MLB Player News

Gray's game between the Nationals and the Diamondbacks on Monday was postponed and will be made up Tuesday as a part of a split doubleheader.

Gray's start will get pushed back a day. The right-hander has posted a 4.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over nine innings in his first two starts of the season.

Strider didn't give up a hit or a run over 3.2 innings of relief in Sunday's loss to the Padres, walking three and striking out three.

The flamethrowing rookie continues to pile up whiffs and now boasts a 32.4 percent strikeout rate through his first nine big-league innings, but Strider's 17.6 percent walk rate seems likely to keep him from working his way out of a long relief role any time soon. His upside is sky high, whether as a future closer or with a move into the rotation, but for now the 23-year-old has more value as a dynasty asset than in redraft fantasy formats.

Shuster tied a Southern League record Saturday by striking out eight straight batters, finishing his start for Double-A Mississippi with a career-high 12 strikeouts over five scoreless innings against Biloxi. He allowed just two hits and a walk.

The game was called after five innings due to rain, otherwise Shuster would have had a chance to break the record. The 23-year-old southpaw now has a 17:2 K:BB through his first 10 innings for Mississippi this season, and a promotion to Triple-A could happen fairly quickly if he keeps dominating Double-A hitters. Shuster is Atlanta's No. 9 fantasy prospect after being the 25th overall pick in the 2020 Draft out of Wake Forest, but he could be poised for a big rise up the rankings this season given his clean mechanics, strong command and plus fastball-changeup combination.

Lara impressed for Single-A Fredericksburg on Sunday against Carolina, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks over four innings while striking out seven.

One of the Nationals' top pitching prospects, Lara is still only 19 after being a J-2 signing in 2019, but this is already his second look at full-season ball after he ended last season with a couple shaky starts for Fredericksburg. His results this time around have been a lot better, however, and if Lara can improve his control, his raw stuff could allow him to consistently dominate hitters in the low minors. For the moment, he's only on the radar in deeper dynasty formats, but Lara has the tools to put together a breakout campaign.

Ashby allowed three runs (none earned) on two hits and four walks while fanning four across four innings Sunday against the Cardinals. He didn't factor into the decision.

Ashby worked out of the bullpen in his first two appearances of the season but handled a starter-like workload in his previous outing, so it wasn't an issue to see him toss 74 pitches through four frames in this one. It remains to be seen if he'll stick in the rotation or if he'll return to the bullpen moving forward, though it wouldn't be a surprise if he alternates between both roles. After all, Milwaukee used a six-man rotation for prolonged stretches last season.

Gomber (0-1) was tagged with the loss Sunday against the Cubs after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and four walks while striking out two across 4.1 innings.

Gomber hasn't looked good to start the season, as he has yet to complete five innings while allowing at least three earned run in each of his first two outings. The command has been an issue as well -- aside from posting a 6:6 K:BB through his first 9.0 innings of work, he also tossed just 48 of his 81 pitches for strikes in this one. He's tabbed to make his next start Saturday against the Tigers on the road.

Smyly didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Rockies after allowing four hits and a walk while striking out four across 4.2 scoreless innings.

Smyly joined the Cubs in mid-March and found his way into the rotation due to several injuries, but he's done enough through his first two starts to believe he could earn a regular spot for the remainder of the season. He's yet to allow a run through 9.2 innings, allowing seven hits and posting a strong 5:1 K:BB. His next start is scheduled for Friday at home against the Pirates.

Elder (1-1) took the loss during Sunday's 2-1 defeat against San Diego, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks with three strikeouts over 4.1 innings.

Making his second career start, Elder labored through the first two innings, allowing seven baserunners and a pair of runs. The five walks are a bit concerning, though he didn't allow a free pass during his first start and didn't have an especially high walk rate in the minor leagues. He's tentatively set to face off against Miami next Sunday.

Darvish (1-1) notched the win during Sunday's 2-1 victory over Atlanta, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

Making his first appearance following a blow-up against San Francisco on Tuesday, Darvish limited a potent Atlanta offense to four baserunners through nearly seven innings. Manager Bob Melvin opted to keep the righty in the game despite serving up a Marcell Ozuna home run to lead off the seventh inning, but he was later pulled after surrendering a two-out double. The 35-year-old has now submitted two excellent starts through three turns and is set to face the Dodgers on Saturday for his next start.

Quintana yielded three runs on five hits and three walks over four innings in Sunday's win over Washington. He struck out two and did not factor in the decision.

All three runs allowed by Quintana came during the second inning when he coughed up RBI singles to Riley Adams and Victor Robles. The veteran southpaw saw his ERA rise to 3.86 through 9.1 innings. He's also sporting an uninspiring 5:5 K:BB and 1.61 WHIP. Quintana is lined up to start at Wrigley Field against the Cubs next week.