MLB Player News

Perez didn't factor into the decision while working three innings in relief in Wednesday's 8-6 win over Washington. He struck out four and allowed two earned runs on three hits (two home runs) and no walks.

Perez had been lined up to start Thursday's series finale in Washington, but he ended up being pressed into duty in bulk relief after starter Didier Fuentes labored through three innings. The three-inning outing was the shortest appearance of the season for Perez, who still owns an excellent 2.70 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB over his first 23.1 frames. While Atlanta could move Perez back into the rotation for their three-game set with Detroit at the beginning of next week, he likely wouldn't be in line for more than one start since Spencer Strider (oblique) appears likely to return from the injured list for next weekend's series in Colorado.

Littell (0-3) took the loss Wednesday against Atlanta, allowing eight runs (six earned) on seven hits (four home runs) and two walks in six innings. He struck out one.

After serving up the second-most homers in the major leagues a year ago, Littell is being plagued by the long ball once again in 2026. The right-hander tied his career worst in homers allowed Wednesday, and he's now been tagged for multiple big flies in all but one of his first five starts of the year en route to giving up an MLB-high 11 round-trippers so far. Though the Mets rank near the bottom of the majors in homers (17) through their first 24 games, Littell still won't be a recommended fantasy option when he takes a 7.56 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB through 25 frames into his next scheduled start in Queens.

Atlanta is expected to select Carrasco's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.

Carrasco has made four starts at Triple-A Gwinnett this year and owns a 1.71 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB through 21 innings. He's now set to make his return to the big leagues but will likely operate in a long-relief role, as Atlanta will have an opening in its bullpen once Dylan Dodd (back) is officially placed on the injured list.

Atlanta will place Dodd on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a back strain, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.

Dodd was summoned from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and gave up an earned run in his appearance against Washington, but he seems to have come away from his outing with a back issue. He'll spend at least a couple of weeks on the injured list as a result, and Carlos Carrasco will come up from Triple-A to round out Atlanta's bullpen.

Atlanta will select Ritchie's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Thursday's game against the Nationals, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Considered to be one of the best pitching prospects in Atlanta's farm system, Ritchie has posted a 0.99 ERA and 1.03 WHIP alongside a 28:13 K:BB through 27.1 innings (five starts) at Gwinnett this season. He's now earned the right to make a start with Atlanta and will take on a Nationals offense that ranks second in MLB with 142 runs scored through 25 games. The 22-year-old's time in the majors is likely to be brief, as Spencer Strider (oblique) is nearing the end of his rehab assignment and could return from the injured list next week. However, an impressive outing Thursday could buy Ritchie another start in the big leagues.

Freeland (shoulder) threw 41 pitches in a simulated game Wednesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Freeland utilized his entire arsenal and told reporters after the session that he had no issues with his shoulder. The 32-year-old southpaw is eligible to be activated off the 15-day injured list April 28, and it looks like he'll be ready to return to major-league action at that time, barring any setbacks.

The Cubs activated Boyd (biceps) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Boyd is set to rejoin the rotation with a start Wednesday against the Phillies after missing the past two-plus weeks with a left biceps strain. The left-hander threw 64 pitches and went 3.2 innings in his lone rehab outing last Thursday, so he might not be ready for a full workload in his first start back from the injured list.

Williamson (2-2) took the loss Wednesday as the Reds were downed 6-1 by the Rays, coughing up five runs on seven hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out three.

A third-inning solo shot by Junior Caminero marked the only extra-base hit off Williamson, but the southpaw has trouble putting hitters away and tossed 54 strikes among his 87 pitches. He's failed to last five frames in three of his five starts so far this season, producing a 5.40 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 15:16 K:BB over 25 innings, With Nick Lodolo (blister) getting close to making his 2026 debut, Williamson's time in the rotation could be nearing an end.

The Cardinals are likely to insert Dobbins (knee) as part of a six-man rotation during their stretch of 17 games without an off day that begins Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Coming back from last year's ACL surgery, Dobbins is slated to make a fifth rehab start with Triple-A Memphis on Saturday. That would put him in line to make his Cardinals debut as soon as April 30 in Pittsburgh, and he appears likely to receive multiple turns as the club looks to keep their rotation members rested. Acquired over the offseason from the Red Sox in the Willson Contreras trade, Dobbins holds a 3.86 ERA and 16:4 K:BB over 18.2 frames covering his first four rehab outings with Memphis.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that Peterson will have his turn in the rotation skipped this week and will work out of the bullpen, SNY.tv reports.

While starting in each of his first four appearances of the season, Peterson struggled to a 6.41 ERA and 1.83 WHIP, but he delivered better results while working in bulk relief behind opener Tobias Myers in Sunday's loss to the Cubs, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings. Despite the strong showing out of the bullpen, Peterson's grasp on a full-time spot in the rotation still appears to be tenuous, and the Mets will skip his turn this week and instead call up Christian Scott from Triple-A Syracuse to serve as their fifth starter Thursday versus the Twins. The Mets haven't revealed their plans for the rotation beyond this week, but if Scott performs well in his 2026 big-league debut, it's possible that he sticks as a starter over Peterson moving forward.