MLB Player News

Hodge pitched a clean ninth inning in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates to wrap up a combined no-hitter for the Cubs.

It wasn't a save situation for Hodge, though he still faced plenty of pressure after starter Shota Imanaga and Nate Pearson kept Pittsburgh without a hit through eight innings. Hodge didn't flinch and breezed through the frame on just nine pitches, which has been customary for the young righty all season as he's now sporting a sparkling 1.75 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. Hodge looks locked in as the Cubs' closer for the rest of 2024, and the 23-year-old appears ready to be a fantasy contributor for years to come as well.

Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run, an additional run scored and three total RBI in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

At the end of July, Crow-Armstrong was batting just .194 with three home runs. In 30 games since then, the young outfielder is batting .327 with five long balls. Crow-Armstrong's greatest strength remains his speed, as he has 26 stolen bases in 27 attempts this season, but his recent production at the plate has unlocked another level of fantasy relevance. The 22-year-old could be poised for a true breakout campaign in 2025 if he can get off to a faster start, as he has the tools to be a star player.

Swanson went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, an additional run scored and three total RBI in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

It's been a down year overall for Swanson, but he's getting things going lately. Over his last 10 games, the Chicago shortstop is batting .385 with four home runs, 14 runs scored and 15 RBI. Swanson is now up 14 long balls for the season. The 30-year-old might be hard pressed to reach the 20-homer plateau for the fourth straight year, though given his recent hot streak, it's not out of the question with 22 games to go.

Hoerner went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

Hoerner went 0-for-4 in Tuesday's contest, but before that, he was riding a nine-game hitting streak. Over his last 15 games, the infielder is batting .316 with 14 runs scored and five stolen bases. Hoerner's greatest fantasy asset is his speed, and if he keeps getting on base consistently, he should be able to rack up plenty of steals and score a fair amount of runs as well.

Bellinger went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.

While he's batting just .214 over his last 10 games, Bellinger is at least riding a modest four-game hitting streak, which now includes his first multi-hit performance this month. The 29-year-old is up to 15 home runs this season to go along with a .749 OPS. It's a step back from the 26 long balls and .881 OPS Bellinger posted in 2023, though his production has still been serviceable for fantasy managers.

Fitzgerald will start at shortstop and bat fourth Wednesday versus Arizona, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Fitzgerald was originally scheduled to receive a day off Wednesday, but he will now join the starting nine to replace the scratched Matt Chapman. Fitzgerald has recorded a base hit in five of his last six games, going 7-for-23 with an RBI and two runs scored in that span.

Chapman was scratched from the Giants' lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against Arizona, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Chapman isn't dealing with any injuries, per Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants simply made a late decision to give the 31-year-old the day off. Brett Wisely will move over to third base while Chapman rests, and Tyler Fitzgerald will enter to play shortstop.

The Dodgers will recall Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Friday's game against the Guardians, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Knack will be called upon to fill the gap in Los Angeles' starting rotation created by Clayton Kershaw's (toe) move to the injured list. The 27-year-old Knack has been a reliable option for the Dodgers this season, posting a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through 48 innings across 10 appearances (eight starts). While his time in the majors may not extend past Friday, he makes for an interesting streaming option at home.

Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Yamamoto (triceps) will return from the injured list to start against the Cubs next Tuesday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Yamamoto allowed three earned runs in four innings across his two rehab starts at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but the Dodgers seem to be comfortable clearing him to rejoin their rotation. The 26-year-old righty only reached 53 pitches during his most recent outing Tuesday, so it's likely he'll be working under a pitch/innings restriction as he makes his first start since June 15.

Estevez earned the save in Wednesday's 4-2 win over Toronto. He issued one walk while striking out a pair in a scoreless ninth inning.

It's the sixth straight scoreless appearance for Estevez, who's allowed just two hits while striking out six in that span (seven innings). Estevez's ERA is down to a pristine 2.17 with a 0.79 WHIP and 48:9 K:BB across 49.2 innings between the Phillies and Angels this season. He's converted 24 of 28 save chances.