OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Oakland hosts Tampa Bay tonight in the American League wild-card game. The Athletics have lost eight straight winner-take-all games since 2000, going 1-14 with a chance to advance to the next round. Left-hander Sean Manaea starts for Oakland. The 27-year-old was sidelined last year when the A’s lost the wild-card game to the Yankees, and missed most of this season following shoulder surgery. He returned in September and has been sharp over five starts. He’ll start opposite Rays right-hander Charlie Morton.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Nationals are heading to Los Angeles after rallying past the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the National League wild-game. Juan Soto delivered a bases-loaded single against closer Josh Hader that scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Nats right-hander Stephen Strasburg threw three scoreless innings to win in the first relief appearance of his major league career. The best-of-five Division Series against the NL West champion Dodgers starts tomorrow night.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Nagging injuries to Justin Turner, Rich Hill and Joe Kelly have improved enough that all three will be available when the Los Angeles Dodgers open the National League Division Series. Manager Dave Roberts hasn’t revealed his roster for the playoffs or announced a Game 1 starter. But Roberts confirmed that two of the Dodgers’ talented rookies – catcher Will Smith and second baseman Gavin Lux – will be active. Left-hander Patrick Corbin will start tomorrow for the Nationals.
ATLANTA (AP) – The starting pitchers are set for the NL Division Series opener between the Cardinals and Braves in Atlanta tomorrow. Veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) will face St. Louis right-hander Miles Mikolas (MY’-koh-las). Keuchel, who has made nine career postseason starts, went 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 19 starts after signing a one-year deal with Atlanta in June. He will pitch against the Cardinals for the first time since 2016. Mikolas was 9-14 with a 4.17 ERA in 32 starts for the Cardinals. He will make his playoff debut.
