MLB Player News
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Jacob deGrom SP | TEX
Rangers' Jacob deGrom: Back in win column
DeGrom (11-6) picked up the win Sunday against the Athletics, allowing two hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five scoreless innings.
DeGrom had taken a loss in each of his last four decisions, a five-start stretch in which he posted a 5.00 ERA and a 33:7 K:BB across 27 innings. He got back on track in a major way Sunday, hurling his second scoreless outing in his last 10 starts. On the year, deGrom has a 2.69 ERA and a 161:33 K:BB across 150.1 innings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Astros his next time out.
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Hunter Brown SP | HOU
Astros' Hunter Brown: No support in loss
Brown (10-7) took the loss Sunday against the Angels, allowing one run on three hits and three walks across six innings. He struck out five.
Brown notched a fourth straight quality start -- a streak that includes a six-run (two earned) outing against the Rockies in Houston -- but the Astros offense failed to scrape across a run, leaving him with the loss. Brown has been excellent lately, boasting a 1.71 ERA and a 38:13 K:BB in 42.2 innings across his last seven starts. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Rangers in his next start.
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Jose Soriano RP | LAA
Angels' Jose Soriano: Wins again
Soriano (10-9) picked up the win Sunday against Houston, allowing one hit and three walks across seven scoreless innings. He struck out eight.
Soriano delivered his third scoreless start of his last four outings, shutting down the Astros and notching his most strikeouts in his last 12 appearances. A five-run start against the Athletics on Aug. 17 spoiled Soriano's stats over that four-start stretch. Soriano had five scoreless outings in 24 starts before his recent streak. Through 161.1 innings, Soriano has a 3.68 ERA and a 144:68 K:BB. He's tentatively scheduled to make his next start at home against the A's.
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Lance McCullers SP | HOU
Astros' Lance McCullers: Debuts out of bullpen
McCullers struck out three and allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks across two innings of relief in Sunday's 3-0 loss to the Angels.
Working out of the bullpen for the first time in the majors since 2018, McCullers kept the Angels off the board in the seventh inning, but he allowed five of the first six runners he faced in the eighth to reach base, with two coming around to score. Finding more success in his future relief appearances in September likely represents McCullers' clearest path to earning a spot on the Astros' postseason roster, as he doesn't appear likely to get another look in the rotation anytime soon unless the team loses another starter to an injury. Houston appears set to maintain a six-man rotation during the final month of the season, but McCullers will give up his spot to Luis Garcia (elbow), who will be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Monday's series finale. Before shifting to the bullpen this weekend, McCullers struggled mightily over his 12 starts with the Astros, logging a 6.89 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 54:34 K:BB in 48.1 innings.
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Kyle Harrison SP | BOS
Red Sox's Kyle Harrison: Could make team debut Wednesday
Harrison was scratched ahead of his scheduled start with Triple-A Worcester and could be called up to start or pitch in bulk relief Wednesday against the Guardians in Boston, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reports.
Harrison had been a candidate to join the big-league rotation this past week when the Red Sox moved Walker Buehler to the bullpen and later released him, but the southpaw was bypassed for a promotion in favor of fellow Triple-A starter Payton Tolle. Though Tolle impressed in his MLB debut while striking out eight batters and allowing two earned runs over 5.1 innings in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Pirates, the Red Sox appear committed to keeping the 22-year-old on at least a five-day rest schedule between outings. As a result, Tolle doesn't appear to be in line to start Wednesday's series finale versus the Guardians, opening the door for Harrison or another pitcher to temporarily step into the rotation. The Red Sox could also opt to treat Wednesday's game as a bullpen day in lieu of calling up Harrison, who has submitted a 3.65 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 49.1 innings with Worcester this season.
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Tarik Skubal SP | DET
Tigers' Tarik Skubal: Breezes to 12th win
Skubal (12-4) pitched seven scoreless innings with four strikeouts to collect the win Sunday at Kansas City. He allowed four hits and two walks.
The Detroit ace didn't have his sharpest stuff in this 93-pitch outing, generating only eight whiffs, as he tallied four or fewer punchouts for just the fourth time this season. The Royals lineup never sniffed a run against Skubal, who has now posted a quality start in four consecutive appearances. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has continued his run as one of the game's best pitchers, firing a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 216:27 K:BB across 173 total innings. Skubal currently lines up to make his next start at home against the White Sox next weekend.
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Michael Wacha SP | KC
Royals' Michael Wacha: Unravels in loss
Wacha (8-11) took the loss Sunday against the Tigers, conceding four runs on five hits and a walk over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
The veteran righty returned from the paternity list and did not look sharp in this 71-pitch appearance, inducing only five whiffs. Wacha fired four scoreless frames before falling apart in the fifth, coughing up four runs on four hits, including two extra-base knocks. Through 153.1 innings, the 34-year-old now sports a 3.52 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 112:39 K:BB. Wacha will look to bounce back in his next outing, currently scheduled to come at home against the Twins next weekend.
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Tomoyuki Sugano SP | BAL
Orioles' Tomoyuki Sugano: Labors versus Giants
Sugano (10-7) allowed seven runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out four over 3.1 innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Giants.
Sugano gave up a solo shot to Rafael Devers in the first inning, and the right-hander ran into more trouble in the third and fourth frames. He's allowed 11 runs over 9.1 innings across his last two starts, which is discouraging after a three-start stretch in which he gave up just three runs (two earned) across 17.1 frames. For the season, Sugano has a 4.41 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 95:35 K:BB through 140.2 innings across 26 starts. He's tentatively scheduled to make his next start at home versus the Dodgers.
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Pablo Lopez SP | MIN
Twins' Pablo Lopez: Excellent in final rehab start
Lopez (shoulder) pitched 5.2 scoreless innings in a rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters.
Lopez was sharp in what will likely be his final rehab outing, giving up just one hard-hit ball. He topped out at 95.6 miles per hour and averaged 93.9 mph with his fastball. Lopez totaled 82 pitches in the outing, so he appears set to handle something close to a normal workload upon his activation from the 60-day injured list. Assuming the Twins are satisfied with Lopez's condition coming out of Sunday's appearance, he'll likely line up to make a start against the Royals on the road next weekend.
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Martin Perez SP | CHW
White Sox's Martin Perez: Quality start in no-decision
Perez took a no-decision in Sunday's 3-2 win against the Yankees, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings with seven strikeouts.
The veteran southpaw held his own against a tough New York lineup in this 99-pitch outing, firing 62 strikes. Perez notched his fourth quality start of the season, as Aaron Judge accounted for the two runs he gave up -- the reigning AL MVP hit a solo shot in the first and scored on a Cody Bellinger double in third. Perez now sports a sterling 2.16 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 39:15 K:BB across 41.2 total frames. He is currently scheduled to face the division-leading Tigers in his next start on the road next weekend.