MLB Player News

The Twins designated Woods Richardson for assignment Saturday.

Woods Richardson has struggled to the tune of a 7.74 ERA and 1.89 WHIP through 47.2 innings this season, and following his five-run, 2.2-inning spot start Friday, the Twins have officially decided to remove him from their big-league roster. John Klein was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move.

Sogard (side) entered Friday's game as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and finished the game at first base in a 4-3 loss to Cleveland.

The switch-hitting Sogard has been dealing with an issue on his right side which bothers him when hitting left-handed. He seemed fine going from first to third but never got the chance to test the injury during a plate appearance. The Red Sox are scheduled to face Guardians left-hander Parker Messick on Saturday, which will present an opportunity for Sogard to swing from the right side of the plate.

Mead went 2-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's 7-5 loss to the Padres.

The former Rays top prospect gave the Nationals an early 2-1 lead when he launched a mediocre Lucas Giolito fastball 414 feet to center field in the first inning. Mead is up to eight homers on the season, and four of them have come in his last six games as he seizes the starting job at third base. During that heater, the 25-year-old is batting .320 (8-for-25) with six RBI and six runs.

Alvarez didn't factor into the decision Friday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over three relief innings in a 7-5 loss to the Padres. He struck out one.

The 26-year-old southpaw handled his biggest workload of the season, needing 74 pitches (45 strikes) to record nine outs after Paxton Schultz got the nod as the opener, and the results weren't impressive. Alvarez earned a look as a bulk reliever with a solid start to the season as he bounced between the majors and Triple-A, but through five appearances and 15.2 innings for Washington he now carries a 4.02 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 17:5 K:BB. Jake Irvin (shoulder) will miss at least one more start, likely leaving Alvarez to work behind an opener again during a home series next week versus the Marlins.

Cruz went 1-for-3 with a walk, a home run and two RBI on Friday against the Twins.

Cruz drove in a run in the first inning and then blasted a solo home run in the third frame. He has 12 homers on the season, and two in his last six starts. Cruz has hit .333 with four RBI and three runs scored in that span, continuing his breakout campaign.

Whitlock (knee) threw from flat ground Thursday but has been shut down after experiencing discomfort, MLB.com reports.

Whitlock attempted to throw after getting a pain-killing injection, but it appears he starting throwing too soon. As a result, the right-hander will be shut down for a period of three or four days. Despite the setback, the club believes his stay on the 15-day injured list should be for the minimum amount of time. Whitlock is eligible to return June 9.

Short went 0-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 4-3, 10-inning loss to the White Sox.

That Short managed to score and drive in a run without recording a hit is fairly impressive, though his .125 batting average would have benefitted from a few base knocks. The 31-year-old has provided some infield depth in Detroit with Gleyber Torres (oblique) and Javier Baez (ankle) both currently out, though Short doesn't offer a ton of fantasy appeal with his limited offensive production.

Merrill went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run in Friday's 7-5 win over the Nationals.

The center fielder took Mitchell Parker deep in the seventh inning for what proved to be the game-winning hit -- Merrill's first long ball since May 4 and his first of the season against a left-handed pitcher. During his 19-game homer drought, he slashed a paltry .162/.250/.235 with five doubles, three RBI and four runs, but he did chip in four steals. Friday's clutch blast could be a sign he's beginning to find his rhythm at the plate.

Feltner (elbow) is expected to start Saturday's game against the Giants, MLB.com reports.

Feltner has been sidelined since April 24 but is ready to return after making two rehab appearances. He worked five innings in his last outing with Triple-A Albuquerque, so he should be able to handle a relatively normal workload. The Rockies will still need to activate Feltner before Saturday's contest to make the move official.

Miller walked two and struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings Friday to record his 17th save of the season in a 7-5 win over the Nationals.

The flame-throwing righty needed 30 pitches (17 strikes) to get the job done, and Miller got a little lucky when a Luis Garcia line drive nearly got over Ramon Laureano's head in left field for what could have been a game-tying double in the eighth inning. Miller remains perfect in closing situations on the season, having converting 17 straight save chances in 2026 and 19 straight dating back to Aug. 6 of last year, and through 25 innings he sports a 0.72 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 49:11 K:BB.