SI:AM | Everything You Need to Know About the MLB Playoffs

Good morning, I’m Andy Nesbitt, filling in again for Dan Gartland. While I’m pumped about the MLB playoffs beginning today, I can’t believe the NHL season starts tonight, too.

In today’s SI:AM:

🐻 Johnson’s masterclass

🏀 Clippers’ mess

👑 LeBron’s new kingdom

Everything you need to know about the MLB playoffs

All four MLB wild-card series kick off Tuesday, and we’ve got everything you’ll need to get ready for the action. Tom Verducci has his 10 truths about what to expect this postseason, Karl Rasmussen provides his postseason power rankings, we give our experts’ predictions for who will win it all and here’s the complete playoff schedule.

Now let’s dive into these wild-card matchups.

Phillies at Braves: Game 1, Tuesday 2. p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

The Phillies clinched their postseason berth with a win in the final game of the regular season. Now they’ll face the rival Braves, who rolled to the NL East title and will start their ace, Chris Sale, in the first game. Philadelphia, meanwhile, had to use their ace, Zack Wheeler, in Sunday’s finale and send out Jesús Luzardo to the mound in Game 1

Who won the season series: Braves, 9-4

Who the winner will play in the NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers

White Sox at Astros: Game 1, Tuesday 5 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBC Sports Network)

The Astros get to host this series after winning the AL West with an 81-81 record. The White Sox went 84-78 but finished a game behind the Guardians in the AL Central.

Who won the season series: Astros, 5-2

Who the winner will play in the ALDS: Cleveland Guardians

Red Sox at Yankees: Game 1, Tuesday 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

These two bitter rivals meet in the wild-card round for the second straight year. The Yankees won last year in three games after dropping the opener. The Red Sox used an incredible 15-game winning streak in July to turn their season around, but their bats went silent in September, a month in which they scored the fewest runs (71) in MLB. The Yankees took three of four from the Red Sox in their last series in late August, winning the final game 16-1.

Who won the season series: Yankees, 7-6

Who the winner will play in the ALDS: Tampa Bay Rays

Cubs at Padres: Game 1, Tuesday 10 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBC Sports Network)

This should be a really fun series between two of the most exciting teams in baseball. The Cubs are led by likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who hit 45 home runs this season and stole 41 bases. The Padres have been the hottest team in baseball the past two months, going 41-18 in their final 59 games. Buckle up for this one.

Who won the season series: Cubs, 5-1

Who the winner will play in NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers

The best of Sports Illustrated

Tom Verducci: Top 10 Truths to Expect This MLB Postseason
Gilberto Manzano: Ben Johnson Showed Why He’s More Than a Great Play-Caller With Case Keenum’s Performance
Conor Orr: The Giants’ Trade for J.J. McCarthy Is a Galaxy Brain Move That Goes Too Far
Conor Orr: Why the Raiders’ 3–0 Start is For Real, But the 49ers’ May Not Be
Chris Mannix: Asking for Forgiveness, the Clippers’ Front Office Stresses There Is a Way Forward
Liam McKeone: The LeBron Era in Philadelphia Has Officially Begun. There Isn’t Hope—Only Expectations
Pat Forde: Six Bold Predictions for College Football in October
Pat Forde: The Best, Worst and Weirdest of College Football in September
Pat Forde: Predicting Seven College Football Games With Major Stakes in Week 5
Dan Falkenheim: Why A’ja Wilson Is the Advanced Stats MVP
Jon Wertheim: Laver Cup 2026 Was a Carlos Alcaraz Showcase

The top five…

… Things I saw yesterday.

5. Jalen Hurts’s weird postgame reaction to Andy Dalton apologizing for throwing an interception against the Bears.

4. LeBron James’s funny line about leaving his family for the 76ers.

3. Boston’s Game 1 starter Payton Tolle talking about job experience in the most relatable way before facing the Yankees.

2. Stephen Curry’s hilarious walk-off line about the Warriors’ playoff hopes this year.

1. Case Keenum having a sweet moment with his daughter after leading the Bears to a win over the Eagles in his first NFL start in 1,009 days.

📺 What we’re watching today …

MLB
Phillies at Braves, 2 p.m. ET, NBC
White Sox at Astros, 5 p.m. ET, Peacock
Red Sox at Yankees, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m. ET, Peacock

The first round of the playoffs begins.

WNBA

Aces at Fever, 6:30 p.m. ET, Prime
Indiana returns home facing elimination.

Lynx at Liberty, 8:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, CNBC
The league's top seed looks to avoid a sweep on the road.

NHL
Panthers at Hurricanes, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN
Carolina will raise its championship banner before the season opener.

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