The Opener

Here are three things to keep an eye on headed into Game 1 later today:

1. Blue Jays roster decisions:

As the Blue Jays finalize their World Series roster, the biggest question for the club is what will happen with star shortstop Bo Bichette. Bichette has been out since the regular season due to a PCL strain, but appears close to a dramatic return. Bichette himself indicated following the ALCS that he’ll be ready to play tonight, and manager John Schneider suggested during yesterday’s media availability that a return is a distinct possibility. Of course, it’s up to the Toronto medical staff to clear him for play following yesterday’s workouts.

If Bichette does make the roster, it’s possible that rather than leaning on him at shortstop or forcing George Springer into the field at DH, Bichette could make some starts at second base to ease his move back into defensive work in games. Andres Gimenez is a superior defender at shortstop anyhow and has filled in nicely in his absence.

2. Dodgers roster decisions:

The Dodgers have already announced one major roster decision ahead of today’s full-roster announcement: Clayton Kershaw will make the club’s World Series roster. That decision comes after Kershaw struggled in the NLDS, was left off the Wild Card roster, and did not make an appearance in the NLCS. Given that this World Series will be the final games of Kershaw’s career, it will be worth tracking if the Dodgers can find the right opportunity to give their franchise face and future Hall of Famer a proper sendoff amid their fight to become the first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 Yankees.

Outside of Kershaw, there’s the question of whether Tanner Scott will be available for the club’s World Series roster after a minor procedure on his lower body removed him from the NLDS roster and left him ineligible for the NLCS roster. Scott had a tough year in 2025 but isn’t far removed from being one of the game’s most dominant relievers.

3. Games 1 and 2 Preview:

The first two games of the World Series will happen in Toronto this weekend. First pitch in both games is scheduled for 8pm local time. Game 1 tonight will feature Trey Yesavage (3.21 ERA) on the mound for the Blue Jays opposite Dodgers lefty Blake Snell (2.35 ERA). Snell has dominated this postseason with a 0.86 ERA and 28 strikeouts in three starts, but Yesavage has impressed far more than his 4.20 postseason ERA would suggest. He struck out 11 Yankees in 5 1/3 n0-hit innings during the ALDS, and while the Mariners chased him from a tough Game 2 start in the ALCS, he rebounded in Game 6 to offer 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball while striking out seven.

In Game 2, the Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.49 ERA) to the mound opposite a yet-to-be-named Blue Jays starter. Kevin Gausman would most likely be in line for the start after his relief appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS. Whoever he ultimately faces, Yamamoto will be coming off a dominant complete game against the Brewers where he allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out seven.

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

1. World Series heads to Toronto:

While Game 1 of the World Series won’t begin until tomorrow, both teams are now in Toronto for a pre-series workout day. Both Blue Jays manager John Schneider and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will meet with the media, as will the Game 1 starters for both clubs. For the Dodgers, that’s expected to be southpaw Blake Snell, but it’s not yet clear who will be taking the bump for Toronto. There will be a period where both clubhouses are also fully available to the media today, offering opportunities for reporters to interview the rest of the club’s roster. Today’s workouts could also serve as an important step for any players dealing with injuries who are hoping to make the World Series roster.

2. Mariners end-of-season presser:

The Mariners are set to make president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, GM Justin Hollander, and manger Dan Wilson available to the media later today, with a press conference scheduled for 10am local time this morning. Coming off one of the best seasons in Mariners history, where the club won the AL West and finished just one game short of reaching the World Series for the first time ever, Seattle now faces the impending exits of Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, and Jorge Polanco. Replacing that offensive talent will surely be the biggest task the front office is faced with this winter, and today’s press conferences figures to shine some light on how they intend to accomplish that goal.

3. Managerial vacancies down to six:

The Giants officially hired Tony Vitello to take over as their next manager yesterday, leaving just six teams with uncertainty about who will manage them next year: the Padres, Rockies, Braves, Orioles, Twins, and Nationals. Most of those clubs have been progressing through the interview process, though the Rockies will not even decide on the status of interim manager Warren Schaeffer until a new head of baseball operations is in place. That search may even be the next one to reach its conclusion, seeing as Colorado has narrowed its list of contenders for the position to a handful of finalists. Guardians assistant GM Matt Forman and Diamondbacks assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye are two candidates known to be remaining and may even be the only two candidates remaining.

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

1. Okamoto to be posted:

Earlier this morning, it was reported that NPB’s Yomiuri Giants will be posting slugger Kazuma Okamoto for MLB clubs this winter. A career .277/.361/.521 hitter in NPB, the 29-year-old faces questions about his ability to hit velocity and whether he’ll end up playing third or first base in the majors but has prodigious power and figures to shake up the corner infield market in a big way this offseason alongside fellow NPB slugger Munetaka Murakami, who also plays the infield corners and is expected to be one of the league’s top free agents this winter. Unlike most free agents, who become available five days after the World Series, Okamoto and other players coming to MLB through the posting system will have a 45-day window to sign in the majors once they’re officially posted. That’s unlikely to happen for at least another month, but MLB teams are surely already adjusting their offseason plans to account for Okamoto’s availability.

2. One managerial vacancy down:

The Angels brought an end to their managerial search yesterday when they hired Kurt Suzuki to take over for Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery in the dugout next year. While Suzuki assembles a coaching staff and the Angels begin to move on with their offseason, seven other clubs still have leadership positions to fill. The Giants, Padres, Braves, Orioles, Nationals, and Twins all still need to hire a manager, while the Rockies need to hire a new head of baseball operations, who will then decide on the status of interim manager Warren Schaeffer. San Francisco appears to be the closest to landing a new skipper at this point, with University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello viewed as the favorite for the position.

3. Brewers, Mariners head into the offseason:

While the focus in recent days has been on the Dodgers and Blue Jays after they punched their tickets to the World Series, the two teams that came within a series of a pennant are now headed into the offseason a little bit earlier than they were hoping. End-of-season press conferences from Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and Milwaukee GM Matt Arnold are likely to occur in the coming days with both clubs facing significant decisions this offseason, with Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor both set to hit free agency after joining the Mariners at the trade deadline while the Brewers are expected to contemplate the possibility of trading Freddy Peralta. Perhaps comments from those front offices in recent days will shed additional light on the offseason plans in Milwaukee and Seattle as they look to build towards a return to the playoffs in 2026.

As we wait for the World Series to begin, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. World Series matchup set:

The Mariners will go another year without making it to the World Series. After leading for most of the game, Seattle righty Eduard Bazardo surrendered a three-run homer to veteran slugger George Springer in the seventh inning that put Toronto ahead 4-3, and they managed to hold onto that lead through scoreless innings by Chris Bassitt and Jeff Hoffman. Now, the Blue Jays are headed to their first World Series since 1993, where they’ll try to stop the Dodgers from being the first team to repeat as World Series champs since the 1998-2000 Yankees. For that series, the club is expected to benefit from the return of Bo Bichette, who told reporters (including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet) that he’ll “be ready” to play by then.

2. Angels managerial search faces upheaval:

The managerial search in Anaheim once looked to be a fairly simple one, with future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols as the runaway favorite. A few days ago, the Angels broadened the search with plans to interview special assistants Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki as well as interest in a number of other possible candidates. Yesterday saw things change much more drastically, as both Pujols and Hunter are now reportedly out of the running. That leaves the search in flux somewhat, as Suzuki is the only candidate known to be interviewing for the job at this point. Former Astros manager Bo Porter, who coached for the Angels the past two seasons, has expressed interest in the job. Past reporting has suggested interest in both former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde on the Angels’ part, though it’s unclear if that interest is mutual and more recent reporting has indicated that the Angels have yet to contact either of them, or any other external candidates they’d be reported as interested in.

3. Could hirings be on the way?

With the World Series matchup now set, baseball enters a three-day lull before Game 1 begins on Friday. It’s traditional for teams to hold off on announcing major hires like that of a manager or GM during October until a day when there isn’t a postseason game happening. With several managerial searches ongoing around the league, plus a GM search in Colorado, could one or more clubs look to take advantage of the next few days to officially install a new leader? The Giants have been circling Tony Vitello for days, with a conclusion expected as soon as today, while the Rockies are known to be looking to narrow their GM search this week. It’s also possible that a vacancy with less concrete reporting could be filled in the coming days, particularly from a traditionally tight-lipped franchise like the Braves.

As the playoffs continue, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. ALCS Game 7

After a resounding win over the Mariners in Game 6 of the ALCS last night, the Blue Jays have managed to force a Game 7 to determine who will face the Dodgers in the World Series as they attempt to become the first team to repeat in the World Series since the 1998-2000 Yankees. Tonight’s game is scheduled for 8:10pm local time in Toronto, when right-hander Shane Bieber (3.57 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Jays opposite Seattle righty George Kirby (4.21 ERA). Kirby will be looking for redemption after he was torched to the tune of eight runs in just four innings of work during Game 3 of this series, while Bieber will look to build on a solid performance where he struck out eight Mariners while allowing two runs in six innings of work in that same game.

2. Giants managerial search nearing conclusion?

The Giants are set to potentially make waves as they zero in on University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello as their next manager. No deal is done yet, but a decision is reportedly expected in the coming days. If Vitello were to be hired, it would be a game changing hire given his lack of experience in professional baseball. Vitello emerged as San Francisco’s top choice after Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley withdrew his name from consideration for the role due to family considerations. Hundley was also viewed as a potential candidate for managerial vacancies in Anaheim and San Diego, though it seems those same family considerations would surely apply to the job in Anaheim. As a San Diego native, the Padres job might be more appealing for Hundley although it also wouldn’t be a surprise if he simply stayed in his current role with the Rangers at this point.

3. Rockies GM search nearing next stage:

San Francisco isn’t the only NL West club making progress in their search personnel search, as the Rockies are reportedly expected to narrow their search for Bill Schmidt’s replacement at the top of their baseball operations department to a list of finalists this week. While there are a number of managerial vacancies in the sport at the moment, Colorado’s job is the only vacancy at the head of baseball operations now that Paul Toboni has been hired by the Nationals to replace Mike Rizzo. Once the GM search is completed, Colorado’s new steward will immediately be tasked with their own managerial decision given that interim manager Warren Schaeffer’s status has been left up to the new baseball ops boss.

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

1. NLCS nearing conclusion?

The Dodgers won their first home game of the NLCS last night, giving them a 3-0 lead over the Brewers that’s begun to look insurmountable. Milwaukee will now enter tonight fighting for their playoff lives as Los Angeles tries to sweep their way into the World Series. If the Brewers are going to survive, they’ll have to do so against two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (2.87 ERA).

Ohtani hasn’t looked like himself at the dish this postseason with a 38.6% strikeout rate and below-average offenses numbers, but he was plenty effective on the mound in his start against Philadelphia in the NLDS. Ohtani put together a quality start, surrendering three runs on three hits and a walk in six innings, and struck out nine batters while doing so. He’ll face an as-of-yet unannounced Brewers pitcher in Game 4, as it’s now all-hands-on-deck for Milwaukee as they fight to keep their season alive. Tonight’s game is scheduled to begin at 5:38pm local time in Los Angeles.

2. ALCS is all tied up:

While the NLCS might end tonight, the same cannot be said for the ALCS after the Blue Jays managed to tie things up with an 8-2 win over the Mariners yesterday. It’s been an impressive comeback for Toronto, as they lost two games at home to open the series but have since made up all of that ground in Seattle. Now, they’ll look to redeem their defeat in Game 1 as the same pitching matchup from that game is scheduled for tonight’s game as well.

Kevin Gausman (3.59 ERA) is back on the mound for the Blue Jays after the veteran allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work while striking out five Mariners in Game 1, while Seattle righty Bryce Miller (5.68 ERA) will be looking to build on the six innings of one-run ball he managed against Toronto’s impressive lineup last time out in spite of his lackluster regular season numbers. Today’s game is scheduled to begin at 3:08pm local time in Seattle.

3. Injuries impacting both playoff series:

As both of the LCS head into Game 4 today, injuries are changing the dynamics in both series. For the NLCS, the Brewers might end up going into tonight’s elimination game without star outfielder Jackson Chourio available to them.  As noted by MLB.com’s Paul Casella, Chourio had an issue with his right hamstring (which caused him issues throughout the NLDS as well) that forced him to exit yesterday’s game in the middle of an at-bat, though he described it to reporters as “just a cramp” after the game. Chourio is hopeful he’ll be able to play today, but his status won’t be entirely clear until closer to game time.

In the ALCS, meanwhile, the Blue Jays had to remove Anthony Santander from their playoff roster yesterday due to back stiffness, ending his season. The Mariners, on the other hand, are still waiting for right-hander Bryan Woo to make his postseason debut after he was sidelined by pectoral inflammation during the regular season. That absence stretched into the early part of the postseason, and now he’s slated to be part of the club’s bullpen plans in this series after previously being expected to start. MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer noted last night that the decision to move Woo to relief for this series is related to a limited workload due to his long layoff.

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

1. ALCS moves to Game 4:

The Blue Jays were down 0-2 in the ALCS when they arrived in Seattle, but they didn’t let that stop them from delivering a 13-4 drubbing to the Mariners last night. They’ll look to preserve that momentum in an effort to tie up the series at 5:33pm local time this evening, when future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer (5.19 ERA) takes on Luis Castillo (3.54 ERA). Despite Scherzer’s status as one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, it’s a pitching matchup that pretty clearly favors Seattle. Castillo not only had much stronger regular season numbers than the 41-year-old Scherzer, but he delivered in the ALDS with 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a Game 2 start against the Tigers before offering 1 1/3 innings of crucial relief in a marathon Game 5. Scherzer, meanwhile, was left off the ALDS roster entirely by the Blue Jays due to concerns over his matchup against Yankees hitters.

2. NLCS moves to Game 3:

Before the primetime game in the AL kicks off, the Dodgers and Brewers will be facing off in Los Angeles at 3:08pm local time. The Brewers will be looking to follow in Toronto’s footsteps and win their first away game of the series after dropping back-to-back home games. They’ll do so with an as-of-yet-unannounced starting pitcher, though Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that southpaw Jose Quintana (3.96 ERA) expects to pitch in today’s game in one role or another. He’ll face off against right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3.19 ERA). Both have enjoyed success so far this postseason, as Quintana threw three scoreless frames in bulk relief against the Cubs in Game 3 of the NLDS while Glasnow has ten strikeouts in 7 2/3 scoreless innings of work between a relief outing in the Wild Card Series against Cincinnati and a start in Game 4 of the NLDS against Philadelphia.

3. Movement on the waiver wire?

As the start of the offseason approaches, some of the clubs that are no longer in the hunt have begun to do 40-man roster maintenance to prepare for the coming winter. That’s led to a bit of activity on the waiver wire in recent days. The White Sox outrighted four players to the minor leagues earlier this week, and two waiver claims have occurred: Pittsburgh’s claim of Will Robertson, and Minnesota’s claim of Ryan Kreidler after he was designated for assignment to make room for Robertson on the Pirates’ roster. No corresponding move was necessary for Kreidler in Minnesota, but could any other clubs look to expose some of their borderline 40-man roster players to waivers in the coming days?

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. ALCS continues in Seattle:

The ALCS is set to resume today after the two clubs traveled to Seattle yesterday. The Mariners will be looking to win a third straight game, while the Blue Jays will be hoping to get themselves back into the series with a win of their own. Right-hander George Kirby (4.21 ERA) is on the mound for Seattle opposite righty Shane Bieber (3.57 ERA). Bieber struggled in his lone start of the ALDS against the Yankees, where he surrendered three runs (two earned) in 2 2/3 innings of work. Kirby, meanwhile, struck out 14 Tigers in ten innings of three-run ball across two starts for Seattle in the ALDS. Tonight’s game is scheduled to begin at 5:08pm local time.

2. Could more pending free agents re-sign?

The Guardians and longtime backup catcher Austin Hedges worked out a one-year, $4MM contract for the 2026 season yesterday that will allow Hedges to avoid free agency. It’s typically fairly uncommon for players this close to free agency to decide to re-up with their current club without testing the open market, but it’s certainly not completely unheard of. Pending free agents won’t be able to negotiate with clubs besides their current team until five days after the World Series concludes. Could any other teams and players make use of the exclusive negotiation window the next couple of weeks provide in order to get a deal done, as the Royals and right-hander Michael Wacha did last year?

3. Cubs end-of-season press conference:

The Cubs were the last team to be knocked out of the playoffs before the LCS began, as they fell to the Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday. Now that the loss is a few days in the past, however, the club is starting to gear up for the coming offseason. That will begin with a press conference held by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, which Patrick Mooney of The Athletic notes is scheduled for later today. Coming off their first full-season playoff berth since 2018, the Cubs are in for a big offseason with star outfielder Kyle Tucker ticketed for free agency and a complicated option structure for 2024 All-Star Shota Imanaga looming. Will today’s presser provide any hints on their plans for the winter?

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

1. NLCS Game 2:

The Dodgers took home a hard-fought victory in Game 1 of the NLCS yesterday when Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang with the bases loaded to preserve a one-run lead in the ninth inning. Now, the Brewers will be looking to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole before they head to L.A. for Game 3, while the Dodgers will try to keep the good times rolling and build on their lead.

The game is scheduled for 7:08pm local time, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.49 ERA) on the bump opposite Freddy Peralta (2.70 ERA). Yamamoto dominated the Reds in the Wild Card series with two runs (zero earned) and nine strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings of work, but he didn’t fare quite as well against the Phillies in the NLDS as he surrendered three runs in four innings of work. As for Peralta, he made two starts against the Cubs in the NLDS where he allowed five runs in 9 2/3 innings of work. While he struck out 15 batters, he also allowed three home runs.

2. Another manager job opens up:

Yesterday, Padres skipper Mike Shildt announced his decision to step down from the manager’s chair. That creates yet another opening in the dugout for an MLB club, and San Diego will now join the Giants, Braves, Orioles, Rockies, Angels, Twins, and Nationals in the hunt for a new manager. Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty has already emerged as a candidate in San Diego, and he’s getting a look in Baltimore, too. He’s surely far from the only candidate for either role, however, and with so many vacancies around the game it may take a little bit longer than usual for teams to find the right fit on the market.

3. Blue Jays in a bind:

After a dominant performance against the Yankees in the ALDS, the Blue Jays find themselves in a bind. Right-hander Trey Yesavage was unable to replicate his previous dominance and surrendered five runs in four innings of work to take the loss in what ultimately became a 10-3 win for Seattle. That leaves Toronto down two games as they head to the west coast for the next three games of the series. With the Mariners now enjoying a one-game cushion as they look to clinch a trip to the World Series at home, the Blue Jays will be looking for their offense to wake up and start scoring runs like they did against New York if they’re going to represent Canada in the World Series for the first time since 1993. The ALCS has no game today as the two teams travel to Seattle. Will the day off be enough for the Jays to bounce back?

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

1. ALCS Game 2:

After a solo homer by George Springer in the first inning, Bryce Miller and the Mariners’ bullpen managed to shut down a Blue Jays offense that throttled the Yankees in the division series to take Game 1 of the ALCS 3-1. Seattle will look to build on that lead later today with right-hander Logan Gilbert (3.44 ERA) on the mound, while the Blue Jays will turn to rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage (3.21 ERA) as they look to tie up the series before it heads to Seattle for Game 3. Yesavage is coming off a dominant performance against New York where he struck out 11 in 5 1/3 hitless innings, but Gilbert had a strong showing in the ALDS himself. He struck out seven Tigers across six innings of one-run ball in his lone start in the series before pitching two scoreless innings of relief in Seattle’s marathon Game 5 win over Detroit. The teams are set to face off at 5:03pm local time this evening in Toronto.

2. NLCS Game 1:

Just over three hours later, at 7:08pm local time in Milwaukee, the Brewers and Dodgers will kick off Game 1 of the NLCS. Left-hander Blake Snell (2.35 ERA) is slated to take the mound for L.A. He’s already come up with wins for the Dodgers against both the Reds and Phillies this October, combining for 13 innings of two-run ball with 18 strikeouts. Milwaukee, meanwhile, has not announced a starter but plans to go with an opener for the start of the game, with either Quinn Priester (3.32 ERA) or Jose Quintana (3.96 ERA) to follow as a bulk arm. Quintana was the far more effective of the two in the NLDS, as he threw three scoreless frames against Chicago while Priester surrendered four runs and recorded just two outs in his lone appearance.

3. Lukes day-to-day:

Turning back to the ALCS, Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited yesterday’s game after fouling a ball off of his knee. He was eventually diagnosed as a right knee contusion after x-rays came back negative. It’s a good sign for his availability at some point later in the series, but manager John Schneider told reporters yesterday that it wouldn’t be known if Lukes was available for today’s game. Lukes will be evaluated by the Jays’ medical staff when he arrives at the park today. If he’s unavailable, Davis Schneider or Myles Straw would likely step into the starting lineup in his place.