Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joe Boyle was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, the Athletics activated Scott Alexander (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list. Since rejoining the Athletics in mid-August, Boyle has posted a hefty 7.04 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP across four starts while holding a 13:20 BB:K ratio. Alexander will likely return to his typical bullpen role, where he performed quite well before hitting the IL. In his past ten outings, the southpaw allowed just one earned run with a 4:11 BB:K ratio. Fantasy managers should expect J.T. Ginn to continue to hold the final spot in the Oakland rotation going forward, while Alexander should serve as a high-leverage set-up man for closer Mason Miller.

Oakland Athletics left-handed reliever Scott Alexander (shoulder) came away from his live batting practice session on Monday at the Oakland Coliseum feeling healthy. The team will wait a couple of days after his throwing session to decide Alexander's next step as he attempts to return from left rotator-cuff tendinitis. The 35-year-old veteran also tossed a successful bullpen session last Friday, so he appears ready to either go out on a short minor-league rehab assignment or come off the 15-day injured list to rejoin Oakland's major-league bullpen. Alexander has been solid in relief in his first year in Oakland in 2024, posting a 2.51 ERA (3.95 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks in 28 2/3 innings pitched, but he won't really be on the fantasy radar when he's back with the A's for the rest of the season.

Oakland Athletics left-handed reliever Scott Alexander (shoulder) threw a bullpen session last Saturday and may face live hitters this week as he progresses from left rotator-cuff tendinitis that put him on the 15-day injured list last Tuesday. There's a chance that Alexander will be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible, especially if the team doesn't think he needs to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw has been pretty solid in his first year with Oakland in 2024, going 1-2 with a 2.51 ERA (3.93 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks in only 28 2/3 innings in his 34 appearances out of the bullpen. Alexander has been a weapon against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .146 batting average on the year in 44 plate appearances.

Oakland Athletics left-hander Scott Alexander (rib) gave up a run on two hits while striking out one in an inning of work in his first minor-league rehab appearance for Single-A Stockton last Friday. Alexander said he felt good in his first rehab outing and was scheduled to make another appearance in San Jose on Tuesday, also with Stockton. If he comes out of that outing without a setback, Alexander will move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Las Vegas. Now that the 34-year-old veteran southpaw is pitching again for the first time in almost two months, he could be a candidate to return to Oakland's bullpen soon. Alexander hasn't pitched yet in 2024 with the A's and is unlikely to be of much use in any fantasy format once he's back in the big leagues.

Free-agent pitcher Scott Alexander has agreed to a one-year deal with the Oakland A's. The left-hander spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants, another Bay Area club, and worked to a 4.66 ERA across 55 outings (eight starts). However, Alexander posted an eye-popping 1.04 ERA across 17 outings in the 2022 season and has posted an ERA of 3.68 or better in seven MLB seasons since his debut in the 2015 campaign. All told, the 34-year-old has impressed with a 3.29 ERA across 283 MLB appearances despite his strikeout rate sitting at just 17.9% in that time. A massive 68.4% ground-ball rate has been his key in run prevention while he has allowed just 0.57 HR/9 across his 270 2/3 innings of big-league work.

San Francisco Giants left-hander Scott Alexander is set to serve as the team's opener on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, with lefty Alex Wood likely coming in behind Alexander as the bulk reliever. Alexander has been pretty solid for the Giants in 2023, and his opening role on Tuesday will be his fifth "start" of 2023. In his 39 appearances (four starts) so far this year, the 34-year-old veteran southpaw holds a 6-1 record, 3.21 ERA (3.30 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, one save, seven walks and 18 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings of work. Alexander is not a fantasy streaming option against the Halos. If you're going to stream someone from San Francisco, it should be Wood.

The San Francisco Giants and left-handed reliever Scott Alexander avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.15 million deal. In his first year in San Francisco in 2022, Alexander only pitched 17 1/3 innings over 17 appearances (four starts) at the major-league level, allowing two earned runs on 12 hits while walking one and striking out 10. The 33-year-old southpaw made enough of an impression on the Giants for them to bring him back for the 2023 season. In eight big-league seasons, Alexander has posted a 3.00 ERA (3.74 FIP), a 1.29 WHIP and a 170:86 K:BB in 222 1/3 innings over 228 outings (five starts) for the Royals, Dodgers and Giants. He won't be in play for fantasy managers next spring.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Scott Alexander earned his first save of the season in Monday's 3-2 win over the Braves. Alexander entered the game in the eighth inning up by one with two outs and a runner on third. He ended the inning with the runner stranded on a flyout and stayed on to pitch the ninth. He allowed a leadoff single but got the final three outs on a force out and two groundouts. The team's primary closer, Camilo Doval had pitched the previous two days, so Alexander got the call in this instance. The 33-year-old has only pitched 8 2/3 innings this season, compiling a 2.08 ERA. He holds no fantasy value despite the save.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers backup third baseman Edwin Ríos will miss the rest of the season after surgery on his right shoulder. Right-hander Dustin May also underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, sidelining him until at least the summer of 2022. The defending World Series champions announced their decision later Wednesday on Ríos, who has a partially torn labrum. He will have surgery next week. The Dodgers also shut down Josiah Gray, their top pitching prospect, due to a right shoulder impingement. Gray, who was scratched from his minor league start at the last minute Tuesday night, will rest for at least a week before re-evaluation. Ríos got off to a rough start this season with the Dodgers, batting .078 with one homer in 25 games while clearly struggling with his swing. The 27-year-old Puerto Rican prospect made his major league debut in 2019. Ríos appeared in seven postseason games last fall, hitting two homers in the NLCS against Atlanta. He had hoped to land a steady... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The last-place New York Yankees lost their fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 win Sunday and a three-game sweep. Four pitchers combined on the Rays’ second three-hitter of a series in which New York managed 11 hits in all. Cole (2-1) was hurt by slipshod defense that made three mistakes in the third inning alone, two by center fielder Aaron Hicks and one by left fielder Clint Frazier. Joey Wendle added a ninth-inning home run off Darren O’Day. Tampa Bay has won 18 of its last 23 against the Yankees, including in last year’s Division Series. Ryan Yarbrough (2-1) followed opener Andrew Kittredge and allowed one run and two hits in five innings. Diego Castillo got four outs, and Jeffrey Springs pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first big league save. PADRES 5, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer delivered the tying and go-ahead RBIs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The last-place New York Yankees lost their fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 win Sunday and a three-game sweep. Four pitchers combined on the Rays’ second three-hitter of a series in which New York managed 11 hits in all. Cole (2-1) was hurt by slipshod defense that made three mistakes in the third inning alone, two by center fielder Aaron Hicks and one by left fielder Clint Frazier. Joey Wendle added a ninth-inning home run off Darren O’Day. Tampa Bay has won 18 of its last 23 against the Yankees, including in last year’s Division Series. Ryan Yarbrough (2-1) followed opener Andrew Kittredge and allowed one run and two hits in five innings. Diego Castillo got four outs, and Jeffrey Springs pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first big league save. PADRES 5, DODGERS 2 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Hosmer delivered the tying and go-ahead RBIs in the seventh and eighth innings, helping... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reliever Corey Knebel from the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for a player to be named or cash. Coming off their first World Series championship since 1988, the Dodgers also agreed with reliever Scott Alexander on a one-year deal for $1 million, avoiding arbitration with the left-hander before Wednesday night's deadline for teams to offer 2021 contracts to their unsigned players. The 29-year-old Knebel was an All-Star in 2017 and a key part of the Brewers’ bullpen during their run to the 2018 NL Championship Series. The right-hander missed the 2019 season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and struggled after returning last season. “Corey had a tremendous career as a Brewer,” Milwaukee president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “He pitched in some of the biggest games in the history of this franchise, and he pitched incredibly well in those games. ... Corey’s meant a lot to this franchise. He’s earned... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reliever Scott Alexander and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed Wednesday to a $1 million, one-year deal on Wednesday, avoiding arbitration before the deadline for teams to offer 2021 contracts to their unsigned players. The left-hander was on the team’s opening day roster this year. Alexander had a 2-0 record with a 2.92 ERA. He pitched 12 1/3 innings while appearing in 13 games. He was optioned in early September to the team’s alternate training site, where he spent most of the month. Alexander wasn’t on any of the Dodgers’ rosters throughout the postseason, which culminated in the team winning its first World Series championship since 1988. He has spent three seasons in Los Angeles. Alexander had prorated pay of $324,074 last year from an $875,000 salary. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Dodgers first. Mookie Betts strikes out swinging. Corey Seager walks. AJ Pollock singles to left center field. Corey Seager to second. Max Muncy singles to center field. AJ Pollock to second. Corey Seager to third. Chris Taylor walks. Max Muncy to second. AJ Pollock to third. Corey Seager scores. Will Smith flies out to right center field to Kole Calhoun. Kike Hernandez reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Chris Taylor out at second.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 4 left on. Dodgers 1, Diamondbacks 0.Diamondbacks third. Daulton Varsho pops out to shallow infield to Julio Urias. Carson Kelly homers to center field. Tim Locastro singles to right field. Ketel Marte singles to right field. Tim Locastro to third. Christian Walker pops out to shortstop to Corey Seager. Eduardo Escobar lines out to deep left center field to Kike Hernandez.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Diamondbacks 1, Dodgers 1.Dodgers third. AJ Pollock doubles to left field. Max Muncy strikes out swinging. Chris Taylor... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez delivered the first pinch-hit, extra-innings grand slam in Yankees history, Deivi García made a strong impression in his big league debut and New York beat the crosstown Mets 5-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep Sunday night.The Yankees stormed back in the opener, erasing a five-run lead with two outs in the seventh to win 8-7 in eight innings. Aaron Hicks lined a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Gio Urshela hit a game-ending single off Edwin Diaz an inning later.The Yankees won the final three games of this five-game Subway Series, snapping a seven-game skid that was their longest since 2017. Sánchez blasted a 2-2 fastball from Drew Smith (0-1) into the left field bleachers for a 5-1 lead. It was the slumping catcher’s first career pinch-hit homer and second career grand slam.García took a shutout into the sixth until allowing Dominic Smith’s tying single. Smith’s hit came after Jeff McNeill reached on an error by first baseman Luke Voit, who had the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez delivered the first pinch-hit, extra-innings grand slam in Yankees history, Deivi García made a strong impression in his big league debut and New York beat the crosstown Mets 5-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep Sunday night.The Yankees stormed back in the opener, erasing a five-run lead with two outs in the seventh to win 8-7 in eight innings. Aaron Hicks lined a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Gio Urshela hit a game-ending single off Edwin Diaz an inning later.The Yankees won the final three games of this five-game Subway Series, snapping a seven-game skid that was their longest since 2017. Sánchez blasted a 2-2 fastball from Drew Smith (0-1) into the left field bleachers for a 5-1 lead. It was the slumping catcher’s first career pinch-hit homer and second career grand slam.García took a shutout into the sixth until allowing Dominic Smith’s tying single. Smith’s hit came after Jeff McNeill reached on an error by first baseman Luke Voit, who had the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez delivered the first pinch-hit, extra-innings grand slam in Yankees history, Deivi García made a strong impression in his big league debut and New York beat the crosstown Mets 5-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep Sunday night.The Yankees stormed back in the opener, erasing a five-run lead with two outs in the seventh to win 8-7 in eight innings. Aaron Hicks lined a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Gio Urshela hit a game-ending single off Edwin Diaz an inning later.The Yankees won the final three games of this five-game Subway Series, snapping a seven-game skid that was their longest since 2017. Sánchez blasted a 2-2 fastball from Drew Smith (0-1) into the left field bleachers for a 5-1 lead. It was the slumping catcher’s first career pinch-hit homer and second career grand slam.García took a shutout into the sixth until allowing Dominic Smith’s tying single. Smith’s hit came after Jeff McNeill reached on an error by first baseman Luke Voit, who had the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez delivered the first pinch-hit, extra-innings grand slam in Yankees history, Deivi García made a strong impression in his big league debut and New York beat the crosstown Mets 5-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep Sunday night.The Yankees stormed back in the opener, erasing a five-run lead with two outs in the seventh to win 8-7 in eight innings. Aaron Hicks lined a tying, two-run homer in the seventh, and Gio Urshela hit a game-ending single off Edwin Diaz an inning later.The Yankees won the final three games of this five-game Subway Series, snapping a seven-game skid that was their longest since 2017. Sánchez blasted a 2-2 fastball from Drew Smith (0-1) into the left field bleachers for a 5-1 lead. It was the slumping catcher’s first career pinch-hit homer and second career grand slam.García took a shutout into the sixth until allowing Dominic Smith’s tying single. Smith’s hit came after Jeff McNeill reached on an error by first baseman Luke Voit, who had the... [More]