MLB Player News

Williams (0-1) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up five runs on seven hits and two walks over four innings Wednesday as the Guardians fell 8-2 to the White Sox. He struck out two.

Making his 2024 debut after recovering from an elbow injury he suffered during spring training, Williams faded quickly and served up back-to-back doubles to Lenyn Sosa and Nicky Lopez in the fourth inning to kick off a four-run frame for Chicago. The right-hander got lifted after 74 pitches (46 strikes), but some rust isn't surprising and Cleveland should give him time to find a rhythm on the mound. Williams is scheduled to make his next start on the road early next week in Detroit.

Maldonado went 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored the three RBI in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the Guardians.

The veteran backstop belted a two-run shot off Tim Herrin in the eighth inning, giving Maldonado his second homer of the year and first since Apr. 26. The 37-year-old has had a miserable season at the plate even by his own poor standards, slashing .096/.144/.160 through 135 plate appearances with a career-worst 34.8 percent strikeout rate, but the White Sox seem content with his defensive contributions when he's in the lineup.

Estes (3-3) earned the win over the Angels on Thursday, allowing four hits and one walk with four strikeouts in a complete-game shutout.

Estes breezed through the Angels' lineup and lucked out with double-play balls in three of his nine innings of work. The 22-year-old right-hander induced 15 swings and misses on the night en route to the first complete game of his big-league career, and he needed only 92 pitches to get the job done. It marked Estes' first win since June 5 against the Mariners and the third time in his last six starts that he's gone at least six frames. He's also allowed two or fewer runs in three consecutive outings.

Fedde (6-3) picked up the win in Wednesday's 8-2 victory over the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out three.

The right-hander produced his ninth quality start of the season, and fourth in his last five trips to the mound, on 91 pitches (54 strikes). Fedde's control wasn't as sharp as usual -- he walked multiple batters for the first time since May 31 -- but Cleveland wasn't able to take advantage. Since the beginning of June. Fedde sports a 3.16 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 28:6 K:BB through 37 innings, and his value is only increasing if the White Sox decide to move him before the trade deadline. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Twins.

Casas (ribs) is likely two weeks away from beginning a rehab assignment, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

The two-week estimate for the beginning of a rehab assignment pushes Casas' targeted return date to later in July. He's progressed to taking dry swings in the batting cage, having done so June 26 and again July 3. He's also tracked pitches against the Trajekt machine, which mimics MLB pitchers. The next big step for Casas will be hitting the ball in on-field batting practice.

Hendriks (elbow) threw the first of three scheduled bullpen sessions Wednesday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Hendriks will also throw sessions Friday and Sunday in New York. He was limited to fastballs only, per Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who added that the pitcher is "far off" from a rehab assignment. That remark counters earlier comments from Hendriks, who expressed optimism to be activated around July 30.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Carter (back) flew to Arizona last week and has begun swinging a bat, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

This marks the first time Carter has swung a bat since landing on the injured list in early June. Bochy indicated the plan calls for Carter to face live pitching in the next few days. The injury was first described as lower-back tightness but was then reclassified as a stress reaction, which prompted the lengthy rehab.

Seager went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Padres.

Seager, who had been dealing with a wrist injury, was a late addition to the starting lineup and was back at his normal shortstop position, batting second. He had missed the previous two games after getting hit by a pitch on the left wrist last Saturday.

Alvarez went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, a walk, three runs and three RBI in a 9-2 victory versus the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Alvarez was a constant thorn in Toronto's side in the contest. He plated Houston's first run with a third-inning double, added a tiebreaking solo shot in the sixth inning and produced another RBI with a double in the eighth. Alvarez has gone deep in each of his past three contests, batting .545 (6-for-11) with three long balls, eight RBI and six runs over that span.

Kikuchi allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings in a no-decision against Houston on Wednesday.

Kikuchi gave up just one run through five frames before serving up a solo shot to Yordan Alvarez in the sixth. The southpaw got two more outs in the inning but was pulled one out shy of a quality start following a Jeremy Pena double. Despite that disappointment, this was a positive outing for Kikuchi after he had given up 13 runs across 11 frames over his final three starts of June. The hurler has fallen off after a strong start to the campaign -- across his past eight appearances, he has just one quality start while registering a 6.50 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 37:10 K:BB across 36 innings.