4 hours agoThe Milwaukee Brewers officially named right-hander Freddy Peralta their Game 2 starter in the wild-card series on Wednesday against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Peralta will be tasked with keeping Milwaukee's season alive after they dropped Game 1 on Tuesday by a score of 6-3. The Brew Crew will not have Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) for the wild-card series, and he might not even be available the rest of the postseason if the Brewers advance to the National League Division Series or beyond. Peralta was solid in 2023, going 12-10 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 210 strikeouts in 165 2/3 innings over his 30 starts. The 27-year-old didn't actually face the Diamondbacks at all during the regular season. Peralta was slightly better at home with a 3.44 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 12.8 K/9 in 89 innings over 16 starts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy

4 hours agoThe San Diego Padres announced on Tuesday that third baseman Manny Machado (elbow) underwent right-elbow extensor tendon repair surgery on Tuesday in Los Angeles, and it was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Machado's estimated recovery timeline is four to six months. In a worst case scenario, Machado will not be ready for the start of the 2024 season. The 31-year-old six-time All-Star had a down year average-wise, hitting .258 (140-for-543), but he still managed to reach the 30-home run mark for the seventh time in his career while driving in 91 runs, stealing three bases and scoring 75 runs in 601 plate appearances over 138 games played. We'll keep a close eye on his progress over the winter and into the start of spring training in 2024.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press - Bernie Wilson

9 hours agoMiami Marlins shortstop Jon Berti is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's Game 1 of the Wild Card round versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Normally, Garrett Hampson would cover shortstop as he did a majority of the time down the stretch of the season. However, the Marlins will ride the hot hand here with Berti. Over his last 46 plate appearances, Berti is slashing .500/.609/.944 with four homers and two steals. He'll cover shortstop and bat eighth versus right-hander Zack Wheeler on Tuesday.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

9 hours agoMiami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes is behind the plate for Tuesday's Game 1 of the Wild Card round against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 26-year-old will bat ninth and do the catching versus right-hander Zack Wheeler on Tuesday. The Marlins didn't have a great option here with both their catchers struggling with the bat this season. Fortes is slashing .204/.263/.299 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 108 games this season. He won't have much streaming appeal for this contest.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

9 hours agoSeattle Mariners first baseman Evan White (hip) is expected to be ready for the beginning of spring training. The 27-year-old hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2021 due to multiple injuries. When healthy, White slashed .165/.235/.308 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI in 84 games across parts of two seasons with the Mariners. White is a former top prospect, but has never fully put it together at the MLB level. Hopefully, he'll be able to get back on track starting in spring training.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Ryan Divish

9 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham (toe) is reportedly not 100 percent healthy heading into the postseason. The 35-year-old outfielder admitted on Tuesday that he's still dealing with a turf toe issue. Despite the injury, Pham is still in the lineup for Tuesday's Game 1 of the Wild Card round against the Milwaukee Brewers. He'll bat third and serve as the designated hitter versus right-hander Corbin Burnes. The fact he's at DH could mean the toe issue is limiting his ability to play outfield. Regardless, it sounds like he still plans to play through the injury.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Steve Gilbert

9 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Cristian Pache is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's Game 1 of the Wild Card series against the Miami Marlins. The Phillies will move Pache into the lineup versus left-hander Jesus Luzardo. Normally, Brandon Marsh would be out there, but he'll head to the bench versus the southpaw. Pache will cover left field and bat eighth on Tuesday. He hasn't done much damage with the bat during his 48 games with the Phillies this season. That being said, Pache won't be a great streaming option for this contest.--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

10 hours agoPhiladelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins (knee) will report to the team's spring training facilities in Clearwater, Fla., on Wednesday to join the team's "stay ready" camp during the postseason. However, if Hoskins is able to return from knee surgery he had before the start of the 2023 regular season, he wouldn't be able to return unless the Phillies return to the World Series. The 30-year-old slugger suffered a torn ACL in his left knee while playing defense in spring training and missed the entire regular season, but he might be able to join the Phillies' postseason roster if they advance to the World Series for the second straight season. Still, even if that were to happen, there's no guarantee Hoskins would actually be ready play after missing the entire regular season.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Scott Lauber

10 hours agoMiami Marlins All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez (ankle) is back in the team's starting lineup for Game 1 of the wild-card series on Tuesday against right-hander Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies, starting at second base and batting leadoff. Arraez miss all but one game in the final two weeks of the regular season due to a sprained ankle, but he's back in there now to kick off the postseason. However, it remains to be seen how effective the 26-year-old two-time batting champion will be for the Fish at less than 100 percent health. In nine career at-bats against Wheeler, Arraez has two hits (one double) and a strikeout. He has very little pop (10 homers on the year), but he's an excellent table-setter with a career-high 203 hits and a .393 on-base percentage in 147 games in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

10 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder Sal Frelick is playing center field and batting fifth in the order for his playoff debut on Tuesday in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Tyrone Taylor is in right field and is hitting in the nine-hole for the Brew Crew. In his first 57 major-league games this year, Frelick hit .246/.341/.351 with only three home runs, 24 RBI, seven stolen bases and 29 runs scored in 223 plate appearances. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter really struggled down the stretch, though, and is limping into the playoffs. Frelick went hitless in 17 trips to the plate with four strikeouts in his last five games (four starts) of the regular season. He has never faced Pfaadt yet in his big-league career.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

13 hours agoKansas City Royals right-hander Jordan Lyles is expected to remain in the club's starting rotation next season, as per general manager J.J. Picollo. Picollo also stated that Brady Singer and Cole Ragans will be in the rotation with the final two spots up for grabs. Singer and Ragans returning is hardly surprising but Lyles' inclusion is somewhat suspect considering his results this season. The veteran's 6.28 ERA in 31 starts was easily the worst mark among 44 qualified pitchers while his 1.98 HR/9 surrendered ranked 42nd. On the positive side, he made at least 30 starts for the third straight season and should be able to eat more innings for the rebuilding Royals in 2024.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: McKenzie Nelson

13 hours agoToronto Blue Jays reliever Jay Jackson cleared waivers on Tuesday and is expected to accept his outright assignment to Triple-A Buffalo. As a result, the right-hander would be available to the club in case of injury throughout the postseason. Jackson tossed 29 2/3 innings of 2.12 ERA ball with the Blue Jays this season, although his 4.20 FIP and 3.89 SIERA suggest regression is on the horizon. The 35-year-old also worked to a rough 6.21 ERA/5.12 FIP across 25 appearances and 29 frames with Buffalo this season. He last pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against the Rays on Sept. 29 and has not allowed an earned run across his last six appearances with the Blue Jays.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Eric Treuden

13 hours agoArizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is back in the leadoff spot for Tuesday's Game 1 of the wild-card round versus the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Corbin Burnes. Carroll was one of several D-backs regulars to sit out of Sunday's regular-season finale with a playoff spot locked up but he will predictably get back into the fold while manning right field on Tuesday. The sure-fire NL Rookie of the Year hit .285 with 25 home runs, 54 stolen bases, and an .868 OPS across 155 games played this season while his 116 runs scored ranked seventh in all of baseball. He is 1-for-9 (.111) with a walk and three strikeouts across 10 career plate appearances versus Burnes.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

13 hours agoToronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman is hitting out of the eight-hole for the third time in his last four games for Tuesday's Game 1 of the Wild Card round versus the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Pablo Lopez. Two of Chapman's final three regular-season starts came out of the eight-hole, the only two times he has started out of that spot this season. Interestingly, he homered in each of his two starts out of the eight spot this season. While he cooled off significantly following a white-hot April, Chapman still recorded 17 home runs, 39 doubles, four steals, and a healthy .754 OPS across 140 appearances on the season. He is 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his career against Lopez.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

13 hours agoMinnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa will begin the postseason out of the six-hole for Tuesday's contest against the Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman. Continued plantar fasciitis issues threatened the 29-year-old's availability for this Wild Card series but he will indeed play while hitting out of the six-hole for the first time this season. It was a disappointing regular season for Correa offensively as he hit a career-worst .230 along with 18 homers and a .711 OPS across 135 games. His 96 wRC+ this season is the second-worst mark of his career and his worst mark over any non-COVID campaign. Correa has gone 3-for-14 (.214) with a double and three walks across 17 career plate appearances versus Gausman.--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com