MLB Player News

Phillips progressed to facing hitters for the third time since last year’s Tommy John surgery. He got in a pair of appearances earlier this month at extended spring training out in Arizona. The 31-year-old former closer figures to be ready to rejoin Los Angeles’ high-leverage mix at some point around midseason.

He also picked up his third steal of the year. The homer, his fourth, was a 416-footer off Chad Patrick. Realmuto had just 11 RBI in 47 games this season going into tonight. It’s the 19th time in his career that he’s had four RBI, but just the second time since the start of 2023.

The Phillies busted out with five runs in the top of the sixth, so Nola presumably would have gotten a win if he had completed five tonight. The Brewers, though, pulled him after a homer with one out and a single with two outs in the fifth. It was Nola’s second straight outing in which he was pulled in the fifth inning of an eventual Phillies win. The Phillies have managed to go 8-6 in his starts, but he’s just 3-4 with a 5.86 ERA. He’ll face the Mets next.

José Alvarado and Brad Keller combined to give up five runs in the seventh and eighth, but Duran calmed things down quickly. Despite missing 2 1/2 weeks with an oblique strain in April and May, he’s now tied for second in the majors with 18 saves.

Drohan struck out seven and walked none, but he gave up eight hits. The last of those was a Brandon Marsh single to open the sixth in a 3-3 game. Drohan was lifted afterwards, and the Phillies went on to score five runs in the inning. It was still a solid showing for Drohan. He allowed only four hard-hit balls. He’s given up nine runs in 15 1/3 innings over three starts since moving into the Milwaukee rotation, and he’ll probably stick around face the Braves next week.

Sosa homered off Shane Drohan to start the scoring in the second. He had an interesting fifth inning in left field. Almost exclusively an infielder until this year, Sosa was tasked with handling a pair of liners to his right that he had to come in on. The first, hit by Brice Turang, resulted in a sliding catch on which Sosa took quite a divot with his cleats and seemed to jam his knee on. The second was hit to almost precisely the same spot, maybe even into the divot, for a single. On both, he looked like someone who’d much rather be playing second or third.

Chourio’s strikeout rate is up to 25 percent last year after he came in at 21 percent in his first two seasons, but his average exit velocity is also up by about three mph and he’s hitting .318/.366/.554 with eight homers in 34 games. He might make a run at his first All-Star appearance despite missing the Brewers’ first 33 games.

Mitchell probably should get more days off than most regulars, just because of his injury history, but with the way he’s performing, he deserves to be ahead of Sal Frelick in line for starts when Jake Bauers is playing the outfield for the Brewers. He’s hitting .251/.355/.415, giving him 156 points of OPS over Frelick, who is at .229/.303/.310.

It’s his first outright assignment, so he has to accept it. Martinez, who was up briefly in May to serve as a backup catcher, was removed from the 40-man roster a week ago.

Helsley, who is coming back from elbow inflammation, averaged 97.9 mph with his nine fastballs, which is just a tad down from his 98.7 mph average on the year. He might be activated after the off day Monday, though the Orioles might have him set up for Rico Garcia a time or two before returning him to the closer’s role.

Duran provided some additional breathing room for Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman by crushing a no-doubter into the right-field seats at Fenway Park against Rangers reliever Peyton Gray in the top of the ninth inning. It was his 11th big fly of the season and first time leaving the yard in nine games dating back to May 31.