3 weeks agoKansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro announced on Tuesday that veteran right-hander
Michael Wacha will start Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium against the New York Yankees. Wacha will be hoping to bounce back against the Yankees at home this time after allowing three earned runs on four hits while walking three and striking out three in four innings in Game 1 on Saturday in the Bronx in a no-decision. The 33-year-old veteran was better at home in 2024 with the Royals, sporting a 2.89 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 19 walks in 14 innings at Kauffman Stadium, as opposed to a 3.78 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 15 starts on the road. Wacha has struggled in the playoffs in his career, though, posting a 5.36 ERA with nine home runs allowed in nine appearances (seven starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
3 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers removed right-hander
Michael Grove (shoulder) from the National League Division Series roster on Tuesday due a shoulder injury and replaced him on the roster with right-hander
Ben Casparius. If the Dodgers advance past the division-rival San Diego Padres and to the NL Championship Series, Grove would be ineligible to pitch. Grove went 4-4 during the regular season with a 5.12 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, 54 strikeouts and 16 walks in 51 innings over 39 appearances (only two starts) in his third year in the big leagues. He came in with the Dodgers trailing on Sunday in Game 2 against SD and allowed a home run and struck out a batter in just one-third of an inning. Casparius made his big-league debut in 2024 and appeared in three games out of the bullpen, allowing three runs (two earned) while walking four and striking out 12 in 8 1/3 innings pitched.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman (ankle) is at first base and is batting third in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on Tuesday against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Freeman sprained his ankle in the final week of the regular season and was held out of the final series before the postseason. The 35-year-old had two hits and even stole a base in the Game 1 win over the Padres in the NLDS on Saturday but was pulled after two at-bats on Sunday due to ankle discomfort. Freeman surely is not 100 percent and probably won't be for the rest of the year, but he had a day off to rest up on Monday and is feeling good enough to start as the series shifts to San Diego. In 10 career at-bats against King, Freeman has only two singles, a walk and two strikeouts. He probably won't be a super popular DFS pick because of the injury, but he can still do plenty of damage.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoSan Diego Padres shortstop
Xander Bogaerts (hamstring) is starting at shortstop and hitting sixth for the Friars for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday at Petco Park against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Walker Buehler.
Donovan Solano will start on the bench, with
David Peralta serving as the designated hitter and batting seventh. Bogaerts had to leave the Game 2 win on Sunday after hitting a home run due to a hamstring cramp, but after a day off on Monday, the 32-year-old is ready to go again. He's gone 3-for-8 with the homer and three RBI in the first two games of the NLDS but has just one hit in seven career at-bats with a strikeout against Buehler. Meanwhile, Peralta, who also homered in Game 2, has hit .226 (7-for-31) with two doubles, three RBI, four walks and six strikeouts against Buehler in his career.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Diego Padres
3 weeks agoPhiladelphia Phillies second baseman
Bryson Stott and outfielder
Brandon Marsh are both out of the Game 3 lineup on Tuesday in the National League Division Series at Citi Field with a left-hander on the mound for the New York Mets.
Edmundo Sosa will make the start at the keystone and bat eighth, while
Austin Hays makes the start in left field and will hit seventh against Mets left-hander
Sean Manaea. Stott had a big role in the Game 2 win on Sunday, hitting a two-run triple, but he'll take a seat with a lefty starting. Sosa has gone 4-for-8 in his career against Manaea with a homer, triple, double, three RBI and two strikeouts, so he'll be an intriguing DFS sleeper for Tuesday's games. Hays has only faced Manaea three times, but he does have two hits (one homer) and an RBI against him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Alex Coffey
3 weeks agoThe Colorado Rockies announced on Tuesday that they agreed to a one-year contract extension with manager Bud Black for the 2025 season. Black is the winningest manager in team history with a record of 537-657 over eight seasons, and he led the club to the postseason in 2017 and 2018. Despite coming off back-to-back 100-loss seasons, Black will stick around going into next year. Bullpen coach Reid Cornelius and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere will not be returning. The 67-year-old Black led the Rockies to a 61-101 record in 2024 after the team went 59-103 in 2023. Before joining the Rockies as the skipper, Black managed the San Diego Padres from 2007 to 2015 and has an overall record of 1,186-1,370 (.464) in his managerial career. He was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2010.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Denver Post - Kyle Newman
3 weeks agoCincinnati Reds right-handed pitching prospect
Julian Aguiar (elbow) had Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season. Aguiar, the team's No. 11 prospect per MLB Pipeline, also ended the 2024 season with a right-shoulder injury. The 23-year-old former 12th-round pick in 2021 out of Cypress College will now focus on rehab all of next year while hoping to be good to go for spring training in 2026. Aguiar made his major-league debut with the Reds in 2024 and made seven starts, struggling to the tune of a 6.25 ERA (6.86 FIP) and a 1.33 WHIP while striking out 19 and walking 12 in 31 2/3 innings pitched. He relies on a fastball-slider mix and occasionally mixes in a curveball and changeup. Aguiar didn't become a full-time pitcher until his junior year in college and was named the Reds' Minor-League Pitcher of the Year in 2023. He has the chance to be a back-end starter for the Reds in 2026.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Sheldon
3
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
manager
Aaron
Boone
said
that
he's
still
"deliberating
on"
who
will
play
first
base
for
Game
3
of
the
American
League
Division
Series
on
Wednesday
at
Kauffman
Stadium
against
the
Kansas
City
Royals.
Infielder
Jon
Berti
got
the
starting
read more...
3 weeks agoThe New York Mets are looking at getting infielder/outfielder
Jeff McNeil (wrist) some live at-bats in Arizona Fall League games, according to manager
Carlos Mendoza. It would give McNeil real game action before potentially rejoining the Mets' playoff roster if they advance past the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series to play in the Championship Series. The 32-year-old former batting champion has been out since fracturing his right wrist early in September. Facing live pitching is the last box he needs to check before being cleared. If the Mets advance and McNeil is added to the NLCS roster, he'd most likely be a utility bat/fielder off the bench given all the time he's missed of late. McNeil has really regressed in 2024, hitting just .238 with 12 homers and 44 RBI in 129 games played after winning the NL batting title just two years ago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
3
weeks
agoNew
York
Mets
outfielder
Jesse
Winker
is
serving
as
the
team's
designated
hitter
and
is
batting
sixth
on
Tuesday
for
Game
3
of
the
National
League
Division
Series
at
Citi
Field
against
the
division-rival
Philadelphia
Phillies
and
right-hander
read more...
3
weeks
agoAfter
sitting
out
of
the
Game
2
win
over
the
division-rival
New
York
Mets
in
the
National
League
Division
Series
on
Sunday,
Philadelphia
Phillies
third
baseman
Alec
Bohm
is
back
at
the
hot
corner
for
Game
3
on
Tuesday
at
Citi
Field
read more...
3 weeks agoKansas City Royals starting pitcher
Seth Lugo will take the mound for his team's American League Division Series Game 3 matchup at home against the Yankees. The 34-year-old made a solid start against the Orioles in the wild-card series, allowing one run over 4 1/3 innings pitched with one walk and six strikeouts. Lugo was a surprise asset for the Royals and fantasy managers in the regular season, going 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a 21.7% strikeout rate in 33 starts and 206 2/3 IP. He pitched deep into both of his regular-season starts against the Yankees, allowing four runs in seven IP with four strikeouts in his first matchup and no runs in seven IP with 10 strikeouts in his second. His regular-season success and his above-average ground-ball rate could make him a useful DFS play despite the tough opponent.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
3 weeks agoThe Philadelphia Phillies will turn to right-handed pitcher
Aaron Nola for their National League Division Series Game 3 clash with the Mets on Tuesday. He will be opposed by
Sean Manaea. This will be the 31-year-old's first appearance of the 2024 postseason. However, he owns a career 5-3 record with a 3.70 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a 24.9% strikeout rate in nine post-season starts. Nola had a nice regular season, compiling a 3.57 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and a 24.0% strikeout rate in 33 starts and 199 1/3 IP. He had mixed success against the Mets in his two regular-season starts against them, tossing a complete-game shutout with eight strikeouts in his first game and allowing six runs in 4 1/3 IP in his second matchup. This makes him a dubious fantasy start against a Mets offense that has scored the most runs of any team so far in the playoffs.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoKansas City Royals third baseman
Maikel Garcia acted as an offensive catalyst in Monday's American League Division Series Game 2 4-2 win over the Yankees. Batting in the leadoff spot, Garcia went 4-for-5 with four singles, an RBI, and a strikeout. He also stole his third base of the playoffs. The 24-year-old mostly provided speed in the regular season, slashing .231/.281/.332 with seven home runs, 84 runs scored, 58 RBI, and 37 stolen bases in 626 plate appearances. However, he has provided speed and batting average this postseason, batting .400 in 15 at-bats. The Royals have scored the third-most runs so far in the playoffs, so Garcia offers exposure to that production while hitting at the top of their lineup for DFS leagues.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoCleveland Guardians closer
Emmanuel Clase had an uncharacteristically poor outing in Monday's American League Division Series Game 2 3-0 loss to the Tigers. Clase came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning with the game tied 0-0, two outs, and runners on first and second. He got the third out on an incredible diving catch from
Steven Kwan and stayed in to pitch the ninth inning. He got the first two outs on a strikeout and a pop-out but then allowed back-to-back singles, a go-ahead three-run home run, and another single before exiting the game, ultimately being saddled with the loss. Clase's performance was a complete contrast to his regular season results, as he went 4-2 with 47 saves, a 0.61 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP, and a 24.4% strikeout rate in 74 1/3 innings of work. The Guardians will need him to bounce back in order to get back into the series, as he is one of the best high-leverage relievers in baseball.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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