MLB Player News

The Red Sox optioned Eaton to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

With Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) returning to the active roster, Eaton loses his spot to close the regular season. Eaton went 3-for-16 across nine games during his latest stint in the majors. He has put up nine homers and 18 steals in 84 games with Worcester this season, but his overall numbers at the Triple-A level are not particularly impressive for a 29-year-old.

Martinez is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.

Martinez is enjoying a nice September with a 1.073 OPS and four homers in 15 games around a brief absence due to side discomfort. The 24-year-old switch hitter has emerged as the primary left fielder for Cleveland, but he will sit Wednesday as Petey Halpin starts in center field, pushing Steven Kwan to left against right-hander Sonny Gray.

Wells is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

Wells will rest his legs after starting the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader, finishing 0-for-2 with a walk. It's been a tough season for Wells, who is slashing just .185/.287/.324, but he remains a plus player behind the plate and still holds the No. 1 spot on the Yankees' catching depth chart ahead of Ali Sanchez.

Bellinger is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

Bellinger was scorching hot to begin September, slashing .373/.387/.627 over his first 14 games of the month, but he has cooled off with just three hits in his last five games (20 at-bats). There has been nothing to suggest an injury is in play, so this looks like a breather ahead of the postseason. Jose Caballero will get the start in left field against right-hander Mason Englert.

Contreras (hand) is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Make it five consecutive absences for Contreras since he was plunked on his right hand last Thursday. He has not appeared off the bench in any of the Red Sox's last four games. Contreras said he thought his hand was broken initially, but X-rays were negative and he remains day-to-day.

The Red Sox reinstated Rafaela (quadriceps) from the injured list Wednesday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports. The 26-year-old will start in center field and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Guardians.

A right quad strain sent Rafaela to the 10-day injured list earlier this month, but he will return to face lefty Foster Griffin in the second game of the series versus Cleveland. Rafaela bypassed a rehab assignment but has been taking simulated at-bats against the team's Trajekt machine. The 26-year-old sits with a career-best .282/.317/.443 slash line through 135 contests, and he's already matched last year's mark with 3.9 fWAR this season despite having played in 21 fewer games.

The Rays optioned Cook to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

He's exiting the roster in order to free a spot for Mason Englert, who will make a spot start Wednesday versus the Yankees. Cook has allowed three runs with a 5:2 K:BB across 5.2 frames out of the Rays' bullpen this season.

The Rays recalled Englert from Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

One day after the Rays clinched the American League East, they have summoned Englert to make a spot start Wednesday against the Yankees. The 26-year-old has made three starts and 11 relief appearances this season, logging a 4.54 ERA and 32:8 K:BB over 35.2 innings. Englert will be pitching on seven days' rest after tossing seven shutout innings on 84 pitches in his last outing with Durham, so he is prepared for a full workload.

O'Neill was given a PRP injection in his injured right shoulder recently, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

O'Neill had already been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a strained right rotator cuff, but the goal of the injection is to speed along the healing process. He's fully expected to be ready to go in time for spring training. O'Neill slashed just .212/.300/.377 over 85 games for the Orioles this season, and he is set to make $16.5 million in 2027 in the final year of his three-year, $49.5 million contract.

Bednar earned the save in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader, retiring all three batters he faced with no strikeouts in the ninth inning.

The right-hander retired the side on just 11 pitches to get back in the save column after blowing his previous chance last week in Minnesota. Bednar has given up just one earned run with a 9:0 K:BB through seven appearances (eight innings) in September. For the season, he has a 2.54 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 74:18 K:BB across 67.1 innings while going 35-for-39 in save opportunities.