MLB Player News

Perez did not factor into the decision, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and two walks over 5.1 innings Thursday against Atlanta. He struck out one.

Entering Thursday, Perez had been dominant across his previous six outings, posting a 1.06 ERA with 37 strikeouts. However, he struggled to miss bats in this one, managing just one punchout while getting tagged for a season high in runs. The 22-year-old will look to rebound and recapture his sharp form in his next scheduled start, which lines up for next week against the Guardians.

Carrasco didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Marlins, allowing six earned runs on nine hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out two.

Carrasco was tagged for five runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run homer from Graham Pauley, and never fully settled in. The veteran right-hander has been subpar since joining Atlanta, giving up nine earned runs on 16 hits over 11.2 innings through two starts. Carrasco's margin for error remains thin as he tries to solidify a spot in Atlanta's rotation after a string of injuries.

Reynolds went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's win over the Reds.

Reynolds opened the scoring with a 391-foot solo shot off Brady Singer in the first inning, marking his first home run since June 29. The 30-year-old outfielder had been stuck in a power drought, batting just .230 (26-for-113) with eight RBI and 10 runs scored over 29 games between homers. Reynolds has started to turn things around in August, however, and is now batting .346 (9-for-26) with two doubles and a homer through seven games this month.

Singer (9-9) took the loss Thursday against the Pirates, allowing four earned runs on six hits and four walks over 3.2 innings. He struck out two.

Singer struggled to find his command early, walking three consecutive batters and giving up a solo homer to Bryan Reynolds as part of a three-run first inning. The 29-year-old was unable to recover and was lifted at 86 pitches, as he failed to finish four frames for the fourth time through 23 starts this year. The right-hander had delivered back-to-back excellent outings prior to this start, but inconsistency continues to define his season. Singer will carry a 4.53 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 113:48 K:BB across 119.1 innings into his next scheduled outing against the Phillies next week.

Skenes (7-8) earned the win Thursday against the Reds, allowing seven hits and striking out eight across six scoreless innings.

Coming off a rocky outing in which he gave up four runs over five frames, Skenes bounced back to his typical dominance, logging his third consecutive start with at least eight strikeouts. He gave up a hit in all but one inning Thursday but worked around the traffic to keep Cincinnati off the board, throwing 97 pitches (69 strikes). The 23-year-old phenom continues to lead MLB, among qualified starters, with a 1.94 ERA, along with a 0.93 WHIP and an elite 162:34 K:BB over 144 innings. Despite the occasional minor hiccup, Skenes continues to overwhelm hitters and will look to keep rolling in his next scheduled outing in Milwaukee, against whom he surrendered four runs over a season-low four innings June 25.

Ruiz was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Ruiz has seen his playing time completely disappear across the last week, failing to draw a start in seven consecutive games. He has 23 total plate appearances in the majors this season and is hitting .190/.261/.333 with a 34.8 percent strikeout rate.

Alverado (suspension) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday.

Alvarado was handed an 80-game PED suspension in mid-May and is now closing in on his return. The reliever is eligible to be activated Aug. 19 and will make some appearances with Lehigh Valley to get back up to speed. However, the southpaw will not reclaim the closer role for the Phillies, who acquired Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline.

Acuna (calf) took batting practice on the field Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

O'Brien notes that Acuna was "showing absolutely no lingering sign" of the right calf strain that landed the outfielder on the 10-day injured list in late July. The bigger test for Acuna will be when he ramps up his running, but he's just over a week into a projected 2-to-3 week return timeline, and he looks to be well on his way toward being activated within that timeframe.

Manager Brian Snitker said Thursday that Alvarez is dealing with side soreness caused by a slide he made during Wednesday's loss to Milwaukee, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Alvarez's injury will cause him to miss out on the starting nine for Thursday's series opener against the Marlins, though there's a chance he may be available off the bench. Jonathan Ornelas will man the hot corner and bat eighth while Alvarez recovers.

Sale (ribs) threw a successful 30-pitch simulated game Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

As long as Sale bounces back well Friday, he will be cleared to begin a rehab assignment. The left-hander is eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list Aug. 19, and he should be ready to go on that date or shortly after following a rehab start or two. Sale has been sidelined since mid-June with a fracture in his left ribcage.