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Massachusetts kids Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice doom Red Sox in Yankees' 9-0 Game 1 win

Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler is on his way to winning the AL Cy Young, but you get the sense that the right-hander enjoys beating the Boston Red Sox more. While Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series between the two storied rivals began as a pitching duel between young aces, it ended as an emphatic statement of Schlittler’s ascendancy and a 9-0 Yankees win.

This game began and ended with Schlittler, regardless of when he actually walked off the mound. The Weymouth, Massachusetts native was utterly dominant, as he has been all season and has he has been whenever he steps onto the mound against the Red Sox. The right-hander allowed just two hits in 6.1 innings while striking out 10 and walking one. That lowered his career ERA against the Red Sox to 0.47 and made him the second pitcher in baseball history to make multiple postseason starts against the Red Sox and strike out 10 batters twice. Bob Gibson is the only other pitcher who can say that.

More than that, this performance made Schlittler the fourth pitcher in postseason history with two 10+ strikeout games before turning 26, joining Trey Yesavage (2025), Josh Beckett (2003), and Jim Palmer (1970-71). It also gave Schlittler two scoreless postseason outings with 10+ strikeouts, which put him in elite company.

Schlittler’s performance overshadowed a solid outing on the other end from Payton Tolle, who allowed one run on five hits in 4.2 innings, while striking out four and walking one.

Despite his success, Tolle had to battle more. The Yankees had three hits in the second inning, including an RBI single to right field from Austin Wells, which scored George Lombard Jr. when Wilyer Abreu’s throw went too far up the line. After a 1-2-3 inning in the third, Tolle allowed the first two runners to reach in the fourth inning before he got Anthony Volpe to foul out to first and Spencer Jones to flare out to shortstop. Lombard Jr. got a poor read on the flight of the ball and wound up getting doubled off first base, allowing the Red Sox to escape the jam.

Yet, those long innings wound up playing a huge part in this game. After getting the first two batters out in the fifth inning and with left-hander Ben Rice coming up, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy decided to go to the bullpen. The decision could have been because Tolle has a bit of a reverse-splits issue. Righties strike out at a 31% clip against him and have a 12.3% HR/FB rate, while lefties strike out at a 22.5% rate with a 24% HR/FB rate.

So instead of letting Tolle try to finish the fifth inning against a fellow lefty, Tracy went to left-hander Erik Miller out of the bullpen, and it backfired. Rice launched a sinker over the center field fence to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead that felt insurmountable with Schlittler on the bump.

To make matters worse, when the Red Sox came up to bat in the top of the 6th inning, it wasn’t Roman Anthony who stepped into the batter’s box when the top of the order was due up. Andruw Monastero, who mostly plays against lefties, hit instead and proceeded to strike out against Schlittler. On the NBC broadcast, Red Sox analyst Lou Merloni mentioned that Anthony seemed to have injured himself on a check swing in the game against the Cubs down in Florida on Sunday. It remains to be seen if that is the case and if it could jeopardize the former top prospect’s availability for the series, but it added insult to injury in a tough Game 1 loss.

Yet, despite all of that, the Red Sox remained in the game until another questionable bullpen move by Tracy allowed this game to be blown open. With the Red Sox down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th, Tracy called on Alec Gamboa, a 29-year-old who made his MLB debut this season. Gamboa is another left-hander who has been hit hard by lefties. The Yankees' two lefties he faced singled to open the inning before Gamboa walked Paul Goldschmidt and then Rice, another lefty, singled to right to bring in yet another run.

Things didn’t get better for the Red Sox from there.

Reliever Wyatt Olds allowed three of the first four batters to reach in the eighth inning. Tracy went to the bullpen again, bringing in Brayan Bello in the hopes of getting a groundball double play to end the inning and keep the score 4-0. Instead, Bello allowed a sacrifice fly, a walk, and then a grand slam to Rice to put the Yankees up 9-0.

Rice, a Cohasset, Massachusetts native, finished the night 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI. According to Sarah Langs, Rice is the first player in Yankees history with multiple home runs, including a grand slam in a postseason game. The rest of the Yankees’ top four hitters in the lineup had only one hit. Instead, the Yankees' 5-9 hitters were on base 10 times and scored seven of the Yankees’ nine runs. The Red Sox, as a team, were on base three times.

That’s a little bit of a continuation of how the final month has gone for Boston. The Red Sox scored the fewest runs in baseball in September. On Tuesday, they didn’t get a runner on second base until there were two outs in the eighth inning. Now, they will turn to Sonny Gray in Game 2 to try and extend their season at 8 pm ET on NBC/Peacock. The Yankees will counter with Max Fried, who has one of the lowest career ERAs against the Red Sox of any pitcher in baseball.

The odds are looking good for the Yankees to extend their season long enough to get their captain, Aaron Judge, back onto the field and see just how far they can go.

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Cam Schlittler's scoreless outing, Ben Rice's grand slam power Yankees to Game 1 drubbing of Red Sox

Cam Schlittler authored another playoff gem against Boston and Ben Rice had four hits, including a grand slam and a solo homer, as the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 9-0, Tuesday night in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series. 

Here are the key takeaways...

-Schlittler has now made two playoff starts against the Red Sox and has allowed no runs and just seven hits in 14.1 innings. He’s struck out 22 and walked only one. In six career starts against Boston, including the postseason, he has a 0.47 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in 38.2 innings.

-Schlittler’s strengths are his three fastballs – a four-seam, a cutter and a sinker – and they were in fine form Tuesday. The first pitch he threw in the game lit up the scoreboard radar gun at 101 miles per hour and he used his heaters and their differing movement patterns to flummox the Red Sox. But his curveball was also a weapon. He jacked up its usage – most of the season it was at 10 percent of his arsenal, but it was nearly three times that on Tuesday – and it was a fine finishing pitch. He completed four of his 10 strikeouts with the pitch and felt so good about it he occasionally threw it twice in a row. Overall, Schlittler got 24 swings-and-misses during his outing, according to Baseball Savant, an indication of how dominant he was.

-Schlittler needed 22 pitches to navigate the first inning, mostly because of a 10-pitch battle with Adley Rutschman that ended up with a one-out, bloop single. Schlittler then retired the next 13 batters before issuing a two-out walk to Jarren Duran in the fifth. Schlittler iced Trevor Story on a harmless fly to center to end the inning, threw a 1-2-3 sixth and then the Yankees had a decision to make. The last pitch of the sixth, a cutter that wiped out Rutschman for strikeout No. 10, was Schlittler’s 107th, matching his career high attained in his dominant start against Boston to close out the 2025 Wild Card Series. Aaron Boone sent Schlittler out to start the seventh and he got one out before giving up a single to Wilyer Abreu. Then Boone came to get him and Schlittler departed to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 48,437, many of whom were chanting “M-V-P, M-V-P.”

-With Aaron Judge not on the roster for this series because of a calf injury, the Yankees perhaps needed a hitter to step up, and Rice did just that on Tuesday. He was 4-for-5 with six RBI and all four of the hits were clocked at 106.4 miles per hour off the bat or harder. The grand slam off Brayan Bello was 108.6 mph. Between Rice and Schlittler, a big night for the Yanks' Massachusetts natives against the Olde Towne Team, eh?

-The Yankees have a lefty-leaning lineup, but they’ve been successful against left-handed pitching this year. Southpaw Payton Tolle started for the Red Sox and the Yanks’ victory means they are 36-20 in games started by left-handers, including the regular season. Lefty hitters helped Tuesday night. Austin Wells, who batted .122 against lefties, knocked in the first run with an RBI single and Rice delivered insurance with his 12th homer against a lefty pitcher this year. He also hit a 110-mph double off Tolle. He hit the grand slam off righty Brayan Bello.

-The Yanks didn’t get anything out of their first three at-bats with runners in scoring position, but cashed their fourth with a hit from a perhaps-unlikely source: Wells. With two outs in the second inning, Wells swatted a single into right field to score George Lombard Jr. from second base for a 1-0 Yankee lead. Wells had a poor season offensively and was particularly bad against left-handed pitching, going 11-for-90 against lefties.

-The Yanks were set up for damage in the fourth inning when Lombard reached on a tough chopper to third that was scored a base hit. Amed Rosario followed with a walk on a 3-2 pitch that became ball four when he successfully challenged the original strike call. But things flattened from there, even as Boston started its bullpen churning. The Red Sox clearly thought Anthony Volpe would bunt, because they slid their corner infielders in. Volpe swung and fouled out and then Spencer Jones hit a soft liner to the left side that Caleb Durbin easily snared. Lombard got too far off the bag at second and Durbin threw over for an inning-ending double play. After two more failed at-bats with runners in scoring position, the Yanks were only 1-for-7 in such situations early.

-Tolle lasted 4.2 innings for the Red Sox, allowing just one run and five hits – four singles and Rice’s first-inning double. He walked one, struck out four and threw 83 pitches (58 strikes). Boston manager Chad Tracy took Tolle out with Rice waiting to hit. In came fellow lefty Erik Miller and Rice punished the Red Sox, smashing a 423-foot homer over the center field wall that was clocked at 108 miles per hour off the bat. Rice’s longball, the second postseason home run of his career, gave the Yanks a 2-0 lead that seemed much wider because of the way Schlittler was pitching.

-Rice later added an RBI single in the seventh inning and the Yanks got a fourth run on a double-play grounder, too. In the eighth, Wells made it 5-0 with a sac fly and Rice connected for his slam in that inning, too, a 408-foot drive.

Game MVP

Schlittler. He threw 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and a walk. The Red Sox never got a runner past first base against him. He struck out 10 and threw a career-high 117 pitches, 77 of them for strikes. Boston’s 1-2-3 spots in their lineup were 1-for-9 against him with seven strikeouts.

Highlights

Up next

The Yankees have a chance to sweep the best-of-three series against their archrivals on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

Max Fried takes the mound for New York, squaring off against former Yankee Sonny Gray, who enjoyed an excellent 2026 regular season with Boston.

 

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Watch Ben Rice's grand slam turn Yankees-Red Sox game into a laugher

Ben Rice turned Game 1 of the American League wild card series into a laugher with his two-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth against the Boston Red Sox, his second home run of the night in the New York Yankees' 9-0 win.

The Yankees led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth and pushed a fifth run across on Austin Wells' sacrifice fly. But Brayan Bello walked Paul Goldschmidt to load the bases again, bringing up Rice. The All-Star fell behind 0-2 but worked Bello to a full count before driving the sixth pitch of the at-bat over the wall, sending Yankee Stadium into a frenzy.

Rice hit 41 home runs in the regular season and had a solo homer off left-hander Erik Miller in the bottom of the sixth inning that had extended the Yankees one-run lead to 2-0.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Ben Rice's grand slam turn Yankees-Red Sox game into a laugher

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Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice lead Yankees to emphatic Game 1 win over Red Sox

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A New York Yankees baseball player celebrates in excitement on the field, Image 2 shows A New York Yankees baseball player in a pinstripe uniform points while standing on the field at Yankee Stadium
yankees red sox

Cam Schlittler is going to win the American League Cy Young winner in November, and likely garner MVP votes while he is at it. 

But if the Yankees ace is going to keep pitching like this against the Red Sox in the postseason, they are going to start naming babies and streets and everything else after him around these parts. 

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And Ben Rice may not be far behind. 

Schlittler and Rice, the sons of Massachusetts, continued to torment their hometown team and carry the Yankees, combining to run away with a 9-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 1 of the AL wild-card series on Tuesday night at a boisterous Yankee Stadium. 

Schlittler struck out 10 across 6 ¹/₃ shutout innings, all of which came in a tight game before Rice helped blow it open — his grand slam in the eighth inning providing the knockout punch on his second home run and fourth hit of the night. 

New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice reacts after connecting on a home run in the fifth inning during Game 1 of the 2026 American League wild-card series at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST

“The job’s not done,” Schlittler said. “We’ve got to get another win [Wednesday]. But it’s very well known that if you want to be a legend, which is obviously the goal, you’ve got to do it in the postseason. 

“So go out there and have dominant starts and put the team in a position to win. And that’s kind of the most important thing. I thought a lot of guys today did a great job of that.” 

The flame-throwing, 25-year-old Schlittler, who mixed in more curveballs than he has in any start of his career, allowed just two singles and one walk. After throwing his career-high 117th and final pitch of the night in the seventh inning of what was then a 2-0 game, he walked off to “MVP” chants and a thunderous standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 48,737. 

New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) points at catcher Austin Wells (28) after Wells called for a challenge which was overturned to end the first inning of Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium, Sept. 29, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

After dominating the Red Sox in a clinching Game 3 of the AL wild-card series here last year — tossing eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts to announce his arrival on the big stage — Schlittler delivered yet again on Tuesday to give the Yankees a chance to finish off the sweep Wednesday when they hand Max Fried the ball against Sonny Gray. 

Rice, who like Schlittler (and Anthony Volpe, who also enjoyed a strong night) was signed and scouted by Matt Hyde, led the Aaron Judge-less offense with four of its 12 hits — matching the same number of hits he had across six playoff games last year – while driving in six runs. 

“I’ll remember getting a ‘W’ versus the Red Sox — there’s nothing better than that,” Rice said. “I’ll remember Cam going out there and just being lights out, like he always is. I’ll remember the atmosphere. It was just an awesome night.” 

New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice (22) is greeted by Trent Grisham (12) after scoring on a grand slam in the eighth inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

What threatened to be the Yankees’ kryptonite coming into the series — the Red Sox’s parade of lefty arms — proved to be their offensive key to Game 1. Their left-handed hitters (Rice, Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones and Austin Wells) went 7-for-13 against three Red Sox lefties, including starter Payton Tolle, who lasted just 4 ²/₃ innings. 

Making matters worse for the Red Sox was the fact that they lost one of their best hitters, Roman Anthony, to a recurrence of his hand injury in the middle of Game 1 that threatens his availability the rest of the series. 

Schlittler came out firing, striking out three in the top of the first inning — two on his curveball, foreshadowing how important it would be for him on the way to a career-high 24 whiffs — on a night when he lowered his career ERA to 0.47 in six starts against the Red Sox. 

The bottom of the Yankees’ lineup started the scoring in the second inning, which George Lombard Jr. led off with a single — becoming the youngest player (21 years, 119 days) in franchise history to record a hit in his playoff debut — before Volpe roped a one-out single of his own. 

New York Yankees pitcher Paul Blackburn reacts after ending the seventh inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The New York Yankees celebrate after the final out of the ninth inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Then with two outs, Wells lined a left-on-left single through the right side for the 1-0 lead. 

Rice, who crushed 41 home runs during the regular season but cooled off some during the summer months when Judge was out with a broken rib, greeted lefty reliever Erik Miller in the fifth inning with a solo blast into Monument Park to double the lead. 

Paul Blackburn relieved Schlittler in the seventh inning and rolled a double play ball to erase the inherited runner. But from there, the Yankees added on against the Red Sox bullpen, scoring twice against lefty reliever Alec Gamboa before Rice blew it open in the eighth, a fitting exclamation point on a night that belonged to him and Schlittler. 

“Pretty remarkable,” manager Aaron Boone said. “For them to go out and have that kind of night together to start this postseason, pretty amazing and kind of hard to grasp a little bit, frankly. But I’m certainly glad we have those two.”

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Roman Anthony leaves Game 1 against Yankees in possible injury scare: ‘Not a good sign’

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is introduced before the start of the game against the New York Yankees.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) is introduced before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.

The Red Sox looked lost at the plate against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler Tuesday night, and then saw one of the club’s budding stars exit early.

Roman Anthony was unexpectedly lifted for pinch hitter Andruw Monasterio in the top of the sixth inning after striking out in his first two plate appearances in Boston’s 9-0 loss in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Yankees.

After the defeat, manager Chad Tracy told reporters that Anthony’s right hand “flared on him” after a check swing.

Tracy added that it was “hard to say” whether Anthony would play in Wednesday’s Game 2 or not.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) is introduced before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Anthony was seen flexing his right wrist in the dugout after his first-inning strikeout but stayed in for another plate appearance before he was removed.

“That’s not a good sign,” ex-Red Sox infielder Lou Merloni said during the NBC broadcast.

Merloni referred to an at-bat in Boston’s regular-season finale on Sunday against the Cubs in which Anthony appeared to experience discomfort in his right hand.

“There was a check swing [in Sunday’s game], where we weren’t sure what we were seeing,” Merloni added. “It looked like he was shaking it out a little bit. Obviously, [he] hasn’t been right and there’s something going on with it.”

The 22-year-old missed 107 games after sustaining an injury, which was initially reported as a wrist issue but later called a ring finger ailment, and experiencing a myriad of setbacks during his rehab.

In 55 games this season, Anthony hit .245/.339/.396 with just five homers and 15 RBIs.

It was not the type of season either side envisioned after Boston inked Anthony, considered one of baseball’s top prospects, to a historic $130 million deal shortly after his MLB debut.

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NHL winners and losers include Panthers goalie, Maple Leafs newcomers

The Carolina Hurricanes got their championship rings this week, they raised their Stanley Cup banner on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and they have their first loss of the season.

They did pick up a point as the Florida Panthers and Hurricanes pushed their scoreless tie to overtime in the NHL's 2026-27 season opener.

But Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scored with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to get a 1-0 win as Florida tries to return to the playoffs after the two-time Stanley Cup champions were crushed by injuries last season.

The NHL had five games on the schedule. Here are the winners and losers of the early games from opening night:

WINNERS

Panthers goalie Jacob Markstrom

The question heading into the season was whether the Panthers' goaltending would be good enough.

They couldn't work out a deal with two-time Cup and Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky and he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the days leading up to free agency, the Panthers traded for Markstrom and Akira Schmid.

Markstrom, who began his career with the Panthers, was steady in the opener, making 15 saves, including on Carolina's 4-on-1 break. He matched his shutout total from last season, when he struggled with an .883 save percentage for the New Jersey Devils.

Hurricanes' Stanley Cup banner raising

The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas last season, so they gave fans the on-ice celebration that they missed. Better yet, they did a Storm Surge, the traditional post-win celebration. The players gathered around the faceoff circle, captain Jordan Staal brought in the Stanley Cup and they did their traditional overhand clap. Then they posed with the banner before it went to the rafters.

Toronto Maple Leafs' William Nylander

Nylander was the Maple Leafs most consistent player in a season in which their nine-year playoff streak ended. He was again on Tuesday, scoring the first goal of the 2026-27 NHL season and adding another to pull the Maple Leafs close in a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Boston Bruins' Fraser Minten

Minten was one of the youngsters who cashed in this summer, signing a seven-year, $50 million contract. He broke a scoreless tie with a wicked shot late in the third period of a victory against the New York Rangers.

LOSERS

Maple Leafs' newcomers

GM John Chayka was busy remaking the Maple Leafs this summer and fall. Just-acquired Kirill Marchenko had an assist and another opportunity. But defenseman Darren Raddysh was a minus-2. So was No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, who made an ill-advised bank pass off the boards. None of the other newcomers had a point and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had an .875 save percentage.

Hurricanes' play on Florida's winning goal

The Hurricanes had the puck deep in the Florida zone late in overtime and allowed the Panthers to come down the ice and set up Forsling's winner on a one-timer. Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi didn't like how he gave up a shot from distance and lost an opportunity for the game to go to a shootout. "By my standards, it's a bad goal," he said.

New York Rangers' collapse

The Bruins-Rangers game looked like it might be the second one of the night to be scoreless through regulation. But the Rangers gave up three goals in 75 seconds for the loss. JJ Peterka made a great move through Braden Schneider for the Bruins' second goal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL winners and losers include Panthers goalie, Maple Leafs newcomers

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Recap: Late goals lift B’s to Opening Night win over Rangers

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 29: Nikita Zadorov #91 of the Boston Bruins skates against Alexis Lafrenière #13 of the New York Rangers during the second period of the Boston Bruins season home opener at TD Garden on September 29, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After waiting all summer for hockey to return, the Bruins made you wait another 40+ minutes before their 2026-2027 really began.

The Bruins got three goals just 75 seconds apart late in the third period to turn what had been a relatively sleepy affair into a 3-0 Opening Night win.

Fraser Minten broke the deadlock with a laser past Igor Shesterkin with 3:46 left in the third period, then that was followed by JJ Peterka’s first goal as a Bruin and an empty-netter by Mark Kastelic to sew up the win.

The Bruins controlled play for the majority of the first two periods but were unable to solve Shesterkin. The Rangers had a bit more push-back in the third, but never really managed to turn the tide in their favor.

Minten led the way for the B’s with the game-winning goal and an assist on Kastelic’s goal, while Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves in the shutout win.

The B’s had a few good chances early in the game and hit a couple of posts, but the game remained scoreless into the last five minutes of the third period.

That’s when Minten, fresh off of a new contract, beat Shesterkin top corner to make it 1-0 Bruins.

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Peterka saw that rocket from Minten and raised him an undressing of Braden Schneider and a five-hole goal against Shesterkin to make it 2-0 Bruins just 52 seconds later.

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Mike Sullivan would pull the goalie shortly after, and…it didn’t work.

Kastelic scored into the empty net just 23 seconds after Peterka’s goal, and that was all she wrote.

Bruins win, 3-0.

Game notes

  • Well that all happened pretty fast, didn’t it? This game started as “yes, hockey is back!” then had a long period of “we waited all summer for this?” However, all’s well that ends well, particularly when the end features three goals in less than two minutes.
  • While the Rangers outshot the Bruins in both the second and third periods, it never really felt like this game was getting away from the B’s. Whether that speaks more to the offensive ineptitude of the Rangers, the stinginess of the Bruins, or just general early-season hockey remains to be seen, but it was ultimately a sturdy overall performance from the home team.
  • This game featured just two penalties, one per side and both in the first period.
  • Mason Lohrei deserves a lot of credit for gloving the puck out of the air immediately before Minten’s goal, turning what may have been a Rangers clear into a scoring chance for his team. While Lohrei Hockey is often quite an experience, he had a good game tonight.
  • Speaking of an experience, Connor Clifton received a hefty “welcome back” in the form of leading the B’s in ice time. Clifton skated 23:23, almost two minutes more than second-place Nikita Zadorov.
  • Peterka’s goal was a DOUBLE LINDHOLM, as both Hampus and Elias recorded assists. I don’t know if that’s rare or not, but I enjoyed it.
  • The giveaways/takeaways stats are often murky at best, but tonight’s seem like they tell a pretty accurate story: the Rangers were charged with 20 giveaways, compared to just 10 for the Bruins.
  • James Hagens had a relatively quiet night, recording just one shot on goal. However, he was credited with two blocked shots, tied for second-most on the team.
  • Per the ESPN broadcast, tonight’s win was the 11th consecutive home opener win for the Bruins; that ties the NHL record previously held by the Montreal Canadiens.
  • In a weird bit of coincidence, Minten scored the game-winning goal in last season’s home opener as well; that one was an OT goal against Chicago.

The B’s will be back in action on Friday night in Winnipeg, as the NHL graciously gives them several days to take horses and buggies to the lone NHL city without an airport.

Hey, an Oregon Trail-style journey to Manitoba feels better with a win stashed amongst your provisions.

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Astros deliver dud in bullpen game battle vs. White Sox

HOUSTON — In Tuesday’s Game 1 of the American League wild-card series, Chicago White Sox rookie left hander Hagen Smith found himself in uncharted territory: making his first postseason start and facing the reigning AL batting title winner.

He didn’t blink.

Smith spun three scoreless innings and helped the White Sox deliver a deluxe version of a bullpen game in a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, putting Chicago on the precipice of advancing to the AL Division Series for the first time since 2021.

“It was awesome,” Smith told USA TODAY Sports. “From the first day out here, the guys on the team have just been awesome. It’s super fun to show up every day and just play with them, so I was really happy to go out there with them.”

Facing a Houston lineup known for its power, Smith surrendered two hits, singles to Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith, and stifled one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. AL MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez went 0-for-2 with two groundouts against Smith.

“He's a great hitter,” Smith said of Alvarez after the game. “Obviously, when you look at the scouting reports you kind of circle him as one of the guys that you try not to let him beat you. And, yeah, just trying to go to go out there and do the same thing I always do. Just not make the moment too big for that certain hitter, and just try to attack him with my strengths.”

After Smith’s start, the White Sox used three relievers – Jordan Hicks, Sean Newcomb and David Sandlin – as a bridge to closer Grant Taylor. Taylor secured seven laborious outs, the biggest among them when he stifled a Houston rally in the eighth inning by striking out Yainer Diaz, who represented the potential tying run with two on base and two outs.

On the other side, the Astros used eight pitchers in total after rookie opener AJ Blubaugh walked three of the five batters he faced and didn’t even get out of the first inning. Bryan King gave up two runs on four hits while finishing the first inning. Miguel Ullola briefly stabilized the home team but couldn’t stop the bleeding as the White Sox hit .324 with four walks. The crowd in Houston, accustomed to postseason dominance, booed Astros pitchers on multiple occasions.

White Sox manager Will Venable said Smith’s outing “couldn't have gone better” for the visitors, who head into Wednesday’s Game 2 with a chance to avenge an ALDS loss to the Astros from five years ago.  

Smith, a former collegiate starter, was primed for the moment.  

The University of Arkansas product was drafted fifth overall by the White Sox in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft and made his major-league debut out of the bullpen on Aug. 9 of this year. Since then, the White Sox have mostly utilized him as a middle reliever capable of covering multiple innings.

Smith went 3-3 with a 1.29 ERA in 28 innings pitched this season, the lowest ERA by a White Sox pitcher over his first 18 career outings since 1912.

Although Smith changed elements of his routine when he became a reliever, he said he prides himself on “being able to go out there ready to roll” and said his familiarity with starting helped him prepare to be the White Sox opener against the Astros.

After the game, Smith stopped in a back hallway and greeted a half dozen family members, many of them wearing his White Sox jersey.  

Smith grew up as a Texas Rangers fan in the eastern Texas town of Bullard, about a two-hour drive from Dallas and three hours from Houston. The Rangers and Astros were both potential wild-card opponents for the White Sox, but Smith said he didn’t have a preference for one matchup over the other.

Before Tuesday, Smith had started just one other game in his big-league career and had never faced the Astros. He pitched three innings for just the second time in his young career and threw 28 of his 38 pitches for strikes. Smith leaned heavily on his slider and cutter, two pitches that generated a 33% whiff rate against the Astros.

“The newness is always kind of tough, right?” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “Kind of cross-fire, tough angle. His pitches do have some kind of difficult shape that keeps you off balance. He did a nice job of doing that. Once we got into the middle of the game, I thought we were more familiar with those guys, we’d seen ‘em before and that's when our offense started clicking a little bit. But not enough just to get it to that finish line.”

Smith, 23, is emblematic of a young White Sox roster with barely any postseason experience. Although the team’s run to its first postseason in five years has been characterized as improbable, those inside the clubhouse say they always believed it was possible.

“I think just all the guys in the clubhouse, you see the team play – we play super hard and play with our hearts,” Smith said. “I think it’s just very contagious for everybody and everybody wants each other to win. I think that’s a big part of it.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Astros deliver dud in bullpen game battle vs. White Sox

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White Sox get blessing from Pope Leo before MLB playoffs — then go dominate Astros

White Sox get blessing from Pope Leo before MLB playoffs
The White Sox receive a blessing from Pope Leo before the MLB playoffs.

You could say the White Sox holy rolled the Astros in Game 1 of the American League wild-card series, taking advantage of the divine intervention that one of the club’s biggest fans sent their way before the game. 

Pope Leo XIV sent a letter of support to the White Sox, which the team shared on social media hours before the American League Chicago team went on to defeat Houston 6-3 at Daikin Park on Tuesday  

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Holy Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen
on Sept. 28, 2026, in Metz, France. The mass is part of the papal apostolic
journey to France. Grzegorz Galazka/SIPA/Shutterstock

“As I have noted, sport can truly become a school of life, where all can learn that abundance does not come from victory at any cost, but from sharing, from respecting others and from the joy of walking together,” the first American Pope wrote to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. 

Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, hails from the Windy City and has made his White Sox fandom known since being elected pontiff in May 2025. 

Then known as Father Bob, the Pope attended the White Sox’s World Series opener in 2005 when they played the Astros, sitting in section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 to watch as the White Sox won 5-3. 

It’s the White Sox first postseason appearance since 2021 and followed three consecutive 100-loss seasons

The White Sox receive a blessing from Pope Leo before the MLB playoffs. X / @whitesox

“In this spirit, it is my hope that the White Sox will continue to foster bonds of friendship and solidarity among people, and thus bear hopeful witness to the possibility of living and working together in peace,” the Pope’s letter, dated Sept. 5, continued. “With these sentiments, I willingly invoke the Almighty’s abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.”

The letter was sent to the White Sox in response to the team’s promotion on Aug. 11, when fans at that game received Pope hats with the team’s logo.

One was delivered to Pope Leo by Chicago native Father Tom McCarthy in August. 

Braden Montgomery (24) celebrates with teammates after the White Sox’s 6-3 win over the Astros in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series on Sept. 9, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston. Getty Images

Pope Leo was likely very happy with the result on Tuesday as his beloved White Sox moved one step closer to advancing, with Colson Montgomery hitting a solo home run and Sam Antonacci driving in a pair of runs in the Game 1 victory. 

Game 2 takes place on Wednesday in Houston.

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Rangers blanked by Bruins in slow start to supersized season

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman makes a save on New York Rangers center Noah Laba while defenseman Mason Lohrei defends.
ruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save on New York Rangers center Noah Laba (42) while defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) defends.

BOSTON — For the second straight year, the Rangers were shut out on opening night.

Indeed, for the first time in franchise history, the Blueshirts have been blanked in back-to-back season openers after suffering a 3-0 loss at the hands of the Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

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In the first game of a season that is supposed to be different, it was much of the same for the Rangers.

“We’ve got a ways to go,” head coach Mike Sullivan said.

While it was a scoreless affair for over 56 minutes, the Bruins broke through with two quick goals — as well as one empty-netter — in the span of 1:15 to take the first of 84 games this season.

It was a game that was well within reach for the Rangers, who were also shut out 3-0 by the Penguins to start last season.

Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save on New York Rangers center Noah Laba (42) while defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) defends. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Once Fraser Minten scored from the high slot with 3:56 left in regulation, the Bruins broke the game open without much pushback from the Rangers.

JJ Peterka then made a nasty move around Braden Schneider and buried his first goal as a Bruin less than a minute later.

And just 23 seconds after that, Mark Kastelic put the puck into an empty Rangers net.

Bruins’ Morgan Geekie (39) lines up a shot against New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

“I thought our effort was good,” Sullivan said. “I just didn’t think our execution was great.”

The shortened preseason was apparent in the Rangers-Bruins game, as well as across some of the NHL’s other four matchups. Neither Sullivan nor captain J.T. Miller considered it to be a factor — especially since all 32 clubs are dealing with it — but there were signs of rust on both sides as the two teams attempted to kick-start the season with one fewer week of preparation.

Despite generating nearly the same number of shots as the Bruins, the Rangers bled odd-man rushes through the first two periods.

Star goalie Igor Shesterkin had to bail out the team on numerous occasions, whether it was a 2-on-1 opportunity or an uncontested breakaway. He ultimately finished with 20 saves in the loss.

JJ Peterka (10) of the Boston Bruins skates against Adam Fox (23) and Mika Zibanejad (93) of the New York Rangers at TD Garden in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images

Miller chalked it up to puck management and coverage issues, noting that the team’s “timing was off with reloading the forwards.”

“Recognition, a little bit,” Miller said of all the odd-man rushes against. “We want our D to be a part of the play a lot. I mean, that’s how a lot of offense is generated in the league. Just the timing of when the forwards need to come down and replace. We’ll get better at it. It’s Game 1.”

The Rangers were most proud of their third-period performance despite the trio of goals against. Not only did they tighten up their defensive positioning to avoid getting caught as much as they were earlier, but the Rangers also made a significant push offensively early on. They unloaded five consecutive shots to open the frame and had a significant edge in shots on goal for much of the period.

Boston Bruins center Mark Kastelic (47) grabs a hold of New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) during the third period at TD Garden in Boston, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I thought we got better as the game went on,” Miller said. “I thought the third was our best period. We were coming. It was a pretty hard-fought game. It’s always the first game, seems to just kind of getting your legs and timing. We’ll get better.”

That first goal, however, continues to elude the Rangers.

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Who's hot and who's not as Dodgers prepare for the postseason

Kyle Tucker watches his home run clear the fence against the San Francisco Giants earlier this month.
Kyle Tucker watches his home run clear the fence against the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker has never shied away from just how bad his performance at the plate was for much of his first season in Los Angeles.

For the first five months of the season, when he’d show brief glimpses of progress before sinking back into an extended slump, Tucker’s .683 OPS was the third-worst among Dodgers hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, better than only Hyeseong Kim and Kyle Freeland, who both spent time in triple A.

In September, however, he found a sustainable adjustment. He fixed his bat path, extending through the ball more consistently instead of pulling off of it. He posted a .889 OPS in September, on par with his four straight All-Star seasons before signing with the Dodgers.

Now, all of a sudden, he looks like a potential difference-maker in the postseason.

“The last month or so is more or less what I expect out of myself,” Tucker said in a recent conversation with The Times. “The biggest thing is we have an opportunity now being in the playoffs to win another World Series. Once the playoffs start, you can forget about any stats or personal numbers. The only one that really matters is the win column. So that’s just what I’m gonna try and contribute towards.”

The Dodgers offense had a lot of success stories like Tucker’s in the final month of the regular season. He helped carry the offense, along with Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts, who turned around their seasons down the stretch, and Will Smith, who returned from the IL and quickly found his home run swing.

The Dodgers’ starting rotation is their biggest strength going into the postseason. But the offense’s performance against elite pitching, and the bullpen’s execution in tight games, could make or break a series.

Here’s how some other key players are trending going into the postseason:

Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani: Fortunate to have the bye

Shohei Ohtani appears on the right track for a successful postseason.
Shohei Ohtani appears on the right track for a successful postseason. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Ohtani returned from the IL with five games left in the season, and he went five for 21 with one extra-base hit.

All indications from general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts in video conference calls before the Dodgers’ closed workout Tuesday were that Ohtani was feeling good physically.

“I feel confident that you’re going to see the best version of Shohei of the last two months,” Roberts said. “I know that’s sort of a low bar given his injury, but I do think that he’s as healthy as he’s been in quite some time, and every day from the training staff, it keeps getting better. So, number one, he’ll be a threat being in the lineup, but I do think that the performance piece will be what we’re hoping for.”

First baseman Freddie Freeman: Ice cold

Freddie Freeman did not hit well in September.
Freddie Freeman did not hit well in September. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

Freeman, who pushed through a bout with tendinitis in his right knee earlier this month, hit just .184 in September and went 0-for-7 in his last two games.

On Tuesday, Freeman said he had no pain in his knee. But finally acknowledged that the injury could have affected his swing mechanics, while again emphasizing that he wouldn’t use that as an excuse.

Freeman has a plan for the bye week that he hopes will set him in the right direction for the playoffs.

“I’m going to hit on the field every day,” he said Sunday. “I already know how my Tuesday is going to go. There’s going to be a lot of blocked balls to left [field], a lot of flares into left. I’m hoping as Tuesday goes Wednesday, I’ll come back and those will be put down a little more. Thursday they’ll be moved over to shortstop and by Friday I will be feeling good. That is how my head is thinking right now.”

Center fielder Andy Pages: Out of the gate running

It was hard to predict how the center fielder would look at the plate when he returned from a fracture in his left hand. He recorded a 1.181 OPS in six games and homered twice in the final regular-season series against the San Francisco Giants.

Read more:The Dodgers have an old roster. But that isn't necessarily a drawback in October

“He went into last October really scuffling, and it sort of bled into October,” Roberts said over the weekend. “Where, I think right now he feels really confident, swinging the bat well, and the hope is that this one bleeds into October as well.”

Reliever Edgardo Henriquez: Healthy

Henriquez is “trending really well” after throwing live batting practice, Gomes said. If this week continues to go smoothly, the flame-throwing right-hander is expected to be on the NLDS roster.

“Given the body of work, what he’s done, the unique skill set,” Roberts said, “could be huge for us — will be huge for us.”

Reliever Edwin Díaz: Strong finish

Díaz made five appearances after his latest return from the IL (neck). He gave up just one hit in those games, with a 52.9% strikeout rate.

Read more:Dodgers Debate: Who do the Dodgers want in the NLDS?

“I don’t know if we could have asked much more out of Edwin,” Gomes said. “Felt like each outing was more and more sharp and looking more like himself. So feel that he’s in a great place right now. Stuff out of hand is as good as it’s been all year. And we know that he has pitched in the hottest of hot games in the past and in any role, especially in the postseason. So he’s looked great, and glad that he’s in the position that he’s in and was able to bounce back after the IL stint.”

NLDS weather: Sweltering

Los Angeles’ weather forecast for this weekend, when the Dodgers are set to host the first two games of the NLDS, shows temperatures reaching the high 90s. The Dodgers are scheduled to play Game 2 at 5 p.m. on Sunday. But Saturday’s game time will depend on the results of the wild-card round. First pitch for Game 1 could be at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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A's infielder Zack Gelof sues Detroit Tigers over knee injury

Athletics third baseman Zack Gelof has sued the Detroit Tigers over an injury he sustained during a 4-1 loss on July 9 at Comerica Park, according to a Sept. 28 court document filed with the Wayne County (Michigan) Circuit Court.

In addition to the Tigers, Ilitch Holdings Inc. and the Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority were also named as defendants.

Gelof, 26, was playing left field July 9 when Tigers outfielder Zach McKinstry hit a fly ball into foul territory in the bottom of the third inning. Gelof made a sliding catch to get McKinstry out, running his legs into the stands in a section covered by fencing. After the play, the A's infielder was clearly in pain, holding onto his knee.

Gelof's right knee struck an "exposed, dangerous metal-fence on the side wall that protruded into or alongside the playing area" that tore through his uniform and caused a laceration in his kneecap that narrowly missed a patellar tendon, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit says Gelof immediately felt significant pain and did not play the rest of the game. He was placed on the A's 30-day injured list following the collision.

"(The Tigers) knew or should have known that professional baseball players routinely run and slide at high speeds into foul territory while attempting to catch baseballs," the lawsuit says. "Padding and protective measures in an MLB ballpark exist for a reason."

The Tigers declined to comment on the matter, according to the Detroit Free Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network.

"We are aware of the lawsuit and do not comment on pending litigation," the Tigers said in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The lawsuit described the fence as "exposed" and "rigid" with "sharp metal components capable of causing serious injury." The lawsuit also alleges that there was "insufficient padding or other protective material covering the fencing" and "inadequate clearance or runoff space between the playing area and the fencing."

Tigers left fielder Riley Greene "acknowledged to reporters that the specific area along that wall is made of metal and can be quite unforgiving during a hard slide," the court documents said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A's infielder Zack Gelof sues Detroit Tigers over knee injury

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Paul Cotter Scores The Vancouver Canucks' First Goal Of The 2026-27 Season

Paul Cotter has scored the Vancouver Canucks' first goal of the 2026-27 season in their season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers.

The goal came 9:51 minutes into the first period while Vancouver was on the penalty kill after Tom Willander took a holding penalty. This is Cotter's first goal as a Canuck and his first career short-handed goal. 

Cotter signed a one-year, $2.15M contract with Vancouver during the 2026 off-season, joining the team after stints with the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights. In 2025-26, he scored nine goals and six assists in 79 games played. 

Paul Cotter at Vancouver Canucks 2026 Training Camp. (Photo Credit: Izzy Cheung - THN)
Paul Cotter at Vancouver Canucks 2026 Training Camp. (Photo Credit: Izzy Cheung - THN)

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Padres-Cubs wild-card series kicks off with Bill Murray, rowdy crowd

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Actor Bill Murray in the stands cheering during a baseball game, Image 2 shows San Diego Padres fans cheering and waving yellow rally towels at Petco Park, Image 3 shows A large video board at Petco Park displays

Who you gonna call?

Well, it appears the Cubs summoned Ghostbusters star Bill Murray to Petco Park Tuesday for Game 1 of the National League wild-card series against the Padres. Murray was spotted in the crowd as a sea of yellow dominated the seats in San Diego.

Actor Bill Murray at Citi Field for a game between the Mets and Cubs in 2024. Noah K. Murray-NY Post

Murray is a lifelong Chicago fan and has famously said he was “baptized a Cubs fan” since birth. At Wrigley Field, he is a regularly attendee and has been seen signing during the seventh-inning stretch and celebrating wtih the team.

Murray celebrated the team’s historic 2016 World Series championship, where he even joined the players in the locker room with champagne. The legendary actor even traveled to Japan for last year’s season opening series at the Tokyo Dome between the Cubs and Dodgers.

Fans cheer before Game 1 of the wild card round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs between Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres at Petco Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
General view before Game 1 of the wild card round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs between Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Tuesday, Murray was locked in for the wild-card series. He likely wasn’t very happy with how the first inning panned out for Chicago as Padres ace Michael King had an impressive 1-2-3 inning and Fernando Tatis Jr. proceeded to homer on the first pitch off Matthew Boyd in the bottom half of the frame.

Regardless of the outcome, Tuesday’s playoff atmosphere was electric in San Diego as fireworks flew before first pitch and the crowd was already raucous before the game began.

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Watch Padres' Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado ignite Petco Park with homers

The San Diego Padres hit a couple of homers in the opening inning against the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild card series at Petco Park. It was a tough start for Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd in Game 1.

Boyd threw an 83-mph changeup and to get things going Fernando Tatis Jr. smacked a leadoff home run, 405-feet across center field to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.

But San Diego wasn't done. Another one of their sluggers stepped up shortly after Tatis.

Manny Machado, whether you love him or hate him, is that dude and a home run threat at the plate. He lived up to that reputation in the bottom first inning taking Boyd's 81-mph changeup 391 feet for a solo home run.

The Padres led 2-0 after the first inning in Game 1 of the NL wild card series. The winner takes advantage and moves one game closer to advancing to the NL Division Series against face the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Padres' Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado ignite Petco Park with homers