MLB Player News

Kikuchi tossed a clean first inning, then surrendered a run on a pair of hits in the second. He ran into more trouble in the fourth, giving up three runs on a walk and three hits before getting out of the frame with a pair of strikeouts. Kikuchi returned for a clean fifth, striking out two batters to end his day with eight punchouts. The 34-year-old left-hander has allowed 11 runs over 14 2/3 innings across three starts, but a 16/6 K/BB ratio with a .404 BABIP suggests some bad hit luck in the early going. He’ll look for better fortune when he takes on the Yankees in New York on Monday.

Eldridge had three of the four hardest-hit balls of the game, coming in at 106.1 mph on his homer in the fourth, 108.5 mph on a lineout in the fifth and 108.1 mph on a single in the eighth. Hopefully, it means he’s escaping the drought that saw him hit .177 with one homer in his previous 17 games. That previous homer also came against Rockies pitching.

Both runs came in the second. Whisenhunt gave up a single and a walk to begin the inning, but he got a double play ball afterwards. He then got ahead of Willi Castro 1-2, only to miss with a bad changeup that was deposited into the stands in left center. Whisenhunt walked three more batters over the course of the outing, but the homer was the only damage. He’s won both of his starts for the Giants this season, and he’ll probably get a longer look in the second half. First, though, he might return to Triple-A until one or two spots open up at the trade deadline.

Getting pushed back a day to face the Giants, rather than the Dodgers, seemed like a good thing for Feltner, but it wound up not really mattering. He gave up solo homers in the first and fourth innings and then four hits and a walk before leaving in the fifth. Fortunately for Feltner, Victor Vodnik was able to strand the bases loaded after coming in with one out in the frame. Feltner will enter the second half 3-3 with a 4.55 ERA. That’s pretty good for a Coors pitcher, but his 47/24 K/BB in 63 1/3 innings isn’t impressive at all. He’s also given up 11 homers already.

With Mickey Moniak back from the IL and Kyle Karros establishing himself as the everyday third baseman, Castro has been losing playing time against righties lately. Fortunately for him, the Rockies have faced lefties in four of their last six games, getting him some extra playing time. He’s batting .265/.337/.385 in the first season of a two-year, $12.8 million contract. One imagines he’ll be very much available at the trade deadline if anyone wants to take on the rest of his deal.

Kelly struck out six, matching his season high. After averaging a season-high 93.4 mph with his fastball last time out against the Brewers, he came in at 93.2 mph tonight. He averaged 92.0 and topped out at 92.7 mph in his first 14 starts this season. If his velocity stays up, he might be of use in deeper formats during the second half. Kelly figures to face the Cardinals in the D-backs’ first or second game after the break.

Sewald sandwiched strikeouts of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado around a Jackson Merrill flyout. He’s still blown just one save opportunity this season.

Canning struck out five and walked none, but the D-backs got to him for single runs in the fourth and fifth and the Padres offense failed to respond. Canning ends the first half 1-7 with a 6.47 ERA, so he could be bumped from the rotation if the Padres rotation gets healthier and/or if A.J. Preller can make an addition or two.

With Jake Cronenworth back and Luis Rengifo up, Song is probably on thin ice at this point. He’s hitting .213/.308/.288 through 91 plate appearances. It seems like he has the bat speed to get around on major league fastballs, but his exit velocity numbers thus far are ugly.

Waldschmidt didn’t seem ready the first time around, but he had dragged his strikeout rate under 20 percent in the three weeks since he returned to Triple-A. He’s probably not ready to hit homers in the majors, but if the Diamondbacks want to play him regularly, he might steal enough bases to be useful in 12-team leagues. Tommy Troy, Max Kepler and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could all lose at-bats with Waldschmidt back.

That was the expectation all along, but the Angels finally confirmed it on Thursday. Rodriguez looked strong in his latest minor league rehab start, hurling 5 1/3 innings of one-run baseball at Triple-A Salt Lake. Fantasy managers may want to see how he looks one turn through the rotation before throwing him right back to the wolves.