NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 29: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees reacts to a play during Game One of the American League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ben Rice takes the leadoff spot after a record-breaking Game 1 performance against the Red Sox. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, including an electrifying eighth-inning grand slam, and drove in six runs. It’s also worth noting that his fellow Massachusetts native Cam Schlittler also showed Boston no mercy, pitching six and a third scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts to completely shut down the offense.
Cody Bellinger, who went 1-for-4, will bat second followed by Luis García Jr. in the hole. He’ll start at first for Game 2 over Paul Goldschmidt, who went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored on Tuesday night. Spencer Jones will take the cleanup spot after going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk in the Game 1 blowout win. He’ll be playing right field alongside Trent Grisham, who made his return in Game 1 after being reinstated from the IL.
Gleaming in his postseason debut, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs, George Lombard Jr. is the perfect segue to cruise into the bottom of the order and the lone right-handed hitter in the starting nine. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will start at second over Anthony Volpe, who gave a promising performance in Game 1.
Grisham, who was sidelined most of September with a hamstring injury, is going back to his comfort zone at center and will take the seventh spot in the lineup. He’ll be followed by Austin Wells, who went 1-for-3 with two hits and identical RBIs on Tuesday night. Ryan McMahon will round out the order and start at third over Amed Rosario, who struck out in three pitches from Payton Tolle in the second.
Here’s a look at the Red Sox lineup, which puts former Yankee Jahmai Jones in the leadoff spot. It’s a real blast from the past since he used to lead off for the Pinstripes not too long ago.
With a win over the Red Sox on Wednesday, the Yankees will advance to face the Rays in the ALDS. Don’t miss a second of the action and tune into NBC at 8 p.m. EST.
Postseason signage at Petco Park (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
October is a magical time for Major League Baseball. Every postseason team has a legitimate shot to win a World Series title. Whether you are the prohibitive favorite or the longest of long shots, the stakes remain the same.
It is still hard to imagine the San Diego Padres hosting a Wild Card Series at Petco Park, especially after Las Vegas sportsbooks gave them a seven percent chance of playing in October. But this year’s postseason feels different from past playoff appearances.
A tale of two halves
Is the 2026 roster better than past playoff teams? Tough to answer, but this group has risen off the mat to become a club no one wants to meet in the postseason.
Before the pomp and circumstance associated with Opening Day began, the Padres had to subtract two important pieces from the starting rotation: Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Finding suitable replacements became an agonizing, summer-long task.
A.J. Preller, Friars President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, deserves praise for bolstering the starting rotation. All the talk before the trade deadline was the Padres acquiring a starting pitcher. The addition of Robbie Ray and Casey Mize immediately raised postseason expectations to a season high.
The Friars struggled badly in the first half, saddled with one of baseball’s worst offenses. Each game felt like a continuation of the run-scoring troubles that plagued them a season ago. The club limped into the All-Star break with a 48-49 record.
No one expected much from the Padres in the second half, but the lineup flipped the script and led the team to a shocking 39-12 run.
Veteran leadership key to turnaround
What changed?
It is impossible to predict a locker room’s reaction to player moves made at the trade deadline. The additions confirmed Preller’s belief in the roster holdovers. They began to believe in themselves and gained the confidence to climb back in the Wild Card chase.
And 17 wins in their final 20 games put an exclamation point on the Padres’ remarkable regular season. They finished at 91-71, clinched the four-seed, and continue to play in front of the Friar Faithful.
The club’s veterans were the foundation for the dramatic second-half turnaround. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Ty France have become a sounding board for the younger players. Team manager Craig Stammen fully trusts his veterans, as they kept the team afloat during the first-half struggles.
Adding Dustin Harris to the lineup has added another dimension to the offense. The youngster has fit comfortably in the No. 2 spot in the batting order. He finished the regular season hitting .322 in 28 games with San Diego.
Often, Harris starts an inning by getting on base. His base-running skills allow him to take an extra base before coming home on a hit by the heart of the order. He also plays a solid left field, showing good range on balls hit to the gap.
Harris has stabilized the left-field platoon, despite San Diego being his third major league stop this season.
Yes, the 2026 Friars are a different team. The front office tinkered with the roster; the team took off and never looked back.
Behind masterful pitching performances from Tyler Mahle and Cristopher Sánchez, a 1-1 deadlock between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies was broken on what appeared to be a game-changing gaffe in the bottom of the seventh by Bryce Harper in right field.
With runners on first and second with one out, catcher Drake Baldwin got just under a sinker inside from Sánchez. The ball pulled into right and looked like it would be a routine flyball for Harper, but the Phillies slugger ran a little too far in front of it – and realized it a second too late. He tried to jump back to make the catch, but the ball rolled off the tip of his glove and onto the grass towards the wall as Sean Murphy scored on what was officially ruled an RBI double by Baldwin.
Matt Olson then made it a two-run game on a sac fly that chased Sánchez from the game, but the Phillies would respond in the eighth on back-to-back homers from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to tie it all up at 3-3.
So perhaps Harper's outfield gaffe wasn't as game-changing as it seemed, especially considering what Harper can do with a bat in his hands.
NEW YORK — Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is out for the remainder of the playoffs after aggravating a hand injury in two at-bats during Game 1 of the American League wild-card series, manager Chad Tracy said before Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Replacing him on the roster for the do-or-die Game 2 is a massive surprise: Curtis Mead, who has not played since suffering a fractured left wrist in his Red Sox debut July 27, when he was struck by a pitch in a game against the Athletics in West Sacramento.
That injury came just a day after Mead was acquired from the Washington Nationals for left-hander Connelly Early - who, oddly enough, started and lost the decisive Game 3 of this wild-card series a year ago.
Since that fateful night in Yolo County, Mead has been diligently working his way back, but couldn't quite recover before this series started. Then, Anthony's hand worsened and the Red Sox needed a body.
Mead took batting practice off a Trajekt machine for the first time Saturday and Monday, and then faced live pitching for the first time Tuesday. And that was enough for the Red Sox to activate him.
"Honestly, it’s not ideal, right?" Mead said of his accelerated and abbreviated rehab timeline. "But with the injury to Roman and even Mickey (Gasper) and guys banged up, I feel like I can contribute. I think watching the team and the runs they went on in July and August, I felt pretty good about them and us going deep in the playoffs.
"I was hoping to be ready on this timeline."
Anthony was limited to 55 games due to the injury this season. He was driven from Yankee Stadium to Boston after Game 1, arriving in the middle of the night, and received more imaging Wednesday morning, which Tracy said revealed further damage to the hand. Anthony returned to Yankee Stadium three hours before Game 2.
The Red Sox replaced Anthony on the roster with Curtis Mead for Game 2 of the best-of-three series, automatically Anthony out for the AL Division Series.
“He’s going through it right now, mentally,” Tracy said of Anthony. “I texted with him. He wants to be out there with the guys.”
Against Yankees left-hander Max Fried, Boston will start Nate Eaton in left field and Jahmai Jones at DH.
“He’s a really good player,” Tracy said of Anthony, “but the show goes on. We need to win two in a row.”
Mead, whose parents are in Australia and won't be able to make it to Yankee Stadium, talked frequently with Anthony as both recovered from their maladies.
"I saw Roman last night and saw his pain. I was quite interested in his return to play and the sort of things he was feeling, how long it took him to get up to speed," says Mead. "I feel horrible for him, but glad I can step in and kind of contribute."
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 17: Daulton Varsho #18 of the Houston Astros prepares for an at bat during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Daikin Park on September 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today, the Houston Astros announced that CF Daulton Varsho underwent left arthroscopic wrist surgery yesterday. This procedure will sideline him for the remainder of the 2026 season. Varsho is a free agent at the end of the season.
Varsho’s time with the Astros was unremarkable. He batted only .172 in 41 games for Houston, spanning 151 AB. He hit 5 HR and drove in 14. He also posted a paltry .224 OBP and a “sub-Maldy” .535 OPS.
At this point, it is unlikely Varsho is a member of the Astros in 2027.
It was recently revealed that Varsho had been dealing with a wrist issue since before the team acquired him at the deadline, and was attempting to play through it. Eventually, it became too much discomfort for him to tolerate.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Hunter Brown #58 of the Houston Astros pitches in the bottom of the first inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
WILD CARD SERIES, GAME 2: The Houston Astros (0-1) will host the Chicago White Sox (1-0) for a do-or-die Game 2 of the 2026 AL Wild Card Series today at Daikin Park. The Astros look to extend their season with their ace RHP Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA) on the mound opposite RHP Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA) and the White Sox.
TODAY’S PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Hunter Brown is a perfect 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA (10ER/37.2IP) in six career starts against the White Sox, including two starts this season. Brown and today’s White Sox starter RHP Sean Burke matched up on July 25, 2026 at CWS, with Brown (0ER/7IP) beating Burke (2ER/6IP) in a 4-1 Astros win. That win sparked a strong finish for Brown, as he went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA (20ER/67.1IP) in his final 12 starts of the season.
IN THE POSTSEASON: The Astros are making their 19th postseason appearance in club history in what is the 65th year of the franchise that began in 1962. This season marks the 14th time in club history for the Astros to enter the postseason as a division winner. The Astros have won three different divisions in their history, the NL West (1980, 1986), NL Central (1997-99, 2001) and AL West (2017-19, 2021-24, 2026).
SINCE 2015: After a one-year hiatus, the Astros are back in the postseason for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons (dating back to the 2015 season). The Astros join the Dodgers and Yankees as the only teams in the Majors to qualify for the postseason in at least 10 of the last 12 years.
POSTSEASON VETS: Since 2015, the Astros have played more postseason games (106) and have earned more postseason wins (62) than any other AL club. The Astros are 62-44 in that span for a .585 winning pct. in the postseason.
THE WILD CARD: The Astros are playing in the Wild Card round for the fourth time in their history. The Astros entered this series 3-2 all-time in the Wild Card round, dispatching the Yankees in the one-game playoff in 2015, sweeping the Twins in the 2020 Wild Card Series and getting swept by the Tigers in the 2024 Wild Card Series.
THE PEACOCK BROADCAST: This series will be exclusively televised by Peacock/NBCSN. Tom McCarthy will serve as play-by-play man alongside analysts Geoff Blum and Steve Stone. Adam Ottavino and Britney Eurton will work sideline duties for the telecast.
TODAY’S POSTGAME SHOW: Following every game of this Wild Card Series, Space City Home Network will air a live 30-minute postgame show, which will be hosted by Kevin Eschenfelder and Todd Kalas. The show will be hosted from the SCHN set on the center field concourse.
ABOUT GAME 1: The Astros dropped Game 1 of the Wild Card Series last night, losing to the White Sox, 6-3. Both teams went with bullpen games, with the Astros using eight pitchers, including RHP Miguel Ullola (1ER/3IP), who worked the bulk innings. PH Nelson Velázquez homered for the Astros, marking just the fourth pinch-hit home run in Astros postseason history and the first since IF Chris Burke hit one in Game 1 of the 2005 NLCS at STL.
VS. THE WHITE SOX: The Astros and White Sox are meeting each other for their third all-time postseason series against each other, the others being the 2005 World Series and the 2021 ALDS. The White Sox swept the Astros in 2005, while the Astros dispatched the Sox in 2021 in four games. History aside, the Astros went 5-2 against the White Sox this regular season, including a 3-1 record at Daikin Park.
AT THE HELM: Astros manager Joe Espada has guided the Astros to the postseason in two of his three seasons as the Astros manager since taking over before the 2024 season. Espada has posted a 256-229 regular season record in his three years as the Astros manager and ranks ninth in club history in managerial wins.
ABOUT THE ROSTER: The Astros Wild Card Series roster includes 12 pitchers and 14 position players. Prior to this series, 13 players on the roster had no postseason playing experience, including five position players and eight pitchers. In addition to their active roster, the Astros are carrying 16 players with them throughout the postseason on their Taxi Squad.
GOIN’ DEEP: The Astros hit 226 regular season homers as a team this year, which were the most in the Majors. The last time the Astros led the Majors in home runs was in 2000, when they hit 249 homers. The 2026 Astros also led the AL in SLG (.417) and OPS (.732).
THE CASE FOR THE MVP: DH Yordan Alvarez is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award. Alvarez led the AL in OPS (1.033), slugging percentage (.601), OBP (.432), batting average (.316), total bases (341), walks (109), IBB (33), WRC (154), OPS+ (192) and extra-base hits (77). He also ranked second in RBI (106), second in hits (179), tied for second in home runs (42), tied for third in runs (105), and tied for fourth in doubles (34).
COMING UP BIG: 2B Jose Altuve ranks second in postseason history in HR (27), second in runs (89), third in hits (118), tied for third in extra-base hits (48), sixth in games (106) and seventh in RBI (56)
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted all 26 of his save chances this season. He is the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save. The last Major Leaguer to do so was RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2020 – The Astros dispatch the Twins in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series by a score of 3-1 at Target Field. RHP José Urquidy (1ER/4.1IP) started for Houston, while RHP Cristian Javier (0ER/3IP) earned the win.. Tied 1-1 in the 7th, SS Carlos Correa connected for a solo homer to put the Astros ahead. The win advances the Astros to a meeting with the A’s in the ALDS.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30, 4:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 HD2 FM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
NEW YORK (AP) — Roman Anthony is expected to miss the rest of the postseason for the Boston Red Sox because of new damage to his right hand sustained in an AL Wild Card Series opener against the New York Yankees.
It is not yet clear whether he will need surgery. Anthony was sidelined from early May to late August with an injury to the same hand.
“We did everything we could to be back this year and play, which we did,” Anthony said Wednesday in the tunnel outside the Red Sox clubhouse at Yankee Stadium before Game 2. “Going forward, we haven’t really even talked about it today.”
Batting leadoff as Boston’s designated hitter in his playoff debut Tuesday night, Anthony struck out in both of his at-bats against Cam Schlittler, then was removed for a pinch hitter with the Red Sox trailing by two runs in the sixth inning of a 9-0 loss.
Boston manager Chad Tracy said Anthony felt discomfort in his right hand after a couple of checked swings.
“After I came back, the hand was never really fully 100%,” Anthony said. “For me it was to a point where it was tolerable and I was taking certain swings that were sketchy and I was still able to come back and recover enough to just be in there every single day. But ultimately I just took a few swings here recently where that wasn’t the case.”
The team sent Anthony to Boston in a car after the game. He arrived about 3 a.m. and had new MRIs on Wednesday morning.
“Additional damage to some muscles in his wrist that weren’t there before,” Tracy said.
The 22-year-old Anthony returned to Massachusetts because the medical staff there was familiar with his injury from earlier this season.
“My thoughts are kind of all over the place,” he said. “Feelings and emotions of, you work all this year to put yourself in a position to just be good enough to go in the playoffs and for this to happen, it just doesn’t feel real.”
Anthony wasn’t sure whether the injury is something he’ll have to manage going forward.
“Given the point where we were at this year and all the different things that I tried and the different shots that I took and the routes that I went, I think — never really rested a ton, right? — so I don’t necessarily know the answer to that,” he said. “Once we saw it today, it was more so about like, all right, this is what it is. You can’t go. It’s not in the team’s best interest for you to play tonight. So get back there. Root your guys on and be a good teammate. And then once, like I said, once we get past the series, it’ll be one of those things where we reassess regardless of what happens and kind of go from there.”
Anthony missed 101 games from May 5 to Aug. 29 with the earlier injury to his hand.
“There’s been periods of time since he’s come back where he’ll get a zinger and feel something. And then it dissipates and we’re good to go,” Tracy said. “That’s not been an uncommon occurrence since he’s come back. But yesterday, as you went through those two at-bats, it got worse.”
The club announced Anthony was diagnosed with a right hand strain, and Major League Baseball approved a Red Sox roster substitution. Anthony was replaced on the Wild Card Series roster by infielder Curtis Mead, obtained from Washington in late July for pitcher Connelly Early.
According to MLB rules, Anthony is ineligible to return until the American League Championship Series — if the Red Sox advance that far.
“I’ve been experiencing some things with the swings and the check-swings over the past six weeks. Last night just felt a little bit more intense, a little bit more worse than past swings that have been lingering a little bit longer than the ones I was used to,” Anthony said.
“It was just super alarming and it got to a point where it was tough to grip a bat. I knew then and there that this was a little bit more similar to the one earlier in the year. That’s why we decided to go get imaging.”
Mead was on the bench for Game 2 against the Yankees. Jahmai Jones was set to hit leadoff as the DH with the Red Sox one loss from elimination, followed in the batting order by catcher Adley Rutschman, first baseman Willson Contreras, right fielder Wilyer Abreu, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, third baseman Caleb Durbin, second baseman Nick Sogard, shortstop Trevor Story and left fielder Nate Eaton.
One of baseball’s premier prospects when he debuted in the majors last year, Anthony batted .245 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .735 OPS in 55 games this season.
“Hopefully he’s going to be healthy for next year,” Abreu said. “It’s a big loss for us, but we still have to play the game and try to win the game today.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Roman Anthony was not in the Boston Red Sox lineup for Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night, a day after leaving the opener because of hand pain.
Batting leadoff as a designated hitter in his playoff debut Tuesday, Anthony struck out in both of his at-bats against Cam Schlittler before getting lifted for a pinch hitter with his team trailing by two runs in the sixth inning of a 9-0 loss.
Boston manager Chad Tracy said Anthony felt discomfort in his right hand after a couple of checked swings. The 22-year-old Anthony missed 101 games from May 5 to Aug. 29 with an injury to the same hand.
“He’s obviously coming off that. You’ll get a zinger every once in a while where you feel something — it’s fine, it goes away,” Tracy said. “Today some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable."
Jahmai Jones was set to hit leadoff as the DH with the Red Sox one loss from elimination, followed in the batting order by catcher Adley Rutschman, first baseman Willson Contreras, right fielder Wilyer Abreu, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, third baseman Caleb Durbin, second baseman Nick Sogard, shortstop Trevor Story and left fielder Nate Eaton.
Sonny Gray was set to start on the mound for Boston against one of his former teams.
One of baseball’s premier prospects when he debuted last year, Anthony batted .245 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .735 OPS in 55 games this season.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
One win down, one to go.
The AL Wild Card series continues tonight, Sept. 30 as the Yankees go for the series-clinching victory.
Last night, the Bronx Bombers won Game 1, 9-0, largely thanks to designated hitter Ben Rice’s huge night. Rice had four hits and six RBIs in the win, which he capped off with an eighth-inning grand slam.
“I’ll remember getting a ‘W’ versus the Red Sox — there’s nothing better than that,” Rice said after the game. “I’ll remember Cam [Schlittler, who struck out 10 over 6 1/3 scoreless innings] going out there and just being lights out, like he always is. I’ll remember the atmosphere. It was just an awesome night.”
Tonight, Max Fried will be on the mound as the Yankees try for the sweep.
If the Yankees win tonight, they’ll advance into the ALDS and head to Tropicana Field for a best-of-five series against the Tampa Bay Rays, who finished atop the AL East and finished the regular season with the best record in the league (98-64).
Here’s how to tune in to the Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series without cable.
Yankees vs. Red Sox start time
Game 2 of the Yankees-Red Sox AL Wild Card series is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET tonight, Sept. 30.
How to watch Yankees vs. Red Sox AL Wild Card Game 2 for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream Yankees vs. Red Sox for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes NBC as part of its 125+ channel options.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
You can also watch the Yankees AL Wild Card series for free with a Peacock Premium free trial (seven days, then $16.99/month).
Red Sox vs. Yankees Game 2 starting pitchers
Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA) will start for the Red Sox. Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) will be on the mound for the Yankees.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Taking the hill: Sean Burke looks to guide the South Siders to a sweep in Houston. | Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
The White Sox (84-78) got off to a great start to the postseason with a 6-3 victory, and they hold a 1-0 series lead over the Astros (81-81).
Sean Burke, 26, will start on the mound for the South Siders. Burke posted a 3.36 ERA and a 3.62 FIP in 172 1/3 regular season innings. Burke accumulated 3.2 fWAR to lead the White Sox pitching staff in the regular season. The talented right-handed pitcher had two starts against Houston in the regular season, and he performed admirably against them, only allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in 11 2/3 innings. The Astros posted a slash line of only .125/.239/.150 against Burke, but the Astros managed to win one of those games.
Hunter Brown, 28, is a right-handed starter who will be challenging for the White Sox to solve. Brown posted a 3.19 ERA and a 3.77 FIP in 107 1/3 innings, resulting in an accumulation of 1.9 fWAR this year. Brown made two starts against the South Siders, and those games went exceptionally well for him, as he only allowed two runs on eight hits in 13 innings. The White Sox slashed just .174/.208/.174 against Brown, so it is no surprise that the Astros won both of those games.
Here are this afternoon’s starting lineups:
This game is available on NBC Sports Network and Peacock, and we have further details in our broadcast guide. The first pitch is scheduled to take place at 4:00 p.m. CT. Will the South Siders complete a sweep for their first postseason series victory in 21 years? Let’s enjoy these exciting moments together.
Trent Grisham also entered the starting lineup in center field, batting seventh and bumping Spencer Jones to right field after the rookie had manned center almost every game during Grisham’s three-week IL stint for a hamstring strain.
And Ryan McMahon, who entered Game 1 in the fifth inning as a defensive replacement for the right-handed hitting Amed Rosario, is getting the start at third base against Gray.
Rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. is the only right-handed hitter in the entire lineup, with the Yankees stacking the deck with lefties against Gray and a right-handed heavy bench awaiting the lefties in the Red Sox bullpen.
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (l.) and J.C. Escarra (r.) are seen in the dugout during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the Wild Card game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Robert Sabo/New York Post
Upon informing him that he would not be in the lineup for Game 1, Aaron Boone said he texted Chisholm to tell him to be ready, because “you might be the most important person in the building tonight.”
Ultimately, that opportunity never came as the Yankees ran away with a 9-0 win, which Chisholm watched all of from the dugout.
Trent Grisham of the New York Yankees looks on prior to game one of the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Getty Images
But the second baseman will have a chance to make his mark on Wednesday against Gray, trying to send the Yankees into the ALDS against the Rays with an extra day off.
For the first time in 21 years, the Chicago White Sox have won a playoff series, dispatching the Houston Astros with a 7-3 win on Wednesday.
Coincidentally, their last series win had been the 2005 World Series against the Astros, and just like that series, it ended with a sweep in Houston as they used big games from Chase Meidroth and Andrew Benintendi to triumph over the Astros.
The White Sox wasted zero time getting off to a big start, chasing Astros starter Hunter Brown from the game in the first inning with four runs.
Kyle Teel lashed an RBI single to right field to score Sam Antonacci to start the rally, then Andrew Benintendi hit a broken bat single to center field to score Teel. A throwing error allowed Miguel Vargas to score, then Tristan Peters hit an RBI single to right to give Chicago a 4-0 lead after one half inning.
Trying to avoid elimination, the Astros started to slowly chip away at the Chicago lead, with Jeremy Pena, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve all hitting solo home runs to trim the advantage to 4-3 after four innings of play.
The White Sox leaned on their bullpen to keep the game close in the coming innings, and Meidroth landed a huge blow in the fight, hammering a home run to left field that scored three more runs and extended the Chicago lead to 7-3, bringing the team ever closer to their first playoff series win in more than 20 years.
The team’s bullpen shone brightly in the final innings, with Huascar Brazoban, Anthony Kay, Jordan Hicks and Erick Fedde combining for five shutout innings of relief to send the White Sox to the American League Division Series, where they’ll face the Cleveland Guardians.
First, though: Game 2 of the AL wild-card series, with the Yankees getting two shots to eliminate the Red Sox beginning Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Yankee Stadium.
Sonny Gray anticipates getting a loud and not particularly polite greeting from fans in the Bronx as he starts Game 2 trying to keep the Red Sox alive. The right-hander who pitched for the Yankees in 2017 and 2018 said upon the Red Sox acquiring him late last year that it was "easy to hate" the Yankees.
He'll find out just how easy that sentiment can be reciprocated.
Meanwhile, left-hander Max Fried will try to pitch the Yankees into the ALDS and should he and the bullpen succeed, the club is in great shape against the Rays: Right-hander Gerrit Cole will be ready for Game 1, Saturday, followed by an off day that lines up ace Cam Schlittler, with an extra days' rest, to boot.
New York is aiming to eliminate Boston in this round for the second consecutive season.
Follow along:
Where to watch Yankees vs Red Sox: Channel, live stream
First pitch between the Yankees and Red Sox is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
2022: Houston Astros (def. Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2)
2021: Atlanta Braves (def. Houston Astros, 4-2)
2020: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2)
2019: Washington Nationals (def. Houston Astros, 4-3)
2018: Boston Red Sox (def. Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-1)
2017: Houston Astros (def. Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3)
2016: Chicago Cubs (def. Cleveland Indians, 4-3)
Who won Yankees vs. Red Sox season series?
05:55 PM ET, September 30 2026
The Yankees won the 2026 regular-season series against the Red Sox, 7-6. The clubs split their first 10 meetings before the Yankees won three of four games during their final regular-season series at Yankee Stadium in late August to secure the season-series victory.
The Red Sox swept a four-game series at Fenway Park, which ignited their surge after a slow start that cost manager Alex Cora his job.
MLB payrolls
05:35 PM ET, September 30 2026
While eight of MLB's final 12 teams are in the top 10 end-of-season payrolls, based on figures from the MLB Labor Relations Department and obtained by USA TODAY, the remaining four are among baseball’s lowest spenders.
That includes the teams with the best records in each league, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Brewers’ payroll entering the postseason is $143.5 million, good for 19th in MLB. The Rays’ $98.3 million total is No. 25.
Red Sox — Sonny Gray: 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA in 29 starts; 149 strikeouts in 169 innings pitched.
Yankees — Max Fried: 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA in 20 starts; 104 strikeouts in 112⅔ innings pitched.
Roman Anthony injury update
04:41 PM ET, September 30 2026, Jesse Yomtov
NEW YORK — Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is out for the remainder of the playoffs after aggravating a hand injury in two at-bats during Game 1 of the American League wild-card series, manager Chad Tracy said before Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Anthony was limited to 55 games due to the injury this season. He was driven from Yankee Stadium to Boston after Game 1, arriving in the middle of the night, and received more imaging Wednesday morning. Tracy said imaging revealed further damage to the hand, which led to an extended absence this season for the second-year player.
“He’s going through it right now, mentally,” Tracy said of Anthony. “I texted with him. He wants to be out there with the guys.”
Information in this article was imported automatically into a template written and reviewed by a USA TODAY Sports editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
Los Angeles, - August 12: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Andy Pages after hitting a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning of a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The 2026 Dodgers regular season is over, and we already looked at the final week of the season and the final month. Now let’s look how the season played out in thirds, in increments of 54 games.
Split
W-L
Run diff.
BA/OBP/SLG
wRC+
ERA
ERA-
1st 54
34-20
+108
.258/.344/.427
113
3.10
74
2nd 54
34-20
+48
.265/.338/.438
113
4.08
97
3rd 54
32-22
+45
.247/.332/.408
105
3.46
83
The offense took a dip in the final third of the season, but was buoyed by a bounce back from the pitching staff. Just two games into the final 54 games, the Dodgers started their longest losing streak of the season, dropping seven games in a row, but recovered to win 32 games over the final third of the campaign, a 96-win pace.
Let’s delve into the offense first, beginning with the catchers.
Player
Starts
PA
2B-HR
R-RBI
BA/OBP/SLG
wRC+
Smith 1st
38
170
3-4
18-20
.242/.318/.342
85
Smith 2nd
7
31
10-2
5-3
.292/.452/.625
193
Smith 3rd
15
75
4-4
12-11
.290/.400/.548
160
Rushing 1st
22
91
2-7
14-17
.263/.352/.550
146
Rushing 2nd
35
147
2-4
22-16
.254/.333/.423
109
Rushing 3rd
2
15
0-1
1-3
.071/.133/.286
11
Feduccia 3rd
25
91
2-1
6-7
.197/.322/.263
73
Rortvedt 3rd
9
28
0-0
0-1
.185/.185/.185
-3
Alfonzo 2nd
6
16
2-0
2-2
.188/.188/.313
30
Alfonzo 3rd
3
12
0-0
1-2
.167/.167/.167
-14
Robinson 2nd
6
26
0-0
1-1
.087/.087/.087
-61
Totals 1st
261
5-11
32-37
.249/.330/.415
107
Totals 2nd
220
14-6
30-22
.233/.313/.399
95
Totals 3rd
221
6-6
20-24
.215/.311/.340
84
*includes starts at other positions
For the second year in a row, the Dodgers found themselves without both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing for extended periods, and once again Ben Rortvedt was involved in the cleanup mission. This time, both Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia were reacquired at the trade deadline and handled catching duties for most of August before Smith returned in September and was back to his normal production level in the final month.
Shohei Ohtani didn’t hit a home run after August 18 and landed on the injured list in September, Andy Pages was productive but missed four weeks after getting hit by a fastball on his left hand. Freddie Freeman played nearly every day but hit like Expos-era Pete Rose with only one home run over the final third of the season, and played through a right knee injury in September.
Conversely, Mookie Betts found his stroke again and paced the offense, with Max Muncy continuing his steady production. Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker had upturns over the final month especially.
Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas, and Alex Call all struggled in the final third of the season, while Josue De Paula excelled in his two-week runway after making his debut.
Now, the pitching.
Pitcher
G-QS
W-L
IP
BB-K
ERA
WHIP
xERA
Yamamoto 1st
10-8
4-4
64
13-59
3.09
0.984
4.02
Yamamoto 2nd
9-7
7-2
61.7
15-59
2.34
0.809
2.47
Yamamoto 3rd
9-7
3-3
59.3
14-64
2.12
0.809
2.40
Skubal 3rd
10-7
5-2
62
13-70
2.61
1.048
2.84
Snell 1st
1-0
0-1
3
2-5
12.00
2.667
3.91
Snell 3rd
8-4
4-0
39.7
14-50
1.13
0.983
2.00
Glasnow 1st
7-4
3-0
39.7
13-49
2.72
0.832
2.61
Glasnow 3rd
6-3
2-2
34.3
12-49
4.46
1.078
3.11
Wrobleski 1st
9-5
6-2
55.7
14-31
3.07
1.114
4.31
Wrobleski 2nd
9-7
5-0
57
7-56
2.68
0.930
4.35
Wrobleski 3rd
5-0
1-3
27.3
10-31
6.91
1.646
5.13
Ohtani 1st
8-7
4-2
49
13-54
0.73
0.837
2.52
Ohtani 2nd
6-5
4-0
36.7
13-41
3.19
1.091
2.97
Sasaki 1st
9-2
3-3
45.7
18-43
4.93
1.423
5.21
Sasaki 2nd
9-3
1-2
48
18-51
4.50
1.167
3.60
Sasaki 3rd
5-2
1-0
28.7
12-29
3.77
1.395
4.04
Sheehan 1st
10-4
3-1
51.7
14-59
4.70
1.239
4.08
Sheehan 2nd
9-1
1-6
41
15-45
5.27
1.268
3.45
Sheehan 3rd
3-1
1-1
19.7
4-28
2.75
0.814
2.46
Lauer 2nd
9-6
5-0
51.7
13-30
2.96
0.987
4.06
Lauer 3rd
4-1
2-2
20.3
6-16
8.41
1.820
6.19
Totals 1st
53-30
23-13
308.7
87-300
3.29
1.089
Totals 2nd
51-29
23-10
296
81-282
3.38
1.020
Totals 3rd
50-25
19-13
291.3
85-337
3.46
1.122
This is a bit of a mishmash, as it includes relief appearances by Justin Wrobleski, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Eric Lauer in the totals. Shohei Ohtani did not pitch at all in the final third of the season, but the Dodgers traded for Tarik Skubal and got Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow back to go with Yoshinobu Yamamoto to set the team up for October. Those four combined for a 2.49 ERA and 30.3-percent strikeout rate in 33 starts over the final 54 games, including 21 quality starts. That’ll play
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Cleveland Guardians pitcher Cade Smith (36) delivers a pitch to the plate during the ninth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Athletics and Cleveland Guardians on September 20, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Some controversy around Don Mattingly’s use of his closer in yesterday’s NL Wildcard game vs. the Braves should provide some opportunity for conversation for the Guardians leading into their American League Division Series beginning this weekend.
Entering the bottom of the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead, Mattingly brought Jhoan Duran in to face numbers 9, 1 and 2 in the Atlanta Braves’ order. He then brought him out again in the eighth to get hitters 3, 4 and 5 in the order. The internet is now full of folks calling Mattingly’s decision to go to his closer earlier a mistake because Duran ended up giving up a 3-run, go-ahead homer to Austin Riley in the 8th after the 5th and 6th hitters reach (via infield hit and a hit-by-pitch). But, I don’t think that’s quite fair to Mattingly… or to Duran… or to any team that might take a similar strategic path.
Duran came in with a narrow one-run lead and got five straight outs from the most dangerous hitters in the Atlanta lineup. He then gave up incredibly weak contact that unluckily resulted in a hit. At this point, someone should have been warming and getting ready as quickly as possible. Said pitcher would have had six pitches and a potential mound visit to start to get ready before the fateful Riley at-bat. However, I suspect Mattingly had a longer leash on Duran than optimal because the Phillies’ bullpen as a whole is not great.
I would argue that Mattingly’ process – despite the bad result – was sound. The most important thing to do in a playoff game in which you have a lead in the 7th or later is make sure that your best reliever throws meaningful pitches against your opponent’s best hitters. He accomplished this and got 5 out of 6 hitters out. At that point, I think it would have made sense to have the next best option ready to come in the game and remove Duran, not only because it was an unfamiliar situation for their closer but because there were two outs and you’re asking for one more out with a runner on first. Additionally, no one other than the six hitters who have faced him gets a rep against Duran to help them later in the series (though Atlanta is very familiar with the Phillies).
I hope Stephen Vogt can have conversations with his bullpen about similar situations. If the Guardians had the exact same situation, going to Cade Smith there makes perfect sense and guarantees he sees the best hitters at the end of the game with a lead. Smith also has experience going multiple innings and being the “fireman” in the past. The off days of the series should also allow the Guardians to be aggressive with Smith and their other best arms as they will have time to recover in-between appearances. Erik Sabrowski, Daniel Espino, Shawn Armstrong, a healthy Colin Holderman and even on a good day Tim Herrin are more than capable of getting a batter to end the 8th… or you let Tanner Bibee or Foster Griffin throw the kitchen sink at a hitter.
I do not mean to dismiss the importance of reliever comfort and role establishment. If the team truly believes that Smith being jarred from the role of pitching the 8th into the 9th would negatively affect his mental status, don’t do it. However, from everything we know of Cade, I doubt this is the case. The one thing to avoid at all costs is losing a lead in the 7th or later without Cade Smith facing your opponent’s greatest threats. Mattingly made sure to avoid it yesterday and I hope the Guardians will as well in the series to come.
