4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said first baseman
Freddie Freeman (ankle) is "progressing" and is expected to face live pitching during the team's workouts this week "at some point." Freeman injured his right ankle late last week and was forced to sit out of the final three games of the regular season against the Colorado Rockies. With extra time off this week with the Dodgers having a first-round bye in the postseason, the 35-year-old veteran is expected to be ready to go for the start of the National League Division Series this Saturday at Dodger Stadium against the division-rival San Diego Padres. The fact that Max Muncy hasn't been working at first base this week suggests the Dodgers are confident that Freeman will be ready. Freeman hit a strong .282 (153-for-542) with 22 homers, 89 RBI and nine steals in 147 games played in his 15th year in the big leagues in 2024 and hopefully won't be impacted by his recent ankle injury in the postseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said the plan is to start right-hander
Jack Flaherty in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday at Dodger Stadium against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is lined up for Game 2 on Sunday. Flaherty had a bounce-back campaign in 2024 with the Dodgers and Detroit Tigers, finishing with a 13-7 record, 3.17 ERA (3.48 FIP), a 1.07 WHIP and a 194:38 K:BB in 162 innings over 28 starts. He went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 61 K's in 55 1/3 frames over 10 starts for the Dodgers after they acquired him in a trade from Detroit in late July. His 29.9% strikeout rate ranked seventh among all pitchers in 2024. Flaherty faced the Padres just once in his final start on Sept. 25, when he allowed three earned runs in five innings while walking three and fanning five for a no-decision.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Eric Stephen
4 weeks agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Max Fried was hit in the hip with a comebacker in the second inning of Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Padres, with manager Brian Snitker stating during the broadcast that the impacted area was bothering Fried and that was why he ultimately decided to take him out. Fried was masterful his last time out against the Royals at the end of the regular season but did not fare as well Wednesday, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, then being held responsible for five earned runs in the second inning. The southpaw allowed eight hits and no walks while striking out two in two innings of work. With the Braves eliminated, the 30-year-old will be good to go next season, although at this point it's not certain whether or not it will be with Atlanta.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Justin Toscano
4
weeks
agoNew
York
Mets
veteran
left-hander
Jose
Quintana
will
start
Game
3
of
the
Wild-Card
series
versus
the
Milwaukee
Brewers
at
American
Family
Field
on
Thursday.
In
a
win-or-go-home
game,
just
about
everyone
will
be
available
to
pitch
for
the
Mets.
Quintana
certainly
read more...
4 weeks agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Joe Musgrove (elbow) was humming along in Wednesday's wild-card matchup before showing signs of an injury in the fourth inning. Musgrove left with what the Padres are describing as elbow tightness after tossing three-and-two-thirds innings of one-run ball, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out four. It is unclear at this point if the injury will affect the veteran's availability for the remainder of the postseason, but the righty has had a history of elbow issues so the Padres will hope it's nothing serious this time around. Keep an eye out for an update regarding the severity before the NLDS begins on Saturday.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: San Diego Padres
4 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Colton Cowser (hand) was hit by a pitch in the left hand during Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Royals, eliminating the Orioles from the playoffs. It was a double whammy for the 24-year-old, as it resulted in a fractured hand and also went down as a strike instead of a hit-by-pitch because he was in the act of swinging, which wound up as a strikeout. With the O's out of the playoffs, the left-handed hitter will be fully recovered by spring training. He finished the regular season with a strong rookie year, putting together a .242-24-69-77-9 line in 561 PA.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko - MASN
4 weeks agoKansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles in Wednesday's 2-1 series-clinching win over the Orioles. The second of the singles was a grounder up the middle in the sixth inning that he was able to beat out, which scored the go-ahead run and would prove to be the eventual game-winning RBI. The 24-year-old finishes the two-game series 3-for-9 with a pair of RBI and will look to continue his MVP-caliber season in the next round against the Yankees.
Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 for New York, whom Witt Jr. has gone 2-for-6 off of in his career.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoDetroit Tigers utility player
Andy Ibanez came on as a pinch-hitter during the eighth inning of Wednesday's Wild Card matchup with the Astros and broke open a tie ballgame with a three-run bases-clearing double, putting the Tigers ahead 5-2. That would go on to be the final score, securing the Tigers' series win and a date with the Guardians in the ALDS. The 31-year-old hasn't received many at-bats lately, slashing just .174/.248/.239 in 101 plate appearances since the All-Star break, but the Tigers will surely hope for similar results should he get additional opportunities in the next round.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes reaffirmed Wednesday that two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is not anticipated to pitch during this year's postseason. Manager Dave Roberts had indicated a couple of weeks back that there was a possibility of Ohtani taking the mound if he was ready and the situation was right, but that it was not likely. The two-time MVP has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery while serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter, having not pitched in a game since last September. The 30-year-old has even thrown off a mound recently as part of his rehab, but it sounds like he'll have to help with only his bat and his speed after logging a 50/50 campaign during the regular season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya
4 weeks agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting sixth for the Mets for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday at American Family Field against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Frankie Montas. The left-handed-hitting
Jesse Winker made the start in the Game 1 win on Tuesday at DH for New York. Even though Martinez didn't start in Game 1, he entered as a pinch-hitter later in the game and drove in two with a single in the 8-4 win. The Mets will be hoping that Martinez can turn the page in the playoffs after wrapping up his 14th big league season in October in a rut. The 37-year-old veteran right-handed slugger finished off September with a .109 average (6-for-55) with two doubles, four RBI, seven walks and 15 strikeouts in 16 games played over 63 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
4 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Tobias Myers will start Game 3 of the wild-card series at American Family Field on Thursday against the New York Mets if the Brewers are able to win in Game 2 on Wednesday to force a deciding third game. Myers would only be available to start on Thursday if he's not used in relief in Wednesday's game. The 26-year-old stepped up big time for Milwaukee's banged-up rotation in his first big-league season in 2024, going 9-6 with a sharp 3.00 ERA (3.91 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP, 127 strikeouts and 36 walks in 138 innings over 27 appearances (25 starts). He was strong in the final month of September outside of a four-run outing on Sept. 14 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Myers' final start of the regular season last weekend, he held the Mets scoreless through four frames to picking up the win while walking none and striking out five.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Brewer Fanatic - Jack Stern
4 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins didn't exactly to commit to a firm role for Cuban right-hander
Yariel Rodriguez heading into the offseason. Atkins called Rodriguez a "solid option" for the Blue Jays in the starting rotation and is happy with where his workload is at as a starter. However, Atkins also said, "If we were to acquire one, I think he would be an exceptional reliever." It sounds as though the Blue Jays will continue to be flexible with the 27-year-old's role heading into next year. Toronto was careful with Rodriguez's workload in 2024 in his first year in the big leagues after not pitching in affiliated ball at all in 2023. All 21 of Rodriguez's appearances in his rookie year for the Blue Jays came in a starting role, and he finished with a 4.47 ERA (4.34 FIP), a 1.31 WHIP and an 85:40 K:BB in 86 2/3 total innings. Rodriguez will be much more attractive in fantasy leagues in 2025 if he's starting again.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
4 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays coach Don Mattingly will move into a "more traditional role" as the bench coach for the team in 2025 and will no longer be the offensive coordinator. General manager Ross Atkins said that Mattingly will impact the team in a "different" and "bigger" way. Mattingly joined Toronto before the 2023 season before moving into his role as offensive co-coordinator in 2024. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins for 12 seasons and also won National League Manager of the year after leading the Marlins to the playoffs in 2020. The Blue Jays announced earlier in the week that they parted ways with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez and that field co-coordinator Gil Kim and assistant pitching coach Jeff Ware won't return next season. The Blue Jays ranked 23rd in runs scored, 26th in homers, 19th in average and 18th in OPS in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
4
weeks
agoCleveland
Guardians
right-hander
Tanner
Bibee
will
make
the
start
in
Game
1
of
the
American
League
Division
Series
on
Saturday
against
either
the
Houston
Astros
or
the
division-rival
Detroit
Tigers.
"He's
been
the
guy
that
we've
turned
to
more
often
than
not
read more...
4 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan O'Hearn is back in the starting lineup as the designated hitter for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Seth Lugo at Camden Yards. O'Hearn did not make the start in Game 1 on Tuesday with a lefty on the mound, but he did appear as a pinch-hitter late in the game. The 31-year-old lefty swinger will now hope to do some damage in the six-hole in a must-win game for Baltimore. He could be a sneaky DFS play for Wednesday's action against a right-hander. O'Hearn hit .264 (106-for-401) against righties in 2024, including all 15 of his home runs. He finished September strong, too, going 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs, a double and five RBI in the last six games of the regular season. With
Adley Rutschman moving back to catcher,
James McCann will open Wednesday's contest on the bench.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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