Category: MLB

The Yankees have a lot of uncertainty at multiple positions heading into the offseason, but there’s one potential newcomer to the league who could solve third base.

MLB insider Jon Heyman reported before the final stretch of the regular season that Teruaki Sato could be a good fit with several MLB clubs, including the Yankees. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman also said that he could be “in play” for the Yankees, though they might want to be confident that he can handle third base.

Sato led the Central League in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, batting .306 with 39 homers and 106 RBIs, and became the first Hanshin Tigers player in franchise history to win the Triple Crown. The lefty hitter also finished the season with a .991 OPS, 383 OBP, and a .600 slugging percentage, so it’s safe to say that he can easily conquer the Short Porch when the time comes. Once the free agency frenzy starts, there’s no doubt that Sato will be one of the targets that the Yankees should keep an eye on (and we’ll have more to come on him at that time as well).

For some context on how the system works, NPB players who have fewer than nine years of experience can be posted to pursue contracts with MLB clubs during the November 1 to December 5 window. If they don’t sign a contract with a team by the end of the 45 days, they’ll return to the NPB and won’t be eligible for posting until the following season.

The 27-year-old primarily played third base for the Tigers, but he also appeared in right field during the most recent World Baseball Classic. He went 3-for-10 combined through five games in the tournament, recording three doubles with two RBIs before Team Venezuela defeated Team Japan in the quarterfinals.

His versatility could be just what the Yankees need to bolster confidence at third base, especially after the options this season were, to say the least, disappointing. With Rosario entering free agency, fans aren’t eager to have Ryan McMahon in the starting role again, especially since he made little impact on offense and committed costly defensive errors that put the Yankees at risk throughout the postseason. It is at least within the realm of possibility that the Yankees could outright cut ties with McMahon, as well.

Anthony Volpe and José Caballero, who also made appearances at the position this season, are eligible for arbitration, and if either or both end up parting with the pinstripes, it could give the Yankees enough room to give Sato a decent deal — though neither salary figure will be so onerous that it should hamstring a pursuit.

Munetaka Murakami, who played alongside Sato at the World Baseball Classic, was a standout for Team Japan and hit a grand slam to secure their spot in the quarterfinals as the Pool C winners. After witnessing his inspiring success story with the White Sox this season, it’s possible that adding Sato to the Yankees’ roster could reignite a seemingly dying flame in the clubhouse and propel the Yankees to extend their postseason run next year.

The offseason is here and plenty of folks have opinions on what the Atlanta Braves should do during the offseason. Because there’s no such thing as having enough pitching and the fact that Braves President/GM Alex Anthopoulos recently stated that both Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider may not be reliable options to get a ton of innings in 2027, that does apparently open up the Braves to pursuing some pitching options going forward.

That search could include Atlanta potentially providing a home ballpark for a pitcher who could be making his way across the Pacific Ocean from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball. Back in March while the World Baseball Classic was going on, Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported that RHP Hiromi Itoh of the Nippon Ham Fighters was widely expected to make the jump to MLB.

The Japanese season has come and gone and it’s still expected that Itoh will be coming over. The reason why we’re talking about it here is because in his International Beat newsletter for MLB.com (which you can subscribe to here), Michael Clair shared what he gleaned from an anonymous scout currently working in Japan and Clair stated that the Braves could be a “potential fit” for Itoh if/when he makes the move.

Here’s part of what Clair had to say about Itoh:

While Itoh has an extra inch on [Kaima] Taira, he’s also 40 lbs lighter and could be ticketed for a relief role. “He could be an up and down starter,” our scout said, “but maybe in relief he might show some more velocity. In the previous WBC, he came out of the bullpen and he was 94-96 with some nasty stuff.” However, what Itoh lacks in size, he makes up for with a deep pitch mix consisting of “10+ unique grips and shapes” as noted by Yakyu Cosmopolitan. 

Here’s the linked tweet from Yakyu Cosmopolitan (and if you’re on Twitter and you want to learn more about Japanese baseball, he is a fantastic resource to learn from)

Hiromi Itoh isn’t as flashy or overpowering as some other Japanese aces to go stateside in recent years and doesn’t throw nearly as hard, but he has some of the best fastball specs in NPB from a movement perspective.

His best comp remains Yu Darvish. Good feel for spin with an… https://t.co/aFzf84kFCHpic.twitter.com/JPpjLml9gP

— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) March 14, 2026

Here’s some video of Itoh pitching for the Fighters this season, while we’re at it:

Itoh didn’t have as dominating of a season in 2026 as he did in 2025 which is when he won the Sawamura Award (basically the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award) with an ERA of 2.52 (79 ERA-) and a FIP of 2.27 (73 ERA-) across 27 starts and 196.2 innings pitched — but he still produced an ERA of 3.23 (94 ERA-) and a 2.81 FIP (82 FIP-) across 172.2 innings and 26 starts in 2026. He also took a step back in the 2026 WBC when compared to his dominant effort during the 2023 WBC, so hopefully this isn’t a case of Itoh starting to really slow down now that he’ll be hitting his age-30 season in 2027.

With that being said, Japanese stars have continued to somewhat routinely over-perform their expectations and it’s fun to think about what, say, Jeremy Hefner could do with this guy if they got in the lab together. While the Braves have only been speculated as a potential fit, there’s real MLB interest here as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that the Giants were spotted scouting Itoh, so there’s plenty of smoke when it comes to the fire of seeing Itoh in a big league uniform soon.

Will the Braves be the team that decides to seriously pursue Itoh? There’s no telling as this is purely speculation at this point for everybody involved. It’s fun to think about and discuss, though, so let us know what y’all think about this.

The good news is MLB was proactive and moved up the start of Game 3 of the ALCS to 1:00pm this afternoon, where Griffin Jax will toe the rubber for the Rays against Gavin Williams and the Guardians.

The bad news is the system moving into Cleveland tonight will also have a backend to it tomorrow, and with potential precipitation enhancement off Lake Erie, it’s very possible Friday’s game gets washed out. Here’s a simulation of the HRRR model for tomorrow:

This is not a guaranteed postponement situation, but given the field will be messy even if they do play, and the series has a built in off day on Sunday (where it’s supposed to be gorgeous), it might make sense for MLB to realign things with Games 4 and 5 on Saturday and Sunday in Cleveland, and then continue with already scheduled Games 6 and 7 back at the Trop on Monday and Tuesday if the series goes the distance.

There’s a world where MLB may just choose to power through precipitation and play in less than ideal conditions, but either way, it should be one of those borderline calls.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the board, the Brewers and Dodgers may also not be playing a game tomorrow night, but for an entirely different reason. The Brewers have a 3-0 series lead and could send the Dodgers home with a win in Game 4 of the NLCS this evening.

If this occurs, it would be a nightmare for not just LA (so much to unpack there!), but also for the MLB owners, who desperately want to implement a salary cap this offseason. A Brewers win not only guarantees an all small market World Series, but would also leave an all small market ALCS to play out for (potentially) several more days. Imagine an ALCS that goes the full seven followed by a World series that also goes the full seven. That would leave MLB with 11 consecutive games of all small market teams in national windows to close the season, and given the way these teams play, it would probably be a good brand of baseball even if it wouldn’t include high ratings or sexier franchises.

In other words, the sport itself might be about to send the exact opposite message the owners want to present in the offseason, and I can’t help but giggle trying to imagine the scramble that must be going on behind closed doors right now.

Use this thread to discuss all the playoff action throughout the day as well as any other big picture items on your mind. As always, be good to one another! (For all the reasons listed above, this could be the last day with more than one MLB game for a long, long time. Savor it!)

The Dodgers offense was always facing a difficult task in this NLCS, but their production, or lack thereof, goes beyond any praise the Brewers’ staff may deserve. The Game 3 loss and what the Brewers did offensively against Blake Snell represented an ideal example of what one might reasonably expect from this Dodgers attack: resilience and power against outstanding starters—something we saw when they faced Chris Sale in the NLDS, for instance. Something nowhere to be found in this NLCS.

For the vast majority of the game, Snell’s stuff looked great; he induced 19 whiffs, which is a postseason high for the Dodgers; in doing so, he struck out nine. Still, none of that mattered much as 75% of the hits he allowed left the yard. Milwaukee hitters were often overwhelmed, but in key spots, when Snell made a mistake, they were ready to pay. The contrast of this type of performance to what we’re seeing from the Dodgers offensively helps illustrate why the Brewers are one win away from the Fall Classic.

When Will Smith hit a two-run double off Abner Uribe in the bottom of the sixth, that was the first hard-hit ball for extra bases by a Dodger with a runner in scoring position in this series. Homerless in this NLCS, the Dodgers have had to heavily rely on the Brewers’ errors—anything from occasional defensive misplays to a momentary lack of control—to score runs. It would not be a challenging argument to put the Dodgers’ runs in Games 2 and 3 as gifts far more than issues they’ve generated. Now, one must still capitalize on these mistakes, but when they represent your only source of runs, then the situation is dire, to say the least.

Smith’s double off the wall against Uribe was impressive—but as much as we’d like to credit the offense for loading the bases in that spot with walk after walk, it helped that Uribe only located two of his 14 sinkers in the zone. If the Dodgers can lament leaving Snell in there too long, Pat Murphy probably regrets not pulling Uribe after the third walk. It’s easier to see your missed opportunities, but oftentimes the other side can lament certain mistakes as well, even if in this case it didn’t cost them.

Overall, it’d be one thing if the Dodgers were continuously running into a gauntlet, but these struggles seem to go beyond what the Brewers can throw at them—it hasn’t mattered who is on the mound. Robert Gasser had a solid campaign with the Brewers, establishing himself as a starter, but still, he had a 3.87 ERA and a 22.2 K%. He is not the level of pitcher you’d expect to hold the Dodgers scoreless over five innings in a must-win game at home.

Even the most optimistic of Dodger fans understood the dangers of this Brewers team this time around, but the way in which the reigning back-to-back champs are losing this series goes beyond the worst expectations. A complete inability to generate any kind of offense without a lending hand from the opposition leaves you in a position where winning a single game feels like a massive challenge.

Rays at Guardians

Series tied, 1-1

First pitch: 1:00 PM EDT
TV: TBS/HBO MAX
Probable pitchers: Griffin Jax, RHP (TB); Gavin Williams, RHP (CLE)

Brewers at Dodgers

Brewers lead, 3-0

First pitch: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: FS1/FOX ONE
Probable pitchers: TBD (MIL); Tyler Glasnow RHP (LAD)

This is probably going up earlier than you expected. But due to the weather forecast for Cleveland, the start time of their game against Tampa has been moved up to 10 a.m. Arizona time today. While it’s not looking good for tomorrow either apparently, let’s worry about that on Friday. If only there were some device which could be placed over a baseball field, to prevent this kind of thing from happening… [Hey, it’s a good joke, and I intend to keep using it!] That series is evenly balanced, and is now effectively a best-of-five, with the Guardians having taken home-field advantage. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy what could well be the last day of the year with two baseball games, unless the Dodgers can find some way to stop the Brewers in Los Angeles tonight. Or not. Not works too.

• Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Guardians (1-1), 10 am, TBS
• Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers (3-0): 5:00 pm, FS1

We all know the Seattle Mariners did not make the playoffs in 2026, but what this post presupposes is……maybe they did?

If you didn’t get the reference, now you do. Gotta be a top 3 Owen Wilson line delivery and character moment.

While I do not miss the stress of playoff baseball and its surprisingly negative impact on my life (and family!) last fall, I can’t help but miss the euphoric moments as I’ve been watching the first couple rounds of playoffs this season. It got me thinking about how this season’s devastatingly injured and under-performing team would have fared if somehow both the Rangers and Astros had just like….I don’t know, lost 85% of their games in September or something absurd. Would this Mariners squad have finally gotten their shit together if they fell ass-backwards into the playoffs by winning the AL West with a losing record?

There are some points in their favor. Cal Raleigh was FINALLY hitting like a real version of his past self. Randy Arozarena would have likely continued hitting at a career pace. The pitching…..uhhh, the pitchers would be there, too. Yep. They would throw some pitches, all right.

Okay, so it’s hard to imagine a playoff run going particularly well for the 2026 Mariners, but baseball is weird and playoff baseball is even weirder and more cruel and unusual. Who knows what kind of chaos they could’ve caused? And that is your prompt for the comments, folks.

If the 2026 Seattle Mariners made the playoffs, what would have happened?

1. Wild Card round exit
2. Won Wild Card, ALDS exit
3. Won ALDS, ALCS exit
4. Won ALCS(!!!), World Series exit
5. Won World Series?!?!?
6. Other???

You can choose to be as realistic or as non-realistic and creative as you want. Gimme some scorching hot takes if you feel up to it!

Sound off in the comments and uhhh, go Brewers.

Today could be the last day this year with multiple MLB games. Enjoy it if you can!

The reason this could be the end is that there is no guarantee of tomorrow for the 2026 Dodgers. They are on the brink of being swept by the Brewers, and if that happens, then there will be no Game 5, 6, or 7 for the NLCS. The AL will play on until one of those teams gets to four wins and the Brewers will wait for them. People will start to wonder if it will be like the “Rocktober” Colorado Rockies of 2007, who swept the NLCS and while the AL series went seven games, then were swept in turn in the World Series.

Before we find out about what happens with the NL series, the AL will be playing. It’s an early 1pm game for the LCS, because the forecast for rain in Cleveland has resulted in the game being moved up from its originally planned start time. That first pitch is now set for 1pm. The Guardians will play the next three at home against the Rays. I am interested to see who emerges in this series. The Game 3 winner will feel like they’ve got the edge.

Dodgers-Brewers Game 4 is set for an 8pm start time. Much less chance of weather disruption in Los Angeles.

Tampa Bay Game 3 starting lineup

1. Yandy Díaz – DH
2. Jonathan Aranda – 1B
3. Junior Caminero – 3B
4. Victor Mesa Jr. – RF
5. Chandler Simpson – LF
6. Liam Hicks – C
7. Jonny DeLuca – CF
8. Richie Palacios – 2B
9. Taylor Walls – SS

Tampa’s starter, Griffin Jax, had a 3.53 ERA in 112.1 regular season innings. Not too shabby for him.

Cleveland Game 3 starting lineup

1. Steven Kwan – LF
2. José Ramírez – 3B
3. Chase DeLauter – RF
4. Jo Adell – DH
5. Nathaniel Lowe – 1B
6. Travis Bazzana – 2B
7. Patrick Bailey – C
8. Petey Halpin – CF
9. Brayan Rocchio – SS

Cleveland’s Gavin Williams is on a “Mike Mussina in the 1997 postseason” run for the Guardians so far these playoffs. If he keeps that up today, his team is going to have a strong chance of taking the 2-1 lead in the series. In some sense, it’s not surprising, in that Williams is striking out a ton of dudes in the postseason and that’s what he did in the regular season too. He had a 3.76 ERA in the regular season even with all of those strikeouts. Through three postseason games, he’s looking at a 1.54. Pretty good.

It’s a pivotal game 3 in Cleveland as the Guardians and Rays wills square off to see which team will grab the ALCS lead Thursday afternoon. RHP Griffin Jax will get the start for the Rays while the Guardians will give the ball to RHP Gavin Williams. First pitch has been moved up to noon central time due to incoming inclement weather in the Cleveland area expected later Thursday. Game broadcast available via Fox/FS1.

We have two games today, maybe for the last time this year. I’d be fine with the Dodgers losing in four games.

The early game is the Rays/Guardians game, which was moved to 1:00 Eastern because of bad weather expected to hit today. It is supposed to be 21C this afternoon, so very nice weather for an mid-October game. They are expecting rain this evening.

Lineups:

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Tonight’s Brewers/Dodgers game is an 8:00 Eastern start time.

The Brewers don’t have a listed starter yet, but it is likely lefty Shane Drohan (7-5, 4.19) though they might go with an opener. Tyler Glasnow (5-2, 3.53) starts for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers say that Skubal and Yamamoto aren’t available for relief tonight.

Two games? In this environment?

• Rays at Guardians, Game 3 – 1:00 pm
• Brewers at Dodgers, Game 4 – 7:00 pm

Let’s talk about it.

The Mets should be big players at the very top of the free agent market this offseason, with ace left-hander Tarik Skubal a logical -- and incredibly expensive -- target. 

Beyond Skubal, there are other intriguing, high-upside starting pitchers such as Michael King.

If the Mets want a starter who profiles more as a No. 2 or No. 3, they could reunite with Clay Holmes, who was a strong clubhouse presence during his two seasons in Queens.

The relief market isn't flush with upper echelon arms, but Adrian Morejon stands out as a potential game-changer.

Looking beyond the major league free agents, Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato is expected to be posted and sign with a big league team this winter. Like Skubal, Sato would be a logical target given New York's glaring need at first base.

But not every player the Mets sign will be a big name.

To that end, here are five under-the-radar free agents David Stearnsand the front office should target this offseason...

RHP Michael Soroka

The Mets should be targeting a franchise-altering ace or at the very least someone (like King) who profiles at the top of the rotation. But after leaving their starting staff short each of the last two seasons -- and that shortage helping to derail each campaign -- New York also needs to bring in a second legitimate rotation option who can pitch in the middle or back end of the rotation.

Soroka, coming off a strong season for the Diamondbacks, could fit the bill.

Once an emerging ace, Soroka's career was derailed after his breakout 2019 season with the Braves due to a torn Achilles suffered during the 2020 shortened season. He didn't return to big league action until 2023, and struggled with inconsistency (4.91 ERA) and injuries (forearm, shoulder, biceps) as he spent time with the Braves, White Sox, Nationals, and Cubs between 2023 and 2025.

This season for the Diamondbacks, Soroka bounced back, posting a 3.41 ERA (3.19 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP in 116.0 innings (21 starts, one relief appearance) while walking 2.3 batters per nine and striking out 8.8 per nine.

In 2026, Soroka's fastball and breaking stuff graded out as elite, via Baseball Savant. His two most utilized pitches were the four-seam fastball and slurve, which he threw 32 percent of the time each. The slurve (which recently became a weapon for Soroka) was especially effective, with hitters slugging just .226 against it (.267 xSLG). Soroka's advanced metrics were a bit of a mixed bag, but he was above average to elite when it came to average exit velocity allowed, chase percentage, strikeout percentage, walk percentage, and hard-hit percentage.

Soroka's injury history and lack of recent innings are concerns, but his upside and age (he'll be entering his age-29 season) are pluses. And if he's a backend option in a rotation with a new ace at the top, the risk is mitigated.

LHP Alex Vesia

The Mets traded their two left-handed relief cogs (Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter) at the deadline because they were both pending free agents, which created an opportunity for Nate Lavender.

Lavender, whose elite extension results in the ball jumping on hitters, ran with his chance while putting up a 1.66 ERA (1.85 FIP) and 0.73 WHIP in 21.2 innings while striking out 10.8 per nine. Hard-throwing Cionel Perez, who is arbitration-eligible, is another left-handed relief option if the Mets tender him a contract.

Either way, it would make sense for New York to pursue another left-handed reliever, with Vesia a potentially strong fit.

Vesia has been a weapon for the Dodgers since 2021, with a 2.66 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 328.0 innings. He misses bats at a prodigious rate (12.0 strikeouts per nine in his six seasons in Los Angeles), but can also be prone to bases on balls (his career walk rate is 4.3 per nine and it was 5.0 per nine in 2026).

Ahead of his age-31 season and coming off another stellar year, Vesia should be in demand.

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

The Mets had interest in Loaisiga during the 2024-25 offseason before he ultimately returned to the Yankees. So it would make sense for them to have interest again.

After becoming one of the key cogs in the Yankees' bullpen, Loaisiga's seasons in 2023 and 2024 were seriously impacted because of Tommy John surgery. He returned for the Yanks in 2025, but didn't round back into form until this past season.

In 67.0 innings for the Diamondbacks in 2026, Loaisiga had a 2.42 ERA (2.88 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP while allowing just three homers all year and walking a minuscule 1.7 batters per nine.

Loaisiga relies mainly on a sinker that averages a tick under 98 mph and a changeup that averages 91 mph. He doesn't strike out a lot of batters, but is phenomenal when it comes to limiting hard contact and generating ground balls.

In 2026, Loaisiga was in the 93rd percentile or better in average exit velocity allowed, chase percentage, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, and ground ball percentage.

RHP Tyler Mahle

Mahle, who would fit near the back end of the rotation, is coming off a season where he compiled a 3.99 ERA and matching 3.99 FIP for the Giants and Braves over 149.0 regular season innings. He was also terrific in the playoffs for Atlanta, with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings over two starts (one each in the Wild Card Series and NLDS).

He's not someone whose stuff will wow you, but his four-seam fastball has graded out well each of the last two seasons despite not being overpowering. Mahle's other main pitch is a splitter that opposing batters slugged just .354 against in 2026.

Mahle's career ERA in 10 big league seasons with the Reds, Rangers, Twins, Giants, and Braves is 4.01.

Tommy John surgery in May of 2023 wiped out the better part of two seasons for Mahle, but he's exceeded 120 innings in four of his six full big league seasons, and 112 innings in five of six.

1B Ty France

The Mets should be seeking a first baseman, and France will be one of the most intriguing names on the market.

What will be interesting to watch is whether the price to sign him stays relatively low because of the offensive player he was during the first seven seasons of his career (108 OPS+), or if it spikes after how France performed for the Padres in 2026.

In 133 games for San Diego, France slashed .295/.363/.502 (.865 OPS, 139 OPS+) with 21 homers and 24 doubles. Was it an aberration or a late breakout from a player in his age-31 season?

A look at France's advanced metrics shows serious improvement in his average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage, so what he did this season wasn't a fluke. At the same time, it's fair to expect some regression going forward given the player he was before 2026.

What's not in question is how good France's first base defense has been the last two seasons. He won the NL Gold Glove in 2025 after being in the 96th percentile in OAA, and followed that up by being in the 93rd percentile in OAA in 2026.

The ALCS comes back to life today as the Tampa Bay Rays travel to Cleveland to take on the Guardians for the third game of the series. With the series tied 1-1, the Guardians look for a little bit of home-field advantage because historically, the winner of Game 3 when a seven-game set is tied has gone on to win 71 of 102 times.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink after the Milwaukee Brewers secured a 6-2 victory Tuesday night to now lead the NLCS 3-0. If they can win tonight, it would be a bit of revenge for the Brewers after they were swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS last year. Milwaukee is also on the brink of reaching their first World Series in 44 years.

Tampa Bay Rays (1-1) at Cleveland Guardians (1-1) — 11 AM MDT

Pitching Matchup: RHP Griffin Jax (8-10, 3.53 ERA) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA)

SB Nation Sites:DRaysBay, Covering the Corner

Radio: ESPN Radio

TV: TBS/HBO Max

Lineups

Game3️⃣in CLE

👀: TBS/HBO MAX
👂: 95.7 WDAE pic.twitter.com/MYsnIt7uj3

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 15, 2026

Cleveland, we're up.#GuardsBall | #StandGuardpic.twitter.com/maaelHnp7x

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 15, 2026

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Milwaukee Brewers (3-0) at Los Angeles Dodgers (0-3) — 6 PM MDT

Pitching Matchup: TBD vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-2, 3.53 ERA)

SB Nation Sites:Brew Crew Ball, True Blue LA

Radio: ESPN Radio

TV: FS1/Fox One

Lineups:

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Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Hello, and welcome back to Thursday playoff baseball. Today, there are two games, one that starts at noon and the other that starts around 7 p.m. Theoretically, you can watch both! I mean, if you’re not working.

First Game: Tampa Bay Rays at Cleveland Guardians

• Series tied, 1-1
• 12 PM CST

The first game up is Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, which is tied 1-1 between the Cleveland Guardians (who won Game 1) and the Tampa Bay Rays (who won Game 2). The series now shifts to Cleveland. Originally, it was scheduled for yesterday but postponed until today because of the weather.

For the home team, Gavin Williams takes the mound. Williams, who has the size to play tight end for the Browns, has appeared in three games so far this postseason, including two starts. In those two starts, both against the White Sox, he struck out 11 in 5 innings and then 12 in 5-and-2/3 innings. Overall, he’s pitched 11-and-2/3 innings while allowing two earned runs on six hits and walks while striking out 24. Those numbers are good for a 1.54 ERA, 0.53 FIP, and 0.943 WHIP.

Opposing him is 31-year-old right-hander Griffin Jax. Today will be Jax’s first career playoff start. During this year’s playoffs, he tossed two innings against the Yankees in which one run on one walk and one hit while striking out 4 in a 4-3 Rays victory in New York. He picked up a hold. During the season, Jax pitched in 34 games with 23 starts while pitching just over 112 innings. Somewhat oddly, he never faced Cleveland.

Here are the lineups, first for the Guardians:

Cleveland, we're up.#GuardsBall | #StandGuardpic.twitter.com/maaelHnp7x

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 15, 2026

For the Rays:

#Rays lineup vs. #Guardians, RH Williams in ALCS Game 3: pic.twitter.com/4rbHJdG9LQ

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 15, 2026

Lest we forget: Cleveland traded Junior Caminero to Tampa Bay for a pitcher who never appeared in a game for them. Whoops.

Game Deux: Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers

• Milwaukee leads, 3-0
• 7 PM CST

Could tonight be the death knell for the Los Angeles Dodgers? Say it isn’t, Joe!

Actually, fine. As I imagine most people outside of Los Angeles are, I’m rooting against the Dodgers in this series. And if they somehow pull an ‘04 Red Sox, I’ll be rooting against them in the World Series. I like Dave Roberts enough, but I’m tired of the Dodgers constantly winning.

Neither the Brewers nor Rays have ever won a World Series, and Cleveland hasn’t won it since 1948.

Plus, the Dodgers are the only remaining big market team, and with a lockout—NOT A STRIKE—I’d rather see a little guy win it all. It hasn’t happened since the Royals captured the crown.

Alright, enough of that. As of this writing, there isn’t a whole lot available about the lineups. I’m not even sure who’s starting for the Brewers.

L.A., meanwhile, will send out righty Tyler Glasnow. This will be Glasnow’s second start of the postseason after he pitched 4-and-2/3 against the Braves just over a week ago, a game the Dodgers won, 4-1. He only allowed one hit but walked five while striking out the same number.

If the Dodgers want a shot at forcing a Game 5, he’ll need to be sharper. Much sharper.

Go Rays!