MLB Player News

Bednar earned the save Wednesday against the Reds, pitching a perfect ninth inning to seal a 1-0 victory.

It's the second straight hitless appearance from Bednar after he allowed home runs in each of his previous two outings. Still, the right-hander has been solid of late following a rocky start to the campaign, allowing just three runs in his last 17.1 innings. Overall, Bednar's converted 16 of 19 save opportunities this year while pitching to a 5.17 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 32:7 K:BB across 31.1 innings.

Suarez struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Wednesday to record his 18th save of the season in a 5-2 win over the Phillies.

One day after blowing his first save chance of the season, Suarez was back in his usual form, firing nine of 13 pitches for strikes as he shut down the Phillies' 6-7-8 hitters. The 33-year-old right-hander came into 2024 with only one career save, but he's having a breakout campaign as the Padres' closer, posting a 1.17 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 29:6 K:BB through 30.2 innings.

Petersen (1-0) earned the win over Colorado on Tuesday, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two batters over two innings.

After being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, Petersen saw his first big-league action Tuesday at Coors Field. He entered in the seventh inning with Los Angeles down four runs and allowed the Rockies to increase their lead on a walk, single and sacrifice fly. Petersen returned for the eighth and retired the side in order, then found himself in the win column after the Dodgers pulled ahead with a seven-run ninth frame. Petersen will likely be used mainly in low-leverage spots during his time with the big club.

Ortiz (shoulder/ankle) was removed from his rehab appearance Tuesday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley due to forearm soreness, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Ortiz was placed on the 15-day injured list March 31 with a sprained left ankle, but he's now picked up new injuries on both of his rehab assignments. He began his initial assignment in late April, only to get shut down after two appearances with Single-A Clearwater due to right shoulder inflammation. He restarted the assignment June 11 and made three appearances before the forearm issue flared up. The severity of the forearm issue isn't yet fully known, but expect Ortiz to get shut down again for some time before he's cleared to start pitching in rehab games.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Brown (neck) resumed throwing Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Brown landed on the 15-day injured list June 11 with what the Cubs labeled as a stress reaction to the left side of his neck. Counsell said that the pain in Brown's neck is already subsiding, and the fact that the right-hander is throwing again bodes well for his chances of avoiding an extended absence. Jordan Wicks (oblique) was placed on the IL just four days after Brown, so the Cubs have turned back to Kyle Hendricks as their No. 5 starter in the meantime.

Roycroft (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over two-thirds of an inning to take a blown save and the extra-inning loss versus the Marlins on Tuesday.

Due to recent workloads, the Cardinals were short in the bullpen Tuesday, leaving Roycroft to protect a one-run lead in the 10th inning. It didn't work out, as the right-hander saw his 6.2-inning scoreless streak come to an end. It's his first blown save, though he's still done a decent job at run prevention this year with a 3.38 ERA over 13.1 innings. He has a less-impressive 1.65 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB while mainly working in a low-leverage role.

Liberatore will start Wednesday's game in Miami in place of the injured Kyle Gibson (back), Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gibson was a late scratch, forcing the Cardinals to turn to Liberatore, who threw 12 pitches and allowed one run over two-thirds of an inning in a relief appearance during Tuesday's loss to the Marlins. Liberatore has made three starts for St. Louis this season, but his last one came a month ago. He hasn't thrown more than 23 pitches in an appearance since then and will be going on zero days' rest Wednesday, so he'll presumably be in store for an abbreviated outing.

The Cubs placed Thompson on the paternity list prior to Wednesday's game against the Giants, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

After striking out the side in Tuesday's 5-2 win to net his first save of the season, Thompson will be away from the team for at least the next 1-to-3 games following the birth of his son earlier Wednesday. The Cubs called up right-hander Porter Hodge from Triple-A Iowa to take Thompson's spot in the bullpen.

The Cubs recalled Hodge from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

Hodge was optioned to Iowa less than two weeks ago, but he'll be eligible to rejoin the Cubs since right-hander Keegan Thompson (personal) was placed on the paternity list in a corresponding move. Over his six relief appearances with the Cubs earlier this season, Hodge gave up two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven.

Garrett (7-2) picked up the win Tuesday over the Rangers, striking out one in a perfect eighth inning.

The right-hander carved up the heart of the Texas order on 12 pitches (seven strikes), and Garrett was rewarded when New York completed a comeback in the top of the ninth. The journeyman reliever came into 2024 with a career 7.11 ERA in only 44.1 big-league innings, but he's been a revelation as a high-leverage option for the Mets, producing a 3.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 55:17 K:BB through 35.2 frames while adding three saves and six holds to his win total over 28 appearances.