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  David SchoenfieldOct 1, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  • Covers MLB for ESPN.com
  • Former deputy editor of Page 2
  • Been with ESPN.com since 1995

Mathematical probability, in a perfectly equitable distribution of championships, means each MLB team would win a World Series once every 30 years. That is not the world we live in, of course, so many franchises have experienced long title droughts that have stretched into multiple decades. There is even one that has never appeared in the Fall Classic.

That establishes a super fun element to this year’s postseason. We have seven playoff teams who have gone longer than 30 years since their last World Series championship — including the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres, who have never won, and the Seattle Mariners, who have still never reached the World Series 48 years into their franchise history.

Maybe, just maybe, some team’s long-suffering fans will experience that euphoria of winning the final game of the season.

Yes, it’s the year of the World Series Drought-Buster Watch. Let’s look at those seven franchises, what went wrong through the years, and why this may finally be The Year.

Last World Series title:1948

Last World Series appearance:2016 (lost to the Cubs in seven games).

Closest call since then:Lost the 2024 ALCS to the Yankees in five games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Led Game 7 of the 1997 World Series against the Marlins 2-1 in the ninth inning, but the Marlins tied the score off closer Jose Mesa. In the bottom of the 11th, second baseman Tony Fernandez let a slow grounder hit by Florida’s Craig Counsell go under his glove for an error, setting up Edgar Renteria’s walk-off hit.

• In Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against the Cubs, Rajai Davis’ three-run homer in the eighth miraculously tied the score, but the Cubs scored twice in the top of the 10th. Davis’ two-out single in the bottom of the inning made it 8-7, but Cleveland was left with light-hitting Michael Martinez at the plate with two outs and the World Series on the line. Terry Francona had inserted Martinez in the ninth inning to get a better outfield arm in the game when the Cubs got a runner to third base. Martinez hit a slow bouncer to third base to end the game.

• The best Cleveland team ever, the 1995 squad with one of the greatest lineups of all time, loses the clinching Game 6 of the World Series 1-0 to Atlanta while registering just one hit with the only run of the game coming on a David Justice home run off reliever Jim Poole.

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Why they haven’t won: Can’t win the big game.

No franchise has suffered more postseason agony, at least since the Red Sox broke through in 2004.Though the Cleveland franchise was certainly dreadful for most of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, it has been consistently competitive since 1995, making the postseason 15 times and ranking sixth in overall wins during that span.

But the Guardians are 2-8 in winner-take-all games, winning the first of those in the 1997 ALDS and beating the Tigers in Game 5 of last year’s ALDS, but losing eight in a row in between. Along the way, they blew:

• A 2-0 lead in the 1999 ALDS, losing the final two games to Boston by scores of 23-7 and 12-8.

• A 2-1 lead to Seattle in the 2001 ALDS.

• A 3-1 lead to Boston in the 2007 ALCS, losing the final three games 7-1, 12-2 and 11-2.

• A 3-1 lead in the 2016 World Series, losing the final two games at home.

• A 2-0 lead to the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS.

• A 2-1 lead to the Yankees in the 2022 ALDS.

In those six series, they had 16 chances to close out a series and went 0-16.

Why this could be the year: Cleveland has certainly had better and more glamorous teams than this one. Indeed, with a negative run differential on the season, this is one of the weakest teams ever to make the postseason. The Guardians struggle to score runs. But they can pitch — and the pitching is peaking at the right time. In going 18-4 to close out the regular season, they allowed just 45 runs in 22 games, allowing two or fewer runs in 17 of those.

This team also doesn’t have the burden of expectations like those superstar-laden squads of the late ’90s, or even the 2016 and 2017 squads, which won 94 and 102 games, respectively. On the other hand, if we look at the teams who broke long World Series droughts in the past 20 years, they were all powerhouse clubs: the 2004 Red Sox (98 wins), the 2005 White Sox (99 wins), the 2016 Cubs (103 wins), the 2017 Astros (101 wins). Even the 2023 Rangers, while essentially a one-year fluke and winners of just 90 games, still posted a run differential of plus-165.

But in this year of unpredictability, maybe it’s simply Cleveland’s year.

Milwaukee Brewers

Last World Series title:None (franchise debuted in 1969, moved to Milwaukee in 1970).

Last World Series appearance:1982 (lost to the Cardinals in seven games).

Closest call since then:Lost the 2018 NLCS to the Dodgers in seven games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Leading 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning in Game 7 of the 1982 World Series, the Cardinals load the bases with one out. Keith Hernandez hits a two-run single off Bob McClure and George Hendrick follows with a go-ahead single as the Cardinals go on to a 6-3 win. Brewers fans will always wonder what the outcome might have been if Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fingers, who got injured in September, had not missed the World Series.

• Pete Alonso’s three-run, go-ahead home run in the ninth inning off Devin Williams in last year’s Game 3 of the wild-card series.

• Leading the Nationals 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth of the 2019 wild-card game, Josh Hader loads the bases with a hit batter, single and walk. With two outs, Juan Soto singles to right field and rookie Trent Grisham overruns the ball, allowing all three runners to score.

Why they haven’t won:Lack of offense has led to early playoff exits.

For a long time, the Brewers were just bad. They didn’t have a winning season from 1993 to 2006. Current owner Mark Attanasio bought the team from the Selig family in 2005, however, and after a breakthrough season in 2008, the Brewers have mostly been competitive since, despite the challenges of playing in MLB’s smallest market. The Prince Fielder-Ryan Braun teams were built around offense, but the teams under managers Craig Counsell and now Pat Murphy have centered more on pitching, defense, speed and doing the little things well.

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While Christian Yelich was an MVP in 2018 and runner-up in 2019, the recent teams have often lacked one true offensive star to anchor the lineup. That’s one reason the Brewers have had trouble scoring enough runs in the postseason, and that has led to losses in that 2019 wild-card game and wild-card series in 2020, 2023 and 2024. They were in the NLDS in 2021, but scored just six runs in four games, including two shutouts. Overall, the Brewers have gone 2-10 in the playoffs since 2019 entering this year and have hit just .229/.290/.351.

Why this could be the year: Even though the Brewers still don’t have that superstar hitter and rank below average in home runs, this is a deep, good offensive team. Only the Yankees and Dodgers scored more runs during the regular season. Only the Blue Jays struck out less among the playoff teams. And the Brewers do have guys who can hit home runs: Yelich has had his best power season since 2019; Brice Turang has slugged over .500 in the second half; Jackson Chourio can hit it out; and William Contreras hit nine home runs in August, so if he gets hot at the right time, he can help carry a lineup.

The Brewers also earned the No. 1 overall seed and have played well at home, with a 51-29 record. That could be a nice advantage. And even without the injured Trevor Megill, this is a strong bullpen with hard-throwing Abner Uribe capable of closing down leads. The Brewers had the best record for a reason: They’ve quieted skeptics and have remained the most consistent team all season long.

San Diego Padres

Last World Series title: None (franchise debuted in 1969).

Last World Series appearance:1998 (lost to the Yankees in four games).

Closest call since then: Lost the 2022 NLCS to the Phillies in five games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Game 1 of the 1998 World Series is tied 5-5 with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Mark Langston appears to strike out Tino Martinez on a 2-2 fastball right at the knees, but umpire Rich Garcia calls it a ball. Martinez belts the next pitch for a grand slam.

• Trying to stay alive in the 2022 NLCS and send the series back to San Diego, the Padres lead the Phillies 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth. With a runner on first, Bryce Harper fouls off three fastballs from Robert Suarez, spits on a changeup, then belts a 99 mph heater over the fence in left field for the series-winning home run.

• Up two games to one in last year’s NLDS against the hated Dodgers, the Padres are shut out in the final two games. The final 19 batters in Game 5 are retired in order as the Dodgers win the series clincher 2-0.

Why they haven’t won: Until the late Peter Seidler became chairman, the Padres never had owners completely invested in winning. Since 2020 they’ve tried hard to get over the hump — but haven’t.

One-stop shop for 2025 MLB playoffs

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The Padres’ tormented history has featured periodic bouts of success — a surprise World Series team in 1984 and another in 1998 — but mostly a lot of losing. Under Tom Werner, there was the infamous teardown in 1993 when an order to reduce payroll resulted in the trades of Fred McGriff and Gary Sheffield. From 2007 through 2019, they made the playoffs, finishing over .500 just two of those years. But a rebuild in the late 2010s combined with an infusion of cash under Seidler has led to fun and competitive teams since 2020, with big crowds and now four playoff appearances in six years.

In two of those three years, they’ve met their archrival Dodgers, beating them in the 2022 NLDS, but losing in 2020 and then last year’s frustrating NLDS. The Padres’ offense seems to go cold at the wrong time — Manny Machado has not been a great postseason hitter for them and Juan Soto didn’t have a good one in his one postseason with the Padres in 2022 (and Fernando Tatis Jr. was out that season).

Why this could be the year: Bullpen, bullpen, bullpen. The Padres have perhaps the best one in the majors, even without injured All-Star Jason Adam. Suarez and Mason Miller provide a late-game pair of flamethrowers, Adrian Morejon is one of the best lefty relievers in the game, Jeremiah Estrada is a strikeout machine. and there is more depth beyond those four. Nick Pivetta had a terrific year to lead the rotation, and Dylan Cease, despite a down year, has the strikeout stuff that could play well in October.

The question: Can they hit enough home runs to score enough runs? A.J. Preller did improve the offense with the trade deadline acquisitions of Ramon Laureano (who is out with a fractured finger), Ryan O’Hearn and Freddy Fermin, but the Padres are still just 12th in OPS and 18th in home runs since then. We have to factor Petco Park into those numbers a bit, but the Padres will need their stars — Machado and Tatis — to step up. If they do, the bullpen can do the rest.

Seattle Mariners

Last World Series title:None (franchise debuted in 1977).

Last World Series appearance:None.

Closest call:Lost the 1995 ALCS to Cleveland and the 2000 ALCS to the Yankees, both in six games. Also lost the 2001 ALCS in five games. Were up 2-1 in the 1995 ALCS against Cleveland, but a powerful Mariners lineup got shut out twice in the final three games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Leading 1-0 and looking to tie the 2001 ALCS against the Yankees at two games apiece, New York’s Bernie Williams ties the game with an eighth-inning home run off Arthur Rhodes, and Alfonso Soriano hits a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth off Kazuhiro Sasaki.

• Rhodes again. In Game 6 of the 2000 ALCS, the Mariners are leading the Yankees 4-3 in the seventh when David Justice blasts a three-run homer off Rhodes and sends Yankee Stadium into a deafening roar.

• Back in the playoffs in 2022 for the first time since 2001, the Mariners lead the Astros 7-3 in the eighth inning in the division series. Alex Bregman hits a two-run homer in the eighth. With two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, manager Scott Servais summons starter Robbie Ray out of the bullpen to face Yordan Alvarez. Wrong decision. Alvarez blasts a game-winning three-run homer.

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Why they haven’t won: Bad offenses and, for the longest time, bad drafting. And just missing the playoffs.

The Mariners couldn’t win in the mid-to-late ’90s despite a roster that featured Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez. Then came the miracle season of 2001, when they won a record 116 games with only Martinez still on the roster. Then came the long playoff drought, from 2002 to 2021. Those teams were marked mostly by inept offense: They once finished last in the AL in runs four straight seasons. In 2010, they traded for Cliff Lee and went all-in on pitching and defense. ESPN The Magazine put them on its cover. They lost 101 games.

Jerry Dipoto was hired as GM after the 2015 season and began turning things around. He drafted Logan Gilbert and George Kirby in the first round in 2018 and 2019, Cal Raleigh was a third-round pick in 2018, Bryan Woo was a sixth-round pick in 2021. The organization signed Julio Rodriguez in 2017. Since 2021, the Mariners have had five straight winning seasons and are seventh in the majors in wins — but this is only their second playoff appearance, having just missed in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Why this could be the year: With Raleigh’s historic campaign leading the way, this is the best offense the Mariners have had in 25 years, with their highest wRC+ since 2001. Dipoto’s deadline trades for Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez created one of the best one-through-nine groups in the majors. They ranked third in the majors in home runs, and Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Naylor (!) each stole 30 bases. The Mariners’ bullpen isn’t super deep, but the late-game foursome of Andres Munoz, Matt Brash, Eduard Bazardo and Gabe Speier has been reliable.

As that stretch of 17 wins in 18 games in September showed, the starting pitching might finally be living up to the preseason expectations following a stellar 2024 season. The concern is Woo’s health. Seattle’s best starter all season with 15 wins and a 2.97 ERA, Woo left his final start with inflammation in his pectoral muscle. The Mariners still have Gilbert, Kirby and Luis Castillo, but if the only franchise never to reach a World Series is to get there, a healthy Woo feels necessary.

Last World Series title:1984

Last World Series appearance:2012 (lost to the Giants in four games).

Closest call since then: Lost the 2013 ALCS to the Red Sox in six games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Leading 5-1 against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS and looking to go up two games to none in the series, David Ortiz ties the game in the eighth inning with a two-out, first-pitch grand slam off Joaquin Benoit, a play that sees Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter take a tumble over the wall and into the bullpen area at Fenway Park. The Red Sox walk it off the next inning with the help of an error and wild pitch.

• Game 6 of the same series, the Tigers are leading 2-1 in the seventh inning of Game 6 when Jose Iglesias makes another critical error. Jose Veras enters to face Shane Victorino, who belts a grand slam.

• Game 5 of last year’s ALDS against Cleveland, score tied 1-1 in the fifth, Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal serves up, yes, a grand slam to Lane Thomas.

Why they haven’t won: Couldn’t get it done with the Justin Verlander/Miguel Cabrera/Max Scherzer teams.

The Tigers had two long dry spells of ineptitude since that last championship in 1984. From 1994 to 2005, they suffered 12 consecutive losing seasons, including years with 106, 109 and 119 losses. From 2017 to 2023, it was seven straight losing seasons, including a 114-loss year in 2019.

Between those bad spells, however, were teams featuring the three future Hall of Famers. The Tigers made four straight postseasons from 2011 to 2014 but couldn’t get over the top. Dave Dombrowski’s teams were always top-heavy in stars but lacking in depth — and, usually, it was the bullpen that would bite the Tigers in the playoffs. Then Scherzer left as a free agent, Cabrera battled injuries and stopped hitting and Verlander was prematurely traded in 2017 with minimal return. The Tigers entered a rebuilding period that finally resulted in the franchise’s first playoff appearance in a decade in 2024.

Why this could be the year: The end of the regular season certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence after the Tigers went 7-17 in September and blew a 10-game lead to lose the division title. They just need to find their first-half mojo when they had the best record in the majors on July 6. It helps to have an ace like Skubal who can carry the rotation, and A.J. Hinch still has the same versatile roster he deployed so successfully for most of the season. Many believe Hinch is the best in-game manager in the business, and maybe that will be the difference-maker in a wide-open postseason.

Last World Series title:1990

Last World Series appearance:1990 (beat the A’s in four games).

Closest call since then:Lost the 1995 NLCS to the Braves in four games.

Three painful postseason moments:

• In Game 1 of the 2012 NLDS against the Giants, Reds ace Johnny Cueto leaves his start after eight pitches with a back injury. The Reds lose the game and, minus Cueto the rest of the series, lose in five games.

• In Game 5 of that series, the Reds are trailing 6-3 but rallying with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the sixth. But Ryan Hanigan strikes out looking on a 3-2 pitch and, with the runners moving, Jay Bruce is thrown out trying to steal third. Rally over. The Reds lose 6-4.

• In Game 1 of the 1995 NLCS, Pete Schourek is trying to finish off a shutout, leading 1-0 heading into the top of the ninth against Atlanta. The Braves tie it up, however, and win in 11 innings. The Braves win Game 2 in extra innings as well and go on to a four-game sweep.

Why they haven’t won: Bad owners … and one very bad trade.

The Reds were competitive throughout the 1990s and won 96 games in 1999, the year Carl Lindner bought the team from Marge Schott, although they lost a tiebreaker game to the Mets and missed the playoffs. That offseason, GM Jim Bowden pulled off one of the biggest blockbusters in MLB history, acquiring Ken Griffey Jr. from the Mariners.

The trade turned out to be a disaster. Griffey had trouble staying healthy and wasn’t very productive while chewing up a large chunk of the payroll. The Reds had a losing season every year from 2001 to 2009. Bob Castellini purchased the team in 2005, and a new wave of young players led by Joey Votto, and with manager Dusty Baker at the helm, made the playoffs three times in four seasons, including two National League Central titles. The Reds’ payroll climbed as high as 11th in the majors in 2014 but that didn’t last long. By 2016, the Reds were back to 28th in payroll and losing 94 games.

The Reds rarely spend money in free agency. When they signed Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos for $64 million each in 2020, it was the first time they had ever signed a free agent for more than $50 million. By 2022, they were back to cutting payroll. Without an owner willing to go the extra mile, the Reds have found it difficult to make the playoffs — let alone win it all.

Why this could be the year: Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott. The Reds don’t score a lot of runs but they have a chance to prevent them. That young rotation trio is reminiscent of the 2003 Florida Marlins, a wild-card team that rode a young rotation to a World Series title, with Greene taking on the role of Josh Beckett, as the hard-throwing ace of the staff and ability to blow away an opponent in any given game. The Marlins also had a 20-year-old rookie named Miguel Cabrera who was batting cleanup by the World Series. The Reds have 21-year-old rookie in Sal Stewart, who has played just 18 games but has already spent some time batting cleanup.

And don’t overlook Terry Francona. He has been here before. He knows how to manage in the postseason, with the necessary urgency and the ability to get players to believe in themselves. He won’t be afraid, for example, to use rookie righty Chase Burns as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen, even though Burns has just 43 innings in the majors and even spent most of his short time in the majors as a starter.

Last World Series title:1993

Last World Series appearance:1993 (beat the Phillies in six games).

Closest call since then: Lost the 2015 ALCS in six games to Kansas City. Also lost the 2016 ALCS, in five games, to Cleveland.

Three painful postseason moments:

• Game 6 of the 2015 ALCS is tied in the eighth when Kansas City’s Lorenzo Cain draws a leadoff walk. Eric Hosmer then singles to right field with Cain heading to third, and when Jose Bautista throws the ball into second base, Cain keeps on sprinting home for the winning run in a 4-3 victory.

• In Game 2 of that series, the Blue Jays lead 3-0 in the seventh, but manager John Gibbons leaves in a tiring David Price to give up five hits and five runs.

• The Blue Jays blow an 8-2 lead at home in Game 2 of the 2022 wild-card series against Seattle. The winning runs come up when J.P. Crawford clears the bases with a bloop double to center field as a diving George Springer collides with Bo Bichette.

Why they haven’t won: A tough division and the bats going dry in October.

After back-to-back World Series titles in ’92 and ’93, the Blue Jays went 20 years without a playoff appearance even though they were rarely bad in that period. They just couldn’t beat the Yankees and Red Sox or, later, the Rays and Orioles. They finally broke through and won the American League East in 2015 with the Josh Donaldson/Jose Bautista team that scored 127 more runs than any other AL team. They lost to the Royals in the ALCS that year and to Cleveland in 2016 — when the Jays scored just eight runs in five games. Remember when Cleveland had to start an obscure minor leaguer named Ryan Merritt, who had started one game in the majors, in Game 5 because they had no other starters? He tossed 4â…” shutout innings.

In recent years, the Blue Jays went 0-6 in wild-card series in 2020, 2022 and 2023, scoring three runs in 2020, getting shut out once in 2022, and scoring one run in two games against the Twins in 2023. Entering 2025, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has hit .136 in six playoff games (no home runs, one RBI) and Bichette .273 with the same no home runs and one RBI.

Why this could be the year: This is a better Blue Jays club than those past three playoff teams. They have home-field advantage throughout the AL bracket and went 54-27 at home. Since May 27, only the Brewers have a better record, and they do things that work in postseason baseball: They play good defense and they had the lowest strikeout rate in the majors. Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber give them a strong 1-2 punch and rookie Trey Yesavage could be a huge secret weapon, either as a starter or reliever, despite just 14 innings in the majors. Plus, Guerrero and Bichette (if he’s healthy) are due to finally do something in October.

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CHICAGO — The season is on the line for the Padres, who will try to stave off elimination in the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series when they face the Cubs once more at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:08 p.m. CT/12:08 p.m. PT.

But after a 3-1 Cubs victory Tuesday, San Diego manager Mike Shildt didnâ€t seem bothered by the suddenly precarious state of this series.

“We’ll see where the game presents,†Shildt said. “Clearly our backs are against it, but look, our club is no stranger to challenges. We’re battle-tested, we’ll answer the bell [Wednesday], and we’ll go from there.â€

The Cubs will take the field with history on their side. In best-of-three Wild Card Series, teams that have won Game 1 at home have finished the series in a sweep all seven times. Game 1 winners, in general, have gone on to win the series 18 of 20 times.

One of those two exceptions? The 2020 Padres.

“Obviously, it just gets us one closer,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said of the Game 1 win. “But at the end of the day, weâ€ve got to be able to show up [Wednesday] with some intensity and be ready to compete again, because I know they will.â€

When is the game, and how can I watch it?
Game 2 will air at 2 p.m. CT/noon PT on ABC. The start time for a potential Game 3 on Thursday remains TBD.

All series are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB’s exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Padres: RHP Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.55 ERA)
Cease struggled for much of the summer but was better down the stretch, posting a 3.12 ERA with 32 strikeouts in five September starts. A Cubs 2014 Draft pick before he was dealt to the White Sox in July 2017 as a Minor Leaguer, Cease has also been excellent throughout his career at Wrigley Field, with a 2.50 ERA in three starts. That said, after Ceaseâ€s struggles throughout the summer, itâ€s possible the Padres would have a quick hook with the right-hander, given their loaded bullpen.

Cubs: RHP Andrew Kittredge (4-3, 3.40 ERA)
Cubs manager Craig Counsell played it coy about his Game 2 starter, and now the reason has been revealed. He is planning on using the veteran Kittredge as an opener after the righty worked a clean eighth inning in Game 1. The Cubs acquired Kittredge at the Trade Deadline, and he has been a key piece to the bullpen, with a 3.32 ERA and 32 strikeouts against three walks in 21 2/3 innings since joining the club. In all likelihood, lefty Shota Imanaga will be available for a bulk outing behind Kittredge. This way, Imanaga (who has struggled of late and has been homer prone) would have less exposure to the top of San Diegoâ€s order.

What are the starting lineups?

While Ramón Laureano recovers from a fractured right index finger, the Padres have used Sheets as their regular left fielder, which skews the lineup a bit lefty-heavy — particularly toward the bottom, where theyâ€ve lined up three straight lefty hitters from six through eight.

Facing another right-hander, the Cubs are sticking with the same lineup from the Game 1 win. It was also the way the order looked at the very end of the season following Tuckerâ€s return. Suzuki and Kelly powered the offense to the series-opening win with back-to-back homers off righty Nick Pivetta in the fifth inning.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

Padres: Hereâ€s where things get interesting. Michael King, who wasnâ€t included in the Wild Card Series rotation, is available in relief if Cease struggles early. Beyond King, the entire back end of the San Diego bullpen is well-rested enough, with none of the relievers having worked multiple innings on Tuesday. As usual, Robert Suarez would get the ninth, and Mason Miller will have the highest-leverage spots outside the ninth, with Adrian Morejon available to tackle the toughest lefties.

Cubs: This would normally be Imanagaâ€s scheduled start day, but using Kittredge as an opener points to having the lefty enter in relief. On the season, Imanaga allowed 31 homers in 144 2/3 innings, compared to 27 in 173 1/3 innings last season. In his final six turns this year, the lefty had a 5.97 ERA with 12 homers surrendered in 34 2/3 frames. If not Imanaga, righty Colin Rea could also be an option. Counsell used his main bullpen group (Daniel Palencia, Drew Pomeranz, Brad Keller and Kittredge) to lock down the Game 1 win, but like Kittredge, they should all be at the ready for Game 2.

Padres: Laureano remains sidelined with a finger fracture, which is costly for a Padres team that already skewed heavy on left-handed hitters. Itâ€s possible heâ€d return in a later round of the playoffs. Elias Díaz, meanwhile, could be back for the Division Series, if the Padres were to advance. But heâ€s not on their Wild Card Series roster, leaving Luis Campusano and Martín Maldonado as their backups behind Fermin.

Cubs: Tucker was the DH for Game 1, as he continues to build back to full speed when it comes to running. He missed three-plus weeks in September due to a left calf issue, but was cleared to return in time for the playoffs. It isnâ€t clear yet when Tucker will return to the outfield. Righty Cade Horton (15-day injured list, right rib fracture) is likely out for the playoffs†first two rounds.

Who is hot and who is not?

Padres: The Padres only had four hits in Game 1, but Bogaerts had two of them. Tatis and Arraez finished the regular season strong, but both went hitless in Game 1. In fact, the Padres’ trio at the top of the lineup — Tatis, Arraez, Machado — finished Tuesdayâ€s game a combined 0-for-11.

Cubs: Suzuki ended the regular season with a homer in each of his last four games, belting five total in that span. He then launched a game-tying shot in Game 1 of this series. That made Suzuki the first player in MLB history to enter the postseason on a four-game homer streak to then hit another one in his first playoff game. After hitting .333 with an .842 OPS in September, Hoerner had two hits and a sacrifice fly in the Game 1 win. Crow-Armstrong went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in Game 1.

Anything else fans might want to know?

• The Padres and Cubs have split six postseason games all-time, but the Padres have never won a game at Wrigley Field. All three of their victories came in 1984, when they rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five NL Championship Series.

• Across their last 33 postseason innings, the Padres have scored just one run, dating back to the NLDS against the Dodgers last year.

• The Cubs are trying to clinch their first postseason series win at Wrigley Field since Kyle Hendricks outdueled Clayton Kershaw to beat the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS. Both the ’16 World Series win over Cleveland and the ’17 NLDS win over the Nationals were on the road.

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Who is ready for some more MLB playoff action?

After the first day of the wild-card round featured close wins by the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox, it’s time for the first potential elimination day of the 2025 postseason.

Who will stay alive and who will be sent packing?

We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups, keys to forcing Game 3, sights and sounds from the ballparks, and postgame takeaways as each Day 2 matchup ends.

Key links:Megapreview | Day 1 lessons | Bracket | Schedule

Jump to a matchup:
DET-CLE | SD-CHC | BOS-NYY | CIN-LAD

1 p.m. ET on ESPN

Tigers lead 1-0

Game 2 starters:Casey Mize vs. Tanner Bibee

What the Guardians need to do to force Game 3:Figure out a way to score some runs. Hey, at least they won’t be facing Tarik Skubal. The Guardians’ best bet is to have Jose Ramirez or Kyle Manzardo run into something, as Mize can be vulnerable to the home run at times (21 allowed in 149 innings). But maybe Cleveland can get Mize to run up his count and force AJ Hinch to go a little earlier than he would like to a Detroit bullpen that was shaky in September (2-8, 4.58 ERA) and especially struggled in close games. — David Schoenfield

Lineups

Tigers

TBD

Guardians

TBD

3 p.m. ET on ABC

Cubs lead 1-0

Game 2 starters:Dylan Cease vs. Andrew Kittredge

What the Padres need to do to force Game 3:As dominant as the Cubs’ bullpen looked in Game 1, that suggests the Padres will need to take an early lead and hand the game to their bullpen while ahead. And that means getting a strong effort from Cease. But his home/away splits were pretty dramatic this year: Cease went 7-3 with a 3.61 ERA at home and 1-9 with a 5.58 ERA on the road. That ERA difference might be a little misleading, as his secondary stats are similar, other than a dip in his strikeout rate (12.2 K’s per nine at home, 10.8 on the road). Given the must-win nature for the Padres, Mike Shildt will have a quick hook anyway. But the Padres probably will need at least four innings from Cease — and probably with 0 or 1 in the runs allowed column. — Schoenfield

Lineups

Padres

TBD

Cubs

TBD

6 p.m. ET on ESPN

Red Sox lead 1-0

Game 2 starters:Brayan Bello vs. Carlos Rodon

What the Yankees need to do to force Game 3:The Yankees need Rodón to pitch deep into Game 3. For as well as Max Fried pitched in Game 1, the Yankees’ bullpen immediately imploded upon his exit, and the offense couldn’t recover against Garrett Crochet and Aroldis Chapman. The best way to avoid another letdown by the bullpen is to minimize its impact on the game, which would allow the group to rest up for a do-or-die Game 3. — Jorge Castillo

Lineups

Red Sox

TBD

Yankees

TBD

9 p.m. ET on ESPN

Dodgers lead 1-0

Game 2 starters:Zack Littell vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

What the Reds need to do to force Game 3:Well, not allowing five home runs is a good start. Look, this is going to be a difficult game against Yamamoto, who allowed just three runs over his final five starts of the regular season. The best hope for the Reds is a performance where Yamamoto struggles with his control, which rarely occurs but did happen in one September start when he walked six batters. That would lead to a high pitch count and a relatively early exit, allowing the Reds to get into the Dodgers’ bullpen — a unit that was certainly an issue for L.A. throughout the season and didn’t distinguish itself in the late innings of Game 1. — Schoenfield

Lineups

Reds

TBD

Dodgers

TBD

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Things swing quickly in a best-of-three series. The Reds are already up against it, while the Dodgers are just a win away from moving on.

“Our backs have been against the wall for a couple of months now,” Reds second baseman Matt McLain said. “Just go out there, play hard, play the game the right way, the way we know how to play. Weâ€ll be good.â€

The Dodgers are hopeful that they can ride the momentum from their big night at the plate to set up a date with the Phillies in the NL Division Series, continuing their title defense.

“Offensively, we’re in a really good place right now,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said. “[In Game 1], it was the offense. We know for sure it’s going to be a full effort of the whole roster right here to win this other game.”

When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch for Game 2 of the Reds-Dodgers Wild Card Series is set for 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. 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.

Who are the starting pitchers?

Reds: Zack Littell (10-8, 3.81 ERA)
Littell got the assignment for Game 2, in part, because he will be able to work on his normal four days†rest. Acquired before the Trade Deadline from the Rays, he was 2-0 with a 4.39 ERA in 10 starts after switching teams. Littell has five games of postseason experience, all in relief. That includes two games vs. the Dodgers while with the Giants in the 2021 NL Division Series. He threw 2 2/3 innings, with three runs and five strikeouts. Down the stretch this season, Littell often endured trouble the second or third times through a lineup and he was given an early hook. It would seem quite possible that manager Terry Francona could switch to lefty Nick Lodolo early in a sort of tandem start.

Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA)
Last postseason, Yamamoto showed why the Dodgers were willing to give him a record deal for a pitcher before he had even thrown a pitch in the Majors. After giving up five runs in three innings in his postseason debut against the Padres, he rebounded by holding opponents to three runs in 15 2/3 innings during the rest of the Dodgers’ World Series run.

Yamamoto built upon his strong finish to his first year in MLB and broke out in his sophomore season, anchoring L.A.’s rotation as the only pitcher who did not miss a start due to injury. He faced the Reds earlier this year, striking out nine across seven innings of one-run ball on July 28 in Cincinnati.

What might the starting lineups look like?

Reds: With a right-hander going in Yamamoto, the Reds will likely tweak their lineup slightly to get Gavin Lux’s lefty bat in there. But after being shut down in Game 1, it’s also possible Francona might try to inject more offense by adding Sal Stewart’s bat, even if he is right-handed.

Dodgers: With the Reds deploying another right-handed starter, the Game 2 lineup shouldn’t look too different than the series opener, although Miguel Rojas could work his way into the mix as the Dodgers manage Tommy Edman’s ankle. Manager Dave Roberts did not rule out the possibility of Will Smith (hairline fracture in right hand) starting a game behind the plate, although the All-Star catcher seems more likely to remain on the bench for the time being.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

Reds: In Game 1, middle reliever Scott Barlow retired all five of his batters with four strikeouts after replacing Hunter Greene in the fourth inning. Connor Phillips was used in the loss as well and gave up homers to Teoscar Hernández in the fifth inning and to Ohtani in the sixth. Although Graham Ashcraft was used in the eighth inning, the Reds avoided using their two other back-end relievers in setup man Tony Santillan and closer Emilio Pagán — who saved 32 games in the regular season. Obviously, with it being an elimination game, all hands will be on deck to pitch whatever is necessary to avoid a quick elimination.

Dodgers: Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, Jack Dreyer and Blake Treinen all pitched in Game 1. Roberts has yet to use Tyler Glasnow and Emmet Sheehan — who have shifted to the bullpen for this series — and could lean on them to cover bulk innings as the Dodgers try to close out the Wild Card Series.

Dodgers: Smith is playing through the injury to his right hand — and could possibly catch if needed — but he is more likely to be used primarily as a pinch-hitter this series. Edman will have to continue to manage his right ankle, which landed him on the IL twice earlier this year. Kiké Hernández exited Game 1 with back tightness, but Roberts said the utility man is expected to be in the lineup for Game 2.

Who is hot and who is not?

Reds: In Game 1, Steer continued his strong September with two hits that included an RBI single. Steer also hit four homers over the last 10 regular season games. After he struggled mightily over the final weeks of the season, McLain hit a two-out double in the third inning and a single in the eighth inning on Tuesday. On the other hand, Hayes went 0-for-4 to continue his rough stretch that ended the regular season with him going 3-for-37 (.081) over his final 14 games.

Dodgers: Teoscar Hernández, who ended the regular season on a six-game hitting streak, went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers on Tuesday night. Kiké Hernández also built some momentum toward the end of the regular season and went 2-for-3 before exiting due to his back. Muncy went hitless in Game 1 and ended the regular season hitting .118 with a .562 OPS in his final 11 games, although he was dealing with some lower body soreness that he said affected his swing at the time.

Anything else fans might want to know?

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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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Sep 29, 2025, 06:27 PM ET

Wow, what an amazing finish to the MLB regular season! Now it’s your turn, October.

The 2025 MLB playoffs start Tuesday (1 p.m. ET on ESPN), and we’re here to get you ready for what is setting up to be a thrilling postseason.

Will Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers meet Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees in a World Series rematch? Is this the year the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers finally get to the Fall Classic? Will the Philadelphia Phillies make another deep run after a strong regular season? Or will the chaos that ruled September continue to reign?

MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield get you ready with odds for every round, why every team could win it all — or go home early — and a name to watch for on all 12 World Series hopefuls.

Note: World Series and matchup odds come from Doolittle’s formula using power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes. Team temperatures are based on Bill James’ formula for determining how “hot” or “cold” a team is at any given point; average is 72°.

Insider intel | Schedule | Bracket | ESPN BET

Jump to a team:
TOR | SEA | CLE | NYY | BOS | DET
MIL | PHI | LAD | CHC | SD | CIN

ESPN

American League

No. 1 seed | 94-68 | AL East champs

ALDS opponent: Yankees (46.7% chance of advancing) or Red Sox (51.3% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 11.4% | ESPN BET Odds: +750

Team temperature: 91°

Why they can win the World Series: The Blue Jays don’t strike out, and they field as cleanly as any team in the postseason field. Toronto has scuffled lately, yes, and the culprit is a punchless offense. But Toronto has spent much of the season with one of the game’s best units in runs scored as well as wOBA, and although Bo Bichette’s return from a knee injury is questionable, the Blue Jays still have enough to mash their way past teams. They’ll need good pitching, and while there isn’t a clear ace or lockdown bullpen piece, they have droves of arms capable of excellence. There’s a reason the Blue Jays have spent much of the season fighting for the best record in the American League. Excellence isn’t accidental. And not striking out in the postseason is quite the excellent predictor of success. — Passan

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:George Springer. At age 35, Springer was Toronto’s best hitter this season, changing his approach by focusing more on his “A” swing at all times to generate more consistent bat speed and a higher hard-hit percentage. That resulted in nearly doubling his average launch angle while keeping his strikeout rate stable anyway. Oh, and he’s been a great postseason hitter in his career, hitting .268/.346/.529 with 19 home runs in 67 games and winning World Series MVP honors with the Astros in 2017.— Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …the offense doesn’t wake up. The Blue Jays’ recipe for scoring runs this season centered around putting the ball in play and not striking out while still featuring some power. But that pop vanished down the stretch before turning it on the final weekend. Their struggles correspond with Bo Bichette going on the injured list with a sprained knee. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Springer were two of the best hitters in the American League this season, but Toronto clearly missed Bichette, who hasn’t been cleared to begin running. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: At some point in these playoffs, the Blue Jays will hold a narrow lead, the ninth inning will arrive, the microscope will zoom in on Jeff Hoffman, and nobody will know what to expect. Hoffman was really bad in May, July and August, pretty good in the other months, and on the whole, has allowed way too many home runs and absorbed way too many blown saves in the first season of a three-year, $33 million deal. How far the Blue Jays advance in this year’s postseason will rest largely on Hoffman’s right arm. A close-up, indeed. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:Three true outcomes baseball got you down? Tune in to some Blue Jays baseball to fulfill all of your balls-in-play needs. Toronto put the ball in play in 81.7% of its plate appearances, first in the majors and the highest percentage by an AL team since the 2017 Astros. There’s a connection here, of course: Springer played for both clubs. If that means anything, it bodes well for Toronto because Houston won the 2017 World Series. We won’t get into what came after. — Doolittle

No. 2 seed | 90-72 | AL West champs

ALDS opponent: Guardians (62.8% chance of advancing) or Tigers (50.9% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 9.7% | ESPN BET Odds: +500

Team temperature: 88°

Why they can win the World Series: They’ve had the best offense in baseball in September. Their rotation is replete with starting pitchers who, on any given night, can throw seven shutout frames. The back end of their bullpen features two of the nastiest relievers in the game. And they’ve got the Big Dumper. Regardless of his might this year, Cal Raleigh himself can’t carry an entire team, which is why it’s nice to have Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena and Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco and Dom Canzone and J.P. Crawford in the lineup, too. And as long as Bryan Woo remains healthy, the rotation with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Luis Castillo might be the best in the postseason. Finish off with Matt Brash in the eighth and Andres Munoz in the ninth, and you can see why FanGraphs has the Mariners with the best odds to win the World Series of any team in baseball. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Julio Rodriguez. Wait, not Raleigh? Sure, that’s the more obvious choice, but after his historic power season, it’s possible teams will pitch around Raleigh in October and force other hitters to beat them. That would open the door for J-Rod, who heated up the final two-plus months and bats after Raleigh in the lineup. Throw in some spectacular center-field defense and he could join Springer as the only center fielder to win World Series MVP honors since … well, this is pretty shocking: Springer and Reggie Jackson in 1973 are the only center fielders to win since the award began in 1955. — Schoenfield

The Big Dumper … and some magic?

Seattle has never won a World Series. Or even an American League pennant. Could a little bit of alchemy change that? Alden Gonzalez »

If they go home early it will be because …Woo’s injury is a real issue. The All-Star, who exited his start on Sept. 19 with inflammation in his right pectoral, did not make his scheduled start Thursday. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander told reporters the club did not believe the setback warranted putting Woo on the injured list and he’s responded well from treatment, but Woo will go into the postseason without having pitched in a game in over two weeks.While Seattle’s rotation is one of the deepest in baseball, Woo emerged as the ace this season with a 2.94 ERA over 30 starts. He is critical to their World Series chances. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Woo didn’t debut until 2023, the year after the Mariners made their last trip to the playoffs. By 2024, he had established himself as one of the game’s best young pitchers. And in 2025, he cemented that by making his first All-Star team, the high point of a regular season in which he won 15 games, posted a 2.94 ERA, compiled 186â…” innings and was the most consistent starter in a Mariners rotation that didn’t find itself until recently. Woo exited his last start with pectoral tightness. The hope is he’ll be good to go for the playoffs. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:Behold the historic firsts … or at least the possibility of them. Raleigh’s home run ticker rolls back to zero when the playoffs begin, and while he’ll still attract plenty of attention, that number zero looms large over the Mariners’ franchise as a whole. Seattle remains the only franchise with zero World Series appearances. Three of the Mariners’ five playoff trips have ended in the ALCS, culminating in two losses to the Yankees and one to Cleveland — possible obstacles this year as well. — Doolittle

No. 3 seed | 88-74 | AL Central champs

Wild-card opponent: Tigers (47.4% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 1.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +2000

Team temperature: 104°

Why they can win the World Series: Well, why can’t they? They couldn’t possibly make the playoffs after a 64-66 start and trading Shane Bieber at the deadline, could they? They could. And though it’s a wild, out-of-nowhere run, its explicability is not the point. Sometimes teams just get hot and win. The Guardians stole the Central from Detroit in historic fashion. During September, the offense was good, led by Jose Ramírez adding to his Hall of Fame case with another power-and-speed masterclass. The Guardians are here, though, because of their pitching. There is no Sabathia, no Lee, no Kluber — and no Emmanuel Clase, out since the probe into alleged ties to illicit gambling. And yet the Guardians, again and again, turn out pitching. And if they can carry a 2.25 ERA for the month, it doesn’t matter what their names are. They’re the ones winning, and that’s the only thing that matters in October. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:The correct answer is probably “the bullpen,” but we have to pick an individual, so let’s go with the easy answer here and say Ramírez, even though he hasn’t hit well in his postseason career (.239, 4 HRs in 42 games). He has the type of offensive game that should translate well to October, however, with his power and one of the best contact rates in the game. If the Guardians do win, it’s hard to envision them doing it without a locked-in Ramírez. –– Schoenfield

Inside Guardians’ epic run to reach playoffs

Cleveland caught the rest of MLB sleeping as it climbed the standings. And that’s exactly what the Guardians do best.
Jesse Rogers »

If they go home early it will be because …the offense regresses to pre-September form. Just two Guardians finished the season with an OPS+ above league average: Perennial All-Star Ramírez and first baseman/DH Kyle Manzardo. But Cleveland’s offense was better down the stretch, ranking fourth in the AL in runs scored in September to fuel this improbable run into the postseason. Perhaps the momentum will continue into October. If it does, the Guardians are a dangerous ballclub. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up:The Guardians are a team built on pitching, a truism that has never been more obvious than over this last month. But at some point, they’re going to have to hit. And it can’t just be Ramírez and Steven Kwan. Enter Manzardo, who just wrapped up his first full season in the big leagues and will play a big part in the Guardians’ power production in October. Manzardo emerged last September, solidified a place in the starting lineup and produced in the postseason, collecting six hits in 19 at-bats. It’s critical that he provide something similar this time around. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:Everybody loves a Cinderella story, and the Guardians are wearing glass slippers this October. Their low point in my simulations came near the end of August: a 1.5% chance to make the bracket. They were done, with no underlying element suggesting a rebound was likely. Yet here they are, back in the playoffs, with another chance to break baseball’s longest active championship drought. This team was 15½ games out back in July! Readers of the Brothers Grimm know that not all fairy tales end well, but you’ve got to see how this one turns out.— Doolittle

No. 4 seed | 94-68 | AL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Red Sox (58.1% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 9.1% | ESPN BET Odds: +850

Team temperature: 120°

Why they can win the World Series: They hit home runs. And, no, that’s not going to be the only reason. But it’s the most compelling. The Yankees have the best home run hitter in the game today in Aaron Judge, and he’s bound to show up one of these Octobers and unleash the full extent of his power in the postseason. The mere possibility of that makes New York dangerous. The Yankees complement it with a lineup of hitters who, even taking out Judge’s 53, combined for 221 home runs, which would rank seventh in MLB. That disincentivizes pitching around him. Between Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, the Yankees have one of the game’s best starting pairs, and their relief pitching is showing good signs over the past week. Ultimately, the Yankees will go as far as the long ball takes them. If they keep hitting homers, they’ll be tough to stop, regardless of deficiencies elsewhere. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Look, Judge’s postseason history isn’t great. It’s not even good by his regular-season standards, with a career line of .205/.318/.450 and just .169/.283/.360 over his past three postseasons across 24 games. But he’s the best hitter in baseball, and he’s certainly due for a big October. It helps that, with a team that led the majors in home runs, he has more help around him than some of those other playoff lineups. — Schoenfield

What it’s really like facing Aaron Judge

We asked everyone from MLB aces and former college rivals to a tech salesman for their best tales of squaring off against the Yankees slugger. Facing Judge »

If they go home early it will be because …relievers don’t perform to their track records. The names in New York’s bullpen pop: David Bednar. Devin Williams. Luke Weaver. Camilo Doval. All four have been successful closers at the major league level; Weaver, the only one without an All-Star nod, was the closer for the Yankees’ World Series push last year. But the Yankees’ relief corps has been mercurial since adding Bednar and Doval at the trade deadline. Bednar established himself as the closer, but Doval has been sporadic. The group’s ceiling is high. But the second half proved its floor is surprisingly low.— Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: Ben Rice carried the Yankees in their last road game of the regular season, collecting four hits, including the 10th-inning grand slam that sent them to victory in Baltimore. The 26-year-old has emerged as a crucial part of the lineup and will find himself in it often in October, whether he’s at first base or behind the plate. This lineup seems deeper than the one the Yankees fielded in last year’s World Series run, and Rice is a key reason. Said manager Aaron Boone: “I think we’re seeing the emergence of a true middle-of-the-order bat with power.” — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:Well, let’s face it, you root for them because you’re already a Yankees fan, but other than that, the fun actually lies in rooting against the Yankees. But it’s hard to root against Judge, and sometimes even great players have a negative postseason narrative that follows them around. If the Yankees win, and it’s because Judge finally goes off in October, it’s just good, solid baseball history that, as a baseball fan, you won’t want to miss. — Doolittle

No. 5 seed | 89-73 | AL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Yankees (41.9% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 4.7% | ESPN BET Odds: +1800

Team temperature: 83°

Why they can win the World Series: As much as the Red Sox have oscillated this season between looking like they’re ready to be fitted for rings one day and likely to spend October watching games on TV another, the good is good enough to get through a relatively porous AL slate and take their chances against the NL. As long as Roman Anthony is out with a strained oblique, the Red Sox will not be at their best, considering they’re 44-27 when he plays and 45-46 when he doesn’t. But with the closest thing to Tarik Skubal in the AL in Garrett Crochet and an underappreciated bullpen that can help win games, Boston’s path to winning narrows. The Red Sox aren’t the best team in the AL but counting them out — particularly if Alex Bregman can get going — would be short-sighted. — Passan

Watch: MLB Wild Card Series

Eight teams will take the field, but only four will move on. Watch every wild-card series matchup through Thursday on ESPN and ABC.

Tuesday’s schedule:

DET @ CLE: 1:08 p.m. on ESPN
SD @ CHC: 3:08 p.m. ET on ABC
BOS @ NYY: 6:08 p.m. on ESPN
CIN @ LAD: 9:08 p.m. ET on ESPN

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:This is a long shot since the last closer to win MVP honors was Mariano Rivera in 1999, but Aroldis Chapman had one of the most unhittable relief seasons of all time and has blown just one save all season, way back in May. Given that most of the other playoff teams have concerns about the reliability of their late-game relievers, Chapman’s ability to lock down leads could be the difference. – Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because … the lineup doesn’t muster enough runs without Anthony. Postseason teams usually don’t depend on 21-year-old rookies to motor their offense, but Anthony is different. From July 1 through Sept. 2, the day Anthony strained his oblique, the Red Sox ranked sixth in the majors in runs scored and eighth in wRC+. Without him the production tumbled and the Red Sox became a .500 team. Anthony’s return doesn’t appear imminent — he hasn’t resumed baseball activities — so the Red Sox will have to figure it out without him at least to survive the wild-card round. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up:When Crochet first appeared in October, he was a reliever for the White Sox, not the ace of this Red Sox staff and one of the five best pitchers in all of baseball. Crochet made his 32nd and final regular-season start Wednesday, throwing eight scoreless innings in Toronto to put him at 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA in his second year as a starter. His last four starts saw him allow just six runs in 27 innings. With the season winding down, Crochet only seems to be getting stronger. Next up: a Game 1 start. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:This is your chance to possibly see baseball’s newest postseason legend born. Yes, Crochet does already have some postseason history under his belt, having tossed three scoreless innings over four relief outings with six whiffs while with the White Sox. But this is a whole different Crochet, a full-blown ace who has seemingly gotten stronger as the season has advanced even though he has never carried anywhere close to this heavy of a workload. Crochet is going to be must-watch every time he takes the hill in the playoffs.— Doolittle

No. 6 seed | 87-75 | AL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Guardians (52.6% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 4.8% | ESPN BET Odds: +1800

Team temperature: 42°

Why they can win the World Series: Because once upon a time this was the best team in the American League. It’s easy to forget after their historic collapse, but the Tigers entered May, June, July, August and, yes, September with the best record in the AL. Recent travails notwithstanding, this is a good baseball team, and even with a number of pitchers and infielder Colt Keith on the injured list, the Tigers have the depth — and in manager A.J. Hinch the acumen — to do damage in October. It starts with Tarik Skubal, the best pitcher in baseball the past two seasons and one hell of an assignment for the Guardians in Game 1 of a three-game series. Win that, get the good feeling back, hope the slugging of Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson shows up, find top-level form from Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty and pray the bullpen finds some strikeout elixir. More than anything, remember what it’s like to win after spending too long not knowing the feeling. –– Passan

The extraordinary mystery of Tarik Skubal

“I wasn’t good until I was 26,” the All-Star pitcher says. Here’s how Skubal rose from Little League lore to Cy Young. Tim Keown »

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Skubal would be the easy answer, but Stephen Strasburg is the only pitcher to win World Series MVP honors in the past 10 years and only he, Madison Bumgarner and Cole Hamels have won the award in the past 20 postseasons. So maybe Greene? He can run hot and cold with the bat and the strikeouts are a concern, but he can also hit some big home runs.— Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …the starting rotation around Skubal doesn’t carry its weight. Skubal, the AL Cy Young favorite, recorded a 2.42 ERA in four September starts. And yet the Tigers’ rotation ERA for the month was still a bloated 4.84. That helps explain the team’s near-monumental collapse, though the offense and bullpen didn’t help matters. Flaherty and Mize, the team’s No. 2 and 3 starters, must give the Tigers some effective length to avoid an early exit. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up:Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, did not pitch for the Tigers in last year’s wild-card round and was left off their ALDS roster. It marked his first season back from a prolonged recovery from Tommy John surgery, and Mize never truly felt right. This year, he made his first All-Star team and, with help from a solid enough September, established himself as a key member of the postseason rotation. If the Tigers are going to go from nearly blowing a playoff spot to playing deep into October, other starters are going to have to step up beyond Skubal. It’s Mize’s turn to prove he can. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them: Want to see how bouncy a baseball team can be? Check out the nosediving Tigers, who squeaked into the playoffs largely because they weren’t the only AL contender in a late-season free fall. Detroit’s .291 September winning percentage doesn’t bode well. In fact, if the Tigers can rebound from here to the heights of a title, it would be an unprecedented reversal.. Only 10 eventual champs have sported a last-month winning percentage under .500. The worst was the .414 mark (12-17) of the 2006 Cardinals — who beat Detroit in that year’s World Series. — Doolittle

National League

No. 1 seed | 97-65 | NL Central champs

NLDS opponent: Cubs (55.7% chance of advancing) or Padres (59.2% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 19.8% | ESPN BET Odds: +800

Team temperature: 67°

Why they can win the World Series: They’ve been the best team in baseball over six months. In the modern game, that takes a blend of depth, player development and fidelity to an ethos that runs through the organization expecting excellence. If the deck is stacked against you, unstack it and restack it to better suit you. It’s easy to say, but how the Brewers play — disciplined and smart and fully bought-in — is an enviable brand of baseball. They’re a fun team to watch because they were better than everyone, sure. But really fun because they bully without the home run, which is something of a novel concept in today’s game. Milwaukee embraced it as it embraces any impediment. There’s always the chance that a consistently winning team never makes the World Series. But the cavalry of live arms, the nine hitters with OPS+ over 111 (and two more over 100), the NL-best 164 steals, the glovework that’s among the best in MLB by every publicly available defensive metric — it makes sense. They’re the best for a reason. So why would that change? — Passan

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If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Brice Turang is no longer just a slick-fielding second baseman with speed. He has added power this season, especially in the second half — during which he’s slugged over .500. He hits righties and lefties, does a good job of not chasing out of the zone and can pound fastballs. Oh, and he hit .364 with runners in scoring position. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …their lack of power catches up with them. Runs are often scarce in October when teams maximize deploying their best pitchers. And while manufacturing them by any means necessary is the goal, hitting home runs is an indicator of October success. The only team to finish outside the top nine in home runs for a season and reach the World Series over the past five years was the 2023 Diamondbacks. The Brewers, meanwhile, finished this season tied for 21st in home runs with Christian Yelich’s 29 leading the way. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up: The hype that surrounded Jacob Misiorowski at midseason, prompting a surprising All-Star appearance despite fewer than 30 career major league innings, has since faded. In nine starts since then, his ERA is 5.45. He’s no longer good enough to crack the Brewers’ postseason rotation. Not yet, anyway. The team, though, is considering using him out of the bullpen, and that’s when things could get really interesting. Misiorowski captivated the nation because he possessed some of the sport’s most devastating stuff despite taking on the workload of a starting pitcher. Out of the bullpen, that triple-digit fastball and wipeout slider would certainly play, especially in October. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:The Brewers are one of the three teams in this year’s field — along with the Mariners and Padres — hunting for their first title. But this was the best regular season in Milwaukee’s history, and for the first time since 1982, the Brewers will enter the playoffs with the best record in MLB. Intangibly, this is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing team to watch, featuring flashy defenders, a number of high-volume base stealers and a lot of balls in play. In other words, the reasons to watch and root for the Brew Crew are many. It would be much harder to identify reasons you would not want to root for them.— Doolittle

No. 2 seed | 96-66 | NL East champs

NLDS opponent: Dodgers (51.3% chance of advancing) or Reds (66.0% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 16.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +400

Team temperature: 90°

Why they can win the World Series: Kyle Schwarber is made for October, and he will hold court, along with Bryce Harper, Cristopher Sanchez, Jhoan Duran and the rest of the cavalcade, in front of the most raucous crowd in baseball at Citizens Bank Park. Those are the featured players, but the Phillies’ run could hinge on their four starters’ capacity to go deep into games. The bullpen is top-heavy, and the top is good, but if they aren’t scared off by the third time through the order like so many others, the Phillies can ride their rotation far. Schwarber and Harper have combined for 38 home runs in 510 career postseason plate appearances and are two of the best playoff performers of their generation. If the Phillies can hit some timely home runs — eight others on the roster reached double-digit homers — their case, already perhaps the most compelling in baseball, gets that much stronger. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:We have two logical choices here: Schwarber and Harper. Both have been outstanding in the playoffs. Schwarber has a .906 OPS and 21 home runs in 69 games, and Harper has a 1.016 OPS and 17 home runs in 53 games. Schwarber, of course, had a monster regular season. Let’s go with Harper, though. He knows how to lock in for October better than any other active hitter, and with time possibly running out on this aging Phillies team, it might be now or never for Harper to win a World Series. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …Trea Turner doesn’t quickly find his rhythm. Turner was placed on the injured list because of a Grade 1 hamstring strain Sept. 8. He was activated Friday and played in Sunday’s season finale. The Phillies’ offense hummed without Turner behind Schwarber’s continued dominance of opposing pitchers, but October is a different beast, and Turner is an elite talent who could change Philadelphia’s playoff fortunes. The shortstop won the NL batting title, led the league with 179 hits and stole 36 bases. A healthy Turner adds another dimension. — Castillo

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Ready for his October close-up:Jhoan Duran got a taste of postseason baseball with the Twins in 2023, but he has never experienced it quite like at “The Bank,” with his walkout song blaring through what is widely considered the loudest, most boisterous ballpark this time of year. The Phillies’ front office beat out a bevy of suitors for Duran at the trade deadline, and he has been everything the team could have imagined, locking down the back end of a leaky bullpen and looking very much like the final player of a title quest. Soon, the ninth inning will come, and “El Incomprendido” will play. Philly will be ready.— Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:Tired of the bullpen parade? The Phillies are your team. Philadelphia far and away paced the majors in innings from starters. It wasn’t just volume either, as Philly logged baseball’s third-best rotation ERA (3.57). And it wasn’t because the Phillies preached pitch to contact: Philadelphia led all of baseball in strikeout rate from starting pitchers, and strikeout-minus-walks percentage. Sure, the loss of Zack Wheeler is a bummer, but the Sanchez-led rotation remains the foundation of the Phillies and their greatest hopes to traverse the bullpen-heavy staffs of the rest of the bracket en route to the World Series.— Doolittle

No. 3 seed | 93-69 | NL West champs

Wild-card opponent: Reds (68.4% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 10.7% | ESPN BET Odds: +500

Team temperature: 105°

Why they can win the World Series: They did it last year and pretty much everyone who contributed to that team is back — plus a few more. This time, they’ve got to get through the wild-card series, which is no fun, but their starting pitching depth is truly daunting. No matter how they deploy Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, any permutation works. The bullpen is … a work in progress. But if you’re seeking a functional relief corps on the fly, there are worse places to start than with a group of 10 who have thrown out of the bullpen this month, seven at 95-plus (including Roki Sasaki), with Emmet Sheehan and Clayton Kershaw likewise at the ready. As for the hitters: Ohtani will win his second straight NL MVP, Mookie Betts is right again, Freddie Freeman in October is automatic and even if Will Smith is out, what the Dodgers manage better than anyone is depth, and despite the disappointment of the regular season, there exists this truth: If every team plays its best, the Dodgers are better than all of them. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:How about Freeman in a repeat performance? Hey, Corey Seager won in 2020 and 2023 (for two different teams), although no player has won MVP in back-to-back World Series. Freeman has played 11 World Series games — and reached via a hit in all 11 with an OPS of 1.171. He never lets the moment get too big, and another big World Series would cement his status as one of the all-time great clutch postseason performers. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …the bullpen sinks this behemoth. Six different Dodgers relievers finished September with an ERA north of 5.00. Their team bullpen ERA for the month that ranked 26th in baseball. Only three teams blew more saves. Tanner Scott’s first season in Los Angeles was a colossal disappointment. Kirby Yates, their other major free agent bullpen addition, landed on the injured list again during the final week of the regular season. Brock Stewart, the only reliever acquired at the trade deadline, pitched in four games before going on the IL. As a result, the Dodgers will supplement the bullpen with starters; Kershaw, Sasaki and Sheehan all figure to play significant relief roles in October. — Castillo

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Ready for his October close-up: Baseball fans were delighted to see Ohtani grace the postseason stage last October, but that was only half of him. This year, Ohtani will be fully unlocked. He’ll pitch — perhaps as soon as Game 1 of the wild-card round — and he’ll hit, with few, if any, limitations. The Dodgers were very careful in how they handled Ohtani’s pitching return, all with the thought of making sure he was at his best going into October. That goal was accomplished. Ohtani has once again proven he can be as dominant on the mound as he is in the batter’s box. Now, he’ll show it when it really counts. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:You like dynasties? Another Dodgers title would further cement L.A.’s dominance over the rest of baseball. The Dodgers looked far more vulnerable than predicted during the season, and their struggles continued into the latter stages of the regular season. But Ohtani will unleash his two-way act in the playoffs for the first time, Betts has turned around his down season, and everyone wants to send Kershaw into retirement on a high note. Dynasties are dynasties because they win even when their plans haven’t unfolded exactly as they foresaw.— Doolittle

No. 4 seed | 92-70 | NL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Padres (55.0% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 6.2% | ESPN BET Odds: +1400

Team temperature: 83°

Why they can win the World Series:They’re a magnificent defensive team, they’ve got Kyle Tucker back to charge an offense that has been a bottom-quarter run-scoring team in the second half, and Daniel Palencia has also returned with his velocity. Maybe their flashes of excellence when they were healthy get rekindled. The Cubs might not be as talented as the NL elite, but their lineup is filled with hitters willing to take walks and not striking out exorbitantly. That kind of approach — and home run hitting — win in October, and the Cubs have both. Keep the steady performances from Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller to lengthen the bullpen and hope for a mid-postseason return by Cade Horton, who would immediately make their chances that much better. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Ian Happ. Tucker has battled multiple injuries in the second half, including a calf injury that sidelined him most of September. Pete Crow-Armstrong has dropped off significantly in the second half. Seiya Suzuki has likewise slumped. Happ is the overlooked member of the Cubs’ lineup, but he’s a switch-hitter with power, he gets on base, controls his strikeouts reasonably well, has hit well in the second half and usually bats second or third, giving him plenty of RBI and run-scoring opportunities. — Schoenfield

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If they go home early it will be because …the late injuries pushed them off track. The Cubs’ best every-day player (Tucker), top starting pitcher (Horton) and closer (Palencia) dealt with injuries down the stretch. Though Tucker (calf) and Palencia (shoulder) returned from the injured list during the regular season’s final week, Horton was pulled from his start last Tuesday because of back tightnesss and placed on the injured list Saturday because of a rib fracture, the team announced, eliminating any chance of him pitching in the wild-card round.— Castillo

Ready for his October close-up:Here’s one thing we know about the Cubs going into these playoffs: they’re going to have to score runs, especially with Horton out for at least the first round. Kyle Tucker missed most of September and Pete Crow-Armstrong had the majors’ lowest OPS among qualified hitters after the start of August, which only heightens the pressure on someone like Michael Busch. There’s plenty of reason for hope. The Cubs’ offense hasn’t been clicking on all cylinders lately, but Busch, 27, has been at his best over these last couple weeks and led the team with 34 home runs this season. He’ll be at the top of the lineup against righties and his production will be critical. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:An eight-year title drought is small potatoes in Chicago, but 2016 is starting to feel like a long time ago. This version of the Cubs, led by first-title-seeker Craig Counsell, has a chance to carve out its place in the hearts of North Side fans with a deep run this October. When the Cubs have been at their best, they’ve featured an electric offense led by Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki and current fan favorite (P-C-A! P-C-A!) Pete Crow-Armstrong. With Tucker headed for free agency, this might be the Cubs’ best shot at matching their 2016 heights with this group.— Doolittle

No. 5 seed | 90-72 | NL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Cubs (45.0% chance of advancing)

Doolittle’s WS odds: 4.2% | ESPN BET Odds: +1400

Team temperature: 99°

Why they can win the World Series: They’re built to succeed in modern playoff baseball — and if they do, the superpen is going to become even more of a desirable asset than it already is. Just this week, the Padres deployed six relievers who threw 98 mph-plus. Have fun, hitters. The Padres need the dynamic version of their offense that hasn’t shown up this year, when they ranked 19th in runs scored. They were better in the second half, and among Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill, the Padres have three could-be anchors. The hitters around them have potential, and complementing a very good rotation with that bullpen gives San Diego arguably the deepest group of pitchers in the postseason. That tends to be what wins teams championships. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Is it fair to say the Padres will go only as far as Machado will take them? Seems reasonable. You need to hit home runs to win in October and the Padres don’t hit a lot of them, so they will need to rely on Machado, the team’s best power hitter, to hit a few over the wall. In 25 postseason games with the Padres, he has hit just .216/.252/.461, although with seven home runs. He’s a future Hall of Famer still looking for that signature October moment. Maybe it finally arrives in 2025. — Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …the volatile starting rotation flounders. Though the ceiling is high for the rotation, the floor is concerningly low going into the postseason. Nick Pivetta emerged as a steady ace in his first year in San Diego, but Michael King, Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish all dealt with varying degrees of inconsistency this season. King probably starts Game 2 of the wild-card series. Cease, whose ceiling includes no-hit stuff, and Darvish, whose postseason history includes great success and prominent failure, round out the talented collection. With one of the best bullpens in baseball, the Padres just need some solid length from their starters. — Castillo

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Ready for his October close-up: The Padres used their best prospect — some would say their only great prospect — to acquire Mason Miller from the A’s in July, all with the hopes that the hard-throwing closer could help put them over the top in October. The Padres head into the playoffs with serious concerns about their rotation and expect to rely heavily on their bullpen, a unit that will be without one of its most important pitchers in Jason Adam. Miller has been called on to record more than three outs various times this season. Expect that to continue in his first taste of October. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:You want your team to try — to leverage the present in lieu of punting in hopes of a better future? Then the Padres are your team, with the frenetic A.J. Preller going all-in when it comes to treating each season as a chance to win, no matter what he’s facing in terms of payroll challenges or the fallout from past bouts of hyperaggression. The Padres try, and if they can beat the Cubs in the wild-card round, San Diego will again get a chance to showcase what has become one of the great game-day atmospheres in the major leagues.— Doolittle

No. 6 seed | 83-79 | NL wild card

Wild-card opponent: Dodgers (31.6% chance of advancing)

World Series odds: 1.5% | ESPN BET Odds: +2000

Team temperature: 84°

Why they can win the World Series: Because the Reds believe in starting pitching, and starting pitching — in a world of the bullpenification of October — still has its place. You think the Dodgers aren’t sweating at least a little at the prospect of facing Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott in the first two games of a three-game series? And then what happens when those fears are proven warranted? First Cincinnati backdoors its way into the postseason by overtaking the Mets on the season’s final weekend. Then the Reds follow that by beating the half-billion-dollar defending World Series champions led by the best player in the world? At that point, teams start feeling something, and, no, a special feeling does not a champion make. But the Reds have a little friskiness about them, and even if they’re the last seed in the NL, the Diamondbacks were two years ago, too. With Terry Francona at the helm, underestimate them at your peril. — Passan

If they win it all, the 2025 World Series MVP will be:Pitchers don’t often win the MVP, but the rotation has been the strength for the Reds, and Greene is the starter most likely to reel off a dominant October thanks to his power arsenal. We saw that in a couple of his clutch September starts: A complete-game one-hitter with nine strikeouts against the Cubs and a seven-inning, one-hit, 12-strikeout performance against the Mets. – Schoenfield

If they go home early it will be because …the starting pitching fails to compensate for their weak offense. For the Reds to make a run, they need their starting pitching to carry them. Greene, Abbott and Nick Lodolo should be Cincinnati’s rotation for the wild-card series — unless the groin injury Lodolo suffered in his final regular-season start on Thursday keeps him out — and that trio is one of the best in baseball. The offense, meanwhile, was one of the worst in the majors in the second half, ranking in the bottom third in runs scored, home runs and wRC+\. — Castillo

Ready for his October close-up:Noelvi Marte’s October moment actually arrived in September — on Thursday afternoon, in Game 159 of the Reds’ season, when he leaped against the fence to rob Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds of a ninth-inning, game-tying home run. Marte’s role on this Reds team was muddled when Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes came over before the trade deadline. In hopes of keeping his bat in the lineup, they moved Marte to right field, where his plus arm would play. Marte has handled it well enough to remain a fixture in the Reds’ lineup. That’s what matters most. But the occasional season-saving catch is certainly welcomed. — Gonzalez

Why you should root for them:You like young, exciting players? In terms of pure, unadulterated excitement, there might be no better hitter-pitcher pair on any team than Elly De La Cruz and Greene. Greene can dominate opponents deep into games, making him a true weapon in a playoff context. Meanwhile, with De La Cruz, you get homers and singles, and you get strikeouts and errors. Good or bad, you can’t take your eyes off the guy.— Doolittle

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Big blow for New Zealand as their allrounder Rachin Ravindra suffered an injury during a training session ahead of the T2I series against Australia. The injury reportedly happened on Tuesday. The incident occurred when Ravindra collided with a boundary hoarding while attempting a catch, leaving him with a facial laceration.

Rachin Ravindra Suffers Facial Injury: Under Close Monitoring

The 24-year-old underwent an initial concussion test at the ground, which he passed, but will continue to be closely monitored by the teamâ€s medical staff in the coming hours. Ravindraâ€s availability for the three-match T20I series, set to begin on October 1 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, remains uncertain.

This marks Ravindraâ€s second facial injury of 2025. Earlier this year, in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, he was struck on the forehead during a tri-series match against South Africa in Lahore, which ruled him out of the remainder of that series and New Zealand’s opening Champions Trophy match against Pakistan.

New Zealand will be hoping that Ravindraâ€s injury is not serious, given his importance to the side across formats. With the T20I series against Australia looming large, the team will be keen to assess his fitness before finalising the squad.

The series will continue with two more games on October 3 and 4, and New Zealand will be hoping to have all key players available for a crucial clash against their trans-Tasman rivals.

New Zealand vs Australia T20I Series Schedule

DateMatchVenueTimeOct 01, WedNew Zealand vs Australia 1st T20IBay Oval, Mount Maunganui06:15 AM GMT / 07:15 PM LOCALOct 03, FriNew Zealand vs Australia 2nd T20IBay Oval, Mount Maunganui06:15 AM GMT / 07:15 PM LOCALOct 04, SatNew Zealand vs Australia 3rd T20IBay Oval, Mount Maunganui06:15 AM GMT / 07:15 PM LOCAL

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Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been injured in a nets training mishap, adding to his list of unfortunate accidents.

Maxwell was bowling in the nets when batsman Mitchell Owen “smoked” a shot back at him and left him with a fractured arm.

The 36-year-old previously fractured a leg when a friend fell on it at a 50th birthday party in 2022.

He was also left concussed when he fell off a golf cart at the 2023 World Cup.

His latest injury has ruled him out of this week’s three-match T20 series in New Zealand.

Australian all-rounder Matthew Short was batting in an adjoining net in Mount Maunganui and said he saw the incident “out of the corner of my eye”.

Speaking to cricket.com.au, he added: “I saw [Owen] smoked it and then the aftermath. It hit Maxi on the wrist. It didn’t sound good.

“[Owen] is not the guy you want to be bowling to in T20 training, that’s for sure.”

Maxwell, who has been replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe for the series, could now be a doubt for a home five-match one-day international series against India in October.

“Maxi’s been there and gone through [serious injuries] a couple of times now,” said Short.

“He was a bit disappointed but it’s just like any other injury. I’m sure he’ll get through it.”

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NEW YORK — October baseball doesnâ€t need extra fuel, but the Red Sox and Yankees in the Bronx? Thatâ€s gasoline on an open flame.

The sportâ€s fiercest rivalry will write its latest chapter this week as the Yankees and Red Sox meet in the American League Wild Card Series. The shared history between these franchises illustrates how the postseason can reset narratives, offering fresh opportunities for heartbreak and heroics.

The Yankees earned the right to host, and Yankee Stadium is bracing for a cauldron of noise. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and the rest of New Yorkâ€s power core have shouldered the weight of expectations all summer, now stepping onto a stage where a single swing can alter legacies.

“Weâ€ve got a rowdy crowd out there, a rowdy group thatâ€s been behind us all year long,†Judge said. “Even in our tough times in the summer, they were still showing out in numbers, supporting us. Theyâ€re definitely going to be excited for a Yankees-Red Sox postseason matchup, thatâ€s for sure.â€

Across the diamond, Boston arrives with its own dangerous mix of youth and experience, carrying the swagger of a team that believes it can spoil the party in enemy territory. Boston won nine of the 13 meetings between the clubs this year.

“Just as a fan of the game, I think growing up, you know pretty well about the rivalry and what it means to both cities,†said Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story. “And I think it’s a special thing. I think it’s the best in all of sports.â€

When is the game and how can I watch it?

ESPN will televise Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday at 6:08 p.m. ET.

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?

Making a career-high 32 starts, Crochet led the AL with 205 1/3 innings. His teammates call him Beast because of his nasty arsenal. Crochet has translated it into dominance, leading MLB with 255 strikeouts. Most people consider Crochet to be Bostonâ€s Most Valuable Player this season. He is the biggest reason the club snapped a three-year postseason drought.

In four rivalry matchups this season, Crochet went 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA. Boston won all four games.

Yankees: Fried (19-5, 2.86 ERA) turned in a stellar first season in pinstripes, living up to every dime of his eight-year, $218 million contract, the richest ever issued to a left-handed pitcher.

Sliding into the ace role seamlessly following Gerrit Cole’s injury in March, Fried established new career highs in wins (19), starts (32), innings (195 1/3) and strikeouts (189). His 19 wins matched the most by a Yankee in the last 15 years (also CC Sabathia in 2011 and Luis Severino in 2018).

Fried keeps hitters guessing with a polished mix that features one of baseball’s best curves, a low- to mid-70s hammer that he can land for strikes or bury for chases. They can’t dig in for that, though; Fried is likely to fire his cutter, sinker, four-seamer, sweeper or changeup in big spots.

What might the starting lineups look like?

Red Sox: Red Sox manager Alex Cora has a different unit against lefties than he does versus righties, and heâ€ll stick to it in the postseason opener against one of the toughest pitchers in the game in Fried. That will lead to Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida coming off the bench in Game 1. Jarren Duran will be the lone lefty bat in Coraâ€s lineup. Rob Refsnyder and Romy Gonzalez arenâ€t household names, but they both rake against lefties.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

Red Sox: Aroldis Chapman, the former Yankee, is having a career season at the age of 37. The key has been a dramatic improvement in command. The lefty fireballer has a 1.17 ERA while converting 32 of 34 save opportunities. Garrett Whitlock has been outstanding as the lead setup man. Justin Slaten will also be asked to get outs in high-leverage spots.

Yankees: David Bednar stepped into the closerâ€s role after his midseason acquisition from the Pirates, pitching to a 2.19 ERA in 22 appearances, locking down nine saves. Devin Williams†confidence is high after a strong finish to a turbulent season. Theyâ€ll also lean upon Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill and Luke Weaver for big outs.

Red Sox: The Red Sox announced on Monday that No. 3 starter Lucas Giolito wonâ€t be on the roster this round due to fatigue in his right elbow. Giolito is being seen by a specialist, and the club is still in the information-gathering phase. It is unclear who starts Game 3 if the series goes the distance. Lefties Connelly Early and Kyle Harrison are the most likely candidates. Star rookie Roman Anthony suffered a left oblique strain on Sept. 2, and wonâ€t be ready for this round. Alex Bregman missed seven weeks in the middle of the season with a severe right quad injury and hasnâ€t been the same hitter he was before the injury. He looked better down the stretch.

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 doesnâ€t appear to be at full force. Chisholm was hit on the left forearm by a pitch on Saturday and was out of the Game 162 lineup, though he came off the bench late. Stanton is still playing through tennis elbow in both arms, but it appears manageable.

Who is hot and who is not?

Red Sox: Yoshida struggled mightily for weeks following his July return from right labrum surgery. But he turned it on in the last eight games, going 13-for-34 with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs. The notoriously streaky Ceddanne Rafaela also had a strong finish, hitting .424 with five doubles and a triple in his last 33 at-bats of the regular season. Bregman had a .640 OPS in September. The Red Sox advancement past this round could depend on him heating up.

Yankees: Judge, Stanton and Rice are among those swinging hot bats going into the playoffs. Fried has been strong over his last seven starts, pitching to a 6-1 record and 1.55 ERA, while Williams’ last five relief outings have been sharp. It’s been a scuffle for McMahon, batting just .208 with four homers since his July acquisition from the Rockies.

Anything else fans might want to know?

The Red Sox took two of three at Yankee Stadium June 6-8, then swept the Yanks at Fenway Park June 13-15. Boston took three of four in the Bronx Aug. 21-24.

However, the Yankees were on top in their most recent meeting at Fenway Sept. 12-14, taking the first two games before Crochet defeated New York in a Sunday evening showdown.

The most recent postseason meeting between the Red Sox and Yankees came in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game, then a one-game playoff. That was won by Boston, 6-2, at Fenway Park.

After decades of agony against the Yankees, the Red Sox have won their last three postseason meetings with their rivals, starting with the historic comeback from 3-0 down in the ‘04 ALCS.

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CLEVELAND — The Tigers and Guardians just endured six pressure-packed head-to-head meetings over the last week to decide the AL Central and now, one year after their epic five-game battle in the American League Division Series, the two clubs will face each other yet again — this time, in the Wild Card round.

The first of three potential Wild Card games, all at Progressive Field, is set for 1:08 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Itâ€s a matchup that appeared unlikely for extended portions of the 2025 regular season, if not unfathomable.

The Tigers once carried a 15 1/2-game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central, as recently as the morning of July 9, and it was as high as 11 games on Sept. 4. But Cleveland went 20-7 in September as Detroit went 7-17 to pull off a historic comeback. The Guardians clinched on Sunday, when the Tigers fell, 4-3, to the Red Sox.

Clevelandâ€s 15 1/2-game deficit is the largest a team has overcome to win a division (since 1969) or league (pre-1969). The 11-game deficit is the largest a team overcame in September to reach the postseason. The Guardians went 5-1 against the Tigers in September to help pull it off, which included a sweep at Comerica Park two weeks ago and a series win last week.

“I feel like when we were playing them last time,†catcher Austin Hedges said, “it was like, ‘We’re probably going to see you guys again in the playoffs. It’s just how it’s all going to work out.†What a beautiful thing. The world now gets to watch us play each other again in the playoffs, and it’s just going to make for some great baseball.â€

These two clubs know each other well. There shouldnâ€t be many, if any, surprises from either side, but familiarity will only go so far. The series will come down to who executes best on the field, and who is more prepared. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch hinted on Sunday that his club’s prep work would include a deep dive into the games theyâ€ve played recently to see if any trends emerged that they might have missed, particularly for their own hitters against Guardians pitchers.

“We’ll make sure our guys don’t take for granted that we know them well,†Hinch said. “The biggest concern when you play a division opponent is familiarity can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it, from being a little bit too comfortable. So we’re going to have to turn over every rock to make sure we’re prepared.â€

And Cleveland knows that any past success is by no means an indicator of the future.

“They’re a good team,†left fielder Steven Kwan said. “Weâ€ve gotten them these last couple times, and to see them again, I’m just hoping that everybody’s not kind of assuming it’s going to be the same as the last two series.

“They’re going to come out, they’re going to do their homework. … Theyâ€re a formidable opponent.â€

When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 is Tuesday, and first pitch is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. ET 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.

Who are the starting pitchers?

Tigers: Tarik Skubal (13-6, 2.21 ERA in 31 starts) gets the ball against the team he faced in his last two regular-season starts. He struck out 17 batters over 12 innings with just two earned runs allowed, but took a no-decision and a loss. His final inning in last Tuesdayâ€s defeat featured uncharacteristic self-inflicted mistakes leading to two unearned runs, including an errant between-the-legs throw to first base on a bunt, a wild pitch that scored a run, and a balk — just the second of his career — setting up another.

Skubal faced the Guardians twice in Cleveland during last yearâ€s Division Series. His seven scoreless innings in Game 2 set up Detroit for a win on the road. His outing in Game 5 turned when Lane Thomas hit him for a grand slam in the fifth inning.

Guardians: Gavin Williams (12-5, 3.06 ERA in 31 starts) will take the ball for Cleveland. The big right-hander emerged as Clevelandâ€s rotation anchor over the second half of the season, after a bumpy first half in which he led the Majors with 57 walks over 19 starts. Williams led Guardians starters with a 2.18 ERA after the All-Star break while he recorded 78 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings over 12 starts.

Williams†final two regular-season starts were against the Tigers. He allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks with 21 strikeouts over 11 innings to record the win in each outing.

What might the starting lineups look like?

Tigers: The lineup against right-handed pitchers has largely settled down, but Hinch might have to weigh anything he can switch up after the Tigers struggled against Williams and Tanner Bibee last week at Progressive Field and the week before that at Comerica Park. Any changes would likely be small; thereâ€s only so much Detroit can do with its roster, and any change has an impact on the late-inning matchups against Clevelandâ€s versatile bullpen.

Guardians: Like the Tigers, the Guardians embrace playing matchups as much as they can, and Clevelandâ€s lineup figures to include as many right-handed hitters as possible against Skubal. The Guardians did suffer a big loss to its right-handed-hitting mix; David Fry likely will be out for the entire postseason after he suffered multiple facial and nasal fractures when hit in the face with a Skubal pitch last Tuesday. Johnathan Rodríguez (who was promoted from Triple-A Columbus after Fry went on the injured list) has gone 3-for-5 with a two-run homer in a two-game sample and could earn a start.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

Tigers: What had been a dominant bullpen for much of the summer struggled down the stretch, shrinking Hinchâ€s circle of trust among his relief corps. Hinch never formally named a closer this season, but Will Vest has been the guy for much of the year, with Kyle Finnegan lined up for the middle of the order leading into the ninth. Tyler Holton has regained his versatile nastiness down the stretch, while Tommy Kahnle has struggled with command after looking very good over the first half of the season. Expect to see rookie Troy Melton used as a multi-inning guy after he tossed 3 2/3 solid innings in a start in Cleveland last Thursday.

Hinch carried three left-handers in the bullpen when the teams met at Comerica Park two weeks ago, but didnâ€t have that option in Cleveland after optioning Bailey Horn to Triple-A Toledo. Heâ€s eligible to return, as is Drew Sommers, so itâ€ll be interesting to see if Hinch goes for that.

Guardians: The Guardians did not officially name a closer after Emmanuel Clase went on non-disciplinary paid leave on July 28 due to an MLB investigation. However, Cade Smith has almost always been the man on the mound when there is a save opportunity. Working backwards, Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski have been manager Stephen Vogtâ€s setup men, and Matt Festa is the “fireman,†who often comes in to clean up any messes in the middle innings. Jakob Junis (2.49 ERA in 16 appearances since Aug. 1) has also been a steady presence in the middle-to-late innings.

Tigers: Third baseman Colt Keith (right rib cage inflammation) and outfielder Matt Vierling (left oblique strain) are doing rehab work but are unlikely to be ready for the series. Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long (neck stiffness) is facing live hitters and could be a bullpen option if they need one.

Guardians: Fry is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 weeks due to his injury. Nolan Jones†availability for the postseason is in question due to a right oblique strain. Thomas (a Guardians postseason hero when these teams squared off in 2024) had season-ending right foot surgery for plantar fasciitis this month. Reliever Nic Enright will not return this season due to a right forearm injury that is being assessed.

Who is hot and who is not?

Tigers: Javier Báez batted 8-for-25 (.320) against Cleveland in the regular season and recorded five RBIs over the final four games overall in the regular season, including a three-run home run Sunday in Boston. Torkelson went 12-for-49 (.245) with 20 strikeouts against the Guardians, but three hits were homers.

Guardians: Ramírez slashed .287/.374/.515 with four homers and 17 RBIs in September. He also went 17-for-49 (.347) with a 1.030 OPS in 13 games against the Tigers this season. Similarly, Kwan went 16-for-52 (.308) in 12 games against Detroit. The Guardians will need both of them performing if they are to advance.

Anything else fans might want to know?
This is only the second time the Guardians and Tigers have met in the postseason, joining last seasonâ€s ALDS. The Tigers recorded a sweep at Progressive Field from July 4-6, as part of the Guardians†10-game losing streak. Cleveland is only the fourth team to make the playoffs in the same season it had a 10-game skid, joining the 2017 Dodgers, 1982 Braves and 1951 New York Giants.

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