MLB Player News

A very late signing, Locastro nonetheless has a real chance of making the Padres and seeing significant playing time early on. He’s still one of the league’s speedier players, though unless one is in a rare HBP league, the steals are the only thing he has potential to offer in fantasy.

Crow-Armstrong got the party started in this one as he crushed a 2-2 fastball above the zone from Andrew Heaney for a 393-foot (103.9 mph EV) two-run shot in the fourth inning that gave the Cubs an early 2-0 lead they would never relinquish. He finished the evening 1-for-3 with a strikeout. The 23-year-old outfielder has been one of the best overall players in all of baseball to this point, slashing a healthy .271/.305/.554 with 18 long balls, 57 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

Suzuki victimized Pirates’ southpaw Andrew Heaney for his 379-foot (103.6 mph EV) solo shot in the sixth inning, extending the Cubs’ advantage to 3-0. It would prove to be the difference in the ballgame. He’s having an outstanding season in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup, slashing .266/.325/.548 with 17 homers, 67 RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

Daniel Palencia, who has been functioning as the Cubs’ closer in recent weeks, worked a perfect eighth inning against the heart of the Pirates’ lineup. That left Pressly to close it out and he didn’t betray his manager’s trust. The 36-year-old hurler got Adam Frazier, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tommy Pham each on ground balls to the right side of the infield. Pressly earned his fifth save of the season for his efforts. He’s not going to usurp the closer’s role back anytime soon, but it’s nice to see him get back on track.

Taillion piled up seven strikeouts on the night while issuing two free passes. He held the Bucs off the board entirely through the first six innings until they broke through for two runs by singling him to death in the seventh inning. The 33-year-old right-hander got nine swings and misses on 92 pitches on the night, posting a strong CSW of 33 percent. Now 7-3 on the season, he’ll bring an impressive 3.48 ERA and 0.98 WHIP (82 2/3 innings) into Wednesday’s matchup against the Brewers.

Frazier finally got the Pirates on the board with an RBI knock off of Jameson Taillon in the sixth inning, trimming their deficit to two runs at 3-1. That would be his only hit in three at-bats on the night. For the season, the 33-year-old infielder is hitting .259/.322/.352 with three homers, 18 RBI and four stolen bases.

The 34-year-old southpaw racked up seven strikeouts on the evening and didn’t walk a batter. He showed no ill effects of the calf cramping that forced him to make an early exit his last time out. Unfortunately, two of the four hits that he allowed left the yard — a two-run blast by Pete Crow-Armstrong in the fourth inning and solo shot by Seiya Suzuki in the sixth. Heaney generated 12 whiffs on 76 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 30 percent. He’ll look to get back in the win column as he totes a 3.33 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 59/24 K/BB ratio (78 1/3 innings) into Wednesday’s matchup against the Tigers in Detroit.

The 23-year-old right-hander had been extremely impressive — hurling five innings of scoreless no-hit baseball — prior to exiting after twisting his right ankle after throwing a 2-0 pitch to Victor Scott II to start the sixth inning. He walked three batters while striking out five in the outstanding performance. He’ll head for further evaluation, though hopefully it’s nothing too serious.

Meadows capped off a four-run uprising in the fourth inning with a 392-foot (105.5 mph EV) three-run shot off of Orioles’ right-hander Dean Kremer. The 25-year-old outfielder struck out in each of his other two at-bats, finishing the night 1-for-4. He’s off to a slow start at the dish since returning from the injured list, slashing .171/.275/.343 with one homer, three RBI and a pair of stolen bases in his first 40 plate appearances.

Dingler broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning as he ambushed a first-pitch cutter from Dean Kremer and crushed a 372-foot (103.7 mph EV) solo shot. That would be his only hit in four plate appearances on the night. The 26-year-old backstop has done a very nice job at the dish this season, slashing .283/.313/.455 with the aforementioned seven long balls and 29 RBI.

Vest notched his 12th save of the season for his efforts. He got Ramon Laureano on on a ground ball to shortstop and then Ryan O’Hearn and Jackson Holliday each on swinging third strikes. Vest has been a rock at the end of the Tigers’ bullpen this season, compiling a minuscule 1.85 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 35/9 K/BB ratio over 34 1/3 innings while recording 12 saves and five wins.