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Quinn Mathews SP | STL
Cardinals' Quinn Mathews: Ends 2026 season with loss
Mathews (2-4) took the loss against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven across five innings.
Mathews was handed an early 2-0 lead, but he gave up an RBI single to Jackson Chourio in the third before yielding a two-run homer to Brice Turang in the fifth in what turned out to be the game-winning runs for the Brewers. Saturday was the fourth time in nine major-league starts that Mathews fanned at least seven batters, and the 25-year-old southpaw showed he could handle himself in the big leagues since making his MLB debut Aug. 1. He'll end the 2026 campaign with a 3.83 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB over 49.1 innings.
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Michael Wacha SP | KC
Royals' Michael Wacha: Takes loss in season finale
Wacha (9-10) took the loss against the Guardians on Saturday, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 6.1 innings.
Wacha was spotted an early lead but instantly coughed it up, allowing four runs in the second inning following a leadoff error. The veteran hurler still posted a quality start for the third time in five September outings, finishing the season having tallied five or more innings in 31 of 32 starts. Overall, he'll wrap up the campaign with a 3.32 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 158:54 K:BB while surpassing 200 frames for the first time in his 14-year career.
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Tanner Bibee SP | CLE
Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Posts quality start in win
Bibee (7-15) earned the win in Saturday's 11-5 win over the Royals, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts over six innings.
Bibee allowed three runs in the first inning but blanked the Royals from there, throwing 61 of 94 pitches for strikes with 13 whiffs. The performance lowered the 27-year-old's September ERA to a still-bloated 7.36 mark, and it was an encouraging effort as the Guardians prepare for the postseason. He'll finish the regular season with a 4.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 148:55 K:BB across a career-high 188 innings.
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Dustin May SP | MIL
Brewers' Dustin May: Gives up two runs Saturday
May did not factor into the decision Saturday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five across three innings.
May was operating on short rest, with his last start taking place Tuesday against the Phillies. He ended his night with 58 pitches (38 strikes), and the home run he gave up to Alec Burleson in the third inning was the fifth long ball in May's last six outings. The Brewers will have home-field advantage for the playoffs, so May will have extra rest before the beginning of the NLDS. He'll end the regular season with a 7-9 record (31 starts) with a 4.70 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 144:50 K:BB over 145.2 innings, with his strikeouts and innings pitched both being career highs.
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Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Effective in return to rotation
Eovaldi took a no-decision Saturday against the Twins, striking out three while allowing one run on four hits and two walks in 4.1 innings.
Eovaldi made his first start since returning from the injured list in mid-September, ending the season on a positive note. The veteran right-hander has one more year left on his deal with the Rangers, and he figures to rejoin the rotation in 2027 following a disappointing campaign. After recording a career-best 1.73 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 2025, Eovaldi worked to a 4.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 144:35 K:BB over 145.2 innings in 2026.
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MacKenzie Gore SP | TEX
Rangers' MacKenzie Gore: Confirmed starter Sunday
Gore is scheduled to start in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Twins.
Gore will toe the rubber for Sunday's regular-season finale as the Rangers look to outlast the Astros for the AL West division crown to secure a spot in the playoffs. The 27-year-old southpaw made his last appearance Tuesday in a no-decision against the Mets, and Gore has a 4.59 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across a career-high 170.2 innings this season.
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Bailey Ober SP | MIN
Twins' Bailey Ober: Hit around in seventh loss
Ober (7-7) took the loss Saturday against Texas, striking out five while allowing six runs on 10 hits and one walk in five innings.
Most of the damage came in the second inning, when the Rangers plated four runs. Ober opened the season as part of the Minnesota rotation but may have to battle for a starting role next year -- he posted just two quality starts in 13 outings after coming off the injured list in early July. He'll finish the campaign with a 4.47 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 96:37 K:BB over 131 innings.
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Griffin Jax SP | TB
Rays' Griffin Jax: Exits game due to back contusion
Jax was removed from Saturday's start against the Phillies due to a lower-back contusion, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Jax took a 104 mph comebacker off the bat of Trea Turner in the third inning, which ended up being a groundout for the Phillies shortstop to end the inning. Steven Matz took the mound for the Rays in the fourth, but it could have been a precautionary decision to remove Jax from the game, seeing as Tampa Bay is locked in as the top seed for the American League playoffs. His status will be worth monitoring over the coming days leading up to the ALDS opener Oct. 3.
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Justin Verlander SP | DET
Tigers' Justin Verlander: Emotional farewell at Comerica
Verlander didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Pirates, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over 5.1 innings. He struck out six.
In his first start since March 30, and the final outing of his Hall of Fame career, the 43-year-old Verlander showed he still had something left in the tank. He did serve up solo shots to Brandon Lowe and Jacob Gonzalez and left the mound in line for a loss, but the Tigers made sure that didn't happen by rallying in the ninth inning, as Eduardo Valencia walked it off with a homer. When Verlander did get lifted after 91 pitches (57 strikes), it was his daughter who came to the mound instead of manager A.J. Hinch to collect him and lead him into retirement. Verlander finishes his career with 3,560 strikeouts, eighth all time in MLB history.
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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Sharp in abbreviated start
Snell took a no-decision Saturday against the Giants, allowing one run on five hits and no walks in four innings. He struck out three.
Snell experienced left groin tightness during his most recent in Cincinnati, but he looked healthy in a tune-up start Saturday ahead of the playoffs. The southpaw missed a big chunk of the year due to shoulder and elbow issues, which limited him to nine starts, but he yielded fewer than two runs each time out besides his first outing way back on May 9. He's rolling into the postseason with a 1.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 55:16 K:BB over 42.2 regular-season innings.