MLB Player News

Valdez pitched six innings and earned the win during Saturday's 4-1 victory over the Phillies in Game 6 of the World Series, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out nine.

The only blemish on the night for Valdez came on a solo home run from Kyle Schwarber in the top of the sixth inning. The southpaw's sinker was electric in Game 6 -- of the nine outs from balls in play, his sinker forced six ground outs. The other nine outs came from strikeouts, the third consecutive game for Valdez with nine punchouts. The 28-year-old finished the postseason 3-0 with a stellar 1.44 ERA and 33 strikeouts across 25 innings. Valdez was arguably the best pitcher on the Houston staff and a major contributor to their postseason success.

GM Brian Cashman said Friday the Yankees will exercise Severino's $15 million club option for 2023, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Severino had covered only 18 innings from 2019 to 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, but he returned to New York's rotation last season and posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 112:30 K:BB across 102 innings (19 starts). The right-hander missed two months with a lat injury but was reliable when healthy, so it's not a major surprise to see the Yankees picking up the option.

Verlander pitched five innings and earned the win during Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series, allowing one run on four hits and four walks while striking out six.

Verlander surrendered a leadoff homer to Kyle Schwarber in the first inning and seven more Phillies reached base in the first three frames, but he was able to work out of multiple jams without allowing another run. Pitching in his 17th season, Verlander recorded his first World Series win on the mound Thursday night. The righty has struggled to a 5.85 ERA over 20 innings in this postseason, but one more Houston victory would give him his second World Series ring.

Javier pitched six scoreless innings and earned the victory during Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series, allowing zero hits and two walks while striking out nine.

Javier delivered the best postseason performance of his young career in Game 3, keeping the Phillies hitless through six outstanding innings. Javier was removed after 97 total pitches, but the Houston bullpen would go on to complete the combined no-hitter, which was just the second no-no in World Series history. The only flaw on the night for the 25-year-old was that both walks he allowed resulted in steals of second base, although both runners were stranded at the keystone. Factoring in Wednesday's blanking, Javier now has a 0.74 ERA with 16 Ks over 12.2 innings this postseason.

McCullers pitched 4.1 innings and took the loss during Tuesday's 7-0 defeat to the Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series, allowing seven runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five.

Bryce Harper started the home-run parade in the first inning with a 402-foot blast, and the Phillies did not let up against McCullers for the entire night. The 29-year-old righty allowed just four homers across 47.2 innings during the regular season, but the Phillies tagged him for five in Game 3. The five homers represent the most that McCullers has ever allowed in a single game, and the seven earned runs were his most surrendered in a start since Aug, 5, 2020. If he doesn't get a chance to avenge himself, Tuesday's start may leave McCullers with a sour taste in his mouth as the season comes to a close -- his postseason ERA jumped from 2.45 to 4.17 after his struggles during Game 3 in Philadelphia.

Sale (wrist) opted into the final two years of his five-year, $145 million contract Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

If Sale had been healthy over the first few years of his deal, he may have decided to head back to the open market ahead of his age-34 season, but he simply hasn't been able to stay on the field. He's only made 11 total starts through the first three years of his contract, with Tommy John surgery wiping out all of his 2020 season and most of 2021 before a series of injuries limited him to just two outings in 2022. He's expected to be recovered from wrist surgery (on his non-throwing arm) by spring training and will attempt to be a much more significant contributor next season.

Javier will start Game 4 of the World Series against Philadelphia on Wednesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

There were initial conversations that Javier wasn't a sure thing to start Game 4 if Monday's Game 3 were to be rained out, but after MLB confirmed Monday's postponement, the Astros were quick to confirm that Javier would toe the rubber Wednesday night in Game 4. He's set to face off against Aaron Nola in Philadelphia.

McCullers will not make his scheduled start Monday night in Game 3 of the World Series against the Phillies, as the game has been postponed due to rain.

The Astros quickly announced that McCullers will simply have his start pushed back by a day, as Game 3 is now scheduled for Tuesday evening. The team then expects to turn to Cristian Javier in Game 4, Justin Verlander in Game 5 and Framber Valdez in Game 6, if needed.

Javier isn't guaranteed to start Game 4 on Wednesday if a Monday rainout pushes Game 3 back to Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Those delays would line up Justin Verlander on regular rest for Wednesday's Game 4. Of course, Javier excelled against the Yankees in the ALCS and Manager Dusty Baker said he's "undecided" about who'd start. If Monday's Game 3 is played, Javier appears locked in to start Game 4 on Tuesday.

McCullers will start Game 3 of the World Series against the Phillies on Monday.

He will pitch opposite Noah Syndergaard in his first appearance since throwing five innings against the Yankees on Oct. 23. McCullers has given up three earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out 13 over 11 innings in two postseason starts.