MLB Player News

Dodd picked up the save Sunday against the Guardians. He allowed a hit and no walks while striking out two over three scoreless innings.

After six strong innings from Chris Sale, Dodd entered in the seventh frame and finished off Atlanta's lopsided win with a three-inning save. It marked the 27-year-old's first big-league outing of the season after being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett prior to Sunday's game. He made 28 relief appearances for Atlanta last season and pitched effectively, posting a 3.60 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 30:5 K:BB across 35 innings.

Sale (3-1) earned the win Sunday, allowing one run on eight hits and a walk over six innings against the Guardians. He struck out six.

Sale turned in six strong innings, with his lone blemish coming on a solo homer by Rhys Hoskins in the sixth frame. It was a bounce-back performance for the veteran southpaw, who allowed six runs against the Angels in his previous outing. Through four starts, Sale owns a 3.27 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with a 22:6 K:BB across 22 innings to open the 2026 regular season.

Ohtani went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and two walks in Sunday's loss to the Rangers.

After blasting a leadoff homer Saturday, Ohtani did it again Sunday, cranking Jacob deGrom's first-pitch fastball over the right-field wall. After going homerless through his first six games, Ohtani has launched five over his past nine contests and has recorded five multi-hit efforts during that span. The two-way star is off to a strong start at the plate overall, posting a .996 OPS through 73 plate appearances in 2026.

Alvarado (0-1) was charged with the loss and a blown save Sunday against Arizona, giving up two runs on two hits and no walks in one-third of an inning.

Brought on to safeguard a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning, Alvarado recorded just one out on a bunt attempt by Geraldo Perdomo. After taking over as Philadelphia's closer at one point a year ago, the hard-throwing left-hander has struggled mightily in a setup role so far in 2026. Though he does have three holds, Alvarado has permitted eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits and three walks over his first five innings (eight appearances).

Sasaki (0-2) took the loss Sunday, allowing two runs on five hits and five walks over four innings against the Rangers. He struck out six.

It was a mixed bag for Sasaki in Sunday's start, as he generated 15 whiffs but struggled mightily with control. After a disappointing first MLB campaign last season in which he posted a 4.46 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 28:22 K:BB across 36.1 regular-season innings, the right-hander is off to a slow start in 2026, owning a 6.23 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and a 15:10 K:BB through 13 innings. Sasaki is projected to make his next start on the road Sunday against the Rockies.

Merrill went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and one stolen base in Sunday's 7-2 victory over the Rockies.

Merrill put the finishing touch on the Padres' fifth-straight win, blasting a solo homer in the seventh inning to extend the lead to five. It's been a slow start for the center fielder, who is slashing .217/.288/.417 through 16 games to open the 2026 campaign, though he's driven in four runs over his past two games and will look to build on that as he works to hit his stride at the plate.

Laureano went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 7-2 win over Colorado.

Laureano went deep for the second straight game, crushing a middle-middle cutter from Valente Bellozo over the left-field fence to extend San Diego's lead in the sixth inning. Amid a slow start for much of the Padres' lineup, Laureano has been highly productive, slashing .268/.339/.536 with four homers, 10 runs, 11 RBI and three stolen bases through 15 games.

Machado went 1-for-1 with two RBI and two walks in Sunday's 7-2 win over Colorado.

Machado opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first inning before later delivering an opposite-field single in the fifth frame for his second RBI of the day. After a slow start to the season, the star third baseman has been a run-producing force of late, recording two RBI in each of his past two games and driving in nine runs over his past seven contests.

France went 3-for-3 with a double, a solo home run, two additional runs scored and was hit by a pitch in Sunday's 7-2 win over the Rockies.

France was a difference-maker, reaching base in all four plate appearances, highlighted by his first homer of the campaign in the fourth inning that left the bat at 107.4 mph and traveled 427 feet into the Padres' bullpen. The veteran entered Sunday's contest with just one hit through 12 plate appearances to open the season but is now slashing .286/.375/.571 after his big performance against the Rockies. In his second stint with San Diego, France has primarily been deployed as a platoon bat against left-handed pitching, though Sunday's performance came against right-handers after planned starter Kyle Freeland (shoulder) was a late scratch.

Bellozo allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out one over 4.1 innings in Sunday's loss to the Padres.

With planned starter Kyle Freeland (shoulder) a late scratch, Bellozo entered in the third inning as the bulk reliever. The results were lackluster, as the right-hander struggled with his command and served up three homers. Through 10.2 big-league innings this season, Bellozo owns a 7.59 ERA and 1.59 WHIP.