MLB Player News
-
Cole Ragans RP | KC
Royals' Cole Ragans: Surrenders seven runs in loss
Ragans (2-3) took the loss against the Angels on Saturday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and one walk over 6.1 innings. He struck out three.
Ragans first ran into trouble in the top of the second after surrendering a leadoff triple to Kevin Pillar to open the frame, which would eventually lead to three runs coming home for Los Angeles. The lefty would also surrender runs in the third and seventh innings, with the final two of those runs coming across after he was relieved by Nick Anderson. Ragans had given up two runs or fewer in each of his last three starts coming in, but ended up matching his season high with seven runs allowed in Saturday's loss. On a positive note, he's now managed to go at least six innings in three consecutive outings, posting a 20:6 K:BB over that stretch.
-
Tyler Anderson SP | LAA
Angels' Tyler Anderson: Nabs third win
Anderson (3-4) picked up the win over the Royals on Saturday, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four over 6.2 innings.
Anderson surrendered one run in the top of the first on a Salvador Perez double before going 1-2-3 through each of the next three frames. The lefty would allow another run in both the sixth and seventh innings, but he was still able to secure his third win of the season thanks to being provided with ample run support. Anderson has now gone at least six innings in three consecutive starts and is yet to allow more than three earned runs in an outing. Saturday also marked his first win since April 8 against the Marlins, as he had lost each of his previous four decisions coming in.
-
Triston McKenzie SP | SD
Guardians' Triston McKenzie: Posts another strong start
McKenzie (2-3) took the loss against the White Sox on Saturday, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out five batters over 6.2 innings.
McKenzie was tagged for two runs (one of which was unearned) in the second inning but otherwise kept Chicago off the scoreboard in his second-longest outing of the season. Cleveland was able to give the right-hander only one run of support, however, resulting in his third loss of the season. McKenzie began the campaign by giving up 11 runs (nine earned) over his initial 13 innings, but he's yielded just seven earned runs across 27.2 frames since to lower his ERA to a respectable 3.54.
-
Andrew Heaney RP | LAD
Rangers' Andrew Heaney: Strikes out eight Saturday
Heaney allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out eight without walking a batter over five-plus innings, taking a no-decision Saturday versus the Rockies.
Heaney gave up a solo home run to Hunter Goodman in the third inning, and a second run was tacked onto his line when Jose Leclerc balked in a run in the sixth. This was another solid start for Heaney -- the eight strikeouts were a season high, and he issued zero walks for the fourth start in a row. He's at a 4.39 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 39:9 K:BB through 41 innings across eight starts this season, but he remains in search of his first win. Heaney is projected to make his next start at home in a favorable matchup with the Angels.
-
John Means SP | KC
Orioles' John Means: Stumbles in second start
Means escaped with a no-decision in Saturday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks, giving up four runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out three without walking a batter.
The southpaw got tagged for two runs in the third and fifth innings, but the Orioles scored in the eighth to tie up the game and take Means off the hook for his first loss before eventually walking it off in the 11th. He tossed 60 of 89 pitches for strikes, and he has a 3.09 ERA and 11:0 K:BB through his first 11.2 innings on the year. Means will look to sharpen things up on his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next weekend against the Mariners.
-
Mike Clevinger RP | PIT
White Sox's Mike Clevinger: Shows improvement in second start
Clevinger allowed one run on four hits and no walks while striking out five batters over 4.2 innings in a no-decision against Cleveland on Saturday.
Clevinger struggled mightily in his season debut Monday, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks over two innings. The veteran looked much better Saturday, yielding just a fourth-inning run while cutting the free passes entirely out of his stat line. Clevinger needed just one more out to qualify for the win, but he was pulled for a lefty reliever after giving up a single to the final batter he faced in the fifth frame. Despite that minor disappointment, this was a promising outing considering his disastrous previous start, and it should help him as he works to push up his pitch count after missing spring training and signing with Chicago in early April.
-
Kevin Gausman SP | CHC
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Early exit in no-decision
Gausman escaped with a no-decision in Saturday's 10-8 win over the Twins, coughing up seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and two walks over three innings. He struck out six.
The right-hander had given up only two earned runs across his prior four starts, but Gausman's luck deserted him Saturday as Minnesota scored three times in the first inning on some soft singles and shoddy defense, and the adjustments he tried to make in the next two frames only made matters worse. The Jays were able to rally late to take Gausman off the hook for his fourth loss, however. He'll carry a 4.95 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 37:10 K:BB through 36.1 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next weekend against the Rays.
-
Simeon Woods Richardson RP | TOR
Twins' Simeon Woods Richardson: Hit hard in no-decision
Woods Richardson came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 10-8 loss to the Blue Jays, surrendering five runs on eight hits and a walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out two.
The Twins spotted the right-hander a 4-0 lead by the top of the second inning, but Woods Richardson quickly ran into trouble of his own as half of the eight hits off him went for extra bases, including homers by Bo Bichette and Davis Schneider. Woods Richardson has failed to complete five innings in two of his last three starts, but he'll still carry a respectable 3.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 23:6 K:BB through 25 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next weekend in Cleveland.
-
Cristian Javier SP | HOU
Astros' Cristian Javier: Shelled in return
Javier (neck) dropped to 2-1 on the season in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Tigers after allowing seven runs on five hits and four walks with no strikeouts over 1.1 innings.
Javier was activated off the 15-day injured list Saturday to make his first start for the Astros since April 14, but the right-hander didn't look quite right in his return from a neck injury. In addition to getting knocked around for seven runs and throwing only 21 of 50 pitches for strikes, Javier's final two fastballs clocked in at 89.7 miles per hour and 90.2 miles per, well below his typical velocity. It's unclear whether his struggles Saturday are an indication that Javier isn't fully recovered from the neck issue or if he was simply rusty, but he's currently penciled in to make his next start at home against Oakland next Thursday.
-
Tarik Skubal SP | LAD
Tigers' Tarik Skubal: Improves to 5-0
Skubal (5-0) earned the win over Houston on Saturday, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven batters over 6.1 innings.
Skubal continued his run of excellence, recording his fifth straight quality start and picking up his fifth win without a loss on the season. The left-hander has built upon last year's breakout campaign to emerge as one of MLB's top hurlers and Detroit's undeniable staff ace. Skubal ranks seventh among qualified starters with a 2.02 ERA and fourth with a 0.86 WHIP. He's tied for fourth with 60 punchouts over 49 innings.