MLB Player News

Matthews (2-3) took the loss in Wednesday's 13-1 rout at the hands of the Red Sox, coughing up five runs on eight hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.

The 25-year-old right-hander once again showed great control without much command in the zone, firing 52 of 74 pitches for strikes but watching half the hits he allowed go for extra bases, including a solo shot by Trevor Story in the second inning. Matthews has an impressive 17:1 K:BB over three starts and 14.1 innings since the All-Star break, but it comes with a 6.28 ERA that isn't just a product of bad luck. He'll try to tighten things up in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Detroit.

Brown is listed as the Cubs' probable starting pitcher for Saturday's game against the Orioles at Wrigley Field.

Brown will make his second straight turn through the Chicago rotation after he delivered an impressive start his last time out Sunday, when he earned a win while limiting the White Sox to one earned run on three hits and no walks over five innings. Though most of his underlying ratios suggest that he's pitched far better than the 6.22 ERA he's posted over 88.1 innings in the majors this season, Brown could find himself back in the bullpen or at Triple-A Iowa following Saturday's start, regardless of how he performs. The Cubs acquired Michael Soroka from the Nationals on Wednesday, and he's expected to replace Brown at the back end of the rotation.

The Orioles are expected to place Eflin on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The report doesn't specify what kind of injury Eflin is dealing with, but he just returned from a back issue last week after missing nearly a month of action. Rosenthal relays that it's "very possible" Eflin is still traded ahead of Thursday's deadline even though he's hurt, as he is expected to be back before the end of the season. The veteran righty holds a 5.93 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 50:13 K:BB across 71.1 innings this season.

Bello (7-5) picked up the win in Wednesday's 13-1 rout of the Twins, allowing one run on five hits and four walks over seven innings. He struck out four.

While his control wasn't particularly sharp, the only real blemish on Bello's line was a solo shot by Matt Wallner in the second inning. The right-hander fired his fourth quality start in his last five trips to the mound, and he hasn't been tagged for more than three earned runs since May 18, posting a 2.83 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 54:19 K:BB over 70 innings since the beginning of June. Bello will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Royals.

Paddack (4-9) picked up the win in Wednesday's 7-2 victory over the Diamondbacks, allowing one run on three hits over six innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.

The right-hander celebrated being dealt to a Tigers team in the thick of the race for the best record in the AL by delivering his sixth quality start of the season on 84 pitches (58 strikes) in his debut for his new squad. Paddack has had an uneven campaign, posting a 4.77 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 88:27 K:BB through 117 innings, but simply being able to take a regular turn in the rotation has to count as a successful season -- that innings total is his highest since 2019. He'll look to build on this performance in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Twins team that just traded him away.

The Tigers designated Manning for assignment Thursday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Once a heralded starting pitching prospect in the organization, Manning struggled to stay healthy over each of the previous three seasons and was unable to establish himself as a permanent part of the big-league rotation. Though Manning had still managed to produce a 3.74 ERA in 168.2 innings in the majors from 2022 through 2024, the Tigers elected to move him to the bullpen earlier this season after he failed to win a spot on Detroit's Opening Day roster. While Manning has been able to stay healthy at Triple-A Toledo in 2025, his stuff hasn't played up in the bullpen as the Tigers had hoped. He had yet to receive a call-up this season while compiling a 6.04 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 52:37 K:BB in 50.2 innings with Toledo, and the Tigers have now elected to move him off the 40-man roster in order to open up a spot for trade-deadline pickup Paul Sewald (shoulder). Given his pedigree, the 27-year-old Manning could attract interest via waivers, but he doesn't look to be especially close to being an impact arm in the majors.

Nelson (6-3) took the loss Wednesday, giving up four runs (one earned) on six hits over 5.1 innings as the Diamondbacks fell 7-2 to the Tigers. He struck out eight without walking a batter.

The right-hander was rolling until the fifth inning, when a Geraldo Perdomo throwing error set the stage for a three-run frame by Detroit and handed Nelson his first loss since June 7. He still set a new season high in strikeouts, and he's been tagged for more than two earned runs only once in his last nine trips to the mound, a stretch in which he's posted a 1.95 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB over 50.2 innings while going 4-1. With Arizona in sell mode, his run support could become shaky the rest of the way, but Nelson will look to get back in the win column in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Padres.

Kremer didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 9-8 loss to the Blue Jays, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out five.

The right-hander was surprisingly taken deep by Myles Straw for a two-run homer in the second inning, but otherwise Kremer was fairly effective over his 87 pitches (56 strikes). He's allowed three runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts, posting a 3.06 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 43:13 K:BB through 47 innings over that stretch. He faces another tough test in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Philadelphia.

Berrios came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 9-8 win over the Orioles, giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out three.

A throwing error by Ernie Clement extended the first inning for the O's and helped lead to three runs, and Berrios wound up leaving the mound after 73 pitches (49 strikes) when Jordan Westburg took him deep for a two-run shot in the fifth. It's the third time in his last six starts that Berrios has failed to last five innings, a stretch in which he's stumbled to a 5.83 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB over 29.1 innings. He'll try to get back on track in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road early next week in Colorado.

The Guardians acquired Stephen (shoulder) from the Guardians on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow), Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Stephen, a 22-year-old righty who was drafted in the second round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, has had an excellent season across three levels of the minors. He dominated Single-A and High-A hitters alike (1.75 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 97:17 K:BB in 87.2 innings) before earning a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire on July 20. He made one start for New Hampshire and landed on the 7-day injured list July 24 with a shoulder impingement that is considered mild, per SI.com. Stephen's 5.1 percent walk rate on the season illustrates his pinpoint control, and he has a full starter's repertoire, highlighted by a fastball with good carry that touches 96 miles per hour.