MLB Player News

Cruz is being treated by the Pirates medical staff, according to a team statement. The 27-year-old fantasy standout is presumably day-to-day. He’s gotten off to an excellent start, most notably making gains against left-handed pitching, hitting .259/.320/.518 with 19 runs scored, eight homers, 24 RBI and 10 steals in 27 games. Jake Mangum is patrolling center field in his absence with Spencer Horwitz taking over the leadoff spot.

Stefanic passed through waivers unclaimed after being designated for assignment over the weekend. The 30-year-old infielder went 2-for-5 in a pair of games for the Athletics earlier this month.

It was Bohm and Bryson stepping up for the Phillies tonight, as Stott hit a go-ahead homer after Bohm singled with the club down 4-3 in the eighth. Bohm’s homer off Nick Lodolo came two innings earlier. He’s 15-for-35 with three homers and three doubles during a nine-game hitting streak that has raised his OPS from .433 to .604.

A second straight very tidy outing from Painter saw him record his first quality start in only 69 pitches. Including last week’s start in Boston, he’s totaled 131 pitches while allowing three runs over 11 innings in his last two turns. In the two starts prior to that, he threw 187 pitches over 8 2/3 innings, giving up 11 runs in the process. Painter allowed three hits and five hard-hit balls tonight. He struck out three, settling for just three whiffs on 33 swings. But while strikeouts are nice, the Phillies surely prefer efficient six-inning outings for the moment. Painter will face the Guardians this weekend.

The first K tonight, against Nathaniel Lowe, was the product of a 10-pitch at-bat. Fortunately, he needed just eight more to get the remaining two outs, so he should be available again Tuesday. Duran has struck out multiple batters in all six of his appearances since coming off the IL.

Only 53 of Lodolo’s 97 pitches were strikes tonight. In three starts since returning from a blister, Lodolo has an 11/9 K/BB with three hit batters in 15 innings. His velocity is fine, and he’s throwing all of his pitches. Maybe the finger is still affecting his control, though. He’ll likely get an extra day off before facing the Cardinals on Sunday.

Ashcraft came into a 3-3 game in the bottom of the seventh. He pitched a scoreless frame then, after which the Reds took a 4-3 lead. However, he gave up a single to Alec Bohm and a homer to Bryson Stott in the bottom of the eighth. Ashcraft was pitching for the first time since giving up four runs on Friday. He’s definitely not adding to his case for save chances in a wide-open Reds bullpen.

As a result of his recent struggles, Stewart was dropped from third to fifth in the Reds lineup on Sunday, but it figures to be a temporary measure. His xwOBA was already trending back up some coming into tonight, and he’s back up to tied for 10th in the majors with 32 RBI. He’s eighth with his 24 barrels, which have led to 11 homers. He remains a strong bet going forward.

Caminero extended Tampa Bay’s early lead with 116.8-mph single to left field in the second inning before taking Orioles reliever Cameron Foster deep for a three-run blast in the fifth inning. It was his second consecutive contest with a big fly and his 13th round-tripper of the season. He’s gone deep five times since May 1.

Rutschman’s round-tripper came in garbage time with Baltimore trailing by double-digit runs, but it counts all the same for fantasy purposes. He’s homered twice in his last four contests. The 28-year-old backstop has looked outstanding this season, hitting .276/.325/.534 with seven homers and 26 RBI across 31 games, on the heels of last year’s injury-marred campaign.