MLB Player News

Cease (shoulder) said Friday that he anticipates having a relatively normal offseason, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Surgery was ruled out, but Cease will take some downtime over the next several weeks to allow the inflammation in his shoulder to subside. He still expects to be ready for the start of spring training in 2027. A Cy Young candidate throughout much of the campaign, Cease finishes the 2026 season with a 2.40 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 239 strikeouts across 29 starts and 169 innings.

Edwards (thumb) remains out of the lineup for Friday's game versus Atlanta.

It's the fifth straight absence for Edwards, who aggravated his left thumb injury last week. The Marlins have resisted putting Edwards back on the injured list, but it seems unlikely at this point that he'll return before the curtains close on the regular season. Jared Serna is getting another start at second base Friday in Edwards' stead.

Bateman (hip) is expected to return to the starting lineup Saturday against the Reds, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Bateman left Monday's game with right hip discomfort and has not seen the field since, but he is making progress and it sounds like he will play again this weekend, even with the Blue Jays now officially out of playoff contention. Depending on how Bateman responds to pregame work Friday, he could be available off the bench for the series opener against Cincinnati.

Stowers is not in the lineup for Friday's game against Atlanta.

Atlanta is going with a lefty opener in Ray Kerr, so the left-handed-hitting Stowers will retreat to the bench for the second day in a row. He came off the bench as a pinch hitter in Thursday's tilt versus the Cubs and is a candidate to enter mid-game again. Deyvison De Los Santos will cover first base, and Agustin Ramirez will slot in at designated hitter for Miami.

Gasper will likely miss the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees after suffering a biceps injury during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

The results of Gasper's MRI have not been disclosed, but it sounds like the Red Sox are preparing to be without him for at least the first round of the playoffs. Gasper was injured on a swinging strikeout in the fifth inning of Friday's matinee. Manager Chad Tracy said afterward that Gasper was in "some pretty good discomfort."

Early (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list and make his Nationals debut with a start Saturday versus the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Early is scheduled to throw 2-to-3 innings before handing things over to Jake Irvin, who will serve in a bulk relief role. The left-handed Early was acquired from the Red Sox at the trade deadline while recovering from left elbow inflammation, an injury that's kept him from appearing in the majors since late June. Early made two rehab starts, logging a total of 2.2 innings while allowing six runs (three earned) with a 4:5 K:BB.

Rafaela remains out of the starting lineup for the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.

Right hamstring tightness forced Rafaela from Wednesday's game -- his very first game back from a right quad strain -- though he was back in the lineup Thursday. He may be dealing with some lingering effects of the hamstring injury. It's also possible the Red Sox are just playing it safe with their playoff seeding now set.

The Diamondbacks recalled Cabrera from Triple-A Reno on Friday.

He's grabbing the roster spot vacated by the injured Corbin Burnes (shoulder). Cabrera is stretched out -- having thrown six shutout innings one week ago in his last outing with Reno -- so the Diamondbacks will likely ask him to eat some innings during Saturday's bullpen game in San Diego.

Santander (shoulder) will not be returning to the Blue Jays this season, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Santander had been working his way back from left shoulder surgery, advancing to a rehab assignment earlier this month. However, he had a back issue crop up during his assignment, and the Blue Jays ultimately decided to have him get an early start on his offseason training. Santander did not make a single big-league appearance this season and has totaled just 54 regular-season games played in his first two years with Toronto.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said Friday that the diagnosis on Arraez's left ankle sprain was "not a great one," Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

X-rays on Arraez's ankle came back negative, but additional imaging confirmed a sprain. While Mattingly did not provide a grade on the sprain, he noted that the second baseman remains stiff and sore. The Phillies will hold off on placing Arraez on the 10-day injured list -- which would rule him out until at least Game 3 of the NLDS -- but could make a roster move if Arraez's condition doesn't improve in the coming days. Bryson Stott has shifted back to second base, and Edmundo Sosa is starting at third base for the Phillies on Friday versus the Rays.