The Atlanta Braves signed utility player Mauricio Dubon from the Houston Astros on Wednesday in exchange for shortstop Nick Allen.

The two-time Golden Glove will join the Braves on a one-year, $6.1 million contract.

Allen will join the Texas ball club after spending one year in Atlanta. The shortstop played 135 games during the 2025 campaign, where he recorded a career-high number of hits (82).

Dubon spent the last four seasons with the Astros, helping the team win the 2022 World Series. Last season, the 31-year-old hit seven home runs and batted 0.241. He won his first Golden Glove in 2023 and claimed his second last season.

Prior to joining the Astros, he featured for the San Francisco Giants and had a brief stint with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Braves missed the playoffs in 2025, snapping a seven-year streak of postseason appearances. They’ll be looking to bounce back in 2026 with the new edition of Dubon and the re-signing of closer Raisel Iglesias on Wednesday. Iglesias signed a new one-year deal with the team after spending the last three and a half seasons in Atlanta.

Aaron Judge won the 2025 American League MVP on Thursday, adding another accolade to his MLB career.

The New York Yankees outfielder edged catcher Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners in the vote, who also had a stellar season in the Pacific Northwest with 60 home runs. Judge becomes the 13th player to win three or more MVPs after winning his third in the last four seasons.

“It’s a lot of responsibility playing in New York, but that’s what I love,” Judge said to MLB Network. “When I was a free agent, I came back to New York. I wanted to play in the city, play for these fans, play with these high expectations.”

The 33-year-old hit 53 home runs in 2025, which was the third time in his last four season he recorded over 50 homers. Judge also recorded over 100 RBI’s for the fourth time in his career.

“I know I say this often meeting with our media throughout the season, but I don’t ever want to become desensitized by the consistency and the enormity of his accomplishments,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to use words to capture how good he is. He’s just playing at a higher level, and has been for quite some time.

“It has been an absolute privilege to watch Aaron’s ascension. He’s already fashioned a career that matches up with the all-time greats. I see it every single day – and I think it’s critical to acknowledge the work that Aaron puts in to maintain this inconceivable level of excellence as a player.”

Judge’s performances led the Yankees to a 94-68 record, only missing out on the AL East crown to the Toronto Blue Jays. The team also lost in the ALDS to the Canadian ball club.

2025 marked Judge’s 10th straight season at Yankee Stadium, where he continues to write his name in baseball history.

Puerto Rican actress and model, Mariana Vicente Hernández, married Dodgers’ star Kiké Hernández in 2018.

Mariana, who garnered significant fan attention at the World Series, was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico in 2010 and placed in the Top 10 at the 2010 Miss Universe pageant.

Mariana later went on to the big screen, appearing in movies such as 5 Weddings, Speed Kills, Get Hard and Hot Tub Time Machine 2.

Their love story began when Kiké messaged Mariana on social media after watching Hot Tub Time Machine 2, which was released in 2015.

“He found me on social media and sent a message congratulating me on my performance,” Mariana told Inside Weddings.

They texted back and forth for a few months, and then they decided to meet in person.

“She was as beautiful in person as she was in her modeling pictures,” Kiké said.

Mariana and Kiké tied the knot in Puerto Rico, where they are both from.

In 2021, the Hernández family welcomed their first daughter, Penélope.

In August, the Hernández family announced that they are expecting their second baby, a boy, in 2026.

Mariana’s charisma has made her a popular figure among MLB fans, earning her a spot as one of the most popular baseball wives on social media.

Infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tommy Edman, has opened up about the possibility of having ankle surgery during the offseason.

Edman has not had a chance to take a break since the Dodgers were in the postseason and then in the World Series.

Throughout this 2025 season, Edman has appeared in 97 games out of the 162 games in the last season, and he also appeared in 16 games of the postseason.

Edman did not play several times throughout the season because of injuries and because manager Dave Roberts wanted to avoid further injuries.

During an interview, Edman discussed his feelings about his right ankle injury and what was next for him.

“We’ll probably evaluate that after the season’s over. For now, I think just playing the rest of the games of the World Series will be totally fine,” Edman said.

Edman’s injury occurred last season, when he was still with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Since Edman was traded, he did not have time for the injury to be properly diagnosed.

Now that the Dodgers have won the World Series, it is a matter of time to see what the medical staff decides to do with this ankle injury.

Shohei Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko Tanaka, surprised baseball fans with her reaction to the chants that the Toronto Blue Jays were shouting at her husband during the World Series.

The chants began in Game 1 of the World Series, when the Blue Jays faced the Dodgers.

Ohtani was serenaded with “We don’t need you!” while he was at bat during Game 1.

When Ohtani was asked about the chants, he mentioned what his wife thought about them.

“It was a really great chant, and my wife really appreciated it,” Ohtani said through the team interpreter, Will Ireton.

The stadiums buzzed with this chant throughout the postseason and during Game 1 of the World Series.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider discussed the chant during the postgame press conference.

“Kind of heard it, but it’s tough to talk about a player like that, to be honest with you,” Schneider said.

The Washington Nationals have appointed Blake Butera as manager.

Butera, 33, played baseball at Boston College from 2011 to 2015, followed by a two-season stint in Minor League Baseball. He became the coach-manager of minor league side Hudson Valley in 2018, becoming the youngest manager in Minor League Baseball history at 25 years old.

Should the Nats appoint Butera, he will become the youngest manager in the MLB since Frank Quilici of the Minnesota Twins nearly 53 years ago, ESPN said.

While managing in the minor leagues, Butera tallied a 258-144 overall record. He won two league championships with the Charleston RiverDogs in 2021 and 2022. In October 2023, he became the senior director of player development with the Tampa Bay Rays – the same club that drafted him in 2015.

Butera is set to become the first key addition to the Nationals since the new president of baseball operations, Paul Toboni, joined the franchise at the start of October.

The Nationals finished the 2025 season last in the NL East with a 66-96 record, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season since winning the World Series in 2019.

The 2025 World Series and MLB season will come down to one game.

With their backs against the wall, the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the Toronto Blue Jays‘ late rally to win 3-1 in Game 6, forcing a title decider at Rogers Centre this weekend.

“This is what we dream of ever since we were little kids,” Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernandez said after the win. “I think baseball deserves a Game 7.”

After winning two straight games in Los Angeles, the Blue Jays knew a win on Friday would secure their first Commissioners’ Trophy since 1993. John Schneider‘s side started strongly with pitcher Kevin Gausman logging seven strikeouts by the third inning. However, the Dodgers got on the board with a Will Smith single RBI.

Mookie Betts struggled leading up to Friday’s game, having recorded just three hits in his last 23 at-bats. That changed in the third inning as the veteran second baseman hit a ball into left field, allowing two runners to score and extend Los Angeles’ lead.

Toronto responded at the bottom of the inning with a George Springer one-run RBI.

Looking to rally late and potentially secure a walk-off win, Addison Barger‘s double put two Blue Jays runners on base, setting the stage for Andres Gimenez to bat.

Gimenez’s hit lined out to Hernandez in center field, who quickly picked out Miguel Rojas and tagged Barger, who got caught too far off second base. The dramatic double play ended the match and denied the Blue Jays a potential tying game.

“I was just anticipating him hitting the ball like to the left side of the field and just playing shallow, trying to keep the runner at second base from scoring,” Hernandez said. “But for a split second, as (pitcher Tyler) Glasnow threw the ball, the crowd got quiet, and I was able to hear that the bat broke. So I just got a really good jump on the ball, and I came in.”

Game 7 will be played on Saturday night in Toronto.

“We’re going to leave it out there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “I don’t think the pressure, the moment is going to be too big for us. We got to go out there and win one baseball game. We’ve done that all year.”

Prior to the start of the season, it was unclear whether Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would continue playing at Rogers Centre after the 2025 campaign.

That changed in April, when the 26-year-old signed a 14-year, $500 million contract extension and tied him to the franchise for the long term.

Six months later, the gamble seemed to pay off for the Blue Jays.

After recording zero hits and runs in the first two losses against the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS, Guerrero Jr. led Toronto to four victories from five to send the team to the World Series for the first time since 1993. The first baseman hit three home runs in the series in addition to racking up 10 hits and scoring six runs.

Guerrero Jr. was named ALCS MVP after a 4-3 win in Game 7 on Monday.

“We do this for you guys,” he said after the game to the fans. “The job’s not finished. We’ve got four more to go.”

The Blue Jays star signed for the team 10 years ago and made his MLB debut in 2019. Since then, he’s been an All-Star five times, won the 2022 Gold Glove and led the league in home runs during the 2021 regular season.

“I grew up in the Dominican [Republic], but the moment that I signed here – that I knew I was going to be here my entire career – I knew I had to somehow make all the fans, the entire country, proud of me,” Guerrero Jr. said in his Game 7 postgame interview.

The Canadian side will open the championship series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. For Guerrero Jr, he now has his sights set on making more history with the Blue Jays.

“Like I always say: my challenge is to bring the World Series here back to Canada.”

Looking to defend their World Series title, the Los Angeles Dodgers enter this year’s edition of the finals as favorites against the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to ESPN BET odds, Dave Roberts’ side is a -210 favorite to win the championship, while the Canadian ball club opens at +175.

The Dodgers were overwhelming favorites to repeat since the start of the season, opening at +275 to win the Commissioner’s Trophy. The team became the biggest Opening Day favorite since the New York Yankees in 2002, according to ESPN.

Los Angeles is looking to become the first team since the Yankees in 2000 to win two consecutive World Series.

The Blue Jays will enter as underdogs, but they’ve been written off before. At the start of his season, Toronto entered with consensus +6000 odds. However, John Schneider‘s side topped the AL East division with a 94-68 record and advanced to the franchise’s first World Series since 1993 after defeating the Seattle Mariners in seven games.

The Canadian side will host Game 1 on Friday at Rogers Centre at 8 p.m. EST.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani had one of the most memorable postseason performances in baseball history on Friday, hitting three home runs and notching 10 strikeouts and zero runs as pitcher in the Dodgers’ 5-1 win against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ohtani’s performance helped the Dodgers sweep the Brewers and advance to their second straight World Series. The team will face the Toronto Blue Jays for a chance to secure back-to-back championships.

But just how good was the performance by the Dodgers superstar?

Ohtani is the third player in MLB history to record three home runs while starting as pitcher, joining Jim Tobin and Guy Hecker with the feat. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Rick Wise had a similar performance in 1971 against the Cincinnati Reds, hitting two home runs and pitching no hits.

Ohtani also reached double digits in total bases and strikeouts, becoming the first player to do so since at least 1906.

The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t done yet.

After being dominated by the Seattle Mariners in the first two games of the ALCS, the Canadian club flipped the script on Wednesday night by winning 13-4 and keeping its season alive.

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shook off early struggles in the series by notching three runs and four hits in four at-bats. Five different players recorded home runs in Wednesday’s rout: Guerrero Jr., outfielder George Springer, second baseman Andres Gimenez, catcher Alejandro Kirk and outfielder Addison Barger.

“It feels great, obviously, but for me, it’s just about winning,” Guerrero Jr. said after the game. “I’m very happy that we won the game. I never think about myself. I think about the whole thing.”

The visitors trailed early and looked to be heading for a 3-0 series deficit when center fielder Julio Rodriguez smashed a two-run home run in the first inning to give Seattle the lead.

But by the third inning, the Blue Jays tied the match after a Gimenez two-run homer. Moments later, they took the lead from a wild pitch and then a double by outfielder Daulton Varsho extended their lead to 5-2.

At that point, there was no looking back for John Schneider‘s side.

“It definitely changed the momentum,” Guerrero Jr. said on Gimenez’s game-tying home run. “That’s what happens when you trust your teammates. You got to trust everyone on that lineup. And when you tie the game like that, everything changed in that dugout.”

The attacking blitz continued as Toronto scored 12 unanswered runs by the sixth inning. Barger added the finishing touches with a one-run home run in the final inning, giving the Blue Jays a commanding 13-4 win.

Schneider’s side will have a chance to level the series with a victory on Thursday in Game 4. For the manager, it’s all about proving the doubters wrong.

“It’s kind of been what we did all year,” he said. “No one expected us to win the division. No one expected us to be here, and I think the guys take that to heart.”

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger is expected to become a free agent this winter, according to a report by ESPN’s Jorge Castillo.

The outfielder currently has a $25 million player option for the 2026 season. However, Bellinger is not expected to stay in the Bronx and could join free agency in the upcoming offseason.

The 30-year-old is set to join four other Yankees in free agency: relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, outfielder Trent Grisham and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

The Yankees’ season came to an end on Wednesday after losing Game 4 of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. It’s now the 16th straight season where New York has failed to win the World Series, having last won in the 2009 campaign.

Bellinger joined the Yankees last winter after spending two seasons with the Chicago Cubs. Prior to Wrigley Field, the outfielder spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he helped the team win the 2020 World Series.

Champions always find a way.

That’s been the story this season for the 2024 World Series holders Los Angeles Dodgers. Dave Roberts‘ side started the campaign 8-0 despite being in multiple close games and having to rally late in matches after trailing. Even after losing 10 of 12 games during a stretch in July, and having difficulties with consistency toward the final weeks of the season, the Dodgers remained top of the NL West and found ways to win.

They showed their title credentials once again on Thursday night in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, winning dramatic 2-1 game in extra innings to send them into the NLCS.

Roberts’ side won twice in Philadelphia, but dropped Game 3 on Wednesday, putting pressure on the team to avoid a win-or-go home trip to the east coast. The Dodgers fell behind in the seventh inning when Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos‘ single RBI put the visitors into the lead.

But once again, the Dodgers responded in the same inning as a walk from shortstop Mookie Betts allowed a free run to score with bases loaded.

Both sides couldn’t be separated as the match went into extra innings. Right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki proved vital for Los Angeles as he recorded zero hits and runs from the eighth to 10th inning, notching two strikeouts and keeping the Phillies away from home plate.

“You’re talking about one of the great all-time appearances out of the pen that I can remember,” Roberts said after the game on Sasaki’s performance. “I can’t speak enough to his growth and his contribution to this club.”

The big moment came in the 11th inning with bases loaded and two outs. Phillies right-handed pitcher Orion Kerkering faced outfielder Andy Pages and it looked to be a routine out with the ball bouncing straight toward the pitcher. However, Kerkering mismanaged the ball and threw it over home plate, giving the Dodgers a walk-off win from an error.

“Andy’ been scuffling,” Roberts said. “But to keep fighting and to put the ball in play, to create something, I give him a lot of credit.

“It was just (a) great inning and again we just kept fighting and those guys gave us everything they had.”

The Dodgers will advance to the NLCS for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons and will face the winner between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.

The New York Yankees‘ hopes of returning to the World Series ended on Wednesday night as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated them 5-2 in the Bronx.

It’s the 16th straight season the Yankees have failed to hoist the trophy, making it the third longest drought in franchise history.

“It’s tough to describe,” outfielder Aaron Judge said after the loss. “We didn’t do our job, didn’t finish the goal. We had a special group in here, a lot of special players that made this year fun, but we didn’t get the ultimate prize, so we came up short.”

After losing the first two games in Canada by a combined score of 23-8, the Yankees sparked hope after mounting a comeback from 6-1 down in Game 3 to win 9-6. However, the next day proved to be a different story as the Blue Jays dominated hitting in a 5-2 victory.

“It comes down to the little things,” Judge said. “Making the little plays, come with the big hit. If you don’t do that, give teams extra outs, they’re going to capitalize on it.”

The Yankees finished the regular season with a 94-68 record, only missing out on the AL East crown by head-to-head record against the Blue Jays. The tiebreaker proved costly as the Yankees were forced to play a wild card series against the Boston Red Sox, while Toronto held home-field advantage and a first round bye.

The pill will be a difficult one to swallow for manager Aaron Boone, who earlier this year said he had his “best team” of his eight-season Yankees tenure.

“The ending is the worst,” Boone said after Wednesday’s defeat. “Especially when you know you have a really good group and a group of guys that really came together so well at the right time. This was a team.”

For the Blue Jays, the Canadian ball club advanced to its first ALCS since 2016 where they will face the winner between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners.

Meanwhile, it’s set to be another offseason in the Bronx with questions still to be answered.

“You play to win, and when you don’t win, it’s not a good year,” Judge said. “Just got to put in more work, review the season, see what I can keep doing and try to help this team, put them in the best position to win every single night.”

Last week, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso announced he will opt out of his contract during the winter and become a free agent.

Alonso’s announcement came after the Mets lost to the Miami Marlins and were eliminated from the postseason.

In order to make it to the postseason, the Mets needed to beat the Marlins and have the Cincinnati Reds lose against the Milwaukee Brewers.

During the 2025 season, Alonso played in 162 games, averaging 170 hits, 87 runs, and 38 home runs.

Compared to last year, in the 2024 season, he played the same number of games, accumulating 91 runs and 146 hits, with 34 home runs.

Alonso will not only opt out of his $24 million contract but also opt out of the final year.

“Playing for this organization, this city, they’ve continued to believe in me. I’ve loved playing here,” Alonso said during the postgame interview. “I’ve loved being a Met. Hopefully, they’ve appreciated me the same.”

Alonso emphasized that opting out does not necessarily mean he will play somewhere else.

Many fans are speculating that the New York Yankees could possibly sign him for the 2026 season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are through to the NLDS after overcoming early struggles in Game 2 against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, winning 8-4 and setting up the five-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies.

After thrashing the Reds 10-5 in Game 1, the visitors responded the following day after a two-run RBI by infielder Sal Stewart in the first inning. However, eight unanswered runs from the Dodgers put the team too far ahead for Cincinnati to recover.

“It was a great test, and we didn’t waver,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Even after that first inning, the guys stayed positive, stayed within themselves, kept taking good at-bats.”

Outfielder Mookie Betts cut the lead in half for the Dodgers in the third inning after a single, which allowed catcher Ben Rortvedt to score. In the following inning, the hosts continued racking up hits until utility Enrique Hernandez‘s RBI double leveled the game. Moments later, shortstop Miguel Rojas recorded a single to send Hernandez to home plate, giving the defending World Series champions the lead.

Following the early stumbles, right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto notched nine strikeouts and did not allow a single run after the first inning. The Japanese pitcher also allowed only four hits in the 6.2 innings he played.

Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Betts all recorded RBI’s in the sixth to extend the Dodgers’ lead, before another RBI double by Betts put them into an 8-2 lead.

“We have gone through a lot, had a lot of struggles really all year,” Betts said in his postgame interview. “But I think we all view that as just a test to see how we would respond. Now we’re starting to use those tests that we went through earlier to respond now and be ready now.”

The Dodgers were the only team in the Wild Card round to sweep an opponent. Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies is scheduled for Saturday at 6:38 p.m. EST at Citizens Bank Park, where Betts and the Dodgers continue to defend their World Series crown.

“Anything that kind of comes our way, it can’t be worse than what we’ve already went through,” Betts said. “Just keep a positive mindset and keep going.”

New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice couldn’t stop smiling in his postgame press conference on Wednesday night.

His team just forced a Game 3 in the Wild Card round against the Boston Red Sox. The 26-year-old helped manufacture the win by hitting his first postseason home run. But it felt different for the first baseman.

Born in Massachusetts, Rice grew up supporting the Yankees, despite living in a Red Sox-dominated area.

So when he hit the ball over the fence in the first inning, he knew it was a special moment.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s so cool,” Rice said after the game. “To be part of the rivalry now, just given where I’m from and where I grew up and all that, just makes it all that much more special.”

Rice’s first-inning two-run homer set the stage for the Yankees to win a season-decisive game on Wednesday night, beating their rivals 4-3 and forcing a win-or-go-home Game 3.

In a tense atmosphere at Yankee Stadium, both sides continued to put pressure on each other as the game rolled into the eighth inning tied 3-3. However, the decisive moment came after catcher Austin Wells singled into right field and allowed infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. to score the go-ahead run. New York held on and forced another game.

Rice, who is playing his first full season with the Yankees, says he’s prepared do anything for the team as they march on in the playoffs.

“I know my role,” he said. “[Tuesday] my role was to be ready for a big at-bat off the bench and [Wednesday] I was starting. So the approach doesn’t change. I’m just going to be prepared for every at-bat I get and every chance I get.”

On Thursday, Aaron Boone‘s side kept the Red Sox off the board and recorded four runs in the fourth inning. It was enough for the Yankees to advance to the ALDS where they’ll face the Toronto Blue Jays.

New York Yankees right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler received online backlash prior to the team’s AL Wild Card round against the Boston Red Sox, which ultimately fueled him on the mound on Thursday night.

The 24-year-old, who grew up about 18 miles south of Boston, said some of the messages his family received “crossed the line.”

But it seemed to motivate the rookie pitcher, who started his first postseason game in a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Red Sox. His response? A no-run, 12-strikeout game which helped the Yankees win 4-0 and advance to the ALDS, eliminating their rivals in the process.

“People from Boston had a lot to say before the game,” Schlittler said in his postgame interview. “For me, just being a silent killer, being able to go out there and shut them down.

“I’m from Boston. I didn’t like some of the things they were saying today. I was just making sure I was going out there and extra locked in.”

While Schlittler kept the Red Sox off the board, the Yankees’ offense came alive in the fourth inning with four runs scored to break the deadlock. The hosts held onto their advantage and secured the victory despite losing Game 1 earlier in the week.

Thursday’s performance by Schlittler also broke a Yankees record for most strikeouts in a playoff debut, surpassing Red Ruffing in 1932 and Dave Righetti in 1981.

The Yankees will return to the field on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the ALDS. But for now, Schlittler will soak in his decisive performance from Thursday.

“At the end of the day, there’s not much [Red Sox fans] can say now.”

With Game 2 of the AL Wild Card on a knife-edge in the seventh inning, the visiting Boston Red Sox had two runners on base with momentum on their side. The team trailed twice, but after tying the game in the previous inning, the Red Sox looked poised to eliminate fierce rivals the New York Yankees.

Up stepped designated hitter Masataka Yoshida, whose hit looked to be heading into the outfield and potentially giving Boston the go-ahead run.

But second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached the ball on a dive, keeping the Yankees in the game and perhaps keeping their season alive. In the following inning, Chisholm delivered again by scoring from first base on an Austin Wells single.

The run regained the lead for the Yankees, which they held onto and won 4-3, setting up a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Red Sox on Thursday night.

“Anything to help us win,” Chisholm said after the game. “All that was clear before I came to the field today. After I left the field yesterday, I won the next game. It is win or go home for us. It is all about winning.”

After losing Game 1, the Yankees faced elimination going into Wednesday night. The team made a quick start in the opening inning after first baseman Ben Rice recorded a two-run homer into right field. The Red Sox responded in the third inning when shortstop Trevor Story‘s single allowed center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela and outfielder Jarren Duran to tie the game.

Both teams traded single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, which set the stage for Chisholm’s game-decisive plays.

When asked about his go-ahead run, the second baseman said he always had the mentality to score despite starting from first base.

“Any ball that an outfielder moves to his left or right, I have to score, in my head,” he said. “That’s all I was thinking.”

The victory sets up a winner-takes-all showdown on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. It will be the fourth time the Yankees and Red Sox face each other in a win-or-go-home scenario. The winner faces the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

The Pittsburgh Pirates may have had a season to forget, but that couldn’t be more opposite for right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, who capped off an impressive campaign on Wednesday.

During the Pirates’ 4-3 victory in extra innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, the 23-year-old pitched four hits and zero runs in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 1.97. Skenes also etched his name in Pirates franchise history for most strikeouts in a single season for a right-handed pitcher after recording seven during the win and tallying his total to 216 on the season.

“I’m actually worse than I was last year,” he said after the game. “It was 1.96 last year. I’m 1.97 this year. Just got to be better. No, it’s cool. I don’t come into the year with any numerical goals.”

In just his second year in the MLB, Skenes is a frontrunner for the Cy Young Award. He became the youngest pitcher to record an ERA below 2.00 since Dwight Gooden in 1985, who pitched a 1.53 with the New York Mets. Skenes also finishes the year with 46 more strikeouts than his rookie season.

Despite the record-breaking pitching shown by Skenes, the Pirates will conclude their seventh consecutive season below .500 and will miss the postseason for the 10th straight year. Still, Skenes will be hoping to win the Cy Young Award to finish off his promising second season in Pittsburgh.

“Unfortunately, you can’t have two guys win the Cy Young,” he said. “I don’t really know what my numbers versus other guys stacks up to, so we’ll see.”