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Rangers placed OF Kevin Pillar on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain.
Pillar has been battling a lingering back issue the last few weeks and the Rangers are going to give him some extra time off to put the issue to bed. He’ll likely return in a couple weeks to his role as a reserve outfielder.
Jake Fraley is absent from Wednesday’s lineup with left calf tenderness.
Fraley will sit out Wednesday’s showdown at Truist Park in Atlanta with Reds manager Terry Francona telling reporters he’ll need to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now, but there’s a chance he winds up requiring a trip to the injured list.
Noelvi Marte has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain.
Not good. Reds manager Terry Francona didn’t have an exact timetable for Marte’s return saying only that he’s going to be out a little while. Fantasy managers should anticipate a multi-week absence since return timelines for Grade 2 strains typically fall in the 4-8 week range. It’s remarkable that the 23-year-old former prospect was able to play through the issue the last few weeks before finally being shut down. There should be a clearer return timetable at some point in the near future, but he’s facing an extended shutdown.
Jeremy Peña had a three-run homer, a double and four RBI as the Astros blasted the Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.
Before coming through today, Peña hadn’t scored or driven in a run in five games this month. The four-RBI game is his second as a big leaguer, with the other coming in a 17-4 win on July 29, 2023. Moving into the leadoff spot figured to be a boon for his fantasy value, but it hasn’t really worked out that way so far. For one thing, he hasn’t attempted a steal in 10 games as a leadoff man. He was 5-for-5 in steals over his first 22 games, but 0-for-0 in 14 games since.
Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run and three hits, in picking up his second win Wednesday against the Brewers.
Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer accounted for Milwaukee’s lone run today. Valdez struck out seven and walked two in winning for the first time since Opening Day. It’s his fifth quality start in eight tries, but today’s game was the first of those eight in which the Astros totaled more than three runs. Valdez will face the Royals next week.
Quinn Priester surrendered three runs — one earned — in five innings Wednesday in a loss to the Astros.
The unearned runs, both coming in the fifth, were truly undeserved in this case. This was a rare opportunity for Priester. Even though lefties have a nearly 300-point OPS advantage against him in his career, he faced exclusively righties today, as the only lefty swinging Astros are their backup catchers. Priester did well to allow just three hits, but he dropped to 1-1 with a 5.08 ERA anyway. He could soon be replaced by Brandon Woodruff.