MLB Player News

He drilled a no-doubt 392-foot homer to left field off Kodai Senga to extend Chicago’s lead early in the game. Hitting .342/.420/.553 with six steals and three homers, Hoerner is one of the most valuable players in fantasy baseball to this point. The power surge probably won’t last -- his career high is 10 -- but this has been an incredible start for Chicago’s stalwart second baseman.

Baker got the call to protect a three-run lead in the final frame and needed just 11 pitches (nine strikes) to slam the door. He struck out Myles Straw, got Ernie Clement to line out to center field and fanned Andrés Giménez to end it. The unheralded 31-year-old journeyman has converted 11 of 13 save opportunities this season and finds himself just one behind Padres relief ace Mason Miller for the league lead. Simply put, he’s been an unexpected revelation for fantasy managers.

Rasmussen surrendered a three-run shot to Andrés Giménez in the third inning, but managed to keep Toronto’s lineup scoreless otherwise. He struck out six and only handed out one free pass. The 30-year-old righty has been a model of consistency, allowing three earned runs or fewer while also completing five innings in seven of his eight starts to open the season. He’ll wrap up a two-start week with a tasty home matchup against the Marlins on Sunday.

Gausman recorded his 2,000th career strikeout during an otherwise forgettable outing against the division-rival Rays where he surrendered 10 hits, including a solo homer to Jonathan Aranda. He managed to somewhat mitigate the damage by striking out five batters without issuing a walk. Still, it was a tough performance against a Rays lineup that isn’t one of the more potent groups in the game. He’ll attempt to rebound with a road matchup against the Tigers on Sunday.

Bazzana capped Cleveland’s five-run explosion in the third inning by slicing a two-run double into the left-center field gap. He also drew a pair of walks in this one, reaching base safely in three of his four plate appearances out of the eighth spot in the order. The 23-year-old top prospect has hit a bit of a rough path, which isn’t completely unexpected, while acclimating to everyday life in the majors, hitting .211/.423/.316 with one homer and seven steals in 12 games since being called up back on April 28.

It’s challenging to draw any conclusions from this outing since Manoah entered the contest with Los Angeles trailing by a touchdown in the fourth inning. He notched only two strikeouts and walked a staggering five batters. Amazingly, he managed to put five goose eggs on the scoreboard in the one-sided affair. His fastball velocity is starting to trend in the right direction, but he’s not close to being a fantasy-relevant option yet. He’s in line to take the ball on Sunday against the Dodgers. He’s not a recommended fantasy option in that spot.

Cantillo was able to cruise to a relatively easy win, scattering five hits and one walk over six frames, after Cleveland’s offense staked him to a one-touchdown lead by the fourth inning. He finished with four strikeouts and consistently pounded the zone, throwing 63 of 93 pitches for strikes. The 26-year-old lefty has allowed just one run combined over his previous two outings and holds a solid 2.98 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 41/20 K/BB ratio across 45 1/3 innings over nine starts. He’ll wrap up a two-start week with a favorable home matchup against the Reds on Sunday.

Mayo catapulted Baltimore ahead with a three-run blast off Yankees reliever Brent Headrick after they were completely flummoxed by lefty Ryan Weathers for six-plus frames to open the contest. It was his fourth long ball of the season and first time leaving the yard since April 24. The 24-year-old former top prospect was a late addition to the lineup at DH after Samuel Basallo was scratched with knee discomfort.

Rice put New York on the scoreboard with an opposite-field blast off Orioles starter Brandon Young in the third inning. It was his 13th round-tripper of the season. It was an extremely encouraging sign to see the 27-year-old burgeoning star drive the ball after going 0-for-13 with five strikeouts in three contests against the Brewers following a four-game absence due to a wrist contusion last week.

Caballero, who remains slated to undergo an MRI on his right middle finger on Tuesday, came off the bench to run for Paul Goldschmidt, representing the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning. He was thrown out attempting to steal second base to end the contest. There should be some clarity on his status at some point later this week.

It’s worth noting that Rico Garcia got the call to face the heart of New York’s lineup with a one-run lead in the eighth inning before Nunez took over to face the bottom of the order. He struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. and retired Ryan McMahon before giving up a two-out single to veteran Paul Goldschmidt. He was bailed out of any danger when pinch-runner José Caballero was thrown out attempting to steal second base to end the contest. Nunez certainly has the stuff to pitch in high-leverage spots but based on recent usage, including this contest, it’ll be Garcia handling the most important spots until Ryan Helsley (elbow) is back later this month.