MLBSep 30
MLB playoff preview: Dodgers chase history as Brewers eye breakthrough
Los Angeles brings a formidable rotation into October, while Milwaukee’s record-setting season and dangerous wild-card challengers set up a competitive title race.
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A championship chase with contrasting stakes
The 2026 MLB postseason opens Tuesday afternoon with 12 teams pursuing a championship and the Dodgers aiming to become the first National League club to win three consecutive World Series titles. Milwaukee enters with a different milestone in mind: its first championship. The Brewers posted a franchise-record 103 wins during the regular season. Tampa Bay and Cleveland also earned opening-round byes, giving their pitching staffs time to prepare while the wild-card clubs fight to advance.
Wild-card matchups hinge on pitching
Boston’s left-handed pitching and bullpen depth could create problems for the Yankees in New York. Garrett Crochet’s availability remains uncertain, while Aaron Judge’s late-season injury setbacks add another question to a matchup between offenses that have struggled recently. Philadelphia, which secured its berth on the season’s final day, faces Atlanta with Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler anchoring its rotation. Chris Sale gives the Braves a strong answer in the opener, and Atlanta’s defensive advantage could matter in a tight series. The White Sox will look to their power and bullpen against a Houston team led by Yordan Alvarez and closer Josh Hader. Meanwhile, the Cubs need early offense against San Diego before the Padres can turn the game over to a deep relief corps featuring Mason Miller.
The contenders waiting ahead
The Dodgers’ biggest strength is a rotation featuring Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Questions surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s health, Kyle Tucker’s production and Edwin Diaz’s reliability remain, but that starting depth presents a major obstacle for opponents. Cleveland arrives after winning 24 of its final 35 games, with Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Travis Bazzana helping lift the offense. Tampa Bay pairs a 55-26 home record with a pitching staff that issued a majors-low 409 walks. Milwaukee also has reason to respect San Diego if that matchup develops. The Padres went 41-18 after July 23, fueled by an offensive surge behind Fernando Tatis Jr. And Jackson Merrill.
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