MLB Player News

The Twins removed Paddack from his start Sunday against the Athletics due to an apparent injury. He struck out four over 2.1 innings and allowed one run on five hits and left two runners on base before exiting.

Expect Minnesota to provide an update on Paddack's health later in the day after he was pulled from the contest following a visit to the mound from a team trainer. If Paddack is forced to miss time due to an injury, the Twins could condense from a six-man to five-man rotation rather than finding a replacement for him in the rotation.

The Mariners selected Kirby's contract from Double-A Arkansas ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the Rays.

The 23-year-old right-hander will enter the rotation as the Mariners' new No. 5 starter after Seattle optioned the struggling Matt Brash to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday. Kirby, the No. 20 overall selection in the 2019 first-year player draft, dazzled over his five starts at Arkansas this season, posting a 1.82 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 32:5 K:BB in 24.2 innings. Since Kirby didn't cover more than 68 innings in any of his first three seasons in the professional ranks, the Mariners will likely manage his workloads carefully in his first taste of the big leagues. With that in mind, Kirby probably shouldn't be expected to surpass the 120-inning mark in 2022, even if his talent and production warrant a long-term stay in the big-league rotation.

The Red Sox placed Wacha on the 15-day injured list Sunday with left intercostal irritation, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Though Wacha was scratched ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox after experiencing side soreness, the Red Sox indicated that an MRI didn't reveal any major injury. Wacha was thus expected to be ready to go for his next turn through the rotation, but given the right-hander's prior history of oblique problems, the club will opt to err on the side of caution by moving him to the IL. With Wacha now unavailable until at least late May, Tanner Houck is expected to serve as his primary replacement in the rotation.

Gonzales (1-4) took the loss during Saturday's 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Rays, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks with one strikeout in 5.1 innings.

Other than an Adam Frazier error that allowed a run to score in the third inning, Gonzales was able to limit the damage to a pair of Brandon Lowe solo home runs. The 30-year-old's 3.91 ERA is in line with career averages, but his 1.62 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9 and 6.0 K/9 are in line to be career worsts with Seattle. Additionally, the Mariners are averaging just two runs of support in Gonzales' four losses compared to a 4.14 average for the season. He'll look to get back in the win column with a projected start coming against the Mets next weekend.

Houck is listed as the Red Sox's starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

On Saturday, manager Alex Cora confirmed that Houck would remain in the bullpen for the foreseeable future with Garrett Whitlock having earned a spot in the rotation, but the team will be forced to adjust its plans just one day later after Sunday's scheduled starter, Michael Wacha, was scratched due to side soreness. An MRI on Wacha's side returned clean, and while the Red Sox are optimistic he won't require a trip to the injured list, Houck will be summoned from the bullpen to make a spot start in his stead. Don't expect Houck to work deep into Sunday's outing, as he'll be pitching on only two days' rest after he piggybacked Rich Hill in Thursday's loss to the Angels and gave up seven runs across 2.1 innings (56 pitches) in that long-relief appearance.

Wacha was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox due to side soreness, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Per Smith, Wacha underwent an MRI on his side that revealed nothing overly concerning, but because the right-hander has a history of oblique injuries, the Red Sox decided to err on the side of caution and pull him from his scheduled turn through the rotation. Tanner Houck will get the starting nod in the series finale against the White Sox, but Wacha could be ready to go by the time his next turn comes up next weekend in Texas.

Rasmussen (3-1) allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out five across five innings to earn the win Saturday against the Mariners.

Rasmussen primarily relied on groundballs to keep the Mariners' offense in check. His lone blemish came in the fifth frame when he allowed a leadoff triple to Julio Rodriguez, who came around to score on a subsequent single. Rasmussen has suppressed runs effectively for most of the season, but he's importantly worked at least five innings in each of his last three starts and earned a win on each occasion. He's maintained an impressive 2.89 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a 26:7 K:BB on the campaign.

McKenzie (2-2) picked up the win in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander helped ensure the Guardians would come away with a split after dropping the matinee, firing 68 of 102 pitches for strikes as he delivered his second straight quality start. McKenzie is benefitting from 2022's less lively ball -- after serving up 21 homers in 120 innings last season, he's been tagged for only one long ball in 29.1 innings to begin this year, leading to a 2.76 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

Bieber (1-2) took the loss in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, coughing up seven runs on eight hits and three walks over 3.1 innings without striking out a batter.

It was the first time in 86 career big-league starts Bieber failed to fan at least one batter. The right-hander tossed only 38 of 71 pitches for strikes before getting the hook, and his velocity issues continued -- he failed to reach 91 mph with any of his four-seamers, sitting in the 88-90 mph range, a worrying sign for a pitcher who averaged 94.2 mph as recently as 2020. Bieber will take a well-below-expectations 4.13 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 29:9 K:BB through 32.2 innings into his next start.

Stripling (0-1) took the loss in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Guardians, giving up four runs on five hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out three.

Three of the five hits off Stripling went for extra bases, including a third-inning solo shot by Franmil Reyes. The right-hander has lasted five innings only once in five starts since moving into the rotation, posting a 4.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB through 21 frames over that stretch. The results haven't been terrible, but with Hyun Jin Ryu (forearm) tossing four innings for Triple-A Buffalo to begin his rehab assignment Saturday, Stripling could be headed back to the bullpen in the near future.