MLB Player News

Herget was outrighted to Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.

He'll stick around in the Tampa Bay organization after going unclaimed off waivers when the Rays designated him for assignment earlier this week. During his four-day stay with the big club, the 31-year-old Herget didn't get the chance to make his MLB debut out of the Tampa Bay bullpen.

Winder (shoulder) is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday for Single-A Fort Myers, play-by-play broadcaster John Vittas reports.

The rehab start will mark Winder's first appearance at any level since July 12 after he spent the past six weeks recovering from right shoulder impingement syndrome. With the Twins' rotation depth having been thinned of late with Tyler Mahle (shoulder) joining Bailey Ober (groin) on the injured list, Winder could get stretched out over the course of multiple rehab assignments to provide the big club with another potential starting option in September.

Wantz has been throwing his cutter more often over the past few months, and it has helped him post a 2.08 ERA over 16 games since July 3, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The cutter wasn't part of Wantz's arsenal early in his professional career -- he began to develop it during the 2020 season, when he worked out at home due to the cancellation of the minor-league campaign. The right-hander didn't use the pitch much early this season, but he's turned to it frequently over the past few months, and his ERA has improved from 4.00 to 3.06 since July 3. Per Fletcher, Wantz attributes his improvement this season to the cutter in addition to more focus on his command.

Lakins (elbow) gave up three runs on a hit and two walks in one inning in his rehab debut Wednesday for Double-A Bowie.

Lakins made his first two rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League, allowing a run on a hit and a walk across 1.2 innings. He'll likely need a few more rehab outings as he continues to work his way back from right elbow inflammation, which has kept him out since mid-May.

The Rockies designated Stephenson for assignment Thursday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 26-man active roster for right-hander Chad Kuhl (hip), who was activated from the 15-day injured list with the expectation that he'll rejoin the rotation during this weekend's series with the Mets. Stephenson delivered underwhelming numbers while mostly working in a middle-relief role for the Rockies this season, producing a 6.04 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 44.2 innings.

Puk (3-1) earned the win in Wednesday's extra-inning victory over the Marlins, firing a scoreless 10th inning in which he issued a walk and recorded two strikeouts.

Puk preserved a 2-2 tie in the top half of the 10th with a solid 17-pitch inning, and he was rewarded for his efforts in the home half of the frame when Skye Bolt plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly. The big left-hander had last recorded a decision, also a win, back in the final game before the All-Star break July 17, but he'd generated three saves and six holds over that span. Puk's scoreless effort Wednesday also represented a solid rebound after he was tagged for two runs over two-thirds of an inning by the Mariners in his prior appearance Sunday.

Sewald (3-4) took the loss against the Nationals on Wednesday, allowing a go-ahead two-run home run for his only hit conceded during his one inning. He also recorded a walk and a strikeout apiece.

The normally reliable Sewald started off on the wrong foot upon entering in the ninth inning by issuing a free pass to Keibert Ruiz, and after recording two consecutive outs, he surrendered a 385-foot shot to right field to Ildemaro Vargas. The blast snapped a 1-1 tie and turned out to be the difference in the game, handing Sewald his second loss of August. Despite the stumble, the right-hander maintains a solid 16-for-19 tally in save opportunities, which he's complemented with his three wins and six holds.

Robertson picked up the save Wednesday against Cincinnati, allowing one walk while striking out one over one scoreless inning.

Robertson has been great since being dealt to Philadelphia, sporting a 1.83 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over 9.2 innings in nine outings. The righty has allowed zero runs in eight of those nine outings and has recorded the save in four of his last five opportunities. The 37-year-old's only blemish in his time with the Phillies was a blown save against the Mets in which he allowed two runs in 0.2 innings.

Mantiply did not retire a batter and gave up three runs on three hits in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to Kansas City.

Mantiply entered a tied game with a runner on first and let the game get away, allowing two singles and a three-run home run. He's pitched effectively when starting a clean inning, but he has allowed 10 of 24 inherited runners to score (42 percent) this year. One might think the left-hander would be better at preventing inherited runners from scoring, given Mantiply sports a 2.66 ERA, rarely issues walks (0.7 BB/9), keeps the ball in the park (0.7 HR/9) and does a good job stranding his own runners (76.6%).

Finnegan (5-2) picked up the win in Wednesday's 3-1 victory over the Mariners, giving up a hit and a walk over 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. He struck out one.

Entering a 1-1 game with two outs in the eighth inning, the right-hander got Mitch Haniger to fly out to end the frame then reaped the rewards as the Nationals scored twice in the top of the ninth. Finnegan has a win or a save in six of his last seven appearances, and Washington's closer now sports a 3.18 ERA and 52:18 K:BB through 51 innings on the year.