MLB Player News

Scherzer (1-3) took the loss Friday, surrendering seven runs on six hits -- including three home runs -- and three walks over 2.1 innings as the Blue Jays fell 8-6 to the Guardians. He failed to strike out a batter.

The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer came into the game looking for his 3,500th career strikeout -- a milestone only 10 pitchers in MLB history have reached -- but Scherzer not only failed to get it, he got rocked in an outing that mercifully ended after 82 pitches (51 strikes) once Angel Martinez had taken him deep for the second time. Scherzer's time in the Toronto rotation could be close to ending with both Trey Yesavage (shoulder) and Jose Berrios (elbow) getting closer to coming off the IL, but Eric Lauer and Patrick Corbin have little job security as well. Despite his 9.64 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 10:8 K:BB through 18.2 innings, Scherzer could be able to save his job with a good effort in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Red Sox.

Urena is slated to start Saturday's game against the Royals in Kansas City, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Summoned from Triple-A Salt Lake last weekend to make his first MLB start, Urena spun a gem for the Halos, striking out eight and allowing two runs on four hits and two walks across six innings in a losing effort against the Padres. He'll be awarded another turn through the rotation on the heels of that strong outing, but Urena's stay with the big club could come to an end as soon as Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) is ready to return from the injured list, likely at some point in May.

Sabrowski struck out one in a perfect eighth inning Friday to record his 10th hold of the season in an 8-6 win over the Blue Jays.

The Canadian southpaw continues an impressive start to the season that has seen Sabrowski produce a 2.84 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB through 12.2 innings over 14 appearances. Sabrowski's 10 holds not only lead the majors, no one else is particularly close -- the Reds' Tony Santillan and the Royals' Matt Strahm are tied for second with seven holds apiece.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Friday's 8-6 win over the Blue Jays.

Playing in the ballpark that his father Sandy called home for the first three seasons of his own big-league career in the mid-90s, Martinez took future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer deep in the first and third innings for a pair of two-run shots. Martinez has seen his playing time decrease since George Valera came off the IL, but with three homers in his last two starts, the 24-year-old switch hitter is making a case to be a regular for the Guardians. On the season, Martinez is slashing .284/.329/.541 with five home runs, four steals, 12 runs and 14 RBI in 80 plate appearances.

Smith allowed two hits in a scoreless ninth inning to record his sixth save of the season in an 8-6 win over the Blue Jays. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.

The right-hander got the job done with weak contact after giving up a pair of leadoff singles, getting Eloy Jimenez to ground into a double play before inducing a pop-up from Davis Schneider. Smith hasn't been as dominant to begin 2026 as he was the last two seasons, posting a 4.15 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB through 13 innings while converting six of eight save chances, and the culprit has been less movement on his 96.5 mph four-seam fastball -- after he produced a 32.2 percent whiff rate and .245 xwOBA with the pitch last season, he's seen those numbers regress to a 25.3 percent whiff rate and .383 xwOBA.

Williams (4-1) picked up the win in Friday's 8-6 victory over the Blue Jays, coughing up six runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.

Five of the hits off Williams went for extra bases, including solo homers by Jesus Sanchez in the first inning and Kazuma Okamoto in the second, but Cleveland never trailed in the game after putting up a five-spot against Max Scherzer in the top of the first. Williams has won four straight decisions, and while he remains homer prone with six long balls allowed in 35.2 innings through six starts, the right-hander has otherwise been dominant, posting a 3.28 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 44:19 K:BB. He'll look to tighten things up in his next outing, which is set to come at home next week against the Rays.

Basallo went 4-for-5 with a double and a solo home run in Friday's 10-3 win over the Red Sox.

The 21-year-old slugger drove a Brayan Bello cutter into the seats in right-center field in the third inning, one of six Baltimore homers on the night. Basallo has three multi-hit performances in the last eight games as he puts his early-season struggles behind him, batting .360 (9-for-25) over that stretch with two homers, four RBI and more walks (four) than strikeouts (three).

Rutschman went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI in Friday's 10-3 win over the Red Sox.

The switch-hitting catcher took Brayan Bello deep in the first and fourth innings as part of a 20-hit, six-homer barrage from Baltimore's bats. Rutschman has been locked in since returning from a brief IL stint due to an ankle issue, racking up five hits, three homers and eight RBI in two games -- a surge that has pushed his slash line on the season to .349/.417/.698 through 48 plate appearances.

Young (2-0) picked up the win Friday in a 10-3 rout of the Red Sox, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk over 5.2 innings. He struck out five.

Called up Thursday to fill in for Dean Kremer (quadriceps) in the rotation, Young tossed 65 of 93 pitches for strikes in a respectable effort that was backed by a 20-hit, six-homer barrage from Baltimore's bats. The right-hander has gotten the job done in two spot starts this season, but he should get a longer runway this time with Kremer not expected back until at least mid-May. Young will take a 2.53 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB through 10.2 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Astros.

Bello (1-3) took the loss Friday, surrendering eight runs on 13 hits -- including five home runs -- and a walk over 3.1 innings as the Red Sox were routed 10-3 by the Orioles. He struck out two.

The 13 hits and five long balls allowed were unsurprisingly career worsts for Bello, and the right-hander had already tied his previous career-worst mark by serving up three long balls before he'd even escaped the first inning. Bello has failed to complete five innings in four of his first five starts this season, stumbling to a 9.00 ERA, 2.27 WHIP and 15:13 K:BB through 22 innings, and it might only be injuries to other pitchers keeping him in the rotation at this point. Bello will try to right the ship in his next outing, which is set to come on the road next week in Toronto.