MLB Player News

Merrill gave San Diego a commanding six-run advantage in the third inning by hooking a two-run double down the right-field line off Pirates starter Mitch Keller as part of yet another multi-hit performance. The 21-year-old rookie sensation has shown a flair for the dramatic this season with a barrage of clutch hits and he certainly looks like a potential franchise cornerstone, and five-category fantasy superstar, until further notice. He’s batting .288 (120-for-416) with 60 runs scored, 17 home runs, 66 RBI and 13 stolen bases through 118 contests.

Alonso finally looks to be locked in. He didn’t make an out in this one and showed off a wide variety of skills with a long home run, a hit with runners in scoring position, and a two-out knock to boot. He finally pulled his OPS back over .800 despite dropping to fifth in the Mets’ order for the second time in nine games. It’s likely he moves back up to his usual fourth spot with five homers and .915 OPS over his last 15 games.

Andujar just missed a home run as his double clanked off the right field fence before coming around to score on a sac fly. He’s been a surprising source of batting average, albeit without power, as his average stands at .291 after 66 games played.

Peterson just keeps on chugging along despite consistently ugly lines. He struck out four and walked four, yet almost never ran into trouble. The A’s had a quasi-rally in the fourth inning after Peterson allowed the first two runners to reach before he set down the next three with ease. Then, Francisco Lindor made a rare error in the sixth setting up an unearned run to score, but that was all they’d get. On the season, Peterson has won seven of his eight decisions, the Mets have one nine of his 12 starts, and he has a spectacular 3.04 ERA.

Estes is growing as a pitcher despite not yet getting over that hump. He worked around a lot of hard contact and two homers from the Mets to keep his team in the game. It’s been five starts since he’s allowed more than two runs. Also, keep an eye on his sweeper: he struggles to command it, but has been throwing it more and more. That pitch has the highest Stuff+ grade in his repertoire by far and could hold the key to him handling right-handed batters more consistently.

Hader did something you don’t see every day, he tied starter Ronel Blanco for the most swings-and-misses in this game with 11 out of the bullpen. He looked like vintage Hader with his dominant two-seam fastball eating up hitters at the top of the strike zone and didn’t let Tampa Bay off the mat even with a ghost runner on base in the 10th inning. Hader has allowed a run just one time in his last 15 appearances.

Peña’s solo blast was the only extra-base hit in a game that featured just four hits, period. The homer was his third over the last week as he’s quietly having a strong season with 12 homers, 13 stolen bases, and a .278 batting average. His strikeout rate has fallen for the third consecutive season while his contact rate has risen. This is a quality ball player.

This was a paltry showing by the Rays’ offense against Ronel Blanco and Houston’s bullpen. They had just two hits, none went for extra-bases, and scored one run on a fielder’s choice. Similarly, Walls’ is having a horrific season with a .521 OPS across 49 games played.

This was Littell’s second time facing the Astros in three starts and the Rays seemed to have scaled back what they asked of him. He was pulled after exactly two revolutions through their batting order despite allowing just one hit and one run. Yet, he’s also already past his career high in innings by 40 and had just three strikeouts versus one walk. This was his fourth straight start allowing one run or fewer as he looks to have put a disastrous July behind him.

The superstar outfielder was lifted from Wednesday’s game after tweaking his injured ankle during an at-bat in the eighth inning. Fortunately, neither Servais nor Rodríguez himself seem to think that it’s a major issue. He may sit on Thursday as a precautionary measure, but don’t expect him to land back on the injured list.

The 30-year-old hurler had been dealing, needing just 73 pitches to navigate six scoreless innings with only two hits allowed. Had it not been for the comebacker that hit his hand, he surely would have returned for the seventh. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative for any fractures, and it sounds like Blanco should be okay to make his next scheduled start.