MLB Player News

Kikuchi (1-1) allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and two walks over five innings in a win over the Angels on Saturday. He struck out three.

As his final line indicates, the left-hander pitched to plenty of contact, but he managed to limit just enough damage to still finish with a win by night's end. Kikuchi didn't let the ball leave the yard, but he did give up plenty of hard contact in the form of a trio of doubles and one three-bagger. The 27-year-old has allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last four trips to the mound and is now slated to work as a one- or two-inning opener in one of his next two starts as part of the Mariners' maintenance program for him in his first season stateside.

Bassitt will make his first start of 2019 against the Rangers on Monday, Alex Espinoza of MLB.com reports.

Bassitt was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas last Wednesday in the wake of Marco Estrada's placement on the injured list with a lumbar strain. Bassitt has had his own health challenges already this season, as he spent time on the IL with a right shin contusion caused by a liner he'd taken in a Japan exhibition in March. The veteran made three rehab starts overall and worked up to 72 pitches in his final one, so manager Bob Melvin projects Bassitt as capable of going up to 90-95 pitches Monday.

Giolito (hamstring) feels close to 100 percent and hopes to only miss one start, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

It sounds like he could come off the injured list when first eligible, April 28 against the Tigers. If he doesn't come back for that start, he will likely pitch in the following series against the Orioles. He has been throwing on the side but is waiting to be cleared to throw a full-effort bullpen session. Manny Banuelos has been confirmed to start Monday's game in Baltimore.

Cole believes he may have been tipping his pitches during the first inning of Saturday's 9-4 loss to Texas, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Cole allowed five first-inning runs on the way to his shortest outing (4.1 IP) since joining the Astros prior to the 2018 season. "I think they were maybe a little bit of a step ahead of me in terms of maybe being able to identify what pitch I was throwing," said Cole. "I made some adjustments throughout the game and that seemed to clean that up, and by the time I got to the fifth, I was dog tired and started to spray again." While watching video after the game, Cole said he could tell what pitches he was going to throw and assumes the Rangers knew it as well. The right-hander will attempt to clean it up before his next start Thursday at home against the Indians.

Berrios (3-1) earned the win in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader at Baltimore by giving up four runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Berrios managed to get the win despite allowing 12 baserunners and three home runs, as Minnesota's offense picked him up with a three-run sixth inning. The 24-year-old lines up to face the Orioles again next weekend and has a 2.97 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 33:8 K:BB across 33.1 innings through five starts.

Cole (1-3) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits with eight strikeouts and three walks across 4.1 innings in a loss to the Rangers on Saturday.

While the eight strikeouts were nice, Cole struggled in just about every other aspect during this start. He gave up five runs (four earned) in the first inning, but seemed to settle down in the second inning before giving up a solo homer in the third. The Rangers started another multi-run rally in the fifth, forcing Cole out of the game. Up until Saturday, Cole had strong numbers, but it just wasn't translating into wins. After this fiasco of a start, he is 1-3 with a 5.22 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. The good news is he also has 44 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. Cole's next start is scheduled to be at home against the Indians on Thursday.

Morton didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Red Sox, coughing up five runs on five hits and two walks over six innings while striking out nine.

The big blow off the right-hander was a second-inning grand slam by Andrew Benintendi, but Morton was able to shake it off and shut Boston down for the next four frames, giving Tampa a chance to mount a comeback and eventually tie it up in the eighth. Morton will take a 3.38 ERA and 34:12 K:BB through 26.2 innings into his next start Friday, a rematch with the Red Sox in Boston.

Valdez was called up from Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Valdez cracked Houston's Opening Day roster but made only two appearances over the first two weeks of the season before being sent down. The 25-year-old has been a starter in the minors up until this season, and his transition to a reliever remains a bit of a work in progress.

Cobb (0-1) allowed nine runs on 10 hits and no walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings in a 16-7 loss to the Twins on Saturday.

Cobb wasn't fooling the Twins, as he generated just four swinging strikes while allowing three home runs. The 31-year-old was making his second start of the season but permitted three runs in the first, one in the second, and five more in the third. Cobb has a bloated 11.88 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP, and he'll look to rebound Friday in a rematch in Minnesota.

Perez (2-0) earned the victory after allowing four runs on six hits and one walk over six innings in a 16-7 win over the Orioles on Saturday. He struck out two.

Perez was provided 13 runs of support before he permitted the Orioles to score, on a fourth-inning two-run homer by Renato Nunez. The left-hander then was tagged for another two-run homer by Hanser Alberto in the sixth. Perez has a 5.31 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP and is not currently scheduled to make a start next week.