With most of the four-game playoff slate in the books, all eyes are on Southern California.
The Tigers beat the Guardians 3-0 early Wednesday morning to take a 2-1 ALDS lead. In New York, a Francisco Lindor grand slam started the Mets past the Phillies to eliminate Philadelphia and extend the Mets' magical run in the NLCS. Then the Yankees outscored the Royals thanks to a late home run from Giancarlo Stanton.
In the nightcap, the Padres look to eliminate the Dodgers in Game 4 of their heated NLDS in San Diego.
Yankees 3, Royals 2
It took a huge night from Giancarlo Stanton, but the New York Yankees are one win away from reaching the ALCS.
The Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 in Game 3 of the ALDS at Kauffman Stadium. It gave the Yankees a 2-1 series lead and they are on track to reach their fourth ALCS in the last eight seasons.
The Yankees jumped out early on an RBI double by Stanton in the fourth and a sacrifice fly by Juan Soto in the fifth. The Royals responded with back-to-back fifths from reserves Kyle Isbell and Michael Massey, who hit a deep triple that went right past Soto in the infield.
Finally, Stanton gave the Yankees the lead back in the eighth with a deep home run over the left field wall. This gave the Yankees a one-run lead and eventually gave them a 2–1 series lead.
The two teams will go at it on Thursday in Kansas City, where the Yankees could close it out. If not, they'll be back in the Bronx on Saturday for Game 5.
Mets 4, Phillies 1
The New York Mets are having a dream season. The postseason has been a nightmare for the Philadelphia Phillies.
After going scoreless with the bases loaded in the first and second innings, the Mets made the most of things in the sixth inning. Francisco Lindor launched a no-doubt grand slam over the right-field wall off Phillies reliever Carlos Estevez to put the Mets up 4-1 on the scoreboard. They held on to win by the same score and advanced to the NLCS with a 3-1 NLDS victory.
The win continued an improbable run that saw the Mets seemingly out of the postseason race at the All-Star break and needing a win on the final day of the regular season to advance to the playoffs. Now, they are eight wins away from a World Series championship. They will face the winner between the Padres and Dodgers for the NL pennant.
The loss marked a crushing disappointment for a Phillies team that many believed was equipped to win a championship this year.
Tigers 3, Guardians 0
Another game between the Tigers and the Guardians, another shutout.
Riley Green, Matt Vierling and Spencer Torkelson drove in runs as the Tigers won the ALDS 3-0 to take a 2-1 series lead. The Tigers were driven early by strong pitching from reliever Brant Harter, who struck out 3. 1/3 scoreless starter Kaidar Montero kept the Guardians quiet in the first inning. Green's first-inning single and Vierling's third-inning sacrifice fly gave Detroit a 2-0 lead.
Torkelson, who had entered the day hitless in his previous 14 at-bats, extended Detroit's lead to 3-0 with a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth inning, which was enough considering how good the Tigers' bullpen is. After the performing Harter exited the game, Beau Brieske came on and continued his dominant postseason run with two more scoreless innings of relief.
The Guardians had their chances but left eight runners on base and managed just six hits to the Tigers' pitching Wednesday – three of which came off the bat of Steven Cowan. The Guardians have now gone 20 consecutive innings without a run. Detroit can close out Cleveland in Game 4 on Thursday.
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LAD-SD: Daniel Hudson warms up for the Dodgers
Now this is interesting. The Dodgers have Landon Knack, a guy who can eat multiple innings, going three innings in their bullpen. They can finish him this game. However, Daniel Hudson, a medium-leverage guy for the team, is getting the heat instead.
Game 2 starter Jack Flaherty was warming up earlier in place of Knick, so the Dodgers could save Knick to back up Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who struggled against San Diego in Game 5, while letting Hudson, Edgardo Henriquez and Ben Casparius finish. the game
Daniel Hudson is warming up for the Dodgers. Surprised Landon still hasn't found Knack.
LAD-SD: Gavin Lux opened the game with a 2-run homer
Gavin Lux welcomed Peralta with a two-run homer to right. It's 8-0 Dodgers and LA probably won't have to worry about using the rest of their high-leverage weapons tonight.
LAD-SD: Call stands, Edman is out first
The call stops. Now the Padres are pulling Alec Jacobs for Wandy Peralta, with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh inning.
LAD-SD: Tommy Edman bunt for one run
The Dodgers went up 6-0 as Tommy Edman laid down a perfect bunt with runners on the corners and one out. He was called out, but the Dodgers are challenging the call at first. It seems she might have been safe.
LAD-SD: Manny Machado takes a deep hit… on the warning track
Manny Machado hit a deep. He saw it fly. The eruption began at Petco Park. Chris Tello caught it at the warning track. One batter later, Jackson Merrill grounded out to end the sixth inning with the Padres still up 5-0.
Phillips threw just six pitches in that inning, which is nothing.
LAD-SD: Padres pull Jeremiah Estrada for Alec Jacobs
Shohei Ohtani worked a nine-pitch walk and would do it for Estrada, who was on 29 pitches after an inning-plus of work. Alec Jacobs comes in and Mookie Bates pops up after two pitches.
LAD-SD: Fernando Tatis Jr.'s three-run homer
Phillips led 0-2 to Tatis, who then took two balls and sent the next pitch down the right-center warning track. It was a big at-bat, and the Dodgers bullpen is now more than halfway to landing this plane.
Available arms remaining in the Dodgers pen through four innings: Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, Zach Flaherty, Ben Casparius and Landon Knack.
LAD-SD: Here comes Evan Phillips
The Dodgers have a five-run lead, but it's an elimination game. After Alex Vecia struck out Kyle Higashioka and Luis Arazes got a flyout, the Dodgers brought in another top arm in Evan Phillips to face Fernando Tatis Jr. with two runners on and two outs.
LAD-SD: David Peralta gets another hit
Peralta was 4-for-20 with eight strikeouts against left-handers during the regular season, but he now has two hits against the Dodgers' two bullpen lefties in this game. Evan Phillips is warming up now as Vecia Jake Cronenworth walks.
The Padres have two men with no outs and could very quickly create interest in this game.
LAD-SD: Alex Vescia pitches fifth, Jack Flaherty starts pitching
Even with the Dodgers up five runs, it could be about to get weird with their bullpen. Flaherty could have been a bullpen option in Game 5, assuming the Dodgers get there, but pitching him here would put him in line to pitch Game 1 of the NLCS on three days' rest.
LAD-SD: Jackson Merrill snags a big hit from Max Muncy
Max Muncy hit a ball to deep right-center, but Jackson Merrill made a leaping catch to the top of the wall. Could be a double, could be a homer, a big game for a Rookie of the Year contender.
Now Jeremiah Estrada comes into the game for relief.
LAD-SD: Another scoreless inning for the Dodgers bullpen
So far, so good for the Dodgers' bullpen game plan. They have allowed two hits in four scoreless innings so far with four strikeouts.
Important to note: They still have Landon Knack, who could start this game, and if the Dodgers are comfortable with the lead, that would be an option if a guy wants to eat multiple innings.
LAD-SD: More on the Ohtani-Machado-ump drama
After further review, Dodgers third-base coach Dino Abel signed the stop after seeing the ball hit the umpire, but Ohtani's head was down, possibly seeing the first bounce.
Dodgers… not happy.
LAD-SD: Padres get Ohtani at home for lucky play
Ohtani walked and took second on a fly ball to center (he's too fast).
A hit by Teoscar Hernandez should have scored him after it bounced off Manny Machado's glove near the third-base line, but the ball hit the third-base umpire and bounced back to Machado, who threw Ohtani 10 feet out at home.
And that's how the Padres got their first scoreless inning.
LAD-SD: Michael Kopech finished third, can stay
Jurickson Proffer hit a simple fly ball to end the third inning. Like Brasier, Kopech could face Manny Machado in the next inning before the Dodgers go to Vecia against Merrill.
LAD-SD: Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a double after a high-end inside pitch.
Kopech threw the pitch high and slightly inside, enough that Fernando Tatis Jr. fell to the ground and Padres manager Mike Schildt spoke to Umper about the pitch (which was apparently not intentional). Tatis responded with a ground rule double.
Left-hander Alex Vecia is warming up, likely facing Jackson Merrill in a couple of at-bats.
KC-NYY: Yankees win, 2-1 lead
And that would do it. The Yankees won 3-2 and now have a 2-1 series lead over the Royals.
They have a chance to close out this ALDS tomorrow in Kansas City.
LAD-SD: The Dodgers throw Michael Kopech to the top of the Padres' order
Even up by five runs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is getting aggressive. Michael Kopech, one of LA's late-inning arms, came into the third inning to face a 9-1-2 in the Padres lineup.
KC-NYY: The Royals have one last chance
Soto reached first on a brutal error by the Royals and then Aaron Judge was struck out with just one out on the board. The Royals, though, survived when Wells flied out to center and Stanton fouled out at first.
The Yankees could close it out with three more outs.
LAD-SD: Adrian Morzon comes on for Brian Hoing
Hoying Tommy Edman (who is weak against right-handers), and will now face Adrian Morzon at the bottom of the Dodgers' order.
