Yandy Diaz Powers Rays Past A's in 5-1 AL Wild Card Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 2, 2019

American League

Diaz smokes a pair of HRs

Slugging four home runs, Tampa Bay powered their way into the divisional series against Houston with a 5-1 win over the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card game.

Striking early and often, the Rays homered in the first, second, third and fifth innings. Yandy Diaz, who socked a pair of solo shots, struck in the first and third innings. Avasail Garcia belted a two-run rip in the second and Tommy Pham added a fifth inning homer with the bases empty.

Charlie Morton took the win, working five innings, allowing only a third inning unearned run.

Tampa Bay will open the best-of-five divisional series at Houston on Friday at 2:05 pm ET. Later in the day, Minnesota plays at New York in the other divisional series, starting at 7:07 pm ET.

National League

There were no National League games on Wednesday. Two best-of-five divisional series open Thursday. St. Louis is at Atlanta, starting at 5:02 pm ET. The Dodgers host wild card winner, Washington, at 8:36 pm ET.

Juan Soto Brings Nationals Back for 4-3 Win Over Brewers in NL Wild Card

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 1, 2019

National League

Soto delivers for Nationals

Juan Soto's scratch single to right field in the bottom of the eighth capped a winning comeback by the Washington Nationals, who came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3, in the NL wild card elimination game.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Soto lined a pitch from Brewer reliever Josh Hader between first and second. With runnings in high gear, when right fielder Trent Grisham mishandled the ball, Anthony Rendon was allowed to score all the way from first, putting the Nationals in the lead. Soto was credited with two RBI, Rendon's score was unearned due to Grisham's error.

In his second full season, Soto, 20, has quietly had an excellent year at the plate, batting .282 with 34 home runs and 110 RBI during the regular season.

Stephen Strasburg, who entered the game in the sixth inning after starter Max Scherzer had allowed three runs, pitched three innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits while fanning four. Strasburg got the win. Daniel Hudson secured the comeback with a scoreless ninth.

Scherzer struck out six and issued three walks. Of the four hits off Scherzer, two were home runs, a first-inning, two run blast by Yasmani Grandal and a second inning solo shot by Eric Thames, accounting for all of Milwaukee's runs.

The victory, which sends the Nationals off to Los Angeles to meet the Dodgers in a best-of-five divisional playoff series, was their ninth straight.

American League

There were no American League games on Tuesday. The Rays and A's play in the wild card game on Wednesday, October 2, at 8:00 pm ET, in Oakland.

AL and NL Wild Card Previews: Brewers at Nationals; Rays at A's

MLB Wild Card Previews

National League

NL Wild Card: Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals, Tuesday, October 1, 8:00 pm ET.

Scherzer: Nationals' starter

The Milwaukee Brewers face the Washington Nationals in the NL Wild Card elimination game. The winner heads to Los Angeles to meet the Dodgers in a five-game divisional playoff series. The loser goes home.

Brandon Woodruff gets the start for Milwaukee. He's 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA this season, and started just 22 games for the Brewers. The good news is that he's the best pitcher the Brewers have. On the downside, they're very weak in the bullpen, though Woodruff - unless the Nats tee off on him - should be able to go six or seven innings.

Max Scherzer should bring his "A" game, at least that's what the Nationals hope he will do. With a mark of 11-7 on the regular season, this was not a typical year for Scherzer. His ERA is still strong, at 2.92, and his 243 strikeouts were third in the NL, despite starting only four games in July and August combined.

What's concerning about Scherzer is that he was 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA in June, but just 2-2 in September. His longest September outing was 6 2/3 innings in a loss to St. Louis in which he allowed seven hits and five earned runs. Scherzer's September ERA is a whopping 5.16.

While the Brewers were red hot in September, they cooled off just in time to let the Cardinals win the Central division by two games. They were 20-4 for the month before being swept in Colorado the final three games of the season.

The Nationals went through a rough, 4-8, patch at the start of September, but finished strong, going 8-0 in the final stretch, including a five-game sweep of the Phillies and finishing up with a three-game sweep of Cleveland, all of those wins coming at home.

There are mixed signals for both clubs. Washington has momentum Scherzer, and home field, while the Brewers have a losing record on the road, their top hurler and a potent offense. The Nationals are heavily favored, but this match-up appears to be a lot closer than the consensus considers.


American League

AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics, Wednesday, October 2, 8:00 pm ET.

Pham: Rays' sparkplug

While the A's have yet to name a starter as of this writing, the Rays are going with their ace, Charlie Morton, who had a sensational season, racking up a 16-6 record with a 3.03 ERA. In 33 starts, Morton has struck out 240 in 194 2/3 innings, fifth-best in the AL.

Morton has the ability to go fairly deep into games on a team that has a versatile pitching staff with multiple role players. The Rays' ability to mix and match may serve them well in a one-game scenario. Despite not being adorned with big bats or superstar players, Tampa does everything with team in mind, seldom makes mistakes and can capitalize on opponents' miscues.

The A's definitely have the upper hand when it comes to hitting and power. Though their team average was .249 compared to Tampa Bay's .254, they had more home runs (257-217), RBI (800-730) and runs (845-769). Seven different players for the A's had 20 or more home runs, led by Matt Chapman and Matt Olsen, each with 36.

Tampa Bay will look for offensive spark from Tommy Pham and Willy Adames. Austin Meadows is their power guy, with 33 homers and 89 RBI.

This looks to be a tight one. Whoever starts for the A's will be expected to go at least four innings. Both teams were subjected to a tight wild card race which used up most of their resources until the final two games of the season. Having an extra day of recovery will aid both pitching staffs. The loser goes home, while the winner of this game heads to Houston to play a best-of-five divisional series.

Aaron Judge Homers, Sends Yankees To ALDS Vs. Red Sox

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 3, 2018

American League

Judge: HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Aaron Judge socked a two-run homer in the first inning and Luis Severino and the Yankee bullpen made it stand up as the Yankees downed the Oakland A's, 7-2, in the AL Wild Card game.

Judge, who was sidelined with a broken wrist much of the second half of the season, lifted a 2-1 pitch from Oakland's Liam Hendriks 427 feet into the left field stands. Andrew McCutchen, who walked to lead off the inning, was on first base when Judge set off his blast. Judge finished the game 2-for-3, adding a double and scoring in the sixth inning when the Yankees tacked on four more runs.

Severino only lasted into the fifth, but he didn't allow a hit through the first four, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam on an error and two walks in the fourth, the Yankee ace gave up two singles in the fifth before getting any outs and was replaced by Dellin Betances, who got the win, throwing two hitless, scoreless innings.

The Athletics finally struck in the eighth on a two-run homer by Khris Davis, but by then the Yankees had built the lead to six runs. Giancarlo Stanton finished the scoring with his first post-season home run, a solo shot in the Yankee eighth.

Boston, which finished the regular season with the best record in the majors (108-54), awaits their arch-rival in the division series which begins Friday at Fenway Park. Game time is 7:32 pm ET. Houston hosts Cleveland in the other division series. Game one is Friday at 2:05 pm ET.

National League

There were no games in the National League on Wednesday.

The NL division series starts Thursday. The Colorado Rockies play at Milwaukee (5:07 pm ET) and Atlanta is at Los Angeles (8:37 pm ET).

Dallas Keuchel, Astros Shut Down Yankees, 3-0, Advance to Face KC in AL Playoffs

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 6, 2015

American League

Keuchel: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER

The Yankees - a disaster waiting to happen after backing into the playoffs by losing six of their final seven games - were summarily dismissed before a disappointed hometown crowd by Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros, as the NL West wild card triumphed, 3-0, sending the sorry Yanks home for the winter.

Houston starter, Keuchel, the AL's only 20-game winner (20-8), earned his first post-season victory, giving six innings of shutout ball on three hits, walking one and fanning seven.

While Keuchel may have been dominant, the Yankees were absolutely punchless, even after manager Joe Girardi had his players "rested" during their week-long, season-ending slump. The Yankees first playoff appearance in three years was a complete flop, with only two baserunners advancing past first base on the night.

Houston got solo homers from Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez in the second and fourth innings, respectively, both over overrated Yankee hurler, Masahiro Tanaka. The Astros added another run in the seventh, in one of the dullest wild card games in its short history.

Houston advances to the divisional round, where they will meet the Kansas City Royals in a seven-game series beginning Thursday at KC, the AL team with the best record during the regular season, at 95-67. Game time is set for 7:30 pm EDT.

National League

There were no National League games scheduled for Tuesday.

The Pirates host the Cubs in the NL wild card game Wednesday night at 8:00 pm EDT.