SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: A detailed view of signage in the dugout before National League Wild Card Series workouts by the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on September 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have four games today:
Phillies @ Braves 2:00 Eastern
We have lineups for this one:
Today’s Lineups
PHILLIES
BRAVES
Trea Turner – SS
Drake Baldwin – C
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Ronald Acuna – RF
Bryce Harper – RF
Matt Olson – 1B
Alec Bohm – 1B
Mauricio Dubon – LF
Derek Hill – CF
Michael Harris – CF
Bryan De La Cruz – LF
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Bryson Stott – 2B
Austin Riley – 3B
Edmundo Sosa – 3B
Mike Yastrzemski – DH
J.T. Realmuto – C
Ha-Seong Kim – SS
Andrew Painter – RHP
Chris Sale – LHP
White Sox @ Astros 5:00 Eastern
Hagen Smith (3-3, 1.29 in 28 inning) is starting or opening for the White Sox.
AJ Blubaugh (5-3, 3.66) also an opener for the Astros
It seems a weird way to start a playoff series.
Red Sox @ Yankees 8:00 Eastern
Payton Tolle (9-6, 3.03 in 26 starts)
Cam Schlittler (14-6, 1.95 in 33 starts). The old man in me wonders how a guy with 14 wins can get the Cy Young.
No Aaron Judge this series.
Cubs @ Braves 10:00 Eastern
Matthew Boyd (10-5, 3.91 in 22 starts). The former Blue Jays player. Starts for the Cubs.
Michael King (12-10, 3.21 in 32 starts) goes for the Padres.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 22: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox walks through the dugout before a game against the Cleveland Guardians on September 22, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cubs and Padres will be the last of the four Wild Card Series to get underway today. That game will begin at 9 p.m. CT and I will have the usual game preview up at 7 p.m. CT.
In the meantime, there are three other Wild Card games today, so this is an all-purpose game thread for you to discuss the baseball action this afternoon and early evening.
Here are all the details for those three games.
1 p.m. CT: Phillies at Braves
TV: NBC. Announcers: Matt Vasgersian, John Kruk, C.J. Nitkowski, Joey Votto
Jesús Luzardo, LHP vs. Chris Sale, LHP
Though Luzardo is a starter, he threw an inning on Sunday after returning from a shoulder issue, so for the Phillies this will be some sort of bullpen game.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: A detailed view of signage on the field during National League Wild Card Series workouts by the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on September 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies did not make the playoffs (again), but it’s going to be a great day to talk about playoff baseball.
Here’s today’s bracket:
Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves on NBC/Peacock at 12:00 pm MDT
Chicago White Sox @ Houston Astros on Peacock/NBC at 3:00 pm MDT
Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees on NBC/Peacock at 6:00 pm MDT
Chicago Cubs @ San Diego Padres on Peacock/NBC @ 8:00 pm MDT
We’ll add lineups as they become available.
Okay, let’s enjoy some October baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves — 12:00 pm MDT
Record when teams met in 2026: Braves 9, Phillies 4
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox looks on during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Regular season baseball may be over, but postseason baseball is here.
Today, we’ve got the first action of the playoffs, with four Wild Card games gracing our televisions and streaming services. The two evening games—Yankees v Red Sox and Cubs v Padres—should be very good contests, as the average win total among all four teams is 90. This is in stark contrast to the 4pm American League game, which features the 84-win White Sox and the 81-win Astros. Could have been the Royals if they were competent this year, but alas.
At the time this article will publish, we only have lineups for the 1pm game. As the day goes on, I’ll update this with official rosters and then lineups as they become available.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Hitting coach Alec Zumwalt #37 of the Kansas City Royals looks on against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Royals 13-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals will reassign Alec Zumwalt from his duties as hitting coach, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He will retain his position as senior director of hitting performance.
Zumwalt has been with the organization for nine years, and has been hitting coach and senior director of hitting performance since 2022. The Royals averaged 4.26 runs-per-game, finishing 21st in baseball. That was a slight improvement over their performance in 2025 when they scored 4.02 runs-per-game, 26th in baseball.
The season was highlighted by the emergence of Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone, who became two of the most productive players in the lineup, and Michael Massey enjoyed a career-best season. But the team once again got off to a cold start offensively, averaging just 4.06 runs-per-game in April as the team stumbled off to a slow start. Vinnie Pasquantino struggled much of the year, Salvador Perez significantly declined, Isaac Collins slumped badly to end the year, and Kyle Isbel had his worst offensive season.
No word yet on whether or not the Royals will retain assistant hitting coaches Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames, who joined the staff this year, or whether or not there will be further changes to the coaching staff. J.J. Piccollo is scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday.
SAN DIEGO —The most surprising postseason roster decision Tuesday was not Aaron Judge being off the New York Yankees' roster and Giancarlo Stanton on it, but in San Diego.
Starter Joe Musgrove, who has been sidelined for nearly two years recovering from Tommy John surgery, not pitching in a Major League Baseball game since Oct. 2, 2024, was placed on the Padres’ postseason roster ahead of their best-of-three wild card series against the Chicago Cubs.
Musgrove, who faced hitters twice in the past five days while hitting 97-mph on the radar gun with control of his breaking pitches, will be another valuable piece in the Padres bullpen.
The Padres became cautiously optimistic he could return when he pitched in an instructional league game last Tuesday and then batting practice three days later.
He replaces Randy Vásquez, who threw 68 pitches over six innings on Sunday in the season finale, on the roster. Wandy Peralta and Griffin Canning were also left off the postseason roster.
The gamble with Musgrove is that he likely won’t be able to pitch in back-to-back games.
Musgrove, 33, the San Diego native who has pitched the Padres’ lone no-hitter in franchise history, was hoping to return this season but he had several setbacks while trying to return as a starter. He since has pitched in shorter stints as a reliever.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees in action against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Royals 13-4. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First off, it’s worth noting that Trent Grisham and Giancarlo Stanton are activated from the IL while captain Aaron Judge stays sidelined due to his calf injury. Stanton, who hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since April, will likely pinch-hit. On the other hand, we might see Grisham, who was placed on the IL in early September with a lingering hamstring injury, make the starting lineup in center over Spencer Jones.
Here’s everything you need to know about each player the Yankees are bringing into the postseason and how they can make an impact in the Wild Card Series against Boston.
Position Players
Cody Bellinger: Expected to take his spot in left field and make clutch defensive plays, Bellinger will also play a critical role in giving the Yankees offense some juice. Even without Judge, he’s still been effective offensively, batting at .287 with a .494 slugging percentage in September.
José Caballero: A utilityman most likely to be deployed at third base, Caballero has the potential to be effective defensively, but will likely rotate with McMahon and Rosario in case of any high-risk scenarios on either side of the ball.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Locked in at the keystone, Jazz will likely play second to make room for some alternative options at third base, including Caballero, Volpe, and McMahon. It remains a question of whether the impending free agent will start at second against tough lefties.
Luis García Jr.: Joining the Yankees ahead of the Trade Deadline, García Jr. has a lot to prove after slumping through most of September. If he can bring back his numbers from August, when he batted .290 with a .505 slugging, he has a good shot at making an impact against Boston.
Paul Goldschmidt: Making some big plays throughout the season and trending in the right direction offensively, Goldschmidt brings a strong veteran presence that will serve as an example for the younger guys on the roster. Expect him to start at first against lefties, who he continued to mash in 2026.
Trent Grisham: Despite not appearing in a regular-season game since early September, Grisham could start in center, though he has lost a step defensively and wasn’t batting nearly as well as he did in 2025. Nonetheless, he did register 39 extra-base hits in 121 games.
Spencer Jones: Taking Grisham’s spot in the field since he joined the IL, Jones has been on a positive trend with his development and could be a potent offensive weapon if he makes an appearance in the lineup.
George Lombard Jr.: Yielding promising results on offense and turning heads at shortstop, it’ll be very exciting to see how Lombard performs when the lights are brightest.
Ryan McMahon: Struggling in the last stretch of the season, McMahon could play a pinch-hitting role in place of either Rosario or Caballero at third. If Rosario starts against a lefty, look for McMahon to enter later on defense.
Heliot Ramos: Typically taking his place in right field since joining the Yankees at the Trade Deadline, Ramos has helped give the Yankees’ offense enough of a boost to reach the postseason. He hits lefties better than righties and finished September batting .255 with a .491 slugging percentage.
Ben Rice: Recording 41 home runs in the regular season, Rice will make a huge impact on the Yankees’ offense and may make an appearance at first base if he’s not a designated hitter in the lineup.
Amed Rosario: Possibly starting at third against lefties, Rosario hasn’t actually hit southpaws well in 2026 but raked against them in 2025. He finished September batting .231 with an identical OBP.
Ali Sánchez: Making the roster doesn’t come as a huge surprise for Sánchez, who will serve as a backup for Austin Wells behind the plate.
Giancarlo Stanton: Reinstated from the IL for the first time since April, Stanton will make his return in the postseason and likely serve as a pinch-hitter for when the Yankees need a powerful intimidating presence at the plate. Stanton is one of the Yankees’ all-time leading playoff sluggers, with 18 homers.
Anthony Volpe: Returning to the majors after hitting 11 home runs with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders this season, Volpe has the potential to make an impact on offense. He may not be trusted as much in the field, but there’s a chance he could make an appearance at second over Chisholm against a lefty, or even at third over McMahon and Rosario.
Austin Wells: After struggling early in the regular season, Wells picked it up offensively going into the stretch and has the opportunity to rake if he can get back to his August form — though Boston’s southpaws may challenge him. He finished September with a .154 batting average and a .236 OBP.
Pitchers
David Bednar: Serving as one of the most effective closers this season, Bednar is prepared to completely shut down the Red Sox offense.
Paul Blackburn: One of the most reliable relievers throughout the regular season, Blackburn is expected to keep Boston’s offense at bay and bring a veteran presence to the Yankees bullpen. He finished the regular season with a 1.69 ERA, 69 strikeouts, and a 1.09 WHIP through 89 innings.
Gerrit Cole: Starting for Game 3, if needed, the Yankees pitcher brings a leadership presence that the Yankees rely on without the captain Aaron Judge. The question will be whether or not he can get his home run problem under control (or at least limit the damage to solo shots).
Max Fried: With effective postseason numbers throughout his career, Fried is the best choice to start Game 2 against Boston and hopefully help the Yankees advance to the ALDS. He held the Red Sox scoreless in the playoff opener last year.
Brent Headrick: Maintaining consistency throughout the regular season, Headrick is expected to shine in a relief role throughout the postseason. He finished the regular season with a 2.18 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 78.3 innings. Headrick was used a lot, but did at least get three full days of rest going into today.
Carlos Rodón: After missing a stretch of games in the regular season due to some elbow inflammation, Rodón was outstanding in September and had a good case to start in his own right. As it stands, he’ll take a relief role in this series, and while he’s been great of late, he doesn’t have much bullpen experience in his career.
Cam Schlittler: Taking the starting role in Game 1 against the Red Sox, there is a lot of confidence that Schlittler is ready to shock the world and dominate Boston once again.
John Schreiber: Taking a spot as a relief option if needed, Schreiber may take the mound in a low-risk scenario.
Will Warren: Performing well in the regular season as a starter, Warren will be a reliable relief option to get the Yankees through a jam and looked sharp in late-season bullpen cameos. He finished 2026 with a 3.92 ERA and 158 strikeouts and 1.37 WHIP.
Ryan Yarbrough: The Yankees are likely using Yarbrough as a low-risk option, and he could make an appearance at the bump if there’s a scenario where they need to save a reliever from burning out before the ALDS. Yarbrough is one of the few southpaws on the Yankees’ staff, and he got the nod over the scuffling Tim Hill.
Former 16-year NBA veteran J.R. Smith has been arrested in Texas and charged with assault causing bodily injury - family violence, something first reported by TMZ and confirmed by NBC Sports through the Hunt County Sheriff's Office.
As of this writing, he remains in custody after being arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and no bond has been listed. No details have been released so far about what led to the arrest. Hood County, whose seat is Granbury, is about 70 miles southeast of Dallas.
Smith, 41, has been arrested before: He was briefly jailed during his playing days in 2009 and pled guilty to reckless driving tied to a fatal car accident in New Jersey.
Smith played 16 seasons in the NBA, won Sixth Man of the Year in 2013 while playing with the Knicks, and won two titles: One with LeBron James and the Cavaliers in 2016 and one in the bubble with the Lakers in 2020. His time with the Lakers was the last time he played in the NBA. Last Spring, Smith graduated from North Carolina A&T State University, where he was a walk-on member of the golf team. He has played in some amateur golf tournaments, and still appears on some NBA podcasts and shows talking about and analyzing the league.
Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees fans will hear friendly TV voices call their team’s Wild-Card matchup this week. In the playoffs, that’s not always the case.
Year after year, MLB followers grumble about losing the local announcing booths they’ve spent their summers with in favor of national voices brought in for postseason action. Team broadcasters hurt too.
“It’s kind of like taking a transatlantic voyage on a ship, and then getting thrown overboard a mile from shore,” Mets play-by-play’er Gary Cohen toldThe Athletic in 2024.
This year, as NBC broadcasts its first MLB playoff games since 2000, at least a few color guys are getting a couple more days on board. Continuing its strategy from the regular season, NBC has combined one local analyst from each side with its own play-by-play voice for this week’s four Wild-Card series.
“The biggest complaint you hear during the postseason in baseball is, ‘I can’t hear my people, I can’t hear my guys call the game,’” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said before the season. “We really want to honor that part of baseball.”
NESN’s Lou Merloni and YES Network’s Joe Girardi will join Jason Benetti for Red Sox-Yankees coverage. Longtime White Sox color commentator Steve Stone will pair up with his Houston counterpart, Geoff Blum, as Phillies analyst John Kruk and Braves commentator C.J. Nitkowski will team to call that intra-division series. Cubs color commentator Jim Deshaies pushed his previously scheduled hip surgery back two weeks, given the opportunity to call the team’s games against San Diego alongside Padres analyst Mark Grant.
“Fans know these people,” Benetti said of local analysts on Monday. “You spend so much time with these people in your houses that there’s a trust factor that develops.” For third-party observers, the dedicated analysts also can provide insight a national voice might miss.
NBC began building its roster of potential playoff analysts months ago, identifying close to 20 broadcasters who would be tapped if their teams played in the opening round.
There are risks, to be sure. Three-person announcer booths can take years to gel; Benetti and his fellow play-by-play callers will have just hours to get everyone on the same page. But Benetti, who calls Detroit Tigers games during the regular season, has embraced the unfamiliarity.
“The thing that’s most exciting is you never know where the conversation is going to go,” he said.
NBC is also maintaining its newly created “Inside the Pitch” analyst position for each series, with Anthony Rizzo assigned to keep a close eye on the field and dugout for the Red Sox-Yankees series while Caroline Pineda fills the reporter position.
NBC will carry Braves-Phillies and Red Sox-Yankees games on broadcast TV at 2 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET Tuesday and Wednesday, while White Sox-Astros (5 p.m. ET) and Cubs-Padres (10 p.m. ET) will air across Peacock and NBC Sports Network both days. Thursday’s schedule of Game 3’s depends on who’s still alive at that point.
Unlike their TV colleagues, radio broadcasters typically keep calling their local teams’ games through the postseason.
NBC is reportedly paying close to $200 million annually in a three-year deal for Sunday Night Baseball and Wild-Card play.
Of course, there’s still no recreating the chemistry or comfort of a club’s dedicated TV announcing booth, melded into a family over the course of 162 games, summer after summer. For months, baseball operates largely as a regional affair. Postseason play offers something else entirely.
But, for a diehard fan, a few words from a familiar voice as October dawns could sound a lot like home.
CHAPEL HILL, NC - JUNE 01: North Carolina Tar Heels Michael Busch(15) hits the ball during the NCAA Baseball Chapel Hill Regional between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Liberty Flames at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC on June 1, 2019. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tar Heel baseball fans will have a clear favorite Major League Baseball team as the 2026 postseason gets underway today.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, nine former Tar Heels were active on MLB rosters during the 2026 season. However, only one player appears set to see October (or at least very late September) baseball.
His Name is Michael Busch…
…and he is a bad man.
Fans of North Carolina baseball from 2017-2019 will remember Busch well as a standout first baseman for the Tar Heels. For those who do not recall, or those who simply yearn for a walk down memory lane, gaze upon four minutes of Michael Busch UNC highlights:
Over three seasons at UNC, Busch posted a 0.921 OPS with 32 home runs, 169 runs scored, and 142 walks. He is second all-time in walks in Carolina Baseball history.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, Busch worked his way through the minors and made his major league debut on April 25th, 2023. He was traded to the Cubs in the offseason ahead of the 2024 season and has been a staple at first base ever since.
The 2025 season was his best yet as a pro, hitting 34 home runs with an .866 OPS and 4.5 WAR, all of which was good enough to help him finish 16th in the National League MVP voting. The 2026 season has seen a drop in power as he’s only hit 20 home runs, but his patience at the plate has yielded him a 13.0% walk rate, which is 17th best in the league.
He’s 28 years old, played in 160 games this season, and won’t be a free agent until 2030. There’s a lot for Cubs fans to like about Busch.
Postseason Experience
Last season was Busch’s first experience playing postseason baseball, and in the Wild Card round he absolutely raked.
Facing the San Diego Padres (who Busch is slated to face again in the 2026 Wild Card), Busch posted 4 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 HR, and 1 BB in 12 plate appearances over three games. The NLDS had even more in store for Busch, as he hit three home runs in just 19 plate appearances over five games. Although the Cubs lost the series to the Brewers, it was a fantastic first foray into postseason baseball for Busch. He finished the postseason with a .296 BA and 1.128 OPS.
It’s once again time for postseason baseball for Michael Busch, and he will enter tonight’s matchup against the San Diego Padres as the only former North Carolina Tar Heel on a postseason roster. Tonight, a little after 10:00 pm Chapel Hill time, he’ll climb into the batter’s box at Petco Park, stare down Michael King, and swing with the full weight and momentum of Tar Heel Nation in his bat.
Bonus Note: I should mention that former Tar Heel Trent Thornton is currently on the 15-day Injured List for the Cubs. If Chicago makes it past San Diego, there’s a chance Thornton makes it on the NLDS roster. Did you need another reason to cheer for the Cubs?
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park on September 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Postseason. Welcome to the beginning of an historic World Series run, or the last two days of the season. Welcome to heroes becoming goats and GOATs becoming legends. This is first day of the rest of our fandom, or another fruitless day. This is the best time of the year, and a celebration intertwined with opportunities to cheer our team longer.
On the hill for the Braves will be 10-time All-Star Chris Sale, who brings one World Series title and 63.5 career WAR into this matchup. He has a 2.16/2.29/2.82 (55/51/67) line this season. He’s struck out 86 versus 5 walks since the All-Star Break.
Against Sale will be Jesús Luzardo, at least to start the game. The last time the Braves saw him was a complete game shutout and a game score of 100. We questioned the Braves approach versus Luzardo here. Let’s hope they have better ideas this afternoon. We don’t know how long Luzardo will pitch today. But we don’t know how long anyone will pitch today. There’s no reason to save anyone. Thursday isn’t guaranteed.
If you have ever been here, you will know that we don’t allow users that have created their account today to participate in this thread or the post-game thread. We are waiving this requirement for the postseason. Many of our current users found us by joining this time of year, and we would like you to join us. However, please tread lightly. If you are newly minted you may receive more scrutiny. Please don’t be offended, just join in.
We’ve had trouble with Phillies trolls in this space, and this is a rule created to help handle this. I know this may seem unusual since Philadelphia sports fans are the greatest fans in the world. They will tell you this while they are trolling the site after a Braves playoff loss deep into the night, and creating multiple alts to do so. Trolls, by definition, aren’t going to follow the rules anyway. So everyone else, come on in.
We also don’t allow suggesting that the game is over and how the rest of the series will end for the Braves in this thread aka posting “ballgame” or the like. It just creates arguments, and isn’t welcome here. The other rules are here.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 27: The Philadelphia Phillies pose for a team photograph after clinching a National League Wild Card spot after a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park on September 27, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for game 1 of the NLWC series in Atlanta. Let’s discuss!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox and Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees stand at second base at Yankee Stadium on August 30, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you grew up watching the Attitude Era of wrestling, you acquired the word “slobberknocker” as part of your vernacular, thanks to the great Jim Ross on WWE play-by-play. Payton Tolle, who, like Ross, is from Oklahoma, dropped that word into his presser yesterday, one of his many gems on the microphone.
As Payton Tolle said on the @BBisntBoring podcast, his dad really wanted him to use the word 'slobberknocker' in a press conference. I promised I would present the opportunity. Today, it all came together. pic.twitter.com/YkFZzqAst3
As I started digging into the Tale of the Tape, I realized Tolle is right. The margins are razor-thin and we have a three game slobberknocker on our hands the next three nights. So let’s break down the Red Sox and Yankees position by position to see who has the edge.
Git it on!
The Infield:
Yankees: Luis Garcia, Jazz Chisholm, George Lombard, Jose Caballero, Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Volpe, Amed Rosario, Ryan McMahon
Expect a lot of platooning and substitutions from New York in the infield. Over the final month of the season against left-handed pitchers, Boone usually deployed (from left to right), Rosario, Lombard, Volpe, and Goldschmidt. The Red Sox are scheduled to throw lefty starters in Games 1 and 3. Against right-handed pitchers (Game 2), the Yankees usually started McMahon, Lombard, Chisholm, and Garcia, with some Caballero sprinkled in. You may remember a year ago that Boone left both Chisholm and Ben Rice on the bench in Game One against the left-handed Garrett Crochet, a 3-1 loss for New York with Rice never even appearing in the game. They both returned for wins in Games Two and Three. That won’t happen with Rice again, but could happen with Chisholm (.218 in 2026, .227 career vs. LHP) until the starter is out of the game.
The Red Sox infield lineup seems pretty cut and dry to start, if Contreras is healthy. Alongside Durbin and Contreras, Sogard was called up on July 29th and has started all but three games since. Story returned from the IL on August 30th and has started all but three games in that time.
The Yankees’ pickup of Garcia at the trade deadline really flew under the radar considering he was leading the National League in slugging percentage at the time of the trade. Garcia and Contreras’ seasons have been eerily similar, as they rank 8th and 9th in MLB in slugging. It’s a fascinating list, as they’re sandwiched just behind Junior Caminero and Pete Alonso, and just ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber.
Who has the edge?
The rest of the infield leaves something to be desired across the board. On the Yankees, only Goldschmidt has a wRC+ over 100, at 111, but that number was 83 after the All-Star break. For Boston, it’s only Sogard with a 105 wRC+, and that was in 66 games, although Story is hitting .291 over the past month.
Edge: Push
Outfield & DH:
Red Sox: Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jahmai Jones, Nate Eaton
Boston will have Rafaela in center and Abreu in right, no matter what. In Games 1 and 3 against a righty, Duran in left field and Anthony at DH is likely. Anthony hasn’t DH’d in three weeks, but much of that was related to Rafaela being on the IL. In Game 2 against Fried, Anthony will probably move to left, with Jones, who rarely has been deployed in the outfield, at DH. Braiden Ward (61 stolen bases at Triple-A) was a pinch-running option but was not chosen to be on the postseason roster, in favor of Eaton.
Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts. Grisham has been on the IL since early September but is back for the playoffs. Stanton last played on April 24 and was recently spotted running at tortoise speed in the outfield in an attempt to return. Judge said he wants to play, but he says a lot of things and ultimately was not put on the Wild Card roster.
Rice (DH) and Bellinger (LF) will obviously be in regardless. Against lefties, it will be interesting to see who plays center field between Jones and Grisham, with Ramos in right. In Game Two, Boone may elect to play them both, with Ramos sitting.
Who has the edge?
There are a lot of caveats here. Is a Bellinger, Grisham, Ramos outfield really better than Anthony, Rafaela, and Abreu? Absolutely not. Is Anthony the DH and, therefore, do we need to include Ben Rice in this debate? Probably. Also, the Yankees scored 50 more runs and hit 60 more home runs than the Red Sox this season, so they should get some edge at the plate.
Edge: Yankees
Catcher:
Red Sox: Adley Rutschman, Connor Wong
Yankees: Austin Wells, Ali Sanchez
Rutschman hasn’t hit a whole lot since joining the Red Sox (.222/.278/.410 slash line in 32 games), but Wells hasn’t hit a whole lot ever, with a career slash line of .213/.294/.397. Add in the defense, where Rutschman is 96th percentile in caught stealing and Wells is 15th percentile, and this should be a strong edge for Boston.
Edge: Red Sox
Defense:
As a team, the Red Sox were third in baseball in Defensive Runs Saved at +70. The Yankees were 13th at +27.
In team Outs Above Average, Boston was sixth at +20, with New York 17th at negative-5. Center Field was by far the best OAA position for the Sox at +18, thanks to Rafaela’s +16. Left field and shortstop were the only positions that were below average, with Monasterio’s -15 OAA heavily weighing things down, a position we would not expect him to play in the postseason. No other player on Boston’s playoff roster had lower than a -2 OAA.
The Yankees were among the best at second base, as a result of a +13 from Chisholm, but well below average at third base, center field, and right field. Jones, Grisham, and Ramos in the outfield, and Rice and Rosario in the infield, all graded out at a -4 or worse in OAA.
Edge: Red Sox
Starting Pitching:
Yankees: Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole
Red Sox: Payton Tolle, Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez
Setting the minimum at 110 innings to account for all of these pitchers, here is where they would land in the 2026 AL ERA race:
Schlittler 1.95 (1st)
Gray 2.72 (5th)
Fried 2.80 (7th)
Tolle 3.03 (10th)
Suarez 3.22 (12th)
Cole 3.61 (22nd)
How much should having the Cy Young winner on your team be weighted in this debate? Pretty significantly, I guess.
How much should having the worst of the six starters be weighted? If the Yankees win in two, it won’t matter at all. If the series goes three, it will matter very much.
Now, let’s look at postseason stats:
Schlittler: 1-1, 1.26 (14 ⅓ inns.)
Suarez: 4-1, 1.48 (42 ⅔ inns.)
Cole: 11-6, 2.77 (133 ⅓ inns.)
Gray: 1-3, 3.26 (30 ⅓ inns.)
Fried: 2-6, 5.31 (76 ⅓ inns.)
Tolle: N/A (faced one batter)
The Yankees not only lag with Gerrit Cole in the 2026 season but also will throw a starter in Game Two who has a 5.31 career postseason ERA in 22 postseason games (14 starts). Yeah, that cancels out the Schlittler edge. This has to be a push.
Edge: Push
Bullpen:
Red Sox: Jake Bennett, Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Wyatt Olds, Alec Gamboa, Greg Weissert, Erik Miller, Garrett Whitlock, Aroldis Chapman
I covered the Red Sox playoff bullpen recently. The losses of Justin Slaten and Tyron Guerrero are significant. andErik Miller’s control has reverted back to his Giants days this month, as he’s allowed runs in five of his final nine appearances this season. The Sox will have Garrett Crochet (6.30 ERA in a short 30-inning sample) and Jake Bennett (3.65) in the ‘pen for this series to counter the Rodon and Warren SP duo.
Yankees: Carlos Rodon, Will Warren, Ryan Yarbrough, John Schreiber, Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick, David Bednar
The Yankees deployed only seven relievers, as they need to account for Stanton, who likely cannot play the field, and to maximize all of their platoons. In the regular season, the Yankees had the top bullpen ERA in baseball at 3.15, with the Red Sox finishing third at 3.27.
They’ll be relying heavily on their starters pitching out of the ‘pen, as Rodon (2.67 ERA) and Warren (3.92) pitched almost all of their innings as starters this year. Ryan Weathers (3.60), who is working his way back from a forearm injury and threw live to hitters on Monday, was left off of the roster. Closer David Bednar (2.47) and setup man Brent Headrick (2.18) have been excellent all year long, as has l Blackburn, who entered the season with a 4.97 career ERA, has inexplicably ended up with a 1.69 ERA despite a 3.75 FIP, 10.7 K-BB%.
Who has the edge?
While the entire bullpens top-to-bottom are a push, the Red Sox duo of future Hall-of-Famer Aroldis Chapman (1.92) and Garrett Whitlock (1.72), who has allowed two earned runs in the last three months, is an edge over Bednar and Headrick to push Boston over the top.
