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Gearing up for a superteam showdown in the ALCS? Houston and New York still have to get through the Rays and Twins first.

One Astros ace -- Justin Verlander -- steamrollered the Rays in their ALDS opener. In Game 2? The next Astros ace. Good luck, Tampa Bay.

Using both aces won Washington the wild card, and it has now evened things up with the Dodgers. But can that keep working?

In a showdown between the greatest home run-hitting teams of all time, this Twins-Yankees ALDS isn't supposed to be about pitching. Game 1 certainly wasn't.

Stephen Strasburg turned in another dominant October outing, Max Scherzer overpowered Los Angeles for an inning out of the bullpen and the Washington Nationals held off the Dodgers 4-2 Friday night to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece.

Twins rookie Randy Dobnak, who made his major league debut in mid-August, will start Game 2 of the ALDS on Saturday over veteran righty Jake Odorizzi, the team announced.

DJ LeMahieu homered and drove in four runs, Gleyber Torres broke a tie with a two-run double and the New York Yankees extended their October mastery of the Minnesota Twins with a 10-4 victory Friday night in the AL Division Series opener.

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The Cubs plan to interview Joe Girardi and David Ross next week as they continue their search for a successor to Joe Maddon. First-base coach Will Venable also is expected to interview next week.

By trusting a transformed starter, an unexpected pinch hitter and a once-burned closer, the Braves evened up their LDS.

Another season's worth of tearing himself down didn't stop the Astros slugger from adding to his history of Game 1 slugging feats.

With a loss to the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS, Minnesota continued 15 years of futility. Here's a game-by-game recap of how they got here.

Gleyber Torres delivered a clutch hit in the fifth for New York, and Minnesota has set a playoff franchise record for HRs in a game (three).

After apologizing to his Braves teammates for not running out a hit on Thursday, Ronald Acuna Jr. showed more hustle in a win over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the NLDS on Friday.

Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley, a member of the Cherokee Nation, believes the Atlanta Braves' "tomahawk chop" chant is "disrespectful" and "devalues" perceptions of Native Americans, the rookie told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday.

Houston's Justin Verlander continues moving up the all-time postseason charts after blanking the Tampa Bay Rays over seven innings on Friday as the Astros posted a 6-2 win in their American League Division Series opener.

Mike Foltynewicz threw seven crisp innings before pinch hitter Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer that carried the Atlanta Braves to a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, evening the NLDS at one game apiece.

The Cubs plan to interview Joe Girardi and David Ross next week as they continue their search for a successor to Joe Maddon. First-base coach Will Venable also is expected to interview next week.

Folow live:

Ronald Acuna Jr. remains in Atlanta's lineup, hitting leadoff and playing center field, for Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.