Hagen Smith Opening Game 4 of ALDS on Thursday 0mLink copied!

Oct 8, 2026, 11:14 AM ET

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. was one of the stars of his team's 4-3 win in Game 3 of the American League Division Series over the New York Yankees, hitting a two-run home run off Yankees left-hander Max Fried. Mesa Jr.'s home run was his only hit of the night, but it gave the Rays a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning that they would ultimately never give back. Across 262 plate appearances in the regular season, Mesa Jr. hit .260/.327/.498 with 14 home runs, 34 RBI, 37 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. After starting the year in the minors, the 25-year-old has emerged as an everyday corner outfielder for Tampa Bay and provides another dynamic power/speed bat for the Rays. If Mesa Jr. can get hot, he could help power a deep postseason run.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 10:01 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz picked up his second save in as many nights on Wednesday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Diaz missed most of the 2026 regular season due to elbow and neck injuries. However, he's been dominant since returning from the injured list in mid-September. Diaz allowed just two baserunners while notching nine strikeouts in his final five innings pitched of the regular season, and he's now logged low-stress saves in each of his first two appearances of the playoffs. With Diaz rounding into form, Los Angeles' bullpen looks like a major strength heading into the National League Championship Series.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 9:52 PM ET

Cleveland Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin was dominant in a bulk relief appearance in his team's 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday. Griffin followed Cleveland opener Daniel Espino and allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out seven across 2 2/3 innings of work. The 31-year-old was used exclusively as a starting pitcher during the regular season, posting a 15-6 record with a 3.60 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 158 strikeouts across 172 2/3 innings (31 starts) split between the Guardians and the Washington Nationals. However, Griffin struggled mightily late in the year, pitching to a 5.05 ERA in the second half and a 6.87 ERA across 18 1/3 innings in September. If Griffin can rediscover his early-season form in a bullpen role, he could help Cleveland mount a comeback in the ALDS.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 9:43 PM ET

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jo Adell had a big night in his team's 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday, going 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI. With the game tied 1-1 in the third inning, Adell put the Guardians ahead for good with a three-run triple off of White Sox left-hander Hagen Smith. Across 660 regular-season plate appearances split between the Guardians and the Los Angeles Angels, Adell hit .240/.298/.401 with 23 home runs, 94 RBI, 70 runs scored, and five stolen bases. He was better with Cleveland than he was with Los Angeles, posting a .740 OPS across 204 trips to the plate after the Guardians acquired him at the trade deadline. Adell has notched a couple of key hits for Cleveland in the ALDS and now has four RBI across the first three games of the series.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 9:32 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages had the key hit in his team's 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday, logging a go-ahead two-run single off Braves right-hander Robert Suarez in the seventh inning. Pages finished the game with two hits and two RBI in three at-bats. The 25-year-old was a critical piece of the Dodgers lineup during the regular season, hitting .274 with 23 home runs, 85 RBI, 75 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases. However, Pages struggled mightily during the Dodgers' run to the 2025 World Series, notching just four hits in 55 postseason plate appearances. After his big night on Wednesday, Pages has already logged four hits in just 15 plate appearances in the 2026 playoffs.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 9:19 PM ET

Cleveland Guardians right-hander Cade Smith was lights out to secure his team's 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday. Smith entered the game in the eighth inning and recorded the final six outs, logging five strikeouts without allowing a single baserunner. The 27-year-old was one of the best closers in baseball during the regular season, pitching to a 1.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 107 strikeouts and 41 saves across 74 innings (69 games). Smith has been dominant so far in the Division Series as well, as he's yet to allow a hit or a walk in his four innings of work. If Cleveland is going to mount a comeback in the series, it will likely need Smith to continue his dominance.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 9:11 PM ET

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez was one of the stars of his team's 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. In five plate appearances, Ramirez recorded a double, a triple, a walk, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. With Cleveland leading 5-3 in the 8th inning, it was Ramirez's two-run triple that sealed the win for the Guardians and kept the series alive to see Game 4. The 34-year-old battled through injuries and underperformance in 2026, hitting .235/.320/.368 with 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 37 stolen bases across 544 plate appearances. Ramirez also got off to a slow start in the postseason, going hitless in his first eight trips to the plate against the White Sox. If Cleveland is going to rally all the way back from two games down in the ALDS, it will need Ramirez to stay hot in Games 4 and 5.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 7, 2026, 8:08 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser will start for the Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday night at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres, according to Brewers reporter Sophia Minnaert. It will be Gasser's first career postseason start after throwing 2 2/3 innings of relief in the playoffs for the Brew Crew last year. The 27-year-old southpaw went 5-5 on the season with a 3.87 ERA (4.24 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with a career-high 103 strikeouts and 35 walks in 109 1/3 innings across 21 appearances (20 starts). The problem for Gasser is that he has not made a start in almost two weeks, so he could be a bit rusty. Manager Pat Murphy will surely have a short hook on the young left-hander as the Brewers look to close the best-of-five series out in San Diego. Gasser was outstanding down the stretch in 2026, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts, walking 12 and striking out 31 in 32 1/3 innings during that span. He did not face the Padres at all during the regular season, which could give him a bit of an advantage.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sophia Minnaert

Oct 7, 2026, 8:03 PM ET

The San Diego Padres announced on Wednesday that they returned right-handed closer Mason Miller from the paternity list, taking the place on the National League Division Series roster of left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta. Miller blew a two-inning save in Game 2 of the series in Milwaukee against the Brewers and was then unavailable for the win in Game 3 at Petco Park on Tuesday night. It is great news for the Padres, who did not have left-handed high-leverage reliever Adrian Morejon on Tuesday due to a left-shoulder issue. The Padres had to go to Game 1 starter, right-hander Michael King, for the two-inning save with both Miller and Morejon unavailable. It is uncertain if Morejon will be able to pitch late in the game in another must-win contest on Wednesday in Game 4, but the Padres will at least have their stud closer back in the fold. The two-time All-Star was lights-out during the regular season, his first full season with the Friars, posting a 1.67 ERA (1.17 FIP), 0.900 WHIP, a career-high and league-high 38 saves, a career-high 129 strikeouts, and 26 walks in just 70 innings pitched. With their season on the line, expect manager Craig Stammen to be aggressive in his usage of Miller if Game 4 is close in the later innings, even though he showed command issues in the ninth on Sunday in Milwaukee.--Keith Hernandez
Source: San Diego Padres

Oct 7, 2026, 12:28 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers veteran infielder Miguel Rojas (back, hip) said he felt some tightness in his left lower-back/hip area during a swing in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday against the hosting Atlanta Braves before he was pulled mid at-bat, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. However, Rojas was not concerned about his availability for the rest of the series and going forward. Rojas probably will not be in the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 4 of the series on Wednesday at Truist Park against Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, but it sounds like he should be available off the bench. The 37-year-old Venezuelan infielder has made two starts so far in the NLDS against the Braves and has gone 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout. He was hitless in three at-bats with a strikeout in Tuesday's Game 3 win before being replaced at second base by Tommy Edman. Rojas has mostly been a bench player for the Dodgers in his 13th year in the league (fourth with L.A.) in 2026, but he proved in last year's World Series that he is still capable of coming through in the clutch when needed. He hit .267 (60-for-225) with four homers and 23 RBI during the regular season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

Oct 7, 2026, 11:57 AM ET

St. Louis Cardinals right-handed closer Riley O'Brien was a first-time All-Star in 2026 in his first full season as the team's closer, and he ended the year tied with San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller for the National League lead in saves (38) with a 4.08 ERA across a career-high 64 innings pitched. O'Brien also set a career high in appearances (66) in his first full year as a big-leaguer. He did not allow an earned run in his first 13 appearances of the year and ended the first half with a 3.43 ERA and a 7.9% walk rate in 39 1/3 frames. O'Brien had 24 saves in his first 28 opportunities. But in 27 appearances after the All-Star break, O'Brien had a 5.11 ERA in 24 2/3 innings, and his walk rate rose to 14.4% while he went 14-for-18 in save chances. Three of his blown saves in the second half came in September, and five of his losing decisions came in his final 13 outings. The 31-year-old said he experienced "fatigue" in the closing days of the season and that his legs have "been feeling heavy compared to how they felt early in the year," according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. As he tired, the velocity of O'Brien's pitches suffered. To be able to maintain velocity through the entire season, O'Brien said he plans to focus on putting on "as much muscle as I can."--Keith Hernandez
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Daniel Guerrero

Oct 7, 2026, 11:47 AM ET

Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is considered the favorite to open next season as the team's starting second baseman, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline this summer, but he ended up playing in only one game for Boston due to a fractured wrist that he suffered in his second at-bat with the team. The 25-year-old will now have all offseason to heal up, and he will enter spring training as the team's primary option at the keystone as they attempt to get back to the playoffs in 2027. The Australian native was having a breakout 2026 campaign with the Nationals before being traded to Boston, and he finished the year with a .253/.353/.498 slash line with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 285 at-bats in 88 combined games with Washington and Boston. "That would be, I would say, broadly our plan," said manager Chad Tracy when asked about second base. "He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that."--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey

Oct 7, 2026, 11:36 AM ET

The San Diego Padres announced that veteran right-hander Walker Buehler will make the start in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday night at Petco Park against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Buehler will make his first postseason appearance this year after going 9-6 with a 4.63 ERA (4.51 FIP) and 1.35 WHIP with 131 strikeouts and 57 walks in 153 2/3 innings pitched across his 32 starts for the Padres in his first season with the team. The 32-year-old is no longer the high-end ace that he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he does have plenty of postseason experience, posting a 3.04 ERA (3.21 FIP) with 114 strikeouts and 36 walks in 94 2/3 innings pitched. Buehler's last start came on Sept. 26 against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks, when he allowed four runs (three earned) with a walk and three strikeouts in just 3 2/3 innings for a no-decision. He picked up a win in his only outing against Milwaukee in 2026, giving up just one earned run with two walks and five strikeouts in six innings at Petco Park back on Aug. 11. Buehler will most definitely be on a short leash in a must-win game for San Diego if he is not on his game early on.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Padres PR

Oct 7, 2026, 11:28 AM ET

San Diego Padres left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon (shoulder) was unavailable in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers due to "stickiness in his shoulder," manager Craig Stammen told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. There is still a chance that Morejon will be available for Game 4 against the Brewers in San Diego on Wednesday night as the Friars attempt to force a Game 5 back in Milwaukee on Friday night. With Morejon unavailable and closer Mason Miller on the paternity list, the Padres' bullpen was very short on Tuesday night, but Game 1 starter Michael King came to the rescue and threw the final two innings for SD to pick up a save in the 4-3 victory. Morejon has already had two two-inning appearances in this postseason, once in the Wild-Card Series against the Chicago Cubs and again on Saturday against the Brewers in Game of the NLDS, when he allowed the game-winning home run to catcher William Contreras. The hard-throwing Cuban left-hander was one of the most effective late-inning setup men during the regular season, though, going 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, three saves, and a career-high 107 strikeouts in just 86 innings out of the bullpen. With Miller unlikely to be back with the team on Wednesday, the Padres could really use Morejon's left arm on Wednesday evening.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell

Oct 6, 2026, 10:58 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was one of the stars of his team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday. Freeman had just one hit in four plate appearances, but it was a solo home run off Braves ace Chris Sale. Freeman put together another strong regular season in 2026, hitting .288/.362/.430 with 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 74 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. The 37-year-old's production tailed off late in the year, as he hit just .184 in September and slugged just one home run across 249 plate appearances after the All-Star break. However, Freeman has looked like his vintage self so far this postseason. Across the first three games of the NLDS, Freeman has logged four hits, two home runs, two RBI, and three runs scored.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 6, 2026, 10:40 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernandez struck one of the big blows of his team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, clubbing a two-run home run off of Braves ace Chris Sale to open the scoring in the fourth inning. It was Hernandez's only hit of the night, but it helped the Dodgers chase Sale out of the game after just five innings of work. Hernandez missed a large chunk of the regular season with an oblique injury and was not particularly effective when healthy, hitting .222 with four home runs across 96 plate appearances. However, the 35-year-old has a long history as an unlikely postseason hero. Across 332 career plate appearances in the playoffs, Hernandez has now hit .272 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 6, 2026, 10:30 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Edwin Diaz notched his first save of the 2026 postseason on Tuesday, shutting the door in his team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Diaz allowed a leadoff double to Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies but rallied to retire the next three batters he faced. The 2026 regular season was largely lost to injury for Diaz, who spent time on the injured list due to both elbow and neck issues. However, the 32-year-old closed the season strong after returning from the neck injury in mid-September, allowing just one hit and one walk while recording nine strikeouts across his final five innings (five games) of the year. If Diaz can rediscover his peak form in October, he could be an impact arm for the Dodgers at the end of games.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 6, 2026, 10:22 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the star of his team's 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old allowed just four hits, one walk, and one earned run while recording 10 strikeouts across seven innings of work. Yamamoto was dominant during the regular season, recording a 14-9 record with a 2.53 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 182 strikeouts across 185 innings (28 starts). He's also been remarkably effective in the postseason to this point in his career, logging an 8-1 record with a 2.14 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts across 63 innings. Following Yamamoto's gem, the Dodgers will have a chance to close out Atlanta in Game 4 and advance to the National League Championship Series on Wednesday.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 6, 2026, 10:10 PM ET

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller has been placed on the paternity list and will not be available for his team's matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Miller blew a save opportunity in San Diego's Game 2 loss to the Brewers, allowing a walk-off, two-run single to Milwaukee outfielder Jackson Chourio. Still, the hard-throwing right-hander was one of the best relievers in baseball in the regular season. Across 70 innings (66 games), Miller pitched to a 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with 129 strikeouts and 38 saves. Without Miller, San Diego left-hander Adrian Morejon could be the next man up in the ninth inning for the Padres.--Will Brady
Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee

Oct 6, 2026, 8:52 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers veteran infielder Miguel Rojas (back) injured himself on a swing in the eighth inning and left Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves in the middle of his at-bat on Tuesday night, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Rojas was reaching towards his lower back with his left arm after a swing. He was making the start at second base against Braves left-hander Chris Sale, and he went 0-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout before being replaced at the keystone by Tommy Edman. The 37-year-old Venezuelan infielder is a bench player for the Dodgers at this point in his career, but despite not playing all that much anymore, he saved the Dodgers' season in last year's World Series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the series. Rojas hit .267 (60-for-225) during the regular season with only four home runs, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored, and a stolen base. If Rojas' injury is serious enough for the Dodgers to remove him from the NLDS roster, he would be unable to return for the NL Championship Series if the team advances.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya