2 weeks agoNew York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez collected three hits on Friday night, including an RBI single, in the Mets' 12-6 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Alvarez's best performance of the postseason and helped improve his subpar playoff stat line to a more tolerable .225/.262/.512 slash line. His presence at the bottom of the lineup helped give New York strength throughout their entire lineup that produced thoroughly on Friday. As a steady presence behind the plate for New York the entire postseason, Mets fans and DFS players should expect Alvarez to be behind the plate on Sunday once again. The Dodgers have yet to name a starter but the expectation is that they will roll out a bullpen game. DFS managers may want to take caution when adding Alvarez to their lineups and not buy too high on Friday night's performance.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Jack Flaherty laid an egg on Friday night as he only went three innings deep and gave up eight earned runs in the Dodgers' 12-6 loss to the New York Mets. Flaherty gave up eight hits, walked four and didn't strike out a single batter in his outing. It's a big step back for the 29-year-old who was dominant to start the series in Game 1. Flaherty now has two starts this postseason with four earned runs or more given up. As one of the Dodgers' few reliable starters that are healthy for the postseason, Los Angeles was hoping to get a better performance out of their trade deadline acquisition. Flaherty won't have another chance to improve on his numbers this series, rather he will have to wait until the World Series should the Dodgers advance. DFS managers will want to approach him with caution given his volatility this postseason.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers rookie outfielder
Andy Pages smashed two homers on Friday night en route to going 3-for-4 at the plate in the Dodgers' 12-6 loss to the New York Mets in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Pages collected four RBI and scored three runs in his big night, though it wasn't enough to overcome the Mets' offensive outburst. Pages has generally been used by the Dodgers in a platoon role against lefties and is now hitting for a 1.047 OPS in 14 at-bats this postseason. He'll likely be in Los Angeles' lineup on Sunday in Game 6 with lefty
Sean Manaea expected to be on the hill for New York. Pages went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in Manaea's start in Game 2. DFS managers can look at Pages as a cheap option for their lineup but shouldn't expect a ton given Manaea's effectiveness after the All-Star break.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Mets outfielder
Jesse Winker notched an RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning as part of a multi-hit effort in the Mets' 12-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Winker's RBI triple extended the Mets' lead to 9-2 at the time and essentially helped bury the Dodgers' hopes of posting any sort of comeback. Winker improved his OPS to 1.203 in the postseason, the highest mark in the Mets' lineup. The lefty also recorded three runs on the night, scoring every time he was able to reach base. Winker has been a very under-the-radar player for the Mets this postseason and DFS players may want to look to add him in their lineups for a sneaky play. He'll look to continue his hot postseason on Sunday in Los Angeles when the Mets will face the Dodgers in Game 6.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Mets first baseman
Pete Alonso smashed a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to get the Mets started off on the right foot in their 12-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Alonso went 2-3 at the plate with three RBI, a walk and four runs as part of his big night. Driven by Alonso's performance, New York will travel to Los Angeles and fight to extend their season in Game 6. The 29-year-old improved his postseason OPS to .990 after Friday night's monster performance, solidifying him as one of the more reliable threats in New York's lineup. He will look to continue his productive ways on Sunday in Los Angeles. DFS players will want to target him in their lineups regardless of who the Dodgers throw. As of now Los Angeles has yet to name a starter, but Alonso will be a threat regardless.
--Kevin Larson - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees first baseman
Anthony Rizzo and catcher
Austin Wells are both back in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at Progressive Field against Cleveland Guardians right-hander
Gavin Williams. Rizzo and Wells, both lefty hitters, took a seat in the Game 3 loss with a left-hander on the mound. Rizzo fractured two fingers at the end of the regular season and didn't play in the AL Division Series. He's gone 3-for-7 with a double, two walks and a run scored in three games in the ALCS. Wells has just two hits in 28 trips to the plate this postseason with two RBI, two walks and 12 K's. Rizzo has never faced Williams in his career, while Wells has a single and a strikeout in two at-bats. Rizzo is batting sixth on Friday, with Wells in the eight-hole as the Yankees look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoCleveland Guardians catcher
Bo Naylor and outfielder
Will Brennan will start on the bench again in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at Progressive Field against the New York Yankees with right-hander
Luis Gil on the mound. Cleveland will stick with
Austin Hedges behind the plate, and he will bat eighth, while rookie
Daniel Schneemann will make his second straight start in right field and bat sixth. Naylor picked up a hit as a pinch-hitter in the Game 3 win on Thursday but has gone 1-for-15 overall with four strikeouts in his first eight playoff games. Brennan also picked up a pinch hit on Thursday for his second knock in 11 at-bats this October. Hedges has gone 0-for-2 with a strikeout in his career against Gil, while Schneeman has a single and RBI in two at-bats this year versus Gil.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Zack Meisel
2 weeks agoAfter New York Yankees right-handed reliever
Ian Hamilton (calf) suffered a left-calf injury in the loss in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday to the Cleveland Guardians, the Yankees removed him from the playoff roster and replaced him with right-hander
Mark Leiter Jr. It's a tough break for the 29-year-old, as he now will not be eligible to play in the World Series if the Yankees advance past Cleveland. He allowed an earned run on one hit while walking one and striking out three in just 1 2/3 relief innings in his first postseason with the team this year. The 33-year-old Leiter will now give the Yankees extra depth out of the bullpen the rest of the way. Leiter began the year with the Cubs and had a 4.98 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and a 33:9 K:BB in just 21 2/3 relief innings for the Yankees in the second half.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers rookie outfielder
Andy Pages will start in center field and bat out of the nine-hole for Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Citi Field against the New York Mets and left-hander
David Peterson. Pages also got the start in the Game 4 win on Thursday and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in the 10-2 victory. In his first six playoff appearances for the Dodgers this year, Pages has just one single in 11 plate appearances with four strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch. He faced Peterson twice during the regular season and had a single and an RBI. The 23-year-old Cuban outfielder went 35-for-98 (.357) with three of his 13 home runs during the regular season against left-handed pitchers, perhaps making him a DFS sleeper worth looking at on Friday.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoNew York Mets outfielder
Jesse Winker will return to designated hitter and will bat fifth for the Mets in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Citi Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Jack Flaherty. With Winker back in there in a must-win game, veteran
J.D. Martinez will retreat back to the bench after going 0-for-4 with four walks and three strikeouts in the last two games as the Mets' DH. The left-handed-hitting Winker has two hits in seven at-bats with two walks, two strikeouts and a run scored so far in the NLCS and has gone 4-for-16 with a homer, triple, three RBI, four walks, three strikeouts, a stolen base and four runs scored in eight games (six starts) this postseason. He really likes facing Flaherty, as he's hit .375 (9-for-24) with two home runs, three doubles, two RBI, three walks and three K's in his career against him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
2
weeks
agoNew
York
Mets
manager
Carlos
Mendoza
said
that
right-hander
Kodai
Senga
is
unlikely
to
pitch
now
for
Game
5
of
the
National
League
Championship
Series
on
Friday
at
Citi
Field
against
the
Los
Angeles
Dodgers.
The
Mets
are
read more...
2 weeks agoNew York Mets infielder
Jeff McNeil will draw into the starting lineup for the first time this postseason in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Citi Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Jack Flaherty. McNeil will start at second base and bat eighth. The 32-year-old former batting champion fractured his right wrist in early September and didn't rejoin the team until the start of the NLCS. He saw three pinch-hitting appearances in the first four games of the series but was unable to record a hit. With McNeil jumping into the starting lineup,
Jose Iglesias will retreat to the bench for a must-win game for New York. McNeil has only faced Flaherty three times in his career and has a single and a strikeout. He'll be a low-upside DFS play on Friday's slate.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers first baseman
Freddie Freeman (ankle) is back at first base and is batting cleanup for the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Citi Field against New York Mets left-hander
David Peterson. Freeman has been managing a right-ankle injury since the final week of the regular season and had the day off in the Game 4 win over the Mets on Thursday. The 35-year-old All-Star left-handed hitter will return on Friday, though, as the Dodgers look to punch their ticket to the 2024 World Series. Despite it being a lefty-lefty matchup, Freeman has fared quite well against Peterson in his career, going 6-for-19 (.316) against him with two home runs, five RBI, a walk and seven strikeouts. And even though Freeman hasn't been 100% in the playoffs, he's gone 7-for-27 with an RBI, walk, steal and a run scored.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2 weeks agoBoston Red Sox left-handed reliever
Chris Murphy (elbow) started a throwing program last week as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery that he had back in April of this year. Murphy will be rehabbing all offseason and will not be ready to roll for the start of spring training in February or for the start of the 2025 regular season. However, barring a setback with his left elbow, the 26-year-old southpaw should be able to contribute in a relief role for the Red Sox at some point next season. The former sixth-round selection in 2019 out of the University of San Diego made his big-league debut in 2023 as a multi-inning reliever and went 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA (3.70 FIP), a 1.41 WHIP, one save, 49 strikeouts and 17 walks in 47 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the BoSox.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
2 weeks agoNew York Yankees relief pitcher
Ian Hamilton (calf) suffered left-calf tightness in his outing in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Thursday at Progressive Field against the Cleveland Guardians. Hamilton injured himself trying to make a play at first base in the sixth inning and was pulled after recording just one out. In one-third of an inning pitched, he allowed an earned run and a walk. It's unclear how severe the 29-year-old's injury is, but if the Yankees are forced to take him off the roster for the ALCS, he won't be eligible to pitch in the World Series if New York advances past the Guardians. Thursday's outing was only his second postseason appearance, with his first coming in the AL Division Series against the Royals, when he tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in the Game 2 loss on Oct. 7.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
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