MLB Notebook: Division Series takes center stage as baseball’s biggest arms take over October

The MLB postseason rolls on this weekend as the Division Series gets underway, with eight teams remaining in the chase for a World Series championship.

After a quick Wild Card round, the field has been cut in half, and the stakes only get higher from here. Four best-of-five series will determine who advances to the ALCS and NLCS, with a mix of familiar October contenders, division rivals and some of the game’s most electric arms taking center stage.

No Judge, No Problem

The Yankees pummeled the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Series for the second straight year, sweeping Boston out of the Bronx.

New York showed no mercy, crushing the Red Sox, 9-0, in Game 1 before finishing the sweep with a 9-2 victory in Game 2. Now, the Yankees turn their attention to the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays, and they'll once again do it without Aaron Judge.

Judge, who was left off New York's Wild Card roster, will not be added for the ALDS as he continues to recover from a right calf strain. The slugger has yet to run the bases or resume work in the outfield, and the Yankees believe the artificial turf at Tropicana Field could present an additional challenge.

New York could potentially use Judge as a designated hitter, but Giancarlo Stanton remains on the roster and is expected to occupy that role rather than play the outfield.

Judge would be eligible to return for the AL Championship Series should the Yankees advance.

The 34-year-old missed 84 games earlier this season with a fractured right rib before returning Sept. 8. He played seven games before straining his calf Sept. 16 against the Twins at Target Field. Judge finished the regular season batting .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs and an .871 OPS in 66 games.

Stanton also missed most of the season because of multiple calf injuries but returned for the Wild Card Series and remains active for the ALDS. After such a lengthy layoff, Stanton said one of the biggest challenges is readjusting to major league velocity.

The Yankees made one roster change for the ALDS, adding left-hander Ryan Weathers and removing utilityman Amed Rosario.

Weathers hasn't pitched since late August because of a flexor tendon strain in his left forearm, but recently progressed to throwing live batting practice.

New York plans to use him out of the bullpen. Weathers brings a power arsenal that includes a fastball averaging 95.8 mph, a changeup and a pair of sliders capable of generating swings and misses. Rosario's strength is hitting left-handed pitching, but Tampa Bay's staff is predominantly right-handed.

Without Judge, rookie Spencer Jones will likely start in right field. The Rays are expected to use three right-handed starters in the series, Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta, with Trent Grisham likely in center and Cody Bellinger in left.

Judge's absence also allows New York to avoid some difficult defensive maneuvering. Ben Rice, who hit 41 home runs during the regular season, has taken over at DH. Using Judge there would likely force Rice to first base, weakening the Yankees defensively while potentially pushing Luis García Jr.'s bat out of the lineup.

Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 for the Yankees at Tropicana Field.

Cole had been lined up to pitch a potential winner-take-all Game 3 against the Red Sox, but Boston's quick exit allowed New York to save him for the Division Series. The Yankees opted to give Cole the opener in part because of his track record at Tropicana Field.

The 36-year-old went 10-9 with a 3.61 ERA over 22 starts this season after returning from Tommy John surgery. He made his season debut May 22 and finished with 131 strikeouts over 127 innings.

It will be Cole's 23rd career postseason appearance, all starts, and his first since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. He owns a 2.93 ERA over 12 postseason starts with the Yankees. Cole will face Rasmussen, a two-time All-Star who finished seventh among qualified starters with a 2.67 ERA this season.

It will also be Cole's second consecutive start against Tampa Bay. He beat the Rays on Sept. 23 at Yankee Stadium, and he faced them three times during the regular season without allowing more than three runs in any start. Cole owns a 3.33 ERA in 23 career starts against Tampa Bay, his most against any opponent. He has also faced the Rays four times in the postseason, including twice during the 2020 ALDS.

Postseason baseball is returning to Tropicana Field.

The Rays will host the Yankees for Games 1 and 2 of the American League Division Series, marking the first time the AL East rivals will face each other in the postseason at the Trop. Tampa Bay has not officially announced a sellout for Game 1, but the club is expecting a capacity crowd Saturday night.

It will also mark another milestone in the return of Tropicana Field. The ballpark has not hosted a postseason game since Hurricane Milton hammered Florida's Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, 2024, causing significant damage to the stadium and ripping apart its roof. Thirteen months later, the roof was restored and baseball returned to the Trop.

The Yankees and Rays have met only once previously in the postseason. That came during the 2020 ALDS, when the entire series was played at a neutral site at Petco Park in San Diego.

The series begins Saturday night at Tropicana Field, where Tampa Bay went 55-26 this season. It will eventually shift to Yankee Stadium, where New York went 46-34 but couldn't prevent the Rays from celebrating the AL East title on its field late in the regular season.

With New York turning to Cole for Game 1, Tampa Bay will counter with Rasmussen. The right-hander has been particularly tough on the Yankees throughout his career, going 5-2 with a 1.88 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over 11 appearances, including 10 starts.

His most recent outing against New York provided a preview of what the Yankees will face Saturday. Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out 11 at Yankee Stadium as the Rays clinched the division.

The 31-year-old has been more than just a Yankees problem. Rasmussen led American League pitchers in WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio this season, finished second in wins and ranked fourth with a 2.67 ERA.

Tampa Bay has yet to announce its Game 2 starter, with right-handers Griffin Jax and Freddy Peralta among the options. Peralta posted a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP over his final four home starts, while Jax, a converted reliever, allowed just one run over 18 innings in his final four starts.

Tampa Bay will carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers for the Division Series. Despite the schedule allowing the Rays to operate with a three-man rotation, all five starters made the roster.

Pitchers (12): Drew Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax, Ian Seymour, Bryan Baker, Tyler Wells, Kevin Kelly, Cam Booser, Garrett Cleavinger, Cole Sulser and Steven Matz.

Catchers (2): Liam Hicks and Nick Fortes.

Infielders (6): Jonathan Aranda, Richie Palacios, Taylor Walls, Junior Caminero, Ben Williamson and Jorge Mateo.

Outfielders (5): Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr., Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade.

Designated hitter (1): Yandy Díaz.

New York will carry four starters and seven relievers into the series.

Starters (4): Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Cam Schlittler.

Relievers (7): David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick, John Schreiber, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers and Ryan Yarbrough.

Catchers (2): Austin Wells and Ali Sánchez.

Infielders (8): José Caballero, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis García Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, George Lombard Jr., Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice and Anthony Volpe.

Outfielders (4): Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Spencer Jones and Heliot Ramos.

Designated hitter (1): Giancarlo Stanton.

Guardians, White Sox Set for AL Central Showdown

The other American League matchup features a pair of AL Central clubs that are certainly no strangers to one another.

The AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians will battle the Chicago White Sox, who are fresh off a two-game sweep of the AL West champion Houston Astros.

And man, are the White Sox a fun team to watch.

That goes beyond what they've done on the field, too. Their clubhouse celebrations have become appointment viewing. Mike Vasil, who is out for the season following elbow surgery, has essentially become the ultimate cheerleader and glue guy during Chicago's incredible run to the postseason. Everyone loves a good vibes story, as long as it doesn't turn into too much grab ass along the way.

From Munetaka Murakami's hilarious interviews during the celebrations to Sam Antonacci creating havoc on the field, there's a lot to like about this group.

Then there's former Red Sox farmhand Chase Meidroth, who has become an instant contributor while playing all over the infield, much like he did with Worcester. Meidroth delivered one of Chicago's biggest swings of the Wild Card round, crushing a backbreaking three-run homer in the series-clinching win over Houston.

Miguel Vargas continues to emerge as a stud, Tristan Peters was an All-Star, Braden Montgomery and Kyle Teel, two more pieces from the Garrett Crochet trade, are becoming established big leaguers and regular contributors.

Starting pitcher Sean Burke also went viral with a quote that perfectly captured the mentality surrounding this team.

"This is my life. No family, no girl, no kids. This is all I do,” Burke said. 

Burke later reassured everyone by posting a picture with his family following Chicago's sweep of Houston.

And, oh, by the way, remember Jordan Hicks?

Hicks posted a 3.94 ERA for the White Sox this season, striking out 64 batters out of the bullpen while regularly sitting around 99 mph with his fastball. Maybe Boston was a little quick to cut bait with Hicks. Then again, Craig Breslow has now traded three of the four players acquired in the Rafael Devers deal.

But Chicago's opponent knows them about as well as anyone. The Guardians and White Sox played 13 times during the regular season, with seven of those games decided by one run. Four ended on walk-offs; three by Cleveland and one by Chicago.

Their final meeting, Sept. 14-16 at Progressive Field, came with the division crown hanging in the balance. Chicago took the opener and moved 1 1/2 games ahead in the standings, but Cleveland ultimately emerged with the AL Central title.

Cleveland will hand the ball to rookie Parker Messick in Game 1. Messick was terrific against Chicago during the regular season, posting a 2.81 ERA with 29 strikeouts and just five walks over 25 2/3 innings in four starts.

Skipper Stephen Vogt will follow with Gavin Williams in Game 2.

Messick will be making his postseason debut after an All-Star season that put him in the conversation for both AL Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award. Williams, meanwhile, led the American League with 248 strikeouts while establishing career highs with 32 starts and 184 1/3 innings.

There's also something pretty remarkable waiting at the end of this series regardless of which team advances. The White Sox could reach the 2026 ALCS after losing 324 games from 2023-25. That's the type of turnaround that feels like it required a little divine intervention from the Pope himself.

The Guardians could reach the ALCS with the lowest payroll in baseball, a decade after having their hearts ripped out by the Cubs in the 2016 World Series. Cleveland hasn't won the World Series since 1948, giving the franchise the longest active championship drought among teams in the four major North American professional sports leagues that haven't relocated.

Guardians ALDS roster: 

Catchers (2): Patrick Bailey, Austin Hedges

Infielders (6): Travis Bazzana, Angel Genao, Nathaniel Lowe, José Ramírez, Brayan Rocchio, Daniel Schneemann

Outfielders (6): Jo Adell, Chase DeLauter, David Fry, Petey Halpin, Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez

Pitchers (12): Shawn Armstrong, Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, Daniel Espino, Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, Foster Griffin, Tim Herrin, Parker Messick, Erik Sabrowski, Cade Smith, Gavin Williams

White Sox roster:

Catchers (2): Jake Rogers, Kyle Teel

Infielders (5): Luisangel Acuña, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas

Outfielders (7): Sam Antonacci, Andrew Benintendi, Brenton Doyle, Randal Grichuk, Braden Montgomery, Tristan Peters, Tommy Pham

Right-handed pitchers (7): Sean Burke, Tyler Davis, Erick Fedde, Jordan Hicks, Davis Martin, David Sandlin, Grant Taylor

Left-handed pitchers (5): Bryan Hudson, Anthony Kay, Sean Newcomb, Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith

The White Sox ALDS roster features nine players that either were on the Red Sox' 26-man roster of were in their farm system. 

Misiorowski, Miller Bring the Heat to NLDS

It’ll be Jacob Misiorowski and Mason Miller in the same series.

Two of the most electric young arms in the National League will be on display when the Brewers and Padres meet in the NLDS. The difference is in their roles, Misiorowski enters October as the likely National League Cy Young favorite, while Miller has developed into arguably the game’s most dominant closer.

And if you like velocity, this series is for you.

Misiorowski put together a ridiculous season for Milwaukee, going 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA while leading the majors in ERA, strikeouts (252), WHIP (0.80) and opponents' batting average (.157).

That .157 opponents' average wasn't merely the best mark in baseball this season. It was the lowest on record by a starting pitcher, surpassing Pedro Martinez's .167 mark from his historic 2000 season. Misiorowski's 0.80 WHIP also ranked behind only Martinez and Walter Johnson among the best marks ever.

It's pretty remarkable considering where The Miz was a year ago.

His rookie season went sideways following the All-Star break, costing him his spot in Milwaukee's rotation. He barely earned a place in the Brewers' postseason bullpen, then flipped the script with three electric October relief appearances against the Cubs and Dodgers.

Misiorowski set velocity records throughout 2026 and finished his regular season with 5 1/3 innings against St. Louis, putting him on five days' rest for his postseason start.

San Diego, meanwhile, will open the series with Robbie Ray after Walker Buehler was placed on the paternity list.

Ray went 13-9 with a 2.82 ERA this season and gives the Padres an interesting matchup against a Milwaukee lineup that was significantly better against right-handed pitching. The Brewers ranked first in the majors in wRC+ against righties but only 13th against left-handers.

Ray arrived at the trade deadline and has had an up-and-down Padres tenure, but San Diego has won each of his last three starts, with the veteran lefty pitching better over the past couple of weeks.

Miller anchors a bullpen built to turn games into six-inning affairs. Adrian Morejon serves as the primary setup man, giving San Diego the option to use Morejon and Miller to cover the final three innings. Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam and Yuki Matsui give them additional options for high-leverage situations.

Michael King is lined up to start Game 2 on normal rest, while Buehler could potentially be available out of the bullpen before a possible Game 4 start.

San Diego also added Joe Musgrove to its Wild Card roster after he missed nearly two years following Tommy John surgery. Whether he's part of the NLDS bullpen remains to be seen, and Jeremiah Estrada's absence because of a shoulder impingement remains significant.

Milwaukee is one of the few teams that can go toe-to-toe with San Diego in a bullpen battle.

Trevor Megill recorded 30 saves for the second consecutive season while posting a career-best 0.89 WHIP. Abner Uribe has closer-caliber stuff of his own, Aaron Ashby gives the Brewers a durable left-handed option, and DL Hall worked his way into higher-leverage situations during the second half.

Milwaukee also added JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela, while Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison give the Brewers several potential multi-inning options. It's a bullpen with a decidedly left-handed lean.

Both clubs enter the series with some injury questions.

For San Diego, Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar recently returned. Sheets has dealt with a foot issue throughout much of the second half and is limited to DH and pinch-hitting duties.

Milwaukee got some good news when Joey Ortiz made the NLDS roster. Ortiz was one of the Brewers' hottest hitters during the second half after rookie Cooper Pratt displaced him at shortstop, but abdominal and right knee injuries hobbled him during the final week of the regular season. 

Padres NLDS roster:

Catchers (3): Luis Campusano, Freddy Fermin, Ethan Salas

Infielders (6): Miguel Andujar, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth, Ty France, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets

Outfielders (6): Jase Bowen, Dustin Harris, Austin Hays, Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr., Samad Taylor

Right-handed pitchers (8): Jason Adam, Michael King, Mason Miller, David Morgan, Joe Musgrove, Nick Pivetta, Bradgley Rodriguez, Randy Vásquez

Left-handed pitchers (3): Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon, Robbie Ray

Brewers NLDS roster:

Catchers (2): William Contreras, Gary Sánchez

Infielders (6): Jake Bauers, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Cooper Pratt, Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn

Outfielders (5): Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Luis Lara, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich

Pitchers (13): Aaron Ashby, Shane Drohan, Robert Gasser, DL Hall, Kyle Harrison, Logan Henderson, Dustin May, Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, Abner Uribe

Dodgers, Braves Renew October Rivalry with Skubal Getting Game 1

The Dodgers will hand the ball to Tarik Skubal in Game 1 of their NLDS matchup against the Braves.

Going with the left-hander over Yoshinobu Yamamoto gives Los Angeles a matchup advantage against an Atlanta lineup that struggled against southpaws this season. It does mean Yamamoto won't have the opportunity to make two starts on regular rest in the best-of-five series, but Dave Roberts is looking at the bigger picture with rest and workload as the Dodgers attempt another deep October run.

For Skubal, it'll also be a first. Despite making six postseason starts over the previous two seasons with Detroit, every one of them came on the road. Skubal was excellent in those outings, allowing one run or fewer four times while posting a 2.04 ERA with 56 strikeouts over 39 2/3 postseason innings.

Skubal posted a 2.61 ERA with 70 strikeouts over 62 innings in 10 regular-season starts after joining the Dodgers. Now he'll get his first taste of October at Dodger Stadium.

Atlanta will counter with left-hander Dylan Dodd in Game 1, with Chris Sale expected to follow in Game 2.

The 37-year-old is coming off his Game 1 start in the Wild Card Series and then came out of the bullpen to record the final four outs of Thursday's win over Philadelphia. Even if Atlanta only gets four or so innings from Sale in Game 2, using him there would keep him lined up for a potential Game 5 on regular rest.

The Dodgers will counter with Blake Snell in Game 2.

Snell made his final regular-season start in San Francisco, easing concerns surrounding the left groin tightness that forced him out of his previous outing after only one inning. Yamamoto threw in a simulated game Wednesday, leading Los Angeles to line up Snell behind Skubal.

Atlanta's likely Game 3 starter is Tyler Mahle, assuming his abdomen cooperates.

Mahle felt a tweak shortly before delivering seven strong innings against Philadelphia on Wednesday. He allowed one run on six hits, walked one and struck out six in his first career postseason start. As of Friday, Braves manager Walt Weiss remained optimistic Mahle would be able to make his next start.

Shohei Ohtani's season didn't go exactly as the Dodgers envisioned. Ohtani entered the year hoping to finally complete his first full two-way season with Los Angeles and was dominant when he took the mound, going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts.

But lingering right biceps and left knee issues derailed those plans. Ohtani hasn't pitched in a game since July 3 and will not pitch this postseason. He did return from the 15-day IL late in the regular season as a hitter. Since then, Roberts has utilized a leadoff platoon, with Ohtani atop the order against right-handed pitching and Mookie Betts moving into the leadoff spot against lefties.

Los Angeles also has some serious options waiting at the back end of games with Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki and Edwin Díaz are all viable ninth-inning options, giving Roberts plenty of flexibility depending on matchups.

There's also no shortage of history between these two clubs.

Atlanta eliminated Los Angeles in the 2021 NLCS before winning the World Series. The Braves haven't advanced beyond the Division Series since, while the Dodgers enter this postseason as the back-to-back defending World Series champions.

The Dodgers are attempting to become the fifth team to win three consecutive World Series championships and the first since the Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000. No National League franchise has ever accomplished the feat.

This will be the sixth postseason meeting between Atlanta and Los Angeles. The Braves won the 1996 NLDS and 2021 NLCS. The Dodgers won the 2013 NLDS, 2018 NLDS and 2020 NLCS.

Braves NLDS roster:

Catchers (2): Drake Baldwin, Sean Murphy

Infielders (6): Ozzie Albies, Mauricio Dubón, Ha-Seong Kim, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Rowdy Tellez

Outfielders (5): Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II, Brewer Hicklen, Lane Thomas, Mike Yastrzemski

Pitchers (13): Dylan Dodd, Didier Fuentes, Grant Holmes, Raisel Iglesias, Ray Kerr, Dylan Lee, Tyler Mahle, Victor Mederos, JR Ritchie, Chris Sale, AJ Smith-Shawver, Robert Suarez, Brent Suter

Dodgers NLDS roster:

Catchers (2): Hunter Feduccia, Will Smith

Infielders/position players (8): Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani, Miguel Rojas

Outfielders (4): Josue De Paula, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker

Pitchers (12): Kris Bubic, Edwin Díaz, Tyler Glasnow, Edgardo Henriquez, Evan Phillips, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Brock Stewart, Alex Vesia, Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Around the League

Two days after the Red Sox’ season came to an abrupt end in the Bronx, one of their late-season standouts underwent surgery.

The club announced Friday that catcher/designated hitter Mickey Gasper underwent successful distal biceps tendon repair surgery in Boston. Dr. Matthew Leibman performed the procedure at Mass General Brigham.

Gasper suffered the injury during the fifth inning of Boston’s series opener against the Cubs last Friday, tearing his biceps off the tendon. He is expected to need four to six months before returning to game action and is targeting a return around March 1, provided a potential lockout does not disrupt the spring training schedule.

It was an unfortunate ending to what had become a breakout stretch for the 30-year-old journeyman.

After hitting .243 without a home run and posting a .613 OPS during a 34-game stint with Boston from May 10 through June 26, Gasper spent nearly two months at Triple-A before returning in mid-August.

From Aug. 17 through the end of his season, Gasper hit .262 with 10 home runs, 17 RBIs, four doubles and a 1.082 OPS over 106 plate appearances. His unexpected power surge eventually earned him regular opportunities at designated hitter, with manager Chad Tracy frequently using him in the No. 2 spot down the stretch.

If his recovery remains on schedule, Gasper could again factor into Boston's backup catcher and designated hitter mix next season. The Red Sox also have Adley Rutschman and Connor Wong under club control behind the plate.

Offseason Plans: After Toronto's season ended, Cease returned home to Georgia for some rest before planning a two-week trip to southern India, where he intends to visit Sadhguru's ashram and explore the country's spiritual culture.

Cease is coming off a Cy Young-caliber first season with Toronto, posting a 2.40 ERA with 239 strikeouts over 169 innings and 29 starts. His season ended early because of shoulder fatigue, making strengthening the shoulder one of his primary offseason focuses.

Cease said he doesn't expect to need any additional medical intervention and believes rest and offseason training should take care of the issue.

Staying Put: The Diamondbacks are sticking with Torey Lovullo with Arizona retaining its longtime manager with a new two-year contract. Lovullo has already spent a decade managing the Diamondbacks, and 2027 will mark his 11th season at the helm.

The Red Sox Brass Will Address the Media Monday: Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, Tracy and team president Sam Kennedy will hold the organization's season-ending press conference Monday morning at Fenway Park. Considering the way Boston's season ended and the number of significant offseason decisions ahead, there shouldn't be any shortage of topics to discuss.

Tigers Fire Coaches: Changes are coming to Detroit's coaching staff following a disappointing 76-86 season. First-base coach Anthony Sanders and assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves will not return to the Tigers next season.

Top Honors: Kade Anderson put together a ridiculous season in the Mariners system. The Seattle pitching phenom earned Pitching Prospect of the Year honors after posting a 1.06 ERA. Anderson's ERA was the lowest by a Minor League pitcher with at least 90 innings since Mickey Scott in 1974. His 0.64 WHIP and 36.6 percent strikeout-to-walk rate were also the best marks since at least 1987.

Seth Hernandez continues to look like another potential monster arm for Pittsburgh. The Pirates prospect was named one of the 2026 Prospects of the Year after going 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA, 118 strikeouts and 31 walks over 118 innings between High-A and Double-A. Opponents hit just .181 against him, and he finished with a 1.05 WHIP. The sixth overall pick in the 2025 Draft routinely touched triple digits and earned a promotion after six dominant High-A starts.

Among Minor League pitchers who worked at least 70 innings, Hernandez ranked fourth in strikeout-to-walk rate (29.8 percent), ninth in ERA (2.43) and 14th in opponents' batting average (.181).