MLB Player News

Cole will start Game 2 of the ALDS on Saturday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Cole would be the Game 1 starter in any other year after finishing the year with a 2.50 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and a record-high (among qualified starters) 39.9 percent strikeout rate. On the Astros, however, he'll follow fellow Cy Young contender Justin Verlander, who gets the nod for Game 1.

Snell is on the Rays' wild-card roster.

If Snell appears in Wednesday's game, he'll do so on just two days' rest, having pitched Sunday against the Blue Jays. He threw just 2.1 innings in that contest, however, so there's a decent chance he makes an appearance in relief of Charlie Morton.

Kluber (oblique) will have his club option picked up for the 2020 season, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

The decision would have seemed like one of the easiest ones in baseball heading into the season based on how well Kluber had pitched for the last several years. His track record still likely made it mostly a formality even after forearm and oblique injuries limited him to just seven starts this season. Those injuries and the fact that Kluber will turn 34 in April do make the veteran something of a risk heading into next season, but it's a risk worth taking for Cleveland at the modest price of $17.5 million. The team will have another option for $18 million for the 2021 season.

Paxton (lower body) threw live batting practice Wednesday, Mike Mazzeo of Yahoo Sports reports.

Paxton left his final start of the regular season Friday against the Rangers with a tight left glute. His removal was considered precautionary, and the Yankees expect him to be able to take his place in the postseason roster. Assuming he checks out fine following Wednesday's session, expect him to pitch one of the first two games against the Twins.

Chirinos was tagged for four runs on four hits and struck out two in 2.2 innings of relief Sunday in the Rays' 8-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

Unsurprisingly, Chirinos' command has been an issue in his three appearances since returning from a six-week absence due to an inflamed middle finger on his pitching hand. The 25-year-old has served up a home run in each of those outings, leaving his role somewhat uncertain heading into Wednesday's wild-card matchup with the Athletics. If Chirinos is included on the roster for that contest, he likely won't represent one of manager Kevin Cash's preferred options in relief.

Assistant general manager Brian O'Halloran said Monday that he expects Sale (elbow) to be back to full health when the Red Sox open spring training in February, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Boston has been pleased with the progress Sale has made in his recovery since being shut down for the season in mid-August with left elbow inflammation, an injury that he treated with a platelet-rich plasma injection rather than any sort of surgical procedure. Sale was initially in line to be re-examined by Dr. James Andrews in late September or early October, but O'Halloran noted that the southpaw has yet to make a follow-up appointment, per Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican. Though Sale may book a checkup with Dr. Andrews at some point later in the fall or winter, it's not expected that the meeting will have any bearing on his availability for the spring.

Perez did not factor in the decision against Kansas City on Sunday, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five.

Perez was hardly dominant yet fell one out shy of picking up a quality start while hurling over 100 pitches for the first time since Aug. 25. The southpaw's season was a tale of two halves as he posted an 8-3 record along with a 4.26 ERA before the All-Star break but went 2-4 with a 6.40 ERA after the intermission. He finishes the regular season with a 5.12 earned run average, 1.52 WHIP and 135:67 K:BB over 165.1 innings.

Rodriguez allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts across seven innings during a no-decision against the Orioles on Sunday.

Rodriguez allowed seven runs and 11 hits in his last start but won, but he settled for a no-decision despite holding the Orioles to three runs in seven frames Sunday. The no-decision denied Rodriguez his 20th win. He still turned in a great season, though, going 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 213 strikeouts in 203.1 innings.

Clevinger (13-4) was lit up for six runs on seven hits and two walks while only striking out four over 5.2 innings as he took the loss Sunday against the Nationals.

Clevinger did not end the 2019 season the way he has hoped. Although the Indians were already eliminated from the wild card race the day before, Clevinger had strung together eight consecutive starts allowing two runs or less prior to Sunday's outing and the Indians were hoping that he could halt the Nationals' now eight-game win streak and end their now five-game losing streak. Aside from the poor final outing, Clevinger is widely regarded as one of the top pitchers in the game as he finished the season with a 2.71 ERA and an astounding 169:37 K:BB across 126 innings.

Lynn (16-11) allowed one run on two hits and a walk over 7.1 innings Sunday, striking out 10 as he picked up his 16th win of the season in the finale against the Yankees Sunday.

Lynn was locked in for the most part as his only mistake was a solo shot given up to Aaron Judge in the third inning. The right-hander recorded double-digit strikeouts for the second consecutive outing and had the most wins in a season since 2012 when he had 18 with St. Louis. Lynn had a great bounceback season in 2019 after posting career-lows in wins and career-highs in ERA and WHIP a season ago. The 32-year-old figures to be a key part of the Rangers' rotation next summer as he and Mike Minor make a great dynamic duo.