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Max Fried SP | NYY
Yankees' Max Fried: Locked in for Game 3
Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Fried will start Wednesday's Game 3 of the ALDS against the Rays, Chelsea Janes of SNY.tv reports.
It will be one week since Fried last pitched when he toes the rubber in Game 3 on Wednesday, so he should be fully rested in a must-win matchup for the Yankees. The southpaw looked sharp in his first outing of the postseason in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Boston, earning the victory after allowing one run on three hits and one walk while fanning six over six frames.
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Sean Burke SP | CHW
White Sox's Sean Burke: Excels in bulk role
Burke earned the win in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Monday. He allowed a run on one hit with six strikeouts and one walk over 5.1 innings.
The right-hander worked as a traditional starter in the wild-card round versus Houston, but he entered Monday after Anthony Kay and Sean Newcomb combined to give up two runs (one earned) across 2.1 innings. Burke pitched into the eighth inning, when he was replaced after allowing a two-out single that eventually resulted in a run. It was a strong bounce-back performance after he surrendered three solo homers in Houston last week during his postseason debut. Burke tentatively lines up to pitch in a decisive Game 5 on Saturday, but Chicago will first have two chances at home to close out the series.
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Punches out 11 in Game 2
Williams didn't factor into the decision in Game 2 of the ALDS against the White Sox on Monday. He struck out 11 and gave up two runs on four hits and three walks.
After firing a clean top of the first frame, the Guardians handed Williams a 2-0 lead, which he maintained through five innings. The right-hander was pulled at 98 pitches (59 strikes) after surrendering a leadoff single to begin the sixth, and that runner came around to score as Chicago took a 3-2 advantage in the frame. Williams now lines up to start a potential Game 5, but Cleveland will need to win the next two games on the road to get there.
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Nick Martinez SP | TB
Rays' Nick Martinez: Getting ball for Game 3 of ALDS
Martinez will start Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Martinez will make his 2026 postseason debut in what figures to be a hostile environment in New York. The crafty right-hander posted arguably the best regular season of his big-league career with the Rays, accruing a 3.10 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with a 109:26 K:BB across 180.0 innings, and he'll look to carry that momentum into the playoffs.
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Carlos Rodon SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Rodon: Lined up for Game 4
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Rodon is lineup up to start potential Game 4 of the ALDS versus the Rays on Thursday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
The Yankees will turn to Max Fried in Game 3, leaving Rodon to take the ball in Game 4 in what would be his first start this postseason. Gerrit Cole would be on regular rest in Game 4 and could be used in relief that day, but otherwise he'll be lined up for a possible Game 5. Rodon's last start came on Sept. 22 against the Rays, and he struck out eight over eight shutout innings.
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Freddy Peralta SP | TB
Rays' Freddy Peralta: Starting Game 2 of ALDS
Peralta is slated to face the Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Peralta will look to guide the Rays to a 2-0 lead in the series after Tampa Bay took Game 1 on Saturday by a score of 1-0. The right-hander struggled throughout most of the regular season, but he had a resurgence in September, when he was the American League Pitcher of the Month by posting a 0.96 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 23:9 K:BB over 28 innings while going 4-0 over five starts. In his lone start versus the Yankees during the regular season, Peralta gave up three runs on two hits while walking six batters and striking out four on May 17 while with the Mets.
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Ryan Weathers SP | NYY
Yankees' Ryan Weathers: On ALDS roster
Weathers (forearm) is listed on the Yankees' roster for their American League Division Series against the Rays.
The Yankees left Weathers off their wild-card roster as he finished recovering from a forearm strain he suffered in late August, but he now seems to be fully healthy and ready to pitch in the ALDS. The 26-year-old southpaw turned in a 3.60 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 137.1 innings while making 25 starts in the regular season, but he is expected to be limited to relief duties during the postseason.
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Carlos Rodon SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Rodon: Will be part of ALDS rotation
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Rodon will start either Game 3 or a potential Game 4 of the ALDS versus the Rays, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
It's possible Rodon is needed in relief in Game 1 or 2, but if he's not he'll take the ball in Game 3 or a potential Game 4. Rodon's final regular-season start was against the Rays, and he dazzled with eight strikeouts across eight shutout innings. The Yankees are turning to Gerrit Cole in Game 1 and Cam Schlittler in Game 2.
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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Tapped for ALDS Game 1 start
Cole will start Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays on Saturday.
The Rays were much better against right-handers (fourth in OPS) than left-handers (25th in OPS) this season, but the Yankees will roll with Cole rather than lefty Carlos Rodon in Game 1. Cole made three starts against the Rays in the regular season, logging a 2.50 ERA and 16:7 K:BB over 18 frames.
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Sonny Gray SP | BOS
Red Sox's Sonny Gray: Lasts 4.2 frames in loss
Gray was charged with the loss in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees on Wednesday. He gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks over 4.2 innings.
Gray started off with three scoreless frames but surrendered a solo homer to Luis Garcia in the fourth and was pulled with two on and two out in the fifth at 70 pitches. One of the inherited runners came around to score, and New York erupted for six runs the following inning. It was the veteran right-hander's shortest outing since late May, as he had covered at least five frames in 20 consecutive starts. Though the early playoff exit leaves a sour taste, it was still one of the best regular seasons of Gray's career with a 2.72 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 149:46 K:BB over 169 innings.