MLB Player News

Wacha (2-4) allowed seven runs on 11 hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings, taking the loss in Saturday's 12-0 defeat to the Twins.

Max Kepler greeted Wacha with a solo shot to start Saturday night that set the tone for the entire outing. The right-hander allowed three more runs in the first inning, and another three Twins came in to score in a third inning that was punctuated by a Luis Arraez two-run homer. He did settle in to retire six of the seven batters he faced in the fourth and fifth innings, but the damage was already done. Wacha has now given up an astounding 30 hits and 18 earned runs in his last 14 innings pitched.

Keller (7-12) allowed three earned runs on seven hits and two walks with eight strikeouts through 6.2 innings, taking the loss in Saturday's 9-4 defeat to the Cardinals.

Keller needed 112 pitches to gut his way through 6.2 innings Saturday night, but he kept the ball in the ballpark for the first time since July 21 and picked up a quality start. With that being said, his outing could easily have been a lot worse. Keller loaded the bases in the fifth with one out, but emerged having given up just one run. After walking five batters in his last start (which also came against St. Louis), it was good to see the 26-year-old issue just two free passes to the Cardinals this time around. His eight strikeouts represent his second-highest total of the season. He figures to pitch next against the Cubs on Friday.

Kaprielian yielded three runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings in a no-decision Saturday against Texas. He did not record a strikeout or a walk.

Kaprielian failed to notch a strikeout for the first time in 15 starts this season, but he did enough to leave with a 3-2 lead with one out in the sixth inning. Kaprielian lost a chance at the win when Jonah Heim immediately greeted Oakland reliever Andrew Chafin with a sacrifice fly. Kaprielian has been a model of consistency this season, holding his opponents to three runs or fewer in all but two of his starts. He's 6-4 with a 3.33 ERA and an 83:29 K:BB in 83.2 innings on the year.

Bieber (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Saturday for the first time since he landed on the injured list back in mid-June, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Bieber still has plenty of work left to do, as the session lasted just 20 pitches and didn't feature anything but fastballs, but the event still represented an important step. He'll have to keep building up his pitch count and likely make multiple rehab appearances before he's cleared to return to the active roster, but it looks as though he'll have the chance to do so before the end of the season, barring setbacks.

Arihara (shoulder) threw a simulated game Saturday, Chris Halicke of SI.com reports.

Arihara has been out since early May due to a shoulder injury which wound up requiring surgery. It looks as though he'll have a shot to return sometime in September, though his 6.59 ERA in his first seven major-league starts and uncertain return date make him an unappealing fantasy option in most formats.

Severino (elbow/groin) will visit a doctor Monday and undergo an MRI on his tight right shoulder, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Severino has experienced multiple setbacks as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent in February 2020. His rehab was first paused in June due to a groin strain and hit another snag Friday, as he was scratched from his start at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre due to tightness in his shoulder. The Yankees are framing the latest pause as precautionary, but it's hard not to worry about a shoulder issue for a pitcher. Clarity on his return timeline should emerge following Monday's visit.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Thursday that Cobb's injured right wrist has not responded well to treatment and that the right-hander isn't ready to return, per MLB.com.

When scans of Cobb's wrist taken shortly after he was placed on the injured list at the end of July revealed no structural damage, the belief was that the veteran hurler would not need an extended absence. That no longer appears to be the case, as Cobb has already been out over two weeks and still hasn't resumed throwing, according to the Associated Press. Cobb could still return to the big club before the end of the month, but only if the injured wrist begins to progress soon.

Sale was officially activated as expected Saturday ahead of his scheduled season debut against the Orioles, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.

Sale will be pitching at the big-league level for the first time in just over two years, as his last outing took place Aug. 13, 2019 in Cleveland. He was shut down with elbow issues after that start, and while Tommy John surgery was initially deemed unnecessary, he eventually underwent the procedure in March of 2020. Expectations for a pitcher in his first few starts following such a long absence should be somewhat muted, though Sale has certainly looked like his old self across 20 rehab innings, striking out 35 while walking five and allowing just three runs. He reached 80 pitches in his most recent outing, so he should be able to handle something close to a full workload Saturday.

Ray went seven innings Friday, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in a 3-2 loss to Seattle. He didn't factor into the decision.

Ray made one mistake all game -- a two-run home run by Tom Murphy in the third -- on his way to a fifth straight quality start. The lefty has gone at least six innings in each of his last three starts and sports an excellent 2.88 ERA, his lowest mark since his 2017 All-Star campaign.

Flexen got a no-decision in Friday's 3-2 victory over Toronto, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts in six innings.

Flexen pitched well aside from a rough fourth inning that saw him permit four baserunners and both runs for his 11th start surrendering three runs or less in his last 12 turns. The 27-year-old righty now sports a quality 3.78 ERA, though his subpar 6.1 K/9 limits his upside.