MLB Player News
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Rafael Montero RP | DET
Tigers' Rafael Montero: Effective in longest 2025 outing
Montero tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in Wednesday's 7-0 loss to the Athletics. He walked one batter and struck out four.
After starter Casey Mize was tagged for five runs in just 3.1 innings, Montero came on and gave the Tigers some valuable long relief. It was the veteran righty's longest outing of the season, and he's now covered two or more innings four times this year. Montero has been fairly effective in Detroit since coming over before the trade deadline, posting a 3.48 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 10.1 innings with his new team.
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JR Ritchie SP | ATL
Braves' JR Ritchie: Fans career-high 11 at Gwinnett
Ritchie gave up one hit and two walks over six scoreless innings for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. He struck out 11.
The 11 Ks were a career high for the 22-year-old right-hander at any level. Ritchie has made an impressive return from May 2023 Tommy John surgery, beginning the season at High-A and now sitting one promotion away from his big-league debut. Over seven starts for Gwinnett, he's posted a 3.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 39:16 K:BB through 37.1 innings, and while Atlanta has little reason to bring him up in September, Ritchie could get an audition for a rotation spot next spring.
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Jarren Duran LF | BOS
Red Sox's Jarren Duran: Atones for mistake
Duran went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Baltimore.
Duran (95 percent catch probability) and Ceddanne Rafaela (85 percent) were poised to be the goats after the two outfielders allowed a harmless fly ball drop between them in the seventh inning, which gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead. That's the kind of mistake that would have haunted a younger Duran, but two innings later, he led off the top of the ninth with a single and scored on a Rafaela home run. Duran's multi-hit effort was his first in 16 games as he attempts to break out of an August slump in which he's posted a .220/.343/.354 slash line.
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Roman Anthony RF | BOS
Red Sox's Roman Anthony: Whacks leadoff homer
Anthony went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Orioles.
Anthony put the Red Sox on top five pitches into the game with second leadoff homer in three contests. He's tapped into a power stroke over the last two weeks, swatting five of his seven homers over the last 15 games. Anthony sports a robust .517 slugging percentage during the month of August.
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Justin Slaten RP | BOS
Red Sox's Justin Slaten: Activation expected Thursday
Slaten (shoulder) is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list ahead of Thursday's series finale in Baltimore, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Slaten hasn't pitched in the majors since late May, when he was placed on the injured list with what was initially described as right shoulder inflammation. He later learned that his transverse process was pressing against nerves, causing soreness. Slaten looks to be healthy again after tossing three scoreless innings across three rehab appearances at Triple-A Worcester, and he could eventually move back into a setup role for Boston. Slaten posted a 3.47 ERA with four holds, three saves and a .171 batting average against in 24 appearances for Boston prior to landing on the shelf.
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Jonny DeLuca CF | TB
Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Kicks off rehab assignment
DeLuca (hamstring) went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first rehab game with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.
DeLuca also played seven innings in center field in what was his first game since suffering a left hamstring strain three weeks earlier. There's no word on when the Rays plan to activate DeLuca from the 10-day injured list, but it could be any day now. He's been limited to just 20 games this season due to various injuries.
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Eric Lauer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Hit hard vs. Twins
Lauer didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Minnesota, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits across 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
It was a rough outing for the left-hander, who gave up a season-high four homers before departing with two outs in the fifth inning. Prior to Wednesday, Lauer had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his first 14 starts this year. Overall, his ERA sits at 3.21 with a 1.13 WHIP and 91:25 K:BB across 92.2 innings this season. Per manager John Schneider, Lauer will likely move into the bullpen down the stretch with Shane Bieber returning to the rotation.
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Wyatt Langford LF | TEX
Rangers' Wyatt Langford: Crosses home four times
Langford went 2-for-2 with two walks and four runs scored in Wednesday's 20-3 win over the Angels.
Langford scored each time he reached base during a the team-wide explosion. He was one of seven Rangers with multiple hits. Langford has reached base safely in 17 straight games, going 20-for-59 (.339) with 13 walks, three steals, four home runs, five doubles, 10 RBI and 17 runs scored during that stretch. The four runs scored Wednesday makes him the club leader with 65, surpassing the injured Marcus Semien (foot).
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Josh Jung 3B | TEX
Rangers' Josh Jung: Extends hit streak to five
Jung went 3-for-6 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 20-3 win over the Angels.
Jung was about fifth on the list of offensive stars in the game, but the Rangers understand how important it is for the third baseman to get his groove back. A wrist injury that derailed him in 2024 has been followed by a season-long slump in 2025, when he was demoted to the minors for a stretch in July. Wednesday was his sixth straight start after getting a four-game breather last week to reset. The three-hit performance extended a hit streak to five games, during which Jung has gone 9-for-23 (.391) with a home run, a double and four RBI.
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Brayan Rocchio SS | CLE
Guardians' Brayan Rocchio: Moved up order Wednesday
Rocchio batted second and went 0-for-5 in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Rays.
That's the highest spot in the order for Rocchio when he's been in a starting lineup. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt modified the order, which was without a resting Jose Ramirez, and also recognized the good work Rocchio has put in since his return to the majors July 1 -- he's slashed .269/.308/.406 with 25 RBI over 50 games since his recall. The Guardians rank last in the league with a .197 average out of the second spot in the batting order.