MLB Player News

McCullers didn't factor into the decision Saturday against the Diamondbacks after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks while fanning eight across six innings.

McCullers has given up two or fewer runs in each of his last four appearances, and he has also fanned at least seven in each of his last three outings. The veteran has been remarkably consistent since the All-Star break and has six quality starts across 12 outings in that span while also posting a 3.31 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 87:30 K:BB through 70.2 innings.

Kaprielian (8-5) got the win in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Angels, allowing two hits with five strikeouts in six scoreless innings.

Kaprielian took the mound in the bottom of the first with a 3-0 lead and didn't look back, surrendering just two baserunners in the entire contest. The six innings were his most in a start since Aug. 8, while the 27-year-old needed only 90 pitches to navigate those frames. He's scheduled to start next against Seattle on Thursday.

Bubic (5-6) earned the win over Seattle on Saturday, pitching 6.1 innings and allowing one run on two hits and four walks while striking out two.

Bubic was somewhat wild in the outing -- he threw only 57 of 97 pitches for strikes and tied a season high with four free passes -- but he was able to limit the damage by holding the Mariners to just two hits. The strong outing continued a recent stretch of effective performances by the left-hander, who has notched a 2.84 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 19 innings in September. He'll look to continue rolling in his next start, which is projected to be a favorable matchup at Detroit next weekend.

Kikuchi (7-9) took the loss against Kansas City on Saturday, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out three over three innings.

The southpaw gave up a pair of runs on four hits in the first inning, and things didn't get much better for him after that. The Royals managed two hits in each of the following two frames, with a pair of doubles in the third accounting for their third run. Kikuchi needed a whopping 86 pitches to get through three innings, leading to his early exit. He has lasted three or fewer innings in three of his past six starts, posting a 7.03 ERA and 1.77 WHIP over that stretch. His next trip to the mound is likely to come in Oakland next week.

Lynn (10-5) was tagged with the loss Saturday against Texas, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out five.

The right-hander was very effective in the outing, holding the Rangers without an extra-base hit over 5.1 frames. A fourth-inning infield error contributed to the first run against him, and the second was tallied after he had exited the contest in the sixth. Lynn has completed at least six innings only once over his past six starts, but he has nonetheless held opponents to one or zero earned runs in four of those outings. He'll carry an excellent 2.47 ERA into a road start against Cleveland next week.

Civale (11-4) threw six shutout innings Saturday against the Yankees, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out four to earn the victory.

Civale quickly put last Sunday's rocky outing in the rearview mirror, limiting New York to just one extra-base hit, a DJ LeMahieu double to lead off the game. Civale has now spun two quality starts in three outings since returning from the injured list in early September, although Saturday's performance marked his first win during that stretch. He lines up for a home start next week against the White Sox.

Bassitt (face) threw a simulated game Saturday and is expected to throw a bullpen session Monday, Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Manager Bob Melvin said the right-hander looked good against live hitters, as Bassitt continues to progress nicely in his return from facial surgery. Assuming he avoids any setbacks over the next few days, Bassitt could rejoin the rotation sometime next week now that he's seen live action off a mound.

Gil (1-1) was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following Saturday's game against Cleveland. He was charged with the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits while tallying six strikeouts and four walks over 4.1 innings.

The 23-year-old struggled with his command and threw only 50 of 88 pitches in the zone, though he still induced 13 swinging strikes. Gil still has a strong 2.88 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 32:15 K:BB across 25 innings this season, but he'll head back to the minors since the Yankees need only four starters for the near future thanks to having two scheduled off days in the next nine days.

Baz will have his contract selected by the Rays to start Monday against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 22-year-old originally lined up to make his MLB debut Friday before being scratched due to back spasms, but he'll end up being pushed back by only a few days. Baz, Tampa Bay's top pitching prospect, posted a 1.76 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 64:11 K:BB over 46 innings at Triple-A after opening the season at the Double-A level.

Matz (13-7) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts through 5.2 innings, picking up the win in Saturday's 6-2 victory over the Twins.

Matz gave up a two-run homer to Josh Donaldson in the first inning but settled in to blank the Twins for the remainder of his outing. He did leave the game with runners on the corners, but Trevor Richards closed the book on the southpaw with no further damage. The 30-year-old Matz pushed his streak of going at least five innings to seven straight starts and has struck out at least five batters in four consecutive appearances. For a player who finished 2020 with a 9.68 ERA, Matz's 2021 has been nothing short of resurgent. He'll look to keep the good vibes going in his next start, which is tentatively set for Thursday against these same Twins in Minneapolis.