The 2026 free-agent class might not be as strong as originally anticipated, and that puts pressure on the New York Rangers to sign Artemi Panarin to a contract extension.
Given all of the contracts the Rangers have dumped over the past year, on top of the fact that Artemi Panarin’s seven-year, 81.5 million deal is set to expire after the 2025-26 season, it seemed as if the Rangers were positioning themselves to be major players in the free-agent market this upcoming summer.
The 2026 free-agent market was supposed to feature multiple superstar caliber players, including Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, and Kyle Connor.
However, the landscape of the 2026 offseason has drastically changed.
Over the past couple of weeks, McDavid signed a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers, Kaprizov signed a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild, Eichel signed a contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights, and Connor signed a contract extension with the Winnipeg Jets.
All of these moves simply shift leverage in contract negotiations from the Rangers to Panarin.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers wanted Panarin to take a team-friendly deal during the summer, but the two sides were unable to agree.
“I understand, at some point in the off-season, the Rangers had that kind of conceptual conversation with Panarin: ‘Is there a way you could do for the Rangers what Kopitar did for the Kings?’” Friedman said. “Obviously, at this point and time, it hasn’t happened. I don’t know where that’s going to go, I don’t know if that’s going to be a possibility, but I do know the two sides had the conversation and, obviously, at this point, Panarin is unsigned.”
While the Blueshirts seem reluctant to commit to Panarin on a long-term basis, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury is handcuffed in this situation.
Essentially, all of the players the Rangers could have replaced Panarin with who were set to hit the open market are no longer available.
Despite already being 33 years old, Panarin continues to show he has a lot left in the tank, and as of last season, he was still playing at an all-star caliber level.
Panarin is gaining an upper edge on the Rangers the longer these negotiations take, and with all of these groundbreaking contract extensions getting finalized.
The Rangers are not in a rebuild by any means and remain committed to a win-now mentality, and Panarin is their main offensive catalyst.
Without a feasible backup plan in place, it may be time for the Rangers to sign Panarin to a contract extension once and for all.
Garrett's season ended on Sept. 18, when he was placed on the IL due to an elbow sprain.
He had a solid year in 2025, posting a 3.90 ERA and 1.31 WHIP while striking out 64 batters in 55.1 innings over 58 appearances -- a rate of 10.4 per nine.
Since joining the Mets, Garrett has a 4.10 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 129.2 innings in three seasons.
As the Mets head into a critical offseason, they will certainly need to be aggressive in pursuing veteran players -- via free agency or trade -- across the roster.
One thing that must remain a constant is the need to infuse young, quality players into the mix on a yearly basis. Some years will yield more than others, but the sign of a functioning player development system is avoiding multi-year gaps in generating young talent for the big league roster.
The 2025 season was mostly about pitching, with Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong being the most notable prospects to make their big league debuts. On the position player side, no young players debuted, but the Mets did get larger sample sizes of Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos.
As David Stearns begins shaping the 2026 roster, he’ll have to strike a careful balance: leaving open opportunities for top-end young prospects to break through, while also ensuring the team is built to win from Opening Day on.
Two positions in the lineup stand out as key areas for improvement: second base and center field.
The Mets’ top two hitting prospects -- infielder/center fielder Jett Williams and outfielder Carson Benge -- both finished the year at Triple-A and were recently ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospects in the sport.
Williams had a bounce back season after missing most of 2024 due to wrist surgery, posting an .828 OPS with 34 doubles, seven triples, 17 home runs, and 34 stolen bases over 130 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He played all three up-the-middle positions defensively (shortstop, second base, and center field), with evaluators I speak to liking him best at second base.
Benge, the Mets’ first-round pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State, had a breakout first professional season. He torched High-A and Double-A pitching, posting a .926 OPS with 24 doubles, six triples, and 12 home runs in 92 games. After a promotion to Triple-A, he suffered a wrist injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. While his overall stat line at that level wasn’t eye-popping, he finished strong with a 1.132 OPS and two home runs in his last seven games of the season with Syracuse.
Defensively, Benge was a right fielder in college but played more center field as the 2025 season progressed. The Mets were impressed with how his reads and reactions improved as he got more reps. He may never be a Gold Glover out there, but there’s real belief that he can handle center field at the next level thanks to his athleticism and plus throwing arm.
While Williams and Benge are getting close (I project both to make their big league debuts in 2026), it should be considered highly unlikely that either will be ready to claim a starting role on Opening Day.
This is where that balance comes into play.
David Stearns / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image
I believe Tyrone Taylor is a winning player, but he profiles best as a fourth outfielder on a contending team. The Mets should be looking into an everyday type of center fielder, ideally on a short-term deal, who can also help shore up their run prevention.
Free agency offers limited options.
A reunion with Harrison Bader is possible, or the Mets could look across town at Trent Grisham. Grisham’s Yankee teammate Cody Bellinger posted -1 outs above average in center field in 2025. He likely fits better in a corner spot and is expected to land a long-term deal.
On the trade market, the Mets could again investigate Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, who is owed $20 million in 2026 (assuming Chicago picks up his option), and there is a club option for the same amount in 2027. He was playing better leading up to the trade deadline when the Sox surprisingly kept him, and he is a plus defensively.
Second base presents a more convoluted scenario. The Mets don’t necessarily have to look externally. Brett Baty showed versatility in handling second base, and there are also young options like Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio. That said, there are legitimate questions about whether Acuña’s bat fits for an everyday role, and it’s unclear whether Mauricio can sustain second base defensively over a full season.
Jeff McNeil remains the incumbent. He had an above-average offensive year in 2025 and graded out at +4 outs above average defensively at second base. He is owed $15.75 million in 2026, with a club option for the same in 2027.
However, as the Mets look to shake up their position player group, McNeil stands out as a potential trade candidate. It may require the Mets eating some salary, but he could be flipped for pitching help, and they could then explore adding a second baseman.
Free agency presents a few intriguing options. Alex Bregman would be a bold acquisition. He’s a proven winner, an elite clubhouse presence, and can play either second or third base. Signing him would represent a significant shakeup to the core of the roster. Bregman is expected to seek at least a four-year deal this winter.
Ha-Seong Kim, who has a $16 million player option for 2026, would be an excellent defensive and athletic fit if he hits the market. He would also bring 20–30 stolen base potential to a team that could use more athleticism. Luis Rengifo, while coming off a down offensive year, graded out at +4 OAA at second base. He brings similar versatility to McNeil.
On the trade market, Brandon Lowe of the Rays is a name to watch. According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets have discussed him in the past. He’s owed $11.5 million on a club option in 2026 before hitting free agency. Lowe hit 31 home runs in 2025, but his defense has been a mixed bag over the last couple years. In He ranked last among second basemen in outs above average at -13 this past season. The question here would be if he would help the run prevention enough, or if he would be looked at more as a designated hitter who can play second base.
At his end-of-season news conference, Stearns noted when asked about position players like Benge and Williams: "I think incorporating young players into the mix is part of winning, and part of winning consistently. We can’t shy away from doing that."
Benge and Williams have a chance to soon become key members of the core of this Mets offense. The key will be for the Mets to more than adequately cover themselves at center field and second base, so they get performance both offensively and defensively until the young reinforcements are ready to make an impact. That time is coming, and is among the reasons for excitement heading into 2026.
When Aaron Boone sat at the podium late Wednesday after losing the division series to Toronto and said, “It's hard to win the World Series. Been chasing it all my life,” his pain was raw and real, matching the heartbreak of the Yankees fans who have to wait yet another year to feel the joy that came so easily a generation ago.
Losing in the playoffs is a terrible, thudding blow. No one wants to feel this again 12 months from now.
But sometimes the way to get there is through discipline and continuity. The Yankees did not lose to Toronto because of some glaring flaw or cultural rot. They won 94 games in the regular season, then lost a baseball series to a team that in most years is worse than they are, and this year was slightly better. It’s not that deep.
Here’s a plan for how the Yankees can once again contend for a championship in 2026:
Re-signing free agent Cody Bellinger in free agency and extending Jazz Chisholm Jr.
For several years, and with a nudge from top executive Omar Minaya, the Yankees have worked to become more athletic. Long gone are the days of Gleyber Torres in the middle infield and Luke Voit at first base.
The Yankees go into next year with plus defense at third base, too, with Ryan McMahon, and an excellent game caller behind the plate in Austin Wells.
Bellinger is a speedy, rangy, power-hitting plus defender at four positions. It makes no sense to sacrifice that for a pursuit of free agent Kyle Tucker. Like, come on people. There is no comparison to the versatility, despite Tucker’s somewhat better OPS.
We don’t yet know Bellinger’s contract demands, and of course there is a point at which any deal is too much. But losing Bellinger is the only roster move that would leave the Yankees significantly worse heading into next season (this is assuming health for Aaron Judge).
Chisholm is another dynamic athlete, and a smart player. Yeah, I said it. A smart player, despite what the weird haters somehow see.
Chisholm is an expert baserunner who spent time during the last two years helping Juan Soto and Judge improve their ability to read from first base when a pitcher is going home. He is a relative of the acclaimed Mets first base coach Antoan Richardson — the guy who helped Soto steal 38 bases — and shares Richardson’s expertise in that area.
Chisholm made up a stat this year, “home runs plus stolen bases,” and challenged Judge to a competition. Judge only edged Chisholm 65 to 62. Chisholm hit 31 home runs as a middle infielder.
He is also the type of team player that every organization needs. Earlier this season, when DJ LeMahieu could not or would not play third base, Chisholm agreed to do it. The move might have cost him free agent money, because the industry values 30-home run second basemen over 30-home run corner guys. He did it anyway. Pay the man.
Make sure not to scapegoat Aaron Boone
The Yankees manager did a masterful job — that’s right, masterful — in a few key areas this year. Look at his handling of Devin Williams, knowing to pull Williams from the closer role early to save his season, then finding soft lanes for him to rebuild confidence during several slumps.
The difference between public perception of how Boone functions in his job — Alex Rodriguez, totally disconnected from the reality of the organization, recently called the manager a "mouthpiece" for the front office — is vast.
Boone is under contract, and his job is 99.98 percent safe. 99.97 percent safe? Here’s hoping, for the Yankees’ sake, that the small handful of internal muttering about him does not mushroom into a discussion about change.
Rethink shortstop
A team could do worse than a shortstop who hits 20 home runs and has upside defensively. But really, the Yankees’ best opportunity for a vibe shift after this postseason loss is to get together and have an honest talk about Anthony Volpe.
It is too bad that onetime prospect Oswald Peraza never developed into a hitter, because the Yanks need a shortstop of the sort that Peraza was supposed to become — a guy with a stronger arm and better feel for that important position.
Acquire a plus defender, even if a part-time player, for first base
For decades, the Yankees have believed in the need for a plus defender at first base. They have only deviated from this approach a few times.
The team can continue to utilize Ben Rice in a unique 1B/backup catcher/DH rotation, but needs to replace Paul Goldschmidt's defense at first. In a pinch, Bellinger could move from the outfield to late-inning defense at first, though a righty hitter would better fit the roster (the Yankees also need to re-sign Amed Rosario or an equivalent righty bench piece).
If Spencer Jones can hold down an outfield spot, which the Yankees hope he will, Bellinger can play even more first base.
Supplement the bullpen
The Yankees have oodles of starting pitching. If Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt return as expected from Tommy John surgeries next season, they’ll join Max Fried, Cam Schlittler and Carlos Rodon atop an elite rotation.
The team also has pitching prospects Carlos Lagrange, Bryce Cunningham, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and Ben Hess in the pipeline.
Once the Yankees replace free agents Williams and Luke Weaver with bullpen acquisitions, their pitching will be in good shape. By the end of the season, Camilo Doval looked like a late-inning trade deadline gem.
NEW YORK — Forget the preseason prognostications. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the worst-to-first Toronto Blue Jays believe they’re as good as anybody.
Hard to argue after the way they dispatched Aaron Judge and the powerful New York Yankees in their AL Division Series.
And now, manager John Schneider’s pesky Blue Jays bunch is set up pretty nicely for the next playoff round against Detroit or Seattle.
“This is a really special group and we’ve had the confidence to be here since day one. I like our chances and I like the fact that these guys will be recognized for it,” Schneider said.
“I think we more than showed what we can do in this series between all that pitching, defense, everything. The guys in here know what we’re capable of and we don’t really care what anyone else thinks.”
Guerrero and George Springer each drove in a run, and eight Toronto pitchers shut down the Yankees in a 5-2 victory that sent the surprising Blue Jays to the American League Championship Series for the first time in nine years.
“Maybe some people don’t believe in the team through the year, but I always remind everyone that we have an entire country behind us that believe in us, and hopefully we can get the World Series back to Canada,” Guerrero said through a translator.
AL East champion Toronto, wearing its lucky caps with the white panels, took the best-of-five Division Series 3-1 and will host Game 1 in the best-of-seven ALCS against the wild-card Tigers or AL West champion Mariners.
Those teams are set to decide their series in Game 5 at Seattle.
“We knew we were kind of the best team all year,” part-time outfielder and second baseman Davis Schneider said. “Obviously, a lot of people doubted us. Everyone was kind of picking the Yankees to win the series or even the World Series. We’re a great team for a reason. Over the 162 (regular-season games) and into the playoffs, we showed what we can do really well.”
Toronto went 4-3 against Detroit this season and 4-2 versus Seattle.
And while the Tigers and Mariners will use some of their best arms, veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman and rookie Trey Yesavage — the Blue Jays’ top two starters in the ALDS — will be fully rested for the first two games of the ALCS.
“I think with this team, it’s so special that everybody has each other’s back and plays for each other,” reliever Louis Varland said.
No matter who pitches against Toronto, they’ll need to contend with Guerrero and a feisty lineup that consistently fights off tough pitches and puts the ball in play.
Guerrero batted .529 with three homers and nine RBIs in the ALDS, tormenting the Yankees in October in the mold of David Ortiz, Ken Griffey Jr. and George Brett decades ago.
“They hit the crap out of the ball. They didn’t miss,” Yankees catcher Austin Wells said.
Ernie Clement also had an outstanding series at the plate as the Blue Jays advanced to their eighth ALCS. Toronto’s only pennants came in 1992 and ’93, when the club won consecutive World Series crowns.
A season ago, the Blue Jays finished last in the AL East at 74-88, which was 20 games behind the first-place Yankees, who reached the World Series.
This year, the Blue Jays went 11-6 against New York — including 8-1 in Toronto. The teams tied for the AL East title at 94-68, but the Blue Jays won the division on a head-to-head tiebreaker.
“It just shows you a lot can happen in a year,” Springer said. “For us to respond the way we did this year, I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge walked slowly from first base to the Yankees’ dugout after Cody Bellinger ended the game with a strikeout, then turned his head to watch the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate on New York’s infield.
“You don’t like seeing it and it kind of leaves an impression,” Judge said. “Make sure this doesn’t happen next year.”
New York’s 16th consecutive season without a World Series championship ended with a 5-2 loss to Toronto, which won the AL Division Series 3-1 and advanced to a matchup against Seattle or Detroit for the American League pennant.
An hour after the game, Giancarlo Stanton walked over to Judge, seated by his locker in the quiet clubhouse, and put a consoling arm around the captain’s shoulder.
“Didn’t execute when we needed to,” Stanton told reporters a few minutes later. “Timely at-bats, timely pitches, we just didn’t do it as well as they did.”
Judge hit .500 with seven RBIs in seven postseason games, including .600 (9 for 15) with one homer, six RBIs, four walks and a 1.617 OPS against the Blue Jays. But a year after losing a five-game World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees still are looking for championship No. 28.
“This has been a tough year for me personally,” manager Aaron Boone said after his eighth season without a title. “It’s terrible. It hurts.”
Now 33 and perhaps on the verge of his third AL MVP award, Judge has had eight unfulfilling trips to the playoffs in 10 big league seasons.
Instead of moving alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter in adding to the Yankees’ championship collection, Judge remains in the same category as Don Mattingly and Dave Winfield — star players also known for not winning a World Series in the Bronx.
“It doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen, and he and I wholeheartedly believe that it will,” Boone said. “You keep working your tail off to get back to this position and punch through.”
Judge won his first AL batting title this season by hitting .331 with 114 RBIs and 53 home runs — reaching 50 for the fourth time. He is on a Hall of Fame track with a .294 career average and 368 homers, and he has a .235 postseason average with 17 homers and 41 RBIs in 65 games.
“It’s almost like we take it for granted because he only had 50-something homers and not 60,” said Paul Goldschmidt, a seven-time All-Star who joined the Yankees for this season. “Took it to a whole new level. He’s the best that I’ve ever been around. He’s also just the greatest teammate I’ve been around, the best leader.”
It is unclear whether Judge’s right elbow, both of Stanton’s elbows and shortstop Anthony Volpe’s left shoulder might need surgery.
“We’ll do some work on it and get it right,” Judge said.
Asked whether an operation could be needed, he responded: “I’m not a doctor. I don’t know.”
A year after an AL East title and a five-game World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees had a winning record for the 33rd straight season. But they finished second to Toronto in the division on a tiebreaker, then rallied to win their best-of-three Wild Card Series against archrival Boston after losing the opener.
New York was outscored 34-19 by the Blue Jays and outhomered 9-4, a surprise for an offense that led the major leagues with 274 homers and scored a big league-high 50.2% of its runs on longballs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
And just like last year, defense precipitated the demise. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. allowed Andrés Giménez’s hard one-hopper to skip off his glove for an error instead of turning it into an inning-ending double play, and Nathan Lukes hit a two-out, two-run single off Devin Williams for a 4-1 lead in the seventh.
“Just missed it,” Chisholm said an hour after the final out. “Been thinking about that since the play happened, still thinking about it now. Still can’t get it out of my head.”
Judge’s supporting cast needs a remake. New York’s 4.37 bullpen ERA ranked 23rd out of 30 teams. The team’s 7-8-9 batters combined to hit just .224 with a .687 OPS. Volpe batted .212 during the season and .192 in the playoffs with 16 strikeouts in 26 at-bats.
“I’m sure there will be a lot of sleepless nights,” Volpe said.
Goldschmidt and outfielder Trent Grisham can become free agents along with Williams, Luke Weaver, Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough plus pitcher Paul Blackburn, infielder Amed Rosario and outfielder Austin Slater.
Bellinger likely will turn down his $25 million player option in favor of a $5 million buyout, and the Yankees probably will decline a $5 million option on oft-injured right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga. They could exercise a $3 million option on Hill.
“It just sucks for the guys that this might be their last time wearing pinstripes, not getting a chance to have a long run with them and getting the championship,” Judge said.
He urgently wants to keep chasing that ring.
“I want to get back out there right now,” Judge said. “I wish spring training was in a couple of weeks so we can kind of get this going.”
LOS ANGELES — With the Philadelphia Phillies facing elimination, the team’s struggling big three saved the season in a big way, at least for another day.
Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner combined for seven hits and five RBIs to lead the Phillies to an 8-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-five NLDS.
Schwarber got back his postseason power, hitting a pair of home runs — including one that left the stadium. He now has 23 career postseason home runs, third all-time.
The Phillies are still down 2-1 in the series and face another elimination game. If they win, they’ll send the series back to Philadelphia for Game 5.
And it all started with Schwarber’s big swing that went 455 feet over the right-field pavilion in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1. Then Harper and Turner got in on the act, too.
“We want to go in and do our job everyday,” Harper said. “Any time we have Kyle going or Trea going or myself or anybody else, we’re going to win games. I think we all know that. When we’re not doing our job, we’re probably not going to win many games. That’s something we need to do (Thursday), come in, do our job, have fun and enjoy it. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity to play this game. We have a lot of fun doing it.”
The big three were 7 for 13 with five RBIs, four runs, two walks and Turner’s two stolen bases.
Schwarber’s first shot was unmistakably the potion the Phillies needed from the top of their lineup. The Phillies scored three runs in the fourth, took a 3-1 lead and never looked back.
“Ridiculous how far that ball went,” Turner said of Schwarber’s solo shot. “I just think the vibes, the energy it’s something to build off. Sometimes, it’s hard to create your own momentum. You’ve got to build off things like that. No better way than a ball leaving the stadium.”
Harper and Schwarber were 1 for 15 with eight strikeouts in the first two games of the series.
The Phillies still have work to do as only two teams have ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win the NLDS.
But with hitting becoming contagious for Turner, Schwarber and Harper, the Phillies found hope.
Schwarber had a two-run shot off Clayton Kershaw in the eighth after Turner singled leading off.
“I think just trying to get back and respond there after they score a run is a big thing for us,” Schwarber said. “That’s something we have a knack for here. That’s something that’s never going to leave us. We have to keep that same feeling, that same fight, but it’s just nice to get the answer back.”
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani remains mired in a postseason hitting funk, going 0 for 5 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NL Division Series.
The Dodgers lead the best-of-five series, 2-1, despite Ohtani’s lack of offense. He is 1 for 14 with seven strikeouts in the NLDS.
“I really don’t want to comment on that because, I mean, he can explode at any time,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s that great of a hitter. But we have pitched him well.”
The two-way superstar hasn’t looked like the designated hitter who hit 55 home runs and had 146 runs scored — both franchise records — in the regular season. His homers were second in the National League behind Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber, who had two drives to break out of a slump.
Ohtani struck out once, grounded out and flied out three times. The Phillies’ left-handers have stymied him in particular.
“His decision making hasn’t been good,” manager Dave Roberts said.
On the mound, Ohtani pitched six strong innings in the Dodgers’ Game 1 victory on the road. It was the third-most strikeouts by a Dodger in their postseason pitching debut.
Roberts has said Ohtani would start a deciding Game 5 in Philadelphia if the series goes the distance.
LOS ANGELES – The look on the face of Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez was of a child opening their coveted birthday present.
It was just after the Phillies had beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 Wednesday in Game Three of the Divisional Series. His team had just forced a fourth game at Dodger Stadium, and it is Sanchez’s turn to take the mound. He’ll be opposing Los Angeles right hander Tyler Glasnow in another must-win game for the Phillies.
The newly appointed ace, due to the season-ending surgery on Zack Wheeler, wore the burden of his duties for Thursday proudly as his 6-6 frame exuded confidence as he talked to the media in front of his locker.
“I’m going to compete as always and do the best job that I can as I always try to do so I can give us a chance to win a ball game,” he said. And that’s just what he did in Game One of this series when he allowed four hits and two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of what eventually became a 5-3 Dodgers win.
Not knowing if there was going to be another start for him this season before his team took the field for Game Three, Sanchez did the only thing he knows how to do, and that’s stick to his normal routine.
“It’s the same preparation for me,” he said. “I prepare myself in the same way as I always do. It didn’t matter if we were up or down in the game, I was going to prepare myself to pitch (Thursday).”
And now he’ll have that chance as the Phillies offense exploded on Wednesday after Kyle Schwarber ignited them with a 455-foot home run in the fourth inning.
“I was actually getting treatment in the training room,” at the time of the home run, said Sanchez. “I just jumped out of excitement. I mean he hit it 117 off the bat and it cleared all the stadium.”
His demeanor is always the same, like that of a person able to do the profession he loves and excels at. While the offense came through with a big day, Sanchez will also be able to make another start this season due to the performance of fellow pitchers Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez. In an unconventional move, manager Rob Thomson had Nola go two innings in his start, only to be replaced by Suarez in the third. Suarez pitched five efficient innings and the Phillies lived to see another day.
“It’s incredible. It’s amazing,” said Sanchez. “I mean it’s not a coincidence. They are two of the best pitchers that we have. They got the job done.”
And now it’s his turn. Having cemented himself as a true No. 1 on this team, another good outing on Thursday will certainly thrust him more into the minds of an ace to those around the baseball world who may be a little late to the revelation.
Wait, what?
Thomson said in the days leading up to Game Three that he would be doing the piggyback thing with Nola starting and Suarez coming in for relief. What he didn’t reveal, even to all of his players, was that his goal was to get Nola through the Los Angeles lineup just once before changing to his left-hander. It all worked, but he surprised many in doing it.
“I’m looking around and Noles is doing his thing and you see him start giving handshakes,” said Schwarber. “We’ve got our game plan and we’re going to stick to our guns and we’re going to go with our game plan. I’m like, this man is throwing the ball so well.”
He was and he did. And now Nola is another weapon for Thomson should the team prolong their playoff run.
“I didn’t know the game plan was to go two innings,” said Trea Turner. “When he came out I was like, ‘What are we doing?’ Because he looked really good. That’s the Nola I faced for years. I’ve seen him pitch a lot of good postseason games for us. When I saw 95 (MPH) in that first inning and he was throwing strikes and spotting up, I felt like he was back to his old self. And then Ranger picked up right where he left off. He gave up that early homer but he settled in. That’s exactly what we needed from both of them.”
Notes: Schwarber’s first home run went over the right field pavilion at Dodger Stadium. He becomes just the second player to ever do that, joining former Pirate great Willie Stargell, who did it in 1969 and again in 1973. Schwarber’s 23 postseason homers are the third most all-time and the most ever by a lefthander. He also has eight home runs in the powder blue uniforms this season … Should the Phillies force a Game Five, that will be at 8:08 on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
Red October coverage on NBC Sports Philadelphia is sponsored by Toyota.
The Chicago Cubs rode a four run first inning to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers to stay alive and force a Game 4 today. Pete Crow-Armstrong's two-run single was the big blow in that first inning as the Cubs jumped on Quinn Priester who was sent to the showers before the inning ended. Kyle Tucker and Nico Hoerner each had two hits for the Cubs. Jake Bauers went yard for Milwaukee to provide the final difference.
Neither team has announced who will start Game 4 for them later today.
It is logical for the Brewers to tap their ace, Freddy Peralta. He went 5.1 innings in Game 1 and was good, but he'd be starting on just four days rest, something he did 12 times this season. The other option is a bullpen game. The reason that is appealing is that other than a Nico Hoerner home run in the Brewers' Game 1 blowout, the Milwaukee pen has not allowed a run in this series.
The Cubs also seem to have two options. They could hand the ball to Matthew Boyd who, like Peralta, would be starting on four days' rest OR they could go with a bullpen game and start someone like Aaron Civale or Ben Brown. Boyd did not make it out of the first inning of Game 1. Civale went 4.1 innings in relief that afternoon without allowing a run. Brown also pitched in the series opener throwing two shutout innings.
By the time you read this each side may have announced who will step to the mound to start Game 4, but those are your obvious options with a little recent history on all.
Lets dive a little further into Game 4 and look at the numbers produced in this series.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Brewers at Cubs - NLDS Game 4
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Time: 9:08PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: TBS, truTV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for NLDS Game 4 - Brewers at Cubs
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Milwaukee Brewers (-127), Chicago Cubs (+104)
Spread: Brewers -1.5 (+139)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Cubs
Pitching matchup for October 9, 2025: TBD vs. TBD
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Cubs - NLDS Game 4
If Matthew Boyd gets the nod, know that William Contreras is hitting .500 (5-10) with 1 HR against him in his career
Know that Andrew Vaughn and Christian Yelich have also each gone yard against Boyd in their careers
Michael Busch has 3 hits in 19 career ABs against Freddy Peralta...and each of the 3 has been a home run
As a team over the course of their careers, the Cubs are hitting a collective .161 (32-199) against Peralta
Ian Happ is 3-35 (.086) against Peralta, but 2 of the 3 hits have been HRs
Kyle Tucker is 5-13 (.385) in his career against Peralta
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 4 between the Brewers and the Cubs
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Brewers and the Cubs:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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All season, Kyle Schwarber has set the tone for the Philadelphia Phillies' offense. He had a monster regular season smashing a career-high 56 home runs in leading the team to a National League East title. The playoffs apparently are no different. After going hitless in the first two games of the series in Philly - both losses - the veteran crushed a fourth inning pitch from Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3 almost out of Dodger Stadium. That tied the game at one and from there the Phillies rolled to an 8-2 win to claw back into their Best-of-5 series against the Dodgers.
Los Angeles still leads the series two games to one, but did that one mighty swing steal the momentum of the series? Expect an answer to that question tonight as the two teams take the field in Southern California for Game 4. Game 1 starter Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Game 1 reliever Tyler Glasnow of Los Angeles.
Lets dive into Game 4 and see what the numbers tell us.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 4
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Time: 6:08PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: TBS / truTV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for NLDS Game 4 - Phillies at Dodgers
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (+108), Los Angeles Dodgers (-131)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+158)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 4
Pitching matchup for October 9, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Tyler Glasnow
Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez Last outing: 10/4 vs. Dodgers - 5.2 IP, 2ER, 4H, 2 BB, 8Ks Sanchez has struck out a at least 6 in each of his last 5 starts
Dodgers: Tyler Glasnow Last outing: 10/4 at Philadelphia - 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2H, 2BB, 2Ks Glasnow has appeared in 5 games since the start of September but pitched just 23.1 innings
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Dodgers - Game 4
Teoscar Hernandez is hitting .333 (5-15) with 2 HRs in his career against Sanchez
Shohei Ohtani is hitting just .211 (4-19) in his career against Sanchez
Kyle Schwarber is 2-13 (.154) in his career against Glasnow
The only Philadelphia Phillies' player to have gone yard against Glasnow in their career is Max Kepler
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 4 between the Phillies and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Phillies and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.5.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC
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When Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman struck out New York Yankees left-fielder Cody Bellinger to win the ALDS, Maple Leafs fans — who were still inside Scotiabank Arena — let out a huge roar. So did whoever was controlling the Toronto Maple Leafs' goal horn.
Everyone had their eyes glued during the second intermission. Fans remained in their seats, and the media crowded around a TV in the press box. In the third period of the home opener, once the Blue Jays went up 5-1 over the Yankees in the eighth inning, fans began the chant: "Let's Go Blue Jays!"
Morgan Rielly, who scored Toronto's game-winning goal against the Canadiens: "I liked that. It's not the first time I've heard them. I heard them early in my career in a negative way," he grinned. "It's cool. We got the game on now, so we got the boys all around the TV watching it."
Stolarz is entering his second season in the blue and white. He'll be here for four more seasons after this one, following the signing of a four-year, $15 million contract on Sept. 28. One of the reasons he wanted to remain in Toronto was because of the fan base, which he's embraced since arriving in the city two summers ago.
"I think that's something a lot of guys have touched on, and this city is extremely passionate. Just to hear the roar and just to see how much they support their teams, it's just more motivation for us to continue to progress as this year goes on and make a deep run."
"I mean, I get it. Everybody's excited and the Jays are doing well and everything," he smiled. "So, I mean, it's all fine. It's just a little different, but it's good. We're all into it."
As Berube walked off after his media availability, he gave a commanding "Go Jays Go!"
The first game of the ALCS goes down sometime on Sunday, either against the Detroit Tigers or the Seattle Mariners. The Maple Leafs will likely practice that day, but most of the players are definitely going to be glued to the TV after the skate.
"You can just feel the energy in the city," Auston Matthews said earlier this week. "The atmosphere was great in there (for Game 2 against the Yankees). It was nice to have the roof open. The weather's been great.
"It definitely got you really excited just to get going in our own regard, but we're obviously rooting for them pretty hard."
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 8. Glasnow will start Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
With the 21st pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Boston Red Sox selected a high school shortstop named Mookie Betts. The kid, as it turns out, plays a pretty mean shortstop.
With the first pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected a Hart High pitcher named Tyler Glasnow.
Fourteen years later, with Betts playing behind him, Glasnow on Thursday gets the chance to pitch his hometown Dodgers into the National League Championship Series.
“It would be awesome,” Glasnow said. “Growing up, loving the team, being able to pitch for them now?
“It would be everything.”
For Glasnow, yes, but also for the Dodgers.
It would eliminate the possibility of the Dodgers playing for their lives on Saturday, amid the deafening decibels of Citizens Bank Park.
And it would vindicate the Dodgers’ strategy of all but mothballing an elite starting pitcher for almost three weeks and then handing him the ball and asking him to win them the division series.
He has pitched twice since then: an intentionally abbreviated three-inning start 12 days ago, and a relief appearance five days ago, in Game 1 of this division series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I think he's full go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was nice to get him in there in Philly, but as far as kind of his buildup, I think it's just a normal start.”
In fairness to the Dodgers, they had no idea this would finally be the year they would have a full house of healthy and effective starters at the end of the season, instead of at the beginning.
They opted for Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani as their top three starters. The wild-card round only lasted two games, and Glasnow is starting Game 4 of the division series.
That meant juggling the rotation so the top three would be ready for the wild-card round, and giving Glasnow an outing in relief to keep him sharp.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers during Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s been starting the whole season,” catcher Ben Rortvedt said. “I don’t think a lot changes. He threw out of the bullpen, and I think that was the big challenge for him.
“He’s back to schedule, back to doing what he does. Looking forward to it.”
It is not entirely fair to judge a player by his salary, but that is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers, who traded for Glasnow two winters ago and then awarded him a contract for $136.5 million. He made the All-Star team last season, but tendinitis in his pitching elbow kept him from pitching in the playoffs.
It also is not entirely fair to judge a player by his postseason results, but that too is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers.
In 10 postseason starts — all for the Tampa Bay Rays — Glasnow is 2-6 with a 5.72 earned-run average.
In his lone appearance against the Phillies this season, Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, walking five and giving up five runs.
The opposing pitcher that day is the opposing pitcher Thursday: Cristopher Sánchez, with the Dodgers one win from a berth in the NLCS.
The Dodgers invited Steve Garvey to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, and after that to deliver the ritual words that precede every home game.
Garvey inserted a word into Vin Scully’s trademark phrase.
“It’s time for Dodger championship baseball,” Garvey said.
On Thursday, Glasnow can make sure it’s time for Dodger championship series baseball.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani strikes out in the fifth inning of Wednesday's 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The familiar sound reverberated throughout Dodger Stadium.
Crack!
The baseball soared into the October sky, Shohei Ohtani gliding down the first-base line as he watched it travel back, back, back …
… only to be caught a few inches in front of the left-field wall by Max Kepler.
So close to a seventh-inning home run that could have made Game 3 a game. So close to a home run that could have revitalized baseball’s best player in this National League Division Series.
Ohtani is now one for 14 with seven strikeouts in this best-of-five series, in which the Dodgers’ lead was reduced to two games to one after an 8-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
While Ohtani was hitless in five at-bats on Wednesday night, Phillies counterpart Kyle Schwarber launched two homers, including a 455-foot blast in the fourth inning that changed the complexion of the game and series.
The heart of the Phillies’ order awakened, the Dodgers’ didn’t, and that was more or less the difference in the game.
Ohtani is the Dodgers’ failsafe, and the failsafe is failing. The Dodgers remain in control of this NLDS, but considering the shortcomings of their present roster, they almost certainly can’t win a World Series with him being as ineffective at the plate as he was for extended stretches of the postseason last year.
The Dodgers did everything in their power to ensure Ohtani’s transformation into Oh-fer-tani wouldn’t become an annual event.
By not sending him to the mound in either of the first two games of their wild-card series, the Dodgers were able to delay his first start as a pitcher until Game 1 of this series. Because the schedule called for a day off between Games 1 and 2, Ohtani didn’t have to play the day after making a start, a situation in which he has difficulty hitting. In the regular season, Ohtani batted just .147 on the days following his starts.
If the Phillies can send this series back to Philadelphia for Game 5 on Saturday, Ohtani would be the Dodgers’ starting pitcher. Under that scenario, he also wouldn’t have to hit the next day. The NL Championship Series doesn’t start until Monday.
However, the team’s assistance hasn’t benefited the left-handed-hitting Ohtani in the batter’s box, as the Phillies have shut him down by deploying a series of hard-throwing left-handed pitchers against him.
Ohtani has taken 15 plate appearances in this series and 12 of them were against left-handed pitchers. Of his three plate appearances against right-handed pitches, two were against closer Jhoan Durán, who is armed with a 100-mph fastball.
Cristopher Sánchez, who will start for the Phillies on Thursday in Game 4, struck out Ohtani each of the three times he pitched to him in Game 1. Jesús Luzardo, a candidate to start a potential Game 5, didn’t allow a hit to Ohtani in any of the three at-bats in which they faced each other.
“I think the lefties are part of it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But I just think his decision making hasn’t been good.”
Shohei Ohtani walks back to the dugout after striking out in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Phillies left-handers have attacked Ohtani with sinkers that come in on his hands.
“You can see it’s balls in, off the plate, and he’s not really giving himself a chance to hit a mistake,” Roberts said. “I just think he’s in between a little bit, but the swing decisions are just not where they need to be right now.”
Ohtani answered as many questions about his mini-slump as he had hits Wednesday. Approached in the clubhouse after the game, Ohtani offered nothing more than a blank stare.
The image-conscious two-way player doesn’t like to say to reporters directly that he won’t speak, as doing so after, say, a hitless game could make him look as if he is skirting accountability. Ohtani instead entrusts the team’s public relations staff to decline interviews on his behalf.
On this particular night, a Dodgers security guard ran interference for Ohtani, pointing to nonexistent rules against speaking to him without the public relations staff’s permission. (Baseball’s media access regulations are set by the collective-bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ union, not any particular team. There are no restrictions on approaching players in the clubhouse, but players have the right to refuse to answer questions.)
In a nearby interview room, Phillies manager Rob Thomson was careful to not celebrate his team’s success against the NL’s likely most valuable player.
“I really don’t want to comment on that because, I mean, he can explode at any time,” Thomson said.
Ohtani’s only hit of the series was an important one, a single in Game 2 that drove in what turned out to be the winning run.
“He’s that great of a hitter,” Thomson said. “But we have pitched him well.”
There is no player who moves on from an abysmal performance as well as Ohtani. To that point, before the failed attempt to ask him about his offensive troubles, Ohtani shared a laugh with Justin Dean and bumped fists with the reserve outfielder.
Ohtani looked as if he had already placed the 0-for-five night behind him, which had to be a relief for the Dodgers. He will have to hit at some point this October, if not in this series, in the next, or the one after that.
It’s time for the next round of the 2025 MLB playoffs.
The American League and National League pennants will be decided in the coming days, with the Championship Series set to begin once the Division Series wraps up.
In the AL, the No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays locked up the first spot in the ALCS with their four-game victory over the No. 4 New York Yankees. Their opponent is yet to be decided, as the No. 2 Seattle Mariners and No. 6 Detroit Tigers head to be winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday.
So, while there are still three teams left to clinch their Championship Series berth, we do know plenty of details about the upcoming pennant fights.
From the matchups to the schedule and how to watch, here’s what to know about the Championship Series:
What are the 2025 ALCS, NLCS matchups?
Given the matchups in the Division Series, we are guaranteed to have non-divisional matchups in the Championship Series.
The AL East champion Blue Jays will have home-field advantage over the AL West champion Mariners or AL wild card Tigers. In the NL, home-field will be determined based on who advances — the NL Central champion Brewers will claim it if they can beat their division rival Cubs. If Chicago comes back, the winner of the NL East champion Phillies and NL West champion Dodgers will get home-field.
Here’s a full look at the bracket:
American League
No. 2 Seattle Mariners/No. 6 Detroit Tigers vs. No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays
National League
No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies/No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers/No. 4 Chicago Cubs
How many games are in the ALCS, NLCS?
Following best-of-three Wild Card Series and best-of-five Division Series, the postseason moves to a best-of-seven format in the Championship Series and World Series. The higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 6 and 7.
What is the 2025 ALCS, NLCS schedule?
Here’s a series-by-series look at the Championship Series schedule:
American League
Mariners/Tigers vs. Blue Jays
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 12, time TBA
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13, time TBA
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15, time TBA
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16, time TBA
Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 17, time TBA
Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 19, time TBA
Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, Oct. 20, time TBA
National League
Phillies/Dodgers vs. Brewers/Cubs
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 13, time TBA
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 14, time TBA
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 16, time TBA
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 17, time TBA
Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 18, time TBA
Injuries Still Impacting J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin As They Both Look To Get Back To Regular FormBoth J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin had to shake off some rust during the New York Rangers’ season opener on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
