-
Enrique Hernandez 3B | LAD
Red Sox's Enrique Hernandez: Dominant showing in Game 2
Hernandez went 5-for-6 with a home run, three doubles, three runs and three RBI in Friday's 14-6 win over the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Hernandez was held without a hit in the first game of the series, but he bounced back Friday and played a key role in the win. Across his three postseason appearances in 2021, the 29-year-old has gone 6-for-13 with four extra-base hits, four runs, three RBI and a walk.
-
Danny Mendick 3B | CHW
White Sox's Danny Mendick: Joins playoff roster
Mendick will be on the White Sox's playoff roster for the ALDS against the Astros.
The White Sox elected to go with an additional utility player over an extra reliever. Mendick does provide good defensive versatility, as he's appeared at six different positions this season, but he doesn't provide much else. He's a career .239/.298/.342 hitter and isn't much of a weapon as a pinch runner, either, as he has below-average sprint speed and has yet to steal a base in 120 career major-league games.
-
Jonathan Arauz 3B | LAD
Red Sox's Jonathan Arauz: Left off ALDS roster
Arauz wasn't included on Boston's ALDS roster, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Arauz was on the roster for Tuesday's AL Wild Card Game but didn't appear in the contest. Danny Santana (illness) was added to the ALDS roster to serve as a utility man.
-
Gavin Lux SS | TB
Dodgers' Gavin Lux: On bench for start of playoffs
Lux is out of the lineup Wednesday for the Dodgers' wild-card game against the Cardinals, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
After missing three consecutive games with a neck stinger, Lux was available off the bench for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Brewers, going 0-for-1 with a walk while seeing action in right field. Prior to developing the injury, Lux had started six consecutive games in center field, but Cody Bellinger will patrol that spot in the wild-card contest while being flanked by AJ Pollock and Mookie Betts. The trio of Pollock, Betts and Bellinger is expected to form the Dodgers' primary outfield combination against right-handed pitching throughout the postseason, though Lux or Chris Taylor could replace Bellinger against left-handed starters.
-
Jeremiah Jackson 2B | BAL
Angels' Jeremiah Jackson: Returning to action in AFL
The Angels announced Wednesday that Jackson (quadriceps) will be included on their Arizona Fall League roster, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Jackson strained his quad in late June and was shut down for about 10 weeks before he returned to action in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League in early September. After completing a six-game rehab assignment in the ACL, Jackson returned from the injured list to rejoin Low-A Inland Empire, finishing the campaign with a .263 average, eight home runs and 11 steals in 45 games with the affiliate. Jackson still only picked up just over 200 plate appearances on the season on account of the injury, so the stint in the AFL will allow him to pick up some extra reps while also giving him the chance to take at-bats against higher-caliber competition.
-
Jonathan Arauz 3B | LAD
Red Sox's Jonathan Arauz: Makes wild-card squad
Arauz will be part of the Red Sox's wild-card roster, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Arauz will give the team added infield depth, though the Red Sox probably hope he doesn't wind up playing a significant role. In 155 career plate appearances across the last two seasons, he's hit just .219/.301/.343.
-
Jack Mayfield 2B | LAA
Angels' Jack Mayfield: Swipes two bags Sunday
Mayfield went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and two stolen bases in Sunday's 7-3 victory versus the Mariners.
Mayfield was one of three Angels to knock multiple hits in the season finale, and he plated the team's second run with an infield single in the first inning. The 31-year-old began the campaign in the minors and was DFA'd by both the Angels and Mariners during the season. However, he became a bright spot for Los Angeles after he latched back on with the club in mid-June, eventually claiming a role as the club's starting third baseman. Mayfield collected at least one hit in 11 of his final 12 contests, slashing .280/.315/.400 with a home run, 11 RBI and three stolen bases over that stretch.
-
Gavin Lux SS | TB
Dodgers' Gavin Lux: Returns to action Sunday
Lux (neck) went 0-for-1 with a walk and played right field during Sunday's win over Milwaukee.
Lux missed three straight games while dealing with a neck stinger, but he was able to return for Sunday's season finale. The 23-year-old came into the contest in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement in right field and struck out against Josh Hader in his first at-bat before drawing a walk in the eighth. While Lux slashed a modest .242/.328/.364 on the campaign, he looked like a different player after returning from the minors Sept. 10, slashing .360/.467/.500 with a home run, nine RBI, a stolen base and a 9:8 BB:K over his final 17 games. Manager Dave Roberts indicated that Lux will be counted on to make an impact in the postseason, stating, "I don't know when he'll start, if he'll start, but I do know that we value him, I value him, and he's going to impact us through the postseason," per Matthew Moreno of Dodger Blue.
-
Amed Rosario 3B | NYY
Indians' Amed Rosario: Notches steal in season finale
Rosario went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 6-0 win over Texas.
The 25-year-old finished off a productive year with an RBI single to plate Myles Straw in the first inning. Rosario also walked and scored on a wild pitch in the third. He cemented himself as Cleveland's everyday shortstop in 2021 with a solid .282/.321/.409 slash line, 11 home runs, 13 stolen bases, 57 RBI and 77 runs scored across 141 games. He went 11-for-34 (.324) across his last eight games after returning from a personal matter.