MLB Player News

Ashby will serve as the opener ahead of Chad Patrick on Friday against the Nationals, Jack Stern of BrewerFanatic.com reports.

The Nationals typically have four lefties in the top five of their lineup against right-handed pitching, so opening with a lefty before turning the ball over to Patrick makes sense. Ashby already leads the majors with seven appearances this season and has a 3-0 record, 2.79 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 14:5 K:BB across 9.2 innings.

Phillips recorded his first save of the season in Thursday's 8-1 win over the Reds, allowing two hits and a walk over three scoreless innings of relief. He struck out four.

The right-hander collected three conventional one-inning saves over the final weeks of the 2025 season, but Phillips picked up a long-relief save Thursday to close out a rout. He's been effective to begin the current campaign, posting a 0.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 10:4 K:BB over 8.2 innings and four appearances, but Phillips doesn't appear to be the part of the high-leverage picture for the Marlins at the moment.

Boyd (biceps) will make a rehab start in the next week, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

The left-hander was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week due to a left biceps strain, so it's a good sign he'll be ready to take the mound again so quickly. Boyd was having trouble bouncing back between starts, so the extra rest could help. He's eligible to be activated from the injured list next weekend during a home series against the Mets.

Ritchie has posted a 1.72 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 15:7 K:BB through 15.2 innings over three starts for Triple-A Gwinnett this season.

The 22-year-old right-hander is coming off his best outing of the year so far Tuesday, allowing just one run over seven innings against Nashville with a 7:1 K:BB. Ritchie isn't yet on the 40-man roster and may be behind Didier Fuentes in the pecking order for a promotion as a result if Atlanta needs rotation help, but he's building a string case to make his big-league debut at some point in 2026.

The Reds optioned Franco to Triple-A Louisville on Friday.

Franco made his MLB debut with the Reds on March 30 and worked three games out of the bullpen, registering a 3.18 ERA, 2.12 WHIP and 4:5 K:BB across 5.2 innings. He'll need to work on his command in the minors. In a corresponding move, the Reds recalled Kyle Nicolas from Louisville.

Dollander allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three batters over 4.1 innings in a no-decision against San Diego on Thursday.

Dollander has yet to start a game this season, but he's completed at least four innings in all three of his appearances so far. The right-hander tossed 81 pitches Thursday, throwing 55 of them for strikes and getting a healthy 14 whiffs. Dollander opened the season in poor fashion by allowing four runs over four innings against Toronto on March 30 (while ironically picking up his lone win of the campaign so far), but he's since given up just two runs while posting a 9:2 K:BB across 8.2 frames over his subsequent two outings. It remains to be seen if he'll eventually be moved into a traditional starting role, but for now he seems to be feeling comfortable in bulk relief after struggling to a 2-12 record and 6.52 ERA across 21 appearances (all starts) as a rookie last season.

McLean (1-1) took the loss against Arizona on Thursday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over 6.1 innings.

McLean rolled through six scoreless innings having given up just two hits. He faltered a bit in the seventh, giving up a walk and a single around his eighth strikeout, which led to him getting pulled. Luke Weaver entered and gave up a pair of hits while allowing both inherited runners to score (plus two more), which ultimately saddled McLean with the loss. Despite the defeat, this was another promising outing for the 24-year-old, who now carries a 2.70 ERA and 20:6 K:BB through three starts spanning 16.2 frames. He'll face a tough test his next time out, as he's lined up to start in Los Angeles against the Dodgers next week.

Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win over the Mets on Thursday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three batters over six innings.

Rodriguez allowed a solo homer to Luis Robert in the first inning, but New York was unable to score after that. That long ball represented the first -- and only -- earned run Rodriguez has given up through three starts, spanning 18 innings, in what has been a dazzling start to the campaign. The veteran southpaw's 11:5 K:BB is far less impressive, but as long as he continues to limit runs, fantasy managers will be happy to roll him out every fifth game. Rodriguez is next scheduled to take the mound in Baltimore against an Orioles squad that ranks in the bottom half of the league in runs scored so far this season.

Lowder (1-1) took the loss Thursday against the Marlins, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts across 5.1 innings.

Lowder hasn't been able to miss many bats in the early going this season with a 6.1 K/9 -- which is only marginally worse than his 6.5 mark from the 2025 regular season -- and he generated just seven whiffs on 95 pitches against Miami. Lowder served up four extra-base knocks, including a pair of doubles to Owen Caissie. An RBI single by Javier Sanoja was the knockout blow in the sixth inning, as Lowder left trailing 5-1. The right-hander has a 3.31 ERA and 11:6 K:BB across 16.1 innings. He's slated to face the Giants at home Wednesday.

Meyer (1-0) earned the win Thursday against the Reds, allowing one run on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts across five innings.

Meyer threw a heavy dose of sliders against Cincinnati and generated a 25 percent swinging strike rate with the pitch Thursday. Meyer's only mistake was a two-out solo home run allowed to Sal Stewart in the fifth inning. Meyer left the game with a 4-1 lead, and the Miami bullpen was able to hold on to preserve the right-hander's first win of the season. His command hasn't been great with multiple walks issued in each start, and he'll carry a 3.68 ERA 15:8 K:BB across 14.2 innings into his next outing versus Atlanta.