MLB Player News
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Payton Tolle SP | BOS
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Appears pegged for bulk relief
The Red Sox could use Tolle in a bulk-relief role over the final two weeks of the regular season, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Tolle made an abbreviated start last week versus the Athletics, allowing two runs over two innings. Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello have both been moved up ahead of Tolle to start Wednesday and Thursday against the Athletics, respectively, on regular rest. While Tolle could conceivably receive another start this weekend versus the Rays, a more likelier scenario is that both he and Kyle Harrison serve as multi-inning relievers or work as a tandem when the fifth spot in the rotation comes up. Tolle struck out eight and yielded just two runs over 5.1 frames in his major-league debut Aug. 29, but he's permitted seven runs with a 4:4 K:BB across five innings in two outings since then.
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Connelly Early SP | BOS
Red Sox's Connelly Early: Confirmed as Tuesday's starter
Early will start Tuesday's game against the Athletics at Fenway Park, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Early was an obvious choice to remain in Boston's rotation after he struck out 11 over five scoreless frames versus the Athletics in his major-league debut last week. However, the team hadn't confirmed another start for the rookie southpaw until Monday. Following his rematch with the Athletics in Boston after his previous outing came in Sacramento, Early tentatively lines up for another start Sunday on the road versus the Rays.
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Joe Boyle SP | TB
Rays' Joe Boyle: Recalled to start Monday's game
The Rays recalled Boyle from Triple-A Durham, and he'll start Monday's game against the Blue Jays at Tampa Bay.
The right-hander was demoted in late August after allowing 16 runs (15 earned) over his final three starts for the Rays. Boyle collected a 2.08 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 13 innings in three starts this month with Durham, but he also issued 10 walks during that time. He's not a recommended streaming option Monday in what could just be a spot start.
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John Means SP | CLE
Guardians' John Means: Roughed up in rehab start
Means (elbow) allowed six earned runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.
Means navigated minimal traffic over two scoreless innings to begin the game but ran into trouble in the third, when he allowed two solo home runs. His struggles continued into the fourth inning, when he walked the bases loaded before giving up a two-run double. Means then balked in the go-ahead run. The left-hander is now six starts into his rehab assignment, and he's yet to find much success since shifting his assignment to Triple-A in late August, producing a 9.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 11:10 K:BB in 15 innings over four outings with Columbus. While Means has built his pitch count up to 82 and appears to be ready from a workload standpoint to take on a traditional starting role, his poor form at Triple-A could make the Guardians reluctant to activate him from the 60-day injured list during the upcoming week. The Guardians will have a stretch of six games in five days due to a doubleheader Saturday in Minnesota, but since the team is already running with a six-man rotation, Means may not be called upon to make a spot start for the big club.
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Luis Morales SP | ATH
Athletics' Luis Morales: Notches fourth win
Morales (4-1) earned the win over the Reds on Sunday, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two over five innings.
Morales got off to a shaky start, surrendering a solo homer to Noelvi Marte in the first and a two-run shot to Will Benson in the second. The right-hander managed to regroup from there, working around traffic in his final three frames -- including a bases-loaded jam in the fourth -- to keep Cincinnati from adding on. While it wasn't his sharpest outing, the 22-year-old did enough to secure his fourth win of the year. Morales will take a 3.08 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 34:14 K:BB through 38 innings into his next scheduled start against Pittsburgh, a favorable matchup given the Pirates' league-worst OPS since the beginning of September.
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Adrian Houser SP | SF
Rays' Adrian Houser: Goes six strong in no-decision
Houser didn't factor into the decision against the Cubs on Sunday, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two over six innings.
Houser yielded an early run in the first inning but settled in after that, blanking Chicago over the next four frames before surrendering a solo homer to Ian Happ in the sixth. The outing marked the right-hander's first quality start since July 25, snapping a rough seven-start stretch in which he posted a 4.93 ERA across 38.1 innings. Houser will look to build on Sunday's bright spots in his next projected start against the Red Sox next weekend.
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Will Warren P | NYY
Yankees' Will Warren: Ambushed in first inning
Warren (8-7) allowed six runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out two over five innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Red Sox.
Warren was tagged for six of the 10 hits during the first inning, when he gave up all six runs as the Red Sox sent their entire lineup to the plate. The right-hander was able to grind out four more frames, but the Yankees' comeback effort fell short. Warren has struggled against the Yankees' archrivals this year, allowing a total of 15 runs over 14.1 innings in three starts against the Red Sox. Overall, he has a 4.44 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 160:62 K:BB through 152 innings over 31 starts. Warren will look to right the ship in his next start, which is tentatively projected to be at Baltimore.
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Garrett Crochet RP | BOS
Red Sox's Garrett Crochet: Matches season high in strikeouts
Crochet (16-5) allowed three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out 12 over six innings to earn the win Sunday over the Yankees.
Crochet matched his season high for strikeouts in a game after racking up a dozen in this win. He's logged a quality start in five of his last six outings, the exception being his seven-run showing versus the Guardians on Sept. 2. The southpaw now has eight starts of 10-plus strikeouts this season and leads the majors with a total of 240 strikeouts. His K/9 of 11.29 is second only to Dylan Cease among qualified starters. Crochet has added a 2.63 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 191.1 innings through 30 starts, and he'll look to keep rolling in a road start versus the Rays in his next outing.
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J.T. Ginn P | ATH
Athletics' J.T. Ginn: Ready for next start
Ginn (calf) has been cleared to start Thursday's game against the Red Sox in Boston, MLB.com reports.
During his most recent start in Friday's 3-0 win over the Reds, Ginn struck out six batters and allowed no runs on two hits and four walks before being pulled with one out in the fifth inning after experiencing right calf cramping. The right-hander has apparently responded well to treatment over the last two days and won't have to miss a turn through the rotation. Since being reinstated from the injured list June 16, Ginn has gone 2-4 with a 4.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 70:21 K:BB in 63 innings over 17 appearances (10 starts).
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Cole Ragans RP | KC
Royals' Cole Ragans: Rejoining rotation Wednesday
The Royals will activate Ragans (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Mariners in Kansas City, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
The upcoming start will mark Ragans' first with the big club since June 5, after a left rotator cuff strain kept him out of commission for more than three months. The southpaw began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Sept. 7 and tossed 56 pitches and 3.2 innings in his second and final outing on the farm this past Friday, striking out seven in that start while allowing no runs on one hit and two walks. Though Ragans looked sharp in both of his appearances at Omaha, he's not yet fully stretched out for a typical starter's workload and could be limited to around 70-to-80 pitches Wednesday.