MLB Player News

Quintana threw six shutout innings for the Mets in the Wild Card round against the Brewers, and will look to keep that run of success going against the Phillies in Game 4, which would either be an opportunity for the Mets to advance or stave off elimination.

Manzardo will get his first start of the postseason after two appearances as a pinch-hitter in the first two series. The 24-year-old gets the start with David Fry moving to the bench. Will Brennan also gets the start in right field with Jhonkensy Noel moving to the bench after starting the first two games. The full lineup against Keider Montero and the Detroit bullpen: LF Steven Kwan, DH Manzardo, 3B Jose Ramirez, 1B Josh Naylor, Lane Thomas CF, 2B Andrés Giménez, RF Brennan, C Bo Naylor and SS Brayan Roccio.

Montero will get the nod as the Tigers look to take a 2-1 lead. The right-hander threw two innings of relief in Game 1, and while he’ll likely have a short leash because of how important this contest is, he should still be stretched out enough to give the Tigers some innings Wednesday.

Perez has not been starting against right-handers in the postseason, but the 24-year-old will get the nod against Alex Cobb for the pivotal Game 3 contest. Zach McKinstry begins the contest on the bench. The full lineup for Wednesday’s contest: CF Parker Meadows, DH Kerry Carpenter, 3B Matt Vierling, LF Riley Greene, RF Perez, 2B Colt Keith, 1B Spencer Torkelson, SS Trey Sweeney and C Jake Rogers.

Encarnacion-Strand is playing in the Arizona Fall League after missing a large portion of the 2024 season with damaged ligaments in his wrist. The 24-year-old still has significant offensive upside, but a logjam of corner-infield options could make him a trade candidate this spring.

McLain hit a 398-foot shot with 93.7 mph exit velocity in the fifth inning for the Desert Dogs. The 25-year-old also drew a walk and ended up scoring three times in the 15-13 slugfest. McLain missed all of the 2024 season due to injuries, but showed real promise in 2023 as a rookie, and could be a viable fantasy option in 2025.

Salas hit his two-run blast in the seventh inning, and it went an estimated 402 feet with a 100.4 mph exit velocity. The 18-year-old is coming off a disappointing offensive season, but he’s still widely considered one of — if not the — best catching prospect in baseball. The fact he’s playing against this level of competition as an 18-year-old makes it pretty clear how much the Padres believe in Salas in the long-term.

That’s a decent way to open up your AFL season, particularly for a player that doesn’t turn 20 until next July. Emerson is considered the top prospect in the Seattle system, and the 2023 first-round pick has a chance to have a plus hit-tool along with solid power while playing the shortstop position. It’s unlikely Emerson will help in 2025, but he could be the everyday shortstop in 2026.

Dubon played the final month of the season with the injury. The super-utility player will undergo the operation in Philadelphia. Assuming a normal recovery timeline, Dubon should be ready for the start of the 2025 season with the ability to play all over the field.

Johnson went 2-for-4 with a homer before exiting with the severe cramps, but he was able to return for the celebration, and told reporters he could play Wednesday. Pittsburgh will likely have a say in that decision, but it’s good to know the 20-year-old didn’t suffer a long-term injury. Johnson has not lived up to hype since being a fourth-overall pick, but there’s plenty of time for that to change.

MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon corrected his previous item. Aguiar finished his season on the IL with what was described as a shoulder sprain.