Joe Espada, whose tenure as Houston Astros manager was marked by sluggish starts followed by late-season rallies that left owner Jim Crane dissatisfied, was fired Wednesday, Oct. 14, two weeks after the Astros were eliminated in the American League wild-card round by the Chicago White Sox.
Espada's firing comes on the heels of Crane firing general manager Dana Brown on Aug. 24. Crane said at that time that Espada's status would be evaluated at the end of the season, a juncture that came quickly after the Astros were swept out of the playoffs in two games.
Tuesday, the Astros granted permission for Espada to interview for the vacant Seattle Mariners managerial job. Espada's contract with Houston expires at the end of this month.
"We are thankful for Joe’s hard work, his passion for the game, and for his commitment to the Houston Astros," Crane said in a statement released by the club. "He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward."
The Astros also announced several members of the coaching staff who will either depart or remain, most notably that bench coach Omar Lopez, who guided Venezuela to the 2026 World Baseball Classic title, will be offered a different role in the organization.
Espada, 51, took over for Dusty Baker after the 2023 season and guided the Astros to an 88-73 record and the American League West title in his first season. But the Astros were swept out of the wild-card round by the Detroit Tigers, missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons in 2025 and failed to gain traction above .500 this season, which ended in an 81-81 record that was good enough to win the AL West but not enough to save his job.
Espada had a 256-229 record at the Astros’ helm and they exited the playoffs in the wild-card round both seasons he got them there. He spent six seasons as the Astros’ bench coach before Crane tabbed him to replace Baker.
His first squad got off to a 7-19 start, yet recovered to win 88 games and the West title. Similarly, the 2026 Astros lost 20 of their first 31 games. Yet the AL West's overall ineptitude kept them in the fight.
The Astros will be looking for their fourth permanent manager in 13 years and third in seven seasons after Baker took over for A.J. Hinch following Hinch’s 2020 firing for his role in the club’s 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
The club announced that pitching coach Josh Miller, first base coach Dave Clark, field coordinator Jason Bell, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte will return.
Coaches not being retained include third base coach Tony Perezchica, assistant hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz, catching instructor Tim Cossins and game planning coach Tommy Kawamura.
A complex stew of factors combined to result in the creation of this specific NFL news outlet, which launched 25 years ago as of November 1. A reader reminded me of one of the specific dominoes that fell the right way a little while ago.
As a kid, I was a baseball fan before becoming a football fan. Growing up 60 miles from Pittsburgh, I loved the Pirates. I studied the box scores in the newspaper every day. I'd listen to games on the radio with my grandfather, who used a Tupperware container as a Mail Pouch spittoon. He often missed the target.
The 1979 "We Are Family" Pirates felt like a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. (Little did I know that it was.)
The '80s weren't great (the low point was 1985, and a record of 57-104). By the end of the decade, however, the pieces were in place for three straight National League East titles.
The 1990 NLCS felt like found money. Lose 4-2 to the Reds? Fine. Next year will be the year. Blowing a 3-2 lead to the Braves in the 1991 NLCS hurt.
But that was just the appetizer.
The 1992 NLCS became the lowest point possible. My wife (two years before we got hitched) and I went to multiple games. We were there the night Deion Sanders showed up after playing for the Falcons, but didn't get into the game. Down 3-1 in the series, the Pirates won that night (our seats in the upper deck at Three Rivers were so bad that we couldn't see the ball), and two nights later the Pirates forced a seventh game.
Game 7 happened 34 years ago today. We watched the game at her apartment in Pittsburgh. I was hobbling around on a hamstring that I'd torn, and then re-torn because I was too stubborn to let it heal.
Everything was going smoothly for the Pirates. They led, 2-0, entering the bottom of the ninth. Three outs to the World Series.
When the Braves scored a run on a sacrifice fly, I shrugged. It's fine, 2-1 is fine. This is fine. Only two outs to go.
Brian Hunter popped to shallow centerfield. One out to go. I still remember walking into the kitchen at her apartment and peering over the top of the railing above the sink while leaning against the counter and holding my breath as Francisco Cabrera came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Former Pirates first baseman Sid Bream was on second; he wouldn't score on a single. Extra innings would be fine. This is fine.
And then it happened. Routine single to left. OK, extra innings. Fine. But wait. What the hell? They sent Bream? Surely, Barry Bonds will nail him at home.
The throw from Bonds was off the line and the tag from Mike LaValliere wasn't in time and I looked down at the fake granite countertop and I said, "They won't be good again for at least 20 years. I'm done."
And that's when I forgot about baseball and became even more focused on football. Nine years and 18 days later, the flip was switched on ProFootballTalk.com, and here we are.
So, thanks, Francisco and Sid — and Barry. If the Pirates had won that game and advanced to the World Series, I may have never made the NFL the center of my sports universe. And I wouldn't be doing what I've been doing for as long as I've been doing it.
Still, it continues to sting. Thirty-four years to the day later.
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies are keeping Don Mattingly as manager, removing his interim tag and giving him a two-year deal even after a late-season collapse nearly cost the team a playoff spot.
Team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced the move. Mattingly led the team to a 79-55 record and a spot in the postseason after he replaced the fired Rob Thomson in late April. The Phillies nearly blew a four-game lead for a wild card in the final week of the regular season, then lost in three games to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.
The Phillies were 9-19 when they fired Thomson in April after he led the Phillies to four straight playoff appearances, including the 2022 World Series, and consecutive NL East titles.
Dombrowski and the Phillies were rebuffed twice by former Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Dombrowski was spurned by Cora when he made the move to fire Thomson and again after the season ended, leaving him in both cases with Mattingly.
The 65-year-old Mattingly was hired last offseason to serve as a bench coach and had another year left on his contract. With an MLB work stoppage on the table in December, leaving at least parts of next season in doubt, Mattingly is the safe and familiar choice to oversee a roster that includes Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and one of the top rotations in baseball.
Dombrowski has yet to hold his annual end-of-season press conference — he and Mattingly will speak Thursday, the team said. The Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs on Oct. 1.
The Phillies’ September swoon prevented them from lining up their pitching against Atlanta because it took until Game 162 to clinch a playoff spot.
Philadelphia forced Game 3 against the Braves with three dramatic solo home runs late in Game 2. But in the end, the Phillies were eliminated from the postseason for the fifth consecutive year as they chase their first World Series title since 2008.
The Phillies’ core of Harper, Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have made five straight playoff appearances and averaged 91 wins per year during that stretch. They have yet to win a championship and have been eliminated further and further from that goal each season since reaching the 2022 World Series.
The following season, Philadelphia exited in the National League Championship Series, and the next two years saw losses in the Division Series. A wild-card exit this season marked another step in the wrong direction.
Mattingly was one of three interim managers in baseball last season. Andy Green of the New York Mets and Chad Tracy of the Red Sox each were midseason replacements who eventually had the interim tag removed.
A six-time AL All-Star in his playing career with the New York Yankees, Mattingly is the father of Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly.
Oct 13, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after pitching against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in game two of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lessons Learned from ALCS Game 1 & 2
This team had a long break heading into the ALCS, and looked rusty for it. It’s a consequence of being this good, but sweeping the Yankees meant the team essentially got a week away from baseball, and then the lineup — driven by the pitcher — featured short side platoon starters. Now with two games under their belt, look for the Rays offense to settle back in on Thursday on the road in Cleveland.
Losing Game 1 is proper kick in the butt for the Rays in a best-of-seven. The Guardians scored all seven of their runs in the final four innings of Game 1, handing the Rays their first postseason loss. Now it’s on the Rays to play up to the moment. Cash framed the winning streak ending as potentially useful motivation, and I agree! Even a top seed needs to stay locked in. Also, you know what other team lost ALCS Game 1? The 2008 Rays!
You need a little luck to be great. Junior Caminero benefitted from a walk the Guardians did not challenge that could have wildly changed Game 2. In a scoreless fourth, the Rays forced action with speed and contact on two outs. Chandler Simpson beat out an infield single, then José Ramírez’s fielding error on Ben Williamson’s grounder (the ball skipping through his legs on the turf) allowed the first run in Caminero. Liam Hicks immediately followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead—all three runs unearned. This very Rays-y small-ball inning showed how they punish defensive slips, but it never happens without that walk.
Bryan Baker is an all-time great Rays closer. With his save in Game 2, the All-Star Baker now owns the franchise record for playoff saves, and is the first player in MLB history to allow 0 hits and earn the save in four consecutive playoff appearances (h/t Greg Harvey).
Fastball Freddy firing on all cylinders. In Game 2, Peralta dialed in the Rays adjustments to his delivery and rode the adrenaline to a spectacular six inning performance, including a fastball up to 99.4 mph (averaging 96.9 mph, two mph above normal), and ripping it 71% of his 99 pitches thrown. Other than a couple curveballs, the rest was changeups, and strikeout inducing ones at that. It was an unfavorable matchup for the Guardians offense, to say the least.
Bonus: Attendance issues are back, and it certainly had something to do with prices. After much chatter online about the Rays not selling out, it was 35k instead of 42k in Game 1, and only 32k in Game 2. Those margins could have been filled if a weekday price for the 300 level in the cavernous Tropicana Field was $80 instead of $180, so there must be some sort of floor leading to strange pricing between MLB and the Rays. I can’t help but wonder if the energy behind the team’s all out media blitz to sell seats to marginal fans would be better directed at core fans who buy multiple tickets by offering discounts or clearer prices.
This was shown in the second quarter, when the game’s broadcast cameras focused in on one Lakers fan wearing a Dončić jersey dancing to “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC during a timeout.
Los Angeles Lakers fan dancing during a timeout of a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors. (X/@LukaUpdates).
After several seconds of the fan dancing (which was getting an animated reaction from other fans), the camera panned to Dončić, who looked to be watching the fan as well.
“Oh s***. He’s good!” Doncic said with a shrug after looking away from the fan.
Luka Dončić watching a Los Angeles Lakers fan dancing during a preseason game. (X/@LukaUpdates).Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after the Lakers received a technical foul in the second quarter of a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 101-89. Getty Images
Luka’s reaction has gone viral on social media, as fans are noting that he looks a lot more entertained by the dancing fan than by the game he was watching.
And that would be fair, given that Tuesday night’s game didn’t count and the Lakers didn’t exactly produce an entertaining on-court product in the 101-89 loss.
Dončić was held out of Tuesday’s game for rest purposes and isn’t injured. The Lakers will need to monitor his activity throughout the season, given that he’ll need to carry this year if they’re to put themselves in a position to make the playoffs.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 16: Boston pitcher Payton Tolle (70) embraces pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) following the conclusion of the during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves on May 16th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments that defined a memorable season. Today, we look back at a moment that is already defining the career of a young star.
On August 31, 2026, Payton Tolle hugged a grown man. In the midst of a still-gestating career, the hug is already what defines Tolle as both a ballplayer and a man. It even broke containment and made it onto The Today Show.
Hugs aren’t anything new in baseball. Hell, homoeroticism in general isn’t anything new in baseball, which, ironically, is frequently in the case in subcultures that are otherwise outwardly homophobic. But this hug was different. It happened on the field. It happened between two opponents who had never in their lives spoken to each other. It happened as part of the game play itself, with the hug doubling as a tag-out. And in a sport where being a red-ass is point of pride, it happened with a big, goofy smile.
“The hug thing, I can go back to high school,” Tolle later said. “I used to hug the opposing coach in high school basketball whenever we would do the high-five lines… I was like, ‘No, I’m gonna make this uncomfortable. I’m gonna give him a nice hug.’ Most guys started to embrace it, but there were some that were like, ‘No, no, no.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m getting a hug here, man. I’m not running away from you until I get this.’”
Tolle’s ability to blow a fastball by just about anyone in the game is what’s going to make him a star. But his ability to embrace what so many other athletes find uncomfortable is what’s going to make him beloved.
Playing baseball in Boston is not like playing baseball anywhere else. It is genuinely important for Red Sox players — and for Red Sox stars in particular — to be comfortable with fame, if not to actively court it. Not every player is. When David Wells came to Boston for two years in the twilight of his career, he seemed like a good fit for the city. He was an established star with a big personality and a no-fucks-given attitude, and he’d already thrived in Yankees Universe, which presents its own kind of cauldron in the media capital of the world.
But Wells, as it turned out, hated his time in Boston, complaining that it was impossible for him to go anywhere without being asked to pose for a picture. In New York, even a personality as big as his was granted the blessing of anonymity outside the ballpark. He was just another celebrity in a city filled with them, a city that was home to literally millions of people who didn’t even know what Derek Jeter looked like, let alone David Wells.
It’s different in Boston. If you play for the Red Sox, you always play for the Red Sox, even as you go to the hardware store or try to grab a beer at the bar. You are one of the 26 most important people in the city, whether you asked to be or not. Players like Nomar, Mo Vaughn, and David Price struggled to handle this; David Ortiz, Pedro, and Dustin Pedroia thrived on it.
Payton Tolle is going to thrive on it. We already know this. This isn’t just because Payton Tolle is comfortable with fame; it’s because Payton Tolle is comfortable being Payton Tolle. He talks openly and genuinely about his emotions, about his faith, about the heart-breaking, life-defining death of his mother. He is not afraid to cry on camera, he’s not afraid to look vulnerable, he’s not afraid to subtly imply that a rival player is an overly intense asshole (though, somehow, he manages to do it entirely without judgement).
Tolle doesn’t seek the spotlight the way that others like Curt Schilling or Kevin Millar did. But he also doesn’t hide from it. And, more importantly, he doesn’t let it change him. That rare strength of personality is going to prove incredibly valuable as he grows into his inevitable role as Boston’s favorite son.
To be perfectly if not prematurely frank, I am already a little bit worried about Roman Anthony’s ability to handle the Boston spotlight. Anthony is already bristling and what he perceives to be unfair criticism over how he handled his injury this year. He has already pushed back against whispers that his nightlife is getting in the way of his baseball. I agree with him in both respects. Anthony has been unfairly burdened with the weight of expectations, and then unfairly criticized when his body prevented him from immediately meeting those expectations. But whether the criticism that is so often leveled at Red Sox stars is unfair or not is, unfortunately, immaterial for Anthony and Tolle. It is there and they need to accept that it’s there in order to thrive.
At this incredibly early stage of Anthony’s career, I am by no means passing judgment on whether he is going to be able to do that. But it is obvious that he didn’t have much fun this year. By the end of the season he looked like a man who was trying to shut out the rest of the world. He looked like a man who wanted to go home. He looked like a man who needed a hug.
During Front Office Sports’ “Tune In” summit in New York on Tuesday, the award-winning investigative journalist admitted he is planning to look into LeBron James’ use of a Fanatics helicopter while playing for the 76ers this season, a situation that has raised eyebrows to some in the NBA.
“Of course, I know that Fanatics logo. I saw that. I was also a little mad that I didn’t get to get that one first. On that story specifically, I will say that we’re very interested and we are, of course, looking into all of the ways that is both a good story as well as something of interest to the league. And by the way, it may not be the latter, but it does appear to be the former as a business story.”
Pablo Torre says NBA owners have contacted him about LeBron James flying in a Fanatics helicopter and he is "looking into" it. pic.twitter.com/8hdtkvFtzZ
He has since opted not to drive to and from Philadelphia but rather fly in a Fanatics-branded helicopter, and James has been doing it throughout the offseason for practice and preseason games.
“The deal we signed with Fanatics almost three years ago includes access to their corporate aviation,” a James spokesperson told Front Office Sports, which reported that James is allowed access to Fanatics Aviation as part of his contract with Rubin’s company.
“It’s a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes and we appreciate their partnership as LeBron splits his time between New York and Philadelphia.”
Torre also revealed that he and his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” have been receiving tips from NBA owners about the situation.
“[The NBA owners] are like sending me your story and being like ‘What is this?’ because now I’m the guy who seems to be a lever on something like accountability even among billionaires, which is a fun plot twist,” he said.
The helicopter commute is about 45 minutes, cutting down the travel time from what would usually be a 90-minute to two-hour drive.
Stephanie Ruhle, left, and Pablo Torre attend as The New York Times celebrates 175 years of independent reporting at Spring Studio on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. Getty Images for The New York TimesLeBron James arrives in New York City from Philadelphia via helicopter after his first scrimmage, Saturday, October 3, 2026. James made his highly anticipated public debut with the Philadelphia 76ers, and soon after arrived to a New York City heliport where he reportedly will split his time. TheImageDirect.com
(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last thing anyone will remember before MLB embarks on a potentially generation-defining labor war will be the 2026 World Series. The winner will enjoy a longer-than-normal celebratory honeymoon, since the beginning of the 2027 season will almost certainly be locked out, and they will perhaps even benefit from the easiest title defense in the history of the sport, should the full season be lost in the yelling.
But first, we need a winner, and the Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers still stand as perhaps the last four teams to play MLB baseball until 2028. Bluntly, World Series results are what got us in this mess in the first place, with the Dodgers seemingly trading for, or signing every fun player in the league, and winning the last two titles. The specter of a third in a row is a large part of why MLB owners think they can impose a salary cap on their players, a feat achieved in the modern era only by the NHL in 2005.
To oversimplify the debate in two sentences: MLB owners believe a salary cap, which would limit and floor spending on players and exists in the NHL, NBA and NFL, would ensure better competitive balance, improve their product, and skyrocket franchise valuations and revenue. The MLB Players Association believes that a salary cap murders their unchecked leverage to negotiate the kinds of ludicrous contracts like the 15-year, $765 million deal that Juan Soto signed, as well as axing the earning potential of the next generation of players.
In short, we’re talking about who controls the flow of money. The owners’ argument that a salary cap will massively increase TV revenue and franchise valuations is true, and eventually that money will reach the players. But a cap also permanently limits players’ ability to access that money, while the MLBPA has essentially held for its entire existence that it will accept a salary cap only when the forces of hell march on earth and Jupiter turns into a pinecone. So how will the World Series affect all of this?
It’s rare that a labor dispute is prosecuted almost entirely in the court of public opinion, but MLB’s upcoming lockout will be that kind of party. MLB has already launched a pro-salary cap PR campaign, and both sides will have to reckon with the fact that everyone will remember the World Series the whole time this negotiation is going on.
Intuitively, one would say that anyone but the Dodgers winning — or, with the Dodgers currently down 2-0 to the Brewers, without Los Angeles even in the World Series — should destroy the owners’ argument that MLB has a competitive balance problem. Cleveland, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay all spend nothing on players. They are small markets which have looked New York, Boston and Los Angeles in the eye and said “lol, nice try.” But that interpretation is a miscalculation.
MLB owners are not dawdling buffoons who wagered their entire salary cap case on the Dodgers three-peating. That would be stupid, and these are not stupid people; these are shrewd, ruthless business operators, who understand that the amount of money they stand to gain from a salary cap is so overwhelming that they will endure a year of vilification from fans if it comes to that. I don’t believe Cleveland, Milwaukee or Tampa Bay winning it all saves us from a long lockout— in fact, I think it makes it more likely. The MLBPA will have something clear to point to as to why a cap is unnecessary, and many fans will probably agree with them; but believe me when I say the owners have the stomach for this. Do you?
Should the Dodgers win, I actually think it reduces our chances of a protracted lockout if for no other reason than how strong it makes the owners’ case that MLB needs a salary cap now and no, we can’t wait, look what the Dodgers are doing. I personally could care less if the Dodgers three-peat, and the MLB Postseason is honestly a rather-idiotic carnival game that distills literal millions of data points over a 162-game season into a crapshoot where anything can happen. Are the Guardians and Rays successful because MLB doesn’t need a salary cap and is super fair, or are they successful because the playoffs are just random? Nothing they did all year tells me either team is actually that good, so I’d lean the latter.
The great irony of this whole discussion is it doesn’t matter. In reality, the World Series result does not change anything about MLB’s need for a salary cap. Owners will hold firm on the need for one no matter what, and the MLBPA will continue to say they’d rather go play cricket — the World Series winner just changes the air around the negotiating table, not whether we need the thing in the first place.
So do we need a salary cap? I’ve gone back and forth on this all year, and after a full season of thinking landed exactly here: a salary cap would definitely improve Major League Baseball if we could just snap our fingers and get one. Equality of results, like, say the Rays winning, is not the same thing as competitive balance, and part of the issue with giga-payroll teams like the Dodgers is they choke out fans of small markets from getting to watch their favorite players. It was monumentally stupid that Detroit Tigers fans knew that they couldn’t keep Tarik Skubal, and monumentally stupider that Pittsburgh Pirates fans are just counting down the days until they have to trade Paul Skenes. That’s not a healthy environment, and fans of smaller market teams should be allowed to be excited about the future.
But I’ve decided that a salary cap does not improve MLB enough to be remotely worth what it’s going to take to get it. The main beneficiaries of a cap are, simply, billionaires, and I’m not going to pound the pavement canvassing for the interests of the 0.1 percent. Spending on players is only one facet of success in Major League Baseball, and competent scouting, analytics, development and front office operations are another — ask Arte Moreno and the Los Angeles Angels how well simply buying players and ignoring infrastructure worked for Mike Trout’s career. World Series winner agnostic, the ensuing fight to get a cap could do more damage to baseball than it would improve it. So I kindly ask everyone around me… who seem to be sharpening pitchforks… to please calm the hell down.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Manager Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers relieves Abner Uribe #45 in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The Brewers bullpen might be the biggest separating factor through two games of the National League Championship Series, with Milwaukee relievers combining for 9 2/3 scoreless innings thus far in the series.
Dodgers relievers were a strength of the team, and given the current health of the staff this might be the deepest postseason bullpen the team has had in recent years. During the postseason, the LA bullpen has a 3.13 ERA with 27 strikeouts and eight unintentional walks in 23 innings. In the NLCS, Dodgers relievers have allowed four runs in 8 1/3 innings but also have 15 strikeouts.
Dodgers batters have just two hits in 30 at-bats plus three walks against Brewers relievers in the series, unable to do anything late in the game. In Game 1, Los Angeles scored its only run in the second inning, and in Game 2 they didn’t score after the fifth.
Aaron Ashby has pitched multiple innings in each game so far, totaling 3 2/3 innings. Abner Uribe was the other Brewer to pitch both games in Milwaukee, including four outs in Game 2, and he has four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
Asked what his plan was for the back end of the bullpen, including closer Trevor Megill, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said on Tuesday’s off day at Dodger Stadium, “Keep throwing them out there. They can rest next year.”
After a beat, Murphy added, “Familiarity to a team is a thing. You have to be conscious of that too. We’re not going to go forward without other people stepping up. Some other people have to step up.”
So far the Brewers have used six pitchers in relief, including starting pitcher Dustin May for an inning in Game 2. The active pitchers Milwaukee hasn’t used yet — aside from Game 3 starter Robert Gasser — are right-handers Antonio Senzatela and Chad Patrick, plus left-handers Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison.
Here’s a look at the Brewers relievers who have pitched, along with the Dodgers batters they faced.
Megill
Ashby (L)
Uribe
Hall (L)
Romero (L)
May
Betts
G1
G1
G2
G2
Freeman (L)
G1, G2
G1
G2
Smith
G1, G2
G1
G2
Ohtani (L)
G1, G2
G1
G2
Teoscar
G1, G2
G1
G2
Muncy (L)
G1
G1
G2
Pages
G1
G1, G2
Tucker (L)
G1
G1
G2
Edman (S)
G2
Kiké
G1
Rojas
G2
De Paula (L)
G1
“I think the best solution is to catch a good lead and keep those guys in the pen. But with that, you’ve just got to find a way to stack some good at-bats and find a way to get some outfield grass,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “They’re all different, Uribe to Ashby to [DL] Hall to Megill, they’re all different. So I can’t really answer one specific answer. You’ve just got to compete against those guys. They’re very good.”
On the Dodgers side, they’ve used eight of their nine relievers already with only closer Edwin Díaz having not appeared in the series. This gets back to the Dodgers rarely leading at all in this NLCS, and never late, at least so far.
Scott (L)
Vesia (L)
Phillips
Sasaki
Stewart
Henriquez
Bubic (L)
Wrobleski (L)
Chourio
G1
G2
G2
G2
Turang (L)
G1
G2*
G2
G2
Contreras
G1*
G2
G2
G2
Bauers (L)
G1, G2
G1
G2
G2
Vaughn
G1*
G1
Mitchell (L)
G1, G2
G1, G2
G2
G2
Pratt
G1
G2
G2
G2
Lara (S)
G1
Ortiz
G1
Yelich (L)
G2
G2
G2
Frelick (L)
G2
G2
G2
Hamilton (L)
G2
G2
G2
The asterisks above in the table of Dodgers relievers are for intentional walks, when a pitcher “faced” a batter but didn’t really face the batter. William Contreras and Andrew Vaughn were intentionally walked with Tanner Scott on the mound in Game 1, and Brice Turang was intentionally walked with Brock Stewart pitching in Game 2.
With at least two and potentially three days in a row at Dodger Stadium, let’s see how the relievers are used over the next three games, and if any familiarity creeps into any results.
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Manager Joe Girardi of the New York Yankees is interviewed as he celebrates with the trophy after their 7-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As things stand right now, Joe Girardi is the answer to a trivia question that haunts millions of Yankees fans… “who is the manager of the last World Series-winning Yankees team?” I doubt any of us old enough to remember the ’09 team could have imagined this eventuality in our wildest nightmares.
For Girardi’s part, he has three distinct Acts to his Yankees career, each of which would earn him a spot on our birthday series. The sum of the parts is toweringly important. As a player, manager, and broadcaster, he’s been an integral part of Yankee history for more than a quarter-century. Joe, wishing you a happy birthday is, in fact, “what we want.”
Name: Joe Girardi Born: October 14, 1964 (Peoria, IL) Yankees Tenure: 1996-99 (player); 2008-17 (manager); 2007, 2024-present (broadcaster)
Act I – Dynasty Veteran
Joe Girardi debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1989. A few years later, the nascent Colorado Rockies selected him in the Expansion Draft and he headed to the Mile High City. In November, 1995, Colorado dealt him to the Bronx in exchange for Mike DeJean.
Girardi started 124 games for the ’96 Yankees and, speed merchant that he was, stole a career-high 13 bags in pinstripes that season. He also happened to be behind the dish on May 14, 1996, the day Dwight “Doc” Gooden achieved baseball immortality with a no-hitter. For a detailed recap of that day, check this out. Afterward, Gooden remarked: “Joe Girardi is the best catcher I’ve ever thrown to.”
Girardi wasn’t done generating signature moments that season, either. Months later, in the chill air of October, he faced Hall of Famer Greg Maddux in the third inning of a scoreless Game 6 of the World Series. His triple to center field broke the scoreless draw, and he later came around to score the second of three Yankee runs in the inning. It was the only RBI of his playoff career and it catalyzed the inning that won the Yankees their first Fall Classic since 1978.
But wait. There’s more. In a reduced role, Girardi was with the Yankees for their ’98 and ’99 World Series wins, giving him three championship rings as a player. He wasn’t done catching baseball history, either. On July 18, 1999, encased in the tools of ignorance, Girardi shepherded future broadcast booth peer David Cone through a perfect game. It was the third perfecto in the incredible history of the Yankees.
Joe Girardi could have parted paths with the Yankees forever after 1999 and he still would have been an indelible part of franchise lore.
Act II – World Series Champion Manager
Imagine trying to follow in the footsteps of Joe Torre, who won four World Series in New York. Just a tad daunting. Girardi actually worked for Torre first, serving as the legendary manager’s bench coach in 2005 before being hired as manager of the Florida Marlins for the 2006 season.
Girardi lasted one season on the job before being fired, then winning NL Manager of the Year (seriously, the Marlins being a disgrace organization is a tradition best counted in decades). He spent 2007 working with the YES Network before being hired to replace Torre after the ’07 season ended ignominiously in a swarm of midges.
Though the Yankees missed the playoffs in 2008, the next season they charged back to the top of the baseball world. Girardi shepherded a star-studded cast that included CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, AJ Burnett, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Canó, Mark Teixeira, Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Nick Swisher, among others, to 103 regular season wins.
In October, the Yanks dispatched the Twins and Angels before facing the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Six games later, Girardi’s club ended an unimaginable (at the time) eight-year championship drought, vanquishing the Phils.
Girardi and the Yanks never reached the top of the mountain again while he was manager. But ye gods, did they overachieve by wide margins. Girardi’s clubs regularly outperformed their Pythagorean expectations (+.040 win % in 2013, .041 in 2014, .034 in 2016). For those of us old enough to remember… those 2013 Yankee lineups were something else.
Taking the “Baby Bombers” to Game 7 of the ALCS against the infamous 2017 Houston Astros was not enough to save Girardi’s job, however, and the Yankees let him walk in favor of Aaron Boone. I remember being floored by the move. There was a ton of chatter about Girardi’s job security, but 2017 Kevin was sure that advancing to within a game of the World Series with a club no one expected to be there was enough to bring him back. 2017 Kevin was wrong.
Even if Joe Girardi had never played a game in pinstripes, his tenure as skipper would assure his place in franchise history.
Act III – Brilliant Broadcaster
Girardi spent several years working for the Cubs, and for MLB, as a broadcaster after leaving the Yankees, as well as managing the Phillies. But he came home prior to the 2024 season, joining the YES Network as an analyst. Since then, he’s been a fixture, lending his exceptional baseball IQ to Yankee broadcasts. I’ll argue the best three-man booth imaginable is Girardi, Cone, and Michael Kay.
As of now, this is the weakest Act of his Yankee career. But it might just be starting. Hopefully, we’ll be lucky enough to have Girardi in the booth for years to come.
Happy birthday, Joe Girardi. 17 years and counting without a World Series championship is “not what you want.” But you won three titles as a player and managed the most recent champions in franchise history. Your cred is unmatched. Happy birthday, Joe.
Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Zach Pop (56) throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the Phillies’ main goals over last offseason was to build better pitching depth, particularly in their bullpen. Besides their major acquisitions of Brad Keller and Jonathan Bowlan, the team acquired numerous depth options either via trade or free agent signing in order to try and lengthen their bullpen.
Zach Pop was one of those depth acquisitions, as he was signed to a major league deal in late December and was thrown into the competition for two available spots in spring training. Pop was likely given an inside track though, as he was out of minor league options and therefore could not be sent to Triple-A without clearing waivers. He was indeed given one of those spots on the roster, but he didn’t stay there long.
Pop impressed in the spring, showcasing a heavy sinker that limited hard contact. When Orion Kerkering suffered a hamstring strain early in camp, the path was essentially cleared for Pop to make the roster. He made his Phillies debut on Opening Day and pitched a scoreless inning in relief in the 5-3 win. His second appearance didn’t go as well, as Pop was charged with two runs in an 8-3 loss a few days later.
He got on a bit of a roll after the opening series though, as Pop then had four straight scoreless appearances out of the bullpen with just one hit and one walk allowed. He was then used as an opener on April 12th when scheduled starter Andrew Painter suffered a migraine and allowed one run in two innings before Painter was able to enter as the quasi-bulk reliever.
What went wrong
That would prove to be Pop’s last appearance with the Phillies, as he was placed on the injured list on April 13th with a calf strain. He was not activated until May 30th but was designated for assignment in the same transaction as Kerkering had returned from his injury already and the Phillies opted to not keep Pop in their bullpen. He ultimately cleared waivers but elected free agency rather than accepting an assignment to Lehigh Valley. Pop then latched on with his former team the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal signed on June 12th and went on to appear in 26 minor league games for the Marlins with a 3.60 ERA but never made it back to the majors in 2026.
Final grade: D+
Pop is somewhat hard to grade, as he was effective when he was on the field but did not pitch much for the Phillies, therefore rendering his impact on the season very minimal. His injury torpedoed his chances of making a lasting impression and the team had already moved in another direction by the time he was healthy again. And yet, it’s hard not to look back in retrospect and see where the Phillies could have used someone like Pop later in the season when their bullpen was gassed.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Xavier Neyens #9 of the Houston Astros warms up during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers had a historic year in 2026 with standout performances and a big time playoff push. Let’s take a look.
The Woodpeckers got off to a rough start going 3-12 over their first 15 games. They finished April going 10-14. In May, the Woodpeckers went 13-14. They turned things around in June going 14-10. They went 14-8 in July, finishing the first half of the season strong. They dominated the month of August going 20-6 as they took over first place in their division. They lost five in a row in September but went into the Carolina League playoffs.
They beat the Fredericksburg Nationals 2-0 in the three game series outscoring the Nats 12-3. In the Championship series, the Woodpeckers took on Charleston and had two dominant wins winning 14-4 and then 7-4 in the Championship game as they were crowned Carolina League Champions for the first time in team history.
Kevin Alvarez, OF Alvarez, the Astros top international signing in 2025, had a big year for the Woodpeckers. The 18-year-old played in 99 games and hit .261 with a team leading 26 doubles, 11 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He showed great bat to ball skills while spraying the ball to all fields. He was a main stay in the Woodpeckers lineup.
Nick Potter, RHP Potter was drafted in 2025 and after being a college closer, the Astros converted him to starter. In Fayetteville, the right-hander dominated posting a 2.11 ERA while racking up 70 strikeouts over 59.2 innings. The Astros built him up throughout the season but he showed enough to really fly up the top 30 rankings.
Xavier Neyens, INF Neyens was the Astros first round pick in 2025 and he had a big year as a teenager too. He started the year in Single-A and hit .240 with 14 home runs, 16 stolen bases and a ridiculous 79 walks in 68 games. He led the team in OPS (.911) and wRC+ (154). Neyens would finish the season in High-A Asheville.
Javier Perez, RHP Perez was a choice of mine for breakout prospect and he did just that in Fayetteville. The 22-year-old led the team in strikeouts as he racked up 103 over 89.1 innings. He was dominant for a while and hit a snag mid way through but still finished with a 4.23 ERA while showing some of the best command in the Astros system.
Anthony Huezo, OF Huezo was also on my list for breakout prospect and he may have been one of the biggest breakouts in baseball. Drafted back in 2023, he had a huge season. He played in 71 games for the Woodpeckers and had 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 30 stolen bases and a .856 OPS. He finished the year strong in Asheville posting a 20 HR/40 SB season.
Jagger Beck, RHP Beck was signed as an undrafted free agent out of high school following the 2024 draft and was one of the best pitchers in the system in 2026. The 19-year-old posted a 2.80 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 86.2 innings for the Woodpeckers. He showcased a mid 90s fastball and elite breaking ball. He also flew up the rankings this season.
Josh Wakefield, OF Wakefield had a couple injuries but when he was on the field, the outfielder was great. He played in 73 games for the Woodpckers and led the team in batting average (.270) and stolen bases (37). He also added 12 doubles and 4 home runs while posting strong walk and strikeout percentages too.
Arturo Flores, C Flores was signed in September 2024 and had a historic season for the Woodpeckers. Not only did he lead the team with 17 home runs, that number also set a new franchise record. Flores also drove in 58 runs while posting a .817 OPS over 84 games. A good season for the 20-year-old catcher.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 13: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins deflects a shot on goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at United Center on October 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I am not going to say the Pittsburgh Penguins played a perfectly clean, crisp game on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Because they didn’t.
They were sloppy at times, some of their puck management and puck support was bad, and they did not capitalize on enough opportunities against a Blackhawks team that was, to be fair, probably even worse.
And that last part really is the main point here. The Penguins weren’t great. But neither was the team that beat them. The Penguins have reason to be disappointed and frustrated with the way they played (and they should be), but they controlled enough of that game at 5-on-5 that it was probably a passable enough performance to walk out of their with two points.
One of the main reasons they didn’t is the simple reality they just didn’t get enough saves.
For as good as Sergei Murashov was in Columbus on Friday, basically stealing them a point against the Blue Jackets, he was that bad on Tuesday in Chicago, probably costing them at least one point.
As sloppy as the Penguins were, I’m not sure they were four goals against (excluding the fifth goal, an empty net goal) bad. Chicago didn’t have THAT many chances, and every publicly available piece of data suggests the same thing.
The fourth goal was an absolute crusher, not only by how bad it was, but because it came in the final five minutes after the Penguins had fought back from a two-goal deficit. It’s simply a shot that can’t go in, from that spot, from that angle in that moment. Or any moment. It can’t. Historically, it doesn’t (MoneyPuck had that shot at 0.01 expected goals).
But here’s the other thing about this game — I keep seeing that you can’t really fault him for the other three goals because they weren’t necessarily his fault. Maybe they weren’t entirely his fault. But “not entirely his fault,” and “no chance to be stopped,” are two very different things.
Sometimes your goalie does have to make a stop they are not fully expected to make.
The first goal? That’s just bad hockey by the Penguins.
The third goal is a tough cross-ice pass that you’d like to see not get through.
But I don’t think the second goal is unstoppable. The fourth goal certainly isn’t. Beyond that, I’m not sure there were *that* many shots that he was asked to make overly challenging saves on. He didn’t even have to face 20 shots. Even when the team in front of him was guilty of bad puck management or puck support, they rebounded and did not always allow a shot or chance. The scoring chance numbers were heavily tilted in the Penguins’ favor.
Again: they weren’t great. But probably weren’t all that good. But they should have been good enough given what the opponent was also doing.
This isn’t meant to sound overly critical of Murashov from a big picture perspective. I like him a lot. You should, too. None of this means you stop playing him, or send him down, or that he’s bad and going to be bad. He might be the highest ceiling young player the Penguins have, at a position that can significantly change a team’s timeline to contend and its chances to contend (both short-term and long-term). But as I’ve said in the past here, while all of that is very true, the reality is that all of the upside and potential is coming from the most volatile position on the ice in terms of performance and projected performance.
That’s especially true for young players at the position.
You’re going to get games like Friday in Columbus from him.
You’re also going to get games and moments like Tuesday in Chicago.
It’s just something you have to be ready for.
It’s seven games, and that’s far too early to really know what type of team you have or what it is capable of. That is true across the league. But I said at the start of the season that goaltending will be the biggest determining factor in whether or not this is a playoff team or a lottery team. I am sticking with that.
More quick Penguins thoughts
1. As frustrating as I found Murashov’s performance on Tuesday to be, there was another big factor in the Penguins losing that game.
Their power play.
They have now gone five consecutive games without scoring a goal, and have not found the back of the net since the second game of the season against the Montreal Canadiens. That’s not good enough. What’s even worse than the lack of goals is that the unit is back in one of those ruts where it’s not even close to scoring.
The last two attempts on Tuesday were better in terms of puck movement, and they at least seemed to adjust to the pressure teams have been applying to them, but special teams was the other big factor on Tuesday.
An 0-for-4 night on the power play and only 1-for-2 on the penalty kill is a good way to lose a winnable game to a bad team. Or any team, for that matter.
2. Rickard Rakell is playing more minutes per game than he ever has in his career. Almost 20 per game. More than two minutes more per game than he has averaged over his career.
He has zero goals and two assists.
Prior to Sidney Crosby’s two goals on Tuesday, the top line has consistently been one of the Penguins biggest problems this season. Bryan Rust has shown some flashes and at least scored a couple of goals. Maybe Tuesday was the jumpstart Crosby needed. Still waiting on Rakell.
3. I love what the Nicholas Robertson-Blake Lizotte-Connor Dewar line is doing. It’s steamrolling teams in tough minutes, and that’s good. But how much longer can you keep Robertson on the fourth line? Especially when the first line has at least one guy at the moment that’s not doing anything? Robertson has, in my opinion, been one of their best players over the past two games, and he keeps scoring goals. On a per-60-minute basis, he’s been one of the best goal-scorers in the league the past few years. He is showing why. When do you move him back up and give him a little bit of a longer leash?
4. Egor Chinakhov has not scored a goal since the season-opener, but I do not think he has been as invisible as some have suggested. I think he’s close.
The win snapped the Canucks' perfect 5-0-0 record inside UBS Arena, making them the final team to lose for the first time in New York's new home.
One big story from last night quickly became the debut of Islanders' defenseman Matthew Kessel.
Kessel, 26, signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Islanders on July 1. The Islanders signed Kessel, a righty, to fill the gaps in their depth and give Head Coach Peter DeBoer another option for the lineup.
Kessel came into camp on the outskirts of the roster, with the expectation he'd be the team's 8th defenseman, behind Isaiah George and Scott Mayfield for the final spots.
Instead, George did not make the team, while Kessel played so well the Islanders kept him. Still, New York signed Logan Stanley, seemingly blocking his path.
The Islanders instead kept all 8 defensemen, minus George, and thus the season began.
Alexander Romanov tore his ACL in the third game of the season. Scott Mayfield played the next two games, but did not solidify his role.
Insert Kessel for his 100th career game, a solid milestone to start off his Islanders' career.
Kessel did not disappoint. He played 13:31 in the win Tuesday night, with one assist.
Islanders' Head Coach Pete DeBoer praised him postgame.
Pete DeBoer on Matthew Kessel making his #Isles debut:
“Based on his camp, probably deserved to have been in there even earlier than that.”
With Romanov injured, DeBoer expects to use all seven defensemen and rotate players throughout the year.
Jul 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates hitting a home run int hte dugout during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. Even though Ohtani has no home runs and one run batted in over his last 24-plus games and 110 plate appearances, he still had a very good season at the plate overall.
To that end, Ohtani was voted by his peers among the top three finishes for two MLB Players Choice Awards, the MLB Players Association announced on Wednesday.
Ohtani will finish in the top three for major league Player of the Year, along with Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Álvarez and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Ohtani is also in the top three for National League Outstanding Player, along with Armstrong and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
Ohtani this season hit .275/.377/.512 with a 139 wRC+, 30 home runs, 81 walks, 89 runs scored, and 81 RBI in 135 games this season, third in the National League in OPS, fifth in slugging percentage, and sixth in on-base percentage and wRC+.
But he also added a 1.79 ERA an 2.73 xERA in 14 pitching starts, with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 85 2/3 innings. Combining hitting and pitching, Ohtani’s 6.6 FanGraphs WAR was tied with Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski for second in the NL, and was tied for fourth in the majors.
