Brooks Thomason

After a dramatic 2025 MLB regular season, the American League and National League’s best teams now battle in the postseason, starting with the wild card. The MLB playoffs start Tuesday (1:00 ET). After a full 162 games, 18 teams are out, leaving 12 still chasing the Commissioner’s Trophy. With the MLB playoffs now in swing, eight teams take the limelight of national television to try to punch their ticket to the Division Series.

After their five-run lead collapsed on Wednesday, the Atlanta Braves angrily walked their heads off. Shohei Ohtani‘s bobblehead night ended in storybook fashion, with a walk-off home run to center. The Braves scored five runs in the first two innings, aided by errors; Nick Allen‘s double in the first, slated with Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson‘s two bags in the second, boosted the Braves to a 5–0 lead. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers cut into the lead one by one.

The New York Yankees have acquired reliever Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for prospects Ben Cowles and Jack Neely. The 33-year-old reliever’s Chicago stint lasted three years, and he will join his fourth team. He joins a Yankees side that has struggled in the recent summer days and is looking for more relief pitching. The Yankees top the AL Wild Card and are a half-game back from the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead. On a historical note, Mark’s dad pitched for the Yankees.