MLB Player News

Smith blistered a pair of doubles and singled twice. The 23-year-old was in a mini-slump with a 1-for-11 mark over his last three games, but this is more inline — to a higher extent, of course — to what we’ve seen to begin the 2026 season. He’s now up to an OPS of .941, and it’s a wonderful reminder of why fantasy managers were so excited to see what he can do in 2025.

He allowed two runs in five-plus innings against the Cubs. Lodolo already missed the first five weeks of this season with blister issues and also lost starts in 2023 and ’24. If this is another IL-type situation, the Reds could replace him in the rotation with Chase Petty.

Duran’s save was his 24th of the season. He retired the side in order in the ninth inning without the Tigers hitting the ball out of the infield. Duran has a 1.38 ERA heading into the All-Star break as one of the top closers in all of baseball.

Realmuto’s two-run double was the big hit in a low-scoring, 4-2 victory over the Tigers on Saturday. The 35-year-old catcher is hitting .200 with a .619 OPS this season, showing that his bat may be on its last legs.

Mize gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five. He fell to 4-6 with the loss. The unearned run against Mize came in the third inning when Derek Hill reached on a throwing error and scored after two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly. The other three runs came in the fourth inning on a J.T. Realmuto two-run double and an RBI single by Hill. Mize’s ERA is up to 2.79 heading into the All-Star break.

Sánchez gave up 10 hits, walked one and struck out seven. He improved to 11-4 with the win. After allowing nine runs against the Royals earlier this week, Sánchez brought his A-game against the Tigers on Saturday. He allowed 10 hits, but consistently pitched out of trouble. Sánchez has a 2.62 ERA heading into the All-Star break.

Bumila, a 6-foot-9 lefty drafted out of a Massachusetts high school, was looked at as a probable first-round pick before the injury was revealed earlier this month, and he will be getting first-round money to sign with the Rangers, according to the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. He’s probably happy about the destination, too, as he was committed to the University of Texas.

Valdez did it again, homering in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. This time, he put the Pirates on the board with a two-run blast off Shane Drohan in the fourth inning. It was his third home run of the day after mashing two in the first game and his 10th of the season in just 100 plate appearances while slashing .311/.370/.722.

After Gregory Soto converted a save in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Brewers, Montgomery got the chance in the second game with a one-run lead. He worked around a walk, striking out two batters to shut the door on Milwaukee for his first save as the Pirates swept the doubleheader.

Chandler quieted the Brewers’ bats through four innings before giving up two runs on three hits in the fifth. With three walks and six strikeouts, he drove his pitch count up to 97 with two outs in the inning before he was replaced on the mound. The 23-year-old right-hander ends the first half with a 4.77 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and an 85/55 K/BB ratio across 94 1/3 innings.

Drohan held the Pirates scoreless through three innings before Esmerlyn Valdez took him deep for a two-run blast in the fourth. Two hits in the sixth would bring a third run in for the Pirates. Drohan started the seventh inning, recording the first out before his day was over at 83 pitches. He struck out six. The 27-year-old left-hander holds a 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 67/20 K/BB ratio across 70 innings at the All-Star break.