MLB Player News

Varland was charged with his first blown save of the season in Thursday's extra-innings loss to the Cubs, giving up two runs on two hits in the ninth inning without walking or striking out a batter.

The right-hander was called in to finish out a combined shutout, but instead Varland served up a homer to Alex Bregman to tie the game at 2-2, before Chicago finally won it in the 11th inning. Varland has had a bumpy beginning to August, allowing three earned runs in 2.2 innings over three appearances, but on the season he still sports a 1.38 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 74:16 K:BB through 58.2 frames while converting 24 of 25 save chances.

The Athletics outrighted Bowden to Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday.

He cleared waivers after being scrubbed from the A's 40-man roster. Bowden has the option to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment, but it's unclear what he plans to do. The 31-year-old allowed four runs in one inning during his lone appearance for the Athletics.

The Angels optioned Farris to Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.

Farris earned his first win of the season Thursday in Baltimore with a scoreless inning of relief, but he's been jettisoned to the minors a day later. He'll be replaced on the roster by George Klassen, who is slated to be called up from Triple-A to start Friday's game in Miami.

Spence was placed on the 7-day injured list Monday at Triple-A Omaha due to an unspecified injury.

The 28-year-old righty's move to the IL represents yet another hit to the Royals' starting pitching depth, as the organization has already lost Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek, Luinder Avila, Ryan Bergert and Alec Marsh to season-ending surgeries. Spence has been part of the Royals' 40-man roster all year, logging a 5.35 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 16 starts with Omaha and yielding 22 earned runs in 9.1 innings over three appearances at the big-league level.

Lynch will start Friday's game against the Cubs, and the Royals intend to give the left-hander a longer look in the rotation, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

With a 1.96 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over 46 relief appearances, Lynch has arguably been the Royals' top bullpen option this season. However, Kansas City's rotation depth has been thinned with Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila all recently undergoing season-ending elbow surgeries, so Lynch will get the chance to build back up as a starter, a role he hasn't handled full-time since 2023. Considering that he hasn't covered more than two innings in any of his 2026 appearances, he'll be operating on a limited pitch count Friday and will need time to get fully stretched out. Lynch didn't find much success while working as a starter to begin his MLB career, logging a 5.18 ERA and 1.52 ERA over 51 starts and 252 innings from 2021-23.

Gomez picked up a save against the Royals on Thursday, issuing one walk and striking out two batters over one scoreless inning.

Gomez was summoned in the ninth inning with Minnesota clinging to a one-run lead. He walked the first batter he faced but then picked off pinch runner Tyler Tolbert at first base. With less pressure on him, Gomez then struck out Michael Massey and Isaac Collins to improve to 15-for-15 on save chances this season. Fantasy managers who roster Gomez are likely ecstatic about him being deployed for the save opportunity, as Minnesota's trade-deadline acquisition of Jeff Hoffman cast some doubt about whether Gomez would remain in the closer role. Hoffman hade his first appearance for the Twins on Wednesday, working a perfect eighth inning in a 2-1 loss, and he could still be a threat to Gomez's hold on the ninth-inning job.

Wilcox left Thursday's game versus the Tigers due to left oblique tightness.

Wilcox came on in relief with one out in the top of the seventh. He gave up three earned runs on a homer after allowing two singles. Given the nature of the injury, it can be expected that the right-hander will land on the injured list.

Natera secured the save against the Orioles on Thursday, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks in 1.1 innings. He struck out two.

The departure of Kirby Yates to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline has since opened up ninth-inning work for the Angels. Natera appears to be firmly in the mix alongside Ben Joyce, having been scored upon just one time in his past 11 outings while tallying multiple punchouts on eight occasions during that span. Natera is now 2-for-2 in save opportunities, boasting a 2.16 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 38:10 K:BB with four holds across 25 innings.

Barnett (1-2) took the loss against the Reds on Thursday, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out seven.

Barnett was inefficient Thursday, landing just 47 of his 82 pitches for strikes, and he served up three home runs in hitter-friendly Cincinnati. The right-hander did fan a season-high seven, but he'll likely need to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard if he wants to remain in the Athletics' rotation. Barnett appears close to being able to handle a traditional starter's workload after initially working in bulk relief upon his promotion in late July, but his 5.56 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 36:17 K:BB over 34 innings may not leave him with much streaming appeal against the Rays his next time out.

The Royals claimed Little off waivers from the Cubs on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha.

Little lost his spot on Chicago's 40-man roster in the flurry of moves following Monday's trade deadline, but he'll reclaim a roster spot upon joining the Royals organization. He'll begin his tenure with the Royals organization at Triple-A, where he's logged a 5.70 ERA and 1.81 WHIP over 23.2 innings this season.