September 30, 2025
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher
Zack Littell will make the start for the Reds in Game 2 on Wednesday, according to manager Terry Francona. Littell came to the Reds in a trade from the Rays at the trade deadline and went 2-0 in 10 starts for the Reds, posting a 4.39 ERA, 4.77 FIP, and a 1.07 WHIP. He went 10-8 in his 32 starts overall this season with a 3.81 ERA, but he struggled with a tendency to give up home runs, allowing 36 homers, which was the second most in the majors behind only
Jake Irvin of the Nationals. Littell starting Game 2 and
Andrew Abbott in Game 3 (if necessary) allows the Reds to use lefty
Nick Lodolo out of the bullpen. It will be interesting to see how Francona mixes and matches his pitchers as he and the upstart Reds try to take down the mighty Dodgers.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Charlie Clifford
September 30, 2025
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Chris Paddack just started on Sunday against the Red Sox, so it isn't entirely surprising to see him left off the roster for the AL Wild Card series against the Guardians. Instead, the Tigers will carry relief pitchers
Keider Montero and
Paul Sewald. Paddack was one of the Tigers' few in-season pickups but struggled to a 5.35 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 5.03 FIP in his 33 games between the Twins and Tigers this season. He could still make a start in the ALDS or ALCS if the Tigers advance, but he won't be part of the plan out of the bullpen in this week's series in Cleveland.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Tigers
September 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfielder
Chase DeLauter didn't make his major league debut during the regular season, but he will be on the active roster for the Wild Card series and will make his debut in the postseason. DeLauter is the team's No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, but he underwent surgery to repair a right hamate fracture back on July 23rd and has not played since. He hit .278 with five homers, 25 runs scored, 21 RBI, and a .384 wOBA in his 34 games at Triple-A before his injury. He will obviously be making a huge jump in competition, diving right into the postseason, but the lefty has a dynamic bat and has shown a high ceiling while navigating multiple injuries throughout his time in Cleveland's farm system. The Guardians could use his help in the outfield, and he could be the next surprise contributor in Cleveland's improbable postseason run.
Update: DeLauter is on the active roster but not in the starting lineup for Game 1.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Guardians Prospective
September 30, 2025
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher
Gavin Williams will get the ball for the first game of his team's Wild Card series against the Tigers. He'll go head-to-head with
Tarik Skubal on Tuesday afternoon in Cleveland. The Guardians went 8-5 against Detroit this season, winning five of six head-to-head matchups in September while surging past the slumping Tigers and claiming the division crown. Williams was outstanding down the stretch for Cleveland, going 5-1 in his last seven starts with a 2.04 ERA, 3.74 FIP, and 46 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. He beat the Tigers in each of his final two regular-season starts, allowing a total of two runs on seven hits with 21 strikeouts in 11 innings against the Tigers. He'll look to continue that dominance and give his team a chance to take Game 1 if he can match Skubal on Tuesday.
--Zach ThompsonSource: Zack Meisel
September 30, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Monday that they extended the contract of manager
Don Kelly, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Donnie has earned the respect of the players, front office, and our fans - and he has certainly earned mine," owner Bob Nutting said. Pittsburgh put Kelly in the interim managerial role after firing Derek Shelton on May 8. The Pirates were 12-26 at the time of Shelton's firing, but they went 59-65 once Kelly took over, including going 32-33 after the All-Star break in mid-July. "I think really over the course of the last five months, it's just become very clear ... that this is the right choice," general manager Ben Cherington said. In addition to Kelly returning as the skipper in the Steel City, Cherington and team president Travis Williams will be back in 2026. There is internal optimism that the Pirates can contend next year behind a young up-and-coming pitching staff headlined by reigning National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young contender
Paul Skenes.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Colin Beazley
September 30, 2025
The Texas Rangers announced on Monday night that the club and manager Bruce Bochy have mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization. Bochy has been offered a front-office role to remain with the Rangers in an advisory capacity. The winningest active manager will not return as the skipper in Texas after a three-year run at the helm that started with the franchise's first World Series title in 2023. However, the Rangers did not make it back to the playoffs in Bochy's final two years and have not had a winning record, either. Texas finished 81-81 in 2025, their first .500 record since they started as the Washington Senators in 1961 before moving to Texas in 1972. Bochy, who ranks fifth all-time among MLB managers with 2,252 wins, went 249-237 in his three years with the Rangers. The Giants, with whom Bochy won three World Series, also fired their manager, Bob Melvin, on Monday. Bochy may have an interest in returning to the Bay Area.
--Keith HernandezSource: Texas Rangers PR
September 29, 2025
The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday that they have fired manager Rocco Baldelli after a seven-year tenure as the skipper. Baldelli led the Twins to three American League Central titles, but he got the axe after a second straight disappointing season. Minnesota traded 10 players at the July 31 trade deadline to cut $26 million from the payroll. After the All-Star break, they went 23-43 to finish last in the division with a 70-92 record. Only the Colorado Rockies were worse than the Twins after the trade deadline. Minnesota finished the season with the worst record in the American League and its worst record since 2016, when they went 59-103. Baldelli won the 2019 American League Manager of the Year award and went 527-505 in his seven seasons at the helm. He's the third-winningest manager in Twins history behind Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire.
--Keith HernandezSource: Minnesota Twins
September 29, 2025
The San Francisco Giants announced on Monday that they fired manager Bob Melvin after his second season with the team. The Giants picked up Melvin's 2026 option back in July, but they have elected to go in a different direction following the conclusion of the 2025 season. San Francisco finished .500 at 81-81. They went on a 13-3 run from late August to early September to put them in the National League wild-card picture, only to go 2-9 from Sept. 13-23. "Just looking to find a different voice that can take us in a different direction," president of baseball operations
Buster Posey said. Bruce Bochy, the former manager of the Giants, is a possibility to return after the Texas Rangers announced on Monday night that he will not return in 2026. The Giants haven't made the playoffs or had a winning record since winning the National League West in 2021. Melvin went 161-163 in his two years in the Bay Area.
--Keith HernandezSource: San Francisco Giants
September 29, 2025
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander
Corbin Burnes (elbow) said that his target for a return is the All-Star break next season, according to Cameron Cox. Burnes added that he will throw normal bullpen sessions in spring training and is confident that things will line up for him to return around midseason in 2026. The 30-year-old made only 11 starts with the D-backs in 2025 in his first year with the team before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. Before his right-elbow injury, he was his normal dominant self, going 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 63:26 K:BB in 64 1/3 innings over 11 starts. The four-time All-Star will be in play for around half a season's worth of starts for fantasy managers next year, so temper expectations, depending on how his rehab goes in the first half of the year. Burnes signed a big six-year, $210 million deal with Arizona last December to be their ace going forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cameron Cox
September 29, 2025
Texas Rangers corner infielder
Jake Burger (wrist) confirmed that he will have surgery later this week to fix a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, according to the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. Burger initially suffered a wrist injury in the middle of August, only a few days after he had returned from the injured list. It was an injury-plagued year for the power-hitting right-hander in his first year in Texas, as he was on the IL three different times with oblique, quadriceps, and wrist ailments. He received a cortisone injection in his wrist, but he felt "popping" in and out of place for the final few weeks of the season. It helps explain why he was in a 2-for-28 slump going into Sunday's regular-season finale. Burger was also sent to the minors after struggling in April. His metrics dropped across the board, although his injuries probably had something to do with it. Burger ended up in a platoon at first base with
Rowdy Tellez to close out the year.
--Keith HernandezSource: Dallas Morning News - Evan Grant
September 29, 2025
As expected, New York Mets catcher
Francisco Alvarez (thumb) will have surgery in the coming days to fix the sprained UCL in his right thumb, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alvarez played through the injury in September as the Mets tried to push for the final wild-card spot in the National League. They ultimately came up short, and now Alvarez will have offseason surgery. Since he's having the surgery right away, Alvarez should be healed up and ready to go for the start of spring training in mid-February and for Opening Day in 2026. The 23-year-old backstop suffered the injury in late August. It was a trying season for the Venezuelan catcher, and he was demoted to the minors before his injury to work on some things as a hitter. Upon his return, he hit .230 (14-for-61) with four homers and eight RBI in September while playing hurt. Alvarez still has above-average pop for a catcher, but he's been injury-prone in his time with the Mets.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
September 29, 2025
There remains no timetable for the return of Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee), but the team is optimistic that he'll be ready for the start of the Division Series this Saturday, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. Bichette is working his way back from a left-knee sprain that has kept him sidelined since Sept. 6. "I'm feeling better. Every day, I'm feeling better," Bichette said. "I don't know. I don't have a date, but I will be doing everything that I possibly can to get back." However, until the 27-year-old resumes running, he won't be a realistic candidate to return, and he's running out of time. Without Bichette, the Blue Jays' chances of making a deep postseason run will diminish, as the former second-rounder has hit an elite .311 (181-for-582) with 18 home runs, 94 RBI, and 78 runs scored in 139 regular-season games. If Bichette isn't cleared for this weekend,
Andres Gimenez will continue to man the 6 for Toronto.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
September 29, 2025
Cincinnati Reds right-hander
Hunter Greene will take the hill at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the wild-card series. Greene will have a tough task on his hands against the defending World Series champions on the road, but they could be without All-Star catcher
Will Smith (hand). The 26-year-old former first-rounder missed some time with an injury this year, which limited him to 19 starts in his fourth big-league season. The hard-throwing hurler was sharp when he was active for the Reds, though, going 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA (3.28 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with 132 strikeouts and 26 walks in 107 2/3 innings pitched. Greene took a loss in his only meeting against LA in 2025 back on Aug. 25, when he allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out only three in five innings. In his five September starts, Greene allowed over two earned runs just once.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
September 29, 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Monday that left-hander
Blake Snell will make the start on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium against the Cincinnati Reds for Game 1 of the wild-card series. Snell will be opposed by Reds hard-throwing right-hander
Hunter Greene. The Reds will have a tough matchup on their hands with Snell, who had a minuscule 0.47 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 19 innings in his final three starts of the regular season. Injuries cropped up again for the 32-year-old two-time Cy Young winner, limiting him to just 11 starts in his first year with the Blue. However, when he was available, he was tough to hit, going 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 72 punchouts and 26 walks in 61 1/3 frames during the regular season. Snell did not face the Reds this year. The Reds as a team ranked 13th in the majors in 2025 in OPS (.720) against left-handed pitchers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
September 29, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher
Will Smith (hand) was scheduled to take more swings on Monday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. If Smith feels good on Monday, he will face live pitching on Monday night. If he doesn't feel good, Ardaya speculates that it won't be a good sign for his chances to be on the wild-card roster against the Cincinnati Reds this week. The 30-year-old felt good while swinging in the batting cage on Saturday, so he's giving it another go on Monday before the Dodgers have to finalize their roster for the wild-card series on Tuesday. Smith would be a big loss behind the plate for the defending World Series champions, as he hit a cool .296/.404/.497 with a .901 OPS and 17 home runs during the regular season. However, the three-time All-Star has not played in a game since Sept. 9. If Smith is out this week against Cincy,
Ben Rortvedt will continue to serve as L.A.'s starting backstop.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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