MLB Player News

Stroman (13-9) took the loss Saturday, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two over four innings against the Yankees.

The right-hander ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing four hits, including a homer, while also uncorking a wild pitch. Stroman finishes the year as a borderline top-30 starting pitcher in terms of earned fantasy value, but he did not add to his strikeout rate as some hoped, and his walk rate went in the wrong direction; the peripherals suggest Stroman will have a tough time maintaining an ERA right around 3.00 again next season.

Albers will start Saturday's game against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Andrew Moore was scratched with neck stiffness, opening the door for Albers to make his sixth start of the season. Albers has posted strong numbers at the big-league level this year and he only recently shortened up for a bullpen role, so it's not out of the question that the 31-year-old could go deep enough into the game to qualify for the win.

Sale will not start Sunday and will instead be saved to pitch Game 1 of the ALDS against the Astros next Thursday.

With the Red Sox wrapping up the AL East on Saturday, they will go with Hector Velazquez in the season finale and save their ace for the postseason. Sale will be pitching on nine days rest, and the Red Sox may be tempted to bring him back on short rest for Game 4, given the recent struggles of No. 4 starter Eduardo Rodriguez.

McCullers gave up five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six in 4.1 innings Saturday in Boston, picking up his fourth loss of the season.

He was on pitch count in this one, but likely would have been pulled midway through the fifth inning regardless, given how ineffective he was. Alyson Footer of MLB.com speculated afterward that McCullers may have cost himself a spot on the ALDS roster, but that has not yet been determined. Injuries once again limited McCullers this year, and he finished with a 4.25 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 118.2 innings.

Sale will start Sunday's game against the Astros only if the Red Sox haven't clinched the division following Saturday's results, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports.

Boston's magic number going into Saturday is just one, so that means a Boston win or a Yankees loss would secure the AL East division title for the Red Sox. If both of those results go against Boston, Sale will take the mound to try and avoid the club having to play a one-game playoff for the division title Monday.

Perez moved to 13-12 for the season during Friday's 5-3 win over the Athletics, tossing six innings and conceding three runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out two batters in the outing.

Perez toed the rubber for the final time of the season and was able to deliver a quality start while finishing a campaign with a winning record for the first time since 2014. While Perez's 4.82 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 185 innings weren't spectacular, the Rangers likely placed much value in the southpaw's ability to make 30-plus starts for the second straight season. That kind of dependability at the back end of the rotation prompted the Rangers to inform Perez prior to his outing Friday that his $6 million club option for 2018 would be exercised this offseason.

Morton (14-7) allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four over 5.1 innings in Friday's 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

Morton, who triggered a $625,000 bonus in his contract by making his 25th start of the season, was dominant early, much like he's been in many of his previous 24 starts. He retired the first 13 batters before his perfect game was broken up by a Mitch Moreland double in the fifth inning. When the right-hander ran into trouble, the Astros bullpen picked him up. Morton finished the regular season with a 3.62 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and a 10.0 K/9, seemingly solidifying his spot in the rotation for the postseason.

McCullers is expected to have a pitch count in the 80s when he starts Saturday in Boston, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

McCullers threw 63 pitches over 3.1 innings in his previous start, his first in 18 days. Given that he's on a pitch count and that the Astros have a wealth of starters pitching well at the moment, Saturday's start could be his final one of the year. A bullpen role in the postseason is a real option.

Gonzales gave up two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over four innings in a no-decision against the Angels on Friday.

Mike Trout touched Gonzales up for his 200th career homer. This caps off a disappointing run at the big-league level for Gonzales in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He did enjoy success with the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate before being traded, and there is pedigree here, but it's tough to envision Gonzales ever being a big difference maker in fantasy given the amount of contact he allows.

Gibson lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in a no-decision Friday against Detroit.

Gibson had completed at least six innings in seven straight starts before struggling to find a rhythm Friday night. The Twins kept his winning streak alive at six decisions, and he was nasty at times, but Tigers hitters punished every mistake he made. Despite Friday's hiccup and his 5.07 ERA, Gibson has earned a spot on Minnesota's playoff roster with his otherwise excellent work down the stretch.