MLB Player News

Atlanta recalled Molina from Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday.

Molina will return to the majors to give Atlanta's bullpen some extra depth as Spencer Strider (elbow) moves to the injured list. Molina pitched two shutout innings during his lone appearance with the big club May 1 but still carries a 6.82 ERA and 1.59 WHIP across his MLB career.

Walker went 1-for-5 with a double and three RBI in Friday's loss to the Twins.

Walker had only one knock in this game but it was a big one, as he broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh with a bases-loaded double that scored JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson. Walker has at least one RBI in six of his last seven games, a stretch in which he's hitting .364 with a 1.061 OPS. He's also riding a nine-game hitting streak.

Atlanta placed Strider on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right elbow inflammation.

Strider was forced to make an early exit from his start Friday due to arm soreness, and although he's now been confirmed to be dealing with an elbow injury, it remains unknown whether his inflammation is the result of a structural issue. He'll sit out for at least a couple of weeks, and a more accurate return timeline should come out once the team determines the severity of his injury. In the meantime, Anthony Molina will come up from Triple-A Gwinnett to give Atlanta some extra bullpen depth until a fifth starter is needed.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Friday against the Mariners.

Lowe popped a home run in the eighth inning, his 17th of the season and second in as many games. He's had an all-or-nothing approach at the plate across his first 10 games of June, hitting only .189 with a 26.2 percent strikeout rate. However, three of his seven hits in that span have cleared the fence.

Karros went 2-for-4 with a run scored Friday against the Athletics.

Karros has been elevated up the Rockies' lineup in each of the last two games against lefties, hitting second on each occasion. He responded with a pair of hits Friday, his fifth multi-hit effort in his last 11 games. Karros has hit .343 with four doubles, two RBI and seven runs scored in that span, one of his more productive stretches of the campaign.

Stanek (2-1) was charged with the loss and a blown save Friday against the Twins after allowing three runs on three hits (all home runs) across 1.1 innings. He struck out one.

Stanek had given up just two home runs over 29 outings and 26 innings this season prior to Friday, but he was taken deep by Kody Clemens, Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee. Clemens was the first batter he faced with two outs and two men on base in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota utility man launched his 10th homer of the season to tie the game. Stanek never regained his composure, allowing solo shots to Lewis and Lee in the eighth frame. Despite this subpar outing, Stanek should continue to be a late-inning option for the Cardinals. He owns a 5.60 ERA but has 11 holds, although he's also gone 1-for-3 in save chances, so ninth-inning duties probably aren't on the horizon for him.

Canning (0-5) took the loss Friday, surrendering seven runs on six hits and five walks over five innings as the Padres fell 7-3 to the Orioles. He struck out six.

The 30-year-old right-hander got tagged for three runs in the first and second innings and served up multiple homers for the third time in his last four starts. Canning's return to California after a one-year stint with the Mets has been a disaster so far -- since coming off the IL in early May, he's stumbled to a 7.17 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 39:22 K:BB in 37.2 innings. With German Marquez (forearm) on the same schedule during his rehab assignment and pitching well, the clock may be ticking on Canning's time in the rotation. He's set to make his next start on the road next week in St. Louis.

Leahy didn't factor into the decision Friday against the Twins. He allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk across five innings while striking out five.

Leahy tossed only 49 of his 77 pitches for strikes and wasn't involved in the decision for a fourth consecutive outing. He's given up at least three earned runs in three of those starts, so it's hard to rely on him in most fantasy formats, especially since he's also failed to pitch more than five innings in each of those aforementioned four outings. Leahy owns a 4.30 ERA with a 25:12 K:BB since the beginning of May and is slated to make his next start at home against the Padres.

Littell (6-5) took the loss Friday, coughing up five runs on four hits and a walk over just 1.2 innings in a 10-2 rout at the hands of the Mariners.

A two-run homer by Colt Emerson in the second inning was the biggest blow as Littell got the hook after 56 pitches (43 strikes). The veteran right-hander had given up two runs or fewer in seven straight outings coming into Friday, but this performance looked more like the struggling pitcher who exited April with a 7.85 ERA. Littell will try to bounce back in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come at home next week against the Royals.

Sasaki (3-4) was tagged with the loss Friday against the White Sox, allowing seven runs on seven hits and three walks across 4.1 innings. He struck out four.

Sasaki was coming off one of the most dominant outings of his career, striking out 10 across seven shutout innings in a no-decision against the Angels on June 5. However, he couldn't keep it rolling against one of the hottest offenses in the AL. Sasaki seemed to be finding his groove, as he had gone four straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs before Friday. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, which is lined up to come at home against the Rays.