MLB Player News

Whitlock tossed four scoreless innings against Tampa Bay on Saturday, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out seven.

Whitlock was making a spot start after coming out of the bullpen for each of his first four appearances, so he was removed after the fourth inning despite a dominant performance during which he retired the first nine batters he faced and allowed just one hit overall. The right-hander registered 11 swings and misses among his 48 pitches and struck out a season-high seven batters. Whitlock is likely to move back into the bullpen following this start, but his 0.66 ERA, 0.51 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB this season suggests he is capable of thriving in any role.

Senzatela (1-1) allowed five earned runs on 10 hits and no walks while striking out three across five innings to take the loss in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against Detroit.

The Tigers jumped on Senzatela early, as he allowed four of his five runs in the first inning. He did manage to settle in from there to give the Rockies some length in his outing, though the game was never particularly competitive. Senzatela has never possessed particularly strong swing-and-miss stuff, though he has a particularly poor five strikeouts across 13.1 innings this season. Even if he is able to limit hard contact, Senzatela's inability to miss bats will likely mean he runs into trouble regularly -- particularly when pitching at home.

Wood (2-0) allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five across five innings to earn the win Saturday against the Nationals.

Wood began the game with four shutout innings, though he allowed three consecutive hits in the fifth frame -- including a solo home run -- to allow two runs score. Otherwise, he rarely allowed the ball to leave the infield, as he combined to record 12 of his 15 outs via either groundout or strikeout. Wood has been remarkably consistent to begin the season, allowing no more than a pair of earned runs in any of his three starts while also striking out at least five in each appearance. He currently maintains a 2.51 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 14.1 frames.

Cortes allowed two earned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out eight across 6.1 innings Saturday against the Guardians. He did not factor into the decision.

Cortes didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, although it was a two -run blast to Josh Naylor. He was very sharp otherwise, as he allowed no other extra-base hits and backed his eight strikeouts with 20 called strikes and 10 swinging strikes. Cortes has gotten off to a strong start early in the campaign by maintaining a 1.15 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. Equally impressive is his 25:3 K:BB, highlighted by a combined 20 punchouts across his last 11.1 innings of work.

Quantrill allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two across 6.1 innings Saturday against the Yankees. He did not factor into the decision.

Quantrill held the Yankees scoreless through four innings, though he allowed runs in two of the the last three frames he pitched. Even so, he wasn't hit particularly hard, as the only extra-base hit he allowed was a solo home run to Josh Donaldson. Quantrill has effectively limited runs to begin the season, as he has maintained a 3.94 ERA, but his 6:7 K:BB across 16 innings suggests that he has been fortunate in his results.

Montas (2-2) took the loss to the Rangers on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out eight over 7.1 innings.

This was a tough-luck loss; Montas hung zeros on the scoreboard through seven, with the only runs against him scoring after he exited the game (the second on a slide interference call at home plate no less). Fantasy managers have to be thrilled with what Montas is providing. He has a 3.28 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 25:4 K:BB through four starts.

Perez allowed two hits and one walk while striking out five over six scoreless innings in a no-decision against the A's on Saturday.

This was just the second start of Perez's career with six-plus scoreless innings and two hits or fewer allowed, and Perez became the first Texas starter this season to record an out in the sixth inning or later, per play-by-play broadcaster Jared Sandler. Given his track record, Perez must still be considered a high-risk option. The onus is on Perez to show he can do this with some sort of consistency, and against better offenses.

Mahle (1-2) took the loss to the Cardinals on Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out three.

Mahle kept the Reds in it for most of the afternoon despite not having his best stuff. He got no help from his offense, and after Saturday's loss, the team's losing streak now sits at 11 games. Mahle's numbers leave a lot to be desired, especially after three earned runs were added to his April 12 line following a scoring change (error to base hit). History tells us his numbers will improve, but unfortunately it looks like Mahle will face a constant uphill battle, barring a trade.

Skubal (1-1) pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win over the Rockies in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. He allowed five hits and struck out six.

The Tigers provided 13 runs on offense, which was more than enough for Skubal, who dominated Colorado across six innings of work. The lefty allowed four earned runs in his first start of the season, but over his last two outings, he's given up just one unearned run across 11.2 innings. That's allowed Skubal to lower his ERA to a dazzling 2.30, and he could be on the cusp of a breakout season. He'll look to keep it going in his next start, tentatively lined up for Thursday against the Twins.

Hendricks (1-1) earned the win Saturday, allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings against the Pirates. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.

The Chicago offense exploded for 21 runs while Hendricks, Sean Newcomb and Scott Effross combined to shut out Pittsburgh. With that, Hendricks picked up his first win of the 2022 campaign. He's had two duds sandwiched between two strong outings to begin the year. Hendricks has allowed just one homer through 20.1 innings after turning in the worst home-run rate of his career last season.