Los Angeles Dodgers veteran infielder Miguel Rojas (back, hip) said he felt some tightness in his left lower-back/hip area during a swing in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday against the hosting Atlanta Braves before he was pulled mid at-bat, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. However, Rojas was not concerned about his availability for the rest of the series and going forward. Rojas probably will not be in the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 4 of the series on Wednesday at Truist Park against Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, but it sounds like he should be available off the bench. The 37-year-old Venezuelan infielder has made two starts so far in the NLDS against the Braves and has gone 1-for-4 with a double and a strikeout. He was hitless in three at-bats with a strikeout in Tuesday's Game 3 win before being replaced at second base by Tommy Edman. Rojas has mostly been a bench player for the Dodgers in his 13th year in the league (fourth with L.A.) in 2026, but he proved in last year's World Series that he is still capable of coming through in the clutch when needed. He hit .267 (60-for-225) with four homers and 23 RBI during the regular season.

St. Louis Cardinals right-handed closer Riley O'Brien was a first-time All-Star in 2026 in his first full season as the team's closer, and he ended the year tied with San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller for the National League lead in saves (38) with a 4.08 ERA across a career-high 64 innings pitched. O'Brien also set a career high in appearances (66) in his first full year as a big-leaguer. He did not allow an earned run in his first 13 appearances of the year and ended the first half with a 3.43 ERA and a 7.9% walk rate in 39 1/3 frames. O'Brien had 24 saves in his first 28 opportunities. But in 27 appearances after the All-Star break, O'Brien had a 5.11 ERA in 24 2/3 innings, and his walk rate rose to 14.4% while he went 14-for-18 in save chances. Three of his blown saves in the second half came in September, and five of his losing decisions came in his final 13 outings. The 31-year-old said he experienced "fatigue" in the closing days of the season and that his legs have "been feeling heavy compared to how they felt early in the year," according to Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. As he tired, the velocity of O'Brien's pitches suffered. To be able to maintain velocity through the entire season, O'Brien said he plans to focus on putting on "as much muscle as I can."

Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is considered the favorite to open next season as the team's starting second baseman, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline this summer, but he ended up playing in only one game for Boston due to a fractured wrist that he suffered in his second at-bat with the team. The 25-year-old will now have all offseason to heal up, and he will enter spring training as the team's primary option at the keystone as they attempt to get back to the playoffs in 2027. The Australian native was having a breakout 2026 campaign with the Nationals before being traded to Boston, and he finished the year with a .253/.353/.498 slash line with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 285 at-bats in 88 combined games with Washington and Boston. "That would be, I would say, broadly our plan," said manager Chad Tracy when asked about second base. "He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that."

The San Diego Padres announced that veteran right-hander Walker Buehler will make the start in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday night at Petco Park against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Buehler will make his first postseason appearance this year after going 9-6 with a 4.63 ERA (4.51 FIP) and 1.35 WHIP with 131 strikeouts and 57 walks in 153 2/3 innings pitched across his 32 starts for the Padres in his first season with the team. The 32-year-old is no longer the high-end ace that he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he does have plenty of postseason experience, posting a 3.04 ERA (3.21 FIP) with 114 strikeouts and 36 walks in 94 2/3 innings pitched. Buehler's last start came on Sept. 26 against the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks, when he allowed four runs (three earned) with a walk and three strikeouts in just 3 2/3 innings for a no-decision. He picked up a win in his only outing against Milwaukee in 2026, giving up just one earned run with two walks and five strikeouts in six innings at Petco Park back on Aug. 11. Buehler will most definitely be on a short leash in a must-win game for San Diego if he is not on his game early on.