Episode 184 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

The MLB postseason picture is taking shape, but the American League bracket is exposing one of the biggest flaws in the current playoff format. Aaron Judge is finally back in the Yankees lineup after a 99-day absence, Jesús Luzardo just threw himself even deeper into a loaded NL Cy Young race and some recent Josh Donaldson comments have us asking just how much influence Jomboy really has on Aaron Boone.

We open the show with a look at MLB’s fixed playoff bracket and whether it’s finally time to re-seed after the Wild Card Series. If the season ended today, Tampa Bay, New York and Boston — the three best teams in the American League by record — would all be stuck on the same side of the bracket, while the other path to the ALCS would feature teams with considerably worse records. Winning your division should matter, but should a No. 1 seed really be rewarded with a potentially more difficult path than the No. 2 seed? We break down the format, what re-seeding could look like and whether MLB has created an unnecessary postseason problem.

We also get into Aaron Judge’s long-awaited return to the Yankees lineup after missing nearly 100 days with a rib injury. New York survived without its captain, but the underlying offensive numbers tell a much different story about just how badly this lineup missed him. With less than three weeks remaining and the Yankees still chasing Tampa Bay, we discuss what Judge’s return could mean for the stretch run.

Then there’s the National League Cy Young race, which somehow keeps getting more interesting. Jesús Luzardo delivered a complete-game shutout against Atlanta and has forced his way into a conversation that already includes Chris Sale, Cristopher Sánchez and Jacob Misiorowski. There are dominant rate stats, massive strikeout totals, innings arguments and now a signature late-season performance to sort through. Who actually deserves the award right now?

Take the Pitch/Swing Away returns with three debates: Is Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 2026 season actually more impressive than Ronald Acuña Jr.’s historic 40/70 campaign? Will the Angels become contenders quickly once Stan Kroenke takes over the franchise? And after Josh Donaldson’s recent comments, does Jomboy have more influence over Aaron Boone and the Yankees lineup than anyone realizes?

Plus, Red Hot Ice Cold returns as we check in on some of the hottest and coldest players in baseball without giving away who landed where.

And, as always, we’re Coming Around 3rd to close it out.

🎧 Listen to Episode 184 now. 👍 Like the episode. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Episode 183 of Tablesetters is LIVE!

Tarik Skubal returned to Detroit in Dodger blue and apparently took a piece of the Tigers clubhouse with him, Will Flemming is under fire for comments during the Yankees’ demolition of the Red Sox, Ketel Marte is back with Arizona after a bizarre absence and Chris Sale, Michael Wacha and Max Scherzer are turning back the clock.

We open the show with the Phillies and Braves both surging into September and seven head-to-head games still looming between them. Atlanta has maintained control of the NL East despite Philadelphia’s recent run, but when we look beyond the standings and dig into how these teams are actually constructed, their strengths, some interesting underlying trends and what the latest projections tell us, the question of which one is truly more built for October gets a lot more complicated.

We also break down the fallout from Flemming’s heated reaction to Jazz Chisholm Jr. running with the Yankees comfortably ahead and discuss where the line should exist between passionate hometown broadcasting and going too far. We get into the increasingly strange Jeff Bagwell situation in Houston following Dana Brown’s departure and what his growing presence around the organization means for an Astros team still trying to navigate the AL West race.

Age is apparently just a number for some of baseball’s veteran arms, as Sale, Wacha and Scherzer each delivered performances that looked like they belonged to much younger versions of themselves. We dig into the remarkable longevity behind all three outings and what made this particular stretch stand out.

In What’s the Word, George Lombard Jr.’s sudden defensive woes have us wondering what exactly is happening to the Yankees’ highly regarded young shortstop, while Marte’s return raises a much different question about whether Arizona can truly repair everything that happened during his absence. Then there’s Skubal, who returned to Comerica Park less than a month after being traded to Los Angeles, showed plenty of love to his former teammates and staff, but apparently decided one particular clubhouse amenity was leaving Detroit with him. We have a word for that too.

Plus, Red Hot Ice Cold.

🎧 Listen to Episode 183 now. 👍 Like the episode. 📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod

Episode 182 of Tablesetters is live!

Pete Alonso’s controversial foul ball has the Orioles questioning MLB’s replay technology, Kyle Tucker’s first season with the Dodgers has turned into a disaster, Ketel Marte has landed on the restricted list and the Mariners are calling up top pitching prospect Kade Anderson.

We break down the Alonso controversy after his potential go ahead 410 foot home run was ruled foul and the call stood after replay, raising questions about whether MLB needs better technology around the foul poles.

We also examine Tucker’s struggles after signing a four year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles, including his .232 average, 11 home runs, .695 OPS, 0 for 25 stretch, defensive issues and enormous home road splits.

We get into the uncertainty surrounding Marte after he failed to show up for Arizona’s game in Boston and was placed on the restricted list while also dealing with a left knee issue. In Seattle, Anderson is heading directly from Double A to the rotation after going 10 and 1 with a 1.06 ERA, 135 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 93⅓ innings.

In Take the Pitch or Swing Away, we discuss Joshua Báez becoming the first player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three Major League at bats, where his historic debut belongs among the greatest ever, Aaron Nola’s recent turnaround with Philadelphia, Kevin McGonigle moving beyond the Rookie of the Year conversation and into the AL MVP discussion, and the NL Rookie of the Year race between Sal Stewart, JJ Wetherholt and Carson Benge, including Stewart’s offensive production and Wetherholt’s massive defensive advantage.

Plus, Red Hot Ice Cold.

🎧 Listen to Episode 182 now.

👍 Like the episode.

📌 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

🗣️ Follow us on Instagram and X: @TablesettersPod