MLB Player News

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday in an interview on 670 The Score that Imanaga (hamstring) will need "a couple more" rehab starts before returning from the 15-day injured list.

Imanaga kicked off his rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Monday, tossing two scoreless innings. He will make at least two more rehab starts as he continues to get stretched out before returning to the majors later this month if all goes well. Imanaga has been sidelined since early May with a strained left hamstring.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said May 30 that Cortes (elbow) is doing well while playing catch off flat ground and could soon begin throwing bullpen sessions, MLB.com reports.

After being diagnosed with a left elbow flexor strain and placed on the injured list April 6, Cortes was shut down for about a month before he was cleared to start playing catch. The Brewers have seemingly been pushing him through his throwing program slowly, as he still has yet to step back on a mound nearly a month after he started flat-ground tossing. The veteran southpaw will need to throw multiple bullpen sessions and live batting practice sessions before he's cleared to head out on a rehab assignment, so he shouldn't be expected to return from the injured list until around the All-Star break.

The Brewers are expected to call up Misiorowski from Triple-A Nashville to make his major-league debut in a start Thursday against the Cardinals, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Misiorowski has some of the best raw stuff in the minors with a fastball that regularly clocks in the triple digits. Control has been a big issue at times, and he has issued nine walks over his last two starts at Nashville. The control has mostly been better this season, however, with the righty walking two or fewer in seven of his last 10 outings. Overall, Misiorowski has collected a 2.13 ERA and 80:31 K:BB over 63.1 innings with Nashville. The Brewers are unlikely to call him up to make just one start, so Misiorowski should get an opportunity to stick around with the big club for a bit.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol indicated Monday that McGreevy could make another spot start later this month, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The Cardinals elected to send McGreevy back to Triple-A Memphis following a spot start against the Dodgers on Sunday. By rule, he must remain at Memphis for 15 days before being recalled, which means McGreevy could be back for a start as soon as June 24 at home against the Cubs. The Cardinals would be able to bring McGreevy back before then if another player is placed on a reserve list in a corresponding move.

Imanaga (hamstring) struck out four across two scoreless innings in his first rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Monday. He gave up one hit and no walks.

The left-hander will likely move up to a higher affiliate for his next rehab start. Imanaga has been shelved since early May with a strained left hamstring.

Pallante allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three batters over six innings in a no-decision against Toronto on Monday.

This was a nice bounce-back performance for Pallante after he allowed seven runs over 4.1 frames in his previous start versus Kansas City. The right-hander recorded his fifth quality start of the campaign and completed six innings for the first time over his past four appearances. Pallante has been inconsistent this season and holds a 4.75 ERA along with a 1.38 WHIP over 13 starts covering 72 innings. He's projected for a road matchup against Milwaukee this weekend.

Civale (1-2) took the loss against Atlanta on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five batters over 4.2 innings.

Civale worked around frequent traffic to get through four scoreless frames, but he ran into trouble in the fifth. In that inning, Ronald Acuna tagged the right-hander for a solo home run, and Civale was pulled after allowing a two-out double to Austin Riley. Riley came around to score one batter later, saddling Civale with the loss. The veteran hurler did manage to tie a season high with five punchouts, and he's now given up two or fewer runs in all four of his starts since coming off the injured list May 22, though he's topped out at 5.1 frames during that span. Civale is tentatively slated to take on St. Louis in his next start.

Sale (4-4) earned the win over Milwaukee on Monday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters over seven innings.

Sale was dominant in the win, as he gave up only one extra-base hit and racked up 14 whiffs. The left-hander's 11 punchouts were a season high and marked the fourth time on the campaign he's reached double-digit strikeouts. Sale had an uneven start to the campaign, but he's now given up two or fewer earned runs in 10 straight outings. He's been particularly dominant over his current five-game streak of quality starts, allowing just four runs across 33 frames and posting a 43:12 K:BB during that stretch.

Kelly allowed four hits and two walks while striking out seven over six scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the Mariners on Monday.

Kelly logged his third scoreless outing of the season, all of which have come in his last five starts. It hasn't been a stretch of consistency, as he allowed a total of 10 runs (eight earned) over 11 innings in the other two starts in that span. Kelly is still looking like one of the more reliable pitchers in the majors this year with a 3.18 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 79:21 K:BB over 82 innings through 14 starts. The 36-year-old is penciled in for a weekend start at home versus the Padres.

Pivetta allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out three over four innings in a no-decision Monday versus the Dodgers.

Pivetta allowed multiple runs in the first and third innings, which quickly ran up his pitch count. He finished at 93 pitches (56 strikes) in his shortest outing since a four-inning start at Coors Field on May 11. Pivetta has allowed 10 runs (nine earned) over his last two starts against the Giants and the Dodgers, and in five starts versus NL West rivals, he's allowed a total of 19 runs (18 earned) across 26.1 innings. Overall, he's at a 3.48 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 79:21 K:BB through 72.1 innings over 13 starts this season. Pivetta is lined up to face another divisional foe this weekend in a road start versus the Diamondbacks, who he has yet to pitch against this season.