A look at the MLB Division Series heading into Game 3

The MLB Division Series is in its 20th season, having begun the Wild Card era in 1995 (21st if you count the Division Series played in the made-up split season strike year of 1981).

This is the first time all four Division Series have entered Game 3 with a 1-1 tie. While there are still favorites in this series – namely the four teams that received byes – there have been a number of close, back-and-forth games in this series, and I suspect any of them could go one way or the other .

Let's take a quick look at all four.

Tiger vs Guardian

After suffering a shutout on just four hits in Game 1, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal shut out Cleveland for seven innings on just three hits and eight strikeouts in Game 2.

Game 2 ended tied in the ninth inning with Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on the mound. He had retired the Tigers' last batter in the eighth.

But Clase ran into trouble in the ninth, allowing two singles after the Tigers' first two outs were routine. Then Kerry Carpenter hit a 422-foot home run and the Tigers won 3-0.

This is a classic case of mismanagement. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt asked Clase to do something he hadn't done in 74 appearances in 2024 – make a four-out save. It's not necessarily about the number of batters you face, but rather about Clase retiring a batter, then sitting in the dugout, then warming up again. Closers aren't used to that and that could have been Clase's downfall.

The series continues tomorrow in Detroit. Alex Cobb chooses Cleveland. As of this writing, the Tigers have not named a starter and could opt for a bullpen game.

Royals vs. Yankees

The Royals played hard against the Yankees in Game 1. They had three different leads but couldn't hold on to them and lost 6-5.

In Game 2, a Salvador Perez home run gave KC the lead and three RBI singles completed a four-run quarter, and the Royals held on despite a Jazz Chisholm Jr. home run in the ninth inning.

Chisholm says the Royals were “just lucky”:

“It still feels the same that we’re going to win it,” Chisholm said. “I don’t feel like anyone feels any different. We're going to go out there and still do our thing; We still don't feel like any team is better than us. We had a lot of missed opportunities tonight, so they just got lucky.”

I suspect this quote is posted on the bulletin board in the Royals clubhouse.

The Yankees have been a very good road team this year, going 50-31 and beating the Royals at Kauffman Stadium in June.

But the postseason, as you know, is different.

Mets vs. Phillies

The Phillies nursed a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning of Game 1, then the Mets exploded for five runs off three Phillies relievers for an easy 6-2 win.

The Mets appeared to be on a roll in Game 2, taking a 3-0 lead in the sixth when a two-run home run by Bryce Harper and a solo shot by Nick Castellanos tied the game.

It was a hit-or-miss game after that as Brandon Nimmo gave the Mets the lead with a home run, which they squandered in the bottom of the eighth, only to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the ninth.

Two two-out walks led to this walkoff hit by Castellanos (VIDEO).

The Mets took three of four games from the Phillies at Citi Field last month, but again, the postseason is just different.

Padres vs. Dodgers

Like the Royals, the Padres had several leads in Game 1 that they couldn't hold on to.

In the first inning of Game 2, Jurickson Profar made this fantastic catch, stealing a home run from Mookie Betts (VIDEO).

He played around with the fans nearby and hid the ball for a few seconds.

Later in the game, Dodger fans began throwing things onto the field, causing a delay (VIDEO).

That only galvanized the Padres, who were leading 4-1 at the time. They hit four home runs in the eighth and ninth innings and won on the road 10-2. These home runs led to some internet humor:

There's no question that these games have been entertaining so far. Who knows, maybe we'll get four Division Series with five games each for the first time.