MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres throws out Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers (2-0) at San Diego Padres (0-2), October 6, 2026, 6:30 p.m. PST
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LA broke the seal with two home runs in the top fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Enrique Hernández had the honors and sparked a jolt in the Dodgers dugout with his 17th career postseason homer.
Hernández took Chris Sale's 86 mph changeup back 406 feet to the bleachers for a two-run home run that brought home Andy Pages to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
Kiké Hernández hits his 17th career Postseason homer! https://t.co/rPyzcCfB6B
The homer continued the Dodgers' streak and historic MLB postseason run of scoring all their runs by way of home run.
It didn't end with Hernández. A couple of batters later, Freddie Freeman got some revenge. He had what seemed to be a home run robbed in the top of the third inning by Braves outfielder Mauricio Dubón, but Freeman would not be denied a second time.
All 10 runs the Dodgers have scored these playoffs have come via home run, the longest streak to start a postseason in MLB history.
Freeman sent Sale's 95 mph sinker flying across center field, soaring 399 feet out of the playing area for a solo home run as the Dodgers' lead climbed to 3-0.
The score was 0-0, the Dodgers had Mookie Betts on base with Freddie Freeman at the plate with a chance to make it a 2-0 game with one swing in the top third inning.
Freeman blasted a pitch to right field that looked deep enough for a home run. Instead, Braves outfielder Mauricio Dubón had other ideas.
Dubón robbed Freeman of the homer, leaping on to the fence to make the stab before the ball was out of play.
The Braves ended the inning with a couple outs following the spectacular catch made by Dubon.
The Dodgers and Braves split the first two games of their best-of-five series. The Braves can clinch a berth in the National League Championship Series by protecting home field, while the Dodgers will either need to steal a game on the road to stay alive, or win both road games to advance.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 04: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during Game Two of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
To get there, Milwaukee sends right-hander Dustin May to the mound. May, who has had an up-and-down Brewers tenure, went 2-2 with a 5.65 ERA and 5.06 FIP across 10 starts with Milwaukee, striking out 38 over 36 2/3 innings. He’s had a few really good starts, though, including against these same Padres. He went seven-plus innings, allowing one run and striking out six against them in a no-decision in San Diego back in August. He also had a pair of solid starts against them while with the Cardinals earlier in the season, including a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and six innings of three-run ball (two earned), striking out seven. For his career, May has made 16 appearances (13 starts) against San Diego, with a 3.14 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 86 innings.
For San Diego, right-hander Nick Pivetta will get the ball. Pivetta, 33, finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting a year ago, and he pitched even better this season, though he was limited to just eight starts due to injury. In those outings, he totaled 34 2/3 innings with a 2.86 ERA, 2.21 FIP, and 42 strikeouts, and the Padres have won six of those eight games, including all four he made after his return in September. The 10-year veteran has made five career starts against Milwaukee with very rough results, going 1-3 with an 8.76 ERA and 24 strikeouts across 24 2/3 innings.
The star of Sunday’s game, Jackson Chourio bats in the leadoff spot and starts in left. He’s followed by Jake Bauers and William Contreras, with Brice Turang moving down to bat in the cleanup spot. Christian Yelich bats fifth as the DH, with Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, Sal Frelick, and Joey Ortiz rounding things out behind May.
First pitch in this one is at 8:38 p.m. CT on FS1 and the Brewers Radio Network.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: Jeff Albert #61 of the New York Mets looks on during batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 28, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets have announced that they are making coaching changes in the wake of an unsuccessful 2026 season. Jeff Albert, Danny Barnes, and Kevin Mahoney will not return to their major league roles next season.
Albert joined the Mets in 2022 as the Director of Hitting Development after four years as a hitting coach with the Cardinals. He became the Director of Major League Hitting in October 2025 after Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes left the organization. The Mets offense ranked 23rd in batting average, 24th in OPS, and 23rd in wRC+ in 2026.
Barnes joined the Mets as a major league assistant coach to Buck Showalter in 2022. He was the Strategy Coach in 2024 and 2025, and became the Quality Assurance Coach in 2026. Barnes formerly pitched for the Blue Jays. Mahoney, a Batting Practice Pitcher, was with the Mets for two years and was formerly with the Yankees organization.
While the Mets are open to all three returning to the organization in different roles, they are also free to speak to other clubs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres blows a bubble while batting against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve got a pair of National League Division games today!
First Game: Braves vs. Dodgers
Series tied 1-1
5pm CST
This is the “I wish both teams could lose” series. The Dodgers are, well, the Dodgers, and the Braves are fine but definitely no San Diego or Milwaukee. God, can you imagine a Dodgers v Brewers NLCS with the Dodgers winning again? Gross.
Man, I wish both teams could win here. The Padres are a blast and always little brothers to the more successful Dodgers, but on the other hand the Brewers are definitely the “Small Market Team” to beat in this year’s playoffs. The Brewers have a lead right now, but they have to clinch it in California.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game three of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on October 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The four remaining NL teams take center stage tonight, and they won’t have to battle Monday Night Football for the sporting world’s attention like their junior circuit counterparts had to last night.
We are treated to quite a tasty matchup between the Dodgers and Braves to get things started, while the Brewers will try to sweep away the Padres in the nightcap. If I had to put money down on how many innings I end up watching in the late window, I would bet two innings or fewer. Gotta get my beauty rest.
Dodgers at Braves, 6:00 p.m., FS1
Series tied 1-1
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA)
The NL Cy Young Award is probably going to Jacob Misiorowski or Cristopher Sánchez, but these two starters featured in Game 3 are sure to get some consideration.
Yamamoto is only in his third big league season, but we already how good he can be, particularly in the playoffs. He had a 1.02 ERA over 17.2 innings in last year’s World Series, taking home MVP honors for the set. Sale owns a career 5.83 ERA as a pitcher in the playoffs, but he has been better than that this fall, already tossing 7.2 innings for the Braves in the Wild Card round.
Dave Roberts has deployed a lineup for this game that sees Shohei Ohtani hitting out of the fifth spot in the order. That is the lowest he has hit in a starting lineup since 2020. The future Hall of Fame is in a legitimate slump right now. He missed most of September, and had a .567 OPS when he did play. That was after a pedestrian .795 OPS in August. He’s 2-for-8 with two strikeouts, no walks, and no extra base hits so far in this series.
Brewers at Padres, 9:30 p.m., FS1
Brewers lead series 2-0
RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
It will be interesting to see how this game flows early on. The Padres are the ones that have to pull out all the stops for a win, but they also have a pitcher on the mound that they probably trust quite a bit. That said, if they see even a wobble, manager Craig Stammen will be forced to go to a bullpen that he has seen be out-pitched twice already.
Meanwhile, the Brewers can let the game come to them a bit. Obviously, they want to win, but if May falls apart early and the game gets out of hand, they may just ask him to bite the bullet so that the relievers can live to see another day. Should the Padres pull this one out, Game 4 is tomorrow night, and a fresh bullpen could be the difference maker.
Oct 7, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general shot of an NLDS logo prior to game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A fairly low-key day yesterday in the American League Division Series, with both the White Sox and the Rays following up their Game 1 victories, with another win in Game 2. That gives them a commanding lead: Chicago in particular, now have two chances at home to clinch, and if needed, a third back in Cleveland. Quite impressive for a team who, before this post-season, had last won a playoff series in 2005. Coming just two years after a nightmarish 121-loss season, it’s another way in which the 2026 White Sox are so far reproducing what the 2023 D-backs did. But will they be able to prevail against the Rays, who have looked very competent against the Yankees?
Anyway, in the NL, we’ll be hoping the Braves can take advantage of their success rolling the dice with a bullpen game to even the series, sending Chris Sale to the mound this afternoon. It won’t be easy, going up against the Dodgers staff ace in Yoshinobu Yamamoto (their only pitcher to pass 140 IP). But if anyone can do it, Sale is the Braves’ best bet. Meanwhile in San Diego, the Padres will try and stave off a sweep after a hammer-blow in Milwaukee, after the attempt to use closer Mason Miller for two innings spectacularly backfired. Should be a fun day of baseball, hopefully ending in San Diego being eliminated and the Dodgers on the brink.
Here are the games on order today
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves 3:00 pm (1-1), FS1
Milwaukee Brewers @ San Diego Padres 6:30 pm (2-0), FS1
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: A general view of signage during NLDS Workouts at Petco Park on October 05, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is a tough time of the year for writing about a team not in the playoffs. MLB likes teams not to make much news while the playoffs are on.
But we do have baseball tonight:
6:00 Eastern Dodgers @ Braves. They are tied at a game each.
Lineups, Ohtani has dropped to fifth in the lineup.
Today’s Lineups
DODGERS
BRAVES
Mookie Betts – SS
Drake Baldwin – C
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Ronald Acuna – DH
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Matt Olson – 1B
Will Smith – C
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Michael Harris – CF
Miguel Rojas – 2B
Mauricio Dubon – LF
Andy Pages – CF
Lane Thomas – RF
Kyle Tucker – RF
Austin Riley – 3B
Enrique Hernandez – 3B
Ha-Seong Kim – SS
Y. Yamamoto – RHP
Chris Sale – LHP
9:30 Eastern Brewers @ Padres. No lineups up at the moment. Brewers are up 2-0, so the Padres need this one. Dustin May (4.70, 7-9) starts for the Brewers. Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86) starts for the Padres.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s a pivotal game 3 in the NLDS as the Braves return home to Atlanta. They’ll give the ball to Chris Sale while the Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto. First pitch is scheduled for 5pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Fox/FS1.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: A general view of signage during NLDS Workouts at Petco Park on October 05, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today baseball returns its attention to the National League as the Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Atlanta with the series split at one game each. As for the San Diego Padres, it’s win or call it a season as the Milwaukee Brewers have taken a 2-0 lead in the series.
It should be a good day for baseball.
And now to the details.
Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) @ Atlanta Braves (1-1) — 4:00 PM MDT
Pitching Matchup: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.53 ERA) vs LHP Chris Sale (2.16 ERA)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres catches a fly ball hit by Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This wasn’t how the San Diego Padres drew this up. After two soul-crushing losses to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Friars will now head back to Petco Park with no room for error. They’ll either pull off the ultimate Cinderella story, or it’ll be another in the long line of failed attempts to bring San Diego a championship.
This one stung a little extra. After Ty France was denied a go-ahead home run by a roof, the Padres failed to secure the win in Game 2 when Mason Miller was tasked with recording a six-out save. He had only done it once in his career before. He did not make it twice. Miller got five outs before loading the bases and serving up a two-run single to Jackson Chourio for a walk-off Brewers’ victory.
Taking the mound
Dustin May (MIL) v. Nick Pivetta (SD)
May has spent the majority of this season dealing with immense command issues. In 145 2/3 innings, the right-hander has issued 50 walks and posted a 1.32 WHIP and 4.70 ERA. He was even worse after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to Milwaukee, posting 5.65 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
However, May has dominated San Diego this season. In three starts (22.0 IP) versus the Padres, the veteran starter has surrendered just three earned runs. One of those starts was a complete-game shutout that saw May take a perfect game into the seventh inning. If that’s the version of May the Friars get tonight, it’ll be hard to stave off the inevitable.
Pivetta will be tasked with gifting the Padres a stay of execution. There’s not many starters better equipped to do that. Since returning from the IL, Pivetta has been brilliant. He’s posted a 1.64 ERA in five starts (including his start in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series).
His one flaw has been an inability to work deep into games. Since his return, Pivetta has not pitched more than five innings. He only pitched 3 1/3 in his last playoff start. Thankfully, the bullpen got a rest day on Monday after a tiring weekend in Milwaukee. That should give Pivetta some wiggle room if he struggles.
Batter up!
It’s hard to find anything good about this lineup right now. After looking otherworldly in the Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs, they’ve scored a total of five runs in the first two games versus Milwaukee. San Diego’s left 20 runners on base and gone an abysmal 3-for-18 with RISP. That needs to change on a dime if the Padres want to force Game 4.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Samad Taylor, LF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Luis Campusano, DH
Ethan Salas, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
France has been the only solid contributor that has consistently proven his value at the plate this series. The slugging first baseman has gone 3-for-7 with two RBI. It would have probably been more had the Milwaukee roof not taken away a would-be go-ahead home run in Game 1. But the Padres have hit, they just need to string those hits together.
Relief corps
It’s worth wondering what made Stammen go to Miller for six outs. He hadn’t used David Morgan yet in the series and could easily have tasked him with at least two outs in the eighth before turning to the closer. Bradgley Rodriguez had finished out the seventh and could have at least started the eighth. What’s done is done, but it’s hard to understand why.
It’s all hands on deck as San Diego tries to stave off elimination in the NLDS. The Padres have every arm available after their rest day on Monday. Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, Miller, Adrian Morejon, Morgan and Rodriguez will work out of the ‘pen, but Joe Musgrove could also see time if San Diego gets a big lead.
In a game that could have a massive shift in momentum in either direction for both teams, the Atlanta Braves bring future HOFer Chris Sale to the mound amidst one of the best seasons of his career against Yoshinobu Yamamoto during the best season of his young career.
The last time these two pitchers faced off the Braves beat the Dodgers 1-0 when Chris Sale pitched a complete game shutout on August twenty-seventh. A repeat of that exact result is slim, but if Sale could pitch a long game today, it would be welcomed among the bullpen that has already had back-to-back games where they carried the load.
Drake Baldwin was the offensive hero the last time the Braves faced Yamamoto with a solo shot that was the only run of the game.
First pitch is at 6:00 pm EDT. Follow along in the comments.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 27: Los Angeles pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) pitches during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 27th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
