MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a sacrifice fly in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was no shortage of problems for the Dodgers in a Game 2 loss that has seen the reigning champs return home trailing 2-0 in the NLCS. We might focus on the no-challenge that derailed Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s struggles; we could discuss the bullpen’s shortcomings, having been asked to carry the load after Yamamoto didn’t get out of the fourth—it is all pertinent. Nevertheless, the simple reality is that the Dodgers haven’t hit, and they’ve done that in the worst possible way, securing all of one extra-base hit through 18 innings.
Following Game 1’s loss, we talked here about the silver lining of consistently putting people on against a talented Milwaukee staff. And that if you’re able to sustain that, you’ll eventually run into a big hit or two that can change a game—this lineup is too deep to project otherwise, or so we thought.
Instead of building from the positives of Game 1, the Dodgers offense took a step back in the second game of this series. Were it not for the self-inflicted wounds of Brewers starter Logan Henderson, they could’ve easily produced nothing the whole game—nothing, which summarizes their output in five innings of work against the Brewers bullpen.
It’s well established that to get anything going against the likes of Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby, and Trevor Megill is a lofty task. That’s now a secondary issue because, again in Game 2, the Dodgers offense had their shots against more vulnerable pitchers and produced very little out of it.
Brewers starter Henderson was nowhere near his most polished version, and multiple errors, including one of his own, contributed to the Dodgers scoring four runs off him in 4.0+ innings. It could’ve been far worse, though, had they been just the tiniest more effective in capitalizing on a clearly rattled arm. Two innings in particular deserve special attention: the third and fifth frames.
In the third inning, Freddie Freeman came up to bat after the first two reached with bullets off Henderson, and he hit one that looked headed to the gap before Sal Frelick ran it down in a phenomenal defensive play (Savant put it at an .840 xBA). The same defense that made errors to put the Dodgers in the game also made up for it with difficult plays that many others would not have made. Still, the Dodgers scored a run in that inning after a wild pitch—with only one out and hard-hit balls after hard-hit balls against Henderson, you’d figure Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani would capitalize on a runner in scoring position, but neither could, stranding Mookie Betts.
Shortly thereafter, Henderson came back out there for the fifth and allowed one more run due to an errant throw that left a runner in scoring position with one out. With the score tied at 3-3 and the Brewers up in the series, Pat Murphy did not push the envelope and bring one of his key guys in against the top of the order; instead, he went to Dustin May. And before you ask, no, the Brewers haven’t turned May into a dominant arm since acquiring him. In fact, May’s record in Milwaukee has been especially bad, with an ERA north of 5.00 and two runs allowed in three innings in his only playoff appearance, a start against the Padres in the NLDS.
Against May, the Dodgers played for the one run, and a couple of sacrifices later, they led 4-3, but the feeling of leaving May off the hook was evident—knowing full well how much tougher things would get as the Brewers brought in their top arms. One run to take the lead is not the worst thing in the world, far from it, but in that moment with that matchup—still needing five innings out of your bullpen and facing one of the worst arms the Brewers will throw your way—playing for a single run was underwhelming. And that’s factoring in the struggling offense.
Following that inning, the worst-case scenario set in for the Dodgers, as their bullpen had a few hiccups here and there, while the Brewers’ was, by all accounts, perfect—so much so that it gave itself the luxury of not utilizing Megill, adding two insurance runs in the eighth to go up 7-4. In an alternate reality, we might come here and complain they didn’t drive that run in off May on their way to losing the game 4-3, but you required more in that situation—particularly when the other side’s top relievers have done what we’ve seen against this Dodgers lineup.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 25: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox makes a throw to first base during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Fenway Park on September 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Proximal interphalangeal joint reconstruction is a pretty intimidating way to say that Caleb Durbin finally got his pinky fixed. Durbin initially dislocated his pinkie way back on June 24 — literally the day before the Red Sox’ 15-game winning streak began — but the injury didn’t really effect his play and he obviously remained on the field for the rest of the season. “It doesn’t quite straighten or bend all the way,” Durbin told the media back in September. “There really is kind of a joint understanding [with the team] that we’ll get it looked at at the end of the season if we have to, because [whatever the diagnosis is], it’s not going to impact my decision to play at all.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Durbin’s pinky didn’t end up being a major injury, but the Red Sox had plenty of those nonetheless. And the fact that a few of those injuries — particularly the injuries to Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony — were initially misdiagnosed as minor indicates this offseason might be a good time for the Red Sox to review the training and medical staff. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
Given that Crochet and Anthony both essentially had lost seasons, it isn’t surprising that they both landed on this list of six payers with the biggest questions entering the offseason. “[Anthony’s] potential remains sky-high, but he still needs to show what he can produce in a full, healthy season. Will the hand injury linger? Will it fully heal? Does he continue to split time between left field and designated hitter? What does a full season of Anthony look like?” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Trevor Story also appears on the above list. But, unlike Anthony and Crochet, Story won’t the the only one who dictates how his season goes next year. That’s because Franklin Arias’ timeline for promotion will have a major domino effect on the whole roster. “If Story were to move positions, it would be to second, where he has experience. But where would that leave Curtis Mead?” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Arias is not participating in the Arizona Fall League this year, but a handful of other Sox prospects are, including Antonio Anderson, who hit a grand slam over the weekend and who has been one of the league’s top hitters so far. (Jim Crowell, Soxprospects.com)
And while we’re still a long way off from free agency, the news about Sonny Gray’s return to baseball has a lot of people already thinking about next year’s rotation. If Gray doesn’t re-sign with the Sox, here’s an early look at some free agent options to replace him. (Justin Leger, NBC Sports)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks goes up for the rebound during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 12, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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
The Knicks won the championship and then seemingly forgot how to play basketball.
Only, you know, it’s the preseason, so they might as well go 0-5 for all I care.
Here’s the latest from the first half of a back-to-back series of games ending north of the border later today.
"Trying to let the guys understand how important the process is what I'm all about right now."
Mike Brown talks about he and the Knicks focusing on the process in the preseason: pic.twitter.com/9rS4Q3gBLQ
On the competition for the Knicks’ third-string center position:
“They should all be on a roster this year. There’s no experiments, in my opinion. These guys are all legitimate NBA players. They’re all great guys and in some way, shape or form, I can see each of them contributing this way or that way and it’s not gonna be an easy decision.”
On the quality of the Knicks’ centers in training camp:
“I’ve been in a lot of training camps and collectively, this is probably — now when I say the best, I’m not saying the most talented — this is the best group of centers I’ve been around. All of them bring something different to the table.”
On potentially playing Karl-Anthony Towns more minutes at power forward:
“I’m not sure yet. There’s a chance he may play a little bit more at the four, but what does that equate to? Again, I’m not sure. He has a better feel, and I have a better feel of how to use him when he’s there because we have to make some adjustments to what we do. But I couldn’t give you an exact number.”
On the mentality and energy required from the Knicks’ still-unknown, third-string center:
“You hope that there’s a passion, an energy and a focus coming from that spot because, at times, a person can start; at times they can be the No. 2; and at times, they’ll be the No. 3, and with the minutes fluctuating, you’re gonna have to generate some internal energy at times to go play in a low-minute game, to sit there and maybe not play one or two games in a row, maybe three games in a row. So you look for that and then you just look for somebody that’s gonna play hard at the end of the day, try to do the things that you ask on both sides of the floor and can bring something a little different than the two guys in front of you bring.”
On Andre Drummond’s defensive communication against Minnesota:
“The blocks are great, but I’m not a huge shot-blocking guy. His communication right now is unbelievable. Usually your big is the one that sees everything out in front and so he’s usually your quarterback of your defense. A lot of bigs aren’t great talkers though. Like Draymond [Green] is one of the best in the league… and I thought Andre’s communication tonight – and it’s been good [so far] – but tonight it was off the charts.”
On Drummond’s defensive performance against the Wolves and why it excites him:
“The blocks are good, him defending the pick-and-roll the right way, being big, there are a lot of good things that he did, but just watching him, and more importantly listening to him, man that got me really excited.”
On the development of Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara:
“I thought [Dadiet] had a pretty good game. I thought he had a pretty good game the game before. … Both [Dadiet and Diawara] are long, they’re obviously young and they’re talented and I’m gonna keep coaching them and they’re gonna keep getting better.”
On intentionally keeping the Knicks’ preseason offense simple to test their execution:
“The truth of the matter is I’m kind of hamstringing our guys offensively. Real generic with what we’re running offensively because I want to see if they can execute when a team gets rhythm and they start denying or putting pressure on us because they know what’s coming. Can we execute our counters? Can we still get to our spots offensively and execute our actions? Can we play fast doing it? Those are little things I’m looking at offensively.”
On prioritizing the process over results in the preseason:
“For me, it’s more about the process, not necessarily the end result. Defensively, are we making sure we’re playing with next-play speed? And, for the most part, I thought we did. We had some breakdowns execution-wise in terms of what our assignments were, but those things can be cleaned up in time. We’ll keep watching film and keep drilling it and all that other stuff.”
On his expectations for when things turn ugly in the regular season:
“I want to see how we react when we lose 3 in a row or 4 in a row and you guys are on us and the fans are on us. Let’s see if we can keep trying to [have an upward trajectory] in tough times.”
“I feel like he’s always genuinely himself. He doesn’t really care what people say or think about him.”
On his first meeting with Mike Brown and how the coach established a relationship with him:
“Honestly, Day 1, he kind of set the tone. I remember, I said this like last year: He came down to Jersey in the summer, and [we] sat, had dinner, talked for two, two and a half, three hours, whatever, and just did not talk about basketball or what we were gonna do.”
Josh Hart
On Mike Brown’s personality:
“He’s super chill. He’s more of a ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ kind of guy.”
On changing his free-throw approach after years of struggling at the line:
“I feel like a lot of people have opinions about what a good free throw looks like, right? So over my career I’ve had different coaches and teams I played for that tried to help me adjust and make it easier for me. Obviously, the stuff they said in practice would work, but when I got in the game, I’d overthink it. So I just simplified it, did a routine I’ve done since a child, and shoot the same shot.”
On simplifying his shooting routine and avoiding overthinking:
“I simplified it and stopped listening to a bunch of people. Just shooting the same shot over and over again and not worrying about the results. Sometimes, in the past, I would get frustrated if I miss, and I would try to overcorrect. Then, it’s a domino effect and more and more misses, and then I’m frustrated and I’m out of whack.”
On why free throws became a struggle throughout his life:
“It’s not something I struggled with growing up. It was more so just having a bunch of people in my ear and not being able to focus on one thing.”
Broadcasting for NBC from the Garden as the Knicks raise the banner Oct 20th: Carmelo Anthony pic.twitter.com/ExwFTR0fQ1
On the Knicks’ upcoming championship banner ceremony and what it means to him:
“It’s hard to put it into words, especially for me as somebody who’s been a part of that organization. I understand what it was like to have to build something over there, and for them to finally do that, it just makes that journey and those years finally mean something.
“We didn’t win it, but now [Jalen Brunson] and them can kind of take that and elongate that and celebrate just the history of what everybody put in.”
On the significance of raising the Knicks’ championship banner:
“It’s validation and completion. Once we raise that up, we got it forever.”
Reggie Miller
On the Knicks postponing contract negotiations with Karl-Anthony Towns:
“You hope behind closed doors the contract stuff doesn’t become an issue. I like the Knicks coming out publicly and saying we’re going to table discussions until a later date. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to negotiate. It basically means you guys [media] can’t ask the players about their contract situation.”
On Towns’ contract situation potentially affecting the Knicks’ chances of repeating:
“If they want to be successful and they want to have a chance to repeat, you’re going to need a healthy KAT, mentally. You don’t want him being a malcontent, worrying about his contract behind closed doors. Because when KAT is at his best and on board, they’re hard to beat. But if he’s worried about his contract situation . . . I think a deal will get done. It’s going to be between the 200 and the 277. So meet in the middle, sign it, and let’s move on.”
On the Knicks’ championship chances and the improved Eastern Conference:
“They have a great chance of repeating. The problem is the East has gotten so much better and now the Knicks will have a bullseye on their back every single game because they’re the champs. Every night they take the floor, they’ve got to play their best. That wasn’t the case the last few years.”
On LaMelo Ball’s shot selection after acquiring him from Charlotte:
“It’s something we talked about coming in. He’s been pretty good, and then when you watch it every day, you see — OK, the one-legged thing, he kind of shoots it like that every time, really. Some are a little more exaggerated than others, so it’s not too unusual when you see it every day.”
On Ball becoming more focused on playmaking with Minnesota:
“He’s been deferential here. He’s not looking just to kind of shoot, shoot, shoot. Sometimes, we [the Wolves] forget how good of a scorer he can actually be. We’ve been asking him to be way more into play-making for us, and then the out-of-context shots, he hasn’t had many of those.
“And the deep 3s, he makes them. No one complains about Steph [Curry’s] deep threes, [so we won’t complain about LaMelo’s]. And then he gives us a guy we can close the game with. You can put the ball in his hands, and he can make shots from different spots on then floor.”
On the Timberwolves’ pursuit and acquisition of LaMelo Ball:
“Of course a talent like that doesn’t often come available especially after the year [the Hornets] had. So when it picked up speed it was real exciting to think about, and it’s been pretty exciting to watch it play out in front of us.”
On Ball’s personality and his chemistry with Anthony Edwards:
“[LaMelo] is always in a great mood, always comes in smiling. He and Anthony have this shared quality that they’re really hard to stay mad at, and they do some things that you want to get mad at, but they have a reflective joy and I think that’s important. They tease the joy out of each other as practice goes along, so that kind of adds to the overall spirit of the group which we really needed.
“We’ve referred to ourselves as a moody team at times. We’ve traded moodiness for giddiness, so we’re happy to get back to some sort of equilibrium.”
Something about the Dodgers’ championship run last year bothers Blake Snell.
“It’s always how you finish,” Snell said.
Snell made two starts in the World Series a year ago, and he didn’t pitch well in either one. The pair of losses robbed him of the satisfaction he felt after winning each of his three previous starts of that postseason.
His only solace was that he contributed 1 ⅓ innings of relief against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series.
“If I could do it in the CS,” he said, “I could have done it in the World Series.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) sits in the dugout during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Snell understands what’s at stake in October.
Reputation.
Legacy.
And that matters to the 33-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner who will be entrusted by the Dodgers to save their season when he starts for them against the Brewers on Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers are behind in the best-of-seven series, two games to none.
Snell knows how the public views him.
He’s painfully aware that people think he’s a video-game-addicted slacker who emerges from hibernation in August to begin preparing for the playoffs.
“It’s not like I’m just having surgery because I want to have surgery,” Snell told The California Post. “I want to pitch. I want to win Cy Youngs.”
A year after he was sidelined for four months because of shoulder problems, Snell missed three months this season to recover from a procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow.
He said he feels misunderstood, disrespected even.
He’s particularly offended by the perception that he doesn’t take baseball seriously.
“When it comes to me as a pitcher, I know how good I am,” he said. “I haven’t been able to prove it as much (as I would like). It’s just short sample sizes, and that’s been the frustrating part.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell points to the first base umpire for a call against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
He pointed to how he’s only made one All-Star team and that was as a replacement player.
“I’ve never been selected as an All-Star straight up,” he said. “That’s the craziest thing. I got selected when someone got hurt. That’s not making the All-Star team.”
The son of a former minor-league pitcher and longtime coach, Snell said he would like for his baseball acumen to be as appreciated as his ability to throw a baseball.
“I just wish people would watch me pitch and then understand the work that I put into being a good pitcher, great pitcher, is a lot more than they’ve ever experienced or give me credit for,” he said. “Because I watch the game, I understand the hitters. I understand who they are right now in the present. I understand who they are as a hitter.”
He said he doesn’t just like baseball.
“Love it,” he said. “Love it.”
When he’s not training in the offseason, he said, he’s coaching players from the youth baseball program he founded.
“My offseason,” Snell said, “is baseball the whole time.”
His long-term ambition is to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He also wants to pitch until he’s 45 years old.
“I have a lot to do to make sure my body can hold,” Snell said. “The last two years, I’ve gotten 10 starts a year. That’s not Hall of Fame in my mind. So this offseason is super important. How do I attack it? How do I get my body right? How am I able to make sure I can pitch 30 games, and then on top of that, the postseason? There’s a lot of stuff to prove for myself.”
Before that, he has a critical game to pitch on Wednesday.
His postseason didn’t start the way he wanted, as he pitched just 3 ⅔ innings of a loss to the Atlanta Braves in the Divisional Round.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of Game 2 of the NLDS, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
But, like he said, how he finishes the playoffs will be more important than how he started them. To ensure his next start won’t be his last, he has to win. And if he can get the Dodgers back on track and lead them to a third consecutive championship, perhaps fans will start seeing him the way he sees himself.
The
start of a three-game road trip will being a new set of challenges
for the St. Louis Blues, who open against the Ottawa Senators from
Canadian Tire Center in Kanata, Ontario at 6:30 p.m. (Blue Note+,
ESPN 101.1-FM) on NHL’s Frozen Frenzy where all 32 years are in
action.
The
teams have a lot of numbers they’d like to improve in, but for the
Blues, it’s been a strong start, especially on the penalty kill
under new assistant coach Greg Cronin with a 14-for-15 start (93.3
percent), which is good for fourth in the NHL while overall, allowing
3.20 goals-per game which is overinflated by the 6-1 debacle loss to
the Colorado Avalanche.
“Incredibly
happy with our D-zone coverage and our tracking, very happy with our
D-corps and their aggressiveness, 200-foot hockey,” Blues coach Jim
Montgomery said Monday. ‘Too inconsistent with our offensive habits
of having someone at the net and having two on the inside. Our
reloads have been inconsistent, which has led to less O-zone time as
well and PK, very good; PP, not good enough. Goaltending has been
good.
“I
think our defensive sticks are vastly improved. We cause way more
turnovers on forecheck, D-zone coverage, neutral zone. It’s been an
emphasis of the staff, but again, a lot of that PK credit goes to
Greg Cronin. He was brought here to improve our defensive habits and
so far, he’s done an excellent job in it, and I know it’s a small
sample size, but our players like the way we’re penalty-killing.
They like the aggressiveness of it.”
The
power play is 29th at 9.3 percent, which is just 1-for-11, also under
a new assistant coach in Vinny Prospal.
On
Monday, the Blues ran Adam Jiricek at the point on one unit, with
Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway on the flanks, Jake Neighbours on
the bumper and Jimmy Snuggerud at the net front, while Cam Fowler ran
the other point along with Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish on the
flanks, Pavel Buchnevich in the bumper and Dalibor Dvorsky at the net
front.
“It’s
good to give penalty kills different looks and obviously we weren’t
generating much previously,” Montgomery said. “Our last game on
the power play, we only had one opportunity, but the chances were
significantly better and the puck movement was better.”
The
idea now is to draw more power play chances, with the team only
averaging just over two per game.
-
- -
More
to Saturday’s win included the fight Ross Johnston had with Blue
Jackets enforcer Mathieu Olivier, one of the tougher customers in the
league:
It
came in the first minute of the second period with the Blues down 2-0
and now showing much jump.
Johnston
gave his teammates no indication it was coming and feels it’s
probably better that way.
“The
game happens so fast,” Johnston said. “So many things can lead to
certain things. I’m not necessarily a premeditated person. I’d be
lying to you if I said I wasn’t thinking about it. I think you’re
pretty aware of who every team has, so on, so forth. I don’t talk
it up, I don’t brush it up. You brush it off when it goes wrong and
doesn’t look good if you talk about it and it goes well, it still
doesn’t look good. I don’t talk about it, things can happen in a
game and it can come out of nowhere. Let things fall is what I’m
trying to say.
“(Olivier’s)
tough. He’s as tough as they come. He plays the game the right way,
plays the game honest and plays a lot. I’ve got a lot of respect
for a guy like that.”
Montgomery
said he had no idea it was coming.
“I
don’t know him well enough to know that yet, and it’s great to
see,” he
said.
“I know I don’t want that job.”
Part
of the job Montgomery did say he likes is Johnston’s ability to
talk on the bench and on the ice that seems to spark his teammates.
“I
don’t know, you get comfortable the older you get maybe,”
Johnston said. “The teams I’ve been on, you see how they had
success and you see certain plays that have success. I think I’ve
seen both sides of that. I think being able to watch the game and
seeing little plays, maybe give little IQ’s to help the team out,
especially when it’s not going well is maybe where it stems from.
Just trying to be a little bit vocal and if it gets too quiet, talk
to the boys, keep everything light. We’ve been in every game we’ve
played so far (except Colorado). Just got to keep rolling the way we
have been.”
Peterson
is expected to move into the lineup for Zach Dean.
Also,
Joel Hofer is expected to start in goal.
-
- -
Blues
Projected Lineup:
Dylan
Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Connor
McMichael-Mason McTavish-Jonatan Berggren
Jake
Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Pavel Buchnevich
Ross
Johnston-Pius Suter-Dylan Peterson
Philip
Broberg-Adam Jiricek
Justin
Barron-Colton Parayko
Cam
Fowler-Brandon Carlo
Joel
Hofer is projected to start in goal; Jordan
Binnington would be the backup.
Healthy
scratches could include Zach Dean and Theo Lindstein. Alexey Toropchenko
(upper body), Tyler Tucker (knee), Logan Mailloux (hand) and Dillon
Dube (neck) are out.
-
- -
Senators
Projected Lineup:
Warren
Foegele-Tim Stutzle-Drake Batherson
Andre
Burakovsky-Dylan Cozens-Ridly Greig
Michael
Amadio-Shane Pinto-Claude Giroux
Fabian
Zetterlund-Stephen Halliday-Nick Cousins
Thomas
Chabot-Jordan Spence
Tyler
Kleven-Carter Yakemchuk
Hoyt
Stanley-Jorian
Donovan
Samuel
Ersson is projected to start in goal; Linus Ullmark would be the
backup.
Healthy
scratches could include Hayden Hodgson. Jake Sanderson (undisclosed),
Artem Zub (knee), William Eklund (ankle), Kurtis MacDermid (upper
body) and Cameron Crotty (illness) are out. Nikolas Mantipalo (upper
body) departed
Monday night’s game and is questionable.
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 27: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays catches a fly ball on the warning track during the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field on April 27, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Outlaw is back!
The best center fielder in franchise history will make his return to Tropicana Field later tonight to toss out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the second game of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians.
Kevin Kiermaier was taken by the Rays in the 31st round of the 2010 draft. However, Kiermaier was a gifted athlete who had already had a commitment to Purdue, which led to many teams passing over him. The Rays took a shot in the 31st round and almost immediately signed him. It quickly became apparent that the Rays had made the right choice as Kiermaier excelled during first impressions and Baseball America stated that he “could prove to be one of the biggest late-round steals from the 2010 draft.”
As Kiermaier rose through the system, his defense became a standout tool and eventually paved the way to him making his Major League debut during game 163 in 2013. After starting the 2014 season in the minor leagues, Kiermaier earned his way onto the big league roster and eventually forced himself into the starting lineup due to his extraordinary defense and solid offensive capabilities.
Over the next nine seasons, Kiermaier would be a staple in center field for the Rays, dazzling most every day with a new incredible catch or an offensive hustle that caused defensive chaos. Overall, Kiermaier spent 9 seasons with the Rays (plus 1 game in 2013), and he hit .248/.308/.407 with 82 HR, registering 97 wRC+ and accruing 23.6 fWAR over 914 games.
Kiermaier received three Gold Glove awards during his time with Tampa Bay, plus a Platinum Glove in 2015 which is given to the best defender overall in the league. FanGraphs has Defensive Runs Saved data going back to 2003. Since that time, Kevin Kiermaier has the 5th highest DRS of any player in baseball and the highest among outfielders. Kiermaier would finish his career with the 5th highest bWAR all-time of a player selected in the 31st round or later.
After leaving the Rays via free agency following the 2022 season, Kiermaier joined up with the Toronto Blue Jays and picked up another Gold Glove award. In 2024, Kiermaier announced he would retire following the season and would split the year between Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers, mainly serving as a defensive replacement. With the Dodgers winning the World Series, Kiermaier received his first and only ring of his career.
Kevin Kiermaier makes his return to Tropicana Field tonight as the Rays hope to even out the series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Kyle Anderson doesn’t want to ruffle any feathers.
At least, that’s what Slo Mo, the 13 year NBA veteran, said during last Wednesday’s practice.
“I don’t want to be like, ‘oh, I’m the old head. You gotta do it my way,’” said Anderson. The former Timberwolf understands that he’s from a different era of NBA players. “There’s a whole generation after me that came in,” said Anderson. “These guys are 22 years old. That’s crazy to me.”
33 year old Anderson is one of the Raptors’ latest additions to the roster, making his way from Minnesota to Ontario, and the forward seems to be embracing a mentor role on his new team, while not trying to make everyone see his way.
“I don’t like to impose myself like that,” he said, speaking about the young players on the Raptors. “They want to come into my world, then yeah, you know, I’ll show you what I’m listening to,” Anderson explained, drawing the line at telling his teammates to “listen to this Jay-Z or [that they] gotta listen to this Lil Wayne. They gonna be looking at me like I’m crazy.”
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – OCTOBER 10: Kyle Anderson #13 of the Toronto Raptors reacts during the preseason game between Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors at Rogers Arena on October 10, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. 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 Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Asked about how he gelled with his younger peers on the Raptors, Anderson explained that “we spent, you know, more time, more time than NBA teams, usually… uh, spend together in the summer.” Even beforehand, the forward had kept his eyes on some of Toronto’s guards. “I always got like a group of young guys that I enjoy watching in the league,” he noted, “and Jamal, every time I would watch him, he was able to affect the game without scoring… I just enjoyed watching him, like how they played hard, played together, um, always like in the gaps in the passing lanes.”
When asked about the type of role he might take on the Raptors, the veteran described a conversation with coach Darko Rajaković, where the coach described that Anderson “need[s] to be ready to play the 5… maybe handle the ball, you know, things like that… I’m comfortable there and I think the game is shifted to kind of a small ball 5 at times,” the player said.
The Raptors have struggled publicly with depth at the centre position, and ESPN’s depth chart notes that behind Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles lies Trayce Jackson-Davis followed by Jamison Battle, with Kyle Anderson listed as a third string power forward. It seems that there may be situations in which Anderson is lining up at the pivot instead, however, with Rajaković potentially betting on Anderson’s combination of defensive prowess and experience.
“I think he wants me to come in here and use my veteran experience, you know, help out,” said Anderson. “We have a young team, so help out the young guys. Just be there for them. It’s a long season.” Indeed. The 82 game stretch is a false finish line, with the Raptors likely to make the playoffs this season. Toronto will use Anderson’s depth and veteran presence to take its young core far, and Slo Mo seems happy to be along for the ride.
It's why, with the their season on the brink, the Dodgers are suddenly confronting a question that would have seemed absurd just weeks ago: Are they be better off right now without Ohtani in the lineup for Wednesday's pivotal Game 3 in Los Angeles.
"He hasn't been who he is," Roberts acknowledged recently.
Here's the latest update on Ohtani's status and what the Dodgers are saying about the situation:
For the first time, they appear to be considering it.
Roberts told The Athletic following Game 2 that he would have "a conversation" with Ohtani on Tuesday, Oct. 13 to "try to figure out what’s best for him, what’s best for us." Josue De Paula is considered the leading candidate to replace Ohtani as the team's designated hitter if he were to sit.
Ohtani's poor performance in the NLCS comes on the heels of him hitting .154 (2-for-13) with four strikeouts and no extra-base hits in the four-game NL Division Series against Atlanta. The decision to remove him from the Dodgers' lineup altogether would nonetheless be a dramatic turn of events.
Ohtani helped the Dodgers advance past the Brewers in the 2025 NLCS with a Game 4 performance of the ages nearly one year ago. He pitched six scoreless innings as the Dodgers' starting pitcher and became just the 12th player in MLB postseason history to hit three home runs in the same game.
It sounds as if his teammates aren't sure what to make of his struggles considering how rarely it's happened in the past.
“I mean, it’s tough,’’ Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández said following Game 2. “We obviously need him. You know, he’s a big, big part of this team, and he’s really important. I feel bad for him. You know what he’s capable of. He’s been dealing with some stuff in the past. We don’t know if it’s still there, but you know, it’s Shohei. Any moment he can come through.’’
“It’s hard, it’s hard to see,’’ added Mookie Betts. “We know he’s working, but that’s a big one. We need him. We need him for sure.’’
Shohei Ohtani injury update
Though the Dodgers haven't disclosed exactly what's ailing Ohtani, Roberts said before the postseason began that his star was "not 100%" to start the playoffs. The sore left knee that forced him to stop pitching this season and a strained bicep that could be lingering were mentioned as possible health concerns by USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale after Game 2 of the NLCS.
Ohtani has looked noticeably uncomfortable at the plate and has not spoken to reporters since Oct. 2 before the Dodgers' division series against the Atlanta Braves began. His production has been in decline for two months and he last hit a home run on Aug. 18 at Coors Field.
Ohtani told reporters before the playoffs began, after getting rest during while the Dodgers waited out the wild-card round, that it feels really good overall. "I do feel like my swing is in a better place, feels smooth, and just little tweaks here and there, and I'll be ready for (Saturday).’’
He also may have offered a clue into how his talk with Roberts ahead of Game 3 might go.
“I do pride myself on playing every day,’’ Ohtani said. “I do see it as an obligation as a professional to be on the field every single day. Just being on the IL has taught me a lot. … 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 offseason when I'm going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it's something I'm just going to have to manage.’’
Dave Roberts discusses Shohei Ohtani's struggles
Roberts' reported admission that he's finally considering leaving Ohtani out of the lineup arrives after weeks of him defending Ohtani's presence as a potential positive even if he wasn't producing. Roberts said Ohtani is still being pitched carefully based on his MVP reputation, despite struggles at the plate that date back two months at this point.
"If he's in the batter's box, he's still a threat. He's swung the bat well against these guys last postseason," Roberts said before the NLCS began. "Those pitchers, their memories are long, and so now it's just up to Shohei to understand that and control the strike zone. They're just not going to give into him, regardless of how he might be swinging the bat over the last couple months."
Shohei Ohtani postseason stats
Ohtani has a .150 batting average during the 2026 MLB postseason after the first two games of the NLCS vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. He has yet to produce an extra-base hit over six games. He entered this postseason with a career .248 batting average, .940 OPS, 11 home runs and 24 RBIs over 33 playoff games during back-to-back World Series runs with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025.
It's a battle of National League heavyweights as a pair of 100-win teams stage a rematch of last year's NLCS with the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers looking to avenge their loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers will have to break through on the road once again if they hope to make it three titles in a row.
Meanwhile, the American League matchup offers the complete opposite, with the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays looking to get back to the World Series for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season – and hoping to win it for the first time in franchise history. They take on the upstart Cleveland Guardians, who rallied to defeat the Chicago White Sox in five games in their division series.
The Chicago Blackhawks (1-5-0) will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-2-1) for Tuesday night action at the United Center. Three of the game’s greatest of all time, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Patrick Kane, are going to share the ice once again.
The Blackhawks are coming off a terrible loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, while the Penguins earned a big shootout win over the Dallas Stars last time out. In most years, a Tuesday night in October between two teams from the opposite conference won’t build too much excitement. However, this is a special scenario.
For one, this game is going to be a part of the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy. Starting at 5 PM CT, every team in the NHL will play with staggered start times. The Blackhawks are right in the middle of it with their game against the Penguins.
🚨NHL #FrozenFrenzy is tomorrow with all 32 teams in action!
🏒5p | The Point | ESPN2, ESPN+ 🏒6p | ESPN tripleheader begins 🏒6:15p | Start of 13 games on Power Play | ESPN+ 🏒7p | Frozen Frenzy whip-around show | ESPN2, Disney+, ESPN+
The Pittsburgh Penguins overachieved in 2025-26, and they are trying to do so again in 2026-27. With their core aging, the rest of the group is young and trying to establish themselves in the NHL.
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Kuzmenko-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
Carlile-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
Stastney-Letang
Andrei Kuzmenko was not in the lineup last game due to injury, but you can expect him back against the Hawks. If he does, in fact, play, the second line with Novak and Malkin is where he’ll slot in.
Former Blackhawks defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk will not be on the early part of Pittsburgh’s trip due to injury, so he won’t have a chance to skate in the building where he won a Stanley Cup.
Even in the year 2026, most of what Pittsburgh does goes through Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. They also have Erik Karlsson now, who is an older player in the league but still borderline elite.
Although Malkin doesn’t play center as much anymore, he is still incredibly effective when it comes to helping drive a line offensively. Between him and Crosby, Blackhawks defenders will have their hands full.
Whether it’s Arturs Silovs or Sergei Murashov in net, the Penguins could use an upgrade. However, these guys are capable of making saves as long as the team in front back-checks hard, breaks the puck out, and doesn’t make bad turnovers.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are going to, at long last, have Connor Bedard back in the lineup. He has spent the off-season, training camp, and the first couple of weeks of the season recovering from shoulder surgery that he had early in the summer.
Now, after intense dedication to working his way back, he is going to get in the lineup to try to help his team win. With him centering the top line, this is what the Hawks will look like:
Kantserov-Bedard-Kane
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Teravainen
Smith-Greene-Greenway
Moore-Toninato-Donato
Byram-Levshunov
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Rinzel
Knight
Nick Lardis is going to be the healthy scratch, with Connor Bedard coming back. With Frank Nazar out due to a suspension, they are keeping Dominic Toninato up to play center. When Nazar returns, Toninato will return to the Rockford IceHogs. Whether Lardis stays as the healthy scratch with both Bedard and Nazar in the lineup remains to be seen.
Spencer Knight is projected to start for Chicago. He comes in with a 1-3-0 record, a 3.80 goals-against average, and an .885 save percentage. Those brutal numbers are more on his team’s defense in front of him, but even he would admit that there is another level he can get to. If he reaches that level soon, his numbers will start to be more on par with his career totals.
Bedard's First Game As Captain, Playing Alongside Patrick Kane
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. It can be seen locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on April 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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
The ramp-up to the regular season continues tonight when the World Champion Knicks travel to Scotiabank Arena to face the Raptors. Toronto has split its first two scrimmages, beating the Clippers and falling to Miami, while New York has dropped three straight.
Tonight’s tilt will be a showcase for the reserves, as coach Mike Brown intends to sit his starters. It’s the second night of a back-to-back. How will their bench hold up while, we’re told, Toronto will get its first play from Kawhi Leonard? Methinks trouble be in the cards, prognostication fans.
The two teams last met on April 10 at MSG. The good guys won 112-95. Captain Jalen Brunson dropped 29, Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 and 10. Scottie Barnes and Brandon (no longer with the team) Ingram each posted 15 for Toronto. New York has beaten the Raptors 13 straight times in the regular season! (Probably a good thing that tonight won’t count.)
Last season was a positive step forward for the Toronto. Despite some poorly timed injuries, Darko Rajakovic’s club secured the fifth seed, finished 46-36, and were a top-five defense. Their offense was middle of the pack, a problem addressed with the offseason acquisition of Kawhi (celebrated pitchman) Leonard.
Kawhi was their big move this summer. The blockbuster return of Kawhi Leonard (finalized in mid-September after an NBA investigation delayed a deal originally made inn June) sent Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, second-rounders in 2030 and 2033, and a 2027 first-round swap to the Clippers. He then signed a two-year, $115 million extension. Beyond that, Toronto drafted forward Allen Graves 19th overall and guard Jaden Bradley 50th, added veteran forward Kyle Anderson on a one-year minimum, re-signed Alijah Martin, and extended guard Jamal Shead to a three-year, $24 million deal. They lost Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jonathan Mogbo in free agency.
OAKAAKUYOAKs RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley remain key players in their program, as does Scottie Barnes. A serviceable, but aging, Jakob Poeltl anchors the paint with solid rebounding and rim protection. Leonard, making his preseason debut, will be an upgrade from Ingram, provided he stays healthy.
We’re just as curious as you to see tonight’s starting lineup for New York. Last night, the club fell 122-104 to a Timberwolves team that was determined to pull on Superman’s cape under the bright lights of Broadway. Against the Raps, we should see extended time for Deuce McBride, Tyler Kolek, and Landry Shamet, and hopefully better play from Mohamed Diawara. As for the center battle, James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, and Tony Bradley will have yet another opportunity to win over coach Brown.
Prediction? Probably a loss, hoss. Enjoy the bonus basketball.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-3) at Toronto Raptors (1-1) Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM ET Place: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: Washington Nationals prospects Seaver King, Miguel Sime Jr., Eli Willits, and Maxwell Romero Jr. stand with assistant general manager Devin Pearson while being recognized as the organization's 2026 Minor League Award winners before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on August 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Paul Toboni took over as Nationals President of Baseball Operations last year, one of his main goals was to build a “scouting and player development monster”. We saw plenty of development at the MLB level, but the minor leagues is where we really saw the fruits of Toboni’s labor. The Nationals farm system is the healthiest it has been in a long time.
The system may have had more blue chip talent in the 2023-2024 days, but we have never seen this kind of depth. Having a deep farm system allows you to do a lot of different things. You can replace players easily, but you can also use that depth in trades to fill holes that way. It is a luxury the Nationals have not often had.
While the depth is the strength of this farm system, the Nats do have a blue chip prospect at the top. Even though he was the first overall pick in the 2025 draft, Eli Willits still exceeded expectations in his first full pro season. He hit .265 with an .869 OPS across three levels and reached Double-A as an 18 year old. Willits also slugged 14 homers despite not being known as a power hitter.
Eli Willits hit his first Double-A homer yesterday.
Willits established himself as a top 10 prospect in the sport this year, and should be the Nats shortstop of the future. As the son of a big leaguer, Willits has an extremely high baseball IQ, hardly ever makes errors and puts together great at bats. He also runs very well, has good bat to ball skills and is growing into average power. You can see the path to 5 WAR seasons for Willits. His game reminds me a lot of Geraldo Perdomo on the D-Backs.
However, this Nats system is a lot more than just one player. In fact, I think the most impressive part of this year at the minor league level is how many players just came out of nowhere. Several players who either weren’t on my radar or had fallen off the radar had ultra impressive seasons.
A great example of that is Maxwell Romero Jr., who had a breakout year. The 25 year old catcher was a 9th round pick in 2022, who was having an unremarkable pro career in the Nats organization. He was closer to being released than making the big leagues. The arrival of the new regime changed everything for him though.
Romero started the year in AA, where he used his power and patience to destroy the competition. Once he got to AAA, he just kept on rolling. For the season, Romero hit .253 with an .879 OPS and 23 homers. His .881 OPS in AAA was nearly identical to his .878 mark in AA.
maxwell romero jr. with his fourth multi homer game of the season !!!
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 19, 2026
Despite the great season, Romero is not even a top 30 prospect in the Nats system according to MLB Pipeline or Baseball America. Despite his production, Romero strikes out a ton, nearly 35% of the time on the season. There is a decent chance he does not turn into anything at the MLB level. However, before this season, he did not look anywhere near a big leaguer. Now he has a path to being a power first backup catcher.
Cayden Wallace is another one of these older prospects who broke out. Given Wallace’s previous pedigree and contact skills, I am probably higher on him. The point is that the Nats are developing a lot of bodies who deserve looks in the big leagues. Not all of them will work out, but some of them will. That is why you build depth.
Another reason to build farm depth is for trades. Whether it is this offseason, next deadline or in windows to come, the Nats now have plenty of ammunition to make trades. If the Nats are in the playoff mix in July of next year, they have the chips to make a deal and still have a healthy farm.
Honestly, I think the system could take further strides in 2027. There are a lot of players who seem to be right on the cusp of breaking out if they can fix one or two things. An example of that is Miguel Sime Jr., the Nats 4th rounder from 2025. Sime has a triple-digit fastball and a pair of nasty breaking pitches with his slider and curveball. When he is at his best, Sime is devastating.
Miguel Sime Jr.’s final line ⬇️
5 IP 2 H 1 ER 0 BB 10 K
The @Nats_PlayerDev No. 10 prospect generated 21 whiffs on 68 pitches at High-A tonight.
In his first pro season, Sime did a lot of great things. He pitched to a 2.99 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. Batters only hit .153 against Sime this season. However, he walked 64 batters in those 72.1 innings. He will never have great control, but if he can drop his 20% walk rate down to 12-15%, he can become a top 100 prospect. Ronny Cruz, Coy James and Landon Harmon are also good examples of prospects on the cusp of fully breaking out.
Not all of these guys will hit, but Toboni has collected such a stockpile of talent, the odds are that enough of them will. He is also not leaving this purely to chance either. The way the Nats have improved their player development system has been really impressive. Minor League results are not everything, but you can see the improvements in those results.
In 2025, the Nats had a .463 winning percentage in the minors and a -377 run differential. As of August 25th of 2026, which is the most recent data I could find, the Nats had a .520 winning percentage and a +124 run differential. On the pitching side, no organization had allowed fewer runs than the Nats. Hopefully that starts to translate at the MLB level as well.
We also got to see Paul Toboni’s first draft as the Nats POBO this year. The first player he selected was Chris Hacopian, a local kid with an elite bat. Hacopian only played 13 pro games, but we got a glimpse of his exciting offensive toolset. He has a great combination of contact skills, plate discipline and raw power. The key will be to tap into that raw power more consistently in games.
I am excited to see how this first class of Toboni recruits performs next season. We could be watching them very closely given the lockout situation. If we can only watch the minor leagues to start next year, there are certainly worse farm systems to be monitoring.
It is only year one, but we are already seeing Paul Toboni make a serious mark on this organization. I touched on some of the standouts on the farm, but there are so many others. We wrote about Seaver King’s rise the other day and there are many more exciting players in the system. Hopefully these prospects can link up with the Nats existing young nucleus and make up the foundation of the next great Washington Nationals team.
Milwaukee Brewers third baseman David Hamilton (6) celebrates scoring with Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) of their National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field on Oct 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The trade for Caleb Durbin was mutually beneficial for the Red Sox and the Brewers. But, it’s easy to see the impact that David Hamilton’s speed has on this Brewers team. The 29-year-old utility infielder started at third as he has much of the season on Tuesday night, and, more importantly, batted ninth. He ended up on base three times, and was able to score each of those times. His biggest moment came in the eighth inning, when Brice Turang took Edgardo Henriquez into the perfect spot of the outfield and scored Hamilton. The Dodgers then brought in Justin Wrobleski, who was fantastic for them in 2026, to face Jake Bauers with Edgardo Henriquez’s inherited runners hanging in the balance. For the second consecutive at-bat, the ball was driven exactly where it needed to be, and the score was 7-4. The Dodgers are now down two games in a series for the first time in six years… though, yes, they did come back to win that series.
The Guardians are getting scorching hot at the right time, and that’s usually a formula for deep October run. It’s even tougher for Tampa knowing they used Drew Rasmussen, who went six-plus innings and struck out eight, and now still face a deficit after one game. Rasmussen came out for the seventh even after allowing a home run to Chase DeLauter in the sixth, and promptly allowed a second solo shot to Patrick Bailey to tie the game at two. The Rays would then piecemeal together a six-man pitching staff to finish this one out while trailing, and although Cedric Mullins hit a homer of his own, the Rays couldn’t climb out of the hole. The Guardians have now won four straight, thanks largely to scoring late. And don’t look now, but Jose Ramirez is looking every bit of a signature clutch player, as he has an OPS well over 1 in October and added three hits on Monday.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 14, 2026: Bryse Wilson #48 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 14, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. The Phillies beat the Yankees, 6-4. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
After a shaky beginning to his major league career, Bryse Wilson spent 2023 and 2024 as a decent middle/long reliever for the Milwaukee Brewers, recording a 2.40 ERA in 87 games across the two seasons. He moved to the White Sox for 2025 and was far less effective, with a 6.65 ERA in 20 games.
The Phillies signed him, thinking they could make him a starting pitcher in the minors, and he would serve as rotation depth. He began the year with Lehigh Valley and had a rough start to his season, though he did show some improvement in June, throwing 12 consecutive scoreless innings.
Bryse Wilson starts today for the Phillies and may be called upon to start for them at some point in 2026.
He talked about what went right for him in Milwaukee, the struggle of last season and his role here. https://t.co/fxYxPJHr6A
There were some roster machinations – presumably due to an upward mobility clause in his contract – where he was released, re-signed, and eventually promoted to the big-league team.
He finally appeared in a game with them on June 18th, with the Phillies trailing by three runs. Wilson was brought in to absorb a couple of innings and hopefully keep the game within reach. He did his job, delivering two scoreless innings, though the Phillies weren’t able to complete the comeback.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough to impress the team. He was optioned after the game and claimed by the Cubs.
The stats: 1 game, 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 1 BB
What went right
Two innings pitched, zero runs allowed certainly isn’t the worst performance by a Phillies player in 2026. While his overall numbers at AAA were bad, he was striking out a lot of batters, and was victimized by awful batted ball luck.
What went wrong
His poor numbers as a starter in the minors (even if they were somewhat due to bad luck) gave the Phillies no confidence he could be used in that role in the majors. That says a lot considering that the Lehigh Valley rotation was largely a wasteland in 2026.
The future
He’s on his second team since leaving the Phillies, and might even get a World Series ring with the Brewers. So he’s got that going for him.
Final grade: Incomplete
The Phillies hoped that Wilson could serve as rotation depth, but he was simply not good at being a starter in the minors. He’s been passable for the Brewers in a low-leverage role, and that might be his ultimate fate.
