Sports

Wild Card Series: Live updates, analysis and takeaways from Day 1

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It. Is. On. Eight teams are in action today as the 2023 MLB playoffs begin with the best-of-three wild-card round.

The Game 1 action has started in the American League, with the visiting Texas Rangers defeating the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays battling the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis (on ESPN). The National League takes center stage later this evening, with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Milwaukee Brewers (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

We’ve got you covered with lineups, live updates and analysis as the games are played, followed by our takeaways after each final pitch.

Key links: Everything you need to know | Bracket | Picks | Watch on ESPN, ABC

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Live updates | Takeaways | Matchups

Live updates

Takeaways

Texas Rangers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 0: The Max Scherzer acquisition got all the headlines at the trade deadline, but it’s a good thing Rangers general manager Chris Young traded for a second starting pitcher. Jordan Montgomery had a dominating performance against a high-powered Tampa Bay offense, tossing seven scoreless innings in the Rangers’ 4-0 victory. He’s now allowed two runs in 34 innings in his last five starts and is looking like a postseason ace — even if an unusual one, since he’s not a big strikeout pitcher.

The other impressive performance: Rookie left fielder Evan Carter went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two walks (although Yandy Diaz should have made the play on one of the doubles). Carter is just 21 and didn’t make his MLB debut until Sept. 8, but he already looks like a star at the plate — he had a 1.058 OPS in his 23 regular-season games. Oh, and he hits ninth in the Rangers’ lineup. Yes, it’s a very good lineup.

The Rays played an awful game with four errors. Kevin Cash questionably left Tyler Glasnow in the game to start the sixth inning and Glasnow walked the first two batters, allowing the Rangers to put the game away with two more runs. — David Schoenfield