MLB Player News

Mikolas is expected to be deployed in bulk relief behind opener Richard Lovelady in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Mikolas started his prior three appearances, but the Nationals are opting to bring him out of the bullpen for the fourth time this season Sunday. Mikolas accrued a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB in 11 innings over his prior three bulk relief outings.

The Reds recalled Franco from Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.

The 25-year-old was optioned to Louisville on May 8 but will return to the majors and provide Cincinnati with some bullpen depth. Franco has a 4.30 ERA, 1.77 WHIP and 12:11 K:BB across 14.2 frames in the big leagues this year.

Toronto recalled Macko from Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday.

The Blue Jays needed to fill a bullpen spot with Tommy Nance (forearm) landing on the 15-day IL in a corresponding move. If Macko sees game action at any point during his call-up, he'll be making his MLB debut. The lefty has appeared in 13 games with Buffalo this season, posting a 4.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB over 18 innings.

Severino (2-5) allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out seven over six innings to take the loss Saturday versus the Giants.

Casey Schmitt delivered two home runs and three RBI in this contest, accounting for the majority of the damage on Severino's line. This was a third straight loss for Severino, though it's the first one he's truly deserved in that span -- he had allowed just five runs in total over 24 innings across his previous four starts. The veteran right-hander is now at a 4.45 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 54:31 K:BB through 54.2 innings over 10 starts. He's projected for a road outing against the Angels in his next outing, which is a favorable matchup.

McDonald (2-0) allowed one run on five hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out five over 6.2 innings to earn the win Saturday over the Athletics.

McDonald has shown the ability to provide length early in his stay in the majors, which could help him stick around even when Logan Webb (knee) is healthy, though McDonald's status is not guaranteed. Through three starts with the Giants this season, McDonald has a 2.37 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB over 19 innings. His role could get some clarity in the near future with Webb eligible to be reinstated from the injured list next week.

Peterson (2-4) allowed two runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batsman while striking out eight over four innings to earn the win Saturday versus the Yankees.

This was Peterson's third consecutive bulk-relief appearance, a span that has seen him earn his first two wins of the season. In his three outings in May, he's allowed seven runs (four earned) with a 17:3 K:BB over 13 innings. Overall, he has a 5.40 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 46:17 K:BB through 43.1 innings. Peterson's looked more effective working behind an opener, so that trend could continue for his next projected outing, which lines up to be on the road against the Nationals.

Rodon (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out six over 3.2 innings to take the loss Saturday versus the Mets.

Rodon threw 55 of 88 pitches for strikes in his second big-league start this season following offseason elbow surgery. The southpaw has now given up six runs (five earned) with a 10:8 K:BB through eight innings over his two starts. His pitch count Saturday suggests he's pretty close to fully stretched out, so he'll just need to work on fine-tuning his control and efficiency moving forward. Rodon's next start is projected to be at home versus the Blue Jays.

Elder (4-2) took the loss against Boston on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out three batters over eight innings.

Elder didn't overwhelm Red Sox hitters, but he limited them to just one run until Willson Contreras tagged him for a two-run homer in the eighth inning. That long ball resulted in the righty hurler taking his first loss since April 4, but Elder still finished with his fifth quality start across his past six outings. His eight completed frames were also a season-high mark, and Elder still hasn't given up more than three runs in any of his 10 appearances this season. His advanced metrics won't drop any jaws, but Elder has nonetheless put up excellent numbers so far this season, posting a 2.01 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 56:20 K:BB through 62.2 innings.

Tolle (2-2) earned the win over Atlanta on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three batters over eight innings.

Both of the runs Tolle allowed came off the bat of Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin, who swatted a solo homer in the first inning and added an RBI single in fifth. Otherwise, Tolle was very effective and efficient, as he completed eight frames on 85 total pitches. The southpaw recorded just six whiffs and a season-low three punchouts, but that helped him keep his pitch count down. Tolle now has an excellent 2.05 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 30:7 K:BB through 30.2 innings spanning five starts, and he appears to be establishing a permanent foothold in Boston's rotation.

Gilbert (2-4) took the loss against San Diego on Saturday, allowing seven runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five batters over 6.2 innings.

Gilbert struggled to keep the ball in the park, as three of the five hits he gave up were homers. The right-hander surrendered just four home runs over his first seven starts, but he's now given up seven long balls across his past three outings. Gilbert did at least give the Mariners 6.2 innings of work, and he's completed at least six frames in each of his past three starts. However, the seven runs he allowed Saturday were his most in an appearance this season and pushed his ERA up from 3.78 to 4.45.