The MLB postseason is officially here, and the wild card series are already throwing down some absolute fire matchups! Game 1 of the Braves-Phillies series just gave us a taste of October madness, with Atlanta pulling off a tight 5-3 victory. What a start to the best-of-three, especially with Austin Riley launching a clutch three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to secure that win. Yeah, you heard that right, a three-run bomb in the eighth to snag Game 1. Talk about setting the tone!
Philly vs. Atlanta: A Rivalry Reignited (and What Just Happened)
These two teams know each other way too well, and their October meetings are becoming legendary. The Phillies have actually gotten the better of Atlanta in the past, beating them 3-1 in back-to-back division series in both 2022 and 2023. Philly even owned all three previous postseason series these clubs have played. But with that Game 1 win, taking a 1-0 lead, the Braves are definitely on the right track to putting an end to that trend. Cristopher Sanchez is on the bump for Philly in Game 2, trying to turn the tide, while Tyler Mahle gets the ball for Atlanta to push them to the next round. This rivalry is just getting hotter!
Chicago vs. San Diego, and the East Coast Clashes Get Heated
Over in the NL, the Cubs and Padres are ready to rumble, but it’s San Diego that’s been scorching the league. While Pete Crow-Armstrong has been the talk of the baseball world all summer and is a likely MVP candidate, the Padres have been flat out one of baseball’s hottest teams, rocking MLB’s best record since July 24. These teams faced off last year in the wild-card round, with the Cubs taking it 2-1, but that series was played at Wrigley Field. This time, Game 1, featuring Michael King for San Diego against Matthew Boyd for Chicago, shifts to Petco Park. That’s a serious home-field advantage swing right there.
Meanwhile, the historic Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is back in the wild-card round. The Yankees had a slight edge over Boston during the regular season, winning the series 7-6. They squared off in this exact wild-card round just last season, with New York emerging victorious in three games. Before that, Boston beat the Yanks in the AL wild-card game in 2021, and also knocked them out 3-1 in the AL divisional round in 2018. Cam Schlittler gets the start for the Yankees in Game 1, with Payton Tolle on the mound for Boston. This is a classic postseason showdown.
Houston and Chicago’s Wild Card Showdown: A History Lesson
Then we’ve got the Houston Astros going up against the Chicago White Sox. Houston dominated the season series, taking five of seven games from the White Sox. Looking at the history, this is a heavy matchup. The Astros have two World Series rings in 2017 and 2022, and also made it to the Fall Classic in 2019 and 2021. The White Sox, on the other hand, have had a tough run lately, with at least 100 losses in each of the last three seasons before this one. They haven’t been in the playoffs since 2021, and their last playoff series win, along with their last World Series title, was back in 2005. Game 1 pits AJ Blubaugh for Houston against Hagen Smith for Chicago. Can the White Sox shake off recent history?
It’s clear the MLB postseason is gonna be absolutely wild. Game 2 between the Phillies and Braves is next, with Atlanta looking to close it out and Philly trying to keep their season alive. Every pitch, every swing, it all matters now!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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