World Series (best of 7)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees

Game 1 10/25 Dodgers 6 Yankees 3, 10 innings

Game 2 10/26 Dodgers 4 Yankees 2

Game 3 10/28 Dodgers 4 Yankees 2

Game 4 10/29 Yankees 11 Dodgers 4

Game 5 10/30 Dodgers 7 Yankees 6

Game 5: Yankees Blow 5-Run Lead, Dodgers Win World Series, 4 games to 1

A spate of fifth-inning Yankee errors allowed the LA Dodgers to tie the game after New York had established a commanding 5-0 lead on home runs by Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton plus an RBI single by Alex Verdugo.

The Dodgers finished off the Yankees with Game 3 winner, Walker Buehler getting the final three outs and the save. Los Angeles used eight pitchers during the contest. Slugger Freddie Freeman was named series MVP after homering in the first four games and driving in two more with a key single in the fateful fifth. Freeman finished 6-for-20 (.300), with four home runs and 12 RBI.

Game 4: Volpe's Grand Slam Keeps Yankees Hopes Alive, Yankees 11, Dodgers 4

Freddie Freeman's fourth home run in as many games set a World Series record, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep the Yankees from staving off elimination in a 11-4 New York romp.

Anthony Volpe's third inning grand slam put the Yankees ahead 5-2, and, though Los Angeles scored two runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to a single run, Yankee pitchers would allow no more, their bats coming to life in the late innings, tacking on six more runs including a solo homer by Austin Wells in the sixth and an eight-inning, three-run blast by Gleyber Torres.

Aaron Judge scored on Volpe's home run and singled in another in the eighth, completing the Yankee onslaught. It was Judge's first RBI of the series and only his second hit. The likely AL MVP has gone 2-for-15 (.133) in the series.

Game five is slated for a first pitch shortly after 8:00 pm ET, featuring a rematch of game one starters, Gerrit Cole for New York and Jack Flaherty for the Dodgers. Los Angeles leads, three games to one.

Game 3: Freddie Freeman Leads Dodgers to 3-0 Bulge, Yankees on the Brink; Dodgers 4, Yankees 2.

Freddie Freeman homered for a third straght game, this one a two-run, first inning blast into Yankee Stadium's right field short porch, and Walker Buehler delivered five innings of two-hit shutout ball as the Dodgers took a nearly-insurmountable three games to none lead in the best-of-seven World Series.

Freeman's shot came after Clarke Schmidt walked leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani, who played the entire game despite dislocating his left shoulder on a slide in Saturday's game two.

Carving a path to series MVP, Freeman has gone 4-for-12, with three homers and a triple, scored three runs and driven in seven. The first baseman won the National League MVP award in the shortened 2020 season.

For the Yankees, hope has turned to desperation with the loss of game three, the first at Yankee Stadium, after dropping the first two games in Los Angeles.

Game four on Tuesday has Luis Gil going to the mound for the Yankees. The Dodgers, short-handed of starting pitchers due to a string of injuries, go with 25-year-old Ben Casperius, who worked 4.1 innings in relief in the NLCS against the Mets. Appearing in three Dodger wins, Casperius allowed two hits, woalked one, fanned four and did not surrender any runs.

If the Yankees manage to break out of the Dodgers' spell on them, game five on Wednesday would feature a rematch of game one starters, Gerrit Cole for New York and Jack Flaherty for the Dodgers.

As for the two superstars, Ohtani and New York's Aaron Judge, they've been duds rather than studs, especially Judge, who is 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts, no runs scored and zero RBI. Ohtani has been only marginally better, 1-for-11, with two runs scored, no RBI, but only three strikeouts.

So far, the Dodgers have outscored the Yankees 14-7, the coast-to-coast series thus far not nearly living up to the hype.

Game 2: Dodgers go back-to-back in 3rd, put Yankees down 2 games to none; Dodgers 4, Yankees 2.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 6 1/3 brilliant innings, allowing just one hit, a third inning solo homer by Juan Soto, to lead the Dodgers to a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Yamamoto was supported by Tommy Edman's solo homer in the second, and back-to-back bombs by Teoscar Hernandez (with Mookie Betts aboard) and Freddie Freeman, who had his second homer in as many games.

The Yankees scored a run in the ninth, when Giancarlo Stanton singled home Juan Soto, but eventually left the bases loaded when pinch-hitter Jose Trevino flied out to end the game.

The series heads to New York for games three, four, and five, if necessary, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, October 28, 29, and 30.

The Yankees send Clarke Schmidt to the mound for game 3, while the Dodgers go with Walker Buehler. Schmidt started 16 games during the regular season, posting a 5-5 record with a 2.85 ERA and 93 strikeouts.

Buehler, who missed all of April, July, and parts of June and August due to injury, was 1-6, with a 5.38 ERA and 64 Ks. On October 16, Buehler tossed four innings of shutout ball against the Mets in the NLCS in an 8-0 Dodger victory.

Game 1 highlights: Freddie Freeman's 10th inning Grand Slam ends opener, Dodgers 6, Yankees 3

World Series Preview

The coast-to-coast struggle that will be revived in the 2024 World Series wasn't always that way. Prior to 1958, both teams were based in New York, the Dodgers then known as the Brooklyn Dodgers.

In 1955, after years of frustration and five straight losses to the Yankees, the Dodgers finally broke through, topping the Bronx Bombers for the only time they were based in New York.

The Yankees also played in Brooklyn, at the Polo Grounds, from 1913 until 1922, after which the franchise moved to the original Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, in 1923.

Despite the prominence of both franchises, they didn't get to meet in the World Series until 1941, which began a string of victories for the boys from the Bronx, including such heroes as Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Red Ruffing, Yogi Berra, and manager Joe McCarthy.

The Dodgers also had their share of stars in the 1940s, including legendary manager Leo Durocher, Pee Wee Reese, Billy Herman, Joe Medwick, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, and Duke Snider.

When the 1950s rolled around, Don Larsen, Billy Martin, and Mickey Mantle were prominent players for the Yankees, along with manager Casey Stengel, while the Dodgers were led by Hodges, Robinson, and catcher Roy Campanella.

In 1963, the Dodgers, by then well-established in Los Angeles, took it to the Yankees in the only four-game sweep of the rivalry behind the pitching of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. It was the only time the Yankees were swept in a World Series until the Cincinnati Reds turned them away four straight in 1976. The Yankees lost the 1922 series to the New York Giants in 1922, but there was one game that ended in a tie.

Incidentally, the Yankees have swept the World Series a record eight times, last turning the trick in consecutive sweeps of the Padres in 1998 and the Braves in 1999.

The two teams met again back-to-back in 1977 and 1978, with the Yankees winning both, four games to two. The Yankees were led by members of the so-called "Bronx Zoo" including Bucky Dent, Chris Chambliss, Mickey Rivers, manager Billy Martin (1977), and of course, "Mr. October", Reggie Jackson, who earned the nickname after socking three home runs in 1977's Game 6, to capture the title with an 8-4 Yankee victory.

Both teams returned to the fall classic in 1978, and Jackson again put his stamp on the proceedings, smashing a two-run homer of Dodger rookie Bob Welch in the seventh inning of Game 6, a 7-2 win that finished off the Dodgers.

A few years later, in 1981, the Dodgers got their revenge. After losing the first two games in New York, they won the next four, three in LA, putting the final nail in the Yankee coffin at Yankee Stadium with a 9-2 win. Fernando Valenzuela won game three, a 5-4 victory, then Steve Howe got the win in game four, 8-7. Jerry Reuss, who lost game 1, endured a nail-biter in game 5, a 2-1 Dodger victory. Bert Hooton, backed by the hitting of Ron Key and Pedro Guerrero, who tripled and homered in the game, won game six, a 9-2 decision.

So, since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, the teams have split, both winning twice.

1941: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-1
1947: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-3
1949: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-1
1952: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-3
1953: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-2
1955: Dodgers defeat Yankees, 4-3
1956: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-3
1963: Dodgers defeat Yankees, 4-0
1977: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-2
1978: Yankees defeat Dodgers, 4-2
1981: Dodgers defeat Yankees, 4-2

This year's match-up of the two storied franchises will begin in Los Angeles for games one and two, then three games in New York (game five if necessary), and back to LA if games six or seven are needed.

Comparisons will be made between arguably the two best power hitters in the majors, Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Dodger superstar, Shohei Ohtani.

Both are likely to win their respective MVP awards with numbers that jump off the sports pages.

During the regular season, Judge batted .322, with 58 home runs and 140 RBI, both the HR and RBI totals tops in the majors.

Ohtani had a batting average of .310, with 54 homers and 130 RBI, falling just short of the triple crown, as Luis Arraez led the national League with a .314 batting average. Ohtani did something in 2024 that nobody else has ever done, swiping 59 bases, to go with those 54 home runs, establishing himself as the only member of his exclusive 50/50 club.

Beyond that pair of likely MVPs, there are a host of other players that will contribute to the drama.

For the Yankees, Juan Soto (.288, 41, 109) and Giancarlo Stanton (.233, 27, 72) provide power in the middle of the lineup, while Gleyber Torres (.257, 15, 63) Alex Verdugo (.233, 13, 61) and third baseman Jazz Chisholm, acquired from Miami mid-season, will be counted for timely hits.

On the mound, Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41) will start Game One, followed by Carlos Rodon (16-9, 3.96), and either Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.77) or Luis Gil (15-7, 3.50). Clay Holmes has been a godsend for the Yanks, saving 30 games during the regular season and getting four holds in the post season. Luke Weaver looks like the probable closer, having closed out four of the Yankees' post-season wins.

The Dodgers are loaded with talent up and down the order. Teoscar Hernandez (.272, 33, 99), Freddie Freeman (.282, 22, 89), and Mookie Betts (.289, 19, 75) have All-Star talent. Betts and Freeman have both been league MVPs, Betts in 2018 when with the Red Sox in the AL, and Freeman in 2020, then with the Atlanta Braves.

Pitching may be an issue for the Dodgers. Jack Flaherty will start game one, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossing game two. After those two, starting pitching may be sparse, as Tyler Glasgow (9-6, 3.49) Clayton Kershaw, and Gavin Stone (11-5, 3.53), are all on IR. Walker Buehler (1-6, 5.38) would be the obvious choice for game 3, or the Dodgers may just go with a so-called "bullpen game" as their bullpen is loaded, with Ryan Brasier, Anthony Banda, Daniel Hudson, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen ready to come to the rescue at any point in any game.

Get ready for some Fall fun, baseball's classic is about to begin.

Here's the schedule:

• Game 1: Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., Fri., Oct. 25 (FOX)
• Game 2: Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., Sat., Oct. 26 (FOX)
• Game 3: Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., Mon., Oct. 28 (FOX)
• Game 4: Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., Tue., Oct. 29 (FOX)
• Game 5*: Dodgers at Yankees, 8:08 p.m., Wed, Oct. 30 (FOX)
• Game 6*: Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., Fri., Nov. 1 (FOX)
• Game 7*: Yankees at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., Sat., Nov. 2 (FOX)

MLB Playoffs

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Best of 7) (Dates, times)

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians

Game 1 10/14 Yankees 5 Guardians 2

Game 2 10/15 Yankees 6 Guardians 3

Game 3 10/17 Guardians 7 Yankees 5, 10 innings

Game 4 10/18 pm Yankees 8 Guardians 6

Game 5 10/19 Yankees 5 Cleveland 2, 10 innings Yankees win ALCS, 4 games to 1 Juan Soto's three-run homer sends Yankees on to World Series

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NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Best of 7) (Dates, times)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets

Game 1 10/13 Dodgers 9 Mets 0

Game 2 10/14 Mets 7 Dodgers 3

Game 3 10/16 Dodgers 8 Mets 0

Game 4 10/17 Dodgers 10 Mets 2

Game 5 10/18 Mets 12 Dodgers 6

Game 6 10/20 Dodgers 10 Mets 5 Dodgers out-slug Mets, win NLCS 4 games to 2, will face Yankees in World Series. Games 1 & 2 in Los Angeles

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES (Best of 5) (Dates, times)

New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals	Game 1 10/5 Yankees 5 Royals 4	Game 2 10/7 Royals 4 Yankees 2	Game 3 10/9 Yankees 3 Royals 2	Game 4 10/10 Yankees 3 Royals 1 Yankees win series, 3-1, head to ALCS as Gerrit Cole delivers strong mound performance.	---
Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers	Game 1 10/5 Guardians 7 Tigers 0	Game 2 10/7 Tigers 3 Guardians 0	Game 3 10/9 Tigers 3 Guardians 0	Game 4 10/10 Guardians 5 Tigers 4	Game 5 10/12 Guardians 7 Tigers 3 Cleveland takes Game 5 to advance to ALCS

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets	Game 1 10/5 Mets 6 Phillies 2	Game 2 10/6 Phillies 7 Mets 6	Game 3 10/8 Mets 7 Phillies 2	Game 4 10/9 Mets 4 Phillies 1 Mets win series 3-1 Francisco Lindor's 6th inning grand slam sends Phillies packing, Mets on to NLCS.	---
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres	Game 1 10/5 Dodgers 7 Padres 5	Game 2 10/6 Padres 10 Dodgers 2	Game 3 10/8 Padres 6 Dodgers 5	Game 4 10/9 Dodgers 8 Padres 0	Game 5 10/11 Dodgers 2 Padres 0 Dodgers shut out Padres again, advance to NLCS vs. Mets

UPDATE, 10/4: Wild Card Game 3 Results
NY Mets 4, Milwaukee 2 (Mets win series, 2-1)
UPDATE, 10/3: Wild Card Game 2 Results
Detroit 5, Houston 2 (Detroit wins series, 2-0)
Kansas City 2, Baltimore 1 (KC wins series, 2-0)
Milwaukee 5, NY Mets 3 (series tied, 1-1) Game 3 Thu. 7:00 pm ET
San Diego 5, Atlanta 4 (San Diego wins series, 2-0)

UPDATE, 10/2: Wild Card Game 1 Results
Detroit 3, Houston 1 (Detroit leads, 1-0) Game 2 Wednesday, 2:30 pm ET
Kansas City 1, Baltimore 0 (KC Leads, 1=0) Game 2, Wed. 4:30 pm ET
NY Mets 8, Milwaukee 4 (NY leads 1-0) Game 2 Wed. 7:30 pm ET
San Diego 4, Atlanta 0 (San Diego leads 1-0) Game 2 Wed. 8:30 pm ET

The playoffs have arrived. With wild card seedings going down to the last day of the season (actually beyond, in the case of Atlanta, Arizona, and the New York Mets).

The Dodgers finished with the best record in the majors and in the National League. They and the Phillies earned first round byes. In the American League, the Yankees and Guardians get a pass on the first round with the two top finishes, winners of their respective divisions.

Alas, the poor Chicago White Sox, finished the regular season with the most losses of any team in the modern era (1900-present), but, there is a silver lining. The Sox had their best month in September, racking up 10 wins and 15 losses, and went 5-1 down the stretch, sweeping the Angels in a three-game series and winning their last two games at Detroit, ending the regular season with a mark of 41-121.

While the Sox did set the record for most losses, they did not surpass the 1962 Mets in terms of the worst record. In 1962, the Mets only played 160 games, the league ruling that two rainouts earlier in the season did not have to be played as they would not affect any of the final standings, leaving the Mets with a record of 40-120, a .250 percentage, while the White Sox, this season, ended with a percentage of .253.

American League Wild Card Series: Tigers at Astros All three games will be played in Houston, putting the visiting Tigers at a serious disadvantage. The Astros, winners of five straight AL West titles, have been a mainstay in the playoffs since joining the American League in 2013. In addition to extensive playoff experience, the Astros also enjoy a huge edge at the plate, with veteran sluggers like Jose Altuve, Lance Berkman, and power-stroking Yordan Alvarez. Houston also appears to have a sizable edge on the mound. Framber Valdez has had an excellent campaign, and they also enjoy the presence of Justin Verlander, three time Cy Young Award winner, though Verlander was left off the roster for this series and will not pitch. Giving the Tigers hope for post-season success is game one starter, Tarik Skubal, who is a likely shoo-in for the AL Cy Young award. Skubal has been lights out for most of the season, racking up a major league high 18 wins against just four losses. Also, the Tigers have been roaring since the All-Star break, with a record of 39-26 in the second half and a 17-8 mark for September.
Detroit Tigers (86-76) 2nd, AL Central Leaders Batting Average Kerry Carpenter, RF, .284 Riley Greene, LF, .262 Colt Keith, 2B, .260 Home Runs Riley Greene, LF, 24 Kerry Carpenter, RF, 18 Matt Vierling, CF, 16 RBI Riley Greene, LF, 74 Colt Keith, 2B, 61 Marr Vierling, CF, 57 Kerry Carpenter, RF, 57 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Tarik Skubal, 18-4, 228 K, 2.39 ERA Kenta Maeda, 3-7, 96 K, 6.09 Reese Olson, 4-8, 101 K, 3.53 Closer Jason Foley, 28 Saves, 46 K, 3.15	Houston Astros (88-73) Won AL West Leaders Batting Average Yordan Alvarez, LF, .308 Yainer Diaz, C, .299 Jose Altuve, 2B, .295 Home Runs Yordan Alvarez, LF, 35 Alex Bregman, 3B, 26 Kyle Tucker, RF, 23 RBI Yordan Alvarez, LF, 86 Yainer Diaz, C, 84 Alex Bregman, 3B, 75 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Framber Valdez, 15-7, 169 K, 2.91 ERA Hunter Brown, 11-9, 179 K, 2.49 Ronel Blanco, 13-6, 166 K, 2.80 Closer Josh Hader, 34 Saves, 105 K, 3.80
American League Wild Card Series: Royals at Orioles The Orioles return to October baseball for the second straight year. After winning the AL East with 101 wins in 2023 and being swept in their first playoff series, the O's are looking to go deeper this season. The lineup is similar to last season's, with high hopes for power surges from Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle. Baltimore has good hitters up and down the order, and, as opposed to last season, a capable closer in Yennier Cano. The O's didn't tear up the league and could never quite match strides with the Yankees in their division, but they did manage to hold the top wild card spot, getting all games in the first round at home. Similar to the Orioles, Kansas City chased a division winner, Cleveland, all season, but could never quite catch them, finishing 6.5 games behind, tied with Detroit for second place in the Central. KC's hopes fall on the shoulders of Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who, if not for the presence of one Aaron Judge, would likely win the AL MVP Award. His .332 average led the majors, and his 109 RBI tied him for fifth in the AL with another Yankee, Juan Soto. The Royals are one of the best stories in sports this year, reaching the playoffs after losing 106 games in 2023. They'll rely on veteran catcher Salvador Perez for leadership and a huge bat in the middle of the order. The pitching is solid. Kansas City's team ERA was 3.76, sixth best in the league.
Kansas City Royals (86-76) 2nd, AL Central Leaders Batting Average Bobby Witt Jr., SS, .332 Salvador Perez, C, .271 Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, .262 Home Runs Bobby Witt Jr., SS, 32 Salvador Perez, C, 27 Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, 19 RBI Bobby Witt Jr., SS, 109 Salvador Perez, C, 104 Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, 97 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Seth Lugo, 16-9, 181 K, 3.00 ERA Cole Ragans, 11-9, 223 K, 3.14 Michael Wacha, 13-8, 145 K, 3.35 Closer James McArthur, 18 saves, 49 K, 4.92	Baltimore Orioles (91-71) 2nd, AL East Leaders Batting Average Gunnar Henderson, SS, .281 Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, .271 Jordan Westburg, 3B, .264 Home Runs Anthony Santander, RF, 44 Gunnar Henderson, SS, 37 Colton Cowser, LF, 24 RBI Anthony Santander, RF, 102 Gunnar Henderson, SS, 92 Adler Rutschman, C, 79 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Corbin Burnes, 15-9, 181 K, 2.92 ERA Albert Suarez, 9-7, 108 K, 3.70 Grayson Rodriguez, 13-4, 130 K, 3.86 Closer Yennier Cano, 34 saves, 65 K, 3.15
National League Wild Card Series: Mets at Brewers By virtue of a double-header split with the Braves on Monday, September 20, the Mets cruised into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams, posting a 40-27 recrod from the All-Star break and going 18-9 in the heady month of September, managing to win eight of a total of 13 games against the Phillies, Braves, and Brewers. New York has a solid top of the lineup, with Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Sterling Marte, and Pete Alonso leading the charge to the plate. Their pitching has held up nicely, with Luis Severino blossoming into a reliable #1, and Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana putting up solid numbers during the regular season. Milwaukee led the NL Central start to finish and won their division by the most of any division leader, 10 games, though they ended up five games behind the Dodgers and two back of the Phillies in the race for the league's best records. With a load of playoff experience up and down their lineup, the somewhat non-descript Brewers epitomize the concept of team baseball, doing the little things right and routinely getting big performances from day-to-day players. The middle of their lineup is deadly, with Rhys Hoskins, William Contreras, and Willy Adames providing most of the RBI power, though they're soild at the plate, 1 through 9. The Mets surged into the playoffs and should give the home-standing Brewers all they can handle in this short series in which anything is possible.
New York Mets (89-73) 2nd, NL East Leaders Batting Average Jose Iglesias, 2B, .337 Francisco Lindor, SS, .273 Sterling Marte, RF, .269 Home Runs Pete Alonso, 1B, 34 Francisco Lindor, SS, 33 Mark Vientos, 3B, 27 RBI Francisco Lindor, SS, 91 Brandon Nimmo, LF, 90 Pete Alonso, 1B, 88 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Luis Severino, 11-7, 161 K, 3.91 ERA Sean Manaea, 12-6, 184 K, 3.47 Jose Quintana, 10-10, 135 K, 3.75 Closer Edwin Diaz, 20 Saves, 84 K, 3.52	Milwaukee Brewers (93-69) Won NL Central Leaders Batting Average Christian Yelich, LF, .315 William Contreras, C, .281 Jackson Chourio, LF, .275 Home Runs Willy Adames, SS, 32 Rhys Hoskins, 1B, 26 William Contreras, C, 23 RBI Willy Adames, SS, 112 William Contreras, C, 92 Rhys Hoskins, 1B, 82 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Freddy Peralta, 11-9, 200 K, 3.68 ERA Colin Rea, 12-6, 135 K, 4.29 Tobias Myers, 9-6, 127 K, 3.00 Closer Trevor McGill, 21 Saves, 50 K, 2.72
National League Wild Card Series: Braves at Padres By virtue of winning the last game of the season, a 3-0 win over the Mets in the second game of Monday, September 30th double-header, the Braves qualified by a mere game over the Arizona Diamonbacks, thus eliminating from this year's playoffs, both teams that made the World Series last season. Atlanta comes into the post-season hampered, as they have been all season, losing both Ronald Acuna Jr. and their mound ace, Spencer Strider, back in April. They also will not have Chris Sale, their best starteer through the regular season, for this series, putting them at a distinct disadvantage against the hard-charging Padres, who took the top wild card slot, finishing five games behind the Dodgers in the rugged NL West. San Diego gets home field for this three-game series, and their lineup should thrive under the home lights. Manny Machado has been seeking October fame for years, and this appears to be his best opportunity to make some noise. The Padres will also get plenty of long shots off Jackson Merrill, Jurickson Profar, and Fernando Tatis, back from injury that sidelined him from late June to the end of August. Dyan Cease will go to the mound for San Diego in game one, and the Padres are well-rested, having clinched the top wild card well before the season's end.
Atlanta Braves (89-73) 2nd, NL Central Leaders Batting Average Marcell Ozuna, DH, .302 Michael Harris II, CF, .264 Austin Riley, 3B, .256 Home Runs Marcell Ozuna, DH, 39 Matt Olson, 1B, 29 Austin Riley, 3B, 19 RBI Marcell Ozuna, DH, 104 Matt Olson, 1B, 98 Austin Riley, 3B, 56 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Chris Sale, 18-3, 225 K, 2.38 Max Fried, 11-10, 166 K, 3.25 Charlie Morton, 8-10, 167 K, 4.19 Closer Raisel Iglesias, 34 Saves, 68, 1.95	San Diego Padres (93-69) 2nd, NL West Leaders Batting Average Luis Arraez, 1B, .318 Jackson Merrill, CF, .292 Jurickson Profar, LF, .280 Home Runs Manny Machado, 3B, 29 Jurickson Profar, LF, 24 Jackson Merrill, CF, 24 RBI Manny Machado, 3B, 105 Jackson Merrill, CF, 90 Jurickson Profar, LF, 85 Top Pitchers, Probable Starters Dylan Cease, 14-11, 224 K, 3.47 ERA Michael King, 13-9, 201 K, 2.95 Matt Waldron, 7-11, 133 K, 4.91 Closer Robert Suarez, 36 Saves, 59 K, 2.77

p - Clinched playoff berth | d - Clinched division