MLB Player News

Kopech (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Kopech began the season on the injured list due to forearm inflammation, but a right shoulder impingement has extended his absence by a couple of months. It's unclear how long the Dodgers plan on keeping the 29-year-old in the minors, but once active, Kopech should play an important role in a Dodgers bullpen that's been decimated by injuries this year.

Denaburg announced his retirement from professional baseball Thursday and will pursue a career in football, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Denaburg plans to enroll at the University of Central Florida for the fall semester. A first-round pick by the Nationals in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft, Denaburg's baseball career was sabotaged by numerous injuries. The 25-year-old committed to play baseball and football at the University of Florida out of high school before deciding to sign with the Nationals.

Ryan (illness) will start Saturday's game against the Giants, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Ryan had been slated to take the ball Thursday versus the Orioles but was scratched due to illness. However, he was able to throw a bullpen session Thursday and will be all systems go Saturday at Target Field against the Giants. Chris Paddack will draw the start in the series opener Friday.

The Cubs are expected to call up Horton from Triple-A Iowa for this weekend's series against the Mets, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

The Cubs need a starter to fill in for the injured Shota Imanaga (hamstring), and signs were pointing to Horton after Chris Flexen was used in relief Tuesday and Wednesday. Horton is likely to make his major-league debut with a start Saturday, although the team has not yet confirmed it. A first-round pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, Horton was limited to only nine starts in 2024 due to shoulder problems, but in 2025 he's posted a 1.24 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 33:13 K:BB over 29 innings covering six starts with Iowa. He could make additional starts after Saturday if he pitches well.

The Tigers recalled Montero from Triple-A Toledo to serve as their 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader against the Rockies.

Montero's last MLB appearance came during a spot start in a doubleheader April 26, and he'll be called upon to start the nightcap again Thursday. The 24-year-old righty owns a 5.93 ERA through 13.2 innings with the Tigers this season and will likely head back to Toledo once his 27th-man duties are completed.

Single-A Lakeland placed Wilson on the full-season injured list May 5 with an undisclosed injury.

The No. 76 overall pick in 2023, Wilson walked more batters than he struck out last year while pitching only in the Florida Complex League as a 19-year-old. He struck out 11 and walked six in 6.1 innings through three appearances before suffering the season-ending injury.

The Rockies recalled Gordon from Triple-A Albuquerque ahead of his scheduled start in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Tigers at Coors Field.

Gordon is being designated as the Rockies' 27th man for the twin bill, so he's expected to be returned to Albuquerque immediately after the second game of the day. Over his six starts with Albuquerque this season, Gordon has turned in a 4.82 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 22:6 K:BB across 28 innings.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that Eflin (lat) will "more than likely" start Sunday's game against the Angels, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Hyde had already committed to Eflin returning from the 15-day injured list to make a start this weekend, and now he's revealed which day Eflin is lined up to take the ball. The veteran hurler threw only 58 pitches in his lone rehab outing, so his workload will be relatively limited against the Halos.

Double-A Portland placed Mullins on the 7-day injured list May 5 with an undisclosed injury.

Mullins earned a promotion from High-A Greenville on April 29 and made just one start for the Sea Dogs before landing on the shelf. The 24-year-old southpaw has a 1.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 37:7 K:BB in 22.2 innings across the two levels, although he walked four in 5.2 innings in his lone Double-A start.

Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and then faced live hitters for 20 more pitches, Andres Soto of MLB.com reports.

The 40-year-old right-hander has been dealing with thumb issues on his throwing hand since making his season debut March 29, but after receiving multiple cortisone shots in the digit, he appears to be making progress. "Good, really good," manager John Schneider said after Scherzer's session off the game mound at Angel Stadium. "Twenty pitches after he threw in the 'pen. And then I thought standing back there, his stuff was really good... So that's a really good step in the right direction." The Blue Jays will wait and see how Scherzer bounces back before determining the next step in his rehab, but tentative plans call for him to get stretched out a little more in another session against live hitters this weekend in Seattle. The earliest Scherzer would be eligible to come off the 60-day IL is May 29, but a June return appears more likely as Toronto won't want to rush him back into the rotation.