MLB Player News

Ottavino has posted a 4.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 47:13 K:BB through 35 innings with one win, one save and 13 holds in 36 appearances.

The Mets' bullpen issues early in the season caused manager Carlos Mendoza to lean heavily on Ottavino, but the workload appears to have caught up with the 38-year-old righty. While his 30.7 percent strikeout rate is among the better marks in his career, Ottavino's 42.4 percent groundball rate is his lowest since he was pitching for the Rockies in 2017. He's also recorded only one of his 13 holds over the last month, as younger relief arms like Dedniel Nunez and Reed Garrett (elbow) have moved into high-leverage roles. If the Mets add further bullpen reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline, Ottavino's usage as a setup man for Edwin Diaz could decline even further.

Cronin has posted a 3.72 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 49:17 K:BB through 46 innings with one win, two holds and zero saves over 33 appearances.

Claimed off waivers over the winter, Cronin gave the Marlins some quality innings early in the season in a low-leverage role. The league may have figured the right-hander out however -- over his last 12 appearances, he carries a rough 8.27 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. Cronin's biggest strength is a 54.5 percent groundball rate, but he's still been somewhat fortunate to have allowed zero homers so far in 2024. If that luck runs out, further regression could be coming for his ERA. Even if Miami ships out high-leverage relievers like Tanner Scott by the trade deadline, Cronin seems unlikely to take over a prominent role.

Hernandez defeated the Royals' Bobby Witt, 14-13, in the final round of the 2024 Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field on Monday.

The 31-year-old became the first Dodgers player to win the Home Run Derby in the event's 38-year history and took home a $1 million prize. A first-time participant in the Home Run Derby, Hernandez secured the final spot in the semifinals after his opening-round total of 19 home runs trailed the Phillies' Alec Bohm (21), the Guardians' Jose Ramirez (21) and Witt (20). Hernandez then survived a swing-off with Bohm after the two tied with 14 home runs in the semifinals before he narrowly edged out Witt in the finals. Hernandez is slated to start for the National League in center field in Tuesday's All-Star Game and will bat eighth.

Bummer has posted a 3.62 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 37:11 K:BB through 32.1 innings with two wins, zero saves and zero holds through 33 appearances.

Acquired from the White Sox in the offseason to bolster Atlanta's relief corps, Bummer hasn't been able to claim a high-leverage role in a much deeper bullpen than he was part of in Chicago. The southpaw has been effective at keeping the ball in the park, serving up only one homer despite a 54.9 percent groundball rate that's his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2017. Barring a rash of injuries ahead of him in the pecking order, Bummer will likely continue working in middle relief in the second half, limiting his fantasy value even in formats that use holds as well as saves.

Tauchman (groin) began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on Monday, starting in right field and going 0-for-2 with a strikeout.

Tauchman is coming up on the one-month mark of his ongoing absence from a left groin strain but has been cleared to play in rehab games. The 33-year-old might not quite be ready to return from the 10-day injured list when the Cubs return to action Friday versus the Diamondbacks, but he shouldn't require too much time to get ramped back up. Once activated, Tauchman should return to seeing regular starts in the outfield or at designated hitter against right-handed pitching.

The Mets activated Peterson (personal) from the paternity list Monday.

Peterson was away from the club for its final series before the All-Star break against the Rockies, but he'll be back on the roster for the start of the second half Friday in Miami. The Mets haven't revealed their post-break rotation plans yet, so it's not clear when Peterson's first start of the second half will come.

Atlanta sent Ynoa (elbow) to the rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment.

Ynoa will be making his first appearance since he was shut down in mid-April with a right elbow stress reaction. The right-hander is on Atlanta's 60-day injured list, but he should eventually get optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett once he completes his rehab assignment. Ynoa hasn't pitched at the major-league level since 2022, having missed all of 2023 following Tommy John surgery.

Arraez will attend All-Star festivities in Texas but won't play for the National League in Tuesday's game due to a jammed left thumb, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Arraez first hurt the thumb while sliding into third base June 25. He has played in all but two of San Diego's games since then, most recently sitting out Sunday's 6-3 loss to Atlanta. While Arraez has mostly been able to remain in the lineup despite the injury, he admitted that the thumb hurts "a lot" when he swings and catches the ball. The issue probably won't be anything that causes him to miss much, if any, additional time in games that count, but he'll use the All-Star break to rest the jammed thumb rather than risking further injury in the exhibition contest.

Helsley was replaced Monday on the National League All-Star Game roster with Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan.

Per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Helsley said that he wasn't likely to pitch in Tuesday's All-Star Game and instead wished to get rest over the All-Star break. The 29-year-old closer confirmed he was healthy and is merely monitoring his workload, having already appeared in 41 games and thrown 42 innings this season. Helsley's career high in appearances is 54, and he hasn't pitched more than 64.2 innings in any individual season.

Finnegan was named to the National League All-Star team Monday.

Finnegan wasn't initially named an All-Star, but he'll be available to make his first appearance in the Midsummer Classic after being added as a replacement on the roster for Ryan Helsley. The 32-year-old has the third-most saves in baseball (25) and has recorded a 2.45 ERA across 40.1 innings.