MLB Player News

Hader (6-6) didn't allow a baserunner in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the win Monday against Boston.

Hader entered the game in the ninth inning with the score knotted at 4-4. He turned in his 10th consecutive scoreless appearance -- covering 10.1 innings -- during which he's maintained a 12:3 K:BB while also recording seven saves and two wins. Though Hader has a relatively inflated 3.36 ERA for the season, his 0.91 WHIP is his lowest mark since 2021.

The Cubs selected Neely's contract from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Acquired from the Yankees in the Mark Leiter trade, Neely has collected a 2.42 ERA and 76:17 K:BB over 48.1 innings between the Double- and Triple-A levels in 2024. The 24-year-old will likely be used in low-leverage spots initially, but he could work his way into a more prominent role as part of an unsettled Cubs bullpen. Neely will be making his major-league debut when/if he gets into a game.

Astros manager Joe Espada said that Pressly (back) played catch Monday, MLB.com reports.

Pressly was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a lower-back strain, but the fact that he resumed throwing two days later bodes well for his chances of rejoining the Astros when first eligible Aug. 29. Espada said that the right-hander had been nursing the back strain for about two weeks before he was deactivated over the weekend.

Murfee experienced soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow following his rehab appearance with Single-A Fayetteville on Thursday and will be held back from throwing for another day or two, MLB.com reports.

The Astros haven't pulled Murfee off his rehab assignment, but it's possible he doesn't make his next appearance until later this week or next week while he waits for the soreness to fully subside. In his first outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery last July, Murfee gave up four earned runs on three hits and one walk while retiring just one batter in his 19-pitch appearance with Fayetteville.

Urena (4-8) scooped up a win while working in long relief in Monday's 4-3 victory over the Pirates covering four scoreless innings and striking out three batters. He scattered two hits and two walks.

After starting in his last three appearances and taking losses each time out, Urena was moved to the bullpen Monday with the Rangers opting to keep Cody Bradford and Dane Dunning in place as back-end starters in the rotation. Dunning opened Monday's game and gave up three runs over four innings prior to getting piggybacked by Urena, who was able to maintain the Rangers' one-run lead for the next four innings before handing the ball off to closer Kirby Yates in the bottom of the ninth. Though Urena could have a chance at poaching more wins if the Rangers continue to deploy him in tandem with Dunning in the latter's future starts, manager Bruce Bochy is likely to be more flexible with his usage of Urena, making it difficult to stream him with much reliability.

Harvey (back) is progressing well and hopes to be clear to throw a bullpen session in the coming days, Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star reports.

Harvey hasn't made an appearance since Aug. 4 because of mid-back tightness, an injury that he initially suffered in late July. The right-handed reliever looks to be trending in the right direction and should have a shot to return before the end of the month if all goes well. Harvey is part of the late-inning mix in Kansas City.

Jansen (3-2) was tagged with Monday's loss to the Astros, allowing one run on one hit while striking out one over one-third of an inning.

Jansen entered the ninth inning with the score tied and promptly dispatched Yordan Alvarez on three pitches. His fourth pitch, however, hung too high in the zone, and Yainer Diaz belted a no-doubt home run to left, giving Houston the walk-off win. Jansen had not allowed a hit or run in his previous six outings, spanning 6.2 innings.

Sims allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out one over one inning, picking up a blown save in Monday's 5-4 loss to Houston.

The Red Sox seemingly were in control late, but the bullpen -- Sims and Kenley Jansen -- allowed the Astros to tie and then win the game in the final two innings. With two outs and the bases empty in the eighth inning, Sims allowed back-to-back hits that erased Boston's one-run lead. Sims was added at the trade deadline to help a faltering bullpen, and he's done fine when not facing the Astros. In three appearances against Houston while in a Boston uniform, Sims has allowed six runs on six hits and three walks over 3.1 innings.

Suarez earned a save against the Twins on Monday, allowing one run on one hit and one walk over one inning.

Suarez wasn't exactly sharp in the outing, but he had a three-run lead to work with and performed well enough to pick up the save. The right-hander threw just 12 of 22 pitches for strikes and allowed a run for the third time over his past five appearances, though he's gone 4-for-4 on save opportunities during that span. Despite the moderately bumpy stretch, Suarez still has an outstanding 1.82 ERA and 0.91 WHIP on the season, and he ranks fifth in the majors with 28 saves.

Dominguez (3-3) allowed one run on one hit and struck out one in one-third of an inning to take the loss versus the Mets on Monday.

Dominguez was called on to keep the game tied at 3-3 in the ninth inning, but he allowed a one-out solo home run to Francisco Alvarez. This was the second outing in a row in which Dominguez has given up a run after previously posting a five-inning scoreless streak. For the season, he's now at a 4.24 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 54:15 K:BB over 46.2 innings while adding four saves and five holds. Dominguez has emerged as manager Brandon Hyde's top closing option this month, but his grip on that role is tenuous even with Craig Kimbrel struggling. Yennier Cano and Cionel Perez are also options to see late-inning work.