MLB Player News

The Orioles designated Pennington for assignment Wednesday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Pennington has made two appearances in the minors this season, during which he's given up five earned runs in one combined inning between High-A Aberdeen and Triple-A Norfolk. While he continues to work on his mechanics in the minors, he'll give up his spot on the Orioles' 40-man roster for Luis F. Castillo, who was claimed off waivers from the Mariners on Wednesday.

Fried allowed one run on five hits while striking out eight batters over seven innings but did not factor into the decision against the Padres on Wednesday. He did not issue a walk.

Fried's lone blemish came in the fourth inning, when he yielded a solo homer to Jackson Merrill, but it was overall another outstanding performance by the 31-year-old southpaw, generating 11 whiffs while tossing 100 pitches (67 strikes). Fried has recorded six straight quality starts and hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his eight starts this season. He leads the American League with a 1.05 ERA, while his 0.91 WHIP ranks fourth among qualified starters in the AL. Fried is slated to make his next start on the road against the Mariners next week.

The Mariners traded Castillo to the Orioles on Wednesday in exchange for cash.

Castillo was designated for assignment Tuesday to make room on the Mariners' roster for Leody Taveras. Now in the Orioles organization, Castillo will reclaim a spot on the 40-man and presumably report to Triple-A, where he owns a 5.02 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through 14.1 innings on the year.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Rangers.

Garcia gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, when he took Tanner Houck deep to left field for a solo homer, and the outfielder added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly to center field. Garcia has been hot at the plate as of late, going 6-for-10 with one home run and five RBI over his last three games, and his OPS now sits at .706 through 138 plate appearances this year.

Mahle allowed two runs on four hits and one walk over five innings in a no-decision against the Red Sox on Wednesday. He did not record a strikeout.

Mahle allowed just one hit over the first three innings, but he was tagged for two runs in the fourth frame after yielding solo homers to Alex Bregman and Wilyer Abreu. Mahle generated only four whiffs on 88 pitches (57 strikes) and failed to log a punchout for the first time this season. Still, the 30-year-old right-hander hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his eight starts this season, and his 1.48 ERA and 0.98 WHIP rank fourth and 14th, respectively, among qualified starters in the American League. Mahle is lined up to face the Rockies at home next week.

Chapman earned the save in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Rangers, allowing one solo home run and one walk while striking out one batter in the ninth inning.

Chapman was brought in for the ninth frame with the Red Sox up 6-3, but Boston's lead was quickly cut down to two when Josh Jung took the first pitch of the at-bat deep to left-center field for a solo home run. Chapman yielded a walk later in the frame, but the veteran closer was able to finish things off with an eight-pitch punchout of Blaine Crim, with two of the southpaw's sinkers touching 103 mph. Chapman has five saves in as many opportunities this season with a 2.19 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB over 12.1 innings, though he's been a bit shakier lately with two runs allowed in his past four outings.

Wacha (2-4) grabbed the win Wednesday against the White Sox after allowing three hits and one walk in seven scoreless innings. He struck out five.

It was one of the finest efforts of the season for Wacha, who tossed a season-high seven innings. While the right-hander has fanned more than five just once among his eight starts, Wednesday marked his third straight quality start and second scoreless outing during this stretch. Despite his lack of overpowering stuff, Wacha has surrendered just two home runs this season. He boasts a 2.98 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 34:14 K:BB over 45.1 innings ahead of his next scheduled appearance, which tentatively lines up against the Astros next week.

Houck did not factor into the decision against the Rangers on Thursday, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out two over 4.2 innings.

Houck got through the first two innings with relative ease, but he proceeded to give up one run in each of the next three innings, highlighted by a solo home run from Adolis Garcia in the fourth frame. Houck generated eight whiffs on 89 pitches (55 strikes), but he wasn't able to make it out of the fifth inning for the third time this season. He has a 3.57 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 21:5 K:BB in 22.2 innings across four starts since giving up 11 earned runs against the Rays on April 14. Houck is slated to start against the Tigers on the road next week, when he'll look to register his first win of the season.

Cannon (2-4) took the loss Wednesday against the Royals after allowing two runs on nine hits and no walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out one.

Cannon certainly didn't overwhelm the opposition, as he tied season worsts with nine hits allowed and one punchout, but he still managed to deliver his second consecutive quality start. While the right-hander has yielded a staggering 18 hits over his past two outings, that hasn't stopped him from throwing six innings of two-run ball in both appearances. Cannon hasn't lent a free pass in either of these starts. He'll still be tough to trust for fantasy purposes in his next scheduled start against the Reds at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, where he'll enter with a 4.09 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 33:17 K:BB across 44 innings.

Baz (3-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Phillies after allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks in 3.1 innings. He struck out three.

After giving up a season-high seven runs on nine hits in his last start, Baz struggled mightily once again. Wednesday matched his shortest outing of the season, and the right-hander has now yielded five runs or greater in three of his last four appearances. During this stretch, Baz has a 8.38 ERA and 13:10 K:BB over 19.1 innings. He'll look to get back on track in his next scheduled start against the Blue Jays, who have a weak .643 OPS against right-handed pitching through 35 games.