MLB Player News

Manager Mike Matheny said Thursday that Singer (shoulder) will likely begin a rehab assignment soon, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Singer has been on the injured list for just over a week due to right shoulder fatigue, but he's felt much better in recent days. Matheny isn't sure what day the right-hander could report to a minor-league affiliate, but he should return to game action soon.

Kikuchi (6-6) was tagged with the loss Wednesday against the Astros after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks across five innings, striking out seven.

Kikuchi didn't have his best stuff and delivered another subpar outing, as he has now allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last four contests. Even though he has fanned at least seven in three straight outings, the left-hander also owns an inflated 7.71 ERA during that aforementioned four-game stretch.

Ray (9-5) earned the win Wednesday against the Red Sox after tossing six innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out eight.

Ray started the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader and was crisp on the mound en route to his ninth win of the campaign. He managed to bounce back after the Red Sox trounced him for four runs -- including three homers -- across five innings in his previous outing, and he posted his ninth quality start since the beginning of June. In fact, he has allowed one or fewer runs in three of his last four appearances.

Heaney allowed three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out eight over six innings Wednesday against the Rockies. He did not factor into the decision.

Heaney put together back-to-back quality starts this season for just the second time Wednesday after holding the Rockies to three runs over six innings. He got off to a rough start after two-run homer from Trevor Story in the first inning, but he settled in thereafter, only allowing another run to score on a wild pitch in the fourth. The 30-year-old has had an up-and-down season but is currently riding a nice groove heading into August. Heaney owns a 5.27 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 113:31 K:BB over 94 innings and is set up for a rewarding matchup against the Rangers next week.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Cobb (finger) won't be able to make his scheduled start Thursday against the Athletics, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Dylan Bundy will be summoned from the bullpen to make a spot start in place of Cobb, who appears likely to go on the injured list while he tends to a blister on his right index finger. Cobb sustained the injury during his most recent outing July 23 in Minnesota, where he tossed five innings and gave up two runs (one earned) in a no-decision.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Bundy will start Thursday's game against the Athletics, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

After posting a 6.78 ERA and 1.42 WHIP through his first 14 starts of the season, Bundy was moved to the bullpen in late June. The Angels haven't made much use of him since he transitioned to relief duty, with Bundy covering just five frames across four appearances while giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out eight. Bundy may only be making a spot start Thursday in place of Alex Cobb (finger), who is tending to a blister that could result in his placement on the injured list. Since Bundy hasn't tossed more than 50 pitches in an outing since June 20, he likely won't be asked to work deep into Thursday's contest.

Odorizzi (4-5) allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three over 5.1 innings to pick up the win over Seattle on Wednesday.

After a scoreless first inning, the Astros scored in each of the next five frames to give Odorizzi an 8-0 cushion, which turned out to be enough to survive the starter's third trip through the Mariners lineup. Seattle crushed a pair home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, including a two-run blast from old friend Abraham Toro, the former Astro who also homered against his former club Tuesday, the same day he was traded to Seattle. Batters are now 10-for-22 when facing Odorizzi for a third time in a game, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Odorizzi's turn in the rotation comes due next Wednesday on the road against the Dodgers.

Kopech retired the side in order during the eighth inning of Wednesday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Royals.

Kopech picked up his eighth hold of the season Wednesday before closer Liam Hendriks surrendered the lead in the ninth. The day prior, Kopech slammed the door on the Royals in the eighth, fanning Whit Merrifield, Carlos Santana and Salvador Perez. Since coming off the injured list in early July, Kopech has a 0.90 ERA, six holds and 14 strikeouts over 10 innings. The White Sox still view the right-hander as a starter long-term but will continue to deploy Kopech as a bullpen piece late in games. Given that eight of Kopech's nine outings since returning have lasted just three outs, it's unlikely he'll be used as a fill-in starter.

Bubic did not factor in the decision against the White Sox on Wednesday. He completed six innings and allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three.

For four innings, Bubic went toe-to-toe with White Sox starter Lucas Giolito in a scoreless contest. However, Chicago finally broke through for two runs against Bubic in the fifth frame. The left-hander exited the contest in line for a loss but received a reprieve when Salvador Perez tied the game with a solo homer in the ninth inning. Bubic has hurled exactly six innings in each of his past three starts, posting a standout 2.00 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over that stretch. His 12:6 K:BB across those 18 innings portends some regression, but it is worth noting that he has been taken deep only once over the trio of appearances. He's tentatively slated to make another start in a rematch against the White Sox -- this time on the road -- early next week.

Giolito hurled six innings against Kansas City on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven. He did not factor in the decision.

The right-hander breezed through six scoreless innings before giving up back-to-back doubles that resulted in a run in the seventh. He was in line to pick up his ninth win of the season until Salvador Perez hit a game-tying home run off Liam Hendriks in the ninth frame. Giolito racked up 18 swinging strikes in the outing and appeared to regain his control after walking five batters against Milwaukee in his previous start. He'll carry a 3.67 ERA into a rematch against the Royals -- this time in Chicago -- early next week.