The MLB Playoff Divisional Round is absolutely *wild* today, with teams battling it out on what’s basically the final full day of playoff baseball for a bunch of clubs. Right now, the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays are both on the cusp of straight-up sweeping their division rivals, which is just bonkers. But hold up, the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees? They are fighting for their lives, trying to crawl back from elimination. Over in the NL, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are eyeing that NLCS ticket, while the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres are scrapping to keep their seasons from ending.
Teel, Kwan, and the ALDS Thriller Nobody Predicted
Let’s talk about the White Sox and Guardians game, because it’s been a ride. Can you believe Kyle Teel, who only played 39 games all regular season thanks to injuries, is hitting cleanup in a potential series-clinching game? And what did he do? Dropped an RBI double to get the White Sox on the scoreboard first, making it 1-0. Seriously, the guy is stepping up huge when it matters most. But then, classic baseball drama, Steven Kwan of the Guardians comes through with an RBI single, knotting things up at 1-1. This is the same Kwan who hit only .229 against lefties all year, yet he gets a crucial knock off towering White Sox lefty Bryan Hudson. You just gotta love playoff baseball. It’s all happening at Rate Field with a blackout theme that’s got the atmosphere absolutely buzzing. Oh, and the White Sox? They’ve already used up both their ABS challenges. Rapid-fire, unsuccessful, questionable usage at best from Teel behind the plate, leaving them with nothing left.
Unsung Heroes and Unforgettable Moments
While Teel and Kwan are making noise, other players are quietly having massive series. Munetaka Murakami has been the offensive sparkplug for the White Sox, hitting 3-for-8 with a homer and three RBI in the first two games. The White Sox even tweaked their lineup for Game 3, sliding Randal Grichuk into left field, Sam Antonacci to DH, and moving Andrew Benintendi to the bench. On the Guardians’ side, rookie Chase DeLauter is the only dude with multiple hits through the first two games, which is pretty wild considering they’ve only scored three runs in 18 innings. They rolled out the exact same lineup as Game 2, which saw Sean Newcomb come out of the bullpen early after Anthony Kay ran into trouble. And speaking of Game 2, the Yankees were sloppy in their loss, keeping them on the brink. Even with all this drama, the pre-game hype for the White Sox first pitch was something else. Beat writer Scott Merkin teased a “big name,” and people were guessing Michael Jordan, Hawk Harrleson, even The Pope. Who was it? Actor Belmont Cameli. Had to Google him.
This is the final push for a bunch of teams. The White Sox are up 2-0 in the ALDS and looking to close it out. The Padres are still alive after winning Game 3 against the Braves. You absolutely do not want to miss a single pitch of this action. Every single play from here on out is season-defining. Let’s see who punches their ticket!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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