Walker (5-8) picked up the win Saturday, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings in an 8-6 victory over the Royals. He struck out three.

The right-hander's nemesis on the day was Salvador Perez, who took him deep twice in the first three innings, but Walker got enough run support to overcome another mediocre performance and record his first win since Aug. 5. He's coughed up at least four runs in four straight trips to the mound, stumbling to a 7.65 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 9:6 K:BB over 20 innings during that swoon, but with Zack Wheeler (shoulder) set to undergo season-ending surgery, Walker may have some job security in the Phillies' rotation. He lines up to make his next start on the road next weekend in Arizona.

Rea allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five batters over 5.1 innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Rea held the Rays scoreless through four frames before giving up a run in the fifth. The right-hander then allowed the first two batters he faced in the sixth to reach base, and both ended up scoring. Rea did induce a healthy 13 whiffs and notched five punchouts, but the disappointing finish to his start kept him from completing six frames for the sixth straight outing. He's slated to take on Cincinnati in his next appearance.

Junk didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 6-4 extra-innings win over the Tigers, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out four.

Making his second start since being activated from a brief IL stint, the right-hander produced his sixth quality start of the season on 88 pitches (58 strikes). Junk did serve up another homer, his seventh in seven trips to the mound since the beginning of August -- a stretch in which he's stumbled to a 6.39 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 24:8 K:BB in 38 innings. He'll look for his first win since Aug. 6 in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next weekend against the Rangers.

Sproat didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers, allowing six hits over six scoreless innings. He struck out three without walking a batter.

Making his second trip to the mound in the big leagues, Sproat rose to the occasion in the heat of a playoff race as he needed only 70 pitches (53 strikes) to deliver his second straight quality start. The right-hander left the mound in line for his first career win, but Edwin Diaz blew the save in the ninth. Sproat will take a 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 10:4 K:BB through his first 12 MLB innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Nationals.

The Padres optioned Sears to Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.

The Padres turned to Sears to make a spot start Friday against Colorado, during which he surrendered four earned runs on five hits and a walk while fanning eight batters in 4.1 innings. Now that they no longer need a sixth rotation arm, the Friars will send the 26-year-old back to the minors and bring up reliever Bradgley Rodriguez to round out the pitching staff.

The Rockies placed Dollander on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a patella tendon strain in his left knee.

Dollander will be eligible to return from the injured list to start one of the Rockies' final games of the season, but the more likely outcome is that Colorado keeps him on the shelf for the rest of the year. If that ends up being the case, he would finish his rookie campaign with a 6.52 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 82:49 K:BB through 98 innings across 21 starts. Bradley Blalock was recalled from Triple-A to round out Colorado's rotation.

The Rockies recalled Blalock from Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday.

The 24-year-old righty will fill the open spot in Colorado's rotation created by Chase Dollander's (knee) move to the IL. Blalock has accumulated an 8.62 ERA and 1.79 WHIP through 47 MLB innings this season and will face a Padres offense that put up 12 runs against him on May 10, so fantasy managers searching for streaming options are likely better off looking elsewhere.

Wheeler (shoulder) is slated to have thoracic outlet decompression surgery Sept. 23, Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reports.

Wheeler underwent a procedure in mid-August to remove a blood clot near his shoulder, and he's set for a second (and more significant) procedure after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. The veteran hurler is expected to need six to eight months to recover from the upcoming surgery, which means that he may not be ready for Opening Day next season. However, if all goes well moving forward, Wheeler should be able to return to the mound sometime during the first half of the 2026 campaign.

Lowder (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Lowder has sat out the entire season while working his way back from injuries to his forearm and, more recently, his oblique. The Reds haven't ruled out a late-season return for the 23-year-old righty, though he would need a relatively quick rehab assignment to have time to make an appearance for the Reds before the end of the season.

Senga struck out eight batters and allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks over six innings in a start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

The 32-year-old right-hander signed off on being optioned to the minors last week to try and get right after stumbling to a 6.56 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 35:22 over his last eight starts and 35.2 innings for the Mets. Senga's first turn in the Syracuse rotation provided a great deal of hope that he might still be able to boost New York's fading playoff hopes, as he fired 52 of 74 pitches for strikes in an efficient performance. Per Jared Greenspan of MLB.com, the Mets' original plan was to have Senga make two starts at Triple-A to get used to some mechanical tweaks before a return to the majors was considered, but with Jonah Tong having been pummeled by the Rangers on Friday and the Mets' lead over the Giants for the final wild-card spot in the National League having slipped to half a game, the organization may not be able to afford that kind of patience. Absent the Mets moving a player to the injured list to create a spot on the 28-man active roster for him, however, Senga isn't eligible to return to the Mets until Sept. 20.