MLB Player News

Verlander allowed a run on six hits and a walk while striking out seven over five innings in a no-decision versus the Pirates on Tuesday.

Verlander threw 61 of 94 pitches for strikes in one of his better performances this year. A Liover Peguero solo home run was the only blemish on Verlander's line in this start, but the Giants didn't give him enough run support. The right-hander has rebounded in late July thanks to some easier matchups, allowing just one run over his last 10 innings. He's at a 4.53 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 77:34 K:BB through 89.1 innings across 18 starts this season. His next start is expected to be a rematch on the road in Pittsburgh early next week.

Padres manager Mike Shildt said Tuesday that the CT scans Cease (head) received Monday came back negative, per 97.3 The Fan.

Cease was struck in the back of the head by a comebacker off the bat of Francisco Lindor in the third inning during Monday's win, though the ball first hopped off the ground. The veteran hurler remained in the game until the bottom of the fifth inning, and his departure didn't seem to be related to the earlier incident. Nonetheless, Cease underwent precautionary CT scans after the contest, and Shildt indicated that testing revealed no swelling or bleeding or other issues. It thus seems likely that Cease will be able to take his next turn in the rotation, which is tentatively scheduled for this weekend against St. Louis.

Falter allowed a run on two hits and four walks while striking out one over five innings in a no-decision versus the Giants on Tuesday.

Falter had not walked more than two batters in any of his last five outings, though his 4.70 ERA over 23 innings in that span wasn't anything special. He limited the damage Tuesday to a Willy Adames solo home run in the fourth inning. Despite some recent mediocre performances, Falter remains fairly steady for the Pirates with a 3.73 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 70:39 K:BB through 113.1 innings over 22 starts. He's also matched his career high in homers allowed (17) in 29 fewer innings than last season. The southpaw is projected to make his next start at home in a rematch versus the Giants.

Yarbrough (oblique) has been throwing bullpens, per MLB.com.

Yarbrough landed on the IL due to an oblique strain in late June and initially went through a no-throw period. The southpaw resumed playing catch July 9, and he's now progressed to mound work. Yarbrough could return to action in early August if he continues to progress without setbacks.

Rea (8-5) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over four-plus innings Tuesday, striking out two and taking a loss against Milwaukee.

Rea escaped some early trouble with just two runs allowed through four inefficient innings. He was then charged with two more runs in the fifth inning while failing to record an out in the frame. Rea looked impressive during a four-start winning streak but has since been tagged for 10 runs (nine earned) over nine innings in his last two outings. The veteran righty now owns a 4.25 ERA with a 75:28 K:BB through 106 frames this season. Rea will look to turn things around in his next outing, which is currently slated to be at home against the Reds next week.

Fedde (3-11) took the loss Tuesday against the Royals, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over 4.2 innings.

Making his first start since being acquired by Atlanta, Fedde struggled to settle in, surrendering all four of his runs across the first two innings, including a solo home run to Vinnie Pasquantino in the opening frame. Fedde now owns a 5.33 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 66:49 K:BB across 106.1 innings this season. The 32-year-old will aim for a sharper outing in his next turn through the rotation, scheduled for early next week against Milwaukee.

Priester (10-2) yielded two runs on eight hits and two walks over 5.2 innings Tuesday, striking out three and earning a win over the Cubs.

Priester fell one out short of delivering his fourth straight quality start but still moved 9-0 over his last 11 appearances. He gave up one run through five innings before Nico Hoerner knocked a solo shot in the sixth. Priester generated 11 swinging strikes on 86 pitches, including five with his slider. He's produced a 2.49 ERA over his last 12 starts, bringing his season ERA down to 3.27 with an 89:36 K:BB across 107.1 innings. Priester has not been charged with a loss since May 13. He'll look to continue riding the momentum in Atlanta next week.

Soroka didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Astros, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks in 3.1 innings. He struck out four.

Soroka struggled with efficiency Tuesday, running his pitch count up to 74 before his night concluded. Two of his hits allowed went for extra bases, and the 27-year-old right-hander remains without a quality start in any of his past five outings. Soroka holds a rough 4.87 ERA across 81.1 frames, although his strong 1.13 WHIP and 87:24 K:BB are perhaps more indicative of the quality of his pitching. He'll remain a shaky fantasy option overall and is a prime candidate to be moved prior to the trade deadline.

Alexander didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out six.

Alexander set a season high in punchouts, though he walked multiple batters in his fifth outing in a row. The 32-year-old right-hander was pulled after tossing 80 pitches, but he was at least able to limit the damage and eat some innings for Houston's injury-plagued rotation. Alexander's next turn tentatively projects for next week in Miami against the Marlins, though it's possible Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) will be ready to come off the injured list by then. Through 25.2 innings, Alexander has a 7.36 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and 20:14 K:BB.

Lugo (8-5) earned the win in Tuesday's 9-6 victory over Atlanta, allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out five over 5.2 innings.

Lugo cruised through the first five frames before running into trouble in the sixth, surrendering a solo homer to Austin Riley and a two-run shot to Marcell Ozuna that cut into Kansas City's lead. Despite the rough inning, Lugo was able to do enough to earn his eighth win of the season, and the fifth in his last eight starts. The 35-year-old now holds a 3.90 ERA with a 28:9 K:BB over 30 innings in the month of July and remains a steady presence in the Royals' rotation.