MLB Player News

Nelson did not factor into the decision in Saturday's extra-inning win over the Twins. He allowed four hits and three walks while striking out four across six scoreless innings.

Nelson got off to a slow start by allowing four hits to the first six batters he faced, but he got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and kept the Twins off the board. He generated 11 whiffs on 90 pitches (56 strikes) and was in line for his eighth win of the season, but he had to settle for the no-decision after the Twins tied the game at 2-2 in the eighth. Nelson has logged a quality start in each of his last five outings (though he has just one win to show for it), and the 27-year-old right-hander has 2.92 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across 64.2 innings in 11 starts since the All-Star break. His next start is tentatively slated for next weekend at home against the Phillies.

Alvarado (forearm), who was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday, won't pitch again in 2025, Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Manager Rob Thomson confirmed prior to Friday's game against the Royals that Alvarado won't have enough time to recover from his strained left forearm before the regular season concludes. The 30-year-old left-hander is ineligible for the playoffs due to his PED suspension, which cost him 80 games earlier this year, as well. Alvarado had once worked his way into Philadelphia's closing mix due to the struggles of Jordan Romano (finger), but the former reverted back to a setup role upon his return in August due to the addition of Jhoan Duran. Alvarado will close the campaign with a 3.81 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 32:7 K:BB and five holds while converting seven of his eight save chances. He has a $9 million club option for 2026.

Olson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during Atlanta's 6-2 loss to Houston on Saturday.

Olson put Atlanta on the board with a solo shot off Hunter Brown in the fourth inning before coming around to score in the seventh on a Ha-Seong Kim single. Olson leads Atlanta with 24 home runs this season, which is five short of his mark from the 2024 campaign. He has gone 11-for-36 (.306) with three home runs, five RBI and seven runs scored in 11 games since Sept. 1.

Elder (7-10) took the loss against the Astros on Saturday, allowing six runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out seven across 4.1 innings.

Elder generated 17 whiffs on 89 pitches (58 strikes), but he gave up three runs in both the second and third innings, with the Astros' scoring barrage capped off by a two-run homer by Christian Walker in the third. Saturday ended Elder's streak of quality starts at four, and the 10 hits he yielded match a season high. He now sits at a 5.56 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 142.1 innings this season. Elder will look to bounce back in his next start, which is lined up for next weekend on the road against the Tigers.

Banks threw a clean sixth inning for a hold Saturday against the Royals.

The southpaw matched a career high with his eighth hold of the year Saturday. With Jose Alvarado's (forearm) season perhaps already over, the Phillies will likely lean on Banks and Matt Strahm as their top left-handed relievers to finish up the campaign. Through 64.1 innings, Banks has a strong 3.22 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 57:10 K:BB.

Schwarber went 2-for-3 with two walks, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Saturday's 8-6 win over the Royals.

Kansas City tried to pitch around Schwarber early, but with the Phillies down 4-3 in the fifth inning, the slugger tied things up by lining an Angel Zerpa slider over the right-field wall. Schwarber is up to 51 homers on the season, and with 13 games left on the regular-season schedule, he still has a shot at matching Ryan Howard's club record of 58, set in 2006.

Duran struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his 30th save of the season in an 8-6 win over the Royals.

The flame-throwing righty fired seven of nine pitches for strikes as he breezed through the top of the Kansas City order. Duran has converted 14 of 15 save chances since joining the Phillies, reaching 30 saves for the first time in his career. Over 15.2 innings for his new club, he's delivered a stellar 1.15 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 21:0 K:BB.

Walker (5-8) picked up the win Saturday, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings in an 8-6 victory over the Royals. He struck out three.

The right-hander's nemesis on the day was Salvador Perez, who took him deep twice in the first three innings, but Walker got enough run support to overcome another mediocre performance and record his first win since Aug. 5. He's coughed up at least four runs in four straight trips to the mound, stumbling to a 7.65 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 9:6 K:BB over 20 innings during that swoon, but with Zack Wheeler (shoulder) set to undergo season-ending surgery, Walker may have some job security in the Phillies' rotation. He lines up to make his next start on the road next weekend in Arizona.

Rea allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five batters over 5.1 innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Rea held the Rays scoreless through four frames before giving up a run in the fifth. The right-hander then allowed the first two batters he faced in the sixth to reach base, and both ended up scoring. Rea did induce a healthy 13 whiffs and notched five punchouts, but the disappointing finish to his start kept him from completing six frames for the sixth straight outing. He's slated to take on Cincinnati in his next appearance.

Johnston went 2-for-4 with a walk, two home runs and three RBI in Saturday's 6-4 extra-innings win over the Tigers.

After taking Troy Melton deep for a solo shot in the sixth inning, Johnston walked it off in the 11th with a two-run homer off Rafael Montero. The 28-year-old rookie came into the game with just one long ball in his first 32 big-league contests, and the performance may have snapped a September swoon for Johnston in which he'd gone just 2-for-21 (.095) with zero RBI over his prior nine games.