It. Is. On. Eight teams are in action today as the 2023 MLB playoffs begin with the best-of-three wild-card round.
The Game 1 action in the American League ended with the visiting Texas Rangers defeating the Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins ending their 18-game postseason losing streak at home with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The National League takes center stage later this evening, with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Milwaukee Brewers (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups, live updates and analysis as the games are played, followed by our takeaways after each final pitch.
Key links: Everything you need to know | Bracket | Picks | Watch on ESPN, ABC
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Live updates | Takeaways | Matchups
Live updates
Takeaways
Minnesota Twins 3, Toronto Blue Jays 1: The streak is over! The streak is over! This is not an exaggeration: The Twins’ 18-game postseason losing streak, dating back to 2004, was an unfathomable stretch of misery. Now that it’s ended and that burden eliminated, maybe the Twins can surprise in a wide-open AL bracket. Especially if Royce Lewis keeps hitting like this. The rookie was Minnesota’s best hitter but hadn’t played since Sept. 19 due to a hamstring injury. All he did was hit two home runs and drive in three runs against tough Kevin Gausman. Gausman challenged him with a 3-2 four-seamer in the first inning rather than his best pitch, a splitter, and Lewis crushed it for a two-run home run – just like he crushed four-seamers in the regular season. Feels like a bad pitch selection there from Gausman. Indeed, with Sonny Gray going in Game 2 against a Toronto lineup that just doesn’t scare you (Cavan Biggio hitting fifth?), the Twins might actually win their first postseason SERIES since the 2002 ALDS. — David Schoenfield
Texas Rangers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 0: The Max Scherzer acquisition got all the headlines at the trade deadline, but it’s a good thing Rangers general manager Chris Young traded for a second starting pitcher. Jordan Montgomery had a dominating performance against a high-powered Tampa Bay offense, tossing seven scoreless innings in the Rangers’ 4-0 victory. He’s now allowed two runs in 34 innings in his last five starts and is looking like a postseason ace — even if an unusual one, since he’s not a big strikeout pitcher.
The other impressive performance: Rookie left fielder Evan Carter went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two walks (although Yandy Diaz should have made the play on one of the doubles). Carter is just 21 and didn’t make his MLB debut until Sept. 8, but he already looks like a star at the plate — he had a 1.058 OPS in his 23 regular-season games. Oh, and he hits ninth in the Rangers’ lineup. Yes, it’s a very good lineup.
The Rays played an awful game with four errors. Kevin Cash questionably left Tyler Glasnow in the game to start the sixth inning and Glasnow walked the first two batters, allowing the Rangers to put the game away with two more runs. — Schoenfield
Today’s matchups
* All times Eastern
Miami Marlins (Jesus Luzardo, 10-9, 3.63) at Philadelphia Phillies (Zack Wheeler, 13-6, 3.61), 8 p.m. on ESPN
Starting lineups:
Marlins
Luis Arraez (L) 2B
Jorge Soler (R) DH
Josh Bell (S) 1B
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) CF
Jake Burger (R) 3B
Bryan De La Cruz (R) LF
Jesus Sanchez (L) RF
Jon Berti (R) SS
Nick Fortes (R) C
Phillies
Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
Trea Turner (R) SS
Alec Bohm (R) 3B
Bryce Harper (L) 1B
J.T. Realmuto (R) C
Nick Castellanos (R) RF
Bryson Stott (L) 2B
Cristian Pache (R) LF
Johan Rojas (R) CF
