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Brewers’ Garrett Mitchell showcasing what he can do when healthy after missing last year’s playoffs

MILWAUKEE — Garrett Mitchell spent his first four major league seasons fighting through injuries, including a shoulder issue that prevented him from joining the Milwaukee Brewers’ playoff run last year.

Finally healthy for a full year, Mitchell is playing a vital role in the Brewers’ push for their first World Series title.

Mitchell, 28, was the best player on the field in Milwaukee’s NL Division Series title-clinching victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. He created an indelible moment in Brewers history in the eighth inning by catching a fly ball from Manny Machado at the center-field wall before it could reach the seats and become a tying homer.

The former UCLA star from Orange, California, is eager to help the Brewers in their NL Championship Series rematch with the the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept Milwaukee last year. The best-of-seven series starts Sunday night in Milwaukee.

“I think we have a different type of confidence and belief in ourselves together as a team,” Mitchell said as the Brewers celebrated the NLDS title. “It’s just like a quiet, subtle confidence. It’s not showboaty.”

One major difference in this rematch is that the Brewers have Mitchell in the lineup. Last year, Mitchell played just 25 games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.

Mitchell never played more than 69 games any of his first four years in the majors as he dealt with a variety of injuries that included issues with his shoulder, oblique and finger.

The 145 regular-season games he appeared in for Milwaukee this season exceeded his combined total from 2022-25 (141). Mitchell hit .262 with a .354 on-base percentage, 11 homers, 65 RBIs and 14 steals.

In Milwaukee’s 3-1 Game 4 NLDS victory at San Diego, Mitchell went 2 for 4. He tripled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning before preserving the Brewers’ lead with his remarkable catch at the wall.

“He’s been phenomenal, and no one could have predicted this, either,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before the postseason. “When you’re looking at our team, maybe the reason we didn’t get picked early on to be as successful in the regular season was because the unknown about Mitchell. He had been injured for four years basically.”

Mitchell had shown glimpses in the past of what he could do when healthy.

He posted a 2.1 WAR (wins above replacement) while playing only 69 games in 2024. He hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning of a 5-3 Game 2 victory over the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card Series that year. He owns an .860 OPS in six career playoff games.

“Obviously everybody knew he was a super-talented player who could do everything on a baseball field,” Brewers designated hitter and captain Christian Yelich said. “I think people kind of got to see that this year with him being out there, what kind of contributions he’s made to our team.”

Mitchell has dealt with this kind of adversity before.

He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of nine. As he developed into the type of prospect capable of getting drafted in the first round, Mitchell remembers hearing questions about whether his status as a diabetic would impact how he would be able to handle the grind of a long baseball season.

“In my mind I took it more as kind of a sign of disrespect,” Mitchell said. “If you know the person, if you know the player, if you watch me play, that’s not the thing I think you worry about, because I’ve dealt with it for as long as I have.”

Mitchell grew up watching highlights of outfielder Sam Fuld, who played in the majors from 2007-15 while dealing with Type 1 diabetes. Yelich appreciated the opportunity to communicate with him while in high school.

Now he pays it forward by trying to set an example to other young athletes with similar health situations.

“I’m just trying to show no matter what obstacles are in your way and whatever’s thrown at you in your life, if you trust and believe in yourself, nothing can really stop you,” Mitchell said.

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Shohei Ohtani’s bat has gone quiet, but the Dodgers keep winning for now

Shohei Ohtani is scuffling at the plate, and so far the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is coming up mostly empty in the postseason.

After stumbling into the playoffs battling biceps and knee injuries, he was 2 for 13 (.154) with two walks, four strikeouts and one stolen base in their four-game NL Division Series win over the Atlanta Braves, to go with a .421 OPS and .154 slugging percentage.

Clearly not up to the four-time MVP’s standards.

“He’s a very good self-evaluator, a very extremely high competitor and expects a lot from himself,” manager Dave Roberts said this week.

As Ohtani goes, so go the Dodgers. They weren’t much better, hitting just .203 against Atlanta.

Ohtani was dropped to fifth in the order — his lowest as a Dodger — for Game 3 of the NLDS. He reached base twice — on a catcher’s interference and a walk. He moved up to the cleanup spot for Game 4. He had previously only started in the first or second spot.

Not postseason punishment, just tactical moves based on opposing pitching.

Some of Ohtani’s offensive slump can be traced to nagging injuries that limited him to just 139 games in the regular season. He went on the injured list, with right biceps and left knee issues, for the first time as a Dodger in September.

Ohtani has admitted he’s still not 100% healthy. At times, he doesn’t appear comfortable at the plate.

“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this,” he said through a translator last week. “I think that process is going to happen during the offseason when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”

However, health is only part of the equation. He’s been uncharacteristically aggressive swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone, something Roberts hopes he improves going into Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

“He can still do a better job of staying in the strike zone,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to have success when you’re out of the zone.”

Roberts has maintained unwavering trust in Ohtani and believes his bat will come to life as the Dodgers’ bid for a third consecutive World Series championship continues.

Bolstered by their pitching, the Dodgers are in the NLCS against the Brewers for the second straight year.

Ohtani led the Dodgers to a four-game sweep of Milwaukee last year, when the Brewers hit a measly .118 against Dodgers pitching.

He was 5 for 14 (.357) with three home runs, four walks and five strikeouts as NLCS MVP — all three homers came in a memorable Game 4 clinch in which he also struck out 10 as a pitcher. He had a 1.643 OPS and 1.143 slugging percentage.

Ohtani won’t be pitching this time because of his injuries, with his place in the rotation taken by two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow return.

Elite pitching can carry a team deep into the postseason, but poor hitting often leaves a team with a thin margin for error, especially when its biggest star is struggling.

“Hitting homers, slugging, it’s part of his hallmark in the batter’s box,” Roberts said. “He’s very in tune with what’s being said, what he hasn’t done.”

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Tyrese Haliburton hopes to squash Damian Lillard beef over signature celebration

At least one party in one of the long-standing beefs in the NBA is looking to make amends.

Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton opened up about his strained relationship with Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, dating back to intense battles during Lillard’s days with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Speaking in an episode of “The Zach Lowe Show” that published Thursday, Oct. 8, Haliburton addressed the origin of the rift, which came during the 2025 in-season tournament, which has since been rebranded to the NBA Cup.

It was then that Haliburton hit a big 3-pointer late in a game against the Bucks and then mocked Lillard’s long-time “Dame Time” celebration, by looking at his wrist, mimicking looking at a watch.

“Do I regret it? No, because it was obviously a lot of fun for our organization, and the run we went on in the in-season tournament was a lot of fun,” Haliburton told Lowe. “It just added to it, so it was fun.

“I think what I do regret more than anything is what me and Dame's relationship has become. Because he was a guy who checked on me a lot, early in my career, especially when I got traded. We talked a lot, and I got his permission to be announced as the letter O, because that's his thing."

Haliburton, the No. 12 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Kings, was traded midway through his second season when Sacramento shipped him to the Pacers.

The two players have shared several links; both ruptured their Achilles tendons during the 2025 NBA Playoffs and both missed the entire 2025-26 NBA seasons. And both have battled throughout their careers, most notably during Lillard’s two seasons in Milwaukee, from 2023-25.

The Pacers and Bucks, who are Central Division rivals, produced several fiery games in which tempers flared; the Pacers eliminated Milwaukee in consecutive postseasons while Lillard was there.

"I would love to have a conversation, because I just think it became more than it ever needed to be," Haliburton added, referencing the "Dame Time" celebration. "A miscommunication. Put it on me. I was young. In the moment, I was having fun with it, but it was probably a little much, and whatever happened from there happened.

"But he's a guy who I have looked up to the majority of my life," Haliburton said. "Part of the reason I wear (jersey number) 0 is Damian Lillard. He's a guy I would love to at least be more cordial with again, but it's love, for sure."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyrese Haliburton hopes to squash Damian Lillard beef over signature celebration

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Pacific Northwest Sportswatch Daily Listings

(All times Pacific)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Saturday, October 10
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
3:30 p.m.

UCLA at Oregon — CBS

6 p.m.

San Diego State at Oregon State — USA

SOCCER (MEN'S)
7:30 p.m.

MLS: Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution — Apple TV

8:30 p.m.

MLS: Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City — Apple TV

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

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Ways in which the Cincinnati Reds ranked last in 2026

St. Louis Cardinals v Cincinnati Reds

You may have noticed that there are Major League Baseball games being played in front of packed houses each and every day this week. You may also have noticed that none of them have featured the Cincinnati Reds.

That’s because the Reds, unfortunately, were terrible this year. And terrible teams don’t get to play October baseball.

For this, the first Friday of the offseason, we will turn back to the Red Reporter tradition of listing, because on Fridays around these parts that’s what we do – we list. Here is a likely incomplete list of ways in which the Cincinnati Reds ranked dead last during the 2026 season, a list that tells just about every possible story as to why they aren’t playing in playoff games this week:

Hitting

  • Strikeout rate (25.5%)
  • BABIP (.278)
  • Batting average (.229)
  • On-Base Percentage (.305)
  • Hits (1231)
  • Singles (783)
  • wRC+ (91)
  • OFF (-66.3)
  • Swords (277)
  • Hit Into Play (3.536)

Pitching

  • xERA* (4.92)
  • BB/9 (4.19)
  • BB (668)
  • K/BB (1.94)
  • FIP** (4.82)
  • ERA** (4.84)
  • WHIP** (1.44)
  • Runs** (826)
  • ERA-** (113)
  • SIERA* (4.52)
  • Exit Velocity* (89.5)
  • Barrel %* (8.7%)

Fielding

  • rSZ (-12)

These are all the ways in which the 2026 Cincinnati Reds were last, according to FanGraphs. Good thing it was only hitting the ball, pitching the ball, and fielding the ball where they struggled.

* last except for the Colorado Rockies, who barely even exist

** last except for the Colorado Rockies, who barely exist, and the Athletics, who have no home and played in a AAA stadium

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Canadiens’ Engstrom Had Good First Test

Amid the turmoil of the Montreal Canadiens’ defeat to the Nashville Predators, defenseman Adam Engstrom finally earned a spot in the lineup after watching the Canadiens' first three games from the press gallery. The Swede was paired with Arber Xhekaj, and the youngster played on his off side, on the right.

While it wasn't easy, Engstrom made it look effortless, repeatedly picking up the puck on his backhand before quickly getting it back to his strong side. He had some early jitters and committed two giveaways, but both were in the first frame, and he tidied up his play after that.

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After the game, the 22-year-old was pleased with his team’s performance despite the loss:

It felt good; we controlled the game, but they got a couple of bounces and scored on their power plays. I mean, we outshot them pretty heavily, so sometimes that stuff happens, and they got the win today, so I think we played a pretty good game.
- Engstrom on the team's performance

Even though it was his first game this season, he ended up on the penalty kill in the third frame after Arber Xhekaj got a 10-minute misconduct at the end of the second frame. That didn’t surprise him:

One of our D who usually kills got in the penalty box, so they needed me, and I’ve been practising PK; I play it in Laval too, so it was nothing special for me.
- Engstrom on playing on the PK

It’s still a big vote of confidence from the coaches, though; they could have gone with four more experienced options: Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier and Lane Hutson, all of whom logged PK minutes yesterday.

The Swede finished the game with a plus-one rating because he was on the ice when Alex Newhook found the back of the net, even though he wasn’t involved in the play; that also means he wasn’t on the ice for any of the Preds’ goals. He spent 11:49 on the ice and, aside from the early jitters, played well without needing the coach to shield him.

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Ditching Kevin Gausman: The Final Analysis

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 12: Kevin Gausman #34 of the San Francisco Giants looks on before Game 4 of the 2021 Divisional Series during Game 4 of the NLDS between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With the conclusion of Kevin Gausman’s 5-year, $110 million contract that he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays after the Giants left him on read following the 2021 season, we can now see if the gamble to replace him in the aggregate as the team’s co-ace or, simply, the #2 starter to pair with Logan Webb, worked out as well as ownership expected it to after Farhan Zaidi no doubt offered his recommendation.

It’s important to keep in mind that after the Barry Zito, Jeff Samardzija, and Johnny Cueto deals ($346 million for 21.7 fWAR across 2,407 IP) and the Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain extensions ($153 million for 1 fWAR across 781 IP), the team’s ownership group decided that long-term pitching contracts weren’t good investments anymore and effectively banned them.

Sure, the Giants did wind up signing Logan Webb to a 5-year, $90 million extension back in 2023, but that caught a pitcher just as he was entering his prime rather than pay a premium to get (mostly) the downside of a guy’s career. I’ve already written about how Webb might already be at that point, but the Giants only have two years left on that deal. Kevin Gausman’s free agency started with a big red flag: year 1 of the deal would be his age-31 season. Instead, the team opted to go with short-term solutions while they waited for the farm system to produce the next crop of Logan Webbs or Matt Cains. Did the gambit pay off?

I’ve already checked in on the strategy a few times over the years, including a Giants-Blue Jays Series Preview from July, but that was before the deadline. That post included this graphic, which covered nearly the whole topic —

But now, with the season having concluded and Gausman’s Cubs team eliminated from the postseason, we can now look back and see how the entire strategy played out. AND, also, that this graphic was missing a VERY important pitcher, who I’ll get to in a moment.

Gausman wound up making all of his starts in his 5-year deal, allaying the injury concerns. From 2022-26, he threw 911.1 innings in 157 starts, went 57-53 with a 3.68 ERA (3.93 FIP), 9.65 K/9, 2.33 BB/9, and 1.00 HR/9.

The #2 starter trio of Carlos Rodon (2022), Alex Cobb (2022-2023), Robbie Ray (2024-2026), and Blake Snell (2024) threw 918.2 innings in 167 starts, went 57-42 with a 3.69 ERA (3.31 FIP), 9.8 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9. Here’s that graphic, refreshed:

Well, by every measure, Gausman won the move. Even in in the traditional counting stats. The Giants saved themselves $1.9 million and lost 6.1 wins above replacement over the last 5 years. Those 5 theoretical wins wouldn’t have amounted to very much in the grand scheme of things — the Giants would still be 391-419 since the start of the 2022 season — but on a weekly or monthly level, Gausman pitching consistently might’ve had a positive knock-on effect with the rotation and then bullpen.

Or, he could’ve gotten injured.

And, of course, the other way the Giants might have eked out a win with this strategy is in the returns they got for Cobb (who was on the IL at the time and hadn’t pitched an inning for the team in 2024) or Ray (to division rival San Diego). But they held on to Rodon and Snell at those respective deadlines. Of course, Snell then threw a no-hitter in his first start after the deadline, but the Giants never seemed all that interested in keeping him at all costs. And the return for Gausman (I know I misspelled Tyl Southisene’s name, but I’m not editing that image again) seems like it could be solid for Toronto as much as the Giants’ returns could be; though, they obviously win by that comparison based on volume alone or simply because they got Jacob Bresnahan.

Now, you could argue that there was a tweak in the strategy starting in 2024, when the team knew Alex Cobb wouldn’t be healthy enough to start the season, and possibly miss a decent chunk of the year. So, they hedged a bit by trading for Robbie Ray (and alleviating some of the dead money owed to Mitch Haniger) and setting themselves up for the next couple of years. They also stayed engaged with Blake Snell until they landed him (perhaps to his and the team’s detriment). So, at some point, the team recognized that money had to be spent on the rotation. But, wow, nearly $34 million for 3 extra wins above replacement across 5 seasons.

To be fair, although the Giants let their fear of age and injury prevent them from committing five years to Kevin Gausman but instead give out shorter terms to four pitchers with age and injury decline in their profiles, they did aim very high and succeeded in bringing in two Cy Young winners and another who was both not 30 and had garnered Cy Young votes the previous year (Rodon). So, it’s not like they pivoted from Kevin Gausman to Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle.

And you might quibble that Cobb doesn’t belong in this conversation at all. That he doesn’t amount to a co-ace or even a #2 starter. I don’t think that’s true, though. The reporting at the time suggested this was exactly the case. The Giants already knew they had a great one in Logan Webb, and so pairing him with a player of a similar profile helped him get better. So, Cobb belongs in the conversation. And he pitched well in the two seasons he managed to give them (he was an All-Star in 2023).

By the way, Cobb’s All-Star appearance wasn’t the only one of the group’s. Robbie Ray was an All-Star for the Giants last season. Carlos Rodon was an All-Star and got Cy Young votes in his lone Giants season. Blake Snell pitched a no-hitter. No postseason appearances, though, because the Giants weren’t good enough to make it into the lowered standard of the third Wild Card.

Gausman had Cy Young votes in the first two seasons of the five-year deal and was an All-Star in 2023. He didn’t throw a no-hitter, but he did have 3 complete games including 2 shutouts. He also made 8 starts in the postseason (and one relief outing) for Toronto and Chicago, posting a 4.12 ERA in 43.2 IP.

Spending $143.9 million over 5 years to come away with no positive memories but maybe 5-7 years of Jacob Bresnahan dominating at the major league level doesn’t feel like this strategy worked. The Giants seemed to have paid more than it paid out. At the end of the day, that was the concern once it became clear this was the team’s plan, and just because it’s come to pass doesn’t mean it should be shrugged off. But it also shouldn’t be totally condemned, either.

No, not because Cobb, Ray, and Snell spent a lot of time on the IL — injuries are a terrible excuse for sustained poor performance — but because it kinda worked? The Giants basically signed these guys in a pocket of high performance and got out maybe a season too soon rather than be stuck with a long-term contract that’s hard to move… not trying to compare that to Chapman/Adames situation the team now finds itself in, but it is interesting to note.

Wow. I can’t believe I’m not going to talk about the Giants’ decision to move on from Kevin Gausman ever again (unless they bring him back in free agency this offseason). But what do you think? In the final analysis, was ditching Kevin Gausman the right move?

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Former Avalanche Defenseman Part of Historic Night Now Placed on Waivers

Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ilya Solovyov is back on waivers after the Pittsburgh Penguins made him available Friday.

Solovyov made Pittsburgh’s opening-night roster but has yet to play this season. If he clears waivers Saturday, the Penguins can assign him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Colorado claimed Solovyov off waivers from the Calgary Flames on Oct. 3, 2025. He scored his first NHL goal with the Avalanche on Jan. 10, finding the net in a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Solovyov after capturing his first NHL goal.

His stay in Colorado was brief. Ten days after scoring his first NHL goal, Solovyov was traded to Pittsburgh. The Avalanche received forward Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Colorado later used the pick to select Shawn Carrier.

Solovyov Has Yet to Play This Season

Solovyov appeared in 14 regular-season games for Pittsburgh after the trade, recording five assists. He also played three games in the playoffs before the Penguins were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Across his time with Colorado and Pittsburgh, Solovyov played 30 NHL games last season. He finished with one goal and seven assists while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per game.

His next move depends on whether another team claims him. If he goes unclaimed, Pittsburgh can send him to the AHL, where he would have a chance to keep playing while waiting for another NHL opportunity.

The Penguins have also welcomed forward Bryan Rust back to the lineup. Rust missed the start of the season with an upper-body injury suffered during a preseason game against Buffalo on Sept. 26. He returned Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.

Solovyov has already spent time with Calgary, Colorado and Pittsburgh. With his latest waiver placement, he could soon be looking for an opportunity with a fourth organization.

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Dillon Dube Doubtful For St. Louis Blues On Saturday

ST. LOUIS -- Dillon Dube missed practice on Friday and is doubtful to play for the St. Louis Blues on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a neck injury.

The forward, who scored a shorthanded goal early in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, went into the boards head-first after getting bumped by Will Smith early in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss.

"We're just being precautionary, MRIs on his neck," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "He went into the boards there awkwardly in the first minute of the game, I think it was. Obviously a tough kid that played really well for us in the minutes that he played. Scored a big goal that should have been the game-winning goal for us. We haven't gotten the results back yet.

"I'd say doubtful (for tomorrow), but I can't rule him out. He's got a lot of Western Canadian in him. He's going to rub a little dirt on the neck and he'll be fine."

Dube played in his third straight game and recorded his first goal in the NHL since Nov. 16, 2023, and should he miss Saturday, look for Zach Dean to move into his spot and play on the fourth line alongside Pius Suter and Ross Johnston.

What does Montgomery need to see?

"Tenacity, speed, physicality, relentlessness on pucks and starting to develop habits of our structure, where to stop, where to go, routes to be run," Montgomery said. "It's really early for him and we're trying to get him as many reps as we can so he can use his God-given speed to his advantage."

Instant Analysis: Blues Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away, 3-2 In Overtime To Celebrini-Less SharksInstant Analysis: Blues Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away, 3-2 In Overtime To Celebrini-Less SharksHome opener dampened by more solid play, lack of finishing; top line is doing Blues no favors right now despite creating more opportunities; McMichael, McTavish chemistry continues to shine;
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The Premier League is back: welcome to the new era of post-verdict unreality | Barney Ronay

As the top flight returns, armed with the knowledge its serial champions have been the authors of a 10-year sham supremacy, the first question is simple: how is it going to feel?

The internet: an apology. It turns out you were right. It was actually a simulation all along. Now, talk to me about chemtrails again. And yes, maybe Vinícius Júnior has been replaced by a handsome, baffled-looking waxwork.

Welcome to the weirdest weekend of them all. We are now post-judgment, post-statement, postlapsarian. As the Premier League prepares to snap back into what must be described, out of habit, as reality, armed with the knowledge its serial champions have been the authors of a 10-year sham supremacy, the first question is fairly simple. How is it going to feel?

Continue reading...
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Yankees mailbag: Who should’ve hit leadoff instead of Trent Grisham?

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 05: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees looks on during batting practice before game two of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 05, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good afternoon everyone, we’re back for the latest edition of the mailbag, our first since the end of the Yankees season. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

jmack175 asks: What are the chances MLB changes the postseason format and re-seeds after the wild card round? Kinda dumb that the top two teams are playing each other after the wild card round is finished. A Tampa vs. Yankees series would be better as the final battle for the AL in a 7-game series.

I agree that the current format leaves a lot to be desired, with one of the glaring flaws being that in years such as this, when talent is so heavily concentrated in one division at the expense of the other two divisions in a particular league, you end up with the best teams all on one side of the postseason bracket, while the teams that made it in by default on the other side duke it out for a pass to the ALCS.

I’d imagine there are quite a few fans that would like to see change, and well, it seems like the league agrees. MLB’s latest proposal to the MLBPA reportedly includes a 154-game season, a seven-game division series, and allowing the higher seeds in each league to choose their opponents. Under this system, the three seed would get to choose their Wild Card round opponent, and then the number one seed would get to choose its division series opponent between the two Wild Card winners. This format isn’t at all perfect; if it was in place this year, for example, the third-seeded 81-81 Astros would’ve gotten to choose their first round opponent, and the Yankees still would’ve likely been left to play the Red Sox in the opening round. However, such a format also would have probably led the Rays to choose the White Sox as their Division Series opponent, letting the Yankees face the Guardians, and leaving the possibility of the Rays-Yankees ALCS that would’ve felt much more fitting given those were the top two teams in the AL all year.

Though I think this proposal would be a step in the right direction, I’d prefer the league go even further, and just seed the playoffs in order of record. It felt pretty silly to see the literally .500 Astros earn a higher playoff seed than a Yankees team that won 12 more games during the regular season. You could structure this in a way that still preserves some of the sanctity of the divisions themselves, by allowing the three division winners in, plus the three Wild Cards, and seeding those six teams by record. If MLB is to let 12 teams into its postseason tournament, I think this is the best way to seed it. 

Don Hood writes in:What has bothered me the most all season long is the lineup. I wrote into Pinstripe Alley several weeks ago remarking how I thought Lombard should be installed as the leadoff hitter. He gets on base, can steal a base, can cause distraction for the opposing pitcher, is fast at taking the extra base, etc. Last night, in the elimination game, Grisham, a horrible example of a leadoff hitter, went 0-5 with three K’s. Lombard, on the other hand, had two hits and a walk, on base three times. Absolutely time for change.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone that agreed with Aaron Boone’s decision to move Trent Grisham to the leadoff spot in the order. I’m something of a Grisham apologist, and I’ll note that before he got hurt in June, Grisham had a .332 wOBA a robust .360 expected wOBA, but it was clear before Boone penciled his name on top of the card on Wednesday night that that version of Grisham was nowhere to be found.

But the other half of Boone’s decision in Game 3, that of moving Ben Rice into the two slot out of the leadoff spot, made sense. Without Aaron Judge, Rice is the Yankees’ best hitter, and though it’s tempting to just bat your best hitter first to guarantee the most at-bats, you need to balance that desire with actually getting your best hitter in position to do maximum damage. To wit, Rice hit two home runs in Game 2, but with no on base. That game could’ve gone completely differently if men were on when Rice went deep, and the odds of the Yankees getting runners on ahead of Rice were higher with him hitting second behind a competent hitter.

Of course, a compromised Grisham does not look like a competent hitter, so that all leads to another question: who should have batted lead off? As Don notes, George Lombard Jr. could’ve been a reasonable option. Lombard has speed, and though it was just five games, he got on base at an excellent .368 clip in the playoffs.

That said, Lombard’s overall offensive numbers this season were nothing special, and it’s a lot to ask of the rookie to slot into the leadoff slot, especially without the platoon advantage, as he was on Wednesday (though for my money, I think Lombard might be a quality choice to lead off against lefties as soon as next Opening Day). Elsewhere, the choices still aren’t clear. Luis García Jr. is an excellent hitter against righties, but he’s not a guy who gets on base, and is better served lower in the order. The likes of Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero have speed but just not nearly enough offensive juice to warrant hitting leadoff.

I think there’s a safe choice, and then a wild card choice here. Cody Bellinger is either the Yankees’ second or third-best hitter with Judge out, and has the inverse skillset as García; Bellinger gets on base at a solid rate and has less power than Garcia. I would’ve likely penciled Bellinger in ahead of Rice on Wednesday. I do, however, want to highlight a sneaky option… Austin Wells. Though he made the baserunning blunder that may be the single moment that’s most remembered from this Yankee postseason, he put together some of the strongest at-bats of anyone in the lineup not named Rice in these playoffs. He’s also posted a .377 OBP and 143 wRC+ against righties post All-Star Break.

I’m not saying I would’ve done it, but the Yankees have experimented with Wells leading off before. He’s not the prototypical leadoff man, but since getting healthy this year, he’s been locked in against right-handed pitching. Maybe it’s something the Yankees can toy with again in 2027?

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Early Snapshot Of Eastern Conference Shows The Difficult Road Ahead For Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres road to repeating as an Eastern Conference playoff team this season appeared challenging, not only because of the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram would put more onus on the Sabres youngsters being able to fill the void, but also because a number of clubs looked to be better on paper. After two weeks, some of those teams are proving that evaluation is closer to reality. 

The Florida Panthers, who the Sabres will host on Monday afternoon in the finale of their five-game homestand, are an unbeaten 2-0-2 and second in the Atlantic, in spite of losing team captain Aleksander Barkov and veteran winger Brad Marchand to injury. 

The Ottawa Senators are tied for the lead in the Atlantic with a 3-1 record, which is somewhat surprising after the departure of Brady Tkachuk, but newcomer William Eklund suffered a severe ankle injury in a 2-1 win over Philadelphia that is expected to keep him out an extended period, while Tampa Bay is 3-1 after a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Thursday with backup Dennis Hildeby making 34 saves.  

Other Sabres Stories

Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL  

Owen Power and his surprising start

Boston has started strong with a 3-2-0 record and throttled the Sabres opponent on Saturday, the Utah Mammoth, 6-0 at TD Garden on Thursday, while the Toronto Maple Leafs stole a point against the Vegas Golden Knights, thanks to a 40 save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky. The Leafs are 2-2-1 to start the season and Auston Matthews appears to be fully healthy for the first time in three years. 

The big surprise is the New York Rangers, who lead the Metro and the East with a 4-1-0 record. The Montreal Canadiens are surprisingly struggling at 1-2-1 and are behind the Sabres by a point, and will have to battle the next month without star forward Ivan Demidov. Buffalo has two more games on their five-game homestand before finishing October with seven of the next eight games on the road.

What occurred last year, when Buffalo was in last place in the East in early December and finished atop the Atlantic Division is not likely to be repeated. The Sabres will need to stay within range early in the season to remain in the mix for the postseason.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo 

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Takeaways from Dodgers vs. Brewers regular season games

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 24: Hyeseong Kim #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tags out Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers at second base during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, May 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Dodgers and Brewers meet in a best-of-seven NLCS beginning Sunday night in Milwaukee. The Brewers already won four out of seven regular games against the Dodgers this year, but in the regular season. While last year showed us the regular season and postseason are different — Los Angeles lost all six games to Milwaukee before sweeping them out of the NLCS — there are some potential takeaways from the 2026 regular season matchups.

Dodgers vs. Brewers games, 2026

Offense tough to come by

In seven total games, the Dodgers outscored the Brewers 27-25, with both teams averaging under four runs per contest. In five of the seven games, the losing team scored one or two runs.

Only two games saw one of the teams score more than five runs — on May 23 in Milwaukee, the Dodgers had five extra-base hits and broken open a one-run game with seven runs in the eighth and ninth innings combined; and August 16 in Los Angeles, the Brewers scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning to get to six in the their last regular season tussle of the year.

The Dodgers hit just .188/.291/.335 in these seven games, while the Brewers hit just .228/.313/.307.

Of the Dodgers seven home runs, three were hit by Andy Pages and two by Max Muncy. Teoscar Hernández homered once and hit .375/.444/.500 in seven games against Milwaukee. William Contreras hit two of the Brewers’ three home runs against the Dodgers, hitting .304/.360/.565 in his six games.

Milwaukee on the season stole 162 bases, fifth-most in the majors, with a 75-percent success rate, which will be something for the Dodgers to watch. But the Brewers only stole two bases in seven games against the Dodgers, and was caught three times. Notably, Milwaukee in the regular season did not face Tyler Glasnow or Blake Snell, the Dodgers’ two starting pitchers most susceptible to running.

Pitchers you will see in the NLCS

The likely starting pitchers of the first two games of the NLCS were all very effective in Dodgers-Brewers games this season.

Jacob Misiorowski struck out six and allowed one run in a win at Dodger Stadium on August 15, a game you might recall as Charley Steiner’s first full game broadcast on radio this season. Misiorowski has a 1.59 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 17 innings over three games against the Dodgers, including Game 3 of last year’s NLCS.

Tarik Skubal allowed only two runs (one earned) with seven strikeouts in six innings against the Brewers on August 16, but took a tough-luck loss.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto won both of this starts against Milwaukee, with 12 strikeouts and two runs allowed in 13 innings. Logan Henderson won both of his starts against the Dodgers, with 13 strikeouts and one run allowed in 12 innings.

Dustin May, whom you might remember as pitching the third-most regular season innings on last year’s Dodgers, started Game 3 of the NLDS for the Brewers, who acquired him at the trade deadline. On May 3 in St. Louis, May with the Cardinals allowed three runs in six innings in a loss to the Dodgers.

Roki Sasaki, now in the bullpen in October, had a 3.27 ERA in two starts against the Brewers, with more walks (seven) than strikeouts (six).

Baker’s dozen?

The Dodgers will likely add a 13th pitcher now that they are in a best-of-7 series after carrying a dozen pitchers in the best-of-5 NLDS.

Whether Justin Wrobleski makes the cut remains to be seen. In two starts against Milwaukee this regular season, Wrobleski allowed nine runs in 11 innings, including three home runs, and lost both games. Emmet Sheehan is another option should the Dodgers opt for a bulk pitcher in this round.

Four Brewers regulars — Jake Bauers (140 OPS+), Brice Turang (124 OPS+), Garrett Mitchell (112 OPS+), and Christian Yelich (91 OPS+) — all bat left-handed, as does Sal Frelick and David Hamilton. Should the Dodgers opt to carry more than three left-handed relievers, either at the expense of one of the five right-handed relievers who were active in the NLDS or adding a bulk pitcher, Jack Dreyer struck out four of his eight Brewers batters faced in the regular season in two appearances and 1 2/3 scoreless innings.