MLB Player News

Winans came away with a no-decision Friday as Atlanta was downed 10-6 by the Nationals, surrendering six runs on six hits -- including three home runs -- and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out two.

The Nats clubbed five homers in total on the night, but Winans was responsible for the bulk of the barrage, serving up long balls to Carter Kieboom and Jake Alu in the fourth inning and Keibert Ruiz in the sixth. The 28-year-old right-hander had given up zero homers and only four runs in 11.1 innings over his prior two September starts, but Friday's poor effort might have been enough to get Atlanta to reconsider a potential role for Winans in the postseason rotation, even if Max Fried (finger) and Charlie Morton (finger) remain sidelined.

Wentz was optioned off the active roster Saturday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Wentz wasn't going to pitch again after starting Friday's game against the Guardians, so he'll exit the roster to give the Tigers another bullpen arm, with Garrett Hill taking his place. Wentz will end the season with a 6.90 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 105.2 innings of work.

The Brewers will recall Lauer from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday to start their penultimate game of the regular season versus the Cubs at American Family Field, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

After opening the season as the Brewers' No. 3 starter, Lauer posted a 5.48 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 41:20 K:BB over 42.2 innings across his first nine appearances (eight starts) with the big club before landing on the 15-day injured list May 22 with an impingement in his non-throwing shoulder and then getting optioned to the minors once activated June 13. Following his reinstatement from the IL, Lauer spent several weeks at the Brewers' complex in Arizona before returning to minor-league action in late July. He eventually moved on to Triple-A Nashville and turned in his best start of the season in his most recent outing Sept. 22, striking out 10 while allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. Lauer will now get the chance to make his first start with the Brewers since May, and though he doesn't look to be a realistic option for the team's postseason pitching staff, a positive showing Saturday could help him land a big-league deal elsewhere this winter. The 28-year-old southpaw is set for a raise in arbitration from the $5.08 million salary he earned in 2023, and the Brewers are likely to non-tender him and allow him to explore his options in free agency.

Williams came away with a no-decision Friday in the Nationals' 10-6 win over Atlanta, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks over 3.1 innings. He struck out four.

The right-hander needed 75 pitches (43 strikes) to record 10 outs, falling well short of any chance to collect his seventh win of the season. Williams wound up making 30 starts for a Washington squad in dire needs of dependable rotation options, but his 5.55 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 111:53 K:BB through 144.1 innings kept him far from the fantasy radar. The 31-year-old is under contract for one more season at $7 million, but the Nats will hope their younger arms develop to the point that Williams can be shifted back into a swingman or long-relief role in 2024.

Marsh is scheduled to serve as a bulk reliever behind opener Steven Cruz in Saturday's home game against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Marsh hasn't started since Sept. 2, but he continues to make regular turns through the Kansas City rotation while pitching behind an opener. Serving as a bulk reliever has increased Marsh's fantasy appeal, as the rookie right-hander has scooped up wins in three of his last four outings while pitching to a 4.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB in 18 innings during that stretch.

Kikuchi (11-6) picked up the win Friday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over five-plus innings in an 11-4 victory over the Rays. He struck out four.

The southpaw blanked Tampa for five innings before fading in the sixth and giving up three straight extra-base hits to open the frame, but the Jays were already up 8-0 at that point. Kikuchi stumbles into a likely postseason run -- Toronto needs just one more win, or a Seattle loss, to clinch a wild-card spot -- with a 5.02 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 35:10 K:BB through 28.2 innings in September.

Bradley didn't factor into the decision Friday during the Rays' 11-4 loss to the Blue Jays, allowing one run on two hits in an inning of relief. He struck out one without walking a batter.

The rookie right-hander tossed 21 pitches (16 strikes) in his brief appearance, but this usage doesn't necessarily mean Bradley is shifting to the bullpen for the postseason. With Tampa Bay already locked into the top wild-card spot in the American League and likely to face Toronto to begin the playoffs next week, manager Kevin Cash elected not to give the opposition a good look at any of the starting pitchers the Rays might be using -- Aaron Civale got the start but left the mound after 40 pitches, while Zack Littell also tossed 35 pitches in relief. Bradley finishes the regular season with a shaky 5.56 ERA and 1.38 WHIP through his first 103.2 big-league innings, but the 22-year-old righty's 129:39 K:BB highlights his upside.

Littell didn't factor into the decision Friday during the Rays' 11-4 loss to the Blue Jays, coughing up three runs on three hits and two walks over 1.1 relief innings. He struck out one.

Aaron Civale tossed 40 pitches as the starting pitcher and was charged with the loss during a game in which the Rays never led, but both Littell (35 pitches) and Taj Bradley (21 pitches) also saw action out of the bullpen, as manager Kevin Cash wanted to keep all his options open for his playoff rotation while not giving Toronto -- Tampa's likely opponent in the wild-card round -- a good look at any of them. Littell closes the books on a regular season that saw him post a 4.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 74:12 K:BB through 90 innings split between the Rays and Red Sox.

Civale (7-5) took the loss Friday as the Rays were routed 11-4 by the Blue Jays, giving up one run on two hits and two walks over 1.2 innings. He struck out three.

With Tampa Bay already locked into the top wild-card spot in the American League and likely to face Toronto to begin the playoffs next week, manager Kevin Cash elected not to give the opposition a good look at any of the starting pitchers the Rays might be using. Civale got the hook after 40 pitches (21 strikes), while Zack Littell (35 pitches) and Taj Bradley (21 pitches) also saw action out of the bullpen. All three right-handers figure to be available when the AL Wild Card Series begins Tuesday. Civale finishes the regular season with a 3.46 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 116:33 K:BB through 122.1 innings split between Tampa Bay and Cleveland, but his ratios since being acquired by the Rays (5.36 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 45.1 IP) are far less impressive.

Blach did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings against the Twins. He struck out four.

Blach allowed four runs through the first three innings and did not pitch a clean inning all night, but managed to leave in line for the win, only for the Colorado bullpen to squander it. Following a start in Baltimore on Aug. 27 in which he allowed just one run over seven innings, Blach has struggled to close out the season, allowing at least four runs in five of his final six starts while carrying an ERA of 8.10 over 30 innings during that stretch.