MLB Player News

Junk left Saturday's game against the Blue Jays in the sixth inning due to right forearm discomfort, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Junk didn't have the chance to finish the sixth inning, ending his start having allowed three runs on six hits and one walk across 5.2 innings while recording three strikeouts. Junk's departure came after 92 pitches. Expect the 29-year-old to undergo further evaluations throughout the next 24 hours or so. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Thursday against the Mets.

Soriano (personal) was moved from the paternity list to the restricted list Saturday.

Per Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, Soriano traveled back to the Dominican Republic for the birth of his child and required four days off -- one more than the maximum allowed on the paternity list. The expectation is that Soriano will join the team Sunday and make his scheduled start Monday at Texas.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday that Montas' (elbow) UCL injury will spell an end to the right-hander's season and could require Tommy John surgery, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports.

After a rough stretch of starts, Montas was demoted to the bullpen earlier this month and had surrendered four runs (two earned) in five innings over his two relief appearances before landing on the 15-day injured list earlier Saturday. Though the Mets have already ruled Montas out for the season, his availability for the start of spring training will remain uncertain until a decision is made regarding whether or not he'll require surgery. Montas holds a $17 million player option for 2026 that he'll most likely exercise this offseason.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Saturday that Bradish (elbow) will likely be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Red Sox in Baltimore, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

The 28-year-old has been on the shelf all season while completing his recovery from June 2024 Tommy John surgery, and he finally appears to have reached the finish line. During the sixth start of his rehab assignment Wednesday, Bradish tossed 89 pitches while covering 4.2 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks for Triple-A Norfolk. Overall, Bradish produced a 4.91 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 25:8 K:BB in 22 innings over stops with Norfolk and Double-A Chesapeake during his assignment.

The Royals placed Falter on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to a left biceps contusion.

During his relief appearance in Friday's 7-5 loss to the Tigers, Falter took a 91.5 mile-per-hour line drive off his arm on his fifth pitch of the night. He proceeded to stay in the game and was ultimately charged with four earned runs on six hits and one walk over two innings, but he was dealing with enough swelling following the contest for the Royals to shut him down. Jonathan Bowlan was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move to take Falter's spot in the bullpen.

The Dodgers placed Snell on the paternity list Saturday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Snell was stuck with a loss in Friday's start, and he'll step away from the team temporarily for personal reasons. The move shouldn't impact Snell's next start, as MLB rules dictate he can only be on the paternity list for up to three days. The Dodgers activated Kirby Yates (back) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Houston recalled Blubaugh from Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Blubaugh has made two big-league appearances (one of which was a start) totaling nine innings so far in his debut MLB campaign, giving up four runs on eight hits with an 11:2 K:BB. His numbers haven't been great at Sugar Land, as he's registered a 5.27 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 101: 58 K:BB across 99 frames, but the Astros will look to the right-hander for some pitching depth while he's up with the team. The Astros don't have an immediate opening in their rotation, and Luis Garcia (elbow) is nearing a return from the injured list, so Blubaugh figures to work as a long reliever with the big-league club.

The Mets placed Montas on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Aug. 22, due to a right elbow UCL injury.

Montas didn't make his 2025 debut until late June after suffering a lat strain in spring training. Two months later, Montas is headed back to the injured list with an unspecified injury to his UCL. The 32-year-old was recently moved to the bullpen and hadn't pitched since Aug. 15. The Mets recalled Huascar Brazoban from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move.

The Phillies announced Saturday that Wheeler (shoulder) will undergo season-ending thoracic outlet decompression surgery, Paul Casella of MLB.com reports. He's expected to face a recovery timeline of 6-to-8 months.

Wheeler was placed on the injured list a week ago after doctors discovered a blood clot in his throwing shoulder, which he had removed in a procedure Monday. Since then, he's been diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, which will require a more significant surgery. Given the estimated 6-to-8-month recovery timeline, Wheeler's availability for Opening Day in 2026 now appears to be in doubt. Before being shut down last week, the 35-year-old righty had been a leading candidate for the 2025 NL Cy Young Award, posting a 10-5 record, 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 195:33 K:BB across 149.2 innings.

Lauer is expected to start Wednesday's game against Minnesota in Toronto, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

With Shane Bieber returning from the 60-day injured list to make his Toronto debut Friday, manager John Schneider indicated Lauer would be moving to a relief role. While Schneider told Mae that Lauer will still be available for a brief appearance out of the bullpen in Saturday's game in Miami, the Blue Jays still plan to have the lefty start at least one more time Wednesday in order to give Bieber extra rest between outings. It's not yet clear if Lauer will handle a full workload in his start next week, nor is it known whether Toronto will opt for a six-man rotation for any additional amount of time as Bieber gets back into a groove as he settles back in following his April 2024 Tommy John surgery.