MLB Player News

Smith (0-1) yielded two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings Sunday, striking out three and taking a loss against Boston.

Smith did not allow a runner to reach scoring position through five scoreless frames before Trevor Story knocked a two-run double in the sixth inning. Smith was efficient, throwing 50 of 79 pitches for strikes, including 10 swinging strikes. The 25-year-old rookie is still searching for his first win despite some positive results early on. Smith owns a 2.04 ERA alongside a 12:7 K:BB through 17.2 innings. He's lined up for a rematch in Boston next weekend.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday that Leiter (finger) could join Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday or Thursday to make a rehab start, MLB.com reports.

Leiter is first eligible to come off the 15-day injured list Thursday, but the Rangers are leaning toward having him make a brief pit stop in the minors before potentially slotting back into the big-league rotation next week. The right-hander, who is recovering from a blister on his right middle finger, completed a 35-pitch up-and-down bullpen session Sunday in his first mound work since being placed on the IL. The Rangers will wait and see how Leiter bounces back from the side session before deciding what day he'll start for Round Rock.

Story went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Sunday's win over the White Sox.

Story opened the game's scoring with a two-run double in the sixth inning and tacked on an insurance run with his solo shot in the ninth. He had just one extra-base hit in eight games since his last home run April 4. The veteran shortstop looks more like his vintage self with a strong .308/.328/.477 slash line through 67 plate appearances.

Chapman allowed a hit in a scoreless inning during Sunday's win over the White Sox. He earned a save and struck out two.

Chapman gave up his first run of the year and took a loss Saturday but quickly bounced back. He coughed up a two-out single to Andrew Vaughn but punched out Michael Taylor to close out the 3-1 win. Chapman owns an impressive 1.29 ERA with an 11:4 K:BB through seven innings.

Crochet (2-1) yielded one run on a hit and a walk over 7.1 innings Sunday, striking out 11 and earning a win over the White Sox.

Crochet was nearly untouchable Sunday; he was perfect through five innings and carried a no-hitter into the eighth. He was removed from the game after Chase Meidroth broke it up with a single and later came around to score with Garrett Whitlock on the mound. Crochet generated a season-high 18 whiffs, including 11 with his four-seamer that averaged 95.8 mph. He dropped his ERA to 1.38 with a 28:8 K:BB through 26 frames. Crochet's next outing is projected to be a rematch with the White Sox at home.

Kirk went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBI in Sunday's 7-6 extra-innings win over the Orioles.

Kirk put the Blue Jays on the board with a solo homer in the second inning and tacked on an RBI double in the eighth. While the long ball was his first of the season, the 26-year-old has now logged five multi-hit efforts in 12 games. On the year, he's hitting .261 with a home run, four RBI and four runs scored across 49 plate appearances.

Clement went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 7-6 extra-innings win over the Orioles.

Clement snapped out of a 1-for-22 slump to open April with a breakout performance Sunday, also notching his first stolen base of the season. The 29-year-old has appeared in 15 of the Blue Jays' 16 games this season, but he's hitting a disappointing .194 with four RBI, three runs scored and a steal across 42 plate appearances.

Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays.

Mountcastle launched a solo homer in the second inning and later came around to score again in the sixth. The 28-year-old entered Sunday with just two extra-base hits on the season, so it was encouraging to see him go deep for the first time. On the year, he's slashing .271/.300/.375 with one home run, four RBI and eight runs scored across 50 plate appearances.

Povich did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk with two strikeouts over 4.2 innings.

Povich delivered a solid outing on the surface, but he induced just four whiffs and was pulled with two runners on in the fifth inning at only 76 pitches. The 25-year-old has been a mixed bag, yielding three earned runs or fewer in all three of his starts but failing to complete the fifth frame twice. He owns a 3.60 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB across 15 innings on the year and lines up to face the Reds next weekend.

Berrios did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 7-6 extra-inning win against the Orioles, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five innings.

Berrios allowed a run in each of the first four innings, including a pair of solo home runs. He generated 12 swinging strikes on 86 pitches but also yielded eight hard-hit balls, six of which resulted in hits. The veteran right-hander owns a 5.16 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB across 22.2 innings this season and lines up for a home matchup with the Mariners next weekend.