MLB Player News

Williams (upper body) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros.

Williams will miss a third consecutive game Saturday as he continues to battle upper-body soreness, and there's a chance the A's -- with nothing to play for -- take a cautious approach and sit him during Sunday's season finale as well. Donovan Walton will get the nod at shortstop Saturday, moving Jeff McNeil to second base and allowing Tommy White to start at first.

Valencia went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Pirates.

His one knock was a big one, as Valencia lofted a curveball from Pittsburgh closer Mason Montgomery just over the wall in left field for a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was Valencia's seventh homer in 41 games since making his big-league debut in early July, a stretch in which he's also delivered a stunning .344/.383/.624 slash line. Dillon Dingler is locked in as Detroit's No. 1 catcher, but Valencia has made a strong case to be a regular part of the lineup in 2027, either at DH or behind the plate when Dingler gets a day off.

Saggese will start at shortstop and bat eighth Saturday against the Brewers, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Saggese was originally in line to sit out Saturday's contest, but he'll be forced back into the starting nine as Masyn Winn moves to the bench with a sore thumb. Saggese is on track to end the season on a sour note after going 0-for-20 with 10 strikeouts across his last six games.

Lowe went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Tigers.

The veteran second baseman took Justin Verlander deep in the fourth inning, in the future Hall of Famer's final career start. Lowe has put together an impressive first season with the Pirates, slashing .260/.331/.493 in 150 games with 35 homers and 96 RBI, the second-highest totals of his career after his 39-homer, 99-RBI eruption for the Rays in 2021.

Winn was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Brewers due to thumb soreness, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Winn is still feeling lingering soreness from the thumb fracture he suffered in late August, and because the Cardinals have nothing left to play for this season, they'll opt to keep the 24-year-old on the bench in both of their remaining games. Thomas Saggese will enter the lineup and start at shortstop in Winn's place.

Montgomery (6-4) blew the save and took the loss Saturday as the Pirates fell 4-3 to the Tigers, giving up three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.

The southpaw was the seventh pitcher of the afternoon for Pittsburgh in a bullpen day, but Montgomery couldn't protect a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, instead watching Eduardo Valencia walk it off with a two-run homer. It was Montgomery's third blown save of the season and his first since becoming the Bucs' primary closer after the All-Star break, ending a stretch of 17 straight conversions. Montgomery boasts a 2.93 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 103:26 K:BB in 67.2 innings during a breakout campaign.

The Padres optioned Hart to the Arizona Complex League on Saturday.

Hart will be pushed off the Padres' active roster in order to make room for Gavin Sheets (foot), who returned from the injured list Saturday. The 33-year-old southpaw will finish the season with a 4.92 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 64 innings with San Diego.

Irvin (2-10) took the loss Saturday, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks over five innings of relief as the Nationals were downed 7-1 by the Mets. He struck out six.

Piggybacking with Connelly Early in the southpaw's Washington debut, Irvin inherited a 1-0 lead but couldn't make it hold up, serving up seventh-inning homers to A.J. Ewing and Ronny Mauricio. Irvin ends the campaign having lost all six of his decisions since returning from a shoulder strain in late July, stumbling to a 5.73 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 52:26 K:BB over 55 innings in that span while getting tagged for 13 homers.

The Padres placed Mize on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle.

Mize struggled mightily during his start Friday against Arizona, coughing up seven runs in only four innings, and his ankle injury may help to explain his poor showing. He'll now be forced to sit out through the end of the NLDS, and the Padres will recall Griffin Canning in a corresponding move to add to their bullpen depth.

The Padres recalled Canning from the Arizona Complex League on Saturday.

Canning was pushed off the active roster Wednesday, but he'll rejoin the Friars' pitching staff as the replacement for Casey Mize (ankle), who landed on the injured list Saturday. Canning carries a 5.57 ERA through 85.2 innings in the majors this season but has been much more effective recently, allowing just one earned run in his last 14.2 frames.