MLB Player News

Sandoval did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing one run on six hits and one walk over six innings against Toronto. He struck out two.

It was far from a dominant effort for Sandoval with just the two strikeouts, but he deserved better than a no-decision Friday. The southpaw's only run allowed came in the fourth on a fielder's choice off the bat of Santiago Espinal. Unfortunately for Sandoval, the Angels were unable to hold the lead with Bo Bichette hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh. In two starts, the 26-year-old has registered a 1.64 ERA with a 4:3 K:BB ratio in 11 innings.

Bassitt (1-1) earned the win Friday, allowing three runs on two hits and five walks over six innings against the Angels. He struck out five while walking five.

Bassitt had control issues, but he was able to work around those free passes thanks in large part to those five strikeouts. It's a much better outing than the one he had in his debut with the Blue Jays in which he was charged for nine runs over 3.1 innings. Bassitt will look to build on this effort next week, and he's scheduled for a friendly matchup against the Tigers.

Kershaw (1-1) took the loss Friday while allowing four runs in six innings on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts against the Diamondbacks.

Kershaw gave up a run in the first and third and then allowed two homers in the sixth. The southpaw threw 58 of 91 pitches for strikes in a so-so effort at best. Kershaw will take a 3.75 ERA into a start that's scheduled for next week in San Francisco.

Flaherty (1-1) was charged with the loss Friday in Milwaukee after he gave up two runs on four hits and six walks across five innings. He struck out three.

The Brewers tallied two runs on three hits and two walks during the third inning Friday, but Flaherty was otherwise able to limit the damage. The right-hander threw 50 of his 94 pitches for strikes and has now walked 13 batters through his first two starts of the season. Though he's allowed just two runs on four singles in 10 frames, it's only a matter of time before the free passes come around to score if Flaherty is unable to more consistently find the zone.

Urena (0-2) took the loss Friday, allowing six runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and three walks with no strikeouts over 2.2 innings against the Nationals.

Urena gave up back-to-back homers to begin the start to Alex Call and Jeimer Candelario and two more runs in the second and the third. He was hurt by his defense, but it's another rough outing for the right-hander that sees him fall to 0-2 with a 14.40 ERA. It goes without saying, but Urena is not a recommend streaming option for his next scheduled start next week against the Cardinals.

Woodruff (1-0) earned the win Friday against the Cardinals after allowing four hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 5.1 scoreless innings.

The right-hander scattered four singles and generated 15 swinging strikes, as St. Louis was unable to get anything going against him. Woodruff is off to a strong start in 2023 with just one run allowed and a 12:3 K:BB in 11.1 frames, and he tentatively lines up to make his next turn through the rotation during the middle of next week in Arizona.

Gore (2-0) allowed two runs on five hits over six innings in Friday's victory over the Rockies. He struck out six while walking two.

Gore has pitched well in the first two appearances of the year, and he's picked up victories in both outings. The left-hander gave up a long homer to Ryan McMahon in the second and a run-scoring single to Yonathan Daza in the fourth. Gore now has a 2.38 ERA over 11.1 innings with a 12:6 K:BB. It's easy to understand why he isn't long removed from being considered the best pitching prospect in baseball.

Shuster gave up four runs on six hits and four walks over four innings during Friday's 5-4 loss to the Padres. He had four strikeouts and did not factor in the decision.

The 24-year-old got into trouble early, as the Friars struck for two runs in the opening frame on two hits and three walks, including one free pass with the bases loaded. Shuster has surrendered eight runs on 12 hits with a 5:9 K:BB across 8.2 innings through his first two big-league starts, and he's likely headed back to the minors with Kyle Wright (shoulder) poised to return from the injured list early next week.

Urquidy did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk over 5.1 innings during a 3-2 loss to the Twins. He struck out six.

Urquidy didn't match Sonny Gray's strikeout numbers, but he was every bit as strong as the two faced off in a classic pitching duel. The lone run on Urquidy's ledger was charged after Donovan Solano scored on a wild pitch by Bryan Abreu, who replaced the right-handed starter with one out and two runners on in the sixth inning. This was certainly a solid bounce-back performance for Urquidy after he allowed two homers in his first start of the season.

Gray did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing one run on four hits and one walk over seven frames during a 3-2 win over the Astros in 10 innings. He struck out 13.

Aside from an RBI single by Alex Bregman in the third, Gray was nearly untouchable as he cruised through seven strong frames and struck out a career-high 13 batters. However, it wasn't enough for the veteran right-hander to pull out a win, as the Twins offense was stymied by Jose Urquidy. Through two starts, Gray has looked as sharp as ever, surrendering just seven hits, five walks and one run over 12 innings.