Sale will start the second game of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets, if necessary, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Sale will be waiting in the wings Monday to start the nightcap if Atlanta loses the opener of their doubleheader with New York. The team needs to win one of the two games to clinch a spot in the Wild Card Round on Tuesday, so if Atlanta wins the opener, Sale will shift his focus to getting ready for the postseason. Spencer Schwellenbach will toe the rubber in the first game Monday.

Schwellenbach will start the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Mets, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Schwellenbach will get another start prior to the end of the regular season as Atlanta will be forced to play a doubleheader with New York on Monday. The team needs to win at least one of the two games to clinch a spot in the playoffs. The right-hander has recorded three straight quality starts, posting a 1.89 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 15 strikeouts over 19 innings in those outings.

Irvin (10-14) took the loss Sunday against the Phillies, allowing six earned runs on five hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out three.

Irvin stumbled out of the gates, allowing the bases to be loaded with zero outs in the opening frame. He managed to limit the damage to two runs, but Irvin ran into trouble again in the fifth inning. The right-hander again loaded the bases with nobody out, allowing a pair of runs to score on a Kyle Schwarber single and later a Weston Wilson double. The 27-year-old Irvin finishes his second professional campaign with a respectable 4.41 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 156:52 K:BB in 187.2 innings (33 starts). Irvin will look for more consistency next season after he limped to the finish line in 2024, pitching to a 5.90 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 57:23 K:BB in 71.2 innings after the All-Star break.

Nola (14-8) picked up the win Sunday against the Nationals, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and zero walks while striking out seven in five innings.

Nola did not save his best for last, surrendering a leadoff home run to Luis Garcia in the opening frame. The veteran righty effectively worked around the traffic he put on the basepaths, however. The 31-year-old Nola was his steady, dependable self yet again for fantasy managers in 2024, pitching to a 3.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 197:50 K:BB in 199.1 innings -- the fifth-biggest workload in MLB this year. Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Nola has started 32 or more games in every season since 2018. During that span, he leads MLB in both starts (208) and innings pitched (1,264.2), making him one of the most reliable starting pitchers in fantasy.

Knack is set to follow Anthony Banda for Sunday's game in Colorado, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Plunkett notes that this could foreshadow how the Dodgers will use Knack in the postseason. The rookie right-hander has a 5.14 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 21 innings over his last five appearances and will make his final trip to the mound of the regular season in Coors Field.

McDonald was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday.

The Giants are short on fresh arms for the final game of the regular season, so McDonald could make his big-league debut in relief of Hayden Birdsong. McDonald, a 23-year-old righty with decent stuff, logged 78.1 innings across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Gallen expects to be available out of the bullpen Sunday against the Padres, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

He did not throw his usual between-start bullpen session over the weekend in case he was needed on the final day of the regular season. Arizona gets into the postseason with a win Sunday and losses by the Mets and Atlanta, so Gallen could end up appearing and qualifying for a win or save in relief of Brandon Pfaadt.

Wrobleski was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.

He picked up a four-inning save Saturday, so Wrobleski won't be available to pitch for a couple days. The 24-year-old lefty logged a 5.70 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 26:16 K:BB in 36.1 innings with the big club this season and will retain his prospect eligibility heading into 2025.

Waldron was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.

Waldron will serve as fresh arm capable of logging multiple innings of relief Sunday following starter Martin Perez. Waldron, who is known best for his knuckleball, logged a 4.79 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 130 strikeouts in 142.2 innings through 26 MLB starts this year.

Vasquez was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.

Vasquez had arguably his best start of the season Saturday in Arizona, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out four over six scoreless innings. He'll presumably compete for a rotation spot next spring, but it's not clear if he'll have a role on the Padres' postseason roster. Matt Waldron was recalled in a corresponding move.