October baseball is here, and it's as glorious as ever. The culmination of 162 games of home runs, strikeouts, bunts and diving catches. Here's ESPN's (un)official casual fan's guide to the MLB postseason.
Atlanta Braves: Best ballpark food: The Bat Flip, a 7-inch burger with 2 pounds of seasoned beef patties, braised short rib, pork belly, melted cheese, crunchy onions, green leaf lettuce, sliced red tomatoes and a fried egg on toasted brioche. Ballpark fun fact: Truist Park's canopy is the largest in MLB at 108,000-square-foot. Origin story: Grant Holmes spent a decade in the minors, playing for 10 teams from ACL Dodgers to Gwinnett Stripers, before his MLB debut in 2024. Now 30, he made his postseason debut in the Braves' win over the Phillies. Season-defining moment: Sept. 11 Braves 6, Phillies 5 — Atlanta scored in the bottom of the ninth, overcame trailing in extras, and walked off in the 11th. Celebrity: Elton John. Most memorable playoff moment: Game 4 of the 2021 World Series at Truist Park, where Dansby Swanson tied it with a homer in the seventh, Jorge Soler followed, and the place went nuts.
Chicago White Sox: Best ballpark food: Campfire Milkshake 2, topped with graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. Ballpark fun fact: Rate Field is the only MLB stadium with a Pope mural.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing