MLB Player News

Holmes struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief during Thursday's loss to the Padres.

The 29-year-old right-hander won a spot in Atlanta's initial rotation, but with his first start not expected to come until Monday, Holmes was available to come out of the bullpen for the final frame of a 7-4 loss. The usage could be an early signal that he's more likely than AJ Smith-Shawver to shift to a relief role once Spencer Strider (elbow) is ready to make his 2025 debut, but the performance of Holmes and Smith-Shawver as starters over the next few weeks will ultimately be the biggest factor in that decision.

The Mets officially placed Blackburn (knee) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Blackburn opened the season on the shelf after experiencing right knee inflammation coming out of his final spring training appearance. He received an injection to alleviate the discomfort and is currently in the midst of a 7-to-10-day no-throw period. He's not expected to require much time to ramp up once the pain in his knee subsides, potentially putting Blackburn in line for a mid-to-late April return from the IL.

Gilbert didn't factor in the decision Thursday against the Athletics after striking out eight and giving up one run on two hits and no walks over seven innings.

The right-hander kept the A's off the board aside from a solo homer by Tyler Soderstrom in the fifth inning, as Gilbert and Luis Severino engaged in a pitcher's duel before the two bullpens combined to allow five runs across the seventh and eighth innings. Gilbert consistently worked ahead in the count and threw a first-pitch strike to 22 of the 23 batters he faced. He's established himself as one of the most reliable starters in MLB and could contend for the AL Cy Young Award in 2025, especially if he can improve even slightly on his 3.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 220:37 K:BB across 208.2 innings from last year.

Severino didn't factor in the decision Thursday against Seattle after striking out six and allowing three hits and four walks over six scoreless innings.

The right-hander was a bit wild at times with four free passes and a hit-by-pitch, but he kept the Mariners off the board by scattering the baserunners and not giving up any extra-base hits. Severino missed out on the victory when the A's bullpen was unable to maintain a 1-0 lead, but it was still a strong debut with the team after inking a two-year, $45 million contract in December. He lines up to pitch against the Cubs next week.

Gallen (0-1) took the loss Thursday against the Cubs after giving up four runs on four hits and four walks over four innings. He struck out four.

Gallen finished spring training with a 2.89 ERA and 10:5 K:BB in 9.1 Cactus League innings, and his command was shaky again Thursday as he threw just 43 of 83 pitches for strikes. The right-hander will need to get on track quickly, as he's set for a matchup with the Yankees in his second start of the season next week.

Steele (1-1) earned the win Thursday in Arizona after allowing three runs on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out two.

The left-hander pounded the zone and threw 55 of 77 pitches for strikes, but he generated just four whiffs as Arizona tagged him for three extra-base hits. Steele was able to limit the damage well enough, but he's now surrendered three homers through his first two starts of the season after serving up two long balls in Tokyo against the Dodgers. A more favorable matchup with the Athletics is on the docket next week.

Severino did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing three hits and four walks over six scoreless innings against Seattle. He struck out six.

Severino gave a strong performance in his A's debut as his bullpen blew a late lead to cost him the victory. He picked up where he left off with the Mets in 2024 with a bounce-back season, during which he had 3.91 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 31 regular-season starts last year.

Skubal (0-1) allowed four earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two across five innings to take the loss Thursday against the Dodgers.

Skubal faced a stiff test on Opening Day, and that showed as he generated only eight swinging strikes on 80 total pitches. He still did a solid job of limiting runs and baserunners, but the big blow came on a three-run homer that he surrendered to Teoscar Hernandez in the fifth inning. There's no reason to panic regarding this performance for Skubal, though it would be reassuring to see him return to his typical dominance in his next turn through the rotation, which is expected to come next week in Seattle.

Snell (1-0) allowed two earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Tigers.

Snell managed to limit runs and complete five innings to earn the win, though it wasn't a sharp debut with the Dodgers. He found the zone with only 53 of his 92 pitches and allowed multiple baserunners in three of his five frames. Snell will likely continue to run a relatively elevated walk rate based on his track record, but he should be able to pile up strikeouts more consistently in upcoming starts.

Gray (1-0) allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Twins.

Gray was battling an illness late in spring training that had caused him to lose strength, though he didn't show any signs of weakness on Opening Day. He generated 11 called strikes and 12 swinging strikes across 77 total pitches, and the lone blemish on his box score came on a two-run homer by Harrison Bader in the fifth frame. Gray could lose some of the swing-and-miss stuff he showcased Thursday in his age-35 campaign, but he should remain a reliable starter for fantasy purposes.