Harrison Bader believes he’ll still be able to play in the NLDS.
The centerfielder had to exit the Phillies’ 5-3 Game 1 loss to the Dodgers in the seventh inning on Saturday night, with what manager Rob Thomson said postgame was “groin tightness.”
Nick Castellanos took up Bader’s No. 8 spot in the batting order, and Brandon Marsh slid over to center field from left for the last two innings.
The Phillies are off Sunday. Bader will have imaging done in the morning, and he and the club will go from there as they approach Game 2 Monday night back at Citizens Bank Park.
He seemed optimistic in the Phillies’ clubhouse.
“Definitely feel like I’ll be able to play,” Bader said. “Just running between first and second base, kind of pulled it at second base, just felt a little weird. I don’t know really what it attributed to.”
He was running, though, on Bryson Stott’s single in the bottom of the fifth, which Thomson confirmed is where the tightness started to set in (via MetroPhilly’s Kyle Fisher).
In the top of the fifth, Bader tracked down a liner hit by L.A.’s Andy Pages to right-center and dove out to make the catch for the out.
Bader stayed in for the sixth, and was only pulled once his turn to bat was back up in the seventh.
He said in the clubhouse that something felt “strange” while standing on second when he was said to have suffered the injury, and felt that he couldn’t fully sprint in center field, which all factored into the decision to sit down the rest of the way.
“I just think random things happen, unfortunately. But in terms of the preparation leading up to the event and whatnnot, I really wu;dn’t change anyhting.
“I think it’s a tough decision to be made,” Bader said. “But, again, I do feel like if something did have to happen, you risk obviously being more injured, and we have a lot of baseball ahead of us. Win or loss tonight, we have a lot of baseball ahead of us.
“So I think it was just the smart decision given how I felt in terms of my symptoms to make that decision. But like I said, there’s imaging tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
The Phillies started Bader in center, Marsh in left, and Max Kepler in right field for Game 1.
Should Bader not be ready in time for Game 2, Marsh will likely stick in center as the Phillies’ most athletic outfielder, while Castellanos would regain his former everyday spot in right, with either Kepler or Weston Wilson back in left.
That was the Phillies’ outfield look before Bader was acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline. However, it was a group that was inconsistent and left a lot to be desired offensively.
The Sunday off day will buy the Phillies a bit of time and clarity on Bader’s status once the imaging comes through.
They’ll hope he won’t be down long, if at all.
“If there’s an absolute chance in hell, you better believe I’m gonna be in there,” Bader said of playing again this postseason.
The Phillies are about to begin their fourth consecutive postseason run, still in pursuit of a World Series title.
They came close when they finally broke out in 2022, and have assembled some strong rosters for October in the couple of years since, but for one reason or another, it all just hasn’t fully added up yet. Something, or multiple things, always stopped them short.
But they’re back again, as a 96-win club, as the NL East champions for a second straight year, and as the No. 2 seed on the National League side of the postseason field.
If you ask J.T. Realmuto, this might be their best group. This might be their best shot.
“In my opinion, this is probably the deepest team we’ve had,” the Phillies catcher said Friday. “I think the lineup’s as deep as we’ve had it. I think our bullpen is, in my opinion, the best top to bottom that we’ve had since I’ve been here. Obviously, it’s tough losing [Zack Wheeler]. You can’t replace a guy like that, but our starting pitching is still very deep. We’ve got guys that throw the ball really well and have had success at this stage.
“Obviously, we’ve had some good teams here, but I do feel like this is probably our deepest team we’ve had.”
That’s saying something, and up against superstar Shohei Ohtani and the defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the NLDS, it’s what the Phillies are going to need if they’re really going to see this October through all the way to the end.
As Realmuto mentioned, the Phillies lost their longtime ace Zack Wheeler for the rest of the year due to a blood clot, but in the face of sunddenly having a massive hole at the top of the rotation, left-hander Cristopher Sánchez rose to the occassion as a potentially Cy Young caliber No. 1, while fellow lefties Jesús Luzardo and Ranger Suárez shored the picture up behind him. The Phils’ starting pitching 1-3 can arguably still go toe-to-toe with anyone’s.
Their bullpen, in a far, far cry from how it looked to begin the year, also has its clear and dependable order now. Tanner Banks, Matt Strahm, and David Robertson are the immediate arms to call on, and beyond them, Orion Kerkering, and potentially Walker Buehler, Taijuan Walker, or maybe even Aaron Nola. They all just need to get the Phillies to the ninth, then leave it to Jhoan Duran, as the first clear and effective closer the organization has had in a long time, to shut the door.
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
The Phillies have felt like a different ball club since acquiring Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline.
Then there’s the lineup.
Trea Turner went into the season with a renewed emphasis on getting on base in the leadoff spot, and that took him all the way to the NL batting title, while setting up the rest of the order to pile on. Kyle Schwarber, in a noted contract year, took off to MVP level power-hitting numbers; Bryson Stott lowered his hands and rediscovered his swing near the bottom of the lineup late in the year, and further up, Realmuto and Bohm are still a threat to do damage, while trade acquisition Harrison Bader came in and seems to have given the Phils just the kind of complement of outfield depth they were looking for.
Then, of course, Bryce Harper still sits at the heart of all of it, as the face of the franchise and the superstar who just seems made for the moment.
Against an L.A. lineup that could very well be their toughest competition out of any other club in the mix, the Phillies are going to need everyone, everything, and then some.
Game 1 at Citizens Bank Park is only a few more hours away on Saturday at 6:38 p.m. ET.
“I think that’s what this series is going to be all about,” Realmuto said. “In my opinion, the talent is pretty evenly matched across both teams. [The Dodgers are] extremely talented over in that clubhouse, and we obviously have confidence in the guys we have, so the series is going to come down to who’s able to get those big hits in the big moments and command the strike zone, both pitching and hitting. And then not trying to do too much when the runners are on base and being able to shorten up, put the ball in play, find the holes, it’s going to be a very evenly matched series.
“Whoever comes up in those big spots and is able to put the ball in play, find the gap…It might not necessarily be the big home run that wins the series. I think it’s going to be doing the little things correctly.”
SEATTLE – The city turned blue overnight as fans across Seattle and the nation geared up for game time at T-Mobile Park. The Mariners host Game 1 of the ALDS playoffs kicks off on Saturday. We have a guide on when all the playoff games will happen.
Heading into the playoffs this weekend, several iconic sites in the Mariners’ home city lit up blue to show support for the MLB team after they made an impressive run to clinch a spot in the finals.
Light the City Blue event, including The Seattle Great Wheel, T-Mobile Park, and Lumen Field. (Source: Seattle Mariners)
Light the City Blue event featuring The Seattle Great Wheel and a trident on the Russell Investments Center. (Source: Seattle Mariners)
Along Seattle’s famed waterfront, fans from land and water could see The Seattle Great Wheel shining in classic Mariners blue alongside other buildings.
In a post to social media on Saturday, the Mariners account posted additional photos with the caption, “For Seattle. #SeizeTheMoment.”
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Sep 28, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) celebrates with teammates after a win over the Tampa Bay Rays clinched first place in the American League East Division at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The New York Yankees will not see the Toronto Blue Jays’ star shortstop Bo Bichette in the 2025 American League Divisional Series, which begins on Saturday evening up north.
The 27-year-old has been out since Sept. 6 with a left-knee sprain, but has come far enough along where manager John Schneider admitted on Friday that his presence on the ALDS roster could come “right down to the wire.”
Bichette is coming off one of his finest years as a pro, batting .311 with an .840 OPS, 18 home runs, and 94 RBI. Despite playing in only 139 games, he still ranked second in the American League with 181 hits behind only Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.
Alongside superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bichette is a foundational piece of a Blue Jays team that won the American League East via a tiebreaker over the Yankees behind a 94-68 record. This was the first time since 2015 that Toronto won the division, and it earned them the No. 1 overall seed in the American League this postseason.
Bichette’s absence is the second notable opposing star in as many series that the Yankees get the benefit of avoiding. Boston Red Sox top prospect Roman Anthony was unavailable for the Wild Card Series due to an oblique injury. The Bronx Bombers became the first team in this current format to come back from an 0-1 deficit to win the best-of-three series, doing so on Thursday night behind the brilliance of Cam Schlittler.
First pitch for Game 1 of the ALDS is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET, with Luis Gil getting the ball for New York against Toronto’s Kevin Guasman.
Buffalo Bills fans have long wondered why they’re often excluded from the “New York sports” conversation, but they may now have their answer.
The “New York sports” list has normally been composed of the New York Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Islanders, Giants, Jets, Knicks, New Jersey Devils and Brooklyn Nets – yes, even a team on the other side of the Hudson River would be in that conversation.
But the Devils play in Newark, which is well within the New York metro area. Buffalo, on the other hand, is a roughly six-hour drive to Midtown Manhattan.
Josh Allen, quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, catches balls in the outfield during batting practice ahead of an MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on May 15, 2023, in Toronto.(Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Well, the Bills showed their true colors on Friday by wishing “good luck” to their “friends up north” in the Toronto Blue Jays, who match up against the Yankees in the American League Division Series.
“Yeah don’t call yourself a New York team again,” wrote one X user.
Even pro tennis player Jessica Pegula, whose parents own the team, was shocked.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer poses for a photo with Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (22) during batting practice before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre.(Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)
“Shouldn’t we root for teams that actually play in the great state of New York?” wrote another user. “It’s the National Football League… National to America. The United States. There’s not even an NFL team in Canada.”
Since the Montreal Expos left after the 2005 season, the Blue Jays remain the only MLB team in Canada. They won the AL East over the Yankees due to the tiebreaker of head-to-head matchups in the regular season.
The Toronto Blue Jays take batting practice during workouts at Rogers Centre. (Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images)
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler, a native of Walpole, Massachusetts, is the toast of Major League Baseball after his dominant performance knocked the Boston Red Sox out of the postseason.
The former Walpole Rebel ended Boston’s season with 12 strikeouts and no walks over eight scoreless innings.
“I think Cam turned a lot of guys to Yankee fans last night with his performance, cause as that game progressed, my phone just kept blowing up, and blowing up, and blowing up, with guys just saying, ‘He’s incredible tonight,’” said Chris Costello, Schlittler’s high school coach.
While the 24-year-old pitcher grew up rooting for the Boston Red Sox, he will try to end their season Thursday.
The 24-year-old right-hander started learning his craft at Walpole High School, where there’s a now message congratulating him on his historic win.
“Lots of divide,” said Cole Blakley, a senior and captain on the school’s baseball team. “People are obviously very happy for Cam, but also, everyone here is Sox fans, so you want to see him win, but it’s tough.”
Landon Lipsett is another team captain. He recalled when Schlittler participated in a baseball program to help younger players.
In a do-or-die Game 3, it was New York that advanced out of the Wild Card Series.
“It’s just really cool to see, like, you’re sitting on a bench next to that kid, like six or seven years ago — now, you’re watching him on TV pitch for the Yankees,” Lipsett said.
New York’s newest pitching sensation isn’t Walpole’s only contribution to Major League Baseball. Joe Morgan played for several teams in the late 50s and early 60s before serving as the Red Sox’ manager in the late 80s and early 90s.
“He’d come to practice once in a while, and he’d bring a bucket of balls for us, cause that was when the Green Monster was the Green Monster, and we’d have practice balls,” said Bill Tompkins, a longtime Walpole coach.
Americans’ views of legalized sports betting has shifted in the last three years, a poll found.
Unsplash
Once upon a time, bettors had to get creative when the sports calendar went quiet. Office pools, backyard games, maybe even who could down a hot dog the fastest — anything was fair game when the action slowed.
Now, with sports betting legal across much of the country, there’s no shortage of wagers to place.
But the boom is starting to raise more eyebrows than excitement.
In a new poll conducted by Pew Research Center, Americans’ view of legalized sports betting has shifted slightly in the past three years, with pollers leaning more toward the idea that it’s bad for both society and sports.
“Today, 43% of U.S. adults say the fact that sports betting is now legal in much of the country is a bad thing for society.That’s up from 34% in 2022. And 40% of adults now say it’s a bad thing for sports, up from 33%,” the Pew Research Center said.
Pew’s survey was conducted from July 8 to Aug. 3 and polled 9,916 adults. It has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 1.3 percentage points.
Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association
Earlier this year, JAMA Internal Medicine found there is a growing health concern regarding gambling addiction following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision (Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association) to allow legalized sports betting outside of Nevada in 2017 — which could possibly serve as a connection to society’s growing awareness of the perceived unhealthy aspects surrounding sports betting.
Operational sportsbooks went from just one state in 2018 to 38 in 2024. Wagers increased from “$4.9 billion in 2017 to $121.1 billion in 2023,” JAMA said.
That being said, 22% of adults say they’ve personally bet money on sports during 2025, growing slightly from 19% in 2022, studies find.
Young Americans and sports gambling
In February, the American Institute for Boys and Men published a research paper about the financial impact of sports betting on young men and how it’s leading to more harm than good.
Of men under 45, negative impacts across the board in states that allowed legalized sports betting in 2018, according to research, include:
Credit scores down by 0.3%
Bankruptcy rates up 25-30%
Debt collection increase by 8%
Debt consolidation loans up by 10%
Auto loan delinquencies increase by 9%
Secured to unsecured credit usage increase by 4%
Credit card limit reduce by 3%
In the newest study, 47% of men under 30 say legalized sports betting is bad for society, a leap from 22% in 2022. Young women have also viewed it as negative, jumping from 25% in 2022 to 35%, Pew Research said.
Is sports betting harming games themselves?
Bad news for Tennessee Titans had coach Brian Callahan if he’s betting that he’ll have an NFL coaching job come Week 6.
Good news if you’re an NBA referee time traveling from 2002.
“The role that sports leagues have played in integrating with sports betting is an indictment unto itself. But there is a darker undercurrent that suggests sports themselves may end up regretting their union with their onetime scourge,” the National Review said in August.
When some people say the quiet part out loud, teams will start questioning the authenticity of an athlete’s game, according to the publication.
“On the professional level, coaches and athletes alike can now invite suspicion about whether they are altering their performances for the sake of some wager, either for themselves or for some predesignated beneficiary,” the national review noted.
“This concern is sometimes vindicated.”
This includes cases like Jontay Porter, a former NBA player who officials say bet on his own games during his time with the Toronto Raptors, and Tucupita Marcano, a former San Diego Padres infielder who the MLB said placed bets on his previous team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This doesn’t include players like Pete Rose, who was permanently banned from baseball in 1989 for sports gambling.
It also can mess with the emotional and mental health of professional and college athletes when they receive threatening messages from fans who have placed bets on their performances.
TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren
These two offenses are very similar – first and third in the National League in batting average, second and third in on-base percentage, first and third in slugging percentage, first and second in OPS. Both have a power trio at the top of their lineup – Trea Turner, NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber and former MVP Bryce Harper for Philly, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman for the Dodgers – and a dangerous supporting cast.
“Baseball is a timing game. Does the long layoff ruin that?” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said in 2023 after the Dodgers’ offense was a no-show in back-to-back first-round playoff defeats following the bye break.
“Look, it’s hard. I mean, pitching maybe not so much, but obviously offensively these guys are so used to playing every day. So I get it. Extra teams and more money, all that stuff (led to the bye format). I get it. But I do think that – I’m not a hitter, but it does seem like it’s a bit of a challenge for guys.”
Adding to the challenge for the Phillies, Turner missed three weeks in September with a hamstring injury and returned only for the regular-season finale. The Dodgers will still have to match the Phillies’ firepower. Another similarity between the two teams – both are particularly potent at their home ballparks. That could be decisive for the Phillies, who have home-field advantage in the best-of-five series. EDGE: PHILLIES
STARTING PITCHERS
PHILLIES: LH Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.50 ERA, 202 IP, 1.06 WHIP, 9.4 Ks per 9 IP), LH Jesus Luzardo (15-7, 3.92 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 10.6 Ks per 9 IP), LH Ranger Suarez (12-8, 3.20, 1.22 WHIP, 8.6 Ks per 9 IP), RH Aaron Nola (5-10, 6.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 9.3 Ks per 9 IP)
The Dodgers faced the Phillies’ top three (healthy) starters – Cy Young Award candidate Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Suarez – during their series at Dodger Stadium just a little over two weeks ago. They got to them for 11 runs in 20 innings. The fact that all three are left-handed would seem to be an advantage for the Phillies, nullifying three of the Dodgers’ key hitters – Ohtani, Freeman and Max Muncy. But Ohtani and Freeman aren’t your typical left-handed hitters. Their splits are fairly even and the Dodgers actually had the best slugging percentage and OPS and second-best batting average against left-handed pitching in the NL this year. The late-season rebirths of Betts and Teoscar Hernandez have been a big part of that.
Ohtani and Blake Snell also pitched during that September series against the Phillies. Neither gave up a run. Ohtani didn’t give up a hit in his five-inning start. The Dodgers will ask all of their starters to go deep in games in order to minimize the Phillies’ play time against their bullpen. EDGE: DODGERS
PROJECTED BULLPEN
PHILLIES: RH Jhoan Duran (7-6, 2.06, 32 saves, 5 blown saves, 1.10 WHIP, 10.3 Ks per 9 IP with Twins and Phillies), RH David Robertson (2-0, 4.08 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 11.2 Ks per 9 IP), LH Tanner Banks (6-2, 1 save, 3.07 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 8.2 Ks per 9 IP), RH Orion Kierkering (8-4, 4 saves, 3.30 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 9.8 Ks per 9 IP), RH Walker Buehler (10-7, 4.93 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 6.6 Ks per 9 IP), LH Matt Strahm (2-3, 6 saves, 2.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 10.1 Ks per 9 IP), RH Jordan Romano (2-4, 8 saves, 8.23 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 9.9 Ks per 9 IP), LH Tim Mayza (0-0, 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8.1 Ks per 9 IP), RH Taijuan Walker (5-8, 1 save, 4.08 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 6.3 Ks per 9 IP)
DODGERS: LH Tanner Scott (1-4, 23 saves, 10 blown saves, 4.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 9.5 Ks per 9 IP), RH Blake Treinen (2-7, 2 saves, 5.40 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 12.2 Ks per 9 IP), LH Alex Vesia (4-2, 5 saves, 3.02 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 12.1 Ks per 9 IP), LH Jack Dreyer (3-2, 4 saves, 2.95 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 8.7 Ks per 9 IP), RH Roki Sasaki (1-1, 4.46 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 6.9 Ks per 9 IP in 10 appearances, 8 starts), RH Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.82 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 10.9 Ks per 9 IP in 15 appearances, 12 starts), LH Anthony Banda (5-1, 3.18 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 8.4 Ks per 9 IP), LH Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 3.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 6.7 Ks per 9 IP), RH Edgardo Henriquez (2-1, 1 save, 2.37 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.5 Ks per 9 IP)
The Phillies’ bullpen hasn’t been great this season either. Unlike Andrew Friedman, though, Dave Dombrowski pulled the trigger on a big move at the trade deadline, acquiring a new closer in Jhoan Duran. Duran has been good but not impregnable (16 saves, three blown saves) and the setup crew in front of him is unimpressive. Displaced starters like Taijuan Walker, Aaron Nola and former Dodger Walker Buehler (released by the Boston Red Sox in August) could play roles. EDGE: EVEN
BENCH
PHILLIES: IF Edmundo Sosa (.276/.307/.469, 11 HRs, 39 RBIs), OF Max Kepler (.216/.300/.391, 18 HRs, 52 RBIs), C Rafael Marchan, .210/.282/.305, 2 HRs, 13 RBIs), IF Otto Kemp (.234/.298/.411, 8 HRs, 28 RBIs), IF-OF Weston Wilson (.198/.282/.369, 5 HRs, 17 RBIs)
DODGERS: C Will Smith (.296/.404/.497, 17 HRs, 61 RBIs), OF Michael Conforto (.199/.305/.333, 12 HRs, 36 RBIs), IF Hyeseong Kim (.280/.314/.385, 3 HRs, 17 RBIs, 13 SBs), C Dalton Rushing (.204/.258/.324, 4 HRs, 24 RBIs), OF Alex Call (.267/.361/.385, 5 HRs, 31 RBIs with Dodgers and Nationals)
The Dodgers carried three catchers for the Wild Card Series when Will Smith showed he had recovered enough from his hand injury to at least pinch-hit. They didn’t use Smith against the Reds, giving him a few more days to get his hand back to full strength for this series. Look for him to get back in the starting lineup at some point early in the NLDS, particularly with an extra off day between Games 1 and 2.
The Phillies, meanwhile, will platoon some with their outfield, using the left-handed Max Kepler instead of the right-handed Nick Castellanos. Both are power threats (though Castellanos had a down year). EDGE: DODGERS
DODGERS: Dave Roberts, 10th season, 944-576, .621, 10th postseason 58-44, .569 (4 pennants, 2 World Series titles)
Relievers have been dropping from Dave Roberts’ “trust tree” like fall leaves. He showed you what he thinks of that group when he pulled Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez each after the minimum three batters in the eighth inning of Game 1 against the Reds then yanked a shaky Emmet Sheehan in the middle of an at-bat in Game 2. October is no time to be patient and Roberts will have to continue that aggressive managing to avoid his bullpen sabotaging the Dodgers’ postseason.
Thomson made his mark in 2022 when he took over a 22-29 team from fired manager Joe Girardi and led them to a 65-46 record as interim manager. That Phillies team got to the World Series (and lost to the Houston Astros), securing the full-time job for Thomson, who has led them to four consecutive playoff spots and back-to-back NL East titles. EDGE: DODGERS
SERIES PREDICTION
A year ago, the Dodgers faced the Padres in the NLDS and Roberts later said “that was the World Series” for the Dodgers. The Padres were the best team the Dodgers faced during their run to a World Series championship. The same thing might be true of this Phillies team if the Dodgers can get past them. The two teams are very similar offensively, have strong starting pitching and bullpens that are their weakest groups. The Dodgers haven’t played particularly well at Citizens Bank Park recently – they have lost seven of their nine games there over the past three seasons. Underperforming for two months in midseason – they were 22-32 from July 4 into early September – cost them a shot at one of the top two seeds in the NL and home-field advantage. The Phillies had the best home record in baseball this season (55-26). That could be the decisive factor in this close-call matchup. PHILLIES IN FIVE
Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) reacts after striking out a Boston Red Sox batter in the fifth inning during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
BRONX, NY — Cam Schlittler has officially arrived, and the New York Yankees are headed to the American League Divisional Series.
Combined with a decisive four-run fourth inning from the offense, the 24-year-old rookie right-hander shut down the Boston Red Sox in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, posting eight shutout innings while allowing just five hits with 12 strikeouts in New York’s 4-0 victory over their hated rivals.
“You come up through the Yankees organization, they’re a winning team,” Schlittler said. “To be able to experience this for the first time as a rookie is a great feeling.”
It was not just the first time in Schlittler’s MLB career (14 regular-season starts) that he completed eight innings, but the first time he went that far into a start since joining the Yankees’ organization in 2023.
“I don’t think I’ve ever pitched eight innings,” Schlittler told amNewYork. “As a starter, you’re trying to go six, seven innings. If you can get past that, that’s where you get paid. So for me, I was just trying to go out there and put this team in a position to win.”
With his gem comes the breaking of a significant snide for the Yankees. They had lost each of their previous three postseason meetings to the Red Sox — their last win coming in the 2003 ALCS when now-manager Aaron Boone hit a walk-off home run in Game 7.
The Yankees became the first team in the current postseason format to overturn a 1-0 Wild Card Series deficit to come back and win it.
There’s no time to rest. The Bronx Bombers are on their way to Toronto to meet the No. 1 seed Blue Jays, who won the AL East over New York via a tiebreaker, on Saturday for Game 1 of the ALDS.
Thursday night, though, will belong to Schlittler. The fireballing rookie was the clear victor in the battle of the rookies against Boston’s Connelly Early in what was only the second winner-take-all postseason game to feature two rookie starters. The first came in Game 7 of the 2020 NLCS between Dustin May of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ian Anderson of the Atlanta Braves.
A Walpole, MA native who grew up in a Red Sox family, Schlittler tormented his old boyhood club with untouchable stuff. He recorded six pitches of 100-plus mph in the first inning alone, gave up only two Masataka Yoshida singles across the first four innings, and continuously painted heat as though he was serving it in slow motion.
“I probably threw a couple extra hundreds there,” Schlittler said. “Everyone’s loud. They told me the first inning was going to be loud. So it was natural adrenaline. But I don’t think I overdid myself.”
It made the Yankees’ monster fourth inning, which knocked Early out early, feel like the series had been clinched, which it was.
It appeared as though it would start innocuously enough. Cody Bellinger hit a lazy fly ball into shallow right-center. But the diving center fielder, Ceddanne Rafaela, muffed the attempt — much like left fielder Jarren Duran flubbed Aaron Judge’s fly ball in Game 2 that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the fifth — allowing Bellinger to advance to second.
After Giancarlo Stanton’s walk and with one out, trade-deadline acquisition Amed Rosario punched a single through to left to score Bellinger and break the ice in Game 3.
Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) slides into home plate to score as Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez (75) awaits the throw in the fourth inning during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jazz Chisholm followed with a single hit too hard to score the slow-footed Stanton, which loaded the bases. Volpe singled to double the Yankees’ lead before Austin Wells’ 100-mph grounder clanged off the glove of first baseman Nathaniel Lowe — the second major Boston miscue of the inning — to bring in two more and give the hosts a two-run cushion.
Three of the four runs were charged to Early, who had a surprisingly long leash before he was pulled with two outs in that fateful inning. The 23-year-old lefty finished with three of the four runs earned on his ledger while allowing six hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
“We needed to be perfect tonight because [Schlittler] was perfect,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “The stuff was outstanding. He was under control. That was electric.”
Schlittler never flinched with the lead. He struck out three in the fifth while working out of a first-and-second jam, punched out another two in the sixth, then ended the seventh by getting Wilyer Abreu whiffing at a 98-mph fastball.
“That was impressive, but he’s been our secret weapon all year,” Judge said. “This guy has been impressive for us. The way he can handle the strike zone, he can run it up to 100 mph, but has a great feel for all his pitches. No moment is too big for him. He got a standing ovation coming off the mound, but he had his head down and was locked in, didn’t even know what was going on.”
Initially believed to be the end of his night, Yankee Stadium erupted into a standing ovation when Schlittler emerged from the dugout for the eighth.
His brilliance remained undimmed even after passing the century mark of pitch count. He got Romy Gonzalez swinging on a 97-mph fastball, coaxed a pop out from Jarren Duran in foul territory that was caught by third baseman Ryan McMahon while flipping into the Red Sox’s dugout, then got Trevor Story to ground out to short.
“Every time he’s taken the ball, I feel so good about him and he’s capable of doing anything,” Boone said. “Results aside… I knew it wasn’t going to be too big for him. What a performance.”
T-Mobile Park Seattle Mariners, Acquired Through MGN Online on 12/04/2019
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Seattle Mariners are in the playoffs. And the fans that show up for any of the games American League Division Series games against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park will have an opportunity to enjoy some different food selections.
The Mariners say they’re rolling out special food selections like Claws and Caviar, No Moo Cheessteak and Sasquatch Sundaes.
That claw item might be the coolest. It’s served in a souvenir Mariners helmet.
The Phillies already know their National League Division series opponent, and already know the start time for Game 2. Other than that, the schedule remains incomplete.
Game 2 between the Phillies and Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park will start at 6:08 p.m., Major League Baseball announced Thursday night. Still up in the air are the times for Game 1 and any other games in the best-of-five series.
Game 1 will either begin at 6:08 p.m. or 6:38 p.m., depending on the outcome of the ALCS Wild Card series between the Yankees and Red Sox, which will be decided Thursday night in Game 3.
Whatever time MLB decides for Game 1, “The Bank” will surely be rocking as the Phillies welcome the Dodgers, who swept the Reds in two games in the NL Wild Card series.
Phillies ace left-hander Cristopher Sánchez will toe the rubber for the Phils, and Red October will officially begin.
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The Detroit Tigers avenged their massive collapse in the American League Central in their playoff matchup against the division champion Cleveland Guardians.
For the second consecutive season at Progressive Field, the Tigers and Guardians played a winner-take-all game to close out a postseason series. This time around, the Tigers flipped the script from a year ago to finish the job against Cleveland and advance to the American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners.
For now, the Tigers can put their 15 1/5 game blown lead in the rearview mirror. They knocked Cleveland out after the Guardians surged to win the division and the regular season series against Detroit.
To close the book on the series, here are three studs who stood out in another Tigers-Guardians playoff clash.
STUDS Tarik Skubal The best pitcher in baseball certainly performed like it with a fabulous performance in Game 1. Skubal led the Tigers to a 2-1 win after 7 2/3 dominant innings with 14 strikeouts. He continued his Cy Young Award defense, while he’s on track to repeat, with a monster postseason tone-setter for Detroit.
Bo Naylor Cleveland’s offense isn’t an explosive one, so Naylor’s three-run home run to blow the game open in Game 2 kept the Guardians alive in the series and offered a rare flex of power from a scrappy lineup. Naylor added needed power for Cleveland after the offseason trade of his brother, Josh Naylor, to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Gavin Williams Skubal took the upper-hand in Game 1. That shouldn’t take away from the strong outing for the Guardians starter.
Williams went toe-to-toe with the Cy Young winner when he held the Tigers at bay through six shutout innings with eight strikeouts.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut when he starts for the Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers open the best-of-five series on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PT in Philadelphia.
“Very talented ballclub. It’s going to be a fun environment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented, all throughout the lineup.”
Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA) didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last season while recovering from a second elbow surgery that he had in December 2023. He became the first player in major league history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases as the Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees.
The two-way superstar never made the playoffs during six seasons with the Angels.
At the plate, Ohtani revived himself in September, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He finished the regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than last season.
Against the Reds in Game 1, he hit two homers. He was 1 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the closeout win Wednesday.
It was exciting day Tuesday for Cubs fans after the team won game one of the National League Wild Card series against the Padres.
It was the team’s first playoff win since 2017, and it happened right in Wrigleyville. Fans were beyond excited.
The Cubs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The last time the Cubs were in the playoffs, the pandemic prevented fans from attending games at Wrigley. So, people are just excited to get in on all the fun this time around.
Though the Cubs hadn’t flown the W for a playoff game since 2017, fans say this ball club has the talent for a deep playoff run.
The Cubs beat the Padres 3-1 on Tuesday.
The Padres beat the Cubs 3-0 on Wednesday.
The third and final game of the series will be broadcast on ESPN at 4:08 p.m. CT Thursday.
ABC7 Chicago news at 4 p.m. will be a streaming newscast, and “Jeopardy!” will air overnight at 3:07 a.m.
Los Angeles put away the Cincinnati Reds, 8-4, on Wednesday night to take their NL Wild Card Series in a 2-0 sweep. They’ll be on their way to Philadelphia.
Star left-hander Cristopher Sánchez is set to take the mound for the Phillies. Two-way megastar Shohei Ohtani, since he didn’t pitch in the Wild Card round, is likely to get his turn for the Dodgers in Game 1 now instead.
The Phillies won the regular season series over the Dodgers, 4-2, which earned them the postseason tiebreaker for the No. 2 seed and the right to a bye into the NLDS had their 96-66 record not proved enough.
The latter part of that series also included the Phillies clinching their NL East title and taking two of three games over in LA the last time the two clubs met midway through September.
None of that is to say that the Phillies have an outright advantage, though.
The Dodgers are coming in with a ton of star power between Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the two-way, game-breaking force that is Ohtani, and all as the defending World Series champions.
That said, the Phillies are bringing their heavy hitters, too.
Eric Hartline/Imagn Images
Bryce Harper and the Phillies’ journey to a World Series will have to go through the defending champion Dodgers.
Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Jesús Luzardo make up a lefty-heavy, though just as dominant starting rotation in the face of the club having lost longtime ace Zack Wheeler for the year due to a blood clot.
At the plate, Trea Turner leads off as the NL batting champion, Kyle Schwarber waits in the wings as the MVP-caliber power hitter who is always ready to launch a ball into the seats, and then, as always, there’s Bryce Harper, who lives to make the moment in October.
Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) slides into home to score on an hits an RBI single from New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
BRONX, NY — Jazz Chisholm released his frustration of being left out of the New York Yankees’ starting lineup in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night by going home, firing up his Playstation 5, and mercy-ruling some poor soul in MLB The Show with his created team, the New York Aliens, featuring himself, Ken Griffey Jr., and Jimmy Rollins.
The second baseman, coming off a 30-30 season, then flushed his limited role in the Yankees’ 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox, returned to the ballpark in the Bronx on Wednesday, and let the bygones of his known displeasure with manager Aaron Boone’s decision be bygones.
“There was never a problem between me and Aaron Boone,” Chisholm said. “He’s been my manager all year. We always have disagreements. I mean, I played third base this year. We had a little bit of a disagreement on that. But at the end of the day… he always understands where I come from because he knows I’m a passionate player. I wear my feelings on my sleeve and he knows I’m there to compete.”
Consider the high road taken, which is always the right thing to do.
As for Boone, the right thing to do is to play Chisholm every night for as long as the Yankees’ postseason road lasts, because the 27-year-old left-handed speedster helped save his team’s skins multiple times in their 4-3 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday night to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
After Carlos Rodon squandered New York’s 2-0 lead on Trevor Story’s two-run single in the third inning, the Red Sox could have landed a decisive blow with runners on first and second with no outs.
Alex Bregman, a long-time foe from Houston with an extensive, clutch postseason resume, grounded a 1-1 changeup to Chisholm’s left, moving him away from the bag. In a fluid, spinning motion, he gathered the bouncer and delivered it to Anthony Volpe at second to turn an inning-ending double play.
“The double play that he turned on Bregman to his left with Volpe was special,” Boone said.
Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) steals second base ahead of the tag of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) during the ninth inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
With each team trading a run, a 3-3 game meandered into the seventh where the Red Sox nearly replicated their winning formula from Game 1. With men on first and second and two outs Boston’s Masataka Yoshida — the man who delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single in the seventh the night before — punched a roller toward the hole up the middle.
“I was just trying to keep it in the infield,” Chisholm said. “Out or safe, I was just trying to make sure the runner didn’t score.”
“I thought it went through,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora admitted.
But it didn’t. Chisholm made a diving back-handed stop, got to his feet, but failed to get a sliding Yoshida at first. It did, however, save at least one run from scoring.
“He saved two runs,” Cora was quick to point out, as his runners were in motion on the full-count offering from reliever Fernando Cruz. “Because [Jarren Duran] scores [from first there].”
“That was the play of the game,” a thankful Cruz said. “I want to make sure it’s mentioned: Jazz saved us the game, completely.”
“Unbelievable play,” first baseman Ben Rice, who had a front-row seat to it all, added. “That’s what you’re going to get from him. Just a guy who’s going to give 110% every play.”
To top it all off, Chisholm ground out a two-out seven-pitch walk in the bottom of the eighth inning against Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock to spark a rally out of absolutely nothing. The next batter, Austin Wells, worked a full count that sent Chisholm in motion, then sent a liner down the right-field line that stayed fair by what seemed like just a few blades of grass.
“Going through my head, I’m already running, so any ball that an outfielder moves to his left or right for, I gotta score,” Chisholm said. “That’s what I was thinking.”
Wells’ single knocked off the protruding side wall roughly 60 feet in front of the right-field corner, forcing Boston’s Nate Eaton to change course and come in for the ball. It allowed just enough time for Chisholm’s head-first slide at the plate to beat a strong throw home to score the winning run.
“His speed comes into play big time, there,” Boone said.
Suddenly, Tuesday night’s frustrations feel as though they were much further in the past.
“He loves to play and he feels a responsibility to us, his teammates, and he and I have always been good, despite what you may think happened [in Game 1],” Boone said. “He’s a gamer and he likes this stage.”
That stakes upon the stage get a whole lot larger on Thursday night, as Game 3 from the Bronx becomes a win-or-go-home affair. The Red Sox will be trotting out 23-year-old rookie southpaw Connelly Early to start, but there is no disputing whether or not the lefty Chisholm will be in the starting lineup.
“Yeah, Jazz will be playing,” Boone said.
For more on Jazz Chisholm and the Yankees, visit AMNY.com
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has been subject to backlash several times throughout the season.
None of it has been nearly as bad as it was Wednesday after Chicago was blanked 3-0 by the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the NL wild card series. Counsell came under fire leaving his left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga in the game to face Manny Machado in the fifth inning.
The decision backfired when Machado homered off Imanaga to extend the Padres lead. After the game, Counsell defended his decision to stick with Imanaga rather than walking Machado or bringing in a right-handed pitcher.
“The result suggests that we should’ve done something different,” Counsell said via a post on X from MLB Network. “It was really just confidence in Shota though. Plain and simple there. I thought he was throwing the ball really well, but unfortunately he just made a mistake.”
Imanaga did pitch fairly well, going four innings while allowing three hits, two runs and three strikeouts. The one mistake, though, cost the Cubs two runs and put them in a hole that they weren’t able to climb out of.
The backlash toward Counsell was due to the fact that he had right-hander Mike Soroka warming in the bullpen during the at-bat between Machado and Imanaga. Also, there was left-hander batter in Jackson Merrill on deck behind Machado. Using the righty to pitch to Machado or intentionally walking him to get the left-on-left matchup to try and get out of the jam.
Chicago will now host Game 3 against San Diego on Thursday with the winner advancing to the NLDS to matchup against the team with the best record in the regular season, the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first American League East Division title since 2015 with a win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, but a screenshot shared online of a supposed Truth Social post from Donald Trump suggested the U.S. president wasn’t on board with the Jays’ playoff run.
The post, written in all-capital letters, says the United States will be investigating the “un-American” Blue Jays as they attempt to “steal” the World Series, and that the team would not be invited to the White House.
In fact, the post is a satirical fake, the White House confirmed to The Canadian Press, and does not appear on Trump’s social media feed.
THE CLAIM
“WE WILL BE INVESTIGATING THE UN AMERICAN BLUE JAYS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO STEAL OUR BELOVED WORLD SERIES,” reads a screenshot of what appears to be a post by Trump on his Truth Social account. “THEY WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE.”
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The screenshot has been shared on multiple social media platforms, including Threads, Facebook, Instagram and the X platform, formerly Twitter, to thousands of likes and comments, many of which appeared unsure whether the post was real.
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THE FACTS
The White House confirmed to The Canadian Press that Trump has not posted anything about the Blue Jays.
Searches of Trump’s Truth Social account turned up no such post on or before Sept. 28, when it was first shared, and a similar search of web archiving site archive.today turned up no archive of the supposed post.
The earliest post sharing the image that The Canadian Press could find came from a humour account, “Andy Bowers,” based in Nova Scotia under the handle @evilpez4.
The account posts memes and funny anecdotes, and has previously posted edited screenshots with satirical messages. One post featured a “Provincial Alert” about “MAGA Musician” Sean Feucht being attacked by a groundhog in Shubenacadie, in reference to that musician’s controversial planned performance in Nova Scotia earlier this year.
Trump’s Truth Social posts are often peppered with all-capital words. While his posts are occasionally deleted, many that have caused controversy are still up. In one message, posted on April 28, Canada’s federal election day, he implied Canadians should vote to make Canada “the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America.”
Parodies of Trump’s Truth Social posts are common on social media. The Canadian Press previously fact checked a fake image appearing to show the president complaining about Canada’s win against the United States this past February at the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.
Former New York Yankees star Mark Teixeira took a swing at Democrats before the U.S. Senate failed to pass a bill that would have avoided a government shutdown.
Teixeira, who is running for Congress in Texas, responded on social media to a warning from House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, who said on Fox News Channel on Monday that Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and the Democratic Party were planning to shut the government down to “appease their far-left base.”
Former New York Yankees’ Mark Teixeira throws out a first pitch prior to the game of the Minnesota Twins against the New York Yankees in game two of the 2019 ALDS playoff baseball series at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 5, 2019.(Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)
The World Series champion suggested he had enough.
“This is exactly why I’m running,” Teixeira wrote on X on Tuesday. “Democrats are destroying our country, and President Trump needs reinforcements who will fight to take our country back.”
Hours after Teixeira’s post, the government funding bill failed to get through the Senate. The bill, which would have given Congress until Nov. 21 to set FY 2026 funding priorities, passed the House largely along party lines on Sept. 19. The Senate is expected to vote on the same bill again on Wednesday, with more votes to come through the rest of the week and into the weekend until either a deal is struck or Democrats relent.
President Donald Trump told reporters earlier in the day that Republicans did not want a shutdown, but warned the GOP could inflict pain on Democrats should the government close.
New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (25) at Tropicana Field on Sept. 21, 2016.(Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)
“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” Trump said in reference to the Office of Management and Budget’s memo about mass layoffs.
Schumer, the Senate minority leader, responded to Trump during a press conference on Tuesday, “Well, there it is. Trump admitted himself that he is using Americans as political pawns. He is admitting that he is doing the firing of people. If God forbid it happens, he’s using Americans as pawns.”
“As I said, Democrats did not want a shutdown. We stand ready to work with Republicans to find a bipartisan compromise, and the ball is in their court,” Schumer said.
