MLB Player News

Wacha will start Thursday in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Wacha had a rough outing in Game 1 on Saturday, allowing three earned runs on four hits and three walks over four innings en route to a loss. The 33-year-old righty is no stranger to poor postseason performances, as he owns a 5.36 ERA over 42 innings across nine playoff appearances in his career.

Lugo will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Lugo will toe the rubber Wednesday night after the Royals were able to even the series Monday. The right-hander turned in a decent outing in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Baltimore, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six over 4.1 innings.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Gil will be available out of the bullpen in the ALDS but will rejoin the rotation for the ALCS, should the team advance, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Clarke Schmidt was the choice for the Game 3 start over Gil, but it sounds like Gil would re-enter the rotation for a potential ALCS even if Nestor Cortes (elbow) winds up being available. Boone noted that he'll be flexible with what kind of relief role Gil fills in the ALDS, as it could be anything from bulk relief to high-leverage, one-inning situations.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Schmidt will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

He's the choice over Luis Gil, who will be available in relief for the ALDS. A right lat strain limited Schmidt to just 16 starts and 85.1 innings this season, but he was terrific when healthy, collecting a 2.85 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 93:30 K:BB. Schmidt is expected to be opposed in Game 3 by Seth Lugo.

Cortes (elbow) played catch Monday for the second day in a row, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Cortes' session of catch Sunday was his first since being diagnosed with a left elbow flexor strain in late September, and the fact that he was back out there to throw again a day later is a good sign. The southpaw is hopeful to pitch in the ALCS if the Yankees are able to advance, but he still has numerous hurdles to clear before making that a reality.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Monday that Cobb will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS in Detroit, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Cobb was added to the roster prior to the ALDS after missing the end of the regular season with a blister on his pitching hand, and the Guardians will rely on him to be part of their rotation for the series. The veteran right-hander was limited to just three starts during the regular season due to injury but posted a 2.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB over 16.1 innings. It's unclear what kind of workload Cobb might be able to handle in Game 3, but Cleveland is unlikely to count on him to work deep into the contest.

Cortes (elbow) played catch Sunday, which went well according to Yankees' pitching coach Matt Blake, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Cortes is working his way back from a left elbow flexor strain, and he's hopeful to pitch in the ALCS if New York is able to advance. His ability to throw with no issues Sunday is promising, and his next step will depend on how he responds Monday.

Cortes (elbow) is slated to play catch Sunday, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.

Cortes is still hoping to be able to pitch at some point in the postseason if the Yankees are able to advance past the ALDS. The southpaw is dealing with a left elbow flexor strain and wasn't included on New York's roster for the divisional series. Cortes was pitching well before going down with the injury, giving up just one run over 15.1 innings while posting an 18:7 K:BB during his final three starts.

Stroman is not on the Yankees' roster for the ALDS against Kansas City.

Stroman struggled during the regular season, posting a 4.31 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 154.2 innings. He was briefly moved to the bullpen in mid-September but returned to a starting role for his final appearance of the campaign after Nestor Cortes (elbow) landed on the injured list. The Yankees aren't likely to need more than four starters in the ALDS, and the team elected to roll with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt ahead of Stroman.

Cobb (finger) is included on the Guardians' ALDS roster.

Cobb ended the regular season on the injured list due to a right finger blister, but his inclusion on the roster for the division series versus the Tigers suggests he's recovered. It's unclear if Cobb will be asked to start a game during the series or if he will serve as an option out of the bullpen. The right-hander posted a 2.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB over 16.1 innings across three starts during the regular season.