MLB Player News

Bradford (rib/back) said June 5 that he has begun playing catch off flat ground from 120 feet, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Bradford turned some heads by opening the season with three wins and a 1.40 ERA and 0.62 WHIP through his first three starts, but he's been on the shelf since mid-April with a lower back strain and a small stress fracture of a rib. Nearly two months later, Bradford is finally throwing again, and assuming that he's responding well to long tossing, he could be cleared for bullpen sessions in the next week or two. Bradford is without a clear target date for a return from the 60-day injured list, but he may not have a rotation spot waiting for him once he's activated, as Max Scherzer (back/arm) and Tyler Mahle (elbow) could both rejoin the big club before him.

Woo (forearm) will rejoin the Seattle rotation Wednesday on the road against the Guardians, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports.

Woo was forced to miss his most recent scheduled start this past Tuesday versus the White Sox due to right forearm discomfort. After his MRI came back clean, Woo was cleared to resume throwing and is now set to reclaim his spot in the rotation after getting just under a two-week break from pitching. The 24-year-old opened the campaign on the shelf due to right elbow inflammation, but he's been highly effective when available, producing a sparkling 1.07 ERA and 0.53 WHIP while striking out 24 batters over 33.2 innings in six starts this season.

Lively (6-3) took the loss Sunday against Toronto, yielding four earned runs on six hits and three walks in four innings. He struck out four.

Lively pitched for the first time in eight days after leaving his most recent start with tightness after 65 pitches. He surrendered a two-run home run to Ernie Clement in the second inning, his first home run allowed since May 26. The four earned runs are a season worst for the 32-year-old, who had notched wins in each of his previous five starts. Despite Sunday's rough outing, Lively has pitched well for Cleveland this season, logging a 3.02 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and a 52:18 K:BB across 59.2 innings pitched. He is currently scheduled for a rematch against Toronto next weekend.

Berrios (6-5) picked up the win Sunday against Cleveland, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and zero walks while striking out one batter over six innings.

Berrios was one out away from recording his 12th quality start of the season, but Daniel Schneemann launched a two-run shot with two outs in the sixth, the only extra-base hit yielded by Berrios. Over his past 10 starts, the 30-year-old has allowed a home run in nine of them, recording a 4.32 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP across 60.1 innings in that span. Berrios will look to bounce back in his next start, currently scheduled for next weekend in Cleveland.

Cole (elbow) could be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game versus the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

The Yankees have confirmed Nestor Cortes and Luis Gil as their starting pitchers for games Tuesday and Thursday versus Baltimore, but a starter has yet to be made for Wednesday while the club weighs whether to activate Cole for his season debut or to have him make another minor-league rehab start. While shifting his assignment from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Cole delivered a gem in his third rehab outing Friday, striking out 10 over 4.1 innings while allowing one unearned run on two hits and no walks. He tossed 70 pitches in the start, so Cole would likely have a slight cap on his workload if he were to rejoin the New York rotation Wednesday. If the Yankees decide to have Cole make one more start in the minors, Cody Poteet would likely get another turn through the big-league rotation.

Maeda (2-3) was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Astros. He gave up four earned runs on five hits and two walks over five innings.

The Astros jumped on Maeda early, plating a run on a pair of base hits in the first inning. Maeda initially looked as though he might not come back for the bottom of the second, as he was struck in the right leg by an 86.7-mile-per-hour Jon Singleton line drive that Maeda gathered and threw to first base for the final out of the first. Maeda limped off the mound and returned for the second, but he served up a three-run home run to Jose Altuve to put the Tigers in a bigger hole. On a positive note, Maeda was able to save the Detroit bullpen a bit, as he faced the minimum nine hitters over the next three frames to get through five innings. Still, the damage was done early, and Maeda has now given up at least four runs in five of his 11 starts this season. The veteran righty will take a 6.02 ERA into his next start, which will likely fall next weekend versus the White Sox.

Blanco (7-2) got the win Sunday vs the Tigers. He did not allow a run or a hit in seven innings while walking three and striking out eight.

Blanco flirted with his second no-hitter of the season, but his elevated pitch count forced him out of the game after seven frames, and the bullpen would give up a hit the next inning. The 30-year-old righty mowed through the Tigers lineup by registering eight strikeouts in another impressive showing. Blanco lowered his ERA to 2.43, and he became the eighth pitcher since 1900 to have multiple games of seven innings and zero hits allowed in single season.

The Orioles transferred Stoudt's option from Triple-A Norfolk to Double-A Bowie on Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

After being claimed off waivers by the O's earlier this week, Stoudt was initially assigned to the organization's top minor-league affiliate. However, the team has changed course, and he instead will jump down a level and attempt to get right at Double-A after posting ERAs north of 6.00 at Triple-A the past couple years.

Verlander (neck) played catch Sunday, and manager Joe Espada has left the door open for the right-hander to return to Houston's rotation this week against the White Sox, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Verlander already seems to be feeling better after he was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday due to neck discomfort. If he responds well in the coming days, the three-time Cy Young Award winner could return for a prime matchup in Chicago, though Espada said Verlander's next start is still up in the air. Ronel Blanco will get the start Sunday against Detroit after Spencer Arrighetti was lit up for seven runs in place of Verlander in the second game of the series.

The Astros transferred Javier (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The move was merely a procedural one to free up a 40-man spot. Javier underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this month and will miss extended time, including perhaps all of the 2025 season. Right-handed reliever Luis Contreras was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land and will take Javier's spot on the 40-man roster.