MLB Player News

Arraez (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

The Phillies will give Arraez the day off after he made an early exit in Saturday's 12-3 win due to cramping near his hamstring. Interim manager Don Mattingly hasn't suggested that Arraez is dealing with anything more serious, so the 29-year-old is trending toward a return to the lineup Monday in Seattle. Bryson Stott will get the nod at second base while Arraez sits for the first time since the Phillies acquired him from the Giants on Aug. 3.

Walton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Astros.

Walton opened the scoring with a 422-foot blast to center field in the third inning, his first homer since June 15 when he was a member of the Angels. Since being picked up by the Athletics on July 12, the journeyman infielder is slashing .230/.397/.377 with six RBI, 14 runs and two stolen bases across 79 plate appearances. Overall, Walton has a .283/.374/.454 line with four homers, 18 RBI, 28 runs and two stolen bases in 176 plate appearances this season.

Narvaez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Narvaez started five of the previous six games, but he went 0-for-12 with a walk during that span to bring his season-long slash line down to .165/.241/.236 over 242 plate appearances. The Orioles will likely have Samuel Basallo split time between catcher and designated hitter down the stretch, so Narvaez is headed for a reduction in playing time after initially being the top option behind the plate following the Adley Rutschman trade.

Atlanta recalled Hicklen from Triple-A Gwinnett to serve as the 27th player for Sunday's Little League Classic against the Brewers.

After playing the first two games of the series in Milwaukee, the two clubs will head to Williamsport for the finale, so they'll each get an extra player for the contest. Hicklen was up with Atlanta for a couple weeks in July and performed well in his limited opportunities, going 7-for-23 with four walks, four doubles, three RBI and five runs in eight games.

Kimbrel picked up the save Saturday against the Tigers. He allowed no hits and a walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning.

Kimbrel entered the ninth inning with a two-run cushion and retired the side on 20 pitches (14 strikes) to secure his first save of the campaign. The veteran right-hander has yet to allow a run across 5.1 frames since joining Kansas City. Overall, he owns a 4.15 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 35:18 K:BB across 39 innings between the Royals, Rays and Mets this season. The closer role has been a revolving door in the absence of Carlos Estevez (shoulder), and Kimbrel could see more save opportunities alongside Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz if he keeps delivering.

Valdez is slated to make his next start Monday versus the Rays in Detroit, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

After earning a win this past Monday in Pittsburgh, Valdez appeared on track to receive his second start of the week Sunday in Kansas City. Instead, the Tigers will build in an extra day of rest for the veteran southpaw and the other members of the rotation by calling up Andrew Sears from Triple-A Toledo to pitch in bulk relief Sunday. Valdez will now line up for a double dip during the upcoming week, with his second start projected to fall Aug. 30 versus the Dodgers at Comerica Park.

Baez went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Saturday's 12-3 loss to the Phillies.

After slugging home runs in his first three MLB at-bats following his promotion from Triple-A Memphis, Baez has gone 2-for-29 with a home run, two steals and a 3:12 BB:K in his subsequent 34 trips to the plate. Baez's struggles with making consistent contact may continue to suppress his batting average -- which now sits at .156 -- but his impressive power/speed profile along with his stranglehold on an everyday role should still make him worthy of rostering in most fantasy leagues.

Griffin (finger) took swings Friday as he continues to ramp up baseball activities, MLB.com reports.

Griffin is currently working out at the Pirates' facility in Florida. Manager Don Kelly didn't have many details, but he said the initial reports indicate the session went well. Griffin is trending toward a return in early September.

Waguespack will start Sunday's game against the Royals as an opener, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

It'll be the first start of the season and 15th of Waguespack's MLB career, with most of those coming in 2019 when he was working out of the rotation with Toronto. The right-hander is in the midst of his best big-league campaign with a 1.95 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 16:9 K:BB across 27.2 innings out of the bullpen, though his 4.71 xFIP indicates regression could be on the horizon.

McCarthy went 2-for-4 with a stolen base Saturday against the Guardians.

McCarthy made an early impact with his speed, reaching base on an infield single to lead off the first inning before proceeding to steal second base. He now has 23 steals this season, and he has swiped three bases in his last five games. McCarthy has remained a strong fantasy contributor, hitting .313 with three homers, nine RBI, 17 runs scored and six stolen bases across 19 games in August.