A Mississippi Valley State men’s basketball player has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Qingfang Pang, a junior power forward on the Delta Devils, is in ICE custody at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, according to the ICE database.
Pang is from China, with a listed hometown of Queens, New York on the official Mississippi Valley State roster. Before enrolling in college, Pang played high school basketball at Christ the King High School in Queens.
Pang’s Houston-based attorney, Marcus Session, told WJTV that Pang was in the process of going to New York to be with his sponsor, a family friend, to get his visa issue sorted out when he was detained by ICE.
🚨 BREAKING: A MVSU men's basketball player has been detained by ICE
Power forward Qingfang Pang is a junior originally from China, listed as having a US hometown in Flushing, Queens
The station, citing an unnamed source close to the case, said it’s believed that it’s a delayed paperwork issue with the university. Session had filed a request for an emergency bond hearing.
“He wants to resume going to school,” Session said to WJTV. “He wants to play college basketball. He wants to be a 21 year old kid who’s just trying to make a life for himself.”
In a statement to USA TODAY Sports, Mississippi Valley State said it is aware of the situation and is "deeply concerned for the student's well-being."
"The student is registered as a full-time student at Mississippi Valley State University. University officials are closely monitoring the situation and are committed to providing appropriate support as circumstances develop," the university said in the statement.
The school, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), said it is limited in the information it can publicly disclose about a student's educational records or personal circumstances.
A request for comment from USA TODAY Sports to the Department of Homeland Security has not been immediately returned.
Pang transferred in from Monroe University in New York, where he had played on the school’s basketball team. In 31 games last season, he averaged 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. According to WJTV, he had been at Mississippi Valley State for about a year.
He's not the first college basketball player to be detained by ICE this year.
Before being released this week on a $2,500 bond, Kentucky State women's basketball player Aminata Seck was in ICE custody for 61 days. A native of Senegal, Seck was detained by ICE at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Aug. 7. In a statement to USA TODAY Sports, DHS said Seck "chose to overstay her welcome in violation of our nation's laws" after legally entering the country in 2019 on a temporary basis. Seck's attorneys said that she had been moved to at least four different detention centers while in ICE custody.
Trading away Walker Kessler this summer meant the Utah Jazz were going to lean heavily on veteran center Jusuf Nurkic this season to anchor a team a lot of people are high on (*raises hand*).
That's now on hold. Nurkic has "sustained a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe of his right foot during Utah's first preseason game against Denver on Oct. 4," the team announced. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, meaning he will miss at least the first few weeks of the season.
The plantar plate is a ligament that connects the toe to the rest of the foot, and when it is torn (even partially), the toe can become unstable and move out of alignment. It can also cause some pain and discomfort, which isn't ideal for a sport where Nukic is paid to run up and down a hardwood floor.
Jaxson Hayes started the second half against Denver and likely moves into a starting role, which would have Utah leaning hard into its offense and giving up some defense in the process. Jaren Jackson Jr. will be back to playing the center spot more than he prefers (he is best at the four). Mo Bamba could see more run now (he is on a non-guaranteed contract but is likely to make the opening-day roster), and Kyle Filipowski likely gets some time at the five as well.
None of them are as solid and consistent as Nurkic (except Jackson Jr., but they want him more at the four).
Nurkic, who played just 11 minutes in that preseason opener, played 41 games for the tanking Jazz last season, averaging 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. This summer he signed a two-year, $22 million deal to be Utah's starting center. For this team to reach the playoffs, as is its goal, it will need a healthy Nurkic most of the season.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Labaron Philon Jr. #00 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball 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
The Philadelphia 76ers offseason was dominated by blockbuster headlines with the acquisitions of LeBron James in free agency and Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
In all of that excitement, one might nearly forget they also made a first-round draft pick just a few months ago. Back on day one of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Sixers used the 22nd overall selection to draft Labaron Philon, a 20-year-old guard coming off an impressive sophomore season at Alabama.
Philon’s first season as a freshman at Alabama was focused more on his defensive contributions, with him excelling on that side of the floor more. His sophomore year was a different story, with Philon thrust into a high-usage offensive role, where he met the challenge and began putting up impressive numbers. In that 2025-26 season, Philon averaged 22.0 points per game on 50.1% field goal shooting and 39.9% shooting from long range with 5.0 assists across 33 games (32 starts).
So Philon is no stranger to changes in expectations. And good thing, too, because a lot of things have changed for Philadelphia and Philon since he heard his name called at the draft. He was already due to share a court with players like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Now, expectations on the squad are higher than ever as LeBron and Brown have joined the mix.
Talk about having some stellar players to set the example for someone transitioning to the NBA — and Philon is ready to learn all he can.
“It’s a blessing just to be around guys like that. To be able to have a young guy in VJ who can help me with stuff that he’s seen his rookie year. It’s great to have four guys, five guys like that,” Philon told reporters at the team’s media day. “A rookie doesn’t normally get to play on a team like that or play with the stars like that. So I would say being able to have questions ready every day for those guys — I’m a rookie. I don’t really know a lot, and those questions can help me go to the next level.”
One can imagine it might be hard, however, for a 20-year-old rookie to relate all their experiences with a player like LeBron, one of the greatest to ever do it in his 24th season in the association. For a fresher perspective on being the young new guy in town, Philon looks to Edgecombe, the 2025 No. 3 overall pick that has gone from fresh-faced newbie himself to bona fide NBA player with a bit of experience under his belt. Philon, who’s known Edgecombe for years, is taking full advantage of his perspective.
“[Edgecombe] being young, in the same age around I am, it’s definitely been helping me just to reflect on the things he had to go through his his rookie year, and then the things I’m going through now,” Philon explained. “It’s been definitely great to be around him and talking on and off the court — you know, even while we’re on the game, we’re still talking about basketball and stuff like that. So it’s been a great relationship with him, and I’ve been knowing him since high school, so that relationship just picked back up, and it’s been going great.
“So I would say he’s one of the guys I’ve been trying to learn from the most right now.”
Philon has gotten his first kindof taste of NBA action with the preseason getting underway. In the Sixers preseason opener, the young guard played 25 minutes. His stats for the night were nothing spectacular, but he’s already showing promise in a number of ways in his game, from his impressive handles and footwork to his willingness to run the offense.
Labaron Philon with the footwork and handles to dance his way right to the rim pic.twitter.com/Ijn7UuifoZ
“I really like his ability to run the team, as you guys probably could notice,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the game Monday night. “He’s really, really communicative. He really gets the guys set up.
“[The Knicks] certainly had a certain coverage for him that we’ll be able to let him work on now and give him a counter move to that.”
That seems to be the running theme with Philon, the idea of learning as things come throughout his transition to the NBA and adapting to new challenges as they arise. He certainly has some work ahead of him to establish himself in a rotation filled with stars and veterans, but it seems like Philon is willing and eager to prove himself at the professional level.
Boston, MA - November 3: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with assistant coach Tony Dobbins in the third quarter at TD Garden on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Joe Mazzulla doesn’t typically speak at Celtics shootaround.
But standing by the court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Mazzulla had something he wanted to share: for the first time in his head-coaching tenure, he decided to give his assistant coaches the responsibility of coaching the team in a preseason game.
Tony Dobbins will coach the first half of Thursday’s preseason game between the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and DJ MacLeay will coach the second half. Mazzulla, meanwhile, will watch the game from the locker room.
“I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches,” Mazzulla said. “Both those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that.”
Joe Mazzulla said that Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay will coach tonight’s preseason game against the Cavaliers
Both were finalists for head coach positions this past summer
“They'll be running the show, and excited for them, and want them to continue to grow.” pic.twitter.com/JIpyTxDWx4
Both Dobbins and MacLeay were interviewed for NBA head coaching positions, with Dobbins among the finalists for the Dallas Mavericks job and MacLeay interviewing for the Portland Trail Blazers job. And, both coaches have previously served as Celtics Summer League head coaches; Dobbins in 2023 and MacLeay in 2024.
Now, they’ll both coach an NBA game for the very first time. Mazzulla said he decided to have them coach preseason games over the summer, after they interviewed for other head coaching positions.
“To me that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” Mazzulla said. “And so, you’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline. So, I want to give that to them. They deserve it. They earned it. They’re great at what they do. I think we have one of the best staffs.”
Sam Cassell, Mazzulla’s lead assistant, will coach the Celtics’ final preseason game, an October 16th matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mazzulla said he stands to benefit from watching the game from the Celtics locker room
“I’ll stay quiet,” Mazzulla said, noting that he’ll be watching the game from the video coordinators’ perspective. “I’ll watch it in the back with some of the guys that won’t play, and the video guys who do the halftime edits and just really see what I don’t see when they’re out there. So, it’s just as much for me as it is for them.”
Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay have both established themselves as two of the team’s most important assistants
In addition to being a member of the Celtics’ defense, Tony Dobbins served as Jayson Tatum’s individual coach over the past season. Celtics players have routinely lauded his character off the court.
“He’s one of the best people you’ll ever be around,” Tatum said last year.
“As far as human beings go? He’s one of the most patient people I’ve been around,” Payton Pritchard said. “I don’t think you could ever say something bad about him.”
Mazzulla said the MacLeay has grown significantly as a leader over the years; the 32-year-old has led the Celtics’ defense for the past few seasons while also serving as Luka Garza’s player development coach.
“DJ has done a great job leading our defense team and helping some of the young coaches develop and bringing people along with him,” Mazzulla said.
Boston, MA – July 8: Boston Celtics summer league coach D.J. MacLeay speaks to the media at the Auerbach Center. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The players, for one, are excited by the wrinkle.
“I think it’s awesome,” Garza said. “We hear a lot from Tony and DJ all the time, so it’s cool to see them have that opportunity.”
Mike Conley hasn’t worked with Dobbins and MacLeay quite as long, but he nonetheless appreciated the sentiment behind Mazzulla’s decision.
“Joe’s a guy that seems like he just empowers everybody around him, players and coaches included,” Conley said. “So D-Mac and Tony getting that opportunity tonight, I know it’s going to be a good chance for them to just feel what it’s like.”
Celtics-Cavaliers will tip off at 7pm ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and Dobbins and MacLeay will be front and center.
“I’m excited for them,” Mazzulla said. “And I want them to continue to grow.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
New York will watch the Knicks play basketball inside the Garden for the first time since they waved them goodbye after the Game 4 win over the Spurs and before they hoisted the Larry O’B back in Texas.
The MSG faithful will have to wait a couple of weeks for the unveiling of the banner(s?), but it’s not that having the Knickerbockers playing closer to them won’t be welcomed.
Here’s the latest from a heated Brown and a few other people before tip-off.
Mike Brown took the Knicks' starting five aside, looked at his bench players today at practice and said:
"Everybody else in this gym, you're fighting – either to make the team or for minutes" pic.twitter.com/GweTAITsOT
On challenging the Knicks’ bench players to compete harder in practice:
“I brought it up today, when we weren’t competing. I’m like, you know what? And I specifically went down the line talking about Jalen, Mikal, OG, KAT and Josh. I said those five: they are going to play. If they do something wrong, I’m going to get on them and we’re going to figure it out, but they still are going to play. I said, everybody else in this gym: you [are] fighting.
“You’re fighting either to make the team or you’re fighting for minutes. I said, look around. This is not just because we won last year. This has nothing to do with last year’s team. Those five guys are the same. But this is a new year, a new team. We got to look forward. And so, every day, it’s a competition. We should be pushing each other to get better while competing for minutes and/or to make the team. So, you’re 100% accurate. It’s going to be hard.”
On how the Warriors avoided complacency after winning the first of two consecutive titles:
“There was no slippage. And when I say no slippage, there was no slippage in our process from Year One to Year Two. Guys embraced the details. They embraced the little things. They knew we couldn’t just show up and turn the light switch on and think just because we won last year, we’re going to win this year.
“That group was very, very good, and it started with the core players. The core players didn’t allow it to happen, which made it easy for our staff to say what we needed to say when we did start having slippage, because everybody is human, so it’s going to happen.
“We have to embrace all the work and the details that go into it along with the effort every single day.”
On how winning a championship could affect Mikal Bridges’ confidence and the scrutiny he faces:
“It definitely can be freeing. It can definitely help with the validation that every human being looks for in life or in whatever they do. But at the end of the day, everybody has a short-term memory. It’s ‘what can you do for me lately?’ Nobody can ever take that away from any of us because we were all a part of it. But if you want to stay on top, it’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna be even harder. …There’s gonna be more scrutiny. And that scrutiny might even be at a higher level.”
"I hold myself accountable at all times. That's the thing that I do love about this organization and the fans, even though some might be a little more crazy than others, but they want the best out of you. I'll never take that for granted."
On Mike Brown holding the Knicks accountable after a lackluster practice:
“I think that’s what makes Coach a great coach, just holding us accountable. It can be human nature to relax a little bit. As a player, as a coach, as a fan, you can relax after having a lot of success. It’s difficult to do something great and continue to try and get better.
“And that’s our goal. We did something great last year; it was last year, and I think the biggest thing coming into this year is that we know what it takes.
“It’s just great that coach did that, holding us accountable because we want to be the best team we can be. And the best team we can be, we can’t be the same exact team that we were last year. It’s a different team; we gotta be even better. Those lapses where we might get a little human nature in us, where we play a game and have a little day in between and we’re kind of, maybe sometimes going through the motions, it was great for coach to do that to us because the thing about us, we’re all competitors and we all want to win. So as soon as Coach says something like that, none of us are going to back down and be like ‘whatever.’ We’re going to pick it up and keep fighting and get better.”
On dealing with criticism and scrutiny following his trade to the Knicks:
“I got a phone. Even if I don’t want to see it or anything, it’s always there. That’s just life. People talk about anything, and that’s all right; you just gotta go about your business. People can think however they want to think; I just know that I’m gonna work hard and try to be the best teammate that I can be and best player that I can be and continue to try and help win as much as I can.”
On whether he feels fully appreciated by Knicks fans after winning a championship:
“I don’t know. I’m not sure about that. Can just say that I’m appreciative of fans. If I see them when I’m walking my dog or something like that, just a lot of nice things to say. That’s foremost, kind of more like a human-to-human interaction, just very nice and grateful to be in this position. I don’t need to feel like there’s validation and there’s like, ‘OK, now he can…’ No, I hold myself accountable at all times.”
On how Knicks fans’ expectations have pushed him to improve:
“That’s the thing that I do love about this organization and the fans, even though some might be a little more crazy than others, they want the best out of you. I never take that for granted. I talk to myself a lot when I go through a lot of things and I got people that help me as well, but that’s one thing that I do take from it, is that they get the best out of me. When I’m struggling and I know I gotta be better, I can’t hide from it sometimes — even though I know internally, the people let me know as well. As much as you get frustrated about it, the only thing it does is drive me and I continue to try and get better. I’m always appreciative of it.”
On the Knicks still having something to prove after winning the championship:
“I think we all still have something to prove.”
"That was probably the closest dude to me on the team, honestly.
On avoiding complacency and raising the Knicks’ intensity during training camp:
“I think throughout the year, we’re gonna have our ups and downs. The first week, second week of training camp, we’ll have days like that, but we just don’t want to get complacent at all. If we continue to try to win every single day, we try to compete every single day — for us [during] training camp, we just wanna pick up the level and be ready for the home opener in two weeks and get it rolling for the regular season.
“We just wanted to pick the energy up, keep continuing to play at a high level and pick the physicality up. I think that was a big thing that he said from last game.”
Nick Nurse was "surprised" to hear the LeBron/Embiid story Mike Breen told.
— Zach Ciavolella (Cha-vo-lel-la) (@CiavoNBA) October 7, 2026
Mike Breen
On his disappointment with how his LeBron James and Joel Embiid story was interpreted:
“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted. The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.”
On apologizing for the report and accepting James’ denial:
“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly. For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did.
“I don’t know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there.”
"I might be being prisoner of this moment because A.I. is Godly to me, God-like, but what Jalen Brunson did … I can't argue with it." – @RealSkipBaylesspic.twitter.com/FFdU4gPnFS
On choosing between Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson:
“That is a great question that I’m struggling with because I was a big A.I. fan. Jalen Brunson against the odds… my eyes were ready to not embrace him throughout the playoff run, but he just kept saying, ‘Watch this; watch this.’
“I might be being a prisoner of this moment because A.I. is Godly to me, God-like, but what Jalen Brunson did to the favoured Spurs… I can’t argue with it.”
The Colorado Avalanche have had the Calgary Flames’ number for a while now — and they’ll get another chance to prove it Thursday night.
Colorado has won 12 of its last 15 meetings with Calgary, outscoring the Flames 59-30 in that span. The Avalanche swept all three games last season, outscoring Calgary 15-4, including a 9-2 rout in the first meeting.
Colorado is coming off a frustrating 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Wednesday and now has to turn around and play again less than 24 hours later.
Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas combined for 14 points in those three games against Calgary last season, Nazem Kadri gets another crack at his former team, and Scott Wedgewood will make his first start of the season.
Cale Makar following Colorado's most recent home victory.
A Chance for the Depth to Keep Producing
Parker Kelly has quietly put together a nice start to the season.
The Avalanche forward has one goal and three assists through three games, giving him four points already. He has also had some success against Calgary, with a goal and two assists in his last three games against the Flames.
It’s early, of course, but that kind of production from the bottom half of the lineup is something Colorado will gladly take. Especially on the second night of a back-to-back, the Avalanche could use a few more players chipping in.
Kadri Returns to Calgary Again
Kadri knows this building and this opponent pretty well.
The Avalanche reacquired him at last season’s trade deadline after he spent parts of four seasons with the Flames. He wasted no time making an impact against his old team, scoring twice in Colorado’s 9-2 win.
Kadri missed the final two meetings with Calgary last season because of injury. He’ll get another chance Thursday to go up against the team he helped lead to the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Can the Top Line Break Loose?
MacKinnon and Necas were a handful for Calgary last season.
The two combined for five goals and nine assists in the three meetings, accounting for 14 points. Colorado scored 15 times in those games, and a lot of that offense came from its best players.
That’s something to watch again Thursday. The Avalanche generated 34 shots against Winnipeg but scored only twice, with Stuart Skinner making 32 saves. Colorado had plenty of looks, but it needs more of them to end up in the back of the net.
Wedgewood Returns
Wedgewood will get the call in net Thursday, making his first start of the season after Blackwood started in three straight games to begin the campaign.
Wedgewood is 2-3-2 with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage in seven career games against the Flames. But he’s been much better lately, winning two of his last three starts against Calgary while posting a 1.95 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
The 34-year-old is coming off a strong season alongside Blackwood, with the two sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltending tandem that allowed the fewest goals in the league.
A Clean Slate
The loss in Winnipeg was frustrating, but there was plenty Colorado liked about its game.
The Avalanche outshot the Jets 34-19, erased two separate deficits and had enough chances to win. They just couldn’t finish them, and Connor’s goal with one minute left ended up being the difference.
“I liked a lot of what we were doing,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “I thought we were skating. We were all checking hard. We had some really good scoring chances.”
Bednar pointed to a few late decisions that cost Colorado, while Schwartz focused on the bigger picture.
“There’s a lot of good,” Schwartz said. “It really is about short memory. Learn from it, regardless, and then move on and try to improve for the next game.”
They’ll have to do that quickly. The Avalanche are already in Calgary, with a chance Thursday to put Wednesday’s loss behind them and get back to a matchup that has treated them very well.
Coverage from the Saddledome kicks off at 7 p.m. local time.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Enrique Hernandez #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of Game Three of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie Betts, and Matt Olson; the list of quote-unquote star players who weren’t able to impact the NLDS in the way we’ve grown to expect from them is long. With these ultratalented hitters held quiet, the chances of a high-scoring series were slim, and in the end, the team with the better complementary group got the last laugh.
The series-clinching win in Game 4 followed the pattern of the Dodgers’ previous two victories in this series, perhaps even more aggressively given just who had to step up to carry this team forward in Andy Pages. As it was the case throughout the series, the top of the order was nowhere to be found, with the first four hitters reaching base only once via walk, finishing the game 0 for 15.
A few defensive errors on both sides made this a 1-1 game, as neither offense could muster up any action. Sure, Tyler Glasnow had command problems that let five Braves earn a free base via walk, but Michael Harris Jr.’s leadoff hit was the only base hit he allowed the whole game. Tyler Mahle was even more impressive, keeping his pitch count in check to work into the seventh inning without suffering the walk problems that plagued Glasnow.
Max Muncy and Kiké Hernández had their moments earlier in the series; it was now up to a complementary piece that grew into a more important role this season, only to see—at least prior to this game—his postseason issues resurface, keeping him down in the order.
Pages, who, at the start of this game, had a batting average below .100 across the last two postseasons, faced a difficult challenge against Robert Suárez with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning of a tied game. The center fielder prevailed with a go-ahead two-run single to make it 3-1. After recording just one RBI in 62 postseason at-bats, the Dodgers’ All-Star center fielder helped this team avoid a winner-take-all Game 5 by securing a series win on the road.
It is not about revisionist history to claim we all knew Pages would eventually rise to the occasion. Everything about his postseason record points to that not being the case. It is about acknowledging that in the crapshoot that the baseball postseason can be, it’s comforting; it makes sense that the team whose depth is one of its biggest strengths can count on it to outproduce the opposition, as star hitters on either side aren’t able to get the job done.
Pages’ hit will take the headlines, but he only had that opportunity due to the positive impact of another young outfielder. Whether it’d be to try to take advantage of a potential eagerness to prove himself or because he lacked the ideal command—still tired from that Game 2 outing—Didier Fuentes fed Josue De Paula only one strike in a five-pitch at-bat with two outs and a runner in scoring position. De Paula flashed his terrific eye, worked a walk, and passed the baton to Tucker, who would also be walked, bringing in the bases loaded and the favorable matchup for the Braves of Suárez versus Pages.
De Paula was up in that situation against a tough righty, pinch-hitting for one of this team’s postseason heroes, Kiké Hernández, because for a while now, Roberts is pushing all of the right buttons—the Dodgers manager seems to be honing in on an uncanny ability to know when to go with the numbers but also when to trust his instinct. It helps, though, when you have a hitter as talented as De Paula who’s able to come off the bench for just one at-bat. A move you can make because Tommy Edman’s flexibility off the bench as the defensive replacement allows you to prioritize offense late in games.
The Braves held the Dodgers stars quiet, and the same was true on the opposite end. And with it, the Dodgers group, with the likes of Hernández, De Paula, Muncy, and Pages, had more to give, helping the reigning champs take the series in four.
The Binghamton Rumble Ponies celebrate after a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
First Half Record: 27-42 (6/6 Eastern League Northeast)
Second Half Record: 34-34 (4/6 Eastern League Northeast)
The 2025 Binghamton Rumble Ponies were a dominant team, winning a franchise-record 90 games (45 in the first half and 45 in the second half) during the regular season and capturing their fourth Eastern League championship after beating the Erie SeaWolves two games to one. The 2026 Binghamton Rumble Ponies were much less dominant, as much of the talent that had brought Binghamton’s championship had moved on.
The team ended the first half of the season in last place, winning only 27 games, their worst stretch since the second half of the 2022 season, when the team won only 25 ballgames. Following the trade deadline, things picked up for Binghamton. Promotions and newly acquired talent prompted the Rumble Ponies to go on an incredible run in the second half that included a ten-game winning streak and saw the team set a new franchise high for most runs scored in a single nine-inning game (23).
At the end of August, the Rumble Ponies played a series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils with playoff implications. Coming into the series 2.5 games behind Reading, Binghamton lost the series four games to two, losing ground in the standings. They won their next series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to stay on Reading’s tail, but in the last week of the season the margins were simply too thin, and they were eliminated from playoff contention midway through the week.
A Monroe, Connecticut native, Nick Lorusso did not go far after graduating from Masuk High School, where he was a three-sport star in baseball, basketball, and football, attending Villanova University. He had an immediate impact for the Wildcats, becoming school’s first player in 25 years to be named Big East Freshman of the Year after hitting .302/.409/.425 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 2 stolen and 28 walks to 31 strikeouts while simultaneously posting a 6.05 ERA in 41.2 innings on the mound with 59 hits allowed, 15 walks, and 32 strikeouts. His sophomore year, 2020, was a lost season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Lorusso hurt himself even before the year was cancelled, and as a result, he only appeared in 10 games at the plate and made 3 appearances on the mound.
Fully healed when the 2021 season began, Lorusso continued building on his breakout freshman campaign, hitting .306/.380/.370 in 29 games with 4 doubles, 1 home run, 1 stolen base and 16 walks to 25 strikeouts. After going undrafted, the infielder entered the transfer portal hoping to find a program that could get him drafted by an MLB club. His Villanova career concluded, Lorusso hit a cumulative .294/.392/.392 in 88 games with the Wildcats, with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 3 stolen bases in as many attempts, and 52 walks to 62 strikeouts.
The infielder transferred to the University of Maryland for the 2022 season and the fourth-year junior ended up having a critical role on a team that scored the second-most runs in college baseball that year. Appearing in 62 games, the 21-year-old hit .322/.409/.562 with 17 doubles, 15 home runs, and 37 walks to 55 strikeouts, setting career highs in virtually every offensive category. He also contributed on the mound when called upon once again, posting a 6.52 ERA in 9.2 innings, allowing 11 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. He played for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League that summer and then returned to Maryland. He had an equally impressive 2023, appearing in 61 games for the Terrapins, hitting .379/.446/.765 with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 26 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 34 walks to 46 strikeouts. His 105 RBI led the NCAA, and in just two seasons, he became the Maryland RBI career leader, driving in 175.
The Mets drafted Lorusso with their 9th round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, coming to terms with him for $50,000, well below the MLB-assigned slot value for the 276th overall pick, $175,100. The organization assigned him to Low-A St. Lucie and he appeared in 26 games for them, hitting .169 /.250/.270 with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 stolen bases in 3 attempts, and drawing 9 walks to 27 strikeouts. He was promoted to High-A Brooklyn to start the 2024 season and spent the first few months of the season there, hitting .267/.365/.469 in 70 games with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home runs, 8 stolen bases, and 40 walks to 61 strikeouts. He was promoted to Double-A Binghamton in mid-July, but his season came to an abrupt halt a few days later after he was hit by a fastball in the hand during an at-bat, breaking it. The 24-year-old remained in Binghamton when the 2025 season began and spent the entire year there. It was a down year for the infielder, as he hit .241/.312/.368 in 112 games with 29 doubles, 7 home runs, 8 stolen bases, and 41 walks to 108 strikeouts.
The organization had Lorusso remain in Binghamton to start the 2026 season and he had a better time adapting to Double-A pitching, appearing in 84 games for the Rumble Ponies and hitting .243/.319/.495 with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 19 home runs, 9 stolen bases, and 32 walks to 88 strikeouts. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse at the beginning of August and ended the season there, appearing in 29 games and hitting .217/.314/.337 with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 5 stolen bases, and 11 walks to 24 strikeouts.
The 6’1”, 215-pound infielder stands square at the plate, crouching slightly and leaning out over the plate with his upper half, holding his hands high at the eyes and wrapping his bat behind his head angled at 1:30. He swings with a slight leg lift and very little load and weight transfer. Lorusso has “slider bat speed”, consistently performing well against breaking balls over the course of his career while enjoying less success against fastballs; he is able to fully extend and turn on slower pitches and tap into his power, but has less time to react and barrel fastballs. While he does strike out at an elevated rate, it is mostly due to his propensity to swing-and-miss at pitches outside of the zone; against pitches in the zone, Lorusso has shown the ability to make an exceptional amount of contact, though this includes a lot of poor in-zone contact, reflecting a low SEAGER score.
Defensively, Lorusso has spent most of his time on the field at third base, though he has also seen a significant amount of action at first base, and has even played a bit of second base this past season. A former pitcher whose arm can reach 90 MPH, he has the arm strength, accuracy, range and instincts to man the hot corner, but may eventually be forced off the position as he further matures with age loses some of that youthful athleticism.
TEAM CY YOUNG
Jonathan Santucci:19 G (19 GS), 68 H, 42 R, 36 ER (3.57 ERA), 45 BB, 120 K, .314 BABIP
(Runner Up: Carlos Guzman)
Left-hander Jonathan Santucci was ranked 12th on the Amazin’ Avenue 2026 Mets Top 25 Prospects list this past off-season on the strength of a 2025 season that saw him post a 3.06 ERA in 117.2 cumulative innings with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The former Duke standout, who was drafted by the Mets in the 2nd round of the 2024 MLB Draft, had enjoyed a decent amount of success in the ACC, but professional baseball is a different beast from collegiate baseball, and Santucci transitioning so seamlessly was an exciting prospect.
The left-hander began the season with the Rumble Ponies, hoping to build on the successful 58.0 innings that he spent there in 2025, and certainly did. Appearing in 19 games, Santucci posted a 3.57 ERA in 90.2 innings, allowing 68 hits, walking 45, and striking out 120. Combined with his 2025 stats, the southpaw had a cumulative 3.20 ERA in 140.2 innings with Binghamton, allowing 101 hits, walking 63, and striking out 183.
At the beginning of August, the left-hander was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse and finished the season there. He struggled in his first few starts before settling in, and ended up posting a 5.24 ERA in 34.1 innings over 8 starts, allowing 34 hits, walking 21, and striking out 43.
With so many successful innings in Double-A under his belt and already pitching in Triple-A, it is only a matter of time before Santucci makes his MLB debut. The left-hander has the stuff to succeed in the majors, with an MLB-caliber fastball and an MLB-caliber slider, but the rest of his repertoire and his ability to command his pitches leaves a bit to desire. He complements his fastball-slider combination with a curveball and a changeup, and while neither are bad pitches, neither are particularly good either. Combined with the fact that the southpaw is likely going to need to refine his command in order to better match up against MLB bitters, and while Santucci’s call-up is not in doubt, his ultimate as a major leaguer role may be.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Jose Ramirez #11, Brayan Rocchio #4, Angel Genao #17 and Nathaniel Lowe #46 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox in game three of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a resounding 9-3 victory to avoid a sweep in the ALDS, the Guards have forced a game 4 and have their most consistent starting pitcher lined up to pitch on regular rest. Today we’re going to look at the keys to the game for the Guards to force a winner take all game 5 Saturday in Cleveland.
MVP Messick and the Closing Crew
The first key is Parker Messick needs to be his best self. His fastball in 2026 was one of the best pitches in all of MLB going by run value, and he was the Guardians’ most valuable player by fWAR in 2026. He threw 4.2 innings in game 1 and really only threw 1 bad pitch. Unfortunately it ended up being sent 440 ft by Murakami. If you can get a similar outing from Messick of 5 innings and 1-2 runs, that’s going to put you in a good position with the bullpen to finish out the game.
Cade Smith only needed 19 pitches to get 6 outs in game 3. He should be available again tomorrow. Erik Sabrowski did not pitch in game 3 so he also should be well rested for game 4. We know Daniel Espino can pitch on back to back days, and given he didn’t pitch game 2, he should be available as well. Tanner Bibee can be a useful new(ish) look for an inning or so against the bottom part of the White Sox lineup. Tim Herrin has shown so far that he can be a weapon too, along with Shawn Armstrong (who only threw 5 pitches in game 3). I wouldn’t be afraid to go to any of them to help bridge the way to Smith.
If Parker can at least get through 5, you only need those pitchers to get you 12 outs combined, and any extra outs beyond that from Parker just ease the burden.
Give Gaddis a Breather
I wouldn’t pitch Hunter Gaddis in a high leverage spot again in game 4. He’s had too many blow ups recently, and the performance in game 3 almost ended the season. He needs a break.
I also would consider starting someone other than Angel Martínez. His ABs have been quite poor, and his inability to take a walk looks especially exploitable in postseason games. Both Daniel Schneemann and Petey Halpin give you better defensive options, but you could also move Adell back into the outfield, have Travis Bazzana as DH, and put Angel Genao at second base.
I’m less tied to the benching Martínez option because he has been very good as a hail mary chance at a homer or other key hit near the bottom of the lineup, but right now I’d seriously consider giving someone else a look. Putting another LHH in the lineup given how many LHP the White Sox like to use is risky, but I think at this point it’s a risk worth considering.
Keep the Defense Locked In
So far in this series, the Guardians have played a very clean game defensively every time they’ve taken the field. Travis Bazzana has looked as competent as ever as a second baseman, and José has made some dynamite plays out there so far as well.
One thing we know about postseason baseball is every extra out and every extra base runner is just one more chance to lose hold of a game. Continuing to minimize those opportunities for the other team reduces the burden on the offense as well.
Patient Opposite Field Approach
The offense broke out today by staying patient and not being afraid to take a base hit the opposite way. In game 3, the Guardians drew 10 walks and had RBI opposite field hits by Steven Kwan, Jo Adell, José Ramírez, Angel Genao, and Bryaan Rocchio (who had 2 different opposite field hits in game 3). Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey also had opposite field singles, and even Nathaniel Lowe hit two well struck line outs to Miguel Vargas at 3rd.
Staying patient, waiting for their pitches, and not being afraid to just take that single up the middle or the opposite way are the things this offense does when they’re at their absolute best, and it’s an approach that will annoy and wear down opposing pitchers. An already taxed Chicago bullpen can’t afford to be overworked too much more.
That being said, it also wouldn’t hurt to get a ball or two out into the cheap seats.
These are your strengths if you’re the Guardians. Parker Messick has been your guy all season long. It’s time to lean on him and trust him to be Parker Messick. Play solid fundamental defense, and use those 4-5 hitters playing every day with great eyes at the plate to make their pitchers throw as many pitches as possible. If you can do all these things, you have as good of a chance as possible to play at least one more game at home this season.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Andrew Painter #24 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies feel like they’re stuck. They’ve got an old, expensive roster that could very well make the playoffs again in 2027, but it would be tough to consider them actual World Series contenders.
The main problem is that the team had three good hitters in the lineup all season: Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and first half Brandon Marsh/second half Alec Bohm. Even if the team wants to assume that Trea Turner can bounce back – and they really have no choice but to hope that – they’re still at least one good hitter short.
It doesn’t look like much help is coming from the minor leagues any time soon. It would be nice to think Aidan Miller can be a contributor at some point next season, but coming off what was essentially a lost season due to a back injury, anything they get from him should be considered a bonus.
Free agency doesn’t look to offer many solutions. Randy Arozarena will likely be tied to the Phillies, but he’s coming off a career best season at age 31, and there’s a decent likelihood that whoever signs him will regret it a few years into the deal. Their best hope of improving the lineup might be if they can land a Japanese player who could bolster the lineup the way Kaz Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami did for the Blue Jays and White Sox this year. But considering how badly they’ve struck out with past Japanese imports, its hard to have much optimism on that front.
Column for @NBCSPhilly: If the Phillies want a new identity, they need to finally break into a Japanese market that has long been out of reach.https://t.co/TjFdqzzm3p
Desperate times call for desperate measures. So here’s an outside the box potential solution: Trade Andrew Painter (and likely others) for a good hitter.
I want to make it clear that I am not endorsing this plan of action, only pointing out creative ways for the Phillies to improve their offense. Will that stop people from becoming outraged? Of course not!
The Phillies’ rotation is clearly their biggest strength. They have three pitchers in Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jesus Luzardo who would be the ace on a lot of staffs. Aaron Nola is not going anywhere for a while, and the Phillies have to hope that he can replicate his second half performance next year. Assuming Painter can build off his rookie season, that shapes up to be one of the best rotations in baseball next year.
But with the lineup desperately needing help, it might be wise to deal from that position of strength.
After his late season improvement and strong showing in the playoffs, Painter’s value is as high as its been since he injured his elbow in spring of 2023. If a team was inclined to trade away a star hitter, it’s very likely they would want a package centered around a young, cost-controlled pitcher with front-of-the-rotation potential who could contribute immediately. Painter would certainly seem to fit that bill.
With the caveat that I don’t know what else the Phillies would have to include in a deal for any of them, here are some of the players who might be available on the trade market:
If the Phillies want to move Turner to the outfield, there are multiple good shortstops who will be the subject of trade rumors: Elly De La Cruz, Zack Neto, Jeremy Pena, and CJ Abrams (although Abrams’ future is likely also in the outfield). As for outfielders, Jarren Duran, Steven Kwan, and Denzel Clarke are possibilities. Or, if the Phillies are okay with J.T. Realmuto being an expensive backup for a couple of years, William Contreras and Hunter Goodman might be options to get some actual offensive out of the catcher position.
If Painter was to be traded, the Phillies would then need to sign a fifth starter in free agency. Fortunately, unlike the hitter market, there should be plenty of good options available. They also might find it easier to sign a sixth starter who would find the Phillies’ situation more palatable if the starting rotation didn’t appear to be set in stone.
And hey, if John Middleton really wants another trophy and isn’t worried about spending “stupid money,” they could always go after Tarik Skubal and try to recreate the Four Aces rotation!
Is any of this likely to happen? No. Teams generally don’t trade away young pitchers that they think have All-Star potential. But if the Phillies want to get out of the edge of contention box they currently find themselves in, it might be time to try some outside of the box thinking.
ELMONT, NY --New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal did not take part in the team's morning skate on Thursday ahead of their game against the Chicago Blackhawks, but he did skate on his own.
Barzal skated on his own this morning, per #Isles.
Barzal, 28, had missed the first three games of the regular season -- he'll miss his fourth -- after inflammation in his left knee from a previous injury sidelined him for all of training camp and preseason.
With defenseman Alexander Romanov out with a torn right ACL, the Islanders can just place him on Injured Reserve, which would open the roster spot for
Barzal is in season four of an eight-year deal worth $9.25 million annually.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 26: Cody Freeman #39 and Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rangers defeated the Twins 6-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
The Rangers are facing some pretty big questions this offseason, like what are they going to do with their aging, expensive superstars? Are the young guys going to take a step forward? What about the bullpen?
It will leave fans clamoring for change this offseason, but will Hal Steinbrenner pull the trigger?
You can share your opinion on whether the Yankees should keep GM Brian Cashman, manager Aaron Boone and a host of players whose futures will be decided in the coming days, weeks and months.
Just vote “Bronx” (to stay) or “Boot” (to go) in the polls below to let Hal Steinbrenner know how you feel — and don’t hesitate to vent in the comments section.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 3: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck in the third period during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is four games of an 84-game season. There has been some good, some bad, and some ugly. Don’t let yourself get too caught up in early results and let them dictate your thoughts on where the season is going. There is a lot of hockey left, and a lot of time for good and bad elements of the team to develop.
Reality: The Penguins are not as good as they looked in the season-opener, and they are probably not as bad as they looked for portions of the Winnipeg and Washington games. I also thought they kind of put some things together in the second half of the Washington game and largely carried the play throughout the second and third periods, outside of two absolutely braindead turnovers that derailed all of that progress. The numbers back up that eye-test observation, as well. Those mistakes still count, and they still hurt, and they are still concerns, but eliminating one or two mistakes is a hell of a lot easier than figuring out how to tilt the ice and play better over an extended period of time.
There are still a handful of concerning trends that have developed early on that are probably inspiring different levels of panic.
Among them: the play of Sidney Crosby and the first line, the defense itself, and Arturs Silovs, who I don’t think has been very good since the season-opener (where he was never really challenged).
Let’s dig a little deeper into each of them and try to assess the proper level of concern and panic on a scale of 1-10, with one being “everything is normal” and 10 being “full blown panic.”
Sidney Crosby’s slow start
Wednesday night in Washington was a harsh reminder as to how imposing father time is on everybody in sports. Even the greats.
Everybody was excited to see the start of the final chapter of the Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin rivalry, and then both players were complete non-factors in the game.
Ovechkin played 14 minutes, had no points and recorded two shots on goal. After being on the fence about his future, he played two games this season and then decided this was going to be it.
Crosby was a minus-4 and was mostly invisible, continuing what has been a shockingly quiet start to the season for him and his line. He is almost two years younger than Ovechkin, and has been a better overall player, including over the past few years, but he is still 39. He is not going to dominate for ever.
There were eight goals scored in a Penguins-Capitals game and those guys factored into the scoring on exactly zero of them.
It’s a new era, folks.
The Penguins are now four games into the season and Crosby has zero goals, two assists, while the Penguins have been outscored by a 3-5 margin with him on the ice during 5-on-5 play. Through four games they have been significantly better when he is not on the ice versus when he is on the ice. Not only are they being outscored with him on the ice, their expected goal share is a 54 percent while he has received heavy offensive zone starts. When he is off the ice the Penguins are outscoring teams by a 9-4 margin, have a 60 percent expected goal share while those lines have received primarily defensive zone starts.
I’m just stating facts here, folks. And I’m watching the games. The eye-test isn’t much better. And given that his line has already rotated through three different wingers in four games to try and find the right fit I am guessing the coaching staff feels the same way.
Now, again, it’s four games. Crosby has been a slow starter in recent years, and he had even less time to build up for this season in training camp and the preseason. He is going to slow down at some point. The points will decline more significantly at some point. I am not sure we are at the point where his game has completely deteriorated over night (or over the summer). But I do think it’s more than acceptable to look at these first four games and say, “hmm, something doesn’t seem right with the 39-year-old forward here.”
Concern level: 5/10
The defense
I am on record as saying that I kind of like this defense and some of the players on it, at least in the context of what the Penguins 2025-26 defense was and what it looked like.
League-wide, and on an NHL level? It’s probably middle of the pack at best.
But compared to the 2025-26 Penguins level? I can see it being better than that group.
The early returns are not yet consistently there. Mostly due to the turnovers. Wednesday was shocking in that regard, with Trevor van Riemsdyk being guilty of two baffling plays, one of which led directly to a goal off the opening face-off, and another that led to a power play that eventually led to a goal that took away all of the momentum the Penguins had built in a comeback attempt.
Kris Letang and Declan Carlile were also guilty of shockingly bad plays that directly led to goals.
Just baffling, self-inflicted mistakes that clearly altered the flow and outcome of the game.
A lot of those same mistakes were also visible in Monday’s game against Winnipeg.
While it’s easier to clean up “a couple of mistakes” than it is to carry the pace of play, that doesn’t mean it’s actually going to happen, or that those mistakes are going to stop. Maybe they don’t. Maybe that’s what these guys do where they play well for 30 minutes and then just wet the bed two or three times a game.
That is a real possibility.
Concern level: 6.5/10
Arturs Silovs
I said at the start of the season that goaltending was going to impact a lot this season, and what it looks like for the Penguins. Silovs and Sergei Murashov certainly have the potential to be very good and steal some games, but they are also massive wild-cards that could put the Penguins into the lottery very, very quickly no matter what else is going on around them.
After posting a shutout in the opener, Silovs has allowed 10 goals in his next two starts and is now on the negative side of goals saved above expected (minus-1.4 via MoneyPuck).
My concern here isn’t necessarily about any one game, or any two games, or even his specific performance on Wednesday. Not only because it’s a small sample size, but also because the play in front of him has been spotty. It’s mostly about his overall play going back to the start of last season, and some of the things you see from him (and are still seeing from him).
He has had some great games, and the bigger situation, the better he seems to play. But He also has a tendency to just give them some non-competitive games and moments, especially when it comes to some of his plays with the puck and his rebound control. The difference between his floor and ceiling on most nights is like walking into the Sistine Chapel. I just don’t know that I trust him on a consistent basis.
SAN DIEGO — Although outfielder Garrett Mitchell gracefully accepted congratulations for robbing Manny Machado of a tying home run late in the Milwaukee Brewers’ Division Series-clinching victory, he clearly wasn’t all that impressed with himself.
To Mitchell, that dramatic play was just the predictable result of the same daily preparation and meticulous execution that made Milwaukee the majors’ best team throughout the regular season — and which has now sent the Brewers roaring back to the National League Championship Series.
Mitchell tripled and scored the tiebreaking run in the fifth inning before making a pivotal catch on Machado’s drive to the wall in the eighth, and the Brewers finished off the San Diego Padres with a 3-1 victory Wednesday night, winning their best-of-five series in four games.
When Machado stepped to the plate, Mitchell was already shaded to right-center, thanks to the Brewers’ scouting report. He coolly tracked the 406-foot fly off the bat, and he already knew the wall was quite short in that part of Petco Park, so he realized he would only need to reach up to catch the ball.
“I think we have a different type of confidence and belief in ourselves together as a team,” Mitchell said. “It’s just like a quiet, subtle confidence. It’s not showboaty. It’s just that everyone believes.”
The Brewers pride themselves on being ready to handle anything — even something wild enough to silence a roaring sellout crowd in San Diego during the heat of October.
“Just got a good jump off the bat,” Mitchell said amid the Brewers’ beer-drenched postgame celebration in the visitors’ clubhouse. “When I got to the wall, I just had to stay composed and make the catch. I didn’t really have to jump. I knew the wall isn’t as high as at other fields.”
Mitchell also drove in Sal Frelick with Milwaukee’s first run as the Brewers snapped their 12-game postseason road losing streak since 2018 and reached the team’s fifth League Championship Series.
“Just so proud of these guys,” Frelick said. “After the first (loss in Game 3), it really starts to creep in that you don’t want to go back for a Game 5. Really proud of these guys for stepping up today and getting the job done.”
After fending off the surging Padres in four tight games decided by a combined five runs, the 103-win Brewers will get an NLCS rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who eliminated Atlanta on Wednesday.
“Why wouldn’t you want another chance to go at it (with the Dodgers) after the way it happened last year?” asked Mitchell, an Orange County native and UCLA product. “I don’t think that’s any more pressure on us. It’s just ... let’s see what we can do.”
The Milwaukee formula
One night after the Padres avoided elimination in Game 3, Milwaukee claimed its first road playoff win since the 2018 NLCS by sticking to its season-long formula for success.
While four Brewers pitchers combined on a three-hitter and the defense made nearly every big play, Milwaukee’s lineup calmly worked counts, pounded 10 hits through the Padres’ defense and manufactured enough runs to head home smiling.
“After yesterday, the energy in the clubhouse was still good,” Mitchell said. “Nobody was pressing. We were just treating it like another day, treating it like we have nothing to lose. We just had to go out there and play our brand of baseball, and that starts with quality at-bats, getting on base, putting pressure on teams, and we did that today.”
Game 2 hero Jackson Chourio capped his high-impact series by driving in Mitchell to become the Brewers’ career leader in postseason RBIs at just 22 years old. Chourio has 17 RBIs, including six in this series, in 16 playoff games.
Padres’ offense struggles
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a 429-foot homer on an otherwise tepid offensive night for the Padres, who repeatedly tested the majors’ best regular-season team before falling short of only the fourth NLCS appearance in team history.
“It was unfortunate, man,” Machado said of his long flyout. “He made a nice play. I should have hit it harder. Two more inches, that ball may have been a homer.”
After sitting below .500 and in 11th place in the NL in late July, San Diego roared into the first wild-card spot and then swept the Cubs in the Wild Card Series last week. The Padres had won 19 of 22 before losing three of four to Milwaukee.
Starters gone early
Brewers starter and former Padres draft pick Robert Gasser threw four innings of three-hit ball, but Tatis ended his 1-for-19 skid since San Diego’s playoff opener with a long shot to center in the third. It was the longest homer ever hit in the postseason at Petco Park by a San Diego player.
Padres starter Walker Buehler yielded just three hits and a run, but manager Craig Stammen replaced him with Game 1 starter Robbie Ray after William Contreras’ leadoff single in the fourth.
Mitchell then stroked a mild liner perfectly over first base and into the right-field corner leading off the fifth, and he scored on Chourio’s single through the drawn-in infield. Chourio surpassed Ryan Braun for the most postseason RBIs in Brewers history.
Jake Bauers singled leading off the sixth and went to third on Cooper Pratt’s ground-rule double before scoring on Frelick’s sacrifice fly.
After Mitchell’s catch on Machado’s fly, second baseman Brice Turang ended the eighth with an acrobatic catch of Ty France’s tailing popup in foul ground.
