MLB Player News

Palencia was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain in his right arm Saturday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Manager Craig Counsell said that Palencia will be shut down from throwing for about a week, at which point the team will re-evaluate him. A clearer timeline for his return to the bullpen may emerge once he's cleared to begin a throwing program. In the meantime, Caleb Thielbar, Jacob Webb and Phil Maton all could be in the mix for saves.

Santos (adductor) allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out one over one inning during the ACL Giants' 7-4 loss to the ACL Athletics in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Friday.

Triple-A Sacramento placed Santos on its 7-day injured list May 26 with a right adductor strain, and he returned to action in Arizona. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up two singles while throwing 16 of his 20 pitches for strikes. He has spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he owns a 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 10:7 K:BB across 14 innings in 12 appearances.

The Blue Jays optioned Little to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.

Little joined the big-league roster Friday, but he'll be sent right back to the minors after giving up four earned runs in one inning during Friday's blowout loss to the Cubs. Lazaro Estrada (shoulder) was activated from the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.

The Blue Jays reinstated Estrada (shoulder) from the injured list Saturday.

Estrada has been on the shelf since April due to a right shoulder impingement. He was cleared to begin pitching in rehab games June 2 and has since allowed four earned runs in 9.2 innings across four appearances at Triple-A Buffalo. Now fully healthy, he'll presumably work as a long-relief option for the big club. Brendon Little was optioned to Buffalo in a corresponding move.

Svanson has yielded just one hit and has a 6:1 K:BB over eight scoreless innings since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis.

Svanson was optioned to Memphis in May after posting an 8.77 ERA and 26:15 K:BB over 25.2 innings. He tossed 5.2 scoreless frames at the Cardinals' top minor-league affiliate and has carried that momentum over in his return to the majors. Svanson has been used mostly in low-leverage situations since being recalled, but with the way he's pitched he could move back up in the bullpen hierarchy.

Baker struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his 19th save of the season in a 5-2 win over the Nationals.

The right-hander is 19-for-22 in converting save chances on the year, an impressive showing for a pitcher who came into 2026 with four career saves and 11 blown saves over the prior four seasons combined while primarily working in middle relief or a setup role. Baker hasn't been charged with a run in 11 straight appearances, delivering a 0.64 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB in 11 innings over that stingy stretch to lower his ERA on the campaign to 1.84.

Jax (2-5) picked up the win Friday, giving up two runs on four hits in five innings during a 5-2 victory over the Nationals. He struck out five without walking a batter.

The right-hander sevrved up solo shots to CJ Abrams in the second inning and Luis Garcia in the third, but Jax otherwise kept Washington's hitters at bay over 69 pitches (47 strikes) as he collected his first win since April 18. He's lasted five innings in three straight starts as he continues his adjustment to a rotation role, but as of yet he hasn't recorded an out in the sixth inning in any of his 10 starts this season or thrown more than 72 pitches, usage which limits his fantasy appeal. Jax will take a 3.67 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 46:18 K:BB through 49 innings into his next outing, which is set to come at home next week against the Royals.

Mikolas (2-6) took the loss Friday as the Nationals were downed 5-2 by the Rays, giving up five runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings of relief. He struck out two.

A three-run homer by Jonathan Aranda in the third inning and a solo shot by Jonny DeLuca in the eighth bookended Mikolas' night as the bulk reliever and accounted for most of the damage off the right-hander. It's the second time in four June outings that he's been tagged for five or more runs, but Mikolas blanked the opposition over 11.2 innings in his other two appearances this month. The volatile veteran will take a 5.47 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 43:17 K:BB and 1.95 HR/9 through 74 innings into his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come at home next week against the Phillies.

Fairbanks worked a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his 10th save of the season in a 4-3 win over the Giants. He didn't strike out a batter.

The right-hander needed 17 pitches (12 strikes) to coax weak contact out of Drew Gilbert, Daniel Susac and Luis Arraez to wrap things up. Fairbanks hasn't blown a save since May 16 in his first appearance back from a stint on the IL, and since that game he's converted all five of his chances while posting a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB in 11 innings.

Gibson (1-2) picked up the win Friday, striking out one in 1.2 perfect innings of relief in a 4-3 victory over the Giants.

The Marlins went with a true bullpen day Friday, as none of their eight pitchers recorded more than five outs, and Gibson was not only the most effective of them, he was still the pitcher of record when his team took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning. The 28-year-old southpaw held a brutal 14.73 ERA after his second big-league appearance of the season May 21, but since then he's delivered a 2.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 8:4 K:BB over 10 innings while mainly working in lower-leverage spots.