MLB Player News

Duran (6-8) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up four runs (three earned) on four hits in one-third of an inning in an 8-6 extra-inning loss to Atlanta. He struck out one.

Called in for the top of the 10th inning in a 4-4 tie, Duran gave up a double to Marcell Ozuna to lead off the frame and never found his footing. The Twins' closer has been tagged for runs in six of 14 appearances since the All-Star break, stumbling to a 5.84 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over that stretch despite a 20:3 K:BB in 12.1 innings. Duran's recent struggles seem largely due to bad luck -- his average exit velocity allowed on the season sits in the 91st percentile, while his groundball rate is in the 98th percentile.

Canning is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Tigers at Comerica Park.

For the first time all season, Canning didn't start in his most recent appearance Thursday in Toronto, as he instead worked as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Brock Burke. Though Canning struck out six over six scoreless innings out of the bullpen Thursday, the Angels won't use an opener in front of Canning in Detroit and will instead return him to his normal starting role. Canning enters Wednesday's contest with a 4-11 record, 5.18 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 102:48 K:BB through 139 innings on the season.

Woods Richardson came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 8-6 extra-inning loss to Atlanta, giving up four runs on three hits and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out three.

The right-hander tossed only 55 of 91 pitches for strikes and exited the mound with the Twins in a 4-0 hole, but his offense got him off the hook for the loss. Woods Richardson has failed to last longer than five innings in five of his last six starts, stumbling to a 5.59 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 26:13 K:BB in 29 innings over that stretch. He'll look for a better result in his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week in Tampa Bay.

Rasmussen will serve as the Rays' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Mariners.

Rasmussen will be making his third start of the season, but as was the case on the previous two occasions, he'll likely be limited to one or two innings. Tyler Alexander is expected to be deployed as a bulk reliever behind Rasmussen.

Duran went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Blue Jays.

The 27-year-old outfielder led off the game by hooking a Yariel Rodriguez fastball around Pesky's Pole down the right-field line, continuing a blistering stretch that has seen Duran slash .372/.449/.860 over his last 11 games. Tuesday's blast gave him his first career 20-20 campaign -- he's got 20 homers and 32 steals in 130 contests -- and Duran capped off his impressive performance with outfield assists in each of the first two innings, tying him with Ian Happ for the MLB lead at 11.

Criswell came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Blue Jays, allowing one run on five hits and three walks over 3.1 innings. He failed to strike out a batter.

He needed 72 pitches (46 strikes) to record 10 outs, and Criswell benefitted from some sloppy baserunning by Toronto just to do that well. The right-hander has thrown more than 70 pitches in three straight outings but has failed to last five innings in any of them, posting a 6.35 ERA, 2.29 WHIP and 5:8 K:BB in 11.1 frames over that rough stretch. The Red Sox have fallen four games back of the Twins for the final wild-card spot in the AL, and Criswell could have a very short leash in the rotation as a result. He currently lines up to make his next start on the road this weekend in Detroit.

Wagner went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a solo home run in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox.

The 26-year-old rookie banged out doubles in the second and fourth innings, one off the Green Monster and one into the left-field corner, before smashing his first career homer in the majors into the right-field bullpen off Brennan Bernardino in the sixth. Per Craig Forde of MLB.com, Wagner is the first player in Blue Jays history to collect two doubles and a home run in the same game within his first 13 big-league contests. He's had an impressive start to his Toronto tenure since being acquired from Houston in the Yusei Kikuchi deal, slashing .326/.356/.512 over 45 plate appearances with six extra-base hits, five runs and six RBI.

The Blue Jays optioned Eisert to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.

Eisert served as the 27th man for Toronto on Monday as it completed a suspended game and played another contest in Boston. He was available for the nightcap but did not make an appearance.

DeJong went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer and a walk in Tuesday's 6-1 victory over Cleveland.

The Kansas City infielder opened the game's scoring when he launched a 395-foot, two-run homer off Gavin Williams in the second inning for his fifth long ball with the Royals. DeJong continues to swing a sizzling bat with his new club, hitting .304 (17-for-56) with 12 RBI, 10 runs scored and 7:20 BB:K across 19 games. He is playing roughly two-thirds of the time as he splits at-bats on the infield with Maikel Garcia and Michael Massey. Overall, DeJong is slashing .239/.290/.458 in 427 plate appearances this season with the Royals and White Sox.

The Red Sox optioned Horn to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday.

Horn was the appointed 27th man as the Red Sox resumed a suspended game and played a regularly scheduled contest versus the Blue Jays on Monday. He retired the only batter he faced in the nightcap.