The divisional round series is in the books, and only four teams remain in the MLB playoffs. The story of this 2026 divisional round was how well teams did on the road. They went 9-7 across the four series, for a .563 win percentage. They also took the important games, with three of the four series ending with the road team clinching. While the road team’s success was the overall story, there
Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians
Guardians Pitching Step Up When It Mattered Most
Without question, this was the most exciting divisional-round series. It was the only series to go five games and provided one of the most shocking moments of the entire playoffs. Just a few days ago, the Cleveland Guardians seemed dead. They lost the first two games at home, and going to Chicago, it seemed like only a matter of time before they would be eliminated. But that’s when the Guardians’ pitching stepped up. During Game 3, they shut down the White Sox bats, striking out 19 batters.
From there, Gavin Williams took over and put on a performance we will talk about for years. He closed out Game 4, then started Game 5 and pitched a dominating 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out 12 White Sox batters. From there, the bullpen struck out nine more batters, finishing the night with 21 strikeouts. It’s the most in a nine-inning MLB game. If this divisional round performance is any indication, the Guardians are going to be a tough team to beat. Pitching is what wins and October and the way they were able to shutdown the White Sox, sure have other teams nervous.
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Secondary Players Shine Again for the Dodgers
When you think of the Los Angeles Dodgers, you probably think of their star players. Guys like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman are the ones you expect to hit big in the postseason. But in their divisional round series against the Atlanta Braves, a lot of their damage came from the secondary players. Kike Hernandez lifted them to a Game 3 win with a two-run homer off Chris Sale. Then, in Game 4, Andy Pages hit a clutch two-run single in the seventh inning to break the 1-1 tie. Two guys batting in the bottom third of the order.
Sure, having your big stars hot in October matters, but your depth players need to step up just as much. You need your lineup at full strength, and when the bottom of the order delivers clutch hits, it makes them much more dangerous. This has become a theme for the Dodgers over the past few seasons. It feels like every October, guys like Hernandez elevate their game, and you can’t get them out. This gives the Dodgers insurance with guys like Ohtani in a slump. It puts the Dodgers in a great position for the rest of the playoffs.
New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays
Things Have Gone Stale in the Bronx
It’s been the same story for the Yankees the past few seasons. Play well in the regular season, make the postseason, play poorly, and make mistakes that cost you the series, then repeat. It is a far cry from what the Yankees used to be. Something is clearly wrong with the culture around the Yankees. They won’t win with things structured the way they are now, and something needs to change. Whether that’s firing Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone, or both, or shaking up the roster, they can not run it back again next season.
Especially when you consider that the Yankees have developed a nice young core. Cam Schlittler burst onto the scene this season and is the favorite to take home the AL Cy Young Award. Ben Rice came out of nowhere and established himself as a power hitter capable of hitting 40 home runs a season. They also have Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr., who have shown a ton of promise. Add Aaron Judge to that, and you have a great foundation to build around. But if they do not change things now, things will stay the same.
San Diego Padres vs. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers Are Able to Handle the Pressure
While a 3-1 series win made it seem like the Brewers walked their way to an easy win, that is far from the case. It was one of the closest and tensest divisional-round series in recent memory. At no point in the series did either side lead by more than two runs. According to Sarah Langs, it is the first time that has happened since the 1915 World Series. If a pitch was an inch off or a hit went a little farther, the series would be completely different. But in the end, the Brewers hung on and stole the series.
A series like this will leave the Brewers much better equipped for the rest of the postseason. While they had the best regular-season record, many wondered whether that would translate to October baseball. This series showed they can carry their success into the playoffs. That their aggressive approach and lack of a true ace will not limit their ceiling. It also gives them confidence they can handle these close games. That confidence and experience are crucial in the postseason and will only help as they go deeper.
