MLB Player News

Gray (hamstring) is expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday and is lined up to make his next start Thursday versus the Yankees, Megan Ryan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Gray was originally expected to start Wednesday against New York, but he'll have his outing pushed back a day after his bullpen session was moved from Monday to Tuesday. The right-hander left his last outing Friday versus the White Sox early with right hamstring tightness, but he appears on track to avoid a trip to the injured list.

Lyles (illness) is expected to start Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader with the Blue Jays, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

Lyles woke up under the weather Monday, forcing the team to push him from starting Game 1 to starting Game 2 of the team's doubleheader with Toronto. Manger Brandon Hyde said he's "fairly confident" that the left-hander will be able to make the start, but his progress before the contest will ultimately decide if he can give it a go.

Severino (lat) is scheduled to make his next rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Somerset, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Severino was cleared to begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Single-A Tampa and looked sharp over two scoreless innings, striking out three while allowing one hit and no walks. According to Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record, the Yankees are anticipating that Severino will be ready to rejoin the big-league rotation following Wednesday's rehab start, though he could be capped around 70 pitches in his first outing back from the 60-day injured list. Unless the Yankees elect to expand their rotation to six men, Severino's potential return from the IL next week would likely result in Domingo German moving to the bullpen.

Clevinger (5-6) took the loss during Sunday's 9-4 defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

Clevinger permitted a single baserunner in each of his first three frames before falling apart in the fourth, allowing five baserunners and two runs, prompting his removal. Reliever Luis Garcia let all three inherited runners score, giving Clevinger his first start of surrendering more than three runs in his last five turns. The 31-year-old still possesses quality numbers with a 3.96 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 88.2 innings, though a 4.47 FIP indicates he's been slightly fortunate. He's currently tabbed for a rematch with Los Angeles this weekend.

Pepiot didn't factor into the decision during Sunday's 9-4 victory over San Diego, allowing an unearned run on three hits and four walks while notching three strikeouts in two-plus innings.

Making his first appearance since Aug. 21, Pepiot followed reliever Caleb Ferguson and pitched a messy two-plus frames. The 25-year-old permitted two singles in the second but was able to escape thanks to a double play, however, he didn't fare as well after when an unearned run scored on a hit and two walks in the third. He was pulled after walking the first two batters of the fourth inning and ended up tossing 74 pitches while allowing more baserunners than outs recorded. It's unclear if Pepiot will stick in the rotation as Los Angeles currently has five healthy starters.

Williams tossed 4.1 innings out of the bullpen in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Nationals, striking out three while allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks.

Williams made his first appearance since Aug. 20, when he picked up a spot start in a doubleheader game in Philadelphia. The Mets have since condensed their rotation to five men and also returned Carlos Carrasco from the injured list Sunday, though he only gave them 2.2 innings Sunday before Williams was summoned in long relief. Looking ahead, expect most of Williams' opportunities to come in mop-up scenarios out of the bullpen.

Farrell covered two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 8-4 loss to the Cardinals, striking out two while allowing no hits and issuing two walks.

Farrell made a pair of abbreviated starts Aug. 24 against St. Louis and Aug. 31 in Toronto, but he'll likely work in relief moving forward with Wade Miley (shoulder) set to return from the 60-day injured list to start Tuesday and with Justin Steele (back) expected to rejoin the rotation later on this week. Don't expect the right-hander to have much fantasy value while typically working in lower-leverage spots or as a mop-up man out of the bullpen.

Boyd (1-0) picked up the victory in an extra-innings win over the Guardians on Sunday, firing a scoreless 10th inning during which he issued three walks (two intentional).

It was quite the eventful frame for Boyd, who intentionally put Jose Ramirez on to start the inning and then got Josh Naylor to hit into a double play that moved phantom runner Amed Rosario over to third base. After another intentional free pass to Oscar Gonzalez, Boyd then loaded the bases by legitimately walking Andres Gimenez before finally retiring Mike Freeman on a flyout with the bases juiced. The appearance was the southpaw's second since being activated from the injured list Thursday, with the first also a scoreless one-inning effort that unfolded that same day.

Nelson, who will make his MLB debut for Arizona on Monday, implemented two mechanical adjustments late in May that improved his results going forward, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Nelson was sitting on a 7.36 ERA through nine starts for Triple-A Reno in the Pacific Coast League, notoriously known as a hitters league. That's when the Diamondbacks spotted his arm path was long, meaning he was reaching too far back on each pitch. The right-hander was given exercises designed to shorten the path, and the results were immediate. "The carry came back," pitching coordinator Dan Carlson said. "The command came back. And also the breaking ball got much, much sharper and then with the slider and change, he was able to keep those things in the strike zone." Around that same time, Nelson ditched an adjustment to his lower mechanics, a shorter leg kick he implemented during the offseason. In 17 starts since, Nelson pitched to a 4.61 ERA, lower than the league average 5.43 ERA for the PCL.

Keller and the Pirates won't face the Mets on Monday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Pittsburgh, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

The two teams are set to make up the contest as part of a split doubleheader Wednesday. Because the Pirates have an open date in the schedule Thursday, the team isn't expected to add a temporary seventh starter to the rotation, so Keller should stay on schedule to make a start against the Mets either Tuesday or Wednesday. Bryse Wilson and Johan Oviedo are in line to start the other two contests of the series.