MLB Player News

Snell will start Game 1 of the Rays' AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Snell allowed two earned runs over 7.2 innings in two outings against the Blue Jays -- Tampa's most likely opponent -- this season, and he has a 2.81 ERA across 13 career starts against Toronto overall. He'll head into the postseason opener with some momentum after posting a 2.20 ERA, 9.9 K/9 and 18:6 K:BB across the 16.1 innings cover his last three regular-season starts.

Canning won't start Sunday's game against the Dodgers as previously scheduled with the Angels eliminated from the playoffs, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The Halos playoff hopes were alive, albeit slim, until Friday, and they'll now shut down the 24-year-old rather than risk potential injury during the last game of the season. Canning posted a 3.99 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 56:23 K:BB over 56.1 innings (11 starts) this season, and he should enter 2021 with a secure spot in the team's starting rotation.

Teheran will start Saturday's game against the Dodgers, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The team indicated earlier in the week that the veteran right-hander had already made his final start of the season and would work out of the bullpen this weekend, but scheduled starter Dylan Bundy (finger) was a late scratch. Teheran hasn't found much success this season with a 9.49 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 17:14 K:BB over 30.1 innings, but he'll look to finish strong in a tough matchup versus the Dodgers.

Bundy was scratched from Saturday's start against the Dodgers with a cut on his finger, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The 27-year-old apparently would have pitched were the Angels still in playoff contention, but the team will play it safe and hold him out now that it's been eliminated. It brings an early end to Bundy's rebound season, and he finishes 2020 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 72:17 K:BB over 65.2 innings (11 starts)

Skubal will pitch out of the bullpen following an opener Sunday against the Royals, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Each of Skubal's first seven MLB appearances have come as a starter, though his workload looks more like that of a multi-inning relief pitcher, as he's averaged less than four innings per appearance. He'll handle a handful of innings Sunday, but it will be Jordan Zimmermann on the hill to start the game.

Springs was optioned off the Red Sox's roster Friday.

Springs has spent most of the season on the big-league roster but has generally failed to impress, posting a 7.08 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP over 20.1 innings. His 28:5 K:BB suggests he possibly deserved quite a lot better, however, as does his .423 BABIP. Deserved or not, those are presumably his final numbers of the season with the campaign ending Sunday. Andrew Triggs (neck) returned from the injured list in a corresponding move.

McCullers won't throw more than four or five innings Saturday against Texas, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

The Astros had previously indicated that McCullers' start Saturday would be skipped in preparation for the playoffs, as they're locked into the sixth seed. Instead, they decided that making a short start would be the best way for him to prepare. He'll be lined up to start Game 3 of the first round.

McCullers is listed as the starting pitcher for Saturday's game against the Rangers despite previous indications that he wouldn't be starting, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The Astros are locked into the sixth seed regardless of how their final two games play out, so there isn't much upside to wasting some of McCullers' bullets here. Previous reports indicated the team would go with a bullpen game. It's possible McCullers will make just a brief appearance as a tuneup before turning things over to the pen, though the Astros haven't been specific about their intentions.

Blackburn was called up as the Athletics' 29th man for Saturday's doubleheader against the Mariners.

Blackburn will start the second game of Saturday's twin bill, so his temporary promotion to the major-league roster comes as no surprise. He'll be making his 2020 debut during the penultimate game of the regular season after posting a 10.64 ERA and 2.09 WHIP over 11 innings in 2019.

Morton allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out eight over five innings in Friday's win against the Phillies. He didn't factor into the decision.

Morton sputtered in the third inning Friday as he gave up three runs, and he left the game with the Rays trailing. The team went on a late run to secure the win, but the production came too late to put Morton in line for the win. The right-hander posted a 4.74 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 38 innings during the regular season and should serve as a starter during the postseason.