MLB Player News

Bradish (6-6) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up five runs on seven hits and two walks over 6.2 innings as the Orioles fell 6-4 to the Phillies. He struck out three.

The right-hander hadn't been tagged for more than three runs in a start since May 23, ending a sizzling stretch during which Bradish had posted a 2.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 60:12 K:BB through 10 outings and 60 innings. He'll look to get back on track in his next start, which is likely to come early next week in Toronto.

Lugo (4-5) took the loss Wednesday, giving up two runs on three hits over seven innings as the Padres fell 3-2 to the Pirates. He struck out eight without walking a batter.

The right-hander generated an eye-popping 31 called or swinging strikes on only 84 pitches, but he got little run support and left the mound down 2-1 after solo shots by Ji-Man Choi in the second inning and Bryan Reynolds in the fourth. Lugo has delivered four quality starts in his last five outings, and since returning to the rotation in mid-June he's posted a 3.12 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 41:5 K:BB through 40.1 innings. He faces a tough challenge in his next start, however, which is likely to come early next week in Coors Field.

Oviedo (4-11) picked up the win in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Padres, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.

The right-hander tossed only 53 of 90 pitches for strikes, but he avoided serious damage and was able to collect his first win since May 19, having gone 0-8 in the 11 outings since. Oviedo will carry a 4.60 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 106:49 K:BB through 117.1 innings into his next start, likely to come at home next week against the Tigers.

Gonsolin (5-4) took the loss Wednesday as the Dodgers fell 8-1 to the Blue Jays, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out five.

The right-hander continues to wilt in the summer heat. Gonsolin has been tagged for at least four runs in six of his last seven starts, stumbling to a 7,25 ERA over that stretch despite a superficially respectable 1.39 WHIP. The 29-year-old's 19.7 percent strikeout rate and 9.7 percent swinging strike rate on the season are career lows, as is his 92.6 mph average on his fastball, and Gonsolin could be tough to deploy even as a streaming option in the second half if he can't regain some of those lost whiffs. He's next set to take the mound at home next week against the A's.

Kikuchi (8-3) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks over six innings in an 8-1 victory over the Dodgers. He struck out eight.

The southpaw delivered his first quality start since June 25 while generating an impressive 33 called or swinging strikes among his 103 pitches. Kikuchi wraps up July with a 3.91 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 31:8 K:BB through 25.1 innings on the month, and he'll need to keep pitching well if he wants to hang onto his rotation spot with Hyun Jin Ryu (elbow) on the verge of making his 2023 debut.

Alcantara (4-9) earned the win Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk over nine innings against the Rays. He struck out seven.

Alcantara needed only 14 pitches to get through the first two innings before allowing a leadoff double to Josh Lowe in the third, which would lead to one run coming across for the Rays. The right-hander would allow just three singles and a walk from that point on en route to recording his second complete game of the season. It's been a disappointing year for Alcantara, though he's currently enjoying his best month of the season so far, posting a 3.31 ERA in July to go along with a 30:6 K:BB.

Strider allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters over 6.1 innings in a no-decision against Boston on Wednesday.

Strider cruised through five scoreless frames before Rafael Devers tagged him for a solo homer in the sixth. Strider got through the rest of that inning and continued into the seventh, when he surrendered another solo shot to Triston Casas before getting the hook after allowing a single to the following batter. The Red Sox turned out two more runs in the frame following the hurler's departure, saddling him with a no-decision. Despite the late struggles, Strider posted another big outing from a fantasy perspective, tallying double-digit punchouts for his fourth straight start. The right-hander has just one win and a so-so 4.01 ERA during that span, but he's posted a remarkable 44:3 K:BB across 24.2 frames during the stretch to boost his MLB-best strikeout total to 199 -- 37 more than his closest competition (Kevin Gausman).

Bello pitched six innings against Atlanta on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four batters in a no-decision.

Bello got a few extra days between starts after going on paternity leave and flying home to the Dominican Republic last weekend. The right-hander was solid in his return, holding one of MLB's top offenses scoreless over five frames before surrendering a three-run homer to Ozzie Albies in the sixth. Bello completed that inning to collect his eighth quality start over his past nine outings, and he got off the hook for a loss thanks to a late Boston comeback. Bello has emerged as a rotation staple for the Red Sox this season, compiling a 3.66 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 82:26 K:BB over 96 frames while registering a 7-6 record.

Quintana (0-2) took the loss against the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five batters over six innings.

Quintana made his second start of the campaign and went one more inning than in his season debut against the White Sox on July 20, when he allowed two runs over five frames. The left-hander picked up a quality start against the Yankees but got inadequate run support to drop to 0-2. Quintana worked up to 94 pitches Wednesday, so he appears to already be capable of managing a nearly full workload. Despite taking a loss in each of his first two outings, he's been fine with a 3.27 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.

Rodon (1-3) earned the win over the Mets on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks while striking out four batters over 5.2 innings.

Rodon logged his longest outing of the campaign, notching one more out than he did in his season debut against the Cubs on July 7. The left-hander continued to struggle with his control -- he's walked multiple batters in each of his four starts and has 12 walks across 20.1 innings on the campaign -- but Rodon held the Mets to just one extra-base hit and one run. He appears to still be trying to find his groove, having managed just a 6.7 K/9 after posting a 12.2 K/9 over his previous two campaigns combined. Nonetheless, Wednesday's win was a step in the right direction given that Rodon had dropped each of his first three starts.