MLB Player News

Morton gave up a hit and a walk with no earned runs over seven innings in a 4-3 loss to the Reds on Sunday. Morton struck out 10 and did not factor into the decision.

Morton was on top of his game Sunday, and his seven innings of shutout ball marked his best start of his season. He retired the first 12 batters of the game and struck out the side in the third. Morton leaned effectively on his curveball to garner swings and misses on pitches out of the zone. The 38-year-old veteran had a weak start to the season, posting a 7.00 ERA in April, but his statistics appear to be normalizing closer toward his career averages. The veteran has a career 4.03 ERA in 1705 innings pitched. Morton is tentatively expected to start on Friday against the Nationals.

Wheeler (7-4) earned the win Sunday over the Cardinals. He allowed four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in seven scoreless innings.

All four hits Wheeler allowed were singles, and he didn't let a Cardinal advance past second base. The right-hander didn't have much swing-and-miss stuff with only 11 whiffs while throwing 72 of 108 pitches for strikes. Wheeler's logged quality starts in all but one of his last nine outings, and this was his fifth start of the year in which he didn't allow a run. He has a 2.66 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 99:20 K:BB through 88 innings in 15 starts overall. The Phillies' ace is projected for a road rematch with the Cardinals next weekend.

Wainwright (6-6) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out five in 5.2 innings, taking the loss Sunday versus the Phillies.

Wainwright wasn't at his best Sunday, but he didn't get any help from his teammates, who mustered only six baserunners (four hits, two walks). This was the third time in his last four starts that Wainwright has failed to secure a quality start. It was also the second time he's allowed multiple home runs in a game this year. The 40-year-old right-hander has surrendered 12 runs in his last 23.2 innings, a rather mediocre stretch. He still has a 3.26 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 81:27 K:BB through 96.2 innings in 16 starts. He'll look to get back on track in a home rematch with the Phillies next weekend.

Toussaint was traded from Atlanta to the Angels in exchange for cash considerations Sunday.

Toussaint was designated for assignment by Atlanta on Saturday, but he'll quickly find a spot on the Angels' 40-man roster. The right-hander was once a prized prospect but will need to prove himself at Triple-A Salt Lake after he posted a 6.26 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 41.2 innings over 13 appearances (eight starts) in the minors to begin the year.

Baz (1-1) allowed one run on seven hits and two walks over six innings Sunday, striking out seven and earning a win over Toronto.

The lone run given up by Baz came during the third inning on Vladimir Guerrero's RBI single. After coughing up five runs in his season debut, the 23-year-old righty has allowed three runs with a 26:6 K:BB over his last 22.1 frames. He lowered his season ERA to 2.92 with 28 punchouts through five outings. Baz is lined up to start in Cincinnati next weekend.

Wacha (arm) has been scratched from Monday's scheduled start against the Rays, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Manager Alex Cora hinted Sunday that Wacha might not make his scheduled start due to dead arm, and he'll officially be held out against Tampa Bay. It's not yet clear when he'll be able to return or whether he'll require a trip to the injured list. However, Austin Davis will start a bullpen game for the Red Sox on Monday.

Gallen didn't factor into the decision during Sunday's 6-5 loss to Colorado, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings.

Gallen cruised through the first five frames but encountered trouble in the sixth when C.J. Cron tagged him for a two-out, three-run shot that cut into the five-run lead. The bullpen would go on to blow the lead and prevent the 26-year-old from his first win since May 30 despite logging his fourth quality start during the six-game stretch. He'll try for his elusive fifth win next weekend with a rematch against Colorado currently on the schedule.

Montgomery (3-2) yielded one run on three hits and three walks over five innings Sunday, striking out eight and taking a loss against Cleveland.

The lone damage against Montgomery came in the fourth inning on Franmil Reyes' solo shot. The 29-year-old was tagged with a loss anyway as the Yankees were one-hit by Triston McKenzie and the Guardians' bullpen. Despite allowing nine runs over his previous two outings, Sunday's loss was Montgomery's first since April 21. He'll carry a 3.19 ERA into his projected matchup in Boston next week.

Skubal (5-7) allowed five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out one in 4.2 innings to take the loss in Sunday's game against the Royals.

Skubal has been charged with the loss in five consecutive starts, and he's failed to last longer than five innings in any of those appearances. The southpaw had a season-low one strikeout during Sunday's start, and the Royals were able to jump out to an early lead. Over his last five outings, he's posted a 9.00 ERA in 23 innings. Skubal projects to make his next start on the road against the White Sox on Friday.

McKenzie (5-6) gave up one hit and one walk over seven scoreless frames Sunday, striking out seven and earning a win over the Yankees.

McKenzie retired 10 straight batters to begin the game before allowing a pair of baserunners in the fourth inning. He danced around that small threat, and the Guardians' staff ended up one-hitting the Yankees in the 2-0 victory. McKenzie went 1-2 with an unsightly 6.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in five June starts. He lowered his season ERA to 3.71 with his first scoreless outing since May 1. McKenzie is lined up for a start in Kansas City next week.