MLB Player News

Anderson will no longer start Sunday's game against the Dodgers.

Anderson was originally scheduled to take the mound for Sunday's contest against the Dodgers, but with the team securing a wild-card berth Saturday, it will give the 27-year-old the day off and replace him with Kyle Freeland. Anderson will conclude the 2017 regular season with a 4.81 ERA over 86 innings.

Walker fired five innings of one-run ball Saturday against the Royals, allowing just three hits while walking one and striking out six. He didn't factor into the decision.

Despite the strong effort, the bullpen coughed up the lead as soon as he left the game, keeping him out of the win column. This was a nice bounce-back start for Walker after taking two straight losses, bringing his 2017 ERA and WHIP down to 3.49 and 1.33, respectively. He also produced a career-best 8.4 K/9 this season, which should have the 25-year-old trending upward as the Diamondbacks head into the postseason.

Despaigne (2-3) collected his second win of the season Saturday against the Braves by holding them to two runs on seven hits and a walk across seven innings. He struck out six.

There were plenty of men on base throughout the evening, but the right-hander managed to work out of trouble more often than not, keeping Atlanta off the board until his final inning of work. Saturday's start concluded a respectable month of September for Despaigne, whose ERA in 30 September innings now sits at 3.90. His control is still suspect and his strikeout numbers aren't good enough to make up for it, so the 30-year-old may have a tough time cracking the Marlins' rotation next season if everyone else is healthy.

Marquez allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over six innings in Saturday's no-decision against the Dodgers.

Marquez only managed to record two strikeouts in Saturday's effort. One of the hits that Marquez gave up Saturday was a home run, which is a problem that's lingered this season as he entered Saturday's game with a 1.4 HR/9. While pitching in Coors Field could certainly play a factor, this issue followed Marquez on the road, as he owns a 1.1 HR/9 when away from home. He'll finish his first full season in the majors with an 11-7 record, 4.39 ERA, and 1.38 WHIP that he built over 29 starts.

Alvarez allowed three runs on five hits and six walks over 4.2 innings in a no-decision against the Mets on Saturday. He did not record a strikeout.

His control completely left him late in the outing -- Alvarez issued five walks over the fourth and fifth innings. He was able to minimize the damage, but this was a poor way to end the season, as Alvarez was essentially auditioning for other clubs. The former All-Star spent a good chunk of the year in independent ball after a long battle with shoulder issues.

Lugo allowed two runs on six hits while striking out four over four innings in a no-decision against the Phillies on Saturday. He did not issue a walk.

This was a bit of a letdown after Lugo blanked the Braves over six his last time out. Lugo totaled 101.1 innings this season while pitching with a partial UCL tear, and while the surface numbers weren't great, the peripherals suggest he was better than those numbers would indicate. Lugo should compete for a starting role in spring training.

Kershaw allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks over four innings in a no-decision against the Rockies on Saturday.

Kershaw only threw 57 pitches in Saturday's outing, which isn't much of a surprise as manager Dave Roberts had announced that the Dodgers would limit their ace's usage so that he could be fresh for the postseason. While it wasn't his most stellar outing by any means, Kershaw was able to avoid being tagged with a loss. Over the course of the 2017 campaign, Kershaw went 18-4 over 27 starts and turned in a shining 2.31 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. While he did miss a few starts due to a back injury, Kershaw proved to be a premier fantasy option when healthy, as he turned in his fifth straight season with an ERA below the 2.50 mark.

Nicasio pitched a scoreless ninth inning to collect his sixth save of the season during Saturday's win over Milwaukee.

It's been an impressive stretch for the 31-year-old righty, as Nicasio has allowed just two runs while striking out 14 batters and recording four wins and four saves over his last 15 appearances. He has the pitching arsenal to succeed in high-leverage situations, and with unrestricted free agency ahead, Nicasio could land in a favorable fantasy situation if he signs with the right team. As a result, he's a potential speculative add in keeper leagues.

Taillon allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings in a no-decision against the Nationals on Saturday.

The 25-year-old completed seven innings for the third time this season and for the first time since April 16. It's great to see him close on a high note, as it's been a trying season for Taillon; he underwent surgery for testicular cancer in May. His FIP was roughly a full run better than is ERA this year, so there will be post-hype appeal with Taillon next spring.

Davies will not make his scheduled start Sunday against the Cardinals, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The Brewers were eliminated from postseason contention with a loss Saturday, and with that, the team has decided to turn to Aaron Wilkerson instead for the 2017 finale. Davies had a nice fantasy season, but his value was closely tied to his 17 wins, and pitcher wins can be unpredictable (see: Rick Porcello). The 24-year-old Davies had a bottom-seven K-BB% among qualified starters.