MLB Player News

Montgomery (6-4) allowed three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out three across four innings but received no decision Friday against the Red Sox.

Montgomery burned through 96 pitches, which had much to do with him leaving the contest after just four innings of work. Although he's failed to complete six innings in five of his last six starts, he's held opponents to three runs or fewer in all but one of those outings, and his 3.78 ERA makes him a useful option in fantasy leagues. He'll make his next start Wednesday against the Twins.

Gray will start Friday despite rumors he had been scratched, Joe Stiglich of NBC Sports California reports.

Gray could very well be traded any minute, but it's time to calm down after earlier rumors suggested he was already on his way out. The Cubs and Brewers, among other teams, have shown interest in Gray, although the former's acquisition of Jose Quintana may have taken them out of the running.

Bassitt (elbow) will make his next rehab appearance Sunday for Triple-A Nashville, Jane Lee of MLB.com reports.

Bassitt took a beating his last time out for Nashville, as he failed to complete even two innings. This time, he's shooting for three innings and 45 pitches. If the Athletics choose to add Bassitt to their major-league roster following his rehab, expect him to serve as a long reliever in the bullpen.

Keuchel (neck) threw two simulated innings in a bullpen session Thursday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The Astros will wait and see how Keuchel responds to Thursday's activity before deciding on the next step. Manager A.J. Hinch suggested Keuchel may just need one rehab start in the minors to prepare for a return to the major-league rotation. The lefty looked to be back to his Cy Young form before landing on the DL as he went a perfect 9-0 with a minuscule 1.67 ERA and 0.87 WHIP over 75.2 innings.

Montgomery was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and will start Friday against the Red Sox.

The lefty was sent down last week, but that was basically a paper move with the All-Star break looming -- Montgomery was fully expected to be in the rotation to begin the second half. He's been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees and fantasy owners, and the peripheral numbers suggest Montgomery may be able to maintain something close to this level of performance.

The Yankees will recall Montgomery to start Friday's second-half opener against the Red Sox, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

New York will play the weekend series without using Michael Pineda or CC Sabathia, and perhaps Montgomery is coming back up before the 10-day demotion window because one of them is hurt. Either way, the Bombers will use their younger left-hander to kickstart their important clash with Boston. The matchup makes Montgomery a risky fantasy play, but he's delivered for much of the year with a 3.65 ERA, 8.6 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over 16 starts as a pleasant surprise.

Bundy will open his second half when he takes the hill Tuesday at home against Texas, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

With high expectations entering the season, Bundy disappointed with a 4.33 ERA and .500 record (8-8) in the first half. He started hot, winning five of his first six decisions, but then struggled to find the win column -- and struggled keep the ball from flying over the fence. Before his last outing, Bundy had given up at least one homer in 11 straight games.

Heaney (elbow) will make his first rehab appearance Friday with the AZL Rookie League team, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

This outing marks Heaney's first in a competitive setting since undergoing Tommy John surgery last July. Heaney still has a chance to come back to the big leagues this season, but the Angels may choose to take it easy with the left-hander while seeing how he fares at the minor-league level over the next couple weeks. The team will likely reevaluate Heaney after a few starts and then settle on a course of action.

The Tigers are not actively shopping Verlander but could get talked into moving him by the July 31 trade deadline, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

It was previously reported that the Cubs had inquired about Verlander, but their acquisition of Jose Quintana on Thursday likely closes that door. Verlander is owed $70 million through 2019, so any potential trade partner will likely need to take on a lot of salary and offer up prospects similar to those the Cubs gave up for Quintana (Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease).

Watson (shoulder) has begun a rehab assignment and is expected to rejoin Low-A Lexington soon, Elon University broadcaster Matt Krause reports.

Watson, the Royals' first-round pick in 2015, has been less than impressive in his short minor-league career. At 20 years old, the right-hander has plenty of time to develop, and Watson will look to do just that upon returning to Lexington.