MLB Player News

The Mariners optioned Saucedo to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday.

Saucedo took Carlos Vargas' spot on the 26-man active roster for a few days while the latter was on paternity leave, but with Vargas getting reinstated Monday, Saucedo will head back to the minors. The lefty reliever has permitted four runs with a 4:3 K:BB across 4.2 frames with the big club this season.

The Mariners reinstated Vargas (personal) from the paternity list Monday.

Vargas was unavailable for the Mariners' final three games before the All-Star break while welcoming a new addition to the family, but he will be back in the bullpen for the start of the second half. The 25-year-old has posted a 3.43 ERA and 32:19 K:BB over 44.2 innings this season.

The Yankees claimed Garcia off waivers from the Mets on Monday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Garcia tossed 4.2 scoreless frames with the Mets after getting called up from Triple-A Syracuse earlier this month, but he was nonetheless removed from their 40-man roster last week. He is out of options, so the reliever will go directly onto the Yankees' active roster as a bullpen arm.

The Royals placed Lorenzen on the 15-day injured list Monday with a left oblique strain.

Lorenzen was scratched ahead of his final scheduled start of the first half this past weekend due to what was referred to as an illness at the time, but the right-hander is apparently dealing with an oblique strain. The Royals haven't provided word on the severity of the injury, making it uncertain whether Lorenzen will be ready for activation when first eligible July 26. Lorenzen finished the first half with a 4.61 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP over 99.2 innings.

The Orioles outrighted Banuelos to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday.

Banuelos was added to the Orioles' 26-man active roster for Sunday's game against the Marlins and struck out in his lone plate appearance. He's now been removed from the 40-man roster and has accepted an outright assignment to Norfolk, where he will provide catching depth.

Barger went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Sunday's loss to the A's.

The 25-year-old wrapped up a breakout first half in style, taking Jeffrey Springs deep in the seventh inning. Barger heads into the All-Star break with a .261/.317/.506 slash line over 265 plate appearances with 13 homers, three steals, 38 runs and 40 RBI, and he remains among the league leaders in hard-hit rate (54.2 percent, 15th in MLB), max exit velocity (116.5 mph, 12th) and average exit velocity (93.4 mph, tied for 10th with Bobby Witt.)

Schneider went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's loss to the A's.

In a wild fifth-inning at-bat, Schneider launched a long fly down the left-field line that was ruled foul. When the call was upheld on review, Blue Jays manager John Schneider -- no relation -- got ejected, only for Schneider the player to then crush the first pitch he saw after play resumed over the fence in left-center field, a homer which ruined the perfect game Jeffrey Springs had going. Since the beginning of July, the 26-year-old utility player has hit .250 (7-for-28) with four of his five home run on the season, and six of his 11 RBI.

Gil (lat) struck out six and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk over 3.1 innings in his rehab start Sunday with Double-A Somerset.

Just as the Yankees had planned for him heading into the day, Gil reached his limit of 50 pitches in the rehab start, his first outing at any level since Oct. 29, 2024. The reigning American League Rookie of the Year Award winner was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain early in spring training and is expected to be built up conservatively during his rehab assignment, which could last for as few as two or three more starts. According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Yankees are considering bringing Gil back from the 60-day injured list once he reaches 75 pitches in his rehab program, though his assignment would be extended if the organization instead opts to activate him once he reaches the 90-pitch threshold.

Rodriguez gave up a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless inning of relief Sunday in a loss to the A's.

The right-hander continues to thrive in a high-leverage role. Over 17.2 innings since the beginning of June, Rodriguez has posted a 2.04 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB while collecting two wins, three holds and a save. While the Jays could well bolster their bullpen at the trade deadline, Rodriguez seems locked in as part of the late-inning bridge to closer Jeff Hoffman.

Bassitt is expected to start the first game after the All-Star break for the Blue Jays, taking the mound at home Friday against the Giants, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

The veteran right-hander will be followed by Eric Lauer, Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Max Scherzer. Bassitt was used for an inning of relief in Sunday's loss to the A's, throwing 10 pitches and striking out one in a scoreless frame, and since the beginning of June he's gone 4-1 in eight outings (seven starts) with a 4.65 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 35:14 K:BB through 40.2 innings.