Who is the best team in the SEC? Are Georgia and Penn State in good College Football Playoff position? Our five overreactions from Week 5.
Giants fire manager Bob Melvin after two disappointing seasons with team
Giants fire manager Bob Melvin after two disappointing seasons with team originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Once known for their stability on the top step of the dugout, the Giants now will embark on a search for a new manager for the second time in 25 months.
Manager Bob Melvin was let go on Monday morning, ending his run with his hometown organization after two mediocre seasons. The decision came about three months after president of baseball operations Buster Posey picked up Melvin’s option for the 2026 MLB season, a move that was popular in the clubhouse but did nothing to jolt a slumping team.
“After careful evaluation, we determined that making a change in leadership was in the best interest of the team,” Posey said in a statement. “The last couple of months have been both disappointing and frustrating for all of us, and we did not perform up to our standards. We now turn our focus to identifying a new leader to guide us forward.”
After Posey’s decision in July, the Giants went into yet another second-half collapse. They lost six straight ahead of the MLB trade deadline, pushing Posey to sell. At one point, the Giants lost 15 of 16 games at Oracle Park, a historically-bad run that cut into the attendance and enthusiasm gains they had seen in the first half.
That stretch brought up new questions about Melvin’s job security, but the Giants briefly righted the ship in late August and early September, only to once again fall apart after moving into a tie for the final postseason spot. They were eliminated on Tuesday night and finished 81-81 after going 80-82 in Melvin’s first season.
For the 63-year-old, this could be the end of the road. A Palo Alto native who played for the Giants in the 1980s, Melvin viewed this as a dream job. He had hoped this would be his final big league stop, although that might change given the way it ended. Melvin previously managed in Seattle, Oakland, Arizona and San Diego.
The Giants brought Melvin up the coast after firing Gabe Kapler at the end of the 2023 season. In just about every way, Melvin stood as the opposite of Kapler, and his hire generally was met with solid reviews.
In two years, he has had the backing of his players, particularly Matt Chapman, who played for Melvin in Oakland and has said he is a major reason why he signed a long-term deal with the Giants. Players who spoke about Melvin this past week said they hoped to see him back in 2026, noting he wasn’t the reason the season fell apart. Posey himself said the same three months ago.
On July 1, after losing six of seven, Posey picked up Melvin’s option for next season. He said that day that he had spent months watching the manager and did not make the decision hastily. Posey said the team’s failures were on his shoulders, as well as a talented roster that was underperforming.
“From my perspective, and also my perspective as a player, sometimes when you’re going through a rough patch there’s a tendency to want to point the finger at coaches, and ultimately I believe we have great players, and I still believe in that group of players, but it boils down to them needing to play better baseball,” Posey said back then. “If anybody deserves any blame from the top it should be on me, it shouldn’t be on the manager or coaching staff. I’m the one who sets the roster. I felt like, with all those things considered, this was a good time for me to show my belief in Bob and this coaching staff.”
Chapman and Logan Webb were among the players who said that day that they agreed with the decision, but the Giants continued their freefall. They were 11 games over .500 when Posey traded for Rafael Devers and five over when he said Melvin would be back in 2026, but ended up missing the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years.
Heading into his second offseason in charge of baseball operations, Posey now will lead a managerial search, and he has to get it right. The Giants have a roster of highly-compensated players in their prime, and everyone involved is sick of finishing around .500.
There are sure to be Bruce Bochy rumors, although that seems an unlikely path for many reasons, most notably the fact that Bochy currently is managing elsewhere and might be headed back to retirement. This is a chance for Posey to pick a long-term leader for the clubhouse and partner for the front office. It might be the most important decision he makes as president of baseball operations, but it’s also one he never imagined having to think about in October 2025.
18 shamrocks: Reflecting on Al Horford's unique legacy in Boston
18 shamrocks: Reflecting on Al Horford's unique legacy in Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Eighteen shamrocks.
That’s how we’ll always remember Al Horford’s time in Boston. Nine years ago, that was how he declared his intention to join the Celtics on social media. It was both a celebration and a promise. For the first real time in team history, a big-time free agent was choosing to come to Boston and, with him came true hope of raising the franchise’s next banner.
It took almost another decade — and two different stints in green — but Horford delivered on that promise. He nurtured a young team, twice delivered them to the championship stage, and finally secured that elusive Banner 18 in 2024. He helped restored Celtics Pride while ensuring the team was a title threat in nearly every season he wore green.
On Sunday, after months of speculation that Horford would eventually land in Golden State, Horford reportedly agreed to a multi-year deal with the Warriors.
It’s fair to wonder if Boston’s superstar tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would have had the early success they enjoyed without Horford in Boston, or whether they would have gotten over the final hump without his return. Horford’s stat lines have never jumped off the page, but he was a rock-steady presence whose thirst for a title inspired everyone around him to give everything they had on the court.
Players routinely named Horford their favorite teammate. In the aftermath of falling short in title quests before 2024, coach Joe Mazzulla often noted that his biggest regret was not being able to help Horford complete his own elusive title goal.
But they got there, eventually. There’s a series of photos that show Tatum’s hands wrapped around Horford’s shoulders as he exults on the podium while the Celtics are being presented with the Larry O’Brien trophy. Brown is smiling widely next to them. Boston had accomplished its elusive goal.
Peter Casey-USA TODAY SportsJayson Tatum often has called Al Horford the best teammate he’s ever had.
When Horford first arrived in Boston, there was a different core he expected to guide forward. It was Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, and Kelly Olynyk who had steered Boston back on track to being a contender. Horford marveled at the energy inside TD Garden as Boston took two games off his Hawks in Round 1 of the 2016 playoffs.
Less than three months later, he agreed to come to Boston. Celtics brass were boarding a private plane on the tarmac in the Hamptons, having just pitched Kevin Durant on the possibility of also being in Boston too, when word arrived that Horford was joining the Celtics.
A celebration erupted. The Celtics’ title hopes had been given a major jolt with Horford’s arrival. Six trips to the conference finals followed over the next eight seasons. There were heartbreak and frustration along the way, enough that Horford departed for the rival Sixers after a maddening 2018-19 season. But his return for the 2021-22 season reignited Boston’s title hunt.
Even at his advanced NBA age, the Celtics worked diligently to keep Horford healthy, knowing how vital he was to their title hopes. They sat him on the second night of back-to-backs and limited his overall wear and tear. They were rewarded as he routinely thrived on the biggest stages.
The image of Horford flexing after steamrolling Giannis Antetokounmpo on the way to the basket during the 2022 run was a signature moment in Boston’s march to the Finals that year.
Invariably, because this is Boston, where an astounding number of jersey numbers mingle amidst the 18 title banners, the question will be asked whether Horford’s No. 42 deserves to hang among the Celtics’ other legends.
Getting up there with only one title is a tough chore, but not impossible. Horford didn’t change the culture the way Kevin Garnett did in joining a team that had been tanking hard a year before. Horford also didn’t have the longevity of a player like Paul Pierce.
But the Celtics did a whole bunch of winning with Horford, who sits 10th all time with 72 playoff wins in a Boston uniform. The only players ahead of him: John Havlicek (108), Bill Russell (107), Robert Parish (100), Sam Jones (100), Larry Bird (99), Kevin McHale (98), Don Nelson (81), Satch Sanders (81), and Brown (80). Horford is tied with both Jayson Tatum (at least for now) and Pierce in playoff victories.
Horford’s career averages in Boston don’t leap off the page: 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game over 465 career games in seven seasons with the Celtics. Those numbers perked up a bit (11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game) over 119 playoff games, including 113 playoff starts.
But Horford taught the Jays how to be professionals, and instilled in them that winning is all that matters. He accepted any role the team desired, including shuffling to a reserve role after the team acquired Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday during the summer of 2023. That selflessness was a huge part of Boston’s march to Banner 18.
Maybe that’s not enough to get No. 42 to the rafters. But the people who were here during Horford’s tenure know how vital he was, and there will be supporters to get 42 up there.
Even in the immediate aftermath of his departure in 2019, the long-term outlook was bleak. Kemba Walker brought a bunch of joy, but his knee betrayed him. Brad Stevens’ very first deal as president of basketball operations was to bring back Horford and get off Walker’s remaining money, and it fueled the team’s return to title contention.
It’s hard not to wonder if Horford’s time here might have extended another season (or two) if Tatum never tore his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs. The Celtics couldn’t quite commit to the money necessary to keep Horford around without being a surefire contender while Tatum rehabbed.
It won’t be the same not having the Horfords at TD Garden. Over the last two seasons, Horford’s young son, Ean, was a staple near the Boston bench. Horford’s wife, Amelia, and other children were routinely courtside.
The Celtics can’t possibly replace the intangibles that Horford brought. It places even more responsibility on Brown and Tatum to be the leaders of this team.
But Horford’s mark will sit above TD Garden in perpetuity: the team’s 18th banner delivered in the aftermath of Horford’s 18 shamrocks.
Rory McIlroy condemns Ryder Cup abuse after his wife was hit by a beer – video
Rory McIlroy spoke out against the abuse he received during Europe's 15-13 Ryder Cup win. In a post-match press conference, McIlroy said: 'I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf.' He added: 'I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.' The Masters champion also confirmed that his wife, Erica, was hit by a beer that was thrown during Saturday afternoon’s play.
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Mikel Arteta proves he may have changed his ways while Eddie Nketiah shows off his worth for Crystal Palace
St James’ Park has done strange things to Arsenal. It had become Mikel Arteta’s bogey ground, defeats the last three visits, his team unable to score. Each time, bright beginnings had given way to becoming bogged down by refereeing controversy, Arsenal pulled into the rolling maul football that better suits Newcastle’s muscle. Sunday’s attacking team selection and Arteta throwing the kitchen sink in chasing a win when a point had already been rescued hinted at a change in mentality. Arteta’s team eventually wrested control of the physical battle to push for three. If the dimensions that Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres have added failed to pay off, the Premier League’s deepest squad found the aerial power within itself, via Arteta’s attacking substitutions. An early overturned penalty and missed chances felt all too familiar. Arsenal’s response to those reverses, overturning their St James’ mental block, suggested a fresh determination that will serve them well in the title hunt. John Brewin
Match report: Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Match report: Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham
Match report: Brentford 3-1 Manchester United
Match report: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool
Continue reading...Penguins' Mid-Camp Prospect Tiers: Who Is Most Likely To Make NHL Roster?
We're officially 10 days into Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp, and if one thing is for certain, there has been a ton of competition.
On Saturday, the Penguins cut 15 players from their roster, reducing their training camp number to 58. There is a healthy mix of roster locks as well as veterans and prospects trying to assert themselves into the conversation for a roster spot.
When examining how the prospects - in this case, players who have 25 NHL games or less under their belt - have performed up to this point, there have been some standouts, some surprises, and some letdowns.
Who is most likely to crack the final NHL roster out of camp, and who still needs to show a bit more to keep themselves in the conversation?
Here are some mid-camp prospect tiers.
Should be an NHL lock
F Ville Koivunen
Koivunen has stood out from the very first practice, and there is no reason to believe that he won't be on the roster come Oct. 7. He is clearly NHL-ready, his skating looks better than it did last season, and he hasn't missed a beat playing with Pittsburgh's top players throughout camp.
D Harrison Brunicke
When I initially made this list, I didn't expect Brunicke to be in this spot. But he has earned himself at least a nine-game trial by being one of the three best defensemen in this camp, period. And the situation he finds himself in - either play the entire season on a junior team that he's clearly outgrown or spend it developing on an NHL bottom-pairing - lends to him making the cut. A veteran like Connor Clifton may have to play the off-side, but the Penguins need to make it work. I'm convinced that the NHL is what's best for his development right now.
Has earned a spot
D Owen Pickering
If we're being honest, Pickering should be a lock for the roster as well. He has looked every bit as deserving as Brunicke, and they have been a pairing for most of camp. The only reason he's not in the "lock" tier is because there are a lot of defensemen competing for spots, and Brunicke's situation is a bit more dire than Pickering's. Pickering would more than likely be the first defenseman called upon from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) if he does not make the NHL roster - especially since the left side is abysmal.
F Tristan Broz
Broz has, arguably, been the best forward prospect not named Koivunen in camp so far. He has shown off his versatility and - perhaps, even more importantly - his ability to put the puck in the back of the net. His responsible play in all three zones and his offensive upside should earn him a position when final rosters are announced.
F Avery Hayes
Right next to Broz is Hayes, who continues to get better and better. He played alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust in Saturday's 4-1 pre-season victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he didn't look out of place in the slightest. His forechecking and play-driving ability - as well as his tendency to hang around the net-front - have stood out amongst others during camp.
G Arturs Silovs
Silovs let in one questionable goal this pre-season in the Penguins' loss against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, but that aside, he has been really solid. With Joel Blomqvist injured - and development being the priority for another young goaltender - he likely has the inside track to be the second half of the tandem with Tristan Jarry.
Well, if the roster is going young...
F Ben Kindel
Kindel, 18, has been the biggest surprise of training camp this season. The 11th overall pick in 2025 has shown more NHL readiness than expected, and he - like Hayes - has not looked the least bit out of place skating with some of the Penguins' best players. In fact, he has gotten better as the competition has gotten better. A nine-game trial is unlikely because of the forward logjam, but if GM and POHO Kyle Dubas meant it when he said "the young guys are coming," Kindel has earned that through his performance.
G Sergei Murashov
Speaking of, Murashov has been far and away the best goaltender in this camp, and I don't think its particularly close. He is quick, athletic, and poised, and he didn't flinch when faced against a pretty decent Columbus lineup Saturday. There is a maturity to his game and his demeanor that is advanced for a 21-year-old, and he has been dominant. I thought he would begin the season in the AHL for certain, but given his camp performance, I'm not entirely sure that he isn't NHL-ready now.
Show me more
F Filip Hallander
By no means has Hallander, 25, had a bad camp. He came over from the SHL on a new two-year contract with the Penguins after a standout campaign, he's a center, and the Penguins are down a center in Kevin Hayes. That said, I do believe there are simply other players - namely Broz - who have shown more than him up to this point. If he is to make the roster, he needs to separate himself more in these final days of camp.
F Sam Poulin
Much of the same applies for Poulin, who has actually had a pretty decent camp up to this point (aside from his performance in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the Penguins' first pre-season tilt). He has shown flashes in the practices that hasn't fully translated to game action, so he - like Hallander - needs to show a bit more over the next few days.
Wild cards
F Rutger McGroarty
McGroarty was just about a lock heading into camp - that is, before we became privy to his injury situation, which hasn't changed. He is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, and this is really unfortunate for a guy who probably should be on the NHL roster. The reality is, however, that he'll probably have to earn his way back to a spot once he returns - especially since others have shown more NHL readiness than expected.
F Atley Calvert
In a lot of ways, Calvert, 22, is a bit like Avery Hayes. He doesn't play quite the same style, but his trajectory as an undrafted signee who impressed in the ECHL and AHL last season - especially in the goal-scoring department - makes him an interesting case. The cards aren't in his favor, but don't count him out entirely. And definitely keep an eye on him wherever he plays this season.
F Joona Koppanen
Koppanen is currently injured, but he is skating, and the Penguins generally liked what they saw from him last season. He's another center, which the Penguins value, but his injury situation is probably going to limit his opportunity to make the NHL roster.
F Aidan McDonough
McDonough - signed by WBS this offseason - has actually stood out a bit in this camp. He's almost the exact kind of Mark Donk-esque winger that plays a style complementary to Crosby, and he's looked pretty solid alongside Crosby in some short samples. His path to the roster is unlikely, but it's not entirely closed - and he's one of the hardest workers out there consistently.
G Joel Blomqvist
Quite frankly, Blomqvist's injury - which will keep him out at least one month - came at the worst possible time for the young goaltender. He was the default competition for a spot on the NHL roster against Silovs, and with his injury, he will have to battle his way back into the mix. And - with Murashov in the picture, too - he'll likely have to do that at the AHL level as well.
Long shots
D Jake Livingstone
Livingstone hasn't really shown that he is anything more than an AHL-level defenseman up to this point, and his age of 26 isn't exactly going to do him any favors in terms of asserting himself over younger players.
F Nolan Renwick
Renwick - who was signed by WBS out of the University of Maine - will be a player to watch in the AHL this season, but he hasn't shown enough in this camp to earn a spot on the NHL roster.
D Chase Pietila
Pietila looks a step behind in this camp, and - although defensively sound - could certainly use more development before we revisit the NHL conversation.
D Finn Harding
I actually think Harding has looked better than expected at this camp, and I do think he could be in the mix for a roster spot next season with a strong camp. But the circumstances with Pickering and Brunicke and the other competition don't leave much room for him this time around.
F Mathieu De St. Phalle
De St. Phalle, 25, has been fine, but he hasn't played up to his competition in camp, and the fact that he is a bit undersized and gets knocked around quite a lot doesn't help his case.
F Aaron Huglen
Huglen could, potentially, be a fringe option for the Penguins in the future. But after four seasons with the University of Minnesota, he could use some development in professional hockey first to get up to speed.
D Philip Kemp
There are a lot of defensemen in the mix at this camp. A lot. And Kemp, while serviceable, hasn't shown nearly enough to supplant anyone else up to this point.
G Filip Larsson
Putting Larsson here was tough, as I do think he has been perfectly sound during the pre-season. But given how Murashov and Silovs have performed, I just don't think he has much of a chance right now. That could change in an instant if he puts up numbers at the AHL level, though - or wherever he ends up. He certainly has potential as a reliable NHL backup.
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NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-09-29 18:22:50
Have Your Say: Will Red Wings' Penalty Killing Improve in 2025-26?
One of the main factors behind the Detroit Red Wings missing the postseason in 2024-25 for the ninth consecutive season was their penalty killing.
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At one point last season, their penalty killing was in serious danger of being ranked the worst in NHL history. While they managed to avoid that infamous mark, Detroit's PK still finished last overall in the League.
The Red Wings signed former Winnipeg Jets forward Mason Appleton during the offseason, who is known for his work on the penalty kill.
Along with the addition of goaltender John Gibson, can Appleton help the Red Wings' penalty killing improve to at least the middle of the pack in the NHL in 2025-26?
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Kings 2025-26 Player Previews: Samuel Helenius
Los Angeles Kings forward Samuel Helenius is currently battling for a roster spot as the pre-season winds down. The 22-year-old is looking to remain with the Kings for a second straight season. Helenius is entering the third and final year of his entry level contract, making him a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.
After drafting him with the 59th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, the Kings are hoping Helenius can continue to improve and live up to his potential based on where they selected him, and it starts by making the team this fall.
2024-25 Season
During the 2024-25 season, Samuel Helenius spent time in the NHL with the Kings, while also appearing in games with Ontario Reign in the AHL. In his 20 games in the American Hockey League, the winger scored two goals along with four assists for six points total. He also used his 6'0" 201 lbs pound frame as he accumulated 38 total penalty minutes proving he can be a physical presence.
As for his time with the big league club, Helenius scored four goals to go with three assists for seven total points in 50 games. The Dallas, Texas native did not initially make the team out of camp. Instead, making his NHL debut on November 9th, 2024 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his first game, he registered his first career point with an assist. Although he picked up his first point very quickly, Helenius didn't find the back of the net until his 25th career game on January 22nd, 2025 against the Florida Panthers. He played just two more games before being sent back down to Ontario. On March 5th he was called back up and stayed with the Kings for the remainder of the season.
The 22-year-old even appeared in all six of the Kings playoff games versus the Edmonton Oilers. In those six games, Helenius registered one assist while having a -1 rating.
2025-26 Expectations and Stat Predictions
It's no secret that Helenius is in a battle to make the Kings roster and play in their bottom six. PuckPedia currently has the young forward projected as an extra to kick off the season. His main competitors seem to be Alex Turcotte and Jeff Mallott. Ultimately, I expect him to make the team and slot in on the fourth line to start the season.
As for his numbers, I'm predicting Helenius to improve on his production from a year ago. If he can give LA nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points throughout the season, all while likely rotating in and out of the line-up, I would consider that a win for all parties involved, which would also likely earn him a new deal after the season.
Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.
Blue Jays cap turnaround from worst to first by holding off Yankees to win seventh AL East crown
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays capped a turnaround from worst to first by holding off the New York Yankees to win the AL East on the final day of the season, their first division title in a decade and the seventh in team history.
“The job is not finished,” slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said after a 13-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the division crown and secured a bye into the Division Series. “We’ve got to continue to play hard and play good baseball.”
The Blue Jays finished 74-88 a season ago, last in the AL East and 20 games behind the first-place Yankees.
“I think everybody believed that last year was not who we were as a team,” outfielder George Springer said. “From day one of spring training you could kind of feel the vibe.”
This year, a four-game sweep over New York from June 30 to July 3 was part of a season-best 10-game winning streak that vaulted Toronto into the division lead for good.
“Once we kind of hit our stride, we didn’t think anyone could beat us,” manager John Schneider said. “This is, in my opinion, the toughest division in the game. I don’t think anyone, besides the people that are here soaking wet like me, expected us to be in this position.”
Toronto lost six of seven down the stretch, falling into a first-place tie with New York, but held onto the top spot in the American League by winning its final four games.
“We almost broke at the end but, from that point on, we didn’t break in the division,” Schneider said. “That was obviously a huge four games for us.”
The Blue Jays won eight of 13 meetings with the Yankees this season, giving them the tiebreaker after both teams finished 94-68.
Springer hit one of four Blue Jays home runs in Sunday’s rout, his latest drive in a productive season that seemed unlikely in 2024, when the 2017 World Series MVP struggled through one of the worst years of his career, hitting just .220.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Schneider said of Springer. “Fitting that his last at-bat was a home run. He’s the heart and soul of our team. He’s infectious when he plays and he’s infectious in the clubhouse.”
Toronto will face the winner of the best-of-three Wild Card Series between the Red Sox and Yankees in the ALDS, giving the Blue Jays a valuable opportunity to rest and recover while its foes battle in the Bronx this week.
Game 1 will be Saturday in Toronto, and the Blue Jays have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs after finishing with the top record in the American League.
Arguably no one needs the break more than shortstop Bo Bichette. The two-time AL hits leader and two-time All-Star hasn’t played since Sept. 6, when he injured his left knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
“It’s kind of exactly what we needed,” Schneider said of the five-day break before the Division Series. “I hope that (Bichette) gets a chance to contribute to this. He’s been instrumental to what we’ve been doing here the last six years.”
Bichette has been hitting off a tee and throwing but has yet to resume running.
“Every day I’m feeling better,” Bichette said. “I’ll be doing everything that I possibly can to get back.”
Toronto hasn’t won a postseason game since losing the American League Championship Series to Cleveland in 2016. The Blue Jays won wild-card berths in 2020, 2022 and 2023 but were swept by Tampa Bay, Seattle and Minnesota, respectively.
Todd Grantham out as Oklahoma State defensive coordinator; Clint Bowen will take over
The Cowboys rank last in the Big 12 Conference and 130th in the nation in total defense.
Kershaw works 5 1/3 scoreless innings in final regular-season start as Dodgers top Mariners 6-1
SEATTLE — Clayton Kershaw tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the final regular-season start of his 18-year major league career and helped the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 on Sunday.
Kershaw (11-2) scattered four hits, three of them singles, and struck out seven, including the last batter he faced — the Mariners’ Eugenio Suárez. The 37-year-old left-hander turned to his slider in the top of the sixth to retire Suárez for the 3,052nd strikeout of his career. He then left the game to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd at T-Mobile Park.
The Dodgers scored early and often against Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (4-6). Hyeseong Kim hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Freddie Freeman added a two-run shot in the third.
After Miller departed , Los Angeles two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his franchise-record 55th home run of the season. Andy Pages added an RBI single in the eighth inning to complete the Dodgers’ scoring.
Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh went 1 for 3 in his regular-season finale, finishing with 125 RBIs and a major league-leading 60 homers.
The NL West champion Dodgers (93-69) won five fewer games than last year, while the AL West-winning Mariners (90-72) won five more games.
Seattle drew 2,537,817 fans this season, just shy of its 2024 total of 2,555,813.
Key moment
With two away in a scoreless contest, Kim turned on an elevated fastball from Miller and sent it into the right-field seats for the third home run of the rookie’s major league career.
Key stat
Ohtani’s 55th home run topped the single-season record he set in 2024 for the Dodgers, his first season with the franchise. He also topped 100 RBIs for the third time in his MLB career.
Up next
The Dodgers will face the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card series on Tuesday.
The Mariners will take on the winner of the first-round series between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians in the AL Division Series starting Saturday.
Mets' season of promise, high hopes ends before October after second-half collapse
The longer it went on, the more it felt like a telling statistic: The Mets went 0-70 in games in which they trailed after eight innings – the only team in the majors that didn’t pull off such a comeback win this season.
Especially considering the 'OMG' Mets of 2024 were largely defined by their late-inning comebacks, it’s hard not to see relevance in the 2025 Mets’ failure to have one of those steal-a-win type games that create chemistry and good vibes on a ballclub.
They had one last chance to do it, down 4-0 on Sunday in Miami against the Marlins. And by the time the Mets came to bat in the ninth inning, they knew the Cincinnati Reds had lost in Milwaukee, putting their postseason fate back in their hands one last time.
A winning rally at that point would have been the mother of all comebacks, sending the Mets to Los Angeles for a wild-card series with the Dodgers. Instead, despite getting their seventh walk of the game to start the ninth, they went quietly, with Francisco Lindorgrounding into a season-ending 4-6-3 double play.
It’s not a surprise they’re out, as poorly as they’ve played for months, and yet it’s still kind of hard to believe, considering the payroll and the level of talent.
To be sure, there are bigger reasons than intangibles as to why the Mets played 17 games under .500 starting June 13, a date so infamous by now that it practically rivals June 15, 1977, the day they traded Tom Seaver.
The biggest reason of all was front-and-center on this do-or-die day: Carlos Mendoza didn’t have a starting pitcher he felt he could trust. On a day when he used eight pitchers, David Peterson didn’t even see the mound, a reflection of his 9.28 ERA in September.
And Sean Manaea was used as more of an opener than a starter, getting pulled in the second inning after a couple of walks. That too was a reflection of how poorly he’s pitched for, really, his entire season, which was delayed until July by an oblique injury, and perhaps also the loose bodies in his elbow.
Finally, Kodai Sengacouldn’t even pitch his way back onto the roster after his ineffective starts that led to a minor-league demotion. In that sense, perhaps the turning point of the season was that day before June 13, when Pete Alonso’s high throw almost certainly caused Senga to pull his hamstring, at a time when he had a 1.47 ERA.
Senga, Manaea, and Peterson, after all, were supposed to be the No. 1-2-3 starters in the rotation this season, and their combined ineffectiveness largely doomed the Mets, especially with so much at stake late in the season.
But even that doesn’t explain why this team didn’t hit with runners in scoring position, save for the month of August, or why they played such dreadful baseball at times, especially in September, making both mental and physical mistakes that cost them games.
Throw in the lack of depth in the bullpen, which David Stearns, thought he addressed at the trade deadline, and those were the on-the-field issues that added up to all that losing baseball for more than three months.
And yet for all that, it’s still hard to ignore the intangibles that are more difficult to define but perhaps too often taken for granted.
Were J.D. Martinez and Jose Iglesias together the secret sauce to the 2024 season, Martinez providing veteran wisdom even when he stopped hitting down the stretch, and Iglesias driving the intensity higher on a daily basis with the way he grinded at the plate and hustled his way to more infield hits than you could count?
Martinez was done after last season, and certainly from a big-picture standpoint, it made sense to make room for young, home-grown players like Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio, in addition to Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, rather than bring back Iglesias.
But I thought it was a mistake at the time, not valuing what Iglesias did for the ballclub. And though he didn’t have nearly the season in San Diego that he did with the Mets, it’s still hard not to wonder if his presence would have added some of the intensity that seemed to be missing at times this season.
Put it this way, with Iglesias around, I have to believe they would have won at least one of those games in which they were trailing after eight innings. And if so, they’d likely be in the postseason.
That’s perhaps too simplistic, but it helps make a larger point.
That is, it seems relevant to note that Stearns, in some ways made a similar decision as Milwaukee Brewers’ GM, failing to anticipate the impact on his team’s clubhouse when he traded closer Josh Hader at the 2022 trade deadline, after which the Brewers fell out of contention.
A couple of years later, Stearns said he regretted that trade, implying reasons tangible and intangible, yet moving on from Iglesias felt a little bit like the Hader decision.
All in all, I don’t put as much blame on Stearns as I see fans doing on social media. Those pitching injuries/underperformance cut the legs out from these Mets, but that also leads to my biggest issue with the Prez of BB Ops: his refusal to bring up Nolan McLean at least a month earlier than he did, when he was instead using career minor leaguers to fill in for an injury-riddled starting rotation in July.
Even a handful of more starts from McLean might have assured the Mets of holding onto a wild-card spot.
That’s not necessarily about intangibles, but it is about having a feel for what the ballclub needs, and for not recognizing the obvious poise and competitiveness in McLean, in addition to his elite stuff, that made him major league-ready.
Stearns values analytics; we know that, but does he appreciate everything else that goes into building a winner?
It sure looked that way in 2024 when the Mets surprised everyone by going to the NLCS, but it’s a fair question now. Not only because this season goes down as an all-time failure, but because significant changes need to be made with this roster.
Only it’s not obvious how to make them. Alonso proved his worth and unless the Mets are signing Kyle Schwarber, which feels unlikely, Stearns needs to lock him up. However, between Alonso, Juan Soto, Lindor, and to some extent, Brandon Nimmo, whose contract would be difficult to trade, the Mets don’t have a lot of room for maneuvering.
The Mets now have a foundation of young pitching, as we’ve seen, and in top prospect Carson Benge they may have a difference-maker with the bat who can play center field, perhaps as early as sometime next season.
But Stearns can’t count on that. Nor can he fall back on his formula of signing undervalued pitchers, which worked in ’24 but not for the long run in ’25. He’s going to have to bring in at least one high-priced pitcher from a group that includes Michael King, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, and Framber Valdez.
And he’s going to have to improve the offense by trade or free agency as well. Of course, no amount of money can necessarily assure a team of having OMG magic, if you will, but finding a glue guy or two ought to assure that your team won’t go 0-70 when trailing after eight innings.
Which is what now seems fitting as an epitaph for the ’25 Mets.
Reds earn first playoff berth since 2020 as they capitalize on Mets collapsing
MILWAUKEE — This was the kind of moment that helped lure Terry Francona back into managing.
The Cincinnati Reds earned their first playoff berth since 2020 on Sunday, setting off a wild, champagne-soaked celebration. It’s the first time in franchise history the Reds have clinched a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“When you watch those guys, it’s just unbridled joy,” said Francona, who spent last year away from baseball for health reasons before taking over the Reds. “It doesn’t matter the language you speak, what country you’re from. They’re hugging each other, and it’s real. And it’s worth all the heartache and everything we did, just for those couple of minutes.”
The Reds blew an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on their own when they squandered a 2-0 lead in a 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. But they still got the National League’s third and final wild card because the Mets were beaten 4-0 by the Miami Marlins.
After Cincinnati’s game ended, the Reds went into the locker room and watched the final inning of the Mets-Marlins game.
“We witnessed the last out,” reliever Tony Santillan said, “and the clubhouse exploded.”
Cincinnati and New York both finished 83-79, but the Reds owned the head-to-head tiebreaker after going 4-2 against the Mets this season.
The Reds head to Los Angeles to begin a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the defending World Series champion Dodgers on Tuesday night. Cincinnati went 1-5 against the Dodgers during the regular season.
According to Sportradar, the only other teams in the 162-game era to reach the playoffs with fewer than 84 wins were the 1973 Mets (82-79), 2005 San Diego Padres (82-80) and 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (83-78). The 1973 Mets and 2006 Cardinals both reached the World Series, with the Cardinals winning it all.
“As long as you get in, it’s a crapshoot,” said Reds utilityman Gavin Lux, who won World Series titles with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024. “Whoever gets hot. Anyone can beat anyone.”
Cincinnati’s playoff berth adds one more line to Francona’s Hall of Fame-worthy resume.
In his first season as Boston’s manager, Francona led the 2004 Red Sox to their first World Series title since 1918. He managed Boston to another World Series championship in 2007 and got Cleveland to Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
Now he’s in the postseason again. His pep talk in mid-September when the Reds were below .500 sparked a surge.
“After we got swept in Sacramento, Tito came in and basically said, ‘I know I believe in us. I still believe in all of you. I believe in this group,’” Lux said. ”We kind of went on a little run there at the end.”
Cincinnati’s playoff berth means the Mets will stay home for the postseason, a humbling finish for a team whose $322.6 million payroll at the start of the season was the highest in the majors. Although the Mets owned a big league-best 45-24 record through June 12, they went 38-55 after that.
“It’s a failure,” Mets outfielder Juan Soto said. “Anytime you don’t make it to the playoffs or win a championship, it’s a failure. That’s how we’re going to look at it, and that’s how we’re going to go through things in the offseason.”
The offseason can wait for the Reds.
Cincinnati’s last postseason appearance came during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, so the last time the Reds earned a playoff berth in a 162-game season was 2013. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2012 and last won a postseason series in 1995.
“They thought it would be a miracle for us to get here, but we believed fom the beginning, man,” pitcher Nick Martinez said. “We believed when we were down and out. We believed in spring training. We believed in what we could do and who we are, and we showed that.”
The Reds benefited from the additions they made at the July 31 trade deadline. They boosted their lineup and infield defense by acquiring Miguel Andujar and Ke’Bryan Hayes. They also picked up starting pitcher Zack Littell, a move that enabled them to strengthen their bullpen by shifting Martinez to a relief role.
But the Reds still struggled to separate themselves from other wild-card contenders.
“We went through a tough time throughout the season,” pitcher Andrew Abbott said. “We all know that. But we stuck together as a team. We stuck together as a family.”
The Reds got to the playoffs by winning eight of their last 11 games while the Mets faded.
Cincinnati’s late charge included a four-game sweep of the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs. The Reds followed that up by losing two straight at home to Pittsburgh, but they won the final game of that series 2-1, with Noelvi Marte robbing Bryan Reynolds of a potential tying homer in the ninth inning.
The Reds were a game behind the Mets as they headed to Milwaukee to close the regular season, and the Brewers had won their last 13 series against Cincinnati. But the Reds took two of three, while the Mets lost two of three in Miami.
Now the Reds are heading to the playoffs and eager to keep beating the odds.
“We stayed together,” shortstop Elly De La Cruz said. “We played together. We care about each other. That’s the key for us. They can’t kill us.”
Frank Nazar Scores Hat-Trick, Blackhawks Beat Wild 4-1 In Preseason Game 3
The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild in preseason game three, 4-1, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
Frank Nazar scored the first two goals of the game to give the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead. In the end, he deposited one in the empty net as well, giving him the preseason hat trick.
The one non-Frank Nazar goal scored by the Blackhawks came off the stick of Ryan Donato. He took advantage of a beautiful cross-ice feed by Connor Bedard, who looks as special as ever so far this exhibition season.
Frank Nazar picked a good game to have a hat trick, despite it being the preseason. Wild GM Bill Guerin is also the General Manager of Team USA, who is in the process of selecting the Olympic team. There will be plenty of chances for Guerin to watch Nazar, but this was a great opportunity for the player in that regard.
Alex Vlasic left the game with an injury and did not return. It is unclear what happened, but Jeff Blashill and the coaching staff are sure to have an answer soon enough. That would be a tough loss for Chicago if he misses any time, but it could also just be precautionary.
Drew Commesso played the whole game for the Blackhawks in net, and he was magnificent. He made 28 saves on 29 shots. The Wild had plenty of veterans and players desperate to make the roster in their lineup, so it can be chalked up as an impressive performance for Commesso as he faced strong competition.
With Spencer Knight locked in as the starter, there are two great options for backup goaltending in Drew Commesso and Arvid Soderblom. They prove it night in and night out.
The road portion of the preseason is over for Chicago. Now, they have three left, and they are all at the United Center. That starts on Tuesday with preseason number game four against the Detroit Red Wings.
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