3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start Game 5 of their NLDS series against the San Diego Padres on Friday. Yamamoto was knocked around by the Padres in Game 1 last Saturday, but will have a chance at redemption now. He will face tough opposition with
Yu Darvish starting on the other side and will surely be on a short leash after surrendering five runs in three innings his last time out. That said, the 26-year-old is certainly capable of shutting down any lineup, including the formidable Padres.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
3 weeks agoDetroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal will take the ball for Game 5 of their ALDS series against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. Skubal tossed a seven-inning gem on Monday in Game 2 and will be pitching on full rest Saturday. The Tigers will likely get as much as they can out of the triple-crown winner, who has only thrown 92 and 88 pitches in his two postseason starts. He will surely go over the century mark in this one if he is pitching well. The Guardians are yet to name their starter, but whoever they pick will have to be on their A-game to match Skubal.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoCincinnati Reds infielder
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (hand),
Matt McLain (shoulder) and
Edwin Arroyo (shoulder) will play in the Arizona Fall League, which began play on Monday. Both McLain and Arroyo missed all of 2024 after suffering shoulder injuries. McLain also dealt with a stress reaction in his rib cage. He is slated to play shortstop, second base and center field in the AFL, and he could also play in the outfield. If fully healthy in 2025, McLain is expected to mostly see time at second in Cincinnati. Encarnacion-Strand was limited to 29 games before suffering a season-ending hand injury in June that required surgery. He will be available to play first and third base in the AFL and could also see action in the outfield. The 24-year-old will need to prove himself in spring training in order to find consistent playing time to open the 2025 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans
3 weeks agoCincinnati Reds second baseman
Jonathan India (ankle) had surgery to "clean up" his ankle, according to president of baseball operations Nick Krall. India will have a normal offseason and is expected to be ready for spring training. The 27-year-old ended up playing second base all year in 2024 with
Matt McLain dealing with multiple injuries. Second base is still the only defensive position India has played in the majors after starting 132 games there. However, first base and the outfield could be in play for India in 2025, as well as third base, with McLain returning to play the keystone. Playing time could be an issue for India if McLain can stay healthy next season. In a career-high 151 games in 2024, India slashed .248/.357/.392 with 15 home runs, 58 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 84 runs scored as an everyday player over 637 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans
3 weeks agoCincinnati Reds right-hander
Nick Martinez, who is scheduled to make $12 million next year if he doesn't opt out of his contract, is expected to opt out and hit the free-agent market. Right-hander
Emilio Pagan is also expected to opt out and become a free agent. Martinez appeared in 42 games (16 starts) in his first season with the Reds and finished the season in the starting rotation and was the National League Pitcher of the Month for September after going 4-1 with an 0.83 ERA in five starts in September. When/if Martinez opts out, the Reds will have the option of making him a qualifying offer of one year and roughly $21 million for 2025. If the Reds offer it and Martinez rejects, the Reds will receive an extra draft pick as compensation. The 34-year-old was solid in 142 1/3 innings for the Reds, posting a 3.10 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a 116:18 K:BB in his hybrid starter/receiver role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans
3 weeks agoThe Athletic's Matt Gelb thinks it's unlikely that the Philadelphia Phillies look to move third baseman
Alec Bohm this offseason, especially since he still has two years left of club control. Bohm had a career-high 117 OPS+ in 2024, but he struggled down the stretch and after suffering a hand injury. The Phillies also like
Aidan Miller, a 20-year-old prospect who reached Double-A at the end of the year. If Miller continues to progress, the Phillies could be content to let Bohm walk after the 2026 campaign. Manager Rob Thomson benched Bohm in Game 2 of the National League Division Series because of disappointment about his attitude. "I mean, I definitely wasn't my best self," Bohm said. "And it doesn't feel good. But it is what it is. It's a hard game. You're not always going to be getting hits and doing all those things. There's other ways to help the team win, and it just didn't happen."
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
3
weeks
agoThe
Athletic's
Matt
Gelb
writes
that
the
Philadelphia
Phillies
will
be
connected
to
New
York
Yankees
impending
free-agent
superstar
outfielder
Juan
Soto
all
winter.
The
Phillies'
outfield
was
one
of
their
biggest
weaknesses
in
2024.
However,
one
of
the
New
York
teams
will
be
read more...
3
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
left-hander
Nestor
Cortes
(elbow)
has
continued
a
throwing
program
as
he
hopes
to
rejoin
the
club
if
they
advance
to
the
American
League
Championship
Series,
and
manager
Aaron
Boone
said
that
Cortes
upped
the
intensity
of
his
throwing
session
read more...
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he doesn't expect shortstop
Miguel Rojas (groin) to be in the starting lineup for Game 5 of the National League Division Series on Friday against the division-rival San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Rojas aggravated a groin injury rounding third base in the Game 3 loss in San Diego and had to be removed from the game. If the Dodgers advance to the NL Championship Series, it's unknown if the 35-year-old veteran would even be on the roster. Since he got hurt,
Tommy Edman has moved from center field to the 6, and he should be there again to start Friday's win-or-take-all contest. Rojas has never been known as much of an offensive threat and went 2-for-8 in three Division Series games against the Padres. The move to Edman at the premium position with Rojas injured is definitely a downgrade defensively for the Blue.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Juan Toribio
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that first baseman
Freddie Freeman (ankle) is expected to return to the starting lineup for the deciding Game 5 of the National League Division Series on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Freeman has been battling an ankle injury since the last week of the regular season and had to be scratched from the lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday. The 35-year-old almost certainly won't be anywhere near 100% for the remainder of the postseason, but he's going to tough it out for a winner-take-all game on Friday. The eight-time All-Star and former NL MVP has gone 3-for-11 with three singles, a steal and two strikeouts in the three NLDS games he's played in. Freeman's return will be a big boost to LA's already potent offense and will allow Max Muncy to head back to the hot corner.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Juan Toribio
3 weeks agoDetroit Tigers outfielder
Kerry Carpenter (hamstring) departed Game 4 of the American League Division Series early at Comerica Park on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians due to a left-hamstring issue. Carpenter injured himself running the bases in the sixth inning and was replaced by pinch-hitter
Jace Jung in his next at-bat. Before leaving, Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a single, a run scored and two strikeouts in the 5-4 loss. It's unclear how serious the 27-year-old's injury is, but the good news is the team will have a day off on Friday before the deciding Game 5 of the ALDS back in Cleveland at Progressive Field on Saturday. The Tigers can ill-afford to lose one of their better hitters for any amount of time, especially if they advance to the Championship Series. Coming into Thursday's game, Carpenter had gone 3-for-13 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored in five postseason games.
UPDATE: Manager A.J. Hinch said Carpenter will have tests done on his left hamstring.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit News - Chris McCosky
3 weeks agoSeattle Mariners second baseman
Jorge Polanco (knee) had surgery to fix the patellar tendon in his left knee and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in February, according to sources. Polanco has dealt with knee pain in recent seasons and really struggled at the plate in 2024 with the M's while playing through it. The 31-year-old veteran switch-hitter was mainly bothered hitting left-handed, batting .198/.301/.345. Overall, he hit only .213/.296/.355 with 16 long balls and 45 RBI in his first year in Seattle. The surgery should help Polanco get some of his prodigious power back, as well as his lateral movement. Coming off the bad season, it's unknown where Polanco will be playing in 2025, really hurting his all-around fantasy stock. The Mariners have a $12 million club option with a $750,000 buyout and must decide whether to pick it up in early November. After posting a career-low .651 OPS, we'd expect Seattle to decline his option and make him a free agent.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3
weeks
agoThe
Milwaukee
Brewers
expect
right-handed
reliever
Abner
Uribe
(knee)
to
have
a
normal
offseason
after
having
knee
surgery
over
the
summer.
Uribe
should
be
"ready
to
go"
for
the
start
of
spring
training
in
the
middle
of
February,
according
to
general
manager
read more...
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the team will revisit moving outfielder
Sal Frelick to third base next season. It doesn't guarantee that Frelick will play a lot at the hot corner, but the Brewers were encouraged by what started last spring and like the idea of his versatility as both an outfielder and an infielder. The 24-year-old worked at third in spring training earlier this year but ended up playing only four innings at the position all year.
Garrett Mitchell's fractured hand right before the start of the regular season basically ensured that the Brewers would be using Frelick exclusively in the outfield. Next year could be a different story, though, with the speedy outfielder potentially gaining more fantasy value by adding third-base eligibility. In his first full season in the majors in 2024, Frelick hit .259/.320/.335 with a below-average .655 OPS, two homers, 32 RBI and 18 steals in 145 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
3
weeks
agoMilwaukee
Brewers
general
manager
Matt
Arnold
hinted
that
the
team
would
be
open
to
trading
closer
Devin
Williams
as
he
enters
the
final
year
of
club
control
in
2025.
"We
have
to
stay
open-minded.
We're
the
smallest
market
in
the
league,
so
read more...
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