MLB Player News

Updating a previous report, Rodriguez is scheduled to pitch for Boston on Saturday, according to MLB.com.

An earlier report had the Red Sox calling up Rodriguez to start Friday's game against the Yankees, but that start is going to Steven Wright. The Red Sox are confident the left-hander's problem with pitch-tipping has been rectified and their anxious for him to regain the form he had during his rookie season in 2015.

Severino will not rejoin the big league club "unless the need arises," according to GM Brian Cashman, the New York Post reports.

Severino has fared much better in the minors this season, where he's gone 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA as compared to an 0-6, 7.46 ERA mark over seven major league starts. Despite the improvement since being demoted, it appears as though there are no imminent plans to give the 22-year-old another chance just yet. He'll likely be high on the list though should the Yankees find themselves in need of an injury replacement or a spot start candidate.

Cobb (elbow) is expected to throw a bullpen session Thursday before a third rehab start this weekend, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cobb has been roughed up in his first two rehab outings, recording two losses and giving up four earned runs over 1.2 innings. The Rays are likely to ease the 28-year-old back into game form as he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2014 as he makes his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Given his struggles in his rehab stints so far, it's likely Cobb could be held in the minors for another three to four weeks as he makes his way back to 100 percent.

Hill has been scratched from his scheduled start on Friday due to a blister, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Hill had been lined up to make the first start for the A's after the break, but now will wait for his blister to subside before taking the mound. He has been very strong so far in 2016 with a 2.25 ERA over 13 starts with a sparkling 10.7 K/9. Hill is likely to be at the center of many trade rumors for the next two weeks as the trade deadline approaches.

Kopech fired five scoreless innings, permitting four hits and one walk while striking out eight for High-A Salem on Wednesday. In three starts this season, he has not allowed a run in 13.1 innings.

A masterful performance for Kopech, who is trying to salvage the 2016 season after missing two-and-a-half months due to a fractured hand suffered during spring training while getting into an altercation with a teammate. He's anxious to put behind him the off-field problems that have surfaced the past year, including a 50-game suspension last season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Darvish (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and is expected to be activated from the disabled list to start Saturday against the Cubs.

Darvish will join a rotation in desperate need of depth. Along with Darvish, the Rangers currently have Derek Holland and Colby Lewis on the disabled list. Expect Darvish to be on a pitch count when he takes on the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday. He hasn't pitched since June 8.

Through 18 first-half starts, Stoman (7-4) posted a 4.89 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while tallying an 83:33 K:BB through 116 innings.

Entering the season as Toronto's ace, Stroman was disappointingly far from fulfilling his preseason expectations. His WHIP is way out of whack from his previous years and the right-hander's 2.6 BB/9 is well beyond his career average. Many predicted Stroman to rack up the K's, but his 6.4 K/9 ranks 78th among 96 qualified pitchers. He only had 24 MLB starts entering the season, so the expectations surrounding the relatively-inexperienced 25-year-old may have been a bit unfair. It's worth noting that most of the damage done to Stroman came courtesy of the Red Sox and Orioles, who have the No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, OPS in the majors. In six combined starts against those powerhouses (three versus each), Stroman went 1-2 with an 8.90 ERA, .365 BAA and a 22:11 K:BB. Outside of the Red Sox and Orioles, he made starts against nine other organizations, going 6-2 with a 3.55 ERA, .225 BAA and a 61:22 K:BB versus that group. Stroman makes a great buy-low candidate as his numbers tell an exaggerated story of how his 2016 campaign has gone so far.

Cobb allowed a run on two hits and a walk and struck out a batter over just one inning in his second rehab start Monday for High-A Charlotte.

Cobb topped out at just 87 mph as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery. He threw just 27 pitches and looks like he still has a long way to go before he's ready to return to the Rays rotation. He is expected to be back by early August, but if his velocity doesn't pick up, that prognosis may prove too optimistic.

Cobb will make his second rehab start for High-A Charlotte on Monday night, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The rehabbing 28-year-old emerged from his first start without setbacks, an outing in which he surrendered three earned runs on two hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. While the stat line wasn't pretty, it represented Cobb's first time on a mound against live opposition since Tommy John surgery. He'll look to be sharper in Monday's outing and is still eyeing an early August return to the big league club.

Milone (2-2) gave up two earned runs on five hits and three walks in Sunday's 15-5 victory over the Rangers. He struck out three.

The 29-year-old left-hander wasn't overly impressive, but did enough for the second consecutive start to notch the win. Milone did so on the road in a tough park for pitchers and against a potent Rangers lineup. He's settled down over his last two starts, giving up only three earned runs over the last 11 innings while lowering his ERA a full run to 5.23. He'll look to continue building on his recent success in the second half of the season.