MLB Player News

Blackburn will start Thursday's game against the Rangers, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Ryan Weathers was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday due to an illness he suffered earlier in the week, so Blackburn will step in for a spot start. The 32-year-old righty has gotten off to a nice start to begin the 2026 campaign while working exclusively out of the bullpen, logging a 3.21 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through 14 frames. He'll benefit from a favorable matchup Thursday against a Rangers offense that ranks 28th in MLB with 137 runs scored on the season.

Flaherty (0-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out 10.

Although he remained winless on the campaign, it was still one of Flaherty's better performances so far. The right-hander fanned a season-high 10, issued fewer than two walks for the first time this year and also pitched at least five frames while yielding two runs or fewer for just the third time in eight starts. Flaherty still has a disappointing 5.56 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 42:26 K:BB over 34 innings, but he's next set for a soft matchup against the Mets.

Cantillo (2-1) earned the win against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out one batter across five innings.

Cantillo found himself in trouble both in the second and third innings, but he managed to limit the damage to one run on a Salvador Perez sacrifice fly in the third. It was by no means a blistering performance out of Cantillo with a season-low one strikeout, but it was fourth time this season that he gave up just one earned run (in eight starts). He'll bring a 3.43 ERA and 1.37 WHIP (across 39.1 innings) into his next start, which is slated for next week at home against the Angels.

Weathers was scratched from his scheduled start for Thursday's game against the Rangers due to an illness he suffered earlier in the week, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Weathers is feeling better now, but being sick took him off his routine, so the Yankees will postpone his next start to give him time to get back in rhythm. The 26-year-old southpaw is now expected to make his next start in Baltimore on Monday, and the Pinstripes will send Paul Blackburn to the mound in Thursday's series finale.

Woo (2-2) earned the win Wednesday over Atlanta, allowing just one hit and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out nine.

Woo was excellent Wednesday, holding a red-hot Atlanta offense to just one single while matching a season high with nine strikeouts. It's an especially encouraging performance for Woo, who had given up 13 runs over nine innings across his previous two outings. Overall, his ERA sits at 4.02 this year with a 1.00 WHIP and 38:8 K:BB across eight starts (47 innings). Woo's currently scheduled to face the Astros on the road his next time out.

Schultz (2-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Angels, allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks over 3.2 innings. He struck out three.

Five of the runs charged to Schultz came in the second inning, when the Angels strung together four straight two-out hits, highlighted by a Travis d'Arnaud three-run homer. It's the first rough outing of the season for Schultz, who had allowed just three runs over 17 innings in his previous three starts. The left-hander's ERA now sits at 4.68 through his first five starts (25 innings) with a 1.32 WHIP and 23:16 K:BB. Schultz will look to get back on track his next time out, currently scheduled to come at home next week against the Royals.

Urena (1-3) earned the win Wednesday over the White Sox, allowing a run on two hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.

It was an impressive performance by Urena, who logged his second quality start and first major-league win. The rookie right-hander has held opponents to just two runs over 11 innings in his last two outings, though he's walked three batters in both of those games. Urena's ERA sits at a solid 3.22 through 22.1 innings this season with a 1.57 WHIP and 22:19 K:BB. He's currently lined up to face the Guardians on the road his next time out.

The Astros optioned Alexander to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday.

Alexander was recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday, but he'll head back down after giving up five earned runs over 4.1 innings during Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers. The 33-year-old righty owns a 4.97 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through 29 innings (six starts) in the minors this season and could be called upon to make more appearances in the majors this year, especially considering the number of injuries that have already hit Houston's pitching staff.

Valdez's six-game suspension was reduced to five games Wednesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Valdez initially received a six-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Trevor Story during Detroit's 10-3 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday. Major League Baseball has now shaved a game off Valdez's suspension, which he will begin serving Wednesday. He will be eligible to make his next start May 13 against the Mets in Queens.

Bennett is slated to start Thursday's game against the Rays at Fenway Park, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The Red Sox welcomed Sonny Gray (hamstring) back from the injured list Wednesday, but Bennett will wind up sticking around in the big-league rotation for another turn while the status of Ranger Suarez (hamstring) remains in flux. Boston is still leaving the door open for Suarez to start either of the final two games of the series versus the Rays, and if that comes to pass, Bennett could be headed back to Triple-A Worcester following Thursday's outing. The 25-year-old lefty turned in a strong performance in his MLB debut last Friday, striking out three while limiting the Astros to one run on five hits and two walks over five innings en route to picking up a win.