Oct 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) strikes out during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Wednesday marked the final day of the postseason’s quadruple‑header, the last time four playoff games were played on the same day.
Each contest carried the potential for dramatic heartbreak.
Here, we examine the most glaring disappointments emerging from the early playoff rounds.
Be seated
The Yankees proved they could compete without Aaron Judge, whose calf injury kept him out of the AL Wild Card Series against Boston. However, beyond Ben Rice and Austin Wells, the Yankees’ bats were largely shut down by Tampa Bay’s pitching staff in the ALDS. Rice and Wells combined for four hits in six at‑bats, while the rest of the lineup managed only one hit in 52 at‑bats—a staggering .019 average. That lone hit came as a 90.3 mph single by Cody Bellinger in Game 2.
Only a resurgence from the broader lineup could force the series beyond Tropicana Field.
Wispy with RISP
Both the Dodgers and the Braves have struggled to produce runs with runners in scoring position. Combined, the two clubs have only one hit in 29 opportunities with a runner on base across the first three games of the NLDS. Mauricio Dubon’s RBI infield single in the top of the first inning of Game 2—recorded at an exit velocity of 83.7 mph—provided the only clutch offensive contribution for the Braves in that span, helping secure a 3‑2 victory. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani’s numbers reflect the broader offensive malaise. His .205 batting average and .258 expected slugging percentage suggest that his recent underperformance is not merely bad luck, despite the Dodgers’ earlier optimism about his swing mechanics entering the postseason.
Jose can you see, or not?
Cleveland Guardians slugger José Ramírez entered Game 3 of the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox 0‑for‑6 with three strikeouts, underscoring a broader postseason struggle. Over 198 career playoff plate appearances, Ramírez holds a modest .225/.313/.353 line, indicating that his current slump is part of a larger pattern of playoff difficulty.
Something’s brewing: Something stinky
Even when a team builds momentum, it can feel like it is treading water. Milwaukee, now facing elimination against San Diego, has generated 38 baserunners—via hits, walks, hit‑by‑pitches, and errors—yet has converted only ten of them into runs, leaving 27 runners stranded across three games. That offensive inefficiency is compounded by individual struggles, such as Pete Crow‑Armstrong’s 0‑for‑7 showing with four strikeouts in the NL Wild Card Series, a line that extends to a 5‑for‑34, 16‑strikeout, zero‑extra‑base‑hit postseason career mark. The Cubs, who led the majors in runs during the regular season, were neutralized by Padres pitching, collecting just eight hits in 62 at‑bats (seven singles) while striking out 19 times and scoring a single run across two games. Trea Turner’s 13‑plate‑appearance stretch against Atlanta yielded a .091 batting line with an expected average of .162 and an expected slugging of .223, further highlighting the Phillies’ offensive challenges as they prepare for offseason roster overhauls.