MLB Player News

Heaney will start Game 4 of the World Series against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Heaney should be relatively fresh heading into Tuesday's matchup after last taking the mound in Game 2 on Saturday. He recorded two outs and surrendered one hit on six pitches. However, his last postseason start resulted in a disaster, as he gave up three runs on four hits and one walk in 0.2 innings during Game 4 of the ALCS versus Houston.

Scherzer said after Monday's 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks in the World Series that his start was cut short due to a back spasm, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.

Scherzer, who scattered two hits and two walks over three scoreless innings before exiting in the top of the fourth inning, noted that he's experienced the same issue in the past with varying outcomes. More specifically, Scherzer relayed that he's been able to overcome bouts with back spasms in 48-to-72 hours, and other instances where it's taken far longer to return to normal. The Rangers will keep a close eye on the veteran right-hander over the next few days to determine whether another appearance in the World Series is a possibility, though time is certainly not on Scherzer's side.

Scherzer was removed from Game 3 of the World Series against the Diamondbacks on Monday due to back tightness, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

Scherzer beckoned to the team trainer shortly after he went out to warm up for the bottom of the fourth inning, and he exited the contest immediately after. Considering he only threw 36 pitches over three innings, it's possible the veteran right-hander could pitch again in a few days. However, Scherzer's availability for the rest of the series will depend on how he feels in the days to come.

Updating a previous item, Gray is not yet locked in to start Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday in Arizona, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier Monday that it would be Gray taking the ball for the Rangers in Game 4. While the right-hander appears to be the most likely candidate to start Tuesday, manager Bruce Bochy noted that he would not be holding Gray or anyone else back from pitching in Game 3, if needed. Bochy should officially announce a Game 4 starter after the conclusion of Game 3.

Gray will start Tuesday in Game 4 of the World Series in Arizona, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Gray hasn't started a game since Sept. 25, as he ended the regular season on the injured list with a forearm issue and has been used in relief in his two postseason appearances. The 31-year-old looked very sharp out of the bullpen in Game 1, striking out four over 1.2 scoreless innings. He threw 26 pitches in that appearance and will be going on three days' rest Tuesday, so Gray will not be ready for a full workload. The Diamondbacks are going with a bullpen game Tuesday.

Montgomery will be the Rangers' starter for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

After allowing just two runs over 14 innings across three appearances versus the Astros in the ALCS, Montgomery will follow Game 1 starter Nathan Eovaldi in the World Series rotation. Including the postseason, Montgomery has put up a 2.62 ERA and 1.14 WHIP through 92.2 innings since being traded to the Rangers.

Lynch (shoulder) is pitching in an Arizona Fall League game Thursday, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.

Lynch missed most of the second half due to a shoulder injury, but he logged one rehab start with Triple-A Omaha in late September and is now making up for lost time in the AFL. The 26-year-old left-hander could be a candidate for an Opening Day rotation spot with the Royals in 2024 if his health cooperates.

Eovaldi will start Game 1 of the World Series on Friday versus the Diamondbacks, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

He'll be facing off against Zac Gallen, who was announced as Arizona's Game 1 starter Wednesday afternoon. Eovaldi has been tremendous so far this postseason, boasting a 4-0 record, 2.42 ERA and 28:4 K:BB through four starts covering 26 innings. He's worked at least six innings each time out.

Valdez took the loss in Sunday's 9-2 defeat to the Rangers in Game 6 of the ALCS, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out six.

Valdez fared better in this outing given that he could not make it out of the third inning in his last start, but it still was not enough for him to avoid his third loss in a row. The bulk of the damage came off a changeup he hung in the zone to Jonah Heim that was scraped over the wall for a two-run shot. Valdez's struggles this postseason are surprising compared to his robust 3.45 ERA across 198 innings in the regular season, although it may be that such a large workload has caused him to tire out at the finish line. On the other hand, he managed to keep his strikeouts in line with his average 6.5 per start, hinting at his upside if he can limit his mistakes. Valdez has pitched to a 9.00 ERA and 2.08 WHIP with 17 strikeouts across 12 innings this postseason.

Eovaldi allowed two runs on five hits and three walks over 6.1 innings, earning the win in Sunday's 9-2 victory over the Astros in Game 6 of the ALCS. He struck out four.

Eovaldi has been lights-out in the postseason, as he has now pitched his fourth quality start in four games, earning the win each time he has taken the mound. The right-hander appeared to be on the ropes early, allowing an RBI single to Yordan Alvarez in the first inning, but he managed to settle in and limit the damage to earn the eighth win of his postseason career. Eovaldi has pitched to an excellent 2.42 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 28 strikeouts across 26 innings in October.