MLB Player News

Senzatela (shoulder) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Friday's game in Milwaukee.

Senzatela initially appeared on track to make his return from the IL for Colorado's final game before the All-Star break last weekend against the Pirates, but the Rockies ultimately decided he was better off getting some additional recovery time. The right-hander built up to five innings in his rehab start July 12 with Triple-A Albuquerque, so he's not expected to face any limitations as he slots back into Colorado's rotation coming out of the break.

Strasburg (ribs) isn't expected to return to action in 2022 after the Nationals transferred him to the 60-day injured list last week, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Strasburg is eligible to come off the IL in mid-August, but the Nationals -- who headed into the All-Star break with an MLB-worst 31-63 record -- don't seem to have much motivation to rush him back. Though Heyman relays that Strasburg won't require another thoracic syndrome surgery for an injury that is being classified as a stress reaction of the ribs, the issue is considered nerve-related, so the non-contending Nationals are likely to take precaution with the veteran right-hander. Since re-signing on a seven-year, $245 million contract after helping lead Washington to its first World Series title in 2019, Strasburg has made only eight starts for the club.

Sale underwent surgery on his broken left pinky finger Monday.

Sale suffered a left fifth finger proximal phalanx fracture after being hit by a comebacker in the first inning Sunday against the Yankees. In other words, he broke his left pinky finger and will now be out at least a month following surgery. Sale believes he will pitch again this season and we've yet to see an official timeline from the Red Sox. Nonetheless, the left-hander won't likely be fantasy relevant until early September at the soonest.

The Athletics confirmed Montas (shoulder) will start the second game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Tigers in Oakland.

Montas was never forced to the injured list, and he'll make his return to action coming out of the All-Star break having not pitched in 18 days on account of a sore right shoulder. Though Montas' shoulder responded well to an aggressive bullpen session over the weekend, the Athletics could be careful with his workload Thursday with the hope of avoiding any potential setback to his arm ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The non-contending Athletics firmly put themselves in the seller camp even before the season began, and Montas currently ranks as the team's most prized trade asset in what is shaping up to be a weak market for starting pitchers. Before the shoulder issue surfaced, Montas had been in the midst of a strong statistical season, having turned in a 3.26 ERA and 1.09 WHIP to go with 100 strikeouts over 96.2 innings.

Ashby (2-7) was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Giants after giving up two earned runs on three hits and no walks while striking out two over one inning.

Ashby was called upon on three days' rest to start the Brewers' final game before the All-Star break, but he essentially served as an opener for what ended up being a bullpen day for Milwaukee. Even though he came into the outing knowing he wouldn't work deep into the start, Ashby didn't have his best stuff and put Milwaukee an early 2-1 hole the team was unable to dig out of. He heads into the break with a 4.57 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 69 innings this season.

Dunn (shoulder) struck out three and surrendered eight runs (three earned) on nine hits and two walks Sunday in his rehab start for Triple-A Louisville.

Dunn made the fifth start of his rehab assignment and his fourth in a row at Louisville, with whom he's posted a 5.93 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 13.2 innings. Though Dunn now appears to have recovered from the strained right shoulder that has kept him on the shelf all season, the 26-year-old doesn't look as though he'll have a spot waiting for him in the Reds rotation upon being activated. Instead, look for the Reds to simultaneously option him to Louisville once he's reinstated to allow him to work out the kinks in the minors before he potentially joins the big-league rotation later on in the season.

Manning (biceps/shoulder) was unable to make his scheduled rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Toledo after the affiliate's game against St. Paul was suspended in the top of the first inning.

The Tigers could opt to have Manning throw a simulated game in the next day or two to allow him to remain on schedule with his rehab program, as Toledo won't be back in action again until Friday due to the minor-league All-Star break. Manning is restarting his rehab assignment for a second time after he experienced a biceps injury during a late-May throwing session that kept him out of commission for nearly six weeks. The right-hander returned to action July 12 for Single-A Lakeland, tossing two scoreless innings in his lone appearance before the Tigers cleared him to move his rehab to Toledo. He's projected to return from the 60-day injured list at some point in early August.

Montas (shoulder) responded "really well" to Saturday's aggressive bullpen session according to manager Mark Kotsay, and the right-hander has a chance to make a start in one of the games in Thursday's doubleheader against the Tigers, Matt Kawahara of The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Saturday's bullpen session was expected to have significant bearing on the Athletics' immediate post-All-Star-break plans for Montas, and this latest news certainly seems to indicate the right-hander is trending in the right direction. Montas is likely to test his shoulder out again at some point during the All-Star break in order to facilitate a final decision on whether he can return to action during Thursday's twin bill against Detroit.

The Royals reinstated Singer (personal) from the restricted list Monday.

Singer was one of 10 Royals players who will rejoin the 26-man active roster after being ineligible to play during the four-game weekend series in Toronto due his vaccination status. Since his last start came Wednesday against the Tigers before he was placed on the restricted list Thursday, Singer didn't miss out on a start while he was deactivated. The 25-year-old right-hander finished the first half of the Royals' schedule with a 4-3 record, 4.02 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 69:18 K:BB across 71.2 innings over his 14 appearances (11 starts) for the big club.

The Royals reinstated Keller (personal) from the restricted list Monday.

Keller was one of 10 Royals players who will rejoin the 26-man active roster after being ineligible to play during the four-game weekend series in Toronto due his vaccination status. He had been in line to start a game against the Blue Jays, but his move to the restricted list prompted Kansas City to call up Angel Zerpa from Double-A Northwest Arkansas to make a spot start Thursday. The 26-year-old right-hander closed the Royals' first-half schedule with a 5-9 record, 3.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 67:32 K:BB across 97.2 innings over his 17 starts.