MLB Player News

The reason for the decision to promote Valdez instead of Vaughn Grissom is due to the fact that Grissom needs every day at-bats so they don’t want him playing sporadically at the big-league level. Valdez has hit .224/.282/.400 with six homers and 27 RBI in 170 at-bats with the Red Sox this season.

Zulueta will rejoin the pen. He has allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Reds this season.

Petersen was acquired from the Braves for cash considerations back in mid-July. Since the trade, the 31-year-old hurler has posted a 6.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 19/5 K/BB ratio over 12 innings of work. He’ll add depth in the middle innings for the Marlins.

The 31-year-old hurler will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies seem to be hopeful that he’ll be able to work out his issues there before joining the bullpen later in the season and sticking through the postseason where he has had an aptitude for dominance in the past.

While Clevinger has worked as a starter at times — both with the White Sox and Triple-A Charlotte — he’s expected to pitch out of the bullpen this time around. The 34-year-old hurler holds a miserable 7.94 ERA, 2.29 WHIP and a 3/8 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings with the White Sox this season. He can continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

The 28-year-old infielder was released by the Athletics on Thursday. He returns to the place where he had the most success in his career — crushing 23 homers and driving in 75 runs for the Brewers during the 2022 season. He’ll report to Triple-A Nashville for the time being.

On a night where the Braves couldn’t do anything offensively against Phillies’ starter Jesús Luzardo, they scratched out a run in the eighth inning to tie the game. Baldwin then stepped in as a pinch-hitter and ambushed a first-pitch sinker from Jose Alvarado in the ninth inning for a go-ahead 368-foot (100.8 mph EV) two-run blast. The 24-year-old backstop is having a terrific rookie season for the Braves, slashing .280/.351/.462 with 15 homers and 62 RBI.

Fraley entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Eli White in the seventh inning and singled into left field, though he was left stranded there. He then reached on an infield single to start the ninth inning and rode home on Drake Baldwin’s game-winning blast. For the season, the 30-year-old outfielder is now hitting .249/.342/.401 with six homers, 23 RBI and four stolen bases in 202 plate appearances between the Reds and Braves.

Iglesias came on after Drake Baldwin clubbed a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs in the top half of the ninth inning. The 35-year-old hurler then made sure that lead stood up. He got Nick Castellanos on a swinging third strike, Harrison Bader on a fly ball to center field and Bryson Stott on a swinging third strike to end it. If you haven’t been paying attention, Iglesias is back to being an elite option in the ninth inning once again. He has allowed just one run on eight hits over his last 16 innings of work while posting a 15/0 K/BB ratio and converting 12 saves in 12 chances.

Waldrep punched out nine batters on the evening, though he also issued four free passes. The lone tally against him came on a solo shot by Brandon Marsh in the fourth inning. Unfortunately, the Braves weren’t able to scratch out a single run for him against Jesús Luzardo and company and Waldrep was stuck with a no-decision despite his strong effort. He got 15 swings and misses on 102 pitches on the night, posting a CSW of 25 percent. He’ll carry an outstanding 1.01 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 33/11 K/BB ratio (35 2/3 innings) into Saturday’s matchup against the Mariners.

Marsh got the Phillies on the board first with his 372-foot (98.5 mph EV) solo shot off of Hurston Waldrep in the fourth inning. That would wind up being the Phillies’ only run in the ballgame. Marsh has picked up the pace offensively over the past month and is now slashing a respectable .267/.329/.408 with eight homers and 30 RBI in 350 plate appearances on the season.