MLB Player News

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was noncommittal about Walker's spot in the rotation following the right-hander's loss to the Astros on Wednesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Walker surrendered six runs on 13 hits and one walk while failing to record a strikeout against Houston. The Phillies are winless over his last nine starts, and Walker holds a 7.36 ERA over that span. His next turn comes up Tuesday in Toronto, but it seems likely the Phillies will go with someone else in that spot. Tyler Phillips looks like the leading candidate, with Kolby Allard also an option once he's eligible to be recalled Sept. 10. Walker is in the second year of a four-year, $72 million contract.

Smith started at first base and went 0-for-2 in Wednesday's 9-6 loss to Oakland.

Smith made his fourth consecutive start and fifth in six games since joining the Reds. All of those starts have come against right-handers, either at first base or designated hitter. A regular role is nice, but Smith is just 2-for-16 with eight strikeouts since signing with the team.

Benson went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 9-6 loss to the Athletics.

Benson's three-run home run capped a six-run seventh inning that brought the Reds all the way back from a 5-0 deficit, but they couldn't hold on for the win. The home run was Benson's first in 16 games and 13th of the season. The lefty-hitting outfielder is batting .193 with a .664 OPS and sees only sporadic playing time against right-handers.

Marte went 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

Marte went down on strikes in each of his first two trips to the plate before reaching on an infield single in the top of the sixth and then stealing second. The outfielder would later come home on a sacrifice fly from Pete Alonso and also added a double in the eighth, marking his first multi-hit performance since returning from the injured list in mid-August. Marte has now hit safely in six of seven games since being activated, going 7-for-25 (.280) over that stretch with two doubles, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

McCarthy went 1-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 8-5 win over the Mets.

McCarthy singled and stole a base ahead of Joc Pederson's home run in the third inning. The swipe was McCarthy's 20th, giving him at least 20 steals in three consecutive seasons.

Martinez picked up the save over the Mets on Wednesday, pitching a perfect ninth inning while striking out one.

Martinez entered the contest in the top of the ninth, right after Arizona had just taken a three-run lead on an eighth-inning rally. He then needed just nine pitches to retire the side and secure his seventh save of the campaign. The right-handed reliever has now converted each of his last seven save opportunities, all of which have come in August. Martinez has also recorded at least one strikeout in six-consecutive outings and in 11 of 12 appearances this month.

Pederson went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 8-5 win over the Mets.

Pederson bopped a two-run home run in the third inning, his 21st long ball of the season. The lefty-swinging outfielder/DH has made a career out of mashing right-handers, posting a career .846 OPS off them, but Pederson has exceeded that mark in 2024 (.961).

Diaz (5-3) blew the save and was charged with the loss against Arizona on Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on one hit and two walks over one-third of an inning.

Diaz took over for Phil Maton with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the eighth and proceeded to walk the first two batters before surrendering a grand slam to Corbin Carroll. This would put Arizona on top 8-5, leading to the right-hander suffering a second loss in his last two appearances. It marked Diaz's sixth blown save of the season and his first since July 7 against the Pirates. He's now allowed a home run in back-to-back outings and currently holds a 6.75 ERA in August to go along with an 11:3 K:BB over 6.2 frames.

Carroll went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in Wednesday's 8-5 win over the Mets.

Carroll padded an early Arizona lead with a solo shot in the fourth inning then, after New York took the lead, belted a game-deciding grand slam off closer Edwin Diaz in the eighth. The outfielder continued a torrid month of August, extending a hit streak to seven games (1.146 OPS) and belting nine home runs over the last 20 contests.

Severino did not factor into the decision in a loss to Arizona on Wednesday, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk over 4.2 innings. He struck out nine.

Severino struck out four of the first seven batters he faced before allowing Arizona's first run of the contest on an RBI single from Luis Guillorme. The right-hander was then victimized by the long ball in both the third and fourth innings and would later be relieved by Huascar Brazoban with two outs in the fifth, marking Severino's shortest outing this month. The 30-year-old veteran has now surrendered at least four runs in four of his last six starts, coughing up multiple homers in three of those outings. He'll finish the month of August with a 4.08 ERA and a 35:8 K:BB in five starts, going 2-2 over that stretch.