MLB Player News

Smith-Shawver will get the nod with Chris Sale (back) unable to pitch and the remaining starters not available. It’ll likely be a short leash for the 21-year-old, with Bryce Elder a potential early replacement if things go haywire. Max Fried will start Game 2 for Atlanta.

After doubling to right in the first inning, Vientos went the other way again in the third with a runner on to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Six innings later, he tied the game in the ninth with a two-run blast to left off Matt Strahm at 6-6. The 24-year-old is off to a nice start to the postseason with seven RBI in the first five games of the playoffs, and he should continue to hit near the top of the lineup as long as New York is alive.

Both steals came in the first inning; one when the Mets basically told him third base was open if he wanted it. It’s still nice to see the 31-year-old run after he “only” picked up 19 steals in the regular season. We’ll see if this is a sign of things to come for the Philadelphia postseason run.

After the Phillies scored three in the sixth to tie the game, Nimmo untied it with a two-out solo shot off Orion Kerkering. Nimmo also singled and has hit .333/.391/.476 slash over the first five games of the postseason.

Alonso went the opposite way again off Jorge Ruiz to give the Mets a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning. That’s his second homer of the postseason, and while he’s hitting just .176 over the first five games, he’s been able to drive in five runs with a .529 slugging mark.

Oh how things can change in this sport. Castellanos was mock-cheered for laying off a pitch in the dirt after swinging and missing — badly — at two earlier in an at-bat. Castellanos was seen muttering something not-so-nice in that at-bat, but clearly, it didn’t hurt him. He went back-to-back with Bryce Harper in the sixth inning, and his solo shot tied the game at 3-3. He also singled to move Harper to third in the eighth, and one inning later, he lined what would have been a double with two outs to win the game. It keeps Philadelphia out of a 2-0 hole, and now they’ll have Aaron Nola on the mound for Game 3 in New York on Tuesday.

With the Phillies trailing 4-3, Stott lined a two-run double in the right-field corner to give Philadelphia a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth. He would come around to score on an error by Mark Vientos. Stott went 3-for-8 with the pair of RBI in the first two games of the series. He’ll be a big factor in determining how well Philadelphia does in these playoffs.

Harper also drew two walks; including one that set-up the game-winning hit by Nick Castellanos. The two-run homer came in the sixth inning when the Phillies were trailing 3-0. Harper has been excellent over the first two games of the series, and he’s largely responsible for Philadelphia not falling into a 2-0 hole. Game 2 is Tuesday.

Sánchez left a pitch down the middle of the plate in the third inning to Mark Vientos, and Vientos had no trouble hitting it out of the park. The left-hander dealt with traffic through most of the start while giving up five hits, but he was able to get out of it — outside of that homer, of course. This will likely be the last start made by Sánchez in the NLDS, but he could be available out of the bullpen in Game 4 or 5, if those games happen.

For the first two times through the lineup, Severino cruised. The third time was not so kind. After five scoreless frames, Severino gave up a single to Trea Turner, a two-run bomb to Bryce Harper, and a solo shot to Nick Castellanos to erase a 3-0 lead. There was more good than bad from the 30-year-old right-hander, but it’s a disappointing end to what was a very strong beginning for Severino. He could start Game 5, or be available out of the bullpen for that contest.

The original ruling was that Zach McKinstry committed an error on a grounder from Ramírez in the first inning, but MLB is now ruling it a two-bagger for the 32-year-old and adds and RBI. It doesn’t change the outcome of the game, obviously, but it does give a double to the third baseman and takes an error away from McKinstry.