MLB Player News

Norby isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Baltimore due to left hand soreness, Nate Karzmer of FishOnFirst.com reports.

Norby has collected a base hit in each of his last five games, but he'll take a day off Saturday to recover from a hand injury that popped up during his final plate appearance Friday. Javier Sanoja will get the nod to start at third base instead while batting ninth.

Palencia retired the only two batters he faced with one strikeout to earn the save during Saturday's 5-2 win over the Yankees.

Up 5-0 going into the ninth inning, the Cubs turned to their closer after Brad Keller allowed two runs and another baserunner. Palencia shut the door from there, picking up a strikeout and getting a grounder to end the game. Since blowing a save opportunity May 19 in Miami, the 25-year-old has converted 11 straight save chances. With one game left before the All-Star break, the right-hander has a 1.62 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched.

Nootbaar was removed from Saturday's game against Atlanta due to left side discomfort, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Nootbaar has been dealing with a ribcage/intercostal injury over the past several weeks, which may have had something to do with his early removal Saturday. With the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Cardinals could look to get the 27-year-old an extra day of rest and sit him for Sunday's first-half finale.

Kelly went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run during Saturday's 5-2 win over the Yankees.

Kelly continued his great first half Saturday, reaching in three out of four plate appearances and clubbing his 12th home run of the season. With one game to go before the All-Star break, the 30-year-old Kelly is slashing .272/.374/.518 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI, putting him on pace for a career-best campaign in all those categories. He's also off to a strong start in July with a 1.180 OPS in seven games.

Boyd (10-3) picked up the win after throwing eight scoreless innings Saturday, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out six, during a 5-2 win over the Yankees.

Boyd has now posted a shutout start in three of his last four appearances, including back-to-back outings, entering the All-Star break. Saturday was his longest start of the season, and he also didn't walk a batter for the sixth time. Since the beginning of June, the left-hander has been one of the best pitchers in the game, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.43 ERA and 38 strikeouts, allowing just 30 hits in 50.1 innings.

The Padres recalled Jacob from Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.

Since his last MLB appearance May 24, Jacob has given up nine earned runs across 10.1 innings in Triple-A. Despite his shaky performance, he'll get the call to provide San Diego with some extra bullpen depth heading into the All-Star break. He's unlikely to pitch outside of low-leverage situations, however.

The Padres optioned Bergert to Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.

Bergert gave up two runs in 4.2 innings during his return from the injured list Friday. Now that the Padres have no need for a fifth starter with the All-Star break approaching, they'll send the 25-year-old down to Triple-A in favor of Alek Jacob, who will provide extra bullpen depth. Bergert owns a 2.84 ERA and 1.14 WHIP through 31.2 innings in the majors this season, so there's a good chance he'll be back in a Padres uniform before long.

Nunez (elbow) is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Nunez landed on the injured list July 3 with a sprained right elbow, and after consulting with doctors, he's decided to undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. The 29-year-old will conclude the 2025 campaign with a 4.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 9.2 innings across 10 appearances with the Mets. Given the timing of his procedure, Nunez will most likely remain out through the end of the 2026 season.

Mauricio is not in Saturday's lineup against the Royals.

Mauricio likely would have been in Saturday's lineup, but Angel Zerpa has replaced Michael Lorenzen (illness) as the starting pitcher for the Royals. With a lefty now on the mound, Mauricio will shift to the bench with Tyrone Taylor entering the lineup to man center field.

Stephenson is not in Saturday's lineup against the Rockies.

Stephenson continues to alternate starts with Jose Trevino, with this being Stephenson's third absence in the last seven games. Trevino will hit eighth in the order Saturday.