MLB Player News
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Tyler Mahle SP | TEX
Rangers' Tyler Mahle: Activated ahead of start
The Rangers reinstated Mahle (shoulder) from the injured list ahead of his start against Miami on Friday.
A shoulder strain has kept Mahle off a big-league mound since mid-June, though he's made three rehab appearances in the minors this month, coughing up five earned runs with a 10:2 K:BB across 7.1 innings. He threw just 52 pitches during his most recent appearance, so the Rangers may aim to limit his workload Friday against a Marlins offense that's posted a .712 OPS since Sept. 1. Carl Edwards was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Daniel Espino SP | CLE
Guardians' Daniel Espino: Making Triple-A start Saturday
Espino (shoulder) will serve as the opening pitcher for Triple-A Columbus on Saturday versus Omaha.
It will be the first game appearance since April 2022 for Espino, who is working his way back from March 2024 surgery to repair his right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff. The 24-year-old was once one of the top pitching prospects in the game but has had his career derailed by numerous arm injuries. Espino will knock some rust off with Columbus this weekend and is then slated to pitch in the Arizona Fall League.
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Martin Perez SP | CHW
White Sox's Martin Perez: Season ends with shoulder strain
The White Sox placed Perez on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left shoulder strain.
Perez was forced to depart his last start against the Orioles in the fourth inning with the injury, and it will officially end his season. The veteran left-hander was limited to only 56 frames this season due to elbow and shoulder issues, but he fared pretty well when on the bump, posting a 3.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 44:22 K:BB. Perez will be a free agent this offseason.
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Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz SP | NYY
Yankees' Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: Moving up to Triple-A
Rodriguez-Cruz will be promoted from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Rodriguez-Cruz earned the late-season promotion after posting a 2.42 ERA and 173:57 K:BB over 145 innings between High-A Hudson Valley and Somerset. Acquired from the Red Sox last offseason in the Carlos Narvaez trade, Rodriguez-Cruz leads all minor leaguers with his 173 strikeouts.
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Payton Tolle SP | BOS
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Makes relief appearance
Tolle allowed one unearned run on three hits while striking out four over three relief innings in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Athletics.
Tolle, who last pitched eight days ago, made his first appearance as a reliever after the team announced Wednesday that the left-hander would be shifting to the bullpen. Boston manager Alex Cora gave starter Brayan Bello the hook after 70 pitches and four innings, as the Red Sox have slipped and are just 1.5 games ahead of the surging Guardians for the final wild-card spot. Tolle didn't get any help from Trevor Story, who committed two errors in the game.
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Stephen Kolek RP | KC
Royals' Stephen Kolek: Dominates despite loss
Kolek (5-6) took the loss Thursday against the Mariners, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk while striking out eight over 7.1 innings.
Kolek was nearly flawless outside of the fourth inning, when he gave up the only two hits he allowed all game -- the second being an RBI double to Jorge Polanco that accounted for the lone earned run against him. Despite the tough-luck loss, the right-hander has been outstanding since being acquired by Kansas City, posting a 1.67 ERA and an 18:3 K:BB across 27 innings while going at least six frames and yielding no more than two runs in each of his four starts. Even so, the 28-year-old has managed to secure just one win in that stretch. Kolek is slated for a tougher assignment in his next outing against the Dodgers, who rank near the top of MLB in most offensive categories in September.
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Luis Castillo SP | SEA
Mariners' Luis Castillo: Blanks Royals in 10th win
Castillo (10-8) earned the win Thursday against the Royals, allowing three hits and striking out three across six scoreless innings.
Castillo allowed only three baserunners through his six innings of work, leaning heavily on his breaking pitches -- mixing in 20 sliders and 16 changeups -- to induce weak contact. The right-hander was at 40 pitches through two innings but settled in nicely, needing just 84 pitches overall to log his third straight quality start. Castillo has been overall sharp in September with a 2.86 ERA across four outings and will look to keep it going in his final start of the regular season next week against the Rockies. While Colorado has reached base at the lowest rate in MLB this month, the hitter-friendly environment at Coors Field is always a factor.
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Yusei Kikuchi SP | LAA
Angels' Yusei Kikuchi: Decent in no-decision
Kikuchi allowed two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Brewers on Thursday.
Kikuchi has walked at least three batters in four of his last seven starts. He's at least gotten the rest of his work under control, allowing just three runs over his last 11.2 innings, but his winless stretch reached seven games Thursday. For the season, Kikuchi has a 4.05 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 168:73 K:BB through 173.1 innings. The southpaw is tentatively projected for his last start of the season at home against the Royals next week.
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Cade Povich SP | BAL
Orioles' Cade Povich: Struggles with control in loss
Povich (3-8) was charged with the loss Thursday against the Yankees, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out five.
While Povich did manage to hurl at least five innings for a fourth consecutive start, the four walks were his most since his April 18 outing against the Reds. The southpaw did strike out the side in the fourth frame as well, but he remains without a quality start since Aug. 10 against the Athletics. Povich has an underwhelming 5.06 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 114:41 K:BB over 106.2 innings this year, and he's next set to take the ball versus a Rays team with a strong .799 OPS against left-handed pitching since the beginning of September.
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Max Fried SP | NYY
Yankees' Max Fried: Phenomenal showing in 18th win
Fried (18-5) picked up the win Thursday against the Orioles, allowing three hits and one walk in seven shutout innings. He struck out 13.
Fried had Baltimore out of sorts, tying a career high with 13 punchouts while inducing an incredible 28 whiffs. It was the second time this season that the All-Star southpaw racked up double-digit strikeouts, and he pitched at least seven innings for the fourth time in his last five outings. Through 188.1 innings this year, Fried boasts a 2.92 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 182:49 K:BB. His next appearance could be his final regular-season start, which is tentatively set to come against a White Sox club with a paltry .611 OPS versus left-handed pitching since the beginning of September.