MLB Player News

This might be one of Nightengale’s exaggerations, but Robert, who will earn $20 million next season, has already been linked to both teams and the Padres as well. The White Sox certainly don’t need to trade him; even after signing Munetaka Murakami, their payroll is still just right around $80 million, and they will have another club option that they could use to keep him around in 2027. Robert, Murakami, Andrew Benintendi and Anthony Kay are their only players making more than $1 million.

Bailey opened the scoring in the ballgame with an RBI single off of Jack Flaherty in the second inning. He then raced around to score on Brayan Rocchio’s RBI triple. With his two-hit attack, the 27-year-old backstop is now hitting a cringe-inducing .165/.222/.248 with just two homers and 10 RBI in 144 plate appearances. For at least one night though, Bailey got to feel like an integral part of the Guardians’ offense on Friday.

Rocchio drove in Patrick Bailey with his run-scoring triple off of Jack Flaherty in the second inning, extending the Guardians’ early lead to 2-0. That would be his only hit in three at-bats on the evening. For the season, the 25-year-old shortstop is slashing a solid .277/.357/.405 with five homers, 32 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

He left with the score knotted at two, but Pittsburgh’s bullpen allowed six earned runs in the final three innings to make this a laugher. Miami was sitting on his fastballs, getting five of their seven hard-hit balls against Ashcraft’s sinker and 4-seamer. Nothing under the hood is all that concerning about this outing and Ashcraft has earned the benefit of the doubt with his strong start to the year, as his ERA sits at 3.30 in 14 starts. Still, facing the Sacramento A’s on the road is not exactly an easy matchup next week.

Smith notched his 22nd save of the season for his efforts. The 27-year-old flame-thrower got Gleyber Torres on a ground ball to second base, Riley Greene on a swinging third strike and Dillon Dingler on a fly ball to left to end it, needing just 13 pitches (10 strikes) to get the job done. He now boasts a 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and a 47/5 K/BB ratio over 31 1/3 innings on the season while converting 22 of his first 24 save chances.

Bibee allowed just two hits and a pair of walks on the evening. Both of the hits that he did allow were solo homers — to James Outman in the third and to Spencer Torkelson to lead off the eighth. The 27-year-old hurler got 15 swings and misses on 91 pitches on the night — five on his sinker — while posting a strong CSW of 34 percent. Now 2-7 on the season, he’ll carry a 3.94 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 71/26 K/BB ratio (84 innings) into Thursday’s showdown against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Rodríguez homered to right-center against a Sandy Alcantara cutter and managed another double earlier in the game that he scored on. The 26-year-old backstop is now hitting .240/.387/.420 in his first 50 big-league at-bats this season, and while that’s not completely surprising given his prospect pedigree, he may force Pittsburgh’s hand if he keeps hitting like this. Henry Davis is hitting just .138 in 142 plate appearances and Joey Bart (still on the 10-day IL) wasn’t scorching hot when he was healthy either. Perhaps Rodríguez can hit his way back onto the fantasy radar here.

Torkelson tagged Tanner Bibee for a 416-foot (105.9-mph EV) solo shot to center in the eighth inning that made it a one-run game at 3-2. That would be his lone hit in three at-bats on the evening. For the season, the 26-year-old slugger is now slashing .213/.312/.417 with the aforementioned 11 long balls and 28 RBI.

Outman started in center field and batted ninth for the Tigers on Friday night. He made a great impression in his first at-bat, launching a 2-2 sinker from Tanner Bibee for a 418-foot (107.5-mph EV) solo shot that pulled the Tigers to within a run at 2-1. That would be as close as they would get though. Perhaps a change of scenery is just what Outman needs to turn things around.

Thornton had been away from the club since Tuesday as he welcomed a new addition to the family. The 32-year-old righty has been exceptional since joining the Cubs on May 6, registering a 1.69 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 6/7 K/BB ratio over his 16 frames.

The 32-year-old right-hander was just recalled on Tuesday, but he’ll head back to Triple-A with Trent Thornton returning from the paternity list. Ferguson posted a 16.88 ERA, 2.63 WHIP and a 4/2 K/BB ratio over 2 2/3 innings with the Cubs.