MLB Baseball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 10, 2026, 2:50 AM ET
Guardians Force Game 5
Jose Ramirez delivered again, homering and driving in three runs as the Cleveland Guardians forced a winner-take-all Game 5 against the White Sox. The ALDS now returns to Cleveland, and the Guardians' path to evening the series rested on a clean sweep of their home-field advantage. Earlier, Ramirez's all-around showing carried Cleveland through a "do-or-die" Game 3 when the season was on the line.
Yankees Eliminated
The Yankees' season ended as the Rays swept them, with Victor Mesa Jr. hitting the home run that effectively closed the series. A fan interference call in the sixth inning of Game 3 wiped out a potential tying two-run homer in the Bronx. Aaron Judge stayed in the dugout to watch the elimination unfold, saying he was hating every moment of it and urging the front office to go all in. The Rays, meanwhile, celebrated their sweep with a musical jab at New York after the win.
Brewers and Dodgers Advance
Garrett Mitchell robbed Manny Machado of a potential game-tying home run, helping the Brewers seal a win over San Diego and set up a rematch with the Dodgers in the NLCS. Los Angeles also advanced, as No. 9 hitter Andy Pages came through in the clutch to send the Dodgers to their third straight NLCS.
Awards and Front Offices
President Donald Trump announced he would award Roger Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Alex Cora again declined the opportunity to manage the Phillies and plans to take the 2027 season off.
Labor and League Outlook
MLB proposed shortening the regular season to 154 games while expanding the division series to best-of-7. The playoffs also carry weight for the sport's labor talks, with players and executives weighing whether a Dodgers three-peat could push a salary cap onto the table. Our experts' postseason takeaways from the first week of October cover slugging stars, no-hitters, and the pitch that could decide the playoffs.