MLB Player News

Ekness (3-4) earned the win after walking one and striking out two over a hitless and scoreless inning in Tuesday's 8-2 extra-innings victory over the Cubs.

Ekness handled the bottom of the 11th inning with the game still tied 2-2, working around a two-out walk to keep Chicago off the board. Miami then erupted for six runs in the top of the 12th, putting Ekness in position for his third victory. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.54 with this scoreless appearance, and he's ending the season on a strong note, not allowing a run in his last five appearances.

Duran earned the save in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Brewers, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two in the ninth inning.

The Phillies jumped out to a 6-3 lead thanks to a three-run eighth inning, prompting the team to send out Duran in the ninth to secure the win. The 28-year-old right-hander was cruising after striking out the first two batters he faced before giving up an RBI single, but Duran managed to lock down the win for the Phillies for his 33rd save of the season, ninth most in the majors. He's earned the save in each of his last four outings and has a 1.88 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 57.1 innings this season.

Chisholm went 1-for-3 with a walk in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rays.

Activated from the IL between games of the twin bill after recovering from a thumb injury, Chisholm got the start at second base and hit sixth. With the Yankees now locked into a wild-card spot after splitting the doubleheader, Chisholm's focus will be on staying healthy and getting ready for the first round of the playoffs next week, so he may not be an everyday presence in the lineup over the final days of the regular season. He needs one more home run to record his second career 20-40 campaign.

Junk didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Cubs after allowing two hits and a walk while striking out six over five scoreless innings. He also tossed a wild pitch.

Junk kept Chicago off the board while Miami built a 1-0 lead, allowing just two hits before departing after five innings. Junk's six strikeouts tied his season high, and the scoreless performance lowered his ERA to 4.31. He's given up one earned run or zero in six of his last seven outings, posting a 4.10 ERA in that stretch.

Caballero went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rays.

The utility infielder got the start at third base and hit ninth in the matinee before returning to the bench for the nightcap. Caballero looks like he'll fall short of his third straight season with 40-plus steals, but his 34 pilfers in 133 games still have him fifth in the AL behind Chandler Simpson (46), Bobby Witt (43), Jazz Chisholm (40) and Jose Ramirez (35).

Wheeler did not factor into the decision Tuesday against the Brewers, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out 11 across 5.2 innings.

Wheeler set the tone early by striking out the side in the first inning, with his third punchout being the 2,000th of his career. The hard-throwing right-hander wasn't done there, as he proceeded to strike out each of the next four batters he faced, setting a franchise record of seven straight punchouts to start a game. Wheeler is lined up to throw this weekend at home against the Rays, though he could be pushed back for the NL Wild Card Series next week, depending how the playoff picture unfolds. He has a 13-5 record over 27 starts with a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 188:47 K:BB over 156 innings this season.

Bellinger went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rays.

The veteran outfielder accounted for the only offense in the matinee when he took Nick Martinez deep in the fourth inning. The Yankees lost the nightcap, however, ending their chances of winning the AL East and locking them into a wild-card spot. Bellinger is having a string close to the regular season, launching five of his 17 homers on the year over the last 13 games while producing a .308/.339/.635 slash line with two steals, nine runs and 11 RBI.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday on Jomboy Media's "Talkin' Yanks" podcast that Cruz (elbow) has resumed throwing and is doing "pretty well."

Cruz was diagnosed with a partial tear in his right elbow UCL in late August. There's a distinct possibility that he'll eventually require surgery, but Cruz is attempting to pitch through the injury. He could return to make one or two late-season appearances if the reliever continues to progress.

Fried (5-5) took the loss in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rays, giving up four runs on six hits and two walks over 6.2 innings. He struck out four.

The veteran lefty kept things close until the seventh inning, when Tampa Bay tagged Fried for three runs and chased him after 97 pitches (64 strikes). With the 6-1 loss, the Rays clinched the AL East crown, but the Yankees are still locked into a wild-card spot. Tuesday's outing was the first time Fried had allowed more than one run since July 27, and he wraps up his regular season with a 2.80 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 104:33 K:BB in 112.2 innings. His next start should come in the first round of the playoffs, which will begin for New York next Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Messick did not factor into the decision Tuesday against the Red Sox, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out five over five innings.

Tuesday's pitchers' duel featured two candidates in the American League Rookie of the Year race in Messick and Payton Tolle. Messick got the better of Tolle, with the former allowing only one run on an RBI groundout in the second inning. Messick was in line for his 13th win of the season before the Red Sox tied things up at 2-2 in the eighth on a solo homer by Mickey Gasper. Messick is currently slated to make one final start in the regular season this weekend against the Royals, though the 25-year-old southpaw may not pitch depending on the Guardians' playoff situation. If Tuesday's outing at Fenway Park was Messick's last of the regular season, he'll finish with a 12-9 record across 31 starts with a 2.55 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 191:48 K:BB over 183.1 innings.