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Miguel Rojas Announces Retirement Following NLCS Defeat
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas announced his retirement from MLB following his team's National League Championship Series defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, per Sports Central LA. Rojas played 13 seasons in the big leagues, hitting .260/.313/.363 with 1,048 hits, 61 home runs, 386 RBI, 457 runs scored, and 68 stolen bases. The 37-year-old established himself as one of the better-fielding shortstops in baseball during his time with the Miami Marlins early in his career, then transitioned into a super-utility role after joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2023 season. Rojas had some key moments during his time in Los Angeles, including his memorable game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2024 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his postgame interview, where he announced his retirement, Rojas said he would like to stay with the Dodgers organization in a non-playing capacity.
Source: Sports Central LA
Source: Sports Central LA
Joe Espada Will Not Return as Astros Manager in 2027
The Houston Astros announced on Wednesday that Joe Espada will not return as the team's manager in 2027. Espada took over in Houston in 2024 and led the Astros to a 256-229 record across his three years at the helm. The Astros won two American League West division crowns under Espada, but failed to win a single postseason game. Houston has also gotten progressively worse over the last three seasons, winning 88 games in 2024, 87 games in 2025, and 81 games this past season. Espada has already met with the Seattle Mariners about their managerial vacancy, so he could remain in the AL West.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Don Mattingly To Manage Phillies For Two More Years
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced a new two-year deal for former interim manager Don Mattingly to manage the team in 2027 and 2028, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Phillies bowed out of the playoffs this year in the National League wild-card series against the Atlanta Braves, although they did come back to force a decisive Game 3. The Phillies will look to Mattingly to help them break through in the playoffs, as the team is largely talented both hitting-wise and on the mound.
Source: Mark Feinsand, MLB.com
Source: Mark Feinsand, MLB.com
Joe Espada Set to Interview for Mariners Manager Job
The Seattle Mariners are set to interview current Houston Astros manager Joe Espada for their managerial vacancy, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. While Espada is currently employed by Houston, Rome reports that his future with the organization is "in doubt" as his contract expires at the end of October. Espada has been the manager of the Astros since the start of the 2024 season. Houston has reached the playoffs twice under his watch, but they've failed to win a postseason game and have also seen their regular-season record get worse every year. The Mariners parted ways with former manager Dan Wilson shortly after the conclusion of the 2026 season. Seattle won just 76 games this year, but the team has plenty of returning talent. If Espada gets the Mariners job, he will be under pressure to win immediately in Seattle.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Caleb Durbin Has Surgery on his Finger
The Boston Red Sox announced that infielder Caleb Durbin (finger) had surgery on his pinkie finger last week, which was a "left fifth finger PIP joint reconstruction," according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Durbin played through his finger injury in 2026 in his first year in Boston and finished with a .248/.332/.378 slash line with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 regular-season games across 586 plate appearances. It was only Durbin's second season in the big leagues after he hit .256/.334/.387 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 60 runs scored in 136 games and 506 plate appearances as a rookie in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin should be fully healthy for the start of the 2027 regular season in his second season in Beantown. Although he only had four round-trippers in the second half, Durbin hit a strong .274 (61-for-223) with 25 RBI and 10 steals in 66 games played. The 26-year-old leaves a lot to be desired in the power department as a third baseman, but his speed at the hot corner is still very enticing as a corner-infield option in fantasy leagues.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Taylor Smith a Top Candidate For Head of Baseball Ops With A's
ESPN Baseball Insider Jeff Passan reports that Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith is considered the top candidate to become the head of baseball operations for the A's. According to Passan, another finalist for the job, Cardinals assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio is expected to stay with St. Louis. Passan previously reported that Sam Fuld, the former general manager of the Phillies, was offered the A's job but will remain in the Philadelphia organization.
Source: Jeff Passan
Source: Jeff Passan
Jose Ramirez Hits Decisive Homer To Lift Guardians
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez delivered the clutch hit of Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night by launching a two-run home run in the fourth inning, providing all the scoring Cleveland would need in the game. Ramirez was 1-for-3 in the game with the homer and a walk. In five postseason games, the talented switch hitter has two homers and seven RBI while hitting 5-for-18 with six runs scored. Ramirez is the bat that helps get the Guardians going in most instances, and this Game 5 was no different as he came up with the clutch blow by taking Chicago pitcher Sean Burke deep.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Max Muncy Could Require Offseason Surgery
Athletics infielder Max Muncy (knee) will be re-evaluated at some point in the offseason to determine if surgery is required to fix his left-knee chondromalacia, according to MLB.com. Muncy is expected to return for next season, but it is unclear how much time he could miss in the offseason if he is forced to go under the knife. The 24-year-old former 25th overall pick in 2021 played in 82 games for the A's in 2026 in his second year in the majors, slashing .230/.296/.387 with a .682 OPS, nine home runs, 30 RBI, 31 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 284 plate appearances. Muncy had nine home runs and 23 RBI in 63 games across 220 plate appearances in his first taste of big-league pitching in 2025 as a rookie. If Muncy does have surgery, it is expected to be a minimally invasive procedure, which means he should be ready well before the start of spring training in early 2027. Muncy's power from the right side is intriguing, but he must earn more playing time going into his third year in the Show.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Josh Jung Doesn't Need Hand Surgery
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (hand) will not require surgery on his fractured right hand, according to MLB.com's Kennedi Landry. It is good news for Jung after he fractured his hand in the final week of the season in late September, when he was hit by a pitch. The 28-year-old continued to be injury-prone in 2026 in his fifth year in the majors, playing in only 104 games. But when Jung was available to the Rangers, he was extremely consistent, hitting .299 (119-for-398) with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 54 runs scored, and one stolen base across 444 plate appearances. Jung was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in his first full year in the major leagues, but he has been a disappointment since, often finding himself on the injured list and never playing more than 131 games in a season (he played just 46 in 2024). His inability to stay healthy and his lack of power in the last few seasons have definitely lowered his fantasy baseball appeal, but he showed in 2026 that he can still hit for average.
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Source: MLB.com - Kennedi Landry
Jose Ramirez Hits Clutch Two-Run Homer to Force Game 5
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez has come around for the Guardians in must-win situations in each of the last two games of the American League Division Series against the division-rival Chicago White Sox. In the 9-5 win in Chicago on Thursday night, Ramirez went 2-for-5 at the plate with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored out of the two-hole. The 34-year-old All-Star hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the fifth inning off White Sox right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead. The home run was J-Ram's 43rd career postseason hit, which tied Jim Thome for third in Cleveland franchise history. The Dominican had a down year during the 2026 regular season, primarily due to a broken hamate bone in his hand. He finished with a .235/.320/.368 slash line with a .688 OPS, 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 37 stolen bases, and 71 runs scored across his 473 at-bats. It was the first time that the perennial All-Star hit under 20 home runs since the COVID-shortened season in 2020. If Ramirez continues to heat up and the Guards come back to win the ALDS from down two games to none, the Tampa Bay Rays will have a lot to deal with in the ALCS.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
MLB Proposes Shortening Regular Season, Tweaking Playoffs
Major League Baseball proposed cutting the regular-season schedule from 162 games to 154 games on Thursday in a bargaining session with the MLB Players Association, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Higher seeds in the playoffs getting to choose their opponents and the Division Series expanding to seven games were also part of the league's proposal. MLB is proposing a return to a 154-game schedule, starting in 2029, for the first time since the 1960s. The existing collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the Players Association is set to expire on Dec. 1, and a potential lockout could be on the horizon in 2027, which could delay the start of the regular season. The new MLB proposals will be contingent on the MLBPA accepting a salary-cap/floor system. Essentially, the league would be trimming eight regular-season games from each team's schedule while adding up to eight more postseason games total.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Jose Ramirez Comes Up Clutch in ALDS Game 3 Win on Wednesday
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez was one of the stars of his team's 9-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. In five plate appearances, Ramirez recorded a double, a triple, a walk, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. With Cleveland leading 5-3 in the 8th inning, it was Ramirez's two-run triple that sealed the win for the Guardians and kept the series alive to see Game 4. The 34-year-old battled through injuries and underperformance in 2026, hitting .235/.320/.368 with 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 37 stolen bases across 544 plate appearances. Ramirez also got off to a slow start in the postseason, going hitless in his first eight trips to the plate against the White Sox. If Cleveland is going to rally all the way back from two games down in the ALDS, it will need Ramirez to stay hot in Games 4 and 5.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Miguel Rojas Not Worried About Back/Hip Injury
Los Angeles Dodgers veteran infielder Miguel Rojas (back, hip) said he felt some tightness in his left lower-back/hip area during a swing in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday against the hosting Atlanta Braves before he was pulled mid at-bat, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. However, Rojas was not concerned about his availability for the rest of the series and going forward. Rojas probably will not be in the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 4 of the series on Wednesday at Truist Park against Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, but it sounds like he should be available off the bench. The 37-year-old Venezuelan infielder has made two starts so far in the NLDS against the Braves and has gone 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout. He was hitless in three at-bats with a strikeout in Tuesday's Game 3 win before being replaced at second base by Tommy Edman. Rojas has mostly been a bench player for the Dodgers in his 13th year in the league (fourth with L.A.) in 2026, but he proved in last year's World Series that he is still capable of coming through in the clutch when needed. He hit .267 (60-for-225) with four homers and 23 RBI during the regular season.
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
Curtis Mead the Favorite to Start at Second Base Next Year
Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is considered the favorite to open next season as the team's starting second baseman, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline this summer, but he ended up playing in only one game for Boston due to a fractured wrist that he suffered in his second at-bat with the team. The 25-year-old will now have all offseason to heal up, and he will enter spring training as the team's primary option at the keystone as they attempt to get back to the playoffs in 2027. The Australian native was having a breakout 2026 campaign with the Nationals before being traded to Boston, and he finished the year with a .253/.353/.498 slash line with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 285 at-bats in 88 combined games with Washington and Boston. "That would be, I would say, broadly our plan," said manager Chad Tracy when asked about second base. "He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that."
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Enrique Hernandez Hits Key Home Run in Dodgers' Game 3 Win
Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernandez struck one of the big blows of his team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, clubbing a two-run home run off of Braves ace Chris Sale to open the scoring in the fourth inning. It was Hernandez's only hit of the night, but it helped the Dodgers chase Sale out of the game after just five innings of work. Hernandez missed a large chunk of the regular season with an oblique injury and was not particularly effective when healthy, hitting .222 with four home runs across 96 plate appearances. However, the 35-year-old has a long history as an unlikely postseason hero. Across 332 career plate appearances in the playoffs, Hernandez has now hit .272 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
