MLB Player News

Stephenson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians.

Stephenson will get some rest for Wednesday's matinee after he started at catcher in both of the first two games of the series in Cleveland. Jose Trevino will spell Stephenson behind the plate in the finale.

Pages is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Blue Jays.

Pages will get a breather for Wednesday's day game after catching Tuesday night. Yohel Pozo will start behind the dish and bat eighth as the Cardinals try to avoid being swept.

Donovan (toe) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays.

Donovan departed Tuesday's 10-9 loss due to discomfort in the joint of his left big toe, an injury he said he first felt earlier in the day before it got "progressively worse" during the game, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The 28-year-old said that he felt the injury is "not that bad," but he'll still have to sit out Wednesday's matinee. Nolan Gorman will handle second base and bat seventh for the Cardinals.

Leahy has posted a 6.52 ERA and 6:5 K:BB over 9.2 innings covering his last nine appearances.

Leahy still holds a 2.48 ERA for the season thanks to his great start, but a 3.73 FIP and 27:12 K:BB across 36.1 innings paint a less flattering picture. The 28-year-old collected 12 holds through his first 23 appearances but has zero across his last six outings.

De La Cruz went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Guardians.

The 23-year-old shortstop has slowed down on the basepaths of late, attempting a steal in only three of his last 15 contests, but De La Cruz is still up to 20 pilfers on the season, putting him sixth in MLB behind league leader Jose Caballero's 25. De La Cruz has hardly been quiet during that 15-game stretch, however, slashing .294/.410/.569 with five doubles, three homers, six RBI and 14 runs.

Abbott (6-1) picked up the win in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over the Guardians, scattering three hits and a walk over nine scoreless innings. He struck out five.

Gabriel Arias got to third base in the second inning after a double and a stolen base, but that was as close as Cleveland got to producing any offense against Abbott. It was the first career shutout for the southpaw, who generated 31 called or swinging strikes among his season-high 110 pitches (77 total strikes), and it continued a dazzling stretch in which he's held the opposition without an earned run in five of eight outings since the beginning of May. Abbott sports a 1.32 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 44:12 K:BB over 47.2 innings during that span, and he'll look to keep rolling in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Twins.

Keller (1-9) took the loss Tuesday, giving up three runs on eight hits over six innings as the Pirates were downed 3-2 by the Marlins. He struck out four without walking a batter.

The right-hander fired 73 of 97 pitches for strikes and piled up an impressive 39 called or swinging strikes en route to his 10th quality start of the season, but Pittsburgh once again failed to give Keller much run support. He's lasted at least six innings in seven straight trips to the mound, posting a 3.95 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 36:8 K:BB through 43.1 innings over that stretch, but he carries a miserable 0-6 record in that span despite that consistency. Keller faces a tough test in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road this weekend against the Cubs.

Faucher gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday to record his fifth save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Pirates.

The right-hander leads the Marlins in saves, one ahead of Jesus Tinoco (forearm), and it's been over two weeks since a Miami reliever other than Faucher picked up a save -- Ronny Henriquez collected one May 25. Faucher's earned his spot with some stingy work that has seen him get scored upon only once in his last eight appearances, a stretch in which he's posted a 1.17 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 5:1 K:BB in 7.2 innings.

Alcantara (3-7) picked up the win in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Pirates, allowing three hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander only ran into trouble in the third inning after a leadoff double by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but Alcantara escaped the jam and retired the last 10 batters he faced before leaving the mound. It was the best outing of the season for the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner as he delivered his second straight quality start, and the win was his first since April 12. Alcantara will look to keep building momentum and chip away at his 7.14 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Phillies.

Kepler went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's loss to the Cubs.

Kepler got the Phillies on the board in the second with a two-run shot to right for his first home run since May 24 and his first hit since June 3. Over his last 14 games, Kepler is batting a miserable .105/.190/.211 while continuing to work in a strong-side platoon role in left field with Weston Wilson.