Oct. 2, 2019: MLB Daily Postseason Primer

What is the saying, the best laid plans, etc., well the Brewers had a two-run lead with two out in the bottom of the eighth. The Nationals got a hit-by-pitch, bloop single and a walk and then the left-handed Juan Soto came up to face left-handed reliever Josh Hader.

And of course this will likely be the first of many similar tweets for the next four weeks.

The Nationals will fly out to Los Angeles today and could have a workout at Dodger Stadium later.

True Blue LA will have a lot of coverage on the upcoming NLDS between the Dodgers and Nationals as they get ready for Game 1 on Thursday.

And now back to the American League Wild Card Game.

The Oakland Athletics host the Tampa Bay Rays today and the winner of the AL Wild Card Game will travel to Houston to take on the Astros in the Divisional Series.

Athletics postseason history

Prior to the Athletics move to Oakland, this franchise had short periods of success surrounded by years of futility. Managed by Hall-of-Famer Connie Mack, the Philadelphia Athletics won five World Series, the last one in 1930 and nine pennants, the last one in 1931, though their first pennant in 1902 came one year before the World Series began.

Since moving to Oakland (after a 13-year stay in Kansas City), the Athletics have won four World Series, the last being in 1989 and six pennants, the last being in 1990.

The Athletics have played in ten postseason after their last World Series appearance and they lost the last two wild card games they have played.

Rays postseason history

The Rays won their only American League pennant in 2008, they would then lose the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies.

They have made three other postseasons after 2008, losing the Divisional Series in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The Rays did win their one prior Wild Card Game in 2013 against the Cleveland Indians.

2019 head-to-head

The Athletics won their season series against the Rays, winning four of the seven games they played.

Sean Manaea will start for the Athletics, the left-hander did not make his first appearance until he started against the New York Yankees on September 1st. Since then, Manaea has a 4-0 record in four starts and all together, has pitched 29⅔ innings in five starts, giving up four runs and 16 hits. Manaea has struck out 30 against seven walks.

Charlie Morton will try to pitch his current team against his former team when he faces the Athletics. Morton had a career season, pitching 194⅔ innings with a 2.81 FIP (3.05 ERA) and 1.084 WHIP. He had 240 strikeouts while walking 57.

Closing stretch

The Athletics and Rays entered September in a three-team race with the Cleveland Indians for the two AL Wild Card berths. And until the last few days of the season, it looked there might be some additional games added to the regular season as all three teams were within a game of each other.

On September 25th, the Athletics looked they were going to fall from the first wild card to the second position. Trailing by a run going to the ninth inning, they put the tying run on base and then this happened.

That win just about sewed up the Wild Card race for both the Athletics and Rays.

Tuesday’s scoreboard

Nationals 4, Brewers 3

Wednesday’s schedule

5:08 p.m. PT: Rays @ Athletics

TV: TBS

Radio: Los Angeles - ESPN 710 AM - Dan Shulman and Chris Singleton on the call at 5:00 p.m. PT