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Well, well, well. The American League is pulling its weight as far as providing series drama, with one team avoiding elimination with an incredible rally, while another took another step toward an elusive goal. While the weather in Detroit made channel-flipping a necessary task, it was well worth it with the drama that took place. If you want more, there are four potential elimination games today. Only one time have all four Division Series ended on the same day. Today’s full schedule can be found here.
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Division Series Digest
Judge Homers To Keep Yankees Alive
Final score: Yankees 9, Blue Jays 6
Series: Blue Jays lead 2-1
Next game: Blue Jays RHP Louis Varland vs. Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler, today, 7:08 p.m. at Yankee Stadium (FS1)
The chatter around Aaron Judge entering Game 3 of the AL Division Series was ridiculous. The New York Yankees‘ slugging right fielder was 8-for-18 in five postseason games. But seven of those hits had been singles. After Tuesday’s Game 3, consider that chatter dismissed. Judge took center stage with a game-tying three-run homer off the left-field foul pole and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a monstrous tiebreaking blast in the fifth as the Yankees rallied from a 6-1 deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-6 at Yankee Stadium to keep their season going for another day. The Blue Jays hold a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five series, but this Yankees win is one of those that can sway a series the other way. This ties the third-largest postseason comeback win to avoid elimination in Yankees history.
New York appeared to be on its death bed as the Jays quickly grabbed a 6-1 lead as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered for the third straight game, a two-run shot in the first inning and Anthony Santander capped a four-run third inning with a two-run single to right. But the Yankees started to show signs of life in the bottom of the third as Judge had an RBI double and Giancarlo Stanton added sacrifice fly after a Blue Jays error to pull within 6-3.
But the momentum officially swapped dugouts in the fourth inning. With one out, Austin Wells reached when third baseman Addison Barger dropped a fly ball down the line in short left field. Trent Grisham drew a walk, prompting the Jays to bring in left-hander Mason Fluharty to face Judge, who already was 2-for-2. Judge fouled off a 90.1 mph knuckle curve, then swung through a 100 mph four-seam fastball. The third pitch was another four-seamer at 99.7 mph that Judge did not miss and rocketed toward the foul pole in left field. When it clanged off the pole, it sent Yankee Stadium into a frenzy with the Yankees having erased a 6-1 deficit to tie the game. Chisholm, who had been struggling this postseason (3-for-18), then snapped that deadlock when he took Louis Varland deep in the fifth. Amed Rosario doubled off reliever Braydon Fisher and scored on Wells’ single to right for an 8-6 Yankees lead. Ben Rice added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
The comeback was also due to the Yankees’ bullpen silencing the Jays after left-handed starter Carlos Rodón was torched for six early runs. Five relievers covered 6⅔ innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine, with closer David Bednar going the final 1⅔ innings.
Vladdy homers are even more majestic on ump cam 😍
Gilbert, Homers Put Mariners Up 2-1
Final score: Mariners 8, Tigers 4
Series: Mariners lead 2-1
Next game: Mariners RHP Bryce Miller vs. Tigers RHP Casey Mize, today, 3:08 p.m. at Comerica Park (FS1)
The Seattle Mariners utilized a tried-and-true postseason formula: Get a really good outing from your starting pitcher and hit home runs. That combination worked out almost as if planned, putting the Mariners on the brink of being somewhere they haven’t need in nearly a quarter-century. Right-hander Logan Gilbert allowed one run over six innings, while Eugenio Suárez, J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh homered as the Mariners toppled the Detroit Tigers 8-4 at Comerica Park to take a 2-1 lead in the AL Division Series. The Mariners, who made a late-season run to win the AL West and get a first-round bye, can punch their ticket to the AL Championship Series in today’s Game 4, while the Tigers will look to push the series to a decisive Game 5. The Mariners were last in the ALCS in 2001.
In his first start since Sept. 27, Gilbert was ready and rested. The right-hander gave up just four hits and didn’t walk anyone while striking out seven in his six innings. The only run the Tigers mustered off Gilbert came in the fifth inning when the Mariners were unable to complete what would have been an inning-ending double play.
But at that point, the Mariners had already built a 4-0 lead. The first run scored in the third inning when Crawford singled to left, but the throw home from Riley Greene scooted past catcher Dillon Dingler, allowing Victor Robles to scamper home from third. Randy Arozarena followed with an RBI single. In the fourth, Suarez, who hit 49 regular-season homers, hit his first of the postseason, a solo shot to make it 4-0. Two walks and two strikeouts later, Raleigh gave the Mariners a 4-0 advantage with an RBI single. Crawford homered in the sixth for a 5-1 lead and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth for 6-1. Raleigh, the MLB home run leader with 60, then hit a two-run homer in the ninth to seemingly put this one out of reach.
But the Tigers had one last gasp in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jake Rogers singled and pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones walked against Mariners left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson before Spencer Torkelson started to make the Mariners sweat with a two-run double. The Tigers’ third pinch-hitter of the inning, Andy Ibáñez, singled home Torkelson to pull Detroit within 8-4. That forced the Mariners to bring in closer Andrés Muñoz, who pitched three innings in the first two games. Munoz got Dingler to fly out to left, then Parker Meadows hit a line drive right at first baseman Josh Naylor, who snared that and then stepped on first for a game-ending double play.
Victor Robles scores the first run of the game on a WACKY play! #ALDS
Geno's power on full display 🔱
By The Numbers
⚾ Aaron Judge’s homer was the first in the pitch-tracking era (2008) that was on a 99 mph or faster pitch 1.2 feet inside from the center of the strike zone.
THE CAPTAIN 🫡#ALDS
⚾ Teams with a 2-1 lead and playing Game 4 of the Division Series on the road in the current format have moved on to the League Championship Series 23 of 34 times (67.7%), closing it out in Game 4 19 times.
⚾ The Tigers are hitting .191 in six postseason games, scoring 18 runs.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Right Place, Right Time
It almost felt like a plant. How else do you explain a Mariners fan wearing a “Dump 61 Here” shirt catching Cal Raleigh’s homer on a bounce? The fan got a postgame meeting with Raleigh.
A gentleman with a "Dump Here 61" shirt caught the Raleigh home run (on a bounce.)
— Roger Cormier (@yayroger.bsky.social) 2025-10-08T01:41:10.195Z
He is now wearing a Dump Here 62 shirt.
— Roger Cormier (@yayroger.bsky.social) 2025-10-08T01:42:32.695Z
Um, What?
Yankees manager Aaron Boone had the priceless reaction when a replay review said there was no catcher’s interference on this play.
Aaron Boone to the umpire: "What the f*ck are we doing?" Joe Davis: "I'm wondering the same thing, Aaron." ⚾️🎙️ #MLB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) 2025-10-08T01:43:52.807Z
Two-Sport Star
We already know that Bad Bunny is going to be the halftime entertainment for the upcoming Super Bowl. Could he also be priming himself for something baseball-related? He also ended up with a foul ball.
¡NUEVAYoL!Bad Bunny is front row at Yankee Stadium for Game 3 of the ALDS ⚾️
Bad Bunny got a foul ball at the Blue Jays-Yankees game tonight 😭
Noteworthy News
New Rays Owners Promise Trop Will Be Ready For 2026
As they introduced themselves to their fan base, the members of the new ownership group of the Tampa Bay Rays said the damage to Tropicana Field will be repaired so the team can play their in 2026. The group, led by real estate developer Patrick Zalupski, also said it wanted to open a new ballpark in the area that would open in 2029. Zalupski’s group completed the $1.7 billion acquisition of the team from Stu Sternberg last week. Sternberg will retain a 10% interest in the team at the outset. While Sternberg was on the verge of a new stadium before Hurricane Milton ravaged the Tampa Bay region and rendered Tropicana Field unusable for the 2025 season, he backed out of that plan and opted to sell that team. Ken Babby, introduced as the team’s new CEO, said, “We’re looking at everywhere” in the region.
Astros Regime Returns
Despite missing the postseason for the first time since 2016, general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada will return for the 2026 season. The Astros lot their grip on a playoff spot by going 12-13 in September, including a five-game losing streak featuring a sweep by the Mariners that led to losing a tiebreaker to the Tigers for the final spot in the AL field. The Astros finished 87-75, one game worse than they did in 2024, when they won the AL West but were swept in the Wild Card Series to the Tigers. Espada had a roster that was filled with injuries, including having 18 players on the injured list in July. Most noteworthy was slugger Yordan Alvarez appearing in just 48 games this season due to a fracture in his right hand and a sprained left ankle. Brown just finished his third season as GM, while this was Espada’s second as manager.
Extra Bases
⚾ Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor rejoined the team and was in the starting lineup after missing Monday’s workout to be with his wife in Arizona as she prepares to give birth to the couple’s first child.
⚾ Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio tweaked his right hamstring during Monday’s Game 2 and his status for today’s Game 3 is in question. Chourio was questionable for Game 2, but hit leadoff and played left field. He went 2-for-4 with a big three-run homer in the Brewers’ 7-3 win over the Cubs.
⚾ Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader is a “game-time decision” for Game 3 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers as he continues to recover from a groin injury in Game 1. Bader didn’t start in Game 2, but did come in to pinch-hit in the ninth inning.
⚾ Max Muncy will start at third base for the Dodgers today as manager Dave Roberts looks for a better matchup other than Miguel Rojas, who is also battling a slight left hamstring injury.
⚾ Cleveland Guardians right-hander Nic Enright will have Tommy John surgery, putting him out for all of the 2025 season.
⚾ Fox Sports and its various affiliates will televise the World Baseball Classic next spring. Fox also had the same arrangement for the 2023 WBC.
Articles You Should Read
Phillies on the brink: Star-studded Dodgers proving to be a nightmare matchup in NLDS — Jayson Stark, The Athletic
How much does throwing harder increase injury risk for MLB pitchers — J.J. Cooper, Baseball America
Brewers’ Priester sat in nosebleeds during Cubs’ World Series win; now he can end their season — Steve Megaree, Associated Press
The hard-luck losing pitchers of 2025 — Davy Andrews, FanGraphs
Why Giants should follow Bay Area trend and hire a newbie manager — Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Podcast: Ottoneu 4×4 roster breakdown — Chad Young, Pitcher List
