MLB Player News
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Brandon Young SP | BAL
Orioles' Brandon Young: Stumbles vs. Houston
Young (2-1) took the loss in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Astros, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out two.
Young was solid in his first two major-league starts, allowing just three runs over 10.2 innings. It was a drastically different story Thursday, however, as the Astros tagged the right-hander for five runs in the first inning and another four in the fourth. Despite the rough showing, Young figures to get at least one more look in Baltimore's rotation with Trevor Rogers (illness) and Dean Kremer (quadriceps) sidelined. He's tentatively lined up to face the Marlins on the road in his next outing.
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Lance McCullers SP | HOU
Astros' Lance McCullers: Grabs win in nightcap
McCullers (2-2) earned the win Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader with the Orioles, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out nine.
After allowing 17 runs (15 earned) in just 14.1 innings across his previous three starts, McCullers rebounded with an impressive performance against the Orioles, matching his season high with nine strikeouts. McCullers' ERA now sits at 6.32 with a 1.40 WHIP and 33:17 K:BB across six starts (31.1 innings) this season. He'll look to build on Thursday's performance in his next outing, tentatively scheduled as a tough home matchup next week against the Dodgers.
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Carlos Rodon SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Rodon: Electric in second rehab start
Rodon (elbow) allowed one earned run on five hits and no walks while striking out eight batters over 5.1 innings in a rehab start Thursday with Double-A Somerset.
Rodon was dominant in the second outing of his rehab assignment, spotting 51 of his 75 total pitches for strikes. The southpaw was able to build off the 4.1 scoreless innings he threw Friday with High-A Hudson Valley. Rodon is on the precipice of making his 2026 debut with Yankees after opening the season on the 15-day injured list while recovering from left elbow surgery that he underwent in October. He'll likely wrap his rehab assignment with one more start next Tuesday or Wednesday.
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Cade Povich SP | BAL
Orioles' Cade Povich: Expected to be called up Friday
Povich is expected to be called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Friday, Andy Kostka of TheBanner.com reports.
Povich will return to the major-league roster after being sent down to Norfolk on April 13. The southpaw will help fill the void of Trevor Rogers (illness) in the Orioles' starting rotation after Rogers was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday. Povich has made two appearances, including one start, with Baltimore this season, posting an impressive 2.19 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with seven strikeouts over 12.1 innings. He appears to be on track to draw a start on the mound Friday or Saturday against the Yankees.
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Tatsuya Imai SP | HOU
Astros' Tatsuya Imai: Expected to log another rehab start
Imai (arm) will make another start during his minor-league rehab assignment in the coming week, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Imai tossed two innings, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two batters during his first rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday. Manager Joe Espada announced Thursday that the right-hander will make another start while on his rehab assignment, though it's currently unclear at what level his next outing will come. Imai has been sidelined since April 13 while recovering from right arm fatigue, and the additional time away may have allowed him to better adjust to life in the United States, which was something else he was reportedly struggling with, per Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports.
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Jeffrey Springs SP | ATH
Athletics' Jeffrey Springs: Leaves outing with hip soreness
Springs was removed from Thursday's start against the Royals after three innings due to right hip soreness, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Springs probably wasn't long for the game, anyway, having needed 67 pitches to navigate through his three frames, but an issue with his hip was apparently the reason for the quick hook. The southpaw yielded two runs on five hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch before exiting. The Athletics should have more information on Springs' condition after the game. He is tentatively lined up to face the Phillies on the road in his next start.
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Chris Bassitt SP | BAL
Orioles' Chris Bassitt: Grabs win in opener
Bassitt (2-2) earned the win Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader with the Astros, allowing a run on seven hits and a walk over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven.
It was easily the best outing of the season thus far for Bassitt, who logged a season high in strikeouts en route to his first quality start. The right-hander held Houston off the board for six innings before Christian Vazquez drove in a run with two outs in the seventh. Bassitt's ERA now sits at 5.46 with a 1.86 WHIP and 17:14 K:BB across six starts (28 innings) this year. He'll look to build on Thursday's performance his next time out, tentatively scheduled to come next week in Miami.
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Framber Valdez SP | DET
Tigers' Framber Valdez: Sharp vs. Atlanta
Valdez didn't factor into the decision Thursday against Atlanta, allowing two runs on six hits and no walks over six innings. He struck out eight.
It was a strong bounce-back effort from Valdez, who didn't issue any free passes after walking a season-high eight batters in his last outing, which came against the Reds. Valdez has held opponents to two runs or fewer in six of his first seven starts with the Tigers. Overall, his ERA sits at 3.35 with a 1.26 WHIP and 32:14 K:BB across 40.1 innings. Valdez is currently lined up to face the Red Sox at home his next time out.
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Bailey Falter RP | KC
Royals' Bailey Falter: Scoreless fifth rehab outing
Falter (elbow) allowed no hits or walks with two strikeouts across 1.1 scoreless innings with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
Falter logged his fifth rehab appearance with Triple-A Omaha as he works back from left elbow inflammation. The outing was arguably his best of the assignment, as the southpaw didn't allow a baserunner, though it also marked his first appearance since April 15 (his initial rehab outing) in which he logged fewer than two innings. Across 8.2 innings at Triple-A, the 28-year-old owns a 3.12 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with a stellar 12:1 K:BB. Falter struggled in two relief appearances with Kansas City prior to landing on the injured list, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks across 3.1 innings with four strikeouts. The veteran is likely to be activated in the near future, with a multi-inning role out of the bullpen his likely role upon reinstatement.
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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Reaches sixth inning in rehab start
Cole (elbow) struck out three and allowed allowed three earned runs on three hits and zero walks across 5.2 innings Wednesday in his rehab start with Double-A Somerset.
Making the third start of his rehab assignment, Cole retired the first 11 batters he faced and allowed just three baserunners on the day, though two of the hits he gave up left the yard. He spotted 45 of his 60 pitches for strikes during the outing and mixed in four pitches while sitting between 93 and 96 miles per hour with his velocity. Though his velocity remains down a few ticks from where it sat before he underwent Tommy John surgery last March, Cole's control has been excellent throughout his first three minor-league appearances; he's walked just one batter across 14.1 innings. The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner is expected to make at least one more start in the minors before the Yankees decide if he's ready to come off the injured list for his 2026 big-league debut.