MLB Player News

Cole (10-6) allowed eight runs (seven earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 across 5.1 innings to take the loss Thursday against the Rays.

Cole faltered in the opening inning, with the big blow being a three-run home run by Austin Meadows. After that, Cole retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced. However, he exited with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Brett Phillips hit a grand slam two batters later, which only worsened Cole's line. Cole had been on a strong run of starts prior to this effort, as he had allowed only four earned runs across his last 20 innings -- a three-start span -- while striking out an impressive 31 hitters. The outing inflated his ERA to 3.11 on the season.

Montas (9-8) won Thursday's 4-0 victory against the Angels, going seven innings and allowing three hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.

Montas submitted his best start of the season Thursday, preventing any runner from passing second base and striking out 10 batters for the third time in four starts. This was the righty's first start surrendering no runs since April 16, while his 109 pitches are a season high and the seven frames matches the campaign's best. Montas has now thrown four straight quality starts and lines up to face San Diego next week.

Rodriguez (7-6) allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks with eight strikeouts over 3.1 innings in Thursday's loss to Toronto.

Rodriguez flashed good stuff at times but struggled with his command en route to a season-high four walks. The Blue Jays ambushed him for three runs in the first inning, two of them coming on a Teoscar Hernandez double, and eventually chased the southpaw from the game after he issued a bases-loaded walk to Marcus Semien in the fourth that made it 5-0. It was the second straight abbreviated start for Rodriguez, who departed his previous outing after one inning due to migraine issues. He'll take a 5.60 ERA and 1.41 WHIP (99.2 innings) into his next outing.

Ryu (10-5) pitched six scoreless innings in Thursday's win over Boston, holding the Red Sox to just two hits while striking out five.

Ryu stranded a pair of runners in the first inning -- one of which had reached on an error -- and was simply masterful the rest of the way. After an inconsistent stretch that spanned most of June and into early July, Ryu appears to have righted the ship with a 1.62 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB over his last four starts. Just as importantly, he hasn't allowed a single home run during that stretch after being touched up for eight long balls in his previous six starts. Ryu's is tentatively lined up to make his next start at home next week against Cleveland.

Mize (6-5) allowed one unearned run on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts over seven innings in Thursday's win over the Orioles.

The rookie righty turned in his longest outing in nearly two months, holding the Orioles off the board until the seventh inning when a throwing error by Akil Baddoo allowed Baltimore's lone run to score. It was Mize's first quality start in five July appearances and the first during that stretch in which he was able to complete five-plus innings. The strikeout numbers are underwhelming -- just 87 in 111 innings -- but Mize owns a rock-solid 3.41 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his 20 starts this season. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Red Sox at home in his next start.

Bundy will only throw 50-to-60 pitches in Thursday's start against the Athletics, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

This doesn't come as much surprise given that Bundy hasn't tossed more than 50 pitches in an outing since June 20. Bundy has most recently worked out of the bullpen after struggling as a starter earlier in the season, though that hasn't helped his results as he's allowed three earned runs across three innings as a reliever. Manager Joe Maddon said that a bulk reliever will follow after Bundy, but he declined to name that pitcher in advance.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Severino (elbow/groin) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

After completing a simulated game Thursday without issue, Severino received the green light to move on the final phase of his rehab from Tommy John surgery and a Grade 2 groin strain, the latter of which resulted in him being pulled off his initial rehab assignment in mid-June. The Yankees haven't announced which affiliate Severino will join or what kind of workload he'll handle Tuesday, but he'll most likely be eased in with a light pitch count as he begins the ramp-up process. Severino is expected to stretch out for starting duty, and he could be ready to return from the 60-day injured list to make his 2021 debut for the Yankees in mid-August.

Hancock (shoulder) rejoined the High-A Everett rotation Wednesday, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings in a 2-0 loss to Eugene. He gave up one hit and issued one walk while striking out two in the 35-pitch outing.

Making his first appearance for Everett since June 25 after having been shut down with a sore right shoulder, Hancock was eased back into action with a light workload. Hancock should ramp up his pitch count a bit in his subsequent starts, but the Mariners aren't likely to allow the 22-year-old to work deep into games the rest of the season, given his long-term importance to the organization.

Manager Alex Cora said that Houck -- who was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Thursday -- will be recalled next week to start one game of an Aug. 7 doubleheader in Toronto, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Cora acknowledged that the decision to demote Houck was strictly for the purposes of roster flexibility, as an upcoming off day will allow Boston to get by with a five-man rotation until the doubleheader contest. Houck made his fourth start of the season with the big club Wednesday, which also came during a doubleheader game with the Blue Jays. He limited Toronto to one run over four frames in a no-decision, lowering his ERA to 2.45 over 22 innings on the campaign.

The Red Sox optioned Houck to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Following Wednesday's doubleheader, Boston needed to reduce its roster from 27 to 26 men for Thursday's series finale with Toronto, and Houck was the surprising casualty. After starting the second game of the twin bill and striking out seven over four innings of one-run ball, Houck's ERA now sits at 2.45 over 22 frames on the season. Since he's seemingly established himself as one of Boston's most-trusted staters, his demotion may have been strictly for roster-management purposes. Due to an off day Aug. 2, the Red Sox can get by with a four-man rotation until Aug. 7 in Toronto, when Houck will presumably be called up from Worcester to start one of the two doubleheader games scheduled for that day.