Samwise MLB Newsletter
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Yankees Rout Red Sox 9-2 to Complete Wild Card Sweep, Set Up ALDS With Rays
The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-2 on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium to sweep their AL Wild Card Series, eliminating their rivals in the first round for the second straight year. Luis Garcia Jr. homered, and Cody Bellinger blew the game open with a three-run shot off Garrett Whitlock after Boston intentionally walked Ben Rice. Combined with a 9-0 win in Game 1, New York outscored Boston 18-2, the largest run differential of all time through two games of a postseason series. Aaron Judge, recovering from a calf strain, said he did not know if he would be available against the Rays.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
White Sox Sweep Astros for First Playoff Series Win Since 2005
The Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 7-3 Wednesday at Daikin Park to sweep their AL Wild Card Series, the franchise’s first postseason series victory since the 2005 World Series. Kyle Teel opened the scoring with an RBI single, and Chase Meidroth broke the game open with a three-run homer off Bryan Abreu in the sixth inning after Houston had cut a 4-0 deficit to 4-3. Anthony Kay stranded the bases loaded in the fifth by retiring Yordan Álvarez and Jose Altuve. Teel, Meidroth and Braden Montgomery, acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade, combined for 6 RBI in the series. Chicago faces Cleveland in the ALDS.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Bohm’s 10th-Inning Homer Lifts Phillies Past Braves, Forces Decisive Game 3
The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 10 innings Wednesday at Truist Park to even their NL Wild Card Series at one game apiece. Atlanta led 3-1 in the seventh after Bryce Harper misplayed Drake Baldwin’s fly ball and Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly. Kyle Schwarber and Harper answered with back-to-back homers off Dylan Lee in the eighth to tie it. Alec Bohm then hit an opposite-field homer off Didier Fuentes with two outs in the 10th, and Andrew Painter threw three scoreless innings in his postseason debut. The decisive Game 3 is Thursday in Atlanta, with the winner advancing to face the Dodgers.
Sources: CBS Sports, MLB.com
Padres Silence Cubs Again, Complete Two-Game Wild Card Sweep
The San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Wednesday night at Petco Park to sweep their NL Wild Card Series. Pinch hitter Gavin Sheets hit a two-run homer, Xander Bogaerts drove in the first run, and five Padres pitchers combined on a five-hitter. Ethan Salas drove in a run while becoming the youngest player to catch a postseason game in major league history. The Cubs, who led the majors in runs this season, managed eight hits over 18 innings in the series. San Diego, which took four of six games from Milwaukee this season, opens the NLDS against the Brewers on Saturday.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Three Sweeps Set Division Series Matchups; Dodgers Await Phillies-Braves Winner
Wednesday’s three Wild Card sweeps settled most of the Division Series field, with every series opening Saturday. The Yankees face the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays in what ESPN called a clash between the two best teams in the American League. The White Sox meet the Cleveland Guardians, who earned the AL’s No. 2 seed despite an 85-77 record that ranks 10th among the 12 playoff teams. In the National League, the Padres visit the 103-win Milwaukee Brewers after taking four of six games from them this season. The two-time reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers, winners of 100 games, will host the winner of Thursday’s Phillies-Braves Game 3.
Astros Bow Out Quickly as Hunter Brown Fails to Escape the First Inning
The Houston Astros were eliminated Wednesday after starter Hunter Brown failed to get out of the first inning of a 7-3 Game 2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Brown faced nine batters, was charged with four runs and needed 36 pitches to record two outs. Yordan Álvarez went 1 for 8 across the two games. Jose Altuve homered in Game 2, his 28th career postseason home run, leaving him one shy of Manny Ramirez’s MLB record. Peter Lambert threw three innings and 48 pitches on two days’ rest after Brown’s exit. Houston had opened the series with a bullpen game out of necessity.
Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN
Red Sox Add Curtis Mead After Roman Anthony’s Hand Injury Flares Again
The Boston Red Sox added infielder Curtis Mead to their AL Wild Card Series roster Wednesday after Roman Anthony suffered another hand injury. Anthony, 22, was removed from Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Yankees in the sixth inning with the same hand and finger injury that cost him 101 games this season, CBS Sports reported. The injury, a partial tendon and ligament tear, had lingered all year. Mead, 25, had not taken an at-bat in a game since fracturing his left wrist in his Red Sox debut in late July, according to NBC Sports. Boston was eliminated later Wednesday with a 9-2 loss in Game 2.
Sources: CBS Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN
American League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL East | |||
| Tampa Bay Rays | 98 | 64 | — |
| New York Yankees | 93 | 68 | 4.5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 87 | 75 | 11.0 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 79 | 82 | 18.5 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 79 | 83 | 19.0 |
| AL Central | |||
| Cleveland Guardians | 85 | 77 | — |
| Chicago White Sox | 84 | 78 | 1.0 |
| Minnesota Twins | 77 | 85 | 8.0 |
| Detroit Tigers | 76 | 86 | 9.0 |
| Kansas City Royals | 69 | 93 | 16.0 |
| AL West | |||
| Houston Astros | 81 | 81 | — |
| Texas Rangers | 80 | 82 | 1.0 |
| Seattle Mariners | 76 | 86 | 5.0 |
| Athletics | 64 | 98 | 17.0 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 62 | 100 | 19.0 |
National League
| Team | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL East | |||
| Atlanta Braves | 94 | 68 | — |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 88 | 74 | 6.0 |
| Miami Marlins | 80 | 82 | 14.0 |
| Washington Nationals | 77 | 85 | 17.0 |
| New York Mets | 74 | 88 | 20.0 |
| NL Central | |||
| Milwaukee Brewers | 103 | 59 | — |
| Chicago Cubs | 89 | 73 | 14.0 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 82 | 80 | 21.0 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 77 | 85 | 26.0 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 75 | 87 | 28.0 |
| NL West | |||
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 100 | 62 | — |
| San Diego Padres | 91 | 71 | 9.0 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 86 | 76 | 14.0 |
| San Francisco Giants | 65 | 97 | 35.0 |
| Colorado Rockies | 58 | 104 | 42.0 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency