Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick has been tabbed to start Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday night on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Messick is a Tampa Bay area native and went to high school around 45 minutes from Tropicana Field. The 25-year-old southpaw made his first start in Tampa for the Guardians last year and allowed just one run over six innings. In late July this year, Messick allowed just one run in his 7 2/3 innings pitched. "He's had two straight very good starts here in front of his family and friends. It's always a special boost when you get to play at home as a player," manager Stephen Vogt said. Messick was a first-time All-Star in 2026 and went 12-9 in the regular season with a 2.56 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 193:49 K:BB in 186 1/3 innings in 32 starts in his second year in the majors. Messick is hoping to turn things around in his first taste of the postseason after giving up four earned runs with six walks and 11 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in two starts against the Chicago White Sox in the AL Division Series.

Houston Astros catcher/first base prospect Jason Schiavone could find his way onto the major-league roster early in 2027, multiple sources within the organization told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Schiavone, an 11th-rounder in 2024, put himself in the conversation by becoming the first minor-league catcher in 45 years to have a 30-30 season. The 23-year-old had a .922 OPS over 540 plate appearances in a season that ended with a nine-game cameo at Triple-A Sugar Land. He saw playing time at first base in 2026, but team officials insist he will be a catcher, and when he arrives, it will prompt questions about Yainer Diaz's future in Houston. Diaz is the everyday catcher and is under club control for two more seasons. Schiavone is considered the Astros' No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, but he has plenty of areas of his game to refine, including his swing-and-miss tendencies. Schiavone struck out 32% of the time last year, so fantasy managers looking to stash him in keeper leagues will probably need to be patient.

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) might return next year, but he cannot be counted on to be a regular starting-rotation member over a 162-game schedule, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. The same can be said for right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow). Schwellenbach was not able to pitch for the Braves at all in 2026 because of two surgeries on his right elbow -- the first to remove bone spurs in February, before he had another surgery in August to fix a fracture in the same arm. The 26-year-old former second-rounder from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln had a promising first two years in the majors in 2024 and 2025, combining to go 15-11 with a 3.23 ERA (3.27 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 235 strikeouts and only 41 walks in 234 1/3 innings over 38 starts for Atlanta. While he might not be ready for Opening Day in 2027, and he could have his workload managed all year, he definitely will be the more intriguing fantasy stash over Strider.

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) might return next year, but he cannot be counted on to be a regular member of the starting rotation for the entire 162-game schedule, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. In turn, fantasy managers should not really be seeking out Strider for their rosters because of his recent injury history. It has been all downhill for Strider after he won 20 games and struck out a league-high 281 batters in 32 starts in 2023 as a first-time All-Star. The 27-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2020 from Clemson made only two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He went 7-14 last year with a 4.45 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 131:51 K:BB in 23 starts, and then he was only able to make eight starts while posting an ERA over 5.00 in 39 innings for the Braves this year. He battled elbow and oblique injuries in 2026 and did not return after going on the injured list in mid-June. Since having TJ surgery, Strider's velocity has taken a big hit, wiping out his high-end swing-and-miss stuff pre-injury.