MLB Player News

The final line looks a lot worse than the actual performance here as Sears managed to limit Houston’s lineup to just four runs over the first six innings of Wednesday’s series finale before the metaphorical wheels came off the wagon as he was ultimately charged with four additional runs in the seventh inning. He struck out three and didn’t hand out a free pass. He’ll bring a serviceable 4.81 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 83/32 K/BB ratio across 112 1/3 innings (21 starts) into a road tilt on Tuesday against the Giants.

It’s possible he could begin the season on the injured list or in the minor leagues if he’s set back far enough, perhaps opening a spot on the Padres bench for Ty France or Jose Miranda. Song initially suffered the oblique injury in January during a batting practice session. He looks unlikely to have short-term fantasy value at the start of the season based on this update.

MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki believes an April return is in play for Wheeler, and adds that it wouldn’t be surprising if he pitched in a game before the end of camp. All reports out of Spring Training have been optimistic for Wheeler so far, making him a reasonable gamble at ADP.

For those of you hoping Polanco would slide right into first base eligibility, it’s good news. Polanco seems like a good bet to hit in the middle of the Mets order and, if he hits, will have plenty of RBI chances behind Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, and Juan Soto.

Sánchez should receive plenty of help from the Dominican Republic’s loaded lineup, which scored a tournament-leading 41 runs through four games in pool play. The 29-year-old fantasy ace allowed three runs (two earned) over 1 1/3 innings last Friday against Nicaragua.

The win means the D.R. will avoid a matchup against Japan and face Korea in the quarterfinals. Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. also homered tonight, and Austin Wells reaches three times. The game got interesting in the ninth, when Abner Uribe, working with a 7-3 lead, walked all three batters he faced, and Elvis Alvarado committed an ugly error on a comebacker after taking over on the mound. However, Salvador Perez grounded into a double play to end the game.

Alcantara gave up two hits and a walk in the first, producing one run, and three hits and a walk in the third, plating two. His stuff was fine tonight, and he wound up as the winning pitcher after leaving with a 4-3 lead. Still, there have been few signs of dominance from the former Cy Young winner thus far.

Rodriguez surrendered homers to Juan Soto and Diamondbacks teammate Ketel Marte, but he struck out five against the best lineup baseball has to offer. Rodriguez averaged 93.5 mph tonight. He was at 93.1 in his first spring start, so both marks are clearly better than the 92 mph that’s been his norm in recent years. His stock is trending up at least a little.

The rest of the Venezuelan lineup combined for three hits in the 7-5 loss, but Garcia excelled. His softest hit came in at 97 mph, with the other three leaving his bat at 104-108 mph. Garcia finishes pool play 6-for-16 with three steals in three tries.

Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto will toe the rubber for Japan as the defending WBC champions host Venezuela at loanDepot park in Miami. It’s a challenging assignment for Suárez having to face a loaded Japan lineup that is headlined by generational talent Shohei Ohtani. The winner of Saturday’s contest will face whoever emerges from a highly-anticipated matchup between Puerto Rico and Italy in the semifinals.

It’ll be Michael Soroka drawing the starting assignment for Canada after they advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in tournament history. Webb, who will be making his final WBC appearance on Friday, struck out six over four innings of one-run ball last week against Brazil.