MLB Player News

The Astros released France on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

France missed much of the 2025 season following right shoulder surgery and has spent nearly all of 2026 at Triple-A Sugar Land, logging a 3.72 ERA and 39:25 K:BB across 36.1 frames. The 31-year-old is now a free agent and will look to latch on with a new organization.

Sands will undergo arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove loose bodies and bone spurs from his right elbow, Jack Azoulay-Haron of ElEmergente.com reports.

Sands has battled elbow problems throughout the 2026 season and landed back on the 15-day injured list Tuesday. He has opted for season-ending surgery to repair the issue but expects to have a "pretty much normal" offseason after getting a PRP injection post-op. Sands allowed 11 runs with an 11:5 K:BB over 12 innings for the Twins this season. The 29-year-old has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining.

The Reds optioned Petty to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.

Petty pitched each of the last two days and threw 32 pitches over 1.1 innings in an appearance Wednesday, so he's being replaced by a fresh bullpen arm. The righty has collected a 4.50 ERA and 14:8 K:BB over 30 frames for Cincinnati this season.

The Reds recalled McCambley from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.

McCambley will give the Reds a fresh bullpen arm after they played a doubleheader Wednesday. The righty permitted three runs with a 4:5 K:BB over 4.1 innings in a previous stint with Cincinnati.

O'Brien (illness) tossed a scoreless frame in Wednesday's extra-inning victory over the Cubs.

O'Brien had been unavailable for a few days while battling an illness, but he was able to pitch around a hit-by-pitch and an intentional walk in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday before the Cardinals won it in the 10th. The closer should be available Thursday if a save opportunity should present itself.

The Rangers recalled Santos from Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday.

Santos made his major-league debut earlier this month, allowing two runs over a two-inning relief outing. The righty has a big arm, but he's logged a 7.16 ERA between Double- and Triple-A this season and is likely to be used in low-leverage spots.

The Rangers placed Junis on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a left adductor strain.

It's unclear when or how Junis was injured, but it will cost him at least the next two weeks of action. Junis has been one of the Rangers' best relievers this season, logging a 2.70 ERA and 30:7 K:BB over 40 frames. His spot on the roster and in the bullpen will be taken by Winston Santos.

Rojas struck out four and scattered four hits and two walks over three scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to the Royals.

Rojas tossed four scoreless frames in a start against the Athletics in his last appearance over the weekend, but he shifted back to a relief role this week after Connor Prielipp (finger) returned from the injured list to fill the open spot in the rotation. Rojas, a 23-year-old lefty, mopped up after starter Joe Ryan covered the first six innings, and the former trimmed his ERA down to 2.51 for the season. Ryan is expected to be a sought-after commodity ahead of Monday's trade deadline, and if he ends up getting moved, Rojas could be first in line to join the Minnesota rotation.

Williams recorded his 15th save of the season in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Atlanta, giving up a hit and striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.

The Airbender needed 18 pitches (12 strikes) to protect a 3-2 lead, giving up a two-out single to Mauricio Dubon before fanning Austin Riley to end the matinee. Williams has had a bumpy first season with the Mets, and even though he's produced a 2.70 ERA and 20:6 K:BB over 16.2 innings since the beginning of June, his 1.56 WHIP and 3.2 BB/9 contributed to blowing two of his nine save chances during that span.

Manaea didn't factor into the decision in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Atlanta, allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.

The veteran lefty tossed 59 of 89 pitches for strikes en route to his second straight quality start and fourth of the season, but the Mets didn't push the winning run across the plate until the seventh inning. Manaea continues to put together a remarkable turnaround on his season -- he sat with a 6.26 ERA on May 17 and had been demoted to the bullpen, but since the beginning of June he's delivered a 3.75 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 50:15 K:BB over 57.2 innings while reclaiming a spot in the rotation. Manaea is set to make his next trip to the mound on the road next week in Cleveland.