MLB Player News

Blalock (1-0) earned the win against the Yankees on Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Blalock was given an early lead and pitched well enough to earn his first major-league victory. While some efficiency issues have prevented him from earning a quality start, the rookie has allowed three earned runs or fewer while pitching into the sixth inning in each of his three starts with the Rockies. On the season, he owns a 3.06 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 11:8 K:BB across 17.2 innings and lines up for a home matchup with the Marlins next week.

Stratton was diagnosed Saturday with a left knee patella tendon rupture, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

Stratton will undergo imagining to determine the severity of the injury. The 27-year-old slipped and awkwardly fell into the wall while chasing down a wild pitch during Saturday's game against the Reds and was subsequently carted off. Stratton has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen for the Pirates, logging a 3.58 ERA in 37.2 innings prior to Saturday's game.

Aguiar (1-0) earned the win against the Pirates on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four over six innings.

Aguiar's lone mistake Saturday was the home-run ball served up to Rowdy Tellez, but he was otherwise lights out in his second career start. Aguiar kept the Pirates off balance all night and possibly earned himself another turn in the rotation. It helps that the rookie has allowed just three walks and seven hits in his first 10 innings of work.

Woodford (0-6) gave up eight runs (six earned) on six hits and three walks over 3.1 innings in a loss to the Reds on Saturday. He struck out three.

Woodford was jumped by the Reds for four runs in the first inning and another four in the fourth. The 27-year-old allowed a career-worst eight runs and failed to get out of the fourth inning for the first time in four starts with the Pirates. Woodford has now given up seven or more runs in back-to-back starts and will carry a 7.71 ERA into his next start, if he sticks in the rotation.

Tellez went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 10-2 loss against the Reds.

Tellez took Julian Aguiar deep in the second inning for his 11th home run of the season. Tellez got off to a rough start this season, but since June he's batting .298/.340/.524 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI over 62 games. The 29-year-old is a mainstay in the middle of the Pittsburgh order against right-handed pitching and will continue to play on the strong side of the platoon at first base.

De La Cruz went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, three runs and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-2 win over the Pirates.

De La Cruz filled the stat sheet once again with a pair of RBI, three runs and his 61st stolen base of the season. De La Cruz's RBI double in the sixth was his 59th extra-base hit this season, one away from making him just the 10th player since 1901 with a season of 60 extra-base hits and 60 stolen bases. The 22-year-old is in the midst of another strong week with a home run, five RBI, seven runs and two stolen bases in six games.

Steer went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-2 win against the Pirates.

Steer extended his hitting streak to seven games with an RBI double in the first inning. Steer is one of seven players in the National League with 30 doubles, and he along with Francisco Lindor are the only two among that group to also have 20 or more stolen bases. Steer has 16 RBI over his last 17 games and has now reached 80 or more for the second straight year. The 26-year-old has a .235/.326/.434 slash line through 127 games this season.

Ohtani (elbow) threw 10 pitches off a bullpen mound Saturday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ohtani still won't pitch in 2024 but Saturday marks the first time he's thrown off a mound since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2023. The milestone comes one day after he joined the 40-40 club with a walk-off grand slam. The 29-year-old is expected to be a cleared to pitch in time for spring training.

Stratton was carted off the field Saturday against Cincinnati with an apparent left knee injury after slipping and falling into the wall tracking down a wild pitch, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Stratton looked to be in serious pain after crashing into the wall and required a cart to exit the field of play. He was grabbing at his left knee following the collision. While it doesn't look good, there should be an update on Stratton's health postgame.

Wisdom hit a two-run home run, walked and scored another run in Saturday's 14-2 win against the Marlins.

Wisdom entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth, walked and scored a run. Then in the ninth, took infielder Vidal Brujan deep for his first home run since July 28. Wisdom has been an afterthought in the Cubs' lineup the whole second half of the season, as he's started just three of their last 20 games. The 32-year-old has struggled with a .203/.272/.447 slash line through 58 games.