Here’s a rundown of names to know:
Homer Bailey, Oakland Athletics: After finishing 1-14 in 2018 with the Reds, the veteran starter split this season between the Royals and the A's and was 13-9 with a 4.57 ERA. Bailey, 33, had a 2.28 ERA in four September starts. The A's play the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card game at 8:09 p.m. Wednesday in Oakland.
Credit: Carmen Mandato
Credit: Carmen Mandato
Jerry Blevins, Atlanta Braves: The former Dayton Flyers pitcher had a 3.90 ERA in 45 relief appearances this season. Blevins, 36, has pitched in the big leagues for 13 seasons. This will be his third postseason appearance. He pitched in Division Series with Oakland in 2012 and Washington in 2014. The Braves play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Thursday.
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Aroldis Chapman, Yankees: The former Reds closer Chapman, 31, has a 2.21 ERA in 60 games. He has 37 saves. The Yankees play the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday.
Adam Duvall, Braves: The former Reds outfielder Duvall, 31, hit .267 with 10 home runs in 41 games this season with the Braves. The Reds traded Duvall to the Braves on July 31, 2018.
Adam Eaton, Washington Nationals: The Kenton Ridge High School graduate and former Miami RedHawks outfielder will make his postseason debut when the Nationals play host to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Eaton, 30, hit a career-best 15 home runs in his eighth season in the big leagues.
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Edwin Encarnacion, Yankees: Fourteen years after he debuted for the Reds, Encarnacion, 36, will play in the postseason for his third different team. The Seattle Mariners traded him to the Yankees in June. He hit .239 with 13 home runs in 44 games.
Dylan Floro, Dodgers: The Reds traded Floro, 28, to the Dodgers in July 2018. He's 5-3 with a 4.24 ERA in 50 appearances this season.
Didi Gregorious, Yankees: He made his big-league debut with the Reds in 2012 but appeared in only eight games and was traded to the Diamondbacks that December. This is the fifth season for Gregorious, 29, with the Yankees, and he hit .238 with 16 home runs in 82 games.
Billy Hamilton, Braves: Claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals by the Braves on Aug. 19, the former Reds center fielder Hamilton, 29, hit .268 (11-for-41) in 26 games.
Credit: Thearon W. Henderson
Credit: Thearon W. Henderson
Sean Murphy, Oakland Athletics: The Centerville High School graduate and former Wright State star hit a home run in his big-league debut in September. He hit .245 in 20 games with four home runs. Murphy, 24, is expected to make the A's postseason roster and, according to The Athletic, became Oakland's primary catcher late in the season and could start the Wild Card game.
"(He's) a two-way player," A's manager Bob Melvin told reporters in September. "He catches, he throws, he frames well, he's got power. He's really developed the power the last couple of years. It can be pretty dramatic. To add another guy to our lineup like that and get him comfortable here, he's got a chance to enhance our lineup as well."
Kristopher Negron, Dodgers: Negron, 33, played three seasons with the Reds, debuting in 2012. He hit .259 in 30 games this season.
Credit: Elsa
Credit: Elsa
Joe Smith, Houston Astros: The former Wright State pitcher compiled a 1.80 ERA in 28 relief appearances. Smith, 35, ruptured his Achilles tendon in the offseason and made his season debut July 14.
"It's a big day for Joe Smith," manager A.J. Hinch told the Houston Chronicle in July. "Those of us that have been around appreciate the work that he's had to do to get back on the field. The devastation of going down with that type of injury to getting back on a major league field is gonna be really special for him. It's bummed him out all year to not be a part of this team."
This is Smith’s second season in Houston and his 13th season in Major League Baseball. The Astros are the No. 1 seed in the American League and will play the Athletics or Rays in the Division Series on Friday.
Tanner Roark, Athletics: After being traded from the Reds to the A's on July 31, Roark was 4-3 with a 4.58 ERA in 10 starts. Roark, 32, gave up three earned runs in five innings Sunday in Oakland's regular-season finale. His ERA in five September starts was 6.12.
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