2 weeks agoNew York Yankees pitcher
Nestor Cortes (elbow) threw a live session on Wednesday in what the hurler described as a hybrid workout, with about half (10-15 pitches) coming in the bullpen and the other half coming versus live batters. The team will see how he feels afterward and if all goes well the expectation is that the southpaw will face live batters again this coming weekend. The assumption at this point is that he should be ready by the World Series were the Yankees to advance and that the 29-year-old would be deployed as a reliever rather than a starter. Cortes had a solid regular season with a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 17.3% K-BB%, but only a handful of innings came in relief. For his career, the lefty has a 3.56 ERA and 1.11 WHIP as a starter (467 2/3 IP) compared to a 4.93 ERA and 1.44 WHIP as a reliever (100 1/3 IP).
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Greg Joyce - NY Post Sports
2 weeks agoNew York Mets manager
Carlos Mendoza said that right-hander
Kodai Senga is scheduled to pitch in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he could be used in a relief role. "At what capacity, we'll see," Mendoza said. The Mets may be rethinking using Senga to start Game 5 after he labored in the Game 1 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday by allowing three earned runs on two hits while walking four and striking out none in just 1 1/3 innings. He also allowed a solo home run while walking one and striking out three in two innings in his start in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Due to multiple injuries, the Japanese hurler managed to make just one start during the regular season. DFS managers should stay away in Game 5 in New York.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
2 weeks agoNew York Mets infielder/outfielder
Jeff McNeil is not in the team's starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday at Citi Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers. McNeil fractured his right wrist in early September and wasn't on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series or the NL Division Series, but he rejoined the roster for the NLCS against the Dodgers. In the first two games of the series in LA, the 32-year-old former batting champion only saw one pinch-hitting appearance and lined out. He'll start on the bench with the team facing right-hander
Walker Buehler, who McNeil has gone 1-for-9 against in his career with a walk and two strikeouts. McNeil didn't look anything like a former batting champion at the plate in 2024 and might just serve as a bench bat for the Mets for the remainder of the postseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers shortstop
Miguel Rojas (hernia) said he is dealing with a sports hernia and will require surgery in the offseason. Rojas lobbied to be on the team's roster for the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, but he understood the team's decision not to include him. His injury "is about the same" and he remains hopeful of being available to play if the Dodgers advance to the World Series. Our guess is Rojas will remain off the roster if the Dodgers advance. Since aggravating his injury in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres,
Tommy Edman has moved to the 6, which has opened up playing time for
Enrique Hernandez and rookie
Andy Pages. The 35-year-old Rojas is known more for his glove work, but he hit a strong .283 in 307 regular-season at-bats with six homers, 36 RBI and eight steals.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Times - Mike DiGiovanna
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that relief pitcher
Daniel Hudson (lower body) is available to pitch in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday at Citi Field against the New York Mets after he had a "lower-body" issue in Game 2 on Monday. The 37-year-old veteran right-hander threw a scoreless frame in the Game 1 win over the Mets on Sunday while walking one and striking out one, but he was unavailable to pitch on Tuesday due to his injury. It sounds like he's fine after an off day on Tuesday. In four appearances out of LA's bullpen this postseason, Hudson hasn't allowed a run in 3 1/3 frames while giving up two hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Hudson will be available in a middle-relief role for the pivotal Game 3 on Wednesday at Citi Field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Times - Bill Shaikin
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander
Jack Flaherty will start for the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on Friday versus the New York Mets. Flaherty was off in his first start this postseason in Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, when he surrendered four earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out only two in a loss in 5 1/3 innings of work. He bounced back nicely to beat the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday, though, going seven shutout innings with two walks and six punchouts. The 29-year-old was one of the most dominant pitchers in MLB in 2024 with the Tigers and Dodgers from a strikeout-rate perspective, and he'll be looking to carry his momentum from Game 1 of the NLCS into his outing on Friday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers second baseman
Gavin Lux (hip) is back at the keystone and is hitting sixth for the Blue in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday at Citi Field against the New York Mets and right-hander
Luis Severino. Lux was pulled from the Game 1 win early on Sunday with hip-flexor tightness and did not appear in the Game 2 loss on Monday, but after an off day on Tuesday, he's ready to roll as the series heads to the Big Apple. The 26-year-old left-handed hitter has never faced Severino in his career and comes into this contest batting .263 (5-for-19) with a home run, three RBI, two walks and four runs scored in six postseason starts for the Dodgers. There's not much power or speed to be had here, but he was able to drive in a career-high 50 runs in a stacked Dodgers lineup in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians left-hander
Matthew Boyd will make the start in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees on Thursday at Progressive Field. Boyd will try to prevent the Yankees from taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw will try to keep the good times rolling in his third career postseason start after blanking the division-rival Detroit Tigers over 6 2/3 innings in his two starts against them in the AL Division Series. In those starts, Boyd allowed five hits, walked three and struck out 10 batters. He made only eight starts during the regular season for Cleveland but was solid with a 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 46 K's. Boyd allowed three earned runs on four walks and two K's in 5 1/3 innings in his lone outing against the Yankees back on Aug. 20 in the Bronx.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mandy Bell
2 weeks agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez will take over DH duties and will hit sixth in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Walker Buehler at Citi Field. The left-handed-hitting
Jesse Winker got the nod at DH for the Mets in the first two games of the series and went 2-for-6 with two walks and a run scored. In six postseason games this year (three starts), Martinez has gone 4-for-14 with three RBI, two walks and a run scored. Martinez has only faced Buehler three times in his career and has struck out two of those times. The 37-year-old six-time All-Star hit a career-low .235 (102-for-434) in 120 games for the Mets during the regular season with a modest 16 home runs and 69 RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that rookie outfielder
Colton Cowser (hand) had successful surgery on his fractured hand, and he's expected to be ready to go for spring training next February. Cowser fractured his left hand in the team's Game 2 loss of the American League Wild-Card Series to get eliminated from the postseason by the Kansas City Royals. It was a tough way to end what was really a great season for the 24-year-old in his first full season in the big leagues in 2024. The good news is that Cowser will have plenty of time to heal up in order to be ready for the start of spring training and the 2025 regular season. In his 153 games played for Baltimore during the regular season, Cowser slashed .242/.321/.447 with a .768 OPS, 24 home runs, 69 RBI and nine stolen bases. He'll be a regular starter in the outfield for the O's to begin the 2025 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that second baseman
Gavin Lux (hip) "feels much better today," and the team expects him to be in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday at Citi Field against the New York Mets and right-hander
Luis Severino. Lux was removed from the Game 1 win on Sunday due to hip-flexor tightness and did not play in the Game 2 loss on Monday. However, the 26-year-old should be back in action on Wednesday with the series moving to the Big Apple. Lux has had a pretty solid postseason through six games, going 5-for-19 (.263) with a home run, three RBI, two walks and four runs scored. He has never faced Severino to this point in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dodger Blue - Matthew Moreno
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees first baseman
Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Guardians. The veteran didn't play in the ALDS after suffering fractured fingers at the end of the regular season but has shown no ill effects in his two games in the ALCS since returning. The veteran went 1-for-3 with a walk in Game 1 on Monday as well. If he's in the lineup Thursday for Game 3 in Cleveland, the 3x All-Star will likely see LHP
Matthew Boyd who he's 1-for-3 off of lifetime.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians third baseman
Jose Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a solo home run in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Yankees. The homer was his first hit of the ALCS, going 1-for-8 so far and just 4-for-24 (.167) this postseason. The 6x All-Star had a phenomenal regular season, finishing one home run shy of a 40/40 campaign, and if the Guardians are hoping to get back into this series then Ramirez will need to pick up the pace at the plate, starting Thursday in Game 3 back home. The switch-hitter will face
Clarke Schmidt to start the game, who Ramirez is 4-for-9 off of in his career, including a double and just one strikeout.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians outfielder
Steven Kwan went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALCS. Kwan has now hit safely in each of the seven postseason games that the Guardians have played, slashing .448/.500/.483 over that time. Unfortunately, so far in the ALCS, it has yet to translate into wins with Cleveland now facing a 2-0 deficit as they head back home for Game 3 on Thursday.
Clarke Schmidt is slated to start for the Yankees and Kwan is 4-for-8 off of the righty in his career, so look for the 27-year-old to get the home crowd into it early as they try to claw their way back in the series.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday, but the bullpen was able to stymie the Guardians the rest of the way in Game 2, leading to a 6-3 win to go up 2-0 in the series. Cole unraveled in the fifth inning when he allowed two walks, two singles, and a sacrifice fly before being lifted, having thrown 89 pitches in the outing. In all, the 34-year-old allowed two earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four batters. If the Guardians are able to extend the series to six games, Cole would get another shot at them to bounce back. Otherwise, his next turn would come in the World Series.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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