MLB Player News

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. However, Wheeler also sat just 91 mph with his four-seam fastball in this one, and the pitch was getting hit hard. He tried to rely almost exclusively on his off-speed pitches, but that’s not the Wheeler that we’ve come to expect. Maybe it was just due to the cold, but Wheeler is coming back from a pretty major surgery, so it’s prudent for fantasy managers not to expect immediate success. The veteran likely will make one more rehab, but the next steps will be determined in part by how he feels in the coming days.

Crow-Armstrong’s fourth home run of the season could not have come at a better time. After the Cubs’ bullpen imploded to turn a two run lead into a two run deficit in the top of the ninth, Crow-Armstrong took Graham Ashcraft deep for a two-run shot to tie the game. He did a good job of getting his bat head on a 90 mph slider that was darting below the zone and golfing it just barely beyond the fence in left-center field. It looked like a load was lifted off his back as he jetted around the bases and is now riding a 10-game on-base streak. Perhaps this was the moment he needed to get his season back on track.

Rea had his splitter working in this one. It forced seven of his 13 whiffs as he located it perfectly low and below the zone. With that pitch working, his often uninspiring fastball was forcing late swings and was rarely squared up. He ran into a bit of trouble during his third time around the order, but some help from Alex Bregman and Jacob Webb helped keep his line clean. Up next is a terrifyingly enticing two-start week against the Braves and White Sox.

Thrust into the closer role after Emilio Pagán’s injury on Tuesday, Ashcraft fell apart here. With his team headed for their sixth straight loss, they rallied in the top of the ninth to take a two-run lead. That wouldn’t be enough for Ashcraft though, who promptly gave up a game-tying, two-run home run to Pete Crow-Armstrong that barely stretched over the ivy in left-center field. Tony Santillan or Ashcraft remain the logical choices to get save opportunities in Cincinnati, unless this outing sours Terry Francona’s confidence in the latter.

Bleday was part of a furious ninth inning rally for the Reds as they desperately tried to break their losing streak. Entering the frame trailing by two, he followed up a Spencer Steer home run with a run-scoring hit of his own that tied the game before Elly De La Cruz put them ahead. They’d later blow that lead in the ninth inning and then fall in extra innings, but don’t let take away from what Bleday’s been doing lately.Scalding hot since being inserted into the starting lineup late last week, Bleday extended his hitting streak to five games as he makes his case to keep a starting spot in the Reds’ outfield.

Overall, Singer pitched well here. He just made a few crucial mistakes. Like a 3-1 cutter that sat in the heart of the plate which Ian Happ launched for a two-run homer. Or a hanging slider in the fourth that Seiya Suzuki hammered for a run-scoring double. Nevertheless, he navigated out of trouble in the fourth inning and completed six innings for the third time in his last five starts. He’s scheduled to face the Nationals and Guardians coming up in a two-start week.

Eovaldi absolutely has the Yankees’ number. Coming off a seven inning, seven strikeout, zero run gem against the last time out he managed to one up himself here. They barely ever threatened with just three hits and he didn’t walk a batter either. The only run he allowed came via an Aaron Judge solo homer and it was the first time he’s completed eight innings since… last August against the Yankees. That’s almost too crazy to be true. Nevertheless, Eovaldi’s splitter was dancing here and he’s finally been able to corrail it over these last two starts when his command of it was spotty over the first month of the season. His curveball was sharp here too, forcing eight of his 19 total swings-and-misses. Also, a new wrinkle he’s shown so far this year, he’s begun to lean more into his cutter against left-handed batters. It’s all been working and he’ll look to ride this positive momentum into a two-start week against Diamondbacks and Astros coming up.

Seager but great bookends on a strong night for the Rangers’ lineup. He hit a solo shot in the first inning to open the scoring then effectively ended Will Warren’s night early in the fourth with a two-out, run-scoring single. He’s begun to string some better games together with an active seven-game on base streak as he desperately tries to shake loose from the funk he’s opened the season with.

It was a rare quiet night for the Yankees’ offense as Nathan Eovaldi completely shut them down. Well, almost completely. He couldn’t stop Judge from launching a homer beyond the center field wall that would account for their only run on the night. That long ball was Judge’s 15th of the season, which pushed him ahead of Munetaka Murakami for most in the league. Those 15 home runs go along with a 1.066 OPS, yet it still feels like business as usual for Judge.

Sadly, a lot of the good will that Warren had earned thus far this season came undone in this one. Warren’s Achilles heel had always been left-handed batters. So far this season, he’s kept them at bay in a bit of an unsustainable way by leaning more into his sweeper and sinker, two pitches that don’t often perform well for right-handed pitchers against lefty bats. He gave up two home runs to lefties here, and one came on a sweeper that he just couldn’t bury on their back foot. This was a solid reminder that he can be a very good pitcher, just probably not an ace like he seemed. He has a two-start week coming up against the Orioles and Mets, both on the road.

Quatraro added that Ragans was lifted for precautionary reasons after experiencing triceps and elbow soreness while throwing three scoreless innings on 58 pitches on Wednesday against the Guardians. The 28-year-old southpaw, who dealt with some diminished fastball velocity in this outing, will undergo additional evaluation and imaging to ensure that he’s not dealing with anything serious. It sounds like there’s a chance he avoids the injured list and takes the ball against the White Sox on Tuesday.