MLB Player News

Rodriguez (lat) could face hitters at some point this week during the Orioles' road trip, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez began throwing off a mound last week and should be able to take the next step in his recovery soon. The right-hander has been sidelined since early August with a right lat strain and will surely need a rehab start or two before rejoining the Orioles' rotation, so he's probably looking at a late-September return even if all goes well.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday that Blackburn (hand) was scratched from his start Monday against the Blue Jays due to a back issue, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Blackburn was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 25 after taking a comebacker off his pitching hand. He was slated to return from the IL to start Monday, but the Mets opted to delay activating him once the back issue cropped up. Mendoza added that the Mets will monitor Blackburn's back over the next couple of days, and the right-hander will not pitch in the upcoming series in Toronto, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.

The Guardians recalled Cantillo from Triple-A Columbus on Monday.

Cantillo will make a start Monday against the White Sox. Ben Lively had been in line to take the hill Monday, but Lively has struggled lately and will have his turn pushed back or perhaps skipped altogether. The left-handed Cantillo has produced an unsightly 7.71 ERA and 15:9 K:BB over 18.2 innings in four starts and one relief appearance with the Guardians this season.

Interim manager Grady Sizemore said Saturday that Nastrini will be available in relief Monday in what's expected to be a bullpen day in the White Sox's series opener versus the Guardians, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Sizemore hasn't officially pulled the plug on Nastrini as the fifth member of the rotation, but the rookie right-hander will look to turn in better results in relief after posting a 7.79 ERA and 24:32 K:BB in 32.1 innings through his first eight big-league starts. Jared Shuster is slated to open the contest and has worked at least four innings over four of his 37 appearances this season between the majors and Triple-A, so Nastrini could end up piggybacking Shuster rather than serving as a true bulk reliever Monday.

The Phillies optioned Johnson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday.

Johnson's stay in Philadelphia will last just one start, as he'll head back to Triple-A after he was lit up for nine earned runs over 2.1 innings during his MLB debut in Sunday's 10-1 loss to the Marlins. The Phillies recalled left-hander Tyler Gilbert to provide some extra coverage in the bullpen in the short term, but it's not immediately clear whom Philadelphia might turn to as Johnson's replacement in the rotation.

Senzatela allowed five earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five across 3.2 innings to take the loss in a rehab outing Sunday with Double-A Hartford.

Senzatela took a step back in his results in the shaky outing, but he also ramped up to 68 pitches. That was the highest mark of his five rehab starts, and he appears to be on track for activation from the 60-day injured list perhaps as soon as next weekend.

Tong received a promotion from High-A Brooklyn to Double-A Binghamton on Sept. 1.

Tong made his Binghamton debut Thursday, and it went about as well as possible, with the right-hander striking out nine over six no-hit, scoreless innings. The promotion was the third of the season for Tong, who has compiled 2.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 155:43 K:BB over 109.2 innings across stops with Binghamton, Brooklyn and Single-A St. Lucie.

Williams (elbow) will make a rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday and remains confident he'll pitch again for the Nationals before the end of the season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The right-hander is expected to throw about four innings and build up to 65-to-70 pitches Tuesday. Nationals manager Dave Martinez hinted that Williams might need to make a second rehab start before being activated from the 60-day injured list, with 80 pitches as the target. Williams landed on the IL after a May 30 start against Atlanta due to a right flexor strain, but the pending free agent was having an outstanding campaign to that point, posting a 5-0 record in 11 starts with a 2.22 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 47:16 K:BB through 56.2 innings. He could return to the Washington rotation for a road series against the Cubs that runs Sept. 19 through 22.

Blackburn (hand) is no longer in line to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Monday's game in Toronto, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The Mets will give a spot start to Tylor Megill instead. Blackburn could be pushed back a day to start Tuesday in Toronto, though the team has not yet confirmed as much. He has missed the last two weeks with a right hand bruise but tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball in a rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse last week.

Megill will start Monday's game in Toronto, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Paul Blackburn (hand) had been slated to come off the 15-day injured list to start Monday, but the Mets have elected to give the ball to Megill instead. Megill will be pitching on normal rest after yielding three runs over four innings in a start last week against the Red Sox. He could be moved to the bullpen following Monday's outing.