MLB Player News
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Roki Sasaki P | LAD
Dodgers' Roki Sasaki: Nails down save in Game 1 win
Sasaki earned the save in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, allowing one hit and no walks with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.
After missing more than four months with a right shoulder impingement, Sasaki returned to the Dodgers in the final week of the regular season as a bullpen arm and earned a spot on the postseason roster. With Los Angeles' bullpen troubles this season, manager Dave Roberts deployed both Tyler Glasnow and Sasaki in relief in Game 1 on Saturday. After Glasnow and Alex Vesia combined for six outs, Sasaki took the ball in the bottom of the ninth and struck out J.T. Realmuto looking before allowing a double to Max Kepler. Sasaki then got Nick Castellanos to ground out and Bryson Stott to foul out to preserve the win. Sasaki hit triple digits with his fastball four times across 11 pitches in the ninth inning.
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Harrison Bader CF | PHI
Phillies' Harrison Bader: Left with groin tightness
Manager Rob Thomson said after Saturday's loss to the Dodgers that Bader was removed from the game due to groin tightness, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Phillies initially announced Bader was removed from the contest due to a left hamstring strain, but Thomson clarified it's a groin issue. It's unclear if Bader will be able to recover enough in time to play in Monday's Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. Both Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler saw time in center field following Bader's departure Saturday.
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Teoscar Hernandez RF | LAD
Dodgers' Teoscar Hernandez: Smacks go-ahead three-run homer
Hernandez went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Hernandez struck out in each of his first three plate appearances while facing Cristopher Sanchez, but the Dodgers cracked the code in the sixth inning and were able to get Sanchez out of the game. With Los Angeles trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Hernandez clubbed a three-run homer off Matt Strahm into the bleachers in right-center to give the Dodgers the lead. Through three playoff games, Hernandez is hitting .357 with three home runs and nine RBI, good for a 1.077 OPS.
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Cristopher Sanchez SP | PHI
Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez: Fans eight in no-decision
Sanchez did not factor in the decision during Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out eight across 5.2 innings.
Sanchez struck out two in the top of the first inning and cruised through five shutout frames before retiring the first two batters in the top of the sixth. Things then unraveled for the Phillies, as Sanchez walked Freddie Freeman before allowing two-out hits to Tommy Edman and Enrique Hernandez. Hernandez's double plated two, and Sanchez was pulled from the game in favor of David Robertson, who was able to get Max Muncy to end the threat. Matt Strahm, however, surrendered a go-ahead three-run home run to Teoscar Hernandez in the seventh inning. Sanchez looked untouchable prior to the sixth, and he should be available to make his next start Thursday in Game 4 if the series gets to that point.
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Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Strikes out nine in Game 1 win
Ohtani picked up the win against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing three earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters across six innings.
Making his first career postseason start, Ohtani set the Phillies down in order in the bottom of the first inning before getting into trouble in the second. Ohtani walked Alec Bohm and gave up a single to Brandon Marsh before J.T. Realmuto belted a two-run triple. Harrison Bader added a sacrifice fly two batters later, and that was the extent of the damage. At the plate, Ohtani went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and one walk. Ohtani would likely be available to make his next start Thursday in Game 4 if the series gets to that point, though Tyler Glasnow was previously named as a starter for the series. Glasnow appeared out of the bullpen Saturday, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings.
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Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Powers Jays to Game 1 win
Kirk went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs during Saturday's 10-1 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Kirk sent a Luis Gil offering 392 feet into left field to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and he provided some insurance by taking Paul Blackburn deep to lead off the eighth. The 26-year-old backstop finished the regular season with a career-high 15 homers and has now slugged five home runs across his last three contests.
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Harrison Bader CF | PHI
Phillies' Harrison Bader: Departs Game 1 with injury
Bader left Saturday's NLDS Game 1 matchup versus the Dodgers with a strained left hamstring, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Nick Castellanos pinch-hit for Bader in the seventh inning and took over in right field, with Brandon Marsh moving over to center. Bader had a sacrifice fly and a hit by pitch before his exit. The outfielder will have an extra day to get healthy since the Phillies and Dodgers don't play the second game of the series until Monday.
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Luis Gil SP | NYY
Yankees' Luis Gil: Takes Game 1 loss
Gil took the loss in Saturday's ALDS Game 1 against the Blue Jays after giving up two earned runs on four hits and zero walks while striking out two batters over 2.2 innings.
Both of the runs scored against Gil came via the long ball, as Vladimir Guerrero's first-inning homer and Alejandro Kirk's second-inning blast would prove to be all Toronto needed to ensure a victory during a 10-1 win over New York. It's unlikely that Gil makes another start during the ALDS, but because manager Aaron Boone pulled the plug on his outing after just 48 pitches, the 27-year-old righty may be available to pitch out of the bullpen within the next game or two.
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Kevin Gausman SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Three punchouts in win
Gausman picked up the win in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Saturday, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out three batters across 5.2 innings.
Gausman had allowed just two men to reach base over the first five innings before loading the bases with nobody out in the sixth. He then struck out Aaron Judge, walked Cody Bellinger to bring home the Yankees' lone run of the evening and induced a pop-up before turning the game over to Louis Varland to secure the final out of the frame. Gausman will likely be available to make his next start Friday in Game 5 if the series gets to that point.
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Freddy Peralta SP | MIL
Brewers' Freddy Peralta: Claims Game 1 win
Peralta earned the win during Saturday's Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cubs after allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out nine batters over 5.2 innings.
It seemed like Peralta was going to be in for a long day after he allowed Michael Busch to hit a leadoff home run on Peralta's fourth pitch of the game, but the 29-year-old righty quickly settled in afterward. Nine runs of support from the Brewers' offense after two innings allowed him to work under minimal pressure for the rest of the afternoon, and he did so while tying a franchise record for strikeouts in a postseason game. If the Cubs take one of the next two games from Milwaukee, Peralta will surely be in the conversation to start Thursday in Game 4.