This past week, the best time of the year started: the MLB Playoffs. Major League Baseball’s postseason format includes a Wild Card game for each league, allowing two teams to fight for their spot in the actual playoffs. Last Tuesday, the historic rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox started the action. Going into the game, many people, including myself, believed that Gerrit Cole, the Yankee starter, would be too much for the Red Sox to handle. This was soon proved to be false, as the Red Sox immediately jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, thanks to Xander Boegarts, who sent a ball over the center-field wall. This start for Boston symbolized how the rest of the game would go. The Yankee offense was unable to get anything going Anthony Rizzo hit a home run to make it a 3-1 game. This momentum was soon lost after Aaron Judge was thrown out at home on a terrible call by Yankees third base coach. The Red Sox rode this momentum to the end of the game, defeating their long-time rivals 6-2. This game proved Red Sox haters wrong, showing that the team is up to any challenge. The Red Sox moved on to the American League Divisional Series, where they will face the 100 win Tampa Bay Rays. 

The National League Wild Card game was more competitive than its American League counterpart. The National League Wild Card game took place in Los Angeles between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. The headline of this game was the pitching matchup. Max Scherzer, National League Cy Young candidate and Dodger ace was facing off against Adam Wainwright, a 40-year old veteran, and Cardinal ace. As a Cardinal fan, the anticipation of this game was off the charts. Cardinals vs. Dodgers matchups in the playoffs never disappoint. The game started with the Cardinals scratching across a run on a wild pitch from Scherzer, where Tommy Edman was able to take home as the ball rolled past Will Smith, the Dodger catcher. This 1-0 lead for St. Louis lasted until the 4th inning, where Justin Turner turned on a hanging slider from Wainwright, sending the ball into the left-field bleachers. The score was now 1-1. For the next 4 innings, it was a pitcher’s duel between the two bullpens. Scherzer was pulled in the 4th inning, giving Cardinals fans hope that their team would be able to take the lead. Adam Wainwright continued his dominant outing, pitching 5 and ⅓ innings, giving up only 1 earned run. The 1-1 tie was broken in the bottom of the 9th inning when Mike Schildt pulled his reliever and replaced him with Alex Reyes, who had struggled recently to say the least. Reyes proceeded to hang a slider to Chris Taylor, who hit a walk-off home run, sending the Dodgers to the National League Divisional Series. The Dodgers moved on to play their National League West rivals, the San Francisco Giants. If the Wild Card round symbolizes what will happen during the remainder of the playoffs, it will be one of the best postseasons we have recently witnessed.