MLB Player News

Manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Knack is likely to serve as the Dodgers' fifth starter in the short term, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports.

The Dodgers' rotation has been consistently shuffled early this season, and that continued with Roki Sasaki (shoulder) being placed on the injured list this week and Clayton Kershaw (toe) nearing activation. Those moves would still leave them one starter short, and Knack appears to be the preferred option over the likes of Ben Casparius and Matt Sauer. Knack has a 5.89 ERA and 1.53 WHIP with a more impressive 20:8 K:BB across 18.1 innings this season.

Ynoa signed a contract with the Leones De Yucatan of the Mexican League on Monday.

Ynoa was cut loose by the Twins in April after allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings at Triple-A St. Paul. The 26-year-old will now continue his playing career south of the border and could get looks from MLB organizations again if his time in Mexico goes well.

The Orioles confirmed Thursday that Reilly has undergone a right elbow UCL reconstruction, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Reilly had been sidelined with an elbow injury and recently was moved to the full-season injured list at Double-A Chesapeake, so the news that he required a UCL repair doesn't come as a surprise. The 23-year-old righty will likely be sidelined until around midseason next year.

Holmes will remain in Atlanta's rotation after Bryce Elder was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

There was some speculation by David O'Brien of The Athletic that Holmes could shift to the bullpen to accommodate the return of Spencer Strider (hamstring), but ultimately the club decided to stick with Holmes in the rotation and send Elder down. Holmes has been up and down this season as a starter, posting a 4.23 ERA and 42:21 K:BB over 44.2 frames covering eight starts, but he brings more upside to the rotation than Elder. The 29-year-old Holmes' next start will come Saturday in Boston.

Atlanta optioned Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Elder has put up a 3.10 ERA over his last five starts, including tossing six innings of one-run ball his last time out against the Nationals. However, Spencer Strider (hamstring) is due back next week and Atlanta will not go to a six-man rotation, so Elder having minor-league options left worked against him here. He'll likely be the next starter called upon when the big club needs a rotation reinforcement.

Holmes could be moved to the Atlanta bullpen when Spencer Strider (hamstring) returns from the 15-day injured list next week, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Manager Brian Snitker said the club will not use a six-man rotation, so it seems either Holmes or Bryce Elder will lose their spot. Elder has minor-league options remaining, so sending him to Triple-A Gwinnett is a possibility. However, Elder has been more consistent than Holmes lately, and Holmes also had lots of success in a relief role last season. Atlanta's rotation intentions should become clearer in the coming days. Currently, Holmes is lined up to start Saturday in Boston.

Manager Brian Snitker said Thursday that Strider (hamstring) will be activated off the injured list to start one of Atlanta's games in Washington next week, 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.

It's still unclear exactly which game Strider will pitch in Atlanta's upcoming three-game series against the Nationals, but Snitker's comments confirm that the 26-year-old righty will return to the rotation without making a rehab start in the minors. Strider only built up to 65 pitches and experienced decreased velocity during his sim game Wednesday, so there's a chance he'll be working under some workload restrictions when he makes his return from a strained right hamstring.

The Dodgers recalled Wrobleski from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Wrobleski will offer length in the bullpen Thursday against the Athletics while Matt Sauer makes a spot start. The left-hander was roughed up for eight runs in five frames in a spot start with the big club last month but has yielded just three runs over 13 innings in his last two starts with OKC.

Festa hasn't pitched at Triple-A St. Paul since May 6 due to right arm fatigue but is expected to make a start this weekend, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Festa tossed 5.2 innings of one-run ball with a 7:0 K:BB in his May 6 outing but evidently came out of the start nursing some fatigue with his pitching arm. The righty has pitched well both in the majors (1.38 ERA, 15:5 K:BB in 13 innings) and minors (3.60 ERA, 22:2 K:BB in 20 innings) this season and could push for another promotion if he shows the arm fatigue is behind him.

The Twins are expected to recall Matthews from Triple-A St. Paul to start Sunday in Milwaukee, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Simeon Woods Richardson was optioned to St. Paul on Thursday and the vacancy he leaves in the rotation will be filled by Matthews. The soon-to-be 25-year-old Matthews has been dominant this season at St. Paul, posting a 1.93 ERA and 38:9 K:BB over 32.2 innings covering seven starts. Matthews held a 6.69 ERA in nine outings last season for the Twins but boasted a 43:11 K:BB in 37.2 frames. He should be picked up in fantasy leagues where he's available.