MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: A general view outside American Family Field prior to Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 World Series is set between the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 is tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on Fox and Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
As of the time this is being written, only the Brewers have announced a starting pitcher, which will be right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski finished the regular season with a 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, with 252 strikeouts to 44 walks in 174.2 innings pitched. This will be his third start this postseason, with his last taking place in the Brewer’s 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 11th, in which he allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts in four and a third innings.
Since there’s not a lot of other baseball content going on, we’ll go ahead and use this BP for Friday as well so we can follow the game here. Personally, I’m rooting for the Brewers solely because they knocked out the Dodgers (and also, I don’t have a huge preference between either team since neither have won a championship before, so National League preference wins out as well.)
Fans watch as Clippers guard Keaton Wagler grabs the basketball during a win over the Kings Wednesday at Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Starting over has to start somewhere, and so the Clippers got on with it Wednesday.
Not with superstars or championship aspirations. But with the promise of free parking, a jersey trade-in and a basketball team that is, at least, better than the Sacramento Kings, who they beat 121-96 in both teams’ season opener. Coach Tyronn Lue dedicated the win to suspended team owner Steve Ballmer: “Just want to say thank you for everything. We’re still fighting for him.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue directs his players during a win over the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Wednesday’s fan appreciation stuff was a swell gesture, as a start. But it wasn’t nearly far-reaching enough.
Not for embattled Clippers supporters who have stuck with the team through thick and thin, sickness and health, in spite of Donald Sterling, the former cheap, racist owner and now Ballmer, the wealthy, over-invested one whose salary cap circumvention cost his team its first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA drafts.
To fans, that was the most consequential part of the historic punishment dealt by the NBA, which commissioned a year-long investigation that determined the Clippers committed audacious levels of salary cap circumvention.
The league also fined the team $30 million, suspended team owner Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker for a year and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for six months.
And Leonard? He got a $700,000 slap on the wrist and got traded back to Toronto, where he signed a two-year, $115 million contract extension and on Wednesday, had Raptors coach Darko Rajaković saying he was “super excited for the chance to bring a Hall of Famer back home.”
“That’s one of the most insulting parts of it all, the way [Leonard] was able to walk away scot-free and the fans are left sort of holding the bag,” said San Pedro’s Justin Ratterree, while he tried to dodge raindrops as he waited in line, four hours before tipoff, to trade in his No. 2 Leonard jersey.
Young Clippers fans watch the team play the the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at the Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
“It’s rough right now. Defending the team this past couple months has been really rough ... and I’ve kind of just given up defending. How can you defend it?”
Even Ballmer stopped doing that, releasing a statement on Sept. 13 that read, in part: “This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets.
“I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.
“We are,” he added, “committing to put this chapter behind us.”
Yes, let them try to scrub the memory of Leonard, the intensely skilled and private player who demanded so much of the Clippers when he signed with them as a free agent in 2019. Who made no efforts to popularize the team, missed almost as much time as he worked, and who failed to lead the Clippers to their first championship or anywhere close to it in his seven seasons.
After his trade to Toronto went through on Sept. 23, the Clippers resisted posting the “Thank You, Kawhi” graphic that pro sports teams do when they part ways with a player.
Let them also forget to play a tribute video when Leonard’s Raptors visit Intuit Dome for the only time this season on Nov. 2.
And let the Clippers expand the jersey swap beyond the first 4,000 paying customers at Game 1; there was no official figure available Wednesday night for exactly how many jerseys were traded and how many of them belonged to he-who-must-not-be-named.
The Clippers should keep it going, offer the option all season. Set it up at the Intuit Dome’s Lost and Found — invite fans to exchange the No. 2 jersey of the player whom they lost all respect for a guy they’ve found themselves newly enamored with, likely rookie Keaton Wagler if Wednesday’s exchange was any indication.
Clippers fans also deserve more than having their parking picked up until an hour before gametime, on one rainy workday, on late notice.
They should have their parking at games covered all season — or at least substantially reduced from the typical $70 price that’s already too steep. (The Dodgers didn’t start charging $65 until the National League Championship Series!)
They should do more if they want to continue to draw a crowd to watch a team whose best player is now Darius Garland, whose future is compromised, whose current best-cast scenario — the play-in! — only Clippers fans could love.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura drives past Kings guard De'andre Hunter and center Domantas Sabonis Wednesday at the Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Several fans Wednesday also said they would appreciate improved transparency, including in terms of player injury and availability news.
It’s the least the team can do for these patient people, who will have the type of team that they usually fall hard for, actually — a group of gamers, devoid of divas, punching above their weight.
“All this stuff that’s going on,” Lue said, “you can’t take that out on our players … that’s not their fault, you know?”
It’s not fans’ fault, either. Let’s see the Clippers go above and beyond for them.
The NBA never wastes any time getting back to business. The first day of the season gave us the biggest opening night comeback in league history on Tuesday, and Wednesday’s full slate of games included everything that makes this league such a treat to watch, all the way down to LaMelo Ball getting away with the most obvious travel of all-time in his debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wolves beat the Miami Heat, 131-105, in a nationally televised barnburner as both sides debuted new stars. Ball and the Wolves got the win despite Giannis Antetokounmpo going off for 35 points on 11-of-19 shooting in his first game as a member of the Heat. Ball was solid with 21 points and six assists in his debut, and he helped set up teammate Anthony Edwards for a 45-point scoring outburst.
Everything was going so well for the Wolves that the refs even let Ball take about eight steps on a step-back three-pointer. Did LaMelo just forget he needed to dribble? It sure looks like it, but the refs let him get away with it anyway. Watch the play here:
I usually hate when casual fans harp on uncalled traveling, and then I have to explain the concept of the gather step. Not this time. Ball clearly traveled, but the refs let him do it because the vibes were good, I guess.
The Wolves jacked 50 three-point attempts in their opening night win. Is this team going to great the record for most threes attempted? The 2024-25 Boston Celtics took 48.23 three-point attempts per game, so it’s a high bar to clear. I was very high on the Wolves, ranking them No. 4 overall in my championship rankings coming into the season. This win was encouring for that.
The refs can’t just let players travel like this, because it gives the NBA a bad reputation. This time, the traveling scourges are right. I have no idea how LaMelo got away with this.
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 21: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 21, 2026 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. 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 Jaden Coleman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are a few tricks of the trade you pick up when you write as much as I do. One of them is keeping a thesaurus nearby, a trusty little companion that helps you find different ways to describe situations, emotions, and perspectives. Sometimes you need a better word to properly articulate what you’re trying to say. And as I sit here holding that thesaurus in my hand, flipping through its pages like a desperate man searching for answers, I cannot find a collection of words that adequately expresses the disappointment and frustration I experienced Wednesday night watching the Phoenix Suns open their season.
Every season opener carries a certain magic. There is hope. There is anticipation. After months of speculation, theorizing, and convincing ourselves that certain players will develop and certain decisions will pay off, the rubber finally meets the road. The basketball starts counting. Reality arrives.
On Wednesday night in Portland, reality arrived driving a car and promptly ran over the Phoenix Suns. Apparently, that wasn’t enough. Reality threw the damn thing into reverse and backed over the mangled corpse for good measure. Perhaps it’s appropriate the Suns call The Morg home.
As the regular season began, nearly everything we feared about this team was on full display. The inability to facilitate an offense. The inability to consistently knock down three-pointers. The inability to effectively rebound the basketball. All of those concerns we spent the offseason discussing came screaming back to life, standing in the middle of the Moda Center like some grotesque collection of basketball nightmares.
And the things we hoped would carry this team through those deficiencies? They were nowhere to be found. The energy we expected never materialized. Instead, we watched technical-inciting tantrums. The leadership and composure we believed would help establish an identity evaporated into chaos. The toughness, connectivity, and collective effort that were supposed to define this version of the Suns seemed to disappear the moment the ball went into the air.
I kept searching for the right word to describe it. Frustrating? Disappointing? Pathetic? Somewhere in the English language, there had to be something that captured the magnitude of what we witnessed. And after exhausting the thesaurus, I kept coming back to one word.
Now, I understand this was Game 1 of 82. If life and decades of watching the Phoenix Suns have taught us anything, it is that the opening game of a season rarely tells the entire story. There will be adjustments. There will be growth. There will be nights when this team looks considerably better than whatever the hell we witnessed in Portland.
But understanding the importance of perspective doesn’t mean we have to ignore what happened in the moment. We are allowed to react. We are allowed to be frustrated. We are allowed to look at a team that scored 12 points in the first quarter while surrendering 43 and wonder how in God’s name an entire offseason of preparation produced that particular brand of basketball catastrophe.
Eventually, things will settle down. The rotations will stabilize. The offense will find some semblance of rhythm. Hell, we might even score a few points along the way. But Wednesday night made one thing abundantly clear. The hope and belief surrounding this team will have to be earned. Every ounce of it. The Suns spent the offseason talking about culture, toughness, accountability, and fortifying their identity. Those words sounded wonderful in September. They looked considerably less impressive when the lights came on in Portland.
Reality is here now. And reality doesn’t give a damn about your offseason optimism.
Bright Side Baller Standings
Jalen Green’s performance in the preseason finale was enough to earn him his first BSB of the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 1 against the Blazers. Here are your nominees:
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 21: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #24 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots a free throw during the game against the Washington Wizards on October 21, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, in a game that truly had it all, the Milwaukee Bucks fell 128-116 to the revamped Washington Wizards. The Bucks were led by “the Heat package,” which combined for 68 points. The final score really doesn’t reflect how the game transpired; frankly, the Bucks controlled most of the contest but just couldn’t turn an eight-point lead into a 15-point lead. Some of that was Washington, but I felt like Milwaukee shot itself in the foot a good number of times by playing frantic and rushed instead of calm and poised.
That said, take a step back and think: “frantic and rushed” is about what you would expect when a bunch of guys who have barely played with each other—including young fellas getting thrown into the fire—suit up for a regular-season game. A beautiful mess, shall we say—I can’t wait to do it all over again on Friday. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Editor’s note: this year, we are trialing a more consistent grading criteria (while still allowing for your interpretation)—grades are not rewards for production, they’re judgments of performance against expectation:
A: Exceeding expectations. B: Above expectations. C: At expectations. D: Below expectations. F: Fail (i.e., substantially below expectations; actively detrimental to the team).
Rollins vastly underperformed compared to what we have come to expect from him and rightly rode the pine to close the game. Yeah, he missed some makeable shots—took some bad ones too—but he is also relied on as the team’s best point-of-attack defender, and he failed on more than a few occasions to keep dudes in front of him and navigate screens. I also thought Rollins allowed himself to get sped up going to the basket, which really isn’t like him; he’s usually cool as a cucumber in tight spaces. An out-of-character game on so many levels.
My Prescient Prediction was basically right on. This was the Herro we expected to see in the preseason and, indeed, it looked like he took it up a notch for the real thing. Except when Bilal Coulibaly was on him, Herro got wherever he wanted. Look, we know Herro can score, but the nine assists were the story (and the reason he gets into the B band). Washington paid him a lot of attention in the pick-and-roll, and he was able to methodically locate the open man most of the time. As expected, Herro’s on-ball defence wasn’t great—and I’d like to see him compete 10% more in that part of the game—but I thought he was largely in the right spots off-ball.
Jaquez was nails all game long. He used his size to make plays for himself and others in the paint, especially when Washington tried to hide Young on him—straight to the post! Jaquez also proved a helpful defensive option on the Wizards’ big front line, which might even be a preferable matchup for him than wings or guards. Other than Jericho Sims, who played under two minutes, Jaquez was the only Buck who didn’t have a negative plus-minus—and it felt like it.
Woof. Where do I start? Look, Kuz’s defence was good, and he did have some solid posessions guarding (and fronting) Davis, but his game had no other redeeming qualities. First off, this whole “returning to Washington and embracing the hate” thing is so corny and has to stop—he’s done this every time Milwaukee has played them! You could tell from the jump that this was a game within a game for him. Sure, Kuz wanted to win, but he wanted to be the reason the Bucks won—give me a break! He missed gimmes at the rim, took out-of-rhythm shots, missed a free-throw blockout, and made two of the most diabolical passes I’ve seen. To top it off, as Miggity pointed out, I’m pretty sure Kuz scored a bucket for the Wizards via a controlled tip. Hated almost every second of Kuzma’s game.
Turner’s offensive numbers look fine, but I thought he was woeful on defence. My biggest issue was his lack of urgency and awareness when recovering to rolling big men after showing on pick-and-rolls. He was surely aware that Trae Young loves to throw lobs, yet there were at least three instances where Turner could have easily recovered to his man after showing on screens, only to dawdle, let the big get behind him, and catch a lob. I also thought Turner was straight-up soft on the inside, letting himself get pushed around.
On the one hand, I don’t want to go crazy on a 22-year-old for not being able to physically deal with Anthony Davis. On the other hand, I wanted to see him compete more. I just spoke about Turner lollygagging after showing on screens while his man got behind him—Ware might have been worse. Ware was BBQ chicken for Davis and simply couldn’t be on the court at the same time as him—hence he fouled out in 13 minutes. I felt like Ware was a little lost and sped up on both ends, and it is year three for him now, so you’d hope to see less of that. Still, based on the preseason, I can’t say this sort of game was out of the ordinary. He won’t be playing against an All-NBA centre every game, though, which we need to keep in mind.
Wow. What a game for Jakucionis! So much to like. With this season being a developmental one, giving KJ—who is younger than Brayden Burries—26 minutes on opening night and having him look right at home is huge. Jakucionis handled (and beat) pressure with relative ease, while holding up OK on defence (though Young did catch him too many times). The final thing I want to highlight is KJ’s feel and how he used it to draw a few Young-like BS fouls. People don’t like it, but guards who aren’t elite athletes need to have this in their bag. Swing-throughs, up fakes, accentuating contact—you need it all, and his counterpart at point guard last night is the perfect example.
I mean, you couldn’t have asked for much more from Burries in his first official game. You could tell his heart was racing a bit at the start, but he settled in after getting his name in the books. By the third quarter, Burries was nailing step-back threes with a one-point lead and doing celebrations running back down the court. Also, as we saw in the preseason, Burries is going to get to the charity stripe. Yeah, he got caught in the wrong spots on defence a few times, but that’s to be expected—great first outing.
I thought Ous played… just OK. He had a smooth windmill gather that left our guy Khris in the dust, and his defence was mostly solid, but man, the dude needs to make threes for this to work.
Grade: D+
AJ Green
15 minutes, 6 points, 2/3 FG, 2/2 3P, –10
AJ was AJ. Hit an open three and made a tough one off a wide pindown. Jenkins drew up some action for him out of a timeout, but it broke down. Defence was fine even if he was undersized.
Grade: C
Taylor Jenkins
It’s tough to judge Jenkins too harshly, given it was the first game. The Bucks generated 42 three-point attempts and won the possession battle. He also “played the kids” like fans wanted. Maybe Jenkins could have had the team better prepared for the foul-baiting that Young and (to a slightly lesser extent) Davis were going to do; I did think the refs got sucked into a few horrendous flails by Young, but some were definitely there. Ultimately, I think we could easily be sitting here talking about a Bucks win if a few things had gone differently, so overall, not much to complain about at this point.
Grade: C
Limited minutes: Jericho Sims
DNP-CD: Gary Trent Jr., Nate Ament, Bogoljub Markovic, Caris LeVert
Inactive: Kam Jones, Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance
What We Learnt
Jenkins will lean toward playing the youth, even if it costs him wins and leads to frustrating moments. Good.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Postgame, Jenkins credited his team’s ability to weather multiple storms in the third, but said their inability to keep the Wizards out of the paint and off the free-throw line was what did them in. Mentioned the backside rotations as a key flaw as well.
On Burries: “The shots were great, but I thought he was making good reads… Looked very comfortable. I thought he did some good things defensively… He’s got a lot to learn, but this is great for him to get this exposure right out of the gate.”
As I mentioned, this was a classic game where veterans were playing a rebuilding team, and the refs seemed obliged to call everything in favour of Young and Davis. On one possession, in the bonus, Young “set” a screen (flopped at the slightest bit of contact). The ref saw him on the floor and called it. Really frustrating; you could see the dismay on all the Bucks’ faces.
I’m both very happy that Gary Trent Jr. didn’t play and incredibly worried that it means something is coming down the pike.
Milwaukee did a lot right. They won the possession battle (91 attempts to 86), played in transition (16-9 fast break points), and got strong contributions from their bench (45-39). They just couldn’t handle Washington’s size, got destroyed 70-50 in that area, and, obviously, the free throw discrepancy (41-23).
Shohei Ohtani couldn’t make it through an entire season as a two-way player as a 32-year-old.
Chances are, he won’t be able to do it next season as a 33-year-old.
Which is why Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s responses to a couple of questions he fielded on Wednesday were particularly alarming.
In retrospect, could Ohtani have been healthier in the playoffs if the Dodgers had managed him differently earlier in the season?
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Friedman said
Considering where Ohtani is age-wise, is it still possible for him to play both ways for a full season?
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout during the ninth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Because if he wasn’t, that would signal a major problem – specifically, that the Dodgers are detached from reality.
Before they decide how aggressively they will pursue Tarik Skubal or how quickly they want to turn over their geriatric roster, the Dodgers must have an honest conversation with Ohtani about how he can return to being a two-way player without condemning himself to another October in which he looks as if he crawled from a nearby infirmary into the batter’s box.
Such as how them acquiescening to his wish to play through knee and arm injuries was a major reason why he was physically compromised when the games mattered most.
Or how him setting out to be a designated-hitter-slash-pitcher for an entire season is a suicide mission at this stage of his career.
Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, speaks to the media prior to game one of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee. Getty Images
The Dodgers’ relationship with Ohtani isn’t a typical employer-employee relationship, nor should it be. But the way the team prioritized Ohtani’s desires over common sense this year pointed to there being an imbalance in power that was counterproductive. Friedman’s reluctance to acknowledge Ohtani’s limitations didn’t dispel this notion.
Friedman said the Dodgers’ braintrust would work with Ohtani to come up with a plan to improve his chances of being healthy in the playoffs, but he sounded as if he would be counting on the player’s team-first mentality to resolve the team’s concerns.
“He is awesome about saying, ‘Hey, whatever it takes to help the team win,’” Friedman said. “He means it. Private conversations, public conversations.”
Of course, in Ohtani’s mind, that means him taking on as much as humanly possible.
“I intend on doing everything,” he said in Japanese.
If Ohtani insists on shouldering the same workload he had early this season, will the Dodgers be able to stand their ground?
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning in Game 4 of the NLCS. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If he is convinced a new offseason training regimen will allow him to go wire-to-wire as a two-way player, will the Dodgers be able to convince him the risks outweigh the potential rewards?
The Dodgers should know by now that Ohtani won’t place any limits on himself.
That’s worked for Ohtani for the most part, as his physical gifts have made it possible for him to overcome the majority of obstacles placed in front of him.
But no athlete has ever defeated the calendar, and this season provided the tangible evidence that Ohtani won’t be an exception to the rule.
By mid-July, Ohtani was shut down as a pitcher because of problems with his left knee and right arm. By mid-August, he was finished as an MVP-caliber hitter.
In the playoffs, he was more of an imagined threat than an actual one, as he batted just .192 and struck out 10 times in 32 plate appearances. He didn’t homer until the night the Dodgers were eliminated.
Friedman sounded as if he knew what had to be done.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Whether we start a little late …” Friedman said at one point, likely in reference to the idea that Ohtani could delay the start of his season as a pitcher.
And if Ohtani is playing both ways from the start of the season, Friedman raised the question about how the Dodgers are “going to manage that in the first month and then assess things.”
Whatever their thoughts are, the Dodgers have to share them with Ohtani.
They have to be direct.
If Ohtani is as open-minded as Friedman described him, he should understand that they want not only what’s best for the team but also what’s best for him.
Ohtani isn’t 20-something anymore. He has to adjust. The Dodgers have to guide him there, and that starts with them providing him with a candid evaluation of his newfound limitations.
That total is slightly larger than the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals, whose markets combined for 3.22 million television households. The 2006 matchup itself is the smallest since the Cardinals faced the Minnesota Twins in 1987.
“Obviously, on the margins, that hurts, right?” Victor Matheson, a professor at Holy Cross who studies sports economics, told USA TODAY. “Because again, you're likely to have bigger viewership numbers in the towns that are playing.”
The Rays’ previous World Series against the Dodgers in 2020 was the seventh largest since 2006. But pairing Tampa Bay with Milwaukee – the smallest MLB market – produces one of the smallest combined markets in decades.
The Brewers last reached the World Series in 1982, when they faced the Cardinals. With St. Louis having a television market of 1.28 million, that series barely eclipsed 2 million households by 2026 figures.
Milwaukee ranks as the 39th largest television market in the U.S. by Nielsen with an estimated 960,000 homes having a TV.
The Rays’ Tampa-St. Petersburg market, meanwhile, is over twice as large at 2.28 million and is 11th nationwide.
But Matheson said smaller markets can have an advantage of their own: pent-up demand. While fans in Los Angeles have enjoyed several recent World Series appearances, the Brewers haven’t reached the Fall Classic since their seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982.
For fans in Milwaukee, Matheson said, the chance to see their team win its first championship could feel like a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” which could potentially drive greater local interest despite the city’s small population.
That logic could apply to the Rays as well, as Tampa Bay is also searching for their first title, although it has made the World Series three times now in the past 20 years.
Other factors can come into play, too. For instance, star power like Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski could draw eyeballs that might otherwise tune out.
Do bigger markets mean more World Series viewers?
Yet despite natural concerns about a small-market World Series, the size of the participating teams' television markets has shown little relationship with how many people watch.
Indeed, the most-viewed World Series since 2000 had fewer than 4 million combined households – when the Boston Red Sox ended its 86-year curse by sweeping St. Louis in 2004.
A tighter correlation may be found when the series was played; World Series viewership has generally declined since 2000, meaning that modern editions have a tougher hill to climb.
“There's a million things people can do now that they couldn't a generation or two ago,” Matheson said. “In the old days, we only had three channels on TV when I was growing up.”
The 2023 matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, which averaged just over nine million viewers per game – the lowest in World Series history – highlights that decline.
Matheson cautioned that if this year’s edition draws a similarly small audience, the Brewers’ and Rays’ home markets wouldn’t necessarily be the only reason. The increasingly fragmented television landscape could also play a role.
Regardless, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay can’t increase the size of their markets. But they do have something a ratings projection can’t measure: the chance to give baseball fans a championship story worth watching.
Methodology: USA TODAY obtained estimated television households for MLB markets from Nielsen Media Research. Toronto's market size came from Canadian audience measurement organization Numeris, which estimated 3.23 million households with TV access in the Toronto/Hamilton market for 2026-27. World Series viewership averages for 2000-25 were compiled by Nielsen and obtained via Baseball Almanac. For consistency, the same 2026-27 market estimates were applied to every historical matchup.
In the wake of the aftermath, Stephen A. Smith emphatically voiced his support for Lendeborg on ESPN’s First Take.
“He [Lendeborg] was saying [to Dončić], ‘Yo, stop whining for help from the officials! Let me guard you, then! Stop sitting up there looking to the officials for help, if you wanna go, let’s go!’ I don’t have a problem with that!” Smith exclaimed.
“I like that level of competition. I like the fact that this kid didn’t back down,” Smith added. “This rookie went out there had no fear whatsoever, [and] was willing to compete with him.”
In his NBA debut, Lendeborg took on the daunting task of being the primary defender assigned to Dončić. The two began letting the trash-talk fly in the second quarter, and the tension precipitated in a technical foul charged to the rookie in an interaction that appeared to be 50-50.
“I was really, really ticked off when that referee gave Yaxel Lendeborg the technical foul in the second quarter, I was mad about that,” Smith commented. “Give it to both of them, they were both talking!”
When Smith’s co-host Chiney Ogwumike pointed out that Lendeborg was apparently T’d up for a specific choice of words, Smith’s position remained unchanged.
“So what? I’m calling out the NBA on that. [The] NBA gotta stop that nonsense. Let ’em talk!” Smith replied. “As long as there’s no fisticuffs, let ’em talk. We like that!”
“I was telling him he sucks,” Lendeborg said after the game. “He can’t score on me. You’re talking? You can’t score on me. I said it the whole game. I said a couple cuss words, obviously, that’s why I got the technical and all that. But I was letting him know because he was laughing and talking all this because of that one foul call. His only bucket on me was a banker from half-court.”
Many Warriors fans were quick to draw comparisons between Lendeborg and his mentor Draymond Green, which Smith also pointed out.
“You gotta love that if you’re Draymond [Green],” Smith said. “You’ve got a young rookie coming into this game going up against a superstar in this league, no fear whatsoever going at him, getting in his face talking and accusing him of whining and moaning for help from the officials.”
Green certainly did love that.
“Everybody’s going to be like, ‘Oh man, he shouldn’t talk to Luka. You should not talk to Luka,’ and I disagree with that s— 1,000 percent,” Green said in the locker room postgame. “You f—— gon’ talk to somebody, you talk until you can’t f—— talk no more. And if he busts your ass, guess what? You play him again three more times, and you go back at his ass again. And then you see him the third time, and you go back at his ass again.”
Draymond Green on Yaxel Lendeborg going at Luka Doncic: “Everyone will say the rookie learned his lesson. What he learn? The next time he see him, go at his ass again.”
Lendeborg didn’t show much interest in letting what happened on the court stay on the court during his postgame press conference, and showed equally little backing down at the podium.
“Being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man,” Lendeborg said. “That was awful. Like, me getting frustrated, it’s not about the foul being called; it’s about him complaining the entire game. And then you get the foul called, congratulations, bro.”
“You want to talk to me like you did something great? C’mon dog. That’s just weak,” Lendeborg added. “It kind of threw me off for a little while, because, like I said, I had so much respect for him. Gone, man. Gone.”
Smith supported Lendeborg’s comments and spirit the following morning.
“If you’re so great, stop whining to the officials. Just go out there, and if you’re gonna bust my ass, bust my ass. But stop whining to the officials, looking to them for help,” Smith said, paraphrasing Lendeborg’s sentiment. “If you that bad, what the hell you whining for help all the damn time for?”
Wales test labelled by director as ‘Liège-Bastogne-Liège’
Tour de France Femmes will conclude on Puy de Dôme
Edinburgh will host the most northerly Tour de France start in 2027 and the Pyrenees will provide the competitive finale of next year’s route, which was announced in Paris on Thursday, while the Tour de France Femmes will conclude on a volcano, the Puy de Dôme.
A year after the race’s most southerly start in Barcelona, the Scottish capital will surpass the 2022 Grand Départ in Copenhagen in the opposite direction as, for the fifth time in six years, the Tour sets off from abroad.
In the wake of a tremendous number of untimely injuries, the Philadelphia Flyers were forced to turn to their young prospects to fill the void, and they have delivered more than their fair share during this three-game win streak.
Rookie forward Cole Knuble was the latest to make his mark for the Flyers, depositing the first two goals of his young NHL career in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night, scoring both times in close proximity to the net.
To open the scoring in the first period, Knuble advanced the puck into the zone, taking on two defenders before losing the puck at the right circle. Linemate Denver Barkey was nearby in support, though, and recovered the puck and quickly sent it to Oliver Bonk at the point.
Bonk's clapper left a big rebound, and Knuble, after getting up from the ice, chased down the puck and supplied a composed finish on his backhand for his first NHL goal, sneaking behind the Buffalo defense.
In the third period, Knuble gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead by fooling Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who aggressively and incorrectly assumed the Flyers rookie would take a simple, downhill shot from the right circle.
Instead, the 21-year-old Knuble showcased his patience and poise, circling an out-of-position Luukkonen before banking the puck into the net off the unsuspecting netminder's leg from below the goal line.
And, it wasn't just the offensive aspect of the game that shone for Knuble on Wednesday.
The 2023 fourth-round pick also made a heads-up defensive play late in the game, helping the Flyers defend a 6-on-5 with the Sabres pulling Luukkonen for an extra attacker down two goals.
Winning the race to a 50-50 puck along the right wall in the defensive zone, Knuble absorbed a massive hit from Rasmus Dahlin, but still managed to chip the puck out to center ice, clearing the defensive zone at the end of his shift.
Knuble, who is listed at a fairly diminutive 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, has taken a good amount of heavy shots from opponents in his two NHL games thus far, but it hasn't deterred him or stopped him from doing what is necessary to play winning hockey. The Flyers have to be encouraged by that.
Hunter McDonald looks ready
Oct 21, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Hunter McDonald (19) controls the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Elsewhere in the lineup, brolic defenseman Hunter McDonald played his second game of the season, too, handling 13:20 of ice time, including 1:15 shorthanded, against the Sabres.
Late in the third period, with the Sabres attempting to mount a comeback, McDonald raced forward up the ice and activated, though his shot off Matvei Michkov's pass was blocked off the leg of Buffalo center Josh Norris.
Coming back the other way in transition, McDonald laid a booming hit on Ryan McLeod in open ice, prompting Mattias Samuelsson to chase him down and initiate a fight.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound McDonald didn't emerge victorious, having been tied up the whole time, but Samuelsson was tagged with an instigator penalty that put the Flyers on the power play, while also being assessed a game misconduct.
By earning the team a power play, McDonald helped the Flyers sand away two more minutes of the 3-1 win, ensuring that it would be a comfortable road to victory.
The 24-year-old is running out of time to prove himself an NHL-caliber player, but in two brief games, McDonald certainly looks like a natural successor to Nick Seeler and/or Simon Benoit.
Now, if the Flyers wouldn't play Benoit at the expense of someone like David Jiricek...
Wednesday night's win over the Sabres was just business as usual for Oliver Bonk - another strong game.
The 21-year-old is already up to four assists in six games this season, adding a pair against Buffalo on the two Knuble goals.
Veteran Rasmus Ristolainen has been day-to-day for nearly three weeks, and while the Flyers would assuredly welcome him back, it looks as though Bonk has already taken his job on the top defense pair next to Travis Sanheim.
After years and years of trade rumors, now seems like the clearest moment yet when a trade truly makes sense for both sides, though that decision ultimately remains up to the Flyers.
But, this is what the Flyers' rebuild was supposed to be, and what it's supposed to be all about.
The 2026-27 season looked over before it began with an 0-6-3 start, but the prospects, called up out of necessity, have come in and helped the Flyers win three straight; they're now just three points out of a playoff spot while owning the joint-longest active win streak in the league.
The proverbial "next step" for the Flyers is this: players like Bonk, Knuble, Michkov, McDonald, and Barkey showing what they can do with ample opportunity and trust from the coaches.
Sustaining it for the next 72 games is a different conversation, but the Flyers' kids are not here just for the experience. They want, and are ready to, win now.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 04: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates in front of Donovan Sebrango #6 of the Florida Panthers at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Florida Panthers (5-2-2, 12 points, 4th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (3-6-1, 7 points, 6th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Scripps, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens get to enjoy some time at home, and a somewhat light schedule coming up. They play again on Saturday, hosting Nashville then get four days off before the Utah Mammoth come to town next Thursday.
Opponent Track: The Panthers were in action last night in Ottawa for Brady Tkachuk’s return to the city where he started his NHL career. Prior to that, they won their last three games (CBJ, VAN, SEA). After tonight their road trip continues going to Chicago over the weekend.
Season Series: Tonight’s the only time FLA is playing in the ‘Burgh this season. The Pens head down to Florida on December 10th and then again on March 4th to finish out the three-game set.
Hidden Stat: Pittsburgh enters today’s game with points in six-straight games versus Florida (4-0-2), per Pens PR.
Getting to know the Panthers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Lars Eller
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Injured Reserve: Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Jonah Gadjovich, Jacob Markstrom
Injury bug has been biting the Panthers hard so far this season. Barkov went down with a knee injury (fortunately on the other leg from the knee that kept him out all of last season), Marchand joined him soon after. Starting goalie Markstrom is now out
Tall goalie alert?! The undrafted 25-year old Cooper Black could be making his NHL debut tonight being as Schmid played last night in Ottawa. Black stands 6’8” and has played mostly with AHL Charlotte since turning pro in 2024. Black would set the record for tallest NHL goalie in league history, surpassing Ben Bishop and a handful of others listed at 6’7”.
Season stats via hockeydb (last night’s results not included)
Brady Tkachuk registered two hat tricks in his first nine games as a Panther and no goals in the other seven.
Hat tricks have been en vogue for the team, both Bennett and Verhaeghe had three-goal nights a few days ago against Seattle.
Imama has played in all the games this season, after only playing two NHL games for Pittsburgh last season (and 16 the year before in 2024-25).
Goalie was going to be the big question for the Panthers after letting Sergei Bobrovsky go and so far the results have been…ok enough I guess? Markstrom and Schmid don’t need great individual stats, as long as they can hang in there and keep the goals down (which, Markstrom’s 2.21 GAA through the first six games definitely qualifies) that should be all this team needs to handle business over the rest of the ice.
Key to the game: Florida’s tough defense, the Penguins’ not so tough defense..
It’s early but the Panthers are showing that their drop-off last season might be a one-year aberration, rebounding their goal shares (top right corner) in a major way so far in 2026-27.
The Cats don’t give up a lot of opportunities as the NHL’s top team in limited expected goals. If there’s a ray of hope, it’s that the goaltending hasn’t matched the defense and prone to allow goals (and Florida could be playing a first-time NHLer tonight in net…)
On the flip side, the bigger battle might be in front of the Pens’ net. With a pair of Tkachuks and other net-front players like Bennett, Reinhart and Lundell, Pittsburgh’s beleaguered defense is going to have their hands full keeping the front of the crease clear for their goalies. This has been an obvious and glaring flaw for the team in their first 10 games, it’s going to receive a major test tonight in that department.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Evgeni Malkin – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust*
Ville Koivunen – Tommy Novak – Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov – Hendrix Lapierre – Andrei Kuzmenko
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson
Declan Carlile / Kaeden Korczak
Ilya Solovyov / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Ben Kindel, Elmer Soderblom, Sam Girard
IR: Ryan Graves, Justin Brazeau, Trevor van Riemsdyk
Debated putting a ‘wait and see’ for this projection. Rust was injured at the end of last game and his status hasn’t yet been updated. Girard was skating before the last game, he could be getting close to drawing back in. Kindel, one would sense, isn’t likely to play after being hospitalized. How things will shake out will require waiting until the morning skate.
Otherwise, it’s just a holding pattern for now. The Pens were off the ice Monday as they traveled back from their road trip, then got an additional day off yesterday due to the delays that ensued in their return trip home.
His fault or not, Silovs has conceded five goals in four of his last five games. There’s two games ahead in the coming days before a long break and as always it will be interesting to see what the Penguins do with their goalie assignments.
Dubas speaking this morning
Kyle Dubas is expected to give a statement this morning to presumably update the status of Kindel and the events of Monday.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Don Mattingly, interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, takes the ball from Andrew Painter #24 during a pitching change during a game against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you think whoever runs the social media graphics team at the Phillies knew exactly what they were doing with this post for the start of the Sixers season?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 01: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers steals second base as Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes the throw at American Family Field on April 01, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time since 1980, we have a World Series matchup of two teams without a title. While plenty of teams have claimed their first title since that time (the 2023 Rangers were the most recent), this is the first time in 46 years that we’re heading into a World Series where we are guaranteed to see a franchise claim its first title.
Let’s take a quick look at how both teams got here, starting with the American League’s Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays
While the Rays are in their 29th season, they’ve already claimed three AL pennants, though they haven’t yet captured their first championship. Their previous appearances in the World Series came in 2008, when they beat the Red Sox in seven games in the ALCS before losing to the Phillies in five games, and in 2020, when they took down the Astros in another seven-game ALCS before losing in a neutral World Series in Texas, as the Dodgers won 4-2.
After spending the entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field — the Yankees’ spring training home — due to Hurricane Milton’s damage to Tropicana Field, they returned home this year and turned in the best record in the American League, going 98-64. They’re back in the World Series after sweeping the Yankees in the ALDS and claiming the ALCS in six games over the Guardians.
Led by manager Kevin Cash, who won back-to-back AL Manager of the Year Awards in 2020 and 2021, the Rays outperformed preseason expectations behind one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball and an above-average offense.
There isn’t much homegrown talent in Tampa, but they’ve done an incredible job of scouting under-the-radar players from across the league. The ALCS roster was constructed as follows:
MLB Draft (3): LHP Ian Seymour, OF Chandler Simpson, SS Taylor Walls
International Signing (1): 1B Jonathan Aranda
Trade (16): RHP Bryan Baker (2025 trade deadline), 3B Junior Caminero (2021-22 offseason), OF Jonny DeLuca (2023-24 offseason), DH Yandy Díaz (2018-19 offseason), C Nick Fortes (2025 trade deadline), C Liam Hicks (2026 trade deadline), RHP Brody Hopkins (2024 trade deadline), RHP Griffin Jax (2025 trade deadline), OF Victor Mesa Jr. (2025-26 offseason), INF Richie Palacios (2023-24 offseason), RHP Freddy Peralta (2026 trade deadline), RHP Drew Rasmussen (2021 midseason), RHP Cole Sulser (2024 trade deadline), OF Ryan Vilade (2025-26 offseason), RHP Tyler Wells (2026 trade deadline), 2B Ben Williamson (2025-26 offseason)
Free agency (5): LHP Cam Booser, RHP Nick Martinez, INF Jorge Mateo, LHP Steven Matz, OF Cedric Mullins
Rule 5 Draft (1): RHP Kevin Kelly
As I said, just look at how good some of those trade acquisitions look in retrospect. Bryan Baker is one of the best closers in baseball, and they got him for the No. 37 draft pick in last year’s draft. Junior Caminero is an MVP candidate who they picked up from the Guardians for Tobias Myers. Yandy Díaz was also acquired from the Guardians in a three-team deal, where Tampa Bay departed with Jake Bauers and cash. More recent deadline acquisitions in Griffin Jax, Freddy Peralta, and Liam Hicks cost them Taj Bradley and six prospects (none of them in MLB’s top 100).
That’s what most in the industry would probably define as “fleecing.”
How has that roster fared?
On the mound, they’re led by starters Drew Rasmussen and Peralta — both former Brewers — as well as Nick Martinez, a familiar foe for Milwaukee from his time with the Reds. The aforementioned Baker led the majors with 41 saves and hasn’t blown a save since May 13, spanning 30 regular season and five postseason saves. In fact, all four of those arms have been great this postseason:
The rest of the bullpen — which includes Kevin Kelly, Tyler Wells, Cam Booser, Brody Hopkins, Steven Matz, Cole Sulser, and Jax and Ian Seymour in starter-reliever roles — has been good, not great, this postseason, with a 3.60 bullpen ERA and 32 strikeouts across 30 innings.
Offensively, they’re led by Caminero, Díaz, Hicks, Jonathan Aranda, and speedster Chandler Simpson, who gives Billy Hamilton vibes. Díaz has been the best hitter in the postseason, slashing .308/.341/.564 with 12 hits, including a pair of homers and four doubles. Caminero and Aranda have also homered, while Simpson has led a steal-happy squad (perfect 11-for-11 this postseason) with three steals. Other regulars include Victor Mesa Jr., Jonny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, and Richie Palacios, with Ben Williamson, Ryan Vilade, Cedric Mullins, and Nick Fortes rounding out the bench.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers had another great season under Matt Arnold & Pat Murphy, winning their fourth consecutive NL Central title and becoming the first team in the division to do so. They also won 103 games, breaking their previous franchise record of 97 wins set in 2025.
To get here, they had to go through two of the hottest teams in baseball down the stretch in the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres swept the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series and put up quite the fight against Milwaukee, as the Brewers eked out three wins in a 3-1 series victory. The Dodgers, who took three of four from the Braves in the NLDS, were the Goliath to Milwaukee’s David after sweeping the Crew in the 2025 NLCS. This time, the Brewers flipped the script, sweeping the Dodgers en route to their first World Series since 1982 and marking the first time they’ve made it as a National League team.
Per MLB.com, the Brewers got more out of the MLB Draft than every other playoff team with the exception of Cleveland. That includes first-round picks Brice Turang (2018), Garrett Mitchell (2020), and Sal Frelick (2021), as well as junior college finds in Jacob Misiorowski (2022), Logan Henderson (2021), and Aaron Ashby (2017). They also picked up starting shortstop Cooper Pratt in the sixth round back in 2023, pulling him away from a college commitment.
They have three international signees — Jackson Chourio (2021) and Luis Lara (2022) out of Venezuela, and Abner Uribe (2018) out of the Dominican Republic.
Shockingly, the only free agent on this team is catcher Gary Sánchez, who signed a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027 back in February.
The other 15 projected players on the team came via trade. This group includes Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Joey Ortiz, DL Hall, David Hamilton, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich.
I should note that if Brandon Woodruff somehow miraculously makes the roster, he would add one more to the draft group, as he was taken in the 11th round out of Mississippi State back in 2014. He’d likely take the spot of either Harrison or Patrick, neither of whom has pitched this postseason.
The offense is anchored by Turang, Contreras, and Chourio, but the supporting pieces are solid too — Murphy has seemingly found the right mix this postseason, with Pratt, Bauers, and Mitchell joining those three as everyday players while Hamilton and Ortiz split duties at third base, Lara and Frelick split duties in right, and Vaughn and Yelich split duties at designated hitter.
On the mound, the Misiorowski-Henderson-Gasser combo has worked well atop the rotation, with May and Drohan next in line, though neither of them has been given all that long of a leash here in the playoffs. For the bullpen, the back end combination of Megill, Uribe, and Ashby has been fantastic; Hall has also been solid, and deadline acquisitions Romero and Senzatela have been better in the postseason than they were down the stretch.
Probable Pitchers
Note: Pitching matchups will be filled in as they’re announced
Game 1 (Milwaukee): Friday, October 23 @ 7:00 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (2 GS, 0-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.90 FIP) vs. TBD
Misiorowski is slated to get the ball in Friday’s series opener, and while he hasn’t been quite as sharp as he was in the regular season, he’s still been a solid presence atop the rotation. He’s made two starts thus far, totaling just 8 1/3 innings as he’s allowed three runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out 11. The likely NL Cy Young winner after a league-leading 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, and 252 strikeouts, Miz went six innings in a no-decision against the Rays back in April, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. You can certainly expect him to come out the gates with the high heat on Friday night.
Game 2 (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 24 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 3 (Tampa Bay): Monday, October 26 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 4 (Tampa Bay): Tuesday, October 27 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 5 (if necessary) (Tampa Bay): Wednesday, October 28 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 6 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Friday, October 30 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 7 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 31 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
How to watch and listen
Friday, October 23: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 24: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Monday, October 26: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, October 27: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, October 28: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Friday, October 30: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 31: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is probably the most excited, but also the most anxious I’ve ever been as a Brewers fan. These are obviously two fantastic teams, and they match up pretty evenly on paper. It certainly won’t be a cakewalk for either side. Give me the Brewers to claim their first title in six games.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 23: A general view as Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
There are now 153 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. You know the drill by now.
On the other hand, the World Series starts tomorrow. It will be over by, at the latest, Halloween. Between the Rays and the Brewers, there will be a first-time winner crowned. I think that’s fun. If all else is equal, I like to root for long droughts being broken. I think it’s good to put that kind of energy out there. Some day, maybe, it will be the Orioles turn to try to break a long drought, and it would be nice to be a sympathetic favorite at that time.
I know not every Orioles fan agrees, with some people preferring that teams ahead of the Orioles on the list not get scratched off to push the O’s closer to the top of the list of failure. It is not fun to be on those lists. Only five teams have gone longer than the Orioles without winning a title. If the Brewers win this World Series, that will be four.
The Padres and Mariners have also never won it, the Guardians last title was in 1948, and the Pirates haven’t won since (sigh) 1979. I wasn’t alive for that one, but I’ve heard enough about it, and I don’t think my “root for the longest drought to end” philosophy would ever apply to Pittsburgh. Wasn’t a whole lot of danger of having to think about that this year. Any of the other teams ahead of the O’s would probably be about as sympathetic as the Brewers, especially if they were facing another AL East team in the postseason.
The Orioles have not won the World Series as long as I have been alive, and I’m turning 43 next month. It’s a long time. Unless fortunes rapidly turn around, the O’s title drought is going to hit “get a colonoscopy” age pretty soon. It is not great that after two years in the postseason and zero postseason wins, that things stink again with no certainty of whether the people in charge can figure out how to stop that from happening. But there is quite a while yet before we will start to have any idea of whether their offseason turnaround plan is going to get results.
A look at a few Orioles that might not be back next year (Steve on Baseball) Trevor Rogers is the only name on the list that is going to make large numbers of Birdland fans sad in the strong likelihood that he does not return.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Nothing of particular interest has ever happened on this day in Orioles history. This is not likely to change until the team makes it back to a World Series, or at least deep in an ALCS series.
There are several former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2024 pitcher Corbin Burnes, 2012-18 pitcher Darren O’Day, 2005 catcher Eli Whiteside, 2003 pitcher Héctor Carrasco, 2004 catcher Keith Osik, and 1989 catcher Jamie Quirk.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: composer Franz Liszt (1811), baseball Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1907), author Doris Lessing (1919), actor Christopher Lloyd (1938), gold medal figure skater Brian Boitano (1963), and baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki (1973).
On this day in history…
In 2137 BC, a solar eclipse was recorded by Chinese astronomers. There were also reports that two astronomers who failed to predict the eclipse were executed. It wasn’t until 585 BC that an eclipse is known to have occurred as predicted.
In 1721 AD, following the Russian defeat of Sweden in the decades-long Great Northern War, Russia’s ruler Peter I proclaimed a Russian Empire, with himself as the tsar.
In 1883, New York’s Metropolitan Opera House opened. The first performance was an opera called Faust, by Charles Gounod, which had debuted in Paris in 1859.
In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy announced a naval blockade of the island of Cuba.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 22. Have a safe Thursday.
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 16: Kingston Flemings #4 of the Atlanta Hawks is defended by Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center on October 16, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Hawks initially had the number 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, the New Orleans Pelicans had other plans, swapping with the Hawks in a trade that moved themselves up to the number 13 pick while the Hawks moved down to 23.
The Pelicans took Derik Queen, center from Maryland, and in the process gifted the Hawks an unprotected first round pick for 2026, which drew scrutiny from circles around the league. The pick the Hawks received turned into the eighth overall pick, in which the Hawks selected their point guard Kingston Flemings from the University of Houston.
A former five-star high school recruit from San Antonio, TX, Flemings led the Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen, where they were defeated by Illinois. Despite the early exit for a team that was looking to avenge their heart- breaking loss in the national championship the year prior, Flemings stood out as one of the best players in the country.
The lottery pick guard led the Cougars in both points (16.1 per game) and assists (5.2) per game in his one year at the collegiate level. In a loss against Texas Tech, Flemings exploded for 42 points, which set Houston’s record for a freshman. The historic feat for Flemings featured both flashes of athleticism and touch that allowed him to find consistently at the rim as well as knocking down shots from behind the arc at an efficient clip (shooting 4-for-9).
Both scoring and dishing out passes at a high mark turned Flemings into a no-doubt lottery pick. Though he was not an elite shooter coming out of high school, the ex-Cougar worked hard and developed himself in a trusted source of three-point scoring, converting at an impressive 38%. While obviously talented on offense, Flemings is a scrappy defender who averaged 1.5 steals at Houston and was sound in his efforts both on and off the ball. This combination of offensive and defensive prowess drew comparisons to De’Aaron Fox when he was a draft prospect.
While Flemings is clearly talented, the question of how he’ll fit in the Hawks is a different matter. One thing is for sure. With the exit of Trae Young, the Hawks desperately need someone to take over and lead the team as their undisputed floor general. Flemings exhibited notable leadership qualities that allowed Houston to preserve through adversity in close, competitive games. His natural leadership will ease him into the role of commanding the team’s offense, which was desperately missed by the team once the playoffs arrived.
Flemings taking over the main ball handling role would greatly open the Hawks offense. Last season, CJ McCollum took over as the team’s primary ball handler despite not being a “true point guard.” Once again equipped with the impressive scoring trip of McCollum, Jalen Johnson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Hawks will need someone like Flemings to be at their best and flow in the offense.
While of course Flemings is scoring threat who will continue to develop himself as a three-point shooter, I don’t believe his success in the NBA will come from being a high-scoring guard. Longevity in the league for most players is often in the form of finding your niche or role and starring in it. For Flemings, that role is being a facilitator and play initiator that allows some of the most talented scorers in the league to thrive as well as being a scrappy defender who becomes an irritant for any opponent the Hawks face.
It’s not quite fair to expect Flemings to be that guy immediately out of the gate, or even in his first year, but the Hawks have the guy who I believe will be their floor general that leads them to winning some playoff rounds in the years to come.
