Category: Baseball

Chaim Bloom has gotten ahead of the offseason speculation season and all but told the fans that the upcoming offseason will be more of the same for the St. Louis Cardinals. Whether or not you agree with staying the course for an undetermined amount of time, the 2027 season has enough clouds around it that another offseason of inactivity could be excused by fans.

It appears the Cardinals have parts of their offensive core of the future, but that also relies on those players repeating and/or building off of career years with the bat. With a top four in the order mostly settled, assuming no offseason trades, the Cardinals are also expected to extend their lineup with Joshua Baez and Leo Bernal. Rounding out the final three will be, in some order, Masyn Winn, Nathan Church, and a third baseman to be named later.

Winn is pretty much locked in at shortstop and Church was announced as the incumbent starting center fielder if nothing else changes. I do think the last part of that sentence is important as Bloom and Oliver Marmol may want to check out the market for upgrades at that position. In the same conversation, Marmol said that third base is “wide open” with Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan looking like the early favorites, especially if Nolan Gorman is non-tendered this winter. Church and the 3BTBNL, to me, are holdovers for the futures of those positions and those players may or may not already be in the system.

Should the Cardinals prioritize center field or third base for the future?

2023 has become my new benchmark when looking at the current state of the Cardinals and so far, I feel as if that has been able to provide some insight on the recent struggles of the franchise. In center field, Cardinals players have put up a total 3.9 fWAR with a 75 wRC+, 39 homers, and a .619 OPS. Of course, the combination of Victor Scott II, Nathan Church, and Michael Siani, the three who have played the most in center since 2023, were known more for their speed and gloves than their bats.

However, those three combined for 73 stolen bases in over 450 games and the position’s .225 batting average was second to last in all of baseball, which never gave those players an opportunity to run. Their defense, while solid, ranked 11th in MLB over the past four seasons, which is nowhere near good enough to make up for the offensive shortcomings. Next year, Church looks to build off his double-digit homer and steals year as he enters his first season in a full-time role. Behind him, Chase Davis, Tai Peete, and Josiah Ragsdale all have different skillsets and timelines to the bigs.

Third base may be the more disappointing of the two positions, especially when Nolan Arenado and Nolan Gorman were supposed to power their way to hot corner leaderboards. Those two led the Cardinals’ third basemen to a 91 wRC+ as a group, good for 19th in MLB, while their 78 combined homers sat smackdab in the middle at 15th. The position’s .388 slugging percentage put them in 18th and just like in center, the defense did not make up for the offense.

Gold Glover Nolan Arenado took a step back before getting sent out of St. Louis and whoever took over for him was never going to replicate the human highlight reel. Gorman, Brendan Donovan, Saggese, and Blaze Jordan put the Cardinals in 10th place by defensive value and the future behind the later two is lacking depth.

Ramon Mendoza had a solid second chance in Triple-A this season, putting up a .291 average with nine homers. He has never profiled high on prospect boards, but he is Rule-5 eligible this offseason so if the Cardinals want him to enter the competition, they could add him to the 40-man roster. Behind him, Jesus Baez looks like a real threat with the bat, but has not yet settled on a final infield position. Third base makes the most sense due to Winn and Wetherholt holding down the middle of the diamond.

Since 2027 looks to be another season hovering around .500, the desire for the DeWitts and Bloom to spend on the roster is likely and unfortunately still low. My most recent Twitter soapbox is that spending money at a position of need without anyone knocking on the door, like third base and center field, does next to nothing towards changing the team’s long-term timeline. Like they did with Dustin May, a quality player can do a lot for a team while he is there, and then the franchise will hopefully reap the benefits of his cameo for years to come. While this happens less often with position players, it is a strategy I would like to see the Cardinals do this offseason.

That does not mean, like Jeff Jones said, skipping to the third page of the free agent list and signing Ramon Urias to platoon around the infield. Since the Cardinals are unlikely to take this path, looking deep into the free agent pool is not worth it this early, so I do not yet have names I am interested in at either spot just yet. For those of you who are 2-3 offseasons ahead of me, go ahead and let me know what you would like the Cardinals to do this winter at those spots. As of October 11, I think that the Cardinals trust Jordan to take the spot with Saggese filling a Jose Fermin role next season with Nathan Church in center.

For now, all of those players seem like placeholders for the future, but I would like some more quality in the lineup that could result in some more offense and a return to the Wild Card without sacrificing the future. The Wild Card is not the ultimate goal, but the 2026 Cardinals have now set a theoretical 77-win baseline for the next few seasons and a couple game jump could keep them relevant deep into September.

Sticking with the offense, let me know what position you would prioritize and if a short-term trade candidate makes sense to you.

Thanks as always!

For three years, they were two of the best college baseball players in the country and among the best to ever play for Arizona. But now they’re just two of many hoping to someday reach the big leagues.

Former Wildcat stars Brendan Summerhill and Mason White were back in town on Saturday, playing in an Arizona Fall League doubleheader at Kino Stadium. All four teams featured at least one player with ties to Southern Arizona, including a former high school teammate of White’s at Salpointe Catholic and a one-time UA signee from Nogales who bypassed college for pro ball.

“Just being back here is so fun,” said Summerhill, who plays for the Scottsdale Scorpions. “Tucson’s got something in the air.”

Summerhill played center field and batted leadoff in the second game of the doubleheader, reaching base all four times in the 10-2 win over the Salt River Rafters. He had a single and double, walked and was hit by a pitch, scoring four runs and swiping a couple bases.

White, who played shortstop and hit fourth for the Mesa Solar Sox, was 0 for 4 in their 7-3 win over the Peoria Javelinas.

“It was really cool to play here,” said White, who learned he would play in the Arizona Fall League in August. “I never really thought about it until they announced the games here.”

The AFL, an annual monthlong league meant to showcase some of Major League Baseball’s top minor league prospects, has served as a springboard for players to get to the bigs. Former UA catcher Daniel Susac played for Mesa in 2024 and made his MLB debut this past season for the San Francisco Giants.

Summerhill and White just completed their first full season of pro ball, each getting drafted in 2025 after helping Arizona return to the College World Series. Summerhill was a supplemental 1^st round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays while White was a 4th-round selection of the Boston Red Sox.

Both played well enough to earn in-season promotions, with White finishing the year at Double-A Portland and Summerhill rising to High-A Bowling Green.

“I hit a lot of the goals that I set for myself, and hopefully to continue that into Spring Training and then next year,” said White, who overall hit .251 with 18 home runs and 55 RBI in 101 games.

Summerhill, who combined to hit .251 with five homers and 45 RBI in 85 games, did not meet the expectations he set for 2026. At the same time, he felt he grew as a player thanks to the way the Rays organization has coached him.

“I hit a lot of the goals that I set for myself, and hopefully to continue that into Spring Training and then next year,” he said. “I think the big thing about the Rays is they …want you to be good at what you’re good at.”

Both Summerhill and White have stayed in touch with former UA teammates and coaches, with Summerhill catching Chip Hale’s ceremonial first pitch between games. White trained and worked out with the Wildcats between the end of his regular season and starting AFL play.

The final four teams are set now, the Dodgers and Brewers in the NLCS, the Guardians and Rays in the ALCS. Both series have their quirks about them, the NLCS being a matchup of heavyweights, the ALCS being somewhat one sided on paper.

Who do you think ends up playing each other in the World Series?

Personally, I’m not sure anyone is beating the Brewers this year. They seem to be the most complete team left, which only means the Dodgers are going to steamroll them and whoever they face in the Fall Classic.

If you found it a little strange that Sonny Gray was considering retiring after one of the best seasons of his career, Sonny apparently agrees with you. Though he hinted all season that he could hang up the crooked hat for good this winter, Gray confirmed that he will return to Major League Baseball in 2027. Now the question is: with what team? “My family and I have talked about it and it’s an easy decision,” Gray said. “I still want to win a World Series, whether that is [with] Boston or with whoever wants me.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

Another member of the 2026 Red Sox who isn’t done with baseball? That would be Alex Cora. But given that he’s getting married in November and, like the rest of us, seeing a looming lockout on the horizon, he’s taking his time. Cora recently turned down the manager’s job with the Phillies — for the second time in the last six months. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

The loss of Gray in free agency would certainly hurt the Red Sox. But, thankfully, starting pitching is the strongest area of the team. We all know the weakest: power hitting, particularly from the right side. For two years in a row now Craig Breslow has pledged to add power to the Sox lineup. But, this year, he’s already throwing up a note of caution. “I think as teams become more competitive, there are fewer and fewer teams that are willing to move current major league talent because everyone wants to be competitive,” he said. “So we’ll have to be creative in figuring out how we improve our roster.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)

Adley Rutschman didn’t provide all that much of a power boost when he joined the Sox late this season, but he is nonetheless one of the best offensive catchers out there. So will the Sox look to extend him before he enters free agency next offseason? Craig Breslow isn’t tipping his hand. “What I would say is that Adley stepped in as our primary catcher in the middle of a season, which is not easy to do,” Breslow said. “Especially when pitching is a strength for our team. He immediately endeared himself to the pitching staff, to the coaching staff, to the clubhouse. Just a really, really high-quality teammate and leader. As to the other question, I think that’s something that will develop internally. Any conversations about what Adley’s future looks like will take place between Adley, his representatives and me.” (Patrick McAvoy, SI.com)

David Ortiz also thinks there’s something missing from this Red Sox roster, but the slugger isn’t focusing on home runs. “We seemed shy. We seemed a little [concerned]. We seem a little scared when we go into those series. … We need attitude, bro. … I haven’t seen that this past couple of years going into the Bronx,” Papi said. “You know what I’m saying? And I tell you what, man, when you go to play in the Bronx, you better be ready. You better be ready.” (Conor Ryan, Boston.com)

And, following the Yankees subsequent playoff exit against the Rays, Ortiz had similar criticism of the pinstripes. “I never played for the Yankees, but I competed a lot against the Yankees,” said Ortiz. “There’s one thing that I can see missing from the Yankees. It is culture. There are a lot of little things that in the long run, they start catching up.” (Hayden Bird, Boston.com)

Meet the Mets

Danny Abriano asked whether the Mets should bring back Ronny Mauricio in 2027.

Mets prospect Peyton Prescott has something to prove in the Arizona Fall League this season.

Around the National League East

Despite making virtually all their players available for a potential Tarik Skubal trade, the Braves were unwilling to part with pitcher Didier Fuentes in any negotiations this past trade deadline.

Heading into the offseason, there are some questions about the Phillies’ outfield that could be completely reshaped in the coming months.

Jessica Camerato listed five questions the Nationals have to answer looking ahead to the offseason.

Around Major League Baseball

In completely unsurprising news, the Brewers officially named Jacob Misiorowski their starter for the first game of the NLCS against the Dodgers.

Zach Sweet listed four factors that will decide the winner of this year’s NLCS.

The pitching matchup of Tarik Skubal and Jacob Misiorowski is nearly unprecedented and a must-see battle in the making.

Gavin Williams tied Cleveland’s postseason single-game strikeout record in last night’s win against the White Sox, logging 12 strikeouts and flirting with a no-hitter.

The Guardians overcame the odds and beat the White Sox in last night’s decisive Game 5, punching their ticket to face the Rays in the ALCS.

This Date in Mets History

In 1969, the Mets played the first World Series game in the franchise’s history—and lost.

As someone with very fond memories of the Yankees winning fierce, neck-and-neck Division Series battles with Oakland, Cleveland, and Baltimore over the years, I’ve always enjoyed a tense Game 5. One team advances to fight for the pennant while the other goes home with those hopes dashed. I don’t think many neutral observers would pick either of these teams to upset the Rays after the way they posted the American League’s best record in 2026 and then mopped the floor with the Yankees.

But look, all you have to do is get the next round, and you’ll never know what happens. Who would’ve picked the 84-win Diamondbacks to upset the defending NL champion Phillies in 2023? Or going back further to a better memory for the City of Brotherly Love, how about when the 1993 Phillies dispatched a dynastic Braves team that outlasted the Giants to win 104 games? Dare to dream. The Guardians and White Sox both dared to do so; here’s how the winner booked a date at Tropicana Field for ALCS Game 1 tomorrow night.

ALDS Game 5

Cleveland Guardians 2, Chicago White Sox 0

(CLE wins, 3-2)

Star power often wins in the playoffs, and though Cleveland isn’t exactly awash with the stars the way it was in the 1990s when the team made it to multiple Fall Classics, they relied on a couple very good ones to lead the way in the winner-take-all Game 5 against the White Sox.

With a 2-0 victory, the Guardians won their third in a row, completing just the fourth comeback in MLB history for a team in a best-of-five that lost the first two games at home. To make this Yankees-centric and more familiar, this is the kind of the comeback that the 2001 Yanks pulled off against the A’s, sparked by the “Flip Play” game. It’s since been matched by the 2012 Giants, the 2015 Blue Jays, and now the 2026 Guardians. It’s also the first 0-2 comeback of any kind in a DS since the 2017 Yanks did it to Cleveland. (Shout-out Greg Bird, Masahiro Tanaka, and Didi Gregorius.)

The two stars who took center stage for the Guardians were José Ramírez and Gavin Williams. Whenever Ramírez ends his career, he’ll go down as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Cleveland uniform. October has sometimes been a struggle for him though, and he’s the last remaining player from their team that lost to the Cubs in a Game 7 heartbreaker in the 2016 Fall Classic. He hasn’t been back to the Greatest Stage since then, but he helped punch Cleveland’s ticket to give them a shot this year by going 5-for-12 across the three ALDS wins with two homers and seven RBI.

One of those dingers came yesterday off an otherwise-solid Sean Burke, and who could blame Burke for giving up a gopher ball on a pitch this low?

Ramírez has a good shot at a plaque in Cooperstown one day and this is one of those “tip your cap” moments. Not many players can physically do that. This has actually been a tougher year for him, as he had a broken bone in his hand that forced him to miss time and ultimately ended up with a sub-100 OPS+ for the first time since 2015. If it ends in Cleveland somehow breaking its championship drought though, the man won’t care a lick about his regular season.

Maybe it’s overstating a bit to call Williams a star, but the 26-year-old is a dangerous up-and-coming ace for Cleveland, leading the AL with 248 strikeouts despite not making the All-Star team. The Guardians wasted his 11-K start in Game 1, but he came out of the bullpen to help nail down Game 4 when closer Cade Smith wobbled late. Under 48 hours later, Williams started the game he forced and seemed unperturbed by those 18 pitches in relief. He did one better than his playoff opener, fanning a dirty dozen White Sox in 5.2 shutout innings, allowing only a single to Kyle Teel.

Williams’ primary drawback is that he doesn’t go deep into games, which hurt him in Game 1. Erik Sabrowski let him down then, but he made up for it last night by relieving Williams and fanning Munetaka Murakami with the bases loaded to escape a sixth-inning jam. The 2-0 lead remained intact.

The Pale Hose never came so close to scoring again. Tristan Peters never moved after a one-out single in the seventh, as Hunter Gaddis struck out both Chase Meidroth and Colson Montgomery as the potential tying runs. Sam Antonacci singled off Gaddis with one down in the eighth, so Cleveland skipper Stephen Vogt called on Smith for a five-out save, his third appearance in four days. Despite pitching every game in this series, he was up to the task. He struck out Kyle Teel and got Miguel Vargas to foul out to end the frame, and then struck out the side in the ninth to slam the door on the Sox, who set a postseason record with 21 team strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Woof.

The White Sox deserve a ton of credit for overachieving so much in 2026 after three consecutive 100-loss seasons. No one thought they’d make the playoffs, let alone come a win shy of the ALCS. Few predicted even a .500 finish! It will hurt knowing that they had three games to close out Cleveland and instead squandered the series, but this team honestly looked about as gassed possible. Can the Guardians actually threaten the Rays? I will at least hope they put up a better fight than they did in 2024 against the Yankees.

After a three-day hiatus, the Dodgers are back in business on Sunday as they begin the 2026 National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tarik Skubal was handed the ball for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, and he managed to allow just one run while striking out seven across six innings of work. Fresh off a full week of rest, Skubal will once again be handed the ball to kick off the series, this time doing so against the soon-to-be NL Cy Young award winner Jacob Misiorowski.

Sunday’s Game 1 matchup will feature quite the unprecedented pitching matchup, and Mike Petriello of MLB.com breaks down just how rare a matchup between Skubal and Misiorowski is compared to other historic postseason pitching matchups.

If a rare matchup of 100-win teams in the NLCS isn’t good enough, if a rematch of last year’s NLCS – and the third time since 2018 – isn’t good enough, there’s this, too. You just don’t really see starting pitching matchups like this, really ever. We’re incredibly fortunate to get this one, potentially twice in the next week.

Facing Misiorowski will be another rigorous test for the Dodgers in their quest for a third consecutive championship, and for a struggling Shohei Ohtani, he’ll have to find a way to bounce back offensively against one of the National League’s premier young aces.

Dave Roberts still has confidence that Ohtani will turns things around at the plate, and the two-way star worked in some extra batting practice while the Dodgers have been preparing at American Family Field, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.

“There’s nothing right now I’m going to hang my hat on outside of, I just believe in the person and the talent,” Roberts said in a conference call Friday. “I do think that getting a couple days out of a game environment to kind of work on his swing, rest the body, rest the mind is a benefit. I’m just never going to count Shohei out.”

Max Muncy and I share basically one thing in common; we aren’t afraid of ghosts. That’s why he has elected to stay at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee this series, even with its notoriety as a “haunted” hotel, per Grant Young of the California Post.

“If there’s a ghost there, come on in. If the TV turns on, I know he’s friendly. Hopefully he’s just not there to disturb me. I welcome them. If there’s a ghost, let’s have a good time with it, come on in. It is what it is,” he added.

Eleven Years Ago Today

The Blue Jays trailed two games to none in the best-of-five 2015 ALDS against the Rangers. Facing elimination, they pulled off a crucial 5-1 victory.

The game remained tense until Troy Tulowitzki homered in the sixth inning. Despite several opportunities to break the game open, the team grounded into four double plays.

The Jays got on the board in the third. Dioner Navarro doubled, and Kevin Pillar singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. Ryan Goins then hit into a double play, but at least a run scored.

They added another run in the fourth:

Josh Donaldson led off with a double and advanced to third on Jose Bautista’s flyout. The Rangers intentionally walked Edwin Encarnacion, and Chris Colabello drew an unintentional walk to load the bases. Tulowitzki then walked, bringing Donaldson home.

However, with the bases still loaded, Navarro grounded into a double play.

The pivotal moment arrived in the sixth. Donaldson and Bautista opened with singles, and Edwin walked to load the bases. Colabello then grounded into yet another double play, making it seem like the Jays would squander their chances. From the recap:

Then, in the sixth inning, we get the bases loaded, and Colabello gets to a full count. I was sure he was going to get a hit or a walk. Instead, he hit the ball hard, but right at the first baseman, for a 3-2-3 double play. He couldn’t have hit the ball harder. The BABIP Gods stepped in, and he crushed it into a double play—lots of swearing from me.

Thankfully, Tulo took a full-count pitch over the left-field wall, making it 5-0, and we could relax a bit.

On the mound, Marco Estrada delivered another excellent playoff start: 6.1 innings, five hits allowed (four singles and a double), one earned run, no walks, and four strikeouts.

The bullpen combined for 2.2 scoreless innings, with Aaron Loup, Mark Lowe, Aaron Sanchez, and Roberto Osuna not allowing a single baserunner.

The Jays went on to win the next two games and advance to the ALCS.

From the recap:

Jays of the Day: Estrada (.269 WPA), Tulo (.235), and Pillar (.116, plus a couple of nice catches).

The top two teams in the National League will face off in the NLCS: The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers battle in a best-of-seven series to determine which team will advance to the World Series.

The Dodgers are searching for their third straight title, and fourth since 2020. Los Angeles made an in-season blockbuster trade to bring in pitcher Tarik Subal to help increase its chances. The Dodgers also have a potent offensive core of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Kiké Hernandez, but Milwaukee is on a mission.The Brewers won 103 games this season and their core has been dynamite in 2026, quite comparable to the Dodgers'. Jackson Chourio is a young star who has posted a .287 average with 21 home runs and 58 RBIs. Jake Bauers led the team with 23 home runs and 76 RBIs. The power hitter posted a .270 batting average. Not to mention, they still have 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich, a vet who can still torch a team. The NLCS begins with Game 1 on Sunday, Oct. 11 (8 p.m. ET). Here's what USA TODAY's experts and others predict will happen in the series:

USA TODAY Sports predictions

Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff's NLCS predictions:

Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 7

This is the year of the Brew Crew. They didn’t win 103 games by accident. They are armed and dangerous.

Andres Soto: Dodgers in 6

Despite getting rid of key contributors from last year's squad like Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin, the Brewers got even better. Jackson Chourio and Jacob Misiorowski took big leaps forward. Jake Bauers had the best season of his career at 31 years old. Logan Henderson is a solid No. 2 starter. Trevor McGill and Abner Uribe are dominant in the back end of the bullpen. 

This will not be a sweep again; Milwaukee has a strong case to upset the Dodgers, even. But LA has the experience, the poise, and the depth in both the rotation and lineup to win its third straight NL pennant.

James Williams: Dodgers in 6

The Dodgers have a strong pitching rotation working in their favor, with Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto leading the way for the first two games of the series.

The Dodgers have won the last two World Series and have postseason experience as an advantage, but the Brewers are better than they were a year ago and will continue to be a threat to L.A.

Marcus D. Smith: Dodgers in 7

The Dodgers somehow manage to deliver magic when you think their backs are against the wall − and they will be against the Brewers. The Dodgers have too many game-changers on offense and defense to count them out. It'll go the distance, but LA is on a quest to three-peat.

What are other experts saying?

Here's what other experts are saying about the NLCS rematch between the Dodgers and Brewers:

Sports Illustrated: Dodgers

The majority of Sports Illustrated's staff are siding with the Dodgers. Here's their breakdown.

• Noah Camras: Dodgers in 6
• Jason Fray: Dodgers in 6
• Ricardo Sandoval: Dodgers in 6
• J.P. Hoornstra: Brewers in 7

CBS Sports: Dodgers

CBS Sports staffers also went with the Dodgers but it wasn't a clean sweep. Here's their breakdown.

• Mike Axisa: Dodgers
• Kate Feldman: Dodgers
• Julian McWilliams: Dodgers
• Dayn Perry: Brewers
• Matt Snyder: Brewers

ESPN: Brewers

The ESPN staff mostly picked the Brewers to go to the World Series.

• Buster Olney: Brewers
• Jeff Passan: Brewers
• David Schoenfield: Brewers
• Bradford Doolittle: Brewers
• Sean Coyle: Dodgers
• Jorge Castillo: Dodgers

Dodgers vs Brewers NLCS Schedule

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on FOX
• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on FOX
• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
• Game 5: Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (if necessary)
• Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (if necessary)
• Game 7: Monday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on FOX (if necessary)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who wins Dodgers vs. Brewers series? NLCS predictions from experts

Good morning, baseball fans!

The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue today as the National League Championship Series begins between the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers.

As of the time this is being written, neither team has announced a starting pitcher for tonight’s game. Good old element of surprise. The game will begin at 5:00 p.m. PT, broadcasting on Fox/Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.

I don’t think I really need to ask who you’re rooting for, but that’s kind of the format I’m going with this year so let’s get into a couple of reasons why everyone should be rooting for the Brewers, not just Giants fans.

First of all, no team has had back-to-back-to-back World Series championships since the New York Yankees did it in 1998-2000. And I really don’t want the Dodgers to be the team to do so. Because you just know the annoying Dodgers fans in your life will use that as ammo to belittle the three championships in five years that the Giants won.

But more importantly, the Milwaukee Brewers have never won a World Series. And the Dodgers just won two in a row. Gross. Wouldn’t it be cool to see a World Series between the Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays? You could root for both teams and be happy either way because neither franchise has ever won one. And it wouldn’t have any Dodger stink on it at all!

So I guess I’ll ask you anyway, and there’s only one acceptable answer:

Who are you rooting for in NLCS Game 1?

The California Post’s experts make their predictions on the Dodgers-Brewers NLCS matchup, scheduled to begin Sunday:

DODGERS-BREWERS

Rich Barak

Even if the Dodgers and Brewers played a million times, it still would come down to pitching in the final game. 

Dodgers in 7

Kendall Capps

Some players just know how to perform in the biggest moments. The Dodgers have far more of them than any other team in baseball, and that will carry them to the World Series.

Dodgers in 6

Jack Harris

We’ve seen this movie before. The Dodgers’ pitching is too good. The Brewers’ offense, while a nuisance, lacks enough star-power bats. Maybe Jacob Misiorowski, or Milwaukee’s admittedly dominant bullpen, can steal a game this time. But over a best-of-seven series, the Dodgers boast too much talent.

Dodgers in 5

Dylan Hernandez

The Brewers were built for the regular season, and Dodgers will win the big moments.

Dodgers in 6

Edward Lewis

Los Angeles proved against the Braves that its starting pitching staff is just too good to lose this series to the Brewers, and with Edwin Diaz showing he’s capable of closing out games again, the NLCS shouldn’t go past five.

Dodgers in 5

Christian Orozco

Dodgers rotation continues to dominate opposing lineups. Milwaukee will make it a series, but LA can taste its historic moment.

Dodgers in 6

We have reached the final four. Major League Baseball’s Championship Series officially start today with two best-of-seven series to determine the American League and National League representatives for this year’s Fall Classic.

On the National League side, much as everyone expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers are pushing for their sixth World Series appearance in the last decade as they try to three-peat. The Dodgers sat down the Atlanta Braves to make it this far. However, the powerhouse Dodgers are shockingly not the top seed in this matchup. That honor belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished with the best record in baseball for the 2026 regular season.

The Brew Crew knocked out the San Diego Padres in the NLDS and are trying to appear in their first World Series since 1982—where they lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals—despite making the playoffs in eight of their last nine seasons. They’ve only made it to the Championship Series twice in that stretch.

Meanwhile, the Cinderella run of the Chicago White Sox has at last struck midnight. Despite a miraculous turnaround from two seasons ago—in which they were the worst team in baseball history—the Cleveland Guardians have snuffed out their flame with a surging comeback after originally being down 0-2 in the series.

The Guardians and their dominant pitching staff—which set the record for team strikeouts in a nine-inning game—will now face the Tampa Bay Rays as they look to make it to the World Series for just the fourth time since 1948. Those same Rays, looking to raise a banner in the waning years of Tropicana Field before moving into a new ballpark, kicked the Yankees to the curb in order to reach their third Championship Series in franchise history. The Rays have gone on to lose in the World Series the two previous times they have participated in the ALCS.

The Colorado Rockies watch from the sidelines as they break down their fourth consecutive 100-loss season, perhaps examining the (non-Dodgers) playoff participants for blueprints to work with in their own rebuild.

With that being said, here’s what our staff here at Purple Row had to say this week:

To Read: Scaling the Rocks

• Monday:Walk-offs are awesome | James Riggenbach
• Tuesday:The Rockies are looking ahead | Skyler Timmins
• Wednesday:Let the autopsy of the 2026 Colorado Rockies begin | Renee Dechert
• Thursday:Away from the din of the crowds, 2027 starts to take shape | Cory Cohen
• Friday:CarGo joins elite Colorado club | Joelle Milholm
• Saturday:What would a 154-game season mean for the Rockies? | James Riggenbach

To Read: Rockpiles

• Monday:One peak Rockies shortstop, one impossible choice | James Riggenbach
• Tuesday:A briefing on the Rockies’ arbitration players for 2027 | Skyler Timmins
• Wednesday:Walker Monfort and Paul DePodesta discuss pitching, the Penner Sports Group, and going forward | Renee Dechert
• Thursday:Lessons for the Rockies from the Athletics failure to launch | Cory Cohen
• Friday:Rockies attendance dips, again, in 2026 | Joelle Milholm
• Saturday:The 2026 Rockies Statcast Awards | James Riggenbach

To Read: Ranking the Rockies, 2026

• No. 50:Troy Johnston | James Riggenbach
• No. 49:Brenton Doyle | Renee Dechert
• No. 48:Sean Sullivan | Joelle Milholm
• No. 47:Kyle Freeland | Sam Bradfield
• No. 46:Valente Bellozo | Skyler Timmins

Weekly Discussion Topics

Four teams now need eight wins to reach the pinnacle of baseball. What have you enjoyed most about the playoffs so far? What has you feeling disappointed? What are your predictions for the Championship Series? When do you think the Rockies might find themselves in the NLCS? Let us know in the comments!

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Good morning! Welcome to Sunday’s Cub Tracks.

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

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• Doug Schwamb (Cubs Insider): The Chicago Cubs Need to Focus A Lot More on Their Farm System. “The Cubs’ farm system needs drastic improvements to make a deep playoff run filled with sustained success.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cubs insider leaves little doubt about the odds of a reunion with Shota Imanaga. “It seems like the end of the road in Chicago for the left-hander.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): 5 MLB playoff stars the Cubs must target this offseason to finally end their October misery. “A reminder that the Cubs will never spend as much money as the Dodgers do, and may never be as good at running baseball operations as the Brewers are.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): 3 Yankees the Cubs could poach if Rays sweep forces New York into an offseason reset. “Another ring-less campaign for Aaron Boone and the Bronx Bombers.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Next Year, Expect Fewer Calls to Go Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Way—Or At Least More to Be Overturned. “Few batters benefitted more from the implementation of ABS in 2026 than the man who enjoyed the biggest offensive breakout in the league. Next year, though, Pete Crow-Armstrong will get a slap in the face from regression, via robot.”
• Jordan Bastain (MLB.com): Suzuki reflects on the good times — and a few ‘what ifs’ — from 5 years with Cubs. “The first time Seiya Suzuki headed into Sloan Park in Arizona for batting practice, he had a captive audience.”
• Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Pedro Ramírez’s Rollercoaster Rookie Season With Cubs Was An Overarching Success. “Pedro Ramírez wasn’t always consistent, but his first major-league campaign with the Cubs offered plenty of reasons to believe in his long-term outlook.”
• Justin Binkowski (Chicago Cubs On SI): 3 Potential Fits for Sonny Gray After Confirming He’s Pitching in 2027. “He’s coming off a tremendous 2026 season.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs would face even more pressure to dethrone Brewers thanks to MLB’s latest CBA proposal. “This one actually doesn’t look that bad.”
• Steve Silverman (ClutchPoints): Ex-Cubs star Anthony Rizzo revealed what led to his retirement decision. “Former Cubs star Anthony Rizzo reveals why he made his decision to retire from baseball after the 2024 season.”
• Ben Strauss (ESPN): Inside a Wrigleyville rooftop owner’s fight with the Cubs. “”I was worried it would affect ticket sales,” Dunican said in his Irish brogue, while he pointed at the screen. He later added: “People are still coming.” But Dunican now has more pressing concerns than the screens.“

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

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Food For Thought:

Sista Monica Parker (born Monica C. Parker, April 27, 1956 – October 9, 2014) was an American electric blues, blues rock, gospel and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her influences included Al Green, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke. She wrote most of her material, and released eleven albums in her lifetime. Parker shared the stage with a number of musicians over her performing lifetime including B.B. King, India Arie, Gladys Knight, Etta James, Koko Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Elvin Bishop, Mavis Staples and the Staple Singers, the Neville Brothers, and John Lee Hooker.

After college, Parker joined the United States Marine Corps and after three years of service rose the rank of sergeant. Once her military service between 1977 and 1980 ended, Parker set up a staffing company, initially based in Chicago, aimed at electrical engineering professions. After moving the business to Silicon Valley she acquired clients which included Apple Inc., Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and Yahoo!. Encouraged by her then neighbor MC Hammer, Parker started a singing career in 1992 performing regularly at Emi’s Bar & Grille in Santa Cruz, California. By 1995 she released her debut album, Get Out of My Way, on her own independent record label, Mo Muscle Records. Her track “Windy City Burner” was played on the radio and it helped promote her initial touring around the US, Canada and parts of Europe. Her follow-up album, Sista Monica was released in 1997.

Gimme That Old Time Religion (2001) was her first gospel release, which was followed by Live in Europe the same year.^[1] The latter was recorded in Peer, Belgium. It was her performances in the late 1990s in Europe that gained her the nickname, “the Blues Lioness.” In 2002 she performed at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival, but late that year was diagnosed as suffering from the rare ailment of synovial sarcoma. She was initially given three months to live. Bouts of chemotherapy, radiation and therapy ensued before she returned to the recording studio and issued Love, Soul & Spirit, Vol. 1 in 2004.

In 2005, Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down included cover versions of Willie Nelson‘s “Funny How Time Slips Away” and Sam Cooke‘s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Sweet Inspirations was issued in 2008 when Parker was again the disc’s producer. Living in the Danger Zone (2011) saw Parker include Kelley Hunt in a vocal and piano duet. Her festival and other event appearances included the San Francisco Blues Festival (1995 and 1997), Monterey Jazz Festival (1998), Notodden Blues Festival (1999), Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival (2004), and Blue Bear Live II (2007).

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

The Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers begin the National League Championship Series with Game 1 on Sunday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee, with a high-octane pitching battle.

Tarik Skubal, the American League Cy Young Award winner in 2024 and 2025, makes his second consecutive Game 1 start for the Dodgers, after striking out seven in six innings on October 3 against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium, including 15 straight batters retired at one point.

The left-hander started twice against the Brewers this season, both six-inning starts at home — he allowed four runs in a no-decision in Detroit on April 23, then gave up two runs (one earned) at Dodger Stadium in a loss on August 16.

Jacob Misiorowski, the heavy favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award this season, makes his second start this season. He struck out six on October 3 against the San Diego Padres but was pulled after only four innings and two runs in, 88 pitches in.

In three career games against the Dodgers, including last year’s NLCS, Misiorowski has a 1.59 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 17 innings.

NLCS Game 1 info

• Teams: No. 2 seed Dodgers at No. 1 seed Brewers
• Ballpark: American Family Field, Milwaukee
• Start time: 5 p.m. PT
• TV: Fox, FS1 (Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal)
• National radio: ESPN Radio (Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville)
• Local English radio: AM 570 (Stephen Nelson, Rick Monday)
• Local Spanish radio: KTNQ 1020 AM (José Mota, Luis Cruz)

Don't expect another NLCS sweep this year. Yes, the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Brewers are once again taking on the No. 2 seed Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven series. Yes, the Brewers have home field advantage again. Yes, they had the best record in baseball for the second year in a row.

But this is a different Brewers team. Somehow, they got better after parting ways with Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin this offseason.

It starts with the pitching staff. Jacob Misiorowski took a leap in his second year with an outstanding 0.80 WHIP and is a virtual lock for the NL Cy Young Award. The 24-year-old flamethrower has grown into a full-fledged ace, and he won't be relegated to a bullpen role like in 2025 -- he's starting Game 1 as the MLB leader in strikeouts and ERA. Logan Henderson also emerged as a solid No. 2 guy in the rotation with a 2.47 ERA in 18 starts this season. His 5.1% walk rate is among the best in the big leagues; that's going to be crucial against a Dodgers lineup that slugged their way to victory in the NLDS but struggled to string together hits and walks.

Then there's one of the deepest bullpens in baseball, led by Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe on the back end. Combine that with the Dodgers just as formidable pitching, and it's clear that runs will be at a premium this series. That's an area the Brewers are all too comfortable with.

These have been two of the best offenses in the big leagues this season; they're both elite when it comes to getting on base. But from there, their successes have come in completely opposite ways. Dodgers had the second-most home runs; the Brewers had the second fewest. That's not to say they don't have pop; Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers are true long ball threats. But where Milwaukee excels is at putting the ball in play, stealing bases and getting guys over.

This should be a much closer series than it was last October, but one thing this matchup isn't is David vs. Goliath, despite what some talking heads might try to have you believe.

"They have the best record in baseball," Dodgers manager Roberts told reporters on Friday. "They have that for a reason, and they’ve got home-field advantage. So we got to play our best baseball. I mean, they’re certainly not afraid of us. They’ve got the guy who’s going to win the Cy Young in the National League, starting Game 1.

"We got our work cut out."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why these Brewers are bigger threat to Dodgers than last year's NLCS team