MLB Player News

The 30-year-old outfielder was once a top prospect in the Cubs system but has morphed into a defense-first high-contact-rate hitter at the MLB level. He didn’t play at all in 2023 but spent the last year at Triple-A in the Diamondbacks’ organization slashing .292/.349/.438 with nine homers and 20 steals in 576 plate appearances. He did post just a 14 percent strikeout rate, which means he still has elite contact skills along with his plus defense and that could enable him to push for the fourth outfield role in Miami this season.

Armstrong returns to Cleveland’s bullpen mix after missing two months with a left calf strain. The 36-year-old veteran reliever is back for Wednesday’s contest against the Red Sox. He’s compiled a serviceable 4.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 33/19 K/BB ratio across 33 innings this season.

Alonso’s lone ball in play in the game was a 109.2-mph blast off Max Scherzer. He’s up to 110 RBI, putting Yordan Alvarez’s pursuit of a triple crown on life support. Alvarez is at 102 RBI right now. Alonso and Junior Caminero are tied for the AL lead with 41 homers, one ahead of Alvarez.

Bassitt has defeated his former team twice this month, with today’s win putting the final nail in the Blue Jays’ coffin. He ends the year 9-5 with a 4.59 ERA. He was 5-1 with a 3.74 ERA in eight starts after returning from back surgery in August, which should help him land another sizable one-year deal as a free agent this winter. He probably will have to settle for less than the $18.5 million he made this year.

Kittredge had a save in the 11th inning last week, but this is his first of the month in which he’s pitched the ninth. He lowered his ERA to 3.54 through 48 1/3 innings.

Scherzer said after the game, which saw the Jays eliminated from contention, that he’d like to pitch again Sunday on three days’ rest and that he’d likely say something about his future in the next couple of days. One can probably read between the lines there. The loss leaves Scherzer 3-9 with a 6.14 ERA. He struck out seven today, putting him at 3,550 for his career. Justin Verlander is eighth all time with 3,554 ahead of his short start Saturday. There’s little doubt that Scherzer would prefer to finish ahead of him.

The double in the first was a 360-foot liner to right. It would have been a homer in 20 ballparks, including Rogers Centre, but it wasn’t one at Camden Yards.

Brogdon loses his spot in Cleveland’s bullpen with Shawn Armstrong returning from the injured list for Tuesday’s game against the Red Sox. The 31-year-old has posted a serviceable 5.05 ERA across 16 innings of work for the Guardians this season.

No surprise here with Contreras working his way back from a right hand injury and the Red Sox having already locked up a playoff spot. It’s a frustrating situation for fantasy managers, but there’s very little incentive for Boston to rush Contreras back into a game before the postseason. There’s a chance he’s ready to return at some point during their final series against the Cubs, but that three-game set is going to be a mess with a rare fall Nor’easter rolling in this weekend.

Norby grabs a seat on Colorado’s bench with Adael Amador getting a turn at the keystone. The 26-year-old has been a real bright spot for the Rockies, and a true difference-maker in deeper fantasy leagues, over the last couple weeks, hitting .300 (36-for-120) with three homers, 17 RBI and four steals in 36 games.

It’s a tough break for fantasy managers in extremely deep leagues since Loftin has been red-hot recently, hitting .400 (8-for-20) with one homer, three RBI and one steal over his last seven games. It’ll be Isaac Collins and John Rave getting outfield starts with Jac Caglianone back in right field for the second straight game.