MLB Player News

Pittsburgh trainer Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Taillon, who has struggled in four post All-Star break starts, is not dealing with any health problems. "Absolutely not," Tomczyk told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "This guy's mental fortitude ... he sets the standard. I think you see a young pitcher just wanting to win. He's competing his butt off."

It's not unusual for a young pitcher to suffer from fatigue late in the season, but Tomczyk noted that Taillon's velocity has remained consistent despite his struggles. In the 25-year-old's start July 25 in San Francisco, replays showed Taillon pitching with what appeared to be a discolored and bruised middle finger on his right hand, but the team has made no mention of that ailment as a stumbling block.

Lorenzen allowed two RBI singles in the sixth inning Wednesday to blow a 2-0 Reds lead but got the win when the Reds rallied to go back ahead. He pitched 1.1 innings, allowing those two hits and one run (the other run was an inherited runner) with no walks or strikeouts.

Lorenzen has allowed runs in four consecutive outings now and seen his ERA rise to 4.04 as a result. Manager Bryan Price still turns to him in high-leverage situations as his top set-up man, however.

Woodruff appears likely to be recalled to start either Friday or Saturday in Tampa Bay.

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com notes that the Brewers will need to recall a starter for one of those two games, with Zach Davies likely starting the other, and The Brewer Nation blog reports that Woodruff will get the call the next time the Brewers have an opening in the rotation, so the only question is which game Woodruff will start. Friday seems like the best bet, as he would be pitching on an extra day of rest, and Davies would then pitch on an extra day of rest Saturday, versus giving Woodruff two extra days of rest, which would be an unusually long time for a starter to not take the ball in season. Woodruff was set to make his big-league debut back in mid-June, but then missed about a month with a hamstring injury. He has posted a 4.46 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 70:24 K:BB in 72.2 innings with Triple-A Colorado Springs -- numbers that are quite respectable, given the harsh pitching conditions in that home park and in the Pacific Coast League in general.

Manager Pete Mackanin was noncommittal when asked if Thompson would make his next scheduled start, Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Thompson gave up seven runs in five innings against the Angels on Wednesday, but only two runs were earned. Some defensive miscues helped save his ERA from blowing up, but Thompson did not pitch well. The Phillies could turn to Mark Leiter, Zach Eflin or Ben Lively (knee) to take Thompson's spot if they want to go in another direction.

Stripling gave up a run on three hits while striking out one over two innings of relief Wednesday against the Braves.

The 27-year-old has fared well since returning to the majors July 4, posting a 1.50 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 12 innings. Stripling's season ERA still sits at 3.42, and with a crowded bullpen following the trade deadline, the Dodgers may opt to send him back down to the minors once Clayton Kershaw (back) and Brandon McCarthy (finger) return from the disabled list.

Thompson (1-1) was tagged for seven runs -- just two earned -- on nine hits over five innings in Wednesday's loss to the Angels. He struck out two and walked one.

Yes, he can place some blame on his defense for giving away outs, but Thompson also surrendered three home runs and generated only three swing-and-misses on 92 pitches. The 23-year-old righty has been a mixed bag at best early on, and he may have trouble holding onto his rotation spot after this outing. With nothing to play for, the Phillies are evaluating their players with an eye on the future, which could lead to more starting opportunities for Thompson. However, they have other young starters to look at too.

Ray (concussion) isn't expected to be ready to return from the 7-day disabled list when eligible Friday against the Giants, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Ray was placed on the DL on Saturday, and although he's progressing through the MLB's concussion protocol, it appears he'll need some additional time for the symptoms to completely subside. He flew back to Phoenix to get examined by Dr. Javier Cardenas, so the next step in his rehab should become clearer after his examination. The Diamondbacks haven't announced a replacement for Ray in the rotation, but Triple-A Reno starter Anthony Banda looks to be the most logical replacement.

Worley (1-2) pitched seven scoreless innings with just two hits allowed while striking out three batters during Wednesday's win over Washington.

This was just the sixth start of the season for Worley, and he allowed three runs through just four innings in his last outing July 28 against the Reds. The veteran also sports an underwhelming 5.31 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 7.1 K/9 for the season, so he's far from a go-to virtual asset. However, shutting down the Nationals is an encouraging showing, and Worley projects to start consistently moving forward. That alone, warrants attention in cavernous fantasy settings. He projects to face Washington again in his next start, though, and this game will be at Nationals Park. It's probably not an ideal setup for Worley.

Solis is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports.

Solis was optioned back to the minors on Wednesday, but with Enny Romero (forearm) likely headed to the DL, it appears the 28-year-old will be back sooner than expected. He's conceded runs in five of his six appearances over the past month, so he'll likely work in lower-leverage situations upon his return to the big league bullpen.

Flexen was lifted from Wednesday's game after three innings due to a blister on his finger, Marc Carig of Newsday reports.

Flexen had allowed five runs -- all in the third inning -- on eight hits before being replaced by Chasen Bradford, and this blister issue could help explain his early struggles. It's unclear how long this ailment will keep him sidelined, but this could be his last turn in the rotation before he is sent back to the minors.