LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The ALCS comes back to life today as the Tampa Bay Rays travel to Cleveland to take on the Guardians for the third game of the series. With the series tied 1-1, the Guardians look for a little bit of home-field advantage because historically, the winner of Game 3 when a seven-game set is tied has gone on to win 71 of 102 times.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink after the Milwaukee Brewers secured a 6-2 victory Tuesday night to now lead the NLCS 3-0. If they can win tonight, it would be a bit of revenge for the Brewers after they were swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS last year. Milwaukee is also on the brink of reaching their first World Series in 44 years.
Tampa Bay Rays (1-1) at Cleveland Guardians (1-1) — 11 AM MDT
Pitching Matchup: RHP Griffin Jax (8-10, 3.53 ERA) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA)
An altercation between two Los Angeles Dodgers fans after the Game 3 NLCS loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. (Instagram/@dodgerdru).
The video began at the end of what had been a verbal confrontation between two fans. Then one fan, who was being held back by a woman, took a huge swing at another fan wearing a blue Dodgers jersey that looked to have missed its target.
Chaos ensued after that. Another Dodgers fan wearing a purple hat threw a huge punch at that same person, which seemingly missed, while the fan who threw the first punch was being apprehended by security.
A Los Angeles Dodgers fan being apprehended by security after throwing a punch at another Dodgers fan. (Instagram/@dodgerdru).
Cooler heads seemed to prevail after that, as the person recording the video turned the camera on them and said, “This is what happens when we lose. We go against each other.”
In the back drop, an entirely empty stadium could be seen in the video. The incident likely occurred well after the game ended.
The fan in the purple hat who threw the biggest punch of all escaped apprehension, and was complaining to the security that the fan who didn’t throw any punches had started the entire altercation. The video ended shortly after.
As the fan who recorded the video alluded to, it’s hard to imagine these fans would have been so upset with each other if the Dodgers had found a way to win against the Brewers.
Perhaps Game 4 on Thursday will be more peaceful. Perhaps not.
A Los Angeles Dodgers fan watches the action as the Dodgers trail the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning in the MLB National League Championship Series playoffs at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. Caroline Brehman/UPI/Shutterstock
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a two run RBI single in the second inning during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on September 17, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the couch watching the LCS once again this season.
It’s been 34 years since the Pirates were in the NLCS themselves, where they lost to the Atlanta Braves in seven games. This season, however, they managed to play pretty well against the top teams in the league. Here’s a look at how they did against the final four teams in the playoff bracket.
Cleveland Guardians: 2-1
The Pirates visited Cleveland for a three-game set shortly after the All-Star break. After getting rained out on Friday afternoon, the teams played a doubleheader on Saturday and came out with a split: the Pirates won 7-1 in the afternoon but lost 5-3 in the evening. The Pirates followed that up with another 7-1 victory on Sunday, giving them a series victory.
Tampa Bay Rays: 2-1
The Pirates got a crack at the Rays early in the season, in mid-April, for a weekend series at PNC Park. They pulled out a 5-1 victory against the Rays to start the series but fell 8-7 in 13 innings on Saturday. They finished off the series with a 6-3 victory on Sunday, which gave them a series win and a 13-9 record going into a six-game road trip.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 1-5
The Pirates struggled the most this season against the four top teams in the league when they faced the Dodgers during their three-game set in Pittsburgh in early June. They dropped two out of three and managed to win the middle game of the series 9-8. The Dodgers led 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh, but the Pirates managed to score eight runs in the seventh and eighth innings combined to pull out a 9-8 victory.
When they went to Dodger Stadium in August, they were swept in a three-game weekend set.
Milwaukee Brewers: 7-6
The Pirates got to know the Brewers very well over the course of the season, facing off against their division rival 13 times. In the first half of the season, the Pirates visited Milwaukee in late April, winning 2 out of 3 games and even pulling off a sweep just before the All-Star break, capped off by a 14-5 victory on July 12.
They didn’t find that same success in the second half, losing 3 out of 4 in the first week of August at American Family Field. They played a weekday series in the middle of September, dropping the first two contests at home, but a 7-4 victory on September 17 gave them the season series victory, 7-6.
Overall: 12-13
The record against the Dodgers definitely brings this record down, but overall, the Pirates have proven that they can compete against the top teams in the league. That is a strong sign for what’s to come in 2027.
Bordeaux No 8 takes on Gloucester in Champions Cup to underline hole he will leave Borthwick for the World Cup
Swines are swirling above Twickenham, the cows have returned to their roots and hell is an icy sub-zero. Steve Borthwick has been given a free pass to pick one player based outside England. The consensus is that Jack Willis – Toulouse captain and two‑time Top 14 player of the season – would be the obvious choice. The smart money, however, would be on Borthwick picking brother Tom in a flash.
For clarity, this is not going to happen. It is not World Cup season without a cause celebre but the reality is that you, dear reader, have more chance of selection. Still, the story of the younger Willis warrants re-examining. Firstly because his decision to head for France after receiving an enhanced contract was unprecedented. Secondly because for Bordeaux he is pulling up trees, forests and anything else in his way this season. England’s No 8 depth is shallow and Willis is the type of player Borthwick would give his right arm for. After Bordeaux have begun their Champions Cup defence at Gloucester on Friday, chances are his left too.
Matias Maccelli will start the New York Islanders' game against the Ottawa Senators on the top line alongside Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri. That's how the Islanders ended their Tuesday night on Long Island with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
The 26-year-old recorded his first goal as an Islander while also earning the primary assist on Kyle Palmieri's go-ahead tally at the 5:38 mark of the third period:
“Maccelli started on the fourth line, and he was buzzing, so we moved him up, and he created the winning goal," Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said on Tuesday night. "
Maccelli takes Emil Heineman's spot up there, with the Swedish forward skating alongside Casey Cizikas and Simon Holmstrom on their fourth line.
The 26-year-old, whom the Islanders signed July 1, is riding a four-game point streak into Thursday's game, with a goal and four assists over that span. He was held scoreless in the Islanders' season-opening 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs and in their home-opening 6-0 win over the New Jersey Devils a few days later at UBS Arena.
The Islanders didn't change any other lines, including the defense, as they'll keep Matt Kessel in there for a second straight game. He recorded a point in 13:51 minutes of ice time, earning the primary assist on Palmieri's opening goal on Tuesday.
Semyon Varlamov will make his second start of the season:
Varlamov to make second start of the season.
Thought he was off his angle a few times vs. #NYR.
Still looking to find his game after so much time away. Reps is the only way to do that. #Isles have to tighten their game up a bit. https://t.co/k1jn1JQqSz
Earlier this week, Dave Dombrowski summoned Trea Turner to Citizens Bank Park for a face-to-face meeting.
Just five years earlier, Dombrowski had convinced Turner to come play shortstop for the Phillies on a mammoth $300 million deal.
Now, the team’s president of baseball operations was looking the 33-year-old player in the eye and putting him on notice.
“We were very clear,” Dombrowski said. “He knows he has to be better at shortstop. I told him that’s really mandatory.
“If he plays shortstop like he did in ‘25, he can play shortstop. But if he plays it like he did in ‘26, he can’t.”
Dombrowski’s directness when commenting on the Turner situation was the big takeaway from his annual end-of-season news conference Thursday. Dombrowski acknowledged that the news conference came later than usual – a full two weeks after the Phillies were eliminated by Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs. He said he needed the time to address the team’s managerial situation – Don Mattingly, who posted a 79-55 record as interim skipper was retained on a two-year deal – and speak with players about what would be expected from them in 2027.
His message to Turner was so serious that he asked the player to fly from his Florida home to Philadelphia for a frank conversation that lasted two hours.
“Trea did not have a good year,” Dombrowski said. “He does not think he had a good season, offensively or defensively. He takes complete accountability.”
Offensively, Turner went from winning the National League batting title (.304) in 2025 to hitting .242 in 2026. Hitting first and second in the batting order, his on-base percentage plummeted from .378 to .297. His strikeout rate climbed from 16.7 percent to 21 percent. He led the majors with 507 outs made.
Turner’s struggles were equally notable in the field, where he tied for the major-league lead with 21 errors. By almost every metric, he was one of baseball’s worst shortstops. According to Fangraphs, he ranked a minus-17 in defensive runs saved, the worst mark among big-league shortstops.
Turner made a total of 40 errors at shortstop in 2023 and 2024, his first two seasons in Philadelphia. He tightened things up in 2025, recording plus-17 outs above average, according to Statcast measurements. But that number dipped to minus-10 (the bottom three percent of all defenders) in 2026.
In a game where strength up the middle is vital, the Phillies cannot live with that.
Dombrowski made that clear to Turner.
“He totally understands that,” Dombrowski said.
For now, Turner remains the Phillies’ starting shortstop. It is the position he wants to play. But, according to Dombrowski, Turner will have a short leash. He will have to show improvement as early as spring training to avoid being moved to second base or the outfield. The team would be willing to make a move on the fly while giving looks to Aidan Miller and Bryan Rincon, two minor-league prospects.
“We went through the scenarios,” Dombrowski said of his honest chat with Turner. “If you’re not playing well at shortstop in spring training and things don’t work in that regard … We do have a couple of young players. Will they be ready? I don’t know. And I don’t know what other additions we may make this winter. We needed to leave it, if he doesn’t play shortstop, he’s willing to do what’s best for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. So that’s how we left it. He’s determined to show us that he can play it, and I said, ‘You have to show it. You cannot play shortstop like you did defensively in ‘26 going into ’27.’ “
Essentially, as soon as spring training or whenever the team assembles to prepare for the 2027 season, Turner will be on an almost daily tryout for his shortstop job. That could create some pressure on the player.
“He’ll work hard and be open-minded and we’ll just have to make a wise decision on what position he plays,” Dombrowski said. “I can’t control the daily banter about what takes place. He’s not the first player I’ve been around (in a similar situation). Trea’s a smart guy. He knows he needs to get better, and I think he’ll deal with it. He’s got a long time to be here, but I think he still has it. The reason we signed him in the beginning compared to some others was not only was he a good player, we thought he had the ability to continue to be a good player for a long time because of his quick-twitch muscles, the type of athlete he is. He led the lead in hitting (in 2025). I was as surprised as he was by the offensive year he had this year. So, it’s up to us to try to fix all those things.”
The Phillies have 190 million reasons to want to see improvement from Turner, on both sides of the ball. He is signed for seven more years at $190 million. He negotiated a full no-trade clause when he signed with the Phillies, so there’s no moving on from him.
Turner will have two new voices trying to help him improve. The Phils fired Kevin Long on Wednesday and will have a new hitting coach in 2027. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson was also let go. He was quickly replaced by former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. In addition to overseeing infield defense, Mendoza will coach third base.
“Carlos will be responsible for working with Trea,” Dombrowski said.
Improvement must come quickly. If it doesn’t, Turner could find himself under the tutelage of Pablo Figueroa. He’s the team’s outfield instructor.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 13: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians throws to first base after tagging out Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays at second base in the fourth inning during Game Two of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well, we’re officially eight days away from the beginning of the 2026 World Series. Next Friday’s series opener looks like it’ll be a battle between a pair of low-payroll teams that aren’t Los Angeles or New York. You gotta know that makes commissioner Rob Manfred and the other owners mad. If you ask any actual baseball fan though, it’s going to be glorious seeing a team that hasn’t won the World Series in decades finally be able to lift that trophy. We got a few more games before we find out the matchup, but if the right team wins today we could know at least have of the teams in this year’s Fall Classic by tonight.
Rays at Guardians (10:00 AM PST)
Based off the first two games this series looks like it could go the distance. What else would you expect from two scrappy young teams like these two? Both organizations are absolutely desperate for the chance to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy. The Guardians are on a 78-year drought, which is longer than the Rays have even been in existence. Still, they’ve never tasted that final win of the season and won’t let Cleveland get an easy trip to the Fall Classic. This’ll be a critical Game 3 as the team that wins this morning is in the driver’s seat.
The visiting Rays will have right-hander Griffin Jax (8-10, 3.53 ERA) taking the ball for this critical contest. A mid-season acquisition last year, Jax converted to a starter this year to solid results. He was remarkably consistent throughout the year for someone converting to the rotation for the first time in five years. Jax will now be pitching in the biggest game of his life to date as he seeks to get the Rays to within two games of the World Series. Tampa might have a short leash with him though; he only went two innings in his lone postseason start this year, when he allowed just one run on a hit and a walk against the Yankees.
As for the Guardians, they have their own righty in Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76 ERA) taking to the hill this morning. Williams has already made two starts (plus one relief appearance) this postseason, all against the White Sox in the previous round. The 27-year-old has stepped his game up at the perfect time for the Guardians. He’s gotten double-digit punchouts in his two starts but he’ll now be facing a much harder lineup with the Rays. And like Jax, it’s not hyperbole to say this is the biggest game of his life… so far.
And Cleveland’s starting nine, courtesy of skipper Stephen Vogt:
While the Rays-Guardians series looks like it’ll be a battle through the weekend, the Brewers are in complete control over the reigning champion Dodgers, up 3-0 in the series and just one more win away from their first World Series appearance since 1982. Like the Rays, they’ve never tasted the glory of a World Series win so they’re coming into tonight’s game as motivated as you can imagine. The Dodgers just don’t look like they have it this year as injuries and age are finally catching up to them. You never to say it’s a done series prematurely but there’s only ever been one team to come back from an 0-3 deficit and this Dodgers team doesn’t seem like they have the same energy of the ‘04 Red Sox.
The Dodgers will hope that veteran Tyler Glasnow (5-2, 3.53) can prolong their season a couple more days with a strong start. The right-hander has, once again, battled injuries all year but is healthy for when it matters most. He looked like he was ready for the moment in his lone postseason start to date. Glasnow pitched into the fifth inning against the Braves in the previous round, allowing just one run on one hit. His outing wasn’t without its warts as he also issued five free passes to Braves batters. If he does that again then this series might not make it back to Milwaukee.
Milwaukee meanwhile has yet to announce their plans for tonight’s game so stay tuned!
We could find out one team in the World Series by the end of the day. Stakes are getting higher and higher for everyone still alive! Should be another great day for playoff baseball!
When the NBA season tips off on Tuesday, teams can only have 15 guaranteed contracts on the roster (plus three two-way contracts).
Three teams — the Lakers, Grizzlies and Bucks — currently have 16 or more guaranteed contracts on their rosters. Each team is exploring trades to reach 15 players, but may end up just waiving someone, reports NBA insider Jake Fischer.
The Lakers have been exploring for months a 2-for-1 trade that could send a combination of Jarred Vanderbilt (who has looked like an odd man out in the rotation much of this preseason), Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht to get a player back. There were rumors they explored that kind of trade for Buddy Hield, but it never came together. They are still looking, according to Fischer.
If the Lakers have to waive someone and eat the salary, Knecht — the 2024 No. 17 pick out of Tennessee — appears to be the guy. After two seasons, he has fallen out of favor in JJ Redick's rotation.
Memphis has 16 guaranteed contracts, plus Jaylen Wells, who is on a non-guaranteed deal but, from all reports, is likely to make the opening-day roster. That means the team needs to trade or waive two players. Signs seem to point to Kris Murray and Micah Peavy — two players the Grizzlies traded for this summer — as the most likely to go.
Milwaukee technically has 17 players, so two must go, but with Pete Nance on a non-guaranteed deal, he is likely one of them. Reports out of Milwaukee suggest veteran Caris LeVert could be the other guy. Milwaukee traded for him this summer primarily to acquire two second-round picks, he is on an expiring $14.8 million contract, and he has struggled in the preseason.
If the Bucks can find a trade, it is more likely to be for someone of value around the league like AJ Green or Kevin Porter Jr., who could net the Bucks a second-round pick or two.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 26: Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals flips to second base during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on September 26, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a roller coaster career for Michael Massey so far. He flashed good power for a middle infielder in 2023, but not much offensively. He came into his own in 2024, flashing great defense and finishing fifth on the team in home runs with 15, frequently hitting leadoff in the playoffs. But injuries piled up last year – a left ankle sprain, a right wrist fracture, and back issues that caused him to miss over two months of action, and limited him to just 77 games. He came into his first arbitration-eligible season at a crossroads.
And in 2026, Massey had his best season as a big leaguer. One factor was health. While he did begin the season on the injured list with a calf strain, and missed a week with a concussion in September, he generally stayed on the field, appearing in a career-high 131 games. When he played, he contributed, posting a line of .272/.303/.428 with 13 home runs. He was sixth among American League second basemen with a career-high 2.3 fWAR. He was also a finalist for his first Gold Glove Award, after finishing second among all AL second basemen in Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved.
Michael Massey lays out to make a tremendous play! ⭐️
Massey has never been shown significant platoon splits, and this year he actually hit lefties much better than righties. He has shown good plate coverage and a high contact rate of 82.3 percent. His 16.6 percent strikeout rate was third-lowest on the team among semi-regulars, behind only Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino.
While he is good at making contact when he swings, he does swing a LOT. Out of all hitters with at least 450 plate appearances, he was 25th in swing rate at 52.9 percent (joining two other Royals in the top 25, Salvador Perez and Jac Caglianone). His walk rate went up this year, but was still just 4.6 percent, tied for seventh-lowest in the league. He did post a career-high in on-base percentage, but making outs almost 70 percent of the time still puts him near the bottom of the league in that category.
So through four and a half seasons and 489 MLB games, we have a good idea of what Michael Massey is. He will be 29 by next Opening Day, and the Royals can likely count on him as a good glove at second base, with good pop for a middle infielder, a good lefty bat with no platoon split, but very low walk rates and a propensity to get injured. He is eligible for arbitration for the second time this winter, and will likely earn over $3 million next season.
There is an argument the Royals should look to trade Massey while his value is high, although the team shouldn’t expect a big return. The Royals could “replace him in the aggregate” through some combination of Nick Loftin, Tyler Tolbert, and Isaac Collins, or even look to make a big move to upgrade at the position.
More likely, Massey will begin next year as the team’s starting second baseman, hitting sixth or seventh in the lineup. You can win with a guy like that in your lineup – the 2024 Royals are evidence of that. He is a productive offensive player in his prime, who is a plus on defense, and is still cost-controlled.
But his low on-base skills may cap the impact he can have offensively, and in a lineup full of fellow free-swingers, the Royals need someone who can work a count and get on base consistently. Massey is a useful piece, but if the Royals want to take the next step offensively, they may need more production from second base. Michael Massey took a step forward, but if he wants to be more than a stop gap measure, he will need to take his game to the next level.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 13, 2026 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Through the first three seasons of Walker Kessler’s NBA career, he averaged 65 games played per year. Last season, however, a torn labrum in his left shoulder spoiled his campaign before November arrived and he only suited up for five games. After the lengthy layoff, he’s back and equipped with a newfound drive to help the Los Angeles Lakers win as many games as possible in 2026-27.
“I think what I missed most was just competing, quite frankly. Competing to win,” Kessler said following Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “And I think as far as making me a better basketball player, I just think it has made me long to go try to win every game and win every night. So in turn, that probably makes me a little better basketball player.”
This season will also mark the first time in Kessler’s career he’s playing for a team fully committed to immediate winning. That’s not to besmirch the Utah Jazz but merely a recognition of their emphasis on development and willingness to sacrifice short-term gains in pursuit of better lottery odds to land the best prospects possible throughout Kessler’s Salt Lake City tenure. While they were competitive and won 37 games during his rookie season in 2022-23, they traded away some key contributors and went 18-29 following a 19-16 start, which they could’ve propelled into a postseason berth had they so chosen.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are led by two in-your-prime stars with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who are flanked by a slew of other players, Kessler included, in the prime of their careers. It’ll be interesting to see whether entering win-now circumstances provides Kessler a subtle on-court boost, in addition to how energized he sounds to simply be back on the floor again.
Kessler and the Lakers return to the court Friday night in their preseason finale at home against the Denver Nuggets. Then, they’ll welcome the Warriors to town for their regular-season opener Wednesday night at 7 p.m. That’s when we’ll get our first meaningful glimpse as to how Kessler is faring in his new surroundings.
Mets head coach Carlos Mendoza looks on before a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field in Queens, New York, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Carlos Mendoza has a new job — and it’s in the National League East.
Mets head coach Carlos Mendoza looks on before a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field in Queens, New York, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The move was announced Thursday by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski as the team made a string of coaching changes upon signing Don Mattingly to a new two-year deal to remain as manager without the interim tag.
Mendoza, 46, spent two-plus years in the Mets dugout after being hired by president of baseball operations David Stearns. He led them on a surprise run to the NL Championship Series in 2024 before losing to the eventual champion Dodgers, but the Mets then had an ugly collapse following a strong opening two months in 2025.
With high expectations heading into this past season, the Mets were a mess early and suffered through a 12-game losing streak in April. Injuries to Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto didn’t help.
Despite playing better for part of May, a six-game losing streak in June sealed Mendoza’s fate, and he was fired after a June 25 loss to the Cubs.
Mendoza was replaced by Andy Green on an interim basis before Green accepted the full-time job and a three-year contract near the end of the season.
The Phillies hired Don Mattingly as their full-time manager. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Prior to joining the Mets, Mendoza coached in the Yankees minor league system from 2011-17 before moving to their major league coaching staff in 2018. He was Aaron Boone’s bench coach from 2020-23.
Mendoza finished his tenure with the Mets with a 206-199 record and now moves to Mattingly’s staff, which saw former Mets and Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, as well as infield coach Bobby Dickerson, let go this week.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Sidney Crosby #87 talks with Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
If there was any positive to take out of the Pittsburgh Penguins game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, it is the fact Sidney Crosby scored two goals. They were not only his first two goals of the season, they were quite honestly the first time that the captain really made a noticeable impact on a game this season.
It has not only been a shockingly quiet start for him, it has been a disturbingly quiet start for the entire first line. Even after Bryan Rust was put back into his usual spot alongside Crosby and Rickard Rakell, the line just isn’t moving the needle.
Objectively speaking, it’s been the Penguins’ least productive line combination this season, and it really hasn’t been close.
Crosby, Rakell and Rust have played 35 minutes together so far this season across four games.
The Penguins are being outscored by a 3-2 margin in those minutes, and getting absolutely crushed defensively despite that trio getting the heaviest offensive zone start usage on the team (23 offensive zone starts for that group; only three defensive zone starts).
When none of those three are on the ice together, the Penguins are outscoring teams by a 10-6 margin, while their expected goal share nearly doubles, going from 34.9 percent up to 59.4 percent.
Individually, Crosby had zero goals and two assists in his first six games before scoring the two in Chicago.
Rakell has zero goals and only two assists in his first seven games.
Rust has two goals in four games.
In the cases of Crosby and Rakell, slow starts to a season are not something that is totally out of the ordinary.
This isn’t even the worst seven-game start to a season for either player in their careers. It’s not even Rakell’s worst start as a Penguins player.
Crosby had one goal in seven games to open his season two years ago. In 2021-22 he had two points in seven games. He had three points early in 2015-16 through seven games.
Sometimes it takes these guys a little bit to get rolling.
At least in Crosby’s case, I am not quite ready to say he has completely lost it offensively.
Having said that, these guys are 39, 34 and 33 years old. There can not be an older top line anywhere in the NHL, and while Crosby might still have some offensive juice to his game that is just waiting to be unlocked this season, there is going to come a point where both Rust and Rakell do start to slow down. Every player ages differently, and every “decline” portion of a career is going to look differently. A declining Crosby is still going to be really productive because he’s starting from a much higher level and is a superior talent. When an all-time great starts to slow down they’re still going to put up a lot of points. They might go from 100 or 90 points to 60 or 70 points. Still useful. Still productive. When a second-tier player starts to decline, that looks a lot different just based on where they’re starting from.
But what concerns me more than the lack of actual goal production from that trio, is the fact they are also just simply getting outplayed and not taking advantage of their situations. The Penguins are doing everything they can to put them into offensive spot, and they are not only not scoring, they are giving up way more than they are generating from a chance perspective.
It seems like every time they are on the ice they are pinned back in their own zone and on their heels defending.
And it’s usually not going well.
The results aren’t great. Neither is the process.
The only time the Crosby-Rakell duo looked good, and produced good results, was over the first two-plus games when they had Nicholas Robertson on their wing.
Just look at how much better that trio was (small sample size warning) vs. the other versions of that top line (also small sample size warning).
Line Combination
Minutes Played
GF
GA
GF/60
GA/60
GF%
xGF/60
xGA/60
xGF%
Crosby-Rakell-Robertson
32.30
3
1
5.54
1.85
75.0
5.40
3.00
64.3
Crosby-Rakell-Rust
35.40
2
3
3.36
5.04
40.0
2.07
3.85
34.9
Crosby-Rakell-Lapierre
6.50
0
2
0.00
17.40
0.0
2.56
8.31
23.5
It creates a couple of interesting questions and situations.
I get why the Penguins went back to the old trusted formula up front. It has worked well in the past, and all three players have a track record of success. You don’t want to overreact to early season noise and small sample sizes. There is a chance, and maybe even a good chance, they get it together and start producing more.
But even if that happens, that line has had some increasingly hard-to-ignore defensive issues over the past few years that are getting more concerning.
Are you going to get enough offense from them to make up for that?
The other question: Do you ever give Robertson a chance on that line again? That game against Winnipeg, and specifically that turnover from Robertson that led to a goal against, seemed to be the only margin for error he had in that spot.
On one hand, the Robertson-Blake Lizotte-Connor Dewar line has been absolutely sensational in the few games they have played together. They are outplaying every line they go up against, and are doing so in some of the toughest minutes a line could get. They are also getting more ice-time with each passing game. It might be the fourth line on the lineup sheet, but over the past two games there has been very little difference in terms of how many minutes each line is getting. In a couple of those games, the Robertson-Lizotte-Dewar line was actually third out of the four lines in terms of 5-on-5 minutes.
If it is working, and it is producing results, do you really want to break that up?
But on the other hand, is it more important to have a good fourth line, or is it more important to try and give your top line a spark?
How much longer do you wait? Will the top-line break through and start producing more and give the Penguins the type of balance and depth that made them so good a year ago?
That brings up an interesting point I saw my good friend Dan Hopper make about a week ago: The narrative around the 2025-26 Penguins was that Sidney Crosby dragged a bad roster into the playoffs, willing them back into contention. It made for a good narrative, but it was not close to the reality of the situation that was actually unfolding on the ice. Crosby was simply a really good player, on a really good team, that had a lot of really good depth. The Penguins’ play when Crosby was not on the ice, and especially when he was out of the lineup entirely, illustrated that.
Crosby had better, more impactful years than last year and it didn’t produce a playoff result because the rest of the team wasn’t any good.
Last year’s team was pretty good, whether it was intended to be or not. That was the difference between making the playoffs and not making the playoffs.
That’s the new reality that you have to expect with a 39-year-old No. 1 center and captain. He might still be really good. But he’s not going to carry them the way he used to.
But they still need him, and his line, to be good to make it all work given the minutes they are still getting. So far, they have not been getting that from them. Right now it is arguably one of the things that is holding them back the most.
The Robertson line has been really good. The Kindel line has been really good. The Malkin line has been a little up-and-down, but for the most part, has been very solid.
The first line has simply been the weakness.
Getting that line going, whether through patience and letting them work through their early slumps, or by shaking things back up and giving them a different look, has to be a priority right now.
Knicks center Drew Eubanks (17) battles for position against Toronto Raptors forward Allen Graves (22) and forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026.
The battle for the Knicks’ final roster spot lost a candidate.
Drew Eubanks, a veteran center, suffered a torn pectoral muscle and will be waived by New York, a source confirmed Thursday morning.
Eubanks was among three centers on non-guaranteed deals in training camp, joining James Wiseman and Tony Bradley. As The Post reported a couple weeks ago, Wiseman was the early frontrunner to secure the 14th roster spot. His play recently — he scored 18 points with 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to Toronto — seemed to only bolster his case.
Knicks center Drew Eubanks (17) battles for position against Toronto Raptors forward Allen Graves (22) and forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Coach Mike Brown outlined what he wants from the winner of the competition.
“We just hope that there’s a passion and an energy and a focus coming from that spot because, I’m sure at times that person will start, at times they may be the first backup and at times they may be second backup,” Brown said. “So as the minutes are fluctuating, you’re going to have to generate some internal energy at times, to go play in a low-minute game.
“Sometimes he’ll maybe not play one or two, maybe three games in a row. You look for that, and then you know, you just look for somebody that’s going to play hard at the end of the day – try to do the things that you’re asking on both sides of the floor. And bring a little something different than what the two guys in front of you bring.”
During Tuesday’s loss in Toronto, he played 15 minutes with eight points and two boards.
Knicks center Drew Eubanks (17) passes the ball against Toronto Raptors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the second half of a game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Knicks can only keep one more player and stay under the second apron. They also have veteran guard Bruce Brown on a nonguaranteed deal in training camp but have prioritized a center.
To keep Brown, the Knicks would have to unload salary in a trade.
The Florida Panthers received a welcomed sight when they hit the ice for Thursday’s morning skate.
Back in South Florida after a quick road back-to-back earlier this week, the Cats’ were out at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale gearing up for their game that night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Joining the team for their morning skate was starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
It was on Monday in Buffalo when Markstrom started the game, but after stopping 9 of 11 shots during the first period, he did not return for the second or third.
Backup Akira Schmid played well in Markstrom’s stead, doing his best to hold down the fort in Buffalo before picking up a gutsy win the following night in Columbus.
For the game against the Blue Jackets, Florida called up goaltender Cooper Black from AHL Charlotte to serve as Schmid’s backup.
That’s how Florida’s goalie tandem will remain for at least the next couple games.
Speaking after the morning skate, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said that both Markstrom and injured defenseman Radko Gudas could return for Tuesday’s game in Ottawa, if not sooner.
“Both are making improvements,” Maurice said. “Jake was back on the ice, Radko might get to a point where he can play Saturday, but we’ve got three days on the other side of it so it may just make more sense to get him right. He’s purely day-to-day, he’s walking around, he’s fine, he’ll be on the ice soon. We would expect both of them to be able to play in Ottawa.”
Schmid was named the starting goaltender against Vancouver, and it’s likely he’ll remain between the pipes when Florida hosts the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night in Sunrise.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s contest with the Canucks:
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Lars Eller
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout prior to Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A Dodger left-hander, who put video game-like numbers in the regular season, had a colossal dud in arguably the most important game of the year, in no small part by being left to hang out to dry in the seventh inning, before a back-breaking, likely season-breaking, home run. And then, the bullpen let whatever hope still in the building out with great alacrity.
The fact that this paragraph could apply to either Clayton Kershaw or Blake Snell is one of life’s little ironies. Snell became the second pitcher in history to start a playoff game by giving up a home run and have his last pitch in that same game go for a home run. The other pitcher was John Smoltz in Game 3 of the 1991 NLCS.
Considering Snell hadn’t previously allowed a home run all year, the timing is terrible.
If this current era of Dodger baseball started because Rays’ manager pulled Snell too early in 2020, the bookend image of Dave Roberts leaving Snell in too long in 2026 is striking.
Unless you have been mercifully under a rock, the Dodgers have failed, so far, with aplomb in this NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers. Not to take any flowers away from the Brewers: they have played hungrier, angrier, and more effectively than the Dodgers. And now Tyler Glasnow and an offense that has mostly been absent stand between the Dodgers and Cancun.
If you told me that the poor play in this series was from this past July, I wouldn’t disagree. The Dodgers look like they would probably drop a series to the Colorado Rockies right now if given the opportunity. Again, it’s not an unknown problem. Over the past two seasons, you’ve seen this movie; you’ve heard this song.
It’s just unusual to see it in the most important games of the year, this year.
Time is a flat circle
Like the bad, old days, the Dodgers have reacted to adversity in this round by being “confused and stunned like a duck hit on the head.” President Lincoln used that turn of phrase to describe one of his generals after the Union defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is that the situation is likely going to resolve itself, one way or another, in less than eight hours after you read this essay.
Five of the last six times there has been a rematch in the LCS in consecutive years, the loser in the first year wins the rematch. The Brewers are one win away from making that bit of recent history, six out of seven times. Moreover, with a win today, the Brewers would be the first team ever to repay a sweep one year by sweeping in the rematch the following year.
The last time the Dodgers were down 0-3 in the playoffs was the 1966 World Series: Koufax’s last ride. The Dodgers ended up being swept and shut out over Games 2 through 4. In a bit of historic irony, last year’s championship team had the lowest batting average for a winning team since the 1966 Orioles.
Sarah Langs reported via EliasSports that there have now been six times when a team has gotten a 3-0 advantage on the reigning champion. Four of these instances have involved the Dodgers: 1963, 1966, 2017, and now. Four of the last five times, the series ended in a sweep. Only the 2017 Dodgers allowed a game five.
Getting ready to look for loose change
The Dodgers have been bad in this LCS; you don’t have to take my word for it. Once again, Max Muncy is singing a slightly more urgent tune than he did after the dud to end Game 2.
"It's a pretty simple answer: We're playing like s*** they're playing great."
I applaud Muncy’s candor, but I must politely disagree on one point: excrement, in a pinch, can be useful.
Based on what we knew then, you can even use it to grow a potato. There’s nothing useful here from the Dodgers over these past three games, no silver lining, no green shoots to build upon, no fun moment with young phenom Josue De Paula to obsess over or expand upon for the pending long winter. Sure, let’s use the most exciting prospect since Cody Bellinger as a decoy.
The figurative harvest has come back with blight, and everything looks dead. But technically, it’s not dead; it’s only mostly dead, and unless you’ve forgotten — shame on you — there’s a big difference between “mostly dead” and “all dead.”
Only one single solitary team has ever climbed the Everest that is a 0-3 best-of-seven hole in baseball: the 2004 Boston Red Sox.
Yes, Dave Roberts sparked the comeback; that’s not the point here. He’s not running. He’s not playing. Heck, last year in Toronto, he badly lost a footrace to Hyeseong Kim, which kept the team loose.
The fact to remember from that ALCS is that Boston took the figurative belt to its bottom in Game 3, losing 19-8 in Boston. The Red Sox looked beyond dead, and it took two extra-inning games to force Game 6 back in the Bronx and returned the belt with aplomb in Game 7.
Yes, the 2004 Red Sox turned it around. There is nothing in the past three games of play to indicate the 2026 Dodgers are about to go on a similar run. But again, the Red Sox looked mostly dead until they weren’t.
The only thing left to lose is pride
In all likelihood, the series and the season are hours away from being over. The Dodgers can either roll over or get mad and finally start punching back. The Brewers have played well, but they haven’t played perfect baseball. There have been opportunities.
A good team finds a way to win. A bad team finds a way to lose. A mediocre team attempts to convince itself and you that they are a good team, only to underachieve until their season ends.
Yes, the 2026 Dodgers won 100 regular season games. That fact and a cookie leaves you with a cookie and a likely forgotten notation in Baseball Reference, unless things drastically turn around.
Talk of a threepeat and talk of history have become a yoke around this team’s neck. So throw it out. It’s like eating a whale: you do it one bite at a time. If the series extends past today, the teams will be playing for free. Why not give everyone something to talk about?
If I had to work for free, I would make a spectacle of it.
Truthfully, I’ve been on house money mode since I was fortunate enough to be at last year’s Game 7. My only fear that game wasn’t a defeat; it was that the team laid an egg and made me feel dumb for making the effort to get to Toronto and back in 48 hours.
Losing is one thing; getting embarrassed is another. The play and the results over the last three games have been the latter. The moments where I haven’t thought that this team was underachieving or skimming by on pedigree and reputation have been far fewer than I would have preferred.
I harbor no illusion that this essay will change anything. Nor am I trying to annoy or aggravate or any other cardinal sin of this profession. I operate under the delusion that the right words can move mountains, or at the very least, make one smile when everyone is frowning.
The 2026 Dodgers could do better and should do better. They have at least one last chance to do so. Again, the Brewers have been better on the field simply by being watchable. If there was a time for this team, our team, to live up to its pedigree, its design, it would be to acknowledge the cold, hard truth that there is no tomorrow unless they outright take it.
Keep clawing and fighting until they tell you to stop. Maybe you become a legend. Maybe you get one last road trip to Milwaukee? Maybe you get to see Tarik Skubal one last guaranteed time in a Dodger uniform? Maybe you get to prevent the indignity of seeing your home fans, some of whom paid $75 for parking, watch another team celebrate at Dodger Stadium?
And if not? Well, then it doesn’t matter what this team did. It simply underachieved when it mattered most, and the rest from them would be silence.
Contracts will expire. Players will move on. Time will move on, and ripping the bandage off with critical analysis can start. Calling out an offense built like a supercar and performing like a busted Honda Civic, calling out a rotation that has underperformed when it has mattered most, and calling out a manager who literally panicked and resuscitated jokes and memes from 2018, 2019, and 2021 that he successfully put to bed over the past two seasons?
Now is not the time for postmortems and requiems. We likely have a lengthy, miserable lockout-aided offseason for those essays. But first, I am a slave to the bit, and we are going to press on, much like I hope that the Dodgers do today.
