MLB Player News

Merrill went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to the Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series.

Merrill accounted for the Padres' only run in their loss to the Cubs by leading off the ninth inning with a home run. He had a disappointing regular season but ended the campaign well, tallying eight home runs with 18 RBI and 18 runs scored across his final 22 games -- including the postseason.

Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's wild-card win over the Padres.

Crow-Armstrong logged the first postseason hits of his career and also recorded three hits in a game for the first time since Aug. 15. He's shifted down the Cubs' order as a result of his recent struggles, but he should remain a regular for the team's upcoming series against the Brewers in the NLDS.

Kelenic cleared waivers Wednesday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Kelenic slashed just .195/.275/.268 across 91 plate appearances at Gwinnett after being demoted to Triple-A in early August, and he's now lost his place on the team's 40-man roster. The 26-year-old outfielder also turned in a career-worst .531 OPS in the big leagues during the regular season over 24 games and will likely need to show improvement at the plate in the minor leagues before taking another big-league at-bat.

Marte isn't in the lineup for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Marte will step out of the starting nine after going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's Game 1 loss. Spencer Steer will move to the outfield as a result, opening up first base for Sal Stewart.

Hernandez went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four total RBI in Tuesday's win over the Reds in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series.

Hernandez broke the game open for Los Angeles with a three-run homer off Hunter Greene in the third inning. Hernandez added another homer in the fifth before Shohei Ohtani hit his second long ball of the game in the sixth -- the two became the fifth pair of teammates to hit multiple home runs in a postseason game, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. With 25 homers during the regular season, Hernandez has now reached that threshold in each of the last six full MLB campaigns.

Hays (back) will start in left field and bat cleanup Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series versus the Dodgers.

It's Hays' first start since Sept. 20, as he's been battling back spasms. He was able to see action as a pinch hitter in the final game of the regular season Sunday and will hit in the middle of the lineup against Blake Snell in the Dodgers as the Reds kick off postseason play.

Conforto is not included on the Dodgers' wild-card roster.

Conforto was the team's regular left fielder against right-handed pitching throughout the season, but he finished with a .199/.305/.333 batting line in 138 games and the Dodgers have finally decided to pull the plug on him as a starter. The Dodgers could shift Andy Pages to left field, put Tommy Edman in center field and install Hyeseong Kim and/or Miguel Rojas at second base.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday that Rojas is recovering from a quad injury and will not be on the NLDS roster, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Rojas spent the final two months of the regular season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but he was under consideration for an NLDS roster spot as a reserve due to his defensive and baserunning prowess. Dombrowski noted that Rojas could be ready to play in time for the NLCS, should the Phillies advance.

Hays (back) is on the Reds' wild-card roster.

Hays hasn't started a game since Sept. 20 due to back spasms, but he made a pinch-hitting appearance during Sunday's regular-season finale in Milwaukee and came out of it well enough to be included on his club's wild-card roster. With lefty Blake Snell starting Game 1 for the Dodgers on Tuesday, there's a good chance the right-handed-hitting Hays will be in the lineup.

Lee went 3-for-4 with two RBI in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Rockies.

Lee recorded three singles in the season finale, driving in the team's final runs on a two-run base hit in the eighth. With that, the 27-year-old outfielder recorded his 34th multi-hit performance in 150 regular-season appearances. During that span, he slashed .266/.327/.407 with 73 runs scored, 55 RBI, 51 extra-base hits -- including eight long balls -- 10 stolen bases and an 11.5 percent strikeout rate across 617 plate appearances.