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Ryan Pepiot RP | TB
Dodgers' Ryan Pepiot: Works two innings behind opener
Pepiot didn't factor into the decision during Sunday's 9-4 victory over San Diego, allowing an unearned run on three hits and four walks while notching three strikeouts in two-plus innings.
Making his first appearance since Aug. 21, Pepiot followed reliever Caleb Ferguson and pitched a messy two-plus frames. The 25-year-old permitted two singles in the second but was able to escape thanks to a double play, however, he didn't fare as well after when an unearned run scored on a hit and two walks in the third. He was pulled after walking the first two batters of the fourth inning and ended up tossing 74 pitches while allowing more baserunners than outs recorded. It's unclear if Pepiot will stick in the rotation as Los Angeles currently has five healthy starters.
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Trevor Williams RP | TEX
Mets' Trevor Williams: Back in bullpen
Williams tossed 4.1 innings out of the bullpen in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Nationals, striking out three while allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks.
Williams made his first appearance since Aug. 20, when he picked up a spot start in a doubleheader game in Philadelphia. The Mets have since condensed their rotation to five men and also returned Carlos Carrasco from the injured list Sunday, though he only gave them 2.2 innings Sunday before Williams was summoned in long relief. Looking ahead, expect most of Williams' opportunities to come in mop-up scenarios out of the bullpen.
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Luke Farrell RP | WAS
Cubs' Luke Farrell: Heads to bullpen
Farrell covered two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 8-4 loss to the Cardinals, striking out two while allowing no hits and issuing two walks.
Farrell made a pair of abbreviated starts Aug. 24 against St. Louis and Aug. 31 in Toronto, but he'll likely work in relief moving forward with Wade Miley (shoulder) set to return from the 60-day injured list to start Tuesday and with Justin Steele (back) expected to rejoin the rotation later on this week. Don't expect the right-hander to have much fantasy value while typically working in lower-leverage spots or as a mop-up man out of the bullpen.
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Ryne Nelson SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ryne Nelson: Mechanical changes pave way to MLB
Nelson, who will make his MLB debut for Arizona on Monday, implemented two mechanical adjustments late in May that improved his results going forward, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.
Nelson was sitting on a 7.36 ERA through nine starts for Triple-A Reno in the Pacific Coast League, notoriously known as a hitters league. That's when the Diamondbacks spotted his arm path was long, meaning he was reaching too far back on each pitch. The right-hander was given exercises designed to shorten the path, and the results were immediate. "The carry came back," pitching coordinator Dan Carlson said. "The command came back. And also the breaking ball got much, much sharper and then with the slider and change, he was able to keep those things in the strike zone." Around that same time, Nelson ditched an adjustment to his lower mechanics, a shorter leg kick he implemented during the offseason. In 17 starts since, Nelson pitched to a 4.61 ERA, lower than the league average 5.43 ERA for the PCL.
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Mitch Keller SP | PIT
Pirates' Mitch Keller: Pirates-Mets postponed
Keller and the Pirates won't face the Mets on Monday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Pittsburgh, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
The two teams are set to make up the contest as part of a split doubleheader Wednesday. Because the Pirates have an open date in the schedule Thursday, the team isn't expected to add a temporary seventh starter to the rotation, so Keller should stay on schedule to make a start against the Mets either Tuesday or Wednesday. Bryse Wilson and Johan Oviedo are in line to start the other two contests of the series.
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Taijuan Walker SP | LAA
Mets' Taijuan Walker: Mets-Pirates postponed Monday
Walker and the Mets won't face the Pirates on Monday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Pittsburgh, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
The two teams are set to make up the contest as part of a split doubleheader Wednesday. Because the Mets have an open date in the schedule Thursday, the team isn't expected to add a temporary sixth starter to the rotation, so Walker should stay on schedule to make a start against the Pirates either Tuesday or Wednesday. Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt are in line to start the other two contests of the series.
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J.T. Brubaker RP | SF
Pirates' JT Brubaker: Strikes out five in no-decision
Brubaker allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out five in 5.1 innings during Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays. He didn't factor into the decision.
Brubaker had a lengthy layoff after his last start since he recently spent time on the paternity list, but he showed improvement Sunday after giving up six runs in 6.2 innings during his last outing Aug. 23. The right-hander allowed runners to cross the plate in the second, third and fourth innings but was able to settle for the no-decision since Pittsburgh's offense put up three runs between the fourth and fifth innings. Brubaker has held his opponents to three or fewer runs in four of his last five starts, posting a 4.18 ERA in 28 innings over that stretch. He tentatively lines up to make his next start at home against the Cardinals next weekend.
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Cristopher Sanchez SP | PHI
Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez: Moves to bullpen
Sanchez has made his last two appearances out of the Phillies bullpen, covering 4.1 innings and striking out seven while allowing six earned runs on five hits and six walks.
Sanchez struck out seven in a quality start Aug. 24 against the Reds, but he's since been replaced in the rotation by Bailey Falter, who was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley two days later. Though Sanchez could be the next man up if the Phillies require another starter at some point in September, he'll likely be limited to low-leverage or mop-up work out of the bullpen for the time being.
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Bailey Falter RP | ATL
Phillies' Bailey Falter: Looks ready to go Wednesday
Falter (groin) is listed as the Phillies' probable starting pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Marlins in Philadelphia.
Falter doesn't look as though he'll have to miss a turn through the rotation after he exited his Aug. 31 outing in Arizona with a right groin injury. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Falter's groin showed improvement two days after the start, so he's not expected to face any major restrictions when he takes the hill again Wednesday. Over his last four starts with the big club, Falter has gone 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA and 0.82 WHIP while racking up 23 strikeouts over 24.1 innings.
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Ranger Suarez SP | BOS
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Goes four innings Sunday
Suarez allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts over four innings in a no-decision versus the Giants on Sunday.
Suarez got through the Giants' order once with little trouble, but he made a mess of things in a three-run fourth inning. He wasn't given the chance to continue beyond that, with Nick Nelson taking over in the fifth. Suarez threw 44 of 69 pitches for strikes in the abbreviated outing, his second straight start of less than five frames. The lefty saw his ERA tick up to 3.52 with a 1.33 WHIP and 110:49 K:BB through 127.2 innings through 24 starts this year. He's projected for a home start versus the Nationals next weekend.