MLB Player News
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Framber Valdez SP | DET
Tigers' Framber Valdez: Quality start in team debut
Valdez allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision versus the Padres on Friday.
Valdez's first big-league appearance in anything other than an Astros uniform went well, as he delivered a quality start despite giving up plenty of contact. Valdez threw 63 of 83 pitches for strikes in this outing, though he left the game with the Tigers down 2-1 before the offense got him off the hook with an eighth-inning rally. The veteran southpaw pitched to a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 187:68 K:BB over 192 innings across 31 regular-season starts in 2025. He has the potential to be a workhorse for Detroit -- he's covered at least 170 innings in four straight seasons. That volume has value, especially since he tends to post strong ratios as well. He's projected to make his home debut for the Tigers against the Cardinals next week.
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Wild in loss
Williams (0-1) allowed three runs on two hits and six walks while striking out seven over five innings to take the loss Friday versus the Mariners.
Williams threw just 49 of 89 pitches for strikes in a wild performance. The Mariners didn't take full advantage of his free passes, allowing him to escape with a mediocre start instead of a bad one, and the seven strikeouts are a silver lining. Williams had a 4.58 ERA over 17.2 innings in spring training, but he also posted a 19:2 K:BB. Expecting him to rein in the walks might be asking too much -- he had a 4.5 BB/9 in the 2025 regular season, but that didn't stop him from maintaining a 3.06 ERA over 167.2 innings. Williams will look to rebound in a tough matchup on the road versus the Dodgers in his next projected start.
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George Kirby SP | SEA
Mariners' George Kirby: Sharp in season debut
Kirby (1-0) allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings to earn the win Friday over the Guardians.
The lone blemish on Kirby's line was a solo shot by Chase DeLauter in the first inning. Kirby pitched to a 3.77 ERA over 14.1 innings across four starts in spring training, and his 11:5 K:BB was an unusual showing of shaky command. The right-hander had a 4.21 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 137:29 K:BB across 126 regular-season innings in 2025. Kirby should offer strong command and plenty of bounce-back potential in 2026, which is already off to a good start after his strong season debut. He's lined up for a home start versus the Yankees next week.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Athletics' Luis Severino: No-decision vs. Toronto
Severino did not factor into the decision in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three across five innings.
Severino went relatively unscathed through the first four innings of Friday's start. He allowed the Blue Jays to take the lead after yielding a two-run triple to Andres Gimenez in the fifth frame, but Severino escaped with the no-decision after Shea Langeliers tied things up at 2-2 in the ninth with a solo homer off Jeff Hoffman. It was a solid start to the season for Severino, who is looking to bounce back from a 2025 campaign in which he posted an 8-11 record (across 29 starts) with a 4.54 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 124:50 K:BB across 162.2 innings. He's slated to make his next start next week on the road against Atlanta.
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Kevin Gausman SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Outstanding in 2026 debut
Gausman did not factor into the decision in the Blue Jays' 3-2 win over the Athletics on Friday. He allowed one run on one hit while striking out 11 across six innings without issuing a walk.
Gausman was dominant right out of the gate, striking out the side in the first inning and punching out seven of the first 10 batters he faced. His lone blemish came in the fourth inning, when he gave up a solo home run to Shea Langeliers, but the veteran right-hander struck out four more batters and finished Friday's game with 17 whiffs on 83 pitches (60 strikes) while setting a new franchise record for strikeouts on Opening Day. Gausman was in line for the win after the Blue Jays took a 2-1 lead in the fifth, but he had to settle for the no-decision after Jeff Hoffman yielded a solo shot to Langeliers in the ninth. Gausman will look for his first win of 2026 in his next start, tentatively slated for next week at home against the Rockies.
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Cameron Schlittler SP | NYY
Yankees' Cam Schlittler: Fans eight in 2026 debut
Schlittler (1-0) allowed one hit while striking out eight across 5.1 scoreless innings to pick up the win against the Giants on Friday. He did not issue a walk.
It was an outstanding start to the season for Schlittler, whose only hit allowed came in the second inning, when he yielded a double to Heliot Ramos. Schlittler was working through a back issue during spring training, so it wasn't surprising to see him toss just 68 pitches (49 strikes), but he still generated 13 whiffs despite the limited pitch count. It'll take a few more outings for Schlittler to be fully stretched out, so he'll probably operate under a similar pitch count in his next start, which is tentatively slated for next week on the road against the Mariners.
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Logan Taylor Allen SP | CLE
Guardians' Logan Allen: May be needed by Cleveland
Allen could be called up from Triple-A Columbus to make a start in next week's series versus the Dodgers in Los Angeles if Tanner Bibee (shoulder) needs to skip a start or eventually lands on the injured list, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Bibee was removed from his season-opening start Thursday against the Mariners due to shoulder inflammation, which at this point is deemed to be minor. The Guardians don't have any rest days between now and when Bibee is next scheduled to pitch (Tuesday), so Allen may be on standby at Columbus. Bibee reported feeling better Friday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday, so the Guardians will wait and see how he fares coming out of that session before deciding if Allen will be needed to replace him in the rotation, if only temporarily.
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Shane Baz SP | BAL
Orioles' Shane Baz: Inks five-year extension
The Orioles signed Baz to a five-year, $68 million contract extension Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Baz was traded to Baltimore this offseason after delivering a 4.87 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and a 176:64 K:BB across 166.1 innings in 2025 at Tampa Bay. Now, the talented 26-year-old right-hander has a long-term home with the Orioles, where he'll look to improve upon his 2025 campaign. He's slated to make his season debut Sunday against the Twins.
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Tanner Bibee SP | CLE
Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Shoulder issue thought to be minor
The Guardians believe Bibee's right shoulder injury isn't serious, but he'll be re-evaluated Friday, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.
Bibee was forced to depart Thursday's start in Seattle due to right shoulder inflammation that he felt while warming up prior to the bottom of the sixth inning. Even if the injury is as minor as the Guardians suspect, there's a good chance the right-hander's next start will be pushed back or skipped. Logan Allen is a likely candidate to fill in, if needed.
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Logan Gilbert SP | SEA
Mariners' Logan Gilbert: Fans seven in no-decision
Gilbert allowed three runs on five hits and no walks while striking out seven batters over 5.1 innings in a no-decision against Cleveland on Thursday.
Gilbert gave up a solo homer to the second batter he faced in the game (Chase DeLauter), but he was able to get through four frames with only that tally on his line. However, he served up two more runs in the fifth inning and was pulled after retiring the only batter he faced in the sixth. Gilbert didn't get the win, but he did show good strikeout stuff with 12 whiffs and seven punchouts. The right-hander posted a career-best 11.9 K/9 during the 2025 regular season and could be among the AL's strikeout leaders if he's able to stay healthy throughout the current campaign.