MLB Player News

White Sox manager Will Venable said Thursday that Fedde and Anthony Kay are likely bulk relief options in ALDS Game 4 versus the Guardians, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Hagen Smith will take the ball first and is likely to cover multiple frames, but it will be yet another playoff game where the White Sox use their bullpen early and often. Fedde has made one appearance this postseason, striking out three over two scoreless innings during the AL Wild Card Series clincher against the Astros.

Zuber will undergo UCL surgery with an internal brace on his right elbow Monday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The internal brace procedure comes with a shorter rehab timetable than a full Tommy John surgery, but Zuber nonetheless could be sidelined until the 2028 season. Zuber posted a 5.67 ERA in 2026 thanks in large part to 10 home runs allowed in 39.2 innings, but a 42:11 K:BB offered more promise.

Baker gave up no hits and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay may have swept New York, but the series was hardly a breeze as Baker was needed for the save in all three games. The right-hander issued a one-out walk Wednesday -- the first baserunner he allowed in the series -- but retired the next two batters to close out the ALDS. Including the playoffs, Baker has converted 33 consecutive save chances and is unscored upon in his past 10 appearances.

Diaz retired all three batters he faced with one strikeout to earn the save in Game 4 of the NLDS against Atlanta on Wednesday.

It's the second straight day with a save for Diaz, who was shifted to a low-leverage role late in the season and also dealt with a neck injury. Tanner Scott operated as the Dodgers' primary closer down the stretch, but he surrendered two runs in Game 1 and was used in a setup role Wednesday. Diaz's 8.68 ERA in 21 appearances during the regular season will likely prevent him from being viewed as a lockdown closer this October, but he's been unscored upon in his last eight appearances (three postseason) and is clearly back in the high-leverage mix for manager Dave Roberts.

Smith will serve as the opener Thursday in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Guardians, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Smith has given up one earned run in 6.1 innings across his three postseason appearances, and the White Sox will turn to him again to pitch the first inning of Game 4. Erick Fedde is a likely candidate to follow Smith out of the bullpen.

The Padres removed Peralta from their NLDS roster on Wednesday.

Peralta was added to the roster Tuesday as a replacement for Mason Miller, but now that the latter has returned from paternity leave, Peralta will be required to come off the roster without making an appearance in the NLDS.

Miller was reinstated from the paternity list ahead of Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Brewers on Wednesday.

He was away from the club for Game 3 on Tuesday in order to attend the birth of his first child, but it will be only a one-day absence for the star closer. Miller was saddled with a blown save and loss in Game 2 on Sunday.

O'Brien said recently that he wants to put on "as much muscle as I can" this offseason in order to help his body absorb the toll of the 2027 season, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

O'Brien finished tied for the National League lead with 38 saves this season, but he faded after the All-Star break, posting a 5.11 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 25:16 K:BB over 24.2 innings while blowing four of 18 save chances. The 31-year-old also saw his velocity dip in the second half, as he averaged 97 mph with his four-seamer after averaging 98.2 mph with the pitch in the first half. As things stand right now, O'Brien is the clear favorite to open next season as the Cardinals' closer again.

Padres manager Craig Stammen said after Tuesday's NLDS Game 3 win over the Brewers that Morejon was unavailable to pitch in the contest due to "stickiness in his shoulder," AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

With Morejon and Mason Miller (paternity) unavailable, Michael King closed out Tuesday's victory. Morejon's shoulder issue appears to be minor, as Stammen said the left-hander could be ready to pitch in Game 4, if needed. The southpaw has allowed one run with a 2:0 K:BB over four innings in two appearances this postseason.

Diaz earned the save in Game 3 of the NLDS against Atlanta on Tuesday, allowing a hit with no walks or strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.

The 32-year-old entered for the ninth with a 3-1 advantage, and he got off to an inauspicious start as Ozzie Albies doubled to open the frame. Diaz dialed in from there, however, and retired the next three batters to tally his first save since mid-August. The right-hander was plagued by injuries and ineffectiveness this year -- which resulted in him losing the closer role -- but he finished the regular season with five straight scoreless outings and has been unscored upon in his first two appearances of the playoffs. He seems unlikely to fully reclaim the closer role given that Evan Phillips was called upon for the save in the series opener, but it still appears that Diaz has regained the trust of manager Dave Roberts.