LEADING OFF: Indians try to finish up 10-0 at Target Field

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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SWEPT UP

The Cleveland Indians try to finish a season sweep at Target Field when play a day-night doubleheader against the Twins. The AL Central leaders are 8-0 at Minnesota this year - but just 1-5 vs. the Twins at home. The teams were rained out Wednesday, forcing the split twinbill. Cleveland has won five in a row overall.

Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (11-5, 3.83 ERA) faces Kyle Gibson (6-9, 6.02) in the opener. In the nightcap, Cleveland is calling up lefty Ryan Merritt (0-0, 3.60) to oppose Aaron Slegers in his major league debut.

STARTING OUT

Rookie right-hander Reynaldo Lopez aims for his first victory with the White Sox when he starts at Dodger Stadium. Lopez was 5-3 with Washington last year, then was traded to Chicago in a package for outfielder Adam Eaton. The hard-throwing 23-year-old got a no-decision last week in his first start for the White Sox, going six good innings against Kansas City.

TRY AGAIN

Jameson Taillon (7-5) gets the start as Pittsburgh begins a four-game series against St. Louis at PNC Park in a matchup of playoff contenders. He is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in three career starts vs. the Cardinals. Adam Wainwright starts for St. Louis.

CHECK HIM

Nationals manager Dusty Baker says the team is evaluating righty reliever Ryan Madson's finger injury, which originally was believed to be a blister. Madson last pitched Saturday for the NL East leaders.

Nationals recall RHP Reynaldo Lopez

The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Lopez returns to the Nationals for the second start of his Major League career, which he will make Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. The 22-year-old made his Major League debut on July 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In that outing, Lopez struck out nine batters, the second-most by a starting pitcher in his debut in Nationals history (2005-present). Only Stephen Strasburg (14, June 8, 2014 vs. PIT) fanned more in his big league debut.

Following that start Lopez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse where, on July 24, he tossed his first career shutout. Lopez allowed just four hits while striking out seven as the Chiefs topped the Rochester Red Wings (MIN), 6-0.

In 17 starts between Double-A Harrisburg and Syracuse this season, Lopez is 5-5 with a 2.90 ERA. He leads Washington's Minor League system with 116 strikeouts and, among Minor League pitchers with at least 95.0 innings pitched this season, he ranks fourth in strikeouts-per-nine-innings (10.84).

Lopez entered the 2016 season as the Nationals' No. 5 prospect and the No. 92 prospect in all of baseball, per Baseball America. In their 2016 mid-season update, Baseball America advanced Lopez 44 spots and ranked him as the No. 48 prospect in Minor League Baseball.

A native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Lopez represented the Nationals at MLB's 2016 Sirius/XM All-Star Futures Game in San Diego earlier this month. In his one inning of work for the World Team, Lopez was clocked as high as 99 mph with his fastball.

Reds caim RHP de Los Santos, Nats select RHP Lopez, place LHP Solis on DL in corresponding moves

"The Line Drive" Staff Report

The Reds claimed RHP Abel de Los Santos off waivers from the
Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday claimed from the Nationals RHP Abel de Los Santos and option him to Double-A Pensacola. The team's 40 man roster is at 40.

de Los Santos, 23, appeared in two Major League games for Washington in 2015. He allowed one earned run on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. He is 1-1 with a 3.67 ERA this season for Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse, collecting five saves in 11 games finished (29 appearances, 34.1 IP overall).

The Nationals, in corresponding moves, selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday and placed left-handed pitcher Sammy Solis on the 15-day disabled list with right knee inflammation, retroactive to July 8. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

The owner of an electric fastball as part of his three-pitch repertoire that also includes a curveball and changeup, Lopez entered the 2016 season as the Nationals' No. 5 prospect and the No. 92 prospect in all of baseball, per Baseball America. After beginning the season at Double-A Harrisburg - where he posted a 3.18 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 14 starts (11.8 K/9.0 IP) - Lopez was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse on June 27. He's made four starts for the Chiefs (1-0, 3.27 ERA).

In their 2016 mid-season update, Baseball America advanced Lopez 44 spots and ranked him as the No. 48 prospect in Minor League Baseball.

The promising 22-year-old joins the Nationals' Major League roster tied for ninth in Minor League Baseball with 109 strikeouts, as well as fifth in strikeouts-per-nine-innings (11.23), among Minor League pitchers with at least 80.0 innings pitched this season. From May 29-June 25, just before his promotion to Triple-A, Lopez posted a 2-1 record with a 1.60 ERA (6 ER/33.2 IP) in six starts. In that span, he struck out 56 batters - including four double-digit strikeout games - and walked just five. He did not allow a single ball to leave the yard.

A native of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Lopez represented the Nationals at MLB's 2016 Sirius/XM All-Star Futures Game in San Diego earlier this month. In his one inning of work for the World Team, Lopez was clocked as high as 99 mph with his fastball.

Since signing as an international free agent on June 21, 2012, Lopez's ascension through the organization has been steady. He spent the entire 2015 season at Single-A Potomac, where he set career marks in games started (19), innings pitched (99.0) and strikeouts (94). He earned the designation as the No. 4 prospect in the Carolina League (per Baseball America) at the conclusion of the season. That came on the heels of his breakout year in short-season Single-A Auburn and Single-A Hagerstown in 2014, where he finished as the No. 3 prospect in the South Atlantic League (Hagerstown) and the No. 2 prospect in the New York-Penn League (Auburn).

When he makes his MLB debut on Tuesday night vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lopez will become the first Dominican pitcher signed and developed by the Nationals (2005-present) to start a Major League game. He joins right-hander Yunesky Maya as the only Latin American players originally signed by the Nationals to start a game for them.

Solis, 27, has posted a 2.43 ERA out of the Nationals' bullpen this season, along with a 1-3 record. The left-hander has struck out 10.3 batters-per-nine-innings in 25 appearances over 29.1 innings pitched.