Samwise MLB Newsletter
Friday, October 2, 2026
Braves Homer Three Times, Use Sale in Relief to Eliminate Phillies
The Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 in the deciding Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series on Thursday night at Truist Park, earning their first playoff series win against Philadelphia. Michael Harris II hit a three-run homer off Aaron Nola in the first inning, Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot off Zack Wheeler in the fourth, and Matt Olson homered off Jonathan Bowlan in the seventh. Opener Ray Kerr threw 3⅓ scoreless innings. Ace Chris Sale, pitching on one day of rest, got the final four outs on 21 pitches. Atlanta opens the Division Series against the Dodgers on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Division Series Matchups Set as All Four Series Open Saturday
The Division Series field is set after the Braves’ Game 3 win, and all four series open Saturday. In the American League, the second-seeded Guardians host the White Sox at 1 p.m. ET and the top-seeded Rays host the Yankees at 6:30 p.m. ET. In the National League, the two-time reigning champion Dodgers host the Braves at 4 p.m. ET and the Brewers host the Padres at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Brewers won 103 games and the Dodgers won 100 during the regular season. With three sweeps and Atlanta’s win, Game 1 winners have now taken 19 of 20 Wild Card Series since the format began in 2022.
Sources: CBS Sports, MLB.com
Phillies’ Early Exit Leaves Mattingly’s Future Unresolved
Philadelphia’s 6-2 loss in Game 3 ended its season and left interim manager Don Mattingly’s status unresolved. “It’s not the time to talk about anything like that,” Mattingly said after the game. He added that he has had no conversations with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski about his future. Mattingly took over after Rob Thomson was dismissed following a 9-19 start, and the Phillies went 79-55 under him. CBS Sports reports the expectation is that Dombrowski will again pursue Alex Cora. The Phillies reached the playoffs for a fifth straight year but failed to win a postseason series for the third straight year.
Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports
Yankees Weigh Cole or Rodón for ALDS Opener as Judge’s Return Remains Unclear
Yankees manager Aaron Boone must decide whether Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodón starts Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. “Obviously, Gerrit’s lined up for that. Carlos is very much in play for that,” Boone said. Rodón threw eight shutout innings against Tampa Bay on Sept. 22. Aaron Judge, sidelined since Sept. 16 by a strained right calf, has resumed hitting, but whether he will return to the lineup remains unclear. “I want to be in there. So we’ll see what happens,” Judge said. The Rays won the season series 7-6 en route to an AL-best 98-64 record.
Sources: NBC Sports, Sports Illustrated
Guardians Tab Rookie Parker Messick for ALDS Game 1 Against White Sox
Cleveland will start rookie left-hander Parker Messick in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday at Progressive Field, with Gavin Williams starting Game 2 on Monday. Messick will be the first rookie pitcher to start a postseason game for Cleveland since 2016. The 25-year-old went 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA in 32 starts. Williams went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA and was second in the majors with 248 strikeouts. “They’ve been our two best pitchers. They’ve earned it and then some,” manager Stephen Vogt said. The White Sox went 7-6 against Cleveland in the season series.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Contreras and Gray Question Red Sox Decisions After Wild Card Sweep
Boston veterans voiced frustration after the Yankees swept the Red Sox, outscoring them 18-2 in two games. Manager Chad Tracy pulled Sonny Gray after 70 pitches in Wednesday’s Game 2. “I would have liked to have been trusted in that moment,” Gray said. First baseman Willson Contreras pointed to the club’s reliance on data. “It’s not enough when you have talent, or you have data, or you have computers telling you what to do, because this is baseball,” he said. NBC Sports Boston reports that Contreras, the club’s home run leader, is under contract through next season, while Gray is scheduled to become a free agent this winter.
Sources: NBC Sports Boston, MLB Trade Rumors
Cubs Head Into Offseason After Scoring Once in Two-Game Sweep
The Chicago Cubs’ season ended with a two-game Wild Card Series sweep by the San Diego Padres, in which Chicago scored once. Michael King held the Cubs to one hit over seven innings in Game 1, and San Diego’s bullpen threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in Game 2. The Cubs had scored the most runs in the majors. “We just didn’t play well enough,” manager Craig Counsell said. “And they’re playing really well.” CBS Sports notes the Cubs had the worst pitcher WAR in baseball and went 17-22 after Aug. 12, a slide that cost them home-field advantage. The Padres have won 19 of their last 22 games.
Sources: CBS Sports, MLB Trade Rumors
Diamondbacks Bring Back Torey Lovullo on Two-Year Deal
The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back manager Torey Lovullo on a two-year contract, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The Arizona Republic first reported the deal. The 61-year-old’s future had been in flux after Arizona missed the playoffs for a third straight year, finishing 86-76, the best record in MLB for a team that did not qualify for October. Lovullo is the winningest manager in Diamondbacks history at 750-768 over a full decade, highlighted by a 2023 World Series appearance. The deal lines him up with general manager Mike Hazen, whose most recent contract runs through 2028.
Sources: NBC Sports, MLB Trade Rumors
Mariners Keep Dipoto to Lead Search for New Manager
The Seattle Mariners will retain president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto after chairman John Stanton gave him his approval, while manager Dan Wilson will not return. “All of those things led me to believe that Jerry’s the right guy to lead the baseball organization,” Stanton told the Seattle Times. Dipoto will lead the process to find a new manager, and the club also moved on from four other coaches. Seattle went 28-37 after the All-Star break and finished third in the AL West. Sports Illustrated reports the Mariners wanted an experienced manager from outside the organization and that Lovullo’s return to Arizona removes a leading candidate.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, Sports Illustrated
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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