Julio Rodriguez (hamstring) returns to M’s lineup

Doyle had begun a rehab assignment earlier in the month after recovering from an oblique injury. However, he suffered a groin injury that delayed that rehab. He was back in the lineup on Thursday but just used as a DH, so he will still need to play the field and play the field for a full nine innings before we can even begin to think about him being activated. The Rockies will also likely need to clear up their outfield logjam at the trade deadline.

Garrett had been dominant in almost 80 innings at Triple-A this season, so this effort raises his ERA to 2.32 on the year. However, he was still not going to be recalled by the Marlins even though they lost Max Meyer (neck) to the injured list. It’s fair to wonder if Garrett’s best path to MLB innings this season is through a trade.

The veteran is now 4-for-9 in three games at Triple-A with one walk, three extra-base hits, and three RBI. Isbel has been out with a Grade 3 plantar fasciitis tear since mid-June. He could return to the Royals lineup as soon as this weekend.

Joyce only threw eight pitches in the inning, all four-seamers, and allowed one hit. He sat 101.9 mph on his four-seamer and touched 103.2 mph. He got two whiffs on seven swings. We’ll need to see him mix in some other pitches, and the Angels likely will wait until after the trade deadline to call him up, but he could be the primary closer for them for the final month or so of the season.

Ornelas was released by the Yankees on July 16th after hitting .299/.362/.480 with nine home runs, 39 RBI, and nine steals in 75 games at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre. He almost certainly had an upward mobility clause or an opt-out in his deal. The Athletics, who have been ravaged by injuries, likely present a better chance for the 26-year-old to get some MLB at-bats.

Smith-Shawver struck out five and walked one while throwing 54 of his 86 pitches for strikes. The 23-year-old averaged 97.5 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is up two mph from what we’re used to seeing. His slider was also up four mph, so there may have been a hot gun at the stadium, but he posted a 22 percent whiff rate overall in what was a solid outing. He should be up in the Braves rotation next week and is probably worth a stash in all 15-team leagues. You can wait and see in 12-team leagues if you wanted.

The Tigers couldn’t get anything going against Royals’ starter Randy Dobnak in this one and entered the home half of the seventh inning trailing 2-0. Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter started the inning with singles, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. They remained there with two outs when Outman stepped up and hammered a 2-2 fastball from John Schreiber for a 364-foot (100.1-mph EV) three-run shot that turned the game around. Outman has been pretty pitiful overall this season — slashing just .159/.218/.297 with four homers and 16 RBI — but he has now had several big moments that have willed his team to victory.

Dingler strolled to the dish with a man on second base and two outs in the eighth inning with the score knotted up at three runs apiece. The All-Star backstop fell behind 1-2 against Steven Cruz before lining a slider into the left field corner to plate Hao-Yu Lee with the go-ahead run. Dingler also singled, drew a walk and scored in the ballgame, finishing the night 2-for-3. He’s having an exceptional season at the dish, slashing .274/.339/.537 with 22 homers and 66 RBI in 391 plate appearances.

Finnegan was called upon to bail out Drew Sommers with two men on and one out with the Tigers clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth inning. He then induced a weak ground ball from Salvador Perez that the Tigers turned into a game-ending double play. The 34-year-old hurler has done a nice job overall for the Tigers this season, compiling a 2.36 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 35/25 K/BB ratio over 45 2/3 innings of work while converting two saves.

Melton punched out five opposing hitters in the contest while issuing four free passes. He kept the Royals off the board until the sixth inning when Michael Massey smacked a leadoff single and Isaac Collins followed with a two-run blast. The 25-year-old righty got 10 whiffs on 90 pitches on the evening, posting a CSW of 29 percent. He’ll try to get back in the win column as he carries a stellar 1.95 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a 55/19 K/BB ratio (60 innings) into Tuesday’s showdown against the Orioles.