MLB Player News

McLain is not in the lineup for Friday's contest in Toronto.

McLain had started each of the last nine tilts, but he will begin Friday's festivities on the bench. Juan Brito will handle second base for the Reds, and he'll be situated in the No. 7 slot in the batting order.

Busch went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Red Sox.

Busch helped lead Chicago's offense in the first game of Friday's twin bill but didn't get enough support in an eventual 4-3 loss. The Chicago first baseman has three multi-hit performances over his last six games, which has pushed his season batting average up to .241 to go along with a .748 OPS. Busch remains limited against left-handed pitchers, and the Cubs will likely try to shield him from those matchups to some degree in the postseason, but he figures to be a lineup regular as they begin their march through the playoffs.

Church is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest in Milwaukee.

It will be the first day off since Aug. 23 for Church, who is slashing .295/.340/.400 during that stretch. Victor Scott will grab a rare start in center field and will bat ninth for the Cardinals in Friday's series opener.

Civale (6-8) allowed one run on three hits and a walk across 2.1 innings of relief and took the loss in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Red Sox.

Civale mostly pitched well but he allowed a single run in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and ultimately take the loss out of the bullpen. This was the veteran righty's first loss since July 10, and in 18 appearances since then, he's got a strong 1.72 ERA across 36.2 innings. That gives Civale some momentum heading into the postseason, and while he's not a high-leverage option for the Cubs, he gives the team someone who can reliably soak up some innings in relief.

Burleson is out of the lineup for Friday's game in Milwaukee.

The lefty-swinging Burleson will get a breather as the Brewers send southpaw Robert Gasser to the bump. Leo Bernal is grabbing a start at first base for the Cardinals, and Pedro Pages will do the catching.

Nunez is not in the lineup for Friday's tilt versus the Mets.

Nunez set a new Nationals record with his 48th and 49th stolen bases in his team's last game Wednesday against the Tigers, but he will begin Friday's series opener on the bench. CJ Abrams will be at shortstop and Jorbit Vivas will handle second base for the Nationals.

The Cardinals recalled Rincon from Triple-A Memphis on Friday.

The 24-year-old reliever made his first two major-league appearances earlier this month at Coors Field and they did not go well, as he was knocked around for seven runs while recording only four outs. Rincon threw 42 pitches in Memphis' final game of the season Thursday, so he won't be available to pitch until at least Saturday and perhaps Sunday.

The Mets recalled Hagenman from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Hagenman will play a "siginificant role" in Friday's game versus the Nationals, though it's unclear whether it will be a traditional start or bulk relief appearance. Hagenman has missed a large chunk of this season while recovering from a fractured rib. He has game highs of four innings and 64 pitches in 2026, so the Mets will need their bullpen Friday.

The Mets optioned Weisenburger to the Florida Complex League on Friday.

Weisenburger spun a scoreless frame in Thursday's loss to the Rangers and will now be replaced by a fresh arm. The righty has pitched well in a mop-up role for the Mets, allowing three runs with a 14:4 K:BB over 12.2 innings covering seven outings.

Arraez (ankle) is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest against the Rays.

Arraez had to be helped off the field after suffering a left ankle sprain during Thursday's game versus the Brewers. He has not been placed on the injured list to this point, which is good news, but it remains unclear when Arraez might be able to play again. Bryson Stott will slide back over to second base Friday for the Phillies, and Edmundo Sosa will get the start at third base.