IJR News

Phillies retain Mattingly as manager after Cora declines job — 11hPhillies signed Don Mattingly through 2028 after Alex Cora declined; as interim he turned a 9-19 start into a playoff berth before a Wild Card exit.

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Rachel Meyers A two-year deal gives Mattingly time to build on the late surge without locking in too early.

Red Sox Eye Second Straight Winter Offensive Upgrades — Oct 5, 2026Outscored 18-2 in a second straight Wild Card exit to the Yankees, the Red Sox will again target offense after Breslow said the lineup did not slug.

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Tom Gallagher Fenway rewards lefty power and smart contact hitters. Building around that while giving the prospects time to develop is the right approach.

Phillies Rule Arraez Out of Wild Card Roster — Sep 28, 2026Arraez is off the Phillies' Wild Card roster after he tried to hit Monday and could not; Mattingly said they crossed that bridge on his Sept. 24 ankle sprain.

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Tom Gallagher At least they left the door open for Arraez if the series goes longer.

Riley Homer Gives Braves Game 1 Wild Card Win — Sep 29, 2026Austin Riley's three-run homer off Jhoan Duran in the eighth gave Atlanta a 5-3 NL Wild Card Game 1 win after Don Mattingly used his closer in the seventh.

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Dana Whitfield Riley's homer was clutch but Mattingly burning Duran early really cost the Marlins that game.

Yankees-Red Sox Wild Card Games Set for 8 p.m. — Sep 27, 2026The Yankees–Red Sox best-of-three Wild Card Series will have prime-time games at Yankee Stadium, with all potential games carried on NBC and Peacock. MLB’s 2026 Wild Card Series runs Tuesday through Thursday, with games across NBC Sports platforms and Spanish-language coverage on Universo and Univision.

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Maya Lindstrom Yankee Stadium hosting all these games should give the Yankees the edge they need in this series.

AP Top 25 College Football TeamsRankingCollege football fans argue endlessly over which programs deserve the top spots in the AP Poll based on wins, schedule strength, and legacy.

Yankees leave Aaron Judge off wild-card roster — Sep 28, 2026The Yankees left Aaron Judge off their wild-card roster against the Red Sox, opting for caution despite his late push to return from a right calf strain. Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham and Ryan Weathers made the roster, and Judge could return if New York advances.

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Elena Vasquez Keeping Judge sidelined is the smart call to protect that calf even if it weakens the lineup against Boston.

Yankees Host Red Sox in Wild Card Rematch — Sep 25, 2026Boston’s four-game Fenway sweep of the Yankees sparked a 32-5 run and first 15-game streak since 1946; the Wild Card rematch starts Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

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Elena Vasquez Yankees should take this series at home despite Judge's status, their pitching depth looks stronger than Boston's right now.

Schlittler to Start Yankees’ Wild Card Opener — Sep 25, 2026Cam Schlittler capped a dominant season with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts, strengthening his Cy Young case and giving the Yankees a proven weapon against Boston after his eight scoreless innings in last year’s Wild Card series. New York is weighing his heavy workload as it sets its playoff rotation, while his shortened final start drew criticism from some fans who accused the team of protecting his ERA.

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Padres start Michael King to even NLDS against Brewers — Oct 4, 2026The Padres will turn to Michael King against Brewers rookie Logan Henderson in Game 2 of the NLDS, seeking to even the series after Milwaukee won the opener 3-2. King enters off a dominant seven-inning shutout in the wild-card round, while the Brewers look to build on their late-game comeback and home-field advantage.

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Sam Okafor Brewers have that home edge after their late rally, so San Diego needs to score early before Milwaukee gets rolling again.

MLB Wild Card Series Opens After Tropicana Finale — Sep 23, 2026The Cubs and Red Sox’ final 2026 regular-season series faces weather-related schedule changes, including a Friday doubleheader and the possibility of moving games to a neutral site. Alex Bregman is back in the Cubs’ lineup despite facial fractures, as Chicago enters the final stretch battling for the top National League Wild Card spot.

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MLB Divisional Round Opens After Wild-Card Eliminations — Oct 2, 2026The 2026 MLB divisional round is underway, with coverage highlighting early ALDS action and previewing the day’s games, alongside updates on Cincinnati’s roster and arbitration outlook. Other baseball coverage spotlights speed-first hitter Chandler Simpson as a counterpoint to analytics-driven play and profiles prospects from South Carolina’s Fall Games.

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Chris Dalton Simpson's speed game is a smart way to push back against all the launch angle hype.

Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Cubs Loss Creates Three-Team Wild-Card TieSports — Sep 22, 2026A dynasty baseball year-end review grades prospect recommendations, while the Cubs’ 12-inning loss left them tied with the Phillies and Padres in the wild-card race after missed chances to clinch. Other baseball coverage looks back at notable MLB milestones and previews the Mariners’ season-ending series, which will honor broadcaster Rick Rizzs.

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Sports Shows Debate MLB, NFL, NBA — Oct 1, 2026The Braves eliminated the Phillies with a 6-2 win in Game 3 of their wild-card series, with Philadelphia’s decision to start Aaron Nola drawing scrutiny. Elsewhere in the MLB postseason, commentators debated whether the Dodgers slighted Yoshinobu Yamamoto by choosing Tarik Skubal to start Game 1 of the NLDS.

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White Sox Shut Out Guardians 3-0 in ALDS Opener — Oct 1, 2026The White Sox plan to use rookie Hagen Smith as an opener in Saturday’s ALDS Game 1 against Cleveland, which will start rookie Parker Messick; Guardians manager Stephen Vogt named Gavin Williams for Game 2. Smith is expected to work multiple innings as Chicago continues its bullpen approach after sweeping Houston in the wild-card round.

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Braves’ Chris Sale Game 2 Start Remains Uncertain — Oct 2, 2026Chris Sale helped Atlanta clinch its Wild Card Series against Philadelphia by recording the final four outs after starting earlier in the series, leaving his availability for the NLDS against Los Angeles uncertain. Manager Walt Weiss has not ruled out Sale starting Sunday’s Game 2 but says the Braves will prioritize his health, as their thin rotation could otherwise put added pressure on inexperienced starters and the bullpen.

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Marcus Bell They need to keep Sale out Sunday and lean on the bullpen early even if it means more work for the younger guys later on.

New York Pizza vs Chicago Deep DishYourlist — VS BattleThe foldable slice versus the fork-and-knife casserole — America's longest-running food fight.

Red Sox name rookie Tolle for Yankees opener — Sep 27, 2026The Red Sox will start rookie left-hander Payton Tolle against Cam Schlittler in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card series with the Yankees. Boston will turn to Sonny Gray for Game 2 and Ranger Suárez if a third game is needed.

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White Sox Take 1-0 Lead Over AstrosSports — Sep 30, 2026The Chicago White Sox swept Houston in their American League wild-card series, earning their first postseason-series win in 21 years after Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong fan, sent the team a letter of support before Game 1. Chicago won the opener 6-3 and closed out the series with a 7-3 victory.

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Wheeler’s Seven Scoreless Lift Phillies in Wild-Card Race — Sep 15, 2026Zack Wheeler delivered seven scoreless innings against Washington, boosting the Phillies' playoff hopes as he nears 2,000 career strikeouts and helps stabilize a rotation shaken by Luzardo's IL placement. With Luzardo out and inconsistencies from other starters, Philadelphia faces a critical stretch and relies on Wheeler to anchor the staff ahead of the Wild Card round.

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Aaron Judge calf injection leaves Yankees postseason outlook uncertain — Sep 22, 2026Aaron Judge got a platelet-poor plasma injection in his right calf; Aaron Boone said the Yankees are planning on him missing the Wild Card Series.

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White Sox Sweep Astros, Advance to Face Guardians — Sep 28, 2026Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong Chicago White Sox fan, sent team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf a letter of support before the Sox’s AL Wild Card opener against the Houston Astros. He blessed the team and said he hoped sports would promote friendship, solidarity and respect; the letter followed the Sox’s tribute to him at a game in August.

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Diamondbacks Lose Ground in Wild-Card Race — Sep 16, 2026The Diamondbacks dropped a 4-2, 11-inning loss to the Marlins, leaving them about 2.5 games behind the NL wild-card and facing a tight finish with limited games remaining while highlighting wasteful offense and late-inning missteps. In response, Arizona is shaking up the rotation—reinstating Soroka and moving Gallen to the bullpen—amid injuries and continued reliance on Corbin Carroll as they battle for a postseason berth.

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White Sox Take 1-0 Lead Over AstrosSports — Sep 27, 2026The 81-81 Houston Astros won the AL West and will host the 84-78 Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card series, setting up a rematch of their 2021 postseason meeting. Chicago returns to the playoffs after a major turnaround, while Houston’s powerful lineup, led by Yordan Alvarez, poses a daunting test.

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Braves place Martín Pérez on injured list before wild card series — Sep 24, 2026The Atlanta Braves placed Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with lower-back inflammation, putting his availability for the start of the postseason in doubt. He finishes the regular season with a 3.04 ERA over 142 innings.

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Elena Vasquez The timing of this back inflammation could not be worse if it keeps him out when the team needs every starter.

Braves Rally Past Phillies in Wild Card Game 1 — Sep 26, 2026The playoff-bound Braves face the eliminated Marlins as Atlanta manages rotation concerns: Martin Pérez is sidelined, and Bryce Elder is also injured. Miami is expected to use Jack Ralston, while Atlanta plans to open with Brent Suter, who could handle multiple innings.

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Developing storylines

2026 MLB stretch run: wild-card races and top performances