MLB Player News

Leclerc allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning during Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Athletics.

Leclerc, who was coming off a promising stretch during which he allowed zero runs over his last seven innings, was deployed to close out a 5-0 lead but ran into trouble. His first pitch was taken deep by Skye Bolt, then he gave up another solo blast to Ramon Laureano, before Garrett Richards rescued the Rangers. With Joe Barlow (blister) landing on the injured list, manager Chris Woodward may have been acclimating Leclerc, a former closer, to a late-inning role.

Winckowski (3-4) was tagged with the loss against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, completing six innings and allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five.

Winckowski bounced back from giving up six runs over five innings in his previous outing, and he ended with his third quality start of the campaign. However, the trio of runs he allowed between the third and fourth frames were enough to saddle him with his fourth loss. Winckowski has allowed three or fewer runs in five of his seven starts overall, and he's been a helpful addition to the rotation in light of injuries to a number of Boston starters. However, Nathan Eovaldi (back), Rich Hill (knee) and Michael Wacha (shoulder) are all nearing a return, so it's unclear if Winckowski will stay in the rotation following the All-Star break.

Poche earned a save against the Red Sox on Wednesday, pitching a scoreless inning during which he allowed one hit and struck out one batter.

Poche inherited a three-run ninth-inning lead and worked around a one-out single to collect his first save since June 22. The southpaw leads the team with six saves on the campaign, but four other Rays relievers have notched at least three thus far. As such, Poche isn't the most reliable source of saves in fantasy, though he's more valuable in leagues that count holds -- he has 10 on the campaign and has posted a 1.88 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over 28.2 innings.

Barlow struck out two without allowing a baserunner in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Wednesday against the Tigers.

Barlow protected a three-run lead to earn his 15th save of the season. He's rebounded from a shaky stretch spanning late June and early July -- Wednesday's outing marked his fifth consecutive scoreless appearance, a span in which he's picked up three saves while maintaining a 6:0 K:BB. Overall, Barlow has maintained a 2.16 ERA and 42:12 K:BB across 41.2 innings for the season.

Barnes (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Barnes has been sidelined since May 31 due to fluid buildup in his right shoulder, and he now won't be eligible to return until the end of July. The 32-year-old recently began a rehab assignment with the Red Sox's rookie-level FCL affiliate, and he'll continue building up over the next couple weeks. He had a 7.94 ERA over 17 innings prior to the injury, so the extended rehab stint will also given him a chance to iron out his issues.

Coleman is unable to travel to Canada for the four-game series in Toronto this weekend due to his vaccination status, so he'll be placed on the restricted list Wednesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The Royals have 10 players heading to the restricted list for their weekend series, but Coleman is the team's only reliever that is expected to be unavailable due to being unvaccinated. The team will likely call up some relievers to serve as bullpen depth ahead of the All-Star break.

The Rangers transferred Hernandez's (elbow) rehab assignment from Triple-A Round Rock to Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.

According to Levi Weaver of The Athletic, the Rangers were granted a 10-day extension for Hernandez's assignment, which initially began June 3 with Round Rock. The 26-year-old is working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last April and has looked sharp of late after a somewhat rocky start to his rehab assignment. Over his last 11 outings with Round Rock, Hernandez has struck out 12 over 10.1 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits and seven walks. Hernandez could handle a high-leverage role out of the Texas bullpen when he's likely activated from the 60-day injured list coming out of the All-Star break.

Carlton was optioned to Triple-A Toledo after Wednesday's loss to the Royals.

The 26-year-old delivered two scoreless innings Wednesday but will head back to the minors to create room on the active roster for Thursday's starter, Elvin Rodriguez. Carlson has given up two earned runs on four hits with a 6:0 K:BB across 6.2 big-league innings this year.

The Rangers placed Barlow on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a right index finger blister.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward recently dropped Barlow from the closer's role in favor of taking a committee approach to save situations, and the injury will only further hamper the 26-year-old's chances of recapturing the gig at any point in 2022. Even the committee could soon come to an end, as Brett Martin is quickly building security as the Rangers' preferred ninth-inning man after successfully converting all three save chances he's received since Barlow's demotion from the role.

The Rangers recalled Sborz from Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.

After a week-long stay in the minors, Sborz will make his way back to the big club after fellow reliever Joe Barlow (finger) was placed on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. Sborz owns an 8.71 ERA and 1.94 WHIP over 10.1 innings with Texas this season and is likely to see most his work in the middle innings or non-competitive contests.