MLB Player News

Kurtz was removed from Friday's game against the Rangers with right oblique soreness, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

After scoring from second base during the third inning, Kurtz was replaced in the field to begin the fourth frame. The severity of his injury remains unknown, though the A's may play it safe and hold the rookie slugger out for a game or two. If that ends up being the case, Tyler Soderstrom and Brett Harris would be in play to start at first base.

Polanco went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Guardians.

Polanco staked the Mariners to a 4-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first inning. The 32-year-old has now hit safely in each of his past seven starts, posting five extra-base hits, seven RBI, six runs scored and a stolen base during that stretch. On the season, he's slashing .255/.318/.465 with 21 homers, 61 RBI, 50 runs scored and six steals across 423 plate appearances.

Allen did not factor into the decision in Friday's 5-4 win over the Mariners, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over six innings.

Allen was tagged for four runs in the first inning but settled in to blank the Mariners over his final five frames. It was the first time the southpaw completed six innings since July 29, and he'll close August with a 5.96 ERA across five starts. For the year, he owns a 4.42 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 105:57 K:BB over 134.1 innings and lines up for a road matchup with the Red Sox next week.

Rutschman (oblique) has not yet resumed swinging but is hopeful to return before the end of the regular season, MLB.com reports.

The last-place Orioles hope that Rutschman will be recovered from an oblique strain with around 10 days or two weeks before the end of the season, per Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com, so fantasy managers shouldn't anticipate the star catcher being a factor until mid-September at the earliest. With Gary Sanchez (knee) also on the injured list, the lefty-hitting Samuel Basallo should continue working on the strong side of a platoon with the righty-hitting Alex Jackson behind the dish.

Kirby did not factor into the decision in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Guardians, allowing two runs on six hits and no walks with six strikeouts over seven innings.

Kirby cruised through five scoreless innings before giving up solo homers in the sixth and seventh, throwing 64 of 98 pitches for strikes while generating 10 whiffs. It was the 27-year-old's sixth time posting a quality start with two earned runs or fewer in his last seven outings, the lone blemish being a seven-run blowup Aug. 17. He'll take a 3.94 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 103:26 K:BB across 102.2 innings into a road matchup with the Rays next week.

Munoz (3-2) blew the save and took the loss against the Guardians on Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in one-third of an inning. He did not record a walk or a strikeout.

Munoz was tasked with protecting a one-run lead in the ninth inning and gave up a run on back-to-back hits before surrendering a walk-off sacrifice fly to Steven Kwan. It marked Munoz's first blown save in 11 chances since the All-Star break, though he's now allowed at least one run in four of his last five outings. Despite the rough stretch, the 26-year-old still carries a 1.72 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 66:24 K:BB with 31 saves across 52.1 innings.

X-rays on Varsho's right hand came back negative after he was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning of Friday's loss to Milwaukee, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The Blue Jays may hold Varsho out for a game or two so that he can properly recover, but the fact that he escaped the incident without any structural damage bodes well for his chances of avoiding the injured list. Myles Straw would be the likely choice to start in center field if Varsho sits.

Weissert (6-5) blew the save and took the loss against the Pirates on Friday after allowing one run on two hits while striking out one in two-thirds of an inning.

Weissert was brought in for the sixth inning with two runners on base, tasked with protecting the Red Sox's two-run lead and to put southpaw Payton Tolle in line for his first major-league win. Weissert wasn't able to get the job done, yielding two doubles in a row that brought three runs home to put him in line for the loss. With Friday's performance, the 30-year-old right-hander has a 3.48 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 10.1 innings in August.

Anthony went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday's 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

Anthony gave the Red Sox a two-run lead in the fifth inning with a solo shot to left field off Paul Skenes. Anthony is now up to eight home runs on the season, three of which have come over his last five games. He's been raking at the plate since the All-Star break with a .313/.424/.511 slash line with 27 runs, two steals, five homers and 16 RBI in 158 plate appearances.

Tolle did not factor into Friday's decision against the Pirates, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight across 5.1 innings.

Though Tolle was facing a Pirates team that entered Friday with the least amount of runs scored in the majors (484), he was also against ace Paul Skenes, so a win was going to be hard to collect in the former's major-league debut. Even so, Tolle rose to the occasion, generating 14 whiffs on 84 pitches (53 strikes) with six of his eight punchouts coming on four-seam fastballs. The 22-year-old southpaw kept the Pirates off the board through the first five innings, but he was pulled from the game in the sixth after allowing two baserunners, both of whom were brought home on a Tommy Pham double. With Richard Fitts (elbow) on the 15-day IL and Walker Buehler being released, Tolle figures to be a part of the Red Sox's rotation for the rest of the regular season. He's slated to start against the Guardians at home next week, when he'll look to earn the first win of his major-league career.