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Tag: Matt Olson

  • Atlanta Braves’ season had highs, lows, wins, losses, and moments to remember

    A pair of Colorado Rockies fans (center) and thousands of Atlanta Braves fans enjoy The Battery before Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Sunday will be the final game of the season.

    The Atlanta Braves’ 2025 season is nearly over. There will be no postseason play for the Braves this time around, though. The National League East belongs to the rival Philadelphia Phillies. A potential wild card spot may go to Atlanta’s other rival, the New York Mets. For Braves fans, the final series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and whether the team wins matters less than what will be in place when the team meets at CoolToday Park in Venice, Florida, for spring training next year.

    There’s a lot that went wrong this season (injuries, losing streaks, blown leads, blown saves, and Michael Harris II’s month of May and June, to name a few), but there were also enough positive performances for the fan base to be looking forward to the 2026 season.

    Michael Harris II (above) celebrates after hitting a home run during the series against the Chicago White Sox at Truist Park. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Highs: 

    The Major League Baseball All-Star Game took place at Truist Park, and by all measures, it was a success for everyone involved. The MLB Draft took place at the Coca-Cola Roxy at The Battery, and that event was sold out. 

    The 10-game win streak may have taken place at the end of the season, but it did happen. That streak of close wins, blowout victories, and stellar pitching performances (by Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, and Bryce Elder in particular) was an example of what this team can do when healthy. 

    All-Star first baseman Matt Olson had a career year. On Saturday night against the Pirates, Olson, an Atlanta native, played his 161st game of the year. During that time on the field, he has managed to lead the team in home runs (29), RBI (94), batting average (.272), doubles (40), and walks (90). His defense at first base has been Golden Glove-level. 

    Hurston Waldrep emerged as the club’s next star on the mound. Waldrep began his career in the majors as a last-minute call-up and had to pitch in Bristol, Tennessee, following a rainout. That was the Speedway Classic against the Cincinnati Reds on August 2, and Waldrep has been impressive during his nine starts (6-1 overall record). 

    Michael Harris II had one of the best offensive second halves in Braves history. He hasn’t been too bad over the past week, either. Harris II is hitting over .370 with three home runs, seven RBI, four steals, and is slugging over .800. Harris will be an important piece of the 2026 team, with his defense in centerfield and speed on the basepaths. Harris’s bat will also be needed if Atlanta is going to be a postseason team next year. Even with his early-season struggles, Harris will finish this season second on the team in RBI, first in steals, and one of five players with at least 20 home runs.

    Ozzie Albies, a fixture at second base for years, had a strong second half as well. He played in 157 games before injuring his hand late in the season. Albies hit 16 home runs, drove in 74 runs, and had 23 doubles, second only to Olson. 

    Hurston Waldrep (above) of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Truist Park on August 20, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Lows:

    Atlanta began the 2025 season with seven consecutive losses and never seemed to get back on track. The 2026 season will begin at Truist Park, though. The opponents will be the Kansas City Royals and the (add city here) A’s.

    The Atlanta Braves will finish the 2025 season under .500 at Truist Park. 

    All five of the opening day starting pitchers missed significant time this season. All of them. In his final start of the season, Spencer Strider gave up three earned runs and seven hits against the Pirates. 

    Drake Baldwin (above) of the Atlanta Braves celebrates scoring during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on September 8, 2025. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

    The Future: The Braves have a ton of young talent on this roster, and most of those players will be needed if Atlanta is going to retain its spot atop the National League East. 

    Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is one of the top rookies in the National League. The Wisconsin native and former hockey player is on his way to becoming the full-time catcher for this team after platooning with Sean Murphy early in the season. Baldwin has 19 home runs and 80 RBI, and has quickly become one of the clutch hitters on this team. 

    Nacho Alvarez Jr. (above) hits a single in the fourth inning during the game against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 22, 2025. Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves

    Along with Waldrep, there are other young arms on the roster. Grant Holmes (21 starts this year), Spencer Swellenbach (17), and AJ Smith-Shawver (9) all gave the team quality starts when their numbers were called. All three pitchers will get starts next season alongside veterans like Strider, Sale, and Bryce Elder.

    Currently at third base, Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has been impressive defensively in place of Austin Riley, who was hurt a few months ago. Alvarez, Jr. will not and cannot replace the offensive out of Riley, but will make a fine addition to the Braves’ bench when the time comes to give Riley a rest.

    And of course, there’s Ronald Acuna, Jr., arguably one of the best players in baseball when healthy.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Final Friday of the season ends with rain-delayed 9-3 loss to Pittsburgh

    Attendance on the final Friday of the season was 34,500, at least before the 49-minute rain delay began at 9:22 p.m.
    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The final weekend series of the 2025 Atlanta Braves season began on Friday night at Truist Park. The Braves started the season cold (0-7), got hurt, got hot, got cold again, got colder, had a 10-game win streak towards the end of the year, and then finished the year out of the National League East race. The final opponent of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates, didn’t have a shot at their respective division crown this season either.

    The Pirates still managed to win the game 9-3. It was only the second time this month that the Pirates scored that many runs in a game. They scored 11 against the A’s on Sept. 21.

    You couldn’t tell Pittsburgh was 21 games under .500 at the start of this game. The Pirates scored four runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by left fielder Tommy Pham off Braves starter Joey Wentz (four innings, four earned runs, three strikeouts, eight hits).

    Joey Wentz (above) was the starter for the Atlanta Braves on Friday night. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

    Through the first three innings of the game, the Braves had several opportunities to tie the game or cut into Pittsburgh’s lead, but only managed a Matt Olson solo home run in the first inning.

    With two outs and Brett Wisely and Jurickson Profar on first and third, Braves All-Star first baseman Matt Olson came to the plate in the fourth inning. Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (4.2, six strikeouts, and an earned run) was taken out of the game, and Yohan Ramirez came into the game to put out a potential fire for Pittsburgh.

    Neither team made a dent in the scoreboard during the third, fourth, and fifth innings. In the sixth, the Braves started the inning with a solo homerun from Michael Harris II (3-4 with an RBI), his 20th of the season, that made the score 4-2. The fastball from Pirates pitcher Mike Burrows that Harris II launched over the center field fence came on a 1-2 count. Harris has been more patient during the second half of the season, and it has paid off in a 20-homerun, 20-stolen base season for the Stockbridge High School alum.

    Pittsburgh answered back in the seventh inning with a solo home run (a theme tonight) from Spencer Horwitz to go ahead 5-2 before the rains came at 9:22 p.m., and a 49-minute rain delay ensued.

    Atlanta picked up another run in the seventh inning to make the score 5-3 when Acuna, Jr. singled and Drake Baldwin drove him in from first base with a line-drive single up the middle of the Pirates’ infield.

    The true highlight of the game was the Braves’ bullpen. Hunter Stratton, Joel Payamps, and Dylan Dodd came on in relief, and other than the home run by Horowitz, shut down the Pirates’ bats.

    Pierce Johnson came into the game for the Braves and gave up three runs following a three-run home run by Horowitz. It was Horowitz’s second home run of the game.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: The Case for Drake Baldwin for NL ROTY

    Atlanta Braves rookie catcher Drake Badwin may have begun the 2025 season platooning behind the plate, but he will finish it as one of the frontrunners for National League Rookie of the Year. Baldwin came into Monday night’s game against the Washington Nationals batting .273 with 18 home runs, 76 RBI, 52 runs scored, and a .799 OPS.

    Even though the Braves will end the season out of the National League postseason picture and under .500, Baldwin’s offensive input and defense behind the dish have been important, whatever success the club has had this season.

    Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin (above)and the Atlanta Braves hosted the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park on September 6, 2025. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    Over the past 30 games coming into Monday night, Baldwin’s numbers were down (.245 from the plate with 11 strikeouts), but he has picked them up of late. During the past seven games, all Braves victories, Baldwin is hitting .348 with a .738 slugging percentage, two home runs, and eight runs batted in. His only true competition for the award is a young starter on the Northside of Chicago.

    The Chicago Cubs’ starting pitcher, Cade Horton, has been lighting up National League hitters this season. Horton is currently 11-4 with a 2.66 ERA, 95 strikeouts, and has only given up 33 walks in 115 innings.

    Against the Braves this season, Horton is 1-0 in two starts. During those games, he had an ERA of 0.79 in 11 innings of work and struck out eight Braves while only giving up one earned run.

    It wouldn’t be an upset if Horton won the award, but Baldwin has made a solid case this season. The Braves finishing under .500 could be why Baldwin doesn’t come away with it. The Cubs (88-68 overall) are currently atop the National League wild card standings. That makes Horton’s 11 victories this season that much more important.

    On Monday night, with the bases loaded and the Braves ahead 2-1, Baldwin, batting in the sixth slot in the lineup, hit a two-RBI single off Nationals pitcher Jackson Rutledge to extend the Braves’ lead to 3-1. The two runs left Baldwin with the third most runs batted in on the team behind Matt Olson (93) and Michael Harris (80).

    Baldwin hit a double in the fourth inning, his 17th of the season. That hit started a rally that ended with Atlanta scoring another run on Harris’s third RBI of the game.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Bryce (Elder) Yourselves, Braves win 4-1

    Ha-Seong Kim (above) had a single during the Braves’s three-run first inning against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

    Stop me if you have heard this before, but Bryce Elder was the key reason the Atlanta Braves won tonight. The Braves defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-1 and Elder was lights out.

    The Braves were back at Truist Park a day after losing a three-game series to the Seattle Mariners. Monday night’s starting pitcher, Bryce Elder, came into the game against the Chicago Cubs having come off of one of his best outings of the season against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 3. Elder went seven innings, gave up just four hits and one run, while striking out seven Cubs.

    He started Monday night’s game on the right track, striking out three of the first seven Cubs he faced in the first inning and second innings, including Pete Crow Armstrong. Elder has experienced some rough early innings this season, so the strong start to this game was a welcomed sight for a Braves pitching staff and defense that gave up 18 runs to Seattle on Sunday.

    Elder was pitching well again. The Texas native picked up two more strikeouts in the third inning and had a 1-2-3 fourth inning.

    At the plate, Ozzie Albies got things started for Atlanta with a first inning solo home run to left field off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. Following a single from Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, potential National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin laced a double off of the center field fence to bring Kim home and give the Braves a 2-0 lead. Ronald Acuna drove Baldwin in to make the score 3-0, and also snapped a 0-25 hitting streak in the process.

    The roughest inning for Elder came in the sixth when he gave up a pair of singles and a walk to Michael Busch, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki, the top of the Cubs lineup. Elder then got Pete Crow-Armstrong to ground out to Albies to end the inning.

    Elder would come out of the game in the seventh inning with a runner on third base. That runner, Nick Hoerner, hit a double to start the inning. The hit was the only extra-base hit Elder gave up during his time on the mound. Elder, who went 6.1 innings with five strikeouts, was charged with the run the Cubs scored moments later on a sacrifice fly from Matt Shaw off a Pierce Johnson fastball.

    The Braves would get the run back when Matt Olson hit his 23rd home run of the season in the eighth inning, putting Atlanta up 4-1.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Bullpen blows, Mariners hits 5 HRs, Braves lose 10-2

    Hurston Waldrep (above) made his sixth career start on Saturday night. It was his third career start at Truist Park. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves lost 10-2 to the Seattle Mariners tonight.

    Atlanta Braves rookie starter Hurston Waldrep made his sixth career start on Saturday night against the Seattle Mariners. He would leave the game without a victory, but his stellar performance allowed the game to remain close.

    Waldrep was done for the night after throwing 91 pitches through five innings. During his time on the mound he continued his strong play, striking out five Mariners, walking five more, and only giving up the two earned runs on the first inning home run.

    Following the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Waldrep despite the outcome.

    “Pretty impressive for a young guy not to cave in,” Snitker said about the first inning of the game. “I really like what I have seen of him. he’s really handled adversity.”

    Waldrep is 4-0 with 1.33 ERA in six starts this season.

    On Friday night, the sellout crowd at Truist Park got an opportunity to watch a pitching masterclass by Chris Sale. Sale finished the game having pitched 6.2 and only gave up four hits and an earned run, while striking out nine Mariners. He was lights out from start to finish.

    On Saturday night, the Braves bullpen, however, did not pitch well tonight. Not even close.

    Plenty of young Atlanta Braves fans made their way into the stadium over the weekend. There were a combined 71,000 fans in attendance for the games at Truist Park on Friday and Saturday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Braves

    The fireworks got started early on as Waldrep, one of the future stars for this franchise, gave up two early runs on a home run by Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez. The fastball that went over the left field fence came on an 0-2 count. Waldrep, a native of Cairo, Georgia, would settle down through the next three innings, only giving up a double to Seattle right fielder Victor Robles in the fourth inning.

    The first run of the game for Atlanta would come in the same inning on a solo home run by Matt Olson. The home run was the 22nd home run of the season for Olson and a team high. With Ozzie Albies on third base, Michael Harris II came to the plate with two outs and swung at the first pitch from Seattle’s starter, Bryce Miller. The results of that at-bat were similar to the four Harris II took on Friday night, it resulted in an out and no RBI.

    Seattle left fielder Randy Arozarena started the fifth inning with a walk by Waldrep and proceeded to steal his second base of the night. Arozarena had two walks and the two steals during his first three at-bats. The Mariners failed to score between the second and fifth innings, and a large part of that was the defense behind Waldrep. Ha-Seong Kim, playing at shortstop, snagged a hard hot ball up the middle from Seattle first baseman Josh Naylor and threw him out to end the inning.

    Ronald Acuna, Jr. came to the plate in the sixth inning with Baldwin and Kim on base, one out in the books, and the Braves down 2-1. Miller had already thrown 87 pitches for Seattle, and this was the first inning of the game in which he had given up more than one hit. Baldwin and Kim reached base on consecutive singles. Acuna, Jr. walked and Harris II hit a deep sac fly to center field which allowed Baldwin to score and tie the game at two.

    With Arozarena back on second base for the third time in the game, Rodriguez hit his second home run of the game to put Seattle back in front 4-2. It was his third multi-home run game of the season. Eugenio Suarez followed Rodriguez with a solo home run to left. Both home runs came courtesy of Daysbel Hernandez pitches. That ended the night for Hernandez and brought Hayden Harris out of the Braves bullpen in relief with two outs and Atlanta behind 5-2. Harris gave up a single to J.P. Crawford that brought in another Seattle run before the inning was over.

    Major League Baseball’s leader in home runs, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, managed to go 0-4 with a walk and Seattle still scored six runs through eight innings. Raleigh hit his 52nd home run of the year in the ninth inning to put Seattle ahead 10-2. Braves reliever John Brebbia, who came on in the eighth inning, gave up a three-run home run down the right field line to Josh Naylor along with the home run to Raleigh. The mariners hit five combined home runs on Saturday night.

    Drake Baldwin (above) bats in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on May 15, 2025. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    Still Leading the Pack:

    Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin is racing towards the National League Rookie of the Year award. Baldwin is hitting .283 with 64 RBI and 15 home runs. Though he has only won National League Rookie of the Month once, Baldwin has played a large role in the Braves’ offense this season. His defense behind the plate has also been a plus for a Braves team with very little to celebrate this season. On Saturday night against Seattle, he got a base hit in the sixth inning that started a rally.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Atlanta is back over .500 (at home) with 4-1 win over Seattle Mariners

    Chris Sale (above) started Friday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park. Sale (5-4 overall before the game) was back to his old self early on. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves opened the three-game series with the Seattle Mariners with a 4-1 victory on Friday night.

    The eighth inning told the story tonight as Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Drake Baldwin each drove in runs to give Atlanta a lead they would not relinquish. With the score 1-1 to start the eighth, the Braves got a double from Jurickson Profar to lead off the inning. Olson’s single drove him in, and Albies triple drove in Olson then Baldwin helped bring Albies home.

    Raisel Iglesisas came on in the ninth inning and had a 1-2-3 inning to get the save and secure the victory. Other than a deep fly ball to center from Jorge Polanco, there was little threat from Seattle.

    The Braves were back at Truist Park following a long and unsuccessful road trip. Atlanta began a series against the Seattle Mariners (The Braves are 11-14 against the Mariners all-time) with a 33-33 record in their home park. Well below .500 for the season and out of the playoff picture, establishing a winning environment at Truist Park, along with the strong play of the team’s young talent, including Baldwin and Hurston Waldrep, can give the fanbase something to look forward to in October and beyond.

    There were immediately opportunities to get off to a strong start in the first home game of the last month of the season. Atlanta only managed to score one run despite having the bases loaded in the top of the first inning. With two runners on base and two outs, Michael Harris, once the hottest player in the National League, struck out on a breaking pitch from Seattle starter Logan Gilbert to end the inning.

    Harris came into the game tied for the team lead in RBI with Olson with 77. His 17 home runs was third on the team behind Olson (21) and Marcell Ozuna (20).

    Newcomer to the Atlanta baseball scene, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, was at the plate in the third inning with Albies on third base and two outs. Kim, who played well during the series in Chicago against the Cubs, popped out to Seattle shortstop Leo Rivas to end the third inning.

    Chris Sale was back on the mound for the Braves. Sale made his first start in months during the recent road trip, and he was sharp in his return to Truist Park. Through the first four innings of the game, Sale had only given up three hits and no runs. In the fifth inning, Sale struck out the side: Dominic Canzone, Leo Rivas, and Luke Raley.

    Sale pitched 6.2 innings and thoroughly shut down the Mariners lineup during his time on the mound. Reliever Dylan Lee came on in relief of Sale and immediately gave up a single to tied the game at one.

    After the game Sale thanked the Braves staff and his teammates for supporting him on his journey back from the rib injury too pitching the way he did tonight.

    “I try to be the same guy every day,” Sale said. “It feels good.”

    Asked if he was surprised Sale is already pitching at this level, Braves manager Brian Snitker said he wasn’t.

    “I don’t think anything he does surprises me,” Snitker said of Sale. “I just want to see him progress.”

    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Michael Harris II stays hot, Braves defeat White Sox, 11-10 in a thriller

    Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (above) is hitting over .400 in his last 30 games. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images

    With Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (a pair of singles and doubles during the game) on third base and two outs in the first inning, Michael Harris II (1-4 with two RBI) stepped to the plate and hit a two-strike, two-run home run to give the Braves the lead. A night earlier, Harris was 4-4 with a home run. He was pinch-run for in the eighth inning and missed an opportunity to bat with the bases loaded and the Braves down by four runs. Harris didn’t waste any time getting those lost RBIs back. The home run gave him 16 for the season and 68 RBI, second on the team behind Olson’s 72.

    Michael Harris II might be in the midst of the best second half in the history of The Atlanta Braves franchise. Heck, the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves are included in that hyperbole as well.

    When Harris came up to bat during the series against the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, the rounds of applause were typical of a star player playing on another level. In the third inning on Tuesday, with Ronald Acuna, Jr., on second base following a walk and stolen base, Harris didn’t get a hit. He did, however, advance the runner to third base with a ground ball up the middle that Lenyn Sosa threw to first. 

    In the past 30 games, including all three games against the White Sox, Harris is batting over .400 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI. Harris is also slugging over .770 and has an on base percentage just over .420. 

    During his 12-game hitting streak, Harris is batting closer to .500 and has seemed to take full advantage of the amount of baserunners he has seen while batting in the cleanup, fifth and sixth spots in the lineup.

    When Harris wasn’t helping the team with his bat on Tuesday, he used his glove. A pair of catches in the night inning helped Atlanta secure the victory. Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Harris after the game.

    “He never takes a play off on defense,” said Snitker. “Michael has been the hottest player on the planet for a while.”

    Jurickson Profar has been playing just as well of late. His two-run home run off White Sox starter Shane Smith in the fourth inning gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead. Profar homered in three consecutive games, something he has done twice this season.

    Bryce Elder (above) started Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The last time Elder started, the Braves defeated the New York York Mets 4-3. Elder pitched one of his best games of the season, going seven innings with six strikeout, two walks, while only giving up two earned runs.

    Last night the White Sox hitters lit up Braves pitching, in particular Spencer Strider. On Tuesday night against Elder, the White Sox found a way to score eight runs through five innings following RBI singles from White Sox first baseman Miguel Vargas and Sosa, and a bases clearing double by Luis Robert, Jr. All three players had multi-hit games on Monday night and continued their strong run of play. Elder (4.2 innings, eight earned runs) was knocked out of the game and replaced by Connor Seabold.

    White Sox catcher Kyle Teel hit a two-run home run off Seabold down the right field line to give Chicago a 10-4 lead. Acuna, Jr.made the score10-5 with an RBI single in the seventh, Drake Baldwin walked with the bases loaded to make it 10-6, and Ozzie Albies hit a single to drive in two more runs, cutting the Chicago advantage to 10-8. A fielder choice would allow another run to score, so the braves were down 10-9. The inning would end with Vidal Brujan getting picked off at first base.

    Baldwin drive in a pair off runs in the eighth inning to put Atlanta ahead 11-10. Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias came on in the ninth and earned the save.

    There’s still time for the Braves to play spoiler and ruin the playoff chances for the Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros.

    What’s Next: The Braves will host the White Sox in the third game of this series and have Thursday, August 21, off before hosting the New York Mets in a three-game weekend series. Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for a 7:15 p.m.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • MLB Playoffs: Mariners host Astros, Yankees visit Guardians

    MLB Playoffs: Mariners host Astros, Yankees visit Guardians

    Playoff baseball returns to the Pacific Northwest on Saturday.

    The Seattle Mariners are hoping it’s more than a one-day cameo.

    Julio Rodríguez and company host Yordan Alvarez and the Houston Astros for Game 3 of their AL Division Series. The Mariners are hoping to extend their October stay after dropping the first two games of the best-of-five series in Houston.

    Matt Olson and Atlanta look to stay alive against Bryce Harper and Philadelphia, and the Los Angeles Dodgers take on Manny Machado and San Diego in Game 4 of their NLDS on Saturday night. The New York Yankees face the Cleveland Guardians in the other ALDS matchup.

    It’s the first playoff game in Seattle since the Mariners were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the 2001 AL Championship Series.

    “The factor that I don’t think is getting talked about enough and I think it’s going to show up tomorrow on the first inning is when there’s 45,000 Mariner fans in the stands pumped and ready to go, and all behind us. Because we certainly need it,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I talked about it when we clinched, ended the drought, how valuable our fan base has been to this team. This team really, somehow, we get wired, we get going when it’s loud here.”

    Seattle snapped the longest playoff drought in the four major North American sports when it clinched one of the AL wild cards on Sept. 30 thanks to Cal Raleigh’s home run.

    Even the starting pitcher for Houston — trying to end Seattle’s season on Saturday — has appreciation for seeing the Mariners back in the postseason.

    “Moments like these where the fans get to come back out and watch postseason baseball for an organization that hasn’t been there in a while I think is really cool,” Houston right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. said.

    Here’s what else to know about the MLB playoffs Saturday:

    SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times ET)

    NLDS Game 4: Atlanta at Philadelphia, 2:07 p.m., FS1

    ALDS Game 3: Houston at Seattle, 4:07 p.m., TBS

    ALDS Game 3: New York Yankees at Cleveland, 7:37 p.m., TBS

    NLDS Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego, 9:37 p.m., FS1

    ALL RISE?

    Maybe a change of scenery will help Aaron Judge as he looks to find his timing at the plate. Judge and the Yankees visit the Guardians for Game 3 of their AL Division Series on Saturday.

    Judge went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts in Friday’s 4-2 loss in Game 2. He is 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts in the deadlocked best-of-five series.

    “Just a little late,” Judge said. “When you’re a little late, you’re missing pitches that you’re usually doing some damage on. You’re swinging at stuff that you usually don’t. So it’s truly all about timing.”

    The 30-year-old Judge hit .311 with 62 homers and 131 RBIs this season, leading New York to the AL East title and setting himself up for a big payday. The 6-foot-7 outfielder is eligible for free agency after breaking Roger Maris’ AL home run record.

    ON THE EDGE

    Atlanta is on the brink of elimination heading into Game 4 at Philadelphia. The Braves won the World Series last year, and then rallied past the Mets for their fifth consecutive NL East title this season.

    Charlie Morton starts for Atlanta, and Noah Syndergaard takes the mound for Philly. Morton, who turns 39 on Nov. 12, is 7-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 17 career postseason appearances. Syndergaard is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in six postseason games, including a scoreless eighth inning in Game 2 at Atlanta.

    Morton was in the mix for Friday’s Game 3, but the Braves went with Spencer Strider instead. The rookie right-hander was tagged for five runs in 2 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss.

    “It’s the postseason. You’ve just got to be ready to throw when they call on you,” Morton said.

    ___

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • MLB Playoffs: Phillies, Dodgers take early NLDS leads

    MLB Playoffs: Phillies, Dodgers take early NLDS leads

    Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies can put the defending World Series champion Braves on the brink of elimination. Same for the Dodgers against the rival Padres.

    Meanwhile, the Mariners and Guardians get a day to shake off tough losses to the Astros and Yankees, respectively.

    The best-of-five National League Division Series pitting Phillies vs. Braves and Padres vs. Dodgers are set for their second games Wednesday, while the American League clubs get a day off.

    Castellanos carried a big load with his bat in a 7-6 Game 1 victory Tuesday over Atlanta. But despite driving in three runs, his glovework was what really had people talking.

    Frequently maligned as part of a subpar defensive outfield, Castellanos sprawled out for a potentially game-saving catch in the ninth inning, snuffing out Atlanta’s rally from a six-run deficit.

    The grab helped lock up the Phillies’ third straight win to open this postseason — an unexpected run months after they fired manager Joe Girardi and replaced him with Rob Thomson.

    Here’s what else to know about the MLB playoffs today:

    TODAY’S SCHEDULE (All times ET)

    NLDS Game 2: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 4:35 p.m., FOX

    NLDS Game 2: San Diego at Los Angeles, 8:37 p.m., FS1

    BRAVE NEW OCTOBER

    Dansby Swanson and the Braves haven’t rediscovered last year’s World Series magic. They’re hoping it’ll show against Game 2 Phillies starter Zack Wheeler.

    Atlanta didn’t look like a defending champion Tuesday. The Braves stranded nine runners in their Game 1 loss, an aggravating day that had the usually cool-headed Swanson slamming his bat and helmet to the ground midgame.

    They showed signs of life late, when Matt Olson’s three-run homer cut the deficit to one in the ninth inning. They’ll ask Game 2 starter Kyle Wright to carry over that momentum — something he did well while leading the majors with 21 wins this season.

    CLOSED OUT

    The Dodgers can take a 2-0 series lead over San Diego with a win Wednesday. They’ll send three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to the mound against Padres ace Yu Darvish.

    If Kershaw and the Dodgers win a second World Series in three years, it may be without eight-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel in the bullpen. And that’s by choice.

    Kimbrel was left off Los Angeles’ NLDS roster, a decision manager Dave Roberts made two weeks after demoting Kimbrel out of the closer’s role.

    Kimbrel was 6-7 with 22 saves and was booed at times in his first season in Los Angeles as the replacement for Kenley Jansen. Kimbrel leads active pitchers with 394 career saves and has never blown a postseason chance in 23 appearances, although he has a subpar 4.13 ERA in those games.

    Chris Martin pitched the ninth inning in LA’s 5-3 win Tuesday night, converting his first postseason save in 15 career appearances.

    NO JOSHING

    Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson is catching heat from fans even after a satisfying Game 1 win in New York.

    The 36-year-old was embarrassingly thrown out on the bases after prematurely going into a home run trot on a ball that bounced off the top of the wall during New York’s 4-1 victory Tuesday. Donaldson didn’t run hard, and he didn’t answer questions about it from reporters after the game, either.

    It was hardly the first time Donaldson’s lack of hustle became an issue for the Yankees this year. Boone pulled him aside after an incident Sept. 5 and told him, “Let’s not let that happen.”

    FREAKED OUT

    Relief pitchers David Robertson of the Phillies and Phil Maton of the Astros were left off their clubs’ Division Series rosters after freak injuries.

    Robertson, 37-year-old in a resurgent season for the Phils, injured his right calf jumping to celebrate Bryce Harper’s home run in a clinching Game 2 victory over St. Louis during the wild-card round. He’s not with the team in Atlanta, instead going back to Philadelphia for a PRP injection.

    “He’s devastated,” Thomson said. “He really wanted to pitch in the series. And he knows how big a part he is to this club. And he’s very disappointed.”

    Maton says he broke his right pinkie finger when he punched a locker in frustration after Houston’s regular-season finale. He’s out for the remainder of the postseason. He called the outburst “shortsighted and ultimately selfish.”

    ———

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  • Braves miss chance to clinch NL East, lose 4-0 to Marlins

    Braves miss chance to clinch NL East, lose 4-0 to Marlins

    MIAMI — Jesús Luzardo struck out 12 in six innings, Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Miami Marlins prevented Atlanta from clinching its fifth straight NL East title by beating the Braves 4-0 on Monday night.

    After sweeping the rival Mets at home over the weekend, Atlanta arrived in Miami needing one win or a New York loss to wrap up the division crown and a first-round playoff bye.

    The Braves were unable to solve Luzardo or slow De La Cruz — and the Mets were rained out at home against Washington. New York is 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta heading into Tuesday’s doubleheader versus the last-place Nationals, while the Braves will play the second of three games at fourth-place Miami.

    “You just can’t go out and win a baseball game. There are a lot of moving parts in it,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “These are dangerous teams, there are guys out there with talent. It’s hard to win a game. We’ll go get a good night’s sleep, come back and do it again.”

    Dansby Swanson had two of Atlanta’s four hits, all off Luzardo (4-7). Braves sluggers Austin Riley and Matt Olson struck out three times each against the left-hander, who walked one in his first win since Aug. 7.

    “It’s extremely satisfying,” Luzardo said. “Just wanted to go out there and do the same thing I’ve been doing: give us a chance to win, go long into a game. The result was great and definitely wanted to keep the train going.”

    It was the fifth time the Braves were shut out this season, and the first time Miami blanked them since Sept. 8, 2020.

    “Tough last three days, then night travel, we just couldn’t score runs,” Riley said. “There’s no panic. Come back (Tuesday) and lock this thing down.”

    De La Cruz also doubled and singled, finishing a triple shy of the cycle for the third time in his last nine starts. Jesús Sánchez doubled twice and singled as Miami snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Braves.

    “Hopefully next time I have that opportunity needing a triple, I’ll try to hit one out and perhaps the outfielder will dive, miss it and the ball will bounce around,” De La Cruz said.

    Atlanta starter Bryce Elder, who threw a shutout against Washington in his previous outing, was lifted after giving up four runs in five innings. Elder (2-4) allowed six hits, walked one and struck out five.

    “Would have liked to keep it closer than four,” he said.

    Swanson doubled leading off the sixth before Luzardo fanned Michael Harris II, Riley and Olson. It was Atlanta’s final hit, as relievers Jeff Brigham, Bryan Hoeing and Richard Bleier each tossed a perfect inning for Miami.

    Run-scoring doubles from De La Cruz and Sánchez in the first gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead.

    De La Cruz’s two-run shot in the third made it 4-0. The second-year outfielder drove Elder’s sinker over the wall in center for his 13th homer this season. He raised his batting average to .390 with five homers and 22 RBIs since being recalled from Triple-A on Sept. 7.

    “That’s who I am, the player they brought in last year,” De La Cruz said. “And that’s how I will continue to be the rest of my career.”

    CLOSING STATEMENTS

    Luzardo’s dominant final start of the season followed similar performances by teammates Sandy Alcantara and Pablo López against Milwaukee last weekend. Alcantara, a top NL Cy Young Award contender, threw his major league-leading sixth complete game in a 1-0 loss, while López tossed seven scoreless innings and got a no-decision.

    “Our guys have kept us there and given us chances,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “If you look at the whole season, it’s been a pretty strong suit. For the most part, they’ve been pretty solid.”

    DIFFERENT SITUATION

    When Elder made his previous start in Miami on Aug. 14, he was a one-day call-up from Triple-A to take the 27th roster spot for the doubleheader. Now, he could figure in Atlanta’s postseason plans after his third outing since being recalled a fifth time Sept. 19.

    “He’s definitely going to be in the conversation,” Snitker said. “He’s pitched his way into it.”

    FAMILIAR HONOR

    Harris accomplished in September what he had previously done in June and August. The 21-year-old center fielder earned his third NL rookie of the month award. Harris hit .324 and finished with six homers and 19 RBIs in September.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (right pinkie fracture) traveled with the club to Miami, where he will continue his rehab.

    Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas will undergo surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right wrist Wednesday.

    UP NEXT

    Braves RHP Jake Odorizzi (5-6, 4.53 ERA) will start the middle game of the series Tuesday, while the Marlins go with LHP Braxton Garrett (3-6, 3.56).

    ———

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