MLB Player News

Gray (3-1) earned the win Wednesday against the Tigers, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.

After missing about two weeks with a right hamstring strain, Gray worked with a pitch count Wednesday but showed no signs of rust in his return to the mound. The veteran right-hander tossed 70 pitches in his second scoreless start of 2026, but he still hasn't been able to exceed five strikeouts in any of his six outings. Gray has a 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 15:7 K:BB over 28 innings, and he'll look to increase his workload in his next scheduled start versus Philadelphia.

Blackburn will start Thursday's game against the Rangers, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Ryan Weathers was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday due to an illness he suffered earlier in the week, so Blackburn will step in for a spot start. The 32-year-old righty has gotten off to a nice start to begin the 2026 campaign while working exclusively out of the bullpen, logging a 3.21 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through 14 frames. He'll benefit from a favorable matchup Thursday against a Rangers offense that ranks 28th in MLB with 137 runs scored on the season.

Ashcraft blew his save opportunity during the Reds' 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Cubs on Wednesday. He allowed two runs on two hits while striking out one in the ninth inning.

The Reds' four-run rally in the top of the ninth inning gave the team a two-run lead. With Tony Santillan being used Tuesday, manager Terry Francona turned to Ashcraft to close things out in the bottom of the frame. Ashcraft opened the inning strongly by striking out Michael Busch, but after yielding a single to Carson Kelly, Ashcraft's 89-mph slider was smacked to left-center field by Pete Crow-Armstrong for a two-run homer to tie the game at 6-6. With Emilio Pagan expected to miss the next 4-to-8 weeks due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Ashcraft and Santillan figure to be the top closer options for the Reds. However, more outings like Wednesday's could result in Ashcraft being used as the setup arm for Santillan for as long as Pagan is sidelined.

Flaherty (0-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out 10.

Although he remained winless on the campaign, it was still one of Flaherty's better performances so far. The right-hander fanned a season-high 10, issued fewer than two walks for the first time this year and also pitched at least five frames while yielding two runs or fewer for just the third time in eight starts. Flaherty still has a disappointing 5.56 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 42:26 K:BB over 34 innings, but he's next set for a soft matchup against the Mets.

Cantillo (2-1) earned the win against the Royals on Wednesday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out one batter across five innings.

Cantillo found himself in trouble both in the second and third innings, but he managed to limit the damage to one run on a Salvador Perez sacrifice fly in the third. It was by no means a blistering performance out of Cantillo with a season-low one strikeout, but it was fourth time this season that he gave up just one earned run (in eight starts). He'll bring a 3.43 ERA and 1.37 WHIP (across 39.1 innings) into his next start, which is slated for next week at home against the Angels.

Weathers was scratched from his scheduled start for Thursday's game against the Rangers due to an illness he suffered earlier in the week, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Weathers is feeling better now, but being sick took him off his routine, so the Yankees will postpone his next start to give him time to get back in rhythm. The 26-year-old southpaw is now expected to make his next start in Baltimore on Monday, and the Pinstripes will send Paul Blackburn to the mound in Thursday's series finale.

Jones (elbow) allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out two across three innings in a rehab outing with Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Jones threw 35 of his 54 pitches for strikes while sitting at 98.8 miles per hour with his fastball. The right-hander, who is working his way back from UCL surgery, is set to make at least a few more starts in the minors before being activated from the 60-day injured list, but the final steps of his recovery look to be on track.

Perez (2-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Mariners, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over 5.2 innings. He struck out five.

It was announced Wednesday morning that Perez would get the start instead of Grant Holmes, and the southpaw was solid, holding Seattle to one run through his first five innings before Julio Rodriguez added a solo shot in the sixth. However, Atlanta's offense couldn't muster anything against Bryan Woo in an eventual 3-1 defeat, leaving Perez with his second loss. Overall, Perez has been solid as a swingman for Atlanta this year. His ERA sits at 2.38 with a 1.00 WHIP and 24:11 K:BB across 34 innings.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Senga (back) played catch Wednesday, and the right-hander is progressing in his recovery, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

"[Senga's] feeling a lot better, so now we've got to build him back up," Mendoza relayed Wednesday. Senga is working through lumbar spine inflammation that caused him to land on the 15-day injured list in late April. He'll struggled to a 9.00 ERA and 1.95 WHIP across 20 innings prior to landing on the IL, and he may need a lengthy rehab assignment before being cleared to return to the big leagues.

Woo (2-2) earned the win Wednesday over Atlanta, allowing just one hit and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out nine.

Woo was excellent Wednesday, holding a red-hot Atlanta offense to just one single while matching a season high with nine strikeouts. It's an especially encouraging performance for Woo, who had given up 13 runs over nine innings across his previous two outings. Overall, his ERA sits at 4.02 this year with a 1.00 WHIP and 38:8 K:BB across eight starts (47 innings). Woo's currently scheduled to face the Astros on the road his next time out.