MLB Player News

Kikuchi was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Kikuchi recently displayed a symptom of the virus, but he's fully vaccinated and has already produced one negative test result. If he can test negative once more in the coming days, he should be in the clear to participate in his first All-Star Game on Tuesday. The lefty enters the break with a 6-4 record and a 3.48 ERA in 98.1 innings.

Severino (elbow) tossed a couple bullpen sessions within the last week and his next step will be facing live hitters, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Severino has thrown a number of bullpen sessions early in July. It's not clear exactly when he will progress to face live hitters, but the team has stated that he is trending in the right direction. Severino could begin a lengthy rehab assignment soon.

Quantrill (1-2) earned the win Saturday against the Royals after allowing three hits on five hits and a walk across six innings, striking out one.

Aside from earning his first win of the season, Quantrill also picked up his first quality start for the first time in 2021. His strikeout numbers are still far from acceptable, with a 4.1 K/9 over his last five appearances while posting a 6.00 ERA across that same stretch, but he found a way to get the job done here. That said, he's still far from being a reliable asset in most fantasy formats since he struggles to pitch deep into games and doesn't strike out a ton of guys.

Perez (7-5) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.2 innings to take the loss to Philadelphia on Saturday.

Perez was in search of a fourth consecutive win but ran into early trouble, giving up two home runs and losing command during a two-run second inning. Still, he was at just 73 pitches when removed. It was the seventh straight start he's pitched fewer than six innings. The post-break rotation has not yet been set, but Perez should pitch one of the four-game set against the Yankees that kicks off Thursday.

Sale (elbow) threw two innings in a simulated game Saturday, Matt Vautour of MassLive.com reports.

Boston manager Alex Cora received positive reports about the outing, and the organization will wait to see how Sale's elbow responds Sunday. If there are no setbacks, the left-hander will likely make a rehab start later this week. Cora envisions a gradual ramp-up of the rehab assignment, beginning with a two-inning stint.

Giolito (7-6) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out nine over 5.1 innings to earn the victory in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Orioles.

Giolito needed 106 pitches to get 16 outs, but all of his pitches were working and he managed 16 swings-and-misses. He heads into the All-Star break at 7-6 with a 4.15 ERA and 10.8 K/9. While fellow starters Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon take part in the Midsummer Classic, Giolito can rest up the next few days and could pitch the first game after the break, Friday at home against Houston.

Flexen (8-3) tossed seven scoreless innings against the Angels on Saturday, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out six to earn the win.

Both Flexen and opposing starter Patrick Sandoval notched quality starts in the contest, but Flexen came out on top in the low-scoring affair. The right-hander dominated despite registering only seven swinging strikes and a quiet six punchouts. Flexen has shown this season that it is still possible to get by as a major-league starter without racking up strikeouts -- his 6.1 K/9 ranks in the bottom 10th percentile among pitchers who have tossed at least 50 innings, but that hasn't stopped him from posting a strong 8-3 record, 3.51 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. Over his past four contests, Flexen has been even better, registering a 1.38 ERA across 32.2 frames.

Sandoval (2-3) took the loss against Seattle on Saturday despite allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out six.

The bad news is that Sandoval took the loss despite the strong effort. The good news is that he continues to shine as a starter, logging a season-high seven innings and 114 pitches in the contest. The southpaw has allowed three or fewer runs while pitching at least five innings in each of his past eight outings dating back to May 22. Over that span, he has posted a 3.22 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 49:18 K:BB across 44.2 frames. Those numbers make him a viable fantasy asset in nearly all formats.

Bubic will not start Sunday's game against Cleveland, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Bubic previously lined up to take the ball for the series finale, but Kansas City will turn to Carlos Hernandez instead. Bubic could be an option out of the bullpen Sunday, though the club has yet to comment on that possibility. The left-hander has struggled mightily in both relief and starting roles dating back to June 6, allowing 29 earned runs on 41 hits across 27 innings. It's unclear at this point what his role will be following the All-Star break, if he has one at all with the big club.

Javier allowed a hit and a walk while striking out five over three scoreless relief innings in Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Yankees.

Starter Zack Greinke was removed after four innings with shoulder soreness, at which point Javier took the mound. The 24-year-old was excellent in a bulk-relief role. He had given up four runs in 9.1 innings across his six previous outings prior to Saturday's multi-inning assignment. Javier began the year in the rotation, but he's since shifted to a bullpen role that has seen him log a save, three holds and a blown save. If Greinke ends up missing a start, Javier would be a natural option as a spot starter. He's posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 89:35 K:BB across 72 innings.