4 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles outfielder
Colton Cowser (hand) was hit by a pitch in the left hand during Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Royals, eliminating the Orioles from the playoffs. It was a double whammy for the 24-year-old, as it resulted in a fractured hand and also went down as a strike instead of a hit-by-pitch because he was in the act of swinging, which wound up as a strikeout. With the O's out of the playoffs, the left-handed hitter will be fully recovered by spring training. He finished the regular season with a strong rookie year, putting together a .242-24-69-77-9 line in 561 PA.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Roch Kubatko - MASN
4 weeks agoKansas City Royals shortstop
Bobby Witt Jr. went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles in Wednesday's 2-1 series-clinching win over the Orioles. The second of the singles was a grounder up the middle in the sixth inning that he was able to beat out, which scored the go-ahead run and would prove to be the eventual game-winning RBI. The 24-year-old finishes the two-game series 3-for-9 with a pair of RBI and will look to continue his MVP-caliber season in the next round against the Yankees.
Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 for New York, whom Witt Jr. has gone 2-for-6 off of in his career.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoDetroit Tigers utility player
Andy Ibanez came on as a pinch-hitter during the eighth inning of Wednesday's Wild Card matchup with the Astros and broke open a tie ballgame with a three-run bases-clearing double, putting the Tigers ahead 5-2. That would go on to be the final score, securing the Tigers' series win and a date with the Guardians in the ALDS. The 31-year-old hasn't received many at-bats lately, slashing just .174/.248/.239 in 101 plate appearances since the All-Star break, but the Tigers will surely hope for similar results should he get additional opportunities in the next round.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes reaffirmed Wednesday that two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is not anticipated to pitch during this year's postseason. Manager Dave Roberts had indicated a couple of weeks back that there was a possibility of Ohtani taking the mound if he was ready and the situation was right, but that it was not likely. The two-time MVP has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery while serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter, having not pitched in a game since last September. The 30-year-old has even thrown off a mound recently as part of his rehab, but it sounds like he'll have to help with only his bat and his speed after logging a 50/50 campaign during the regular season.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Fabian Ardaya
4 weeks agoNew York Mets designated hitter
J.D. Martinez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting sixth for the Mets for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday at American Family Field against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander
Frankie Montas. The left-handed-hitting
Jesse Winker made the start in the Game 1 win on Tuesday at DH for New York. Even though Martinez didn't start in Game 1, he entered as a pinch-hitter later in the game and drove in two with a single in the 8-4 win. The Mets will be hoping that Martinez can turn the page in the playoffs after wrapping up his 14th big league season in October in a rut. The 37-year-old veteran right-handed slugger finished off September with a .109 average (6-for-55) with two doubles, four RBI, seven walks and 15 strikeouts in 16 games played over 63 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anthony DiComo
4 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Tobias Myers will start Game 3 of the wild-card series at American Family Field on Thursday against the New York Mets if the Brewers are able to win in Game 2 on Wednesday to force a deciding third game. Myers would only be available to start on Thursday if he's not used in relief in Wednesday's game. The 26-year-old stepped up big time for Milwaukee's banged-up rotation in his first big-league season in 2024, going 9-6 with a sharp 3.00 ERA (3.91 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP, 127 strikeouts and 36 walks in 138 innings over 27 appearances (25 starts). He was strong in the final month of September outside of a four-run outing on Sept. 14 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Myers' final start of the regular season last weekend, he held the Mets scoreless through four frames to picking up the win while walking none and striking out five.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Brewer Fanatic - Jack Stern
4 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins didn't exactly to commit to a firm role for Cuban right-hander
Yariel Rodriguez heading into the offseason. Atkins called Rodriguez a "solid option" for the Blue Jays in the starting rotation and is happy with where his workload is at as a starter. However, Atkins also said, "If we were to acquire one, I think he would be an exceptional reliever." It sounds as though the Blue Jays will continue to be flexible with the 27-year-old's role heading into next year. Toronto was careful with Rodriguez's workload in 2024 in his first year in the big leagues after not pitching in affiliated ball at all in 2023. All 21 of Rodriguez's appearances in his rookie year for the Blue Jays came in a starting role, and he finished with a 4.47 ERA (4.34 FIP), a 1.31 WHIP and an 85:40 K:BB in 86 2/3 total innings. Rodriguez will be much more attractive in fantasy leagues in 2025 if he's starting again.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
4 weeks agoToronto Blue Jays coach Don Mattingly will move into a "more traditional role" as the bench coach for the team in 2025 and will no longer be the offensive coordinator. General manager Ross Atkins said that Mattingly will impact the team in a "different" and "bigger" way. Mattingly joined Toronto before the 2023 season before moving into his role as offensive co-coordinator in 2024. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins for 12 seasons and also won National League Manager of the year after leading the Marlins to the playoffs in 2020. The Blue Jays announced earlier in the week that they parted ways with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez and that field co-coordinator Gil Kim and assistant pitching coach Jeff Ware won't return next season. The Blue Jays ranked 23rd in runs scored, 26th in homers, 19th in average and 18th in OPS in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
4
weeks
agoCleveland
Guardians
right-hander
Tanner
Bibee
will
make
the
start
in
Game
1
of
the
American
League
Division
Series
on
Saturday
against
either
the
Houston
Astros
or
the
division-rival
Detroit
Tigers.
"He's
been
the
guy
that
we've
turned
to
more
often
than
not
read more...
4 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles first baseman
Ryan O'Hearn is back in the starting lineup as the designated hitter for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander
Seth Lugo at Camden Yards. O'Hearn did not make the start in Game 1 on Tuesday with a lefty on the mound, but he did appear as a pinch-hitter late in the game. The 31-year-old lefty swinger will now hope to do some damage in the six-hole in a must-win game for Baltimore. He could be a sneaky DFS play for Wednesday's action against a right-hander. O'Hearn hit .264 (106-for-401) against righties in 2024, including all 15 of his home runs. He finished September strong, too, going 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs, a double and five RBI in the last six games of the regular season. With
Adley Rutschman moving back to catcher,
James McCann will open Wednesday's contest on the bench.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoWith a right-hander on the mound for the Baltimore Orioles in Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday at Camden Yards, Kansas City Royals veteran outfielder
Tommy Pham will start on the bench.
Hunter Renfroe will instead get the nod in right field and will bat seventh against Orioles right-hander
Zach Eflin. In the Game 1 win over the O's on Tuesday, Pham made the start in right field and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the victory. Neither veteran outfielder is particularly attractive in DFS while hitting near the bottom of the Royals' batting order. The 32-year-old Renfroe doesn't move the needle much offensively these days after slashing .229/.297/.392 with a below-average .689 OPS, 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 120 games this year for KC. He hit just .177 (9-for-51) with three homers, five RBI and 16 strikeouts in 16 games in the month of September.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
4 weeks agoPhiladelphia Phillies right-hander
Spencer Turnbull (lat) is hoping to get the final spot on the pitching staff for the National League Division Series, which begins on Saturday against either the Milwaukee Brewers or New York Mets. "I feel like I'm ready," Turnbull said. He is scheduled to pitch in an intrasquad game on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. Turnbull last pitched for the Phillies on June 26, when he left after three innings in Detroit. He was later diagnosed with a right-lat strain and went on the 15-day injured list. He was eventually moved to the 60-day IL on Aug. 17. Turnbull threw 52 pitches in live batting practice on Sept. 27, which followed two innings in a minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sept. 22. If the 32-year-old is on the team's playoff roster, it will be in a relief role for the Phils.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
4 weeks agoNew York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said the team won't make a call on their Game 3 starter for the American League Division Series until they get through Game 1 on Saturday, with the possibility that right-handers
Clarke Schmidt or
Luis Gil could be used out of the bullpen in Game 1 against either the division-rival Baltimore Orioles or Kansas City Royals. Schmidt missed a big chunk of the 2024 campaign due to injury but has been excellent when healthy, going 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings pitched over 16 starts for the Yankees. In his first big-league season since 2022, Gil also stood out for the Bombers, going 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA (4.14 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, a career-high 171 strikeouts and a league-high 77 walks in 151 2/3 frames over 29 innings. Gil was solid for the Yankees this year, but his lack of command could get him trouble in October.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Greg Joyce
4 weeks agoNew York Yankees left-hander
Carlos Rodon will start Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday at Yankee Stadium against either the division-rival Baltimore Orioles or the Kansas City Royals. Right-hander
Gerrit Cole will take the ball for Game 1 of the series on Saturday in the Bronx. Rodon managed to stay healthy in 2024 and make 32 starts (175 innings pitched) for the Bombers, going 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA (4.39 FIP), a 1.22 WHIP and a 195:57 K:BB. Home runs have continued to be an issue for him, as he allowed a career-high 31 round-trippers in his second year with the team. Rodon had his share of ups and downs for fantasy managers, but the good news for the Yankees is he pitched well entering the postseason, not allowing more than two earned runs in any of his final five starts in September with 34 K's and 10 walks over 28 2/3 frames.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: YES Network - Jack Curry
4
weeks
agoDetroit
Tigers
outfielder
Kerry
Carpenter
will
serve
as
the
designated
hitter
and
bat
second
in
Game
2
of
the
wild-card
series
on
Wednesday
against
the
Houston
Astros
and
right-hander
Hunter
Brown
at
Minute
Maid
Park.
Carpenter
read more...
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