MLB Player News

Nolasco (cramps) said he is fine Friday after leaving his last start with cramps in both calves, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

This isn't surprising news considering the mild nature of his injury, and Nolasco's confirmation of health puts him back on track to start Tuesday against the Rangers. The 34-year-old has posted a 5.16 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 139.2 innings this season, so he shouldn't draw too much interest from fantasy owners in a tough matchup against a potent Rangers lineup.

Kluber (12-3) tossed 5.1 innings and allowed one run on six hits and a walk to earn the win Friday night but was forced to leave after just 74 pitches with a sprained ankle, MLB.com reports.

Kluber was on a roll and probably could have completed at least the sixth inning if not for the injury. He came off the mound awkwardly covering first base on a ground ball and was favoring the leg. Kluber stayed in for one more batter but was removed after giving up a single. Seeing as he didn't need to leave the game immediately, the injury may not be a major one. Consider Kluber day-to-day until the Cleveland training staff can evaluate him further.

Montgomery (7-6) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over five innings, but received no decision Friday against the Red Sox.

Montgomery gave up homers in the second and fifth innings to fall behind 3-0, but the offense came back to take him off the hook for a potential loss. He came into this game having held opponents to one earned run in three of his previous four starts, and he's been a solid fantasy option with a 4.00 ERA. His next start has yet to be determined.

Heaney (1-0) allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out five over five innings, but received no decision Friday against the Orioles.

In only his second major-league outing since 2015, Heaney almost blew an early 5-0 lead, and although he left the game with a two-run lead, the bullpen was unable to protect it. Fantasy owners may choose to see if he has a strong outing or two before deciding whether to pick him up for the stretch run. He'll make his next start Wednesday against the Rangers.

Kopech was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday.

He has three double-digit strikeout games in his last four starts with Double-A Birmingham, so this promotion was well deserved. Kopech has the best strikeout stuff in the minors (31.8 percent strikeout rate), but walks remain an issue (12.3 percent walk rate). Still, those free passes did not prevent him from posting a 2.87 ERA and 1.15 WHIP at Double-A, as he limited the opposition to 77 hits in 119.1 innings. He is not on the 40-man roster and does not need to be added to it in the offseason, so it seems highly unlikely that we will see him in the majors until 2018.

Giolito will be recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on Monday to start one game of a doubleheader against the Twins.

With the minor-league season winding down, it seemed inevitable that we would see Giolito join the big-league rotation at some point in either late August or early September. He is on the 40-man roster and has 166 career innings at Triple-A, so it is reasonable for Chicago to turn to him for this start. Giolito has posted a 4.48 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 24.3 percent strikeout rate with Charlotte, so while he is a big ERA/WHIP risk, there is some strikeout upside. That said, he had pitched better of late, logging four quality starts and allowing six runs while fanning 28 over his last 31.2 innings (six starts). We know the date Giolito will make his debut, but it remains to be seen whether he will start the day game or the night game. The White Sox needed to call upon a sixth starter due to the doubleheader, so it is possible that Giolito will be sent back to Charlotte after Monday's start before rejoining the White Sox when rosters expand in September, or he could remain up for good, with his performance possibly dictating which course the White Sox take.

Heaney (elbow) was activated from the DL and is starting Friday's game against the Orioles, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

A corresponding move has yet to be announced, but Heaney will take the mound in the Show for the first time since 2016. Before undergoing Tommy John surgery, Heaney had shown the potential to become a solid starter. During the 2015 season, he started 18 games and owned a 3.49 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.

Clevinger (6-5) was tagged with Thursday's loss against the Twins after allowing two runs on three hits and three walks over 2.2 innings in relief. He struck out five.

Following Wednesday's rain out, Clevinger was bumped from Thursday's start and moved to the bullpen. His control was shaky, but overall it wasn't an awful effort in long relief. Unfortunately for him, Clevinger received no support, as the Tribe's offense mustered just three hits on the day. The righty is slated to rejoin the rotation to start Monday's home game against Boston.

McCullers (back) and manager A.J. Hinch both were reluctant to talk following the pitcher's bullpen session Thursday, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Hinch would only say that he "heard it went fine" while McCullers told reporters he would talk to the media in a couple of days after sitting down with the manager to determine the next step in his rehabilitation. The right-hander was placed on the disabled list for a second time this season in late July after a four-start stretch in which he posted a 9.64 ERA and 2.30 WHIP. Thursday's session was the second one for McCullers, who is expected to require multiple starts while on a rehab assignment. That schedule pushes his return to Houston out until September.

Whitley allowed two hits and hit a batter while striking out 11 over six innings for Double-A Corpus Christi on Thursday.

Whitley, Houston's first-round draft pick in 2016, is blowing through the system. The 19-year-old made his debut at Double-A after stops at Low-A Quad Cities and High-A Buies Creek. Whitley has showcased his power arm in 2017, striking out a ridiculous 128 batters over 83.2 innings (13.77 K/9).