Discarded England opener Zak Crawley has received another setback in his bid to turn his international career around, missing out on a central contract as the ECB unveiled an unprecedentedly long list.
Do you want the NBA and the Suns’ advice on your business idea?
Have you had a business idea that you haven’t gotten off the ground yet? Or need some inspiration? Well, the NBA and the Phoenix Suns are here to give your business some major upgrades and assistance.
With the 2027 All-Star game heading to the Mortgage Matchup Center, the league is partnering with the Suns for the 2027 All-Star pitch competition. Starting in 2022, the pitch competition provides companies and startups a chance to network with industry leaders in the sports, AI, hospitality, retail, media, technology, live events and entertainment worlds that can help your business grow. According to the NBA Foundation website, which is helping facilitate the pitch competition, participants will receive: Hands-on Coaching, Technical Assistance, Custom Contestant assets and $200,000 in Prizes.
Started in 2020, the NBA foundation has sought to give back to local economies and with the All-Star game in Phoenix, they’re looking to help out Arizonians.
Since it’s beginning, it’s given people lucrative opportunities to help jumpstart their businesses, including back in 2023 when they hosted a live pitch competition that gave 8 Black entrepreneurs an opportunity to win $50,000.
With the All-Star game in Phoenix, this year’s theme is highlighting Arizona entrepreneurs and to get a chance to participate, you must apply by Friday, October 23rd.
Application form:
https://nbaallstarpitch2027.typeform.com/to/Fm7uDVmx?typeform-source=nbafoundation.nba.com
NBA All-Star will be from February 19th to the 21st in 2027.
William Contreras hits HR vs. Dodgers, ties up NLCS Game 2 in fifth inning
Just like that, the Milwaukee Brewers have tied Game 2 of the NLCS right back up.
William Contreras made up for the Brewers' defensive mishaps in the top of the fifth inning on Monday with one swing of the bat. Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Kris Bubic left a 94.8 mph fastball down the middle on the second pitch of the at bat, and Contreras put his barrel on it, driving the ball so deep to center field that all Andy Pages could do was turn and watch as it bounced off the bottom of the scoreboard.
WILD BILL GOES OFF THE SCOREBOARD pic.twitter.com/tLgKSYREhX
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 12, 2026
It was Contreras' third home run of the postseason, and arguably his most important one so far as the Brewers try to take a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series before it shifts to Los Angeles.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: William Contreras hits HR vs. Dodgers, ties up NLCS Game 2 in fifth inning
Have Brewers ever won the World Series? A look at Milwaukee's playoff history
The MLB playoffs are inching closer to the World Series as the National League Champion Series continues with Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 12.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the defending champions and are one of the winningest franchises in all of baseball with nine World Series titles.
The Dodgers are taking on the Milwaukee Brewers, a mid-size market team that doesn't have quite a storied history. The Brewers' biggest claim to fame is baseball trail blazer and former home run king Hank Aaron. Other star players like CC Sabathia, Rollie Fingers, Don Sutton, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor have helped bring the club success and accolades.
After winning the first game of the NLCS, the Brewers are three victories away from reaching the World Series. They got here as the No. 1 seed in the National League with a 103-59 record. Milwaukee earned a bye in the wild card round and then beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in the National League Division Series.
Have the Brewers won the World Series?
No, the Brewers have not won the World Series in their 57-year history. The club was established in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, but moved to Milwaukee and rebranded as the Brewers the following year after the Milwaukee Braves relocated to Atlanta.
The Brewers have reached the postseason 12 times, including this year. Their first playoff appearance was in 1981 when they made it to the American League Division Series. They had a postseason drought from 1983 to 2008 when they reached the National League Division Series.
They switched from the American League to National League in 1998.
Baseball icon Hank Aaron played for the club in 1975 and 1976 before they reached the postseason.
How many times have the Brewers reached the World Series?
Milwaukee has played in the World Series one time. The Brewers faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 World Series, which went to seven games.
That 1982 Brewers team featured x players who would eventually be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Rollie Fingers, Don Sutton, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Ted Simmons.
With Simmons batting cleanup and five hits from Molitor, the Brewers started the series strong and won the first game 10-0. The Cardinals responded by winning the next two games to go up in the series. The Brewers took the next two matchups, but the Cardinals won the sixth game 13-1 before winning the championship 6-3 in the final game.
Catcher Darrell Porter was named the World Series MVP in his second season with the Cardinals after he replaced Simmons as the backstop in St. Louis.
The Brewers reached the World Series by beating the then-California Angels in the American League Championship Series 3-2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Have Brewers ever won the World Series? A look at Milwaukee's playoff history
Dodgers ace sent to showers earlier than ever in postseason after unique Brewers at-bat
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who’s been a force to be reckoned with in the postseason just had the shortest playoff outing in his career.
Yamamoto went 2 ⅔ innings while throwing 75 pitches, and gave up three runs, four hits, two walks, and had one strikeout in Game 2 of the NLCS on Monday night.
Before Monday, Yamamoto’s shortest outing happened in his playoffs debut against the San Diego Padres in 2024.
In the third inning of a tied 1-1 ballgame, the Brewers figured out the reigning World Series MVP as they were heavily working the count against him.
Before facing Christian Yelich as his final batter, Yamamoto had a 12-pitch battle against Jake Bauers.
Facing a 3-2 count, Bauers fouled off six pitches in a row until a ball was thrown in the dirt, which resulted in him being walked and loading the bases. According to the FOX broadcast, it was longest at-bat of Bauers’ career.
The war with Bauers came before he threw a combined 22 pitches to David Hamilton, Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras during the inning.
With Hamilton, Turang, and Bauers still on the basepaths, Yamamoto gave up a two-RBI single to Yelich, giving the Brewers an early 3-2 lead.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then came out and pulled Yamamoto from the game. Afterward, Roberts was asked why he pulled his postseason legend so early.
“For me, I felt we had to stop the damage right there.”
Lefty specialist Alex Vesia replaced Yamamoto, and did his job admirably, stopping the Dodgers’ bleeding by striking out Garrett Mitchell to end the inning.
Los Angeles quickly responded to the deficit by tacking on two runs following an errored throw by Logan Henderson in the fifth inning.
Unlike Game 1 of this NLCS, this game is going to be a marathon decided by the bullpens.
ALCS Game 1 GDT: Small Ball All Day
Go Rays!
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Is Ty Mueller Ready For An Extended Look With The Vancouver Canucks?
One prospect that has been making some noise in the AHL this year is Ty Mueller. Through four games, the 23-year-old has four goals along with an assist. Mueller not only leads the team in points but also plays a role in all situations for the Abbotsford Canucks.
The big question when it comes to prospects like Mueller revolves around their full-time arrival in the NHL. He has played eight games for the Vancouver Canucks so far in his career, but has yet to receive an extended look with the team. With Vancouver currently in a rebuild and Mueller's early production, now could be the perfect time to see what Mueller can do at the NHL level.
There are a few things working in Mueller's favour. One is his familiarity with both Ryan Johnson and Manny Malhotra. It was clear, based on deployment over the last two years, that Malhotra trusts Mueller, which could help the center ease his way into life at the NHL level.
Another revolves around the way Mueller plays. In his limited time at the NHL level, he hasn't been a defensive liability and has shown a willingness to get pucks on net. Mueller was also decent in the NHL when it came to faceoffs last year, as he won 11 of his 21 draws.
As for the call-up itself, a few things need to happen first. Either the Canucks need to trade a few players away and ensure that the piece coming back will not take up an NHL roster spot. There is also a chance the team is hit by the injury bug, but that could lead to only a temporary call-up.
The other issue Mueller may run into is Johnson's plan regarding younger players. Vancouver's GM has made it very clear he does not want younger players bouncing between the NHL and the AHL. This means that if Johnson and his staff aren't fully ready to bring Mueller up full-time, other players could get the call-up first.
Finally, this is a contract year for Mueller. While he will still be a restricted free agent, the organization needs to decide if he is part of the future at the NHL level. While Mueller's play in the AHL has been impressive, the only way to truly find out where he is in his development is by giving him a run of games in the NHL.
Ultimately, Mueller deserves a chance to show what he can do in the NHL. He has developed well in the AHL and, with 14 shots in four games this year, is showing the offensive side of his game. With the Canucks currently in a rebuild, now is the opportunity to see if Mueller can have success at the NHL level.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Preseason Game Thread: Knicks vs. Timberwolves, October 12, 2026
The World Champion Knicks host the Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1) at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. New York is still looking for its first preseason win after two unsuccessful tries (we’re not worried). Minny has swapped out Julius Randle and Naz Reid for LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga, but you might not see them at full strength tonight with their starters possibly sitting for rest. New York’s Mike Brown, meanwhile, continues to sort through his supporting cast, and James Wiseman and Bruce Brown should get extended minutes opportunities tonight.
Tip-off is 7:30 PM ET on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Canis Hoopus. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Mind your manners. And go Knicks!
‘Don’t be scared’: Legend fires up over cricket ‘stigma’ as Test shake-up debate reignited
South African great Shaun Pollock believes cricket needs to embrace the pink ball in matches where light is likely to become a factor given the amount of time that has been lost in the Test behind held in Durban this week.
NBA PRESEASON DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards, 7:00 PM ET
The Nets are feeling good in the early days of preseason. They defeated the Charlotte Hornets by 34 to kick things off and followed up with a 114-108 victory against LeBron James and the new-look 76ers. Take it for whatever it’s worth at this stage, but Nets fans will take what they can get.
Julius Randle has looked solid and Egor Dëmin looks stronger. Anticipation continues to build for Mikel Brown Jr.’s debut, which could happen on Wednesday. Vibes are good in Brooklyn for the time being. Check in on us in a few months.
In the meantime, they’re up against the new-look Washington Wizards, who boast No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa on their home floor. The Wizards enter the night 2-0 and the push for momentum entering a new era.
Game Info & Broadcast Details
- Who: Brooklyn Nets (2-0) at Washington Wizards (2-0)
- What: Preseason
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV/Streaming: DAZN
- Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Injury Report: Who’s Out?
Nets:
- Joshua Jefferson (back)
- Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle)
💬 Discussion
Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
Dodgers take advantage of Brewers' defensive lapses, retake lead in wild inning
The Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the third inning in Game 2 of the NLCS on a pair of defensive lapses by the home team.
Tommy Edman led off the frame with a single. Mookie Betts followed with a grounder to short that could've been a double play, but the ball deflected off the heel of Cooper Pratt's glove and found grass in shallow left field to put the first two runners on.
Freddie Freeman came dangerously close to bringing them both home when he barreled a low changeup from Brewers starter Logan Henderson 106.1 mph over Sal Frelick's head in right field for what looked to be a surefire extra base hit, but Frelick – a Gold Glove winner in 2024 – made an incredible catch, leaping up and reaching behind him to pluck the line drive out of the air for an out. Edman was able to tag up and reach third, which proved to be crucial for what came next.
With Betts on first and second base open, he suddenly represented a threat to steal with one out in the inning. Henderson attempted to pick off the eight-time All-Star, but spiked the ball in front of first baseman Jake Bauers. The ball rolled deep into foul territory, giving Edman more than enough space to score the go-ahead run from third.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers take advantage of Brewers' defensive lapses, retake lead in wild inning
Wizards vs. Nets discussion
The Washington Wizards host the Brooklyn Nets tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Watch on Monumental Sports Network. Renzo has the preview here.
Go Wizards.
Canadiens Call Up Promising Prospect Center Before Sabres Game
The Montreal Canadiens are giving one of their prospects another chance on their NHL roster.
The Canadiens have announced that they have recalled forward Owen Beck from the AHL's Laval Rocket.
Beck has appeared in four games this season with the Rocket, where he has one assist, two penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he had 13 goals, 33 points, and a plus-6 rating in 58 games with the Rocket during the 2025-26 campaign.
Beck also played in 15 games last season for Montreal, posting one goal, six penalty minutes, 24 hits a plus-4 rating.
Beck will now be aiming to impress after landing this latest opportunity on the Canadiens' roster. While the 22-year-old forward has yet to break out, the potential for him to emerge as a solid defensive forward in the NHL is there.
In 28 career NHL games over three seasons, Beck has recorded one goal, one assist, 47 hits, and a plus-1 rating. It will be intriguing to see what he can do after being called up to Montreal's roster again.
Former MLB legend shares perspective on potential lockout
Now that we’re in the offseason, it’s time to shift our focus to a possible event on the horizon that may be even more daunting than the MLB postseason.
The collective bargaining agreement between the league and the MLB Players Association expires on December 1st, and if the two sides don’t reach an agreement by then, a lockout will ensue. What does this mean? Well, it means that no games will occur until both MLB and MLBPA find a way to make it work. I recently had the opportunity to ask a former ballplayer about the subject, and he was happy to share his take on the situation.
There have been a few lockouts over the course of MLB history, but the longest was in 1994, when a player strike halted regular season and postseason games for 232 days. Ryan Howard, Phillies legend and 2008 World Series Champion, spoke with Pinstripe Alley on the matter and shared his perspective on the impact the lockout could have on the game and league as a whole.
“When it comes to that, you want what’s best for the game,” Howard told Pinstripe Alley. “When you look back at the lockout back in ‘94, I think the game was in such an amazing place. Then once that happened, it hurt the game.”
To Howard’s point, the game is in a similar spot as it was in 1994, where viewership is trending in the right direction. Fox Sports reported that it averaged 3.2 million viewers for the first two games of the NL Division Series involving the Braves and Dodgers, as well as the Padres and Brewers, according to Front Office Sports. Fox Sports also reported that the network set a 10-year viewership high during last year’s AL Division Series between the Yankees and Blue Jays as well as the Tigers and Mariners.
Howard also shared that he doesn’t believe there will be a lockout, and that both sides will have to make concessions to move forward with the 2027 regular season as scheduled.
Despite the Yankees exiting earlier than anticipated, we might as well enjoy this MLB postseason while it lasts. Who knows, but we should all prepare for the possibility of a lockout and seeing silence on the diamond come March 24th.
Penguins trade Caleb Jones, Daniel Laatsch to Buffalo for Ryan Johnson
An ol’ 2-for-1 trade. The Penguins have sent a pair of minor league defensemen to Buffalo for a former first round pick.
Johnson, 25, was taken with the 31st pick back in the 2019 draft. He’s got 47 career NHL games under his belt, though the majority of that was in 2023-24 and he’s been mostly in the AHL ever since, playing only three NHL games in both 2024-25 and 2025-26. So far this season, it’s been all AHL time for Johnson. The 6’1”, 195 left shot defender spent four seasons at the University of Minnesota prior to that. Johnson has a contract through the 2027-28 season.
In exchange, Pittsburgh does a little house cleaning to drop two players and get down to 48 contracts of the 50 they are allotted per year. The Pens traded Caleb Jones, who cleared waivers weeks ago. Jones has played four games with AHL Wilkes-Barre, recording all three of his assists on the season in the same game. The 29-year old played seven NHL games with the Pens last season before a pair of long-term injuries and the rare suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program ended his season last year.
Laatsch was a seventh round draft pick in 2021, the lanky defender spent four seasons in Wisconsin then spent most of his rookie season in 2025-26 with ECHL Wheeling, with 10 games played in the AHL. He’s yet to play this season and was only going to be a swing ECHL/AHL type of depth option in the organization.
Overall, this deal helps right size the numbers for the Pens at the minor league level. The team had all of Ilya Solovyov, Jones, Owen Pickering, Jake Livanavage, Laatsch and AHL contracted Maleek McGowan as left shots fighting for time in Wilkes-Barre. Paring down the numbers should help ease the block in the future for that spot.
Beyond that, time will tell if this deal has any NHL impact. Johnson might draw some intrigue as a former first round pick and member of the US National Development team but his career track has been spinning its wheels for a while. Even if he’s nothing more than deep depth, that’s the only place what Pittsburgh gave up would be this season anyways. Mostly a minor deal, helps restock the numbers a bit but does give the Pens a chance to take a look at a former first round pick to see what might come of playing in a new organization.