This is the first of what are likely to be several major awards won by Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong this year (Bluesky link):
You all know PCA’s numbers, but they are certainly worth repeating here, because they represent a Cubs season not seen in decades. Some highlights as posted in the BA article:
• He led all MLB hitters with 45 home runs, 119 runs, 84 extra-base hits and 357 total bases.
• He led National League hitters with a .570 slugging percentage, .943 OPS and 157 wRC+.
• He played in all 162 games, drove in 107 runs batting primarily out of the leadoff spot, stole 41 bases, grounded into just two double plays and played a spotless center field, positioning him for a second straight Gold Glove.
• Beneath the surface, he improved his decision-making by swinging less, chasing less and missing less. As a result, he drew 83 walks, hit .280 and posted a .372 OBP—all far and away his best marks in three full MLB seasons.
• His discipline gains were most apparent in same-side matchups. He hit .280/.374/.505 versus lefthanders, one year after hitting .188 against them.
Of all those numbers, perhaps the difference in his plate discipline is the most impressive. PCA had a very good season in 2025, but walked only 29 times last year and posted a . 287 on-base percentage. He raised that OBP 85 points this year, which was eighth-best in the National League. Here’s another stat that will amaze you:
PCA had finished his breakout 2025 season on a down note, posting a .611 OPS for the final 60 games of that campaign.
But from June 1 onward, there was no better baseball player on the planet than PCA.
His 1.065 OPS and 186 wRC+, spanning 476 plate appearances, were tops in MLB. Consider: Crow-Armstrong packed so much value into the final four months of the 2026 season that he nearly went 30-30 in the final 102 games, finishing one stolen base shy of 30.
So over the season’s final four months, he put together numbers that probably would have won an MVP award even if you ignored the numbers before June 1:
And, as you know, the 9.8 bWAR he posted this year was tied with Ron Santo’s 1967 season for fourth-best in Cubs franchise history (behind Rogers Hornsby, 10.6 in 1929; Sammy Sosa, 10.3 in 2001; and Ernie Banks, 10.2 in 1959). PCA’s year created 10.6 fWAR, second only to Hornsby in 1929 (11.0).
He’ll certainly be the National League MVP when that award is announced next month, and there’s a good chance he’ll be the unanimous choice.
There’s one more award that PCA is up for:
No surprise here. PCA is a 2026 Hank Aaron Award finalist!
The Hank Aaron Award was created in 1999 to honor the best offensive performer of the year in each league. Here’s a list of winners; there have been three Cubs to win the award previously (Kris Bryant in 2016, Aramis Ramirez in 2008 and Sammy Sosa in 1999.
The Hank Aaron Award winners will be announced live from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT during a special presentation at the MLB Awards, which will be aired live on MLB Network for a fourth consecutive year.
As I’ve written before: Don’t ever forget what you saw Pete Crow-Armstrong do this year. The 2026 Cubs season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but PCA’s performance was one for the ages.
The Atlanta Braves have survived back-to-back starts from former Cy Young award winners to travel home with a 1-1 tie in the NLDS. This evening, they will be deploying their own former Cy Young award winner in Chris Sale in hopes of taking a series lead against the Dodgers and put them one step closer to advancing to the NLCS for the first time since they won the World Series in 2021.
Chris Sale was one of the heroes in the Wild Card series making a great start and then a few days later closing out the series in relief. There are debates whether that is why he is pitching today instead of yesterday, but fortunately, the Braves won yesterday despite it being a bullpen game.
This season Chris Sale faced the Dodgers twice. The first time was in early May where he went 7.0 innings and gave up two earned runs on five hits, and zero walks while striking out seven. The second time he faced them was at the end of the August where he pitched a complete game shutout and struck out eleven.
Needless to say, the Braves need to win today with their best pitcher on the mound. Tonight is going to be a huge momentum shift one way or another for both teams.
The Dodgers are bringing in Yoshinobu Yamamoto after he pitched the best regular season of his career. He started off relatively slow by his standards, but has been lights out since the start of August with an ERA of 2.12 and a K/BB ratio of 4.67. He has been a bit lucky with a BABIP against him of only .196, but those numbers are still impressive. The Braves will have to fight to win this game.
The last time Yamamoto faced the Braves was the same game Sale pitched the complete game. Yamamoto pitched well in that game too going 6.1 innings allowing one earned run on a solo HR and striking out eight to only walking one.
The key to this game is likely going to be the Braves doing what they did last game, where they worked counts and drove up the pitch count. Believe it or not, the Braves lead all postseason teams in walks. They have left quite a few runners on base this postseason, but the runs will come if they continue to put runners on. The Braves also lead in HRs and TB, so mathematically the goal here is to keep doing what they are doing and hope for some clutch hits with runners on.
This is easier said than done against Yamamoto, but to be fair the same thing could have been said about Blake Snell. Winning the game tonight would give the Braves a chance to do what many likely thought was impossible, and that is clinch the series at home tomorrow. Tonight’s game is huge.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm EDT.
Game Info
Game Time: Tuesday, October 6th, 6:00 pm EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Watch: FS1 / FOX ONE
Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan and ESPN Radio
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 5: Colorado Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy (31) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run in the fifth inning during a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The offseason will be a bit trickier for the Colorado Rockies this year.
The window to make decisions will be shorter because the World Series will end on October 27 at the earliest, and the collective bargaining agreement ends on December 2, bringing a presumed lockout. That leaves teams with about a month to start making meaningful decisions before the market is frozen with no real clarity on when it will resume under a new CBA.
One of the major decisions to make will be figuring out which players will be tendered a contract. Under the current CBA, the non-tender deadline will be November 20. The most consequential group of players for the Rockies are those who are eligible for arbitration this year. The Rockies have a relatively short list of arbitration players this year, and thanks to the folks over at MLB Trade Rumors, we have a guideline of projected salaries for what the players could potentially earn in 2027.
As it stands, here are the confirmed eligible players:
Jimmy Herget: $2.4 million
Jake McCarthy: $4.6 million
Ryan Feltner: $3.8 million
Brennan Bernardino: $1.6 million
Hunter Goodman: $6.2 million
So, let’s check in on the prospects of each player being tendered a contract and sticking with the Rockies for 2027.
Jimmy Herget
Entering his final year of arbitration, Jimmy Herget is an interesting case for the Rockies. Claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs, Herget ended up as one of the most valuable players for the historically bad Colorado Rockies. In 83.1 innings over 59 appearances, Herget posted a 2.48 ERA and looked like a revelation for the Rockies bullpen.
Unfortunately, he regressed in 2026, posting a 5.70 ERA over 53.2 innings across 51 appearances. The major issue was that he gave up a lot of hard contact and more home runs than ever before, alongside an 11% walk rate. The Rockies often needed some firemen to put out fires, and Herget had his moments, but he was purely a bridge piece when deployed.
Herget turned 33 in September, so age isn’t exactly an issue since his veteran experience is welcome in a young Rockies bullpen. The projected $2.4 million salary also isn’t a massive dent to the budget, assuming the Rockies should have some flexibility to spend some money. The safe route is to run it back with Herget, but it may behoove the Rockies to look for other bullpen arms, perhaps with a more consistent track record of success to set the tone in the bullpen.
Prediction: Non-tendered
Jake McCarthy
No one was expecting Jake McCarthy to have the breakout season he ended up having with the Rockies in 2026. He ended up stabilizing the lead-off spot while putting together a historic Rockies season. Initially brought in as an extra-outfield option, McCarthy made himself a home in Colorado and even earned a nomination for the All-MLB Team.
Entering his second year of arbitration, McCarthy did enough to earn himself a nice pay raise. Projected to earn $4.6 million, that’s a 201.7% increase over his $1.525 million salary this season. For a single-season salary, that’s not a bad result for either party involved. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rockies figured something out for a multi-year deal to buy out his third year of arbitration, as he just turned 29 in July.
Unless something materializes and the Rockies get a trade offer they can’t refuse, McCarthy is extremely likely to start the 2027 season with Colorado.
Prediction: Tendered, potentially extended
Ryan Feltner
Before the season ended, I was leaning heavily toward the idea of Ryan Feltner getting non-tendered. Despite his potential, Feltner just hasn’t been able to put it all together as a starter to be consistently competitive. Walks remain an issue while he gives up a lot of contact with too few strikeouts. In 2026, he posted a 6.10 ERA across 22 starts, giving up 120 hits, including 20 home runs, in 107.2 innings.
However, the Rockies decided to move Feltner into the bullpen as a bulk reliever/piggyback late in the season, and it started to work for him. In 15.2 innings over four outings, Feltner allowed one earned run on 12 hits for a 0.57 ERA. For some reason, the move just seemed to work better for him, much like it did for Chase Dollander earlier this season.
If the Rockies plan to keep Feltner in that role as they try to figure out pitching at altitude for the club, a $3.8 million salary in his second year of arbitration isn’t a bad deal, money-wise. However, there is the risk that comes with it and the record of Feltner struggling in Colorado, along with him just turning 30. The small sample size of 15 relief innings shouldn’t be enough to gamble nearly $4 million when that money could be used on fortifying the rotation. Perhaps a trade could come together because a change of scenery could do him some good. Either way, his fate feels a little bit uncertain, despite the promising success to finish the season.
Prediction: Tendered
Brennan Bernardino
The first trade by Paul DePodesta as head of the Rockies turned out to be a good one with Brennan Bernardino. As a Super Two player, Bernardino is entering his second year of arbitration at the age of 34 and will turn 35 in January. He isn’t slated to become a free agent until 2030.
Bernardino has been fairly successful in his career since debuting in 2022 as a 30-year-old and put up his best season yet in 2026. In 64 innings over 72 appearances, Bernardino posted a sparkling 2.81 ERA with 49 strikeouts against 15 walks. He was deployed in various roles throughout the year, but the consistency of his reliability, especially as a lefty, was a welcome asset to the Rockies bullpen.
It seems like a no-brainer to retain Bernardino, especially at the projected price of $1.6 million. Southpaw relievers are a valuable commodity, and he has been a steadying veteran presence in the bullpen. Of course, age will always be a concern for players in their mid-30s, but Bernardino showed no signs of slowing down all year and looks to have a few more years in the big leagues. However, it’s that value that may make him a popular ask by other teams.
Many expected Bernardino to be traded, but the Rockies elected to keep him around. Perhaps November will be the time to trade him, as the uncertainty of 2027 may make trades more viable, especially for an effective lefty reliever.
Prediction: Tendered, potentially traded
Hunter Goodman
The power of Hunter Goodman continues to be a marvel for the Rockies. After hitting 31 home runs in 144 games last season, Goodman slugged 41 home runs in 138 games in 2026. While the value went down due to an increase in strikeouts and the need for improved defensive skills, Goodman still enjoyed a quality All-Star season. Now, as he turns 27 this coming Thursday, Goodman enters his first year of arbitration eligibility.
This season, Goodman’s salary was $810,000. His projected salary in arbitration of $6.2 million would be the highest amount in Rockies history for a first-year arbitration player, beating the $5 million salaries of both Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story.
It will always pay to hit home runs, and Goodman is more than deserving in that aspect. There is little doubt the Rockies would end up tendering him a contract and settling on an amount in that $6 million ballpark. The question is whether a long-term extension is in play or if the Rockies will be open to trading Goodman.
There was interest in him near the trade deadline, but concerns about his defense working with a new pitching staff mid-season, along with the Rockies’ high asking price, nixed any deal. However, teams are less averse to trading for a catcher in the offseason, and there are sure to be some phone calls coming the Rockies’ way before the lockout. Whether or not the Rockies pick up the phone is another question. However, it’s hard to imagine the Rockies trading away Goodman at this point as his power is something the lineup desperately needs.
Prediction: Tendered
Jordan Beck (Super Two)
While it won’t be finalized until after the season, MLB Trade Rumors estimates that Jordan Beck could be eligible for arbitration this season as a Super Two player. With 2.133 years of service time, Beck could be right on the cusp of earning four years of arbitration, or barely miss by a matter of a day or two.
It was a tough season for Beck as he struggled to take advantage of the opening in right field at the start of the season and saw his playing time reduced to a platoon role against lefties. He did quite well against left-handed pitching with a .295 AVG and a .760 OPS but hit just .091 against righties with a .312 OPS. He was never quite able to find a rhythm this season and force more opportunities from the Rockies as some other players did. Strikeouts and the lack of power were major issues for him.
If he is eligible for arbitration, I feel the Rockies would be unlikely to retain him, even for $1.2 million. If they did tender him a contract, the projected $1.2 million is cheap enough to swallow, but is it worth it? The best option may be to non-tender him to clear space and hope he can find an opportunity elsewhere where he can hopefully thrive.
Prediction: Non-tendered
Wait and see
November is going to be an interesting month to see how active the Rockies are with moves. There are also a lot of question marks about how the roster will continue to reshape in the second off-season with DePodesta at the helm. The non-tender deadline is going to be a huge indicator of the next step forward, I feel, and all we can do is wait and see.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics poses for photos during Boston Celtics Media Day at Auerbach Center on September 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CHARLESTON — This time last year, Jayson Tatum was in the background.
While most of the Celtics were finishing up training camp and preparing for the season, Tatum spent most of his free time in the weight room, looking in from the outside.
He still made it a point to go to every practice and nearly every game, home and away. But it was often painful to watch his team go to war on the court while he focused on rehab for a ruptured Achilles tendon.
This October, Tatum is almost 17 months removed from his injury, and he’s front and center at camp. He’s still working with assistant coach Tony Dobbin, the same coach who worked with him through his rehab, except this time, he has no limitations.
So, this fall, Tatum feels an extra sense of gratitude and happiness, just to be a part of things.
“I have a totally different perspective,” Tatum said. “I’ve been open — last year was very tough for me. I just remember these days of training camp, and I would just be in the weight room the whole time watching the team practice, and it was just tough to not just go through it.”
Nowadays, Tatum is getting to know his new Celtics teammates, like Mitchell Robinson, Paul George, Mike Conley, and rookies Chris Cenac and Dillon Mitchell.
Facing the New York Knicks four times a year, Robinson is someone Tatum has long gone up against, but never knew particularly well.
“I love Big Mitch,” Tatum said. “Hilarious guy, and he just brings a different dynamic to our team. Obviously, his size and his instincts on the defensive end. Obviously, a lob threat; how great a defender and rebounder he is. I had a hard time boxing him out for the last 7, 8 years. So, now to have him on our team just give us a different look. Something that I’m super excited about.”
Joe Mazzulla has pointed out all week that it’s easy to be connected and in good spirits at training camp.
“Every team in the league is the most together team right now,“ Mazzulla said on Sunday. ”Because we haven’t traveled. No one’s gotten benched. No one’s been on a losing streak. No one’s gotten blamed in the media. No one’s had to go stand in the corner for 10 minutes and not get the ball. So, you learn those things as the season goes on, and you just learn how to work through those things together. And you can’t simulate those. It just comes with time. And so, right now I would say all 30 teams feel great about themselves, and we got to wait till adversity hits. And adversity is even a strong word. There’s nothing really adverse about playing in the NBA. But we got to wait until stuff doesn’t go your way, and then you got to figure out who we are and how we’re going to be at our best.”
But for Tatum, simply being available for training camp has been a blessing.
“Being on this side and knowing what it felt like to have to watch the whole time, it just [brings] a different level of appreciation of just getting to be a part of the game that I love with my teammates,” Tatum said. “[It’s] a different type of joy that I have now than I did my first eight seasons.”
The Sixers have suffered a preseason injury hit at center.
An MRI confirmed that Ariel Hukporti has a torn right Achilles tendon, the Sixers announced Tuesday afternoon. Hukport will undergo surgery later in the day, according to the team.
The Sixers didn’t provide an official timeline for Hukporti’s potential return, but it will clearly be a long-term absence. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the injury is “season-ending.”
Hukporti suffered the injury Monday night in the first quarter of the Sixers’ preseason-opening win over the Knicks. Without any contact, he fell to the floor while defending Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Sixers on Monday were also without centers Joel Embiid, Adem Bona (left foot sprain) and Tacko Fall (left hip sprain). Embiid participated in the Sixers’ Blue-White scrimmage Saturday and looked good physically. As of last week, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said the team’s hope was that Bona would be able to play in at least a couple of preseason games.
Hukporti’s injury is a substantial blow to the Sixers’ center depth and raises questions about whether the team will tinker with its roster at the position during the season.
Though Hukporti was the Knicks’ third-string center last year, he appeared to have a higher chance at regular minutes with the Sixers. He likely would have competed internally with a fellow third-year big man in Bona. Outside of their traditional centers, the Sixers’ possible options at the five include Dominick Barlow, Dean Wade, LeBron James and Jabari Walker.
It didn’t take long for Hukporti to become well-liked by his new teammates and coaches.
Walker described him as a “brother” Monday night. Jaylen Brown called the 24-year-old German a “great guy.”
“Huk has been a joy to have,” Brown said. “He’s been great in the locker room. It sucks to see a guy like that go down.”
BRONX, NY - MAY 1: Ruben Sierra #24 of the New York Yankees acknowledges the crowd after hitting a grand slam homerun in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals May 1, 2004 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. It was his second home run of the day, with a total of seven runs batted in. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After bursting onto the scene in the late 1980s, Rubén Sierra went on to play for nine franchises over the course of his 20-year Major League career. The Yankees got to see two different stints from him over all those years, and had two very different experiences.
Rubén Angel Sierra Garcia
Born: October 06, 1965 (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico)
Yankees Tenure: 1995-1996, 2003-2005
Born in Puerto Rico, Sierra lost his father when he was just four years old. Growing up in the Jardines Selles projects inspired Sierra to do one thing: get him and his family out of there. Excelling as a multisport athlete in high school, Sierra was signed by the Texas Rangers in 1982 and started his professional journey at just 17 years old in 1983.
Sierra, an outfielder who batted from both sides of the plate, quickly climbed through the Rangers system. So quickly that in 1986, the barely-not-a-teenager found himself on the doorstep of the majors in Triple-A. Later that summer, the Rangers called the kid up, and he homered in his second big league at-bat. Sierra went on to play in 113 games, launching 16 homers to go along with 13 doubles and 10 triples, for a baseball triple-double, if you will, good enough for a sixth-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
That performance his rookie season was good enough to make him stick with the big league club moving forward. Sierra followed up his rookie campaign by hitting 30 home runs in 1987 and had a decent season again in 1988. The 1989 season would go down as one of Sierra’s best. He batted .306 with 29 big flies and led the major leagues with 14 triples and RBIs with 119. For the first time, he was selected as an All-Star and finished second to Jeff Kent in the MVP race. Sierra cried and argued he deserved the MVP in a moment that would have been meme’d and gone viral if it had happened 30 years later.
Following the meltdown, Sierra had a down season. However, the still-young rising star rebounded in 1991. Making his second All-Star team, he hit 25 homers with 116 RBIs while batting .307 on the year. Following the season, Sierra fought with the club over salary and eventually won in arbitration. However, Sierra took the process very personally. An already rocky relationship with manager Bobby Valentine finally came to a head, and a frustrated Rangers front office fired Valentine. Sierra was then traded, a few weeks after his third All-Star appearance, to the Oakland A’s on August 31, with Jeff Russell and Bobby Witt for Jose Canseco.
Sierra played in Oakland for the rest of the 1992 season and into the 1995 season. While in Oakland, Sierra clashed with another manager, this time Hall of Famer Tony La Russa. The two openly fought in the sports pages, with Sierra bashing the get-on-base approach La Russa wanted. Despite playing well enough to be an All-Star again in 1994, the club had soured on Sierra to the point where they traded him with Jason Beverlin to the Yankees for Danny Tartabull.
The first stint in the Bronx for Sierra started in 1995 and ended almost a year to the date in 1996. The reason for the short stint was manager conflict again. Sierra clashed with Buck Showalter after he started using Sierra in a platoon role with Darryl Strawberry. Sierra had his agent call Showalter to complain, which set off Showalter. Joe Torre took over the Yankees in 1996, and Sierra again found a way to immediately get off on the wrong foot with the skipper. Torre would later say Sierra was the hardest player he ever had to coach and said he only cared about statistics and did not understand baseball. After one calendar year, the Yankees had enough and traded him with Matt Drews to the Detroit Tigers for Cecil Fielder.
Following his trade to Detroit, Sierra embarked on a four-year stretch playing for five different clubs. His production plummeted during this journeyman phase, eventually forcing him into a brief hiatus from the major leagues to completely retool his swing. Sierra found himself playing in Mexico, and over this stretch, his attitude changed and he started showing maturity, reaching out to mend a lot of broken relationships, including burying the hatchet with Torre.
Sierra got his swing back on track and was given a chance to revive his career back with the Rangers. In his comeback season, he won the 2001 American League Comeback Player of the Year award. Sierra then made a one-year pit stop in Seattle before bouncing back to the Rangers for the 2003 season. In June of 2003, he was traded by Texas back to New York for Marcus Thames.
The second stint in the Bronx saw a reinvented Sierra. He was selfless and a productive veteran bench piece who became a beloved clubhouse presence. Sierra delivered a few clutch moments for the Bombers, most famously hitting a game-tying three-run home run off Francisco Rodriguez in Game 4 of the 2004 ALDS. By the time his second stint concluded after the 2005 season, Sierra had rewritten his legacy in New York. Across five seasons in pinstripes, Sierra hit 45 home runs while batting .254 over the span of 383 games.
Over his twenty-year career, Sierra got 2,152 hits and had a .268 career batting average. He hit 306 home runs and drove in 1,322 RBIs across 2,186 games. After his playing days, Sierra started focusing on his lifelong love for salsa music. He has released several salsa albums and spent much of his retirement actively touring, performing, and singing at live music venues and events. Sierra was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2009.
Happy birthday, Rubén!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Former General Manager Fred Claire died on Monday, on what was his 91st birthday.
Fred Claire looks on during a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros, May 29, 1991. Getty Images
Claire served in numerous roles in the Dodgers’ front office for nearly 30 years, including serving as the team’s general manager from 1987 to 1998.
Claire is best-known for being the man who put the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series roster together.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, left, and former general manager Fred Claire are honored before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 25, 2021. Getty Images
He acquired outfielders Kirk Gibson and Mike Davis, shortstop Alfredo Griffin, plus several impact pitchers like Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco after Los Angeles’ 1987 campaign to set them up for their first World Series win in seven seasons the next year.
The most notable of those acquisitions was Gibson, whose legendary walk-off home run in Game 1 of that World Series is still one of the most iconic moments not just for the Dodgers’ franchise, but in all of baseball history.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson celebrates his game-winning two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics as he rounds the bases during the first game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 1988. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers have a great opportunity to honor Claire’s memory on Tuesday, as they face the Atlanta Braves in a pivotal Game 3 of their best-of-five NLDS series this evening.
If the series comes back to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday, fans can likely expect the Dodgers to pay tribute to Claire in some way.
The Los Angeles Dodgers listen to the national anthem before Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Los Angeles, - October 04: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out swinging against the Atlanta Braves to end the seventh inning of Game 2 of an NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Dodgers designated hitter has won the Hank Aaron Award, the honor given annually to the top offensive player in his league, in each of the previous three seasons, in 2023 with the Angels then in 2024-25 in his first two years with the Dodgers. Ohtani won’t win it this season, but he’s a finalist again, and deservedly so.
Now the Dodgers need Ohtani to find something, anything at the plate as they try to break a 1-1 tie in the National League Division Series against the Braves.
Ohtani has two singles in eight at-bats during the NLDS, and since returning from the injured list on September 23 has seven hits, including a double, in 29 at-bats, with one walk and a strikeout. There was the September 24 game against the Padres in which he consistently hit the ball hard, but other than that Ohtani hasn’t gotten any real results at the plate for seven weeks.
He last homered on August 18 at Coors Field, and in 94 plate appearances since is hitting a paltry .160/.277/.198.
Ohtani was clearly diminished at the plate just before landing on the injured list four weeks ago, after dealing with left knee inflammation and a right biceps injury. All sides seem to agree Ohtani is not 100 percent, but when asked if his injuries would require offseason attention, Ohtani didn’t offer much in response.
“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this. I think that process is going to happen during the off-season when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it,” Ohtani said, through interpreter Will Ireton, last Friday on the eve of the NLDS. “But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”
We probably won’t know the full extent of Ohtani’s maladies this season until some Instagram post with a considered-font graphic detailing whatever procedure he might have had once the season is done. But for now, if we take Ohtani and the Dodgers at their word and he is healthy enough to play, he hasn’t helped himself by chasing. Ohtani swung at seven pitches outside the strike zone in Game 2 alone on Sunday.
“I think that the amount of at-bats leading up to it, it was, I think, five games, I think you still — I felt good about having some at-bats to finish the season, the at-bats that he took in the bye week,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Monday in Atlanta on the workout day at Truist Park. “But at the end of the day, he can still do a better job of staying in the strike zone. I don’t think that that has anything to do with — he had the five games. He had the at-bats in between. I think that’s something that — it’s hard to have success when you’re out of the zone.”
Roberts in that same media session on Monday said he would even consider moving Ohtani even further down in the lineup. Ohtani batted second in two of his five regular season games after getting activated from the injured list and batted second in both NLDS games to date.
In three years with the Dodgers, Ohtani has only batted first or second, with his last time in another lineup spot coming in 2023, with 59 starts batting third for the Angels.
“I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it,” Roberts said Monday. “And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why.”
While most of the last month and a half focused on what Ohtani hasn’t done, his overall numbers in 2026 were solid, and among the best in the sport. They just happen to pale in comparison to his 54-homer, 59-steal campaign followed by 55 home runs in his first two years with the Dodgers.
Ohtani hit .275/.377/.512 with 30 home runs, a 139 wRC+, 89 runs scored, 81 RBI, and 81 walks in 135 games. He’s one of 10 finalists for the National League Aaron Award, which will almost certainly go to Pete Crow-Armstrong.
2026 NL Hank Aaron Award finalists
CJ Abrams – Washington Nationals
Jake Bauers – Milwaukee Brewers
Pete Crow-Armstrong – Chicago Cubs
Elly De La Cruz – Cincinnati Reds
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Olson – Atlanta Braves
Kyle Schwarber – Philadelphia Phillies
Sal Stewart – Cincinnati Reds
Fernando Tatis Jr. – San Diego Padres
Jordan Walker – St. Louis Cardinals
The Aaron Award, which has existed since 1999, is decided by a panel of “MLB legends and past recipients of the prestigious award” plus fan voting that accumulates into one vote on the panel. The Hank Aaron Award winners in each league will be announced during the MLB awards show on November 11.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Jaylen Brown #7 against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are always fun moments throughout media day. With the vibes at an all-time high for the Sixers, this year was no different.
Jaylen Brown was one of the first to speak. After a chaotic offseason which saw him in trade rumors, his game and personality dragged through the mud, and eventually shipped off to a bitter rival, there were plenty of intense questions.
A few moments earlier, LeBron James was at the dais preaching the importance of sacrifice. Brown was asked how he felt about James’ comments.
“100%,” Brown said. “That’s what’s needed.”
Then second-year guard VJ Edgecombe was passing through as all the players go from circuit to circuit during the course of the day. Without even breaking his tone, Brown kindly asked Edgecombe to keep it moving.
“VJ, get your ass outta here.”
Being in the room, it felt like a big brother-little brother moment for the 29-year-old All-NBA performer and the 21-year-old First Team All-Rookie pick. Edgecombe laughed, then joked during his availability about Brown not answering his phone calls this offseason.
Sometimes, people just click. That seems to be the case with these two.
On Monday, the Sixers played their preseason opener with James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey out of the lineup. Even with the defending champion New York Knicks putting out their regular starters, Brown and Edgecombe were sensational in a 120-97 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Brown was effusive in praise for Edgecombe postgame … to say the least.
“I love VJ already,” Brown said. “Like he’s one of my favorite people in the world and we just met. But VJ is going to be great, and I’m excited to help him continue to thrive, but his talent level is off the charts.”
“That’s cute, Jaylen,” Edgecombe said about Brown’s comments. “That’s my dog. I love Jaylen.”
It’s hard to disagree with Brown’s assessment if you watched Edgecombe last year and saw him Monday night. The No. 3 overall pick had a fantastic rookie season, helping the Sixers beat Brown and the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. Of course there’s always room for growth and, though it was just one preseason game, the improvement was noticeable against the Knicks.
As a rookie, Edgecombe was thrown into the fire as the team’s primary backup point guard behind Maxey. Keep in mind, part of the knock on Edgecombe coming out of Baylor was his playmaking, so to see him grow into that role throughout the season was a pleasant surprise for the Sixers.
With Maxey out Monday, Edgecombe was the starting point guard — and he was excellent. Always a confident player, you could see the summer work Edgecombe put in on his dribble led to another level of confidence on the floor. He was somehow both electric and methodical, punching gaps in the defense to score or find teammates.
“I mean he’s made a step forward I think just in general,” Nick Nurse said. “It just feels like he’s better than he was a year ago, and I think [ball-handling is] one of them. And I think that handle is getting him through some tighter gaps down the lane. Once he punches through, he’s going to be in the air. So that’s important I think for him getting to the front of the rim, which he’s really good at, and we just need him to do it more often.”
Edgecombe finished the night with 12 points and seven assists (to zero turnovers) in less than 20 minutes. A couple of those assists were to Brown, who was fantastic in his Sixers preseason debut.
Not sure what the analytics say, but he sure as hell didn’t look like the seventh-best player on the court. In fact, against the defending champs, who feature one of the best wing defenders in the world in OG Anunoby, Brown was the best player on the floor.
We got to see Brown’s entire scoring bag — aggressive drives, midrange pull-ups, threes. The power he plays with on the wing is something the Sixers haven’t had since Jimmy Butler was here. He’s in constant attack mode, which puts the defense on its heels more often than not.
“I was more impressed with his offensive creation,” Nurse said. “Not only his own shot, but just his ability to kind of come down and be in the paint, and you better send some help or he’s gonna be finishing. And I think that he also had a couple nice kickouts and stuff. …
“He’s kind of what I would call a methodical driver. He does it a little bit more with balance and strength than he does with maybe quickness. But he usually breaks through the gap, and now he’s heading towards the rim.”
“Rim pressure” is sort of a trendy phrase in the NBA right now. With Brown and Edgecombe — and not to mention James, Maxey and Embiid — the Sixers should be able to apply it on a nightly basis this season.
The JB-VJ duo could lead the charge on a dangerous second unit, much like we saw Monday. There’s been so much talk about sacrifice and roles changing, but Brown and Edgecombe should get their opportunities to cook in those lineups.
And they already have an ideal mentor-mentee relationship.
During his introductory press conference, Brown harkened back to his rookie season in Boston. He was also the No. 3 overall pick at just 20 years old. He was also joining a veteran team with championship aspirations. In his second year, the team added All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
Who better to guide Edgecombe along this path?
“He’s like … someone that I actually lean on for information,” Edgecombe said. “He’s obviously super smart. He got that Berkeley education, man. … He’s a really great person. … Like we actually really cool. ‘Cause … what month is this? October. You know, he just [got traded] like two months ago. …
“We talk about whatever — whatever’s on our mind at the time we just have a conversation about, and that’s someone that’s actually willing to have a conversation with people.”
Not post-practice shooting. Not transition drills where players have to successfully fill their lanes on a fastbreak.
But the opportunity to play basketball against an opponent after going several months without doing so.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) returned to the floor in Monday’s preseason-opening win over the Kings after a lengthy time without an official basketball game. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
And after six months away from competitive games, Doncic finally got to experience that feeling again, scoring 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting in 16 first-half minutes during the Lakers’ 127-103 preseason-opening win over the Kings on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.
“Luka, he’s many things, many good things – he’s not really a drill guy in practice,” coach JJ Redick said. “Whenever practice starts, he’s just ‘Are we playing live today?’ Like ‘When is live? When is live?’ He wants to play. He likes the competition, he likes the way live action looks and feels to him. He just has a real joy for playing the actual game of basketball.
He certainly works on his game. The guy works every single day on his game. But that’s his joy – playing live basketball.”
And for the longest stretch of time since he entered the NBA in 2018, Doncic wasn’t able to experience that joy for most of 2026.
Before the Lakers' preseason-opening win over the Kings tonight, the last time Luka Doncic played in an official basketball game was April 2 – the longest stretch he's gone without playing since he entered the NBA.
A severe left hamstring injury he suffered during the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on April 2 in Oklahoma City ended his 2025-26 season early. Doncic missed the final five regular season games and the Lakers’ 10 playoff games before being swept by the Thunder in the second round.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) didn’t miss a beat during his first game in six months. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
Which led to Doncic going just over six months – 184 days to be exact – without playing in an official basketball game.
“I missed it a lot,” Doncic said. “Basketball is one of the best things in my life, and I missed it a lot. Being back for the games, being competitive, it’s just a lot of fun for me, and I’m really happy to be back.”
Despite not playing in an officially basketball for most of the year, Doncic was able to channel his competitiveness in other ways.
JJ Redick on Luka Doncic: "He's great physically. I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. Staying in shape and actually ran this summer. Like he actually did like sprints and stuff, and came into camp in fantastic shape." pic.twitter.com/KqbRZQpJl9
“Golf is one of the things, honestly,” he said. “I’m always competitive on the golf course. You gotta have competition every day. But then also, I practice basketball, so it was competitive there. Play some other games, being competitive there. Playing cards is competitive there. It’s just being competitive every day.”
Doncic said he didn’t change much about his offseason training routine, outside of probably feeling a little more rested since he didn’t play with his national team.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic (77) entered training camp in “fantastic shape”. NBAE via Getty Images
But he looked notably slimmer coming out of this offseason, even after his slimmed-down physique was a significant talking point during the 2025 to the point of being on the cover of Men’s Health magazine.
“He’s great physically,” Redick said of Doncic. “I mean, the guy worked his butt off all summer. [Stayed] in shape and actually ran this summer, like he actually did like sprints and stuff. And came into camp in fantastic shape. For someone who normally plays a ton of basketball, live basketball, he didn’t do as much of that this summer by design. And I think we’ve seen him literally every day in camp incrementally just [getting] more and more in rhythm.”
The Lakers team Doncic returned to was much different than the one he previously played on.
Gone are LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and most of the players who had a significant role in the Lakers winning a first-round playoff series against the Rockets despite Doncic’s absence.
Nine new players are on the roster, showcasing against the Kings why the Lakers added them to the team.
The Lakers’ newcomers, including Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) and Matisse Thybulle (26), impressed in the first game of the preseason. NBAE via Getty Images
From the defensive havoc Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle were creating with their fullcourt pressure, to the offensive firepower Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili were showcasing.
The Lakers forced 15 turnovers in the first half, scoring 22 points off those takeaways, to help build a 73-47 lead after the opening two quarters before Doncic sat out for the remainder of the game.
“We all had fun out there, especially with Matisse and Ziaire, just that beginning of the game, the start, that’s contagious for everybody, and how they start the game, it was inspirational,” Doncic said. “So, and then the other guys came from the bench, and it was amazing just to watch them. They were having fun, they were sharing the ball, so I think the whole team had a lot of fun.”
The team’s marquee addition, center Walker Kessler, didn’t play because of a minor finger injury.
Star guard Austin Reaves (ankle), veteran guard Collin Sexton (calf) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma also didn’t play against the Kings with their minor injuries.
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Two years ago this week, London Broncos were relegated from Super League, their ground had flooded and their owner had walked away after spending £24m of his private fortune. The club were soon asking supporters to save them. They did – and fans wearing last year’s away jersey listing those saviours’ names (including mine) across their chests were among the proudest people in the ground on Sunday when London thrashed Doncaster 78-6 in the Championship Grand Final.
London Broncos have completed a second-tier treble this season but their fans cannot celebrate promotion to Super League yet. Instead they will spend this week waiting to see if they have made the grade – promotion being decided not only by gradings based on both on-field and off-field criteria but also the key decision on whether to expand to 15 teams.
A former ESPN host has lost his longtime play-by-play gig.
Steve Berthiaume, the former “SportsCenter” and “Baseball Tonight” host, is out as the Diamondbacks’ television voice after 14 years.
“His contract is up and we felt it was a good time to take a step back and re-evaluate our broadcasts,” Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall told the Arizona Republic. “He was here 14 years and was a great DBack.”
Steve Berthiaume (l.) and Bob Brenly (r.) talk with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred during a Diamondbacks broadcast in 2017. Getty Images
Berthiaume said he was “surprised and disappointed” by the decision.
“As I told the Diamondbacks, I’m very appreciative to have had the opportunity to connect with our fan base these past 14 years. I’ve always tried to put the club first. I enjoyed my Arizona experience and I’m grateful to all my friends and colleagues in our broadcast group,” Berthiaume told the Republic.
“I’m quite proud of how hard our group worked to raise the production level on our shows. MLB Local Media is an outstanding partner and I’m sure will continue to be. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Berthiaume began his Diamondbacks gig with the 2013 season and worked alongside the team’s World Series-winning manager, Bob Brenly.
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Joe Garagiola (L) waves to fans in honor of his retirement, standing with Steve Berthiaume (r.) during the MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on April 14, 2013. Getty Images
The team does not yet have Berthiaume’s replacement lined up, but its radio play-by-player, Chris Garagiola, is expected to be a candidate, according to the Republic. He’s the son of former Diamondbacks GM Joe Garagiola Jr. and grandson of the late Joe Garagiola Sr., who was an MLB catcher and broadcaster for the D-backs.
Berthiaume had replaced Daron Sutton, who was suspended in June 2012 for insubordination — reportedly because he preferred to wear suits on the air, while the Diamondbacks wanted him to wear polo shirts with the team’s logo — and never returned.
Sam McDowell, a former Yankees pitcher and six-time All-Star with Cleveland, died on Monday, per KDKA in Pittsburgh.
He was 84.
McDowell, who had to end his career due to substance abuse, debuted on the mound at 18 years old in 1961 for the then Cleveland Indians, now Guardians. Four years later, the lefty hurler led the AL in ERA (2.18) and earned his first All-Star nod while recording a career-high 325 batters. He went on to lead the American League in strikeouts five times.
The Pittsburgh native played for Cleveland for 11 years before having stints with the Giants (1972 and ’73), Yankees (1973 and ’74) and Pirates (1975).
Former Cleveland Indians player Sam McDowell attends the Hall of Fame induction ceremony prior to a game between the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field in Cleveland, July 30, 2016. Getty Images
Across his 15-year career, he struck out 2,453 batters, which put him eighth on baseball’s career list at the time he retired and currently No. 46 all-time.
The career for “Sudden Sam” was cut off at 32 years old in 1975 when he was tossed from the MLB due to a struggle with alcohol.
“I was the biggest, most hopeless and most violent drunk in baseball,” McDowell said to The Post regarding the days that included jumps off hotel balconies into swimming pools.
The man who was the youngest southpaw to ever strike out 300 batters in a season recalled sitting on a curb in his hometown in 1978, broke and needing something to eat as well as gas in his car. He was selling insurance for a living three years after being one of the most unhittable pitchers in the game.
“I lost everything — my family, my career,” said McDowell. “I lost it all.”
Sam McDowell of the Cleveland Indians pitches during an MLB game, circa 1970. McDowell played for the Cleveland Indians from 1961-1971. Getty Images
That same year, he opted into an alcohol rehabilitation program and began to turn around his life.
McDowell returned to college and became a licensed therapist in sports psychology and addictions. He later worked for the Rangers and Blue Jays and became the Baseball Assistance Team’s addiction and recovery consultant from 1987-2016.
He counseled many athletes, including beyond MLB, who struggled with drug and alcohol abuse.
“I remember when I got out of rehab, I must have called that man every day, at every hour of the night, for four straight months,” former big league pitcher Mike York told the Los Angeles Times. “I mean, I was calling him at 5 in the morning, midnight, it didn’t matter. He was always there when I needed him.”
Additionally, McDowell paid off all his debt, which totaled over $190,000. He wrote to each creditor, promising to pay them back. In 1988, all was paid off.
Sam McDowell of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait circa 1973-1974 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. MLB via Getty Images
“I truly believe with all my heart, the greatest thing that ever happened to me was that I was an alcoholic and found out about it,” McDowell said. “Had I never known and had not been thrown out of baseball, I would not have the great life I have now. I would not have the education. I would not have learned how to live and love. Every day is a kick.”
Much of McDowell’s struggle is covered in his memoir, “The Saga of Sudden Sam: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Sam McDowell” that was published in 2022.
Fred Claire, the former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager whose signing of Kirk Gibson led to one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, died Monday, Oct. 5, the Dodgers announced. He was 91.
Claire took over the Dodgers franchise at a most tumultuous time - after longtime general manager and vice president Al Campanis was fired for racist remarks made on ABC's Nightline. His April 9, 1987 dismissal ended an era of front office stability while the Dodgers embarked on a fourth consecutive year missing the playoffs.
Claire, a former sportswriter and Dodgers PR man, was tabbed to run the front office. A pair of transactions in the year that followed shaped the Dodgers' eventual 1988 championship core: A three-way winter meetings trade with the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets that netted the Dodgers relievers Jesse Orosco and Jay Howell and shortstop Alfredo Griffin.
And six weeks later, he signed Gibson.
Those Dodgers won 94 games, stunned the Mets in the National League Championship Series and pulled an even bigger shocker in the 1988 World Series, beating the A's in five games despite a battered club that came to rely on ace Orel Hershiser and an itinerant band of ballplayers known as the "Stuntmen."
And they only had Gibson for one at-bat - but he made the most of it. Gibson's two-out, two-run, ninth-inning homer off peerless closer Dennis Eckersley delivered the Dodgers a Game 1 win and the 104-win A's never recovered.
While Gibson and the Dodgers never did reclaim that championship magic, the club remained a player development machine, producing five consecutive rookies of the year - Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo and Todd Hollandsworth - between 1992 and 1996.
Yet Claire's tenure was bookmarked by a pair of big transactions - Gibson's signing and the trade of future Hall of Famer Piazza, a move made over his objections.
Claire was ushered out unceremoniously in 1998, after Fox bought the club and dickered over signing Piazza to a contract extension. When negotiations soured, Piazza's trade to the Florida Marlins was brokered above Claire's head. He was fired weeks later.
Claire remained a well-regarded baseball mind, and later in life documented his journey through cancer treatments, eventually penning an autobiography, "Extra Innings," that detailed his life in baseball and his battle against the disease.
He is survived by his wife Cheryl and children Jeff, Jennifer and Kim.
"The Dodgers are grieving the passing of Fred Claire, a longtime key fixture of our organization,” said Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Dodgers, in a statement released by the club. "Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as a 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era. Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family."
