MLB Player News

Littell (2-4) picked up the win in Friday's 3-2 victory over the Orioles, allowing two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings. He struck out three.

The 30-year-old right-hander put together his best performance of the season on 87 pitches (49 strikes), as Littell lasted at least five innings for the first time since April 22 and didn't serve up a homer for only the third time in nine trips to the mound. After a ghastly April, Littell has found a rhythm in May, posting a 2.13 ERA. 0.95 WHIP and 4:4 K:BB though 12.2 innings over three appearances, two of them as a bulk reliever. He'll look to keep rolling in his next turn through the rotation, which lines up to come at home next week against the Mets.

Burger went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 2-0 loss to Houston.

Burger, who was one of five Rangers to reach base against Houston pitching, stole his first base of the season and reached third base but was stranded there. He's not usually a threat on the basepaths and has one steal in each of the last four seasons. The streaky Burger remains a lineup regular despite a .224/.263/.385 slash line through 171 plate appearances.

Baz (1-5) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on six hits and three walks over seven innings as the Orioles were downed 3-2 by the Nationals. He struck out four.

The right-hander produced his longest outing of the season and his first quality start on 108 pitches (69 strikes), but a lack of run support kept him out of the win column. Control remains Baz's biggest bugaboo, as he's issued at least three free passes in three straight starts and carries a 42:22 K:BB through 51.1 innings to go along with a 5.26 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. He'll try to build on this performance in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in his old Tampa Bay stomping grounds.

Foscue started at second base and went 1-for-3 in Friday's 2-0 loss to the Astros.

Foscue's single was the lone hit off Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Foscue started for the first time in four games, as Ezequiel Duran covered shortstop for a slumping Corey Seager (0-for-27). Since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, Foscue is 3-for-14 with one home run and two RBI over seven games.

Soto was charged with his second blown save of the season Friday in an 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning.

With the Pirates holding an 8-5 lead, the southpaw was called in to get them across the finish line, but a Konnor Griffin error put the first batter aboard and things unraveled from there. It was the first time since April 10 that Soto has issued multiple walks, but he's been scored upon in back-to-back appearances, inflating his ERA on the season from 1.33 to 2.42 to go along with a 0.85 WHIP and 26:9 K:BB through 22.1 innings. His job security as the team's primary closing option likely didn't slip, however, as Dennis Santana failed to record an out while taking the loss in the 10th.

Anderson tossed four scoreless innings of relief in Friday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. He allowed a hit and struck out one.

With Detroit having to resort to a bullpen game after Ty Madden took a 107.9-mph comebacker off his forearm in the third inning, Anderson was needed to cover the most innings in relief, and he was up to the task. It was the longest outing of the year for the righty, who's been good this month with a 2.70 ERA and 12 strikeouts across 10 innings. Overall, Anderson has a 4.67 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 27 innings this year, and he should stick in a long-relief role for the Tigers.

Lowe went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.

The second baseman launched a two-run homer off Aaron Nola in the third inning before adding a solo shot off Tim Mayza in the fifth, but Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies' offense took control from there. It was Lowe's third multi-homer game of the season, and through his first 39 contests with Pittsburgh he's slashing .252/.352/.563 with 12 long balls, 26 runs and 31 RBI.

Miles is expected to pitch in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Mason Fluharty during Saturday's game in Detroit, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Toronto has a spot available in its rotation until the team gets one of its injured starters back from the shelf, and Miles looks to be the choice to fill the opening for the time being. When the fifth spot in the rotation last came up Sunday against the Angels, Miles made his first MLB start but was deployed as more of an opener in front of southpaw Eric Lauer, who covered five innings out of the bullpen. With Lauer having since been designated for assignment, Miles will be on tap to cover the bulk of the innings for Toronto while Fluharty likely works the first inning or two as an opener. Expect Miles to build on his workload from last Sunday, when he tossed 38 pitches over three shutout innings.

Ashcraft didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up four runs on seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.

The 26-year-old righty had a quality start through six innings with the Pirates holding a 6-3 lead, but manager Don Kelly tried to coax one more frame out of Ashcraft. He got two outs after a leadoff single, but then got lifted after 100 pitches (76 strikes) and had to watch Mason Montgomery serve up a two-run shot to Kyle Schwarber, with the rest of the bullpen ultimately costing Ashcraft his third win of the year. Ashcraft will take a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 56:14 K:BB through 55.1 innings into his next start, which is set to come on the road next week in St. Louis.

Moreno went 2-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Friday's win over the Rockies.

Moreno kicked things off with a two-run single in the top of the first inning and later added an RBI double in the seventh. This was Moreno's second consecutive game with multiple hits, and he's beginning to show signs of ending his slump. Moreno has hit just .179 with a .522 OPS, a homer, seven RBI and 13 strikeouts across 39 at-bats this month.