Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts delivered a clutch bases-loaded double to put Game 1 of the NLCS out of reach on Sunday. Betts big hit put a cap on a 9-0 onslaught over the New York Mets. He finished the day 1-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored, and three RBI. He was somehow the only player on either team to collect an extra-base hit, even though there were 12 hits in total. The 32-year-old has had a solid postseason, hitting two homers, driving in six, and posting a .891 OPS in 22 at-bats. He will look to keep it rolling against Sean Manaea in Game 2 on Monday.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty was at his best on Sunday, tossing seven shutout frames against the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS. Flaherty allowed just two hits (both singles) and two walks while punching out six Mets. The 28-year-old was electric in this one, which is surely a huge relief for him after a subpar outing in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres. Flaherty would be on full rest for Game 5 on Friday and will likely get the ball for that game if necessary.

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (fingers) is a candidate to be added to the ALCS roster ahead of Game 1 on Monday. Rizzo is working his way back from fractures in multiple fingers after being hit by a pitch on the final weekend of the regular season, and he appears to be nearly ready to return. The Yankees would love to have him back, as they have been using a combination of Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera to fill in for the lefty and could use a boost. He would likely slot into the back half of the lineup if he returns Monday.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil will make his first postseason start on Friday in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians. Gil was skipped over in favor of using Gerrit Cole for a second time in the ALDS, a decision that worked out well for the Yankees. Although Gil was very good for most of the season, he was prone to the occasional bad start and struggled with control even in his good starts. Expect the Yankees to be very careful with the 26-year-old and have a backup plan in place in case he struggles early. That being said, Gil could go out and dominate as well.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt will take the bump in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. The Yankees have determined the first four games of their rotation already, and Schmidt is set to start the third of those. The 28-year-old started Game 3 of the ALDS as well and was solid, throwing 4 IP and allowing two runs. Schmidt will likely be on a short leash like he was in his first start, with the Yankees just trying to squeeze as many quality innings as they can out of the back end of their rotation.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Alex Cobb will start Game 1 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees on Monday. Cobb will look to outduel Carlos Rodon, who will get the ball for the Yanks. In his only start of the postseason so far, Cobb went just three innings against the Detroit Tigers, giving up two runs and throwing 41 pitches. With Cobb returning from a blister issue recently and not having a rehab assignment, he probably won't be stretched out much more than he was last game. Expect a short leash for the 37-year-old once again.

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux left Game 1 of the NLCS early on Sunday due to a flare-up in his right hip flexor. Lux lobbied to stay in, but the Dodgers elected to play things safe with the game already 6-0 in the seventh inning. The 26-year-old is unlikely to play in Game 2 even if he is healthy as lefty Sean Manaea is tabbed to start. Lux has a good chance to return on Wednesday in Game 3 or even as a pinch-hitter on Monday.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole is expected to start Game 2 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Cole received two starts in the ALDS and held a solid 3.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 12 innings of work. In Game 1, Cole allowed three runs across five frames in a no-decision. However, in the series-clinching victory in Game 4, Cole led the way by tossing seven innings of one-run ball. He allowed six hits, no walks, and struck out four en route to earning the victory. This summer, the reigning AL Cy Young winner logged 95 innings to the tune of a 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 29:99 BB:K. DFS managers should always consider putting Cole in their lineup given how deep he typically pitches into games and for his high-strikeout upside.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon will get the starting nod in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Rodon got the start in Game 2 of the ALDS and allowed four earned runs across 3 2/3 frames. He surrendered seven hits, no walks, and struck out seven. The 31-year-old enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign this summer, as he posted a 3.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP compared to the 6.85 ERA and 1.45 WHIP he held in 2023 in his Yankees debut. He will face a tough Cleveland lineup that has hit left-handed pitching quite well this summer with a strong .813 OPS. In addition, they have only struck out 18.4% of the time against southpaws.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitchers Brusdar Graterol (shoulder) and Joe Kelly (shoulder) will not be available to pitch in the NLCS, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Graterol has been on the injured list since the end of September with right-shoulder inflammation. Kelly suffered a shoulder injury during a simulated game and has not taken the mound since Sept. 27. However, both pitchers could be in the mix to return in the World Series. The Dodgers will also likely be without Alex Vesia (back) in this series. As a result, DFS managers should expect Blake Treinen to see a majority of the save opportunities after picking up two in the NLDS, with Daniel Hudson, Evan Phillips, and Michael Kopech also having high-leverage roles.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia (ribs) is unlikely to be available for the NLCS due to a intercostal injury, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Vesia suffered an injury in Game 5 of the NLDS and will now face an uphill battle to pitch in the NLCS. DFS managers should monitor the official roster later this evening. The 28-year-old logged three innings of relief during the NLDS and allowed just one hit and one walk without surrendering a run. He struck out four. During the season, the southpaw posted a strong 1.76 ERA and 0.99 ERA across 66 1/3 innings of work. Under the hood, he boasted a 33.1% strikeout rate and 2.81 xERA, both well above the average marks. If he is unavailable to pitch, Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, Evan Phillips, and Michael Kopech will handle the high-leverage work for Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty will get the starting nod in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday evening, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Flaherty got the nod in Game 2 of the NLDS and struggled, as he allowed five hits, a walk, and four earned runs across 5 1/3 frames of work. Since joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline, the 28-year-old held a 3.58 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and a 19:61 BB:K. Through 162 total innings this summer, the right-hander posted a solid 3.17 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Flaherty will face a tough Mets lineup but will likely be the pitcher to target in DFS given that he will face Kodai Senga, who made only one regular-season start in 2024 due to injuries.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a home run in their series-clinching victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday evening. Hernandez extended the Dodger lead in the seventh frame with solo shot off Yu Darvish. Hernandez tallied at least one hit in every game of the NLDS and boasted a .333/.400/.667 line. He hit two home runs and brough in seven RBI. The 31-year-old hit a career-high 31 long balls this summer and carried his power surge into October. DFS players should always consider adding Hernandez to their lineup as he should be penciled into the top-half of the Dodger lineup every game and have prime scoring opportunities.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kike Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a solo shot in their Game 5 victory over the San Diego Padres. Hernandez broke the stalemate in the second frame by hitting a solo home run off Yu Darvish. This was the eventual game-winning run. Through the playoffs, the 33-year-old has gone 3-for-9 at the plate. Hernandez appeared in three games during the NLDS. DFS players should expect Hernandez to split time in center field through the remainder of the postseason with Chris Taylor and Tommy Edman and could be worth a look as a value option when he is in the starting nine.

San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) underwent shoulder surgery on Thursday, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Kim has been sidelined since Aug. 20 with shoulder inflammation. He attempted to return in time for October but was ultimately shut down late into September after facing several setbacks. Through 121 games this summer, the 28-year-old posted a .233/.330/.370 slash line with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He held a stellar 12.3% walk rate and 16.4% strikeout rate, which gave him a significant boost in points leagues. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression over the winter, but he should be ready to return in time for spring training. Kim remains a solid low-end shortstop in rotisserie leagues given his ability to steal bases and hit for decent power.

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) underwent his Tommy John surgery on Friday with Dr. Keith Meister. Musgrove felt tightness in his elbow in his start in Game 2 of the Wild-Card Series against the Atlanta Braves on Oct. 2 and needed TJ surgery, which will keep him out for the entire 2025 season. Elbow issues -- he also dealt with a bone spur in his right elbow -- sent the 31-year-old to the injured twice in 2024, but this elbow issue is obviously much more serious. Musgrove looked off early on in 2024 but bounced back to finish with a decent 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP and a 101:23 K:BB in 99 2/3 innings over his 19 starts. It's now back-to-back injury-plagued seasons for the veteran right-hander, and his fantasy stock will surely be depressed when he returns to the mound in 2026 after a year off. The good news is his strikeout rate was basically the same this year as it was in his All-Star season of 2022.

Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that left-handed reliever Alex Vesia's back flared up on him, which is why he was pulled during the Game 5 win over the division-rival San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Vesia will be further evaluated, but at this time it's uncertain if he'll be healthy enough to be included on the roster for the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets, which begins on Sunday in LA. The 28-year-old came in to get the final out of the seventh inning on Friday but was then pulled while warming up to pitch the eighth inning. Vesia has been a key late-inning setup main out of the Dodgers' bullpen this year, so not having him in the NLCS would be notable. In his three appearances in the NLDS against SD, Vesia tossed three shutout frames with one walk and four strikeouts.

New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea will make the start for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-hander Kodai Senga, who made all of one start during the regular season due to injuries, will make the start in Game 1 on Sunday. The 32-year-old Manaea has allowed three earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 in 12 innings over his two starts against the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies this postseason. It's been a nice change from his previous three playoff appearances, when he gave up 13 earned runs in just 7 2/3 frames. Manaea's lone appearance against the Dodgers in 2024 came way back on April 19 in his fourth start of the year. He took a no-decision on that day, allowing two earned runs with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings pitched at Dodger Stadium.

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers (wrist) is behind the dish and is batting eighth for the Tigers in the decisive Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Saturday at Progressive Field against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Matthew Boyd. Rogers left the Game 4 loss early on Thursday with a wrist injury, but he's good to go after an off day on Friday and after X-rays on his wrist came back negative. The 29-year-old backstop hit under .200 in 310 regular-season bats in 2024 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, so he's not much of an offensive force. However, he's been hot during the playoffs for the upstart Tigers, going 5-for-18 (.278) with a double, RBI, three walks and three runs scored in his first six playoff games. Rogers has only faced Boyd twice in his career and is hitless with a strikeout. He hit just .169 (14-for-83) with one of his 10 homers against lefties during the regular season.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Braxton Garrett (elbow) was diagnosed with a left elbow impingement on Friday. Garrett had been undergoing further evaluation last week after suffering a setback during a bullpen session in mid-September. He will be continuing a throwing progression program at the Marlins' player development complex in Jupiter, FL. The lefty's last start was on June 17th and he only made seven starts in 2024. He started the season on the IL with a shoulder impingement that held him out of major league action until May and then experienced elbow discomfort prior to his scheduled start on June 23rd. The 27-year-old has shown promise when healthy, posting a 3.58 ERA in 2022 and a 3.66 ERA in 2023. But with injuries piling up, fantasy managers may start to wonder how much value he can have going forward. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his progress going into spring training and take caution if he's on their roster in 2025.