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There are still several questions to be answered about who will star for the Yankees in the American League Division Series against the Rays.

Aaron Boone met with the media during Friday’s workout day and shared crumbs of information on questionable players, including Aaron Judge and Ryan Weathers. After taking some reps during batting practice and taking some swings in the cage, Judge is still being considered to make the roster according to the Yankees manager.

The Pinstripe Alley Feed appeared divided on the subject, with some believing that he’ll make the roster and appear as a pinch-hitter. The majority, as of Friday, voted that the Yankees captain won’t make it this time.

As for the lefty who’s been on the IL since late August with a left forearm flexor strain, Boone mentioned that he “expects Weathers to be available,” but admittedly hasn’t made any official decisions as of yet.

Let’s begin with dissecting the prospective starting rotation. Boone confirmed that Gerrit Cole will get the start for Game 1, which was expected since the Yankees took care of business against Boston in a two-game sweep. He’ll be making his first postseason start for the Yankees since 2024, as he missed the majority of last season due to Tommy John surgery.

Cam Schlittler, who dominated the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, is reportedly expected to start in Game 2. The Yankees’ ace was his dominant self as he struck out 10 in 6.1 innings. Ultimately, if it comes down to the wire, it wouldn’t be surprising if he also got the start for Game 5.

Then there’s Max Fried, who earned the win that secured the Yankees’ slot in the Division Series. He’ll likely be an option to start Game 3 in time for the Yankees’ return to the Bronx. Boone also mentioned that Carlos Rodón could get the start for either Game 3 or Game 4, if needed. We’ll almost definitely see him in a relief role if he doesn’t end up in a starting role.

The Yankees made Wild Card Series history, having just 10 pitchers and 16 position players make the roster, and it worked out well in the end. However, will history repeat itself in the ALDS? Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn, and Will Warren will certainly be on the staff, but it’d be interesting to see Weathers in the mix if he becomes available. Ryan Yarbrough also made the Wild Card Series roster but didn’t make an appearance against Boston. The question is: Can the Yankees pull off the same feat in the Division Series with just 10 pitchers?

Moving on to the position players, there are quite a few impressive younger guys who made an impact in the Wild Card Series. George Lombard Jr., who went a combined 4-for-8 in the series with three runs, shined in the demolition of Boston’s playoff hopes. Even before the Yankees clinched their 61st postseason berth, some went as far to say that his swing reminds them of Yankees legend Derek Jeter. He also proved himself reliable on defense, which is a promising sign for his future at the position.

After getting the start in both games of the Wild Card Series, it’s also clear that Spencer Jones has earned his spot in the lineup. He recorded two hits and three runs combined in his first career postseason appearances and was flexible defensively, as he played right field in Game 2 while Trent Grisham retook his spot in center.

Grisham, on the other hand, made his return to the order on Wednesday after being sidelined for most of September with a hamstring injury. It would be surprising if he didn’t make the roster, given how compromised he looked in his brief time in the outfield, but that doesn’t seem likely since Boone seems to be relying on more position player options than not.

One of the larger unanswered questions is whether Giancarlo Stanton will be an option to face Tampa Bay. He’ll likely make it on as a pinch-hitter, especially since he made the roster for the Wild Card Series. With Ben Rice as DH and either Paul Goldschmidt or Luis García Jr. at first and Austin Wells behind the plate, there’s not much room for Stanton to squeeze into the starting lineup.

What else is there to say about Rice other than the fact that he’s the Yankees’ most productive hitter without Aaron Judge? There’s no doubt that if he keeps up his hot streak, he’ll have the Rays’ starting rotation quivering at the bump.

The Yankees will most likely have Jazz Chisholm Jr. play second and have the option to start either Anthony Volpe, Amed Rosario, or José Caballero at third. Volpe got the start at second in Game 1, and went 1-for-3 against Boston. In the locker room celebrations that followed the annihilation of the Red Sox on Wednesday night, Rice called Volpe a “menace” with a champagne bottle.

Rosario didn’t produce offensively during his Game 1 start of the Wild Card Series, but he did draw a walk after a successful ABS challenge that put Lombard Jr. in scoring position in the fourth. It’s unclear whether he’s poised to make the postseason roster over options such as Volpe and Caballero, who the latter of whom remained on the bench against the Boston.

It’s difficult to imagine that Ali Sánchez will start over Austin Wells, who went 3-for-6 in the series with three runs. Sánchez will be included on the roster as a backup.

One thing’s for sure: Cody Bellinger will be easy to count on in the field and is poised to make an impact at the plate against the Rays. He proved himself after he instantly made the Red Sox regret walking Rice in the sixth inning on Wednesday night, crushing a 3-run homer that put the Yankees ahead 8-1.

The Yankees’ official ALDS roster is expected to be released on Saturday ahead of Game 1 of the series in Tampa. Until then, Yankees fans can only hope for the best and brace for Boone’s decisions to come.

Here are five things to know about the regular-season series between the Yankees and Rays, which saw Tampa Bay win seven of 13 games, as they meet in the ALDS: 

1. Rice’s dominance 

If Ben Rice becomes the centerpiece of the lineup again in the ALDS, depending on the status of Aaron Judge, the Yankees might find some extra comfort in that. Rice absolutely crushed the Rays during the regular season. Among teams Rice played at least five times, he recorded his third-highest OPS (1.320) against Tampa Bay.

He finished with seven homers and 12 RBIs, too, and was perhaps the Yankees’ most consistent hitter against the Rays outside of José Caballero (eight RBIs in 13 games) and Ryan McMahon (seven RBIs, eight hits in 10 games). 

2. Containing Caminero 

Junior Caminero became the youngest player since at least 1900 to homer in six straight games this year, and he finished his second full MLB season with 42 home runs. But against the Yankees, he managed just one homer and 10 hits, striking out 10 times and cobbling together a .565 OPS. 

3. Turf monster 

The Yankees went 2-5 at Tropicana Field this season, including a sweep back in April, and will need to win at least one game at the climate-controlled stadium to advance. They were outscored by a combined nine runs in those games, but it underscored an inability to win at the venue — a 79-95 record since the start of the 2006 season — that must change at least once. 

4. Starting point 

The Yankees received strong starting pitching against Tampa Bay this year, at least with rotation names — so excluding Luis Gil, Ryan Weathers and Paul Blackburn — who will get the ball to start an ALDS game. Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Max Fried pitched to a 2.75 ERA across nine starts, allowing just 17 earned runs across 55 ²/₃ innings. Fried, Schlittler and Rodón all tossed at least eight innings in one outing, too. 

5. Bellinger’s struggles 

Unlike Rice, Cody Bellinger never found a rhythm at the plate against the Rays, striking out 13 times in his 47 at-bats (27.7 percent) — compared to just 76 in his other 449 at-bats in the regular season (16.9 percent) — and recording a .522 OPS.

Happy Victory Friday, Braves Country.

The thing that tickles me about the photo above is the bespoke “Let It Fly / Wild Card Won” sticker on that champagne bottle.

It’s been a beautiful, mostly stress-free day of enjoying the satisfaction of last night’s cathartic win and all the content that came with it. For example, did you see the BravesVision crew’s reaction to Mike’s homer?

BravesVision and Braves social media channels also have snippets of interviews in the champagne celebration, the pressers, and more. My favorite moment changes every hour, but right now it’s either Dubie being double-goggled up or Wiley’s absolute disregard for his own body and safety by not donning any protecting gear.

Anyways, more to come from us on the Divisonal Series that kicks off tomorrow. Who do you got for Padres/Brewers, White Sox/Guardians, and Yankees/Rays?

But the floor is yours tonight to speculate on the Braves’ NLDS roster, pitching plans, keys to beating LA, and more. I’ll leave you with this incredible field view and crowd reaction to Money Mike’s ridiculous(ly beautiful) homer.

Here are five things to know about the Rays as the Yankees get ready to open the 2026 ALDS in St. Petersburg: 

1. Delicate balance 

Drew Rasmussen, who will start Game 1, has posted an impressive 1.81 ERA in 10 career starts — and 11 games — against the Yankees. He also has overcome a number of major elbow injuries to get to this point. Rasmussen became an unlikely success story after two Tommy John surgeries (2016 and ’17), and he underwent an internal brace procedure in 2023. 

2. Getting the boot 

Rays All-Star Nick Martinez (3.10 ERA in 31 starts) spent three years at Fordham as a relief pitcher and infielder, and he was actually kicked out of Yankee Stadium the last time Martinez went as a fan. The Rams’ practice had been canceled that day. “Might’ve had a few too many adult beverages,” Martinez told reporters earlier this year. Next time he went to Yankee Stadium, it was as a major league pitcher. 

3. Other local ties 

Kevin Cash might’ve had his first World Series ring as a manager if he left Blake Snell in six years ago, but he actually earned one as a player for the Yankees’ 2009 title despite appearing in just 10 games. Cash, who also got a ring in 2007 with Boston, had been released by the Yankees in September. 

4. Closing time 

Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker tied for the MLB lead with 41 regular-season saves, and the Rays also might have been the league’s best closing team this season. They won 64 percent of their one-run games (25-14) — the best in MLB. 

5. Second chance 

Lefty Cam Booser (1.98 ERA in 42 appearances) might get some high-leverage matchups in the ALDS, but he actually initially retired back in 2017. In high school, he broke his femur and fractured a vertebra, according to The Athletic. He underwent Tommy John surgery in college, tore his labrum with the Twins and broke a bone in his back while biking when a car hit him.

He was also suspended for 50 games in 2015 after testing positive for marijuana. He reportedly joined a carpenters union and worked in construction following retirement before beginning to claw his way back with an independent team in 2021.

The Dodgers’ biggest strength might lead them to their biggest flaw during the most critical part of the season.

The strength? The starting pitching. The flaw? Their bullpen. The reason? A brutal heat wave that is set to hit California this weekend.

When Tarik Skubal takes the mound for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Braves at 1 p.m. Saturday, it’s expected to be 100 degrees.

Saturday is expected to be the hottest day of the heat wave. Temperatures are predicted to reach the high 90s during the rest of the week.

The harsh conditions aren’t expected to be as much of a factor in Game 2, with first pitch set for 5 p.m. Sunday.

But for Skubal, 29, the heat wave raises the question of low long he will be able to go.

According to a study by Jyh-How Huang, Yung-Chin Chiu and Chen-Kang Chang from the National Library of Medicine, when pitchers and hitters are playing in an extremely hot environment, there is an increase in slugging percentage, isolated power, walks and home runs.

The Brain Cooler wrote that extreme heat conditions can affect pitchers’ performances because they may struggle with grip and control of the baseball. They also added that players’ health can be affected because they may play with an increased heart rate, sweating and fluid loss — all of which can lead to dehydration.

Skubal’s play style could be a blessing and a curse this weekend. Known as one of the more prominent power pitchers in the game, Skubal could find himself exhausting early if he relies heavily on his fastball.

Last season, he threw it 38% of the time, topping out at 100 mph.

Aside from the challenging conditions, the Braves present another daunting task.

Atlanta finished the regular season fifth in the National League for slugging percentage (.409) and tied with the Dodgers at fourth for home runs (204).

Matt Olson led the Braves with a .502 slugging percentage and 41 homers. Behind him in slugging were Michael Harris (.491) and Drake Baldwin (.459).

The Dodgers are expected to have an early advantage against the Braves, who used a lot of their rotation in a three-game NL wild-card series against the Phillies.

If Atlanta manages to knock out Skubal early, it might level the playing field.

Los Angeles’ bullpen has been the weakest link in its star-studded cast this season. FanGraphs had its bullpen finishing with a 3.74 team ERA, a 9.9 walk percentage and an HR/9 of 0.96.

Whoa, last night was fun, no? This playoff series win was at least five years in the making, which is exactly the last time the Braves won a playoff series. The Phillies have excelled at beating the Braves in October in recent years, but didn’t have a lot of luck with anyone else. I felt very confident in the 50-50 nature of this particular encounter, and felt Atlanta could pull this off if they don’t blow it. However that’s been the rub, nay a calloused blister formed over 35 years of (mostly) playoff disappointment. But Michael Harris and crew pushed through years of angst and pain into the next playoff round.

The Braves will have to refocus on the red-eye flight this morning and prepare for a much different encounter tomorrow. The Dodgers will be rested and preparing to kick off their run toward a third World Series title. This is not a team like the Phillies, who needed to scratch and claw to advance and brought a jumbled and rest-deprived starting rotation. Let’s have a look at that Dodgers rotation and what will greet the Braves.

Starting Rotation

The Dodgers healthy starting pitching options look like this: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Justin Wrobleski, and Emmet Sheehan. Is that all they have and no Shohei Ohtani, huh Dodgers? They aren’t the Evil Empire 2.0 for nothing, folks. The best option to start Game 1 will be Yoshinobu Yamamoto. After him the Dodgers can run three left-hand starting pitchers at Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Michael Harris II. Let’s walk through Yamamoto first.

Those are some menacing red bars there. The other menacing part is the arsenal, which includes a 96 MPH fastball, split-finger, cutter, curveball, sinker, and slider. The four-season fastball usage has gone down season, and so have the strikeouts. But he has back-to-back 4.6+ WAR seasons, so it’s a pick-your-poison type of encounter.

I would expect the Yoshinobu to dial up the fastball some more in Game 1. There’s no reason to ration the fastballs or the MPH. He will enter Game 1 after 10 days of rest. The rested bullpen will be able to pick him up later in the game. If you’re looking for green shoots, Michael Harris is 2-6 lifetime versus Yamamoto. Drake Baldwin has a home in 3 plate appearances. All of NLWCS starters have hits off him except Matt Olson and Mauricio Dubon. But combined they’re 8-44 with 1 home run and a .182/.250/.333 line.

Next up will be the two lefties: Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell. Let’s grudgingly look at these lefty options.

If you don’t know Tarik Skubal, you may wish that you haven’t. He was the prize trade deadline target this July, and of course the Dodgers with their army of talent were able to get his services. He’s a back-to-back Cy Young award winner. He’s accumulated 1075 strikeouts in his age 29 season and 24.7 WAR. There’s no telling what it would take to sign him in the offseason. But right now, he’s bearing down on the Braves.

His fastball touches 100, works a devastating changeup off it, a sinker, slider, and why not a curveball as well. He’s also never faced the Braves as a team. Neat. For Game 3, Blake Snell has 28.3 career WAR, but has been limited to 104 innings over the last few years. He exited a game on September 16th after 1 inning with a groin issue. But it’s apparently okay now.

Tyler Glasnow might be waiting in Game 4. He’s been back after a back injury that warranted a 60-day Injured List stint. He’s put up a 4.46/2.14/2.88 line since. He struck out 7 Braves in five innings in a game that the Braves would eventually win on August 25th.

Dodgers Heavy Hitters

The Dodgers are second in position player WAR at 26.9 WAR and feature nine hitters with at least 10 home runs. Shohei Ohtani will not be pitching, but he brings a team-high 30 HRs and 139 wRC+. Mookie Betts has a .780 OPS at short. Max Muncy has 29 home runs and a .830 OPS. Old friend Freddie Freeman has been merely pretty good with a 120 wRC+. Then there’s Andy Pages and Will Smith as well, and Teoscar Hernandez with his torture devices. It’s a deep lineup, everybody.

Dodgers bullpen

Lefty Tanner Scott brings a 100 MPH fastball and 25 saves into this series. However the Braves victimize him for two losses to August. Those would be the Ha-Seong Kim game and another featuring Ozzie Alibes with an 8th-inning RBI single.

I’m deeply concerned about Game 1

Yesterday these guys were dumping champaign on each other deep into the night. Since June, the Braves are 5-10 in the first game of a road series when they don’t get a travel day. They appear to arrive in new cities rather flat. This time they will have Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Tarik Skubal waiting on them. Now, they do get a travel day this time. But they will also arrive with their starting rotation in a mess.

Chris Sale bookended the previous series. Starting him on Sunday for Game 2 would keep him in line to pitch Game 5, or perhaps be the fireman in a Game 4. But what does Walt Weiss do for Game 1? It’s too early for Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes just pitched almost 1 turn through the order. No one knows yet if Bryce Elder will be available (at time of writing, at least). Martin Perez won’t be eligible to return until Game 3. And hero Ray Kerr just picked up 10 outs. So what can Walt Weiss do?

There’s Didier Fuentes, Brent Suter, Dylan Dodd and Robert Suarez as multi-inning options. JR Ritchie and AJ Smith-Shawver are also available. Weiss has limited options here. They might not have a starter and they may not score.

Are the Dodgers going to pitch to Ronald?

Ronald Acuña Jr went 1 for 9 in the NL Wild Card Series. However, he needed to be super patient. There were 4 walks, with one of those intentional in a Game 2 big spot. Overall, he had a very good .385 OBP versus the top end of the Philadelphia pitching staff. But it won’t fit The Narrative^TM and only the 1 for 9 will be remembered. However, look what he was served.

This is a classic Don Mattingly approach, especially as the Marlins manager. A heavy dose of inside pitches, and no fastballs in the healthy part of the zone. They dotted the upper inside corner, which is thankfully better than in his ear as in previous seasons. The walks definitely hurt the Phillies last night, mainly because of what Michael Harris would contribute. I’m not sure how the Dodgers will approach Ronald. But with some strong left handed pitching, they may not have to challenge him. Postseason games hinge on home runs, and they may elect to not give him that opportunity.

What happened to the outfield defense?

This was funny, but the play in right field overall in the Wild Card Series was bad, shambolic even. Even Michael Harris had trouble in the first inning of the series. But there’s a throughline between Ronald Acuña Jr and Bryce. Both have had numerous lower body injuries. Harper has been ailing since June. When Ronald would finally get comfortable at the plate this season, an injury would knock him off track.

While Harper has the offseason now to rest and perhaps consider options for his knee. The Braves will play again on Saturday afternoon. Designated hitter is an option for Acuña, but it’s also a position that Drake Baldwin needs while not behind the plate. Lane Thomas is returning, but I don’t know if this helps this particular situation. The Dodger Stadium’s right field has some nuance, so Ronnie will have to be on his toes.

So now, Ronald will be in a position where he may not have as many opportunities for power. And he may be hobbled in right field. Atlanta media is going to Atlanta media, and the national ones may pile on as well. So it’s essential for the Braves that Ronald make the most of this series. And it will save us a full offseason of hot takes.

Ray Kerr is not a playoff one-off

Kerr was acquired by the Atlanta Braves in exchange for the Braves assuming 4 million of Matt Carpenter’s contract over the 2023 offseason. I remember being very excited about this move. I saw a lefty with a 96 MPH fastball, 3 option years, and a 38/13 K/BB ratio. I thought at the very least that the Braves would have a bullpen arm in the prime of his playing years that they could bring up and down as needed. So upside would be 2024 Dylan Lee, and baseline a helpful arm. With Bryce Elder and Martin Perez possibly unavailable, he may be employed as a multiple inning option again this series.

Projected Pitching Matchups

Fangraphs is guessing Didier Fuentes versus Tarik Skubal in Game 1. They give the Dodgers a 62% chance to win. I think Brent Suter is more likely, though we may see both. And we may see Yamamoto first, because Suter versus Skubal feels like overkill.

Game 2 will feature Chris Sale versus Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Again, the Dodgers might flip the first too. But Fangraphs gives the Dodgers a 56% chance in this matchup.

Game 3 will be a battle of Tylers. Glasnow for the Dodgers will meet Mahle for the Braves. Fangraphs puts 56% Dodgers again.

I don’t feel comfortable guessing any deeper for this series. And I would argue with Fangraphs’ odds, but honestly those numbers feel slightly favorable. The Braves did win 5 of 6 matchups this season. So maybe these are okay.

Dodgers in 4?

In any other regular season scenario, I wouldn’t be worried about Los Angeles. The Braves tended to play up for good teams this year more than any other year. They have the second best winning percentage versus over-.500 teams. However, they will enter this round with depleted starting pitching, a sagging offense, and perhaps a metaphorical (not physical, please) hangover. But we might as well win now that we’re past the first round.

Well, that was not the Wild Card round we wanted. This Cubs team provided the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in 2026. We’ll think of this as the year of the walkoff, brought to you in no small part by a pitching staff that was decimated by injuries. Pete Crow-Armstrong notching the first 40-40 season in the history of the franchise is clearly the defining highlight of the season, and we’ll all celebrate his MVP award when it’s official. But at the end of the day this team hit one of their down stretches towards the end of September and really just never turned it around. It’s disappointing, but baseball is gonna baseball.

Without the Cubs cheering interest in the Division Series this guide will return to its original vibe: a slightly snarky, but hopefully informative, look at all of the divisional action that kicks off tomorrow in Cleveland. Most of the former Cubs in the field were eliminated in the Wild Card round. So unless you’re really pulling for Cody Bellinger and the Yankees for some unfathomable reason, might I propose jumping on the bandwagon of the world’s most famous Chicagoan: Pope Leo XIV and cheering for the White Sox?

White Sox vs. Guardians: The choices of Master Samwise

To cheer for Chicago or to cheer against Chicago? That is a deep question many Cubs fans face today. As a Cubs fan who grew up far away and moved to Chicago in 2015, I’ve just really never had the animosity for the Sox that many native Chicagoans profess. Cheering for Cleveland, Tampa Bay or San Diego over the Sox really just feels ridiculous. There is no world where I’m taking Atlanta or Milwaukee over a team from Chicago and don’t make me laugh by suggesting I cheer for either coastal Death Star, have we met?

The Sox won their first playoff series since 2005 taking out the Astros in Houston. They’ll return to Chicago with a flawed, but scrappy team. Manager Will Venable will send Hagen Smith, the Game 1 opener from the Wild Card round, to the mound for Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series. Hey, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it [VIDEO].

To advance to the American League Championship Series, the Sox will need to thwart the Guardians. The Guardians have won the AL Central for the last three seasons, although they’ve only posted 90+ wins one time in that period. They’ll send Parker Messick, Gavin Williams and (likely) Foster Griffin to the mound.

On the position side Cleveland is still led by José Ramírez, although the future Hall of Famer had a down year this season only slashing .235/.320/.368 with 12 home runs with a wRC+ of 92 in 544 plate appearances. To put that in perspective, his 2025 slashline was .283/.360/.503 with 30 home runs and a wRC+ of 133 in 673 plate appearances. Savvy readers will note that 130 plate appearance difference, it seems pretty clear J-Ram was dealing with injuries this year. It’s worth keeping an eye on whether the drive all players destined for Cooperstown have will kick in in October transcending whatever issues hamstrung him in 2026. It’s worth noting he seemed to tap into that for his 1,000th RBI, which came on this solo home run in September [VIDEO].

The bullpens are closer in raw talent than you might think, with the Guardians rostering one of the best closers in the game in Cade Smith and the White Sox countering with Grant Taylor (who I discussed at length in the Wild Card Series guide). The Guardians relievers put up a 3.54 ERA off a 3.70 FIP with 46 saves in 63 opportunities this season. By fWAR their bullpen ranked second in the American League behind Boston. Meanwhile the White Sox relievers put up a 3.70 ERA off a 4.10 FIP with 41 saves in 71 opportunities. They ranked fifth by fWAR in the AL.

The regular season between these two teams was about as even as it gets with the White Sox holding a 7-6 edge over the course of the season.

Braves vs. Dodgers: Out of the frying pan into the fryer

The Phillies gave the Braves a real run for their money coming back to win Game 2 of the Wild Card round before ultimately succumbing in Game 3. The Braves won handily, and probably feel a bit of swagger heading to LA. They’ll need every ounce of that swagger to take on the defending World Series Champion Dodgers.

There are not probable pitchers announced for either team beyond the Dodgers Game 1 hurler, Tarik Skubal. FanGraphs Roster Resource currently projects Game 1 as a bullpen game for the Braves followed by Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow following Skubal for the Dodgers [VIDEO].

Starting pitching seems like a definitive edge to the Dodgers, if only because L.A. will line up three aces and Atlanta will counter with a future Hall of Fame ace, a solid guy and their bullpen. It’s a similar story on the offensive side of the equation where the Braves are led by first baseman Matt Olson who hit 41 home runs in 2026 plus catcher Drake Baldwin, former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and Cubs killer Ozzie Albies. But the Dodgers are sporting the second best offense in MLB behind the Chicago Cubs. It turns out even relatively down years from guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman is still utterly dominant relative to the rest of the league [VIDEO].

Even the bullpen, which had given the Dodgers some trouble down the stretch, shows a large edge for LA. While some of their relievers struggled at times this season, they righted the ship in the final two weeks of the season. Closer Tanner Scott had a 2.69 ERA off a 2.10 FIP with 26 saves in 63.2 innings. Braves closer Raisel Iglesias compares favorably to Scott head-to-head with a 2.55 ERA off a 3.17 FIP and 34 saves in 60 innings, however the remainder of Atlanta’s pen just isn’t in the same league as the Dodgers [VIDEO].

For what it’s worth, despite all of the statistical indicators pointing in the direction of the Dodgers, Atlanta won this series handily in 2026 taking five of six meetings between the two teams.

Yankees vs. Rays: The steward and the king

All due apologies to the Tampa Bay Rays with the title here, but until the sabermetrically inclined little front office who could can hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy they are going to have to live with looking like the underdog against the Yankees. Yes, that’s even true when the Rays won 98 games to their division rival’s 93. Yes, even when you’ve narrowly beaten the Yankees head-to-head in seven of 13 games.

Admittedly, the Rays will likely get a shot at the king playing without their best hitter. Aaron Judge was left off the Wild Card roster due to a calf strain that has kept him from fulling engaging in baseball activities. As of Friday afternoon, it seems probable he’ll be left off the Division Series roster as well. Ben Rice did an excellent job filling Judge’s size 17 shoes. The Yankees first baseman went five for ten with two home runs and six RBI in the Wild Card round. Meanwhile, the Rays best hitter is absolutely 23-year-old Junior Caminero who hit .276/.360/.524 with 42 home runs and a wRC+ of 142 in 702 plate appearances. Caminero is in the PCA tier of outstanding young MLB talent as evidenced by the fact that it was the second 40-home run campaign of his young career [VIDEO].

The Rays were actually ahead of the Yankees offensively this season, pacing the American League in position player fWAR with the Yankees 2.6 fWAR behind (admittedly, in one fewer game).

The Yankees hold the edge in pitching, however, and you don’t need to look further than Cam Schlittler’s performance against the Red Sox to see why. While both the Rays and the Yankees have excellent starting and relief pitching the Yankees just edge out the Rays in both categories. While the Rays will send Drew Rasmussen and his 2.67 ERA off a 2.82 FIP in 172 innings to the mound in Game 1 followed by Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez, the Yankees will counter with Gerrit Cole, followed by Wild Card hero Schlittler and (probably) Max Fried. You can marvel over what a weapon Schlittler can be reliving his 10 strikeouts against the Red Sox below [VIDEO].

Padres vs. Brewers: Fire and water

The day before the Cubs began their unceremonial march to being swept out of the Wild Card round by the Padres I wrote about my concerns regarding the way they were limping into the Postseason on the back of a difficult schedule. Part of my concern was also how hot the Padres were finishing the season with a 16-2 mark in their last 18 games. Well, now make that an 18-2 mark in their last 20 games as they head into Milwaukee to take on the team who posted the best record in baseball this season: The Brewers.

To be clear, the Brewers aren’t exactly limping into the playoffs. They won their last five games and went 15-5 in their last 20. This is truly two teams at their peak colliding. It should be an incredible series for baseball fans.

The Brewers will hand the baseball to likely NL Cy Young award winner Jacob Misiorowski while the Padres will counter with veteran Robbie Ray. Baseball is prone to the strangest outcomes, so it is entirely possible that Ray will outduel Misiorowski just because, however it’s hard to fathom they guy who’s thrown more than 1,000 pitches over 100 MPH as a starter flopping in early October [VIDEO]:

In game two, Logan Henderson will take on Michael King in a matchup that is sure to give Cubs fans flashbacks to unhittability, and while things are unannounced for Game 3, it certainly seems like a Brewers bullpen situation led by some combination of Dustin May, Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser going toe-to-toe with Nick Pivetta.

The Padres should hold the advantage offensively if they can figure out the Brewers elite pitching. Fair warning, Cubs fans may not like the next video, but I really don’t know a better way to show how much damage Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado can do early in the game with the bat than this [VIDEO].

The bullpens are probably comparable with maybe a slight edge to the Padres? The question mark is deliberate, it’s hard to know how it will play out in reality but the San Diego bullpen can basically shut a game down after the sixth inning with some combination of Mason Miller, Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon, Yuki Matsui and Jason Adam. Frankly, that list is deep enough you can imagine it shutting down two games played on back-to-back nights with that crew [VIDEO].

That’s no shade to an excellent bullpen in Milwaukee. Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby are a fierce trio at the end of games, but you’d absolutely rather be the team wielding the five-headed monster than the three-headed monster to close out games in October.

It’s probably more important that both of these teams are the hottest versions of themselves than anything that came before. That said, it is worth noting that the Padres won the season series four games to two.

Somehow, some way, the Dodgers’ dynasty will inevitably end.

They don’t think it will be this October, of course, as they come off a 100-win regular season and embark on their historic pursuit of a World Series three-peat.

Around the sport, however, not everyone is so sure. 

Ahead of the team’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves this week, the California Post spoke to two rival National League scouts to break down the keys to the matchup and solicit predictions for the best-of-five showdown.

In a surprise, both tabbed the Braves to pull off an NLDS upset.

Ahead of Saturday’s series-opener, here’s why:

Father time

The Dodgers’ biggest battle this postseason might be less against the Braves, or the Brewers or Padres, or whoever emerges out of the American League side of MLB’s playoff bracket.

Instead, both scouts cited the team’s aging lineup, and the ample mileage that has come with their back-to-back championships the past two years, as perhaps their biggest impediment to winning it all again.

There is a benefit to the experience the Dodgers boast, of course, with Scout 1 noting that “in these series, I just think they draw from their experience and age … They grind out at-bats when they matter. That’s what makes them dangerous.”

However, there were times during the regular season when the Dodgers nonetheless seemed to be wearing down, slumping offensively for much of the second half of the campaign.

“It’s tough to bet against those guys because of the track record,” Scout 2 said. “But at some point, they’re just not going to be able to overcome the age.”

The Dodgers were at their worst in July and August, when they struggled to generate power (ranking 25th in home runs and 23rd in slugging percentage over that stretch) or attack fastballs (ranking 20th in batting average and 26th in slugging percentage against heaters in that same period).

And while September was better –– both in overall production (they ranked fourth in the majors in scoring and second in OPS) and their ability to get back on heaters (fourth in batting average and second in slugging percentage against the pitch) –– their final-month schedule included only six games against teams that ranked better than 20th in team ERA this year. 

The Braves finished fifth in that category (3.63 team ERA), and limited the Dodgers to just 15 runs in six head-to-head matchups this season, going 5-1 in those games.

“The Dodgers have feasted for years on [when] you start walking guys and giving them free passes, that’s when they beat you … They lock in, those veteran guys, and that’s where they win,” Scout 1 said. “But the Braves play such great defense, they throw strikes and they’re just a really good team. That’s why I think they handled them pretty good this year.”

Deceptively deep lineup

The Dodgers’ star-studded pitching staff, of course, should have an advantage over Atlanta’s lineup.

The Dodgers ranked fourth in team ERA this season, while the Braves finished more toward the middle of the pack in most offensive categories (eighth in scoring, 10th in batting average, 16th in OPS).

However, when everything is clicking at the plate, the Braves can still be dangerous, possessing plenty of proven balance and depth up and down their batting order.

For example, All-Star infielders Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies had career-worst regular seasons (by OPS+) this year, but belted key home runs in the wild-card round off star Phillies closer Jhoan Duran and longtime Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, respectively.

Middle-of-the-order mainstays Matt Olson and Michael Harris II also had big moments in the team’s defeat of Philadelphia, with each of them also going deep in Game 3.

It hardly even mattered that former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and breakout star Drake Baldwin –– the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters in their order –– went a combined 3-for-22 in the series.

At their best, they can compensate with collective production.

“It’s not always the best guys that you need to come through,” Scout 1 said. “You need some of these other guys to overachieve a little.”

“They’ll be hoping they can chip away,” Scout 2 added. “Not necessarily wear the starters down. But the deeper lineup could allow them to get [the Dodgers starters’] pitch counts up a little bit, get them out of the game, and get into the bullpen earlier.”

Speaking of…

Thin margin for error

One thing neither scout was sold on was the Dodgers’ bullpen, despite the group’s improved form over the final two months of the season.

“That’s the biggest weakness they have,” Scout 1 said.

“That’s probably the toughest question of the whole team,” Scout 2 echoed.

Internally, the Dodgers feel bullish about the state of the group. Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips all looked sharp down the stretch (albeit, again, against mostly non-playoff teams). Edwin Díaz made a sudden late-season resurgence to re-cement his place as a high-leverage option. Edgardo Henriquez is expected to be available after finishing the regular season on the injured list with a back injury. And Roki Sasaki is returning to the same postseason relief role he excelled at last October.

Still, questions abound –– especially if their offense underwhelms and forces them to grind through a series of low-scoring games.

“In close games, offensively you love the Dodgers because of [their experience], but I still am not convinced of that bullpen,” Scout 1 said. “If I was the Dodgers, I don’t think they go into this thing going, ‘Hey, I love our club in a close game.’ I just don’t. I’m not buying it. And it doesn’t mean [their relievers] won’t do it, because the stuff says they can. Especially Scott. I can’t totally pinpoint it. But I know that’s a challenge for them.”

The Ohtani question

The biggest cloud hanging over the Dodgers, of course, is Ohtani’s health status.

He missed much of September with right arm and left knee problems. He looked good in his first two games back from the injured list, but then dreadful in the following three to close out the regular-season schedule.

The Dodgers have insisted that Ohtani is physically improved from where he was last month, and that his swing has looked better in simulated games during their bye-week workouts.

But still, there is serious skepticism about how impactful the now 32-year-old slugger can be in the playoffs.

“[September] was as bad as anybody’s ever seen him,” Scout 1 said. “He’d have [past cold] streaks where he’ll hunt and he’ll look bad on things and you think, ‘We can get him out with this.’ But he looked different when he was bad this year. It looked like he wasn’t 100%. And I don’t think it’s 100% [now], whether it’s the knee or the arm or whatever.”

“He looked so great on the mound at the beginning of the year,” Scout 2 added. “But you have to wonder just at this point, with his age, did the effort at the beginning of the year come back to really bite him?”

The pitching caveat

The Dodgers did get one big advantage coming into this series.

While they enjoyed their bye week, and allowed their pitching staff to rest up, the Braves were forced to empty the tank on the mound in their three-game wild-card series –– most notably by starting staff ace Chris Sale in Game 1 and using him out of the bullpen to close out Game 3.

Sale’s wild-card round start was already going to rule him out of pitching Game 1 in the NLDS. But after Thursday’s relief appearance, his availability for Game 2 is suddenly in doubt as well. If he can’t go until Game 3, that would rule out the possibility of him being able to start a potential winner-take-all Game 5.

Given Sale’s importance to the Braves’ pitching staff –– and his complete-game shutout against the Dodgers in August –– that factor gave Scout 2 serious pause about his Braves’ prediction:

“If Sale doesn’t start Sunday, that changes a part of my feeling.”

Still, Scout 2 stuck with a Braves upset, while predicting the series going the full five games.

Scout 1 did the same, somewhat reluctantly, as well.

“I think this one goes five, and it’s going to come down to the bullpen,” he said. “Do I have to pick a winner? Atlanta in five. I like Atlanta.”