MLB Baseball 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 1, 2026, 2:15 PM ET
Wild Card Wrap-Up
The 2026 MLB wild-card series concluded with a dramatic Game 3 in Philadelphia, where the Phillies rallied past the Braves on Alec Bohm's two-out, 10th-inning homer. Bryce Harper rebounded from a costly gaffe to set up the season-saving blast. The Padres silenced the Cubs' bats in a two-game sweep, as five pitchers combined on a five-hitter and Gavin Sheets delivered a pinch-hit homer. Meanwhile, the Yankees rode homegrown stars Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler to a one-sided sweep of the Red Sox.
Historic Milestones
Padres rookie Ethan Salas, became the youngest catcher in MLB postseason history when he started Game 2 of the wild-card series. The White Sox scored their first playoff series win since 2005, sweeping the Astros just two years removed from a 121-loss season.
Division Series Previews
The ALDS and NLDS are taking shape. A full preview of every matchup examines who has the edge, including Brewers-Padres and Yankees-Rays. The Rays await New York after the Yankees' sweep of Boston.
Offseason Questions
For teams already eliminated, the winter looks complicated. Offseason questions loom for the Cubs, Red Sox, and Astros after their early exits. Red Sox ace Sonny Gray expressed frustration over manager trust after being pulled early in the loss to the Yankees.
Fantasy Outlook
Though the 2026 season just ended, Eric Karabell is already with a way-too-early top 50 for 2027 fantasy baseball, headlined by Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong.