MLB Player News

German could pitch in relief of CC Sabathia on Wednesday or could start later in the week, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

German had been shifted to a long-relief role to preserve his arm as the Yankees look to manage his workload heading into the playoffs. It's possible the Yankees are waiting to see how long Sabathia is able to last. J.A. Happ's status is also up in the air as he deals with biceps tendinitis.

Snell (elbow) was activated ahead of his scheduled start Tuesday against the Dodgers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Snell has been out since late July while recovering from arthroscopic elbow surgery. He hasn't been able to build up to a full starter's workload yet, but he's expected to throw around three innings Tuesday.

Severino (lat) was activated as expected ahead of his scheduled start Tuesday against the Angels.

Severino is finally ready to go after recovering from injuries that have held him back since spring training. He reached 64 pitches in his latest rehab start, so while he'll likely fall short of a normal starter's workload in his first outing of the season, he should be able to throw more than just a couple innings. The Yankees' primary concern for Severino down the stretch will likely be making sure he's able to contribute in the playoffs.

Suarez will follow opener Noe Ramirez against the Yankees on Tuesday, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Following an opener means Suarez will avoid the toughest part of the lineup the first time through. He also won't have to record five innings to be eligible for a win. However, that isn't enough to give him appeal as a streamer against this lineup; Suarez has an ugly 6.94 ERA for the season.

Luzardo is a candidate to make the Athletics' postseason roster in a bullpen role, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The left-handed phenom has hit the ground running at the big-league level with six strong innings over his first two appearances, and there's even a chance he draws a spot start in place of Mike Fiers (arm) this coming Saturday if the veteran is unable to take his scheduled turn. However, in terms of the playoffs, Luzardo would almost certainly profile as a multi-inning relief asset for manager Bob Melvin. While it initially appeared roster limitations might squeeze Luzardo out of a postseason opportunity, the increasingly likelihood that Stephen Piscotty (ankle) may not be ready to suit up for a first-round playoff series opens a potential path for the rookie.

Berrios (13-8) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 7.1 innings Monday, striking out eight batters and earning the win over the White Sox.

After allowing a run in each of the first two innings, including a solo homer to James McCann in the second, Berrios was locked in for the rest of the night. After allowing three or more runs in six straight starts, the 25-year-old has given up just two over his last 14.1 frames. He'll carry a 3.58 ERA into Saturday's home start against the Royals.

Giolito won't pitch again this season after being diagnosed with a mild lat strain, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Giolito evidently picked up the injury during his last start Thursday against Kansas City, and as a result, he'll be shut down for the last few weeks of the 2019 campaign. Ross Detwiler will start for Giolito on Tuesday in Minnesota.

Means (10-11) allowed five runs on six hits and two walks over 5.1 innings Monday, striking out three batters and taking the loss against Detroit.

Means got off to a rocky start in the first inning, coughing up a two-run shot to Jordy Mercer before recording his first out. He'd then keep the Tigers off the board until a Victor Reyes two-run double in the fifth. The rookie southpaw has lost six of his last eight decisions and his ERA inflated to 3.65 Monday. Means will look to turn things around at home against Seattle on Saturday.

Boyd was scratched from his start Tuesday in Cleveland for personal reasons, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Boyd will be away from the team for a few days for a family matter. It's not yet clear if he'll be skipped entirely or will simply see his start pushed back by a few days. The Tigers haven't announced their plans to cover for Boyd's absence, but they've temporarily gone to a six-man rotation with Tyler Alexander starting Monday, so they could simply slide the rest of their starters up a day to pitch on standard rest.

Gibson made his second relief appearance of the season in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Indians, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in his lone inning.

After a stint on the injured list caused by ulcerative colitis, Gibson was reinstated Thursday and was lit up in his return to the rotation, giving up six runs in 4.2 innings. Given that the Twins already had 13 healthy relief options on hand with the expanded September roster, manager Rocco Baldelli's decision to deploy Gibson out of the bullpen three days after starting was surprising. Gibson is still expected to start the next time his turn in the rotation comes up Thursday or Friday versus the Royals, but his usage in relief may provide a glimpse of what his role might be when the postseason arrives.