MLB Player News

Albers (4-1) pitched six shutout innings with four strikeouts during Saturday's win over the Angels.

Albers has pitched well through his five starts with the Mariners and boasts an impressive 2.67 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. However, fantasy expectations should probably be kept in check moving forward. Albers sports an underwhelming 6.7 K/9 and 4.52 xFIP, and his lack of pedigree suggests he's likely pitched out of his weight class thus far. He projects to face the Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington in his next start.

Mejia (biceps), who threw five scoreless innings in a rehab start Saturday for Double-A Chattanooga, looks set to return to the Twins rotation Thursday against Toronto, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Mejia has been sidelined since Aug. 9 with a biceps strain. He threw 73 pitches in his rehab start, so he may not be limited when he returns from the DL.

Sale (16-7) allowed no runs on six hits and one walk while striking out eight across six innings to earn the victory Saturday against the Rays.

Sale had a lead in the first inning, which was more run support than he'd need to easily collect his 16th victory of the season. With a 2.76 ERA along with a 0.95 WHIP, he's been the fantasy ace that many hoped for when selecting him on draft day. He'll make his next start Friday against the Rays.

Heaney left his Saturday outing due to left shoulder soreness, and the Angels will update his status Sunday.

Heaney's recent return from Tommy John surgery rehab has been marred by allowing an excessive amount of home runs (12 in 21.2 innings, including one Saturday). Perhaps this issue has lingered and contributed to his struggles, though we'll know more as reports come out on when he started to feel the discomfort. The silver lining is that the reported injury isn't in his pitching elbow, but the increased exertion of his first major-league innings since last April might be a factor.

Heaney left his start in the third inning Saturday after a trainer came out and checked on him, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The southpaw had allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 2.1 innings, as his recent struggles continued. Heaney now faces a potential physical obstacle in turning things around this season, but the club should provide a detailed update following the game's completion.

Montgomery will start Sunday's game against the Rangers, Jared Sandler of FOX Sports Southwest reports.

The Yankees have professed a desire to limit Montgomery's workload during his first big-league campaign, but the organization has yet to put a fixed number on his innings count. For now, it appears the Yankees are more eager to reap the short-term benefits of having Montgomery on the mound over struggling fifth starter Jaime Garcia, who will be skipped in the rotation for the second straight time. Though Montgomery will take the hill again Sunday, it's worth noting that he's failed to last more than 5.1 innings in any of his past six outings and has delivered a 5.06 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over that span, so he may not make for an attractive streaming option, especially while matching up with a Rangers offense that's been one of baseball's more potent attacks in the second half.

Morton (11-7) took the loss in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the A's. He was charged with three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Morton gave up three hits (two for extra bases), issued a walk and committed an error in the second inning, but he was quite good otherwise. The right-hander has posted a 28:6 K:BB over his last four starts (21 innings) and could make up to four more starts before the end of the regular season, including one potentially against the White Sox. A home matchup against Seattle is next on the docket, although plans could change if Collin McHugh (finger) isn't cleared for Thursday's game against the Angels.

Severino allowed one run on one hit and three walks while striking out 10 over seven innings in a no-decision against the Rangers on Saturday.

He was brilliant yet again, but the Yankees couldn't muster any offense until the eighth. Severino had an eight-earned-run blowup back on Aug. 12, but he's since returned to dominant form, allowing a total of 17 hits while striking out 45 in his last five starts (32.2 innings). The right-hander has already established himself as one of the game's most exciting arms at just 23 years of age.

Manning went five innings and allowed just one run while striking out 10 for Low-A West Michigan in the Midwest League playoffs Friday.

Manning closed the regular season with by allowing just one run over his final 16 innings (three starts) and striking out 25. At just 19, Manning is a ways away from the majors, but he has a ton of upside and is someone to watch in dynasty formats.

Giolito (2-2) allowed five runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out five over 5.1 innings in Friday's 9-2 loss to the Giants.

Giolito became the second young White Sox hurler this week victimized by the defense behind him as Chicago booted three balls, including two by second baseman Yoan Moncada. Earlier in the week, Reynaldo Lopez's quality start was impacted by shoddy fielding. Giolito, who had come off two impressive starts, wasn't as good Friday, but also felt he was getting squeezed and was ejected by home-plate umpire Gabe Morales for arguing balls and strikes as he was pulled from the game in the sixth inning, according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. The right-hander next takes the bump Wednesday on the road against Kansas City.