MLB Player News

Suarez is no longer scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun reports.

The responsibility will instead fall to Cade Povich, who will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. Suarez has been terrific since re-entering the rotation in place of the injured Grayson Rodriguez (lat), tossing 11.2 scoreless innings with an 11:3 K:BB. It's not clear whether Suarez will simply be pushed back or is being moved to long relief, which is his likely role in the postseason for the Orioles.

The Orioles will recall Povich from Triple-A Norfolk to start Saturday's game against the Red Sox, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Povich will be added to the taxi squad Friday before officially joining the active roster Saturday. Albert Suarez had been in line to start Saturday, but the club could be moving him back to the bullpen. Povich has mostly struggled in his eight starts with Baltimore, posting a 6.27 ERA and 25:23 K:BB over 37.1 innings. However, the lefty has gone seven innings in both of his last two starts for Norfolk.

Williams (elbow) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

It's the first mound work for the veteran right-hander since he landed on the IL at the end of May with a right flexor muscle strain. Williams threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, and he's still several weeks away from rejoining the Nationals' staff. His timeline could be shortened if the team elects to bring him back as a reliever, and with the 32-year-old set to become a free agent after the season, Washington has little incentive to bump a younger option from the rotation in favor of Williams.

Bradford did not factor into the decision in a loss to the Twins on Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over six innings while striking out two.

The southpaw got tagged for a leadoff homer by Willi Castro and a Kyle Farmer triple to open the second inning, with the latter resulting in a second run for Minnesota following a fielding error by Leody Taveras. However, Bradford would then keep the Twins off the scoreboard over the next four frames before being relieved by Jose Leclerc to begin the seventh. It marked Bradford's third quality start of the campaign and his first since April 10 against the Athletics. He's allowed three or fewer runs in all three of his starts this month, posting a 14:3 K:BB over that stretch.

Ober did not factor into the decision in a win over the Rangers on Thursday, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks over seven innings while striking out three.

All of the damage against Ober came in the opening frame when he allowed four of the first batters to reach base, leading to two runs coming across for Texas. The right-hander then held the Rangers scoreless over the next five frames, logging his 10th consecutive quality start. Ober has surrendered just one home run over his last four outings, though he's also issued multiple walks in four straight. Thursday's no-decision also snapped a four-game winning streak for the 29-year-old.

Parker (6-7) took the loss against the Phillies on Thursday, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and two walks over three innings. He struck out six.

Parker struggled out of the gate, allowing six consecutive batters to reach with one out in the first inning while coughing up two homers to put Washington in an early hole. He breezed through the next two frames, even striking out the side in the third, before imploding in the fourth. The lefty allowed a season-high nine runs in the contest and walked multiple batters for the fifth time in his last six starts. Parker had pitched six scoreless innings in each of his previous two starts coming in, but he's now failed to make it through four innings in three of his last six outings.

Wheeler (12-5) picked up the win over the Nationals on Thursday, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over six innings while striking out six.

Wheeler surrendered just one hit over the first four innings before coughing a solo homer to Keibert Ruiz with one out in the fifth. He would then struggle a bit in the sixth inning as well, allowing the first two batters to reach -- the second on a hit-by-pitch -- before an unearned run would come home for Washington. The right-hander was able to hang on for his 12th win of the campaign while also logging his third consecutive quality start. Wheeler has allowed two or fewer runs in all three of his outings to open the month of August, going 2-0 over that stretch while posting a 23:3 K:BB.

Pivetta (5-8) took the loss against the Orioles on Thursday, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings.

Pivetta kept the Orioles off the scoreboard for the first three innings before surrendering a two-run homer to Gunnar Henderson in the fourth and then a leadoff shot to Cedric Mullins to open the fifth. It marked the fourth consecutive start in which the right-hander has coughed up two long balls and he's also given up at least three runs in three of his last four outings. Pivetta has lost four of his last five decisions (spanning eight starts). However, he's also racked up six or more strikeouts in six of his last seven starts.

Eflin (9-7) picked up the win over the Red Sox on Thursday, allowing one run on five hits over six innings while striking out eight.

Eflin allowed hits in four of his six innings of work but managed to keep Boston's offense at bay, aside from a leadoff homer by Wilyer Abreu to open the fourth. The right-hander induced 12 whiffs on the night and racked up a season-high eight strikeouts while not issuing a free pass for the second time in his last four starts. Eflin is now 4-0 since being acquired by the Orioles, logging quality starts in all four outings. Through three starts this month he carries a 1.40 ERA to go along with a robust 18:2 K:BB.

Fried (7-7) allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five batters over 5.1 innings in a loss to San Francisco on Thursday.

Fried gave up two runs in the second inning and another in the sixth, which was more than enough for San Francisco to hand him a defeat on a day when Atlanta's offense was shut out. The southpaw did at least manage his longest outing over his three starts since returning from the IL on Aug. 4, and this was the first time he's given up fewer than four earned runs during that span. It's unclear if the forearm issue that landed him on the injured list is still bothering him, but Fried has a 7.90 ERA over the three starts since his activation.