MLB Player News

The 26-year-old hurler elected free agency last week after the Reds sent him outright to Triple-A Louisville. Richardson holds a 4.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 34/14 K/BB ratio over 30 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season. He’ll add extra bullpen depth for the Brewers.

One of them was against position player pitcher Javier Sanoja, but it all looks the same in the box score. The other was off LHP reliever John King — both of them were pulled into left field. The former Yankees farmhand acquired in the David Bednar trade was hitting .200/.355/.360 before this effort and is at .233/.361/.567 with it.

It was the only run they’d score and one of just three hits they found against Ashcraft, it was a 402-foot shot to right-center. Caissie is hitting .175/.244/.400 in his last 15 games with 17 strikeouts in 40 at-bats, but he’s getting more runway of late with Liam Hicks traded and Kyle Stowers on the injured list.

He was scoreless through four, but allowed a triple and homer in the top of the fifth, then left two inherited runners in the sixth that both came around to score courtesy of Cade Gibson giving up a walk, hit by pitch and two-run single in short succession. Phillips has a 3.94 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in his last seven starts and continues to be about a 50/50 bet to actually pitch deep enough into the game to qualify for a win. He’s slated to face the Phillies next week.

It was a shutout until the ninth, when Owen Caissie hit one out to cut the lead to 13-1. Ashcraft had allowed 21 runs in his last five starts entering today, along with seven homers, so this qualifies as a bit of a course correction. Ashcraft generated a 30 percent whiff rate on 33 swings, with both the curveball and slider drawing misses while he touched 99.2 mph on the gun with his fastball. Ashcraft draws the Tigers in his next start, hopefully he can keep this form going.

Valencia is hitting .381/.381/.952 versus left-handers and .391/.440/.739 against right-handers this year. We dunno what he has to do to get more work — we understand the Tigers can’t exactly bench Dillon Dingler, but there is a DH spot. This was Valencia’s first action since August 9 and he’s appeared in just seven games this month despite the hot bat.

He was the only Guardians player with multiple hits against the overwhelming Keider Montero. DeLauter is hitting .300/.394/.433 in his last 15 games with two homers and three stolen bases. He’s a credible 12-team outfielder despite the lack of hitting around him.

It wasn’t exactly an inspiring performance -- he allowed two sharp lineouts -- but Jansen had a 1-2-3 inning against the heart of the Guardians order to secure a 3-0 lead. He has a 1.50 WHIP in his last 15 games with 11 walks in 14 2/3 innings, so this remains tenuous, but he’s the clear closer here.

He struck out none, and in, fact, only had two whiffs all game on 37 swings. What a magician. Montero allowed seven hard-hit balls, but that’s to be expected with the lack of swing-and-miss in his game. He’s had three good starts (one or fewer runs allowed) and two bad (four and five earned runs allowed) since returning to the rotation. Montero will start against the Pirates early next week.

Messick was outdueled by Keider Montero. He’s actually a bit lucky to leave with this line after allowing a double, hitting Ben Malgeri with a pitch, and walking Gleyber Torres to set up a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the third. He only allowed one run to score there, but allowed a solo homer to Eduardo Valencia in the sixth as well. Messick was getting plenty of whiffs, with 11-of-31 four-seamers and changeups swung at and missed. He’ll draw a beautiful matchup against the Giants next week.

Haase did not appear in a major league game with the White Sox after being released by the Giants. He hit .360/.467/.560 in 30 plate appearances with Triple-A Charlotte. Perhaps he’s got an opportunity elsewhere he prefers.