MLB Player News

Fairbanks allowed two hits in a scoreless inning and earned a save against the Guardians on Sunday.

Fairbanks was tasked with protecting a 2-0 lead and found himself in danger after coughing up singles to the first two batters he faced. He managed to retire the next three to escape unscathed. Fairbanks has converted 17 of 19 save chances this season while producing a 3.21 ERA and a 32:15 K:BB. Since the start of June, he owns a 2.55 ERA with 12 saves in 17 appearances.

Scott allowed two walks over 1.1 scoreless innings and earned a save against the Reds on Sunday. He struck out two batters.

Scott faced a two-on, two-out situation in the ninth inning but struck out Edwin Rios to close out the 3-2 win. He's riding a 12.1-inning scoreless streak while converting six straight save chances. He's now 14 for 16 in save opportunities with a stellar 1.34 ERA through 39 appearances.

Ortiz underwent Tommy John surgery Thursday to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, MLB.com reports.

After spraining his left ankle in his 2024 debut March 30, Ortiz was placed on the injured list a day later. He began a rehab assignment at Single-A Clearwater in late April, only to be shut down again after experiencing right shoulder inflammation following his second rehab outing. Ortiz shook off the shoulder injury and resumed his rehab assignment June 11 before being shut down just over a week later with forearm discomfort. The reliever was recommended for surgery after undergoing further testing and will now miss the rest of the season and the majority of the 2025 campaign.

Rucker (hand) resumed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, working one inning while striking out a batter and giving up one run on three hits and one walk.

Rucker had been pulled off his rehab assignment last Sunday due to turf toe in his right big toe, but he evidently made a swift recovery from that injury. The 30-year-old is still in the process of building back up while he's been on the injured list all season due to a right hand arterial vasospasm. He'll likely work in middle relief for the Phillies once he's activated from the 60-day IL.

Turnbull (lat) was cleared to resume playing catch Saturday at the Phillies' facility in Clearwater, Fla., MLB.com reports.

Turnbull looks to be trending positively in his recovery from the strained right lat he sustained June 26, but he still has several checkpoints to hit in the rehab process before making his return from the 15-day injured list. Phillies manager Rob Thomson previously said that Turnbull was likely facing a 6-to-8-week recovery timeline, so the right-hander shouldn't be expected back from the IL until middle or late August.

Duran (5-4) allowed an unearned run on one hit without retiring a batter to take the loss Sunday versus the Giants.

Duran gave up a triple to Mike Yastrzemski to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, and it turned into a run after Brooks Lee's relay throw ended up in the dugout. It's a tough way for Duran to take a loss, which also ended his 7.2-inning scoreless streak, but it won't hurt his ERA, which remains at 2.93 to go with a 0.98 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB through 30.2 innings. Since Duran was pitching in a tied game before giving up the run, he also will avoid taking his second blown save of the year, and his status as the Twins' primary closer is not in question.

Pagan (lat) began a throwing program July 2, MLB.com reports.

Pagan's throwing progression is expected to last most of the month before he reports to a minor-league affiliate for a rehab assignment. The right-hander is on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain and won't be eligible for activation until Aug. 7.

Walker (6-3) retired both batters he faced and earned the win Sunday over the Twins.

Walker was called on for damage control after Camilo Doval blew a save chance. Walker got Willi Castro to ground out and Brooks Lee to fly out, keeping the game tied at 2-2 before Mike Yastrzemski tripled and scored on an error to win it for the Giants. Aside from a three-run stumble versus the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Walker continues to be quite steady in a high-leverage role. He's at a 2.32 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 62:10 K:BB through 50.1 innings while adding 17 holds and two blown saves this season. While reliever wins can be tricky to project, Walker's steady ratios, high strikeout rate and setup duties make him a reliable option for fantasy managers.

Doval allowed two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out one over one-third of an inning, taking a blown save in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Twins.

Doval's poor performance didn't stop the Giants from winning, but it made things a bit hairy in the ninth inning. The closer had gone five scoreless innings since his last blown save June 28, though he continues to put too many batters on base. For the season, Doval has a 4.38 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 49:24 K:BB over 37 innings while going 17-for-21 in save chances. If manager Bob Melvin changes his approach to the closer job, Doval could lose some of his save share to Ryan Walker or Tyler Rogers.

Smyly tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn a hold in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Cardinals.

Smyly picked things up after Chicago starter Jameson Taillon covered 5.2 innings, and the former was effective across his 16 pitches, earning his third hold of the season in the process. Smyly had a solid first half of the season, posting a 3.09 ERA across 35 innings of relief. While the veteran lefty has plenty of starting experience in his career, he's worked exclusively out of the bullpen so far in 2024, and he'll likely stick in that role after the All-Star break.