MLB Player News

Jansen struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his second save of the season in a 2-0 win over the Marlins.

The veteran closer continued a solid start to his Detroit tenure. Friday's appearance marked the first time this season that Jansen actually relied on his defense for outs, and through 2.2 innings he's posted a 3.38 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 6:1 K:BB while converting two of three save chances.

Montero (1-1) picked up the win in Friday's 2-0 victory over the Marlins, allowing two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

Taking his second turn in the rotation in place of Justin Verlander (hip), Montero fired 55 of 80 pitches for strikes as he delivered his first quality start since July 7 of last season. The 25-year-old righty has looked very good since being called up, posting a 1.74 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 10:2 K:BB in 10.1 innings, a performance that takes the pressure off Detroit to get Verlander back on the mound quickly. The 43-year-old future Hall of Famer has a bullpen session scheduled for Saturday, and how he emerges from that will likely determine whether Montero will get the ball next week during a home series against the Royals.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Friday that Bergert will receive a second opinion on the right elbow injury he sustained during his most recent start with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The Royals are currently terming Bergert's injury as right elbow discomfort, but the fact that he's receiving a second opinion on the matter suggests that surgery could be on the table for the 26-year-old righty. Omaha placed Bergert on its 7-day injured list Friday.

Carter went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers.

Carter was part of a ninth-inning comeback for the Rangers, lifting his first homer of the season off Edwin Diaz. The outfielder has four extra-base hits this season, and he's also up to two steals after swiping a bag earlier in the game. Carter could be more consistent at the plate -- he's batting .237 with a .736 OPS, three RBI and six runs scored over 13 contests, but he is seeing steady playing time in center field and should stick there regularly against right-handed pitchers.

Seager went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Friday's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers.

Seager got the Rangers on the board in the third inning with his fourth homer of the season. The shortstop also struck out three times in this contest, which continues his struggles with making contact early in the year. He's batting .234 with an .810 OPS, 10 RBI, eight runs scored and a stolen base over 13 contests, but he's now racked up 16 strikeouts and is fanning at a 28.6 percent clip. Seager hasn't exceeded a 20 percent strikeout rate in any of the last eight campaigns, so he'll likely get this issue reined in over time.

Rocker allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings in a no-decision versus the Dodgers on Friday.

Rocker is still in search of his first win, but he's been passable so far with five runs allowed and an 8:3 K:BB over 10 innings across his two starts. The long ball was a problem Friday, but both of the home runs he allowed were solo shots by Max Muncy. Rocker is tentatively projected to make his next start on the road versus the Athletics.

Woods Richardson did not feel well and vomited before trying to pitch through it during Friday's loss to the Blue Jays, Bobby Nightingale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Woods Richardson apparently didn't eat fresh enough before the game, and while he rolled through the first three innings, a five-run fourth left him with a sour line for the game to go with his sour stomach. We suspect SWR will be fine by the time he's expected to make his next turn in the rotation, which lines up for next week against the Red Sox.

Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in Friday's 9-6 loss to the Mariners.

Alvarez went deep in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to three runs. The slugger is in midseason form already with five homers over 14 contests. He's batting .341 with a 1.266 OPS, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, three doubles and a stolen base through 62 plate appearances. Alvarez has often displayed excellent plate discipline, but he's been better than usual in that area so far with a 14:7 BB:K as well. Last year was a lost season due to injuries, but Alvarez has 30-homer and 100-RBI potential if he can stay relatively healthy.

Imai allowed three runs on one hit, four walks and a hit batsman over one-third of an inning in a no-decision Friday versus the Mariners. He didn't record a strikeout.

Imai's control was absent Friday, as he threw just 17 of 37 pitches for strikes. The first run he allowed came on a wild pitch, and he hit Randy Arozarena with the bases loaded to force in the second run. Imai has had mixed results in his first taste of major-league action so far, pitching to a 7.27 ERA over 8.2 innings while adding a 13:11 K:BB. He's walked at least three batters in all three of his starts. Imai is tentatively lined up to make his next start at home versus the Rockies, as the Astros' injury-riddled rotation likely doesn't have the manpower to shelter him.

Arozarena went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, an additional RBI and a hit-by-pitch in Friday's 9-6 win over the Astros.

Arozarena got plunked at an opportune time, as it drove in the Mariners' second run. He then put them ahead 5-3 in the fifth inning with his first homer of the season. Despite the lack of power so far, Arozarena has been one of the team's few reliable hitters, batting .271 with an .803 OPS, six RBI, 10 runs scored, three stolen bases and an 8:11 BB:K through 14 contests. He remains in the No. 5 spot in the order regularly, but the cold bats higher in the lineup could afford him a chance to move up if things don't change.