MLB Player News
-
Jameson Taillon SP | CHC
Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Making rehab start Thursday
Taillon (groin) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
It should be the only rehab start Taillon requires before he rejoins the Cubs' rotation next week in Atlanta. The veteran right-hander has been sidelined for the past two weeks with a left groin strain. When Taillon does return, he'll likely push Javier Assad to a long-relief role.
-
Jose Urbina SP | TB
Rays' Jose Urbina: Bumped to High-A
The Rays promoted Urbina from Single-A Charleston to High-A Bowling Green on Wednesday.
Urbina needed a couple years in pro ball to harness his stuff, but he's broken out this season as a 19-year-old at the Single-A level. He logged a 2.05 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 96:30 K:BB in a career-high 92.1 innings across 19 starts.
-
Roki Sasaki P | LAD
Dodgers' Roki Sasaki: Shaky in fourth rehab start
Sasaki (shoulder) struck out two batters and allowed four earned runs on three hits and two walks in his rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He also hit a batter.
Though the 69 pitches (42 strikes) that Sasaki threw marked a slight step back from the 75 pitches he tossed his last time out Aug. 26, he was more efficient, which enabled him to reach five innings for the first time in four rehab outings. The right-hander wasn't quite as sharp as the Dodgers had likely hoped, however; two of the three hits he gave up left the yard, and he now owns an unremarkable 8:8 K:BB over 14 innings on the farm. The Dodgers are letting Sasaki get stretched out as a starter, but the big club wouldn't appear to have an opening for him in its six-man rotation. If Sasaki bypasses another rehab start and gets activated from the 60-day injured list, he could be deployed out of the bullpen.
-
Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Drawing start Wednesday
Sheehan will start Wednesday's game in Pittsburgh, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Shohei Ohtani had initially been listed as the Dodgers' starter, but Ohtani will instead serve only as the team's designated hitter Wednesday. Manager Dave Roberts had said previously that Sheehan's turn in the rotation would be skipped, but the plan evidently changed. Roberts should offer more clarity behind the decision later Wednesday.
-
Kyle Harrison SP | BOS
Red Sox's Kyle Harrison: Won't be promoted after all
The Red Sox are not planning to recall Harrison from Triple-A Worcester prior to Wednesday's game versus the Guardians, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Previous reports indicated that Harrison was headed to Boston and could start Wednesday's contest. However, the club has since announced that Brennan Bernardino will open the contest, with Dustin May slated for bulk relief. Harrison could still get an opportunity with the Red Sox at some point this month, but he'll remain with Worcester for now. The lefty has posted a 3.65 ERA and 48:26 K:BB over 49.1 innings covering 11 starts with Worcester after being dealt to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade.
-
Nick Martinez RP | CIN
Reds' Nick Martinez: Back in bullpen over weekend
Martinez retired the lone batter he faced in relief and collected his second hold of the season in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Cardinals.
Martinez had made four straight appearances as a starter from Aug. 9 through Aug. 26, but his last two outings have come out of the bullpen. Though the Reds scratched Nick Lodolo (illness) ahead of Tuesday's 12-9 loss to the Blue Jays, Martinez wasn't called upon for a spot start, as Cincinnati instead had Scott Barlow open the contest before he was followed by five other relievers. Cincinnati could consider moving Martinez back into the rotation if Lodolo ends up requiring a stint on the injured list, though the expectation at this time is that Lodolo will be ready to go the next time the Reds need a fifth starter.
-
Jason Alexander SP | HOU
Astros' Jason Alexander: Remaining in rotation
Alexander is slated to start Wednesday's game against the Yankees in Houston, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
When he was initially called up from Triple-A Sugar Land on July 24, Alexander looked to be a temporary placeholder in the rotation until the Astros returned multiple rehabbing starting pitchers from the injured list. Much to the delight of the Astros, Alexander has pitched well enough to maintain his spot in the rotation, even though Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia have since made their way back from the shelf. Houston has opted to move the struggling Lance McCullers to the bullpen to keep Alexander in the fold as a starter, and the journeyman right-hander should continue making regular turns through the six-man rotation throughout September so long as his performance warrants the opportunity. Since his call-up from Sugar Land, Alexander has produced a 3.18 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 35:10 K:BB in 39.2 innings across seven starts.
-
Jonah Tong P | NYM
Mets' Jonah Tong: Now trending toward Saturday start
Tong appears in line to make his next start Saturday against the Reds in Cincinnati, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
The Mets had initially confirmed that Tong would take the hill for the series opener Friday, but David Peterson will instead start that contest while the rookie right-hander gets pushed back a day. Tong will be starting on seven days' rest coming off a promising MLB debut versus the Marlins this past Friday, when he struck out six and allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks over five innings en route to picking up a win.
-
Jose Urquidy SP | DET
Tigers' Jose Urquidy: Works three innings in rehab outing
Urquidy (elbow) struck out three and gave up two hits and no walks over three scoreless innings Tuesday in his rehab appearance with Triple-A Toledo.
Urquidy first began his rehab assignment Aug. 3 with Single-A Lakeland, but because he's working his way back from June 2024 Tommy John surgery, the right-hander has been granted a 10-day extension beyond the standard 30-day rehab window. Though the 30-year-old is expected to get the chance to compete for a rotation spot with Detroit next spring if his $4 million team option for 2026 is picked up, Urquidy will be joining the Tigers as a reliever if he gets activated at any point in September. Through his eight rehab appearances between Lakeland and Toledo, Urquidy has posted a 4.30 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB in 14.2 innings.
-
Sean Manaea RP | NYM
Mets' Sean Manaea: Next start coming Monday
Manaea is slated to make his next start Monday in Philadelphia, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Though the Mets are considering assigning the struggling Kodai Senga to the minors rather than having him take his normal turn through the rotation this Sunday in Cincinnati, Manaea won't be in the mix to fill in for Senga in the series finale versus the Reds. Manaea most recently took the hill for Monday's 10-8 win over the Tigers, lasting just 3.2 innings while allowing five earned runs on eight hits and one walk. After returning from the 60-day injured list in mid-July, Manaea looked strong through his first four starts of the season with the Mets, but the southpaw's performance has taken a dramatic turn for the worse ever since. Over his subsequent six starts, Manaea has submitted a 7.81 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 27.2 innings. Manaea will get another chance to right the ship Monday, but a poor showing versus the Phillies could prompt manager Carlos Mendoza to consider moving him to the bullpen.