MLB Player News

Kelly is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Blue Jays.

Kelly and Miguel Amaya have rotated starts at catcher for the Cubs in each of the last 10 games. It will be Amaya behind the dish Thursday at Wrigley Field.

Williams has been nursing right arm fatigue but is available out of the Mets' bullpen for Thursday's game in Cleveland, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

He was unavailable Wednesday, leading to Daniel Duarte closing things down to notch his second career save. Williams will be ready for a save opportunity Thursday should one present itself, and the Mets do not seem concerned at this point that Williams' fatigue will be a recurring issue.

Griffin is slated to start Thursday's game against the Mets in Cleveland, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Acquired from the Nationals on Monday, Griffin will make his Guardians debut three days later after getting some time to acclimate to his new team. After spending the previous three seasons pitching in Japan before signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Nationals in December, Griffin has emerged as an unlikely All-Star in his return to affiliated ball. While leaning on a seven-pitch mix, Griffin turned in a 12-3 record, 3.06 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 116:30 K:BB in 129.1 innings over his 22 starts with Washington. Though he's vastly outperformed his peripherals (4.09 FIP, 4.10 xERA, 3.80 SIERA), Griffin's change in home park from one of baseball's more hitter-friendly venues in Nationals Park to a more neutral environment in Progressive Field could help him stave off regression.

Sanchez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Astros.

His sixth-inning homer off Hunter Brown tied the game at 3-3, setting the stage for the Blue Jays' victory in the 10th. It was Sanchez's first long ball in four games since coming off the IL, and he's settling back in as the top option in left field against right-handed pitching. On the season, the 28-year-old is slashing .270/.313/.438 through 77 contests with eight homers, one steal, 12 runs and 32 RBI.

Lee recorded his first career big-league save Wednesday, giving up one unearned run on one hit in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win over the Astros. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.

Tyler Rogers worked the eighth inning and Louis Varland the ninth to keep the game tied at 3-3, leaving Lee as the surprise recipient of a save chance after the Blue Jays took a lead in the top of the 10th. The right-hander did allow the phantom runner to score on a Yordan Alvarez single, but Lee wound up needing just five pitches (all strikes) to finish things out. While he's had success at Triple-A Buffalo this season, Lee's 6.23 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 1:4 K:BB through 4.1 MLB innings this season will limit him to a lower-leverage role for the most part.

The Cubs optioned Ferguson to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.

Ferguson had pitched each of the last two days -- including throwing 29 pitches over two scoreless frames versus the Dodgers on Wednesday -- so he's being replaced by a fresh reliever. The 32-year-old has logged a 3.45 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 19:2 K:BB over 15.2 innings for the Cubs, so he's likely to be back with the big club sooner rather than later.

The Cubs recalled Garrett from Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.

Acquired from the Marlins at the trade deadline, Garrett's role with the Cubs for now appears to be as a long-relief option. The left-hander has been tagged for seven runs with a 5:8 K:BB over 4.1 innings in the majors this season, but he's collected a 2.90 ERA and 83:29 K:BB covering 77.2 frames in 2026 at the Triple-A level.

Narvaez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Angels.

Narvaez started behind the dish in the first two games of the series, so he will get a breather during Thursday's afternoon tilt. Yohel Pozo is doing the catching and batting ninth for the Orioles.

Mayo is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Angels.

Mayo went deep in Wednesday's victory over the Halos, but he will get a break as the Orioles go for the sweep. Gunnar Henderson is getting a designated-hitter day, and Jeremiah Jackson is entering the lineup at second base while Jackson Holliday shifts to shortstop.

Wilson is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Cincinnati.

Wilson homered three times in a four-game span shortly after the All-Star break, but he's gone just 8-for-49 at the dish across his subsequent 12 contests. Alika Williams will handle shortstop duties for the Athletics while Wilson gets a break.