MLB Player News

Roupp was removed from Wednesday's game against the Padres after he was struck in the right leg by a comebacker in the bottom of the third inning, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Roupp was hit in the right leg by a ball off the bat of Ramon Laureano, and his left knee also appeared to twist awkwardly as he fell to the ground. Trainers came out, and Roupp was eventually carted off the field. Prior to the injury, Roupp pitched 2.1 innings, striking out a pair of batters and allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks. The Giants should have an update on the severity of Roupp's injury after the game.

Palencia recorded the save in Wednesday's 4-3 win over Milwaukee, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning. He struck out two.

Palencia allowed a run for the fourth time in his last seven outings, but he was able to hang on for save No. 18 on the year. The right-hander has a shaky 5.14 ERA in August, but his ERA still stands at an excellent 1.97 for the season over 45.2 innings. Palencia has blown just two saves all year, and he also sports a 1.01 WHIP and 49:14 K:BB through 44 appearances.

Busch went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Brewers.

Busch had half of the Cubs' four hits as a team -- including the key hit of the game -- a three-run double in the bottom of the third inning that erased a 1-0 Milwaukee lead. The Chicago first baseman is batting only .185 this month, though he is now riding a modest three-game hitting streak, with extra-base knocks in his last two contests. Busch should remain Chicago's primary leadoff hitter against righties.

Shaw went 1-for-2 with a walk, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Brewers.

Shaw has been on a nice run since the All-Star break, as he's now batting .302 with nine home runs, 17 runs scored and 18 RBI across his last 30 games. The rookie third baseman has put some early season struggles behind him, and with the Cubs not acquiring anyone to replace Shaw at the hot corner before the trade deadline, he should be locked into a regular role down. The 23-year-old's fantasy value is trending upward based on his strong recent performance and fairly consistent playing time.

Thielbar, who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts in Wednesday's win over the Brewers, has 13 scoreless appearances across his last 14 outings.

The only blemish in the stretch of scoreless outings for Thielbar was his Aug. 3 appearance when he allowed a game-winning, two-run home run to Baltimore. The veteran southpaw has been outstanding all season for the Cubs, as he now has a 2.12 ERA and 46 strikeouts across 46.2 innings. Thielbar has been particularly tough against left-handed batters, limiting them to just a .125 batting average.

Pallante (6-11) took the loss against the Marlins on Wednesday, surrendering five runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out four over 5.1 innings.

Pallante was tagged for at least one run in four of the six frames he worked and was lifted immediately after serving up a homer to Maximo Acosta in the sixth. It marked the sixth time in his last eight outings that the right-hander has allowed at least four earned runs, a stretch in which he's posted a 7.71 ERA and a 29:16 K:BB across 39.2 innings. Pallante will have a decent chance to right the ship in his next scheduled turn against the Pirates.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Tucker was diagnosed June 1 with a hairline fracture in his right hand and has continued to play through the injury, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Tucker was initially injured while sliding into second base in a June 1 win over the Reds. While X-rays on his right finger came back negative, further testing revealed a slight fracture on the top of his hand, where the pinky and ring finger meet. Tucker's fracture has shown healing, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer admitted the injury has affected the outfielder's performance. Since the start of July, Tucker is hitting .189 with just four extra-base hits. Tucker has been out of the lineup for three straight games, as manager Craig Counsell indicated the star right fielder would get a couple days off for a mental reset. Tucker doesn't look as though he'll need a stint on the IL since the hand injury will continue to be more of a pain-tolerance matter, but it helps explain his lagging production during the second half of the season.

Alcantara (7-11) earned the win over the Cardinals on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out nine over seven innings.

The veteran right-hander turned in another excellent outing, generating 20 swinging strikes on a season-high 114 pitches and setting another season best with nine punchouts. Alcantara has now yielded one run or fewer in four of his last six starts, including three starts in which he finished the seventh inning, offering glimpses of the Cy Young-level dominance he displayed in prior seasons. Alcantara will take a 6.04 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 106:49 K:BB into his next scheduled start against Atlanta.

Gurriel went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in Wednesday's 3-2 win against the Guardians.

The veteran outfielder led off the bottom of the ninth inning by launching a 424-foot solo shot off Cade Smith to tie the score at 2-2. It marked Gurriel's 17th long ball of the season and his third in the last seven contests, a stretch in which he's gone 9-for-28 (.321) with 12 RBI and five runs scored. Gurriel also recorded an RBI single earlier in the game.

Pfaadt didn't factor into the decision against the Guardians on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings.

The right-hander gave up a run in each of the first two frames but settled in from there, retiring 15 of the final 18 batters he faced to record his first quality start since July 18. While he's struggled to find consistency this season, the outing was a reminder of Pfaadt's ability to command the zone and navigate a lineup multiple times. Since the All-Star break, the 26-year-old has posted a 4.43 ERA and 29:8 K:BB over 40.2 innings. He'll look to build on Wednesday's effort when he makes his next scheduled start against Milwaukee.