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    Joe Ryan (glute) could return Monday vs. Tigers

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    MIN Starting Pitcher #41
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    Joe Ryan (glute) could potentially be activated to start Monday’s series opener against the Tigers.

    Ryan, who threw 42 pitches during a minor league rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul earlier this week, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. MLB.com’s Matthew Leach notes that Minnesota’s pitchers typically throw a bullpen session two days before their next start and Monday is an off-day in the minors. He’s been out with a glute strain since early August and would likely be on a strict pitch count in his return. There should be a definitive update on Ryan’s next steps at some point this weekend, but it certainly sounds like he could get the ball on Monday at Comerica Park. The club hasn’t announced their rotation plans for the series. Connor Prielipp would be in line to start if Ryan doesn’t come off the shelf.
Wild Card HLs: White Sox take Game 1 from Astros
Fueled by timely offense, Hagen Smith and excellent bullpen contributions, the White Sox held off the Astros to win their first playoff game since 2021 in Game 1 of the 2026 AL Wild Card Series.

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  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
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    Ryan let up two runs by the time he faced four hitters, but held tight from that point on. In fact, only three Rangers reached base against him after the first inning. He leaned into his knuckle-curve a bit more than usual and while he hung a handful, it also forced five swings-and-misses. A stint on the injured list played a part, but this was Ryan’s first win since July 5th and he closed the season with a 3.79 ERA, 159 strikeouts, and 31 walks over 144 2/3 innings pitched.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #61
    The runs both scored in the fourth on a Shay Whitcomb popup down the right field line that no one could get to. Prielipp allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three before exiting a tie game. He ends his rookie season 6-7 with a 4.87 ERA and a fine 128/44 K/BB in 125 2/3 innings. He might have a little edge on Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel for a spot in the Twins rotation next spring, but that’s assuming that they leave an opening with Pablo López coming back.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
    Ryan departed with a 4-2 lead that wound up being blown. With any luck at all, it would have been a better night. He gave up seven hits but just three hard-hit balls, and the 376-foot homer he allowed to Jose Siri was only a home run in three of 30 ballparks. Ryan is due to face the Rangers in his final start.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #61
    It’s his first scoreless start as a major leaguer, though he did pitch five scoreless innings behind an opener on Sept. 1. Prielipp has allowed five runs in 21 1/3 innings this month, dropping his ERA from 5.55 to 4.94. That’s still not great, but his 125/42 K/BB in 120 1/3 innings is encouraging. He’ll likely face the Rangers next Friday.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
    Ryan gave up a pair of homers and struck out just one in his second start back from the injured list. He also lost the previous one, and he’s now 6-10 with a 3.84 ERA overall. One wonders if he might be looking at a shutdown with the Twins all but out of the playoff hunt. He’s lined up to face the Angels next weekend.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #61
    Prielipp tossed a scoreless first inning, then gave up a run on three hits in the second. He recovered for two more scoreless innings before the Guardians brought two more runs home in the fifth on a hit batter, a base hit, and a double. Prielipp recorded the first out in the sixth and departed at 77 pitches with just one strikeout. The 25-year-old left-hander will take a 5.24 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 117/40 K/BB ratio across 113 1/3 innings into a start against the Angels in Anaheim on Friday.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #61
    Prielipp essentially piggybacked with ace Joe Ryan during the latter’s return from the injured list, needing just 68 pitches (45 strikes) to navigate the final four frames. All of the damage against him came courtesy of a two-run blast from Tigers slugger Riley Greene in the fifth inning. He struck out five and didn’t hand out a free pass. He’s likely to take the ball again early next week when Minnesota kicks off a home series against the Yankees.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
    Ryan served up a solo homer to Detroit’s rookie sensation Kevin McGonigle in the opening frame, along with a pair of runs in the second inning. However, he managed to settle in shortly afterwards, needing just 66 pitches (46 strikes) to navigate four frames in his return from the injured list. He looked fine from a velocity standpoint, averaging 94 mph on his four-seam fastball, while coaxing 12 swinging strikes in the abbreviated outing. He’s probably going to be on a pitch count again when he faces the Guardians on Sunday, but he still offers enough strikeout upside to be a worthwhile fantasy option in that matchup.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
    Ryan has been on the injured list for about a month, but the Twins are watching their playoff hopes slip away, so they will bring their ace back after one 42-pitch rehab start. In that start, Ryan’s velocity was down a couple of ticks, averaging just 91 mph on his four-seam fastball, but it’s also unlikely he was really letting it fly. He should be limited to about 60 pitches in this game, so we’d still probably sit him on fantasy benches, but you can roll the dice if you’re hoping for a two-start week.
  • MIN Starting Pitcher #41
    The expectation now is that the 30-year-old hurler will be cleared to rejoin the Twins’ rotation this week. Ryan threw just 42 pitches in a minor league rehab game at Triple-A St. Paul this week, so he may have a pitch count limitation in his first start back, but it sure sounds like his next start will be with the Twins.

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  • BOS Left Fielder #19
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    Roman Anthony made an early exit from Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees on Tuesday.

    It’s a bit unclear whether Anthony is actually injured, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning after striking out twice against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler to open the contest. It’s worth noting that he looked a bit uncomfortable on an awkward swing during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Cubs at Tropicana Field. There should be an update on his status following the contest.
  • HOU Starting Pitcher #58
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    Hunter Brown will start Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the White Sox on Wednesday.

    Brown gives Houston their best chance to send the best-of-three showdown to a winner-take-all finale where anything can happen following a loss in the series opener. The 28-year-old ace will get the ball on just four days of rest after throwing 100 pitches last Friday in his final regular-season outing.
  • CWS 2nd Baseman #17
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    Sam Antonacci hit a two-run single, helping the White Sox to a 6-3 win over the Astros in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series.

    Antonacci scored Chicago’s first run of the contest when he drew a leadoff walk against Astros reliever AJ Blubaugh before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly from Munetaka Murakami. He padded Chicago’s early lead with a bases-loaded single to left field that brought home a pair of runs. He was also hit by a pitch, reaching base safely in half of his four plate appearances before being lifted for a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. They’ll attempt to close out the best-of-three series at Daikin Park on Wednesday.
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    Nelson Velázquez belted a two-run homer in Tuesday’s loss to the White Sox in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series.

    Velázquez put Houston on the scoreboard with a pinch-hit blast against White Sox reliever Sean Newcomb that slashed their early deficit to three runs in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old corner outfielder has seen opportunities against lefties since being claimed off waivers back in early August.
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    Munetaka Murakami went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday’s win over the Astros in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series.

    Murakami opened the scoring with an RBI sacrifice fly in his first career postseason at-bat before helping to manufacture two additional runs when he reached base and came around to score in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. The 26-year-old rookie slugger finished the regular season with 35 home runs in 553 plate appearances, effectively silencing any fantasy analysts who questioned whether his contact issues would hold him back in his big-league debut.
  • CWS 2nd Baseman #10
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    Chase Meidroth went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his return to the lineup for Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Astros.

    Meidroth made an instant impact after missing Chicago’s final three regular-season games. He delivered a pair of hits, including a fifth-inning RBI single that gave them a commanding 5-0 advantage at the time.
  • CWS Relief Pitcher #31
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    Grant Taylor recorded five strikeouts and allowed one run over 2 1/3 innings as the White Sox defeated the Astros in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

    Taylor came back out to protect a three-run lead in the final frame after needing 36 pitches to record the final out of the seventh inning and make it through a challenging eighth where he allowed one run on a pair of hits and a throwing error. It looked for a moment like he could be in danger when he issued a leadoff free pass to Christian Walker. Yet, he managed to settle down immediately afterwards, striking out Lucas Spence and Cam Smith before winning a seven-pitch battle against Nelson Velázquez to end the ballgame. He wound up throwing a career-high 54 pitches to record the final seven outs. It was a herculean effort that helped spark Chicago to their first postseason win since 2021.
  • CWS Starting Pitcher #82
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    Hagen Smith fired three scoreless innings in his playoff debut against the Astros in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

    Smith scattered a pair of singles and required just 38 pitches (28 strikes) to navigate three extremely impressive frames. The 23-year-old top prospect, who was selected fifth overall in the 2024 draft, notched only one strikeout but still managed to turn in a borderline dominant performance in his first taste of the postseason. He wrapped up the regular season with a pristine 1.29 ERA and 41/16 K/BB ratio across 28 innings of work out of Chicago’s bullpen. He figures to be available, if needed, for a potential winner-take-all Game 3 matchup on Thursday.
  • HOU Relief Pitcher #69
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    AJ Blubaugh was charged with one run and recorded two outs in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the White Sox on Tuesday.

    Blubaugh walked three of the five batters he faced and allowed one run to cross the plate when Munetaka Murakami lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to right field. He was lifted for southpaw Bryan King after throwing just 27 pitches. The Astros wound up burning through eight different relievers to cover a series-opening bullpen game.
  • TOR Relief Pitcher #35
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    Blue Jays sent LHP Joe Mantiply outright to Triple-A Buffalo.

    Mantiply will elect free agency and get a head start on the offseason after being removed from Toronto’s roster last week. The 35-year-old veteran reliever posted a respectable 3.33 ERA across 27 innings last season.