Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update

## American League Wild Card Showdowns

### Detroit Tigers 6, Cleveland Guardians 3
In a decisive Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series, the Detroit Tigers rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 at Progressive Field to clinch their spot in the AL Division Series against the Seattle Mariners. Dillon Dingler’s sixth-inning solo homer broke a 1-1 stalemate, providing the Tigers with their first lead of the afternoon. In the seventh, Wenceel Pérez delivered a two-RBI single as part of a four-run rally that effectively sealed the Guardians’ fate. Reliever Kyle Finnegan earned the win after Detroit starter Jack Flaherty worked five innings, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts. The loss halted Cleveland’s historic comeback season, which saw them overcome a 15½-game deficit to win the AL Central but end in disappointment in the Wild Card round. Key defensive moments included a Will Vest misplay that allowed two Cleveland runs in the eighth before he redeemed himself by nabbing José Ramírez trying to advance on a grounder. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/e91d4a46c968438bdbad06c00be53e96?utm_source=openai))

• Dillon Dingler: 1-for-3, solo HR, 1 RBI
• Wenceel Pérez: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 run
• José Ramírez (CLE): 2-for-4, 1 run (40th career postseason hit)
• Jack Flaherty (DET): 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 6 K, 1 BB
• Kyle Finnegan (DET): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, W

### New York Yankees 4, Boston Red Sox 0
At Yankee Stadium, rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler delivered a breakout performance, fanning 12 batters over eight scoreless innings to propel the New York Yankees to a 4-0 Game 3 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Schlittler’s postseason debut set a franchise record for strikeouts by a rookie in a playoff game, showcasing overpowering heaters up to 100.8 mph and pinpoint control, issuing zero walks and surrendering only five singles. Offensively, New York broke open a 0-0 tie in the fourth with a four-run surge highlighted by RBI hits from Amed Rosario, Anthony Volpe, and Austin Wells, the latter delivering a crucial two-RBI groundball. Manager Aaron Boone lauded Schlittler’s poise under pressure, recalling the intensity rivaling a World Series outing. With the sweep, the Yankees advance to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS beginning this Saturday. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/61b7805c30f1a8c838c9654ccbc99029?utm_source=openai))

• Cam Schlittler: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 12 K, 0 BB
• Amed Rosario: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 run
• Anthony Volpe: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run
• Austin Wells: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
• Luis Gil/Will Warren: Probable Game 1 ALDS starters

## National League Wild Card Series Recaps

### Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Cincinnati Reds 4
In Los Angeles, the Dodgers completed a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, prevailing 8-4 to advance to the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dominant, striking out nine across 6⅔ innings and allowing only two unearned runs. After falling behind 2-0 thanks to a Sal Stewart two-run single in the first, Los Angeles chipped away with a single-run third before exploding for four runs in the sixth. Shohei Ohtani ignited the rally with an RBI single that tied the game, and Mookie Betts drove in two runs, finishing 4-for-5 with three doubles. The Dodgers’ bullpen—anchored by Emmet Sheehan (1⅓ IP, 0 R) and Roki Sasaki (1 IP, 0 R)—shut down the Reds thereafter, preserving the victory and extending Cincinnati’s postseason win drought to 13 years. Los Angeles next visits Philadelphia for Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/29683%E2%80%A6?utm_source=openai))

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 6⅔ IP, 4 H, 2 R (0 ER), 9 K, W
• Mookie Betts: 4-for-5, 3 2B, 3 RBI
• Sal Stewart: 2-for-4, 3 RBI (first career postseason start)
• Emmet Sheehan: 1⅓ IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K
• Roki Sasaki: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K

### Chicago Cubs 3, San Diego Padres 1
At Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs clinched their first postseason series victory since 2017 with a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres in the deciding Game 3. Michael Busch’s solo homer in the third inning provided Chicago a 1-0 advantage. Pete Crow-Armstrong added an RBI single in the fifth, breaking up a 1-1 tie after Jurickson Profar had knotted the game with a solo blast off Domingo German. Starter Jameson Taillon delivered four scoreless innings, scattering two hits with five punchouts before handing the ball to the bullpen. Daniel Palencia (1⅓ IP), Drew Pomeranz (1 IP), Brad Keller (1 IP), and closer Andrew Kittredge (1 IP, save) combined to silence the potent Padres lineup, which saw Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado go a combined 0-for-7 with three strikeouts. Chicago will now travel to Milwaukee to open the NLDS against the division-rival Brewers. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/0f031ff6ee5fc07351412c1631b100ea?utm_source=openai))

• Michael Busch: 1-for-3, HR, 1 RBI, 1 run
• Pete Crow-Armstrong: 2-for-4, RBI, robust defense in center field
• Jameson Taillon: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 K, no decision
• Andrew Kittredge: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, save (1)
• Yu Darvish (SD): 1⅓ IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 K, L

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With yesterday’s Wild Card outcomes, the 2025 MLS postseason bracket has solidified. In the American League, the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will both travel on Friday to face the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, respectively, in best-of-five Division Series matchups. Over in the National League, the Chicago Cubs head to Milwaukee to clash with the Brewers, while the Los Angeles Dodgers fly east to take on the Philadelphia Phillies, with all Game 1 contests set for this Saturday. Fans can look forward to these pivotal matchups as the race to the World Series intensifies.