Browsing: playoff

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t too concerned about the possibility of a time change for Sunday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, given the potential conflict with a Seattle Mariners’ playoff matchup in the American League Division Series.

“From what I understand, it’s not that big of a move,” Macdonald told reporters Monday. “So we would adjust our morning schedule accordingly. It’s really no big deal. It’s actually kind of great that we’re going to be forced to move. I think it’s awesome for our city and it’s going to be a really exciting Sunday.”

While the two sides don’t share a building—the Seahawks play at Lumen Field, while the Mariners play at T-Mobile Park—the two stadiums are next to each other and a shared start time would potentially create major traffic issues and other concerns.

Because the Mariners are in the postseason, they are given the priority for start times. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Major League Baseball isn’t expected to make determinations on NLDS and ALDS start times until the conclusion of the Wild Card Round, and added that the Seahawks could “push back their kickoff anywhere from 90 to 150 minutes, according to Seattle officials.”

The Seahawks may need to change kickoff times for both Sunday’s matchup with the Bucs and an Oct. 20 contest against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football, depending on how deep into the playoffs the Mariners go. That is the less likely scenario, however, as that date is scheduled to be Game 7 of the ALCS and would require the Mariners getting that far and hosting the contest.

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Jose Ramirez (left) and Steven Kawn (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Building a successful MLB playoff roster requires being open to acquiring talent through any and all means. And this year’s postseason rosters feature players who took many different paths to success.

The Brewers, for example, picked up infielder Isaac Collins as a minor league Rule 5 pick in December 2022. At the time, it looked like just a useful MiLB roster addition. But Collins kept hitting and getting on base, and this year he proved to be a very valuable part of the Brewers’ outfield.

In Boston, waiver claim Romy Gonzalez helped the Red Sox fill the hole created by Triston Casas’ injury while MLB Rule 5 pick Garrett Whitlock is a key part of the team’s bullpen. Reds center fielder TJ Friedl was also a very astute pick-up as a non-drafted free agent.

And while MLB free agents like Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper, Max Fried and Cody Bellinger are vital to their teams’ playoff hopes, under-the-radar MiLB free agent acquisitions like Tobias Myers, Gavin Sheets and Jake Bauers have also contributed.

With that diversity in mind, we’re presenting a look at how all 12 MLB playoff teams were built this season. Since all rosters are not officially set (and teams with first-round byes wonâ€t set them until the end of the week), we are using the final 28-man rosters from Sunday.

For this exercise, we are looking at the way the team acquired a player initially. For example, if a player was originally acquired by trade and then re-signed as a free agent, weâ€re treating that as a trade acquisition.

Also, for Japanese and Cuban free agents, we are treating those as international signings. If you’d rather consider those players as MLB free agents, add another free agent signing for the Blue Jays (Yariel Rodriguez), one for the Red Sox (Masataka Yoshida), one for the Cubs (Seiya Suzuki), one for the Padres (Yuki Matsui) and three for the Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and Hyesong Kim).Â

How 2025 Playoff Teams Were Built

It may surprise you, but the largest proportion of 2025 postseason rosters are not players who were drafted and signed or signed as MLB free agents. Instead, these players were mostly acquired via trades. More than one out of every three players on 2025 playoff rosters were acquired by trade.

ACQUIREDNUMBER OF PlayersPercentageTrade12436.90%Draft7221.43%Free Agent6017.86%International339.82%MiLB Free Agent298.63%Waivers102.98%NDFA51.49%Rule 520.60%MiLB Rule 510.30%

The Brewers roster the most players acquired by trade with 15. And those trades were more than just peripheral additions, too, as those players helped to establish the core of the 2025 team.

When the Brewers acquired Christian Yelich, they were getting an established MLB regular, although he blossomed further as a Brewers. But in many cases, the Brewers have made trades that were more subtle and later turned into key moves, such as landing players like Freddy Peralta, Trevor Megill, Quinn Priester, Caleb Durbin, Chad Patrick and Andrew Vaughn.

The Mariners (14 traded players) were right behind the Brewers when it came to making trades. The acquisition of Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez at the trade deadline helped fix holes in the club’s lineup, but it was past moves involving the likes of Randy Arozarena, Andres Munoz, Luis Castillo and J.P. Crawford that played an even bigger role in the Mariners winning the AL West.

The Most Homegrown Team

The Guardians are, without a doubt, the most “homegrown†of all 12 playoff teams. Cleveland has 18 players who originally signed with them still on their roster—no other team has more than 13.

And itâ€s not just about numbers to fill out a roster. Between ace Gavin Williams, all-star Steven Kwan and all-time Guardians great Jose Ramirez, the bulk of the teamâ€s star power comes from players who have been part of the Cleveland organization only as pros.

The Guardians could send out a lineup featuring homegrown talent at every spot around the diamond from catcher (Bo Naylor) to first base (C.J. Kayfus), second base (Daniel Schneemann), shortstop (Gabriel Arias), third base (Ramirez), left field (Steven Kwan), center field (Angel Martinez) and right field (Jhonkensy Noel, Jonathan Rodriguez or George Valera).

And with 2022 first-round draft pick Chase DeLauter added to the postseason roster, it only deepens Cleveland’s homegrown persona.

But teams donâ€t have to be homegrown to be able to make the playoffs on a limited payroll. The Brewers only have six homegrown players slated to be on their roster, and they had the best record in baseball with a bottom-third payroll.

Which Org Produced The Most Players On Playoff Teams?

Thanks to their 18 homegrown players, the Guardians got a nice head start on producing the most postseason players. There are 27 players who first signed with the Guardians on playoff teams. The Dodgers are second with 23, followed by the Padres (20), Mariners (20) and Cubs (18).

Of the 20 Padres players on playoff teams, only six are still with the organization.

Of the 30 MLB teams, the Rockies are last with three original Colorado players on playoff rosters: Ryan McMahon, Trevor Story and Isaac Collins.

Original TeamPlayersOriginal TeamPlayersCleveland Guardians27Texas Rangers9Los Angeles Dodgers23Athletics8San Diego Padres20Baltimore Orioles8Seattle Mariners20Chicago White Sox8Chicago Cubs18Kansas City Royals8Cincinnati Reds17Pittsburgh Pirates8New York Yankees17Tampa Bay Rays8Detroit Tigers14Miami Marlins7Milwaukee Brewers13St. Louis Cardinals7Arizona Diamondbacks12Atlanta Braves6Boston Red Sox12Washington Nationals6Houston Astros12New York Mets5Philadelphia Phillies11San Francisco Giants5Toronto Blue Jays11Los Angeles Angels4Minnesota Twins9Colorado Rockies3

Teams That Struck Gold In The Draft

Each playoff team features key players landed in the draft, but some rely more on the draft than others. The homegrown Guardians led the way with 12 draftees, but the Reds and Tigers are also particularly well-stocked with drafted talent.

The Reds feature first-round picks from 2015 (Tyler Stephenson), 2017 (Hunter Greene), 2019 (Nick Lodolo), 2021 (Matt McLain) and 2024 (Chase Burns) on their roster in addition to 2022 supplemental first-round pick (Sal Stewart), 2015 second-rounder (Tony Santillan), 2021 second-rounder (Andrew Abbott) and a pair of sixth-round picks (Graham Ashcraft, 2019 and Zach Maxwell, 2022).

In addition to the likely back-to-back Cy Young Award-winner in Tarik Skubal (2019 ninth round), the Tigers have 2018 first-rounder Casey Mize, 2019 first-rounder Riley Greene and 2020 first-rounder Spencer Torkelson on their roster. The team also has catcher Dillon Dingler (2020, second round), outfielders Parker Meadows (2018, second round) and Kerry Carpenter (2019, 19th round) and pitchers Brant Hurter (2021, seventh round), Troy Melton (2022, fourth round) and Will Vest (2022, 12th round).

Teams That Nailed The International Market

The Dodgers have the most international signings, but as we noted at the top, three of those are players who were already established in foreign professional leagues. Andy Pages and Edgardo Henriquez are the team’s international amateur acquisitions.

The Blue Jays have three international amateur signings. It’s hard to do better than the 2015 signing of first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed a year later by inking catcher Alejandro Kirk.

Teams That Hit On MLB Free Agents

The Phillies lead all playoff teams with nine MLB free agents. Philadelphia has made a point of supplementing its roster with stars, and it’s hard to complain about the results. The team’s four most productive position players this season were all free agents: Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto. Though he’s injured, Zack Wheeler has also been excellent.

The Yankees, meanwhile, have managed to blend homegrown stars like Aaron Judge with a free agent-led rotation. FA signings Max Fried and Carlos Rodon both stepped up this year after Gerrit Cole missed the entire season with an elbow injury. Cody Bellinger proved a vital addition to the outfield as well.

It Takes All Kinds

The Red Sox are a large-market team, but they also are the playoff team that has acquired players in more diverse ways than anyone else. Their roster consists of free agent signings like Aroldis Chapman, Trevor Story and Alex Bregman paired with international signings (Ceddanne Rafaela), draftees (Jarren Duran), trade pickups (Wilyer Abreu, Carlos Narvaez), Rule 5 picks (Garrett Whitlock) and MiLB free agent signings (Zack Kelly, Nate Eaton and Rob Refsnyder).

Savvy Traders

The Cubs have a relatively normal roster composition, but the team’s ability to acquire key regulars in trades has gotten them back to the postseason. Landing Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch in deals gave the team the offensive punch that had been lacking.

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There are some players who are obviously going to be central to any success — or lack thereof — that their team has in the postseason. Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. … We all know who those guys are, and we wonâ€t be taking our eyes off them.

But the determining factors, the players who may end up being the difference between winning and losing a series, are maybe not the obvious candidates. Theyâ€re guys who are integral to their team and, if they can have a great month, could even be the reason their team advances … and maybe wins a title.

Hereâ€s a look at each teamâ€s postseason X-factor.

When Toronto traded for Bieber at the Deadline — acquiring him from a team that the Blue Jays now could theoretically run into in the playoffs — he was mostly considered a lottery ticket. This was a former ace who hadnâ€t pitched in more than a year but could be healthy just in time for the postseason.

That is exactly what has happened. Bieber has been solid, if not quite his old Cy Young self, since heading up north, and heâ€s slated to be the teamâ€s No. 2 postseason starter. He has shown flashes of Cy Young Award-winning Bieber, though, and if thatâ€s the pitcher the Blue Jays get to pair with Kevin Gausman, they suddenly look terrifying for any postseason opponent.

The Guardians are forever in need of runs, and over the last few years, theyâ€re never better on offense than when Kwan is hot. Unfortunately, that wasnâ€t the case in the second half, when he hit just .254 with a .310 OBP.

But Kwan is also a streaky player — this website has legitimately run a headline in the past that says “Kwan Flirting With .400â€. If he can get hot this October, getting on base in front of José Ramírez, the Guardians would be their absolute best selves.

He ended up with 49 homers this season and was of course the big-ticket item at the Trade Deadline, but it should be said: He wasnâ€t quite the slam-dunk acquisition the Mariners were hoping for. He only hit .189 after coming over to Seattle, with a slugging percentage 148 points lower than heâ€d had in Arizona, and his OPS-plus was a below-average 94.

Thatâ€s to say: He still has some keep to earn in the Pacific Northwest. We know how his power can carry a team when he’s on one of his heaters. With the rest of the lineup as strong as it has been in many years in Seattle, Suárez can be the guy who pushes them over the top in one series, or more.

Story has in fact been in the postseason before. He hit .318 in five games for the Rockies in 2017-18, between two NL Wild Card Games and one NLDS appearance. But the fact that weâ€re even talking about a Wild Card “game†shows how long it has been.

Story has at last been healthy for the Red Sox this year, and while he hasnâ€t been spectacular, he has been a steadying veteran influence on a team that has a lot of young players (and a lot of injuries). Story knows better than anyone how rarely these postseason opportunities come up, and he will have every incentive to take advantage of this one.

Flaherty has had quite a wild run with the Tigers the last couple of years. He was outstanding for them last year, good enough to be traded to the Dodgers at the Deadline … just as the Tigers went on a highly improbable run to the postseason. Flaherty ended up pitching in the World Series and winning a ring.

He then returned to the Tigers and … led the American League in losses (but made the postseason anyway). The Tigers have nearly run out of pitching again this year, which gives Flaherty — who is actually around for the playoffs this time — a chance to make his mark in the Tigers’ postseason.

It turns out to be pretty handy to have a 24-year-old flamethrower just show up in the second half and solve a gaping rotation issue, no? Schlittler is exactly the sort of young pitcher the Yankees needed this season, and while heâ€ll be lined up to start an if-necessary Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, donâ€t be surprised if the Yankees deploy him in a variety of ways if and when they advance through October.

Sometimes, these young 100-mph arms catch lightning in a bottle in October, and that could well be the case for Schlittler. He could end up being a true Yankees playoff hero, even before most of the country knows his name.

Up until Saturday night, Misiorowski had only started games in his rookie year. But the temptation to use the sometimes-erratic-but-always-electric flamethrower as a potential multi-inning weapon in the playoffs was too much for the Brewers to resist. He wasnâ€t great in that game, but he has the sort of big arm that can be overpowering in the postseason.

Misiorowski may not be ready to serve a load-bearing starter just yet, but in a tough spot, when you need a strikeout, heâ€s a potentially very exciting option. Of course, heâ€s still a rookie: Thereâ€s blowup potential here, too. Weâ€ll see him in a big spot at some point, and how he comes through could determine the Brewers†entire October.

It has been a long time since those “Is Shohei the MVP — or is it PCA?†debates. Crow-Armstrong was arguably the story of the sport at the All-Star break, but fears that his lack of plate discipline would catch up with him proved prescient. He hit only .216 after the break, with a .634 OPS that was more than 200 points below his first-half mark (.846).

PCA was still important to the Cubs, of course; the way he plays defense in center field, it would be impossible for him not to be. But the spark he provided the Cubs in the first half was nowhere to be found later in the season. And the Cubs may need that spark in October. Can he rediscover the magic in time for a run?

It is remarkable, considering how much discussion we have all had about the Dodgers†pitching shortages the last few years, that they donâ€t have a Wild Card Series rotation spot for Tyler Glasnow. With Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei lined up to face the Reds, that leaves Glasnow as the odd man out — for now, at least.

But thereâ€s certainly an argument that could be made heâ€d be perfect for a relief role. Sure, he hasnâ€t done it since 2018, but he has the sort of high-effort, high-velocity, high-variance stuff that could work extremely well in short bursts. Frankly, the entire Dodgers staff, starters included, looks like itâ€s going to be patchwork in the postseason; theyâ€ll just get the outs wherever they can get them, from whomever can get them for them. Glasnow will be central to that strategy. And who knows? He may end up starting in a potential NLDS anyway.

With all the talent the Padres have, itâ€s a little surprising that Arraez is still their No. 2 hitter. His numbers were down across the board this year — he actually hit under .300, which doesnâ€t seem like something Arraez should be allowed to do — and he had the lowest OBP of his career (.327).

Heâ€s still an emotional leader, of course, as well as someone who perpetually puts the ball in play. Heâ€s pretty far off from the .354 hitter he was two years ago in Miami, but having a player with bat-to-ball skills can be handy in the postseason. Though it helps to have guys that get on base at a higher clip in the No. 2 spot, too.

Bader is one of those fun players who might be a little bit overexposed as an everyday player, but as a role player — one who is fast, plays fantastic defense and just has an exciting, energetic vibe to him — heâ€s perfect.

Heâ€s particularly perfect for a team like the Phillies, who, on the whole, lacked most of the things that Bader provides. He is an ideal fit in October, and, even better, he has put up the best offensive numbers of his career since arriving in Philly. Doesnâ€t he have postseason folk hero written all over him?

It is fair to say that Marteâ€s Reds career has been tumultuous so far. The once-hyped prospect has suffered through a suspension and a truly miserable 2024. But he has been a league-average hitter this year, and he may be personally responsible for getting them in the playoffs. The Reds ended up tied with the Mets for the final Wild Card spot, and thatâ€s only because Marte made this incredible catch during the seasonâ€s final week:

Thatâ€s the sort of thrilling play that will get you, and your team, going in October … particularly when that team hasnâ€t been in the playoffs for a long time. Marte can erase everything bad that has happened in his Reds career so far, this very week. If he hasnâ€t already.

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Team that that will be most missed from the playoffs

The Piratesmay have been abysmal again but have remained appointment viewing thanks to Paul Skenes, whose highlight reels make you question physics. Itâ€s not just his raw pace, throwing 100mph+ deep into games, but his mastery of late-moving variations that mean batters canâ€t pick whether itâ€s a sweeper or a splinker until itâ€s already behind them. Alan Evans

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The Astros.Theyâ€d made the playoffs for nine straight years, winning a couple of World Series, four American League pennants and seven AL West titles. Sure, they were villains on merit, but gravity-defying dynasties like Houstonâ€s only make for richer postseason narratives. Bryan Armen Graham

Well, these days, itâ€s hard to miss any team because just under half of them make the playoffs. That said, the Orioles have great young talent and a fanbase starving for a winner. When Camden Yards is full and buzzing itâ€s one of the best atmospheres in North American sports. Their 2025 has to be considered one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, unless youâ€re a Mets fan of course. David Lengel

High seed at risk of going out early

The Brewers surged to the best record in baseball (96-65) with an astonishing summer after having been 25-28 on 24 May. But their momentum slowed in September, and with the new extended wildcard format giving the best teams a five-day break, that may be enough to knock them off their rhythm and send them home early. AE

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The Brewers could be vulnerable. The NL Central champions have come back to earth after the 14-game win streak that vaulted them to the best record in baseball. There are questions over the fitness of closer Trevor Megill and theyâ€ll have a tricky NLDS draw with the Padres or Cubs after a five-day layoff. BAG

That has to be the Tigers, who are facing a Guardians team that came out of nowhere to capitalize on a historic Detroit collapse. Clevelandâ€s recent stretch of allowing just 32 earned runs in 19 games was otherworldly, and itâ€s helped earn them three home games v Detroit. Thereâ€s only one Tarik Skubal pitching for the Tigers, so that means theyâ€re in trouble. DL

Dark horse to win

The Padres are used to being overlooked in favor of their more glamorous neighbors in Los Angeles, but they have a dangerous core led by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr, and the bullpenâ€s 3.06 ERA is by far the best in baseball. If they can keep games close early on, they will be hard to shake off. AE

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The Mariners are the lone major league team to have never reached a World Series much less won one. They have a strong chance of finally breaking that hoodoo thanks to the emergence of rookie sensation Cal Raleigh and proven October commodity Randy Arozarena. BAG

The Red Sox have come out of this dormant phase, won back their temporarily apathetic fan base and are quite good, and importantly, well-rounded. They do everything well, and despite the loss of rookie phenom Roman Anthony, probably have enough to oust the Yankees this round, and more. They have the ace in Garrett Crochet and two Comeback Player of the Year candidates in Trevor Story and Aroldis Chapman. Donâ€t be surprised if they pull of their fifth title of the century. DL

Most important factor this postseason/offseason

The Dodgers already have the best – and best-paid – lineup in baseball, but are still likely to give Kyle Tucker a megacontract this offseason. If that does happen, calls will grow for a long-overdue look at competitive balance and the rules about salary deferrals. This wonâ€t stop the Dodgers winning 100+ games a year for the next decade, but it could shape the outcome of the collective bargaining agreement due after next season. AE

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Bullpen upgrades. In todayâ€s game, the difference between winning and losing in October often comes down to late-inning arms in high-leverage situations. Any team that can lock down seventh-to-ninth inning relief dominance will head into 2026 with a huge competitive edge. BAG

Well, so much of the pitching world surrounds bullpens these days, with starters having trouble going deep into games. LAâ€s relief core has struggled, but now that their starters are healthy, and the pen can breathe a little, the Dodgers are well placed to use their core more effectively. San Diegoâ€s bullpen, with Mason Miller is terrifying. On the flip side, expect the Yankees bullpen to let them down at just the wrong time. DL

NLCS

Dodgers over Padres. AE

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Phillies over Brewers. BAG

Dodgers over Brewers. DL

ALCS

Yankees over Mariners. AE

Mariners over Yankees. BAG

Mariners over Blue Jays. DL

Your World Series champions will be …

The Dodgers may be facing injury struggles, most notably catcher Will Smithâ€s fractured hand, but no team has a deeper roster. They have the best player in the world in Shohei Ohtani, an experienced batting lineup who know how to win in the postseason, and the potentially powerful storyline of retiring team hero Clayton Kershaw being used as a super-reliever if they make the World Series. His teammates would love to send him off with another championship, and they have the quality and consistency to dominate any opponent. AE

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The Phillies boast one of the most balanced rosters in baseball, even without ace Zack Wheeler. Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo headline a rotation that can carry games deep, sparing a top-heavy bullpen. Jhoan Duran, electrifying in the ninth, has turned Citizens Bank Park into a theater of intimidation. Offensively, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper – two of the generationâ€s best October sluggers – anchor a lineup bolstered by Rob Thomsonâ€s platoons and a supporting cast with eight double-digit homer hitters. Harper feels destined for a World Series MVP run after 2022â€s near-miss, while Schwarber (56 homers) has generally thrived under pressure. The X-factor? Trea Turnerâ€s return from a hamstring injury. If he finds his rhythm, Philadelphiaâ€s combination of power, depth, and home-field magic makes them the most compelling case to win it all in 2025. BAG

The Mariners were born in 1977 and have never won the big one. Nearly 50 years later, theyâ€re ready to shock the Dodgers and finally bring that elusive title to the northwest corner. It wonâ€t be a shock, because Seattle have the talent and theyâ€re peaking at the right time. With should-be MVP Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena, their lineup is beefy. But itâ€s the pitching rotation, with depth from Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert thatâ€s found elite form over the last month, combining with a pen in top gear that make them so formidable. Yes, they really can match LA, and if they can somehow strikeout a little bit less, theyâ€ll pip the Dodgers in seven. DL

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The Buffalo Sabres need solid years from everybody to even come close to being in the mix for a Stanley Cup playoff appearance for the first time in a decade. But (and at the risk of just pointing out one of those players when it will take big efforts from most Sabres players to make Buffalo a playoff team) we’re going to focus on a player this writer believes has to have a big year to get the Sabres back in the post-season.

And that player is a key player for Buffalo: team captain and star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

First of all, let’s be clear: we all need some empathy for Dahlin. His fiancee had a major health scare, and Dahlin and his fiancee need our understanding as they walk the road of recovery. Nothing that happens on the ice is more important than that.

But there’s also no denying Dahlin needs a high-impact season to improve Buffalo’s play in its own zone and getting into a playoff spot. The Sabres were tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins as the third-worst defensive team last season, giving up an average of 3.50 goals-against per game. Only Chicago (3.56) and San Jose (3.78) were worse — and both of those teams, as well as the Sabres and Penguins, all were well out of a playoff position in 2024-25.

Thus, while the Sabres definitely needs a banner year on offense from Dahlin, it’s the team’s play in the defensive end that has to show the most growth. And as he enters his prime at 25 years old, Dahlin has to lead the charge and be better all-around this season.

Dahlin had a rebound season on offense last season; although his goal total fell from 20 in 2023-24 to 17 in 2024-25, Dahlin’s assist total went from 39 in ’23-24 to 51 in ’24-25. Dahlin had nine more points last season than he did the year prior, so imagining he’s going to surge by 20 points is unfair to him. If he can get back to his career highs of goals (20) assists (58) and points (73), the Sabres will be elated.

Value In Former Sabres Shows Buffalo Has Talent — But So Far, The Mix Has Always Been Wrong
Believe it or not, the Buffalo Sabres and their players are not inherently terrible. Sure, there are Buffalo players you may believe to be flawed, and sure, the Sabres have been consistently sub-par for the past 14 seasons — none of which have ended with Stanley Cup playoff games being played in Western New York.  But if you look at some of Buffalo’s former players, you see that they have some value across the league, even though they have a stint with the Sabres on their resume.

But though Dahlin is a savvy defender who is Buffalo’s primary saving grace on ‘D’, he needs to create a defense-minded tide that raises all Sabres boats — by which, we mean Dahlin has to find ways to make his teammates better. Dahlin can’t work miracles if the talent Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has assembled around him aren’t true difference-makers. But when you wear the ‘C’, you’re primarily responsible for ensuring the mentality you expect in a playoff team to have taken root in your dressing room. You have to be what you’re being asked to be — a leader.

Absent an all-around improvement in their own end, the Sabres are going to miss the playoffs for the 15th-straight season. That’s inevitable unless Dahlin and his teammates change the narrative in Buffalo.

This Season Could Be Final Kick At Can For Sabres Coach Ruff, GM Adams
The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season is about as high-stakes as it gets. The Sabres will be aiming to end the organization’s 14-year drought on the Stanley Cup playoff front. And while certain players will not be long for Buffalo if the Sabres fail to make it into the post-season this year, the reality is the Sabres’ most prominent coaching and management members — coach Lindy Ruff and GM Kevyn Adams — could be getting their final kick at the can in their jobs — at least, at the NHL level.

The Sabres are going to need contributions from each of their players this season in order to get back into the post-season. But if Dahlin can’t coax better play out of the rest of the Sabres, Buffalo will indeed be in trouble once again.

The defense is the thing in Sabres Land, and that’s what Buffalo has to address. What their captain has to address. Nobody’s asking Dahlin to coach the team, but when you’re the leader, you’re responsbile. And the defense is going to hang on Dahlin’s shoulders this year. When you’re making $11-million every year until 2032, it’s ultimately on you. And that’s where Dahlin is in NHL Season No. 8.

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After missing the playoffs, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen broke his silence and addressed the team’s disappointing finish to the 2025 season.

Cohen posted a lengthy apology to Mets fans, admitting, “We didn’t do our part,” and calling the end result “unacceptable.”

After having the best record in MLB earlier this season at 45-24, the Mets bottomed out and finished with an 83-79 record. The team would’ve made the playoffs with a win in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Miami Marlins but disappointingly lost 4-0.

Cohen did all he could to try to build the Mets into a World Series contender, signing star slugger Juan Soto to the richest contract in sports history this offseason. Adding him to a team that made a surprising run to the National League Championship Series a year ago initially looked like it paid off, but it turned into another chapter of disappointment for New York.

The Mets now face multiple questions entering the offseason, most notably regarding impending free agent Pete Alonso, who has been the face of the franchise for years. Cohen has never been afraid to spend big, but it’s clear that the team needs a different strategy if it hopes to win a World Series for the first time since 1986.

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Six experts from Yahoo Sports predicted the postseason, and their strongest hunch was no different than the CBS crew: Phillies over the Mariners in the final round. They did take things a step further and predicted World Series MVPs, pointing to three different winners for Philadelphia: Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Cristopher Sánchez.

One more expert picked the Phillies to make the final round, only to fall to the New York Yankees in six games. In a bit of a surprise, this prediction pegged Giancarlo Stanton as the World Series MVP. It’d be interesting to know, though, whether that pick had more to do with Stanton’s play style or Aaron Judge’s career struggles in the postseason (.205/.318/.450 slash line over 58 outings).

For the non-math majors in the audience, that leaves two predictions on the board, and they both featured the same champion: The Milwaukee Brewers. That feels more notable than it should for the Major League-leader in both wins (97) and run differential (plus-172), but this is a franchise that has only reached the World Series once and never won it.

The Brewers aren’t built around household names, and the MVP predictions here reflect as much. One went with Brice Turang, a third-year player with a career .257/.325/.368 slash line. The other crowned Andrew Vaughn, a former top prospect who fizzled out with the Chicago White Sox and was traded to Milwaukee at midseason for journeyman starter Aaron Civale and cash.

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With wild-card matchups set, there are a few things fans should know before the action gets underway. The first is that the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers will all have opening-round byes. Their first playoff action won’t come until Saturday, October 4.

Secondly, each league’s third division-winner and top wild-card teams will have home-field advantage throughout the wild-card round. That’s one reason why the Cleveland Guardians’ late-season surge to an AL Central title was so huge.

The Guardians, who were 15½ games back in early July, won the division via tiebreakers over the Detroit Tigers—whose collapse was nearly as epic as Cleveland’s comeback.

Detroit still had a 10-game lead in early September before a miserable month. At least, the Tigers will have a shot at redemption against their division rivals this week.

“This familiarity can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said, per Evan Woodberry of MLive. “So we’re going to have to turn over every rock and make sure we’re prepared.”

The Guardians will now be at home for all three (if necessary) games against the Tigers in the wild-card round. The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs will also hold home-field advantage this week.

Once the divisional round begins this weekend, teams will engage in five-game series with the top division winners holding home-field advantage. Those series will follow a 2-2-1 home-field format. The ALCS, NLCS and World Series are all best-of-seven series following a 2-3-2 format.

The MLB playoff bracket does not feature reseeding, so the No. 1 seed will never face another division-winner ahead of the League Championship Series.

The Blue Jays will play the winner of the Yankees and Boston Red Sox wild-card matchup, while the Brewers will face the winner of the San Diego Padres and Cubs matchup.

The team with the better regular-season record will have home-field advantage in the ALCS, NLCS and World Series.

In last year’s playoffs, three of the top four seeds made it to the League Championship Round—along with the sixth-seeded New York Mets. Both No. 1 seeds, the Yankees and Dodgers, faced off in the World Series.

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The New York Mets were one of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season, failing to reach the postseason after losing 4-0 to the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Big changes are likely coming to Queens, but perhaps not at manager.

Andy Martino of SNY reported Sunday that, “According to sources with direct knowledge, the Mets have no plans to fire Carlos Mendoza. A change would require a series of events that was not at all in motion as the Mets finished off their collapse on Sunday evening. You should, however, expect notable and perhaps widespread changes to the coaching staff. This feels like the biggest news to watch in the immediate aftermath.”

The Mets had the best record in baseball on June 12 (45-24), but since that date played like one of the worst teams in the sport:

Mendoza, 45, took blame for the epic collapse.

“I take responsibility. I’m the manager,” he told reporters. “It starts with me, and I’ve got to take a long look here—how I need to get better. That was a message to the whole team as well. This is unacceptable.”

Despite the team’s struggles since June, the Mets had a chance to reach the postseason after the Cincinnati Reds lost on Sunday. A win would have secured the final Wild Card berth for the Mets, but they were shut out by the Marlins.

“It’s hard to describe,” Mendoza told reporters. “I just got done addressing the team and there’s no word to describe what we’re going through. It’s pain, it’s frustration—you name it. Came in with a lot of expectations and here we are, going home. Not only we fell short, we didn’t even get into October. And this is a team that is built not only to get to October but to play deep into October. And again—pissed, sad, frustrated, you name it.”

In two seasons as New York’s manager, Mendoza has led the team to a 172-151 record and a postseason berth last season. The Mets reached the NLCS last season after a magical late-season run, losing to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

This season, however, the team seemed to have the opposite of magic. With a Wild Card berth ripe for the taking, the Mets went 9-15 in September. The sequence that foreshadowed the heartbreak to come was an eight-game losing streak between Sept. 6-13, which included a pair of losses to the Reds (securing the head-to-head tiebreaker for Cincy) and a four-game sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies (basically sealing the NL East crown for Philly).

The Mets have some work to do to move on from the disappointment of 2025. It appears that Mendoza will be tasked with leading the effort.

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MIAMI — Pete Alonso stood, lips slightly parted, and dropped his arms in disbelief. Alonso stared into left field, where Javier Sanoja had just made a running snare of his 115.9 mph liner, the hardest-hit ball by a Met this year. In another world, in another season, that line drive could have changed everything. In this Mets reality, it altered not a thing.

Instead, Alonsoâ€s liner encapsulated one of the most puzzling, frustrating seasons in franchise history. On June 12, the Mets held the best record in baseball, a full 21 games over .500. They had stretched their NL East lead to 5 1/2 games with an 8 1/2-game margin for error in the fledgling playoff race.

Three and a half months later, their season ended without a postseason berth. In a win-or-go-home game, the Mets lost to the Marlins, their decades-long tormentors, 4-0, at loanDepot park.

Over their final 93 games, the Mets went 38-55, producing a better record than only four teams: the bottom-feeding White Sox, Nationals, Twins and Rockies. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two teams in Major League history — the 1905 Indians and 1977 Cubs — finished with worse records after climbing at least 21 games over .500.

“I said at one point in the year, I felt like it was the most talented team Iâ€ve ever played on,†outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “And we werenâ€t able to make the playoffs. Thatâ€s obviously coming up short and a failure in my mind.â€

In the end, the pitching problems that had haunted the Mets since the early days of summer became their undoing. In a must-win game, manager Carlos Mendoza drew up an aggressive plan, knowing he had 11 pitchers available to use. But things went haywire in the fourth, after Brooks Raley allowed a one-out single. Mendoza responded by summoning Ryne Stanek, who began the afternoon with a 5.01 ERA. Stanek promptly served up RBI doubles to two of the three batters he faced, before Tyler Rogers entered and permitted two more runs to score.

The four-run inning happened almost simultaneously with a lead-changing rally in Milwaukee, where the Reds lost to the Brewers. That didnâ€t wind up mattering. To qualify for the postseason, the Mets needed a win combined with a Reds loss. Any other outcome promised to send them home.

“Thereâ€s no words to describe what weâ€re going through,†Mendoza said after addressing his players in a postgame meeting. “Itâ€s pain. Itâ€s frustration. You name it. We came in with a lot of expectations, and here we are going home. We not only fell short, we didnâ€t even get into October.â€

Now, the question becomes where the Mets go from here. All-Stars Alonso and Edwin Díaz can both opt out of their contracts and become free agents after the World Series. The rest of the Mets†offensive core of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Nimmo is under team control for at least the next half-decade. More uncertainty surrounds the pitching staff, even with rookies Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong prepared to help stabilize it for years to come.

Ask the Mets, and theyâ€ll say the names in the room are not the problem.

“We have everything we need,†Soto said. “We just have to win games. Thatâ€s the only thing thatâ€s got to change: win games.â€

Still, as Lindor noted, change is inevitable for every club. The Mets know that. As Soto spoke in the postgame clubhouse, players quietly shuffled around, shaking hands before going their separate ways for the offseason. Some will never be teammates again.

Alonso walked through the room carrying a beer and a cigar — accessories that, in a different context, would have been celebratory. On this night, they were creature comforts for a mourning player.

“It wasnâ€t just one thing throughout the course of the year,†Alonso said, trying like all of them to explain what went wrong. “Itâ€s kind of beyond frustration. I think itâ€s just straight-up disappointing.â€

Over 64 seasons, the Mets have endured some of the most precipitous collapses in Major League history. In 2007, they blew a seven-game lead with 17 to play, failing to make the playoffs with one of the leagueâ€s most talented rosters. In 2008, they again crashed out of the playoff race on the seasonâ€s final day. To this day, the members of those teams carry the weight of their failures.

This year was supposed to be different. A roster that made it to within two games of the World Series last October, then added Soto on a record-setting $765 million contract, was meant to make the playoffs with ease. One of the most expensive teams in MLB history was never supposed to flop.

But over 162 games, the Mets proved that they were not what they appeared to be. In the second half, as the Mets lost game after game, losing leads with regularity, the possibility of falling short grew increasingly real. It didnâ€t matter that the Reds and other would-be contenders were also playing poorly. All that mattered was what the Mets did.

Or, more accurately, what the Mets never did enough.

“Youâ€ve got to win,†Mendoza said. “Itâ€s as simple as that: Youâ€ve got to win. And until we [do], itâ€s going to be attached to all of us.â€

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