MLB Player News

Stowers is not in the lineup for Friday's game against Atlanta.

Atlanta is going with a lefty opener in Ray Kerr, so the left-handed-hitting Stowers will retreat to the bench for the second day in a row. He came off the bench as a pinch hitter in Thursday's tilt versus the Cubs and is a candidate to enter mid-game again. Deyvison De Los Santos will cover first base, and Agustin Ramirez will slot in at designated hitter for Miami.

Gasper will likely miss the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees after suffering a biceps injury during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

The results of Gasper's MRI have not been disclosed, but it sounds like the Red Sox are preparing to be without him for at least the first round of the playoffs. Gasper was injured on a swinging strikeout in the fifth inning of Friday's matinee. Manager Chad Tracy said afterward that Gasper was in "some pretty good discomfort."

Early (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list and make his Nationals debut with a start Saturday versus the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.

Early is scheduled to throw 2-to-3 innings before handing things over to Jake Irvin, who will serve in a bulk relief role. The left-handed Early was acquired from the Red Sox at the trade deadline while recovering from left elbow inflammation, an injury that's kept him from appearing in the majors since late June. Early made two rehab starts, logging a total of 2.2 innings while allowing six runs (three earned) with a 4:5 K:BB.

Rafaela remains out of the starting lineup for the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.

Right hamstring tightness forced Rafaela from Wednesday's game -- his very first game back from a right quad strain -- though he was back in the lineup Thursday. He may be dealing with some lingering effects of the hamstring injury. It's also possible the Red Sox are just playing it safe with their playoff seeding now set.

The Diamondbacks recalled Cabrera from Triple-A Reno on Friday.

He's grabbing the roster spot vacated by the injured Corbin Burnes (shoulder). Cabrera is stretched out -- having thrown six shutout innings one week ago in his last outing with Reno -- so the Diamondbacks will likely ask him to eat some innings during Saturday's bullpen game in San Diego.

Santander (shoulder) will not be returning to the Blue Jays this season, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Santander had been working his way back from left shoulder surgery, advancing to a rehab assignment earlier this month. However, he had a back issue crop up during his assignment, and the Blue Jays ultimately decided to have him get an early start on his offseason training. Santander did not make a single big-league appearance this season and has totaled just 54 regular-season games played in his first two years with Toronto.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said Friday that the diagnosis on Arraez's left ankle sprain was "not a great one," Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

X-rays on Arraez's ankle came back negative, but additional imaging confirmed a sprain. While Mattingly did not provide a grade on the sprain, he noted that the second baseman remains stiff and sore. The Phillies will hold off on placing Arraez on the 10-day injured list -- which would rule him out until at least Game 3 of the NLDS -- but could make a roster move if Arraez's condition doesn't improve in the coming days. Bryson Stott has shifted back to second base, and Edmundo Sosa is starting at third base for the Phillies on Friday versus the Rays.

The Red Sox recalled Paez from Triple-A Worcester after the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs.

Paez will be up to provide length out of the bullpen in the nightcap, replacing Raymond Burgos on the active roster. Paez has allowed a whopping 14 runs in 6.2 innings in the majors, but he fared well in five starts with Worcester this season, posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 26:3 K:BB in 21.2 innings. He threw six innings of one-run ball in his most recent Triple-A outing back on Sept. 15.

Swanson is not in the lineup for the second game of Friday's doubleheader versus the Red Sox.

Swanson went 0-for-4 with a run scored in the first game of the twin bill. Nico Hoerner will shift over to shortstop, and Pedro Ramirez will get the start at second base for the Cubs.

The Red Sox optioned Burgos after the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the Cubs.

Burgos tossed two hitless and scoreless innings in Game 1, fanning three. With MLB not allowing teams to add an extra player for twin bills in September, Boston went ahead and swapped Burgos out for a fresh arm in Jedixson Paez.