MLB Player News
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Leonardo Rivas SS | SEA
Mariners' Leo Rivas: Another start at second base
Rivas will start at second base and bat ninth in Friday's ALCS Game 5 versus the Blue Jays.
For the second straight game, the Mariners are going with Rivas at second base, Jorge Polanco in the designated hitter spot and Dominic Canzone in right field, with Victor Robles retreating to the bench. Rivas went 0-for-2 with a walk in Thursday's Game 4 loss.
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Jose Quintana SP | MIL
Brewers' Jose Quintana: Officially named Game 4 starter
Quintana will start Friday's NLCS Game 4 against the Dodgers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
The veteran lefty became the obvious choice to take the ball in Game 4 after the Brewers opted to go with Aaron Ashby as the opener and Jacob Misiorowski as the bulk reliever in Game 3. Quintana has made one appearance so far this postseason, tossing three scoreless innings in NLDS Game 3 versus the Cubs. He'll be tasked Friday with helping the Brewers stave off elimination.
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Troy Melton P | DET
Tigers' Troy Melton: Projected to be in 2026 rotation
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and manager A.J. Hinch said at their end-of-season press conference Monday that Melton will be a starting pitcher next season, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Melton bounced between the rotation and bullpen for the Tigers in 2025 both in the regular season and playoffs and was impressive in both roles, collecting a 2.76 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 36:15 K:BB over 45.2 regular-season frames. The 24-year-old has been almost exclusively a starting pitcher in the minors and held a 2.99 ERA and 101:20 K:BB across 75.1 innings between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo this season.
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Ben Rice C | NYY
Yankees' Ben Rice: Viewed as primary first baseman
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that he views Rice as the team's primary first baseman next season, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Rice split time between designated hitter (48 starts), first base (46 starts) and catcher (26 starts) in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs across 530 regular-season plate appearances. Boone didn't rule out Rice serving as the team's No. 2 or No. 3 catcher in 2026, but most of the 26-year-old's playing time is expected to come at first base.
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Otto Kemp 3B | PHI
Phillies' Otto Kemp: Set for two sugeries
Kemp will undergo surgery this offseason to repair a fracture in his left knee cap and an additional operation to clean out damage to his left shoulder, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Kemp chipped a piece of bone when he fouled a ball off his knee cap June 17, but he missed only one game and then played though the injury for the remainder of the season. He also evidently played with a shoulder issue, though it's unclear when he first injured it. Kemp slashed .234/.298/.411 with eight homers and two steals over 62 games in the majors in 2025 and posted a .987 OPS with 16 home runs and 13 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. It's not clear when the surgeries will occur, nor is known how long his rehab will take. The Phillies appear to view the 26-year-old as more than just a bench player, though it's uncertain where exactly he fits into the team's 2026 plans. Kemp made starts at third base, first base, second base and left field for the Phillies this season.
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Justin Crawford CF | PHI
Phillies' Justin Crawford: Team not sold on CF defense
The Phillies are unconvinced that Crawford is currently capable of playing average defense in center field, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Crawford's bat looks major-league ready after he slashed .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season as a 21-year-old. However, the Phillies aren't confident he can handle center field defensively at the big-league level, which makes him a more difficult fit on their roster. The 2022 first-round pick did play some left field in 2025 for the first time in pro ball and also got some starts at designated hitter. It's possible Crawford develops into a better defender, so depending on how the Phillies' offseason plays out, the club could give him a shot in center field in 2026 and hope his defense improves.
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Luis Castillo SP | SEA
Mariners' Luis Castillo: Short outing in ALCS
Castillo (1-1) allowed three earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one across 2.1 innings to take the loss in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday.
Castillo got through two innings unscathed, but he allowed five of the first six hitters he faced in the third frame to reach base before being pulled. This was Castillo's first stumble of the postseason, as he had previously thrown six scoreless innings across two appearances in the ALDS. He has a less impressive 5:5 K:BB, but he has largely been a reliable arm for Seattle.
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Andres Gimenez 2B | TOR
Blue Jays' Andres Gimenez: Knocks in four to even ALCS
Gimenez went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and four RBI in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Mariners.
Gimenez delivered a pair of big hits, kicking off the scoring with a two-run home run in the third inning. He came through with a two-RBI single five frames later, and he has now driven in six runs in his last two games. Gimenez has posted a .310/.355/.552 OPS across 32 plate appearances this postseason.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: Smacks fifth postseason homer
Guerrero went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Mariners.
Guerrero provided an insurance run for the Blue Jays in the seventh inning with his fifth postseason home run. He's been a key to Toronto's success in the ALCS, going 6-for-9 with two homers, two doubles and four runs scored in his last two games.
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Wins postseason debut
Scherzer (1-0) allowed two earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five across 5.2 innings to earn the win in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Mariners.
Scherzer drew his first start of the postseason and took the mound in a game for the first time since Sept. 24. He understandably showed some rust, issuing two free passes in the first inning and giving up a leadoff homer in the second inning. He settled in from there, allowing only a pair of singles and walks across his final 3.2 frames of work. It's unclear when Scherzer will be called upon next, but he played a big part in the Blue Jays leveling the ALCS through four games.