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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Atlanta Braves infielder Ha-Seong Kim emphasized a positive clubhouse atmosphere heading into NLDS Game 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though not in the starting lineup, Kim voiced strong confidence in the group's ability to perform and earn a split before heading back to Atlanta, noting that the team focus remains strictly on executing and producing out on the field rather than feeling postseason pressure.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña expressed complete confidence in his teammates and bullpen ahead of NLDS Game 2 against Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell. Acuña emphasized his love for competing against top-tier superstar pitchers and stressed the importance of competing on every single pitch as Atlanta aims to earn a road split in Los Angeles before the series shifts home to Cobb County.
Following an ill-advised ABS challenge during an 0-for-4, three-strikeout performance in Game 1 of the NLDS, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Andy Pages has been barred from using automated ball-strike challenges going forward. The costly mistake capped off a regular season where he led the team with 14 lost challenges and a 44% success rate, prompting the team to manage the dynamic as they seek to slow him down this postseason.
Drew Rasmussen delivered a dominant pitching performance for the Tampa Bay Rays, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning to propel his team to a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS. Rasmussen completely shut down the Yankees' offense at Tropicana Field, outdueling Gerrit Cole and striking out 10 batters to secure a crucial postseason win and open the series with an incredible display of pitching mastery.
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis made an acrobatic sliding catch in right field during the fourth inning of NLDS Game 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Tatis tracked down a fly ball hit by Jackson Chourio off pitcher Michael King, preserving King's perfect game bid into the fifth inning. King ultimately surrendered a hit in the fifth but held a 2-1 lead after pitching seven shutout innings in his previous start.
Lane Thomas is back in the Atlanta Braves' starting lineup for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night. Thomas, who sat out Game 1 after being activated, will play left field and bat ninth. He had been sidelined since Sept. 7 with a strained left intercostal muscle, which sidelined half of Atlanta's typical left-field platoon. He faces Dodgers starter Blake Snell in his postseason return.
Aroldis Chapman passed a physical examination Saturday, clearing the final requirement for his $13 million option for 2027 to vest. The veteran closer previously surpassed the 40-inning threshold needed for the option in mid-August. Chapman delivered a dominant 2026 campaign for the Boston Red Sox, converting 35 of 37 save opportunities while posting a 1.92 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 71:23 K:BB ratio over 51.2 innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas is drawing into the starting lineup for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Rojas is filling in at third base for Max Muncy, who is sitting out against left-handed starter Ray Kerr. Rojas will bat in the eighth spot in the order, hitting just ahead of Tommy Edman in an otherwise unchanged Dodgers lineup.
New York Yankees infielder Ben Rice has emerged as a powerhouse postseason presence. Previously hitting 29 homers by the All-Star break, Rice tied the franchise postseason record in 2025 by going 4-for-5 with a double, solo homer, and an eighth-inning grand slam, totaling six RBIs. The 12th-rounder continues to anchor the Yankees lineup while Aaron Judge remains sidelined.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has been sidelined since September 16 due to a right calf strain and missed the start of the postseason. In his absence, the Yankees have relied heavily on their homegrown next generation of players, including Ben Rice, Spencer Jones, Cam Schlittler, and George Lombard Jr., drafted under amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer.
New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler featured an upgraded pitch repertoire in the AL Wild Card Series, leaning heavily on a dominant new curveball and throwing a career-high 32 in his outing. Schlittler led the AL with a 1.95 ERA, going 14-6 with 239 strikeouts over 193.2 innings. He takes the ball for Game 2 against Tampa Bay, emerging as a crucial fixture in the Yankees' rotation.
San Diego Padres outfielder Gavin Sheets was a late addition to the starting lineup for Game 2 of the NLDS against Milwaukee on Sunday, batting sixth as the designated hitter. Sheets was originally poised to sit for a fourth straight playoff game before manager Craig Stammen made a late change, replacing Ethan Salas who was a healthy scratch.
San Diego Padres infielder Ty France was robbed of a potential go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning of a 3-2 NLDS Game 1 loss to Milwaukee. France hit a 105 mph fly ball off Trevor Megill that struck a cable attached to the American Family Field roof structure before being caught by Jackson Chourio for an out. A review confirmed the ground rule ruling that balls striking the roof structure over fair territory remain live, sealing the Padres' loss.
Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood put together a phenomenal 2026 campaign with 30 home runs, an .891 OPS, and the league's highest exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate. Despite his exceptional first half and 4.1 WAR, Wood struggled significantly after the All-Star break for the second straight season, battling an oblique injury in August and finishing September without a home run.
San Diego Padres rookie backstop Ethan Salas was a healthy scratch from the starting lineup for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers as a manager's decision. Salas was initially penciled in to serve as the designated hitter after starting behind the plate in Game 1 and going 1-for-3 with a run scored. Manager Craig Stammen elected to start Gavin Sheets instead, leaving Salas fully healthy and available off the bench for Sunday's matchup in Milwaukee.
Nick Pivetta is scheduled to start Game 3 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. The 33-year-old right-hander previously pitched in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, surrendering one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks across 3.1 innings. Since returning from a flexor strain in early September, Pivetta has been sharp, posting a 1.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 22:4 K:BB across 22 innings over five games.
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy announced that Dustin May will start Game 3 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. May experienced ups and downs after arriving from St. Louis at the trade deadline, posting a 5.65 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 38:15 K:BB over 36.2 innings across 10 starts for Milwaukee. However, he gets the nod due to dominating San Diego this season, allowing just three earned runs with a 22:5 K:BB in 22 innings, including a one-hit shutout in June.
Austin Riley faced Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal during the second inning of Game 1 of the National League Division Series. Skubal reared back and fired a 101.1-mph fastball to Riley in 100-degree heat at Dodger Stadium. The Braves ultimately dropped the series opener to the Dodgers by a score of 5-3.
Tarik Skubal delivered a dominant postseason start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out seven batters over six innings of one-run ball to secure a 5-3 NLDS Game 1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Battling a 100-degree heat wave, Skubal reared back to throw a 101.1-mph fastball in the second inning and retired 15 straight batters after a leadoff single. He allowed only a Sean Murphy home run in the sixth, lowering his career postseason ERA to 1.97 in seven starts.
Giancarlo Stanton was called on as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of the New York Yankees' Game 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. Despite striking out in his first plate appearance since April, Yankees manager Aaron Boone liked what he saw from Stanton in his long-awaited return to game action for the postseason opener.
