MLB Player News

Buxton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk, a stolen base and an additional run scored in Friday's 4-1 win over the Tigers.

Buxton went deep for the 18th time this year, and his slow start to the season continues to become a distant memory. The speedy center fielder was batting just .203 and slugging .377 as of April 18. Over his most recent 207 plate appearances since and including April 19 (47 games), however, Buxton is slashing a robust .307/.382/.631 with 25 extra-base hits, 41 RBI, 36 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Duran picked up the save in Friday's 4-1 win over the Tigers, throwing a clean ninth inning. He struck out one.

The hard-throwing right-hander quickly dispatched the opposition, hurling seven of his nine pitches for strikes en route to his 12th save of the year. Duran has been quite reliable as the Twins' closer, successfully converting 12 of his 14 chances while posting a 1.69 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 42:14 K:BB across 37.1 innings. Duran has also yet to give up a single home run in 2025.

McCullers (foot) will come off the 15-day injured list Saturday and start against the Cubs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

McCullers landed on the 15-day injured list in mid-June due to a right foot sprain. He resumed throwing shortly after his move to the IL and showed enough progress during his bullpen sessions to forgo a rehab assignment. McCullers has posted a 3.20 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 35:10 K:BB in 25.1 innings across five starts this season.

Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters after Friday's 7-4 win over the Cubs that imaging on Pena's ribs came back negative and did not show any fracture, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Pena took a pitch to his left ribs in the second inning of Friday's game and was eventually replaced by Mauricio Dubon in the fifth. Pena should be considered day-to-day, and he could be available to pinch hit off the bench if he's not in Saturday's lineup. He went 0-for-2 before exiting Friday's contest.

Westburg aggravated his left index finger injury during Friday's 22-8 win over the Rays and is considered day-to-day, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Westburg had missed three games earlier in the week due to the injury, but he was able to return to the lineup. He aggravated the injury while sliding into second base on a double, but the good news is that X-rays came back negative. His status for Saturday's matinee is up in the air, and Ramon Urias -- who came in to pinch hit in the second inning -- would stand to see more time at the keystone if Westburg were to be sidelined.

Spence (2-3) took the loss against the Yankees on Friday, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out five across five innings.

Spence retired the side in the first , but he gave up one run in each of the next three innings, including a solo homer to Jazz Chisholm in the second. It was a solid outing for Spence, as he generated 13 whiffs while tossing 89 pitches (54 strikes), but he couldn't avoid the loss as the A's were blanked by Will Warren and the Yankees' bullpen. Spence has made five starts since moving into the Athletics' rotation in early June, going 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB across 24.2 innings. He's tentatively slated to face the Rays on the road next week.

Gipson-Long (0-1) took the loss Friday against the Twins, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out five.

Gipson-Long worked as a traditional starter for the second time in five outings this year, throwing a season-high 77 pitches. The 27-year-old swingman tied a season high with five strikeouts, but three of his four hits allowed went for extra bases. Gipson-Long has had trouble with hard contact at times, as evidenced by his 4.70 ERA through 23 frames, but he does own a more palatable 1.09 WHIP and 18:4 K:BB. His next appearance lines as a road matchup against the reeling Nationals, who entered Friday with a .615 OPS versus right-handed pitching since the start of June.

Festa (2-2) earned the win Friday against the Tigers, giving up two hits in 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

It was an encouraging performance by the 28-year-old right-hander, who was peppered for eight runs on 12 hits his last time out. Friday marked the first time this year that he didn't issue a free pass, and it was also Festa's first scoreless outing of at least five frames so far. Festa will aim to build on this showing in his next scheduled appearance against the Marlins, as he still holds a rough 5.40 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 38:15 K:BB over 36.2 innings.

Bello (3-3) took the loss Friday against the Blue Jays, giving up three runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out one.

While Bello's one punchout tied a season low, he was able to record his fifth quality start in a row and seventh of the year. The eight hits allowed were his second most of the season, but the 26-year-old right-hander will nonetheless wrap up a strong month of June with a 2.87 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 23:10 K:BB over his past four outings (31.1 frames). Bello is tentatively set to toe the slab next week versus the Reds.

Berrios (4-3) earned the win Friday against the Red Sox, giving up no runs on four hits and one walk in seven innings. He struck out eight.

Berrios fanned at least eight Friday for the first time since May 29, and he's now up to 11 quality starts on the campaign. Seven of those efforts have come in his last eight outings, during which the veteran right-hander boasts a 2.16 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 40:13 K:BB across these last 50 frames. Up next for Berrios is a scheduled home matchup versus a dangerous Yankees lineup.