MLB Player News

Arizona outrighted Valdez to Double-A Amarillo on Sunday.

Valdez will remain with Arizona's organization after clearing waivers, but he will now drop down a level in the minor-league system. The 28-year-old had his contract selected by the Diamondbacks to serve as the team's 27th man during the squad's Mexico City Series against the Padres in late April, but he failed to appear in a contest before being optioned to Triple-A Reno.

Heim went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double, three additional RBI and an additional run scored in Sunday's 11-6 win over Colorado.

With Drake Baldwin at designated hitter, Heim drew the start at catcher and made the most of it, matching a career high with five RBI. He opened the scoring for Atlanta with a two-run blast in the second inning before adding another extra-base hit with a two-RBI double in the ninth to extend the lead. The 30-year-old's playing time has been limited with Baldwin's success behind the plate, as Heim has logged 45 plate appearances in 2026, slashing .231/.311/.410 with a homer, four doubles, eight RBI and four runs.

Moreno batted seventh and went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Cubs.

Moreno made his second start in three days since being activated off the injured list Friday. The homer was the first for the catcher, who had missed three weeks due to an oblique injury. Sunday was his first time batting in the lower third of the order after serving primarily as the team's cleanup batter when previously healthy.

Rodriguez is expected to be called up from Triple-A Sacramento on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Rodriguez will join the major-league roster for the first time in his career as the team gears up to begin a three-game series against the Padres at home beginning Monday. The 24-year-old has compiled a .330 average with two home runs, 14 RBI, 20 runs scored and four stolen bases over 100 at-bats in 24 contests with Sacramento this season. Rodriguez has operated primarily as a catcher with the Triple-A squad, starting 16 contests behind the plate, but he has also recorded starts at second base (two) and left field (five) in 2026.

Freeland (1-3) took the loss Sunday, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks over 4.1 innings against Atlanta. He struck out seven.

Freeland generated a game-high 17 whiffs and struck out a season-best seven batters, but the contact he allowed was damaging as Atlanta tagged the southpaw for six earned runs and belted two homers. The 32-year-old opened the season by allowing four runs across 15.2 innings over his first three starts, but in his past two outings since being reinstated from the injured list with left shoulder inflammation, he has allowed 10 earned runs across 9.1 frames. Overall, Freeland owns a 5.04 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with a 24:8 K:BB across 25 innings in 2026 and will look to get back on track in his next start, tentatively scheduled for Saturday against Philadelphia.

Eldridge is expected to be called up from Triple-A Sacramento on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Eldridge will join the Giants ahead of the team's six-game homestand beginning Monday against the Padres. The 21-year-old has been lights-out at the Triple-A level this season, batting .333 with five home runs, 22 RBI and 25 runs scored over 114 at-bats in 30 games with Sacramento. Eldridge struggled in limited action with San Francisco last season, going 3-for-28 with two doubles, seven walks, four RBI and a run scored while striking out 13 times over 10 contests. He'll look to get off to a better start in his second go-around with the big-league club.

Strider (oblique) did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three runs on four hits and five walks over 3.1 innings against the Rockies. He struck out six.

Strider made his first start of the season after opening on the injured list with a left oblique strain and struggled to consistently find the zone, throwing 48 of 87 pitches for strikes and issuing five free passes. It wasn't a strong outing for the right-hander, who also allowed a homer to TJ Rumfield in the third inning, but Strider did strike out six and simply being back on a big-league mound is a step in the right direction. After posting a 4.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with a 131:51 K:BB across 125.1 regular-season innings (23 starts) in 2025, the 27-year-old is looking to return closer to his form from 2022 and 2023 prior to injuries. Strider is tentatively scheduled to start Saturday against the Dodgers, though how Atlanta manages his workload will be worth monitoring.

Defrank has no timetable for a return after suffering a right biceps injury, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Defrank will not require surgery, so he's not necessarily out for the season, but he will be forced to miss substantial time. The 17-year-old was expected to pitch limited innings in the Florida Complex League this season, and it's unclear if he'll be able to pitch again in 2026.

Busch went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a triple, a run scored and four RBI in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

Busch was all over the bases Sunday as he helped power the Cubs to victory, The first baseman is heating up with a .298 batting average, eight extra-base hits and 14 RBI across his last 12 games. Busch had the opportunity to bat first Saturday with Nico Hoerner out for a game with a neck issue, but the latter returned Sunday. That development pushed Busch down to sixth in the order, with Hoerner returning to the top spot.

Ballesteros went 2-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

Ballesteros snapped an 0-for-16 slump across his previous four games with a strong performance Sunday. Even following the mini cold spell, the 22-year-old is having a tremendous season with a .317/.380/.598 slash line, six home runs and 18 RBI across 30 contests. The Cubs also announced recently that Ballesteros would begin to see more playing time behind the plate, which should elevate his fantasy appeal once he gains eligibility at catcher in most formats.