MLB Player News

Jax allowed a run on a home run and a walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning Thursday against the Cardinals.

Jax wasn't sharp in his first outing of the season as he was pulled after 21 pitches. Jax will reprise his late inning setup role again this season and should see some save chances when Jhoan Duran is used earlier in the game or unavailable.

Eovaldi didn't factor into the decision after giving up two runs on three hits in six innings Thursday against Boston. He struck out nine.

It was a strong performance by Eovaldi, who bounced back following a shaky spring training that saw him yield eight runs in 13 Cactus League innings. The veteran right-hander mostly kept the Red Sox bats quiet, but he did allow a Connor Wong single to drive in a run in the third inning and a Wilyer Abreu home run to plate another in the fifth frame. Eovaldi projects to make his next start on the road next week against the Reds, though he may carry more fantasy risk than usual at the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

Crochet didn't factor into the decision after giving up two runs on five hits and two walks in five innings Thursday against Texas. He struck out four.

Making his Red Sox debut after being acquired from the White Sox during the offseason, the hard-throwing lefty fired five solid innings against a righty-dominant Rangers lineup. Boston didn't grab the lead until the ninth inning, keeping Crochet out of the win column Thursday. Crochet tentatively has another tough matchup against the Orioles on the road next week, and he'll be looking to further build on his early success with his new team after allowing a lone run with a whopping 30 punchouts in 15.2 innings during spring training.

Abreu went 3-for-3 with two home runs, four RBI and three runs scored in Thursday's 5-3 win over Texas.

Abreu knotted the game at 2-2 with a fifth-inning solo shot off Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and later put the Red Sox in front with a three-run blast in the ninth. Although he'll likely regularly operate in the lower part of Boston's batting order when starting, the left-handed-hitting Abreu should see plenty of playing time in 2025 while sitting on the strong side of a platoon in right field with Rob Refsnyder.

Lopez (0-1) gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits and no walks over five innings Thursday in taking the loss against the Cardinals. He struck out three.

Lopez didn't help himself with a key balk and error that led to runs, but manager Rocco Baldelli after the game said he thought the right-hander improved as the game went on. Lopez wasn't sharp this spring with a 6.62 ERA in five starts, and those struggles carried over into his season debut.

Noel started in right field and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's 7-4 win over Kansas City.

Noel is expected to serve as the short side of a platoon in right field with the recently acquired Nolan Jones. Noel had a hopeful camp, batting .333/.328/.509 with three home runs but also struck out 19 times in 57 at-bats.

Gimenez went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Thursday's 12-2 loss to the Orioles.

Gimenez supplied all of the offense for the Blue Jays on Opening Day, taking Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin yard for a two-run shot in the fourth inning. It was interesting to see the speedy Gimenez, who went 13-for-46 (.283) with two homers, 11 RBI and two stolen bases during spring training, bat cleanup Thursday, but he should see plenty of RBI chances if he sticks in the No. 4 spot in Toronto's lineup going forward.

Berrios (0-1) took the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks in five innings during Thursday's game against Baltimore. He struck out five.

The Orioles knocked around Berrios, who served up a solo homer to Adley Rutschman in the first inning, a three-run shot to Tyler O'Neill in the third frame and another solo shot to Cedric Mullins in the fourth. Berrios was sharp while logging a 2.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 18 strikeouts across 20.2 innings in the Grapefruit League, and the veteran right-hander will look to get back on track in what appears to be a softer matchup in his next scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Nationals.

Eflin (1-0) picked up the win after giving up two runs on two hits and two walks in six innings during Thursday's game against the Blue Jays. He struck out two.

Eflin mostly cruised Thursday while getting plenty of run support, with Andres Gimenez's two-run home run in fourth inning serving as the brunt of the damage against him. Although the veteran right-hander posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with nine strikeouts over 11.2 innings during spring training, he looked much sharper in his season debut. Eflin threw just 78 pitches, so he'll aim to further build up his pitch count in his next scheduled start Wednesday at home against the Red Sox.

Mullins went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored in Thursday's 12-2 win over Toronto.

Mullins took Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios deep for a solo shot in the fourth inning, and he later smashed a three-run homer during the seventh frame to get the Opening Day rout fully underway. The 30-year-old outfielder struggled during spring training while batting .136 (6-for-44) with one homer and five RBI, but he should play close to an everyday role in center field this season and could even work his way up Baltimore's batting order if his bat continues to heat up.