Astros, Phillies Clinch Playoffs on MLB Game 162 — SkimNews
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- Houston Astros clinched the AL West by beating the Rangers, securing their ninth playoff berth in 10 years and setting up a Wild Card Series against the White Sox.
- The AL West sent a sub-.500 team to the playoffs for the first time in league history, and all five teams in the division finished with a negative run differential.
- Justin Verlander made the final start of his 21-season career on Saturday against the Pirates, working 5⅓ innings with six strikeouts and two runs allowed, and was met on the mound by his daughter Genevieve as he walked off.
- Pete Alonso became the first player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to lead both leagues in the category, finishing with 113 RBI and pacing the AL with 43 home runs in his first season with the Orioles.
- The Phillies clinched the third NL wild-card spot by beating the Rays but burned Zack Wheeler in Game 162 after losing four straight, disrupting their ideal rotation alignment for the Wild Card Series against the Braves.
- The Rockies, Angels, and A's each secured a 19.1% chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 MLB Draft, while the Angels finished 62-100 for their first-ever 100-loss season.
- Max Scherzer struck out seven in seven innings of one-run ball against the Reds on short rest in Game 162, refusing to leave the game in the seventh inning; he said he will discuss his future with his family in the offseason.
Why it matters: The Phillies head into the Braves Wild Card Series without their ideal rotation after burning Zack Wheeler on Game 162, while the AL West's first-ever sub-.500 playoff team underscores how lopsided the division was. Pete Alonso's never-before-done RBI feat and Verlander's tearful exit cap a chaotic final day.
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