MLB Player News

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Graterol (hamstring) could return from the 15-day injured list as soon as Friday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Graterol will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, and he may require only a couple of appearances with the affiliate before getting the green light to rejoin the Dodgers. The right-hander opened the season on the IL due to right shoulder inflammation before being activated Aug. 5, only to strain his right hamstring in his first appearance of the season for Los Angeles.

Walker went 5-for-5 with a home run, a stolen base, four runs scored and three RBI in Sunday's 14-7 win over the Yankees.

Walker did it all Sunday, turning in a perfect day at the plate and stealing his first base of the season for good measure. He opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second before slugging a two-run home run in the fifth to extend the Cardinals' lead to five. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that Walker will have an everyday spot in the lineup, and that seems justified after Sunday's performance. A former first-round pick, the 22-year-old Walker has undeniable upside but he has struggled overall in his big-league opportunities in 2024, slashing .143/.218/.221 with zero home runs in 87 plate appearances before Sunday's explosion.

Blach (3-7) yielded five runs on five hits and two walks over four innings Sunday, striking out one and taking a loss against Baltimore.

Blach was promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque for his first MLB appearance since July 26. He gave up one run through three innings before Baltimore's four-run fourth frame, capped off by James McCann's two-run blast. Blach now owns a 6.65 ERA with a 35:18 K:BB through 67.2 innings with Colorado this season. He's currently scheduled to start in Milwaukee next weekend, but it's unclear if he'll get another turn in the rotation.

Kershaw was spotted playing catch on the field prior to Sunday's 14-3 loss to the Diamondbacks, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Kershaw remains without a definitive timeline to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list, but the fact that he was able to do some throwing one day after being deactivated and two days after exiting his start against the Diamondbacks with a bone spur in his left big toe bodes well for a quick return. Manager Dave Roberts noted Saturday that the toe issue makes it difficult for Kershaw to move around, so the veteran southpaw may need to prove that he can comfortably field his position before the Dodgers have a better sense of when he might be activated. The Dodgers called up lefty Justin Wrobleski from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday to fill Kershaw's spot in the rotation.

Suarez picked up a save Sunday, allowing one hit and one walk during a scoreless ninth inning against the Rays. He struck out one.

Suarez managed to cling onto a one-run lead, allowing a couple of baserunners with one out in the ninth before retiring the final two batters to slam the door on his 30th save. Suarez had allowed runs during each of his previous two appearances and, even with Sunday's scoreless effort, has allowed seven batters to reach base over his last 2.2 innings stretched across three outings.

Junis covered 3.2 innings in relief in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Brewers in 11 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and no walks. He struck out one batter.

Junis tossed four scoreless innings in his first start as a member of the Reds his last time out Tuesday against the Athletics, but he shifted back to the bullpen Sunday while the Reds added Brandon Williamson (shoulder) to the rotation. Since Williamson (66 pitches, 3.1 innings) wasn't fully stretched out in his return from the 60-day injured list, Junis (62) ended up taking on a similar workload while piggybacking him. Even with Williamson's return, the Reds still have only four healthy starters at the moment, so Junis could be needed for a spot start or bulk-relief appearance during next weekend's series with the Mets.

Mikolas did not factor into the decision in Sunday's win against the Yankees, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits and zero walks while striking out five in four innings.

Mikolas held his own through four innings, allowing one earned run on a solo home run to Giancarlo Stanton in the second. Things fell apart in the fifth, however, as Mikolas allowed three runners to score before exiting with the bases loaded and zero out. Fortunately for Mikolas, reliever John King was able to escape the jam unscathed, preventing any further damage. The 36-year-old has done an admirable job eating up innings for the Cardinals this season, but the veteran owns an ugly 5.27 ERA, second-worst among qualified pitchers. Mikolas will look to bounce back in his next start, currently scheduled for next weekend against Seattle.

The Reds returned Zulueta to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Zulueta was sent back to Louisville one day after serving as the Reds' 27th man for a doubleheader with the Brewers. The right-handed reliever appeared in the Reds' 14-0 loss in the second game of the twin bill, punching out three batters in 1.1 innings but giving up four earned runs on four hits and one walk.

Cease did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks over five innings against the Rays. He struck out four.

Cease entered the sixth with a three-run lead, having managed to hold the Rays off the board through five while allowing only two batters to reach base. However, Cease was removed from the game after loading the bases while not recording an out in the sixth, making him responsible for all three runners that eventually came around to score. It was the third time over his last four starts that Cease has walked at least three batters, though he did allow just five batters to reach base over five-plus innings after having allowed 37 baserunners during his previous 21.1 frames. He's next scheduled to take the hill in a home matchup against the Giants.

The Mets recalled Reyes from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Sunday's 2-0 win over the White Sox. He appeared off the bench as a pinch runner and came around to score a run.

Reyes has seen action at all four infield spots as well as in right field between his time in the minors and his brief run in the big leagues with the Red Sox this season, so he'll provide the Mets with some versatility off the bench down the stretch. The 30-year-old utility man is unlikely to receive regular at-bats, however.