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MLB Wild Card Series Day 2

MLB’s first-ever wild-card series weekend is in full swing. And as many as four teams could be sent packing today.

The playoff field expanded to 12 teams for the 2022 postseason, so four best-of-three series determine which teams move on to the division series.

The Saturday festivities began with the Cleveland Guardians beating the Tampa Bay Rays with a walk-off homer in the 15th inning to advance to the division series, followed by the Seattle Mariners overcoming a seven-run deficit to send the Toronto Blue Jays packing with a 10-9 win. The Guardians will take on the New York Yankees in one ALDS, while the Mariners will face the Houston Astros in the other.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets are trying to avoid a home sweep against the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies are eyeing a series win against the Cardinals in St. Louis. Those games will decide which teams advance to the NLDS (against either the Atlanta Braves or Los Angeles Dodgers).

Follow the action below all day long with start times, pitching matchups and starting lineups as they’re announced, followed by in-game updates and takeaways after each game is concluded.

More: Everything you need to know about the 2022 MLB playoffs Greatest postseason … ever? | Ace rankings (ESPN+)| Bracket, results and more

San Diego Padres at New York Mets

Padres lead series 1-0

And the Mets bust Game 2 open

Trading long balls

Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals

Phillies lead series 1-0

Bohm flashes the leather

Bryce gets all of one

Mariners win series 2-0

Game 2 takeaways

After becoming just the third team to overcome a seven-run deficit in a postseason game, Seattle has taken on the look of a team of destiny, or maybe a Cinderella — or as close to one as you can get in baseball.

With emerging heroes such as Cal Raleigh coming to the fore, Seattle has become the first club to survive the road-team disadvantage of the new wild-card format. And because it did, the M’s have now ensured throngs of fans back in the Pacific Northwest that they will get their first taste in 21 years of firsthand playoff baseball. It’s not all magic and fairy tales, to be sure. This team is good. Either way, Seattle is going to be rolling when the Mariners take on the Astros. This is the kind of team that can capture the imagination of a city … and a sport. — Bradford Doolittle

COMPLETE comeback

Seattle’s not done yet!

The rise of #RallyShoe

The Jays are ROLLING

Guardians win series 2-0

Game 2 takeaways

Was it great pitching, poor offense — or a little bit of both? Either way, a lack of runs on the scoreboard was the storyline in Cleveland during a Game 2 that was finally decided when Oscar Gonzalez’s walk-off home run in the 15th inning accounted for the only run of the game — and completed a two- game wild-card sweep for the Guardians.

Here are a few highlights from ESPN Stats & Information that put in perspective the historic pitching (or lack of hitting) in Game 2:

  • The 39 combined strikeouts are the most in a single postseason game

  • Tampa Bay’s 20 strikeouts were the fourth most by a single team in a postseason game

  • First postseason game to go to even the 13th inning without a run scored by either team

  • Third 1-0 extra-inning series clincher in postseason history

Next up for the Guardians? An ALDS matchup with the Yankees, which will start Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. One thing Cleveland will hope continues into the next round: Triston McKenzie showcasing that he’s turning into one of the better young pitchers in baseball and a worthy No. 2 starter behind ace Shane Bieber. — Jesse Rogers

The rookie with the walk-off!

And … we’re still scoreless in the 14th inning

Both offenses struggling to get on base

The starters did their jobs

CC in the building

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