Smith (hand) will start behind home plate and bat eighth for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Smith received X-rays on his left hand after taking a foul ball off his glove in the seventh inning of Game 5. The results came back negative, and Smith will serve behind home plate as the Dodgers turn to Michael Kopech and the rest of the bullpen. Smith has gone 3-for-19 with two walks and two RBI during the NLCS.

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Smith received X-rays on his left hand after taking a foul ball off his catching hand in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Mets, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Roberts relayed that the foul ball hitting Smith's left hand led to the catcher being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Friday's game. The X-rays on Smith's hand came back negative, and the 29-year-old is expected to be in the lineup for Game 6 on Sunday. Smith has gone 5-for-35 with six walks, one home run and four RBI during the postseason.

Naylor is not in the lineup Friday for Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The Yankees are starting a righty in Luis Gil, but the left-handed-hitting Naylor will yield to Austin Hedges at catcher for the second straight game. Naylor is hitless in his six starts this postseason but delivered a pinch hit in Thursday's comeback win.

Wells is not in the lineup Thursday for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Guardians.

Wells is just 2-for-24 so far during the playoffs and also ended the regular season in a 2-for-41 drought at the dish. He will yield to Jose Trevino at catcher as the Guardians send southpaw Matthew Boyd to the bump.

Naylor isn't in the lineup Thursday for Game 3 of the ALCS versus the Yankees, Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.

Naylor has gone 0-for-14 through seven postseason games so far, so the Guardians will sit him down in favor of Austin Hedges in an effort to get some offensive production from behind the plate.

The Orioles re-signed Banuelos to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Banuelos had a couple brief stints in the majors in 2024, receiving one plate appearance. He slashed .225/.360/.352 with two homers in 22 contests with Triple-A Norfolk and is likely headed back there to begin the 2025 campaign.

Rizzo said Wednesday that the time off between the ALCS and World Series has allowed swelling in his fractured fingers to subside, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

The two fractured fingers on Rizzo's right hand have not yet fully healed, which led to the digits swelling up between ALCS contests. However, the five days off between the ALCS and World Series has, unsurprisingly, been beneficial for the first baseman. Rizzo will likely still have to play through some discomfort against the Dodgers, but he'll be the Yankees' primary first baseman during the Fall Classic.

Freeman (ankle) said Tuesday that he believes it is "100 percent" he will be in the lineup for Game 1 of the World Series versus the Yankees on Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Freeman did not play in Game 6 of the NLCS on Sunday and has gone three days without running. The first baseman has been able to hit in that time and will go through his normal routine Tuesday, albeit without any running.

Freeman (ankle) is not in the starting lineup for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Freeman has been hampered by a high-ankle sprain throughout the postseason. He was held out for Game 4 of the NLCS, but he returned to the lineup for Game 5, and manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism Saturday that the veteran first baseman would be in the lineup for Game 6. However, Freeman will begin Sunday's game in the dugout, though he could be available to pinch hit if called upon. Max Muncy will shift over to first base while Enrique Hernandez enters the lineup at third base against Mets southpaw Sean Manaea.

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that he expects Freeman (ankle) to be in the starting lineup for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Freeman has been playing through an ankle injury throughout the postseason. He has missed two games during the playoffs, most recently Game 4 of the NLCS as the Dodgers wanted to prevent Freeman from playing in back-to-back games. Barring any setbacks, Freeman will be in the lineup for Game 6 as the Dodgers look to advance to the World Series.

Freeman (ankle) will start at first base and bat fourth Friday in Game 5 of the NLCS versus the Mets, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

Freeman didn't play in Game 4, as the Dodgers didn't want him to play three days in a row on his injured right ankle. He will be back in there Friday however, as his team tries to finish off the Mets and advance to the World Series.

Freeman (ankle) said Thursday that he feels "really good" about his chances of being in the lineup Friday for Game 5 of the NLCS versus the Mets, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The Dodgers elected to hold Freeman out of Game 4 on Thursday so that he didn't have to play back-to-back days as he deals with a painful right ankle injury. He was available off the bench however, and it sounds like he'll be back in there Friday as the Dodgers look to close out the series.

Hoerner underwent surgery Oct. 11 to repair his right flexor tendon, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

It's not clear when Hoerner suffered the injury, nor did the Cubs offer a timetable for his recovery. The second baseman should be ready to roll come Opening Day, although it's possible he'll be eased into things in spring training. Hoerner slashed .273/.335/.373 with seven home runs and 31 stolen bases over 151 games for the Cubs in 2024.

Lux (hip) is absent from the Dodgers' lineup for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Lux is sitting not just because of the Mets sending southpaw Sean Manaea to the mound, but also because Lux is still not fully recovered from a hip flexor injury, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Chris Taylor will start at second base for Game 6 of the NLCS, but Lux will be available off the bench.

Iglesias is absent from the lineup Friday in Game 5 of the NLCS versus the Dodgers, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Iglesias had started every game of the postseason so far for the Mets but is slashing just .227/.261/.227 in 11 contests. Jeff McNeil is starting at second base and batting eighth Friday as the Mets try to avoid elimination.

McNeil is starting at second base and batting eighth Friday in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

It's the first start this postseason for McNeil, who was added to the Mets' NLCS roster after recovering from a fractured right wrist. He is hitless in three pinch-hitting appearances to this point in the series. Jose Iglesias -- who is 5-for-14 with a 2:1 K:BB in the series -- will begin Friday's contest on the bench.

Lux is absent from the lineup Thursday for Game 4 of the NLCS versus the Mets, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

It's southpaw Jose Quintana on the bump for the Mets, so the left-handed-hitting Lux will begin the contest on the bench. Chris Taylor is occupying second base and batting ninth for the Dodgers.

Lux (hip) will start at second base and bat sixth Wednesday in Game 3 of the NLCS versus the Mets.

Lux had to depart Game 1 and didn't play Game 2 because of hip flexor tightness, but he's feeling well enough to give it a go Wednesday. The 26-year-old is 5-for-19 with one home run in six contests so far this postseason.

Muncy will start at first base and bat fifth in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Enrique Hernandez will start at third base Sunday while Muncy shifts to first base due to Freddie Freeman (ankle) being absent from the starting lineup. Muncy has gone 5-for-13 with nine walks, two home runs and four RBI over the first five games of the NLCS.

Hernandez will start at third base and bat sixth for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

With Freddie Freeman (ankle) out of the starting lineup for Game 6, Hernandez will serve at the hot corner while Max Muncy shifts to first base against Mets left-hander Sean Manaea. Through the first five games of the NLCS, Hernandez has gone 6-for-20 with two walks, one home run and three RBI.

Hernandez will start in center field and bat seventh Friday in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Padres, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

Miguel Rojas (thigh) is absent from the lineup, as expected, and the Dodgers will shift Tommy Edman to shortstop while Hernandez occupies center field. Hernandez started at third base in Game 4 and went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Jung underwent tendon release surgery on his right wrist Tuesday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Jung missed most of the first four months of the season after having surgery to repair a fracture in the same wrist, and he went back on the injured list in late September with recurring discomfort. The hope is that, following this most recent wrist surgery, he will be able to have a normal offseason after 3-4 weeks of rehab. Jung had a .719 OPS with seven homers over 46 games with the Rangers this season.

Cabrera is not in the lineup Thursday for Game 4 of the ALDS against the Royals.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has alternated starts at first base in the ALDS, with Cabrera starting Games 1 and 3 and Jon Berti handling the position in Games 2 and 4. Cabrera is 1-for-5 with a double and three walks in the series.

Berti is starting at first base and batting ninth Thursday in Game 4 of the ALDS in Kansas City, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Berti received his first professional start at first base in Game 2 and will be back there in Game 4 as the Yankees try to close out the series. Oswaldo Cabrera -- who started Games 1 and 3 at first base -- will begin this contest on the bench.

Winn underwent surgery following the conclusion of the season to have a cyst removed from his hand, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

It's not clear which hand was operated on, but it was a minor procedure which is not expected to affect his offseason workouts. Winn slashed .267/.314/.416 with 15 homers and 11 stolen bases over 150 regular-season games in his first full major-league season.

Rojas said Wednesday that he has a sports hernia and will need to undergo surgery during the offseason, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Rojas noted that he attempted to persuade the Dodgers to keep him on the roster for the NLCS despite his injury, and he feels that he could still play through it if Los Angeles advances to the World Series. However, based on the team's unwillingness to play him against the Mets, it seems more likely that the 35-year-old infielder remains sidelined until next season.

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Monday during the team's end-of-season media session that he expects Baez (hip) to participate in spring training and have a "fighting chance" to be ready for Opening Day, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Baez underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in early September after dealing with a hip/back issue for much of the campaign. He slashed .184/.221/.294 in 2024 and has hit only .221/.262/.347 in his three seasons with the Tigers, but Harris expects the 31-year-old to have a role with the club in 2025. With three years and $73 million remaining on his contract, there wasn't much of a chance that the team was going to cut him loose at this point. Baez shouldn't be guaranteed anything in regards to playing time in 2025, although the hope is that, with better health, he could at least offer a solid glove at shortstop. Trey Sweeney was the Tigers' primary shortstop down the stretch of the regular season and playoffs and could have a leg up over Baez for the starting job there heading into spring training.

Rojas (thigh) isn't on Los Angeles' roster for the NLCS against the Mets, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Rojas aggravated an adductor injury during Game 3 of the NLDS versus San Diego and wasn't able to play in either of the final two games of the series. The veteran shortstop has been dealing with the issue since late September, and the Dodgers are opting to hold him out of the NLCS to give him time to heal. It's possible that Rojas could return if the team advances to the World Series, but in the meantime, Tommy Edman could handle shortstop duties. Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier is taking Rojas' place on the roster for the series versus the Mets, per Toribio.

Kim (shoulder) is hoping to be ready for game action by mid-April, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Kim underwent shoulder surgery Friday after missing the last six weeks of the regular season and all of the postseason. He's entering free agency and a pivotal offseason, and while he should make a full recovery, he could miss up to the first month of the 2025 campaign.

Kim underwent labrum repair surgery on his right shoulder Thursday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

A return for the start of the 2025 campaign remains on the table, though no recovery timeline has been disclosed yet. The 28-year-old infielder has an $8 million mutual option with the Padres this offseason, though the fact that Kim recently changed agents is a good indication that he intends to test the open market.

Taylor will start at second base and bat ninth for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

With Freddie Freeman (ankle) out of Sunday's lineup, Taylor will start at second base while Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez man first and third base, respectively. Taylor started in Game 4 of the NLCS, during which he went 1-for-4 with one walk and one run scored.

Brennan isn't in the Guardians' lineup Saturday for Game 5 of the ALCS versus the Yankees, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The lefty-hitting Brennan will take a seat Saturday as the Yankees prepare to send the lefty-throwing Carlos Rodon to the mound to start Game 5. Jhonkensy Noel will start in right field while batting sixth.

Brennan is not in the lineup Friday for Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The Guardians will give a second straight start to Daniel Schneemann in right field while Brennan begins the contest on the bench. Brennan is 2-for-11 with one RBI so far this postseason.

Cave elected free agency Friday.

Cave has exercised his right to free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to the minors by the Rockies. The veteran outfielder slashed .251/.290/.396 with seven home runs over 123 games for Colorado this season.

Winker will start at designated hitter and bat fifth Friday in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

He sat in favor of J.D. Martinez in Games 3 and 4, but Winker will be back in there Friday as the Mets try to stave off elimination. The 31-year-old is 2-for-7 with a 2:2 BB:K at the plate during the NLCS.

Pages will start in center field and bat ninth Friday in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Mets, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

Pages is netting his second start in as many days as the Mets turn to a lefty (David Peterson) for the second day in a row. He went 0-for-4 with one strikeout in the Dodgers' Game 4 victory.

Yamamoto will start Saturday in Game 2 of the World Series versus the Yankees, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Yamamoto has allowed seven earned runs over just 12.1 innings across his three postseason appearances and will be facing a Yankees offense that has posted a .759 OPS during the team's playoff run. However, the 26-year-old righty found success against The Pinstripes when he faced them in June, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits and two walks.

Flaherty has been named the Dodgers' starter for Game 1 of the World Series versus the Yankees on Friday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Flaherty made his last start in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Mets this past Friday, so he will head into Game 1 of the World Series with six full days of rest. The right-hander had an excellent start in Game 1 of the NLCS, shutting out the Mets across seven innings. However, the Mets got to him in his second outing, scoring eight runs in just three innings. With Flaherty set to go Friday, it is likely Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler will start the following two games, respectively.

Gray is on track have a normal offseason after finishing the regular season on the 15-day injured list with right forearm flexor tendinitis, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Gray missed his final start of the season because of the forearm issue, but his offseason training is expected to be unaffected. The right-hander held a 3.84 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 203:39 K:BB across 28 regular-season starts during his first year in St. Louis.

Blackburn underwent surgery Oct. 11 to repair a cerebrospinal fluid leak, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Per the Mets, it's a procedure which typically carries a return to play timeline of 4-5 months. That would seemingly give Blackburn a shot to be ready in time for Opening Day, provided there are no setbacks along the way. If healthy, Blackburn should open the 2025 season in the Mets' rotation. He held a 4.66 ERA and 59:21 K:BB over 75.1 innings covering 14 starts between the Athletics and Mets in 2024.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that there's a "good chance" Cortes (elbow) will be on the team's World Series roster, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Cortes will throw another live batting practice session Tuesday and, as long as he gets through that with no concerns, it sounds like he'll be part of the Yankees' roster for the Fall Classic against the Dodgers. It's expected that Cortes would be used as a reliever, although Boone hasn't officially committed to that. The southpaw has been out since late September with a left flexor strain.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Cole will start Friday in Game 1 of the World Series, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

The Yankees wrapping up the ALCS in five games allowed them to set up their rotation as they wanted, and that means Cole taking the ball in Game 1. Boone added that Cole will likely be followed by Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, in that order, although he has not yet etched that into stone. Cole holds a 3.31 ERA and 12:6 K:BB over 16.1 innings in three starts this postseason.

Vesia (ribs) will throw against hitters Tuesday or Wednesday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Vesia has been dealing with a rib cage injury since his early departure from Game 5 of the NLDS, but he appears to be trending in the right direction. How he feels following his upcoming throwing session will likely determine whether he is included on the Dodgers' roster for the World Series -- a decision that is expected to be made as late as possible.

Romero (forearm) is slated to begin a throwing program next week, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Romero landed on the 15-day injured list during the final week of the regular season due to left forearm inflammation. However, as long as he can avoid setbacks, it would appear he is in line for his normal offseason routine. Romero held a 3.36 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 51:16 K:BB over 59 innings for the Cardinals during the 2024 regular season.

Kopech will serve as the Dodgers' opening pitcher for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

Ryan Brasier served as the opener the last time the Dodgers went with a bullpen day in Game 2, but after suffering a 7-3 loss in that contest, Los Angeles will go a different route Sunday. Kopech's lone appearance in the NLCS came in Game 3 on Wednesday, when he scooped up a win while striking out one batter over one scoreless inning. He's appeared in five postseason games this season, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out six batters across 4.1 scoreless innings.

Leiter has been added to the Yankees' ALCS roster, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Leiter is the injury replacement for Ian Hamilton (calf). The 33-year-old Leiter held a 4.98 ERA over 21.2 innings after being acquired by the Yankees at the trade deadline, while he struck out 33 and tallied 86 strikeouts across 58 frames in 2024 between his time with the Cubs and Yankees.

Hamilton (calf) has been removed from the Yankees' ALCS roster, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Hamilton injured his left calf Thursday in Game 3 of the ALCS and will now be ineligible to return for the remainder of the playoffs. Mark Leiter will take Hamilton's spot on the Yankees' roster.

Lambert elected free agency Thursday.

Lambert split his time in 2024 between Triple-A Albuquerque and the Rockies and has managed just a 6.28 ERA and 181:95 K:BB over 243.2 innings covering parts of four seasons in the majors. The 27-year-old was used mostly in relief this season but has plenty of past experience as a starting pitcher.

Fry will have his right elbow examined by Dr. Keith Meister in Texas next week, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Fry had to exit a game back in late June due to right elbow inflammation. While he didn't require any additional time off, he made just one start at catcher and zero starts in the outfield after the injury. It's not yet clear whether he might need surgery, but more information on his status should be available following next week's exam. Fry slashed .263/.356/.448 with 14 home runs over 122 games during the regular season before adding an .869 OPS and two more homers during the playoffs for the Guardians.

Manzardo isn't in the lineup for Game 5 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

With southpaw Carlos Rodon set to start on the bump for New York, the left-handed bat of Manzardo will stay put in the Guardians' dugout. David Fry will step in as the designated hitter and bat second.

Martinez will start at designated hitter and bat sixth Wednesday in Game 3 of the NLCS versus the Dodgers.

Jesse Winker was in the DH slot in each of the first two games of the series, but Martinez will get a shot Wednesday against right-hander Walker Buehler. It's Martinez's first start since Game 4 of the NLDS and his fourth start in 10 games this postseason for the Mets.

Yoshida underwent surgery Oct. 3 to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

The hope is that Yoshida will be ready in time for Opening Day, although it's not clear how limited, if at all, he will be during spring training. Yoshida slashed .280/.349/.415 with 10 home runs over 108 games for Boston this season as its full-time designated hitter.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that Martinez will likely be in the lineup Wednesday in Game 3 of the NLCS, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Jesse Winker started at designated hitter in each of the first two games of the series, going 2-for-6 with a 2:2 K:BB. The Dodgers are slated to start another right-hander, Walker Buehler, in Game 3, but it sounds like Martinez will receive his first start of the series. The veteran is 4-for-14 with three RBI and a 4:2 K:BB so far this postseason.

Manzardo isn't in the starting lineup Saturday for Game 5 of the ALDS against the Tigers, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

With left-hander Tarik Skubal set to start the game for Detroit, the left-handed bat of Manzardo will step out of the starting nine Saturday. His absence will put David Fry in the DH spot, batting second.