MLB Player News

Cole (6-6) was tagged for the loss against the Blue Jays on Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out five across six innings.

Cole and Shane Bieber kept Friday's game scoreless through five innings, and Cole was handed a 1-0 lead after a Trent Grisham solo homer in top of the sixth. However, Cole was tagged for two runs in the bottom of the frame, one of which was unearned due to a throwing error by Luis Garcia. Unfortunately for Cole, he did not receive enough run support from his Yankees teammates to avoid the loss, ending his win streak at three starts. He'll take a 3.22 ERA and 1.08 WHIP into his next start, which is lined up for next week on the road against the Orioles.

Wilson was removed from Friday's game against the Rangers after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Wilson initially remained in the game after taking a 95-mph sinker off his hand in the first inning, but he was lifted for a pinch hitter when his spot in the order came up again in the second. He was diagnosed with a contusion after the game, per Gallegos, which suggests Wilson avoided suffering a fracture, though Alika Williams could still be in line to start at shortstop if the A's opt to give Wilson a day off to recover.

Varland collected his 27th save of the season in Friday's 3-1 win over the Yankees with a perfect ninth inning. He did not record a strikeout.

Friday's AL East clash was a low-scoring affair, and Varland needed only four pitches -- all strikes -- to secure the win for the Blue Jays. The 28-year-old right-hander has logged saves in each of his last three outings and is up to 27 on the year, tied with Aroldis Chapman and David Bednar for third most in the American League behind Bryan Baker (34) and Cade Smith (31). Varland has a 1.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over 63.1 innings this season.

Kirk went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI double and a solo home run during the Blue Jays' 3-1 win over the Yankees on Friday.

Kirk put the Blue Jays ahead with an RBI double in the sixth inning before adding an insurance run with a long ball off Bradley Hanner in the eighth. Kirk has recorded two hits in three of his last four outings and has gone 15-for-39 (.385) with two home runs and nine RBI across 12 games in August.

Tawa went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-0 win over Atlanta.

Tawa gave the Diamondbacks some insurance with a 406-foot blast in the top of the ninth inning. It continued a strong August for the 26-year-old, who's hitting .286 with three homers, six RBI, seven runs scored and four stolen bases through 13 games this month. On the year, he's slashing .233/.284/.394 with seven long balls, 27 RBI, 22 runs scored and six steals across 203 plate appearances.

Garcia earned the save in Friday's 2-0 win over Atlanta, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.

Garcia was called on to complete a team shutout and slammed the door on just 11 pitches. The 26-year-old has now recorded three of the club's past four saves, allowing just one earned run over seven appearances during that stretch. On the year, he owns four saves and 13 holds while posting a 2.06 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 39:7 K:BB across 35 innings and should remain the ninth-inning favorite for the surging Diamondbacks as long as he continues pitching at this level.

Bieber (4-2) earned the win against the Yankees on Friday, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five across six innings.

Bieber gave up five runs in his last start Sunday against the Phillies, but he was much better in Friday's game against an AL East rival. He opened up his start by striking out two of the first three batters he faced and kept the Yankees off the board through five innings, with his lone blemish coming on a leadoff home run by Trent Grisham in the sixth. It was Bieber's third quality start of the season, and he'll take a 4.99 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 48.2 innings into his next start, which is lined up for next week on the road against the Rays.

Sale (12-8) took the loss against the Diamondbacks on Friday, allowing one run on five hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over six innings.

Sale allowed a run in the first inning and that was all Arizona needed, as Atlanta's potent offense was shut out Friday. The veteran ace has now logged five straight quality starts since the All-Star break, tallying 43 strikeouts over 31 innings during that stretch. He owns a 2.16 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 160:28 K:BB across 129 frames this season and lines up for a road matchup with the Twins next week.

Pfaadt (7-1) earned the win against Atlanta on Friday, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out seven over seven scoreless innings.

Pfaadt dominated one of the best lineups in baseball, inducing 13 swinging strikes on 87 pitches while allowing only four hard-hit balls. The 27-year-old has gone four straight outings without yielding an earned run and is now 7-0 while surrendering two earned runs or fewer in each of his nine outings since rejoining the rotation June 30. He'll take a 3.11 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 61:24 K:BB across 92.2 innings this season into a road matchup with the Red Sox next week.

Guerrero was removed from Friday's game against the Yankees with an apparent head injury, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

Guerrero was seemingly hit in the head by George Lombard's knee while sliding into third base in the sixth inning. Guerrero managed to quickly get up and score on a throwing error, but he was wincing in pain as he jogged off the field and didn't come out on defense in the seventh. The Blue Jays will presumably evaluate him for a concussion and provide an update on his health in the near future.