MLB division series 2026: Live updates, analysis on Day 5

          • ESPN
          Oct 7, 2026, 08:00 PM ET

          We've got a Super Wednesday in the 2026 MLB playoffs. That's right, four games -- all win or go home for the teams with their backs against the wall. Does it get any better than that?

          In the first American League game of the day, the Cleveland Guardians averted a sweep, roughing up the Chicago White Sox on the South Side to force a Game 4.

          Now, Game 4 of the National League Division Series pits the reigning back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, with the Dodgers ahead 2-1 in the series. The Tampa Bay Rays, up 2-0, are looking to bounce the New York Yankees in the Bronx.

          Later, the San Diego Padres hope to stave off elimination once again as they face the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park.

          We'll have all the day's action covered -- from lineups and keys to the game before first pitch to in-game analysis and postgame takeaways.

          Key links: Mega-preview | Series outlooks | Bracket | Schedule

          Jump to:
          CHW-CLE | ATL-LAD | NYY-TB | SD-MIL

          Live updates

          Here are all the best moments from MLB's Super Wednesday.

          Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves

          Follow live with pitch-by-pitch coverage

          Highlights from Atlanta

          Braves' D coughs up a run

          Harris races home -- it's 1-0 Braves

          Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees

          Follow live with pitch-by-pitch coverage

          Starting pitchers: Nick Martinez vs. Max Fried

          What Yankees need to do to force Game 4: Score some runs early to ease the pressure. As ugly as the defense was in Game 2, the offense has been the bigger problem for New York in this series. Both Yankees runs this postseason came via home runs by the scalding Ben Rice. Their five hits are the fewest through two games of a playoff series in franchise history. The Yankees' three through five hitters -- Luis Garcia Jr., Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. -- went 0-for-21 with seven strikeouts and no walks at Tropicana Field. Manager Aaron Boone on Monday said he's considering making lineup changes against right-hander Nick Martinez after using the same lineup with eight left-handed hitters in the first two games. It wouldn't hurt. -- Jorge Castillo

          Lineups

          Rays
          1. Yandy Diaz (R) DH
          2. Jonathan Aranda (L) 1B
          3. Junior Caminero (R) 3B
          4. Victor Mesa Jr. (L) LF
          5. Ryan Vilade (R) RF
          6. Liam Hicks (L) C
          7. Jonny DeLuca (R) CF
          8. Richie Palacios (L) 2B
          9. Taylor Walls (S) SS

          Yankees
          1. Trent Grisham (L) CF
          2. Ben Rice (L) DH
          3. Luis Garcia Jr. (L) 1B
          4. Cody Bellinger (L) LF
          5. George Lombard Jr. (R) SS
          6. Austin Wells (L) C
          7. Anthony Volpe (R) 2B
          8. Spencer Jones (L) RF
          9. Jose Caballero (R) 3B

          Lineups

          Milwaukee Brewers at San Diego Padres (10 p.m. ET)

          Starting pitchers: Robert Gasser vs. Walker Buehler

          What Padres need to do to force Game 4: With their season on the line once more, the Padres will turn to Buehler in Game 4. He has been a godsend for a thin Padres rotation this season, and he is no stranger to big playoff moments from his time with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. But his leash will be short.

          The Padres also seem optimistic that Mason Miller will be back off the paternity list on Wednesday, and that Adrian Morejon will be recovered enough from a stiff shoulder to join him in the bullpen. If that ends up being the case, the Padres could be in good shape. If not, they'll have to get creative once more. -- Alden Gonzalez

          Lineups

          Brewers
          1. Jackson Chourio (R) LF
          2. Christian Yelich (L) DH
          3. William Contreras (R) C
          4. Brice Turang (L) 2B
          5. Jake Bauers (L) 1B
          6. Cooper Pratt (R) SS
          7. Sal Frelick (L) RF
          8. Garrett Mitchell (L) CF
          9. Joey Ortiz (R) 3B

          Padres
          1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
          2. Jackson Merrill (L) CF
          3. Manny Machado (R) 3B
          4. Ty France (R) 1B
          5. Austin Hays (R) DH
          6. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
          7. Luis Campusano (R) C
          8. Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
          9. Samad Taylor (R) LF

          Takeaways

          Cleveland Guardians 9, Chicago White Sox 3

          Chicago leads series 2-1

          It was over when ... Jose Ramirez, future Hall of Famer, showed up. Ramirez hasn't been himself at the plate this season, playing through hand and wrist problems. But he's Cooperstown-bound for reasons beyond his great bat. Ramirez manufactured a run in the fifth by doubling with one out, swiping third, then scoring on a missile of ground ball off the bat of Jo Adell. In the field, with the bases loaded and the throngs at Rate Field at full throat, Ramirez nabbed a sharp Miguel Vargas grounder, went to the dirt but managed to spin and fling an on-target throw to just nab Vargas. Finally, Ramirez's two-run, two-out triple in the eighth all but sealed it. When the Guardians needed a vintage Ramirez performance, he delivered.

          Stat that defined the game: 19 strikeouts by the Cleveland pitching staff. The Guardians out-bullpenned the White Sox, whose bullpenning ways have become one of the central narratives of the 2026 postseason. The White Sox were able to generate some traffic against the parade of seven Guardians hurlers, but time after time, Cleveland's relievers recorded rally-killing whiffs.

          What it means for the rest of the series: The atmosphere was raucous with a jam-packed, black-clad crowd hoping to see their team's first-ever series-clinching win at the corner of 35th and Shields, site of the current and former White Sox venue. The last time Chicago clinched at home was in 1906, when it played at South Side Park a few blocks to the south. There is one more chance for that amazing drought to end in this series -- Thursday's Game 4 -- and Chicago will have to beat standout Guardians rookie southpaw Parker Messick to do it. Game 4 is going to be intense. -- Bradford Doolittle

          Highlights from Cleveland's win

          Ramirez pads Guardians' lead with 2-run triple

          Jose Ramirez in the 5th inning: double, stolen base, run scored

          Sox get a run back with back-to-back doubles

          Adell clears the bases!

          Guardians strike back on Kwan's clutch single

          Teel doubles in the first run