MLB Player News

Wells isn't expected to keep stretching out further than the five innings and 72 pitches he threw Wednesday against the Yankees, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Wells is part of the rotation this season after spending last year in a relief role, but the Orioles seemingly don't feel comfortable fully unleashing him as a starter. While he was able to reach five innings Wednesday, the given pitch count means he'll only be able to do that on days where he's particularly efficient. That will significantly hurt his chances of picking up wins, which further diminishes the fantasy appeal for a pitcher who's already fairly unexciting, as he owns a 5.54 ERA and a 17.5 percent strikeout rate through four starts.

Lynn (knee) is progressing in his throwing program and could return by the end of May, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Lynn began a throwing program in mid-April, and manager Tony La Russa noted that the right-hander is making good progress after he completed a bullpen session Thursday. The 34-year-old likely still has several steps to clear before he begins a rehab assignment, but he has a chance to return to game action slightly sooner than the White Sox initially expected.

Houck (personal) will serve in a piggyback role behind Rich Hill during Friday's game against the Orioles, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Houck also served as a reliever Sunday against the Rays and struck out two in 1.2 perfect innings. While he'll pitch out of the bullpen once again Friday, it wouldn't be surprising to see him rejoin the rotation sometime next week. Houck remains on the restricted list ahead of the Red Sox's series finale in Toronto on Thursday, but he'll be officially reinstated Friday when the team returns to the United States.

Houck (personal) isn't listed as a starter during Boston's weekend series against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Houck is unvaccinated and was ineligible to pitch during the team's road trip to Toronto, and he won't start in any of the first three games after the Red Sox return to the United States. If the right-hander doesn't serve in a piggyback role against the Orioles, he'll likely draw a start against the Angels next week.

Singer was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Singer began the season in a bullpen role and posted a 6.35 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 5.2 innings during three relief appearances. He'll attempt to right the ship as a starter in the minors and will presumably be an option to fill in if the Royals' rotation staff deals with injuries at some point, per Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star.

Ryan (3-1) earned the win Wednesday against the Tigers, allowing zero runs on one hit and one walk while striking out nine.

Ryan has submitted back-to-back scoreless outings and earned the victory in each of his last three starts. The 25-year-old is off to a hot start in his first full MLB campaign and currently sports a 1.17 ERA across 23.0 innings with a 25:6 K:BB. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Monday in Baltimore.

Stripling didn't factor into the decision during Wednesday's 7-1 loss to the Red Sox, giving up one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out seven and didn't record a walk.

After giving up an RBI double to Rafael Devers in the top of the first inning, Stripling settled down and pitched four scoreless innings. He got into trouble in the third, allowing three singles to load the bases, but he got out of the jam by registering back-to-back strikeouts of Devers and J.D. Martinez. After coming out of the bullpen during his first two appearances, Stripling has started three consecutive contests and logged his most innings and pitches (84) of the season during Wednesday's outing. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Monday against the Yankees.

Wacha (2-0) allowed one run on four hits over six innings Wednesday to earn the victory in Toronto. He struck out five and walked two.

Wacha allowed a baserunner in each of the first three innings, but there wasn't any real trouble until the third when he allowed back-to-back singles to open the frame. However, the veteran righty was able to limit the damage and get out of the jam by striking out Lourdes Gurriel on three consecutive pitches. The 30-year-old has posted a 1.77 ERA across 20.1 innings to begin his Boston tenure and has wins in consecutive starts. Wacha's next outing is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday against the Angels.

Blackburn (3-0) earned the win over San Francisco on Wednesday, tossing five scoreless innings during which he allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four.

The left-hander's surprising season continued with his third win in four starts despite receiving very little offensive support and watching his defense commit two errors behind him. Blackburn induced 12 swinging strikes and allowed only one extra-base hit while finishing with his second scoreless outing of the campaign. Perhaps the only knock on his performance thus far is that he has yet to post a quality start, as Blackburn has gone exactly five innings in each of his four outings this season. Still, he has been one of the league's biggest surprises in 2022, as the 28-year-old entered the campaign with a career 6-11 record and 5.74 ERA. He'll look to keep the momentum going in his next scheduled start, which is tentatively slated to come at home against Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Javier (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over five innings Wednesday to earn the win over Texas. He struck out four.

The right-hander moved into the rotation after coming out of the bullpen in each of his first three appearances this season, but he was able to handle a sizeable workload of 84 pitches Wednesday. Javier struggled a bit with his control and surrendered his first two runs of the campaign, but he did enough to record his first victory. It's unclear if he'll remain in the rotation moving forward or return to a long-relief role.