MLB Player News

The Nationals recalled Brzykcy from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.

Added to the 40-man roster over the winter, Brzykcy will now hit the big leagues for the first time as one of the Nationals' two September call-ups. Despite not making his 2024 debut late May, the hard-throwing right-handed reliever staged a successful recovery from Tommy John surgery, which cut short his 2023 season. Between stops with Rochester and Double-A Harrisburg this season, Brzykcy logged a 2.38 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 28:8 K:BB in 22.2 innings. While unlikely to unseat All-Star Kyle Finnegan as the Nationals' closer this season, Brzykcy could quickly move into a key setup role for Washington in the final month of the 2024 campaign.

The Nationals selected Baker's contract from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.

The son of longtime manager and former MLB outfielder Dusty Baker, Darren will get his first taste of the big leagues at age 25. The left-handed Baker lacks power (no home runs in 483 plate appearances at Triple-A), but he makes good contact (18.8 percent strikeout rate, .285 average) and brings speed to the table (38 steals in 43 attempts). He'll serve in a utility role for the Nationals in September and saw action at second base, left field and center field for the Triple-A club this season.

Higashioka (illness) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Higashioka was scratched from the lineup Saturday due to flu-like symptoms, and he'll sit Sunday for a second straight game. Luis Campusano will receive another start behind the plate in the series finale.

Busch is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals.

Busch doesn't always head to the bench against left-handed pitchers, but he'll sit Sunday against Washington southpaw Mitchell Parker. Patrick Wisdom is starting at first base and batting sixth in the series finale.

The Cubs recalled Mastrobuoni from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Back up for his fourth stint of the season with the Cubs, Mastrobuoni projects to fill a utility role for the big club, much like he did on the previous three occasions. As a left-handed batter, Mastrobuoni won't have a path to a short-side platoon role, so his playing time will likely be sparse in September unless the Cubs lose one of their lineup regulars to an injury.

The Cubs reinstated Wicks (oblique) from the 60-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the Nationals in Washington.

Chicago recalled infielder Nick Madrigal (hand) from Triple-A Iowa and placed him on the 60-day IL to reopen a spot on the 40-man roster for Wicks, who is set to make his first appearance for the big club since June 14. After a lengthy shutdown while he recovered from a right oblique strain, Wicks began a rehab assignment with Iowa on Aug. 10 and struggled in his first two starts, but he returned to excellent form in his final two outings with the affiliate, covering 8.2 scoreless innings and recording eight strikeouts between those starts. He built up to 73 pitches in his final start with Iowa and shouldn't face much of a restriction with his workload Sunday as he slots back into Chicago's rotation.

The Cubs recalled Madrigal (hand) from Triple-A Iowa and placed him on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

After he was optioned to Iowa on June 2, Madrigal fractured his left hand three days later when he was hit by a pitch and was placed on the Triple-A club's injured list a day later. He hasn't played since and had continued to occupy a spot on the Cubs' 40-man roster, but Madrigal's move to the big club's 60-day IL will clear room for lefty Jordan Wicks (oblique), who will return from the 60-day IL to start Sunday's game in Washington. Madrigal is without a clear timeline to return to game action at Triple-A.

The Cardinals reinstated Siani (oblique) from the 10-day injured list Sunday, but he won't be available for the team's series finale against the Yankees in New York, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

St. Louis is bringing Siani back with the active roster expanding from 26 to 28 men, but after playing for Triple-A Memphis in Iowa a night earlier, he won't be able to join the Cardinals in New York in time for Sunday's game. Victor Scott will pick up the start in center field Sunday as a result, but manager Oliver Marmol said that Siani will "get the bulk of the time in center field" now that he's been activated, per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. Prior to landing on the IL with a right oblique strain Aug. 4, Siani slashed .256/.297/.325 over 259 plate appearances, but his excellent defense and speed (14 steals in 17 attempts) are enough to keep him locked into a near-everyday role.

Baker will serve as the Cardinals' designated hitter and No. 2 batter in Sunday's game against the Yankees.

Though he's back in the lineup for the series finale, Baker looks poised to lose out on a regular starting role against right-handed pitching with the Cardinals seemingly planning to deploy the recently recalled Jordan Walker in an everyday role. With Walker settling in as the Cardinals' primary right fielder, Alec Burleson should serve as St. Louis' designated hitter in most games, though the lefty-hitting Burleson will get a rare day off Sunday against Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes.

Burleson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.

Unless he's used off the bench as a pinch hitter, Burleson will put his seven-game hitting streak on hold Sunday while he rests for the first time since Aug. 18. Luken Baker will replace Burleson as the Cardinals' designated hitter.