4 weeks agoNew York Yankees catcher
Austin Wells will start at catcher and bat in the cleanup spot in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday evening. Wells opened the campaign, typically batting in the back half of the lineup, but began to move up to the four-spot deeper into the campaign. In the first half of the summer, Wells held a mere .216/.309/.377 line but posted a much-improved .241/.33/.412 line after the All-Star Break. However, since the start of September, the 25-year-old has been in a bit of a slump, holding a .111 AVG. DFS players should consider leaving Wells out of their lineup as he will face Kansas City right-hander
Michael Wacha, who has posted a 2.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP through September.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher
Michael Grove was named to the NLDS roster, while right-handed pitcher
Joe Kelly (shoulder) was left off as he suffered a shoulder injury during a simulated game earlier this week. Grove has typically been deployed out of the bullpen this summer and has logged just two starts. Across 51 frames, Grove held a 5.12 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, with a 16:54 BB:K ratio. Grove could be deployed in long relief or even in a spot start during the series. Joe Kelly operated exclusively out of the bullpen this season and posted a 4.78 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. Kelly was typically given set-up duties during the 2024 campaign but battled a shoulder injury late into the season. As a result, DFS players should expect
Evan Phillips,
Michael Kopech, and
Alex Vesia to be called upon in high-leverage situations during their tilt against the San Diego Padres.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
4 weeks agoNew York Yankees outfielder/third baseman
Oswaldo Cabrera will start at first base and bat in the eight-hole in Game 1 of the ALDS. Cabrera replaced
Anthony Rizzo (finger) after he suffered a fracture during the final week of the regular season and will continue in that current role. Cabrera logged most of his starts at the hot corner this season, but
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has claimed that spot since coming over from Miami at the trade deadline. Through September, Cabrera held a solid .280 AVG with two extra-base hits and an overall .247 AVG across 109 games this summer. DFS players should leave the 25-year-old out of their lineup this afternoon as he will face Kansas City right-hander
Michael Wacha, who held a strong 2.60 ERA across his final five starts of the season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Martin Perez is on the NLDS roster after being left off the Wild Card roster last week. Perez is rejoining the roster because
Joe Musgrove (elbow) is set to undergo Tommy John surgery. As a result, the Padres will enter the NLDS with four potential starters, including
Dylan Cease,
Yu Darvish,
Michael King, and Perez. Since joining San Diego at the trade deadline, the southpaw has held a modest 3.46 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, with a 17:44 BB:K ratio across 52 frames. However, he struggled with Pittsburgh in the first half, holding a hefty 5.20 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Perez could start Game 4, but it is best to leave him off your DFS lineup as he sits with an underwhelming 18.1% K rate and a poor 41.5% hard-hit rate.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: San Diego Padres
4 weeks agoNew York Mets second baseman
Jeff McNeil (wrist) is set to join the Mets in Philadelphia and begin to ramp up activities in hopes of returning to the diamond in the NLCS or World Series, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. McNeil was placed on the injured list with a fractured wrist earlier in September and was ruled out of the season. However, the 32-year-old has begun to make progress and could return to the starting lineup if the Mets continue their playoff run. McNeil had a disappointing season, posting a mere .238/.308/.384 line, which is a stark drop compared to the .270 AVG and .326 AVG he held over the previous two campaigns. If McNeil can return, he could see occasional starts in the outfield and at the keystone but will likely serve as a bench bat.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Clayton Kershaw (toe) is not on the NLDS roster, according to David Vassegh of SportsNet LA. Kershaw hit the injured list at the end of August with a bone spur in his toe. The southpaw began to make progress in September but faced a minor setback last week and will need at least another week to recover before taking the mound. As a result, the Dodgers will enter the NLDS with
Yoshinobu Yamamoto,
Jack Flaherty,
Walker Buehler, and
Landon Knack as their starters. Kershaw had a delayed start to the 2024 campaign due to offseason surgery and was only able to log 30 innings to the tune of a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: David Vassegh
4
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
starting
pitcher
Marcus
Stroman
was
left
off
the
ALDS
roster,
according
to
Bryan
Hoch
of
MLB.com.
Instead,
the
Yankees
opted
to
add
pinch-runner
Duke
Ellis
to
their
roster
in
favor
of
the
starting
pitcher.
As
read more...
4 weeks agoCleveland Guardians rookie outfielder
Jhonkensy Noel is making the start in right field and is batting seventh for the Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday against the division-rival Detroit Tigers and left-handed opener
Tyler Holton at Progressive Field. In his first year in the big leagues in 2024, Noel played in a total of 67 games and slashed .218/.288/.486 with a .774 OPS, 13 home runs, 28 RBI, 25 runs scored and 63 strikeouts in his 198 plate appearances. With Cleveland also facing a left-hander (
Tarik Skubal) in Game 2 on Monday, it's possible Noel will make two straight starts to begin the series. Noel hit .246 (14-for-57) with seven of his 13 long balls against left-handers this year, compared to .205 (25-for-122) against righties. Noel packs a punch from the right side of the plate, but he should be considered more of a DFS sleeper long shot on Saturday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
4
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
right-handed
reliever
Jake
Cousins
(pectoral)
has
been
included
on
the
team's
postseason
roster
for
the
American
League
Division
Series
against
the
Kansas
City
Royals.
Cousins
hasn't
pitched
for
the
Yankees
since
Sept.
19
due
to
a
strained
right
pectoral
read more...
4 weeks agoThe New York Mets moved right-hander
Paul Blackburn (back) to the 60-day injured list on Saturday in order to activate right-hander
Kodai Senga (calf, triceps) from the 10-day IL in order to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets put Blackburn on the 10-day IL in late August due to a hand injury before he injured his back and was diagnosed with a spinal fluid leak. The 30-year-old veteran is now done for the rest of the year and won't be able to join the Mets in the postseason, even if they were to make an improbable run to the World Series. Blackburn began the year with the Oakland Athletics and made nine starts for them before being dealt to New York at the deadline. In his five starts with the Mets, Blackburn has inconsistent, posting a 5.18 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 21 K's and seven walks in his 24 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoThe Detroit Tigers left right-hander
Casey Mize off the roster for the American League Division Series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and included rookie right-hander
Keider Montero instead. Mize missed more time with injury in 2024 and finished the regular season in the bullpen after making 20 of his 22 appearances on the year in a starting role. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2018 out of Auburn wasn't good in his two relief outings and went 2-6 overall with a 4.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and just 78 strikeouts in 102 1/3 total innings. Montero wasn't all that much better in his first MLB season, going 6-6 with a 4.76 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 77:31 K:BB in 19 outings (16 starts) over 98 1/3 innings. He wasn't included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series but did throw 6 1/3 shutout innings against Cleveland back on July 8. Montero will most likely be used in a long-relief role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
4 weeks agoThe Cleveland Guardians chose to include veteran right-hander
Alex Cobb (finger) on the roster for the American League Division Series against the division-rival Detroit Tigers, with right-hander
Ben Lively being the odd man out. Injuries were the story for Cobb in 2024, as he opened the year on the injured list with the San Francisco Giants and then finished the season with the Guardians on the IL due to a blister issue on his right finger. The 36-year-old is apparently doing better now, but he'll most likely be used in a long-relief role out of the bullpen in the postseason. He only made three starts for Cleveland this year, posting a 2.76 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, 10 K's and three walks in 16 1/3 innings. In two career postseason games back in 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Cobb gave up only two earned runs with 10 K's and three walks over 11 2/3 innings in his two starts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Cleveland Guardians
4
weeks
agoCleveland
Guardians
left-hander
Matthew
Boyd
is
expected
to
start
in
Game
2
of
the
American
League
Division
Series
on
Monday
against
his
old
team,
the
Detroit
Tigers,
at
Progressive
Field.
It
will
be
a
tough
assignment
while
being
opposed
by
Tigers
lefty
read more...
4 weeks agoNew York Mets right-hander
Luis Severino will make the start in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday. Right-hander
Kodai Senga is going to start Game 1 on Saturday despite making just one start in 2024. Severino got the win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the Wild-Card series on Tuesday, tossing a quality start (three earned runs allowed in six innings while walking two and striking out three). He faced the Phillies twice in 2024 -- once at home and once on the road in back-to-back outings on Sept. 14 and 19 -- tossing quality starts both times with six earned runs allowed on eight hits (three homers) while walking three and striking out 12 in 12 innings. Severino was much better at home (2.96 ERA) than on the road (5.00 ERA), and he'll be a volatile DFS play against a strong Phillies lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Mike Puma
4 weeks agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Alex Verdugo will start in left field for the Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday at Yankee Stadium against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Michael Wacha, according to league sources. There was some question as to whether it would be Verdugo or young outfielder
Jasson Dominguez starting in left field to open the playoffs for the Bombers. Verdugo hit .233/.291/.356 with a below-average .647 OPS, 13 homers, 61 RBI and 74 runs in 559 at-bats in his first year in the Bronx. He hit .234 (15-for-64) with two homers, seven RBI, four walks and eight strikeouts in 19 games in September to close out the regular season. Verdugo has faced Wacha 11 times in his career, picking up three hits (one double) with a walk and a strikeout. He'll likely be slotted near the bottom of the Yankees' batting order on Saturday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SNY - Andy Martino
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