Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

4 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #4

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 4 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #4 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.

Let's take a look at who wore 4, and where they are now

Lyle Odelein - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Montreal in 1986. 

The first-ever Captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Odelein played 146 games and had 33 points. He retired in 2006 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Bryan Berard - 2006-2007 - Drafted by Ottawa in 1995. 

Berard played 55 games as a Blue Jacket and had 35 points. The former #1 overall pick in 1995 had an up-and-down career and retired in 2009 after playing a year in the KHL.

Clay Wilson - 2008-2009 - Undrafted out of Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota.

Wilson played 7 games in Columbus and had three points. He retired in 2020 after playing one season in Ukraine. 

Nathan Paetsch - 2010 - Drafted by Washington in 2001 and then drafted by Buffalo in 2003. (re-entry)

He played 10 games as a Jacket and had zero points. He never played another NHL game after Columbus and retired in 2019 after spending several seasons in the AHL. 

Sami Lepistö - 2011 - Drafted by Washington in 2004. 

Lepistö played 19 games and had 5 points. He left for Europe in 2012 and played there until he retired in 2023. 

John Moore - 2012-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2009.

Moore played only 86 games in Columbus and scored 8 points. On April 3, 2013, the New York Rangers included Moore in the deal that brought Marián Gáborík to Columbus. 

He last played for the Anaheim Ducks.

On March 19, 2022, Moore was involved in a trade that sent him to the Anaheim Ducks along with Urho Vaakanainen in exchange for Hampus Lindholm. The Ducks then attempted to trade both Moore and the rest of Ryan Kesler's contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov and a conditional second-round pick at the NHL trade deadline on March 21, 2022. However, the deal was disputed due to a no-trade clause in Dadonov's contract. On March 23, the NHL officially cancelled the trade; therefore, Moore remained in the Ducks' organization.  

Kevin Connauton - 2015-2016 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009. 

Connauton played 81 games and has 27 points as a CBJ. He currently plays for the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL.

Scott Harrington - 2018-2022 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2011

Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17.   

During his time in the Columbus organization, he would also play 52 games for the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 7 total points. 

Harrington signed with San Jose in 2022 and was then traded to New Jersey in February of 2023. New Jersey would then put him on waivers a few days later, where he would be picked up by Anaheim and play 17 games. 

In 2023, Harrington would leave for Europe and play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. After playing just 14 games in 23-24, he would return to North America for the 24-25 season and play for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. 

Harrington is signed to play with the Belleville Senators of the AHL for this season. 

Vladislav Gavrikov - 2023 - Gavrikov was drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Gavrikov played 256 games for the Jackets over the course of 4 seasons. He totaled 15 goals and 73 points. Gavrikov is widely considered one of the best late-round picks to ever play for the Jackets, despite his short time in Columbus. He played great defense and would always seem to show up on the scoreboard. 

After he signed a three-year, $8.4 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets in November of 2020, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen decided to trade Gavrikov to the LA Kings in March of 2023. A decision that a lot of CBJ hated and wondered why it happened. Kekäläinen knew Gavrikov was going to want a hefty raise and didn't want to pay him. 

Gavrikov signed a two-year extension with LA just a couple of months after the trade. In the summer of 2025, Gavrikov would get his big contract. He signed a 7-year, $49-million deal with the New York Rangers, which will take him into his mid-30s. 

Cole Sillinger - 2024-2025 -Drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Silinger wore #34 for two years before switching to #4 before the 23-24 season. It's hard to believe that Cole Sillinger is going into his 6th NHL Season already. 

After scoring 31 points as a rookie, his second season was anything but good. Totaling just 11 points, he only played in 64 games and was demoted to AHL Cleveland. His third season was definitely a bounce-back year for young Sillinger. He would score 13 goals and total 32 points. 

Sillinger has had three career seasons straight after that bad second season. In 25-26, he set a career high with 25 assists and tied his career high in points with 25. He became more of a playmaker last year, playing with Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier. That line was arguably the best line on the team for the majority of the season, and other teams' lines had a really hard time against them. 

In July, the CBJ signed Sillinger to a 3-year, $13,875,000 contract to keep him in Columbus. 

There are four days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #4?

Posted on

Blackhawks Make Sunday Roster Moves, Inch Closer To Their Final Roster

With the conclusion of training camp and the preseason behind the Chicago Blackhawks, they are starting to inch closer to cutting their roster down to its opening night state. 

On Saturday, they sent Connor Mackey to the Rockford IceHogs on loan. Now, on Sunday, they announced that they have loaned forward Dillon Boucher and goalie Drew Commesso to Rockford as well. 

Their roster stands at 26 players, including 16 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders. More decisions are set to be made as they prepare for Tuesday's opener versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

Mackey and Boucher were forwards that the Blackhawks had up with the team to fill some spots in preseason lineups and practice. Players with over 100 NHL games played can only play in 2 exhibition games, but the team also wanted to get its most important pro prospects to AHL camp, so Mackey and Boucher got to stay up with the NHL club a little longer. 

As for Drew Commesso, it wasn't as much of a backup battle with Arvid Soderblom as some would have thought. His being on a two-way deal while Soderblom finishes out his one-way deal likely has something to do with it, but Soderblom was also excellent after some off-season adjustments. He will be the backup to Spencer Knight. 

It is unlikely that the Blackhawks carry 8 defenders, and some more forward decisions are inevitable too. More transactions are on the way; stay tuned. 

Image

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Hurricanes 6, Predators 0

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 14: Brandon Bussi #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of Game Six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Carolina Hurricanes finished up their preseason schedule with a dominating, 6-0 win in Nashville.

Six different players scored and 11 players had points in the thrashing. Brandon Bussi played very well as he earned the shutout making 22 saves on the 22 shots he faced.

The team looked much like the team that played so well in the playoffs.

Jackson Blake started things off just 5:02 into the game when he scored a powerplay goal from in close.

Two minutes later Jordan Martinook would score and the Canes never looked back.

Later in the opening period, Nikolaj Ehlers stole a pass and broke in alone. He made it 3-0, Carolina in the opening period. The Canes outshot the home team, 9-5 in that decisive period.

Late in the second, Blake would slip a nice pass to Logan Stankoven who made no mistake, making it 4-0. The two linemates had broken in on a 2-on-1 break.

Mark Jankowski and Andrei Svechnikov both had powerplay goals to close out the scoring in the third. The Hurricanes went 3-4 with the man advantage.

Felix Unger Sorum did not look out of place while playing with the top line and he finished with an assist. Charles Alexis Legault played 15 minutes on the blueline and finished with a (plus+1) along with a team high four blocked shots.

Blake led the team with 3 points.

The Canes look ready for their season opener against the Panthers on Tuesday night but they still have a couple of roster decisions to make.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20262027/GS010053.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20262027/ES010053.HTM

Posted on

Canadiens: Did Xhekaj Do Enough?

The Montreal Canadiens players might have a day off Sunday. Still, the Habs brass will be busy making the decisions that will ultimately shape the Sainte-Flanelle’s roster for opening night on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. By 5 PM Monday, the team must submit its final 23-man, cap-compliant roster. Cap compliance won’t be an issue, but which players will make the roster?

22 players have NHL contracts, which means that, on paper, unless Kent Hughes finds a way to make room, only one extra player can get a spot. It would be surprising to see the Canadiens waive a player to make room for another; Hughes isn't in the business of losing assets for nothing, even ones that have decreased in value.

Canadiens: Battle Of The Suzukis
THN Poll Doesn’t Have Caufield As Rocket Richard Trophy Favourite
Canadiens Guhle Back At Practice, What Does That Mean?

On Saturday night, Florian Xhekaj played yet another strong game against the Ottawa Senators, skating on a line with Owen Beck and Tyler Thorpe. The younger Xhekaj landed six of the 15 hits the Canadiens gave on the night, including a bone-crushing one that sent Adam Nemec back to the room and ended his worknight after a minute and 39 seconds of action. The Habs’ forward was sent to the box for two minutes for interference, a questionable call based on the result rather than the hit itself.

Xhekaj wasn’t on the ice when Djibril Toure landed a big hit that Alex Newhook felt to his core. Josh Anderson flew to the rescue, but in his eagerness, he flew in, threw his gloves off, lost his balance, and found himself pinned to the ice by Toure. As the Sens 6-foot-7 defenseman was heading to the penalty box, Xhekaj came over to have a word, no doubt telling him he had noted his number. Ultimately, he didn’t follow through on that promise, though, with the Canadiens tying the game and then taking the lead; it wasn’t the right time to get into a tussle, and the winger recognized that, which will no doubt earn him points with coach Martin St-Louis.

All through camp, Xhekaj has performed the same way with remarkable consistency, which didn’t go unnoticed by the coach:

He certainly doesn’t have an identity problem. He knows what he is and what he brings, and he brought it with consistency throughout camp.
- St-Louis on Xhekaj

As for Xhekaj himself, he feels he did everything he could to earn a spot:

I think I did almost everything I could to show them what I can do out there and how I play. So, yeah, I think I did everything.
- Xhekaj on his performance at camp

On the eve of his third professional season, there is no doubt that this has been Xhekaj’s strongest showing. At camp in 2025, he put on so much weight that it felt like he wasn’t fast enough anymore, but this time around, at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he looks like he's found his sweet spot. He’s heavy enough to bring a big physical game, and he’s strong enough to do it with pace and create opportunities by separating his man from the puck on the forecheck.

Xhekaj has shown exactly what he is and how useful he can be. The Canadiens have long needed more sandpaper up front, a line like the New York Islanders had with Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck. Xhekaj could help the Canadiens get there; he could be the first part of an identity line, but for that to happen, the Habs would need to have room.

As things stand, and with Kaiden Guhle’s injury, it stands to reason that the 23rd man will be a defenseman, more than likely David Reinbacher. It’s a shame for Xhekaj; he’s right when he says he’s done everything he could. The rest is not in his hands; it’s in Hughes’ hands. I have no doubt Xhekaj has had a better camp than Kirby Dach, but the latter has an NHL contract, and it’s hard to imagine Hughes putting him on waivers, considering what he had to give to acquire him in 2022.

Still, if Xhekaj doesn’t have a spot on the roster for opening night, it shouldn’t be long before he does. An injury, a trade- things happen during the season, and he should be the first forward recalled should the need arise.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Posted on

Brisbane’s AFL dynasty is built on sheer talent, a loyal coach and their love of a dire situation | Jonathan Horn

Chris Fagan kept faith in his Lions which meant they could thrive with the weight of the football world upon them – and rip out Fremantle hearts

There is no precedent for what happened at the MCG on Saturday. There have been devastating finals losses before – the Bulldogs losing the 1997 preliminary final to Adelaide and St Kilda losing the 2009 grand final to Geelong immediately spring to mind. A senior St Kilda staffer described the rooms after that game as resembling “a casualty ward following a mass disaster”. Thankfully, we don’t talk about sport like that any more. The modern athlete and the modern sporting club is better able to put their world into some sort of perspective.

The prevailing mood in the rooms, in the stands and on the trains on Saturday was a mix of desolation and bewilderment. Part of it was Fremantle’s history. Part of it was the decision to activate Wharfie Time. Part of it was just how quickly it all happened. You establish an identity and for more than three decades you scratch, claw and hope. And in five minutes, your heart is ripped out.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Former NC State head coach Kevin Keatts releases UNC practice report

ATLANTA, GA MARCH 01: North Carolina State head coach Kevin Keatts reacts following the conclusion of the college basketball game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on March1st, 2025 at Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

We still have to wait just a little over a month before UNC plays their first meaningful basketball game in the Dean Smith Center, but the anticipation is agonizing. With a brand new squad, a brand new coach, and brand new overall energy in the building, it is hard to keep focus on everything else going on in Chapel Hill. Now that the Heels have had their official practice of the season, there have been some sources that have given first impressions of what they saw or have heard, but there was one guy that I did not expect to hear from, and that is former NC State head coach Kevin Keatts.

Many readers likely know this already, but Keatts hung up his whistle in favor of a gig with ESPN. He ended up creating a practice report from the first UNC practice, and here is what he had to say:

“Mike Malone’s first team at UNC will feature speed, playmakers, and rim protection. Really like the play and leadership of Utah transfer Terrence Brown. Neo Avdalas and Jarin Stevenson have ACC experience and great size at both forward positions. Remember the name Sayon Keita, an elite shot blocker. UNC is built to play uptempo this season.”

Everything that Keatts has had to say tracks with other things that we’ve been hearing this week. It sounds like Michael Malone plans to play with a lot of tempo, which is not shocking given his NBA pedigree. It’s also interesting that Keatts highlighted Sayon Keita, because there has been a lot of talk about how raw the former international player is. That isn’t to say that he isn’t raw — he is certainly a work in progress, and the team is hoping to have Cameron Fens’ eligibility issue cleared up so that he can potentially start — but saying “elite shot blocker” for a raw player is intriguing. It’s hard not to get excited knowing that there may be a Caleb Wilson supplement on the team, because it will be hard to achieve what they want to achieve without some reliable rim protection.

Another interesting note from Keatts was his appreciation for the play and leadership of Utah transfer, Terrence Brown. It really seems like Brown had to play a certain role with the Utes that made him seem like more of a ball-dominant guard rather than a playmaker, but he mentioned on the Carolina Insider podcast that he wants to prove himself as a playmaker this year. It’s still unclear as to who will be the lead facilitator for this team between him and Neo Avdalas, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the two split duties in some manner.

I appreciate Kevin Keatts giving his thoughts about the team, even if he stopped short of giving his prediction for the season. What do you think of Keatts’ assessment, and also, what do you think of all the other intel that has been shared over the last few days from other outlets? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted on

Penguins Make 3 More Cuts Before Monday’s Deadline

The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting closer to finalizing their 23-man roster. 

They made three more cuts on Sunday, sending forward Bill Zonnon, defenseman Harrison Brunicke, and goaltender Joel Blomqvist to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

None of these moves should surprise anyone, since they were all expected to start the season in the AHL. They all had great camps, but there's simply no room for them on the NHL roster right now. 

That said, there's a good chance you'll see all three of them in the NHL at some point this year. The Penguins already have a ton of injuries to begin the season and could have others pop up during the year. 

Brunicke figures to play with Owen Pickering to begin the year in WBS, while Zonnon will play in the top nine. Blomqvist will be the starting goaltender after serving as the 1B behind Sergei Murashov last year.

Speaking of Murashov, he has made the NHL roster and will be behind Arturs Silovs to start the 2026-27 season.

The Penguins will open the regular season on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more! 

Posted on

Islanders sign 6-foot-7 defenseman Logan Stanley to one-year deal

Logan Stanley
The Islanders signed Logan Stanley on Sunday.

The Islanders brought in a towering defenseman days before their season opener.

They signed Logan Stanley to a one-year contract, the team announced on Sunday.

Isaiah George was sent down to AHL Hamilton after a rough training camp, meaning the Islanders needed to sign a left-handed defenseman.

The Islanders signed Logan Stanley on Sunday. NHLI via Getty Images

They found one in the 6-foot-7 Stanley.

The No. 18-overall pick in 2016, Stanley, 28, recorded 26 points (nine goals and 17 assists) with the Jets and Sabres last year.

The Jets traded him to the Sabres ahead of the deadline last year, though he was scratched for the Sabres’ final four playoff games.

The Islanders also sent Kashawn Aitcheson and Cole Eiserman to AHL Hamilton, while Vitek Vanecek was placed on waivers for purpose of assignment.

They open up their season on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

Posted on

Islanders Sign Defenseman Logan Stanley After Final Round Of Roster Cuts

The New York Islanders' preseason is over, and with it, the team has made its final cuts ahead of the roster deadline tomorrow evening at 5 o'clock.

The team announced it assigned Kashawn Aitcheson, Cole Eiserman, and Isaiah George to Hamilton while the team announced its intentions to place goaltender Vitek Vanecek on waivers at 2 o'clock this afternoon.

Additionally, the Islanders announced they've defenseman Logan Stanley to a one-year contract.

Stanley, 28, is a 6'7 monster-sized defenseman who at his best plays a mean, tough game with a heavy shot that creates offense.

Last season, Stanley posted 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 76 regular-season games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets.

The trade to Buffalo was seen as big get for the Sabres at the time, but it became apparent Stanley didn't fit well into Buffalo's system, so they wound up mostly keeping him as the team's seventh defenseman, which hurt Stanley's stock heading into free agency.

Stefen Rosner reports there'd been back-and-forth between the Islanders and Stanley's camp, but the Islanders held out to give George the job, making it entirely his to lose.

As it turns out, George did lose the roster spot. The 2022 fourth-round pick will now report to Hamilton, where all he can do is work exceptionally hard to try and earn another look.

Aitcheson, meanwhile, looked incredible throughout camp, but just needs some minor league experience before going all the way into the deep end.

Next season, if all goes to plan, Malte Gustafsson will be in North America with the Islanders competing for a job, too. 

Stanley's deal being a one-year deal gives the Islanders incredible flexibility for next year and even this year, if it doesn't well or Aitcheson forces his way up this season.

The Islanders practice Sunday morning, and it's expected Stanley will be there. What this means for New York's opening lineup remains unclear for now.

Posted on

What happens if AL West, NL wild card are tied? MLB tiebreaker rules

With one day remaining in MLB's regular season, we still don't know the identities of the final two teams in the 2026 playoffs.

There's a pretty good chance a tiebreaker will be needed to decide the AL West division champion and the third NL wild card participant.

The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are deadlocked atop the West with identical 80-81 records. Meanwhile, the floundering Philadelphia Phillies (87-74) are a game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks (86-75). If they don't claim the postseason spots outright, the Astros and Diamondbacks would win their respective tiebreakers.

Here is how everything shakes out.

AL West: Astros-Rangers tiebreaker

The Astros won the season series against the Rangers 9-4, so if the two teams finish the regular season tied, Houston would advance to the AL playoffs as the No. 3 seed.

The only way for the Rangers to advance would be to win their game on Sunday at Minnesota and have the Astros lose to the A's in Sacramento.

NL wild card: Phillies-Diamondbacks tiebreaker

The Phillies and Diamondbacks split their six games during the regular season, so they would need to go to MLB's second tiebreaker: Intradivision record.

The Phillies went 28-24 vs. their NL East rivals, while the Diamondbacks were 32-19 against their NL West foes.

The Phillies need a win at home against Tampa Bay or an Arizona loss in San DIego to claim the NL's No. 6 seed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happens if AL West, NL wild card are tied? MLB tiebreaker rules

Posted on

Sunday morning Rangers things

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob Latz #67 (L) and Danny Jansen #9 of the Texas Rangers celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rangers defeated the Twins 6-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, folks…

The Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins yesterday by a score of 6-2.

Shawn McFarland writes that Nathan Eovaldi came up big in a must-win game.

Evan Grant, who has harped on the Rangers lacking an “identity” all season, returns to that theme as we head into Game 162.

Josh Jung, who has been one of the Rangers’ best hitters this season, was placed on the injured list before Saturday’s game due to his fractured hand.

His replacement, Nicky Lopez, left Saturday’s game due to heel and ankle issues, but he says he’ll be ready to go for today’s game.

The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to avoid a historically bad collapse today.

Justin Verlander pitched the final game of his Hall of Fame career on Saturday, and when A.J. Hinch came out to get him, Verlander’s daughter, Genevieve, accompanied Hinch in what was an emotional moment.

The American League West has been so bad in 2026 that its prompting folks to ask whether the playoff format should be re-vamped.

David Laurila has his Sunday Notes column up at Fangraphs.

Posted on

A non-winning team will make MLB's playoffs. It's a bad look for the game

This seemed inevitable from the moment Major League Baseball expanded its postseason to 12 teams. And now it will come to pass: A non-winning team will make the playoffs for the first time in a full season.

The final day of the regular season has MLB choosin’ Texas for its final division winner, and the pickings are slim: The 80-81 Houston Astros, who have already fired their general manager, or the 80-81 Rangers, who have spent exactly one day over .500 in the past two months.

Perhaps the victor’s clubhouse celebration should sub out champagne for Busch Light.

Not to blame the Rangers or Astros, the latter holding the tiebreaker in the event of a deadlock. They’re simply playing out the schedule, head down, grinding through 162, only to look up and realize oh, hey, we’ve got a playoff berth in front of us.

No, there’s several culprits who helped conspire to make the 2026 American League West arguably the worst division in baseball history.

Blame the Seattle Mariners, by far the biggest disappointment this season as they’ve gone from the brink of a World Series to a 75-86 mess and a potential offseason shakeup.

Blame the Athletics, last name only, for nearly a decade of mailing it in as they’ve pulled up roots in Oakland for a shameful three-year stopover in a minor league park in Yolo County, the true embarrassment for the game.

Blame the dysfunctional Los Angeles Angels, who mercifully are getting sold yet have cycled through general managers like a teenager swipes through TikToks and are years away from establishing a championship foundation.

And blame the industry at large, which in its zeal to optimize the modern ballplayer has left a landscape of fundamentally unsound players and pitching staffs desiccated by injury and ineptitude in the never-ending quest for maximum velocity.

Yes, we said it: The modern game is in a tough spot. No, this isn’t an old man rant about how things used to be better; terrible baseball is era-agnostic.

Instead, the game’s rampant pitching shortage will be all too evident as September turns to October.

As the Rangers and Astros fight to .500, the other outstanding playoff spot pits the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies swinging pillows at one another for the No. 3 National League wild card spot.

And just how did Philly and Arizona attack their oh-so-crucial Game 161s on Saturday, Sept. 27?

With bullpen games.

Yep, the Phillies – this vaunted team that actually has a dominant starting pitching trio of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesus Luzardo – has been opting for one to two Johnny Wholestaff games a week this month, a problem exacerbated by Luzardo’s barking shoulder. They tried turning Aaron Nola's between-starts throwing session into a spot start, and the result was predictably disastrous.

The Diamondbacks essentially have one starter they trust – lefty Eduardo Rodriguez – and a lot of sunk cost. Franchise stalwart Zac Gallen has been relegated to the bullpen. Corbin Burnes, their $210 million free agent acquisition two years ago, lasted three starts in his return from Tommy John surgery before a bum shoulder ended his season. So on a night they could have seized control of the final NL wild card slot, the Padres scored 10 runs off them.

Yet it’s not just the wannabes who have issues.

The 100-win Milwaukee Brewers will start the great Jacob Misiorowski and youngster Logan Henderson in their first two playoff games. After that? They have little idea, what with trade deadline add Dustin May aiming to work things out and maybe get through three innings while lefty Kyle Harrison’s fastball has been getting battered.

The AL-best Tampa Bay Rays can hit you with a nice 1-2 of right-handers Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez. After that? They cross their fingers Freddy Peralta’s revival continues, or that Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour can rise to the occasion once they hit the best-of-seven portion of October.

The NL East champion Atlanta Braves? It’s Game 1 with Chris Sale and pray for some hail.

No, only the big-market behemoths – the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees and two a lesser extent, the Boston Red Sox – and the wizard-like Cleveland Guardians will reach the postseason with their pitching in order.

The Dodgers simply buy in bulk, wisely. The Guardians will hit you with a Gavin Williams and Parker Messick 1-2 punch, two more developmental success stories in an organization that’s hacked the pitching code.

The Red Sox and Yankees are enjoying the best of both worlds, spending resources on arms while developing a few themselves.

The Yankees plucked Cam Schlittler out of the draft’s seventh round and now he’s their playoff ace. Key swingman Will Warren was an eighth-round pick. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will line up behind Payton Tolle, a second-round pick in 2024 who provides them significant punchout potential behind mercenaries Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez.

As for the Astros and Rangers? The latter will place their season’s hopes in the left hand of MacKenzie Gore, whose stuff has always dazzled yet whose inability to maintain it deep into games or longer stretches of the season has vexed.

Houston, which would be sunk without an MVP-caliber season from slugger Yordan Alvarez, will rely on Peter Lambert, who never had a better than 5.36 ERA with the Rockies, went to Japan for a season and then came back stateside this year to post a 3.87 ERA for Houston.

The playoffs are dotted with similar stories, such as Cleveland lefty Foster Griffin, who spent three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants and came back an All-Star. Perhaps there’s a lesson in that.

Instead, the industry seems intent on building the next Miz, who may prove to truly be 1 of 1 in this era, not unlike the retiring Justin Verlander pretty much was in his. For now, we are stuck with an incomplete landscape and a lot of significantly flawed playoff teams. And in Game 162, the .500-or-worse Astros or Rangers will join it, representing something of a black mark on the game’s history.  

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A non-winning team will make MLB's playoffs. It's a bad look for the game

Posted on

Oklahoma City’s Scott Hennessey wins Pacific Coast League manager of year

Dodgers Triple-A Oklahoma City manager Scott Hennessey celebrates winning the 2026 Pacific Coast League championship with a hug on September 24, 2026 in Las Vegas.
Dodgers Triple-A Oklahoma City manager Scott Hennessey celebrates winning the 2026 Pacific Coast League championship with a hug on September 24, 2026 in Las Vegas. | Oklahoma City Comets

Scott Hennessey, manager of the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, on Saturday was named Pacific Coast League manager of the year after leading the team to the best record in the league and the PCL championship, the team’s second in four years.

Oklahoma City completed its season on Saturday night with a 10-inning victory over International League champion Rochester in the Triple-A championship game.

This is the 20th year in the Dodgers organization for Hennessey, who was an amateur scout beginning in 2007 before moving into player development 10 years later. After seven seasons managing Double-A Tulsa, Hennessey has been at the helm in Oklahoma City the last two seasons. He also won a Texas League championship with Tulsa in 2018.

Before Hennessey, the last Dodgers minor league manager to win manager of the year in the PCL was Damon Berryhill in 2015, in the club’s first year affiliated with Oklahoma City.

Three Dodgers minor league skippers won manager of the year at their levels this season — Hennessey in Triple-A, Eric Wedge for Double-A Tulsa, and Jair Fernandez for High-A Great Lakes.

PCL All-Stars

The Dodgers’ bid at an MVP at all four full-season levels ended when Colorado Rockies outfielder Zac Veen was named PCL MVP after hitting .327/.402/.635 with a 145 wRC+, 24 home runs and 65 extra-base hits in 100 games for Albuquerque.

James Tibbs III was an MVP candidate himself, and settled for an All-Star designation after hitting .287/.409/.532 with a 140 wRC+, 30 home runs, 65 extra-base hits, and 108 walks in 141 games. Tibbs led the PCL in walks, total bases (278), and extra-base hits (tied with Veen), and was second in the league in home runs, runs scored (109), and RBI (107).

Christian Romero also was named an All-Star starting pitcher with a 4.06 ERA in 135 1/3 innings, with 115 strikeouts and 49 walks in his 30 games, including 22 starts.

The other Oklahoma City All-Star was reliever Seth Halvorsen, who was acquired by the Dodgers from the Rockies in July. Halvorsen on the season in Triple-A had a 1.32 ERA and eight games in 26 games with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 27 1/3 innings. In 10 games with the Comets, Halvorsen had five saves and only allowed one unearned run in 9 2/3 innings, with 13 strikeouts and four walks.

Posted on

JR Ritchie and the Braves close out the regular season in Miami

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: JR Ritchie #60 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on June 23, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’ve done it, folks – Game 162 is here. 

To call it a weird year is an understatement. So what does that make us if we’ve followed along so faithfully?

Unlike some other teams fighting for their lives down to the wire, the Braves have been getting some fresh air and exercise in relatively stress-free fashion in their tune-ups versus Cincinnati and Miami. 

This afternoon’s series and season finale against the Fish is at 3:10 pm ET, along with another matchup of interest in AZ-SD. I have no doubt you all will be tuned into that as well as CHC-BOS / TB-PHI (weather permitting) at 3:05 pm ET. Only one team can save their season and punch their ticket to Truist Park – will it be Arizona or Philly?

While that chaos abounds, the Braves’ main priority is getting through the day fully intact and healthy. A victory this afternoon for a series win and their 95th of the season is honestly a nice-to-have. 

JR Ritchie (1-4, 4.79 ERA), coming off his solid start against the Reds, will get the ball for Atlanta. In that outing, he went five innings, gave up four hits and one earned run on a solo homer. He walked three and struck out eight. This was much more aligned with what we’d hoped to see from the rookie following his return to the big club on September 15. He’d been on a dominant run in Triple-A, but struggled against the Cubs to the tune of six earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched. He’ll be looking to bolster his case for the Wild Card roster this afternoon. 

The Miami Marlins gave Ritchie a loss back in May. He was tagged for six runs (five earned) in four innings and Aaron Bummer (remember him?) gave up another six earned runs in the 12-0 blowout. Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez lead the team in ABs against Ritchie with three. Edwards, Joe Mack, and Kyle Stowers each have a hit off him in their limited experience. 

JR will be opposed by Janson Junk (6-9, 4.31 ERA). Junk is 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA in the Braves against his career, with both losses coming this season. He was charged with eight earned runs in five innings and two earned runs in three innings in May and August, respectively. He has not gone longer than six innings since August 12. 

The only Brave that doesn’t have a hit off Junk is Mike Yastrzemski, who’s 0-for-8. Michael Harris II has struggled, owning a .143 average and .286 OPS against him. Otherwise, everyone else owns an OPS of .800 or higher against Junk. For everyone clamoring for the bats to get hot right before the postseason, this could be a great chance to build on yesterday’s nice offensive performance. 

It’s a nice Sunday for a fish fry finale. One more game before the gauntlet begins.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, September 27, 3:10 p.m. ET

Location: loanDepot Park, Miami, FL

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, Los Bravos

Posted on

Arizona Diamondbacks News 9/27

Team News


D-backs going down to the wire, needing win and help on final day

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/diamondbacks-go-into-final-day-of-regular-season-with-playoff-hopes

Diamondbacks can’t capitalize on Phillies’ loss. Big final day on tap

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2026/09/26/diamondbacks-at-padres-live-updates-game-score-playoffs-latest/91938888007/

What did Diamondbacks’ bullpen game failure mean for their playoff chances?

https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-bullpen-game-disaster-may-cost-them-playoff-spot-again

Why did the Diamondbacks pinch hit for Gabriel Moreno?

https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/why-did-the-diamondbacks-pinch-hit-for-gabriel-moreno

D-backs Waste Playoff Opportunity in Bullpen Game Meltdown vs Padres

https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/d-backs-waste-playoff-opportunity-bullpen-game-meltdown-padres


Other Baseball









Day for the ages: Verlander’s final start, incredible father-daughter moment AND a walk-off HR!https://www.mlb.com/news/justin-verlander-final-mlb-start?t=final-week-coverage

AL West up for grabs: Here’s how Astros or Rangers can win it in Game 162https://www.mlb.com/news/al-playoff-picture-in-final-week-2026-season

Here’s what’s at stake on the final day of the season
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-things-at-stake-final-week-2026-mlb-season

‘We expect to win championships’: 4 players who keyed another Triple-A crown for the Dodgershttps://www.mlb.com/milb/news/dodgers-triple-a-affiliate-oklahoma-city-wins-2026-national-championship?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage




Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-27

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/September_27

The banana contains 75% water.

Bananas are rich in nutrients and are a good source of electrolytes. Ideally, a person should eat at least one banana a day. 


Chicken meat is not a main ingredient of chicken nuggets.

The main ingredients for a typical chicken nugget is fat, epithelium, bone, and connective tissue. Sounds appetizing!

A classic violin is made with 70 different pieces of wood.

Associated with class and elegance, the earliest version of a violin emerged in the1500s in Italy. The first known creator of the violin was Andrea Amati. He had been commissioned by the Medici family to create an instrument like a lute, but easier to play. 


View Link


View Link