MLB Player News

Baz (elbow) will start his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

After undergoing elbow surgery in March, Baz has slowly been working his way back and will now take another step forward Thursday. The 22-year-old is expected to pitch two innings and will look to build off that moving forward, as he will need multiple rehab outings before rejoining the Rays. The former first-round pick started three games for Tampa Bay in 2021, producing an impressive 2.03 ERA and 0.68 WHIP with 18 punchouts over 13.1 frames. Baz is eligible to be reinstated from the injured list June 6.

Hancock (lat) worked 1.1 innings Tuesday in his season debut for Double-A Arkansas, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk while striking out two.

Making his first appearance of 2022 after he was sidelined for minor-league minicamp and spring training with a strained right lat muscle, Hancock was predictably rusty. He needed 36 pitches just to retire four of the eight hitters he faced, and he also hit a batter in addition to issuing a walk. Expect Hancock to gradually increase his pitch count in his subsequent outings once he's further removed from the lat injury.

Williams gave up four hits across four scoreless innings but didn't factor into the decision in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals. He struck out six without walking a batter.

Making his second start of the season, Williams baffled the Cards over 65 pitches (46 strikes) but wasn't stretched out enough to earn a win for his efforts in a 3-1 victory. With Tylor Megill (biceps) on the injured list, Williams figured to hang onto a rotation spot for a while, but his track record suggests he'll be volatile in that role.

Mikolas (3-2) took the loss in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Mets, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.

The veteran right-hander didn't pitch badly and pounded the strike zone as per usual, but the Cardinals didn't score their only run of the game until the eighth inning, hanging Mikolas out to dry. He tossed 106 pitches (84 strikes) in his fifth quality start of the season, and he'll carry a stellar 1.68 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 36:9 K:BB through 48.1 innings into his next outing.

Martin (0-1) took the loss in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Royals, allowing one run on five hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out seven.

Making his big-league debut, Martin kept Kansas City mostly in check over 91 pitches (64 strikes), but he got outdueled by Brady Singer and had no margin for error. There doesn't appear to be any room for the 25-year-old in the Chicago rotation on a full-time basis with Johnny Cueto just added to the mix, but Martin has earned another callup the next time the White Sox need another arm.

Cease (4-1) picked up the win in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Royals, allowing seven hits and two walks over 5.2 scoreless innings. He struck out nine.

The right-hander fired 94 pitches (61 strikes) in falling just short of his third quality start of the season, but it was still another dominant outing for Cease. He's struck out at least eight batters in each of his last five starts, posting a 2.93 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and stunning 48:10 K:BB through 27.2 innings over that stretch.

Anderson (4-0) earned the victory and allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out seven across seven innings in a 12-3 win Tuesday over Arizona.

Both runs against Anderson came in the first inning with two outs when Jordan Luplow and Christian Walker hit back-to-back solo shots. In his last six frames, Anderson skated through the Diamondbacks' lineup, scattering four singles and allowing only one player to reach second base. The lefty was efficient, needing only 82 pitches in his best start as a Dodger. While the 32-year-old has an excellent 34:5 K:BB, his six home runs allowed in 35.2 innings are largely the reason his ERA sits at 4.04.

Kelly (3-2) took the loss Tuesday against the Dodgers, allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two in two innings.

Kelly was ineffective from the start, as the first three batters reached safely, plating two runs. The second inning then saw six runs cross the plate, three on Edwin Rios' home run. In all, nine of the 14 batters he faced reached safely. After not allowing a home run in his first six starts, Kelly has given up a homer in consecutive starts. Despite the poor outing Tuesday, he's still sporting a 3.27 ERA across 44 innings.

Kaprielian allowed two runs on four hits and a walk, striking out six in 5.1 innings of a 5-2 win Tuesday over Minnesota. He did not factor into the decision.

Kaprielian retired the side in order in the first two innings and pitched around hits in the third and fourth innings. He gave up solo home runs to Royce Lewis and Gary Sanchez in the next two frames, however, ending Kaprielian's evening. While the 28-year-old has not yet recorded a win, he has pitched well in three straight outings, allowing two runs or fewer and pitching at least five innings each time. With a 16:10 K:BB, the righty has shown less than stellar command on the season, but Tuesday's start was a step in the right direction.

Bundy struck out three, walked two and allowed two hits in three shutout innings in a 5-2 loss Tuesday in Oakland. He did not factor into the decision.

Bundy was effective but inefficient in his first outing in nearly two weeks, needing 54 pitches to complete the three frames. It was expected that he would have a limited pitch count in his first appearance following a stint on the COVID-19 injured list. While his 5.14 ERA leaves something to be desired, his 25:7 K:BB is solid and he's allowed one run or fewer in four of six starts. His next start will likely be early next week against Detroit.