MLB Player News
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Zack Littell SP | WAS
Nationals' Zack Littell: Scalded for eight runs in loss
Littell (7-7) took the loss against the Athletics on Saturday, allowing eight runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out four batters over six innings.
Littell's outing began ominously when Jacob Wilson led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run. That was one of five runs given up by the righty hurler in the first frame, so he probably deserves some kudos for ultimately making it through six innings. Nonetheless, Littell tied a season-worst mark with the eight runs he allowed, pushing his ERA up to an ugly 5.34 on the campaign. He had been showing some improvement with a 2.84 ERA and 16:3 K:BB across his final four starts before the All-Star break, but he's been very streaky this year -- in fact, the other three times he gave up eight runs came in consecutive outings in April.
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Jared Jones SP | PIT
Pirates' Jared Jones: Fans nine in second win
Jones (2-1) picked up the win in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and one walk over five innings. He struck out nine.
The right-hander set a season high in strikeouts in his ninth start since returning from Tommy John surgery in late May, tossing 48 of 74 pitches for strikes. Jones' workload is still being monitored by the Pirates -- he's topped 80 pitches just once so far in 2026 -- and he's lasted five frames only three times, but he's delivered a 4.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 48:12 K:BB over 40 innings. Jones will look to build on this result in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Cubs.
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Logan Webb SP | SF
Giants' Logan Webb: Stung late in no-decision
Webb took a no-decision after tossing 6.2 innings against Seattle on Saturday, giving up three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out five batters.
Webb was fantastic for six frames, allowing only two baserunners (on a single and a hit-by-pitch). However, the Mariners finally got to him in the seventh, capitalizing on another hit batsman and a walk when Cole Young tied the game with a three-run homer. While Webb still finished with a quality start, that long ball really soured his outing and kept him from notching his first win of July. The veteran right-hander is tentatively scheduled to make his next start at home against the Angels.
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Max Meyer SP | MIA
Marlins' Max Meyer: Responds poorly to extra rest
Meyer took a no-decision Saturday against Milwaukee, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks in three innings. He struck out five.
Meyer labored Saturday, needing 74 pitches to complete three frames in his shortest outing of the campaign. The Marlins opted to give the 27-year-old extra rest ahead of the All-Star break and skip his final turn through the rotation of the first half, and Meyer showed signs of rust in the aftermath. The right-hander should revert to more typical rest ahead of his next appearance against the Padres, still holding a strong 2.68 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 121:41 K:BB over a career-high 111 innings.
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Griffin Canning SP | SD
Padres' Griffin Canning: Falls to 1-8
Canning (1-8) took the loss Saturday against the Royals, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks across 3.2 innings. He struck out four.
Canning hasn't been able to get through five frames in any of his last five outings -- he's allowed 13 runs across 17.1 innings during that span. Overall, the right-hander's ERA sits at 6.67 with a 1.62 WHIP and 59:32 K:BB across 59.1 innings this season. Canning is currently in line to face the Marlins on the road his next time out.
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A.J. Smith-Shawver SP | ATL
Braves' AJ Smith-Shawver: Looks sharp in latest rehab start
Smith-Shawver (elbow) allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five across 4.1 scoreless innings during his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Smith-Shawver generated 13 whiffs on 72 pitches (43 strikes), and his fastball touched just over 99 mph during Saturday's rehab outing. His rehab assignment is set to run out July 29, so he could make at least a couple of more starts in the minors if Atlanta wants him to build up his pitch count further. Smith-Shawver is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last June.
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Dustin May SP | STL
Cardinals' Dustin May: Lacks command in loss
May (5-7) took the loss against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, allowing five runs on eight hits and four walks with six strikeouts over five innings.
May yielded runs in three separate frames, issuing four walks for the second straight contest while generating 10 swinging strikes on 98 pitches. It was the first time the 28-year-old completed five frames in five turns since tossing a complete-game shutout June 15, a stretch that has included three outings with five or more earned runs allowed. He'll carry a 4.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 95:32 K:BB across 98 innings this season into a home rematch with Arizona next week.
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Jesus Luzardo SP | PHI
Phillies' Jesus Luzardo: Strikes out seven in win
Luzardo (9-4) earned the win against the Mets on Saturday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over five innings.
Luzardo surrendered a solo homer during the second inning but otherwise kept the Mets off the board despite lacking his best stuff, throwing 54 of 90 pitches for strikes with 10 whiffs. The southpaw has yielded just seven earned runs over his past seven starts while going 5-0 with 63 punchouts during that stretch. He owns a 3.43 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 143:37 K:BB across 115.1 innings this season and lines up for a home matchup with the Yankees next weekend.
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Tomoyuki Sugano SP | COL
Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano: Quality start in return from IL
Sugano (9-4) earned the win against the Reds on Saturday, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out three across 6.1 innings. He did not issue a walk.
Sugano was activated from the 15-day IL ahead of Saturday's start after recovering from back spasms that flared up in early July. There was less pressure on his shoulders after the Rockies' offense lit up Rhett Lowder for eight runs, and Sugano did his part by limiting the Reds to three runs, with two of those coming on a pair of solo homers by Jose Trevino. It was the fifth quality start of the season for Sugano, and he's now one win shy from matching his total in 2025 as a member of the Orioles. He'll take a 4.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 90.2 innings into his next start, tentatively lined up for next weekend on the road against the Brewers.
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Rhett Lowder SP | CIN
Reds' Rhett Lowder: Chased in third inning
Lowder (3-7) took the loss against the Rockies on Saturday, allowing eight runs on 11 hits while striking out two across 2.1 innings. He did not issue a walk.
Lowder was briefly shifted to the bullpen in early July, but coming out of the All-Star break, he was back in the rotation after Nick Lodolo (finger) was placed on the 15-day injured list this past Sunday. Lowder got off to a rough start to the second half of the season, giving up at least two runs in each of the three frames he pitched. The eight runs and 11 hits he surrendered Saturday both matched career highs set earlier in the year, and Lowder sits at a 5.75 ERA and 1.64 WHIP across 72 innings this season. Assuming he gets another turn in the rotation, Lowder is lined up to face the Cardinals on the road next weekend.