MLB Player News

Lucchesi (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A St. Lucie on Sunday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Lucchesi has been recovering from Tommy John surgery since June 2021, but he was recently cleared to face hitters and will now be able to begin a rehab assignment. The southpaw will presumably require a fairly lengthy ramp-up process, although it's possible he'll be able to return slightly sooner than expected if the Mets choose to bring him back as a reliever.

Malone (shoulder) underwent surgery Tuesday to repair damage to his labral tissue, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Malone has dealt with right shoulder issues over the last few months and was ultimately placed on the 7-day injured list in mid-June after experiencing soreness. The right-hander's season is over, and his absence could end up stretching into the 2023 season. Malone has tossed just 27 innings in the minors since being drafted in the first round in 2019.

Mahle is scheduled to undergo a precautionary MRI after he exited Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Tigers in the third inning with what the Twins described as right shoulder fatigue, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He struck out one batter and allowed zero hits and one walk over 2.1 scoreless innings and didn't factor into the decision.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said the MRI will reveal if anything is structurally wrong with Mahle's shoulder, but initial examinations of the right-hander revealed nothing overly concerning. Baldelli noted that Mahle is experiencing some acute pain, so even if the MRI comes back clean, the 27-year-old will still need to prove he can throw without discomfort and with his normal velocity to avoid a trip to the IL. He tentatively lines up to make his next start Tuesday in Houston.

Alexander was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.

Alexander made two relief appearances for the Brewers after being called up last week, and he tossed 3.2 scoreless innings. However, he'll head back to the minors after Trevor Kelley was recalled from Nashville on Wednesday.

Skubal, who has already been ruled out for the rest of the 2022 season, underwent successful flexor tendon surgery on his left elbow Wednesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

The 25-year-old was ruled out for the season last week and was set to visit a specialist in Los Angeles, who apparently determined that surgery was necessary. A typical recovery takes nine months, so Skubal is likely to miss significant time to begin the 2023 campaign. The lefty made 21 starts for Detroit this season and finished with a 3.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 117:32 K:BB across 117.2 innings.

Walker (back) underwent an MRI on Wednesday which showed no structural damage, though his availability for Sunday's scheduled start in Philadelphia remains up in the air, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The veteran right-hander was pulled from Tuesday's start after two innings due to back spasms, but the injury appears to be a minor concern. However, it remains to be seen if Walker will be able to make his next scheduled turn through the rotation or if he'll need to be pushed back a few days.

The Pirates recalled Contreras from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Red Sox in Pittsburgh, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Reliever Austin Brice was designated for assignment to clear space on the active roster for Contreras, who is back with the big club for the first time since early July. Though Contreras was one of the Pirates' better starters prior to being optioned to Triple-A -- he turned in a 3.78 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 50:22 K:BB in 50 innings -- the organization is mindful of not overworking the right-hander during his age-22 campaign. With that being the case, Contreras likely won't be asked to work more than five or six innings in any starts he makes down the stretch, and it's also possible that the Pirates look to build in additional rest days for him between outings.

The Tigers plan to reinstate Rodriguez (personal) from the restricted list and have him start Sunday's game against the Angels, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Rodriguez will be rejoining the Tigers to make his first start since May 18, after his two-plus-month-stint on the restricted list was proceeded by a month-long stay on the 15-day injured list with a left rib cage sprain. He's been fully recovered from the injury for a while now, and after returning from personal leave Aug. 6 to begin his rehab assignment, Rodriguez has looked as dominant against minor-league hitters as could be expected. He ended the minor-league assignment on a high note Tuesday, when he struck out 11 over six innings of one-run ball for Triple-A Toledo. He tossed 72 pitches in that outing and shouldn't face any major workload restrictions when he slots back into the Detroit rotation Sunday.

The Twins announced that Mahle was removed in the third inning of his start Wednesday against the Royals due to right shoulder fatigue, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He struck out one and allowed one hit and no walks over 2.1 scoreless innings before departing.

A reason for Mahle's removal from the contest wasn't immediately provided when he was lifted midway through the third inning, but the shoulder issue explains why his average fastball velocity sat at 89.2 miles per hour during the start, down more than four ticks from his season-long average heading into the day. The Twins are expected to provide a more precise diagnosis for Mahle after the game or Thursday, when he presumably gets sent in for more tests if not an MRI. Even if a shoulder strain is ruled out, Mahle still appears to be at risk of missing his next turn through the rotation, which is expected to come next Tuesday in Houston.

Chirinos (elbow) had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Chirinos has spent the last month on a rehab assignment, posting a 6.97 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 10.1 innings over six outings between the rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate and Single-A Charleston. He lasted three innings during his most recent appearance, and his shift to Durham will likely be the final step in his rehab process.