MLB Player News

Cortes (4-2) earned the win Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk over six innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out six.

Cortes rolled through the Toronto lineup, posting his best start in over a month. The lefty hadn't completed six innings over his previous four starts. Despite the quality start, Cortes has allowed at least two runs in every start since his season debut back on April 3. After consecutive seasons with an ERA under 3.00, Cortes is sporting a 5.21 ERA in 2023.

Cease (2-3) took the loss Thursday, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk over 6.1 innings against the Guardians. He struck out three.

Cease didn't get much help Thursday, as during the seventh inning Tim Anderson misplayed a groundball with the infield drawn in that allowed the go-ahead run to score. Gregory Santos then relieved Cease and gave up a single to plate Cleveland's third run. The righty has had a wild month of May, allowing 11 runs in his first two starts but just three in his last two outings. Cease is still sitting on a bloated 4.78 ERA as he tries to regain his form that led to a 2.20 ERA last season.

Allen did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk over 5.2 innings in a 3-1 win over the White Sox. He struck out five.

Allen nearly had a disaster outing, as he loaded the bases in the second inning with no outs. But the lefty induced a pop up before two strikeouts to strand all three runners. Allen has flirted with danger recently, allowing seven or more hits in each of his last three starts. His 29 strikeouts in 26.2 innings have helped him keep a 3.04 ERA in his rookie season.

Kloffenstein has a 2.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 35 innings across seven starts for Double-A New Hampshire.

The 6-foot-5 righty was a prospect of note several years ago before logging a WHIP north of 1.55 in over 100 innings in both 2021 and 2022. However, at 22, Kloffenstein is age-appropriate for Double-A. He has been even more impressive over just his last five starts, during which he has a 1.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 28 innings. His sinker has topped out around 95 mph this year, so there may not be as much upside as his stats indicate, but Kloffenstein's 55.8 percent groundball rate is a strong mark, and he could someday pitch in the middle or back of a big-league rotation.

Schultz (forearm) will throw live batting practice Friday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

It will be the second live BP session Schultz has thrown since he went down with a left forearm strain in spring training. Once healthy, the young southpaw will likely be assigned to rookie ball.

Flexen, who fired three scoreless innings during which he allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout in a loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday, has yet to be scored upon in seven frames across four appearances since moving to the bullpen.

Wednesday's efficient 29-pitch outing marked Flexen's second-most voluminous relief appearance in that regard, as he'd thrown 43 pitches in just two innings against Toronto in his bullpen debut April 30. The one-time starter has issued just one free pass and scattered seven hits over his stint as a reliever thus far, and his versatility should continue to afford him multi-inning assignments that may occasionally allow him to qualify for a hold or decision.

Bassitt didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 2-0 extra-inning win over the Yankees, scattering three hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

The right-hander dazzled once again, as Bassitt didn't allow a runner to get past second base as he extended his scoreless streak to 27 innings -- he hasn't let a runner cross the plate since the first inning of an April 30 outing against the Mariners. Bassitt tossed 66 of 97 pitches for strikes while delivering his seventh quality start of the season, and he'll take a 3.05 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 48:23 K:BB through 56 innings into his next trip to the mound, which is likely to come early next week in Tampa Bay.

The Rays recalled Bradley from Triple-A Durham on Thursday.

Bradley will return to the big club to start Thursday's series finale against the Mets at Citi Field. The young right-hander posted a 3.52 ERA and 23:2 K:BB over 15.1 innings covering three starts for Tampa Bay earlier this season. He's struggled since returning to Durham, but Bradley nonetheless warrants being rostered in the majority of fantasy formats. He will have a shot to remain in the Rays rotation for the duration of the season.

Cole didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 3-0 extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays, allowing seven hits and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out six.

The veteran right-hander was dominant for 104 pitches (70 strikes), generating 30 called or swinging strikes en route to his seventh quality start in 10 outings, but Chris Bassitt matched him goose egg for goose egg and the game was eventually left in the hands of the bullpens. Cole remains undefeated on the year at 5-0 and will take a 2.01 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 68:20 K:BB through 62.2 innings into his next start, which is likely to come early next week at home against the Orioles.

Bradish (2-1) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits over 6.2 innings in a 3-1 victory over the Angels. He struck out five.

Facing the team that drafted him in 2018 before flipping him to Baltimore a year later in the Dylan Bundy deal, Bradish delivered his second straight quality start while firing 63 of 94 pitches for strikes. The right-hander has rebounded nicely from a rough outing against the Red Sox in late April, posting a 2.82 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB through 22.1 innings over his last four starts. He'll look to keep rolling when he next takes the mound, which is likely to come early next week in Yankee Stadium.