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

The Milwaukee Brewers have used the slogan “Magic Brew” as the tagline for their postseason run.

On Tuesday night, the Dodgers made it feel like the magic was running out.

In their first truly stress-free win of these playoffs, the Dodgers slowly suffocated the Brewers in a 5-1 Game 2 victory in the National League Championship Series, riding a complete game from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a relentless attack from their star-studded lineup to leave the plucky, but overpowered hometown Brewers very nearly left for dead.

In every which way, this one felt like a mismatch.

Milwaukee’s staff ace, Freddy Peralta, couldn’t limit the damage against the Dodgers’ juggernaut lineup, giving up three runs in a 5⅔ inning start.

Milwaukee’s typically opportunistic offense led the game off with a home run, then hardly touched Yamamoto en route to the Dodgers’ first postseason complete-game performance since a José Lima shutout in the 2004 NL Division Series.

Even on defense, the Brewers came up just short. In very nearly the same spot as where he robbed Max Muncy of a grand slam in a mind-bending double play in Game 1, Milwaukee center fielder Sal Frelick drifted back on another drive from Muncy in Tuesday’s sixth inning, made a similar leaping effort at the wall, but this time came up empty as the ball barely cleared the fence.

The Brewers, plain and simple, failed to stack up against the defending World Series champions.

And now, with a commanding 2-0 lead as the NLCS shifts to Dodger Stadium, it would require a major surprise for the Dodgers to let this series return here again.

Despite winning six of their first seven games in this year’s playoffs, little of the Dodgers’ October success had come easy.

In each of their previous three wins (all of which came by just one run), their opponent had the winning or go-ahead run in scoring position in the final inning — including a bases-loaded ninth-inning jam at the end of Monday’s NLCS opener.

In the game before that, the Dodgers let the potential tying run reach base in the eighth. Go back one more contest, and the tying run was at the plate against the team’s shaky bullpen.

On Tuesday, however, there were no late-game theatrics.

Behind Yamamoto’s nine-inning gem, the team imposed its will from the start (well, almost) to the finish.

Only in the first inning, when Jackson Chourio went deep on Yamamoto’s first pitch, did it feel like the Magic Brew was being stirred.

But then, the 27-year-old Japanese right-hander immediately quelled it, turning in yet another historic pitching performance from a Dodgers rotation beginning to make them feel routine.

Yamamoto was unfazed by a string of early traffic, working around a Muncy error in the second, singles in the third and fourth, and his lone walk of the night in the fifth.

He was dominant down the stretch, retiring his final 14 batters while finishing with seven strikeouts on just 111 pitches.

The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, quickly staked him to a lead. In the top of the second, Teoscar Hernández tied the score on a towering home run to left before Andy Pages shot a two-out RBI double down the line for a 2-1 advantage.

And from there, the Dodgers didn’t relent, eventually pulling away after Muncy’s home run in the top of the sixth.

With a swing that both stretched the Dodgers’ lead and etched his name into Dodgers postseason history, Muncy took Peralta deep on the right-hander’s final pitch, hitting his 14th career playoff home run (a franchise record) on a scorching line drive to center.

For a brief moment, some in American Family Field cheered, believing Frelick had denied Muncy of a long ball just like he did on the Game 1 double play.

Alas, Muncy kept rounding the bases this time as Frelick revealed his glove to be empty. And from that point on, a crowd of 41,427 watched in relative silence, as the Dodgers scored again in the seventh (on an RBI single from Shohei Ohtani, breaking a one-for-23 slump going back to the start of the division series) and the eighth (on an RBI single from Tommy Edman) to give Yamamoto breathing room to finish his complete-game domination.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Less than a week after their season ended in an American League Division Series loss to Toronto, the Yankees have made several changes to their coaching staff.

According to league sources, the team is promoting hitting coordinator Jake Hirst to the major league staff, moving on from longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey and first base/infield coach Travis Chapman, and discussing a new role in the organization for beloved assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler.

The Yankees are also bracing for the potential of losing third base/outfield coach Luis Rojas and hitting coach James Rowson to managerial opportunities. Rojas has interviewed for the vacancy in Baltimore, league sources say. The New York Post first reported that Rowson is a candidate for the Minnesota job.

Taken together, these represent significant changes for manager Aaron Boone’s staff. The rest of the staff -- bench coach Brad Ausmus, pitching coach Matt Blake, assistant pitching coach Preston Claiborne, assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes, major league field coordinator and director of catching Tanner Swanson -- will likely be invited to return.

The Yankees value Rojas and Rowson, and would keep both unless another team hires them to manage.

Harkey served as bullpen coach for a total of 16 years across two stints. Pitchers loved his feel for the game and warm personality.

In an email, Harkey said, “Had a great 16 years and I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had with the Yankee organization! I wish them nothing but the best!!”

Hirst, who has coached most of the Yankees’ homegrown players, attracted interest this fall for major league jobs in other organizations.

Roessler, 65, has long been a valued member in the organization, going back to his time in a leading role in player development in the mid-2000s. He later went on to serve as hitting coach for both the Mets and Washington Nationals before returning to the Yanks.

He is beloved by stars like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, whom he coached both with the Yankees and Nationals. The Yankees were happy with his performance as assistant hitting coach and are considering ways for him to help the organization.

The Yankees are shaking up their coaching staff this offseason.

SNY's Andy Martino reports that longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey and infield/first base coach Travis Chapman will not be returning next season. Other roles are being discussed, per Martino.

Harkey was the Yankees' bullpen coach for two separate tenures. He was a part of Joe Girardi's coaching staff from 2008-2013 before joining the Diamondbacks as the team's pitching coach for two seasons. In 2016, he returned as the Yankees' bullpen coach under Girardi and then Aaron Boone.

Before coaching, Harkey was an eight-year veteran (1988-97), where he pitched for the Cubs, Athletics, Angels and Dodgers. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1990, when he pitched to a 12-6 record and a 3.26 ERA.

Chapman was a coach in the Yankees' minor league system before joining Boone's staff in 2022 as first base and infield coach. 

The news comes the same day that the Twins were granted permission to interview Yankees hitting coach James Rowson for the open manager's job. 

Martino adds that Yankees hitting coordintor Jake Hirst could be in the mix for a job on the major league staff and that Rowson is seen as a "legitimate candidate" for the Twins job. 

The recent resignation of John Gibbons as Mets bench coach created a vacancy in the dugout, but it took less than two weeks for the team to choose a new top assistant for Carlos Mendoza's staff.

As first reported by Sports Illustrated's Pat Ragazzo, the Mets are hiring Kai Correa to fill their bench coach void. 

The 37-year-old served in the same role for former Giants skipper Gabe Kapler from 2020-23, and spent the last two seasons as the Guardians' major league field coordinator, among other titles.

Correa, who played collegiately at Puget Sound in Washington state and was born in Hawaii, began his MLB coaching career in 2018, as a coach in the Guardians' farm system. He later became the league's youngest bench coach with the Giants, and managed the final three games of 2023 after the team's firing of Kapler. 

The Mets made one other coaching move on Tuesday, tabbing director of hitting development Jeff Albert to lead the team's major league hitting program. He too willl be in the dugout for the 2026 season, and the Mets will look to hire an additional hitting coach to work under him.

Can you put a price on the experience of enjoying a World Series game at Dodger Stadium?

Yes, and it's a very high one.

The Dodgers put tickets for potential World Series games on sale Tuesday, with the cheapest seat available for $881.95, according to an afternoon review of the team website. That seat — $800 for the ticket and $81.95 for fees — is located at the end of the reserve level, high above the field and next to the foul pole.

World Series prices posted on the website Tuesday ranged as high as $1,510.05. The best seats are sold as part of season packages, so that $1,510.05 seat ($1,371 ticket plus $139.05 fees) is located on the field level, near the foul pole and bullpen.

Read more:Shaikin: Blake Snell replicating what Sandy Koufax achieved 60 Octobers ago

If the Dodgers advance to the World Series and play the Seattle Mariners, the Dodgers would play as many as four home games, starting Friday, Oct. 24. If the Dodgers advance and play the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers would play as many as three home games, starting Monday, Oct. 27.

On Oct. 24, a family of four could get into Disneyland for a total of $796. On Oct. 27, a family of four could get into Disneyland for a total of $676.

Ticket prices are subject to change based on demand.

When the Dodgers put National League Championship Series tickets on sale, the cheapest price was $155. On Tuesday, the cheapest ticket on the team website for Game 3 on Thursday was $168.

However, since the game time has been set at 3 p.m. and weekday afternoon games are not popular, tickets on the resale market could be bought for about $100 Tuesday.

Read more:It took some luck, but good things finally happen to Dodgers' Blake Treinen

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Why Dodgers players refuse to stay at infamous Milwaukee hotel during NLCS originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MILWAUKEE — There’s postseason pressure, and then there’s the kind that comes from things that go bump in the night. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, it seems both have followed them to Milwaukee.

As the National League Championship Seriesstarted at American Family Field for Games 1 and 2 on Monday and Tuesday night, a different kind of storyline is swirling around the visiting clubhouse — one involving ghost stories, sleepless nights, and a century-old hotel that’s been unsettling Major League Baseball players for decades.

The Pfister Hotel, an elegant landmark in downtown Milwaukee built in 1893, has long been rumored to be haunted. From flickering lights to phantom footsteps, players have whispered about eerie experiences for years. 

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts has heard enough. Once again, the eight-time All-Star refused to stay there, opting instead for the safety of an Airbnb — as he’s done on every Milwaukee trip since 2022.

“I don’t believe in ghosts,” Betts said last season. “But I don’t want to find out that I’m wrong.”

That superstition — or self-preservation — has now spread through the Dodgers clubhouse. Ahead of Game 2 on Tuesday, Teoscar Hernández admitted that he and his family decided not to stay at the Pfister either after teammates shared their own ghostly encounters since arriving Sunday night.

“I’ve stayed there before and never seen anything,” Hernández told reporters during his pregame media session. “But my wife said she didn’t want to stay there. Then I started hearing stories — lights going off, doors opening, footsteps. I was like, okay, that’s enough.”

For the Dodgers, this isn’t just another road trip. It’s a test of nerves — not just against Freddy Peralta and the Brewers’ elite pitching staff, but against the kind of folklore that seeps into a team’s psyche. Players from Bryce Harper to Adrian Beltre to Pablo Sandoval have all claimed strange encounters at the Pfister, and the stories never seem to die.

“I laid a pair of jeans and a shirt on that table at the foot of the bed,” Harper recalled while staying at the haunted hotel in 2012. “When I woke up in the morning — I swear on everything — the clothes were on the floor and the table was on the opposite side of the room.”

While playing for the Dodgers in 2001, Beltre said he heard knocking at his door while staying at the Pfister, even with the TV and air conditioner turned off.

“I went to take a shower, and I remember putting my iPod next to a speaker,” former Giants’ infielder Pablo Sandoval recalled about his experience at the hotel. “When I came out, it was playing music, and I have no idea why.” Sandoval and teammate Edgar Renteria refused to stay with the rest of the team at the Pfister in 2010.

Sandoval, Harper, and Beltre were not the only MLB players to experience paranormal activities either. Some of the most eerie stories come from former baseball players who stayed there over the years. 

“It was more like a moving light that kind of passed through the room,” said former Cardinals infielder Brendan Ryan to a local TV station. “The room got a little bit chillier.”

“A couple of years ago, I was lying in bed after a night game, and I was out. My room was locked, but I heard these footsteps inside my room, stomping around. It woke me up,” said former Ranger Michael Young. 

“I was on the computer one night, doing my typical shtick — surfing the web, sending an email, editing a photo — and then all of a sudden the lights started flickering,” said former Angels’ pitcher C.J. Wilson. “I’m thinking to myself, I’m going to be so pissed if my computer dies. Then the light just shuts off. And then the TV shuts off. And then the light turns back on, but the light at the front door turns off. I just yelled out, ‘Really?'”So after that, I went back to whatever I was doing on the computer, but then 30 minutes later there’s scratching in the walls. Now I’m thinking, OK, it’s the Midwest, there could be a possum or something in the wall, right? That’s possible, isn’t it? All I knew was that there were definitely noises coming from the wall.”

And finally, former Korean slugger Ji-man Choi was a first baseman also with the Angels when he said he was laying in bed and felt the “presence of a spirt lying in bed” next to him.

Yeah, no thanks. 

But whether you believe in ghosts or not, the legends have become part of baseball’s strange October magic — a mix of tension, tradition, and superstition that defines the sport. And for Betts, Hernández, and the Dodgers, one thing’s for sure: they’d rather face a 100-mph fastball from rookie Jacob Misiorowski than a restless spirit at 3 a.m.

Game 2 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers continues Tuesday night in Milwaukee — and no matter what happens on the field, the ghosts of the Pfister will be watching closely.

Alex Bregman will hit free agency after opting out Red Sox contract: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Alex Bregman reportedly will hit MLB free agency for a second straight offseason.

The veteran infielder, who signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox in February, will be opting out after playing the first year of his deal, according to a report from The New York Post’s Jon Heyman on Tuesday night.

Bregman’s contract included opt outs after each of the first two seasons. It doesn’t come as a major surprise the 31-year-old would pursue a deal with longer term after being named an MLB All-Star for the third time in his career.

Bregman departing Boston is not a definite, however.

The Red Sox remain a logical fit for Bregman, Heyman wrote. But Boston likely will have competition for the Gold Glove third baseman with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros viewed as potential suitors.

Bregman hit .273 with a .821 OPS in 433 at-bats for the playoff-qualifying Red Sox. He belted 18 home runs with 62 RBIs in 114 games, numbers that were a product of being sidelined 43 games with a right quad strain. He didn’t play from late May through mid-July but returned to help Boston in its pursuit for the postseason.

Bregman’s on-field production was complemented by his leadership in the clubhouse. With Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and other youngsters entering the big leagues, Bregman was credited for instituting his work ethic and professionalism behind the scenes.

There’s an argument to be made the Red Sox should do whatever it takes to retain him.

On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo look at the road ahead for Pete Alonso and the Mets offseason. 

Connor and Joe discuss the money and years necessary for the Mets to bring back both Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, and they also talk about what the Mets can learn from the playoff exits of the Reds, Phillies, and Dodgers. 

Later, the guys recap their Mets 2025 preseason predictions (yikes), and dig back into the Mailbag to answer questions about prospects who could make the major leagues in 2026, the future for Brett Baty, the thought of Houston’s Hunter Brown as a possible trade target, and ideas for improving center field.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

While the Yankees haven't conveyed that noticeable changes to their coaching staff are expected this offseason, it appears they're at least comfortable seeing one of Aaron Boone's trusted minds pursue a promotion elsewhere.

According to a report from the New York Post, the Yankees have granted the Twins permission to interview hitting coach James Rowson for their open managerial position. Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez and former Pirates skipper Derek Shelton are reportedly in the running as well.

It's not at all surprising to see Rowson -- who assumed the Bronx role ahead of the 2024 season -- on the Twins' radar. The 49-year-old oversaw a Yankees offense that produced league-high marks in home runs (274), runs (849), OPS (.787), and walks (639) during the 2025 campaign.

Rowson also has a history with the Twins, as he worked as their hitting coach for three seasons (2017-19) before serving as Marlins bench coach from 2020-22. The Yankees knew they were receiving a power-centric approach from Rowson -- the Twins smacked a league-record 307 homers during his third and final season there.

It remains to be seen whether Rowson emerges as a serious managerial candidate. The Mount Vernon native has a long history with the Yankees, too -- he played a few seasons in the Yankees' farm system (1995-97) and spent seven seasons (2006-11, 2014-16) as their minor league hitting coordinator.

With Eric Chavez and Eric Barnes not returning, the Mets will have some new hitting instructors in the dugout in 2026.

First reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, Mets director of hitting development Jeff Albert will be in uniform and in the dugout this season, leading the team's major league hitting program. 

The Mets plan is to reportedly "complement him with another hitting coach."

Albert joined the Mets organization in 2022 as director of hitting development after previously working with both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros in a handful of different roles. Now 44, Albert severed as the Cardinals hitting coach from 2019-2022, helping Paul Goldschmidt win an MVP in 2022.

The Mets have not yet made any external additions to Carlos Mendoza's staff, as the manager returns for his third season with the club.

The Yankees surprised the baseball world last offseason when they made a trade with the Chicago Cubs for former MVP Cody Bellinger.

Bellinger was a part of GM Brian Cashman and his front office's Plan B after Juan Soto signed with the Mets in free agency. Did they expect Bellinger, who rehabilitated his career in Chicago, to replace the offensive production Soto gave them in their World Series run a year ago? Of course not, but after a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, run prevention and defense were the mantra and Bellinger provided that with his elite defense. 

It was a risky move. Bellinger's end in Los Angeles was not great, and after a very good first season on the North Side, he had a down 2024. But once Bellinger donned the pinstripes, he was a revelation, complementing Aaron Judge in the outfield perfectly and providing the defense the team lacked a season ago.

With Bellinger likely to opt out of his player option this offseason -- and no one would blame him -- should the Yankees pursue a reunion with the 30-year-old?

Why Yankees should re-sign Cody Bellinger

Bellinger had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025.

He batted .272 (third-best in his career), had an OBP of .334 (fourth-best), slugged .480 (third-best) and had an OPS of .813 (fifth-best). His 29 home runs were the third-most of his career and his 98 RBI were the second-most. He was also the Yankees' most clutch hitter, batting .348 with runners in scoring position. Next season, Bellinger will enter his age-31 year, so it's not like he's aging and the production should not be expected to dip. Similar production in 2026 is not far-fetched.

On the defensive end, Bellinger made a number of game-saving plays this season. The catch and throw double play to salvage a game against the Mets this summer and his sliding grabs in the postseason are notable, and the Yankees haven't had an elite defender in left field in years. 

According to Baseball Savant, Bellinger was in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (OAA) this season and still has a solid arm -- ranking in the 83rd percentile. Runners were also only 31 percent successful in advancing to the next base against him. 

Depending on how Judge recovers from his ailing elbow this offseason -- or if he needs surgery -- and Trent Grisham testing free agency, the Yankees need all the defense they can get.

Why Yankees should not re-sign Cody Bellinger

The argument for letting Bellinger walk is two-fold. The first is tied to money.

Bellinger is walking away from a player option that would have paid him $25 million. With the very good season he had, Bellinger will look to get $30 million a year with a team. And while he's expressed that he's open to returning to the Yankees, the team will have to look long and hard to see if they are willing to give Bellinger the contract he's looking for.

The other side is the young outfielders the Yankees currently have. Jasson Dominguez is still looked at as a potential everyday outfielder. However, the youngster's inconsistent production, and Bellinger and Grisham's play in 2025 prevented Dominguez from seeing a lot of playing time. How the Yankees handle Bellinger and Grisham (who is also a free agent) in the offseason could keep Dominguez out of the loop. 

There's also prospect Spencer Jones, who seemingly out of nowhere began to be very productive in Double-A before his promotion to Triple-A. With the young slugger on the cusp of a call-up, the number of outfield spots on the Yankees is limited, especially if you bring back Bellinger.

Bellinger is a solid postseason hitter, but it's nothing to write home about. In his seven trips to the postseason, Bellinger has 10 home runs and driven in 37 RBI. He was the NLCS MVP back in 2018 with the Dodgers and was a powerhouse in Los Angeles' World Series run back in 2020 when he launched four bombs. 

But lately, he hasn't gotten the job done. This postseason, Bellinger was 6-for-31 with just one home run and four RBI. At times, it looked like he was incapable of lifting the ball. Whether that had to do with his foot injury is unknown, but he couldn't deliver for the Yankees behind Judge this time around.

 

Verdict

With the Yankees' perpetual win-now mentality, they need to bring in at least one veteran outfielder to pair with Judge. Bellinger's production made him a great No. 2 to the captain, especially when Giancarlo Stanton was on the injured list. His defense saved games and if New York is looking to give Dominguez a real shot, they'll need it to cover up the youngster's deficiencies.

Bellinger also gives the Yankees versatility, being able to play first base when needed. If the Yankees want to bring up Jones to get some time in the big leagues, Bellinger could slide over to first base to allow for that to happen in the outfield.

While this postseason's numbers weren't great, given another shot, Bellinger will likely deliver.