MLB Player News

This was maybe Rodón’s best outing as a Yankee, as he finished with zero walks, nine strikeouts and whopping 25 missed swings. The lone run against him came on a homer from Brayan Rocchio in the sixth, and both other hits he surrendered were singles. After wearing down quickly in his lone start against the Royals, he paced himself nicely tonight, and he picked up his first career postseason victory in his third try. Game 2 of the ALCS will come Tuesday, with Tanner Bibee and Gerrit Cole slated to start.

Wheeler was not as good statistically as he was in his first rehab start Tuesday where he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings. The results really aren’t all that important right now; the important thing is that he’s building up his workload. Wheeler likely will make one more rehab start at least, but the next steps will be determined in part by how he feels in the coming days.

Mead capped off a three-run uprising in the fifth inning with a 390-foot (109.6 mph EV) two-run shot off of Robbie Ray. That would be all the run support that Miles Mikloas and company would require in this one. For the season, the 25-year-old infielder is slashing a disappointing .205/.271/.409 with a pair of homers and seven RBI. Maybe this is the type of big hit that he needed to finally get rolling.

Ruiz broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning as he roped an RBI double into left field off of Robbie Ray. He then rode home on Curtis Mead’s two-run blast. With his two-hit afternoon, the 27-year-old backstop is slashing .220/.250/.366 with one home run and nine RBI through his first 44 plate appearances on the season.

The 26-year-old left-hander allowed just three hits on the day while striking out five. Alvarez came on for Miles Mikolas to get the final out of the fifth inning, then remained in the game to fire four scoreless frames to complete the combined shutout. He got seven swings and misses on 62 pitches on the day, posting a CSW of 29 percent. Given how successful this alignment worked out, don’t be surprised to see him piggyback Miles Mikolas once again on Friday against the White Sox in Chicago.

Mikolas struck out four batters on the afternoon while issuing one walk. He came on as a bulk reliever after PJ Poulin opened for the Nationals. He escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the opening inning and went on to spin several scoreless frames of his own before turning the ball over to the bullpen. He got nine whiffs on just 61 pitches on the day, posting a solid CSW of 30 percent. Given the success as a bulk reliever, perhaps this is how he’ll be deployed next time out on Friday against the White Sox in Chicago. He should still be nowhere near fantasy lineups.

Devers singled to put two men on base in the first inning but wound up stranded there. He did the same with no outs in the eighth inning, but once again the Giants were unable to cash anyone in. He’s off to a very slow start at the plate this season, slashing an underwhelming .225/.266/.315 with two homers and eight RBI in his first 94 plate appearances.

Ray struck out seven batters on the afternoon while allowing only one base on balls. All of the damage done against him came in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Keibert Ruiz and a two-run blast by Curtis Mead. Unfortunately, the Giants couldn’t scratch out a single run of support for him. The 34-year-old southpaw got 12 whiffs on 93 pitches on the day, registering a CSW of 29 percent. He’ll bring a stellar 2.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 31/11 K/BB ratio (28 1/3 innings) into Saturday’s showdown against the Marlins.

Realmuto was removed from Saturday’s game in the sixth inning with tightness in his lower back, and the 35-year-old will get at least one more day off for the series finale. Rafael Marchan will handle catching duties in Realmuto’s absence.

Strider, 27, went 3 1/3 innings in his start for High-A Rome while not allowing a run. The 27-year-old will likely need to make a couple more rehab appearances, but could be an option for Atlanta — and fantasy managers, in turn — by the start of May.

Reynolds opened the scoring in the opening inning as he drove in a run with a fielder’s choice. He then delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning that gave the Pirates a two-run lead they would never relinquish. The 31-year-old outfielder is off to another very strong start at the plate this season, slashing .266/.392/.418 with three homers, 15 runs scored, 15 RBI and one stolen base in his first 97 plate appearances.