MLB Player News

Buehler struck out four and walked none. It was his first spring start in a Statcast park, so we know for sure now that his velocity is only a tad down from last year; he averaged 94.1 mph with his fastball today, compared to 95.0 mph last season. We were hoping he’d add velocity in his second year back from surgery, but there’s still time for that. Buehler has a 1.80 ERA this spring.

Mayer recorded two batted balls with exit velocities over 98 mph and went deep for the second consecutive contest. The 22-year-old shortstop looked ready for the big leagues in spring training and it feels like only a matter of time before he forces his way to Fenway Park. We’re not envisioning superstar-caliber offensive upside in his immediate future, but he’s a gifted talent with the natural athleticism and feel for the game to outperform expectations.

Simpson is up to three stolen bases already and his game-changing speed makes him one of the most exciting prospects in the fantasy landscape at the moment. The 24-year-old will need to prove he can handle big-league caliber pitching if he’s going to make the leap to full-fledged fantasy stardom, but his stolen base upside is going to make him a relevant mixed-league contributor at a bare minimum once he arrives in the majors.

Henderson got through his fifth, and likely final, rehab game and could be activated for Thursday’s series finale against the Red Sox. The fact that it’s an afternoon matinee complicates matters since the Orioles would probably prefer not to have him playing again in such a short span, especially after traveling back to Baltimore. There should be an official update on his status at some point in the near future. Fantasy managers should expect him back by Friday at the latest.

Rodón was struck on the right forearm by a 115-mph line-drive off the bat of Ketel Marte during Wednesday’s start against the Diamondbacks, but appears to have somehow managed to avoid serious injury. The 32-year-old southpaw, who underwent X-rays for precautionary reasons afterwards, was charged with four runs over six innings. He should be ready to take the ball on Monday against the Tigers in his next outing.

What a turnaround for Gallen compared to his poor start on opening day. He had significantly better command of his patented knuckle-curve and it sent the Yankees spinning with a whopping 13 swings-and-misses. Overall, he forced a career-best 25 whiffs and tied his career-high with 13 strikeouts. His fastball was a bit spotty, but his knuckle-curve, slider, and changeup were all so nasty that it didn’t matter at all. He’s lined up for a two-start week coming up against the Orioles and Brewers.

Puk was called upon in a 4-0 game after Ryan Thompson allowed singles to Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge to start the ninth inning. Then, things got tight when Anthony Volpe hit a three-run home run into Yankee Stadium’s short porch, but Puk closed the door after that. Once again, the Diamondbacks went to Puk to close out the game and he seems to have a firm leg up on Justin Martinez for closing duties in the desert.

Fresh off his newly-minted contract extension, Marte was a tough out in this one. He set the tone to start the game by going from down 0-2 against Carlos Rodón to drawing a walk and scoring on Lourdes Gurriel’s home run. Then he pushed home what would be the Diamondbacks’ final run in the second inning with a two-out single. He is a star and will be the engine atop Arizona’s strong lineup all season long.

Volpe is becoming adept at the fabled “Yankee Stadium home run”. His ninth inning blast was hit just 94 MPH and would’ve only been a home run in two parks: Yankee Stadium and Steinbrenner Field down in Tampa Bay. Still, it did leave the yard and gave Volpe four home runs on the season. The kicker? He has just four total hits on the season. It will be interesting to see if he can turn this power surge into more prolonged success at the plate.

This was another one of those games from Rodón where he just never looked comfortable. Sadly, those types of games have become the norm over his tenure with the Yankees. Lourdes Gurriel jumped on him early with a first inning home run and the Diamondbacks rallied against him again in the second after a lead-off walk. He grinded his way through the middle innings to limit the damage, but he wasn’t in the strike zone consistently enough to be effective. His sinker, which flashed on opening day last week, was sparsely used and he didn’t have great command of his fastball or changeup. He’ll look to get back on track next Monday against the Tigers.

Aces doe what aces do. Wheeler made mincemeat of a poor Rockies lineup and ran into virtually no trouble all night long. His only blemish was a solo home run from Hunter Goodman in his third time around the order. Otherwise, no other Rockie reached scoring position and Wheeler forced a gaudy 25 swings-and-misses in total. He’s set to face the Braves and Cardinals next in what lines up as a two-start week.