New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, outfielder Aaron Judge, and a couple of the team's trainers met on Monday night after Judge's live batting practice session to discuss the slugger's health situation, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "We just felt like he's not quite there yet," Boone said. The Yankees made the decision to leave Judge off the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. Not having the three-time MVP for the start of the playoffs is not ideal, but the good news is that the Yankees are getting both outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (calves) and Trent Grisham (hamstring) back for their series against Boston. The 34-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list less than two weeks ago with a moderate right-calf strain after missing most of the 2026 regular season with a stress fracture in his rib. Judge is obviously one of the best power hitters in the game, but the Yankees will be without him for the three-game series in the Bronx. If New York advances to face the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series, it is unclear if Judge will be cleared. He will definitely need to test his calf by running the bases before then.

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New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday against the division-rival Boston Red Sox with a left-hander on the mound, per MLB.com. Anthony Volpe is making the start at the keystone and will hit seventh against Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle. Chisholm has never faced the tough lefty, and he has hit just .218 (32-for-147) with five of his 19 home runs, 21 RBI, 11 walks, and 56 strikeouts in 160 plate appearances against southpaws in 2026. The talented power/speed infielder has hit the ball well in September, albeit in just eight games, going 8-for-28 (.286) with a homer, an RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base for the Yankees. With right-handed veteran hurler Sonny Gray set to start for Boston in Game 2 of the series in the Bronx on Wednesday, Chisholm will be back in the starting nine a day from now. Like Chisholm, Volpe has never faced Tolle in his big-league career.

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Milwaukee Brewers flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is the team's probable starter for Game 1 of the National League Division Series, with right-hander Logan Henderson lined up for Game 2 of the NLDS, manager Pat Murphy told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. It comes as no surprise that the Miz would get the ball for the first game of the series against the winner of the three-game Wild-Card Series this week against the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. The 24-year-old Misiorowski finished his first full year in the majors in 2026 with a league-best 1.80 ERA (2.17 FIP) and 252 strikeouts across his 174 2/3 innings pitched over 30 starts for the Brew Crew. He also led the league with a 0.80 WHIP and 13.0 strikeouts per nine innings. Milwaukee kept Misiorowski's innings limited in the second half, but he was still very tough to hit, posting a 2.12 ERA with 17 walks and 85 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings across his 12 starts. He went 6-1 after the All-Star break. Misiorowski had a 2.82 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in four games versus the division-rival Cubs this year, and he tossed seven shutout innings with no walks and 10 strikeouts in his lone start against the Padres.

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Chicago Cubs veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) is on the team's Wild-Card roster for the series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park this week, which would indicate that his left-shoulder injury is no longer an issue, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Gausman injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder while attempting to make a diving play at third base in his final start of the regular season last Wednesday, but he appears to be fine now. The Cubs are sending left-hander Matthew Boyd out for Game 1 of the series against the Padres on Tuesday, but Gausman could be tapped to take the ball in Game 2 on Wednesday or, if necessary, in Game 3 on Thursday. The 35-year-old veteran began the 2026 season with the Toronto Blue Jays but was acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline to add depth to their banged-up starting rotation. The two-time All-Star was inconsistent in his nine starts for Chicago, going 4-2 with a 4.83 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 57:11 K:BB in 50 1/3 innings. He faced the Padres in San Diego while still with the Blue Jays on July 12 and allowed three earned runs with three walks and eight strikeouts in six innings for a no-decision.

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The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, and he will be included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week at Petco Park against the Chicago Cubs, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. It is a bit of a surprise, since Musgrove did not pitch for the Friars at all in 2026, and he made only 19 starts in 2024 before eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Musgrove was expected to be ready for the start of this season, but he suffered a setback in spring training and then was not recovering the way he would have liked once he started a minor-league rehab assignment. Because of the long layoff and the fact that he has not pitched in the majors at all this year, if Musgrove gets into a game during the Wild-Card Series, it will almost certainly be in more of a low-leverage bullpen role. The 33-year-old veteran was an All-Star in 2022 with the Padres, posting a career-best 2.93 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30 starts. Musgrove went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 23 walks in his 19 starts in 2024 before being shut down.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Crochet only managed to make six starts (30 innings) for Boston in his second season with the team in 2026 due to left-shoulder and lat injuries. The 27-year-old southpaw has been ramping up for the last month or so, but with time running out, he will not serve as a starter for the BoSox, at least not for the Wild-Card Series this week. The two-time All-Star was not very effective in his six starts during the regular season early in the year before he was shut down, as he went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in his 30 innings pitched. If Crochet can regain the form he showed in 2025, when he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting, he could be an indispensable relief asset for Boston this postseason.

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New York Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and will be on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, according to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. Outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) is also back from the IL, but the Yankees will not have three-time All-Star Aaron Judge (calf) against Boston. Getting Stanton back is the next best thing, although he has not played in a big-league game since late April due to injuries to both of his calves. The 36-year-old former MVP and five-time All-Star has had trouble staying healthy late in his career, and because of all his time off in 2026, the Yankees figure to ease him back into action as a right-handed power bat off their bench in the series at Yankee Stadium against the BoSox. In 90 at-bats earlier this year before he landed on the IL, Stanton hit .256/.302/.422 with a .724 OPS, three homers, 14 RBI, eight runs, and a stolen base. In 202 career postseason plate appearances, Stanton has hit .254 with 18 home runs, 44 RBI, 20 walks, and 49 strikeouts.

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New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) has been activated from the 10-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week versus the division-rival Boston Red Sox, per the MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) was not cleared to return for the start of the postseason, but the Yankees will also get outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) back for the first time since late April. Grisham will return for the first time in three-plus weeks after being sidelined by a strained right hamstring, but now that he is active, he should serve as the team's starting center fielder against right-handed pitchers. With Boston lefty Payton Tolle going in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday, Grisham will likely find himself on the bench. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder was not as good in 2026 as he was in 2025, when he hit a career-high 34 home runs in 143 regular-season games. In 121 games in his third year in the Bronx, Grisham hit .211/.308/.395 with a .703 OPS, 18 homers, 59 RBI, 67 runs scored, and nine steals in 484 plate appearances.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (calf) will not be on the team's Wild-Card roster this week against the division-rival Boston Red Sox, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network. Meanwhile, in a surprise move, the Yankees have activated outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calves) from the 60-day injured list and have included him on the roster for the Wild-Card Series. After missing most of the 2026 regular season due to a stress fracture in his rib, the Yankees put Judge back on the IL around two weeks ago with a moderate right-calf strain. The three-time MVP has been hitting and throwing, but he was not cleared for the Wild-Card series since he has not tried to run the bases yet. If the Yankees advance past their division rivals, Judge might have a better shot at returning in the postseason. In addition to Stanton returning for the Yankees, the team activated center fielder Trent Grisham (hamstring) from the IL. Against right-handers, both Grisham and Spencer Jones should be in the lineup for the Yankees in the Wild-Card Series this week in the Bronx.

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Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Corbin Burnes said his shoulder was simply tired from all of his rehab throwing, and he is not dealing with a new injury, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Burnes thinks that he will be fine this offseason after some rest. The Diamondbacks placed the 31-year-old veteran on the 15-day injured list to close out the 2026 regular season, but it was apparently fatigue-related and not a new shoulder injury. The former National League Cy Young winner ended up making only three starts for the Snakes this year. After returning from Tommy John surgery, Burnes dealt with a teres major injury in his right shoulder that delayed him. Burnes then allowed nine earned runs on 12 hits (five home runs) while walking four and striking out eight in 10 1/3 innings when he returned to Arizona's starting rotation, so he was not very sharp. With a full offseason to recover and build up his arm, Burnes will have clear bounce-back potential, but it is reasonable to be skeptical that he will be able to return to his ace form in fantasy.

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Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said that starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (abdomen) will undergo sports hernia surgery on Tuesday, per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Bradish made his last start of the 2026 season in mid-September before being placed on the injured list. After pitching just 71 1/3 innings across the 2024 and 2025 seasons combined due to arm injuries, Bradish managed to make it through 2026 fully healthy until the hernia issue. Across 155 innings (29 starts), the 30-year-old recorded a 7-15 record with a 4.12 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 142 strikeouts. Bradish's production faded in the second half, as he posted a 16.7% strikeout rate and a 5.29 ERA across 47 2/3 innings after the All-Star break. If his struggles down the stretch were a symptom of the hernia, Bradish could be in line for a more complete season in 2027.

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Texas Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said that shortstop Corey Seager (elbow) has been dealing with a bone spur in his elbow that could require offseason surgery, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. Landry reports that the team is still talking through options, and that Seager would be expected to be fully ready for 2027 Spring Training even if surgery is eventually required. The 32-year-old had a down year by his lofty standards, hitting .227/.312/.424 with 20 home runs, 51 RBI, 57 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 436 plate appearances. In addition to playing through the elbow injury, Seager missed time in 2026 due to back issues and a concussion. If Seager can get fully healthy over the offseason, he could be primed for a bounce-back campaign in 2027.

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Los Angeles Angels general manager John Mozeliak said that outfielder Mike Trout "came to him" about playing left field and spending more time at designated hitter in 2027, per Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group. Trout played 109 games in center field for the Angels in 2026 and graded out as a negative defender by most defensive metrics. Perhaps most importantly for fantasy managers, playing a less demanding defensive position could help Trout avoid injuries, which has been a major issue for him in recent seasons. Trout topped 600 plate appearances in 2026, which was the first time he had reached that mark since the 2019 season. The 35-year-old remains a productive player when healthy, hitting .242/.382/.421 with 22 home runs, 54 RBI, 86 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases this year.

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Houston Astros right-hander AJ Blubaugh will be the opener in a projected bullpen game in Game 1 of his team's American League Wild Card Series matchup against the Chicago White Sox, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Blubaugh was effective in a multi-inning relief role for the Astros this year, recording a 5-3 record with a 3.66 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts across 96 innings (64 games). Because Houston did not clinch the American League West title until the final day of the regular season, ace Hunter Brown will likely get the ball for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series on Wednesday. As a result, the team will be hoping Blubaugh can get them through at least an inning or two to begin the game on Tuesday.

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The Boston Red Sox currently remain undecided on left-hander Garrett Crochet's (lat) status for the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. Crochet has not pitched since late April due to shoulder and lat issues. However, the 27-year-old has been making progress toward a return and could potentially work out of the bullpen for Boston against the Yankees. Crochet was one of the very best pitchers in all of baseball in 2025, recording an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts across 205 1/3 innings (32 starts). He also has experience working as a reliever, as he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen for the Chicago White Sox in the 2021 and 2023 seasons. If Crochet is included on Boston's Wild Card roster, he could be an impact arm in the postseason.

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Chicago White Sox left-hander Hagen Smith will be his team's starter in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Smith worked almost exclusively as a reliever after making his MLB debut on August 9, so he will likely be the first man up in a bullpen game for Chicago. The 23-year-old was extremely effective for the White Sox during the regular season, recording a 3-3 record with a 1.29 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts across 28 innings (18 games). Smith posted an elevated 14.5% walk rate, but he also struck out 37.3% of the batters he faced. Throwing Smith as the opener assures that Astros lefty slugger Yordan Alvarez has a tough at-bat in his first plate appearance of the game, which is likely a big part of the strategy for Chicago.

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Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd will start Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday against the hosting San Diego Padres at Petco Park, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. He will be opposed by Padres right-hander Michael King in a rematch of last year's National League Wild-Card Series at Wrigley Field, a series the Cubs won in three games. The 35-year-old Boyd went 10-5 this year for the Cubbies with a 3.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts in 126 2/3 innings pitched across 22 games. Boyd allowed 10 earned runs in his first three starts of September against the Milwaukee Brewers (twice) and Pittsburgh Pirates, but he cleaned it up in his final two starts of the regular season with two earned runs allowed, four walks, and seven strikeouts against the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. The crafty veteran pitched well against SD last year in the postseason, but that was not the case in his two regular-season starts against them in 2026, as he allowed eight earned runs on 16 hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out six in nine innings.

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Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle will get the nod as the Game 1 starter for the Red Sox on Tuesday for the start of the Wild-Card Series in the Bronx against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. Tolle has been a tough assignment for the Yankees, who have a lefty-heavy lineup, so he will get the nod for Game 1 of the series over veteran right-hander Sonny Gray. In his two starts against the Yankees this year, Tolle dominated New York, going 1-0 with only one earned run allowed on four hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out 18 in 13 innings pitched. The 23-year-old former second-rounder from TCU in 2024 went 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 171:40 K:BB in 148 2/3 innings pitched across his 26 starts for the BoSox this year in his first full season in the big leagues. Tolle heads into the postseason after a strong month of September in three starts against the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Guardians, posting a 1.53 ERA (1.23 FIP) with only three walks and 24 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched.

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Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who has not started a game in three weeks after being placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left shoulder, will serve as an opener for the Phillies in Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series on Tuesday against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Right-hander Andrew Painter will be in the bullpen for the Phillies for the series. The Phillies activated Luzardo from the IL on Sunday, and he threw a perfect inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, so they feel comfortable having him pitch on back-to-back days in what will be an abbreviated outing. Philadelphia hopes Luzardo can set the tone in the series in Atlanta after he was excellent for them during the regular season, going 14-5 with a 2.86 ERA (2.78 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with a career-high 221 strikeouts and 52 walks in 179 2/3 innings across his 30 outings (29 starts). Luzardo only faced the Braves once in 2026 on Sept. 7, and he dazzled with a nine-inning, complete-game shutout that saw him strike out 12 and walk just one for his 14th win of the season.

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Philadelphia Phillies infielder Luis Arraez (ankle) will not be on the team's playoff roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Otto Kemp will take Arraez's spot on the roster for the three-game series in Atlanta at Truist Park. Arraez has not resumed baseball activities since spraining his left ankle in a game last Thursday. If the Phillies advance to the National League Division Series to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, it is unclear if Arraez would be ready to go. Not having the three-time batting champion available against the Braves is a significant blow to a Phillies lineup that limped to the finish line to barely claim the final Wild-Card spot in the NL. Arraez made his fourth All-Star team in 2026 and also successfully moved back to second base with the San Francisco Giants and Phillies. He finished the regular season with a .310 batting average (185-for-596) with six home runs, 64 RBI, 67 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases across 151 games and 655 plate appearances. Bryson Stott will likely start at second base for the Phillies against Atlanta, with Edmundo Sosa being the top candidate to start at the hot corner.

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