Who is ready for some more MLB playoff action?
After the first day of the wild-card round featured close wins by the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox, it’s time for the first potential elimination day of the 2025 postseason.
Who will stay alive and who will be sent packing?
We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups, keys to forcing Game 3, sights and sounds from the ballparks, and postgame takeaways as each Day 2 matchup ends.
Key links: Megapreview | Day 1 lessons | Bracket | Schedule
Jump to a matchup:
DET-CLE | SD-CHC | BOS-NYY | CIN-LAD
1 p.m. ET on ESPN
Tigers lead 1-0
Game 2 starters: Casey Mize vs. Tanner Bibee
What the Guardians need to do to force Game 3: Figure out a way to score some runs. Hey, at least they won’t be facing Tarik Skubal. The Guardians’ best bet is to have Jose Ramirez or Kyle Manzardo run into something, as Mize can be vulnerable to the home run at times (21 allowed in 149 innings). But maybe Cleveland can get Mize to run up his count and force AJ Hinch to go a little earlier than he would like to a Detroit bullpen that was shaky in September (2-8, 4.58 ERA) and especially struggled in close games. — David Schoenfield
Lineups
Tigers
TBD
Guardians
TBD
3 p.m. ET on ABC
Cubs lead 1-0
Game 2 starters: Dylan Cease vs. Andrew Kittredge
What the Padres need to do to force Game 3: As dominant as the Cubs’ bullpen looked in Game 1, that suggests the Padres will need to take an early lead and hand the game to their bullpen while ahead. And that means getting a strong effort from Cease. But his home/away splits were pretty dramatic this year: Cease went 7-3 with a 3.61 ERA at home and 1-9 with a 5.58 ERA on the road. That ERA difference might be a little misleading, as his secondary stats are similar, other than a dip in his strikeout rate (12.2 K’s per nine at home, 10.8 on the road). Given the must-win nature for the Padres, Mike Shildt will have a quick hook anyway. But the Padres probably will need at least four innings from Cease — and probably with 0 or 1 in the runs allowed column. — Schoenfield
Lineups
Padres
TBD
Cubs
TBD
6 p.m. ET on ESPN
Red Sox lead 1-0
Game 2 starters: Brayan Bello vs. Carlos Rodon
What the Yankees need to do to force Game 3: The Yankees need Rodón to pitch deep into Game 3. For as well as Max Fried pitched in Game 1, the Yankees’ bullpen immediately imploded upon his exit, and the offense couldn’t recover against Garrett Crochet and Aroldis Chapman. The best way to avoid another letdown by the bullpen is to minimize its impact on the game, which would allow the group to rest up for a do-or-die Game 3. — Jorge Castillo
Lineups
Red Sox
TBD
Yankees
TBD
9 p.m. ET on ESPN
Dodgers lead 1-0
Game 2 starters: Zack Littell vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
What the Reds need to do to force Game 3: Well, not allowing five home runs is a good start. Look, this is going to be a difficult game against Yamamoto, who allowed just three runs over his final five starts of the regular season. The best hope for the Reds is a performance where Yamamoto struggles with his control, which rarely occurs but did happen in one September start when he walked six batters. That would lead to a high pitch count and a relatively early exit, allowing the Reds to get into the Dodgers’ bullpen — a unit that was certainly an issue for L.A. throughout the season and didn’t distinguish itself in the late innings of Game 1. — Schoenfield
Lineups
Reds
TBD
Dodgers
TBD
