MLB Player News
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Abner Uribe RP | MIL
Brewers' Abner Uribe: Expected to be ready for spring
Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Thursday that Uribe (knee) is expected to be 100 percent for the start of spring training, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Uribe underwent surgery in July to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee, an injury he suffered while at Triple-A Nashville. The hard-throwing righty had a brief turn as the Brewers' closer at the beginning of the season but finished with a 6.91 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across 14.1 innings in the majors. Uribe has the stuff to be a high-leverage reliever if he can throw enough strikes.
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Nick Martinez SP | TB
Reds' Nick Martinez: Expected to opt out
Martinez is expected to exercise his option to opt out of his $12 million contract for 2025, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Martinez finished the season on a high note and did well overall in a hybrid starter/reliever role with Cincinnati. The Reds still can make a one-year qualifying offer for $21 million, but it's a good bet that Martinez will try to test the market and land a multi-year deal.
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Ryan Brasier RP | TEX
Dodgers' Ryan Brasier: Opening Game 4
Brasier will serve as the Dodgers' opening pitcher for Wednesday's matchup with the Padres in Game 4 of the NLDS, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Brasier drew four opening assignments in the regular season, during which he allowed one run over four total innings. He'll likely be entrusted with just one or two innings before the Dodgers turn the game over to the bullpen.
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Grant Taylor RP | CHW
White Sox's Grant Taylor: Cleared for AFL
Taylor (lat) is slated to pitch in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs.
Taylor missed LSU's 2023 national championship season following Tommy John surgery and missed most of this season with a lat strain, so this is a chance for him to make up for lost time. It's a weak crop of pitching prospects in the AFL, and Taylor has the stuff to stand out, headlined by a mid-90s fastball, low-90s cutter and a pair of breaking balls. He posted a 1.13 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 25:1 K:BB in 16 innings over four starts for Single-A Kannapolis earlier this year.
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Michael Grove SP | TB
Dodgers' Michael Grove: Removed from NLDS roster
Grove was removed from the Dodgers' NLDS roster Tuesday due to a shoulder injury, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
The details of Grove's injury remain unknown, though the issue is apparently severe enough to warrant holding him out for the remainder of the series. The 27-year-old righty would also be ineligible to pitch in the NLCS if Los Angeles advances past the Padres, meaning he will have to wait until the World Series before potentially making another appearance. In the meantime, Ben Casparius will act as Grove's roster replacement.
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Joe Kelly RP | LAD
Dodgers' Joe Kelly: Likely out until World Series
Kelly (shoulder) isn't expected to be able to pitch again this season unless the Dodgers reach the World Series, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Kelly tweaked his shoulder in a simulated game this week. The issue explains why the right-handed reliever was left off Los Angeles' NLDS roster. Though Kelly posted an unimpressive 4.78 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 32 innings during the regular season, he recorded a 9.8 K/9 and tied for third on the team with 13 holds.
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Michael Grove SP | TB
Dodgers' Michael Grove: Gets spot on NLDS roster
Grove is included on the Dodgers' roster for the NLDS versus San Diego.
Grove recorded 39 appearances -- including two starts -- during the regular season and posted a 5.12 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 54:16 K:BB over 51 innings. The right-hander was sent to the minors in mid-September but was activated Saturday to serve as a relief option for this playoff round. Grove will give Los Angeles a bit of length out of the bullpen, as 14 of his 39 outings during the campaign went longer than one inning.
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Alek Jacob RP | SD
Padres' Alek Jacob: Added to roster for NLDS
Jacob has a spot on the Padres' roster for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers.
Jacob was optioned to Triple-A El Paso in late September, though that came after the minor-league season had concluded. The righty reliever spent most of the campaign with El Paso but logged seven appearances over two stints with San Diego, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 19:2 K:BB over 14.2 innings. Jacob pitched more than one inning in five of the seven outings and topped out at 3.2 frames against Tampa Bay on Aug. 31.
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Joe Kelly RP | LAD
Dodgers' Joe Kelly: Doesn't get spot on NLDS roster
Kelly is not included on the Dodgers' roster for the National League Division Series against San Diego.
Kelly had a shoulder injury that sidelined him late in the season, but he was able to return from the injured list Sept. 18 and gave up only one run while posting a 5:2 K:BB over 3.1 innings thereafter. However, the right-handed reliever won't be an option out of the bullpen for Los Angeles during the NLDS. The Dodgers gave a roster spot to hard-throwing rookie Edgardo Henriquez, who logged just three regular-season appearances.
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Jake Cousins RP | LAD
Yankees' Jake Cousins: Activated off IL for ALDS
Cousins (pectoral) was activated off the 15-day injured list Saturday ahead of Game 1 of the American League Division Series versus Kansas City, per MLB's transaction log.
Cousins finished the regular season on the injured list due to a pectoral strain but was able to toss a series of bullpen sessions ahead of the playoffs. The right-hander was able to prove his health and will serve as a relief option for New York against the Royals. Cousins has posted a 2.37 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 53:20 K:BB while logging eight holds and one save over 38 innings this season.