MLB Player News

Coulombe was designated for assignment by the Twins on Friday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

Coulombe joined the active roster last weekend and allowed two hits over 2.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three walks, but the Twins are opting to go in a different direction. The contract of Juan Minaya was purchased in a corresponding move.

Fairbanks has not allowed an earned run over his last seven appearances and has 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings over that stretch, although he did allow an unearned run in a blown save in his most recent appearance.

After a shaky start to the year (6.43 ERA in first seven innings), Fairbanks has settled in as the pitcher the Rays thought they were getting when they traded Nick Solak to the Rangers for him in a two-player trade last July. The Rays' bullpen has been decimated by injuries, and while Diego Castillo seems like the top option for saves, Fairbanks and John Curtiss are also in that mix.

Yarbrough's scheduled start Thursday against the Orioles was postponed, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

The teams elected not to take the field Thursday in protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. It's unclear when the game will be made up or how the Rays will adjust their starting rotation.

Akin was optioned to Baltimore's alternate training site Thursday.

Akin spent just two days in the majors, retiring the only batter he faced in his lone appearance. He's an option to rejoin the big-league bullpen down the road. Jose Iglesias was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move.

Valdez's contract was selected by the Orioles on Thursday.

Valdez signed a minor-league deal with the Orioles in January and was part of the team's 60-man player pool to begin the season. He'll now join the major-league bullpen but likely won't play a prominent role for the team.

Seattle transferred Edwards (forearm) on the 45-day injured list Thursday.

While Edwards is expected to avoid Tommy John surgery after he was diagnosed earlier this month with a flexor mass strain in his elbow, his move to the 45-day IL indicates that his recovery timeline will extend through the end of the season. Edwards will be entering his third year of arbitration this winter, so the Mariners will likely monitor his recovery carefully before determining if he's worth keeping around on the 40-man roster into the 2021 campaign.

The Blue Jays transferred Thornton (elbow) to the 45-day injured list Thursday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Though Thornton is expected to avoid surgery after he exited his Aug. 23 start with right elbow inflammation, his move to the 45-day IL will nonetheless spell an early end to his season. Before being shut down, Thornton made three starts for the Blue Jays, giving up seven runs on 15 hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Taijuan Walker, whom the Blue Jays acquired from the Mariners on Thursday to bolster their rotation depth.

Green (2-1) took the loss and blown save against Atlanta in Game 2 of a doubleheader Wednesday, pitching one inning and allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two.

Green entered the game having yielded only one run in 12.2 frames, but he was unable to protect a one-run lead in the sixth inning Wednesday. The right-hander retired the first two batters he faced, but Dansby Swanson then reached on an infield single, and Freddie Freeman turned the game around with a home run to left field. Green has been extremely effective this season, so this performance is likely just a bump in an otherwise smooth road. He still holds a 1.98 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and 19:4 K:BB through 10 appearances.

Merryweather tossed two scoreless innings Wednesday, allowing just one hit while striking out three against the Red Sox. He did not factor into the decision.

Merryweather looked sharp out of the bullpen following his Aug. 18 callup as he logged 3.1 scoreless innings while punching out six batters. His early success got him a look as Wednesday's opener, and after another favorable outing, Merryweather could receive another opportunity to open with the Blue Jays currently down three regular starters to the injured list.

Hendriks struck out two in a perfect ninth inning against the Rangers on Wednesday en route to his 10th save of the season.

With that, Hendriks is back in sole possession of the MLB saves lead. The right-hander blew a save in his first appearance of the 2020 season, but he has been unbelievable since with only one run and six hits allowed in his last 15 appearances (15.1 innings), going 10-for-10 in save chances and earning two wins along the way.