The 2026 Wild Card series have some great storylines. It hasn’t been that long since Umpire Dan Merzel called Atlanta Braves pitcher, Chris Sale for a balk when Sale didn’t announce he was pitching from the windup. He then threw Sale out of the game the next day because Sale is super chill (as the kids say) and lets things go.

Not.

Maybe Sale and Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long can hang out during the series. Long was thrown out of a game last week by Merzel after Luis Arraez hurt himself falling down. Arraez, famous for not calling attention to himself after every single pitch taken for a ball over his career, was running inside the baseline in the sixth inning against Milwaukee on a ball hit to short. He then veered across the baseline and went outside the baseline before attempting to dive/fall sideways and touch first base. Arraez was removed from the game. Long was removed shortly thereafter on a strike call that was overturned by ABS. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact the Phillies were in the middle of losing 12 out of 20.

Sale hasn’t won a playoff game in a decade. Maybe Sale and Long can get thrown out together.

The Braves series against the Philadelphia Phillies has other interesting storylines. The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber is third on the all-time postseason home run list. Bryce Harper is poised to set the team’s all-time record for postseason extra-base hits.

THe White Sox vs. Astros series is a rematch for two franchises that have both torn down their entire rosters and made their fans suffer through brutal, lengthy rebuilds since. The two faced off in 2005. Fans might remember that was the year Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski ran to first base on a third-strike call even though the pitch never touched the dirt. That was in the Championship Series, not the World Series. The series was a sweep by Chicago, though it did feature a 14-inning 5-hour, 41 minute affair, won by Geoff Blum’s bomb.

This year? Chicago became the first team ever to make the playoffs after three 100-loss seasons. The bullpen has thrown 100 more innings than Houston and the team earned-run average is .38 better than Houston’s. White Sox relievers are used to carrying the load and have given up fewer homers than Houston. Be ready to see a lot of pitching changes. Chicago and Houston are 13th and 14th in starter ERA respectively. And, be ready to see neither team getting past this round.

The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres’ series is a rematch of a much-more recent variety. Chicago outlasted San Diego last year to squeak out a series win. They head into their series against the San Diego Padres with a season advantage in runs-scored and in Defensive Runs Saved. But, San Diego is coming into the series on a hot streak. The Padres haven’t hit as many homers, but Fernando Tatis’ bat finally heated up in the second half. They steal more bases and have the better bullpen.

San Diego and Milwaukee swept the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of the year. Either team could represent the National League in the World Series.

Who is going to win games for the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees? Who knows? The Red Sox have only five guys who played more than 130 games. It could be anyone.

New York hitters slugged 60 more homers than Boston, but hit 10 points worse as a team. The Yankees have more 50 more runs and 46 more stolen bases. Cam Schlittler looks almost unhittable. But, Gerrit Cole has been unable to make it past the sixth inning for the last month. No worries. The Yankees have four very, very good starters to fill in if he struggles.

All told, the Astros (81-81 on the season in an anemic American League West) are the only team that doesn’t look like they belong here. The rest look more than capable of winning a Wild Card series and should challenge in the Divisional Series. With the third-worst bullpen, the Phillies will have to be creative. That’s when things should get really wild.