1 of 5 | Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting his second solo home run of the game in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photo by John McCoy/UPI | License Photo
Shohei Ohtani homers helped the Los Angeles Dodgers crush the Cincinnati Reds while the Boston Red Sox rallied by the New York Yankees to open the MLB playoffs.
The Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs led off the Day 1 slate with respective 2-1 and 3-1 victories over the Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres on Tuesday in the wild card round.
Tuesday’s winners are now each just a win away from securing tickets to the divisional round.
Ohtani and the Dodgers earned the final victory of the night with a 10-5 blowout at Dodger Stadium. The three-time MVP homered twice — with a solo shot in the first at-bat of the postseason and a 454-foot, two-run blast in the sixth inning.
“I was happy I was able to help the team score early,” Ohtani told reporters.
Right fielder Teoscar Hernandez also homered twice for the Dodgers. Second baseman Tommy Edmon clobbered a solo homer in the third inning.
Dodgers starter Blake Snell allowed four hits and two runs over seven innings. Reds starter Hunter Greene allowed six hits and five runs over three innings.
Hernandez went 3 for 5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Ohtani went 2 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
The Dodgers (1-0) will host the Reds (0-1) in the second game of the best-of-three game series at 9:08 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Los Angeles. Zach Littell of the Reds is expected to take on fellow right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers.
Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet authored another pitching masterclass Tuesday, allowing four hits and one run over 7 2/3 innings for a 3-1 triumph over the rival Yankees. The right-handed pitcher surrendered a solo homer to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe in the second inning, but went on to retire the next 17 batters in order.
Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, who spent seven seasons with the Yankees, allowed three hits and no runs over the final 1 1/3 innings to deny comeback hopes. He also escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
The Red Sox trailed 1-0 entering the top of the seventh inning before starting their rally. Second baseman Nick Sogard tied the score with an RBI double in the third at-bat of the inning.
Pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida hit the next pitch to center field for another double, giving the Red Sox their first lead. Third baseman Alex Bregman hit yet another RBI double in the top of the ninth for the final run of the night.
Bregman, Sogard and shortstop Trevor Story recorded two hits apiece in the victory. Volpe, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and outfielder Aaron Judge logged two hits apiece for the Yankees.
The Yankees (0-1) will host their rivals (1-0) in Game 2 at 6:08 p.m. Wednesday in New York. Yankees left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon is set to face Red Sox right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello in that matchup.
The Tigers were first to earn a wild card win Tuesday in Cleveland. They rode the arm of 2024 Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to that triumph. Skubal allowed just three hits and one run, while issuing a career-high 14 strikeouts, over 7 2/3 innings.
“Tarik set an incredible tone for us,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s been incredible all season, but what a performance at the biggest moments on the biggest stage to get us in a great position to win the game.”
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from first baseman Spencer Torkelson in the top of the first inning.
Shortstop Gabriel Arias tied the score with an RBI single in the fourth, but the Tigers allowed just one more hit for the remainder of the game. Third baseman Zach McKinstry plated the go-ahead score with a sacrifice bunt in the top of the seventh.
Tigers shortstop Javier Baez was the only player in the game with multiple hits. He went 2 for 3 in the victory. Guardians starter Gavin Williams allowed five hits and two runs over six innings.
The Guardians (0-1) will host the Tigers at 1:08 p.m. Wednesday in Cleveland. Casey Mize is set to start for the Tigers. The Guardians are expected to send fellow right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee to the mound.
Right fielder Seiya Suzuki and catcher Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers to guide the Cubs to a comeback win over the Padres on Tuesday in Chicago. Those solo shots came in the bottom of the fifth inning of the 3-1 victory at Wrigley Field.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts gave the Padres and initial edge with an RBI double in the top of the second. The Cubs allowed just two more hits for the remainder of the day.
Suzuki swatted a 424-foot solo homer on the fourth pitch he saw in the bottom of the fifth. Kelly gave the Cubs a 2-1 edge with a 377-foot shot off a 2-2 fastball in the next exchange.
Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner added insurance with an RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth. He went 2 for 3 in the victory. Cubs starter Matthew Boyd allowed four hits and one run over 4 1/3 innings.
The Cubs bullpen did not allow a hit or a run over the final 4 2/3 innings.
The Padres (0-1) will battle the Cubs (1-0) in Game 2 at 3:08 p.m. Wednesday in Chicago. Cubs starter Andrew Kittredge is expected to face fellow right-hander Dylan Cease in that meeting.
MLB playoffs: Detroit Tigers defeat Cleveland Guardians
The Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal reacts after the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game 1 of the American League Wildcard Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland on September 30, 2025. The Tigers defeated the Guardians 2-1. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
