MLB Player News

Mikolas is expected to be deployed in bulk relief behind opener Richard Lovelady in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Mikolas started his prior three appearances, but the Nationals are opting to bring him out of the bullpen for the fourth time this season Sunday. Mikolas accrued a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB in 11 innings over his prior three bulk relief outings.

The Reds recalled Franco from Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.

The 25-year-old was optioned to Louisville on May 8 but will return to the majors and provide Cincinnati with some bullpen depth. Franco has a 4.30 ERA, 1.77 WHIP and 12:11 K:BB across 14.2 frames in the big leagues this year.

McDonald (2-0) allowed one run on five hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out five over 6.2 innings to earn the win Saturday over the Athletics.

McDonald has shown the ability to provide length early in his stay in the majors, which could help him stick around even when Logan Webb (knee) is healthy, though McDonald's status is not guaranteed. Through three starts with the Giants this season, McDonald has a 2.37 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB over 19 innings. His role could get some clarity in the near future with Webb eligible to be reinstated from the injured list next week.

Peterson (2-4) allowed two runs on six hits, three walks and a hit batsman while striking out eight over four innings to earn the win Saturday versus the Yankees.

This was Peterson's third consecutive bulk-relief appearance, a span that has seen him earn his first two wins of the season. In his three outings in May, he's allowed seven runs (four earned) with a 17:3 K:BB over 13 innings. Overall, he has a 5.40 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 46:17 K:BB through 43.1 innings. Peterson's looked more effective working behind an opener, so that trend could continue for his next projected outing, which lines up to be on the road against the Nationals.

Elder (4-2) took the loss against Boston on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out three batters over eight innings.

Elder didn't overwhelm Red Sox hitters, but he limited them to just one run until Willson Contreras tagged him for a two-run homer in the eighth inning. That long ball resulted in the righty hurler taking his first loss since April 4, but Elder still finished with his fifth quality start across his past six outings. His eight completed frames were also a season-high mark, and Elder still hasn't given up more than three runs in any of his 10 appearances this season. His advanced metrics won't drop any jaws, but Elder has nonetheless put up excellent numbers so far this season, posting a 2.01 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 56:20 K:BB through 62.2 innings.

Buehler (3-2) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters over five innings to earn the win over Seattle on Saturday.

Buehler was staked to a 5-0 lead before he gave up a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The right-hander yielded one more run in the fifth and didn't return for the sixth, as he had already thrown 101 pitches by that point. Buehler recorded just seven whiffs in the outing, but he struck out six batters, registering his second-most punchouts in a start this season. The veteran hurler has had his share of struggles this season, but he's managed to hang on to a rotation spot in part due to a positive 3-2 record. Beyond that, Buehler hasn't been an appealing fantasy asset, registering a 5.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 37:14 K:BB across 41.1 innings spanning nine starts.

Taillon (2-3) took the loss against the White Sox on Saturday, allowing eight runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out two across five innings.

Taillon put the Cubs in an early hole after giving up a three-run homer to Miguel Vargas in the first inning. It was the first of five home runs that the right-hander gave up Saturday, which was one shy of the club record held by Matt Swarmer on June 11, 2022, per Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com. It was the second time this season that Taillon gave up at least six earned runs in a start, and he now has a 4.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 42:17 K:BB across 50.2 innings. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, which is tentatively slated for next weekend at home against the Astros.

Henderson (1-1) earned the win over Minnesota on Saturday, allowing one run on six hits and one walk while striking out seven batters over five innings.

Henderson surrendered a solo homer to Trevor Larnach in the third inning, but the Twins were otherwise unable to get into the scoring column against him. The right-hander racked up an impressive 18 whiffs en route to his first big-league win of 2026. Henderson is in the rotation due to an injury to Brandon Woodruff (shoulder), who could be back by the end of May. However, with a 3.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 23:3 K:BB through 18 innings spanning four starts, Henderson may be making a case for a permanent starting role with the big club.

Alcantara didn't factor into the decision Saturday against the Rays, allowing one unearned run on seven hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out six.

A throwing error by Xavier Edwards helped allow an unearned run to come across in the third inning, but it was smooth sailing for Alcantara on Saturday otherwise. The 30-year-old right-hander has been prone to the occasional hiccup, giving up seven runs on two separate occasions, but he's yielded two runs or fewer while working at least five frames in seven of his 10 outings in 2026. Alcantara will carry a 3.53 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 45:20 K:BB across 63.2 innings into his next scheduled appearance versus Atlanta.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that Gasser has a "good chance" at being recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start in Sunday's series finale against the Twins, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The Brewers are shorthanded in the rotation with both Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) and Quinn Priester (shoulder) are on the 15-day injured list, and Jacob Misiorowski was pulled from Wednesday's start against the Padres due to quad cramping. Gasser has spent the entire 2026 season in Triple-A, where he has a 3.74 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 32:8 K:BB across 21.2 innings. He made two starts last season for Milwaukee, allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks while striking out five across 5.2 frames.