MLB Player News

Williams (elbow) struck out two and allowed two hits and no walks over 2.2 scoreless innings Wednesday in a rehab start at Triple-A Rochester.

Through three starts since beginning his rehab assignment June 28, Williams has turned in a 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 5:0 K:BB over 5.2 innings across stops with Rochester, Double-A Harrisburg and Single-A Fredericksburg. Williams is building up his innings and pitch counts slowly but surely as he works his way back from last July's internal brace surgery and will likely require at least two or three more appearances in the minors to get fully stretched out. The Nationals don't appear to have a spot available in the rotation for Williams at the moment, though that could change in the aftermath of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Irvin (shoulder) struck out three and gave up one hit and no walks over three scoreless innings Monday in a rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Making his first appearance in a game since May 23 following an extended recovery from a right shoulder strain, Irvin looked sharp while facing off a lineup consisting mostly of teenaged hitters. He'll presumably shift his rehab assignment to a higher level this weekend when the Nationals' full-season affiliates are back in action following the All-Star break and will aim to push up his pitch count. Prior to landing on the injured list, Irvin had posted a solid 58:22 K:BB over 51.2 innings, but an elevated BABIP (.304) and low strand rate (63.4 percent) played a part in inflating his ERA (5.23) and WHIP (1.35).

The Mets announced June 1 that Hagenman (rib) has yet to resume a throwing program, MLB.com reports.

Six weeks have passed since the Mets have provided an update on Hagenman, so the 29-year-old righty could be stuck in a holding pattern in his recovery from the fractured rib he sustained in a March 5 Grapefruit League game. Once he finally completes a throwing progression, Hagenman will require an extended minor-league rehab assignment and will likely be optioned to Triple-A Syracuse once he's activated from the 60-day injured list.

Single-A Hill City placed Oakie on its 7-day injured list Wednesday due to a viral illness.

Oakie hadn't pitched for Hill City since June 24 before the club deactivated him two weeks later. The young righty is regarded as one of the Guardians' better lower-level pitching prospects but has struggled to a 7.15 ERA, 1.95 WHIP and 56:42 K:BB over 45.1 innings with Hill City this season.

Smith-Shawver (elbow) will make at least one more rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett, Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Smith-Shawver is in the final stages of his recovery from June 2025 Tommy John surgery. but he's not quite there yet. The 23-year-old right-hander built up to 58 pitches (28 strikes) with Gwinnett on Saturday, but the results weren't pretty as he gave up two runs on five hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. On the bright side, his fastball sat 95-97 mph and topped out at 98.7 mph before he began to fade in his third and final frame. Smith-Shawver's rehab assignment runs out July 29, and if Atlanta decides to max that out, he could fit in three more starts before coming off the IL.

The Astros nullified Burrows' previous optional assignment to Triple-A Sugar Land and placed him on the 15-day injured list Monday due to right elbow neuritis, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Burrows didn't make any appearance for Sugar Land after being optioned to the affiliate last Tuesday, which enabled the team to reverse the prior transaction and place him on the IL instead. The right-hander has posted a 5.99 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 75:35 K:BB across 94.2 innings over his 18 appearances (17 starts) with Houston this season, and he'll likely be headed back to Sugar Land once he fully recovers from the elbow injury.

Montgomery (elbow) struck out a batter and allowed one earned run on four hits and no walks across four innings Sunday in a rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock.

Montgomery spotted 35 of his 52 pitches for strikes and averaged 90.1 mph with his sinker, which was down 1.7 ticks from his average through his first five rehab outings. The velocity downturn isn't fully unexpected as Montgomery works deeper into his rehab starts, and his results through three outings with Round Rock and two with Double-A Frisco have been impressive overall (2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 11:0 K:BB in 12 innings). The veteran southpaw -- who is working his way back from the hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery he underwent in March 2025 -- will likely make one final rehab start next weekend before the Rangers bring him back from the 60-day injured list.

Bello struck out five and allowed one earned run on two hits and no walks across 4.1 innings of long relief Sunday in the Red Sox's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Mets.

Boston recalled Bello from Triple-A Worcester prior to their final game of the first half, after the right-hander submitted a 4.34 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 22:4 K:BB in 18.2 innings across his four starts in the minors. Though Bello had previously been used as a traditional starter or bulk reliever in his prior 13 outings with Boston this season, he was deployed as part of a piggyback arrangement with Payton Tolle, whom interim manager Chad Tracy indicated prior to the game would be deliberately limited as a means of workload management. After Tolle covered the first 3.2 innings, Bello entered midway through the fourth and was able to keep the Red Sox competitive before the Boston offense finally broke through with two runs in the ninth inning to send the game to extras. Boston will have an opening in its rotation until either Ranger Suarez (groin) or Connelly Early (elbow) return from the injured list, and Bello or Eduardo Rivera -- who made an abbreviated start Saturday -- would appear to be the top candidates to fill the void.

Gausman did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks over six innings in a 5-4 loss to San Diego. He struck out eight.

Gausman ran into trouble during a chaotic three-run second inning, but he was able to settle in and churn out a quality start. Sunday's no-decision snapped a stretch of four consecutive losses charged to the right-hander, with his last win coming May 22. The 35-year-old will take a 4-8 record with a 4.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 116:32 K:BB across 112.1 innings (20 starts) into the All-Star break.

Marquez did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over four innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out four.

Marquez allowed all three of his runs via the long ball, surrendering a solo homer to Nathan Lukes in the first inning before Ernie Clement connected for a two-run shot in the fourth frame. Marquez has made three appearances (two starts) since returning from the injured list due to a forearm injury, posting a 3.75 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 9:8 K:BB across 12 innings. The veteran right-hander will take a 4-2 record with a 5.18 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 28:20 K:BB across 41.2 innings (nine appearances) into the All-Star break.