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Stats

Fernando Tatis Jr. headlines Game 1 lineup vs. Cubs

Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD Right Fielder #23

Player Stats

Fernando Tatis Jr. is in right field and hitting leadoff in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs.

The biggest surprise here is sparkplug Samad Taylor getting a chance to face Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd in the second spot in the order with Dustin Harris presumably set to come off the bench in his place once Chicago goes to the bullpen. Here’s the full lineup as San Diego kicks off the postseason at Petco Park with Michael King on the hill: Tatis Jr. (RF), Taylor (LF), Manny Machado (3B), Ty France (1B), Jackson Merrill (CF), Austin Hays (DH), Xander Bogaerts (SS), Jake Cronenworth (2B) and Luis Campusano (C).

- George Bissell

Source: MLB Lineups

More Fernando Tatis Jr. News

Nola unable to answer bell for Phillies

After Aaron Nola could not help lift the Phillies past the Braves in the Wild Card round, James Schiano discusses the managerial decisions at stake for Philadelphia moving forward.

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Ethan Salas

SD Catcher #90

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Ethan Salas is at catcher and hitting seventh in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs on Wednesday.

Salas will be the youngest player in baseball history to catch a postseason game when he makes his playoff debut at just 20 years old in this one. The Padres have a chance to punch their ticket to the NLDS after scoring eight runs during a Game 1 blowout victory on Tuesday night at Petco Park. Here’s the full lineup: Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF), Dustin Harris (LF), Manny Machado (3B), Ty France (1B), Jackson Merrill (CF), Xander Bogaerts (SS), Salas (C), Austin Hays (DH) and Jake Cronenworth (2B).
Manny Machado

SD 3rd Baseman #13

Manny Machado homered and doubled in a Game 1 rout of the Cubs on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

Machado hit one of three homers for the Padres with a solo blast in the first off Matthew Boyd. The 34-year-old then doubled home Fernando Tatís Jr., and he also drew a walk. Machado and the Padres will have a chance to get to the NLDS with a win Wednesday.
Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD Right Fielder #23

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a leadoff homer and stole a base to help the Padres to a Game 1 NL Wild Card Series win over the Cubs on Tuesday.

Tatis Jr. stole second in the seventh, then turned on the afterburners to score on a throw that went into shallow left field. The 27-year-old has been spectacular over the final few months, and he got the Padres all the offense they’d need with a leadoff homer off Matthew Boyd. A win Wednesday will see the Padres advance to the NLDS against the Brewers this weekend.
Ty France

SD 1st Baseman #25

Ty France went 2-for-4 with an RBI to propel the Padres to a 9-4 win over the Diamondbacks in Sunday’s regular-season finale.

France came out of nowhere to emerge as a viable middle-of-the-order force for San Diego this season, hitting .295/.363/.502 with a career-high 21 homers and 72 RBI in 133 games. The 32-year-old, who signed a minor league pact with the Padres last offseason, will be in the middle of the lineup when they open their NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs this week.
Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD Right Fielder #23

Fernando Tatis Jr. is not in the Padres’ starting lineup for Sunday’s regular season finale against the Diamondbacks.

The Padres appear to be mailing it in a bit with nothing to play for on Sunday, despite the fact that the Diamondbacks are still alive for a Wild Card berth. It’s surprising that Tatis especially isn’t in there, as he’s just two stolen bases away from 40 for the season. Along with Tatis, Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill are also sitting for the Padres on Sunday.
Manny Machado

SD 3rd Baseman #13

Manny Machado hit a go-ahead three-run homer in a 10-7 win for the Padres on Saturday over the Diamondbacks.

With the win, the Padres have clinched the top Wild Card spot, and they will host the Cubs beginning Tuesday. The Phillies should also be thanking Machado, as that homer means a win over the Rays — or another loss by Arizona — gives them the final playoff spot. Machado clobbered a three-run homer in the fifth inning, and it gives him an even 30 homers and 90 RBI on the season. The .216 average leaves a lot to be desired, but the power is still there for the 34-year-old.
Fernando Tatis Jr.

SD Right Fielder #23

Fernando Tatis Jr. went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and two steals Thursday as the Padres beat the Dodgers 4-2 to clinch a Wild Card berth.

The Padres are now in line to host a Wild Card series, holding a one-game lead on the Cubs and a two-game lead on the Phillies. If the Padres and Cubs face off, it’ll be a rematch of last year’s series, won 2-1 by the Cubs. Tatis is up to 38 steals in 51 attempts. He’s sixth in the majors there, 12th with a .289 average and tied for 16th with 95 runs scored.
Manny Machado

SD 3rd Baseman #13

Manny Machado had a two-run homer and a sac fly Wednesday as the Padres beat the Dodgers 5-1.

The Padres are now one game up on the Cubs and Phillies for the right to host a Wild Card series. Machado’s homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto was his 29th of the year and 398th all-time, tying him with Dale Murphy for 62nd place. The sac fly, which was hit just 243 feet and which greatly benefited from it being Fernando Tatis Jr. on third base, gave him his first three RBI game since Aug. 4.
Jake Cronenworth

SD 2nd Baseman #9

Jake Cronenworth hit two homers, doubled and drove in five runs to power the Padres past the Marlins 7-3 on Sunday.

Where did that come from? Cronenworth entered with five homers and 31 RBI all season. His only previous two-homer game came in Apr. 2023 against the Brewers. That was also his last five-RBI game. He hadn’t even had a four-RBI game since 2024. The performance raised his OPS this season from .608 to .637. With the win, the Padres stayed five games ahead of the D-backs with six to play.
Ty France

SD 1st Baseman #25

Ty France went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in leading the Padres to an 8-2 win over the Marlins on Friday.

France is now hitting .301, though he’s going to need 37 plate appearances in the Padres’ final eight games to qualify for the batting title. He’s just a little short of the leaderboard at the moment or else he’d be seventh in the majors in average and ninth with an .887 OPS.

Rotoworld

Carlos Rodón

NYY Starting Pitcher #55
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Carlos Rodón will start either Game 3 or 4 against the Rays.

Interesting. Because of the extra off day built into the ALDS schedule, teams only need three starters. The Yankees, though, seem set to use four anyway. They could then pick between Gerrit Cole on six days’ rest or Cam Schlittler on four days’ rest in a potential Game 5.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Bryan Hoch

More Carlos Rodón News
Joey Ortiz

MIL Shortstop #3
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Joey Ortiz is expected to be on the NLDS roster after missing Sunday’s game with abdominal swelling and a knee contusion.

It’s unclear if Ortiz will be a full-time player against the Padres. If not, that would mean a fair amount of David Hamilton at third base.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Adam McCalvy

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Aaron Judge

NYY Right Fielder #99
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Aaron Judge will work out on the field Friday before a decision is made about his status for the ALDS.

The call might go down to the wire Saturday morning. Judge hasn’t played since suffering a calf strain on Sept. 16.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Chris Kirschner

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Mickey Gasper

BOS Designated Hitter #30
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Mickey Gasper underwent surgery to repair his right biceps tendon Friday in Boston.

Gasper is likely to need 4-6 months to recover, putting his availability for the beginning of 2027 in some doubt. Still, he shouldn’t have to worry about his job this winter after bouncing around on the waiver wire last year. He hit .251/.357/.466 with 10 homers in 225 plate appearances this season.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Tim Healey

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto

LAD Starting Pitcher #18
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto is likely lined up to start Game 3 against the Braves after pitching in a simulated game Wednesday.

Tarik Skubal is expected to start Game 1, though the Dodgers still haven’t announced it. Yamamoto probably wouldn’t come back on Sunday after throwing Wednesday, so Blake Snell figures to get the Game 2 start. That’d leave Tyler Glasnow set up for Game 4 and Skubal for Game 5.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: California Post

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Bryce Elder

ATL Starting Pitcher #55
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Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez won’t be a part of the NLDS roster against the Dodgers, Braves manager Walt Weiss said.

Lane Thomas, who finished up on the IL with an intercostal strain, is a possibility to be activated. The pitchers, though, will have to wait for a potential NLCS. Elder is coming off knee surgery and hoped to be ready for the series. Pérez missed the end of the season with a back strain.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Mark Bowman
Lane Thomas

Martín Pérez
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Tyler Wells

TB Relief Pitcher #68
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Tyler Wells said he’s ready to return after missing the final two weeks due to forearm tightness.

It sounds like the Rays could have both Wells and Garrett Cleavinger, also on the IL with forearm tightness, on the ALDS roster against the Yankees, which would be big. Wells had a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings for the Rays after arriving from Baltimore at the deadline.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Marc Topkin

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Chandler Simpson

TB Left Fielder #14
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Chandler Simpson took part in the Rays’ simulated game Thursday and is expected to be on the ALDS roster.

Simpson missed the final two games of the regular season after fouling a ball off his foot last Friday. He should be in the lineup against Gerrit Cole on Saturday.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Ryan Bass

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Chris Sale

ATL Starting Pitcher #51
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Chris Sale might not start Game 2 against the Dodgers after closing out the Wild Card against the Phillies.

Braves manager Walt Weiss hasn’t ruled out using Sale on Sunday, but that wouldn’t have been ideal even if Sale didn’t pitch in relief; Sunday would put him on four days’ rest from his start Tuesday, and he hasn’t pitched on four days’ rest since the first week of April. “We’re gonna err on the side of giving him (time to rest) if it’s even close,” Weiss said. Most likely, Sale will start Game 3 on Tuesday.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Alden González

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Gerrit Cole

NYY Starting Pitcher #45
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The Yankees confirmed that Gerrit Cole would start Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays on Saturday.

Cole would have started Game 3 against the Red Sox. He figures to be followed by Cam Schlittler and Max Fried against the Rays. There is an extra day off in the ALDS, so the Yankees will probably use just the three starters, putting Carlos Rodón in the bullpen again.
- Matthew Pouliot
Carlos Rodón
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