MLB Player News

Walker (1-4) was tagged with the loss Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and a walk across four innings. He struck out one.

Walker pitched in bulk relief after Wednesday's opener, Kyle Backhus, allowed a run on two hits in his lone inning of work. Walker has failed to pitch more than four innings in his last two starts, taking losses to Atlanta and the Cubs while allowing a combined 12 runs (11 earned) on 15 hits and a 5:4 K:BB through eight frames. Walker's next turn in the rotation should come against the Giants at home next week, but it's hard to trust him right now. He's allowed at least four earned runs in four of his five appearances this season while sporting an inflated 9.13 ERA with a 2.07 WHIP through 22.2 innings.

Rodriguez (2-0) allowed four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings to earn the win over the White Sox on Wednesday.

Rodriguez threw 61 of 96 pitches for strikes, but it wasn't a particularly convincing performance. He gave up a pair of solo home runs in this outing, putting him at four homers allowed over five starts this season. Rodriguez is at a 2.89 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 18:12 K:BB through 28 innings, but he's given up eight runs over his last two starts, so his early luck may be fading fast. The veteran southpaw is projected to make his next start on the road at Milwaukee.

Mahle (1-3) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five over seven shutout innings to earn the win over the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Mahle delivered his second scoreless outing of the year, and he was dominant while going pitch-for-pitch against Shohei Ohtani. Patrick Bailey delivered the necessary support with a three-run blast in the seventh inning that allowed Mahle to ultimately earn his first win of the season. Even with this performance, Mahle has an uninspiring 5.26 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 26:14 K:BB across 25.2 innings over five starts this year. He'll need to cut down on the walks to have more repeatable success -- his current 4.9 BB/9 is his highest since the abbreviated 2020 campaign. The right-hander is projected to make his next start on the road in Philadelphia.

Buehler (1-2) allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings to take the loss versus the Rockies on Wednesday.

Buehler's pitch count got up early -- he ended at 82 pitches (47 strikes). That's the third time in five starts that he's failed to complete five innings, and he's fallen short of three frames in two of those contests. The right-hander is sporting an ugly 5.75 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 20:9 K:BB across 20.1 innings so far. Buehler is likely to remain at the back end of the Padres' rotation for now, though he could be pressured once Lucas Giolito, who signed a one-year contract with San Diego on Wednesday, is deemed MLB ready. Buehler is tentatively lined up to make his next start at home versus the Cubs.

Sugano (2-1) allowed a run on five hits and a walk while striking out four over 5.2 innings to earn the win over the Padres on Wednesday.

Sugano threw 64 of 101 pitches for strikes in this outing. He came up an out short of a quality start, but this is the third time in five appearances this season he's limited an opponent to one run. He also avoided giving up a home run for the first time. Sugano has a 3.42 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB over 26.1 innings, so he's been more effective than dominant to begin his first year with the Rockies. The right-hander is projected to make his next start on the road versus the Reds.

Perez didn't factor into the decision while working three innings in relief in Wednesday's 8-6 win over Washington. He struck out four and allowed two earned runs on three hits (two home runs) and no walks.

Perez had been lined up to start Thursday's series finale in Washington, but he ended up being pressed into duty in bulk relief after starter Didier Fuentes labored through three innings. The three-inning outing was the shortest appearance of the season for Perez, who still owns an excellent 2.70 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB over his first 23.1 frames. While Atlanta could move Perez back into the rotation for their three-game set with Detroit at the beginning of next week, he likely wouldn't be in line for more than one start since Spencer Strider (oblique) appears likely to return from the injured list for next weekend's series in Colorado.

Littell (0-3) took the loss Wednesday against Atlanta, allowing eight runs (six earned) on seven hits (four home runs) and two walks in six innings. He struck out one.

After serving up the second-most homers in the major leagues a year ago, Littell is being plagued by the long ball once again in 2026. The right-hander tied his career worst in homers allowed Wednesday, and he's now been tagged for multiple big flies in all but one of his first five starts of the year en route to giving up an MLB-high 11 round-trippers so far. Though the Mets rank near the bottom of the majors in homers (17) through their first 24 games, Littell still won't be a recommended fantasy option when he takes a 7.56 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB through 25 frames into his next scheduled start in Queens.

Atlanta is expected to select Carrasco's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.

Carrasco has made four starts at Triple-A Gwinnett this year and owns a 1.71 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 18:5 K:BB through 21 innings. He's now set to make his return to the big leagues but will likely operate in a long-relief role, as Atlanta will have an opening in its bullpen once Dylan Dodd (back) is officially placed on the injured list.

Atlanta will place Dodd on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a back strain, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.

Dodd was summoned from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and gave up an earned run in his appearance against Washington, but he seems to have come away from his outing with a back issue. He'll spend at least a couple of weeks on the injured list as a result, and Carlos Carrasco will come up from Triple-A to round out Atlanta's bullpen.

Atlanta will select Ritchie's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Thursday's game against the Nationals, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Considered to be one of the best pitching prospects in Atlanta's farm system, Ritchie has posted a 0.99 ERA and 1.03 WHIP alongside a 28:13 K:BB through 27.1 innings (five starts) at Gwinnett this season. He's now earned the right to make a start with Atlanta and will take on a Nationals offense that ranks second in MLB with 142 runs scored through 25 games. The 22-year-old's time in the majors is likely to be brief, as Spencer Strider (oblique) is nearing the end of his rehab assignment and could return from the injured list next week. However, an impressive outing Thursday could buy Ritchie another start in the big leagues.