MLB Morning Lineup Podcast

The Fall Classic comes back to Milwaukee for Game 1 between the Rays and Brewers. And perhaps the biggest story going into this World Series is that someone is going to win the first championship in franchise history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two teams in small markets with financial limits -- how were they built? Actually, in completely different ways. While both do have large scouting departments, the Rays rely heavily on trades while the Brewers focus on internal player development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 122nd World Series beginning Friday night pits two evenly matched teams. In today's podcast, we lay out a case how the 103-win Brewers could win their first title. And then we explain how the 98-win Rays could win their first title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not only did Yandy Díaz declare the Rays would end the ALCS in Game 6, the slugger then backed it up. Díaz and Junior Caminero crushed Trop-rocking homers as the Rays ousted the Guardians to set up a World Series showdown vs. the NL champion Brewers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drew Rasmussen was lights-out on the mound yet again, tossing seven superb innings as the Rays scored single runs in the first three innings and held on to edge the Guardians and move one win away from a date with the Brewers in the World Series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One year after being swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS, the Brewers returned the favor to advance to their first Fall Classic in 44 years, while the Guardians took a 2-1 advantage over the Rays in the ALCS behind an unlikely power source. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A team not known for hitting homers came through with three big blasts to take a 3-0 advantage over the defending champs in the NLCS. Meanwhile, the ALCS shifts to the shores of Lake Erie today with the Guardians looking to go up 2-1 at home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ALCS is all tied after the Rays pounced on a José Ramírez error that led to three unearned runs, which was plenty for a sterling Freddy Peralta. In L.A., the Dodgers are facing an 0-2 NLCS hole, hoping their superstar will break out with the bat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gritty Guardians struck late in Game 1 of the ALCS, stunning the Rays for Cleveland's fourth straight postseason win. And in Milwaukee, the Brewers also rallied -- three times! -- to take a commanding 2-0 lead as the NLCS shifts to L.A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unlike last year, the Brewers notched a huge Game 1 victory against the two-time reigning champs. Meanwhile, over in the ALCS, the comeback kids from Cleveland prepare to face a well-rested Rays club at Tropicana Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

José Ramírez (who else?) had a big night as the Guardians denied the White Sox their first playoff series clinch at home in 120 years. The ALDS is now all square as the clubs head back to Cleveland for a decisive Game 5. Plus, let’s preview the NLCS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a night dripping with drama, the Dodgers, Rays and Brewers held on to punch their tickets to the League Championship Series. Meanwhile, José Ramírez and the Guardians pulled away late to force a Game 4 against the White Sox. Will Chicago clinch a spot in the next round tonight, or will the Guards send the series back to Cleveland? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yoshinobu Yamamoto outdueled Chris Sale to help the Dodgers down the Braves in Game 3, while the Padres, sans Mason Miller, turned to Michael King to close out the Brewers to force a Game 4. That means we're treated to a full 4-game slate today. Let's break it down! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The upstart White Sox took their 2nd game in a row in Cleveland, and now head home needing one more win to reach the ALCS. Also, the pesky Rays chased Cam Schlittler and forced the Yankees into 4 errors in taking a 2-0 lead in their best-of-5 ALDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Down to their last strike, the Brewers stunned the Padres on Jackson Chourio's two-run walk-off single against Mason Miller for a 2-0 NLDS lead. The other NL matchup is tied after six Braves pitchers held the Dodgers' bats in check. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Division Series matchups are set after the Braves knocked off the rival Phillies behind a scoreless start from 32-year-old journeyman lefty Ray Kerr in his postseason debut and homers from Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Yankees routed the Red Sox, the White Sox powered past the Astros and the Padres cruised past the Cubs to secure their spots in the next round. Tonight's focus is now all on Atlanta, where the Phillies fought back to force a third game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Braves, Yankees, White Sox and Padres are in the driver's seat through Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. Here's how it went down -- and what to watch for in today's pivotal Game 2s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The road to the World Series starts Tuesday, as all four Wild Card Series get underway. Need a primer? We've got you covered! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final two playoff spots went down to the last day of the regular season as the Phillies secured the final NL Wild Card slot for their fifth straight trip to the postseason and the Astros clinched the AL West title for the fifth time in six years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MVP front-runner Pete Crow-Armstrong became just the seventh player with 40 homers and 40 steals in a season and the Cubs clinched a Wild Card berth with a win at Wrigley. Also sewing up playoff spots were the White Sox, Guardians and Padres. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Phillies, Guardians, White Sox, Cubs & Padres all could've clinched playoff spots, but none did. Elsewhere, the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani came off the IL and the Yankees' Aaron Judge said he plans to be back from injury for the Wild Card Series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rays became the AL's first division winner this season and locked up home field through the ALCS -- and they even got to celebrate at Yankee Stadium. Also, the Guardians won a thriller to maintain their slim AL Central lead over the White Sox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cubs' Alex Bregman sustained facial fractures after he was struck by a foul ball Sunday but will not undergo surgery and reportedly could return for the playoffs. It’ll be one of the more notable storylines over the season’s final week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Atlanta swept Houston for its 24th division title – tied for the most with L.A. since divisional play began in 1969. The Braves winning the East shouldn't surprise anybody. The Red Sox, though? They secured a Wild Card spot after a 32-46 start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dodgers clinched their 13th NL West tile in 14 seasons and are two games behind the Brewers for home-field advantage throughout the postseason, while the Rays have the AL's best record by five games after winning their sixth in a row. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Guardians took the final regular-season meeting with the White Sox to recapture first place in the AL Central. Elsewhere, two key injuries: the Yankees' Aaron Judge exited with leg stiffness and the Dodgers' Blake Snell left with groin tightness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pete Alonso hit career homer No. 300 in his old New York stomping grounds and Mets fans responded with a standing ovation for the now-Orioles slugger. Meanwhile, behind Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers claimed another division title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dodgers clinched their record-tying 14th straight postseason berth with a victory over the Reds, and the Yankees are October-bound for the ninth time in 10 years as a Blue Jays loss punched their ticket during a comeback win vs. the Twins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Brewers and Rays are in. Friday night, both clubs punched their playoff tickets. Celebrations were somewhat muted and that’s probably not surprising as they both have much bigger goals -- including winning their divisions and earning No. 1 seeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rays had a chance to be the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help, but the Braves rallied late to up their NL East lead to four games heading into a showdown with the second-place Phillies tonight in Atlanta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jose Altuve smacked a 3rd-inning double to become the 102nd MLBer to reach the 2,500-hit threshold. But it was Kyle Schwarber's 6th-inning slam that turned the tide for the Phillies vs. the Astros. Also, Shohei Ohtani sat for the 6th time in 7 games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Judge was back in action after missing three months with a rib stress fracture, going 0-for-3. But his presence in the lineup and clubhouse was a huge boost for the Yanks, who got another stellar start from Cam Schlittler to beat the Rockies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A huge weekend series in Philly between NL East rivals ended in a split as the hosts rode an eighth-inning homer from Kyle Schwarber and a masterful complete-game performance from Jesús Luzardo to a 1-0 win over the first-place Braves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Padres hit back-to-back-to-back home runs -- off Gerrit Cole -- marking the second time in franchise history San Diego has opened a game with three straight homers. And Cole is the only pitcher to have that happen more than once in his career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans gave Adley Rutschman a standing ovation prior to his first at-bat. The former Oriole promptly homered. He then went deep again to propel the Red Sox. At Wrigley Field, Pete Crow-Armstrong blasted homer No. 39 as the Cubs edged the Brewers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ronald Acuña Jr. homered in the Braves' win over the Nats, thereby becoming the fastest player in MLB history to combine 200 homers and 200 steals. Elsewhere, the Wild Card races in both leagues continued to heat up, and they can't get much tighter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most of the year it appeared the Braves would run away with the NL East title. But after a hot August and six straight wins, the Phillies have pulled within three games of their division rival. Meanwhile, Gavin Williams continued his strikeout artistry in Cleveland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Bregman went deep three times for the second time this season, and the Cubs totaled a team-record nine homers on the night to simply overpower the first-place Brewers at a rainy Wrigley Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Scherzer entered yesterday's series finale vs. the Mariners looking to give the Jays a boost in their Wild Card chase. He did that and more, throwing seven one-hit innings and fanning 10 to move into ninth place on the all-time strikeouts list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three of the National League's top aces bolstered their resumes as Chris Sale pitched a five-hit shutout to win a 1-0 duel against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Jacob Misiorowski won in the Big Apple to run his record to 14-5 with an MLB-best 1.73 ERA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year ago, Cleveland caught fire en route to a historic comeback in the AL Central race. The Guardians are making a late-season surge again this season -- they've won 7 straight -- and this time they don't have nearly as much ground to make up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dodgers and Braves could meet in the postseason. Their game in Atlanta had a playoff feel to it, a taut affair that ended with Shohei Ohtani stranded on third and the Braves celebrating. Also, the Astros and Yankees renewed their tense rivalry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cal Raleigh – 2025's MLB HR leader – hasn't had the season he or Mariners fans had hoped for. But last night he broke out with three homers in front of the Seattle faithful as the M's crushed the Phillies and put an end to their nine-game win streak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Phillies were down four runs with two outs in the ninth against the Cards. No problem. Kyle Schwarber's MLB-best 39th homer of the season -- the Phils' first walk-off blast since June 9, 2023 (also Schwarber) -- sealed an incredible comeback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices