MLB Player News

The Yankees placed Cortes on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left elbow flexor strain.

The loss of Cortes is a big blow to the Yankees' pitching depth just ahead of the postseason, especially after the lefty had submitted a 1.58 ERA over his last 40 innings. He will be eligible for activation Oct. 7 if the Yankees have him replace another injured player, but Cortes is more likely to remain out of the entirety of the ALDS, and possibly longer. Marcus Stroman will fill Cortes' spot in the rotation Wednesday versus the Orioles.

Stripling (back) completed a live batting practice session Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

The veteran right-hander presumably got through the session without any issues, and it's the third box he's checked off within the last week after also completing bullpen sessions last Wednesday and Saturday. Assuming Stripling doesn't have any residual effects from Tuesday's activity in coming days, he remains a candidate to be activated at some point during the final series of the season that begins Friday against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

Cannon came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Angels, allowing three hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

The rookie right-hander traded goose eggs with Jack Kochanowicz for six frames before Cannon left the game after 78 pitches (49 strikes). The seven strikeouts tied his career high, a mark he's reached three times in 2024 including his two most recent outings, and in four September starts he's posted an impressive 3.04 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 22:5 K:BB over 23.2 innings. Cannon is scheduled to make one more start this season, on the road Sunday in Detroit.

Kochanowicz came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.

The rookie right-hander was impressive, albeit against a historically inept foe, as he delivered his seventh quality start in eight trips to the mound since he joined the rotation for good in August. The Angels' bullpen melted down in the eighth inning though, denying him his first win in September. Kochanowicz has a 2.63 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 51.1 innings over that eight-start stretch despite a 19:6 K:BB that limits his ceiling in many fantasy formats. He lines up to make one more start in 2024, at home Sunday against the Rangers.

Whitman logged a 4.96 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 54:11 K:BB in 52.2 innings across 11 starts for High-A Eugene.

His final start was Aug. 17, but he was never placed on the injured list, so perhaps Whitman had reached his workload limit after logging 103 innings across Single-A and High-A. A 6-foot-5 lefty who turned 23 last week, Whitman pitched much better than his ERA at High-A indicates (3.56 FIP, 3.46 xFIP), and is one of the Giants' best pitching prospects. His strikeout rate remained around 25 percent after his promotion while he lowered his walk rate from 11.9 percent at Single-A to five percent at High-A. Whitman has a true three-pitch mix, headlined by a low-90s fastball with good movement and a plus slider.

Schwellenbach (8-7) picked up the win in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over the Mets, allowing one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out four.

The rookie right-hander took a shutout into the seventh inning before serving up a solo shot to Mark Vientos, and Schwellenbach left the mound after 87 pitches (62 strikes). He has been huge for Atlanta down the stretch as the team tries to earn a playoff berth -- he's given up three runs or fewer in 11 straight outings, posting a 2.59 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 73:13 K:BB through 66 innings over that stretch, and Tuesday's quality start was his third straight and his 11th of the year. He's tentatively scheduled to work the final game of the regular season at home Sunday against the Royals, with a potential wild-card spot on the line.

Pfaadt (10-10) took the loss Tuesday against the Giants, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 2.2 innings.

Pfaadt fell flat on his face again after delivering a brilliant outing his last time out during which he racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts. All the major damage against him came from home runs. Patrick Bailey took him deep in the second and then Michael Conforto extended the lead with a three-run blast in the third. Pfaadt has allowed nine home runs over his last nine starts and has seen his ERA jump from 3.92 to a 4.80 in eight starts since Aug. 7. Arizona hasn't revealed its pitching plans for the final series of the regular season this weekend against the Padres, but Pfaadt would be available on normal rest to take the hill Sunday.

Severino (11-7) took the loss Tuesday, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk over four innings as the Mets fell 5-1 to Atlanta. He struck out five.

The right-hander picked a bad time to have his worst start of September, and his shortest outing since July 31. Severino needed 89 pitches (61 strikes) to record 12 outs, and he saw his quality start streak end at four. He's been one the Mets' most reliable arms during their playoff push, posting a 3.17 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 52:14 K:BB over his last eight trips to the mound, and Severino could be pitching with a wild-card spot on the line in his final start of the regular season, which lines up to come Sunday in Milwaukee.

Webb (13-10) got the win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday after throwing six shutout innings while allowing four hits and a walk. He struck out three.

Webb was staked a seven-run lead by the third inning and that lead grew to 10 by the fifth. Still, he never let up and tossed his seventh outing of at least six scoreless innings this season. Tuesday was likely Webb's final start of the season. He'll finish as one of a handful of pitchers to surpass 200 innings this season and he currently sits 10th in the National League with a 3.47 ERA. Overall, Webb owns a 3.47 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 172:50 K:BB in 204.2 innings.

Poteet is expected to join the Yankees and could be formally recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ahead of Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Nestor Cortes had been scheduled to start Wednesday, but after being sent in for an MRI on his elbow, he now appears unlikely to be available. Poteet will be a candidate to pitch in some capacity Wednesday if he's recalled, though the Yankees could prefer to keep him on hand as a member of the taxi squad while they await more information on Cortes' injury. Poteet has made four starts for the Yankees this season, collecting a 2.14 ERA and 13:7 K:BB over 21 innings.