MLB Player News

  • Merrill Kelly SP | ARI

    Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Snaps skid Saturday

    Kelly (6-8) allowed two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings to earn the win over the Brewers on Saturday.

    Kelly lost all five of his starts and had a 7.31 ERA in June, but he was able to get back in the win column in his first July outing. The veteran right-hander limited the damage to a two-run home run by Christian Yelich in the fifth inning Saturday. Kelly is now at a 5.71 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 53:35 K:BB across 86.2 innings through 15 starts on the year. His next start is projected to be on the road in San Diego.

  • Shota Imanaga SP | CHC

    Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Mixed bag in seventh loss

    Imanaga (5-7) took the loss Saturday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out eight.

    Imanaga had plenty of swing-and-miss stuff going, fanning eight and generating 16 whiffs, but he was still inefficient with 86 pitches on the evening. Saturday disrupted a seven-start streak of at least five innings for the 32-year-old left-hander, who also tied a season high in walks. Imanaga is next lined up for a relatively tough assignment at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, holding a 4.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 100:26 K:BB over 103 innings.

  • Kyle Leahy SP | STL

    Cardinals' Kyle Leahy: Dazzles in seventh win

    Leahy (7-4) notched the win Saturday against the Cubs, allowing no runs on three hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out six.

    Leahy was magnificent Saturday, scattering three singles across five shutout frames. It was somewhat surprising to the 29-year-old right-hander get pulled after just 77 pitches given how well he was performing, but it's worth noting he's crossed the 90-pitch marker just four times in 117 stars for the year. Leahy will aim to further improve on a 3.86 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 73:33 K:BB over 86.1 innings against the division-rival Brewers in his next scheduled outing.

  • Brewers' Brandon Woodruff: Will go on IL with labrum injury

    Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that Woodruff was diagnosed with an inflamed labrum in his right shoulder following his early exit from Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks and will be placed on the injured list, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

    Woodruff will go on the IL for the second time this season due to a labrum injury, with his first stint lasting about six weeks. If he faces a similar recovery timeline this time around, Woodruff wouldn't be a rotation option for the Brewers until at least early August. Woodruff ended up taking the loss in Saturday, when he allowed three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out six across 3.2 innings.

  • Chris Sale SP | ATL

    Braves' Chris Sale: Nabs ninth win Saturday

    Sale (9-6) notched the win Saturday against the Mets, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks in five-plus innings. He struck out three.

    Sale was cruising along Saturday with four shutout innings, but he was chased after allowing four consecutive Mets to reach to begin the sixth. The All-Star southpaw wasn't overly dominant, matching a season low in strikeouts and getting take deep twice for just the second time this season. The victory was never truly in doubt, however, since he received plenty of run support. Sale will carry a stellar 2.27 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 112:24 K:BB over 95 innings into a challenging road test in Pittsburgh for his next scheduled appearance.

  • Royals' Michael Wacha: Serves up three long balls in loss

    Wacha (5-6) took the loss against Philadelphia on Saturday, allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out seven batters over six innings.

    Wacha kept the Phillies off the board for three frames before back-to-back homers by J.T. Realmuto and Gabriel Rincones in the fourth plated Philadelphia three runs. Wacha allowed one more run in the sixth on an Alec Bohm solo blast. The veteran hurler had previously gone three straight outings without allowing a long ball and hadn't yielded more than two home runs in an outing this season, and he's posted a HR/9 of less than 1.0 each of the past two campaigns, so his inability to keep the ball in the park Saturday is likely more of an aberration than a concerning development. Wacha will look to bounce back in his next start, which is lined up to be a matchup versus the Mets in New York.

  • Angels' Grayson Rodriguez: Looks sharp in latest rehab start

    Rodriguez (back) allowed one earned run on four hits and no walks while striking out five across 5.1 innings during his rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday.

    Rodriguez looked strong in his second rehab start, tossing 56 strikes on 78 pitches while inducing five groundouts. The 26-year-old southpaw looks to be just about fully stretched out and could be ready to return from the 15-day injured list to make his next start with the Angels. Ryan Johnson and Sam Aldegheri are the likeliest candidates to get moved out of the rotation once Rodriguez returns.

  • Jesus Luzardo SP | PHI

    Phillies' Jesus Luzardo: Dominates Royals in victory

    Luzardo (7-4) earned the win over Kansas City on Saturday, allowing one run on four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters over six innings.

    Luzardo overwhelmed KC batters with 19 whiffs en route to nine punchouts. The left-hander recorded his third quality start over his past four outings and kept the ball in the park for the third consecutive appearance. Luzardo has surrendered five or more earned runs five times this season, but in his other 13 starts he's given up two or fewer earned runs. Collectively, that's added up to a 3.75 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 125:33 K:BB over 103.1 innings.

  • Brewers' Brandon Woodruff: Exits game with trainer

    Woodruff was removed in the fourth inning of Saturday's start against the Diamondbacks due to an apparent injury, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.

    Woodruff's velocity was noticeably down prior to his exit, with his fastball sitting around 87 mph and his changeup at 73 mph in the fourth inning, per Sophia Minnaert of Brewers.tv. Woodruff left the mound with a trainer, and he'll finish his night having allowed three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out six across 3.2 innings. A recurrence of the shoulder issues that have bothered Woodruff all season is a likely explanation, but an official update on his status should be provided in the near future.

  • Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Rare dud in no-decision

    Rasmussen took a no-decision Saturday against the Astros, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out two.

    Rasmussen was never quite able to fully settle in following a two-run first inning, later giving up three more runs across the fourth and fifth frames. Not only did the two punchouts match a season low, but the 30-year-old right-hander coughed up more runs Saturday alone than he did in his previous five starts combined, surrendering just three during that stretch. Rasmussen will look to bounce back against the Yankees in his next scheduled start, still holding a strong 2.78 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 96:17 K:BB over 97 innings.

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