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Michael Kennedy SP | CLE
Guardians' Michael Kennedy: Shelved at High-A
High-A Lake County placed Kennedy on its 7-day injured list Wednesday due to right knee soreness.
Kennedy, 20, has delivered a 3.38 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB across 16 innings over his four appearances (two starts) with Lake County. The young lefty is in his first season in the Cleveland organization after being acquired from Pittsburgh in December.
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Jose Berrios SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jose Berrios: Fans nine in no-decision
Berrios allowed two runs on five hits and five walks while striking out nine batters over six-plus innings in a no-decision against the Angels on Wednesday.
Berrios was a bit wild with a season-high five walks (though one was intentional) and a hit batsman, yet he also racked up 18 whiffs and a season-best nine punchouts. The veteran righty began the game with five scoreless frames, but he faltered late, allowing two of the final four batters he faced to hit a solo homer. Nonetheless, this was another strong start by Berrios, who picked up his second straight quality start and fourth such outing this season. Since giving up six runs against Baltimore in his season debut March 27, Berrios has been much better, posting a 3.02 ERA and 40:19 K:BB over 41.2 frames.
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Yusei Kikuchi SP | LAA
Angels' Yusei Kikuchi: Impressive against former squad
Kikuchi allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings in a no-decision against Toronto on Wednesday.
Kikuchi was ultra-efficient in the start, throwing 70 of 91 pitches for strikes -- a promising development given that he entered the game with a poor 4.7 BB/9. The lefty tossed five scoreless frames to begin the contest before giving up his lone run in the sixth. Kikuchi wasn't rewarded for his fine effort with a win, but he did notch his fourth quality start of the campaign and his first since April 9. The veteran hurler still doesn't have a victory this season, though his numbers have been tolerable -- he has a 3.83 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 39:20 K:BB over 42.1 frames spanning eight starts.
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Chase Dollander SP | COL
Rockies' Chase Dollander: Lasts just three frames Wednesday
Dollander allowed six runs on five hits and three walks without notching any strikeouts over three-plus innings in a no-decision against Detroit on Wednesday.
Dollander yielded just one extra-base hit, but he hurt himself by issuing three free passes, as all three recipients came around to score. The right-hander actually looked good to start the game by retiring the first six batters he faced, but he yielded three runs on four hits in the third and then allowed all four of the batters he faced to reach in the fourth before getting the hook. Dollander has certainly experienced growing pains as a rookie this season -- he's allowed four or more runs in four of his six starts and has a 7.71 ERA through 28 innings. He'll look to make a more positive impact in his next start, which lines up to come against the Rangers next week.
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Jackson Jobe SP | DET
Tigers' Jackson Jobe: Lit up in no-decision
Jobe allowed six runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 3.2 innings in a no-decision against Colorado on Wednesday.
Jobe was initially slated to start Tuesday, but his outing was pushed back one day due to a rainout. The rookie right-hander got off on the wrong foot against Colorado when Ryan McMahon tagged him for a two-run home run in the first inning, and Jobe gave up another two-run shot -- this time to Michael Toglia -- in the third. He was allowed to pitched into the fourth frame but got the hook after giving up another run on two hits in that inning. Jobe hadn't given up more than three runs in a start this season prior to Wednesday, so this was easily his worst appearance of the campaign. He'll look to bounce back in his next trip to the mound, which tentatively lines up to come against Boston next week.
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Charlie Morton SP | ATL
Orioles' Charlie Morton: Falls to 0-7
Morton (0-7) took the loss against Minnesota on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out two batters over four innings.
After being demoted to a bulk-relief and then a bullpen role in late April, Morton was given another chance to start Wednesday since the Twins needed to fill a rotation spot. The veteran righty actually fared slightly better than he had in his previous five starts -- the three runs were the fewest he's given up in a starting appearance so far this season, and he walked just one batter -- but that's not saying much since he lasted only four frames and took his MLB-worst seventh loss. Given Morton's 9.38 ERA through 31.2 innings on the campaign, there's ample reason to believe that Father Time may have finally caught up to the 41-year-old. With starter Zach Eflin (lat) slated to be activated from the injured list this weekend, it's likely that Morton will head back to the bullpen.
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Simeon Woods Richardson RP | TOR
Twins' Simeon Woods Richardson: Throws just 61 pitches in start
Woods Richardson tossed 4.2 innings in a no-decision against Baltimore on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one batter.
Woods Richardson had control issues in the outing, throwing just 33 of 61 pitches for strikes. Still, he walked only one batter and allowed just one run through four frames. The right-hander retired the first two batters he faced in the fifth, but after Baltimore then strung together three straight hits for a run, Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli elected to pull Woods Richardson rather than give him another chance to get the final out he needed to qualify for a win. It was the second straight start in which Woods Richardson has gone exactly 4.2 frames, and he's completed fewer than five innings in three of his past four appearances, which doesn't shine a positive light on his current fantasy appeal.
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Next start pushed back
Ryan won't start as scheduled against the Orioles on Thursday due to an illness.
Bailey Ober will start Thursday's series finale in Ryan's place. The 28-year-old right-hander will presumably look to make his next start once he's feeling better, which could set him up for a date with the Giants over the weekend.
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Taijuan Walker SP | LAA
Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Closes out blowout victory
Walker picked up the save in Wednesday's 7-0 win over the Rays after allowing one hit and no walks in three scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
It was the first career save for the veteran right-hander, who shut down the Rays on Wednesday with a season-high seven strikeouts. It also marked Walker's first appearance since shifting back to the bullpen following the recent return of Ranger Suarez. Walker will likely continue to fill a bulk-relief role while Philadelphia's rotation is healthy, and he's bouncing back from a dreadful 2024 campaign with a 2.30 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 29:13 K:BB over 31.1 innings so far this year.