On the surface, Sunday's game between the Cardinals and the Giants brings little if any sizzle to the NFL menu. But there's a surprising amount of history embedded in the series.
Via NBC Sports research, the two teams first met 100 years ago next month, on November 7, 1926. Today's game will be the 130th time they've squared off.
From 1950 through 2001 (with the exception of 1968 and 1982), they played twice per year. Even after the Cardinals moved to Arizona, they remained in the NFC East for more than a decade.
Since the realignment of the divisions in 2002, they've played 11 times. Most recently, they met in 2023. The Giants won that one, 31-28; the Cardinals had won four in a row before that.
A win for the Giants would give them a 3-0 record at home for the first time since 2008. A win for the Cardinals would end a 16-game losing streak against teams that entered the contest with a losing record.
Of the eight games in the 1:00 p.m. ET window, it still doesn't generate a ton of excitement. But at least we tried.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Max Muncy #13 after winning Game One of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Traditionally, what might be described as a commanding win comes in a blowout result or with a team overcoming glaring obstacles. For this specific matchup, the Dodgers might have managed to secure one over the Braves without any of that, simply by materializing well-established facts regarding these two clubs.
Through the middle of the sixth inning, the Dodgers led by just one run after Sean Murphy delivered Atlanta’s first and only blow to Tarik Skubal with a solo shot. The Braves generated some action in that inning, but Skubal stranded a pair and helped the Dodgers maintain the lead. With all of their offense in the first half of this game coming from Teoscar Hernández’s two-run shot, punishing a mistake-breaking ball in the fourth, the Dodgers’ hitters were playing down to their competition.
The game had gotten shorter, and it was still close, but the moment it became dangerously close with Murphy’s homer and the subsequent trouble Skubal ran into, the Dodgers turned on the jets—giving themselves the cushion to eventually survive a ninth inning scare. Instead of a shutdown inning, the Braves saw the game slip from their hands, allowing a pair of homers in the bottom of the sixth.
The Braves made it close against Tanner Scott in the ninth with a two-run bomb by Ozzie Albies. Even then, it’s not as if Scott were the recipient of unwavering trust from Dave Roberts, a reflection of this bullpen’s depth. In fact, he didn’t even wait and see if Scott could finish the game without allowing the tying run to get an at-bat, bringing in Evan Phillips for the final out. Under normal circumstances, an elite closer has a little more faith than getting pulled because of a single bad pitch, but then again, it’s not a one-off occurrence.
With the scoreline showing 5-3, the prevailing sentiment is that Atlanta played as well as it could have against a dialed-in Skubal apart from one shaky inning, and it still wasn’t enough. While Mookie Betts reached base a couple of times, it was Hernández and the bottom of the order getting it done for Los Angeles. It’s the bottom of the order, but that’s only because someone has to be there, because we’re talking about the likes of Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy. It feels redundant at this point, but the depth to be able to reasonably hit Muncy — the franchise leader in postseason home runs — in the eighth spot is absolutely unparalleled.
Contrasting the depth of the two clubs, Murphy’s home run was the only hit recorded by a batter in the lower half of the Braves lineup. Scott’s troubles in the ninth will be a sticking point, but Skubal’s sixth-inning woes allowed for other bullpen names to come in and prove themselves in this setting. For this one, it was Brock Stewart and Alex Vesia contributing key outs, but for the next one, it could very well be Edgardo Henríquez and Kris Bubic, both of whom warmed up but didn’t enter this game—evidently trusted in high-leverage spots.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 30: Briggs McKenzie #45 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during the 2026 Arizona Fall League media day at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today represents the first minor league recap of the Arizona Fall League, as the league got underway yesterday. The Braves action got underway with Briggs McKenzie returning from injury to make the start.
Salt River Rafters 9, Glendale Desert Dogs 4
Briggs McKenzie, SP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Logan Samuels, RP: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Owen Hackman, RP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Tyler LaPorte, RP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Briggs McKenzie made his first appearance since June 25th and got off to a strong start, though his command was a bit scattered the entire time. In the first inning he got two strikeouts swinging with his fastball and changeup, and also a weak infield ground ball. In his second inning he got another strikeout and weak ground out, but allowed a run via two walks and two singles, though was taken out of the game as his pitch count for the inning approached 30. He did return for the start of the third inning, getting a pair of fly outs and a hit by pitch before leaving the game. In total he threw 49 pitches with 31 being for strikes.
Briggs was relieved by Logan Samuels, who allowed an unearned run on three hits and a walk with one strikeout. Tanner Bauman came in and allowed five runs (three earned) over a third of an inning. Owen Hackman pitched an inning and two thirds, allowing a hit and a walk. Tyler LaPorte went an inning and a third, allowing an unearned run on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 03: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first day of the Division Series is done and recency bias is working on me big time because I am struggling to see how any of the four 0-1 teams can overcome the deficit in these five-game series. I’ve always said the MLB playoffs are the best playoffs because it isn’t necessarily who has the best team, but who has the hot hand. “Momentum” is a vastly overplayed sentiment, but, I’ll be good and gosh darned if I can envision any of the 1-0 teams failing to advance. I do so love being wrong though.
I find myself in my day-to-day life remembering a specific phrase. It was a phrase that I’d certainly heard before I heard it in this specific context, but the way FilmJoy delivered “no one knows what they’re doing” cemented the notion very firmly in my brain. Some things remind me of it more than others. My service industry day job gets me thinking about it almost every day, but that doesn’t have the same meaning as it does when an entire industry of supposedly smart people are collectively wrong about one thing. That one thing was Munetaka Murakami, whose entire market was tanked by everyone whose job it is to see the forest getting Blair Witch level lost in the trees.
What you’re seeing in the video below is footage of the only hit the Yankees had against Drew Rasmussen in yesterday’s game. It doesn’t take a ton of scrolling to find people on the timeline questioning Austin Wells’ decision to go for third, but all I can think about watching him hit second base is how base-rounding is a lost art. A perfect cut of the bag probably still wouldn’t have gotten him to third before the relay, but it certainly would not have hurt his chances. Am I forcing a narrative here? Maybe, but it’s my publication, leave me alone.
Drew Rasmussen's no-hitter is over but the Rays team up to get Austin Wells at third base 😮 pic.twitter.com/WyRUMuvneE
Who could’ve foreseen that the best player traded at the deadline this season would be able to single-handedly swing a playoff game? Oh everyone could? That was the whole thing he was sold on? Got it got it got it.
Unconfirmed reports of Padres fans carrying garden shears trying to attain access to the catwalks at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Stay tuned here for updates on the rumors I’m starting.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 03: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a home run in the fourth inning during Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees’ postseason run had seen them erupt for nine runs in both of their Wild Card Series wins over the Red Sox, but they were completely shut down by Drew Rasmussen in Game 1 of the Division Series. The Rays’ ace tossed eight shutout innings and had a no-hitter going through 7.2 innings before Austin Wells ripped a double down the line to finally break that up… only to get thrown out trying to extend it into a triple. Gerrit Cole took the hard luck loss allowing a solo homer to Jonathan Aranda in his five innings of work, and that was your ballgame.
Elsewhere, the Division Series kicked off across the league, so let’s see what the rest of the field accomplished on Saturday night.
AL Division Series Game 1
Chicago White Sox 3, Cleveland Guardians 0 (Chicago leads, 1-0)
Call it divine intervention, but these White Sox are looking to go on a deep run after sweeping the Astros in the Wild Card Series and they went out and stole Game 1 from Cleveland on the road. Parker Messick enjoyed a fabulous first full season for the Guardians, pitching to a 2.56 ERA in 186.1 innings, but his Postseason debut didn’t go as well. He managed to work around a pair of baserunners in the first inning and then cruised through the second and third, but in the fourth Miguel Vargas led off with a single bringing Munetaka Murakami to the plate. Messick gave him a first-pitch sinker up and in the zone, and Murakami deposited it 440 feet out to right field.
That would be all the run support Chicago’s pitching staff needed as they worked their second bullpen game of the playoffs well enough to shut Cleveland out. Hagen Smith was the opener and provided 2.2 innings, issuing three straight walks in the third to end his outing before Bryan Hudson entered and got him out of that jam. Jordan Hicks took over to start the bottom of the fourth and got two quick outs before issuing a walk of his own, passing the baton over to Anthony Kay. Travis Bazzana greeted him by ripping a double out to right field to put runners in scoring position, and Kay walked Austin Hedges to again load the bases with two outs before Brayan Rocchio bailed him out by flipping a middle-middle sweeper harmlessly into the glove of Braden Montgomery.
Kay would get through the fifth without further incident, turning the ball over to Grant Taylor to start the sixth. Taylor delivered on some postseason magic, pitching four shutout innings to more than earn the save going deeper into a game than he had all season by more than a full inning. Taylor struck out six along the way and allowed just a pair of hits, a double and a single in the sixth and seventh respectively. Along the way, his offense gave him some more breathing room as Kyle Teel walked in the seventh and Colton Montgomery doubled to bring him home and make it 3-0. Taylor had it well in control though, ending his marvelous appearance by striking out the side in the ninth.
Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Atlanta Braves 3 (Los Angeles leads, 1-0)
The two-time defending champs opened up their October with Tarik Skubal on the mound, and their deadline acquisition delivered six strong innings of one-run ball. Sean Murphy was the only one able to do any damage to the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, launching a home run to lead off the sixth, but despite a couple of walks issued after his at-bat the rest of the Braves couldn’t rally to hang a crooked number on Skubal. They needed a bigger spark too, because LA was already up when Skubal closed out his night and the lead was about to grow further.
Atlanta chose to go with a bullpen game after needed to go three games deep to best the Phillies in the Wild Card Series, and Dylan Dodd was their choice for the opener. Dodd was one of their best relievers this year, pitching to a 2.54 ERA in 49.2 innings, and he gave them a shot to go toe-to-toe with the champs by tossing three shutout innings. Unfortunately, the pitchers that followed him couldn’t say the same. Victor Mederos was tasked with the fourth inning once Dodd’s day was done, and after getting Will Smith to fly out he walked Freddie Freeman on four pitches bringing Teoscar Hernández to the plate. Hernández got a cutter over the middle of the plate and punished it, putting the Dodgers up 2-0.
After Atlanta answered with their run, the Dodgers were back at it in the bottom of the sixth. Hernández singled ahead of Kyle Tucker, playing his first postseason game for Los Angeles after a season to forget following his massive four-year, $240 million contract in free agency. Tucker got hot in September though, and he started his October off with a two-run bomb to extend the lead. Max Muncy stepped up two batters later and got involved in the home run parade with a solo shot to make it 5-1 Dodgers.
The game wasn’t over yet, however, as Atlanta gave Dodgers closer Tanner Scott their best shot. Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the finale frame with a single and Ozzie Albies crushed the first pitch he saw for a two-run blast to bring the Braves within two, but Scott calmed down from there. He recorded two consecutive outs before Dave Roberts went back to his bullpen and got Evan Phillips to face Mauricio Dubón. Phillips tossed every pitch he knew down and away to Dubón but he laid off enough to work a lengthy walk and took second base on defensive indifference. Phillips finally closed out the game by getting Austin Riley to ground out, securing the 1-0 series lead for LA.
NL Division Series Game 1
Milwaukee Brewers 3, San Diego Padres 2 (Milwaukee leads, 1-0)
The Brewers were heavy favorites for their opening game of the postseason with Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski on the mound, but The Miz wasn’t his usual sharp self in his first career postseason start. The Padres struck first with three straight singles in the second inning to plate the first run of the game, and brought home another as Jake Cronenworth grounded out to first for a fielder’s choice with the throw home coming late.
Milwaukee had their ace’s back though, getting those runs back in the third inning. Facing Robbie Ray, the Brew Crew got a leadoff single ahead of Jackson Chourio, who launched one for a game-tying two run blast. After a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases, the Padres were forced to pull Ray after just 2.2 innings, but Milwaukee couldn’t convert any more as Bradgley Rodriguez escaped the jam with a groundout.
Misiorowski only lasted four innings in this game, but the Brewers’ bullpen held firm despite needing to get 15 more outs. Milwaukee used five relievers to get it done, and they allowed a fair bit of traffic to exist with three hits and three free passes, but the Padres couldn’t convert going 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position overall. Meanwhile, in the seventh inning facing Adrian Morejon with two outs William Contreras brought the crowd to their feet with a long ball to straightaway center.
The two home runs were just barely enough for Milwaukee to take this one, Trevor Megill coming on for the four-out save, but both sides had to draw deep into their bullpen to try and take the opening game.
After a wild opener, the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres are back in action for Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday, Oct. 4.
Milwaukee overcame a 2-0 deficit in Game 1 to win 3-2 after William Contreras’ go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning at American Family Field.
Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47 ERA) starts for the Brewers while right-hander Michael King (12-10, 3.21 ERA) goes for the Padres.
“It always feels good when Michael's on the mound,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “We felt good when he's on the mound all season. He's definitely been our leader on the pitching staff.”
Where to watch Brewers vs Padres: TV channel, streaming
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 03: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres flies out off of the roof during the ninth inning in game one of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the San Diego Padres trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 in the top of the ninth inning, Ty France stepped to the plate with one on and one out facing Brewers closer Trevor McGill. France connected on what looked like a sure two-run home run, which would have put the Padres in the lead, but the ball hit one of the roof trusses and deflected into the field of play where it was caught by Milwaukee left fielder Jackson Chourio. The play was ruled an out, and after a couple of umpire meetings and a replay review, the call was confirmed and San Diego was down to its final out. Jackson Merrill hit a well struck line drive to right field, but the ball was caught by Luis Lara and the Padres suffered a 3-2 loss to the Brewers in the series opener of the National League Division Series.
Milwaukee took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when the San Diego bullpen faltered. Adrian Morejon took the mound in the bottom of the seventh and recorded two outs against the first two batters he faced. William Contreras stepped to the plate and battled Morejon before he eventually won the at-bat when he connected on a solo home run on the sixth pitch of the plate appearance which gave the Brewers the lead. Morejon then allowed back-to-back singles before he got the final out on a strikeout.
The Padres had an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the eighth with runners at the corners and two outs. McGill who came in to face Fernando Tatis Jr. was able to get out of the inning with a three-pitch strikeout of one of the hottest hitters in the San Diego lineup. The Padres returned to the plate in the top of the ninth and Dustin Harris led off with a single to right field. Manny Machado followed and like Tatis against McGill, he went down on a three-pitch strikeout to set the stage for the dramatic plate appearance from France.
San Diego had plenty of opportunities to add to its two-run lead that came up empty. The Padres left 12 runners on base and finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the game.
San Diego will try to draw even in the series when Michael King takes the mound against Milwaukee today at 1 p.m.
Padres News:
Xander Bogaerts is trying something new, although he is reluctant to talk about it. His new split-grip approach at the plate has been paying dividends for him and the Padres over the final month of the season.
Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball said the Padres hitters needed to carry the momentum from their Wild Card Series into the NLDS against the Brewers. San Diego did that, outhitting Milwaukee 9-7, but two home runs handed the Padres the loss.
All the talk before the game was how the Padres would handle Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski and truth be told, they acquitted themselves quite well, scoring two runs off the flamethrower and forcing him out of the game after four innings.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers secured their first postseason game of the year on Saturday, powering three home runs to back a strong start from Tarik Skubal in a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves.
It was the first time that Skubal was able to pitch at home in a postseason starts, as all of his four playoff outings had come on the road during his time with the Detroit Tigers. Skubal’s lone blemish on Saturday came via a Sean Murphy home run in the top of the sixth inning, but he went on to strike out seven hitters over six innings of one-run ball.
He did this while also battling a heat wave that struck Los Angeles, but the weather didn’t play a factor into how he addressed his Game 1 start, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“It’s hot. No denying that,” Skubal said. “Every team’s playing in it, right? They’re playing in the same conditions we are. It doesn’t really matter. It shouldn’t really impact how you are mentally or how it’s going to impact how you pitch. Just go out there and play baseball and try to drink water.”
The 2026 regular season wasn’t too kind to Teoscar Hernández, as a hamstring injury cost him a month’s worth of time while having his power zapped until a torrid September. Now that the real test has begun, Hernández has found his October-self yet again, crushing a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning on Saturday to start the scoring.
“I think the focus is different. In the regular season, you try to have a good game in three at-bats. I think in the playoffs, it’s just pitch-by-pitch. For me, it doesn’t matter what I do in the at-bats before, I will try to focus on the one I’m taking.”
Max Muncy continued to etch his name in the company of Dodgers greats, as he crushed his 17th career postseason home run on Saturday, setting a new franchise record for home runs in the postseason, writes Thomas L. Murray of the California Post.
Kyle Tucker was a disaster when playing at home this season, but he started to rectify his Dodger Stadium struggles with a two-run home run that made the difference in Saturday’s win. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times notes in his latest column that Tucker has a chance of becoming the unlikely hero of the NLDS.
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday, September 25, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Now that the St. Louis Cardinals season is over, it is now fair to look at the entire year together and evaluate the team’s performance rather than grading the season with games left to play. According to basically every respected outlet that produces baseball content, the Cardinals and their fans should be ecstatic for how this season went.
Admittedly, there were plenty of times during the season that the Cardinals were upsetting or disappointing, even when they were playing well above preseason expectations. The team sat at nine games over .500 multiple times but could never hit that double digit, the trade deadline left some to be desired, and their September performance made it easier to check out than I had hoped. Even with this, the Cardinals kept me engaged, entertained, and hopeful by the end of the 162-game season.
The Cardinals surpassed 2026 expectations and set a solid foundation for the future
Since the season is over, I decided to go back and find any preseason predictions built around the Cardinals team and see if expectations met reality. Based on what I could find, I would say that even with me expecting them to surpass the atrocious 68.5 win total given at the start of the year, the Cardinals did indeed surpass what I was hoping for. It was fun to check things out from early in the season, especially opening weekend when I wrote about blown leads and comeback wins. Sounds like the first three games of the year really set the tone.
Every year over at Redbird Rants, Josh Jacobs asks the team to put in their preseason predictions around Team MVP, breakout players, and bold predictions. Looking back at my own thoughts, it looks like the Cardinals played exactly like I expected but there was still some meat on the bone. Starting with Team MVP, I decided to go with DJ Burly Biscuits as my choice. In my write up, I spoke to his consistency, continued trend of improving, and being the leader of the team. I predicted .275 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs and I think we all would have taken that from Alec Burleson. Instead, he decided to go out and surpass all those numbers AND lead all of baseball in RBIs. I’ll count this prediction as a big, fat W for me.
Moving on to breakout players, I think I am officially taking Masyn Winn off of my players to watch list but still believe in him as a main fixture for the Cardinals organization. For the third year, I predicted Winn to put it all together and hit a dozen or so homers, swipe a few more bags, and bring that batting average back up to .270 or so. As much as I nailed the Burly prediction, this one was well on the other side. I do not know what to expect from Winn next year, but I have jumped ship on my 20/20 predictions and am now just hoping for .250 with 10 homers and to stop playing through injury.
Pitching wise, I think I hit the nail on the head but still think I expected a bit more in order to call it correct. I decided to roll with Dustin May as my breakout pitcher even with him being a lock to be traded at the deadline. For May, I wrote that “it is unfortunate that we are only going to see him for a few months, but this could be the season that May fans have been waiting for”. Well, we did only get to see him for a few months and he did put together a decent season before getting dealt to Milwaukee. The second half of my prediction was that he would be a difference maker for whoever acquired him (netting the Cardinals a nice return), so I will say I was close but no cigar in total.
My bold prediction was indeed bold… I went back to the well with Masyn Winn while also putting faith in Victor Scott II, which I never had in general for him. I predicted that these two and JJ Wetherholt would combine for 100 stolen bases after the team finished near the bottom of the league in that category for too long. All three players stole bases in the season’s first week and had me feeling good. But then reality set in for VSII, Winn was unable to consistently get on base and run, and Wetherholt was too busy hitting homers or getting driven in that he did not steal as much as I had hoped. It may not be these three again, but I do need the Cardinals to get more aggressive running the bases.
Finally, it went to record and final standings. I will again give myself a passing grade because not only did I nail the 77-85 record on the head, I also was correct in my fourth place finish in the division. Where I missed was saying the rest of the division was mediocre and the Brewers were the best team in baseball with the Cubs getting to make a cameo in the postseason. Adding on that the Pirates finished above .500 and the NL Central was one of the better divisions in the game.
As I was looking for my predictions, I also found a couple stories from the year as it progressed relating back to the beginning of the year expectations. Early in April, I asked the question if the Cardinals would improve the bullpen if they continued to compete. The team continued to compete but they definitely did NOT address the bullpen that was doomed from the start. A month later, I then asked if we were allowed to be disappointed by the Cardinals this year. In the quarter checkpoint of the year, the Cardinals remained competitive but definitely had some holes that continued to be an issue throughout the season.
Now that the dust has settled on the Cardinals season, how did they do compared to your preseason thoughts? Did you expect them to be the worst team in the majors like the experts or were you one of the few optimstic ones?
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 22: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after defeating the New York Yankees to clinch the American League East title at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
“I was happy over there. Obviously I wasn’t in the spot that I wanted to be with my numbers…but this is baseball,” said Freddy Peralta to the media of his journey from New York to Tampa Bay after Game 1 of the ALDS. “Everything changed when I got traded. I’ve been treated here as a king, and I feel really good about it. They work on me really well here. For me, and my family, this is a great opportunity to be the pitcher for the second game of the ALDS.”
There is no greater disconnect between fanbases in New York than the one between the two New York baseball teams, writes Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
The Braves’ bullpen game strategy fell short, as the Dodgers took Game 1 of the NLDS 5-3 behind six innings of one-run ball by Tarik Skubal.
The Dodgers are forcing the Braves to make a tough decision about Chris Sale; will Atlanta start him in Game 2 after he was deployed on Thursday for the final four outs of the Wild Card Series or will they save him for Game 3?
The city of Washington DC is looking at legislation to authorize bonds to generate $380 million for an “extensive” renovation of Nationals Park, per reporting by the Washington Business Journal. It is unclear how much the Nationals would contribute to the project.
Game 1 of the AL Central ALDS matchup also was a shutout, as the White Sox blanked the Guardians 3-0.
The Brewers won a nail-biter in Game 1 of the NLDS, defeating the Padres 3-2. The Padres took an early 2-0 lead off Jacob Misiorowski, who only managed to record 12 outs, but Jackson Chourio tied the game with a two-run homer in the third inning and William Contreras went deep off Padres setup man Adrian Morejon for the decisive blow in the eighth. This game truly had everything, as a potential go-ahead home run in the ninth off the bat of Ty France struck a cable running across the roof of American Family Field and redirected itself into Jackson Chourio’s glove like an act of divine intervention by the home ballpark.
On this date in 1999, the Mets beat the Reds in a decisive Game 163 behind a two-hitter by Al Leiter to send the club to their first playoff series in 11 years.
October 4th, 2016: Toronto Blue Jays Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (10) celebrates after hitting his game winning three run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning during the American League Wild Card game between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Remembering the Blue Jays’ Wild Card Walk-Offten years ago today.
In the 11th inning, with the Orioles best reliever sitting in the bullpen (Buck Showalter was a genus), the Orioles brought in Ubaldo Jimenez into the game. With one out, we got singles from Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson. At this point, I was sure Zach Britton would be coming into the game. But Showalter left Jimenez in there.
Then, the unforgettable moment unfolded:
Buck Showalter certainly deserves a thank you—perhaps a nice fruit basket.
Earlier in the game, offense was limited. Jose Bautista hit a solo home run in the second, and Ezequiel Carrera brought home Michael Saunders with a single in the fifth.
We grounded into three double plays, despite only putting seven runners on base all game. According to the recap:
The one that hurt the most was in the 9th inning, Josh Donaldson (off a leadoff double) and Edwin Encarnacion (intentional walk) on first and second with one out (Bautista strike out on a check swing) when Russell Martin ground one straight at third for an easy 5-4-3 double play.
Marcus Stroman pitched six strong innings, his only blemish being a two-run homer allowed to Mark Trumbo.
The bullpen was outstanding—Brett Cecil, Joe Biagini, Jason Grilli, Roberto Osuna, and Francisco Liriano combined for five scoreless innings.
From the recap:
Jays of the Day: Edwin (.126 WPA, I thought it would higher), Liriano (.214), Osuna (.195, please don’t be hurt), Grilli (.106), Donaldson (.284).
We won, so I’m not giving any suckage awards, but if I did: Travis (-.240), Martin (-.296), and Tulo (-.134).
I remember thanking Showalter for the assist, and someone on Twitter telling me, “If you put Britton in there, who gets the save?” I was amazed that people still thought managing for the save stat was a priority.
Edwin left as a free agent after the season, finishing with 239 regular season home runs (third in Jays history) and four postseason homers for Toronto. After that, he played for Cleveland, the Yankees, Mariners, and the White Sox. Over those four years, he posted a .241/.344/.489 line with 114 home runs. This past year was tough: he hit just .157/.250/.377 with 10 homers for the White Sox.
The Jays went on to sweep the Rangers in the ALDS, taking all three games.
Toronto then fell to Cleveland in five games in the ALCS—a series defined by outstanding pitching. Cleveland’s hitters managed just .168/.215/.329, while the Blue Jays hit .201/.251/.283.
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (12), =second baseman Brice Turang (2) and shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) watch a replay during the ninth inning of their National League Division Series game against the San Diego Padres Saturday, October 3, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
LOS ANGELES — After a four-game Saturday, the National League has Sunday to itself with a pair of Games 2 of the NLDS first in Milwaukee and then in Los Angeles.
The Brewers took a tight opener over the Padres in Game 1, a contest that was not without controversy. Ty France hit a ball that looked like it might have had the distance for a go-ahead home run, but hit the roof in Milwaukee before being caught in deep left field.
San Diego and Milwaukee have the early slot on Sunday, with both NLDS games on FS1.
Sunday Division Series schedule
1 p.m. PT: Padres at Brewers Milwaukee leads, 1-0 NLDS Game 2: Michael King vs. Logan Henderson FS1 (Adam Amin, Adam Wainwright, A.J. Pierzynski)
5 p.m.: Dodgers vs. Braves Los Angeles leads, 1-0 NLDS Game 2: Blake Snell vs. TBA Fox (Joe Davis, John Smoltz)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 03: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians walks against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Home run totals from yesterday’s games:
Dodgers 3, Braves 2 – Dodgers win
Rays 1, Yankees 0 – Rays win
Brewers 2, Padres 0 – Brewers win
White Sox 1, Guardians 0 – White Sox win
That’s pretty much all you need to know. When the top 6 in your order go 0 for 18 and do not hit a homer, you are going to lose a playoff baseball game.
Now, an off-day to regroup and remember how to hit. The shadows of the afternoon sun were an issue which should only be a problem for the opening of game two. We will see if that enables the Guardians to hit the White Sox bullpen… or, gulp, the White Sox to hit our relievers.
Drew Rasmussen threw seven scoreless, hitless innings against the Yankees which was an all-time performance. Yankee Austin Wells hit a two-out double off Rasmussen in the eighth but was thrown out trying to get to third and I just hope the Guardians were taking notes on what not to do because they make way too many outs at third base. Don’t make the first or third out of an inning at third should be way more of an involiable rule than it is.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 18: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers throws towards first base during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first thing we should do this offseason is appreciate an all-time great rookie season, and what seems certain to be an AL Rookie of the Year award. The only real question around the Tigers fresh-faced star is where to play him.
McGonigle played almost his entire, though certainly brief minor league career at the shortstop position. In his first season in 2024, he did get a little bit of time at second base, but otherwise he was a full time shortstop. In the 2025 Arizona Fall League, he finally started getting some reps at another position, but it was third base. He then split his time as a major league rookie hitting at an extremely high level while also juggling two difficult positions on the field.
As a prospect, I always graded him as a solid but slightly below average shortstop, mainly because of his arm strength. His hands are sound and he’s good around the bag but despite his quickness, his limited wingspan and arm strength cut into his effective range somewhat. Second base seemed the better fit for him, at least down the road. Instead, McGonigle put in the work last offseason and managed to improve at shortstop while playing a pretty solid third base as well. All the more reason to be impressed with him. He’s still quite young and keeps improving all parts of his game.
This season McGonigle played 644 innings at third base and 675.2 innings as a shortstop. Sports Info Solutions liked his defense just fine, crediting him with +8 defensive runs saved (DRS) at third base, and +2 DRS as a shortstop. That’s pretty good work.
Statcast’s player and ball tracking saw things differently. By outs above average (OAA), McGonigle scored a -2 OAA at third base, and a -1 OAA as a shortstop. Overall, Statcast gives him a -1 fielding runs value (FRV) as a third baseman, and a neutral 0 FRV at the shortstop position. Despite the technology, there is always some subjectivity in evaluating and projecting defense. The numbers guide you to a general range, and I tend to just mash them together to get a rough average.
Essentially, the takeaway is that Kevin McGonigle is already an average defender at both positions. With his bat, that’s plenty good enough, and his ability to handle the switch between positions is also big for the Tigers’ roster construction and flexibility. For the most part, they should just play McGonigle at shortstop to allow them to mix in all their other infield bats at second and third base. Based on his trajectory, steady improvement, and youth, there’s a good chance he’s going to keep getting better at the position until he physically starts losing a step, hopefully sometime in his late 20’s if we’re fortunate.
On the other hand, McGonigle’s average and max velocity on his throws were below average in comparison to all qualified fielders. That’s still a good argument for a long-term home at second base. It’s just that an upgrade at shortstop would be required to move him there right now.
They can always adapt as needed, because McGonigle has shown himself so able to adapt already. If John Peck hits and the Tigers like him slightly better at shortstop? Great, he can take some of the reps there, with McGonigle moving to third if needed. Maybe the Tigers can find a legitimate defensive upgrade at shortstop on the trade market, but that just doesn’t seem like a Scott Harris move. Otherwise? Just leave McGonigle at shortstop and let him work at the position until a plus full-time shortstop, hopefully top prospect Bryce Rainer, is ready to seize the reins in 2028 or so.
Kevin McGonigle did it all in his rookie season, and it’s going to result in the 2026 AL Rookie of the Year award. The attention is understandably on his bat and how much power production he’s going to develop with experience. There’s so much more to his game though, as he also showed off his speed, ran the bases well, and improved his defensive ability to produce solid work at both shortstop and third base. He can still move around in 2027, and maybe a bit of work at second base again becomes part of the equation, but for now? Leave him at shortstop and make someone else push him off the position.
Oct 3, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) is tagged out at third base in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Look, it sucks that the Orioles aren’t in the playoffs. Their 2026 season was an abject failure. They were bad and they should feel bad. There’s no way to overcome that disappointment.
But in the absence of the Orioles, watching the Yankees fail miserably in the postseason provides at least some small measure of happiness for O’s fans. And the Yanks’ failure last night was nearly one for the record books. They almost became the victims of the fourth no-hitter in postseason history, as the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen came within four outs of a no-no in a simply dominant performance against a punchless Yanks lineup.
Even more deliciously embarrassing, when the Yankees finally did get their first hit — on an Austin Wells liner just inside the right-field foul line — he foolishly tried to get to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out by about the length of a football field, short-circuiting a potential rally. Never make the third out at third base! That’s Little League stuff. The Rays ended up with a 1-0 victory to secure the first game of the ALDS.
It was a pretty competitive night all around in the opener of every Division Series, as all four games were decided by three or fewer runs. The White Sox stormed into Cleveland and blanked the Guardians by a 3-0 score, while the Dodgers were annoyingly efficient in dispatching the Braves, 5-3. The Brewers and Padres ended the night with a 3-2 thriller that was decided when a would-be go-ahead ninth-inning homer by Ty France deflected off the roof of American Family Field and into the glove of left fielder Jackson Chourio, one of the unluckiest events you’ll ever see in a professional baseball game.
Today, only the National League is in action as the AL teams get a weird non-travel day off after just one game. The Padres and Brewers have the early game at 4:00, preceding the Braves and Dodgers at 8 ET. That means there won’t be any further embarrassment for the Yankees today. But there’s always tomorrow.
Just when you thought Albernaz’s managerial tenure couldn’t get any more infuriating, apparently he gave the cold shoulder to the best pitcher in franchise history. This guy is seriously the worst.
If you thought trading Adley to the Red Sox was painful, consider how close the O’s came to trading him to the Yankees instead. Just think: Austin Wells could have been making terrible baserunning blunders for the Orioles instead of the Yanks.
Notwithstanding the typo in the headline, it’s a valid point — the O’s seem overstocked at the hot corner with Jordan Westburg set to return and Coby Mayo, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Blaze Alexander all worthy of regular at-bats. I guess you’d call that one of those good problems to have.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Five former Orioles were born on this day: right-hander Alec Asher (35), outfielder Drew Stubbs (42), utility man Mark McLemore (62), right-hander Dave C. Johnson (78), and the late outfielder Don Lenhardt (b. 1922, d. 2014), a St. Louis Brown who came over with the franchise to Baltimore in 1954.
The Orioles have played seven postseason games on this date in history. They won the first four and lost the last three. The losses were Game 3 of the Division Series in both 1996 and 1997, and the Wild Card Game in Toronto in 2016. We need not say any more about those. As for the wins:
In 1969, in the first-ever AL Championship Series game after the league split into two divisions, the O’s beat the Twins, 4-3, in a 12-inning thriller at Memorial Stadium. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Birds tied the score on Boog Powell’s leadoff homer against Twins starter Jim Perry. It was the Orioles’ third solo homer off Perry after Frank Robinson and the light-hitting Mark Belanger did so earlier in the game. In the 12th, the Orioles walked it off on Paul Blair’s bunt single that scored Belanger from third.
A year later, the O’s again beat the Twins in the ALCS, this time in Minnesota, with an 11-3 rout in Game 2. The Orioles held a meager one-run lead until the top of the ninth, when they erupted for seven runs, their second straight game with a seven-run inning. For the second straight game, every Orioles starter except Paul Blair had at least one hit. Frank Robinson and Davey Johnson each crushed a two-run homer, backing a complete game by Dave McNally.
On this date in 1971, the Orioles won Game 2 of the ALCS against the Athletics, 5-1. Mike Cuellar pitched a complete-game, one-run masterpiece to outduel Hall of Fame A’s righty Catfish Hunter. All five Orioles runs against Hunter came on homers: a pair of blasts from Boog Powell and solo shots by Brooks Robinson and Elrod Hendricks.
And on this day in 1979, the O’s outlasted the Angels in Game 2 of the ALCS, 9-8. The O’s seemed on their way to an easy victory by storming out to a 9-1 lead after three, but the Angels kept chipping away at the lead in the late innings, eventually putting the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the ninth before Don Stanhouse induced a bases-loaded groundout to end the game. Had ‘em all the way. Eddie Murray homered for the Orioles and leadoff man Al Bumbry reached base four times.
