Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta was effective in Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees on Monday but did not factor in the decision in the 5-2 Rays' win. Peralta was good from the beginning of the game, allowing only a solo home run to Ben Rice and pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one walk with three strikeouts. Peralta handed the game over to three Tampa Bay relievers who were able to shut down the Yankees and give the Rays a commanding 2-0 ALDS lead. After coming over to the Rays in the trade deadline from the Mets, Peralta pitched 10 games for the Rays in the regular season, going 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings pitched. The right-hander will be a key starter for the Rays if they are to make a long postseason run.

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios delivered with a two-out, two-RBI single in the team's 5-2 win over the New York Yankees on Monday. Palacios came up with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and Chandler Simpson and Jonny DeLuca on base. He executed with a key single that drove both in and gave the Rays a 5-1 lead before Ben Rice added his second solo home run of the game for the Yankees. Palacios was 1-for-4 in the game with a strikeout but is now hitting .286 through two postseason games. Although the Yankees played a sloppy games with four errors and the Rays took advantage, Palacios' hit was the big blow in the game, extending the Rays' advantage and giving them some breathing room the rest of the way.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice provided the offense in the Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS on Monday. Rice was 2-for-3 with two solo homers and a walk on his night in Tampa. The Yankees were bothered by four errors and the Rays made them pay, but Rice was the lone bright spot for New York. Rice is hitting .467 in the postseason with a .556 on-base percentage. The two homers bring his postseason total to four homers and his RBI total to eight this postseason. Rice has been powering the Yankees offense all postseason long, but the Bronx Bombers find themselves down 2-0 to Tampa Bay in the ALDS. Rice has done his part offensively but needs some help as the Yankees are trying to piece things together without an injured Aaron Judge.

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Tampa Bay Rays closer Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save of the postseason in the team's 5-2 win over the New York Yankees on Monday night. Baker came on with a three-run lead and quickly induced three ground balls to preserve the Rays second win of the series for a 2-0 ALDS lead. Baker did not strike out a batter, but left little to doubt after he gave up three ground balls to the right side of the infield. Baker also pitched a scoreless ninth in the Rays' 1-0 win in Game 1 on Saturday. In that game he struck out two Yankees batters. Baker turned in a dominant regular season with 41 saves and a 1.44 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. The right-hander looks to be a major weapon moving forward for the Rays in the postseason.

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery came up with the biggest hit of Game 2 against the Cleveland Guardians. The outfielder came up with two runners on and two outs against left-handed relief pitcher Erik Sabrowski and ripped a ball down the right field line to drive in both runners and put the White Sox ahead 3-2. Montgomery was then driven in by a clutch single by White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth to give Chicago a 4-2 lead. Montgomery was 1-for-4 in the game and struck out twice, but he delivered the big blow of the game on his huge double. Facing a left-hander in Sabrowski, Montgomery, a switch hitter stood his ground and delivered a right-handed hit when it mattered most for his team.

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Cleveland Guardians' SP Gavin Williams recorded 11 strikeouts in 5 innings in a 4-3 loss to the White Sox on Monday, Oct. 5.

Boston Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow said that left-hander Garrett Crochet is expected to have a "fully healthy, normal" offseason, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Crochet only made six starts during the regular season before shoulder and lat injuries caused him to miss the final five months of the year. However, the 27-year-old was able to battle all the way back and pitched out of the bullpen during Boston's American League Wild Card Series loss to the New York Yankees. While Crochet struggled in that appearance, it seems as though he made it through the outing ok from a health perspective and is now on track to go through his regular offseason routine. If Crochet can make it back to his peak form, he could re-establish himself as one of the top pitchers in baseball in 2027.

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The Seattle Mariners announced that first baseman Josh Naylor (wrist) underwent surgery on his right wrist on Saturday. Naylor is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of 2027 Spring Training. The 29-year-old had a down year in 2026, hitting .261/.317/.350 with 10 home runs, 57 RBI, 58 runs scored, and 30 stolen bases across 650 plate appearances. Naylor's 4.4% barrel rate and 35.5% hard-hit rate were both his worst marks since the shortened 2020 season. If Naylor was battling discomfort in his wrist for a chunk of the year, it could help explain why his numbers regressed across the board. Assuming Naylor is able to make a full recovery ahead of 2027, he could be worth buying low on in fantasy drafts.

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Boston Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow said that outfielder Roman Anthony (hand) "likely doesn't need surgery," per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Anthony strained multiple muscles in his right hand during Game 1 of Boston's American League Wild Card Series loss to the New York Yankees. 2026 was largely lost to injury for Anthony, who missed a large chunk of the regular season after tearing the ligament that connects his right index finger to his wrist in early May. Given that his right hand/wrist appears to be giving him persistent issues, Anthony's health should be of at least some concern for fantasy managers going into 2027. The 22-year-old remains a potentially high-upside bat, but he will need to prove he can avoid injuries for an extended stretch.

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The Seattle Mariners announced that catcher Cal Raleigh (shoulder) underwent left-shoulder surgery on Saturday. Raleigh is expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of 2027 Spring Training. After finishing second in the American League MVP vote in 2025, Raleigh's numbers crashed back down to earth in 2026. Across 530 plate appearances, the 29-year-old hit .182/.296/.368 with 23 home runs, 69 RBI, 49 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Raleigh spent time on the injured list during the year due to an oblique strain, and it appears he may have been battling a shoulder ailment for some or most of the season as well. As long as Raleigh can recover on schedule, he could be in line for a bounce-back season with improved health in 2027.

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams was not able to pitch his team to victory in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox. However, Williams did his part, striking out 11 while allowing two earned runs across five innings of work. The 27-year-old was one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball during the regular season, recording a 14-8 record with a 3.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts across 184 1/3 innings (32 starts). The Guardians are now down two games to zero with the series heading to Chicago and face an uphill battle to fight their way back to a Game 5. However, if they can win the next two games, Williams would be in position to start a theoretical Game 5 on regular rest.

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King did his part in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out six across five innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers. King left the game with the Padres holding the lead, but Milwaukee mounted a late comeback to win the game 4-3 and take a 2-0 lead in the series. The 31-year-old was San Diego's top starting pitcher during the regular season, recording a 12-10 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 159 strikeouts across 185 innings (32 starts). King has been excellent across two starts so far in the postseason, allowing just four hits and one earned run while recording 14 strikeouts across 12 innings of work. If the Padres can win the next two games of the series against Milwaukee, King could potentially pitch on three days' rest in a theoretical Game 5.

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Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson did not have the sharpest outing in his postseason debut in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, but he managed to keep his team in the game. Henderson allowed two hits, three walks, and two runs (one earned) while striking out four across five innings of work in Milwaukee's 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres. Henderson emerged as a front-line starter during the regular season, recording an 11-3 record with a 2.47 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts across 98 1/3 innings (18 starts). The 24-year-old averaged only 93.0 miles per hour on his fastball, but he logged an excellent 29.6% strikeout rate while walking just 5.1% of the batters he faced. If Milwaukee is going to make a deep postseason run, it will need Henderson to carry over his strong production from the regular season to the playoffs.

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San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller had a rare off outing in his team's 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday. The 28-year-old was asked to get a six-out save and came up just short, allowing a hit, three walks, and two earned runs across 1 2/3 innings. Miller cruised through the eighth inning, but he walked three of the first four batters he faced in the ninth before allowing the game-winning two-run single to Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio. Miller was arguably the best relief pitcher in baseball this season, recording a 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP with 129 strikeouts and 38 saves across 70 innings (66 games). However, the flame-throwing right-hander looked more mortal in the second half of the season, recording a 2.67 ERA with a 10.6% walk rate after the All-Star break. If San Diego is going to come back from down two games to zero against Milwaukee, it will need Miller to bounce back.

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San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France carried his team's offense in its 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, recording two hits and two RBI in three at-bats. The 32-year-old has been hot to begin the postseason, logging seven hits, two RBI, and two runs scored in 15 at-bats across four games. France had a resurgent regular season for the Padres as well, slashing .295/.363/.502 with 21 home runs, 72 RBI, 59 runs scored, and one stolen base across 500 plate appearances. While San Diego has now dropped each of the first two games of the NLDS, France has done his job. If the Padres are going to mount a comeback against the Brewers, they will likely need France to stay locked in.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was the hero of his team's 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday, recording a walk-off two-run single off Padres closer Mason Miller. It was Chourio's lone hit in his four at-bats, but it came at the biggest possible time. Chourio has played a key role in both of Milwaukee's wins in the series, as he hit a game-tying two-run home run in the third inning of Game 1 after San Diego jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Across 573 plate appearances in the regular season, the 22-year-old hit .291/.351/.487 with 25 home runs, 75 RBI, 96 runs scored, and 23 stolen bases. If the Brewers are going to make a deep postseason run, having Chourio at his best will likely be crucial.

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Tampa Bay Rays' SP Drew Rasmussen recorded 10 strikeouts in 8 innings collecting the win in a 1-0 win over the Yankees on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker had a big game in his team's 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday, going two-for-four with a two-run home run and a stolen base. It was a highly underwhelming first season in Los Angeles for Tucker in 2026, as he hit .233/.330/.385 with 17 home runs, 70 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases across 627 plate appearances. Tucker's barrel rate fell from 10.8% in 2025 to 6.3% this season, and his 36.3% hard-hit rate was the worst of his career. However, the 29-year-old has a chance to wipe the slate clean at the start of the postseason. Tucker also has plenty of experience in October, as he's now logged 283 plate appearances across seven career trips to the playoffs. If he can rediscover his old form, Tucker could help drive a deep postseason push for Los Angeles.

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Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda had the biggest hit of his team's 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, slugging a solo home run off Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole in the third inning. It was Aranda's lone hit of the night, but it proved to be the difference in a pitcher's duel. The 28-year-old was a steady presence at the top of the Rays' order during the regular season, hitting .274/.358/.434 with 22 home runs, 92 RBI, and 73 runs scored across 668 plate appearances. He had one of his better power months to close the year, hitting five home runs in just 85 plate appearances in September. If Aranda can stay hot in October, he could be an X-factor for Tampa Bay.

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Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen dominated the New York Yankees in his team's 1-0 victory in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished his night by allowing just one hit and two walks while recording 10 strikeouts across eight shutout frames. Rasmussen was one of the best pitchers in baseball in the regular season, recording a 16-5 record with a 2.67 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts across 172 innings (30 starts). He also pitched extremely well against the Yankees, recording a 2.86 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 26 strikeouts across 22 innings (four starts). Rasmussen would likely get the ball for a second time in the series in Game 4 if the Yankees can take one of the next two games.

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