MLB Player News

Mathews (2-4) took the loss against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven across five innings.

Mathews was handed an early 2-0 lead, but he gave up an RBI single to Jackson Chourio in the third before yielding a two-run homer to Brice Turang in the fifth in what turned out to be the game-winning runs for the Brewers. Saturday was the fourth time in nine major-league starts that Mathews fanned at least seven batters, and the 25-year-old southpaw showed he could handle himself in the big leagues since making his MLB debut Aug. 1. He'll end the 2026 campaign with a 3.83 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB over 49.1 innings.

May did not factor into the decision Saturday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five across three innings.

May was operating on short rest, with his last start taking place Tuesday against the Phillies. He ended his night with 58 pitches (38 strikes), and the home run he gave up to Alec Burleson in the third inning was the fifth long ball in May's last six outings. The Brewers will have home-field advantage for the playoffs, so May will have extra rest before the beginning of the NLDS. He'll end the regular season with a 7-9 record (31 starts) with a 4.70 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 144:50 K:BB over 145.2 innings, with his strikeouts and innings pitched both being career highs.

Snell took a no-decision Saturday against the Giants, allowing one run on five hits and no walks in four innings. He struck out three.

Snell experienced left groin tightness during his most recent in Cincinnati, but he looked healthy in a tune-up start Saturday ahead of the playoffs. The southpaw missed a big chunk of the year due to shoulder and elbow issues, which limited him to nine starts, but he yielded fewer than two runs each time out besides his first outing way back on May 9. He's rolling into the postseason with a 1.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 55:16 K:BB over 42.2 regular-season innings.

Wilkinson took a no-decision Saturday against the Dodgers, striking out two while allowing one run on one hit and one walk in three innings.

Mookie Betts took Wilkinson deep in the third inning, but it was an otherwise positive showing for the hurler against a tough lineup. The rookie left-hander has done serviceable work for the depleted Giants -- Saturday's solo homer was his first run allowed altogether in his last four outings (13 frames). He's closing the campaign with a promising 3.58 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB over 27.2 innings for San Francisco.

Lowder (7-12) picked up the win Saturday, allowing three hits and two walks over six scoreless innings in a 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays. He struck out two.

In his final start of 2026, Lowder put together one of his best performances, tossing 50 of 79 pitches for strikes en route to his seventh quality start of the year and first since Aug. 22. The right-hander ends the season with a lackluster 5.74 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 103:56 K:BB in 133.1 innings, but with Hunter Greene (elbow) likely out until 2028, there could be a spot for Lowder in the Reds rotation next year depending on the team's offseason moves.

Irvin (2-10) took the loss Saturday, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks over five innings of relief as the Nationals were downed 7-1 by the Mets. He struck out six.

Piggybacking with Connelly Early in the southpaw's Washington debut, Irvin inherited a 1-0 lead but couldn't make it hold up, serving up seventh-inning homers to A.J. Ewing and Ronny Mauricio. Irvin ends the campaign having lost all six of his decisions since returning from a shoulder strain in late July, stumbling to a 5.73 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 52:26 K:BB over 55 innings in that span while getting tagged for 13 homers.

The Padres placed Mize on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle.

Mize struggled mightily during his start Friday against Arizona, coughing up seven runs in only four innings, and his ankle injury may help to explain his poor showing. He'll now be forced to sit out through the end of the NLDS, and the Padres will recall Griffin Canning in a corresponding move to add to their bullpen depth.

Early didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 7-1 loss to the Mets, allowing just one hit over three scoreless innings. He struck out one without walking a batter.

Making his first appearance as a National after being acquired from the Red Sox in late July for Curtis Mead (wrist), Early was on a strict pitch count after recovering from elbow inflammation that had kept him on the shelf since June 30. The 24-year-old southpaw made the most of his limited workload, firing 21 of 34 pitches for strikes and facing just one batter over the minimum. Early wraps up his season with a 3.33 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 94:34 K:BB through 94.2 innings, and with a healthy offseason he'll head into 2027 as one of the top arms in the Washington rotation alongside Cade Cavalli.

Tong didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 7-1 win over the Nationals, allowing one run on three hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out nine.

The nine K's were a career high for the 23-year-old right-hander, but despite the impressive outing, Tong was in line for the loss until the Mets' offense woke up late. Over four September starts to close out the campaign, Tong posted a 3.92 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 27:7 K:BB in 20.2 innings, positioning him for a regular spot in the 2027 rotation if the team doesn't make any major offseason investments in its staff.

Nola will start Saturday's game against the Rays, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The Phillies will send Nola back to the mound Saturday after just two days' rest as they look to clinch the final wild-card spot in the National League. Because the 33-year-old just threw six innings Wednesday against the Brewers, the Phillies will likely limit him to around two or three innings Saturday before turning things over to their bullpen.