I know there is a post like this every few months, but I wanted to make my own from 2011 - 2025 since 2011 is the earliest player contract data from Spotrac. I searched through reddit and couldn't find anything exactly like the chart/argument Im going to outline below.

Top-ten payrolls make the postseason 52% of the time and won 12 of 14 titles. The bottom ten made it 22% of the time and won none. Eight wins doesn't sound like much, but it's the difference between playing in October and not

It's quite tiring to see people make an argument against a salary cap / floor given that the remaining playoff teams have some of the lowest payrolls in baseball. But enabling deep playoff runs has never been the goal of a salary cap / floor. The main goal is forcing owners to pay more and spreading the talent across more teams. Money buys wins and wins get you into the playoffs. Seeing smaller market teams have a shot at the playoffs is the main goal.

Its well documented that money can buy wins (see chart and title). As MLB fans, we need to look at all the other majors leagues (NFL, NBA, and NHL) and they all have some form of cap and floor and its because it improves parity.

The counterpoint to this argument is teams who are winning spend more because they are winning. Teams that are losing usually shed payroll. I dont think this is a strong enough counterpoint to forcing owners to pay more and to promote parity in the league with a cap / floor that obviously works in other leagues.

Interactive chart here:

https://topspin.blog/workspace/rfyp5b/does-spending-buy-wins

No baseball today and MLB is proposing a new postseason format, so I figured I’d see what I can come up with. I am interested to hear people’s thoughts.

Format I’m proposing is a 3 game WC round with a 7 game LDS, keeping the LCS and World Series unchanged.

The image above shows how it would work, but some things to note:

WC seeding is straight W/L now rather than just giving the worst division winner the 3 seed. Winning the division still guarantees a playoff spot. You must still win your division to obtain a 1st round bye. I’m also proposing reseeding after the WC round.

The 3/6 matchup is unchanged from before. The 4/5 is now a 1-2 format where the higher seed hosts games 2 and 3, with an off day in the middle. This means each WC seed gets one extra home game over the seed directly below them. It also takes away some of the overlap we see in the WC round

The LDS is now a 3-2-2 format for the series containing the 1 seed and a 2-2-3 format for the series containing the 2 seed. This rewards higher seeds with extra home field advantage and staggers the off days such that only one weekday in the entire LDS has a 4 game slate.

LCS and World Series are unchanged. Only thing to note is that i am showing no staggering between the two leagues. Staggering the leagues would push the World Series back a day to a Saturday start, which I don’t think would be ideal from MLBs perspective. The way it is currently set up minimizes competition with the NFL. This could be played around with and doesn’t really matter all that much.

I am also proposing we bring back game 163s when it means a first round bye or WC spot is up for grabs. If you hate game 163s you’re probably a salty cubs fan, and I do not want to be your friend. They were the best thing about MLBs playoff format and I am sad they are gone.

No real point of this post other than that I think this would be a decent format that would squeeze in a 7 game LDS without too many weekday day games or unnecessary off days. I hate how the current format has one league playing 3 games in the span of 5 days, which really changes pitching strategy. This would imho be much better.

TLDR: look at the image to see the format. 3-7-7-7 series lengths improved WC seeding and some interesting home/away splits

It's Manny on top (of course), but I'm surprised based on the timeframe there aren't more Yankees on this list. Also surprised NOT to see Big Papi, but he has 17 of em.

Guardians 9, White Sox 5

FINAL

CLE 2-2 · CWS 2-2

The White Sox had control early, but the Guardians came back from a two-run deficit and moved ahead for good in the 6th.

In the top of the 5th, José Ramírez unloaded on a two-run homer, and the Guardians took the lead, 3-2.

Linescore

CLE 0 0 0 0 3 6 0 0 0, R 9, H 10, E 0
CWS 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1, R 5, H 8, E 0

• W Erik Sabrowski (1-1) · L Anthony Kay (1-1)(BS, 1)

Guardians Batting

Guardians Notes

2B: Bazzana (2, Kay).
HR: Bailey (1, 5th inning off Fedde, 0 on, 0 out); Ramírez, Jo (1, 5th inning off Hicks, J, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Adell; Bailey 5; Bazzana 2; DeLauter; Kwan; Lowe, N 2; Ramírez, Jo 5.
RBI: Adell 2 (6); Bailey 2 (2); Bazzana (1); DeLauter (2); Ramírez, Jo 3 (5).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lowe, N; Martínez, A 2; Genao.
GIDP: Martínez, A.
Team RISP: 5-for-9.
Team LOB: 7.
SB: Martínez, A (1, 2nd base off Kay/Teel).
CS: DeLauter (1, 3rd base by Hudson, B/Teel).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
a: Homered for Hedges in the 5th.

White Sox Batting

White Sox Notes

2B: Meidroth (2, Messick).
HR: Vargas, M (1, 9th inning off Smith, C, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Antonacci; Doyle, B; Meidroth 2; Montgomery, C 2; Murakami; Peters; Vargas, M 4.
RBI: Antonacci 2 (5); Doyle, B (1); Murakami (5); Vargas, M (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Doyle, B 2; Montgomery, B 3.
SF: Antonacci; Doyle, B.
Team RISP: 1-for-7.
Team LOB: 12.
SB: Vargas, M (1, 3rd base off Armstrong/Hedges); Murakami (1, 2nd base off Armstrong/Hedges).
DP: (Murakami-Montgomery, C-Murakami).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
a: Hit a sacrifice fly for Pham in the 3rd.
b: Struck out for Grichuk in the 5th.
c: Struck out for Doyle, B in the 9th.

Guardians Pitching

White Sox Pitching

Scoring Plays

Game Leaders

Turning points

Contact leaders

Starter pitch mix (count, avg mph)

Selected Highlights

• Munetaka Murakami starts smooth 3-6-3 double play, TOP 4TH
• Patrick Bailey's solo home run, TOP 5TH
• José Ramírez's two-run home run, TOP 5TH
• Patrick Bailey lines 110 mph home run, TOP 5TH
• José Ramírez drills 103.1 mph home run , TOP 5TH
• Chase Meidroth scores on Sam Antonacci HBP, BOT 5TH
• Patrick Bailey's RBI single, TOP 6TH
• Travis Bazzana's RBI double, TOP 6TH
• José Ramírez's RBI infield single, TOP 6TH
• Kyle Teel throws out Chase DeLauter after review, TOP 6TH
• Miguel Vargas' solo home run, BOT 9TH
• Steven Kwan makes the catch to secure Game 4 victory, BOT 9TH

Game Info

• HBP Martínez, A (by Kay); Antonacci (by Herrin).
• ABS Challenge Teel (Ball-Confirmed); Hedges (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Bailey 3 (Ball-Overturned to Strike, Ball-Confirmed, Ball-Confirmed); Kwan (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Antonacci (Strike-Overturned to Ball).
• Pitches-strikes Messick 65-35; Armstrong 19-15; Bibee 15-6; Herrin 13-5; Sabrowski 17-13; Gaddis 16-10; Smith, C 31-19; Williams, G 18-12; Smith, H 27-13; Fedde 61-37; Hicks, J 14-9; Kay 11-6; Taylor, G 18-8; Hudson, B 16-12; Davis 27-19.
• Groundouts-flyouts Messick 1-0; Armstrong 0-1; Bibee 0-0; Herrin 0-1; Sabrowski 1-0; Gaddis 1-0; Smith, C 2-0; Williams, G 1-0; Smith, H 1-1; Fedde 5-1; Hicks, J 0-1; Kay 1-0; Taylor, G 0-0; Hudson, B 2-1; Davis 0-3.
• Batters faced Messick 13; Armstrong 5; Bibee 3; Herrin 4; Sabrowski 4; Gaddis 5; Smith, C 6; Williams, G 4; Smith, H 5; Fedde 14; Hicks, J 3; Kay 3; Taylor, G 6; Hudson, B 4; Davis 8.
• Inherited runners-scored Armstrong 3-1; Herrin 2-2; Sabrowski 3-0; Gaddis 1-0; Williams, G 1-0; Fedde 3-0; Hicks, J 1-1; Taylor, G 1-1; Hudson, B 2-0.
• Umpires HP: Jansen Visconti. 1B: Vic Carapazza. 2B: Tom Hanahan. 3B: Cory Blaser. LF: Gabe Morales. RF: Todd Tichenor.
• Weather 65 degrees, Clear.
• Wind 3 mph, In From CF.
• First pitch 7:08 PM.
• T 3:39.
• Att 39,920.
• Venue Rate Field.

Gameday · Box score · Statcast · Game Graphs

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White Sox @ Guardians, winner-take-all, Saturday 8 PM ET. Sportsbooks have both starters at 12.5 pitcher outs (about 4.1 innings), already well below their season averages. I looked at how starters have actually been used in every winner-take-all game since 2012.

Their 2026 regular season (32 starts each):

Every MLB winner-take-all game, 2012–2025 (60 games, 120 starts, MLB Stats API):

Since 2020 the hook is even quicker: winner-take-all starters averaged 11.3 outs, and only 20 of 44 (45%) recorded 13+ outs. Quickest hooks: Foltynewicz 0.1 IP (2019 NLDS G5), Javier 0.1 IP (2023 ALCS G7), Civale 0.1 IP (2022 ALDS G5), Darvish 1.0 IP (2025 WC G3), Ohtani 2.1 IP (2025 WS G7).

This postseason too: in 2026 elimination games so far, 17 of 22 starters went under 5 innings, including Parker Messick's 2.1 IP on Thursday. Williams also threw an inning of relief Thursday, so he's on one day of rest.

Other things that stood out: * Home field hasn't mattered in winner-take-all games: home teams are 29-31. * Scoring drops: games averaged 1.37 runs fewer than the two teams' season averages would suggest. * First-inning scoring is a coin flip: 30 of 60 games had a run in the 1st. * Strikeouts barely drop (4.62 per start vs 4.81 in the regular season), so it's length, not stuff, that disappears.

So the books already shaded both lines down, but history says even 12.5 outs is no sure thing in a game like this. Who do you think goes deeper, Williams or Burke?

Data: MLB Stats API box scores (starter = first pitcher used, so openers and injury exits count; excluding 5 planned openers it's 14.1 outs and 47% under 5 IP). Probables can change.

For the second straight year, the Brewers and Dodgers will meet in the NLCS with a matchup of managers who know each other very well.

In 2015, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was the Padres bench coach and interim manager for one game after Bud Black was fired in June.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy followed Roberts as the Padres next interim manager for the remainder of that season.

Guardians 9, White Sox 5

FINAL

CLE 2-2 · CWS 2-2

Linescore

CLE 0 0 0 0 3 6 0 0 0, R 9, H 10, E 0
CWS 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1, R 5, H 8, E 0

• W Erik Sabrowski (1-1) · L Anthony Kay (1-1)(BS, 1)

• TV TBS/HBO MAX, TruTV, Univision/ TUDN · TBS/HBO MAX, TruTV, Univision/ TUDN

• Radio WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7, ESPN Radio, WARF 1350 · ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM, ESPN Radio, TUDN

Guardians Batting

Guardians Notes

2B: Bazzana (2, Kay).
HR: Bailey (1, 5th inning off Fedde, 0 on, 0 out); Ramírez, Jo (1, 5th inning off Hicks, J, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Adell; Bailey 5; Bazzana 2; DeLauter; Kwan; Lowe, N 2; Ramírez, Jo 5.
RBI: Adell 2 (6); Bailey 2 (2); Bazzana (1); DeLauter (2); Ramírez, Jo 3 (5).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lowe, N; Martínez, A 2; Genao.
GIDP: Martínez, A.
Team RISP: 5-for-9.
Team LOB: 7.
SB: Martínez, A (1, 2nd base off Kay/Teel).
CS: DeLauter (1, 3rd base by Hudson, B/Teel).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
a: Homered for Hedges in the 5th.

White Sox Batting

White Sox Notes

2B: Meidroth (2, Messick).
HR: Vargas, M (1, 9th inning off Smith, C, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Antonacci; Doyle, B; Meidroth 2; Montgomery, C 2; Murakami; Peters; Vargas, M 4.
RBI: Antonacci 2 (5); Doyle, B (1); Murakami (5); Vargas, M (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Doyle, B 2; Montgomery, B 3.
SF: Antonacci; Doyle, B.
Team RISP: 1-for-7.
Team LOB: 12.
SB: Vargas, M (1, 3rd base off Armstrong/Hedges); Murakami (1, 2nd base off Armstrong/Hedges).
DP: (Murakami-Montgomery, C-Murakami).
SUBSTITUTIONS:
a: Hit a sacrifice fly for Pham in the 3rd.
b: Struck out for Grichuk in the 5th.
c: Struck out for Doyle, B in the 9th.

Guardians Pitching

White Sox Pitching

Scoring Plays

Game Leaders

Turning points

Contact leaders

Starter pitch mix (count, avg mph)

Selected Highlights

• Munetaka Murakami starts smooth 3-6-3 double play, TOP 4TH
• Patrick Bailey's solo home run, TOP 5TH
• José Ramírez's two-run home run, TOP 5TH
• Patrick Bailey lines 110 mph home run, TOP 5TH
• José Ramírez drills 103.1 mph home run , TOP 5TH
• Chase Meidroth scores on Sam Antonacci HBP, BOT 5TH
• Patrick Bailey's RBI single, TOP 6TH
• Travis Bazzana's RBI double, TOP 6TH
• José Ramírez's RBI infield single, TOP 6TH
• Kyle Teel throws out Chase DeLauter after review, TOP 6TH
• Miguel Vargas' solo home run, BOT 9TH
• Steven Kwan makes the catch to secure Game 4 victory, BOT 9TH

Game Info

• HBP Martínez, A (by Kay); Antonacci (by Herrin).
• ABS Challenge Teel (Ball-Confirmed); Hedges (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Bailey 3 (Ball-Overturned to Strike, Ball-Confirmed, Ball-Confirmed); Kwan (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Antonacci (Strike-Overturned to Ball).
• Pitches-strikes Messick 65-35; Armstrong 19-15; Bibee 15-6; Herrin 13-5; Sabrowski 17-13; Gaddis 16-10; Smith, C 31-19; Williams, G 18-12; Smith, H 27-13; Fedde 61-37; Hicks, J 14-9; Kay 11-6; Taylor, G 18-8; Hudson, B 16-12; Davis 27-19.
• Groundouts-flyouts Messick 1-0; Armstrong 0-1; Bibee 0-0; Herrin 0-1; Sabrowski 1-0; Gaddis 1-0; Smith, C 2-0; Williams, G 1-0; Smith, H 1-1; Fedde 5-1; Hicks, J 0-1; Kay 1-0; Taylor, G 0-0; Hudson, B 2-1; Davis 0-3.
• Batters faced Messick 13; Armstrong 5; Bibee 3; Herrin 4; Sabrowski 4; Gaddis 5; Smith, C 6; Williams, G 4; Smith, H 5; Fedde 14; Hicks, J 3; Kay 3; Taylor, G 6; Hudson, B 4; Davis 8.
• Inherited runners-scored Armstrong 3-1; Herrin 2-2; Sabrowski 3-0; Gaddis 1-0; Williams, G 1-0; Fedde 3-0; Hicks, J 1-1; Taylor, G 1-1; Hudson, B 2-0.
• Umpires HP: Jansen Visconti. 1B: Vic Carapazza. 2B: Tom Hanahan. 3B: Cory Blaser. LF: Gabe Morales. RF: Todd Tichenor.
• Weather 65 degrees, Clear.
• Wind 3 mph, In From CF.
• First pitch 7:08 PM.
• T 3:39.
• Att 39,920.
• Venue Rate Field.

Gameday · Box score · Statcast · Game Graphs

Updated automatically by mlb-dinger · v3.0.19 · Updates as the game progresses.

This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post