MLB Player News

Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has indicated that the drug of choice was marijuana. Farina, 26, spent last season at High-A, posting a 5.18 ERA over 24 appearances.

Joyce is working his way back from last year’s shoulder surgery, and the Angels have been very deliberate with his rehab. Relievers don’t need as long to ramp up as starting pitchers do, but the team won’t rush the 25-year-old either. Expect him to begin slowly with a few appearances in the lower minors before building up to pitching on back-to-back days in Triple-A. That being said, it’s possible Joyce could be up with the Angels in 2-3 weeks, and with Jordan Romano no longer on the MLB roster and Kirby Yates struggling on his own rehab assignment, there is a chance for Joyce to emerge as a late-inning option for a team that desperately needs one.

Soderstrom came out of the game after making an attempt at a diving catch. Kotsay said that Soderstrom was a little sore, but there were no signs of a concussion. The team will do a few more tests on him today just to ensure that he has indeed avoided any head injury. If he has, he should be back in the lineup after a day or two.

Witt reached base on a groundout in the third inning and swiped second for his tenth steal of the season. With the game tied in the tenth and two runners on, he took Justin Sterner deep for a three-run blast to push the Royals ahead for the win. It was just the second home run of the season for the 25-year-old star shortstop. Witt is still producing despite the lack of power, hitting .289/.362/.439 with eight runs scored, 15 RBI, and ten steals across 130 plate appearances.

Perez nearly hit one out in the fourth inning, instead lacing a 106 mph single off the left field wall. He got the next one over, taking Hogan Harris deep for a solo homer in the sixth. The 35-year-old catcher is up to five homers and 10 RBI while hitting .196/.229/.357 across 118 plate appearances.

The Royals and A’s went to extras tied at 1-1 before Bobby Witt Jr. gave Kansas City the lead with a three-run homer in the top of the tenth. Erceg was summoned to close it out in the bottom of the frame. He recorded two outs, then issued a walk and allowed a hit to load the bases before getting a lineout to end the game with his seventh save.

Bubic got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to end the first inning, then gave up one run on two hits in the second. He settled in for three more scoreless innings before allowing the leadoff man on in the sixth. That would end his day at 96 pitches. Bubic generated 14 whiffs to strike out six. The 28-year-old left-hander will take a 3.74 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 35/17 K/BB ratio across 33 2/3 innings into a start against the Mariners in Seattle on Sunday.

Civale had one of his better outings so far, holding the Royals scoreless over five innings. He scattered five hits and one walk while striking out three on 95 pitches, 58 for strikes. The 30-year-old right-hander ends the day with a 3.23 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 24/8 K/BB ratio across 30 2/3 innings. He lines up for a start against the Guardians in Sacramento on Sunday.

Lopez had a solid day at the plate, collecting three hits against the Dodgers. He knocked a double in the first inning, then singled in the fifth and seventh. The 27-year-old infielder has had an excellent first month at the dish, hitting .325/.366/.500 with three homers, 20 runs scored, 12 RBI, and four steals across 123 plate appearances.

With Pete Fairbanks hitting the injured list on Tuesday with nerve irritation, Phillips got the call to close out the game in the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead against the Dodgers. He worked around one hit, keeping the Dodgers off the board for his second save. The 28-year-old right-hander has been one of the more consistent arms in the Miami bullpen, posting a 1.47 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 19/12 K/BB ratio across 18 1/3 innings.

Junk stranded the bases loaded in the first inning, then settled in to blank the Dodgers over six frames. He scattered three hits in all and one walk while striking out four. That’s now 11 scoreless innings with four hits and two walks allowed over his last two starts. The 30-year-old right-hander will take a 3.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 21/8 K/BB ratio across 33 innings into a start against the Phillies in Miami on Monday.