Top News:
Demetrius Bell / Yahoo Sports:
Ray Kerr announced as Wild Card Series Game 3 starter for Braves — Recommended Stories … With the Postseason run on the line, the Atlanta Braves are now in a situation where they'll likely be leaning on their bullpen to get them through to the Divisional Series over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Discussion:
MLB.com, The Athletic, Awful Announcing, MLB Trade Rumors, New York Post, sports.yahoo.com and Phillies Nation
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Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Nola's command issues lead to short start in Game 3 — ATLANTA — Aaron Nola was given the start in attempt to get the Phillies back to Los Angeles for a rematch with the Dodgers in the National League Division Series. — Nola started the Phillies' 6-2 loss to the Braves in Game 3 …
Discussion:
The Athletic, Crossing Broad, Phillies Nation, Yahoo Sports and BaseballNow.com
Jason Owens / Yahoo Sports:
Bryce Harper lets Braves take lead with fielding blunder, makes up for it with game-tying HR next inning
Paul Casella / MLB.com:
4 big takeaways from the Phillies-Braves back-and-forth WC opener
4 big takeaways from the Phillies-Braves back-and-forth WC opener
Discussion:
Forbes, sports.yahoo.com, The Athletic and The Good Phight
Darragh McDonald / MLB Trade Rumors:
Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2027 — Matt Swartz has created a model to project salaries for arbitration eligible players, which we've been publishing at MLB Trade Rumors for well over a decade. — In the baseball industry, teams and agents determine arbitration salaries by identifying comparable players.
Discussion:
sports.yahoo.com, cubsinsider.com and Battery Power
Fabian Ardaya / The Athletic:
Tarik Skubal to start Game 1 for Dodgers as L.A.'s pursuit of another World Series title begins — The Los Angeles Dodgers' trade deadline splash will open their pursuit of a third consecutive World Series title. — Two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will start Game 1 …
Discussion:
True Blue LA, New York Post, Yahoo Sports and FanGraphs Baseball
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees tab Cole to start Game 1 of ALDS against Rays — ST. PETERSBURG — For most of last summer, Gerrit Cole wasn't allowed to pick up a baseball. Many nights, he'd lie awake and stare at the ceiling, pitching anyway — picturing showdowns against whatever team the Yankees happened to be facing that week.
Discussion:
sports.yahoo.com, CBS Sports, New York Post, BaseballNow.com, Pinstripe Alley, Baseball Prospectus, Sportsnet.ca and The Athletic
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks sweep rival Sox behind another offensive onslaught to punch ticket to ALDS
Yanks sweep rival Sox behind another offensive onslaught to punch ticket to ALDS
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, Chicago Sun Times, New York Post and Pinstripe Alley
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Houston? No problem! White Sox end 21-year wait with sweep — HOUSTON — There was a moment with nobody out in the sixth inning Wednesday night during Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series that perfectly encapsulated the White Sox remarkable season and the downright fun they've had along the way.
Discussion:
On Tap Sports Net, Sports Mockery, Yahoo Sports, ESPN, The Athletic, Chicago Sun Times, Associated Press, RoundtableSports and South Side Sox
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
MLB playoffs: Judge or no Judge, Yankees will be ready for Rays — NEW YORK — Standing inconspicuously in the back of the room — or at least as inconspicuously as a 6-foot-7 aircraft carrier of a human being can — Aaron Judge peered into the mass of booze-soaked humanity in front of him Wednesday night and smiled.
Discussion:
New York Post, MLB.com, Yahoo Sports, FanGraphs Baseball, Sportsnet.ca and Bleacher Report
The Athletic:
Tony Romo, CBS Sports part ways after July OWI arrest — Tony Romo and CBS Sports have “mutually agreed to part ways,” the network said in a statement Friday. The announcement comes just over two months after Romo was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) in Milwaukee.
Discussion:
sports.yahoo.com, New York Post, Awful Announcing, Los Angeles Times, Boston.com and Sportico, more at WeSmirch »
Jaylon Thompson / Kansas City Star:
KC Royals part with longtime head athletic trainer amid medical staff overhaul — Key Takeaways — AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. — The Royals said head athletic trainer Kyle Turner will not return. — The club plans to replace each medical staff role this offseason before 2027 campaign.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Mark W. Sanchez / New York Post:
Yankees show they can win with more than power in wild-card triumph — Access the Yankees beat like never before — Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
ESPN:
Diamondbacks retaining Torey Lovullo as manager — The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back Torey Lovullo, the winningest manager in franchise history, the team announced on Thursday. — Lovullo, 61, whose deal expired after this season, agreed to a two-year contract.
Discussion:
Cronkite News, Purple Row, Burn City Sports, The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors and sports.yahoo.com
Davy Andrews / FanGraphs Baseball:
Rubbing Some Dirt on It Isn't Working for the Orioles — When is an injury so bad that it requires time off? That depends on all sorts factors. How badly does it hurt? How badly does the team need that player's production, and how much would playing through it inhibit that production?
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, MASN and BaltimoreBaseball.com
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Can Dodgers' hitters carry September momentum into October? — After struggling in July and August, the Dodgers' offense came back to life in September - against mostly weak opposition. They will have to keep that going in October, at least enough to support their strong starting pitching.
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Los Angeles Times

