MLB Player News

Ward went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Tigers.

He couldn't come up with a triple to complete the cycle -- not surprising considering he has only eight of them in his career -- but Ward's two-run homer off Charlie Morton in the fifth inning put the Angels in the lead for good. Ward has been running hot or cold of late, recording four multi-hit performances and five hitless efforts in his last nine games, but his overall production has been on the upswing. In 21 games since the All-Star break, Ward is slashing .282/.371/.577 with five doubles, six homers, nine runs and 22 RBI.

Jansen struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his 21st save of the season in a 7-4 win over the Tigers.

The 37-year-old closer needed only 12 pitches (nine strikes) to dispatch the top of Detroit's order. Jansen hasn't given up an earned run since June 15, posting a 0.67 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB in 19.1 innings over that stretch to go along with his pristine ERA, and on the season he's 21-for-22 in converting save chances, his best rate since he went an incredible 41-for-42 with the Dodgers in 2017.

Kikuchi (6-7) picked up the win in Saturday's 7-4 victory over the Tigers, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out seven.

The southpaw wasn't at his sharpest, but he generated 30 called or swinging strikes on his 102 pitches (64 total strikes) and got backed by three homers from the Angels. Kikuchi has completed six innings only once since the beginning of July, compiling a 4.68 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 47:14 K:BB through 42.1 innings over that stretch. He'll try to tighten things up in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend against the A's.

Grisham went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Astros.

The center fielder came up clutch, getting hold of a Bryan King fastball in the bottom of the eighth inning and launching it into the second deck in right field to break a 4-4 tie. Grisham continues to add to his career-high homer total of 21, and four of them have come in the last 10 games, a stretch in which he's batting .258 (8-for-31) with a steal, six RBI and seven runs.

Bednar (3-5) picked up the win Saturday after blowing the save, walking one batter and striking out two over 1.2 scoreless innings in a 5-4 victory over the Astros.

With the Yankees protecting a 4-2 lead, Camilo Doval entered the game in the eighth inning and made a mess, although a pair of errors didn't help matters. Bednar was brought in with one run already across and the bases loaded, and he promptly walked Christian Walker to tie the game before escaping the frame with no further damage. Trent Grisham's solo shot in the bottom of the eighth then put Bednar in line for the win. New York's high-leverage situation remains fluid, to put it charitably, but Bednar's 3.00 ERA and 10:3 K:BB over six innings since joining the team seems to have him at the top of the pecking order for save chances at the moment.

Gil didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Astros, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk over 5.1 innings. He struck out seven.

It was a much better performance from Gil than in his season debut last Sunday, as Gil racked up 36 called or swinging strikes among his 91 pitches (60 total strikes). He left the mound with the Yankees holding a 4-2 lead, but Camilo Doval and David Bednar combined to blow another save. Gil will look for his first victory of 2025 in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next weekend in St. Louis.

Pena went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Yankees.

The shortstop led off the game by ripping a Luis Gil fastball down the left-field line. It was Pena's 12th homer of the season, and his first in seven games since returning from a rib injury at the beginning of August. On the month, he's batting .296 (8-for-27), with half his knocks going for extra bases.

Valdez came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Yankees, giving up four runs on eight hits and four walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out one.

The southpaw wasn't fooling anyone Saturday, managing just five swinging strikes among his 91 pitches (52 total strikes), and Valdez left the mound in line for his sixth loss of the season until the Yankees' bullpen blew another save chance. It was the first time he'd failed to complete six innings since June 12, and Valdez has produced back-to-back shaky outings for the first time all year, getting tagged for 10 runs (nine earned) with a 4:5 K:BB over 11.2 innings. He'll look to get back on track in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next weekend against the Orioles.

Cruz (shoulder) is set to be reevaluated Monday to determine if he can begin a throwing program, per MLB.com.

Cruz landed on the injured list Aug. 3 and received an injection the following day for a right shoulder injury labeled as tendonitis. Before hitting the shelf, the right-hander had climbed the ranks in the Royals bullpen, opening the year with 13 scoreless outings before leveling off to a 3.61 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 43 appearances (42.1 innings).

Munoz picked up the save in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Rays. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning.

The flamethrower gave up a leadoff single to Junior Caminero and issued a two-out walk to Ha-Seong Kim, but he ultimately struck out Tristan Peters to seal Seattle's win Saturday. Munoz has been dominant all season, posting a 1.37 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 11.54 K/9 and 27 saves over 46 innings.