MLB Player News
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Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Tosses quality start in win
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.
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Framber Valdez SP | DET
Astros' Framber Valdez: Lined up to start Game 6
Valdez will start Sunday in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Rangers, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Valdez was rocked for five runs -- four earned -- over just 2.2 innings in taking a loss in Game 2, so he'll be looking for better results Sunday on an extra day of rest. Nathan Eovaldi is lined up to start Game 6 for the Rangers.
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Hunter Brown SP | HOU
Astros' Hunter Brown: Covers three scoreless
Brown allowed two hits across three scoreless innings in Thursday's 10-3 victory over the Rangers in Game 3 of the ALCS. He struck out two.
Brown was tasked with covering the bulk of the innings after Jose Urquidy lasted only 2.1 innings as the starter. He faced pressure in the fifth inning with two runners on, but he managed to be rescued by his defense when Corey Seager lined out and Marcus Semien was tagged out on the basepaths to end the inning. Brown has pitched to a 1.80 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with four strikeouts across five innings out of the bullpen this postseason.
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Dane Dunning SP | SEA
Rangers' Dane Dunning: Permits three runs in loss
Dunning took the loss in Thursday's 10-3 defeat to the Astros, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks over 2.2 innings. He struck out four.
Dunning has had a rough time in the postseason so far, contrasting with his 3.70 ERA in over 172 innings during the regular season. The right-hander had a roller coaster outing with his command, nullifying his strikeout gains by allowing too many free passes. He was replaced by Cody Bradford in the fourth inning after Dunning had loaded the bases, and Bradford promptly served up a sac fly and a home run to pin three runs onto Dunning's line. He now has a 7.71 ERA and 1.93 WHIP across 4.2 innings this postseason with five strikeouts.
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Jordan Montgomery RP | TEX
Rangers' Jordan Montgomery: Named Game 5 starter
Montgomery will start Game 5 of the ALCS on Friday against Houston, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Montgomery shut down the Astros in Game 1, throwing 6.1 scoreless innings while striking out six batters and walking one en route to a victory. Aside from a shaky outing against Baltimore in the ALDS, Montgomery has been solid in the postseason with an overall 2.08 ERA through 17.1 frames.
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Justin Verlander SP | DET
Astros' Justin Verlander: Named starter for Game 5
Verlander will start Game 5 of the ALCS on Friday at Texas, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
An easy call here for Astros manager Dusty Baker. Verlander took the loss in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday at Houston, but that was mostly due to a lack of run support. The veteran right-hander has allowed only two runs while tallying 11 strikeouts through 12.2 innings (two starts) this postseason.
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Jose Urquidy RP | CHW
Astros' Jose Urquidy: Gets start for Game 4 of ALCS
Urquidy will start Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Rangers, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
After coming into the postseason with the expectation of working out of the bullpen, Urquidy was granted a start against the Twins in Game 4 of the ALDS and gave up two runs over 5.2 innings. He'll now take the mound for another Game 4 and look to keep quiet a Rangers offense that has slashed .202/.269/.364 through the first three games of the ALCS.
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Andrew Heaney RP | LAD
Rangers' Andrew Heaney: Starting Game 4 of ALCS
Heaney will start Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Astros, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.
Heaney turned in 3.2 innings of one-run ball during his first postseason appearance against Baltimore, and he's now set up to face an Astros lineup that has been relatively quiet through the first three games of the series. Heaney faced the Astros four times during the regular season, giving up six runs across 19.2 innings while striking out 16 batters and walking 11.
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Jacob deGrom SP | TEX
Rangers' Jacob deGrom: Has full range of motion
DeGrom (elbow) has full range of motion back in his pitching arm, he told Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Tuesday.
The goal for deGrom -- who is a little over four months removed from Tommy John surgery -- is to begin a throwing program early on in the new year and progress to mound work sometime during spring training. "My arm feels pretty close to normal already," he said. DeGrom is aiming to rejoin the Rangers' rotation by next August.
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Cristian Javier SP | HOU
Astros' Cristian Javier: Gets nod for Game 3 of ALCS
Javier has been confirmed as the starting pitcher for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Rangers, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 reports.
Javier will be tasked with helping his club dig out of an 0-2 hole after Houston dropped both games at Minute Maid Park. The right-hander struggled with his command and issued five free passes during Game 3 of the ALDS against the Twins (five walks), but he managed to toss five scoreless innings on just one hit allowed while fanning nine batters.