MLB’s 12-team postseason roster has already been reduced to eight contenders. Now the top two seeds of each league have joined the fray in the Division Series. After going straight to their ALDS and NLDS slots via byes, the Astros, Yankees, Dodgers and Braves take on challengers.
Friday will be an unexpectedly busy baseball day. ALDS Game 2 between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians was scheduled for Thursday, but was postponed to Friday-afternoon due to rain in the Bronx. That means a day of three games as the Phillies and Padres return home to host crucial Game 3s against the Braves and Dodgers. In Philadelphia, there’s added intrigue thanks to the return of Atlanta rookie phenom Spencer Strider (or one of them), who will take the mound after missing out for a month with an oblique injury. He will compete against Aaron Nola, the Phillies starter who has been almost untouchable in recent starts.
Here’s the slate:
Game 2: Guardians (Bieber) at Yankees (Cortes) – 13:07, TBS (Yankees leading series, 1-0)
Game 3: Braves (Strider) at Phillies (Nola) – 4:37 PM, FS1 (series draw, 1-1)
Game 3: Dodgers (Gonsolin) at Padres (Snell) – 8:37 PM, FS1 (series draw, 1-1)
[Full updated MLB playoff TV schedule]
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Guardians scratch Game 2 win over Yankees, even ALDS
Outstanding starters Shane Bieber and Nestor Cortes Jr. dueled to a tie and stayed that way for the entire nine innings in the Bronx. But in the 10th, sparked by José Ramírez sprinting to third base on a double extended by an error, the Guardians outlived the Yankees and registered a win in Game 2.
Emmanuel Clase, the Cleveland closer who this season recorded a 1.36 ERA and MLB-best 42 saves, threw 2 1/3 innings to secure the most important win. The Yankees scored on a first-inning, two-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton, but never again.
Cleveland got two bloop singles and a loud double from Josh Naylor’s bat in the 10th inning, two runs off Jameson Taillon, the Yankees starter turned playoff relief.
Story continues
The Guardians now return home for Games 3 and 4, series equal to one, with a chance to overcome the turmoil. They will have Triston McKenzie starting Game 3 versus Luis Severino of the Yankees. After that, the Yankees will turn to Gerrit Cole and Cleveland skipper Terry Francona’s options will get interesting. With the rest of the series being played on consecutive days, the Guardians could have a head start on the Yankees’ injury-depleted bullpen.
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