MLB Player News
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Parker Meadows CF | DET
Tigers' Parker Meadows: Starting up rehab assignment
Meadows (quadriceps) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
The Tigers were satisfied with how Meadows' strained right quad held up Tuesday during a running workout, which was the final hurdle he needed to clear before heading out on a rehab assignment. He'll likely remain with Toledo through the weekend before Detroit potentially brings Meadows back from the injured list when the active roster expands to 28 men Monday. Before landing on the IL on July 28, Meadows had slashed .200/.270/.296 with two home runs and three stolen bases over 137 plate appearances.
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Nolan Jones RF | CLE
Guardians' Nolan Jones: Unlikely hero Wednesday
Jones went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Rays.
With Cleveland down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jones stepped to the plate against Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks and crushed a slider 428 feet over the right-field fence. It was only the fourth homer of the season for Jones and his first since June 13, snapping a 53-game power drought in which he'd managed just a .210/.315/.261 slash line. While Wednesday's heroics offer a rare bright spot in a dismal season, the 27-year-old outfielder is still a long way from regaining a regular spot in the Guardians lineup.
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Cade Smith RP | CLE
Guardians' Cade Smith: Nabs extra-inning win
Smith (6-5) picked up the win Wednesday, striking out one during a perfect 10th inning in a 4-3 victory over the Rays.
The right-hander needed only seven pitches (six strikes) to breeze through Tampa Bay's 8-9-1 hitters and leave phantom runner Jake Mangum stranded at third base, setting the stage for Kyle Manzardo to walk it off in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single. Smith allowed runs in three straight appearances last week, but he appears to have righted his ship against the Rays, collecting a win and a save in back-to-back scoreless outings. Through 13.1 innings in August, Smith sports a 2.70 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 14:2 K:BB.
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Slade Cecconi SP | CLE
Guardians' Slade Cecconi: Produces another quality start
Cecconi didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Rays, giving up three runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The right-hander delivered his second straight quality start on 99 pitches (63 strikes). Cecconi has five quality starts in eight outings since the All-Star break, but in the other three outings he got tagged for 19 runs (17 earned) in 16 innings, leaving him with a ragged 5.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 27:8 K:BB and 2.1 HR/9 over 47 frames during that span. With John Means (elbow) closing on on his Cleveland debut, either Cecconi or Parker Messick, who has been very impressive in his first two MLB starts, are likely to lose their spot in the rotation. Cecconi may get one last chance to make his case in his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Boston.
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Pete Fairbanks RP | TB
Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Blows fifth save
Fairbanks was charged with his fifth blown save of the season in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Guardians, giving up one run on one hit in the ninth inning. He struck out two.
Brought in to protect a 3-2 lead, Fairbanks instead served up a game-tying homer to improbable hero Nolan Jones, who came into Wednesday mired in a 53-game power drought, with his last long ball having come June 13. Fairbanks has coughed up just five home runs on the season, but four of them have come in his last 10 appearances -- a stretch in which he's gone 4-for-6 in converting save chances.
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Drew Rasmussen SP | TB
Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Quality start wasted Wednesday
Rasmussen came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Guardians, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.
The right-hander extended his quality start streak to four with another sharp performance that saw him fire 60 of 85 pitches for strikes, but Rasmussen missed out on his 11th win of the season when the Rays bullpen blew a 3-2 lead. He hasn't been tagged for more than two runs in an outing since June 30, and over nine trips to the mound since the beginning of July, Rasmussen sports a 2.34 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 39:7 K:BB in 42.1 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Mariners.
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Yoan Moncada 3B | LAA
Angels' Yoan Moncada: Idle against lefty again
Moncada is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rangers.
The Angels will hold the switch-hitting Moncada out of the lineup for a second straight game while the Halos face off against another lefty starter (Jacob Latz). Luis Rengifo will pick up the start at third base, but Moncada should continue to serve as the top option at the position when the Angels face right-handed pitchers.
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Niko Kavadas 1B | LAA
Angels' Niko Kavadas: Idle versus lefty
Kavadas is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rangers, afds
Oswald Peraza will step in at first base for Kavadas, who started in each of the last three games and went 1-for-9 at the dish. Though he's on the bench Wednesday as the Rangers send lefty Jacob Latz to the hill, the left-handed-hitting Kavadas should play regularly against right-handed pitching while top first baseman Nolan Schanuel (wrist) is on the injured list.
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Victor Caratini C | HOU
Astros' Victor Caratini: Placed on IL with concussion
The Astros placed Caratini (concussion) on the 7-day injured list Wednesday.
After taking multiple foul balls off his mask over the past several days, Caratini entered concussion protocol Wednesday and will now officially miss at least a week of action. Cesar Salazar was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land to fill in as Houston's backup catcher, though he will get the start behind home plate Wednesday while top backstop Yainer Diaz manages a hand injury.
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Jose Altuve 2B | HOU
Astros' Jose Altuve: Receiving Wednesday off
Altuve is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
It's just a standard day off for Altuve, who started the previous 30 games and had a .250/.320/.405 slash line with three doubles, five homers, 11 RBI and 16 runs during that span. Mauricio Dubon will man the keystone Wednesday for the Astros.