MLB Player News

Heaney said he left his Saturday start with shoulder tightness after feeling the injury on his final two pitches, but he hopes he can throw in the next few days, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The southpaw doesn't appear too concerned, but it's best to judge the confidence his team has in him after he works out sometime in the next week. Heaney is in danger of missing at least one start, if only for the chance the Angels want to play this conservatively, considering he recently returned from Tommy John surgery rehab.

Berrios pitched seven innings Saturday, giving up two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out one, but he didn't factor into the decision during the Twins' 5-2 loss to the Royals.

The right-hander in general has stumbled as the season has worn on, but this was a promising rebound effort, despite the paltry strikeout total. This knocked his ERA down to a serviceable 3.94, and Berrios still holds a worthy 8.5 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 130.1 innings. He's still worth starting Thursday against the Blue Jays.

Albers (4-1) pitched six shutout innings with four strikeouts during Saturday's win over the Angels.

Albers has pitched well through his five starts with the Mariners and boasts an impressive 2.67 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. However, fantasy expectations should probably be kept in check moving forward. Albers sports an underwhelming 6.7 K/9 and 4.52 xFIP, and his lack of pedigree suggests he's likely pitched out of his weight class thus far. He projects to face the Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington in his next start.

Mejia (biceps), who threw five scoreless innings in a rehab start Saturday for Double-A Chattanooga, looks set to return to the Twins rotation Thursday against Toronto, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Mejia has been sidelined since Aug. 9 with a biceps strain. He threw 73 pitches in his rehab start, so he may not be limited when he returns from the DL.

Sale (16-7) allowed no runs on six hits and one walk while striking out eight across six innings to earn the victory Saturday against the Rays.

Sale had a lead in the first inning, which was more run support than he'd need to easily collect his 16th victory of the season. With a 2.76 ERA along with a 0.95 WHIP, he's been the fantasy ace that many hoped for when selecting him on draft day. He'll make his next start Friday against the Rays.

Heaney left his Saturday outing due to left shoulder soreness, and the Angels will update his status Sunday.

Heaney's recent return from Tommy John surgery rehab has been marred by allowing an excessive amount of home runs (12 in 21.2 innings, including one Saturday). Perhaps this issue has lingered and contributed to his struggles, though we'll know more as reports come out on when he started to feel the discomfort. The silver lining is that the reported injury isn't in his pitching elbow, but the increased exertion of his first major-league innings since last April might be a factor.

Heaney left his start in the third inning Saturday after a trainer came out and checked on him, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The southpaw had allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 2.1 innings, as his recent struggles continued. Heaney now faces a potential physical obstacle in turning things around this season, but the club should provide a detailed update following the game's completion.

Montgomery will start Sunday's game against the Rangers, Jared Sandler of FOX Sports Southwest reports.

The Yankees have professed a desire to limit Montgomery's workload during his first big-league campaign, but the organization has yet to put a fixed number on his innings count. For now, it appears the Yankees are more eager to reap the short-term benefits of having Montgomery on the mound over struggling fifth starter Jaime Garcia, who will be skipped in the rotation for the second straight time. Though Montgomery will take the hill again Sunday, it's worth noting that he's failed to last more than 5.1 innings in any of his past six outings and has delivered a 5.06 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over that span, so he may not make for an attractive streaming option, especially while matching up with a Rangers offense that's been one of baseball's more potent attacks in the second half.

Morton (11-7) took the loss in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the A's. He was charged with three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Morton gave up three hits (two for extra bases), issued a walk and committed an error in the second inning, but he was quite good otherwise. The right-hander has posted a 28:6 K:BB over his last four starts (21 innings) and could make up to four more starts before the end of the regular season, including one potentially against the White Sox. A home matchup against Seattle is next on the docket, although plans could change if Collin McHugh (finger) isn't cleared for Thursday's game against the Angels.

Severino allowed one run on one hit and three walks while striking out 10 over seven innings in a no-decision against the Rangers on Saturday.

He was brilliant yet again, but the Yankees couldn't muster any offense until the eighth. Severino had an eight-earned-run blowup back on Aug. 12, but he's since returned to dominant form, allowing a total of 17 hits while striking out 45 in his last five starts (32.2 innings). The right-hander has already established himself as one of the game's most exciting arms at just 23 years of age.