New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
Cam Schlittler is officially a postseason menace. The Yankees ace dominated Boston in Game 1, tossing 6 ⅓ scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and only two hits allowed. He switched up the game plan, leaning heavy into his curveball—throwing it 27% of the time compared to his usual 9.8% in the regular season. The Red Sox had no answers. Boston’s leadoff man, Roman Anthony, struggled hard, striking out twice before getting pulled. The Sox finished with just two hits, and their postseason run is already looking shaky.
Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies
This game was a pure roller coaster. With the Phillies up 3-2 in the eighth, Austin Riley stepped up and absolutely clobbered a 99.9 mph heater from Jhoan Duran for a game-winning homer. It was a massive moment for Riley, who’s now homered in three of his last four postseason games against Philly. On the flip side, the Phillies took a massive L, specifically shortstop Turner. Between an 0-for-3 night at the plate, a brutal pick-off by Chris Sale, and a defensive miscue that extended the eighth inning, it was a rough outing for him.
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros
The White Sox hit Daikin Park with main character energy, putting up runs early and getting every starter on base by the fifth inning. The vibes are high because they’ve got a secret weapon: Pope Leo XIV. The South Side-born Pope sent the team a blessing before the postseason, and the Internet is highkey calling it a "performance-enhancing pope." Meanwhile, the Astros were forced into a disastrous bullpen game because they had no starters available. They used eight different relievers, and frankly, it was a total mess.
Why it matters
These best-of-three series are unforgiving. Game 1 wins are massive, giving the Yankees, Braves, and White Sox a massive momentum boost and putting their opponents in a must-win scenario for Game 2.
