MLB Player News

Duran struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his 15th save of the season in an 8-6 win over the White Sox.

The right-hander has been almost untouchable since returning from an oblique strain in early May. Duran's allowed a run in only one of his last 13 appearances, posting a 0.69 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and 23:2 K:BB in 13 innings over that span while converting all 10 of his save chances.

Luzardo didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 8-6 win over the White Sox, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out two.

The ball was flying out of Citizens Bank Park on Friday night, and three of the seven hits off Luzardo left the yard, including a pair of solo shots by Randal Grichuk. Even so, the southpaw left the mound in line for his fifth win of the season, but Chicago was able to tie it up in the top of the seventh inning. Luzardo hadn't served up a homer in any of his prior four starts, but erratic performances are nothing new for the 28-year-old. He'll take a 4.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 80:21 K:BB through 73 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road in Toronto.

Stewart went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's 10-3 loss to St. Louis.

Stewart was in the middle of the Reds' three-run first inning, doubling home two runs and scoring the third. He's still contributing from the middle of the order but less so after his boffo start. After posting a .943 OPS with nine home runs and 29 RBI over 31 games through the end of April, Stewart has a .722 OPS with three homers and 10 RBI over the same number of contests since May 1.

McCarthy went 2-for-6 with a double, a run scored and a stolen base Friday against the Brewers.

McCarthy accounted for most of his damage in the first inning, when he hit a leadoff double, stole third base and came around to score. He continues to deliver impressive production, maintaining a .284 average with two homers, 10 RBI and 13 runs scored across his last 20 games. McCarthy also has four stolen bases in that span and 11 for the season.

Thompson went 3-for-5 with two RBI on Friday against the Brewers.

Thompson has picked things up at the plate across his last four games, with Friday marking the first three-hit game of his career. In that four-game span -- three of which were on the road -- Thompson has gone 6-for-16 with three RBI, three runs scored and three walks. He's also been in the lineup in five of Colorado's last six games between left field and DH and is occupying a strong-side platoon role.

Dubon went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, an additional RBI and an additional run scored in Friday's win over the Pirates.

Dubon has been swinging a hot bat of late and has gone yard in three games in a row, with two multi-hit performances, seven RBI and four runs scored over that stretch. The eight-year veteran is trending in the right direction after hitting just .222 with a .600 OPS across 26 games in May.

Mejia (1-5) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks while walking two across one-third of an inning to take the loss Friday against the Brewers.

Mejia entered the game in the 10th inning with the score tied at 5-5, and he struck out the first batter he faced. However, he allowed the next five batters to reach base before being pulled in favor of Seth Halvorsen. Mejia is in the high-leverage mix for the Rockies, but the team hasn't converted a save since May 18 and Mejia has allowed multiple earned runs in four of his last five appearances.

Lawlar (wrist) moved his rehab to Triple-A Reno on Thursday and played consecutive games for the Aces. He went a combined 3-for-7 with two doubles, a triple and an RBI.

Lawlar played a full nine innings in center field Thursday and eight innings in left field a day later. He's had a combined 21 plate appearances between the ACL and Triple-A, but the Diamondbacks haven't made public a prescribed number of plate appearances for Lawlar, who has been out since early April. That he played the field on consecutive days is a positive sign that Lawlar could return within a week.

Suzuki went 1-for-1 with three walks, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Friday's 18-3 loss to the Giants.

Suzuki's eighth-inning home run was about the only bright spot for the Cubs in the ugly loss. That's now two long balls in three days for the slugging outfielder, who is up to nine homers for the season across 50 games. Suzuki popped a career-best 32 home runs in 151 regular-season contests last year, and he could make a run at that figure in 2026 if he starts to heat up.

Vargas (thigh) entered Friday's game in the eighth inning to play second base. He did not get a plate appearance in a 14-1 loss to the Nationals.

Vargas was injured in a scary collision with Los Angeles' Max Muncy on Thursday but appears to have avoided a serious injury. That he was able to play the field for a couple of innings is an encouraging sign that Vargas can resume his role sharing first base and DH with occasional work at other infield spots.