Category: Baseball

So now we know all the participants in the coming ALCS and NLCS matchups. Dodgers and Brewers begins tonight, which should be an outstanding series.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• As noted yesterday, Sam Fuld will stay with the organization after being chased as their president of baseball operations.
• If the Phillies want to get imaginative with their changes, the first move to make is moving Trea Turner off of shortstop ($).
• There are ways to make changes and one of is to make trades. If they wanted to make trade for a “bad contract”, who are some candidates for that kind of move?

MLB news:

• We’ve seen the proposal that MLB put forward about a shorter season. What are some possible pros and cons to that kind of move?
• If the Braves wanted to acquire Tarik Skubal at the deadline, they needed to include Didier Fuentes. Now you know what Skubal wasn’t dealt to Atlanta.
• Including Victor Mesa, Jr., the Rays have acquired a lot of under the radar talents to help fuel their run to the ALCS ($).

How does he do it?

How does Jacob Misiorowski throw a baseball up to 105.5 mph, about 10 mph faster than the average major league pitcher?

The Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower will take the mound when the Milwaukee Brewers play the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Sunday, Oct. 11.

Then physics demonstration will unfold.

Radar guns at the ready.

Misiorowski firing fastballs

Batters whiffing. Fans marveling.

And the lanky, 6-foot-7 righthander, throwing from a 3/4-arm delivery and out of the stretch, generating mind-bogging velocity as a starting pitcher.

"The center mass speed, his hip-shoulder separation, his deep range of shoulder external rotation," Bob Zimmermann, Misiorowski’s personal pitching instructor and a guru of mechanics, explained to USA TODAY Sports. "And having more leverage through longer limbs and the ability to accelerate through all of this and being able to put a lot of force into the ground with his front foot and stop and transfer that energy"

It’s heavy science. For the non-scientist, anyway. But the story of Misiorowski helps bring it all together.

The baby giraffe

Zimmermann, the pitching coach, operated Athlete Performance Center in Lenexa, Kansas when Misiorowski arrived one day about 10 years ago.

Misiorowski was 14 and already 6-foot-4.

“So I actually saw Jake when he was like a super-lean baby giraffe," Zimmermann said. “Didn't really know how to control the body, but was extremely athletic."

Video of Misiorowski pitching for Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley, Missouri shows him almost falling over during his follow through.

Zimmerman, a former pitcher, played at South Missouri State and in 2020 won Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year. He helped lead his team to the College World Series in 2003. That same year the Los Angeles Angels picked him in the fourth round of the MLB draft.

He never made it to the big leagues – but he decided to make a difference working with other pitchers.

It would be years before he had another chance with Misiorowski.

'All over the place'

At Grain Valley High School in Kansas, Misiorowski was clocked pitching at 80 mph to 82 mph as a freshman, according to coach Brian Driskell.

“However, he didn't really have an idea of where it was going," Driskell said.

And so the pitcher who is a top contender for the NL Cy Young Award started his high school career on the freshman team.

"He stayed there pretty much the whole year, and he had some good innings, had some bad innings,'' Driskell said. “It's kind of all over the place.”

Lots of strikeouts. Too many walks. And the baby giraffe continued to grow and show special traits.

Driskell says Misiorowski is athletic enough to kick a rolling baseball into the air and grab it with his hand. And that he has an exceptional vertical jump. But Misiorowski stayed focused exclusively on baseball, and the sport rewarded him.

During his senior season, Misiorowski allowed only 11 hits, according to Driskell. Then there was feedback from the radar guns tracking the velocity of his fastballs.

“Yeah, he was 95, 96, pretty consistently,’’ Driskell said.

'It is going to be crazy'

There were setbacks.

He went undrafted out of high school, when the COVID-19 pandemic cut the MLB draft to five rounds.He suffered a torn meniscus during his freshman year at Crowder College, a community college in Neosho, Missouri. But he got healthy, he reconnected with Zimmermann and the mechanics work took off.

(Zimmermann sounds as mystified about why it took Misiorowski years to resume working with him as other people are about how his client pitches with so much velocity.)

“So he is balanced/controlled early,’’ Zimmerman said of Misiorowski's delivery, “but he does a great job of gaining ground with his center mass the moment his foot lifts off the ground.“He achieves early momentum in his center mass that he is able to magnify in his rotation.  Because he is 6’7 his center mass sits higher and is able to build more speed during travel than somebody sat that is 6’2."Misiorowski was clocked at 100 mph as a sophomore at Crowder.

At the 2022 MLB Draft Combine, according to sports scientist Joe Eisenmann, Misiorowski’s fastball averaged 99.8 mph and topped out at 100.7 mph.

'It was electric'

The Brewers selected Misiorowski in the second round of the 2022 draft and he signed for $2.35 million. He made his MLB debut in 2025 and that year he was clocked throwing at fast as 102.2 mph.

Misiorowski worked closely with the Brewers staff. But in the offseason, he continued his work with Zimmermann.“He could always accelerate," Zimmermann said. “Even when I saw him when he was 14, he could accelerate. It was electric even at that point.“And you're like, man, once this kid gets strong and learns how to stabilize his body a little bit, it is going to be crazy what he can do."On June 26, in the first inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs, Misiorowski struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong with a fastball. It was clocked at 105.5 mph.

According to MLB.com, it was the fastest pitch tracked by a starting pitcher in MLB history.

What's humanly possible?

Misirorowski How much faster can humans pitch.

“This is about as fast as humans can throw, 105," Glenn Fleisig, Director of Biomechanics Research at American Sports Medicine Institute, told USA TODAY Sports.

The primary reason, Fleisig said, is ulnar collateral ligament (also known as the Tommy John ligament) in the elbow.

“That's the weakest link," Fleisig said. “The other weak links are your rotator cuff in your shoulder.

“Major league pitchers are bigger and stronger than ever before. Their muscles are stronger … but ligaments like the Tommy John ligaments and tendons, they’re really hard to strengthen."

The physical vulnerability appears to be a stop sign, as Fleisig explains it.

“Where we're at today with the 100 mile per hour baseball pitchers, this is the limit that puts the maximum load on the UCL and that it can handle before breaking," he said. "That's why we have so many injuries and that's why it won't go farther.”

But Misiorowski will take the mound again, and the baseball world will tune it to see what’s possible.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski went from 'baby giraffe' to Cy Young lock

MILWAUKEE — Mark Attanasio, sitting on a couch in his 14^th floor office overlooking Lake Michigan, is wearing his Milwaukee Brewers shirt, Brewers socks and even team sneakers.

He was born in the Bronx, lived in Los Angeles, but after 21 years of owning the Brewers, is now a full-blooded Milwaukee resident, living in a downtown high-rise with his wife, Debbie.

When he purchased the Brewers in 2005, they were a downtrodden franchise, with decades of losing, on the field and at the box office, having gone without a postseason berth since 1982.

Now here they are, baseball’s model franchise, reaching the postseason eight of the last nine years, winning four consecutive National League Central titles, leading baseball in victories each of the past two seasons – including a franchise-record 103 victories this year – and joining the Dodgers as the only team to win 86 or more games every full season since 2017.

MLB PAYROLLS: Money isn't everything in 2026

Those rich, famous and powerful Los Angeles Dodgers are standing in their way, with Game 1 of their National League Championship Series taking place Sunday in the best-of-seven series, with everyone outside the city limits of Los Angeles, and perhaps Brooklyn, pulling for those lovable Midwest underdogs.

“Look, we’re an easy team to like," Attanasio tells USA TODAY Sports in his office. “Who doesn’t like beer and brews?

“Who doesn’t like a team that’s called the Brewers?

“Who doesn’t like [manager] Pat Murphy?

“Who doesn’t like a face like [team captain] Christian Yelich?

"Who doesn’t like a 23-year-old [Jacob Misiorowski] who throws over 1,000 fastballs 100-miles an hour, and likes Pokemon cards?"

These are your lovable Brewers, with a payroll that’s $200 million less than the Dodgers and a local TV contract paying $300 million less than the Dodgers.

The Brewers have just one player (outfielder Christian Yelich) on their active roster making more than $10 million. The Dodgers have 15 players earning more than $10 million, including eight earning more than $20 million.

The Brewers are the Major League Baseball Players Association’s best friend, and also their worst enemy. If the Brewers beat the Dodgers, there’s the proof the union needs during in labor talks that small market teams can not only excel in the regular season, but the postseason, delivering a blow to MLB’s competitive balance argument. But if the Brewers beat the Dodgers, there’s the proof, too, that you don’t need to spend big to win.

“I believe in the butterfly effect," Attanasio, 69, says. “I do think somewhat that things are interconnected, and there's an energy. The more folks root for us, the better."

When the Brewers defeated the Padres last week in the NL Division Series, a man approached Attanasio and told him that that he was the Brewers’ good luck charm, detailing how he also was in attendance in 1982 when the team beat the California Angels at old County Stadium to win the pennant.

Attanasio was so convinced the guy was telling the truth that he called over his executive assistant, and told her to provide him two tickets for each postseason game at American Family Field.

Perhaps the guy really is telling the truth, so why not try it, considering the last time the Brewers played the Dodgers a year ago in the NLCS, they not only were swept in four games, but didn’t lead a single inning?

Then again, maybe it’s just Midwest nice rubbing off on Attanasio, who was raised in Pelham Bay in the Bronx, with six family members residing in a two-bedroom apartment?

Attanasio, who had been to Milwaukee only once in his life – in 1999 for his brother’s wedding – before purchasing the team for $223 million in the fall of 2004, fell in love with the city at first sight. He originally was going to purchase just 10% of the team from Wendy Selig, commissioner Bud Selig’s daughter, only for the Selig family to put the entire team up for sale three weeks later.

Now, here he was, an Italian-American businessman from the Bronx trying to convince Bud Selig, a proud Milwaukee native, that he would take good care of his beloved franchise, but was so nervous being interviewed by Selig that he thought he blew it. He could barely talk, but got Selig’s blessing.

When it was announced that he was the new owner, instead of being viewed warily by the Milwaukee community, he was immediately embraced, with strangers walking up to him and welcoming him to town.

“I remember walking in the street one day and this guy was riding in a sanitation truck,’’ Attanasio says. “The truck stops, this guy jumps off, and says, “Sir, sir, welcome to Milwaukee.’

“He took his gloves off and shook my hand."

Certainly, it hasn’t always been a lovefest. Fans have clamored for a larger payroll. They’ve screamed at trading players a year before they hit free agency. They lost their minds when they traded All-Star closer and clubhouse favorite Josh Hader in 2022. They were sick when the Brewers traded Freddy Peralta, not only their ace, but fan favorite, in January to the New York Mets for pitcher Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams. And they scratched their heads when they traded rookie third baseman Caleb Durbin in February to the Boston Red Sox for young lefties Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, and infielder David Hamilton.

“When we made the Durbin trade, I remember Commissioner Selig calling me," Attanasio said. “He said, “Mark, will you explain that one to me?’

“I told him the same thing I’m always told when we make these moves, 'Hey, it’s a baseball trade.'"

It would have been no different than if the Brewers had pulled off the blockbuster by acquiring two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at this year’s trade deadline. The Brewers made what they believe was a generous offer without severely damaging the future, knowing it would send shock waves throughout the sport. Instead, the Detroit Tigers sent him to the Dodgers, causing moans throughout the sport, with the rich getting richer.

Now, instead of having him pitch alongside prohibitive Cy Young favorite Misiorowski, they’ll have to face him Sunday in Game 1, and again in a potential Game 5.

“I’m trying not to think about it," Attanasio said. “But you might see other pitchers in this series that Detroit wanted (including Game 2 starter Logan Henderson).

“We’ll have those pitchers for awhile.

“We were going to have Skubal for only two months."

Yes, while the Dodgers can afford to keep Skubal, even if his price-tag soars above $400 million, that’s a bit out of the Brewers’ price range, to say the least. The Brewers’ largest free-agent signing was Lorenzo Cain to a five-year, $80 million deal in 2018, but they did lock up Yelich to a  seven-year, $188.5 million extension just days before the sport was shut down in 2020 with COVID.

Yelich, just like the owner, is a Los Angeles transplant who has fallen in love with Milwaukee and trusted that Attanasio would do everything possible to maintain their success when he signed his extension.

“It’s family environment around the team, where everybody really cares for each other and enjoys being around each other," Yelich said. “That's from ownership on down. They take care of the players, their families, the guys on the team are friends. The community supports the team. The fan base has been amazing. …

“You understand that your performance as a team directly impacts the happiness of the people in the state, in the city, and you don't take that for granted. It's been awesome playing here. I've really loved it the last nine years and looking forward to more.

“That's why these postseason runs are so special."

Golden era in Milwaukee

Certainly, Attanasio has helped create this golden era of Brewers’ baseball. The Brewers had gone 26 years without a postseason berth, and 14 years without a winning record. Now, they’ve been in the postseason nine times in the last 10 years, and join the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies as the only teams to be in the playoffs each of the last four years.

“Let me say this, if you could ever orchestrate the perfect guy to own the Milwaukee franchise," Selig said behind his office desk, “it’s Mark Attanasio. I don’t say that lightly. I say this in great respect. It’s one of the most remarkable stories I’ve ever encountered in sports.

“The whole story is so remarkable, it’s hard to articulate what it means to everybody. The Brewers have become prominent in a classy, nice way. The dominance of the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is an amazing, amazing story.’’

Really, says Attanasio, who has become an avid baseball card collector with a Mickey Mantle rookie card and Lou Gehrig card as part of his prized collection, is follow the four principles he set out when he purchased the franchise and had his introductory press conference at the Pfister Hotel:

• Have a perennially competitive team.
• Great fan experience.
• Have a great place to work.
• Be a leader in the community.

‘I didn’t realize how hard it would be, especially being perennially competitive," Attanasio says, “but we’ve done it. I got lucky, too. Everything was set up with Doug Melvin as our GM. We had a great farm system with Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, JJ Hardy and Corey Hart. Then in my first year, Doug drafts Ryan Braun with the fifth pick. It was set up for success. We just hadn’t had it yet."

Attanasio, of course, had to increase payroll and invest in the infrastructure for it work When he took over, the Brewers’ payroll was an MLB-low $22 million. Now, it’s $143.5 million, which pales in comparison to the big boys, but is 19^th overall.

“There was a real burden to win, and I felt a real responsibility to win, to get back to the playoffs,’’ Attanasio said. “That just hung over everything. The guys got tired of looking at the video of the ’82 World Series running on the board non-stop.

“Doug used to always talk about not wanting to rebuild, and said, “If you rebuild, how do you ever know that you can ever come back. It was a fair point.’’

The lineage continued with David Stearns taking over as GM in 2015, and then passing the baton to Matt Arnold, who was voted the Executive of the Year by his peers the past two years.

It crushed Attanasio, Selig, and really all of Wisconsin when manager Craig Counsell fled for the Chicago Cubs after the 2023 season. Yet, after interviewing a few candidates, they decided to simply promote bench coach Pat Murphy. All Murphy has done is win back-to-back manager of the year awards while leading the Brewers to record franchise victory totals each of the past two seasons.

“You know, there’s a human element to all of this that the computer can't tell you,’’ Attanasio said. “There's a dynamic, and I'm telling you, he's really attuned to the human dynamic. Pat’s very focused on the clubhouse and how the clubhouse thinks, and Matt Arnold is appreciative of that.

“We know what the analytics say, but he really pays attention to what Pat says."

MLB's next commissioner?

They’ll also listen to Murphy this winter knowing that All-Star catcher William Contreras will be a free agent after the 2027 season, but instead of trading him away with the belief they won’t be able to afford to keep him, they just may make a run at keeping him.

That, of course, is a worry for another day

For now, they’ve got the big, bad Dodgers in town. The Brewers don’t have the same star power. They don’t draw the same media attention. Even Murphy calls them just a “bunch of average Joes.’’

But, oh, can they play, building a powerful efficient franchise that’s the envy of baseball, with several fellow owners believing that Attanasio just may be the ideal person to succeed commissioner Rob Manfred after his planned retirement in 2029.

“I’m humbled by that," Attanasio said. “This is an exceptional peer group. Rob’s in charge for several more years and I love running this team."

And, oh, how Milwaukee sure loves him, building a franchise that is no longer satisfied just to make the playoffs, but to be the last ones standing with champagne dripping off their bodies.

It was years ago, Attanasio says, when told his wife that when he dies, he wants to be buried in Wisconsin.

That still hasn’t changed.

But if the Brewers win the World Series, well, there may be a statue erected of him outside American Family Field one day before anyone is put to rest.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Who doesn't like beer?' How Brewers owner fell in love with Milwaukee | Exclusive

The National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers that starts Sunday, Oct. 11 prompts a long-time baseball scout to share wisdom.

“It's all about fishing in the right pond,’’ Logan White, former vice president of amateur scouting for the Dodgers, told USA TODAY Sports.

When he joined the Dodgers in 2002, White said he studied every state to determine its history of producing major leaguers. More than two decades later, the postseason rosters for the Dodgers and Brewers reinforce White's findings: California rules.

Ten Brewers players on the team’s 26-man roster for the NLDS were native Californians, making up almost 40 percent of the roster. That includes Christian Yelich, the three-time All-Star, and Trevor Megill, a closer who made the All-Star team in 2025.

Five Dodgers players on the team’s 26-man roster for the NLDS were native Californians, making up almost 20 percent of the roster. That includes Freddie Freeman, the 10-time All-Star first baseman, and Tarik Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

Population and warm weather give California an inherent advantage, of course. But Logan also noted, “They have always had a great infrastructure with youth leagues, Little League, everything else.’’

White, who left the Dodgers for the San Diego Padres in 2015, said his research helped dictate how he allocated resources.

“(In California), I had multiple crosscheckers that lived there, part-timers and area guys,’’ he said.

An MLB.com story published in 2020 showed California has a huge lead over other states.

Scouting options galore

Tim Fortugno, a former major leaguer who scouts for the Tampa Bay Rays, was sitting inside Cal-Berkeley’s Stu Gordon Stadium Friday, Oct. 9. He rattled off names of some of the Cal-Berkeley players who became major leaguers, such as Hall of Fame Jeff Kent, three-time All-Star Marcus Semien and 10-year catcher Bob Melvin.

All three are native Californians.

“That’s just one college,’’ Fortugno told USA TODAY Sports. “You know, I could go down the street to Stanford. I could go down the street to Fresno State.’’

Or he could head south, where UCLA, USC and Cal State Fullerton produced a litany of major leaguers.

Changing landscape

White said he thinks California is losing college talent because of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation, which took effect for college athletes in 2021. According to White, it’s not just sweeter NIL deals that have lured native Californians elsewhere, but also sellout crowds at schools like Tennessee and LSU and the ability for families to watch games livestreamed rather than needing to be near the school.

“That never used to happen,’’ White said of talented players leaving California.

As for youth baseball, California has won the Little League World Series championship eight times, more than any other state. But California has won only once since 2023.

White attributes that to the rise of elite travel baseball teams.

“I think they're just bypassing playing Little League because you have so many of these travel ball programs (that) want their kids playing year-round with their team so they don't let them go play Little League,’’ White said.

Cold-weather phenomenon

Cold-weather states produce pitching talent, White said.

His theory: young pitchers in states with large populations and warm weather get “pitched all year.’’

“I think you lose a lot of pitchers,’’ White said, “because they, I don't want to say they got abused, but they pitch so damn much that they get abused, right?

“I can't tell you how many kids I knew were great pitchers at 12 in Arizona, and even some I've heard of in California, and they were not that good when they're 18.

“It's because they play in the fall, the winter, and they were playing a lot, I think. And I like playing, but pitching all the time, year-round is tough.’’

Of the 15 native Californians on the Dodgers' and Brewers' NLDS rosters, eight are pitchers. And White also said, "California is always going to produce players because it's got weather, it's got population, great infrastructure, coaching, all that stuff. How might those numbers look in a decade?"

Sleeper states

In addition to studying the states producing the most major leaguers, White said he also studied the ratio of major leaguers to population. He said the highest ratio belonged to the state of Washington.

Sleeper states for producing talent include Georgia and Ohio, according to White, who also called the Carolinas “sneaky good,’’ with a wealth of Division 1 college programs between the two states.

Californians on Brewers, Dodgers rosters

The Dodgers and Brewers will have to turn in their finalized 26-man rosters for the NLCS Sunday, Oct. 11. Though that could lead to some adjustments, here are the native Californians (with their birthplace) who were on the NLDS rosters for the Brewers and Dodgers.

Dodgers

Kris Bubic, Cupertino, CA

Freddie Freeman, Villa Park

Tyler Glasnow, Newhall

Tarik Skubal,Hayward,

Alex Vesia, Alpine

Brewers

Jake Bauers: Newport Beach

Robert Gasser, El Dorado Hills

Kyle Harrison, San Jose

Trevor Megill, Long Beach

Garrett Mitchell, Orange

Joey Ortiz, Garden Grove

JoJo Romero, Camarillo

Brice Turang, Corona

Andrew Vaughn, Santa Rosa

Christian Yelich, Thousand Oaks

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers, Brewers NLCS rosters highlight state with huge baseball pipeline

We have our LCS matchups, and though we already knew this, they do not involve the Yankees. The Dodgers and Brewers will square off in the NLCS for a second-straight year, and after erasing an 0-2 deficit in the ALDS, the Guardians advance to the ALCS for a second time in three years, where they’ll clash with the Rays. It was a fairly scintillating comeback for Cleveland, who saw Gavin Williams strike out 12 to help propel them to a decisive Game 5 victory last night.

On the site today, Andrew recaps last night’s ALDS Game 5, and also profiles the enigmatic Orlando Hernández, who turns 61 today. Later, Matt delivers his All-September Yankees team, and John spins through a somber week in Yankee social media.

Today’s Playoff Matchup:

National League Championship Series Game 1

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
(RHP Jacob Misiorowski vs. LHP Tarik Skubal)

Time: 8:00 p.m. EST

TV: FOX/FOX ONE

Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI

Questions/Prompts:

1. As noted by Matt in the news today, the time might be now for the Yankees to consider what the future holds for Giancarlo Stanton. Will Stanton play for New York in 2027?

2. Which Ace do you think will perform better tonight, Misiorowski or Skubal? 

Fred Claire was calling. In April, when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Rick Monday rescuing an American flag from protesters about to set it aflame, Claire wanted to share more of the story.

Claire, then the Dodgers’ publicist and later their general manager, had directed that “RICK MONDAY … YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY” appear on the Dodger Stadium message board.

As we talked, Claire made sure to drop the name of the college student earning $15 per game to operate the message board on game nights.

“I’m still in awe of how he met the moment,” Jeff Fellenzer told me after Claire died Monday.

Read more:Fred Claire, former Dodgers GM whose team won the '88 World Series, dies

“He just calmly turned to me. He was sitting two or three seats away. He said, ‘Jeff, just type these words.’ None of us really knew what was going on. It happened so fast.”

As extraordinary as it might sound for an executive to remember and elevate the work of a young assistant half a century earlier, the anecdote reflected three of Claire’s very best qualities: treat everyone with respect, share the credit and help whoever you could.

Claire and Fellenzer stayed in touch over the years. In 1999, when Fellenzer launched a sports business and media class at USC, Claire co-taught the class for the first three years, and since then he always made sure Fellenzer told his students they always could reach out for advice on pursuing careers in baseball or sports business.

“His door was always open to helping people realize their dreams,” Fellenzer said.

Two weeks ago, Fellenzer’s students took a midterm examination. Among the topics: Claire’s keys to building a winning sports franchise.

The bullet points included starting with strong, committed ownership; delivering a good product; establishing credibility and trust with fans and media; and hiring good people and letting them do their jobs.

Claire consistently took ownership of one of the worst trades in Dodgers history, when he swapped future Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez for infielder Delino DeShields. Coaches and scouts suggested the young and wiry Martínez might never develop into a pitcher as successful as his brother Ramon, but Claire did not fault them.

“The facts are the facts,” he said, “and those facts are, I traded Pedro.”

Compare that to whatever this is that New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is trying to say in the wake of their apocalyptic season: “We and I made a number of decisions that created the potential for an uncapped downside scenario.”

I’m not picking on Stearns. He is far from alone in a new generation of executives comfortable deploying the verbiage of “trust the process” and “sustainable success” as defenses when the process has not resulted in success.

Claire spoke plain English, and he would go on “Dodger Talk” on Sunday mornings to speak directly with fans. When the Dodgers traded future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza in 1998, Claire led with integrity at the risk of losing his job: The Fox ownership had made the trade, he announced, not him. Sure enough, he was fired.

Fox treated the Dodgers more as television content than as a community treasure. This is not a misprint: Under Fox, the Dodgers never appeared in the playoffs.

Read more:Plaschke: Fred Claire’s quiet impact on the Dodgers should never be forgotten

Under the O’Malley family, for whom Claire worked for three decades, the Dodgers did not win every year, as they do now. They fielded a competitive team at a fair price.

Parking was no more than $5 — that would be $10 today, after inflation — and the Dodgers nurtured the next generation of fans by offering free tickets to A students and a kids’ fan club that included six tickets for $2.

Fan loyalty? The Dodgers haven’t lost 100 games in 118 years. They just raised prices on season tickets, again. The Colorado Rockies lost 100 games for the fourth consecutive year — and they raised season ticket prices 12%.

In 1996, when Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan asked owner Peter O’Malley to abandon his plan to build an NFL stadium in the Dodger Stadium parking lot, O’Malley stood down. He then put the Dodgers up for sale, because he believed a family business would lack the resources of wealthier corporate ownerships, and the team might not remain competitive.

Compare that to today, when owners want players to help subsidize teams with fewer resources via a salary cap, and when analysts openly wonder how much the involvement of private equity in ownership might prolong the looming lockout, because trading short-term pain for long-term gain is a straightforward financial principle.

I’d love to discuss all of this with Claire. Fellenzer would too.

On the day before Claire died, as word spread of his imminent passing, Fellenzer sent him an email, thanking him for 50 years of friendship, for impacting him and so many of his students, and for living his life as “such a stellar role model and human being.”

Claire wrote back. His reply, shared with permission:

“Jeff. Thank you.

“A young student typed words that will live, RICK MONDAY … YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY

“We responded to the moment.

“Always do that, respond …

Read more:Shaikin: Rick Monday saved an American flag in 1976. Why the moment resonates 50 years later

“Make an impact …

“Respond with honesty, compassion, transparency, and [timeliness] … and a lack of fear.

“Love.

“Fred.”

Last words for Fellenzer to cherish forever. His reply:

“FRED CLAIRE … YOU LIVED A GREAT LIFE.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the National League Championship Series for a third consecutive season.

The Dodgers will be tasked with beating the Milwaukee Brewers, who produced the best record in the league this season. This is the second consecutive season the two teams have met in the NLCS.

Los Angeles managed to sweep Milwaukee in 2025, holding the Brewers' offense to just one run in each game. Ohtani was named the series MVP, having delivered a strong two-way performance.

The Dodgers’ superstar closed out last year's NLCS by pitching six shutout innings while striking out 10. He also hit three home runs in the game.

Will Shohei Ohtani need another strong performance for Dodgers to win?

Ohtani has not been healthy for a good portion of the 2026 season.

He was limited as a pitcher, and hasn’t pitched at all since July 3 due to his injuries. It is unlikely that he will pitch during the postseason.

Ohtani will remain available as a designated hitter, despite dealing with knee inflammation and biceps discomfort. 

The lack of pitching from Ohtani will not diminish Los Angeles' chances of making the World Series. Ohtani did not pitch during his first season with the Dodgers in 2024, but the team captured the World Series title anyway.

He spent the entire 2024 season recovering from right elbow surgery he underwent in September 2023. The four-time MVP reached several career milestones that year and created the 50-50 club after producing 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases.

Shohei Ohtani's NLDS stats

Ohtani produced just two hits and a run in four games against the Atlanta Braves in the 2026 National League Division Series. He did not hit a home run but did steal a base. He was walked twice and struck out four times.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Shohei Ohtani decide Dodgers' fate in NLCS?

The Braves reportedly refused to consider trading Didier Fuentes to the Tigers in a potential package for Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline. While some fans may be disappointed at the lack of prioritization of the immediate term, its not hard to understand the reluctance to trade a 21 year old pitcher who just posted absurd numbers over 73.1 innings in his first full major league season and who possesses bullpen ace and electric starter potential. Nevertheless, this reinforces how high the Braves are on Fuentes and how much they view him as a part of their future. It will be interesting to see how they approach Didier’s role going into next season after such a successful season out of the bullpen, but the tantalizing potential for a 22 year old Fuentes to take another step up into a starting pitcher with electric stuff, particularly given the question-marks in the Atlanta rotation.

Braves News

The Braves were reportedly unwilling to part with Didier Fuentes in a package for Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline.

MLB News

The Guardians came back from a 2-0 deficit in the ALDS to defeat the White Sox 2-0 in game 5 behind a brilliant outing from Gavin Williams and an absurd Jose Ramirez homer.

Phillies’ executive Sam Fuld declined an offer to become the A’s President of Baseball Operations.

Nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah

Hey hey hey

GOOD BYEEEE…

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

ITS ALL OVER

GO HOME NOW

AND CRYYYYY

Alright- got that out of my system.

Well it was a thrilling night down at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario (thrilling? That’s what you call when your heart is beating out your butt?). After 2 games it looked like we probably wouldn’t get another home crowd until next season, but the Road Guardians were able to come alive thanks to some Heroics from several of our guys. A new brand new life appeared in their eyes when Jose started to turn his series around, and after two 9 run outbursts, the Guardians and their fans were believing again. The teams would be given about 44 hours to rest up and get to Cleveland before we do this one last time, the 18th between the two teams this year. Would the White Sox continue their dream season? Would the Guardians finish off the comeback? Would Jake stress eat half a rotisserie chicken through it all? Let’s see!

Through 2 innings both pitchers looked SHARP. Gavin was up to his typical routine of gassing 99 past hitters and locating in the zone. He had 4 strikeouts through 2 innings allowing only a Walk to reach. It was only 24 pitches but he looked in command early, and the crowd was loving it…. But not to be outdone, Sean Burke was matching Gavin stride for stride, getting 5 easy outs and ending the 2nd with his 1st K on Travis Bazzana. And then, the worst thing a Cleveland fan can hear when facing Chicago in the Playoffs… Rain.

The rain picked up at the end of the 2nd and you could feel the crowd lighten up, knowing the history here. Fortunately Gavin didn’t seem to mind, adding another 2 quick strikeouts and getting a groundout to make it 3 complete innings, a first for any Cleveland pitcher since Game 2.

And UNfortuantely, Sean Burke continued to match Gavin out there. He wouldn’t rack up the K’s, but he was extremely efficient. He would retire the first 7 batters in just 20 pitches. Petey Halpin, making his first start of the postseason (in for the struggling Angel Martinez) was the first to make Burke work, getting a 7 pitch groundout and making Burke cover the bag as well. Even just making him run for 5 seconds felt like a Win, as Burke would get Rocchio to check swing Strikeout, finishing the 3rd inning on 34 pitches and putting the Guardians on Perfect Game Watch.

0-0 thru 3.

Back out there for the 4th and Gavin was absolutely dialed in. With the heart of the White Sox order (Teel/Vargas/Murakami), Gavin would throw a 13 pitch masterpiece, striking out the side, reaching 101 and using that 2 seamer to perfection. Thru 4 innings Gavin was everything you could ever want in a Game 5 Starter, striking out 9 allowing just one base runner to reach.

In the bottom half of the inning, Kwan would record the first hit of the game, a single to CF, and we would finally get to see how Sean Burke would react out of the stretch.

Perfect timing.

José Ramírez got a home run pitch 👀 pic.twitter.com/jMTKfm5Td6

— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2026

The GOAT doing GOAT things. Outside of a few inconsequential solo homers in the regular season, Sean Burke was the one pitcher we haven’t been able to figure out. So leave it to Jose to golf one out that was an inch off the plate. A Homer that only he could hit, sending the crowd into a brief frenzy before they chanted his name.

Jo-seeee

Jose Jose Joseee

Jo-seeee

Jooo-se

🗣️ JOSÉ, JOSÉ, JOSÉ

Guardians fans gave José Ramírez a curtain call! pic.twitter.com/GCUETjvSO8

— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2026

Add in a hustle infield single, and Burke’s pitch count started to climb and Venable’s leash on him begun to shorten. Sean Newcomb would start to warm in the bullpen as we headed to the 5th inning, the Guardians holding a small 2-0 lead.

But all series long, and honestly, all season long, the White Sox had this innate ability to answer right away. And coming to the plate were some very familiar faces, one who drove Gavin out of a gem with an 18 pitch at bat just a month ago (a detail the announcers just couldn’t keep out of their mouths). But the Big Rig was more like an unstoppable train tonight, and that continued in the 5th with a strikeout, a rare groundout and another swinging strikeout. His masterpiece would continue for at least one more inning- with a line of 5IP, 1 BB, 11 K on 72 pitches. A long way to go but just an incredible line through 5 innings of an elimination game.

Gavin Williams, 10th and 11th Ks thru 5…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/8Ki4jAs7sQ

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 11, 2026

To the bottom of the 5th and we got some fireworks again- but not the good kind. With 1 out Greedy Petey Halpin lined one into the RF corner and seeing it slow down, Petey decided to try for 3. Well, he ain’t Greedy Petey for nothin, and was thrown out taking 3rd. In the moment, I didn’t hate it. He’s probably the fastest guy on the team and was daring the White Sox to make 3 great throws. If they don’t, he’s a Sac Fly from Rocchtober away from expanding the lead. But they did make two great throws, and our first runner in scoring position was out before we could even get a bat. After thinking about it more, and who was coming up, I don’t love the aggressiveness there. Trust one of Rocchio or Kwan to get a hit, or at least a walk to get Jose up. Gotta know who is behind you and the situation here. Don’t hate it, don’t love it, it is what it is and we are still 2-0 headed to the 6th inning.

To start the 6th DOES ANYONE GET HBP AS MUCH AS THESE GUYS? I’m sure they aren’t even that high up there, but man it feels like we’ve hit far too many of them this series. Well, from cruise control to alarms blaring in every Cleveland fan’s heart, the Sox get their leadoff man on with the top of the lineup incoming. On an 0-2 pitch nonetheless. Woof!

So Gav. You’ve thrown a gem. You have a 2 run lead. But the tying run is at the plate, how do you respond?… Quick strikeout, flyout, but then a 2 out single (the first hit for the White Sox all game) and we ask again Gav, this time in the voice of Carl Willis coming out for a meeting on the mound… You’ve thrown a gem, you’ve got the tying run on base, and the most dangerous batter Chicago has is at the plate. How, do you, respond?

He would walk Vargas on 5 non-competitive pitches, loading the bases for Munetaki Murakami and ending his day at 5.2 IP.

As I type this, I know his line isn’t final. There’s a chance that 5.2 IP has 3 ER attached to it. Hopefully Sabrowski does his job and there are no runs attached to it. But all I gotta say is Gavin spun an absolute gem. So no matter what happens, that needs to be the AND SRIK SABROWSKI STRIKES OUT MUNETAKI MURAKAMI!!! KICKSTART MY HEART AND LET OUT THAT PRIMAL ROAR YOU BEAUTIFUL CANADIAN HOSER!!!!! (I do assume Hoser is a term of endearment in Canada? Or at the very least a regular of fun name-calling banter. I apologize if it is a slur or offensive in anyway).

Go crazy, big man.#GuardsBall | #StandGuardpic.twitter.com/jHDuY38VPo

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 11, 2026

Whoa BABY that 6th was a ride! Now can we please add some insurance here? Because I’m counting the outs we have left and I would REALLY like a 3rd and 4th run here.

Oh no that wouldn’t happen here. Sean Newcomb put his big boy pants on tonight and would strikeout Kwany and Jose before Chase “handsomest man in the world” DeLauter squeaked one by Chase “most White Sox looking White Sox ever even more than Aaron Rowand/Paul Konerko/Joe Crede” Meidroth, but Jo Adell could not play hero and we go to the 7th, still 2-0.

Vogt would surprisingly pull Sabrowski after the one batter, putting Hunter Gaddis directly into the fire against the White Sox for what might have actually been the 18th time this season (I think it’s actually 12 which is insane anyway). Interesting decision, knowing you likely don’t want to go 2 Cade innings again, AND, it’s Hunter Gaddis…

Hunter Gaddis, 3Ks in the 7th…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/wffsw45wmT

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 11, 2026

But the Big Hairy Georgian was AWESOME, striking out 3 while allowing just one flare off the end of the bat. Another great call by Vogt, and we are 6 outs away from the ALCS. Big question now becomes, do you stuck with Gaddis for Doyle? Herrin for Antonacci/Teel/Vargas? Does Shawn Armstrong come into play? How many outs are we asking of Cade? All nerve wracking questions that would matter a whole lot less if you could just ADD A DAMN INSURANCE RUN!!!

Nope. Again, why would we do that? What’s the fun in winning easy? Why not enter every inning with a solid chance at colossal heart break? What’s the saying? It’s better to have loved and lost rather than to win by 5 or 6? Something like that?

Onto the 8th inning, and Hunter Gaddis comes back out after a 14 pitch, BEAUTIFUL 7th, ready to throw pitch 15 and possibly more for the 9th hitter and beyond. Randall Grichuk, he of Guardian faithful Free Agency dreams (and then again of the Waiver Wire), would pinch-strikeout for Doyle before the lineup would turn over. Gaddis stayed on; so of course Antonacci would get the Sox 3rd hit of the night (all were flares off the end of the bat), which would be all that Vogt needed to go to the ‘pen, hopefully one last time (in a good way), where he’d be calling on Cade Smith to get 5 outs.

Look, I trust Cade Smith more than any pitcher we’ve maybe ever had. But Thursday’s appearance, as well as the fact that he’s thrown in every game this series, has me more nervous than I’ve ever been with him taking the mound. Usually, I’m as steady as a rock. Tonight, I’m a shaky wet puddle on the floor.

Oh Jaker, ye of little faith. Cade would scare me for two pitches way out of the zone before coming back to strike out Teel and then getting Vargas to pop up to Bailey. Cade Smith. K’d. The Cade Crusader. Gettin the job done like he has 200 times before.

3 outs away

So please, one final time, can I get an insurance run???

Well, we’d get our chance. Halpin would lead the inning off with a double off the top of the wall, but Grant Taylor would come in and somehow get the job done by getting Rocchio to ground out, walking Kwan and then Jose (intentionally), then two sharp groundouts from Chase and Jo. 0-3 with RISP on the night. Would it bite us one final time in a year where it seemingly did once every series? Would 2 runs be enough for the extremely overused Cade Smith?

Cade Smith, K'ing the Side in the 9th. 🍾 pic.twitter.com/xAzLjqkiEB

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 11, 2026

1.

2.

3.

BALLGAME.

Unbelievable. The Cleveland Guardians come back from down 2 games to none to advance to the American League Championship Series for the 2nd time in 3 seasons under Steven Vogt! Incredible pitching to set strikeout records in both game 4 with 19 in 9 innings and then again in game 5 with 21 strikeouts.

Gavin Williams. Jose Ramirez. Cade Smith. THAT IS GUARDSBALL BABY.

——

Let me just say, major shout out to the Chicago White Sox. What they overcame this year was remarkable. I mean, this was their second best season in the last 100 years, and they almost beat us! It was close. Now, we might take our seasons for granted here, ya know, we just wake up and win the division so the ALCS is way more in our wheelhouse. But in Chicago it’s basically a pipe dream. So for them to come so close to it, is truly remarkable. They deserve a lot of credit for putting together such an incredible Wild Card round Win for one of their greatest moments in franchise history. And they almost won the division too. Great stuff guys really!

No, no trolling. In all seriousness the White Sox and Guardians were neck and neck all year and it made plenty of sense that this came down to a Winner-Take-All Game 5. They were a formidable opponent that I would’ve hated to lose to because, well, I just don’t like them. But damn it did I respect their game all season long. They got the better of us just as often as we did them (literally, the regular and post season series came out to 9-9).

What a year, and we ain’t done. ALCS starts Monday night in Tampa. I have no idea who’s pitching and I do not care. Let’s enjoy this ride Cleveland! See you Monday!!!

To Tampa Bay we go.#GuardsBall | #StandGuardpic.twitter.com/wqpaLz6zNd

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 11, 2026

The matchups are now set for the American and National League Championship Series.

It's a battle of NL heavyweights as a pair of 100-win teams stage a rematch of last year's NLCS with the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers looking to avenge their loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers will have to break through on the road once again if they hope to make it three titles in a row.

Meanwhile, the AL matchup offers the complete opposite, with the top-seeded Rays looking to get back to the World Series for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season – and hoping to win it for the first time in franchise history.

They'll be heavy favorites over the Cleveland Guardians, who had to survive a grueling five-game division series just to get here.

Printable MLB playoff bracket: 2026 League Championship Series update

MLB playoff bracket, schedule

* - if necessary

ALCS: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians/Chicago White Sox

All times Eastern

• Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12. Guardians/White Sox at Rays, 8 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13. Guardians/White Sox at Rays, 8 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15. Rays at Guardians/White Sox 6 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16. Rays at Guardians/White Sox 6 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• *Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 17. Rays at Guardians/White Sox 8 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• *Game 6: Monday, Oct. 19. Guardians/White Sox at Rays, 5 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max
• *Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 20. Guardians/White Sox at Rays, 8 p.m. – TBS / truTV / HBO Max

NLCS: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

All times Eastern

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11. Dodgers at Brewers, 5 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12. Dodgers at Brewers, 5 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14. Brewers at Dodgers, 8 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15. Brewers at Dodgers, 9 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• *Game 5: Friday, Oct. 16. Brewers at Dodgers, 9 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• *Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 18. Dodgers at Brewers, 8 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One
• *Game 7: Monday, Oct. 19. Dodgers at Brewers, 8 p.m. – FOX / FS1 / FOX Deportes / FOX One

2026 World Series

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24
• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26
• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27
• *Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 28
• *Game 6: Friday, Oct. 30
• *Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff bracket 2026: Printable bracket for ALCS, NLCS

CLEVELAND — Gavin Williams had 12 of a record 21 strikeouts by Cleveland pitchers, José Ramírez hit a go-ahead home run on a pitch just above home plate and the Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 Saturday night to complete a comeback from an 0-2 deficit in their best-of-five AL Division Series.

Cleveland opens the AL Championship Series at Tampa Bay on Monday night, seeking its first World Series trip since 2016.

The Guardians/Indians franchise hasn’t won the title since 1948, the longest drought among MLB teams.

Guardians pitchers set a record for strikeouts in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since at least 1900.

The White Sox got just three hits, put only nine balls in play and finished the series with 75 strikeouts and a .185 batting average.

“It was less about chase and more about being attacked in the zone and swing and miss in the zone,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Just didn’t have what it would have took to move some balls forward there.”

Cleveland became just the 11th team to win a best-of-five series among the 96 that fell behind 0-2, the first since the 2017 Yankees against the Indians and only the fourth to achieve the feat after losing the first two games at home.

Two days after saving Game 4, Williams became just the third pitcher in postseason history to get the last out of a game and start the following game when his team faced elimination in both.

He didn’t allow a hit until Kyle Teel looped a knuckle-curve into right field with two outs in the sixth, two innings after Ramírez homered for the second straight game, a two-run drive off Sean Burke.

After a walk loaded the bases, Erik Sabrowski relieved and struck out Munetaka Murakami on a foul tip, the pitcher letting out a yell.

Williams’ 12 strikeouts tied Cleveland’s record for a postseason game. He got 22 swings and misses, and his 24 strikeouts over three games were one shy of the mark for best-of-five postseason series.

“That was big-boy stuff today,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve seen other performances like that in the postseason, but to do it in this stage and these types of games facing three straight elimination and you have one of your starters say I will pitch whenever you need me to, super impressive.”

Hunter Gaddis followed Sabrowski and got four outs, and Cade Smith finished for his first career five-out save, striking out the side in the ninth. He blew a fastball by Tristan Peters for the final out, setting off a celebration at Progressive Field.

Chicago, the first team to reach the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons, has not won the World Series since 2005.

Ramírez homered on a knuckle-curve 0.74 feet above ground, the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast, and the lowest hit by Ramirez in his 14-year big league career.

Steven Kwan had singled leading off the fourth ahead of Ramírez’s sixth postseason homer, which went just over the wall near the right-field line.

Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.

Up next

Tampa Bay went 5-1 against the Guardians, including three shutouts.

It will be the third postseason meeting of the teams following the Rays’ win in the 2013 wild card game and the Guardians’ sweep in the 2022 wild card series.

LETS GOOOOOOOOOO!!! YOUR CLEVELAND GUARDIANS ARE GOING TO THE ALCS!!! WHAT A GAME!!! WHAT A SERIES!!!

Where do we start? That was one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever watched. Gavin Williams, after closing Game 4 out less than 48 hours ago, had maybe the best start of his career in the most important game of his career. THAT is what an ace does.

How about our goat??? After one of his toughest seasons(due to injury), Jose Ramirez had maybe his best playoff series ever. He absolutely put the offense on his back in every win.

Gavin Williams was unbelievable tonight, but this entire pitching staff deserves their flowers. They were all incredible tonight after some not so great performances earlier in this series. Erik Sabrowski, NAILS, and Hunter Gaddis, for all of his playoff mishaps, was absolutely crucial in this game. They don’t win this game without his 5 out performance. And then of course, the best reliever in all of baseball did what the best reliever in all of baseball does. DOMINANCE.

I know it’s just the ALDS, but this was a series and specifically a game that I will never forget. Seeing all of our stars deliver at the highest level and in the most high leverage situations is truly what being a baseball fan is all about. You can not ask for anything more than what the Guardians gave us tonight. Emjoy it y’all, we’re on to the Rays.

Major League Baseball is officially on to its semifinals with the matchups set for the best-of-seven American and National League Championship Series that begin on Sunday, Oct 11.

In the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays have home-field advantage against the Cleveland Guardians, with Tampa looking to get over the hump to the World Series for the third time in franchise history (2008 and 2020).

The NLCS features a Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewersrematch from a year ago, with the Dodgers sweeping aside the Brewers – who like this season, were the NL's top seed. But this Milwaukee team won 103 games and features one of the game's best pitching staffs, led by likely NL Cy Young winner Jacob Misiorowski.

The Brewers and Rays are among the five MLB teams that have never won a World Series title, joined by the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies. The World Series is scheduled to begin on Friday, Oct. 23 in Milwaukee or Los Angeles, as both NL finalists have better records than their AL counterparts.

Rays vs Guardians prediction

• Bob Nightengale: Rays in 5
• Gabe Lacques: Rays in 5
• Jesse Yomtov: Rays in 6

Buy 2026 ALCS tickets

Dodgers vs Brewers prediction

• Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 7
• Gabe Lacques: Brewers in 6
• Jesse Yomtov: Dodgers in 5

Buy Dodgers-Brewers tickets

When does the World Series start?

The 2026 World Series begins on Friday, Oct. 23 featuring the winners of the AL and NL Championship Series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff predictions for Dodgers-Brewers and Guardians-Rays LCS

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