MLB Player News

Morton will have an X-ray this weekend. “It doesn’t keep me from throwing a ball,” he said. “It just keeps me from throwing a ball without pain.” James Parr, who started Thursday in place of Jo-Jo Reyes, will fill the open spot in the rotation.

Huascar Brozobán opened the game with a scoreless first inning, then gave up a two-run homer to Patrick Widsom in the second. Brozobán would hand it over to Tong with two outs and one runner on. Tong would get out of the inning with a strikeout. Seattle would bring an unearned run in to score on two errors in the third. Tong then loaded the bases in the fourth inning and gave up one run on a sacrifice fly. Things fell apart in the fifth, with Jhonny Pereda taking him deep for a three-run blast. Tong’s day would be done after the fifth. He stuck out four. The 22-year-old right-hander had come into Tuesday’s action with 6 2/3 scoreless innings in two long relief outings. This spot in the rotation is due up against the Cardinals in New York next Tuesday, but Kodai Senga should be ready to return following his final rehab start on Wednesday.

11 1/2 months after being traded for him, Harrison fanned Rafael Devers three times tonight. He got 19 whiffs and allowed just two hard-hit balls, with the damage coming on Willy Adames’s 368-foot homer. Harrison is one inning shy of qualifying for the ERA title or he’d be second at 1.57, behind only Cristopher Sánchez at 1.47. He’s due to make his next start Sunday against the Rockies at Coors.

Trevor Megill was once again going to close for the Brewers tonight, but his save chance went away when the offense scored four times in the bottom of the eighth. Megill did finish it off anyway, pitching a hitless ninth. Megill is definitely back in the driver’s seat for saves in Milwaukee. Uribe would still seem to have some value in most leagues, but those secure when it comes to saves could consider dropping him.

McDonald has lost three in a row after going 2-0 in three starts to begin his career. Those who grabbed him for a two-start week will have to hope he fares better Sunday against the Cubs.

Chourio’s double in the eighth was a homer in eight ballparks, but in Miller Park, it should have been caught by Drew Gilbert, who mistimed his jump into the wall. Chourio has four hits, including two doubles, and three walks against the Giants the last two days, raising his OPS 58 points to .779.

Mitchell figured to be in line to lose a fair amount of playing time after Christian Yelich and Andrew Vaughn came off the IL, but he’s put together a well-timed hot streak to remain in the lineup. He’s batting .333 with two homers and five walks in his last 13 games.

Devers did smoke the one ball he put into play, but it turned into a 108-mph groundout. Devers has a 30.9 percent strikeout rate and a 6.6 percent walk rate right now. His career marks coming into the season were 22.0 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively.

Vargas had a two-run single in the top of the third inning to give the White Sox a 3-0 lead in a game they would eventually lose 6-4. He now has 40 RBI on the season. Vargas is hitting .241 with an .861 OPS, 44 runs, 15 home runs and nine stolen bases.

Cruz knocked a base hit in the fourth inning, then slugged a go-ahead, three-run blast off Mike Burrows in the sixth. It was the third home run in four games for Cruz and his 14th on the season while slashing .259/.331/.475 with 43 runs scored, 44 RBI, and 19 steals across 266 plate appearances.

Ramírez had three doubles for the fifth time in his career, making him the active leader there. Nolan Arenado, Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper have done it four times apiece. Ramírez came into the night hitting .178/.220/.267 in his previous 12 games.