MLB Player News

Eovaldi didn't factor into the decision after giving up two runs on three hits in six innings Thursday against Boston. He struck out nine.

It was a strong performance by Eovaldi, who bounced back following a shaky spring training that saw him yield eight runs in 13 Cactus League innings. The veteran right-hander mostly kept the Red Sox bats quiet, but he did allow a Connor Wong single to drive in a run in the third inning and a Wilyer Abreu home run to plate another in the fifth frame. Eovaldi projects to make his next start on the road next week against the Reds, though he may carry more fantasy risk than usual at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

Crochet didn't factor into the decision after giving up two runs on five hits and two walks in five innings Thursday against Texas. He struck out four.

Making his Red Sox debut after being acquired from the White Sox during the offseason, the hard-throwing lefty fired five solid innings against a righty-dominant Rangers lineup. Boston didn't grab the lead until the ninth inning, keeping Crochet out of the win column Thursday. Crochet tentatively has another tough matchup against the Orioles on the road next week, and he'll be looking to further build on his early success with his new team after allowing a lone run with a whopping 30 punchouts in 15.2 innings during spring training.

Lopez (0-1) gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks over five innings Thursday in taking the loss against the Cardinals. He struck out three.

Lopez didn't help himself with a key balk and error that led to runs, but manager Rocco Baldelli after the game said he thought the right-hander improved as the game went on. Lopez wasn't sharp this spring with a 6.62 ERA in five starts, and those struggles carried over into his season debut.

Gore didn't factor into the decision Thursday after allowing one hit over six scoreless innings during a loss to the Phillies. He struck out 13 without walking a batter.

It was a brilliant showing by the southpaw, whose dominance notably came against a star-studded Phillies lineup. A Kyle Schwarber single in the second inning would end up spoiling what was an otherwise perfect outing from Gore, who starts his third full major-league season looking to take a big step forward. Per Chad Jennings of The Athletic, Hall of Famer Bob Gibson is the only other pitcher in MLB history to strike out at least 13 batters on Opening Day without giving up a run or issuing a walk.

Wheeler didn't factor into the decision after giving up one run on two hits and two walks in six innings during Thursday's game against the Nationals. He struck out eight.

Although Wheeler certainly pitched well enough to deserve a win Thursday, the Phillies struggled to break through offensively until the later stages, and he was outdueled by MacKenzie Gore and his 13 strikeouts. Keibert Ruiz took Wheeler deep in the fifth frame, which ended up being the lone blemish to Wheeler's stat line. The star right-hander has a favorable matchup on tap against the Rockies at home next week.

Alcantara didn't factor into the decision in Thursday's game against the Pirates. He allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven across 4.2 innings.

Alcantara was in total control through the first four innings of Opening Day, including the third frame when he followed up a leadoff walk with three consecutive strikeouts. The right-hander started the fifth inning strong with two straight punchouts, but he allowed the next three hitters to reach before giving up a two-run single to Bryan Reynolds to end his day. Despite the underwhelming finish, it was an encouraging season debut as Alcantara made his first MLB appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery late in 2023. He understandably showed some signs of rust but still generated 16 swinging strikes on 91 pitches.

Berrios (0-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks in five innings during Thursday's game against Baltimore. He struck out five.

The Orioles knocked around Berrios, who served up a solo homer to Adley Rutschman in the first inning, a three-run shot to Tyler O'Neill in the third frame and another solo shot to Cedric Mullins in the fourth. Berrios was sharp while logging a 2.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 18 strikeouts across 20.2 innings in the Grapefruit League, and the veteran right-hander will look to get back on track in what appears to be a softer matchup in his next scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Nationals.

Eflin (1-0) picked up the win after giving up two runs on two hits and two walks in six innings during Thursday's game against the Blue Jays. He struck out two.

Eflin mostly cruised Thursday while getting plenty of run support, with Andres Gimenez's two-run home run in fourth inning serving as the brunt of the damage against him. Although the veteran right-hander posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with nine strikeouts over 11.2 innings during spring training, he looked much sharper in his season debut. Eflin threw just 78 pitches, so he'll aim to further build up his pitch count in his next scheduled start Wednesday at home against the Red Sox.

Skenes didn't factor into the decision in Thursday's Opening Day game against the Marlins. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out seven across 5.1 innings.

Skenes picked up where he left off from his 2024 NL Rookie of the Year campaign by striking out four of the first six batters he faced Thursday. He gave up single tallies in the third and sixth frames, the latter of which came on a passed ball after being replaced by Dennis Santana. Skenes was further let down by the bullpen in the eighth and ninth innings, costing him the win. A matchup with the Rays likely awaits next week for the right-hander.

King didn't factor into the decision Thursday against Atlanta, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks over 2.2 innings. He struck out three.

It was a shaky season debut for King, who needed 76 pitches to record just eight outs. He was ultimately forced out of the game in the third inning after giving up a two-run homer to Ozzie Albies. King will look to bounce back in his second outing, currently scheduled for next week against Cleveland. The 29-year-old right-hander was impressive last season, going 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 201 strikeouts.