MLB Player News

Sands picked up a four-inning save in Wednesday's 10-1 victory over the White Sox. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out one.

Sands entered the game with Minnesota up 10-0 in the sixth inning, and he pitched well, holding the White Sox to just one unearned run over four innings. The strong effort earned Sands the four-inning save, which was the first of his young career. Through 30.2 innings in the big leagues this season, Sands was 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA and 28 strikeouts.

Alexander allowed four runs across 5.2 innings and did not factor into the decision in Wednesday's loss to the Mariners. He gave up seven hits and one walk, while striking out five.

Alexander finished his 2023 campaign with another mediocre outing, giving him a 4.81 ERA and 61 strikeouts across 101 innings. The lefty has shown some value as a long reliever in the past, though he didn't stand out in 17 starts this season. Alexander will likely head into 2023 in a similar swing role, and while he may have some fantasy value as an occasional spot starter, he doesn't seem like a regular option at this point

Soto (2-11) allowed an unearned run while retiring just one batter to take the loss Wednesday against the Mariners. He gave up one hit and two walks.

Soto took the loss for the second night in a row, ending a mostly strong campaign on a sour note. The lefty finished with a whopping 11 losses, though he also had 30 saves in 33 opportunities, to go along with a 3.28 ERA and 60 strikeouts across 60.1 innings. Though he can be volatile at times, Soto should head into 2023 once again closing games for Detroit.

Heasley (4-10) took the loss Wednesday, allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks over five innings against the Guardians. He struck out four.

The Guardians got to Heasley early, tagging him for four runs in the first inning and one run in both the second and third innings. The start comes after he allowed four earned runs over 4.2 innings in his prior start and seven runs three appearances before that. Over 104 innings on the campaign, Heasley earned a 5.28 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with 70 punchouts.

The Blue Jays reinstated Pearson (lat) from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.

Since Buffalo's season has already ended, Pearson won't report to the Triple-A affiliate and will instead stick around at the Blue Jays' spring facility in Florida, where he'll likely continue to stay sharp in case Toronto requires an extra bullpen arm during its upcoming postseason run, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. Pearson never made any appearances at the big-league level in 2022 after opening the campaign on the shelf while recovering from mononucleosis before he suffered a lat strain in June during his rehab assignment.

White was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo following the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Orioles.

White served as a bulk reliever during Wednesday's matinee and allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four in four innings to take his seventh loss of the year. The right-hander made 25 appearances (18 starts) in the majors this year with the Dodgers and Blue Jays and posted a 5.45 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 99 innings.

The Blue Jays recalled Thornton from Triple-A Buffalo ahead of the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Orioles.

Mitch White was optioned to the minors after covering four innings of relief in the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss to the Orioles in Game 1. Thornton will give Toronto another fresh relief arm for the regular-season finale.

Puk (4-3) got the win in an extra-inning victory over the Angels on Tuesday, firing a scoreless 10th inning during which he issued a walk.

Puk got his three outs on a quick eight pitches, intentionally walking Mike Trout with two outs and phantom runner David Fletcher on third base before getting Shohei Ohtani on an inning-ending flyout. The crisp work was then rewarded in the home half of the 10th inning when Shea Langeliers drew a game-winning bases-loaded walk, affording Puk his first victory since Aug. 21. If this was Puk's final appearance of the season, it marks a fitting finish to a strong rebound campaign, one that saw the big southpaw mostly thrive as a reliever while recording 20 holds and four saves along with a 3.12 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 62 appearances.

The Twins recalled Sands from Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Sands will give the Twins a fresh arm out of the bullpen behind starter Louie Varland in Wednesday's season finale. Minnesota optioned Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A to clear room on the active roster for Sands.

The Twins optioned Woods Richardson to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Woods Richardson wasn't scheduled to pitch again in 2022 after making his MLB debut Sunday in Detroit, where he struck out three while allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings en route to being handed a loss. The Twins will swap him off the 28-man active roster for right-hander Cole Sands, who will give the team a fresh arm out of the bullpen in Wednesday's season finale against the White Sox.