Category: Baseball

Aaron Judge has been here too many times before: watching another team celebrate in front of him at Yankee Stadium. 

“Just hating every single moment of it,’’ Judge said of his thoughts when he was sitting in the dugout after the Rays beat the Yankees 4-3 to complete a three-game sweep of the ALDS. “So I don’t forget it. I was thinking of missed opportunities this season and this series.” 

That may be what the 2026 Yankee season will most be remembered for, as Judge was forced to miss such a sizable chunk of the regular season due to a fractured rib that cost him over three months and then the strained calf that prevented him from playing in the postseason. 

Asked how close he was to being activated for the ALDS after missing the wild-card series win over Boston, Judge said, “We’re talking hypotheticals. If I was on the roster or not, guys were out there fighting and I had all the faith in them. I like our chances whether I’m out there or not.” 

He said he was “feeling great,” but the lineup certainly missed Judge’s presence — just as it did during the regular season. 

“It definitely hurts,’’ Judge said. “You want to be out there. You try to get out there as soon as you can. It hurts not to get a chance to get out and battle.” 

Now, the Yankees have to watch the rest of the postseason play out without them and then head into an offseason filled with uncertainty, with a lockout likely in December. 

Judge was asked what the team needs to do to get better and avoid being in this situation again, as they have every year of his career. 

“We’re the Yankees,’’ Judge said. “I feel like [the front office] should go all in and do what they need to do. If we’ve got holes, if it’s finding certain players, whatever we need.” 

He praised the contributions of young players like Cam Schlittler, George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones and said he was impressed with how Anthony Volpe bounced back after being sent down to the minors. 

None of it was enough to get the Yankees back to the top of the baseball world. 

Judge said “a lot of things” need to happen for that to change. 

“I control what I can as a player,’’ Judge said. “They give us a winning team every year. That’s not good enough in New York.” 

And it resulted in a division rival clinching an ALDS win over the Yankees in The Bronx, with the Blue Jays doing it a year ago. 

“I don’t like that, other teams celebrating at our place,’’ Judge said. “If you don’t like it, you’ve got to play better.”

Box Score

The Brewers are heading back to the NLCS. An all-around strong game by the Brewers led them to a 3-1 win over the Padres, ending the series in four games and setting up a rematch from last season.

The game started out looking rough for the Brewers. In the top of the first, Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras went down on six pitches. Meanwhile, the Padres put the pressure on right away. After Fernando Tatis popped out on the first pitch Robert Gasser threw, Jackson Merrill hit a one out single to right-center. Manny Machado then surprised everyone with a bunt, and it was perfectly placed for a single.

Next up was Ty France, and he hit what looked like a double-play ball to Joey Ortiz. He took the out at first himself, but did not throw to first. It’s not clear why he didn’t go for it, but it was the second out of the inning. Gasser then walked Austin Hays on five pitches, loading the bases for Xander Bogaerts. However, Gasser recovered and got Bogaerts to pop out, ending the inning.

Both teams traded scoreless second innings. Jake Bauers drew a one-out walk, but Cooper Pratt grounded into a double play to end the inning. Meanwhile, Gasser recovered with an efficient inning, retiring the side on 12 pitches while striking out one.

In the third, Brewers’ baseball was on full display. Sal Frelick led off the inning with a single that Jake Cronenworth managed to knock down and keep in the infield. Frelick then stole second, and Garrett Mitchell brought him in with an RBI single to center. For the first time in the series, the Brewers scored first, leading 1-0.

They had a chance to add on more, but Ortiz grounded into a double play for the first two outs of the inning. Chourio drew a two-out walk after that, but Yelich grounded out to end the top of the inning.

The lead wouldn’t hold up long, unfortunately. Tatis Jr. led off the bottom of the third, and hit the fourth pitch he saw 429 feet out to center field, tying the game at 1-1. Gasser recovered by retiring the next three batters he saw, keeping the game tied.

The Brewers kept the pressure on in the fourth. Contreras singled to start the inning, which ended Walker Buehler’s day. He pitched 3+ innings and allowed just the one run, allowing three hits and two walks with no strikeouts. Robbie Ray was first in out of the bullpen for the Padres. He allowed a one-out walk to Bauers, but that was it as he got out of the inning.

Gasser got one more inning for the Brewers, and despite an error by Pratt that allowed Campusano to reach, he got out of the inning without issue. Gasser gave the Brewers four strong innings, allowing just one run, three hits, and a walk while striking out three.

Mitchell started out the fifth inning with a big hit for the Brewers, tripling to right to give the Brewers a leadoff runner for the third straight inning. This time, the Brewers would not strand him. After Ortiz grounded out, Chourio hit a single to center and brought in Mitchell. The Brewers had the lead back, 2-1. Yelich added a single in the fifth, that was it.

Aaron Ashby was the first reliever out of the bullpen for the Brewers in the bottom of the fifth. He didn’t run into any issues, retiring the side in order on nine pitches. He also got some help from Pratt, who recovered from his earlier error with a nice play to get Tatis Jr.

Meanwhile, the Brewers offense kept going. Bauers led off the sixth with a single, the fourth straight inning where the Brewers had their leadoff man on. Pratt then kept up his redemption his a hard-hit ball down the left field line, which bounced out over the wall for a ground-rule double. Frelick was up next, and hit one deep to left, but remained in the park. It was more than deep enough to score Bauers, and the Brewers added a critical insurance run, making it a 3-1 game.

Ashby remained in the game for the sixth, and despite allowing a walk to Ty France, a double play made it a 1-2-3 inning, with Ashby just needing 12 pitches in that inning. The Padres chose to go to Mason Miller in the seventh inning as the top of the Brewers’ lineup was due up. He started out strong with a line out of Chourio and strikeout of Yelich — the first strikeout by a Padres’ pitcher in the game. Miller faltered after that, allowing back-to-back singles to Contreras and Turang. Bauers then drew his third walk of the game, reaching base for the fourth time and loading them. Pratt had a chance to do some damage, but he lined out to center to end the inning. He also burned the Brewers’ last ABS challenge in the at-bat.

In a surprise move, Ashby remained in the game for the seventh inning. He had thrown just 21 pitches through two innings and was still in good shape. He got Bogaerts to ground out and Campusano to strike out for the first two outs of the inning. He then walked pinch-hitter Miguel Andujar, bringing up Samad Taylor. Ashbe froze Taylor with a four-pitch strikeout, finishing up three excellent innings for the Brewers’ bullpen.

After the Brewers went down in order against Joe Musgrove in the eighth, it was Abner Uribe for the ninth with the top of the lineup due up. The inning did not start out well with Tatis Jr. drawing a walk in an at-bat that Contreras wanted to challenge a couple pitches, but could not because the Brewers were out. Uribe recovered with a strikeout of Merrill, bringing up Machado. On the second pitch, Machado hit a ball to deep center field that was going to leave the park for a game-tying home run. However, Mitchell denied him, making a leaping grab to rob Machado and keep the Brewers ahead.

France popped out after that and morale for the Padres was at a low for the series. The Brewers were three outs away from the NLCS.

They couldn’t tack on in the top of the ninth, though they did have another scoring chance. Yelich was hit by a pitch hit one out, and stole second base. Turang sent one to deep left field, but it wasn’t deep enough and the inning ended.

Trevor Megill came in for the ninth inning to close the game out. Jacob Misiorowski was also throwing in the bullpen just in case. Megill began with a four-pitch strikeout of pinch-hitter Ethan Salas. Bogaerts was up next and worked the count full, but ended with a groundout to Ortiz for the second out. Gavin Sheets was called in as a pinch-hitter with two outs and the Brewers needing one more out. Megill started with two balls, came back with two strikes, then got Sheets to strike out looking and end the game, sending the Brewers to the National League Championship Series.

The pitching staff was the star of the game. Their four pitchers held the Padres to one run, three hits, and four walks. They also struck out nine. After Tatis Jr.’s home run, the Brewers did not allow another hit in the game. Gasser pitched four innings and allowed one run, Ashby had three scoreless, and Uribe and Megill each had a scoreless inning each. The big assist goes to Mitchell, who robbed Machado of a home run and two runs on the board.

Meanwhile, the Brewers’ offense was balanced, recording ten hits and four walks. Contreras and Mitchell had two-hit days. Bauers reached base in all four of his plate appearances. The only Brewer that did not reach base was Ortiz.

The Brewers now get a few days off before the NLCS starts on Sunday. The opponent will be the Dodgers, once again. The Dodgers won the series against the Braves in four games earlier today. This will be the third time in the last nine years the teams face off in the NLCS. First pitch on Sunday is at 7 p.m. on FOX, and you have to expect that the starter will be Jacob Misiorowski.

SAN DIEGO — Well, here we go again, it’s the Milwaukee Brewers against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Small market vs. big market.

David vs. Goliath.

The Brewers earned their second consecutive National League Championship Series date against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, winning the best-of-five NL Division Series, 3 games to 1 at Petco Park.

The victory snapped the Brewers’ 12-game postseason losing streak in road games dating back to 2018, tied for the longest in MLB history. It was just their second victory on the road in a clinching game in franchise history.

The fact that the Brewers were able to secure the Division Series victory without needing a Game 5 could be huge for their hopes to unseat the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers.

They now will be able to line up Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1 Sunday at American Family Field, meaning that he will be on a week’s rest Sunday, and can come back and start a potential Game 5 or 6.

And unlike a year ago, when they were emotionally spent after knocking off the rival Chicago Cubs, and were swept without leading a single inning, they’ve got four days to sober up, and prepare for the Dodgers.

The Brewers, who have become postseason regulars, are more than ready, trying to return to the World Series for the first time since 1982, and win their first championship in franchise history.

“I think these guys feel a responsibility to the city, to the fans, to the state,’’ Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I think they've taken on all that, and they've heard enough chatter. I've said it from the beginning, and I'm not making an excuse, the postseason is crucial, but it can be a crapshoot sometimes as we've witnessed. …

“Sometimes it's daunting when you have a young club and you have a club that has taken on those expectations. It's also kind of fun to see them come through it."

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On this night, once they began their celebration on the field, they just needed to exhale.

Until Wednesday, every game this series was decided by just one run, with no team having a lead larger than two runs. The Brewers outscored the Padres by a combined 13-10.

Every game was decided in the ninth inning, and even on this night, Manny Machado came within just a foot or two of hitting a game-tying home run in the eighth inning that was snared over the center-field fence by Garrett Mitchell.

“Just the level of play, the level of intensity for each pitch, and just the quality of baseball,’’ Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick said. “It just felt like it was back-and-forth, respond, respond, respond. It's fun playing that kind of baseball."

If the Dodgers are going get back to the World Series to finish off their third consecutive championship, they’ll have to travel the same path as in 2025 to complete their trek through the National League. The Dodgers will play the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS beginning Sunday night, October 11 at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

The Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the Division Series on Wednesday night in Atlanta, then a few hours later in San Diego, the Brewers did the same with a win over the Padres at Petco Park.

Milwaukee had the best record in baseball in 2026, winning a franchise-record 103 games, and had baseball’s best run differential, outscoring their opponents by 214 runs. The Dodgers had the second-best record at 100-62 and were also second in run differential, outscoring their foes by 201 runs.

That means the NLCS will begin in Milwaukee for the second year in a row.

Last year, the Dodgers lost all six games in the regular season to the Brewers, but then swept them in the NLCS, allowing exactly one run in all four contests. For a sweep, it was a fairly close series, with the Dodgers scoring only 15 runs in the four games.

This regular season, the matchups were much closer, with the Dodgers winning two of three in Milwaukee from May 22-24, then the Brewers took three out of four at Dodger Stadium to win the season series four games to three.

This marks the fifth time the Dodgers are playing the same team in the NLCS in consecutive years.

Dodgers repeat NLCS matchups

• 1977-78 vs. Phillies (both wins)
• 2008-09 vs. Phillies (both losses)
• 2016-17 vs. Cubs (loss, win)
• 2020-21 vs. Braves (win, loss)
• 2025-26 vs. Brewers (win, TBD)

This marks the fourth time the Dodgers and Brewers will meet in the postseason, also including the 2018 NLCS (Dodgers won that series too, including Game 7 in Milwaukee) and 2020 wild card round (2-0 LA sweep at Dodger Stadium).

Fox Sports will televise the NLCS, though the exact channel placements (Fox and/or FS1) haven’t yet been announced. Major League Baseball hasn’t yet announced start times for the League Championship Series just yet, but on Sunday, Game 1 of Dodgers-Brewers is the only baseball game going so expect that to start in the evening. An earlier start time for Game 2 on Monday in Milwaukee also seems likely, since Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on TBS will probably get the nighttime slot that is usually reserved for Games 1 in this round.

In the wake of his team’s National League Division Series defeat of the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was asked who he preferred to face in the NL Championship Series.

Brewers or Padres?

The beer-soaked executive smiled.

“I just want chaos,” he said.

Alas, Friedman’s wish wouldn’t be granted.

Hours after his team booked its place in the NLCS, the Brewers did the same by winning Game 4 of their NLDS in San Diego –– avoiding a potential Game 5 that would have worn down both teams’ pitching.

Instead, this year’s NLCS will be a rematch of last season’s one-sided affair, with the Dodgers and Brewers meeting again after the Dodgers’ pennant-clinching sweep last year.

This time, the storylines will be similar: The Brewers trying to vanquish the defending champions. Trying to negate the near $300 million disparity between the two teams’ payrolls. And trying to turn their regular-season success (having led the majors in wins for a second-straight year with a 103-59 record) into October glory.

The Dodgers, of course, will be favored.

They will be pegged to return to the World Series in search of an historic three-peat.

Game 1 is set for Sunday at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

In the meantime, here is a look at how the clubs match up ahead of the best-of-seven series:

At the plate

Getting on base

The Dodgers did most of their damage in the NLDS via the long ball. But they also kept the Braves’ pitching staff under constant stress; taking competitive at-bats, driving up pitch counts, and creating a string of opportunities that they finally started to cash in.

Their 1-for-16 mark with runners in scoring position wasn’t good.

But that’s also part of the reality of postseason baseball (case in point, they held the Braves to 1-for-23 in such situations).

The good news: Practically every regular in the lineup besides Shohei Ohtani (2-for-13 in the NLDS) and Will Smith (1-for-16) had a big moment in the opening round of the playoffs. 

After the offense’s slump through much of the second half of the season, most of their key hitters seem to be in a good place with both their approach and their swing.

The Brewers, of course, also pride themselves on grinding out at-bats, putting opposing pitchers (and defenses) under stress, and manufacturing consistent offense.

In the regular season, Milwaukee led the majors with a .258 team batting average (one point better than the Dodgers), a .341 on-base percentage (three points better than the Dodgers), and a 10.6% walk rate (half a percentage point better than the Dodgers), trailing only the Cubs as the majors’ highest-scoring offense.

And while Jackson Chourio is their only true star hitter –– batting .291 in the regular season before producing a memorable walk-off single in Game 2 of the NLDS against star Padres closer Mason Miller –– the Brewers have nothing but tough outs behind him.

Edge: Brewers

Power

So much for all those concerns about the Dodgers’ inability to hit for power during the second half of the season.

In the NLDS, the club looked like it did early in the year, when it led the NL with 118 home runs from March to June (before ranking 11th with just 86 the rest of the way).

Their eight home runs against the Braves gives them the most of any team in this year’s playoffs thus far. That included three from Max Muncy (the franchise’s all-time postseason home run leader), two from Freddie Freeman (after he had hit just one over the final 66 games of the regular season) and one apiece from Teoscar Hernández, Kiké Hernández and Kyle Tucker.

Even with Ohtani still struggling, and most of their regulars on the wrong side of 30, they offered a reminder that they still possess plenty of pop at the plate.

The Brewers, on the other hand, are one of the least-dangerous home run-hitting teams in the majors, finishing with the second-fewest during the regular season this year. Left-handed-hitting slugger Jake Bauers topped the club with 26 long balls. Chourio added 25, Brice Turang had 21 and William Contreras’ 18 made him the only other with more than a dozen.

That proved to be a problem in last year’s NLCS, when the Brewers hit just one home run while getting shut down by the Dodgers’ star-studded pitching staff.

And while they don’t rely on big flies, whether or not they can slug more consistently against the Dodgers this year could be key to the rematch.

Edge: Dodgers

On the mound

Rotation

The Brewers have the presumptive Cy Young Award winner in Jacob Misiorowski leading their staff, with the flamethrowing right-hander coming off a breakthrough regular season in which he had a 16-5 record, 1.80 ERA and MLB-most 252 strikeouts.

After him, however, their rotation is more of a question mark.

Rookie right-hander Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47 ERA) is their next-best option. Ex-Dodger Dustin May was added at the trade deadline, but had an ERA of 5.65 in his 10 Brewers starts. Robert Gasser is their only other healthy starter who had an ERA under 4.00.

Even more disconcerting: Misiorowski hardly looked dominant in Game 1 of the NLDS, needing 88 pitches to get through four innings in a two-run, four-hit, six-strikeout start.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, boast the best rotation in baseball. 

Tarik Skubal (six innings, one run, seven strikeouts) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (seven innings, one run, 10 strikeouts) both threw gems in the NLDS. And though Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow walked five batters each against the Braves, they still combined for 8 ⅓ innings and only two runs allowed.

Edge: Dodgers

Bullpen

The Dodgers are feeling good about their relief corps, which gave up only four runs in 14 ⅔ innings during their NLDS defeat of the Braves.

They might have finally identified a closer in Edwin Díaz, who closed out both Games 3 and 4 of the series. Tanner Scott bounced back from a home run he allowed in Game 1, cementing himself as the primary set-up man. And all their other leverage options –– from Alex Vesia to Evan Phillips to Edgardo Henriquez and Brock Stewart –– have entrenched themselves as trustworthy options.

It might not be quite as strong a group as the one that carried the Dodgers to their 2024 World Series championship. But, for now, it at least looks reminiscent.

Still, few teams were as dominant out of the bullpen as the Brewers were this year.

Their 3.40 reliever ERA in the regular season was best in the NL. The group was excellent again during their NLDS defeat of the Padres.

Closer Trevor Megill was 30-for-33 in save opportunities this year with a 2.63 ERA and minuscule 0.89 WHIP. Hard-throwing setup man Abner Uribe was equally effective, with a 1.97 ERA in the regular season. And beyond them, Milwaukee has answers for almost any matchup problem, from left-handers Aaron Ashby (3.12 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 89 ⅓ innings) and DL Hall (1.91 ERA, fourth-lowest among southpaw relievers in the majors), to right-handed swingman Chad Patrick (3.40 ERA).

Edge: Brewers

In the field

Defense

Another pillar of Milwaukee’s sustained success over the years has been its defense. This year was no different.

The Brewers ranked fifth as a team in defensive runs saved, eighth in outs above average and seventh in overall fielding percentage –– placing comfortably above the Dodgers in all but the latter category.

Turang is their best overall glove at second base. Chourio and Garrett Mitchell fly around in the outfield. And at almost every other position, they boast athleticism and speed. 

The Dodgers, meanwhile, saw shaky defense cost them multiple times in their NLDS triumph; including in a Game 2 loss when the decisive run scored on a misplayed fly ball from Teoscar Hernández and a wild pitch.

Edge: Brewers

Base-running

No surprise, but the Brewers are dangerous on the bases, as well.

Their 162 steals were fifth-most in the majors (albeit with only a 75% success rate that was below league average). They were led by third baseman David Hamilton, who was 30-for-37 on the year.

The Dodgers, conversely, didn’t have anyone swipe even half that amount.

Edge: Brewers

Manager

The Brewers have the two-time reigning NL Manager of the Year in Pat Murphy, who could be contending for a three-peat after leading Milwaukee’s low-budget roster to the most wins in the majors again this season.

But in the playoffs, no one has been better in recent years at pushing the right buttons than Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts.

During this week’s NLDS, he moved past Tony La Russa for second-most career postseason wins all-time (72). He now only trails Joe Torre’s record mark of 84.

Edge: Dodgers

Intangibles

No franchise consistently gets more out of its roster than the Brewers. But, come October, no team is more experienced or better-equipped to handle the stress of playoff baseball than the Dodgers. This week’s NLDS was a reminder of that, as the team grinded out three close wins. That also proved to be the case a season ago, when the Dodgers prevailed in enough little moments against the Brewers to complete only the fourth NLCS sweep in the last 20 years.

Edge: Dodgers

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres spent the final two months of the regular season playing like a team of destiny. On Wednesday night, destiny delivered another cruel reminder that October doesn’t care what you did in August and September.

The Milwaukee Brewers silenced Petco Park, suffocated San Diego’s offense and eliminated the Padres with a 3-1 victory in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, advancing to the NLCS for the second consecutive season.

For the Padres, it was another October obituary written far too early. For Milwaukee, the celebration was merely an appetizer. The main course awaits in their rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Brewers, owners of baseball’s best regular-season record, will now face the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers in the sequel to last year’s NLCS.

But before Milwaukee could book its return trip to the championship series, it had to extinguish one final flicker of hope in San Diego.

That hope arrived in the third inning, courtesy of Fernando Tatis Jr.

With the Padres trailing 1-0, Tatis launched a solo home run off Brewers starter Robert Gasser, sending the Petco Park faithful into a frenzy. The Dominican superstar punctuated the blast with a towering bat flip, as if he could launch San Diego’s postseason fortunes into orbit along with the baseball.

For one fleeting moment, the Padres looked alive again as the sold out crowd of 47,712 at Petco Park erupted.

Unfortunately, that would be the last time they would celebrate as the offense went mostly silent over the next six innings. 

Walker Buehler, making his first postseason appearance since closing out the 2024 World Series for the Dodgers, opened with a six-pitch first inning. But Milwaukee struck first when Sal Frelick singled, stole second and scored on Garrett Mitchell’s RBI single.

It was the first time the Brewers had scored first in the series, and an ominous sign for a Padres team already fighting for its postseason life.

Buehler lasted into the fourth before allowing a leadoff single to William Contreras. With four left-handed hitters approaching in Milwaukee’s next five batters, Padres manager Craig Stammen pulled his starter and summoned Robbie Ray, who had started Game 1 of the series.

The maneuver bought San Diego some time, but not salvation.

Mitchell opened the fifth with a triple down the right-field line, putting the go-ahead run 90 feet away. Jackson Chourio followed with an RBI single, giving Milwaukee a 2-1 lead it would never surrender.

The Brewers added insurance in the sixth after Jake Bauers singled off Jason Adam and Cooper Pratt hammered a ground-rule double that bounced off the Western Metal Supply building.

Frelick delivered a sacrifice fly, extending Milwaukee’s advantage to 3-1.

That would be all Milwaukee needed as the Brewers bullpen took care of the rest, Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill combined to pitch five shoutout innings of relief, turning the late innings into a slow, agonizing countdown to another Padres postseason funeral.

To make matters worse, in the bottom of the 8th inning, with the tying run at first base, Manny Machado appeared to hit a game-tying homer to right-center, but Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell snatched San Diego’s hearts out when he leapt above the wall to rob the Padres and keep Milwaukee’s lead intact.

The Padres had the talent, the star power and the momentum. They entered October believing this was finally the team capable of ending the franchise’s championship drought.

Instead, when the season demanded its biggest hits, the bats went silent.

San Diego’s pitching gave the Padres a fighting chance Wednesday. Its offense couldn’t deliver the knockout punch, or even enough body blows to make Milwaukee uncomfortable.

The Padres didn’t lose this series because they lacked talent. They lost because they couldn’t consistently turn that talent into runs when the stakes were the highest.

And now, another promising season ends with the same bitter taste.

What it means

For Milwaukee, the victory validates a 103-win regular season and sends the Brewers back to the NLCS with unfinished business against the Dodgers.

For San Diego, the defeat raises uncomfortable questions about a championship window that keeps opening just wide enough to slam shut.

The Padres were baseball’s hottest team during stretches of August and September, but October remains their cruelest adversary.

San Diego is still searching for its first World Series championship, and another season of enormous expectations has produced nothing more than an early winter yet again.

Turning point

Garrett Mitchell’s leadoff triple in the fifth changed everything.

With the game tied 1-1, Mitchell ripped a ball down the right-field line off Robbie Ray. Jackson Chourio followed with the go-ahead RBI single, restoring Milwaukee’s lead and draining the electricity from Petco Park.

Did you see that?

Holy bat flip, Batman!

Fernando Tatis Jr. didn’t just admire his game-tying homer in the third inning. He launched his bat skyward in a celebration worthy of a postseason highlight reel.

Unfortunately for San Diego, the bat traveled higher than the Padres’ postseason ceiling.

Up next

Hollywood gets its sequel.

The Brewers and Dodgers will meet in the NLCS for the second consecutive season after Los Angeles swept Milwaukee in four games last October.

Much of the cast returns, but both clubs feature different rotations and new supporting pieces.

Milwaukee owns baseball’s best record. Los Angeles owns the last two World Series trophies.

Now the Brewers get another opportunity to dethrone the defending champions and prevent the Dodgers from becoming the first National League franchise to win three consecutive World Series titles.

And for the Padres? Another October spent watching someone else chase the championship they thought would finally be theirs.

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Garrett Mitchell might have snatched the last of the San Diego Padres' postseason hopes at the Petco Park center field wall on Wednesday.

The San Diego Padres were down to their final five outs trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1; Fernando Tatis Jr. stood on first base, so Manny Machado stepped up to the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the eighth. Brewers reliever Abner Uribe worked his sinker at the bottom of the zone, but Machado barreled the second one right at his knees, sending it 406 feet to right center field − right in the spot of the ballpark where the marine layer is at its cruelest to baseballs − for what looked to be a game-tying home run ... until Mitchell reached back over the fence and plucked the ball out of the sea of fans' hands for the second out.

San Diego was this close to a game-tying homer 😱 https://t.co/s8XhTJZUq6pic.twitter.com/VvR7jMLhwQ

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

Machado was visibly upset after the play, grabbing his helmet off his head in frustration. The Padres headed into the bottom of the ninth with one last chance at keeping their season alive but the Brewers' Trevor Megill got the save.

Milwaukee heads to an NLCS rematch with the Dodgers.

"Oh, it's going to be LOUD"

Garrett Mitchell and the Brewers are excited to return to Milwaukee for the #NLCS! pic.twitter.com/3p4sBquJIw

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Garrett Mitchell robs Manny Machado home run, preserves Brewers' lead vs. Padres

NEW YORK — It was a microcosm of this American League Division Series.

During the bottom of the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium in Game 3, the sellout crowd of nearly 49,000 sat eerily quiet, waiting for something, anything, to happen as their beloved team trailed the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2.

Until then, in nearly three games of action, New York had scored four runs, but with two outs, the Bronx Bombers had a rare runner on base after George Lombard Jr. walked on five pitches.

Anthony Volpe came up to the plate with two outs and drilled a 95 mph sinker from Rays reliever Griffin Jax that came in on the middle of the plate and went to left field, where Victor Mesa, Jr., who later provided the winning margin with his two-run home run in the top of the inning, went back to the wall trying to make the catch. 

Instead, fans got flashbacks to 1996. Mesa’s attempt went awry after a fan reached over the fence to catch the ball and was later escorted out of the stadium for his efforts. In that year's American League Championship Series, 12-year-old Jeffrey Meier reached over the right-field wall to catch a ball hit by Derek Jeter, much to the dismay of Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tony Tarasco.

It’s too bad that video replay would not come to MLB for another 12 years, as New York went on to a five-game series victory and then went on to win the World Series.

There would be no such luck this time, because as soon as the ball went over the fence, the umpiring crew huddled and immediately sought help from Major League Baseball’s Replay Operations Center, located about 11 miles from Yankees Stadium.

Volpe came around the bases, touched home plate, and entered the dugout, congratulated by teammates, only to be called back to second base moments later after an umpire’s review ruled spectator interference. Lombard, Jr. scored on the play, but the Yankees never got any closer than the final score.

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“After viewing all relevant angles, the replay official definitively determined the spectator interfered with the ball over the field of play. The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught,” the MLB replay center later said in their explanation.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he had no issue with the call and felt the umpires got the call right.

Game 3 reeked of desperation from the moment Boone announced their lineup. Jazz Chisholm was benched, and Trent Grisham took the leadoff spot.

In the eighth inning, still trailing by one run, oft-injured Giancarlo Stanton was called upon to try to add a spark, making his second appearance since April 24 after a calf injury. But he struck out swinging in his only at-bat of the night.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us on this wild ride.

Box Score

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Junior Caminero had no problem rubbing salt in the Yankees’ wound after the Rays swept the Bronx Bombers out of the playoffs. 

The Rays third baseman taunted Yankees fans after Bryan Baker struck out Trent Grisham for the game’s final out and secured the ALDS sweep at Yankee Stadium. 

The TNT broadcast captured Caminero mimicking a sweeping broom while looking into the stands before going over to join his teammates in celebration.

Caminero wasn’t done there. 

MLB posted a video on social media of Caminero doing an impression of David Ortiz by saying his signature “da Yankees lose!”

Caminero did it while he was on the field, shouting the phrase and putting his hand against his head to mimic sleep. 

He shouted it again while speaking with Spanish-speaking media inside the Rays clubhouse and another time when TNT’s Lauren Shehadi interviewed him. 

“The best! The best! Sweep!” Caminero shouted when Shehadi asked him about celebrating a series victory at Yankee Stadium. “Da Yankees lose!”

The two-time Rays All-Star batted .300 during the series with three hits. 

While celebrating inside the clubhouse, Caminero also told Shehadi that he is “the best in the world.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are that much closer to history.

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a breakdown of each possible opponent:

It’s not a Los Angeles Dodgers postseason celebration unless Kiké Hernández is partying with members of the media.

Since the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS following a 4-1 victory on the road against the Atlanta Braves, videos have started to emerge of Hernández pouring alcohol on everyone in the locker room.

That included members of the media.

Before the festivities began, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had his team gathered in the locker room and told the team, “I want to give props to Kiké,” to which Hernández immediately responded by saying, “I do this s—. F— you talking about?”

Then the champagne popping commenced, and the party started in the visitors’ locker room at Truist Park.

Hernández was spotted soaking wet next to host of “Dodger Talk” David Vassegh who was just as wet due to the alcohol that was being sprayed throughout the room.

Vassegh was wearing a 1970s-inspired Dodgers shirt that featured Hernández’s face on it.

Vassegh told Hernández that he was the hype man for Edwin Diaz, and Hernández responded by saying, “I’m the hype man for a lot of people. That’s part of why I’m here.”

He then went on to joke with the host to tell him that he’s having a “wet t-shirt contest.” Hernández ended the interview by thanking him and saying, “Nice nipples,” leaving Vassegh in laughter.

Dodgers dugout reporter Kristen Watson had a more pleasant experience with Hernández as he started pouring a bottle of champagne over her head when their interview first started.

“Oh, baby, that’s cold,” Watson said as Hernández was pouring a bottle over her head. “But it feel so good.”

Watson went on to continue her question to Hernández by asking him about winning big games in the postseason, the group they have, and how they were able to pull through the NLDS.

“It doesn’t matter how many of these you have; you can’t take them for granted. These are special,” Hernández said to Watson. “Knowing we had to earn it. It was a great series. Very well-pitched series. We toughened it out.”

Hernández delivered in Tuesday night’s Game 3 matchup when he gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning by blasting his 17th career postseason home run against Chris Sale.

Shortly after, Freddie Freeman followed with a solo shot over the right field wall.

Near the midway point of his interview with Hernández was unaware that Tanner Scott was pouring alcohol down his shirt until Watson told him. “I’m so wet, that I didn’t even feel that I was getting more wet,” Hernández said.

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

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

But the real partying began in the locker room.

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

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

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

"I'm the best in the world"

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

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

Just like the rest of the Yankees in this series, Max Fried wasn’t good enough.

Pitching in an elimination game for the second time in his career, the lefty at times looked dominant but allowed runs in three of his last four innings in Wednesday’s season-ending 4-3 loss to the Rays in The Bronx in Game 3 of the ALDS. 

The big blow was a two-run shot by Victor Mesa Jr. to give Tampa Bay the lead in the sixth inning.

“It’s just as simple as: I threw a bad pitch,’’ Fried said. “I left it up. The guy hit a home run, just two more runs. Kind of put it out of reach. It really sucks because we played a good game. We played a really sound game and did enough to win. And unfortunately I didn’t do enough to be able to kind of hold up my end of the bargain.”

The Yankees said prior to the game that there wasn’t really a debate about whether to go with Fried or fellow southpaw Carlos Rodón, with pitching coach Matt Blake saying Tuesday, “Max has been one of our guys and we want to ride him here.”

It was an understandable decision, even as Rodón was perhaps the rotation’s best pitcher down the stretch outside of AL Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler.

Rodón said he supported whatever decision the Yankees made, but seemed bewildered about not having pitched at all in the playoffs after throwing so well down the stretch.

And now the Yankees head into the offseason with Rodón not having been a factor in the postseason.

The real issue the Yankees had against their AL East rivals, who they couldn’t catch in the division and proved to be no match for in the playoffs, was their offense.

Fried, just like Gerrit Cole and Schlittler — who started the first two games of the series, respectively — was forced to be nearly perfect.

And he wasn’t.

It was not the ace-like outing the Yankees were looking for from the left-hander after he’d been fully built up following a 2 ½-week absence in August due to inflammation in his left elbow related to the bone bruise he had in the area earlier in the season.

Asked about the elbow, Fried said, “It doesn’t matter. Everyone’s not feeling good. You take the ball, you go out there, and no one remembers if you feel good, if you felt 100 percent, but it doesn’t matter.”

He added he didn’t think he’d need surgery on the elbow as he headed into the offseason.