Royce Lewis singled four times in four at-bats Friday against the Blue Jays.
Lewis was struggling to make contact and get the ball in the air when he did make contact in his first week the Twins, but for one day, at least, he had it all working. He wound up with more hits tonight than the rest of the Twins combined, and he's hitting .270/.270/.459 in nine games since coming off the IL.
José Alvarado was sharp in his return from the IL on Friday, pitching a scoreless eighth inning in a tie game against the Dodgers.
Alvarado's velocity was normal in his first game back from elbow inflammation; he averaged 99.5 mph and touched 100.5 mph with his fastball. He should immediately reemerge as a threat for saves alongside Craig Kimbrel.
Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer against the Phillies on Friday.
Betts and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back homers off Matt Strahm in the seventh, tying the game at 4-4. It was the 17th homer for Betts this year, moving him into a tie for fourth place in the majors. He's also fourth with his 50 runs scored.
Michael Grove gave up four runs in four innings as a bulk guy Friday against the Phillies.
In a departure from how the bulk guys are usually used, Grove entered in the first after Victor González allowed one of the three batters he faced to reach base. He got out of the inning without incident, but he went on to give up one run in the third and three in the fifth. Grove could be demoted when Julio Urías comes off the IL, but he'll probably get at least one more start/bulk appearance first.
Ranger Suárez held the Dodgers to one run in six innings and struck out eight against the Dodgers on Friday.
Suárez should have gotten a win tonight, but Matt Strahm blew a three-run lead in the seventh before the Phillies went on to win in the bottom of the ninth. Suárez, who struggled to a 9.82 ERA in his first three outings back from the IL last month, has a 1.63 ERA during his string of three straight quality starts.
Caleb Ferguson gave up a walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth Friday to take a loss to the Phillies.
The Dodgers had Ferguson, Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol all rested and ready tonight, but Ferguson was the choice to pitch the ninth in a tie game. It proved to be a mistake, as Ferguson was scored upon for the fourth time in five appearances. His ERA has climbed from 0.98 to 3.68 during that span. Both Phillips and Graterol currently seem, and always have seemed, to be better bets going forward.
Tylor Megill was tagged for nine runs -- seven earned -- in 3 2/3 innings by the Pirates on Friday
Megill threw 79 pitches tonight and settled for three missed swings and one strikeout. He's given up 22 runs -- 16 earned -- in 16 2/3 innings over his last four starts, so a demotion seems warranted. Joey Lucchesi could replace him.
Rich Hill lasted seven innings and allowed just two runs Friday in a win over the Mets.
It's Hill's longest start of 2023, and it matches his longest outing of last season. The 43-year-old lefty improved to 6-5 with a 4.23 ERA in 13 starts. He's due to face the Cubs next.
Ke'Bryan Hayes went 5-for-5 with two doubles, four RBI and a steal as the Pirates topped the Mets 14-7 on Friday.
Hayes had five hits for the second time in his career, the other time coming in 2020. He also had four RBI for the second time, with that other occasion happening just a week ago versus the Cardinals. Hayes is 19-for-34 with two homers and 11 RBI in his last eight games, raising his average from .216 to .266.
Jack Suwinski finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a walk and four runs scored versus the Mets on Friday.
Suwinski reached a new personal best with a 114.4-mph exit velocity tonight on a 399-foot double to center. The homer was actually his third hardest-hit ball of the night, though it still went 415 feet. Suwinski had been 1-for-11 this month. He hasn't given the Pirates much reason to play him against lefties, but he has been very good in a platoon role.
Ryan McKenna went 0-for-3 as the Orioles' right fielder and No. 9 hitter Friday against the Royals.
We're not really sure what McKenna is doing in the majors if he's not a quality center fielder, and the Orioles have made it pretty clear that, while they will play him in center if they have to, they much prefer him in the corners. He's batting .232/.270/.348 in 74 plate appearances, and there just isn't much reason to think he'll improve on that line going forward.
Ben Joyce will likely go on the IL after experiencing tingling in his hand and forearm during his appearance Friday.
It's a tough break for Joyce. The Angels will likely bring back either Jimmy Herget or Andrew Wantz in his place.
Gio Urshela expects to play Saturday after missing Friday's game with back tightness.
Urshela was slated to play first base Friday before being scratched for the game against the Mariners.
Mickey Moniak went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer on Friday in a 5-4 win against the Mariners.
With a runner on in the sixth inning, Moniak broke the tie to put the Angels ahead with a two-run blast off Luis Castillo. The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .305/.339/.678 with five homers, 12 RBI, and two steals across 62 plate appearances.
Anthony DeSclafani allowed two runs over six innings on Friday in a loss against the Cubs.
DeSclafani had gotten through six scoreless innings against the Cubs, scattering two hits and three walks. He started the seventh by allowing the first two runners on before his day was done at 93 pitches. Both inherited runners would come in to score to put him in line for the loss. The 33-year-old right-hander will take a 3.89 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts across 76 1/3 innings into a matchup against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Wednesday.
Adbert Alzolay tossed a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Friday against the Giants.
Alzolay was summoned to close out the game with a one-run lead in the ninth inning. He made quick work of the Giants, striking out two in a perfect inning. The 28-year-old right-hander locked down his third save of the season to go with a 2.10 ERA and 28 strikeouts across 29 innings.
Joc Pederson went 4-for-4 with an RBI on Friday against the Cubs.
The Giants couldn't get much going against Marcus Stroman and the Cubs on Friday. Pederson was the bright spot in the lineup, reaching four times on four base hits, though he would be left stranded each time. Pederson brought in the second run for the Giants when he beat out an infield single in the seventh. The 31-year-old slugger is hitting .260/.374/.479 with five homers and 20 RBI across 115 plate appearances.
Nico Hoerner went 2-for-2 with two RBI to drive in the go-ahead runs on Friday in a 3-2 win against the Giants.
Hoerner was given the day off Friday, but still managed to make an impact in this game. With the bases loaded in the eighth, he entered as a pinch-hitter and knocked a single to center field to score two runs. Hoerner remained in the game and hit a leadoff single in the top of the ninth, ending his day hitting .281/.335/.382 with four homer and 14 steals across 248 plate appearances.
Luis García went 2-for-4 and drove in a run as the Nationals fell to the Braves on Friday evening in Atlanta.
García got the scoring started in this one with a run-scoring single off of AJ Smith-Shawver in the top half of the first inning. He was then caught trying to steal second base. With his two-hit effort, the 22-year-old infielder is now hitting .275/.312/.390 with five homers, 27 RBI and three swipes on the season.
Raisel Iglesias slammed the door on the Nationals in the ninth inning on Friday, preserving a one-run lead to earn his ninth save of the season.
The right-hander was in dominant form in this one, getting Dominic Smith and Keibert Ruiz each on swinging third strikes before retiring Ildemaro Vargas on a ground ball to first base to end the ballgame. The 33-year-old has rounded back into form after a rough start to the season and now holds a 2.45 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a 16/6 K/BB ratio over 14 2/3 innings on the season.