MLB Player News

Manager Kevin Cash said Cobb (toe) had a good day Tuesday, and could return to mound work as early as Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

If Cobb is feeling well again Wednesday, he'll likely throw off a mound for the first time since landing on the disabled list a week ago. Barring any setbacks, this would line him up for a return to the big-league rotation sometime next week.

Albers had his contract purchased from Triple-A Tacoma and is starting Tuesday's game against the Orioles.

As expected, Albers is set to make his season debut just one week after being dealt to the Mariners. He compiled a solid 2.61 ERA and 115:19 K:BB through 120.2 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett before being traded. The 31-year-old last pitched in the majors for the Twins last season, and he owns a 4.41 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 79.2 career big-league innings.

Bergman was designated for assignment Tuesday.

One day after losing his spot on the major-league roster, Bergman has now lost his spot on the 40-man roster too. As a 29-year-old reliever who doesn't have great credentials at the majors, it doesn't appear he will draw much interest while on waivers.

Heaney (elbow) has rejoined the Angels, and the team is simply waiting for him to throw a bullpen session before slotting him back into the rotation, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Heaney has looked sharp through six minor-league rehab games -- compiling a 2.70 ERA over 27.2 innings -- and he was able to run his pitch count up to 94 in his most recent outing, so he appears to be ready to rejoin the big-league rotation. The 26-year-old has only pitched more than 30 big-league innings in one season, posting a 3.49 ERA and 1.20 WHIP through 105.2 innings back in 2015. The Angels will wait for him to come through a bullpen session before determining when his next start will be.

Mejia (biceps) is hoping to resume throwing Wednesday or Thursday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Although he hasn't thrown since injuring himself last Tuesday, Mejia said his upper arm is feeling better. If he continues to trend in the right direction, he's hoping to pick up a throwing program in the coming days, at which point there should be a clearer idea about his possible return date. Dietrich Enns should continue to fill in for Mejia in the rotation.

Manager A.J. Hinch said McCullers (back) threw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Monday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

McCullers has been playing catch for about a week, but Monday marked the first time he was able to throw off a mound since landing on the disabled list at the end of July. While he's inching closer to a return, he'll still need to progress to facing hitters before eventually being cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment. In the meantime, Brad Peacock will continue to start for Houston.

The Tigers and Astros have been discussing a trade involving Verlander, although a deal remains a "long shot," Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

The two teams discussed a deal before the July 31 deadline, but nothing came of the chatter. Verlander's contract ($28 million owed in both 2018 and 2019, and a $22 million option for 2020) was reportedly a stumbling block at the time, so conceivably the Tigers would have to eat a decent portion of his salary. But to do that, the team may ask for prospects that Houston isn't willing to part with, which is why sources believe a gap still remains between the teams. Verlander is scheduled to take the mound Tuesday against the Rangers.

Manager Buck Showalter said Bundy's next turn through the rotation would be skipped, with the right-hander expected to return to the bump either Aug. 22 or 23 against the Athletics, Josh Horton of MLB.com reports.

Managing Bundy's workload carefully has been a top priority for the Orioles all season, but the team's decision to bypass the youngster for his originally scheduled start against the Angels over the weekend comes at an inopportune time for fantasy owners. The 24-year-old has turned in quality starts in three straight outings while posting a 25:4 K:BB over 21 innings, assuaging some concerns some may have had about a second-half fade. That said, the Orioles are committed to protecting Bundy's arm at all costs, so he'll pick up some extended rest ahead of his next start, which could become a recurring trend the rest of the season.

Gausman (9-8) tossed seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts to earn the victory Monday over the Mariners.

Gausman is on a roll, as he has now tossed five quality starts in his last six outings. This is his best stretch of the season, in which he is enjoying a 4-1 record, 1.80 ERA and a 44:12 K:BB over 40 innings. Gausman has established himself as the ace of this Orioles staff, and if the Orioles are going to make a run at a postseason spot, it will be on his back.

Perez (7-10) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two batters through six innings while earning Monday's win over Detroit.

Perez was coming off his best start of the season, so this was an excellent follow up, and he's now allowed just three runs through 14 innings over his past two outings. However, while the recent trend is encouraging, the 26-year-old lefty still owns an underwhelming 5.08 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 5.7 K/9 for the campaign. He remains more of a flier than a go-to asset in the majority of settings. Perez lines up to face the White Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington in his next start.