MLB Player News

Okamoto went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Guardians.

His fourth-inning solo shot off Joey Cantillo got Toronto on the board, giving Okamoto his second homer in as many days and his third in the last six games. The 29-year-old has five multi-hit performances in the last 11 contests, batting .282 (11-for-39) over that stretch with eight runs and eight RBI.

Varland recorded his second save of the season in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and a walk in the ninth inning. He struck out two.

Getting his first save chance after Toronto manager John Schneider officially announced that Jeff Hoffman would no longer be viewed as the team's primary closer, Varland seemed to buckle under the pressure, throwing 19 of 30 pitches for strikes as he gave up his first earned run of 2026. The right-hander kept his focus, however, and fanned Bo Naylor and Brayan Rocchio to end the threat. Varland still sports a 0.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 21:4 K:BB through 14 innings, but a repeat of Saturday's performance might encourage Schneider to give other relievers a look in the ninth.

McClanahan (2-2) earned the win against the Twins on Saturday, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven over five scoreless innings.

McClanahan cruised through five frames, throwing 60 of 86 pitches for strikes while generating 15 whiffs and limiting the Twins to only singles. While the southpaw has yielded two earned runs or fewer in four of five outings this season, he has yet to pitch beyond the fifth inning as he continues to ease his way back from a lengthy absence due to Tommy John surgery and nerve issues in his arm. He owns a 3.91 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 25:13 K:BB across 23 innings and lines up for a home matchup against the Giants next weekend.

Scholtens will operate in a bulk-relief role in Sunday's series finale against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays will opt to use Griffin Jax as the opening pitcher for the contest, with Jax likely to work the first inning or two before turning the ball over to Scholtens. Scholtens made his first start of the season against the Reds this past Monday, when he took the loss after allowing five runs while striking out six across 5.2 innings without issuing a walk. The 32-year-old right-hander has a 2.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB across 15.1 innings with Tampa Bay this season.

Jax will serve as the Rays' opener for Sunday's series finale against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jesse Scholtens was originally slated to start in Sunday's game, but he'll instead follow Jax in bulk relief. Jax has given up at least one earned run in two of his last three outings and has an 8.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP two holds and a 10:7 K:BB across nine innings this season.

Gausman (2-1) picked up the win Saturday, allowing two runs on six hits over 6.2 innings in a 5-3 victory over the Guardians. He struck out three without walking a batter.

The veteran righty tossed 63 of 91 pitches for strikes en route to his fourth quality start of the season in six trips to the mound. Gausman's three Ks were a season low, however, and after racking up a stunning 21:0 K:BB through his first two starts, he's managed just a 17:7 K:BB in 23 frames over his last four. He's been effective either way and will take a 2.57 ERA and 0.94 WHIP into his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Minnesota.

Ober (2-1) took the loss against the Rays on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts over six innings.

Ober allowed a two-run homer in the fourth inning, but the Twins were unable to muster any offense before he departed at 83 pitches. The 30-year-old generated just three whiffs but limited the Rays to three hard-hit balls and has now completed six or more innings in three straight outings, including back-to-back quality starts. He'll carry a 3.94 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 27:11 K:BB across 32 innings into a home matchup against the Blue Jays next week.

Cantillo (1-1) took the loss Saturday as the Guardians were downed 5-3 by the Blue Jays, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk over five-plus innings. He struck out four.

The left-hander held Toronto scoreless for three innings before getting tagged for a solo shot by Kazuma Okamoto in the fourth. Cantillo ran out of gas in the sixth, putting the first two batters aboard before getting the hook after 89 pitches (60 strikes) and watching both come around to score. Cantillo has completed six innings just once this season in six trips to the mound as he continues to have trouble staying effective deeper into games. He'll take a 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 34:13 K:BB through 30.1 innings into his next outing, which is set to come on the road next weekend against the A's.

Naylor went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases in Saturday's 11-9 win over the Cardinals.

He was one of only two Mariners starters who failed to produce either a run or an RBI in the wild victory, but Naylor still found some fantasy value on the basepaths. The first baseman is doing his best to show that his 30-steal campaign in 2025 was no fluke, and through 26 games this season he's gone a perfect 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts. Naylor's also putting a quiet start to the year at the plate behind him, batting .357 (15-for-42) over his last 11 games with three homers, five runs and nine RBI.

Rodriguez went 3-for-6 with a two-run home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 11-9 win over the Cardinals.

The two teams combined for eight homers on the afternoon, and Rodriguez got the fireworks started by crushing a Matthew Liberatore slider into the second deck in the first inning. Rodriguez had a sluggish start to the season, but he's quickly shaken that off and is batting .352 (19-for-54) with two homers, three steals, seven runs and eight RBI over the last 14 games.