MLB Player News

The Brewers acquired McCullers (shoulder), Colton Gordon and cash considerations from the Astros on Wednesday in exchange for Jadyn Fielder.

It's a salary dump for Houston, who is getting out from most of the remainder of the final year of McCullers' five-year, $85 million deal. McCullers hasn't pitched with Houston since May 15 due to a shoulder impingement, but the right-hander is winding down a rehab assignment and should join Milwaukee's staff sooner than later. It's another reclamation project for the Brewers, as McCullers has pitched to a 6.65 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 5.8 BB/9 across 94.2 innings since the start of the 2025 season after missing the entire 2023 and 2024 campaigns due to injuries.

The Nationals will recall Ford from Triple-A Rochester ahead of Friday's series opener with the Athletics, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.

After the Nationals placed Drew Millas on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a fractured left index finger, the team will need another catcher to complement Keibert Ruiz. Ford was acquired from the Mariners last winter and has slashed .223/.370/.335 with four homers, 22 RBI, 34 runs scored and a 45:65 BB:K across 257 plate appearances at Rochester. The 23-year-old was the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft.

Murphy will start Saturday's game against the Rangers, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Murphy was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett last weekend and worked three shutout innings out of the bullpen without allowing a hit Saturday against the Cardinals. He's worked exclusively as a starter in the minors this season, making 16 combined starts between Double-A and Triple-A. The 22-year-old right-hander has a 3.88 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 65:20 K:BB across 60.1 innings with Gwinnett. Atlanta has 17 games in 17 days beginning Friday, and it's unclear if Murphy will make more starts after this weekend. Both Martin Perez (forearm) and AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow) are candidates to rejoin the rotation during that span.

The Nationals activated Kranick (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday.

Kranick will be looking to make his season debut for Washington coming out of the All-Star break. He's coming back from flexor tendon surgery that sidelined him in June of 2025. The right-hander appeared in 24 games out of the bullpen for the Mets last season, posting a 3.65 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB across 37 innings.

The Nationals placed Millas on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a fractured left index finger.

The move is retroactive to July 12. Millas was removed from Washington's July 11 game in the ninth inning, when he presumably suffered the injury. Millas has slashed .185/.277/.262 with two homers, 11 RBI, 18 runs scored and a 14:37 BB:K across 152 plate appearances as the Nationals' No. 2 catcher.

Taillon (hamstring) struck out three and allowed one hit and one walk over 4.2 scoreless innings in a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Iowa.

Making the second start of his rehab assignment, Taillon built up to 53 pitches (34 strikes) and posted an excellent Called Strikes plus Whiffs rate of 32.1 percent. According to MLB.com, Taillon is slated to throw during the All-Star break, and if the Cubs' coaching and training staffs are satisfied with how he looks, the veteran right-hander should rejoin the big-league rotation to begin the second half. Taillon has been on the shelf since June 9 due to a left hamstring strain.

The Cubs outrighted Woodford to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.

Woodford will have the ability to elect free agency, but it's unclear if he plans to test the open market or join Iowa following the All-Star break. The veteran right-hander has spent most of the season in the big leagues between stops with the Brewers and Cubs, logging a 7.46 ERA and 1.82 WHIP across 25.1 innings.

Triple-A Syracuse reinstated Pintaro (undisclosed) from its 7-day injured list Sunday.

PIntaro had been on the shelf at Triple-A since June 26 due to the injury. The righty remains part of the Mets' 40-man roster but has made just five appearances in the big leagues this season compared to 20 at Triple-A, where he owns a 3.63 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 34.2 innings.

The Mets outrighted Hammer to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

Hammer will remain in the Mets organization after going unclaimed off waivers when he was designated for assignment Friday. The Mets called Hammer up from Triple-A on Thursday, but he didn't get the chance to make his MLB debut before being pushed off the 40-man roster a day later.

Williams (elbow) struck out five and allowed one unearned run on one hit and one walk across two innings Tuesday in a rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Williams has now made four rehab starts since his 30-day window opened June 28, but he has yet to reach three innings in any of those appearances. Though the veteran right-hander has worked primarily as a starter during his big-league career, the lighter workloads he's handled two and a half weeks into his rehab assignment suggest that the Nationals could be preparing for him to handle a multi-inning role out of the bullpen once he returns from the 60-day injured list. Williams has been on the shelf all season while completing his recovery from internal brace surgery, which he underwent last July.