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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Tapped for ALDS Game 1 start
Cole will start Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays on Saturday.
The Rays were much better against right-handers (fourth in OPS) than left-handers (25th in OPS) this season, but the Yankees will roll with Cole rather than lefty Carlos Rodon in Game 1. Cole made three starts against the Rays in the regular season, logging a 2.50 ERA and 16:7 K:BB over 18 frames.
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Walker Jenkins CF | MIN
Twins' Walker Jenkins: Undergoes minor elbow surgery
Jenkins underwent right elbow debridement surgery Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
The procedure involved a debridement of the joint, as well as the removal of a bone chip and bone spur. Jenkins is expected to be ready to go for the beginning of spring training. The 21-year-old outfielder went 4-for-45 in his first 16 games for the Twins this season but closed the year with a 1.015 OPS and three home runs over his final 10 contests. Jenkins should enter the 2027 campaign as one of the team's starting outfielders.
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Colin Holderman RP | CLE
Guardians' Colin Holderman: Slated for wrist surgery
Holderman will undergo season-ending surgery on his right wrist, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Holderman's wrist problems originally surfaced four years ago and flared up on him during the second half of this season. He will not pitch for the Guardians during the postseason but should be recovered in time for spring training. Holderman posted a 1.78 ERA and 39:11 K:BB over 35.1 innings in the first half of the season, but he stumbled to a 4.67 ERA and 11:9 K:BB over 17.1 frames after the All-Star break.
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Byron Buxton CF | MIN
Twins' Byron Buxton: Stitches removed, rehab started
Buxton had the stitches removed from his surgically repaired right hip earlier this week and has begun the rehab process, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Buxton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right hip Sept. 18. He will continue rehabbing through Christmas, at which point he will shift to ramping up for the 2027 season. The Twins expect Buxton to be ready to roll for the start of spring training. He finished this season with a .254/.319/.511 batting line, 25 home runs and seven stolen bases over 93 games.
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Cody Bellinger LF | NYY
Yankees' Cody Bellinger: Leads offense to series win
Bellinger went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI during Wednesday's win over the Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series.
The 31-year-old outfielder pushed the Yankees' lead to 2-0 with an RBI single during the fifth inning, and he then blew the game open in the following frame with a three-run shot off Garrett Whitlock. Bellinger finished the regular season in a 2-for-23 slump, but he's quickly got back on track in the playoffs to help New York advance to face the Rays in the ALDS.
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Sonny Gray SP | BOS
Red Sox's Sonny Gray: Lasts 4.2 frames in loss
Gray was charged with the loss in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees on Wednesday. He gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks over 4.2 innings.
Gray started off with three scoreless frames but surrendered a solo homer to Luis Garcia in the fourth and was pulled with two on and two out in the fifth at 70 pitches. One of the inherited runners came around to score, and New York erupted for six runs the following inning. It was the veteran right-hander's shortest outing since late May, as he had covered at least five frames in 20 consecutive starts. Though the early playoff exit leaves a sour taste, it was still one of the best regular seasons of Gray's career with a 2.72 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 149:46 K:BB over 169 innings.
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Max Fried SP | NYY
Yankees' Max Fried: Secures series win
Fried earned the win in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox on Wednesday. He struck out six and allowed one run on three hits and one walk over six innings.
The veteran left-hander was working on a shutout until Willson Contreras launched a two-out, solo homer during the top of the sixth inning, which spelled an end to his day after the Yankees erupted for six runs in the bottom of the frame. It's the second straight season Fried shut down Boston in the wild-card round, as he fired 6.1 scoreless frames in Game 1 of that series last year. He missed time in 2026 due to elbow issues but still made 20 regular-season starts and had a 2.80 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 104:33 K:BB across 112.2 innings.
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Chase Meidroth 2B | CHW
White Sox's Chase Meidroth: Clubs three-run homer
Meidroth went 2-for-3 with a walk and a three-run home run during Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Astros on Wednesday.
Chicago's second baseman went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Game 1 on Tuesday, and he followed up Wednesday with a three-run blast in the sixth inning to provide some key insurance runs in the 7-3, series-clinching victory. Those two playoff games are the first of Meidroth's young career, and he's hit the ground running after he posted a .276/.350/.415 slash line with 16 long balls, four steals, 63 RBI and 90 runs in 154 games during the 2026 regular season.
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Sean Burke SP | CHW
White Sox's Sean Burke: Struggles with long ball
Burke didn't factor in the decision in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Astros on Wednesday. He struck out eight, giving up three runs on four hits and no walks over four innings.
Burke looked dominant at times with 14 whiffs on 72 pitches while punching out half of the batters he faced, but three solo homers prevented him from working deeper into the contest. The eight strikeouts tied a season high, and it was the seventh time in 33 appearances this year that he issued no free passes. With the White Sox advancing past the Astros, Burke could next take the mound as early as Game 2 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Monday.
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Hunter Brown SP | HOU
Astros' Hunter Brown: Flounders in Game 2
Brown took the loss in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the White Sox on Wednesday. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with two strikeouts and a walk over two-thirds of an inning.
It was a disastrous showing from the right-hander in an elimination game for the Astros, as he delivered his shortest outing of the year while retiring just two of the nine batters he faced. The ugly performance comes on the heels of a strong finish to the regular season that saw Brown surrender just two earned runs with 24 strikeouts in his last three outings. He was limited to 20 regular-season starts due to a shoulder strain but was effective when available with a 3.19 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 124:55 K:BB across 107.1 innings.