The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Wild Card Series continues:

The Dodgers bested the Reds 8-4 yesterday to complete a two-game sweep of Cincinnati and advance to the NLDS against the Phillies. The other three Wild Card matchups all saw the team facing elimination force a Game 3, leaving us with plenty of baseball to enjoy today. Things will kick off in Cleveland, at 3:08pm local time, when Jack Flaherty and the Tigers face off against Slade Cecconi and the Guardians to decide who will represent the AL Central against the Mariners in the ALDS.

In Chicago, at 4:08pm local time, the Cubs take the field at Wrigley behind Jameson Taillon as they try to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2017 against the Padres and former Cub Yu Darvish. Finally, the Wild Card series will wrap in the Bronx, at 8:08pm local time, when the Red Sox and Yankees conclude the latest chapter in their storied archrivalry. That game will feature two rookies, with Connelly Early taking the ball for Boston in light of Lucas Giolito’s recent injury. The Yankees will turn to right-hander Cam Schlittler.

2. Rockies searching for new leadership:

Bill Schmidt is out as Rockies GM after this year’s brutal 119-loss season. He was promoted from within the organization to take over for Jeff Bridich in May of 2021, who himself was promoted to the top job from within in organization back in 2014. For a franchise that has dealt with a lot of struggles and failure over the years, this stands out as a rare opportunity for the club to bring in an outside voice and see what that sort of breath of fresh air could do to rejuvenate the organization. Perhaps that could come in the form of someone with ties to the organization like Thad Levine, who is already rumored to be in the mix for the job. Of course, it’s at least possible that owner Dick Monfort could break with his past tendencies and look for a less familiar partner to help lead the Rockies back to the postseason for the first time since 2018.

3. Managerial vacancies continue to grow:

While the Rockies likely won’t have clarity on their managerial situation until they bring in Schmidt’s replacement, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding the various managerial vacancies that have been created around the game in the past few days. Yesterday, Atlanta joined the pile of teams searching for a new voice in the dugout after Brian Snitker opted to retire from the dugout, though he’ll remain in the organization for a landmark 50th season in an advisory role. The Braves have a talented core and could very feasibly be back in the playoffs as soon as next year, so they’ll be one of the more attractive managerial vacancies available for candidates to pursue.

Elsewhere, the rumor mill is buzzing over the possibility that Hall of Famer Albert Pujols could take a turn as manager. He’s a strong candidate to take over for Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery in Anaheim with the Angels. The Rangers, Giants, Twins, Nationals and Orioles are each in the market for a new manager as well, and there’s always the possibility that a playoff club will look to make a change following an earlier-than-hoped-for exit from the postseason field.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Game 1 winners go for sweep in Wild Card Series:

The Tigers, Cubs, Red Sox, and Dodgers took home victories in Game 1 of their respective Wild Card series yesterday, and each of those clubs will be going for the sweep today. Casey Mize will kick things off at 1:08pm local time today for Detroit, while the Guardians will counter with Tanner Bibee with their season on the line. Two hours later (2:08pm local time), the Padres will hang the hopes of their season on Dylan Cease. The Cubs will counter with an opener in the form of right-hander Andrew Kittredge. Kittredge threw a scoreless inning for Chicago in Game 1 of the series yesterday and is likely to turn things over to lefty Shota Imanaga for the bulk of the game. Turning back to the AL, the Yankees will have to overcome Red Sox starter Brayan Bello with southpaw Carlos Rodon on the mound if they’re going to live to see Game 3, and the Reds’ last stand against the Dodgers will come with Zack Littell on the mound against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

2. Frustration in the Bronx:

Infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. was not in the lineup for yesterday’s first game of the Wild Card series against the Red Sox, and The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner relays that Chisholm made no secret of his displeasure about riding the pine following the game. Chisholm conducted his post-game interview with his back turned to reporters and said he had “not much” conversation with Aaron Boone about not playing. A 30-30 player worth more than four wins in 130 games this year according to either version of WAR, Chisholm is one of the league’s most talented second basemen. While his status as a left-handed hitter may not have made him the ideal choice to start against lefty Garrett Crochet, his .248/.322/.411 against southpaws is hardly a liability — though it does trail the production of both Amed Rosario (.302/.328/.491) and Jose Caballero (.250/.361/.452) versus left-handers.

3. Toboni to be introduced:

The Nationals are introducing newly minted president of baseball operations Paul Toboni at a press conference that kicked off about 15 minutes ago. Owners Mark Lerner, Ed Cohen, and Robert Tannenbaum are all on hand alongside Toboni. The decision to fire Mike Rizzo and hire Toboni, who had spent years working his way up the ladder in the Red Sox organization prior to being brought in to lead baseball operations in the nation’s capital, is the first change of leadership the Nationals have experienced since Rizzo’s hire all the way back in 2009. With a young team that lost 96 games this year despite steps forward from young players like James Wood and CJ Abrams, Nationals ownership and their new baseball operations leader will be providing further insight into the team’s direction and what lies ahead.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Wild Card Series to begin:

Each of the four Wild Card matchups are scheduled to have their first game today. Things will kick off in Cleveland with Gavin Williams on the bump for the Guardians. He’ll be facing Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. The reigning AL Cy Young winner will be looking to redeem Detroit after their shocking slump, paired with Cleveland’s surge, caused the Tigers to fall out of the top spot in the AL Central. Two hours after first pitch in Ohio, the NL’s first game will start with Nick Pivetta on the mound for the Padres at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs and Matthew Boyd will be looking to secure the franchise’s first win in a playoff game since 2017. Three hours later, attention will turn to the east coast, where one of baseball’s most storied rivalries will add a new chapter when Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox take the mound in the Bronx against Max Fried and the Yankees. That battle of aces will be followed by another on the other side of the country, when the Reds and right-hander Hunter Greene visit the reigning champion Dodgers, who send southpaw Blake Snell to the mound for Game 1.

2. A potential MLB debut in the postseason?

Guardians outfield prospect Chase DeLauter has not yet appeared in an MLB game. That might change this week, as Zack Meisel of The Athletic writes that DeLauter is on the club’s taxi squad and participated in Cleveland’s workouts at Progressive Field yesterday. That leaves him at least potentially in the conversation to make the roster, and as a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport who hit .278/.383/.476 at Triple-A this year, it’s not hard to see why a Guardians team light on offense might be interested in seeing if the 23-year-old can provide a spark. Daniel Schneemann, George Valera, Johnathan Rodriguez, and Angel Martinez are all presently mixing and matching in the Guardians outfield alongside Steven Kwan, so there’s plenty of flexibility to fit DeLauter into the mix if the club so desires.

3. Bloom to be formally introduced:

In news not related to the postseason, the Cardinals are set to hold a press conference at 10am local time where, as relayed by Katie Woo of The Athletic, owner Bill DeWitt Jr. will introduce Chaim Bloom as the club’s new president of baseball operations. Both DeWitt and Bloom will discuss the future direction of the Cardinals. Bloom has already been in the Cardinals organization for a couple years, having joined the club as an advisor to the front office in 2023 before it was announced late last year that Bloom would be taking over for longtime baseball operations president John Mozeliak following the 2025 season. Now that Mozeliak has stepped aside, Bloom will now fully step into his new role and fans in St. Louis will have the opportunity to hear more of what this changing of the guard means for the franchise.

The 2025 regular season is in the books. Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world in the final day before the playoffs:

1. Teams gear up for the postseason:

The 2025 playoff field is now set. The Reds squeaked into the NL’s final Wild Card spot over the Mets, while the Guardians’ late surge pushed Detroit out of the AL Central division title and the Astros out of the playoffs entirely. The Brewers, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Mariners get to enjoy a few days off to prepare for the start of the Division Series, but the rest of the playoff field now needs to focus on the Wild Card Series, which begins tomorrow. The Tigers, Padres, Red Sox, and Reds will need to travel to Cleveland, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles respectively. All eight teams will be weighing who exactly will make the final cut of their Wild Card roster.

2. Which teams will see leadership changes?

The end of a season brings with it the winds of change around baseball for many of the league’s losing teams. The Nationals have already settled on Red Sox executive Paul Toboni as their new president of baseball operations, and that’s likely just the first of several notable changes. Interim managers in Washington, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Colorado could have the “interim” tag removed from their titles or be shown the door, and there’s additional managerial uncertainty in places like Anaheim, San Francisco, and Atlanta. Meanwhile, Houston GM Dana Brown told reporters yesterday that a “full assessment” of the Astros organization will be taken after the team’s playoff miss this year, and other teams facing disappointing ends to their season will undergo similar evaluation periods.

3. End-of-season press conferences:

Traditionally, most organizations will have the head of baseball operations hold a press conference or otherwise make comments to the media following the conclusion of their team’s season. These media sessions typically include the president/GM reflecting on that year’s campaign, indicating where the organization might be headed in the future, and discussing in broad strokes their short-term plans for the coming offseason. These comments often offer valuable insight into the organization, particular in the cases of executives who don’t talk to the media very often or newly-appointed leadership figures. Most of the 18 clubs that missed the postseason will hold a press conference or offer some sort of comments in the coming days.

The Opener usually takes the weekends off but today is a good day for an exception. It is Game 162, the final day of the regular season, with still a lot to be determined. In order for no team to have an advantage of a later start potentially altering their strategic decisions, all games will begin at essentially the same time, shortly after 2pm Central. Here are some of the things still at stake…

1. One last playoff spot in the National League:

The National League playoff field is mostly set. The Brewers have clinched the top seed, followed by the Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs and Padres. The Brewers and Phillies each get a bye through the first round. The Cubs will host the Padres in the Wild Card round. The Dodgers will be hosting the other Wild Card matchup but their opponent has not yet been determined. The Reds and Mets are currently tied for the final spot with identical 83-78 records, though the Reds hold the tiebreaker.

The Reds can get into the playoffs with a win or a Mets loss. For the Mets to get in, they need to win and have the Reds lose. In Milwaukee, the Reds are sending Brady Singer to the mound to face Freddy Peralta of the Brewers. The Mets are in Miami and are giving the ball to Sean Manaea against Edward Cabrera of the Marlins.

2. American League seeding:

The American League playoff field has been set, though the seeding is still largely up in the air. The six teams will be the Blue Jays, Yankees, Mariners, Guardians, Red Sox and Tigers. However, the Mariners are the only team locked into a seed. They have won the West and will be the #2 seed, getting a bye through the first round. The five other clubs still don’t have a seed locked in.

The Jays and Yankees are currently tied atop the American League East, though the Jays are technically ahead since they hold the tiebreaker. One of those two clubs will win the East and be the top seed, securing a bye. The Jays could get that spot with a win or a Yankees loss, whereas the Yankees need to win and have the Jays lose. Whoever comes up short in that battle will get the #4 seed as the top Wild Card team, squaring off against the #5 seed. The Jays are hosting the Rays with Kevin Gausman squaring off against Ian Seymour. The Yanks send Luis Gil to the mound as they host Kyle Bradish and the Orioles.

Similarly, the Guardians and Tigers are tied atop the Central, with the Guards holding the tiebreak. However, there’s no bye at stake here. The winner will just get home field advantage in the Wild Card round and will face the #6 seed. The Guardians are hosting the Rangers with Logan Allen facing Patrick Corbin. The Tigers are in Boston and will send Chris Paddack to the mound. The Red Sox had Lucas Giolito lined up to pitch if today was meaningful but he may be held back for the playoffs now that they have clinched. If Giolito doesn’t get the ball, Boston may do a bullpen game.

Boston is currently in the #5 spot but they could get bumped down to #6. If they lose to the Tigers and the Guardians win, those three clubs would all finish at 88-74. In that scenario, the Guards win the Central and are the #3 seed. The Tigers hold the tiebreaker over the Red Sox and would jump to #5.

3. Individual achievements:

Today is also the last chance for players to pad their stats for awards consideration. The A.L. MVP debate has been an ongoing talking point for months. Aaron Judge has better offense than Cal Raleigh on the whole but Raleigh’s production from the catcher position is unprecedented. The baseball industry seems divided on who should get the nod and we won’t know the answer for a few more weeks. For now, it’s one more chance to put up some numbers. Raleigh has already hit the 60-homer plateau but could tie Judge’s A.L. record if he can hit a couple more today.

There are lots of other milestones which could be hit today and races which could still be determined. Eugenio Suárez has 49 home runs, the same amount he hit back in 2019. Can he get to 50? Oneil Cruz has 38 stolen bases, tied for the N.L. lead with… Juan Soto? Bobby Witt Jr. leads the majors in hits with 183, two ahead of Bo Bichette and Luis Arráez. Bichette is on the injured list, so he won’t be a factor in that race. If you’re watching out for some specific achievement today, comment below!

Photo courtesy of Aaron Doster, Imagn Images

Here are three things to keep an eye on headed into the final weekend of the regular season:

1. Playoff races still up for grabs:

Eight teams (the Blue Jays, Yankees, Mariners, Phillies, Brewers, Cubs, Dodgers, and Padres) have punched their tickets to October already. That leaves four spots up for grabs headed into the final weekend of the regular season. Here’s a quick overview of the teams still fighting for a spot, with playoff odds courtesy of FanGraphs:

• The Red Sox have a 98.7% chance to make playoffs with a magic number of one. Their final regular season series is against the Tigers and is expected to feature starts from Kyle Harrison (3.58 ERA in ten appearances), Connelly Early (1.88 ERA in three starts), and an unnamed third starter.
• The Guardians have an 88.6% chance to make the playoffs with a magic number of two. Their final regular season series is against the Rangers and is expected to feature starts from Slade Cecconi (4.15 ERA in 22 starts) and two unnamed starters.
• The Tigers have an 84.1% chance to make the playoffs with a magic number of two. Their final regular season series is against the Red Sox and is expected to feature starts from Casey Mize (3.91 ERA in 27 starts) and two unnamed starters.
• The Mets have a 77.8% chance to make the playoffs with a magic number of three. Their final regular season series is against the Marlins and will feature starts from Brandon Sproat (3.94 ERA in three starts) and two unnamed starters.
• The Astros have a 28.6% chance to make the playoffs and sit one game back of a playoff spot. Their final regular season series is against the Angels and will feature starts from Jason Alexander (4.83 ERA in 17 appearances) and two unnamed starters.
• The Reds have a 20.2% chance to make the playoffs and sit one game back of a playoff spot. Their final regular season series is against the Brewers and will feature starts from Zack Littell (3.86 ERA in 31 starts), Andrew Abbott (2.80 ERA in 28 starts), and Brady Singer (3.95 ERA in 31 starts).
• The Diamondbacks have a 2% chance to make the playoffs and sit two games back of a playoff spot. Their final regular season series is against the Padres and will feature starts from Zac Gallen (4.70 ERA in 32 starts), Eduardo Rodriguez (4.91 ERA in 28 starts), and Brandon Pfaadt (5.00 ERA in 32 starts).

2. Morton to suit up for Braves one last time:

It’s been a rough year for veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, who posted a 5.89 ERA in 32 appearances with the Orioles and Tigers and recently signed on with the Braves after being designated for assignment and released by Detroit. Morton has hinted at retirement repeatedly over the years, and some have suggested that his latest deal is an opportunity to retire as a member of the club that originally drafted him back in 2002 and the club with which he won a World Series in 2021. Morton has a 3.87 ERA with Atlanta across 124 starts, and his 125th start of his Braves career is scheduled for the club’s final game of the regular season against the Pirates on Sunday. He’ll pitch opposite Johan Oviedo, who has a 3.57 ERA in eight starts this year for Pittsburgh.

3. Will Manoah get claimed?

The Blue Jays made the decision to cut ties with right-hander Alek Manoah earlier this week, and now that he’s been designated for assignment, he’s available to the league’s other 29 clubs for nothing but the remainder of his salary. Of course, a claiming club would have to be willing to pay him his arbitration-level salary for the 2026 season as well. Manoah’s 2025 salary was $2.2MM, and he figures to make the same amount for 2026 if tendered a contract.

The upside Manoah offers is obvious, as he finished third in AL Cy Young voting during the 2022 season off the back of a 2.24 ERA in 196 1/3 innings of work. He struggled badly in 2023 with a 5.87 ERA and 6.01 FIP in 19 starts, however, and he’s made just five starts since then due to Tommy John surgery. Manoah is still just 27 years old and will hardly break the bank, making him one of the more intriguing late-season waiver possibilities in recent memory.

Here are four things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Raleigh chasing Judge’s record:

The Mariners clinched the AL West yesterday, and they did so on back of two more home runs from AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh. Those homers were the 59th and 60th of Raleigh’s season, making him the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 long balls in a single season. With the records for most home runs by a catcher, most home runs by a Mariner, and most home runs by a switch-hitter all locked up, Raleigh has one more major milestone he can reach this year: the AL home run record, set by fellow AL MVP candidate Aaron Judge just three years ago. Raleigh would need two more homers to match Judge’s record and three more to break it. That’s going to be a tall order with just four games left, but Raleigh has already hit four homers in his past four games and has recorded 11 multi-homer games throughout the year.

2. Schwarber chasing Howard:

Raleigh wasn’t the only star slugger to have a multi-homer game last night. Kyle Schwarber hit his 55th and 56th home runs of the season, leaving him just two dingers behind Ryan Howard’s franchise record of 58 homers. Like Raleigh’s pursuit of the AL record, Schwarber is facing long odds with just four games left on the calendar. However, he does benefit from those games being against non-contenders; Philadelphia wraps a series against the Marlins today before completing their regular season schedule with a three-game set against the Twins, who have been MLB’s worst team since their sell-off at the trade deadline.

3. Red Sox aim to clinch:

The Red Sox could punch their ticket to the postseason today. They’ll go for the sweep against their division rival Blue Jays and send Brayan Bello (3.34 ERA) to the mound while Toronto opts for a bullpen game opened by Louis Varland (3.10 ERA in 72 relief appearances). Boston could still clinch even if they lose that game, however, as they’ll also lock up a postseason spot if the Athletics and righty J.T. Ginn (4.57 ERA in 15 starts) manage to take down the Astros and southpaw Framber Valdez. Valdez has a solid 3.75 ERA in 30 starts this year, but it’s worth noting that he’s struggled badly with a 6.71 ERA since the start of August. If and when the Red Sox do punch their postseason ticket, it’ll be their first trip to the playoffs since 2021.

4. Guardians go for the sweep:

Cleveland’s stunning Cinderella run for the AL Central crown seemingly cannot be stopped. The Guardians sat a whopping 9.5 games out of first place as recently as Sept. 10, but they’ve stormed to sole possession of the AL Central lead by winning 18 of their past 21 games — including two in a row against the now-second-place Tigers, who’ve spent nearly the entire season in first place. The Guards haven’t lost back-to-back games since Sept. 1-2.

That historic run wouldn’t have catapulted them into first place had Detroit sustained its prior pace — or even if the Tigers had simply been playing decently. Instead, the inverse of last year’s storybook run in Detroit has played out. The Tigers have faceplanted with a 5-15 record in September, including a current eight-game losing streak. They’re still in possession of a Wild Card spot, holding a one-game lead over an also-reeling Astros club that has lost five in a row. The Tigers will look to stop the bleeding and push back into a tie for the division lead in today’s series finale. Detroit will turn to rookie righty Troy Melton, who has a 2.79 ERA but has been working in multi-inning relief stints lately. It’ll likely be a bullpen game for manager AJ Hinch. The Guardians will counter with lefty Parker Messick. The rookie southpaw has been a major factor in Cleveland’s sprint to first place, having logged a 2.08 ERA in 34 2/3 innings across six starts since making his MLB debut on Aug. 20.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. AL East race tightens:

The Blue Jays have been in control of the AL East for almost three months, but their hold on the division is getting shakier. The Yankees not only clinched yesterday after their third consecutive win — they pulled within a game of a Blue Jays club that lost to the Red Sox. If the Yankees and southpaw Max Fried (2.92 ERA) can take care of business against the White Sox in a bullpen game opened by Fraser Ellard (4.50 ERA in 16 appearances), they’ll have the chance to pull into a tie with the Jays. Toronto has a tough task tonight with Boston ace Garrett Crochet (2.69 ERA) on the mound against Max Scherzer (5.06 ERA in 16 starts). It’s worth noting that the Yankees would need to make up another game even after today, as the Jays hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series between the two clubs.

2. Reds, Greene take on Skenes in pivotal pitchers’ duel:

The Mets bested the Cubs in a back-and-forth series opener last night, while the Reds dropped their series opener against Pittsburgh to fall one game back in the Wild Card race. That’s a significant drop with just a handful of games to go, and the road doesn’t get any easier with NL Cy Young favorite Paul Skenes standing in their way tonight. Fortunately for Cincinnati, they’re able to counter with their own ace. Hunter Greene has been limited to just 18 starts by injury, he’s pitched to a 2.74 ERA and struck out 31.5% of his opponents when healthy.

3. Fry hospitalized following hit-by-pitch:

A scary scene took place in yesterday’s game between the Tigers and Guardians when Cleveland designated hitter David Fry was struck in the face by a 99 mph fastball from reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. As noted by MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins, Fry stayed conscious the entire time but was being held for observation overnight at a local hospital. The extent of Fry’s injuries aren’t yet known, but it seems reasonable to expect the injury could sideline him for the final week of the regular season and into the playoffs, should the Guardians manage to sustain their incredible comeback. Last night’s 5-2 win pulled Cleveland into a tie with a reeling Detroit club. Tonight’s game will pit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (4.60 ERA) against Guards righty Tanner Bibee (4.34 ERA).

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today:

1. Possible clinches in the AL:

The Yankees and Mariners are all but guaranteed a playoff spot, and today’s games could remove the “all but” qualifier from that phrase. If the Yankees beat the White Sox, they’ll clinch a playoff spot for themselves and also open the door for the Mariners to clinch a spot with a win over the Rockies later in the evening. Yankees right-hander Luis Gil (3.33 ERA in nine starts) will take on rookie righty Shane Smith (4.06 ERA) in today’s Yankees/White Sox game, scheduled to begin at 7:05pm local time. The Mariners host the Rockies in a game set for 6:40pm local time. Mariners righty Bryce Miller (5.56 ERA in 16 starts) and Rox rookie McCade Brown (9.17 ERA in five starts) are expected to take the mound.

2. Series Preview: Tigers @ Guardians

Arguably the most high-stakes series remaining on the 2025 calendar starts today when the slumping Tigers head to Cleveland for a three-game set against the surging Guardians. Detroit has lost six games in a row, and while the Guardians saw their win streak snapped at ten games on Sunday, they’ve still won 16 of their past 19 games. That remarkable stretch leaves Cleveland just one game back of the Tigers in the AL Central. Detroit will hope to jump out to a quick series lead tonight with AL Cy Young front-runner Tarik Skubal (2.23 ERA) on the mound opposite Guardians righty Gavin Williams (3.06 ERA). Tomorrow, Jack Flaherty (4.60 ERA) will take on Tanner Bibee (4.34 ERA). The series wraps Thursday with Guardians rookie Parker Messick (2.08 ERA in six starts) set to go for Cleveland, while Detroit’s starter remains TBD.

3. MLBTR chat today:

We’re just a week away from the postseason, and with plenty of teams still fighting for a playoff spot it’s sure to be an exciting last few days. Whether you’re invested in this final stretch of the season or already are turning your attention towards the upcoming offseason free agent and trade markets, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat at 1pm CT later today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

As we enter the final week of the 2025 regular season, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on:

1. AL contenders prepare for a hectic week:

No teams in the American League have games scheduled for today, giving everyone in the league a breather ahead of a wild final week of the regular season. Only the Blue Jays have clinched a postseason spot among the AL’s teams, and even they haven’t clinched a division title. The Yankees and Mariners appear all but guaranteed a playoff spot at this point, but the Red Sox and Tigers are still facing realistic scenarios where they’re on the outside looking in come October. The Astros and MLB’s hottest club, the resurgent Guardians, are vying for that final spot in the playoffs. With series coming up between Cleveland and Detroit, Boston and Toronto, and Detroit and Boston before the regular season comes to a close, there are plenty of big games to watch throughout the week that will impact the AL playoff picture in a big way.

2. Series Preview: Brewers @ Padres

Over in the NL, one big series between playoff contenders is set to commence today when the Brewers head to San Diego. Milwaukee has already clinched the NL Central but will still need to fend of the Phillies to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Padres, meanwhile, have not yet clinched a playoff berth (although they’re very close to doing so), and they also sit just three games back of the Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego would love a late hot streak to pry the NL West away from the Dodgers, but Brewers ace Freddy Peralta (2.65 ERA) stands in the way of that today. The Friars will counter with Nick Pivetta (2.81 ERA) opposite Peralta. Randy Vasquez (3.94 ERA) will take on an as-of-yet unannounced Brewers starter for Game 2. The series wraps with Milwaukee’s Quinn Priester (3.25 ERA) on the mound, while the Padres’ starter for that final game is still TBD. The set is scheduled to kick off at 6:40pm local time in San Diego this evening.

3. Star lefties face off in the NL East:

Neither the Braves nor the Nationals are a factor in the postseason race, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t intrigue to be found in their game this evening. One of the top up-and-coming lefties in the game, Nationals southpaw MacKenzie Gore, is set to take on reigning Cy Young winner Chris Sale in Atlanta. First pitch will be 7:15pm local time.

It’s been an up-and-down year for Gore, who looked like a Cy Young contender early on but started to slip during the summer months and wound up taking a trip to the injured list. He’s posted a 1.74 ERA in two starts since returning and will look to finish the season on a strong note. Sale had a chance to repeat as the NL’s Cy Young winner until a ribcage injury sidelined him over the summer. He’s been elite when healthy, posting a 2.35 ERA with a 32.3% strikeout rate, but he’s been limited to 115 innings and 19 starts this season.