Here are the lineups for game 2 of the NLWC series in Atlanta. Let’s discuss!
For the Phillies:
For the Braves:
Game Thread: NLWC Game 2
Last night was a disaster for the Red Sox, but at least an NBC broadcast snafu made it funny
According to Wikipedia, comic relief is defined as, “the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious or dramatic work, often to relieve tension.” We were treated to some unexpected comic relief during the first game of the American League Wild Card Series, thanks to NBC’s production team.
Last night was a complete disaster for the Boston Red Sox, no doubt. It’s hard to find anything funny about a game where you:
-Lost 9-0 at your biggest rival’s yard,
-Saw your manager make some questionable decisions,
-Saw your starter fail to go five innings (though he left with the game in tact),
-Collected just three hits compared to approximately 38,000 whiffs,
-Hit the ball into the outfield on, like, five occasions,
-Saw one of your franchise players leave early due to (what I can only assume is at the time of writing) an injury, and
-Your bullpen got knocked around all over the place.
Not much joy to be found there whatsoever. However, I gotta call a spade a spade: The music situation that NBC/Peacock had on their hands during the top of the fifth inning—before everything really turned to shit—was hysterical in my book.
In case you missed it: NBC’s broadcast showed a replay of Caleb Durbin’s double play (one of the few bright spots for Boston on Tuesday) coming out of the break and into the start of the fifth. Typical network stock music was playing underneath it, nothing out of the ordinary. The highlight stopped, but the music kept going…and going…and going…and going…
Commentary be damned, action on the field be damned, the band played on. I wish I had a full replay of the broadcast to time exactly how long it was playing for, but it had to be for at least two minutes. Two minutes isn’t a lot of time in the wild ride we call life, sure, but when generic TV bed music is playing nonstop during a tense playoff game when you aren’t expecting it, two minutes feels like an eternity.
I know someone—or some people—were probably scrambling behind the scenes to get that music turned down so that we could hear the expert musings of Joe Girardi clearly, but funny’s funny. That, in my book, was a hysterical moment. What a way to cut the tension of a stressful postseason night: some unintentional comedy. It played out like a “Family Guy” cutaway sketch, where the fact that it went on for so long only made it that much more hilarious.
I’m not ashamed to admit that it got to the point where I had tears in my eyes laughing. I don’t know if the moment was just so ridiculous, I don’t know if my sense of humor is just so stupid at this point, I don’t know if it was because of how the snafu happened right in the middle of a high-intensity game where the chips were on the table for the Sox, and I don’t know if it’s a combination of all of those things. Honestly, I don’t care. That was a nice, brief moment of levity before I promptly went back to having a heart attack.
Sometimes, you just gotta laugh, right? Just for your own sake? I’m sure you woke up in a bad mood after last night’s loss; I’m none too pleased either, and things are looking dire for the 2026 season. Our backs are officially against the wall, and that’s an awful feeling to have. But a wise son of a son of a sailor said it best: “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”
To even bring it back into the game itself, Ben Rice’s late grand slam was even kind of funny! At that point, that might as well have happened, right? Hit a granny to make it 9-0, who cares? We were cooked anyways, might as well make it a laugher! I have to laugh or else I’d lose my marbles!
So thank you, NBC production team, for you inadvertent DJ set in the middle of Game One. It was a great piece of comic relief during an otherwise tense evening. I hope no one lost their job over it—and if any NBC heads are reading this for some reason, please don’t can anyone over that. I appreciate that I was given at least one thing to be happy about during that disastrous display at Yankee Stadium.
Now it’s time to wipe that smile off my face and continue to mope about how much of a clusterfuck that game was.
MLB Wild Card, Game 2: Schedule, broadcast info, and open thread, 9/30/26
Phillies at Braves
First pitch: 2:00 PM EDT
TV: NBC/Peacock
Probable pitchers: Cristopher Sánchez, LHP (PHI), Tyler Mahle, RHP (ATL)
White Sox at Astros
First pitch: 5:00 PM EDT
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Probable pitchers: Sean Burke, RHP (CWS), Hunter Brown, RHP (HOU)
Red Sox at Yankees
First pitch: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: NBC/Peacock
Probable pitchers: Sonny Gray, RHP (BOS), Max Fried, LHP (NYY)
Cubs at Padres
First pitch: 10:00 PM EDT
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Probable pitchers: Kevin Gausman, RHP (CHC), Nick Pivetta, RHP (SDP)
Knicks sign Tony Bradley and Jaden Akins in training camp roster shakeup
The Knicks are not quite done sorting out their training camp roster.
On Wednesday morning, as we creep ever closer to next Monday’s preseason opener, the Knicks made a series of roster moves at the back of their training camp roster:
- Waived John Konchar and N’Faly Dante
- Signed Tony Bradley to an Exhibit 9 contract
- Signed Jaden Akins to a two-way contract
- Signed and waived Toby Okani in G League shenanigans
There’s a few layers to unpack here, so let’s start with the two new Knicks.
You may remember Bradley from his reserve-center minutes for the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks in the last two postseasons. Picked No. 28 overall by the Lakers in the 2017 draft out of UNC, Bradley will look to make the roster of his seventh team. He started his career as a seldom-used backup big for the Jazz, playing just 12 games total in his first two seasons. He upgraded to being a solid bench player in 2019-20, but then became a complete journeyman.
He was traded twice in one week before the 2020-21 season, from Utah to Detroit to Philadelphia, before being shipped out again in March 2021 to the Thunder in a three-team deal that involved the Knicks (the Austin Rivers trade, if you recall). He balled out in 20 games down the stretch, averaging 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds, the best stretch of his career. After playing 55 games for the Bulls in 2021-22, he hasn’t played more than 41 in a season since.
He joined the Pacers in 2024 and was their third center on their run to the NBA Finals, playing 38 minutes total in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, being a plus-15 in fairly minor action.
Bradley found his way to Atlanta midway through the 2025-26 season and played four games in that first-round series too, most notably being minus-17 in the Game 5 blowout.
He has a few interesting links to the Knicks aside from the playoffs. He was traded by the Lakers on draft night to Utah for… Josh Hart and Thomas Bryant. When he was sent to Philly in November 2020, it was in a 1-for-1 deal with lottery bust Zhaire Smith, whom the Sixers infamously chose over Mikal Bridges. In that three-team swap in 2021, he was traded with the second-round pick that became Tyler Nickel… to OKC.
As for Akins, he’s getting his first NBA opportunity. The former All-Big Ten guard went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2025 and spent the 2025-26 season with the Motor City Cruise, the G League affiliate of the Pistons, where he averaged 14.7 points and 4.4 assists on 41.2% from the field and 35.8% from three.
The 23-year-old was with the Knicks in Summer League this year, averaging 11.3 points a night. He was already ticketed for Westchester after signing an Exhibit 10 earlier this month before being subsequently waived, but the Knicks elected to fill their final two-way spot with a guy who’s already in-house.
The other two moves could turn out to be just procedural, or could be the sign of the organization going in a different direction.
Konchar, the former Grizzlies wing, did not report to training camp with the rest of the roster due to personal reasons. Ian Begley said the motivation for waiving him was to give him more time to deal with his situation, leaving the door open for a potential return down the road. The fact that he said that makes me believe the org thinks highly of him and had him towards the top for consideration for a roster spot.
Dante, the former Oregon Duck and brief Hawk and Rocket, was also waived. He is recovering from a torn ACL, and it isn’t surprising if the team deems him more G League fodder, but I found it interesting that he was posted as part of Media Day coverage on Monday. Not sure they’d do that with a guy they had no plans for, so maybe they’ll stash him in Westchester and consider him for a two-way when he’s healthy.
Here’s the updated training camp roster:
Standard contracts (13):
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Deuce McBride, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Andre Drummond, Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, Mo Diawara
Exhibit 9/10 deals (5):
Drew Eubanks, Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji, James Wiseman, Tony Bradley
Two-ways (3):
Tyler Nickel, Kevin McCullar Jr., Jaden Akins
Quentin Grimes is focused on getting back to his defensive roots
Years ago, when Quentin Grimes was a member of the New York Knicks, he broke into their rotation — and subsequently, their starting lineup — by being a physical on-ball defender who glued himself to offensive stars and effectively fought over screens. He could knock down catch-and-shoot 3s and became a much better finisher but getting his foot in the door was built on defensive acumen.
The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping he’ll rediscover that defensive mojo this year. As Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves lead the way offensively, the Lakers likely won’t need Grimes to often tap into the ball-handling and shot creation growth he displayed during his 1.5 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. They’ll want him to keep converting efficiently around the basket and shoot much closer to his career 36.6 percent clip from deep than he did last year (33.4 percent) but they need more juice at the point of attack, particularly with Marcus Smart leaving in free agency.
“We’ve already had conversations with JJ and [assistant coach] Greg [St. Jean] trying to get me back to my first couple years in New York when Thibs kind of gave me a lot of responsibility being a point of attack defender,” Grimes told reporters at Monday’s media day. “Bringing that intensity, bringing that nastiness. Like you said, OKC and San Antonio, they play really hard defensively. You can get away with a lot more. So, we’re really trying to set that tone – me, Collin, Matisse, Ziaire just to try to set that tone of being one of the toughest and hardest playing teams on that end as well.”
Compared to his time as a Knick, Grimes didn’t operate with the same level of defensive intensity in Philadelphia. He was overextended a bit offensively (less so in 2025-26), so the goal will be for Dončić and Reaves’ presence to simplify his responsibilities on that end and unlock him defensively. If Grimes does defend like he did in New York and continues being a reliable play-finisher, he’ll be a perfect complement to Los Angeles’ backcourt stars.
You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.
NBA star Dillon Brooks charged with DUI months after arrest
NBA star Dillon Brooks has been charged with DUI stemming from the run-in he had with cops in Arizona in March.
Scottsdale prosecutors formally hit the Phoenix Suns forward with one count of DUI liquor/drugs/vapors/combo, a Class 1 misdemeanor, on Monday, according to court records.
He’s now due for arraignment in the case on Oct. 28, just one week after the Suns officially open their 2026-27 regular season, the records show.
“Dillon Brooks acknowledges that he has been charged in connection with this matter,” Brooks’ attorney, Larry Kazan, said in a statement to the California Post on Wednesday. “He respects the legal process and intends to allow the matter to proceed through the courts.
“Because the case is pending, neither Mr. Brooks nor his legal counsel Larry Kazan will have any further comment at this time.”
Messages seeking comment from the Scottsdale City Attorney’s Office on Wednesday were not immediately returned.
Brooks was initially accused of the crime on March 6.
Scottsdale police said they pulled over Brooks for a traffic violation at around 1:33 a.m., and claimed he exhibited signs of impairment during the stop.
Bodycam footage from the scene showed Brooks appeared to blow a 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, though an officer could be heard in the video accusing him of having a vehicle that smelled “like a dispensary.”
Brooks, who was nursing a broken hand at the time, told the cop, “I haven’t smoked in, like, six months.”
Brooks also had a notable interaction with police in January after he was accused of going 85 MPH in a 45 MPH zone.
Brooks, who was drafted into the NBA in 2017, joined the Suns in 2025 and averaged 20.2 points per game in his first season with the team.
He inked a three-year, $73 million extension to remain with Phoenix for the foreseeable future earlier this summer.
TMZ was first to report the DUI charge on Wednesday.
'It's Not Hard': Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly Doesn't See Issue With Offensive Tendencies With D-Partner Darren Raddysh
There were a whole lot of new faces on display for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens. Ten players made their Maple Leafs debut, including defenseman Darren Raddysh, who was paired alongside Morgan Rielly.
It wasn't the greatest outing by Raddysh in his first game for his hometown team, and he was the first to admit that post-game on Tuesday.
In preparation for the Leafs' next game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, the second night of a back-to-back, Rielly talked about what it felt like in the pairing's first real test and how Raddysh is handling his new surroundings.
"It's been great," Rielly said of his partnership with Raddysh. "I mean, we spend lots of time together talking about, you know, how we want to play. And I think he's done a great job, you know, since he's gotten here, just trying to get comfortable.
"I think he looks great out there. So as we go along here, we're going to look to improve and get better. We have lots of conversations about that. So I think he's done a great job," he added.
Darren Raddysh’s Maple Leafs Debut: Shaky First Game Tests Toronto’s $68 Million BetFollowing a tough minus-2 debut on the top pairing, Darren Raddysh owned up to a shaky first night in blue and white.Rielly missed some time in training camp and the first pre-season game due to a viral condition. When he returned to full action, he was paired with Raddysh almost immediately, and given the offensive tendencies of both blueliners, some eyebrows were raised at the decision.
Rielly is happy that the two of them are at least getting the opportunity to play alongside each other, he said back in training camp.
'I'm Giving Him A Clean Slate': Maple Leafs' Hiller On Why Rielly And Raddysh Are Paired TogetherMorgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh were paired together at Monday's practice for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head coach Jim Hiller explains his reasoning behind that decision.But with how Rielly and Raddysh operate, would there be a challenge in balancing the proneness to jump up in the play?
"It's not hard," Rielly said confidently. I think it's just based on opportunity, just based on where the puck is. I think we're both able to kind of recognize the right spots to go. I don't think we both want to go at the same time, but it's not hard. It's just based off game flow."
Raddysh was on the ice for all three goals from Montreal on Tuesday and had a game-high of five giveaways. But there is an opportunity for him and that pairing to brush off the opening-night jitters and rust with the Islanders in town.
Maple Leafs Lineup Changes: Bo Groulx Enters Lineup Against Islanders But Scratch Remains A MysteryToronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller revealed that there will be two lineup changes against the New York Islanders, following their 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.Leafs head coach Jim Hiller is also not too worried about the first game from Raddysh and that pairing. After all, there's a lot that comes with being a hometown player, coming off a big contract in the off-season, and the whole excitement and anxiety of the first game of the season.
"We're all human, so you have a little extra pressure," Hiller said Wednesday morning. "No matter what, you can stay relaxed and go out there and play. But I think he'll have to work his way through that. I think getting the first one out of the way probably will help him."
Unfamiliar Teammates, Darren Raddysh Turnovers, And Other Takeaways From Maple Leafs' Season Opener Against CanadiensDropping the season opener to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, here are the biggest takeaways from the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 defeat to kick off 2026-27.As for the chemistry with Rielly, that'll come along the longer they get the chance to play alongside one another.
"Well, it'll take time," Hiller admitted. "There's no question, and and we've talked about this. Lots of new guys. We're trying to get this thing together as quick as we can, but we all know it's going to take a little bit of time. We just want to shrink that time. So I just I just can't put a date on that. But everybody will get better together."
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Five teams with the best chance to dethrone the New York Knicks
For the first time since Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon" was still in theaters, the New York Knicks enter the NBA season as the defending champions — and the favorites to come out of the East and defend their crown.
As Adam Silver is all too happy to tell you, the NBA has had eight different champions in the past eight years. If Silver's quest for parity persists, which teams are poised to take the crown? Here are the five teams with the best chances to dethrone the Knicks.
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio made it to the NBA Finals ahead of schedule last season, and it showed in the Finals — blowing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 4 is the prime example.
"I couldn't imagine a better motivation," Victor Wembanyama said this week of losing in the Finals.
This is still a young team: Wembanyama (22), Stephon Castle (21), and Dylan Harper (20) are still early in their careers and on a steep learning curve, they should improve this season. The "old guys" are not that old, for example Keldon Johnson is 26, and De'Anthony Fox is 28. As a team, this group is still growing together.
The addition of Tobias Harris is underrated. He's got an oversized group of online critics, largely because he was forced into situations in the past where he was asked to take on more responsibility — particularly in the postseason — than fits his skill set. However, with the Spurs he becomes a great third or fourth option, another guy who defenses have to respect and who can knock down 3s and create his own shot if the offense is stuck late in the clock.
If we get a rematch of the Knicks and Spurs in the Finals, New York is going to learn quickly this is a very different San Antonio team than the young pups they dispatched last June.
Oklahoma City Thunder
If Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell had been healthy last May for Oklahoma City's seven-game series against San Antonio — or even if one of them had been — we likely would have had a very different Finals matchup last June. Heading into this season, both are back and healthy.
On paper, Oklahoma City is still the best team in the NBA — they won 64 games and made the Western Conference Finals last year without J-Dub, who was coming off an All-NBA season. They are led by two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the peak of his powers, they have the second-best defensive center in the game protecting the rim in Chet Holmgren — who averaged 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds a game as well — and now they get back Williams after a hamstring sidelined him for much of last season.
"I know what I am," Williams said at media day. "So, I'm not too concerned about trying to prove to somebody — we've all seen it. I'm just excited to prove that I can play healthy and do that whole thing and move on. I'm just excited to get going, bro."
OKC lost some veteran depth for financial reasons (Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins) but this is still a deep roster with Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, and other guys who will get their chance to step up. If the Thunder are back in the Finals and poised to knock the Knicks off the top of the mountain, it will not be a surprise.
Philadelphia 76ers
Mike Gansey had a better offseason than any executive in the league: He added Jaylen Brown — coming off an All-NBA season and at the peak of his game — and LeBron James to a lineup with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, forming arguably the best starting five in the NBA. They have some solid depth behind them led by Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons…
If it all comes together. And everyone can stay healthy.
"In order for us to be great, we have to do things that are just not comfortable. We have to be comfortable being uncomfortable," four-time NBA champion LeBron said, laying out the path forward for this team. "That is the best way to expedite being great. You have to fall in love with doing things that's uncomfortable, and if we can do that, then we can be a great team. If we don't do that, then we be like, oh man, it was a great team on paper, and we had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round. Like, I don't want to do that.
"I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round. I know that for sure. So, work needs to be done, and I'm ready to put the work in."
There are legitimate questions about how good Philadelphia's defense will be and whether they have enough shooting, but on paper, this team has a chance to dethrone New York. What the Knicks did to win a title was become a whole greater than the sum of their parts — can the 76ers do that?
Cleveland Cavaliers
I understand the eye rolls this selection elicits: Picking a team that will need more from the historically up-and-down playoff performances of James Harden — with some major, painful downs — to knock off the Knicks and make the NBA Finals is a risk. And it's why I named Harden one of the players under the most pressure this season.
However, Cleveland is stacked. Donovan Mitchell is in his prime, coming off a season in which he was seventh in MVP voting, averaging 27.9 points and 5.7 assists a game. They have a dominant front line with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. This summer, the Cavaliers' front office plugged the team's biggest hole, poaching two-way wing Peyton Watson from Denver to play the three. While there are questions about depth and level of defense, this is a 52-win, top-four seed that reached the Eastern Conference Finals and then got better this summer.
But can they win it all with James Harden?
Houston Rockets
Out of a group of four teams in the West that maybe could rise up to threaten the Thunder and Spurs — including the Lakers, Timberwolves and Nuggets — I think the Rockets will be the breakthrough team. If anyone has a chance to knock off the Oklahoma City or San Antonio, it's Houston.
"We're not here to just make the first round, we want to make some real noise," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said at media day, referencing the team's first-round exit last year at the hands of the Lakers (without Luka Doncic). "Everybody's hungrier for that and to take the next step and not plateau."
The huge key is the Rockets get point guard Fred VanVleet back. Anyone who watched the Rockets in the clutch last season — when they had a -8.8 net rating — or in their playoff series against the Lakers, knows how stagnant and predictable their half-court offense would get. That despite Kevin Durant's legendary scoring, Alperen Sengun's all-around game (20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game last season), and Amen Thompson's athleticism. They lacked a floor general. Getting VanVleet back means not just another clutch scoring threat, but also someone who gets the ball in better positions for Durant and company to thrive. Expect the Rockets to be a good clutch team this season.
Houston was a 52-win team with a top-10 offense and defense last season that just got their glue guy, their connector back, and will be much better for it. If anyone is going to rise out of the West and threaten the two juggernauts, it is the Rockets.
Pittsburgh Penguins At Philadelphia Flyers Preview: Lineups, Where To Watch
We have officially made it! The Pittsburgh Penguins will open the 2026-27 season against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.
This matchup comes five months after the Flyers ended the Penguins' season in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Defenseman Cam York scored the series-winning goal in overtime.
Since then, the Penguins have made several changes, including adding players like Declan Carlile, Kaedan Korczak, Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre, and several others. They also lost some players, but that's what you'd expect from a team that lost in the first round.
The Flyers are returning almost their entire team for the 2026-27 season and will look to take another step after advancing to the second round of the playoffs. They'll get a full season from forward Porter Martone after he played well down the stretch last season and into the playoffs.
Goaltender Dan Vladar had a great year, which led him to sign a new five-year extension this summer. The Flyers hope he can replicate his 2025-26 season over the course of the contract.
The Penguins enter this game banged up and will be without Ben Kindel, Justin Brazeau, and Bryan Rust. Andrei Kuzmenko is also out, but that's because he's still in Russia for his father's funeral.
Blake Lizotte is listed on injured reserve, but will likely play tonight after Penguins head coach Dan Muse told reporters after the morning skate that Lizotte "looks good." Lizotte fully participated in practice on Monday and Tuesday.
Here are a look at the Penguins' expected lines and pairs:
Forwards
Robertson-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Hallander-Lapierre-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Soderblom
Defensive pairs
Carlile-Karlsson
van Riemsdyk-Letang
Girard-Korczak
Arturs Silovs will start in goal for the Penguins and Sergei Murashov will be the backup.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and truTV. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
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Walt Weiss “leans on personal history” for lineup choices in Game 2 of Wild Card Series
Hot off the heels of winning Game 1 in dramatic fashion, the Atlanta Braves will have another big challenge on their hands if they’re planning on finishing off this series in two games against the Philadelphia Phillies. Cristopher Sánchez is getting the ball for Philadelphia to start Game 2 and as such, the Braves have switched up their lineup a bit in response to the starting pitcher.
Game 1 hero Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies have both moved up in the lineup and while both of them did perform in Game 1, they’ve moved p because of their performance against Sánchez in the past as well. “I leaned a little bit on the personal history today, which you don’t typically do unless there’s a big enough sample,” stated Weiss when he was asked about the his lineup choices today.
“I’ve hit Ozzie third against lefties a lot this year, over 180 ABs, I think, in that spot against lefties. So nothing major there,” continued Weiss. “But with Michael [Harris II], Michael has had tough history. I think the two times we faced Sanchez this year, I gave Michael the day off. We had Lane Thomas at the time too, so a little different. And Michael is swinging the bat good, and I feel good about him being in there. But just move him down a few spots.”
It’s a bit of an astute move for Weiss to recognize that even if Harris has been performing lately, he’s got to take the recent history into consideration. Harris has only gone 2-for-15 with 10 strikeouts against Sánchez over the course of his career. Again, you don’t want to take Harris’s bat out of the lineup considering how well that he’s been going and how much of an impact player he is but it also makes sense that they don’t want to give Sánchez as many chances as possible to get one over on Harris again.
Despite the move down the lineup, Harris himself is still feeling pretty confident heading into this one. He also spoke with the media before Game 2 and when he was asked about what’s gone into the consistency that’s been a hallmark of his 2026 season, he went all the way back to the halfway point of 2025 to find a turning point.
“Yeah, it all just went back to All-Star break of last year,” stated Harris. “Once I made the change with my hands or whatever, just kind of maintaining that and making sure I keep the mechanics polished over the offseason. And then coming into Spring Training, seeing pitchers, making sure everything is still good, and then trusting it over 162. I think that’s pretty much all I did.”
It’s been working out for Harris so far here in the 2026 season and in the Postseason as well, as he picked up three hits and scored two runs in Game 1. He (along with the rest of the lineup) will have a tall task on his hands dealing with Cristopher Sánchez, who has proven to be a pretty solid Postseason performer, himself. We’ll see if Weiss’s lineup tweaks and Harris’s renewed focus will be able to play a role in today’s contest as the Braves look to close this one out.
Astros players frustrated with fans booing in wild card loss to White Sox
Houston fans made their frustration clear to the Astros after a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card, as boos echoed throughout Daikin Park.
Despite returning to the playoffs after missing out last season, the Astros drew a sparse crowd, just 34,011 attendees in a park that seats 40,963, on Tuesday afternoon. Fans were not pleased, booing the home team’s performance as Houston fell behind 3-0 after just two innings.
"It's extremely frustrating as a home player," first baseman Christian Walker told The Athletic. "We're here, playing at home; we need cheers. We need energy. We don't need boos. What purpose does that serve in that moment?”
He added that, regardless of how fans may feel, the players have battled and given their all throughout the season to earn this opportunity, and being booed in this moment is especially disheartening.
Walker wasn’t the only player to voice his displeasure with the crowd. Astros reliever Bennett Sousa told reporters he was “pretty pissed off” when fans began booing in the seventh inning, emphasizing how tough it was to hear negativity from their home supporters during such a crucial game.
"The fans here are definitely spoiled with a lot of ALCS and World Series runs, and we have to earn that right to bring this team back to that position,” Sousa said. “That being said, when this team was in their first (playoff) series 10 years ago, Minute Maid Park was probably packed. It makes a big difference. If we were in Chicago, it'd probably be loud as s---."
With the victory, the White Sox now hold a 1-0 lead over the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card series, putting added pressure on Houston to respond in Game 2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Astros players frustrated with fans booing in wild card loss to White Sox
Preview: Avalanche & Kings meet for much-anticipated season opener
It’s been 127 days since the Colorado Avalanche last played meaningful hockey, but their long-awaited return is finally here as they welcome the Los Angeles Kings to Ball Arena in Downtown Denver for regular-season game one, fresh off a Jared Bednar contract extension!
Colorado Avalanche: 0-0-0
The Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (0-0-0)
Time: 8:00 p.m. MT
Watch: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
It’s an exciting time of year for every fanbase, and with another year of Stanley Cup aspirations, Colorado Avalanche fans enter the season with anticipation and expectation, hoping they can get closer to a fourth cup than they did last season.
With Logan O’Connor and Zachary L’Heureux listed on IR, we will see the Avalanche in their 11-7 form on opening night. Noah Juulsen will slot in as the 7th d-man.
Cale Makar will also be under a watchful eye this evening, as he spent part of the summer and training camp on rehab skates and played only one preseason game. Marc Moser of Altitude Sports endeeringly referred to Cale’s ailment as “a tweaky tweaky thing,” and didn’t sound worried about his status while talking with the Sirius XM NHL crew.
We will get a look at MacKenzie Blackwood as the opening-night starter this season after he missed a good portion of last year’s campaign while rehabbing from offseason surgery. All word points to Blackwood having a breakout season and solidifying himself as the bona fide starter over Scott Wedgewood, who carried the load last season.
Youngster T.J. Hughes has officially extended his excellent performance in Loveland into a great camp and NHL debut for the Avalanche. It’s rumored Hughes could get PP1 time early in the season after getting a look with the unit in practice.
Projected Lineup:
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Nazem Kadri
Jaden Schwartz — Fedor Svechkov — T.J. Hughes
Parker Kelly — Nicolas Roy
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Brett Kulak — Sam Malinski
Josh Manson — Brent Burns
Noah Juulsen
MacKenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Los Angeles Kings
It’s a bit ironic that the Avalanche and Kings meet to start the season, as the Avalanche dispatched the Kings in a four-game sweep during the first round of the 2025-26 playoffs. LA struggled to put the puck in the back of the net last year and hopes they addressed that in the offseason by adding forwards Mats Zuccarello, Erik Haula, and Scott Laughton.
It did feel like if LA had scoring touch last postseason, they could have put up a stronger fight against the Avalanche, as the “we’re right there” quotes came about after the sweep, so let’s see if their efforts to improve in that regard come to fruition.
Projected Lineup:
Artemi Panarin — Quinton Byfield — Adrian Kempe
Mats Zuccarello — Alex Turcotte — Alex Laferriere
Trevor Moore — Scott Laughton — Erik Haula
Andre Lee — Samuel Helenius — Joel Armia
Erik Gustafsson — Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin — Drew Doughty
Mikey Anderson — Cody Ceci
Darcy Kuemper
Anton Forsberg
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Wednesday Rockpile: The optimistic improvement of the 2026 Colorado Rockies
During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, it seemed like the Colorado Rockies were finding ways to make the record books in the worst ways imaginable every day. It was so frequent that I took it upon myself to try to chronicle those records and statistics, compiling them into articles to cap off the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
I entered 2026 expecting to do the same thing, preparing a document that the Purple Row crew and I could add to throughout the year. To my joyous surprise, I won’t be writing that dubious history article again. Despite the Rockies becoming the first team since the 1965 New York Mets to have four consecutive 100-loss seasons, there wasn’t a lot of notable historical failings for the club. Instead of being historically awful, they were mostly just bad in 2026, which is a milestone in its own right.
Rather than dig through the weeds to find more reasons to point the finger at how far this team has to go, let’s look at the improvement for the club that inspires some inkling of hope for the future.
The record
I know it seems asinine to celebrate the fact that a team lost only 104 games, but considering that the Rockies lost 119 a year ago, that 15-game improvement feels remarkable.
Remember how they didn’t have 10 wins until June 2 last season? Well, the 2026 club managed to secure the 10th win on April 22. The 2025 squad’s 43rd and final win didn’t come until September 21, during their final home game of the season. The 2026 team secured their 43rd win on July 31 and were up to 45 wins at the end of a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on August 2.
The separation of a few weeks between when the 2025 squad lost their 100th game (Game No. 139) and when the 2026 team lost their 100th (Game No. 157) shows a team that made some steady improvement. The fact that it was a real possibility in the middle of August that the team could avoid 100 losses made the collapse through the end of the season all the more painful.
Considering where the team started coming into the year, 104 losses is still some positive momentum, even if it’s ugly to look at.
Offensive improvement
The majority of improvements for the 2026 season are thanks to the offense. While still flawed in ways, the Rockies batters made a massive leap forward under Brett Pill and Jordan Pacheco.
In 2025, the Rockies offense was the worst in franchise history. Compared to the rest of baseball, Colorado ranked:
- 23rd in AVG (.237)
- 30th in OBP (.293)
- 24th in SLG (.386)
- 29th in runs scored (597)
- 25th in HR (160)
- 29th in K% (25.9%)
- 30th in BB% (6.7%)
- 30th in wRC+ (75)
- 30th in fWAR (-3.0)
Across the board, the Rockies were not a good offensive team last season. So, the emphasis of the new front office and coaching staff was to boost production and approach at the plate through a new philosophy and personnel.
The results ended up speaking for themselves. At the end of the 2026 season, the Rockies ranked:
- 4th in AVG (.254)
- 7th in OBP (.322)
- 5th in SLG (.417)
- 7th in runs scored (752)
- 19th in HR (180)
- 21st in K% (22.8%)
- 27th in BB% (8.1%)
- 29th in wRC+ (91)
- 30th in fWAR (8.0)
In the basic counting stats, the Rockies saw such incredible improvement. Instead of being a bottom feeder in most every single category, they managed to put the ball in play more and get on base. It helped by having an influx of talent for the season and a better overall lineup.
The team still strikes out too much and walks too little, but the fact that they were able to get back toward the league average in both of those categories is an important step forward for the club. The Rockies were at their best when they were able to draw walks and get base hits to drive in runs.
They scored nearly 150 more runs in 2026 than they did last season. The run differential still wasn’t great at -192, but considering the Rockies had a historically bad -424 differential last season, that’s a promising improvement that could get better if the Rockies can get the entire offense working cohesively and more consistently.
Road warriors
Part of the significance for the offense was that they looked like a more competent team on the road. Despite the natural regression for the offense away from Coors Field, where there was much more offensive output, the road offense was actually one of the best for the franchise since 2002.
The Rockies batted .237 on the road this season, which actually ranked 11th for the franchise since the introduction of the humidor at Coors Field, with the .704 OPS ranking sixth. In 2025, the Rockies had a .203 AVG and .589 OPS, which was by far one of, if not the worst, road offenses in team history.
The key factor was that they managed to score more runs on the road. Their 346 road runs ranked 21st in baseball this season but ranked third for the club since 2002 and most since they scored 340 road runs in 2009. If the pitching had been better, there is no doubt that the Rockies could have won more than 25 games on the road this season.
Bits and pieces of the pitching
Pitching, particularly starting pitching, was the major flaw of the Rockies in the 2026 season, a theme that carries throughout team history. The rotation was truly awful this season and took a nosedive over the final two months. However, there are some inklings of positive notes from the pitching staff this season.
The offense did a lot of heavy lifting to improve the 2026 Rockies, but the bullpen held its own for most of the season. The Rockies pitching staff had a league-worst 5.59 ERA, but the relievers had a 4.80 ERA, which ranked 27th in baseball. Compared to the 5.18 ERA for the bullpen in 2025, that’s a steady improvement with room for more growth, especially with the infusion of some young arms like Mark Manfredi and Nick Frasso.
The Rockies also proved that struggling arms could find new life in the bullpen. Chase Dollander found a groove starting the year as a bulk reliever out of the bullpen before carrying over into the rotation. Antonio Senzatela was one of the best relievers in baseball to start the season after struggling so long in his career as a starter. Ryan Feltner found a new gear coming out of the bullpen to end the season as a bulk reliever. Jordan Romano reestablished his ability to be a high-leverage reliever worthy of closer opportunities.
While he faded down the stretch, Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) brought a stabilizing, reliable veteran presence to the rotation and recorded 12 wins in the year, the most for a starter since 2021. There were plenty of lessons to be learned from top to bottom for the pitching staff.
Something that shouldn’t be overlooked is that the Rockies made incremental progress in walks allowed. An 8.7% rate in 2025 improved slightly to 8.3% in 2026, which isn’t much, but it’s enough to take the Rockies from 11th-highest to 21st-highest.
If the Rockies could improve their ability to miss bats and start getting more strikeouts across the board, it would certainly help complement the slight improvement in walks allowed.
A long way to go
Ultimately, it’s clear the Rockies have a long way to go. However, they are trending in the right direction in some areas. The offense has a clearer identity and a group of players capable of doing good things. TJ Rumfield and Cole Carrigg, along with Kyle Karros, headlined a group of young hitters that can make a big impact. You had experienced players like Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro put together extraordinary bounce-back seasons. You had the explosive power of Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak (when he’s healthy).
2026 mostly boiled down to finding an offensive baseline that works. There is plenty of work to do to take the next step offensively, but you can see the path forward.
The pitching is another story. The franchise has to find a way to build a pitching pipeline, complemented by better acquisitions. We saw hints of what a competitive rotation can do for the club back in April, but things quickly went off the rails. Adjustments and recalculations will have to be made, and new experiments need to be conducted, but you can see potential in the arms and what could be if things start clicking.
Either way, 2026 was a step in the right direction and, if nothing else, gave me hope that things can get better.
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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Johnny Allen
Sometimes it is easy to forget that professional athletes are human. They all have lives outside of their jerseys and had a journey to get to the biggest stage. Some players’ paths to the majors stand out from others. Johnny Allen has one of those stories that feels too human to be a professional athlete, much less a World Series champion.
John Thomas Allen
Born: September 30, 1904 (Lenoir, NC)
Died: March 29, 1959 (St. Petersberg, FL)
Yankees Tenure: 1932-1935
The first part of Allen’s life was less than ideal, as his father passed away suddenly while he was still a young child. Facing hard times, Allen’s mom had to make the tough decision to send him and some of his siblings to an orphanage. Allen would grow up in that orphanage. When he was a teen, he lost some of his toes when a shotgun accidentally fired into his foot. However, while at the orphanage, Allen started playing baseball.
After graduating from Thomasville High School in North Carolina, Allen took a job and went to work in Sanford. As a young adult, Allen started playing baseball again and quickly made a name for himself on the local scene as a fiery and dominant pitcher. It took a few years, but Yankees scouts would eventually find and sign Allen in 1929.
The Yankees sent Allen to Jersey City for the 1930 season. The 25-year-old went 12-16 with a 3.98 ERA at the Double-A level. Then, in 1931, Allen split time with Jersey City and Toronto and went a very impressive 21-9. That performance earned him a spring training invite.
Allen broke spring training with the Yankees for the 1932 season. In his rookie year, at the young age of 27, Allen would go 17-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 192 innings. The Yankees faced the Cubs in the World Series, the same one that featured Babe Ruth’s famous “Called Shot.” Allen started Game 4 of the series but only got two outs and gave up three runs. Despite his rough outing, the Yankees were able to come back in the finale and complete the sweep. The 1932 World Series featured a record number of future Hall of Famers, including 13 players, both managers (Joe McCarthy for the Yankees and Rogers Hornsby for the Cubs), and even an umpire in Bill Klem.
In his sophomore season, Allen remained primarily in the starting rotation but had a bit of a sophomore slump, seeing his ERA rise to 4.39 and his record slip to 15-7. The Yankees finished the season in second place and out of the postseason. Allen went into the offseason feeling like he deserved more innings and money from the Yankees. He finally agreed to a contract after a long holdout.
The holdout was left to sour in the mind of ownership as Allen was plagued by injuries in 1934. Limited to only 13 games, Allen posted a 5-2 record with a 2.89 ERA across 71.2 innings. The team missed out on the playoffs again despite a 94-60 record.
1935 saw Allen bounce back in a big way. He went 13-6 in 23 starts and was able to log 67.0 innings with a 3.61 ERA. He led the American League in allowing the fewest hits per nine innings at an 8.0 clip and strikeouts per nine innings with 6.1. However, after constant clashes and outbursts, including destroying furniture after bad games, the Yankees decided they had had enough of Allen. Despite being 50-19 in pinstripes, the Yankees dealt Allen to Cleveland for Monte Pearson and Steve Sundra.
Although Pearson turned out to be a heckuva find, Allen did enjoy the best years of his career in Cleveland from 1936 to 1941 following his trade from New York. His tenure by Lake Erie was highlighted by a historic 1937 season in which he pitched to a 15-1 record, a then-record for the highest single-season winning percentage at .938. Allen would be named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. In the Land, Allen compiled a stellar 67-34 record with a 3.65 ERA and earned his sole All-Star selection in 1938.
After his time in Cleveland, the remainder of Allen’s playing career became a journey. In December 1941, the front office traded him to the St. Louis Browns, where he went 18-7 with a 3.21 ERA over two seasons. In 1943, the Brooklyn Dodgers purchased his contract, transitioning Allen to the National League for the first time. He spent two and a half seasons in Brooklyn’s bullpen.
The Dodgers traded Allen to the New York Giants in July 1944 for pitchers Bill Sayles and Andy Karl. Allen closed out his 13-year Major League career with the Giants in 1945. When he retired, Allen hung ’em up with a lifetime 142-75 record, a 3.75 ERA, and a reputation as one of the fiercest competitors of his era.
After his playing days ended, Allen ended up working his way up the ranks as a minor league umpire. He additionally worked in real estate and as an automobile tag inspector. Allen was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, posthumously, in 1977.
Happy birthday, Johnny!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
MLB Wild Card Round day 2: Open Thread
Postseason baseball is back, and unfortunately the Detroit Tigers aren’t part of it. For some, that really kills the interest level, and I get it. On the other hand, sports are amplified by the bright lights of the playoffs and World Series, and there is little better than postseason baseball in my opinion. So, pick a team or just see whose bandwagon you feel like jumping on along the way. Even without the Tigers, it’s going to be a really fun month of baseball, and potentially instructive in regard to the challenges facing the Tigers to get back to the playoffs.
All four Wild Card series are best-of-three, with the two top teams in each league waiting for their divisional round opponents. The home team stays the home team for the whole series, and there are no off days in an effort get to the full rounds without putting the top teams on the shelf for more than a few days.
Here are the times for Game 2 of each series, all of which are being broadcast through Peacock. If necessary, Game 3 schedules will be announced as required to take advantage of prime time. I never minded the old all-or-nothing Wild Card games, but it is fun that every series becomes win or go home for one team after the first game. We’ll see which of Tuesday’s winners can close it out today.
2:00 p.m. ET Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves
5:00 p.m. ET Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
8:00 p.m. ET Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
10:00 p.m. ET Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres
The Phillies looked to have Game 1 of their series under control, but the Braves wouldn’t go away. Austin Riley launched a three-run shot off of closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning to seize a two-run lead and held on to win.
Both teams went with a bullpen game in this one, as White Sox pitching shut down the Astros and kept Yordan Alvarez in check. The White Sox’s offense cashed in some early runs and then added on after Houston threatened to get back into the game in the middle innings.
Cam Schlittler, the presumed AL Cy Young award winner, was pretty masterful for the Yankees as he shut down Boston over 6.1 scoreless frames with 10 punchouts. The Yankees built an early lead against lefty Peyton Tolle, but the game was close until they got to the Red Sox bullpen late and pulled away with a 9-0 victory.
Finally, the Padres lit up former Tigers’ lefty Matt Boyd while right-hander Michael King took a no-hitter into the seventh before it was broken up. The Cubs bullpen couldn’t contain the damage as the Padres poured it on to win 8-0 in Game 1 at Petco Park.