MLB Player News

Montas (shoulder) felt good after a 25-pitch bullpen session Tuesday and hopes to start during the three-game series against the Astros this weekend, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander had a throwing session Saturday and has now completed a successful bullpen session. The A's have refrained from placing Montas on the 15-day injured list due to the shoulder inflammation to this point, and it appears he's on track to re-enter the rotation without being placed on the shelf.

Soroka (Achilles/knee) threw a bullpen session Monday with no apparent issues, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The right-hander's rehab from Achilles surgery has been stalled over the past week after he was struck in the knee by a comebacker during live batting practice, so it's a good sign he's back on the mound. Soroka will likely need to return to throwing live BP before being cleared for a rehab assignment, which will be lengthy given he hasn't seen MLB action since 2020.

Manager David Bell said Tuesday that he expects Mahle (shoulder) to return from the 15-day injured list to make a start during one of the Reds' first three games out of the All-Star break, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Mahle was placed on the 15-day injured list July 6 with a right shoulder strain, but he looks as though he'll spend close to the minimum amount of time on the shelf. The right-hander was able to do some throwing Tuesday after taking the past five days off to rest, and Cincinnati's coaching and training staffs apparently both came away encouraged by how he looked. Mahle will continue to steadily ramp up the intensity of his throwing before he's penciled in for a start against the Cardinals during Cincinnati's first series of the second half.

Gibson (personal) was placed on the restricted list ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Blue Jays.

The veteran right-hander is unable to enter Canada for the two-game series due to his vaccination status. Gibson last pitched Saturday against the Cardinals, so the move to the restricted list won't affect his turn through the rotation. He tentatively lines up to pitch Friday in Miami.

Nola (personal) was placed on the restricted list ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Blue Jays.

Nola is unvaccinated and unable to travel with the team to Toronto for the two-game series this week. The transaction won't affect the right-hander's spot in the rotation since he pitched Monday against the Cardinals, taking the loss after giving up five earned runs over seven innings. He still lines up to start Saturday or Sunday in Miami.

Liberatore is slated to work as the Cardinals' bulk reliever behind opener Jordan Hicks in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Liberatore has turned in a mixed bag of results while working as a traditional starter in his first six big-league starts. In three of those outings, he's kept the opposition off the board over 14 innings, and in the other three, he's surrendered 13 earned runs in 10.2 innings. A matchup with a Dodgers lineup that features Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman as the top three batters in the order likely wouldn't have set Liberatore up for much success, so Hicks will likely cover an inning or two before giving way to the rookie. The arrangement should allow Liberatore to work deeper into the contest and improve his chances of factoring into any decision.

The Cubs reinstated Steele from the paternity list Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. The left-hander said he'll start Wednesday's series finale with the Orioles at Wrigley Field, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago.

Reliever Anderson Espinoza was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for Steele, who was away from the Cubs for the maximum three days to observe the birth of his child. The timing of his paternity leave caused him to miss out on a two-start week, but he'll get one more outing under his belt before the All-Star break.

The Red Sox optioned Bello to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Bello made two starts during his first big-league stint and allowed nine runs in eight innings while striking out seven and walking six. The prospect could probably use more seasoning after he filled in for Boston's injury-riddled rotation.

The Red Sox activated Sale (ribs) from the 60-day injured list prior to his scheduled start Tuesday against the Rays, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Sale will make season debut versus a depleted Rays lineup. The lefty displayed good stuff and velocity during his minor-league rehab starts but struggled with command at times, so he may not find immediate success in his first big-league start since October. He's expected to be capped at around 85 pitches Tuesday.

Feltner (back) was activated from the 15-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.

Feltner will return to Triple-A after being placed on the IL with a back issue. He was originally expected to start for the Rockies earlier this month, but he'll have to wait for another chance to return to the majors. Feltner owns a 6.15 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 33 punchouts over 33.2 innings in seven starts in the big leagues this year.