LOS ANGELES — Miguel Rojas has remained composed at the field. But away from it, on the precipice of what could be his last postseason run as a player, he hasn't been able to hold back the tears.

"It's been hard," Rojas said in a recent conversation with The Los Angeles Times. "I'm not going to lie. I've been crying by myself at home.

"Every...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker has never shied away from just how bad his performance at the plate was for much of his first season in Los Angeles.

For the first five months of the season, when he'd show brief glimpses of progress before sinking back into an extended slump, Tucker's .683 OPS was the third-worst among Dodgers ...Read more

ATLANTA — Staring down the potential end of his Phillies tenure, Alec Bohm set up against Didier Fuentes in the 10th inning.

With the Phillies facing elimination from their wild-card series in Game 2, and Bohm nearing free agency, it was fair to wonder as he dug in if it could be his final at-bat in a Phillies uniform. But with one swing, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — When Dodgers rookie Josue De Paula debuted a little over two weeks ago, he was the youngest player in the lineup by four years. And when veteran infielder Miguel Rojas pinch-hit for Alex Freeland in the eighth inning, the 21-year-old De Paula and 29-year-old Kyle Tucker were the only Dodgers under 30 remaining in the batting ...Read more

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado showed up, and Michael King could pitch more than one inning.

On their own, those factors had the Padres in an entirely different space than they were a year ago.

In the end, too, Joe Musgrove could pitch at all, and the San Diego native was the one who threw the final pitch of an 8-0 victory over the Cubs ...Read more

ATLANTA — As Don Mattingly settled into his seat on the golf cart to return to his clubhouse after he’d mismanaged his flawed roster into an eighth-inning collapse, Braves ace Chris Sale strode toward the interview room to discuss his role in the Braves’ 5-3 win in Game 1 of the National League wild-card series.

With his magnificent left ...Read more

HOUSTON — For the opening act, the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros began their American League wild-card series with openers on the mound.

Both bullpens got a workout during Game 1, which the Sox won 6-3 in front of 34,011 at Daikin Park.

Sam Antonacci was a menace to multiple Houston pitchers, going 1 for 3 with one walk, a hit by ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Chicago Cubs have been weighing the risk of playing Alex Bregman at third base the last few days.

Manager Craig Counsell ultimately erred on the side of caution. Bregman, 10 days removed from sustaining facial fractures in his left cheek from a foul ball, will be the Cubs’ designated hitter Tuesday night in Game 1 of their ...Read more

HOUSTON — It’s not every day a baseball team receives the blessings of the pope, especially a half-hour before its biggest game in years.

But that’s one of the perks of being the Chicago White Sox, having the leader of the Catholic Church rooting for you at the Vatican as you begin your playoff quest after years roaming in the baseball ...Read more

ATLANTA — For eight innings, all of it was there. The demon lurking in the corners of their minds, memories of postseasons past. Three losses in four games in 2022. Three losses in four games in 2023. Orlando Arcia poking the bear. J.T. Realmuto racing around the bases. This was the postseason and it was the Phillies and it was the Braves and ...Read more

ATLANTA — The circle of trust in the Phillies’ bullpen couldn’t be smaller.

That’s why closer Jhoan Duran was even in the game at all in the eighth inning, when Braves third baseman Austin Riley drove a three-run homer over the right field wall to lift Atlanta over the Phillies, 5-3, in Game 1 on Tuesday.

The only way the Phillies were...Read more

CHICAGO — Toward the end of the Chicago White Sox’s long and tortured 2024 season, Jerry Meyer, a lifelong supporter and survivor of much Sox-inflicted trauma, wondered if perhaps he missed some sort of announcement. He showed up early to Rate Field, as he often does, to an eerie scene of desertion.

It felt a little like the aftermath of ...Read more

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge will not be on the New York Yankees’ wild-card roster, a source confirmed to the New York Daily News on Tuesday morning.

The decision, first reported by the YES Network’s Jack Curry, should not come as much of a surprise, as the back-to-back MVP suffered a moderate strain in the soleus muscle of his right calf on ...Read more

DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday wheeled suitcases out of the visitors’ clubhouse in Detroit, many heading to warmer destinations. Some went straight to the airport. Others joined the team bus for the charter flight to Pittsburgh.

It was bittersweet — a good clubhouse that led to progress, but not the ending they’d hoped for. ...Read more

SEATTLE — Jerry Dipoto thinks firing Jerry Dipoto would have been justified.

I agree.

But while manager Dan Wilson, bench coach Manny Acta, infield coach Perry Hill, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and first-base coach Eric Young Jr. were relieved of their respective duties, Dipoto celebrated his 11-year anniversary with the Mariners on Monday. ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The Chicago Cubs are again turning to left-hander Matthew Boyd to begin their postseason.

Boyd, who got the Game 1 start in last year’s wild-card series against the San Diego Padres, will again get the ball when the Cubs open their rematch Tuesday, this time at Petco Park. The Cubs also could have started right-hander Kevin ...Read more

HOUSTON — It was not a job they asked for, but it’s one that’s been thrust upon the Chicago White Sox after their storybook regular season.

Someone has to save baseball from the Houston Astros.

Why not the Sox?

The Astros are a .500 team with an outside chance to go to the World Series, which would be a potential disaster for MLB, Fox ...Read more

NEW YORK — At the conclusion of a disastrous season, David Stearns was faced with two options: Move forward without acknowledging the mess of 2026, or take responsibility for it.

The Mets president of baseball operations chose the latter option, showing a more human side Monday at Citi Field.

Admitting failure isn’t easy, especially when ...Read more

NEW YORK — With rosters for the wild-card series due on Tuesday, Aaron Judge kept making his case for a spot on the Yankees’ squad on Monday.

The back-to-back MVP took on-field batting practice and faced live pitching during the Bombers’ pre-postseason workout at Yankee Stadium. It was his first time hitting in such fashion since ...Read more