MLB Player News

Hendriks (elbow) was cleared to face live hitters Saturday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

After spending the past month throwing two bullpen sessions every week, Hendriks has finally received the green light to throw live batting practice. The plan is for him to throw his first session of live BP on Tuesday at Triple-A Worcester. Once he completes two additional sessions, the Red Sox will likely send him out on a rehab assignment.

Hernandez was added to the Mariners' major-league roster Saturday.

Hernandez was claimed off waivers by Seattle on Friday after he was designated for assignment by the Rangers earlier in the week. He will now join Seattle's bullpen ahead of the second game of their series at home against the Phillies. Hernandez has produced a 5.05 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with 36 strikeouts over 41 innings in 26 appearances with the Rangers this season.

The Mariners optioned Diaz to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.

Diaz gave up two earned runs in his two appearances after being promoted from Triple-A on Tuesday. He'll now lose his spot in Seattle's bullpen to make room for Jonathan Hernandez, who was claimed off waivers from Texas on Friday.

The Rockies optioned Bird to Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.

Bird has struggled to find his footing in the majors this season, accumulating a 6.12 ERA and 1.84 WHIP over 25 innings out of the bullpen. He'll head back to Triple-A in order to right the ship, and his roster spot will be given to Tanner Gordon, who will start Saturday's game versus San Diego.

Holton will serve as the Tigers' opening pitcher in Saturday's game against the Royals, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Saturday will mark the fifth time this season that Holton has drawn the opener assignment. In his last appearance as an opener against the Guardians on Tuesday, Holton threw 2.2 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while striking out one batter. Joey Wentz worked an inning of relief in Friday's contest against Kansas City, so Kenta Maeda appears most likely serve in bulk relief, as he did July 28 against the Twins, once Holton is done for the day.

The Astros outrighted Montero to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.

After he was designated for assignment Wednesday, Montero unsurprisingly went unclaimed off waivers, given that he's in the second season of a three-year, $34.5 million contract. Montero would have forfeited the money remaining on the contract had he elected free agency, so he'll stick around in the Houston organization and look to impress at Sugar Land with the hope of earning another look in the big-league bullpen. The 33-year-old had appeared in 41 games for the Astros this season, registering 10 holds with a 4.70 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 23:19 K:BB across 38.1 innings.

Smith (6-1) struck out three over 1.2 perfect innings to earn the win Friday over the Orioles.

Carlos Carrasco covered only 4.1 innings, and Smith was able to vulture a win with another strong performance. This outing extended Smith's scoreless streak to 16 innings over his last 13 appearances, and he's allowed just six hits and two walks while striking out 25 in that span. For the season, he's at a 1.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 74:11 K:BB, and he's backed up those stellar numbers with a 1.42 FIP and 2.34 xERA that suggest his results are mostly earned.

Faucher (2-3) blew the save and took the loss Friday against Atlanta, getting tagged for three runs on three hits and two walks in the eighth inning. He struck out one.

Manager Skip Schumaker continues to play it coy when it comes to the Marlins' closer situation in the wake of the Tanner Scott trade. After rookie Valente Bellozo gave the team five innings as the starter, Anthony Bender worked the sixth, Andrew Nardi the seventh and then Faucher the eighth, leaving open the question of who would have gotten the ninth had Faucher not coughed up a 3-2 lead. The blown save was Faucher's third of the year against two successful conversions, and Friday's implosion was the first time he's been charged with multiple earned runs since June 17. The situation could be headed for a committee, but at least so far, Schumaker has been willing to deploy Nardi and Bender earlier in the game in key spots.

Little (1-1) picked up the win Friday over the Yankees, giving up a hit and striking out two in 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Entering the game in the sixth inning, Little wound up getting credited with his first career major-league win after Kevin Gausman failed to last the minimum five frames to qualify. The 27-year-old southpaw has been a reliable option in the Toronto bullpen over the last month-plus, posting a 2.45 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 9:5 K:BB in 11 innings since the beginning of July with five holds in 13 appearances.

Bummer (3-2) picked up the win Friday over the Marlins, allowing one hit and striking out two in a scoreless eighth inning.

Entering the game with Atlanta down 3-2, the southpaw gave up a leadoff single to Xavier Edwards and watched the shortstop steal second base, but Bummer then proceeded to shut down what passes for the heart of the Miami order, including a strikeout of cleanup hitter Jonah Bride. Bummer has a 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 16:1 K:BB through 10.1 innings since the beginning of July, but Atlanta's deep bullpen keeps him out of consistent fantasy-friendly usage -- he has zero saves or holds on the season.