MLB Player News

Yamamoto landed on the injured list back in mid-June with a rotator cuff strain in his right shoulder and remains without a definitive return timetable. He’s obviously going to be out past the Midsummer Classic in a few weeks, but the hope at least for fantasy managers is that he’ll be back at some point in August. We’ll see. There should be some clarity on his status once he begins to ramp-up his throwing program.

In addition to the three hits, Soto also made a throw to get Salvador Perez out at the plate in the second inning. He singled twice and added a double, and it’s the second three-hit game in the postseason in the 25-year-old’s already impressive career.

Torres also drew two walks and scored his second run on a bases-loaded walk to Austin Wells. The second baseman was excellent in September with an .859 OPS, and he’s now off to a strong start in the playoffs.

Melendez gave the Royals a 3-2 lead with a two-run blast off Gerrit Cole into the right-field bleachers. The 25-year-old has his first postseason homer, and he’s slugging .545 in the first four games of his playoff run.

Hard to imagine writing this analysis before the season started based on how bad Weaver looked in 2023, but here we are. Weaver struck out three and didn’t allow a hit while picking up his first postseason save. He threw 24 pitches, but with the Yankees and Royals getting Saturday off, he should be available for Game 2 in a save or high-leverage situation.

Cole wasn’t anywhere close to great, as he had issues finishing off the Kansas City lineup and was pulled after a long leadoff single in the sixth inning. He allowed seven hits with two walks, and he struck out four with the big blow a two-run homer by MJ Melendez. Cole threw 80 pitches, so if the Yankees were so inclined, they could bring their ace back in Game 4 if necessary. Cole has normally been good in the postseason, but Saturday was a mediocre effort at best.

Wacha was pulled in the fifth after he walked Gleyber Torres. He ended walking three in the contest while also giving up four hits, but the only runs he allowed while in the game were on a two-run homer by Gleyber Torres. Wacha threw just 70 pitches, so he should be available in Game 4 or Game 5 — if necessary — against New York next week.

Schwarber obliterated a Kodai Senga offering to begin the game for the Phillies, and it puts him fourth all-time in postseason homers with 21. It would be the last run of the game Philadelphia would score until a meaningless RBI double from Kody Clemens with two outs in the ninth. Schwarber will hit at the top of the lineup again in Game 2 against Luis Severino on Sunday.

Vientos came up huge with an RBI single off Jeff Hoffman in the eighth inning to tie the game at 1-1. The 24-year-old hasn’t shown much power in the first four games of the postseason with no extra-base hits, but he has been able to hit .313 in that timeframe.

Nimmo slashed a pitch left down the middle of the plate from a surprisingly ineffective Matt Strahm the opposite way to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. His RBI single in the ninth extended that lead to 6-1. Nimmo is now 5-for-16 in the postseason, and he’s driven in three runs over four games.

Sensational. The only issue for Wheeler was control, as he walked four and hit another. To say those free passes didn’t affect him is quite the understatement, and he generated 30 swings-and-misses in this contest. It’s no surprise to see Wheeler dominant, but it doesn’t make this any less impressive. He likely will be back for either Game 5 of the NLDS — possibly Game 4 if it’s a must-win — or Game 1 of the NLCS if possible.