September 29, 2026
The winner of best-of-three Wild Card Game 1 has gone on to win 21 of 24 times since the MLB tinkered with its postseason format.
The Phillies tried to sew together a rusty Jesús Luzardo start and a ridiculous three-inning save from Jhoan Duran, but it didn't work as the Phils faltered 5-3 to put their season on the brink.
With their ace Cris Sánchez set to take the hill for Game 2 Wednesday, there's still hope. But they'll need to buck history to keep their season alive.
Here are some observations — a look at the good, the bad and the ugly — from the first game of the 2026 MLB postseason.
• Nobody really knew what to expect from Game 1 starter opener Luzardo, who started for the first time in nearly three weeks.
Would he go an inning or two? Would he actually make a de facto "start?"
His last actual start came against the Braves and was a complete-game shutout win. He picked up where he left off.
Luzardo gave the Phillies five extremely solid innings, allowing one run and striking out six hitters as he threw 77 pitches before handing things off to a relatively well-rested bullpen. If the Phillies are able to make it to the NLDS, there doesn't appear to be any reason why Luzardo can't pick up and start a full regular game on regular rest.
• J.T. Realmuto was due, right? With just two hits since September 15, the Phils catcher ripped a two-run triple to put the Phillies ahead 3-2 when they needed him most.
A hit batter and base hit knocked Chris Sale from the ballgame and Justin Crawford popped up with one out, missing out on a sac fly opportunity. Crawford can be forgiven, as the one time best catcher in baseball flexed his bat skills at the perfect time.
THE PHILLIES TAKE THE LEAD 😮
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2026
J.T. Realmuto sends one to the corner and two runs come around to score! pic.twitter.com/FgOqUsHvGg
• After an 0-for-13 slump to end the regular season — and with the lineup really lacking any righty pop — Alec Bohm got the Phils on the board early with an RBI double that scored Kyle Schwarber (walk) from first.
The first run of the 2026 Postseason belongs to Alec Bohm and the @Phillies 💪 pic.twitter.com/ExbBzlLVnM
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2026
Bohm had quite the year, perhaps distracted by an off-field lawsuit dealing with his parents, the infielder hit .214 before the All-Star break, and .298 after it. His free agency will be interesting to watch (hopefully a few weeks from now).
The entire first inning was actually pretty impressive, as the Phillies hitters adjusted to Sale's early proclivity for missing the strike zone. Schwarber drew a walk and the lineup forced the ace and Cy Young contender to throw 23 pitches (15 out of the zone) to get through the first frame.
• When Phillies closer Duran entered the ballgame in the seventh inning, initially, I was sort of... concerned. It's a very cavalier move. It's a bold move. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a total no brainer. If the Phillies atrocious bullpen coughs up the lead, that's it. The game is probably over for the light-hitting Phils. They had to put their best hurler in the game as early as is reasonably possible.
Duran had a breezy seventh, but in the eighth, the wheels came off. A single and hit by pitch set the table for Austin Riley, who pummeled a three-run homer into the right field seats.
Don Mattingly might not be interested in returning to manage next season anyway, and there's no way to know if a different decision would have kept the lead for Philly, but my goodness did that blow up in the manager's face.
• The Phillies are not known for their fielding. And it was clear in the second inning — though they did momentarily stave off a run from scoring with one out and a man on third — Luzardo probably could have turned two and kept the Braves off the board if he turned his head when fielding this swing bunt.
A look at the Braves base runners when Jesus Luzardo fielded the ball off Austin Riley's bat. Could've had a double play there. pic.twitter.com/HeOcO6pnrI
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) September 29, 2026
• Later in that frame, Braves left-handed hitter Mike Yastrzemski (who has hit .155 over the last two regular seasons against lefties) came to hit with two out and a man on third.. So of course, he's the one who got Atlanta on the board with an RBI-single.
• Does Justin Crawford make this play?
OZZIE COMES UP CLUTCH 😤
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2026
Ozzie Albies triples home Michael Harris II to give the @Braves the lead! pic.twitter.com/dGS5CdNWYV
Derek Hill didn't handle that Ozzie Albies blast and as a result, the Braves scored the go-ahead run and Albies got himself a triple.
Hill doesn't get the blame here. The bullpen does. As soon as Luzardo left the game, rookie Alex McFarlane looked like a rookie thrown into the fire for a team without any other reliable late game bullpen options.
• Another weakness — base running — reared its ugly head Tuesday, as Trea Turner was out by a mile trying to snag a bag in the third, with Harper at the plate. It's one of those, you have to get it right decisions. Giving the Braves free outs isn't a winning strategy and Turner got it wrong.
• Prior to Tuesday, 37-year-old Chris Sale had never really pitched well in the postseason. In 10 starts with the White and Red Sox over his career, Sale has a 6.35 ERA and never made it through a sixth inning.
He was on his A-game in Game 1, and it's a testament to the Phillies' focus and grind that they were able to knock him out of the game with one out in the seventh inning.
Prior to that, he was a problem.
Sale struck out nine hitters and could have struck out more than that, prompting a crazy 22 swings and misses from Phillies hitters. He touched 100 mph for just the 10th time in his entire career. And his slider was too enticing for Phils hitters to lay off of.
Sale pitched four times and 26 innings against the Phillies, the most of any team he faced in 2026. He had a 2.08 ERA, 3-0 record and gave up just 15 hits and six runs in total. They got the three runs off him Tuesday, and luckily won't have to worry about seeing him again in 2026. Unfortunately, three runs wasn't enough.
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