MLB Player News

Cole (15-4) earned the win Wednesday, allowing two hits in a complete-game shutout against Toronto. He struck out five.

It was a masterful performance from Cole, who notched his second complete-game shutout of the year in what'll likely be his final start this season. Cole all but wrapped up his first Cy Young award down the stretch, going 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last seven outings. He'll finish the year with a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222 strikeouts across 33 starts (209 innings).

Williams isn't listed as one of the Guardians' three scheduled starting pitchers for the team's season-closing series with the Tigers this weekend, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Williams last pitched Sept. 17, and though the Guardians haven't provided a clear update on his status, the 24-year-old rookie has presumably been dropped from the rotation for workload management reasons now that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention. Since he's still part of the 28-man active roster, Williams could be available out of the bullpen for the final three games of the season, though the Guardians may prefer to stay away from him. If Williams has in fact been shut down, he'll close the campaign with a 3-5 record, 3.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 81:37 K:BB across 82 innings with Cleveland following his June promotion from Triple-A Columbus. Williams should be assured an Opening Day rotation spot in 2024 on the heels of a strong first season in the big leagues.

Scherzer (shoulder) threw a light bullpen session Wednesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Wednesday's bullpen session comes just two weeks after Scherzer was diagnosed with a low-grade strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder -- an injury that was expected to take 8-to-12 weeks to recover from. Multiple additional mound sessions will be required before Scherzer is able to progress to facing hitters, but the 39-year-old seems determined to make it back to the Rangers' rotation for the postseason.

The Rangers optioned Latz to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Latz will lose his spot in Texas' bullpen as Josh Sborz (hamstring) returns from the injured list Wednesday. Latz turned in two solid outings with the Rangers this season, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, and he could be in a position to compete for a spot on the Rangers' Opening Day roster in 2024.

Montas (shoulder) could come off the 60-day injured list for a piggyback relief appearance this weekend in Kansas City, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Montas isn't stretched out enough to start, but he has pitched well in a couple of short rehab outings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and may wind up logging some innings with the Yankees this year after all. The impending free agent has been out since February while recovering from arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Civale (illness) is scheduled to start Friday's series opener versus the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Civale needed a couple extra days of rest between starts after coming down with an illness earlier this week, but he's good to go heading into the Rays' final series of the regular season. The 28-year-old has registered a 5.36 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 55:9 K:BB in 43.2 innings (nine starts) for the Rays since being acquired from the Guardians on July 31.

Estes is slated to start Wednesday's game in Minnesota.

Despite being roughed up for five earned runs on six hits and one walk over 4.2 innings in his MLB debut last week against the Mariners, Estes will make a second straight turn through the rotation as the season winds down. The 22-year-old right-hander will look to turn in better results Wednesday as he aims to build a case for a spot in Oakland's 2024 Opening Day rotation.

Greinke did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing one hit and one walk over five scoreless innings against Detroit. He struck out five.

The only hit allowed by the 39-year-old was a leadoff single to Parker Meadows, who was quickly erased on a pickoff. Despite exiting with a lead after five scoreless frames, Greinke was unable to secure his elusive second win thanks to Detroit's late rally. In the seven-start stretch since Greinke last completed five innings, he accumulated an 0-4 record with a 5.61 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 7.4 K/9 across 25.2 innings. The veteran will likely close out his 20th big-league campaign with a 1-15 record, a 5.18 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and just 95 strikeouts across 137.1 innings.

Olson did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over 5.2 innings against Kansas City. He struck out seven.

The 24-year-old allowed just one unearned run, courtesy of his own throwing error, through the first five frames Tuesday. He surrendered his only earned run on back-to-back hits to start the sixth, and despite punching out the next two batters, Olson was lifted after 5.2 innings and 92 pitches, much to the dismay of fantasy managers in leagues that reward quality starts. After surrendering six earned runs to the Cubs on Aug. 22, Olson has held opponents to fewer than three tallies in six consecutive outings, posting a 1.51 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 35:13 K:BB across 35.2 innings. During that same stretch, the right-handed rookie has lowered his season-long ERA from 5.29 to 3.99, considerably increasing his fantasy draft stock for the 2024 campaign.

Giolito came away with a no-decision Tuesday in the Guardians' 11-7 loss to the Reds, coughing up five runs on four hits -- including three home runs -- and five walks over 3.1 innings. He struck out five.

Cleveland's offense kept trying to hand Giolito a lead, and he kept squandering it. The right-hander tossed only 50 of 98 pitches for strikes, and when he was over the plate he caught far too much of it as Luke Maile and Christian Encarnacion-Strand both took him yard in the third inning before Elly De La Cruz helped chase Giolito from the game with a solo shot in the fourth. He's served up 10 homers in just 25.2 innings since joining the Guardians' rotation, leaving him with a 6.66 ERA over that stretch despite an otherwise palatable 1.36 WHIP and 35:12 K:BB, and Giolito may have to settle for a one-year prove-it deal in free agency this winter after his 2023 struggles.