Reggie Miller weighed in on the ongoing contract situation between the Knicks and star Karl-Anthony Towns, warning that their hopes of repeating as champions aren’t helped by the drama.
“You hope behind closed doors the contract stuff doesn’t become an issue,” Miller said during an NBC media event in Stamford, according to Newsday.
He did commend the Knicks for having a “great chance of repeating” but warned that the Eastern Conference has gotten better and the Knicks have a bullseye on their back.
The situation with Towns is also another burden to bear.
Mike Tirico, Jamal Crawford, and Reggie Miller talk before Game 5 of an NBA basketball Western Conference final playoff series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks announced Friday that they were cutting off contract extension talks “until later in the season.”
It was a move that was lauded by Miller as a way to limit the distractions near the start of the season, which begins Oct. 20 against the 76ers.
“I like the Knicks coming out publicly and saying we’re going to table discussions until a later date,” Miller said. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to negotiate. It basically means you guys [media] can’t ask the players about their contract situation.”
Contract talks between the team and the player have started to take an acrimonious turn as the wide gap in negotiations has gone on.
Towns is eligible for a four-year, $277 million extension, but The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported the Knicks have offered him a four-year deal worth roughly $200 million.
Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks smiles before a game against the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“If they want to be successful and they want to have a chance to repeat,” Miller said, “you’re going to need a healthy KAT mentally. You don’t want him being a malcontent, worrying about his contract behind closed doors. Because when KAT is at his best and on board, they’re hard to beat. … I think a deal will get done. It’s going to be between the 200 and the 277 [million dollars]. So meet in the middle, sign it, and let’s move on.”
Towns had some pointed comments Sunday, saying that the Knicks ending contract talks was “news to me” and that he was “very disappointed, to say the least.”
The big man did try to assuage some concerns about his focus by telling reporters “there’s still business to be handled,” even though the off-the-court business was not dealt with.
“After 53 years, we found a way to bring this trophy back to New York, and we intend for it to stay in New York,” Towns said.
Six minutes. That's all it took to undo an otherwise promising start for the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night.
The Minnesota Wild scored three goals in a 5:07 span late in the first period, and the Golden Knights couldn't overcome the deficit in a 4-2 loss to the Wild at Grand Casino Arena.
The defeat snapped Vegas' four-game winning streak despite a third-period push that brought the Golden Knights within one goal.
"I liked our start. I thought we were ready to play," Vegas coach Ryan Craig said. "Six minutes cost us."
Matt Boldy opened the scoring at 11:50, followed by Maxim Shabanov's power-play goal at 14:32 and Danila Yurov's tally at 16:57.
Rasmus Andersson put Vegas on the board at 2:37 of the second period with his first goal of the season.
William Karlsson cut the deficit to 3-2 at 9:25 of the third, finishing a two-on-one rush after Mitch Marner moved the puck to Brett Howden, who delivered a pass across to Karlsson.
"We have to manage it better, stop the bleeding," Karlsson said of Minnesota's first-period surge. "At the end of the day it's just one goal, and we got to have the mindset of trying to take back the momentum."
The Golden Knights generated several late opportunities, but Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt preserved the lead before Joel Eriksson Ek added an empty-net goal.
"We're a resilient group," defenseman Brayden McNabb said. "But we don't want to get in the habit of always trying to come back. We want to play with the lead."
KEY MOMENT: Wild Trifecta
Minnesota's three-goal explosion during a 5:07 stretch of the opening period changed the complexion of the game.
Craig pointed to a broken stick in front of the net, a power-play goal and a defensive breakdown as the sequence that ultimately decided the outcome.
"I didn't love our composure, I guess, right at that point," Craig said. "But it doesn't concern me. I think we just have to be fully aware of it."
KEY STAT: 0 For 3
Vegas failed to convert on three power-play opportunities, while Minnesota capitalized on one of its chances with the man advantage.
"We had some looks," Craig said. "Didn't go for us tonight. I thought the guys stayed with it, and we generated some looks."
WHAT A KNIGHT: William Karlsson
The veteran center scored his first goal of the season, using his speed to create a two-on-one opportunity before finishing Howden's pass.
"I saw their D was kind of low in our zone, so I figured maybe I can beat him up the ice," Karlsson said. "Mitch got it up to Howie and then Howie with a nice little sauce, and you just have to shoot it in."
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights complete their first back-to-back of the season Tuesday when they visit the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Craig welcomed the quick turnaround after Monday's defeat.
"I'm happy we're playing again tomorrow night," Craig said. "We'll get to work."
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) shoots against Minnesota Wild forward Danila Yurov (22) in the first period at Grand Casino Arena.
MILWAUKEE –– Entering Monday night, the Dodgers were not giving serious consideration to removing Shohei Ohtani from their lineup.
One big loss, and four ugly at-bats later, however, that previously steadfast plan suddenly seemed capable of changing.
Following a 7-4 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers that put the Dodgers in a two-game hole in their National League Championship Series, the team was set to re-evaluate Ohtani’s status ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday.
Over six games in these playoffs, the four-time MVP is now just 3-for-20 with only three singles, two walks and seven strikeouts while battling ongoing right arm and left knee issues –– playing at what the team has repeatedly acknowledged is well less than 100%.
Now, however, the Dodgers can’t afford to keep waiting around for Ohtani magic.
After back-to-back losses to open the NLCS in Milwaukee this week, they return home to Los Angeles just two more defeats away from elimination –– and only one from a 3-0 deficit that just one team in MLB history (Roberts’ iconic Boston Red Sox squad in the 2004 American League Championship Series) has ever come back from.
“Can we [come back in this series]? Absolutely,” Roberts said. “But it’s just, you want to get that first [win].”
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani strikes out during the sixth inning of Game 2. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
During his BP sessions, coaches had also been encouraged by the look of his swing, optimistically noting the fact he was driving the ball to the big part of the field.
“I feel good [with] where he’s at,” Roberts said Sunday. “[He is] certainly not 100 percent, but it’s good enough.”
That, however, was no longer the case in Tuesday’s demoralizing loss, when the Dodgers’ offense as a whole managed just three hits, made outs in all 15 of their at-bats against Brewers relievers, and suddenly looked like a unit in desperate need of a jolt.
Ohtani didn’t provide one. Instead, he looked even more lost than ever before.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani strikes out during the sixth inning of Game 2. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
He ended the first inning with a three-pitch strikeout, chasing an elevated fastball from Brewers rookie Logan Henderson. He stranded a runner at second to end the second, flailing at another high fastball for a softly hit grounder to third. Then came the sixth, when Ohtani was so fooled by a slider from left-handed reliever JoJo Romero that his bat flung out of his hands on his unsuccessful attempt to check his swing.
He would make one more out in the ninth, lifting a harmless fly ball to left field off top Brewers southpaw Aaron Ashby.
Once again, he did address reporters postgame, still yet to speak publicly since before the start of the NLDS.
If the Dodgers were to drop Ohtani from the lineup for Game 3 –– when the Brewers will start left-hander Robert Gasser –– the team would have several potential ways to fill his void at DH.
Granted, swapping even a diminished version of Ohtani for someone so inexperienced would undoubtedly be a stunning decision on the surface. And if this series weren’t 2-0 for the Brewers, the calculus would be different.
But right now, De Paula might be just as much of an on-base threat, and (given he is fully healthy) is perhaps an even more likely candidate to potentially slug the ball.
And, at this increasingly dire stage, the Dodgers might not be able to risk another empty performance from their biggest star.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after batting practice prior to Game 2. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 12: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during Game One of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Truly top to bottom, this was Cleveland Gaurdians taking the Rays to school. The pioneers of dragging old school small ball baseball into the modern era kicking and screaming show why the original is oftentimes the best.
Matchups make fights, and one thing is certain after tonight: the Cleveland Guardians are a much scarier and intimidating matchup than the New York Yankees ever were.
Cleveland played an extremely Guardian and Rays style of game, and just beat the Rays to the punch. They were able to come through with the big hits from the unlikely sources at the bottom of the order. They had their young slugger have a tremendous breakout game. They got sharp pitching from start to pen keeping Rays hitters off balance and without any real threat for the majority of the night.
Overall, the first ALCS game played in the Trop in 18 years was an abysmal disappointment and at several times truly embarrassing night. It was so bad, that late in this game I was cursing the Catholic heavens for abandoning their chosen sons of the White Sox, in letting the Guardians advance.
Rays were able to come out looking not at all rusty, jumping all over Foster Griffin. Yandy jumped out with a blistering double directly to and past Kwan in LF. Aranda next in extremely Rays fashion dropped down a pure sac bunt, setting up Junior Caminero with a sharp single past the drawn in infield to get the Rays up early 1-0. Singles from Victor Mesa JR and then Johnny DeLuca would add on and push the Rays lead to 2-0.
That would be it for the Rays after Taylor Walls struck out on 3 pitches.
And ultimately that would be the best threat the Rays would mount the rest of the night. 4 hits and 5 total baserunners for that 1st inning, while the rest of the game the Rays would only generate another 3 hits and 2 baserunners.
On the pitching side, you knew runs would be hard to come by for both clubs. Rasmussen didn’t need more than 1 last time out, but this ain’t the Yankees. leveland to their credit made Rasmussen work all night. Ras took a bit to get into his groove, and the Guards hitters were fouling off pitches everywhere. Cleveland came in with a good gameplan and they were putting on some good swings on Ras.
To his credit, and the reason Rasmussen is an ace, he battled and kept the Rays in this game. Hard contact and some nifty glovework behind him, Rasmussen would get through 5 innings scoreless.
When a pitcher doesn’t have their best stuff, the ability to battle and grind it out, make the key pitches to just give your team a chance is so huge. Rasmussen showed the flashes of the true ace, but his grinding was much appreciated and was the only reason the Rays had even a fleeting hope of winning this game.
In the 6th Rasmussen would finally get tagged for a run, with Chase DeLauter (who had a mosnter game) would take a high fastball the otherway for a solo bomb.
After that though, Ras would buckle down and get through the 6th keeping the Rays in the lead.
Kevin Cash is known for a lot of things, but perhaps the most is his quick hook with starters. We have litigated the Blake Snell World Series Game 4 decisions for years, and while I still contend it was the right call, tonight we can maybe see some more evidence of why that is.
To the shock of most: Rasmussen would come out for the 7th. He’d have a battle of a night, giving up screaming contact, which thankfully most found gloves. Often the old adage of better to be a batter early than a batter late in pulling a starter, and well Cash left Ras in for what turned out to be one batter too many.
I do think the situation of this being game 1 of a 7 game series and Rasmussen being basically the only starter you can count on to give length, makes this choice a bit tricky for Cash. You have a well somewhat over-rested bullpen. It’s also a bullpen that is significantly worse than every remaining bullpen in the playoffs by most metrics. Ras was set to face the bottom of the Guardians order, which he had handled very smooth earlier in the game.
Patrick Bailey just hit the longest HR of his career to tie the game and suck the entire life out of Tropicana Field. At some point you can only tip your cap. But you can also see why Cash has in the past really leaned on being agressive with his hook.
The second half of the inning the Rays had a chance to respond. You show a lot of character in how you handle adversity. How do you respond to giving up the lead?
Rays had a pinch hitting Liam Hicks, Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Junior Caminero to respond. Hicks and Aranda would line and fly out missing their pitches. Yandy would single, and set up Junior Caminero to face Hunter Gaddis and see if he can re-find that power stroke that has eluded him for weeks. And well, it eludes him for longer.
Gaddis pitched him really cool. Using his changeup that he rarely uses ever vs righties, he was able to get strike one with a floating change that Junior watched. He finished it off with a cookie of a change-up right into the center that Caminero whiffed on that I can’t help but think over on the Guards side Jose Ramirez or DeLauter would have served into the Ray Tank.
After that, all life was gone from this home crowd. Still a tied game, at home, but seeing their young superstar strikeout, lead get surrendered, and generally feel on the ropes it just seemed that darkness loomed.
Top of the 8th Tyler Wells would make his first appearance in weeks after his late season injury. One of the key trade deadline acquisitions, Wells was nails all second half until the arm fatigue set in. He was not as sharp tonight, facing Jose Ramirez (who singled) and then DeLauter (who doubled) immediately the Rays were into danger zone.
Wells was able to get the sharp grounder right into the drawn in infield to keep Ramirez at 3rd and the score tied. Wells would then depart, for Ian Seymour to face up a lefty lefty matchup vs former Ray Nathaniel Lowe.
On an 0-2 pitch, Seymour could not elevate the fastball enough and Lowe would break the game open with a 2 run single giving the Rays their first deficit of the 2026 postseason.
The bottom half of the inning would provide the last spark of life and joy for the Rays, when out of nowhere Cedric Mullins would deliver his own lefty on lefty 2 strike magic with a solo HR to bring the Rays within a run.
Unfortunately, that indeed was it for the Rays and it would only get uglier and more humiliating from there.
Top of the 9th, Cole Sulser would get the ball and not do much good with it. Base hit, balk, and then a scary outfield crash and the 2nd best hit of the night for Caminero.
Neither Caminero or DeLuca would come out of the game, so looks like this was one element of luck that went the Rays way. But that would be it, as Sulser got two more outs, and then proceed to get beat again by the great Jose Ramirez.
And then from bad to worse as Kevin Kelly would get the grounder he was looking for against Jo Adel, but Jose Ramirez fully tricked Junior Caminero into covering 3rd for some unknown reason, allowing the grounder to roll on by and balloon the lead to an insurmountable 7-3.
Easy and short 9th from Cade Smith would send the Rays bats down without any threat, giving Cleveland a huge game 1 win in St Pete.
In the postseason, especially in the ALCS, you cannot play sloppy ball. You cannot pitch poorly. And you have to have your stars come through with some big hits. Rays could not get any of that to happen, and the Guardians did all of that.
Cleveland deserved to win game 1. They were the far and away better team in every aspect of the game. What is slightly dispiriting is, it didn’t feel nearly as close as the score was for the majority of this one.
Maybe that’s the good thing and a positive to take away. The Rays nearly won this game if they make some better bullpen choices, or played sharper defense, or gotten at he big hit when it came around. The moments were there, and there’s a world where they are able to hold the 2-1 lead or even keep it tied and win in extras.
If the Rays are to get back into this series, and give the Guardians the fight they deserve, they are going to have to play much better in every way.
The Rays need to figure out a way to beat a left handed starter, a struggle they have had all season.
The Rays bullpen needs to be sharper, a struggle they have had all season.
Up next is Parker Messick, another left handed pitcher, Plant City native and former Seminole, getting the start for Cleveland tomorrow night.
This is a 7 game series. It’s a long series and this is just game 1. But if the Rays can’t find a way to give a hell of a better effort, it’s not gonna be that long.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nathaniel Lowe snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single after Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey homered off Drew Rasmussen, and the Guardians rallied past the Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca had RBI singles in the first and Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer for the Rays, who never trailed in a three-game sweep of the Yankees in their AL Division Series.
“It’s been a while since we lost, so I think that’s a good thing, and I know the guys will come back and respond tomorrow,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Rookie left-hander Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, and right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for the Rays.
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez (1) and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrate after winning game one of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Five relievers combined for five innings of one-run, two-hit ball for the Guardians, who became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series with a victory over the White Sox on Saturday night.
Cade Smith, who pitched in all five games against Chicago, tossed a perfect ninth.
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (38), outfielder Angel Martinez (1) and outfielder Chase DeLauter (24) celebrate a win of game one of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays during the MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Obviously we came off an emotional series, had a quick turnaround. But these guys come ready to play every day. Couldn’t be more proud of them,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We got punched early. And our pitching staff, credit to them, for stopping it and keeping us in the game as long as they did. And the offense came alive.”
Rasmussen took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before DeLauter led off with an opposite-field homer to left-center. Bailey started the seventh with a towering shot to center that went a projected 436 feet, ending Rasmussen’s night.
Cedric Mullins (31) celebrates a homer on a fly ball to right field during the eighth inning of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. ZUMAPRESS.com
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) runs the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning in game one of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
José Ramírez opened the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter ripped a double to right. After Wells retired Jo Adell on a grounder to second, Ian Seymour entered. Lowe lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle to drive in two, giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
Mullins connected off Erik Sabrowski for a solo shot in the bottom half.
Nathaniel Lowe #46 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a two RBI single during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. Getty Images
Ramírez, whose two-run homer lifted Cleveland to a 2-0 win in Game 5 versus Chicago, provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth off Cole Sulser. Ramírez helped the Guardians get two more by breaking for third with two outs and two strikes on Adell. Caminero ran to cover the bag and was out of position when Adell hit a sharp grounder toward third. The ball rolled into left field for a two-run double.
A crowd of 35,361 fans waved yellow rally towels and rang cowbells at Tropicana Field in the Rays’ third appearance in the ALCS in the franchise’s 29 season-history.
They were fired up when the 98-win Rays jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and Rasmussen battled to keep it there until the sixth.
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings, allowing a hit to the second batter he faced and eight total, striking out seven.
Guardians starter Foster Griffin allowed two runs and five hits in four innings.
The New Jersey Devils fell to the Ottawa Senators, 4-1, at Prudential Center on Monday night. Despite an effective penalty kill, the Devils struggled to generate offense, with their lone goal from Arseny Gritsyuk scored in the third period.
Brenden Dillon was assessed an interference penalty against former Devil Fabian Zetterlund with 12:24 remaining in the first period. Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce, Cody Glass, and Dawson Mercer began the penalty kill before Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, Evan Rodrigues, and Nico Hischier took over. The Devils successfully limited the Senators to just one shot during their power play.
Later in the period, Anthony Mantha received a five-minute major for boarding Ottawa defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo. Matinpalo was evaluated by a trainer on the ice before eventually heading down the tunnel. New Jersey's penalty kill once again rose to the occasion, allowing only two shots during the extended advantage.
Through 20 minutes, Ottawa held a 7-4 edge in shots, but neither team found the back of the net.
The Senators broke the deadlock just nine seconds into the second period, scoring on their eighth shot of the game. Shane Pinto recorded his first goal of the season to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead. The goal marked the fifth consecutive game in which New Jersey surrendered the opening goal.
Five minutes into the period, Amadeus Lombardi was called for slashing Stephen Halliday. The Devils' penalty kill continued to keep the game within reach, but another infraction proved costly.
Luke Evangelista took New Jersey's fifth penalty of the game with 11 minutes remaining in the middle frame. With 1:37 left on the ensuing penalty kill, Halliday doubled Ottawa's advantage, making it 2-0.
The Devils struggled to turn their defensive effort into offensive production in the third period. Around the halfway mark of the frame, New Jersey outshot Ottawa 6-0, but Ullmark stood tall to preserve the Senators' lead.
Ottawa then extended its advantage to 3-0 on its first shot of the period, with Tim Stützle scoring his fifth goal of the season.
New Jersey appeared to get on the scoreboard when Jesper Boqvist found the net, but the goal was overturned following a review for goaltender interference.
The Devils finally broke through at 14:59 of the third period. Gritsyuk fired a wrist shot from between the circles for his first goal of the season, cutting Ottawa's lead to 3-1. Jack Hughes recorded the primary assist, extending his point streak to three games.
Any hopes of a late comeback were extinguished when Tyler Kleven scored an empty-net goal at 17:53, sealing the Senators' 4-1 victory.
The Devils will look to regroup and find a way to generate more consistent offense in their next outing on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings.
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning, Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey hit solo homers off Drew Rasmussen, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca had RBI singles in the first off Foster Griffin and Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer for the Rays, who never trailed in a sweep of the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series.
Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Rookie lefty Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, and right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for the Rays.
Five relievers combined for five innings of one-run, two-hit ball for the Guardians, who became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series with a victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
Cade Smith, who pitched in all five games against Chicago, tossed a perfect ninth.
Rasmussen took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before DeLauter led off with an opposite-field homer to left-center. Bailey started the seventh with a towering shot to center that went an estimated 436 feet, ending Rasmussen’s night.
Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
José Ramírez led off the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter ripped a double to right. After Wells retired Jo Adell on a grounder to second, Ian Seymour entered. Lowe lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle to drive in two, giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
Mullins connected off Erik Sabrowski in the bottom half.
Ramirez, whose two-run homer lifted Cleveland to a 2-0 win in Game 5 vs. Chicago, provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth off Cole Sulser. He helped the Guardians get two more by breaking for third with two outs and two strikes on Adell. Caminero ran to cover the bag and was out of position when Adell hit a sharp grounder toward third. The ball rolled into left field for a two-run double.
A crowd of 35,361 fans waved yellow rally towels and rang cowbells at Tropicana Field in the Rays’ third appearance in the ALCS in the franchise’s 29 season-history.
They were fired up when the 98-win Rays jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and Rasmussen battled to keep it there until the sixth.
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings. The two-time All-Star right-hander, who was four outs from a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory against New York, allowed a hit to the second batter he faced and eight total, striking out seven.
Griffin allowed two runs and five hits in four innings.
The Rays allowed just 12 hits in three games against the Yankees but the Guardians got 14 in the series opener, including three apiece from Ramírez and DeLauter.
Glove work
The Rays helped Rasmussen with outstanding defense.
Nick Fortes threw out Ramirez trying to steal second in the first. Caminero made an excellent play to retire Adell on a hard bouncer to third. Caminero short-hopped the ball with his backhand and fired a strong throw to first.
The Guardians had a runner on first with one out in the third when second baseman Ben Williamson robbed DeLauter of a hit that prevented a first-and-third jam. Williamson, who wasn’t on the ALDS roster, made a diving grab on DeLauter’s sharp grounder, got up and threw him out.
Stranded runners
Rays slick-fielding shortstop Taylor Walls was 0 for 3 and left six runners on base. He struck out with the bases loaded to end the first, lined out with a runner on in the fourth and grounded out with runners on first and second to end the sixth.
Up Next
Messick took the loss in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 2 1/3 innings in relief in a Game 4 victory, giving up two runs. Messick had 11 strikeouts in the two appearances. He was 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA in the regular season.
Peralta allowed one run and three hits over 4 2/3 innings in Game 2 of the AL Division Series vs. the Yankees. He was 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts after joining Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. Peralta was 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA for the Mets this season.
Blakey offloaded to North Melbourne in exchange for a glut of picks
Player had requested move after relationship with club fractured
Nick Blakey, one of five Sydney players embroiled in the Pullman Hotel scandal, has been granted his wish to join North Melbourne with a blockbuster trade. On the penultimate day of the trade period, the Swans offloaded Blakey, draft pick No 52 and their 2028 second-round selection, in exchange for a glut of picks.
The Kangaroos shipped picks No 6 and No 47, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to get the deal done on Tuesday.
MILWAUKEE – Andrew Friedman, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations, scurried down the staircase Sunday night with several of his staff members as blaring chants from the crowd in the American Family Field concourse pierced his ears.
Friedman descended into the Dodgers' clubhouse after the Milwaukee Brewers' 7-4 victory where there was nothing but dead silence.
The Dodgers, the two-time defending World Series champions, are on the ropes.
They boarded the team bus at 8:20 p.m. local time for the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport for a return flight to Los Angeles, trying to make sense of what just happened.
The Dodgers certainly weren’t taking the Brewers for granted, not after winning 103 games this season, but they never imagined that their high-powered offense would be suffocated like this, trailing the Brewers 2 games to 0, with their dynasty on the brink.
“It’s hard to win,’’ Dodgers future Hall of Fame shortstop Mookie Betts said, “when you get only three hits.’’
“It’s tough to hit,’’ Dodgers future Hall of Fame first baseman Freddie Freeman said, “when their bullpen is throwing 100 mph with different arm angles.’’
“It’s just tough to beat those guys,’’ Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “They play hard. They never give up. You know, they play clean baseball. That’s the thing, we’ve got to play a better game.’’
The Dodgers certainly put up a brave front in the clubhouse, reminding everyone that they have two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell going in Game 3, playoff experienced Tyler Glasnow in Game 4, with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal returning for a potential Game 5.
Yet, they are in deep trouble, trailing 2 games to 0 for the first time in a postseason since the COVID 2020 NLCS against Atlanta, which they came back to win in seven games.
They also came back from a 3-games-to-2 deficit in the World Series last year to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Still, this feels different.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, their World Series MVP who yielded a 1.07 ERA in his last five postseason starts, lasted just 2⅔ innings Monday, and coming just a day after the two-time Cy Young winner Skubal lasted only five innings.
“It was tough,’’ Betts said. “But he’s a human being, too, you know. I think everybody’s so used to him being a robot that if he didn’t go eight innings, no hits, whatever, then he wasn’t Yamamoto.
“So, it just shows he’s a human being. It’s playoff baseball.’’
The Brewers aren’t getting length from their starters, either, but their bullpen has made the Dodgers look absolutely silly.
The Brewers bullpen came into the game in the fifth inning, and promptly retired 15 consecutive batters, setting a postseason record. Their bullpen is yielding a 0.31 ERA this postseason. And the Dodgers, who have seen six different Brewers’ relievers, are hitting just .067 with just two singles off their bullpen.
If the Brewers didn’t pose enough problems, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was left being second-guessed Monday for the way he deployed his bullpen, All-Star catcher Will Smith was being second-guessed for not challenging enough pitches, and then there was the $700 million question:
What is wrong with Shohei Ohtani?
Ohtani, the greatest talent in the game, who has come through again and again for the Dodgers whenever they’ve needed him, has disappeared.
He last hit a home run on Aug. 18 at Coors Field.
He has hit .157 since Aug. 19 with one RBI, three extra-base hits and a .503 OPS.
He hit .154 (2-for-13) with four strikeouts and no extra-base hits in the four-game NL Division Series against Atlanta.
And now, he’s 1-for-7 in the two games against the Brewers with three strikeouts, lowering his postseason batting average to .150.
The greatest player in the game has become such a non-factor in the Dodgers' lineup that Roberts plans to speak to Ohtani on Tuesday, according to The Athletic, with the possibility he could be benched for Game 3 on Wednesday.
“It’s hard, it’s hard to see,’’ Betts said. “We know he’s working, but that’s a big one. We need him. We need him for sure.’’
The Dodgers won’t come out and say it, and Ohtani refuses to address it, but certainly something is wrong. It might be his sore left knee. His strained right biceps. But he doesn't appear to be healthy, not performing like this. He’s not driving the ball with power, he’s not pulling the ball, he’s getting beat on the fastball, and is just trying to get on base with walks or soft singles. He even squared off to bunt in the sixth inning off Brewers left-hander JoJo Romero.
“I mean, it’s tough,’’ Hernández said. “We obviously need him. You know, he’s a big, big part of this team, and he’s really important. I feel bad for him. You know what he’s capable of. He’s been dealing with some stuff in the past. We don’t know if it’s still there, but you know, it’s Shohei. Any moment he can come through.’’
The Brewers still believe he’s dangerous, and are pitching him carefully as if he’s the same dominant hitter who won four MVP awards, but nobody has seen him struggle like this, at least not since joining the Dodgers.
“Everybody knows he’s struggling right now,’’ Hernández said. “But they’re being careful the same way as he was doing his MVP season. It’s not that he’s getting pitches to hit, so it’s going to be even tougher, especially when you’re in a slump like that.’’
The Dodgers can only hope to quickly regroup and try to save their season with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Dodger Stadium.
They insisted to everyone who’d listen that their confidence has not waned, even with their deficit, not with their star-studded rotation lined up nicely with the next three games in Los Angeles.
“It’s still a pretty good scenario we’re in,’’ Freeman said. “It’s going to be a great series. They know they’ve got a lot on their hands, too. We just got to come out and play better.’’
The Dodgers, with just one extra-base hit this series, believe they’ll start hitting once home in their friendly confines. They’ve got the experience. They’ve certainly got the hardware. And they still have the belief they can become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series championships.
“I don’t think there’s much doubt going on,’’ Betts said. “I think we just have to regroup and figure out what we need to do individually. But there are no doubts …
“They’re a really good ballclub, really good arms. They’re swinging it. They’re playing really well. So we have to be ready to go. The mindset can’t really change. Can’t add more pressure. There’s already enough as it is.
“There are no secrets.
“We’ve just got to figure out a way to get those hits.’’
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto finally flopped in a playoff game, and now the Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back home with their bid for a third straight championship in serious jeopardy.
Yamamoto lasted just 2 2/3 innings for his shortest postseason start as the Dodgers lost 7-4 to Milwaukee on Monday to fall behind 2-0 in the National League Championship Series. The Brewers continually fouled off pitches and drove up Yamamoto’s pitch count before knocking him out of the game.
“I don’t know the exact reason yet,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “I need to check the videos and then I can reflect on what happened today.”
It was quite a departure for a pitcher who was virtually unhittable last October.
Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series MVP, entered 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career postseason appearances. In Game 2 of the Dodgers’ NLCS sweep of Milwaukee last season, Yamamoto threw a three-hitter and pitched the first playoff complete game since Houston’s Justin Verlander threw one in 2017.
In three previous postseason starts following Dodgers losses, Yamamoto had gone 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA. The Dodgers were banking on him to deliver another gem to tie the NLCS as they continue their quest to become the first NL team to win three straight World Series.
“I think everybody’s so used to him being a robot that if he didn’t go eight innings, no hits, whatever, it wasn’t Yamamoto,” Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts said. “It shows he’s a human being and it’s playoff baseball.”
Yamamoto was unable to protect two Los Angeles leads in the first three innings.
After the Dodgers scored in the top of the first, Milwaukee tied the game in the bottom half when Yamamoto allowed a one-out double to Brice Turang and William Contreras followed with an RBI single.
The turning point of Yamamoto’s night came in the third. The Brewers trailed 2-1 but had runners on first and second with two outs when Jake Bauers stepped to the plate.
Bauers worked the count full and then fouled off six straight pitches from Yamamoto before capping his 12-pitch plate appearance with a walk that loaded the bases.
“It was a blast, honestly,” Bauers said. “It was a blast. Any time you can get that locked in doing anything, it’s to me one of the most enjoyable experiences I think a human being can have.”
It wasn’t very enjoyable for Yamamoto, particularly after Christian Yelich came up next and lined a two-run single to center. Yelich’s hit put Milwaukee ahead 3-2 and knocked Yamamoto out of the game.
Yamamoto ended up allowing two walks and four hits while striking out only one batter. He threw 75 pitches, including 36 in the third inning.
“He just didn’t have it tonight, which is very rare,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
The Dodgers pulled back ahead 4-3 in the fifth, but they couldn’t maintain the lead and then Los Angeles’ lineup had no answers for Milwaukee’s bullpen. Milwaukee relievers Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to retire Los Angeles’ last 15 batters, continuing the Dodgers’ postseason slump.
Los Angeles got just three hits Monday and is 2 for 26 with runners in scoring position during the playoffs. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani hit his last homer way back on Aug. 18.
If the Dodgers don’t start hitting, Yamamoto might not get another opportunity to pitch this postseason.
“Our job now is to win several games and give him another chance,” third baseman Max Muncy said, “because I know that next time out he’s going to dominate.”
The Dodgers' Freddie Freeman strikes out in the eighth inning against Aaron Ashby in Game 2 of the NLCS in Milwaukee. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers spent $163 million on the back end of their bullpen the past two years. The Milwaukee Brewers did not.
So two games into the National League Championship Series, guess which team’s relief corps has been lights out and which one has been lit up? (Spoiler alert: it’s not the team with all the money.)
Milwaukee sent a parade of four relievers to the mound for a second straight game Monday, and for a second straight game they didn’t give up a run, retiring the last 15 Dodgers in order in a 7-4 win that gives Milwaukee a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which moves to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday.
The Brewers’ bullpen has pitched 9 2/3 innings in the series, yielding just two hits — both off Abner Uribe — and three walks. That’s it. Both wins have gone to relievers, DL Hall in the opener and JoJo Romero in Game 2.
Dodger relievers, meanwhile, have pitched 9 1/3 innings in the two games, giving up four runs on nine hits. Reliever Brock Stewart took the loss Monday.
In a series that’s rapidly shaping up as a battle of the bullpens, the Dodgers clearly aren’t getting what they paid for.
“I don’t have an answer,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shrugged when asked why the Dodgers relievers have struggled while the Brewers have shined. “I know that they’ve got good arms; so do we. I think they’re just finding ways to win pitches better than we are.”
Slugger Max Muncy has a theory on the same question.
“They’re really good,” he said.
The Brewers’ 48 bullpen wins was the most in baseball during the regular season and its 3.40 ERA was best in the National League. And it has been even better in the postseason, giving up just one earned run in 28 2/3 innings against the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. In the divisional era (since 1969), only the 1991 Minnesota Twins have a lower bullpen ERA through six playoff games and with a reliever earning the victory in all five of Milwaukee’s postseason wins, the Brewers have done something only the 2014 Kansas City Royals had done previously.
“There’s a reason they’re where they’re at right now and the bullpen’s a big piece of that,” Muncy said. “If there is a positive, you can say that a lot of our guys are starting to get looks at their back-end guys. But when they’re as good as they are, I don’t know how much that helps.
“They’re all throwing 100 [mph] plus and they all have really nasty stuff.”
Especially Aaron Ashby, who has pitched in both games, holding the Dodgers to a walk in 3 2/3 innings, striking out three. He’s the Brewers’ best-paid reliever, earning $5.5 million this season.
The Dodgers have three relievers making at least twice that — and one of them, Blake Treinen, didn’t even make the postseason roster. One of the others, Tanner Scott, gave up twice as many runs in his first postseason appearance as the Brewers’ bullpen has given up this month.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe celebrates after completing the seventh inning of Game 2 of the NLCS. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“They attack the hitters,” Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández said of Milwaukee’s relievers. “They throw strikes. They got good stuff. They throw hard. We’ve just got to do a better job.”
Hernández then echoed Muncy in pointing out the Dodgers have now seen six of Milwaukee’s nine relievers, with Ashby and Uribe throwing in both games. And while the Dodgers haven’t done anything against them yet, that familiarity could help going forward.
“We know what we’re going to get,” Hernández said.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy conceded the point — sort of.
“Familiarity, as the numbers tell us, does provide an edge,” he said. “So what we try to do is make sure they don’t face the same guys the next time they pitch if they’re one-inning guys.
Sometimes you can, though. Uribe, who has appeared in all six Brewers games this postseason, has already faced eight Dodger hitters in the series, but only one of them, Andy Pages, twice. And when he does face someone a second time, Murphy said with a smile, who’s to say he’ll him pitch the same way?
“Uribe might have something up his sleeve based on how those other times went,” he said. “Like, well, I never gave him this.’”
That would count as a surprise. However the dominant performance of the Brewers’ bargain-basement bullpen would not. Because even in baseball, the Dodgers are finding out, there are some things money can’t buy.
Nathaniel Lowe’s line-drive single up the middle drove in Ramírez and Chase DeLauter with the go-ahead runs in the top of the eighth and the Guardians struck for seven runs over the final four innings of the game to stun the Rays, who took a 2-0 lead into the sixth.
Yet from there, DeLauter and Ramírez - who each had three hits - and Cleveland’s pitching staff took over.
DeLauter hit an opposite-field homer to cut the Guardians’ deficit in half and then doubled in the eighth for his third hit, the rookie setting the stage for Lowe’s heroics.
In the ninth, Ramírez tacked on an RBI single off reliever Cole Sulser and Joe Adell rapped a two-out, two-run double for the Guardians' final runs.
That decisive eighth inning began with right-hander Tyler Wells on the mound and he induced a soft grounder from Ramírez. But it bunny-hopped along the Tropicana Field turf long enough for Ramírez to scamper to first base.
After DeLauter’s double and a groundout, Wells was lifted for lefty Ian Seymour. But Lowe, who was drafted by the Rays and spent the first two years of his career in Tampa Bay, sent a fastball right back up the middle to plate the go-ahead runs.
Cedric Mullins’ solo homer in the eighth pulled Tampa Bay within one, but the Guardians' add-on runs in the ninth made it simple for closer Cade Smith, the sixth Cleveland pitcher of the night, who powered through the Rays in the ninth.
The Guardians certainly might feel like they stole this one.
Rays ace Drew Rasmussen took a shutout into the sixth inning but was dinged by DeLauter's opposite-field solo homer to make it 2-1. Patrick Bailey's homer to center leading off the seventh ended Rasmussen's night.
Meanwhile, starter Foster Griffin – who hung around to complete four innings - and five relievers combined to hold Tampa Bay to one run over the final eight innings, yielding just two hits.
Perhaps this is just a quick-strike surprise from the Guardians, still running on adrenaline after Ramírez’s two-run shot powered their winner-take-all Game 5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. The Rays won 98 games to the Guardians’ 85, were rested and had their ace going.
But perhaps the Guardians’ offense, perceived as less potent than Tampa Bay’s, is timelier and more playoff-built than perceived. In Game 1, they at least proved that if their pitchers simply stay in the game, they can counterattack quickly.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tim Stützle had a goal and an assist, Shane Pinto and Stephen Halliday scored and the Ottawa Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Monday night to keep their hot start going.
Linus Ullmark stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced, allowing just a goal to Arseny Gritsyuk with five minutes left. After a tumultuous summer that included trading captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida, the Senators have won five of their first six games, despite missing a handful of key players to injuries.
Their depth took another hit when defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo was injured in the first period. Matinpalo went head first into the boards when he was boarded by New Jersey’s Anthony Mantha.
Matinpalo received medical attention and did not return, ruled out with what the team called an upper-body injury.
Ottawa was already thin on the blue line with Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub sidelined. And forward William Eklund is out for what coach Travis Green estimated to be an extended period of time because of an injured left ankle.
Green’s team has made up for those absences with timely scoring and fast-paced play. The breakthrough at the Devils came 9 seconds into the second period when Pinto scored his first goal of the season, beating Nico Daws (16 saves) off the rush following a pass from Michael Amadio.
Halliday scored on the power play midway through the second when he was left open in front by Brett Pesce losing his footing. That was the Senators finally taking advantage of the Devils parading to the penalty box after failing to score on Mantha’s 5-minute major earlier.
SABRES 5, PANTHERS 3
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Noah Ostlund scored the go-ahead goal on the power play 7:15 into the third period, and Buffalo defeated Florida in an outing both teams lost key players to injury.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin scored his second goal of the season before not returning after sustaining an upper-body injury early in the second period.
Meantime, Panthers starting goalie Jacob Markstrom did not return after allowing two goals on 11 shots in the first period. He was replaced by Akira Schmid, who finished allowing three goals on 21 shots.
Buffalo also got goals from Tage Thompson, Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod in an outing the Sabres never trailed.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed one goal on 14 shots for the win in a backup role. He entered 6:25 into the second period after starter Colten Ellis allowed two goals on nine shots. Ellis was pulled after Sam Reinhart tied the game at 2 by poking in a loose puck that dribbled into the crease behind the goalie.
Reinhart scored twice and Anton Lundell also had a goal. Brady Tkachuk got his first point with the Panthers as he assisted on Reinhart’s second goal.
WILD 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Shabanov scored on a power play during a three-goal first period as Minnesota held on to beat Vegas behind another strong special teams performance.
Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov also scored early for the Wild, who outshot the Golden Knights 23-11 over the first two periods — including 6-1 while short-handed.
Rasmus Andersson had a goal in the second and William Karlsson scored midway through the third period to bring Vegas within one, but the Wild defense locked in after that. Joel Eriksson Ek added an empty-netter with 1:22 left.
The Wild killed all five penalties against them and are 21 for 22 this season, the best penalty kill rate in the NHL. Their power play also leads the league at 7 for 17.
Jesper Wallstedt, who has played all six games in goal for the Wild, made 21 saves.
Carter Hart stopped 24 shots for the Golden Knights, who fell behind 3-0 in the first period for the second time in three games.
The Wild tied a franchise record with a power-play goal in six consecutive games to start the season when Shabanov’s shot bounced off Hurt’s blocker with Eriksson Ek running interference at the crease.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their defensemen for a little while.
The Penguins announced on Monday that Trevor van Riemsdyk has been placed on injured reserve. He got hurt during Friday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and missed Saturday's game against the Dallas Stars.
Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed on Monday that TVR won't travel with the team for the start of their upcoming four-game road trip, but he could meet them later on.
Pens HCDM: - Kuzmenko was a “full participant, looked good” - need to have conversations about whether or not he’s available tomorrow. - van Riemsdyk (lower-body) will not start the trip with the team, but not ruling out joining team during trip - No status change on Brazeau pic.twitter.com/6O7fClxy9c
TVR spent the first five games paired with Kris Letang and had a solid first three games before really struggling in Washington and Columbus. He has no points in five games.
The Penguins signed van Riemsdyk to a two-year contract when free agency opened on July 1 after he spent the last six seasons with the Capitals.
Spencer Stastney replaced TVR in the lineup on Saturday and is slated to fill in until TVR's ready to return.
The Penguins will start their trip on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Puck drop will be at 8 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
The fundraiser will take place ahead of the Knicks' preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 15, according to the Post.
An invitation published by the Post shows that tickets to attend the event start at $10,000.
Dolan is one of the biggest Republican donors in New York for the 2026 midterm cycle, according to Politico. Dolan, his company and family members donated $1.4 million to committees for Blakeman as well as millions into super PACs supporting the Republican candidate, Politico reported.
Blakeman is a longshot in the race for the governorship in the deep-blue state. A poll by Emerson College released on Oct. 8 has incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hocul leading the Nassau County executive by 12 points.
“James Dolan knows how to build businesses, create jobs, and win championships. I’m proud to have his support and his advice — and together, we’re ready to take on Kathy Hochul and deliver another win for all New Yorkers,” Blakeman said in a statement to the Post.
Blakeman was a guest in Dolan's suite when President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the only game in the series the Knicks lost in route to the NBA championship – the team's first title in 53 years.
Madison Square Garden hosted a large rally for then candidate Trump in the closing stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign.
USA TODAY has reached out to Madison Square Garden for comment.
