On a thrilling four-game Wednesday in the MLB playoffs, Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets became the first team to advance to the championship series, eliminating the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of their National League Division Series.
They’ll have to wait to find out who their championship series opponent will be, as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the San Diego Padres to even their series at two games. In the American League, the Detroit Tigers shut out the Cleveland Guardians — again — to take a 2-1 series lead, and the New York Yankees also grabbed a 2-1 series lead on the Kansas City Royals behind a big night from Giancarlo Stanton.
Here is how the day went down, from live updates and analysis during the games to takeaways after the final pitch to what’s next for each team.
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Takeaways and analysis
Detroit leads series 2-1
Game 3 at Comerica Park was historic in an unusual way — the ALDS series between the Guardians and Tigers is now just the second in postseason history to feature a shutout in each of the first three games, according to ESPN Research. The latter two have gone Detroit’s way, including Wednesday’s 3-0 win. The Tigers used six different pitchers — three came in mid-inning — to produce their second consecutive shutout.
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Manager A.J. Hinch has been spot-on with almost every pitching move he has made this postseason, as evidenced by the fact that the Tigers are averaging 2.8 runs per game but are 4-1 so far. And they’re doing it on the mound with essentially one star pitcher in Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, Cleveland is on a 20-inning postseason scoreless streak, a franchise record. It has put the Guardians in a hole in the series; they’re now down 2-1 after taking a 1-0 lead over the weekend.
What to watch in Game 4: The Guardians have one thing going for them in Game 4 — their hottest pitcher will take the ball in an elimination game for them. Tanner Bibee was outstanding in Game 1, even though he only went 4⅔ innings and had a 5-0 first-inning lead thanks to the offense. Nonetheless, Bibee looked great. Cleveland will have the pitching advantage on Thursday though Skubal looms for Game 5. But the Guardians have to get there first. — Jesse Rogers
New York wins series 3-1
You can hold down these Mets for only so long. The Mets loaded the bases twice in the first two innings of Game 4 against Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez. They didn’t score either time. The third time, against the Phillies’ bullpen, was a different tale. With one out, Phillies manager Rob Thomson summoned his closer, Carlos Estevez, to face Francisco Lindor. Estevez’s fourth pitch was a 99 mph fastball over the plate. Lindor smashed it into the visitors bullpen in right-center field for a go-ahead grand slam and his biggest hit as a Met. The blast ensured New York did not squander another strong start from left-hander Jose Quintana, who held Philadelphia to one run, two hits and two walks over five innings, and catapulted the Mets into the NLCS for the first time since 2015.
What’s next: Now the Mets will wait to see if they’re flying to San Diego or Los Angeles to continue this dream season.
The last time the Dodgers and Mets met, Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the crowd and the Mets called a players-only meeting after losing 15 of 19 games to fall 11 games under .500. That was May 29, and that day sparked New York’s turnaround. Or was it Grimace throwing out the first pitch two weeks later? Who knows? But the Mets have been the best team in baseball since. The Dodgers posted the best record in baseball during the regular season. They have their star power in Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. But they also have significant questions. Freddie Freeman has been hampered by an ankle injury and the starting rotation is underwhelming. The Dodgers would have the bullpen advantage, but the Mets’ lineup is deeper and their starting pitchers are more reliable. It would be an NLCS clash nobody would have expected at the end of May. But it might just happen.
Meanwhile, the Mets went 5-2 against the Padres during the regular season, sweeping them in a three-game series in New York in June and splitting a four-game set in San Diego in late August. Both clubs boast strong rotations and deep lineups. But the Padres would hold a significant edge in the bullpen department after adding Jason Adam and Tanner Scott at the trade deadline to strengthen the bridge to closer Robert Suarez. The Mets’ pitching staff would have to figure out how to limit the white-hot Fernando Tatis Jr. But, then again, the Padres would have to figure out how to slow a team that continues defying expectations.
As for the Phillies, here is what is facing them as they head home early for the winter. — Jorge Castillo
New York leads series 2-1
The Yankees are an entirely different team when Giancarlo Stanton is as locked in as he was in the 3-2 victory in Game 3 of their division series against Kansas City. With their Nos. 3 and 4 hitters, Aaron Judge and Austin Wells, a combined 3-for-23 in the series, getting a three-hit game from Stanton, their No. 5 hitter, deepens their lineup and poses a serious problem for a Kansas City team struggling to score runs.
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Stanton’s eighth-inning, go-ahead home run handed them a one-run lead that closer Luke Weaver cinched with a five-out save. Add nine walks — one of which accounted for their first run in the fourth, and two others of which helped push across their second run in the fifth — and the Yankees have found their formula for winning: power, patience and pitching.
What to watch in Game 4: Gerrit Cole takes the mound, with the off day between Games 1 and 2 allowing him to pitch on regular rest a game before the Game 1 starter typically would. And he’s looking forward to the challenge of clinching the Yankees’ 19th ALCS berth. “I take anything I can get in the postseason,” Cole said. “I’m not picky, home or road. You’re here, it’s a blessing.” — Jeff Passan
Series tied 2-2
The Dodgers are bruised, but they certainly are not broken. They were without their No. 3 hitter, without a traditional starting pitcher and without their everyday shortstop, but somehow, with their season on the line, they persevered. They chased Dylan Cease before the end of the second inning, scored five runs before committing their first out of the third and never let the Padres’ vaunted offense get close, eventually turning Game 4 into a rout. Mookie Betts, Will Smith and Gavin Lux all homered. And seven relievers combined for a shutout. Miguel Rojas was out of the lineup because of an adductor tear, Freddie Freeman was a late scratch because of lingering soreness in his sprained right ankle, and the Dodgers didn’t have a starting pitcher they trusted while facing elimination. None of it mattered. They’ll live to fight another day.
What to watch in Game 5: This tense, electric, riveting NLDS will move to a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday night. It’s only fitting. The Padres will start Yu Darvish, who twirled seven innings of one-run ball to help deliver a Game 2 victory. The Dodgers have both Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto available. In all likelihood, Yamamoto will start and Flaherty will be available out of the bullpen if needed. The Dodgers will get to play in front of their home crowd, which famously became hostile Sunday. But their biggest benefit will be the Thursday off day. The Dodgers hope it will give Freeman a chance to return to the lineup. — Alden Gonzalez
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