RADIO
Grant Taylor Stars in an Extended Relief Appearance in Game 1 Victory
Chicago White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor was electric out of the bullpen in his team's 3-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday. The 24-year-old entered the game in the sixth inning and shut the door on the Guardians, allowing just two hits while striking out six across four scoreless frames. Taylor was one of the best relievers in baseball during the regular season, recording a 2.25 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 10 saves across 84 innings (60 games). Taylor's ability to work multiple innings makes him a unique weapon for the White Sox to deploy out of the bullpen. Taylor threw 42 pitches on Saturday, so he may not be available for Game 2 on Monday. However, the White Sox could try to get multiple innings out of him at least one more time in their series against the Guardians.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Hagen Smith Will Start Game 1 For White Sox in ALDS
Left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith will get the ball in Game 1 for the Chicago White Sox as they open their series against the Cleveland Guardians. Smith started a game in the opening series at Houston and pitched three quality innings with two hits allowed, no walks, and one strikeout. That's just about the perfect scenario for the White Sox as they are counting on Smith as an opener. Three strong inning would help get to the White Sox' bullpen and allow them to bridge the gap to the late innings. Smith was used mostly as a reliever during the regular season and only started one game. He pitched 28 innings and allowed 11 hits, walking 16 for a 0.96 WHIP to go with his 1.29 ERA during the regular season. Smith looks like a bonafide weapon for the White Sox in the postseason and they could vary how they use him. As the opener they will most likely look for 3+ strong innings once again in Game 1.
Source: Chicago White Sox
Source: Chicago White Sox
Dodgers Don't Name Closer For NLDS Vs. Braves
Los Angeles Dodgers managers Dave Roberts named a list of pitchers when asked about his closer situation which included Tanner Scott, Edwin Diaz, Evan Phillips and Roki Sasaki. Roberts said he would feel comfortable with each of those mentioned as the closer but according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, Scott is at the top of that list. Scott led the team in the regular season with 25 saves, Edwin Diaz had seven saves and Alex Vesia had three saves. The Dodgers could play the matchups in using their bullpen in closing situations against the Braves but Scott is the safest bet to close out games. He had the most success during the regular season and with Diaz's injuries and struggles, Scott looks like the most dominant option.
Source: The Athletic, Fabian Ardaya
Source: The Athletic, Fabian Ardaya
Ray Kerr Helps Pitch Braves Past the Phillies on Thursday
Atlanta Braves left-hander Ray Kerr helped pitch his team to a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series on Thursday. The 32-year-old was Atlanta's opener ahead of right-hander Grant Holmes and pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk. Kerr was effective in a limited sample size for the Braves during the regular season, recording a 1.47 ERA and 0.60 WHIP with 11 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings (nine games). Atlanta is piecing together its playoff rotation behind ace Chris Sale and veteran Tyler Mahle. With Kerr's ability to work multiple innings, he could continue to see usage as an opener in the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Andrew Painter Steps Up in Key Relief Appearance on Wednesday
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter helped save his team's season on Wednesday, shutting the door out of the bullpen in Philadelphia's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. Painter entered the game in the eighth inning and pitched three scoreless frames, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out three. The 23-year-old had an up-and-down season as a member of the Phillies rotation in 2026, recording a 3-10 record with a 5.40 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts across 126 2/3 innings. However, the hard-throwing right-hander was better in the second half of the year, pitching to a 3.65 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with a 24.5% strikeout rate across 61 2/3 innings after the All-Star break. If Painter can emerge as a reliable relief option for the Phillies in October, he could help spark a postseason run.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Joe Musgrove on the Padres' Wild-Card Roster
The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, and he will be included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week at Petco Park against the Chicago Cubs, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. It is a bit of a surprise, since Musgrove did not pitch for the Friars at all in 2026, and he made only 19 starts in 2024 before eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Musgrove was expected to be ready for the start of this season, but he suffered a setback in spring training and then was not recovering the way he would have liked once he started a minor-league rehab assignment. Because of the long layoff and the fact that he has not pitched in the majors at all this year, if Musgrove gets into a game during the Wild-Card Series, it will almost certainly be in more of a low-leverage bullpen role. The 33-year-old veteran was an All-Star in 2022 with the Padres, posting a career-best 2.93 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30 starts. Musgrove went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 23 walks in his 19 starts in 2024 before being shut down.
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Garrett Crochet on Boston's Wild-Card Roster
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Crochet only managed to make six starts (30 innings) for Boston in his second season with the team in 2026 due to left-shoulder and lat injuries. The 27-year-old southpaw has been ramping up for the last month or so, but with time running out, he will not serve as a starter for the BoSox, at least not for the Wild-Card Series this week. The two-time All-Star was not very effective in his six starts during the regular season early in the year before he was shut down, as he went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in his 30 innings pitched. If Crochet can regain the form he showed in 2025, when he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting, he could be an indispensable relief asset for Boston this postseason.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
AJ Blubaugh Set to Open Game 1 of AL Wild-Card Series for Astros
Houston Astros right-hander AJ Blubaugh will be the opener in a projected bullpen game in Game 1 of his team's American League Wild Card Series matchup against the Chicago White Sox, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Blubaugh was effective in a multi-inning relief role for the Astros this year, recording a 5-3 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts across 96 innings (64 games). Because Houston did not clinch the American League West title until the final day of the regular season, ace Hunter Brown will likely get the ball for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series on Wednesday. As a result, the team will be hoping Blubaugh can get them through at least an inning or two to begin the game on Tuesday.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Hagen Smith Set to Start Game 1 of Wild-Card Series Against Astros
Chicago White Sox left-hander Hagen Smith will be his team's starter in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Smith worked almost exclusively as a reliever after making his MLB debut on August 9, so he will likely be the first man up in a bullpen game for Chicago. The 23-year-old was extremely effective for the White Sox during the regular season, recording a 3-3 record with a 1.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts across 28 innings (18 games). Smith posted an elevated 14.5% walk rate, but he also struck out 37.3% of the batters he faced. Throwing Smith as the opener assures that Astros lefty slugger Yordan Alvarez has a tough at-bat in his first plate appearance of the game, which is likely a big part of the strategy for Chicago.
Source: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
Source: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
Jeff Hoffman Lands on Injured List to End the Season
The Minnesota Twins placed right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with inflammation in his right forearm, according to Aaron Gleeman. The Twins activated shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. After blowing the save in Game 7 of last year's World Series against the Dodgers, Hoffman finishes his 2026 campaign with a 6-8 record, 3.55 ERA (2.47 FIP), a 1.32 WHIP, only six saves, a career-high 102 strikeouts, and 30 walks in 66 innings out of the bullpen for the Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. He had five of his six saves on the year in Toronto, but also an ERA near 4.00. Although Hoffman was used as more of a late-inning setup man after being acquired in a trade by Minnesota, he fared better in his 20 relief outings with the Twins, with a 2.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 27:12 K:BB in 18 innings pitched. Despite not seeing many save chances, Hoffman picked up a career-high 22 holds and was still very valuable in fantasy formats that reward points for holds.
Source: Aaron Gleeman
Source: Aaron Gleeman
Andres Munoz Goes to 15-Day Injured List
Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz (knee) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday, Ryan Divish reports. Munoz hasn't pitched since Sunday and now goes to the shelf due to right knee inflammation. His inconsistent 2026 season will now come to an end with a few games left in the regular season. He'll finish the season with a 4.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and an 89/24 K/BB ratio with 28 saves across 57.2 innings of work. The expectation is that Jose A. Ferrer and Seranthony Dominguez will work in save situations over the final few days of the regular season. Fantasy managers should expect Munoz to be back in the closer role and fully healthy for the start of next season.
Source: Ryan Divish
Source: Ryan Divish
Braves Reinstate Robert Suarez From Injured List
The Atlanta Braves officially announced on Wednesday that they reinstated right-handed reliever Robert Suarez (elbow) from the 60-day injured list and optioned right-hander Owen Murphy to the minors in a corresponding move. After missing more than three months with inflammation in his right elbow, Suarez is back at the back end of the Braves' bullpen for the tail end of the regular season. The Braves might ease the 35-year-old veteran Venezuelan hurler back into the fold so that he is ready to roll for the postseason next month. Before his elbow injury, Suarez, a two-time All-Star who had 76 saves in the previous two seasons with the San Diego Padres, had been pitching extremely well in Atlanta. He was 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA (2.44 FIP), a 0.84 WHIP, four saves, 26 strikeouts, and six walks in 32 relief innings. Suarez's return definitely makes Atlanta's bullpen more intimidating, just in time for the postseason in October.
Source: Atlanta Braves
Source: Atlanta Braves
Rico Garcia a Priority Saves Target on the Waiver Wire
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia has been one of his team's most reliable bullpen arms in 2026, recording a 3.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 68 strikeouts, and 10 saves across 66 innings (74 games). The 32-year-old has mostly functioned as a high-leverage arm in a setup role for the Orioles. However, Garcia has emerged as the team's preferred option in the ninth inning of late, recording four saves in his last six appearances. Garcia has also been extremely effective in the second half of the season, allowing just three earned runs across his last 19 appearances (16 1/3 innings). For fantasy managers in need of saves in the final week of the 2026 season, Garcia profiles as a must-roster pitcher.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Aroldis Chapman Should Be Cleared "in the Next Day or Two"
Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said that closer Aroldis Chapman (lat) "should be cleared in the next day or two," per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Chapman has not pitched since September 13 due to lat tightness, but it appears as though the 38-year-old is on the doorstep of a return to his role in the ninth inning for the Red Sox. Across 50 2/3 innings (52 games) in 2026, Chapman has recorded a 1.95 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 34 saves. The veteran left-hander has not been quite as dominant as he was in his first season with Boston in 2025, but he's still posted an excellent 32.4% strikeout rate and blown just two save chances. When healthy, Chapman remains a must-start closer for fantasy managers.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Andres Munoz Avoids Major Injury, Could Be Available on Tuesday
Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz (knee) "should be ok" and could be available to his team on Tuesday night after undergoing an MRI on his injured knee, per Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710. Munoz was pulled from his most recent appearance on Sunday after tweaking his right knee, but he appears to have avoided serious injury. It's been a disappointing year overall for the 27-year-old, who has recorded a 4.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 89 strikeouts, and 28 saves across 57 1/3 innings (61 games). Munoz has struggled with home runs (1.41 HR/9) and has blown a career-high 10 saves. However, the hard-throwing right-hander is still averaging 99.7 miles per hour on his fastball and has logged an elite 37.1% strikeout rate. Heading into 2027, Munoz could be an excellent buy-low candidate for fantasy managers.
Source: Seattle Sports 710 - Shannon Drayer
Source: Seattle Sports 710 - Shannon Drayer
