MLB Player News

Ray (hamstring) is expected to throw a three-inning simulated game Saturday, MLB.com reports.

Ray already tossed a two-inning sim game Wednesday, so he'll be looking to get stretched out a bit more Saturday. The Giants placed Ray on the 15-day injured list Aug. 27 with a left hamstring strain, but provided he experiences no setbacks while building up, the southpaw should be able to return to the big club in a starting role down the stretch. The club hasn't indicated whether Ray will need to make a minor-league rehab start prior to being activated, but he'll likely require at least another sim game after Saturday before he's ready to handle a starter's workload for the Giants.

Miller (11-8) picked up the win in Friday's 6-1 victory over the Cardinals, allowing three hits and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out four.

The right-hander fired 62 of 94 pitches for strikes and benefitted from some impressive defense behind him when St. Louis put the ball in play. The quality start was his 15th of the year, and he's given up three runs or fewer in six straight outings, posting a 1.56 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 38:8 K:BB in 34.2 innings over that stingy stretch. Miller will look to keep rolling in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Rangers.

Rockies manager Bud Black said Friday that Freeland (finger) is fine and will make his regularly scheduled start Sunday versus the Brewers in Milwaukee, MLB.com reports.

During his previous start Tuesday in Atlanta, Freeland felt a blister pop up on his left middle finger during the third inning, but he remained in the game until exiting after five frames. Freeland didn't appear to be affected much by the issue, as he struck out five over his five innings while allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits and zero walks. With Freeland checking out fine a few days after the start, he should take the hill Sunday without any restrictions.

Ragans (11-9) picked up the win in Friday's 5-0 victory over the Twins, allowing four hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

When Ragans fanned Royce Lewis with a changeup in the third inning, it made him the first left-hander in Kansas City history to record 200 strikeouts in a season. He's only the fifth Royals pitcher to ever reach that mark, joining a group that includes Zack Greinke (2009), Kevin Appier (1996), Dennis Leonard (a franchise-record 244 Ks in 1977) and Bob Johnson (1970). The quality start was the 18th of the season for Ragans, and since the beginning of August he's posted a 3.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 51:16 K:BB over 39 innings. His 204 strikeouts on the year put him third in the majors behind Tarik Skubal's 208 and Chris Sale's 206. Ragans is scheduled for a tough road start against the Yankees next week, and his subsequent turn in the rotation could set him up for a dramatic showdown with Skubal in Kansas City on Sept. 17.

Matthews (1-3) took the loss Friday, giving up four runs on nine hits and a walk over five innings as the Twins were downed 5-0 by the Royals. He struck out four.

While his offense gave him no support, Matthews once again left too many hittable pitches over the plate. The rookie right-hander served up his sixth homer in 22 big-league innings, a fourth-inning solo shot by Michael Massey, and while his 22:3 K:BB over that stretch demonstrates that the impeccable control he displayed in the minors remains intact, it comes with a 7.36 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. Matthews lines up to make his next start at home next week against the Angels.

Valdez (14-6) picked up the win in Friday's 8-0 rout of the Diamondbacks, allowing two hits and three walks over seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven.

Valdez has now held the opposition scoreless three times in his last four trips to the mound. The southpaw has been nearly untouchable since the beginning of August, giving up only 15 hits in 41 innings over his last six starts en route to a 1.32 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 45:12 K:BB. Valdez will look to stay dominant in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Athletics.

Pfaadt (9-8) took the loss Friday, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks over 4.2 innings as the Diamondbacks were downed 8-0 by the Astros. He struck out five.

Half the hits off the right-hander went for extra bases, including a three-run homer by Yordan Alvarez in the fifth inning. Pfaadt hasn't been able to complete six innings in any of his last four starts, stumbling to a 7.52 ERA, 1.97 WHIP over that stretch despite a 25:7 K:BB in 20.1 innings. He'll try to get back on track in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Brewers.

Blach is scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

The veteran southpaw will pick up a second straight turn through the rotation after he yielded five earned runs on five hits and two walks over four innings last Sunday versus the Orioles in his return from Triple-A Albuquerque. Blach is likely just a placeholder in the rotation until the Rockies get Antonio Senzatela (elbow) back from the 60-day injured list, perhaps as soon as next week.

Bido isn't in line to make a turn through the rotation during this weekend's series versus the Tigers, as Brady Basso and J.T. Ginn have been confirmed to start Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Jessica Kleinschmidt of the Oakland Athletics Radio Network reports.

Bido looked on track for a two-start week after he gave up four runs over 5.1 innings in his outing against the Mariners on Monday, but he'll instead have his next start pushed bak until at least next week following the Athletics' call-up of Basso, who was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday. Manager Mark Kotsay didn't shed much light on why Bido was bypassed for a start Saturday or Sunday, but given how well the right-hander has performed of late, his absence from the rotation this weekend could point to him dealing with a yet-to-be-disclosed injury. Dating back to the beginning of August, Bido had gone 3-1 with a 2.36 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 32:10 K:BB in 34.1 innings.

Wheeler (14-6) allowed a run on two hits and a walk over six innings Friday, striking out seven and earning a win over the Marlins.

The Phillies gave Wheeler a 3-0 lead before he took the mound and went up 14-1 by the time he left the game. He fired 56 of 84 pitches for strikes, including 15 whiffs, and gave up his lone run in the fourth inning on an Otto Lopez double. Wheeler is 4-1 with a stellar 1.60 ERA and 51:6 K:BB through seven starts since the beginning of August. His season ERA is down to 2.59 alongside a 190:46 K:BB over 173.2 frames. Wheeler is lined up for a home matchup against the Rays next week.