MLB Player News

Thompson (0-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Padres, surrendering three runs on five hits and four walks across five innings. He struck out five.

Thompson was consistently in trouble Wednesday, allowing a runner to reach or cross second base in each of the first four innings, including a solo home run by Kyle Higashioka in the fourth. He was also picked on by baserunners, giving up three stolen bases on the day. With Sonny Gray (hamstring) on the brink of beginning a rehab stint with Triple-A Memphis, it appears Thompson will only get one or two more turns in the rotation. He's tentatively scheduled for another tough draw against the Phillies next week after opening up the campaign facing the Dodgers and Padres.

Suarez picked up the save Wednesday against St. Louis, yielding one hit and two walks over 1.2 scoreless innings. He struck out two.

Despite not being on his A-game from a control standpoint, Suarez protected the Padres' one-run lead to earn his third save in as many chances. With runners on first and second in the ninth, Suarez tightened up and punched out Alec Burleson and Victor Scott back-to-back to end the game. The 33-year-old hasn't given up more than one hit in a game this season, and his only run allowed came on a solo homer.

Finnegan picked up the save during Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Pirates. He didn't allow a hit or a walk during one inning while striking out two.

Finnegan bounced back from a three-run, two-homer blown save March 31 to deliver the Nationals their second win of the season and nail down his second save. The rebound performance likely adds a little length back to Finnegan's hypothetical leash, with Hunter Harvey sitting behind him as a solid replacement arm if the Nats don't feel Finnegan is up to par.

Alzolay pitched a scoreless ninth inning and was awarded the win in Wednesday's 9-8 victory over the Rockies. He allowed one hit and struck out two.

Though Alzolay entered the contest in the top of the ninth while the Cubs held a 9-8 lead in what would normally represent a save opportunity, he ended up getting credited with the win by the official scorer due to what transpired beforehand. The Cubs held a commanding 8-2 lead after six innings, only for the Rockies to rally over the ensuing two innings to tie the score. Setup man Hector Neris recorded the final two outs of the top of the eighth inning before the Cubs scored a go-ahead run in the bottom of the frame, but he was denied the win since he had given up two earned runs on three hits to allow the Rockies to make it an 8-8 game. While Alzolay ended up missing out on notching his first save of the season after getting awarded the win instead, fantasy managers should be heartened by the fact that he might have built some job security as the team's closer by turning in a relatively drama-free inning compared to Neris, Yency Almonte (0.1 innings, three earned runs allowed) and Julian Merryweather (one inning, one earned run allowed).

Jansen picked up the save Wednesday against the Athletics. He issued two walks while striking out one over a scoreless inning.

Jansen managed to escape with his second save in as many chances despite allowing back-to-back walks with one out in the ninth. The veteran right-hander needed 21 pitches to get through the inning, with only 10 of those going for strikes, and he's now issued three free passes over his first three appearances to begin the season. On a positive note, the save was Jansen's 422nd of his career, tying him with Bill Wagner for sixth all time.

Pivetta (1-1) earned the win Wednesday, allowing five hits and one walk over five scoreless innings against the Athletics. He struck out three.

Pivetta had it going again Wednesday, retiring 10 of the first 12 batters he faced while allowing only one extra-base hit in the contest. The veteran right-hander has now given up just one run over his first two starts, posting a 13:1 K:BB over that brief span. He'll look to continue his phenomenal start to the 2024 campaign next week when the Red Sox host the Orioles.

Tarnok is slated for an MRI on his hip after feeling discomfort during a recent bullpen session, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Tarnok is already on the injured list and slated to start his 2024 season at Triple-A Las Vegas whenever he's ready for game action. However, that benchmark now appears to be even further away, given this latest development. The results of Tarnok's MRI should be available in the coming days, potentially offering further insight into a recovery timetable.

Paddack didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Brewers, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over four innings in a 7-3 victory for the Twins. He struck out two.

Making his first big-league start in nearly two years, Paddack threw 82 pitches (47 strikes) and uncorked two wild pitches in an inefficient performance, but he mostly limited hard contact aside from a Rhys Hoskins solo shot in the fourth inning. The 28-year-old right-hander is looking to get his career back on track after missing almost all of the last two seasons while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, but he hasn't thrown more than 108.1 innings in a season since 2019. Paddack lines up to make his next start at home early next week against the Dodgers.

Zuniga picked up the save Wednesday against the Marlins, recording a strikeout over three perfect innings.

After struggling in his last appearance, allowing three runs in one inning versus the Orioles, Zuniga turned in an impressive bounce-back performance in Miami, throwing three perfect innings to close out a 10-2 victory and earn the first save of his MLB career. Zuniga's made just five appearances in the big leagues over the past two seasons with Anaheim and St. Louis -- he struggled to a 7.63 ERA across 30.2 innings in Triple-A last year. The 25-year-old right-hander will likely remain a low-leverage option for the Angels going forward.

Stephenson (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and could be cleared to face hitters in live batting practice within the next few days, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

According to Fletcher, the bullpen session was Stephenson's third in less than a week, a sign that he's bouncing back well after he was shut down for a brief period of time earlier in the spring with right shoulder inflammation. Because he didn't complete a proper spring training throwing progression, Stephenson will still need additional time to complete the ramp-up process, but a minor-league rehab assignment doesn't appear to be too far off. Stephenson could report to one of the Angels' affiliates as soon as next week if his live BP session goes as expected.