Episode 189 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

The Milwaukee Brewers have the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers on the brink of elimination, Shohei Ohtani's offensive struggles are becoming impossible to ignore, and Freddy Peralta has emerged as an October ace for the Tampa Bay Rays following a remarkable turnaround since leaving the Mets. Steve also has plenty to get off his chest about another disappointing Yankees season, while the Padres, White Sox and Braves face difficult questions heading into the offseason.

We open with Milwaukee holding a commanding 2-0 NLCS lead over Los Angeles, and we're live during Game 3 as the Dodgers attempt to claw their way back into the series. The Brewers outhit Los Angeles 19-9 through the opening two games, held Dodgers hitters to a .069 batting average against their bullpen and have dictated how these games are being played. Jake Bauers' ridiculous 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, William Contreras delivering in the biggest moments and Dave Roberts' questionable decision to pitch to Milwaukee's hottest hitter have turned this series into a fascinating contrast in offensive philosophy. With Los Angeles chasing a historic third consecutive championship, we examine whether Pat Murphy's relentless, contact-oriented approach has exposed the Dodgers' weaknesses and what needs to change before this series slips away completely.

Then there's Ohtani, whose struggles go well beyond a couple of bad postseason games. He's hitting .156 with no home runs since August 18, has managed just one hit against pitches of at least 95 mph during that stretch and is dealing with neck, biceps and knee issues that appear to be affecting his swing mechanics. We examine whether Roberts can continue riding with a physically compromised superstar, whether 21-year-old rookie Josue De Paula deserves an opportunity and just how much Los Angeles can realistically expect from Ohtani as its three-peat aspirations hang in the balance.

Over in the American League, the Guardians and Rays head to Cleveland tied 1-1 in the ALCS after Peralta's dominant six-inning performance in Tampa Bay's Game 2 victory. Acquired from the Mets in August after posting a 4.99 ERA in New York, Peralta has recorded a remarkable 0.81 ERA over his last eight starts, including the postseason. We break down Gavin Williams throwing 210 pitches over six days during Cleveland's comeback against Chicago, Griffin Jax's unexpected success transitioning from Tampa Bay's bullpen to its rotation and Thursday's Game 3 pitching matchup. We also get into the controversy surrounding the Rays' inability to sell out both ALCS home games, WFAN's Evan Roberts criticizing the turnout and whether Tampa Bay's longstanding stadium and attendance issues deserve more consideration.

Steve also unloads on the Yankees after another season ends without a championship, extending their drought to 17 years. Aaron Boone appears likely to return despite eight postseason appearances in nine seasons without a title, Brian Cashman's roster construction continues to resemble a never-ending game of whack-a-mole, and the organization's pitching development seems to have unlocked something while its offensive philosophy remains two or three years behind. We dig into New York's .130 batting average against Tampa Bay, its recurring defensive disasters, Austin Wells' disappointing production and the absurd irony of assistant director of baseball operations Mike Pinsky still surviving on Survivor while the Yankees are already home.

We also put a bow on three other eliminated teams. San Diego's historically close NLDS loss to Milwaukee featured four games decided by two runs or fewer, raising questions about pitching depth and keeping its core together. Chicago's surprising postseason run ended with 52 strikeouts across its final three games against Cleveland, including a record 21 in Game 5, leaving Chris Getz facing important roster decisions. Atlanta eliminated Philadelphia before falling to Los Angeles, but Ronald Acuña Jr.'s offensive struggles and cryptic podcast comments have created another storyline heading into the winter. Meanwhile, the Phillies are moving forward with Don Mattingly on a two-year managerial deal, adding another interesting dimension to the NL East.

🎧 Listen to Episode 189 now. 👍 Like the episode. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Episode 188 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

The Wild Card round is over, and now the postseason gets even tighter. Four best of five Division Series, eight teams and three wins separating everyone from the League Championship Series.

It starts with Dodgers vs. Braves, where Atlanta goes directly from an exhausting three game series against Philadelphia into a rested Los Angeles team with one of the deepest pitching staffs in baseball. The Braves dominated the regular season matchup, but how much does the road they took to get here change things now?

Then it’s Yankees vs. Rays after New York swept Boston and scored nine runs in both Wild Card games. Tampa Bay won 98 games and took the season series, but the Yankees enter with their rotation lined up and some major questions still surrounding Aaron Judge.

Padres vs. Brewers brings together Milwaukee’s starting pitching and a dangerous San Diego lineup, but the biggest story might be what happens once these games reach the later innings. And Guardians vs. White Sox gives us two teams separated by only one game with completely different strengths and a season series that was about as close as it gets.

We’re breaking down all four matchups, the pitching situations, biggest X factors, numbers that stand out and the decisions that could ultimately determine who moves on.

Four series. Eight teams. Three wins from the LCS!

🎧 Listen to Episode 188 now. 👍 Like the episode and tell us who you have advancing. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Episode 187 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

The 2026 postseason starts now, and the Wild Card round gives us four completely different best of three matchups with almost no room for error. We’re breaking down what stands out in each series, the biggest X factors, the pitching questions and the numbers that could end up deciding who gets through to the Division Series.

It starts in the Bronx with Yankees vs. Red Sox, where Aaron Judge’s calf hangs over everything. The Yankees still finished with the better record and run differential despite spending most of the year without him, and they enter October with a rotation built around Cam Schlittler, Max Fried and Gerrit Cole. The Red Sox have a different formula, leaning heavily on defense and a bullpen that finished top five in both ERA and expected ERA, with Garrett Crochet potentially returning in a completely different role after not pitching since April.

Then it’s Braves vs. Phillies, with all the recent postseason history coming right back to the surface. The Phillies eliminated the Braves in both 2022 and 2023, but this Braves team enters from a much stronger regular season position after going 9 and 4 against Philadelphia and winning the division. Chris Sale brings a 2.16 ERA into Game 1, Ronald Acuña Jr. just finished September with seven home runs and a .950 OPS, and Tyler Mahle quietly posted a 1.99 ERA after joining Atlanta. The Phillies still have the rotation depth to make this uncomfortable again, especially with Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez, Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler all in the mix.

Cubs vs. Padres might have the most interesting clash of styles in the entire round. Pete Crow Armstrong put together an MVP caliber season with 45 home runs, 41 steals and a .945 OPS while helping the Cubs lead MLB in OPS and runs per game. San Diego, though, might be the hottest team entering October, going 41 and 18 after July 24 while transforming from a bottom five offense into one of the best in baseball. Fernando Tatis Jr. has been right in the middle of that surge, and the Padres also have the bullpen advantage that could completely change the way these games are managed once they reach the middle innings.

And then there’s White Sox vs. Astros, which might be the strangest matchup of all. The White Sox became the first team in MLB history to reach the postseason after three straight 100 loss seasons, powered by a top five offense and three different 30 homer bats in Miguel Vargas, Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery. The Astros somehow came out of a chaotic season with the AL West title despite finishing at .500 or worse, and now everything revolves around how much Yordan Alvarez can carry an offense that may need him to be the difference.

We get into Aaron Judge’s health, Garrett Crochet’s possible return, Chris Sale against Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, Tyler Mahle’s second half, Alex Bregman playing through multiple facial fractures, Pete Crow Armstrong against Fernando Tatis Jr., Munetaka Murakami’s late season power surge and whether Yordan Alvarez can once again take over October.

Four series, eight teams, and only two wins needed to move on. The margin for error is basically nonexistent.

🎧 Listen to Episode 187 now. 👍 Like the episode and tell us who you have advancing. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod