The two National League division series matchups play Game 4 today, while the two AL series play Game 3. Potentially, every one of these series could be over by the end of the day, if the team that has already won two games picks up its third win. The Dodgers and Brewers will be trying to win on the road. The Rays will be trying to finish a sweep on the road. Only the Chicago White Sox have a chance to finish off their series at home today.
Whatever happens today, this is the last day of the year
where four MLB games will be played. If either NL series goes to a fifth game, they will have a travel day tomorrow, and they won’t play on the same day as the remaining AL games – if there are any after today. Enjoy it while you can. Winter is coming, and with the ownership lockout looming, this winter may drag on even longer than usual.
Today’s game times are staggered two hours apart, at 4, 6, 8, and 10pm Eastern. Here’s the schedule:
Guardians at White Sox, 4pm
Chicago leads 2-0, series ends with White Sox victory
Cleveland starting pitcher Daniel Espino had a 4.11 ERA across 15.1 innings in the regular season. Seems like an opener gambit or maybe a bullpen game. I wouldn’t feel great about either if my favorite team was trying to avoid a sweep in a postseason series.
White Sox lefty Sean Newcomb posted a 3.09 ERA in 90.1 innings this season, mostly in multi-inning relief with 60 games pitched. Are we looking at a double opener here? This is aesthetically displeasing.
This game, like the other AL series, will air on TBS.
Dodgers at Braves, 6pm
Los Angeles leads 2-1, series ends with Dodgers victory
Two real starting pitchers in this game, unlike that last one. LA’s Tyler Glasnow put up a 3.53 ERA in 13 regular season starts. Atlanta will try to hold on behind Tyler Mahle, who made 27 regular season starts and finished with a 3.99 ERA.
I am personally rooting for the Braves to pull off the comeback in the series, because wiping the possibility of a Dodgers three-peat off the board will make the rest of the postseason much more enjoyable.
This game as well as the other NL game will air on FS1.
Rays at Yankees, 8pm
Tampa Bay leads 2-0, series ends with Rays victory
The Yankees have spent the first two games of this series doing their best 2026 Orioles impersonation. This is a deeply satisfying outcome for me, though the Rays are going to need to finish the job to get that full satisfaction. Oh, man, the idea of the Yankees getting swept with the third game at home, it’s too good, I can’t even bring myself to imagine it might happen.
Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez rolled to a 3.10 ERA in 180 innings over 31 starts this season. Pretty good! I wouldn’t rule out Mike Elias trying to sign him as the designated rotation old guy next season – he’ll be heading into his age 36 season.
Yankees lefty Max Fried finished with a 2.80 ERA in 20 regular season starts, including a sub-1 WHIP. If the Yankees offense continues as it has done in these first two games, he will not have much margin for error.
Brewers at Padres, 10pm
Milwaukee leads 2-1, series ends with Brewers victory
As of this writing, there is no listed Brewers starting pitcher. San Diego sends Walker Buehler, about whom the only good thing that can be said is that he started 32 games this year. That helps a team get through 162 games. The 4.63 ERA doesn’t inspire much confidence for having him start a win-or-go-home postseason game. But, as we all know, plenty of weird stuff can happen in any given baseball game, something that’s only amplified with postseason stakes.
