<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" src="http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png" alt="EWFI" width="590" height="206" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-242076" srcset="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi.png 590w, https://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ewlogofi-300x105.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" />
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about &#8220;October&#8221; as a (somewhat imprecise) metonym for the playoffs and the popularity of postseason coverage, praise the Yankees&#8217; pitcher-averse roster construction, recap the highlights and lowlights from the first wild card games, ponder the possibility of pushing relievers too far, answer a listener email about the impact of managers, sympathize with and criticize the Astros for complaining about being booed by their fans, and discuss MLB&#8217;s petition to play a game in a national park, <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/zack-gelof/29766/stats/batting" target="_blank">Zack Gelof</a>&#8217;s lawsuit against the Tigers, and more.
Audio&nbsp;intro: The Shirey Brothers, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lGyXnWwEoa3G1mWIJfdeNs8HHFLR8Ml7/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;
Audio&nbsp;outro: PJ Harding, &#8220;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GaXmQoPFfbQdNZTyMqkTGmuPIRdlG22G/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Effectively Wild Theme</a>&#8221;

<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-1753-bringing-up-baby/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Episode 1753</a>
<a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/09/23/new-mlb-playoff-campaign-touts-no-time-like-october/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to new MLB tagline</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/announcing-some-changes-to-our-postseason-coverage/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Appelman post</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_play-in_tournament" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to play-in tournament</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/everybody-except-the-yankees-is-doing-wild-card-roster-construction-wrong" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Baumann on the Yankees</a>
<a href="https://ifunny.co/picture/me-regularly-uses-the-same-3-things-at-home-me-LW1bSkC67" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to packing post</a>
<a href="https://www.joesheehan.com/2026/09/newsletter-excerpt-september-30-2026.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Sheehan WC G1 recaps</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/jhoan-duran-in-play-run-s-to-austin-riley-kkhhvg-x2885" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Riley homer</a>
<a href="https://www.joeposnanski.com/p/rivalries-and-routs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Posnanski on Riley</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/michael-harris-ii-singles-on-a-ground-ball-to-shortstop-trea-turner" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Turner non-play</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/clearwater/news/aidan-miller-joins-phillies-fall-league-contingent" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Miller AFL news</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/grant-taylor-hagen-smith-step-up-in-white-sox-al-wild-card-win" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Taylor outing</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/pope-leo-xiv-letter-white-sox-wild-card-series" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Pope blessing</a>
<a href="https://www.theringer.com/2026/09/25/mlb/mlb-too-many-innings-not-enough-arms-starters-relievers-bullpens-playoffs" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ben on innings shortfalls</a>
<a href="https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2026/09/red-sox-chad-tracy-explains-pulling-payton-tolle-early-using-rookie-relievers-in-ugly-game-1-loss.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Tracy RP explanation</a>
<a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/09/red-sox-to-remove-roman-anthony-from-roster-with-hand-injury.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Anthony update</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2x5bs276hs2ibqgwzhnx2jae/post/3mwpjkzxuws22" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Musgrove fun fact 1</a>
<a href="https://x.com/SlangsOnSports/status/2105156457746608586" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Musgrove fun fact 2</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2x5bs276hs2ibqgwzhnx2jae/post/3mwppjuj3o22j" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to shutouts fun fact</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7644992/2026/09/30/astros-loss-game-1-fans-frustration/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Astros booing story 1</a>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7646661/2026/09/30/houston-astros-fan-boo-wild-card-bennett-sousa/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Astros booing story 2</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/joe-espada-discusses-fans-booing-2026-al-wild-card-series" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Astros booing story 3</a>
<a href="https://x.com/JRFegan/status/2105120880435269903" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Burke quote</a>
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/09/26/trump-officials-weigh-mlb-game-grand-teton-national-park/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Grand Teton story</a>
<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/unprotecting-american-lands-how-trump-is-dismantling-americas-bipartisan-conservation-legacy/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to public lands story</a>
<a href="https://www.cupofcoffeenews.com/cup-of-coffee-september-30-2026/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Craig on Gelof</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/zack-gelof-exits-after-sliding-into-fence-vs-tigers" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Greene quote</a>
<a href="https://blog.sportslaw.org/posts/sports-law-development-of-the-week-dustin-fowler-s-negligence-suit-against-white-sox-remanded-to-illinois-state-court/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to lawyer explanation</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45273737/ex-brewer-ruf-sues-reds-career-ending-injury-cincy-park" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ruf story</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21780520/oakland-athletics-outfielder-dustin-fowler-suing-white-sox-guaranteed-rate-field-serious-injury-sustained" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Fowler story</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/duel-interrupted-phillies-come-back-to-beat-braves-late-even-series/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to FG on Phillies-Braves G2</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/bryce-harper-hits-homer-after-run-scoring-misplay-in-nl-wild-card-game-2" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Harper article</a>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/phillies/news/j-t-realmuto-initiates-first-game-ending-abs-challenge-in-postseason-history" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Realmuto challenge</a>
<a href="https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/boxesetc/1935/B09291NY61935.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Ruth exhibition</a>
<a href="https://blogs.fangraphs.com/effectively-wild-episode-1680-diganos-de-dihigo/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Link to Dihigo episode</a>

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Effectively Wild Episode 2538: No Time Like Late September

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