MLB Player News

Johnson allowed one run on two hits and five walks while striking out two over five innings in a no-decision versus the Phillies on Saturday.

This outing could have gone much worse for Johnson, but both hits he allowed were singles. He threw just 48 of 88 pitches for strikes, while the five walks matched his season high. The right-hander is at a 5.47 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 52:36 K:BB through 72.1 innings over 17 games (14 starts) this season. The Angels have worked with a six-man rotation over the last week since Yusei Kikuchi came off the injured list, and if that continues, there's room for both Johnson and George Klassen to get starts. Johnson is tentatively lined up for a road start in Pittsburgh next weekend.

Taveras went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, three RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Athletics.

Taveras drove in more than half of his team's runs in the win, belting a ground-rule RBI double in the third inning and adding a two-run double in the sixth. The veteran outfielder has gone just 5-for-21 over his past five games, but he's knocked in a hearty eight runs with three extra-base hits during that span. On the season, Taveras is slashing .227/.299/.363 with eight homers, 15 doubles, six triples, 53 runs, 52 RBI and 11 stolen bases over 424 plate appearances.

Perkins (3-10) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out five batters over five innings in a loss to Baltimore on Saturday.

It was a bit of a tough-luck loss for Perkins given that he allowed only one earned run, but it wasn't exactly a masterful performance either since he walked four batters. That has been an issue for the right-hander of late -- he's issued nine free passes across his past two starts and has handed out three or more walks five times over his past 10 outings. Perkins is 1-7 during that span, so the lack of control isn't doing him any favors. He'll carry an ugly 6.42 season ERA into his next start, which is projected to be a road matchup against the Mariners.

Kittredge earned a save against the Athletics on Saturday, allowing two hits with no walks or strikeouts in one scoreless inning.

Kittredge inherited a two-run lead in the ninth inning and allowed the tying run to reach second base on a pair of singles and a pair of stolen bases. However, the veteran righty got Tommy White to ground out to end the threat. Kittredge picked up his fourth save in August and his eighth overall this season. Four other Orioles relievers have notched at least one save in August, so Kittredge seemingly remains in a committee, but he appears to be the most likely of the team's pitchers to be handed the ball in save situations.

Rojas went 2-for-2 with a home run and four RBI in Saturday's 8-3 win over Cleveland.

Despite coming off the bench Saturday, Rojas registered his second career four-RBI effort. He's looking to make a case for more playing time, hitting safely in each of his last three games since being recalled from the minor leagues. Through 91 major-league plate appearances, Rojas is still slashing a pedestrian .247/.281/.365 with two homers, 13 RBI, one stolen base and nine runs scored.

Baz (5-14) earned the win over the Athletics on Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four batters over 5.2 innings.

Baz breezed through his first five innings, and Baltimore's offense staked him to a 4-0 lead. The righty faded in the sixth, giving up two runs on two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch before he was pulled with two outs and the bases loaded. Reliever Alex Hoppe avoided further damage, and Baz went on to record his first victory since June 12. During his 12-start winless stretch, Baz went 0-8, though he pitched to a respectable 3.35 ERA over seven starts at home and a tolerable 4.02 ERA overall during that span. He'll try to build a winning streak his next time out, which is slated to be a matchup in Baltimore against Boston.

Rice went 2-for-9 with a run and three RBI over both games of Saturday's doubleheader split with Boston.

Rice went a quiet 0-for-4 in Game 1, but he bounced back with a 2-for-5 performance in the nightcap. His RBI single in the third inning of that game produced New York's first run of the twin bill, and Rice added a two-run single to cap the scoring in the eighth. The All-Star slugger struggled through most of August but has been heating up of late, batting .357 (10-for-28) with a home run, two doubles, six runs and six RBI over his past seven games.

Sogard went 3-for-8 with a home run, a double, two total runs and two total RBI during a doubleheader split with the Yankees on Saturday.

Sogard knocked an RBI double in Game 1 and added a solo homer in the nightcap. The utility man started at second base in both contests after making one start each at shortstop, first base and third base over his previous three games. Sogard came into Saturday in an 0-for-13 skid, but he's held his own at the plate overall in August, batting .260 with three homers, eight doubles, 17 runs and nine RBI through 27 contests.

Bello (5-7) took the loss against the Yankees in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader, allowing four runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 4.1 innings.

Bello had largely thrived as a reliever coming into the contest, but it was a different story Saturday, as he was tagged for three runs during his first full inning of work. The right-hander's four total runs allowed were his most since Baltimore bombarded him for eight runs over five frames during a June 4 start. Bello threw 94 pitches in the outing, so he'll presumably be down several days in order to allow his arm to recover.

Fried completed 3.2 innings in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against Boston, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out four batters in a no-decision.

Fried returned from a minimum-length stay on the IL due to a left elbow bone bruise. He served up a solo homer to Nick Sogard in the third inning but otherwise kept the Red Sox out of the scoring column. Fried was clearly on a pitch count following the injury, as he struck out the final two batters he faced but was pulled with two outs in the fourth inning at just 63 pitches. Still, it was a positive return for the veteran lefty, as he helped New York salvage a split of the twin bill. Fried is lined up to make his next start on the road in San Diego, and he'll presumably have some leash to pitch deeper into that contest.