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Once the Wild Card Series round is complete, the 2025 postseason will move on to its next phase: the best-of-five Division Series.

The first Division Series matchup was set on Wednesday night — after sweeping the Reds in the National League Wild Card Series, the Dodgers will face the NL East champion Phillies in the NLDS.

On Thursday, there were three decisive games, and while the Red Sox and Yankees are in action in the Bronx, two other clubs punched their tickets to the next round. The Tigers won the decisive Game 3 of their American League Wild Card Series against the division rival Guardians, meaning Detroit will take on the AL West champion Mariners in the ALDS. And the Cubs held on to beat the Padres — Chicago will face the division rival Brewers in the NLDS.

The winner of the Red Sox-Yankees game will move on to play the No. 1-seeded Blue Jays. All four LDS matchups are scheduled to get underway Saturday.

As the matchups come into focus, weâ€ll be breaking down each series below.

Schedule
Game 1 (at MIL): Saturday on TBS
Game 2 (at MIL): Monday on TBS
Game 3 (at CHC): Oct. 8 on TBS
Game 4 (at CHC, if necessary): Oct. 9 on TBS
Game 5 (at MIL, if necessary): Oct. 11 on TBS

Season series: The Cubs went 7-6 against the Brewers in their head-to-head matchups during the regular season. They last met for five games (including a doubleheader) at Wrigley Field from Aug. 18-21.

Postseason history: This is the first playoff meeting between the Brewers and Cubs.

Keys to the matchup: Freddy Peralta is the only ace-level starting pitcher weâ€ll see in this series, so it could come down to a battle of the bullpens. The Brewers had one of baseballâ€s best relief corps throughout the season, but the Cubs†bullpen is on a heater right now. Chicagoâ€s â€pen struck out 30.8% of the batters it faced in the final month of the season and — not including Shota Imanaga’s outing after Chicago used an opener in Game 2 — the Cubs’ relief corps yielded just one run over 13 2/3 frames vs. San Diego in the NL Wild Card Series.

The Brewers (164) and Cubs (161) ranked first and second, respectively, in the NL in stolen bases this season, so the batteries for both teams will need to be on high alert when someone reaches base. The long ball could also loom large — the Cubs hit 57 more home runs than the Brewers in the regular season, but Milwaukeeâ€s pitching staff ranked among the best at limiting big flies.

Player to watch: Seiya Suzuki. With Kyle Tucker still working his way back into form after missing nearly all of September due to a calf issue and Pete Crow-Armstrong coming off a rough second half (.634 OPS), the Cubs will continue to lean on Suzuki and Michael Busch to drive their offense. Suzukiâ€s bat was ice cold for much of the second half, but he followed up a 38-game homerless drought by going deep in each of his last four regular season games before hitting another dinger in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. Weâ€ll see if he can solve Milwaukeeâ€s pitching after going 6-for-50 (.120) with 22 Kâ€s and a .428 OPS in 13 games against the Brewers this season.

(2) Phillies vs. Dodgers (3)

Schedule
Game 1 (at PHI): Saturday on TBS
Game 2 (at PHI): Monday on TBS
Game 3 (at LAD): Oct. 8 on TBS
Game 4 (at LAD, if necessary): Oct. 9 on TBS
Game 5 (at PHI, if necessary): Oct. 11 on TBS

Season series: The Phillies went 4-2 against the Dodgers in the regular season, taking two of three when they played in April and doing so again when they matched up in September.

Postseason history: This will be the sixth postseason matchup between the Phillies and Dodgers and the first in the Division Series. The Dodgers defeated the Phillies in the 1977 and â€78 NL Championship Series, but Philadelphia has gotten the better of Los Angeles in their past three playoff meetings — the â€83 NLCS, the 2008 NLCS and the â€09 NLCS.

Keys to the matchup: This is perhaps overly simplified but this series will likely come down to how the stars on each club perform, and there are plenty of them. Whether itâ€s Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Freddie Freeman or Bryce Harper, some of baseballâ€s top names will be facing off in a star-studded NLDS matchup. Even each teamâ€s rotation features top-shelf starters like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cristopher Sánchez, Blake Snell, Ohtani and many more. For a division series, this is about as good of a matchup as you could ask for.

Player to watch: Trea Turner missed the better part of September with a strained right hamstring. He returned for the season finale but he had missed the previous three weeks which, including the Phillies†first-round bye, means Turner has played in few games over the last month. If he picks up where he left off before the injury, the Phillies could be in great shape. Turner had an excellent ‘25 season, posting an .812 OPS with 6.7 WAR, third among all NL position players. Turner, too, stole 36 bases this season and could provide a valuable element on the bases if heâ€s healthy.

(2) Mariners vs. Tigers (6)

Schedule
Game 1 (at SEA): Saturday on FOX or FS1
Game 2 (at SEA): Sunday on FOX or FS1
Game 3 (at DET): Tuesday on FOX or FS1
Game 4 (at DET, if necessary): Oct. 8 on FOX or FS1
Game 5 (at SEA, if necessary): Oct. 10 on FOX or FS1

Season series: The Mariners went 4-2 against the Tigers in the regular season. Seattle played Detroit at T-Mobile Park in its second series of the year and lost two of three but swept the Tigers at Comerica Park right before the All-Star break, outscoring them 35-14 in that series.

Postseason history: This is the first playoff meeting between the Mariners and Tigers.

Keys to the matchup: The Mariners appear to have the edge over the Tigers in the power department, outhomering Detroit 238-198 during the regular season. The same goes for their pitching depth. Even with questions of Bryan Wooâ€s availability due to a pectoral issue, the Mariners still have more trustworthy starting pitching options at their disposal than the Tigers, and their bullpen should be well rested after a superb September. The Tigers, though, have Tarik Skubal. After striking out 14 batters over 7 2/3 dominant innings against the Guardians in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, Skubal could make multiple starts on regular rest in the ALDS, including a potential winner-take-all Game 5.

Player to watch: Cal Raleigh. Every step of the way, this has been Raleighâ€s year. He became the seventh player in Major League history with a 60-homer season, setting records for catchers and switch-hitters along the way. He led the AL with 125 RBIs and helped the Mariners win their first division crown in more than two decades. He even won the Home Run Derby. Now, heâ€ll try to carry the Mariners to the ALCS for the first time since 2001.

(1) Blue Jays vs. Yankees (4) or Red Sox (5)

Schedule
Game 1 (at TOR): Saturday on FOX or FS1
Game 2 (at TOR): Sunday on FOX or FS1
Game 3 (at NYY/BOS): Tuesday on FOX or FS1
Game 4 (at NYY/BOS, if necessary): Oct. 8 on FOX or FS1
Game 5 (at TOR, if necessary): Oct. 10 on FOX or FS1

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CLEVELAND — After 2 1/2 weeks of torment, a historic collapse and the brink of elimination, the Tigers found their way past the Guardians at the perfect time, with the help of a former Ohio hero and a longtime Ohio nemesis. Dillon Dinglerâ€s go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and Javier Báezâ€s leadoff double to ignite a four-run seventh led the Tigers out of their house of horrors with a 6-3 win on Thursday in Game 3 of their AL Wild Card Series at Progressive Field.

The victory sent the Tigers on their way to Seattle with a berth in the Division Series, where they seemed to be headed for most of the summer. Clevelandâ€s late-season surge and Detroitâ€s September struggles, including five losses to the Guardians over the final two weeks of the regular season, sent the Tigers on a roundabout path, knocked out of the AL Central title and into the ALâ€s final Wild Card slot – bringing them back to Cleveland, where they won Game 1 but couldnâ€t convert opportunities to take Game 2.

For five innings Thursday, the win-or-go-home game seemed poised for another round of Guardians magic. While Jack Flaherty delivered his best outing in weeks, tossing 4 2/3 innings of three-hit, one-run ball, Detroit missed chances to add on to Kerry Carpenterâ€s third-inning RBI double in what quickly became a bullpen game for Cleveland.

Guardians lefty Joey Cantillo was an out away from sending a 1-1 game into the seventh when Dingler, a former three-sport high school star down the road in Massillon and a standout catcher/center fielder at Ohio State, made Cantillo pay for feeding him back-to-back changeups. The resulting drive cleared the high wall in left field for Dinglerâ€s first postseason homer and first of any kind at Progressive Field in front of family and friends, many of whom were once Cleveland fans.

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Major League Wrestling is significantly expanding its production capabilities and on-air talent roster, with actor Danny McBride’s existing partnership taking on a more prominent role.

SEScoops has learned that McBride will become a regular fixture on MLW broadcasts going forward, with his Don Gato character featured in ongoing vignettes throughout programming. The expanded presence also includes McBride’s Don Gato Tequila being served at upcoming MLW events.

The increased visibility for McBride coincides with major behind-the-scenes developments at the promotion. MLW is actively staffing up its post-production team amid rumors of a new weekly series project in development. Sources indicate the promotion is currently seeking backstage correspondents specifically for the rumored weekly programming.

McBride, known for his work on HBO’s “Eastbound & Down” and “The Righteous Gemstones,” has maintained a relationship with MLW through his Don Gato character. The expanded role suggests MLW is leveraging McBride’s mainstream entertainment credibility as the promotion positions itself for a programming upgrade.

The simultaneous production expansion and talent search strongly indicate MLW is preparing for a significant increase in content output. While the promotion has not officially confirmed plans for a weekly series, the infrastructure buildout and elevated star power point to ambitious expansion plans in the works.

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NEW YORK – The Yankees†hopes of toppling the Red Sox and advancing out of the American League Wild Card Series rest on the right arm of a Massachusetts rookie, the son of a suburban Boston police chief.

Cam Schlittler will take the ball in Thursdayâ€s win-or-go-home Game 3, forced after the Yankees notched a 4-3 victory over their historic rivals Wednesday in the Bronx. For the 24-year-old, raised in Walpole, Mass., and having opened this season with Double-A Somerset, itâ€s a meteoric rise to the biggest assignment of his young career: trying to pitch New York into the next round.

“I would say growing up in Boston, I take pride in being from Boston,†Schlittler said. “When it came to my career and where I want to be, this is where I want to be.â€

“I have complete confidence in this team,†said Boston outfielder Jarren Duran. “We’ve been through stuff like this before, and we’ve been resilient all year, so I’m excited to see what we can do tomorrow.â€

When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series will be played at 8:08 p.m. ET Thursday. ESPN will televise the contest.

All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Red Sox: Connelly Early (1-2, 2.33 ERA) will fill in for Giolito in just his fifth Major League start and first in the postseason. Early was called up by the Red Sox on Sept. 9 to replace the ailing Dustin May. He had a dominant debut in West Sacramento, punching out 11 in five scoreless innings against the Athletics. Other than a tough first inning vs. the Rays in Tampa in his third start, Early has been remarkably poised for a 23-year-old who was drafted in the fifth round out of Virginia just two years ago.

Though Early isnâ€t overpowering like Schlittler, his pitch mix is what sets him apart. The Red Sox have also continually mentioned Earlyâ€s calm demeanor, which could serve him well on a night when the season is on the line.

Yankees: Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) showcased triple-digit velocity through his first 14 big league starts, promoted in July as a fill-in before quickly earning a trusted spot in the rotation. This will mark Schlittler’s first career outing vs. the Red Sox, though he did face them once as a Northeastern University freshman in a Fort Myers, Fla., exhibition.

Schlittler’s most recent outing was a commanding effort against the Orioles on Sept. 27, blanking Baltimore on two hits over seven innings while issuing one walk and striking out nine.

What are the starting lineups?
Red Sox: At last facing a righty, the Red Sox will break out their “A” lineup for the first time in this series. That will open up the chance for Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Nathaniel Lowe to make their first starts in this postseason.

Yankees: With an opposing lefty on the mound, some might expect the Yanks to return to their Game 1 lineup. Not so fast. While they expected Garrett Crochet to go deep, Early is likely to be on a shorter leash in an elimination game. Ben Rice is in the lineup over Paul Goldschmidt.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Red Sox: Other than Garrett Whitlock, who threw a season-high 47 pitches in the Game 2 loss, manager Alex Cora should have his entire bullpen available. Closer Aroldis Chapman, who threw 24 pitches while saving Game 1, didnâ€t pitch on Wednesday.

Yankees: Itâ€s all hands on deck in an elimination game. In Game 2, Fernando Cruz threw 14 pitches, Devin Williams threw 19 and David Bednar 16. Cruz, Williams and Bednar also worked in Game 1.

Any injuries of note?
Red Sox: The Red Sox are without No. 3 starter Giolito, stud rookie outfielder Roman Anthony (left oblique) and infielder Marcelo Mayer (right wrist surgery). Other than that, all the teamâ€s key players are healthy.

Yankees: Judge sustained a right flexor tendon strain in July that kept him out of the outfield until Sept. 5. Initially cautious, he has uncorked stronger throws of late, but he doesnâ€t appear to be at full strength — something Boston tested in Game 1. Stanton is still playing through tennis elbow in both arms, but it appears manageable.

Who is hot and who is not?
Red Sox: Storyâ€s resurgent season carried into the postseason in Game 2, when he hammered a two-run single and a solo homer to account for all of Bostonâ€s runs. Yoshida, one of the clubâ€s hottest hitters down the stretch, went 2-for-2 as a pinch-hitter in the first two games. Gonzalez has had a tough series so far, going 0-for-6.

Yankees: Judge, Stanton and Rice were among those swinging hot bats going into the playoffs. Judge is 4-for-8 in the playoffs, while Volpe is 3-for-7, but Stanton is 0-for-8.

Anything else fans might want to know?
• This will be Earlyâ€s fifth career appearance, including the playoffs, and Schlittlerâ€s 15th. Itâ€ll be the first game in postseason history between two starters each making his 15th career appearance or fewer (regular season plus postseason combined), according to Elias.

• The Yankees are 9-3 in their past 12 potential elimination games at home since 2017 and 13-6 in their past 19 such games at home since ‘05.

• This marks the sixth time the Red Sox and Yankees have met in a postseason series: 1999 ALCS (Yankees win, 4-1), 2003 ALCS (Yankees win, 4-3), ‘04 ALCS (Red Sox win, 4-3), ‘18 ALDS (Red Sox win, 3-1) and ‘21 AL Wild Card Game (won by the Red Sox).

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NEW YORK – Cam Schlittler, a fireballing 24-year-old righty who grew up rooting for the Red Sox, officially entered the Yankees†universe on July 9, when he made the first of his 14 starts down the stretch.

Connelly Early, the No. 6 prospect for the Red Sox per MLB Pipeline, wasnâ€t in the plans to be in the clubâ€s starting rotation in September, let alone October.

Fittingly, as this AL Wild Card Series between the forever rivals gets ready to go the distance with Game 3 on Thursday night, it will pit a pitching matchup nobody could have predicted even a month ago.

But thatâ€s Red Sox-Yankees, when another great subplot always seems to be right around the corner.

“Obviously it is going to be loud here. Two rookies, Game 3, Wild Card, Yankees-Red Sox. Imagine that?†said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “It should be a fun night.â€

Not to mention an unprecedented one.

This will be Earlyâ€s fifth career appearance, including playoffs, and Schlittlerâ€s 15th. Itâ€ll be the first game in postseason history between two starters each making their 15th career appearance or fewer (regular season and postseason combined).

The matchup will be the third-youngest in win-or-go-home games. Here is how they rank:

Schlittler grew up in Walpole, Mass., then took his talents to Northeastern University in Boston.

Through it all, he rooted for the Sox. And then the Yankees took him in the seventh round of the 2022 Draft and everything changed.

There is at least one Massachusetts family who will be rooting for the Yankees on Wednesday.

“I would say so,†Schlittler said. “Growing up in Boston, I take pride in being from Boston. When it comes to my career and where I wanted to be, this is where I wanted to be. [My family], they are full Yankee guys now. They don’t wear [Yankees gear] around as much in Boston just because. But when they are here, they are very prideful about it.â€

Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA) showcased triple-digit velocity through his first 14 big league starts after being promoted in July and quickly earning a place in the rotation. This will mark Schlittler’s first career outing vs. the Red Sox, though he did face them once as a Northeastern University freshman in a Fort Myers, Fla., exhibition.

Likewise, Early has never faced the Yankees.

It will be interesting to see which offense adjusts more quickly to a starting pitcher theyâ€ve never faced.

Early will become the fifth pitcher in history to make a postseason start within his first five MLB appearances.

Dylan Lee (ATL) (opener) – 2021 WS G4
Shane Baz (TB) – 2021 ALDS G2
Ryan Merritt (CLE) – 2016 ALCS G5
Matt Moore (TB) – 2011 ALDS G1

The opportunity for Early to start the biggest game of the season for the Red Sox came about when Lucas Giolito was shut down just prior to the playoffs with an irritated right flexor tendon.

“Yeah, Iâ€m super excited about it. Really good feeling to get this opportunity, and just ready to get out there,†said Early.

His teammates have developed an eye-opening amount of confidence in someone who has such a small sample size.

“He reminds me a lot of [Red Sox injured star rookie] Roman [Anthony],†said Boston outfielder Jarren Duran. “Theyâ€re both so young, but they’re so calm, cool and collected, and it’s awesome to see that. I can’t wait to see him get on the mound tomorrow and see that big smile he always has when he’s competing.â€

It is a big spot for Early to be in, but one he earned by notching a 2.33 ERA in those first four starts in the regular season after he was called up to fill in for injured No. 5 starter Dustin May, who still hasnâ€t returned to action.

It has been a swift rise for a pitcher the Red Sox selected out of Virginia in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft. Before going to Virginia, a major college baseball program, Early was at Army throwing in the low 80s. In those days, he was finding time for baseball when he wasnâ€t fulfilling his military requirements.

On Thursday, the season will end for one of these two young pitchers. It should be fascinating to see how it unfolds.

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CLEVELAND — Theyâ€ve been embroiled in a battle that transcends whatâ€s transpired these past couple days.

The 2025 Tigers and Guardians will forever be linked in the record books because of the saga staged in September, when Cleveland made a historic AL Central comeback at Detroitâ€s expense. Now, these two teams, who canâ€t seem to play each other in anything but tight and tense games, will be linked one last time here, in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Thursday at Progressive Field.

“These games,†said Guardians All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, “have felt like a chess match.â€

Nah, theyâ€re much more fun and loud than that. Louder still when the Guardians broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run eighth inning to take Game 2, 6-1, and stave off elimination.

Now, both teams face elimination — a fitting finish to a division battle that came right down to the wire. On the line is a trip to Seattle to play the resting Mariners in an AL Division Series that begins Saturday at T-Mobile Park.

Of the 20 previous teams to lose Game 1 in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, just four had forced a Game 3, like the Guardians did — and all did so at home. The 2020 Aâ€s and Padres both completed the comeback, while the 2022 Mets and 2024 Brewers did not. In postseason history, teams are only 64-66 in winner-take-all games in their home ballpark.

It will be the Tigers†Jack Flaherty opposite the Guardians†Slade Cecconi in Game 3, with both bullpens at the ready, as always.

“These are all-hands-on-deck games,†Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s the American League Wild Card Series. Every pitch, every at-bat, every mistake, every big swing seems to count as two.â€

Flaherty has done this before, having started for the Cardinals against the Padres in the 2020 Wild Card Series and flourished with six innings of one-run ball, albeit in an eventual loss for St. Louis. Cecconiâ€s experience with elimination games is more nuanced.

“I threw in the regional finals against Mississippi State when I was at Miami,†he said. “Started that game on one day of rest. That was fun.â€

Hereâ€s to one more fun one between the Guardians and Tigers. Theyâ€re already forever paired in the record books. And hereâ€s one more for the books.

When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch for Game 3 of the Tigers-Guardians Wild Card Series is set for 1 p.m. ET on Thursday at Progressive Field. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada.

“It’s everything,†Flaherty said before Game 2. “The reason you get out of bed in the morning is to go out and have a chance to win no matter where you’re at. To have a chance to do it with these guys is all the more special.â€

Guardians: Cecconi (7-7, 4.30 ERA) is making his first career playoff start; the right-hander made a pair of relief appearances with the D-backs during their 2023 World Series run. Cleveland acquired Cecconi from Arizona on Dec. 21 in the Josh Naylor trade, and the right-hander was largely steady in his first season with the Guardians.

Cecconi joined the rotation on May 17 after consistent starter Ben Lively underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. He recorded a 3.44 ERA over 10 starts before the All-Star break and 4.91 ERA over 10 starts after, though that included a 3.90 ERA over five September starts.

How does one prepare for a win-or-go-home game? The same way you prepare for any start, by the sound of it.

“It’s the beauty of treating every game like a playoff game,†Cecconi said. “You don’t have to do anything different when a playoff game shows up. I treat every game with 100 percent focus, intensity, preparation.

“I’ve given everything I’ve had every time I’ve taken the mound. That’s not going to change tomorrow.â€

What are the starting lineups?
Tigers: Hinch admits itâ€s odd for him to go with the same lineup and batting order for more than a game at a time, and he made a switch at the top for Game 3, shifting Parker Meadows, who is 1-for-8, to last in the order and Gleyber Torres to the leadoff spot. Wenceel Pérez also moved to third in the lineup.

Guardians: Cleveland’s offense was held in check for much of Wednesday before it scored five times in the eighth inning. The only change from Wednesday’s lineup is rookie Chase DeLauter, who went 0-for-2 with a walk, getting elevated to the fifth spot and Bo Naylor moving down to seventh.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Tigers: Hinch went to his bullpen in the fourth inning in Game 2 in an effort to counter Clevelandâ€s left-handed hitters. With a win-or-go-home scenario, Flahertyâ€s start could end up looking more like pitching chaos if he isnâ€t on his game early. Lefty Tyler Holton threw 2 1/3 innings in Game 2, but in a relatively efficient 31 pitches, and should be available for an inning-plus. Fellow lefty Brant Hurter is available, but he gave up the Bo Naylor home run that essentially put Game 2 away. Keep an eye on Tommy Kahnle, who has yet to pitch but has World Series experience from last year and a changeup that could counter Clevelandâ€s lefty balance.

Guardians: Cleveland also leaned heavily on its bullpen in Game 2; Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Jakob Junis and Cade Smith covered the final 4 1/3 innings and did not allow a run in relief of Tanner Bibee. Vogt noted they would have to see how Smith felt Thursday to see whether he will be available for a third appearance in as many days, but he sounded optimistic of his availability. Sabrowkski and Gaddis also would be poised for a third straight appearance. If the Guardians need length, starter Joey Cantillo is on the roster as a length option out of the bullpen, as is long man Kolby Allard.

Any injuries of note?
Tigers: Torkelson underwent X-rays on his right foot after fouling a ball off of it in the fourth inning of Game 2, but the results showed no damage, clearing him for Game 3. He was hit by a pitch on his left hand in the ninth inning, but he had no lingering damage from it.

Guardians: No new injuries to report.

Who is hot and who is not?
Tigers: Javier Báez has hit safely in six straight games dating back to last Thursday, including four two-hit games. … Wenceel Pérez is 0-for-8 so far this series.

Guardians: Rocchio is now a career .308 hitter (12-for-39) in the postseason with two doubles, two homers and three RBIs. Kwan and Manzardo are each 1-for-8 through two games this series.

Anything else fans might want to know?
Including the eighth inning of Game 2, the Guardians have scored five runs in a single postseason inning three times since 2013, all of which have come against the Tigers. That included the first inning of Game 1 of the 2024 ALDS and the fifth inning of Game 5 last year.

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At this hour an army of scientists, dressed in white lab coats, are hunkered in the Yankee Stadium offices, pouring over biomechanical data regarding Ben Rice’s swing path, and endeavoring a deep dive into Paul Goldschmidt’s REM sleep over the past nine days.

They are preparing Aaron Boone’s orders for tonight’s lineup, delivered with the usual threat to follow their numbers … or else.

Just kidding.

Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus, two humans, discussed and wrote the lineup before leaving the ballpark last night, as they always do. In case you haven’t yet heard, this is how the Yankees make decisions.

I haven’t seen tonight’s lineup, but amid all the chatter about first base and catcher, I fully expect the Yankees to start Rice at first in Game 3, Austin Wells at catcher and use Goldschmidt off the bench.

In Game 1, Boone opted for a righty-heavy lineup against Boston’s lefty ace Garrett Crochet. In a few cases, the manager actually went against what the team’s analytics department wanted. That’s a fact.

A game plan against Crochet is different from a game plan against another pitcher, regardless of handedness.

With their season on the line tonight, the Yankees are facing rookie left-hander Connelly Early. After Game 2 Boone would only reveal that he will start Jazz Chisholm Jr. against Early. He left first base and catcher open (why tell Alex Cora before he needs to know, right?).

But he said this:

“It’s not just, it’s a lefty. It’s, what lefty? Is that guy going to be out there for six or seven innings? I want to leverage a spot for whoever my bench guys are to have a good matchup, not three bad matchups that I can guarantee. All of these things factor into it.”

An argument for starting Rice against Early tonight — in addition to the fact that he’s been smoking balls all over Yankee Stadium — is that the Red Sox have five left-handers in their bullpen. And that’s assuming that Crochet won’t give them an inning. It might be six lefties.

This means that if Boone starts Goldschmidt with the intent to swap in Rice after Early leaves (which could be … early), he might be waiting all night. Cora can counter with one lefty reliever after another. Might as well just start Rice.

As for catcher, that does not seem in question, and it has little to do with Wells’ game-winning hit last night. Wells is a superior game-caller, and that’s hugely important in the playoffs, not to mention when working with a rookie in Cam Schlittler.

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A new series of books chronicling the life and career of Hulk Hogan could be coming if a Kickstartercampaign reaches its goal. The campaign is being launched by Guy Evans, who shared that people reached out to him about a book following Hogan’s passing in July 2025.

“In the wake of Bollea’s death, however, it became clear to me that my untitled book – tentatively known as The Hulk Hogan Story– couldnâ€t be adequately confined to a single volume. It is thus now my intention to develop a biographical trilogyÂon this most important subject – the first of its kind in the genre. That’s right…threeÂfull-length books on the life, career and unparalleled cultural impact of Hulk Hogan!”

If successful, the series will feature more than 100 exclusive interviews. It will be available in paperback, audiobook, and e-book formats. Kickstarter backers will also receive access to an exclusive hardcover version.

Evans is well-equipped to tackle the project. In 2018, he published NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turnerâ€s WCW. The 590-page book earned praise for its accuracy and depth, and it remains one of the most detailed non-fiction wrestling books to date.

The Kickstarter campaign has not yet launched, but fans can sign up to be notified when it goes live. Though Hogan may no longer be with us, the legacy he left behind continues to shape the wrestling world.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are headed back to the National League Division Series.

Led by a strong performance from Mookie Betts, the Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds in their NL Wild Card Series matchup with an impressive 8-4 win in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Betts finished 4-for-5 with three RBI in the victory.

Los Angeles will now face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, as fans looked forward to the upcoming matchup.

Cincinnati struck first in Wednesday’s contest, scoring two runs in the top of the opening frame with a sacrifice fly from Tyler Stephenson and Sal Stewart’s RBI single.

The Dodgers scored once in the third inning before taking their first lead of the game in the fourth, as a run-scoring double from Kiké Hernandez and RBI single from Miguel Rojas gave Los Angeles a 3-2 edge.

Cincinnati couldn’t respond right away, as the Dodgers gained some more separation with a four-run sixth inning that was highlighted by RBI doubles from Betts and Teoscar Hernández. Shohei Ohtani also chipped in with his own RBI.

Another RBI double by Betts in the seventh gave Los Angeles a lead of 8-2. The Reds scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning, but ultimately couldn’t pull any closer.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto started for the Dodgers, allowing four hits without giving up an earned run. He also racked up nine strikeouts compared to just two walks in 6.2 innings of work.

Yamamoto ran into some trouble in the sixth inning as the Reds loaded the bases with no outs, but a fielder’s choice and two strikeouts kept Cincinnati off the board.

Los Angeles’ lineup exploded offensively, with seven players accounting for the team’s 13 total hits.

The Dodgers ended up outscoring the Reds 18-9 in the series.

Now, Game 1 between Los Angeles and Philadelphia is set for Saturday.

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In the past few weeks, there have been discussions about MLW having a new weekly series soon.

As per an update from Fightful (via Fightful Select), Major League Wrestling was in talks for a new weekly series. Additionally, the source confirmed that it was one of the most requested things they get in terms of feedback from the audience.

Back in 2023, the company used to run ‘MLW Fusion†as a weekly series. However, later on, they abandoned the weekly series in favor of specials. But with these recent reports, it hints that MLW could be planning to rejuvenate the setup for this potential series.

According to a report by Mike Johnson of PWInsider, MLW is staffing up its post-production team amid speculation about a project involving a weekly series. Meanwhile, there is no confirmation whether this means they have landed with a new broadcast partner after REELZ didnâ€t work out for them.

Though there is no clear mention of MLW Fusion, with the previous report, they might likely be hiring the post-production team for the ‘Fusion†weekly series. Also, as it is one of the most requested things by the audience, Court Bauer shouldnâ€t miss a chance to bring a weekly show back for its fans.

When & Where is MLWâ€s next show?

MLWâ€s next event is scheduled for Long Beach on Saturday, October 4. It will be streaming live on their YouTube channel, and they are promising some big-time matches.

Some matches already announced include Matt Riddle taking on Alexander Hammerstone and a Chambers of Horrors bout featuring MLW Champion Krule against Mr. Thomas, CW Anderson, Matthew Justice, and a mystery competitor.

READ MORE: Major WWE Star Nearing Return After Extended Hiatus — Report

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