MLB Player News

Contreras will begin the second game of the doubleheader on the bench with Gary Sanchez earning the start behind the plate and hitting fifth.

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.

Yorke tagged Ian Seymour for a 394-foot (106.6 mph EV) solo shot in the eighth inning that increased the Pirates’ lead to 6-2. For the season, the 24-year-old infielder is now hitting .246/.343/.351 with one home run and four RBI in his first 67 plate appearances.

Keller punched out five opposing hitters on the day and didn’t walk a batter. The only blemish on his afternoon came on a two-run single off the bat of Hunter Fedducia in the fifth inning. Keller generated 12 swings and misses on 89 pitches on the day, posting a CSW of 29 percent. He now sits at 2-1 on the season with a 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 19/9 K/BB ratio across 29 innings through his first five starts. He’ll look to replicate this fine effort when he takes on the Brewers in Milwaukee his next time out on Saturday.

The 22-year-old slugger welcomed Pirates’ right-hander Wilber Dotel to the big leagues in the ninth inning, crushing the third pitch that he threw for a 398-foot (103.0 mph EV) solo shot that pulled the Rays to within three runs at 6-3. That would be as close as they would get. It was also Caminero’s only hit in the ballgame. For the season, he’s slashing .250/.340/.464 with five homers and 10 RBI.

The 28-year-old southpaw struck out five batters on the afternoon and did not allow a base on balls. The Pirates scratched out a run against him in the opening inning then broke it open with a three-run uprising in the fifth that included RBI knocks from Nick Gonzales and Bryan Reynolds. McClanahan got 11 swings and misses on 90 offerings on the afternoon, posting a CSW of 26 percent. Now 1-2 on the season, he’ll carry a disappointing 5.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and an 18/11 K/BB ratio (18 innings) into Saturday’s matchup against the Twins.

Ramírez ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Orioles’ left-hander Trevor Rogers for a 408-foot (106.2 mph EV) solo shot in the fourth inning that made it a 2-0 ballgame. He then replicated the feat in the fifth, that time belting a 1-1 changeup for a 379-foot (103.6 mph EV) solo shot to left that made it 6-4. With the two-hit attack, the superstar third baseman is now hitting .229/.354/.494 with six homers, 12 RBI and 10 stolen bases on the season.

Brito broke the game open with a two-run double off of Trevor Rogers in the fifth inning that extended the Guardians’ lead to 4-0. He struck out in each of his other three plate appearances in the ballgame — including with the bases loaded and zero outs in the eighth.. For the season, the 24-year-old infielder is now slashing .184/.244/.263 with zero homers, three RBI and a 12/3 K/BB ratio in his first 40 plate appearances.

Rocchio plated Juan Brito with an RBI single off of Trevor Rogers in the fifth inning that extended the Guardians’ early advantage to 5-0. He then tacked on some valuable insurance with a two-out, two-run single in the eighth that made it an 8-4 ballgame. For the season, the 25-year-old infielder is now hitting .254/.359/.418 with three homers and 14 RBI in his first 79 plate appearances.

On the plus side, the 26-year-old southpaw did rack up six strikeouts on the afternoon while issuing three free passes. All of the damage done against him came in the fifth inning, with Taylor Ward’s three-run blast the biggest blow against him. Cantillo got 11 swings and misses on 89 pitches on the day — six of those on his changeup — while posting a CSW of 25 percent. He now holds a 3.20 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 30/12 K/BB ratio over 25 1/3 innings through his first five starts. He’ll try to get back in the win column when he does battle against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Saturday.