MLB Player News

In 40 1/3 innings, Rutledge has surrendered 12 homers, most in the majors among relievers. His 19 percent strikeout rate is also awfully discouraging, and his ERA stands at 6.92. It’d seem to be time for the Nationals to give someone else a shot.

The Mariners will open the second half with Miller on Friday, Bryan Woo on Saturday, and Logan Gilbert on Sunday. All three of them have been gifted a good matchup against a Giants team that has struggled at the plate this year.

The Nationals will open the second half with Cavalli on the mound. He’ll be followed by Zack Littell (who has been opened for recently) on Saturday. and Foster Griffin on Sunday. Cavalli’s first half ended with a 3.83 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. He’s been going deeper into starts lately and is a viable 12-team starter against West Sacramento on Friday.

He has a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings this year and will likely provide some low-leverage relief help in the short-term while the Phillies try to find a new way to address Brad Keller’s injury going forward.

It’s a huge blow for Philadelphia’s bullpen depth and they’ll undoubtedly be looking to add at the deadline as Keller is likely to miss well into next season. Keller pitched in just one game after dealing with forearm tendinitis. He finishes his age-30 season with a 4.02 ERA in 31 1/3 innings pitched. He’s due $13 million next season from the Phillies.

Hassell was outrighted off the 40-man roster on Sunday, so he won’t cost a 40-man roster spot for the Pirates. He’s hit just .215/.304/.289 with two homers in 258 plate appearances at Triple-A Rochester. The Pirates will likely see if some time in Indianapolis will bring his bat back to life.

Expect him to be back in the starting lineup tonight. Since Semien is hitting .214/.271/.341 with nine homers and six stolen bases in 318 plate appearances, he doesn’t necessarily need to be started in any fantasy leagues. Hopefully the time off will get him hitting better down the stretch.

He was previously designated for assignment on June 24 and stayed with the Mets in Syracuse. The Tigers designated Short for assignment in early June and lost him to the Mets on waivers. The 31-year-old will get the chance to elect free agency again if he clears.

The Rangers will open with Cal Quantrill and MacKenzie Gore against the Braves on Friday and Saturday, leaving a TBA slot open for DeGrom on Sunday. DeGrom missed his last start before the All-Star break with what was announced as a “mild left glute strain.” There’s no reason to think that he’s going to go on IL over this yet, and DeGrom did tell reporters that he was going to throw off the mound in Atlanta. It’s possible he’s pushed back beyond Sunday.

“Some teams” had increasingly leaned upon AI to help shape in-game strategy, which explains why your team’s favorite manager keeps going to that one reliever you don’t like. The Athletic’s Eno Sarris believes “pitch-calling from the dugout may be at the center of this battle, and is one of the usages the league appears to be targeting,” the practice lead by the Marlins this year has now spread to as many as six other teams. MLB had let teams know in a memo issued on June 11, to give teams a month of leeway before adopting the ban.

The Marlins will open the second half with Alcantara on Friday, Max Meyer on Saturday, and Eury Pérez on Sunday. No major surprises here as these are the three main starters for the Marlins. All three of them are worthy starters in 12-team leagues coming out of the break.