Wild-card series Day 2: Previewing every Game 2

Who is ready for some more postseason baseball? After an exciting opening to the MLB playoffs, it's time for four more games Wednesday. Will the Atlanta Braves finish off the the Philadelphia Phillies after a dramatic comeback win in Game 1? Will the New York Yankees knock out the rival Boston Red Sox? Will the Chicago White Sox sweep the Houston Astros? And can the Chicago Cubs turn on their offense after they were shut out against the San Diego Padres? We've got you covered with pregame lineups, sights and sounds from the ballparks and postgame takeaways as each Day 2 matchup ends. Key links: Mega-preview | Bracket | Schedule Jump to: PHI-ATL | CHW-HOU | BOS-NYY | CHC-SD Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves Atlanta leads 1-0 2 p.m. ET Game 2 starters: Cristopher Sanchez vs. Tyler Mahle What the Phillies need to do to force Game 3: Philadelphia has its ace going in Game 2 against Atlanta's Mahle. That's a big edge for the Phillies on the mound, and it's easy to imagine Sanchez dealing late into the game -- he has averaged more than six innings per start this season -- as they cruise to a win to even the series. They also have stars who can hit in big spots -- when J.T. Realmuto hit a triple in the top of the seventh of Game 1 to give the Phillies the lead, it seemed as if this series was headed in a different direction. That is, until Austin Riley's dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. But Philly has still shown it has what it takes to win. -- Kiley McDaniel Lineups Phillies TBD Braves TBD Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros Chicago leads 1-0 5 p.m. ET Game 2 starters: TBD vs. Hunter Brown What the Astros need to do to force Game 3: They need to play a more crisp game -- better at-bats and better command from their pitchers. They have the on-paper pitching edge with Hunter Brown starting and key relievers Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu more or less fresh after zipping through an inning each in Game 1. By contrast, White Sox relief ace Grant Taylor logged 54 pitches. Still, more than anything, Houston needs to generate more energy than it did Tuesday. The Astros looked pretty flat considering it was, you know, a playoff game. -- Bradford Doolittle Lineups White Sox TBD Astros TBD Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees New York leads 1-0 8 p.m. ET Game 2 starters: Sonny Gray vs. Max Fried What the Red Sox need to do to force Game 3: For starters, scoring a run would help. And perhaps avoiding middle-middle fastballs to Ben Rice would do the trick. Beyond the obvious, though, the Red Sox need Sonny Gray to be who he was in his last wild-card round start in 2023, when he threw five scoreless innings for Minnesota. A lineup that was dead last in runs scored during September -- 71 in 24 games -- needs to find itself fast. Red Sox players exuded calm following their Game 1 loss, leaning on the previous holes this season that they've dug and climbed out of. This one, they know, is the most perilous yet: Max Fried on the mound, a Yankees lineup filled with left-handed hitters and 27 outs to save their season. -- Jeff Passan Lineups Red Sox TBD Yankees TBD Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres San Diego leads 1-0 10 p.m. ET Game 2 starters: TBD vs. Nick Pivetta What the Cubs need to do to force Game 3: Score early. Michael King's gem in Game 1 meant Padres manager Craig Stammen didn't have to utilize Adrian Morejon or Mason Miller. By the time Game 2 rolls around, Morejon and Miller will be coming off three full days of rest, able to provide at least nine outs. No team scored more runs than the Cubs this season, and they'll have to show that against Nick Pivetta in Game 2. It will start, of course, with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman at the top of the lineup. King shut them down in Game 1, striking them out a combined five times. That can't happen again. In hopes of generating more offense, it'll be interesting to see if Bregman plays third base, which would allow the left-handed-hitting Michael Conforto to start at designated hitter. -- Alden Gonzalez Lineups Cubs TBD Padres TBD