On June 13, 10 teams from Wareham to Chatham began their 40-game summer season with one goal: winning the Cape League Championship. Nearly two months later, the regular season has come to a close, and the playoff field is set. Eight teams remain, with four from the East Division and four from the West battling for the 2026 title. The first round begins Tuesday with four best-of-three series, where the higher seed will host Game 1 and, if necessary, the decisive Game 3. From Bourne looking to continue its championship run to Yarmouth-Dennis hoping to turn its dominant regular season into a title, the road to the championship begins now. Here's a preview of all four first-round matchups.
WEST DIVISION
#1 Hyannis Harbor Hawks (22-18) v. #4 Cotuit Kettleers (13-25-2)
The first matchup features two teams that had to fight until the final days (and hours) of the regular season to secure their postseason spots. Mitch Karraker's Harbor Hawks completed a late-season surge to overtake the division-leading Bourne Braves, winning seven of their final 10 games to claim the West's top seed. The Kettleers needed plenty of drama as well, as Sam Christiansen's walk-off heroics (coupled with a favorable result in Wareham) punched Cotuit's ticket to the postseason. In his first season on the Cape, manager Rob Cooper guided the Kettleers to the playoffs after overcoming a slow start by leaning on a patient offense that finished with the league's second-most walks.
Hyannis won the season series, 3-2, but the clubs' most recent meeting told a different story. Cotuit rolled to a 15-8 victory over Hyannis in the penultimate game of the regular season, proving the Kettleers are capable of matching up with the division champions. While the Harbor Hawks finished with the league's third-worst run differential, they enter the postseason looking like a different club than the one that opened the summer. Fresh off earning Pitcher of the Week honors, Raymond Olivas gives Hyannis another weapon atop its rotation. With both teams needing late-season heroics to reach their current positions, expect a competitive series despite the difference in seeding.
#2 Bourne Braves (18-19-3) v. #3 Falmouth Commodores (17-21-2)
Scott Landers and his Braves are right where they want to be. Bourne has reached five straight Cape League Championship Series, winning three titles during that stretch, and Landers has consistently found a way to have his club playing its best baseball in August. While the Braves enter the postseason in the coldest stretch of their summer, there's little doubt the reigning champions know how to handle the pressure when the games matter most. Andrew Costello and Blake Schaaf have anchored the offense, both hitting .360, while Ryker Waite has been a steady presence in the infield. Bourne's championship experience will make the Braves a difficult out in another postseason run.
Across the diamond, Jack Dahm joins Rob Cooper as one of two rookie managers to guide his club to the playoffs. Dahm's Commodores matched Bourne throughout the regular season, splitting the season series 2-2-1 in a testament to the parity that defined the West Division this summer. Jeff Lougee has provided a boost on both sides of the ball, while Tommy Harrison has emerged as one of Falmouth's most productive bats. The Commodores have leaned on their offense all season and will likely need to outslug the reigning champions to advance.
EAST DIVISION
#1 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (28-11-1) v. #4 Chatham Anglers (19-18-3)
Akin to the current iteration of the Boston Red Sox, Yarmouth-Dennis went on a historic run this summer. It took the Red Sox until July 11 to suffer just their third loss of the season, a testament to the consistency Scott Pickler's club displayed from Opening Day. Now in his 27th season on the Cape, Pickler may have assembled his strongest roster yet. Tommy Goodin has driven in 31 runs and remained one of the league's hottest hitters all summer, while Brock Ketelsen has emerged as a two-way threat. Although the Red Sox dropped a few games down the stretch after securing the East Division, their dominance is difficult to overlook. Yarmouth-Dennis led the league in runs scored and allowed the fewest, meaning Dennis Cook's Anglers will have no room for mistakes.
Chatham was one of the few teams to crack the code against the Red Sox, splitting the season series 2-2-1. The Anglers also opened the summer on a tear before carrying that momentum into a postseason berth. Chatham features one of the league's deepest rosters, led by Armani Guzman and Bino Watters at the plate, while Angel Cervantes and Oliver Pudvar have anchored one of the Cape's strongest rotations. The Anglers closed the regular season with a 4-1 victory over Yarmouth-Dennis and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason. Yarmouth-Dennis looked nearly unbeatable for much of the summer, but if any team has the talent to beat Y-D twice, it may be Chatham.
#2 Brewster Whitecaps (25-12-3) v. #3 Harwich Mariners (21-19)
The Whitecaps take on their perennial rival Mariners after the two clubs traded places in the standings throughout the summer. Jamie Shevchik has put together one of the most impressive managerial seasons on the Cape, guiding Brewster to within four points of Yarmouth-Dennis for the league's top overall seed. While the Whitecaps have flown under the radar behind the Red Sox, they've quietly pieced together a highly competitive season, winning 25 games. Jacob Lee and Jamie Laskofski have anchored Brewster's offense all summer, while Payton Manca, Charlie Willcox and Zach Kmatz have formed one of the Cape's most dominant pitching staffs. Shevchik strengthened an already talented roster by adding Air Force pitchers Gaines Estridge and Sam Hentges for the final stretch of the regular season, giving the Whitecaps even more depth entering the playoffs.
Steve Englert has built a pitcher’s nightmare in Harwich. The Mariners lead the league in doubles and steals, constantly applying pressure with their speed and aggressive baserunning. Ty Smolinski and Colin Larson have been the catalysts, combining for 35 RBIs while sparking one of the Cape's most explosive lineups. Although Brewster won the season series 3-2, Harwich took the finale 2-1, showing just how evenly matched these squads are. Brewster's power and pitching depth against Harwich's speed and relentless offense make this one of the most exciting first-round matchups.
The First Round schedule is listed below:
Eastern Division
Game 1 – Tuesday, August 4, 2026
(4) Chatham Anglers at (1) Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox — Red Wilson Field, 4:00 PM
(3) Harwich Mariners at (2) Brewster Whitecaps — Stony Brook Field, 4:00 PM
Game 2 – Wednesday, August 5, 2026
(2) Brewster Whitecaps at (3) Harwich Mariners — Whitehouse Field, 6:30 PM
(1) Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox at (4) Chatham Anglers — Veterans Field, 7:00 PM
Game 3 (If Necessary) – Thursday, August 6, 2026
(4) Chatham Anglers at (1) Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox — Red Wilson Field, 4:00 PM
(3) Harwich Mariners at (2) Brewster Whitecaps — Stony Brook Field, 4:00 PM
Western Division
Game 1 – Tuesday, August 4, 2026
(4) Cotuit Kettleers at (1) Hyannis Harbor Hawks — McKeon Park, 6:00 PM
(3) Falmouth Commodores at (2) Bourne Braves — Doran Park, 6:00 PM
Game 2 – Wednesday, August 5, 2026
(1) Hyannis Harbor Hawks at (4) Cotuit Kettleers — Lowell Park, 4:00 PM
(2) Bourne Braves at (3) Falmouth Commodores — Guv Fuller Field, 6:00 PM
Game 3 (If Necessary) – Thursday, August 6, 2026
(4) Cotuit Kettleers at (1) Hyannis Harbor Hawks — McKeon Park, 6:00 PM
(3) Falmouth Commodores at (2) Bourne Braves — Doran Park, 6:00 PM
The winners of each series advance the East and West Division Finals
