October 17, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies aren't convinced that outfield prospect
Justin Crawford can play an average big-league center field, and many rival evaluators agree that he is better in left field, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. There is more long-term upside from Crawford, but he could rate below
Brandon Marsh in center field right now. Crawford's offensive skill set is tailored for center field, so Gelb suggests the Phillies "might have to close their eyes and let it happen." If the 21-year-old can handle center, it would allow the team to use Marsh in the strong side of a platoon in either left or right field. Crawford is listed as the Phils' No. 3 prospect at MLB Pipeline, and he's in line to make his major-league debut in 2026 after slashing a strong .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Crawford could be a part-time corner outfielder at first, but there's time for him to develop better defensive skills to fit center.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
October 17, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that outfielder
Lars Nootbaar (heels) underwent surgery on both of his heels on Oct. 7 to shave down Haglund's deformities, according to John Denton of MLB.com. It's unclear if Nootbaar's surgeries will put his status for spring training or the start of the 2026 regular season in jeopardy at this time. The 28-year-old outfielder managed to play in a career-high 135 games for the Red Birds in 2025 in his fifth year in the majors, but his counting stats didn't take a step forward. In 583 plate appearances, the left-handed-hitting outfielder slashed a mediocre .234/.325/.361 with a career-low .686 OPS, 13 home runs, a career-high 48 RBI, 68 runs scored, and just four stolen bases. The oft-injured 28-year-old is unlikely to take the next step offensively unless he starts making better quality of contact and hitting the ball in the air more.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - John Denton
October 17, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that second baseman
Brendan Donovan (hernia) underwent sports hernia surgery on Oct. 7, according to John Denton of MLB.com. Donovan was shut down towards the tail end of the regular season in September due to a hernia that he dealt with during the second half. The 28-year-old should be recovered well in time to be ready for the start of spring training in February, though. While Donovan is a much better real-life asset than a fantasy one because of his limited power and speed, it doesn't take away from the fact that he was one of the team's most consistent contributors in 2025 while playing multiple positions on the diamond. Donovan, a former seventh-rounder in 2018 out of South Alabama, was a first-time All-Star in his fourth MLB season and slashed a healthy .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 64 runs scored, and three steals in 118 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - John Denton
October 17, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter
George Springer (knee) took a 95.6 mph fastball from Seattle Mariners right-hander
Bryan Woo off his right kneecap in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night and was forced to exit early, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Springer tried to stay in the game but limped badly to first base and was replaced by outfielder
Joey Loperfido. The 36-year-old leadoff man went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, and a strikeout in the 6-2 loss before departing. He will likely go for X-rays to rule out a serious injury, and we'll update you on the results of his tests. The good news for Springer and the Blue Jays is that they will have a day off on Saturday before the best-of-seven series heads back to Toronto on Sunday. Losing Springer for the rest of the series would be a huge blow to a team that is already without star shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee).
UPDATE: X-rays came back negative on Springer's knee.--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Shi Davidi
October 17, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Jackson Chourio (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander
Shohei Ohtani, starting in left field and batting second. Chourio's troublesome hamstring tightened up on him in the middle of an at-bat in the Game 3 loss on Thursday, and he was pulled early. He initially injured his hamstring in Game 1 of the series. The 21-year-old is back a day later, though, and will be trying to help the Brew Crew avoid a four-game sweep in the best-of-seven series. Milwaukee will surely need Chourio to step up if they are going to be only the second team in the history of MLB to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. In the first three games of the series, Chourio has just one hit in 11 at-bats, although it was a home run.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
October 17, 2025
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he sees first baseman
Ben Rice as the team's starting first baseman next year, but that won't mean that he will abandon catching behind
Austin Wells, accordig to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Rice filled a unique utility role for the Yankees in 2025, serving as the designated hitter, playing first base, and also catching down the stretch. The 26-year-old former 12th-round pick in 2021 out of Dartmouth College took a big step forward in his second season in the big leagues, and first full campaign. In 138 games played, he hit .255 (119-for-467) with 26 home runs, 65 RBI, 74 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 530 trips to the plate. It became apparent pretty quickly that he was the better option at first base over the aging
Paul Goldschmidt, but the Yankees needed him to fill multiple roles. Rice is a player on the rise and will be an everyday player in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
October 17, 2025
According to a source, St. Louis Cardinals catcher
Ivan Herrera (elbow) had successful surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow on Oct. 15, per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News. The surgery is not expected to delay Herrera's offseason work, so he should be ready for the start of spring training next year in mid-February. Although the Cardinals used the 25-year-old almost exclusively as a designated hitter after the All-Star break in 2025, he's expected to open next season as the team's primary backstop. Despite missing time with injuries, the Panamanian backstop had a breakout season for the Red Birds in his fourth year in the big leagues, slashing .284/.373/.464 with an .837 OPS, 19 home runs, 66 RBI, 54 runs scored, and even eight stolen bases in 452 plate appearances over 107 games played. There's a lot to like about Herrera, who has hit a strong .286 (192-for-672) in his four seasons in the majors.
--Keith HernandezSource: Belleville News - Jeff Jones
October 17, 2025
Free-agent right-hander
Nate Pearson agreed to a one-year, $1.35 million deal with the Houston Astros on Friday, a source told Ari Alexander. Pearson was once a top-100 prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system and still throws hard, but he has transitioned to a relief role and spent the past few years pitching in relief for the Chicago Cubs. He was ranked as a top-10 overall prospect by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America before the 2020 season, but he has not lived up to the hype. The 29-year-old looked better at Triple-A Iowa in 2025 than he did at the big-league level. He only appeared in 11 games out of the 'pen in Chicago, allowing 15 earned runs on 22 hits (two homers) while walking 10 and striking out only seven in 14 2/3 innings pitched. While Pearson has mostly pitched in relief since 2021, it's expected that Houston will give him a chance to return to a starting role in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Ari Alexander
October 17, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays rookie right-hander
Trey Yesavage will start Game 6 of the American League Championship Series back in Toronto on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners, according to manager John Schneider. Despite only making three starts in his first big-league season for Toronto during the regular season, the Blue Jays included Yesavage on their postseason roster. The 22-year-old former 20th overall pick in 2024 out of East Carolina showed why he's one of the top pitching prospects in the Blue Jays organization by fanning 11 and walking just one in 5 1/3 shutout innings against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the AL Division Series to pick up the win. He wasn't nearly as sharp in his Game 2 outing in the ALCS against Seattle, though, allowing five earned runs in four innings with three walks and four K's. The Blue Jays will be hoping that Yesavage can get revenge against the M's back in Canada.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
October 17, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Thursday that he'd be "surprised" if left-handed reliever
Jose Alvarado (forearm) isn't back with the team in 2026, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The Phillies hold a $9.5 million club option on Alvarado for next season and are likely to pick it up, despite the fact that he missed time late in the year with a forearm injury and also served an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. The 30-year-old southpaw only appeared in 28 games for the Phillies in relief in 2025 as a result, posting a 3.81 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and seven walks in 26 innings pitched. He also saved seven games in his ninth year in the big leagues and fifth in Philly. It sounds as though Alvarado's forearm injury shouldn't be an issue as it pertains to him being ready for the start of next year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
October 17, 2025
MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reports that New York Yankees outfielder
Jasson Dominguez is expected to play regularly in 2026, according to manager Aaron Boone. Dominguez may play winter ball this offseason to prepare him for next year, and the Yankees envision him in left field, depending on how the offseason goes. Boone also said during his season-ending press conference on Thursday that top outfield prospect
Spencer Jones is in play to be a regular contributor at the big-league level next year. A lot has been expected of Dominguez since he arrived in the Bronx. The 22-year-old did lead the Yankees with 93 starts in left field in 2025, but he wasn't playing regularly late in the year and was a disappointment for his fantasy managers with a .257/.331/.388 slash line, 10 home runs, 47 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 23 stolen bases in 123 games in his first full big-league season. The switch-hitting Dominican still has the potential to be a post-hype sleeper, but competition will be fierce in New York.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
October 17, 2025
San Diego Padres impending free-agent left-hander
Nestor Cortes (biceps) had successful surgery to fix a small tendon tear in his left arm, according to Francys Romero. The 30-year-old Cuban southpaw is expected to return to baseball activities in roughly nine to 10 months. He will become a free agent at the conclusion of the World Series, but given his injury, he's expected to linger on the free-agent market going into the 2026 campaign. Cortes originally was put on the 15-day injured list by the Padres on Sept. 5 with a biceps injury, and now he will miss most, if not all, of next season. He made only two starts with the Milwaukee Brewers early in 2025 before getting hurt, and then he was traded to San Diego at the deadline over the summer. Overall, Cortes really struggled with the long ball, allowing 13 home runs in 34 1/3 innings while sporting a bloated 6.29 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in just eight starts combined.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
October 17, 2025
The New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting that the Detroit Tigers and All-Star left-hander
Tarik Skubal currently have a gap of around $250 million in contract talks. The word is that a year ago, the Tigers offered Skubal well below the $170 million deal that lefty
Garrett Crochet eventually signed with the Boston Red Sox. Skubal, who is entering his walk year with Detroit in 2026, is reportedly seeking an extension in the $400 million range. The 28-year-old's price is only going up, as he's expected to win a second straight American League Cy Young award after going 13-6 in his sixth year in the big leagues in 2025. Skubal led the league in WAR (6.6), ERA (2.21), FIP (2.45), WHIP (0.89), walks per nine innings (1.5) and K/BB (7.30). He's the most dominant pitcher in baseball right now, but if Detroit knows that they are unlikely to sign him to an extension, he could be on the trade market this winter or next summer.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
October 17, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers veteran left-hander
Jose Quintana will start Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Quintana was pushed back to Friday's game after Milwaukee used left-hander
Aaron Ashby as the opener and rookie right-hander
Jacob Misiorowski as their bulk reliever in the Game 3 loss on Thursday. The 36-year-old soft-tosser will now be tasked with keeping the Brewers' playoff hopes alive and to avoid a four-game sweep in the best-of-seven series. This will be Quintana's second playoff appearance this year after he held the Chicago Cubs scoreless over three innings in the NL Division Series. Quintana faced the Dodgers in back-to-back outings on July 9 and 20 during the regular season and allowed a combined five earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking four and striking out nine in 12 innings. The Brewers won both of those games.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
October 17, 2025
According to sources, the Philadelphia Phillies are expected to either trade or release veteran outfielder
Nick Castellanos this offseason, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. President of baseball operations David Dombrowski did not say anything regarding Castellanos during his press conference on Thursday. When asked specifically about Castellanos, Dombrowski said he could not comment on "specific players that are on our roster under contract," but then spent the next 34 minutes doing just that. The Phillies are a team in transition and will be looking to get younger this offseason. The 33-year-old Castellanos, a two-time All-Star, hit .250/.294/.400 with a .694 OPS, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 72 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 147 regular-season games in his fourth year in Philly in 2025. With the Phillies bullish on
Justin Crawford and
Otto Kemp in the outfield, and with
Harrison Bader potentially re-signing, Castellanos is the odd man out.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
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