2025 MLB NLDS Game 3, ALDS Game 4 Winners and Losers

It's not often that a day of playoff baseball starts with the potential for four teams to be sent packing and the postseason field to be slashed in half, but that was the scenario entering play on Wednesday.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers both jumping out to 2-0 leads in their NLDS matchups, and the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners up 2-1 in their ALDS showdowns, the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers all began the day on the brink.

Will any of them still be fighting for their playoff lives when we reach the end of Wednesday's action?

We've highlighted the biggest winners and losers for each of the eight teams vying for a Championship Series berth.

AL Division Series: No. 2 Seattle Mariners @ No. 6 Detroit Tigers

NL Division Series: No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers @ No. 4 Chicago Cubs

AL Division Series: No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays @ No. 4 New York Yankees

NL Division Series: No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies @ No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers

Winner: Everyone Chips in Offensively

When things are going well for the Tigers offensively, they get contributions from up and down their lineup, and that's exactly what we saw in Game 4.

Eight players accounted for their 13 hits, six players drove in their nine runs, and Javier Báez finished 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI out of the No. 9 spot in the batting order.

Jahmai Jones pinch-hit for center fielder Parker Meadows in the fifth inning and delivered an RBI double, then Wenceel Perez went 1-for-2 with an RBI double of his own after taking over in center field defensively in the top of the sixth.

Few teams do a better job of utilizing their entire bench than the Tigers, and that was on full display.

Winner: Hinch's Early Hook Works Out

Starting pitcher Casey Mize allowed just two hits and one run in three innings of work, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the third inning, but A.J. Hinch still turned to his bullpen to begin the fourth inning.

When Tyler Holton loaded the bases without getting an out to begin the fourth, it was easy to immediately question that decision, but Kyle Finnegan put out the fire with just one run allowed, and the bullpen plan went into motion from there.

Rookie Troy Melton ended up being the hero, tossing three shutout innings to earn the win. Having the young starter-turned-reliever available for multiple innings in the postseason no doubt contributed to the decision to get Mize out of the game early.

It wasn't flawlessly executed, but Hinch's bullpen plan once again worked out, and they could afford to be aggressive with their reliever usage with ace Tarik Skubal set to take the ball in Game 5 on Friday.

Loser: Bullpen Implodes

Among teams left standing in the 2025 playoff field, only the Milwaukee Brewers had a better bullpen ERA during the regular season than the Mariners, and Seattle's relief corps was a major weapon early in this series.

Despite taking the loss in Game 1, the bullpen provided five scoreless innings before Carlos Vargas was tagged for the winning run in the 11th inning.

Reliable late-inning arms Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz all looked rock solid in Game 2 and Game 3 wins, and things looked to be in good hands when Bryce Miller exited after 4.1 innings with a 3-1 lead on Wednesday.

Instead, Speier allowed back-to-back RBI doubles to tie things up, and while he escaped the fifth without any further damage, it was just the start of Detroit's scoring. Eduard Bazardo (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) and Vargas (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER) also gave up runs, and suddenly the bullpen is a question mark if George Kirby can't get the ball to Brash and Muñoz in Game 5.

Loser: Julio Rodríguez, Jorge Polanco Go Silent

Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco were two of the hottest hitters in the Seattle lineup down the stretch.

Rodríguez went 3-for-5 with a home run in Game 1, while Polanco was 3-for-4 with two homers in Game 2, but both guys have gone cold in the last two games.

They were a combined 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in Game 3, and they were 0-for-8 with five punchouts in Game 4, and that duo cooling off is suddenly a major concern heading into an all-or-nothing Game 5.

Polanco is 9-for-29 with one double and three home runs in his career against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who will be on the mound on Friday. Rodríguez is a more modest 2-for-11, but he has also homered off the 2025 AL Cy Young favorite. Can they turn it around in time to help Seattle advance to the ALCS?

Winner: Pete Crow-Armstrong's Big Hit

After a first half of the season where he was a bona fide MVP candidate, Pete Crow-Armstrong has gone through an up-and-down few months since the All-Star break that carried over to the playoffs.

He went 0-for-6 with five strikeouts in the first two games of the Wild Card Series before breaking through with a 3-for-4 performance in the decisive Game 3, then followed a similar blueprint to begin the NLDS with a 1-for-8 showing and four strikeouts in the two losses in Milwaukee.

His short memory for past struggles was front and center in the first inning on Wednesday night when he delivered a two-out, two-run single to take a 3-1 lead and chase starter Quinn Priester from the game.

Despite his inconsistency, PCA still managed to deliver a signature playoff moment with the season on the line. With his high-energy, high-emotion style of play, he could jumpstart the entire Cubs roster if he gets hot.

Winner: Scrap Heap Bullpen Has Become a Weapon

The Cubs entered the season expecting veteran Ryan Pressly and up-and-comer Porter Hodge to anchor the bullpen, but as is so often the case, those plans didn't come to fruition. They were left scrambling to sort out the bullpen.

Fast-forward to October, and it was Drew Pomeranz, Daniel Palencia, Andrew Kittredge, Caleb Thielbar and Brad Keller who combined for five innings of two-hit, one-run ball in relief of Jameson Taillon with the season hanging in the balance.

Thielbar and Keller were low-cost free-agent signings on one-year deals during the offseason, Pomeranz was acquired from Seattle for cash considerations in April, Palencia opened the year in the minors and Kittredge was an under-the-radar pickup at the deadline.

Tip of the cap to the front office for piecing together a terrific relief corps.

Loser: A Nightmare Homecoming for Quinn Priester

The Illinois high school ranks have become something of a Midwest hotbed for pitching talent in recent years.

One of the pitchers who got that trend rolling was Quinn Priester, who was taken No. 18 overall in the 2019 draft out of Cary-Grove High School, which is less than 40 miles from Wrigley Field.

He was on the mound to start Game 3 with a chance to send the Cubs packing at Wrigley Field, but the dream scenario quickly devolved into a nightmare when he allowed three hits, two walks and four earned runs before a two-run single from Pete Crow-Armstrong chased him with two outs in the second inning.

Jose Quintana, Grant Anderson and Chad Patrick picked up the slack in the bullpen, combining for 6.2 innings to save some bullets for their other relief arms, but they were unable to dig out of the early hole Priester dug them.

Loser: Brewers Bats Can't Get the Clutch Hit

The Brewers went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base, but none was bigger than Jackson Chourio in the eighth inning.

Despite battling a hamstring issue, Chourio led off the eighth inning with a double off Andrew Kittredge and represented the tying run with 3-4-5 coming up in the Milwaukee lineup.

A strikeout, a walk, a fielder's choice, another walk and another strikeout later, and the Cubs had escaped the inning with their one-run lead intact.

The Brewers ranked second in the majors with a .279 average with runners in scoring position during the regular season, but there was no clutch hit in those bats when they had a golden opportunity.

Winner: An Offensive Series for the Ages

The Blue Jays made a statement with a 10-1 victory in Game 1 of the ALDS, and they were just getting started.

Over four games, the Blue Jays piled up 34 runs on 50 hits, crushing Yankees co-aces Max Fried (3.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER) and Carlos Rodón (2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER) along the way.

They hit nine home runs, including three off the bat of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but it was more than just the long ball that made their offense hum. A staggering 11 different players recorded multiple hits in the four-game series, while nine different guys tallied at least one RBI.

Players like Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger and Ernie Clement were under-the-radar contributors all season, and they haven't missed a beat in their first taste of the postseason, while middle-of-the-order bats Vlad Jr., Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk have also done their jobs.

After finishing among the MLB leaders in batting average (.265, first), OPS (.760, third) and runs scored (798, fourth) during the regular season, they look like an offense capable of leading the Blue Jays all the way to an AL pennant right now.

Winner: Ernie Clement + Tommy Edman = SpiderMan Meme

Tommy Edman was an unlikely hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers during their 2024 playoff run, winning NLCS MVP honors on a roster loaded with high-profile sluggers and providing tremendous value with his bat and his defensive versatility.

That might sound familiar if you were dialed into the Blue Jays the last few days.

Ernie Clement is by no means a household name, but he quietly put together a 4.3-WAR regular season for the Blue Jays, playing in 157 games and hitting .277/.313/.398 with 46 extra-base hits while tying for the MLB lead with 2.9 Defensive WAR while making multiple starts at all four infield spots.

After a quiet playoff debut in Game 1, he went 3-for-4 with a home run in Game 2 and followed that up with a 4-for-4 performance in Game 3 before closing things out with a 2-for-3 night and two runs scored on Wednesday.

Not bad for a guy hitting in the bottom third of the lineup who many outside of Toronto had no idea existed before this series..

Loser: A Wasted Cam Schlittler Gem

Rookie Cam Schlittler was the talk of baseball last Thursday when he threw eight shutout innings and racked up 12 strikeouts against the rival Boston Red Sox in an elimination game. He was called on to take the ball with the season on the line once again in Game 4.

He was not quite as dominant this time around, but at a time when veteran starters are struggling to make it out of the fourth inning without getting an early hook from their manager, he pitched into the seventh inning and departed with just two runs on the scoreboard for the Blue Jays.

An error by Jazz Chisholm Jr. chased him from the game and ultimately led to a pair of unearned runs on his ledger, but he finished with the following line: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.

That's a good enough start to win a game, and if you're looking for a positive takeaway from an otherwise disappointing Yankees postseason, look no further than the 24-year-old rising star who will be under club control through the 2030 season.

Loser: Major Roster Shakeup is a Must

Despite 94 wins and their eighth playoff appearance in the last nine years, a major roster shakeup awaits the Yankees this offseason.

Plenty of words will be written about all the ins and outs of their offseason in the coming days, weeks and months, but in the immediate aftermath of their playoff exit, it's worth a quick rundown of what's in store to slap a bow on their season.

Trent Grisham, Paul Goldschmidt, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are all free agents, and they will almost certainly be joined by Cody Bellinger when he opts out of the final year of his contract.

Jasson Domínguez completely disappeared after the All-Star break and Anthony Volpe spent the entire postseason looking absolutely lost. Despite their once-bright futures, both players should enter camp next year needing to earn their spot on the roster.

Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are recovering from Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil never looked like himself when he returned to action, leaving the starting rotation up in the air behind Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Schlittler.

There's a case to be made that this team needs a first baseman, shortstop, left fielder, center fielder, two starting pitchers, and multiple bullpen arms heading into the offseason.

That's not a roster retooling. That's a complete roster upheaval in the Bronx.

Winner: Outside the Box Managing Sets Up Gem

It was a bit of a surprise to see Aaron Nola announced as the Game 3 starter with the season on the line after he struggled to a 6.01 ERA in 94.1 innings during the regular season, and with Ranger Suárez also ready to roll.

Turns out, both were in manager Rob Thomson's plans, and that plan worked to perfection:

Nola: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K
Suárez: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K

By the time an actual reliever was handed the ball, the Phillies had opened up an 8-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, and the bullpen is now well rested heading into another must-win game on Thursday.

Not only is the relief corps fresh, but the Phillies also have ace Cristopher Sanchez on normal rest after he allowed four hits and two runs in 5.2 innings in Game 1, so it's an advantage for the Phillies on the pitching side of things for Game 4 on Thursday.

Winner: A Postseason Schwarbomb…And Another for Good Measure

After Tommy Edman put the Dodgers up 1-0 with a solo home run in the bottom of the third, Kyle Schwarber quickly answered with an absolute bomb deep into the right field concourse.

That was the first blow in a three-run fourth inning that shifted the momentum into the Philadelphia dugout, and was a snapshot of the type of game-changing impact Schwarber has made all season while putting together a career year.

He later added a second big fly off Clayton Kershaw in the eighth inning, and in the process moved into third place all-time in postseason home runs.

After going 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in the first two games of the series, Schwarber is back on track and capable of getting red-hot as the Phillies look to force a Game 5.

Loser: Yoshinobu Yamamoto's Worst Start in Months

By almost any measure, the last time Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a poor start was all the way back on Aug. 11, when he allowed six hits, five walks and six earned runs in 4.2 innings.

Over his final seven regular-season starts, he had a 1.53 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 47 innings, and tossed 6.2 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds.

After allowing just one walk in three scoreless innings to start Game 3, he gave up three runs in the top of the fourth, including a light-tower blast off the bat of Kyle Schwarber. Back-to-back singles from Bryson Stott and Trea Turner to start the fifth inning were enough for manager Dave Roberts to go to the bullpen, and Yamamoto exited with the following line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

No pitcher is immune from a shaky outing, but after clearly holding the advantage on the mound heading into Game 3,  this has shifted the pitching edge to the Phillies. Sanchez will take the ball on normal rest, while Tyler Glasnow will oppose him and make his first start since Sept. 27.

Loser: Another Quiet Game for Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani started off his 2025 postseason with a two-homer game against the Reds, then added an RBI and a run scored in Game 2, but has gone silent since the start of the NLDS.

He went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Game 1, and followed that up with a 1-for-5 performance and two more punchouts in Game 2, though he did have an RBI.

A deep fly ball in the seventh inning on Wednesday night fell just short of the wall and into the glove of Max Kepler, but he ultimately finished 0-for-5 with a strikeout and again made no impact out of his leadoff spot in the lineup.

The Dodgers are far from on the ropes in this series, but Ohtani needs to start swinging it again if they are going to advance deep into October.