The Washington Nationals placed ace right-hander Max Scherzer on the 10-day injured list on Saturday due to back issues. The move is retroactive to July 10.
Scherzer experienced soreness in his middle back after his last outing on July 6 against the Kansas City Royals. He was slated to start Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies but was scratched from that outing on Friday.
He also pulled out of the All-Star Game because of his back. Scherzer underwent an MRI exam that came back negative, so the three-time Cy Young winner was expecting to avoid a stint on the IL.
“This is not a major thing,” Scherzer told reporters on Friday. “We know exactly what this is, we know it’s muscular.”
—Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa will begin a rehab assignment Monday at Triple-A Round Rock, according to MLB.com.
Correa, 24, last played on May 26 but then suffered a fractured rib that occurred during a massage. He is hitting .295 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 50 games this season. The 2017 All-Star is on the 60-day injured list and can’t return until July 26 at the earliest.
Infielder Aledmys Diaz (left hamstring strain) has also been out since May 26 and will join Correa in starting a rehab assignment Monday at Round Rock.
—The Boston Red Sox made a move to shore up their rotation, trading two minor leaguers to the Baltimore Orioles for right-hander Andrew Cashner and cash considerations.
Cashner is 9-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 17 starts this season.
The Red Sox announced he will start Tuesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.
—Kyle Freeland officially returned to the majors when the Colorado Rockies recalled the left-hander to start against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Freeland, a 17-game winner last season, was demoted to Triple-A Albuquerque six weeks ago after opening the campaign with a 2-6 record and 7.13 ERA in 12 starts.
Infielder Pat Valaika was optioned to Albuquerque to open a roster spot. Valaika, 26, was batting .128 with one homer and two RBIs in 26 games for Colorado.
—The Minnesota Twins reinstated pitcher Jake Odorizzi from the 10-day injured list in time to start against the Indians in Cleveland.
Odorizzi (10-4, 3.15 ERA) missed his first All-Star Game appearance after being placed on the injured list a day after his July 2 start at Oakland because of a blister on his right middle finger. Due to the All-Star break, he missed only one start.
Odorizzi’s 10 wins are one shy of his career high, and his 3.15 ERA, 1.117 WHIP and 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings are all on pace to be the best of his career.
—The Philadelphia Phillies placed infielder Sean Rodriguez on the 10-day injured list with a right abdominal strain.
The Phillies also reinstated catcher J.T. Realmuto from the paternity leave list, designated catcher Rob Brantly for assignment and recalled outfielder Adam Haseley from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Rodriguez’s move is retroactive to Wednesday. The 34-year-old is batting .224 with two homers and eight RBIs in 35 games this season. Realmuto, whose wife, Lexi, gave birth to daughter Willa Mae this week, missed Friday’s 4-0 loss to the Washington Nationals.
—New York Yankees ace Luis Severino, sidelined since spring training, could begin a throwing program next week, but his return appears to be anything but imminent.
General manager Brian Cashman said Severino will need “six weeks or more” to work himself up to being ready to come off the injured list and there’s a good chance he won’t be ready to resume a full-time starting job.
Cashman suggested Severino might be used in a new role for the tail end of the season.
—Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, recovering from a concussion, said he wants to return to the game at any position – even catcher. A week ago, DKPittsburghSports.com reported that Cervelli said he wouldn’t return to the position. He has had at least six concussions.
“I never said that I don’t want to catch,” Cervelli told reporters. “That was a misunderstanding. It never came from my mouth.”
—The Texas Rangers traded right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league second baseman Nick Solak, the team announced.
Solak will join Triple-A Nashville, leaving the Rangers with 39 players on the 40-man roster.
—The Orioles placed right-hander Dylan Bundy on the 10-day injured list with right knee tendinitis.
Bundy, 26, fell to 4-11 and saw his ERA climb to 5.28 through 18 starts.
—The Tampa Bay Rays activated first baseman Ji-Man Choi from the injured list ahead of a doubleheader at Baltimore.
Choi, 28, has not played since July 2 due to a strained left ankle. He is batting .266 with nine homers and a career-high 33 RBIs in 70 games this season.
—The Yankees activated first baseman Luke Voit from the 10-day injured list ahead of their home game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Voit was sidelined by an abdominal strain. The 28-year-old is batting .280 with a career-high 17 homers and 50 RBIs in 78 games this season.