MLB Player News

Eovaldi (5-2) earned the win over Philadelphia on Saturday, hurling 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four.

The right-hander didn't dominate -- he induced only nine swinging strikes and gave up three extra-base hits -- but he did enough to keep the Phillies mostly at bay and secure his fifth win of the campaign. Eovaldi has alternated good and bad starts of late, allowing two or fewer runs three times in his past six outings but yielding 15 combined earned runs across 14.1 frames over the other three appearances. He's tentatively projected to make his next start at home against Miami next Saturday.

Boyd (2-5) allowed five runs across five innings to take the loss Saturday against the Royals. He gave up eight hits and three walks while striking out five.

Boyd started the season strongly but has fallen off a little bit in his last two outings, allowing nine earned runs across 11 innings. The lefty has seen his ERA rise from 1.94 to 3.08 in the process. Boyd would certainly live with that 3.08 figure, but he's coming off a 4.56 ERA in 2019 and a 6.71 ERA in 2020, so there's reason to believe his current number will continue to inch upward. He'll look to buck the trend and pitch better when he takes the hill again Thursday against Cleveland.

Cease (2-1) took the loss Saturday against the Yankees after allowing five runs on five hits with six strikeouts and four walks across 4.1 innings.

The right-hander showcased his swing-and-miss stuff by generating 20 swinging strikes, but he was wild and New York was still able to find success. It's the first major blemish of the season for Cease, who hadn't surrendered more than three runs in any of his first eight starts. He'll carry a 3.18 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 56:24 K:BB into his next outing.

Cole (6-2) earned the win Saturday against the White Sox after giving up four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks over seven shutout innings.

The 30-year-old didn't have his best command as he issued three walks after walking only five batters through his first nine starts of the season, but he still kept Chicago off the board. Cole has a 1.81 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 92:7 K:BB across 64.2 innings this season.

Wacha (hamstring) will be activated from the 10-day injured list to start Sunday against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 29-year-old faced live hitters Wednesday and will return from a three-week absence Sunday. Wacha is likely to be used in tandem with a young arm like Josh Fleming, who previously lined up to start versus Toronto.

Maeda was pulled after five innings Saturday against Cleveland after tightness in his groin worsened, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports. He didn't factor in the decision after giving up three runs on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

The 32-year-old expected to return for the sixth inning since he was only at 73 pitches, but he didn't end up retaking the mound after the tightening worsened. Maeda has dealt with the injury during his past two starts and wasn't 100 percent entering Saturday's start, so the Twins may be more cautious with his next turn through the rotation.

Sale (elbow) threw a bullpen session at the Red Sox's spring training facility Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Sale's recovery from Tommy John surgery hit a trio of snags over the winter, as he dealt with neck stiffness, a minor back issue and COVID-19. None of the issues were arm-related, however, so the ultimate impact on his return timeline may not wind up being particularly significant. The Red Sox have yet to announce when they expect him to return, however.

Medina has registered a 1.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 32:9 K:BB across 18.2 innings with High-A Hudson Valley.

The 22-year-old punched out 11 batters over 5.2 innings Thursday to pick up his second win of the campaign. One reason for Medina's dominance thus far is improved control, as his walk rate is down to a tolerable 4.5 BB/9. He could ascend quickly through the system and further cement his status as a top pitching prospect if he's able to continue to keep the walks down. Medina has the ability to hit triple digits with his fastball, so the potential for big-time strikeout numbers is undisputable.

Arihara will be shut down for at least 12 weeks following shoulder surgery and may miss the rest of the year, Chris Halicke of SI.com reports.

Arihara was on the injured list due to a finger issue, but the Rangers have since discovered a much more serious injury. He'll go under the knife soon to repair a shoulder aneurysm. The righty will be unable to throw until at least mid-August and will then have to build back up to full strength, leaving him with little time left in the season even if his recovery goes smoothly. Even a minor setback could mean his first MLB season is over after just seven starts.

Cleveland optioned McKenzie to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.

Friday's short, six-run outing marked the fifth time in eight starts McKenzie yielded at least three earned runs. Further, the righty's control issues (30 walks in 31.1 innings) gave little choice to a Cleveland team that, with its subpar lineup, requires solid starting pitching to remain competitive on a nightly basis. McKenzie will almost certainly return to the big-league club at some point this season, but for now he'll have some time in Triple-A to work on his command.