MLB Player News

Despite blowing a save on Friday, Faucher was given another chance on Saturday and delivered. After a one-out single by Jarred Kelenic, Faucher struck out the last two hitters of the game to earn the save. It was his first of the season. While it appears that Faucher is the favorite for saves in Miami following the trade deadline, it should also be noted that he faced the 7-9 hitters while Andrew Nardi got the eighth inning against the 4-6 hitters. Faucher has a 3.46 ERA on the season and has been solid overall, but this feels like a committee brewing.

The 27-year-old had been designated for assignment over the weekend, but he passed through waivers unclaimed and will continue to function as extra depth behind the plate for the Red Sox. Sabol went 2-for-16 (.125) with one RBI and a 7/1 K/BB ratio in his limited action with the big league club.

The 22-year-old outfielder will get a breather after starting each of the first two games since returning from the injured list on Tuesday. Alejandro Osuna will draw a start in left field with Wyatt Langford sliding over to cover center field in Carter’s absence.

Arraez had been 1-for-3 with a run scored before exiting. Padres’ manager Mike Shildt sounded optimistic about the injury after the game, calling the 28-year-old infielder day-to-day. Don’t be surprised if he gets an extra day off on Friday to be on the safe side, but it sounds like Arraez should be able to avoid a trip to the injured list.

The 23-year-old top prospect was scratched from the lineup at Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday as he’s leaving to join the big league club. Teel was slashing .295/.394/.492 with eight homers, 30 RBI and a 54/30 K/BB ratio over 183 at-bats at the Triple-A level. It’s unclear what the corresponding move will be and exactly how the playing time will shake out behind the dish for the White Sox. Teel has also been doing some work at first base and it’s possible that he could see action there as well to get his bat in the lineup. He’s worth a look in two-catcher formats and deeper mixed leagues.

The top four hitters in the A’s lineup (Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker and Soderstrom) combined for 10 hits, 10 RBI and 11 runs scored in the contest. It’s Soderstrom’s fourth multihomer game of the year, which ties Corbin Carroll and Cal Raleigh for most in the majors. He’s tied for 11th in the league with 14 homers and 13th with his 42 RBI.

It seemed obvious at the time that the A’s picking Joey Estes over Spence for a rotation spot at the end of the spring was a bad call, but then not much was made of it after Spence got off to an awful start out of the pen. The A’s didn’t announce his return to the rotation until after Wednesday’s game, and he pitched five innings today even though he hadn’t thrown more than three innings in two months. It’s unlikely that he’ll prove useful in mixed leagues as a starter, but he would clearly seem to be one of Oakland’s top five options. He’s due to face the Angels next week.

Festa struck out six and generated 12 whiffs, but the 11 balls in play against him produced three homers. He had previously allowed a total of two homers, both in Triple-A, over the course of his three major league and six minor league starts this season. We still like Festa’s chances of offering some mixed-league value while Pablo López is out. He’s slated to pitch at home against the Rangers next time out.

Butler finishes the four-game series 7-for-15 with a homer, five walks and seven runs scored. He’s scored 17 runs in 17 games since the A’s (mostly) resumed batting him leadoff on May 18.

Wilson is 22-for-46 with a four-hit game and three three-hit games in his last 11 contests. He did go one of those games without a hit, perhaps only because he was pulled from a blowout loss after six innings. He’s at .363/.402/.523 overall.

It was odd enough seeing Lewis out of the lineup today after he showed some positive signs the last couple of nights, but it was far stranger to see him later inserted to play the final two innings in the field in a lost cause. His one at-bat today produced a 99.9 mph liner to center with a .920 xBA. Alas, xBA had no way of knowing it was Denzel Clarke out there for the A’s. We assume Lewis will be back in the lineup Friday.