MLB Player News

Cease is going on the injured list Wednesday after displaying COVID-like symptoms, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

He has not tested positive for the virus, but the White Sox will be cautious and hold him out for now. He has not been ruled out for his scheduled start Friday in Boston, but the team has started discussing contingency plans in the event that Cease cannot make the start, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Stripling was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday against the Yankees after developing right forearm tightness, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Toronto will call on T.J. Zeuch to make a spot start on short notice after Montoyo said Stripling "couldn't get the forearm to get loose" while he went through a workout Wednesday morning, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The Blue Jays are labeling Stripling as day-to-day for the time being and are holding out hope that he can miss only one turn through the rotation, but a trip to the 10-day injured list looks to be a strong possibility.

Stripling is no longer scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Yankees, as the Blue Jays will instead have T.J. Zeuch take the mound, Ben Wagner of Sportsnet reports.

Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo is scheduled to meet with the media prior to Wednesday's 1:07 p.m. ET opening pitch, so an explanation behind the decision to scratch Stripling should come shortly. Stripling had previously made two starts for Toronto, posting a 7.56 ERA, 1.92 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB across 8.1 innings.

Houck could start Saturday at home against the White Sox, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Monday's postponement in Minnesota shifted the rotation back a day, and there's no rostered starter that will be on schedule to go Saturday. That leaves Houck as the most logical candidate for the start, although manager Alex Cora will wait on a decision. There is rain forecasted for Boston, which could be a factor in pitcher availability Saturday.

Bundy (0-1) took the loss against Kansas City on Tuesday, tossing seven innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out six.

Bundy couldn't quite match another strong effort by the Royals' Danny Duffy, but he still posted his third straight quality start to begin the campaign. The right-hander threw 64 of his 94 pitches for strikes and racked up 16 swings-and-misses in his longest outing of the season. Bundy has registered a 3.32 ERA and 22:5 K:BB across 19 innings, but he hasn't yet garnered a win. He'll try to pick up the elusive first victory in his next outing, currently scheduled for Monday versus Texas.

Giolito tossed seven scoreless innings against Cleveland on Tuesday, but he did not factor in the decision. The right-hander allowed three runs and two walks while striking out eight.

Giolito matched reigning AL Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber in putting up goose eggs for seven frames before departing with a runner aboard in the eighth. The White Sox ace threw 75 of his 107 pitches for strikes and allowed only one extra-base hit while striking out eight. Giolito has posted a 2.55 ERA across his first three starts while registering a 26:5 K:BB across 17.2 innings. He'll head to Boston to take on the Red Sox on Sunday for his next scheduled start.

Bieber (1-1) earned the win over the White Sox on Tuesday, pitching nine scoreless innings and allowing three hits along with one walk while striking out 11.

The right-hander technically didn't toss a complete game since the contest wasn't decided until the 10th frame, but he still picked up a victory thanks to a pair of Cleveland runs in the top of the 10th. Bieber went toe-to-toe with fellow ace Lucas Giolito throughout the contest, ultimately outlasting his counterpart. The reigning AL Cy Young winner threw 85 of his 113 pitches for strikes and induced 20 swings-and-misses while pushing his season strikeout total to 35 over 21.1 innings. Bieber will look to extend his superb start to the campaign Sunday at Cincinnati.

Kremer didn't factor into the decision in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Mariners after allowing four runs on four hits and a walk over three innings in a 7-6 win. He struck out three.

The young righty held Seattle off the board for two innings before the wheels came off in the third, and Kremer tossed 34 of 54 pitches for strikes before getting the hook. His ERA on the year sits at a bloated 10.50 through six innings with an 8:5 K:BB, but if he stays on turn, he'll get some extra time to clear his head before his next scheduled outing April 20 in Miami.

Means didn't factor into the decision in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Mariners after giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out five.

It wasn't a bad final line, but Means served up homers in each of the first two innings and appeared to be headed for disaster before settling down. The southpaw threw 58 of 88 pitches for strikes, and he'll carry a 2.16 ERA and 14:4 K:BB through 16.2 innings into his next outing, set for Sunday on the road against the Rangers.

Luzardo gave up five runs on six hits and two walks across 2.2 innings during Tuesday's 7-5 win over the Diamondbacks. He had one strikeout and didn't factor into the decision.

The 23-year-old delivered a scoreless first inning but was unable to get through three frames in the desert Tuesday. However, he was taken off the hook for the loss when the A's rallied for six runs across the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Luzardo has allowed 12 runs on 19 hits with a 15:7 K:BB over 13 innings through his first three starts of the season.