4 days agoSan Diego Padres outfielder
Fernando Tatis Jr. got things started in Tuesday's wild-card Game 1 4-0 win against the Braves. Tatis Jr. went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk. The 25-year-old wasted no time getting the offense going, launching a first-inning
AJ Smith-Shawver first-pitch fastball deep into the left-field seats to ignite the Padres faithful. Tatis Jr. had another overall successful regular season, slashing .276/.340/.492 with 21 HR, 61 runs scored, 49 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 438 plate appearances. He has only reached 600 plate appearances once in his career, but there is no doubt that Tatis Jr. is one of fantasy's best offensive options on a game-by-game basis.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 days agoSan Diego Padres starting pitcher
Michael King was locked in for Tuesday's wild-card Game 1 4-0 win over the Braves. King pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts. The 29-year-old's performance made him just the third pitcher ever to record at least 10 strikeouts with no walks in his first postseason start. King had a great first season with the Padres, going 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 27.7% strikeout rate. He should be a fantasy target in 2025, and his stock could jump even higher if he gets more post-season opportunities to impress.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: AJ Cassavell - MLB.com
4 days agoDetroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal dealt with several health scares but earned the win in Tuesday's Game 1 wild-card 3-1 game against the Astros. Skubal pitched six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk with six strikeouts. The 27-year-old lefty took a comebacker off the base of his glove hand in the second inning and worked through cramping in the sixth inning. Skubal became just the third pitcher in Tigers history to post a scoreless outing of six or more innings in his postseason debut. This followed a regular season where he led the American League in ERA, wins, and strikeouts. Skubal emerged as a fantasy ace this season and will look to continue into the playoffs.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: Jason Beck - MLB.com
4
days
agoBaltimore
Orioles
right-hander
Zach
Eflin
has
been
named
the
team's
starter
for
Game
2
in
a
must-win
contest
on
Wednesday
at
Camden
Yards
in
the
wild-card
series
versus
the
visiting
Kansas
City
Royals.
Baltimore's
backs
are
against
the
wall
in
the
three-game
read more...
4 days agoKansas City Royals left-hander
Cole Ragans (calf) was pulled from his start early on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Game 1 of the wild-card series with left-calf cramps. Ragans said his leg cramped up with two batters left in his final inning and could have gone back out. He will be ready to go in the ALDS against the New York Yankees if the Royals advance past the Orioles this week. Before departing, Ragans threw six shutout innings with four hits allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts to pick up the victory in the eventual 1-0 win. The 26-year-old southpaw was on his game on Tuesday and will now hope to pitch again versus the Yankees at some point next week. The former 30th overall pick of the Texas Rangers in 2016 was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and went 11-9 during 32 regular-season starts (186 1/3 innings) with a 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a career-high 223 strikeouts as KC's ace.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
5 days agoNew San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations
Buster Posey announced on Tuesday that the team fired general manager Pete Putila. Posey is already making moves after taking over for Farhan Zaidi after the 2024 regular season, which ended without a trip to the playoffs. "We're going to hire a GM," Posey said at his introductory press conference Tuesday at Oracle Park. "That's going to be one of the first tasks right out the gate. Pete's been made aware that he'll be moving off the GM role. We'll work through what some other responsibilities might look like for him." Putila was named the Giants' GM almost two years ago by Zaidi and kept a relatively low public profile. Posey, who has no prior front-office experience, is expected to lean heavily on those around him in his new role in San Francisco. Assistant GM Jeremy Shelley could be a candidate for a promotion.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
5 days agoArizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed on Tuesday that right-handed reliever
Kevin Ginkel (leg) fractured a bone in his left leg after taking a comebacker against the New York Mets on June 1. Ginkel was able to pitch through the injury but had to manage the pain. He was decent pitching through the injury, posting a 2.81 ERA with 16 runs (15 earned) allowed in 48 innings while striking out 57 and walking 10 over 49 appearances out of Arizona's bullpen. It's impressive that the 30-year-old never required a stint on the injured list. Ginkel will now have ample time to recover from his injury this offseason and should be ready to roll for the start of spring training in mid-February. Overall, Ginkel had an 8-3 record, 3.21 ERA (2.85 FIP), a 1.20 WHIP, a career-high five saves, a career-high 77 strikeouts and 15 walks in 70 innings pitched in 72 appearances out of the bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
5 days agoTexas Rangers outfielder
Adolis Garcia (knee) is undergoing an MRI exam on his left knee, and the Rangers are hopeful he can avoid offseason surgery. A year after leading the Rangers to their first-ever World Series, Adolis is out of the postseason altogether and is now managing a knee ailment heading into the offseason. If the 31-year-old veteran were to go under the knife, it's unknown if it would affect his availability for the start of spring training in February or the beginning of the 2025 regular season. Garcia suffered his knee injury in the final week of the regular season. The two-time All-Star wasn't quite as impressive in 2024 in his fifth year in Texas, slashing .224/.284/.400 with a below-average .684 OPS. After setting career-highs in home runs (39) and RBI (107) in 2023, Garcia produced 25 home runs, 85 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 154 games for the Rangers. He'll be hoping to bounce back in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
5 days agoNew York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said there is no update on who will start in left field to begin the American League Division Series this Saturday at Yankee Stadium against either the division-rival Baltimore Orioles or Kansas City Royals. The Yankees expect rookie outfielder
Jasson Dominguez to be a big part of their playoff run this year, but it remains to be seen if he'll get the starting nod in left field to open the series over
Alex Verdugo or
Trent Grisham. The 21-year-old Dominican made another late-season appearance with the Yankees this year after dealing with injuries in the minors for most of the season. The young switch-hitter they call the Martian played in only 18 games in the big leagues and went 10-for-56 (.179) with two home runs, four RBI, five steals and 19 strikeouts. Dominguez doesn't have much big-league experience and has never played in the postseason, but he has the most pure upside over Verdugo and Grisham.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
5
days
agoAtlanta
Braves
left-hander
Max
Fried
has
been
tabbed
to
take
the
ball
in
Game
2
of
the
wild-card
series
versus
the
San
Diego
Padres
on
Wednesday
at
Petco
Park.
The
Braves
decided
to
go
with
right-hander
AJread more...
5 days agoAtlanta Braves right-hander
AJ Smith-Shawver has been named the starter for Game 1 of the wild-card series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Tuesday night. The Braves didn't have ideal options to choose from to start against a strong Padres offense to kick off the three-game series, as Smith-Shawver got the nod over
Ian Anderson and
Bryce Elder. The 21-year-old made his big-league debut in 2023 but pitched in just six games (five starts). His lone MLB start in 2024 came back on May 23, when he threw 4 1/3 shutout innings in a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs. The former seventh-rounder didn't do great in the minors, posting a 4.85 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 108 K's and 40 walks in 89 innings over 21 starts with Triple-A Gwinnett and High-A Rome. Needless to say, Smith-Shawver won't be a recommended DFS play for the first day of playoff action.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
5 days agoNew York Mets infielder/outfielder
Jeff McNeil (wrist) will start ramping up his baseball activities soon and an improved X-ray. McNeil's availability for later in October if the Mets advance past the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round this week is questionable. The 32-year-old former National League batting champion is recovering from a fractured right wrist that has kept him out since Sept. 6. McNeil is not the hitter he once was, as evidenced by his .238/.308/.384 slash line with a below-average .692 OPS, 12 home runs, 44 RBI, five stolen bases and 57 runs scored in 424 at-bats. Veteran
Jose Iglesias will most likely see most of the starts at second base for the Mets as long as they remain in the postseason. The 34-year-old Cuban has very little power or speed but is hitting a very strong .337 (91-for-270) in 85 games for the Mets in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
5 days agoNew York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga (calf, triceps) threw a 25-pitch live batting practice session on Monday, but there's no word on his availability for future playoff rounds. Senga is making progress, but he wasn't included on the team's roster for the wild-card series against the San Diego Padres that begins on Tuesday at Petco Park. If the Mets pull the upset and advance past the Padres, the 31-year-old Japanese hurler could have a shot to join New York's bullpen in a relief role for the NLDS versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has made just one start for the Mets this year after recovering from a shoulder injury in the first half of the season. Senga suffered a calf strain in his lone start and later felt tightness in his triceps while making a rehab appearance in late September. His only chance to return in the playoffs will be as a reliever.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
5
days
agoNew
York
Mets
left-hander
Sean
Manaea
will
get
the
nod
for
Game
2
of
the
wild-card
series
versus
the
Milwaukee
Brewers
at
American
Family
Field
on
Wednesday.
Right-hander
Luis
Severino
will
kick
off
the
three-game
series
read more...
5
days
agoNew
York
Mets
outfielder
Jesse
Winker
(back)
was
included
on
the
team's
wild-card
roster
this
week
versus
the
Milwaukee
Brewers
at
American
Family
Field
and
he's
starting
in
Game
1
versus
right-hander
Freddy
Peralta
on
Tuesday.
read more...
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