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Patrick Bailey C | CLE
Guardians' Patrick Bailey: Absent from Game 4 lineup
Bailey is not in the lineup Thursday for Game 4 of the ALDS against the White Sox.
Austin Hedges has caught Parker Messick regularly this season and will do so again in Game 4. Bailey is 3-for-9 with a 1:2 BB:K at the plate so far this postseason, while Hedges is hitless in two plate appearances.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: Wants to continue playing career
Goldschmidt said Wednesday after the Yankees were eliminated from the postseason that he would like to continue his playing career next season, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
An impending free agent, Goldschmidt had a solid 2026 campaign being used primarily as a short-side platoon player for the Yankees, slashing .252/.313/.452 with 18 home runs in 105 contests. That included a .967 OPS against southpaws, so Goldschmidt shouldn't have trouble finding work this winter despite the fact that he turned 39 in September.
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Griffin Jax SP | TB
Rays' Griffin Jax: Records hold in Game 3
Jax (back) allowed a run on one hit and one walk over two innings during Game 3 of the ALCS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
The right-hander exited his final outing of the regular season due to a lower-back contusion after being struck by a 104-mph comebacker, but he had a week and a half to rest up before entering Wednesday's series clincher. Jax, who posted a 3.14 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 106:28 K:BB in 23 starts during the regular season, and Ian Seymour should be the candidates to start Game 4 of the ALCS for Tampa Bay.
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Nick Martinez SP | TB
Rays' Nick Martinez: Lasts 3.2 frames in Game 3
Martinez didn't factor into the decision in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk across 3.2 innings.
The right-hander started off with two scoreless frames before New York got to him for single tallies in the third and fourth innings to end his evening. Martinez worked exclusively as a starter in MLB for the first time in his career this year, and he responded by delivering a 3.10 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 109:26 K:BB over 180 regular-season innings. The Rays will presumably line him up to start Game 3 of the ALCS.
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Bryan Baker RP | TB
Rays' Bryan Baker: Closes out Yankees
Baker gave up no hits and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay may have swept New York, but the series was hardly a breeze as Baker was needed for the save in all three games. The right-hander issued a one-out walk Wednesday -- the first baserunner he allowed in the series -- but retired the next two batters to close out the ALDS. Including the playoffs, Baker has converted 33 consecutive save chances and is unscored upon in his past 10 appearances.
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Max Fried SP | NYY
Yankees' Max Fried: Dealt loss in Game 3
Fried was charged with the loss in Game 3 of the ALDS on Wednesday, allowing four runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over 5.2 innings.
The left-hander surrendered a pair of homers, including a two-run shot by Victor Mesa to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. It's an unfortunate end to the campaign for Fried, who was limited to 20 regular-season starts due to elbow issues. He was still plenty effective when available with a 2.80 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 104:33 K:BB across 112.2 innings.
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Victor Mesa Jr. RF | TB
Rays' Victor Mesa: Blasts decisive homer
Mesa went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old went 1-for-6 with a walk and a stolen base in the first two games of the series, but he found his power stroke Wednesday with a sixth-inning homer that broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the difference in the outcome. Mesa is coming off a productive rookie campaign that saw him post an .825 OPS with 14 homers, nine steals, 34 RBI and 37 runs in 79 regular-season games.
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Hagen Smith RP | CHW
White Sox's Hagen Smith: Opening ALDS Game 4
Smith will serve as the opener Thursday in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Guardians, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Smith has given up one earned run in 6.1 innings across his three postseason appearances, and the White Sox will turn to him again to pitch the first inning of Game 4. Erick Fedde is a likely candidate to follow Smith out of the bullpen.
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Foster Griffin SP | CLE
Guardians' Foster Griffin: Fans seven in playoff debut
Griffin didn't factor into the decision in Game 3 of the ALDS against the White Sox on Wednesday, giving up a run on two hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over 2.2 innings.
The left-hander entered behind opener Daniel Espino and struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced, but he was pulled with one out in the fourth inning after throwing 53 pitches (39 strikes). It was the playoff debut for Griffin, who made 31 starts as a rookie for Cleveland and Washington this year, posting a combined 3.60 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 158:45 K:BB across 172.2 regular-season innings. Given his workload, the 31-year-old Griffin likely won't be available for Game 4 on Thursday, but he should be good to go for Game 5 on Saturday, should Cleveland stave off elimination again.
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Jo Adell RF | CLE
Guardians' Jo Adell: Collects three RBI
Adell went 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple and three RBI in Game 3 of the ALDS against the White Sox on Wednesday.
After striking out in all four of his at-bats during the series opener Saturday -- which was his postseason debut -- Adell has responded by going 3-for-7 with two triples and four RBI in the past two contests. The 27-year-old came to the plate Wednesday with the bases loaded and two outs during the third inning, and he cleared the bases with a triple to give Cleveland a lead it would not relinquish while facing elimination.