MLB Player News

Torkelson has been scuffling in recent weeks, hitting .198 (21-for-106) with five homers and 14 RBI over his last 30 games. He’s slid into a deeper tailspin of late, batting .083 (2-for-24) over his last seven games. The positive angle here is that he’s not striking out at an astronomical rate. However, the Tigers have a capable alternative in Colt Keith, especially against right-handed starters, which is why he’s getting the nod to face Rays starter Ryan Pepiot on Saturday afternoon instead.

Sánchez extended his consecutive scoreless streak to 50 2/3 innings before Jackson Merrill delivered an opposite-field base hit in the seventh, one of just four he allowed on the evening. The streak finishes as the fifth-longest in MLB since 1920, including the longest by a lefty. He fell shy of matching Orel Hershiser’s 59-IP record, but he still holds a 1.46 ERA and sits at the center of this year’s National League Cy Young race. He’ll look to continue that bid in his next outing, a road game in Toronto.

Buehler allowed four hits and two walks against the team he pitched for late last year. The 31-year-old gave up just two runs in the same matchup last time out. He’s pitched well enough to stick in the Padres rotation but remains off the fantasy radar. Buehler’s next outing lines up at home against the Reds.

Duran is one of just six closers with 14 or more saves this season, which is noteworthy considering he missed time earlier this year. He also has the second-highest K-BB% among relief pitchers, only trailing Mason Miller. Duran has been on a particularly impactful run, notching six saves over the past 12 days.

Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto each connected for solo shots in the bottom of the seventh, giving Philadelphia a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was the 23rd homer of the campaign for Schwarber, maintaining his MLB lead. The veteran slugger re-signed with the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal this past offseason. Through a little over two months of play, he has a career-high slugging percentage and wRC+.

The homer was the third of the season for Realmuto, who is batting just .223/.297/.323 through 145 plate appearances. He’s been striking out less than usual, but at the expense of a career-low barrel rate and ISO. The veteran backstop re-signed with the Phillies this past offseason on a three-year, $45 million deal. He isn’t a starting option in most fantasy formats.

It’s hard to blame Machado for the quiet night considering San Diego was up against Cristopher Sánchez in the middle of a consecutive scoreless streak of 50 2/3 innings. Still, it’s been a disappointing campaign to date for Machado, who has career lows across the board. His .177 BABIP gives hope that he’s simply been unlucky, but his fast-swing rate and blasts per swing are also down. This is a track record to bet on, ultimately, but his season isn’t trending in the right direction.

The Yankees made headlines by moving the flame-throwing Lagrange to the bullpen earlier this week and he responded with a dominant performance in his first outing. The 23-year-old top prospect projects as an impact contributor for the Yankees as a multi-inning weapon during the second half of the season. The move undoubtedly caps Lagrange’s immediate fantasy appeal, but scouts and evaluators always seemed to envision him as more of a fit as a high-leverage reliever than traditional starter. He’s a name to know for fantasy purposes, especially in deeper mixed leagues as one of the more intriguing young arms in the game.

Senga struck out five and issued two walks. He also hit two batters and uncorked a pair of wild pitches while topping out at 95.7 mph. The 33-year-old could be an option for New York’s pitching equation next week, but odds are he’ll need another rehab outing before he gets the call back to the majors. It’s extremely challenging for fantasy managers to trust him at all given how volatile he’s been for the last few years.

Nootbaar has wrapped up a minor league rehab assignment and will rejoin the Cardinals for Friday’s contest at Busch Stadium after missing the first 10 weeks of the season recovering from offseason surgery on his heels. The 28-year-old will take over as St. Louis’ starting left fielder. He offers some appeal as a power/speed source in deeper mixed leagues but hasn’t topped 15 homers or 11 steals in any of the last five seasons.

Bassitt allowed three runs on six hits, including a homer by Wilyer Abreu, over three innings of work. He didn’t look comfortable during his final frame before being replaced by Albert Suárez after throwing just 56 pitches (35 strikes). There should be an update on his status following the contest.