Yesterday, the 2026 MLB playoffs began with four opening games in the best-of-three Wild Card series. The victorious Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres moved one step closer to the Division Series. There, the rested Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays are waiting to pounce on their prey.

While the Athletics are watching the playoffs from afar for a fifth straight year, that does not mean October baseball is devoid of players and coaches who have history with the Green and Gold.

Stephen Vogt, a fan-favorite during his successful career with the A’s, has led Cleveland to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons as their manager. In hindsight, the A’s should have hired him instead of Mark Kotsay, but the past cannot be changed and Vogt finds himself in a much more stable situation in Cleveland.

Moving to active players, there are former A’s on just about every postseason squad. Matt Olson has started every game at first base for the Braves, who also employ Sean Murphy as their backup catcher and onetime A’s minor leaguer Grant Holmes in their rotation. Former Athletic, left-hander Jesús Luzardo, started the Philadelphia Phillies first playoff game.

Another former A’s draft pick, Nick Allen, is a backup infielder on the Houston Astros, while reliever Sean Newcomb, who was on the A’s from 2023 through 2025, is a vital part of the White Sox’ bullpen.

On the East Coast, veteran pitchers Paul Blackburn and Sonny Gray enjoyed strong seasons with the Yankees and Boston Red Sox and will be counted on if their teams want to make a deep postseason run this fall.

Shifting to the West Coast, Aaron Civale, who the Athletics designated for assignment earlier this year, will pitch in relief for the Chicago Cubs. Their opponent, the Padres, are reaping the rewards of employing closer Mason Miller, who has thrived since the A’s traded him during the 2025 trade deadline. Miguel Andujar joined his former teammate Miller in San Diego this season.

Which of these former players competing this week do you most want to see win the World Series? What are your playoff predictions? Should the A’s attempt to bring back Blackburn in free agency this offseason?

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley delivered the postseason’s first game-changing moment yesterday.

The Athletics are still searching for their next general manager. Ideally, the club will have someone in place before free agency opens after the playoffs end.

This fact sums up the state of baseball in this max-effort era. Fewer starters are pitching deep into games because of the strain on their arms from trying to throw every pitch as fast as possible.