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Cade Smith Shuts the Door in ALDS Game 3 Victory on Wednesday
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Cade Smith was lights out to secure his team's 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday. Smith entered the game in the eighth inning and recorded the final six outs, logging five strikeouts without allowing a single baserunner. The 27-year-old was one of the best closers in baseball during the regular season, pitching to a 1.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 107 strikeouts and 41 saves across 74 innings (69 games). Smith has been dominant so far in the Division Series as well, as he's yet to allow a hit or a walk in his four innings of work. If Cleveland is going to mount a comeback in the series, it will likely need Smith to continue his dominance.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Carlos Rodon Lined Up for Game 4 If Yankees Stave Off Elimination
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Monday that it will probably be left-hander Carlos Rodon starting Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday if they win Game 3 on Wednesday in the Bronx, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Left-hander Max Fried is starting Game 3, and right-hander Gerrit Cole could be a bullpen option at some point as the Yankees attempt to win three straight to advance to the AL Championship Series. Rodon will definitely be well-rested, as his last start came on Sept. 22 against the same Rays, when he struck out eight over eight shutout innings. Injuries impacted the 33-year-old veteran's season (not a surprise), but he was excellent when available, going 7-3 for the Yankees with a 2.67 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings across 16 starts. Rodon had a nice 2.08 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 44 strikeouts and 11 walks in 39 innings over seven starts in 2026, but he will be on a short leash if he struggles early with the Yankees' backs up against the wall.
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Max Fried Getting the Nod in Game 3 of ALDS
New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried will get the ball to start Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone told Chelsea Janes of SNY. Fried will be tasked with keeping the Yankees' season alive after they dropped the first two games of the best-of-five series over the weekend in Tampa. If the Yankees survive on Wednesday, left-hander Carlos Rodon is expected to start for New York. Fried will be fully rested for the matchup against the Rays, who had the best record in the American League in 2026. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw went 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 104 strikeouts in 112 2/3 innings across his 20 starts during the regular season. Fried dealt with some elbow issues along the way, but when he was out there, he was money. He went 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA with two walks and 10 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings in his two starts against the Rays this year, which include his final start of the regular season last week, when he allowed four earned runs with two walks and four strikeouts in a loss in 6 2/3 innings.
Source: SNY - Chelsea Janes
Source: SNY - Chelsea Janes
Ben Rice Delivers Two Homers in Losing Effort
New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice provided the offense in the Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS on Monday. Rice was 2-for-3 with two solo homers and a walk on his night in Tampa. The Yankees were bothered by four errors and the Rays made them pay, but Rice was the lone bright spot for New York. Rice is hitting .467 in the postseason with a .556 on-base percentage. The two homers bring his postseason total to four homers and his RBI total to eight this postseason. Rice has been powering the Yankees offense all postseason long, but the Bronx Bombers find themselves down 2-0 to Tampa Bay in the ALDS. Rice has done his part offensively but needs some help as the Yankees are trying to piece things together without an injured Aaron Judge.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Austin Wells an Unlikely Hero in Game 1 of AL Wild-Card Series
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells played a surprisingly key role in his team's 9-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, going 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, two RBI, and a run scored. The 27-year-old had a down year at the plate in 2026, hitting .182/.292/.332 with 14 home runs, 32 RBI, 39 runs scored, and four stolen bases across 388 plate appearances. Wells' barrel rate dropped to a career-low 7.7%, while his strikeout rate increased to a career-worst 26.5%. However, Wells was significantly better in the second half of the season than he was in the first, hitting .229 with a 14.3% walk rate, .787 OPS, and eight home runs across 140 plate appearances after the All-Star break. If Wells can continue to provide solid production at the bottom of the Yankees lineup, he could be an X-factor for New York in the postseason.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Cam Schlittler Dominates Red Sox in Game 1 Win on Tuesday
New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler strengthened his case for the American League Cy Young Award this year by dominating the division-rival Boston Red Sox in the 9-0 win on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series in the Bronx. Schlittler tossed 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball while allowing only two hits, walking one, and striking out 10. The 25-year-old was clicking on all cylinders, at one point retiring 13 straight hitters while also inducing a whopping 24 swings and misses (14 on fastballs). Schlittler was given a long leash in this one and threw a career-high 117 pitches on the night. In his three postseason starts, dating back to last year, Schlittler has been incredible for the Yankees, giving up just two earned runs with 24 strikeouts and only one walk in 20 2/3 frames. The former seventh-rounder in 2022 from Northeastern University went 14-6 during the regular season with a league-best 1.95 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 239:49 K:BB in 193 2/3 innings across his 33 starts. If the Yankees move past Boston in the Wild-Card Series, Schlittler's next start would come against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ben Rice Goes Off in Game 1 Wild-Card Win Over Boston
New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice continued to feast on fastballs in the 9-0 win over the division-rival Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and six RBI as the designated hitter. The game was already well in hand late when Rice hit a grand slam in the eighth inning off right-hander Brayan Bello. The 27-year-old continued his breakout 2026 campaign into the start of the postseason and, for one night, made Yankees fans forget that three-time MVP Aaron Judge (calf) was not included on the Wild-Card roster. In just his second big-league season, Rice was a first-time All-Star and finished the regular season with a .264/.363/.534 slash line with an .897 OPS, 41 home runs, 97 RBI, 105 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 154 games and 667 plate appearances as one of the best power hitters in baseball this year. Rice will look to continue mashing the baseball on Tuesday as the Yankees look to end the three-game series quickly when they face veteran right-hander Sonny Gray at Yankee Stadium.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Aaron Judge "Not Quite There Yet"
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, outfielder Aaron Judge, and a couple of the team's trainers met on Monday night after Judge's live batting practice session to discuss the slugger's health situation, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We just felt like he's not quite there yet," Boone said. The Yankees made the decision to leave Judge off the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Not having the three-time MVP for the start of the playoffs is not ideal, but the good news is that the Yankees are getting both outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (calves) and Trent Grisham (hamstring) back for their series against Boston. The 34-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list less than two weeks ago with a moderate right-calf strain after missing most of the 2026 regular season with a stress fracture in his rib. Judge is obviously one of the best power hitters in the game, but the Yankees will be without him for the three-game series in the Bronx. If New York advances to face the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series, it is unclear if Judge will be cleared. He will definitely need to test his calf by running the bases before then.
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Sitting Against Lefty in Wild-Card Opener
New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox with a left-hander on the mound, per MLB.com. Anthony Volpe is making the start at the keystone and will hit seventh against Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle. Chisholm has never faced the tough lefty, and he has hit just .218 (32-for-147) with five of his 19 home runs, 21 RBI, 11 walks, and 56 strikeouts in 160 plate appearances against southpaws in 2026. The talented power/speed infielder has hit the ball well in September, albeit in just eight games, going 8-for-28 (.286) with a homer, an RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base for the Yankees. With right-handed veteran hurler Sonny Gray set to start for Boston in Game 2 of the series in the Bronx on Wednesday, Chisholm will be back in the starting nine a day from now. Like Chisholm, Volpe has never faced Tolle in his big-league career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Trent Grisham on the Yankees' Wild-Card Roster
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week versus the division-rival Boston Red Sox, per the MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) was not cleared to return for the start of the postseason, but the Yankees will also get outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) back for the first time since late April. Grisham will return for the first time in three-plus weeks after being sidelined by a strained right hamstring, but now that he is active, he should serve as the team's starting center fielder against right-handed pitchers. With Boston lefty Payton Tolle going in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday, Grisham will likely find himself on the bench. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder was not as good in 2026 as he was in 2025, when he hit a career-high 34 home runs in 143 regular-season games. In 121 games in his third year in the Bronx, Grisham hit .211/.308/.395 with a .703 OPS, 18 homers, 59 RBI, 67 runs scored, and nine steals in 484 plate appearances.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Giancarlo Stanton on Yankees' Wild-Card Roster
New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and will be on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, according to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. Outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) is also back from the IL, but the Yankees will not have three-time All-Star Aaron Judge (calf) against Boston. Getting Stanton back is the next best thing, although he has not played in a big-league game since late April due to injuries to both of his calves. The 36-year-old former MVP and five-time All-Star has had trouble staying healthy late in his career, and because of all his time off in 2026, the Yankees figure to ease him back into action as a right-handed power bat off their bench in the series at Yankee Stadium against the BoSox. In 90 at-bats earlier this year before he landed on the IL, Stanton hit .256/.302/.422 with a .724 OPS, three homers, 14 RBI, eight runs, and a stolen base. In 202 career postseason plate appearances, Stanton has hit .254 with 18 home runs, 44 RBI, 20 walks, and 49 strikeouts.
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Source: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
Aaron Judge Not on Wild-Card Roster
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) will not be on the team's Wild-Card roster this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network. Meanwhile, in a surprise move, the Yankees have activated outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) from the 60-day injured list and have included him on the roster for the Wild-Card Series. After missing most of the 2026 regular season due to a stress fracture in his rib, the Yankees put Judge back on the IL around two weeks ago with a moderate right-calf strain. The three-time MVP has been hitting and throwing, but he was not cleared for the Wild-Card series since he has not tried to run the bases yet. If the Yankees advance past their division rivals, Judge might have a better shot at returning in the postseason. In addition to Stanton returning for the Yankees, the team activated center fielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) from the IL. Against right-handers, both Grisham and Spencer Jones should be in the lineup for the Yankees in the Wild-Card Series this week in the Bronx.
Source: YES Network - Jack Curry
Source: YES Network - Jack Curry
Aaron Judge "Making Progress," to Take Live BP on Monday
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Monday that superstar outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) is "making progress" and will be part of live batting practice on Monday, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The Yankees have been non-committal on whether Judge will be available for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, but Judge hit and threw on Sunday and appears to be trying to convince the team that he will be ready for the three-game series at Yankee Stadium. After missing most of the 2026 season with a stress fracture in his rib, the three-time MVP suffered a moderate right-calf strain less than two weeks ago, which sent him back to the IL. If healthy for the Wild-Card Series, Judge would be a major boost for the Yankees' lineup in the postseason. The 34-year-old eight-time All-Star played in just 66 regular-season games in 2026 and hit .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs, 41 RBI, and five steals after back-to-back 50-homer seasons in 2024 and 2025. The Yankees will announce their roster for the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday before Game 1, so we will know then whether Judge is included. UPDATE: According to ESPN's Jorge Castillo, Judge said that he has been "feeling great" while running on an anti-gravity treadmill, but he has yet to run the bases.
Source: The Athletic - Brendan Kuty
Source: The Athletic - Brendan Kuty
Carlos Rodon Set to Pitch Out of the Bullpen in Wild-Card Series
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that left-hander Carlos Rodon will pitch out of the bullpen in the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Rodon worked exclusively as a starting pitcher during the regular season and pitched well when healthy, recording a 7-3 record with a 2.67 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts across 84 1/3 innings (16 starts). However, the Yankees have a deep starting staff and currently have Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole listed as their scheduled starters against Boston. Rodon could potentially be a difference-making arm out of the bullpen for the Yankees, particularly against left-handed hitters. For his career, left-handed batters have posted a .499 OPS with a 27.9% strikeout rate against Rodon.
Source: ESPN - Jorge Castillo
Source: ESPN - Jorge Castillo
Cam Schlittler Set to Start Game 1 of Wild-Card Series on Tuesday
New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 of the American League Wild-Card Series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. Schlittler is the favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award after finishing the 2026 regular season with a 14-6 record, 1.95 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 239 strikeouts across 193 2/3 innings (33 starts). The Yankees have more established veterans who they could have given the ball to in Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, and Carlos Rodon, but Schlittler was the obvious choice based on his performance throughout the year. The 25-year-old averaged 98.0 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball and logged a 31.4% strikeout rate while walking just 6.4% of the batters he faced. Schlittler also pitched extremely well against Boston in last year's AL Wild Card Series, throwing eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in New York's deciding Game 3 victory.
Source: New York Yankees
Source: New York Yankees
