Former General Manager Fred Claire died on Monday, on what was his 91st birthday.
Fred Claire looks on during a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros, May 29, 1991. Getty Images
Claire served in numerous roles in the Dodgers’ front office for nearly 30 years, including serving as the team’s general manager from 1987 to 1998.
Claire is best-known for being the man who put the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series roster together.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, left, and former general manager Fred Claire are honored before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 25, 2021. Getty Images
He acquired outfielders Kirk Gibson and Mike Davis, shortstop Alfredo Griffin, plus several impact pitchers like Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco after Los Angeles’ 1987 campaign to set them up for their first World Series win in seven seasons the next year.
The most notable of those acquisitions was Gibson, whose legendary walk-off home run in Game 1 of that World Series is still one of the most iconic moments not just for the Dodgers’ franchise, but in all of baseball history.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson celebrates his game-winning two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics as he rounds the bases during the first game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 1988. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers have a great opportunity to honor Claire’s memory on Tuesday, as they face the Atlanta Braves in a pivotal Game 3 of their best-of-five NLDS series this evening.
If the series comes back to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday, fans can likely expect the Dodgers to pay tribute to Claire in some way.
The Los Angeles Dodgers listen to the national anthem before Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Los Angeles, - October 04: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out swinging against the Atlanta Braves to end the seventh inning of Game 2 of an NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Dodgers designated hitter has won the Hank Aaron Award, the honor given annually to the top offensive player in his league, in each of the previous three seasons, in 2023 with the Angels then in 2024-25 in his first two years with the Dodgers. Ohtani won’t win it this season, but he’s a finalist again, and deservedly so.
Now the Dodgers need Ohtani to find something, anything at the plate as they try to break a 1-1 tie in the National League Division Series against the Braves.
Ohtani has two singles in eight at-bats during the NLDS, and since returning from the injured list on September 23 has seven hits, including a double, in 29 at-bats, with one walk and a strikeout. There was the September 24 game against the Padres in which he consistently hit the ball hard, but other than that Ohtani hasn’t gotten any real results at the plate for seven weeks.
He last homered on August 18 at Coors Field, and in 94 plate appearances since is hitting a paltry .160/.277/.198.
Ohtani was clearly diminished at the plate just before landing on the injured list four weeks ago, after dealing with left knee inflammation and a right biceps injury. All sides seem to agree Ohtani is not 100 percent, but when asked if his injuries would require offseason attention, Ohtani didn’t offer much in response.
“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this. I think that process is going to happen during the off-season when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it,” Ohtani said, through interpreter Will Ireton, last Friday on the eve of the NLDS. “But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”
We probably won’t know the full extent of Ohtani’s maladies this season until some Instagram post with a considered-font graphic detailing whatever procedure he might have had once the season is done. But for now, if we take Ohtani and the Dodgers at their word and he is healthy enough to play, he hasn’t helped himself by chasing. Ohtani swung at seven pitches outside the strike zone in Game 2 alone on Sunday.
“I think that the amount of at-bats leading up to it, it was, I think, five games, I think you still — I felt good about having some at-bats to finish the season, the at-bats that he took in the bye week,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Monday in Atlanta on the workout day at Truist Park. “But at the end of the day, he can still do a better job of staying in the strike zone. I don’t think that that has anything to do with — he had the five games. He had the at-bats in between. I think that’s something that — it’s hard to have success when you’re out of the zone.”
Roberts in that same media session on Monday said he would even consider moving Ohtani even further down in the lineup. Ohtani batted second in two of his five regular season games after getting activated from the injured list and batted second in both NLDS games to date.
In three years with the Dodgers, Ohtani has only batted first or second, with his last time in another lineup spot coming in 2023, with 59 starts batting third for the Angels.
“I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it,” Roberts said Monday. “And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why.”
While most of the last month and a half focused on what Ohtani hasn’t done, his overall numbers in 2026 were solid, and among the best in the sport. They just happen to pale in comparison to his 54-homer, 59-steal campaign followed by 55 home runs in his first two years with the Dodgers.
Ohtani hit .275/.377/.512 with 30 home runs, a 139 wRC+, 89 runs scored, 81 RBI, and 81 walks in 135 games. He’s one of 10 finalists for the National League Aaron Award, which will almost certainly go to Pete Crow-Armstrong.
2026 NL Hank Aaron Award finalists
CJ Abrams – Washington Nationals
Jake Bauers – Milwaukee Brewers
Pete Crow-Armstrong – Chicago Cubs
Elly De La Cruz – Cincinnati Reds
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Olson – Atlanta Braves
Kyle Schwarber – Philadelphia Phillies
Sal Stewart – Cincinnati Reds
Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres
Jordan Walker – St. Louis Cardinals
The Aaron Award, which has existed since 1999, is decided by a panel of “MLB legends and past recipients of the prestigious award” plus fan voting that accumulates into one vote on the panel. The Hank Aaron Award winners in each league will be announced during the MLB awards show on November 11.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Jaylen Brown #7 against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are always fun moments throughout media day. With the vibes at an all-time high for the Sixers, this year was no different.
Jaylen Brown was one of the first to speak. After a chaotic offseason which saw him in trade rumors, his game and personality dragged through the mud, and eventually shipped off to a bitter rival, there were plenty of intense questions.
A few moments earlier, LeBron James was at the dais preaching the importance of sacrifice. Brown was asked how he felt about James’ comments.
“100%,” Brown said. “That’s what’s needed.”
Then second-year guard VJ Edgecombe was passing through as all the players go from circuit to circuit during the course of the day. Without even breaking his tone, Brown kindly asked Edgecombe to keep it moving.
“VJ, get your ass outta here.”
Being in the room, it felt like a big brother-little brother moment for the 29-year-old All-NBA performer and the 21-year-old First Team All-Rookie pick. Edgecombe laughed, then joked during his availability about Brown not answering his phone calls this offseason.
Sometimes, people just click. That seems to be the case with these two.
On Monday, the Sixers played their preseason opener with James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey out of the lineup. Even with the defending champion New York Knicks putting out their regular starters, Brown and Edgecombe were sensational in a 120-97 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Brown was effusive in praise for Edgecombe postgame … to say the least.
“I love VJ already,” Brown said. “Like he’s one of my favorite people in the world and we just met. But VJ is going to be great, and I’m excited to help him continue to thrive, but his talent level is off the charts.”
“That’s cute, Jaylen,” Edgecombe said about Brown’s comments. “That’s my dog. I love Jaylen.”
It’s hard to disagree with Brown’s assessment if you watched Edgecombe last year and saw him Monday night. The No. 3 overall pick had a fantastic rookie season, helping the Sixers beat Brown and the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. Of course there’s always room for growth and, though it was just one preseason game, the improvement was noticeable against the Knicks.
As a rookie, Edgecombe was thrown into the fire as the team’s primary backup point guard behind Maxey. Keep in mind, part of the knock on Edgecombe coming out of Baylor was his playmaking, so to see him grow into that role throughout the season was a pleasant surprise for the Sixers.
With Maxey out Monday, Edgecombe was the starting point guard — and he was excellent. Always a confident player, you could see the summer work Edgecombe put in on his dribble led to another level of confidence on the floor. He was somehow both electric and methodical, punching gaps in the defense to score or find teammates.
“I mean he’s made a step forward I think just in general,” Nick Nurse said. “It just feels like he’s better than he was a year ago, and I think [ball-handling is] one of them. And I think that handle is getting him through some tighter gaps down the lane. Once he punches through, he’s going to be in the air. So that’s important I think for him getting to the front of the rim, which he’s really good at, and we just need him to do it more often.”
Edgecombe finished the night with 12 points and seven assists (to zero turnovers) in less than 20 minutes. A couple of those assists were to Brown, who was fantastic in his Sixers preseason debut.
Not sure what the analytics say, but he sure as hell didn’t look like the seventh-best player on the court. In fact, against the defending champs, who feature one of the best wing defenders in the world in OG Anunoby, Brown was the best player on the floor.
We got to see Brown’s entire scoring bag — aggressive drives, midrange pull-ups, threes. The power he plays with on the wing is something the Sixers haven’t had since Jimmy Butler was here. He’s in constant attack mode, which puts the defense on its heels more often than not.
“I was more impressed with his offensive creation,” Nurse said. “Not only his own shot, but just his ability to kind of come down and be in the paint, and you better send some help or he’s gonna be finishing. And I think that he also had a couple nice kickouts and stuff. …
“He’s kind of what I would call a methodical driver. He does it a little bit more with balance and strength than he does with maybe quickness. But he usually breaks through the gap, and now he’s heading towards the rim.”
“Rim pressure” is sort of a trendy phrase in the NBA right now. With Brown and Edgecombe — and not to mention James, Maxey and Embiid — the Sixers should be able to apply it on a nightly basis this season.
The JB-VJ duo could lead the charge on a dangerous second unit, much like we saw Monday. There’s been so much talk about sacrifice and roles changing, but Brown and Edgecombe should get their opportunities to cook in those lineups.
And they already have an ideal mentor-mentee relationship.
During his introductory press conference, Brown harkened back to his rookie season in Boston. He was also the No. 3 overall pick at just 20 years old. He was also joining a veteran team with championship aspirations. In his second year, the team added All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
Who better to guide Edgecombe along this path?
“He’s like … someone that I actually lean on for information,” Edgecombe said. “He’s obviously super smart. He got that Berkeley education, man. … He’s a really great person. … Like we actually really cool. ‘Cause … what month is this? October. You know, he just [got traded] like two months ago. …
“We talk about whatever — whatever’s on our mind at the time we just have a conversation about, and that’s someone that’s actually willing to have a conversation with people.”
Not post-practice shooting. Not transition drills where players have to successfully fill their lanes on a fastbreak.
But the opportunity to play basketball against an opponent after going several months without doing so.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) returned to the floor in Monday’s preseason-opening win over the Kings after a lengthy time without an official basketball game. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
And after six months away from competitive games, Doncic finally got to experience that feeling again, scoring 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting in 16 first-half minutes during the Lakers’ 127-103 preseason-opening win over the Kings on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.
“Luka, he’s many things, many good things – he’s not really a drill guy in practice,” coach JJ Redick said. “Whenever practice starts, he’s just ‘Are we playing live today?’ Like ‘When is live? When is live?’ He wants to play. He likes the competition, he likes the way live action looks and feels to him. He just has a real joy for playing the actual game of basketball.
He certainly works on his game. The guy works every single day on his game. But that’s his joy – playing live basketball.”
And for the longest stretch of time since he entered the NBA in 2018, Doncic wasn’t able to experience that joy for most of 2026.
Before the Lakers' preseason-opening win over the Kings tonight, the last time Luka Doncic played in an official basketball game was April 2 – the longest stretch he's gone without playing since he entered the NBA.
A severe left hamstring injury he suffered during the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on April 2 in Oklahoma City ended his 2025-26 season early. Doncic missed the final five regular season games and the Lakers’ 10 playoff games before being swept by the Thunder in the second round.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) didn’t miss a beat during his first game in six months. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
Which led to Doncic going just over six months – 184 days to be exact – without playing in an official basketball game.
“I missed it a lot,” Doncic said. “Basketball is one of the best things in my life, and I missed it a lot. Being back for the games, being competitive, it’s just a lot of fun for me, and I’m really happy to be back.”
Despite not playing in an officially basketball for most of the year, Doncic was able to channel his competitiveness in other ways.
JJ Redick on Luka Doncic: "He's great physically. I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. Staying in shape and actually ran this summer. Like he actually did like sprints and stuff, and came into camp in fantastic shape." pic.twitter.com/KqbRZQpJl9
“Golf is one of the things, honestly,” he said. “I’m always competitive on the golf course. You gotta have competition every day. But then also, I practice basketball, so it was competitive there. Play some other games, being competitive there. Playing cards is competitive there. It’s just being competitive every day.”
Doncic said he didn’t change much about his offseason training routine, outside of probably feeling a little more rested since he didn’t play with his national team.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic (77) entered training camp in “fantastic shape”. NBAE via Getty Images
But he looked notably slimmer coming out of this offseason, even after his slimmed-down physique was a significant talking point during the 2025 to the point of being on the cover of Men’s Health magazine.
“He’s great physically,” Redick said of Doncic. “I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. [Stayed] in shape and actually ran this summer, like he actually did like sprints and stuff. And came into camp in fantastic shape. For someone who normally plays a ton of basketball, live basketball, he didn’t do as much of that this summer by design. And I think we’ve seen him literally every day in camp incrementally just [getting] more and more in rhythm.”
The Lakers team Doncic returned to was much different than the one he previously played on.
Gone are LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and most of the players who had a significant role in the Lakers winning a first-round playoff series against the Rockets despite Doncic’s absence.
Nine new players are on the roster, showcasing against the Kings why the Lakers added them to the team.
The Lakers’ newcomers, including Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) and Matisse Thybulle (26), impressed in the first game of the preseason. NBAE via Getty Images
From the defensive havoc Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle were creating with their fullcourt pressure, to the offensive firepower Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili were showcasing.
The Lakers forced 15 turnovers in the first half, scoring 22 points off those takeaways, to help build a 73-47 lead after the opening two quarters before Doncic sat out for the remainder of the game.
“We all had fun out there, especially with Matisse and Ziaire, just that beginning of the game, the start, that’s contagious for everybody, and how they start the game, it was inspirational,” Doncic said. “So, and then the other guys came from the bench, and it was amazing just to watch them. They were having fun, they were sharing the ball, so I think the whole team had a lot of fun.”
The team’s marquee addition, center Walker Kessler, didn’t play because of a minor finger injury.
Star guard Austin Reaves (ankle), veteran guard Collin Sexton (calf) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma also didn’t play against the Kings with their minor injuries.
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Two years ago this week, London Broncos were relegated from Super League, their ground had flooded and their owner had walked away after spending £24m of his private fortune. The club were soon asking supporters to save them. They did – and fans wearing last year’s away jersey listing those saviours’ names (including mine) across their chests were among the proudest people in the ground on Sunday when London thrashed Doncaster 78-6 in the Championship Grand Final.
London Broncos have completed a second-tier treble this season but their fans cannot celebrate promotion to Super League yet. Instead they will spend this week waiting to see if they have made the grade – promotion being decided not only by gradings based on both on-field and off-field criteria but also the key decision on whether to expand to 15 teams.
A former ESPN host has lost his longtime play-by-play gig.
Steve Berthiaume, the former “SportsCenter” and “Baseball Tonight” host, is out as the Diamondbacks’ television voice after 14 years.
“His contract is up and we felt it was a good time to take a step back and re-evaluate our broadcasts,” Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall told the Arizona Republic. “He was here 14 years and was a great DBack.”
Steve Berthiaume (l.) and Bob Brenly (r.) talk with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred during a Diamondbacks broadcast in 2017. Getty Images
Berthiaume said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the decision.
“As I told the Diamondbacks, I’m very appreciative to have had the opportunity to connect with our fan base these past 14 years. I’ve always tried to put the club first. I enjoyed my Arizona experience and I’m grateful to all my friends and colleagues in our broadcast group,” Berthiaume told the Republic.
“I’m quite proud of how hard our group worked to raise the production level on our shows. MLB Local Media is an outstanding partner and I’m sure will continue to be. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Berthiaume began his Diamondbacks gig with the 2013 season and worked alongside the team’s World Series-winning manager, Bob Brenly.
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Joe Garagiola (L) waves to fans in honor of his retirement, standing with Steve Berthiaume (r.) during the MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on April 14, 2013. Getty Images
The team does not yet have Berthiaume’s replacement lined up, but its radio play-by-player, Chris Garagiola, is expected to be a candidate, according to the Republic. He’s the son of former Diamondbacks GM Joe Garagiola Jr. and grandson of the late Joe Garagiola Sr., who was an MLB catcher and broadcaster for the D-backs.
Berthiaume had replaced Daron Sutton, who was suspended in June 2012 for insubordination — reportedly because he preferred to wear suits on the air, while the Diamondbacks wanted him to wear polo shirts with the team’s logo — and never returned.
Sam McDowell, a former Yankees pitcher and six-time All-Star with Cleveland, died on Monday, per KDKA in Pittsburgh.
He was 84.
McDowell, who had to end his career due to substance abuse, debuted on the mound at 18 years old in 1961 for the then Cleveland Indians, now Guardians. Four years later, the lefty hurler led the AL in ERA (2.18) and earned his first All-Star nod while recording a career-high 325 batters. He went on to lead the American League in strikeouts five times.
The Pittsburgh native played for Cleveland for 11 years before having stints with the Giants (1972 and ’73), Yankees (1973 and ’74) and Pirates (1975).
Former Cleveland Indians player Sam McDowell attends the Hall of Fame induction ceremony prior to a game between the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field in Cleveland, July 30, 2016. Getty Images
Across his 15-year career, he struck out 2,453 batters, which put him eighth on baseball’s career list at the time he retired and currently No. 46 all-time.
The career for “Sudden Sam” was cut off at 32 years old in 1975 when he was tossed from the MLB due to a struggle with alcohol.
“I was the biggest, most hopeless and most violent drunk in baseball,” McDowell said to The Post regarding the days that included jumps off hotel balconies into swimming pools.
The man who was the youngest southpaw to ever strike out 300 batters in a season recalled sitting on a curb in his hometown in 1978, broke and needing something to eat as well as gas in his car. He was selling insurance for a living three years after being one of the most unhittable pitchers in the game.
“I lost everything — my family, my career,” said McDowell. “I lost it all.”
Sam McDowell of the Cleveland Indians pitches during an MLB game, circa 1970. McDowell played for the Cleveland Indians from 1961-1971. Getty Images
That same year, he opted into an alcohol rehabilitation program and began to turn around his life.
McDowell returned to college and became a licensed therapist in sports psychology and addictions. He later worked for the Rangers and Blue Jays and became the Baseball Assistance Team’s addiction and recovery consultant from 1987-2016.
He counseled many athletes, including beyond MLB, who struggled with drug and alcohol abuse.
“I remember when I got out of rehab, I must have called that man every day, at every hour of the night, for four straight months,” former big league pitcher Mike York told the Los Angeles Times. “I mean, I was calling him at 5 in the morning, midnight, it didn’t matter. He was always there when I needed him.”
Additionally, McDowell paid off all his debt, which totaled over $190,000. He wrote to each creditor, promising to pay them back. In 1988, all was paid off.
Sam McDowell of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait circa 1973-1974 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. MLB via Getty Images
“I truly believe with all my heart, the greatest thing that ever happened to me was that I was an alcoholic and found out about it,” McDowell said. “Had I never known and had not been thrown out of baseball, I would not have the great life I have now. I would not have the education. I would not have learned how to live and love. Every day is a kick.”
Much of McDowell’s struggle is covered in his memoir, “The Saga of Sudden Sam: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Sam McDowell” that was published in 2022.
Fred Claire, the former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager whose signing of Kirk Gibson led to one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, died Monday, Oct. 5, the Dodgers announced. He was 91.
Claire took over the Dodgers franchise at a most tumultuous time - after longtime general manager and vice president Al Campanis was fired for racist remarks made on ABC's Nightline. His April 9, 1987 dismissal ended an era of front office stability while the Dodgers embarked on a fourth consecutive year missing the playoffs.
Claire, a former sportswriter and Dodgers PR man, was tabbed to run the front office. A pair of transactions in the year that followed shaped the Dodgers' eventual 1988 championship core: A three-way winter meetings trade with the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets that netted the Dodgers relievers Jesse Orosco and Jay Howell and shortstop Alfredo Griffin.
And six weeks later, he signed Gibson.
Those Dodgers won 94 games, stunned the Mets in the National League Championship Series and pulled an even bigger shocker in the 1988 World Series, beating the A's in five games despite a battered club that came to rely on ace Orel Hershiser and an itinerant band of ballplayers known as the "Stuntmen."
And they only had Gibson for one at-bat - but he made the most of it. Gibson's two-out, two-run, ninth-inning homer off peerless closer Dennis Eckersley delivered the Dodgers a Game 1 win and the 104-win A's never recovered.
While Gibson and the Dodgers never did reclaim that championship magic, the club remained a player development machine, producing five consecutive rookies of the year - Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth - between 1992 and 1996.
Yet Claire's tenure was bookmarked by a pair of big transactions - Gibson's signing and the trade of future Hall of Famer Piazza, a move made over his objections.
Claire was ushered out unceremoniously in 1998, after Fox bought the club and dickered over signing Piazza to a contract extension. When negotiations soured, Piazza's trade to the Florida Marlins was brokered above Claire's head. He was fired weeks later.
Claire remained a well-regarded baseball mind, and later in life documented his journey through cancer treatments, eventually penning an autobiography, "Extra Innings," that detailed his life in baseball and his battle against the disease.
He is survived by his wife Cheryl and children Jeff, Jennifer and Kim.
"The Dodgers are grieving the passing of Fred Claire, a longtime key fixture of our organization,” said Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Dodgers, in a statement released by the club. "Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as a 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era. Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family."
The Royals have a stadium to sell, a payroll to explain, and a lot of confidence about both. The numbers have not exactly gotten the memo. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco go through John Sherman’s latest answers on spending and the stadium timeline, and the gap between the pitch and the math is where this episode lives.
Jeremy brings the skepticism, starting with why the stadium district report feels more like a sales job than a breakthrough. Then he turns it on J.J. Picollo’s first four years, where he spots a pattern that keeps repeating: the Royals hold on to players long after the value is gone. Jacob counters with the labor angle, and a TV rights window that may make a lockout far less likely than the doom talk suggests.
October gets its turn too. The Padres’ supposedly elite bullpen cracked under pressure, and the Brewers, Braves, and Dodgers have made some decisions that deserve a second look. It is a good reminder of how often playoff theater and playoff truth are two different things.
If you want the version of the Royals offseason that comes with receipts, this one is for you. Stream the full episode, then tell us whether the stadium math adds up for you.
For the reporting on the 60-game threshold regarding MLB broadcasts, check it out here.
READING, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Aidan Miller #3 of the Reading Fightin Phils looks on prior to the game between the Erie SeaWolves and the Reading Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Reading, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cade Burdette/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
I am no scout, though I’m pretty sure by this point I can tell the difference between a good baseball player and a bad baseball player. Projecting which players will be good, though, simply by watching workouts and game action and coming away with knowing what I’m talking about is still a science I don’t full grasp. It’s every season where I hear about something that still makes me appreciate those that can do it and do it with pretty good accuracy.
Rarely have I watched the Arizona Fall League at any point in a season, mostly because my baseball focus was solely on the Phillies and how they were faring in the playoffs. That has of course changed with the Phillies currently at home for the offseason and some of their better prospects getting some run down Arizona. It’s because of those prospects that more attention should be given to those games as they are going to have some say in how the Phillies approach their offseason plans. Maybe they aren’t going to chart the ultimate course of action the team decides to take, but several of the players that are there will have some bearing on what the Phillies plan to do.
Aidan Miller
The highest profile name the Phillies have sent there, Miller’s performance is likely going to play a part in several decisions the team makes. As you already know, Miller did miss most of the 2026 season with a back injury that needed some kind of procedure done, but he returned healthy enough to get a week’s worth of games in at the end of the regular season before helping Reading win the Eastern League championship. When he did return, there was rust on his frame, but there were glimpses!
MLB No. 61 & Phillies No. 2 prospect Aidan Miller doubles in his first at bat in 352 days ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ufOGkSAd8A
How he performs in Arizona will probably not determine if he makes the major leagues out of spring training or not, but it will likely influence the roster on the fringes. He’s on a team that also includes Sebastian Walcott on the roster, arguably the top hitting prospect in the game today, so getting Miller every day at bats in Arizona will be a challenge. Let’s say he shows that he’s still one of the better hitting prospects in the game in these few weeks. Does the team decided to prop open the door for him to win a spot in Clearwater? Do they move Trea Turner in deference to his impending arrival? Do they sign someone as a stopgap in order to not block him at shortstop? Is shortstop even his final home or is a move to third base already in the cards? He’s played only one game so far and that came at third to make room for another shortstop there, Welbyn Francisca from the Guardians system.
Of course, the entire thing will depend on how Miller ultimately holds up healthwise. The team is likely just hoping he has a good, solid six weeks of health and plate appearances to make up for some of the time he lost this year. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if he was held back a bit by the team to make sure there is nothing going wrong. You can imagine that the slightest tweak of anything and he is going home for the winter.
Realistically, it would be unfair to place too much stock in how he performs and let that influence the team’s decision making. He just needs to get the work in, not worry about how it’ll set his place for 2027. He’s going to make his debut next year at some point. It’ll just depend on next year more than anything he does in Arizona. Still, he’s easily the most interesting watch they have.
Aroon Escobar
Escobar was arguably the team’s best hitting prospect besides Miller coming into 2026 and he flat stunk the joint up. Pretty much everything that he was good at took a step backwards this year, lowering his stock within the organization quite a bit. There was a time when his name would come in trade discussions about how he was the best prospect the team could move at the deadline while getting something real back in return. Now, that idea seems too foreign to actually occur.
The team will need to make a decision on whether or not to place him on the 40 man roster this offseason, a decision that was pretty easy prior to this year. It still is thanks to the dearth of hitting prospects this team has, but if he isn’t going to take some steps back in the right direction, the team may want to think twice before taking the plunge on the roster spot. He needs to have a good showing in Arizona to show that he is worthy of a roster and/or worth another team taking a shot on him in a deal this offseason.
Dante Nori and Kehden Hettiger
Speaking of falling stock…
Neither Nori nor Hettiger would be something teams would classify as a “top prospect”. Pay no mind to the fact that Nori is a first round draft pick. He wasn’t considered one then by people on the outside and really hasn’t done anything to sway that opinion since.
Think Justin Crawford, only worse.
Yet within the Phillies farm system, he is still seen as someone who might potentially fit a role with the team. That speaks more to their lack of actual hitting prospects than anything else, but finding competent role players from within the organization is one of the biggest reasons the Phillies have started to show more cracks in the armor at the major league level. Nori’s performance in Arizona won’t go very far in determining if he can earn a starting position as that’s not really on the table. His ever being penciled into a big league lineup with regularity is likely off the table. But consider that Felix Reyes was batting cleanup at one point this year. Gabriel Rincones was given lots of chances to see what he could do. Heck, even Otto Kemp was touted as an option in the outfield for the team. The chances are there for minor league players to earn playing time in this outfield. Nori needs to start putting things together if he wants to be among the many that are given that chance.
The very same could be said about Hettiger. The team has very few catching prospect in their farm system and willingly gave playing time to Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchan. They are begging for players within the organization to take a step forward to claim a backup role on the team. There might even be some chances to start games!
Marchan started games.
Stubbs was on a playoff roster…on purpose!
Opportunities abound if only players take it and seize it. Hettiger finished the year in Reading, making it unlikely that he’s going to reach Philadelphia any time soon. Yet good performances can sometimes springboard a player into having a good season the following year. Perhaps he can gain a better standing with the team by showing that there is still a good prospect in there, somewhere.
The Arizona Fall League isn’t the greatest baseball being played. Pitchers don’t pitch long, players leave at the slightest sign of injury and generally, it’s played during the MLB playoffs, meaning our focus is elsewhere. Yet the Phillies have some interesting guys at play this year. How they do can help answer some questions about this team’s future.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 20, 2026: A view of the stadium prior to a spring training game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 20, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
First Half Record: 33-33 (2/4 Florida State League East)
Second Half Record: 25-39 (3/4 Florida State League East)
The 2025 St. Lucie Mets were a powerhouse. The team went 34-31 in the first half to win the Florida State League East Division and went 43-22 in the second half, once again finding themselves atop the standings. They met the Daytona Tortugas in the FSL East Divisional Series but fell two games to one, ending their season.
The 2026 team, on the other hand, at no point were really that relevant of a team. In the first half, they went an even 33-33 to end the season second in the division, but they still found themselves 4.0 games behind the first place Jupiter Hammerheads. In the second half, they were a dismal 25-39, somehow not last in the division but irrelevant in the standings all the same.
Towards the end of the season, some of the 2026 draftees began making appearances, but outside of individual milestones or appearances, the 2026 St. Lucie Mets season wasn’t particularly fun or exciting.
Considered one of the best players available in the 2025-2026 international free agent class, and potentially the best position player available, the Mets and Elian Peña agreed to a $5 million dollar signing bonus, shattering the prior organizational record (Yovanny Rodriguez, $2.85 million) and eating up the majority of the $6,261,600 that the team had in their 2025-2026 pool.
Assigned to the Dominican Summer League, the 17-year-old Peña has had an interesting start to his career. It took him nearly two weeks to log his first professional hit, going 0-fer from June 2nd until June 14th. After finally getting over that hurtle, Peña hit an incredible .351/.467/.635 over the course of the rest of the season, hitting .292/.421/.528 in total with 13 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 21 stolen bases in 25 attempts, and 36 walks to 36 strikeouts in 55 games.
He was promoted to the Low-A St. Lucie Mets for the 2026 season and a somewhat divisive year. In total, he appeared in 96 games for St. Lucie and hit .271/.388/.397 with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, 28 stolen bases in 37 attempts, and 61 walks to 94 strikeouts. For large stretches of the season, Elian Peña looked meek at the plate, going up and alternating between taking too many pitches or taking bad hacks. For other stretches, he looked like a star, spraying the ball around the field and pulling fly balls for homers. Regardless of the actual offensive value he created, Peña spent the year playing against pitchers and fielders three years older than him, on average, and that in and of itself is a major positive. In late August, he was promoted to High-A Brooklyn and appeared in 15 games for them, hitting .164/.250/.224 in a ballpark that is the exact antithesis of his left-handed pull-and-lift approach.
Emilio Obispo was signed by the Mets in May 2024, just prior to the start of the 2024 Dominican Summer League season. The Dominican right-hander was given a low five-figure signing bonus and was suiting up for the DSL Mets a few weeks later. The 17-year-old right-hander appeared in 9 games for the DSL Mets Orange, starting all of them, and posted a 3.47 ERA in 36.1 innings, allowing 21 hits, walking 12, and striking out 41. He was assigned to the FCL Mets for the 2025 season but never actually played, missing the entire season due to an injury.
Obispo returned to the mound in 2026, and after analyzing his progress during extended spring training, the Mets made the decision to begin the season in Low-A St. Lucie, a challenging assignment for the 19-year-old. He rewarded the faith that scouts and evaluators in the organization had in him by posting a 2.03 ERA in 53.1 innings over 10 starts and 4 relief appearances, allowing 43 hits, walking 24, and striking out 54. In late July, the right-hander was promoted to High-A Brooklyn, where he appeared in 6 games with them, all starts, and posted a 3.76 ERA in 27.0 innings, allowing 23 hits, walking 12, and striking out 28.
Obispo throws from a low-three-quarters arm slot with a long arm action through the back. He does not push off or extend much off the mound and as such, his whippy arm has a comparatively high release point. The right-hander throws a sinker, four-seam fastball, changeup, and curveball. During his time with St. Lucie, he threw his sinker roughly 45% of the time, his changeup 25% of the time, his curveball 20% of the time, his four-seam fastball 10% of the time.
Obispo’s sinker sits in the high-80s-to-high-90s, the volatility in its velocity highlighting the potential but unpredictability in 19-year-old right-hander. Averaging 93 MPH, the pitch features 18 inches of horizontal arm-side break, above-average for a sinker. Florida State League batters hit .217/.330/.265 against it with a 22% whiff rate. His four-seam fastball finds itself in roughly the same velocity range, sitting in the low-to-high-90s, averaging 94 MPH, but because it does not feature much backspin or sidespin, it features fringe-average life and below-average induced vertical break, resulting in batters hitting a healthy .273/.333/.500 against it with a suboptimal 8% whiff rate.
His changeup sits in the low-to-high-80s, averaging 84 MPH. With a spin rate ranging between 1,500 and 2,150, the pitch has averaged an average 35 inches of vertical drop and an above-average 18 inches of horizontal arm-side fade. The pitch has been Obispo’s best offering, limited FSL batters to a .169/.247/.292 slash line with an impressive 46% whiff rate.
His curveball sits in the mid-70s-to-low-80s, averaging 80 MPH. The pitch has a low spin rate, averaging 2220 RPM, resulting in a big, loopy pitch that doesn’t have much bite. Obispo occasionally struggles to land it in the strike zone, and batters hit .276/.364/.310 against it with a 36% whiff rate. Occasionally, he will fire one off that has sharper bite, and has the appearance of a gyro slider rather than a curveball.
NEW YORK, NY -- New York Islanders goaltenderSemyon Varlamov is expected to make his first NHL start since Nov. 29, 2024, when he takes the crease against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
He did not take part in the Islanders' morning skate as he took his option. Ilya Sorokin and emergency backup netminder Tom Sullivan hit the ice this morning.
Varlamov, 38, has missed the last year and a half while recovering from two partial knee replacements.
With one season left on his $2.75 million-per-year contract, the grizzled veteran wasn't ready to hang up his skates, undergoing grueling physical therapy after a risky surgery to return to NHL form.
In two preseason games, Varlamov turned aside x of x. He backed up starting netminder Ilya Sorokin in the Islanders' 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs last Wednesday and their 6-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Varlamov has owned the Rangers at MSG over his career:
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 09: Foster Griffin #22 and Patrick Bailey #16 of the Cleveland Guardians take the field before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 9, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For game three in Chicago, I’d like to see the Guardians try a bullpen game with an all-hands on deck approach.
By including Foster Griffin and Tanner Bibee on the roster, the Guardians indicated a willingness to throw the kitchen sink at the White Sox. So, let’s do it.
It’ll be a wild atmosphere to open the game, so you want to open with a steady hand. I wouldn’t be opposed to Shawn Armstrong in this role given his excellent performance in game 2. People are going to hate this, but I also wouldn’t oppose Erik Sabrowski or Tim Herrin in the role. Give them a clean inning and see if Venable will put in his Grichuk and Pham pieces before going immediately to a right-hander at the first sign of trouble or to start the second if Sabrowski or Herrin get through a clean first.
So, say, Herrin for the first. Then, Daniel Espino for one, Foster Griffin for one, Tanner Bibee for one, Joey Cantillo for two. Then, you have Shawn Armstrong, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowksi and Cade Smith to finish off the game. You also have each arm available to plug in as need be if someone listed above gets in trouble. I would be willing to give Griffin a couple innings (centered against a heavily LHH-portion of the White Sox lineup), but I would give Bibee the bottom of the order in a middle inning and nothing more. I think this set-up has the best chance at keeping the White Sox off balance for a game.
In regards to the hitters, I don’t expect this to happen, but I’d like to see Daniel Schneemann get the start over Angel Martinez. Aside from the fact that Angel is chasing disastrously (as might have been predicted looking at his season rates), I am afraid this is a vibes move. Schneemann has been great at being plugged into a lineup and getting a random hit or home run. I want to see White Sox fans tweeting “SCHNEEMANN? WHO THE BLEEP IS SCHNEEMANN?” Also, Schneemann provides some defensive excellence in left field.
Give me this lineup: 1. Kwan CF 2. Jose 3B 3. DeLauter RF 4. Lowe 1B 5. Adell DH 6. Bazzana 2B 7. Schneemann LF 8. Bailey C 9. Rocchio SS
And bullpen chaos/all-hands on deck and let’s try to push this thing to game four.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Seth Johnson #52 of the Athletics pitches in the fifth inning of the Los Angeles Angels and Athletics game at Sutter Health Park on September 22, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Tuesday everyone!
The Athletics suffered massive injury issues this year with the majority of their starting lineup spending time on the injured list. No team can survive the onslaught of bumps and bruises that the team had this year and it showed in the final standings. If the team can’t stay healthy next year we’re looking at a repeat of 2026.
The right-hander’s first look with the A’s didn’t go all that well. He pitched in 12 games for the A’s after his mid-season trade from Philadelphia and allowed a whopping 12 runs in just 17 1/3 innings of work. Not what the team was hoping for when they acquired him for Colby Thomas at the trade deadline. Johnson has yet to really have any sort of success at the big league level since making his one-game big league debut in 2024, with a total of 39 appearances over the past three years.
Still, he was highly regarded enough for the A’s to trade Thomas, who was only two years ago considered one of the top prospects in the Athletics’ system. His numbers in Triple-A indicate that he could have success in the big leagues if he’s able to really put it together. Maybe the knee was holding him back this year. It is the one he plants on when he pitches after all. Either way, next season will be a big one for the 28-year-old, who will have an excellent chance to make his first Opening Day roster if he has a big spring training. For now, he’ll be focused on rehabbing that knee and getting as strong as possible before camp.
As for today’s playoff slate, we’re back in the National League after watching the AL matchups last night. The #2 seeded Dodgers let Game Two slip through their fingers and now head to Atlanta with the series tied 1-1. This Dodgers squad has looked old and beatable at times this year and Atlanta is giving it their best shot. This could end up going the full distance.
The Brewers meanwhile, even though they’ve had plenty of regular season success, have only made the NLCS once in that same time period. In fact, the last time they made the NLCS was in 2018, when they lost to…. the Dodgers. Milwaukee would love to avenge that loss nearly a full decade ago. It’s the matchup baseball wants and the one the fans need to see. Unless the Braves have something to say about that. It’ll be Yamamoto versus Sale in the Dodgers-Braves game, and Dustin May against Nick Pivetta in the nightcap between the Brewers and Padres.
First pitch between the Dodgers and Braves is at 6 PCT. Have a good one A’s fans.
The Yankees are the first MLB team to have more players commit an error (4) than they had get a hit (3) in a postseason game since the Reds did it when they were no-hit by Roy Halladay on October 6, 2010.
