Cubs' Alex Bregman pushing for regular-season return after foul ball injury

CHICAGO — Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman could play again in the regular season after he sustained multiple facial fractures when he was struck in the face by a foul ball.

Chicago manager Craig Counsell said Bregman did a light workout in the weight room and tracked pitches from a machine in a batting cage. There are no plans to place him on the injured list.

“He’s still got significant swelling in his face and his eye that needs to improve,” Counsell said. “But all things considered, he’s in a good place.”

Bregman was on deck in the fourth inning of a 9-1 win at Cincinnati when he was hit on the left side of his face on Michael Busch’s check-swing foul ball. Bregman immediately jogged toward the Cubs’ dugout and covered his face before going back to the clubhouse with an athletic trainer.

“When everything was going down on Sunday afternoon, I think that we all thought the worst case might be a possibility,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “And all the news since then has been really good. He’s had a lot of different doctor’s appointments, and they’ve been positive. And I think we have to take it one step at a time.”

Pedro Ramírez started at third in an 8-2 loss to Miami in 12 innings. He went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. Matt Shaw also could fill in at third while Bregman is out.

Chicago (87-70) can clinch an NL wild card with a win over Miami or a loss by Arizona at Colorado.

The Cubs have five games left in the regular season. But the schedule for their weekend series at Boston is in flux because of heavy rain in the forecast.

“I think Alex is going to be fine. I really do,” Counsell said. “The guy is ... he’s driving home from Cincinnati and he wants to play. So he’s planning on playing. He knew he had to get some good news from the doctors. He got that good news. So he’s going to do everything in his power, and as long as I think symptoms don’t kind of increase or happen as he increases activity, I think you’re going to see him play.”

Bregman is batting .262 with 26 homers and 89 RBIs in 153 games during his first season with Chicago. The three-time All-Star signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Cubs in free agency.

The 32-year-old Bregman got off to a rough start in his new home, hitting just .229 with two homers in his first 20 games. But he has been one of Chicago’s most productive players since the All-Star break, batting .305 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in his last 57 games.

Bregman also has excelled in the postseason in the past. He won two World Series championships with the Houston Astros. He appeared in at least two postseason games in each of the previous nine years.

“To see a friend and a teammate just get hit in the face and bleeding like that is awful,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “I think his reactions to everything has been uplifting, just him being relentlessly aggressive and positive and speaking out, all the things that he’s excited to do.”

Pederson on i.l., Quantrill’s season over

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 12: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers reacts after being hit by a pitch during the fifth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Prior to last night’s game, the Texas Rangers announced that outfielder Joc Pederson had been placed on the 10 day injured list due to the broken bone in his hand that he suffered on September 12. To replace Pederson on the active roster, the Rangers activated Michael Helman from the 60 day injured list. To make room for Helman on the 40 man roster, the Rangers moved Cal Quantrill from the 15 day injured list to the 60 day injured list.

It is a disappointing end to what was a very solid season from Pederson, who slashed .235/.329/.487 in 432 plate appearances covering 136 games as the team’s primary DH against righthanded pitching. The Rangers had held off on putting him on the injured list in the hope that he would recover to the point he could resume hitting, but that didn’t happen. The hope is that, if the Rangers make the playoffs, Pederson would be physically able to hit by then, and could be on the team’s playoff roster.

The Quantrill move to the 60 day injured list means that he is done for the 2026 season, and won’t be eligible to return even in any potential playoff series. This is disappointing but not surprising, as a lat strain, which is what Quantrill landed on the injured list with, is the sort of thing that is going to generally sideline a pitcher for a couple of months.

As for Helman, he last played in the majors on June 13, having gone on the injured list with multiple fractures in his hands and fingers. He played in five games for Round Rock on a rehab assignment prior to being activated from the injured list. He presumably is a late game pinch runner/defensive replacement option.

Penguins cut nine players, including Tomas Galvas

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 22: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Tomas Galvas (32) skates with the puck in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on September 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Penguins made some roster cuts today during their off day, trimming away nine players.

Besides Gauthier, the fourth goalie in the organization, only Tomas Galvas is on an NHL contract from this group. The Penguins stuck with the plan to loan the 20-year old 2026 second round pick back to his Czech team for the season – he could be recalled to Wilkes-Barre in the spring depending on how things go. Galvas shined in the prospect tournament a couple weeks ago in Detroit but then had a rocky showing in his first NHL preseason game last night against a more veteran Red Wings team.

Beyond that, not too many notable surprises. Overall, by my count the Penguins still have 59 players in their NHL training camp. Pittsburgh has another exhibition game tomorrow night, after which a lot of cuts will be made as the team starts to pare down towards the 23-player limit before the season starts next Wednesday.

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani set for return after IL stint; Dave Roberts says he’s ‘considerably’ better

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is expected to be back in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup after a stint on the injured list.

The two-way superstar has been on the IL since Sept. 9 due to right biceps inflammation and lingering soreness in his left knee.

Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani is feeling “considerably” better.

“I would say if he was a five, he’s probably an eight or a nine right now,” Roberts said before the Dodgers faced San Diego.

The Dodgers clinched their 13th NL West title in 14 years without Ohtani, who was in Los Angeles for treatment when the team beat Cincinnati on the road. Now, the four-time MVP will have five games remaining to get some at-bats in before the postseason begins.

Ohtani likely will resume his role as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, especially against right-handed pitching. Mookie Betts has been atop the lineup and is hitting .373 in September.

“That’s probably the way it’s going to fall out, but I haven’t totally decided yet,” Roberts said, adding that he would consider Betts’ leadoff value against left-handed pitching. “I have to think about the entire lineup structure.”

‘I want to go’: Lewis Hamilton hopes F1 is able to end season in Middle East

  • ‘I love going to the Middle East,’ says Ferrari driver

  • Qatar and Abu Dhabi races could still be cancelled

Lewis Hamilton said he hopes the Formula One season can still end at the two scheduled rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with the finale still in doubt because of the war in the Middle East.

Formula One is pressing ahead with its original plan, although a contingency is understood to be in place to host a final round in Imola if the volatile situation means both meetings have to be cancelled.

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2026 MLB Playoffs Update: Clinch scenarios, schedule, tiebreakers, and more

The 2026 MLB season is in its final days, which means the playoffs are just on the horizon. While many teams are locked into playoff spots, a few final spots remain up for grabs, as well as playoff seeding and tiebreaker scenarios.

In this article, which we'll update every day until the end of the year, we'll go over the updated playoff picture, break down the MLB standings, and discuss the implications of the remaining few games. Let's dive in.

Current MLB Playoff Seeding

This is a good time to remind you that, in Major League Baseball, the three division winners will always be the top three seeds. That is especially relevant in the American League where the Wild Card teams both have better records than two of the three division winners. Yet, it will be the division winners who get a bye and also get home-field advantage. If there is a tie in regular season records, then a tiebreaker (record season head-to-head) determines who is the home team and higher seed for the matchup.

American League

1. Tampa Bay Rays (Clinched AL East)
Record: 96-61
Tiebreaker: Secured tiebreaker over Yankees
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ NYY (2), @ PHI (3)

2. Cleveland Guardians(AL Central leader)
Record: 82-75
Seeding: Magic number for playoff birth is 2 and to win the AL Central is 5
Tiebreaker: have secured a tiebreaker over the Orioles, but lost tiebreakers to White Sox, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Astros. Red Sox tiebreaker will be decided with current series.
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ BOS (2), @ KC (3)

3. Houston Astros(AL West leader)
Record: 78-79
Seeding: Magic number for playoff berth and AL West title is 5
Tiebreaker: Secured a tiebreaker over the Guardians, White Sox, and Rangers but lost a tiebreaker to the Orioles
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ SEA (1), @ ATH (4)

4. New York Yankees (wild card)
Record: 90-67

Seeding: Clinched playoff berth

Tiebreaker: Secured a tiebreaker over the Red Sox but lost one to the Rays.
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. TB (2), vs. BAL (3)

5. Boston Red Sox (wild card)
Record: 84-73
Seeding: Clinched playoff berth

Tiebreaker: Secured a tiebreaker over the White Sox but lost a tiebreaker to the Yankees. Guardians tiebreaker will be decided with current series.
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. CLE (2), vs. CHC (3)

6. Chicago White Sox (wild card)
Record: 81-76
Seeding: Magic number to secure playoff berth is 2
Tiebreaker: Has secured a tiebreaker over the Guardians, Rangers, and Blue Jays but lost tiebreakers to the Red Sox, Astros, and Orioles
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ KC (2), vs. COL (3)

National League

1. Milwaukee Brewers (Clinched NL Central)
Record: 98-59
Seeding: Magic number to secure 1st seed is four games
Tiebreaker: Have a tiebreaker over the Dodgers
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ PHI (2), vs. STL (3)

2. Los Angeles Dodgers(Clinched NL West)
Record: 97-60
Seeding: Could still get the 1st seed
Tiebreaker: Lost tiebreakers to both the Brewers and Braves
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. SD (2), @ SF (3)

3. Atlanta Braves (Clinched NL East)
Record: 92-65
Tiebreaker: Has a tiebreaker over the Dodgers and Phillies but lost a tiebreaker to the Padres
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. CIN (2), @ MIA (3)

4. Chicago Cubs
Record: 87-70
Seeding: Magic number to secure a playoff spot is 1
Tiebreaker: Have secured tiebreakers over the Padres, Phillies, and Diamondbacks
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. MIA (2), @ BOS (3)

5. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 87-70
Seeing: Magic number to secure a playoff spot is 2
Tiebreaker: Has secured a tiebreaker over the Padres but lost a tiebreaker to the Braves and Cubs
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. MIL (2), vs. TB (3)

6. San Diego Padres
Record: 87-70
Seeing: Magic number to secure a playoff spot is 2
Tiebreaker: Has secured a tiebreaker over the Braves but lost tiebreakers to the Cubs and Phillies
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ LAD (2), vs. AZ (3)

Current MLB Playoff Bracket

MLB Playoff bracket

MLB.com

Who Is Still in Contention?

American League

Texas Rangers
Situation: Texas is two games back from the final Wild Card spot and tied with the Astros for the AL West title, but the Astros have the tiebreaker
Record: 78-79
Tiebreaker: Secured tiebreaker over Guardians, Blue Jays, and Orioles but lost a tiebreaker to the White Sox and Astros
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. NYM (2), @ MIN (3)

Toronto Blue Jays
Situation: Four games behind the White Sox for the final Wild Card spot. Eliminated with a loss or a White Sox win.
Record: 77-80
Tiebreaker: Secured a tiebreaker over the Guardians but lost one to the Rangers and White Sox
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ BAL (2), vs. CIN (3)

Baltimore Orioles
Situation: Five games behind the White Sox for the final Wild Card spot. Eliminated with a loss or a White Sox win.
Record: 76-81
Tiebreaker: Secured a tiebreaker over the White Sox, Astros but lost a tiebreaker to the Guardians and Rangers
Remaining schedule: 5 left: vs. TOR (2), @ NYY (3)

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks
Situation: Four games behind the Padres, Cubs, and Phillies for the final Wild Card spot. Magic number for elimination is 2.
Record: 83-74
Tiebreaker: Lost a tiebreaker to the Cubs. Padres tiebreaker will be decided by upcoming series.
Remaining schedule: 5 left: @ COL (2), @ SD (3)

Clinching Scenarios

On Wednesday, the Guardians can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. the Red Sox AND a Rangers loss to the Mets or an Astros loss to the Mariners.

On Wednesday, the White Sox can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. the Royals AND a Rangers loss to the Mets.

On Wednesday, the Dodgers can clinch at least the No. 2 seed and a bye with a win vs. the Padres OR a Braves loss to the Reds.

On Wednesday, the Cubs can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. the Marlins OR a Diamondbacks loss to the Rockies.

On Wednesday, the Padres can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. the Dodgers AND a Diamondbacks loss to the Rockies.

On Wednesday, the Phillies can clinch a playoff berth with a win vs. the Brewers AND a Diamondbacks loss to the Rockies.

2026 MLB Playoff Schedule

Wild-card series (ALL GAMES WILL BE ON PEACOCK)

Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29
Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 30
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 1*

Division series

NLDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 4
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 7*
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 9*

ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 5
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 8*
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 10* (*if necessary)

Championship series

NLCS
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 16*
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 18*
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 19*

ALCS
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 17*
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 19*
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 20* (*if necessary)

World Series

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 28*
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 30*
Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31* (*if necessary)

Washington Nationals vs Detroit Tigers Game Thread

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 22: CJ Abrams #5 (R) of the Washington Nationals celebrates his two-run home run with Dylan Crews #3 in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 22, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After last night’s rare low scoring win, the Nats are in position to claim a series win. This afternoon contest in Detroit will be the last road game of the season for the Nats. The boys will look to finish on a high note as they head home for a final series.

With a lefty on the mound, the Nats are loading up on right handed bats. James Wood and CJ Abrams are the only lefties in the lineup. Jacob Young and Harry Ford will return to the lineup in this contest. Dylan Crews moves to left field as Daylen Lile gets the day off. Richard Lovelady will be the opener in what will be a bullpen game.

A couple big names are back in the lineup for the Tigers. After sitting yesterday, Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler are back. Zach McKinstry will also make his first start of the series. Javier Baez will be getting the day off. Framber Valdez has had an up and down first season in Detroit, but he has been better lately. He is on the mound this afternoon. 

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Game Info:

Stadium: Comerica Park

Time: 1:10 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

It is wild that this is the last road game of the year, but here we are. Hopefully we can finish the road slate with a curly W. CJ Abrams has been swinging it well, so he is one to watch this afternoon. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

What did Kevin Durant say at 2026 Houston Rockets Media Day?

Kevin Durant still just wants to hoop — and watch other people hoop.

Last season, Durant was second in the NBA in total minutes played with 2,840, and he was third in minutes per game at 36.4. When he sat down at Rockets media day on Tuesday, he was asked if, with a healthier and deeper Houston roster, the goal was to keep his minutes down this season.

"I'm better on the court. The team is better when I'm on the court," Durant said, pushing back on the idea of a minutes reduction. "Now, if we handle our business the first three quarters, then or earlier in the game, then maybe. But just for the sake of get my minutes, just because, 'Oh, he's older' or he played a lot of minutes — that's what I'm supposed to be training for is to play the long haul. Play 48 minutes a night.

"I get the concern. But you know, if the game needs me to be out there, I want to be out there."

Durant is under contract for this season but has a player option for next season. He is extension elegible with Houston, and Rockets head of basketball operations Rafael Stone said Durant told him he was happy in Houston. However, when asked if that meant he wanted to sign an extension in Houston or stay with the team beyond this next season, Durant brushed that conversation aside.

"I'm not thinking about anything like that," Durant said. "I'm enjoying coming into work every day. It's been fun going through the process with everybody. And like I said, I'm taking it one day at a time. And that's the most I can do. You know, who knows what'll happen down the line or in the future."

Durant, a long-time, very vocal supporter of the WNBA, was asked about the state of the league and the culture war it's been dragged into, in part by former Durant teammate Enes Kanter. Durant answered like the hooper he is — and echoed how a lot of people in the basketball world feel about the drama.

"All that stuff just be noise, man. The WNBA is flourishing," Durant said. "Look what these women are doing. Look at the money they're making, that they made over the last few years. Look at the visibility of their league. They got four or five signature athletes that are representing major brands. These women have brands for themselves. They're businesswomen for themselves outside of the game.

"So, a lot of this stuff, you know, the politics that they bring into sports nowadays, I understand the messaging behind what they're trying to do, but a person like me who just strictly cares for the purity of the sport, I do not give a f*** about none of that. I care about flourishing and pushing the league forward, and that's what's happening right now."

Alperen Şengün feels the Rockets beat the Lakers in ‘every stat’ in the playoffs

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In perhaps the most injury-riddled playoff matchup of the season last spring, the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the Houston Rockets in six games. Luka Dončić, Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams did not log a single minute.

Kevin Durant only played one game. Austin Reaves missed the first four games of the series. That’s a lot of pivotal names missing in action.

It was a series defined by understandably erratic, ugly stretches of offense and key players from each side often reduced to fumes by the third or fourth quarter. Twice, the Rockets and Lakers both failed to crack the century mark. The Rockets did so four times overall in the series while the Lakers did so thrice.

The most famous game — or, infamous, depending on one’s perspective — was Game 3, when Los Angeles mounted a late comeback to force overtime and ultimately take a 3-0 series lead, all but sealing Houston’s 2025-26 fate. In that contest, the Rockets held possession and a 101-95 lead with 34 seconds remaining before committing consecutive turnovers, fouling Marcus Smart on a 3-point attempt and conceding a Luke Kennard game-tying triple.

It was a calamity of errors from Houston, typifying its lack of poise and execution down the stretch of games. According to NBA.com, the Lakers won two of the three “clutch” games in the series and outscored the Rockets by eight points during those 15 “clutch” minutes.

That sort of disparity defined the series and was Alperen Şengün’s takeaway from the matchup when he told reporters during Houston’s media day on Tuesday.

“We played six games. Unfortunately, we only had KD for one game. That was another time for us to grow. Jabari [Smith Jr.], me, Amen [Thompson] taking the leadership because we were the ones playing and having to play against the Lakers, who had a lot of experience,” Şengün said. “LeBron [James], Marcus, Rui [Hachimura], like all of those players have been there and they know, they understand it better. We gave them a really hard time. We beat them in every stat. Just the experience beat us, I would say. They knew what to do. They were calm in the clutch times. That’s what we learned.”

It’s undeniable clutch-time performance helped propel Los Angeles past Houston. And the Rockets did give the Lakers “a really hard time.” Many of those games were close and tense.

Şengün is spot on in those evaluations. The Rockets posted a lower turnover rate and higher offensive rebounding rate than Los Angeles, according to Cleaning the Glass. But they were done in by abysmal shot-making and scoring output, numbers also tracked in the stats department. For instance, the Lakers’ effective field goal percentage was 8.2 percent higher (54.9 vs. 46.7) while their free-throw rate was four points higher (25.5 vs. 21.5).

Late-game blunders helped sink Houston’s ship, yet it did not win “every stat” of that series. To progress its rebuild beyond the first round, it must become a more efficient offense, an aspect not entirely tied to experience and something the Lakers, led by Dončić and Reaves, are hoping they can ride to success out West this season.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

‘I had a headache for days’: Hrgovic reveals brutal toll of Itauma world title fight

  • ‘I didn’t celebrate. I went home to rest. It was a hard fight’

  • Hrgovic stopped Briton to win the IBF heavyweight title

Filip Hrgovic, the new IBF world heavyweight champion, has offered a candid insight into the ordeal he endured before beating Moses Itauma in a shock stoppage victory last month, revealing he absorbed so many heavy punches in the first eight rounds that he felt headaches for a number of days afterwards.

“I felt fucked up,” said the 34-year-old Croat. “I received a lot of shots and I was bruised. I had a bit of a headache for a few days. On the Wednesday after the fight I was back in the gym, working out already, but for a few days I felt really tired and bruised, with some headaches.”

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Sidelined last year, Evan Phillips & Brock Stewart are ready for October

Sep 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brock Stewart (41) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium. at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LOS ANGELES — Last year at this time, Evan Phillips and Brock Stewart were both recovering from surgeries and unavailable to pitch. They were around the team but unable to contribute during the stretch run and postseason. This year, both veteran right-handers are two key cogs in an increasingly deep Dodgers bullpen and an important part of their October puzzle.

Phillips had Tommy John surgery in June 2025, wiping out the last half of last season and the first half of this one. When he returned from the injured list in July, the Dodgers were cautious in his usage, not using him on back-to-back days for his first four weeks, and used him on one day rest only four times during that stretch.

The results were spotty at first, allowing runs in five of his first seven appearances, including an uncharacteristic four home runs in such a short span. Since then, Phillips has allowed runs in only three of his last 21 appearances, and the lone home run surrendered was last Monday to Elly De La Cruz, which seems to be a rite of passage for everybody these days.

“Evan as you would expect, the first handful of outings were inconsistent coming off Tommy John, but I’d say the last [few] have been kind of who he is, and it’s been fun to see,” manager Dave Roberts said recently. “There’s a two-seamer, there’s a four-seamer, and some sweepers getting some awkward swings, some chase. That’s been good, and his command has been a lot better, too.”

Phillips in his 28 games has 28 strikeouts against only three unintentional walks. Since the start of August, the Dodgers have used Phillips more aggressively, pitching on back-to-back days five times, and he pitched three times in four days in three different stretches, and during that span has a 2.30 ERA and 2.46 FIP.

“I appreciate what they’ve done, trying to build me up, plus also protect me, plus giving me advantageous lanes while also challenging me,” Phillips said. “It’s been great so far, and I definitely feel like I’m coming closer and closer to that best version of myself that I have been and continue to strive to be.”

Stewart, a sixth-round draft pick of the Dodgers in 2014, was reacquired by the team at the 2025 trade deadline, but he pitched in only four games for them before succumbing to right shoulder debridement surgery in September. This year the right-hander has a 2.45 ERA and 2.53 xERA in his 27 games, with 24 strikeouts and seven unintentional walks in 25 2/3 innings, including a scoreless first inning to start Tuesday night’s bullpen-game shutout of the San Diego Padres.

“When Brock’s healthy, he’s as good as anyone we have,” Roberts said Tuesday. “For us, it’s just trying to manage him the right way and keep him strong and healthy. He’s been great.”

“That’s very cool to hear. I just go out there and throw it, that’s literally all I focus on. But people tell me that my — you know, I throw five pitches, which helps as a reliever,” Stewart said. “They tell me my stuff is pretty good, and it’s always nice to hear that. But I don’t know, I just go out there and throw it, try to compete as best I can, and hope it works out.

Roberts wasn’t wrong. Since returning to the majors in 2023 with the Minnesota Twins, Stewart has a 2.45 ERA and 2.78 xERA, which ranks 10thand ninth, respectively, among the 576 major league pitchers with at least 100 innings over the last four years. Tarik Skubal, with two Cy Young Awards during that stretch, has a 2.50 ERA and 2.73 xERA, for example.

But staying on the field has been a problem for Stewart, who this season alone has been on the injured list three different times — recovering from shoulder surgery, bone spur in his left foot, and shoulder discomfort — inactive for a total of 95 games. Since 2023, Stewart has also been on the injured list with elbow soreness, shoulder tendinitis, a shoulder strain, a hamstring strain, and shoulder inflammation, limited to just 106 2/3 total innings over the last four seasons.

“I feel good, but I’ve told everybody though, one day at a time. I’ve been hurt a lot so I always try to take things one day at a time. But I’m happy with the way I feel, happy with the way I felt today,” Stewart said. “Getting close to the finish line, but happy with how I feel, happy with how the stuff is coming out. I feel like I’m in a good spot and can hopefully help out.”

Stewart has pitched in the postseason only once, in three games over two series with the Minnesota Twins in 2023. Phillips was an October stalwart for the Dodgers since he was acquired on a waiver claim in 2021. In 12 appearances for the Dodgers in the playoffs, Phillips has yet to allow a run, over 15 1/3 innings, with 21 strikeouts and six unintentional walks. Phillips missed out on the World Series in 2024 with a right rotator cuff injury suffered during the NLCS, and was sidelined for all of last October.

“I love pitching in the postseason, I love competing with these guys. In 2024, missing out on the World Series, but I tried to dig in on the fact that I helped us get there, and played quite a large part in the Division Series and Championship Series. Obviously I want to see it all to the end, and help us carry that trophy off the field,” Philips said. “I’m just as eager as ever. Fortunate that I feel healthy at this time, and just trying to build on that, continue to chip away, and be the best I can when it matters most.”

This season, only Tanner Scott, Edwin Díaz, and Alex Vesia have a higher average-leverage index than Phillips and Stewart among Dodgers relievers. Phillips and Stewart have each saved a game this year, and Phillips has done so in the past with 46 saves with the Dodgers. Roberts said he’d feel comfortable with either Phillips or Stewart getting a save opportunity in October, along with a group that includes Tanner Scott and the just-activated Roki Sasaki.

“This year, more than any other year, I think there’s more guys we feel comfortable closing out games,” Roberts said.

Roki Sasaki ditches Dodgers plan with striking U-turn in prep for 3-peat quest

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki throws to the plate during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) pitching during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium, Image 3 shows Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki sits in the dugout

The initial plan called for Roki Sasaki to pitch an inning or two as an opener.

Sasaki had other ideas.

“I said I wanted to pitch out of the bullpen,” Sasaki said in Japanese.

Because Sasaki will be deployed as a reliever in the playoffs, he figured he should spend the remainder of the regular season becoming reacquainted with the role.

So instead of throwing the first and second innings of the Dodgers’ 7-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night, Sasaki pitched the fourth.

Returning from a month-long stay on the injured list, Sasaki pitched in relief for the first time this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki throws to the plate during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

What was most memorable about his night wasn’t that he struck out two batters or threw six of his 20 pitches faster than 99 mph. Rather, what was most striking was his embrace of his move out of the Dodgers’ rotation.

Sasaki was reluctant to make the switch last year, doing so only as a last-ditch effort to salvage an otherwise disastrous rookie season. The decision made him an October hero, as the team’s lack of options made him the closer almost by default.

He returned to the rotation this year and was 5-5 with a 4.56 earned-run average through his first 23 games, all of them starts. His form improved over the course of the season, and he was 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA in seven starts after the All-Star break. But in the last of those starts, which was on Aug. 26 in Atlanta, he developed a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Starting games was a source of pride for Sasaki. When he agreed to try pitching in relief last year, he made the Dodgers promise him they would use him as a starter this season.

Sasaki didn’t require as much convincing when team officials started talking to him about a role change on the Dodgers’ recent trip to Cincinnati.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dodgers will use a four-man rotation in the playoffs, and they have four Cy Young Award-caliber pitchers in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal and Tyler Glasnow. Sasaki could do the math. If he was going to pitch in the postseason, it would be as a reliever.

“I think it’s important to make the roster,” Sasaki said.

Something else: The Dodgers kept their word about him starting games, and Sasaki wanted to repay them.

“In the first half of the season, they used me as a starter even when I wasn’t pitching well,” he said. 

Sasaki didn’t pitch more than five innings in any of his first five starts. His ERA at that point was 6.35. His fastball velocity was down and his command was non-existent.

The Dodgers would have been justified in removing him from the rotation.

They didn’t.

They could have sent him to the minor leagues.

They didn’t.

That meant something to Sasaki.

“This time,” Sasaki said, “I want to be able to contribute to the team in whatever shape.”

The feelings point to a growing trust that has developed between Sasaki and the Dodgers.

At this stage of the season last year, they didn’t seem to be on the same page. As he shined as their closer last October, Dodgers officials and coaches told stories about how they helped Sasaki rediscover his 100-mph fastball. Sasaki downplayed the team’s role in his resurgence, saying he figured out what he was doing wrong by watching videos of himself pitching in high school.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki sits in the dugout during a game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post

Sasaki is said to have become more open to instruction this season, which contributed to an improved fastball as well as the incorporation of a different variation of his signature forkball.

He is also physically stronger than he did last year. Fatigue was a factor for him in the postseason, and by the World Series, he looked like a spent cartridge. To close out Game 7 of the World Series, manager Dave Roberts went to Yamamoto, who was pitching his third inning in relief a day after making a six-inning start.

Sasaki looks more capable of shouldering a reliever’s schedule and workload.

Sasaki closing games in the upcoming postseason is “certainly an option,” manager Dave Roberts said. 

Edwin Diaz has worked his way back into ninth-inning consideration by posting three consecutive scoreless appearances since his return from his latest IL stint. Tanner Scott has been the Dodgers’ primary closer this season, but Roberts said there could be instances in which the left-hander is used earlier in games in high-leverage situations.

Sasaki said he would pitch whenever asked.

That could be determined by how he looks over this final week of the regular season. Roberts said he will likely pitch next on Friday in San Francisco.

This time around, there isn’t any hesitation on the part of Sasaki. This time around, he really wants to do this.

The NBA’s next cap circumvention investigation is even more baffling than the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard case

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks were already set to endure some rough years after finally trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat over the summer. A new NBA investigation into potential cap circumvention to re-sign a role player from the late stages of the Antetokounmpo era threatens to make Milwaukee’s rebuild even more difficult.

The NBA quietly announced it was investigating the Bucks for cap circumvention over the summer tied to re-signing Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million deal. The contract immediately raised eyebrows for multiple reasons: Trent was coming off arguably the worst season of his NBA career, cap space around the league had already dried up by the time the deal was announced on July 11, and no one in their right mind would have thought he was a $16 million per year player in this market.

After the initial shock of the deal wore off, it was easy to connect the dots on what (probably) happened. A new story by The Athletic on Wednesday provides new information on the Bucks’ investigation in the wake of commissioner Adam Silver dropping the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month for circumventing the salary cap to sign Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers were stripped of five future first-round picks, and The Athletic says the Bucks’ punishment “could be equally severe, if not worse.”

The Bucks signed Trent to a minimum contract in the summer of 2024 when he was coming off a strong year with the Toronto Raptors where he averaged 13.7 points per game while knocking down 39.3 percent of his three-pointers on 6.4 attempts per game from deep. It felt like a very team-friendly signing at the time for a player who had just started 41 games, but it was also a nice opportunity for Trent to boost his standing league-wide playing for a Bucks team that was supposed to be very good with Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Trent was just okay for the Bucks in his first season with the team, and then got a modest pay increase up to $3.7 million for last season with Milwaukee still capped out. He had an even worse season last year, averaging 8.1 points with 36 percent shooting from three. Somehow, he landed a $64 million deal over the summer.

The most alarming thing about this signing is that Milwaukee has absolutely no need for Trent this season after trading Giannis. The Bucks have plenty of young guards they should want to feature ahead of Trent, including Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Kasparas Jakucionis. Milwaukee also has Tyler Herro, who should be slated for big minutes, and Kevin Porter Jr., who was better than Trent for the team last year.

That’s five guards who should play before Trent. He’s the fourth highest paid player on the team this year!

Trent has always been a bit of a one-trick pony as a shooter. He doesn’t rebound, doesn’t force turnovers defensively, doesn’t get to the rim, and doesn’t playmake for others. The arrow has been trending down on his career since he signed with Milwaukee, and he was never even an average player to begin with. This graph tracking his overall play is via the Darko app.

The Bucks already have a huge anchor on their cap sheet for the next four years after waiving-and-stretching Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner last year. Lillard’s deal takes up $22.5 million worth of cap room the next four seasons. Now Trent is on the books for $16 million per year even though Milwaukee has no use for him. This is absolutely no way to start a rebuild, when the Bucks could have been using their cap space to take on bad contracts in exchange for future draft picks. Instead, they gave Trent a bad contract for no reason.

Well, there is one reason, probably. Trent’s market value was likely above contracts he signed with the Bucks the previous two seasons when they couldn’t offer him more. It sure seems like there was a wink-wink agreement to give him the deal he thought he deserved once they had his bird rights and the available cap space. It came home to roost this summer.

Trent’s agent is Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. There is no greater proof that Paul is the best agent in the NBA today, if not all of sports. Paul somehow got Brandon Ingram $40 million per year when it seemed like he didn’t have much of a market, and now he forced the Bucks into giving Trent this deal. Milwaukee probably did it because they didn’t want to damage their business relationship with Paul in the future. That was stupid!

By the letter of the law, the Bucks probably deserve to be punished here. Cap circumvention needs to be discouraged for other owners in the second-apron era, even when it obviously doesn’t work in Trent’s case. There’s one key difference between this case and Leonard’s with the Clippers, though. Fans and media truly believed the Clippers were guilty and deserving of punishment. Silver was going to seem soft as hell if he left them off the hook. The Bucks’ situation is already depressing enough after the Giannis trade. Stripping future first-round picks from Milwaukee now would feel like an impossible situation to come back from. Having Trent making $16 million per year for the next four years is enough punishment by itself.

Maybe I’m the one going soft now, but it would be pretty sad to see the Bucks get hammered over this — and I say this as someone who grew up as a Bulls fan, a Central Division rival of Milwaukee. Bucks fans are going to suffer enough in the coming years either way. After seeing the Clippers ruling, though, Milwaukee supporters should be very afraid of what Silver’s investigation finds.

The Guardians’ Path to the Playoffs As of Today

CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Cleveland Guardians pitcher Cade Smith (36) is interviewed following the Major League Baseball game between the Athletics and Cleveland Guardians on September 20, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Cleveland Guardians got a key win against the Boston Red Sox last night, leaving their magic number to clinch a postseason berth at two. What should Guardians’ fans be watching for starting with tonight’s primetime matchup with the Red Sox and Sonny Gray?

First, obviously, the Guardians are trying to beat Boston, again, while rooting for the Mariners to GET THEIR CRAP TOGETHER and beat the Astros and the Mets to remember they have a billion dollar roster for one more night and beat the Rangers again. If either of those events happen, the Guardians’ magic number reduces by one more. So… a win over the Red Sox and a loss by either Houston or Texas and Cleveland has punched their ticket to October baseball. The Astros will start Ethan Pecko who doesn’t strike anyone out and won’t be out there more than like three innings at the most, so, that helps, but the Mariners are starting George Kirby who has a 4.24 ERA. Come on, Seattle, play spoiler for those hated ‘Stros. The Mets will start Nolan McLean who is good and has a 3.18 ERA while the Rangers do a sort of bullpen game starting Cody Bradford who has a 4.19 ERA. So, there is hope all around here.

As for the Guardians tonight, they face old nemesis Sonny Gray. In the past three years, Gray has pitched 15 innings against the Guardians to the tune of an 0.60 ERA. It’s a small sample size! But, of course, Gray does have a 2.82 ERA this season. He is, unfortunately, very good. So, the Guardians will need to find a hero or two offensively. Petey Halpin hit a home run off Gray earlier this season; start him today. Give it a shot. Travis Bazzana has a .429 wOBA, Austin Hedges and Brayan Rocchio have .349 wOBA’s against him, and in 30 pitches seen Jo Adell has a .300 wOBA against him. Is that good? No. But it’s way better than the rest of the Guardians’ options have against Gray. It’s probably all mostly small sample size; Gray is just good and they need to put up good at-bats and come through with runners in scoring position.

ALSO, of course, it would be a good time right now for Foster Griffin to really put forth the kind of effort the Guardians were hoping for when they acquired him at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the Red Sox do have a 107 wRC+ against LHP this season; however, they are missing Willson Contreras who was a big piece of that. They do still have bats who can provide some right-handed thump like Adley Rutschmann, Jahmai Jones, Trevor Story, Caleb Durbin, Nate Eaton, and Andruw Monastario. Griffin will have to find a way to keep them at bay for a while, and I suspect we will need a return scoreless appearance from Craig Yoho and no gopherballs tonight from Hunter Gaddis. The Red Sox for the season have been +4 runs above average when facing lefties against Griffin’s best pitch (the cutter), but they’ve been -0.6 against sinkers and -4.9 against changeups, so I’d see if Griffin can leverage those two offerings into some outs tonight if I were designing the gameplan.

Finally, of course, we ideally want the Guardians to find a way to hang on to their slim one-game lead in the AL Central and get the #2 seed in MLB’s postseason bracket, including the bye. BUT, the Chicago White Sox have the tiebreaker and they are playing the terrible Royals and then the even more terrible Colorado Rockies to end the year. Tonight, the White Sox will open with very good reliever Bryan Hudson and then go to Erick Fedde, who is a solid but not dominant arm. The Royals will start the very bad Seth Lugo with an ERA over 5. He has surrendered a .341 wOBA to the White Sox this year, which is also bad. BUT, the Royals scored 11 runs last night. Let’s hope they can do that again because they’ll probably need it. The Royals will start Randy Dobnak on Thursday and he has a 3.08 ERA (somehow!) and they’ll be facing the back end of the White Sox rotation… so that may be the best chance for Chicago to lose a game this series. The Guardians, however, will be facing lefty Ranger Suarez who is good… and will need David Fry and Jo Adell to make some noise in that one.

Pitching rotations are not set for the Astros and Rangers after today, but the Mets will throw Zac Thornton who has a 3.40 ERA against Texas on Thursday. Meanwhile, to face the Astros, the Athletics will throw Mason Barnett who is capable of a decent performance but not great, Jacob Lopez who is like Logan Allen but worse, Jack Perkins who has been very good his last two starts, and Brady Basso who hasn’t been good but whose expected numbers look better. The Athletics are bad, no doubt, but they do have a bit of kick to them and should be motivated to spoil things for big bad Houston. The Rangers wrap up their season with three versus the Twins, who should be throwing Joe Ryan one of those games, so that’s the one to steal.

For the Guardians, Travis Bazzana needs to find it again soon, we need some Playoff Rocchio and Hero Hosey, and the bullpen will have to hold up while Griffin, Joey Cantillo and Tanner Bibee finish strong. The team has been putting up good at-bats and finding a way. I believe they can continue to do so – we will see where they end up on Sunday evening!

Anfernee Simons projects as a pivotal member of an improved Sixers bench unit

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 09: Anfernee Simons #22 of the Chicago Bulls warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 09, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Even setting aside the two major blockbuster additions in Philadelphia, Mike Gansey was lauded for what he did in his first offseason for the Sixers due to the improved depth pieces he brought into the fold.

Signing Dean Wade to a reasonable long-term deal was a nice bit of roster work, but something many people anticipated might happen due to their shared Cleveland connection. Signing Anfernee Simons to a two-year, $12.3 million deal (second year player option), though, was an unexpected, but strong piece of free agency business.

After a few years of putting up numbers for a rebuilding Portland franchise, Simons found himself in a much different situation upon arriving in Boston as part of the Jrue Holiday trade prior to last season. He went from starting every game he appeared in across the prior three seasons for the Trail Blazers, to coming off the bench across all 49 appearances for the Celtics. The role seemed to suit him well, however, as his per-36 scoring average was only a shade under his numbers in Portland, and his 39.5 percent mark from three on 6.7 attempts per game was above his 38.1 percent career average. However, in a move that was partially motivated by the difference in contract values enabling the Celtics to dip under the first apron, Simons was then shipped to Chicago in February in exchange for Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic played poorly during his time with the Celtics, and his slow feet defensively were a huge on-court liability in the first-round series loss to the Sixers. Meanwhile, Simons only played a handful of games before aggravating a wrist fracture and missing the rest of the season. It’s hard to know how much of the absence was a case of Bulls tank-itis.

Now in Philadelphia, the Sixers will hope for Simons to reprieve his role from Boston as a lethal bench scorer. His presence as an effective, high-volume outside shooter is a sorely needed dimension for the team. His 39.5 percent three-point shooting mark while in Boston last season would have led all Sixers regulars, and his 6.7 attempts per game were more than all but Tyrese Maxey (8.6) and Paul George (6.9), who obviously played a lot more minutes. With stars like Maxey, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid drawing a ton of opposing defensive attention, Simons should see a plethora of open looks this season and he won’t hesitate to let them fly. By next summer, I won’t be surprised to see a lot of the Sixers’ best offensive five-man lineup combinations have included Simons in them.

The flip side of the coin and part of the reason he was available on such an affordable deal is that Simons is a dreadful defender. He showed improved effort on that end while with Boston, but there are size and strength disadvantages that are tough to overcome. Still, there won’t be any other perimeter defenders he shares the floor with who aren’t at least average (Labaron Philon is a bit of an unknown, but I’m optimistic), so Simons can usually take on the easiest assignment. The Sixers also aren’t typically going to be relying on him in crunch-time lineups so that area of his game shouldn’t be exposed as often. Just let him outshoot the one-dimensional players on the other team’s bench during those minutes.

Simons isn’t a perfect player, but he was kind of a perfect acquisition for the Sixers with what his high-volume shooting brings to them. In a normal offseason that might not go down as the best in franchise history, his signing could have been viewed as the best bit of business for the summer. As it stands, Simons represents another terrific puzzle piece for Nick Nurse to work with on what should be an improved bench unit behind the Sixers’ star-studded starting five.