MLB Player News

Julien went 1-for-4 with a stolen base Friday against the Giants.

Julien had slipped into a reserve role in the last week, but he started his second consecutive game Friday. He helped the Rockies take a 1-0 lead in the second inning, reaching base on a single and then executing a double steal with Ezequiel Tovar. Julien is hitting only .204 across 155 plate appearances, and his playing time will likely slip further once Mickey Moniak (ankle) is able to return.

Griffin went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases in Friday's 6-5 win over the Twins.

The 20-year-old rookie is up to 14 steals in 15 attempts through his first 50 big-league games. Griffin is more than holding his own at the plate as well, and through 24 contests in May he's slashing .301/.359/.452 with nine extra-base hits including two homers, nine RBI and 19 runs.

Reynolds went 1-for-3 with two walks, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's 6-5 win over the Twins.

The veteran outfielder didn't get much to hit earlier in the game, but he came through when it mattered most, launching a walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning against Taylor Rogers. Reynolds has hit safely in seven straight games, batting .500 (12-for-24) over that span with four doubles, two home runs, one steal, five RBI and seven runs.

Bazzana went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Friday's 4-3 win over Boston.

Bazzana is thriving as the Guardians' current leadoff batter. He's hit in all six games (9-for-23) since being deployed at the top of the order, and the rookie stole his eighth base (caught twice) in 28 games.

Freeman went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk Friday against the Giants.

Freeman has gotten more consistent playing time with Mickey Moniak (ankle) sidelined, starting nine straight games. Freeman has hit .265 with two RBI and three runs scored in that span, and he's also in the midst of a four-game hitting streak. Freeman has occupied the second spot in the lineup in four of the last five contests, giving him some run-scoring upside if he continues to reach base at a strong clip.

Jones didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 6-5 win over the Twins, coughing up five runs on seven hits and two walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out six.

Making his first big-league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of last year, Jones tossed 53 of 77 pitches for strikes but got hit hard when he was in the strike zone, serving up long balls to Kody Clemens in the first inning and Trevor Larnach in the third. The right-hander was headed for the loss until Bryan Reynolds walked it off with a homer of his own in the bottom of the ninth. Jones has plenty of upside, but he'll be a risky fantasy option while he shakes off the rust and works to regain his pre-injury form. He lines up to make his next start on the road next week in Houston.

Rogers (1-2) blew the save and took the loss Friday, coughing up two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning as the Twins fell 6-5 to the Pirates. He struck out one.

The veteran lefty got the call in the ninth inning to protect a 5-4 lead, but instead he served up a walk-off homer to Bryan Reynolds. It was Rogers' first blown save of the year, and through 21.2 innings he carries a shaky 4.15 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 17:6 K:BB. The back of Minnesota's bullpen remains a mess, but Rogers' experience will probably allow him to remain in the high-leverage mix -- he's tied for the team lead in both holds (six) and saves (two).

Mejia (1-4) allowed two earned runs on three hits across one inning but still earned the win Friday against the Giants. He did not record a walk or a strikeout.

Mejia was called upon to hold the Rockies' deficit to one run in the ninth inning, but he allowed four of the first six batters he faced to reach base. The offense bailed him out with a walk-off home run, but Mejia's recent struggles continued with the outing. He's allowed at least one earned run in three straight appearances, totaling five earned runs allowed across 2.2 innings. Mejia is still being used in high-leverage situations, though his potential share of save chances is murky.

Bradley didn't factor into the decision Friday as the Twins were downed 6-5 by the Pirates, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out six.

The Bucs ambushed Bradley for three runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a solo shot by Oneil Cruz, but the right-hander was able to hang around long enough to give the Twins 87 pitches (51 strikes) before getting the hook. Bradley has issued multiple free passes in seven straight starts dating back to April 12, posting a 4.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 43:17 K:BB in 39.1 innings during that span. He'll look to bounce back in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Royals.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-3 loss Atlanta.

Lowe's fourth-inning home run extended a hit streak to eight games. During the streak, Lowe has gone 11-for-30 (.367) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored. He's getting regular playing time against right-handers while Reds manager Terry Francona shuffles the starting lineup to cover for injured third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back). Lowe is slugging at a career-high .570 percent with 18 of his 33 hits going for extra bases.