October 17, 2025

Playoffs Today

The Blue Jays and the Mariners play their game five early as they travel back to Toronto after the contest, the winner only needing one win to capture the American League Pennant. Kevin Gausman faces Bryce Miller. Gausman went 5 2/3 innings in each of his two post-season starts in 2025. He only struck out eight batters, but he still limited batters to just seven hits in those 11 1/3 innings, good for a 2.38 ERA. Miller opposed Gausman in game one of this series, and allowed one run in six innings. Like Guasman, he limited hits without a lot of Ks this post-season, with three K and six hits allowed in 10 1/3 innings.

The Brewers still have not named a starter for game four the first elimination game of the LCS round. All three of the games against the Dodgers were winnable, as Los Angeles scored a total of 10 runs. Most of the damage comes early, as the openers and starters allowed a .259/.355/.667 slash line, with with six of the seven hits allowed going for extra bases. That’s in 31 BFP. The relievers allowed a high OBP, but not the power. Note that Dodgers starters faced 79 batters, striking out 25 of them, and allowing a .093/.139/.160 slash line. It’s as if the Brewers lineup were all poor hitting pitchers from the pre-DH days.

Shohei Ohtani takes the mound for Los Angeles. He went six strong innings in his start against the Phillies, walking one and striking out nine.

Enjoy!

October 17, 2025

Best Batter Today

The top five of the Baseball Musings Batter Rankings did not change, but George Springer of the Blue Jays, in third place, inched closer to Cal Raleigh of the Mariners, in second place. Springer posted a one for five game, his hit going for a double, while Raleigh walked in four trips to the plate. They are now separated by less than three points, with Aaron Judge about 14 points ahead of Raleigh.

The best game score of the day came off the Josh Naylor of the Mariners, three for three with a walk and a home run, good for a score of 76. Naylor may be remembered, however, for ending a potential big inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Seattle put two on with two out as both Jorge Polanco and Naylor walked. The Polanco walk chased Max Scherzer from the game and brought in Mason Fluharty. Down 5-1 at the time, Eugenio Suarez singled to right, driving in Polanco. Naylor attempted to go to third, however, and was easily thrown out by Addison Barger from right field. I can see where Naylor might have thought the throw would go to second to keep Suarez out of scoring position, but Barger owns a great arm, and that rally died.

The Blue Jays took the game 8-2 to even the series and assure a game six on Sunday.

October 17, 2025

Friday Update

The Day by Day Database is up to date.

October 16, 2025

Even Steven

The Blue Jays beat the Mariners 8-2 as the road team continues to dominate in the ALCS. The series is now even at two games each, so there will be a game six back in Toronto.

October 16, 2025

Bottom Out

For the second night in a row, Blue Jays ninth slot hitter Andres Gimenez homers, sending a ball just over the top of the fence in rightfield. He hit seven home runs during the regular season. Toronto leads Seattle 2-1 in the top of the third inning.

Update: After the home run, Luis Castillo of the Mariners gets an out, then loads the bases. He’s out of the game after 2 1/3 innings.

Update: Gabe Speier comes on and walks Daulton Varsho to drive in a run and extend the Blues Jays lead to 3-1.

Update: Speier strikes out the next two batters to end the threat.

October 16, 2025

Nalyed It

Josh Naylor of the Mariners takes Max Scherzer of the Blue Jays deep in the top of the second inning to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead in game four of the ALCS. Scherzer gives up home runs, but when he’s right, there is usually no one on base. In his regular season career, Naylor owns 104 home runs, evenly spilt between bases empty and men on.

October 16, 2025

Dodgers Keep on Rolling

The Dodgers defeat the Brewers 3-1 in game three of the NLCS, their third straight win in the best of seven series. Once again, the Dodgers pitching staff kept the Brewers hitters off balance, recording 12 strikeouts. Milwaukee recorded the third fewest Ks in the NL this season, but the Dodgers keep getting them to swing and miss.

The first elimination game of the LCS takes place on Friday, and the Brewers will need to find a way to put the ball in play if they want to keep their season going.

October 16, 2025

Misiorowski Tires

2 Replies

Jacob Misiorowski came on in relief in the first inning after opener Aaron Ashby allowed a run. He held the Dodgers at bay until the sixth inning, when he tired and the middle of the Dodgers order started getting to him. He left after five innings and nine strikeouts, with the last three batters reaching, leading to a run and the Dodgers lead. He also allowed an unearned run as closer Abner Uribe entered the game to try to stop the scoring, and threw away a pickoff attempt.

The opener strategy didn’t work. The Brewers might have been better off starting Misiorowski and pulling him after five innings. They could have then gone with their conventional reliever strategy. Ball players like to know their rolls, and the opener/closer use throws chaos into the system.

Update: Jackson Chourio just left the field with an injury to his right leg after a swing.

October 16, 2025

Triple Thursday

Caleb Durbin matches Shohei Ohtani as Durbin leads off the top of the second with a triple. He comes in a on a Jake Bauers single up the middle past a drawn in infield.

The Brewers and Dodgers are tied at one.

October 16, 2025

Triple Double

The Brewers did not score in the top of the first inning. Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers leads off the bottom of the first with a triple down the rightfield line, as the Brewers were not playing him to pull. Mookie Betts then puts a hit between the center and right fielders and legs out a double to put Los Angeles up 1-0.

The Brewers did get two men on in the first, but they reached with two out on a walk and an infield hit.

October 16, 2025

Playoffs Today

The Brewers and Dodgers play the early west coast game on Thursday, with Milwaukee still working on pitching plans while the Dodgers send Tyler Glasnow to the mound. The game kicks off at 6 PM EDT, 3 PM PDT with the Dodgers up two games to none.

Jose Quintana of the Brewers likely will try to pitch the bulk of the innings for Milwaukee. He has yet to record a win in the post season covering nine appearances and seven starts. In the starter-relief role against the Cubs he pitched three shutout innings. Glasnow pitched both as a starter and reliever this post season, giving the Dodgers 7 2/3 shutout innings. He did walk five batters, but his ten strikeouts kept them from moving far once they reached base.

At 8 PM EDT, 5 PM PDT, the Blue Jays attempt to even the series with the Mariners who lead the ALCS 2-1. Max Scherzer takes on Luis Castillo. Scherzer did not make the short series roster against the Yankees, and makes his first start of the 2025 post-season. Scherzer makes his 31st playoff appearance and his 26th start. He stands 8-1 with a 3.78 ERA, showing just how difficult it can be to pitch against consistently good talent. This shows up in his walk numbers. In his regular season career he averaged 2.37 walks per nine IP, but 3.52 BB per 9 IP in the post-season. Castillo pitched well in his limited post-season career. In 25 2/3 innings he struck out 23, walked five allowed two home runs and only four runs total for 1.40 ERA. Despite that low ERA, he stands 2-2.

Enjoy!

Update: Aaron Ashby will once again serve as an opener for the Brewers.

October 16, 2025

Best Batter Today

The top five of the Baseball Musings Batter Rankings did not change based on game three of the ALCS, but George Springer of the Blue Jays, in third place, narrowed the gap with Cal Raleigh of the Mariners, in second place. Springer went three for six with a home run for a game score of 66 in the 13-4 Blue Jays victory. Raleigh posted a one for four night, his lone hit a home run for a game score of 56. Four points now separate the two players. Aaron Judge of the Yankees remains on top, while Michael Busch of the Cubs holds fourth place and Juan Soto of the Mets stayed in fifth place.

The best game score of the day went to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, an 84. He went four for four with a walk, two doubles, and a home run. The morning of October fourth, the day of the Blue Jays first post-season game, Guerrero ranked 76th. In seven games he posted a .464/.515/.964 slash line to move up to twelfth today. Seven of his 13 hits came with men on base, and three of his six extra-base hits. He’s the definition of doing damage this post season.

October 16, 2025

Thursday Update

The Day by Day Database is up to date.

October 15, 2025

No Sweep

The Blue Jays beat the Mariners 13-4 to narrow Seattle’s series lead to 2-1. The teams will play at least two more games. Home runs were the choice for scoring runs tonight, as the teams combined for eight home runs. The Blue Jays collected 18 hits, four doubles, five home runs, and three walks. They only struck out seven times in forty seven plate appearances. They put the ball in play as they often do, and tonight a lot of those balls found holes.

October 15, 2025

No Cycle

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits the first pitch of the eighth inning into the gap in right-center. The Blue Jays bench encouraged him to go for the triple to record a cycle, but Guerrero wisely stopped at second base for his second double and fourth hit of the game. With Toronto leading the Mariners 12-2, he should have gone for the triple anyway.

Half of the Blue Jays 16 hits went for extra bases.

October 15, 2025

Spring Sprung

George Springer homers in the top of the fourth, his third of the post season. That extends the Blue Jays lead to 6-2 over the Mariners. The ball is carrying well in Seattle tonight.

Update: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. adds another home run leading off the top of the fifth inning, and Toronto lead the Mariners 7-2. He’s three for three on the night and needs a triple for the cycle.

Update: The Jays add another run in the fifth and halfway through the game they lead 8-2.

October 15, 2025

Gimenez Homers

Andres Gimenez, batting ninth for the Blue Jays, follows an Ernie Clement double with a long home run to right-center to tie the Mariners at two. It’s Gimenez’s first home run of the 2025 post season, and he slugged just .313 during the regular season.

Update: The Blue Jays take the lead on a swinging strike wild pitch with the bases loaded, then Daulton Varsho lines a double to right to score the other two runners, and the Blue Jays lead 5-2 in the middle of the third inning. Varsho is 7 for 24 in the 2025 post season with five extra-base hits.

October 15, 2025

Rodriguez Rakes

Randy Arozarena of the Mariners walks leading off the bottom of the first inning, and with one out, Julio Rodriguez brings him around to score with a home run. That’s Rodriguez’s third home run of the post-season and his fourth extra-base hit. The Mariners lead the Blue Jays 2-0.

October 15, 2025

Eyeballs

Television ratings are very good in the post season so far. It probably helped to have both the Yankees and Dodgers in the wild card round.

October 15, 2025

Playoffs Today

Shane Bieber of the Blue Jays and George Kirby of the Mariners square off in Seattle as the M’s lead the best of seven ALCS 2-0. Bieber experienced little success in the post season as he comes into this game with 5.23 ERA in 20 2/3 innings. He struck out 24, but his high K rate did not limit hits, as he allowed 22 in total. On top of that, six of the eight extra base hits he allowed came with runners on base, doing great damage against him.

Kirby allowed just three runs in his 18 post-season innings, striking out 20. Opponents are 4 for 28 against him in the post season with runners on base, and just one for 13 with men in scoring position.

Game time is 8 PM EDT. Enjoy!

October 15, 2025

Best Batter Today

The top five in the Baseball Musings Batter Rankings remain unchanged, as none of the hitters saw action on Tuesday.

Enrique Hernandez of the Dodgers posted the highest game score of the day, a 62. He went two for three with a double and a walk in a 5-1 win over the Brewers. He is a career .290/.364/.521 hitter in the post season (294 PA), making him a bit of a legend. Note that most of that damage came at the start of innings (none on/none out), where he is .342/.385/.712, with nine of his fifteen homers. He is clutch at starting rallies, if you will.

His regular season career line stands at .236/.305/.403.

October 15, 2025

Wednesday Update

The Day by Day Database is up to date.

October 14, 2025

How to Avoid a Bullpen

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches a complete game as the Dodgers beat the Brewers 5-1. He allowed a home on his first pitch of the game, and that was all the Brewers would get. He gave up two more hits and a walk, throwing 111 pitches. Los Angeles wins the first two games of the best of seven series on the road.

The Dodgers bullpen appeared to be their weak spot coming into this series. They only pitched one inning so far, as Blake Snell and Yamamoto combined four one run in seventeen innings.

By the way, I didn’t mean for this to be prophetic. And this paragraph holds up well:

This is one time that the overall numbers may not tell the full story. The Dodgers recovered good pitchers from injury late in the season, most importantly Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell. The Brewers lost Brandon Woodruff to an injury after he made a triumphant return to the rotation. The Two teams are closer on the pitching and defense side of the equation that they appear in the table.
BaseballMusings.com

Both the Mariners and Dodgers are in a great position to finish these series at home.

October 14, 2025

A Pitch Too Many

According to the broadcast, Freddy Peralta of the Brewers told his manager Pat Murphy he had one more inning left, and Murphy allowed him to pitch. After getting the first two batters, Max Muncy of the Dodgers worked the count full and fouled off what Ron Darling called “his last pitch.” You never know what the last pitch will be, but on the next on, Muncy hit a long homer of the centerfield fence for a 3-1 Dodgers lead, and that was it for Peralta.

October 14, 2025

Action Jackson

Jackson Chourio leads off for the Brewers in the bottom of the first and takes the first pitch from Yoshinobu Yamamoto out to centerfield for a 1-0 Brewers lead over the Dodgers. George Springer did that in game one of the ALCS, and it was the only run the Blue Jays scored in the game.

Update: With one out in the top of the second inning, Teoscar Hernandez of the Dodgers ties the game with a high fly ball down the leftfield line that kept carrying just over the fence.

Update: Enrique Hernandez singles and Andy Pages doubles with two out in the top of the second, and the Dodgers go on top 2-1. Nice work by the bottom of the Dodgers order as the teams head to the bottom of the second inning.

October 14, 2025

Shildt Retires

There’s another managerial opening as Padres skipper Mike Shildt decided to retire:

There were rumors percolating this season that trouble was brewing with San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt and the front office. And on Oct. 13, Shildt officially announced his retirement with two years left on his contract.

“Just took a lot out of me,” Shildt told USA TODAY Sports. “Just looked in the mirror and knew I didn’t have it in me to do what it takes to lead another 90-plus win season and World Series run.

“I’m at peace and look forward to the next chapter.”
USAToday.com

Shildt denied any strain with the front office. It seems the strain of the season simply got to him.

October 14, 2025

Playoffs Today

Game two of the NLCS takes place in Milwaukee at 8 PM EDT as the Brewers try to even the series with the Dodgers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto battles Freddy Peralta. One of the worst starts of Yamamoto’s career came against the Brewers on July 7, 2025. He lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up four hits, two walks, and a home run. That led to five runs, three of them earned. So far in his post-season career he stands 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts.

Peralta owns two extreme post-season numbers. He struck out 37 batters in 27 2/3 innings, leading to just 16 hits. Five of those hits turned out to be home runs, however, leading to 13 runs, all earned. So in eight games, five of those starts, he owns a 1-2 record and a 4.23 ERA. Hitting home runs is a Dodgers strength.

Enjoy!

October 14, 2025

Best Batter Today

The top five of the Baseball Musings Batter Rankings remains the same after two LCS games Monday night. Cal Raleigh of the Mariners drew two walks in the 10-3 win over the Blue Jays, Seattle going up 2-0 in that series with three games at home coming up next. George Springer of the Blue Jays doubled and walked, closing the gap a bit between Raleigh in second and Springer in third. Aaron Judge of the Yankees, Michael Busch of the Cubs, and Juan Soto of the Mets rank one, four, and five respectively.

Josh Naylor of the Mariners posted the highest game score of the day, a 71. He went three for four with a home run. He’s 9 for 31 with a walk and three extra-base hits in the playoffs this season.

October 14, 2025

Tuesday Update

The Day by Day Database is up to date.

October 13, 2025

You Can Ring My Snell

Blake Snell of the Dodgers pitched eight shutout innings against the Brewers, allowing one hit while striking out ten. The Dodgers gave him two runs, the second on another bases loaded walk by Mookie Betts. That turned out to be a very important run, as the Brewers used a double and three walks to finally score in the ninth, but Brice Turang struck out with the bases loaded to end the game with Los Angeles winning 2-1.

The Brewers don’t strike out much, but Snell fooled them tonight, and kept them from putting good wood on the ball even when they did manage to make contact. Home field now moves to the Dodgers side of the ledger.