Articles: MLB

Sonny Gray gets Yankee Stadium with considerably less behind him than Payton Tolle had. Boston survived Game 1 by asking Garrett Whitlock for 24 pitches and Aroldis Chapman for 31. Chapman escaped a ninth inning that required 21 pitches alone. Now Gray gets Max Fried. That turns Game 2 into something harsher than another elite […]

Cristopher Sánchez has one job before Philadelphia’s elimination game becomes uncomfortable: keep Don Mattingly away from his bullpen. Sánchez brings a 2.91 ERA, 231 strikeouts and 207⅔ innings into Game 2. Behind him sits the problem. Jhoan Duran threw 27 pitches across two innings Tuesday, and Philadelphia can scarcely afford another afternoon that reaches its […]

Jesús Luzardo is starting Game 1. The Phillies just don’t know for how long. After missing three weeks with shoulder inflammation, Luzardo returned Sunday and required four pitches to complete one inning. Don Mattingly said Philadelphia would not use him Tuesday if he didn’t feel normal afterward. The unanswered part is workload. Andrew Painter waits […]

Payton Tolle tried being serious on the mound once. It made him worse. “I end up putting too much pressure on myself,” the 23-year-old said Monday. His preferred postseason preparation is simpler: stay comfortable and smile. Boston has given him something worth smiling about. Tolle gets Game 1 at Yankee Stadium after holding New York […]

Michael King knows exactly what disappeared in Los Angeles. “I just lost it.” His off-speed command vanished during a four-run second inning, turning an otherwise excellent September into five runs over four innings. Tuesday gives him Alex Bregman instead. Bregman returned from multiple facial fractures, disliked his posture in his first game back, studied video […]

Corbin Burnes has spent September trying to become a starting pitcher again. Arizona now gives him a game that may feel considerably bigger than another rehabilitation step. Burnes returned from Tommy John surgery this month and has been rebuilding his workload in major-league innings rather than waiting for next spring. That makes Saturday’s question different […]

Parker Messick is the reason Cleveland remains tempting at -107. Stephen Vogt is the reason that price deserves suspicion. The Guardians clinched the AL Central Saturday night, then Vogt supplied Sunday’s most important scouting report himself: “We’ll get some rest. This team was on fumes.” Cleveland does not play again until Saturday’s Division Series opener. […]

MacKenzie Gore wasn’t supposed to carry Texas into Game 162. Now the Rangers’ season reaches him with Josh Jung gone, Nicky Lopez hurting and no tiebreaker protection. Texas enters 80-81, and Houston owns the AL West tiebreaker. Gore gets Dean Kremer with the Rangers’ margin for improvisation finally reduced to zero. Bookmaker Sportsbook‘s opening line […]

Cole Ragans can still make hitters look deeply underqualified for their profession. The less comfortable question is how much of him Kansas City wants on Saturday. Ragans returned from a lengthy shoulder-related absence in September and has been handled carefully since. Cleveland counters with Parker Messick while fighting through the final weekend with the AL […]

Noah Cameron can pitch perfectly well. Unfortunately, eventually he has to stop. Kansas City sends the rookie left-hander against Gavin Williams, with a bullpen behind Cameron that has spent September giving opponents far too many second chances. Cleveland arrives at 82-76, half a game ahead of Chicago in the AL Central, while Kansas City is […]