LOS ANGELES — Roki Sasaki dazzled in his postseason pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, closing out their sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a perfect ninth inning in the NL Wild Card Series.
The youthful looking rookie from Japan celebrated with a beer in his hand and goggles on in the team’s batting cage after their 8-4 victory advanced the Dodgers to the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Dodgers partied in the cage, lit up like a surgery center, rather than their remodeled clubhouse featuring high-tech screens that could be ruined by sprays of beer and Champagne.
Sasaki got Spencer Steer and former Dodger Gavin Lux on swinging strikeouts — with 100-mph pitches — before retiring Austin Hays on a lineout to shortstop that started the celebration.
The Dodgers went without a designated closer during the regular season. Did the 23-year-old from Japan earn the role for the postseason?
“I trust him, and he’s going to be pitching in leverage,” manager Dave Roberts said. “So the more you pitch guys and play guys, you learn more. I don’t think the moment’s going to be too big for Roki.”
It appeared to be too big for Sasaki early in the season. He signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. Sasaki spent the last four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League
Expectations were high for the pitcher who’s been a dominant force at every other stop in his fast-rising career.
Sasaki made his major league debut with the Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, where he walked five in three innings while throwing just 25 strikes among 56 pitches.
His Dodger Stadium debut on March 29 ended in the second inning he again struggled with his control. He issued four walks and got only five outs while throwing 61 pitches to just 12 batters.
Sasaki came off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 24 and made his first career relief appearance against Arizona. It was his first appearance in the majors since May 9 because of a shoulder injury. All eight of his previous MLB outings were starts, though he did make a few relief appearances during his stint at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
NEW YORK — Left out of the starting lineup for the New York Yankees’ playoff opener, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was understandably unhappy.
Any accomplished player would be. Chisholm just has a different way of blowing off steam.
“I played `MLB: The Show’ and mercy-ruled someone,” he said. “That’s how I get my stress off.”
Back at second base, Chisholm played a huge part in saving the Yankees’ season as they beat the rival Boston Red Sox 4-3 in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.
And this one was no video game.
“Anything to help us win,” Chisholm said. “All that was clear before I came to the field today. After I left the field yesterday, it is win the next game. It is win or go home for us. It is all about winning.”
The dynamic Chisholm raced all the way home from first base on Austin Wells’ tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and made a couple of critical defensive plays that helped the Yankees push the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3.
“It’s what you expect. He’s a game-changer. He showed his maturity,” New York captain Aaron Judge said. “He showed up at the park today and had the biggest plays for us.”
Afterward, manager Aaron Boone said Chisholm will start Game 3 against rookie left-hander Connelly Early.
A left-handed hitter, Chisholm began Game 1 on the bench with the Yankees facing ace lefty Garrett Crochet. The two-time All-Star entered on defense in the eighth and flied out against left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman with the bases loaded for the second out of the ninth, failing to drive in a run.
That was Chisholm’s only plate appearance in a 3-1 loss that left New York on the brink of elimination.
After the game, Chisholm seemed upset about not starting. His back was turned to reporters while he answered several questions at his locker. Chisholm said Boone texted him to let him know he wouldn’t be in the Game 1 lineup.
“I did see that,” Boone said. “Every player is not going to agree with every decision that I make. I try and help make them understand my thought process and what I am thinking. I did that with Jazz. He is a guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve. So, wasn’t necessarily how I handled it, but I don’t need him to put a happy face on. I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight. That’s what I expect to happen.”
Boone said the two had a conversation the day before about the potential move, and he thinks Chisholm understood.
“Jazz and I are good. No concerns that he was going to go out there and get it done,” Boone said after Game 2. “He loves to play. He feels a responsibility to us, his teammates. And, you know, he and I have always been good. Despite what you may think happened yesterday, like, yeah, he’s a gamer, and he likes the stage.”
Amed Rosario played second base in Chisholm’s place and batted fifth. A right-handed hitter, Rosario was 6 for 9 with a home run and a double in his career against Crochet before going 0 for 3 in the playoff opener.
Chisholm is 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a walk against Crochet.
“There is never a problem between me and Aaron Boone. He’s been my manager all year, and I’ve stood behind him all year,” Chisholm said after the Game 2 win. “We always have disagreements. I mean, I played third base this year, and we had a little bit of a disagreement in that."
“But at the end of the day, I always stand with Booney because he always understands where I come from. He knows I am a passionate player. He knows I wear my feelings on my sleeve. He knows I am there to compete.”
New York also put two other dangerous left-handed hitters on the bench against Crochet in Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon. Neither got in the game.
With right-hander Brayan Bello on the mound Wednesday night for the Red Sox, Chisholm was back at second base and batting sixth. Rice was at first base and hit a two-run homer on the first postseason pitch he saw. McMahon played third and went 1 for 3 with a walk.
With the score tied in the seventh, Chisholm saved at least one run with a diving stop to his right of an infield single by pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida. Chisholm also made a tough play to start an inning-ending double play with two on in the third.
There were two outs in the eighth when he worked the count full and drew a walk. Chisholm was running on another 3-2 pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed just inside the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall in foul territory.
Right fielder Nate Eaton made a strong, accurate throw to the plate, but the speedy Chisholm barely beat it with a headfirst slide.
“He’s a special player. He’s one of the best players in the game. Exciting. One of the best athletes I’ve ever seen,” Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz said. “I knew he was scoring no matter what.”
In the wake of a failed season, Mets fans want change to the team’s core 00 and understandably so. But the consensus among scouts and evaluators I spoke to this week is that important changes are coming organically, via the farm system. As such, there’s no need to overreact, at least on the position-player side.
That is, with one rather huge exception.
"Kyle Schwarber would solve a lot of their problems," is the way one scout put it. "I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Steve Cohen wants to flex again this winter, he should pay whatever it would take to get Schwarber to leave the Phillies."
By "a lot of their problems," the scout was referring mainly to Pete Alonso’s free agency. Everyone I spoke to acknowledges that while Alonso’s bat is vital to the Mets’ offense, his defense, and specifically his throwing, has become too much of an issue to ignore.
"That high throw to (Kodai) Senga changed their whole season," another scout said, speaking of the play that resulted in Senga’s hamstring injury on June 12. "And I can remember a bunch more where he put his pitchers in harm’s way. Also, his throws to second, throws to the plate. If you’re the Mets, you’re holding your breath every time he has to make a throw."
Schwarber, of course, is a DH, the best one in baseball after hitting 56 home runs this season and racking up an MLB-leading 132 RBI. He’s also a folk hero of sorts in Philadelphia, with a big-spending owner in John Middleton, who is expected to go the extra mile to bring Schwarber back -- especially if the alternative would be losing him to the rival Mets.
"The fans here would never forgive (Middleton) if Schwarber signed with the Mets," one Philly media person told me. "And honestly Schwarber is so much the heart and soul of that team -- and he takes that role seriously -- that it’s hard to see him taking the money to go to such a big rival. But you never know; everybody has their price.
"And I’ll say this: if Cohen really does decide to go after him the way he went after (Juan) Soto, it would scare the hell out of Philly fans."
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen sits in the dugout after batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
If the Mets were somehow to pull it off, that would give Stearns and Cohen a free pass of sorts to move on from Alonso. Fans love the idea of the homegrown Polar Bear as a career Met after he became the team’s all-time home run leader and, perhaps more importantly, had an outstanding season offensively. But I think most would be fine with essentially slotting Schwarber into the lineup for Alonso.
Even Cohen wouldn’t sign both, especially with Edwin Diaz likely opting out and the Mets absolutely needing to sign at least one top free agent pitcher from the likes of Framber Valdez, Michael King, Dylan Cease, or Ranger Suarez.
Instead, Stearns surely would look for a right-handed-hitting first baseman with a good glove. The free agent market doesn’t offer an obvious fit, though Paul Goldschmidt had a solid season in the Bronx and put up big numbers against left-handed pitching. So it might be on the president of baseball operations to find one via trade.
Left-handed hitting prospect Ryan Clifford looms as a potential long-term answer at first base, but he’s only 22 and scouts think he needs more time in the minors. In truth, the lineup would be more balanced if the Mets could convince Alonso to re-sign as at least a part-time DH as part of, say, a four-year deal, but it would make for a tricky negotiation, especially if another team assured him of being a full-time first baseman.
In any case, the Schwarber scenario aside, it’s the Mets’ farm system that may dictate the core stays mostly intact entering next season. Specifically, Carson Benge and Jett Williams, ranked 20th and 29th among all minor league prospects by MLBPipeline.com, loom as answers at second base and center field at least at some point next season, if not the start.
"They both could be impact players," one scout said. "Benge is coming fast: he has a very advanced approach and a lot of natural ability as a hitter, and Williams has been slowed by injuries but he’s still young, with good plate discipline and a knack for getting the barrel to the ball.
"They both stalled a little after getting to Triple-A (in August) but if you’re the Mets, you’re probably not going to sign anyone this winter who would block their paths."
In that case, perhaps it makes sense to bring back Jeff McNeil, even as badly as he finished the season, as a placeholder of sorts for Williams at second base in the final year of his contract. Unless you want to start the season with Luisangel Acuña, whose bat remains a big question mark, even while he offers value with his speed and defense.
As for center field, Tyrone Taylor doesn’t hit enough to be an everyday player, but the Mets missed his sparkling defense in September when he was out with a hamstring injury. Perhaps they could find a left-handed-hitting platoon partner not named Cedric Mullins until Benge is ready.
/ SNY
To that end, Trent Grisham would be an intriguing option, after he hit a whopping 34 home runs for the Yankees this season, but it would almost certainly take a multiyear contract to sign him, and his lack of a track record plus Benge’s presence would seem to work against that happening.
As for other positions, Brandon Nimmo could be a trade candidate for the sake of shaking up the core, but his contract -- with five more years for $102.5 million, means the Mets would likely have to eat significant money and still probably not get the value they’d want. Nimmo also has a full no-trade clause.
Meanwhile, if Brett Baty’s last couple of months were a sign that he’s finally over the hump offensively, he could be a solid answer at third base.
Likewise, if Francisco Alvarez’s improvements as a hitter following his demotion to Syracuse (.921 OPS) are a sign of things to come, he should give the offense considerably more thump.
Finally, it’s hard to give up on Ronny Mauricio’s potential, as flawed a hitter as he appears to be, although it does feel like the Mets should trade Mark Vientos, even selling low, unless he winds up being their best option as the full-time DH.
Add it all up and it may not be the winter of new names a lot of Mets fans would like to see on the position-player side, unless Stearns gets creative with trades.
Signing Schwarber, of course, would change all of that. Is it realistic? Perhaps only if Cohen throws crazy money at him.
Otherwise, the Alonso decision will be front and center. And while it would be awfully hard to re-sign him and still stay true to the run prevention that Stearns indicated he would prioritize, his bat is vital to the Mets’ run production.
"If I’m Cohen and I can’t get Schwarber," one scout said, "I sit down with Alonso and find out how much money it would take to convince him to DH at least most of the time. Even if it’s millions more, it’d be worth it."
If that’s what ultimately happens, it’s possible that the core doesn’t change much at all. And yet the Mets could still be significantly better, upgrading the pitching staff, benefiting from Baty and Alvarez continuing to grow, and waiting on the likes of Benge and Williams to blossom.
At this hour an army of scientists, dressed in white lab coats, are hunkered in the Yankee Stadium offices, pouring over biomechanical data regarding Ben Rice’s swing path, and endeavoring a deep dive into Paul Goldschmidt’s REM sleep over the past nine days.
They are preparing Aaron Boone’s orders for tonight’s lineup, delivered with the usual threat to follow their numbers … or else.
Just kidding.
Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus, two humans, discussed and wrote the lineup before leaving the ballpark last night, as they always do. In case you haven’t yet heard, this is how the Yankees make decisions.
I haven’t seen tonight’s lineup, but amid all the chatter about first base and catcher, I fully expect the Yankees to start Rice at first in Game 3, Austin Wells at catcher and use Goldschmidt off the bench.
In Game 1, Boone opted for a righty-heavy lineup against Boston’s lefty ace Garrett Crochet. In a few cases, the manager actually went against what the team’s analytics department wanted. That’s a fact.
A game plan against Crochet is different from a game plan against another pitcher, regardless of handedness.
With their season on the line tonight, the Yankees are facing rookie left-hander Connelly Early. After Game 2 Boone would only reveal that he will start Jazz Chisholm Jr. against Early. He left first base and catcher open (why tell Alex Cora before he needs to know, right?).
But he said this:
“It's not just, it's a lefty. It's, what lefty? Is that guy going to be out there for six or seven innings? I want to leverage a spot for whoever my bench guys are to have a good matchup, not three bad matchups that I can guarantee. All of these things factor into it.”
An argument for starting Rice against Early tonight — in addition to the fact that he’s been smoking balls all over Yankee Stadium — is that the Red Sox have five left-handers in their bullpen. And that’s assuming that Crochet won’t give them an inning. It might be six lefties.
This means that if Boone starts Goldschmidt with the intent to swap in Rice after Early leaves (which could be … early), he might be waiting all night. Cora can counter with one lefty reliever after another. Might as well just start Rice.
As for catcher, that does not seem in question, and it has little to do with Wells’ game-winning hit last night. Wells is a superior game-caller, and that’s hugely important in the playoffs, not to mention when working with a rookie in Cam Schlittler.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut when he starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers open the best-of-five series on Saturday in Philadelphia.
“Very talented ballclub. It’s going to be a fun environment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented, all throughout the lineup.”
Roberts confirmed Ohtani as the starter after the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 to complete a sweep in the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. The Dodgers had planned to start Ohtani if the Wild Card had gone to a deciding third game.
Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA) didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last season while recovering from a second elbow surgery that he had in September 2023. He became the first player in major league history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases as the Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees.
The two-way superstar never made the playoffs during six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
At the plate, Ohtani revived himself in September, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He finished the regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than last season.
Against the Reds in Game 1, he hit two homers. He was 1 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the closeout win Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES — The starting pitching is terrific. The offense is clicking. The Los Angeles Dodgers have opened the postseason on a roll in defense of their World Series title.
If their bullpen can stop blowing up, they might just be the first team since the New York Yankees 25 years ago to win back-to-back championships.
“I think we can win it all. I think we’re equipped to do that,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We certainly have the pedigree. We certainly have the hunger. We’re playing great baseball. And in all honesty, I don’t care who we play. I just want to be the last team standing.”
After a second straight shaky eighth inning by the relief corps, the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 on Wednesday night to sweep their NL Wild Card Series.
The Dodgers advanced to their 20th NL Division Series appearance — 13th in a row — in franchise history and will face the Phillies starting Saturday in Philadelphia. The teams last met in the postseason in 2009, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series for the second straight year.
Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut in Game 1. The two-way superstar never got to the playoffs during his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and he didn’t pitch in his first season with the Dodgers after having a second elbow surgery in September 2023.
The team has carefully managed his mound outings this season, with his first coming in mid-June. Ohtani’s longest was six innings at Arizona on Sept. 23. He was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 appearances during the regular season.
The Dodgers’ Japanese contingent of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and rookie Roki Sasaki figure to gather steam as the postseason progresses. At the plate, Ohtani homered twice in the Dodgers’ 10-5 Game 1 win over the Reds. Yamamoto struck out a playoff-high nine while allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings in Game 2 and Sasaki made his postseason debut out of the bullpen with a 1-2-3 ninth Wednesday.
“I’d probably say he’s No. 1 on the growth chart,” Roberts said about Yamamoto. “Considering coming over here and trying to get his feet wet, trying to learn the culture, the game, the hitters, create a routine for himself, to then be a really big-game pitcher.”
The Dodgers essentially outscored their bullpen in sweeping the Reds.
Relievers Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer combined to issue four walks as the Reds scored three runs and pulled to 10-5. The trio needed 59 pitches to get three outs on Tuesday.
“I thought it was a good lesson for them, more so for Henriquez and Jack, but I’m still evaluating,” Roberts said. “You learn a lot from that inning.”
Former starter Emmet Sheehan and Vesia worked the eighth on Wednesday. Sheehan gave up two runs before the Reds brought the potential tying run to the plate against Vesia. The duo made a combined 41 pitches before the flamethrowing Sasaki mowed down the Reds in the ninth.
“It’s sort of a daily kind of conversation with the pitching coaches, the front office and most importantly, what I see,” Roberts said. “In the postseason, you have to go with ultimately who you feel best in that one spot.”
After illness and offensive struggles during the regular season, Mookie Betts is rounding into form. He went 6 for 9 with a run, three doubles, three RBIs and a walk.
“We had a lot of struggles really all year. But I think we all view that as just a test to see how we would respond,” he said. “Now we’re starting to use those tests that we went through earlier to respond now and be ready now. And anything that comes our way, it can’t be worse than what we’ve already went through. Just keeping a positive mindset and just keep going.”
The Dodgers had a combined 28 hits against the Reds, the first time they’ve had 13 or more in consecutive postseason games since 1978.
“We’ll be sharp going into the next series,” Roberts said.
Can we get Derrick White to Yankee Stadium on Thursday night?
The Boston Red Sox’ season is on the line in the Bronx as they face the New York Yankees in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their American League Wild Card series. And while White likely has other plans — his Boston Celtics just kicked off training camp — recent history suggests the Red Sox would benefit from the veteran guard being in the building.
Here’s why: White has been to three games at Fenway Park since the start of the 2024 season that have ended in Red Sox walk-off victories. Here’s the list:
June 24, 2024: Walk-off win over the Toronto Blue Jays
“Yeah, I’ve picked good games,” White deadpanned to Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg at Media Day when asked about his remarkable luck at Fenway Park. “… It’s been kind of crazy.”
White had some company at that first walk-off win in June 2024, as the entire Celtics team was honored at Fenway Park shortly after winning the 2025 NBA title. Jarren Duran did the honors that night with the walk-off single that sent White and his Celtics teammates into a frenzy.
White was back at Fenway on April 10 of this season to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, then witnessed Trevor Story hit a dribbler to second base that allowed David Hamilton to score the winning run against Toronto.
White’s most recent trip to Fenway was by far the most memorable, however, as the Celtics guard was in the house for Ceddanne Rafaela’s dramatic walk-off triple against the Detroit Tigers that clinched Boston’s spot in the playoffs.
For White, the fun didn’t end with the final out; he actually wandered onto the field to watch the Red Sox celebrate their playoff berth, then managed to take a selfie with the Wally the Green Monster head costume that Boston players wear after hitting home runs.
“They were like, ‘We’re going to take you through the field’ so I could get to my car, and the celebration was going on, so I was kind of just staying out there, kind of enjoying it,” White explained to Forsberg. “Then I had to use the bathroom, and then outside of it I saw (the Wally head), so I took a selfie, really for my dad. And I thought it was funny.”
White’s father, Richard White, is a die-hard Red Sox fan who grew up in the Boston area, so he deserves a hat tip for inspiring some of White’s fandom. And while we’d imagine White isn’t heading to New York on Thursday night, perhaps he’d make an appearance at Fenway next week if the Red Sox are able to punch their ticket to the American League Division series with a win Thursday night.
If that happens, history suggests there will be drama.
As the Mets' 2025 season spiraled out of control, with the team falling from 45-24 in the middle of June to 83-79 and out of the playoff field, there were lots of things that went wrong.
But the main culprit was a starting rotation that didn't have enough depth to withstand the injuries that hit it, had most of its members underperform down the stretch, and wasn't seriously bolstered externally at any point during the season.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke the day after the season ended about run prevention (both pitching and defense) being a big reason for the team's downfall and a huge point of emphasis this offseason.
"From a roster construction perspective, on the run prevention side of the ball, we didn't do a good enough job of fortifying our team when we had injuries midseason," Stearns said. "Clearly, that was a point in our season where on the run prevention side of things we went from a very good team to a team that wasn't good enough to maintain a sizable lead -- not only in the division, but in the playoff chase."
Stearns added:
"I think holistically as I look at our pitching staff, we needed to do more over the course of the season. That is very clear. What we were faced with at at the deadline? I think our fanbase would be perhaps even more upset if we had made some of those moves. But the entirety of our run prevention unit was not good enough this year."
While Stearns is well aware of what needs to change ahead of 2026, the Mets are in a tricky spot when it comes to maneuverability.
In other words, with so many starting pitchers already under team control for next season, how will New York make big changes while also incorporating some of their homegrown pitchers and adding help via trade and/or free agency?
David Stearns / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image
As things currently stand, here are the starting pitching options who are under team control for 2026:
Sean Manaea ($25 million owed in 2026, under contract through 2027) Kodai Senga ($15.4 million owed in 2026, under contract through 2027) Clay Holmes ($13 million owed in 2026, under contract through 2027) David Peterson (arbitration-eligible for the final time) Nolan McLean Brandon Sproat Jonah Tong Christian Scott
Frankie Montas will earn $17 million in 2026 in what is the second and final year of the deal he signed last offseason, but is expected to miss the year due to Tommy John surgery. Tylor Megill is arbitration-eligible for the second time, but -- like Montas -- is expected to be out for the season because of Tommy John surgery.
Of the veterans above, all but Holmes struggled badly this season. And aside from Holmes, they all have huge question marks attached to them.
Manaea missed the first half of the season and pitched the second half with loose bodies in his elbow. The results were ugly, as he posted a 5.64 ERA and was eventually removed from the rotation.
Senga was fantastic until hurting his hamstring in June. After he came back, he struggled so badly that he was sent to the minors. Once there, he was unable to get his mechanics right, and did not pitch again in the majors over the final few weeks of the year. Stearns said after the season that it would be "foolish" to count on Senga for 30 starts in 2026 given what's happened the last two seasons.
Peterson had a first half that got him an All-Star nod, but fell off in a big way late. From Aug. 6 through the end of the season, Peterson had an 8.42 ERA, though the 3.88 FIP he had during that span suggests he also got pretty unlucky on balls that were put in play.
As far as McLean, Sproat, and Tong, one of them -- at least for now -- is unlike the others.
McLean was mostly dominant in 48.0 innings over eight big league starts, posting a 2.06 ERA (2.97 FIP) and 1.04 WHIP while striking out 57 batters -- a rate of 10.7 per nine. His stuff was filthy, and his poise and mound presence was off the charts.
Aug 27, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
Sproat and Tong both showed flashes, but it will be a surprise if either one enters spring training as a favorite for a rotation spot. In Tong's case, it seems likely he'll start the year with Triple-A Syracuse since he made just two starts there before his promotion to the bigs.
Scott, who should be healthy and ready to go after having Tommy John surgery during the 2024 season, is a nice depth option to have.
After dissecting all of that, it's easy to envision this kind of scenario:
Holmes (who stretched out to 165.2 innings and excelled while transitioning from reliever to starter), Manaea (who flashed serious potential in 2024 and had an uneven 2025), and McLean (who looks like a possible frontline starter) are earmarked to open the 2026 season in the rotation, with the two other members to be added via trade and/or free agency.
That would mean a decision on Senga, who is coming off two lost seasons and is under contract through 2027. It would also mean a decision on Peterson, who is out of minor league options and has shown the ability to excel in the bullpen.
Regarding who the Mets could target for those empty spots?
It can be argued that they should be looking for one frontline level starter and another who can pitch in the middle of the rotation.
Looking at the free agent market, there are some intriguing top of the rotation options, including Ranger Suarez, Michael King, and Framber Valdez. But all of them are on the wrong side of 30, and only Valdez has had a real extended run of success pitching at an ace level. Dylan Cease is an interesting option and has an enticing arsenal, but he's had two down years out of the last three.
There's also the fact that Stearns has suggested he doesn't love making huge free agent commitments to starting pitchers.
So perhaps the Mets sign a middle of the rotation option and turn to the trade market for the top of the rotation guy.
With one of the best farm systems in baseball, the Mets should theoretically be able to trade for pretty much any starting pitcher who becomes available. And it's possible a bunch of really interesting ones are out there this winter.
That includes Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins, Joe Ryan of the Twins, and possibly Tarik Skubal of the Tigers. Skubal is set for free agency after the 2026 season, and if Detroit determines that he's likely to walk after the year, they'll have an enormous decision on their hands this offseason -- and the ability to get a huge haul back for someone who will be coming off back-to-back Cy Young seasons.
In the event the Mets do add a frontline starter and a middle of the rotation arm to a group that also includes Holmes, Manaea, and McLean, the question becomes what they do when some of their young talent is ready to contribute. The answer, as the Mets found out this season, is that you can never have enough pitching.
The Cleveland Guardians managed just six hits off Casey Mize and four Tigers’ relievers, but they turned those base knocks into six runs and in the process evened their Wild Card series against Detroit at one game apiece with a 6-1 win Wednesday afternoon. Tanner Bibee and five Cleveland relievers put on a clinic escaping trouble time and again. They allowed seven hits and walked six but somehow wiggled their way out of trouble time and again stranding 15 Detroit baserunners in the game.
Cleveland’s Game 2 win sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 today. Slade Cecconi takes the ball for Cleveland in Game 3 against Jack Flaherty for Detroit. The winner moves on to the divisional round against Seattle.
Lets dive into Game 3 and see if we can find an angle or two to attack as bettors.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at Guardians
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025
Time: 3:08PM EST
Site: Progressive Field
City: Cleveland, OH
Network/Streaming: ABC
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Tigers at the Guardians
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Tigers (+104), Guardians (-126)
Spread: Guardians -1.5 (+178)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Guardians - Game 3
Pitching matchup for October 2, 2025: Jack Flaherty vs. Slade Cecconi
Tigers: Jack Flaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA) Flaherty's last 2 starts were both against Cleveland and both resulted in losses for the Tigers as he gave up 4 runs over 9.1 innings with 10Ks
Guardians: Slade Cecconi (7-7, 4.30 ERA) In 30 IP in September, Cecconi allowed 22 hits and 13 runs while striking out 26
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Guardians - Game 3
Zach McKinstry has 1 HR in 3 ABs against Slade Cecconi
Spencer Torkelson has 2 hits including 1 HR in 6 ABS against Slade Cecconi
Steven Kwan is 4-16 against Jack Flaherty in his career
Jose Ramirez is 7-27 including 1 HR in his career against Jack Flaherty
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 3 between the Tigers and the Guardians
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Game 3 between the Tigers and the Guardians:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Dylan Cease and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and Manny Machado broke the game open with a two-run fifth inning home run and San Diego won Game 2 of their Wild Card series 3-0 to even their series with the Cubs at a game apiece. The top three hitters in the Padres’ batting order went a combined 4-11 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
San Diego’s win sets the stage for a decisive Game 3 Thursday. Yu Darvish takes the ball for the Padres and will be opposed by Jameson Taillon of the Cubs. The winner moves on to the Divisional Round against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Game 3 at Wrigley Field. Lets take a deeper dive into it and seek out a few angles to attack as bettors.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Padres at Cubs
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025
Time: 5:08PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Padres at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Padres (-105), Cubs (-116)
Spread: Padres 1.5 (+164)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Cubs
Pitching matchup for October 2, 2025: Yu Darvish vs. Jameson Taillon
Padres: Yu Darvish (5-5, 5.38 ERA) Darvish has started 13 postseason games and amassed a record of 5-7 with a 3.77 ERA
Cubs: Jameson Taillon (11-7, 3.68 ERA) Taillon's postseason experience is 4.1 scoreless innings over 2 appearances in 2022 with the Yankees
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Cubs
Both games of this series have cashed the Game Total UNDER
The Cubs are 1-1 on the Run Line in this series as are the Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. is 1-8 in the series
Manny Machado is 1-7 in the series
Kyle Tucker is 1-7 in the series
Pete Crow-Armstrong is 0-6 in the series
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 3 between the Padres and the Cubs
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Game 3 between the Padres and the Cubs:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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If you ever get the chance to play poker with Phillies manager Rob Thomson, be leery. If his demeanor over the past month or so when it comes to the playoffs is anything close to what it would be at the card table, good luck getting a read on him.
Thomson has been playing his thoughts on his team when it comes to the playoffs very close to the vest, from the roster, starting pitching, bullpen and the lineup. You know the answers are in his head, but they certainly aren’t about to be shared with anyone who, in his mind, doesn’t need to know.
The only leak in his secrecy has been that Cristopher Sanchez will be the Game 1 starter when his club faces the Dodgers in a best-of-five National League Division Series starting on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park. Beyond that, well, it’s up to us to speculate. So that’s just what we’ll do here.
Roster
Because there is a day off between all games except Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles, the bullpen will have plenty of time to rest and everyone should be available for just about every game. Therefore, I believe Thomson will go with 14 hitters and 12 pitchers for his 26-man roster in this series.
Thomson does use his bullpen a lot come playoff time, maybe even excessively, so the 12-man may surprise some, but because of the amount of rest in which they are going into the series and the way the schedule is laid out, I think that’s how he will go. So here it is:
Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Edmundo Sosa, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, Max Kepler, Nick Castellanos, Rafael Marchan, Otto Kemp, Weston Wilson.
Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, Walker Buehler, Tanner Banks, Matt Strahm, David Robertson, Orion Kerkering, Jhoan Duran, Tim Mayza.
Starters
As we know, Sanchez is the No. 1 and will go every fifth day, maybe even sooner if elimination is on the table. That much is guaranteed. It seemed that having a Sanchez, Suarez, Luzardo trio to begin the series would be almost a given as the three have been the stabilizing factors among the starters since Zack Wheeler went down with his season-ending injury back in mid-August.
Also, Sanchez and Luzardo are power pitchers and having the command-centered, lighter throwing Suarez in between would probably be a strategic way to go for Thomson. But there are other factors that have to be considered.
First, Suarez has proven to be a big-game pitcher, particularly when it comes to the playoffs. As Thomson likes to say, Suarez has a heart-rate that doesn’t change, no matter the circumstances of the game. That may lend itself to Thomson wanting Suarez to start a Game 3 on the road in Los Angeles, where no matter the outcome of the first two games, is going to be a pressured situation. Suarez boasts a 2.84 ERA on the road and pitched well out in Los Angeles last month in the division-clinching win, when he allowed seven hits and three runs in six innings.
Another factor is this. Thomson has an extremely high level of confidence and loyalty to Nola, who looked phenomenal in his last start of the season against Minnesota when he went eight innings, allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out nine. It’s just a gut feeling, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he finds a spot for the veteran right-hander to start one of these games, even though a three-man rotation is doable with the schedule.
Bullpen
The single certainty about the ‘pen is that Duran will close out games for Thomson. And don’t be surprised, in fact expect it, that he will be called on to get four, maybe even five outs at times during this playoff run. But getting to him with whom seems to be a pretty good problem that Thomson has right now.
Let’s assume that in these playoffs all relief appearances are high-leverage, because, well, that’s playoff baseball.
For most of the season, Kerkering has been the first right-hander that Thomson has called upon. However, since being brought to the team in early August, Robertson has earned the trust of his manager and even leaped ahead of Kerkering as the first righty out of the ‘pen.
Kerkering didn’t help his case late in the season as in four appearances from Sept. 15 to 24, he allowed four earned runs on six hits in four innings. However, in two appearances to end the season, Kerkering faced four hitters and struck out each of them, perhaps garnering his manager’s faith once again.
From the left side, it’s pretty much a given that Strahm is the first lefty that will be called upon. Strahm has given up just one earned run in his last 11 outings, which encompasses 11 innings. Thomson also has Banks in left-handed situations, and he has been very good. He is more the lefty who will come in with runners on base, and he’s been quite effective, having not allowed a run in his past seven outings.
How Thomson will use Walker or Buehler remains to be seen. Should they need a long reliever in any of the games, those are the first choices. Beyond that, it would be hard to imagine either coming in for an inning or so to get outs. If that is the case, Buehler is the first choice there.
Lineup
We all know Thomson’s propensity for changing his lineup, never more so than this season. After Turner, Schwarber and Harper, the rest of the lineup has been changed numerous times, pending on hot hitters and slumping ones. Also, how much platooning will the manager do during the postseason? Will Sosa and Stott share duties at second base? What about Castellanos and Kepler?
The Dodgers will throw right-hander Shohei Ohtani at the Phillies to begin the series on Saturday, so the outfield will most likely be Marsh in left, Bader in center and Kepler in right. Game 2 would probably be a start for Dodgers’ left-hander Blake Snell, which would may mean Sosa and Castellanos in the lineup. That deserves watching, however, as Stott has been swinging the bat very well lately and is a premier defensive second baseman.
As for the order after the first three, I think it’s a safe bet that the hot-hitting Bohm remains in the cleanup spot. Since returning from a shoulder injury nine games ago, the third baseman has gone 17 for 37 (.459) with eight RBI.
After that, Thomson may do the lefty-righty thing with Marsh and Realmuto and Kepler, Bader and Stott. Bader has cooled a bit with just four hits in his last 30 at-bats, but his comfort level will probably be higher now that Turner is back. Bader can now be a catalyst for the bottom of the order for Thomson, the role they envisioned for him when he was brought over at the trade deadline.
Austin Wells drove in Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the bottom of the 8th inning, and the Yankees evened their Wild Card series with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox Wednesday night in the Bronx. Ben Rice homered in the bottom of the first and Aaron Judge’s single in the fifth knocked in Trent Grisham to account for the rest of the scoring for New York. Trevor Story drove in all three runs for the Sox with a single and a home run.
New York’s win sets up a deciding Game 3 tonight at Yankee Stadium with the spotlight on a pair of rookies. Cam Schlittler gets the ball for New York against Boston’s Connelly Early. The winner moves on to the Division Round against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Lets take a deeper dive into Game 3 and seek out a few angles to attack as bettors.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Yankees
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025
Time: 8:08PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Red Sox at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (+134), New York Yankees (-163)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+132)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Yankees
Pitching matchup for October 2, 2025: Connelly Early vs. Cam Schlittler
Red Sox: Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) A September call-up, Early has started 4 games and allowed 5 earned runs over 19.1 innings with 29 Ks
Yankees: Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) The rookie has been a revelation for New York this season and especially good his last 2 starts allowing just 1 run over 12.1 innings with 15 Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Yankees
Neither starter has faced his opponent tonight in their young careers
Aaron Judge is 4-8 in this series
Austin Wells is 2-6 in this series
Trevor Story is 4-9 in this series
Alex Bregman is 3-7 in this series
The Game Total UNDER cashed in Game 1 and Game 2
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 3 between the Red Sox and the Yankees
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Game 3 between the Red Sox and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
From one MVP catcher to … another? It’s no secret who Buster Posey believes is most deserving of the American League honor this season.
The Giants president of baseball operations, and 2012 National League MVP, joined KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Thursday, and among the many questions asked pertaining to his team, also was asked to share his thoughts on Seattle Mariners star catcher Cal Raleigh’s incredible 60-homer 2025 MLB season.
“It’s incredible,” Posey said of Raleigh. “He’s a Florida State alum like myself. I don’t know Cal that well, I had a chance to talk to him a little bit earlier this season when they were in town playing. I’m glad I don’t get to vote on the MVP race on this one, because I know which way my vote would be going.
“To do what he’s done behind the plate, to lead the staff, the grind of being behind the plate [and] to hit 60 homers and to do it in meaningful games down the stretch, I think it’s immeasurable his value to that team and just truly a season for the ages.”
Raleigh finished the regular season batting .247/.359/.589 with 60 home runs, 125 RBI and a .948 OPS in 159 games for the AL West-winning Mariners, who secured their first division title in 24 years.
The race for the AL MVP award will come down to Raleigh and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who batted .331/.457/.688 with 53 home runs, 114 RBI and a 1.144 OPS in 152 games.
While Judge clearly has the better percentage splits than Raleigh, it appears that Posey believes the catcher’s work behind the plate and his importance to Seattle’s elite pitching staff should put him over the top.
But if you’re a fan of intriguing storylines and high drama, you’re in for a treat.
Boston and New York are tied at 1-1 in their best-of-three American League Wild Card series entering Thursday’s 8 p.m. ET finale in the Bronx. The winner advances to the Division Series to face the Toronto Blue Jays and the loser starts its offseason early.
The stakes are sky-high — and the fate of both teams rests on the arms of two rookies.
Let’s dive into the subplots that will make Thursday’s Game 3 at Yankee Stadium one for the history books:
If you’re wondering how many pitchers have been in Early’s position before as a recent call-up starting an elimination playoff game, the answer is … zero.
Connelly Early will be the first pitcher ever to start a winner-take-all postseason game within 30 days of his MLB debut. pic.twitter.com/nMTGo1X7f7
The good news for Red Sox fans: Early has looked sharp in his four starts to date, allowing two runs or fewer in every outing. He owns a 2.33 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 29 strikeouts over 19.1 innings. The 23-year-old didn’t exactly face elite competition, however, facing the Athletics (twice), Tampa Bay Rays and a scuffling Detroit Tigers squad.
Early will face his stiffest challenge yet in a Yankees lineup that led Major League Baseball in OPS (.797), home runs (70) and RBI (239) against left-handed pitchers this season.
Not that the rookie is shying away from the challenge.
“I’m excited to get out there,” Early told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve stuck to all my preparation and feel pretty good, so I’m ready to go out there and do it.”
Early won’t be the only fresh face on the mound Thursday night. New York is rolling with 24-year-old right-hander Cam Schlittler, who made his MLB debut on July 9 and has just 14 big-league starts under his belt.
Between Early and Schlittler, Thursday will be the first MLB playoff game ever featuring two starters with fewer than 15 career appearances under their belts.
Schlittler, who posted an impressive 2.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over those 14 starts and pitched seven scoreless innings in his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles, has plenty of ties to Boston. Born in Walpole, Mass., he attended Walpole High School, played college baseball at Northeastern and spent the summer of 2021 playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Harwich Mariners.
In an ironic twist of fate, Schlittler may not have many family members in attendance Thursday, as the Yankees barred Massachusetts residents from buying tickets through Ticketmaster. But he’s managed to convert many close to him to root for New York over Boston.
“I take pride in being from Boston. When it came to my career and where I want to be, this is where I want to be,” Schlittler told reporters Wednesday. “They are full Yankee guys now. They don’t wear it around as much in Boston, just because. When they are here (in New York), they are very prideful about it.”
Cam Schlittler says he's converted his family of Red Sox fans to become Yankees fans:
"I take pride in being from Boston. When it came to my career, this is where I want to be. They're full Yankee guys now. When they're here, they're really prideful about it" pic.twitter.com/UN9CU4rDcS
Alex Cora’s bold move to pull Brayan Bello after just 28 pitches Wednesday meant Boston had to use six different relievers to finish the game.
But with the exception of Garrett Whitlock — who threw 47 pitches and took the loss — none of those relievers threw more than 25 pitches, and Cora told reporters Wednesday that everyone minus Whitlock should be available.
“We’ll check with Whit, right? Get a lot of treatment and see where we’re at (Thursday),” Cora said. “But the rest, they’re in good shape.”
Early didn’t make it past the fifth inning in any of his previous four starts, so how Cora manages Boston’s bullpen could decide the outcome of this game.
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki delivers during the ninth inning of an 8-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of a National League wild-card series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers aren’t ready to call Roki Sasaki their closer, but who are they kidding?
Sasaki is their closer.
When the 23-year-old rookie from the Japanese countryside stepped onto the October stage on Wednesday night, he revealed himself to be more than the team’s best late-inning option.
“Wow,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “Really, all you can say is wow.”
Watching Sasaki pitch the final inning of a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in their National League wild-card series, the patrons at Dodger Stadium at once recognized the novelty of his act. The same crowd that can’t distinguish home runs from fly balls was chanting his first name throughout the ballpark after just two pitches.
Sasaki threw seven fastballs in the perfect inning, and six of them were faster than 100 mph. The other was clocked at 99.8 mph.
With a forkball that looked as if it was dropping perpendicular to the ground, he struck out the first two batters he faced. Spencer Steer and Gavin Lux had no chance.
Sasaki was the last card in the deck for the Dodgers, who gave up on Scott before the playoffs even started. They experimented with some less experienced arms, but none of them performed well. Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer were part of a dispiriting three-run eighth inning against the Reds in Game 1. Converted starter Emmet Sheehan was part of another eighth-inning meltdown in Game 2, as he retired just one of the five batters he faced, and that was on a sacrifice fly that drove in a run. Sheehan was charged with two runs.
By the time Sasaki started warming up in the bottom of the eighth inning, he might as well have already inherited the closer role by default. The other candidates had pitched their way out of consideration.
Never mind that Sasaki had never pitched in relief in either the United States or Japan until he did so on a recent minor-league rehabilitation assignment. Sasaki pitched out of the bullpen twice in the major leagues in the final days of the regular season, and he was about as promising a bullpen possibility as they had.
So when Sasaki emerged from the bullpen against the Reds, fans in every section of Dodger Stadium stood to applaud. Sasaki represented their final hope.
Asked the same question, manager Dave Roberts offered an equally ambiguous answer.
“I trust him,” Roberts said, “and he’s going to pitch in leverage.”
As guarded as Friedman and Roberts were, they couldn’t conceal the truth. Something fundamentally changed for the Dodgers on Wednesday night: They found their ninth-inning pitcher.
