October 26, 2025
The Chicago Cubs are expected to add reinforcements to their starting rotation this offseason. According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs are planning to pursue free-agent right-hander
Dylan Cease. This doesn't come as a surprise considering Cease is going to be one of the top arms in free agency. The 29-year-old is coming off a down year where he posted a 4.55 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a 215/71 K/BB ratio across 32 starts with the San Diego Padres this past season. Despite a down year, Cease figures to get a hefty payday this offseason. The Cubs originally drafted Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, but eventually traded him and
Eloy Jimenez for
Jose Quintana in 2017. This would be a nice full circle story, but there figures to be plenty of suitors for Cease.
--Andy WebbSource: Bruce Levine
October 26, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer has been tasked with taking the ball for Game 3 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer will look to keep the good times rolling after tossing 5.2 innings, allowing two runs, and striking out five batters during Game 4 of the ALDS. That was his only work of the postseason, but Scherzer has plenty of experience, including two World Series championships. He'll be looking to help give his team a 2-1 lead in this series. The organization also announced that
Shane Bieber would take the ball for Game 4.
--Andy WebbSource: Bob Nightengale
October 25, 2025
The Minnesota Twins have reportedly narrowed down their search for a new manager down to four candidates. It sounds like Derek Shelton, James Rowson, Scott Servais, and Ryan Flaherty are the final candidates for the vacant manager job. Between the bunch, Shelton and Servais have the most experience considering they both managed teams for five-plus seasons. Rowson has been the Yankees hitting coach and served as the bench coach for the Miami Marlins through 2020-2022. Flaherty was the bench coach with the Chicago Cubs for the last two seasons. It'll be interesting to see who the Twins decide to replace Rocco Baldelli going forward.
--Andy WebbSource: New York Times
October 25, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow will get the starting nod for Monday's Game 3 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers will look to even the series on Saturday after dropping the opener. Glasnow has been nearly impossible to touch during the postseason. He struck out eight batters across 5.2 innings of work during Game 3 of the NLCS. Overall, Glasnow has a 0.68 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts over 13.1 innings during the postseason. Following Game 3,
Shohei Ohtani will get the ball for Game 4 of this series.
--Andy WebbSource: Sonja Chen
October 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays infielder/outfielder
Addison Barger will slide into the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's Game 2 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Barger blasted a pinch-hit grand slam during Game 1 of this series. He has been on fire this season, Barger is slashing .324/.405/.622 through 42 plate appearances. As a result, Barger will take over in right field and bat seventh versus right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday.
Myles Straw will head to the bench after starting in right field to begin the series.
--Andy WebbSource: Blue Jays
October 25, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's Game 2 of the World Series. Bichette made his first appearance of the postseason during Game 1 of this series. He went 1-for-2 with a walk during Friday's win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Considering the injury, it's not shocking to see the Jays' being cautious with Bichette. In his absence,
Isiah Kiner-Falefa will cover second base and bat eighth versus right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It wouldn't be shocking to see Bichette come in as a pinch-hitter at some point during this game.
--Andy WebbSource: Blue Jays
October 24, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made it clear on Friday that he has no plans to trade first baseman
Bryce Harper this offseason. "Bryce Harper's not getting traded," Dombrowski told Jon Heyman of the New York Post. "He's a great player. He's a future Hall of Famer. He's a cornerstone of our franchise, and we look to have him be with us a long, long time." Next season will be Harper's eighth with the Phillies since the former Washington National signed a then-record 13-year, $330 million deal in free agency before the 2019 campaign. Although a World Series title has eluded the Phillies during the Harper era, they won the pennant in 2022 and have earned four straight playoff berths. Harper was not at his best in 2025, the Phillies' second consecutive NL East-winning season, but the two-time MVP was still solidly above average. He slashed .261/.357/.487 with 27 homers, 75 RBI, 72 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases over 132 games and 580 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Jon Heyman - New York Post
October 24, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Kevin Gausman will start Game 2 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. He'll oppose Dodgers righty
Yoshinobu Yamamoto. In his most recent appearance this past Monday, Gausman came out of the bullpen in an ALCS-clinching win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 7. The 34-year-old overcame three walks (including an intentional pass to
Cal Raleigh) to toss a scoreless seventh inning and earn the victory, sending the Blue Jays to their first Fall Classic since 1993. Despite an underwhelming 12:9 K:BB, Gausman has recorded a sparkling 2.00 ERA while yielding just 10 hits over 18 innings this postseason.
--Connor ByrneSource: Sportsnet
October 24, 2025
San Francisco Giants catcher
Logan Porter has re-signed with the club on a minor-league contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Porter's deal includes an invitation to spring training. Since signing with the Kansas City Royals as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Porter has appeared in just 16 games in the bigs. The 30-year-old played in five contests with the Giants in 2025 and went 1-for-7 with a walk and a hit by pitch. Over a much larger sample of 73 games and 286 plate appearances with Triple-A Sacramento, Porter hit .212/.346/.316 with six home runs. He'll likely return to Sacramento next season. The Giants have
Patrick Bailey as their starting catcher, while either
Andrew Knizner or
Jesus Rodriguez will open 2026 as his backup.
--Connor ByrneSource: Bob Nightengale - USA Today
October 24, 2025
The New York Mets announced on Thursday that they signed free-agent left-hander
Richard Lovelady to an undisclosed one-year deal. Lovelady was with the Mets to end the 2025 regular season before electing free agency just after the conclusion of the season. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw is now back with the organization and will attempt to win an Opening Day roster spot out of the bullpen next year. Lovelady allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 12 hits (three home runs) while walking six and striking out 12 in 11 2/3 relief innings with the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays during the 2025 campaign. However, he had an ERA under 2.00 on the farm in 38 innings pitched. Lovelady will most likely open the 2026 season at Triple-A Syracuse if he remains in the Mets' organization.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
October 24, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Ty France (oblique) has been included on the team's World Series roster against the Los Angeles Dodgers. France will be on the team's roster for the first time during the playoffs after he was suffered a left-oblique strain late in the regular season. The veteran right-handed hitter will be available for Toronto against the Dodgers, starting on Friday night in Game 1 at the Rogers Centre, but he will be coming off the bench. The 31-year-old veteran began the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Jays. France played in 37 regular-season contests with the Blue Jays and went 26-for-94 (.277) at the plate with only one home run, eight RBI, and nine runs scored in his 103 plate appearances. He is unlikely to make any starts for Toronto in the best-of-seven series against L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: Toronto Blue Jays
October 24, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee) will start in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night in Toronto against the Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander
Blake Snell, starting at second base and batting cleanup. Bichette will be playing in a big-league game for the first time in seven weeks due to a PCL sprain in his left knee, and this will be his first time at the keystone since 2019 while at Triple-A Buffalo. He was one of the best hitters in baseball during the regular season, but those setting DFS lineups should probably expect some element of rust, especially against a pitcher who has been downright dominant in October. Bichette hasn't fared well in nine career at-bats against Snell, either, recording just one hit with two walks and four strikeouts against him.
Andres Gimenez will remain at the 6 for Toronto and will hit ninth in the batting order.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
October 24, 2025
Both Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed relievers
Tanner Scott (lower body) and
Alex Vesia (personal) were not included on the team's World Series roster against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to the team. Scott has been unable to pitch at all during the postseason after having a lower-body abscess surgery at the beginning of October. Meanwhile, Vesia has been away from the team of late due to a personal issue and will not be available out of the bullpen for the Fall Classic. Scott has been dreadful for the Dodgers at the back end of their bullpen all year, so he might have been left off the World Series roster even if he was fully healthy. Vesia won't be eligible to join the Dodgers' roster for the World Series at a later date because he will not go on the family medical emergency list. Vesia's absence is notable, as he has been a trusted lefty arm out of the bullpen in high-leverage situations for the Dodgers this year, recording five saves while posting a 3.02 ERA in 68 regular-season relief appearances.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Dodgers
October 24, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander
Trevor Megill (elbow) and left-hander
DL Hall (oblique) were deemed fully recovered by season's end, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Megill dealt with a flexor tendon strain in his right elbow late in the year but finished the season healthy. The 31-year-old veteran was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his third year in Milwaukee, posting a career-best 2.49 ERA (2.50 FIP), 1.13 WHIP, a career-high 30 saves, a career-high 60 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 47 innings out of the bullpen during the regular season. He tossed four innings in the postseason and allowed a solo home run while walking one and striking out five. Hall, 27, landed on the injured list on Aug. 16 with a strained right oblique and was activated for the regular-season finale. The southpaw has dealt with his fair share of injuries but posted a decent 3.35 ERA in his 37 2/3 innings for the Brew Crew in 2025. Both Megill and Hall should be fully ready for spring training next February.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
October 24, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee) is officially on the team's roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Bichette will be available to Toronto for the first time this postseason and for the first time in seven weeks due to a sprained PCL in his left knee that he suffered in early September. The All-Star is not expected to play shortstop during the World Series, though, which means that he will either serve as the designated hitter (which will push
George Springer to the outfield) or play second base. The 27-year-old was one of the best hitters in baseball this year, slashing .311/.357/.483 with an .840 OPS, 18 home runs, 94 RBI, and 78 runs in 582 at-bats. Toronto will need all the help it can get on offense to keep up with the Dodgers, but there's no guarantee Bichette will be in the same form he was over seven weeks ago.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
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