MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 27: Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on September 27, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And with that, the 2026 regular season comes to a close.
The Atlanta Braves finish 94-68 as NL East champions and are looking for more. Postseason baseball begins Tuesday as the Braves will take on the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card round.
In this final tune-up, Atlanta regulars Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II got a full day off. Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies had a couple ABs apiece before getting off their feet. This final game and lineup was very much giving Game 162 as they dropped the series and season finale to the Marlins by a score of 5-3.
The Braves got on the board early courtesy of a home run by Mauricio Dubón. The effervescent Brent Suter, who’d joined the booth for an interview in the top of the third, had a great call.
Ozzie Albies got the start today and notched his first season playing in all 162 games. He went 0-for-2 with a groundout and strikeout before exiting at 3:45 pm. Matt Olson’s day ended at 3:54 pm after a strikeout in the first and a flyout in the fourth. Hugs for Matty O, our modern iron man.
Midway through an anecdote about JR Ritchie’s upcoming wedding, a changeup off the bat of Heriberto Hernández went screaming to left center to tie the ballgame 1-1.
Dom Smith and Kyle Farmer took over at first and second base respectively to start the bottom of the fourth. The two combined for a nice play in the sixth.
Hernández continued to menace Ritchie by hitting a leadoff double in the sixth and, after two outs, came home to score on a single by Esteury Ruiz. Deyvison De Los Santos followed with another single, which prompted a mound visit. This didn’t end up helping much as the first pitch Jared Serna saw doubled home two more Marlins. After keeping them down for most of his 5.2 innings of work, Ritchie was lifted in favor of AJ Smith-Shawver. AJSS got Brian Navarreto looking for the third out.
The Braves got within a run after Ha-Seong Kim worked a ten-pitch AB to walk, Brewer Hicklen blooped in a single down the right field line, an RBI groundout by DaShawn Keirsey Jr., and a single by Dubón off Calvin Faucher to make it 4-3. But Smith-Shawver gave a run back via a leadoff homer by Griffin Conine. He set down the next three in order, but the damage was done and the score would stay 5-3.
What of the other Braves getting some work in? Austin Riley exited after his 0-for-3 afternoon, so Dubón took over at third for the home half of the eighth and Yaz moved to left field. Sean Murphy had a nice day with a single apiece in the second and fifth. Ha-Seong Kim had two walks, a strikeout, and a stellar defensive play in the fourth.
Elieser Hernández entered and set the Marlins down in order in the bottom of the eighth. Sandy Alcantara came on for the save for the Marlins. No, you’re not missing anything, the Marlins are trying something new. Murphy reached to start the inning but would be stranded after the Cy Young winner set down Kim, Hicklen, and got Keirsey Jr. swinging to end it. But the Braves are unscathed and the Delta flight awaits to bring them back home.
Everything resets. Playoff baseball returns to Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers is taken out of game after pitching five scoreless innings in his last regular season debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field on September 27, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brewers didn’t have anything left to play for, and today’s goal was very simple: no one get hurt. Milwaukee achieved that goal, but hey, why not go out and pick up a sweep and a franchise-record 103rd win while they’re at it? Jacob Misiorowski, in a postseason tune-up, put together one more excellent performance to cap what will almost certainly be a Cy Young-winning season, and the offense showed us exactly what has made them special all season as they picked up six runs on 10 hits early in the game before cruising to victory.
The first inning of this game felt like a perfect encapsulation of the Brewers’ regular season. In the top of the first, the presumptive National League Cy Young winner went out and quickly retired the side in order, cruising at around 101.5 mph. In the bottom of the inning, the first four Brewers, Garrett Mitchell, Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, and Brice Turang, all singled off of Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, the latter two of which scored runs. Turang, whose hit was of the infield variety, had his 100th RBI of the season and got a nice ovation from the home crowd.
Gary Sánchez made the first out of the inning on a fielder’s choice, but he hustled down the line and ensured that the Cardinals would have no double play opportunity. Captain Christian Yelich and Cooper Pratt continued the hit parade with two more singles, the first of which scored Chourio, and the Brewers had a 3-0 lead before Sal Frelick grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The first blemish on Misiorowski’s line came with one out in the second when Frelick was not quite able to make a diving catch on a lazy fly ball from Thomas Saggese in shallow right. But Miz retired the next two and had two scoreless innings to start his afternoon. Pallante had a much easier time in the second, and got David Hamilton, Mitchell, and Bauers in order.
Misiorowski continued with another scoreless inning in the third, as he worked around a one-out walk. Chourio led off the bottom of the third with his second single of the day. Turang, next up, smoked a line drive at 106 mph but hit it right to Saggese at shortstop for the first out. The next batter, Sánchez, got a hold of one to the opposite field and snuck it over the wall in right for a two-run homer, his 12th of the season. It also completed his chase for homers against all 30 teams, as the Cardinals were the last team remaining to have never allowed a Kraken homer.
Somewhat surprisingly, Misiorowski — who threw only three innings in his last outing — was back out for the fourth. To his own exasperation, he walked the leadoff hitter, Leo Bernal. But the next batter, Nolan Gorman, became Misiorowski’s 250th strikeout victim of the season, and Saggese grounded into a 5-4-3 double play that ended the inning.
Milwaukee struck again in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Hamilton reached on a dribbler that sat on the dirt down the third-base line, pretty much the most David Hamilton hit of all time. Mitchell drew a walk, and Bauers nearly cleared the bases with a 105-mph drive to the left-field gap, but Nathan Church ran it down for the second out. Chourio was next, though, and for the third time in the game he came through with a single, this one a two-out, run-scoring liner into right. Milwaukee led 6-0 after four.
Misiorowski had another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth — it was somewhat surprising to see him continue, but he was extremely efficient today and only had 64 pitches through five innings. Pallante had a clean fifth, and Misiorowski came back out for the top of the sixth — Pedro Pagés singled on the first pitch of the inning, but a three-pitch strikeout of Jordan Walker led to Pat Murphy making a semi-ceremonial pitching change that allowed his ace to get a standing ovation from the home crowd.
A strikeout and a standing ovation to end Jacob Misiorowski's legendary regular season 👏 pic.twitter.com/Yhf9mpyol2
After DL Hall finished the inning, Miz’s afternoon — and his legendary regular season — were finished. His official ERA for the season ends at 1.80, by far the best ever for a qualifying starter in Brewers history, ahead of Mike Caldwell’s 2.36 in 1978. He also added his name to an extremely exclusive list:
Pallante gave way to Justin Bruihl in the bottom of the sixth and got a 1-2-3 inning, and Hall and Bruihl again followed with six more consecutive outs. César Prieto ended that streak when he led off the top of the eighth with a triple off of Chad Patrick, a ball which Mitchell nearly ran down in deep right-center but which deflected off his glove. Pagés continued his afternoon with a walk, his second of the game, and he hadn’t been retired in three at-bats. St. Louis plated its first run of the day on an RBI fielder’s choice from Walker, who avoided a double play and advanced to second when Pratt’s rushed relay throw got past Bauers at first.
Patrick walked Iván Herrera, which led to a visit from the dugout and a hurried Shane Drohan warm-up in the bullpen, but the next batter, Bernal, popped a deep home run to the second deck in right, cutting the score to 6-4. That was it for Patrick, who did not look sharp in his last outing before the postseason. Drohan entered and got the next two to stop the bleeding and preserve the Brewers’ lead.
The 24-year-old righty Hancel Rincon was on for his third career appearance in the bottom of the eighth, and a 1-2-3 inning became the first scoreless outing of his big-league career. Drohan made the ninth look easy, and after retiring all five batters he faced, Drohan had the second save of his rookie season, and the Brewers had a sweep and 103 wins.
Misiorowski added to his 2026 legend with 5 1/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball that led to his 16th win of the year. Jackson Chourio picked up three hits, scored twice, and knocked two runs in to finish with a .291 batting average. Turang picked up his 100th RBI. Sánchez hit a two-run homer. No one got hurt. The Brewers are ready for the playoffs.
The Brewers don’t play again until Saturday, but we’ll have plenty of stuff for you to read this week, and we’ll have discussions up for the Wild Card round. It’s been a magical season! Thanks for being a part of it.
And in the American League, the most compelling action may come early, as East division stalwarts from New York, Boston and Tampa Bay will fight it out to see who advances to the AL Championship Series.
After 162 games and six months of baseball, the 2026 MLB playoff field is complete. While the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians have secured first-round byes in their respective leagues, the other eight squads will open October with the best-of-three wild-card round that starts Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Here's a look at every team that qualified for the 2026 MLB playoffs, along with where they fit in the postseason bracket.
MLB playoff teams 2026
American League
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East winner) – No. 1 seed
Cleveland Guardians (AL Central winner) – No. 2 seed
Sep 15, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker (55) reacts during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Texas Rangers scored four runs but the Minnesota Twins scored six runs.
The Rangers stayed true to who they were until the bitter end. A sauceless bunch. The 2026 Rangers were a dry, unseasoned chicken breast served with a side of tap water.
Today’s game had everything you suffered with all summer bundled up neatly and handed to you with the neat little bow on top being another year without postseason baseball.
A first inning run allowed? – ✓
A disappointing, brief outing from MacKenzie Gore? – ✓
Endless fruitless micromanaging from Jared Michael “Skip” Schumaker? – ✓
At-bats ruined by poor ABS usage or non-usage while the other team shaved outs on the margins with successful attempts? – ✓
The lineup turtling up at the first sign of adversity? – ✓
Bunts while down multiple runs? – ✓
Tyler Alexander? – ✓
The Rangers won’t win the American League West because they did not win today. They would not have won the American League West regardless because the Houston Astros won today (presumably, they’re leading the Pacific Coast League Athletics 8-0 as I’m writing this). You could take solace in that fact, I suppose. Nothing Texas could have done today mattered in the end.
Of course, that ignores the other like 30 weeks. The fact is, the Rangers were incredibly fortunate to even be in the position they were in today — a bad baseball team with a chance to win the division on the last day — and they even squandered that fortune.
They didn’t squander it because the A’s laid down for the Astros. They squandered because they themselves went 6-7 against the A’s, including losing both series in West Sacramento, where Houston has outscored them 21-2 in the last two must-win games. They went 5-8 against the soon-to-be 100-loss, last place Angels. They went 2-4 in the final two series of the season against two clubs who ended the year a combined 151-173, losing both series. The Rangers had no business being alive and they still chose death.
Anyway, the Astros can have the title of worst playoff team, even if that would have been kind of novel in the way that the Rangers strive on being novel. I can’t imagine I’d be able to stomach the October version of Skip Schumaker managing in the playoffs where you are already expected to be playing 4D chess.
There’s some irony in them not finishing the season at .500 given their never-ending desire for keeping their record evening all year. But missing .500 by a game and not losing the division on a tiebreaker to a team they went 4-9 against is probably the more just outcome, despite the fact that Houston is also cheeks.
A couple of seasons ago, after the last game of the year, I wrote reflecting almost more on the 2023 October and how the 2024 season hadn’t dulled my enjoyment for what they accomplished. On the last day of the 2025 season, I wrote that while the season had basically become an unpleasant slog, I had come to understand that I would miss them.
This year, though, I won’t miss this team. Except for Nathan Eovaldi. That guy is awesome.
I’ll miss baseball, though. Eventually. Maybe it’ll even come back in 2028.
Player of the Game: At one point after weeks and months of being something of the poster boy for the ABS inefficiencies the team managed during this inaugural year of the challenge system, and for being among the main problem spots at the bottom of the order, Danny Jansen had begun to creep onto the list of my all-time most disliked Rangers.
Today, he homered for Texas’ only run until it was 5-1 in the eighth inning (when fellow catcher Elias Diaz also homered before Corey Seager ended his season with a two-run home run in the ninth) in a game the Rangers had to win and didn’t.
Footage has emerged of Isaiah Stewart, then of the Detroit Pistons, punching Drew Eubanks prior to a Feb. 14, 2024 game between Detroit and the Phoenix Suns.
Stewart was arrested for assault at the arena in Phoenix hours before the game. He was issued a citation and released, while Eubanks played in the game, which was won by Phoenix.
The video, obtained by Fox 10 in Phoenix, shows Stewart walking through a hall in the arena, while Eubanks waits for him.
Video has surfaced of a 2024 altercation between Isaiah Stewart and Drew Eubanks, now a Knick. Eubanks said Stewart “sucker-punched” him. Stewart was arrested for assault and suspended 3 games.
Eubanks then puts his shoulder into Stewart’s chest and the two appear to have words before Stewart punches Eubanks.
Stewart follows by pushing Eubanks, who comes back at Stewart.
Stewart looks ready to hit Eubanks again before the two are separated and walk away from each other.
“The attack on Drew Eubanks was unprovoked, and acts of violence such as this are unacceptable,” the Suns said in a 2024 statement after the incident. “We unequivocally support Drew, and will continue to work with local law enforcement and the NBA.”
Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart and Phoenix Suns’ Drew Eubanks confront each other before a game on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Stewart threw a punch that connected near Eubanks’ mouth, resulting in minor injuries. FOXDetroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart and Phoenix Suns’ Drew Eubanks confront each other hours before a game on Feb. 14, 2024. Stewart threw a punch that connected near Eubanks’ mouth, causing minor injuries before security intervened. FOX
Monty Williams, the head coach of the Pistons at the time — who had previously coached the Suns — disapproved of Phoenix’s statement.
“The thing is to get all of the information,’’ Williams said. “The NBA will do an investigation. For me to come here and make a statement would be a bit irresponsible. I know the Suns said it was unprovoked; I think that is irresponsible for sure. You really don’t know.’’
Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart celebrates a 3-pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half of a game at the United Center in Chicago, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. Getty ImagesPhoenix Suns’ Drew Eubanks (14) reacts to a 3-point shot during an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 133-115. Getty Images
He was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a six-team trade in July.
The 6-foot-10 Eubanks was signed to a non-guaranteed contract by the Knicks this offseason. He figures to be in a roster battle with fellow veteran players Bruce Brown, John Konchar, James Wiseman and Ochai Agbaji.
Eubanks has played for six teams in his eight-year NBA career after going undrafted out of Oregon State.
He played 42 games with the Sacramento Kings last season and averaged 5.2 points and 3 rebounds per game. Eubanks has also played for the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Kennedy Chandler #0 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With training camp beginning this week, the Phoenix Suns are filling out their roster, which can carry a maximum of 21 players during camp. That number will need to be trimmed to 15 standard roster spots before the regular season, but the expanded roster allows Phoenix to create competition for the remaining spots.
We already knew Duop Reath would be making an appearance, as it was reported earlier this month that he would be joining the team on a training camp invitation. He’ll have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the regular season roster or potentially secure one of the team’s two-way contracts.
Today, the Suns made his signing official while also announcing the addition of Kennedy Chandler.
OFFICIAL: The Phoenix Suns have announced the signings of center Duop Reath and guard Kennedy Chandler.
Chandler (6’-0”, 170 pounds) appeared in 11 games with the Utah Jazz last season, averaging 15.0 points, 6.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He scored a career-high 31 points on April 7 at New Orleans and posted his first career double-double with 26 points and 10 assists vs. Memphis on April 10. Holding two years of NBA experience, Chandler also appeared in 36 games with the Grizzlies during the 2022-23 season. Originally the 38th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of the University of Tennessee, Chandler has totaled 153 career appearances over four seasons in the NBA G League, averaging 14.7 points and 6.1 assists.
The signings bring the Suns to 21 players under contract heading into training camp, as Spotrac also lists second-year power forward Philip Wheeler on the roster. That totals 15 guaranteed contracts (although Heywood Highsmith and Jamaree Bouyea are not officially guaranteed until January 2027), three two-way contracts, and 3 Exhibit 10 training camp invites.
Phoenix Suns Media Day is tomorrow, and training camp begins the following day.
Last up: Will this be the season Joel Embiid breaks through in the playoffs?
Embiid is accustomed to being at the center of the Sixers’ universe.
That won’t be the case at media day Monday. The Sixers’ other projected starters are now three All-Stars (James, Brown and Tyrese Maxey) along with last year’s Rising Stars MVP (Edgecombe).
Physical problems continued to plague Embiid in Round 2 and the Sixers were swept by the Knicks. Embiid has 66 playoff games, six second-round eliminations and two first-round exits in his career. The Sixers haven’t reached the conference finals since 2001. There’s a vast list of reasons for that, many of which are strange and unfortunate. The bottom line is Embiid wants better and the 2026-27 Sixers will plan to push for a championship.
What will the Sixers need from Embiid?
Improved health is first and foremost. Embiid has played just 96 regular-season games over the last three years. However, he ended last season believing that he was trending up.
“I came into this year not knowing where I was going to be, how long I was going to play, if I was even going to play based on how the knee was the last two years,” Embiid said at his exit interview in May. “I came in just hoping for the best and I feel like we’re in a position where we’ve figured out the knee. It hasn’t been an issue. If it weren’t for the oblique or some of the other stuff I had, it could’ve been different as far as how many games I would’ve played.
“We came into this season thinking there was not much left based on the last two years. Now I’m sitting here not even worried about my knee even after all the stuff that’s happened, people falling on me. You’re obviously going to have setbacks as you go along, but those setbacks have been so much different than in the past.
“So I hate losing, but … I thought I was done. That’s the best way to put it. And then we found something as a group … to figure out how we’re quite frankly in a better position next year to play a lot of games.”
We’ll see whether Embiid’s body cooperates with those intentions. If he hits some speed bumps throughout the season, the Sixers’ hope would be that none are too serious, he’s able to build chemistry with his new star teammates, and all is relatively well for the playoffs.
“I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he was like, ‘I want to have a great year. I want to play a lot of games. I want to be All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk,” Gansey said. “He’s lost some weight; you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym. He’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated.”
Though the Sixers are now brimming with offensive talent, it’s hard to imagine Embiid becoming peripheral. He should often be valuable as a post-up force, mid-range shooter, and intelligent partner in a variety of two-man actions with his fellow stars.
A return to his peak beyond the arc also wouldn’t hurt, especially since Embiid may turn to his three-point shot a bit more as he ages and his game becomes less about physical dominance. He shot a career-high 4.2 threes per game last season and hit 33.3 percent. Embiid’s best mark was 38.8 percent back in the 2023-24 season.
The Sixers shouldn’t require Embiid to play brilliant, nimble defense every game, but it would be a massive help if he could do solid work in the pick-and-roll, deter drives all the way to the rim, and grab a good chunk of rebounds in his area.
Across the board, head coach Nick Nurse will ask his stars to commit to all the ways they can contribute outside of scoring.
Embiid will surely be happy with any brand of basketball that leads to the Sixers playing deep in the postseason. Perhaps this will be the year.
Arizona rider first US champion since Lance Armstrong
Pre-race favourite Evenpoel fails to add second gold
Brandon McNulty, a UAE Emirates teammate of Tadej Pogacar, succeeded the Slovene as world champion with an unexpected solo win in the men’s UCI road race in Montreal.
In the biggest triumph of his career, the 28-year-old American took his country’s first win in the UCI’s blue riband event since Lance Armstrong’s lone victory in Oslo in 1993.
For the second consecutive season, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will provide a highly concentrated dosage of their rivalry at Yankee Stadium.
They meet once again in a best-of-three American League wild-card series and this time, New York's Cam Schlittler is starting Game 1 – not Game 3.
It's been exactly a year since Schlittler announced his arrival to the baseball world, striking out 12 Red Sox over eight shutout innings to clinch the series for the Yankees. He's since struck out 239 batters and posted a 1.95 ERA over 193 ⅔ innings, making him the heavy favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award.
And charged with giving the Yankees the upper hand in this very short series.
He'll be followed by left-hander Max Fried and, if necessary, Gerrit Cole in Game 3. The Red Sox will likely counter with left-handers Payton Tolle and postseason veteran Ranger Suarez, with 36-year-old Sonny Gray folded in there.
The Red Sox have been hit with untimely injuries. First baseman Willson Contreras sat out 10 days after getting struck on the hand by a pitch, and then received two at-bats, striking out and grounding out, in the Red Sox's season finale Sunday.
Reliever Tyron Guerrero (shoulder strain) and outfielder Mickey Gasper (biceps strain) are on the IL, as is outfielder Eli White. The Red Sox will have to pivot to run prevention, as was their mantra when they overcame a slow start to roar back and claim the No. 2 wild card spot behind the Yankees.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been discussed all offseason, but a transformative era for the Los Angeles Lakers finally starts this week with training camp.
Head coach JJ Redick and President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka brought in the Luka Dončić era with a joint press conference on Thursday and answered many of the questions we’ve grappled with all summer. This week, though, we get to hear from the players, ask them questions and see the effects of a transitional offseason bear out on the court.
With that in mind, questions remain before preseason play commences in Sacramento on Oct. 5. Let’s hash a few out.
Just how complementary is this roster to Luka?
Pelinka laid out his plan ahead of the offseason, keying in on three pillars of what success in building a team around Dončić looked like to him and Redick once it became evident that LeBron James was not returning, saying, “Re-signing Austin, putting together a trade to acquire Walker Kessler and then building out our team with young players that could dribble pass, shoot and have brought the average age of our roster to around 26 or 27, which lines up so perfectly with Luka and building a team around Luka Dončić.”
Archetypally, he did it. Pelinka ensured Dončić had a dynamic shot creator in Reaves and a defensive stalwart in Kessler alongside him and surrounded the three with athleticism, defense, (some) shooting and youth. But are they talented enough?
The 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks not only laid out the blueprint of a Luka-led Finals team, but they also formed a roster loaded with talent through to the bench. It was a process that hadn’t been idealized until they traded for Daniel Gafford ahead of the season’s trade deadline.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 17: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 17, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers still don’t have a fifth starter. Perhaps a similar midseason trade will jolt the team to the next level. But for now, we have to see if the pieces Dončić has around him are complementary enough to warrant that.
Is Redick’s shift to drop coverage exclusive to Kessler-featured lineups?
Los Angeles has been one of the league’smost switch-dependent teams through Redick’s tenure. In turn, the Lakers have sat around the bottom of the league in rim defense. Though up until now, given his personnel, Redick hasn’t had much of a choice.
Kessler changes that.
“I know that we have switched a lot, one through five, over the last two years,” Redick said. “That has been by necessity. We look at him as someone we want close to the basket, protecting the rim. … You guys watched the playoffs, you probably have a basic idea of how San Antonio used [Victor Wembanyama] and kept him low and kept him by the basket.”
Is this schematic shift exclusive to Kessler? Which other centers on the roster are capable of protecting the rim to his degree?
As it stands, Kevon Looney is slated to back up Kessler, but I’d expect Sandro Mamukelashvili to split time at the four and the five to limit the extent in which the Lakers have to rely on a degraded Looney down low.
Although the 6-foot-9 Mamukelashvili spent over 40% of last season guarding centers with Toronto, according to BBall Index, he was below average in rim protection (43rd percentile) and among the worst in the league in rim disruption (15th percentile) and rim deterrence (21st percentile).
A savvy way Redick could counteract this is by playing Mamukelashvili alongside Jarred Vanderbilt, who has shown a propensity to guard centers at an effective rate, but only if Redick trusts him enough to give him some burn.
Will the off-court chemistry translate on the court?
Dončić blessed fans with an inside look of the team’s five-day trip to Slovenia over the summer in a vlog posted to his YouTube channel — something Lakers fans haven’t really had since Javale McGee’s vlogs throughout the 2019-20 season and in the bubble (those were some good times).
My biggest takeaway from the video: the type of dynamic shown throughout the roster perhaps would not have been the same had there been a subset of players who were much older than the rest of the group. I mean, could you imagine Marcus Smart trying to engage in the type of Gen-Z banter being tossed around the entire trip? What are the odds LeBron ever had an inside joke with Adou Thiero or Dalton Knecht?
What the Slovenia trip really did was set the standard for the kind of connectivity the team will need moving forward. Anything less shines a bigger spotlight on the fact that, on paper, this Lakers roster isn’t as talented as the behemoths that run the West. That’s why chemistry is so important. And that’s why we all need to see if it’ll translate to a more connected team on the court.
Which role player is more inclined to pop?
Redick tossed out a few names that have stood out unprovoked during his presser, namely Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Adou Thiero, each of whom is in contention for the fifth starting spot. He also mentioned in passing that everyone is competing for playing time in training camp.
The Lakers are a deeper team than they were entering the offseason. That Thiero and Cameron Carr have the same opportunity for real rotational minutes as the likes of Collin Sexton, Williams and Thybulle is a testament to that depth. But who has the best chance to pop?
Thiero and Carr come in the prospect of Los Angeles being a significantly better team if even one of them pops. Quentin Grimes, Mamukelasvili and (to an extent) Sexton come in with the comfort of substantial contracts. Williams, Thybulle and Kevon Looney come in trying to prove they’re worth more than a minimum deal. Jake LaRavia, Vanderbilt and Knecht come in with at least a season of experience in Redick’s system.
There are plenty of options, and the Lakers can benefit greatly from a few of their role players outperforming their projections.
How much does the ownership debacle trickle down?
In retrospect, it’s ironic that Pelinka and Redick preached continuity when the franchise is in the middle of one of the messiest sales in recent sports history. Pelinka, acknowledging multiple times that he’s not at liberty to discuss many aspects of the sale, did mention that there have been initial meetings with the group led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.
With all the dysfunction at the top of the brand, how does it not trickle down to the roster? Is it even as important to the actual play? We’ve already seen cases where the Buss family infighting found its way to LeBron in the middle of last season. Will it be any different with Jeanie Buss being dragged out as the last link to the family and the franchise?
Redick mentioned that some of the league’s most successful teams are the ones most connected. It’s not delusional as a fan to believe that also includes ownership.
A great deal of the Luka-era Lakers’ future rides both on the outcome of the pending sale and how functional the team can perform during and on the other side of it. Players can save face throughout training camp by saying the situation doesn’t affect them (which isn’t a difficult conclusion to come to). But the Lakers have historically been a franchise with steady ownership. It’s been a core foundation of the exceptionalism.
Soon there will be answers to all these questions. But in the meantime, it’s time to get the season officially started with Monday’s media day.
The New York Rangers have placed goaltender Dylan Garand and forward Taylor Raddysh on waivers.
After Jonathan Quick retired last season, speculation suggested Garand would fill his role as the Rangers’ backup goaltender behind Igor Shesterkin.
However, the Rangers went out during the summer and acquired Joonas Korpisalo in exchange for Kalle Väisänen and a 2028 fourth-round pick.
Despite adding Korpisalo, the Rangers made clear that the backup goaltending position would be a competition between Korpisalo and Garand, and Mike Sullivan did not rule out carrying three goaltenders to kick off the 2025-26 season.
“Is that an option that is on the table for us, yes,” Sullivan said of the Rangers potentially carrying three goalies on the roster. “It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. I think it's very manageable in the short term. I don't think it's in the best interest of the guys in the long term for obvious reasons.”
According to Mollie Walker of The New York Post, the Rangers organization believes Garand still has some developing to do and needs to be getting No. 1 goalie reps at the American Hockey League Level with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The Rangers signed Taylor Raddysh to a two-year, $3 million contract in the 2025 offseason.
The 28-year-old forward recorded nine goals, 10 assists, and 19 points in 68 games for the Blueshirts last season.
With Garand and Raddysh waived, Matt Rempe, Jaroslav Chmelař, Alberts Šmits, and Scott Morrow will likely make the Rangers’ opening-night roster.
Alex Bregman stood in the box at Tropicana Field on Sunday, Sept. 27 with a week-old set of facial fractures and sent a message. He had said he would not miss the playoffs despite the devastating injuries and Sunday, showed he's ready. The Chicago Cubs third baseman hit a Tanner Houck sinker for a 417-foot home run in his first at-bat of the day.
Two innings later, he drove another homer 402 feet. In the fifth, he hit one almost as far that went just foul, and he settled for a single.
On Sept. 20 in Cincinnati, Bregman, 32, was standing near the on-deck circle when Michael Busch checked his swing and fouled a pitch his way. The ball caught Bregman just below the left eye and left multiple fractures in his face.
He insisted he could play and the Cubs never put him on the injured list. He sat three games. By Wednesday, Bregman was tracking pitches off a machine. He came back Friday at Fenway as the designated hitter, with a C-flap on his helmet covering the left-side of his face. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in a 4-3 loss.
Sunday, when he got on base, he switched his batting helmet for one with double C-flaps.
Bregman came into the finale with 26 homers, 32 doubles, 89 RBI and a .799 OPS in 154 games this season.
The Cubs head to San Diego after Sunday's game to face the Padres in the National League wild card game.
Sep 27, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Fans sit in the stands during a rain delay before a scheduled game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Well, that was dumb.
About three hours after the scheduled first pitch, and about an hour after the original time before it was moved up earlier this weekend, the Yankees and Orioles’ season finale in the Bronx was officially cancelled. The nor’easter affecting the East Coast this weekend already caused Saturday’s game to be moved to Friday, and now it has officially led to Sunday’s planned season-ending clash to be cancelled. With this being the final day of the regular season and the playoffs beginning on Tuesday, as you might expect, this game will not be rescheduled, as it didn’t have any impact on possible playoff position.
You could kind of sense that there was not actually going to be any baseball played, as the Yankees never formally released a lineup for the game, other than that Elmer Rodríguez—who was technically never on the active roster today—as the probable starting pitcher. However, the three-hour wait between the “this game will not start on time” and “it’s cancelled” seemed unnecessary, but hey, we don’t get paid the big bucks to make these decision.
With that, the Yankees’ 2026 regular season is officially in the books. They will finish with a 93-68 record in their 161 games, a half-game shy of the 94-68 record with which they ended 2025. Like that year, they will have to settle for second place behind a surprising team, with the Rays being the culprit this time around instead of the Blue Jays.
With there being nothing to play for standings-wise for most of the last week, a lot of the attention has already been on the postseason, but now we can move our full focus to Tuesday and Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, who are now confirmed to face nemesis Cam Schlitter at 8pm ET. See you then.
The Braves won nine of the 13 regular season meetings in 2026. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 2022 and 2023 National League Division Series.
The Phillies last won the World Series in 2008, but have reached the Fall Classic twice since then, losing to the New York Yankees in 2009 and Houston Astros in 2022.
Philadelphia got off to a miserable start to the 2026 season and fired manager Rob Thomson but turned things around over the summer with interim manager Don Mattingly to stake their claim on a wild card spot.
Phillies playoff schedule
*If Philadelphia clinches wild card. Game 3 time subject to change
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
Fox 10 Phoenix 
