Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Last night, the Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, clinching the team’s first National League pennant and first World Series appearance in 44 years. According to MLB, Milwaukee became the first team to sweep an opponent in a postseason series one year after that same opponent swept it out of the playoffs.

The Brewers, who are four wins away from their first World Series title, await the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays. The ALCS has been more competitive, with the Guardians leading 2-1 entering tonight’s Game 4 in rainy and windy Cleveland.

Rays at Guardians (8:00 PM PST)

Based off the first three games, this series looks like it could go the distance. What else would you expect from two scrappy young teams like these two? Both organizations are absolutely desperate for the chance to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy. The Rays are seeking their first World Series title, while the Guardians aim to end MLB’s longest active championship drought.

The visiting Rays will have veteran right-hander Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10 ERA) taking the ball for this critical contest. The 36-year-old, who turned in a career-best season in his first year with the Rays, will make his second start of the postseason.

Martinez started the third and final Division Series game against the New York Yankees, receiving a no-decision after allowing two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He exited early after being hit by a comebacker. Having avoided a significant injury, the right-hander will look to deliver a quality start and help his team even the ALCS at two games apiece.

Here’s Tampa Bay’s lineup for this evening’s matchup:

The Guardians will counter with a bullpen game. Right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who has yet to allow a run through his first four appearances this postseason, will serve as the opener. Following an inning or two, left-hander Joey Cantillo or right-hander Tanner Bibee will take over for the hosts.

And Cleveland’s starting nine, courtesy of skipper Stephen Vogt:

Update: Game 4 got postponed till tomorrow.

With the Milwaukee Brewers sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers to claim their first National League pennant since 1982, attention now turns to the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays.

Cleveland holds a 2-1 series lead following Thursday’s 3-2 victory. The Guardians are looking for their first World Series appearance since 2016 and their first championship since 1948, while the Rays hope to return for the first time since 2020 and capture their first title.

Tampa Bay will turn to Nick Martinez, who posted a 3.10 ERA during the regular season, including 13.0 scoreless innings against Cleveland. The veteran right-hander relies on excellent command and a six-pitch mix featuring a sinking fastball, fading changeup and cutter.

Cleveland will use Shawn Armstrong as an opener. Armstrong has thrown 5.1 scoreless innings this postseason, primarily using his four-seamer, sweeper and cutter. Left-hander Joey Cantillo could follow to handle the bulk of the innings, bringing a low-90s fastball, looping curveball and changeup.

Another night of October baseball is upon us. Enjoy the game and join us in the comments!

Tampa Bay Rays (1-2) at Cleveland Guardians (2-1) — 6:00 p.m. MDT

Pitching matchup: RHP Nick Martinez (4.91 ERA) vs. RHP Shawn Armstrong (0.00 ERA)

SB Nation sites:DRaysBay | Covering the Corner

Radio: ESPN Radio

TV: TBS/HBO Max

Lineups

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Well, it’s looking like the ALCS will be the only baseball we get to see for a while after the Milwaukee Brewers swept the former two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers out of the Postseason in unceremonious fashion. No worries, though, as the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays have been playing an entertaining brand of baseball so it’ll certainly be interesting to see how this series plays out going forward. Will the Guardians get one step closer to making a shock World Series appearance? Or will the Tampa Bay Rays get it into gear and tie this series up heading into Game 5? Let us know what you think!

Here’s a random clip of my favorite NLCS moment from back when I was a kid. Share yours below if you’d like!

The Cleveland Guardians rode their top arms to a slim 3-2 victory on Thursday, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Gavin Williams and the Guardians did their thing, racking up 13 strikeouts and allowing just two hits on the night. Williams, however, saw his velocity start to plummet beyond 50 pitches in that outing and manager Stephen Vogt got the hook out after just five innings. That’s a little ominous for the Guardians chances in a long series and perhaps in the World Series if they get there, but at this time of year everyone is gassed and leaving it all on the field. They may have just told Williams to air it out, expecting a shorter outing. Either way, he was dominant as long as he was in the game.

The Rays still went toe-to-toe with them in Game 3, so they won’t be feeling down on themselves either. With the final two games, assuming they go seven, in Tampa Bay, they really just need to stay with the Guardians and make sure they bring the series back home. However, that does mean they really need a victory tonight to even the series and avoid the Guardians riding momentum and running away with it.

The Guardians top relief arms are carrying a lot of the load in the series and Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith both pitched on Thursday. So a bullpen game tonight is going to lean on them pretty hard. Probably Martinez isn’t going very deep in this one either. Both managers will be trying to keep their top arms fresh and not waste them in a losing effort, so holding a lead into the middle innings will be huge. For his part, Rays manager Kevin Cash probably doesn’t care either way. Unless they get blown out, he’s got to bring his best arms to bear in any close game and try to square the series.

This has been a pretty entertaining matchup. We’ll probably see another close one tonight.

RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 4.91 ERA) vs. RHP Shawn Armstrong (0-0, 0.00 ERA) at 8:00 p.m. ET on TBS.

Some would say that 2026 was a tumultuous season for the Yankees’ skipper, and there is a lot to be said about what went right in Aaron Boone’s decision-making and what eventually backfired to catalyze disaster.

There are many occasions when Boone stepped in at the right time to pull a pitcher and allowed the players to control their own destiny from the plate. He is most confident when he’s defending his guys from the dugout and isn’t afraid to get in an umpire’s face after a bad call. This has always been Boone’s style, and he continued his fiery streak this season with five ejections during regular season games. However, as manager, he is mandated to take accountability for some of the questionable decisions that may have put the Yankees in tougher situations.

MLB insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman recently invited Joe Girardi to assess Boone’s decisions, and the former Yankees manager had a lot of positive takeaways despite a disappointing end to this season. Girardi even went on to claim that this was Boone’s best year of managing in his nine years on the job.

To give him credit, Boone had to navigate through several injuries this season and consistently found ways to keep the Yankees fighting for a playoff spot when all seemed lost, especially without Aaron Judge. Along with the Yankees captain, several star players had lengthy stints on the injured list, including Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Ryan Weathers, and Giancarlo Stanton. Expected 2026 contributors Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all missed a few weeks, too. Despite all the setbacks, Boone still found a way to propel the Yankees to their third conseuctive season of at least 93 wins, and he could’ve matched the 94 from both 2024 and 2025 had a rainout not nixed Game 162.

Contrast this to 2023, when Judge also missed a bunch of time and the Yankees struggled to 82 wins, their worst year in over two decades. Although the personnel may have just been better this time around, Boone did help keep the season from falling apart and rendering September irrelevant (let alone October). Credit Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake for helping the bullpen beat preseason expectations as well; others might not have had the confidence in unheralded names like Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn, but they had strong seasons setting up for closer David Bednar.

The Yankees skipper also deserves some praise for refusing to put Judge in a spot where he could put his future career at risk. After being sidelined for the final stretch of the regular season with a moderate grade right calf strain, Judge was eager to get back into the lineup as the Yankees prepared for the postseason. Boone and general manager Brian Cashman ultimately decided to leave him off the roster for the Wild Card Series against Boston, which didn’t end up being an issue as the Yankees scored a combined 18 runs in the two-game dusting.

The Division Series was an entirely different scenario. On the advice of the Yankees’ medical staff, Judge was again absent from the series, in which the first two games were played on the turf at Tropicana Field. Judge, much like the rest of the Yankees’ offense, struggled to put up big numbers in Tampa Bay and went a combined 2-for-10 with a home run, four RBIs, and four strikeouts this season. He appeared disgruntled at Boone’s decision to keep him off the field for the series, but it may have been the best choice to allow him more time to recover from the calf injury and not put his career at risk — after all, severe Achilles injuries have been linked to the soleus muscle, which is where his calf was strained.

On the other hand, one of Boone’s most glaringly disappointing choices was putting Grisham in a leadoff spot in an elimination game when the Yankees were at risk of getting swept by the Rays on their own turf. Grisham, who barely saw any action in September, was the last of the batters left to keep the fight alive down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth. With the hottest hitter of the postseason on deck in Ben Rice—who had been batting leadoff—Grisham ended up striking out in four pitches from Bryan Baker, allowing Tampa Bay to celebrate advancing to the ALCS from the Bronx clubhouse once again. With Grisham putting the cherry on top of an embarrassing postseason performance, the Yankees also continued their postseason losing streak and remain winless on the road since the 2024 ALCS against the Guardians.

It looks like Boone is here to stay for at least another year, as his contract runs through the end of 2027. Hopefully the Yankees can make enough clever moves during this expectedly elongated offseason to put them in a better spot for next season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers got beaten, battered and embarrassed by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. Now, even elementary school kids in Wisconsin are getting their shots in and trolling the reigning champs.

Less than 24 hours after the Brewers completed their stunning four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions, a young Milwaukee fan showed up to his school’s Halloween party Friday dressed as a battered Dodgers player.

Complete with a Dodgers uniform, baseball pants and fake blood, the youngster delivered the punchline with the kind of comedic timing that would make a professional stand-up comedian jealous.

“Ow, I got beat up by the Brewers,” the boy proclaimed in a hilarious video posted to Instagram by his mother, Alexa Dobry.

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The internet, naturally, had a field day.

“Why is their Halloween party two weeks before Halloween?” one Reddit user wondered.

“Maybe it’s a party deferred from last year,” another replied, delivering a brilliant jab at the Dodgers’ billion-dollar collection of deferred salaries, and the fact that the Brewers were swept by Los Angeles in the NLCS last year. 

The Brewers deserve credit for beating a Dodgers team that assembled a starting rotation featuring two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two-time NL Cy Young Award Blake Snell and All-Star Tyler Glasnow, yet somehow couldn’t win a single game against Milwaukee despite holding a lead in all four contests.

It marked the first NLCS sweep suffered by the Dodgers in franchise history, a particularly bitter reversal after Los Angeles swept Milwaukee in the same round last October. Apparently baseball has a funny way of settling scores.

The Brewers, who won an MLB-best 103 games during the regular season, are headed to their first World Series since 1982, while the Dodgers are headed home to contemplate how a roster overflowing with superstars couldn’t produce one victory in the LCS.

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Kiké Hernandez is a free agent now that the Dodgers’ season has come to an end.

The fan favorite and Dodgers playoff legend addressed his future with the organization following Game 4 of the National League Championship Series Thursday night.

“Every time I look at my career, I go back to this place. I’ve been here the longest. I hope I get back. I feel like I have a lot left. I thought it was gonna be a big year for me on the personal side,” Hernandez said.

“I would love to be back. I would love to have one more try to win another one. I don’t really know what’s gonna happen.”

Hernandez is one of many Dodgers players that may not return following the team’s failed quest of a three-peat. Last offseason, the Dodgers brought back several veterans to create a seasoned roster.

Miguel Rojas and Hernandez returned on one-year deals for the 2026 season. Rojas announced his retirement Thursday, but at 35 years old, Hernandez still plans on continuing his playing career.

Whether that will be in a Dodgers uniform remains a mystery.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes will have to evaluate how to make the team younger, while also keeping a core group of players. Hernandez has been apart of all three Dodgers’ World Series championships in the six years.

There are already doubts surrounding the Dodgers dynasty and whether the Brewers have effectively ended the golden era in Hollywood, but a front office masterclass could very well keep the team competitive.

Less than 24 hours after the Dodgers were swept by the Brewers in the National League Championship Series, Mookie Betts addressed the fanbase.

“This season didn’t end the way we wanted, but I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported us along the way,” the Dodgers shortstop wrote in an Instagram post.

View this post on Instagram

“Through the ups and downs, you continued to show up and show love. I don’t take any of that for granted. Thank you, Dodger Nation.”

The Dodgers’ season came to an untimely end on Thursday night as the Brewers were awarded the National League pennant after a dominant four-game performance over the back-to-back World Series champions.

The Dodgers assembled one of the greatest rosters in baseball and spared no expense to do so. But the NLCS proved that while the Dodgers may be the richest team in the league, luxurious spending does not guarantee a championship.

Now, the juggernaut will be forced to evaluate how to approach the upcoming 2027 season. Will Shohei Ohtani pitch again? Should the Dodgers trade Teoscar Hernandez or Tommy Edman? Will free agent Tarik Skubal be back in LA? How do the Dodgers get younger?

All those questions and more will have to be addressed this winter as the Dodgers dynasty looks to recover from a failed three-peat attempt.

While the team ultimately fell short in 2026, there’s a chance the Dodgers could very well make another deep playoff run next year if the front office can assemble all the right pieces.

Apparently, getting swept out of the National League Championship Series wasn’t humiliating enough for the Dodgers. Now, some of their fans are trying to turn a good old-fashioned baseball beatdown into baseball’s next great cheating scandal. 

The evidence? A few long at-bats, a couple of unexpected home runs and a whole lot of sour grapes.

After the Milwaukee Brewers completed their four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions with a 6-4 victory Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, conspiracy theories began circulating on social media accusing Milwaukee of knowing which pitches were coming.

Never mind that nobody has produced a shred of evidence of illegal sign-stealing.

The amateur detectives pointed to Jake Bauers’ grueling 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2, his lengthy battle against Blake Snell in Game 3 and another extended confrontation with Tyler Glasnow in Game 4.

Garrett Mitchell’s home runs against Snell and Tanner Scott in Games 3 and 4 only added fuel to the conspiracy theories. Mitchell only hit one homer off a left-hander in 107 at-bats during the regular season. He hit two in the series.

But apparently, battling through an at-bat and hitting a home run against a difficult matchup are now grounds for a federal investigation.

And who helped give this nonsense oxygen? AM 570 radio guy David Vassegh, whose devotion to the Dodgers occasionally makes objectivity seem like an opposing team’s scouting report.

Vassegh, the host of “Dodger Talk,” claimed multiple unidentified MLB players texted him during Game 2 suggesting the Brewers knew what Yamamoto was throwing. He subsequently asked former Reds slugger Joey Votto whether the Japanese right-hander might have been tipping his pitches.

“Sure, there’s a pretty good chance they caught something,” Votto said.

That’s where this entire controversy falls apart.

Recognizing a pitcher tipping his pitches isn’t cheating. It’s baseball.

For generations, hitters have studied pitchers’ grips, glove positioning, delivery and mechanics for clues. Modern technology, including sophisticated video analysis and artificial intelligence, has made identifying those tendencies even easier.

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy has discussed that very practice himself.

There is an enormous difference between detecting a pitcher’s tell through legitimate observation and illegally intercepting or electronically relaying signs, as Houston did during its infamous 2017 scandal.

Even Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the obvious after Milwaukee’s series-clinching victory.

“We got beat.”

Roberts didn’t make excuses. He didn’t spout conspiracy theories, and he certainly didn’t reference anonymous sources that told him the Brewers were cheating. 

The Brewers won 103 regular-season games, then dismantled Los Angeles with superior pitching, timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, fundamentally sound defense and relentless execution.

They didn’t need a secret camera, a trash can, a train whistle or a decoder ring.

They just needed to play better baseball.

And for four straight games, that’s exactly what they did.

The Dodgers’ dynasty may not be finished, but their reign atop baseball certainly took a beating this October.

Milwaukee is headed to its first World Series since 1982.

Instead of inventing excuses, Dodgers fans might consider doing what their own manager did and tip their caps to the better team this time around. 

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The 2026 Yankees won 93 games in a year in which superstar Aaron Judge played just 66 games. That’s not a bad total, but it feels like it could, and should, have been more. General manager and Senior VP Brian Cashman routinely builds contending teams, and he should get credit for that, but he and his staff should be aiming higher and doing more to bring the title back to the Bronx.

A Wild Card Series win against the Boston Red Sox was a nice way to start the postseason, but the sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays exposed many harsh realities that are directly tied to Cashman and his decisions.

For the Yankees, 93 wins is not enough. They need to be the best team in the division, because that would bring them additional benefits in postseason play, such as home-field advantage and a ticket straight to the AL Division Series. Everybody in the organization is responsible for how the season plays out, but the spotlight will always point to the head of baseball operations.

Offseason moves and decisions

Cashman didn’t have a particularly bad offseason, but there were some notable holes when the season started. He didn’t find proper replacements for the rehabbing Anthony Volpe and the underwhelming Ryan McMahon: the former ended up being demoted in early August when the organization promoted George Lombard Jr., and the latter posted a 78 wRC+ and just 0.5 fWAR in 124 games. Volpe eventually returned and played an important role in the stretch run and during the postseason.

Extending Trent Grisham a qualifying offer was seen as a moderate risk when it happened, but it was a reasonable one since the outfielder had hit a career-high 34 homers in 2025. The outfielder declined this year, particularly on defense, but at least it wasn’t a long-term commitment.

The trade for Ryan Weathers was universally acclaimed, and it was a good piece of business on Cashman’s part. He ended up posting career-bests in ERA (3.60), fWAR (2.5), and innings pitched (137.1). The executive also brought back Paul Blackburn, Ryan Yarbrough, Amed Rosario, Paul Goldschmidt, and Cody Bellinger.

Some of them were nice additions, particularly the 2019 NL MVP, but Cashman left the roster exposed to injuries and underperformance in many spots, and that’s on him, too. The bullpen was a bit thin, as some of his past trade experiments, such as Jake Bird, Ángel Chivilli, and Camilo Doval, just didn’t work. The same can be said about Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest. We are more than willing to give Cashman a pass in the bullpen, since the unit finished with the second-best ERA in MLB, though.

Trade Deadline activity (or lack thereof)

The Bombers entered the deadline with a few notable needs, which Cashman was very much aware of. They could have used a catcher given Austin Wells’ season-long slump up to that date, a reliever or two, a starter, and a right-handed outfielder.

They flirted with several backstops, but ended up empty-handed on that front to the frustration of fans. They did bring in Luis García Jr., who had been enjoying an amazing year in Washington with 23 homers and a 133 wRC+.

Heliot Ramos’ arrival was met with mixed reviews, and he posted a disappointing 93 wRC+ in pinstripes. He did have a 184 wRC+ vs. lefties during his time in the Bronx, which was one of the main reasons behind his acquisition. Giving up left-handed pitching prospect Henry Lalane to get him hurt, though. Speaking of…

Prospects and young core

Yes, you could say that the Yankees’ deadline was a disappointment, although some might disagree. However, they managed to keep most of their top prospects, including Lombard, Dax Kilby, Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodríguez, and Ben Hess. The promising Lalane was the lone exception.

They represent, together with Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice, Spencer Jones, Weathers, and Will Warren, the next wave of young talent that will, theoretically at least, keep the team highly competitive for the next 3-7 years. Keeping them all, particularly Lombard when half the league was asking for him in trade conversations, was a win for Cashman.

The rest of the farm, however, needs work. A lot of work. The Yankees will need to draft well and be active in the international market in the next couple of years to revamp their depleted system. At least Cashman took a step towards solving the situation, dismissing longtime international scouting director Donny Rowland and replacing him with Mario Garza in January.

Player development wins and losses

As every general manager, Cashman had some player development wins and losses when looking at the final picture of the 2026 campaign. He and his staff managed to turn Blackburn into a very useful reliever with his 1.59 ERA in 85 innings, and he got a nice season from Weathers, too.

Schlittler took a step forward into stardom, and Brent Headrick and Warren also improved in 2026. On the other hand, they couldn’t fix Doval, Luis Gil, McMahon, or Volpe, and Jasson Domínguez remains a fringe player. Grisham and Wells were also subpar for their standard.

The offense, generally speaking, had a mediocre year with a 101 wRC+ that ranked 14th in MLB. Yes, injuries to Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and other key hitters certainly hurt, but the feeling is that Cashman could have done better, or more.

Bottom line

We have said it multiple times in this space: the Yankees need new voices. They need to listen to more prepared people. They can’t keep doing the same things in personnel decisions, player analysis, research and development, and scouting and expect different results. Unless the ownership decides to part ways with their longtime executive, it will be on Cashman to push that change within the organization: does he have that in him, though? It’s at least a fair question.

For Nationals fans accustomed to watching promising innings disappear on the basepaths, 2026 offered a welcome change. The Nats played aggressive baseball, but with better results. Stealing bases and taking the extra bag became meaningful strengths, giving them another way to generate offense.

The improvement also deserves to be counted among the successes of manager Blake Butera’s coaching staff, particularly first-base and baserunning coach Corey Ray.

The Nats finished with 178 stolen bases and 40 caught stealings, succeeding on 81.7% of their attempts. In 2025, the Nationals stole 132 bases and were caught 48 times, a 73.3% success rate. That means they added 46 steals while making eight fewer outs trying to steal. More attempts produced substantially better efficiency.

The comparison with 2024 is revealing, too. That team piled up 223 steals but was caught 73 times, converting 75.3% of its attempts. The Nats 2026 club finished with fewer steals, but its success rate was more than six percentage points higher. There is value in putting pressure on the defense. There is also value in keeping a runner available for the next hitter.

The progress extended beyond stealing. Baseball-Reference’s extra-base-taken percentage measures how frequently runners advance more than one base on a single or more than two on a double when opportunities arise. The Nats rate climbed from 40% in 2025 to 47% in 2026, exceeding its 45% mark from 2024 as well. Those advances can turn an ordinary single into a first-and-third situation or bring a runner home without requiring another hit.

Advanced metrics reinforce the picture. Baseball-Reference credited the Nationals with nine baserunning runs above average in 2026, with another six runs credited separately for avoiding double plays. These measures put a run value on contributions that batting average and home run totals miss. The Nats were creating advantages between contact and the next plate appearance.

FanGraphs’ BsR, which expresses baserunning value in runs above average, also shows how widely those contributions were distributed. CJ Abrams finished at +4.7, Dylan Crews at +3.6, Jacob Young at +3.5, Daylen Lile at +2.0, and James Wood at +1.6, as the Nationals finished first in baseball in total BsR at +15.7, all the way up from -0.6 in 2025.

That is where the coaching deserves attention. In February, Mark Zuckerman reported in Nats Journal that Ray was physically positioning himself near first base during drills, requiring runners to make tighter turns around the bag. Butera emphasized foot placement, efficient routes, and the difference even an unnecessary extra foot could make. The staff was teaching specific, repeatable details from the beginning of camp.

No statistic can assign an exact share of the improvement to Ray, Butera, or third-base coach Víctor Estévez. The players deserve the largest share of the credit for executing. Still, the connection between the staff’s documented emphasis and the season’s results is a reasonable one. Better baserunning was an explicit priority, and the Nats delivered it.

There were rough edges. The Nats recorded 59 non-steal outs on the bases, up from 47 in 2025, so this was hardly a mistake-free team. But the broader gains were substantial: more successful steals, fewer failed attempts, and more extra bases taken. For a young club trying to establish better habits, that represents tangible progress—and something worth carrying into 2027.

It’s been 44 years since the Brewers went to the World Series, a fact Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito will recall.

It might seem like a random connection.

When the Brewers were last in the Fall Classic in 1982, Zito was a bat boy for the team, NHL writer Matt Larkin revealed. Zito spent the 1981 and 1982 seasons working for Milwaukee while he was in high school.

In a past interview with Larkin, Zito discussed the impact of then-Brewers general manager Harry Dalton on his career.

“He took me under his wing,” Zito said. “It was the 1982 Brewers, who went to Game 7 of the World Series. He was so kind to me and afforded me the opportunity. I could go up to his office whenever I wanted, I could learn scouting. He took the time to explain everything to me and always encouraged me to get into the management side.”

Zito’s background in sports started long before he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Panthers in 2024 and 2025.

His father, William Zito Sr., played football for the University of Pittsburgh and the Steelers before the family moved to Wisconsin.

Bill Zito then played college hockey at Yale before returning to the Midwest and completing law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He then spent several years as an agent before moving into team management, joining the Blue Jackets in 2013.

He was hired by the Panthers in 2020 and has been a four-time finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

The Brewers are chasing their first World Series title in franchise history after sweeping the back-to-back defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS.

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, sitting next to soon-to-be free agent Tarik Skubal at their lockers in the aftermath of their team’s elimination from the National League Championship Series elimination, made a promise:

“I’ll be recruiting,” he interjected with a smile, as Skubal declined to comment on free agency, saying it was too soon to try to predict what the future would hold for him.

That would be Snell’s side project between rounds of video games — 2K specifically. (Skubal admittedly “sucks” at the game, but Snell says his teammate “has heart, though.” The rest can be taught.)

Read more:It wasn't just Brewers dominance. There's a simpler explanation for the Dodgers' demise

The Dodgers, after falling short of a three-peat, will look a little different next year. Skubal, whom they acquired at the trade deadline to boost their chances at a World Series title, is set to hit free agency. So are perennial postseason performer Kiké Hernández and high-leverage relievers Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen. On Thursday, clubhouse leader and 2025 World Series hero Miguel Rojas announced his retirement.

The expected lockout, and MLB’s insistence on a salary cap in their CBA proposals have also cast doubt on what the system will look like next year — whenever the season begins.

Not to mention, the stars in the Dodgers lineup, already the oldest in the majors (weighted by at-bats and games played), will be another year older.

Could this be the end of an era?

“I don’t feel that at all,” Skubal said. “It’s hard to win the World Series, and this group has done it the last two seasons. Obviously, not this year, but … I think that this group is incredibly talented. And the preparation and the work ethic that this group has — I don’t buy into that narrative.”

Said Snell: “We’re only getting better.”

Plenty of people outside of the Dodgers’ downcast clubhouse Thursday evening saw the Brewers’ four-game sweep of the defending back-to-back champions as the fall of a dynasty. But the players inside fervently disagreed.

Read more:Plaschke: The Dodgers had everything needed to three-peat. This is why they failed

“When you have Shohei Ohtani on your team, Yoshinbou Yamamoto, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and the years ahead of these guys, you can never think that it’s going to be the end,” Rojas said. “And I know this organization so well, they’re not going to be satisfied with this loss. I think they’re going to move forward and continue to improve the team in any capacity, and I believe that we’re going to be even better next year.”

Said Hernández: “I don’t know what’s going to happen with me personally, moving forward for next year. But this team is well-positioned to keep winning and keep competing deep into October. So not only is this locker room very talented, but there’s a lot of guys knocking on the door in the minor-league system that can be really impactful players. So the organization is in good hands.”

Rookie Josue De Paula showed down the stretch, and with his plate discipline even in high-octane moments in the postseason, just how impactful the young players in the Dodgers’ system could be. And there are more behind him.

This offseason, the Dodgers front office will try to strike a balance between continuity and fresh faces. For some of their impending free agents, who spoke highly of the organization, that meant uncertainty in the immediate aftermath.

“I love this place,” Hernández said. “I’ve played for three other teams, but every time I look at my career, I obviously go back to this place. I’ve been here the longest. I hope I get back. I feel like I have a lot left. … I would love to have one more try, trying to win another one. But I don’t really know what’s going to happen.”

Vesia, too, said he’d love to return.

Read more:Shaikin: Questions about Shohei Ohtani's health, a salary cap and Mark Walter loom for Dodgers

“From the coaching staff, to the front office, to the players that have taken me under their wing, have helped mold and shape me into who I am and how I carry myself, how I go about my business,” Vesia said of his six years in the organization. “And if it wasn’t for the people in the room in this room, I would not be where I’m at today. So, very thankful. This whole experience has been life-changing.”

Skubal is in a unique situation. In line to be the top free agent pitcher in this year’s class, he held his cards closer to the vest. But he gave a glowing review of his time with the Dodgers.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be here and compete with these guys, and to wear LA across your hat and across your chest,” he said. “It’s something that I took a lot of pride in. And, obviously, didn’t end the way that I wanted it to. But that’s life. That’s baseball. I had a ton of fun here, and I loved competing with these guys.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.