The Mets have a Jackson Chourio problem: What we learned in MLB Wild Card Game 2

The Astros and Orioles were two of the most talented teams in baseball this year. Two games into the postseason, both were defeated at home. In the National League, the Padres proved why they are one of the scariest teams in baseball by defeating the Braves, while the Brewers rallied to salvage their season and force a win in Game 3 with the Mets, where it was all about the winner.

It was another unpredictable wildcard game day on Wednesday.

FOX Sports MLB Writers Rowan Kavner And Deesha Thosar offered their best takeaways from all the action.

BREWERS 5, METS 3 – Series tied 1-1

A star is born

The scene was well prepared for this Metssix outs away from sweeping that brewer and advancing to the NLDS against the Phillies. But Milwaukee's adrenaline-fueled, red-hot rookie sees the ball so well right now that it's nearly impossible to throw it. If you make a mistake, he won't miss. Chourio was unforgiving, hitting his second home run of the night. His two-run blast tied the game and signaled to the Mets and anyone who dares face him that he will make it as painful as possible.

At 20 years old, Chourio acts like he did here before and can do almost anything – except drinking champagne at the team's October celebrations. After becoming the youngest major league player in history to record a 20-20 season, he brought all the talent in the world in his first postseason of his career and ambushed the Mets in the Wild Card Series, earning one game 3 forced when the Brewers' backs were against the wall. It seems his brash confidence helps him stick at the plate, allowing him to fend off fastballs and achieve the patience of a hitter who has made multiple playoff appearances. From his leaping catches in left field to his emotional scream as he rounds the bases in front of 40,000 screaming fans, Chourio knows he belongs in this situation. He knows he's a star.

Fittingly, Chourio caught the finale of Game 2, shouting and flailing his arms, livening up Milwaukee's chances. —Deesha Thosar

PADRES 5, BRAVES 4 – Pads wins the series 2-0

San Diego's playoff run continues, but now faces a potential boost in pace

The speed of Joe Musgrove's breaking ball is usually in the low 80s. When he hit a 75.2 mph curveball to Matt Olson in the fourth inning of the Padres' decisive wild-card win, it raised concerns. When he immediately followed her with an even slower turn, alarm bells rang.

The Padres took care of business against the Braves, but winning the war might have been made significantly more difficult as Musgrove left his start with strained right elbow. It's the same elbow that put him on the injured list twice this year and limited him to 19 starts.

After returning from Illinois in mid-August, Musgrove looked sensational. He finished the season with a 2.15 ERA in his last nine starts. Now Wednesday's development would appear to call into question his availability for the Southern California slugfest that awaits him in the National League Division Series between the Padres and Dodgers.

San Diego was still able to survive its loss. The bullpen can help shorten games, and the rest of the rotation could be deep enough to withstand a departure. Michael King struck out just 12 hits in seven scoreless innings in his Padres playoff debut. Dylan Cease, who threw a no-hitter earlier this year, will win Game 1 of the NLDS. He will likely be followed by Yu Darvish, who finished the year with a sparkling 3.31 ERA. The under-the-radar signing of Martin Perez at the deadline could now be crucial as the Padres navigate the rest of October.

But there is no question: without Musgrove, the path ahead is undoubtedly more dangerous. — Rowan Kavner

TIGERS 5, ASTROS 2 – Tigers win the series 2-0

Houston's rebuilt bullpen explodes in stunning fashion

At Minute Maid Park there was a team that was resilient, that was collected under pressure and got the big hits and big outs when they needed them most.

But it was apparently not equipped for such situations.

The Astros were making their eighth straight postseason appearance. They had made the League Championship Series a record seven years in a row, had appeared in more postseason games since that series began, and had more playoff victories than any other team in baseball. It started with AJ Hinch at the helm. After a brief layoff, the Detroit coach found himself on the visitors' bench, leading a young and inexperienced group that defied the odds and caught fire at the right time.

The Tigers hadn't made the playoffs in 10 years, sold at the deadline and entered August with less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs. The average age of the Tigers roster was just over 25 years old. Only one player from this group, Matt Vierling, had previous postseason experience.

And yet they were the group that seemed calm in the crucial moments. After the Tigers advanced to Houston and stole Game 1, there was a lot of pressure on the home bench. And when the Astros' offense finally came into its own in Game 2, getting the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, it was the rookie group that looked relaxed.

Houston had won 47 straight playoff games when leading in the eighth inning or later. This year in particular featured a bullpen built to hold late leads. The Astros had signed star closer Josh Hader to a five-year, $95 million contract, essentially giving them two closers in Hader and Ryan Pressly to shut down their opponents. There were cracks from the start. Hader and Pressly each had ERAs over 6.00 at the end of April. As the season progressed, they got used to it, even if neither was flawless. Pressly allowed four straight appearances in August. Hader gave up six runs in his final three appearances of the regular season. Still, the late innings proved a strength as the calendar turned to October. Hader did not allow a run in any of his five postseason appearances last year in San Diego. Pressly entered Game 2 on a streak of 20 consecutive postseason appearances without allowing an earned run.

On Wednesday, history and experience played no role.

Pressly allowed the decisive run on a wild pitch. Andy Ibañez, who had only six extra-base hits against fastballs all season, delivered the knockout blow on a sinker from Hader, one of the best fastball pitchers in the game.

Now the Tigers and their squad of makeshift openers move on, the hottest team in the sport proving that the last two months have been no fluke. And the stunned Astros are left to wonder how many runs this group has left as Alex Bregman, one of the defining members of their nearly decade-long run, prepares to head into free agency. — Rowan Kavner

ROYALS 2, ORIOLES 1 – Royals win the series 2-0

Baltimore's offense repeats the disappearances

Is anyone really surprised that the Orioles exited the playoffs with a whimper after stumbling through August and September? After a 1-for-7 performance with runners in scoring position in their Game 1 loss — all while Corbin Burnes delivered an eight-inning, one-run gem — the Orioles needed to be aggressive and forceful against Seth Lugo an attempt to save their season. Instead, this was another poor performance from the Baltimore offense, which scored just one run in 18 innings and couldn't even capitalize on a turnover when Lugo had so obviously lost his skills in the fifth. In the end, Gunnar Henderson took a half-hearted approach to Lucas Erceg's two substitutions; in his condition, the season seemed to be over before he even stepped onto the plate.

This young Baltimore team's lack of intensity and fighting spirit was the complete opposite of how Bobby Witt Jr.'s Royals advanced to the ALDS for the first time in nearly a decade. The MVP-caliber shortstop will get a lot of love for his game-winning RBI single, and rightly so, but what stood out to me about Kansas City was the performance of its bullpen. The Royals relievers combined to pitch 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the Wild Card Series, which was important because their lineup yielded just three runs in the two games. The excellence of the relief corps has played a huge role in getting the Royals to this point.

Unfortunately, this dominant pitching team faces Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and the Yankees next. And there will be a lot more energy and intensity on their faces in the Bronx than there was this week at Camden Yards. —Deesha Thosar

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the LA Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. Rowan, an LSU graduate, was born in California, grew up in Texas and then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She has previously reported on this Mets as a beat reporter for the new York Daily News. Deesha, the daughter of Indian immigrants, grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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