DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger stopped 14 shots and earned his 17th career shutout as the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Monday night for their first victory of the season.
The Sharks were without star center Macklin Celebrini, who was scratched a few minutes before the start of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and Miro Heiskanen, Joel Kiviranta, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas.
Heiskanen’s goal on a backhand shot with 1:09 left in the first period proved to be the winner.
Yaroslav Askarov had 21 saves for the Sharks.
Celebrini, who was recently named San Jose’s captain, took part in warmups but left the ice earlier than usual.
Former Stars forward Ty Dellandrea made his season debut in place of Celebrini, the 20-year-old face of the franchise who assisted on Igor Chernyshov’s overtime goal Saturday that made San Jose 2-0.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Pontus Holmberg and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and assist, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 13 shots to move into a tie for 20th place on the NHL career wins list, and Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia.
Vasilevskiy’s 372nd victory moved him into a tie with Andy Moog. Vasilevskiy needs two more wins to tie John Vanbiesbrouck for 19th place.
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who have won two games since an opening-night loss to the New York Rangers.
Tyson Foerster scored for Philadelphia and Dan Vladar finished with 32 saves.
The Flyers are winless (0-2-2) through four games to start the season for the first time since 2013-14. Philadelphia has been held to two or fewer goals in all four games.
Point scored his first goal of the season with a deflection off a wrist shot from John Carlson at 16:05 of the first period. Holmberg scored 17 seconds into the second period off the rush for a 2-0 lead.
Foerster wheeled a shot from the top of the left circle that hit Tampa Bay defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous in front of the net to bring Philadelphia with one at 7:22.
Mikheyev made it 3-1 with a wraparound with three minutes to play. Hagel added an empty-netter.
Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists and now has 1,128 career points to move past Mike Bossy and Joe Nieuwendyk for 67th place.
SENATORS 4, BRUINS 1
BOSTON (AP) — Tim Stutzle had two goals and an assist and goalies Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson combined to stop 18 of 19 shots as Ottawa defeated Boston.
Stutzle’s multi-point game moved him into sole possession of sixth place for most points in Ottawa history with 413.
Ullmark started in goal for Ottawa, but wasn’t on the ice at the start of the third period. The onetime Bruin netminder, who stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first two periods, was on the bench five minutes into the final period. Ersson made eight saves in the final period for the Senators.
Ottawa’s Michael Amadio had a goal and assist, and Drake Batherson also scored.
Boston rookie James Hagan spoiled Ottawa’s shutout bid with a goal in the third period. Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves for the Bruins, who have lost two straight after opening the season with two wins.
Boston was outshot 24-19 and failed to score on four power plays.
JETS 3, PENGUINS 2
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist, Clay Stevenson made 29 saves, and Winnipeg beat Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh’s Declan Carlile scored 8:53 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2, but Cole Perfetti scored the winner on a wrist shot just nine seconds later, assisted by Josh Morrissey, to put the Jets ahead to stay.
Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won two in a row after losing their season opener.
Benjamin Kindel also scored for the Penguins and Carlile added an assist. Sergei Murashov made 30 saves for the Penguins.
CLEVELAND — The White Sox are returning to Chicago one win from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 21 years.
Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in the sixth inning for the go-ahead runs and Sean Burke allowed one hit in 5 1/3 innings of impressive relief as the White Sox rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
Game 3 is Wednesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field, where the White Sox have two chances to do something they haven’t done since 1906 — clinch a postseason series at home.
“They’ve been waiting 120 years, so maybe we can do it this year,” said Grant Taylor, who worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit as he got his second straight save. “I think it’s going to be unbelievable. Those fans deserve it. They’ve been with us for three years of 100 losses and they’ve been with us a good bit this year giving us a lot of support as we’ve gone through this. So being able to give them a postseason game is going to be pretty special.”
The surprising White Sox improved to 4-0 in these playoffs — all on the road — and are one win from reaching the ALCS for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005. Chicago became the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900 record 121 defeats in 2024.
“Our club has been confident the entire year, regardless of the previous result,” manager Will Venable said. “They come in ready to play and turn the page. Now, we’re really excited to get playoff baseball to our fans.”
Munetaka Murakami hit an RBI single in the fourth to get Chicago within 2-1. Chase Meidroth added an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2.
Jo Adell hit an RBI triple in the eighth and Chase DeLauter had two hits for the Guardians.
Gavin Williams struck out 11, tied for second-most by a Cleveland pitcher in a postseason game. But the offense failed to produce for the second straight game.
“We have had two-game stretches like this all year and we come right back. I’ve got a lot of faith in this offense. I have a lot of faith in this team,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. Like I said, this team plays its best with its back against the wall.”
3-run sixth propels the White Sox
The White Sox went ahead with a three-run sixth.
Miguel Vargas led off with a base hit to chase Williams and advanced to second on a groundout. Randal Grichuk drew a walk before a wild pitch by losing pitcher Erik Sabrowski with Tommy Pham at the plate advanced the runners to second and third. Pham flied out to shallow left before Montgomery jumped on a first-pitch fastball to drive in the go-ahead runs.
Montgomery celebrated at second base before scoring on Meidroth’s single to right.
“I was just ready for something to attack, and I was ready for his hardest stuff. I gave myself my best chance to succeed,” Montgomery said. “I can’t even describe how it felt. It’s exhilarating. I was just taking it all in.”
Burke silences Cleveland’s bats
Burke came on with one out in the third. After Travis Bazzana walked with one out in the fourth, the right-hander retired 13 straight batters until DeLauter got a base hit to end Burke’s night.
Burke struck out six and threw 83 pitches, including 53 strikes, to earn the win.
“I was able to settle in and find my groove,” Burke said. “I’ve had openers before, but not in this situation, so I talked with a lot of guys. It’s just normal baseball when you get into that game.”
Taylor entered and allowed an RBI triple to Adell before Nathaniel Lowe flied out to end the eighth.
Guardians get on the board quickly
After getting shut out Saturday, the Guardians struck quickly with a pair of runs in the first.
Steven Kwan led off with a single and José Ramírez walked before Chase DeLauter’s grounder off opener Anthony Kay moved the runners to second and third. Sean Newcomb came on and intentionally walked Adell to load the bases. Lowe hit a high chopper to drive in Kwan, but Newcomb threw it wide of the bag at first, allowing Ramírez to score on the error.
It marked the first time in four games this postseason the White Sox were behind.
Kay faced three batters and threw 17 pitches, including eight strikes.
Williams strong early
Williams didn’t allow a hit until Kyle Teel led off the fourth with a single.
The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He had eight strikeouts in the first three innings and became the first Cleveland pitcher to strike out five straight in a postseason game.
DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger stopped the 14 shots and earned his 17th career shutout as the Dallas Stars beat the San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Monday night for their first victory of the season.
The Sharks were without star center Macklin Celebrini, who was scratched a few minutes before the start of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and Miro Heiskanen, Joel Kiviranta, Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Dallas.
Heiskanen's goal on a backhand shot with 1:09 left in the first period proved to be the winner.
Yaroslav Askarov had 21 saves for the Sharks.
Celebrini, who was recently named San Jose's captain, took part in warmups but left the ice earlier than usual.
Former Stars forward Ty Dellandrea made his season debut in place of Celebrini, the 20-year-old face of the franchise who assisted on Igor Chernyshov’s overtime goal Saturday that made San Jose 2-0.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist, Clay Stevenson made 29 saves, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Monday night.
Pittsburgh's Declan Carlile scored 8:53 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2, but Cole Perfetti scored the winner on a wrist shot just nine seconds later, assisted by Josh Morrissey, to put the Jets ahead to stay.
Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won two in a row after losing their season opener.
Benjamin Kindel also scored for the Penguins and Carlile added an assist. Sergei Murashov made 30 saves for the Penguins.
The Jets outhit the Penguins by 12, 23 to 11.
Up next
Jets: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.
Penguins: Visit the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
For the Padres, who find themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Craig Stammen begs to differ over his two-time All-Star closing pitcher being predictable.
San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen doesn’t believe Mason Miller was tipping pitches during his outing. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Before the Padres were set to begin a team workout at Petco Park, a day before Game 3 of the NLDS, ESPN baseball reporter Alden Gonzalez wrote that Stammen said, “I think we’ve seen some of that from Mason, and it mostly happens in the appearances where he goes more than one inning.
“I think that’s definitely something strategy-wise that we were very comfortable with going into the game, but something going forward that we may have to adjust as the playoffs go.”
For Miller, he’s built a reputation as being one of the best closers in baseball, holding a 1.67 ERA and leading the National League in 38 saves last season.
In 66 games during the regular season, Miller threw 70 innings. In nine of them, he pitched above a single inning. In seven of those games, he didn’t give up a run.
San Diego Padres closing pitcher Mason Miller suffers a ninth inning meltdown against the Milwaukee Brewers. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
Perhaps Stammen could be right that Miller wasn’t tipping his pitches. But Sunday night was the worst time for him to not be able to close out the game, as the Padres are on the verge of elimination.
While Miller was six of seven in save opportunities in September, his production trended downward, as he’s given up six runs, five earned, and has been hit nine times while giving up six walks.
Gonzalez reported that Stammen said Miller is still learning how to “keep the same adrenaline in one inning and bringing it to the second inning.”
The Brewers celebrate their walk-off victory. Getty Images
During his ninth-inning meltdown on Sunday, Miller was in charge of preserving a 3-2 lead but wouldn’t be able to hold up his end of the bargain as he would give up two walks and would throw his 40th pitch of the outing by giving up a two-RBI single to Jackson Chourio to make it a 4-3 loss to the Brewers.
Aside from Stammen not believing Miller is tipping his pitches, Gonzalez reported that 12-year veteran catcher Gary Sanchez wasn’t aware if he was tipping pitches.
“I think even if he was and we were aware of it, hitting 104 is not easy by any means,” Sanchez told Gonzalez.
The Padres and Braves are set to play at 6:30 p.m. in Game 3 on Tuesday as Nick Pivetta will get the start for San Diego.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 5: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks moves the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during a preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the first game of their new era, the Milwaukee Bucks showed glimpses of their potential in front of Fiserv Forum fans, but ultimately came up short, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-97 in their preseason opener. Despite fouling out in just 14 minutes, Ryan Rollins led the Bucks with 15 points, while Kel’el Ware chipped in with a double-double, and both Bucks rookies showed promise. The Timberwolves were led by sophomore Joan Beringer, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
After much anticipation, Taylor Jenkins rolled out his first set of Bucks starters—Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, and Ryan Rollins—opting for veteran experience. Rudy Gobert won the tip but action lasted just two seconds before a technical delay. Wolves newcomer Jonathan Kuminga then opened the scoring on a slashing layup. A nice feed from Turner gave Rollins his first two and he doubled that on the Bucks’ next possession. Trailing 7-4, Rollins was sent to the locker room after a nasty elbow to the eye and the Bucks had their first substitution—Kevin Porter Jr. The Bucks generated plenty of good looks, but were largely unable to convert outside of Herro’s back-to-back threes with just over five minutes to go in the quarter. The good news? They hit the offensive glass, especially once Kel’el Ware and Jericho Sims checked in. More Bucks bricks—they shot just 6/28 for the quarter—and another technical delay brought the period to a close, Milwaukee trailing 31-20.
Ware looked to change that to start the second, nailing his second above-the-break three of the night, and despite the Bucks struggling to defend without fouling, a Turner three soon had them within three, 35-32. But Anthony Edwards sparked a 12-0 run that ended in alley-oop finishes from Kuminga and Gobert, forcing Jenkins to call a timeout. When action returned, Sims flushed his own—from Gary Trent Jr. no less (even if it might’ve been a shot)—but, moments later, the Bucks inexplicably let Jaden McDaniels sneak behind the defence for the easiest of twos after Kyle Kuzma bricked a free throw. And when LaMelo Ball swished a corner trey, things looked bleak. Jenkins noticed too, subbing in Brayden Burries for his first action. A three of his own and two assists for Trent threes brought life back into Fiserv, but Milwaukee still entered halftime with plenty of work to do, down 60-48.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch pulled his starters to begin the second half and Rollins quickly found his groove with two triples and a sneaky layup, cutting the lead to seven. Dunks from Terrance Shannon Jr. and Joan Beringer momentarily paused the Bucks’ momentum, and by the time Jaquez was called for an eight-second violation I thought I’d developed tinnitus—there were that many whistles. With 4:42 left on the clock, Nate Ament checked in for his first action and Kevin Porter Jr. came to life with an offhand layup bookended by trips to the free throw line. But it was Ament who brought the crowd to its highest decibel reading, first with a corner three that tied things up at 74, then with an offensive rebound putback plus the harm. An ill-advised Ware three-point attempt led to an Enrique Freeman leak-out jam and, by the time the siren blared, the Wolves had regained their lead, 81-77.
Ware showed off his length to begin the fourth, swatting a shot, but three consecutive paint buckets by the Wolves extended the lead to 10 before two more forced Jenkins into a timeout. He came out of it with an interesting lineup featuring Caris LeVert as the most trustworthy ballhandler. By this point, the game well and truly felt like garbage time. Still, Burries showed promise, looking comfortable getting his own shot and setting up others, and Ware finished strong, recording a double-double as the Bucks went down 116-97.
Stat That Stood Out
0, as in minutes. That’s exactly how many Ousmane Dieng, Kasparas Jakučionis, and Bogoljub Marković combined to play. It’ll be interesting to see how Jenkins manages minutes for the rest of the preseason.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns tries to drive around Duncan Robinson #55 of the Detroit Pistons in the first half during a pre season game at Little Caesars Arena on October 05, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On an early October evening, we finally arrived at a destination we’ve been pining for since late April. And while the game ultimately doesn’t count toward the standings, Monday night marked the debut of the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns as they made their way to the Motor City to tip off their preseason. The result?
The starters played only the first half, led by Devin Booker’s 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. He added three assists as well. Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks combined for 22 points while shooting 3-of-8 from three. But perhaps the biggest presence you felt Monday evening was Jordan Goodwin, who was an absolute firecracker during his 11 minutes on the floor: 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Goodwin was active and everywhere.
Phoenix built a 19-point lead in the first half before coughing it up in a disastrous third quarter. The Suns turned the ball over 13 times and were outscored 34–16, completely erasing the cushion they had built over the first 24 minutes. There will be plenty of teaching points for the Suns after this one. Phoenix turned the ball over 32 times, allowing Detroit to score 37 points off those mistakes. After carrying a 68-50 lead into halftime, the Suns were outscored 59-39 in the second half.
Credit the Suns, they made things interesting at the end, putting together an 8–2 run to tie the game with 12.1 seconds remaining. But Pistons rookie Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford attacked and finished with his left hand, a bucket that ultimately proved to be the difference.
The loss showed us plenty, from what the potential of this team could be to where the opportunities for improvement lie. The standings will say 0-1, but we know the preseason isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about constantly learning, regardless of the result.
Game Flow
First Half
The first bit o’ news for all of those wondering? It was Oso Ighodaro who received the start at the five, receiving the nod over Khaman Maluach by head coach Jordan Ott.
Miles Bridges wasted no time making his presence felt. After Devin Booker turned the ball over on the opening possession, Bridges chased down the transition opportunity and stole the ball back. On the ensuing possession, he cleaned up a missed Jalen Green three with an offensive rebound and a dunk. Welcome to the Valley, Miles Bridges.
After another make, Bridges buried a corner three, scoring the first seven points of the game for Phoenix.
Shortly thereafter, Oso Ighodaro jumped the passing lane for a steal. Booker pushed the ball up the court to Bridges, who dished it to Jalen Green for another Phoenix jam.
It didn’t take long for Dillon Brooks to find his first skirmish of the season. With 7:23 remaining in the first quarter, the kung fu training was officially put into action. Following an offensive rebound by newly acquired Pistons power forward John Collins, Brooks aggressively swiped at the ball and was called for a foul. Collins took exception to the manner in which Brooks attempted to dislodge it, and the two exchanged words, resulting in double technical fouls.
But Collins grabbed Brooks by the neck during the altercation, prompting the officials to take a longer look at the play. After review, Collins was assessed a Flagrant 1.
With 5:36 remaining in the first quarter, we got our first look at Khaman Maluach as he entered alongside Jordan Goodwin, who replaced Miles Bridges at the four. Collin Gillespie replaced Jalen Green shortly thereafter. Green departed having scored five points on 2-of-5 shooting, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.
We also witnessed one of the NBA’s points of emphasis early on. As Devin Booker attempted to come off a screen, Ron Holland II hooked him and was called for impeding his progress. Will it be something we consistently see throughout the season? Time will tell. But if Booker plans to play off-ball with more frequency, it could ultimately benefit him as he navigates screens and attempts to create separation in a manner reminiscent of Klay Thompson a decade ago.
Jordan Goodwin’s impact was immediate as he attacked the offensive glass and pressured opposing players. In his first three minutes, he grabbed three offensive rebounds, scored four points on 2-of-3 shooting, both coming on putbacks, and added a steal. He was a major reason Phoenix dominated the offensive glass early, grabbing six offensive rebounds and outscoring Detroit 13–2 in second-chance points during the first quarter.
The other reason? Khaman Maluach. His first quarter was impressive. He was aggressive on the interior, deterred shots on the defensive end, and put himself in position to protect the rim. The shooting could use some love, however, as he missed his lone three-point attempt and went 0-of-3 from the free-throw line.
After one quarter, despite shooting 4-of-14 from beyond the arc for 28.6%, the Suns led 35-21. Phoenix ended on a 9-2 run. Miles Bridges led Phoenix with seven points, while Goodwin had five rebounds and two steals. And Dillon Brooks? He had three of the Suns’ four fouls.
The nastiness carried over into the second quarter, and the Suns’ effort didn’t wane. It was apparent on one broken possession that could ultimately become a microcosm of what Phoenix is trying to establish. The Suns kept moving, kept hustling, and despite Detroit’s physicality and multiple attempts to tip the ball away, Phoenix maintained possession until Luke Kennard knocked down a 10-footer. A small sequence, but a perfect example of how hustle creates possessions.
A nice welcome to Phoenix moment, for Luke Kennard.
It's now his turn to win on a tag, gaining a possession. Then, he's rewarded by the game, with a good look at the basket shortly thereafter.
Jalen Green appeared to have a little rust in his new point guard role. There were a couple of possessions where he delivered passes without a clear recipient, almost like a quarterback throwing into a zone and hoping one of two crossing receivers comes down with it. He looked a little fatigued as well, although some of that could be attributed to the effort he was putting forth on the defensive end, which deserves credit. One point of emphasis for Green moving forward will be driving with his eyes up rather than his head down. But you get him out in transition…
Yes, his explosiveness appears to be back. Green continually attacked the cylinder, flying through the air and getting to the line as a result. He finished the second with 4 points in the quarter, all coming at the line.
The three-ball started falling with much more regularity as well. Halfway through the third quarter, Phoenix was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, helping push its lead to 19 points. Add in the fact that Detroit was shooting 29.4% from the field, and the Suns were comfortably in control.
After scoring 35 points in the first quarter, the Suns added another 33 in the second, shooting 58% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc in the quarter. Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Jalen Green were all in double figures at the half, with Booker leading the way with 13 points while adding four rebounds and three assists.
Phoenix outscored Detroit 26-14 in the paint, 12-5 in second-chance points, and 7-2 in fast break points, carrying a comfortable 68-50 lead into halftime.
Second Half
The second half began with Collin Gillespie, Luke Kennard, Jordan Goodwin, Rasheer Fleming, and Khaman Maluach. The starters? They were done for the night. Detroit kept its starters on the floor except for Cade Cunningham, giving Phoenix’s second unit a chance to compete against much of the Pistons’ starting five.
Fleming looked a little choppy defensively and somewhat unsure when pursuing rebounds, but he confidently knocked down his first three-point attempt, which came off a dribble handoff from Gillespie.
Maluach continued to make his presence felt. On one possession, John Collins came charging toward the rim looking like he wanted to throw down one of his patented posterizing dunks. But when Maluach went up to challenge him, Collins adjusted his shot. He knew he wasn’t going through him. Then came a play in transition in which Maluach was rewarded with an easy dunk. He certainly looks bigger and more powerful this season, and that added strength is already showing itself on both ends of the floor.
Koa Peat entered the game for the first time midway through the third quarter. On his first opportunity, Peat went left and attacked the basket, drawing a foul as the Pistons pushed Duop Reath into him. Peat went to the line for his first points in a Suns uniform, but missed both free throws.
He would score his first points moments later, in true Koa fashion.
The lead the Suns had built in the first half completely dissipated in the third quarter as the second and third units struggled to hold onto the ball. Phoenix scored only 16 points in the quarter despite shooting 40% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. The problem was the 13 turnovers.
Detroit took full advantage, outscoring Phoenix 14-6 in the paint and 14-5 in points off turnovers. The Pistons won the quarter 34-16, closing it on a 22-3 run to erase what had once been a comfortable Suns lead. After three, we were right back where we started, 84-84.
Jamaree Bouyea provided a spark to start the fourth, knocking down a three and attacking the basket for five quick points. But an 8–0 Detroit run followed, giving the Pistons their first lead of the game.
The fourth quarter was much of the same. Sloppy play, turnovers, and clearly a group of players still learning how to play with one another and settle into their roles. Bouyea had a rough go of it leading that unit. He had no trouble finding his own offense, but some of his turnovers were simply ugly. With three minutes remaining and the Suns trailing 99–97, an ill-advised foul by Bouyea on Bryce Williams gave Detroit three free throws. When Rex Chapman starts singing Barnum and Bailey circus music on the broadcast, you have a pretty good idea of what it looked like on the court.
The same could be said for Detroit. This was their third unit as well, and the execution wasn’t exactly pretty on that side either.
With time running out, the Suns put together a late 8-2 run to tie the game. Jamaree Bouyea brought the ball down the floor with 24 seconds left, nearly losing it before recovering and knocking down a three to pull the Suns within 107–105. On the ensuing inbound, Kennedy Chandler came up with the steal and found Koa Peat, who threw it down to tie the game at 107 with 12.1 seconds remaining.
Detroit got the ball back, and rookie Ebuka Okorie went left and finished at the rim with 5.8 seconds remaining, putting the Pistons ahead 109–107. Jamaree Bouyea had one final opportunity, hoisting a three as time expired. It hit the rim and bounced out. Ballgame.
Up Next
Phoenix heads to the Windy City to play the Chicago Bulls for Game 2 of the preseason. We’ll see you then!
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 05: Goaltender Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save during the first period against Winnipeg Jets the at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 05, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins rotate Ville Koivunen back into the lineup and give Filip Hallander the night off. Sergei Murashov gets the start for his first appearance of the season.
The Jets bring the following lineup to the table, including ex-Penguin Jack St. Ivany who gets to make his debut for Winnipeg against his former club. In net, Clay Stevenson makes his first appearance for his new team.
Rookie Viggo Bjorck took a penalty two minutes into the game having to hook into Ben Kindel to deny a scoring chance, the Penguins don’t do much with the early power play.
Later on Murashov makes his first big save of the game following a failed clearing attempt by Connor Dewar ended up resulting in a nice chance on the doorstep for Gabe Vilardi before Murashov’s quick lateral move sealed up the bottom of the net.
An Erik Karlsson turnover gives Vilardi another look, his shot goes off maybe Murashov and then definitely the post and the score stays 0-0.
The Penguins assortment of defensive bumbles and getting out of their own zone keeps piling up. The Jets get a few more really good chances by picking off various passes and mishandlings but Murashov is reading the play beautifully and square to everything coming his way. He’s sharp and it’s a good thing because that’s the only reason the period ends as a scoreless one.
The Pens started pretty well, then things soured big time. Shots end up 12-11 WPG through 20 minutes. Pittsburgh played a little too casual and hurried in the early going to find much success.
Second period
The teams trade chances early, Sidney Crosby gets a redirection in front of the net and then Kyle Conner hits the iron and sets up Mark Scheifele but Murashov robs him with a glove save.
The Pens get the second power play of the night, Josh Morrissey is off for tripping. Even the officials are sloppy, messing up the time and causing a long delay to get it right. The Pens aren’t any better, as they continue to show no sharpness or ability to make a pass or hold the puck very well.
Pittsburgh is able to score the first goal after all that. Ben Kindel wins an offensive zone faceoff and gets to the front of the net. Declan Carlile sends in a fluttering shot where the puck started way high but then dipped down low enough for Kindel to deflect it past Stevenson. The refs wave the goal off at first but a video review overturns that iniital call since Kindel’s stick was below the crossbar of the goal. 1-0 Pens.
Blake Lizotte takes the first Pittsburgh penalty of the game with a boarding minor. Winnipeg gets some zone time and a few looks on quick passing plays but are unable to score.
The Pens hold on to get to the locker-room up by a goal. Another Dewar failed clearing attempt ended up on Neal Pionk’s stick, his shot going off the crossbar and out of play in the last minute.
Shots are 22-21 PIT after two, hasn’t been the prettiest (to say the least) yet they’re up by one goal after two periods.
Third period
The Pens’ first line has a good shift but can’t score. Winnipeg does soon after. They shoot on the rush, Murashov makes a save and kicks out a rebound that Karlsson can’t corral and ends up pushing back towards the net. Alex Iafallo is there to slam it home. 1-1 game with 15:17 to go.
Winnipeg is able to build on that momentum and take their first lead. Dylan DeMelo jams Nick Robertson up at the blueline, the Pens can’t clear the puck and are in trouble from then. Iafallo, having himself a period, drives hard to the net. Murashov sprawls to deny that effort but the puck ends up sitting in the crease for Adam Lowry to drive hard to the crease and put it in. 2-1 Jets.
Pittsburgh’s able to fight back and turn the table to tie the game. It’s another great play by Kindel, who knocks down the Winnipeg pass and Ville Koivunen collects it. Koivunen sends it down low to Kindel who makes a great touch pass back to Declan Carlile. Carlile picks his spot on the blocker side and it’s 2-2.
The tie game only lasts nine seconds before Winnipeg re-establishes their lead. Morrissey gets a pass over to Cole Perfetti and his shot beats Murashov. 3-2 now as the gates come open on the scoring in a hurry in the third.
Murashov gets pulled for an extra attacker with about two minutes to go. The Pens take a timeout with 1:21 remaining to rest their players for a final push. They get a few looks but can’t solve Stevenson before the clock runs out.
Some thoughts
Some interesting line matching, the Jets started the game with their checking line (Adam Lowry) so the Penguins kept Erik Karlsson off the ice at the beginning of the game so that he could match up against the top scoring line (Mark Scheifele). The Pens didn’t run from starting the Crosby line against the Jets’ top checkers.
Boy, this one was a slog, especially through the first two periods. And that’s putting it kindly. The Penguins were credited with 12 official giveaways in the first half of the game, which was charitable since it could have been double that. Nothing was working for them. Players who usually can move the puck like Erik Karlsson, Tommy Novak and Sam Girard (who combined for seven of the first 12 official giveaways) were in shambles. It wasn’t just those three, it was endemic all over the lineup. Once on the power play in the second period, Crosby won the draw but the puck slowly skidded back. Crosby pulled up and didn’t skate to the puck, neither did anyone else in a black jersey. Kinda crazy how a team clicking enough to score 13 goals over the first two games of season can look like a bunch of beer leaguers that have never played together in no time flat. The beautiful game!
Everything was a struggle for Karlsson in particular. It can be jarring on his off nights to see him fight the puck, the first goal against was a bit of bad luck but given how the first 40 minutes went, it’s no surprise the puck went off his stick with him unable to get it out of danger.
Did you check that line on the ice for the first goal of the game? Kindel was with Dewar and Lizotte, a little spot shift for all (and to help manage the minutes of players in this case of Lapierre, Kuzmenko and Koivunen from the bottom lines that weren’t up to much). Kindel won the faceoff, soon after the puck was in the net. Paid off to mix and match and get some of the more important/better-playing bottom six guys extra time. Always nice to see a little wrinkle by the coaching staff to search for a little something missing.
The success of that goal led to the change lasting a little longer, as you might expect, to shuffle combinations around for the rest of the night. Hendrix Lapierre and Koivunen got shifts with Crosby, Koivunen was out there with Kindel on the second goal due to a line change in progress.
Murashov did have a 21-save shutout in his second NHL start last season, so tonight might not be a clear-cut ‘best game ever’ for him so far, but it was pretty darn good. Maybe you’d like to see a save on the third goal in the situation just seconds after the team rallied to tie, though a goalie can only be expected to do so much on a given night.
Much like his run in Wilkes-Barre last spring, sometimes Murashov can be a little over-active in aggressively leaving his crease in the attempt to help the team when they’re struggling defensively, it didn’t burn him tonight due to his athleticism to recover. That’s something to watch for the future, though at this point it’s a hallmark in his game that he might try to do a little too much with good intentions to do what he can to help out.
Kindel had two really nice plays on his goal and assist, it’s early yet but man he looks well on his way towards taking that next step into becoming a really solid player in the league. That’s about where the positives stop on this game, though shoutout to Carlile for scoring a goal for the second game in a row, doubling his NHL career goal total in the last 48 hours.
Third periods still look like an adventure this season based on the last two games. Granted, the Pens were mighty fortunate to be up 1-0 (and not conceded a goal, thanks largely to Murashov) going into the third and it wasn’t a massive collapse tonight. Then again, they gave up three goals in the last period and lost because of it, which is a troubling continuation adter last year and especially last game’s 5-1 mess turning into 5-5. It’s not very comfortable for the Pens holding leads yet again, having given up six goals in the third periods of the last two games to get back into uncomfortably familiar territory.
Given the situation of playing a home game against what could be a lower level (or middle of the road) team, who were on the second-half of a back-to-back, the result is disappointing for the Pens. You can’t say it was an unworthy outcome either, which is where the disappointment hits hardest. The team was sloppy and surely left everyone from players to coaches to fans frustrated by being unable to play clean or even connect with simple, routine plays at times. Can’t say that was expected after the fast start of what they showed in the early games, though such is life sometimes as performances ebb and flow from night to night. It was pretty obvious that the Penguins weren’t on their A-game in this one and they end up with their first loss of the season as a result. Now with a first small taste of some adversity, we’ll look for how the bounce back goes in a rivalry game on Wednesday night on the road against the Capitals.
With the NBA season right around the corner, and the Utah Jazz presumably being competitive for the first time in far too long, everyone is right to place the majority of the responsibility on the shoulders of our biggest names. We just drafted Darryn Peterson #2 overall in the NBA Draft, we just signed Keyonte George to a contract extension, and we just traded away a massive amount of draft capital (not to mention we’re paying him $50 million a year) to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. These guys will obviously play a huge role in our team’s success this year, but if this isn’t a true team effort from everyone involved, I believe that we are doomed to fail.
Long gone are the days in the NBA where we could throw 3 superstars on the floor and ride on their coattails. The league is much too talented for that type of strategy to work, so even though the aforementioned players will grab the headlines whether we win or lose, there are three players in my mind that will need to step up their game if the Jazz want to be successful. This is the first edition of my mini-series “The Burden of Expectation,” and I don’t think that there is anyone more vital to this team’s success from a role player’s standpoint than Kyle Filipowski.
I think that enough time has passed to where I can now comfortably say that Walker Kessler will be missed. The draft picks that we received in return are great, and I’m sure that Trader Danny will put them to good use eventually, but our frontcourt depth chart is looking… grim.
Our frontcourt depth wouldn’t have been elite even if we were able to retain Kessler’s services, but now that he’s in Tinseltown, it is quite worrying. Now, I’m not on Will Hardy’s staff (although I am open for hire), but I’d imagine that our starting lineup goes one of two ways:
a) Start Jaren Jackson Jr. out of position at the 5, Lauri at the 4, Ace at the 3, Darryn Peterson at the 2, and Keyonte George at the 1.
Or
b) Start Jusuf Nurkic at the 5 and push Ace to the bench, allowing JJJ to play his natural 4 position and making Lauri play out of position, and if the preseason is anything to go off of, it seems like this will be the starting lineup.
Regardless of which path we take, I don’t like the reality very much. Despite being 6’10”, JJJ averages 5 more rebounds a game for his career than I do, and with this being his 9th year in the league I don’t see a scenario where he magically becomes a double-double threat every night. Even if we were to start Nurkic, who IS a double-double threat, I worry about his ability to stay on the floor for the entire year and what other teams would do to him in the pick & roll. There is so much size in this league, and while casual viewers of this game will have you believe that just shooting from deep is the key to winning games, I believe that if you don’t have players on the floor who can fight for rebounds it will put your team at a significant disadvantage.
Lauri Markkanen isn’t exactly a Quincy Acy out there either, averaging 7 rebounds a night last season. When you look at some of the league’s best front court players, you’ll notice that even if they are considered elite at a different skill, they also show up on the glass. Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Victor Wembanyama all averaged over 11 rebounds a game last year, and when a potential starting frontcourt of Lauri and JJJ barely cover that combined, it’s important to look for other players who can step up. Enter: Kyle Filipowski.
Filipowski’s steady rise during his Sophomore season will get lost in the sands of time due to the team’s record, but his impact was noticed by those who were keeping a watchful eye on him. It was marginal, but he increased his scoring, rebounding, and playmaking output from his rookie season. His shooting splits did take a slight hit, but he did take over 150 more shots compared to his rookie year.
That kind of dip should also be taken with a pinch of salt as it was pretty clear, especially after the New Year, that the goal for the team was to develop and push players out of their comfort zone. Now that there are going to be define roles for this season, and now that Filipowski will have the chance to make a true impact off the bench, I think that we could be in for a very promising third year campaign from the quintessential hustle guy.
The raw counting stats won’t pop off the page, but you may be surprised to learn that Filipowski and his 0.9 steals per game was actually in the 86th percentile in the entire league last year. His forced turnovers (steals + offensive fouls drawn) was also relatively high being in the 87th percentile last year.
I will admit that most of his impact will have to be viewed through a “wishful thinking” lens, because at the end of the day scoring 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in 22 minutes a night isn’t going to win any sort of hardware at the end of the year. However, if you were to scale up his projected production, it could very well be the difference in a win or loss on most nights. Filipowski’s Per 30 numbers jump up to 14.6 points and 9 rebounds a night, and given our lack of size and skill in the rotation, I fully expect Will Hardy to trust a guy who’s been in his system for two years to play big minutes and fill any voids.
Again, if we were able to retain Walker Kessler, maybe Filipowski isn’t exactly needed to produce. Most third year role players aren’t ready to take that big of a leap, but that’s the essense of the burden of expectation.
The weight of the responsibility is heavy, and while you won’t find other outlets writing think pieces about Kyle Filipowski, his role and importance to this team cannot be undervalued. He can’t do it alone, of course. There are a few other players role players on our team that will have to carry the weight with him, but that’s what this team does best.
The Utah Jazz teams have always been established in team play and relying on each other to get the win. Sure, the coverage of Peterson this year will be fun, Keyonte’s fourth year is going to be very exciting, and seeing how JJJ and Markkanen play off of each other is tantalizing, but it does take a village. I believe that Kyle Filipowski is ready to contribute in a big way this year, and when he does, you remember who told you first.
Who else do you think will have an underrated impact on the team this year? What kind of rookie campaign do you think we’ll see from Darryn Peterson this year? Sound off in the comments!
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 05: Ebuka Okorie #23 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket against Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns in the second half during a pre season game at Little Caesars Arena on October 05, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the NBA, Ebuka Okorie. The rookie guard selected 17th overall had quite an eventful first preseason game in the NBA. After not playing at all through three quarters and seeing his team go down 18 points, Ebuka entered and promptly hit a three-pointer to give Detroit its first lead of the night. He then capped it off with a game-winning drive in the game’s final seconds to give the Pistons a 109-107 win over the Phoenix Suns at Little Caesars Arena.
In a game where the Pistons starters struggled with Phoenix’s physicality and intensity, the game completely flipped when both teams turned to their benches in the second half. It turns out all those Pistons fans saying Detroit might have the deepest team in the league might have been onto something. There was just no match in size, speed, and talent between the end of Detroit’s roster and Phoenix’s.
Ron Holland scored a team-high 15 points and added five vintage Ron Holland steals, including one late that pushed Detroit’s lead from three to five with less than a minute left in the game. Dannis Jenkins was a team-high plus-15 on the night, largely behind some crisp and high-degree-of-difficulty passes and a vintage off-balance three with defenders in his face to tie the game after three quarters.
We shouldn’t handwave away the starters’ struggles, though. There was some errant passing, there were a lot of early shots, and there wasn’t a lot of rebounding. The Pistons clearly went into this game with an eye toward asking a lot of the players stepping into larger offensive roles to put their summer of work to the test. That meant a lot of ball-handling responsibility for Ausar Thompson, a lot of shooting from Holland, and a lot of center minutes for John Collins (Jalen Duren was held out as he ramps up his prep work with teammates, and Paul Reed started in his place). It wasn’t always pretty, but that is what preseason is for.
The Suns, meanwhile, wanted to keep it simple — run their offense and play with the kind of physicality that is non-negotiable for them as they seek to build on the somewhat surprising 45-win season of a year ago. Devin Booker led the Suns with 13 points, and Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks added 11 apiece. Phoenix dominated Detroit on the boards 47-35, mostly building up that advantage in the first half. The Pistons were able to counteract that with 21 steals that led to 37 points off turnovers. Most of that done against the Suns’ scrubs in the second half.
It was a fun game, and some vintage Detroit basketball. The Pistons will next play on Saturday in Washington against the Wizards. Hopefully by then we will see some Jalen Duren minutes.
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In his playing days, Kidd was a nine-time All-Defensive player, a 10-time All-Star and was the 1994-95 Rookie of the Year. He spent time with the Phoenix Suns, the then-New Jersey Nets and played one season with the New York Knicks. He was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks and won the 2011 NBA championship with them. He coached the Mavericks from the 2021-22 season until this spring when he and the team "mutually agreed to part ways."
Kidd, 53, has twice been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: as a player in 2018 and again in 2025 as a member of Team USA's gold-medal winning 2008 Olympic team.
Kidd first became a head coach with one season at the helm of the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry on the roster. He had a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks but was fired midway through his fourth season there. He also spent time as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers where he helped guide the team to the 2020 NBA championship in the Bubble.
The 2026-27 NBA season tips off on Oct. 20 with three games. The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons face off in an afternoon tilt, followed by an evening doubleheader which begins with LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers visiting the defending champion New York Knicks. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs host two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals to cap things off.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 26: Manager Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals chats with St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day at Busch Stadium on March 26, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have been a St. Louis Cardinals fan for more than five decades and I have lived through many different eras of losing seasons, championships and everything in between. I can’t recall any of them being more unclear about what the expectations should be for an upcoming season than the one that will hopefully begin in the Spring of 2027.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us were pleasantly surprised by the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals. The results of a poll that I shared after the final game of the season seems to back that up as a vast majority gave the team a B grade or better for the 2026 season.
Only 7% of those who voted gave the Cardinals a grade less than C for the 2026 season. Why? I think most of us had a realistic understanding that the roster would be full of young players being given the opportunity to either prove they belong or proving they don’t. Along the way, we saw a remarkable comeback season from Jordan Walker including an iconic and unexpected Home Run Derby victory. We also saw JJ Wetherholt establish himself as one of the game’s best defensive second basemen with a big potential offensive upside. Alec Burleson muscled up and led the league in RBI’s and Joshua Baez had one of the greatest Major League debuts with his 3 home run introduction against the Cubs. The late season appearance of Leo Bernal had many of us believing we were witnessing the new St. Louis Cardinals catcher for years to come.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though. Nolan Gorman regressed and may very well be on his way out of the organization. Matthew Liberatore struggled. The bullpen was a train wreck during the second half of the season. While Jordan Walker’s season was a positive, there are legitimate concerns about his swing decisions late in the season starting to resemble 2025. However, all things considered I think that most of us felt like the Cardinals season went at least slightly better than we expected. When all was said and done, a 77-85 record wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been.
What are your expectations for the 2027 St. Louis Cardinals season?
I have so many questions about what the Cardinals should do this offseason. Based on what Chaim Bloom said during his end-of-season press conference, I think he’s anticipating that many fans are not going to understand what phase this rebuild is in.
“This is a dangerous time…especially during the summer, when we were playing well, I heard plenty of comments about how we were back on track, or maybe ahead of schedule. We may have exceeded some other people’s expectations, but in my view, there’s nothing that happened this year that should tempt us to lose focus on our goals.”
Will Chaim Bloom continue to acquire more prospects or will he start adding to the Major League roster? I expect it will be a combination of both. A majority of our community said that the bullpen should be the priority in 2027 and I don’t necessarily disagree. I’d expect at the very least that the Cardinals will add some arms to eat the middle innings. What about third base or centerfield solutions? Will St. Louis trade from their catching depth to fill one of those voids?
There are many current roster questions, too. Will the St. Louis Cardinals continue to give Ivan Herrera opportunities behind the plate or is he a trade candidate? What about Alec Burleson? The Cardinals have 2 more years of control with two seasons of salary arbitration remaining. He said he’s “all ears” if the team wants to talk extension. Should they lock him up and make him a part of the emerging Cardinals core or consider trading high on his performance this year? What about the Cardinals starting rotation? My expectation based on the post-season press conference is they plan for Matthew Liberatore to be a starter again in 2027. Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy and Kyle Leahy should be locks for the starting rotation and hopefully Leahy will not be limited to a smaller number of innings like he was in 2026. I’d prefer that the Cardinals find a reliable starter or two and have Liberatore return to a middle innings solution, but I highly doubt the team is considering that as an option.
I have watched Chaim Bloom’s post-season presser multiple times and I feel like he’s struggling with messaging about what the 2027 St. Louis Cardinals season will look like. I understand that he’s likely not done rebuilding the farm system with prospects, but will the larger part of the fanbase support another season of rebuilding without additions to the Major League roster from outside of the organization from trades or free agent signings? I’m hopeful that there will be some combination of both. I think that many believe the St. Louis Cardinals to be at least a .500 team in 2027, but does that include the front office? It will be interesting what else is said by Chaim Bloom during the offseason to manage those expectations. More importantly, what he DOES before Spring Training 2027 will tell us even more.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When the division series makes its way to The Bronx, Max Fried will get the ball first for the Yankees.
The club plans to start Fried for Wednesday’s Game 3 followed by Carlos Rodón for Thursday’s Game 4, if the Yankees can get it there, manager Aaron Boone said Monday before a slop-filled 5-2 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Fried would pitch on six days of rest. Rodón would be on six days of rest from the four-inning simulated game he threw last Thursday at Yankee Stadium, though he hasn’t pitched in a real game since Sept. 22 (eight shutout innings against the Rays).
New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried throws a pitch during the first inning of Game 2 of the Wild Card against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Robert Sabo for New York Post
“Just like how it lines up for Max 3 and Carlos 4, how we’ve been building them out,” Boone said. “It keeps certain guys available in certain situations. Obviously, it’s always subject to change based on how the series unfolds. But that’s how we’re planning on going right now.”
Rodón had been available out of the bullpen for the wild-card series, though the Yankees did not need him, before being in consideration to start Game 1 of the ALDS before Boone landed on Gerrit Cole. Theoretically, the Yankees could use Rodón out of the bullpen in Game 3 if they absolutely need to and start Cole in Game 4, since he would be on normal rest.
Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón #55 during warm ups. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
If not, Cole could be a bullpen option later in the series.
“I hope I never have to [use him in relief],” Boone said.
As Miguel Rojas is entering the final chapter of a 13-year career, he has a lot to be proud of.
One thing that he is certainly proud of happened over the Dodgers’ bye week last week, when he revealed he flew out to Miami to take his citizenship test and passed.
“As soon as I made the decision that I wanted to do this, I wanted to do it for my family, for my kids and for the future of them,” Rojas said. “So I’m really proud of being an American.”
Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series hero earns citizenship during bye week. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Rojas, 37, first came to America after he arrived as a 16-year-old prospect out of Venezuela with the Cincinnati Reds.
Since then, he’s developed a whole life in the United States, and he and his wife, Marianna Rojas Gamboa have two children that were born here when he was playing with the Miami Marlins.
“I’m proud of being working here for over 20 years now,” Rojas said. “I’ve been playing professional baseball now for a long time, and that gave me the opportunity to learn the culture, the country, and I don’t take that for granted.”
Miguel Rojas and the Los Angeles Dodgers being introduced before playing the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
On the baseball field, Rojas has had a lot to celebrate as he is a two-time World Series champion with the Dodgers.
For Rojas, Dodgers fans will always remember him as a World Series hero last year, when he had a game-tying home run in the ninth inning against Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman to even the score at four apiece.
Miguel Rojas earns citizenship during bye week. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers would get the win after Will Smith made World Series history by hitting the first Game 7 extra-innings go-ahead home run.
While the Dodgers are preparing to play Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves, Rojas’ time on the baseball field will soon be coming to an end, as he announced at the beginning of the season that he plans to retire after the season.
In his 13-year career in the MLB, Rojas has played five seasons with the Dodgers and has a career 19.6 WAR, a .260 batting average, 61 home runs and 386 RBIs.
