MLB Player News

Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that McCullers (forearm) will not throw for a few days, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Espada noted that McCullers' throwing arm was not responding well between bullpen sessions, and the 30-year-old will rest while the team figures out next steps. It's a step back for McCulers, who hasn't pitched since the 2022 World Series and is working his way back from June 2023 surgery to repair the flexor tendon and remove a bone spur in his right forearm.

Verlander (neck) said Tuesday that he's increased the frequency of his flat-ground throwing, but there remains no timetable for when he will throw off a mound, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

While Verlander is feeling better, the progress from his neck injury continues to be slow. He has already been ruled out through the All-Star break, and it would seem at this point that he's unlikely to be ready at the start of the second half.

Criswell could be recalled from Triple-A Worcester to start Friday against the Athletics, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Josh Winckowski is being shifted to the bullpen, creating an opening. Criswell struck out eight and allowed just one hit over six shutout innings in his last start for Worcester and would be on five days' rest Friday. Boston could also opt for a bullpen game versus Oakland.

Rasmussen (elbow) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Saturday and is aiming to begin a rehab assignment following the All-Star break, Steve Carney of StPeteNine.com reports.

Rasmussen underwent an internal brace procedure in his throwing elbow in July of 2023 and has been throwing off a mound since the end of May. While the 28-year-old is still a few weeks out from embarking on what's expected to be a lengthy minor-league rehab stint, Rasmussen appears to be on track to pitch for the Rays this season and could even be cleared before September.

Gipson-Long (elbow) underwent left hip labral repair surgery Tuesday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Gipson-Long was already done for the season after having Tommy John surgery in April and he now has an additional operation to come back from. The hip surgery shouldn't alter his timeline, although the hurler will likely be out until around midseason in 2025.

The Athletics placed Harris on the paternity leave list Tuesday.

By rule, Harris will miss one game and as many as three games while he welcomes a new baby to the family. He had tentatively been lined up to start Thursday in Boston, but the Athletics should be able to just push him back a day or two -- if need be -- without disrupting the rotation much.

Wacha and the Royals won't play the Cardinals on Tuesday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather.

The game will be made up as a split doubleheader Wednesday. Wacha should start one of those contests, and Wednesday's originally scheduled starter, Alec Marsh, is likely to start the other contest.

The White Sox are still deciding on Clevinger's (elbow/neck) next step after a rainout Saturday prevented him from making his scheduled rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte, MLB.com reports. "This little break and the cortisone shot and now I don't have to worry about that anymore," Clevinger said Monday. "I'm hopeful this is going to be the last one of these things."

Clevinger had already made a pair of rehab starts for Charlotte on June 18 and 23, covering 7.2 innings between those outings while allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits and two walks. Despite the poor results, Clevinger had seemingly been encouraged by how he was coming along in his recovery from right elbow inflammation and a stiff neck, but his inability to make a third rehab start this weekend looks as though it'll push back his potential return from the 15-day injured list. Rather than having Clevinger make another rehab start, the White Sox could opt to have the right-hander throw a simulated game or live batting practice session in Chicago instead. If that's the case, Clevinger could still have an outside chance at rejoining the big-league rotation for this weekend's home series versus the Pirates.

Daniel (1-2) took the loss against Texas on Monday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out three batters over 3.2 innings.

Daniel served up a two-run homer to Corey Seager in the first inning, then made it through the next two frames unscathed. However, he fell apart in the fourth, allowing five hits and plunking a batter before being pulled with two outs after the Rangers racked up five runs. Daniel had a magical first outing of the campaign when he struck out eight over eight scoreless innings against Detroit on June 27, but he's struggled since, giving up 12 runs (11 earned) over nine innings across his subsequent two appearances.

Gray (4-4) earned the win over the Angels on Monday, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two batters over five innings.

Gray wasn't overpowering with just six whiffs and two punchouts, but he got seven runs of support through four frames and stuck around long enough to pick up the win. The veteran right-hander didn't provide much length, though, and he's pitched more than five innings only once in his past eight starts. Gray has also been tepid in the strikeout department this season -- his 7.7 K/9 is on pace for his lowest career mark with the exception of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.