The MLB playoffs kick off today, and how lucky are we as Mariners fans that we only have to worry about who the team will play in the next round. We have a full slate of Game 1s on tap to take us through the entire work day, starting off with the Tigers facing the Guardians in Cleveland. Treat this space like you would any other game thread, and with baseball on all day, feel free to drop in and out as you see fit!
Guardians vs. Tigers, 10:10am PDT
Did you expect anyone other than Tarik Skubal to get the ball for Detroit? The lefty
is once again the favorite to take home the AL Cy Young, and will look to get things off on the right foot for a Tigers squad that frittered away a commanding lead in the AL Central in record time. For Cleveland, Gavin Williams will get the start on the mound, and he’s coming off a strong year in his first 30-start season of his career. The winner of this series will face the M’s in the ALDS, so drop your preferences in the comments!
Cubs vs. Padres, 12:08pm PDT
The first matchup to be decided before the playoffs began, the Cubs will throw old friend Matthew Boyd to start Game 1. The lefty Boyd parlayed a solid seven-start stretch for the Guardians last year into a multi-year deal with Chicago, and he turned in one of the best seasons of his career, also earning his first All-Star berth. The Padres will counter with Nick Pivetta, who can rack up strikeouts as well as anyone and put up the best ERA and FIP of his career in 2025.
Yankees vs. Red Sox, 3:08pm PDT
It’s a southpaw face-off in the Bronx today, with Max Fried of the Yankees squaring off against the Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet. Both pitchers had a fantastic 2025, with each of them posting sub-3 ERAs and being named to the American League All-Star team. Crochet in particular broke out after escaping from the White Sox, leading the AL in innings pitched and leading all of baseball in strikeouts with 255 in the regular season. Fried stumbled a bit in the second half, but he’s certainly no slouch, and finished the regular season strong, allowing just one run over fourteen innings in his final two starts.
Dodgers vs. Reds, 6:08pm PDT
The Reds are just happy to be here, riding the wave of a generational collapse from the Mets to sneak into the playoffs in Game 162. They’ll be throwing ace Hunter Greene to kick off the series, and while he missed a significant chunk of time to injury, was easily their best pitcher by rate this year. The Dodgers will counter with Blake Snell, who also missed quite a bit of time this year. With his track record in both the regular season and postseason, though, he’s still a formidable foe, even up against the power of friendship.
