MLB Player News

Varland allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Friday's 2-0 win over the Mariners.

Varland allowed four runs with a 22:4 K:BB over 15 innings in June, converting all nine of his save chances during the month. He continues to be locked in as the Blue Jays' closer, going 18-for-18 in save conversions this season. He's added a superb 0.96 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 65:13 K:BB through 47 innings.

Cease (5-4) allowed three hits and a walk while striking out nine over seven shutout innings to earn the win Friday over the Mariners.

After posting a 2.95 ERA and 36:14 K:BB over 21.1 innings in June, Cease put in a dominant effort to begin July. Just one of the hits he allowed went for extra bases. Cease is now at a 2.79 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 137:41 K:BB through 90.1 innings over 16 starts this season. The 30-year-old is projected to make his next start in a favorable road matchup versus the Giants.

Castillo (3-7) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out four over six innings to take the loss versus the Blue Jays on Friday.

Castillo was mostly fine, but he allowed both runs and four of the five hits on his line during the third inning. The Mariners mustered just six baserunners in the game, giving Castillo virtually no support. He has posted back-to-back quality starts but still has just one win in his last five outings. Castillo is at a 4.79 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 77:27 K:BB through 82.2 innings over 17 games (14 starts) this season. The veteran right-hander is tentatively projected for a road start in Miami next week.

Song went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Dodgers.

Song has three steals over his last eight games, and he's also gone 5-for-13 at the plate in that span. The infielder is filling a part-time role, and his path to playing time is a bit tougher after Jake Cronenworth returned to the lineup Monday to take over the starting job at second base. Song is batting .238 with a .666 OPS, one home run, seven steals, nine RBI and nine runs scored over 72 plate appearances. The bulk of Song's playing time will likely come when Manny Machado needs to rest his legs as the designated hitter.

Merrill went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Dodgers.

Merrill has homered in consecutive contests and has hit safely in six of his last seven games. The outfielder has provided more all-around quality lately, going 20-for-83 (.241) with seven extra-base hits and eight stolen bases over his last 20 games. Overall, he's batting .215 with a .634 OPS, 10 homers, 18 steals, 33 RBI, 38 runs scored, 15 doubles and one triple over 84 contests.

King allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five over six-plus innings in a no-decision Friday versus the Dodgers.

King cruised through six frames, but he put two batters on base in the seventh. Adrian Morejon then served up a grand slam to Teoscar Hernandez, costing King a chance at the win despite the quality start. All things considered, he's fared well over his last four starts, allowing nine runs over 21.2 innings in those games, all coming against teams over .500 on the year. King has a 3.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 88:41 K:BB through 102.1 innings over 18 starts this season. The right-hander's next start is projected to be at home versus the Diamondbacks.

Hernandez went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Friday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

Hernandez came up clutch in the seventh inning, and his grand slam was enough to give the Dodgers a win. He has gone just 3-for-16 with five RBI over four games since he returned from a hamstring strain. The veteran outfielder is now batting .269 with a .772 OPS, eight homers, 36 RBI, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases and eight doubles over 55 contests this season.

Scott struck out the side in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

Scott got by on 18 pitches (12 strikes). He's earned six saves and a hold during his active eight-inning scoreless streak, and he has a 13:0 K:BB with one hit batsman in that span. The left-hander is at a 2.02 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 45:3 K:BB through 35.2 innings this season while adding 12 saves and six holds. Scott's save chances will likely decrease once Edwin Diaz (elbow) returns, which is expected to happen later in the month, but Scott will continue to see plenty of high-leverage innings.

Ohtani was removed from Friday's game against the Padres due to a bicep injury, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Ohtani said after the game that he became concerned about his bicep after his final at-bat in the sixth inning, but he noted that what he felt was similar to an injury he dealt with a couple of months ago that subsided relatively quickly. Although his injury is believed to be minor, manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani will not play Saturday as a precaution, per Harris. The two-way star gave up three earned runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings on the mound Friday and went 0-for-3 as a hitter.

Feltner (3-2) earned the win against the Giants on Friday, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over six innings.

Feltner was given an early lead and ran with it, generating a whopping 17 swinging strikes on 88 pitches en route to his first win since May 30. The 29-year-old has now yielded just five earned runs across three straight quality starts, though he'd totaled just two strikeouts in the previous two outings before compiling a season-high nine Friday. He'll carry a 4.27 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 44:20 K:BB across 59 innings this season into a tough road matchup with the Dodgers next week.