There is nothing quite like playoff baseball.
The Wild Card Series can also be incredibly cruel. In the modern MLB postseason, a 162-game season can come down to a best-of-three series, with all three games played in three days. There is very little time to recover from a bad start, a bad inning or even one bad pitch.
That is why Game 1 matters. The 2026 MLB postseason gets underway Tuesday with all four Wild Card Series beginning on the same day. Philadelphia visits Atlanta at 2 p.m., Chicago faces Houston at 5 p.m., Boston travels to Yankee Stadium for an 8 p.m. start, and the Cubs meet the Padres in San Diego at 10 p.m. ET. Here are the Game 1 matchups, and the pitchers who can establish the tone for their clubs.
Phillies at Braves — 2 p.m. ET
Current line: Braves -193, Phillies +159 | Total: 7
Chris Sale vs. Cristopher Sánchez
Atlanta gets the first major pitching advantage of the postseason, at least on paper. Sale finished the regular season 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts, and he was particularly effective against Philadelphia, going 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts.
Sánchez was one of Philadelphia's best pitchers this season, finishing 18-7 with 231 strikeouts, but the Phillies have not formally announced their Game 1 starter.
The Cover's pick: Chris Sale and Atlanta.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are going to have their hands full. Atlanta also has enough right-handed power to make Philadelphia pay if Sánchez misses.
White Sox at Astros — 5 p.m. ET
Current line: Astros -146, White Sox +121 | Total: 8
Sean Burke vs. Hunter Brown — with a caveat
This is the strangest pitching situation of the four series. Chicago has not announced its Game 1 starter, and MLB reported that an opener followed by Erick Fedde was among the possibilities, with Burke lined up for Game 2.
Houston is expected to lean on Hunter Brown, who was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against Chicago this season.
Still, this is where Munetaka Murakami enters the conversation. The White Sox slugger hit 35 home runs in his rookie season and gives Chicago legitimate middle-of-the-order thunder.
The Cover's pick: White Sox — provided they get competent early innings.
If Chicago can keep Brown from settling in, Murakami and the White Sox lineup have enough power to steal Game 1.
Red Sox at Yankees — 8 p.m. ET
Current line: Yankees -149, Red Sox +123 | Total: 6.5
Sonny Gray vs. Cam Schlittler — potentially
Boston is still deciding between veteran Sonny Gray and rookie Payton Tolle. Gray went 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA and has significant postseason experience.
When Schlittler takes the mound for New York, this becomes a fascinating matchup. The rookie has emerged as one of baseball's premier young starters, and New York's Game 1 price reflects the confidence surrounding him.
The Cover's pick: Yankees.
If Schlittler can throw six innings, the Yankees should have the opportunity to control this game.
Cubs at Padres — 10 p.m. ET
Current line: Padres -121, Cubs +101 | Total: 7.5
TBD vs. Michael King
This is the one matchup where the TBD next to Chicago's starter could become a genuine disadvantage. San Diego has announced Michael King, who finished 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA and established himself as the Padres' ace.
Don't count out the Cubs. Chicago went 5-1 against San Diego during the regular season, and Pete Crow-Armstrong enters the postseason after becoming only the seventh player in MLB history to enter the 40/40 club.
The Cover's pick: Cubs.
The Padres may have King. The Cubs have an offense capable of making this very uncomfortable.
It is the most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans, and with four Wild Card games beginning Tuesday afternoon, don't be surprised if productivity takes a temporary hit.
October has arrived early!
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