MLB Player News

Imanaga (9-3) allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out six over five innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Blue Jays.

Imanaga was good aside from a Joey Loperfido solo home run in the second inning, but that ended up being the lone run of the game. Imanaga has allowed 14 runs (10 earned) over 23.2 innings across four starts in August, though his 26:3 K:BB in that same span paints a more encouraging picture. For the year, the southpaw has a 3.11 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 137:20 K:BB through 133.1 innings over 23 starts. He's lined up for a favorable road start in Miami his next time out.

The Angels are expected to select Cueto's contract from Triple-A Salt Lake during the upcoming week, Hector Gomez of Z101Digital.com reports.

Cueto has been pitching with Salt Lake since signing a minor-league deal with the Angels on July 20. Through four starts, he's maintained a 3.09 ERA and 1.37 WHIP while working at least five innings on each occasion. He should slot into the rotation while Jose Soriano (arm) is on the shelf. Wednesday's game in Kansas City looks to be the first chance Cueto will have to make a start in Soriano's stead.

Woodford (0-5) took the loss Sunday, allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and one walk over four innings against the Mariners. He struck out four.

Woodford was tagged early when Cal Raleigh blasted a two-run homer with one out in the first inning and was never able to find his footing as he was let down both by his own performance and by poor defense. After showing well in a spot start against San Diego, Woodford was given another crack but was lit up for seven total runs by a Mariners squad that had failed to score more than three runs in any game during the five-game losing streak that they carried into the contest. While a better performance may have altered the Pirates' mindset a bit, with Jared Jones (lat) slated to make at least one more rehab start early this week, Woodford appears to be the most likely to lose his spot in the rotation once jones is ready to make his return.

Kirby (9-9) earned the win Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings against the Pirates. He struck out five.

Kirby scattered just two hits through the first five innings as the Mariners provided the righty a 7-0 cushion. A Joey Bart two-run homer in the sixth was the first and only blemish against Kirby, who contributed his 16th quality start of the season. The 26-year-old righty put a halt to the Mariners' five-game skid, rebounding from allowing career highs in runs (11) and hits (13) against Detroit in his last start to allow two runs or fewer for the 17th time over 25 starts. He'll carry a 3.40 ERA and 1.08 WHIP into a scheduled home matchup next week against the Giants.

Atlanta hasn't officially announced a starter for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, but manager Brian Snitker previously indicated the Lopez (forearm) was expected to be re-inserted into the rotation early this week, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Max Fried and Spencer Schwellenbach are penciled in to pitch Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, potentially leaving Tuesday open for Lopez to make his return from the injured list. The right-hander threw 71 pitches over four innings during his rehab start last Tuesday with Triple-A Gwinnett, so he shouldn't have significant workload limitations in his return to Atlanta's rotation.

Pirates GM Ben Cherington said Sunday that Jones (lat) will make at least one more rehab start before returning from the 15-day injured list, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The right-hander has struggled in his two rehab outings for Triple-A Indianapolis with six earned runs allowed across six innings. Jones encouragingly built up his workload to 67 pitching during his last appearance, but the Pirates might want to see him regain some effectiveness before re-inserting him into the big-league rotation.

Scherzer (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Sunday and is scheduled to pitch again Wednesday, possibly in a rehab start or live batting practice, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The right-hander threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Friday and was quickly back on the mound Sunday, which is encouraging as he makes his return from a bout of shoulder soreness that required a nerve injection. Scherzer last took the mound for Texas in late July, and he could be back in the rotation before the end of August if he can continue trending in the right direction Wednesday.

Blanco (finger) is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Red Sox, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The right-hander reported some finger soreness after being hit by a comebacker during his previous start Wednesday, but he'll be ready to make his next turn through the rotation Tuesday versus Boston. Blanco has pitched well in his first three starts of August with a 2.40 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 15 innings.

Kuehler is on the full-season injured list at High-A Rome after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July, Scott Kennedy of SI.com reports.

Kuehler logged a 2.52 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 44:20 K:BB in 50 innings across 11 starts for Single-A Augusta and then gave up eight runs in three innings in his lone start for Rome on June 30. It's possible that the 22-year-old righty will eventually shift to the bullpen, where his fastball/slider combo could play up and his shaky command would be less of an issue. He may not recover in time to pitch for an affiliate in 2025.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Sunday that Verlander (neck) is tentatively scheduled to return from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against Boston, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Verlander completed his second rehab outing Thursday with Double-A Corpus Christi, tossing 57 pitches over four innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks while striking out five. The 41-year-old threw a live bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Sunday, and Espada and the Astros staff apparently came away satisfied with how the right-hander looked during the workout. Verlander is now on track to make his first start for the Astros since June 9, after a stiff neck had kept him on the shelf for more than two months. Across 10 starts with Houston this season, Verlander has gone 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 51:17 K:BB across 57 frames.