Browsing: postseason

Sep 27, 2025, 12:17 AM ET

MILWAUKEE — The Cincinnati Reds have put themselves in position to earn their first playoff berth since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season while keeping the free-spending New York Mets out of the postseason.

Cincinnati’s 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and New York’s 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday enabled the Reds to tie the Mets for the National League’s third and final wild-card playoff berth. The Reds own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mets, whose $322.6 million payroll at the start of the season led all MLB teams.

The Arizona Diamondbacks were eliminated from contention for that final wild-card berth with their 7-4 loss to the San Diego Padres.

“Obviously, I think we can start to feel it a little bit, but at the same time, we’ve got to take care of business,” Cincinnati left fielder Gavin Lux said. “We’re not there yet still. We’ve just got to keep trying to win every pitch and take it game by game. We all know how fast things can change.”

Editor’s Picks

Cincinnati hasn’t been more than seven games above .500 at any point this season and has gone just 15-18 over its past 33 games. Yet, the Reds have still played well enough to catch the Mets, who have lost 16 of their past 25 games.

The Mets were 45-24 and had the best record in the majors June 12, but they’ve gone 37-54 since.

“We’ve put ourselves in this position,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after their Friday night loss in Miami. “Here we are. We’ve got to come back tomorrow and the next day now. We’ve got to win the next two and see what happens.”

The Reds (82-78) are seeking to make the playoffs in a non-pandemic season for the first time since 2013. They haven’t won a postseason game since 2012 and haven’t won a playoff series since 1995.

They finally might get back to the postseason with help from guys who are accustomed to this stage.

Lux, who won World Series rings with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 and 2024, doubled twice and scored the go-ahead run Friday. Reds manager Terry Francona led the Boston Red Sox to a 2004 World Series championship and brought Cleveland to Game 7 of the 2016 Fall Classic.

Francona, 66, spent a year away from the game because of health reasons before taking over the Reds this season.

“This is as exciting as it gets,” Francona said. “To not admit that you’re nervous, I think that would be wrong. I’m nervous as hell.”

The Reds’ path to a rare postseason bid means getting past their recent nemesis.

Cincinnati has lost each of its past 13 series with the Brewers. Ending that streak might catapult the Reds into the playoffs.

“It’d be kind of the perfect time to do it,” Reds reliever Tony Santillan said. “Season on the line, beat them, win against them and advance to the postseason by beating them. I feel like it’s been a while.”

Source link

SEATTLE — Before even taking the field on Thursday night, the Mariners did so knowing that theyâ€d secured a first-round postseason bye.

Thanks to Clevelandâ€s loss to Detroit, Seattle clinched — at the very least — the American Leagueâ€s No. 2 seed, then the club continued its red-hot roll with a 6-2 win over Colorado to cap a three-game sweep.

“It’s the mark that we’ve done something and that we’ve accomplished something and that we’ve had a good season,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “Obviously, we haven’t been in this position before, so understanding how to progress through the bye, and we’re going to be talking about that here, and sort of planning for it and getting ready for it.â€

Eugenio Suárez was the nightâ€s headliner, crushing a two-run homer in the second inning that marked his 49th of the season.

Though most of his homers this season came with Arizona — 36, compared to 13 since rejoining Seattle at the Trade Deadline — Thursdayâ€s blast put him on the doorstep of history with Cal Raleigh, as they could become the second teammates with at least 50 each in the same season. The others were the Yankees†Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961.

Raleigh grounded out in his second plate appearance then was intentionally walked in his third, but only after Randy Arozarena took off for second base for his 28th steal that eliminated a possible forceout. Raleigh was in a 2-1 count at that point.

The slugger then struck out and popped out the rest of the way, keeping him three homers shy of breaking the AL record of 62 set by Aaron Judge in 2022 — the final record thatâ€s still in reach in this historic season.

Raleigh was moved from catcher to designated hitter as part of a late lineup switch once the Mariners secured the No. 2 seed, signaling that the Mariners will likely keep him in the lineup as he continues to chase Judgeâ€s record — and especially given that the two are in a head-to-head heat for AL MVP.

“We’ll put our heads together as a staff and try to figure that out the best way that we can, and go from there,†Wilson said.

Thanks also to four scoreless innings from Emerson Hancock, which featured seven strikeouts, the Mariners (90-69) have now won 17 of their past 18 games and 11 in a row at T-Mobile Park, where they will finish the regular season with a three-gamer beginning on Friday vs. the Dodgers, who won the National League West earlier on Thursday.

Los Angeles doesnâ€t have anything left to play for, as it has secured the NLâ€s No. 3 seed and canâ€t climb higher. But Seattle is still mathematically in play for the ALâ€s No. 1 seed, which would come with home-field advantage in a potential AL Championship Series.

Those odds, however, are less likely. The Mariners are one game behind the Yankees and Blue Jays for the top spot but those clubs both hold the tiebreaker, essentially amounting it to a two-game deficit with three games to play.

But by claiming the No. 2 seed, the Mariners will bypass the Wild Card Series — a best-of-three slated for Tuesday through Thursday next week — and instead begin the playoffs in the AL Division Series, with home-field advantage.

“The trick is to be ready and to stay ready during that [bye] week,†Wilson said. “And we’re going to talk about that and get some planning down and be ready to go.â€

If things stand pat, the Mariners would host the winner of the Wild Card Series pitting the AL Central champion and the No. 6 seed, a matchup that as it currently stands would feature Cleveland (86-73) hosting Detroit (86-73), though Houston (85-74) is lurking as the first team on the outside looking in.

The ALDS schedule is as follows (start times have not yet been announced by MLB):

Source link

SAN DIEGO — In the home clubhouse at Petco Park, they set up sheets of plastic around the lockers, then wheeled in the tubs of beer and champagne. There was a speech from the manager, then screaming and laughing and liquids flying around the room from all angles. They took pictures together and sang and hugged. When it was done, they spilled onto the field to revel in the moment with their families.

Itâ€s one thing to get here; moments like this one have been rare for most of the Padres†history. Itâ€s another thing to make it a habit.

But here they are again. The Padres are going to the playoffs. Back to the playoffs.

With their dramatic 5-4 victory over the Brewers in 11 innings on Monday night at Petco Park, San Diego punched its ticket to the postseason for a second straight year. Thatâ€s no small achievement. It marks the first time the Padres have put together back-to-back playoff appearances since 2005-06.

“Itâ€s pretty special,†said star third baseman Manny Machado. “Hell yeah, itâ€s special.â€

Said manager Mike Shildt: “We’re in — I think right in the beginning of — the best era of Padres baseball.â€

If anything, this season only solidifies it. The Padres have reached the postseason for the fourth time in six years. Theyâ€ve spent more than half a decade as perennial contenders. Theyâ€ve entrenched themselves as one of the National Leagueâ€s heavyweights.

Now, for that elusive next step. The Padres are eyeing the first World Series in franchise history, and Step 1 is complete.

“We feel like we have a team that can win the whole thing,†said general manager A.J. Preller. “It starts by getting in. Thatâ€s the first part.â€

With the roster Preller constructed — then reinforced at the Trade Deadline — the Padres certainly like their chances. If anything, Mondayâ€s clincher served only to reinforce the importance of the moves Preller made at the Deadline.

It was newcomer Freddy Fermin who laced a walk-off single in the 11th — the first time in franchise history the Padres clinched their playoff spot with a walk-off. Collectively, they spilled out of the home dugout to mob Fermin just beyond the infield dirt. Another sellout crowd at Petco Park erupted.

“That moment — thatâ€s special,†Fermin said afterward in the clubhouse, in between dousings from Luis Arraez, then Adrian Morejon. “I put the swing [that] put my team in the postseason.â€

Ferminâ€s arrival, of course, came on a frenzied Deadline day that saw Preller swing six trades involving 22 players. Those moves seemed to address practically all of the teamâ€s flaws.

The lineup grew significantly deeper with the additions of Fermin, Ramón Laureano and Ryan Oâ€Hearn. An already excellent relief corps became one of the most fearsome in recent memory with the addition of Mason Miller. Itâ€s the type of bullpen that wins in October.

Thatâ€s where the Padres are headed. Thereâ€s still a chance they could host a Wild Card Series, if they can reel in either the Dodgers or the Cubs over the next six days. They trail both by 2 1/2 games (and would win a tiebreaker over the Cubs but have already lost their tiebreaker with the Dodgers).

Wherever that series is played, it sounds like the Padres already know whoâ€s going to take the ball. On Monday, Nick Pivetta completed one of the most impressive debut seasons in Padres history. He wasnâ€t at his sharpest, allowing three second-inning runs, but he kept the Padres in the game from there and worked 5 2/3 solid frames.

“Nick was a warrior tonight,†Shildt said. “And heâ€ll be set up for, most likely, Game 1.â€

Presuming thatâ€s all for Pivetta this (regular) season, he finished with a 2.87 ERA across 31 starts with 190 strikeouts to just 50 walks. He has been a steadying presence in a rotation that has been in flux seemingly all summer. Pivetta would have a weekâ€s worth of rest before he takes the ball next.

“This is just the beginning step,†Pivetta said. “This is a great thing. We accomplished some great stuff. … But we have a lot of work in front of us.â€

Still, Monday offered a chance for the Padres to pause and celebrate what theyâ€ve accomplished thus far. Itâ€s only the ninth trip to the postseason in their 57-season history. After a disappointing exit in 2024, they earned their way back.

The pitching staff dealt with injuries to Michael King, Yu Darvish and Jason Adam. Their lineup was hit with its share of attrition, too. Heck, Fernando Tatis Jr. wasnâ€t even there to celebrate, as he battles an illness that might keep him out of the lineup for another day or two. (Machado FaceTimed Tatis into the celebration.)

“It has not been a straight line,†Shildt said. “Itâ€s been grindy. But that makes it even more special.â€

Source link

The New York Mets are now in jeopardy of missing the 2025 MLB postseason after their 3-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

With that defeat and the Cincinnati Reds’ 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs, the two teams are now tied for the third and final wild-card playoff berth in the National League at 80-76. If the Mets and Reds finish the regular season with the same record, Cincinnati would win the tiebreaker with its 4-2 mark versus New York.

Advertisement

[Get more Mets news: New York team feed]

The Mets finish the season with a six-game road trip, facing the Cubs and Miami Marlins. Meanwhile, the Reds split their final six games with a home series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates and then visit the Milwaukee Brewers to close out the regular season.

Facing a nearly must-win situation, the Mets fell behind 3-0 in the second inning with Jorge Alfaro driving in Daylen Lile on a one-out single. Sean Manaea then got Brady House to ground out and looked like he might escape the inning with only run allowed. However, he grooved a 91-mph fastball down the middle of the strike zone, which Nasim Nuñez hit for a 2-run home run. That was Nuñez’s third homer of the season.

Advertisement

The Mets managed a scoring threat in the third with Luis Torrens and Cedric Mullins leading off the frame with consecutive singles, resulting in one run scored. But Francisco Lindor then hit into a double play. That especially hurt when Juan Soto followed up with a double. He was stranded when Brandon Nimmo lined out to left field.

Lindor cut the Mets’ deficit to 3-2 with a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning. Soto then walked to put the tying run on base, but he was out at second on a grounder from Nimmo. Pete Alonso singled to give the Mets two runners on. However, reliever Mitchell Parker came in to get Jeff McNeil to pop out and struck out Mark Vientos.

The Mets appeared to score the tying run in the ninth when Francisco Alvarez hit a deep drive to left-center field. Yet Jacob Young made a leaping catch above the fence to rob Alvarez of a home run.

Advertisement

It was the Nationals center fielder’s second highlight grab of the game. In the fifth, he got a glove on Brett Baty’s fly ball to straight-away center field. Young initially didn’t catch the ball, but it caromed off his foot without touching the ground and he secured the out.

The Mets, who led the NL East by 1.5 games on July 27, have lost 11 of their past 15 games to endanger their postseason chances.

“We have to keep going,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “… A lot can happen.”

Tigers hang onto 1 game lead atop AL Central

Another team that faces missing the postseason after a late-season free fall is the Detroit Tigers. Detroit faced squandering what was once a 15.5-game first-place lead on July 8.

Advertisement

With a loss Sunday combined with a win by the Cleveland Guardians (84-72), the Tigers (85-71) could have been tied atop the division with six games remaining. Not only was losing the division a very real possibility, but Detroit could get squeezed out of the postseason altogether by missing out on one of the AL’s three wild-card playoff spots, finishing behind the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.

Yet for one more day at least, the Tigers are still in first place. They lost to the Atlanta Braves, 6-2, on Sunday, getting swept at home to a 73-83 Atlanta team. Detroit starter Casey Mize allowed three runs in 5/23 innings, while the Tigers lineup couldn’t score against Spencer Strider in five innings. The Braves put the game out of reach with three runs in the ninth off reliever Tanner Rainey, who didn’t record an out.

Detroit was spared losing its division lead with the Guardians’ 6-2 defeat to the Minnesota Twins. That ended the Guardians’ 10-game winning streak and was only their fifth loss in September (16-5), potentially showing the Tigers some temporary mercy.

Advertisement

Cleveland allowed three runs through seven innings, but Royce Lewis hit a 3-run, pinch-hit homer off Hunter Gaddis in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Sunday’s game was only the second in September in which the Guardians’ pitching staff had allowed more than three runs.

Source link

Sep 20, 2025, 06:57 PM ETLOS ANGELES — Dodgers catcher Will Smith is expected to miss the rest of the…

The Los Angeles Dodgers just gained a major question mark going into the playoffs.All-Star catcher Will Smith, who has been…

Sep 17, 2025, 04:38 PM ETPITTSBURGH — The Chicago Cubs, who haven’t been to the postseason since the 2020 season,…

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies clinched their second consecutive NL East title on Monday night with a 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium.

The Phillies believe itâ€s just the beginning. They still want to secure a first-round bye, which would advance them to the NL Division Series. Beyond that, of course, they want to win the World Series.

Weâ€ll continue to monitor all of that and more right here leading up to the postseason:

What could the postseason roster look like?
Hereâ€s the first crack at predicting what the 26-man postseason roster could look like, though itâ€s obviously subject to change in the coming weeks depending on the health of some players and the performance of others.

Catchers (2): J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan
First baseman (1): Bryce Harper
Second baseman (1): Bryson Stott
Shortstop (1): Trea Turner
Third baseman (1): Alec Bohm
Infielders (1): Edmundo Sosa
Outfielders (4): Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, Max Kepler, Nick Castellanos
DH (1): Kyle Schwarber
Utility (1): Weston Wilson
Starters (4): LHP Cristopher Sánchez, LHP Ranger Suárez, RHP Aaron Nola, LHP Jesús Luzardo
Bullpen (9): RHP Jhoan Duran, LHP Matt Strahm, RHP Orion Kerkering, RHP David Robertson, LHP Tanner Banks, RHP Taijuan Walker, RHP Lou Trivino, LHP Tim Mayza, RHP Max Lazar

Will the Phillies get a bye for the NL Wild Card round?
The top two seeds in the National League will get a bye for the NL Wild Card round. The Phillies currently hold a 5 1/2-game lead over the NL West-leading Dodgers for the second and final bye. The Phils are also 1 1/2 games back of the Brewers for the No. 1 seed.

If Phillies get a bye, who could they play in the NLDS?
If the Phillies are the No. 2 seed, they will play the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup from the NL Wild Card round. As of Monday, that would be the Dodgers vs. the Mets.

The No. 1 seed faces the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup, which is currently lined up to be the Cubs vs. the Padres.

What will the Phillies†pitching rotation look like?
This could be the most compelling storyline leading up to the postseason. If the Phillies earn a bye, they wonâ€t need a fourth starting pitcher until the NLCS. In that case, left-hander Cristopher Sánchez would be a lock to start Game 1 of the NLDS, and fellow southpaw Ranger Suárez seems like a safe bet for Game 2.

As for Game 3, the Phils would ideally like to go with right-hander Aaron Nola to split up their trio of lefties, but theyâ€d like to see Nola have some sustained success over his final couple of starts after a rough season. Lefty Jesús Luzardo is also in the mix for Game 3, though either he or Nola would almost certainly be the No. 4 starter if the team advances to the NLCS.

Whatâ€s the status of Phillies†injured players?
• The biggest looming question for the Phillies as the postseason approaches will be the status of shortstop Trea Turner. He sustained a right hamstring strain on Sept. 7, which an MRI revealed to be a Grade 1 strain. Both Turner and the Phils are very optimistic that he will be back in time for the postseason, though even if he is cleared to play, it remains to be seen how the injury could impact the speed element of Turnerâ€s game.
• Third baseman Alec Bohm is on the 10-day IL with left shoulder inflammation, though heâ€s expected to play this weekend in Arizona.
• Right-hander Jordan Romano landed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 26 after experiencing numbness in his right middle finger. He then reported neck stiffness and more numbness on his finger on Sept. 13. His status is up in the air, though manager Rob Thomson didnâ€t rule out a return this season.
• Zack Wheeler is out for the season after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Heâ€s scheduled to undergo surgery on Sept. 23 in St. Louis.
• José Alvarado was shut down for the season on Sept. 12 due to a left forearm strain, though he was ineligible for the postseason roster due to his PED suspension.

Who would play shortstop if Turner is unavailable?
If Turner is unable to return for the postseason, the plan would be for Edmundo Sosa — assuming heâ€s healthy — to start at shortstop and keep Bryson Stott at second base. If neither Turner nor Sosa is available, Stott would shift to shortstop with Otto Kemp or Weston Wilson taking over at second base.

What will the outfield picture look like in October?
Harrison Bader has played his way into the everyday role in center field. As for the corner spots, it will likely depend on the opposing starter. It will likely be Brandon Marsh in left field and Max Kepler in right field against right-handed pitchers, while Weston Wilson and Nick Castellanos figure to start against lefties.

Source link

The WNBA regular season has come to an end and the playoff bracket is now set. The postseason race has…

The Philadelphia Phillies placed shortstop Trea Turner on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. He suffered a…