MLB Player News

Alvarez won't start Friday's game against the Padres and is now expected to pitch behind opener Paxton Schultz, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.

Alvarez has provided some length out of the bullpen this season, and he's now set to fill the bulk role Friday after initially being expected to make his first big-league start of 2026. Through four appearances, the 26-year-old lefty has recorded a win, a save and two holds with a 2.84 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB across 12.2 innings.

Skenes (6-5) was charged with the loss Thursday against the Cubs after allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks across 5.1 innings. He struck out 10.

Skenes tossed 62 of his 103 pitches for strikes and struck out double-digit batters for the second time in his last four starts, but he was the victim of subpar defense once again. The star hurler has been struggling of late, as Skenes has taken the loss his last three starts -- a stretch in which he's posted a 5.87 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 15.1 innings, albeit with an elite 19:5 K:BB. Skenes will aim to bounce back in his next start, scheduled for next week on the road against the Astros.

Rea (5-3) earned the win Thursday against the Pirates after allowing two runs on four hits and three walks across 5.1 innings. He struck out five and also hit a batter.

Rea allowed a solo homer to Bryan Reynolds and an RBI double to Tyler Callihan before departing the game in the sixth, but he was excellent in the opening five frames. Rea has been a mixed bag as a rotation option, but he's at least been serviceable. He's posted a 4.78 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP across six starts and 32 innings in May and is slated to make his next start next week at home against the Athletics.

Lee (back) could be activated from the 10-day injured list this weekend, Kevin Borba of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Lee has been shelved since early last week with a back strain, but he resumed baseball activities Tuesday and could skip a rehab assignment. The Giants optioned Will Brennan to Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday and did not announce a corresponding roster move, which could point to Lee being back in action Friday in Colorado on the first day he's eligible to be activated.

The Giants optioned Brennan to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.

Brennan has managed to go just 2-for-23 during his limited opportunities with the Giants. The club did not announce a corresponding roster move, but it's possible Jung Hoo Lee (back) returns from the IL for this weekend's series in Colorado.

Callihan went 1-for-2 with a walk, a double and an RBI on Thursday against the Cubs.

Callihan was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday but wasn't in the starting lineup. He entered the game in the fourth inning after Nick Gonzales exited with a knee injury, and Callihan went on to deliver an RBI double in the sixth inning. That marked his first hit as a Pirate, and he could pick up extra playing time if Gonzales is sidelined for an extended period.

Suzuki went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Pirates.

Suzuki had been slumping with just one hit over his previous seven games, but he bounced back with his first multi-hit effort since May 18. The outfielder's OPS is down from .804 last season over 151 regular-season games to .729 so far in 2026, though based on his performance the last three years, it wouldn't be surprising to see that figure continue to climb back toward his recent norms.

Happ went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Pirates.

Following a 10-game losing streak for the Cubs, Happ has now powered the team to consecutive wins. On Wednesday, the veteran delivered a season-best five RBI on two hits, and he followed that up Thursday with three more hits and two more RBI on his 12th home run of the season. Happ's career high in long balls is 25, which he did on two occasions, but he could surpass that mark in 2026 if he keeps up his current pace of 12 through 53 games.

Espinal was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, Noah Camras of SI.com reports.

Espinal cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Dodgers on Monday, and he'll now head to Oklahoma City. The move to drop Espinal from the 40-man roster was made so that the team could activate Enrique Hernandez from the 60-day injured list, but Hernandez has now landed right back on the IL with an oblique injury. It's possible that Espinal could return to the major-league roster relatively soon.

Gonzales was removed from Thursday's contest against the Cubs due to left knee discomfort.

Gonzales had a limp running out of the box in the second inning, and it is now understood to have been due to residual pain in his left knee from a ball he fouled off his leg in Wednesday's loss to Chicago. He is considered day-to-day for the time being, with Tyler Callihan entering the contest for his Pirates debut in place of Gonzales.