MLB Player News

Lowder (3-1) picked up the win Monday against the Rays after giving up one run on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts over six innings.

The right-hander delivered a second straight quality start, and third of the campaign, while limiting Tampa Bay to a single first-inning run during Monday's victory. Lowder has already set a career high with three wins and has enjoyed a productive start to the campaign with a 3.10 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 18:9 K:BB across 29 innings.

Meyer didn't factor into the decision in Monday's 5-3 win over the Cardinals, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out eight.

The eight K's were a season high, and Meyer saw a season-high workload with 5.1 innings and 91 pitches (59 strikes). The right-hander is beginning to find a groove, posting a 3.52 ERA and 17:6 K:BB over his last three starts and 15.1 innings, but he has yet to put together a truly dominant outing despite the fact that his slider is producing an eye-popping 50.8 percent whiff rate in the early going. Meyer will look to carry his momentum into his next start, which lines up to come on the road this weekend in San Francisco.

Varland struck out three over 1.1 perfect innings Monday to record his third hold of the season in a 5-2 win over the Angels.

The right-hander has been the Blue Jays' best reliever through the first month of the season, producing a 0.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and dominant 19:3 K:BB through 12.1 innings while allowing just one hit so far on his high-90s four-seamer. Jeff Hoffman righted the ship a bit in Monday's win, striking out the side himself in the ninth while picking up his third save, but the Toronto closer's job security remains low given his three blown saves, 6.97 ERA and 1.94 WHIP. If Hoffman does get removed from the ninth, Varland has positioned himself to be the next man up in save situations.

Valera will undergo an MRI on his right elbow after exiting his most recent start for High-A Greenville last Thursday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Valera missed three months last season with right elbow inflammation. The 19-year-old was placed on Greenville's 7-day injured list Friday, and while the Red Sox seem optimistic that he's not dealing with structural damage to his elbow, more will be known once the imaging results are in. Valera boasts a 1.93 ERA and 17:4 K:BB over 9.1 frames so far this season with Greenville.

Atlanta recalled Dodd from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Dodd picked up a three-inning save in his lone appearance out off the Atlanta bullpen earlier this month. He'll provide the team's relief corps with some length.

Tolle had a start skipped at Triple-A Worcester over the weekend as part of a contingency plan for the Red Sox, who may need to call him up for a spot start this week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

As it turned out, the Red Sox didn't need to summon Tolle during the team's recent four-game set against the Tigers. However,Tolle could be needed as a potential replacement in the rotation for Sonny Gray, who is expected to land on the 15-day injured list after suffering a hamstring injury during his start in Monday's 8-6 win over Detroit. Tolle is the logical candidate to replace Gray, who's next turn through the rotation was set for Saturday in Baltimore.

Lodolo (finger) is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

Lodolo, who threw a two-inning sim game last Friday, will increase his activity Tuesday. The left-hander has been dealing with a blister on his left index finger since late in spring training.

Hancock allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out three batters over five-plus innings in a no-decision against the Athletics on Monday.

Hancock held the A's to just one run (on a Carlos Cortes solo homer) through five frames, but he then served up back-to-back solo shots to Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers in the sixth before being pulled. It was just the second time through five outings that Hancock has been unable to complete six frames, and Monday marked the first time the right-hander has served up more than one long ball in a contest. Hancock has opened the campaign pitching quite well, posting a 2.83 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 28:4 K:BB through 28.2 innings.

Detmers (1-2) took the loss against Toronto on Monday, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five batters over six-plus innings.

Detmers fell behind in the second inning when he served up a two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The left-handed hurler got through the following three frames without incident but then gave up another run in the sixth. Detmers took the mound for the start of the seventh but walked the first batter he faced before being lifted, and the runner he put on base eventually came around to score. This wasn't Detmers' most impressive outing, but on a positive note, he completed six frames for the third time through his first five starts. His transition back to a starting role this season has gone mostly well so far, as Detmers holds a 4.08 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 31:8 K:BB through 28.2 innings.

Cease (1-0) earned the win over the Angels on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out 12 batters over five innings.

Cease needed 110 pitches to get through five frames, but that's largely because Angels hitters had a hard time putting his pitches in play. Of the 15 outs the right-hander recorded, 12 came via punchouts, and Cease racked up a whopping 18 total whiffs. The big performance helped Cease earn his first win as a Blue Jay, though he's pitched well enough this season to deserve more. Through five starts, Cease has posted a 2.10 ERA and 1.29 ERA across 25.2 frames. He also leads MLB with 44 punchouts and has yet to serve up a home run.