MLB Player News
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Taj Bradley SP | MIN
Rays' Taj Bradley: Battles for third win
Bradley (3-2) earned the win against the Yankees on Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with one strikeout over 5.1 innings.
Bradley threw just 50 of 88 pitches for strikes with only four whiffs but still managed to limit one of baseball's top lineups to two runs. The 24-year-old has logged at least five frames in all seven starts this season, yielding three earned runs or fewer in five of them. He'll carry a 4.43 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 30:18 K:BB across 40.2 innings into a home matchup with the Brewers next weekend.
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Kyle Gibson SP | BAL
Orioles' Kyle Gibson: Struggles again in no-decision
Gibson did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 11-6 loss to the Royals, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts over four innings.
Gibson allowed a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run single in the fourth. He generated 10 swinging strikes on 81 pitches and failed to exceed four frames for the second straight start since debuting Tuesday. The veteran hurler will carry a rough 14.09 ERA, 2.48 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB across 7.2 innings into a road matchup with the Angels next weekend.
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Michael Lorenzen SP | COL
Royals' Michael Lorenzen: Hit hard in no-decision
Lorenzen did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 11-6 win over the Orioles, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
Lorenzen was tagged for four of the 11 total home runs hit between the Royals and Orioles on Sunday. He generated an impressive 13 whiffs on 85 pitches but failed to complete five innings for just the second time in seven starts. The 33-year-old will carry a 4.23 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 33:14 K:BB across 38.1 innings into a home matchup with the Red Sox next weekend.
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Ryan Gusto P | MIA
Astros' Ryan Gusto: Shifts to bullpen Sunday
Gusto recorded two outs and allowed three unearned runs on two hits and two walks in his relief appearance Sunday in the Astros' 5-4 loss to the White Sox in seven innings.
With the Astros bringing back Lance McCullers (forearm) from the injured list to start Sunday, Gusto shifted to the bullpen after starting in each of his last four appearances. Prior to the game, manager Joe Espada suggested that Gusto's move to a relief role would likely be temporary, as the Astros plan to deploy a six-man rotation once they begin a stretch of 17 games in a row beginning next Friday, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Gusto could be available out of the bullpen for a few more games, but he'll likely be back in the rotation by the middle of the month after submitting a 3.79 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB in 19 innings over his first four starts.
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Lance McCullers SP | HOU
Astros' Lance McCullers: Lasts 3.2 frames in return
McCullers did not factor into the decision in Sunday's rain-shortened loss to the White Sox, allowing three hits and walks apiece over 3.2 scoreless innings. He struck out four.
In his first outing back from 2023 flexor tendon surgery, McCullers was inefficient against a lowly Chicago lineup, requiring 87 pitches to get 11 outs. Despite not allowing a run, the Houston right-hander generated just six whiffs as his sinker averaged 91.8 mph, down from his 2022 average of 93.1 mph. Given his extended absence, it's not surprising that McCullers might require a few outings to shake off the rust. He currently lines up to make his next start against Cincinnati at home next weekend.
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Chayce McDermott P | LAD
Orioles' Chayce McDermott: Activated and optioned
The Orioles reinstated McDermott (lat) from the 15-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Baltimore has an opening in its rotation during the upcoming week after demoting Charlie Morton to the bullpen, but McDermott apparently isn't being viewed as a candidate to fill the void while he builds back up from the right lat strain that kept him out for all of spring training and the first month of the regular season. McDermott kicked off his rehab assignment with Double-A Chesapeake this past Sunday before moving up to Norfolk for his second start Saturday, when he struck out three over four scoreless innings. The 26-year-old righty tossed 57 pitches in that outing, but once he gets stretched out into the 75-to-90-pitch range at Triple-A, he could be a more realistic option for the big-league rotation.
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Bowden Francis RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: Drops third straight
Francis (2-5) took the loss Sunday against the Guardians, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out two.
Francis has failed to make it through five innings in three straight outings, allowing 14 runs over just 12 innings in that span. His ERA is up to 5.66 this season with a 1.37 WHIP and 25:10 K:BB across his first seven starts (35 innings) this year. Francis will look to right the ship in his next outing, tentatively scheduled for next week in Seattle.
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JP Sears SP | SD
Athletics' JP Sears: Solid in no-decision
Sears did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Marlins, allowing two runs on four hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out two.
Sears has held opponents to two runs or fewer in each of his last four starts -- he's gone 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA in that span (23 innings). Overall, the 29-year-old left-hander sports a 2.93 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP and an impressive 32:6 K:BB across seven starts (40 innings) to open the year. Sears will look to keep rolling in his next outing, currently scheduled for next week against the Yankees.
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Tanner Bibee SP | CLE
Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Exits start with apparent cramping
Bibee was removed ahead of the bottom of the sixth inning of Sunday's game against the Blue Jays due to apparent leg cramping, Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. He struck out three and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks over five innings and departed with a 4-3 lead.
Bibee came on the field to warm up in the sixth but quickly signaled for the Cleveland training staff to visit him on the mound. After a brief consultation, Bibee headed to the dugout, and the Guardians called upon Tim Herrin to relieve him. Provided Bibee's early exit wasn't due to anything more than cramping, he should be ready to make his next turn through the rotation next weekend against the Phillies, but fantasy managers will want to keep close tabs on the right-hander's status nonetheless.
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Lance McCullers SP | HOU
Astros' Lance McCullers: Activated for season debut
The Astros reinstated McCullers (forearm) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox in Chicago.
McCullers will be making his first appearance for Houston since the 2022 World Series, as he missed the past two seasons while recovering from June 2023 flexor tendon surgery. He's enjoyed a clean bill of health since the start of spring training and wrapped up his rehab assignment on a high note April 26, striking out seven over five scoreless innings and 71 pitches for Double-A Corpus Christi. As a result, he could be capped at 80-90 pitches in his season debut. McCullers is likely to be kept on a five-day rest schedule between starts initially, and the Astros are expected to transition into a six-man rotation during busier portions of their schedule to accommodate him.