MLB Player News
-
Kevin Gausman SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Tough loss in Game 6
Gausman took the loss in Game 6 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Friday, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over six innings.
Gausman appeared to be on his way toward a historic performance after two innings, using his splitter to record five swinging strikeouts against the first six batters he faced. His fortunes shifted quickly in the third, however, as an RBI double from Will Smith began the scoring for Los Angeles, and Mookie Betts' two-RBI single extended the Dodgers' lead to 3-0. Gausman didn't allow another batter to reach base for the remainder of his start, but with Toronto's offense unable to get going against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, three runs proved to be all the Dodgers needed to force a Game 7. It's unlikely that Gausman will be available to pitch in Saturday's finale, so he'll finish the 2025 postseason with a 2.93 ERA and 0.91 WHIP to go with a 26:11 K:BB across 30.2 innings.
-
Yoshinobu Yamamoto SP | LAD
Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Quality start in Game 6 win
Yamamoto picked up the win Friday in Game 6 of the World Series against the Blue Jays, allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out six batters over six innings.
Although Yamamoto wasn't able to record a third straight complete game, he still proved to be as dominant as ever in Game 6, allowing just one run on a George Springer RBI single in the third. Yamamoto seemed to be at risk of allowing a few more runs in the sixth after giving up a two-out double to Vladimir Guerrero and walking Bo Bichette, but a well-timed strikeout of Daulton Varsho allowed the right-hander to escape the inning unscathed. The Japanese All-Star will almost certainly be unavailable for Saturday's series finale after throwing 96 pitches Friday, so he'll likely finish his second MLB postseason with a 1.56 ERA and 0.78 WHIP alongside a 32:5 K:BB after 34.2 innings.
-
Aaron Schunk SS | COL
Aaron Schunk: Elects free agency
Schunk cleared waivers Friday and elected to become a free agent, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Schunk appeared in just 16 games for the Rockies in 2025 and managed to slash just .188/.188/.219 across 33 plate appearances. His Triple-A performance (.829 OPS over 90 games) was much better, however, and could be enough to buy the 28-year-old infielder another opportunity this winter -- likely on a minor-league contract.
-
Lucas Gilbreath RP | COL
Lucas Gilbreath: Enters free agency
Gilbreath cleared waivers Friday and elected free agency, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.
Gilbreath spent the vast majority of his time this season pitching in Triple-A, turning in a 7.59 ERA and 1.80 WHIP across 42.2 innings at Albuquerque. Between his poor minor-league performance and the fact that he's pitched just two innings in the big leagues over the past two seasons, the 29-year-old southpaw will almost certainly have to settle for a minor-league contract during the offseason.
-
Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Headed for X-rays
Kirk will undergo X-rays on his left hand after getting hit by a pitch in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Kirk took an 85-mph splitter off his hand in the ninth inning of Friday's contest and was immediately replaced on the bases by a pinch runner. The Jays are optimistic that the 26-year-old backstop avoided a significant injury, but they'll send him in for imaging as a precaution. If Kirk is unable to start in the final game of the World Series on Saturday, Tyler Heineman would get the nod at catcher.
-
Dugan Darnell RP | COL
Pirates' Dugan Darnell: Claimed by Pirates
The Pirates claimed Darnell (hip) off waivers from the Rockies on Friday and placed him on the 60-day injured list, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Darnell posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in the majors this year across 11.2 innings, though his season was cut short in late August by a torn labrum in his left hip. Now in the Pirates organization, the 28-year-old righty will be entering a more pitcher-friendly environment compared to Colorado. However, he'll still likely be limited to middle-relief duties in Pittsburgh.
-
Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Would start potential Game 7
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Friday that Scherzer would start a potential Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday versus the Dodgers, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.
The Blue Jays are hoping to close things out with a win Friday in Game 6, but if that doesn't happen, they'll turn to the 41-year-old Saturday. Scherzer was charged with three runs over 4.1 frames in Game 3, taking a no-decision in Toronto's extra-innings loss. It would be an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Blue Jays if there is a Game 7, so Scherzer's leash would be short.
-
Bo Bichette SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Bo Bichette: Not anticipating knee surgery
Bichette said Friday that he does not expect to require surgery this offseason to repair a PCL sprain in his left knee, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Bichette was diagnosed with a sprained knee in early September and missed seven weeks of action before rejoining the Blue Jays' roster for the World Series. He has been noticeably gimpy, but Bichette expects his knee injury to heal with rest. The impending free agent slashed .311/.357/.483 over 139 regular-season games and is 5-for-16 at the plate so far in the World Series.
-
Andy Pages CF | LAD
Dodgers' Andy Pages: On bench again for Game 6
Pages is absent from the lineup for Friday's Game 6 of the World Series against the Blue Jays.
After starting each of the first 14 games this postseason, Pages has now been held out of the lineup for both of the last two contests. He's just 4-for-50 at the dish during the playoffs. Tommy Edman will man center field and Miguel Rojas will play second base for the Dodgers.
-
Miguel Rojas 2B | LAD
Dodgers' Miguel Rojas: Starting at second base in Game 6
Rojas will start at second base and bat ninth in Friday's Game 6 of the World Series versus the Blue Jays.
It's Rojas' first start of the World Series and his third start this postseason. With Rojas manning second base, Tommy Edman has shifted to center field for the Dodgers. Andy Pages will begin the contest on the bench for the second straight game.