MLB Player News

The Rays will recall Alexander from Triple-A Durham on Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Alexander had been scheduled to start for Durham on Friday, but he was scratched and is now headed back to the big leagues, where he'll presumably work as a long reliever. A corresponding move will be announced once the 30-year-old's promotion is official.

Duran allowed a hit and struck out two during a perfect inning to earn a save against the Rangers on Friday.

Duran worked around a two-out single to close out the 4-3 victory. He needed just 13 pitches to convert the save and is now 18-for-19 in save opportunities this season. Since his lone blown save chance in Oakland on June 21, Duran has a 3-2 record with seven saves and a 2.60 ERA through 19 appearances. For the year, he owns a 3.35 ERA and a 43:12 K:BB across 40.1 innings.

Jansen picked up the save in Friday's 12-10 victory over Baltimore, pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

The veteran closer extended his scoreless appearances streak to five with this performance, retiring the side on a tidy 12 pitches. Jansen stands fourth all-time in career saves with 442, but he requires 37 more to pass Lee Smith for third place. After struggling in August with two blown saves and a 5.40 ERA over 10 innings, the Boston right-hander appears to have righted the ship and sports a 2.72 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 51:15 K:BB across 43 frames this season.

Martinez (6-6) took the loss Friday against the Royals, allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out four.

Martinez held Kansas City to a Bobby Witt solo homer through his first five innings before surrendering two runs on four hits in the sixth. It's the first loss for Martinez since taking over a spot in the rotation -- he'd allowed just one run in his last 24.1 innings prior to Friday. Overall, the right-hander sports a 3.25 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and 79:10 K:BB across 97 innings this year. Martinez is currently slated for a road matchup with Toronto in his next outing.

Hoffman earned his 17th hold of the season Friday against the Nationals, striking out one in a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.

The Phillies have taken a fluid approach to the ninth inning this season, though Hoffman at one point appeared to be moving into something close to a true closer's role, earning a save in fourth straight appearances from June 30 through July 10. He hasn't earned a save since then, though the Phillies as a team have just two in that time, with one going to Matt Strahm and the other to trade deadline acquisition Carlos Estevez. Estevez seems to be the committee leader at the moment, but he blew a save Friday and has allowed at least one run in four of his eight appearances for his new team, so there's no guarantee he gets the next chance.

Holmes earned the save in Friday's 3-0 win over the Tigers, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.

Holmes has now converted five of his last six save chances, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight in that span (5.1 innings). The right-hander is up to 26 saves on the year with a 2.76 ERA, 1.29. WHIP and 53:14 K:BB across 49 innings.

Fairbanks (3-3) blew the save but collected the win Friday against the Diamondbacks. He allowed two runs on three hits and no walks with one strikeout over one inning.

The Rays closer entered the ninth inning Friday on a hot streak, making nine consecutive scoreless appearances since July 4. All that momentum evaporated when Corbin Carroll popped a two-run homer with two outs to tie the game, saddling Fairbanks with his third blown save of the season. The flamethrowing righty sports a 3.02 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 42:16 K:BB across 44.2 innings on the year.

Neris was charged with a blown save Friday against the Blue Jays, allowing three runs on four hits in the ninth inning. He struck out two.

Neris allowed singles to three of the first four batters he faced in the ninth inning before George Springer tied the game with a two-out, two-run triple. It's the first blown save for Neris since June 17 -- he'd allowed just two runs in his last 15.1 innings coming into Friday. The 35-year-old's ERA is up to 3.98 on the year with a 1.51 WHIP and 45:26 K:BB across 43 innings. He's converted 17 of 22 save chances.

Holderman (wrist) threw a live batting practice session Friday consisting of 22 to 25 pitches, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The next step will be either another round of live BP or the beginning of a rehab assignment. Holderman has missed just a little over a week with a right wrist sprain, so he shouldn't require more than one or two rehab outings before being activated from the 15-day injured list.

The Rockies activated Gilbreath (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Friday.

Gilbreath has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in March 2023. When he appears in a game for the Rockies, it will be his first at the major-league level since June of 2022.