MLB Player News

Kikuchi gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits, including two homers, and struck out five over six innings Friday but came away with a no-decision in a 7-6 loss to the Red Sox.

Other than the pair of homers, Kikuchi looked very sharp. He had the Mariners in position to win, but the bullpen blew a three-run lead in the final two frames. The southpaw has yielded just three earned runs in 10.2 innings during his first two major-league starts, but he's still searching for his first win.

Cole (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out 10 over six innings Friday against Tampa Bay.

Cole was handed a two-run lead in the third inning but the Rays would respond with three runs of their own in the third followed by an insurance run in the sixth. The 28-year-old pounded the zone in his season debut, firing 71 of 101 pitches for strikes. Cole will search for his first victory of 2019 in his next outing Wednesday against Texas.

Morton (1-0) picked up the win Friday against Houston, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight over five innings.

Morton fared well against his former team, tossing 54 of 85 pitches for strikes on the evening. The 35-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2018 (3.13 ERA over 167 frames) and will look to maintain his success following a change in scenery.

Boyd (0-1) was saddled with the loss Friday against Toronto after surrendering three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out 10 over five innings.

Boyd had the strikeout pitch working in his season debut, but the Blue Jays finally got to him in the fourth inning and pushed across four runs on four hits and an error. The 28-year-old lefty allowed a career-worst 27 long balls in 2018 over 170.1 innings, so he'll work on keeping the ball in the yard this year.

Gonzales (2-0) was charged with four runs (three earned) on nine hits over 5.1 innings in a win over the Red Sox on Thursday. He struck out four and walked one.

The stat line won't wow anyone, but Gonzales held the defending World Series champs in check en route to his second win on the young season. He got plenty of support from the offense; the M's went off against Chris Sale and company for 12 runs. Gonzales doesn't miss a lot of bats and so he's prone to getting BABIP'd on occasion, but he doesn't make things hard on himself with walks. Up next is a home start against the Angels.

Sale (0-1) gave up seven runs on six hits -- including three home runs -- over three innings in a loss to the Mariners on Thursday. He struck out four and walked two.

Yes, three home runs at the old Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park), including two allowed to Tim Beckham. Citing BrooksBaseball.net, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports that Sale's four-seam fastball averaged 92.9 mph in his Opening Day start. The lefty's fastball was down late last year after he returned from a shoulder injury, but the Red Sox giving Sale a five-year, $150 million extension last week restored confidence in his health to a large extent. Sale will look to get right against the A's in Oakland on Tuesday.

Stroman allowed two hits and walked four while striking out seven across seven shutout innings Thursday against the Tigers. He did not factor into the decision.

Stroman pitched well enough to earn the win, but was matched in his strong performance by Jordan Zimmermann. While no conclusions should be drawn from the single start, Stroman flashed a different profile in his 2019 debut by generating 16 swinging strikes and inducing just as many flyouts as groundouts. He'll look to improve his control in his second start, but otherwise, it was an impressive outing for Stroman after coming off an injury-plagued 2018 season.

Rodon (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 5.1 innings during a 5-3 loss to the Royals on Opening Day. He struck out six and walked one in the loss.

The Royals scratched out a run in the fourth and then scored a pair in the sixth. Rodon's defense didn't help him out, as the second run in the sixth scored on an error. The White Sox nearly erased a five-run deficit in the ninth to get Rodon off the hook, but they stranded the bases loaded. Rodon has been pretty average over the last three years, but six strikeouts in 5.1 frames is a good sign. The 26-year-old averaged more than a strikeout per inning during his first two MLB seasons (2015 and 2016).

Snell (0-1) allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three across six innings to take the loss Thursday against the Astros.

Snell got through the first two innings unscathed but was burned by the long ball, allowing home runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Despite the tough outing, he still managed to generate 11 swinging strikes. In addition, his fastball velocity was very close to matching where he sat at the beginning of the 2018 season. While no doubt a disappointing debut, it was a tough assignment against one of the best lineups in the league.

Keller (1-0) threw seven shutout innings and posted five strikeouts in a 5-3 victory against the White Sox on Opening Day.

The 23-year-old had a poor spring, posting a 5.40 ERA in five appearances, but Keller looked more like his 2018 form Thursday. As a rookie last season, Keller went 9-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 104.1 innings. Keller probably isn't going to be a strikeout-per-inning guy, but he doesn't give up a lot of home runs, which obviously helps his ERA.