Elephant Rumblings: Clarke scores game winner in AFL opener

MLB news roundup

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

The divisional round of the MLB playoffs is proving to be harder fought than the Wild Card series were. Both ALCS are tied at a game apiece, but the Wild Card winners have opened up 2-1 leads against the top seeds in both NLCS.

The Mets became the first team poised to clinch a Championship Series berth behind a gem from Sean Manaea yesterday with a 7-2 win over the Phillies. It’s been a wild ride lately for the Mets, who clinched a Wild Card spot on the last day of the regular season and have made some spectacular comebacks en route to their present opportunity to win a divisional series in New York.

A bit later, the Padres beat the Dodgers 6-5, positioning the Friars to win their series today in San Diego and send LA to another early postseason exit.

The A’s aren’t part of this year’s postseason action, but they do have eight prospects in the Arizona Fall League playing for the Mesa Solar Sox, who won their season opener against the Surprise Saguaros by a 1-0 score on Monday.

The Solar Sox roster includes top ten ranked A’s prospects Henry Bolte and Denzel Clarke. Bolte went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the walk-off Sox win, but Clarke went 2-for-4, stole two bases, and scored the game’s only run. A’s pitching prospect Jake Walkinshaw pitched the first three innings in the combined shutout of the Saguaros.

Matthew Kalinowski at SI.com has more details on the Solar Sox opener and the A’s prospects on the roster. The Sox will be back in action today against the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Back in The Bigs, all four divisional series continue. Pick your poison.

A’s Coverage:

• Q’s for A’s: Move to Sacramento and more offseason storylines
• A’s Prospects Dominate in Arizona Fall League’s Opening Night
• Butler reveals memento he kept from A’s final Coliseum game
• How Should the A’s Build Their Bullpen for 2025?
• San Francisco Giants request permission to interview A’s assistant GM
• Tropicana Las Vegas set to implode

MLB News & Interest:

• With heavy heart, masterful Manaea lifts Mets in Game 3
• Padres beat LA in pivotal Game 3, need 1 win to reach NLCS
• MLB’s best playoff ballparks: Ranking the top environments for postseason madness ($)
• Rosenthal: The ‘Sinister Sling’ and the multitudes of Manny Machado ($)
• MLB To Take Over Broadcasts For Twins, Guardians, Brewers In 2025
• Luis Tiant Passes Away
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

I’m guessing this came after the Teoscar Hernández slam at Petco.

Manaea gets a big win.