MLB Player News

Kikuchi didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Yankees, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out seven.

The southpaw was headed for his second win of the season until Aaron Judge walked it off with a three-run blast off Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kikuchi appears to have turned a corner, posting a 14:4 K:BB in 11.1 innings over his last two starts with a 2.38 ERA and 0.79 WHIP, but Seattle fans can attest to the rollercoaster ride that the Kikuchi experience can be over a full season.

Waldichuk has posted a 1.14 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 40:9 K:BB and 3-0 record across 23.2 innings with Double-A Somerset this season.

Waldichuk was outstanding with a 3.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 13.3 K/9 across two minor-league levels last season, and he has been even more impressive out of the gates in 2022. The left-hander punctuated his strong start to the campaign with five innings of no-hit ball during which he struck out 12 in his most recent performance May 8. Waldichuk's fastball clocks in at 94-97 mph, and he also possesses an above-average slider and curveball. He's making a push to receive his first call-up either this season or next.

Ray (3-3) registered the win during Tuesday's 5-4 victory over Philadelphia, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts in 5.2 innings.

Ray retired the first 12 Phillies before encountering trouble in the fifth inning, surrendering two runs on a Nick Castellanos solo shot and a Jean Segura walk plus two wild pitches. The 30-year-old has now surpassed the 100-pitch threshold in consecutive starts and induced an impressive 21 swinging strikes Tuesday. Despite the positive notes, Ray has surrendered multiple earned runs in every start since Opening Day and sits with a 4.22 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He's tentatively lined up to face the Mets in New York on Sunday for a second start this week.

Montas (2-3) took the loss during Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Tigers. He allowed four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 6.1 innings.

Montas started off with four scoreless frames before Detroit tallied three runs over the fifth and sixth innings, but he still came back out for the seventh. The right-hander struck out the first batter but was pulled after walking Robbie Grossman, who eventually came around to score. Montas has covered at least five frames in all seven starts this season, and he has a 3.77 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 41:12 K:BB across 43 innings.

Canning (back) experienced soreness after tossing a simulated game Monday and will scale back his throwing for a few days, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Canning's sim game Monday was only two innings, but the right-hander felt "more soreness than expected" afterward and will now take a step back from his throwing progression. It's not clear if this will affect his timeline for returning to the big club since he's not eligible to return until early June. It's at least encouraging that the Angels hope Canning can play catch Wednesday, per Sam Blum of The Athletic.

Kluber (1-2) took the loss after allowing eight runs on 11 hits in three innings while striking out two in a 12-0 defeat Tuesday against the Angels.

Kluber was hit hard throughout the night, allowing multiple runs in each of his three frames and giving up homers to Mike Trout and Chad Wallach. Coming into the game, Kluber had been quite stingy, allowing only seven runs and two homers in 26.2 innings. Following the rough start, the veteran's ERA jumped from 2.36 to 4.60. Coincidentally, the only other time in his 12-year career that he allowed eight runs was May 10, 2013, nine years ago to the day.

Detmers (2-1) struck out two and issued one walk while turning in a complete game no-hitter Tuesday in the Angels' 12-0 victory over the Rays.

In just his 11th major-league start, Detmers joined an exclusive club by throwing a no-hitter. Twenty-five of the 28 batters he faced put the ball in play, but none were able to find an opening in the defense. Two Rays reached base, one on a walk and the other on an error by first baseman Jared Walsh. The 22-year-old had never pitched more than six innings or had a scoreless outing prior to Tuesday's no-hit effort. The outing lowered his season ERA from 5.32 to 3.77.

Whitlock tossed three innings, giving up three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five in Tuesday's win over the Braves. He did not factor into the decision.

Whitlock didn't have full command of the strike zone Tuesday, walking a season-high four batters while throwing 48 of his 82 pitches for strikes. Marcell Ozuna ripped a sacrifice fly against him in the bottom of the third inning before Travis d'Arnaud launched a two-run homer later in the frame. The 25-year-old has been alternating between long relief and the starting rotation this season, drawing a start in each of his last three outings, surrendering five runs in 11 innings over that stretch. Whitlock still owns a 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 34 strikeouts over 24.2 innings this year. It is yet to be seen if he will make another start in the rotation or if Rich Hill (illness) will return from the COVID-19 injured list ahead of his next turn in the rotation.

Perez (1-2) earned the win and struck out six in 6.1 innings while allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits in a 6-4 victory Tuesday over Kansas City.

Perez faced the minimum through the first four innings, erasing the lone single allowed on a double-play ball. In the fifth, two hits led to an earned run. The lefty likely could have completed the seventh inning unscathed but consecutive errors by Charlie Culberson to begin the frame led to three unearned runs. Over his last four starts, he has a remarkable 0.68 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in 26.1 innings. His next start will likely be early next week against the Angels.

Keller (1-3) took the loss after giving up six runs (five earned) over 5.2 innings in a 6-4 defeat Tuesday in Texas. He allowed nine hits and a walk while striking out three.

After retiring the first two batters on groundouts, Keller gave up a solo homer to Corey Seager and three consecutive singles in the three-run first. Seager tagged him for another solo shot in the third and the Rangers manufactured runs in the fourth and sixth. It was arguably his least effective start of the season with the two home runs doubling his season total. Despite the poor showing, the 25-year-old has an excellent 2.70 ERA and 0.98 WHIP through six starts. His next start will likely be early next week against the White Sox.