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
October 23, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Foul Territory on Thursday that right-hander
Zack Wheeler (shoulder) could have a chance to be ready for Opening Day in 2026, and that they aren't expecting Wheeler to have any setbacks during his recovery this offseason from thoracic outlet surgery. "We're hopeful it'll [his return] be on the front end, which would even get him ready for Opening Day, but right now he's doing very good," Dombrowski said. Wheeler's 2025 campaign ended early because of a blood-clot issue in his right shoulder that required surgery, but he could be ready to go early next year. Before the unique injury, the 35-year-old veteran hurler went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts in 149 2/3 innings pitched over 24 starts. Wheeler has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the league since 2021, but there will be more risk than ever with him in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Foul Territory
October 23, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw will be on the team's World Series roster, according to manager Dave Roberts. Kershaw, who has made just one relief appearance in the playoffs this year in the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, will continue to be available out of the team's bullpen. The 37-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Famer didn't fare well in that one appearance, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits (two homers) while walking three and striking out none in two innings of work. Kershaw already announced that this year will be the last of his Hall of Fame career. Although the three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP hasn't been a part of the team's postseason success this October, he was solid in his 23 outings (22 starts) for the Blue during the regular season, going 11-2 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 84:35 K:BB in 112 2/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
October 23, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right-handers
Logan Henderson (elbow) and
Trevor Megill (elbow), and left-hander
DL Hall (oblique) were all deemed fully recovered by season's end, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Right-hander
Quinn Priester (wrist), who dealt with right-wrist soreness late in the year, is also headed for a normal offseason and is expected to be fully healthy for Opening Day in 2026. Henderson was shut down in early August due to a flexor strain in his right elbow, but he should be ready for the start of next season. He only threw 25 1/3 innings over five starts before getting hurt, but when available, he was money, posting a 1.79 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 33 strikeouts and eight walks. As long as he doesn't have a setback with his forearm in spring training, Henderson figures to have a good shot at winning a starting rotation spot for the Brew Crew.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
October 23, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers third baseman
Caleb Durbin (elbow) battled elbow irritation at the end of the 2025 season and will have arthroscopic debridement surgery on Oct. 30, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Durbin is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in February, according to the team. The 25-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2021 out of Washington University in St. Louis made his big-league debut this year with Milwaukee and settled in as their starting third baseman pretty quickly. He ended up playing in 136 regular-season games and slashed .256/.334/.387 with a .721 OPS, 11 home runs, 53 RBI, 60 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 506 trips to the plate. Durbin should be ready for the start of the regular season as long as he doesn't have a setback with his elbow in spring training.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
October 23, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder
Sal Frelick (knee) underwent imaging on his troublesome left knee after the Brewers were knocked out of the National League Championship Series, but the imaging came back "unremarkable," according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Frelick is thus expected to have a "normal offseason." The 25-year-old battled soreness in his left knee for much of the 2025 season after initially injuring it in May, but he managed to play in 142 regular-season games and had his best year in the big leagues in his third season. Frelick finished the regular season with a strong .288 batting average (152-for-528) with career-highs in home runs (12), RBI (63), runs scored (76), and stolen bases (19). Unfortunately for the Brewers, Frelick's 2025 numbers could easily figure to be his ceiling going forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
October 23, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers catcher
William Contreras (finger) will visit with a hand specialist next week for a "potential correction" of his fractured left middle finger, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Contreras suffered a fractured finger way back in May but played through the injury. The 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop took a slight step back offensively in 2025, and it was likely due to his fractured finger. In 150 games played for the first-place Brewers, he hit .260/.355/.399 with a .754 OPS, 17 home runs, 76 RBI, 89 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 659 plate appearances. Contreras was still one of the better-hitting catchers in the league, but he wasn't as good as his 23-homer season in 2024. Even if Contreras needs to have his injured finger fixed via surgery this offseason, he should be ready to go for Opening Day in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
October 23, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter
George Springer is "very" capable of playing the outfield, if needed, in the upcoming World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to manager John Schneider. The skipper prefers not to take players out of their comfort zone, but Schneider sounds confident that Springer can play the outfield, if needed. It has been a month since Springer played in the outfield, and he also suffered a knee injury in the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners, but it sounds as though the Jays will consider the veteran in the outfield if shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee) is put on the World Series roster but has to be limited to DH duties. Along with first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Springer has been an offensive hero for Toronto all year, hitting 32 home runs in the regular season and posting a .929 OPS with four dingers in the postseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
October 23, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays All-Star shortstop
Bo Bichette (knee) will face live pitching on Thursday, according to manager John Schneider. Bichette has also been taking ground balls, running, and hitting over the last few days. Schneider said there's "still a few more boxes to check," and "we're kind of coming right down to the wire with it" in terms of his availability for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which starts on Friday night in Toronto. If Bichette is included on the World Series roster, the skipper said that starting him at designated hitter, shortstop, or second base is all on the table. For what it's worth, Scheider said that Bichette "looked more than comfortable" when he played second in the minors. If Bichette is active and serves as the DH, it would require
George Springer to play the outfield. Getting Bichette back in the lineup would be a huge boost to Toronto's lineup, although there could be plenty of rust since he hasn't played in a big-league game since early September.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sportsnet - Arden Zwelling
October 23, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays rookie right-hander
Trey Yesavage will become the second-youngest pitcher ever to toe the rubber in Game 1 of a World Series when he starts on Friday night at the Rogers Centre against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yesavage will be making just his seventh start in the major leagues in the first game of the Fall Classic -- he made three during the regular season for Toronto and three so far in the postseason. The 22-year-old allowed five earned runs on 13 hits (no homers) while walking seven and fanning 16 in 14 innings in his three regular-season starts (two against Tampa and one versus the Royals). He has allowed seven earned runs in his three postseason starts over 15 innings, but he has walked seven and struck out 22 against the Yankees and two times out versus the Mariners. Yesavage has a lot of swing-and-miss stuff, but it will prove to be a huge challenge matching lefty
Blake Snell, who has been lights-out for L.A. in October.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
RADIO
