With three of the 4 Wild Card Sequence determined, listed here are three issues we’ll be watching round baseball right now:
1. Brewers drive Recreation 3:
After dropping Recreation 1 of the Wild Card Sequence on Tuesday, the Brewers got here again to beat the Mets 5-3 on Wednesday, tying the best-of-three sequence up at one recreation apiece. With the opposite three Wild Card Sequence already determined, the Brewers-Mets matchup would be the solely recreation on the docket right now, kicking off at 6:08pm CT.
Milwaukee will ship rookie Tobias Myers (3.00 ERA, 3.99 SIERA in 138 IP) to the mound, whereas New York is ready to counter with the veteran Jose Quintana (3.75 ERA, 4.58 SIERA in 170 1/3 IP). Myers has loved the higher general season, however Quintana has been lights-out over his final six begins (0.74 ERA). The Mets even have a extra rested bullpen at their disposal; Mets relievers have thrown six innings to date this sequence, whereas the Brewers bullpen has been tasked with 10 1/3.
The winner of tonight’s contest will head to Philadelphia to face the Phillies within the NLDS.
2. Elbow tightness for Joe Musgrove:
Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove exited his Recreation 2 begin on Wednesday with tightness in his pitching elbow. Whereas his teammates went on to win the sport and safe a matchup with the Dodgers within the NLDS, this may very well be a troublesome blow for San Diego.
Preliminary checks got here again adverse, however the 31-year-old is ready to endure additional testing right now (per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune). The extent of his harm might be unclear till then. For what it’s value, Musgrove didn’t attempt to underplay it after the sport: “Going out for that fourth inning,” he stated, “Nothing felt proper” (per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). Musgrove missed about half of the 2024 season with elbow irritation associated to bone spurs. He has seemed glorious since his return from the IL (2.15 ERA in 9 begins), however evidently, one other elbow harm isn’t signal – regardless that Musgrove believes this newest harm is “very totally different” from the difficulty that bothered him earlier this yr (per Sanders).
Fortunately for the Padres, they nonetheless have loads of beginning depth to depend on. Along with Michael King and Dylan Stop, Yu Darvish, Martín Pérez, and Matt Waldron can be found to begin within the NLDS.
3. Freddie Freeman making progress
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is making progress as he rehabs from the sprained ankle that stored him out for the ultimate few video games of the common season. He’s anticipated to face reside pitching both right now or tomorrow (per Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Supervisor Dave Roberts has maintained his optimism that the eight-time All-Star might be within the lineup in opposition to the Padres on Saturday. Nonetheless, Roberts additionally admitted that Freeman gained’t be at 100%, and it stays unclear how considerably his ankle will have an effect on his protection and baserunning throughout the NLDS.
In extra Dodgers information, shortstop Miguel Rojas can also be anticipated to be within the lineup for Recreation 1 of the NLDS (per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Occasions). He has been nursing an adductor pressure. Like Freeman, Rojas is not going to be at full energy, however he appears to have made good progress in his restoration and can try to play by any discomfort.
