MLB Player News

Alexander will serve as the Rangers' opening pitcher during Thursday's game against the Red Sox.

Alexander will draw his fifth opening assignment of the season after beginning September by allowing three earned runs across 7.1 innings. He'll likely remain in the game for an inning or two before Cody Bradford presumably takes over in bulk relief.

Lynch (6-5) picked up the win in Wednesday's 5-2 victory over the Astros, allowing two hits and one walk with three strikeouts over five scoreless innings.

Lynch delivered his first scoreless outing since joining the Kansas City rotation on August 7. It's the second consecutive victory for the 29-year-old, who has pitched exactly five frames in each of his past three outings while giving up seven runs with a 6:4 K:BB. As a starter this season, he has a 5.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 17:11 K:BB over 30.2 innings across eight starts. The left-hander next lines up to take the mound against the White Sox.

Ullola will serve as the Astros' opening pitcher during Thursday's game against the Royals, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Ullola pitched a shutout inning while working as an opener during his last outing Friday, and he'll look to replicate that performance Thursday. Ethan Pecko is expected to handle bulk-relief duties once Ullola exits the game.

Booser struck out one in a clean eighth inning to record a hold Wednesday against the Athletics.

With Garrett Cleavinger (forearm) sidelined, Booser continues to serve as the top left-handed setup man in the Tampa Bay bullpen. He's given up just four earned runs in 16.2 innings since the start of August. Booser has a career-best 2.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 42:6 K:BB over 38 innings for the Rays in 2026.

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.

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.

Bednar was charged with his fourth blown save of the season in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Twins, giving up two unearned runs on three hits over two innings. He struck out two without walking a batter.

The Yankees closer got the call in extra innings and had one-run leads to protect in both the 10th and 11th frames, but each time Bednar couldn't prevent the phantom runner from crossing the plate. It was a tough way to see his streak of seven straight save conversions come to an end, but the veteran righty has still been tagged for earned runs in only two of his last 13 appearances, posting a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 16:1 K:BB through 14.2 innings during that span with two wins and eight saves. With a team day off Thursday, Bednar's heavy usage Wednesday may not affect his availability heading into this weekend's road series in Arizona.

Arrighetti struck out two and gave up two unearned runs on one hit and two walks over two innings of relief in Tuesday's 10-1 loss to the Tigers.

Arrighetti made his second consecutive relief appearance, pitching on two days' rest as part of a bullpen game. The Blue Jays didn't turn to Arrighetti until they were down 6-0 in the top of the seventh, with his usage in a mop-up role likely indicating that he's lost his grip on a rotation spot. Since being acquired from the Astros at the trade deadline, Arrighetti has submitted a 6.20 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 17:12 K:BB in 20.1 innings across six appearances.

Varland earned the save in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Tigers, retiring all three batters he faced with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.

After Spencer Miles gave up a single and a walk to open the ninth, the Blue Jays turned to Varland who promptly recorded the final three outs, locking down his 34th save this season. It was a nice rebound effort from Varland, who gave up a run in a blown save against Detroit his last time out. The right-hander now sports a 1.30 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP and 95:22 K:BB across 76 innings this season.