MLB Player News

Stripling (0-1) yielded four runs on six hits and two walks over five innings Sunday, striking out three and taking a loss against the Yankees.

Stripling wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and kept the Yankees scoreless through two frames. He then served up three homers over the next two innings, including a 485-foot rocket by Giancarlo Stanton. Stripling got six whiffs on 11 swings with the changeup and 12 swinging strikes overall. He'll have a better matchup next week at home against the Royals.

Brubaker (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Sunday.

The right-hander is dealing with elbow inflammation and is potentially facing season-ending surgery, so the move to the 60-day IL isn't a major surprise. Brubaker won't be eligible to return during the first two months of the campaign, and at this point it's unclear if he'll be able to pitch at all this season.

Gonsolin (ankle) is scheduled to face hitters in a live batting practice session Wednesday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Gonsolin remains at the Dodgers' spring training facility in Arizona while he continues to rehab the sprained left ankle that forced him to the 15-day injured list to begin the campaign, but he appears on pace to rejoin the big club by late April or early May if he incurs no further setbacks in his recovery. He came out of a two-inning, 40-pitch bullpen session Sunday feeling fine and will take the next step forward in his rehab program by facing hitters.

Dodd remains penciled in as Atlanta's starter for Tuesday's game at St. Louis, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The 24-year-old lefty has yet to be added to the 26-man and 40-man rosters since he wasn't needed during the first four games of the season, but he'll officially have his contract selected ahead of Tuesday's contest. Dodd posted a 2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB across 18 innings this spring to earn a spot in the season-opening rotation, and he likely received some added job security with ace Max Fried (hamstring) likely to miss time after he suffered an injury Opening Day.

Kershaw (1-0) earned the win over Arizona on Saturday, pitching six innings and allowing one run on four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters.

Kershaw ceded the Dodgers' Opening Day starter role to Julio Urias this season, but the veteran doesn't appear to have slipped much despite having taxed his left arm with over 2,500 career regular-season innings. The future Hall of Famer was very sharp Saturday, racking up 13 swinging strikes and 21 called strikes among his 76 total pitches while fanning nine batters in six frames. The only run against Kershaw came on a second-inning home run off the bat of Christian Walker. Kershaw rebounded from a down 2021 performance with a 2.28 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 126.1 innings last season, and Saturday's effort suggests that he still has the stuff to rank among the league's most effective hurlers.

Urena (0-1) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks over 2.1 innings against the Padres. He struck out zero.

Urena allowed a two-run homer in the first inning to Xander Bogaerts, and he gave up a two-run double to Matt Carpenter in the third. Urena threw 40 of 71 pitches for strikes, and he did not fool the San Diego hitters throughout the outing. Urena is a tough sell for fantasy, but he's scheduled to face a beatable Washington lineup next week.

Wheeler (0-1) took the loss Saturday as the Phillies were routed 16-3 by the Rangers, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out seven.

The right-hander was working from behind most of the afternoon, throwing first-pitch strikes to only nine of 22 batters and exiting after tossing 55 of 94 pitches for strikes. Wheeler did generate 17 swinging strikes though, and his final line doesn't look so bad compared to some of the atrocious outings from the Phillies' relievers. The 32-year-old had trouble staying healthy in 2022, with his 26 starts and 153 innings being his lowest totals over a full MLB season since 2017, but he appears to be 100 percent to kick off the current campaign. Wheeler's next turn in the rotation will likely come at home next week against the Reds.

Wacha (1-0) earned the win Saturday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks over six innings against the Rockies. He struck out two.

Wacha breezed through the first four innings before allowing a run in the fifth on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar. The right-hander then struggled in the sixth while giving up three runs in that frame, including a two-run home run by C.J. Cron. All in all, it was a solid -- if unspectacular -- outing for Wacha in his first start as a member of the Padres. He's scheduled to go again in Atlanta next weekend.

Cobb didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 7-5 win over the Yankees, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and a walk over 3.2 innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander was stingy but not efficient, getting the hook after needing 76 pitches (47 strikes) to record only 11 outs, but he was always likely to get a quick hook after being bothered by knee soreness late in spring training. Cobb is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he struck out a career-high 151 batters over 149.2 innings, but that was also the first time since 2018 he's been able to make more than 18 starts. The 35-year-old is projected to take the mound at home next week against the Royals.

Gray (0-1) took the loss Saturday, coughing up five runs on seven hits -- including three home runs -- and two walks over five innings as the Nationals fell 7-1 to Atlanta. He struck out four.

It was the same old story for the right-hander, who got taken deep by both Ronald Acuna and Matt Olson within the first six pitches of the game. Gray has posted a HR/9 of 2.30 or higher in each of the last two seasons, and it doesn't look like his offseason work to add a cutter to his arsenal has solved that puzzle. Until he learns to keep the ball in the park, the 25-year-old will be too volatile to deploy in most fantasy formats other than as a deep streaming option. His early-season problems could get worse before they get better, as Gray's next start is set to come on a road trip to Coors Field next week.