Wild Card Round Game 1 open chat

The tournament to determine the champion starts today. The Orioles aren't in it. They finished 4.5 games out. Teams who are in it include the 81-81 Astros and the 84-78 White Sox . Not playing today is the 85-win Cleveland Guardians , because they managed to get a bye even with only 85 wins. Sheesh.

These are the four matchups that will be playing today, tomorrow, and if necessary, Thursday. (Most wild card series have ended in sweeps since the inception of this round of the postseason.)

The Phillies very nearly had one of the greatest September collapses that's ever been accomplished. They ended up holding on and now here they are. All they have to do is pretend that none of their problems exist for about four weeks and they could win the World Series. It has happened to champion teams before. Anything can happen over short series, particularly a little best-of-three.