MLB Player News

O'Brien notched a save in the first game of Monday's doubleheader versus the Reds, striking out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.

O'Brien had little trouble protecting a one-run lead, throwing 11 of 14 pitches for strikes en route to punching out all three batters he faced. The All-Star closer leads the NL with 31 saves on the season, and only Tampa Bay's Bryan Baker (35) has more saves in either league. O'Brien's last blown save came July 20 against the Angels -- since then, he's a perfect six-for-six in save chances and has pitched 10 consecutive scoreless outings, yielding just one hit while posting an 11:5 K:BB across 10 innings during that span.

Mathews completed four innings in Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader against Cincinnati, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out seven batters in a no-decision.

Mathews was called up from Triple-A Memphis early Monday and handed the ball for the matinee. The southpaw held his own, allowing just one run on a fourth-inning solo homer by Dane Myers. Mathews racked up 12 whiffs and seven punchouts, though he was a bit wild and needed 95 pitches (55 strikes) to complete only four frames. It was just the second appearance of the 25-year-old's big-league career; in his MLB debut Aug. 1 in Toronto, Mathews yielded three runs over five innings in a loss. Unless St. Louis opts to shift to a six-man rotation, there doesn't seem to be room for Mathews to remain with the big-league club as a starter for now, but he'd likely be a top candidate to move into the rotation should any of the Cardinals' other starters suffer an injury or get demoted.

McKinstry went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 8-5 win over the Pirates.

McKinstry matched his season high with the three hits, and both of those performances have come this month. After a rough start to the year, the utility player has found his groove in August with a .326/.442/.419 slash line across 15 games. McKinstry's defensive versatility should keep him in the lineup most days, and he's starting to deliver some production for fantasy managers.

Lee went 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBI and a run scored in Monday's 8-5 win over the Pirates.

Lee set a new season high with three hits and also set a season high by reaching base five times. The rookie infielder hasn't quite found an everyday role with the Tigers, but he's performed well when given an opportunity with a .275 batting average and .737 OPS. If Detroit falls out of playoff contention down the stretch, Lee could see his role grow if the team prioritizes its younger players.

Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and three RBI in Monday's 7-5, 10-inning win over the White Sox. He also stole a base.

Crow-Armstrong put together an MVP performance to beat the rival White Sox on Monday at Wrigley Field. The star outfielder led off the bottom of the first inning with his 29th home run of the season, then walked it off in the 10th with his 30th homer to break a 5-5 tie. Crow-Armstrong also chipped in his 31st stolen base for good measure, and he now has consecutive 30-30 campaigns on his resume, making him the first Cubs' player to ever accomplish that feat. The 24-year-old has been one of the top performers in fantasy baseball all year long, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Fleming was released by the Cubs on Monday.

Fleming was brought in on a minor-league deal in July after being released earlier this season by the Blue Jays, but his time with Chicago didn't last long. He pitched to a 3.44 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 13 strikeouts over 18.1 innings while at Triple-A Iowa.

McGonigle went 2-for-6 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Monday's 8-5 win over the Pirates.

McGonigle snapped a mini 0-for-7 slump over his last two games with a solid performance that included his 13th home run of the season. Three of those long balls have come in 14 contests this month, and the youngster has been showing more power overall as the year has gone along, as he had just three homers through the end of May. McGonigle has had a great debut campaign so far and seems well on his way to winning the AL Rookie of the Year award.

Witt went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, a walk, a stolen base and three additional runs scored in Monday's 9-5 win over the Athletics.

The Athletics couldn't contain Witt, who crossed the plate a season-high four times Monday. Even with the Royals playing out the final stretch of a losing season, the superstar shortstop is looking to close out the campaign on a high note. Since coming off the injured list, Witt is batting .340 with two homers, four doubles, seven RBI and three stolen bases over his last 50 at-bats.

Jansen struck out two in a clean ninth inning to notch the save Monday against the Pirates.

Jansen made quick work of the Pittsburgh bats, dropping seven of his eight pitches into the strike zone Monday. The veteran right-hander is eight saves away from joining the prestigious 500-save club, so he's firmly within striking distance to accomplish that feat in 2026 if he stays healthy the rest of the way. Jansen, who last blew a save May 24 in Baltimore, has a 3.74 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 39:20 K:BB with 16 saves (20 chances) over 33.2 innings.

Cruz threw a clean ninth inning to secure the save Monday against the Athletics.

Cruz continues to establish himself as Kansas City's favorite for saves. The right-hander has successfully converted each of his last five save chances, with each coming since July 22, and he's been scored upon just five times in his last 24 outings. Cruz, who has a 4.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 51:18 K:BB over 46.1 innings, should serve as the Royals' closer while the club continues to wait and see if Carlos Estevez (shoulder) will return this season.