MLB Player News
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Xander Bogaerts 2B | SD
Padres' Xander Bogaerts: Exits early with hamstring injury
Bogaerts (hamstring) exited Sunday's 10-2 win over the Dodgers in the eighth inning due to a hamstring injury, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Bogaerts launched a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning before exiting the contest soon after with what has been described as a hamstring cramp. Tyler Wade replaced him at shortstop ahead of the bottom of the frame. Bogaerts finished his night 1-for-4 with the solo shot, and his availability moving forward doesn't seem to be in question.
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Walker Buehler SP | LAD
Dodgers' Walker Buehler: Set to start Game 3
Buehler is expected to start Game 3 of the NLDS versus the Padres on Tuesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.
Buehler will toe the rubber in Game 3 after producing a 4.44 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 25 strikeouts over 26.1 innings in five starts in September. The right-hander owns a 2.94 ERA with 101 strikeouts over 79.2 innings in 15 career postseason starts. He'll look to bring his best stuff Tuesday with the series knotted up at one game apiece.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Dealing with ankle soreness
Freeman (ankle) left Sunday's contest against the Padres early with right ankle discomfort, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Freeman made his return to the lineup in Saturday's victory over San Diego in Game 1 of the NLDS after missing the final three games of the regular season with a right ankle sprain, but it appears to still be bothering the first baseman. Freeman's injury typically takes a month or more to heal completely, so it's not surprising that he's still working through it. The 35-year-old's status for Tuesday's Game 3 in San Diego is something to monitor moving forward.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Exits early Sunday
Freeman (undisclosed) exited Sunday's game against the Padres in the sixth inning, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Freeman was able to return to the lineup Saturday after missing the final three games of the regular season with a right ankle injury. It's unclear if that is why he left Sunday's matchup early, but his night came to a close after he went 0-for-2 with a strikeout at the plate. Enrique Hernandez entered the lineup at third base, batting fourth, while Max Muncy shifted over to first base.
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Nestor Cortes SP | NYY
Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Catch goes well
Cortes (elbow) played catch Sunday, which went well according to Yankees' pitching coach Matt Blake, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cortes is working his way back from a left elbow flexor strain, and he's hopeful to pitch in the ALCS if New York is able to advance. His ability to throw with no issues Sunday is promising, and his next step will depend on how he responds Monday.
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Donovan Solano 3B | SD
Padres' Donovan Solano: Sitting in Game 2
Solano is not in the lineup Sunday for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.
He had started the last three games dating back to the regular season, but Solano heads to the bench in this one against righty Yu Darvish. David Peralta enters the lineup in his place, starting at designated hitter and batting eighth.
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Ha-seong Kim SS | SD
Padres' Ha-Seong Kim: Changes agents
Kim (shoulder) changed his agents to be represented by the Boras Corporation, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. He has an $8 million mutual option with the Padres this offseason.
Even with his shoulder operation, Kim is a good candidate to fetch more than $8 million on the open market. As Acee points out, the agent change is a clear sign that he's going to test that open market.
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Alex Verdugo LF | NYY
Yankees' Alex Verdugo: Will start again in Game 2
Verdugo is expected to start in left field in Game 2 of the ALDS versus Kansas City on Monday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Verdugo started in Game 1 and came through with a big performance, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. His seventh-inning RBI single broke a 5-5 tie, providing what proved to be the winning run. Verdugo's expected start in Game 2 seems to indicate that he's currently the preferred option in left field over rookie Jasson Dominguez, as the Yankees are electing to deploy the lefty-hitting Verdugo over the switch-hitting Dominguez against southpaw Cole Ragans.
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Nestor Cortes SP | NYY
Yankees' Nestor Cortes: Will play catch Sunday
Cortes (elbow) is slated to play catch Sunday, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.
Cortes is still hoping to be able to pitch at some point in the postseason if the Yankees are able to advance past the ALDS. The southpaw is dealing with a left elbow flexor strain and wasn't included on New York's roster for the divisional series. Cortes was pitching well before going down with the injury, giving up just one run over 15.1 innings while posting an 18:7 K:BB during his final three starts.
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Sean Manaea SP | NYM
Mets' Sean Manaea: Will start Game 3 of NLDS
Manaea was announced Sunday as the Mets' starter for Game 3 of the NLDS versus the Phillies on Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
The announcement comes as no surprise, as Manaea will be on five days' rest after starting Game 2 of the wild-card series this past Wednesday against Milwaukee. In that contest, the left-hander yielded two runs over five innings and came away with a no-decision. In three starts versus Philadelphia during the regular season, Manaea posted a 5.40 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 15:2 K:BB over 16.2 frames.