MLB Player News

McLain isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins.

McLain will get a day off to reset after going 0-for-11 with five strikeouts and six walks over his last four games. His absence will put Sal Stewart at second base, opening up first for Nathaniel Lowe.

Walker (1-3) took the loss Friday as the Phillies were routed 9-0 by Atlanta, coughing up seven runs on seven hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.

The right-hander served up homers to Austin Riley in the second inning and Dominic Smith in the third, the second time in four starts that Walker has been taken deep multiple times. It's been a brutal beginning to the year for the 33-year-old, and he carries a 9.16 ERA, 2.04 WHIP and 16:10 K:BB through 18.2 innings. Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will make what could be his final rehab start Sunday, but that schedule would allow Walker to get one more turn through the rotation on the road next week against the Cubs before being replaced.

Riley went 2-for-5 with two home run and five RBI in Friday's 9-0 win over the Phillies.

The third baseman went 18 games without a long ball to begin the season, but Riley has now gone yard three times in the last two contests after he launched a couple opposite-field homers Friday -- a three-run shot off a Taijuan Walker cutter in the third inning, and a solo blast on a Chase Shugart fastball in the ninth. Riley also has five multi-hit performances in the last nine games, a stretch in which he's slashing .316/.381/.632 with three doubles, two steals, 10 runs and 11 RBI.

Collins (knee) will serve as the designated hitter and bat seventh during Saturday's game against the Yankees.

Collins missed the Royals' last three games after bruising his right knee during Tuesday's contest, but he was available off the bench Friday and will make his return to the starting nine Saturday. He'd been in a bit of a cold spell before getting hurt, going 3-for-18 at the plate over his last seven games.

Perez (1-1) picked up the win Friday, allowing four hits and two walks over six scoreless innings in a 9-0 rout of the Phillies. He struck out four.

On paper at least, it's been a hectic week for the veteran southpaw. Perez started for Atlanta last Saturday, was DFA'ed on Sunday as the team scrambles to patch together its staff in the wake of injuries, elected to become a free agent Tuesday, re-signed a minor-league deal with the club Wednesday, and was added back to the 26-man roster Friday to make his next start. The transactional shenanigans didn't faze Perez at all, as he tossed 59 of 94 pitches for strikes while delivering his first quality start of 2026. Through four outings (three starts) he's produced a 2.21 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB through 20.1 innings, but his hold on a rotation spot is precarious as the organization clearly views the 35-year-old as expendable. He's set to make his next trip to the mound on the road next week against the Nationals, but with Spencer Strider (oblique) having begun a rehab assignment and top prospects Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie both pitching well at Triple-A Gwinnett, each Perez start could be his last for Atlanta.

Perez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.

Perez will catch a breather Saturday after going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Friday's series opener. Carter Jensen will handle catching duties for the Royals instead while Isaac Collins starts as the DH and Lane Thomas patrols left field.

Bibee came away with a no-decision in Friday's 6-4 loss to the Orioles, allowing four hits and three walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out five.

The quality start was the first of 2026 for Bibee but he remains winless, exiting the mound after 96 pitches (60 strikes) with the game still scoreless before both offenses got frisky against the bullpens. Bibee is still trying to find a rhythm on the young season, and he'll take a 4.81 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 23:9 K:BB through 24.1 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Astros.

Helsley walked one and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Friday to record his sixth save of the season in a 6-4 win over the Guardians.

The right-hander continues to get the job done as the Orioles' closer, and Helsley has converted all six of his save chances to begin the season. Last year's homer issues also have yet to resurface -- after he served up nine long balls over 56 innings in 2025 between the Cardinals and Mets, leading to a 4.50 ERA, Helsley has yet to be taken deep over 8.1 innings in 2026 while producing a 2.16 ERA.

Jackson went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Friday's 6-4 win over the Guardians.

The Orioles were down 4-0 heading into the eighth inning -- a deficit created in part by Jackson's first error of the season -- but the 26-year-old utility player redeemed himself when he capped a six-run eruption by launching a Connor Brogdon fastball into the left-field seats. Jackson has five homers on the campaign and all of them have come in the last seven games, a stretch in which he's batting .429 (12-for-28) with two doubles, five runs and 13 RBI.

After tossing a scoreless inning of relief in Friday's 1-0, 10-inning loss to the Red Sox, Finnegan now has a 0.00 ERA across nine appearances this season.

Finnegan has managed to keep the opposition off the board so far this year, but there are some signs for concern. He only has three strikeouts across nine innings and has walked eight batters, which has contributed to a 1.33 WHIP that is a jump up from the 1.11 WHIP he posted for the Nationals and Tigers last year. Finnegan should remain locked into a key setup role for Detroit, though he'll need to flip the strikeouts and walks around if he wants to sustain his early success.