MLB Player News

Gonzales went 4-for-8 with a solo home run and two additional runs scored across both games of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Yankees.

The infielder took Gerrit Cole deep in the matinee before accounting for two of the Pirates' three hits in the nightcap. Gonzales has six homers on the season, and three of them have come in July as he's compiled a dazzling .397/.461/.618 slash line through 17 games on the month with six doubles, 11 RBI and 14 runs.

Chandler didn't factor into the decision in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Yankees, allowing two hits and a walk over 6.1 scoreless innings. He struck out five.

The right-hander put together arguably his best outing of the season, firing 57 of 84 pitches for strikes in his third quality start of 2026, but he left the mound with the score tied 0-0 in an eventual 2-0 victory for New York. Chandler has given up two earned runs of fewer in five of his last seven trips to the mound, posting a 3.76 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 28:16 K:BB over 38.1 innings during that stretch. He'll look for his first win in July in his next start, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Diamondbacks.

Soto recorded his 13th save of the season in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Yankees, striking out one in a perfect 10th inning.

The southpaw did send the phantom runner to third base on a wild pitch as he looked to protect a 5-3 lead, but Soto left him stranded thanks to two popups and a strikeout of Cody Bellinger. Soto has been struggling over the summer, blowing three of nine save chances since the beginning of June, but he may be turning things around in July, getting scored upon just once in six appearances while posting a 1.35 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB over 6.2 innings.

Keller didn't factor into the decision in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader split with the Yankees, allowing three hits and two walks over five scoreless innings. He struck out six.

The Pirates needed 10 innings to win the matinee, denying Keller his seventh win of the season despite a strong performance. The veteran righty has given up three earned runs or fewer in five of his last six outings, posting a 4.31 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 25:10 K:BB in 31.1 innings over that stretch. He'll look to get back in the win column in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Diamondbacks.

Perez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Giants.

The future Hall of Famer sparked a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning when he took Landen Roupp deep for his 14th homer of the season. Perez is up to 317 long balls for his career, tying George Brett for the all-time Royals record. Per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, he's the third active player to hold his team's franchise HR record, along with the Angels' Mike Trout and the Padres' Manny Machado. Perez could soon take sole possession of first place in the Kansas City record book -- he's gone yard three times in the last five games, and through 15 contests in July he's produced a .273/.349/.564 slash line with four doubles, four homers, seven runs and 13 RBI.

Cruz struck out one and served up a solo home run in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his first career save in a 5-4 win over the Giants.

With Alex Lange having worked the prior two days, Cruz got the call in the ninth and got the job done, although he was taken deep by Casey Schmitt to make things interesting. Cruz has been scored upon just twice in his last 13 appearances, both times on solo shots, and over that stretch the right-hander has a 1.38 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB in 13 innings.

Lugo (4-6) picked up the win Wednesday, giving up three runs on three hits and two walks over seven innings in a 5-4 victory over the Giants. He struck out five.

The veteran right-hander delivered his second straight quality start and 12th of the season on 94 pitches (63 strikes), and Lugo got rewarded for his efforts when Kansas City erupted for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The win was Lugo's first since June 19, and over five starts and 27.1 innings in July he's managed a 4.94 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 25:8 K:BB. He'll look to build on his recent success in his next outing, which is set to come on the road early next week in Minnesota.

Campusano is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Atlanta.

Campusano started behind the dish each of the last two days, so he'll get a break during Thursday's matinee. Freddy Fermin will do the catching and bat seventh for the Padres.

Schmitt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Royals.

The infielder took Steven Cruz deep with two outs in the ninth inning, but the Giants couldn't find an equalizer afterward. Schmitt is up to 20 homers on the season, including four in 17 contests in July, but his .229/.280/.429 slash line on the month is less appealing.

Merrill is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Atlanta.

Southpaw ace Chris Sale is on the bump for Atlanta, so the left-handed-hitting Merrill will begin the contest on the bench. Jase Bowen will grab a start in center field in the series finale.