MLB Player News

Rodriguez (13-4) earned the win Wednesday over the Blue Jays, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out eight.

After a strong start to his day, Rodriguez seemed to fade a bit late, allowing a run in each of his final four frames. However, he'd ultimately hang on for his fifth win in his last eight outings. The 24-year-old right-hander has been a bit shaky recently, allowing 13 earned runs in his last 22 innings. Overall, Rodriguez sports a 3.86 ERA across 20 starts (116.2 innings) this year with a 1.24 WHIP and 130:36 K:BB. He's currently in line for a rematch with Toronto on the road in his next outing.

Holliday went 1-for-5 with a grand slam in Wednesday's 10-4 win over the Blue Jays.

Holliday certainly made the most of his first big-league homer -- the 20-year-old launched a 439-foot grand slam on a 0-2 pitch from Yerry Rodriguez, extending the Orioles lead to 8-3. While it was just the third hit for Holliday in 39 at-bats with Baltimore, he posted an .860 OPS with eight homers and seven steals in 63 games after he was sent back down to Triple-A Norfolk. With Jordan Westburg (hand) likely to join Jorge Mateo (elbow) on the injured list, Holliday should get the chance to prove himself as a regular in the majors.

The Yankees optioned Marinaccio to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday.

Called up from Triple-A earlier in the day, Marinaccio went unused out of the bullpen in the Yankees' 6-5 win over the Phillies. He'll now head back to Triple-A as the Yankees look to open up a spot on the 26-man active roster for trade-deadline pickup Enyel De Los Santos ahead of their next game Friday versus the Blue Jays.

Holmes earned the save in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Phillies, working around one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.

Protecting a one-run lead, it looked like Holmes could be in trouble again after Kyle Schwarber led off the ninth with a single. However, he would get Austin Hays to fly out before coaxing a game-ending, double-play ball off the bat of Bryce Harper. The 31-year-old Holmes had blown three straight save opportunities prior to Wednesday, including a 26-pitch appearance Tuesday. Despite his recent inconsistency, Holmes still sports a solid 2.82 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and 45:12 K:BB across 44.2 innings this season while converting 22 of 30 save chances.

The Astros optioned Martinez to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Martinez is one of the casualties as the Astros officially add trade acquisitions Yusei Kikuchi and Caleb Ferguson to the 26-man active roster. He holds a 2.92 ERA but an ugly 34:18 K:BB over 49.1 innings with the Astros this season.

The Astros designated Montero for assignment Wednesday.

Montero is in the second year of a three-year, $34.5 million contract, and the Astros appear willing to absorb what remains on that deal. The veteran reliever made 41 appearances for Houston this season, posting a 4.70 ERA and 23:19 K:BB over 38.1 innings. Montero will likely pass through waivers unclaimed and will have the ability to elect free agency.

Cortes (5-9) earned the win Wednesday over the Phillies, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out six.

Cortes' name came up in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but the left-hander ultimately remained with the Yankees and he rewarded them with a strong outing Wednesday. Cortes held the Phillies without a hit through three innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fourth followed by a Weston Wilson solo homer in the fifth. However, the Yankees would hang on for a 6-5 victory, giving Cortes his first win since June 18. The 29-year-old Cortes now sports a 4.16 ERA on the season with a 1.20 WHIP and 122:28 K:BB across 129.2 innings. He's currently lined up to face the Angels at home in his next outing.

McCormick will start in right field and bat ninth in Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

McCormick seems to have re-emerged as the Astros' preferred option in right field in the absence of Kyle Tucker (shin); he'll draw his fifth start at the position in seven games. Trey Cabbage and Joey Loperfido have picked up the other two starts, and the latter has since been traded to the Blue Jays and replaced on the roster by another outfielder in Pedro Leon. While the Astros could eventually look to Leon, Cabbage or Mauricio Dubon to pick up more reps in the corner outfield, McCormick has gone 5-for-14 with a solo home run over his last four starts to rebuild a little job security for the time being.

Caratini will start at designated hitter and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The Astros have shown more of a willingness to use Yordan Alvarez in left field of late, and it's helped open up more playing time for Caratini. He's now started in three of the last four games, with the previous two starts coming at catcher while fellow backstop Yainer Diaz served as Houston's DH. In addition to providing quality defense behind the plate, Caratini has held his own with the bat this season, hitting .276 with five home runs and 19 RBI over 128 plate appearances.

LeMahieu went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a two-run double in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Phillies.

Making his first start in five games, LeMahieu would ultimately drive in all six of New York's runs in the winning effort -- he launched a grand slam off Cristopher Sanchez in the second inning to give the Yankees an early 4-0 cushion before extending the lead to 6-3 in the sixth with a two-out, RBI double off Jose Ruiz. It was a much-needed performance for LeMahieu, whose last multi-hit game came on July 9. He'd gone just 2-for-32 (.068) in his subsequent 14 contests. Despite his effort Wednesday, LeMahieu is still likely stuck on the short side of a platoon with Ben Rice at first base, with Jazz Chisholm taking over at third. LeMahieu's still slashing just .182/.270/.252 through 164 plate appearances this year with two homers, 19 RBI and 13 runs scored.