MLB Player News

Kolek (5-7) took the loss Wednesday against the Angels, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out two.

Kolek submitted his sixth straight quality start and his ninth of the season through 19 outings. Although it may not have been enough to push the Royals into the postseason, the right-hander kicked things into a higher gear since landing in Kansas City, producing a 1.91 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 21:5 K:BB across 33 innings. Kolek's surge to finish the campaign gives him a strong case for a rotation spot in 2026, and he may have worked his way into the club's long-term plans heading into the offseason.

Polanco went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 9-2 win over Colorado.

Polanco socked his third homer of the month and his 25th of the season. The veteran infielder slugged .862 during an unbelievable April before skidding in May and June, but he's been heating back up at the right time for the playoff-bound Mariners. Polanco has an .891 OPS with 14 bombs, 21 doubles and 37 RBI over 69 games since the start of July, raising his OPS for the year from .736 as of the end of June to .816 following Wednesday.

Castillo (11-8) earned the win Wednesday against the Rockies, allowing one run on one hit and one walk in 7.1 innings. He struck out 10.

Castillo helped propel the Mariners to an American League West title, authoring one of his finest performances of the year. It was the first time this season that the right-hander piled up double-digit punchouts, and it was also his longest outing of the campaign. Castillo will be hoping to see most of his playoff action come at T-Mobile Park -- he'll close the regular season with a 2.60 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 17 home starts versus a 4.71 ERA and 1.46WHIP across 15 road outings.

Raleigh went 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and four RBI in Wednesday's 9-2 win over Colorado.

Raleigh has now pushed his homer total up to 60 amid his historic campaign. The All-Star backstop is just the seventh player in history to launch 60 long balls in a single season, and he's inching closer to the American League record of 62 established by Aaron Judge in 2022. The Mariners have four contests left during the regular season for Raleigh to potentially accomplish that feat. He has 11 multi-homer efforts in 2025 to go with 125 RBI, 109 runs scored and 14 stolen bases through 155 outings.

Bradley didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Rangers, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out nine.

In what was his final scheduled appearance of the season, Bradley saved his best start since joining Minnesota for last. The nine strikeouts were his most since he fanned 10 during his June 1 outing in Houston as a member of the Rays, and Wednesday was the first time since July 18 that the right-hander fired at least six innings while conceding one run or zero. Bradley still struggled as a whole since landing with the Twins, turning in a 6.61 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 32:12 K:BB across 31.1 innings, so he may have to fight for a rotation spot next spring.

DeGrom didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Twins, allowing one run on two hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out eight.

With the Rangers out of the playoff hunt, it wasn't surprising to see deGrom's night end after he threw only 74 pitches. However, it was still a fine performance from the All-Star right-hander, who tossed at least five frames while yielding one or zero runs for the 12th time in 30 outings this season. DeGrom isn't scheduled to pitch again this season, though fantasy managers have to be pleased by the fact that the oft-injured righty hurled 172.2 innings, his most since 2019. He'll close the campaign with an outstanding 2.97 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 185:37 K:BB.

Kikuchi was removed from Wednesday's game against the Royals due to a left forearm cramp.

Kikuchi made it through five innings of one-run ball and struck out six batters before leaving the game alongside one of the Angels' trainers. Regardless of the severity of his injury, Wednesday will be the final start that Kikuchi makes in 2025, and he'll conclude the season with a 3.99 ERA and 1.42 WHIP alongside a 174:74 K:BB over 178.1 innings spanning 33 starts.

Buxton went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Texas.

Buxton clobbered his 32nd homer of the season and his third of the month. While 2025 will go down as a lost year for the Twins, it was anything but a failure for Buxton, who has just about paid off for fantasy managers who took a late-round gamble on the oft-injured outfielder in drafts this past spring. Buxton is up to 123 games played, his most since 2017, and he's collected a career-high in long balls, RBI (78), walks (41) and runs scored (94).

Maton threw a clean ninth inning for the save Wednesday against Minnesota. He struck out one.

Maton recorded his career-high fifth save of the season in his eighth consecutive scoreless outing. The right-hander has given the Rangers' bullpen a nice boost for the most part since coming over from St. Louis, working to a 3.27 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 32:7 K:BB over 22 innings for Texas. Maton's 2.69 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 2025 both represent career bests.

Varland will start Thursday's game against the Red Sox, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

Varland has turned in a 5.66 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 20.2 innings since being traded to Toronto, and the Jays will now see how he fares in a new role. The 27-year-old righty began his career working primarily as a starter with the Twins, though he will likely only remain in Thursday's game for an inning or two before turning things over to the bullpen.