MLB Player News

Skenes didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 8-5 win over the Royals, giving up five runs on six hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out seven.

The 24-year-old righty had trouble keeping the ball in the yard, serving up solo shots to Vinnie Pasquantino in the first inning and Michael Massey in the fourth, but it was a three-run third that accounted for most of the damage against Skenes. The would-be ace has unexpectedly crashed back to earth in 2026, and he's been tagged for five runs in four of his last 10 starts, limping to a 4.96 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 54:21 K:BB over 52.2 innings during that stretch. Skenes will try to head into the offseason with some momentum when he makes his final start of the year at home next week against the Cardinals.

Pagan walked one and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Friday to record his 24th save of the season in a 6-4 win over the Cubs.

The veteran closer is closing out 2026 on a high note. Pagan hasn't been scored upon in seven straight appearances and hasn't blown a save since returning from the IL at the beginning of July, posting a 2.03 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 32:5 K:BB over his last 26.2 innings with three wins and 18 saves.

Burns didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 6-4 win over the Cubs, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks over three innings. He struck out four.

With the Reds out of the playoff picture, Burns is having his workload limited to close out his first full season in the majors, as he's already blown his previous career high in innings out of the water with 154.1 IP this year. The 23-year-old righty has tossed exactly three frames in all three of his September outings, posting a 4.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB in those nine innings. He'll make one more trip to the mound in 2026, a start scheduled to come on the road next week in Atlanta.

Holmes (6-8) took the loss Friday, coughing up six runs on three hits and five walks over 5.1 innings as the Cubs fell 6-4 to the Reds. He struck out four.

The veteran righty threw 57 of 97 pitches for strikes en route to a new season high in free passes. Holmes hasn't been able to replicate his early-season success with the Mets since being acquired by Chicago, and over eight starts for his new team he's gone 2-4 with a 4.26 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 30:21 K:BB in 44.1 innings. He'll get one more chance to build some momentum ahead of the playoffs, with Holmes' final start of the regular season lined up to come at home next week against the Marlins.

Happ went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-4 loss to the Reds.

Happ tied the game for the Cubs in the third inning with his 24th home run of the year before Cincinnati surged ahead. The veteran outfielder hadn't gone deep since Aug. 25 and is batting just .212 with a .646 OPS in 20 games since then. Despite the slump, Happ should remain a lineup regular in the last week of the regular season as Chicago jockeys for playoff positioning.

De La Cruz went 2-for-2 with two walks, a stolen base and two runs scored in Friday's 6-4 win over the Cubs.

De La Cruz singled, stole a base and scored a run in the first inning. The steal was his 27th of the season and moved him closer to what would be his first 30-homer, 30-steal season. A recent homer binge -- seven over the last 13 contests -- puts that achievement within reach with eight games left in the regular season.

Carroll batted seventh in Friday's game agaisnt the Yankees because of a recent slump, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Carroll, who had a double and a two-run home run in a 9-2 loss to New York, entered the contest batting .147 (10-for-68) with a 32.4 strikeout percentage over the previous 19 games. "Corbin's grinding right now. We all know it," manager Torey Lovullo said."Just give him a chance to catch his breath down there, take a little pressure off of him." Carroll hadn't hit lower than fifth this season and never started a game below third in 2025. It's unclear how long Lovullo will keep Carroll this low in the order, but the Diamondbacks are a better team with him in the upper half.

Leahy (10-5) took the loss Friday against the Nationals after allowing seven runs (six earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out one over three innings.

Leahy hasn't pitched more than three innings in any of his last four starts, but the seven runs he allowed Wednesday were a season-worst output for the 29-year-old right-hander. As a result, his ERA jumped to 3.65 as St. Louis was mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. Leahy, who owns a 9.26 ERA and 1.80 WHIP over his last four starts, is expected to make his final start of the season against the Pirates on the road next Thursday.

Cavalli (13-5) earned the win Friday against the Cardinals after allowing four hits while striking out six over five scoreless innings. He did not issue a walk.

Cavalli signed a four-year contract extension Friday that includes a club option for 2031, and he celebrated with another strong showing on the mound. He struck out the side in the first inning and didn't issue a walk over 73 pitches (55 strikes) while the Nationals built a 9-0 advantage before his departure. Cavalli recorded his 200th strikeout of the season on his final pitch, becoming the fifth pitcher in Nationals history to reach that mark in a season. He's avoided the loss in each of his last eight starts, posting a 1.72 ERA and a 67:11 K:BB across 47 innings in that stretch, and he's lined up to make his next start Wednesday on the road against the Tigers.

Acuna went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Friday's 6-2 win over the Astros.

Acuna gave Atlanta valuable insurance in the seventh inning, launching a two-run homer off AJ Blubaugh to extend the lead to 4-1 and bringing his season total to 19. The star outfielder later made an equally important defensive play, racing into shallow right field for a diving catch on Jose Altuve's potential hit to strand two runners and preserve Atlanta's two-run lead at the end of the eighth. Acuna has hit safely in six of his last seven games, batting .323 with a 1.041 OPS in that span.