MLB Player News

Basso (1-3) took the loss against the Rays on Wednesday, allowing four runs on seven hits over 2.2 innings. He did not issue a walk or strike out a batter.

Basso entered Wednesday's game having tossed seven consecutive scoreless innings spanning his last two starts, but he didn't have that level of success against Tampa Bay. He gave up two runs in both of the first two innings, with three of those runs coming on three separate RBI doubles, and he was pulled in the third frame after running his pitch count up to 52 (38 strikes). The 28-year-old southpaw has a 4.50 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 40 innings this season, and he's tentatively slated to face the Angels at home next week.

Sulser was credited with the save in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Athletics, tossing a perfect ninth inning with no strikeouts or walks.

Bryan Baker was used by the Rays' in their 2-1 win over the A's on Tuesday, so Sulser got the call to protect Tampa Bay's one-run lead in Wednesday's tilt. Sulser needed only 12 pitches (eight strikes) to secure his third save of the season and first since May 5 against the Blue Jays. The veteran right-hander has a 4.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 11 holds over 51.1 innings this season.

Simpson went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a steal during the Rays' 4-3 win over the Athletics on Wednesday.

Simpson was one of three Rays batters to smack an RBI double off Brady Basso, and the former showed off his speed with a steal in the third inning of Wednesday's win. Simpson has logged 40-plus steals in back-to-back seasons, and his 42 swiped bags in 2026 are second most in the majors behind Nasim Nunez (46). Simpson's .310 batting average also ranks second behind Luis Arraez (.316), and the former is fifth in the majors in hits (167) across 580 plate appearances.

Martinez (15-4) earned the win against the Athletics on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out three across five innings. He did not issue a walk.

Martinez kept the Athletics' bats in check for most of Wednesday's contest, outside of two solo home runs by Tommy White and Henry Bolte in the third inning. Martinez needed only 72 pitches (50 strikes) to get through five innings, and it was the 13th time this season that he did not issue a walk. The veteran right-hander has a 2.94 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 171.1 innings and is up to 15 wins on the year, which is tied for third most in the majors behind Sonny Gray and Cristopher Sanchez (17 each). Martinez is tentatively slated to face the Yankees on the road next week, though it's not clear whether he'll have another turn in the rotation beyond that before the end of the regular season. The Rays have already clinched a spot in the postseason and have a good chance of being the top seed in the American League playoffs.

Montero (9-9) allowed two runs on six hits across four innings to take the loss Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He walked two and struck out four.

Montero did a decent job of limiting damage despite all of the baserunners, but he didn't get much run support in the 5-1 defeat. The righty hasn't earned a win since Aug. 13, and in five appearances since then, he's now 0-2 with a 5.64 ERA. Overall, Montero has been better with a 3.58 ERA across 151 innings this season, though he's struck out only 102 batters, which has capped his fantasy appeal. The 26-year-old is lined up to take the hill again Monday against the Nationals and then is tentatively scheduled to pitch the last game of the regular season versus the Pirates on Sept. 27.

Keaschall went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Yankees.

The 24-year-old made his mark from the leadoff spot, and it was Keaschall who crossed the plate as the phantom runner in the bottom of the 13th inning on a Victor Caratini walk-off single. Keaschall has posted back-to-back three-hit efforts, and through 14 contests in September he's batting .302 (16-for-53) with two doubles, two steals, four RBI and nine runs.

Gomez was charged with his first blown save of the season in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Yankees, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two.

The unlikely closer, who was picked up by Minnesota after being DFA'd by Tampa Bay in early May, made it to the final two weeks of the regular season without blowing a save chance, but Gomez couldn't protect a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning Wednesday. He allowed a couple singles before Anthony Volpe tied it up with a two-out double, and after walking another batter the right-hander was replaced by Kody Funderburk. Gomez has been tagged for multiple runs in three of his last eight appearances, stumbling to an 11.05 ERA, 2.32 WHIP and 9:7 K:BB in 7.1 innings over that stretch as his luck has finally begun to run out down the stretch.

Vargas is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.

After starting in five consecutive contests from Sept. 6 through last Friday, Vargas has now been excluded from the lineup for five straight games. Arizona will likely continue to prioritize Tim Tawa at first base ahead of Vargas, who is slashing a middling .242/.281/.354 since the All-Star break. Tawa is actually in center field Wednesday with Pavin Smith at first.

Matthews didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-innings win over the Yankees, allowing two hits and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out eight.

The 26-year-old right-hander put together one of his best performances of the season, firing 63 of 97 pitches for strikes, and Matthews left the mound in line for his 10th win of the year before both bullpens got squirrelly as the game went to 13 innings. The quality start was Matthews' 11th of the season, and three of them have come in his last five outings -- a stretch in which he's produced a 3.45 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 26:8 K:BB over 28.2 innings. He's set to make what could be his final start of 2026 on the road early next week in San Francisco.

Bellinger went 3-for-5 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Twins.

The veteran outfielder did what he could to set the table for the rest of the Yankees' lineup out of the two-hole, but offense got tough to find after Aaron Judge (lower leg) left the game in the sixth inning. Bellinger has banged out multiple hits in five of his last seven games as he wraps up the regular season on a heater, and through 14 contests in September he's batting .390 (23-for-59) with three doubles, four homers, two steals, 12 RBI and 14 runs.