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How did you know it was elimination day? Two of the starting pitchers in a Game 3 of the Wild Card Series managed three and seven outs before getting the hook. Another was a rookie who nearly turned in a complete-game performance. Yeah, it was unpredictable. And while there weren’t the tense finishes you want in three do-or-die games, there was plenty of dramatics. That is what you get when you have the first day in MLB history with three elimination games.
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Wild Card Wrapup
Holy Schlittler! Rookie Carries Yankees Past Red Sox
Final score: Yankees 4, Red Sox 0
Series: Yankees win 2-1
Next game: Yankees at Blue Jays in Game 1 of AL Division Series, Saturday, 4:08 p.m. ET (Fox)
There is always some type of history being made when the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox hook up in the postseason. But this? It certainly wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler turned in a legendary performance, striking out 12 over eight innings as the Yankees became the first team to win a Wild Card Series after losing the opener by beating the Red Sox 4-0 in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees, who represented the AL in the World Series last year, advance to play the AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Division Series.
Schlittler, who had 14 MLB starts under his belt, looked extremely comfortable in a pressure-packed situation. Born in the heart of Red Sox territory in Walpole, Mass., Schlittler became the first pitcher in MLB postseason history to go eight innings with no walks and have at least 12 strikeouts. The dozen strikeouts were also the third-most by a rookie in the postseason and the most by a Yankees rookie. Schlittler was never in trouble and got one remarkable defensive play behind him. Third baseman Ryan McMahon, who came into the game in the sixth inning, caught Jarren Duran’s one-out foul pop as he tumbled into the Red Sox dugout.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox started rookie left-hander Connelly Early, who had all of four MLB starts. Early was Schlittler’s equal through three innings, but the Yankees got to the rookie in the fourth. Cody Bellinger doubled and Giancarlo Stanton walked before Ben Rice struck out. Amed Rosario, acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Nationals, singled to left to plate Bellinger with the game’s first run. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to right to load the bases, with Anthony Volpe’s single making it 2-0. Austin Wells‘ grounder deflected off first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s glove and into short right field to score the final two runs. All of the damage came against Early.
Cubs Silence Padres, Set For Brewers
Final score: Cubs 3, Padres 1
Series: Cubs win 2-1
Next game: Cubs at Brewers in Game 1 of NL Division Series, Saturday, 2:08 p.m. ET (TBS)
There aren’t any really big names on the Chicago Cubs‘ pitching staff. Like most teams, it is a patchwork of talent. The lack of a headliner may cause some doubts to be raised, but if the performance during the NL Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres was any indication, folks might get to know Cubs pitching a whole lot more in the coming weeks. Right-handed starter Jameson Taillon pitched four shutout innings and five relievers allowed just one run as the Cubs took Game 3 with a 3-1 victory at Wrigley Field. The win sends the Cubs to the NL Division Series, where they will face their neighbors to the north, the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers, who posted the best record in MLB this season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had an RBI single and Dansby Swanson a bases-loaded walk in the second inning, with Michael Busch providing insurance with a seventh-inning solo homer. Crow-Armstrong and Busch each had three of the Cubs’ 13 hits. Taillon allowed two hits but didn’t walk anyone while striking out four before turning it over to the bullpen, which was outstanding in this series. Caleb Thielbar, Daniel Palencia, Drew Pomeranz, Brad Keller, and Andrew Kittredge allowed five hits the rest of the way, with the only blemish coming on Jackson Merrill’s solo homer off Keller in the ninth. Keller, who had three regular-season saves this year, struggled in the ninth. He bounced back from Merrill’s leadoff homer by striking out Xander Bogaerts, but then hit Ryan O’Hearn and Bryce Johnson. That prompted manager Craig Counsell to go to Kittredge, who served as an opener in the Game 2 loss, to close it out. Jake Cronenworth hit a soft chopper toward shortstop that third baseman Matt Shaw fielded and threw a rocket to first base. Cronenworth was initially called safe, but replay review reversed the call for the second out of the ninth as the two runners moved up to second and third. That left the Padres’ hopes up to Freddy Fermin, acquired at the trade deadline, who swung at the first pitch and flew out to Crow-Armstrong in center field. Cubs pitchers gave up a combined five runs in the three games.
Now the Cubs will face the Brewers for the first time in the playoffs. Counsell is the former Brewers manager who left after the 2023 season to push the Cubs over the top. But it has been the Brewers who have won the Central each of those two years and three seasons in a row. The two teams did meet in a Game 163 for the Central title in 2018, won by the Brewers.
Tigers Erupt Late To Oust Guardians
Final score: Tigers 6, Guardians 1
Series: Tigers win 2-1
Next game: Tigers at Mariners in Game 1 of AL Division Series, Saturday, 8:38 p.m. ET (Fox)
While the method to get to this point was less than desirable, the Detroit Tigers will certainly trade an AL Central title for a spot in the AL Division Series. While it won’t erase the historic collapse that saw them lose the Central on the final day of the regular season, the Tigers are moving on by beating the team that chased them down. Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, and the Tigers blew it open with a four-run seventh to notch a 6-1 triumph in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Central champion Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Detroit moves on to face the AL West champion Seattle Mariners in the AL Division Series.
It is the second year in a row the Tigers have made it to the ALDS after being an underdog in 2024. This year, they were atop the AL for a good bit and atop the Central for almost the entire season. However, Detroit saw Cleveland erase a 15½-game deficit on July 8, the largest comeback for a division or league winner in the regular season in MLB history. With a chance for redemption in the Wild Card Series — not only for their late-season slide, but for losing to the Guardians in five games in last year’s ALDS — the Tigers erased that bitter taste.
It was a 1-1 game with two outs in the top of the sixth when Dingler, who had 13 regular-season homers, drove a 1-1 pitch from left-hander Joey Cantillo over the left-center field wall. Dingler also joined a unique club. But it was the seventh inning that allowed the Tigers to believe they were going to advance. Javier Báez doubled and Parker Meadows reached on a bunt single against left-hander Erik Sabrowski. Right-hander Hunter Gaddis came on in relief and got Gleyber Torres to ground out with Meadows moving to second. Kerry Carpenter was intentionally walked to face the struggling switch-hitter Wenceel Pérez. In a 5-for-56 slump entering the game and 0-for-3 on the day, Perez lined an 0-1 pitch to right field that scored two runs to make it 4-1. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene followed with RBI singles and a 6-1 Tigers lead.
The offensively challenged Guardians put together a rally in the eighth against right-hander Tommy Kahnle. With one out, Brayan Rocchio singled and Steven Kwan doubled. Closer Will Vest replaced Kahnle and struck out rookie George Valera. That brought superstar José Ramírez to the plate. Ramirez hit a hard grounder deep to first baseman Torkelson, whose throw to Vest covering first base handcuffed the pitcher, allowing both runners to score. Ramirez took off for second as the ball bounded over toward the first-base dugout, where Vest picked it up and made a great throw to second, where Ramirez was ruled out following replay review to end the inning.
By The Numbers
⚾ By advancing to face the Blue Jays in the ALDS, the Yankees have not played three current franchises in the postseason: the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, and Washington Nationals (Montreal Expos).
⚾ The Cubs and Padres scored a combined 11 runs in the three games.
⚾ Rookie left-hander Connelly Early (23 years, 182 days) became the youngest Red Sox starting pitcher in a postseason game since Babe Ruth (21 years, 246 days) started Game 2 of the 1916 World Series.
Tonight, Connelly Early will become the youngest pitcher to start a #Postseason game for the @RedSox since Babe Ruth 😳(h/t @SlangsOnSports)
Best Moments From Yesterday
Chasing Hit No. 1
There are a few times when a player would give up their first career hit for a team victory, but Chase DeLauter of the Guardians would certainly exchange his milestone for a Game 3 win. DeLauter, who became the sixth player in history to make his MLB debut in the postseason, got his first hit with a one-out single in the second inning. Of course, his official record will still show he hasn’t played an MLB regular-season game, so he will have a chance to celebrate hit No. 1 again next season.
Cubby Defense
The Cubs are pretty good defensively, especially up the middle with shortstop Dansby Swanson and second baseman Nico Hoerner. They were on their game Thursday.
Bleeping Good-Luck Charm
Maybe it was destined that the Yankees won Game 3.
Thank you to 2x World Series Champion and 1978 World Series MVP Bucky Dent for throwing out tonight's ceremonial 1st pitch! 🙌
— New York Yankees (Bot) (@yankeesbot.bsky.social) 2025-10-03T00:05:38.000Z
Noteworthy News
⚾ Dick Groch, a longtime member of the Brewers’ scouting department who is better-known for convincing the Yankees to draft Derek Jeter, died at age 84.
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