4 weeks agoNew York Mets closer
Edwin Diaz picked up his first win of the postseason on Thursday, tossing 1 ⅔ innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of their Wild Card series. Diaz came in after
Jose Butto gave up back-to-back homers and put the Mets down 2-0. He got the next five outs and set the stage for a big comeback in the top of the ninth. Diaz did end up throwing 39 pitches in this one, so his availability for Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies could be up in the air. It is the postseason though, so if Diaz is needed, he will probably be ready to go.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoNew York Mets left-handed pitcher
David Peterson finished off the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, picking up the first save of his career in a 4-2 win in Game 3 of their Wild-Card series. Peterson was tasked with facing the bottom of the Brewers lineup, which included two lefties. After giving up a leadoff single, Peterson induced a strikeout and a double play to finish off the series. It was a gutsy inning for the lefty, who could be in line for a multi-inning role out of the bullpen in the NLDS or could end up making a start. Any way you slice it, Peterson is a terrific weapon to have for the Mets.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoNew York Mets first baseman
Pete Alonso came up huge on Thursday, belting a three-run homer off
Devin Williams in the top of the ninth to lead the Mets to a 4-2 win in Game 3 of their Wild Card series. The homer was Alonso's only hit on the day, but he won't care about that. The Polar Bear finishes the Wild Card series 2-for-9 with a homer, three walks, and three RBI, but more importantly, he will leave with the biggest moment of the postseason so far. Alonso and the Mets will now head to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies in the NLDS.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers closer
Devin Williams had a disastrous appearance on Thursday, blowing the save and taking the loss in a 4-2 defeat against the New York Mets in Game 3 of their Wild Card series. Williams allowed four runs on three hits and a walk in just two-thirds of an inning. The Airbender has been nails since his mid-season return from injury, but he came up short at the worst possible time for the Crew, who will head home for the offseason. Williams should be back in 2025 as the Brewers' closer, but it will be tough for him to forget this one.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoNew York Mets starting pitcher
Tylor Megill appears to be the leading candidate to start Game 1 of the ALDS against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. Nothing has been set in stone, but
Luis Severino,
Sean Manaea,
David Peterson, and
Jose Quintana all pitching in the Wild Card round, Megill is the only Met on the active roster that will be fully rested.
Kodai Senga could technically return as well, but he would likely pitch out of the bullpen. Megill would have a tough matchup against
Zack Wheeler if he does get the nod, but he pitched well against the Phillies in a September start and has the stuff to do it again.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo
4 weeks agoNew York Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga (calf, triceps) has a chance to be added to the postseason roster for the NLDS. The Mets will take on the Philadelphia Phillies in a best-of-five series, and the team is discussing whether they should make him available to pitch. Senga threw batting practice on Monday and is progressing well according to the team. The 31-year-old has battled injuries all season and has only made one start with the big league club. If he is added to the roster, he will likely be on a pitch count and could be used out of the bullpen.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Will Sammon
4 weeks agoThe Cincinnati Reds are hiring Terry Francona as their next manager, according to sources. Francona will come out of retirement just one year after stepping away from the Cleveland Guardians and will now take over a young and talented Reds club. The 65-year-old managed the Guardians for 11 seasons before retiring. He won almost 55% of his games with Cleveland after winning two World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox. Before retiring a year ago, Francona cited health issues that caused him to miss some time. He'll take over a Reds team that finished 82-80 in 2023 but regressed in 2024 to finish 77-85. Cincy fired previous manager David Bell less than a year after giving him a contract extension. Francona has 1,950 wins in his career (13th all time), including 285 in his first job with the Philadelphia Phillies more than a quarter century ago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
4
weeks
agoLos
Angeles
Dodgers
first
baseman
Freddie
Freeman
(ankle)
hit
during
the
team's
simulated
game
on
Thursday,
but
he
didn't
play
first
base.
Freeman
was
injured
last
week
against
the
San
Diego
Padres
and
was
held
out
of
the
final
series
against
the
read more...
4
weeks
agoThe
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
originally
announced
right-hander
Jack
Flaherty
for
Game
1
of
the
National
League
Division
Series
on
Saturday
at
Dodger
Stadium
against
the
division-rival
San
Diego
Padres,
with
right-hander
Yoshinobu
Yamamoto
going
in
Game
read more...
4
weeks
agoLos
Angeles
Dodgers
right-hander
Yoshinobu
Yamamoto
is
lined
up
to
start
Game
2
of
the
National
League
Division
Series
on
Sunday
against
the
division-rival
San
Diego
Padres
at
Dodger
Stadium.
He
will
be
opposed
by
fellow
Japanese
hurler
read more...
4
weeks
agoSan
Diego
Padres
right-hander
Yu
Darvish
is
listed
as
the
probable
starter
for
the
Friars
for
Game
2
of
the
National
League
Division
Series
at
Dodger
Stadium
against
the
division-rival
Los
Angeles
Dodgers
on
Sunday.
SD
will
go
with
ace
read more...
4 weeks agoSan Diego Padres right-hander
Dylan Cease will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Cease will be followed by right-hander
Yu Darvish in Game 2 on Sunday. The mustachioed right-hander was acquired from the Chicago White Sox before the regular season and went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA (3.10 FIP), a 1.07 WHIP and a 224:65 K:BB in a career-high 189 1/3 innings over 33 starts. It was the fourth straight year for Cease with 200-plus strikeouts, and he also tossed a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals. He was one of the most dominant starters with a 29.4% strikeout rate, just behind Dodgers starter
Jack Flaherty, who will oppose him in Game 1 on Saturday. In his two starts against LA in 2024, Cease held a 3.38 ERA with 10 K's and six walks in 10 2/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Jeff Sanders
4 weeks agoArizona Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom, assistant pitching coach Dan Carlson and bullpen coach Mike Fetters will all not be returning to the team for the 2025 season in their current roles. The moves come after the D-backs ranked 27th in the big leagues in 2024 with a 4.64 ERA, mainly due to injuries to their starting rotation throughout the season.
Zac Gallen,
Merrill Kelly,
Ryne Nelson,
Eduardo Rodriguez and
Jordan Montgomery all missed time due to injuries this year. Strom was hired by Arizona before the 2022 season after being with the Houston Astros from 2014-21. Carlson had been with the Snakes for 23 seasons. Fetters pitched for Arizona in 2002 and 2004 and was the team's quality-control coach from 2013-16 before being promoted to bullpen coach in 2017.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
4
weeks
agoNew
York
Yankees
first
baseman
Anthony
Rizzo
(fingers)
hasn't
attempted
any
baseball
activities
yet,
according
to
general
manager
Brian
Cashman.
The
Yankees
consider
Rizzo
to
be
a
long
shot
to
be
included
on
the
roster
for
the
American
League
Division
Series
against
read more...
4
weeks
agoWith
New
York
Yankees
first
baseman
Anthony
Rizzo
(fingers)
and
infielder
DJ
LeMahieu
(hip)
injured,
general
manager
Brian
Cashman
considers
Oswaldo
Cabrera
and
rookie
Benread more...
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