Samwise MLB Newsletter
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Yamamoto Strikes Out 10 as Dodgers Beat Braves 3-1 for 2-1 NLDS Lead
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out a postseason career-high 10 in seven innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night at Truist Park to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series. Kiké Hernández, making his first start of the playoffs, hit a two-run homer off Braves ace Chris Sale in the fourth inning, and Freddie Freeman followed with a solo homer. Sale allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. Yamamoto, the MVP of the 2025 World Series, permitted four hits and one walk while improving to 8-1 in his postseason career. Game 4 is Wednesday in Atlanta.
Sources: NBC Sports · CBS Sports
Cronenworth Homer, Bogaerts Double Play Keep Padres Alive Against Brewers
Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking homer and Michael King pitched the final two innings as the San Diego Padres avoided elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday night. Cronenworth lined JoJo Romero’s first pitch of the fifth inning over the wall in right. In the ninth, after two walks, Xander Bogaerts fielded Christian Yelich’s line drive on a short hop, touched second and threw to first for a game-ending double play. William Contreras homered and had three hits for Milwaukee, which leads the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday night at Petco Park.
Sources: ESPN · CBS Sports
Padres Closer Mason Miller Goes on Paternity List Before Must-Win Game 3
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller went on the postseason paternity list Tuesday, about 45 minutes before the Padres faced elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of their NL Division Series. The Padres said Miller’s wife, Jordan, went into labor Tuesday afternoon. He can miss a minimum of one day and a maximum of three. The Padres replaced the All-Star closer with reliever Wandy Peralta. Without Miller, Michael King, who had pitched five innings two days earlier, worked the final two innings of the 4-3 win. San Diego hosts Game 4 on Wednesday night.
Sources: NBC Sports · MLB Trade Rumors
Yankees Turn to Max Fried Facing Elimination Against Rays in ALDS Game 3
The New York Yankees face elimination Wednesday night, trailing the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 in their best-of-five AL Division Series. New York was no-hit into the eighth inning by Rays ace Drew Rasmussen in a 1-0 loss in Game 1, then committed four errors in a 5-2 loss in Game 2. Left-hander Max Fried will start Game 3 against Rays right-hander Nick Martinez, and Carlos Rodón will start a potential Game 4 on Thursday. The Yankees have used the same starting lineup, which included eight left-handed batters, in their last three postseason games. Only 10 times has a team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five series.
Sources: CBS Sports · Sports Illustrated
White Sox and Guardians Both Turn to Openers with Chicago One Win From ALCS
The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians will both use openers in Game 3 of their AL Division Series on Wednesday at Rate Field, where Chicago can clinch a berth in the AL Championship Series. The White Sox lead the best-of-five series 2-0. Left-hander Sean Newcomb will open for Chicago; he went 2-5 with a 3.09 ERA and posted a 0.84 ERA in six outings as an opener. Cleveland will start rookie right-hander Daniel Espino, who opened three games this season with a 6.25 ERA. “Of all the options in the bullpen, I felt like giving the ball to Daniel was the right call,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
Sources: ESPN · NBC Sports
Alex Cora Tells Phillies He Is Taking the 2027 Season Off
Alex Cora has told the Philadelphia Phillies he does not plan to manage in 2027, USA Today Sports reported Tuesday. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, spoke with Cora about becoming their manager, but Cora informed him he is taking the season off, according to a high-ranking Phillies executive cited in the report. It is the second time Cora has turned down Philadelphia, which reportedly offered him the job after the Boston Red Sox fired him during the 2026 season. The Phillies replaced Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start and went 79-55 under interim manager Don Mattingly before a Wild Card Series loss to Atlanta.
Sources: USA Today · Sports Illustrated · MLB Trade Rumors
Fred Claire, GM of 1988 Champion Dodgers and Coiner of Dodger Blue, Dies at 91
Fred Claire, the general manager of the 1988 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, died Monday on his 91st birthday. A former sportswriter who covered the Dodgers, Claire joined the club’s public relations department in 1969 and is credited with coining the phrase “Dodger Blue.” He took over as general manager in April 1987 after Al Campanis was removed, then signed free agent Kirk Gibson, who won the National League MVP award as the Dodgers beat the heavily favored A’s in the 1988 Series. Claire was replaced by Tommy Lasorda in 1998 after publicly objecting to a Mike Piazza trade made without his knowledge.
Sources: MLB.com · Sports Illustrated
Diamondbacks Part Ways with Pitching Coach Brian Kaplan After Two Seasons
The Arizona Diamondbacks will not bring back pitching coach Brian Kaplan for the 2027 season, a source told MLB.com. Kaplan’s contract, which he signed in November 2024, had expired, and the team elected not to bring him back. Kaplan replaced Brent Strom following the 2024 season after serving as the Philadelphia Phillies’ assistant pitching coach from 2022 to 2024. The fates of the rest of manager Torey Lovullo’s coaching staff were still to be determined, according to the report. Lovullo, whose own contract had been set to expire at the end of October, recently agreed to a two-year extension to remain Arizona’s manager.
Sources: MLB.com · MLB Trade Rumors
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 |
Final 2026 regular-season standings. Source: MLB.com
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency