The format of the wild-card series means that after one game, you are already on the brink of elimination. Thanks to stellar pitching and some big bats, the Yankees and Padres took care of business to leave the Red Sox and Cubs, respectively, on the verge of an early exit. Meanwhile, the Braves rallied past…
Depth over the marathon of a 162-game season helped 12 teams reach the postseason. Now, it’s the stars and standouts who will take center stage. Here are the 26 players who will define the 2026 MLB playoffs, whether through their talent, their storylines entering October, their importance to their clubs or all of the above. …
Kyle Schwarber belly-flopped more than he actually slid headfirst into second base and popped up with his uniform smudged in dirt. He punched his right fist in the air and shouted something in exhilaration toward a fired-up Phillies dugout. Schwarber delivered with a clutch two-run double, yes. He also showed the fire, the fight that…
It all came down to Game 162 to round out the 12-team MLB postseason field. The Astros won the American League West (with the worst full-season record by a playoff team in MLB history) and the Phillies held off a late surge from the Diamondbacks to secure the final National League wild-card spot on the…
With just a few days left in the regular season, the AL West might make a particularly mediocre kind of history. After Tuesday night’s games, the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros were tied for first place at 78-79. No full-season division champion has ever had a losing record. In fact, no team has made the…
This is it. With one week remaining in the regular season, the National League playoff field looks nearly complete. The Brewers, Dodgers and Braves have already clinched their respective divisions, while the Cubs, Padres and Phillies are jockeying for wild-card seeding while hoping to hold off the Diamondbacks, who haven’t been eliminated yet but are…
The Philadelphia Phillies placed All-Star left-hander Jesus Luzardo on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, three days after he was scratched from a start at Atlanta because of left shoulder inflammation. The move is retroactive to Saturday. Luzardo is eligible to return Sept. 27, the final day of the regular season. Luzardo had an MRI on…
One week after the MLB Trade Deadline, one key contender will show off its new-look lineup on national TV. The National League is still chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Milwaukee Brewers will begin the week with the best record in baseball, but Los Angeles won the deadline by adding two-time Cy Young winner Tarik…
The American League only has five teams with a winning record compared to the National League’s nine at the break, but the AL’s shoddy first half didn’t matter Tuesday night in Philadelphia. The NL lineup didn’t stand a chance against an overpowering AL pitching staff in the All-Star Game, as the American League won the…
Even teams with losing records still have reason to believe. The Mariners are 48-49, yet they would get the final playoff spot in the embarrassing American League if the season ended today. Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Tigers, once left for dead, are suddenly making noise and among the six AL teams within four games…
