MLB Player News

May (4-2) picked up the win in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Atlanta, striking out two in a perfect seventh inning.

The right-hander breezed through the bottom of Atlanta's order on 13 pitches and was rewarded when Brandon Drury launched a pinch-hit solo shot in the bottom of the seventh inning. May has been exactly the bullpen stalwart the Mets needed when they signed him this offseason and he's collected a win, save or hold in six straight appearances, lowering his season ERA to 3.23 with a 51:13 K:BB through 39 innings in the process.

Lawrence was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday.

Lawrence surrendered six runs and walked six batters over his past four appearances, and he'll head back to the minors. The 26-year-old has a 7.16 ERA, 2.20 WHIP and 17:17 K:BB across 16.1 innings this season.

Pruitt and Bryan De La Cruz were traded from the Astros to the Marlins on Wednesday in exchange for Yimi Garcia, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.

Pruitt was designated for assignment by the Astros earlier in the day, but he was instead shipped to Miami rather than being exposed to the waiver wire. The right-hander appeared in only two games for Houston this season and allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout and zero walks over 2.2 innings.

Gilbreath will start Wednesday's game against the Angels, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports.

Scheduled starter Chi Chi Gonzalez (undisclosed) was placed on the COVID-19 injured list, so Gilbreath will be called upon to start a bullpen game. The 25-year-old has a 6.27 ERA over 18.2 innings this season and figures to cover a frame or two versus the Halos.

Mlodzinski (shoulder) is expected to throw off the slope of the mound this week, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Mlodzinski was removed from a game at High-A Greensboro on July 10 after he experienced stiffness in his right shoulder, and he was placed on the 7-day minor-league injured list July 12. However, the right-hander resumed throwing last week, and he'll take another step in his recovery once he resumes mound work.

Howard (oblique) has increased his throwing distance to 90 feet, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Howard resumed playing catch last week, and he's been able to increase his volume and intensity since then. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that he's hopeful that the southpaw will be able to increase his throwing distance to 120 feet by the end of the week.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton confirmed that Kranick will start Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Kranick was fully expected to get the ball for the second game of the series after he was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day. With Tyler Anderson having been dealt away to Seattle and Chase De Jong (knee) on the injured list, the Pirates should have room in the rotation for both Kranick and Cody Ponce -- who tossed five scoreless innings in relief in Tuesday's loss -- for the foreseeable future. Over his three prior starts with Pittsburgh this season, Kranick has gone 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA (3.69 FIP) and 1.36 WHIP over 11 innings.

The Pirates recalled Kranick from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh hasn't announced a starting pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Brewers, but the nod will presumably go to Kranick, who would be stepping into the rotation as a replacement for the injured Chase De Jong (knee). Kranick tossed five scoreless innings in his MLB debut June 27 in St. Louis, but he's struggled over his last two outings with the big club. Between those starts, Kranick has covered six frames while giving up seven runs on 11 hits and four walks.

Hand had a strikeout and didn't allow a hit or walk during a scoreless ninth inning to record the save in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Phillies.

A throwing error put a runner on second base to start the frame, but Hand quickly retired the next three batters on only seven pitches to break a streak of two straight blown saves. The veteran lefty entered Tuesday's contest with seven earned runs allowed in five appearances since the All-Star break, so it was a welcome sight to see him deliver a clean ninth inning. He's 21-for-26 in save opportunities this season and has a 3.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 42:18 K:BB across 42.2 innings.

Moore (0-3) took the loss Tuesday versus the Nationals after giving up six runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks over four innings.

Moore served up a three-run home run in each of the first two frames as Washington jumped out to an early lead. It's the second consecutive outing in which the left-hander gave up exactly six runs. He appeared set to lose his spot in the rotation with the Phillies on the verge of acquiring Tyler Anderson from the Pirates on Tuesday, but the trade fell through due to medical reasons after an initial agreement was reached. Moore has a 6.46 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 40:22 K:BB across 46 innings this season, and he tentatively lines up for his next turn through the rotation Sunday in Pittsburgh.