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Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele injury update after scary hit

California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele exited the Golden Bears' game against the UNLV Rebels just before the end of the first half after taking a hit that caused a collision to his head.

Sagapolutele was evaluated on the sideline after being taken down by UNLV linebacker Elias Rudolph just after getting a pass off. The Cal sophomore quarterback hit his head on the turf as he was wrestled to the ground.

He attempted to go back to the huddle for the next play, but teammate Ian Strong, a transfer wide receiver, waved in the medical staff, who provided immediate attention to Sagapolutele.

Sagapolutele had completed 19-of-27 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Jackson Brousseau ended the first half in his place. Cal trailed the Rebels, 24-7, at the time of the injury.

JKS injury update for Cal QB

Sagapolutele was seen on the sideline at the start of the second half with his helmet off. A sign that the Golden Bears' play caller will end his day. He was officially ruled out, according to On3 Sports.

Brousseau is under center. He's thrown 5-of-8 for 38 yards as the Golden Bears continue to trail with a 17-point deficit.

Cal entered the game with a 2-2 overall record, 1-1 during ACC play. Sagapolutele through four games compiled 985 yards, 7 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Sagapolutele, watching from the sideline, hopes to have a chance to make a difference in the game. The CBS broadcast gave an update, saying that he is "clearly frustrated" as he watches the game from the sideline.

Cal lose star defensive back Kingston Lopa

Cal saw its starting quarterback go down with an injury, but he wasn't the only star on the Golden Bears' football team to have gone out injured.

Star defensive back and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Kingston Lopa left the game against UNLV early with an upper body injury. He was evaluated on the sideline after walking off the field on his own merit.

He did not return to the game as he was seen on the sideline in street clothes in the second half. Lopa leads the nation with five interceptions in the 2026 season.

Earlier in the game Cal lost defensive back Cam Sidney who was ejected due to targeting.

How did Cal finish without their rising quarterback?

Brousseau got his feel for the game and delivered a short pass to Carson Perry-Smith, who took the ball the length of the field for a 53-yard touchdown with 4:40 left in the third quarter. It was his first collegiate touchdown in his career.

The Golden Bears converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead down, 24-15.

A turn of momentum happened for Cal. On the ensuing kickoff, UNLV returner Peyton Zachary fumbled and it was recovered by Cal freshman Niles Davis.

The Golden Bears offense turned it into three points, connecting on a 38-yard field goal from Towns McGough. Cal trailed 24-18, making it a one-possession game with 3:36 left in the third quarter.

Cal took a lead after their fourth-string running back Ashten Emory found the end zone on a seven-yard rush after a critical pass interference penalty backed UNLV at their own goal. Emory has 48 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.

Cal led 25-24 with 11:38 left in the game.

Cal lost another defensive back, this time, Daniel Harris after he was ejected from the game due to targeting.

UNLV responded with a scoring drive of their own after Rebels quarterback Jackson Arnold threw a 10-yard touchdown to Keyan Burnett. Arnold converted a two-point conversion, taking a quarterback sneak up the middle to give UNLV a 32-25 lead with 9:31 left in the game.

Another gritty possession from UNLV put them up late, 39-25. Cal answered with too little, too late. The Golden Bears produced an impressive 86-yard drive on 14 plays, ending in a 10-yard TD to Strong. It would not be enough, and Cal would fall, 39-31.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele injury update after scary hit

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AL Division Series Game 1: Gerrit Cole vs. Drew Rasmussen

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees reacts after a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees will kick off the Division Series from Tampa, with Gerrit Cole on the mound and Ben Rice leading off as the Bombers look to continue the chase for 28.

Going with yet another lefty-heavy lineup, the Yankees are going with Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second, Spencer Jones in right field, and Luis García Jr. at first over Paul Goldschmidt. The veteran first baseman may appear as a pinch-hitter, as may Giancarlo Stanton, who is on the roster again but won’t start.

Drew Rasmussen will get his second career postseason outing for the Rays, looking for a hot start to the series in Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old righty had a 2.67 ERA in 30 starts during the regular season. He’s posting a 2.86 ERA against the Yankees this season, allowing 14 hits and giving up seven earned runs in 22 innings.

We hope that you’ll come join us in the game thread as we kick off another postseason matchup as the Yankees race for the American League!

How to watch

Location: Tropicana Field – St. Petersburg, FL

First pitch: 6:30 p.m. ET

TV broadcast: TBS/TruTV

Streaming: HBO Max

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | 95.7 FM / 620 AM, WESX 1230 AM (TB) ESPN Radio (national)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

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MLB Division Series: Yankees at Rays, Padres at Brewers

Here’s your thread for the two Division Series night games today.

5:30 p.m. CT: Yankees at Rays

TV: TBS, truTV, HBO Max. Announcers: Brian Anderson, Jeff Francoeur and Lauren Shehadi.

Gerrit Cole, RHP vs. Drew Rasmussen, RHP

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com preview

7:30 p.m. CT: Padres at Brewers

TV: FS1. Announcers: Adam Amin, Adam Wainwright, A.J. Pierzynski (analyst) and Tom Verducci.

Robbie Ray, LHP vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com preview

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90-year-old Sandy Koufax braves 100 degree heat at Dodger Stadium

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax made an appearance at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The Dodgers were taking on the Atlanta Braves in the first game of the National League Division Series.

Koufax was among those in the crowd to watch the game up close with a seat in the second row despite the brutal heat in Los Angeles. The 90-year-old has frequently attended postseason games and the World Series in recent years. The Dodgers have an opportunity to complete a World Series three-peat this year.

It was 102 degrees, according to AccuWeather, during the bottom of the fifth inning in Los Angeles. There was a RealFeel of 106, with a wind gust of nine MPH.

The temperature was just under the record-high 108-degree day set in 1987. AccuWeather notes that the "extreme heat can be dangerous for outdoor activities."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 90-year-old Sandy Koufax braves 100 degree heat at Dodger Stadium

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Flyers fall short in overtime again, remain winless with third straight loss

Flyers fall short in overtime again, remain winless with third straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers stayed winless with a 3-2 overtime loss Saturday night to the defending champion Hurricanes at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Shayne Gostisbehere scored the game-winner for Carolina. It was a power play goal. Owen Tippett was in the penalty box for slashing.

Nick Seeler was not happy with the officials after the goal. The Flyers felt the defenseman was crosschecked by Andrei Svechnikov at the net just before Gostisbehere’s shot.

The Flyers had 34 seconds of power play time to open OT, but they couldn’t capitalize.

Rick Tocchet’s club has dropped three straight to start the season (0-1-2). The last time the Flyers lost their first three games was 2014-15, when they dropped four straight to open the season (0-2-2).

Tippett and Matvei Michkov provided the Flyers’ goals.

The Hurricanes (1-1-1) were on the second night of a back-to-back set. They lost at home Friday night to the Capitals, 5-2.

The Flyers faced Carolina for the first time since last season’s second-round elimination to the Hurricanes. The Flyers were swept by Carolina. Going back to the start of the 2021-22 season, the Flyers have lost 21 of their last 24 games against the Hurricanes, including the playoffs.

• Tocchet went back to Joseph Woll, who stopped 37 of 40 shots.

With under four and a half minutes left in the second period, Woll made an athletic split to deny William Carrier, who was trying to flush a rebound. The save kept the Flyers in front, 2-1.

But Carolina tied the game just under five minutes into the third period on Sebastian Aho’s second goal of the night. This one came on the power play and with Michkov in the penalty box for holding.

Aho’s first goal came just 10 seconds into the game.

Woll earned consecutive starts after making 41 saves in the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss Thursday night to the Devils.

Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 16 of the Flyers’ 18 shots.

In all three games so far, the Flyers have been outshot by double digits.

• Rasmus Ristolainen took a shot to his left hand with 3:31 minutes left in the second period. After exiting, the the 31-year-old defenseman was able to briefly return at the start of the third period. But following his shift, he went back up the tunnel and did not return.

The team said Ristolainen would be reevaluated Sunday.

Not having Ristolainen would put the Flyers in a tough spot on the back end. He has been a top-pair guy next to Travis Sanheim.

Simon Benoit was the Flyers’ extra defenseman Saturday night. He’d be in line for more action if Ristolainen has to miss any time. The injury could also open the door for Oliver Bonk, a 21-year-old prospect who has been knocking at the door.

David Jiricek made his season debut against Carolina. The 22-year-old was on the third pair alongside Nick Seeler.

• Tocchet’s decision to put Michkov on a line with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny paid off.

That line impressed in the team’s third preseason game.

“They did play well that game,” Tocchet said Saturday morning, “so hopefully some same kind of magic happens.”

The line produced the Flyers’ go-ahead 2-1 goal from Michkov in the second period.

Tippett scored the first goal by a Flyers forward this season when he tied the game at 1-1 in the first period.

The 27-year-old fired one home through traffic from the slot. His persistence paid off. After having his initial shot blocked, he did a good job of getting the next one on net, which created some chaos in front. His third attempt found the back of the net.

• Denver Barkey was on the ice at morning skate in a non-contact jersey. The 21-year-old forward has been considered day to day with a lower-body injury.

Later in the skate, Barkey was wearing a regular jersey. Tocchet mentioned next week as a possibility for Barkey’s return, but we’ll see how things progress.

• The Flyers go on the road for a three-game trip starting Monday when they visit the Lightning (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Aaron Boone explains why leaving Aaron Judge off ALDS roster was ‘right decision’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge smiling while holding a bat in the batting cage, Image 2 shows New York Yankees' Aaron Judge smiles during batting practice at Yankee Stadium, Image 3 shows New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone enters the field for batting practice before a Wild Card series game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium
judge and boone

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There were times Friday, manager Aaron Boone admitted, when he thought that Aaron Judge was going to be on the division series roster. 

In all likelihood, it would have been just as a pinch hitter, possibly with a chance to be a full player later in the best-of-five series against the Rays if his right calf allowed. That was all part of the discussion when Boone sat down with Judge and director of sports medicine and rehab Mike Schuck in his office at Tropicana Field after Friday’s workout. The manager then asked for an hour to think it through even more before ultimately coming to the decision to leave Judge off the roster for the second straight round. 

“In the end, I just feel like he’s not quite ready to do it,” Boone said Saturday in that same office before the Yankees fell 1-0 in the series opener. “He wanted to be on and was willing to do anything, but I just felt like for us to win a World Series — and fully acknowledging with him, and I understand this, obviously there’s no guarantees. We could be home in a week. 

“But for us to potentially have a [good] version of Aaron back, I feel like he needs this week to continue to hit, continue to ramp up the running and moving and all those things. So it was very close for me … but I just felt like this was the right decision.” 

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge takes batting practice during a workout day before a Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Judge, who has been doing everything in his power in the 17 days since he strained his right calf to get back as soon as possible, took the news “OK.” 

“I think he’s disappointed, because I think he wants to be on, but I think he understands, too,” Boone said. 

And so the three-time MVP was back at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees spring training home in Tampa, Saturday morning to continue his buildup in hopes of joining the Yankees for the ALCS if they can get there without him. 

Judge has taken multiple rounds of live batting practice over the last five days and started his outdoor running progression Tuesday, a few hours before Game 1 of the AL wild-card series against the Red Sox, though he has still not advanced to running the bases. So despite making progress and looking better, it was still not enough to defy the odds and return this quickly. 

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge smiles as he walks into the batting cage to take batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST

“The reality is he just hasn’t run a lot yet or started to move a lot,” Boone said. “It’s one thing to be able to go out there and manage. It’s another thing to do it [for] three hours. I just feel like that volume part of it would have been a real challenge. And if we kept him on [the roster] in Giancarlo [Stanton’s] role, in that pinch hitting role, I feel like that would have stripped away the ability to have some really good days and be in a better position five, seven, nine days from now.” 

The ALCS begins Oct. 12, nine days away from Saturday. 

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone enters the field for batting practice before Game Two of a Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The Yankees considered carrying Judge on the roster with the thought of not using him until later in the series, like once they got back to New York for Game 3 or 4, but opted against it. 

“I just felt like we probably needed a little more time for that to be a realistic thing,” Boone said. 

Boone also indicated that the turf at Tropicana Field — which can be troublesome for players dealing with soft-tissue leg injuries — was not a major factor in leaving Judge off the roster. 

“If we were at home, he wouldn’t be playing right now,” Boone said. “The turf always factors in, but it wasn’t in the immediate right now anyway. If he would have been on, it would have been in a pinch hitting role only.” 

The Yankees withstood Judge’s absence in the wild-card series without a problem, crushing the Red Sox in a two-game sweep. But trying to take down the Rays without him may prove to be a more difficult task. 

“It would be a blessing to have Aaron,” Spencer Jones said Saturday. “But at the same time, there’s games ahead that we’ve got to win with or without him. I think we’re set up, in a way, in a good position to win with the guys we’ve got.”

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First glimpse at Sixers leaves one longing for more

CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 28: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. 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 Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It was just a scrimmage. Sure, that’s all. Sorta in the same way that Ben Franklin was just a bald, fat guy with a kite.

Saturday afternoon’s proceedings represented the first public appearance of the Sixers as we now know them, the first time LeBron James and Jaylen Brown appeared alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

And sure, you couldn’t tell much, considering it was played at three-quarters speed, in an arena that was perhaps two-thirds full. Also considering the regular season is still over two weeks away, and the playoffs aren’t even a blip on the horizon.

It was, as James said afterward, a “great first step in the direction we want to go.”

So everything needs to be framed in that light. It was just a faint outline of what they hope to be, and what they can be. It was an unveiling, with much more yet to be revealed.

Here are some takeaways:

Happy Camper

As everyone has said throughout training camp, Embiid was moving well, seemingly unencumbered by the knee issues that have slowed him in recent years. He dunked early on, off a feed from Edgecombe, then nailed a three-pointer. Later he slammed with the left hand, not long after Ariel Hukporti had blocked his shot.

“He’s so much more healthy (than at the 2024 Olympics),” James said of Embiid, a teammate then and now. “He hasn’t missed a practice. He’s been in every drill.”

Embiid kinda/sorta acknowledged as much, and certainly his frame of mind seems good – something else his teammates have mentioned.

As an example, consider his thoughts on the lefty slam: “”(Hukporti) did block me the first time, so I was kinda pissed off about it.”

Then he joked that it was “probably the last dunk of my career.”

Hey, we’ve missed that guy. Nice to have him back.

Space Cadets

When the starters took the court to open the day, they played the five-out style that might be expected, which opens the court for slashing by Maxey and Edgecombe, mid-range magic from Brown and Embiid and James’ all-around excellence. There were back cuts and dribble handoffs. There was movement and energy.

Embiid said he has heard a great deal about sacrifice, but in his mind it’s not so much about that as “being the best version of yourself” or “being a star in your role.”

He also said that his Olympic experience with James does not have as big an impact on the two of them jelling as some have said. Rather, he said, they would have meshed no matter what, given their experience and basketball IQ.

There were some interesting wrinkles. When Brown was on the floor in the second quarter with Edgecombe, backups Dean Wade and Labaron Philon Jr. and roster longshot Dillon Jones, he really went to work, rattling off 12 points in a scalding stretch. So it certainly appears that everybody will be able to eat, that opportunities will present themselves in various ways.

Edgier Edgecombe

He is in his second year, and he is clearly more sure of himself, more apt to assert himself than he was during his promising rookie year. On one second-quarter possession he got a step on Embiid, then switched hands in midair as he attacked the rim, enabling him to lay the ball in and draw the foul.

Moments later he tried to dunk on Embiid. Embiid was called for the foul, though he argued the call in the moment and later said he had “all ball,” something the replay seemed to confirm.

But the point is, Edgecombe’s training wheels are completely off. President of basketball operations Mike Gansey mentioned before the scrimmage that the soph plays with “no fear,” and afterward James said Edgecombe is “not quiet, in a good way.” LBJ also called him “a very cerebral player, and always looking for ways to get better.”

That is readily apparent.

Backup Plan

Gansey was reluctant to say how many games the team hopes to get from Embiid, only that everyone wants to “stick to the plan.” But figure the veteran center plays no more than 60 in the regular season. That leaves ample opportunity for Adem Bona and Hukporti. And while Bona is out with a sprained foot, Hukporti showed Saturday he might have more to offer than was first thought.

Early on the former Knick knocked down three short jumpers, and later he deftly fed Philon and Edgecombe for backdoor buckets – all while continuing to ply his trade on the defensive end. Besides his block on Embiid, he also denied Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

One Last Thought

There has been an accent on defense in the early days of camp, and James declared that the Sixers “can be a top five defensive team if we compete every time.”

That, in fact, might really tell the tale of their season. They will put up points in bunches; that seems clear. But can they get stops when they really need them? That bears watching.

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Teoscar Hernández's dramatic home run puts Dodgers up on Braves

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have struck first in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.

The bats were kept quiet for most of Braves opener Dylan Dodd's three innings pitched as he managed to keep pace with Tarik Skubal on the opposing mound, but the Dodgers offense wasted no time in getting after Victor Mederos once the 25-year-old righty checked into the game in the bottom of the fourth.

Freddie Freeman worked a four-pitch walk, the first of the game by either team, before Teoscar Hernández jumped on a cutter down the middle, flipped his bat high in the air and admired the ball as it sailed a towering 431 feet halfway up the left-field pavilion seats at Dodger Stadium for a two-run home run.

Kyle Tucker followed Hernández up with a base hit, after which Mederos was pulled from the game after throwing just 11 pitches.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teoscar Hernández's dramatic home run puts Dodgers up on Braves

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Dodgers bring the heat as stars swing for fences in NLDS opener against Braves

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Teoscar Hernández celebrating as he rounds the bases in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, Image 2 shows Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after a 2-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series, Image 3 shows A Dodgers fan wearing a towel on his head for shade

Teoscar Hernandez kicked off the scoring for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS as the California heat wave is taking its toll on baseball fans at Dodger Stadium.

Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Braves reliever Victor Mederos to bring home Freddie Freeman who was on first after a walk.

Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal shined in first five innings of his start, allowing no runs and one hit until Braves catcher Sean Murphy blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to bring the score to 2-1. Skubal was pulled from the mound after six innings of work.

Teoscar Hernández celebrating as he rounds the bases. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitcher Tarik Skubal pitching in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post

The Dodgers big offseason acquisition Kyle Tucker made his presence felt with a two-run blast of his own in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the same inning, Max Muncy hit a solo homer to extend LA’s lead 5-1.

With Saturday being the first day of a heatwave that’s expected to linger through mid-October, the fans are certainly feeling the effects of the triple-digit temperatures.

Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after a 2-run home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves. Getty Images

As fans started to enter the gates of the stadium, journalist Arash Markazi reported that they were being greeted with complimentary Dasani water bottles and were also being given free Gatorade as a way to keep them hydrated.

Markazi continued to post more videos of fans trying to cool off as they were gathering in front of large fan misters and were also purchasing personal-sized ones for $28. Before first pitch, he posted a video of the fans gathering under the shaded area behind center field, doing their best to cool off.

Dodgers fans seen wear towels on their heads to try to cool off during Game 1 NLDS game against the Braves. Wally Skalij

As the game was about to begin, the live broadcast showed the fans trying to avoid the sun beating down on them by stashing the complimentary towels they were given underneath their hats while covering their necks. They were also seen waving themselves with personalized fans.

Video journalist Steve Saldivar reported that during the pregame flyover, the temperature was already at a scorching level of 102 degrees.

But still, the harsh conditions weren’t enough to keep the Dodgers fan base from soaking up the sun.

On X, the account @MooneyOwnsYou posted a video of a shirtless Dodgers fan soaking in the heat, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and flip-flops, with two empty Dos Equis beer cans next to him.

@SoCalEricLittle posted photos on his X account of the Dodgers fans enduring long traffic lines to enter the stadium, while finding their seats during pregame.

When the game officially started, it was already starting to look like a packed house, as fans were seen filling in the outfield and the shaded areas in the stadium.

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How dynamite Chicago White Sox have stayed perfect in MLB playoffs

In Los Angeles, they’re lining up multi-Cy Young Award winners and a World Series hero named Yoshinobu Yamamoto, ready to hang zeroes for the Dodgers. Over in the other dugout, Chris Sale lurks, a future Hall of Famer giving the Atlanta Braves a chance.

In St. Petersburg, the visiting New York Yankees are so pitching-rich that Gerrit Cole didn’t even need to pitch in the wild-card round, while he and presumed Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler will square off against a pair of Tampa Bay Rays All-Stars in Games 1 and 2 of their American League Division Series.

In Milwaukee, The Miz towers over this entire postseason, a 6-7 fireballer who has learned to stretch his 102-mph Dairyland cheese across six innings.

And in Cleveland, the American League strikeout leader and a dominant rookie left-hander made the Guardians prohibitive favorites in their ALDS.

The Chicago White Sox also showed up. With five relievers in a trench coat, impersonating a starting pitcher.

And the formula remains perfect so far in this postseason.

Grant Taylor celebrates with catcher Kyle Teel after pitching the final four innings of the White Sox's 3-0 victory over the Guardians in Game 1 of their AL Division Series.

Forget the Pope. Papal power is no match for one booming home run from Munetaka Murakami and a fantastic pitching plan, executed perfectly by manager Will Venable. And in Game 1 of this ALDS Saturday, Oct. 3 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, the White Sox showed they were for real-for real in this playoff field, recording a 3-0 victory over their Central rival Guardians.

This was a fantastic ballgame, befitting a pennant race that saw the 85-77 Guardians eke ahead of the 84-win White Sox at the end.

No biggie. The White Sox lost 121 games just two years ago, 102 last year. Now?

It feels like anything’s possible.

How could it not? This game ended with Grant Taylor, the White Sox’s sometimes-closer who never pitched more than 2⅔ innings this season, logging a four-inning save, striking out six and walking nobody.

The White Sox have now played three playoff games. They have never trailed. Nor has one of their starting pitchers recorded more than 12 outs.

Their winning pitchers? Relievers Jordan Hicks, Anthony Kay and Bryan Hudson, two of them earning Ws thanks to “scorer’s discretion.”

And why not? Hudson was the winner Saturday simply by recording the final out of the third inning, bailing starter (or, “starter”) Hagen Smith out of a bases-loaded jam. Biggest moment of the game, or at least it was until moments later, when Murakami destroyed a Messick pitch, sending it 440 feet into the Progressive Field right field seats. If anyone still doubted Murakami after his 35-homer season, 112 mph off the bat will, in fact, play.

Then again, you can’t shortchange what Taylor did. He won seven games and saved 10 this season, at least until the White Sox figured out his ability to punch dudes out (11.4 per nine innings) qualified him for “whenever we need him most” duty.

 Saturday, that moment came in the sixth inning, when Venable handed him the ball and a 2-0 lead. He never gave it back.

“Incredible. Grant has been our guy the entire year,” Venable said in his postgame press conference in Cleveland. “We go into that one not expecting four innings from him.

“But he was just so efficient, kept going, wanted the ball in the ninth there. Just weren’t comfortable with the cushion to go elsewhere. But he wanted the ball. He was efficient.

“I don’t know what else to say about him. He’s a beast out there. Some incredible stuff from Grant.”

As the game reached the top of the ninth, Taylor told reporters, he did not get a look from Venable that said, “you’re done.” So he went into the tunnel. Pitching coach Zach Bove came down and a wordless exchange ensued.

Bove gave him a look that Taylor says means, “How do you feel? What do you got?”

Taylor nodded. And finished the game.

“I think that’s the mentality – this is my game, while I’m on the mound,” says Taylor. “My job, at this point, is to go as deep as they let me and hand it off to the next guy.”

The next guy – Sean Newcomb, in this case – was never needed. And that brings us to the Game 2 pitching plan.

Predictably, Venable has an idea but nothing concrete. Sean Burke, their most starter-ish starting pitcher, will figure in; he ate up four innings in Game 2 of the wild-card series.

And this might concern the Guardians: The ALDS has a day off between Games 1 and 2, a wrinkle that’s supposed to benefit the team with superior starting pitching, what with two horses able to pitch Games 1 and 2 and then 4 and 5, if needed.

Yet this day off will allow the White Sox bullpen to reload. Taylor threw 42 pitches; it’d be yeoman’s work if he raised his hand again come Monday.

And there’s still the question of whether this is sustainable. October is just beginning. Diminishing returns from bullpens are littered through postseason history.

The White Sox can’t worry about that. This unpredictable ride wasn’t even supposed to happen. And the White Sox are getting by just fine, proving that just a little is more than enough.

“If we score one run,” Murakami said through his interpreter, “I have confidence we can win the game.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How dynamite Chicago White Sox have stayed perfect in MLB playoffs

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Brewers vs Padres score, LIVE updates, where to watch NLDS Game 1 today

The Milwaukee Brewers host the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday night, opening the best-of-five clash.

Milwaukee won 103 games in the regular season and had the best record in Major League Baseball – earning a bye to this round – while San Diego swept the Chicago Cubs in the best-of-three wild card series to reach the NLDS.

"I think both teams are probably trying to play the same game – get out to an early lead and let the bullpen handle it the rest of the way," Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters. "They have a great one from the last guy to the first guy that's how we feel about our bullpen too. It will be a tough series. It will probably be a lot of close games because of that."

The Padres and Brewers are two of the five MLB organizations that have never won a World Series title, along with the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners. San Diego last made the Fall Classic in 1998 and the Brewers' only appearance came back in 1982.

Where to watch Padres vs Brewers today: TV channel, live stream

  • Game time: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • TV channel: FS1 and Fox Deportes
  • Live stream: Fubo and Fox One

Watch Padres-Brewers on Fubo

Padres vs Brewers prediction

  • Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 5
  • Gabe Lacques: Brewers in 5
  • Kristie Ackert: Padres in 5
  • Jesse Yomtov: Brewers in 4

Brewers vs Padres schedule

  • Game 1 (Saturday, Oct. 3): At Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Game 2 (Sunday, Oct. 4): At Milwaukee, 4 p.m. ET
  • Game 3 (Tuesday, Oct. 6): At San Diego, 9:30 p.m. ET
  • Game 4 (Wednesday, Oct. 7)*: At San Diego, 10 p.m. ET
  • Game 5 (Friday, Oct. 9)*: At Milwaukee, 4:30 p.m. ET

Ty France shares his thoughts on Jacob Misiorowski

08:17 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams

Here's what Ty France had to say about Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski ahead of Game 1.

Washington availability report

07:33 PM ET, October 3 2026, Marcus D. Smith

Here's who is active for the Washington Huskies against USC:

Out

  • Jordan Washington, RB
  • Christian Moss, WR
  • Jayden Limar, RB
  • Quaid Carr, RB
  • CJ Christian, S

Game time decision

  • Landen Hatchett, OL

USC availability report

07:30 PM ET, October 3 2026, Marcus D. Smith

Here is who is in and who is out for the Southern California Trojans.

Out

  • Trent Mosley, WR
  • Corey Simms, WR
  • Kendarius Reddick, S
  • Taylor "Taybo" Johnson, LB
  • Kilian O'Connor, OL
  • Hayden Treter, OL

Gametime decision

  • Alex Graham, S
  • Mark Bowman, TE
  • Alex VanSumeren, DT

Who won Padres-Brewers regular-season series?

07:25 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams

The Padres won the regular-season series against the Brewers 4-2 in 2026. The Brewers' only two wins of the series came at home. San Diego outscored Milwaukee 26-21.

Fernando Tatis Jr. takes the field

06:55 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams

Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres are just minutes away from the start of Game 1 of the National League Division Series in Milwaukee.

Padres' NLDS roster change approved

06:26 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams

The San Diego Padres will be without pitcher Walker Buehler on Saturday, Oct. 3, after being placed on the postseason paternity list. Pitcher Randy Vasquez has been activated to replace Buehler.

The MLB announced the decision was approved on Saturday. Buehler is allowed to be away for a maximum of three days.

Brewers lineup today

05:48 PM ET, October 3 2026, Jesse Yomtov
  1. Jackson Chourio (R) LF
  2. Brice Turang (L) 2B
  3. William Contreras (R) C
  4. Jake Bauers (L) 1B
  5. Christian Yelich (L) DH
  6. Cooper Pratt (R) SS
  7. Luis Lara (S) RF
  8. Garrett Mitchell (L) CF
  9. Joey Ortiz (R) 3B

Padres lineup today

05:37 PM ET, October 3 2026, Jesse Yomtov
  1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
  2. Dustin Harris (L) LF
  3. Manny Machado (R) 3B
  4. Ty France (R) 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill (L) CF
  6. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
  7. Ethan Salas (L) C
  8. Luis Campusano (R) DH
  9. Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B

Padres NLDS roster

05:20 PM ET, October 3 2026, Jesse Yomtov

Brewers NLDS roster

05:05 PM ET, October 3 2026, Jesse Yomtov

Padres vs Brewers tickets

04:36 PM ET, October 3 2026, Jesse Yomtov

Get your NLDS seats

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brewers vs Padres score, LIVE updates, where to watch NLDS Game 1 today

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Why The Canucks’ Opening Series Shows What This Rebuild Could Be

Two games into the season, the Vancouver Canucks have already given an idea of what this rebuild could look like.

The opener gave Vancouver something to build on. The Canucks played with pressure, sacrifice and pace in a 6-5 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers. They blocked 21 shots, Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves, and turned Oilers mistakes into counterattack opportunities.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s third-period goal showed it. With the game tied 2-2, Vancouver went the other way after an Edmonton mistake. Lekkerimäki attacked down the right side and beat Tristan Jarry five-hole to give the Canucks the lead.

The same thing happened moments later. Drew O’Connor and Max Sasson capitalized on another turnover, combining on a quick give-and-go that ended with Sasson scoring. In overtime, Paul Cotter pressured Ryan Shea into another turnover, Sasson picked up the loose puck and found Cotter again for the winner.

That pace has been missing from Vancouver’s game. The Canucks have spent years trying to deal with the opposition’s speed. Through two games, they finally look capable of using some of their own.

Sasson’s matchup against Connor McDavid reinforced that point. Sasson was asked to keep McDavid’s line at bay. Arguably the best player in the world somehow finished the opener with zero shots on goal. Sasson also scored and assisted on the overtime winner.

High scoring has not been limited to Vancouver and Edmonton. Through three days of the 2026-27 NHL season, 107 goals were scored across 15 games. For the first time since 1995, multiple teams scored at least seven in their opener.

The regular season increased from 82 to 84 games, while the preseason was cut to four. That may be part of the early-season sloppiness, but Vancouver’s pace and effort still stood out.

Game 2 was a lot less clean. Edmonton came over the boards wave after wave, and Vancouver spent the night trying to recover from its own mistakes.

The Canucks fell behind 5-0 and 8-2 before closing the gap in a 9-7 loss. McDavid finished with five points, and Sasson had a tougher night.

Vancouver really struggled in its own zone. Coverage broke down, Edmonton found too much space and the Canucks spent much of the night chasing the play.

Luke Schenn was direct afterward.

“Careless with the puck, didn't defend hard enough, kind of lost structure and details,” Schenn said. “If we want to have a chance, we’ve got to play as a five-man unit. That's the only way.”

With three defencemen under 23 in the lineup, mistakes are going to happen. Vancouver will get outskilled some nights, especially against Edmonton’s firepower. What cannot happen is being outworked or outwilled. Nights like Thursday are part of the learning process, but the bigger problem is when mistakes come with lost battles and poor structure.

For the fans, 6-5 and 9-7 games are definitely entertaining. For the team, they cannot become the norm. Vancouver cannot keep asking its goalies to bail the team out while giving up chance after chance.

An 84-game season is a grind, and spending too much of it trapped in the defensive zone, blocking shots and relying on big saves will eventually take a toll.

The offence will not score six or seven every night. Vancouver has to find ways to win when it only gets two or three. A big deficit will sometimes be too much to overcome, especially against teams with Edmonton’s skill. Those comebacks will be harder to find once games tighten up.

Still, the response after falling behind 8-2 was worth something. The Canucks scored four straight to make it 8-6. Elias Pettersson returned after needing stitches earlier in the game and finished with three points.

“I am proud how we didn't give up and went till the buzzer there,” Cotter said afterward.

The comeback did not excuse the first 40 minutes. The pushback, though, was closer to what Manny Malhotra wants this team to look like.

This is still a young team, so rough nights will come. The Canucks need to clean up their defensive-zone play, but the team looks faster, more dangerous off the rush and willing to keep pushing when things go wrong.

Two games in, Vancouver has given fans plenty to watch.

That makes the early part of this season far from boring.

Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) battles with Edmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen (42) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) battles with Edmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen (42) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Mune shot and bullpen power give White Sox 3-0 win over Guardians

Munetaka Murakami was a trifle excited about his two-run homer in the fourth inning — the hardest-hit ball of the entire postseason so far. | Getty Images

Cleveland ace Parker Messick made one mistake, hanging a sinker to Munetaka Murakami on the first pitch of his at-bat in the fourth, with Miguel Vargas on base, and 111 mph and 440 feet later the White Sox had a 2-0 lead. It’s definitely a moment worth savoring:

That would turn out to be all the offense the Sox would need, thanks to excellent bullpen work and lousy Guardians hitting that left the bases loaded in both the third and fourth and didn’t get anyone on base with fewer than two outs until the seventh. Sox pitchers deserve great credit, of course, but it was the team with playoff experience (and the overwhelming favorite in the series) that in the later innings took to swinging at anything thrown between first and third base and bounced fewer than three times.

Hagen Smith was cruising through his second open of the playoffs, retiring the first eight batters he faced while striking our four. But with two outs in the third inning the southpaw suddenly lost control completely, walking three in a row on 16 pitches. In came Bryan Hudson to get Chase DeLauter to hit a soft liner to end the threat (and pick up an improbable win, because he faced his one batter at the right time).

Next inning it was Anthony Kay coming to the rescue of Jordan Hicks in the same, bases-loaded, two-out situation, getting Chicago nemesis Brayan Rocchio to line to right.

But while those were momentary successes, the heavy lifting was done by Grant Taylor, who came in to start the sixth and just never left. Taylor achieved the seldom-seen (first in the playoffs since 2017) four-inning save, with two hits, no runs and six strikeouts, most of those on pitches that had Guardians flailing at pitches not even in the same area code as home plate.

Oh, yes — the White Sox did score another run, one more in the way of good fortune than good skill. Kyle Teel walked in the seventh and with two outs Colson Montgomery blooped an opposite-field dribbler against a shift that Statcast gave a 5% chance of being a hit. Teel got waved home and was thrown out easily — except Austin Hedges forgot to catch the ball:

That lousy D help from the Guardians helped make up for an excellent theft of a Tommy Pham homer in the sixth by Angel Martinez that led to a double play, with Vargas getting doubled off of first on a play right in front of him:

Today’s win means the White Sox have not trailed at any point in the postseason, and have not even been tied (beyond 0-0) over 27 innings of play.

The Sox have stolen home-field advantage in the series, with Game 2 not until 4 p.m. Central on Monday due to MLB’s inordinate fear of the NFL. The White Sox are not yet saying who will start, though Sean Burke is expected to do the heavy work.

MVP

Grant Taylor: 4 IP, 2 H, 6 K, SAVE, 34-of-42 strikes, 22% WPA

Runners-Up

Munetaka Murakami: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, two hardest hits of the game, 17% WPA

Anthony Kay: 1 ⅓ IP, BB, K, 10% WPA

Miguel Vargas: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB, terrible baserunning getting doubled off of first, 9% WPA

Cold Cat

Brenton Doyle: 1-for-4, K, GIDP, –10% WPA

Runners-Up
Chase Meidroth: 0-for-4, 2 K, GIDP, -9% WPA

Tommy Pham: 0-for-2, BB, K, LIDP, -8% WPA

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Former NHL defenseman, captain Lyle Odelein dies at 58

Lyle Odelein, the Columbus Blue Jackets' first captain and a rugged Stanley Cup-winning defenseman whose NHL career spanned 16 seasons and eight teams, has died at the age of 58, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The publication said he died on Friday, Oct. 2 of a heart attack.

A native of Saskatchewan, Odelein entered the NHL in 1989 and played the first seven seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. The crease-clearing defenseman won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1992-93.

His best season came the following year when he scored a career-best 11 goals (including a hat trick), 29 assists and 40 points, while also getting his most penalty minutes (276).

Teammate Mathieu Schneider that season called Odelein a synonym for Canadiens-style hockey.

"Montreal Canadiens hockey is safe, sound hockey - not too many chances," Schneider said. "I think Lyle is the poster boy for us."

Defenseman Lyle Odelein was the first captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He also drew praise from then-Canadiens coach Jacques Demers.

"He was known as a fighter. He wanted a chance to play more, and I gave it to him," Demers said.

Odelein also was named to the star-studded Canadian team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and played two games.

He played three-plus seasons with the New Jersey Devils before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes, who left him unprotected in the 2000 expansion draft. The Blue Jackets selected Odelein and named him captain for the team's inaugural season.

The Blue Jackets paid tribute to Odelein on Saturday night with a video presentation and moment of silence.

Odelein played in 1,056 games over 16 seasons with the Canadiens, Devils, Coyotes, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Stars, Panthers and Penguins. He scored 50 goals, notched 202 assists and racked up 2,316 penalty minutes.

Odelein recovered from a health crisis in 2018. He developed a blood infection, was in a medically induced coma for 40 days and needed to have multiple transplants.

NHL teams react to Lyle Odelein's death

Contributing: Kevin Allen, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former NHL defenseman, captain Lyle Odelein dies at 58

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Yankees' decision to leave Aaron Judge off ALDS roster was 'best thing' for team, slugger

The Yankees' decision to not put Aaron Judge on the ALDS roster did not come lightly.

Manager Aaron Boone told the media Saturday, ahead of Game 1 against the Rays, that he met with the team captain after Judge's workout on Friday to talk it through. After what the Yankees skipper called a "good conversation," he mulled over the decision for an hour or so before making the final call.

"He’s made really good progress here over the last couple of weeks. Has worked incredibly hard to be an option and wanted to be on the roster," Boone said of Judge. "Ultimately, I decided keeping him off was the best thing. Again, I feel like he’s getting close. But I feel like for us to get a version of Aaron back, and to win a World Series, this week’s important for him to continue to work towards getting back. 

Boone said Judge just started running and took at-bats for a few days already, but the team believes the reigning AL MVP could use more time to build up the endurance before he becomes a legit option for the ALCS and beyond.

The endurance part of the progression was hit on a few times by Boone. The manager admits that the superstar could likely get through a game, but it's unclear how Judge would bounce back for the next game or the one after. That's especially the case if they want to use him in right field, since Judge himself said it would be better for the team if he could play the field instead of clogging up the DH spot.

That all went into the calculation for Boone and the Yankees when making the decision. They even considered just carrying Judge to take an at-bat off the bench, like how they handled Giancarlo Stanton in the Wild Card Series. But ultimately, making sure Judge was as healthy as possible was the way they went.

"I think he’s ready to take an at-bat. But in the end, I felt like the best chance to get a good version of Aaron is to get a good 5, 6, 7 days of building up his running," Boone said. "Building up his endurance, taking BP every day. Those kind of things. Yeah, we considered it all." 

Of course, Boone knows the team is not guaranteed to make it past the AL East champion Rays -- who won the season series -- but this decision "was the right thing to do" to get the Judge that can help this team win a World Series back.

And despite being without Judge, Boone remains confident the team is good enough to beat anyone when they are playing well, like how they handled the Red Sox in their two-game sweep earlier this week.

"We know if we play well, we can beat anyone," Boone said. "We understand how good the Rays are. We’re playing this game here tonight [in Tampa] because they’ve been the best team in the American League. We have to play well, but we also have a lot of confidence that if we play well, we can win and beat anyone. Hopefully, we can go out there and prove that."

Why Ryan Weathers was added to roster

Aside from Judge being left off the ALDS roster, the Yankees replaced Amed Rosario with LHP Ryan Weathers.

The southpaw starter will be used out of the bullpen, and while Boone didn't say he would use Weathers for more than one inning, he did talk up Weathers' health heading into this series.

"I’m excited to get him back. Going into the Wild Card Series, he had thrown one live and then I had him throw another one the day before the series," Boone said. "Physically, he was ready to be on, but I felt that second live was important."

Boone said Weathers' situation is a little similar to Judge's. While Weathers could have been used in the Wild Card Series, the team would have had to be mindful and protective of the lefty after he was on the IL with a left forearm flexor strain. Now that he got through his second live without an issue, he can be used in a way the Yankees are more comfortable with.

"He’s ready to go now, and to play a real role for us," Boone said.