The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:

1. NLCS Game 2:

The NLCS kicked off yesterday as the Dodgers completed a 9-0 rout of the Mets following a tough start from right-hander Kodai Senga where he allowed three runs in 1 1/3 frames without recording a strikeout. L.A. countered with a brilliant performance from righty Jack Flaherty, who notched six strikeouts across seven scoreless innings. The Mets will hope to turn things around today with lefty Sean Manaea (3.47 ERA) on the mound. Manaea has been perhaps the club’s most reliable starter to this point in the postseason, with a 2.25 ERA and ten strikeouts in 12 innings of work between the Wild Card and Division Series. The Dodgers, on the other hand, will look to extend their record-tying streak of 33 scoreless postseason innings with Ryan Brasier on the mound to start a bullpen game. Brasier struggled a bit in the NLDS, surrendering two runs on three hits (including a homer) and striking out two across 3 2/3 innings of work.

2. ALCS Game 1:

While the Mets look to make up their deficit in the NL, the ALCS will get underway in New York as the Yankees welcome the Guardians to the Bronx. Lefty Carlos Rodon (3.96 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees on the heels of a tough outing against Kansas City during the ALDS where he surrendered four runs in 3 2/3 innings of work despite striking out seven Royals and walking none. The Guardians will counter with Alex Cobb. The 37-year-old veteran made just three regular season starts due to injury (2.76 ERA). In his lone postseason start against the Tigers last week, Cobb struck out two while surrendering two runs in three innings of work.

3. Yankees facing roster decisions:

With ALCS rosters due later today, the Yankees spent yesterday working out at Yankee Stadium while club brass worked toward finalizing their roster plans. Two injured players in particular appear to be on the bubble of the playoffs roster: first baseman Anthony Rizzo and lefty Nestor Cortes. Rizzo did some fielding work during yesterday’s workout, though Dan Martin of the New York Post writes that the club has yet to make a decision on his availability and could once again turn to Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti at the position, as they did against the Royals.

Meanwhile, Greg Joyce of the New York Post was among those to note yesterday that the Yankees are “considering” activating Cortes for the ALCS. Cortes has been sidelined since late September due to a flexor strain in his left elbow, but imaging revealed an undamaged UCL so the lefty received a platelet-rich plasma injection and returned to rehabbing. The southpaw posted a 3.77 ERA across 174 1/3 innings of work for the Yankees this year but would surely be relegated to a relief role if activated, adding another lefty to the club’s bullpen alongside Tim Hill and Tim Mayza.

With two of the four teams headed to the LCS already decided, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on headed into the weekend:

1. NLDS Game 5:

Baseball fans get to enjoy three games from three different series this weekend, starting with a winner-take-all rubber match between the Dodgers and Padres at Dodger Stadium at 5:08pm local time this evening. In the first instance of a pitching match-up featuring two Japanese-born pitchers in MLB playoff history, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.00 ERA in 18 starts) will take the ball for the Dodgers in Game 5 opposite Padres veteran Yu Darvish (3.31 ERA in 16 starts). Yamamoto pitched for the Dodgers in Game 1 but was torched for five runs in three innings of work amid whispers that the star hurler was tipping his pitches. Meanwhile, Darvish hurled seven innings of one-run ball in his start against the Dodgers earlier in this series.

2. ALDS Game 5:

Tomorrow, another set of division rivals will prepare for a winner-take-all Game 5 when the Tigers and Guardians head back to Cleveland for a game scheduled at 8:08pm local time tomorrow evening. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (2.39 ERA) will be back on the mound for the Guardians after previously striking out 14 across 13 scoreless frames this postseason between dominant starts against the Astros and Guardians. The Guardians have not announced their starter as they try to hand Skubal the first loss of his postseason career, though injuries to the Detroit lineup could help their own pitching staff keep pace with the dominant lefty.

Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter departed last night’s game with an apparent hamstring injury, and manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Woodbery of MLive) that the club will need to get Carpenter looked at by team doctors before determining his availability for Game 5. Meanwhile, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reported last night that catcher Jake Rogers also underwent imaging after having his wrist and forearm wrapped in the aftermath of Game 4, though specifics of the backstop’s potential injury aren’t known. With two key pieces of the club’s starting lineup potentially unavailable headed into Game 5, the Tigers could need to rely on backup catcher Dillon Dingler and Carpenter’s platoon partner Justyn-Henry Malloy to take the club to the ALCS.

3. NLCS Game 1:

On Sunday, the winner of tonight’s game 5 will move on to face the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS, which will take place at either Dodger Stadium or San Diego’s Petco Park at 5:15 local time that evening. With the club’s entire rotation set to be fully rested entering the series, the Mets appear likely to turn to either Luis Severino (3.91 ERA) or Sean Manaea (3.47 ERA) in Sunday’s game, while the Dodgers would likely turn to Jack Flaherty (3.17 ERA) should they advance. The Padres have less certainty in their rotation situation than the other remaining NL clubs after losing Joe Musgrove to Tommy John surgery earlier this postseason, but could start right-hander Michael King (2.95 ERA) on short rest or simply lean on their dominant bullpen in the first game of the seven game set.

As the Mets move on to the NLCS for the first time since 2015, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. ALDS Game 4:

The Royals and Guardians are facing elimination today as both sides of the ALDS move on to Game 4. In Kansas City, the club’s hopes rest on flipping the script in a Game 1 rematch: Michael Wacha (3.35 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals, and the Yankees will counter with Gerrit Cole (3.41 ERA in 17 starts). Game 1 eventually turned out in the Yankees’ favor, as Wacha surrendered three runs over four innings and struck out three while Cole surrendered the same number of runs over five innings and struck out four.

Meanwhile, the Guardians will send right-hander Tanner Bibee (3.47 ERA) to the mound opposite Detroit’s pitching staff, which has operated with all hands on deck in games where likely AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal isn’t on the mound. With his team’s season on the line, Bibee will hope to put up a similar or better performance to his outing in Game 1, where he struck out six Tigers in 4 2/3 scoreless frames before passing the torch to the club’s dominant bullpen in an eventual 7-0 shutout victory.

2. Brewers end-of-season presser:

As teams that made the postseason but have since been eliminated lick their wounds and look ahead to the coming offseason, part of the process is often a end-of-season press conference held by the club. The Brewers have scheduled their end-of-season press conference for 11am local time (h/t Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). The biggest question facing the Brewers this winter is how they’ll replace star shortstop Willy Adames, who is scheduled to hit free agency next month and figures to be out of the small-market club’s price range. Aside from Adames, the club will also see both Joe Ross and Frankie Montas head into free agency and could face questions regarding the future of closer Devin Williams has he enters his final season of team control. General manager Matt Arnold will tackle all that and more as he meets with the media this morning.

3. Dodgers facing questions ahead of Game 5:

Though the Phillies were sent home by the Mets in Game 4 of the NLDS last night, the Division Series still continues in California after the Dodgers forced a Game 5 against the Padres last night. The clubs are off today as they head back to Dodger Stadium, and the workout day figures to hold plenty of questions for L.A. as they figure out how best to line up their pitching staff and who is available from their positional corps ahead of a winner-take-all finale against their division rival.

As noted by Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post, Roberts told reporters last night that not only has he not decided between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty for who will start opposite Yu Darvish in Game 5, but that he’s even considering using neither and opting for another bullpen game after L.A. relievers shut out the Padres in Game 4 last night. Meanwhile, the health status of both first baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Miguel Rojas remains up in the air. Freeman was a late scratch from yesterday’s lineup due to the sprained ankle that has plagued him throughout the series, while Rojas is known to have aggravated an adductor injury that has bothered him in recent weeks.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Phillies, Dodgers facing elimination:

Both NLDS series are on the verge of ending in an upset after the Phillies and Dodgers each fell to their divisional rivals last night, leaving them just one loss from elimination. The Phillies will send lefty Ranger Suarez (3.46 ERA) to the mound in Queens with their season on the line, while the Mets will hope to knock their rival out of the race with veteran southpaw Jose Quintana (3.75 ERA).

Meanwhile, a tense Dodgers-Padres series continues tonight with right-hander Dylan Cease (3.47 ERA) on the mound for San Diego on just three days of rest. Cease started Game 1 for the Padres but was pulled after struggling through 3 1/3 innings where he surrendered five runs on six hits and a pair of walks with two strikeouts. The Dodgers have not yet announced who they’ll counter Cease with, but all hands will be on deck in a potential elimination game.

2. ALDS kicks back into gear:

After an off-day yesterday, both ALDS series — each tied at 1-1 — are back in action today. Guardians right-hander Alex Cobb will take the mound in Detroit after making just three starts this season due to hip, shoulder and finger injuries. The Tigers have not yet announced a starter for today’s game. Thus far, they’ve operated with ace Tarik Skubal as their only true starter as the rest of the pitching staff takes on more flexible roles as directed by manager A.J. Hinch in what the skipper has termed “pitching chaos.”

Later in the evening, the Yankees will send right-hander Clarke Schmidt (2.85 ERA in 16 starts) to the mound in Kansas City opposite veteran righty Seth Lugo (3.00 ERA in 33 starts). Schmidt’s only postseason experience is an 11.57 ERA in three appearances out of the bullpen back in 2022 while Lugo is coming off a solid performance against the Baltimore in the Wild Card Series, where he pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball and struck out six Orioles against just one walk.

3. Rojas day-to-day headed into Game 3:

Turning back to the NLDS, the Dodgers may face elimination with their lineup at less than full strength. Veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas has been playing through an adductor injury this postseason, and he was forced to leave last night’s game in the third inning after aggravating the injury. The shortstop told reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) after the game that he’ll need to see how he feels today before he’ll know if he can play in what could be the final game of L.A.’s season. Rojas noted that in the past the next day is “more painful” than the initial problem when it comes to aggravating his adductor injury. In the event that Rojas isn’t available, the club seems likely to turn to Tommy Edman at shortstop, moving him in from center field where he would then be replaced by Andy Pages. First baseman Freddie Freeman has also been playing through an ankle injury that has left him visibly hobbled on the field, as seen last night when he limped to the dugout after hitting a single and being lifted for a pinch-runner.

With all four Division Series tied at two, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. NLDS Game 3 today:

Both sets of NLDS matchups will have their third games today. The Phillies and Mets are set to suit up at Citi Field in New York at 5:08pm local time. The Dodgers and Padres will take the field at Petco Park in San Diego at 6:08pm local time. In Queens, lefty Sean Manaea (3.47 ERA) will take the mound after a strong rebound campaign opposite right-hander Aaron Nola (3.57 ERA). The Dodgers will send former ace Walker Buehler (5.38 ERA in 16 starts) to the mound amid a season where he’s struggled to return to form after nearly two calendar years on the shelf following his second career Tommy John surgery. The Padres will counter with offseason addition Michael King (2.95 ERA), who has excelled in his first year with the club.

2. MLB investigating dispute between Machado, Roberts:

Tonight’s NLDS game between the Dodgers and Padres comes with an additional layer of intrigue as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted that the Dodgers have asked the league to review an alleged incident between club manager Dave Roberts and third baseman Manny Machado, wherein Roberts believes Machado threw a baseball at him between innings during Game 2 of the series on Sunday. Per Roberts, the ball ultimately didn’t come close to hitting him thanks to netting around the dugout but was thrown with “intent behind it.”

Machado, meanwhile, told Rosenthal that his throw was no different from the way he’d throw a ball toward any dugout, but not before questioning whether Game 2 starter Jack Flaherty intentionally threw at Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. While it’s unclear if anything more will come of the situation following the league’s review of footage, the discourse following an already tense Game 2 that saw fans throw trash at Tatis and Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar seems likely to leave tensions high entering a pivotal Game 3 of a series currently tied at one game apiece.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

With the postseason now in full swing, 22 of MLB’s 30 teams have focused their attention on the coming winter while the rest of us have our eyes glued on playoff baseball. If you’re wondering about how the remaining contenders stack up with all four LDS tied 1 to 1 or how your club could approach the coming offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 3pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

On the heels of a wild day of NLDS games that saw both series head into a travel day tied up, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. ALDS Game 2:

Both ALDS series are scheduled to have their second games this evening, with the Royals and Tigers playing catch-up after falling to the Yankees and Guardians respectively in Game 1. Fortunately for the underdogs, each club will send an ace lefty to the mound after leaning on them to win Game 1 of the Wild Card series. In the case of the Royals, that means they’ll be trotting out Cole Ragans, who posted a 3.14 ERA (135 ERA+) with a 3.00 FIP in 32 starts during the regular season before throwing six scoreless frames against the Orioles with eight strikeouts in his first career postseason appearance. He’ll be tasked with taking on Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon, who bounced back after a brutal 2023 season to posted a 3.96 ERA (104 ERA+) in 175 innings of work this season.

Meanwhile, the Tigers will lean on lefty Tarik Skubal in today’s game against the division-rival Guardians. The winner of the pitching Triple Crown in the AL and the likely favorite for the AL Cy Young Award, Skubal turned in an utterly dominant season with a 2.39 ERA (170 ERA+) and a 2.50 FIP in in 192 frames this year before throwing six scoreless innings of his own against the Astros during the first postseason appearance of his career. Skubal will face former teammate Matthew Boyd, who spent eight of his ten career seasons in Detroit, in this evening’s game. Boyd, a midseason signing who sat out the first half while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has looked great since his return, with a 2.72 ERA (151 ERA+) and a 27.7% strikeout rate in eight regular season starts.

2. Freeman day-to-day:

In addition to a brutal 10-2 rout at the hands of the Padres last night, the Dodgers were dealt another blow when star first baseman Freddie Freeman had to be removed after aggravating his injured right ankle. Freeman is considered day-to-day for now, but as noted by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, manager Dave Roberts did not seem optimistic about his first baseman’s availability going forward in the series, calling the injury “not ideal” and “of concern.” That said, the Dodgers also expressed pessimism about Freeman’s availability for Game 1 of the series before he went on to not only start the game but go 2-for-5 with a stolen base. If Freeman is unable to take the field, Max Muncy figures to slide from first base to third base. Enrique Hernandez or Tommy Edman could handle third base, with the other slotting into center field.

3. Bogaerts exits due to cramping:

Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts also exited San Diego’s win in the bottom of the eighth inning last night due to what he described to reporters (including those at MLB.com) last night as hamstring cramps. The club will already be without primary shortstop Ha-Seong Kim for the remainder of the postseason, a reality that forced Bogaerts back to his old position in the first place. It’s not expected to be an issue that leaves Bogaerts unavailable, but it’ll still be worth keeping a watchful eye on how he comes out of today’s off-day workout. The Friars aren’t lacking players with shortstop experience if Bogaerts does need to miss a game. Light-hitting utilityman Tyler Wade is on the bench, and the lineup features former shortstops Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill all playing other positions. First baseman/second baseman Jake Cronenworth has also played more than 400 big league innings at short.

With the Wild Card Series behind us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Reds under new management:

The Reds’ managerial search came to a shocking end last night when it was reported that three-time Manager of the Year and two-time World Series champion Terry Francona is being hired to replace David Bell in the dugout. The Reds have not yet announced Tito’s hiring, but are expected to do so as soon as today. In a year that hasn’t seen much upheaval in the league’s dugouts to this point, Cincinnati’s surprise hiring of Francona takes perhaps the most attractive managerial gig available off the market though both the White Sox and Marlins have yet to name a manager for 2025 and it remains at least theoretically possible that one or more of the teams currently in the playoffs could make a change in the dugout following the postseason, though no club is an obvious candidate to do so.

2. NLDS starts this weekend:

There’s no playoff baseball scheduled for today as the remaining Wild Card teams rest up and prepare for their upcoming division series matchups. In the NL, there’s plenty of roster-related intrigue that figures to be settled this weekend before two pairs of division rivals clash. The Dodgers and Padres have already announced their starters for the first two games of the series, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.00 ERA in 18 starts) set to face Dylan Cease (3.47 ERA) in Game 1 before Jack Flaherty (3.17 ERA) faces Yu Darvish (3.31 ERA in 16 starts) the next day. Of note, Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that the left-adductor strain that left him sidelined for the final games of the Dodgers’ regular season is still bothering him with minimal progress. Rojas indicated that he intends to play through the issue, although Tommy Edman stands as a capable replacement at shortstop if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Mets and Phillies prepare to play this weekend with only one starter announced between the two teams: Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler (2.57 ERA) is set to take the ball for Game 1. Neither team has made any sort of indications regarding who their Game 2 starters may be, and the Mets also haven’t announced who they’ll send to the mound opposite Wheeler. Even so, there’s at least some roster-related intrigue in this series as well: the Mets are reportedly contemplating the addition of right-hander Kodai Senga to their NLDS roster. Senga has spent most of 2024 on the IL after a breakout 2023 season, and while he won’t be available as a starter this series it is possible that the club could lean on him for short relief, bolstering a bullpen that has seen closer Edwin Diaz used heavily in recent days.

3. ALDS starts this weekend:

Along with the NLDS, the ALDS will also begin this weekend. Unlikely its National League counterpart, however, the American League will only see the first game of its series take place this weekend before a day off on Sunday. This year’s Division Series is flooded with AL Central teams, as the division champion Guardians will take on the Tigers after Detroit knocked the Astros out last round, ending their long streak of ALCS appearances. The Tigers haven’t announced a starter for tomorrow’s game, though whoever they choose will face Guardians righty Tanner Bibee (3.47 ERA). Meanwhile, the Royals managed to sweep the Orioles out of the Wild Card series and prevent a fourth intradivision LDS matchup. In Baltimore’s stead, Kansas City will now face the Yankees in the Bronx with veteran right-hander Michael Wacha (3.35 ERA) scheduled to face ace righty Gerrit Cole (3.41 ERA) in tomorrow’s game.

With three of the four Wild Card Series decided, here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball today:

1. Brewers force Game 3:

After dropping Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, the Brewers came back to beat the Mets 5-3 on Wednesday, tying the best-of-three series up at one game apiece. With the other three Wild Card Series already decided, the Brewers-Mets matchup will be the only game on the docket today, kicking off at 6:08pm CT.

Milwaukee will send rookie Tobias Myers (3.00 ERA, 3.99 SIERA in 138 IP) to the mound, while New York is set to counter with the veteran Jose Quintana (3.75 ERA, 4.58 SIERA in 170 1/3 IP). Myers has enjoyed the better overall season, but Quintana has been lights-out over his last six starts (0.74 ERA). The Mets also have a more rested bullpen at their disposal; Mets relievers have thrown six innings so far this series, while the Brewers bullpen has been tasked with 10 1/3.

The winner of tonight’s contest will head to Philadelphia to face the Phillies in the NLDS.

2. Elbow tightness for Joe Musgrove:

Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove exited his Game 2 start on Wednesday with tightness in his pitching elbow. While his teammates went on to win the game and secure a matchup with the Dodgers in the NLDS, this could be a tough blow for San Diego.

Initial tests came back negative, but the 31-year-old is set to undergo further testing today (per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune). The extent of his injury will be unclear until then. For what it’s worth, Musgrove didn’t try to underplay it after the game: “Going out for that fourth inning,” he said, “Nothing felt right” (per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). Musgrove missed about half of the 2024 season with elbow inflammation related to bone spurs. He has looked excellent since his return from the IL (2.15 ERA in nine starts), but needless to say, another elbow injury is never a good sign – even though Musgrove believes this latest injury is “very different” from the issue that bothered him earlier this year (per Sanders).

Thankfully for the Padres, they still have plenty of starting depth to rely on. In addition to Michael King and Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish, Martín Pérez, and Matt Waldron are available to start in the NLDS.

3. Freddie Freeman making progress

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is making progress as he rehabs from the sprained ankle that kept him out for the final few games of the regular season. He is expected to face live pitching either today or tomorrow (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Manager Dave Roberts has maintained his optimism that the eight-time All-Star will be in the lineup against the Padres on Saturday. However, Roberts also admitted that Freeman won’t be at 100%, and it remains unclear how significantly his ankle will affect his defense and baserunning during the NLDS.

In additional Dodgers news, shortstop Miguel Rojas is also expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS (per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). He has been nursing an adductor strain. Like Freeman, Rojas will not be at full strength, but he seems to have made good progress in his recovery and will attempt to play through any discomfort.

With another full day of postseason baseball on the docket, here are the four games to watch this afternoon and evening:

1. Astros vs. Tigers:

The first game of the day kicks off at 1:32pm CT in Houston, where the Tigers (1-0) will send Tyler Holton to the mound as an opener against the Astros (0-1) and their Game 2 starter Hunter Brown. Holton has quietly been one of the most effective multi-inning relievers in the game over the past two years, pitching to a 2.15 ERA and 3.55 SIERA in 179 2/3 innings. Reese Olson (3.53 ERA, 3.93 SIERA in 22 starts) is a likely option to come in and pitch multiple innings after Holton as this surprising Tigers team looks to advance to the ALDS. Alternatively, Detroit could be trying to save Olson for a potential Game 3 (or Game 1 of the ALDS).

Brown is enjoying a breakout sophomore season, with a 3.49 ERA and 3.74 SIERA in 170 innings pitched. He has been especially successful in the second half, with a 2.26 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break. After ace Framber Valdez couldn’t get the job done on Tuesday, the responsibility of keeping Houston’s ALCS streak alive falls on Brown’s shoulders. The Astros have appeared in the past seven consecutive American League Championship Series.

2. Orioles vs. Royals:

Game 2 between the Orioles (0-1) and Royals (1-0) starts at 3:38pm CT, with Kansas City’s Seth Lugo taking on Baltimore’s Zach Eflin. The Orioles came into the series as the clear favorites, but the Royals hung on to win 1-0 in an incredible Game 1 pitchers’ duel between Cole Ragans and Corbin Burnes.

The second game of the series could make for another pitchers’ duel between Lugo and Eflin. Lugo is coming off a regular season for which he will surely receive Cy Young votes (3.00 ERA, 3.94 SIERA in 28 starts). Eflin hasn’t been quite as sharp all year (3.59 ERA, 3.97 SIERA in 28 starts), but his underlying numbers are similar to Lugo’s, and he looked excellent over the final two months of the season (2.37 ERA in eight starts). Considering how poorly the Royals’ offense performed in September, Eflin should also have the easier lineup to face as he strives to keep his team alive and snap the Orioles’ postseason losing streak at nine games.

3. Brewers vs. Mets:

The NL slate begins in the evening with Game 2 of the Brewers-Mets series starting at 6:38pm CT. The Brewers (0-1) will send Frankie Montas to the mound at American Family Field. Milwaukee has not won a postseason series since 2018, and the Brewers have never won so much as a single game in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Mets (1-0) will send Sean Manaea to the hill hoping to pull off a sweep. The Mets have not won a postseason series since 2015 when they won the NL pennant. Although Milwaukee has home-field advantage, New York has an edge when it comes to the pitching matchup. Manaea is coming off arguably the best season of his career (3.47 ERA, 3.97 SIERA in 32 starts), while Montas hasn’t been nearly as impressive (4.84 ERA, 4.38 SIERA in 30 starts).

4. Padres vs. Braves:

The final game of the evening begins at 7:38pm CT, with the Braves (0-1) sending Max Fried (3.25 ERA, 3.61 SIERA in 29 starts) to the bump against Joe Musgrove (3.88 ERA, 3.62 SIERA in 19 starts) of the Padres (1-0). While Fried has had the better season, Musgrove has been dominant since his return from the IL in August (2.15 ERA, 3.01 SIERA in nine starts). Working in Fried’s favor, however, is the fact that he is left-handed; the Padres have a .689 OPS against southpaws this season, much worse than their .764 OPS against righties.

Interestingly, this is the only Wild Card Series in which the higher-seeded team won the first game.

With the playoff field in both leagues now set, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today:

1. Wild Card Series to begin in both leagues:

The Wild Card Series is set to begin today for both leagues, with things kicking off at 1:32pm CT in Houston as the Tigers come to town after a September surge made them this year’s most surprising postseason entrant. The Astros and ace left-hander Framber Valdez (2.91 ERA) will have their work cut out for them, as they’ll face likely AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal (2.39 ERA). Later in the day at 3:08pm CT, the Royals will held to Baltimore to face the Orioles in a duel between two more of the AL’s top pitchers: lefty Cole Ragans (3.14 ERA) and righty Corbin Burnes (2.92 ERA).

In the late afternoon and evening, the NL will get things started just 24 hours after the playoff field was set by a doubleheader between the Braves and Mets that sent both clubs to the postseason (and left the Diamondbacks home to watch from the sidelines). Newly-installed Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns heads back to his old stomping grounds of Milwaukee today for a matchup between Luis Severino (3.91 ERA) and Freddy Peralta (3.68 ERA), while the Braves head to San Diego without a clear starter in place. Likely NL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale (2.35 ERA) was expected to start Game 1 for Atlanta but is unlikely to be available due to back spasms, leaving the club to consider emergency options such as AJ Smith-Shawver and Ian Anderson to face off against Padres righty Michael King (2.95 ERA).

2. End-of-season pressers taking place around the league:

For teams that aren’t in the postseason mix, the offseason is getting off to an early start. Most clubs kick off their offseason with press conferences that reflect upon the prior campaign and look ahead to the coming winter, and a few clubs are scheduled to do just that today—including both World Series teams from 2023. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News noted yesterday that Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young will hold a press conference today, and the Diamondbacks announced that GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo will do the same at 1pm CT this afternoon. On the heels of replacing Farhan Zaidi with longtime franchise catcher Buster Posey at the helm of baseball operations, the Giants are also among the teams expected to hold an end-of-season presser sometime to day, as noted by The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

The season is now over for 18 of the leagues 30 teams, all of which are now looking toward Spring Training 2025 with hefty offseason to-do lists to complete. Whether your team figures to be active in free agency and on the trade market over the winter, figures to spend the early part of the offseason hunting for a new manager, or remains in the hunt for a World Series championship this year, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at noon CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.