MLB Player News
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Matthew Boyd SP | CHC
Cubs' Matthew Boyd: Confirmed as Game 4 starter
Boyd will start Thursday's NLDS Game 4 against the Brewers, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Boyd will pitch on regular rest Thursday after he struggled on short rest in Game 1, allowing six runs (two earned) while recording just two outs. The left-hander has been notably better at home this season, posting a 2.51 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 79:14 K:BB over 89.2 frames covering 15 starts. Boyd will get to pitch at Wrigley Field on Thursday as the Cubs look to extend the series to a fifth game.
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Ranger Suarez SP | PHI
Phillies' Ranger Suarez: Goes five strong in bulk relief
Suarez (1-0) spun five innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen to pick up the victory in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS.
Aaron Nola drew the start for the Phillies but was lifted after two scoreless frames in favor of Suarez. The left-hander served up a solo home run to the first batter he faced in Tommy Edman, but Suarez settled in after that, holding the Dodgers off the scoreboard on four hits and one walk while striking out five. It's unlikely Suarez will be available to pitch for the rest of the NLDS, but he'll either be part of the Phillies' rotation or continue to operate in a bulk-relief role should his team advance to the NLCS.
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Aaron Nola SP | PHI
Phillies' Aaron Nola: Abbreviated Game 3 outing
Nola was lifted after tossing two scoreless innings in Wednesday's NLDS Game 3 win over the Dodgers.
Nola pitched around a triple and a hit-by-pitch in the first inning before spinning a 1-2-3 second inning. Phillies manager Rob Thomson then pulled him in favor of Ranger Suarez, as it was clear the skipper never had any intention of letting Nola face the Dodgers' batting order a second time. Nola threw only 31 pitches in the outing, so he should be available to pitch for the Phillies again soon, though it's unclear whether Thomson plans to use the righty again during the NLDS.
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto SP | LAD
Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Stumbles in fourth inning
Yamamoto (1-1) was charged with a loss Wednesday versus the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS, yielding three runs on six hits and one walk over four-plus innings.
Yamamoto cruised through the first three frames, with the only baserunner to reach off the righty doing so on a walk. Things then fell apart in the fourth, with the Phillies tagging Yamamoto with three runs on four hits, including a home run. Yamamoto came back out for the fifth inning but was pulled after yielding back-to-back singles. The three earned runs allowed by Yamamoto matched the total he had given up across his previous four postseason starts.
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Jameson Taillon SP | CHC
Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Lasts four innings in Game 3
Taillon took a no-decision against the Brewers in Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday after giving up two earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three batters over four innings.
The Brewers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly courtesy of Sal Frelick, but a four-run outburst from the Chicago's offense in the first inning gave Taillon and the Cubs all the runs they would need to prevail in Wednesday's contest. The right-hander's pitch count had climbed to 75 by the end of the fourth, so manager Craig Counsell pulled the plug early on his start, preventing him from leaving the ballpark with a win. If the Cubs are able to complete the series comeback, Taillon would likely be granted another start during the NLCS.
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Quinn Priester SP | MIL
Brewers' Quinn Priester: Unable to escape first inning
Priester took the loss in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Cubs on Wednesday after giving up four earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter over two-thirds of an inning.
Although he took the mound in the first inning with a 1-0 lead, Priester was never able to settle into Wednesday's contest. He coughed up a leadoff homer to Michael Busch before allowing three of the next four batters he faced to reach base. A Pete Crow-Armstrong single brought in two more runs for Chicago and forced Brewers manager Pat Murphy to turn to Nick Mears, who allowed an inherited runner to score. Milwaukee's offense was unable to close the gap over the next eight frames, so the two sides will play another game at Wrigley Field on Thursday. Meanwhile, Priester will likely be kept off the mound for the remainder of the series.
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Bryce Miller SP | SEA
Mariners' Bryce Miller: Takes no-decision in Game 4
Miller took a no-decision in Game 4 of the ALDS versus the Tigers on Wednesday, allowing two earned runs on four hits and zero walks while striking out two batters over 4.1 innings.
Miller allowed just two men to reach base through four innings, and the Mariners' offense gave him a 3-0 lead to work with entering the bottom of the fifth. However, after giving up two hits and an RBI to the Tigers' first three batters in the fifth, the 27-year-old was pulled in favor of Gabe Speier, who allowed an inherited runner to score as well as another man he put on base himself. The Tigers went on to win the game by a 9-3 margin, so the M's will need to take Game 5 at home Friday for Miller to have any chance of making another appearance on the mound this postseason.
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Casey Mize SP | DET
Tigers' Casey Mize: Punches out six in Game 4
Mize didn't factor into the decision during Game 4 of the ALDS against Seattle on Wednesday. He gave up one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out six batters across three innings.
Doubles from Josh Naylor and Dominic Canzone allowed the Mariners to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Seattle wasn't able to generate much offense outside of that during Mize's brief time on the mound. The 28-year-old threw just 54 pitches Wednesday, but he will likely need the Tigers to advance to the ALCS in order to retake the mound during the postseason.
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Cameron Schlittler SP | NYY
Yankees' Cam Schlittler: Takes tough-luck loss in Game 4
Schlittler took the loss to the Blue Jays on Wednesday in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. He allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out two without a walk over 6.1 innings.
Making a second consecutive start with the season on the line, Schlittler pitched well, but the Yankees couldn't stave off elimination this time around. Still, per MLB's Sarah Langs, Schlittler became just the 10th pitcher in modern history with at least six innings pitched and two earned runs or fewer allowed in multiple starts facing elimination in a single postseason. The 24-year-old right-hander finishes his first playoff run with a 1.26 ERA over 14.1 innings, and he figures to be a hot commodity in fantasy drafts next spring.
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Trey Yesavage SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage: Available in relief for Game 4
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Yesavage will be available out of the bullpen for Game 4 of the ALDS, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Yesavage had a dominant start in Game 2 on Sunday, striking out 11 over 5.1 hitless, scoreless innings. He threw 78 pitches in that outing and is on two days' rest, but the Blue Jays won't hesitate to use the rookie in Game 4 if they think he'll help them close out the series against the Yankees. Kevin Gausman is set up to start Game 5, if necessary, and would pitch in Game 4 only in an emergency situation.