ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees looks on during batting practice before game one of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The Yankees have a pair of qualifying offer decisions to make with Jazz Chisholm Jr. and David Bednar hitting free agency (Paul Blackburn also becomes a free agent but is not a realistic candidate for the QO). According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees are expected to issue the QO to Bednar but not to Jazz, whom he claims they are inclined to let walk in free agency. The value for the QO in 2027 will be $23.15 million, with the Yankees in line to recoup a draft pick after the fourth round (130-135 overall range) should a player decline the QO. Bednar solidified the closer role that had been on shaky ground the last handful of seasons, while Jazz regressed at the plate and with the glove and had several high profile lapses in concentration during the season. My colleague Josh will delve into these QO decisions in finer detail later today.
Yahoo! Sports | TJ French: After the Yankees got swept out of the ALDS by the Rays, Aaron Judge publicly implored ownership to commit more payroll over the winter toward going all in. The captain was left off the postseason roster after suffering a late season calf strain and likely feels some added urgency entering his age-35 season following another injury-riddled campaign. These comments apparently ruffled the feathers of the Yankees’ higher-ups, who were said to be “taken aback” and “slightly-to-somewhat annoyed.”
That being said, the face of the franchise still enjoys excellent rapport with ownership and members of the front office.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: One of the biggest decisions the Yankees face this winter concerns the future of Giancarlo Stanton. The soon-to-be 37-year-old slugger appeared in just 24 games in 2026 after suffering calf strains in both his legs and has missed over 200 games to injury the last two seasons. He is owed $25 million in 2027 while the club holds a $25 million option for 2028 with a $10 million buyout, the Marlins paying the Yankees $10 million in each of 2027 and 2028.
The Yankees have to decide whether to keep him on the roster for his final guaranteed year or eat the $15 million in dead money that remains like they did with the final $22 million on DJ LeMahieu’s deal in 2025, $27 million on Aaron Hicks’ deal in 2023, and $26 million on Jacoby Ellsbury’s deal in 2019. (Dani wrote about this for us yesterday as well.)
ESPN: Oswaldo Cabrera agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Reds on Thursday, avoiding arbitration. He was claimed off waivers from the Yankees by Cincinnati in September after spending most of the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was never a regular on the big-league roster last season after having his 2025 campaign cut short by a gruesome broken ankle in May of that year. His time with the Yankees will be remembered for his infectious smile and as one of the real genuine good guys to put on the pinstripes in recent memory. So good for him on getting some guaranteed coin from Cincy.
Lastly, congratulations to the Brewers for ousting the two-time defending champion Dodgers in an unceremonious sweep. They won their first pennant since 1982 and will face either the Rays or Guardians in the World Series. LA was bidding for MLB’s first three-peat since the dynasty 1998-2000 Yankees, but they will remain unequaled across the last 50 years of baseball history.
Now, if only we could get these 2020s Yanks to win even one…
LOS ANGELES — The tears had mostly dried in the Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse.
About 30 minutes had elapsed after the Dodgers got swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. Their hopes for a third straight World Series title officially died with a 6-4 defeat Thursday, Oct. 15 at Dodger Stadium.
What had taken place before those clubhouse doors opened to the media?
Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers’ veteran second baseman, looked misty-eyed. He is retiring and expressed gratitude to the team because his years with the Dodgers organization changed his life – not just as a player, but as a husband and father.
He said he received emotional hugs from teammates, with Rojas headed into retirement.
Max Muncy, the Dodgers’ third baseman, referred to unseen emotion.
“Right now we’re trying to soak in what we got in this clubhouse," he said. “We’re all trying to tell each other that we love each other and thank each other. There’s going to come a time where we’ll worry about next year, but it’s just right not now."
Actually, the worry can start now.
Ohtani told reporters he doesn’t know if he’ll need surgery for the knee and bicep issues that limited his pitching and led to a horrendous hitting slump.
"I haven't been able to come to grips with what I learned overall this season," Ohtani said after the game. "I will go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, a training program and see what I can come up with for next season. … And looking forward to having a better season next year."
Age-old problem
The Brewers looked spry as they sped around the basepaths. Not the Dodgers.
Ohtani, 32, still has seven years left on his 10-year, $700 million deal. Mookie Betts is under contract through 2032. But Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, both among the older Dodgers, have only one year left on their contracts.
Freeman, the 37-year-old All-Star first baseman, is among the more grizzled Dodgers. He smiled as reporters clustered around his locker and referred to remarks that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made in the clubhouse before those doors opened.
“Obviously came in pretty hurt, down," Freeman said. “But (Roberts) said some encouraging things. Sport is rough sometimes when you go out there and give it your all. Sometimes you come up short, but that’s life."
But the philosophical will be competing with the numerical.
A hypothetical MLB salary cap could force the Dodgers to work under financial constraints for the first time since Mark Walter and his partners bought the team in 2012 for $2.15 million.
Pent-up emotion
The most striking emotion from the Dodgers came during the game. It was the shouting and gesticulating after Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the second inning.
It was his first home run since Aug. 18, and as the ball sailed over the right-field wall Ohtani turned toward the Dodgers’ dugout, raised his arms and yelled.
“I think it was a lot of pent-up anger, frustration. It was the best ball he hit in probably two, three months, and it was a big hit,” Roberts said. “For him to look at the dugout, show that emotion, it just shows how much he cares. He’s still human. He still cares and wants to help his team win a baseball game.”
Ohtani looked serene in the clubhouse as he appeared in front of his locker with his translator.
Maybe it's best to finish with the starter.
Dodgers righthander Tyler Glasnow retired the first nine Brewers hitters in a row and had six strikeouts. Los Angeles had jumped to a 4-0 lead.
But less than two innings later he'd been pulled from the game and the Brewers had tied the score 4-4.
“I just think they played a lot better than us," Glasnow said, looking despondent in front of his locker. "They were hitting on everything and I just think it wasn't our year."
Over that, there's still time for the Dodgers to shed a few more tears.
The Milwaukee Brewers prevented the Dodgers’ opportunity at a three-peat with a 6-4 victory over the Dodgers in Game 4. Ohtani hit a three-run home run in the game to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, but it wasn’t enough as Milwaukee scored six straight runs to earn the win.
Ohtani told reporters after the game that it is “hard to tell” if he will need surgery during the offseason.
The four-time MVP had not been healthy for a good portion of the season.
Ohtani had been dealing with knee inflammation and biceps discomfort. The injuries limited his ability to pitch; leaving him unable to get on the mound for a start since July 3 due to his injuries.
The two-way star indicated to reporters that he did plan on pitching again in 2027.
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights started fast Thursday night. Their captain made sure they finished with a flourish.
Mark Stone scored three times in the third period as the Golden Knights defeated the Calgary Flames 6-2 at T-Mobile Arena, improving their home record against the Pacific Division rival to 14-2-0.
Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the game, Jack Eichel added a shorthanded goal and Braeden Bowman contributed a power-play tally as Vegas improved to 7-2-0. The Golden Knights’ fifth win in six games gave them 14 points and put them atop the NHL standings.
“I like playing hockey. I like playing in this league. I like scoring goals. So sure, why not?” Stone said when asked about the satisfaction of another hat trick. “I like winning, and we won.”
Calgary, which arrived after snapping a season-opening five-game losing streak Tuesday at Anaheim, fell to 1-6-0.
The Golden Knights wasted little time disrupting whatever confidence the Flames brought from that breakthrough.
Mitch Marner set up Howden’s opening goal, extending his assist streak to five games and immediately putting Calgary in chase mode.
“I thought more than the goal, I thought we just played the right way,” Bowman said. “I thought we got after their D and hunted them a little bit, and that usually turns out successful for us.”
Eichel doubled the lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal later in the opening period, sending Vegas into the first intermission ahead 2-0.
Calgary briefly tightened the game in the second when defenseman Jacob Middleton scored shorthanded, cutting the Golden Knights’ lead to one.
Bowman answered on the power play, restoring the two-goal cushion with assists from Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson.
“They got one there in the PK and thought we did a good job getting back out and getting right back at it,” Bowman said.
Stone pointed to that response as one of the sequences that mattered more than the final margin suggested. Calgary had a chance to build momentum, but Vegas’ second power-play unit quickly erased it.
Then Stone took over.
The captain scored 1:06 into the final period to extend the lead to 4-1, then struck again at 12:10. He completed his hat trick at 16:13, with Eichel and Marner collecting the assists.
Matt Coronato scored for Calgary with 1:20 remaining, assisted by Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin, to complete the scoring.
Barbashev credited his linemates’ intelligence and execution for making the game easier around them.
“Just the way they played today, five versus five, was outstanding,” Barbashev said.
Stone supplied all of Vegas’ offense over the final 20 minutes, turning a competitive game into a comfortable victory. The Golden Knights entered the night with a 9-4 scoring advantage in third periods and pushed that margin to 13-5.
Despite the result, Stone saw room for improvement, particularly with the power play’s entries.
“When we get possession in their end and move the puck around, we had some really, really good chances,” Stone said. “But for whatever reason, our entries need to be cleaned up a bit. So we’ll keep working on it.”
Vegas improved its all-time record against Calgary to 20-9-2 after winning three of four meetings last season, including both home games.
KEY MOMENT: Bowman's Response
Bowman’s power-play goal restored order after Calgary threatened to turn a strong Vegas start into a much tighter game. Middleton’s shorthanded tally had trimmed the lead to 2-1, but Bowman answered with help from Barbashev and Karlsson. The response sent the Golden Knights into the second intermission with a two-goal cushion, setting the stage for Stone’s three-goal third period.
Five consecutive games with an assist for Marner, whose setup on Howden’s goal gave Vegas an advantage just 25 seconds into the opening period. He added another assist on Stone’s hat-trick goal, giving him six during that five-game stretch. From helping establish the early lead to contributing to Vegas’ final tally, Marner continued to provide consistent production.
WHAT A KNIGHT: The Captain
Stone turned a two-goal lead into a runaway victory, scoring three in the third period. His first, just 1:06 after the intermission, immediately put Calgary further behind. His next two eliminated any remaining suspense, with Eichel and Marner combining to help him complete the hat trick. On a night when Vegas received contributions throughout its lineup, the captain delivered the defining performance.
Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas is unable to make a play on a ground ball during the second inning of Game 3 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The veteran infielder stood by his locker at Dodger Stadium, his eyes red and watery, his uniform covered in dirt, knowing that when he pulled them off, it would be for the last time.
“This is it, guys,” he said, announcing his retirement, after the Dodgers were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series on Thursday. “It’s been a lot, the last four years of my life here. And obviously making my debut here in 2014 changed my life, not just for me but for my whole family. They took care of my son, my daughter, my wife, and everybody in my family. It’s really amazing what I can think about, what happened to me and to my family the last few years.”
Rojas addressed the team after the 6-4 loss to the Brewers. He said he was going to stay loyal to the Dodgers organization but in a different role.
Rojas, 37, has a player development role lined up, the first step in a post-playing career that he hopes eventually will land him in a manager’s seat.
“I just wanted to say thank you to all the veteran guys for allowing me to be myself when I got here, even though I didn’t play one game for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the last eight or nine years before I came here,” Rojas said. “They allowed me to be the leader that I wanted to be, the person that I wanted to change the culture and kind of give a little bit more of a culture, chemistry to the clubhouse. I feel like that is going to be a legacy that I wanted to leave here, other than my performance on the field. ... I want them to remember me as a guy who always did everything possible to help my teammates win and to help the team get better every single day.”
Rojas put together a 13-year career split between the Dodgers and Miami Marlins. He had a career .260 batting average, won two World Series rings and three straight Roy Campanella Awards for his leadership in the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
Miguel Rojas hits a single during Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers on Wednesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He built a legacy that we’ll be talking about Miguel Rojas for a long time,” veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “He impacted [so] many people in this organization. I wish we could have gotten him a third one.”
After Rojas made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 2014, the team traded him to the Marlins. He played eight seasons there. Then in 2023, the Marlins traded him back to the Dodgers.
Rojas, a key contributor in the Dodgers’ back-to-back championship seasons, saved the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series with his Game 7 home run. He re-signed in December for what was expected to be his last season.
Right before the playoffs, Rojas, who is from Venezuela, took his U.S. citizenship test. He said the person administering his interview didn’t realize he was a baseball player until she asked who his employer was.
“I actually wanted it to be that way because I didn’t want to have any kind of preference or anything because this process has nothing to do with baseball,” he said last week. “I felt like, as a citizen, as a human being, I always wanted to be a good person off the field and not let my performance influence anything, because we all know how hard this game can be and how high you can be and how low you can be one day. I don’t want to be judged by my performance on the field. I want to be judged by the person I am and my preparation.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 14: Miguel Rojas #72 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during Game Three of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers clubhouse after they lost Game 4 of the National League Championship Series was closed for quite some time before opening to media. Once the clubhouse opened, some players were getting dressed or already dressed, winding down after the end of their season. Infielder Miguel Rojas was still at his locker in full uniform, as Thursday was his last game after 13 major league seasons.
“This is it. I’m going to move on and go to the next step of my life in the baseball world. Today was the last time I wore the uniform as a player and my cleats, it’s really hard to take them off right now,” Rojas said, still wearing the cleats. “It’s been a lot, the last four years of my life here, and obviously making my debut in 2014 changed my life, and not just for me, but for my whole family. They took care of my son, my daughter, my wife, and everybody in my family. It’s really amazing when I think about what happened to me and my family the last few years.”
Rojas reached base in each of his final two major league plate appearances, with a single and walk in Game 3 of the NLCS on Wednesday. This postseason all seven of his plate appearances came against left-handed pitching, and he had a double to go with that single and walk. Rojas this year hit .293/.340/.469 with a 121 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. He played two innings at second base in Game 4 but did not bat.
Rojas originally signed at age 16 as an international amateur free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 2005, and played in the Reds system before signing with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent in November 2012. He debuted with the Dodgers in 2014, and made the key defensive play at third base to preserve Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter that year.
The Dodgers traded for Rojas in January 2023, and he thrived over his last four seasons in a variety of roles. He filled in at shortstop when needed, also played all over the infield, and did whatever was asked, including helping Miguel Vargas try to learn a new position at second base, then helped Mookie Betts transition from the outfield to shortstop as a veteran.
“They allowed me to be the leader I want to be, the person that I wanted to change the culture, give a little bit more of the culture, the feel in the clubhouse. I feel that is going to be a legacy,” Rojas said Thursday. “I want them to remember me as a guy who always did everything possible to help my teammates win, and help my team get better every single day.”
Rojas hit the game-tying home run in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, which is forever etched in Dodgers lore. But he also was voted by his teammates as the club’s Roy Campanella Award for his leadership and spirt in each of the last three seasons.
“Nobody when I came to this organization asked me, ‘Hey we want you to be a leader’ or ‘We want you to be a mentor.’ It’s just who I want to be and who I want to be for the future,” Rojas told True Blue LA in 2024. “After my career is over, I’m trying to stay on the field, to stay coaching, and I want to be a part of an organization that wants to win.”
“I talked to the guys, it was really emotional after the game. I told them that I’m going to be loyal, I want to stay here. I want to wear this uniform or this logo in a different capacity and continue to make the organization better,” Rojas said. “But this is it, this is it as a player.”
“I think what we created is something bigger than winning or losing the last game of the year,” the 37-year-old added. “It’s a culture, it’s a winning mentality, a team that the people of Los Angeles and every part of the world can be proud of.”
It's been 44 years since the Brewers went to their first − and until this year only − World Series. They played in a different league entirely back then, winning the American League championship in 1982.
So, it's been a long time. The last 10 years in particular have provided plenty of heartbreak, with the Brewers losing in the NLCS twice to the Dodgers − last year by sweep.
The Brew Crew arrived in 2026, though, and years of frustration melted away as the celebration commenced.
Here's a quick look at the scene as the Brewers celebrated winning the 2026 NL championship.
"This is it as a player,” Rojas told reporters. “That was my last game played; that was the last time I put these cleats on and this uniform on as a player.”
The Venezuelan spent the past four seasons in Los Angeles, winning back-to-back World Series in 2024 and 2025. He was a big reason the Dodgers repeated.
Rojas' biggest career moment came in the top of the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series when he hit a game-tying home run off Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman at the Rogers Centre.
He returned to the Dodgers in 2026 to help chase the three-peat.
"This is it as a player, that was my last game played, that was the last time I put these cleats on and this uniform on as a player..."
Amid the Dodgers’ pain, hurt and frustration of their National League Championship Series sweep at the hands of the Brewers on Thursday night, Miguel Rojas added even more emotions to one final postgame clubhouse meeting.
As he had planned –– but not fully committed to –– throughout this season, the 37-year-old veteran told his teammates he was indeed retiring from baseball, making Game 4 of the NLCS the final act in his accomplished 13-year MLB career.
“This is it,” Rojas told reporters afterward. “I’m moving on with the next chapter in my life.”
Miguel Rojas runs out a base hit during the third inning of the Dodgers’ Game 3 loss to the Brewers in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
“The last four years here changed my life,” he added.
Almost as much as Rojas changed the two-time defending champions themselves.
A Venezuelan native who broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 2014, before spending the next eight years of his career as a defensive stalwart with the Marlins, Rojas returned to Los Angeles in a trade ahead of the 2023 season, initially in what was viewed as a marginal addition for a star-studded Dodgers roster trying to climb back to the mountaintop after their 2020 World Series championship.
Right from the start, however, Rojas carved out an important role as a steady, experienced leader.
During his second Dodgers stint, he produced plenty on the field, hitting .260 with 22 home runs, 117 RBIs and versatile infield defense in 446 total games.
He was even more crucial in the postseason, contributing to their 2024 title before saving them in the 2025 Fall Classic with his game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 against the Blue Jays.
“I’m just proud of being part of this group,” he said. “That we were able to win back-to-back championships.”
Rojas will remain in the Dodgers’ organization moving forward, having agreed to transition into player development after 2026 when he re-signed as a free agent with the club this winter.
Second baseman Miguel Rojas throws to first base for an out during the Dodgers’ Game 3 NLDS win over the Braves on Oct. 6, 2026 at Truist Park in Cumberland, Ga. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I wanna stay here,” he said. “I wanna wear this uniform or this logo in a different capacity.”
Still, he didn’t want to take off his uniform –– or even his cleats –– on Thursday night, remaining dressed in his full game attire as he spoke to reporters after addressing his teammates.
“It’s really hard to take them off right now,” he said. “It was really emotional after the game.”
Freddie Freeman (left) and second baseman Miguel Rojas carry the back-to-back World Series trophies to the field before the Dodgers’ blowout win over the Diamondbacks in their season and home opener on March 26, 2026 in Los Angeles. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Rojas never went to an All-Star Game or hit more than 11 home runs in a season, and somehow was denied Gold Glove recognition.
But to this Dodgers dynasty, he will go down as a core piece and a beloved veteran leader.
“He built a legacy,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We’ll be talking about Miguel Rojas for a long time.”
Vegas struck early and capitalized on its special teams opportunities, while the Flames struggled to find consistency defensively. Calgary managed to cut into the deficit in the second period, but the Golden Knights responded almost immediately to take control of the game.
Credit: Christopher Trim-Imagn Images
Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the contest, skating into the Flames zone before firing a shot over Dustin Wolf’s shoulder to give Vegas an early lead.
The Golden Knights doubled their advantage at 9:34 of the first period with a shorthanded goal. Jack Eichel intercepted the puck and broke in alone on Wolf, beating him on the glove side to make it 2-0.
Calgary found a response while shorthanded in the second period, as Jake Middleton scored his first goal as a Flame at 10:15. Joel Farabee set up Middleton in the slot, where the defenceman ripped a wrist shot past Carter Hart to cut the deficit to one.
Credit: Christopher Trim-Imagn Images
However, the momentum didn’t last long. Vegas answered just 48 seconds later, with Braeden Bowman finishing a quick passing play on the power play to restore the Golden Knights’ two-goal lead.
Vegas added another early in the third period. At 1:06, Eichel sent a cross-seam pass to Mark Stone at the side of the net, where the Golden Knights captain redirected the puck past Wolf to make it 4-1.
Stone struck again at 12:10, beating Wolf with a backhand to complete the scoring and completed the natural hat-trick late in the game as Eichel set up the Vegas captain for this third goal of the period.
Matt Coronato scored a late powerplay goal, but it was too little too late as the Flames fell 6-2.
Three Takeaways
1. The Flames need timely saves
The Flames couldn’t afford to give up goals at critical moments, but that’s exactly what happened in Vegas.
Howden scored on the opening shift, putting Calgary behind immediately. Then, after Middleton cut the deficit to one in the second period, the Golden Knights responded less than a minute later.
Those goals made it difficult for the Flames to build any momentum. Wolf and the Calgary defence need to find a way to limit those momentum-killing moments, particularly when the team starts to generate some offence of its own.
2. Special teams made the difference
Both teams found the scoresheet on special teams, but Vegas made better use of its opportunities.
Calgary got a shorthanded goal from Middleton, and a powerplay goal late from Coronato, while the Golden Knights scored once shorthanded and added a power-play marker of their own.
The Flames showed they can create offence on special teams, but they couldn’t build on that success. Vegas, meanwhile, answered Calgary’s shorthanded goal with a power-play marker of its own, quickly restoring its two-goal advantage.
In a game where Calgary needed something to swing its way, the Golden Knights consistently had the answer.
3. Middleton gives the Flames another scoring option
Middleton’s second-period goal was a positive takeaway from another difficult night for Calgary.
The defenceman jumped into the rush, found space in the slot and finished Farabee’s pass with a quick wrist shot. It was his first goal since joining the Flames and his first career shorthanded marker.
The Flames need more contributions throughout the lineup. With the team searching for answers early in the season, goals from unexpected sources can help, but Calgary needs to turn those moments into more complete efforts.
For the first time in a long time, Dave Roberts had to give a consolation speech in the Dodgers clubhouse.
The Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the back-to-back World Series champions in the National League Championship Series Thursday night, ending the Dodgers’ historic run to complete the three-peat.
Manager Dave Roberts had nothing but praise for Milwaukee following a crushing 6-4 defeat in NLCS Game 4.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts speaks to the media ahead of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
“I can’t give enough praise to the Brewers organization and the baseball office of Matt Arnold and his staff and Pat Murphy and his staff. And how they got those guys to play,” Roberts said.
“They played flawless, they really did,” he added.
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Murphy wasn’t so kind in his parting message to the Dodgers as the Brewers were crowned National League champions at Dodger Stadium Thursday night. For all the excitement and hype surrounding the Dodgers in 2026, the juggernaut miserably failed to live up to expectations in October.
Across eight postseason games, the Dodgers were 5-for-43 with runners in scoring position and stranded 50 runners on base. Their performance was not up to snuff to beat Milwaukee or even get a game over the Brewers in the Championship Series.
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell celebrates his solo home run with Cooper Pratt during the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
The Dodgers may have assembled one of the best rosters in baseball, but the 2026 group will have nothing to show for it. There are several question marks regarding the future of the franchise as the front office will have to navigate the direction of the Dodgers in 2027 and beyond.
But Roberts took the crushing sweep on the chin and mustered a heartfelt message for the Brewers, a team that will be remembered for dominating the juggernaut Dodgers.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
The Knicks’ regular-season roster is taking shape. The only remaining question is: will there be room for Bruce Brown?
Brown and James Wiseman have made it through preseason cuts. The Knicks clearly like both players. But New York only has room under the second apron in team salary to keep one player. In order to keep both Brown and Wiseman, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking back salary.
My read heading into the weekend: Wiseman is a lock to make the roster. There is strong support to add Brown as well. The Knicks would need to make a trade by Monday afternoon if they want to keep Brown. I think they will explore all avenues to make that happen.
It's logical to assume that the Knicks will move third-year wing Pacome Dadiet. But I believe New York will explore other deals — including trades involving third-year guard Tyler Kolek — this weekend and Monday.
The Knicks will be asking teams to take on a player without sending back salary. To get a deal done, New York may need to attach its own second-round picks (New York will have at least 11 second-round picks in the next seven drafts).
Something worth noting here: multiple teams (Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and others) are trying to attach second-round picks to work through a roster crunch. So the Knicks have competition in that regard. But given their plethora of second-rounders, they have the draft capital to get a deal done.
Here's what Knicks head coach Mike Brown likes about the veteran combo guard:
“Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level,” Brown said of the NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets. “His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things — he's a winner. It seems like every place he's gone, he's won, but all those things can add a lot to the program, and then he's versatile both ends of the floor. He could play a few different positions offensively; he can guard a few different positions defensively. So a guy like that, especially a veteran winner, can be helpful to any team.”
Here’s what Brown likes about Wiseman:
“He's young, he's talented, you know, he's raw, still. I think he's still trying to establish a foothold in this league,” Brown said of the former No. 2 overall pick. “But with the God-given attributes he has, in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [they] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. And at 25 years old, he hasn't even reached his prime, especially knowing he hadn't played a ton of basketball; having a vertical threat at the rim will help [the Knicks], or could help everybody else play the game a little bit easier, whether it's driving the basketball or playing pick and roll.”
There will be no World Series three-peat for the Dodgers this season. No downtown parade to celebrate the continuation of their modern-day dynasty. Not even a return trip to the Fall Classic to try and defend their back-to-back titles.
Instead, despite a 100-win regular season and league-record $432 million payroll, the two-time defending champions were eliminated in the National League Championship Series by the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, ending their bid for history and sending them into an uncertain offseason –– one that could include an extended lockout, notable changes to the roster, and existential questions about how to retool around their aging veteran core.
Many unknowns remain about what the sport at large will look like in 2027 –– and when next season, amid what figures to be a protracted labor battle, will even begin.
But for now, the focus will be on why a team with the most talent in the sport, the most October experience on their roster, and the best statistical odds of winning the World Series couldn’t even get back to it.
As a long winter begins, here are the five biggest reasons the 2026 Dodgers came up short.
No-Sho’ Ohtani
On paper, no team in the majors has a better-looking lineup than the Dodgers.
In reality, however, cracks in their offensive production have grown increasingly evident in recent postseasons.
Dating back to the 2024 World Series, the club has batted .219 in postseason play. In five of their seven playoff series in that span, their team average has been .206 or worse.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani strikes out during the first inning of NLCS Game 4 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Even in regular-season play, they have endured extended lulls and repeated second-half slumps. They’re a supremely talented unit, to be sure. But, despite all the big names they boast, they haven’t performed all that different from most other playoff teams, either.
Really, only Shohei Ohtani has been a true separator for them at the plate.
And this October, he was in no condition to help the club compensate for its other shortcomings offensively.
That’s why the team’s mismanagement of Ohtani’s injury saga this year proved so costly. For all his talent on the mound, his greatest importance to the Dodgers has long been as a hitter. And this season, the toll of his attempted return to full-time two-way duties rendered that all-important skill set void.
After all, it was no real surprise that some of the team’s other aging star hitters suffered inconsistent postseason campaigns. That was the case last year. Ohtani’s eight playoff home runs and 1.096 OPS helped them overcome it.
But this fall, the four-time MVP’s right arm and left knee injuries limited his capabilities in the box. Where the Dodgers needed a superstar to spearhead their offense, all they had for most of the month was a physically diminished slap hitter who struggled to even reach base consistently instead.
And even when the old Ohtani finally re-emerged in Game 4 on Thursday, hitting a mammoth home run that gave the Dodgers an early 4-0 lead, it was too little, too late, with Ohtani later coming up short again on a three-pitch strikeout with the tying runner at third and one out in the seventh.
That Ohtani and the team couldn’t better manage his health this season will be the biggest regret from this failed three-peat pursuit.
While he was far from the only slumping bat in their lineup, he was the one who, if fully healthy, could have made the biggest impact.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of Game 4 of the NLCS. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
A mortal rotation
The other way the Dodgers overcame their offensive inconsistencies last year, of course, was through superhuman starting pitching.
In the 2025 playoffs, their rotation posted a 2.68 ERA and while averaging more than six innings per start.
Replicating that kind of production again always felt like an unlikely challenge.
Indeed, this October, even an equally star-studded staff encountered inevitable struggles.
Outside of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s seven-inning, one-run gem in Game 3 of the NL Division Series, the Dodgers only had one other pitcher get past the sixth inning. And that, of course, was in Game 3 of the NLCS, when Blake Snell gave up back-to-back seventh-inning home runs in a gut-wrenching loss that all but ended the Dodgers’ season.
That didn’t mean the Dodgers’ rotation pitched terribly this postseason. They still finished the playoffs with a 3.89 combined ERA from their starters.
Given the fine margins that came with their lackluster offense, however, that wasn’t nearly good enough.
In the NLCS, the Brewers got to each of their big arms, chasing Tarik Skubal after five innings of two-run ball, knocking out Yamamoto in less than three innings the following day, ambushing Snell for three home runs in Game 3, then erasing their four-run deficit against Glasnow in Game 4.
In the same way Ohtani couldn’t put the team on his shoulders, neither could the rotation.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman lines out to left at the bottom of the third inning during NLCS Game 4 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
RISPy business
After every loss this postseason, the Dodgers’ explanations boiled down to the same futile failure.
They generated plenty of chances for themselves. But, as manager Dave Roberts said for the umpteenth time after Game 3, “we’re just not getting those timely hits.”
No stat better epitomized that than the Dodgers’ 5-for-43 mark in these playoffs with runners in scoring position.
Such challenges, of course, aren’t unique to their offense. Entering Thursday, the league-wide batting average with runners in scoring position was .221.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tommy Edman reacts after striking out against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Still, the Dodgers’ output fell far below that mark.
For a team that prided itself on “winning the big moments” each of the past two Octobers, they were repeatedly unable to do so en route to this year’s early exit.
“It’s just one of those points in time where it seems to go that way,” utilityman Kiké Hernández said of the Dodgers’ RISP struggles. “And it just happened to be at the worst time of the season.”
While that might be true — there is an inherent randomness to situational hitting — the issue has also been a recurring problem for the Dodgers recently.
Last postseason, the team hit .204 with runners in scoring position. This year, they ranked seventh in the majors in that category with a .262 but also experienced long stretches in which big hits felt impossible to consistently produce.
Questions about why that was the case will reverberate long into the offseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws out Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras on a ground out during the sixth inning of Game 3. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Dino Dodgers
All season, the Dodgers downplayed concerns about having the majors’ oldest lineup. Throughout the playoffs, they embraced their “Dinosaur Dodgers” nickname.
But in the end, it was hard not to feel like the club’s age eventually caught up to it.
Exhibit A: They didn’t hit a home run in the NLCS until Ohtani’s blast in Game 4, lacking the kind of consistent pop that has helped carry them through offensive lulls in previous postseasons.
“I don’t know what you can really say to that,” Freddie Freeman, the second eldest of the bunch at 37 years old, said before Game 4. “That’s just people’s opinions of what that is. We do know we have an older team. That doesn’t mean we’re old and we’re playing bad because we’re old. We’re just not playing that great, in my mind.”
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
The Lakers are down to one last preseason game which will be against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The purple and gold will be back on their home floor for this one.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Oct 16
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: ESPN, Spectrum Sportsnet
Just like that, the Lakers are just one preseason game away from the real thing that is the regular season.
The preseason has provided plenty of early clues about what lies ahead for the Lakers this season. Clues like which lineups work and don’t, what some of the role players can bring to the table alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves and even how the overall Lakers game experience — from the new PA announcer to broadcast — team — will look like this season.
But if there’s one thing that we haven’t seen yet in the last four games, it’s a complete Lakers team on the floor.
We saw perhaps the biggest signing of the offseason, Walker Kessler, finally take the floor in Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas. Kessler, who had 16 minutes of burn, recorded 11 points and nine rebounds.
Besides Kessler’s sensational defense, the highlight was witnessing him already running plays with Reaves, who had himself a night with 28 points and seven assists.
The Lakers may have come up short after resting their key players in the second half but this one was still arguably their most entertaining preseason game yet. Now the question is, will the fun continue in Friday’s dress rehearsal against the Nuggets?
Hopefully we see even just a few minutes of Dončić, Kessler and Reaves together on the floor. If those three indeed suit up, it’ll be interesting to see who takes the last two slots in the starting five as well as head coach JJ Redick’s substitution patterns.
Quentin Grimes when asked if anyone on the Lakers knows who the other two LAL starters will be next to Doncic/Reaves/Kessler: “I don’t know. I guess you’re going to find out next Wednesday!” Grimes said the process to identify the starters created “healthy competition” in camp pic.twitter.com/NlmOyl4hP5
Speaking of Redick, yes, it may be preseason but it’s hard to imagine him not having a game plan against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets. Note that this will also be the Nuggets’ last preseason game, so it’s fair to assume that they’ll treat this one like a dress rehearsal as well. All of Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon played minimal minutes in their previous game so they could possibly suit up and do the same on Friday.
It may be preseason, but it sure will be nice to see how these two projected playoff teams in the Western Conference match up. Remember, the purple and gold have won four of their last six matches against the Nuggets since Dončić arrived in Los Angeles. Facing a reenergized Nuggets team is a great test for the Lakers ahead of the season opener.
Let’s see if LA can get that win on Friday.
Notes and Updates
Collin Sexton has yet to play in any preseason game as he continues to recover from a lower leg injury. There is optimism that he could play on opening night.
JJ Redick said Collin Sexton is “trending in the right direction” for Opening Night against the Warriors on Oct. 21.
One thing to look at for in Friday’s game is how the Lakers perform in the rebounding department, something they worked on in practice on Thursday.
After getting out rebounded in three out of of four preseason games, JJ Redick said the Lakers did “three different box-out drills” Thursday. How did they go? “They went.” pic.twitter.com/X3qByXC4kY
We have an exciting new feature in our app this season. It’s easier than ever to chat in our game threads. Each game, this post will become a live chat and will be easy to find at the top of the Lakers community page, so be sure to download the app and give it a try this preseason.
After losing four straight games to the Brewers in the National League Championship series, the hopes of a historic three-peat have diminished. As Milwaukee accepted the National League pennant at Dodger Stadium Thursday night, Brewers manager Pat Murphy took a moment to send a somewhat cruel message to the back-to-back World Series champions.
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy celebrates on the podium after defeating the against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we have a bunch of gamers, and the gamers won this week,” Murphy said on the broadcast.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout during the ninth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Gregory BullThe Milwaukee Brewers celebrate with pitcher Aaron Ashby (26) after the final out of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
The Dodgers starting rotation — filled with Cy Young winners, All-Stars and World Series MVPs — posted a 6.50 ERA in the NLCS. The Dodgers lineup — which featured nine players with at least one All-Star selection to their name — was 4-for-27 with runners in scoring position.
The Dodgers assembled one of the greatest rosters in baseball, but fell short in what is likely to be remembered as one of the worst postseason collapses in MLB history. LA couldn’t muster a single win over the Brewers throughout the NLCS, despite the star-studded team.
Evidently, Milwaukee is reveling in its historic sweep of the Dodgers as Murphy’s comments are sure to sting ahead of a trying offseason for the organization.
