MLB Player News

The Phillies expect Eflin (knee) to make his next scheduled turn through the rotation Saturday against the Padres, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Eflin was limited to two innings during Sunday's start against Washington due to a lingering right knee bruise, but he may be good to go for his next start. The 28-year-old's bullpen session Thursday will provide further clarity on his status for this weekend in San Diego.

Musgrove (undisclosed) will be reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list to start Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

The 29-year-old cleared the COVID-19 protocols Tuesday and will end up having his turn in the starting rotation pushed back one day due to the brief absence. Musgrove has produced a quality start in each of his 12 outings this season and has a 1.59 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 81:17 K:BB across 79 innings.

Musgrove cleared COVID-19 protocols Tuesday, but it remains unclear when he'll be activated off the injured list, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Musgrove would be on turn to start Wednesday against Arizona, but Mike Clevinger appears to be set to take the hill that day. If the Padres stick to that plan, Musgrove could start Thursday or Friday against the Phillies, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic.

Gutierrez (elbow) will throw a bullpen session this week, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Gutierrez was shut down for two weeks in early June after being diagnosed with a first-degree UCL strain in his right elbow. That time period has now expired, and it looks like he's ready for the next step, more or less on schedule.

DeGrom (shoulder) threw a session of live batting practice Tuesday with no issues, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

The right-hander, who turned 34 years old Sunday, has been throwing bullpen sessions for the past couple weeks, and he's now advancing to facing live hitters. DeGrom should continue ramping up his pitch count in the coming days before embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment.

Dunn (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Dayton on Sunday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Dunn was acquired in a trade with the Mariners in March but has spent the entirety of his time with his new organization recovering from the shoulder strain he suffered last June. He's nearly ready for game action, though given the length of his absence, he'll likely need several rehab outings before being activated off the injured list.

Manager Derek Shelton said Eickhoff will be called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

The Pirates will likely make the transaction official at some point after Tuesday's contest. Eickhoff will be joining the rotation as a replacement for Zach Thompson, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with right forearm nerve inflammation. Over his 13 outings (six starts) with Indianapolis this season, Eickhoff has turned in a 4.84 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 47:15 K:BB across 48.1 innings.

McCullers (forearm) threw a bullpen session and took part in fielding drills on the mound Tuesday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

McCullers has been completing side sessions for nearly a month while gradually increasing the intensity of his throws and incorporating all of his pitches, but the Astros haven't yet indicated when he'll be ready to face hitters. He's likely at least a week away from beginning a rehab assignment, so McCullers could have a tough time making it back from the 60-day injured list before the All-Star break in mid-July.

Odorizzi (lower leg) said he'll begin a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A Sugar Land that will likely consist of two starts, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Odorizzi declared himself ready for game action after he tested out his left foot/ankle injury Tuesday, when he threw a bullpen session and took part in fielding drills on the mound. Assuming the Astros intend to bring Odorizzi back in a starting role and he sticks to the schedule of two rehab outings, he'll tentatively line up to rejoin the Houston rotation as soon as July 4. Cristian Javier or Jose Urquidy are the most likely candidates to lose out on a spot in the rotation once Odorizzi is activated from the 15-day injured list.

Sanchez (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a 20-pitch bullpen session Wednesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The activity represents another incremental step forward for Sanchez, who was recently cleared to play catch off a mound but hadn't thrown any pitches. He'll likely need to complete several bullpen sessions featuring his full arsenal before the Marlins allow him to face hitters in live batting practice. Given the multiple hurdles Sanchez still has to clear in his recovery from shoulder surgery, he may not be cleared to pitch in 2022, even at the minor-league level.