MLB Player News

Kirby (7-5) earned the win over the White Sox on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine batters over six innings.

Kirby had his swing-and-miss stuff working, as he racked up a hearty 19 whiffs and nine punchouts. The right-hander didn't give up any extra-base hits among the five knocks he allowed and fired a first-pitch strike to 17 of the 25 batters he faced. Kirby also recorded his third straight quality start and has posted six such outings over his past eight appearances. His 4.04 ERA is still well below his career norm, but Kirby has yielded two or fewer earned runs in nine of his 14 starts on the season.

Strider (5-9) took the loss against Milwaukee on Wednesday, allowing five runs on 11 hits and one walk while striking out six batters over 4.2 innings.

Strider not only gave up a bloated 11 hits during his time on the mound, seven of those knocks -- five doubles and two homers -- went for extra bases. He did flash his usual swing-and-miss stuff with 15 whiffs and six punchouts, but the Brewers' quality of contact when they did hit the ball doomed the right-hander to a poor outing. The five earned runs Strider allowed tied his season-worst mark and pushed his ERA on the campaign to a below-average 4.04. However, the veteran hurler had been hitting his stride prior to Wednesday, completing at least five innings and allowing three or fewer earned runs in each of his previous 10 starts. He'll look to get back on that track in his next appearance, which is projected to come on the road against the Mets.

Quintana (9-4) earned the win over Atlanta on Wednesday, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out seven batters over six innings.

Quintana had a rocky start to his outing, allowing three singles that created one run in the first inning. He then settled down, keeping Atlanta off the board for the next three frames before surrendering a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings. Quintana's seven punchouts marked a season high, and this was just the fourth time over 17 outings that he didn't issue a free pass. With nine victories so far, the veteran left-hander has a legitimate chance of surpassing his career-high mark of 13 regular-season wins, which he has achieved on three separate occasions.

Nola (ankle/rib) made his second rehab start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks in 3.2 innings. He struck out six.

Nola stretched out to 69 pitches Wednesday, which sets him up to make a third and potentially final rehab appearance before finally being able to rejoin Philadelphia's rotation in mid-August, barring any setbacks. The veteran right-hander initially landed on the injured list May 15 with a sprained right ankle and then sustained a stress fracture in his right rib while rehabbing the former ailment, though Nola said that both his ankle and rib felt good after his first rehab outing, per Paul Casella of MLB.com.

Flaherty (6-11) took the loss against the Twins on Wednesday, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings.

Flaherty allowed runs in four separate innings and struggled to locate, throwing just 49 of 82 pitches for strikes while generating only four whiffs. The 29-year-old entered the contest with back-to-back quality starts and a 2.40 ERA over three outings since the All-Star break, but Wednesday marked the fifth time he's allowed five or more runs this season. He owns a 4.56 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 147:48 K:BB across 120.1 innings and will look to rebound in a road matchup with the White Sox early next week.

Cavalli didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Athletics, allowing three hits and one walk in 4.1 scoreless innings. He struck out six.

Making his first big-league appearance since 2022, Cavalli showcased plenty of swing-and-miss stuff in the form of 19 whiffs during an impressive season debut. The right-hander touched 99 mph with his fastball three times as he fired 88 pitches Wednesday, so he appears ready to handle a full starter's workload for his next scheduled appearance in Kansas City. With Michael Soroka having been traded away, Cavalli is looking to maintain a starting role in Washington's rotation the rest of the way.

Springs didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Nationals, allowing one run on one hit and no walks in six innings. He struck out five.

Springs brought a bid for a perfect game into the sixth inning, but he was taken deep by Riley Adams to end those hopes. The left-hander hurled at least six innings for the fifth time in his last six starts, and he's become a fairly consistent fantasy play following a sluggish start to the year that saw him post a 6.04 ERA through April 26. Springs owns a 3.30 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 80:24 K:BB over 103.2 innings since the start of May, and he's next lined up for a favorable home matchup versus a Rays team with a .591 OPS against left-handed pitching since the beginning of July.

Leiter came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Yankees, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks over 3.1 innings. He struck out three.

The young righty threw only 33 of 68 pitches for strikes before getting the hook, as Leiter failed to complete at least five innings for the third time in six starts since the beginning of July. Despite those struggles, he's still managed to post a respectable 3.45 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 28.2 innings over that stretch, albeit with a 1.46 WHIP and 20 walks. Leiter will look to improve his efficiency in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Diamondbacks.

Rodon came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Rangers, giving up two runs on six hits and four walks over five-plus innings. He struck out three.

The veteran lefty once again struggled to get the ball over the plate consistently, issuing at least three free passes for the fifth time in his last seven starts. Over that stretch, Rodon has produced a 4.50 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 40:22 K:BB in 38 innings. He'll try to tighten things up in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Twins.

Junk (6-2) recorded the win Wednesday against the Astros, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.

Junk gave up a pair of runs in the opening frame but was able to settle down afterwards, tossing four innings of one-run ball the rest of the way. Although the right-hander is without a quality start in any of his last four outings, he's pitched at least five innings in seven consecutive appearances. Junk will take a solid 3.97 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 50:8 K:BB across 70.1 innings into his next scheduled start, which is set to come in Cleveland against the Guardians.