MLB’s latest playoff schedule release did the league no favors with Phillies fans, and not just because it landed before the team had even clinched on Sunday.
The Wild Card slate, as posted by MLB, sets things up with 2 p.m. starts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday if the series runs the full three games. That was enough to send the usual frustration boiling over, because it puts postseason baseball squarely in the middle of the workday.
That’s the part that never makes sense: baseball’s best product, delivered at the worst possible time. A playoff game at 2 p.m. on a weekday asks fans to ignore jobs, spouses, kids, dinner plans, school pickups, and everything else that fills a normal afternoon. MLB could easily create prime-time windows instead, but keeps leaning into afternoon starts that don’t match how most people actually live.
The Phillies’ side of the bracket brings another wrinkle. This is the third time in five years they’ve had to travel to Atlanta, the NL East winner, and in both previous trips they took Game 1.
This time, though, the pitching picture changes because Zack Wheeler won’t be available early in the series. The expectation is that he could be an insurance policy for Game 3, or possibly work on short rest after throwing Game 162.
The pitching plan is still to be determined.
And because the first two games land in September, the familiar October branding doesn’t quite fit. Call it what you want, but as noted here, it’s hard to call this Red October.
Happy Red September!
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Hits Bye Week With One Frustrating Problem Growing
Georgia Tech goes into the bye week with more questions than answers after a 1-3 start that includes a loss to Stanford and a stretch defined by self-inflicted mistakes. The Yellow Jackets have not been able to find much rhythm on either side of the ball, with penalties piling up alongside uneven offensive and defensive play, while injuries have thinned the roster in the trenches and forced the staff to keep adjusting on the fly.
Brent Key made it clear the fixes have to start inside the building, stressing accountability for both players and coaches as the program tries to steady itself. The break now gives Georgia Tech a chance to clean up the details, get healthier and reset before the season slips any further, but the margin for error is already getting thin. [Read more 🡒]
Three Georgia Tech Breakouts Are Giving Fans Real Hope
Georgia Tech has found three clear reasons for optimism this fall in Maddox, Penson and Thomas, a trio that has helped give the program a sturdier identity on both sides of the ball. Maddoxs rise has been especially notable, with his move into a permanent captaincy underscoring how much the staff trusts him. He has filled multiple roles, and his breakout against Stanford only added to the sense that he has become one of the most dependable pieces on the roster.
Penson has provided the Yellow Jackets with a steady offensive spark, leading the team in receiving yards and giving the passing game a consistent target. Thomas, meanwhile, has anchored the defense by leading the team in tackles and playing at a high level all season. Together, the three breakouts have changed the look and feel of Georgia Tech in ways that matter well beyond one strong stretch, and they leave the bigger question hanging: how far can this group carry the Jackets if it keeps trending upward? [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Backfield Uncertainty Just Added Another Twist
Nate Fraziers status has become the latest moving piece in Georgias backfield picture, with Kirby Smart offering a fresh update after the running back was listed as questionable on the SEC injury report. Frazier did not take part fully in pregame warmups before Georgias recent game against Oklahoma, and his rib injury ultimately kept him out while the Bulldogs turned to other backs to carry the ground game.
For Georgia, it is another reminder that the backfield has not settled into a simple answer just yet. The SEC will keep requiring injury updates, so Fraziers availability figures to remain a watch point as the Bulldogs move forward and try to get more clarity on who can handle the load when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]