MLB Player News

Hoffman notched a save against the Pirates on Saturday, striking out all three batters he faced in a scoreless inning.

Hoffman entered in the ninth inning with Toronto holding a three-run lead and dominated with three punchouts, throwing nine of 13 pitches for strikes. The save was Hoffman's second in the past three days after he lost his hold on the closer role in late April. Louis Varland has since taken up that mantle and has thrived, but he was presumably unavailable Saturday after tossing two frames en route to a save Friday. With that in mind, Hoffman probably isn't a reliable target for saves moving forward, though he's pitched relatively well in May, giving up four earned runs while recording a 13:1 K:BB over 10.1 innings spanning 11 appearances.

Corbin (2-1) earned the win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, allowing one run on five hits and no walks while striking out seven batters over six innings.

Corbin looked to be in for a tough matchup with Paul Skenes working as the opposing starter, but the veteran lefty excelled in route to the victory. Corbin completed six innings for the first time on the campaign and notched a season-high seven punchouts while throwing 57 of 84 pitches for strikes. He hadn't been able to finish five frames in either of his past two starts, so this was a great bounce-back effort. Corbin will carry a 3.86 season ERA into his next start, which lines up as a road tilt in Baltimore.

Alvarez (back) won't be in the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Cubs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez was pulled from Saturday's contest in the sixth inning due to back spasms, but he said after the game that his absence Sunday had already been planned and has nothing to do with his injury. Scheduled or not, a day off for Alvarez will give his back more time to recover and help his chances of returning to the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Rangers.

Walker went 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs, a walk and three total RBI in a 3-0 win against the Cubs on Saturday.

Walker accounted for all of the scoring in the contest, belting a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the fourth. He had three of the Astros' four hits against Cubs starter Colin Rea and reached all four times he came to the plate. Walker is enjoying a strong second season in Houston, posting a .266/.340/.521 slash line with 13 homers, 10 doubles, 30 runs and 34 RBI through 53 games.

King picked up a save against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over one scoreless inning.

King had a nice three-run cushion when he entered in the ninth inning. The left-hander gave up a two-out single but got Michael Busch on a lineout to end the game. King has notched a save on back-to-back days and is now 6-for-8 on save chances this season. He seems to be the Astros' current top ninth-inning option, but that will likely change when Josh Hader (biceps) returns to big-league action, which could happen by the end of May.

Teng (3-3) notched the victory over the Cubs on Saturday, allowing two hits and walking three batters while striking out six over six scoreless innings.

Teng tossed a season-high 89 pitches (56 strikes) while completing six frames for the first time as a major-leaguer. The right-hander also recorded his second straight win and has now thrown 11 scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and registering a 13:7 K:BB over his past two starts. Teng has moved into Houston's six-man rotation this month and has gradually increased his pitch count with the aim of remaining a starter long-term. He's tentatively stated to next take the mound at home versus Milwaukee.

Alvarez was removed from Saturday's game against the Cubs with back spasms, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Alvarez was visited by a trainer in the on-deck circle before his at-bat in the sixth inning, and he was pulled moments later after showing discomfort following a swing. It's unclear whether the 28-year-old's back will cause him to miss additional time, but the Astros could provide an update on his status in the near future.

Strzelecki signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Strzelecki elected free agency Wednesday after being DFA'd by the Brewers, and he'll now receive an opportunity to carve out a role for himself in the Yankees organization. He will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, though his career 3.44 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in the majors make him a strong candidate for promotion at some point this season.

The Rangers transferred Baumler (ribs) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.

Baumler landed on the injured list in early April with a right intercostal strain. He was cleared to begin a rehab assignment later in the month but has been shut down since April 28 due to a setback in his recovery. His move to the 60-day IL will keep him sidelined through June 4, though it's unclear how far away he is from returning. Blaine Crim was claimed off waivers from the Rockies in a corresponding move.

The Rangers claimed Crim off waivers from the Rockies on Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Round Rock.

Crim was DFA'd by the Rockies on Wednesday, but he'll reclaim a 40-man roster spot while returning to the organization that drafted him back in 2019. The 28-year-old has spent the entire season in Triple-A, slashing .265/.339/.449 across 165 plate appearances. Carter Baumler (ribs) was transferred to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.