MLB Player News

Alzolay's (forearm) rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Tommy Birch of USA Today reports.

Alzolay appeared in two games with the Cubs' Arizona Complex League affiliate, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks across two innings. He'll continue his assignment at Triple-A and it's unclear how many more outings he'll need before being activated.

Chourio was absent from Saturday's lineup due to an ongoing ear infection, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

It's unclear how long Chourio has been battling the infection, but Saturday's game marked his first time out of the lineup since the All-Star break. The 20-year-old outfielder should be considered day-to-day moving forward.

Jones (lat) threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday and used all four of his pitches, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Jones threw off a mound for the first time since being placed on the injured list July 4 and was able to mix in all four of his pitches while his fastball sat between 93-95 miles per hour -- his usual bullpen velocity. Hiles notes that the right-hander will throw another bullpen during the Pirates' three-game series in Houston that starts Monday and face hitters after the road trip ends Thursday. It's unclear if Jones will require a rehab assignment.

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Vargas could play third base as soon as Sunday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

The Dodgers are dealing with a plethora of injuries in the infield, with Mookie Betts (hand), Max Muncy (oblique), Miguel Rojas (forearm) and Chris Taylor (groin) all on the IL while Freddie Freeman was placed on the family emergency list Saturday. Vargas has primarily played left field for the Dodgers this season but with the team shorthanded, he could see some action at third base. Vargas has a .745 OPS this season with three homers in 79 plate appearances.

The Angels traded Estevez to the Phillies on Saturday in exchange for right-hander George Klassen and left-hander Samuel Aldegheri.

Estevez was one of the top closers available at the deadline, having logged 20 saves in 23 chances this season with a 2.38 ERA and 0.74 WHIP. He'll join a Phillies bullpen that opened the season deploying Jose Alvarado in the ninth inning before turning to Jeff Hoffman late in June, with Alvarado occasionally mixing in. Without a clear top closer, Estevez has a chance to step into the ninth-inning role for the Phillies, who boast an MLB-best 64-39 record.

Lopez is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Brewers.

Lopez started eight consecutive games after being activated from the injured list July 19, but he will get a breather Saturday. In his place, Vidal Brujan will bat eighth and play second base.

Suwinski is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Even with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt taking the mound for Arizona, the lefty-hitting Suwinski will take a seat. While he still owns a .184 batting average, Suwinski has gone 4-for-10 with a double and three stolen bases since the All-Star break. Michael Taylor will fill in as the center fielder Saturday.

The Marlins recalled Meyer from Triple-A Jacksonville to start Saturday's game against the Brewers.

As expected, Meyer will make his fourth start of the 2024 season Saturday, and his first since April. While the Marlins have been keeping an eye on the 25-year-old's workload, there haven't been any confirmed restrictions placed on Meyer for Saturday's appearance. He's generated a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings with Miami this season.

The Rockies selected Curtiss' contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Curtiss will take Ty Blach's spot on the 40-man and 26-man rosters and will serve as a depth piece for a Colorado bullpen that just traded Nick Mears to the Brewers. Curtiss has made one appearance with the Rockies this season, yielding two runs in one-third of an inning. He logged a 4.03 ERA in 38 innings for Albuquerque.

Musgrove (elbow) incorporated his full arsenal of breaking pitches in his most recent bullpen session and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week, per MLB.com.

Musgrove's bullpen Wednesday was significant not only because he brought breaking pitches into the mix, but also because he stepped up the intensity of his throwing. The right-hander has reported having no issues with his injured right elbow during his three bullpens to date, and the next step in his rehab could be a rehab stint with a minor-league squad. Should Musgrove continue to progress without setbacks, he could return to the Padres' rotation in early August.