MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 23: (L-R) Cooper Pratt #12 and Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez turned in an excellent outing for the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at American Family Field against the juggernaut Milwaukee Brewers and fireballer Jacob Misiorowski. It’s just that the Brewers got to him a little too much right off the bat and the rest of the elite Brewers relief corps was good enough to hold on for a 3-2 win in a Game 1 that had everyone on the edge of their seats.
On Saturday night, the Beers will roll out righty Logan Henderson in an attempt at seizing a commanding 2-0 lead while Tampa will counter with veteran righty Drew Rasmussen, who has been virtually unhittable so far in the postseason (21.0 IP, 1.76 ERA, 0.76 WHIP).
Gametime is slated for just after 8:00 PM ET once again in the confines formerly known as Miller Park, and FOX once again has their C- broadcast crew on-scene.
Here’s how both clubs will line up to begin things:
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 22: Drew Rasmussen of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a photo during the 2026 World Series photoshoot at American Family Field on Thursday, October 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Brewers managed to hang on for a thrilling Game 1 victory, but now they will ask Logan Henderson to match up with the Rays’ ace, Drew Rasmussen. The Brewers haven’t lost a home start with Henderson on the mound in a long while, but the Rays have got to be heavily incentivized to make sure they’re not heading back to St. Petersburg with a 2-0 deficit to overcome.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Brett Pesce scored the go-ahead goal and Jake Allen made 12 saves as the Devils beat the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1, on Saturday for their third-straight win.
Anthony Mantha and Artemy Gritsyuk also scored for the Devils, who also beat Colorado and Anaheim on their current homestand. New Jersey has won five of six. Allen improved to 5-2-0 this season.
Scott Laughton scored for Los Angeles, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped. Anton Forsberg made 23 saves.
Pesce beat Forsberg at 8:08 of the third period after the defenseman found a clear lane through traffic in the Los Angeles zone. Luke Evangelista and Gritsyuk assisted on Pesce’s first goal this season.
New Jersey included goaltender Nico Daws, who won against Anaheim on Thursday, in the trade for Hellebuyck on Friday. Remi Poirier, who has yet to play an NHL game, dressed as Allen’s backup on Saturday.
Laughton scored at 15:57 of the second, driving the puck past Allen for his second goal.
Mantha tied the game about three minutes later with his third goal.
Gritsyuk scored his team-leading sixth goal into an empty net at 18:55.
The Kings had a power-play chance when New Jersey’s Timo Meier was called for tripping at 12:59 of the third but were unable to tie the game.
Los Angeles was coming off road wins over Washington and the New York Islanders to start its four-game trip after losing its first six games.
The injury woes of the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to pile on only 11 games into the 2026-27 regular season.
And, this time, it's affecting their blue line.
With defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk already on injured reserve (IR), the Penguins added to the list Saturday, placing the left-shot Samuel Girard on IR with an upper-body injury. He was injured during the Penguins' 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 17 and has not appeared in a game since.
In a corresponding move to Girard, the Penguins recalled forward Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), and he is expected to be in the lineup Saturday.
The 24-year-old forward has five goals and nine points in nine AHL games to start the season, and he registered five goals in 16 games at the NHL level last season. The 5-foot-10, 189-pound native of Westland, Mi. is in the final year of his two-year entry-level contract and has yet to play an NHL game in 2026-27.
Including Hayes, the Penguins - without Malkin and Chinakhov - have just 12 healthy forwards and one extra defenseman, as they recalled right-shot blueliner Chase Pietila from WBS Thursday.
Five years ago, Logan Henderson was pitching at McLennan Community College in Texas. Now, he's starting Game 2 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field.
The Milwaukee Brewers' right-hander has earned the start. He went 11-3 this season with a 2.47 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings. Hitters managed just 0.84 walks and hits per inning against him.
Even better for Milwaukee fans, Henderson has never lost a start at American Family Field and the Brewers have never lost a game he has started there. He is 8-0 in 10 starts at home. The Brewers are 10-0 in his starts there in the regular season and 2-0 in the postseason.
Henderson, 24, has battled injuries through his short career. He had right elbow inflammation that shut him down in August of last season. A strained lower back cost him most of June this season.
The Brewers have been careful with him in October. He threw 72 pitches over five innings against San Diego in the National League Division Series and 64 pitches over four against the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. Milwaukee won both games.
Now he gets the Rays, who are down 1-0 in the best-of-seven-games series. Drew Rasmussen starts for Tampa Bay.
Logan Henderson stats
2026 regular season stats: 18 games (18 starts), 11–3 , 2.47 ERA, 98.1 IP, 110 SO, 0.84 WHIP.
2026 postseason stats: 2 games (2 starts), 0–0, 3.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 6 SO, 1.11 WHIP.
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Saturday evening marks the final time the Detroit Red Wings will face the Calgary Flames at the historic Scotiabank Saddledome, which is set to close following the 2026-27 NHL season.
The Flames have called the venue home since October 1983 but will soon move to the nearby Scotia Place, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open next fall.
The occasion is reminiscent of a decade ago, when the Red Wings were playing their final season at historic Joe Louis Arena, which had served as their home since 1979.
The Saddledome has been the scene for several memorable moments in Red Wings history, including the October 1995 debut of the Russian Five. It marked the first time in NHL history that five Soviet/Russian-born players took the ice together as one unit.
The venue also holds significance for Mike Vernon, the 1997 Conn Smythe Trophy winner who began his NHL career with Calgary and helped the Flames win the Stanley Cup in 1989.
In 2004, Martin Gelinas ended Detroit’s season with an overtime goal in the Western Conference Semifinals. Three years later, Johan Franzen scored the series-winning goal in double overtime to send the Red Wings to the next round.
In regular season play, the Red Wings have a record of 30-32-2-2.
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Here are observations on the Sixers’ victory Saturday:
Wade debuts, Embiid starts in style
Dean Wade made his Sixers debut and started in James’ place. He’d missed the first two games of the regular season with a left ankle sprain.
The 3-and-D forward scored the night’s first points by a sinking a corner three-pointer on the opening possession.
Embiid also had a sharp start. He moved well, made good decisions and served as the main hub of his team’s offense in the early going.
The Sixers’ seven-time All-Star center has often enjoyed facing Myles Turner. He entered the night with an average of 29.4 points in 18 previous games against the Bucks big man.
Embiid did a little bit of everything in the first quarter, posting eight points, four assists and four rebounds over nine minutes. After snatching an offensive board, Embiid drained a fadeaway jumper to give the Sixers a 10-1 lead.
One of Embiid’s assists was quite stylish. He found Edgecombe open beyond the arc with a behind-the-back bounce pass. Edgecombe knocked down the shot and wound up going 3 for 4 from three-point range in the first quarter.
Second-quarter struggles
The Sixers added rookie Labaron Philon Jr. to their rotation. Jabari Walker stayed in the mix, though he didn’t enter until the 7:36 mark of the second quarter.
Philon played four minutes in his NBA debut and missed his lone shot attempt, a corner three. On defense, Philon allowed a couple of blow-bys off the dribble. He generally looked like he belonged on offense, albeit without any production in his brief run.
Maxey banked in a half-court heave at the first-quarter buzzer to put the Sixers up nine points. The Sixers couldn’t carry forward any momentum, however, and began the second quarter poorly.
Adem Bona had another rough stint amid a subpar start to the season. After Anfernee Simons missed a transition layup try, Ryan Rollins’ three lifted the Bucks into a 40-37 lead.
The dreadful stretch for the Sixers on both sides of the ball called to mind how they’d fallen into a 29-point deficit Thursday night vs. the Cavaliers before clawing out a comeback win.
The Sixers mustered just seven points in first six minutes of the second quarter and had many stagnant possessions that concluded with contested jumpers. The team’s transition defense was dismal for much of the second period. Milwaukee had the game’s first 19 fast-break points.
Star trio produces
The Sixers regained the lead late in the second quarter. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made two three-balls in the second and nabbed three first-half steals. Embiid assisted a go-ahead, and-one Walker layup.
Brown hit a three with 11.8 seconds left in the second quarter. Unsurprisingly, his variety of shotmaking skills were useful without James in the lineup.
Even when James or Embiid sit, the Sixers should have a simple advantage in terms of volume of stars over most opponents this year. None of Brown, Embiid or Maxey had the sort of off night that would have improved the Bucks’ odds of a road win. They’d all passed the 20-point mark by the end of the third quarter.
Maxey notched another final-possession bucket, this time with a more conventional make. He canned a jumper from the right elbow with 1.7 seconds left in the third to extend the Sixers’ lead to 97-87.
The Bucks made a late push in the fourth quarter. Kel’el Ware’s put-back, and-one layup cut the Milwaukee’s deficit to 117-114.
The Sixers ultimately handled business. Embiid reached his triple-double by assisting a second-chance Brown jumper and and Caldwell-Pope soon drilled a dagger corner three. Embiid even threw down a last-minute dunk for good measure.
For the second consecutive season, the Sixers have a 3-0 start. They got to four wins last year before dropping their first game.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 17: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns plays defense on Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the game during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Who: Phoenix Suns (0-1) @ Golden State Warriors (0-2)
When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, AZ
Watch: Suns+, 3TV/AZFS
Listen: AZ Sports 98.7
The Phoenix Suns had two full days to sit with their historic season-opening loss. Two days to flush it out.
It was a historically bad season-opening loss in Portland; we all know it. Devin Booker called it a “wake-up call”. We don’t want a players-only meeting. We don’t want to hear any more pep talks. We want a response on Saturday night against Golden State, in front of the home crowd, that tells us Game 1 was a fluke.
The Suns will face a shorthanded Warriors squad that is coming off a collapse last night against the Grizzlies in their home opener. They’re basically without… everyone?
Steph Curry officially ruled out tonight in Phoenix for the Warriors first back-to-back. Right knee management. Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford also out. Draymond Green is doubtful.
Luke Kennard — QUESTIONABLE (Left Knee Tendinopathy)
Oso Ighodaro — OUT (Oblique Strain)
Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)
Warriors
Kristaps Porzingis — OUT (Health)
Stephen Curry — OUT (Rest)
Brandin Podziemski — OUT (Back)
Jimmy Butler — OUT (Knee)
Moses Moody — OUT (Knee)
Al Horford — OUT (Rest)
Draymond Green — DOUBTFUL (Rest)
Here’s my quick hit on the Suns-Warriors injury report ahead of tonight’s game!
What to Watch For
Oso Ighodaro is OUT
That stings for this specific matchup. Oso is the guy who can switch onto Golden State’s guards, run the floor, and keep the ball moving out of the short roll.
Losing him thins out a frontcourt that just got beat by 14 on the glass. The good news is the Warriors are a much smaller and less athletic team than Portland. Khaman will need to be ready, as the Warriors will certainly try to drag him away from the rim and hunt him on the perimeter.
Steph-less
Curry tweaked his ankle before the Lakers game, was listed as probable, and played. Golden State just hosted Memphis Friday in its home opener, which makes Phoenix the second night of a back-to-back. It should come as no surprise that this early in the season, especially after a scare in an open practice that he will sit this one out.
The Warriors will rely on a combination of Gary Payton II, Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer, De’Anthony Melton, and Will Richard to pick up the guard play.
When Steph sits, Draymond tends to hunt for trouble. Put him and Brooks on the same floor and a scuffle feels inevitable. Phoenix needs Brooks to win that exchange on the scoreboard and keep his head.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 17: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. 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. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Already depleted
While the Suns are down Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro, Golden State has deep issues of their own. Jimmy Butler is out until after the new year, and Kristaps Porzingis may not ever play another game of basketball. Plus, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are out.
The Suns must control the game defensively, beccause it could be difiicutl for the Warriors to get buckets with this group.
Key to a Suns Win
1) Fix the shot diet. Phoenix took just four corner shots the entire night in Portland, two of them in the 4th, and went 6-of-33 from deep. The rest was contested mid-range junk, the shots Portland funneled them into. Credit the Blazers for executing their plan. Golden State will try to copy that film. The Suns need early rim touches and kick-outs to the corners in the first six minutes, before the Warriors get comfortable and the Suns get frustrated again.
2) The ball has to move. Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks combined for zero assists. One game, I get it, and I’m not torching the roster build yet. But the connective passing that made this group fun last year was nowhere. Against a Warriors defense that loads up on Booker, the second pass is the whole game.
Oct 21, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) and Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges (22) battle for control of the ball during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
3)Watch the defensive assignments. Expect rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (who already made headlines calling out Luka’s whining and then guarded him well) on Booker, with De’Anthony Melton or Gary Payton II sliding to Jalen Green.
This is a scrappy roster with or without Steph, and they will compete. It’s a group that is trying to prove themselves and has nothing to lose at this point, which swings all the pressure back in Phoenix’s direction.
Prediction
The Suns take advantage of the Warriors’ lack of depth and feed off the home crowd to get a double-digit win while holding Golden State just below 100 points. Anything less than a win and we need to have a serious discussion about this team.
Suns 111, Warriors 99
Let us know your prediction below. See you in the Game Thread!
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 17: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors will play their first back-to-back of the season Saturday night as they head to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Suns. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in Phoenix and can be watched on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area.
Golden State suffered a heartbreaking 111-108 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. The Warriors appeared to be in control late in the fourth quarter, holding a 12-point lead with just over three minutes remaining. However, the Grizzlies stormed back with 12 unanswered points to erase the deficit and tie the game. Cam Boozer then delivered a clutch isolation bucket as the shot clock wound down to give Memphis the lead.
Just when Golden State looked to respond on the ensuing possession, Draymond Green was whistled for a moving screen at half-court, giving the ball back to Memphis without the Warriors even attempting a shot. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was irate with the call and subsequently assessed a technical foul before Ty Jerome converted a breakaway layup to put the game out of reach.
Steph Curry on the 12-point blown lead in the final four minutes: “There are losses and then there are ways that you lose like tonight that sting a bit more.” pic.twitter.com/J24fy4XENd
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski made an encouraging return to the court Friday night after missing Golden State’s season opener with a back injury. The fourth-year guard looked explosive against Memphis, finishing with 18 points, three assists, two rebounds, three steals and a block. However, despite the performance, Podziemski is reportedly set to sit out Saturday night’s matchup alongside Steph Curry, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Brandin Podziemski said he will not play tomorrow in Phoenix. So it sounds like the already depleted Warriors will also be without Steph Curry and Podziemski against the Suns.
With Golden State’s starting backcourt unavailable, the Warriors will need someone to shoulder more of the offensive workload against Phoenix. One player who could benefit from the opportunity is backup guard Brandon Williams, whose ability to create off the dribble and finish at the basket gives Golden State some much needed offense from their backcourt. After playing in just nine minutes in yesterday’s game, Saturday should present an opportunity for him to take on a much bigger role.
The sting of the Warriors’ late collapse to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night cut deeper knowing how short-handed they could be the next night in Phoenix against the Suns in their first of 15 back-to-backs this season.
Steph Curry didn’t suit up Saturday night. Neither did Draymond Green, Al Horford and Brandin Podziemski, among the other usuals for the Warriors. Their backs were against the wall, and the Warriors didn’t lack in fight. They did lack in experienced talent, though.
Devin Booker torched the Warriors for 43 points as they fell to the Suns 131-122 at Mortgage Matchup Center. He was the Suns’ only player to score 20 points in a game where the Warriors had three of them, and it didn’t matter.
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg led the way with 26 points for his first 20-point game of his young NBA career. Lendeborg also had nine rebounds and five assists. De’Anthony Melton (25 points) and Brandon Williams (20 points) also reached the mark.
Golden State’s defense in the first three games of the season has been a stroll in the park for its opponents. The Suns shot 58.1 percent from the field and tallied 60 points in the paint.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ third straight loss to open the 2026-27 NBA season.
Playing Through Yaxel
The Warriors already are basically leaning on Lendeborg to be their No. 2 scorer. In their first game of the season without Curry, he became the Warriors’ top scoring option. Really, the entire offense needed to run through him when taking the absences of Green and Podziemski into account.
And Lendeborg was first to get the Warriors on the scoreboard with a three just to the right of the arc. His next shot was another made three, connecting just to the left of the arc. Lendeborg’s first three made shots were 3-pointers after draining one from the right corner.
But his most impressive sequence might have been Lendeborg’s fourth made shot, sealing Dillon Brooks for a mismatch down and finishing through contact for a three-point play. Lendeborg went into halftime as the Warriors’ leading scorer with 13 points, plus four rebounds and two assists.
Lendeborg proved the Warriors can play through him as a main option. The rookie made six 3-pointers and should have had many more than five assists if his teammates made shots off his dribble-drive passes. This was a Warriors loss, but a win in the development of Lendeborg.
Big Dubs Duo
Having Graham Ike and Charles Bassey as the Warriors’ centers set a tone. The Warriors were all over the glass and keeping possessions alive. Ike, who started the game at center, and Bassey, who made his season debut after missing the first two games to knee tendonitis, combined for nine points and eight rebounds in the first quarter.
As a team, the Warriors had 10 second-chance points, nine bench points and eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter to hold a three-point lead. But they also committed eight turnovers for 11 points. That number rose to 12 turnovers for 15 points with the Suns now leading by three.
While the Warriors did have 17 second-chance points in the first half, they continued to be too sloppy for a team that has such little margin for error. When it looked like the Suns were about to separate themselves with a 9-1 run during the third quarter, it was Bassey who carried the Warriors in answering with a 12-0 run to take the lead.
Ike recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Bassey added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting. They accounted for 17 of the Warriors’ 44 rebounds and seven of their 19 offensive rebounds. The problem is, the Warriors allowed as many points off turnovers (26) as second-chance points scored (26).
Richard’s Role
All signs pointed to the Warriors finding a steal late in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft when they took Will Richard out of Florida. In just his seventh career game last year, Richard started and scored 30 points on a night where the Warriors didn’t have their regulars. He wasn’t close to the same player a little more than a year later in Phoenix.
Richard had the same amount of turnovers and fouls as shot attempts at halftime: One. He missed his one shot attempt, a three from the left corner. It often felt like the Warriors were playing 4-on-5 offensively having Richard on the floor.
Then in the third quarter, Richard hit two threes that felt like they were worth triple that. The first was wide-open from the right wing where Richard looked around the court and then finally launched from deep. The second was in rhythm from the right corner, where Richard caught a bounce pass and in the same motion splashed a three, which is the exact shot the Warriors have to rely on him for.
Richard made a smooth reverse layup cutting under the hoop early in the fourth quarter, showing more shades of what the Warriors expected. The player he was in the second half, scoring 11 points, was much more reminiscent of who the Warriors need going forward.
The Penguins played a full 60 minutes Thursday, getting contributions from up and down their new-look lineup. They were without the services of forwards Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel - who were both placed on injured reserve Thursday - and it appears they will be without another forward Saturday.
Forward Evgeni Malkin, who missed Friday's team practice with an illness and who registered a goal and two points in Thursday's win, was ruled out by Penguins' head coach Dan Muse after the morning skate, which Malkin participated in. Forward Egor Chinakhov, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, is expected to miss his second consecutive game.
In addition, defenseman Sam Girard was officially placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and the Penguins recalled forward Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) to fill Malkin's hole in the lineup.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs - who posted a 25-save shutout Thursday - will get his second consecutive nod in goal Saturday.
There were no line rushes during the Penguins' optional morning skate, and it is difficult to tell where Hayes will fit into a lineup that was already shorthanded to a pretty large degree. He has had some legitimate chemistry with Rutger McGroarty in WBS, and both had nine points in six AHL games, so it won't come as a surprise if they begin the game on the same line.
The Predators are coming into this one 3-3-3 to start the season, and the Penguins are 7-0-2 in their last nine games against Nashville. They currently sit seventh in the Central Division standings and have a minus-7 goal differential.
36-year-old center Steven Stamkos has started the season hot with four goals and 10 points in nine games, and projected starting goaltender Juuse Saros is 3-2-2 with a .906 save percentage in seven appearances.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X."
The Florida Panthers had some new-look forward lines when they took the ice on Saturday in Chicago.
Fresh off a pair of lopsided defeats in Ottawa and Pittsburgh, the Panthers will be looking to get back on track when they face the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon at United Center.
Florida head coach Paul Maurice was not pleased with his players following the back-to-back losses and said he would be looking for a way to turn things back around ahead of Saturday’s skate.
“I think it looked the way I thought it did from the bench,” Maurice said. “We’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up in our game and we have an opportunity to do that tomorrow.”
When the team took the ice, it was apparent that Maurice had done some tinkering with the forward groupings.
The top line and the fourth line remained the same, but Maurice made a not-so-subtle move to his middle six.
Exciting young forward Sandis Vilmanis was bumped up to the second line, where he skated alongside Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe.
Vilmanis was a healthy scratch on Thursday.
“It’s just a little different look,” Maurice said. “When he was with Lundell and Luostarinen, I liked it early on but it’s starting to fall off a bit for me. We gave him a little bit of a reset, so he should have some good legs and good urgency in this game.”
Dependable forward Lars Eller, who Maurice has complimented several times during the early stages of the season, was on the left side of the Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen line.
In terms of defensive pairings, Radko Gudas was back with Dmitry Kulikov after being a healthy scratch during Thursday’s loss to the Penguins.
That was the only change on the blue line, as the top two pairings remained intact.
Between the pipes, Florida will turn back to Akira Schmid after giving rookie Cooper Black his first taste of NHL action on Thursday.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s showdown in Chitown:
Photo caption: Jan 10, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wingSandisVilmanis(95) chases the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)
Giancarlo Stanton’s mind has consistently said one thing, his body another.
Whether the two will finally match up again to allow him to be any kind of contributor for the Yankees in 2027, though, remains very much in question, setting up a $15 million decision.
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After three separate calf strains sidelined him for five-plus months and relegated him to a pair of pinch-hit at-bats in October, the soon-to-be 37-year-old DH entered the offseason healthy. That is the only bit of certainty the Yankees have involving Stanton, whose body continues to betray him late in his potential Hall of Fame career.
“It destroyed him that he wasn’t available to us to try to help us and impact us in a positive way for most of the run this year,” general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this week. “He continued to fight through it, as someone who is wired right should. He is wired right. His leadership in there [the clubhouse] is not in question. His care factor is not in question. It’s just keeping him on the field so he can help us in that win column — it was a huge problem for us especially in 2026.”
Regardless of what happens, the Yankees owe Stanton $15 million in 2027 (with the Marlins paying the other $10 million of his $25 million salary), which is why it makes little sense to cut him now. They have sufficient room on their 40-man roster to get to work this offseason without having to worry about a crunch just yet.
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton reacts after striking out swinging with a runner on, ending the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
So whenever spring training actually begins, depending on the looming lockout, Stanton figures to at least have a chance to report to camp and show the Yankees what he has left. But once that happens, then the clock might start ticking louder.
The way the Yankees are currently constructed, assuming health, there may not be a whole lot of DH at-bats up for grabs even if Stanton is physically able. In his absence this season, Ben Rice essentially became a full-time DH, especially after the Yankees acquired Luis García Jr. at the trade deadline. García has another year left on his contract, and while the Yankees have teased possibly reintroducing some second base to him, that would likely only be a part-time solution instead of any kind of permanent move.
Even if García does play second occasionally and Rice can improve his defense at first base, Aaron Judge may need to start getting more DH days, meaning another potential roadblock for Stanton at-bats.
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) and Giancarlo Stanton (27) chat in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Of course, all of that banks on him being healthy in the first place, which has proven difficult. His calves limited him to 96 plate appearances in 24 games this year. Last season, his elbows (a problem that isn’t going away) limited him to 281 plate appearances in 77 games.
“Obviously we know what he’s capable of when he is healthy,” Cashman said. “We look forward to seeing if we can deploy a healthy version of him next year. But obviously that DH spot is also available or up for grabs as well, for other people that could benefit from it at the same time. We’ll have those conversations. But I can tell you this … G’s a very accountable, responsible, wired correctly professional athlete.”
That much has never been in doubt. Throughout the ups and downs of his Yankees tenure, Stanton has been one of the most respected and important voices in the clubhouse. He continued that this season despite being hurt for most of it, but the Yankees missed the threat of his right-handed bat in the middle of the order — still a presence, as his half a season in 2025 (he hit .273 with a .944 OPS and 24 home runs) reminded.
“I know it was a very tough year for Giancarlo, from the soft-tissue stuff and lower-body stuff, and that pains him because … Big G is wired right and he cares immensely and does all he can to take care of his body as best he can,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So we’ll see. We’ll see as the winter unfolds, we’ll see what the roster looks like when we get to Tampa and we go back at it. But it’s impossible to know exactly what that looks like right now.”
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 23: Logan Henderson #43 of the Milwaukee Brewers takes the field prior to Game One of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Friday, October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series started with a bang last night, as the Brewers escaped with a close victory despite a ninth-inning rally (and some favorable umpiring) that led to the first run allowed in Trevor Megill’s postseason. See postgame comments from both managers and several of the key players in our Brewers Notes, here.
Don’t expect things to get any easier today. After the somewhat controversial decision to go with number-three starter Nick Martinez in Game 1, the Rays will send ace Drew Rasmussen, who has been the best starting pitcher in these playoffs, to the mound in Game 2 with an extra day of rest. Milwaukee will counter with Logan Henderson.
Rasmussen, the 31-year-old right-hander, has made three starts this postseason. In the first, he dominated the Yankees: eight innings, 10 strikeouts, one hit, two walks, no runs in a 1-0 victory. He pitched twice in the ALCS, first in a game in which he allowed just two runs (both solo homers) in six innings but lost, and a win in Game 5 when he went seven innings, struck out six, and allowed one run. Overall this postseason he’s averaging seven innings per start, has 23 strikeouts to just three walks, and has a 1.29 ERA and 2.58 FIP.
That postseason success follows a season that could see him finish in the top five in AL Cy Young voting. Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA, 2.82 FIP, and league-leading marks in WHIP (0.913) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.44). Like Martinez, Rasmussen is one of the best pitchers in the league at limiting walks (just 1.7 per nine), so it’s a bit of an “unstoppable force, immovable object” situation with Milwaukee’s ultra patient lineup.
Folks will also remember that Rasmussen was, briefly, a Brewer. Milwaukee drafted him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, and he debuted with the team in 2020. On May 21st, 2021, Rasmussen was the key piece going back to Tampa in one of the more consequential trades of the Brewers’ recent past, the swap that brought Willy Adames to Milwaukee. Rasmussen emerging into an ace over the last couple of years makes that sting a bit. But Adames is very popular franchise figure who gave the Brewers three-and-a-half very good seasons, and the Brewers were also compensated with the draft pick that turned into Brady Ebel, so it seems to be one of those trades that worked out for both sides.
For the Brewers, Henderson makes his third start of the postseason. Things haven’t been quite as easy for him in the playoffs as they were during the regular season, but his teammates (and his own defense) haven’t exactly picked him up; Henderson has allowed six runs over two postseason starts, but only three were earned. In five innings against the Padres, Henderson allowed just two hits but uncharacteristically walked three en route to two runs, one earned in a game that the Brewers won 4-3. In Game 2 of the NLCS against Los Angeles, Henderson went four innings, walked two, allowed three hits, and gave up four runs, though only two were earned. Milwaukee was resilient in that game and won 7-4.
We’re still waiting to see the best version of Henderson, the one who went 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA during the regular season. That pitcher matched Rasmussen’s sparkling 1.7 BB/9 and struck out batters at a higher rate, giving him a K:BB ratio (5.79) that bested even the Tampa ace’s American-League-leading mark. Brewers fans will also be hoping that Henderson didn’t get into his own head after two bad throws to first handed the Dodgers a pair of runs in the NLCS; I wouldn’t be surprised if Chandler Simpson checked on Henderson’s confidence in his throwing arm during his first at-bat tonight.
In a bit of a surprise (only because they almost never did this during the regular season), the Brewers are rolling out the same lineup tonight against Rasmussen as they did yesterday versus Nick Martinez, with Jackson Chourio leading off, followed by Jake Bauers, Christian yelich, William Contreras, Brice Turang, Garrett Mitchell, Cooper Pratt, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton. The Rays made a change at second base, where Richie Palacios, who is batting .364 in the postseason, enters the lineup in place of Ben Williamson.
First pitch is around 7:15pm on Fox, with pregame coverage starting at 6pm. Of course, you can always find the game on the Brewers Radio Network.
BOSTON — The Knicks bricked too many shots in their first two games. Plenty of open ones, too. But coach Mike Brown wasn’t concerned about the misfiring after his team was toppled Friday night by the Celtics.
Those will eventually fall. Especially Jalen Brunson’s. The Knicks aren’t going to shoot just 40.8 percent like the combined home and road openers.
But Brown did identify a glaring issue because the championship hangover apparently hit the Knicks with laziness.
“It was a physical ballgame and [the Celtics] had the advantage out there with the physicality,” Brown said.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline in the first half of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brown reiterated, several times after Friday’s 107-103 defeat, the problem that has plagued the Knicks intermittently for years: the inability, or unwillingness, to fight through picks.
It was exacerbated in Beantown because the refs were cooler than usual with moving screens, allowing the Celtics to hunt mismatches with weaker defenders like Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“They set a screen, and we lay on the screen, don’t fight to get through it,” Brown said. “And then we have to switch and get the wrong matchup. That’s why I bring up their physicality in screens, whether it’s the pick-and-roll or off the ball. If that is there from the other team and we’re not defending the screens the right way, communicating, and navigating them the right way instead of laying, laying, laying — it’s going to start the dominoes to fall. If they’re illegal or not, it doesn’t matter.”
Jayson Tatum cooked the Knicks for 36 points, three days after another star ball handler, Tyrese Maxey, filleted the Knicks for 28 points.
The point-of-attack defense has been suspect and OG Anunoby’s rough start is a problematic factor. He’s supposed to be the Knicks’ top stopper and owns the worst defensive rating among the starters through two games.
Mikal Bridges, the other defensive specialist, was benched for much of Friday’s game — including the final 8 ¹/₂ minutes — amid a 2-for-16 shooting slump.
The Knicks closed with Miles McBride over Bridges and nearly pulled off the comeback, but Tatum buried a couple of difficult shots over Josh Hart.
Jayson Tatum (0) of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during a game against the New York Knicks at TD Garden in Boston, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“At the end of the first quarter there was a two-minute stretch where we were just b—hing to the referees instead of just playing through it,” Brown said. “In the third, their level of physicality picked up. And also the beginning of the fourth quarter. And we found a combination toward the end that handled their physicality. And we were just as physical back. And that gave us a chance to win. But against a good team on the road, it was too late.”
Brown said the effort also negatively impacted the team’s offense because it led to turnovers.
“When we tried to drive the basketball, we either fell on the ground and there was no call, or when we got in the paint, and they brought a second guy they had us either jumping in the air and turning it over, or they had us on the heels, trying to make sprays. And it was just because they got us in our bodies,” the coach said. There was a level of physicality that Boston brought to the table that caused us to have 18 turnovers on the road compared to their 11 turnovers. It’s going to be tough to win.”
The Knicks, as a result, became the first defending champs to start 0-2 since the Mavericks in 2011. The good news is they’re back home Sunday against the Magic, who are also 0-2 after getting blown out Friday by the Timberwolves.
A defeat against Orlando would have Brown contemplating a losing start to the first segment of the championship-defending season.
“We break the season into five-game segments,” Brown said. “There are marks that we like to hit in those five games and it kind of gives us a good feel of where you were, in a fair amount of games, and to see if you can make progress in the next five.
“Obviously you want to go 5-0, you’ll take 4-1, and then maybe you have to take 3-2. But if you’re doing anything less than that, you know that nobody is reaching their potential.”
