MLB Player News

Flexen will not be an active member of the Mariners' opening roster for their AL Wild Card Series against the Blue Jays, starting the series on their taxi squad.

Flexen will likely be unavailable to pitch in the series barring any injuries to the Mariners' pitching staff and bullpen. The right-hander finished the 2022 regular season with a 3.73 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 95 punchouts over 137.2 innings in 33 appearances, including 22 starts.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects May (back) to be on the NLDS roster, though it's not yet determined what the right-hander's role and availability will be, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

May was placed on the 15-day injured list due to lower-back tightness Sept. 24, but he was able to toss two simulated innings Wednesday and will throw another sim game Sunday, per MLB.com. Assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks, May is expected to be on the NLDS roster, though he's not expected to work as a starter. The right-hander logged only 30 innings this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2021.

Snell will start Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series on Saturday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Yu Darvish is getting the starting nod for Friday's series opener, and Snell will draw the Game 2 start over Joe Musgrove, who is a likely candidate to start Game 3 if needed. Snell was dominant over his final four regular-season starts, posting a 0.72 ERA, 32:6 K:BB and 0.64 WHIP in 25 innings over that stretch. He last pitched Sunday, so he'll be fully rested for Saturday's matchup.

Clevinger (illness) tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday and is traveling to New York to join the Padres ahead of Friday's wild-card game against the Mets, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Clevinger was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday, but he should be in the mix to be on the Padres' postseason roster now that he's tested negative. It's not yet clear whether the right-hander will be part of the team's playoff rotation, but he'll at least be an option to pitch as long as he continues to test negative.

Castillo will start Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Blue Jays on Friday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Castillo finished the regular season Saturday by giving up one run over six innings against the A's, and he'll take the mound in the postseason opener for Seattle. The 29-year-old righty was acquired from the Reds at the trade deadline and delivered a 3.17 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 77:17 K:BB across 65.1 frames in 11 starts with the Mariners.

Gausman (finger) will throw a bullpen session Thursday, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.

The right-hander exited his final start of the regular season Sunday due to a laceration on his middle finger, and the bullpen session will help determine whether he'll be available to start during the AL Wild Card Series versus the Mariners. The Blue Jays have been encouraged by Gausman's recovery thus far, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, and he's the leading candidate to start Saturday in Game 2, assuming he checks out fine after throwing Thursday.

Manager Oliver Marmol announced Mikolas as the starter for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series versus Philadelphia on Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The veteran right-hander allowed a run over three frames in his final outing of the regular season Monday, and he'll follow Game 1 starter Jose Quintana in the rotation to begin the playoffs for St. Louis. Mikolas threw a career-high 202.1 innings this year and finished with a 3.29 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 153:39 K:BB.

Manager Oliver Marmol announced Quintana as the Cardinals' starter for Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Phillies on Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The veteran left-hander made his final start of the regular season Monday in Pittsburgh and delivered three scoreless innings, and he'll be St. Louis' opening starter for the postseason. Quintana was acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline and posted a 2.01 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 48:16 K:BB in 62.2 innings across 12 starts for the Cardinals.

Gonzales did not factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks over seven innings against the Tigers. He struck out five.

Gonzales allowed all four runs on RBI singles, though one of the two runs that scored on Jeimer Candelario's fourth-inning knock did so because of a throwing error. The lefty did not impress during his final 15 starts of the season, recording a 5.08 ERA over 88.2 innings. The 30-year-old's 4.13 ERA and 1.33 WHIP during 2022 were his worst marks in five seasons as a full-time member of Seattle's rotation.

Burnes did not factor into the decision Wednesday and did not allow a baserunner with five strikeouts over three innings against Arizona.

Burnes finished 2022 without allowing a run in back-to-back outings; however, his final 13 starts were not up to his usual standard as he allowed at least four earned runs on five occasions. The right-hander followed up his 2021 NL Cy Young Award with a 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 243:51 K:BB in 202 innings, with the strikeouts and innings totals representing career highs.