MLB Player News

Atlanta optioned Stratton to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Stratton was scored upon in each of his last two relief appearances and has earned a trip back to the minors. Hayden Harris is absorbing Stratton's spot on the roster and in the bullpen.

Atlanta selected Harris' contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Harris has had a dominant season in the minors between Double-A Columbus and Gwinnett, allowing just three runs with a 73:16 K:BB over 48 innings. The 26-year-old will be making his major-league debut when/if he gets into a game.

Atlanta placed Profar on the paternity list Tuesday.

Profar will likely miss the final two games of the series against the Cubs before rejoining Atlanta for the start of a homestand Friday. Jake Fraley and Eli White will likely pick up the slack in left field while Profar is away.

Varsho went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Monday's loss to the Reds.

The center fielder took Reds closer Emilio Pagan deep in the ninth inning, capping a three-run rally that gave the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead, but the Toronto bullpen immediately handed it right back to Cincy in the bottom of the frame. Varsho was out of the lineup for a couple games due to a bruised hand, but Monday's long ball was a strong sign that he's fully healthy. Over the course of an injury-plagued season, Varsho has 16 homers and a career-best .866 OPS in just 49 games.

Albies went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and an RBI in Monday's extra-inning loss to the Cubs.

The second baseman has produced multi-hit performances in five of the last seven games, a stretch in which Albies is batting .393 (11-for-28) with three doubles, three homers and 11 RBI. He's had a down season overall due to lingering wrist issues, but a strong finish to 2025 should be enough to convince Atlanta that the 28-year-old still has a place in the team's future plans.

Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Monday's extra-inning loss to the Cubs.

The 22-year-old infielder has picked up the pace at the plate, and over his last 16 games Alvarez is slashing .288/.344/.373 with five doubles, five RBI and seven runs. He should remain the starting third baseman for the rest of the season with Austin Riley recovering from core muscle surgery, but Alvarez's lack of power or speed limits his fantasy potential even in a full-time role.

Jackson went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored Monday in a 4-3 win over the Padres.

The versatile rookie's fifth-inning long ball broke a 2-2 tie, and he scored the game-winning run in the seventh on a Dylan Beavers single. Jackson continues to rake -- he's riding a 12-game hitting streak during which he's slashing .340/.364/.585 with three homers, 11 RBI and eight runs. His hot bat has made him an everyday presence in Baltimore's lineup, and he's been splitting his time between third base and right field.

Allen went 1-for-4 in Monday's extra-inning loss to the Cubs, and over his last 13 games he's batting just .111 (3-for-27) with a 0:10 BB:K.

The 26-year-old offers a good glove at shortstop, but Allen has never figured out how to hit big-league pitching and has a .534 OPS through 405 plate appearances this season, and a .536 OPS for his career. Atlanta claimed Ha-Seong Kim (back) off waivers from the Rays on Monday, and he's expected to take over as the team's starting shortstop once he's activated from the IL, which could happen as soon as Tuesday. Allen will likely be relegated to a late-inning defensive role after Kim joins the active roster.

Cease allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven batters over four innings in a no-decision against Baltimore on Monday.

Both of the runs Cease allowed came on a Samuel Basallo single in the second inning. Though Cease was otherwise fine, he racked up 91 pitches through four frames and didn't take the mound for the fifth. On a positive note, the right-hander induced an impressive 18 whiffs and allowed fewer than three runs for the first time across his past four outings. Cease has been rocky over that span, posting a 7.02 ERA and 1.80 WHIP while completing five frames just once. He ranks fourth in the majors with 190 punchouts, but it's otherwise been a disappointing campaign for Cease, who carries a 4.81 ERA and 1.34 WHIP through 28 starts.

Akin earned a save against San Diego on Monday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over a scoreless ninth inning.

Akin entered the ninth with a one-run lead and worked around a one-out single to secure the save. It was the southpaw's fourth save of the season, all of which have come since Aug. 2. Akin seems to be the primary closer for Baltimore, though he's also blown three saves over the past month and Corbin Martin and Dietrich Enns each recorded a save apiece for the Orioles in that span, so it may not be an entirely settled situation. Nonetheless, Akin has pitched well enough (3.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 12:7 K:BB over 14 innings spanning his past 13 outings) to be worth a pickup by fantasy managers digging for saves.