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The 2016 MLB playoffs commenced in grand fashion Tuesday when the Toronto Blue Jays knocked off the Baltimore Orioles in extra innings in the American League Wild Card Game, but there are several more intriguing matchups on tap moving forward.

On Wednesday, it will be decided who advances to the National League Division Series when the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets clash in what promises to be a pitchers’ duel. Also, the AL Division Series is set, with the Blue Jays taking on the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox meeting the Cleveland Indians.

Ahead of the NL Wild Card Game and the start of the ALDS, here is a full rundown of the schedule and a look at where you can view every game.

NL Wild Card and ALDS Schedule

Giants vs. Mets

Following an AL Wild Card Game between the Jays and Orioles that went down to the wire, expectations are high for Wednesday night’s battle between the Giants and Mets.

The Mets reached the World Series in surprising fashion last season, while the Giants tend to win the World Series every other year, and the calendar suggests they are due in 2016.

While timely hitting will be key, the main matchup to watch is undoubtedly that of Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard attempting to go pitch for pitch at Citi Field.

Bumgarner and Syndergaard were two of the National League’s best hurlers during the regular season, and hits figure to be difficult to come by with them on the mound.

While Syndergaard had a better ERA this season than Bumgarner (2.60 compared to 2.74), Bumgarner seemingly has the advantage because of his incredible playoff success.

Bumgarner was named the World Series MVP in 2014, and as Mike Puma of the New York Post pointed out, his recent postseason numbers and career numbers at Citi Field are astounding:

At the same time, Bumgarner isn’t in ideal form entering the playoffs, according to Jerry Recco of WFAN:

Neither Bumgarner nor Syndergaard makes many mistakes, so Wednesday’s game figures to come down to which offense is able to take advantage of the few opportunities it receives. 

Syndergaard proved last year that the postseason stage wasn’t too big for him, but Bumgarner has been nearly unhittable in that atmosphere, which is why San Francisco enters the game with a leg up.

Blue Jays vs. Rangers

Perhaps no rivalry in baseball has been more intense than that of the Blue Jays and Rangers over the past year, so it was undoubtedly fitting when Toronto dispatched the Orioles in the AL Wild Card Game by virtue of a walk-off home run by Edwin Encarnacion.

That set the stage for an ALDS rematch from last season that saw Toronto outlast Texas in five games. Plenty of bad blood was produced in that series, most notably because of Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista‘s demonstrative bat flip.

The tension carried over to 2016, as Bautista and Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor engaged in a brawl after Bautista slid hard into second base during the regular season.

CBS Sports provided a reminder of the incident on Twitter:

Despite the obvious tension between the two teams, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary with regard to the upcoming series, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

It’ll be talked about a ton. I think it’ll dominate or at least be one of the top story lines nationally and locally. I think that the fan bases will be loud and the crowd. Beyond that, I don’t expect much.

I think this time of year everybody’s so focused on what they want to do, everybody wants to win so badly. … I don’t think you’re going to see any silly stuff because teams have too much to lose this time of year. I expect our fans will boo their guys and their fans will boo our guys and the game will go on.

Even if the Blue Jays and Rangers players decide to keep it clean, the respective fanbases promise to create raucous environments perfect for postseason baseball.

In terms of entertainment value, the Jays and Rangers figure to offer plenty of bang for the buck because of the hatred between them and the fact that they are among the most explosive offensive teams baseball has to offer.

Red Sox vs. Indians

Terry Francona will always have a special place in Red Sox history, as he managed them to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, but the ALDS will see him attempting to stop Boston in its tracks as manager of the Indians.

Francona is in the midst of his fourth season as Cleveland’s manager, and he has the team in the ALDS for the first time as the No. 2 seed in the American League.

While his tenure with the Red Sox didn’t end on ideal terms in 2011, Francona harbors no ill will toward the organization, especially since Red Sox manager John Farrell is his close friend, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com: “I’m extremely proud of what John has done this year. And it’s tough to compete against one of your best friends. That’s actually kind of hard, but I’m so proud and happy for him, what he’s accomplished. I kind of consider it an honor to actually compete against him.”

In addition to the storyline of Francona going up against the Sox, the ALDS marks what could be the final postseason series of Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz’s illustrious career.

While Big Papi is 40 years of age, he is coming off a regular season that saw him hit .315 with 38 home runs and 127 RBI. Because of that, Francona joked that he wished Ortiz would step away a bit sooner than planned, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian:

Both the Red Sox and Indians are well-equipped to make a World Series run. Boston boasts the deepest and most dangerous lineup in baseball, while Cleveland has the type of pitching needed for postseason success.

While the Chicago Cubs are the favorites to win it all, the winner of the ALDS between the Sox and Tribe could potentially stake claim to that distinction.

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Despite missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Detroit Tigers exercised manager Brad Ausmus‘ fourth-year option for 2017. 

The Tigers announced the news Wednesday. 

“Brad was instrumental in leading the team through adversity and with the development of our younger players, particularly the young starting pitchers,” executive vice president and general manager Al Avila wrote in a press release. “The team improved from last season, and under the leadership of Brad and his coaching staff, the ballclub kept fighting and remained in contention for the postseason. Moving forward we want to build off that progress.”

Chris McCosky of the Detroit News was the first to report the move Tuesday night.

The Tigers went 86-75, missing the playoffs by 2.5 games. Consecutive losses to the 68-93 Atlanta Braves to close out the season ended their chances of securing one of the two wild-card spots in the American League.

Detroit is 250-234 during Ausmus’ three years at the helm, including a playoff appearance in 2014 that resulted in the team getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Division Series.

The Tigers had made three straight trips to the postseason prior to Ausmus’ arrival, including a World Series loss under Jim Leyland in 2012.

When asked about his desire to remain as manager following the conclusion of the 2016 regular season, Ausmus said the following, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press: “Yeah. It’s a team that’s got a chance to win that’s got some good young pitching now. You know, it’s got a bona fide ace at the top, and it’s got some good young pitching that will, theoretically, just grow and get better.”

With a starting rotation featuring the likes of Justin Verlander, Michael Fulmer, Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris and a lineup with hitters such as Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton, Ian Kinsler and J.D. Martinez, the Tigers have the talent to make a deep run next season.

They have faltered despite their talent over the past couple of years, and while Ausmus has yet to pay the price for that, his leash isn’t likely to be long in 2017, especially since he’ll be managing for a new contract.

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Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley missed nearly the entire 2016 season due to a shoulder injury, and that ailment could cost him time in 2017 as well. 

Continue for updates.

Brantley May Not Be Ready for 2017

Thursday, Sept. 29

According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, a source indicated that Brantley could miss significant time in 2017 after undergoing surgery on his shoulder that reportedly involved “re-anchor[ing] the muscle to the bone.”

Brantley missed the start of 2016 due to the injury, and after appearing in 11 games, he went back on the shelf and underwent season-ending biceps tenodesis surgery in August.

Despite reports of a longer recovery, Indians president Chris Antonetti told Heyman the following: “Nothing new on Michael. He underwent biceps tenodesis surgery with an expected recovery time of four months.”

The 29-year-old star hit just .231 with no home runs and seven RBI in 11 games this year following the two best seasons of his career.

Brantley was an All-Star for the first time, won his first Silver Slugger Award and finished third in American League MVP voting by virtue of his .327 batting average, 20 home runs, 97 RBI and 23 stolen bases two years ago.

He followed that up with another superb campaign in 2015, hitting .310 with 15 homers, 84 RBI and 15 swipes.

Brantley entered 2016 on the disabled list after suffering a shoulder injury, however, and missed a few weeks before returning to action near the end of April. He went back on the 15-day DL after just 11 contests because of further issues with his shoulder.

After that, Indians manager Terry Francona placed some blame on himself for rushing Brantley back into the lineup, according to Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com: “I’m kind of kicking myself a little bit. I think we might have gone a little too far, too much, too fast. I didn’t want to do that, and I think we probably did.”

Despite being without Brantley for nearly the entire season, the Tribe reached the playoffs for the first time since 2013 on the strength of a dominant starting rotation.

Cleveland has also received stellar play from other outfielders such as Tyler Naquin, Rajai Davis and Lonnie Chisenhall.

The return of Brantley next season promises to give the Indians a huge offensive boost regardless of when it happens, but until it does, they need Naquin to keep up his high level of play, since he is the closest thing they have to a five-tool outfielder aside from Brantley.

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Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber is among the most dominant hurlers in baseball, but the former Cy Young Award winner will miss time after going down with a quadriceps injury.

Continue for updates.

Kluber Timetable Revealed

Tuesday, Sept. 27

According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the quadriceps strain is expected to keep the pitcher out for seven to 10 days.

Kluber lasted only four innings in his last start before coming out with an apparent groin injury. However, the MRI revealed it to be a different leg issue. 

Bastian broke down what this means for the Indians, who have already clinched the division title: 

The Tribe boasts a spectacular starting rotation featuring several power arms, but Kluber is arguably the best among them, and he is producing to the tune of 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 2016.

Expectations were massive for Kluber entering the 2015 campaign after he went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 269 strikeouts en route to the Cy Young Award in 2014.

Although he was unable to replicate those numbers, bad luck was among the major culprits, as his 3.49 ERA should have been lower when compared to his 2.97 FIP, per Baseball-Reference.com. He also posted a record of just 9-16 despite his strong peripheral numbers, which speaks to how little run support he received in 2015.

In addition to that, he was forced to deal with an injury late in the season, as a hamstring ailment limited him in September. He still managed to make 32 starts, though, and he has proved to be fairly durable over the course of his career.

Pitching is undoubtedly the Indians’ greatest strength, so they may be able to have success even without the 30-year-old veteran in the rotation despite all the positives he brings to the table.

With Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin also on the team, Cleveland boasts more power arms than any club in all of Major League Baseball.

The potential absence of Kluber will certainly test the Indians’ pitching depth, but they should still have a great chance to win on most days.

Kluber is the type of ace who sets the Tribe apart from the rest of the league, though, which is why his recovery and return to full health will be so important for Cleveland moving forward.

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In an effort to help clinch a playoff spot in the final week of the 2016 regular season, the San Francisco Giants acquired infielder Gordon Beckham from the Atlanta Braves Tuesday. 

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report that the deal was close. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman later confirmed the news and added that Atlanta will receive cash as part of the trade.

Since the waiver trade deadline has passed, Beckham will not be eligible for the Giants’ postseason roster should they make it.

The 30-year-old Beckham is hitting .217 with five home runs and 30 RBI this season and has seen playing time at second base, third base and shortstop.

After starting third baseman Eduardo Nunez left San Francisco’s loss to the San Diego Padres Sunday with a hamstring injury, San Francisco bolstered its infield depth Tuesday.

Beckham is likely to combine with Conor Gillaspie, Ehire Adrianza and Kelby Tomlinson over the next week to fill in for Nunez if he is unable to play.

The Giants enter play Tuesday with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the second and final wild-card spot in the National League.

San Francisco has a penchant for winning the World Series every other year, and if it can get into the playoffs and continue that trend, Beckham will get a World Series ring despite not being permitted to play in the postseason.

Considering he was dealt from the NL’s worst team with a record of 63-92, the trade-off is a good one for the eight-year veteran.

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The Miami Marlins prevented third baseman Martin Prado from hitting free agency at season’s end by signing him to a contract extension Tuesday. 

According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the Marlins inked the 32-year-old veteran to a three-year deal that will pay him a total of $40 million through 2019. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro confirmed the move.

Prado is in the midst of a strong campaign, hitting .305 with seven home runs, 73 RBI and 68 runs scored.

Miami acquired the 11th-year veteran in a trade with the New York Yankees prior to the start of the 2015 season.

Prado spent the first seven years of his career with the Atlanta Braves before stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Yanks and Marlins. He was named to his first and only All-Star team in 2010.

While Prado has exclusively manned third base in 2016, he has played all over the diamond during his career, spending extensive time at second base and the corner outfield spots.

Prado has been a fixture in the No. 2 spot of the Marlins lineup this season behind speedster Dee Gordon and in front of power hitters such as Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna.

He has excelled at getting on base for Miami’s top hitters, and he is a big reason why the Marlins have surprised many with a 78-78 record so far this season.

Prado is an unheralded player who doesn’t receive much league-wide recognition, but his contributions are undeniable, and the fact that the Marlins managed to keep him means they have a great chance to be competitive in the National League playoff race once again next season.

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Following a report that a shoulder injury has hampered Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, the reigning NL MVP reportedly denied any issues in a closed-door meeting with management Tuesday. 

SI.com’s Tom Verducci wrote Tuesday that Harper is struggling through shoulder and neck ailments on the heels of missing a few games in August due to a neck injury.

Per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, Harper told general manager Mike Rizzo he did not have a shoulder injury, and trainer Paul Lessard confirmed he had not treated the 23-year-old superstar for any such problems.

Manager Dusty Baker commented on the situation as well and expressed confusion regarding the source of Verducci’s information: “Bryce said it didn’t come from him. Nobody really knows where it comes from because it’s not on the injury report. The trainer said no.”

After hitting .330 and raking 42 home runs to go along with 99 RBI last season, Harper is in the midst of a down year.

He entered play Thursday hitting just .240 with 24 homers and 82 RBI, although he does lead the NL with 106 walks.

Despite Harper failing to live up to expectations, the Nats hold a healthy nine-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East, and they may be the team to beat in the National League aside from the Chicago Cubs.

Regardless of Harper’s health, Washington will likely need more from him as it makes a push for the World Series.

Harper’s high walk total suggests the opposition still respects him, though, and his mere presence makes life easier for other offensive stars such as Wilson Ramos, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner to produce at the plate.

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Brandon Crawford has developed into one of Major League Baseball’s best all-around shortstops in recent years, but the San Francisco Giants may be without their star middle infielder after he suffered a finger injury during Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Continue for updates.

Crawford Out vs. Padres

Friday, Sept. 23 

The Giants announced Crawford will not be in the starting lineup against San Diego on Friday.

Crawford’s Bat Essential to Giants Lineup

The 29-year-old veteran is currently hitting .267/.333/.423 with 12 home runs and 80 RBI, and he also provides Gold Glove-caliber defense in support of his pitchers.

Crawford has been in the league since 2011, but it wasn’t until 2014 that he truly started to break out. He hit .246 with 10 home runs and 69 RBI while helping the Giants win their third World Series title in five years.

That momentum carried over into 2015, as Crawford had the best statistical season of his career, setting personal marks with a .256 batting average, 21 home runs, 84 RBI and 65 runs scored. Crawford was also named to the All-Star team for the first time and took home both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

Crawford was rewarded for his spectacular season in a big way, as the Giants signed him to a six-year, $75 million contract extension.

Crawford has dealt with a few nagging injuries over the course of his career, missing an average of 15 games per season from 2012 through 2015, and the Giants are hopeful that his current ailment is nothing bigger than that.

The Giants are a team capable of battling through adversity and remaining in the race even when they lose players, and they’ll have to draw on their winning experience to ensure that is the case.

Crawford’s value to San Francisco is tough to measure, but there is no question that his presence will be missed both at the plate and in the field.

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Second baseman Jose Altuve is the player who makes the Houston Astros offense go, but the team may be without its spark plug for a period of time after he had to leave Wednesday’s game against the Texas Rangers with an oblique injury. 

Continue for updates.

Altuve to Be Evaluated Before Friday’s Game

Thursday, Sept. 15

According to ROOT Sports’ Julia Morales, Astros manager A.J. Hinch “isn’t optimistic” about Altuve playing Friday against the Seattle Mariners. 

The four-time All Star is in the midst of another great campaign with a .340 average, 24 home runs and 94 RBI on the heels of a 2015 season that saw him hit .313 with a then-career-high 15 home runs and 66 RBI to go along with 38 stolen bases en route to a playoff berth.

He set career marks in 2014 as well with a .341 batting average, 225 hits and 56 stolen bases. While he hasn’t quite reached those levels since, the 26-year-old speedster has improved from a run-production perspective and been a huge part of Houston’s resurgence.

Most wouldn’t expect Altuve to be such a great player based on his size (5’6″, 165 lbs), but he is one of the best pure hitters in baseball.

Perhaps the one downside with regard to Altuve is the fact his stature could leave him susceptible to injuries. He has never missed a significant amount of games during a single season, but minor ailments piled up in 2015, causing him to miss eight contests.

The Astros may not be so lucky this time with regard to the severity of the injury, which would be a major blow to a team that is finally relevant after spending years in the basement.

Provided the injury forces Altuve to miss some time, Marwin Gonzalez—who has played 75 innings at second base this year—projects as his primary replacement. Tony Kemp could also be in line for starts at second if Altuve misses time.        

Houston has a talented team, especially at the plate, but being without a tone-setter like Altuve is something that would be difficult to overcome for an extended period of time.

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As David Ortiz approaches the end of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, the Boston Red Sox slugger made his feelings known regarding a number of subjects Tuesday, including presidential candidate Donald Trump’s comments on Latinos. 

In a Spanish-speaking interview with Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today, Big Papi had the following to say about Trump, who has taken a hard-line immigration stance complete with a plan to build a wall on the United States-Mexico border:

When you speak like that about us, it’s a slap in the face. I walk around sometimes, and I see Mexican people trying to earn a living in an honest way. And to hear somebody make those kinds of comments, it hits you. I think as Latin people we deserve better. Things have gotten much better in that regard. … As Latin people we deserve respect, no matter where you’re from. And especially our Mexican brothers, who come here willing to do all the dirty work.

Latin people here in the United States are the spark plug of the country’s economy. Whoever opposes that is going to lose. And not just Latin people but immigrants. I’m talking about people who come from Africa, from Asia, other places. All those people come here with one goal, to realize the American dream, and you have to include them in our group.

The 40-year-old Ortiz was born in the Dominican Republic, and he has carved out a 20-year MLB career, complete with 10 All-Star appearances, three World Series titles and one World Series MVP award.

Despite everything Ortiz has accomplished on the field—including hitting 534 career home runs—he cares more about leaving a lasting legacy from a character perspective and setting a positive example for his children:

That matters to me more than any home runs I’ve hit. It may inspire some of the young players coming up to try to emulate the things I’ve done right. … If [my kids] ever get up [to Major League Baseball], I want people to say to them, ‘I knew your dad, and he was a guy with huge power. But there was something better about him. He was a good person, a good guy.’ That’s what I care about the most.

The legendary designated hitter is in the midst of one of his best seasons in years, as he enters play Tuesday with a .318 batting average, 31 homers and 107 RBI.

Even though he shows no signs of slowing down, Papi has remained steadfast in his insistence that he intends to retire following the 2016 campaign.

Before he does that, though, a fourth career World Series ring is a real possibility with the Red Sox in playoff position.

Regardless of whether he caps off his career in ideal fashion, however, Ortiz has sealed his legacy as an all-time great slugger and a beloved personality in Boston and across the baseball world.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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