Here’s how Jazz Chisholm Jr. coped with not playing in Game 1 of the Yankees’ Wild Card series with the Red Sox: He went home afterward and played MLB The Show, the baseball video game, online.
“I mercy-ruled someone,” Chisholm said, shrugging and smiling, as he sat in the interview room following the Yanks’ 4-3 Game 2 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday night, a must-win that evened up the series at one game apiece and set up a corker of a deciding game for Thursday.
“That’s how I get my stress off.”
The team in the game that he created, the New York Aliens, has a few ringers, including himself.
“Ken Griffey Jr., Jimmy Rollins,” Chisholm added. “It’s kinda like a cheat code. ... It’s a lot of fun.”
Honestly, it sounds like a blast. And Chisholm was clearly enjoying himself while talking about it. It was all perhaps an indication of the effervescence and spirit he brings to the Yankees, who, you may have heard, sometimes come off as a little too buttoned-up.
Chisholm plays flashy. He can be emotional. He likes, as Aaron Boone put it, “the stage.” It’s all OK.
As stress relief, his wind-down plan clearly worked. There were no signs of unhappiness in Game 2.
“All that was clear before I came to the field (Wednesday),” Chisholm said. “It’s all about winning.”
And Chisholm helped make the Game 2 victory happen. He was in on several of the biggest moments of the night, from starting a key double play in the third inning after the Red Sox had scored twice, to keeping a ball in the infield that prevented Boston from scoring in the seventh to, ultimately, the deciding play.
In the bottom of the eighth, Chisholm drew a two-out, seven-pitch walk and then scored the winning run, sprinting from first to home on Austin Wells' single down the right-field line. He was running on the pitch and knew the outfielder had to chase the ball toward the stands, and kept running. He slid headfirst to beat the throw.
“What do you expect?” Aaron Judge said. “Guy is a game-changer.”
A possible controversy bloomed late Tuesday night when Chisholm admitted he wasn’t happy he hadn’t started Game 1. The Yankees had just lost, were already facing elimination, and certainly didn’t need distractions in the cauldron of the playoffs. Boone had wanted to match up righties against Boston ace Garrett Crochet, an elite lefty, so Chisholm was out, though he subbed in late.
Asked if everything was OK between him and Boone, Chisholm responded:
“There is never a problem between me and Aaron Boone. He’s been my manager all year, and I’ve stood behind him all year. We always have disagreements. I mean, I played third base this year, and we had a little bit of a disagreement in that. But at the end of the day, I always stand with Boonie because he understands where I come from.
“He knows I’m a passionate player, and he knows I wear my feelings on my sleeve. He knows that I’m here to compete.”
For his part, Boone said before the game he expected Chisholm to “play his butt off for us tonight.” That’s exactly what happened, culminating in Chisholm’s sprint home with the eventual winning run.
“Obviously, moving on the pitch gave him a little bit of a head start there,” Boone said. “And his speed comes into play big-time there. Obviously, an exciting, big play.”
Chisholm will be in the lineup for Game 3, Boone said, even though Boston is starting another lefty -- Connelly Early. Early is not Crochet, however -- who is? -- and when Boone makes lineup choices, “It’s not just ‘a lefty.’ It’s ‘what lefty?’” the manager said.
So Chisholm could have more big moments coming just at the right time -- no team has ever lost the opener of a Wild Card and won the series since the playoff format changed. Boone knows Chisholm wants those moments, too.
“He loves to play,” the manager added. “He feels a responsibility to us, his teammates. He and I have always been good, despite what you think may have happened (Tuesday). He’s a gamer.”
Major League Baseball games, video games, it doesn’t matter. Chisholm is on a roll in either category -- the other night, Chisholm said, his New York Aliens won that stress-buster game, 12-1.
Can he keep it all going in Game 3 of this AL Wild Card Series?
"I haven't decided on my catcher, first base, all of that -- sit on that," Boone said when he was asked about his plan for Rice with Boston set to start left-handed pitcher Connelly Early next. "Early's pretty neutral, a little different than the first guy we faced, so we'll sit and talk about it and make that decision tonight."
Boone started first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and catcher Austin Wells while sitting Rice in Tuesday's seven-hit loss. Goldschmidt was 2-for-4 with leadoff singles in the first and ninth innings.
Rice started at first base and batted cleanup while Goldschmidt sat in Wednesday's 10-hit win, which included Rice's tone-setting home run -- a two-out, two-run shot that put the Yankees up 2-0.
"Obviously, Benny's playing at such a, such a (high level), swinging the bat so well, especially here down the stretch, so, yeah, he makes it tough," Boone said, referencing Boston starting southpaw Garrett Crochet in Game 1 and being set to start Early for Game 3 after going with right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello Wednesday.
"Again, it's not just, 'It's a lefty,' it's, 'What lefty? Is that guy going to be out there for six or seven innings?' I want to leverage a spot for, whoever my bench guys are, to have a good matchup and not three bad matchups that I can guarantee. So, all those things factor into it."
Rice cashed in on Cody Bellinger's two-out single after Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge went down to start the bottom of the first inning, taking Bello deep on his plate appearance's first pitch.
"It was great," Judge said. "The boys were locked in from the jump, but for us to get a two-run lead like that early was huge -- and especially to knock out a guy like Bello, who's kind of had our number over the years, was huge and it was kind of a bullpen game after that. But it was great for Ricey to get a start -- first pitch he sees in the postseason, to do that? Impressive."
Rice's 2-for-4 performance included a leadoff single in the sixth inning.
"I know my role, and yesterday my role was to be ready for a big at-bat off the bench and today I was starting," Rice said. "So, the approach doesn't change. I've just got to be prepared for every at-bat I get and every chance I get."
The 26-year-old slashed .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs and 65 RBI in 138 regular-season games this year, his first full MLB campaign.
"Hits the ball hard every single time gets up there," Judge said. "Just great at-bats. Calculated. Knows what he's looking for. When he gets it, he usually doesn't miss. It's been fun to see his growth in the last season to this season."
Whatever Boone decides, Rice seems ready.
"It helps make you feel like you're in a good spot and, of course, I was able to help the team win today," Rice said. "So, just gives myself and the team a lot of confidence going into tomorrow."
NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way home from first base on Austin Wells’ tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees extended their season Wednesday night with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.
Unhappy he was left out of the starting lineup in the opener, Chisholm also made a couple of critical defensive plays at second base that helped the Yankees send the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.
In the latest chapter of baseball’s most storied rivalry, the winner advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five Division Series beginning Saturday.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer and Aaron Judge had an RBI single for the Yankees, who got three innings of scoreless relief from their shaky bullpen after starter Carlos Rodón put the first two batters on in the seventh.
Devin Williams worked a one-hit eighth for the win, and David Bednar got three outs for his first postseason save. Judge pumped his fist when he caught Ceddanne Rafaela’s flyball on the right-field warning track to end it.
Trevor Story homered and drove in all three runs for the Red Sox, who won the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday night behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.
With the score tied in the seventh, Chisholm saved a run with a diving stop of an infield single by pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida. Story then flied out with the bases loaded to the edge of the center-field warning track to end the inning, and fired-up reliever Fernando Cruz waved his arms wildly to pump up the crowd.
Chisholm also made a tough play to start an inning-ending double play with two on in the third — the first of three timely double plays turned by the Yankees.
There were two outs in the eighth when Chisholm drew a walk from losing pitcher Garrett Whitlock. Chisholm was running on a full-count pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed just inside the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall in foul territory.
Right fielder Nate Eaton made a strong, accurate throw to the plate, but the speedy Chisholm barely beat it with a headfirst slide as Wells pumped his arms at first base.
New York took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Judge’s sinking looper went off the glove of diving left fielder Jarren Duran for a run-scoring single. Trent Grisham scored from second after drawing a two-out walk and advancing on a wild pitch.
Story connected on Rodón’s third pitch of the sixth to tie it again with his second career postseason homer.
Rodón then issued a four-pitch walk to Alex Bregman. But after a mound visit from manager Aaron Boone, the left-hander avoided further damage when he got Carlos Narváez to ground into an inning-ending double play.
New York jumped ahead early when Cody Bellinger singled with two outs in the first and Rice, also left out of the lineup Tuesday against Crochet, lined the first postseason pitch he saw to right field for a two-run homer.
Story tied it with a two-run single in the third off Rodón, who prevented further damage by getting Bregman to ground into an inning-ending double play.
With the Yankees threatening in the third, Boston manager Alex Cora lifted starter Brayan Bello from his first postseason outing and handed the game to a parade of relievers who held New York in check until the eighth.
Up next
Hard-throwing rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) starts Game 3 for New York. The 24-year-old right-hander grew up in Boston, where he attended Northeastern University, but has said he always wanted to play for the Yankees.
Rookie left-hander Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) will pitch for Boston in place of injured Lucas Giolito. Early has made four major league starts since his debut on Sept. 9.
The Yankees are turning to Cam Schlittler, the 24-year-old rookie right-hander, to climb the hill in Game 3 of the Wild Card series as they look to advance past the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night in The Bronx.
“He’ll handle it well,” manager Aaron Boone said about Schlittler ahead of Game 2. “I don't think it will be too big for him, and he will be ready to roll.”
Schlittler, a Massachusetts native, said he knew from public reports before Boone had the chance to tell him he’d be the starter, but that the way the last few days were setting up, he was expecting the nod.
After making his big league debut just before the All-Star break, Schlittler posted a 2.96 ERA (3.74 FIP) and 1.219 WHIP in 73 innings over 14 starts with 84 strikeouts to 31 walks.
The skipper called the right-hander “super coachable, accountable” and, after his call-up, gave the club a “shot in the arm when he became another stabilizing force in our rotation."
“Like how he has handled every situation he has found himself in this year," Boone said, “Starting with coming over and pitching a big spring training game for us late in spring, and, I thought, handled it and navigated it.
“And man, you saw the right competitive edge to him."
He saved his best outing for his last, allowing just two hits, two hit batters, and a walk over seven shutout innings against Baltimore while striking out nine on the regular season’s penultimate day.
“Been super impressed with, first and foremost, his stuff,” Boone said. “I mean, he's got… big stuff. It’s a big fastball. The cutter and this curveball are really good pitches for him. Really good competitor.”
Carlos Rodon said he’s excited to see the rookie go to work.
“Everybody knows the kinda stuff that Cam has, he’s equipped well with a pretty impressive arsenal,” the Game 2 starter said. “I’m excited to see how the energy and the crowd and how he interacts with that. It’s gonna be really good for him, he needs to experience this.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him dominate tomorrow.”
Boston is countering with a rookie of their own in left-hander ConnellyEarly, the 23-year-old who pitched to a 2.33 ERA in just 19.1 innings over four starts since making his MLB debut on Sept. 9.
The heater, with a 98 mph average velocity, puts him in the 95th percentile in the majors. And that pitch, which he's using 54.8 percent of the time, has helped him tally a 27.6 strikeout rate (82nd percentile).
The right-hander will face a different lineup after the Yanks started back-to-back lefties, but Schlittler still believes there was something to gain from watching Boston’s hitters these past two games.
“It’s more of the mentality and the mental side of the game, as well,” Schlittler said. “Being able to listen in to what they’re doing and the adjustments they’re making is gonna make things a little bit easier for me.
“And it’s all learning points, so for me to experience playoff baseball for two days before I get throwing is definitely a good experience.”
While one game a career does not make, Boone was asked if Schlittler’s debut season has made it seem like the Yanks have a rotation piece for years to come? “It does feel that way.”
The 2025 edition of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry will have one more installment – a winner-advances, loser-goes-home Game 3 after the Yanks evened their Wild Card Series Wednesday night with a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had been unhappy that he did not start in Game 1, made perhaps the biggest play of Game 2, scoring all the way from first base on a single down the right-field line by Austin Wells with two outs in the eighth inning. Chisholm, running on the pitch, slid headfirst to beat the throw, sending the Yankee Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
The Yankees scored the winning run off reliever Garrett Whitlock, whom the Red Sox took from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft in December of 2020.
Here are the takeaways...
-Yankees closer David Bednar, who had allowed a run in Game 1, preserved the lead with a spotless ninth, striking out Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran and getting Ceddane Rafaela on a scary fly ball to deep right.
-Ben Rice gave the Yankees a quick 2-0 lead, slamming the first postseason pitch he ever saw for a two-run homer in the first inning. There’s a nice rivalry footnote to the homer, too, considering Rice is a Massachusetts native who nonetheless rooted for the Yankees as a kid. Cody Bellinger set the whole thing up with a two-out single to bring Rice to the plate. Rice became the first Yankee to hit a home run in his first career postseason at-bat since Shane Spencer in 1998, according to ace MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
-Rice was not in the Game 1 lineup against Garrett Crochet, just like fellow lefties Chisholm and Ryan McMahon. But all three were back as starters against Boston righty Brayan Bello, who had a 1.44 ERA in his five previous starts at Yankee Stadium. Bello allowed two runs and four hits in 2.1 innings, getting a quick hook from Red Sox manager Alex Cora. With two on and one out in the third, Cora called for lefty Justin Wilson to face Bellinger and Rice, and Wilson wriggled free of trouble. First, he got Bellinger on a fly to left that was so short it prevented Trent Grisham from trying to score. Then he retired Rice on a hard-hit liner that was whacked at right fielder Nate Eaton. The Red Sox had six left-handed relievers listed on the scorecard given out to the media.
-The Red Sox tied the score at 2 in the third inning on a rally started by their 7-8-9 hitters. Duran led off with a single and Rafaela walked on a 3-2 pitch. No. 9 hitter Nick Sogard bunted and Carlos Rodón pounced on it, but he bounced his throw to Chisholm covering at first. The throwing error loaded the bases with none out. Rodón struck out Rob Refsnyder, but Trevor Story, who had been ill earlier in the series, smacked a two-run single into center field. The inning could’ve been worse, but Rodón got Alex Bregman to hit into a double-play to end it.
-Aaron Judge, who had two hits in Game 1, gave the Yanks a temporary 3-2 lead with an RBI single in the fifth inning, set up by Grisham’s two-out walk. Judge looped a fly into left field off reliever Justin Slaten that Duran charged and dove for, but the ball glanced off his glove as Grisham scampered around third and scored.
-The Red Sox quickly answered, however, when Story led off the sixth with a homer to left off Rodón, knotting the score at 3. It was a mistake pitch, 95 miles per hour, right down the middle. After Rodón walked Alex Bregman, Aaron Boone visited the mound as reliever Fernando Cruz started to warm up. Rodón remained in the game and it was the right call – he retired Romy Gonzalez on a pop-up and got Carlos Narváez, the ex-Yankee catcher who’s had several tough at-bats in the series, to hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
-Boston mounted a big threat in the seventh when Rodón walked Eaton on four pitches leading off and then threw three straight balls, including a wild pitch, to Duran, before plunking him. The HBP was the last pitch Rodón threw – Boone emerged from the dugout to bring in Cruz. Rafaela tried to sacrifice, but his bunt was a disaster, a pop right to Cruz for the first out. One out later, pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida hit a grounder toward the middle that Chisholm dove for and stopped. But he couldn’t get much on the throw, which bounced twice, and Yoshida had an infield hit. Eaton might have scored from third on the play had he kept running. Then Story smashed a deep fly to center that had the crowd gasping, but Grisham flashed back to catch it, ending the threat.
-Rodón threw six-plus innings and allowed three runs and four hits. He struck out six and walked three. Rodón, who had a terrific regular season with 18 wins and a 3.09 ERA, lowered his career postseason ERA from 6.64 to 6.15.
-Devin Williams threw a scoreless eighth for the Yanks, pitching around a leadoff single by Bregman. Williams started a 1-6-3 double play with a shaky throw to second, but Anthony Volpe leapt to snare it, landed on the bag and threw to first to complete the DP. Then Williams struck out Narváez, fooling him so badly with his “Airbender” changeup that Narváez’s bat flew out of his hands and actually hit Eaton, who was prepping to bat next.
Game MVP: Austin Wells
Let’s not overthink this – Wells got the winning hit, he’s the star of the game. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
The Yankees and Red Sox play a win-or-go-home Game 3 on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 6:08 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the result of Game 2 of the Cincinnati - Los Angeles series.
New York will send rookie Cam Schlittler on the mound while the Red Sox are sending out rookie left-hander Connelly Early.
The 2025 MLB playoffs are moving to the Division Series.
The American League’s No. 4-seeded New York Yankees and No. 6 Detroit Tigers along with the National League’s No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers and No. 4 Chicago Cubs have survived the Wild Card Series and advanced to the second round of the postseason.
The Division Series will see the introduction of the top two seeds in each league to the postseason. The AL’s No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners, and the NL’s No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies earned byes past the Wild Card Series and into the Division Series.
Over in the AL, the Tigers took quite the route to their second straight ALDS appearance. Detroit blew a 12.5-game lead for first in the AL Central over the final month-plus of the regular season, as the Cleveland Guardians snatched the division crown. But the Tigers got the last laugh over their division rivals, eliminating the No. 3 Guardians with a 6-3 Game 3 win.
The final Wild Card Series matchup featured baseball’s most bitter rivalry between the No. 4 Yankees and No. 5 Boston Red Sox. After losing Game 1, the Yankees outlasted the Red Sox in Game 2 before bouncing Boston with a 4-0 win in Game 3. Yankees rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler starred in the series-clincher, striking out 12 over eight shutout innings in his playoff debut. New York is looking to go from runners-up to champions after losing in last year’s Fall Classic.
So, what are the ALDS and NLDS matchups? And when does the Division Series begin? Here’s what we know:
The Dodgers will next put their title defense on the line against the NL East champion Phillies, while the Cubs will take on the MLB-best Brewers in an NL Central battle.
The AL side of the bracket will also have a divisional showdown, as the Yankees go from facing one AL East foe to another in the league-best Blue Jays. The Tigers, meanwhile, will square off against the AL West champion Mariners.
Here’s a full look at the bracket:
American League
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
National League
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?
All four Division Series begin Saturday, Oct. 4.
How many games are in the ALDS, NLDS?
Following best-of-three Wild Card Series, the postseason moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.
What is the 2025 ALDS, NLDS schedule?
Here’s a series-by-series look at the Division Series schedule (this section will be updated as details are announced):
American League
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
Game 1: Yankees at Blue Jays — Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:08 p.m. ET, Fox
Game 2: Yankees at Blue Jays — Sunday, Oct. 5, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Blue Jays at Yankees — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Blue Jays at Yankees — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Yankees at Blue Jays — Friday, Oct. 10, 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
Game 1: Tigers at Mariners — Saturday, Oct. 4, 8:38 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 2: Tigers at Mariners — Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:03 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Mariners at Tigers — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Mariners at Tigers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 3:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Tigers at Mariners — Friday, Oct. 10, 4:40 p.m. ET, FS1
National League
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
Game 1: Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 4, 2:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Cubs at Brewers — Monday, Oct. 6, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Brewers at Cubs — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Brewers at Cubs— Thursday, Oct. 9, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 11, 4:38 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 1: Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 4, 6:38 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Dodgers at Phillies — Monday, Oct. 6, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Phillies at Dodgers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Phillies at Dodgers — Thursday, Oct. 9, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
The 2025 MLB playoffs are moving to the Division Series.
The American League’s No. 4-seeded New York Yankees and No. 6 Detroit Tigers along with the National League’s No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers and No. 4 Chicago Cubs have survived the Wild Card Series and advanced to the second round of the postseason.
The Division Series will see the introduction of the top two seeds in each league to the postseason. The AL’s No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners, and the NL’s No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies earned byes past the Wild Card Series and into the Division Series.
Over in the AL, the Tigers took quite the route to their second straight ALDS appearance. Detroit blew a 12.5-game lead for first in the AL Central over the final month-plus of the regular season, as the Cleveland Guardians snatched the division crown. But the Tigers got the last laugh over their division rivals, eliminating the No. 3 Guardians with a 6-3 Game 3 win.
The final Wild Card Series matchup featured baseball’s most bitter rivalry between the No. 4 Yankees and No. 5 Boston Red Sox. After losing Game 1, the Yankees outlasted the Red Sox in Game 2 before bouncing Boston with a 4-0 win in Game 3. Yankees rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler starred in the series-clincher, striking out 12 over eight shutout innings in his playoff debut. New York is looking to go from runners-up to champions after losing in last year’s Fall Classic.
So, what are the ALDS and NLDS matchups? And when does the Division Series begin? Here’s what we know:
The Dodgers will next put their title defense on the line against the NL East champion Phillies, while the Cubs will take on the MLB-best Brewers in an NL Central battle.
The AL side of the bracket will also have a divisional showdown, as the Yankees go from facing one AL East foe to another in the league-best Blue Jays. The Tigers, meanwhile, will square off against the AL West champion Mariners.
Here’s a full look at the bracket:
American League
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
National League
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?
All four Division Series begin Saturday, Oct. 4.
How many games are in the ALDS, NLDS?
Following best-of-three Wild Card Series, the postseason moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.
What is the 2025 ALDS, NLDS schedule?
Here’s a series-by-series look at the Division Series schedule (this section will be updated as details are announced):
American League
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
Game 1: Yankees at Blue Jays — Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:08 p.m. ET, Fox
Game 2: Yankees at Blue Jays — Sunday, Oct. 5, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Blue Jays at Yankees — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Blue Jays at Yankees — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Yankees at Blue Jays — Friday, Oct. 10, 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
Game 1: Tigers at Mariners — Saturday, Oct. 4, 8:38 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 2: Tigers at Mariners — Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:03 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Mariners at Tigers — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Mariners at Tigers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 3:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Tigers at Mariners — Friday, Oct. 10, 4:40 p.m. ET, FS1
National League
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
Game 1: Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 4, 2:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Cubs at Brewers — Monday, Oct. 6, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Brewers at Cubs — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Brewers at Cubs— Thursday, Oct. 9, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 11, 4:38 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 1: Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 4, 6:38 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Dodgers at Phillies — Monday, Oct. 6, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Phillies at Dodgers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Phillies at Dodgers — Thursday, Oct. 9, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
The Red Sox let a very winnable game get away from them on Wednesday night. And now, their season will be hanging in the balance on Thursday night.
The whiplash of consequences in the Wild Card Round is just that severe.
And while Alex Cora’s bold decision to yank Brayan Bello with one out in the third inning may be the headline coming out of New York’s 4-3 win, the game was lost in the smaller moments of the game.
To wit: Top of the seventh inning, tie game, two on, nobody out after an absolute gift from Aaron Boone to leave Carlos Rodon in the game after the starter’s tank had clearly hit E. Ceddanne Rafaela digs in against reliever Fernando Cruz with one of the most basic assignments in sports: Bunt the baseball.
Rafaela couldn’t do it.
After reaching out and fouling off a splitter that was well off the plate, Rafaela … did it again. This time he popped it up to pitcher Fernando Cruz, returning the favor for Boone’s managerial mistake by gifting the Yankees a free out.
Cruz, with the help of a Jazz Chisholm diving stop and the helping hands of baseball’s BABIP gods, pitched out of the inning without allowing the Red Sox to take a lead after the Rafaela mishap.
Rafaela, who did walk in his first plate appearance after his 11-pitch walk in Game 1, also chased a pitch two feet off the plate with two outs in the ninth inning to put himself in an 0-2 hole against David Bednar.
Yet that bad baseball may pale in comparison to what Jarren Duran did — or didn’t do — in the fifth inning. Because all Duran had to do was catch the baseball. He did not.
Despite the dive, and despite the official scorer’s ruling that it was a hit, that was a routine play at any level of baseball, let alone the majors. Yet Duran kicked it, allowing the Yankees to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth.
Duran is 1-for-7 at the plate over the first two games of the series, too, making for a frustrating series thus far.
Getting a bunt down. Making a routine catch. These are plays that have to be made for a team to win playoff games and playoff series. Yet they weren’t in Game 2, and they’re major reasons why the Red Sox will be facing elimination on Thursday night in the Bronx.
Here’s more of what we learned from what was another postseason classic played by the Red Sox and Yankees.
Alex Cora is a madman
Point-blank, period. Alex Cora is crazy.
How often does a manager, in a game where his team can’t be eliminated, pull his No. 2 starter after just 28 pitches in a 2-2 game? The answer, dear reader, is NEVER. Yet Cora, who simply carries himself differently in October, didn’t hesitate to make the move in the third.
And you know what? It worked. Barely. Justin Wilson entered in relief and, after getting Cody Bellinger to fly out harmlessly to left, served up an absolute cookie to Ben Rice.
Rice, who homered in his first at-bat, actually hit this one harder, but the 109.4 mph liner was hit directly at right fielder Nate Eaton, who made the catch to end the threat.
But technically, it worked. And after the bullpen essentially got Monday and Tuesday off (except for closer Aroldis Chapman), Cora knew he had everybody at his disposal in this one. The quartet of Wilson, Justin Slaten, Steven Matz and Zack Kelly would have given him three scoreless inning, if not for Duran’s gaffe in left. And Garrett Whitlock giving up the game-winning run in the eighth certainly wasn’t the manager’s fault.
While the Yankees had only scored on Rice’s first-inning homer, Cora watched Bello and didn’t like what he saw. He made an executive decision that came with tremendous risk, and it proved to be a good one.
Double plays were a killer
Nothing kills momentum in the playoffs more than an ill-timed double play. The Red Sox had three of them.
Top of the third, tie game, two on, one out: After Trevor Story singled home two runs to tie the game at 2-2, Alex Bregman had the chance to open the floodgates. Instead, he sent a 1-1 changeup to second base, starting a routine 4-6-3 double play.
Top of the sixth, tie game, one on, one out: After Trevor Story homered to tie the game (sensing a theme there) to lead off the inning, Bregman walked. Aaron Boone visited the mound but kept Carlos Rodon in the game. The starter was vulnerable. Romy Gonzalez, though, popped out, before Carlos Narvaez grounded to third base for a 5-4-3 double play, on the first pitch of his at-bat. That could have been the inning that Boston won the game. Instead, the threat was quickly extinguished.
Top of the eighth, tie game, one on, nobody out: After Bregman put in a professional at-bat and led off with a single against Devin Williams, Nathaniel Lowe entered as a pinch hitter with the go-ahead run on base. Lowe, though, chased a changeup well off the plate, weakly grounding back to the mound to start a 1-6-3 double play. Another rally ended before it could even begin.
Obviously, they’re not trying to ground into double plays, but the results are what they are. In Game 2, they were devastating for the Boston offense.
Red Sox infield defense: Strong
Nick Sogard made a very nice play in the third inning, moving to his left, going into a slide, fielding the ball, and pivoting to make a strong throw to second base to gun down the lead runner.
(Sogard can also execute a sacrifice bunt, by the way.)
Alex Bregman also made a few plus-level plays at third, though that’s nothing new at this point. His night included inning-ending assists in the second (5-4-3 double play), fourth and sixth. Trevor Story looks to have moved past his late-season throwing issues, too.
It didn’t help win them this game, but it’s been sharp, and it will be a factor if they are able to advance with a win on Thursday.
Nate Eaton should have scored
I actually changed my mind on this, because it’s absurd to have expected Nate Eaton to busting it around third base on a ground ball behind second base with the hopes of scoring on an infield hit and errant throw to first base. Lots of premonition would have been necessary for Eaton to have pulled that off and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning.
Yet after looking at it again, there are some very simply reasons for thinking Eaton should have scored.
This took place, of course, when Masataka Yoshida delivered a pinch-hit, infield single. Jazz Chisholm made a diving stop, which prevented runs from crossing the plate, but his throw to first skipped away from first baseman Ben Rice, opening the door for one of baseball’s fastest players to make a run for home.
Initially, I felt Eaton should not have been expected to score, as everything took place behind him. If a throw to first base was simply late but not errant, then Eaton would have been a dead duck whipping around third and heading to home. The tag play at the plate would have been deflating for the Red Sox and sent Yankee Stadium into a delirium.
But watching the high-home camera, it’s clear that Eaton and third base coach Kyle Hudson should have been more prepared to pounce on the opportunity.
Eaton was at third base and looking at Chisholm when the second baseman made the throw. Meanwhile, third baseman Ryan McMahon was almost standing in the shortstop position, paying no attention to Eaton. With speed and base running being major factors of Eaton’s game, he should have known that he had plenty of room to get frisky by bouncing off third base toward home plate, knowing that there was nobody at the bag to tag him out if a throw came that way.
Yet instead of aggressively bouncing down the line, Eaton stopped and watched the throw, and he was actually moving back to third base when the ball skipped away from Rice.
Eaton should have been 20-25 feet down the line when the ball skipped away, but he lacked awareness of where the third baseman was, and he didn’t innately sense the opportunity to put himself in position to make a game-changing play on the bases.
Cora didn’t appreciate hearing such a suggestion in his postgame press conference.
“That’s their opinion,” Cora said when told the broadcast suggested Eaton could have scored. “I think it’s easy from up there to say that he could score. They’re not down there with us.”
They’re not … but they’re right. That was a major missed opportunity.
Fernando Cruz used up his World Series celebration
In the unlikely event that Fernando Cruz finds himself in the position to close out the World Series, and in the just-as-unlikely event that he pulls it off, the 35-year-old won’t be able to debut his top-level celebration. He used that one up in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series after giving up a 100-plus mph line drive that managed to find some leather on the warning track in center field.
Trevor Story came up about 15 feet shy of making this, officially, The Trevor Story Game™. A grand slam, after already driving in the first three runs of the game, to eliminate the Yankees in their stadium would’ve been one for the ages. But not on this night.
It’s just a shame that the broadcast didn’t have the WHOOP heart rate monitors that we saw in the Ryder Cup for Cruz. He might’ve made that thing shatter.
Reliever Fernando Cruz celebrates after the last out of the seventh inning in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between the Red Sox and Yankees in New York. Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
(It was a cool moment. But celebrating Trent Grisham for making a great play instead of celebrating yourself for giving up a laser would have been the better move.)
Garrett Whitlock getting ‘tired’ isn’t great news for Boston
From June 29 until Sept. 26, Garrett Whitlock allowed two earned runs across 32 innings in 33 appearances. He had a 0.875 WHIP and a 0.56 ERA in that span. He was as lights-out as light-out gets for a long time.
And for the first six batters he faced, he looked like that guy. He did surrender a double but also struck out three batters and welcomed weak contact. With two outs in the eighth, this thing was going to the ninth tied.
But then … Whitlock got “tired.”
“Felt good. Got tired towards the end, but thought I made some good pitches, and they did a good job,” Whitlock said. “I definitely lost command. And unfortunately that happened.”
“That” was a seven-pitch walk to Jazz Chisholm, an at-bat where none of the four balls was anywhere close to the strike zone, followed by the game-winning double by Austin Wells.
That ball getting swallowed up by the angled fence in foul ground was a stroke of bad luck for Whitlock, but that’s baseball. From there, Whitlock gave up another single and then a truly wild walk, ending his night after 47 pitches.
Whitlock indicated he wants to pitch if needed in Game 3, but if he was tired in Game 2, a trip back to the mound one night later doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
Sometimes, you’ve got to appreciate a great photograph
And this is one of them.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jazz Chisholm dives into home to score the winning run in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between the Red Sox and Yankees. Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
It probably won’t end up hanging in any Boston bars, but hey: Art is art.
Unknowns abound in Game 3
Connelly Early made his MLB debut in a minor league park in West Sacramento less than a month ago. On Thursday night, he’ll be given the ball and asked to keep the Red Sox’ season alive in a raucous Yankee Stadium.
No pressure there.
Connelly Early will be the first pitcher ever to start a winner-take-all postseason game within 30 days of his MLB debut. pic.twitter.com/nMTGo1X7f7
Cam Schlittler may be an old veteran by comparison, having made his MLB debut all the way back on July 9, but the rookie is every bit of the wild card that Early is for Boston.
Schlittler is from Walpole and pitched at Northeastern (as well as Harwich in the Cape League), so get ready for plenty of that from the broadcast. But as for his performance, he’s been great in his 14 big league starts, posting a 2.96 ERA and 1.219 WHIP, striking out 84 batters in 74 innings.
Early posted a 2.33 ERA and a 1.086 in his four big league starts, but obviously, none of those compare to the one that awaits him on Thursday night.
As was the case in Game 1 and again in Game 2, the Red Sox will have the advantage at the manager spot in Game 3. That one’s a blowout in favor of Alex Cora over Aaron Boone.
Everything else, though? None of it can properly be predicted — though, based on the first two games of this series, chaos and tension feel like safe bets to show up at Yankee Stadium for the finale.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Rocctober has returned to Cleveland.
Brayan Rocchio came up with another clutch hit in the postseason with the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Cleveland Guardians evened their AL Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers with a 6-1 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday.
“It was huge, an 0-2 count and he was ready to fire,” manager Stephen Vogt said of Rocchio’s blast. “For us, it was a frustrating day offensively for us. Two hits leading into the 8th. For our guys to explode and get separation felt good.”
Bo Naylor also went deep in the eighth as the Guardians put up five runs to take control of the game.
George Valera also homered to force a deciding game in the best-of-three series.
The winner Thursday faces the Seattle Mariners in a Division Series. No team has lost Game 1 of a Wild Card Series and advanced since the expanded round began in 2022.
Javier Báez had two hits and an RBI for the Tigers, who were 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 runners.
Detroit had the bases loaded with two out in the ninth inning, but Cade Smith got Dillon Dingler to line out to first baseman C.J. Kayfus.
“They made the most of their opportunities and we left 15 guys on. I think that paints the picture that it was today,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The score doesn’t really indicate how the game was. But we kept giving ourselves a chance.”
The game was tied 1-1 with one out in the eighth inning when Rocchio connected on a 99.9 mph fastball from losing pitcher Troy Melton and drove it 379 feet into the right-field stands for his second homer in three games. He had a three-run drive in the 10th inning on Sunday to give the Guardians a 9-8 victory over Texas in the regular-season finale.
“I’d been lucky to face him a couple times in Triple-A. In these situations, you have to tone it down a little bit and keep it simple. José’s recommendation was look for the fastball. That’s what I was trying to do,” Rocchio said through an interpreter.
The 24-year-old Venezuelan infielder has a .308 batting average (12 for 39) in 12 postseason games with two homers, two doubles and three RBIs, hitting .333 in last year’s playoffs.
Guardians teammates have referred to it as “Playoff Rocchio” mode.
“It speaks to his confidence. It doesn’t matter what the regular season holds, he comes out in these moments and he’s really confident and puts off a great swing. And you saw what happened,” outfielder Steven Kwan said,
Rocchio’s .257 batting average since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on July 1 was second on the team to José Ramírez (.258). Rocchio also was third on the club in RBIs (36) and doubles (15).
“Like I said in a couple interviews, I don’t think about it. I try to keep my mind focused and competing. This is competing time. There’s no self-awareness. It’s being competitive as you can,” Rocchio said of the postseason.
Daniel Schneemann added an RBI double before Naylor golfed a sweeper from Brant Hurter over the right-field wall for a five-run lead.
Jakob Junis got the win as the Guardians bullpen held Detroit scoreless over 5 1/3 innings.
Cleveland took the lead in the first when Valera drove a 94.1 mph fastball on the upper half of the strike zone from starter Casey Mize over the wall in center field. The homer came on a full count and the seventh pitch of the at-bat.
Detroit tied it in the fourth and nearly took the lead. Báez had a base hit up the middle to drive in Riley Greene and Dingler after Zach McKinstry appeared to beat José Ramírez’s tag at third on a great throw by Chase DeLauter, who was making his big league debut. A video review overturned the safe call by umpire Stu Scheurwater and Dingler’s run came off the board.
The Tigers had runners at the corners with no outs in the seventh after Gleyber Torres was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on Kerry Carpenter’s hit. Hunter Gaddis retired Spencer Torkelson on a shallow flyout, and Tim Herrin struck out Jahmai Jones and Wenceel Pérez.
Up Next
Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA) makes his eighth postseason start Thursday and Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (7-7, 4.30 ERA) gets his first playoff start.
CHICAGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit a two-run homer, Mason Miller dominated again, and the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Wednesday, sending their NL Wild Card Series to a decisive third game.
Jackson Merrill hit an early sacrifice fly as San Diego avoided elimination after losing 3-1 on Tuesday. Dylan Cease struck out five in 3 2/3 innings before handing the ball to his team’s hard-throwing bullpen.
The finale of the best-of-three series is back at Wrigley Field on Thursday.
The playoff-tested Padres are looking for a repeat of 2020, when they dropped Game 1 in the special pandemic wild-card round before advancing with two straight victories against St. Louis. Machado also homered in Game 2 of that series.
Chicago finished with four hits. The franchise is making its first appearance in the playoffs in five years, and it hasn’t advanced since it eliminated Washington in a 2017 NL Division Series.
San Diego jumped in front on Merrill’s flyball to right off Andrew Kittredge in the first, driving in Fernando Tatis Jr. Kittredge started for Chicago as an opener, and the right-hander was replaced by left-hander Shota Imanaga in the second.
The Cubs threatened in the fourth, putting runners on first and second with two down. Adrian Morejon then came in and retired Pete Crow-Armstrong on a bouncer to first.
The Padres added two more runs on Machado’s 404-foot drive to left off Imanaga in the fifth. Tatis reached on a leadoff walk and advanced on a sacrifice ahead of Machado’s 12th career playoff homer.
The three runs were more than enough for San Diego’s bullpen, with Miller and Robert Suarez combining for 14 pitches of over 100 mph.
Morejon pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings before Miller showed off his electric stuff while striking out five consecutive batters. The 6-foot-5 right-hander reached 104.5 mph on a called third strike to Carson Kelly in the seventh that was the fastest pitch in the postseason since Statcast started tracking in 2008.
Miller, who was acquired in a trade with the Athletics on July 31, struck out the side in the seventh in his postseason debut on Tuesday. The eight straight Ks tied the postseason record set by Josh Hader in 2022.
Miller was pulled from Game 2 after he hit Michael Busch with a slider with two oust in the eighth. Suarez retired Nico Hoerner on a liner to right before a one-hit ninth for the save.
Up Next
Yu Darvish will get the ball for San Diego on Thursday. There was no immediate word on Chicago’s starter.
Darvish played for the Cubs for three seasons before he was traded to the Padres in December 2020. The right-hander said he enjoys pitching at Wrigley.
“Yeah, this place did me good,” he said through a translator. “The organization, the fans did me good, too.”
The 2025 MLB playoffs are moving to the Division Series.
The American League’s No. 4-seeded New York Yankees and No. 6 Detroit Tigers along with the National League’s No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers and No. 4 Chicago Cubs have survived the Wild Card Series and advanced to the second round of the postseason.
The Division Series will see the introduction of the top two seeds in each league to the postseason. The AL’s No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays and No. 2 Seattle Mariners, and the NL’s No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies earned byes past the Wild Card Series and into the Division Series.
Over in the AL, the Tigers took quite the route to their second straight ALDS appearance. Detroit blew a 12.5-game lead for first in the AL Central over the final month-plus of the regular season, as the Cleveland Guardians snatched the division crown. But the Tigers got the last laugh over their division rivals, eliminating the No. 3 Guardians with a 6-3 Game 3 win.
The final Wild Card Series matchup featured baseball’s most bitter rivalry between the No. 4 Yankees and No. 5 Boston Red Sox. After losing Game 1, the Yankees outlasted the Red Sox in Game 2 before bouncing Boston with a 4-0 win in Game 3. Yankees rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler starred in the series-clincher, striking out 12 over eight shutout innings in his playoff debut. New York is looking to go from runners-up to champions after losing in last year’s Fall Classic.
So, what are the ALDS and NLDS matchups? And when does the Division Series begin? Here’s what we know:
The Dodgers will next put their title defense on the line against the NL East champion Phillies, while the Cubs will take on the MLB-best Brewers in an NL Central battle.
The AL side of the bracket will also have a divisional showdown, as the Yankees go from facing one AL East foe to another in the league-best Blue Jays. The Tigers, meanwhile, will square off against the AL West champion Mariners.
Here’s a full look at the bracket:
American League
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
National League
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
When do the 2025 ALDS, NLDS start?
All four Division Series begin Saturday, Oct. 4.
How many games are in the ALDS, NLDS?
Following best-of-three Wild Card Series, the postseason moves to a best-of-five format for the Division Series. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5.
What is the 2025 ALDS, NLDS schedule?
Here’s a series-by-series look at the Division Series schedule (this section will be updated as details are announced):
American League
No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
Game 1: Yankees at Blue Jays — Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:08 p.m. ET, Fox
Game 2: Yankees at Blue Jays — Sunday, Oct. 5, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Blue Jays at Yankees — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Blue Jays at Yankees — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Yankees at Blue Jays — Friday, Oct. 10, 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox
No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers
Game 1: Tigers at Mariners — Saturday, Oct. 4, 8:38 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 2: Tigers at Mariners — Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:03 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 3: Mariners at Tigers — Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 4 (if necessary): Mariners at Tigers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 3:08 p.m. ET, FS1
Game 5 (if necessary): Tigers at Mariners — Friday, Oct. 10, 4:40 p.m. ET, FS1
National League
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
Game 1: Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 4, 2:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Cubs at Brewers — Monday, Oct. 6, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Brewers at Cubs — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Brewers at Cubs— Thursday, Oct. 9, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Cubs at Brewers — Saturday, Oct. 11, 4:38 p.m. ET, TBS
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 1: Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 4, 6:38 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 2: Dodgers at Phillies — Monday, Oct. 6, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 3: Phillies at Dodgers — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 9:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 4 (if necessary): Phillies at Dodgers — Thursday, Oct. 9, 6:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Game 5 (if necessary): Dodgers at Phillies — Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Zack Gelof should be good to go for the Athletics ahead of the 2026 MLB season after the second baseman underwent successful surgery to address the dislocated left shoulder he suffered when diving for a ground ball in the Athletics’ win at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 19.
Stanford Medicine’s Marc R. Safran, M.D., explained what Gelof’s recovery should look like in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports California’s Tristi Rodriguez on Thursday.
“Usually in a sling for about four to six weeks, just letting things kind of heal up — just doing some mild range-of-motion exercises,” Safran told Rodriguez. “Then, after six weeks, you start to work on increasing the range of motion. Usually around three months, you start to strengthen the shoulder.
“Usually by four months, they can do most things; with him, it’s his non-throwing shoulder, so [throwing] wouldn’t be a problem. But also probably wouldn’t have him do any diving yet, til about six months after the surgery.”
Keep in mind, this is the second major injury he suffered in 2025, as he underwent surgery to repair a hook of the hamate fracture in his right hand during spring training and didn’t play with the Green and Gold until July 4.
Fortunately for Gelof, given the current situation, he won’t have to miss any games, as the Athletics missed the MLB playoffs and have a long offseason ahead of them.
“It’s just really about trying to protect the shoulder while the soft tissues are healing, and then gradually increasing the strengthening, and then increasing the load to that area as it continues to get stronger and stronger,” Safran said.
“He’s not going to be catching any balls until probably a few months after the surgery, and he probably also will not do any batting. And when he does, he’ll probably start off batting a little bit of fungo and those types of things before he tries to take a full swing.”
Gelof hit .174 with two home runs and seven RBI over 30 games this year. Perhaps an offseason of recovery will help him return to the electric up-and-comer he was in 2024.
SAN FRANCISCO — Giants executive Buster Posey doesn’t consider his former manager Bruce Bochy a candidate to fill the vacant position again for San Francisco.
Posey, the club’s president of baseball operations, said he had spoken to Bochy and mentioned there could be a position for the 70-year-old in the organization — just not the managerial job.
“The door’s always open here for some sort of role,” Posey said during a news conference at Oracle Park. “I don’t see us going that route with Boch.”
The Giants fired Bob Melvin after his second season ended with an 81-81 record — one more victory than last year — and a fourth straight missed playoff opportunity.
The Texas Rangers announced a mutual parting with Bochy after three seasons that featured the organization’s first World Series championship in 2023.
Posey expressed the hope of finding someone who could provide stability for years to come on the dugout’s top step as the club tries to become a regular contender again, but he didn’t provide any details about the process except that interviews are happening this week. Under Bochy, the Giants won biennial World Series championships in 2010, ‘12 and ’14.
“We had a pretty consistent stretch of not playing good baseball,” Posey said. “... There’s a lot of good things in place, but ultimately we did not achieve our goal this year.”
When Posey took over in his current job at this time last year to replace Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ longtime catcher committed to three seasons. And he is still planning to fulfill that agreement.
“I’m fully committed, but I think the focus has to be on the present,” the 38-year-old Posey said. “That’s the way I try to look at it. Would I like to do it longer, sure, but I think the focus has to be in the moment.”
Athletics general manager David Forst said Tuesday that he has talked with ownership about working on contract extensions to keep 22-year-old first baseman Nick Kurtz and 23-year-old shortstop Jacob Wilson with the franchise for the long-term future (h/t MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos).
David Forst said he’s had “a lot of conversations” with ownership about more contract extensions for the A’s young talent, like Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson. Said he imagines those talks will pick up in the next few months.
The Athletics would be wise to hold onto Kurtz and Wilson, as each flourished during the 2025 MLB season.
Kurtz finished with 36 home runs, 86 RBI and a 1.002 OPS, and Wilson had 151 hits and MLB’s second-highest batting average (.311). The two are expected to be the top choices to win the AL Rookie of the Year award.
“We haven’t really talked about it much,” Kurtz told Gallegos about gladly competing with Wilson on July 25th. “But it’s awesome that it’s most likely going to be an A’s player. It’s really cool.
“Whether I win it or he wins it, we’re just really looking forward to representing the A’s and what we’re all about. Individual awards are good and all, but it’s not why we play the game. We’re excited to keep going and keep improving.”
The league will announce who will take home the nod in November. Baseball America already named Kurtz its MLB Rookie of the Year.
Regardless, Forst and the Athletics are smart to get discourse started early.
Gallegos added that the “young talent” he referred to in his post also includes 27-year-old catcher Shea Langeliers.
He had a strong season, slashing .277/.325/.536 with 31 homers and 72 RBI. Langeliers was named AL Player of the Month after an 11-homer August.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo tie a bow on the 2025 season for the Mets, a season that ended in disappointment and failure.
Connor and Joe recap all that went wrong that brought the Mets nowhere near their expectations, and sort the blame between president of baseball ops David Stearns, manager Carlos Mendoza, the coaching staff, and the players.
The guys also look ahead to what needs to be fixed, plus ideas for how to do it, and react to comments Stearns made during his end-of-season news conference.
As always, the show dives into the Mailbag to also give voice to the frustrated fans, who have their own questions about the way the Mets went down.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images