MLB Player News

Bieber allowed two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Padres on Friday.

Bieber did better in this outing than his last one, but it was still an inefficient performance. He threw 54 of 97 pitches for strikes and wasn't able to stay in the game long enough to earn his first win. He's pitched to a 7.64 ERA and 13:10 K:BB across 17.2 innings over his four starts in the majors this season, and he's also allowed seven home runs. If Bieber continues to get hit hard, that will limit his effectiveness.

Martinez (8-2) earned the win Friday against the Mariners after allowing two runs on four hits and a walk across 5.1 innings, striking out one.

Martinez gave up a solo shot to Cole Young, his 11th of the year, in the top of the fifth inning, but that would be the only run the right-hander allowed. Martinez has allowed just one earned run in each of his past three starts, posting a blistering 1.65 ERA across 16.1 frames over that stretch. His next start should come against the Blue Jays on the road on Monday, July 20.

Castillo (3-8) took the loss Friday against the Rays, allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out four batters across five innings.

Castillo allowed three homers and has dropped three of his last five starts. However, the veteran hurler has given up two or fewer runs in seven of his last nine outings, so he's been pitching well lately, all things considered. Castillo saw his season ERA rise to 4.93 after this start, but he has a more respectable 3.90 ERA in six starts and 32.1 innings since the beginning of June.

Alcantara (10-5) took the loss Friday against the Guardians, allowing three runs on five hits across seven innings while striking out eight.

Alcantara gave up a two-run shot to Chase DeLauter in the top of the fourth and another run in the fifth on a Travis Bazzana sac fly. Despite the loss, Alcantara has been a reliable arm throughout the season. He's allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts, and this loss snapped a streak of seven straight starts with a win for the 30-year-old. Alcantara has a 3.99 ERA in 130.2 innings this season and is lined up to make his next start against the Brewers on the road Friday, July 17.

Messick (8-5) earned the win Friday against the Marlins, tossing six innings of one-run ball during which he allowed one hit and issued four walks. He struck out one.

Messick delivered a solid outing and limited the damage to just one run on a solo home run by Heriberto Hernandez. However, the strikeout total was a season low for Messick, and his four walks were a season high. Messick has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts, and he'll carry a 2.73 ERA into his next start, tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at home against the Pirates.

McLean (6-6) took the loss against Boston on Friday, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven across six innings.

It was a tough-luck loss for McLean, as both of the runs that the Red Sox scored in the first inning were unearned due to a throwing error by Juan Soto. McLean kept Boston off the board over the next five frames, but he didn't get enough run support from his New York teammates to avoid the loss, though he still came away with his third straight quality start (and 10th of the season). He'll enter the All-Star break with a 3.52 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 125:39 K:BB over 107.1 innings this season.

Gray (11-1) earned the win against the Mets on Friday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three across six innings.

It wasn't exactly the most dominant performance out of Gray, with his three punchouts being his lowest in a start since May 6 against the Tigers (two). He allowed at least one baserunner in four of six innings, but he limited the damage to one run and did enough to come away with his eighth straight quality start (and 12th of the season, tied for fourth-most in the majors). Gray leads the American League with 11 wins and enters the All-Star break with a 2.54 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 95.2 innings this season.

Imanaga (5-8) took the loss against the Reds on Friday, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk while striking out five across five innings.

Imanaga allowed at least one baserunner in each of the first four innings he pitched, but he did just enough to keep the Reds off the board. That scoreless effort came to an end on an Elly De La Cruz solo homer in the fifth, and while that was the only run Imanaga gave up Friday, he was still tagged with the loss as his Cubs teammates failed to score a run. Imanaga went through a rough patch from mid-May to early June, but he's given up two earned runs or less in five of his last six outings, posting a 2.81 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 32 innings in that span. He enters the All-Star break with a 4.17 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 105:27 K:BB across 108 innings.

Greene (1-1) earned the win against the Cubs on Friday, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out 12 across seven innings.

Greene was roughed up for eight runs in his 2026 debut against the Orioles this past Saturday, but he looked like his old self in Friday's home game. He struck out the side in the sixth inning and limited the Cubs to just four baserunners, and his 12 punchouts were tied for the second-most in his major-league career, the fourth time he's reached that mark. Friday was almost certainly Greene's final outing before the All-Star break, and his return to the rotation is key for a Reds team looking to make a late playoff push for the second half of the 2026 season.

Avila did not factor into the decision Friday against Baltimore, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three across five innings.

Avila put the Royals in an early deficit by giving up two runs in the second inning before putting his team behind 3-2 on a solo home run from Blaze Alexander in the fourth. Avila ended his start with 57 strikes on 96 pitches while generating nine whiffs and nine groundouts, and he was in line to take the loss before teammate Isaac Collins tied the game at 3-3 with a solo homer in the eighth. Avila has allowed three earned runs or less in four of his last five starts and enters the All-Star break with a 5.08 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 56.2 innings, although those numbers are inflated by his June 12 outing against the Astros, when he recorded just two outs while allowing eight runs.