MLB Player News

The Diamondbacks optioned Castellanos to Triple-A Reno on Thursday.

Castellanos served as Arizona's 27th man during Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Guardians, although he didn't make an appearance. The righty could be put back into the rotation at Reno.

Estevez picked up the save over the Diamondbacks on Thursday, allowing one run on two hits over one inning while striking out two.

Estevez entered the game with a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning and surrendered a leadoff single to Geraldo Perdomo before fanning the next two batters. The recently acquired reliever would then cough up an RBI single to Jake McCarthy, but Estevez went on to retire the final batter for his 22nd save of the season and his first in a Phillies uniform. It marked the first earned run charged to Estevez since May 20 when he was still an Angel, and he's recorded at least one strikeout in each of his last four appearances.

The Giants signed Howard to a minor-league contract Thursday.

Howard began the season with the Giants before being designated for assignment and then traded to the Guardians in July. Cleveland dropped him from its 40-man roster shortly after that, and he's now returned to the Giants organization and been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento. Howard holds a 6.21 ERA and 27:14 K:BB in 29 big-league innings covering three starts and six relief appearances in 2024.

Montgomery (7-6) took the loss against the Phillies on Thursday, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out four.

Montgomery allowed at least one hit in each of the first five innings but managed to keep the Phillies off the board while pitching his way out of multiple jams. However, the veteran lefty's luck would run out in the sixth after he hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch, as he then failed to retire three of the next four batters before being relieved by Dylan Floro with two outs. Three of the four runs charged to Montgomery came across after he left the contest. He's failed to make it through six innings in five consecutive starts, and Montgomery has also issued multiple walks in each of his last three outings while posting only eight strikeouts over that stretch.

Benson started in left field and went 1-for-2 with a stolen base in Thursday's 10-4 extra-inning win over Miami.

Benson made his first start since being reinstated off the paternity list Wednesday. The steal was his 14th. He was later pinch hit for when a left-handed reliever entered, which has been the custom for much of this season. Benson, who is batting .196 overall, is 7-for-51 (.137) against southpaws.

Allard (1-0) picked up the win over Arizona on Thursday, allowing one run on six hits over five innings while striking out three. He did not issue any walks.

Allard managed to keep the Diamondbacks off the board through the first four innings, allowing just three singles before surrendering a solo homer to Eugenio Suarez with one out in the fifth. The 26-year-old lefty would end up making it through the frame to post his longest outing of the campaign, while also going on to secure his first win. Allard has held opponents to three or fewer runs in each of his two starts and holds a 8:2 K:BB as he plugs a hole in the Phillies' rotation while Ranger Suarez (back) and Taijuan Walker (finger) are sidelined.

Suarez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 6-4 loss to Philadelphia.

Suarez gave the Diamondbacks the first lead of the game with a solo shot in the fifth inning. It was his 17th home run of the season and 11th in the last 27 games. What had looked like a lost season -- Suarez flirted with the Mendoza Line (.200) through the end of June and was losing playing time -- turned around at the beginning of July. The third baseman sports a .310/.371/.681 slash line over 32 games since the beginning of July.

McCarthy went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Phillies.

McCarthy got the start against a left-hander while both Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas opened the game on the bench. McCarthy's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning was a response to Philadelphia's four runs in the top of the frame. He later singled home a run in the ninth. McCarthy's swung a hot bat the last two weeks, going 19-for-41 (.463) with one home run, seven RBI, eight runs and three stolen bases. He's hit well against lefties this season, posting a .359/.419/.462 line against southpaws, better than Carroll (.185/.270/.282) and Thomas (.143/.182/.238).

Walker (oblique) is not yet asymptomatic, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Walker, who landed on the 10-day injured list July 30 with a left oblique strain, could pick up a bat next week. The Diamondbacks are cognizant that oblique injuries are tricky for a baseball player and want Walker to be 100 percent before really ramping up. Arizona is getting by at first base with trade deadline acquisition Josh Bell, so the team doesn't need to rush Walker back.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's loss to the Rays.

Goldschmidt drove home Nolan Arenado on a groundout in the opening frame before adding an RBI single in the third, giving the first baseman only his second multi-RBI game since June 22. The single also snapped an 0-for-19 skid for Goldschmidt, and he's batting a putrid .154 (4-for-26) to begin August with one homer, four RBI and two runs scored.