TB 7, CLE 3; Devil Rays move on

...Yes, "Devil Rays" -- let's embrace it, why not. 

A very entertaining series overall, and hat tip to a Guardians team I thought might get swept without much pushback. And to Freddy Peralta; I guess I'm supposed to be bitter about his success in Tampa, but sometimes you know a Met is going to be better off literally anywhere else, and this was one of those times. Now, of course, I'm obliged to root for his old old team in the Classic, but we can get back to that conversation on Friday.

For now, the last points for Cleveland...and the last points for anyone until the weekend:

Mr. DeLauter 3
Kwan 1

Caminero 5
Diaz 4

The italicized picks depart from the updates, as you know; no slates knocked out here, since Cleveland was was lightly picked. 

MVP of this series for the pool is close, but has to go to Diaz, who takes the pool's TB lead over from Rice and Contreras as of tonight. Honorable mention to Mr. DeLauter. Aranda in the running as a Victorino candidate.

LVP is Kwan, I guess. I'm always intrigued by the choice to pick him; he'll rack those couple points at a time as long as he's in, but if he doesn't stay in for the duration? ...Then again, fully a third of Caminero's points came tonight. These things can break a lot of ways, many of them bad.

Here's the money as we prepare emotionally for a baseball-free rest of the week:

69 Bauer
60 SDB
58 LoPorto 2

Realistically, it's down to the complete slates now -- and I'm not excluding JArbour here, since that slate has a "solo," Yelich. You really can't tell until it's said and done, but unless Contreras falls down a literal manhole...

Just off the pace,

57 MArbour and Wonsetler Head
55 Green
54 Reid Smart
53 O'Reilly

And everyone else after the jump:

TB 3, CLE 1

Surprised this wasn't more lopsided a score than it was, although sometimes that's how it goes in the postseason -- a regular-season game would allow for a meltdown where an LCS game wouldn't.

A compelling one (albeit not as compelling as the booth sometimes seemed to think), and some points for everyone...

Mr. DeLauter 1
Kwan 2

Caminero 1
Diaz 4

Also compelling is a different look for the money:

60 Bauer
57 MArbour
54 LoPorto 2

53 O'Reilly
52 Wonsetler Head
51 SDB
50 Green

A quick-and-dirty on everyone else after the jump!

TB 7, CLE 3

A fun one to watch in company (I think? I was just off a tasting tour so my memory of the game is pretty much vibes, heh). But did it make up for lost time in points? Let's have a look:

Mr. DeLauter 1
Kwan 1

Caminero 2
Diaz 6

Boom goes the etc.! That finishes off the zombie slates from our last update, and here's the money going into Game 5:

57 MArbour
55 Bauer
53 O'Reilly

Just off the pace, it's

51 Wonsetler Head
50 LoPorto 2

Everyone else -- including the Framptons that have come alive in the last week -- after the jump!

TB @ CLE postponed

As you've no doubt seen, ALCS Game 4 got punted to tomorrow night same time, 8 ET. That's going to mean a 5 PM ET Game 5 on Sunday so that theoretical Game 6 can still happen Monday night, with no off day.

One thing at a time; we'll be back here tomorrow night for updates. Good luck!

MIL 6, LAD 4; Brewers move on

I am weirdly relieved for Ohtani that he got to do A Thing for the Dodgers tonight. I am also relieved, sort of, that the Dodgers are out and we don't have to keep watching...whatever they were in the '26 post. Regular L.A. commentators/fans will have more informed takes here that you may feel free to post in the comments, but my sense generally is that this team was built with dynastic intent, but some age-30s seasons didn't go as hoped. ("Relatable." - Mets fans)

And also that this Brewers team is the shit, so take a big whiff. I hope Ueck is enjoying this from his front-row seat beyond the veil. 

This is the baseball fan speaking. The pool-chief take is that this is not good for us...but not as catastrophically not-good as it would have been in years previous, if only because the Dodger picks were not performing the way they were in years previous. 

"Your ambassadorship is approved; get to the point(s)." Fair enough; let's do that.

No shortage of them tonight, either. 

Betts 0
Freeman 0
Hernandez, K 0
Hernandez, T 1
Muncy 1
Ohtani 4
Pages 3
Smith 2
Tucker 3

Italics = they're out, I'm sorry to say.

NLCS MVP Jack Bauer 2
Chourio 0
Contreras 2
Mitchell 4
Turang 0
Yelich 0

Our MVP here is not Bauers, but Contreras, strictly speaking -- Bauers and several others notched 8 TB; Contreras had 9. The LVP, to my shock, is Kiké, although he had competition (Freddie; Bax Buncy) and Captain Yeli did not exactly distinguish himself.

But that's a lot of points to wrap up the series...and to hold a bunch of slates for a week. The ones that didn't get busted, that is, and there were a bunch.

The money/standings as of tonight: 

57 MArbour 2
53 O'Reilly
51 Bauer 2

50 Yuhan 2

A reminder: italicized slates also are out. If you're in the money, you'll be in the updates going forward; if you're not, your slate will fall out. 

49 Wonsetler Head
47 Bauer 2 and Green

Everyone else after the jump...

CLE 3, TB 2

I followed what little I could of the game via overheated MLB-app updates. You'd think, based on the sweaty all-capsing of those, that we'd have more points in play...but it's a quiet update on the AL side:

Mr. DeLauter 0
Kwan 0

Caminero 0
Diaz 2

The money remains unchanged...

51 O'Reilly and MArbour 2
50 Yuhan 2
47 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head

...but a few slates near the podium inched upwards.

43 Reid Dumb and Bauer 1
42 Stempelson and LoPorto 2
41 Green

39 JArbour
36 Izzo 1, Fell 1, and SDB David

I'll leave it there for now, since the night game is bound to change things -- possibly drastically! Good luck, all.

MIL 6, LAD 2

At the local earlier, a guy down the bar is all "so wait Ohtani is in the game?" Me: "Yeah, they're batting him sixth tonight, shrug emoji." Guy: "Wh...at difference does that make?"

Exactly, but at the same time, what would make a difference here? My previous wool-gathering notwithstanding, if it's not going to worsen any injuries to play him, I don't think it matters either way. Shohei looks bad; that's not the central issue. The issue is that the Brewers are better than the Dodgers.

A fair number of points on offer on both sides tonight, however -- and Ohtani did something.

Betts 1
Ohtani 1
Smith 2
Tucker 1
all other Dodgers 0

Bauers 4
Chourio 4
Contreras 1
Mitchell! 4
Turang 1
Yelich 0

Still crowded at the top, but in a different way! Here's the money:

51 O'Reilly and MArbour 2
50 Yuhan 2
47 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head

43 Reid Dumb
42 Stempelson
41 Green and Bauer 1
40 LoPorto 2

Everyone else after the jump...

TB 3, CLE 1

The Guardians have to be pretty pleased going into the AL off day; they split on the road. The Rays also have to be pretty pleased with refurbished Met Freddy Peralta giving them six innings and keeping it frosty despite some traffic, something he couldn't seem to do in Flushing.

I feel a little bad for the ALCSers -- MLB coverage seemed way more interested in Ohtani than in this series, and I'm not exempting myself -- but hopefully that storyline does what it's going to do and lets everyone enjoy the Guards/Rays series for its own sake.

I think some BPP entrants are enjoying it pretty well...

Mr. DeLauter 2
Kwan 2

Caminero 2
Diaz 0

Diaz looks to be pressing a little. Maybe he sees how crowded the money's getting?

50 Yuhan 2 and O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head
42 Reid Dumb

41 Stempelson and MArbour 2

"Dang, you weren't kidding." ikr? Of course, it'll all have resettled itself in a different pattern 24 hours from now. Everyone else after the jump!

CLE 7, TB 3

An unexpected barrage from the Guardian line-up led to this unexpected (to me anyway) Game 1 outcome. The Rays didn't seem to expect it either, although the booth making a big whoop of the fact that Tampa Bay hadn't been behind in the box score "the entire postseason" was maaaaybe not the insight they thought. Tampa's "postseason" prior to last night was three games, so this -- like the "one triple short of the cycle" foolishness -- is meaningless as commentary.

"...Yeah, speaking of which." I hear you. Points!

Mr. DeLauter! 7!
Kwan 1

Caminero 1
Diaz 3

Caminero was involved in an almost collision that looked pretty scary for both dudes; here's hoping that isn't a developing story later today. For now, the money:

50 Yuhan 2, O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2
44 Wonsetler Head

42 Reid Dumb
41 Stempelson and MArbour 2

Top of the pool standings is not so much a developing story, since the majority of the remaining picks come out of the NL. Decent amount of activity in the middle of the pack, though; have a look after the jump.

MIL 7, LAD 4

Not everyone feels this way -- many people feel resolutely the opposite -- but in the "my team's out of it, who cares" sense, I enjoy the Dodgers. (On the field. The visit to the White House...don't get me started.) It's always a good story and it's always a different story...usually. 

This year, it feels off. Ohtani, whom I usually love watching because he's...him, looks not just hurt but ill. Some of their "not so fast" vibe is the same, but they mostly feel like they're trying to get the band back together and they don't know that you can't. 

Not to get philosophical about a pretty straightforward situation -- aging juggernaut faces faster, hungrier team -- and you never know. But: you maybe know, this year.

Okay: points.

Betts 1
Tucker 2
all other Dodgers 0

Bauers 1
Chourio 0
Contreras 6
Mitchell 0
Turang 3
Yelich 2

Ugly night for a lot of slates...but gorgeous shuffling action for a lot of others, and here's the money after the first game:

50 Yuhan 2 and O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2
43 Wonsetler Head

42 Reid Dumb
41 Stempelson and MArbour 2

Fair number of points in the ALCS opener already in progress, so I'll save full standings for that update. Hold onto your butts!

MIL 2, LAD 1

A surprising number of points for a low-scoring game. I was sort of right about the Miz but didn't expect the Brewers to do much authoritative against Skubal; shows what I know.

Betts 1
Freeman 1
Kiké 0
Teo 2
Bax Buncy 1
Ohtani 1
Pages 1
Smith 1
Tucker 0

Bauers 1
Chourio 2
Contreras 0
Mitchell 0
Turang 4 (!)
Yeli 0

Weirdly, because there's now a tie for second, a zombie slate is now back in the standings...

50 Yuhan 2
44 O'Reilly and Bauer 2
39 Fell 2 and Reid Dumb

38 Stempelson
37 Wonsetler Head

Everyone else after the jump!

CLE 2, CHW 0; Guardians move on

I had a feeling this would be the result, not just because the "line" had Cleveland winning but because starting in like Game 4, the Sox seemed to have gotten out over the canyon, looked down, and plummeted a la Wile E. Coyote. I watched a mostly hapless Met team all season; I know that look. It's a bad one. 

No points for Sox pickers on their way out...

Meidroth 0
Montgomery 0
Murakami 0
Vargas 0

Mr. DeLauter 1
Kwan 1

Nobody but JoRam looked like much on the Guardian side either, to be fair, so I guess he's our best Victorino candidate. MVP was Meidroth; Kwan is chipping away, a base a night, but is still the LVP for this round.

And the italicized picks drop out. A Chicago win was better for the pool, broadly, but neither AL Central team was heavily picked, and only one slate is out. It wasn't a bad plan, Crase! See you next year (and/or in the comments), I hope.

With the LDSes finally all in the books, your full standings:

49 Yuhan 2
44 O'Reilly
42 Bauer 2

37 Wonsetler Head, Crase

34 Reid Dumb and Stempelson
33 Izzo 1
32 LoPorto 1
30 Green

Everyone else after the jump...

CLE 9, CWS 5

What a way to make etc. etc. ...It's been sort of amusing, albeit only sort of, to hear the booth trying to edit The Narrative on the fly as the Guardian bats get in gear. "This is what they've done all year when their backs are at the wall" this, "everyone knew Chicago didn't have the pitching for" that.

Not that any of that's incorrect, but what's also not incorrect is that that entire division was a mediocrity "all year"; "everyone" also "knew" the AL overall was an unpredictable mess from jump -- one or two very good teams, a couple streaky teams, whatever odds-proof foolishness was happening in the AL West on a given night, and...this.

Specific to this series, hey: it's more baseball, which is always good. I don't envy Ronnie and the gang having to "Ramirez, amirite" it for three hours a night because exactly no people thought the Sox wouldn't sweep; ya gotta say something. It's just...you know, sort of amusing.

"You know what else is amusing?" On it! Sorry!

Meidroth 2
Montgomery, C 2
Murakami 1
Vargas 4

Mr. DeLauter 1
Kwan 1

Not a ton of points, but a little something for every pick.

New look for the money:

49 Yuhan 2
44 O'Reilly
42 Bauer 2

37 Wonsetler Head and Crase
34 Reid Dumb and Stempelson
33 Izzo 1
32 LoPorto 1
30 Samantha Green

High to mid-20s: LoPorto 1, MArbour 2, and Brady

Low 20s: Reid Smart, Bauer 1, Quinn 2, AK 2, Cameron 1, Wonsetler Heart

Teens: almost everyone else
Tweens: Bingham 2, Drake's Dis Track, and Yuhan 1
Singles: Shotwell 1 and Bingham 1

Guards/Vargas pickers on the move, to an extent, though many of those slates' early-out picks or underperformers may have put them in too deep a hole to climb out of.

Something to contemplate with a night off; Game 5 of this ALDS is at 8 PM ET tomorrow on TBS, and then it's straight into the NLCS on Sunday at 8 PM on FOX. Questions/corrections, LMK, and good luck!

MIL 3, SD 1; Brewers move on

I want good things for the Brewers -- do it for Ueck! -- but this kind of makes me sad; this has been a fun Padres team to watch. The Crew heads to the NLCS, which I think they'll win in 6.

Last night's points:

Bauers 1
Chourio 1
Contreras 2
Mitchell 4
Turang 1
Yelich 1

Bogaerts Cronenworth France LLC 0
Merrill 1
Tatis 4

Not exactly an impressive showing from any of the picks in this series, was it? Tatis Jr. notching another four on his way out brought him even with Bogaerts for 10, but Contreras The Younger was the pool's most valuable with 12. Turang and Bauers, meanwhile...

But they're still in it and have a chance to help their pickers. A bunch of top-half slates hit hard but only two more down, Winklepleck and Fell 2. Let's look at the full standings, which in fact haven't changed much at the top...yet:

49 Yuhan 2
42 Bauer 2
40 O'Reilly

39 Fell 2
37 Wonsetler Head

34 Winklepleck, Reid Dumb, Stempelson
33 Izzo 1
32 LoPorto 1
30 Green

29 LoPorto 2
28 Crase
26 MArbour 2
24 Reid Smart, Brady

22 Bauer 2, Quinn 2
21 Cameron 1, Wonsetler Heart, AK 2

18 Cameron 2
17 JArbour
16 the SDBs, Tormey, AK 1, MArbour 1, DGB

15 Izzo 2, Fell 1
13 Quinn 1, Shotwell 2
12 Bingham 2, Drake's Cakes
11 Drake's Dis Track, Yuhan 1

9 Shotwell 1
5 Bingham 1

Slates in italics will not appear in future updates; thanks so much for playing, and we'll see you in the comments, I hope!

And it could get verrrrry interesting from here, depending on whether the White Sox prevail -- and even if they don't, there's still a handful of complete slates towards the back of the pack that could close the gap in the next week or ten days.

First, we need to lock the ALCS match-up; Guardians and White Sox go again at 8 PM on TBS. (All-NL slates can put your feet up until Sunday night.) Until then, good luck, eyeball the arithmetic, and I'll see you late-night.

TB 4, NYY 3; Rays move on

A more painful than necessary exit for the Bronx Bombers; as noted yesterday, I thought they'd postpone the inevitable at least one more day, but it was not to be. Maybe if the asshats in the bleachers could keep their hands to themselves?

The points:

Caminero 1
Diaz 1

Bellinger 0
Chisholm 0
Garcia 1
Rice 1

Chisholm did nothing in actual October and has to be our LVP here, although nobody except Rice was much use in the LDS; Rice of course was great, most valuable pick by far. TB's Aranda bucking for a Victorino.

All four italicized picks will leave us; confidence in the Yanks was not high this year, so, while this is not great, it's not going to leave the pool in tatters. I'll wait 'til the next update for a complete survey of last night's pool carnage.

For now, here's the top half of the standings.

45 Yuhan 2
42 Bauer 2
38 O'Reilly

35 Wonsetler Head
34 Fell 2
33 Reid Dumb, Izzo 1

32 LoPorto 1
30 Winklepleck

29 Stempelson, Green
28 Crase
27 LoPorto 2

22 Brady
21 Cameron 1
20 Wonsetler Heart, Red Smart
19 Bauer 1

A few spots back is the first slate to go out, DGB. Stand by for the late-game update and full standings, including zombies, in a little while...

LAD 4, ATL 1; Dodgers move on

Do I think the Trolley-Dodgers have it in them to get to the Classic? Not really, but I feel like I said that last year, and they repeated with whatever magicks that required.

Do I care given they've dismissed the Barves? Not one bit! Hope all those former-Met coaches enjoy the golf course and whatever magicks those require! 

Last points for this LDS, with eliminated picks in italics:

Baldwin 0
Harris 3
Olson 0

Betts, Freeman, and Kiké 0
Teo 1
Muncy 4
Ohtani 0
Pages 2
Smith 0
Tucker 1

LVP for this series is a tough call -- Smith, given expected playing time, is IMO excused, but Ohtani and Baldwin were both solid picks; the former looks like he's hurting, the latter did squat in this series, so let's go Baldwin.

MVP, with respect to Harris, is ol' Bax Buncy, though 2026's bar is...lower? different? Unlikely to see a Victorino off a Dodger team with nine total BPP picks.

No slates knocked out with this result, but the night, she is young (and mean), so here's where the money is halfway through tonight:

44 Yuhan 2
41 Bauer 2
37 O'Reilly

34 Fell 2
33 Wonsetler Head
32 Reid Dumb

It's the ninth in the Bronx rn, so eyeball my math and I'll see you when I see you!

CLE 9, CHW 3

Shows you what I know! Sox took their foot off the gas a little bit, I think, and Cleveland bats -- things that exist! -- surged to a win. Let's see what they did points-wise:

Meidroth 2
Montgomery 0
Murakami 0
Vargas 1

Mr. DeLauter 1
Kwan 1

Enough old BPP hands have gotten burned on Ramirez in the past that nobody went for him this year, and he's baaa-aaaaack.

It's tied in Atlanta still, and Rays/Yankees starts in about 15 minutes; until then, here's the money and environs:

44 Yuhan 2
39 Bauer 2
34 O'Reilly

33 Wonsetler Head
32 Reid Dumb
31 Fell 2

Good luck, see you back here in a bit!

SD 4, MIL 3

I fell asleep before this seesaw ended, but was gratified to wake up to more baseball in the MIL/SD series. I still think this is the Brewers' in the end -- imagine if all those picks were hitting -- but that's why they play the games.

And they're playing all four later, probably for the last time in 2026, so let's housekeep this one real quick. Points!

Bauers 0
Chourio 0
Contreras, Wm 6
Mitchell 0
Turang! Finally! 1

Bogaerts 1
Cronenworth 5
France 0
Merrill 1
Tatis 0

Top of the money remained fairly stable; top half of the pool overall looks a bit different this morning:

44 Yuhan 2
39 Bauer 2
33 Wonsetler Head and O'Reilly

32 Reid Dumb
31 Fell 2
30 Izzo 1, LoPorto 1, and Winklepleck

Everyone/-thing else after the jump break.

LAD 3, ATL 1

Does this series seem joyless to anyone else? Not just because it's the Barves trying to take down a three-peat money juggernaut, either. It's just over-it vibes on the field from almost everyone. Even Ohtani looks kinda cranky.

But of course Freddie's powering through it, and Kiké, everyone's favorite longshot Victorino-block pick.

Tonight's points so far:

Baldwin 0
Harris II 1
Olson 1

Betts 2
Freeman 4
Hernandez, K 4
Teo Max Shohei LLC 0
Pages 2
Smith 1
Tucker 1

Pages and Smith notching their first postseason TB this evening, so that's something, and Freeman makes it interesting at the top:

44 Yuhan 2
39 Bauer 2
31 Reid Dumb

30 Izzo 1, Fell 2, LoPorto 1

And the rest of the usual suspects in the mid-20s. 

Turang could really help a lot of people out -- starting with himself! -- by doing literally anything tonight, but we'll see how things look after the late game; look for that update tomorrow morning. 

(Math not mathing? LMK!)

TB 5, NYY 2

From a non-pool standpoint, I don't super-care how far the Yankees get this year, but as the man sang, I got friends that do. The box score has four errors for the Bombers, which is probably generous -- fine with it; we're not getting points for biffs over here -- but it was painful to watch, and painful to watch Yankee fans watch. They have an expectation of baseline competence that Flushing faithful like myself don't; they have a belief in the fundamental legibility of player performance to civilians that Met fans have long since discarded.

I think the previously afore-insulted off days in the DS schedule aren't helping this Yankee team, but I...also think the team is not great this year. Not bad, mind you, but a little...provisional, I guess is the word.

We know what that's like too, Lord knows, but it's getting late on this side of the bracket, eh?

All of that said: holy crap, Ben Rice!

The points:

Bellinger 1
Chisholm 0
Garcia 0
Rice 8

Caminero 3
Diaz 1

Our most popular pick this year is finally on the board; let's see how the standings look now.

40 Yuhan 2
38 Bauer 2
30 Izzo 1

29 Fell 2, LoPorto 1

Everyone else after the jump!

CWS 4, CLE 3

Not the pitching changes I'd have made as the Guards' manager, but that's why I do this and they do that, I suppose. Cleveland just seems...stuck, grinding uphill; I don't know.

Got some points, though, finally...

Meidroth 2
Montgomery, C 0
Murakami 1
Vargas 1

DeLauter 2
Kwan 1

The money looks the same --

32 Yuhan 2
29 Bauer 2, Fell 2
26 O'Reilly

-- but it's interesting near the podium --

25 Crase
24 Winklepleck

-- and thanks to Mr. DeLauter*, the last point-less slate is on the board, so no Gol-Dunn Sombrero this year, huzzah!

*I had a history teacher with a nearly identical last name back in the day; can't bring myself not to use the "Mr."

Thanks to this asinine stagger sked for the ALDSes, these teams don't go again until Wednesday night. Stand by for the Rays/Met-- er, Yankee score in a few minutes!

ATL 3, LAD 2

With a couple of exceptions, the Dodgers look flat. I hate the Barves and don't think they have a World Series run in them regardless, but I don't know if this Dodger team is the one to get rid of them.

In any event, what's wanted BPP-wise is a long series with a lot of points. What'd we get tonight?

Baldwin 0
Harris II 6
Olson 1

Betts 0
Freeman 5
Hernandezes 0
Muncy 4
Ohtani 1
Pages 0
Smith 0
Tucker 1

Money looks a little different after all, thanks to Harris II taking over the top TB slot from Ben Rice...

32 Yuhan 2
29 Bauer 2, Fell 2
25 O'Reilly

24 Winklepleck

Everyone else after the jump!

MIL 4, SD 3

That's the kind of game you love this time of year -- always tense; life-giving/back-breaking result. And the Padres head home down 0-2.

The points, which were a bit sparse:

Bauers 0
Chourio 1
Contreras 0
Mitchell 1
Turang 0
Yelich 2

Bogaerts 0
Cronenworth 0
France 2
Merrill 1
Tatis 0

Turang really dragging down a bunch of slates here.

The money, with a couple of small shifts:

28 Bauer 2
27 Yuhan 2
24 Winklepleck

23 Fell 2
21 Crase
19 Izzo, Stempelson, O'Reilly, Wonsetler Heart

Doesn't seem like the night game's going to move the needle much, but I'll see you shortly with that result and tomorrow's schedule.

MIL 3, SD 2

A somewhat unpleasant game to look at, strictly visually -- the combination of the odd lighting at the Brewers' park and those "iconic" Pads unis just felt nightmarish; trying to backseat-drive that home run that wasn't, forget it -- but a fun one in terms of gameplay. The folks who get paid to write about this stuff think this series is the closest contest on paper so we may get a full five of close games like this one.

No shortage of points, either...

Bauers 2
Chourio 4
Contreras the Younger 4
Mitchell 1
Turang 0
Yeli 1

Bogaerts 1
Cronenworth 0
France 1
Merrill 0
Tatis 1

...but the less said about Machado hogging all of them, the better, probably. ("No, say more." - Aaron)

Every slate is now nominally on the board. No huge changes to the leaderboard since last night, but here's the money currently:

28 Bauer 2
25 Yuhan 2
22 Fell 2 and Winklepleck

21 Crase
19 Izzo 1, Stempelson, O'Reilly
18 Wonsetler Heart

Everyone else after the jump...

TB 1, NYY 0

Nice moment for Rasmussen, we all love a regular-season pitchers' duel...but a low-scoring game is annoying for the BPP, lbr. 

Yankee picks: 0

Caminero: 0
Diaz, Y: 1

No substantive change to, well, much of anything, except a couple more slates got on the board -- but we should see some significant shuffling once SD/MIL goes final. I'll have that update and complete standings tomorrow morning.

LAD 5, ATL 3

Skubal wasn't completely untouchable on a scorching day at Chavez Ravine, but the Dodger line-up did what it does for a fairly routine win.

Baldwin 1
Harris 0
Olson 0

And [huge inhale]...

Betts 1
Freeman 1
Hernandez, K 0
Hernandez, T 5
Muncy 4
Ohtani 1
Pages 0
Smith 0
Tucker 5

It never fails; I'm like "surely THIS is the deranged one-off pick that blows up in Bauer's face" and then that slate leaps right over everybody. Every year! Anyway: welcome back, Kyle Tucker.

Here's the money halfway through today's schedule:

28 Bauer 2
23 Yuhan 2
21 Crase, Fell 2

19 Izzo 1, Winklepleck
18 Stempelson
17 LoPorto 1

And even more slates climb into the fray; the last five need the Brewers to take the field.

No score yet in Tampa in the middle of the second. Good luck, check my math, see you later tonight.

CHW 3, CLE 0

A subdued start at the plate for the AL Central champs; everything the Guardians tried to get going seemed to happen with two outs.

Sox still producing, though:

Meidroth 0
Montgomery 3
Murakami 5
Vargas 1

DeLauter 0
Kwan 0

A couple of slates join us thanks to Vargas, and the money looks a bit different after our first game:

22 Yuhan 2
21 Crase
20 Fell 2

Izzo 1, Winklepleck, Bauer 2, and Stempelson just off the pace, and plenty of point opportunities in the ATL/LAD game underway right now (which I think I'll leave on mute). See you around dinnertime ET...

ATL 6, PHI 2; Barves move on

That's a wrap on the WC round -- an uglier one than we usually see. A wide range of picks team-wise is interesting, and protects us from having to re-pick at the Classic, but the flip side is that you might have a bunch of slates staggering into divisional play...and losing PCA and Kyle Schwarber in the first round leaves us with a handful of "Mario Celeste"s going into the LDSes.

The points:

Baldwin 0
Harris 4
Olson 4

Harper 1
Schwarber 2
Stott 0

Italicized picks are out, of course. Harris II, a known Met-killer, is the pick MVP this round but the Schwarb wasn't far behind. Nobody really sucked, but Stott didn't do what we hoped. Albies making a case for the Victorino (usually he and Acuña get decent action if they're available; feels like nobody really believes it for Atlanta this year).

No games today, so here's a look at the money while we wait.

22 Yuhan 2
20 Fell 2
19 Winklepleck, Izzo 1

18 Bauer 2, Stempelson
17 LoPorto 1

Everyone else plus Saturday's sked after the jump...

SD 4, CHC 1; Padres move on

I can't say I expected quite such a brisk dismissal of the North Side team, even from a scorching San Diego team. CHC picks were 0 for last night --

Bregman 0
PCA 0

-- and 0 for BPP 2026, aaaaand are out. Not great news for the pool broadly; PCA was a very popular pick.

In happier news,

Bogaerts 3
Cronenworth 0
France 3
Merrill 2
Tatis 0

Bogey's your MVP for this match-up. I would propose Machado as a future Shane Vic, but those are guys nobody would have thought to pick, versus Machado, who tends to burn us...except when he doesn't.

Here's a look at the money:

22 Yuhan 2
19 Winklepleck, Izzo 1
18 Bauer 2, Stempelson

Everyone else after the jump...