Louis Varland picks up 18th save against Mariners

Díaz led off the bottom of the first with a base hit, then doubled in the fifth before scoring the team’s first run on a double by Junior Caminero. The 34-year-old slugger remains one of the best pure hitters around, slashing .306/.381/.465 with 14 homers, 57 runs scored, and 61 RBI across 441 plate appearances.

Baker got the call in the ninth to close out the game against the Guardians with a three-run lead. He worked around a base hit, inducing three weak fly outs to end the game, securing the win for the Rays and Baker’s 27th save of the season.

Martinez was outstanding against the Guardians on Saturday, holding them scoreless over six easy frames. He scattered four hits and did not walk a batter, tossing 60 of 84 pitches for strikes. He struck out five. The 35-year-old right-hander will take a 2.45 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 67/20 K/BB ratio across 117 1/3 innings into a start against the White Sox in Tampa Bay on Friday.

Bibee stranded six baserunners through four scoreless innings before the Rays broke through in the fifth. Three hits and a sacrifice fly would put two runs on the board for Tampa Bay. The Rays would plate one more run in the sixth before Bibee’s day was done. He finished with a quality start, striking out five in the loss. The 27-year-old right-hander will take a 3.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 97/37 K/BB ratio across 125 innings into a start against the Diamondbacks in Cleveland on Friday.

Bellinger came up a little lame while running out a double in the top of the eighth. He stayed in to run and waved off the trainer when they started to pay him a visit on the basepaths, but he didn’t come back out for defense afterwards. If Bellinger needs to miss some time, the Yankees would likely recall Spencer Jones.

Paredes suffered the injury while warming up in the bullpen before the contest. Kendry Rojas took over as Minnesota’s starter in his place. It certainly sounds like an injured list situation for the 25-year-old righty who holds an underwhelming 4.72 ERA and 19/13 K/BB ratio across 34 1/3 innings at the highest level this season.

Merrill doubled in the second inning, then led off the seventh with another double before scoring on a sacrifice fly. He added a single in the eighth for his third hit of the game and scored again on a single by Jase Bowen. The 23-year-old outfielder is hitting a disappointing .228/.282/.382 with 14 homers, 49 runs scored, 45 RBI, and 20 steals across 429 plate appearances.

France broke a scoreless game in the third inning with a single to drive in two runs for the Padres. He later gave the Padres an insurance run with a base hit in the eighth to score Jake Cronenworth from second. The 32-year-old first baseman is hitting .283/.336/.549 with 16 homers and 46 RBI across 269 plate appearances.

Vásquez started this one after a few relief appearances. He tossed two scoreless innings, stranding two runners in the first inning, then gave up one run on a hit batter, base hit, and sacrifice fly in the third. Vásquez would be done with two outs in the inning at 37 pitches. He did not record a strikeout. The 27-year-old right-hander ends the day with a 4.68 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and a 63/29 K/BB ratio across 90 1/3 innings. With a day off on Monday, he may revert to long relief his next time out.

Pérez tossed a scoreless first, stranded two runners in the second, then gave up a pair of runs on a walk, a hit batter, and two hits in the third. He settled in for three more scoreless frames before giving up one more run on a double and a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Pérez would complete the seventh, marking three straight starts of at least six innings. The 23-year-old right-hander will take a 3.56 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 106/38 K/BB ratio across 98 2/3 innings into a start against the Mets in New York on Thursday.