The Test stalwart on his surreal last stand at the Oval, his ‘shabby’ treatment by Rob Key and the vexed problem of cricket’s drinking culture
On a rainy October afternoon, after his 20th season as a professional cricketer, Chris Woakes sits down at Edgbaston’s indoor nets and thinks of the advice that helped him when he was 17 and about to start a career in this consuming sport. “The words came from my parents, particularly my dad, and it was to always be myself,” he says in his thoughtful way.
Woakes has just won his third County Championship with Warwickshire and he played 62 Tests for England, taking 192 wickets and scoring 2,034 runs. He also won two World Cups and experienced a range of England coaches, from Andy Flower to Brendon McCullum, and played for captains as different as Sir Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.
Who will win the NBA Championship? • San Antonio Spurs 50% • Oklahoma City Thunder 43% The Knicks and 76ers each got one vote each.
Who will be named the 2026-27 MVP? • Victor Wembanyama 77% • Nikola Jokic 10% • Anthony Edwards 7%
Who is the best defensive player in the NBA? • Victor Wembanyama 97% The one vote for someone else (Ausar Thompson) had to come from the Spurs, since they cannot vote for their own player,
Which player forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments? • Victor Wembanyama 47% • Nikola Jokic 33% • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7%
Who will win Rookie of the Year? • Cameron Boozer 50% • Caleb Wilson 20% • AJ Dybantsa 17% • Darryn Peterson 13% It's worth noting that when asked who will be the best player from this class five years from now, Dybantsa and Wilson each tied with 33%.
Who is the best coach in the NBA? • Erik Spoelstra (Miami) 43% • Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City) 37% • Mike Brown (New York) 10%
Which player is the most athletic? • Amen Thompson 63% • Anthony Edwards 20% • Ausar Thompson 10% Amen and Ausar Thompson are twins.
Which player is the best leader? • Jalen Brunson 53% • Stephen Curry 20% • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7%
Which team will be the most improved? • Indiana Pacers 43% • Washington Wizards 23% • Utah Jazz 13%
Which team had the best overall offseason? • Philadelphia 76ers 73% • Miami Heat 10% It's worth noting that two GMs picked Charlotte here, supporting the decision to trade away LaMelo Ball.
What player acquisition will have the biggest impact? • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami), 53% • Jaylen Brown (Philadelphia), 20%
What is the most underrated player acquisition? • Tobias Harris (San Antonio) 20% • Mitchell Robinson (Boston) 17% • Naz Reid (Charlotte) 10%
Which player would you want taking the shot with the game on the line? • Stephen Curry 50% • Jalen Brunson 17% • Tie between Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 10%
While these results are interesting, GMs are often quite wrong. For example, last season 80% predicted the Thunder would repeat as champions, the MVP was going to be Nikola Jokic (67%), the biggest impact acquisition was Kevin Durant (73%), and the most improved was going to be the Orlando Magic (47%).
The NBA published its annual GM survey – in which the league’s power brokers answer 48 questions – Thursday, Oct. 15, and the Sixers, unsurprisingly, garnered significant attention. When asked which team made the best overall offseason moves, NBA general managers overwhelmingly voted for the 76ers, with 73% picking Philadelphia. The next closest team, the Miami Heat, drew just 10% of votes, by comparison.
Yet, when asked which team’s level of success for the 2026-27 season is most difficult to project, the Sixers also garnered most votes, at 27%. The second place team in that category, the Minnesota Timberwolves, generated 17% of the vote.
The uncertainty is not unfounded.
The 76ers must incorporate two new stars, as the entire starting five is essentially having to adapt to new wrinkles in their roles. In Philadelphia’s first preseason game in which all five starters played, Oct. 8 against the Nets, the 76ers committed 14 first half turnovers, against 12 assists on 16 made field goals.
Other interesting findings from NBA general manager survey
The Spurs got plenty of love. Half of the GMs who voted picked San Antonio to win the NBA Finals. An overwhelming 87% of general managers selected the Spurs as having the best young core.
Victor Wembanyama also was the leader in votes for eight different questions: projected 2026-27 Most Valuable Player (77%); player they would want most to start a franchise (93%); player who forces opposing coaches to make most adjustments (47%); best international player (53%); best defensive player (97%); best interior defender (97%); most versatile defender (30%) and most versatile player (57%).
The player most likely to have a breakout season was also a Spur, second-year guard Dylan Harper, at 27%.
The most underrated offseason acquisition: another Spur, forward Tobias Harris (20%).
The 2026 NBA Draft class was loaded with talent, and GMs picked the most polished, pro-ready player in Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer as the projected 2026-27 Rookie of the Year (50%), over Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (20%), No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (17%) and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson (13%), of the Jazz.
When asked which player would be the best in five seasons, however, both Dybantsa and Wilson tied for first, at 33%.
Although the 76ers were picked as the best offseason, Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was picked as the one player acquisition who will make the biggest impact, at 53%, compared to Brown (20%) and James (13%).
The person who will be coaching him, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, was picked as the best head coach in the NBA for the second consecutive season. His vote share, however, fell from 52% last year to 43% this season.
Two teams tied for most fun to watch: the Timberwolves and Spurs, each at 30%.
The best pure shooter in the world continues to be Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who overwhelmingly secured 97% of the vote.
The league’s best passer wasn’t a point guard or forward, but Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, who garnered 87% of the vote.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 10: Teruaki Sato #7 of Team Japan hits a double in the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Czechia and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 10, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have a lot of uncertainty at multiple positions heading into the offseason, but there’s one potential newcomer to the league who could solve third base.
MLB insider Jon Heyman reported before the final stretch of the regular season that Teruaki Sato could be a good fit with several MLB clubs, including the Yankees. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman also said that he could be “in play” for the Yankees, though they might want to be confident that he can handle third base.
Sato led the Central League in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, batting .306 with 39 homers and 106 RBIs, and became the first Hanshin Tigers player in franchise history to win the Triple Crown. The lefty hitter also finished the season with a .991 OPS, 383 OBP, and a .600 slugging percentage, so it’s safe to say that he can easily conquer the Short Porch when the time comes. Once the free agency frenzy starts, there’s no doubt that Sato will be one of the targets that the Yankees should keep an eye on (and we’ll have more to come on him at that time as well).
For some context on how the system works, NPB players who have fewer than nine years of experience can be posted to pursue contracts with MLB clubs during the November 1 to December 5 window. If they don’t sign a contract with a team by the end of the 45 days, they’ll return to the NPB and won’t be eligible for posting until the following season.
The 27-year-old primarily played third base for the Tigers, but he also appeared in right field during the most recent World Baseball Classic. He went 3-for-10 combined through five games in the tournament, recording three doubles with two RBIs before Team Venezuela defeated Team Japan in the quarterfinals.
His versatility could be just what the Yankees need to bolster confidence at third base, especially after the options this season were, to say the least, disappointing. With Rosario entering free agency, fans aren’t eager to have Ryan McMahon in the starting role again, especially since he made little impact on offense and committed costly defensive errors that put the Yankees at risk throughout the postseason. It is at least within the realm of possibility that the Yankees could outright cut ties with McMahon, as well.
Anthony Volpe and José Caballero, who also made appearances at the position this season, are eligible for arbitration, and if either or both end up parting with the pinstripes, it could give the Yankees enough room to give Sato a decent deal — though neither salary figure will be so onerous that it should hamstring a pursuit.
Munetaka Murakami, who played alongside Sato at the World Baseball Classic, was a standout for Team Japan and hit a grand slam to secure their spot in the quarterfinals as the Pool C winners. After witnessing his inspiring success story with the White Sox this season, it’s possible that adding Sato to the Yankees’ roster could reignite a seemingly dying flame in the clubhouse and propel the Yankees to extend their postseason run next year.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 14: Hiromi Itoh #14 of Team Japan pitches in the sixth inning during the game between Venezuela and Japan at loanDepot park on March 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The offseason is here and plenty of folks have opinions on what the Atlanta Braves should do during the offseason. Because there’s no such thing as having enough pitching and the fact that Braves President/GM Alex Anthopoulos recently stated that both Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider may not be reliable options to get a ton of innings in 2027, that does apparently open up the Braves to pursuing some pitching options going forward.
That search could include Atlanta potentially providing a home ballpark for a pitcher who could be making his way across the Pacific Ocean from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball. Back in March while the World Baseball Classic was going on, Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported that RHP Hiromi Itoh of the Nippon Ham Fighters was widely expected to make the jump to MLB.
The Japanese season has come and gone and it’s still expected that Itoh will be coming over. The reason why we’re talking about it here is because in his International Beat newsletter for MLB.com (which you can subscribe to here), Michael Clair shared what he gleaned from an anonymous scout currently working in Japan and Clair stated that the Braves could be a “potential fit” for Itoh if/when he makes the move.
Here’s part of what Clair had to say about Itoh:
While Itoh has an extra inch on [Kaima] Taira, he’s also 40 lbs lighter and could be ticketed for a relief role. “He could be an up and down starter,” our scout said, “but maybe in relief he might show some more velocity. In the previous WBC, he came out of the bullpen and he was 94-96 with some nasty stuff.” However, what Itoh lacks in size, he makes up for with a deep pitch mix consisting of “10+ unique grips and shapes” as noted by Yakyu Cosmopolitan.
Here’s the linked tweet from Yakyu Cosmopolitan (and if you’re on Twitter and you want to learn more about Japanese baseball, he is a fantastic resource to learn from)
Hiromi Itoh isn’t as flashy or overpowering as some other Japanese aces to go stateside in recent years and doesn’t throw nearly as hard, but he has some of the best fastball specs in NPB from a movement perspective.
Here’s some video of Itoh pitching for the Fighters this season, while we’re at it:
Itoh didn’t have as dominating of a season in 2026 as he did in 2025 which is when he won the Sawamura Award (basically the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award) with an ERA of 2.52 (79 ERA-) and a FIP of 2.27 (73 ERA-) across 27 starts and 196.2 innings pitched — but he still produced an ERA of 3.23 (94 ERA-) and a 2.81 FIP (82 FIP-) across 172.2 innings and 26 starts in 2026. He also took a step back in the 2026 WBC when compared to his dominant effort during the 2023 WBC, so hopefully this isn’t a case of Itoh starting to really slow down now that he’ll be hitting his age-30 season in 2027.
With that being said, Japanese stars have continued to somewhat routinely over-perform their expectations and it’s fun to think about what, say, Jeremy Hefner could do with this guy if they got in the lab together. While the Braves have only been speculated as a potential fit, there’s real MLB interest here as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that the Giants were spotted scouting Itoh, so there’s plenty of smoke when it comes to the fire of seeing Itoh in a big league uniform soon.
Will the Braves be the team that decides to seriously pursue Itoh? There’s no telling as this is purely speculation at this point for everybody involved. It’s fun to think about and discuss, though, so let us know what y’all think about this.
The Chicago Blackhawks (2-5-0) are set to host the Winnipeg Jets (4-1-1) at the United Center on Thursday night. This will be the third game at home in a row for Chicago, as they look to improve on their 2-1 home record early in the year.
Winnipeg will be the second division rival to visit the United Center in the early going, and they are off to a much better season than anybody anticipated. It will be a tough match for the young Blackhawks, but not one that they see as an impossible feat.
Scouting Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Jets won't have Jonathan Toews in their lineup, as he famously retired after his one season playing for the hometown team. He has mostly been with the Blackhawks since his short stint in Winnipeg.
Toews' absence is not the reason that most saw the Jets as a non-playoff team coming into the year, however. It isn't only their lackluster season that they had a year ago, either. They are without superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Hellebuyck, who is one of the greatest goalies of all time, has requested a trade and is refusing to report to the Jets. He was respectful and private about the situation at first, but he felt the need to go public with it ahead of training camp starting.
Instead of letting this adversity get to them, the Jets have come out incredibly strong to begin the year. Is it possible that the wheels fall off at some point? Certainly. However, nobody told the players who did report that they must have a bad year.
Connor - Scheifele - Perfetti
Niederreiter - Björck - Vilardi
Rosén - Lowry - Iafallo
Namestnikov - Barron - Koepke
Samberg - DeMelo
Ferraro - Pionk
Fleury - Bauer
Skinner
Stevenson
Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti, and Kyle Connor are the usual suspects when it comes to their most dangerous players, but there are a couple of other faces involved that have been helping them get the job done.
A guy to keep an eye on is Viggo Björck, who was selected 8th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. Some people had him as an option for the Blackhawks at 4th overall before they traded it to the Buffalo Sabres in the Bowen Byram deal.
Björck doesn't have an NHL point yet in six games, but it's coming soon. In this game, he'll be on a good second line with experienced veterans against a Blackhawks team that has been known to give up some chances.
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg's most dynamic defenseman, is not expected to play after missing the last couple of games. He is an important piece for the Jets, but he is dealing with a wrist issue that has hindered him. As of now, consider him week-to-week.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are going to be without Bowen Byram in this game. He is dealing with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Frank Nazar is back after serving a two-game suspension, which will get him right back into the mix as a center on the team.
Kantserov-Bedard-Kane
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Teravainen
Moore-Nazar-Donato
Smith-Greene-Greenway
Del Mastro-Levshunov
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Rinzel
Knight
Nazar is notably not in the top six. While he was out, Anton Frondell was magnificent with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen. Also, Connor Bedard came back, so this will be the first game with both Bedard and Nazar in the lineup.
With Oliver Moore and Ryan Donato (who was fabulous against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday), this trio could give the Blackhawks the much-needed depth they were anticipating before the season began. Dominic Toninato is coming out of the lineup in favor of Nazar, and the fourth line will remain exactly the same.
Bedard sticks with Patrick Kane and Roman Kantserov. At even strength and on the power play, this trio got the job done against the Penguins.
Frondell's line saw a lot of Crosby last time out, and now they have the challenge of dealing with Mark Scheifele, who is also an incredible two-way center. Blashill will try to match those lines up a lot as the home coach.
With Byram out, Ethan Del Mastro is expected to draw in his place on the top pair with Artyom Levshunov. If Levshunov can keep up his much-improved play, especially in the offensive zone, they won't miss a beat. The other two pairs remain the same, which is what a team wants when one guy goes out for whatever reason.
A defenseman will not take Byram's spot on the power play. They are going to go with five forwards on the top unit whenever they draw a penalty and play 5-on-4, which is becoming a trend in the NHL lately.
Teuvo Teravainen, who is coming off his best game of the season, will quarterback the top unit. It's a lefty with experience running a man-advantage group, and a chance for Teravainen to continue feeling good about his offensive game. This move gives them the best chance to carry on the momentum that the top unit built in the win over Pittsburgh.
Spencer Knight will start again, making it his third straight. This breaks the mold of Arvid Soderblom going in every Thursday game, but the Blackhawks do consider Knight the number one who will play when they feel he is rested enough.
How To Watch
You can hear the game locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. You can see it locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 05: The Cleveland Guardians grounds crew work to repair the warning track after rain delayed the start of the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians on July 5, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The good news is MLB was proactive and moved up the start of Game 3 of the ALCS to 1:00pm this afternoon, where Griffin Jax will toe the rubber for the Rays against Gavin Williams and the Guardians.
The bad news is the system moving into Cleveland tonight will also have a backend to it tomorrow, and with potential precipitation enhancement off Lake Erie, it’s very possible Friday’s game gets washed out. Here’s a simulation of the HRRR model for tomorrow:
This is not a guaranteed postponement situation, but given the field will be messy even if they do play, and the series has a built in off day on Sunday (where it’s supposed to be gorgeous), it might make sense for MLB to realign things with Games 4 and 5 on Saturday and Sunday in Cleveland, and then continue with already scheduled Games 6 and 7 back at the Trop on Monday and Tuesday if the series goes the distance.
There’s a world where MLB may just choose to power through precipitation and play in less than ideal conditions, but either way, it should be one of those borderline calls.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the board, the Brewers and Dodgers may also not be playing a game tomorrow night, but for an entirely different reason. The Brewers have a 3-0 series lead and could send the Dodgers home with a win in Game 4 of the NLCS this evening.
If this occurs, it would be a nightmare for not just LA (so much to unpack there!), but also for the MLB owners, who desperately want to implement a salary cap this offseason. A Brewers win not only guarantees an all small market World Series, but would also leave an all small market ALCS to play out for (potentially) several more days. Imagine an ALCS that goes the full seven followed by a World series that also goes the full seven. That would leave MLB with 11 consecutive games of all small market teams in national windows to close the season, and given the way these teams play, it would probably be a good brand of baseball even if it wouldn’t include high ratings or sexier franchises.
In other words, the sport itself might be about to send the exact opposite message the owners want to present in the offseason, and I can’t help but giggle trying to imagine the scramble that must be going on behind closed doors right now.
Use this thread to discuss all the playoff action throughout the day as well as any other big picture items on your mind. As always, be good to one another! (For all the reasons listed above, this could be the last day with more than one MLB game for a long, long time. Savor it!)
Los Angeles, - October 14: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two run double against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning of Game 3 of a NLCS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Dodgers offense was always facing a difficult task in this NLCS, but their production, or lack thereof, goes beyond any praise the Brewers’ staff may deserve. The Game 3 loss and what the Brewers did offensively against Blake Snell represented an ideal example of what one might reasonably expect from this Dodgers attack: resilience and power against outstanding starters—something we saw when they faced Chris Sale in the NLDS, for instance. Something nowhere to be found in this NLCS.
For the vast majority of the game, Snell’s stuff looked great; he induced 19 whiffs, which is a postseason high for the Dodgers; in doing so, he struck out nine. Still, none of that mattered much as 75% of the hits he allowed left the yard. Milwaukee hitters were often overwhelmed, but in key spots, when Snell made a mistake, they were ready to pay. The contrast of this type of performance to what we’re seeing from the Dodgers offensively helps illustrate why the Brewers are one win away from the Fall Classic.
When Will Smith hit a two-run double off Abner Uribe in the bottom of the sixth, that was the first hard-hit ball for extra bases by a Dodger with a runner in scoring position in this series. Homerless in this NLCS, the Dodgers have had to heavily rely on the Brewers’ errors—anything from occasional defensive misplays to a momentary lack of control—to score runs. It would not be a challenging argument to put the Dodgers’ runs in Games 2 and 3 as gifts far more than issues they’ve generated. Now, one must still capitalize on these mistakes, but when they represent your only source of runs, then the situation is dire, to say the least.
Smith’s double off the wall against Uribe was impressive—but as much as we’d like to credit the offense for loading the bases in that spot with walk after walk, it helped that Uribe only located two of his 14 sinkers in the zone. If the Dodgers can lament leaving Snell in there too long, Pat Murphy probably regrets not pulling Uribe after the third walk. It’s easier to see your missed opportunities, but oftentimes the other side can lament certain mistakes as well, even if in this case it didn’t cost them.
Overall, it’d be one thing if the Dodgers were continuously running into a gauntlet, but these struggles seem to go beyond what the Brewers can throw at them—it hasn’t mattered who is on the mound. Robert Gasser had a solid campaign with the Brewers, establishing himself as a starter, but still, he had a 3.87 ERA and a 22.2 K%. He is not the level of pitcher you’d expect to hold the Dodgers scoreless over five innings in a must-win game at home.
Even the most optimistic of Dodger fans understood the dangers of this Brewers team this time around, but the way in which the reigning back-to-back champs are losing this series goes beyond the worst expectations. A complete inability to generate any kind of offense without a lending hand from the opposition leaves you in a position where winning a single game feels like a massive challenge.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 14: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning during Game Three of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Rays at Guardians
Series tied, 1-1
First pitch: 1:00 PM EDT TV: TBS/HBO MAX Probable pitchers: Griffin Jax, RHP (TB); Gavin Williams, RHP (CLE)
Brewers at Dodgers
Brewers lead, 3-0
First pitch: 8:00 PM EDT TV: FS1/FOX ONE Probable pitchers: TBD (MIL); Tyler Glasnow RHP (LAD)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today could be the last day this year with multiple MLB games. Enjoy it if you can!
The reason this could be the end is that there is no guarantee of tomorrow for the 2026 Dodgers. They are on the brink of being swept by the Brewers, and if that happens, then there will be no Game 5, 6, or 7 for the NLCS. The AL will play on until one of those teams gets to four wins and the Brewers will wait for them. People will start to wonder if it will be like the “Rocktober” Colorado Rockies of 2007, who swept the NLCS and while the AL series went seven games, then were swept in turn in the World Series.
Before we find out about what happens with the NL series, the AL will be playing. It’s an early 1pm game for the LCS, because the forecast for rain in Cleveland has resulted in the game being moved up from its originally planned start time. That first pitch is now set for 1pm. The Guardians will play the next three at home against the Rays. I am interested to see who emerges in this series. The Game 3 winner will feel like they’ve got the edge.
Dodgers-Brewers Game 4 is set for an 8pm start time. Much less chance of weather disruption in Los Angeles.
Tampa Bay Game 3 starting lineup
Yandy Díaz – DH
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Junior Caminero – 3B
Victor Mesa Jr. – RF
Chandler Simpson – LF
Liam Hicks – C
Jonny DeLuca – CF
Richie Palacios – 2B
Taylor Walls – SS
Tampa’s starter, Griffin Jax, had a 3.53 ERA in 112.1 regular season innings. Not too shabby for him.
Cleveland Game 3 starting lineup
Steven Kwan – LF
José Ramírez – 3B
Chase DeLauter – RF
Jo Adell – DH
Nathaniel Lowe – 1B
Travis Bazzana – 2B
Patrick Bailey – C
Petey Halpin – CF
Brayan Rocchio – SS
Cleveland’s Gavin Williams is on a “Mike Mussina in the 1997 postseason” run for the Guardians so far these playoffs. If he keeps that up today, his team is going to have a strong chance of taking the 2-1 lead in the series. In some sense, it’s not surprising, in that Williams is striking out a ton of dudes in the postseason and that’s what he did in the regular season too. He had a 3.76 ERA in the regular season even with all of those strikeouts. Through three postseason games, he’s looking at a 1.54. Pretty good.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 26: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his two run home run with Julio Rodríguez #44 against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park on September 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We all know the Seattle Mariners did not make the playoffs in 2026, but what this post presupposes is……maybe they did?
If you didn’t get the reference, now you do. Gotta be a top 3 Owen Wilson line delivery and character moment.
While I do not miss the stress of playoff baseball and its surprisingly negative impact on my life (and family!) last fall, I can’t help but miss the euphoric moments as I’ve been watching the first couple rounds of playoffs this season. It got me thinking about how this season’s devastatingly injured and under-performing team would have fared if somehow both the Rangers and Astros had just like….I don’t know, lost 85% of their games in September or something absurd. Would this Mariners squad have finally gotten their shit together if they fell ass-backwards into the playoffs by winning the AL West with a losing record?
There are some points in their favor. Cal Raleigh was FINALLY hitting like a real version of his past self. Randy Arozarena would have likely continued hitting at a career pace. The pitching…..uhhh, the pitchers would be there, too. Yep. They would throw some pitches, all right.
Okay, so it’s hard to imagine a playoff run going particularly well for the 2026 Mariners, but baseball is weird and playoff baseball is even weirder and more cruel and unusual. Who knows what kind of chaos they could’ve caused? And that is your prompt for the comments, folks.
If the 2026 Seattle Mariners made the playoffs, what would have happened?
Wild Card round exit
Won Wild Card, ALDS exit
Won ALDS, ALCS exit
Won ALCS(!!!), World Series exit
Won World Series?!?!?
Other???
You can choose to be as realistic or as non-realistic and creative as you want. Gimme some scorching hot takes if you feel up to it!
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 29: The Post Season logo on the infield grass before the the Philadelphia Phillies game versus the Atlanta Braves in game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series on September 29, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This is probably going up earlier than you expected. But due to the weather forecast for Cleveland, the start time of their game against Tampa has been moved up to 10 a.m. Arizona time today. While it’s not looking good for tomorrow either apparently, let’s worry about that on Friday. If only there were some device which could be placed over a baseball field, to prevent this kind of thing from happening… [Hey, it’s a good joke, and I intend to keep using it!] That series is evenly balanced, and is now effectively a best-of-five, with the Guardians having taken home-field advantage. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy what could well be the last day of the year with two baseball games, unless the Dodgers can find some way to stop the Brewers in Los Angeles tonight. Or not. Not works too.
Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Guardians (1-1), 10 am, TBS
Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers (3-0): 5:00 pm, FS1
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 15: A general view of signage prior to game three of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on October 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have two games today, maybe for the last time this year. I’d be fine with the Dodgers losing in four games.
The early game is the Rays/Guardians game, which was moved to 1:00 Eastern because of bad weather expected to hit today. It is supposed to be 21C this afternoon, so very nice weather for an mid-October game. They are expecting rain this evening.
Lineups:
Today’s Lineups
RAYS
GUARDIANS
Yandy Diaz – DH
Steven Kwan – LF
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Jose Ramirez – 3B
Junior Caminero – 3B
Chase DeLauter – RF
Victor Mesa – RF
Jo Adell – DH
Chandler Simpson – LF
Nathaniel Lowe – 1B
Liam Hicks – C
Travis Bazzana – 2B
Jonny DeLuca – CF
Patrick Bailey – C
Richie Palacios – 2B
Petey Halpin – CF
Taylor Walls – SS
Brayan Rocchio – SS
Griffin Jax – RHP
Gavin Williams – RHP
Tonight’s Brewers/Dodgers game is an 8:00 Eastern start time.
The Brewers don’t have a listed starter yet, but it is likely lefty Shane Drohan (7-5, 4.19) though they might go with an opener. Tyler Glasnow (5-2, 3.53) starts for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers say that Skubal and Yamamoto aren’t available for relief tonight.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 13: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after striking out Petey Halpin #0 of the Cleveland Guardians to end the top of the sixth inning during Game Two of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s a pivotal game 3 in Cleveland as the Guardians and Rays wills square off to see which team will grab the ALCS lead Thursday afternoon. RHP Griffin Jax will get the start for the Rays while the Guardians will give the ball to RHP Gavin Williams. First pitch has been moved up to noon central time due to incoming inclement weather in the Cleveland area expected later Thursday. Game broadcast available via Fox/FS1.
Oct 13, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) speaks to the media after game two of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians in the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
