MLB Player News
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Grant Holmes RP | ATL
Braves' Grant Holmes: Starting second game for Atlanta
Holmes will start the second game of Monday's doubleheader versus the Mets, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
He will sub in for Chris Sale -- who had to be scratched due to back spasms -- with a postseason berth on the line. Holmes made six starts and 19 relief appearances for Atlanta this season, posting a 3.78 ERA and 63:14 K:BB over 64.1 frames. His last start came on Sept. 22 when he went four innings and threw 62 pitches against the Marlins. Holmes also threw 1.2 innings and 21 pitches in a relief outing Sunday, so he will be quite limited in what he can offer length-wise Monday.
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Chris Sale SP | ATL
Braves' Chris Sale: Scratched due to back spasms
Sale has been scratched from Monday's start against the Mets due to back spasms, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Atlanta is facing a must-win game after losing the first game of Monday's doubleheader, and they will no longer have their ace available after he felt back spasms Sunday. It will be Grant Holmes starting in Sale's place. When or if Sale might be ready for the wild-card series, should Atlanta qualify, is uncertain. General manager Alex Anthopoulos noted that Sale's injury is a day-to-day situation, which would seem to offer hope he could pitch at some point during the wild-card series, should Atlanta qualify.
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Freddy Peralta SP | MIL
Brewers' Freddy Peralta: Will start Game 1 for Milwaukee
Peralta will start Game 1 of the wild-card series for the Brewers on Tuesday, Stephen Watson of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
The Brewers don't know their opponent yet, but Peralta is going to get the ball Tuesday regardless of who they play. Peralta collected a 3.68 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 200:68 K:BB over 173.2 innings covering 32 starts this season. The Brewers have not yet revealed any of their starting pitchers beyond Game 1.
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Sal Frelick RF | MIL
Brewers' Sal Frelick: Status for wild-card series TBD
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Monday that Frelick's (hip) status for the wild-card series remains uncertain, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
Frelick was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left hip Saturday, but he is still noticeably gimpy and will undergo more testing Monday. If Frelick is ultimately not ready for the wild-card series which begins Tuesday, Blake Perkins should see an increase in responsibility.
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Alec Burleson DH | STL
Cardinals' Alec Burleson: Drives in three in win
Burleson went 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI in Sunday's 6-1 win over the Giants.
Burleson hit an RBI single in the fifth inning and drove in two more runs with another single in the sixth. While he was a bright spot for most of 2024 for the Cardinals, Burleson hit just .202 and slugged a mere .226 in September while slipping back into a strong-side platoon role. He finishes the year with a .269/.314/.420 slash line, 21 home runs, 78 RBI, 71 runs scored, 20 doubles and nine stolen bases over 152 games.
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Harrison Bader CF | NYM
Mets' Harrison Bader: Drawing start in first game
Bader will start in center field and bat ninth in the first game of Monday's doubleheader versus Atlanta, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Bader had not started the last six games against right-handed pitching, but he's getting the call for this one versus righty Spencer Schwellenbach. Tyrone Taylor is handling right field and Starling Marte will begin the contest on the bench.
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Starling Marte RF | NYM
Mets' Starling Marte: Sitting out first game
Marte is not in the lineup for the first game of Monday's doubleheader against Atlanta, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Marte is in a 1-for-15 mini-slump over his last five games and has not homered since June 12. He will yield to Tyrone Taylor in right field for the first contest, with Harrison Bader patrolling center field.
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Sean Murphy C | ATL
Braves' Sean Murphy: Not in lineup for first game
Murphy is absent from the lineup in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets.
Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud have alternated starts at catcher since d'Arnaud returned from paternity leave in mid-September. It will be d'Arnaud doing the catching and batting seventh in the first game Monday, with Murphy likely to get the nod for the second contest.
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Julian Merryweather RP | CHC
Cubs' Julian Merryweather: Shifted to 60-day injured list
The Cubs transferred Merryweather (knee) to the 60-day injured list Sunday.
The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster. Merryweather underwent right knee surgery earlier this month to address tendinitis.