MLB Player News

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.

Lowder (oblique/forearm) will make his next rehab start Friday for Triple-A Louisville, MLB.com reports.

Lowder began a rehab assignment Saturday, throwing 34 pitches over two innings and allowing one run for Louisville. Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Reds manager Terry Francona has been non-committal about Lowder returning from the 60-day injured list before the end of the regular season to aid the team in its bid for a wild-card spot, but that could change if he performs well in his upcoming rehab start. Even if he comes off the IL for the final week of the season, Lowder would likely be deployed out of the bullpen.

Ray (11-7) took the loss against the Dodgers on Sunday, surrendering five runs on six hits and four walks over four innings. He struck out five.

Ray opened with a flourish, striking out Shohei Ohtani on a 96 mph fastball to begin a clean first inning, but he quickly found himself laboring against a patient Los Angeles lineup. The southpaw issued four walks and needed 98 pitches (58 strikes) to get through just four frames, with his night ending in the fifth after giving up a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts followed by back-to-back hits from Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman. Over his last seven outings, the 33-year-old has struggled to a 6.06 ERA and 28:12 K:BB across 35.2 innings, and he'll look to steady things in his next scheduled start, a rematch against the Dodgers.

Glasnow (3-3) picked up the win over the Giants on Sunday, allowing one run on three hits and four walks while striking out four over 6.2 innings.

Glasnow battled through some early control issues, issuing four walks and a hit batter in his first three frames, but found a groove from there and retired the next nine consecutive batters. The right-hander came within one out of logging his third straight seven-inning start, following up his best outing of the season, when he held the Rockies hitless with 11 strikeouts over seven innings. Glasnow will carry a 3.06 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 96:38 K:BB into his next scheduled start, a rematch with the Giants.

Lodolo (8-8) took the loss against the Athletics on Sunday, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out five over 5.1 innings.

The left-hander was sharp early, giving up just one hit across his first three frames before losing control in the middle innings, where he was tagged for three home runs -- the first time he's surrendered that many in a game since 2023. Lodolo also gave up eight hits for just the second time this season, marking Sunday as one of his rougher outings after a dominant stretch in which he posted a 1.86 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 39 strikeouts over his previous seven starts (38.2 innings). The 27-year-old will look to bounce back in his next scheduled outing against the Cubs.

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.

Imanaga didn't factor into the decision against the Rays on Sunday, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out nine over five innings.

The left-hander got off to a rough start, surrendering back-to-back solo homers to Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero to open the game before giving up another run on a two-out bunt in the third. Though he labored through a 31-pitch first inning and surpassed 60 pitches by the third, Imanaga was able to regroup, finding his command and striking out nine -- tying his season high -- while blanking Tampa Bay over his final two frames. Home runs remain a concern for the 32-year-old, who allowed 27 last season and has given up 26 this year through 39 fewer innings. Imanaga will carry a 3.29 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 110:23 K:BB across 134 innings into his next scheduled start against the Reds.

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.

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.

Whisenhunt (back) is expected to throw a couple innings in a rehab appearance Tuesday with Triple-A Sacramento, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Whisenhunt was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 31 due to a back strain but won't require a lengthy stay on the shelf. After completing a bullpen session Sunday that incorporated all of his pitches, Whisenhunt will make an abbreviated rehab appearance Tuesday before potentially rejoining the Giants next weekend. San Francisco has been getting by of late with Kai-Wei Teng and Carson Seymour as its back-end starters, but Whisenhunt could replace either pitcher in the rotation once he's activated.