-
Matthew Liberatore SP | STL
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Stellar in no-decision
Liberatore didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Blue Jays, allowing just one hit and a walk across six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
After giving up eight runs over nine innings in his last two starts, Liberatore responded with his best outing of the season Sunday, as he held Toronto to a lone single across six scoreless frames. Liberatore lowered his ERA to 4.97 with a 1.49 WHIP and 107:41 K:BB across 22 starts (108.2 innings) this season. The southpaw is currently slated to face the Rockies at home his next time out.
-
Andres Chaparro 1B | WAS
Nationals' Andres Chaparro: Passes concussion tests
Nationals manager Blake Butera said after Sunday's 4-2 loss to Atlanta that Chaparro (head) passed a concussion test, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
A late addition to the starting nine after Luis Garcia was scratched, Chaparro grounded out in his first plate appearance of the day, then was struck in the helmet by a pitch in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded. Chaparro was able to take his base and was credited with an RBI, but the Nationals removed him from the contest in the top of the fifth, seemingly as a precaution. Assuming Chaparro doesn't experience any symptoms leading up to Monday's series opener in Philadelphia, he could soon find himself back in the starting nine. Per Zuckerman, Butera said after the game that Garcia didn't play Sunday because "something was really close" on a trade, and the Nationals could finalize a deal prior to Monday's deadline.
-
Matt Olson 1B | ATL
Braves' Matt Olson: Homers in third straight game
Olson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Nationals.
Olson tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning with a 401-foot blast off Cade Cavalli, his 31st homer this season and his third in his last three games. Since the All-Star break, Olson has gone 17-for-65 (.262) with six homers, putting his slash line at .266/.342/.541 with 69 RBI and 78 runs scored across 491 plate appearances this season.
-
JR Ritchie SP | ATL
Braves' JR Ritchie: Goes four innings in return
Ritchie didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.
Making his first major-league start since June 23, Ritchie held the Nats scoreless through three innings before allowing two runs in the fourth. Overall, Ritchie sports a 4.50 ERA across 58 innings in the majors this season with a 1.43 WHIP and 53:36 K:BB. The 23-year-old rookie figures to get another look in Atlanta's rotation with Reynaldo Lopez (knee) on the IL. Ritchie currently lines up to face the Yankees on the road in his next outing.
-
Grant McCray CF | SF
Giants' Grant McCray: Sitting after six straight starts
McCray is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
McCray will take a seat for the second day in a row after he had started in each of the Giants' preceding six games while going 3-for-17 with a home run, a walk and two RBI. Drew Gilbert will cover center field Sunday, and he and McCray could jockey for playing time at the position until one of the two players separates himself from the other.
-
Luis Garcia 1B | NYY
Nationals' Luis Garcia: Trade nearing completion
Manager Blake Butera said after Sunday's 4-2 loss to Atlanta that Garcia was scratched from the lineup after the skipper was informed that a trade was "really close," Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Butera noted that nothing is official and didn't mention a trade partner, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post indicates that the Yankees and Nationals are close to reaching a deal. Garcia has already clubbed a career-high 23 home runs this season, and his .873 OPS through 104 games would also be a career-best mark.
-
Christian Koss 3B | SF
Giants' Christian Koss: Retreating to bench Sunday
Koss is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
Koss will take a seat after he went 4-for-18 with three runs and an RBI while starting at third base over the past five games. He'll cede the hot corner Sunday to Osleivis Basabe, who sticks in the lineup at a different position after playing second base in Saturday's 6-5 loss. Koss and Basabe could form a timeshare at third base until the Giants get Matt Chapman (abdomen) back from the injured list.
-
Cade Cavalli SP | WAS
Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Falls to Atlanta
Cavalli (8-5) took the loss Sunday against Atlanta, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk across six innings. He struck out three.
Both earned runs charged to Cavalli came on a pair of solo home runs -- a Mike Yastrzemski blast in the third inning followed by Matt Olson's game-tying shot in the fourth. It's Cavalli's first loss since June 7, and the right-hander has turned in five straight quality starts, posting a 2.30 ERA across 30 innings in that span. Overall, Cavalli's ERA is down to 3.52 on the season with a 1.29 WHIP and 133:37 K:BB across 24 starts (122.2 innings). He's currently in line to face the Reds at home his next time out.
-
Raisel Iglesias RP | ATL
Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Up to 24 saves
Iglesias earned the save in Sunday's 4-2 win over Washington, striking out one and walking one in a scoreless ninth inning.
Iglesias has now held opponents without an earned run in his last five innings, as he improved to 24-for-26 in save chances this season. The veteran closer's lowered his ERA to 2.25 across 40 innings this year with a 1.05 WHIP and 44:10 K:BB.
-
Jonathan Pintaro RP | NYM
Mets' Jonathan Pintaro: Returns to Triple-A
The Mets optioned Pintaro to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
Pintaro covered two scoreless frames Saturday against the Marlins and will now head to Triple-A in favor of a fresh arm. The 28-year-old has made six appearances for the Mets this year and has a 4.40 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB over 14.1 innings.