MLB Player News

Fitts posted an encouraging 3.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 163/43 K/BB ratio across 152 2/3 innings (27 starts) this past season for Double-A Somerset. The 23-year-old righty isn’t considered one of New York’s top pitching prospects, but he’s an interesting addition for new Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow.

The Athletics have decided to jettison Morales to the minors for some additional seasoning after being torched for 10 runs on 13 hits with an abysmal 5/8 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings over two starts to open the season. The hard-throwing 23-year-old pitching prospect will get an opportunity to reset back at the Triple-A level. It’ll presumably be J.T. Ginn taking his spot in the rotation when it comes up on Friday against the Mets.

Caminero’s third-inning blast against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon electrified a packed Tropicana Field during the Rays return to the iconic dome for the first time since the 2024 campaign. The -year-old slugger’s second big fly of the season was a no-doubter to left field, traveling a whopping 401 feet, per Statcast, and doubled Tampa Bay’s early lead at the time. It’s been a bit of a slow start at the dish for Caminero this season, hitting .256 (10-for-39) with two homers and three RBI through 10 games, but it’s starting to feel like he’s coming alive recently.

It would be unfair to label Shaw’s second round-tripper of the season as a garbage time dinger, but it came with two outs in the ninth inning of a three-run ballgame. The 24-year-old former top prospect took Rays stopper Bryan Baker deep with a fly ball down the left-field line that traveled just 366 feet. He figures to transition to a bench role once Seiya Suzuki (knee) returns from the injured list later this week.

Simpson has gotten off to an excellent start this season supplying his usual blend of batting average and stolen bases, hitting .395 (15-for-38) with one extra-base hit and four steals through 10 games. The 25-year-old speedster hasn’t run as often as expected in the early stage of the year, but we’re anticipating an uptick shortly.

Baker got the call to protect a three-run lead in the final frame after Kevin Kelly, who picked up a save in extra-innings on Sunday against the Twins, tossed a scoreless fifth inning to pick up a win in relief. The 31-year-old veteran has clearly earned the trust of Rays manager Kevin Cash to pitch in high-leverage spots and figures to be in the mix to close games as Tampa Bay continues rolling with a closer-by-committee approach.

It had to be an emotional moment for McClanahan, taking the mound at Tropicana Field for the first time since July 22, 2023. The 28-year-old southpaw averaged 94.3 mph on his four-seam fastball and generated just six swinging strikes, needing 69 pitches (35 strikes) to complete four frames. He battled some serious control issues in this outing, handing out a whopping four free passes, but still managed to limit Chicago’s formidable lineup to just one hit. He’ll close out a two-start week with a home matchup against the division-rival Yankees on Sunday.

Taillon surrendered seven hits, including home runs to Cedric Mullins and Junior Caminero, which were enough to saddle him with a loss. The -year-old veteran averaged just 91.4 mph on his fastball, but still managed to generate nine swinging strikes on his breaking and off-speed pitches, finishing with a respectable 29 percent CSW. He’ll bring a solid 2.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 7/4 K/BB ratio across 10 2/3 innings into a favorable home matchup against the Pirates on Sunday to close out a two-start week.

Kerkering has rejoined the Phillies prior to Monday’s series opener in San Francisco, but the club is going to wait an extra day before officially making a roster move. The 25-year-old high-leverage reliever has been on the shelf since spring training working his way back from a hamstring strain.

Schmitt has been dealing with back tightness since last Friday. It’ll be Rafael Devers handling the cold corner on Monday night for the second consecutive contest with Jerar Encarnacion at DH to face Phillies rookie Andrew Painter.

Walker has gotten off to a phenomenal start at the dish, hitting .300 (9-for-30) with two homers, eight RBI and one steal over nine games to open the season. He went 1-for-3 with a walk on Sunday against the Tigers following a three-hit effort the previous afternoon that included a gargantuan 459-foot grand slam. It’s too small of a sample size to say definitively that the 23-year-old former top prospect is finally putting it all together, but the early returns have been positive as he’s posted a near-elite 97.1 average exit velocity and stratospheric 71 percent hard-hit rate so far. He’s shown enough to be rostered in all fantasy formats until further notice.