The Pittsburgh Penguins held a practice inside the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Tuesday after suffering their first loss of the season to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.
The Penguins didn't play well in that game, but they quickly got back on the ice and put it behind them. All expected players were on the ice, and Bryan Rust joined them, getting closer to returning.
Rust has been week-to-week with an injury that he suffered in the Penguins' final pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres. He's been skating with the team in morning skates, but fully participated in Tuesday's practice.
He skated on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen, while also participated in special teams drills.
Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after practice that they still need to have some conversations before Rust can make his season debut.
"Still need to have some conversations, but it was good to have him out there," Muse said.
Here were the forward lines and defensive pairs:
Forwards
Lapierre-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Koivunen-Kindel-Rust
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
Defensive pairs
Carlile-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
van Riemsdyk-Letang
The defensive pairings remain unchanged, but Muse is already trying new combinations, including Hendrix Lapierre on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell.
Lapierre will face his former team, the Washington Capitals, on Wednesday and is excited for the challenge. He also can't wait to face Alex Ovechkin after the latter announced on Monday that this will be his final NHL season.
"Like the rest of the team, it's going to be pretty special," Lapierre said after practice. "I played with him for a couple of years, and it was a pleasure; it was an honor. Really, truly had a great time there and playing with them, and he's a great leader. Again, it's gonna be a little weird tomorrow, but I'm super excited. He's had a heck of a career, as you guys know, and to be able to play against him in his final year is gonna be special, so it should be a really good game."
Wednesday will be the first of four matchups between the Penguins and Capitals this year. The Penguins are 2-1-0 through three games, while the Capitals are 1-1-0 through two games.
Puck drop for Wednesday's game will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
A trio of Mets rookies was honored on Tuesday night after being named to MLB Pipeline's 2026 All-Rookie Teams.
Right fielder Carson Benge took home First-Team honors while center fielder A.J. Ewing and starting pitcher Nolan McLean were picked for Second-Team after all three had great rookie seasons in New York.
Benge, who had a slash line of .282/.346/.430 (.776 OPS) with a 20/20 season to go along with 22 doubles, finished with a 4.3 WAR in 156 games -- the third-highest among rookie position players.
The 23-year-old is also one of the top contenders for the National League Rookie of the Year award with two of his competitors, Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Sal Stewart and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt, also making First-Team.
After getting promoted to the big leagues in May, Ewing hit the ground running and made an immediate impact with the Mets. He struggled in the middle of the season, but the 21-year-old ended the season on a high note and led the club with 25 steals, a new franchise record for a rookie.
Ewing's biggest contributions of the season possibly came in the outfield, where he manned center field masterfully while occasionally getting reps at the corners as well. He finished with a 3.1 WAR in 120 games.
McLean rounds out the group after a sensational first full campaign in the big leagues. The right-hander burst onto the scene in 2025 when he made eight starts down the stretch of the season during a pennant race and went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA.
Despite New York struggling as much as it did this season, McLean was one of the most consistent players on the team. He made all 31 of his starts and had a 3.16 ERA across a career-high 179.2 innings while striking out 194 batters. He's joined by Milwaukee Brewers starter Logan Henderson on the Second-Team.
Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Collin Sexton and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma also sat out against the Warriors, which was the second night of a back-to-back for the Lakers.
Even though he didn’t play, Lakers guard Luka Doncic still went through a pregame warmup. Getty Images
With a significant chunk of their lineup sidelined, the Lakers started Bronny James, Quentin Grimes, Adou Thiero, Jake LaRavia and Sandro Mamukelashvili against the Warriors.
Bronny James stepped into the starting lineup against the Warriors. William Liang for CA PostLuka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers shakes hands with Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors before their preseason game at Chase Center. Getty Images
The Warriors started Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green.
The Lakers will play the Kings again when they host their division rival at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.
The Warriors were on the first night of a back-to-back, with a matchup against the Trail Blazers scheduled for Wednesday night in Portland.
Like the Lakers, the Warriors were also in the midst of three games in four days after playing the Clippers in Hawaii on Sunday in their first preseason game.
Former Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin made sure his season debut was a memorable one.
Despite being booed repeatedly when he first hit the ice and touched the puck during his opening shift, Larkin quickly turned many of those boos into cheers. He scored in the first period and added an assist in the Red Wings' 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings were playing without forwards J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper, and Mason Appleton, along with unsigned RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson; William Wallinder made his NHL debut on the blue line and skated in 9:07 of ice time.
The Senators struck first as Tim Stutzle beat John Gibson with a quick shot at the 2:44 mark of the first period, only to have Alex DeBrincat respond 32 seconds later with his first goal of the season.
Just after their power-play expired, the Red Wings took their first lead of the season thanks to Larkin, who buried a centering feed from Viktor Arvidsson at 13:14.
Just 2:01 into the second period, Arvidsson scored his second goal in as many games, burying a rebound of Larkin's chance past Senators goalie Samuel Ersson.
Justin Faulk then added a highlight-reel tally minutes later, weaving his way through multiple Ottawa players and beating Ersson up high while falling to the ice.
Not long afterward, Ottawa began making a game of it thanks to a power-play tally from Drake Batherson, which would eventually be followed by a goal from William Eklund midway through the third period.
However, despite pulling Ersson, the Senators weren't able to come up with the equalizer. DeBrincat added his second of the game into the empty net with 50 seconds left in regulation, sealing Detroit's win.
Gibson finished the contest with 21 saves for Detroit, while Ersson made 31 saves.
There were multiple fights that broke out at the end of the second period, as DeBrincat squared off with Shane Pinto, Ben Chiarot against Ridley Greig, and Emmitt Finnie against Jordan Spence.
Chaos breaks out at the end of the second period; Alex DeBrincat fought Shane Pinto, Ben Chiarot fought Ridley Greig, while Emmitt Finnie fought Jordan Spence. Dylan Larkin was involved, though he didn’t drop the gloves. #LGRW#RedWingspic.twitter.com/VVkaNqrW9u
Ironically, despite his fight, Finnie wasn't penalized, meaning that it won't go into the books as his first official bout in the NHL.
The Red Wings are back in action on Friday against the visiting Seattle Kraken at Little Caesars Arena.
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Dave Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations, spoke with Cora about becoming their manager in 2027, but Cora informed Dombrowski he’s taking the season off, according to a high-ranking Phillies executive with direct knowledge of their talks told USA TODAY Sports.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Phillies still have not decided who will manage their team.
Cora, who won a World Series with the Red Sox with Dombrowski in 2018, was offered the Phillies’ job in April before firing Rob Thomson, and he declined it, saying he wanted to spend the rest of the summer with his family.
Now, after being pursued again, he declined, with Cora still owed about $7.25 million from the Red Sox in 2027 as the third and final year of his three-year, $21.75 million contract.
Cora did not immediately respond to a text message from USA TODAY Sports.
MONTREAL (AP) — Taylor Hall scored twice as the Carolina Hurricanes beat Montreal 6-4 in the Canadiens' home opener on Tuesday night.
Sebastian Aho added a goal and two assists, while Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski had a goal and an assist each.
Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net goal and Brandon Bussi stopped 16 shots in the rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference final.
Zachary Bolduc scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for Montreal. Alexandre Texier and Chris Krieder had two assists apiece, while Jakub Dobes made 28 saves.
The Canadiens returned to the Bell Centre for their first regular-season home game since falling to the Hurricanes in the third round. Carolina eliminated Montreal in five games before going on to win the Stanley Cup over the Vegas Golden Knights.
The teams combined for five goals in the opening 13 minutes. Hall opened the scoring 2:25 into the first period, deflecting Jackson Blake’s shot after Slafkovsky turned the puck over in front of his own net.
Bolduc evened the score at 3:23, corralling a rebound and shoveling a backhand into the top corner. Suzuki put Montreal in front 64 seconds later with a snap shot over Bussi’s left shoulder, but Robinson tied it at 9:22 when Jalen Chatfield’s point shot deflected off him and past Dobes.
Bolduc gave the Canadiens a 3-2 lead at 12:54, scoring his second of the night on the power play.
The lead held until Aho, also with the man advantage, slid a shot through Dobes’ pads 3:56 into the second. Jankowski capitalized on Noah Dobson’s giveaway to give Carolina the lead at 13:24, then Hall made it 5-3 at 12:21 in the third.
Slafkovsky jumped on a rebound to pull one back with 3:04 remaining before Svechnikov’s empty-netter.
Ivan Demidov missed the game after the Canadiens announced he would be sidelined two to four weeks with a lower-body injury.
The Rangers emerged victorious in the 2026-27 NHL season's first Battle of New York, beating division rival Islanders, 5-2, behind a hat trick from Alexis Lafreniere and a two-goal outing from right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand. The win marked their fourth straight.
Here are some takeaways...
— The Rangers didn't land a single shot on goal until almost seven minutes into the game, but when they finally did, they made it count. After chasing the puck-wielding sophomore Islanders defender Matthew Schafer into the boards,Lafrenierelost his balance, but not before managing to slide the puck backward as Bjorkstrand calmlyskated into the right dot. Bjorkstrand reacted instantly, scooping up the pass and rifling a shot above Isles goalie Semoyn Varlamov's left shoulder, giving the home team the early lead with his first goal as a Ranger.
— The first period wound down without another score, marking the fifth straight game in which the Rangers have not allowed a first-period goal, but it was far from quiet. The rivals combined for five penalties across the latter 13 minutes of the frame, including matching penalties for fighting drawn by Rangers captain J.T. Miller and Islander Brayden Schenn. In the final two minutes of the game, Islander Simon Holstrom was helped off the ice after taking a puck to the face on a shot from Sean Durzi.
— The Rangers got off to a much faster start in the second, doubling their lead just 25 seconds into the middle period as Lafreniere sent the puck bardown, but the Islanders retaliated soon after, evening the score with two quick tallies of their own.
The Islanders first found the back of the net on their fourth power play of the evening. Captain Bo Horvat caught a cross-ice pass sent by Matias Maccelli through traffic and smoothly shoved it in top shelf. Two minutes later, Schenn sent a pass through traffic to the slot, where 21-year-old Calum Ritchier waited unprotected. Ritchie dragged the puck toward the net, drew Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin out of the net, then slid the puck behind a sprawling Shesterkin's skate to bring the Islanders up to speed.
— The Blueshirts ended the period with a one-goal edge thanks, once again, to Bjorkstrand, who received a cross-ice pass from Gabe Perreault in the waning seconds of a power play and walked it two strides toward the net before letting loose for his second of the night. The outing marks Bjorkstrand's 22nd-career multi-goal game.
— Lafreniere scored the game's only third-period goals, finding the empty net twice in the final two minutes of the contest for his third career hat trick.
— Just three days after making his AHL debut, twenty-year-old center Cole Beaudoin skated in his first NHL contest Tuesday night after the Rangers placed Joseph Veleno, who sustained a lower-body injury in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth, on injured reserve Tuesday afternoon. Beaudoin finished the game without a point but with a plus-1 rating, one block, and three hits. He won an even 50 percent of his faceoffs, tied for third-best on the team with Noah Laba.
The Rangers acquired Beaudoin, along with 27-year-old bluelinerDurziand a 2027 third-round draft pick, in the trade that sent veteran center Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth. He began the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers' AHL affiliate, and quickly found his stride. Across his two games in Hartford, Beaudoin contributed to more than half of the Wolf Pack's eight goals so far this season, recording a team-leading five points (1 goal, four assists) and propelling them to the top of the Atlantic Division (though they're knotted with the Springfield Thunderbirds, who are also 2-0).
— Making his first NHL appearance in 676 days, Varlamovmade 19 stops on 22 shots in the loss.
The 38-year-old missed most of the 2024-25 campaign and all of last year due to two partial knee replacements in November 2024 and 22 months of extensive rehab. Heading into the matchup, Varlamov was 5-1-0 with the Islanders at MSG, posting a .950 save percentage, a 1.55 goals-against average, and four shutouts. He's now 10-4-1 in the arena across his 18 years as an NHL goalie.
— Shesterkin finished the game with an .895 save percentage.
—The rivals next go head-to-head Dec. 20, this time in Isles territory at UBS Arena.
Highlights
Oliver Bjorkstrand opens the scoring! https://t.co/qFCp9Ln1oq
The Rangers get two days off before facing the Washington Capitals on the road Friday at 7 p.m. The Islanders are set to host the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday at 7:30.
TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored with 14 seconds left in overtime and had three assists in regulation and the Toronto Maple Leafs erased a three-goal deficit in a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
William Nylander, No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna — with his first as a professional — John Tavares and Jack Roslovic had the other goals for Toronto, which got 21 saves from Anthony Stolarz.
McKenna also picked up an assist on Tavares’ goal for his first NHL point. Nylander chipped in two assists and Roslovic added one.
Steven Stamkos scored twice for Nashville to move into 17th place on the NHL’s career goals list, while Nils Hoglander also scored twice. Filip Forsberg had two assists and Juuse Saros made 33 stops.
Stamkos opened the scoring at 7:13 of the first period on a power play. Nashville doubled its lead at 9:08 when Hoglander collected a rebound off the end boards and slotted it home before making it 3-0 at 3:03 of the second on another tap-in.
Tavares got Toronto going off the rush at 4:56 of the middle period and Nylander connected on a man advantage at 6:58 to make it 3-2. Stamkos scored his second to restore a two-goal lead at 13:30, but McKenna scored his first NHL goal 61 seconds later.
Roslovic tied things at 8:54 of the third.
Stamkos broke a tie with Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla on the league’s career scoring list with his first-period goal — the 626th of his career — before adding another in the second. Dave Andreychuk is 16th in NHL history with 640 career goals.
Stamkos became the third active player to score 100 game-opening goals in his career. Alex Ovechkin leads with 154 followed by Sidney Crosby at 127.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored his NHL-best fifth goal of the season, and the Utah Mammoth relied on their proficient power play to beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Clayton Keller, MacKenzie Weegar, Lawson Crouse and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Mammoth, and Mikhail Sergachev had three assists to surpass 300 for his career before leaving the game when he took a puck to the back of the helmet late in the second period.
Utah went 2 for 4 on the power play and has scored on 8 of 13 opportunities this season with the man advantage, including Keller's goal in the first period and Schmaltz's go-ahead tally midway through the second that made it 3-2.
Luke Evangelista scored twice for New Jersey and Jesper Boqvist had the other goal.
The Mammoth beat the Devils for the first time, having gone 0-4 in the franchise's previous two seasons.
Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for Utah, and New Jersey's Jake Allen made 26 saves.
Sergachev reached 300 assists with his second of the game, on Weegar's goal early in the second period. The 28-year-old Russian defenseman reached the milestone in his 634th NHL game.
He also assisted on Schmaltz's goal for his seventh career four-assist game and fourth in his last 32 contests.
Schmaltz had two assists, the second on Trocheck's goal that made it 5-3 with 3:08 remaining.
New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left with an injury early in the third period.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, that wasn’t ideal!
The home field advantage that the Atlanta Braves snatched away from the Los Angeles Dodgers has slipped right out of Atlanta’s fingers thanks to a brilliant Yoshinobu Yamamoto and more power hitting from the Dodgers. They still haven’t scored with anything but homers and unfortunately Chris Sale was the latest victim of LA’s obsession with the long ball.
“They did a nice job of really grinding the at-bats and passing the baton,” conceded manager Walt Weiss when he was asked about the Dodgers’ approach against Sale in the postgame press conference. “[Sale] had to work hard. He had to work hard to get the outs that he got. He looked like Chris Sale to me [but] they did a nice job.”
Weiss also stated that he felt like Sale’s stuff was still good but the command may not have been there in his eyes. Either way, there’s no way around it: The Dodgers were better on this particular night and they did a solid job of bouncing back from Sale’s dominant outing when this team came to visit back in August.
With that being said, I’d imagine that the thing that’s on every Braves fan’s mind right now is that this lineup has got to start hitting consistently — and soon. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the rest of LA’s pitching staff is as imposing as it gets and it’s a much easier said-than-done task on Atlanta’s hands, it’s still the Postseason and the Braves are here for a reason — they’ve got to find a way to make something happen against this pitching staff.
That goes doubly for the stars like Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr., who have stayed largely dormant during this series so far. It was another quiet night for Acuña in particular, who has been picking up hits and getting on base but not at the rate or level that you’d expect out of a superstar-caliber player. Acuña had another chance to make something happen in a big moment in Game 3 when the fifth inning rolled around and he had a chance with two men in scoring position and two outs.
It could’ve been a special moment had Acuña come through and either tied the game with a knock or even electrified the stadium with a dinger. Instead, Acuña grounded out again and the moment went by the wayside. That ended up being Atlanta’s best chance of the night and the face of the franchise came up short again.
While it’s not just Acuña who has been underwhelming at the plate so far during this Postseason, it’s on him as the star of this ballclub to step up in the situations where the stars need to shine. While Acuña might have been dealing with a sore knee, it’s not an excuse — Weiss stated in the pregame that he hasn’t seen Acuña suffer any ill effects from the lower leg contusion that he sustained in the final week of the regular season and also Acuña’s knee was still in good enough position for him to play tonight.
If he’s not pressing at the plate (which Weiss insisted both during the pregame press conference and the postgame presser as well) then something’s got to change. If I knew what needed to change, I’d be getting paid a lot of money working in baseball instead of writing about it so it’s on Acuña and the coaching staff to figure it out. With their backs in the wall, the Braves are going to need everybody to contribute and hopefully the face of the franchise can finally lift his game for the Postseason before it’s too late.
It’ll also be on Tyler Mahle to make something happen on the mound for the Braves in Game 4. In the pregame presser before Game 3, Mahle at least expressed confidence that he’ll be up for the challenge for his start with Atlanta’s backs facing the wall. “…All you can do out there is make pitches. I’m not trying to trick them. [The Dodgers] know. They’ve seen me,” said Mahle when he was asked about approaching the Dodgers lineup in Game 4. “I’m sure they’re going to watch film, whatever. So it’s making pitches at the right times and that’s all you can hope to do.”
With that being said, the Dodgers also appear to be ready for the challenge of getting it right against Mahle with a trip to the NLCS in sight. Freddie Freeman spoke with the media following Game 3 and he talked about how the Dodgers plan to deal with Mahle on Wednesday evening. “If you’re chasing splitters down below, you’re going to be in trouble,” explained Freeman when he was asked about dealing with Mahle. “Just like we did with Sale, you gotta get him in the zone, get him off the bottom and hopefully he makes mistakes and you’re on time for them.”
“I wish baseball was so much more of ‘This is what we’re gonna do’ but sometimes we strip it down and it’s not that complicated. If we can just get him up off the bottom of the zone, hopefully we can have some great success tomorrow. We’ve gotta treat every game like an elimination game.”
All the way back in April, Mahle threw seven shutout innings against the Dodgers as a member of the Giants. A repeat performance will be sorely needed for the Braves and a star-making performance from any of the stars in this lineup would also be greatly appreciated as well.
The moment is there for Atlanta, they’ve just got to rise up to it and make something happen. We’ll see how it goes as the Braves play with the season on the line on Wednesday night in Cobb County.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors were celebrating Don Nelson with “Nellie Night” when they hosted the Lakers on Tuesday at Chase Center.
And Warriors coach Steve Kerr had the perfect way to honor the late Hall of Fame coach.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr honored late franchise legend Don Nelson with a pregame beer. Khobi Price
Kerr cracked open a can of Bud Light and took a sip of the beer before answering questions from reporters during his pregame media availability – a nod to Nelson bringing a can of Bud Light to his postgame media availability during the Warriors’ 2007 playoff run more than once.
Nelson’s postgame beer in the interview room didn’t last long after the eighth-seeded Warriors, who adopted the “We Believe” moniker, upset the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
The NBA stepped in and told the Warriors that Nelson couldn’t bring beer in the postgame interview room.
Don Nelson coached the Warriors twice. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The league doesn’t have to worry about Kerr making it a habit.
“Definitley not,” the Warriors coach responded when asked whether he was going to fish the beer. “I got a game to coach.”
Former Warriors players, including Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes and Chris Mullin, and members of Nelson’s family were in attendance for Tuesday’s game.
Don Nelson’s 1,335 wins as head coach are the second-most in NBA history. Getty Images
Fans received a commemorative “Nellie” pin upon entry, in addition to souvenir “Nellie Night” beer koozies being sold.
The Warriors are wearing a “Nellie” band on the team’s uniforms throughout the 2026-27 season.
Nelson, who was the Warriors head coach for 11 seasons across two stints (1988-95 and 2006-10), died on Aug. 9 at the age of 86.
DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored in his first game since asking for a trade, helping the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Larkin was initially booed by the home crowd when he touched the puck on his first shift. The boos turned to cheers when he scored in the 13th minute, giving Detroit a lead it never relinquished. He also set up a goal early in the second.
Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Justin Faulk and Viktor Arvidsson added goals for Detroit. John Gibson made 22 saves.
Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored for the Senators, who had won their first two games. Samuel Ersson had 31 saves.
DeBrincat opened his scoring in the first with a wrist shot 3:16 into the period, assisted by Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur. He added a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds remaining in the third. DeBrincat also had an assist.
Larkin remains in limbo several months after his trade request became public. He was stripped of the captaincy, reported to training camp despite being injured, missed the start of the season because of injury and received a frosty reaction from home fans during introductions prior to their first game last week.
Ersson started for Ottawa after entering in relief of injured No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark for the third period Monday night in Boston. Ullmark did not dress, and the Senators called up Jonas Johansson from Belleville of the American Hockey League to back up.
Ridly Greig made his season debut for Ottawa and finished with an assist. Greig served a two-game suspension at the start of the season that he received for roughing during the Senators’ final playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Greig was banned for sucker punching Carolina defenseman Sean Walker in the second period of Ottawa’s 4-2 loss on April 25.
Let him press his golden right hand into wet cement on Hollywood Boulevard.
What’s the wait?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is only in his third season with the Dodgers, and the 28-year-old Japanese right-hander is already one of the greatest postseason pitchers in franchise history.
He produced his latest October masterpiece on Tuesday night in a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park that shifted the balance of their National League Division Series back in the Dodgers’ favor.
Yamamoto was dealing, and the Dodgers now have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday after taking a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five series.
“Wow,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
How else could he describe the seven innings over which Yamamoto limited the Braves to one run and four hits?
The 10-strikeout performance further solidified the Dodgers’ belief in Yamamoto, who was the World Series MVP last year.
“He’s becoming one of the best pitchers on this stage,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “Obviously, he hasn’t won a Cy Young here or been the best pitcher in the league, but we feel like very time he takes the mound, he’s the best pitcher for us.”
Yamamoto was pushed by the memory of the last time he pitched in this stadium against Sale. In that late August start, Yamamoto limited the Braves to a run in 6 ⅓ innings. Sale pitched a complete-game shutout, and the Braves won, 1-0.
“The last time I was here, I gave up the go-ahead run and we lost because he was able to hold us,” Yamamoto said in Japanese. “I was extremely mindful about the first run.”
While the Dodgers’ lineup made Sale work by extending at-bats, Yamamoto cruised through the first three innings. The only hit Yamamoto gave up over that span was a bunt single by Michael Harris II in the second inning.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch during the first inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Braves in Game 3 of their NLDS series on Oct. 6, 2026 in Atlanta. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Maurico Dubón stole a home run from Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman by reaching over the left-field fence in the top of the third inning, but the Braves couldn’t turn that moment of jubilation into sustained momentum. Yamamoto wouldn’t allow it, retiring the Braves in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Finally, in the fourth inning, Sale broke. He gave up a two-run home run to Kiké Hernández, then a solo shot to Freeman. The Dodgers were up, 3-0.
Yamamoto’s first and only encounter with trouble came in the fifth inning. Yamamoto started the inning by giving up back-to-back singles to Dubón and Lane Thomas. With one out, he walked pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez to load the bases. A groundout by Drake Baldwn pushed in a run.
Up next was Ronald Acuña, the former NL MVP.
The showdown was representative of Yamamoto’s mindset. Yamamoto was determined to take on Acuña, or anyone else for that matter, on his terms. Even after falling behind in the count, 3-1, Yamamoto refused to throw a strike for the sake of throwing a strike. He still had a two-run lead. If he walked Acuña and forced in a run, he could preserve his team’s advantage by retiring the next batter.
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto added to his playoff lore with his one-run over seven-inning gem in their Game 3 win over the Braves. AP
Yamamoto threw a splitter that just nicked the bottom of the strike zone, Acuña grounded out to second base, and the Dodgers maintained their 3-1 lead.
Limiting damage, Yamamoto said, was prioritized over efficiency.
“As long as I didn’t give up runs, I didn’t mind if I ran up my pitch count,” Yamamoto said. “I was going to throw the ball in places in which it would be difficult to hit.”
Turned out he didn’t have to make that sacrifice.
Yamamoto completed seven innings in 98 pitches, which spared Roberts the torture of using any relievers other than Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, how held the Braves to just one run over seven innings, stands on the mound during the Dodgers’ Game 3 win over the Braves. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tarik Skubal, who pitched six shutout innings in a Game 1 victory, was already an admirer of Yamamoto before the Dodgers acquired him from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline. Sharing a locker room with Yamamoto over the last couple of months further intensified his respect for him.
“Nobody’s more deserving to go out there and perform and have success,” Skubal said. “He does everything the right way. He works his [butt] off. He’s relentless.”
Skubal marveled at Yamamoto’s distinctive training regimen.
“I’m never going to be doing what he’s doing,” Skubal said. “I’m not throwing javelins. The way he prepares is insane. He’s doing headstands. I’m not doing that. I weigh a little bit more than he does.”
Skubal chuckled.
Skubal is listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, and Yamamoto 5-foot-10, 176 pounds.
But the more Skubal spoke about Yamamoto, the more it became clear he viewed Yamamoto as a figurative giant.
“You want a guy on the mound in any situation,” Skubal said, “it’s probably him.”
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets looks on in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets during their preseason game at Spectrum Center on October 06, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets visited the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night to open preseason play. Mikel Brown Jr. did not play, still rehabbing his ankle injury, nor did Joshua Jefferson and his stiff lower back. All other regulars did, though, with Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day’Ron Sharpe the starting lineup. The Charlotte Hornets were without many of their projected regulars, including but not limited to Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Brandon Miller.
Brooklyn won the ballgame convincingly, final score 124-90, not that we should read too much into that. Day’Ron Sharpe was the only Nets starter who played in the second half. Still, the boys in black-and-white looked good, which, for a team that’s won 46 games over Jordi Fernández’s first two seasons, is always nice to see. They shot 55% from three through three quarters, blowing it open by the fourth quarter. That was a pleasant change-of-pace too, hopefully a harbinger of what’s to come this season.
Here are my takeaways from Tuesday night’s reintroduction to Brooklyn Nets basketball, which I jotted down in chronological order, skewing more heavily toward the starters’ minutes, naturally.
6:22, 1Q — Brooklyn Nets 20, Charlotte Hornets 12
Not surprised that Keon Ellis got the start. Michael Porter Jr. singled out Ellis as playing well in camp, plus there’s the pre-existing trust with Jordi Fernández. But starting Ellis, who doesn’t offer much advantage creation as a ball-handler, does indicate increased confidence in the playmakers around him, specifically Dëmin’s (potential) growth and the arrival of Julius Randle.
They’ve switched nearly every ball-screen so far. There’s been a trap or two. Charlotte has already made them pay with a couple offensive rebounds; still, switching would seem to be a natural tactic for Brooklyn, boasting length across positions, though without great rim protection or point-of-attack defense.
Day’Ron will be shooting threes this season. Fernández (who called a clear-out post-up for Randle on the first possession of the game) has to let Randle operate in the middle of the floor, at least a little. Sharpe set a screen, didn’t get it on the roll, then spaced out to the corner and cashed a three. Good sign.
3:34, 1Q — Brooklyn Nets 25, Charlotte Hornets 25
Moe Wagner just got dusted by Sion James on a drive, though playing drop coverage. He switched on a couple possessions, played a little drop. Largely the same offensive positioning as Day’Ron Sharpe. We’ll see how good he is, but a stylistic facsimile for Sharpe.
Chaney Johnson sixth man minutes? Somebody must be having a strong camp. (Not as a center, worth noting.)
12:00, 2Q — Brooklyn Nets 33, Charlotte Hornets 31
Ben Saraf — ahead of Nolan Traore in the rotation tonight — just stepped behind a ball-screen (after his defender went under) and hit a 3-pointer. Pleasant sight.
They’ve having some trouble defending guard-to-guard actions. Ghost screens, slips, etc.
7:59, 2Q — Brooklyn Nets 40, Charlotte Hornets 36
Nets are gonna play faster this season, that much is clear. Julius Randle is empowered to grab the ball and go, Day’Ron has set some early ball-screens for him in semi-transition. I imagine most teams just switch that sorta thing. But there will be plenty of two-man actions with Brooklyn’s lead ball-handler and starting center, like every other team in the league. Can Randle create advantages for others out of it? Big storyline for their offense, I’d imagine.
Randle defending Naz Reid with an oomph greater than average 13-year-veteran-playing-preseason intensity. Hmm.
4:44, 2Q —Brooklyn Nets 51, Charlotte Hornets 44
Julius Randle is a more trustworthy transition ball-handler than the Nets have had in some time. This reflects poorly on the last couple years of Nets basketball, though again, Randle’s reputation around the league is a bit harsher than it probably should be.
MPJ can still shoot, no worries there.
Funny that Egor Dëmin has passed up a couple take catch-and-shoot threes, preferring to drive the lane with his newfound muscle and confidence. Almost dunked on Ryan Kalkbrenner, then a highlight assist. Worth noting that Day’Ron Sharpe cuts into the dunker spot on this second play, rather than remaining in the corner…
Julius Randle is playing Julius Randle basketball, that’s for sure. Some early PnR as mentioned, willingness to fire catch-and-shoot threes, but he’s posting up mismatches and working on the empty side of the floor as he pleases.
Starters seemingly done for the second half, though not Day’Ron Sharpe. Something, nothing? Probably nothing.
Michael Porter Jr. dove on the floor near the end of the first half, but more importantly, he helped Brooklyn secure some big-time defensive rebounds by boxing out a Charlotte big. I trust MPJ-Randle-Sharpe to be a strong rebounding front court, even if they’re playing aggressive coverages. Porter Jr. did his part tonight, even in a meaningless game.
6:58, 3Q — Brooklyn Nets 67, Charlotte Hornets 57
Saraf’s driving style and Day’Ron Sharpe’s ability to Gortat screen are a natural pairing. They’ve had a couple nice two-man actions to start this third quarter, though Saraf has also mixed in some rough moments.
This lineup (Mann/Saraf/Clowney/Johnson/Sharpe) doesn’t have a single average 3-point shooter, but it’s the sort of athletic, potentially tough lineup that the Nets might occasionally deploy this season, particularly with a couple injuries.
Chaney Johnson, three dunks before the first timeout this quarter. An offensive rebound, a cut, a transition opportunity. Maybe it’s just what he does, though the preseason a mere half-step down from tanking spring basketball.
Unimpressed by these Noah Clowney minutes. Not that this is a particularly meaningful sample.
12:00, 4Q — Brooklyn Nets 92, Charlotte Hornets 73
Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Josh Minott each checked in during the third quarter and hit his first 3-point attempt. The Nets enter the fourth 16-of-29 from deep, a hair better than what they’re shooting inside the arc. But hey, Charlotte is 15-of-31 from deep, so this 19-point lead isn’t all shooting luck.
END OF GAME
Drake Powell has gotten to two feet and tired to explode through a Charlotte rim protector twice, after hitting the aforementioned 3-pointer. He got swallowed up and missed a feeble attempt on the first drive, but finished a smooth lefty finger roll the second time.
Let’s draw rash conclusions — I don’t think Powell will be in the rotation to star the season. Same for Josh Minott, and potentially Danny Wolf. Still time for things to change, though.
Nolan Traore looks bigger, but no slower. He’s zapped to the rim a few times in this fourth quarter, albeit against a bleak Charlotte lineup.
Jordi Fernández will be thrilled by Brooklyn’s 12 steals (and how about those 25 transition points), less so by their five offensive rebounds. But the Nets will be launching, running, and rebounding this season. At least, that’s the plan, and it was clear to see even on day one.
Shoutout Eric Collins: “I have never seen Danny Wolf and [ex-Hornet] Jeremy Lamb in the same room together, thankfully. Scary situation for Jeremy Lamb.”
Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 points, Randle added 13, while Traore had ten off the bench. Those were the only double-digit scorers for Brooklyn, who saw every player hit a shot, outside of Dain Danja and Ben Humrichous, who only played the last couple minutes. Liam McNeely scored 14 points — all in the third — to lead Charlotte, while trade acquisition Naz Reid scored 13.
Next Up
<p>Mitchell Leff/Getty Images</p><br>
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