MLB Player News

The Astros announced Monday that Blanco (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Still on the mend from June 2025 Tommy John surgery with an internal brace as well as a repair of the flexor tendon of his forearm, Blanco remains at the Astros' complex in Florida to conduct his rehab. He's been throwing off a mound for more than a month now, so Blanco could soon be ready to take the next step in his progression by facing hitters. Blanco is hopeful to return from the 60-day injured list at some point in 2026, though he likely won't be a candidate for activation until after the All-Star break.

Devenski has been suspended three games by Major League Baseball for intentionally throwing at Sal Stewart during Saturday's game versus the Reds, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Pirates manager Don Kelly was also given a one-game suspension. Devenski has the ability to appeal the ruling, though it's unclear whether he intends to exercise that right. The veteran reliever was called up by Pittsburgh last week and has allowed two runs with a 3:0 K:BB over 2.1 innings.

Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

Merryweather has been shelved since spring training with a left hamstring strain, but he's finally ready for game action. The veteran reliever is signed to a minor-league contract with the Twins and will eventually move up to Triple-A St. Paul.

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Iglesias (shoulder) could be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday instead of Tuesday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Iglesias is first eligible for activation Tuesday and is ready to return, but he could be delayed a day depending on how Atlanta decides to handle its roster. The veteran closer has missed the last two weeks of action with right shoulder inflammation. When Iglesias is activated, he'll regain his closer job and push Robert Suarez back to a setup role.

Slaten (oblique) allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning for Double-A Portland on Sunday.

Slaten opened the rehab assignment by serving as a game opener for the Sea Dogs. The right-hander's next outing will be Tuesday or Wednesday at Triple-A Worcester, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. It's uncertain if Slaten will require more rehab outings beyond what's coming up in the next two days. He last pitched for Boston on April 4.

Baker earned the save Monday against the Blue Jays, recording the final out of the ninth inning.

Baker entered the ninth with two outs and runners on the corners and induced a flyout from Kazuma Okamoto to seal the win. The quick appearance secured his ninth save of the season, tying him for the American League lead, and he now has five saves in his last six appearances. Baker has been highly effective this season, posting a 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 15:3 K:BB across 13.2 innings. After a two-pitch workload, he should be fully available for Tampa Bay's next save scenario.

Martinez (3-1) earned the win Monday against the Blue Jays, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings.

Martinez continued his efficient run, throwing 51 of 71 pitches for strikes and consistently working ahead in counts. The right-hander has now held opponents to two runs or fewer in all seven of his starts this season, resulting in a strong 1.71 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. The one drawback has been his lack of swing-and-miss, as he's recorded just 28 strikeouts over 42 innings, his lowest strikeout rate since 2017. Martinez is set to take the mound against Boston in his next outing.

Vasquez (3-1) took the loss against San Francisco on Monday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two batters over 5.2 innings.

Vasquez wasn't awful in the outing, and he finished just one out away from notching a quality start. However, he also didn't fool many hitters with just seven whiffs and two punchouts. The right-hander began the campaign in fine form, allowing just two runs over his first three starts spanning 17.2 innings while uncharacteristically racking up 19 strikeouts. The punchout numbers have come down since then -- Vasquez has a modest 17:9 K:BB over his subsequent 21.2 frames, and he's allowed 12 earned runs during that span. He still has a respectable 3.20 ERA overall and is secure in his spot in the Padres' rotation. His next start is lined up to take place at home against St. Louis.

Kilian picked up a save against the Padres on Monday, allowing one run on one hit while striking out two batters over one inning.

With regular closer Ryan Walker having blown two straight save chances, manager Tony Vitello opted to turn to Kilian to protect a two-run, ninth-inning lead. Kilian gave up a long homer to Ramon Laureano to open the frame but was then able to set down Fernando Tatis, Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado in order. Walker didn't end up pitching in the contest, but he spent some time warming up during the seventh inning, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, so he was likely available to pitch. It's not clear if the Giants are turning away from Walker as their closer just yet, though that wouldn't be surprising given his struggles so far (he's blown three of six save chances and has a 4.61 ERA through 14 appearances). Should Walker in fact be moved out of the closer role, Kilian and Keaton Winn could be the top options to step into his place, especially with Erik Miller (back) landing on the injured list Monday.

Junk (2-3) took the loss Monday against the Phillies, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six over 5.1 innings.

Junk delivered another strong outing but was saddled with the loss, as he allowed the only run of the night -- a Bryce Harper solo homer in the third inning. The right-hander filled the zone effectively, throwing 64 of his 92 pitches for strikes. He has been excellent of late, allowing just one run across his last 16.1 innings, and he's now gone at least five innings in six consecutive starts. Junk owns a 2.82 ERA and 1.04 WHIP so far, though his 27 strikeouts in 38.1 innings highlight a less appealing fantasy profile. He will look to continue his recent success in his next scheduled outing against Washington.