MLB Player News

Holton (4-3) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win in Friday's 2-1 victory over the Guardians. He allowed one hit and struck out four.

After starter Reese Olson (finger) logged 4.1 innings in his return from the injured list following about six weeks on the shelf, Holton stepped in and provided valuable relief. The lefty has had a few rough outings this season, but he's now made five straight scoreless appearances (7.2 innings) and has lowered his ERA to a solid 3.86 overall. The 29-year-old has also contributed eight holds to go along with his four wins. Holton is one of Detroit's top bullpen arms with a flexible role, giving him some fantasy value in deeper formats.

The Blue Jays sent Gimenez for an MRI on his ankle after Friday's win over the Angels, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca results.

Gimenez jammed his ankle Wednesday and appeared to aggravate the injury Friday while going from first to third on a George Springer single. The results of his MRI have not been disclosed, but it sounds like another trip to the injured list is a possibility for Gimenez, who previously missed time this season with a quad issue. Leo Jimenez could see an uptick in playing time if Gimenez is forced to the IL.

Gelof (ribs) went 0-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored in Friday's 11-2 win over the Giants.

Gelof initially had a hamate fracture and then sustained a rib injury in May while on his first rehab assignment. The second baseman played the full game Friday, and he'll likely take over as the Athletics' starter at the keystone. He'll go relatively unchallenged for playing time while Luis Urias (hamstring) is on the injured list. Gelof slashed a paltry .211/.270/.362 in 2024 after batting .267 with an .841 OPS in 69 games as a rookie in 2023. Keep an eye on him to see if he can overcome missing half of a season to rebound from last year's sophomore slump.

Clarke went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a triple and two total runs scored in Friday's 11-2 win over the Giants.

Clarke provided the Athletics' last runs in the blowout win, lifting a seventh-inning homer. That ended an 0-for-11 skid for the outfielder, who is still struggling to find consistency at the plate. He's at a .200/.248/.318 slash line with three homers, eight RBI, 12 runs scored, five stolen bases, two doubles and one triple over 36 major-league games since his call-up in late May. While his offense has been mediocre at best so far, he's been excellent defensively to hold down a starting role in center field.

Kurtz went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Friday's 11-2 win over the Giants.

Kurtz went 0-for-10 with three walks and eight strikeouts in the Athletics' previous three-game series versus the Rays. He was off to another poor start Friday with a groundout and two strikeouts in his first three at-bats before he unleashed a sixth-inning homer to stretch the Athletics' lead to 9-0. The first baseman's up to 13 homers, 34 RBI, 24 runs scored, no stolen bases and a .240/.308/.497 slash line over his first 50 major-league games. While his power is as advertised, his 34.3 percent strikeout rate is troubling, especially when it's trending in the wrong direction as it has over the last week-plus.

Wilson (hamstring) went 1-for-4 with a two-run double and one run scored in Friday's 11-2 win over the Giants.

Wilson missed the Athletics' previous two games due to a hamstring issue. He was back in the starting lineup Friday, batting second, and he played seven innings in the field before Max Schuemann took over at shortstop in the blowout win. Wilson looks good to go moving forward, which is a big boost for the Athletics' offense. While his consistency has wavered recently -- he's hitting a modest .232 over his last 19 games -- he's still at a .337/.379/.474 slash line with nine home runs, 42 RBI, 43 runs scored, five stolen bases and 17 doubles through 82 contests overall.

Perkins allowed two runs on three hits and struck out five without walking a batter over three innings to earn the save in Friday's 11-2 win over the Giants.

Perkins was scored upon for the first time in his major-league career when he gave up a solo home run to Brett Wisely in the eighth inning. He's maintained a starter's schedule despite pitching out of the bullpen in all three of his appearances with the Athletics, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts so far. He's also earned a pair of saves, but he's not in contention for closing duties while serving as a multi-inning reliever. There's no path to a starting role just yet, but Perkins has made an excellent first impression and will be a candidate to make starts if a rotation spot opens up.

Sears (7-7) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out six over six scoreless innings to earn the win over the Giants on Friday.

Sears has covered 11.2 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and five walks over his last two starts. He kept the Giants' offense under control Friday, and it appears the southpaw is turning a corner after mostly mixed results in May and June. He's now at a 4.76 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 73:24 K:BB through 92.2 innings over 18 starts this season. His next start is projected to be at home versus Atlanta.

Witt went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 9-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Witt is on an eight-game hitting streak, going 15-for-35 (.429) in that span. The shortstop continues to deliver consistency at the plate -- he's been held hitless in consecutive games on just four occasions all season. He's at a .293/.346/.490 slash line with 11 home runs, 47 RBI, 53 runs scored and 24 stolen bases through 89 contests.

Canha went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 9-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Canha was in the lineup for the first time in July and delivered a solo shot to pad the Royals' lead in the fifth inning. The 36-year-old hit just .125 (4-for-32) over 14 games in June and continues to see limited playing time. With Drew Waters' demotion to Triple-A Omaha on Friday, Canha will have a little more opportunity to get starts in left field, though he'll have to compete with fellow right-handed hitter Nick Loftin as well as fourth outfielder John Rave. Canha is slashing .220/.281/.275 with one homer, five RBI, nine runs scored and no stolen bases over 121 plate appearances, so he's unlikely to be a strong fantasy option, especially with limited playing time.