Category: MLB

Another Yankees postseason run has come to a close in devastating fashion as the Rays executed the three-game sweep with a 4-3 win in the Bronx to advance to the ALCS. It’s the first time that the Yankees have been swept in a best-of-five series since 1980.

One thing that was true about this game: it was truly a rollercoaster of emotions. The New York offense finally showed signs of life for the first time in the series and came out swinging, but it was all for naught. The Rays ultimately sealed the victory with a two-run homer from Victor Mesa Jr. in the sixth that the Yankees just couldn’t overcome. They made some noise before going down in a one-run loss.

Aside from giving up a single to Yandy Díaz on the first pitch of the game that quickly injected even more nerves into Yankee fans than there already was, Max Fried did well keeping the Rays’ offense quiet until the third inning. Jonathan Aranda ripped one to right in the third and allowed Jonny DeLuca to cross home plate, but Taylor Walls got caught in a rundown. Austin Wells tagged him out, bringing the Yankees to the plate.

Soon after that, the Yankees’ offense also started to make waves when Ben Rice drilled a single to right that brought in Spencer Jones to tie it up before the Rays could make the play at home.

However, the excitement quickly faded to nerves again as Ryan Vilade sent a go-ahead home run just over Jones’ leap and into the short porch in the fourth, marking Fried’s second run allowed of the evening. He struck out Liam Hicks in four pitches to give the Yankees offense another scoring opportunity.

After giving up a double to Jones that allowed Anthony Volpe from first to tie the score 2-2, Rays lefty Ian Seymour replaced Nick Martinez, who allowed five hits, a walk, and two runs through 3.2 innings.

It was curtains for Fried in the sixth inning after he gave up a two-run shot to Victor Mesa Jr. that put the Rays ahead 4-2. He finished his outing with seven strikeouts, seven hits, and four runs allowed through 5.2 innings.

All hope was briefly lost again until the bottom of the sixth, when Volpe slammed one to left in what initially appeared to be a two-run homer to tie it up, but the call was reviewed due to potential interference. A fan reached his hand slightly over the wall to make contact with the ball, but it was far enough for the officials to determine that Mesa wasn’t going to make the play. The final ruling gave George Lombard Jr. the run and put Volpe on second, allowing the Yankees to cut the deficit by a run.

Anthony Volpe makes it 4-3 with an RBI double.

The play was initially ruled a two-run home run, but was overturned upon review due to fan interference. pic.twitter.com/qGMiKDUrRY

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

Blackburn replaced Fried in the sixth and got through 1.2 innings unscathed, then was retired in the eighth for the Yankees to bring in Bednar from the bullpen.

The offense was quiet again, but all the signs of an explosion were there for Giancarlo Stanton to pinch-hit for Austin Wells in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and the go-ahead run on first. Unfortunately, unlike several Yankee playoff games in the past, Stanton never got his moment and struck out swinging to effectively put the nail in the coffin for the Yankees — or at least put it in position.

Bednar got through the top of the ninth, giving Volpe another shot at evening the score with Bryan Baker on to close for Tampa Bay. He struck him out on seven pitches before walking Jones on four pitchers and threw his first offering wide to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm didn’t start the game but entered as a pinch-hitter a couple innings prior. He bounced into a fielder’s choice this time up, putting the Yankees down to their last out.

Comically, Trent Grisham was their final hope since he was the controversial choice to lead off in the lineup despite barely playing this past month and looking bad when he did. Chisholm stole second to move into scoring position, but it was to no avail. Grisham struck out horribly, as anticipated, giving the Rays a cakewalk to the ALCS to face the winner of the White Sox/Guardians Division Series.

For just one note of context, the Yankees posted one of the worst offensive showings in franchise history. This is no exaggeration, per Stathead’s Katie Sharp:

Yankees in 2026 ALDS:
.130 BA
.192 OBP
.239 SLG
.431 OPS

Those stats are their lowest BA, OBP, SLG and OPS in any multi-game postseason series in franchise history

— Katie Sharp (@SharpStats17) October 8, 2026

This marks another painful end to the season for the Yankees, an all-too-familiar situation that they’ve found themselves in once again. With the rumors circulating of an impending lockout, all we can hope is that the owners and the union reach an agreement so they can bring back the game we all love most in 2027 with minimal games lost.

Thanks for joining us on this wild ride.

Box Score

Aaron Boone has managed the Yankees for nine seasons now, but as the team prepares for the offseason after another disappointing postseason finish, what is the skipper's job status? 

It's a question that's asked seemingly after every postseason exit over the last few years, but if you asked GM Brian Cashman, it's clear how he feels.

When he was asked about Boone's job status by FOX Sports' Deesha Thosar prior to Wednesday's ALDS Game 3 against the Rays, it doesn't seem like a change is imminent.

"I think Boone's a really good manager," Cashman said. "We're here for a reason. There are a lot of reasons behind that, and certainly he's part of that."

Unless the Yankees extend his contract this offseason, the 2027 season will be Boone's last under his current deal. 

But Boone expects to be back next season, but is not ready to think about what his future looks like.

"That’s for another day. Right now is about trying to reflect on this. Try to connect with guys as much as I can," Boone said after the Game 3 loss. "Appreciative of a lot of things. But those conversations and things are for another day."

The skipper has amassed an impressive 790-565 regular season record, which ranks seventh in franchise history, and has missed the postseason just once in his nine seasons (2023). In all nine seasons under Boone, the Yankees have finished above .500, but it's the lack of World Series championships that has plagued Boone and the Yankees since he took over in 2018. 

In eight postseasons, the Yankees have made the World Series just once, and after Wednesday's loss, they've been bounced in the ALDS for the second consecutive year. 

The Yankees are 27-30 in the postseason under Boone.

Aaron Boone was asked about his contract status and his future with the Yankees:

"That's for another day. Right now is about trying to reflect on this, trying to connect with guys right now as much as I can." pic.twitter.com/K827gkVSkV

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

But ask any of the players and they support Boone. Cody Bellinger was asked about his skipper before Game 3 and he spoke positively about Boone and the winning culture he's created.

"Boony is a great guy to play for. I've played for four really good managers, in my opinion, and my transition over here was smooth," Bellinger said. "It's all about winning here. When you put on this logo, it's all about winning, and we understand that. We understand what comes with the logo, what comes with the history, and he helps present that."

Even after a tough loss, Aaron Judge gave Boone his flowers when speaking of the managerial job he did handling injuries to himself, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and others.

“He’s our manager. He’s running this ship,"Judge said. "Especially a season like this. I’m banged up, missing 100 games. You miss Big G, Cole, Rodon. Miss a lot of guys. Trent Grisham for a little bit, Cody Bellinger, who was an MVP for us. For him to manage it the way he did and put us in the best position in the playoffs and give us an opportunity to win a World Series."

"He’s definitely had our back, and is our guy."

But you can also ask the players what they need to do to get over the hump in the postseason. While they thought they had what it took, they didn't have a specific answer.

"Don’t really have an answer for you," Cam Schlittler said. "Last year, this year pretty similar. Going on the road, and not playing the way we’re capable of. I look at today and thought the guys played great, they battled. Honestly, just a good game by [the Rays] as well. Don’t have an answer for you. We have an opportunity to go into the offseason, have a chip on our shoulder and take it into next season.”

“There’s a standard to win a championship. It’s black and white, there’s no gray area," Judge said. "Every little thing you do, are you working towards a championship or are you not? That’s the biggest thing. Everyone in the room understanding that you have to bring it every single day. Especially here in New York. There’s no days off. It comes down to the little things.”

While Cashman's -- and Judge's -- vote of confidence ahead of Game 3 should close the book on speculation involving Boone's managerial status, until he inks an extension, those questions will continue, especially after the Yankees suffered another early postseason exit.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are that much closer to history.

Andy Pages came through in the biggest at-bat of his life, driving in the go-ahead runs on a bases-loaded single up the middle in the top of the seventh inning to break a tie and power LA to a decisive 4-1 win in Game 4 of the NLDS, eliminating the Atlanta Braves and punching the Dodgers' ticket to the NLCS for the third consecutive year.

For a Dodgers squad that's dealt with inconsistency over the second half of the season, thanks to a myriad of injuries and prolonged slumps from key players like Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and outright disappointing campaigns from new additions Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, they seem to be piecing things together at just the right time.

Ohtani was dropped to fifth in the lineup for Game 3 after his rough start at the plate in the postseason and was moved up to the cleanup spot in Game 4. He found a way to make an impact despite his cold bat, drawing a five-pitch walk from Braves starter Tyler Mahle in the top of the second inning, stealing second base and taking third on a throwing error before scoring on another error when Mauricio Dubón dropped a pop-up from Max Muncy in shallow left field to tie the game.

The bullpen seems to be in good shape, too, picking up the slack on a night where Tyler Glasnow just didn't have his command.

The pieces seem to be lining up for the Dodgers at the right time, but what awaits them in the NLCS? That part's still up in the air.

Here's a breakdown of each possible opponent:

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers were the best team in baseball again this season and are one win away from securing a rematch of last year's League Championship Series with the Dodgers. But despite all of their regular season success against LA a year ago, the Dodgers' experience − and the two-way excellence of Ohtani − proved to be too much in October as they unceremoniously swept the Brew Crew en route to their second straight World Series trophy.

As the NL's No. 1 seed, Milwaukee would have home field advantage in the best-of-seven series.

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have their backs against the wall and would need to win out against the Brewers to stay alive. They're another familiar face for the Dodgers, both within the division and in October. They most recently met in the postseason in the 2024 NLDS, where LA found itself down two games to one before rallying and holding the Friars scoreless over the last 24 innings of the series. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series that year, their first since 2020.

The Dodgers would keep home field advantage in this scenario.

NLCS schedule

Here's the full schedule for the NLCS:

Sunday, Oct. 11

• Game 1: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1)

Monday, Oct. 12

• Game 2: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1)

Wednesday, Oct. 14

• Game 3: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1)

Thursday, Oct. 15

• Game 4: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1)

Friday, Oct. 16

• Game 5: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1), if necessary

Sunday, Oct. 18

• Game 6: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1), if necessary

Monday, Oct. 19

• Game 7: Dodgers vs Padres/Brewers (Fox/FS1), if necessary

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who do the Dodgers play next in MLB playoffs? LA familiar with either NLCS opponent

Tampa Bay Rays superstar Junior Caminero was at the center of the team's postgame party as they celebrated sweeping the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

It began on the field after the final out, as he did a dramatic sweeping gesture. He then was seen shouting "the Yankees lose!" − a phrase made famous by his countryman David Ortiz − while doing Stephen Curry's "night night" celebration.

But the real partying began in the locker room.

"Sweep! The Yankees lose!" Caminero shouted during an interview.

He gave high praise to Rays pitchers Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Bryan Baker, declaring them the best pitchers in the league. Asked what he was best at in the league, Caminero replied "I'm the best in the world."

Caminero hit 42 home runs in the regular season and had a strong ALDS for the top-seeded Rays. Tampa Bay will now await the winner of the White Sox-Guardians series in the ALCS.

"I'm the best in the world"

Junior Caminero is having a time in the Rays clubhouse! pic.twitter.com/W5OkJmCFqx

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rays' Junior Caminero trolls Yankees fans, declares himself 'best in the world'

Well the Braves’ season is over, despite Tyler Mahle’s and Michael Harris’ best efforts. Now we move into the offseason that holds ample uncertainty for the sport and for the team. A lockout is essentially inevitable at this point and the owners seem geared up to instigate the most contentious set of CBA negotiations in decades as they push for a salary cap. The status of next season is very much in question. Meanwhile, this Braves team may be undergoing coaching changes and has significant player needs. If you thought a starting pitcher was a must last year, its much more of a necessity this year, though hopefully the return of Tyler Mahle can mitigate that issue. The team is also in need of an injection of talent on offense, as the offense has really struggled since a historically productive 2023, followed by an incredibly unlucky 2024 and the subsequent firing of Kevin Seitzer.

Braves News

Tyler Mahle put together another stellar performance, but the offense no-showed again, as the Braves bowed out in the NLDS.

Walt Weiss shared some reflections on the season and the playoffs.

MLB News

The Rays swept the Yankees in a win for the small market teams (and perhaps the MLBPA, paradoxically).

The Guardians avoided a sweep at the hands of the White Sox, sending their ALDS series to a fourth game.

Mason Miller returned from the paternity list ahead of the Padres’ game 4 against Milwaukee.

Another Yankees season ended in disappointment Wednesday night when the Tampa Bay Rays came to Yankee Stadium and finished off a sweep in the AL Division Series. 

The Rays beat the Yanks, 4-3, in Game 3 of the best-of-five affair, meaning the Bronx Bombers are still without a World Series title since 2009, a drought that equals the 17 years without a title the club endured from 1979 through 1995.

The Yankees rallied from several deficits Wednesday and had seemingly tied the score in the sixth inning, though a flashback to 1996 did not go the Yankees’ way – fan interference made Anthony Volpe settle for an RBI double instead of a tying two-run homer. 

The Rays’ celebration of their berth in the ALCS was their second party of the season at Yankee Stadium – they also clinched the AL East title in the Bronx.

Here are the main takeaways...

-- The Yankee offense was horrid throughout the series, with failure up and down the lineup. They had seven hits in Game 3, but that was more than half their total for the series. The Yanks went 12-for-89 (.135) and scored just five runs in three games. They had a .247 slugging percentage and a .436 OPS. Trent Grisham was 0-for-11. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was 0-for-8, Cody Bellinger was 1-for-12, Luis García Jr. was 1-for-10 and Spencer Jones was 1-for-9. 

-- Manager Aaron Boone made some lineup changes for Game 3 hoping for a spark and he got one, at least from his move of inserting Anthony Volpe at second base in place of Chisholm. Volpe singled and scored in the fourth inning and then hit one of the most impactful balls of the night in the sixth. José Caballero, who started at third in place of Ryan McMahon, was 0-for-2. Boone also moved Grisham to the leadoff spot, but he fizzled, going 0-for-5.

-- In the ninth, the Yankees got the tying run into scoring position, to no avail. Rays closer Bryan Baker struck out Volpe leading off but then walked Jones on four pitches. Baker then got Chisholm, who had entered two innings earlier as a pinch-hitter, to ground into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Chisholm stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, but Baker struck out Grisham to end the game and the Yankee season. 

-- Twice before in best-of-five division series play, the Yankees had lost the first two games and rallied to win the series. The first time it happened was in 2001 against Oakland, the series in which Derek Jeter made the Flip Play, and the other was in 2017 against Cleveland. But it was not to be this time. 

-- With two outs in the sixth, a runner on first and the Yanks down by two, Volpe lofted a ball toward the stands in left field that kept carrying. Fans reached for the ball as Victor Mesa Jr. leapt for it and the play was originally ruled a home run, which would have tied the score. But a lengthy crew chief review determined that there was spectator interference – fans’ hands clearly grabbed for the ball in the field of play. It was reminiscent of ‘96 and the Jeffrey Maier incident, though that one worked out better for the Yanks. Volpe was placed at second and umps ruled that George Lombard Jr. would have scored from first base. Rays manager Kevin Cash came out to argue, but the Rays' lead was trimmed to 4-3. 

-- The Rays snapped a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning by scoring with two outs and knocking out Yankee starter Max Fried. First, Junior Caminero hit a single up the middle. Then Mesa, a lefty hitter who enjoyed so much success against lefties this year in a limited sample (.333 in 60 at-bats) that he was moved up to cleanup against Fried, smacked a 401-foot home run to right-center. The blast gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead. 

-- Fried threw 5.2 innings and allowed four runs and seven hits while striking out seven and walking none. He was fine, but never seemed to be able to stop the Rays and gave up home runs to Ryan Vilade and Mesa. In 26 postseason games (16 starts) in his career, Fried has a 5.11 ERA. 

-- The Rays broke through against Fried in the third for a 1-0 lead and it could’ve been worse if they had not gambled on the bases. With two outs and runners on first and second, Jonathan Aranda smacked a single to right field. Jonny DeLuca scored and Aranda got hung up between first and second when Jones’ throw home was cut off. Taylor Walls, who had raced to third on the hit, broke for home and was erased in a rundown, 9-3-6-2. The Rays, clearly trying to force the Yankees to make a play, might have built a bigger inning if they had been more cautious. Before Aranda’s hit, the Rays had been 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position in the series. 

-- The Yanks tied the score at 1 in the bottom half of the third thanks to – who else? – Ben Rice. Entering the night, Rice’s pair of solo home runs in Game 2 were the only runs the Yanks had mustered in the series. In the third, he hit a two-out, RBI single to score Jones, who had walked. At that point, Rice had driven in nine of the Yankees’ 21 runs this postseason. 

-- A half-inning after he leapt at the wall and just missed Vilade’s Yankee Stadium homer in right field, Jones re-tied the score at 2 with an RBI double. First, the homer – Vilade swatted an outside pitch from Fried 340 feet to right and Jones, who is 6-foot-7, leapt to try to snare it but the ball was out of his reach. It was Vilade’s first career postseason longball in his first career postseason game and it gave the Rays a 2-1 lead. It was also a drive that would have been a home run in only one park – the one the game was played in. Then with two outs in the bottom of the frame, Volpe smacked a 97 mph liner off Rays starter Nick Martinez for a hit. Tampa Bay went to its bullpen for lefty Ian Seymour to face Jones, who is comfortable against same-side pitchers – he batted .389 against lefties during the regular season. Jones hit a liner to the opposite field, past Mesa. Volpe sprinted from first to score and Jones took third on the throw home and was credited with a two-bagger.

-- The Yankees turned a pretty rare 6-5-3 double play in the first inning, thanks to third baseman Caballero being shifted toward the second base bag against Aranda, a lefty. Aranda hit a hard grounder to shortstop Lombard and Lombard flipped to Caballero, presumably because Caballero was so close to the bag and moving in the direction of first base. Volpe, playing second, was there, too. Caballero touched second and threw to first for the twin kill. Nifty collab.

-- After the Yanks used Chisholm as a pinch-hitter for Caballero, he remained in the game to play second base and Volpe moved from second to third. Entering the game, Volpe had exactly one appearance in the major leagues at third. He fielded his first chance cleanly Wednesday. 

-- Boone took a shot with Giancarlo Stanton as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning with a runner on first and two out. The Rays brought in righty reliever Kevin Kelly to face Stanton, who was 0-for-1 in the series entering the game. Kelly struck him out on a 2-2 changeup clocked at 85 mph, ending the frame.

Highlights

It's a 6-5-3 double play for the Yankees! Lombard Jr. ➡️ Caballero ➡️ Garcia Jr. https://t.co/eNCkOJu1fZ

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

Max Fried fans Junior Caminero and faces the minimum in the first https://t.co/RZKoHpu8FN

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

BEN RICE AGAIN! Tie game in the third! https://t.co/exeyjckPfE

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

George Lombard Jr. with the barehand! https://t.co/dipLQAYq8F

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

WE'RE TIED AGAIN! Spencer Jones brings home Anthony Volpe! https://t.co/66bDHbaWgX

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

Anthony Volpe makes it 4-3 with an RBI double. The play was initially ruled a two-run home run, but was overturned upon review due to fan interference. https://t.co/qGMiKDUrRY

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

What's next

The Yankees will have an entire offseason to try and build another postseason contender as they look for their first World Series win since 2009.

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a solo home run off a pitch by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

It was Tatis' eighth postseason career home run in 22 games.

The home run served as a quick response to the Brewers' run scored earlier in the inning. The game is tied at one.

The Padres find themselves in a must-win situation for a second consecutive night after losing in the first two games in the series in Milwaukee.

Super El Niño 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K5ev3Y1CDA

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 8, 2026

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fernando Tatis Jr.'s solo HR helps Padres even Game 4 with Brewers

The on-field celebration was so brief you could have missed it, as appropriate for Game 62 in Phoenix as a clinching Game 4 of the National League Division Series. The clubhouse histrionics were soggy, the words from Miguel Rojas and Dave Roberts poignant as ever, befitting a journey that’s now reached 166 games. Yet the booze fountain slowed after a 10-minute burst.

When you win your eighth consecutive postseason series, are aiming for your third consecutive World Series championship, all part of 14 consecutive trips to the playoffs, there’s a certain mastery in toeing the fine line between “act like you’ve been there” and appreciating just how very hard it is.

The Dodgers know. And this particular romp through October is about to get much more difficult.

The Atlanta Braves made the Dodgers aware of their own mortality for about 36 hours of this National League Division Series. And then a Braves team that was outmanned in the best of times but significantly diminished after surviving a wild card series folded in the face of all that deluxe Dodgers depth.

This NLDS ended Wednesday, Oct. 7, when the Dodgers pushed across three runs in the final three innings to register a 4-1 victory and eliminate Atlanta in four games.

It was workmanlike, “grindy,” as they like to say, in some ways an ideal level of rigor to begin this playoff run. Yet the Braves’ ample resistance was, due to their three-game survival of their wild-card series against Philadelphia, compromised.

To steal a metaphor from Atlanta’s exurban ballpark, the Dodgers Beat the Freeze. But in the National League Championship Series and, perhaps, World Series to come, they’ll no longer have a head start.

“We understand that the job’s not done. We have eight more wins. Stay focused,” Roberts told his team. “There’s no more talented team than the Los Angeles Dodgers. We’re smarter, we’re better and we’re tougher.”

Probably all true. Yet it’s fair to wonder if “better” applies when it matters most – right now.

The Dodgers won 100 games, yet a bevy of injuries and ailments that dogged them in the latter portion of the season seemed evident against Atlanta.

Will Smith, their backbone of a catcher who received all 73 innings of their seven-game World Series triumph in 2025 and never really seemed to recover, went 1-for-16.

Blake Snell, dogged by shoulder and groin woes all season, did not get out of the fourth inning of his Game 2 start. Tyler Glasnow was good for four innings in Game 4.

And of course, Shohei Ohtani was nowhere to be seen on the mound – and virtually invisible in the batter’s box.

The two-way superstar reduced to an ailing DH had two singles in 15 at-bats, struck out four times and had Roberts searching for hope before Game 4, noting his at-bats were better, and that his “misses are better because they are to the big part of the field versus hitting the ball on the ground, to the right side of the infield.”

Well, in his final at-bat of the NLDS, Ohtani hit the ball on the ground, to the right side of the infield, just 85 mph off the bat against a fading Tyler Mahle in the seventh inning.

An hour later, the champagne flying, Roberts told Fox Sports in a clubhouse interview: “If we’re going to win eight more games, we’re going to need Shohei.”

Of course, these are the Dodgers, and the sky will be blue tomorrow. Max Muncy and Kiké Hernandez are forever, the former slamming three home runs and the latter playing the joker role perfectly against Chris Sale, crushing his 17th career postseason homer off the 6-6 ace.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on a historic run, ever the unicorn in this postseason of openers and four-and-poor starters. And relievers Edwín Diaz and Tanner Scott, signed for $69 million and $72 million the past two seasons, are both healthy and locking down the eighth and ninth innings, with Edgardo Henriquez’s heat a nice middle-inning bridge.

Playing a seven-inning game against this collection of talent is daunting. But the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays are complete teams, blessed with either real postseason rotations or a force of nature like Jacob Misiorowski, and both blessed with youth that the Dodgers now lack.

They’re the type of teams that expose opponents’ weaknesses, that will make Teoscar Hernández’s left field adventures prove far more penal, that will grind the Snells and Glasnows into early showers, and, in the case of the Brewers, have come back to October baseball again and again and again.

One of these times, they will break through. One of these times, the Dodgers won’t survive that moment that, a few weeks later, might cause them to wonder, “How did we pull that off?”

Get Dodgers NLCS tickets

Or maybe they will. Appropriately, this Dodgers run is shaping up a little bit like the 2000 Yankees. The last team to threepeat survived an 87-win campaign to win their division, survived plucky Oakland and potent Seattle to reach a World Series where they steamrolled the Mets.

Eventually, all that Yankee experience mattered.

These Dodgers know their gravitas matters, too. And heck, they won 100 games, easily winning their division, and seven innings of Yamamoto.

So come Wednesday night, they celebrated again, not too hard but also soaking up every drop. A core that took nearly a decade to win its first World Series knows how fragile all this is.

Fortunately, they ran into a Braves team ready to crack. Now, the true tests await, the Dodgers’ greatness – and deficiencies – about ready to go under the microscope.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers survive Atlanta. Their greatness - and flaws - will be for all to see in NLCS

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Anthony Volpe had his 2026 postseason moment... and then it was taken away.

The Yankees infielder, starting at second base, got around and launched a blast off Griffin Jax to left field. The ball kept carrying as left fielder Victor Mesa went back to the wall and jumped. However, the outfielder could not snag the ball as it went into the stands to the delight of the Yankees fans in the front row. Mesa immediately looked up into the stands before staring back onto the field to indicate he thought the fans interfered with his attempt.

The umps called it a home run on the field as Volpe rounded the bases, seemingly tying the game at 4-4 in the sixth. The call was reviewed by MLB and after a lengthy delay, they ruled there was fan interference. However, instead of calling Volpe out, MLB ruled Mesa would not have been able to come down with the catch and awarded Volpe second. They also allowed George Lombard Jr., who was on first and running with two outs, to score, cutting the Rays' lead to 4-3.

MLB released this statement regarding the ruling.

“After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play. The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught. The call is OVERTURNED, there was spectator interference and no home run. Additionally, the Replay Official scored one run and placed the batter-runner at 2B.”

Spencer Jones came up next and struck out, stranding Volpe at second. 

Anthony Volpe makes it 4-3 with an RBI double. The play was initially ruled a two-run home run, but was overturned upon review due to fan interference. https://t.co/qGMiKDUrRY

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

The run being taken away proved to be costly, as the Yankees ultimately fell 4-3 and were swept out of the ALDS.

"I thought they did a good job with it," Aaron Boone said of the call after the game. "When he hit it, to my eye looking out there, I was a little concerned right away because it felt like something, I wasn't sure. And then seeing the replay and seeing it unfold, I thought they did the right thing. I thought they got it right."

Despite missing out on a moment, Volpe doesn't put the Game 3 loss on that one call. 

“We lost. That’s what we’re dealing with now. That’s just what happened," Volpe said after the game. "We had more opportunities, had much more innings left. We just didn’t come through.”

 

A fan in left field just cost the Yankees a run in an elimination game.

Anthony Volpe drove a 1-0 sinker to left field with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The stadium went nuts thinking it was a two-run, game-tying home run.

Instead, replay showed a fan reached out and the ball hit his outstretched arms before falling over the left-field fence. Underneath, Rays' left fielder Victor Mesa Jr. was trying to catch the ball and immediately complained to the officials.

After a replay review, it was ruled fan interference and a double. The Yankees pulled within 4-3 and Spencer Jones struck out to strand Volpe, the tying run on second base.

The Rays held on to the one-run lead to secure the Game 3 win and a spot in the AL Championship Series.

The replay officials said it was "definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play. The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught."

After replay review, the Yankees pull within a run on Anthony Volpe's RBI double! pic.twitter.com/6Fua0LNVBQ

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

Yankee fans have seen this before, but with the opposite result.

On Oct. 9, 1996 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles, 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reached over the right-field wall at the old Yankee Stadium and pulled Derek Jeter's eighth-inning fly ball into the stands. Umpire Rich Garcia called it a home run, which tied the game. Orioles right fielder Tony Tarasco said he was about to catch it.

There was no replay to fix it. The Yankees won in 11 innings on a Bernie Williams homer, took the series and won the World Series.

Maier gave the Yankees a home run. Wednesday's fan took one away.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fan interference robs Yankees of home run – 30 years after Jeffrey Maier

Before this season started (and even before the Postseason started) the big question concerning this 2026 Atlanta Braves team was whether or not they would have enough pitching (particularly in the rotation) in order to find a way to be successful.

94 wins, an NL East title, a Wild Card Series win and a Divisional Series exit later, we now have the answer: Yes, they had enough pitching. Even when the rotation was strained to its very limits like they were during the Postseason, there were no terrible blow-ups during this run. Chris Sale gave it all he had, Tyler Mahle performed admirably and the bullpen was about as good as you could ask them to be without being just straight-up perfect.

Instead, the autopsy for the 2026 Braves will reveal that at the end of the day, a good ol’ fashioned lack of hitting is what eventually doomed the Braves. Now granted, it’s pretty tough to go through the crazy boss rush of starting pitchers that Atlanta had to deal with across both the Wild Card and the Divisional Series and expect them to just turn it on like the ‘27 Yankees but it’s also rough to see this team go out like they did at the plate.

Key pieces of the core of Atlanta’s lineup had an absolute nightmare in this series. Austin Riley went 0-for-13 with six strikeouts. Drake Baldwin went 1-for-14 with five strikeouts. Matt Olson went 2-for-16 with six strikeouts. Ronald Acuña Jr. went 2-for-15 with four strikeouts. Sure, the Dodgers have an absolute conveyor belt of strong pitching but plain-and-simply, that won’t cut it in the Postseason.

“The Dodgers have something to do with that. They’re going for their third straight world championship for a reason. Their arms just keep coming at you,” stated Walt Weiss when he was asked about the lack of hitting during this series in particular. “…You have a lot of unsung heroes a lot of times in the postseason, and sometimes guys struggle. It’s obviously magnified because you’re playing under a microscope. But I think that we struggled with runners in scoring position. So did the Dodgers. The games were really tight. I thought we gave them all they could handle. But it’s a good team over there.”

Usually any type of struggles of hitting with runners in scoring position is overblown and you could’ve argued that too, as Weiss did mention that the Dodgers had a tough time hitting with RISP, themselves. With that being said, 0-for-23 with RISP is not going to cut it. Two of the RBI that Atlanta had in this series came from the Dodgers basically donating it via pitches that went awry while the Braves had a runner on third. The clutch hitting (particularly in the latter innings) just wasn’t there for Atlanta in this series and it ended up playing a major role in what sent them into the cold and especially uncertain offseason coming up.

With that being said, it’s hard to call this season anything other than a solid success. Again, they won 94 games (in weird fashion but still) and won the division. Any time a blue flag goes up on the light tower outside of the seats in right-center, it’s a solid season and one you take to the bank. The pain and disappointment is certainly palpable but some perspective from the disappointment reveals that this isn’t a season that the Braves should just flush away — definitely not like the train wreck that was the 2025 season.

“Of course [we’re] disappointed,” said Weiss when he was asked about the tough ending to the season. “You always are when you’re not the last team standing. There’s only one team that goes home happy at the end of the year.”

“But I’ve talked about how proud I am of this group all year. And that doesn’t change,” continued Weiss. “It’s a privilege to manage this group. And the way they compete and the way they pull for one another, the things that we overcame this year, I mean, really impressive. And it’s because of the guys in that room. It was a privilege to manage those guys.”

I asked Weiss about what he could take away from his first season back at the helm of a big league ballclub and he was reflective on how things went. “It was great. It was a lot of fun for me. Everything that we went through, and we basically went wire to wire to win the division. And I always say that’s the toughest one to win because it takes six months,” explained Weiss.

“Now it’s the ones in the postseason that are more special when you win those. But winning a division is tough to do, and we basically went wire-to-wire. A lot to feel good about. You don’t ever feel good about losing. Like I said, there’s only one team, when the season’s all said and done, that’s happy. There’s only one out of 30.”

Indeed, that type of perspective is crucial when it comes to baseball and it’s a small comfort to take with you as another long season comes to a close. With the offseason locking as uncertain as ever, it’s very important to take stock of the good just as much as it is to address the bad. There are going to be a lot of questions about the core of this team (particularly in the lineup) but at the same time, it’s been exciting to see a revelatory season from Michael Harris II and it was certainly encouraging to see him continue that into the Postseason.

The end of the season always stinks (especially with what awaits the baseball world this Winter) but the Braves can at least take it on to the house knowing that this ended in October with a divisional title instead of September with a completely lost season. The wait for another World Series title continues for another season and now it’s on Alex Anthopoulos and Atlanta’s front office to figure out a way to fix what ended up ailing this team in October. We’ll see what happens, y’all.

It’s game 4 of the NL Division Series as the Padres will try to force a game 5. Walker Buehler will get the start for the Padres while the Brewers will depend on LHP Robert Gasser. First pitch at Petco Park is scheduled for 9pm central time and the game broadcast is available via Fox/FS1.

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox were never going to roll through the postseason unscathed.

Oh, it was tempting to imagine it, what with the sweep of the Houston Astros in the wild-card round and opening the ALDS by taking two games off the Cleveland Guardians at their ballpark. The hitters were providing timely offense, the pitchers were stifling opponents, and no stage is proving too big for a team as chill as it is young.

It all seemed to be setting up perfectly for the White Sox to come back to Rate Field and clinch their first postseason series at home since 1906.

Baseball is rarely that tidy, however. After a 9-3 loss to the Guardians in Game 3 of the ALDS on Wednesday, Oct. 7 — a game that wasn’t even as close as the score indicated, to be honest — the White Sox have to find a way to channel that enthusiastic oblivion that’s served them so well in this historic season.

Game 4 is Thursday, Oct. 8.

“It’s baseball. You’re not going to win every game. That’s the reality of it,” second baseman Chase Meidroth said. “But you know, tomorrow is a new day.”

And a loss like this is likely going to be easier to put behind them than a white knuckler that came down to the last few at-bats.

Almost everything went wrong for White Sox

It’s not as if they played well and still lost. Little, if anything, went right for the White Sox. They were outhit for the first time this postseason. Their 19 strikeouts — yes, 19 — was an MLB record for a nine-inning postseason game. They were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. They stranded eight.

The nine runs the White Sox gave up were three times what they allowed in the first two games of the series. They walked 10. Jo Adell and Jose Ramirez both hit triples, the first time Cleveland has had multiple triples in a postseason game.

Even that much-hyped mystery guest throwing out the first pitch was a bust. Pope Leo XIV? Former President Barack Obama? Michael Jordan? Caleb Williams? Try Belmont Cameli from Amazon Prime’s “Off Campus.”

Talk about a fail …

Third inning does Chicago in

The White Sox got on the board first with Kyle Teel’s RBI double in the first inning. But the Guardians took control of the game with a four-run third inning. Steven Kwan tied it up with an RBI single. Three batters later, Adell’s triple made it 4-1.

The White Sox would chip away at Cleveland’s lead, getting an RBI double from Tristan Peters in the fourth and scoring another after Hunter Gaddis plunked Colson Montgomery and Sam Antonacci in consecutive at-bats. But their momentum was never sustainable.

“We’ve just got to be able to execute a little bit better, get outs,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And, again, we’ve talked about this the whole series, that these guys are going to make you pay for walks. First couple games they didn't. But today, they did.”

White Sox have been resilient all year

While the White Sox clubhouse was silent after the game, this is not a team that’s going to wallow and get in its own head. They don’t know to get stage fright or overthink. They’ve spent the entire season merrily defying expectations — the first team in Major League Baseball to make the playoffs after losing 100 or more games in consecutive seasons — and having a blast doing it.

They were counted out before the season even began. And after they lost 13 of their first 19 games. And after they lost four in a row at the beginning of August. And after they lost eight of 11 in early September. And after … well, you get the idea. Every time, the White Sox have been able to put their woes behind them.

They don’t see why it should be any different now.

“Just everybody in the clubhouse,” lefty Hagen Smith said. “Everybody believes in each other and plays super hard and plays until the last out. So I’m super confident for tomorrow.”

The White Sox still only have to win one game while the Guardians have to win two. Even if they lose Game 4, the White Sox would keep playing. If Cleveland loses Game 4, its season is over.

A loss, even one as bad as this, doesn't change anything for the White Sox. They can't make the mistake of thinking it does.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago White Sox haven't stressed all season. Why start now? | Opinion