MLB Player News

Baker (1-0) was credited with the win Sunday against the Twins, striking out two in a clean ninth inning.

The Rays have a pretty wide open closer competition during the early going of the season. Griffin Jax has an 11.25 ERA through his first four innings, while both Garrett Cleavinger (calf) and Edwin Uceta (shoulder) are on the injured list. That said, the door is open for Baker, who has tossed three scoreless innings with a 4:0 K:BB thus far, to at least claim more high-leverage work.

Imanaga didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out four.

The left-hander found a rhythm in his second start of the season, considering he was coming off a poor season debut that saw him cough up four runs to Washington. Imanaga fired five shutout frames before coming out for the sixth inning but was pulled after giving up a leadoff double to Steven Kwan, who eventually came around to score. Imanaga sports an 11:3 K:BB over his first 10 frames of 2026, and a favorable home matchup versus the Pirates is on tap for his next start.

Williams earned his second save of the season in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Giants, allowing two hits with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.

Williams has yet to allow a run this season, though he flirted with trouble Sunday by allowing a couple of ninth-inning singles. Williams struck out Jung Hoo Lee to end the game. Through four innings this season, Williams owns a 5:2 K:BB.

Abreu (0-1) took the loss Sunday against the Athletics, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and one walk across one-third of an inning.

Abreu came on in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 9-9 and was able to get the final out to send it to the 10th inning. Houston scored one in the top half of the inning, and Abreu stayed on to try to close out his own win. He walked Tyler Soderstrom before allowing a three-run, walk-off homer to Brent Rooker. Abreu has allowed at least one run in all four of his appearances to open the season and now owns a hideous 23.63 ERA and 6:5 K:BB across 2.2 innings. He's already served up three home runs after allowing four all of last season. With Josh Hader (biceps) still on the injured list, Abreu appears to still be the favorite for saves in Houston, but his hold on the job has got to be loosening after four rough outings.

Leiter was charged with a blown save Sunday against the Astros, allowing one hit and one walk across one inning.

After Scott Barlow was unable to retire any of the four batters he faced to begin the eighth inning, Leiter was brought on with a 9-7 lead and runners on second and third. Leiter walked Yordan Alvarez to load the bases and allowed a game-tying, two-run single to Cam Smith two batters later. Leiter still owns the Athletics' lone save through nine games and has a 2.45 ERA across 3.2 innings.

Barlow allowed four runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out in Sunday's 12-10 win over the Astros.

With the Athletics leading 9-5 headed into the eighth inning, Barlow was brought on to protect the lead but allowed a solo homer to Jake Meyers, walked Joey Loperfido and Nick Allen and served up an RBI double to Jose Altuve before Barlow was yanked in favor of Mark Leiter. Leiter wasn't all that much better, walking Yordan Alvarez before allowing a two-run single to Cam Smith two batters later. Leiter was charged with the blown save, but most of the damage was charged to Barlow. Thought to be in the mix for saves with the Athletics, Barlow has an ugly 9.82 ERA and 1:3 K:BB through his first 3.2 innings this season.

Woods Richardson did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 4-1 extra-inning loss to the Rays, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 6.2 innings.

Despite throwing just 51 of 88 pitches for strikes, Woods Richardson turned in a quality start and kept the Rays in check aside from a solo homer by Junior Caminero in the fourth inning. While he's posted a modest 6:3 K:BB through two starts, the 25-year-old owns a 2.31 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 11.2 innings. He lines up for a road matchup against the Blue Jays next weekend.

Lopez (0-1) didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Astros, allowing three runs on three hits and five walks with six strikeouts across 4.1 innings.

After walking five batters in his first start of the season last Monday against Atlanta, Lopez again struggled badly with his command Sunday, throwing just 51 strikes on 92 pitches. Lopez worked around a walk to strike out the side in the first inning. He later served up a two-run home run to Yordan Alvarez in the fifth. Lopez will carry a 6.48 ERA and 6:10 K:BB across 8.1 innings into his next start Saturday against the Mets.

Martinez did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 4-1 extra-inning win over the Twins, allowing one run on one hit and one walk with four strikeouts over six innings.

Martinez surrendered a solo homer in the second inning but was extremely efficient, throwing 52 of 81 pitches and retiring 10 straight batters at one point. Though he's generated just seven strikeouts over 12 innings this season, the veteran has allowed just one earned run in each of his two starts while yielding only eight total baserunners. He's slated for a tough home matchup against the Yankees next weekend.

Webb (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits and a walk while retiring only one batter to take the loss in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Guardians.

Webb has now made four appearances so far this season, and he's been scored on in half of them. The righty is sitting with an ugly 7.36 ERA, and he's nothing more than a low-leverage option for the Cubs at the moment, which limits his fantasy ceiling. Webb did pitch better for the Rangers last year, however, posting a 3.00 ERA and 58 strikeouts across 66 innings of relief, which suggests that better performances could be ahead after a middling start to 2026.