Category: MLB

In the words of a Yankee legend, it was dèja vu all over again in the Bronx last night as Cam Schlittler continued crafting a legend of his own. Just like last season, Schlittler delivered a gem of a performance against the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, staking New York to a 1-0 series lead and giving them an opportunity to close the affair out early tonight. But unlike last year’s three-game set, in which the Yankee offense never fully erupted, the lineup finally achieved escape velocity. Ben Rice and his four hits, two homers, and six RBI, led the charge — but the bottom of the lineup contributed their fair share as well.

In other words, the Yankees played the perfect ballgame last night. Max Fried will be tasked with carrying the momentum into Game 2. Fried’s second season in pinstripes has been marred by a couple of IL stints limiting him to just 20 starts and 112.2 innings, but when he’s been healthy, he’s been just as good as in 2025. He’ll be pitching on seven days’ rest in Game 2 — his last appearance was an up-and-down start against the Rays, in which Tampa clinched the AL East.

As far as the recent track record against Boston, Fried has been quite effective. He only faced them twice this season: one was a short start from when he was returning from his latest injury, the other an eight-inning masterpiece in April from before the Red Sox got it together under new manager Chad Tracy. In Game 1 of last year’s WCS, he provided 6.1 scoreless innings, scattering four hits three walks while striking out six. The Yankees couldn’t hold onto the narrow 1-0 lead he had defended, and sabotaged their own comeback effort after loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning. None of that was Max’s fault, of course. Provided the lineup supports him, an effort like last year’s will be more than enough.

Old friend Sonny Gray never caught on with the Yankees in 2017 and 2018, but he’ll have no choice but to step up under the Yankee Stadium lights with Boston’s season on the line. Over his first season with the Red Sox, the steady veteran turned in yet another outstanding season, leading the AL with 18 wins (don’t think that doesn’t mean anything to him) and pitching to a 2.72 ERA. That’s the thing about the Red Sox’ pitching: they have lots of exciting youngsters like Payton Tolle, who pitched last night, but they also routinely get the most out of their veteran pitchers too. Gray faced New York twice in June and pitched well both times. The latter outing was his best start of the season by game score — one hit, one walk, nine strikeouts over 7.1 scoreless innings.

Unsurprisingly, Aaron Boone’s lineup for Game 2 is nearly unrecognizable when compared with the Game 1 starting nine. It’s a history-making card: according to James Smyth of the YES Network, it’s the first time a team has put eight lefty batters — switch hitters not included — in the same lineup in the postseason. The portside octet includes Trent Grisham, who entered late last night for his first action off the IL. Rice will ascend to the leadoff spot, with Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr. to follow. Spencer Jones hits cleanup and plays right field ahead of George Lombard Jr., the lone righty to get the start. Jazz Chisholm Jr. draws in at the keystone, Grisham bats in the seven-spot after him, Austin Wells will bat eighth, and Ryan McMahon starts at third and will hit ninth. Naturally, expect plenty of right-handed bats to come off the bench against a lefty-heavy Boston staff once Gray’s start concludes.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

First pitch: 8:00 p.m. ET

TV broadcast: NBC

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP) (BOS) | ESPN Radio (national)

Streaming: Peacock

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Game 2 at our house. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/eZhRJbQt3v

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 30, 2026

Set for Game 2. pic.twitter.com/TSPiTr5hjQ

— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 30, 2026

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat back on the sofa in his office on Monday, looking the most relaxed he has in weeks.

He'll be leading the charge as the Dodgers try for a historic World Series three-peat starting Saturday. If the Dodgers succeed, they would be the first team in National League history to accomplish the feat. But that's not what's on Roberts' mind right now; he knows the danger of looking too far ahead once you're in October.

"It just makes life more difficult when you don't focus on the job," he said over Zoom. "And that's winning this next series."

Max Muncy echoed his skipper, adding that the team doesn't need to add any extra pressure. Instead, the Dodgers are focusing on staying sharp over the week off, coming in to workout at Dodger Stadium, take batting practice, throwing bullpens and watching the wild card games together.

The bye helps the Dodgers get healthier, too; both Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman have been using the time to work on their mechanics at the plate while managing knee ailments (and a right bicep injury for Ohtani).

It also helps the team to lock in by just being around each other.

"Winning the World Series is hard enough as it is," Muncy said. "So for us, we're just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us without the added noise to it."

What lies ahead for the Dodgers in the NLDS is still unknown. As the No. 2 seed in the NL, they'll face either the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies, who have battled through two chaotic games so far; the Braves jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Austin Riley's clutch three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth on Monday and led 3-1 late on Wednesday until back-to-back blasts from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper tied it up. Alec Bohm then went deep on a solo shot in the 10th to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday.

That means the Dodgers won't know who they play until the last possible minute. Not that they necessarily care who occupies the dugout across from them, anyway.

"Either team, it doesn't really matter," Muncy said. "You're gonna have to play nothing but good teams from here on out. It's the postseason ... any team can go out and beat you. ... Whoever we play is whoever we play."

Here's a look at each of the Dodgers' possible NLDS opponents:

Atlanta Braves

The Dodgers and Braves dueled in both the 2020 and 2021 NLCS, but just four players remain from that 2021 Braves team that won the World Series: Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Dylan Lee and Ronald Acuña Jr. The Dodgers have had plenty of turnover, too.

The biggest knock on this Braves team has been the pitching depth. Chris Sale is continuing to beat Father Time and has a solid argument against Jacob Misiorowski for the Cy Young Award, but there's a dropoff in the rotation after him. Tyler Mahle has pitched well since being acquired at the trade deadline with a 1.99 ERA in nine starts. He threw seven innings of one-run ball in Game 2 against Philadelphia, but he was also the only starting pitcher that president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos traded for this summer when the consensus around league circles was that the Braves needed at least another arm.

Atlanta's battled through injuries for most of the season but much like the Dodgers, the Braves seem to be getting healthy at the right time.

Philadelphia Phillies

This would be a rematch of last year's NLDS, with home field advantage flipped to LA. The Dodgers are fully familiar with how dangerous the Phillies' lineup, headlined by Schwarber and Harper, can be; but they're just as familiar with how vulnerable the Phillies' bullpen is in October.

And the Phillies may have showed that volatility a little early with a 10-14 September record in which they didn't secure their playoff spot until the final game of the season despite their magic number being at one for the seven games before that. They avoided a historic collapse to close out the regular season and came back from what looked like sure elimination late in Game 2 on Wednesday, but how much longer can their bats keep covering for the bullpen? If it's anything like it was in 2025, the answer is not much.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who should Dodgers root for in NL wild card series? Breaking down Phillies, Braves matchups

I don’t know that there was any better way to announce to the world that the San Diego Padres are here to stick around. The Friars took Game 1 of the three-game set against the Chicago Cubs in spectacular fashion, scoring eight runs while limiting the Cubs to zero. It’s the biggest postseason shutout in franchise history. Starter Michael King pitched seven dominant innings, taking a no-hitter into the seventh before it was broken up on a liner to third base.

The offense went off, with Fernando Tatis Jr. homering on the first pitch before captain Manny Machado went yard a moment later. Nothing could have set the stage better for a series sweep than last night’s game. Tonight, San Diego will attempt to reverse their 2025 fates and beat the Cubs to advance to the NLDS. It would be their first appearance in the Division Series since 2022 against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Taking the mound

Kevin Gausman (CHC) v. Nick Pivetta (SD)

To say that Gausman has struggled since being traded to the Cubs would be an understatement. He was already struggling with the Toronto Blue Jays (4.38 ERA) before being traded to the North Siders and authoring a 4.83 ERA across nine starts. He looked good at the beginning of his tenure, but slowly started to struggle. In his final three starts of the season, Gausman surrendered 10 runs (15.1 IP).

The right-hander pitched quite well against San Diego when he last faced them as a Blue Jay. He twirled six innings of three-run ball in a no-decision that eventually became a Padres victory. What bit him were the walks. Gausman has an abnormally high 1.27 WHIP. Despite his fantastic stuff (184 K’s), he’s volatile. If the Friars sit and wait, they’ll get their pitch sooner or later.

Pivetta has been nails since returning from the injured list at the beginning of September. In four starts since then, the righty has authored a 1.45 ERA (18.2 IP). It’s not an abundant amount of work to draw from, but he’s looked dominant since his return. If that can continue against Chicago tonight, it would be a massive advantage for San Diego.

The right-hander is also coming off of a sterling outing against one of baseball’s best offenses in the Dodgers. His final start of the regular season came against the NL West rivals, with Pivetta twirling 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Should he be able to similarly stymie the Cubs, the bullpen won’t have too many outs to cover. That would give the Friars a major leg up in a potential NLDS appearance.

Batter up!

The offense was rocking last night, tagging Chicago starter Matthew Boyd for fours runs in as many innings. Xander Bogaerts, Machado and Tatis all homered off of the lefty. The Cubs’ bullpen was mostly solid, but gave up four more runs to San Diego in the fifth and seventh innings.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Dustin Harris, LF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Ty France, 1B
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Luis Campusano, DH
7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
8. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9. Ethan Salas, C

The Padres’ big four (Bogaerts, Machado, Jackson Merrill and Tatis) combined to go 8-for-14 (.571) last night with two walks, six RBIs and six runs scored. San Diego will likely go as far as their stars can take them. If they continue to get this level of production from them (or even a semblance of it), they’ll be well on their way to where they want to be.

Relief corps

King told reporters on Monday afternoon that he had no interest in turning the ball over to the bullpen. He was almost entirely true to his word. He pitched seven one-hit innings of scoreless ball before Yuki Matsui and Joe Musgrove (yes, you read that right) pitched the final two innings. Matsui pitched a perfect eighth before Musgrove navigated some trouble in his first big-league appearance in almost exactly two years.

That allows the bullpen to be fresh for tonight. Should the wheels fall off with Pivetta, the Friars are equipped with more than enough capable arms to fill out the remaining innings. Jason Adam, Mason Miller, David Morgan, Adrian Morejon, Robbie Ray and Bradgley Rodriguez are available for manager Craig Stammen to turn to. That said, Ray seems unlikely to pitch in relief given his experience as a starter.

Welp, you kinda just knew that this was going to be in the future for these clubs, huh?

After another close game was decided on a knife’s edge, the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are heading to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Wild Card Series. There were twists and turns but at the end of the day, the three guys who the Braves couldn’t let beat them ended up beating them. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper went back-to-back against Dylan Lee in the eighth inning (right after the Braves took the lead) and then Alec Bohm bopped one out against Didier Fuentes in the tenth inning to essentially decide the contest.

For the first seven-and-a-half innings, it seemed like the Braves were going to snatch another one. Tyler Mahle in particular was fantastic through seven strong results as he only gave up one run while he was out there. As it turned out, he was gutting his way through it as Walt Weiss dropped a bombshell during the postgame press conference and stated that Mahle was dealing with an injury right before the matchup and was considered a game-time decision.

“We had a scare before the game. He felt an abdominal pull. We didn’t know if he was going to make the start,” explained Weiss when he was asked about whether or not Tyler Mahle was truly done after the seventh inning. When he asked to explain more about Mahle’s pregame status, he explained that it really and truly was touch-and-go for Mahle heading into today’s game.

“We weren’t sure. It was right at game time after he came out of the bullpen,” explained Weiss. “He ended up working through it, and it got better as the game went on. But we were scrambling early on.” With that particular context, it makes Mahle’s start all the more impressive — especially considering that this was his first career Postseason start. A lot of credit has to be given to Mahle for going out there and toughing it out but now his status will be in question going forward, and hopefully he’ll be feeling better as the Postseason run (hopefully) progresses.

Meanwhile, this was another tough day for Didier Fuentes, who has now given up that big triple to J.T. Realmuto in Game 1 and the homer to Bohm in Game 2. It’s a very rough stat to Postseason life for Fuentes but Weiss has likely been using his own experiences as a player to keep Didier’s head high during this particular low moment.

“When you’re a late-inning reliever, these things happen,” explained Weiss. “I’ve seen some great ones that this has happened to. I saw one of the greatest. I was at shortstop when Kirk Gibson did his thing off [Dennis Eckersley,] one of the greatest closers of all time. It comes with the territory when you’re pitching late in close games. Every once in a while, they get you.“

Weiss also stood behind his decision to go to Dylan Lee, which made sense in the moment considering how Game 1 went. “Lee is our high-leverage lefty,” explained Weiss when he was asked about going with Lee in that situation. “[He] put down the same part of the order yesterday pretty easily. Threw the ball really well yesterday. So no, that’s his inning every time.”

Lastly, Dominic Smith got the call for a big at-bat at the end and Weiss had to field a question about that situation as well. Again, Weiss backed his player in that situation and stated that he had a “good feeling” about Dominic Smith potentially coming through with another big moment.

“Dom is a really good pinch-hitter and it’s a professional at-bat,” stated Weiss as he was asked about Smith coming in for the tenth inning. “I think thought there was a good chance he may even draw a walk there and pass the baton to Yaz. Just felt good about Dom in that situation. He’s come through for us.”

All in al, it’s a tough pill for the Braves to swallow (especially considering the missed opportunities that Atlanta had in the game, including a tough double play from Michael Harris II when Cristopher Sánchez was just barely holding on to a tied ballgame in the sixth inning) but at the same time, the Phillies had to take their medicine in Game 1.

It’s part of the dramatic ebb-and-flow that comes with the Postseason — especially considering that these two are divisional rivals who have been going back-and-forth with each other all season. There are no secrets left, no surprising the other. It’s just going to be a matter of who’s going to be the better team over the next nine (or so) innings.

Hopefully once the smoke clears tomorrow, the Braves will be the ones heading out to Los Angeles for the weekend but for now, it’s clear that the margin for error is just as razor thin as everybody thought it would be. The Braves threw their haymaker, the Phillies responded in kind and now it’s time to see who’s going to be able to deliver that knockout shot in Game 3. We’ll see what happens as the Braves play their first actual game in October this season — with everything on the line.

About a month before his team reported to spring training this year, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat on the balcony of an upscale restaurant near his offseason home in San Diego, recounting his journey from franchise scapegoat to championship leader.

The more Roberts spoke about his professional evolution, the more it became clear that he wasn’t just explaining who he was a manager at that moment.

He was envisioning the manager he would become.

“At 53,” Roberts said, “I feel I’m just scratching the surface.”

His theory is about to be tested.

The Dodgers have a loaded starting rotation. They have an experienced but inconsistent lineup. They have a hodgepodge of a bullpen.

And they have another X-factor in Roberts, who ranks third all-time in playoff wins as a manager with 59. No other manager in this postseason field has won more than 26.

With the Dodgers reaching the playoffs in each of their 11 seasons under him, Roberts has already managed 117 postseason games.

The experience has resulted in a change in how he sees October games.

“It’s slowed down,” Roberts said.

As the games unfold, he can better predict what will happen next. When making decisions, he doesn’t feel rushed.

That could be especially valuable in this postseason.

The Dodgers have an all-world rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. They have two relievers they trust at the back of their bullpen in Tanner Scott and Roki Sasaki.

The question Roberts will have to face on most nights will be how to manage the innings that aren’t pitched by the starter, Scott or Sasaki. 

When the Dodgers had a weak bullpen last year, Roberts’ approach was relatively straightforward: Ride the starters as long as possible, turn to them whenever possible.

Dodgers starters pitched into the seventh inning or beyond seven times last postseason. Yamamoto pitched two complete games. Snell made an eight-inning start. Three of the team’s four starters were used as relievers at some point, and the other, Shohei Ohtani, started Game 7 of the World Series on three-days’ rest. Yamamoto pitched the final 2 ⅔ innings of that game – a day after pitching six innings in a Game 6 win.

A repeat of that is entirely possible. But what the rotation did last year was historic and the counting on the group to do that again might not be realistic.

The advantage the Dodgers have this year is that their bullpen has more upside than it did last October, which should provide Roberts with a greater number of middle relief options. But every option carries significant risk. 

Displaced $69-million closer Edwin Diaz had a nightmare of a regular season. Edgardo Henriquez is the hardest thrower on the team – and probably the most improved as well – but he missed the end of the regular season with a back injury. Fireman Alex Vesia posted his highest walk rate in five years. Evan Phillips has looked like a ninth-inning possibility on some nights but has been home-run prone. Converted starter Justin Wrobleski was an All-Star but had a rough second half of the season.

Roberts will be counted on to navigate the middle innings of this group, which could also include the left-handed Scott if a particularly dangerous group of left-handed hitters is due up at a critical juncture.

Whatever happens, the situation shouldn’t be nearly as complicated as it was during the Dodgers’ World Series run in 2024.

The Dodgers went into that postseason with only three viable starting pitchers – Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was in his first year in the majors and limited to 90 regular-season innings because of shoulder problems; Jack Flaherty, a trade-deadline acquisition who posted a 4.99 earned-run average the previous year; and Walker Buehler, who registered a 5.38 ERA in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

Roberts had to rely on his bullpen.

The limited number of starting pitchers forced the Dodgers into a bullpen game at least once in every series. He was forced to punt certain games to preserve the little pitching he had for the future.

As chaotic as it looked from the outside, Roberts said he was clear-headed.

“I couldn’t have said that in ‘16, ‘17, ‘18,” he said.

Roberts mentioned how athletes decline after playing a certain number of years.

“But with coaching, your best years are with experience and as you get older,” he said. “That’s the irony. And I do feel that I’m much more wise. My decision-making, I feel, has gotten even better. My feel for the game.”

Now on the brink of a three-peat, the Dodgers might be more reliant on that feel than they ever have.

SAN DIEGO — From a Fernando Tatis Jr. leadoff home run to a shutdown performance from stating pitcher Michael King, Game 1 of the National League wild card series couldn't have gone better for the San Diego Padres.

Or worse for the Chicago Cubs.

The Padres dismantled the Cubs in an 8-0 laugher on Tuesday night, as Tatis and Manny Machado started the fireworks with a pair of first-inning home runs before King settled in to 6 1/3 hitless innings before yielding a Cubs base hit.

On Wednesday, the Cubs will look to overcome long odds, as teams who win Game 1 of the wild-card round are 21-3, with 17 two-game sweeps. Home teams have gone 9-0, with eight sweeps, after winning Game 1.

First pitch in Game 2 is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 30, with Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA) set to take the mound for the Cubs, facing Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA) for the Padres.

Where to watch Padres vs. Cubs: Channel, live stream

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Watch the MLB Postseason on Peacock

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoffs LIVE: Cubs vs Padres updates, highlights and where to watch

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Alec Bohm put the Phillies on top.

Some technology helped Philadelphia keep its season alive.

With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Phillies completed their 4-3 comeback over the Braves in Game 2 of the wild-card series with the help of the automated ball-strike challenge system.

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ABS PAINTING pic.twitter.com/2LtwMPc4J6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

Atlanta’s Dominic Smith took an 0-2 fastball from Andrew Painter that home plate umpire Andrew Beck initially called inside and off the plate for a ball at Truist Park on Wednesday.

But Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto quickly challenged the call. The veteran catcher was right, as the pitch did clip the inside corner for strike three.

It marks the first time ABS — which was introduced to the majors this year — has been used at the major league level to end a playoff game.

The pressure-packed 10th inning was just the final chapter in what was a roller-coaster Game 2 for the Phillies. Atlanta grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh after Bryce Harper misplayed a fly ball from Drake Baldwin that put the Braves ahead by one. A Matt Olson sacrifice fly made it 3-1.

But one inning later, Kyle Schwarber and Harper hit solo homers to get the Phillies even before Bohm played hero in the top of the 10th with a solo home run off Didier Fuentes to right field, just clearing the high wall.

Painter, normally a starter, provided yeoman’s work out of the bullpen with three scoreless innings and three punchouts — all of which came in the final frame.

The Phillies might be the first MLB team to seal a playoff win on an ABS challenge, but they’re not even the first pro team to do so in the last week. The Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) won the Triple-A National Championship over the weekend via an overturned ABS decision.

A win-or-go-home Game 3 is set for 2 p.m. Thursday in Atlanta.

The Philadelphia Phillies were six outs away from boarding a chartered flight Wednesday, headed home for the winter, facing perhaps the most tumultuous offseason in nearly a decade.

Interim manager Don Mattingly surely would be fired, with calls immediately placed to Alex Cora to replace him. Many of his coaches would be dismissed along with them. And the roster could be facing a dramatic change, with some of the Phillies’ biggest stars perhaps being placed on the trade block.

Then, like a thunderbolt coming down the sky, it happened, turning a 3-1, eighth-inning deficit into a dramatic 4-3 Phillies victory over Atlanta, saving their season, and setup up a dramatic winner-take-all game Thursday at Truist Park.

The Phillies, who nearly suffered one of the greatest collapses in baseball history, losing 14 of 23 games and almost coughed up a four-game lead with five remaining, are now guaranteed to play in October after all.

The Phillies’ comeback began when Atlanta starter Tyler Mahle came out of the game after seven brilliant innings, bringing in left-handed reliever Dylan Lee.

Kyle Schwarber, who hit 45 homers during the season, greeted Lee by hitting a 3-and-2 slider that nearly sailed out of the stadium, traveling 447 feet into the right-field seats.

Three pitches later, Bryce Harper, who botched a fly ball in right field in the seventh inning that led to two runs, hit another slider 418 feet away into the right-center-field seats.

Tie game.

“That’s why this team is so great," Harper told reporters after the game. “We pick each other up when we need to. ... Obviously my teammates picking me up in that situation, and that's what it's all about.

Two innings later, Alec Bohm hit a two-out homer into the right-field seats, with rookie Andrew Painter, who had been sent to the minors with a 7.06 ERA this summer, pitching the final three innings for the victory and the game ending on a successful ABS challenge.

“Obviously, we’re not going to quit," Bohm said on the TV postgame show. “They just punched us, took the lead, and you know, no two better guys to punch back than [Harper] and Kyle. So yeah, that was pretty electric. It was a great way to answer, and that’s the reason we won the game."

It will go down as one of the greatest postseason games in Phillies history, and Thursday’s result may determine just how long it will be remembered.

“Today was really emotional, a lot of swings in the game,’’ Bohm said. “So, I think as much as we want to enjoy this for a little bit, it's the same as we did [Tuesday]. Turn the page, move on to tomorrow, and show up ready to do the same thing.’’

The Phillies are still alive.

And there’s nothing they’d love than to board a flight Thursday night to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the NL Division Series in a rematch of a year ago.

They’re not ready to go home.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phillies never say die with dramatic comeback to stay alive vs Braves

It began April 4, 2013, with the first pitch from Vidal Nuño to Pawtucket’s Brock Holt. It ended Sept. 19, 2026, when Stephen Jones of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp uncorked a wild pitch with Kenedy Corona batting, enabling Yanquiel Fernandez to score the winning run from third base.

In between, there have been a lot of highs and lows and memorable moments for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Triple-A franchise as the RailRiders. 

Since minor-league baseball returned to northeastern Pennsylvania in 1989, the franchise has been known by three nicknames. First was the Red Barons as a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate until 2006. In 2007, it became a New York Yankees affiliate and adopted the same moniker as the parent club. In 2013, to coincide with the major renovations of its home, PNC Field, it changed from Yankees to RailRiders, which was the winner of a fan name-the-team contest and honored the region having the first trolley system in the United States. 

Now, after 13 seasons, the RailRiders’ final ride has pulled into the station. The name is being rebranded, and the new one will be announced in November. 

From our team to each of you: Thank you fans! 💙 pic.twitter.com/yspYU98Vzx

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) September 21, 2026

As the RailRiders, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finished with an all-time record of 1,028 wins and 834 losses. Only three times did it have a losing season: 2013, 2014, and 2023.

Six times the RailRiders made the playoffs. Three times they lost in the International League championship series (2017, 2018, 2025). But in 2016, they defeated the Gwinnett Braves in four games to capture the IL title, then beat the Pacific Coast League champion El Paso Chihuahuas to claim the Triple-A national championship.

There were plenty of memorable games throughout franchise history. One came on September 3, 2019. The RailRiders and Syracuse Mets tied for first place in the International League North Division and played a one-game playoff to decide the title. Syracuse led, 7-1, heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the RailRiders scored five runs to pull within 7-6. Syracuse scored six runs in the top of the eighth to make it 13-6. But the RailRiders rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the eighth to win, 14-13. 

Three of the franchise’s seven no-hitters were thrown by RailRiders. Luis Gil, Reggie McClain and Stephen Ridings combined for one against Rochester on July 21, 2021. Sean Boyle tossed a seven-inning no-no in the second game of a doubleheader on August 19, 2021, at Worcester. This season, on June 5th at Syracuse, Brendan Beck and Carson Coleman teamed up for one.

Even the team’s final game as the RailRiders will long be remembered. Trailing Jacksonville 4-0 after two innings, they rallied to tie the game at 5 and force extra innings. With no arms left in the bullpen, position player Edinson Duran came on to get the final out in the top of the 10th with the bases loaded. The RailRiders won in the bottom of the 10th when Fernandez scored on Jones’ wild pitch.

“It was pretty poetic, tying the game in the eighth, showing no quit, could have easily rolled over. Then going extras and having Duran come in (to pitch) was a blast,” Beck said. “He works his butt off, so for him to go out there and pick us up like that and keep that inning at a zero, it felt like there was no way we weren’t going to score in the bottom of the 10th. It was an awesome game, great way to end the season.”

Beck became the fourth player in franchise history and second RailRider to be named International League Pitcher of the Year, joining Greg Weissert in 2022. This season, Beck led the IL in earned-run average (2.93), strikeouts (151), innings (135.1), WHIP (1.06), opponents’ batting average (.210), and tied for second in wins (10). 

Ben Gamel became the third player in franchise history and lone RailRider to be named IL Player of the Year in 2016. One day after winning the honor, the Yankees traded him to the Seattle Mariners for minor-league pitchers Jio Orozco and Juan De Paula. 

Many notable players have worn a RailRiders uniform.

Hall of Famer Derek Jeter spent seven games on a rehab assignment in early July 2013 while recovering from a broken ankle. During his time here, it became a daily game to see where he was spotted in downtown Scranton.

Later that month, Alex Rodriguez played three games here while coming back from offseason hip surgery. He hit a two-run home run in the second at-bat of his first game.

Alex Rodriguez slapping hands with a young fan while playing for the Scranton / Wilkes Barre RailRiders in 2013. ARod played games for the New York Yankees Triple A team before returning to the Major Leagues. #AlexRodriguez#AROD#NYY#baseball#RailRiders#ScrantonWilkesBarrepic.twitter.com/0ZGaOAPPGo

— The Thrill of Victory (@ThrillVictory) March 20, 2023

Curtis Granderson and D.J. LeMahieu were other notable Yankees who rehabbed here over the years. This season, pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, catcher Austin Wells, and outfielder Cody Bellinger all had rehab stints.

Current Yankees slugger Aaron Judge played 154 games with the RailRiders in 2015 and 2016 and five more games on a rehab assignment in 2019.  He totaled 28 home runs and 95 RBIs. Prospects such as Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, Anthony Volpe, Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler, Spencer Jones, and George Lombard Jr. also spent time here.

🚨 AARON JUDGE DINGER ALERT 🚨

RailRiders lead 7-3 as the Judge hands down a solo shot to right field. #Celebrate30pic.twitter.com/HaNSrhC2nH

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) June 19, 2019

“A lot of great players have played for the RailRiders,” Beck said. “To be the last ones to do it is fun. The future is exciting as well. Looking forward to starting something new next year.”

When manager Shelley Duncan played in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre from 2007-09, the team was known as the Yankees. But in his four seasons as manager, the term “RailRiders” has come to mean a lot to him.

“I just always think about the character of every team that I’ve had,” said Duncan, whose record as RailRiders manager is 327-195. “I’ve been lucky to be a part of some good groups that fought all the way to the end. Some good memories and some good relationships. Each year has been a different team, and each year has been very special.”

The new nickname has already been decided, and team officials said it will reflect the “beauty, heritage and outdoor legacy” of the region. Whatever it is, it will have a tough act to follow. The RailRiders’ era was quite a successful and enjoyable time. 

The Phillies’ season looked all but over. Thanks to a horrendous fielding error by Bryce Harper, the Phillies found themselves trailing the Braves by two runs in the eighth. But thanks to back-to-back home runs by Kyle Schwarber and Harper, a go-ahead home run by Alec Bohm in the tenth, and some gutsy pitching by rookie Andrew Painter, the Phillies beat the Braves 4-3 to tie the Wild Card series at one win apiece.

The game started out promisingly for the Phillies’ offense. Trea Turner led off with an opposite field double, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored on Harper’s RBI single.

Harp gets us goin' early pic.twitter.com/JDJ1BoWxO6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

A single by Bohm put runners at the corners, but Bryson Stott hit a ball back to the pitcher and Harper was thrown out at home to end the threat.

The Braves answered back in the bottom of the inning. Cristopher Sanchez started the game by walking Ronald Acuna, Jr, and it ended up costing him thanks to Matt Olson’s RBI single two batters later.

The game then settled into a pitchers’ duel between Sanchez and Tyler Mahle. The Phillies continued to flail at Mahle’s split fastball and could only manage three hits over the next six innings. Sanchez ran into trouble in both the fifth and sixth but was able to pitch out of the jam both times.

Despite a rising pitch count, Sanchez began the seventh and started the inning with a walk. The next batter attempted a bunt, and Bohm made a poor decision to try to get the runner at second, putting two on with nobody out. Sanchez bore down to strike out Acuna and then got Drake Baldwin to hit what looked like a routine fly ball to right. However, …

Oh no. Bryce Harper missplays a catchable ball.2-1 Braves pic.twitter.com/H9q5Z0xvgK

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 30, 2026

After an intentional walk, a sacrifice fly by Olson put the Braves up 3-1.

The Braves lifted Mahle in favor of lefthander Dylan Lee, presumably to get Schwarber and Harper out. That move didn’t work out so well.

SCHWARBOMBS AWAY pic.twitter.com/UxdPliUCbv

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

BRYCE BRINGS US EVEN pic.twitter.com/7BQYehGrEV

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

With the back-to-back jacks tying the game at three, manager Don Mattingly chose to bring in rookie Andrew Painter. It was a tough spot for a rookie, and it looked like it might have been a mistake when his first six pitches missed the strike zone. But a mound visit seemed to settle Painter. He coerced a double play and a foul out to end the inning.

After trading zeroes in the ninth, the Phillies had two outs in the tenth when Alec Bohm lifted what looked like a routine fly ball to right field. But somehow, it kept carrying and gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

ALEC'S BOHM RUN GIVES US THE LEAD IN EXTRAS pic.twitter.com/tmlFqG9IrY

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

It isn’t clear if Jhoan Duran was unavailable or if it was just Painter’s game, but the rookie came back out for his third inning. Painter started out the inning with a strike three that nicked the strike zone by about a nanometer. After a single and another strike out, Michael Harris kept the game alive by flicking his bat at a ball that somehow found grass.

With two out and two on, Painter got two quick strikes on Austin Riley and then delivered a pitch that was so perfect that ABS had to call it a strike.

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ABS PAINTING 🎨 pic.twitter.com/2LtwMPc4J6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

With the win, the Phillies have set up a pivotal game three on Thursday. It would be nice if they could get out to an early lead and coast to victory. It would also be nice if I could win the lottery.

See you tomorrow!

Bryce Harper had a rollercoaster of an afternoon Wednesday.

In the seventh inning of Game 2 between the Braves and Phillies, with men on first and second and the game tied 1-1, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin hit a fly ball to right field in play for Phillies star Bryce Harper to grab at Truist Park.

That. Just. Happened!#LetItFlypic.twitter.com/qtePObgSvZ

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 30, 2026

Harper hesitated before running backward for the ball, which hit the tip of his glove and bounced right out, forcing him to chase it down.

The Braves scored a run on the play to take the lead, and later scored again in the frame on a sacrifice fly by Matt Olsen to take go up 3-1.

Just minutes later, however, Harper redeemed himself with a home run to tie the game in the top of the eighth.

Kyle Schwarber had made it 3-2 just moments before with a mammoth homer of his own. The Phillies went on to win the game, 4-3, in 10 innings.

The blast marked Harper’s second RBI of the day. He scored Philadelphia’s first run of the game on an RBI single on Braves’ starter Tyler Mahle’s fifth pitch of the game in the first inning.

The Braves won Game 1, 5-3, putting the Phillies’ backs against the wall on Wednesday.

The Phillies of recent weeks are used to that feeling, as they were just steps away from a historic collapse last week when the Diamondbacks threatened to steal the final NL wild-card spot from them.

Philadelphia clinched their spot in the wild card round with a win in Game 162 on Sunday.

Losing 9-0 against your blood rivals to open off the postseason is bad enough. But the pain of last night was brought to another level by losing 9-0 while your leadoff hitter and the face of the franchise mysteriously leaves the game after two awkward strikeouts.

As we discussed last night, Roman Anthony appeared to re-aggravate his bad right hand in the final game of the season against the Rays. And as OTM’s Matt Gross points out, footage from last night shows that he had his hand heavily taped up prior to the game:

You can see in this picture from before last night's game that Roman Anthony's right hand was pretty heavily taped up leading into it. Whatever happened in Tampa was much worse than they initially let on. In hindsight, Anthony likely doesn't even start if it's not a playoff game. https://t.co/HjRyH5mAXApic.twitter.com/j5lPe5LHXW

— Matthew Gross (@MattGross87) September 30, 2026

And, as it turns out, despite the fact that he returned at the end of August and performed as the lineup’s top hitter during an otherwise sleepy stretch run to end the season, Anthony has been battling the hand the whole time. In fact, Andruw Monasterio had been informed before the game even started that he may be called on to replace Anthony in the lineup. “He took a check swing and then another swing and his hand flared on him. And it got uncomfortable, so we had to make a move there,” Chad Tracy said. “It’s difficult. You’ll get a zinger every once in a while where you feel something, it’s fine, it goes away … [Tuesday] some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

Update, 4:20 PM: Anthony is not just out of the lineup tonight, he’s out for the series:

Roman Anthony won't play again in this series and the Red Sox have petitioned to the league for a roster replacement, which would.also knock Roman out for the ALDS

— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) September 30, 2026

Roman Anthony was driven back to Boston last night and had imaging that revealed multiple new strains in his hand plus a re-aggravation of the old injury. He is out for the foreseeable future.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 30, 2026

Update, 5:30 PM: And just to make things a little weirder, Anthony will be replaced in the lineup by none other than Curtis Mead, who has effectively not played at all for the Red Sox this year due to injury.

With Anthony out, Jahmai Jones will DH and leadoff, while Nate Eaton will play left.

Red Sox lineup (no Roman Anthony) for Game 2 against the Yankees:

DH Jahmai Jones
C Adley Rutschman
1B Willson Contreras
RF Wilyer Abreu
CF Ceddanne Rafaela
3B Caleb Durbin
2B Nick Sogard
SS Trevor Story
LF Nate Eaton

RHP Sonny Gray

— Tim Crowley (@tcrowley37) September 30, 2026

---

Anthony was hardly the only hitter to struggle against Cam Schlittler last night. And making matters worse was the fact that the Sox had been preparing to face him for weeks. But Schlittler had a surprise in store for the Sox, as he unleashed his curveball far more than he typically does. “He was landing it just for some get-me-overs to try to get back into counts and getting ahead early. Good on him to kinda mix it up there,” said Caleb Durbin. “I thought he was doing a better job today of mixing up in the zone and lower in the zone with fastballs and his curveball.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

It won’t matter how the lineup performs tonight if Sonny Gray can’t keep the Yankees off the board. Gray has an ugly history with the Yankees. The arguable nadir of his career occurred during his brief time in pinstripes and he has since said he never wanted to play for the Yankees in the first place. But he doesn’t necessarily regret his time in the Bronx. “I think there’s a lot of people and a lot of players that can have one bump in the road and not get back on the tracks,” he said, “and for me, there’s been bumps along the way and that may have been a little bit of a bigger bump than others. But then to be able to recenter, to refocus, to continue to have confidence in yourself and not get off the wagon, get back on the wagon and continue to move forward in your career and in your life as well … ultimately it made me a better person.” (Tara Sullivan, Boston Globe)

Ben Rice, unfortunately, did always want to play for the Yankees, despite the fact that he grew up in Cohasset and likely has an opinion on South Shore style bar pizza. But his New England roots aren’t the only unusual thing about him, as he’s also the rare Ivy League grad in the big leagues. (Ronald Blum, Boston.com)

Sonny’s hatred of the Yankees is, of course, welcome around these parts. But it’s possible that the Yankees are doing one thing in particular better than everyone else: constructing their roster for these short Wild Card round series. (Michael Baumann, FanGraphs)

But roster construction alone isn’t going to win a playoff series, and this particular playoff series is not yet over. “I mean, I haven’t heard the fat lady sing yet,” Payton Tolle said last night. “So we’re just going to keep going out there. I believe in us. So it’s going to be fun to watch these guys compete tomorrow.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

The Atlanta Braves faced the Philadelphia Phillies in game two of the Wild Card series in a chance to clinch the series and move on to the next round.

Tyler Mahle, the key trade deadline acquisition, took the mound for the Braves. He has been on fire in the second half of the season for the Braves. with a 1.99 ERA with forty-eight strikeouts to only nine walks.

This is his first postseason appearance of his career and he was a little shaky in the first inning. Trea Turner smacked the second pitch he saw for a double. Schwarber then moved him to third on a ground out. This brought up struggling former MVP Bryce Harper to the plate. He took an splitter low and outside the opposite way for an RBI single to put the Phillies up by one. Alec Bohm followed that up with a single to put runners on the corners with only one out. Fortunately, Mahle calmed down and got Stott to hit a come-backer to the mound for a fielder’s choice via a pickle at third and then struck out Brandon Marsh to limit the damage.

The first inning continued to be exciting when the Braves came up to bat. Ronald Acuña led off the bottom of the first with a career OPS of 1.000 against Cristopher Sánchez. He was able to draw a walk. Baldwin struck out, but Acuña stole second against one of the best defensive catchers in recent memory in J.T. Realmuto. Albies grounded out, but then Acuña stole again and made it to third. Matt Olson then came up clutch and knocked Acuña in to tie the game at one before Dubón hit a 101.9 MPH line out.

Steal, steal, score 🏃‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/FCzGi6zhVl

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 30, 2026

Mahle looked much better in the second. He got Sosa and Crawford to flyout. He did surrender a single to Realmuto but then got revenge on Turner and struck him out. Unfortunately, the bottom of the inning was not any better for the Braves with them being sat down in order.

Mahle started get in the groove and show us why we were excited to have him be the game two starter in the third inning. He struck out Schwarber, and got Harper to ground out. He showed he was not intimidated even though the top of the lineup got to him last time. He walked Bohm, but then got Stott to groundout.

Some questioned why Kim was in the lineup, but he did his job in his first appearance. He was able to draw a six pitch walk. For some reason, Acuña then followed Kim up with watching three straight strikes without swinging. Drake Baldwin did not do much better with a six pitch strikeout. Albies then followed that up with a pop up.

The fourth inning started out great. The only offense from the Phillies was a single from Justin Crawford. Mahle was able to induce two groundouts and a lineout. This brought up Matt Olson in the bottom of the fourth. Olson was able to draw a 3-1 count (although the strike looked low), but it ended in a groundout to second. He was followed by two more groundouts.

If anyone questioned the Tyler Mahle acquisition, that should be put to bed. He sat down the Phillies in order in the fifth to include striking out both Schwarber and Harper. It looked like the Braves may get something going in the fifth. After a Harris groundout, Murphy doubled. Kim popped out and Sánchez intentionally walked Acuña to face Baldwin. Unfortunately for the Braves, that move paid off when Baldwin grounded out.

Mahle stayed in the game for the sixth and the only offense he surrendered was a single to Marsh. The Sixth looked very promising for the Braves. They loaded the bases thanks to a Albies single and back-to-back singles from Dubón and Riley after an Olson strikeout, but then Harris grounded into a double play to kill the momentum.

In the seventh the Braves chose to ride the hot hand and leave in Tyler Mahle. He was able to get Crawford to groundout on a low splitter, Realmuto to strikeout, and Turner to line out. It really showed that the Phillies do not have faith in their bullpen because Sánchez came back out to pitch after loading the bases in the previous inning. The Braves took advantage. Murphy walked and then Kim was able to get on as well via a misplayed bunt. Acuña struck out again, but then Baldwin came up big with a double to put the Braves up by one on a ball that appeared to be misplayed by Harper. Albies then was intentionally walked to load the bases. Olson came through again and gave the Braves another run via a sac fly. This brought in Alex McFarlane to pitch. McFarlane then got a groundout to end the inning.

That. Just. Happened!#LetItFlypic.twitter.com/qtePObgSvZ

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 30, 2026

Dylan Lee came in to pitch. He did well yesterday, but there was this sinking feeling of him coming in because he has struggled in the regular season as of late. The bad feeling was warranted because he surrendered back-to-back HRs to Schwarber and Harper to tie the game. Harper made up for his mistake. Fortunately, he was able to get two more outs and was relieved by Iglesias. In true Iggy fashion, he did his job and ended the top of the eighth.

The Phillies opted to bring in Andrew Painter in to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Austin Riley won an ABS challenge and walked. Unfortunately, Michael Harris followed that up with his second GIDP of the game, and then Sean Murphy popped up.

With every inning that went by, the drama got higher and higher and in the ninth that held true. Iglesias stayed in to pitch the ninth and Sosa was able to single off of him, but appeared to be injured and was replaced with Derek Hill. Crawford tried to bunt the runner over, but it was unsuccessful. Realmuto then popped up. This brought us to the top of the lineup with two outs. The Braves opted to bring in rookie Dider Fuentes to try and get the third out after struggling yesterday. Under unimaginable pressure, he was able to get Trea Turner to pop out and end the inning, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Yastrzemski pinch hit for Kim against Painter and hit a routine fly ball. Acuña continued his struggles with a ground out. Baldwin singled, but then Albies flied out to RF to send the game to extras. Fuentes stayed in the game to pitch the tenth and struck out Schwarber, then proceeded to get Harper to ground out, but then Alec Bohm put in the dagger with a solo shot on a ball over the middle of the plate to take a one run lead. This led to a single from Stott and De La Cruz. Fuentes was able to strike out Hill, but the damage was done.

The Braves got some offense going in the bottom of the tenth. Olson struck out, but Dubón was able to get a single. Riley came up to bat with a chance to be the hero again, but also struck out. Michael Harris singled and then the Braves opted to pinch hit Dominic Smith for Sean Murphy. This ultimately failed with Smith striking out on three pitches to include an overturned ABS challenge to end the game.

The offense had plenty of opportunities to score with eleven runners left on base, and the bullpen collapsed. If this game was simulated multiple times the Braves likely would have won the majority of them, but it that is not how it played out today in a demoralizing loss.

The Braves will likely face the Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler tomorrow and will bring in Grant Holmes to pitch. This loss stings.

A miserable Game 1 of the wild-card series for the Red Sox was even worse upon closer inspection.

Not only were the Red Sox 9-0 losers in the first game of the best-of-three in The Bronx, but they also lost Roman Anthony for the series — and longer if they do advance — after he sustained “additional damage” to muscles in his right wrist, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said.

The Red Sox had submitted paperwork to MLB to enable them to remove Anthony from the roster and fill his spot. In an elimination game Wednesday, former Yankee Jahmai Jones was atop the lineup at DH against lefty Max Fried.

Anthony batted leadoff Tuesday and only took two at-bats before being lifted, having reinjured the same hand that sidelined him for nearly four months from early May to late August.

He initially suffered a partially torn tendon in a joint that connects a finger to his wrist, which he aggravated while facing Cam Schlittler.

The Red Sox sent him back to Boston after the game to get re-imaged, which found further damage to the wrist.

The second-year outfielder/designated hitter had been among the best prospects in the game and was a force after debuting last season before an injury-filled sophomore campaign.

“He’s a really good player,” Tracy said. “So, certainly not something we wanted to happen, and having him in there is important. But again, I can’t reiterate enough, we’ve dealt with things like this all year. The show goes on.”