MLB Player News

Rooker went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Wednesday's 10-2 loss to the Cubs.

Rooker drove in both of the Athletics' runs Wednesday when he took Jameson Taillon deep to left field for his second two-run homer in as many games. After going 0-for-4 against the Mariners on Opening Day, Rooker has gone 8-for-26 with five runs scored, three home runs and six RBI in his last six games.

Sweeney went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Mariners.

Sweeney popped his first home run of the season in the fifth inning against Seattle starter Luis Castillo. While it was the young shortstop's first extra-base hit of the year as well, he's still performed respectably with a .273 average and .713 OPS in the early going. As a rookie in 2024, Sweeney batted .218 with a .642 OPS during the regular season. The 24-year-old could be primed to take a step forward in 2025, and he figures to start at short most days against righties, with Javier Baez subbing in versus southpaws.

Baldwin went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Twins.

The 24-year-old switch hitter spoiled a shutout bid by Pablo Lopez with his seventh-inning blast. It was Baldwin's first long ball of the season, and he's making a case to take over the starting shortstop job for the White Sox with a five-game hitting streak to begin the season, during which he's batting .357 (5-for-14).

Burke (1-1) took the loss Wednesday as the White Sox were downed 6-1 by the Twins, surrendering six runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out one without walking a batter.

After a sharp 2025 debut Opening Day, Burke crashed back down to earth in his second outing, although a rain delay of over three hours before the contest started likely played a big role in that. Four of the hits off the righty went for extra bases, including homers by Byron Buxton and Harrison Bader, and Burke got the hook after 77 pitches (50 strikes). He'll take a 5.23 ERA and 4:0 K:BB through 10.1 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Cleveland.

Buxton went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the White Sox.

The center fielder came into the afternoon with zero extra-bases hits through his first five games, but Buxton broke out with a first-inning solo shot off Sean Burke. Buxton also doubled his hit and run totals on the season with Wednesday's performance, and he's up to three RBI.

Lopez (1-1) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over over seven innings in a 6-1 victory over the White Sox. He struck out five.

The game was delayed over three hours by rain, but Lopez didn't lose his focus while waiting it out. The right-hander tossed 67 of 98 pitches for strikes, and he took a shutout into the seventh inning before Brooks Baldwin got hold of a changeup that stayed up in the zone and drove it over the fence in right-center field for a solo shot. Lopez will take a 2.25 ERA and 8:1 K:BB through 12 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come on the road early next week in Kansas City.

Valdez (1-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on four hits and four walks in five innings Wednesday against the Giants. He struck out nine.

The star left-hander was ambushed early, promptly serving up a two-run home run to Willy Adames in the first inning. Luis Matos then hit a solo homer in the second, and Heliot Ramos also doubled to drive in a pair of runs later in the frame. Valdez did settle in to throw three scoreless innings thereafter and fanned nine, but overall it was a poor performance after delivering seven shutout frames Opening Day.

Trout went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 12-5 loss to the Cardinals.

He took Sonny Gray deep in the first inning, giving Trout his first homer of the year. The 33-year-old outfielder has had a sluggish start to the campaign, batting .143 (3-for-21) through six games, but he's made his hits count with five RBI.

Kikuchi came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 12-5 loss to the Cardinals, giving up three runs on four hits and five walks over six innings. He struck out six.

The southpaw battled both his control and command, tossing only 59 of 104 pitches for strikes and getting tagged for a pair of homers by Ivan Herrera. Even so, Kikuchi was briefly in line for the win when the Halos took a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh, but the bullpen made a mess of things. Kikuchi has a 4.50 ERA and 11:5 K:BB though his first two trips to the mound for Los Angeles, both of them quality starts, and he'll look for his first win of 2025 in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next week in Tampa Bay.

Pepiot (0-1) took the loss Wednesday as the Rays were downed 4-2 by the Pirates, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out three.

A Ke'Bryan Hayes leadoff triple in the second inning and an Oneil Cruz solo shot in the fifth led to the only damage against Pepiot, but the right-hander had no margin for error with Paul Skenes on the mound for the Bucs. Pepiot has had a strong beginning to his season, posting a 2.45 ERA and 11:4 K:BB through his first 11 innings, but Tampa Bay has scored just five runs combined in his two starts. The right-hander will look for more support in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Angels.