Fighters have always provided rich material for stories on stage and screen and the appeal to audiences has not wavered
Three of my greatest joys in life are watching sport, going to the theatre and playing violin. So it felt almost embarrassing to discover a classic play that combined all three, yet I’d never heard of it before. To be fair, Golden Boy has not been performed in the UK in more than 40 years and its curious premise may be one of the reasons.
Written in 1937, it’s about a gifted young violinist in Depression-era America who also has a talent for boxing and is lured away from music by the pursuit of fame and money in the ring. In the current London production he is played by Josh O’Connor, who Knives Out fans have seen with his fists up as a boxer turned priest in Wake Up Dead Man. O’Connor is no less convincing on stage than on film, attacking a heavy bag with the kind of power that does indeed make you worry for his precious hands. Nor is that ab definition entirely the work of a makeup artist.
In their opening night game, the New Jersey Devils went 0-4 on the power play,
Including 0-3 in first period. At the end of their third opportunity, defenseman Dougie Hamilton lost the puck at the point, forcing the Devils to touch up to avoid offsides.
The fumbled puck brought a round of boos from the crowded Prudential Center, more so than a typical error at the blue line from a defenseman. The fans weren’t just venting on the play; they were venting at the player, the contract, the tenure he’s put together with the Devils thus far.
Hamilton responded with a goal in the second period, the Devils’ first in the game, that woke up the building. “He fires away, gets a second look, fires again. It's a great shot,” head coach Sheldon Keefe stated after the game, acknowledging the accuracy but, more importantly, the effort to keep firing away and giving the Devils a chance. His goal got the offense going and kickstarted the 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 33-year-old defenseman has become a lightning rod for the Devils, certainly for the fans in recent years. Hamilton is a favorite when the team is playing well and a scapegoat when they struggle, whether he deserves the criticism or not. It’s the life of a defenseman, especially an offensive-minded defenseman, yet he’s taken a lot of heat over the years because of who he is and what he brings to the lineup.
Hamilton Has Always Had The Hype (Or Overhype)
Hamilton’s lofty expectations go back to his early playing days, back when he was drafted with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Boston Bruins. He was a highly regarded prospect at the time and was a regular on the defense by the time the 2012-13 season rolled around. There are high expectations for a defenseman when they are on the team at 19 years old.
Yet, the Bruins traded him three seasons later to the Calgary Flames, giving up on a young defenseman well before they knew how he’d pan out. The Flames are where he found his footing, but they traded him as well in the 2018 offseason. While the Flames moved him as part of a blockbuster trade that landed them Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, the move said a lot about Hamilton. He was traded twice before turning 25, a sign that teams are willing to give up and move on from him.
That said, Hamilton still had the talent to be a great defenseman. All it took was for a team to believe in him. The Carolina Hurricanes saw the talent and were willing to take a chance on him. They not only acquired Hamilton in the blockbuster trade but made him a cornerstone of their rebuild.
The Hurricanes Created A High Bar For Him
The Rod Brind’Amour system is kind to defensemen. It allows them to have great seasons as long as they buy in. The defensemen must be great skaters, specifically, to play man-to-man defense, plus, they must be patient with the puck, valuing possession and quality looks on the net. Hamilton was always a great skater, making him the first of many to benefit from Brind’Amour’s style.
Hamilton looked great at a pivotal time for the Hurricanes. Brind’Amour came in, took a team that was going nowhere, and made them a perennial playoff team. Hamilton was a pivotal part of the resurgence as well, with 121 points and 13 defensive point shares on the other end in three seasons.
While Jaccob Slavin was the emerging shutdown defenseman, slowly becoming one of the best in the game at his craft, Hamilton was the scoring defenseman. Hamilton was the one adding another layer of offense and fueling the playoff runs, especially the 2019 run where the Hurricanes appeared in the Eastern Conference Final.
It made Hamilton a top player when he went to free agency in the 2021 offseason. The Devils needed a two-way defenseman who they could lean on and thought he’d be the answer, the fix to their woes at the point.
Hamilton Hasn’t Lived Up To That Contract
The Devils gave Hamilton a seven-year contract with a $9 million average annual value, expecting him to play like a number one defenseman. While they weren’t asking him to lead their rebuild, he was expected to become a big part of their success. After all, he was part of the successful rebuild with the Hurricanes.
In his five seasons with the Devils, he hasn’t lived up to that contract. It’s the combination of injuries, bad luck, and being a good but not great defenseman that’s left the Devils searching for more.
It’s made Hamilton someone the Devils have wanted to trade but can’t. The previous front office wanted to send him to the San Jose Sharks and offload the contract, but his no-trade clause got in the way. It’s left the player and the team in a difficult spot where they must wait out the contract, or hope that he rediscovers his game to make that contract worthwhile in the end.
The Frustration Is That The Devils Go As He Does, Certainly On The Blue Line
The one season with the Devils that Hamilton was healthy and played all 82 regular season games was 2022-23, the best one they’ve had in the past decade. Everything went right for the Devils that season, and it started with Hamilton.
Hamilton not only played every game, but he also scored 22 goals and added 52 assists to the offense, both of which were career highs. He gave the Devils the boost that they needed from the point, opening up the offense when Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier couldn’t.
For the Devils, they rely on Hamilton. He’s not their best player, but they go as he does, especially on defense. It’s what made his performance on opening night an optimistic sign, that’s he’s poised for a big season, a season where he proves he was worth the $9 million AAV contract.
“He’s scored in every game I played with him,” rookie forward Amadeus Lombardi joked after his NHL debut, and the Devils are hopeful that he’s a constant threat for the offense. “They should be in the rush like that all year and giving us offense,” Jack Hughes stated, including his brother Luke, who also scored on opening night. With two defensemen making an impact offensively, the conversation around the Devils will change quickly, going from a murky middle team to a top-of-the-division one
After a summer of drama, Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons have agreed to stay together, but scars will remain and need to heal.
Just a couple of hours before the qualifying offer deadline, Duren agreed to the often-reported latest offer from the Pistons of five years, $200 million, reported Shams Charania of ESPN and NBA insider Chris Haynes. The deal is a straight five years, with no team or player options, and is fully guaranteed.
Duren is coming off a breakout season where he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and served as the Pistons' defensive anchor in the paint, and with that, he was both an All-Star and All-NBA player. Because he made an All-NBA team, Duren was eligible for up to five years, $287 million. However, Duren cost himself a lot of money when he struggled on both ends of the court during the playoffs — he averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, had a negative plus/minus, and by the end of the series against the Cavaliers was losing minutes to backup center Paul Reed.
Combine that with the Pistons looking at how the luxury tax aprons are hitting other top teams, and they wanted to keep Duren well below his max. It led to a long summer of drama. Detroit started the summer lowballing Duren with an offer in the low- to mid-$30 million-a-year range, which was tough negotiating by Detroit in a summer when other, less proven centers were getting paid. Duren's ultimate leverage is taking the $9.6 million qualifying offer, and the fact he dragged this out until just a couple of hours before the deadline showed how seriously he considered it.
It may have taken most of the summer, but eventually the Pistons got to a five-year, $200 million offer (and took a ridiculous weight clause off the table). Duren eventually signed the deal.
Now Duren is reunited with Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson on a Pistons team that won 60 games last season and wants to take a step forward this season. The Pistons — who also signed Thompson to a five-year, $155 million contract extension this summer — have locked up their core. Now that core has to prove it can take the next step forward.
The Chicago Blackhawks wasted no time being shut out for the first time in 2026-27, as the Utah Mammoth defeated them on Thursday by a final score of 6-0. If you can believe it, the Blackhawks were significantly more outmatched in Utah than against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Vegas defeated Utah in the first round last year en route to the Stanley Cup Final, but the Mammoth gave them a scare. This year, it appears that the latter can give anyone a run for their money as the season goes along. The Mammoth showed their dominance against the Blackhawks to kick off their own season on Thursday.
Dylan Guenther scored the first goal of the game, and it was the first of two for him. Utah managed two goals in the first, three in the second, and one in the third. For the entirety of the game, Chicago had no answers for Utah in the defensive zone.
Their top pair, consisting of Alex Vlasic and Bowen Byram, struggled in a big way, as their game scorecard showed them to be much worse than the rest of the defense corps. Sam Rinzel also had a tough night, which makes you wonder if Kevin Korchinski or Ethan Del Mastro will get a chance in Buffalo.
Patrick Kane scored a goal in the first game against Vegas, but he didn't produce much of anything in this one. He wasn't the only Blackhawks forward who had a rough go, however, as the entire group struggled to possess the puck, create any pressure, or look even a little bit connected as a group.
Teuvo Teravainen had a chance to prove himself as he entered the lineup in place of the injured Andrew Mangiapane, but there wasn't much there for him either. At least he had a shot, which is something that six Blackhawks forwards can't say.
One line can say that they weren't horrific, and that was once again the 4th line of Ryan Greene, centering Jordan Greenway and Cole. They were the best trio against Vegas, and they repeated their play in this match against Utah. Can their play be due to the fact that it's the only line that hasn't been put in the blender? Maybe, but the top three lines must start living up to their roles sooner rather than later.
There was a moment in the game where MacKenzie Weegar hit Oliver Moore hard. In response, Ryan Donato dropped and fought Weegar. Both Donato and Moore hit the dressing room after the sequence, but they each eventually returned to the game.
All in all, this defensive recipe is not it. Not only will they never get anything going offensively if they waste all of their energy skating around their own zone, but they will put their goaltenders in a bad spot. Soderblom was not incredible in this game, but it's hard to place the blame on him when the final shot count favored Utah 32-15. This wasn't a competitive game in any way, shape, or form.
Whether it's making a change to the lineup on defense ahead of the next game, switching pairs, or adjusting their style in practice, something has to be done if they don't want another performance like the first two.
Watch Every Chicago Goal
The Chicago Blackhawks did not score a goal, so there is nothing to show in that regard.
What’s Next For The Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-2-0. They will wrap their season opening three game road trip with a game out east against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. After that, they will head to Chicago for their home opener, which will take place on Tuesday.
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Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren (0) looks to shoot against Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen (31) during the second quarter in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Detroit.
Jalen Duren and the Pistons have agreed on a new contract.
Duren, 22, agreed to terms on a five-year, $200 million contract that is fully guaranteed and keeps him in Detroit for the long haul, ESPN reported late Thursday night.
It ends a long-running contract battle that started earlier in the summer and has run right into the start of training camp, after he remained unsigned and skipped the first practices of camp.
He was a restricted free agent after the end of his four-year, $19.5 million rookie deal ended and he had not received an offer sheet from another team.
Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren (0) looks to shoot against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen (31) during the second quarter in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Detroit. Getty Images
Duren had until 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday to take a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer that would have allowed him to be an unrestricted free agent next summer when the deal ended.
The Pistons star had the best regular season of his career in 2025-26, when he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65 percent shooting in 70 games as Detroit secured the No. 1 seed in the East.
His playoff performance was not as strong, with his stats dropping to 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
The Portland Trail Blazers fired broadcaster Braiden Bell just hours after announcing they had hired him, as the team was made aware of some misogynistic and racist social media posts Bell made as a teenager.
The 29-year-old Bell was previously employed as the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
“The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments," the team said in a statement. “Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play announcer are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster."
According to KGW-TV, the social media posts were made in 2012 and 2013. One of the tweets from Dec. 9, 2012, stated, "I'm not racist at all.. But not gonna lie.. Asian people piss me off! Hahaha #Honest."
Bell, set to start his job next week and to work with color commentator Lamar Hurd and sideline reporter Brooke Olzendam, was supposed to replace Kevin Calabro, who was let go this summer as the team underwent a broad range of layoffs earlier this year under owner Thomas Dundon. Calabro had spent the past nine seasons as the team's television broadcaster.
“The play-by-play role carries a long legacy of excellence, on the broadcast and in character, and we hold that standard without exception. We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City,’’ the team said. “We believe strongly that everyone who is part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe, and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."
Brooklyn Nets' Mikel Brown Jr. looks on during practice at the HSS Training Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Injured Mikel Brown Jr. can’t wait to play. But he might have to. The rookie is the biggest key to Brooklyn’s rebuild.
That’s why his rehab and return have to be right, not rushed.
Brown rolled his left ankle last week and has gotten back out on the court on a limited basis in practice. But as of Thursday, he hasn’t been cleared for contact.
“Yeah, as of right now they’re just telling me you could get back moving a little bit, really just trying to get the strengthening it up back,” Brown said. “I mean, I am back on the court moving. That’s all I’m really worried about right now. I’m just taking it one step at a time.”
Brooklyn Nets’ Mikel Brown Jr. looks on during practice at the HSS Training Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Brown said the Nets training staff hasn’t told him exactly what the next step is. He wouldn’t exactly call patience his strong suit, but he’s learning.
“I feel like I have no choice but to be patient,” Brown said with a wan smile. “I want to be out there so bad, but they’ve just been emphasizing to me, ‘Let’s take our time with this stuff and get you back 100 percent,’ which me, I’m trying to play as soon as possible. So really just attacking this rehab, focusing on stuff that I can control.”
The Nets open the preseason Tuesday in Charlotte and have offered no clarity on the severity of Brown’s injury or his timeline.
Brooklyn also has three other preseason games before the regular-season opener Oct. 21 in Brooklyn against the Hornets. When asked if he expects to get at least some live action in the preseason, Brown was non-committal.
Brooklyn Nets’ Mikel Brown Jr. shoots during practice at the HSS Training Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I mean, that’s up to the performance staff,” Brown said. “I’m just doing what I can to get back on the court as of right now.”
When asked to pick out who has impressed him the most since camp started or who has taken a step forward, Michael Porter Jr. pointed out Keon Ellis.
“Keon has been hooping these first [few] days,” Porter said. “He plays the right way. He plays defense. He can really shoot the ball, and he’s been just overall very solid.”
Porter and Julius Randle have been playing on different sides so far in camp, kept separated by Jordi Fernández.
And they didn’t play together Thursday, with Fernández switching things up and going no-contact to rest his players’ legs before a lot of playing Friday.
“When you’re tired, you can lose it easily. And [Thursday] being a non-contact session and a session that it’s more mental with the film and the walk-throughs and installing new things, your brain needs to be there,” Fernández said. “It was very positive like an active recovery where you still need to advance. … It was a great day. And then [Friday], it’s going to be a big high-load game day with a lot of playing. with a lot of playing. And players, they love to play, so they’re excited about tomorrow.”
This was an absolutely unreal baseball contest. I don’t have the right words.
A sold-out crowd and the home Friday red uniforms energized a Braves squad on the brink of elimination, and the boys delivered some Truist Park magic to begin October baseball.
Ray Kerr was magnificent. This lineup – finally and blessedly – let it fly early to cruise to victory. Maybe this is controversial, but I like our chances if we continue to hit one-, two- and three-run bombs.
And Chris Sale slammed the door. You’re reading that correctly.
The exorcism is complete. There will be no Red October this year for Philadelphia.
Making his postseason debut, Ray Kerr outdueled Aaron Nola, who is no stranger to the bright lights of October. Kerr set the tone early with a scoreless top of the first, allowing a single to Kyle Schwarber but leaving him stranded.
The deep familiarity between Aaron Nola and the Braves showed up in a major way nearly immediately. When Drake Baldwin flew out sharply to center on the first pitch he saw, it was looking like it was going to be yet another frustrating day of hard-hit balls that find gloves.
But then Ronald Acuña Jr. walked on five pitches. Matt Olson did the exact same.
Nola’s struggles to find the zone continued as he faced cleanup man Michael Harris II.
Except Michael Harris II wasn’t going to be content taking his base. So he laced a ball miles below the zone 100.5 miles per hour to right center field for an absolutely massive three-run home run to draw first blood for Atlanta. Truist Park erupted.
Michael Harris II! This pitch was 1.11 ft above the ground
That is the: -3rd-lowest pitch hit for a postseason HR under tracking (2008)
-5th-lowest hit for a HR by a Braves player in reg or post in span
Kerr set the Phillies down in order in the second. Nola rebounded a bit to get Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies to line out. But surrendering a single to our nine-hole designated hitter Dom Smith was the final blow. Don Mattingly lifted him in favor of something we hadn’t seen in Games 1 and 2: an actual Phillies bullpen arm. Reliever Tim Mayza came, got Baldwin to ground out, and was done for the night.
Kerr worked yet another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third. Zack Wheeler entered for the home half of the third and was greeted rudely by Ronald’s single to left, his first hit of the postseason. But a force out, pop out, and line out kept the Braves from adding on.
With the three-run lead, Kerr came back out in the fourth as Grant Holmes waited in the wings. Kerr issued a leadoff walk to Schwarber before getting Bryce Harper to line into a force out. Walt Weiss made the stroll to the mound to make the change. Truist Park gave Kerr a well-deserved ovation as he beamed and headed back to the dugout. Holmes polished off the top of the fourth with a groundout and strikeout.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Austin Riley worked a fantastic at-bat, seeing nine pitches, fouling off the five that were in the zone, and working a walk. He set the table for another Braves bomb to right center – this one off the bat of Ozzie. This one went 419 feet and made it 5-0 Braves.
Another Dom Smith single (!) single prompted another mound visit, but Wheeler got Baldwin to ground into a double play.
Holmes’ first full inning began with two on with no outs, but a JT Realmuto flyout and Justin Crawford double play ended the threat. The following inning, Holmes exited after recording one out and allowing a single to Schwarber. Robert Suarez entered and immediately allowed a double to Bryce Harper. Alec Bohm’s RBI groundout got the Phillies on the board to make it 5-1, but that would be all they get.
Didier Fuentes bounced back from the last two harrowing days with a 1-2-3 seventh.
The Braves got that run back on their third homer of the night. A solo shot by Matt Olson to center field made it 6-1.
Matt Olson has hit 3 of his 5 career Postseason homers against the Phillies 🫡 pic.twitter.com/DZ1kswnKVf
Dylan Dodd entered for the eighth, but the real story was the cameras panning to the bullpen to show a different left-hander throwing.
Dodd allowed a leadoff triple to pinch-hitter Derek Hill, who came home to score on Trea Turner’s sac fly. After he got Schwarber to fly out to right, Weiss made the call for Christopher Allen Sale. He struck out Harper to finish the eighth… then came back out for the ninth. Bohm led off with a single to try to spark a late rally. But the hope dimmed as Bryson Stott popped out and Bryan De La Cruz struck out. The last hope for the Phillies came in the form of Otto Kemp making his postseason debut as a pinch-hitter. But it didn’t matter. He swung at a slider bearing in on him for strike three.
Before the boys get on the Delta plane to Los Angeles (and before we worry about the roster and logistics for the NLDS)… goggles, champagne, and beer await in the clubhouse. Clinch sweet clinch.
You deserve a drink (or two) of your own after this series. Enjoy this one, Braves Country.
Houston, we have a party. Chicago breaks out the bubbly after their first postseason series win in 21 years. | (Troy Taormina/Reuters Connect)
Three sweeps, one series going the distance and the White Sox still playing baseball in October. That’s a pretty good start to the postseason.
The South Siders sent Houston packing for their first postseason series win in 21 years, while the Yankees steamrolled Boston and the Padres shut down the North Side’s supposedly mighty offense. Atlanta and Philadelphia supplied the drama, splitting two tight games to force the only winner-take-all matchup of the Wild Card round.
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros — White Sox win series, 2-0 The White Sox made quick work of the Astros, taking both games in Houston and finally giving fans a postseason series victory for the first time since 2005. Timely hitting, some thunder from unexpected places and a bullpen that handled its business? Yes, please.
Chicago White Sox 6, Houston Astros 3 — Game 1 The Good Guys wasted no time getting on the board, manufacturing a first-inning run with a little small ball. Sam Antonacci drew a leadoff walk, Kyle Teel moved him over with a ground out and Miguel Vargas took a free pass before Munetaka Murakami’s sacrifice fly gave Chicago a 1-0 lead.
The Pale Hose added a pair in the second. Back-to-back singles from Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth, followed by a hit-by-pitch for Colson Montgomery, packed the sacks for Antonacci. The rookie delivered a two-run single to left, putting the Sox up 3-0.
Colson supplied the loud contact in the fourth, absolutely demolishing a solo shot 432 feet to center. Another run followed in the fifth, courtesy of a string of singles from Tristan Peters, Braden and Meidroth.
Houston answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Sox found a little breathing room in the seventh with help from undercover agent Bennett Sousa. Mune and Randal Grichuk singled, Peters moved them over with a sacrifice bunt and Sousa uncorked a wild pitch to bring Mune home.
The Astros added a tally in the eighth, but that was as close as they got.
Hagen Smith, Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings, while Grant Taylor was an absolute dog, throwing a career-high 54 pitches to help the South Siders finish the job: one down, one to go.
Antonacci opened with a double and scored on Teel’s single. The Astros then helped the cause with a pair of errors, including one on a Vargas grounder and another that allowed an extra run to score following an Andrew Benintendi single. Peters capped the outburst with an RBI base hit, and Brown’s afternoon was already over.
Houston eventually clawed back within a run, because apparently Sox fans weren’t allowed to enjoy a completely stress-free clincher. But Meidroth delivered the death blow in the sixth, launching a three-run tank to turn a nervous 4-3 lead into a much more comfortable 7-3 advantage.
The pitching staff took care of the rest. Sean Burke allowed three runs over four innings before handing things to the arm barn. Huascar Brazobán, Anthony Kay, Jordan Hicks and Erick Fedde combined for five scoreless innings, shutting the door on Houston and keeping the South Siders’ October alive.
Next up: Cleveland. The Good Guys open the ALDS at Progressive Field on Saturday at noon CT, with coverage on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox — Yankees win series, 2-0 So much for a competitive chapter in this rivalry.
The Yankees outscored the Red Sox 18-2 over two games, and they did it without Aaron Judge. His availability for the ALDS remains uncertain, but Ben Rice had no trouble picking up the slack, going 5-for-9 with two homers and 10 RBIs.
Boston’s second-half comeback was a nice story. Its postseason stay was considerably less inspiring.
Rice went deep twice, including an eighth-inning grand slam that turned an already comfortable lead into a full-blown beatdown.
Cam Schlittler was nails, throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts, one walk and just two hits allowed. He needed a career-high 117 pitches, but Boston never found an answer.
The Red Sox managed only three hits all game, with Trevor Story’s double accounting for their lone extra-base hit. It’s hard to win when nobody gets on base and the other side keeps circling.
New York Yankees 9, Boston Red Sox 2 — Game 2 Boston briefly made this one interesting, cutting New York’s lead to 2-1 after six innings. Then old friend Garrett Crochet entered, making his first appearance since April, and things unraveled in a hurry.
Crochet was charged with four runs without recording an out, effectively slamming the door on any hopes of a Red Sox comeback.
The Yankees piled on from there, completing another nine-run performance and sending Boston home. Eighteen runs without Judge is a pretty unsettling thought for the Tampa Bay Rays, who have to deal with this lineup next.
San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs — Padres win series, 2-0 It was a quick exit for our North Side foes, whose offense picked a spectacularly bad time to disappear.
The Cubs led MLB with 850 runs during the regular season. Against San Diego, they managed one run on eight hits across two games, with just one double to show for their extra-base production.
Likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong went 0-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts. Meanwhile, the Padres kept their red-hot second half rolling right into October.
San Diego Padres 8, Chicago Cubs 0 — Game 1 The Friars piled up 13 hits, including solo dingers from Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts, making sure this one never became much of a contest.
Machado went 2-for-3 with a homer, a double and two RBIs, while Michael King dominated on the mound. King carried a no-hitter into the seventh before Nico Hoerner finally broke it up with a one-out single.
That hit gave the Cubs something to put in the box score. It did very little to change the game.
Gavin Sheets came off the bench and delivered a clutch pinch-hit, two-run four-bagger, extending San Diego’s lead to 4-1. With the Cubs’ bats still missing in action, that was more than enough.
The Padres finished the sweep, and Sheets helped send the North Siders home. A former White Sox player contributing to a Cubs postseason exit? We’ll take that little bonus.
Atlanta Bravesvs. Philadelphia Phillies — Braves win series, 2-1
After slashing just .219/.290/.364 with a .654 OPS, Riley stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with Atlanta trailing 3-2. One swing later, the Braves were up 5-3, courtesy of a three-run homer.
Raisel Iglesias handled the ninth, although Brandon Marsh made him work a little by leading off with a single. Iglesias promptly induced a double play from Bryan De La Cruz, then got Bryson Stott to fly out and sealed the win.
Philadelphia was four outs from taking the opener. Riley had other plans.
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Atlanta Braves 3 — Game 2 The Braves looked ready to finish the series when they broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh. Drake Baldwin delivered an RBI double off Cristopher Sánchez, and Matt Olson followed with a sacrifice fly to give Atlanta a 3-1 lead.
The Phillies responded with a collective “hold my beer.” Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper went back-to-back, tying the game at 3-3 and wiping out Atlanta’s advantage.
Neither team could finish the job in nine, so off to extras they went. Thankfully, there are no ghost runners in the postseason. Actual baseball!
Alec Bohm kept the home run parade going in the top of the 10th, sending one out to right to put Philadelphia ahead, 4-3.
Then things got hairy for Andrew Painter, who had entered in the seventh to relieve Sánchez. Singles from Mauricio Dubón and Michael Harris II put runners on first and second with two outs, bringing Dominic Smith to the plate. With a 0-2 count, the next pitch was called a ball. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto challenged the call, and the ABS review overturned it for strike three.
Ballgame. Series tied.
Atlanta Braves 6, Philadelphia Phillies 2 — Game 3 The Braves were cooking with gas from the start when Michael Harris II tagged Aaron Nola for a three-run blast in the bottom of the first, putting Philadelphia in an early hole. Phillies skipper Don Mattingly wasted no time with the hook, pulling the veteran with two outs in the second.
Then with Philadelphia’s season on the line, he turned to Zack Wheeler in the third. The 36-year-old got through that inning unscathed, but Ozzie Albies took him deep for a two-run shot in the fourth, giving Atlanta a 5-0 advantage.
The Phillies finally broke through in the sixth. Schwarber singled, Harper doubled and Bohm brought home a run with a ground out. Atlanta promptly took that run back in the seventh on a Matt Olson dinger.
Yet another old White Sox friend, Derek Hill, supplied a little life for Philadelphia with a leadoff triple in the eighth. Trea Turner drove him home with a sacrifice fly, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 6-2. With two outs in the inning, Braves manager Walt Weiss went to the pen for none other than Chris Sale. He wasn’t messing around.
Down to their final three outs, the Phillies went down with a whimper. Bohm singled to open the ninth, but a pop-up and two Ks later, Sale had pulled a Mark Buehrle, coming out of the bullpen to finish it out and send Atlanta to the NLDS.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, right, speaks with Josue De Paula during practice at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
The deciding game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves played silently on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard Thursday as Dodgers players practiced below.
The Dodgers were less than 48 hours away from the first pitch of the National League Division Series. The “2026 Postseason” decals had been freshly painted up the baselines that afternoon. All that was left to be decided was their opponent — the winner of the game serving as the backdrop of their intrasquad scrimmage.
About a half an hour after the Dodgers cleared the field, the Braves advanced to the NLDS with a 6-2 win over the Phillies. The Dodgers and Braves will open the best-of-five series at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.
“We are the team to beat,” veteran utility player Kiké Hernández said. “We are the team that you have to go through. And that’s all nice words and everything, but we got to take care of business on the field. But I feel great about my team.”
The Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back champions and are aiming to become the first National League team to win three World Series in a row.
“Obviously it’s there, but it’s not something we’re really focused on,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said of the three-peat chase. “We’re trying to focus on ourselves getting ready this week, paying attention to whoever we might be playing and just trying to get ready for a postseason series the same way we’ve always gotten ready for it.
“We don’t need to be adding any extra pressure onto ourselves. We’ve been saying that for a long time. When you talk about three-peating, you’re putting that extra pressure on it that doesn’t need to be there. Winning a World Series is already hard enough as it is. So for us, we’re just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us and without the added noise to it.”
So, how did the Dodgers get ready for the postseason? Their bye week consisted of wild-card watch parties, batting practice, live pitching — from a long list of arms on Wednesday, especially — and an open workout Thursday that culminated in a scrimmage. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who’s penciled in to start Game 4 of the NLDS if necessary, started for the home team Thursday.
“Instead of showing up, checking a box to work out, then eject, I think that sacrifice from friends, family, it’s important,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re at the home stretch. We’re in the playoffs, and so I think that the more guys spend time with one another, it just lends itself to just more togetherness.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, talks with third baseman Max Muncy during practice Thursday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
The Dodgers have figured that out over five postseasons in this format. This is their fourth with a bye — after going through the wild card last year. And they introduced the watch parties in 2024.
“You’ve earned the bye and you should take that time to rest and recover,” Muncy said. “But you don’t want to give guys too much time to be at home and get that taste of what it might be like. That really worked for us back in 2024. You get guys here to the field. You’re not forcing anyone to do anything but you’re making all the guys hang out together for extended periods of time when they could be at home enjoying family time — which is great for everybody but not when you know what’s coming for us ahead.
“You’re going to be facing a team that’s already been through the fire. They’ve already been through the emotions. They’ve already been through the roller coaster which is the postseason. It’s hard to go from an at-home setting to trying to find a way to flip the switch.”
The Braves have, indeed, been through the fire. They claimed the No. 3 seed with a 94-68 record and the NL East title. They took Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Phillies but lost Game 2 in extra innings, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves steals second base in the fifth inning during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on August 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers and Braves have spent plenty of time in the last decade at or near the top of the National League standings. The two teams met in the playoffs three times, highlighted by a pair of exciting NLCS matchups each team used as a springboard to a championship.
Now the matchup is set, the Dodgers are set to play the Braves in the National League Division Series beginning on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
The Braves took care of the Philadelphia Phillies, beating their NL East foes in three games in the wild card round at Truist Park in Atlanta.
This round will mark the first playoff matchup between the Dodgers and Braves in five years, after a pair of near misses. After the Dodgers won it all in 2020 and the Braves captured a championship in 2021, Los Angeles and Atlanta had the two best records in the National League in both 2022 and 2023, but in each year both teams won in triple digits and flamed out in the NLDS. The NLCS rubber match never materialized until now.
During the Dodgers’ title runs in 2024 and 2025, the Braves lost in the wild card round and missed the playoffs altogether last year. But now Atlanta is back, having won the NL East with a 94-68 record.
Braves ace Chris Sale allowed three runs (two earned) in 16 innings against the Dodgers this season with 18 strikeouts in his two starts. The Dodgers won that first start, on May 8, their only win against Atlanta this season, before a 1-0 shutout by Sale on August 27. Sale pitched Tuesday against the Phillies and presumably wouldn’t be available to face the Dodgers until at least Game 2 on Sunday, which was the thinking before Sale pitched an inning and a third in Game 3.
The 37-year-old Sale has pitched on four days’ rest twice this season, both in April. Now, it’s an open question who Atlanta will slot into the rotation with a day’s break for travel. Meanwhile, by earning the bye, the Dodgers have the luxury to set up their rotation however they see fit for Saturday’s likely blistering Game 1 start.
Oct 1, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) meets with teammates on the mound against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning in game three of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Not with a bang, but with a whimper.” So wrote T.S. Eliot. He was many things, but he was not a baseball fan: if he had been, he would’ve known that the world, or at least a season, can end with both. The Phillies and their fans know this well: their 2026 ended with the bangs of Braves home runs, and the whimpers of their own offense.
It began quietly for the Phillies. Kyle Schwarber singled to left against Braves opener Ray Kerr, but Bryce Harper went down whiffing on a cutter, and Bohm grounded out.
Aaron Nola went down 3-0 on Ronald Acuña Jr. , eventually walking him, then went down 3-0 again against Matt Olson, walking him too. His pitches could not find the strike zone. What happened next has happened many times this season, and happened again tonight: Nola gave up a gopher ball. Michael Harris saw a pitch that was quite low, delivered a perfect swing, knocked it into right field, and the Phillies were down 3-0. Nola’s second inning saw him put the first two Braves down, though they made good contact. Dominic Smith did not, though he did enough: he dribbled one straight back, just far enough to get on base. Nola was pulled, and replaced with Tim Mayza, who quickly wrapped up the inning.
The Phillies offense couldn’t do damage against Kerr, and so the deficit remained at three as Zack Wheeler came out for the bottom third. He immediately encountered trouble, as Acuña smacked a line drive that bounced off of Trea Turner for a leadoff single. But he was sent back to the dugout on a fielder’s choice, and Wheeler navigated the rest of the inning without incident.
Kerr returned for the fourth, the Phillies still unable to solve him, and the Phillies got their second baserunner of the night on via a Kyle Schwarber walk. Bryce Harper hit a hard line drive, which Mauricio Dubon grabbed on a dive, tossing to second to put Schwarber out. Kerr was replaced with Grant Holmes, who bobbled a grounder from Alec Bohm but got the out anyway, and the Phillies left their half of the fourth still scoreless. Their season was teetering on the brink, and soon it fell over: Wheeler walked Austin Riley, then gave up a homer to Ozzie Albies. Braves fans, full of passionate intensity, performed their typical pantomime.
With the mood thoroughly nauseous, the Phillies finally got some breaks: Bryan De La Cruz singled to open the fifth, and a wild pitch advanced him to second. Brandon Marsh replaced Edmundo Sosa as a pinch hitter and negotiated his way to ball four. But the glimmer of hope vanished, snuffed out by a twin killing. The Phillies put another baserunner aboard in the sixth (Schwarber, single to right), chasing Holmes, who was replaced by Robert Suarez. Harper doubled to right, and Schwarber scored on a groundout from Bohm. The Phillies would not go into the night scoreless.
Wheeler continued into the sixth, walking two with two outs, but working his way to the last out without further damage incurred. The offense was punchless in the seventh, and Jonathan Bowlan was asked to keep Atlanta’s the same. He could not: Matt Olson homered.
Derek Hill, pinch-hitting for Justin Crawford, tripled in the eighth as a ball slipped past a leaping Acuña Jr; he scored on a sacrifice fly from Turner. Chris Sale was brought in to face Harper, who flailed to a strikeout. Jhoan Duran took the eighth, preventing the deficit from getting worse. Sale returned for the final frame.
Alec Bohm, in possibly his last at-bat as a Phillie, singled to center. Bryson Stott foul popped out, De La Cruz struck out, Otto Kemp did the same, and all was silence.
Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies homered Thursday night to give the Atlanta Braves their first win in a winner-take-all playoff game since Game 7 of the 1996 National League Championship Series. They had lost six straight in between.
And the reward for that breakthrough? They get fly across the country to Los Angeles to face the two-time World Series defending champion Dodgers.
The division series open Saturday with four games in one day, all best-of-five games series.
The Tampa Bay Rays had the best record in the American League. They also haven't won a playoff series since 2020. They host the New York Yankees, who gave up two runs in two games against Boston. The Chicago White Sox swept Houston for their first series win since 2005. Next is Cleveland, a division rival they have never played in the postseason.
Then there's Jacob Misiorowski. The Milwaukee right-hander led the majors in ERA, strikeouts and opponents' batting average, something only Sandy Koufax, J.R. Richard and Mike Scott have done since 1950. He gets the ball in Game 1 against San Diego, a team that just held the majors' highest-scoring offense to one run in two haves.
The best-of-seven league championship series start Oct. 11, and the World Series opens Oct. 23.
The stage is set for the National League Division Series, with the Atlanta Braves advancing to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-five matchup beginning Saturday, Oct. 3.
In Game 2, the Phillies staged an impressive comeback to keep their postseason hopes alive. Alec Bohm delivered a two-out home run in the 10th inning, lifting the Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the Braves. With this win, Philadelphia forced a winner-take-all Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series.
NEW YORK — Igor Shesterkin became the first New York Rangers goalie to score when he lofted the puck the length of the ice into an empty net, capping a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
A year after failing to score in their first three home games last season, the Rangers wasted little time preventing a repeat performance, getting a goal from Mika Zibanejad less than six minutes into their Madison Square Garden opener.
Pavel Dorofeyev and Eeli Tolvanen each scored his first goal with his new team, and top prospect-turned-important contributor Gabe Perreault deflected in a shot by No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox.
Shesterkin scored with 2:34 remaining, becoming the 18th goalie in NHL history with a goal. The first of his career was the 21st by a player at the position, counting the playoffs.
It was a far cry from the nightmare start at MSG in October 2025, when the Rangers went nearly 181 minutes before setting off the goal horn there. They became the first team in league history to get shut out in the first three home games of a season.
The crowd at this home opener didn’t even have much of a chance to get nervous. Coming off getting blanked 3-0 on the road Tuesday night at Boston, New York was the aggressor early. Drawing a penalty paved the way for Zibanejad to score on the power play.
The offensive outburst allowed the Rangers to put up four goals on 24 shots against two-time Vezina Trophy- and Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. In a matchup of two of the best at the position in the world, Shesterkin stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced, leading to chants of “Igor’s better!”
The only goal Shesterkin gave up was to Nikita Kucherov, the reigning MVP who banked the puck in off the right skate of Rangers center Noah Laba.
