MLB Player News
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Wins pitchers' duel Friday
Williams (7-3) picked up the win Friday, scattering four hits over eight scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the Phillies. He struck out 11 without walking a batter.
Cristopher Sanchez and Williams put on an absolute pitching clinic for eight frames before Kyle Manzardo played hero with a pinch-hit solo shot off Jhoan Duran in the top of the ninth. For his part, Williams didn't allow a runner to get past second base while tying his season high in strikeouts, firing 70 of 99 pitches for strikes and generating 33 called or swinging strikes. The big right-hander will take a 3.25 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 84:22 K:BB through 69.1 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Nationals.
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Spencer Arrighetti SP | HOU
Astros' Spencer Arrighetti: Blanks Cubs for sixth win
Arrighetti (6-1) picked up the win Friday, allowing two hits and four walks over five scoreless innings in a 4-2 victory over the Cubs. He struck out five.
The right-hander threw only 53 of 89 pitches for strikes and also hit two batters with pitches, but Chicago couldn't generate any offense against Arrighetti despite having runners in scoring position in four of his five frames. The 26-year-old has bailed out an injury-ravaged Astros rotation since making his season debut in mid-April, and he has yet to give up more than two earned runs in a start. Arrighetti will take a 1.32 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 40:25 K:BB through 41 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next week against the Rangers.
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Yusei Kikuchi SP | LAA
Angels' Yusei Kikuchi: Shifts to 60-day IL
The Angels transferred Kikuchi (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Friday.
Kikuchi is expected to miss multiple months after initially landing on the injured list May 3 with shoulder inflammation, so moving to the 60-day IL doesn't affect his return timeline. It does, however, free up a spot on the 40-man roster, helping to make room for Donovan Walton and Wade Meckler.
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Shane Bieber SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Shane Bieber: Beginning rehab assignment Monday
Bieber (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment at the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The veteran right-hander is aiming to pitch two innings Monday. Bieber will then build up to three innings in his next outing, according to Zwelling. The Blue Jays will build him up slowly, but Bieber is on track to make his 2026 debut some time in June.
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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Activated for 2026 debut Friday
The Yankees activated Cole (elbow) from the 15-day injured list Friday.
The right-hander will make his 2026 season debut Friday against the Rays. Cole missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery and will make his first regular-season big-league start since Sept. 26, 2024. The 35-year-old made six rehab starts leading up to Friday's debut and posted a 4.66 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 28:3 K:BB across 29 innings.
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Hunter Brown SP | HOU
Astros' Hunter Brown: Beginning rehab assignment Sunday
Brown (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Brown threw live batting practice earlier this week and is ready for game action as he recovers from a shoulder strain. The right-hander isn't eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until the end of May, but a June return might be more plausible given the length of his layoff. Brown last pitched March 31 and posted a 0.84 ERA and 17:6 K:BB across 10.2 inning in his first two starts of the season before being shut down.
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Kutter Crawford SP | BOS
Red Sox's Kutter Crawford: Shifted to 60-day injured list
The Red Sox transferred Crawford (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tayron Guerrero. Crawford has been out all season, first while he recovered from wrist surgery and then due to forearm soreness that developed in mid-April while on a rehab assignment. It's unclear whether the righty has resumed a throwing program.
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Yusei Kikuchi SP | LAA
Angels' Yusei Kikuchi: Expects to resume throwing soon
Kikuchi (shoulder) said Wednesday that he's slated to begin a throwing program soon and expressed hope that he'll be able to return to the Angels early in the second half of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Kikuchi has been shut down from throwing since he landed on the 15-day IL due to left shoulder inflammation May 3. The veteran lefty explained through an interpreter Wednesday that surgery was never on the table and that "the damage wasn't major." Kikuchi also stated that he's been doing shoulder strengthening exercises and is preparing to be cleared to play catch. He's almost certain to need a lengthy buildup and a substantial minor-league rehab assignment, though he expressed confidence that he'll be able to be back in the Angels' rotation before the end of July.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Athletics' Luis Severino: Fans 10 in no-decision
Severino allowed two runs on three hits and no walks while striking out 10 batters over seven innings in a no-decision against the Angels on Thursday.
Severino was often dominant in the outing, racking up 18 whiffs en route to a season-high strikeout total. The veteran righty completed seven innings for the second time this season and recorded his third quality start. The only runs the Angels mustered against Severino on Thursday came on a two-run homer by Nolan Schanuel in the first inning, and the 32-year-old righty retired the final eight batters he faced. Severino has now allowed two or fewer runs in five of his past six starts, which has helped him lower his season ERA to 4.23. He's lined up to make his next start at home versus Seattle.
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Jose Soriano SP | LAA
Angels' Jose Soriano: Rebounds with quality start
Soriano completed 6.2 innings in a no-decision against the Athletics on Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out seven batters.
Soriano came into Thursday in the midst of his first rough patch of the season, as he'd given up 12 runs over 17 innings across his previous three starts. The right-hander bounced back nicely, keeping the A's off the scoreboard for five frames before yielding a run in each of the sixth and seventh innings. Soriano registered his sixth quality start through 11 outings and reached seven punchouts for the sixth time. He's in the midst of a career-best campaign, posting a 2.44 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 74:27 K:BB through 66.1 innings. Opposing batters are hitting just .187 against him, which places him in a tie for sixth in that category among qualified starters.