MLB Player News

Cortes (elbow) struck out two and allowed three hits and no walks over four scoreless innings in his rehab start Thursday with High-A Wisconsin.

The southpaw has pitched effectively over two rehab starts with Wisconsin and Triple-A Nashville, tossing seven scoreless frames with a 6:0 K:BB. He built up to 54 pitches (36 strikes) in Thursday's outing, and Cortes may need just one more outing to get stretched out before making his return from the 60-day injured list shortly after the All-Star break. Though the Brewers are flush with appealing rotation options, Cortes' strong track record over the last four seasons should be enough for him to reclaim a starting role. After being acquired in the Devin Williams trade this winter, Cortes made just two appearances for the Brewers before being placed on the IL on April 6 due to a left elbow flexor strain.

The Mets optioned Warren to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

Warren was returned to the minors after he served as the 27th man for the Mets' doubleheader with the Orioles on Thursday. He appeared in relief in the first game of the day, retiring the lone batter he faced.

Ogasawara is slated to start Saturday's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

With Trevor Williams (elbow) hitting the injured list last week with a season-ending UCL tear, Ogasawara was summoned from Triple-A Rochester to fill the opening in the rotation. The 27-year-old proceeded to get thrashed in his MLB debut last Sunday, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits and no walks over 2.2 innings in a loss to the Red Sox. With prospect Cade Cavalli (14 earned runs allowed over his last two starts) struggling at Triple-A, the Nationals don't have many appealing alternatives for their fifth starter spot, so Ogasawara will receive at least one more turn as he looks to build a case for sticking around with the big club coming out of the All-Star break.

Payne is slashing .256/.368/.410 with six home runs, 22 steals, a 15.2 percent walk rate and a 28.1 percent strikeout rate in 52 games for Single-A Carolina.

Payne is in the midst of an eight-game hit streak, during which he's hitting .448 with two home runs, one double, one triple, four steals and more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six). He has presumably dealt with some minor injuries this season, as he missed two weeks at the end of June and one week in mid-May, but Payne has come on strong this summer. The speedy center fielder has been cutting down his strikeouts while getting to more power, and he could get bumped up to High-A Wisconsin before the end of the year.

The Mets are expected to designate Garcia for assignment Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Garcia threw 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen during the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against Baltimore. However, Kodai Senga (hamstring) is slated to come off the 15-day IL on Friday, and Sean Manaea (elbow/oblique) is expected to return from the 60-day IL on Sunday, resulting in Garcia losing his spot on the 26 and 40-man rosters. The 31-year-old reliever has a 4.13 ERA in 28.1 innings with Triple-A Syracuse this season.

Sproat has not allowed a run over his last three starts for Triple-A Syracuse, registering an 18:5 K:BB while giving up seven hits in 18 innings over that stretch.

Sproat had pitched quite poorly at Triple-A prior to this three-start stretch. He hadn't struck out more than four batters in an outing since May 7, until he fanned six in six scoreless innings June 28 and eight over five scoreless innings July 4. Among top Mets pitching prospects, Nolan McLean has had better results all season -- even recently, as he's logged back-to-back starts with 10 strikeouts -- but Sproat has pitched his way back into the mix if New York needs to summon a starting pitcher from Triple-A.

Hagenman (0-1) was the pitcher of record in the Mets' 7-3 loss to the Orioles in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out three over two-plus relief innings.

After making his first major-league start in his previous appearance Friday, Hagenman shifted to a relief role in a bullpen game. He entered a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning and was still on the mound when the Orioles broke things open in the fifth. Considering Hagenman tossed 41 pitches Thursday, he's unlikely to be available for at least the next couple of days, so the Mets could option him to Triple-A Syracuse to clear a spot for Kodai Senga (hamstring), who will be reinstated from the injured list ahead of his start Friday in Kansas City.

Flexen is slated to start Friday's game against the Yankees in New York.

The veteran right-hander will pick up his first start of the season Friday, filling the rotation spot that had previously been occupied by Jameson Taillon (calf). Flexen tossed 3.2 innings and 64 pitches in bulk relief the last time Taillon's turn came up Saturday, but he should be capable of giving the Cubs more length Friday. Flexen hasn't missed many bats (13.9 percent strikeout rate) while working out of the bullpen this season, but he's limited walks (6.6 percent walk rate) and has netted an 0.83 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 32.2 innings. Regression could set in sooner rather than later however, as those numbers are buoyed by an unsustainable 95.2 percent strand rate and a .189 BABIP, well below his career mark of .302.

The Padres will reinstate Bergert (forearm) from the 15-day injured list to start Friday's game against the Phillies in San Diego, Sammy Levitt of 97.3 The Fan San Diego reports.

Bergert landed on the IL on June 25 due to a right forearm contusion but made a quick recovery. The rookie right-hander gave up four earned runs on nine hits and one walk over a 4.2-inning, 63-pitch rehab start with Triple-A El Paso last Sunday, so he should be capable of handling something close to a typical starter's workload in his return. Through nine appearances (five starts) for the Padres this season, Bergert owns a 2.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 23:12 K:BB in 27 innings.

Lowder (forearm/oblique) continues to rehab in Arizona but has not yet participated in more advanced baseball activity, MLB.com reports.

Lowder endured elbow soreness and a forearm injury during spring training before an oblique injury paused his rehab assignment in May. The oblique is the issue now, and it threatens to scrap a year of development for the 23-year-old right-hander.