MLB Player News

Schultz (2-2) took the loss Wednesday against the Angels, allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks over 3.2 innings. He struck out three.

Five of the runs charged to Schultz came in the second inning, when the Angels strung together four straight two-out hits, highlighted by a Travis d'Arnaud three-run homer. It's the first rough outing of the season for Schultz, who had allowed just three runs over 17 innings in his previous three starts. The left-hander's ERA now sits at 4.68 through his first five starts (25 innings) with a 1.32 WHIP and 23:16 K:BB. Schultz will look to get back on track his next time out, currently scheduled to come at home next week against the Royals.

Urena (1-3) earned the win Wednesday over the White Sox, allowing a run on two hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.

It was an impressive performance by Urena, who logged his second quality start and first major-league win. The rookie right-hander has held opponents to just two runs over 11 innings in his last two outings, though he's walked three batters in both of those games. Urena's ERA sits at a solid 3.22 through 22.1 innings this season with a 1.57 WHIP and 22:19 K:BB. He's currently lined up to face the Guardians on the road his next time out.

Sproat didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Cardinals, allowing one hit and three walks over four scoreless innings. He struck out five.

The young right-hander needed 76 pitches (42 strikes) to record 12 outs, getting lifted short of his first career MLB win despite having been staked to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. After giving up 11 runs over his first two starts of the year, Sproat has settled in a bit across his past five outings with a 3.38 ERA. Overall this season, he has a 5.87 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 30:18 K:BB through 30.2 innings, with his next outing scheduled to come at home early next week against the Padres.

Houser (0-4) took the loss Wednesday against San Diego, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three.

While Houser remains winless on the season, Wednesday's outing was easily his best so far this year, as he turned in his first quality start and held the Padres to a lone earned run on a Gavin Sheets fourth-inning homer. In six starts prior to Wednesday, Houser hadn't allowed fewer than three runs while making it through six innings just once. His ERA now sits at 6.19 with a 1.54 WHIP and 19:11 K:BB across 36.1 innings. Houser is currently in line to face the Dodgers on the road his next time out.

The Astros optioned Alexander to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday.

Alexander was recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday, but he'll head back down after giving up five earned runs over 4.1 innings during Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers. The 33-year-old righty owns a 4.97 ERA and 1.52 WHIP through 29 innings (six starts) in the minors this season and could be called upon to make more appearances in the majors this year, especially considering the number of injuries that have already hit Houston's pitching staff.

The Cubs placed Boyd (knee) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to Monday.

The move comes after Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that Boyd will undergo surgery to repair a meniscus injury in his left knee. The veteran southpaw's recovery timeline will come into better focus once he undergoes the procedure, and there remains a possibility that he will be available to pitch again this season, though that may not happen until after the All-Star break. Jordan Wicks (elbow) is on a rehab assignment and is inching closer to being activated from the 15-day IL, but the Cubs may have to turn to an arm from Triple-A or a bullpen option like Ben Brown or Javier Assad to fill in for Boyd in the short term.

Valdez's six-game suspension was reduced to five games Wednesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Valdez initially received a six-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Trevor Story during Detroit's 10-3 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday. Major League Baseball has now shaved a game off Valdez's suspension, which he will begin serving Wednesday. He will be eligible to make his next start May 13 against the Mets in Queens.

Bennett is slated to start Thursday's game against the Rays at Fenway Park, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The Red Sox welcomed Sonny Gray (hamstring) back from the injured list Wednesday, but Bennett will wind up sticking around in the big-league rotation for another turn while the status of Ranger Suarez (hamstring) remains in flux. Boston is still leaving the door open for Suarez to start either of the final two games of the series versus the Rays, and if that comes to pass, Bennett could be headed back to Triple-A Worcester following Thursday's outing. The 25-year-old lefty turned in a strong performance in his MLB debut last Friday, striking out three while limiting the Astros to one run on five hits and two walks over five innings en route to picking up a win.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters Wednesday that Boyd will undergo surgery to repair a meniscus injury in his left knee, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Boyd sustained the injury while at home rather than during his last start against the Diamondbacks on Sunday, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. A timeline for Boyd's recovery won't be known until after he undergoes surgery, but he'll likely be out until after the All-Star break and may not be ready to return until the 2027 season. With Boyd slated to go on the IL, the Cubs may move Ben Brown or Javier Assad from the bullpen to the rotation or call up an arm from Triple-A Iowa like Charlie Barnes, at least until Jordan Wicks (elbow) is cleared to return from the 15-day IL.

Glasnow said that he doesn't believe the lower-back pain that forced him out of his start in Wednesday's 12-2 win over the Astros isn't anything too serious, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Glasnow said that his back "gave out" during a warm-up throw before the second inning, and he didn't feel much better on his next attempt to throw before the Dodgers removed him from the game. He worked one inning prior to his departure, striking out two batters while allowing one earned run on one hit. Glasnow spent time on the injured list in 2024 due to back spasms, and he'll get an MRI to determine whether he'll need a stint on the IL, per Ardaya. For now, Glasnow can be viewed as day-to-day ahead of his next start, which is tentatively set for Wednesday versus the Giants in Los Angeles.