Major League Baseball's playoffs will commence on Tuesday with the four best-of-three Wild Card Series. The No. 4 San Diego Padres kicked off their set by beating the No. 5 Atlanta Braves Tuesday at Petco Park in San Diego. They'll go for the finisher Wednesday.
Whichever team wins this series will then advance to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-five NL Division Series.
Here is the Wild Card Series schedule:
| Date | Start time/score | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | Tues., Oct. 1 | SD 4, ATL 0 | ESPN/fubo (try for free) |
Game 2 | Weds., Oct. 2 | 8:38 p.m. ET | ESPN2/fubo (try for free) |
Game 3 (if necessary) | Thurs., Oct. 3 | 7:08 p.m. ET | ESPN/fubo (try for free) |
Where to watch
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 2 | Time: 8:38 p.m. ET
Location: Petco Park (San Diego)
Channel: ESPN2 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Probable pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (6-5, 3.88 ERA) vs. LHP Max Fried (11-10, 3.25 ERA)
Odds: ATL +100 | SD -120; over/under: 6.5
The Padres are starting Joe Musgrove in Game 2 with the NLDS in sights. After an emergency start from AJ Smith-Shawver in Game 1, necessitated by Chris Sale's back issue that kept him off the Wild Card Series roster, Max Fried will attempt to keep the Braves' season alive.
Here now are the storylines for each team you need to know heading into the Wild Card Series.
Braves: Atlanta did not clinch a postseason berth until Game 162 and, to put it lightly, their pitching is a mess at the moment. Sale will not be available in the Wild Card Series and Max Fried will not be able to pitch on normal rest until Game 2. Reynaldo López, who was lined up to start Game 1, threw an inning out of the bullpen Monday. Hence Smith-Shawver and perhaps Bryce Elder getting the nod to begin the series. The Braves are pushing the limits of their pitching depth and, of course, they're without key hitters Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley. Both are done for the season with injuries. After the doubleheader Monday, the Braves had to fly cross country to San Diego, so they will be a tired team short on arms. But, they're in the postseason, and once you're in you have a chance to win the World Series.
Padres: No team finished the regular season hotter than the Padres. San Diego went 43-19 in their final 62 games, a 122-win pace, and they are awfully imposing on paper. Cease, Darvish, King, and Musgrove is a formidable rotation, the bullpen is the deepest and most powerful in baseball, and the lineup is sneaky deep with power and a ton of contact ability. Padres' hitters struck out in only 17.6% of their plate appearances this season, by far the lowest rate in baseball. The Astros were a distant second at 19.3%. The Padres clinched early and will be well-rested going into the Wild Card Series. That does not guarantee anything, but it does put them in a favorable position heading into the series.
