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Taj Bradley SP | MIN
Rays' Taj Bradley: Strikes out five in no-decision
Bradley did not factor into the decision in Friday's win over the Mariners. He struck out five and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks over 6.1 innings.
Bradley surrendered three home runs in Friday's start, the most he's allowed since giving up four to Arizona on June 27. Since being recalled from Triple-A Durham on Sept. 3, the Tampa Bay rookie has allowed five earned runs with 12:7 K:BB in 11.1 innings over two starts. Bradley's next outing is currently scheduled to come in Minnesota.
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Mike Clevinger RP | PIT
White Sox's Mike Clevinger: Rebounds against Tigers
Clevinger (7-7) earned the win Friday, allowing three hits and zero walks over seven scoreless innings against Detroit. He struck out seven.
Clevinger's one bit of trouble came in the second inning, when he allowed an infield single and a double sandwiched around a double play. He only allowed a single and a hit batter the rest of the way. This was a nice rebound from last weekend's matchup with the Tigers in which he allowed eight runs over four innings. He had been posting strong numbers from the start of June through August, allowing only 12 runs in 50.1 innings (2.15 ERA). Clevinger will take a 3.64 ERA into his next outing, likely to take place in a mid-week matchup at home against Kansas City.
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George Kirby SP | SEA
Mariners' George Kirby: Struggles against Rays
Kirby did not factor into the decision during Friday's loss, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks over 6.1 innings against Tampa Bay. He struck out six.
Kirby's two walks matched his season high, and the control artist has issued only 16 free passes on the season. Since throwing a shutout against the Orioles on Aug. 12, the 25-year-old has allowed at least three earned runs in four straight starts. During those outings, he has a 6.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 21 innings. Kirby looks to rebound in his next start, scheduled to come at home against the Angels.
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Bryan Woo SP | SEA
Mariners' Bryan Woo: Being skipped in rotation
Woo won't start Saturday against the Rays and will have his turn in the Seattle rotation skipped, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Seattle will go with a bullpen game Saturday instead, with Luke Weaver serving as the bulk pitcher. Woo is up to 114 innings this season between the minors and majors -- double what he threw in 2022 -- and he was knocked around for five earned runs over five innings in his last start Tuesday at Cincinnati. The 23-year-old will grab some extra rest before presumably returning to the Mariners' rotation late next week.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Yankees' Luis Severino: Will undergo testing on side
Severino will undergo diagnostic testing on his left side Saturday after his early departure from Friday's game against the Brewers.
Severino appeared to tweak something in his left side/oblique area while pitching in the top of the fifth inning and made an early exit from the start. He was charged with two earned runs on four hits and one walk over four innings, striking out five. An oblique strain could spell the end of his Yankees tenure, as the 29-year-old is scheduled to become a free agent this winter.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Yankees' Luis Severino: Exits start with injury
Severino was removed from his start Friday versus the Brewers due to an apparent injury, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Hoch notes that Severino looked to be experiencing "significant discomfort" in his left side/oblique after giving up a leadoff single to Brice Turang in the top of the fifth inning. The 29-year-old right-hander had surrendered two earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over four innings prior to his departure.
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Michael Kopech SP | LAD
White Sox's Michael Kopech: Relegated to bullpen
Kopech won't start as scheduled Saturday and will instead move into a multi-inning relief role, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
After putting up a 9.50 ERA and 2.33 WHIP through 18 frames across his last five starts, Kopech will officially lose his spot in the rotation. The team reportedly still views him as a starter for next season, but a few good appearances out of the bullpen to close out 2023 would help Kopech build his case. Jose Urena will be selected from Triple-A Charlotte to start in Kopech's place Saturday against the Tigers.
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Jose Urena SP | LAA
White Sox's Jose Urena: Joining big-league rotation
The White Sox will call Urena up from Triple-A Charlotte to start Saturday's game against Detroit, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
If Urena is able to turn in a decent performance against the Tigers, it's possible he remains in Chicago's rotation down the stretch, as Michael Kopech has been moved to the bullpen. Urena has put up a 3.38 ERA and 1.37 WHIP through 21.1 innings in Triple-A since signing with the White Sox in August, but his 5.77 ERA in the majors since 2022 makes the 31-year-old a risky fantasy option.
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Casey Mize SP | SD
Tigers' Casey Mize: Bullpen session on tap
Mize (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Mize was pulled off his throwing program Aug. 30 due to elbow fatigue. He's now scheduled to resume throwing off a mound and could face hitters again shortly afterward. However, there is still no guarantee Mize makes it back to Detroit's pitching staff before the end of the season.
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John Means SP | KC
Orioles' John Means: Looks on track to return next week
Means (elbow) struck out four over five innings Wednesday and allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks in a rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk.
The veteran lefty's 30-day rehab assignment window will come to a close Friday, so his start Wednesday was presumably his last in the minors before he returns from the 60-day injured list. Means pitched five innings in each of his final two rehab starts with Norfolk, tossing 67 pitches (45 strikes) on Wednesday after throwing 86 pitches in his prior appearance. He turned in a 3.74 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 22:8 K:BB in 21.2 innings over his six rehab outings between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie as he works his way back from April 2022 Tommy John surgery. The Orioles have already moved Cole Irvin to the bullpen to facilitate Means' addition to the team's six-man rotation, though manager Brandon Hyde told Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com earlier this week that Baltimore could downsize to a five-man unit as the postseason approaches. Even in that case, Means might remain in a starting role. Both Jack Flaherty and Kyle Gibson have struggled of late, and while rookie Grayson Rodriguez has been excellent since rejoining the Orioles after the All-Star break, the organization may have some desire to keep his innings in check down the stretch.