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All hands will be on deck Thursday night as the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have the stage to themselves in the final game of MLB's wild card playoff round.

Tied 1-1 in the best-of-three series after a pair of nail-biting finishes, the winner of the third and deciding game in suburban Atlanta will advance to the National League division series against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phillies will have right-hander Aaron Nola (7-12, 4.67 ERA) on the mound, while the Braves will counter with an opener in left-handed reliever Ray Kerr (0-0, 1.47 ERA).

USA TODAY Sports will chronicle all the action and provide instant analysis on the game.

I love the film Moneyball for a lot of reasons, but one part of the film really resonates now.

If you recall, Billy Beane’s life was baseball — once as a player and, as the movie starts, as the general manager for the Athletics.

But he doesn’t watch the games. At first pitch, he might be working out in the gym. He might go for a drive. But sit in the stadium and watch every excruciating pitch? No way.

Well, I never played baseball and nothing in my personal life depends on the outcome of the Rays postseason and yet….when the postseason starts I feel so stressed that I can barely watch.

When it’s a series against a rival like the Yankees I’m nearly comatose with anxiety. The pain of losing to THOSE guys – with their air of entitlement, the sense that the world begins and ends with them. Their stupid minor league stadium dimensions (and then their fans griping if an opponent actually beats them shooting “home runs” to the short porch); their acting like they are better than the rest of us but then using a b-tier electronics store jingle ad to signify a strikeout. The thousands of New Yorkers who flee their region to enjoy OUR weather and OUR low taxes while continuing to root for the Yankees, and who then boast that they outnumber the Rays fans (which they don’t by the way, they are just very loud and obnoxious) when in fact they have priced long time Floridians out of the region.

Oh and by the way did I mention, I’m from New York City? So I really am entitled to call these folks out.

Anyway!

I thought baseball was the thing I did to escape the difficult parts of life. Work can be stressful, family can be complicated, there are fires and floods everywhere, so of course we turn to baseball, that traditional, pastoral sport for escape.

When we get to the postseason, however, it’s the baseball part that seems stressful.

In 2023 I decided to address this by going all in on participation. I bought tickets for all the Wild Card games (of which just two were played), got a new postseason shirt, cleared my work schedule and immersed myself in the game. And I was rewarded with the two worst Rays games I’ve ever seen, and I was around for the Devil Rays.

This year I’ve decided to stay home (clearly I was the bad luck charm) and I’m looking for ways to get into the right mindset to actually, you know, enjoy baseball. Ice cream? Meditation, with my new mantra: “Any October baseball is good. Any October baseball is good.”

Or maybe alcohol. I’ve created a drinking game where I take a shot every time someone — baseball folks, random fans on social media — says some variation of “who are these guys?” Double shots if a ball hits a catwalk. I invite you to join me, or if you aren’t a drinker substitute your substance of choice.

I also line up all my Rays swag and bobbleheads around my TV and light a few candles. That should surely help.

And if things get tense, well, I’ll go to the store.

Where are you on the anxiety-to-joy continuum? What is your strategy for dealing with the many Yankee fans certain to cast a dark shadow over the Trop this week?

So far, what we know is that it is a two-year deal, which means he is staying in the dessert through at least 2028. Of course, plenty can change before then, but this seems the most likely outcome, especially given all the uncertainty regarding the sport as a whole. The looming lockout is nothing to be trifled with. This move saves the club from having to find a new management team in the short period of time they will have before the lockout starts or in the even shorter window after the lockout is over and games begin.

Stay glued to the Pit for updates once the team holds the announcement presser.

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

In 1969, the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers — who were the Seattle Pilots for one season — were founded as MLB expansion teams.

Now, 58 short years later, the perennial National League contenders are meeting in the postseason for the first time.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, the best-of-five NLDS will get underway at Milwaukee’s American Family Field with the Brewers’ ace and Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski (16-5, 1.80 ERA) on the hill.

Following a two-game stint in the Cream City, the series will move to SoCal for a pair of contests at San Diego’s PETCO Park. They’re slated to take place:

Game 3Tuesday, Oct. 6

Game 4Wednesday, Oct. 7

If you’d like to be there, tickets are available for both high-stakes hypothetical San Diego showdowns.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for either game was $121 including fees on Vivid Seats.

Prices start at $99 including fees for the three potential meetings in Milwaukee.

Before this series, the Padres got revenge against the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round, sweeping MVP hopeful Pete Crow-Armstrong’s club at home after losing to them in three games to open the playoffs last year.

“They’re playing great baseball right now,” San Diego manager Craig Stammen said about his club.

Next up, they have a tall task taking on MLB’s winningest team in 2026.

Oddsmakers project the Brewers are -180 favorites going into the NLDS.

Yet, it should be factored in that San Diego took four of their six meetings over the course of the regular season including a clutch 4-3, eleven-inning victory on Aug. 12.

Is this the year that one of these two clubs finally gets over the hump and returns to the World Series?

While we can’t say for certain we do know that their first-ever postseason meeting with some of the game’s hardest flamethrowers in Misiorowski and Mason Miller should be downright electric.

Don’t miss this one. We just might have an instant classic on our hands.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Padres vs. Brewers 2026 NLDS below.

What do tickets cost to see the Padres at home in the 2026 NLDS?

All hypothetical Padres home game dates at PETCO Park and links to the cheapest tickets available are listed here:

How much are tickets for Brewers 2026 NLDS games in Milwaukee?

A complete calendar of all potential Brewers home games at American Family Field and the lowest-priced tickets can be found below.

Are Padres tickets available for later rounds?

Starry-eyed fans looking to get ahead of themselves can procure potential NLCS and World Series tickets before the NLDS even begins.

To grab seats for the game of your choosing, all hypothetical Padres playoff tickets can be found here.

How to watch the Padres in the 2026 playoffs

Fans that prefer to watch on the tube, you can catch Padres playoff contests on FOX, which can be found on DIRECTV.

Huge 2026-27 San Diego shows

The Yankees aren’t the only huge attraction in America’s Finest City these next few months.

Here are just five of the biggest acts headed to San Diego in the near future.

• Metallica

• Don Omar

• Gorillaz

• Los Tigres del Norte

• Teddy Swims

Who else is out and about? Take a look at this list of all the biggest artists coming to the Pechanga Arena these next few months to find the show for you.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

In a year where the (not particularly inspiring) tagline for playoff baseball is “No Time Like October”, only one out of four Wild Card series made it to today, the actual first day of the month. Aren’t we so lucky that it was Braves vs. Phillies? /s

Two games into the postseason and three sweeps later, the Padres, Yankees, and papally-blessed White Sox have punched their tickets to the next round. The swift eliminations of the Cubs, Red Sox, and Astros means the singular scenario for a night game at Truist Park has come to fruition.

Tonight’s winner-take-all game will decide which NL East team will board the plane to Los Angeles for the weekend to play in the National League Division Series, aiming to deny the two-time defending World Series champions their shot at a three-peat.

Doesn’t it feel like it was always destined to come down to this? A pair of divisonal rivals, with fanbases that passionately hate each other, both trying to dispel a miasma of past playoff failures. Apparently, this makes for tremendous baseball for those without a specific rooting interest or stake in it.

Unfortunately, we here at Battery Power are rooting very hard for the home team. And we would do pretty much anything to trade exciting and entertaining baseball for easy and comfortable victories. But if you’ve been following the team this season, you know they like to do things the hard way. So here we are.

The Atlanta Braves will send Ray Kerr to the mound to start for Game 3. Kerr returned to the majors on August 16 after missing two years due to Tommy John surgery and long rehab process. The lanky lefty is capable of multiple innings and had a 1.47 ERA and .600 WHIP in nine games.

Kerr faced the Phillies for a solid third of his 18.1 innings pitched in the regular season. His two outings were as follows:

• September 5: 3.1 innings of one-hit ball (a single by Kyle Schwarber) and one strikeout
• September 13: 3.0 innings of one-hit ball (a double by Bryce Harper) and four strikeouts

In the latter game, Kerr relieved starter Grant Holmes. The roles will reverse today; we can expect Holmes to follow for the bulk of the innings. A Braves bullpen unit that has been so strong all year faltered yesterday afternoon, but it is likely that all hands will be on deck to get all 27 outs tonight.

The Phillies are in the same mode and will counter with right-hander Aaron Nola. He is their most-rested option, but Zack Wheeler, Game 1’s starter Jesús Luzardo, and yesterday’s winning pitcher Andrew Painter are all also on the table. Closer Jhoan Duran was unavailable yesterday, and his status for tonight is not yet known.

The Braves are very familiar with Nola, of course. He has a 4.50 ERA in three starts against the team in 2026. He last pitched in Saturday for the pentultimate game of the regular season on short rest, lasting one inning after allowing three runs on four hits on 21 pitches.

It would be great to see the team in the home uniforms be the ones to Let It Fly – the leaders in home runs off Nola are Austin Riley with 7, Matt Olson with 5, and Ronald Acuña Jr. with 4.

Welcome to October. Who will shine brightest under the Truist Park lights?

Game Info

Game Time: Thursday, October 1, 8:00 pm EDT

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

Watch: NBC/Peacock

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM, ESPN Radio

Although the box score doesn’t reflect an intensely competitive game, tempers flared in the stands at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night.

A big fight broke out in the upper deck during the Yankees’ 9-2 Game 2 win over the Red Sox, which swept Boston out of the playoffs.

A viral video of the brawl captured a Yankees fan wearing black shirt throwing punches left and right on a Red Sox fan, who was wearing a yellow Boston jersey.

Another Red Sox fan, wearing a red jersey and who appeared to be with the fan in the yellow jersey, ended up getting in a blow to the Yankees fan’s head.

It knocked the fan backwards into the stairs of the section and gave the Red Sox fan in the yellow jersey enough time to gather himself and retaliate.

The fan got in a few punches before the Yankees fan stood back up and began fighting back again.

As the chaos went on, many fans around the fight didn’t take action.

Instead, many watched and recorded the incident on their phones.

The Red Sox fan in the red jersey eventually pushed the Yankee fan away, towards the exit, but he didn’t go quietly.

The fan said “F–k you” toward the Boston supporters while flipping them the bird before putting their Yankee hat back on and leaving.

Since, the Yankees knocked out biggest rivals for the second consecutive season in the wild-card round, there was bound to be some tension and outbursts during the series.

The upper deck battle wasn’t the only notable altercation of the night in The Bronx.

Before the game, Spike Lee found himself in the middle of an intense scene with a fan, who asked the famous director for a selfie and requested that he say “F–k Palestine” while inside the Legends Suite.

An angry Lee immediately stood up and sought out security. The unidentified fan was kicked out of the suite.

Boston was alarmingly outscored 18-2 overall throughout the two games.

The Yankees hit the road to take on the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday, with Game 2 in St. Petersburg on Monday.

Games 3 and 4 will be in The Bronx and Game 5 would be back in Florida.