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Hagen Smith will take the mound for the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Astros on Tuesday. Smith, who opened a game Sept. 10 with two scoreless frames and three strikeouts against the Pirates, finished the regular season boasting a 1.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 41:16 K:BB ratio across 28.0 innings. The length of his start will depend on how he fares against Houston.
Former utilityman Tyler Wade has officially retired from MLB at age 31. Drafted by the New York Yankees in 2013, Wade debuted in 2017 and played nine seasons across the Yankees, Angels, Athletics, Padres, and most recently attempted to make the Texas Rangers' roster. Wade appeared in 506 career big league games. He shared an emotional farewell on social media thanking his teams, coaches, fans, and teammates, while concluding a journey that also included notable off-field attention.
Luis Arraez is officially ruled out for the Philadelphia Phillies' NL Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves due to a left ankle sprain sustained on Sept. 24, as confirmed by team officials. Otto Kemp will replace Arraez on the active roster. Arraez wrapped up the 2026 regular season with a .310 batting average, narrowly missing the NL batting title. He could potentially return if Philadelphia advances.
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns acknowledged that letting Pete Alonso walk was a learning experience, noting "I don't get mulligans." After signing a five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore, Alonso launched 43 home runs with an .884 OPS for the Orioles. Meanwhile, the Mets struggled at first base—with Jorge Polanco playing just 37 games—en route to a dismal 74-win season. Stearns committed to fixing the position's production for next year.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been nominated for Major League Baseball's All-MLB team among eight total Dodgers nominees. Yamamoto, who earned first-team All-MLB honors in 2025, is featured alongside Tarik Skubal as a primary candidate at starting pitcher. Fan voting opened Monday and runs through Oct. 9, with final official selections announced during the MLB awards show on Nov. 11.
Shohei Ohtani was activated from the injured list as the Los Angeles Dodgers reached 100 wins, though questions remain about his postseason readiness. Additionally, Ohtani was named one of six designated hitter nominees for the 2026 All-MLB team. A multi-time All-MLB selection as both a DH and starting pitcher, Ohtani is seeking his fourth consecutive first-team DH honor as fan voting officially opened Monday.
Trea Turner praised the Philadelphia Phillies' resilience and growth as the club prepares for another postseason run following an arduous regular season. Turner highlighted how teammates like Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott overcame midseason slumps, while pointing to veteran Kyle Schwarber's relentless work ethic as proof of the locker room's drive. After navigating a 9-19 start and pitching staff injuries, Turner believes the team's response to adversity sets them up for October success.
Bryce Harper reflected on the Philadelphia Phillies' fifth consecutive postseason appearance, emphasizing the key differences in this year's roster ahead of their series with Atlanta. Harper praised recent additions like outfielder Derek Hill and rookie Justin Crawford while highlighting a revamped bullpen anchored by closer Jhoan Duran. Holding a .986 postseason OPS—the third-highest in MLB history—Harper noted that October success often relies on unexpected contributions from supporting roles.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets has been nominated for the 2026 All-MLB team. Despite missing 51 games due to injury, Soto recorded 3.0 bWAR, hitting .275/.393/.515 with 27 home runs and a 154 OPS+. Voting for the All-MLB team is open until October 9.
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean has been nominated for the 2026 All-MLB team. In his first full season, McLean posted 3.0 bWAR, a 3.16 ERA, and 194 strikeouts across 31 starts, making him a Rookie of the Year contender. Voting for the team is open until October 9.
Justin Verlander concluded his legendary MLB career with an emotional retirement weekend for the Detroit Tigers. After announcing his retirement earlier and missing most of the season due to injuries, Verlander made his final start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitching 5.1 innings. The weekend featured a Friday retirement ceremony with his daughter Genevieve throwing the first pitch, and another poignant moment Saturday when she joined him on the mound to retrieve the game ball. Verlander's career includes three Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles.
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes expects to have a normal offseason after rest, clarifying that the right shoulder injury which landed him on the 15-day injured list was fatigue-related. His 2026 season ended prematurely due to shoulder inflammation, following a June teres major strain that interrupted his Tommy John surgery rehab. In three starts for Arizona, Burnes allowed nine runs with an 8:4 K:BB over 10.1 innings.
Mets president David Stearns is non-committal about Marcus Semien being the starting second baseman in 2027 after a poor first season. Semien regressed offensively, struggled defensively (4th percentile OAA after winning a Gold Glove in 2025), and dealt with a hip injury, posting a career-low .620 OPS. With two years and $24 million remaining on his contract, Stearns mentioned internal options like Brett Baty and minor league infielders Jefferson Rojas (21), Mitch Voit (21), and Émilien Pitre (23) as potential replacements.
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout has approached interim general manager John Mozeliak about potentially transitioning to left field and designated hitter for the 2027 season. In 2026, the 35-year-old played 109 games in center field and 33 at DH, registering a minus-5 in Outs Above Average. He played 142 games, his highest total since 2016, and posted a .242/.382/.421 slash line with 22 home runs, 54 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.
First-year manager Craig Stammen has guided the San Diego Padres to over 90 wins for the third straight season and their fifth postseason berth in seven years. Padres president A.J. Preller selected Stammen, a former player with no prior coaching experience, for his character, leadership, and flexible approach, including developing a "pitching chaos" plan. Stammen now faces critical Wild Card roster decisions, balancing player health like Gavin Sheets. Despite his successful rookie campaign, it remains uncertain if Stammen will return next season.
Left-hander Ranger Suarez is lined up to pitch Game 3 of the Wild Card Series for the Boston Red Sox against Gerrit Cole if a decisive third game is necessary. Suarez brings a 1.48 ERA across 11 postseason appearances from his time with the Philadelphia Phillies. However, he struggled against the Yankees during the regular season, posting a 6.06 ERA across three starts against New York.
Red Sox veteran Sonny Gray will start Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, following rookie Payton Tolle. Gray posted a 1.98 ERA, 0.878 WHIP, 12 strikeouts, and three walks in two regular-season starts against New York. He finished his first season in Boston with career highs in wins (18) and ERA (2.72), establishing himself among the best pitchers in baseball during his age-36 campaign heading into the postseason.
Kris Bryant's tenure with the Colorado Rockies has been derailed by lumbar degenerative disk disease, causing him to miss the entire 2026 season. After playing just 11 games in 2025 and 170 games total over four years for -1.6 rWAR, Bryant's chronic back pain leaves his playing future uncertain. With two years and $54 million remaining on his seven-year, $182 million contract, the Rockies face major financial decisions regarding the former MVP's future.
Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced that Kyle Bradish will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a sports hernia. Bradish has been sidelined since mid-September and ultimately decided on surgical intervention. While a precise timetable will follow the operation, it is not expected to affect his availability for the start of spring training. The right-hander finished the 2026 season with a 4.12 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 142:70 K:BB over 155 innings across 29 starts.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy stated that the team has yet to decide whether Garrett Crochet (lat) will be included on the American League Wild Card Series roster versus the Yankees. Crochet has not pitched in a competitive setting since late April while recovering from a left lat strain, though he has been throwing off a mound and facing hitters. If he makes Boston's postseason roster, it will be strictly in a bullpen role as he is not stretched out to start.
