader matchup with the Nationals. Milone will now serve in a more traditional relief role following the break, with most of his opportunities likely to come in mop-up situations.

McCullers (forearm) is scheduled to make a rehab start Friday for Double-A Corpus Christi, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reports.

McCullers is expected to toss two innings Friday in San Antonio in what will mark his first game action since October, when he exited in Game 4 of the Astros' ALDS matchup with the White Sox due to forearm discomfort. Given the length of his absence, the right-hander will need to make multiple starts during his rehab assignment while gradually upping his pitch count. He could be ready to make his return from the 60-day injured list at some point around mid-August.

Sale underwent surgery on his broken left pinky finger Monday.

Sale suffered a left fifth finger proximal phalanx fracture after being hit by a comebacker in the first inning Sunday against the Yankees. In other words, he broke his left pinky finger and will now be out at least a month following surgery. Sale believes he will pitch again this season and we've yet to see an official timeline from the Red Sox. Nonetheless, the left-hander won't likely be fantasy relevant until early September at the soonest.