MLB Baseball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 2, 2026, 6:12 AM ET
Wild Card Series
The Braves clinched espn.com their wild-card berth with a dominant performance, turning to Chris Sale for a four-out relief effort to close out the Phillies. Atlanta secured espn.com the series with three home runs and a postseason series win for the first time since 2021. Ray Kerr made his playoff debut espn.com in Game, delivering a key out against Aaron Nola. Earlier in the series, the Braves swept espn.com the Phillies in a decisive Game 3 victory to advance to the NLDS.
ALDS Matchups
The Yankees advanced espn.com to the ALDS after a one-sided sweep of the Red Sox, powered by homegrown stars Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler. Cleveland prepared espn.com to start rookie Parker Messick in Game 1 of the ALDS against the White Sox, pairing him with left-hander Williams. Chicago ended espn.com a 21-year playoff drought by sweeping the Astros, marking their first playoff series win since 2005. Houston manager Joe Espada confirmed espn.com his desire to return despite his contract expiring after the team’s elimination.
NLDS Preview
San Diego celebrated espn.com a wild-card series sweep over the Cubs, with five pitchers combining on a five-hitter and Gavin Sheets delivering a pinch-hit RBI. Ethan Salas made history espn.com as the youngest player to catch in a postseason game at age. Philadelphia rallied espn.com past the Braves in a earlier matchup, with Alec Bohm hitting a season-saving home run after Bryce Harper rebounded from a fielding gaffe. The Guardians announced espn.com their rotation plans for the ALDS, setting up a key matchup against the White Sox.
Offseason and Other Notes
MLB abandoned espn.com plans to stage a game at Grand Teton National Park, with Commissioner Manfred confirming the idea is no longer under consideration. A federal judge ruled espn.com that a Wrigley Field rooftop business cannot sell Cubs tickets, ending a long-standing commercial practice. The Red Sox faced espn.com internal tension as Sonny Gray expressed frustration over his manager’s early hook in the loss to the Yankees. Fantasy analysts began espn.com early projections for the 2027 season, releasing a way-too-early top 50 rankings led by Ohtani and Crow-Armstrong. Teams exiting the playoffs faced espn.com key offseason questions, particularly the Cubs, Red Sox, and Astros, as they prepare for roster decisions and managerial evaluations.