Last updated: September 30, 2026, 2:13 PM ET
AL Wild Card
The White Sox stunned the Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series, showing playoff poise in their return to the postseason. Houston players were extremely frustrated by the sparse crowd that booed them during the opener. The Yankees rolled past the Red Sox in Game, with Cam Schlittler authoring another playoff gem and Ben Rice also starring in a "remarkable" night. Boston's outfielder Roman Anthony suffered a hand injury, leaving his Game 2 status unclear.
NL Wild Card
The Padres blew out the Cubs 8-0 in a "perfect" playoff opener, keeping their momentum going. Austin Riley shook off a down year with a clutch eighth-inning homer to lift the Braves past the Phillies in Game. Philadelphia manager Don Mattingly's early move to Jhoan Duran, "our best guy," backfired in the loss. The Dodgers, aided by a lengthy break, expect a healthy Shohei Ohtani in a "great spot" as they await their postseason opener.
Day 2 Preview & Season Grades
All the action from a jam-packed opening day of wild-card games is analyzed. Day 2 previews every Game, including Braves vs. Phillies and Yankees vs. Red Sox, as teams look to sweep or force a Game. Regular-season grades for all 30 teams are in, covering clubs headed to October or packing for the offseason.