#wild-card

#wild-card

The Patriots' owner, Bob Kraft, hired Mike Vrabel on January 12, 2025, and everything changed. Amateur hour was replaced by professionalism. Vrabel was brought in by Kraft to rebuild a moribund franchise that had fallen from the pinnacle of NFL success to a laughingstock in five years. The change was immediately evident as Vrabel began the arduous task of rebuilding the NFL's worst roster into a playoff contender. His stated goal was to dethrone the Buffalo Bills as the top team in the AFC East.

According to the ESPN broadcast, Hernandez's back tightened up, forcing him to exit the game. Hernandez exited the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Dodgers led 8-2. He was replaced by Alex Call, who hit an RBI single and remained in the game in the outfield. Hernandez was 2-for-3 before exiting the game, and was getting the start in left field despite the right-handed Hunter Greene starting for Cincinnati.

The 2025 MLB postseason field is set with all 12 teams - six apiece in the American League and National League - having punched their tickets to October baseball. The final day of the regular season saw the Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays clinch the AL Central and AL East, respectively. That pushed the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees to Wild Card spots. The Cincinnati Reds nabbed the final NL Wild Card spot despite falling to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

"We don't know yet," Roberts said. "I think it just kind of gives us some options. But the likelihood of him starting a playoff game in that first series are very high."

Great American Ball Park opened in 2003. The Mets made their first September visit there in 2007, then returned in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019. Their composite won-lost mark on the banks of the Ohio in the final month of those specific seasons? A cool 15-4, including a division-clincher in 2015 and Pete Alonso's 50th home run as a rookie in 2019. Six series versus the Reds inside this month within the walls of this venue, six series wins.

Well, the Braves didn't do much to upend the Cubs' playoff chances, rolling over for a standard series loss earlier this week. This weekend, though, they really have a chance to create some foul-smelling soup as far as the AL West goes. The Braves are set to play the Mariners this weekend. The Mariners are four back of the Astros in the AL West, but just 1.5 games ahead of the Rangers for the final Wild Card spot.

Pérez has roared back with a 2.70 earned run average, 26% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk rate in 50 innings.

The Miami Marlins swept the New York Yankees at home before 101,000 fans to achieve a .500 record and get close to a wild card spot.

Seth Lugo achieved six innings of two-run ball, marking his 11th quality start out of 19 appearances and maintaining a 2.95 ERA with a 22% strikeout rate.

The good news is that while the Jays have dropped a couple in a row, so have the Yankees, Twins and Guardians.