Nick Pivetta to start Game 2 against Cubs

It’s a notable choice of words from Atkins, who stressed that Guerrero was dealing with pain and tightness while playing through back issues this past season. While he may not have been injured to the point that he would need to sit out games, the lingering physical issues clearly had an adverse impact on his performance. He also spoke about the importance of Guerrero getting his confidence back during the offseason and said he has no doubt that will happen. It doesn’t come as much consolation for fantasy managers who made Guerrero an early-round pick this past spring, but all signs point to him being healthy heading into next season. It’ll be impossible to overlook last year’s struggles, but given his raw talent and track record, it’s relatively easy to envision a bounce-back season for Guerrero, particularly from a power standpoint.

Holmes seems like the obvious choice to take the ball either as a traditional starter or bulk reliever after a lefty opener after Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle worked the first two games of the best-of-three series. It’ll be a massive spot for the 30-year-old righty to make his postseason debut with Atlanta facing elimination in a decisive Game 3 showdown at Truist Park.

Philadelphia mounted a surreal comeback with Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper homering in the eighth inning to essentially force extra-innings before Alec Bohm’s go-ahead homer kept their season alive. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are the most logical candidates, but they could decide to give the ball to lefty Jesús Luzardo as an opener after he went five innings during Game 1 earlier this week. It’ll be an all-hands-on-deck situation regardless of who takes the ball to kick off the winner-take-all affair.

Sosa aggravated a groin injury that he suffered during Philadelphia’s regular-season finale against the Athletics over the weekend while legging out a ninth-inning single. It seems unlikely that he’ll be removed from the club’s postseason roster since that would rule him out for the NLDS as well, but the club may not have a choice depending on the severity of the issue. There should be an update on his status leading into Thursday’s winner-take-all affair at Truist Park.

Schmidt landed on the injured list with biceps neuritis during the final week of the regular season and was a long shot to make it back during the later stages of the playoffs. The 30-year-old made just one appearance in the regular-season after making it back from last year’s Tommy John surgery.

Chicago manager Craig Counsell will stick with a near-identical lineup, with the exception of Matt Shaw at the hot corner instead of Pedro Ramírez, after Tuesday’s unexpected Game 1 shutout loss at the hands of Michael King and the Padres. Crow-Armstrong struck out three times in four plate appearances in that defeat. Here’s the full lineup: Crow-Armstrong (CF), Alex Bregman (DH), Michael Busch (1B), Seiya Suzuki (RF), Ian Happ (LF), Nico Hoerner (2B), Matt Shaw (3B), Carson Kelly (C) and Dansby Swanson (SS).

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).

Mead hasn’t taken an at-bat in a game situation since suffering a fractured left wrist during his Red Sox debut back in late July. The 25-year-old corner infielder has been added to Boston’s playoff roster in the wake of Roman Anthony suffering yet another hand injury. He’ll be available off the bench with Boston facing elimination in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

The Braves grabbed a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh after defensive miscues from Bohm on a sac bunt and Harper on a fly to right, but the Phillies came right back in the eighth, with Schwarber and Harper taking Dylan Lee deep after Lee went the entire regular season without ever allowing a homer to a lefty. Andrew Painter kept things tied afterwards, and Bohm hit a rare opposite field homer off Didier Fuentes in the 10th to give the Phillies the lead. Bohm’s homer was his third in 40 career postseason games. Including the regular season, it’s his ever extra-inning homer. Game 3 will take place Thursday. The Braves are expected to throw Grant Holmes as a starter or bulk guy, with the Phillies likely starting Aaron Nola and perhaps going to Zack Wheeler later.

Sánchez allowed one run in the first and then was charged with two in the seventh after the defense botched a sac bunt, getting no outs, and let a routine fly to right drop for a double. With some more help, Sánchez would have gotten through seven allowing one run today.