MLB Player News

Barnett is not listed as the Athletics' starter for Saturday's game against the Twins.

Jason Burke of Roundtable.io originally reported that Barnett would start Saturday. Instead, it'll be left-hander Brady Basso who will serve as the opener in what is shaping up to be a bullpen game for the Athletics. Barnett could still pitch in bulk relief Saturday. He has a 4.64 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 21.1 innings this season.

The Astros recalled King from Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.

King was sent down to Triple-A last week after giving up eight earned runs over his last four outings (spanning five innings). Prior to that four-game stretch, he boasted a 2.02 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 12 holds, six saves (on nine chances) and a 31:14 K:BB across 40 innings. Despite his recent struggles, King is back with the big club after the Astros placed Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on the 15-day injured list.

The Guardians recalled Dion from Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.

After being sent down to Triple-A on Friday, Dion will now turn around and rejoin the big-league bullpen to make up for the loss of Shawn Armstrong (calf). Dion owns a 5.17 ERA and 1.66 WHIP through 15.2 frames with Cleveland this year and will likely be limited to low-leverage work as long as he's in the majors.

The Guardians placed Armstrong on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left calf strain.

Armstrong gave up three runs in just two-thirds of an inning during his outing Friday, and the Guardians will now be without his services until at least Aug. 9. Will Dion will return to the majors to fill the vacancy in Cleveland's bullpen.

The Rays optioned Roycroft to Triple-A Durham on Saturday.

After joining Tampa Bay's bullpen July 6, Roycroft gave up eight earned runs in 13 innings while striking out 11 batters and walking three. He'll now lose his place on the active roster to make room for Steven Matz (ankle), who returned from the injured list Saturday.

Merryweather (hamstring) allowed one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning of relief Wednesday after being reinstated from Triple-A St. Paul's 7-day injured list Tuesday.

Merryweather was placed on St. Paul's IL coming out of spring training after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain in late February, and he then suffered a setback shortly after beginning a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League in early May. The veteran righty restarted his rehab assignment July 4 and compiled a 2.84 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 10:1 K:BB in 6.1 innings over six appearances between the FCL and Single-A Fort Myers before St. Paul brought him back from the IL.

Bradford (elbow) struck out four and allowed three hits and no walks across three innings in a rehab start Friday with Double-A Frisco.

Since resuming his rehab assignment July 12, Bradford has now tacked on an inning to his workload in his subsequent two starts. Overall, the southpaw has yielded one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine across six innings. He built up to 48 pitches (39 strikes) in Friday's outing, so Bradford will likely need to push his pitch count up to the 70-to-80 range over the course of two more rehab starts before coming back from the 60-day injured list and slotting into the Texas rotation. Bradford has been on the shelf all season while recovering from the internal brace surgery he underwent last June and a setback that cropped up during his initial rehab assignment back in April.

Barnett is slated to start Saturday's game against the Twins at Target Field, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.

The Athletics called Barnett up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, and after he wasn't needed in relief over the past three days, he'll end up slotting into the rotation as a replacement for the injured J.T. Ginn (finger). Barnett was a full-time member of the rotation at Las Vegas prior to his call-up, but all 13 of his appearances with the Athletics in 2026 have come out of the bullpen. As Burke notes, Barnett was limited to 38 pitches in his most recent start for Las Vegas on July 18, so the right-hander will likely be in store for a restricted workload in Saturday's outing.

Jansen struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his 12th save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Royals.

The veteran closer needed only eight pitches (seven strikes) to get the job done. Jansen has a pristine 0.00 ERA in July over 7.1 innings, allowing just three hits with an 8:6 K:BB while converting all three of his save chances. If the Tigers decide to be buyers and not sellers at the trade deadline, bullpen help will likely be at the top of the shopping list, but Jansen's spot as closer seems relatively secure.

Kittredge (1-2) was tagged with the loss in Friday's extra-inning defeat to Atlanta after allowing four runs (none earned) on two hits across two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two without a walk.

Kittredge entered the game in the top of the 10th inning trying to preserve a 3-3 tie, but he allowed four runs -- all unearned due to a throwing error by Jackson Holliday -- including a three-run homer to Matt Olson, while recording just two outs. The silver lining is the fact that since none of the runs were earned, Kittredge has now gone without allowing an earned run in 12 consecutive appearances (11 innings).