Former Pirates pitchers match up as Cubs try to avoid elimination against Brewers in NLDS
The Chicago Cubs have no margin for error heading into Wednesday’s Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. That’s the reality because the Cubs are down 2-0 after two lopsided losses in the teams’ best-of-five series. For Chicago to save its season, it must...
Brewers belt 3 homers, push Cubs to brink of elimination
MILWAUKEE — Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio each hit a three-run homer, William Contreras added a solo shot and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs, 7-3, on Monday night to move one win from a trip to the National League Championship Series. The Brewers have a 2-0 advantage in...
Dodgers hold off Phillies’ late rally to take 2-0 lead in NLDS
Blake Snell allowed one hit over six shutout innings, and Will Smith delivered a two-run single during a four-run seventh inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers recorded a 4-3 victory over the host Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. Snell (2-0) struck...
Blue Jays clobber Yankees, push Bombers to brink in MLB playoffs
The Toronto Blue Jays administered a historic two-game beatdown against the New York Yankees, unleashing a special rookie and a relentless offensive attack before getting out of Canada with a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series. Behind a suffocating no-hit effort from Trey Yesavage, who was making just...
Ex-Brewers manager Craig Counsell guides Cubs against old team
MILWAUKEE — The well-rested Milwaukee Brewers will turn to ace Freddy Peralta and the Chicago Cubs will hand the ball to Matthew Boyd on a short turnaround when the archrivals square off Saturday in the opener of the National League Division Series. Former Brewers manager Craig Counsell led the Cubs...
Rangers stay in house, hire Skip Schumaker as manager
Former National League Manager of the Year Skip Schumaker is the Texas Rangers’ new skipper. The team announced the hire Friday evening after president of baseball operations Chris Young told reporters earlier in the day that Schumaker was his “focus” in the job search. Schumaker, 45, was serving as a...
Brilliant start by rookie pitcher propels Yankees into AL Division Series
NEW YORK — Rookie Cam Schlittler struck out 12 in eight innings during a stellar postseason debut as the New York Yankees eliminated the Boston Red Sox with a 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series Thursday night. The Yankees, who won the final two games...
Cubs eliminate Padres, advance to face Brewers in NLDS
Jameson Taillon threw four shutout innings, and Michael Busch homered to cap a three-hit performance to help the host Chicago Cubs advance to the National League Division Series with a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday. Chicago secured a 2-1 victory in the best-of-three NL wild-card series,...
Tigers take down division champ Guardians to advance to ALDS
CLEVELAND — Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning, and Wenceel Perez had a two-run single in a four-run seventh as the Detroit Tigers pulled away for a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in the decisive Game 3 of the American League wild-card series...
Dodgers make quick work of Reds in 2-game series sweep
LOS ANGELES — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out a postseason-high nine while pitching into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers broke it open with a four-run sixth to beat the Cincinnati Reds, 8-4, on Wednesday night to advance to the National League Division Series. The defending World Series champion...
Braves manager Brian Snitker won’t return next season, moves to advisory role
Brian Snitker will not return as manager of the Atlanta Braves, transitioning to an adviser role in 2026 for his 50th season with the franchise. Snitker will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame next season, the team said Wednesday. Named manager about a month into the 2016 season...
Yankees even series vs. Red Sox; David Bednar gets 1st playoff save
NEW YORK — Austin Wells hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees avoided elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their American League wild-card series Wednesday. Game 3 of the best-of-three set will be...
Guardians pop in 8th inning, beat Tigers to force Game 3
CLEVELAND — Brayan Rocchio belted a go-ahead solo homer, and Bo Naylor had a three-run shot as part of a five-run eighth inning, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of their American League wild-card series Wednesday afternoon. The Central Division champion Guardians...
Manny Machado homers as Padres shut out Cubs to even wild-card series
Manny Machado belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning, helping the visiting San Diego Padres square their National League wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs at one win apiece following a 3-0 victory Wednesday. The decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three series is Thursday afternoon in Chicago. The winner...
Reds allow 5 homers in a playoff game for the 1st time in franchise history, hand Game 1 to Dodgers
ESPN play-by-play announcer Jon “Boog” Sciambi shared a sad-but-true fact about the Cincinnati Reds’ postseason history during Game 1 of their National League wild-card series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Sciambi said during the broadcast that it was the 98th playoff game in Reds’ franchise history, and...
Yoshida’s pinch-hit, 2-run single backs Crochet’s strong pitching as Red Sox take lead on Yankees
NEW YORK — Garrett Crochet struck out 11 in 7 2/3 outstanding innings as the Boston Red Sox went ahead after getting Max Fried out of the game and opened their American League wild-card series with a 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday. Boston grabbed the advantage...
Back-to-back homers lift Cubs past Padres in wild-card series openerVideo
Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly belted back-to-back homers to lead off the fifth inning, lifting the host Chicago Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of their National League wild-card series on Tuesday. Daniel Palencia (1-0) struck out two and retired all five batters...
Tarik Skubal strikes out 14 as Tigers edge Guardians to kick off MLB playoffsVideo
CLEVELAND — Tarik Skubal struck out a record-setting 14 over 7 2/3 innings, and Riley Greene scored on Zach McKinstry’s go-ahead sacrifice bunt in the seventh, giving the Detroit Tigers a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of their American League wild-card series Tuesday afternoon. Reigning Cy...
What to watch during MLB’s best-of-three Wild Card Series this week
PHOENIX — Major League Baseball’s postseason has delivered some spicy matchups for this week’s Wild Card Series, particularly in the American League. The four series begin Tuesday, highlighted by a matchup between the archrival Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. All games of the best-of-three series will be at...
Reds earn 1st playoff berth since 2020 as they capitalize on Mets’ big fadeVideo
MILWAUKEE — The Cincinnati Reds are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020 after overtaking the New York Mets for the National League’s third and final wild card on the season’s final weekend. Cincinnati got to the postseason with plenty of help from the stumbling Mets. The...
U mad, bro?: Sharing lots of feelings on the Steelers, Skenes, Schoenfield, Sinatra and soggy pizza
The rapture didn’t happen this week. Some people seem really upset about that. Personally, I’m angry because the Pittsburgh Steelers can’t get off the field on possession downs, and the Pirates never give Paul Skenes any run support. It’s giving me a headache. Anyone got any Tyleno… nevermind. Let’s discuss...
Guardians’ David Fry sustains broken nose, facial fractures after being hit in face by 99 mph pitchVideo
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry sustained a broken nose and facial fractures after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 win over the Tigers, a victory that deadlocked the AL Central division race....
Cubs’ Matt Shaw says he’s ‘not concerned at all’ about backlash for attending Charlie Kirk memorialVideo
CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw insisted he has no regrets about missing a game to attend the memorial for his friend Charlie Kirk, saying he had an invitation from the right-wing commentator’s widow and permission from the team to attend the event in Glendale, Arizona. Shaw said...
MLB will use robot umpires in 2026
NEW YORK — Robot umpires are getting called up to the big leagues next season. Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee on Tuesday approved use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues in 2026. Human plate umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two...
Clayton Kershaw soaks in the applause in his last regular-season start at Dodger Stadium
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw pitched the final regular-season home game of his 18-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, welcomed and sent off with standing ovations a day after announcing his decision to retire at season’s end. Kershaw’s longtime warmup song, “We Are Young” by Fun, blared...
