CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: A general view of Progressive Field during Game Three of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
There is, unfortunately, no baseball to be had today (Saturday). But the 2026 MLB Playoffs will continue on Sunday with Game 5 of the American League Championship series between the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians.
As usual, I am writing this in the past, which means I do not yet know the outcome of Game 4. And neither team has announced a starting pitcher as of this time. But either way, the game will start at 5:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, airing on TBS/HBO Max, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
I think we’ve all weighed in on who we want to win this series, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who we want to win this game. Personally, I hope this series goes a full seven games so the winner is tired going into the World Series, because it’s a rare year that my rooting interests are for the National League team. But after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers, I think the Milwaukee Brewers have more than earned our support.
But that’s just my opinion. Who are you rooting for in Game 5?
THE DODGERS LOSE! THE DODGERS LOSE! THEEEEEE DODGERS LOSE! (I know that was John Sterling’s phrase, but I respectfully enjoyed — I mean, borrowed it)
And Cleveland is still up two games to one after Friday’s game was rained out. Game 4 tonight. Things get better and better! (except it doesn’t involve the Cubs)
It’s been a confusing time. After spending season after season getting stabbed in the heart by the Brewers with every great hit and great play, it has been entertaining to sit back, watch and enjoy the team that Milwaukee has built. Sigh. The Cubs’ front office has had the same relaxing opportunity to watch the organization this month and maybe there will be a change in the acquisition and the development process of the Cubs’ players to whatever the Brewers have been able to accomplish. It is getting old feeling like, “Wow, the Cubs have A good pitching prospect,” or “Hey, at least the Cubs have A COUPLE of good hitting prospects.” Nothing against Pedro Ramirez and Matt Shaw, but wouldn’t it be nice to have of a couple of potentially great prospects that are occasionally and successfully battling for a starting spot, than going, “Well, we think XXXXXX might be the better of the two”, and be some level of wrong every time?
Heh. I went to look for Friday’s articles and there was one that heavily covered what I mentioned above, plus added some tidbits in a better way than I did.
Honestly, if I had read these two articles, including this, I wouldn’t have written all that up above! Here’s an excerpt:
“On the whole, using various Statcast measures, you can see how the Cubs rate out as having an almost average collection of pitching prospects, and below average hitting.“
I appreciate your reading.
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The two articles I linked above:
Tony Andracki (CHGO.com): 3 lessons Cubs can learn from MLB playoffs. “As the Brewers continue to make waves in the MLB playoffs, the Cubs can take some lessons from around the league this fall.”
Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Javier Assad Remains the Cubs’ Ultimate Swiss Army Knife. “Whenever Javier Assad wasn’t on the Cubs’ big league pitching staff in 2026, everybody should have been asking “Where’s Javier Assad?”.”
Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Matthew “Nominal Cubs Ace” Boyd’s 2026 Season Was A Tale of Two Halves. “Matthew Boyd finished the season with respectable numbers, but his 2026 campaign was more complicated than the surface stats suggest. Here’s what went right, what went wrong, and what it could mean for his future in Chicago.”
Brett Taylor (North Side Baseball): Good to See Alex Bregman Continuing to Heal, Talking About Hitting. “Come for the look at Bregman’s vastly improved face, stay for his thoughts on how important a pitcher’s vertical attack angle (i.e., how low they can release from) and extension are.”
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Could Kaima Taira Be the Next NPB Star in Chicago? “Kaima Taima will probably be posted this winter. Should the Cubs consider the reigning ERA champion of Japan in their search for pitching help?”
I’ve been following this guy and his hitting demonstration online. His presentation is kind of captivating. He has hit against multiple “HOFers”, RHP and LHP, from different slots. He played small college ball, so it’s not like he’s the next big thing — he just shows how unhittable these guys were. The Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson presentations have been my favorites so far. The funny thing is how the comments blow up because when he’s talking to the camera, his back is to the machine, which is on, and it looks like he’s going to get nailed by half of the pitches. But not yet — at least he hasn’t posted it. 😀
Lizzie Douglas (June 3, 1897 – August 6, 1973), better known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter whose recording career lasted for over three decades. She recorded around 200 songs, some of the best known being “When the Levee Breaks“, “Me and My Chauffeur Blues“, “Bumble Bee”, and “Nothing in Rambling”. When she was seven years old, she and her family moved to Walls, Mississippi, south of Memphis, Tennessee. The following year, she received her first guitar as a Christmas present. She learned to play the banjo by the age of 10 and the guitar by 11, when she started playing at parties.
In 1910, at the age of 13, she ran away from home to live on Beale Street in Memphis. She played on street corners for most of her teenaged years, occasionally returning to her family’s farm when she ran out of money. Her sidewalk performances led to a tour of the South with the Ringling Brothers Circus from 1916 to 1920. Performers from the Mississippi Delta and other regions combined a mixture of dance rhythms, melodic phrasing, and storytelling of Black rural culture, all of which are elements that are audible in Minnie’s early guitar and vocal work. By adapting and reshaping this style, she became one of the performers who helped define the emerging country blues for later generations. She then went back to Beale Street, with its thriving blues scene, and made her living by playing guitar and singing, supplementing her income with prostitution.
This needs multiple angles!I got “Ghostbusters” vibes!
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 12: Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins blocks a shot by Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 12, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (3-4-1, 7 points, 6th place Metropolitan Division) @ Vegas Golden Knights (7-2-0, 14 points, 1st place Pacific Division)
When: 10 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and SCRIPPS, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The road trip continues Monday in Salt Lake City. The Penguins then have two days off before returning to Pittsburgh for a three-game homestand, starting Thursday against the Florida Panthers.
Opponent Track: The Pens are about to take on one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Golden Knights have won six of their last seven games, most recently including consecutive wins over the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames in which the team outscored their opponents by a total of 11-4.
Season Series: The Penguins won’t have to wait long for another meeting with the Golden Knights, which are coming to Pittsburgh Nov. 3.
Hidden Stat: Only the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers have spent a higher percentage of their game time in the offensive zone than the Golden Knights so far this season, according to NHL Edge.
Hidden Stat II: The Penguins haven’t won on the road against the Golden Knights since January 2022, when Jason Zucker, Teddy Blueger and Jake Guentzel led the Pens to a comeback victory.
Getting to know the Golden Knights
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner
Trevor Connelly – Tomas Hertl – Raphael Lavoie
Braeden Bowman – Nic Dowd – Marc Gatcomb
DEFENSEMEN
Brayden McNabb / Shea Theodore
Jeremy Lauzon / Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin / Dylan Coghlan
Goalies: Carter Hart, Adin Hill
Potential scratches: Ville Heinola, Parker Wotherspoon (week-to-week, upper body)
Injured Reserve: Victor Olofsson
Season-ending LTIR: Alex Pietrangelo
Parker Wotherspoon won’t be reuniting with his former teammates tonight. The Golden Knights announced Monday the defenseman is week-to-week with an upper body injury after starting the season on the team’s second pairing alongside Rasmus Andersson.
The Golden Knights’ top power play unit of Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Tomas Herl and Shea Theodore has been dangerous so far this season. Vegas is one of seven NHL teams that has converted on more than 25 percent of their power play opportunities so far this season.
Carter Hart has made the bulk of starts for the Golden Knights so far this season. After a rocky 18-game campaign last season he has a .911 save percentage and 2.35 GAA through six appearances in net.
Mark Stone is heading into tonight fresh off a natural hat trick in the third period of the Golden Knights’ win over the Flames. He has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in his first nine games of the season.
Jack Eichel is second only to Connor McDavid for the NHL production lead with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) through nine games. His latest tally was a shorthanded strike against the Flames.
The Penguins will need to be alert early. Brett Howden scored the eighth-fastest goal in Golden Knights history when he opened scoring just 25 seconds into Thursday’s game.
Egor Chinakhov was a late scratch ahead of Friday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Penguins said he’s being evaluated for a lower-body injury. If he can’t skate tonight, Ville Koivunen could slot into the lineup again in his place.
Sergei Murashov is likely slated for the start tonight after Arturs Silovs made 27 saves on 32 shots from the Avalanche.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after a foul ball against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in game four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third consecutive October Friday night, there was no Major League Baseball to be watched on television. While that is not entirely the fault of MLB — last Friday was empty because of the LDS series not going the distance, and last night was due to a rainout — the league could do a much better job with their playoff schedule. Matt Gross has written approximately 38 articles on this topic if you’d like to research further. Without any storylines coming out of Cleveland on Friday, let’s go back to the Dodgers.
After winning 100 games in 2026, the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the playoffs as the odds-on favorites (better than 50% chance) to win the NL pennant and were far and away the favorites to win their third consecutive World Series. After a four-game sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers, it’s amazing how quickly the “dynasty is over” narrative has emerged.
At the same time, the Dodgers have myriad star/core players past their prime. As Buster Olney outlined today:
“Freddie Freeman is 37, Muncy is 36, Betts is 34. Ohtani is 32. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Edwin Diaz, Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, Tommy Edman are all in their 30s. Many are on the downslope of accomplished careers.”
Personally, I think they’ll be just fine. The greatest baseball player of this generation, and maybe ever, was a shell of himself due to bicep and knee injuries in these playoffs. Tarik Skubal is a free agent, but the Dodgers barely put a dent in their farm system with who they traded for him. Their prospects are still in the top five in baseball. Josue de Paula has arrived and will be ready to contribute in 2027, with fellow outfielder Mike Sirota right behind him. Whether Andrew Friedman and company choose to move any of these prospects for major league help, or blend the kids with the veterans, will be fascinating to watch. And, of course, if there isn’t a salary cap, they will have plenty of money to throw at their problems.
Is the Dodgers dynasty in the rearview, or will this be a minor blip for the team of the 2020s? Discuss in the comments and be good to each other.
The Rugby League World Cup began with a sense of mission improbable for England, but after one game, it already represents something more like mission impossible.
The talk pre-tournament from Brian McDermott had been about being different. Going against the grain of how the national team has played against the world’s best and falling short; having a creative spark that would be significant in crucial moments. For all the talk of change, the most important thing of all remained the same in Perth on Saturday: the result.
The Atlanta Braves have already made some moves this offseason, according to the transaction log. Most notably, infielder Brett Wisely was selected to the major league roster. Outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett, and infielder Luke Williams elected free agency.
Given his limited big league experience, the decision to add Wisely to the 40-man gives the Braves the option to use him in a later transaction. Atlanta will have plenty of decisions to make as it looks to improve the roster for 2027, and these early moves are a reminder that the team is already working to create flexibility for what comes next.
More Braves News:
Tate Southisene reached base four times in the recent Arizona Fall League matchup. More in the minor league recap.
MLB News:
Game 4 of the ALCS has been postponed to tonight due to inclement weather. Game 5 is slated for Sunday evening.
From the Feed:
Braves special assistant Martin Maldonado is headed to the Detroit Tigers as a quality control coach.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Luguentz Dort #0 of the Atlanta Hawks poses for a portrait during media day at PC&E Atlanta on September 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks made several additions to their team during the offseason, but there was none bigger than acquiring Lu Dort. After lacking consistent depth in the wing department last season, the Hawks made an effort to improve that area, and Dort ended up being a big key in improving the roster.
Coming from a championship team, Dort will bring a lot to the Hawks as they look to continue setting their eyes on building a contender. Not only will Dort bring his defense, but he has the experience that most of the young guys on the team will need.
Defense is Dort’s calling card, and that’s where he’ll help the Hawks in a major way. A former All-Defensive player, Dort can take on about any matchup on the floor, and that’s going to make Dyson Daniels’ job even easier. When Dort, Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are on the floor, teams may have a hard time getting an easy bucket on the perimeter.
Dort’s versatility on defense can also allow Quin Snyder to go into some smaller lineups if he wants to, especially since he can stretch the floor.
On offense, Dort doesn’t have the biggest variety of skills, such as shot creation, but his IQ is going to put the Hawks in some good positions on the floor. On the Thunder, Dort was able to get most of his 3-point shots from the gravity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can get those same shots with the Hawks. Outside of that, Dort knows how to make the right play on the court, and that’s only going to make the team better.
The one thing that many people have wondered is whether Dort will be inserted into the starting lineup, since that was his role with the Thunder. As much as that could be a valid question, it’s more important who finishes games instead of starting them. There could be a lot of scenarios where Dort could finish games with the Hawks, especially if they need 3-point shooting. In that case, it may be better to have him in the games rather than Daniels.
The Hawks’ starting five already has a lot of chemistry, and it doesn’t look like there are any plans to switch things up as the season approaches. That also probably isn’t a problem for Dort, who seems to be willing to do whatever he can for the betterment of the team.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Dort was the first player off the bench for the Hawks, and he can be slotted in for any player Snyder would want to take off the court at that moment. That’s how much of an impact he could have on the team this season, and there’s no doubt he makes the Hawks a better team.
The numbers reflect a promising individual night for the 30-year-old defenceman, who finished with three shots on goal, three blocked shots, one hit and a power-play assist while skating 31 shifts. Raddysh was on the ice for Marchenko’s first goal at 13:10 of the opening period, when he and John Tavares set up the right winger’s finish that gave Toronto a 2-1 lead. That assist extended Raddysh’s point total to four in eight games this season.
Yet the Leafs (3-3-2) could not hold a 4-2 advantage heading into the third period. Buffalo (4-3-1) scored twice in a span of just over two minutes to tie the game before Owen Power won it at 3:14 of overtime on a feed from Jack Quinn. Toronto managed only four shots in the third period after generating 15 and 11 in the first two frames, respectively. Overall, the Sabres outshot the Leafs 35-30.
Raddysh told The Hockey News after the game Thursday that the Leafs felt good entering the final regulation period after controlling play and forcing turnovers earlier.
“I just think we sat back a little bit. They’re a good rush team and take great chances from our mistakes. And I think when we saw that in the third period there, we just kind of sat back and let them come at us.”
He described the shift in approach as the difference between the first 40 minutes and the third.
“We made a mistake by sitting back. We just can’t give them an inch, and we kind of gave it to them. The first two periods, we played in their end, made them make the mistakes and give us the puck, and we kind of did that in the third period for them.”
Prior to the third, Raddysh felt the Leafs’ defensive structure was effective when they stayed aggressive and used their skating.
“Just trying to get up in the rush, trying to move our feet and defend with our feet and be skating,” he said. “We did that good. They were turning the pucks over to us and flipping them out to us, and we were just going right back at them.”
HOW COULD YOU EVER DOUBT THE SABRES DOWN TWO HEADING INTO THE THIRD PERIOD
MATTIAS SAMUELSSON IS THE GREATEST GOAL SCORER WE'VE EVER SEEN
“Not the result we wanted, but learn from your mistakes and get better for next game,” he said.
The Leafs host the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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Through nine games, the Philadelphia Flyers are the worst offensive team in the NHL, but the good news is that they could get a big boost from their top prospects if and when they deem necessary.
As we have been harping on for the better part of two weeks, the Flyers at least partially put themselves in this position by their own doing.
Top winger prospect Alex Bump was a healthy scratch just four games into the season, and soon after he was replaced by veteran Michael Bunting on the NHL roster.
Meanwhile, Bump, since being sent down, has recorded a goal in each of the four games he's played in for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Overall, the 22-year-old has five goals, two assists, and seven points in four AHL games this season, and is quickly proving to the Flyers that his demotion was a mistake.
Surging alongside Bump is 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, who did not make the Flyers' NHL roster out of training camp for the first time in three seasons since being drafted.
Jett Luchanko taking a major leap?
Jett Luchanko is finally producing offense, which has long been a question mark in his game. (Photo: James Guillory, Imagn Images)
The 20-year-old is quickly finding his groove in his first professional season, having already tallied a goal - his first as a professional player - and five assists in six games for the Phantoms.
In 14 AHL games across parts of two seasons, Luchanko has a goal, eight assists, and nine points, and that doesn't include the six points he recorded in seven Calder Cup playoff games in 2025.
Overall, Luchanko has 15 points in 21 games at the AHL level and, well, he might very well end up being one of those players who excels more at the pro level than the junior level because of the differences in how the game is played.
Indeed, Luchanko is not an offensively-oriented high-wire act, but he brings hockey IQ, superb attention to detail, speed, and playmaking to the table at his best. And, with years of the Flyers hammering the point home, it looks like the former 13th overall pick is finally taking initiative to shoot the puck, too.
There is a case to be made that, maybe the Flyers shouldn't break up a good thing with the Phantoms and instead just take their licks with the players they have for now.
Bump, Luchanko, and Cole Knuble have all played well early in the season, and the older prospects, like Hunter McDonald and Jacob Gaucher, have complemented them in kind.
The Flyers also learned last year that weakening the farm team too fast can have consequences, as the Phantoms crashed and burned out of playoff contention without Bump and Denver Barkey, combined with a slew of injuries that depleted them further.
At the same time, the Flyers called up Oliver Bonk and immediately thrust him into top-pair duties, and now it doesn't look like the 21-year-old will be returning to the AHL level any time soon.
It's a tough judgment call for the Flyers to make, as they generally prefer to let their young players to develop at an appropriate pace.
In Bonk's case, he proved and has continued to prove that he is ready for the NHL level, and it is now a matter of when, and not if, Bump and Luchanko do the same.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks with Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs after the NBA Cup game on NOVEMBER 15, 2024 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 2024 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
San Antonio Spurs former vice president for strategic research Kirk Goldsberry recently posted this graphic.
“It’s a young man’s game, and increasingly so. Over 80% of the NBA is now 29 or younger. This hasn’t always been the case but the combination of pace and space basketball with the lack of durability we associate with older players has resulted in the NBA getting younger and younger. Pretty soon it’s just gonna be 50 year-old LeBron and 500 23 year-olds!”
Goldsberry is an expert of the modern game, differentiating how the game has evolved. In addition to his time with the Spurs, he wrote for Grantland, the ESPN blog brainchild of Bill Simmons, from 2012-2015. Other notable writings include The Kobe Assist, The Evolution of King James, and DataBall. His 2019 book SprawlBall: A Visual Tour of the New Era of the NBA commented on the inefficiency of shots taken from the restricted area to the three-point line.
While the game has skewed younger, Goldsberry doesn’t delve into the rationale for the shift. Is it the pace of the game wearing players out at an earlier age? It’s commonly accepted that load management and modern healthcare allows for players to have longer careers. So why are they not?
Perhaps the propensity to draft and sign younger players feeds into the “win now” mentality that franchises have established. It pairs with the hiring and firing of coaches without allowing time for a team to fully develop.
Whatever the reason, players are entering the league younger — the “one and done” collegiate effect — and exiting the league sooner. Think of former Spurs shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV. At age 27, he’s played on four teams over seven seasons. Now, at age 27, it looks as if his time in the NBA is over. He can still have a long and prosperous career overseas (in fact, he just signed with Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi two days ago).
Seven years seems to a fair amount of time to analyze a player’s NBA career. But is it his age relevant to his ability to play in the NBA, or is he being assessed solely on talent?
A look at many players could yield a clearer picture. For now, it’s important to note that players do not have the time to develop that they did a quarter century ago.
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Jul 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) slides safely into second base with adobe ahead of tag by Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (72) during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
I don’t know, I’m not all that inspired by Dave Dombrowski’s end of year presser. He sounded like he’s going to try and make changes, but with this roster as it is, how will be actually do that? Some are going to have waive some no-trade clauses for that to actually happen.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman walks to the dugout after striking out during the fifth inning of Game 4 against the Brewers on Thursday night. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
In the NLCS, the Dodgers faced two HUGE opponents. The Milwaukee Brewers and “Father Time.” The Brewers are an exceptional young team and Father Time is undefeated.
Wayne Kamiya El Segundo
Outpitched. Outhit. Outmanaged. Now OUT!
Richard Jewell Los Feliz
It’s the fall of the Dodgers empire. It was great while it lasted. I suspect the lineup will change dramatically next year. With a pending lockout, expiring player contracts and possible retirements, who knows what the future will hold. Thank you everyone for some memorable baseball.
Cheryl Creek Anaheim
There should be a master class for Dodgers left-handed hitters to learn how to hit opposing team’s left-handed pitchers when they throw sliders and sweepers!
Larry L. Gurewitz Los Angeles
Due to their 2020 championship, 2024’s World Series title earned against their AL rival New York Yankees, and last year’s thrilling seven-game World Series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, irrespective of how this season ended — getting to the NLCS ain’t bad — the Dodgers should continue to be celebrated and the Boys in Blue appreciated.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
The Dodgers don’t suck. This season wasn’t a failure. They got beat by a better team. It’s a simple as that. The playoffs are about which team is playing its best this time of year, and right now it’s the Brewers. They are a complete team. They won 103 games in the regular season, which was more than every other team. They have good discipline at the plate, speed up and down the lineup and a bullpen that was near perfect in this series.
Dave Roberts didn’t get outmanaged. His team lost to a better one.
Ron Epstein Woodland Hills
Good news and bad news. Bad news: The Dodgers were swept by the Brewers. Good news: At least they are no longer ruining baseball!
David Waldowski Laguna Woods
The excuses for the Dodgers collapse flew off the page minutes after the last out of Game 4. Observations: 1) The Brewers were a better team, more prepared and clearly better managed. No excuses, please. 2). Anyone surprised has not been paying attention. During the regular season the Dodgers lost more games than they won against teams with better than a .500 record. 3). I never thought I could write this but has Shohei Ohtani become the LeBron James control freak of the Dodgers? 4) Will the next headline be “Mark Walter puts the Dodgers up for sale?”
David Bialis San Diego
Starting with the Blue Jays last year, and continuing with the Brewers, Rays and Guardians this season, I truly hope MLB teams will return to “anti-analytics “ baseball. Watching games with base runners, tough at-bats and actual strategy by managers is much more enjoyable than strikeouts and home runs with no one on base.
Thanks for bringing back baseball. Keep it going!
Tim Boyd San Juan Capistrano
I’m sure there are Dodgers fans unhappy about losing to the Brewers. But nobody wins all the time and the Dodgers have won a lot.
Another great season. Three World Series titles in six years isn’t too bad. Lots of people would love to see their team win a championship just once. Ask a Padres fan.
Doug Dunlap Valencia
Stumbling finish
“OK Rams fans, don’t change the channel, we promise we’ll do it right this time. Just keep watching as we hold the ball and our kicker will come running up and kick a field goal. OK, here we go. .. Whoops! Ha! Gotcha again, didn’t we?!”
I’m not sure who’s been duped more times; Charlie Brown as Lucy keeps yanking the ball away from him when he’s about to kick it, or Rams fans, when the special teams are sent out to attempt a field goal.
Jerry Leibowitz Culver City
Hey, is George Blanda still alive? Maybe we can sign him to kick for us.
Eric Monson Temecula
If there were a real time machine would Les Snead and Sean McVay go back to the end of the 2023 season and re-sign Matt Gay instead of letting him go in free agency so they could save a few dollars?
Alan Lawler La Verne
Les Snead has built a Rams roster capable of winning championships, but his persistent failure to address the kicking game might have cost the team at least one or two more trips to the Super Bowl. With the departure of Harrison Mevis, the Rams will have used six field goal kickers in five seasons. Until the Rams prioritize the position and stop relying on practice-squad castoffs, they will continue to undermine their own championship hopes.
George Pisano Rancho Palos Verdes
Bumbling start
Thank goodness the Chargers again snapped defeat from the jaws of victory with that pathetic fourth-down try when they were leading 17-10. They increased their chances of the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Russell Hosaka Torrance
To Jim Harbaugh, what are you waiting for?
Cut yourself loose of Mike McDaniel now. It’s past time. McDaniel sold us all on a bill of goods that is now very fraudulent. Be a CEO and cut the guy loose!
Felipe Varela Whittier
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Oct 10, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Headshot of Minnesota Timberwolves small forward Isaiah Evans (33) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Laughlin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Two former Blue Devils and current NBA rookies had big nights Friday.
Cameron Boozer had 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to help the Memphis Grizzlies past the Charlotte Hornets.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Evans showed his potential for the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 21 points on 6-13/5-10 from the floor, in a 133-116 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
People have come to expect big things from Boozer already, but Evans still has to prove himself at the NBA level. As Duke fans know, he knows how to shoot, and every team can use a good sniper. He made a solid argument for himself Friday night. Now he needs to build on it.
Sep 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates his two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays with designated hitter Ben Rice (22) during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Thanks to an ill-timed storm in Cleveland, we were left without baseball last night. Baseball-less nights will be a fate we’ll soon have to resign ourselves to, once the World Series concludes, and with a lockout on the other side, we have little idea of when the MLB-less stretch of the calendar will end once it starts. Best not to think about that now! If you’re able to stomach watching the ALCS without the Yankees’ participation, they’re gonna give it another go tonight, with the Guardians looking to extend their lead over the Rays.
On the site today, Nick will profile Red Rolfe, one of the great supporting players on many of the Yankees’ early championship teams. Later, Matt looks back on the finest pitching performances by the Yankees in 2026, and Michael delivers his weekly Arizona Fall League update. And also, Peter writes why Ryan McMahon was the Yankees’ LVP this year, and Kento analyzes the Yankees’ (lack of) a plan against Drew Rasmussen in the ALDS.
Today’s Playoff Matchups:
American League Championship Series Game 4 (Cleveland leads, 2-1)
Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays (TBD vs. RHP Nick Martinez)
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
TV: TBS/HBO Max/truTV
Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Questions/Prompts:
1. The buzz has it that the Yankees are likely to tender David Bednar a qualifying offer. What are the odds that he accepts?
2. How worried should the Dodgers be that their decline has at last begun? Will they no longer be the juggernaut that paces the NL every year? Or will they bounce back in 2027?
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 11, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Zaccharie Risacher might be the most interesting player on the Mavericks this season because I genuinely have no idea what he’ll become.
Two years ago, he was the No. 1 overall pick in a draft class that was widely viewed as weak at the top. No one saw an obvious generational prospect, a consensus superstar, or a player anyone felt great about taking first. Atlanta eventually settled on Risacher because of what he could become: a 6-foot-9 wing with shooting touch, defensive versatility, and enough feel to fit next to better players. Even NBA.com’s scouting at the time framed him more as a high-level complementary piece than a future heliocentric star.
His rookie year was encouraging. Risacher averaged 12.6 points, shot 35.5 percent from three and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Then everything went backward. Last season, his scoring dropped to 9.6 points per game, his minutes fell, he lost his starting job in March, and Atlanta took off once they pushed him further down the rotation. Over the Hawks’ final 15 games, Risacher averaged just 16.3 minutes per night and even got a DNP-CD.
That’s where Dallas enters the story.
The Mavericks acquired Risacher this summer in a three-team deal that sent Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta and cost Dallas a second-round pick. At the same time, Dallas also received a protected second-rounder back. It was a classic buy-low swing on a former No. 1 pick whose value had completely cratered.
Now the expectations are different.
Dallas does not need Risacher to justify being drafted first overall. It just needs him to become a good NBA player.
Biggest question
What is Zaccharie Risacher actually good at?
That sounds harsh, but I think it is the entire point of this season. For the Mavericks to make this experiment work, they have to figure out where Risacher helps them win. Is he a spot-up shooter? Can he be a connective passer? Can he defend well enough to close games? Is he a wing, a big guard, or something in between? Does he need the ball at all, or is he better spacing the floor and playing off Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving? The theoretical version of Risacher fits Dallas almost perfectly. The Mavericks need size on the perimeter, shooting next to Flagg and Kyrie, plus another defender who can take on difficult wing assignments. Risacher was supposed to be exactly that kind of player coming into the league. Ht has actually got to become that player.
Dallas has started him in both preseason games so far, and although the results have been mixed, that at least tells us Dusty May is willing to give him a real chance. He had nine points and eight rebounds in the preseason opener, then showed a little more life in the second game with two made threes and some hustle plays.
Best case scenario
The best-case scenario is not Risacher suddenly turning into a 25-point-per-game star. It is much simpler than that. He becomes a dependable two-way starter.
If Risacher can shoot somewhere around 37 to 38 percent from three, defend at a legitimate NBA level, and make quick decisions without needing the offense built around him, he suddenly makes a ton of sense next to Flagg and Kyrie. He does not need to dominate the ball. He does not even need to be the third option every night. He needs to become the kind of player who makes lineups work. That is probably the most encouraging part of his situation in Dallas. The pressure is gone.
No one is asking him to save the franchise or carry an offense because he was drafted first overall. Flagg is the centerpiece. Kyrie is the veteran star. Dallas has P.J. Washington, Santi Aldama, Naji Marshall, and others who can take on bigger offensive roles when needed.
Worst-case scenario
The worst-case scenario is that Atlanta was simply right. Maybe Risacher is not good enough to consistently help a winning team. That is the uncomfortable possibility Dallas has to be prepared for.
He was not just struggling last season. At times, he actively hurt Atlanta when he was on the floor. His role shrank as the Hawks improved, and that is never a great sign for a young player whose value is supposed to come from being easy to fit around others. If the jumper is inconsistent, the defense is average, and he cannot create anything off the bounce, then there is not much left.
That version of Risacher gets pushed out of the starting lineup pretty quickly. Dallas has too many forwards and wings fighting for minutes to let him play simply because of where he was drafted two years ago. If that happens, he becomes another developmental project instead of a real part of the core.
Season goal
Become boring. That is honestly what I want from Risacher this year. No more massive expectations. No more conversation about whether he lived up to being the No. 1 pick. No more trying to figure out whether he is secretly a future star. Just become reliable. Hit open shots. Defend. Move the ball. Run the floor. Make the right read. Stay on the court. If Risacher can become a player Dusty May trusts for 25 to 30 minutes every night and does not have to think twice about closing with, that would be a huge success.
Overall
Risacher is probably one of the biggest swing players on the entire roster. The Mavericks do not need him to become what Atlanta hoped it was drafting in 2024. They need him to become the kind of player Dallas thought it was buying low on this summer—a big wing who can shoot, defend, and fit around better players. On paper, that player makes perfect sense next to Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. The problem is we have spent two years waiting to see if that player actually exists.
