MLB Player News

Santana allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning Sunday against the Rockies.

Santana entered the game in the ninth inning to protect a four-run lead. He allowed a double and a walk with two outs but managed to turn in his sixth consecutive scoreless outing. Santana briefly struggled after taking over the closer role, but he has converted four of his last five save chances while striking out eight across his last 10 appearances.

Skenes (8-9) picked up the win Sunday against the Rockies, allowing three hits and no walks across seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

Skenes got his revenge from an Aug. 2 start against Colorado, when he yielded four runs in five innings. Sunday's outing pulled Skenes out of what could be considered a rough patch for the 23-year-old phenom, as he had yielded six runs in 10 innings across his past two appearances. Skenes has logged seven or more Ks in four of his last five starts. He'll take a 2.07 ERA into his next start, which is slated to come in Boston next weekend.

Brown (0-1) took the loss Sunday against Pittsburgh, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks over 3.2 innings. He struck out two.

The 25-year-old was recalled from Double-A Hartford to make his MLB debut Sunday, and he was hit hard by the Pirates. Brown surrendered a pair of extra-base hits, including a three-run home run by Jared Triolo. Brown posted a 3.14 ERA and a 57:13 K:BB across 43 innings with Hartford. German Marquez (biceps) is nearing a return, but if Marquez isn't ready to go, Brown would likely draw another start next weekend against the Cubs.

Triolo went 2-for-2 with a three-run home run and a stolen base during Sunday's 4-0 win over the Rockies.

Triolo has homered in back-to-back games, a streak that immediately followed a homer drought that lasted over two months and spanned 85 at-bats. Sunday's long ball was Triolo's fifth of the season, and his stolen base put his season total at nine. Triolo has a hit in each of his last five games, going 8-for-17 (.471) with four extra-base hits during that stretch.

Liberatore (6-11) took the loss Sunday against Tampa Bay, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks across 4.1 innings. He struck out five.

Liberatore hasn't completed five innings in six of his last seven outings, and a fourth-inning solo homer marked Liberatore's fourth consecutive outing yielding a long ball. The 25-year-old left-hander has endured a rough August, going 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA and a 15:8 K:BB across 21.2 innings spanning five starts. He's tentatively scheduled to make his next start in Cincinnati next weekend.

Shaw went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Angels.

Shaw was not in the startling lineup Saturday, but he returned Sunday and made his mark from the No. 9 spot in the order. The rookie was out of the lineup twice in the previous three days, with Willi Castro getting the start at the hot corner each time. Shaw has mostly played well since the All-Star break and should continue to see regular playing time, through it does appear that the Cubs want to find ways to get Castro into the lineup, which could come at Shaw's expense.

Hays went 3-for-5 with one RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 6-1 victory over the Diamondbacks.

With this performance, the veteran outfielder notched his fifth contest with three or more hits this season. Hays entered Sunday amid a cold spell in August, batting just .200 (13-for-65) with two steals and eight RBI over 16 games this month, so perhaps this showing will turn his fortunes around. Despite not homering since July 18 -- his first game after the All-Star break -- the 30-year-old still sports a solid .265/.320/.444 slash line in 325 total plate appearances.

Tucker went 1-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Angels.

After getting a few days off to clear his head during Chicago's last series against Milwaukee, Tucker seems to be finding his groove again. Across three games in Los Angeles, the outfielder went 5-for-12 with two walks, three home runs, four total runs scored and seven RBI. Tucker is too talented to slump indefinitely, and with his right hand seemingly all healed after sustaining a hairline fracture June 1, it appears that an extended hot streak could be on the horizon.

Steer went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and a double in Sunday's 6-1 victory at Arizona.

The Cincinnati first baseman stretched his team's lead to 5-1 in the eighth with a 397-foot, three-run long ball off Diamondbacks reliever Juan Burgos. Steer entered this contest mired in a second-half slump, slashing an anemic .179/.279/.330 with six extra-base hits in 123 plate appearances over 31 games since the All-Star break. Through 478 total plate appearances, the 27-year-old has produced a .236/.302/.397 slash line with six steals, 62 RBI and 53 runs scored.

Singer did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 6-1 win at Arizona. He allowed one run on a hit and three walks over six innings with nine strikeouts.

The 29-year-old notched his fifth quality start out of his last six appearances, as he struck out nine or more batters for the fourth time this season. The lone blemish on Singer's line came via a Lourdes Gurriel sacrifice fly in the first, with the only base knock allowed being a Geraldo Perdomo triple to open the frame. Over his last six outings, Singer has looked like an ace, going 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 39:10 K:BB across 35 innings. The Cincinnati right-hander will look to continue his recent run of success in his next start, which is currently scheduled to come in his team's upcoming weekend series at home against St. Louis.