MLB Player News

Melton tossed two scoreless innings of relief in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Twins. He walked two and struck out one.

After making two starts for the Tigers to begin his MLB career, Melton shifted to the bullpen for the first time Tuesday and didn't skip a beat. The rookie righty was moved to a relief role after Detroit added veterans Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton to its rotation before the trade deadline to supplement the trio of Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty. Melton has more upside than Paddack or Morton at this point, but with Detroit looking like a serious contender this year, the team opted for more experienced starters down the stretch. The 24-year-old Melton has less fantasy appeal in a long-relief role versus starting, though his stuff could play up a bit, making him a potential weapon for the Tigers to use in a variety of spots.

Bieber (elbow) will make another rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider indicated that the right-hander will likely make one more start after that before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Bieber threw 62 pitches this past Sunday for Buffalo in his first rehab outing for his new organization after being acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, and making two more rehab starts would allow him to get fully stretched out before taking a big-league mound for the first time since April 2024. That schedule would put Bieber in line to make his Jays debut on the road, either in Pittsburgh for a series that runs Aug. 18 through 20, or more likely, to begin a series in Miami on Aug. 22. It's not yet clear whether Toronto will consider using a six-man rotation at that point or bump someone like Eric Lauer to the bullpen, despite the southpaw's 2.83 ERA and 55:9 K:BB in 54 innings over his last 10 starts.

Miller (elbow) is scheduled to throw about 65 pitches during his second rehab outing Thursday with Triple-A Tacoma, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander threw 52 pitches over four scoreless innings during his first rehab start last week, and he'll continue building up his workload Thursday. If all goes well in that outing with the Rainiers, Miller could be cleared to rejoin Seattle's rotation for his first MLB start since early June.

The Padres optioned Sears to Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday.

Sears did not impress for his new team in Monday's loss versus the Diamondbacks, in which he surrendered five runs across five innings. With the starter's demotion Tuesday, the Padres recalled reliever Sean Reynolds.

Manager Joe Espada said Javier (elbow) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Javier threw 64 pitches over 3.1 innings during his fourth rehab outing July 31, and he'll continue building up his workload with Sugar Land. The right-hander has been on the shelf all season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but he could be cleared for his 2025 MLB debut with a strong showing Tuesday.

The Pirates optioned Oviedo to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Oviedo returned from the 60-day injured list Monday to make his first appearance in the big leagues since Sept. 27, 2023, after he missed time while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then a lat strain. Though he escaped with a no-decision in the Pirates' 5-4 win over the Giants, Oviedo was inefficient in his start, needing 43 pitches to complete one inning while serving up two earned runs on two hits and three walks. He'll head back to Triple-A as he looks to hone his command following the lengthy layoff from big-league action and will be replaced on the 26-man active roster by right-hander Cam Sanders, who will provide the bullpen with some reinforcement after the Pirates needed four relievers to cover the final eight frames of Monday's contest. The Pirates have yet to announce who will replace Oviedo in the rotation the next time his turn comes up Saturday versus the Reds.

Olson has been given a platelet-rich plasma injection in his injured right shoulder, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Olson will not require surgery for his right shoulder strain, but he has already been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. The hope is that the PRP injection will help speed along the healing process and give Olson a chance to return at some point during the postseason, should the Tigers make a playoff run.

The Cubs placed Soroka on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to a right shoulder strain, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

The right-hander was removed from Monday's start against the Reds due to shoulder discomfort, with manager Craig Counsell saying after the game that an IL stint would be necessary. Soroka will be eligible to be reinstated Aug. 20, though it wouldn't be surprising if a longer absence is necessary given the nature of the injury.

Basso (shoulder) will resume a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Basso was pulled off his initial rehab assignment in mid-June following a setback, but he's now ready to be thrown back into game action. The southpaw has been out all season with a shoulder strain and is likely to require a fairly lengthy rehab assignment before being considered for a return from the injured list.

The Rockies optioned Palmquist to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday.

Palmquist really struggled in two relief appearances during his most recent stint in the majors, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and seven walks over 3.2 innings. He'll likely go back into the rotation at Albuquerque.