MLB Player News

O'Brien (3-9) took the loss Wednesday as the Cardinals were downed 6-5 in 10 innings by the Giants, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in an inning of work. He failed to strike out a batter.

With the game tied 4-4, O'Brien got the call in the top of the 10th inning but hung a first-pitch slider to Drew Gilbert, who launched it 415 feet to right-center field for a game-winning homer. It's only the fifth long ball of the season O'Brien has served up, but three of them have come since Aug. 23, a 10-inning stretch that's seen him blow three of seven save chances and get tagged for five losses while stumbling to a 10.80 ERA, 2.30 WHIP and 9:7 K:BB. The right-hander's late-season struggles could prompt St. Louis to look for another closing option to begin the 2027 campaign, despite his career-high 37 saves this season.

Scherzer (3-8) earned the win Wednesday against the Tigers, allowing a run on three hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out three.

It was a strong bounce-back effort from Scherzer, who gave up six runs over five innings in a loss to Baltimore his last time out. The veteran right-hander allowed a two-out run in the first inning before settling in and blanking Detroit over his final four frames. Scherzer's ERA now sits at 6.07 through 16 starts (72.2 innings) this season with a 1.36 WHIP and 54:31 K:BB. He's currently in line to face the Orioles on the road his next time out.

Liberatore didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Giants, allowing one run on six hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out two.

The left-hander tossed 51 of 81 pitches for strikes en route to his seventh quality start of the season, but he exited the mound in line for his 15th loss with the Cardinals down 1-0 before the two bullpens took turns making a mess. It's just the second time in his last eight outings that Liberatore has lasted six innings, a bumpy stretch that's seen him post a 6.42 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 41:14 K:BB through 40.2 innings. He'll look to wrap up his regular season on a high note on the road next week in Pittsburgh.

Snell was removed after the first inning of Wednesday's start against the Reds due to left groin tightness.

Snell went to the clubhouse with trainers after the first inning, and further tests revealed that the veteran southpaw picked up a groin injury. He'll need to be evaluated further to determine the severity of the injury, but Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic points out that Snell has a history of left groin/adductor injuries. That puts Snell in danger of missing the rest of the regular season and jeopardizes his availability for the playoffs.

Kuhnel gave up an unearned run on two walks in the 10th inning Wednesday to record his eighth save of the season in a 6-5 win over the Cardinals.

It was his second save in six appearances for the Giants since being claimed off waivers from the Brewers, although Kuhnel couldn't stop the phantom runner from crossing the plate in the 10th. In the process, the 31-year-old right-hander became the first player in MLB history to record multiple saves for three different teams in the same season, after he picked up four for the A's and two for Milwaukee earlier in the year. Both Dylan Smith and Trent Harris had pitched earlier in the contest, with Harris getting a hold and Smith blowing the save in the ninth, so the closing picture in San Francisco remains as muddled as ever.

Cox went 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Cardinals.

The rookie outfielder had an impressive afternoon as the leadoff hitter for the Giants, and Cox is up to 13 steals in his first 53 big-league contests to go along with a .294/.333/.445 slash line, four homers, 13 RBI and 24 runs. Speed has always been his calling card -- he swiped more than 50 bags in both 2024 and 2025 in the minors -- but he's showing he can be more than a one-dimensional player at the top level.

Snell (undisclosed) left after the first inning of Wednesday's start against the Reds, Noah Camras of SI.com reports.

Snell tossed 19 pitches and recorded one strikeout in the first inning, but he proceeded to go into the clubhouse with a trainer at the conclusion of the frame, with Blake Treinen taking the mound in the second. The Dodgers should have an update during or shortly after Wednesday's game once Snell is evaluated further.

Molina didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Cardinals, allowing two hits and a walk over 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander fell just short of his first career quality start, getting lifted after 82 pitches (57 strikes) with the Giants ahead 1-0, but both bullpens had trouble closing the door in the late innings. It was a strong rebound from Molina after he got tagged for seven runs in three frames in his last outing. Since shifting into the rotation in late August he's produced a 4.82 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 22:4 K:BB over 18.2 innings. Molina is scheduled to make what could be his final start of the season at home early next week against the Twins.

Smith recorded his 37th save of the season in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the White Sox, striking out two over 1.1 perfect innings.

After Erik Sabrowski walked two batters in the eighth inning to bring the tying run to the plate for Chicago, Smith was brought in and got Sam Antonacci to fly out to end the frame before dominating in the ninth. Smith hasn't blown a save in over a month, and across his last 15 appearances he's posted a 1.08 ERA, 0.60 WHIP and 25:4 K:BB in 16.2 innings while collecting three wins and seven saves.

Messick (12-9) picked up the win Wednesday, giving up three runs on seven hits over six innings in a 6-3 win over the White Sox. He struck out eight without walking a batter.

The southpaw fired 62 of 86 pitches for strikes in an impressive outing that helped Cleveland claim first place in the AL Central for the first time since July 4. The quality start was Messick's 14th of the season, and he hasn't been tagged for more than three runs in an outing since June 29, posting a 2.21 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 80:18 K:BB in 77.1 innings over that span. He's set to make what will likely be his final start of the regular season on the road next week in Boston.