Overview
- The Pittsburgh Pirates turned a five-run eighth into a 9-8 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers after Tyler Callihan hit two homers, giving Pittsburgh immediate momentum while the club balances multiple injuries.
- The Dodgers placed catcher Will Smith on the injured list for a stiff neck and are managing Shohei Ohtani’s left-knee inflammation as they rely on younger starters to cover for an undermanned rotation.
- The Braves lost Spencer Strider to right-arm soreness after his fastball velocity dropped during a start, a development that surfaced Friday night and raises short-term questions about Atlanta’s rotation health.
- Pittsburgh put outfielder Oneil Cruz on the injured list with fractured bones in his left hand, and Atlanta lost pitching depth when Jhancarlos Lara was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals.
- Teams across baseball are increasingly using bulk relievers, minor-league recalls and low-risk waiver claims to plug holes created by late-game volatility and a growing list of everyday and starting-player injuries.