MLB Player News

Morgan (2-7) allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings, taking the loss versus Milwaukee on Friday.

The right-hander was doing alright through four innings, but he got into a jam in the fifth. He was tagged for five runs in the frame after reliever Sam Hentges entered the game and yielded a grand slam to Lorenzo Cain. Morgan has failed to complete five innings in four of his last six starts, although he's improved from ineffective to inconsistent lately. He has a 6.03 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 70:21 K:BB in 71.2 innings in his rookie season. He projects for a road start versus the Yankees during next weekend's three-game series.

Fairbanks (3-6) allowed three runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout in one-third of an inning, taking the loss Friday versus Detroit.

The 27-year-old loaded the bases in the seventh inning before Andrew Kittredge allowed a grand slam to Jonathan Schoop. Fairbanks has experienced mixed results since returning from a shoulder injury. He's given up five runs in his last 5.1 innings while taking two losses and a blown save in those six appearances. He now has a 4.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 49:18 K:BB, five saves, 12 holds and two blown saves across 36.1 innings overall.

Cisnero (4-4) allowed three runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout in one inning, taking a blown save but earning the win Friday versus Tampa Bay.

The 32-year-old allowed a three-run double to Ji-Man Choi in the seventh inning, but Detroit took the lead back in the home half of the frame on a Jonathan Schoop grand slam. While it was one of Cisnero's ugliest outings of the year, it ultimately didn't lead to disaster. The right-hander owns a 3.06 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 62:30 K:BB across 61.2 innings this year. He's added four saves, three blown saves and 18 holds in 66 appearances.

Alexander allowed a run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings in a no-decision versus Tampa Bay on Friday.

The southpaw yielded the first run of the game on a Joey Wendle RBI single in the fifth inning. Alexander was expected to be taken out of the rotation, but Matthew Boyd (elbow) was a late scratch Friday, which could allow Alexander to remain in the rotation going forward. He's pitched to a decent 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 71:21 K:BB across 83.2 innings this year. Even if he remains a starter, his workload management has typically seen him work less than five innings, making it unlikely for him to earn many wins unless he works behind an opener. Alexander is tentatively projected for a rematch with the Rays next week.

Barnes (illness) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Barnes is one of several players who recently spent time on the injured list during their COVID-19 outbreak, but he's been cleared to rejoin the team. If Friday's throwing session goes well, manager Alex Cora said that the right-hander could be activated as early as this weekend.

Manager Alex Cora said that the Red Sox hope Pivetta (illness) will be cleared to join the team and start Sunday against the White Sox, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Pivetta was placed on the COVID list Sunday and it was later revealed that he tested positive for the virus. Nonetheless, since he is vaccinated, there is a possibility that he could be cleared from protocols in less than 10 days, which would allow him to take the ball for Sunday's series finale in Chicago.

Manager Kevin Cash announced Friday that Anderson (elbow) is with the team in Detroit and could be activated during the weekend series against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Anderson has yet to pitch in a big-league game this season after tearing an elbow ligament during spring training, but the right-hander appears to be on the brink of making his 2021 debut. He's allowed just one earned run on three hits across his last five outings with Triple-A Durham, and given that he's back with the Rays, his next outing figures to come in the majors, possibly as soon as this weekend. Anderson posted an impressive 0.55 ERA and 0.49 WHIP across 16.1 innings during the abbreviated 2020 campaign.

Rogers (finger) won't return to game action in 2021, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Rogers landed on the 10-day injured list shortly after the All-Star break due to a left middle finger sprain, and manager Rocco Baldelli confirmed Friday that the southpaw won't return to the mound in 2021. However, the team hopes he'll be able to ramp up his intensity prior to the end of the regular season, which bodes well for his availability to begin spring training in 2022.

Lambert was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday.

The right-hander earned his first major-league win Tuesday against the Athletics when he allowed a run in five innings, but he'll head back to the minors since Lance Lynn (knee) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list to start Sunday's game against the Red Sox. Lambert has posted a 6.23 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 13 innings across four appearances (three starts) in the majors this year, and he'll be a candidate to rejoin the White Sox if they need a spot starter.

The Orioles have not ruled out the possibility of Zimmermann (ankle) returning before the end of the season, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Zimmermann was initially sidelined with biceps tendinitis in mid-June, and just when he was on the brink of being reinstated in mid-August, he suffered a severe ankle sprain. The Orioles have already alluded to the possibility of his season being over, but Friday's update indicates the club is still holding out hope that the southpaw can return to log innings in some form during the season's final weeks. However, until he resumes mound work, the 27-year-old will remain without a concrete timeline.