MLB Player News

Malone (lat) made an appearance for the Pirates' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Friday, recording one out while surrendering three runs on one hit and three walks.

Before he was shut down in late May with a sore right lat, Malone made his first three appearances of the season at Low-A Bradenton. The 20-year-old right-hander looks to be healthy again, but the Pirates apparently want him to shake the rust off in the FCL before having him return to Bradenton. His move to the FCL last week was termed as a demoted from Low-A rather than a rehab assignment.

Musgrove (8-7) earned the win Monday against Miami after tossing six innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and a walk while fanning eight.

Musgrove has been nothing short of outstanding of late, going undefeated in each of his last five starts and pitching at least six frames in his last four appearances. He's also posted four straight quality starts and hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of those four contests. The right-hander owns a sterling 1.44 ERA across 25 innings during that four-game stretch.

Taillon pitched six innings against Kansas City on Monday, allowing an unearned run on four hits and two walks while striking out four. He did not factor in the decision.

The right-hander was sharp in what turned into an 11-inning affair, throwing 55 of 87 pitches for strikes and keeping Kansas City off the scoreboard through six frames. Taillon was pulled after allowing a single to lead off the seventh, and the Royals managed to get the runner home against Jonathan Loaisiga without collecting another hit in the frame. Taillon's strong effort continued a run of seven straight starts since the beginning of July in which he has allowed two or fewer earned runs. Over that stretch, he has registered a 1.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 39:13 K:BB across 43.1 innings. Taillon will look to keep things going in his next start, which is expected to come on the road against the White Sox this weekend.

Giolito improved to 9-8 after holding the Twins to one run over eight innings in Monday's 11-1 victory. He surrendered two hits and walked none while striking out eight in the 103-pitch outing.

Giolito had the luxury of working with plenty of run support after the White Sox jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings, but the right-hander didn't need much cushion in the dominant victory. He faced the minimum amount of batters through seven innings and looked like he might have a shot at a complete-game shutout, but a slightly turbulent eighth inning in which he yielded a solo home run to Miguel Sano prompted the White Sox to hold him out for the final frame. Through five starts since the All-Star break, Giolito has gone 2-2 with a 2.73 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 7.6 K/9.

Garrett is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Padres, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Trevor Rogers (personal) apparently won't be ready to return from the Family Medical Emergency List for the second game of the series in San Diego, so Garrett will be awarded a second straight turn through the rotation. Garrett has been sharp across both of his past two outings with Miami, working 12 innings between the starts while allowing two runs on nine hits and five walks and striking out 16.

Cortes is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Royals, Justin Shackil of WFAN Sports Radio 66 New York reports.

With two starting pitchers (Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery) residing on the COVID-19 injured list and four more (Domingo German, Michael King, Corey Kluber and Luis Severino) on the 10- or 60-day IL, Cortes will get a second straight turn through the rotation out of necessity. The lefty turned in a respectable showing his last time out versus the Mariners on Aug. 5, working five frames while giving up two runs on five hits and three walks.

The Brewers will call up Ashby from Triple-A Nashville to start the second game of their doubleheader Tuesday with the Cubs, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Ashby's MLB debut came back on June 30 against this same Cubs team, when he recorded only two outs and surrendered seven runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks. Despite putting Milwaukee in a 7-0 hole, Ashby was spared the loss when the Brewers mounted a furious comeback to win by a 15-7 margin. The Brewers are expected to designate Ashby as their 27th man for the twin bill, so he'll presumably head back to Nashville after making the spot start.

Steele was called up as expected ahead of his start in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Steele has made 11 big-league appearances already this season, though they all came in relief. He owns a 2.03 ERA in 13.1 innings of work, backed by an excellent 37.5 percent strikeout rate and 73.1 percent groundball rate. The lefty should have a shot to pitch fairly deep into the game if things are going well for him, as he's been stretching out in the minors and has reached five innings in both of his last two starts.

The Mariners promoted Hancock from High-A Everett to Double-A Arkansas on Monday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Though the right-hander hasn't recaptured top form since returning from the shoulder issue that prevented him from pitching in the All-Star Futures Game in mid-July, the Mariners were encouraged enough by his recent outings to bump him up to the next level. Over his nine starts at Everett, the 22-year-old Hancock compiled a 2.32 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 30:13 K:BB in 31 innings.

Steele is set to be recalled from Triple-A Iowa and start the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers with Alec Mills getting the nightcap after Monday's contest was rained out, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

It was previously reported that Steele would get the call from Triple-A Iowa to make his first MLB start Tuesday, but he'll now be doing so in a seven-inning game versus a nine-inning contest. The 26-year-old worked exclusively in relief while with the Cubs earlier in the season though he's been starting recently in Iowa, so he should be at least somewhat stretched out. Steele last started on Wednesday, when he allowed one earned run across five innings with eight strikeouts. It's unclear if he'll receive any more MLB starts beyond Tuesday, but he has a chance to stay in the rotation if he impresses. At the very least, Steele should be able to stick in the Cubs' bullpen as a long reliever given his 2.03 ERA, 1,05 WHIP and 21 strikeouts across 13.1 innings for Chicago this season.