September 28, 2025
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet will start the first game of the wild card series against the Yankees on Tuesday, reports Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. The 26-year-old will face off against
Max Fried in what could be a pitcher's duel, with both starters going into the contest with a regular season ERA below 3.00. Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, posting a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 255 strikeouts, and 46 walks through 205 ⅓ innings. The Red Sox haven't yet announced their plans for the second game of the series, in which
Carlos Rodon is toeing the rubber for New York.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Mac Cerullo
September 28, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee) is still doing some light hitting and throwing, but he doesn't have a clear timeline past that, reports Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. It's hard to know how far he is into recovery until he starts running, as that is the major test for the left knee sprain that sent him to the injured list on September 9. The good news for the Blue Jays is that they secured a first-round bye in the playoffs, as it would have been very unlikely for the 27-year-old to improve enough to play in the wild-card series. Instead, they'll hope to have him ready for the ALDS, which begins on Saturday, October 4.
--Jeremy HeistSource: Keegan Matheson
September 28, 2025
Houston Astros second base prospect
Brice Matthews was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday. The Astros' top-ranked prospect spent 11 games with the team in July, and although he only recorded five hits in 35 at-bats (.143), three of them were home runs. At Triple-A this year, the 23-year-old slashed .260/.371/.458 with 17 home runs and 41 steals in 112 games. Although time has run out to help fantasy managers in 2025 (other than one final game on Sunday), Matthews has the power and the speed to be an intriguing fantasy asset in 2026, whether he makes the team out of camp or later in the season.
--Jarod RuppSource: Houston Astros
September 28, 2025
Miami Marlins infield/outfield prospect
Jacob Berry ended his season in style, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, including a game-winning, walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth of the Triple-A Championship game, securing an 8-7 victory over the Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics). Berry was the sixth-overall draft pick in 2022 and was the team's fifth-ranked prospect in 2024, but has found the minors to be challenging, recording a career .244/.316/.379 slash line in 396 games and falling outside the team's top 30 prospects. His 2025 season was a bit better, slashing .261/.348/.394 with eight home runs and 27 stolen bases, and perhaps this latest home run will give him the momentum he needs to push for a major league debut in 2026.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
September 28, 2025
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher
Chris Paddack will start on Sunday in the season finale against the Red Sox instead of the originally scheduled starter,
Tarik Skubal. Although the AL Central race is tied between the Guardians and the Tigers heading into the final day of the regular season, Detroit has already secured a berth in the playoffs, so Skubal will be saved for the first game of whichever matchup the team draws in the first round. Paddack had been relegated to the bullpen at the beginning of September, so this will be his first start since August 29. It's been a rough year for the righty, posting a 5.27 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and an 11.5 percent K-BB% (6.27 K/9), and he's probably an avoid in DFS for Sunday's contest.
--Jarod RuppSource: Evan Petzold
September 28, 2025
Boston Red Sox pitching prospect
Connelly Early could be a part of the team's postseason plans after a stellar four-game debut to finish out the year. In those four starts, Boston's sixth-ranked prospect recorded a 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and an elite 31.6 percent K-BB%. The 23-year-old would likely come out of the bullpen in the team's first-round best-of-three series, but could be called upon as the fourth starter in the rotation in the best-of-five Division series if Boston were to advance. Regardless of what happens, it seems clear that he's made a good enough impression to be in consideration for a rotation spot in 2026, and it will be interesting to see where he goes in early 2026 fantasy drafts based on his impressive, albeit short, major league debut.
--Jarod RuppSource: Ian Browne - MLB.com
September 28, 2025
New York Mets pitching prospect
Dylan Ross was called up on Saturday from Triple-A Syracuse to help fortify the Mets' bullpen in a last-minute push for the playoffs. It will be Ross' major league debut if he enters the team's final game on Sunday after not appearing in Saturday's 5-0 win over the Marlins. The Mets' 20th-ranked prospect had a good season in the minors, ascending from High-A to Triple-A, posting a 2.17 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and striking out 80 batters in 54 innings of relief. The Mets and Reds are battling for the final Wild Card spot in the playoffs, and Ross could see an inning against the Marlins in the season finale on Sunday. Regardless, the 25-year-old could be in the bullpen mix in 2026, although without a high-leverage role, he'll have little fantasy value.
--Jarod RuppSource: Anthony DiComo
September 27, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge smashed his 53rd home run of the season in a 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Judge, who hit a 383-foot solo shot off
Tomoyuki Sugano in the first inning, later added a two-run single to finish the day 2-for-4 with three RBI. Already a two-time AL MVP, Judge has made a compelling case for a third award this season, though he'll have to fend off Mariners catcher and 60-home run man
Cal Raleigh. Judge, who is assured the first AL batting title of his career this year, has slashed a jaw-dropping .331/.458/.691 with 114 RBI and 136 runs scored in 151 games and 675 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 27, 2025
San Francisco Giants right-hander
Justin Verlander pulled a George Costanza and went out on a high note in a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. Making his last start of the season, the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer fired six innings of two-run, five-hit ball with seven strikeouts against one walk to notch the 266th win of his career. Verlander went a dismal 4-11 in 29 starts this season, but his numbers suggest he deserved far better than that. Across 152 innings, he posted a 3.85 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP, 137 strikeouts, and 52 walks. The three-time Cy Young winner saved his best month for last, logging a sparkling 2.09 ERA over five starts and 30 1/3 innings in September. Verlander, who said earlier this month that he plans to pitch in 2026, should draw plenty of interest in free agency during the offseason.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 27, 2025
New York Yankees right-hander
Cam Schlittler (4-3) shut down the Baltimore Orioles to collect his fourth win of the season in a 6-1 victory on Saturday. The hard-throwing 24-year-old tossed seven scoreless, two-hit innings with a career-high nine strikeouts and one walk on 97 pitches to wrap up an impressive rookie campaign. After earning a promotion to the majors on July 9, Schlittler went on to record a sterling 2.96 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP, 84 strikeouts, and 31 walks over 14 starts and 73 innings. Schlittler pitched so well that he'll likely head into the postseason as the Yankees' No. 3 starter behind left-handers
Max Fried and
Carlos Rodon.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 27, 2025
Cleveland Guardians closer
Cade Smith (8-5) earned the win in a 3-2 nail-biter over the Texas Rangers on Saturday and helped his team clinch an improbable playoff berth. Smith entered in the top of the eighth and threw 1 2/3 perfect innings with one strikeout before the Guardians won on a walk-off hit by pitch in the bottom of the ninth. The Guardians were a seemingly insurmountable 15 1/2 games back of Detroit in the AL Central on July 6, but almost four months later, they'll have a chance to take the division on Sunday with a win or a Tigers loss. Cleveland is in this position thanks in part to Smith, who took over as its closer in late July after Major League Baseball placed two-time AL Reliever of the Year
Emmanuel Clase on leave for a sports betting investigation. Smith has tallied 16 saves this season, including seven in September, and logged a 2.93 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP, 103 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 73 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
September 27, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander
Ranger Suarez (thigh) exited a 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday with an inner-thigh contusion on his left leg. Suarez departed in the fifth inning after Twins catcher
Ryan Jeffers struck him with a 106 mph line drive, but there's no concern that he'll miss any postseason action. The Phillies have locked up the No. 2 seed in the National League, meaning they're off until the NLDS begins on Oct. 4. Suarez could pitch Game 2 on Oct. 6, when he'll look to bounce back from a rough outing on Saturday. He allowed three earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks in 4 1/3 innings. The 30-year-old still enjoyed arguably his best regular season as a full-time starter. Over 157 1/3 frames, Suarez went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, 151 strikeouts, and 38 walks.
--Connor ByrneSource: Todd Zolecki - MLB.com
September 27, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop
Trea Turner (hamstring) will come off the 10-day injured list before the team's regular-season finale against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Manager Rob Thomson said the plan is to give Turner a few innings at shortstop as the second-seeded Phillies gear up for the playoffs. They've gone about three weeks without Turner, who strained his right hamstring in a loss to the Miami Marlins on Sept. 7. The three-time All-Star is in position to win his second National League batting title and has slashed .305/.356/.458 with 15 homers, 69 RBI, 94 runs scored, and 36 stolen bases in 140 games and 637 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Matt Gelb - The Athletic
September 27, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Jake Meyers (calf) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday. Meyers was scratched from Friday's contest due to right calf soreness. He wasn't feeling any better on Saturday, so the team has decided to place him on the shelf. Meyers would be eligible to return to action if the Astros make the ALDS, assuming they make the postseason at all. He'll finish his season with a .292/.354/.373 slash line with three home runs, 24 RBI, and 16 steals. In a corresponding move,
Brice Matthews has been recalled to take over the active roster spot.
--Andy WebbSource: Matt Kawahara
September 27, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow won't make a full length start during Saturday's outing against the Seattle Mariners. The Dodgers have already clinched a playoff berth, so they aren't going to push Glasnow too hard in a fairly meaningless game. He's expected to throw 3-to-5 innings depending on his pitch count. After that,
Andrew Heaney will come in and pitch as the bulk option out of the bullpen. Fantasy managers should start Glasnow, but don't expect him to pitch deep into this contest
--Andy WebbSource: Bill Plunkett
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