MLB Player News

Bassitt (16-8) earned the win Thursday, allowing five hits and one walk over 7.2 scoreless innings in a 6-0 win over the Yankees. He struck out 12.

Bassitt closed out the 2023 regular season on a high note, and the 34-year-old tied his season high in strikeouts while lasting at least seven frames for the fourth time in six starts. Over that stretch (42.2 innings), Bassitt owns a 4-1 record with a 2.11 ERA and a 38:8 K:BB.

Sale (6-5) took the loss Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk over five innings against the Orioles. He struck out two.

While Sale logged his fewest strikeouts in 15 starts, he limited the Orioles to just one run, which came via an Anthony Santander homer in the first. The veteran southpaw showed signs of encouragement in 2023 after making just 11 starts over the last two years, going 102 innings over 20 appearances with the Red Sox this season. He finished the campaign strongly, allowing one or no runs in four of his final five starts.

Wells picked up the save Thursday against the Red Sox. He didn't strike out a batter over a perfect inning.

Usual closer Yennier Cano worked part of the eighth inning, retiring a pair of batters before Cionel Perez closed out the frame, leaving Wells to take the mound in the ninth. The starter-turned-reliever delivered a perfect inning to secure his first save from 2021. Though Cano should be expected to handle most of the ninth inning work until Felix Bautista (elbow) returns, Wells could earn more high-leverage work if he continues to produce.

Kremer (13-5) earned the win Thursday, allowing two hits and one walk over 5.1 scoreless innings against the Red Sox. He struck out eight.

After allowing at least five runs in two of his last three appearances, Kremer bounced back with 5.1 scoreless frames. He tallied his best strikeout total in 12 starts, while Thursday's outing marked his only start with more than five innings pitched in September. Though Kremer was unable to replicate his 2022 ERA of 3.23, he will close out the 2023 regular season with a 13-5 record (8-7 last year) to go along with a 4.12 ERA and a 157:55 K:BB over 172.2 innings.

Montgomery allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision versus the Mariners on Thursday.

Montgomery's lone mistake was a solo home run to Julio Rodriguez in the fourth inning. While he had a chance at the win, the Rangers' bullpen denied Montgomery the victory when the Mariners produced a walk-off in the ninth inning. The southpaw has pitched to a 2.79 ERA over 67.2 innings with the Rangers, and he's at a 3.20 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 166:48 K:BB through 188.2 innings over 32 starts this year when accounting for his time with the Cardinals. It's safe to assume he'll be part of the Rangers' postseason rotation if they can secure a playoff spot.

Gilbert allowed two runs on three hits and struck out five without walking a batter over six innings in a no-decision versus the Rangers on Thursday.

Gilbert was better than the line suggests -- two of the three hits he allowed were solo home runs to Leody Taveras and Adolis Garcia. The Mariners got him off the hook with a walk-off win. Over six starts in September, Gilbert allowed 16 runs across 35.2 innings while adding a 36:8 K:BB in that span. He is presumably done for the regular season, ending at a 3.73 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 189:36 K:BB over a career-high 190.2 innings in 32 starts. Should the Mariners force their way into the playoffs, Gilbert would likely take the mound during the wild-card series.

Maeda is not scheduled for another start this season, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Maeda last pitched Sept. 19, when he struck out eight over five scoreless innings in Cincinnati. He projects to be used as a reliever in the postseason, and the Twins look to be shifting him to that role now. Maeda figures to see some bullpen work this weekend in Colorado so he doesn't go into the playoffs following such a long layoff. A scheduled bullpen game Saturday would seem to be a prime opportunity.

Lopez will start Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series for the Twins, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

It comes as no surprise since it's the way the pitchers have been lined up, but it will be Lopez in the first game and Sonny Gray in Game 2 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Lopez is certainly deserving of the honor, as he finished the regular season with a 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 234:48 K:BB over 194 innings in his first year in Minnesota.

Bello (12-11) took the loss Wednesday, coughing up five runs on nine hits and two walks over six innings as the Red Sox were downed 5-0 by the Rays. He struck out three.

The Boston offense gave him no support, but Bello was far from sharp himself, tossing 62 of 100 pitches for strikes and serving up homers to Josh Lowe in the second inning and Isaac Paredes in the sixth. The 24-year-old right-hander, whose last win came Sept. 10, wraps up his first full big-league campaign with a 4.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 132:45 K:BB through 157 innings, and he figures to be a big part of the team's rotation plans in 2024.

Glasnow (10-7) picked up the win in Wednesday's 5-0 victory over the Red Sox, allowing two hits and a walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out nine.

The southpaw left the mound after just 70 pitches (45 strikes) with the postseason in mind, but Glasnow was dominant before his exit, generating an incredible 31 called or swinging strikes. Whiffs have come easily for him in September even if nothing else has, and Glasnow has a 4.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 48:10 K:BB through 33.1 innings on the month. The 30-year-old figures to start the first game of the playoff for the Rays, but as yet it's not clear when that will happen or who their opponent will be, as they could still catch the Orioles for the AL East title and a first-round bye.