MLB Player News

Ashcraft and the Pirates won't face the Brewers on Friday, as the game was postponed due to rain.

The Pirates and Brewers will play a doubleheader Saturday to make up Friday's contest, and Ashcraft will toe the slab during the earlier game, per Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com. The 26-year-old righty has collected a win in each of his last four starts while posting a 3.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 32:6 K:BB across 23.2 innings.

Sproat and the Brewers won't face the Pirates on Friday, as the game was postponed due to rain.

The two sides will make up Friday's contest during a doubleheader Saturday, and the Brewers will send Sproat to the mound to start Game 1, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The 25-year-old righty has begun to turn things around as of late, giving up two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts while posting a 2.88 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 30:8 K:BB across 25 innings in that span.

The Giants optioned Whisenhunt to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.

Whisenhunt gave up two runs in 5.2 innings during his spot start against Colorado on Thursday, but he'll now return to the minors in order to make room for Keaton Winn's (elbow) return from the injured list. Whisenhunt now owns a 3.38 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through 10.2 frames in the majors this season, and he could be an option to return to San Francisco later in the year if the big club's rotation depth is tested.

McCullers (shoulder) will make his next rehab start July 17 with Double-A Corpus Christi, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

McCullers has logged three rehab starts thus far, with his last taking place with Triple-A Sugar Land this past Tuesday, when he allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out four across four innings. The right-hander pushed his pitch count up to 77 in that outing, but McCullers will require at least one more outing in the minors before Houston considers adding him back to its rotation upon activating him from the 15-day injured list. McCullers has been on the shelf since May 19 due to a right shoulder impingement.

The Angels reinstated Rodriguez (back) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start against the Twins on Friday.

Rodriguez is ready to make his first major-league start since June 14 following a one-month stint on the IL while recovering from lower-back tightness. The right-hander has been limited to six major-league starts this season due to two separate stints on the IL, and he has 2-2 record with an 8.06 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and 24:15 K:BB across 25.2 innings.

DeGrom will not make his scheduled start against the Astros on Sunday due to a mild left glute strain, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Friday that he's not sure whether deGrom will be available "right away" following the All-Star break, and a stint on the 15-day injured list is a real possibility for the veteran right-hander. No longer starting Sunday, DeGrom will enter the All-Star break with a 7-5 record over 18 starts along with a 3.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 122:22 K:BB across 100.2 innings. The Rangers should have a clearer idea of deGrom's recovery timeline once he undergoes more tests.

A second opinion on Early's injured left elbow confirmed the diagnosis of posterior inflammation, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

It's good news for Early, who was removed early from his June 30 start and placed on the 15-day injured list the following day. The rookie southpaw should be ready to return to the Boston rotation shortly after the All-Star break. Early has posted a 3.44 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 93:34 K:BB across 91.2 innings spanning 17 starts this season.

Henderson (elbow) has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Henderson has been sidelined all season after coming into spring training with a flexor strain. He's progressed enough in his rehab to test things out in games and should eventually join the rotation at Triple-A Memphis once he's deemed ready. Henderson has excelled in his two seasons in the minors, most recently holding a 2.59 ERA and 134:51 K:BB over 132 innings covering 25 starts with Double-A Springfield in 2025.

Ritchie will start Sunday's game in St. Louis, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

He's taking over the rotation spot vacated by Hurston Waldrep, who was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Ritchie has made seven starts and three relief outings with the big club this season, turning in a 4.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 42:28 K:BB over 45 innings. Ritchie hasn't handled a normal starter's workload for nearly two weeks and threw 35 pitches in relief Thursday, so he'll likely be on a limited pitch count Sunday.

Atlanta optioned Waldrep to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

Waldrep looked rusty in two starts and one relief appearance during his first stint with the big club this season, posting an 8.44 ERA, 2.16 WHIP and 9:10 K:BB over 10.2 innings. The young right-hander could eventually get another chance in the Atlanta rotation after the All-Star break, but he'll try to sharpen up at Gwinnett first. JR Ritchie is entering the rotation in Waldrep's place.