MLB Baseball 8-Hour Briefing

Last updated: October 2, 2026, 6:12 AM ET

MLB Baseball

The Braves clinched their wild-card berth with a dominant performance, as Chris Sale delivered a four-out relief effort on one day of rest to close out the Phillies. Atlanta homered three times in the clincher, marking their first postseason series win since the 2021 World Series. The victory sealed their spot in the division series, ending a prolonged playoff drought.

Meanwhile, Sonny Gray expressed frustration after being pulled early in Wednesday’s loss to the Yankees, citing a lack of trust from Red Sox management. The right-hander’s comments highlighted growing tension in Boston’s rotation as the team looks ahead to next season.

With the wild-card round complete, analysts previewed every division series matchup, noting the Yankees’ edge over the Brewers and the Guardians’ advantage against the White Sox in the ALDS, while the NLDS remains wide open between the Padres and Dodgers.