MLB Player News

Boyd (elbow) struck out seven and while giving up one hit and no walks over six scoreless innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Columbus.

Boyd was locked in from the first pitch of his fifth rehab start and his second in a row with Columbus. He retired the first 17 hitters he faced and built up to 63 pitches before he exited the contest. The southpaw has looked dominant in all five of his rehab outings across stops with Columbus, Double-A Akron and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, posting an 0.83 ERA, 0.65 WHIP and 27:2 K:BB in 21.2 innings. The Guardians have yet to announce their immediate plans for Boyd, but he seems likely to be activated from the 15-day injured list and enter the big-league rotation during next week's home series versus the Cubs after Carlos Carrasco (hip) was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday.

The Twins recalled Varland from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Varland will officially serve as the 27th man during Friday's doubleheader versus the Guardians and is slated to start the second game. While Varland is likely to be sent back down after the outing, the Twins will need rotation help soon with Joe Ryan (shoulder) landing on the injured list Friday and expected to miss considerable time. Varland holds a 6.58 ERA over 26 frames with the Twins this season but has pitched well of late at St. Paul with a 1.19 ERA and 27:9 K:BB over 22.2 innings.

The Twins placed Ryan on the 15-day injured list Friday with a Grade 2 right teres major strain, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said Friday that Ryan's recovery will take "weeks to months," so the right-hander's season could be over. The injury is a massive blow to Ryan's fantasy managers and to a Twins club fighting for a playoff spot. Louie Varland will be recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to start the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Guardians, and he might now be needed in the big-league rotation indefinitely.

The Guardians recalled Cantillo from Triple-A Columbus to start the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Twins.

The left-hander will serve as the 27th man for the twin bill, so he's likely to return to Columbus after the spot start. Cantillo recently made the first two major-league starts of his career and allowed six runs with a 7:3 K:BB across 7.1 innings.

The Guardians placed Carrasco on the 15-day injured list Friday due to a left hip strain.

The 37-year-old presumably suffered the injury during his start against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, during which he allowed four runs across 4.1 innings. Carrasaco will be eligible for reinstatement Aug. 23, but it's unclear how long he's expected to be sidelined or if he'll have a rotation spot waiting for him once he's healthy.

Bradford won't start as scheduled Friday against the Yankees after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in New York.

The left-hander was reinserted into Texas' rotation last weekend against the Red Sox and was set to start again in Friday's series opener, but that outing will be pushed back. The game will be made up via a doubleheader Saturday, and Bradford should start one of those contests.

Rodon won't start Friday against the Rangers after the game was postponed due to expected inclement weather in New York.

The contest will be made up as part of a traditional doubleheader Saturday. Rodon's start will be pushed back a day, although it's not yet clear whether he will start the first or second game of Saturday's twin bill.

The Angels optioned Kochanowicz to Double-A Rocket City on Thursday.

Kochanowicz was up as the Angels' 27th man during Wednesday's doubleheader against the Yankees but did not make an appearance. He'll go back into Rocket City's rotation.

The Giants signed Howard to a minor-league contract Thursday.

Howard began the season with the Giants before being designated for assignment and then traded to the Guardians in July. Cleveland dropped him from its 40-man roster shortly after that, and he's now returned to the Giants organization and been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento. Howard holds a 6.21 ERA and 27:14 K:BB in 29 big-league innings covering three starts and six relief appearances in 2024.

Montgomery (7-6) took the loss against the Phillies on Thursday, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out four.

Montgomery allowed at least one hit in each of the first five innings but managed to keep the Phillies off the board while pitching his way out of multiple jams. However, the veteran lefty's luck would run out in the sixth after he hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch, as he then failed to retire three of the next four batters before being relieved by Dylan Floro with two outs. Three of the four runs charged to Montgomery came across after he left the contest. He's failed to make it through six innings in five consecutive starts, and Montgomery has also issued multiple walks in each of his last three outings while posting only eight strikeouts over that stretch.