MLB Player News

Carrasco won't start as scheduled Wednesday against the Marlins since the game was postponed due to expected inclement weather, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Heavy rain is in the forecast for the next 24-plus hours, so an early decision was made to postpone Wednesday's contest. The game will be made up via a doubleheader Sept. 28. Carrasco could simply have his start pushed to Thursday, though the Mets haven't announced their updated pitching plans.

Giolito was removed from Tuesday's game against the Pirates with an apparent leg injury, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Giolito appeared to tweak something in his leg while attempting to field an infield single during the fifth inning, and he was pulled after throwing a test pitch. He allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and four walks across 4.1 innings before being removed. The White Sox have scheduled off days Thursday and Monday, so the rotation could be shuffled to provide Giolito some extra rest if he doesn't require a stint on the injured list.

Kershaw (forearm) is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game Saturday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Kershaw threw a simulated inning Monday and will throw a bullpen session in the next couple days before facing hitters again Saturday. The veteran left-hander is still likely at least a couple weeks away from returning from the injured list as he continues to ramp up his workload.

Manager Dusty Baker said that Urquidy will be activated to start in place of Zack Greinke (undisclosed) during the upcoming weekend series in San Diego, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Urquidy was already trending toward being activated for a start during the series with the Friars, and now the skipper has confirmed that the righty will take the ball at some point over the weekend with Greinke moving to the COVID-19 IL. Urquidy has been out since late June with right shoulder discomfort, but he pitched well prior to the injury, posting a 3.38 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 66:13 K:BB across 77.1 innings.

Martinez (thumb) is highly unlikely to return this season, the team's official site reports.

The right-hander hasn't been able to do much throwing since his mid-July surgery to repair a ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand. While manager Mike Shildt hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of the veteran returning to the big-league mound before season's end, he conceded last week that "it's going to be hard for him to do."

Zack Greinke was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

There's been no indication yet of whether Greinke tested positive for the virus or if he was identified via contact tracing. Further, whether the 37-year-old is vaccinated will factor into when he can return from the IL. Per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, manager Dusty Baker said that Greinke will miss his next turn through the rotation, but he did not speculate on an exact timeline for when he could return to the club.

Cueto (COVID-19 protocol) is starting Tuesday's game against the Brewers, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Having not tested positive for the virus, Cueto, originally scheduled to pitch Monday, is able to return from the injured list only a day after being placed on it. The righty faced Milwaukee on Aug. 8 and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5.1 innings.

McKenzie (shoulder) will be activated from the 10-day injured list and start Thursday's game against the Royals.

Apparently the righty's shoulder fatigue was not a serious injury, as he'll have spent the minimum amount of time on the IL. McKenzie is coming off two outstanding starts in which he threw 15 total innings with 19 strikeouts while allowing just three hits and one run. He's enjoyed incredible success in three starts against the Royals this season, allowing only one run in 15.2 total innings with 19 strikeouts.

Manager Bud Black said Gray's bullpen session Tuesday went well and that he's optimistic the right-hander will be able to start Thursday against Atlanta, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Gray left his Saturday start against the Dodgers in the third inning with forearm tightness. He played catch Monday, and so long as he comes out of his Tuesday bullpen session without any setbacks, he should take the ball Thursday without missing a turn through the rotation. The righty will be looking to shake off a rough month of August in which he posted a 6.55 ERA and 1.77 WHIP across 22 innings.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he expects Peralta (shoulder) to return from the 10-day injured list to start Friday's series opener versus St. Louis, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Peralta was placed on the 10-day injured list Aug. 19 with right shoulder inflammation, but the injury was never considered overly serious. The shutdown may have in part been motivated by the Brewers' desire to cap Peralta's innings count; he's already covered a career-high 121.1 frames in 2021, nearly 100 more than his 2020 total. The Brewers were seemingly satisfied with how Peralta's shoulder checked out during a pair of bullpen sessions Friday and Monday, clearing the way for him to return to action this weekend.