MLB Player News

Abbott (9-7) took the loss Saturday, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks over four-plus innings as the Reds were downed 4-0 by the Rays. He struck out two.

The southpaw fired 60 of 88 pitches for strikes but was getting too much of the plate, as six of the eight hits off him went for extra bases including back-to-back homers in the fifth inning by Alex Jackson and Yandy Diaz. Abbott has been erratic in July -- three of his five trips to the mound resulted in quality starts in which he allowed just one total run, but he got torched for nine runs in 7.1 innings in the other two outings. He'll take a 3.38 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 89:45 K:BB through 117 innings into his next start, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Giants.

Megill (2-5) took the loss Saturday as the Mets fell 4-0 to Atlanta, giving up four runs on five hits -- including three home runs -- and two walks over six-plus innings. He struck out four.

Making his first big-league start since June 29, Megill looked like he was headed for a pitchers' duel with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach until Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson clubbed back-to-back solo shots in the fourth inning. Eddie Rosario would then help chase Megill from the game with a third solo blast to lead off the seventh. With Kodai Senga (calf) lost for the season and Christian Scott (elbow) lacking a clear return date, Megill will likely get an extended run in the rotation unless the Mets bring in help at the trade deadline. The right-hander hasn't made a strong case for the job however, posting a 5.20 ERA and 1.40 WHIP through nine MLB starts this season.

Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-0 win over the Mets.

He took Tylor Megill deep in the fourth inning, the first of three solo shots by Atlanta off the right-hander. Ozuna has gone yard in back-to-back games to reach 30 on the season, and he's finishing July in style, slashing .404/.466/.827 over the last 14 contests with seven homers and nine RBI.

Schwellenbach (4-5) picked up the win Saturday, scattering two hits over seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory over the Mets. He struck out 11 without walking a batter.

The rookie right-hander was simply dominant, setting a new career high in Ks and becoming just the fifth pitcher in franchise history to have a double-digit strikeout game in the first 10 appearances of their career. Schwellenbach is emerging as an ace for Atlanta -- in four July outings, he's posted a stunning 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 28:1 K:BB over 26 innings, not bad for someone who didn't even begin pitching until his final season of college ball in 2021. He lines up to make his next start at home next week against a Marlins team that has already shipped out Jazz Chisholm and could be further depleted by the trade deadline.

Walker (7-3) allowed a run on one hit and one walk over one inning but earned the win in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader versus the Rockies.

Walker allowed a game-tying solo home run to Michael Toglia in the top of the seventh inning, but the Giants took the lead right back in their half of the frame. It'll count as the fourth blown save of the year for Walker, three of which have come in July. He's allowed five runs over 12.2 innings this month, raising his season ERA to 2.43 with a 0.93 WHIP and 65:13 K:BB through 55.2 innings overall. He's also earned 19 holds and while settling into a setup role, and he continues to have appeal in fantasy with strong strikeout numbers.

Contreras went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 14-3 loss to the Nationals.

Contreras got the Cardinals on the board in the sixth inning, but his homer only cut the deficit to 9-2. The catcher has gone 9-for-31 (.290) over eight games since the All-Star break. For the year, he's up to a .274/.396/.510 slash line with 12 homers, 28 RBI, 36 runs scored, three stolen bases and 13 doubles over 59 contests.

Gibson (7-4) allowed two runs on six hits and three walks while failing to record a strikeout over five innings, taking the loss Saturday versus the Nationals.

Gibson has posted a 17:9 K:BB over 20.2 innings across his last four starts, allowing 10 runs in that span. That's just a little worse than his 3.97 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 102:46 K:BB for the year, marks he's achieved in 113.1 innings across 20 starts. The veteran right-hander is projected to make his next start on the road versus the Cubs.

Thomas went 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and three runs scored in Saturday's 14-3 win over the Cardinals.

Thomas is 6-for-26 (.231) with five steals over eight games since the All-Star break. The speedy outfielder is up to 28 thefts this season, though he's needed 40 attempts to get there. He's added a .250/.329/.399 slash line with eight home runs, 39 RBI, 42 runs scored, 14 doubles and three triples over 76 contests.

Ramirez went 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 14-3 win over the Cardinals.

Ramirez came into the game as a pinch hitter for Jesse Winker, who was pulled because he was traded to the Mets. Ramirez immediately took advantage with an excellent performance that included his first multi-hit effort since June 29. The veteran outfielder is hitting .308 (8-for-26) in July, and he may see a larger role now that Winker is out of the picture. For the season, Ramirez is slashing .275/.291/.338 with two home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored and five stolen bases over 213 plate appearances between the Rays and Nationals.

Biggio went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional RBI, a double and a walk in a 7-6 loss to Houston on Saturday.

Biggio put the Dodgers on the board with an RBI double in the second inning and later provided what looked to be a valuable insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth, though it wasn't enough to prevent the Astros from pulling out the victory. He now has four runs batted in over his past five contests, collecting as many RBI during that span as he had accumulated across his previous 30 games combined. Biggio's two hits Saturday pushed him just over the Mendoza Line, as he's slashing a paltry .202/.319/.307 across 192 plate appearances on the season.