The Los Angeles Dodgers wasted no time asserting dominance in the 2025 MLB playoffs, sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in their Wild Card Series with an 8-4 victory on Wednesday night. Blake Snell delivered a strong postseason debut, pitching seven innings and allowing just two runs, while the offense erupted behind home runs from Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani—each going deep twice. It was a clinical performance, really, putting the Dodgers one step closer to another deep run, though one can't help but wonder if the Reds' young bats simply folded under the pressure of Dodger Stadium's glare.
Over in the American League, the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians traded blows in a series that's now teetering on the brink. The Guardians clawed back with a narrow win in Game 2, forcing a decisive Game 3 on Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field. Tarik Skubal's gem for the Tigers in the opener wasn't enough to carry them through, as Cleveland's bullpen held firm late. Indeed, this matchup has been gritty, almost sloppy at times, highlighting how these wildcard spots can turn on a single inning's miscue. The Tigers, with their surprising regular-season surge, now face elimination against a Guardians team that's been quietly resilient all year.
Elsewhere, the playoff bracket is taking shape amid the chaos. The Dodgers advance to the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies starting Saturday, while the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres also pushed their series to the limit with come-from-behind wins. However, the focus remains on those nail-biters: Boston-Red Sox, Chicago Cubs-Padres, all heading to do-or-die contests. The full schedule ramps up quickly—Divisional Series kicking off over the weekend, with byes for top seeds like the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners already in the books.
Yet, as these early rounds unfold with such unpredictability, it's clear the postseason's magic lies in its volatility, leaving fans to ponder just how far the underdogs might climb.