MLB Player News

Snell (1-0) allowed two earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Tigers.

Snell managed to limit runs and complete five innings to earn the win, though it wasn't a sharp debut with the Dodgers. He found the zone with only 53 of his 92 pitches and allowed multiple baserunners in three of his five frames. Snell will likely continue to run a relatively elevated walk rate based on his track record, but he should be able to pile up strikeouts more consistently in upcoming starts.

Helsley struck out the side and allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Thursday against the Twins.

Helsley was called upon to protect a two-run lead and looked overpowering by touching 101 mph with his fastball to collect his first save of the season. He did surrender a two-out double to Harrison Bader to make things interesting, but Helsley proceeded to strike out Matt Wallner on four pitches to end the game. Helsley could be subject to trade rumors during the summer months, but he should be an elite closing option for the foreseeable future.

Gray (1-0) allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Twins.

Gray was battling an illness late in spring training that had caused him to lose strength, though he didn't show any signs of weakness on Opening Day. He generated 11 called strikes and 12 swinging strikes across 77 total pitches, and the lone blemish on his box score came on a two-run homer by Harrison Bader in the fifth frame. Gray could lose some of the swing-and-miss stuff he showcased Thursday in his age-35 campaign, but he should remain a reliable starter for fantasy purposes.

Gore didn't factor into the decision Thursday after allowing one hit over six scoreless innings during a loss to the Phillies. He struck out 13 without walking a batter.

It was a brilliant showing by the southpaw, whose dominance notably came against a star-studded Phillies lineup. A Kyle Schwarber single in the second inning would end up spoiling what was an otherwise perfect outing from Gore, who starts his third full major-league season looking to take a big step forward. Per Chad Jennings of The Athletic, Hall of Famer Bob Gibson is the only other pitcher in MLB history to strike out at least 13 batters on Opening Day without giving up a run or issuing a walk.

Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.

Ruiz got the Nationals into the scoring column with a fifth-inning solo blast off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. The switch-hitting backstop excelled this spring while batting .289 with three homers, 11 RBI, and two stolen bases over 45 Grapefruit League at-bats, and Ruiz should see plenty of action in 2025 as Washington's primary catcher.

Romano blew the save after allowing two runs on one hit and one walk in one inning during Thursday's game against the Nationals. He struck out one.

Summoned in the eighth inning to protect a 3-1 lead, Romano struggled with his command as he threw just 15 of 29 pitches for strikes and also plunked a batter. Philly could give Romano some leeway when it comes to future save opportunities, although they aren't short on high-leverage arms, and the right-hander's usage in the eighth frame suggests he may not solely see ninth-inning work anyway. Jose Alvarado, who ended up getting the win Thursday, and Matt Strahm pitched clean ninth and 10th innings, respectively, to preserve the win for Philadelphia.

Wheeler didn't factor into the decision after giving up one run on two hits and two walks in six innings during Thursday's game against the Nationals. He struck out eight.

Although Wheeler certainly pitched well enough to deserve a win Thursday, the Phillies struggled to break through offensively until the later stages, and he was outdueled by MacKenzie Gore and his 13 strikeouts. Keibert Ruiz took Wheeler deep in the fifth frame, which ended up being the lone blemish to Wheeler's stat line. The star right-hander has a favorable matchup on tap against the Rockies at home next week.

Schwarber 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over Washington.

Batting out of the No. 4 spot in Philadelphia's lineup, Schwarber played the part of a prototypical cleanup hitter with a go-ahead, solo homer in the seventh inning. The star slugger has recorded at least 100 runs scored in each of his past three seasons while working primarily as a leadoff hitter, but any drop in runs while hitting cleanup would likely be offset by the added RBI opportunities.

Harper went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo homer and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over Washington.

After the Nationals lifted a dominant MacKenzie Gore after six innings, Harper greeted right-hander Lucas Sims with a solo shot to put the Phillies on the board in the seventh. It was Harper's first long ball of 2025, including spring training, as the superstar slugger went without a homer in the Grapefruit League but did hit a strong 12-for-41 (.293) with four RBI this spring.

Candelario started at third base and went 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 loss to San Francisco.

Candelario was part of crowded corner infield spots during spring training, but a late injury to outfielder Austin Hays (calf) led to Gavin Lux playing left field Thursday. That should give Candelario a near-daily role at third base, first base or DH in the early going. He underwhelmed overall at the plate in 2024, his first with the Reds, but he managed to hit the 20-homer mark for a second consecutive season.