Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports the Red Sox are calling up left-hander Joe Jacques for Friday's series opener against the Yankees.
Jacques was picked up from the Pirates last year in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. The 28-year-old southpaw reliever has posted a respectable 3.58 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 24/9 K/BB ratio across 27 2/3 innings (23 appearances, one start) this season for Triple-A Worcester.
Dylan Carlson (ankle) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and also walked on Thursday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Memphis.
Carlson kicked off a minor league rehab assignment earlier this week and appears to be on the precipice of rejoining St. Louis' outfield mix, possibly as early as this weekend against the Reds. He's been out since mid-May due to a left ankle sprain.
Jake Woodford (shoulder) allowed one run over three innings on Thursday in a minor league rehab start for Triple-A Memphis.
Woodford piled up three strikeouts and didn't hand out a free pass in his latest rehab outing, building up his pitch count to 52 (33 strikes) in the process. He's likely to rejoin the Cardinals in a versatile swingman role in the next few weeks, if not sooner, after landing on the injured list back in early May due to right shoulder inflammation.
Joe Barlow (illness) tossed a scoreless inning on Thursday in a minor league rehab appearance for Triple-A Round Rock.
Barlow was sent to the injured list last week due to a kidney stone, but appears to be close to returning to Texas' bullpen after starting a minor league rehab assignment earlier this week.
Nelson Cruz (hamstring) went 1-for-3 with a run scored on Thursday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A El Paso.
Cruz homered for Triple-A El Paso earlier this week and doesn't figure to require too many additional rehab contests before returning to San Diego's designated hitter mix. The 42-year-old slugger has been out since early June due to a right hamstring strain.
Royals OF prospect Dairon Blanco went 2-for-4 with three RBI and three stolen bases on Thursday for Triple-A Omaha.
Blanco leads all Triple-A hitters with a staggering 42 stolen bases this season through just 46 games. The 30-year-old speedster got into five contests last year for the Royals and continues to run wild in the upper minors. There's enough stolen base upside that he'd be worthy of consideration for a roster spot in deeper mixed leagues if he got a shot in Kansas City at some point this summer.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports the Red Sox are calling up right-hander Joe Jacques for Friday's series opener against the Yankees.
Jacques was picked up from the Pirates last year in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft and has posted a respectable 3.58 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 24/9 K/BB ratio across 27 2/3 innings (23 appearances, one start) this season for Triple-A Worcester.
Yu Chang (hand) went 1-for-2 on Thursday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Worcester.
Chang has been on the shelf since late April after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hamate bone, but figures to be ready to return sometime in the next few days. He'll provide the Red Sox with a massive lift defensively at shortstop over Enrique Hernández, but doesn't offer much of an impact for fantasy managers with his offensive numbers.
Matt Bush (shoulder) tossed a scoreless inning on Thursday in a minor league rehab appearance for Triple-A Nashville.
Bush needed just 17 pitches (11 strikes) to spin a scoreless frame as he continues progressing towards a return to Milwaukee's relief mix. He's been out since late April due to right shoulder tendinitis.
Jesse Winker (neck) went 0-for-1 with a walk on Thursday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Nashville.
Winker has been a virtual non-factor this season in his Brewers debut, but still has some time to turn things around once he returns from a neck strain that sent him to the injured list a couple weeks ago.
Carlos Estévez fired a perfect ninth inning on Thursday against the Cubs to record his 16th save of the season.
Estévez got the call to guard a two-run advantage in the final frame and needed just 14 pitches (10 strikes) to set down the Cubs in order. He's converted all 16 of his save opportunities this season in his Angels debut to go along with a microscopic 1.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 35/11 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings (27 appearances). It turns out leaving Colorado is beneficial after all.
Adbert Alzolay fired a scoreless eighth inning on Thursday against the Angels.
There weren't a ton of positives for the Cubs during Thursday's low-scoring series finale in Los Angeles, but Alzolay continues to excel as a high-leverage reliever. The 28-year-old former top pitching prospect has given up just two earned runs across 13 1/3 innings over his last 10 appearances dating back to May 7.
Drew Smyly was charged with three runs (two earned) over six innings on Thursday in a loss to the Angels.
Smyly was tagged for seven hits, including a gargantuan second-inning solo shot by Jo Adell. He struck out four batters and only issued three walks. The 33-year-old lefty is in line for a home outing Wednesday against the Pirates.
Spencer Strider lasted only four innings against the Mets on Thursday, giving up eight earned runs.
Well, at least he struck out eight too? Yeah, it wasn't pretty. The big blow was a go-ahead grand slam he allowed to Brandon Nimmo in the second, but Strider allowed runs in two of his other three innings as well. His ERA pushed to 3.79 on the season -- and having allowed a 4.89 ERA in his last seven starts -- Strider is scheduled for a perfect bounce-back game against the pillow-soft Tigers lineup next week.
David Robertson was asked for a five-out save against the Braves on Thursday, and gave up a game-tying homer to Orlando Arcia.
Robertson was pushed to the brink because the rest of the Mets bullpen could not get outs, and while he did get three outs without giving up a run, he could not get five. Orlando Arcia deposited a Robertson cutter up in the strike zone into center field to tie the game up. The outing raised Robertson's ERA to 1.98 and it is the second straight outing he has allowed a run in.
Brandon Nimmo went 1-for-5 with a grand slam and a walk in New York's loss to Atlanta.
Nimmo's grand slam came as he jumped on a first-pitch fastball with the bases loaded in the second against Spencer Strider, driving it out 397 feet to right field. He also walked and scored on a Francisco Álvarez homer in the fourth, and lined out in the 10th inning on a ball with an xBA of .630. Nimmo has a .270/.384/.439 slash line with three steals and five homers on the season.
Travis d'Arnaud went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four runs scored in Atlanta's win over the Mets on Thursday.
He also walked twice. With the Braves trailing 10-7 in the eighth, D'Arnaud planted a Drew Smith curveball into the left field stands to cut the lead to 10-9. The big day raised the catcher to a .303/.346/434 line in 76 plate appearances. Even before tonight, he had batted .325/.388/.571 against the Mets in 85 career plate appearances, haunting his former team. So it continues. d'Arnaud makes a reasonable fantasy catcher now that he's cleared from his concussion and is hitting.
Red Sox designated LHP Matt Dermody for assignment.
Dermody allowed three runs on four hits, including a pair of José Ramírez round-trippers, over four innings on Thursday in a lackluster spot start against the Guardians before being jettisoned from Boston's 40-man roster to make room for Adam Duvall's impending return for Friday's series opener against the Yankees. It's highly unlikely he'll garner any interest on waivers.
Matt Dermody pitched four innings against the Guardians, giving up three runs on four hits and striking out one.
He took the loss. Dermody allowed a pair of blasts to José Ramírez and escaped the fourth inning after a leadoff single. Corey Kluber came on in relief. We're not sure if Dermody will make another start yet, but he's not really on the fantasy radar.
Aaron Civale pitched 5 2/3 innings against the Red Sox on Thursday in a win, allowing two runs on four hits.
Civale was pulled after allowing a solo shot to Triston Casas in the sixth, and escaped with a win after the Guardians completely destroyed former franchise icon Corey Kluber with eight straight hits in the bottom of the inning. Civale has a 2.31 ERA in four starts since coming off the DL and has struck out 15 in 23 1/3 IP. The next scheduled start for Civale is against the Padres next Wednesday. which is probably a little bold for a stream in 12-team leagues, but Civale has been pitching well.