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Teams battled all year for a spot in the postseason, which began Tuesday with the four Wild Card Series. But the fickleness of the playoffs could show itself today with the best-of-three series potentially all being swept. Like it or not, that is the format. Only two of the 12 matchups since the Wild Card Series officially began in 2022 have gone to a Game 3. (The Wild Card Series was also held in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season due to the expanded playoff format.)
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Wild Card Wrapup
Crochet Dominates, Yoshida Clutch For Red Sox
Final score: Red Sox 3, Yankees 1
Series: Red Sox lead 1-0
Next game: Today, 6:08 p.m. ET (ESPN)
It was a good, old-fashioned pitchers’ duel as the rival Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees hooked up for the first time in an AL Wild Card Series. Two left-handers, Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox and Max Fried of the Yankees — both of whom joined their respective teams last offseason just for this type of moment — were fantastic, but it took a key hit by a much-maligned member of Boston’s offense to be the difference. Pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida lined a go-ahead two-run single to center in the top of the seventh inning to make Crochet’s performance pay off in the Red Sox’s 3-1 victory in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium. Crochet, dealt by the Chicago White Sox in December for a package of prospects, went 7.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts. Crochet retired 17 in a row before needing relief help and hit 100.2 mph on his 117th and final pitch, which secured his last strikeout.
Fried was nearly as impressive. The Yankees’ marquee offseason signing tossed 6⅓ shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks with six strikeouts. With the Yankees leading 1-0, Luke Weaver replaced Fried with one out in the seventh and promptly walked Ceddanne Rafaela, then a hustle double to Nick Sogard. Manager Alex Cora called upon Yoshida to hit for Rob Refsnyder, and the left-handed hitter scorched the first pitch he saw from Weaver to center, scoring Rafaela and Sogard. Alex Bregman ripped an RBI double to left in the top of the ninth to score Trevor Story, who had singled and stolen second to put the Red Sox up 3-1.
But the Yankees — held in check with the exception of Anthony Volpe, who homered in the second inning and also singled — put together a ninth-inning rally against former New York closer Aroldis Chapman. After replacing Crochet and getting the last out of the eighth, Chapman opened the ninth by surrendering consecutive singles to Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger to load the bases. In true Chapman fashion, the left-hander then struck out Giancarlo Stanton, got Jazz Chisholm Jr. to fly out to right, and then struck out Trent Grisham to end the threat and the game.
Skubal’s 14 Ks Put Tigers In Front
Final score: Tigers 2, Guardians 1
Series: Tigers lead 1-0
Next game: Today, 1:08 pm. ET (ESPN)
Considering what has happened between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians over the past two weeks, the pressure was squarely on the shoulders of Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. But as the left-hander has done almost each time out over the last two seasons, Skubal showed why he is among MLB’s elite starters. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner struck out a career-high 14 over 7.2 innings, and Zach McKinstry squeezed home Riley Greene in the top of the seventh inning as the Tigers reversed the momentum of both teams by winning 2-1 at Progressive Field. The Tigers had a 15.5-game lead on July 8 over the Guardians, who were in fourth place in the AL Central at the time. The Guardians made MLB history by erasing that deficit — including beating the Tigers five out of six times in the final two weeks — to win the Central on Sunday and earn the right to host Detroit in this series.
But the Guardians almost pulled off another comeback in this game. Superstar José Ramírez led off the bottom of the ninth inning with an infield single and went to third on a throwing error by Tigers shortstop Javier Báez. But right-hander Will Vest, who got the final out of the eighth inning, struck out George Valera for the first out. Kyle Manzardo then hit a chopper back to Vest, with Ramirez breaking for home. Vest ran down Ramirez, who tried retreating to third, for the second out, then got CJ Kayfus to pop out to end the game.
THEY CALL IT GUARDS BALL! #POSTSEASON
WILL VEST ERASES THE THREAT! #POSTSEASON
Back-To-Back HRs Power Cubs
Final score: Cubs 3, Padres 1
Series: Cubs lead 1-0
Next game: Today, 3:08 p.m. ET (ABC)
Due to that other team seizing control of the NL Central with a midseason surge, the Chicago Cubs flew under the radar most of the season. Still, they finished with the fourth-best record in the NL while qualifying for the postseason as a wild-card team. Now in the playoffs, the Cubs can control the narrative. Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers leading off the bottom of the fifth inning as the Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in the NL Wild Card Series opener at Wrigley Field. Four Cubs relievers combined for 4.2 perfect innings following left-hander Matthew Boyd, who allowed one run on four hits in 4.1 innings.
Padres right-handed starter Nick Pivetta had retired 11 straight entering the fifth inning, protecting a 1-0 lead thanks to back-to-back doubles by Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts in the second inning. But Suzuki launched a 2-1 four-seamer from Pivetta into the left-center field bleachers to tie it. Kelly followed by taking a whack at a 2-2 four-seamer and also putting it into the left-center bleachers, seemingly with a little help from the wind, to put the Cubs up 2-1. Nico Hoerner tacked on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for the Cubs. While it was an insurance run, it wasn’t needed with the Cubs’ bullpen retiring all 14 batters it faced, including Daniel Palencia getting five outs following Boyd’s outing. Palencia, the closer for much of the season, is still returning to form following a strained right shoulder in early September. Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge, and Brad Keller finished it off.
Ohtani, Teoscar Homer Twice As Dodgers Triumph
Final score: Dodgers 10, Reds 5
Series: Dodgers lead 1-0
Next game: Today, 6:08 p.m. ET (ESPN)
With the late-season struggles by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the dramatic surge into the postseason by the Cincinnati Reds, there was a school of thought that the underdog Reds could pose a challenge to the defending World Series champs. The Dodgers showed in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series that they are primed for a repeat — if their bullpen cooperates. Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom of the first inning with the first of his two homers, and Teoscar Hernández also went deep twice to provide more than enough support for left-hander Blake Snell in the Dodgers’ 10-5 victory over the Reds at Dodger Stadium. Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner limited to 11 regular-season starts due to injuries, took a shutout into the seventh inning before allowing a pair of runs. He finished by allowing four hits and one walk, while striking out nine over a postseason-best seven innings in his first postseason appearance as a Dodger.
But Snell’s effort, while extremely important, was more of an afterthought with the way the Dodgers bludgeoned the ball against Reds star right-hander Hunter Greene. Ohtani lined Greene’s fourth pitch of the game into the right-field bleachers. Hernandez, who struggled offensively much of the season and hit 25 homers after having 33 in 2024, then crushed a three-run homer in the third inning, immediately followed by a Tommy Edman blast and a 5-0 Dodgers lead. It was pretty much cruise control from there with the way Snell was pitching. Hernandez hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot, in the fifth inning, then Ohtani rocketed his second homer, a two-run blast, 454 feet to right. The five homers tied a Dodgers postseason record, accomplished twice before.
The erratic Dodgers bullpen showed up in the eighth inning. Given a 10-2 lead following Snell’s departure, it took three relievers — Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, and Jack Dreyer — to get through the eighth inning. The trio combined to allow two hits and four walks (two with the bases loaded), leading to three runs, trimming the Dodgers’ advantage to 10-5. Blake Treinen then pitched a scoreless ninth.
By The Numbers
⚾ The Red Sox have won nine of their last 10 postseason games against the Yankees and now have a 13-12 advantage in the playoffs.
⚾ The Padres are one of two teams to come back from a 1-0 deficit in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, having done so against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2020.
⚾ Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter, yet to make his MLB debut, was included on the postseason roster. He would be the first player to make his MLB debut since three did it in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, which saw the entire minor-league schedule canceled. The three players who did it that year were Padres pitcher Ryan Weathers, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan, and Minnesota Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Like Father, Like Son
When Seiya Suzuki had his introductory press conference after signing with the Cubs, he made sure to utter one phrase: “Go Cubs, Go!” Suzuki brought his son to Tuesday’s postgame presser and gave the mic to the youngster, who did what you expected.
Picture Perfect
Angel Martínez of the Guardians was right on a fastball from Tarik Skubal. The only problem was he fouled it off — and a camera paid the price.
Noteworthy News
Washington Out As Angels’ Manager
The Los Angeles Angels are changing direction once again in the dugout after not exercising their option on manager Ron Washington’s contract for 2026. Washington was manager for 1.5 seasons before stepping aside to have quadruple bypass surgery in late June. The Angels were 63-99 in 2024 and were 36-38 when Washington left the team this year. They finished 74-90 for their second straight last-place finish in the AL West. Ray Montgomery, the bench coach who took over when Washington, will not return to a dugout role, although he could stay with the team in another capacity. Montgomery’s previous MLB experience was in scouting. One early name emerging for Washington’s replacement is Albert Pujols, the former Angels and St. Louis Cardinals star who is still on Los Angeles’ payroll with a personal services contract.
The Angels’ vacancy makes it eight managerial changes from Opening Day this year, joining the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers. The Pirates on Monday named Don Kelly, the bench coach who took over when Derek Shelton was fired, as their manager moving forward.
Extra Bases
⚾ Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito received good news on the right elbow injury that kept him off the Wild Card Series roster. Manager Alex Cora said Giolito had no structural damage in the elbow that had been repaired with an internal brace surgery in March 2024. However, it is unlikely that Giolito pitches this postseason if the Red Sox advance.
⚾ St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol will return in 2026. With a front-office change officially taking place, there was some thought that Marmol, who guided the Cardinals to a 78-84 record in his fourth season, could be fired.
⚾ Athletics general manager David Forst was given a contract for 2026 after the team finished 76-86 in its first season playing in West Sacramento as it awaits a new stadium in Las Vegas.
⚾ The Pittsburgh Pirates fired pitching coach Oscar Marin, with assistant pitching coach Brent Strom and third base coach Mike Rabelo also not returning. Strom told the team late in the season that he wasn’t coming back and is considering retirement.
⚾ The sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to real estate developer Patrick Zalupski for $1.7 billion officially closed. The purchase had been approved unanimously by MLB owners last week.
Articles You Should Read
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‘Ultimate goal’ remains for Yelich, Brewers — Adam McCalvy, MLB.com
Astros takeaways: Brown’s uncertain future, injury missteps, addressing offense — Chandler Rome, The Athletic
De Vries was traded away from his dream team — then found new purpose with A’s — Jesus Cano, Baseball America
Everything you should take with you from the 2025 fantasy season — Fred Zinkie, Yahoo Sports
