MLB Player News

The Mets designated Houser for assignment Friday.

Houser looked like a reasonable addition to the back end of the Mets rotation when they traded for him over the offseason. The gambit didn't work out, however, with the 31-year-old holding an 8.55 ERA and 20:21 K:BB over 33.2 innings in seven starts. He posted a 3.28 ERA while working out of the bullpen but had allowed nine runs over nine innings this month. Houser will almost certainly clear waivers, given his $5.05 million salary. He'll likely elect free agency once he clears waivers and will pursue an opportunity with another organization.

The Marlins recalled Ramirez from Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

He'll be taking the roster spot vacated by A.J. Puk, who was traded to the Diamondbacks on Thursday. Ramirez has pitched well in seven relief appearances for the Marlins this season, yielding just one run with a 9:1 K:BB.

Thompson (undisclosed) was reinstated from Triple-A Memphis' 7-day injured list Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The left-hander has been sidelined nearly a month by an unspecified injury, but he's now healthy and ready to rejoin the Redbirds. Thompson has a 9.53 ERA and 20:8 K:BB over 17 innings for the Cardinals this season and has a 4.17 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 54:35 K:BB in 11 outings at Triple-A.

Maton (2-2) picked up the win Thursday in a 3-2 extra-inning victory over Atlanta, throwing a scoreless 10th inning without a walk or a strikeout.

The right-hander got a bit lucky in the top of the 10th -- Ramon Laureano began the frame as the phantom runner and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but when Atlanta tried to bring him home with a suicide squeeze, Jarred Kelenic couldn't get his bat on a Maton pitch that was nowhere near the strike zone and Laureano got caught in a rundown. Maton has been a solid addition to the Mets' bullpen so far, posting a 1.50 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 7:1 K:BB through six innings with three holds in seven appearances, plus Thursday's win.

Brazoban is a candidate to step into the closer role for the Marlins in the event Tanner Scott gets traded, Kaushik Sampath of the Miami Herald reports.

Andrew Nardi is viewed as the top option to replace Scott, especially with A.J. Puk having been shipped to the Diamondbacks, but Brazoban might also be a factor in the ninth inning. The right-hander missed the beginning of the season due to visa issues, but since making his 2024 debut at the beginning of June, he has posted a 3.14 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 31:11 K:BB through 28.2 innings. He's taken things to another level over the last month or so, giving up zero earned runs over his last eight games with a 0.79 WHIP and 16:2 K:BB in 12.2 innings. Brazoban hasn't seen much high-leverage work this season, however, managing only one hold and one win in 18 appearances.

Nardi might step into the closer role if Tanner Scott is traded, Kaushik Sampath of the Miami Herald reports.

Nardi had a brutal start to the season, getting tagged for eight runs in his first four appearances, but since then the lefty has produced a palatable 3.50 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 47:10 K:BB through 36 innings. Scott becomes a free agent in the offseason and is almost certain to be dealt by next week's trade deadline, and with A.J. Puk now in Arizona, the path to the ninth inning could be fairly clear for Nardi. Huascar Brazoban could also be in the mix for closing duties in the wake of a Scott trade.

Johnson (3-2) took the loss Thursday as Atlanta fell 3-2 in 10 innings to the Mets, giving up an unearned run on a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two.

The right-hander did his job, fanning J.D. Martinez and Mark Vientos before coaxing a flyball from Jeff McNeil down the right-field line for what should have been the third out, but Ramon Laureano over-ran it and let it fall in for a single, allowing the automatic runner to score from second base. Johnson has been charged with an earned run in only one of his last 11 appearances, posting a 0.82 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB through 11 innings over that stretch while picking up two holds and a win. A.J. Minter's return from the IL has squeezed Johnson out of consistent setup work, but he remains one of Atlanta's most effective bullpen arms.

The Padres activated Cosgrove (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso.

Cosgrove missed nearly a month of action with left elbow inflammation but has been cleared to pitch in games again. The southpaw has battled through a dreadful 2024 campaign which has seen him cough up 19 runs over 14.2 innings during his time with the Padres.

The Diamondbacks designated Jacques for assignment Thursday.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for A.J. Puk, who was acquired via trade from the Marlins. Jacques permitted two runs over 1.1 innings in his lone appearance with Arizona this season.

The Diamondbacks acquired Puk from the Marlins in exchange for Deyvison De Los Santos and Andrew Pintar on Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

After beginning the season in Miami's rotation and posting a 9.22 ERA in four starts, Puk was moved to the bullpen upon returning from the injured list in mid-May. He's been dominant in a relief role this season, logging a 2.08 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with a 33:6 K:BB in 30.1 innings. He'll provide needed fortification to the back of the Diamondbacks bullpen, as closer Paul Sewald has struggled for much of July. Puk seems likely to start out in more of a setup role but could be a factor for saves, especially if Sewald is unable to get back on track.