The Cubs are known as an elite defensive unit and today, Rawlings announced the “finalists” for their Gold Glove Awards for this year.
In reality, these aren’t actually “finalists,” which is why that’s in quotes — there isn’t another election. The players named today are simply the top three vote-getters at every position in the voting that was conducted before the end of the regular season.
Five Cubs are listed as finalists: Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field (one previous Gold Glove), Alex Bregman at third base (one previous Gold Glove), Dansby Swanson at shortstop (two previous Gold Gloves), Ian Happ for left field (four previous Gold Gloves) and Seiya Suzuki for right field (this would be his first, though he won five Golden Gloves in Japan, the NPB equivalent).
It’s a bit of a surprise, but not that much, that former Gold Glove winner Nico Hoerner didn’t make it. Hoerner wound up playing at shortstop in Dansby Swanson’s place this year, and while Nico was still an elite fielder, his defensive numbers were down a bit.
Congratulations to all the Cubs named today and I believe there should be several winners here, likely PCA and Happ for sure, and hopefully the other three.
The 2026 Gold Glove winners will be announced in an ESPN broadcast at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, Nov. 1. Platinum Glove voting will begin immediately after the broadcast on Rawlings.com.
Jim Crane clearly wanted an organization reset in Houston.
The Astros are not renewing manager Joe Espada’s expiring contract, the team announced Wednesday, moving on from the third-year skipper months after dumping general manager Dana Brown.
Houston also announced that five additional coaches will also not be returning for 2027, while bench coach Omar Lopez has been offered a new role within the organization.
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (21) looks on in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“We are thankful for Joe’s hard work, his passion for the game, and for his commitment to the Houston Astros,” Crane, the owner, said in a statement posted to MLB.com. “He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward.”
The Astros are going through a down period following their seven straight ALCS trips from 2017-23 that resulted in two World Series, having failed to win a playoff series during Espada’s three years.
After serving as the team’s bench coach from 2018-23, the former Yankees assistant took over a team that lost in the Game 7 of the 2023 ALCS and oversaw a wild-card sweep in 2024 by the Tigers, a 2025 campaign without a postseason berth and another wild-card sweep this year by the Guardians.
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane speaks during a news conference before the start of the first official spring training baseball practice for the team Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Fla. AP
Espada went 256-229 in the regular season and 0-4 in the postseason as the team’s manager, winning a pair of AL West crowns.
This year’s team won the division with an 81-81 record, the worst record for an MLB playoff team in a 162-game season, and that inconsistency cost Brown his job in late August.
There had been rumors of disputing views on a trade involving reliever Bryan Abreu that Crane ultimately nixed.
After the split, which came during the last year of Brown’s contract, the team said in a release at the time that Crane would oversee baseball operations during the “transition period.”
In its announcement Wednesday, the Astros also stated that five coaches will be retained for 2027, including the pitching and hitting coaches.
While Houston has enjoyed grand success over the last 10 years, consistently allowing premium talent like Gerrit Cole, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, to exit has left the roster exposed.
On this day 104 years ago, Ray Schalk’s squeeze bunt led to a walk-off win for the White Sox that kept them alive in the City Series. | (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
1906 The White Sox beat the Cubs, winning the World Series four games to two, behind the pitching of Doc White. The South Siders clinched the title by winning the sixth game, 8-3. The White Sox wasted no time in putting this one out of reach, jumping out to a 7-1 lead after two innings against Cubs ace Mordecai Brown, who was knocked from the box with two outs in the second inning. Jiggs Donohue provided the most potent blow, driving in two runs with a ground-rule double in the bottom of the first, putting the White Sox up for good, 3-1.
The win remains one of the biggest upsets in World Series history. Ironically, the light-hitting White Sox ended up putting up 37 hits in the Series, to the 116-36-3 Cubs’ 36. The “Hitless Wonders” White Sox had a team batting average of only .230 for the season and hit even worse (.198) in the series. But they collected 10 doubles and three triples in the six games — and held the powerful Cubs to a series batting average of only .196.
Best of all, a crowd of 19,249 at South Side Park got to witness the only home win of the entire World Series.
Ed Walsh won two games for the Sox during the Series, with infielder George Rohe batting .333, leading the team with an OPS of better than 1.000, and playing in all six games. Rohe also contributed the key moment of the Series, clearing the bases with a two-out triple to give the White Sox a lead in Game 3 and contributing a Series-high 276.51 championship leverage (cLI) score to the cause.
Based on championship win probability (cWPA), the MVP of the Series would have gone to Nick Altrock, who won Game 1 and lost a heartbreaker in Game 4, with 26.33% cWPA. Others in the running would have included Donohue (18.39%), Rohe (13.55%) and George Davis (17.72%).
Leadoff hitter Ed Hahn smacked four singles in five at-bats, just the second White Sox player to have four hits in one postseason game — answering Frank Isbell’s effort all the way back in … Game 5 of the Series! Only two White Sox have matched that feat since.
Reflective of the time, both the White Sox and Cubs used just four pitchers apiece to span all 54 innings of the Series.
After the win, owner Charles Comiskey handed a $15,000 check to manager Fielder Jones, to be split among the players. The players viewed the check as a bonus for their championship effort. Comiskey, though, considered it as part of their 1907 salary! To put that bonus/advance in perspective, the loser’s share for the Cubs ($439.50) remains the lowest in World Series history.
The 1906 Fall Classic remains the only time in 120 years that the White Sox and Cubs have ever met in the postseason. It also remains the only playoff series the White Sox have ever clinched at home.
1911 Matty McIntyre doubled to tie Game 2 of the City Series, 7-7, in the top of the eighth at Wrigley Field. Later in the frame, McIntyre would score the eventual winning run. The clutch hit was capped quite a season for McIntyre; the White Sox had purchased the veteran left fielder from Detroit before the season, and the 31-year-old delivered in a big way, with 17 steals, 52 RBIs, a .323/.397/.401 slash and 4.2 WAR.
The 8-7 win gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead in the Series, which they would sweep two games later.
That sweep would mark the first-ever City Series win for the White Sox (not counting the World Series win in 1906), making the South Siders’ all-time Series record 1-2-1 at that point. It also was the first of many City Series upsets to come for the White Sox, who came into the clash with the Cubs with 15 fewer wins in the 1911 season.
1922 In front of 14,677 fans, Ray Schalk’s squeeze bunt with one out in the ninth inning scored Earl Sheely for a 1-0, walk-off win at Comiskey Park.
Red Faber was the pitching hero, twirling a three-hitter. However, the Cubs finished off the White Sox the next day, taking the 1922 City Series.
2005 Jon Garland threw the second straight White Sox complete game in the ALCS, going the distance for a 5-2 win that ended up decided with one out in the first. Scott Podsednik singled to lead off, was sacrificed to second by Tadahito Iguchi, scored on a Jermaine Dye double — and the White Sox finished the initial flurry with eventual ALCS MVP Paul Konerko clocking a home run to left-center. Konerko would go 3-for-4 in the game, and those top four batters in the order 8-for-15.
Garland scattered four hits and a walk, striking out seven.
The win gave Chicago a 2-1 advantage in the ALCS, two wins from a pennant.
Jarvis Gomez was hot at the plate all summer in the Dominican Summer League, but right now he’s very cold.
In his defense, the San Isidro native is on US soil for the first time, and while it’s currently 90 degrees and rainy in Boca Chica, where the Mariners Dominican complex is located, it’s a bit more brisk on a late September afternoon in Seattle. Perhaps no one warned the 17-year-old that he might want to bring a jacket.
Gomez was in Seattle last month to accept the award for Mariners MiLB Hitter of the Year, an award he shared with slugger Lazaro Montes, who won the award for the third straight year.
But while Montes has been a prospect sensation since signing out of Cuba in 2022 for a hefty $2.2M bonus, Jarvis (yar-VEES) Gomez isn’t a name even deep-cut prospect aficionados might know.
The 5’11” outfielder signed for a modest $100K, one of the lesser-known names in a draft class where most of the attention was filtered towards outfielder Juan Rijo and infielder Gregory Pio, who signed for a combined $5M, representing about 70% of the Mariners’ total bonus pool in the 2026 signing period. Both Rijo and Pio had solid debut seasons – Pio showcased excellent plate discipline for a 17-year-old, walking more than he struck out, and Rijo hit .310 with 20 extra-base hits. Both were overshadowed, however, by Gomez, who also walked more than he struck out, but hit as many home runs as the other two combined, with six, posting a slash line one might more expect out of a big-bonus signee. His OPS of 1.013 ranked 16th out of over 300 players in the DSL, and he added 17 stolen bases on to that output.
Standing on the big-league field at T-Mobile Park, Gomez didn’t look overwhelmed by the moment, craning his neck around to hopefully catch a glimpse of his favorite player, Julio Rodríguez, and taking in the blue skies – and crisp air – of a picture-perfect fall day in Seattle.
“It’s a dream I had since I was little to be here,” he said. “[Seattle] is a beautiful place with very nice people, everybody’s been very welcoming.”
Gomez will leave the Dominican Republic behind again later this month and make his second trip stateside, heading to the Mariners’ High Performance Camp in Arizona. He says he’s excited to take the next stride in his career, and maybe just a little bit nervous.
“It’s a very big step and a big change,” he said, but says he’s excited for the “more organized” structure of the stateside complex.
But Gomez won’t be making the journey alone; he’ll travel with many of his teammates from the Mariners DSL team, which finished at the top of their division with a 33-23 record, earning a spot in the playoffs. He doesn’t see his trip to the HPC as something he’ll be doing just as part of his personal journey, but rather as a step he’s taking with his teammates from the complex league.
“It was a group effort, a lot of work all between us to achieve what we did.”
Gomez was a steady contributor to one of the better DSL teams the Mariners have put forth in recent years, contributing both at the plate and in the field. His goal at HPC is to focus on strength and conditioning, continuing the work he started in the DSL and adding muscle. Gomez has a level swing that can result in him putting the ball on the ground too often, so it would be nice to see him add in some loft without sacrificing his excellent plate discipline.
Gomez describes himself as an “electrifying” player who doesn’t fear rising to the moment.
“When it’s zero hour, I’m out there and able to show what I can do.”
It’s always a challenge to learn about the prospects in the DSL with the lack of video (other than what the players themselves post), and especially when that player is one who hasn’t been given as much scouting attention as some other players. What does Gomez want Mariners fans to know about him?
“I want them to know that I always give my maximum effort. I always like to support my teammates in difficult moments, and I’m very happy to be playing for the Seattle Mariners.”
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — José Ramírez’s mental mistake and fielding error cost Cleveland in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, a day after his bat helped boost the Guardians to an opening win.
He left third base uncovered on Chandler Simpson’s fourth-inning infield chopper, then misplayed Ben Williamson’s grounder for an error that led to three unearned runs as the Tampa Bay Rays evened the best-of-seven series with a 3-1 win.
“It’s a little bit faster here with the surface and I was playing parallel to the base,” Ramírez said through a translator. “The ball bounced right on the edge between the dirt and the turf, and that’s what made it a little more difficult for me. I tried to knock it down.”
“It’s frustrating. I feel bad because I wasn’t able to make that play and after that the runs came in. I feel bad about that,” he added.
A seven-time All-Star who has finished among the top five in MVP voting six times, Ramírez had three hits and scored twice in Cleveland’s 7-3 win in the opener.
Game 2 was 0-0 with Victor Mesa Jr. on first and two outs in the fourth when Simpson beat out a high chopper to shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
Ramírez, shifted toward second base on the left-handed hitter, took a few steps toward Simpson and watched the shortstop throw to first. Seeing third base uncovered, Mesa rounded second and sped to third standing up as Ramírez tried in vain to catch up.
Four pitches later, Williamson hit a two-hopper that struck the edge of where the artificial turf meets the dirt near third. The ball skipped between Ramírez’s legs into left, allowing Mesa to score.
“José kind of got stuck. It looked like he just didn’t move his feet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Just kind of looked like he sat back a little bit with his feet set instead of moving his feet. So tough break right there and obviously they capitalized.”
Liam Hicks pulled Parker Messier’s next pitch, a slider, into right-center for a two-run single and a 3-0 lead.
“They’ve done that all year. When they smell blood, they take it and run,” Vogt said. “We had some sloppy plays in the field that we need to clean up.”
Ramírez homered in Games 4 and 5 of the Division Series as Cleveland overcome an 0-2 series deficit, the first Cleveland player to homer in consecutive postseason games since Francisco Lindor in 2018.
MILWAUKEE — William Contreras’ trots around the bases after his homers are as much of a spectacle as the blasts themselves.
The Brewers catcher hit his third homer of the postseason, a majestic, 436-foot shot that tied the score in the fifth inning of Milwaukee’s 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series.
The three-time All-Star took his time rounding the bases, just as he did each time he went deep in the NL Division Series. MLB posted a video of Contreras rounding the bases, and it appeared to take him roughly 35 seconds.
“More than anything, I try to enjoy the moment,” Contreras said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert. “I think doing it, it’s most importantly for my teammates. For them to feel the energy, feel the vibes, and for us to feel that together. The celebrations are for them. It’s for the teammates and to keep us going.”
Contreras keeps giving the Brewers reasons to celebrate.
Homer wasn’t Contreras’ only big hit in Game 2
Conteras went 3 for 4 with three RBIs as the Brewers took 2-0 series lead. He has gone 9 for 23 with four walks this postseason, good for a .481 on-base percentage and a 1.264 OPS.
“He wants to compete every single day, every moment,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “(He) does a great job handling the pitching staff. He’s the fire of our team, just likes the moments, likes the big moments. We’ve got all the confidence in the world in him when he’s out there, whether that’s behind the plate or at the plate.”
That fire was evident from the way Contreras came through in the sixth inning.
Contreras singled home a run against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the first inning and homered in the fifth off Kris Bubic to tie the game at 4-all. The Brewers had a runner on third with one out in the sixth when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts intentionally walked Brice Turang to set up a possible double play.
That brought up Contreras, who hit an RBI single off Brock Stewart.
“I took it as motivation,” Contreras said. “That was a decision that their manager took, and then I just tried not to get too big or do anything too much. I wanted to put the ball in play. I knew it was a big run there.”
Contreras’ competitive fire drives the Brewers
Contreras has been providing that kind of spark since the Brewers acquired him from Atlanta in 2022. The Venezuela native — whose older brother, Willson, is a slugging first baseman for the Boston Red Sox — won a World Series with the Braves the prior season.
He posted an OPS over .800 each of his first two seasons in Milwaukee and finished fifth in the NL MVP balloting in 2024. Contreras also set an example with his work ethic.
Manager Pat Murphy recalled how Contreras wanted to catch every game.
“(He) was ticked if I ever DH’d him,” Murphy said. “He just wanted to be in there. This kid wants it. He doesn’t believe in days off. He doesn’t believe in being injured. He played one year with a broken hand. And he wants to excel. It’s not enough for him to make the All-Star team. He wants to excel. He wants it all. He’s driven to a point where sometimes you have to intervene.”
Contreras’ zest for the game is evident from his home run celebrations.
After hitting his drive over the center-field wall, Contreras laid his bat down and faced the Brewers dugout as he walked to first base. He paused after rounding second base and gestured as he faced the outfield and wall. He stopped to slap hands with third base coach Matt Erickson and lifted his arms skyward while looking up before heading home.
Contreras says he loves playing in Milwaukee in part because the Brewers appreciate the way he plays.
“I think it’s the confidence that Milwaukee instilled in me from day one whenever they acquired me,” Contreras said. “I think going out there and letting me play the game that I do and letting me play the way that I do. I think the only thing I really have to say is just very appreciative to the organization for what they’ve been able to do. I think I’ve been able to have the best years of my career here.”
Contreras loves soaking in big moments with his teammates and fans. He’s hoping they’ll be exulting in the Brewers’ first World Series title a few weeks from now.
That celebration undoubtedly would last quite a bit longer than his trips around the bases.
DENVER - SEPTEMBER 27: Starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa #29 of the Colorado Rockies delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field on September 27, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. De La Rosa earned the win as the Rockies defeated the Cardinals 4-3. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies have to figure out how to pitch at Coors Field.
Since the team’s inception in 1993, moving to Coors Field in 1995, installing a humidor in 2002, and throwing just about everything they can at the wall, a pitching formula for success in Colorado has eluded them.
Looking back to the past and relying on the wisdom and examples of players is always a valuable resource in baseball. The issue with past Rockies front offices was that instead of learning from examples, they simply tried to replicate them, hence the years of pitching to contact and throwing sinkers like Aaron Cook. Today, let’s look back on a few examples of successful starting pitchers at Coors Field.
For the sake of this article, these are all pitchers with at least 90 innings thrown at Coors Field in a Rockies uniform.
Ubaldo Jiménez
The best place to start is by looking at the best Rockies starter in franchise history.
In 65 starts at Coors Field as a Rockie, Ubaldo Jiménez posted a sparkling 3.68 ERA, which is the lowest among starters in team history (min. 90 innings). That mark isn’t just a consequence of spectacular defense behind him, either, as his 3.82 FIP also ranks as the best in team history at home.
Jiménez was an electric arm that could easily overpower opposing hitters. While he was a little more wild at times with a 9.5% walk rate, he complemented that with a nearly 20% strikeout rate at home. The fastball was certainly his calling card — dialing up to 100 mph — but his slider regularly generated a whiff rate over 30% during his time with Colorado, while the curveball, changeup, and splitter contributed their fair share of swings and misses.
Jiménez was more than just a power pitcher trying to rack up strikeouts. His arsenal allowed him to limit opponents to a .244 AVG while inducing a 48.7% ground ball rate. The ability to miss bats and generate softer contact made him a threat every time out. Despite the walks, Jiménez could always rely on his ability to get batters out and he was rarely ever rattled when something didn’t go his way.
Jason Marquis
Folks often forget about the incredible season Jason Marquis had with the Rockies in 2009 and the major role he played in making the playoffs that season. Traded from the Chicago Cubs, Marquis put up the best season of his career as he became an All-Star and was valued at 3.5 rWAR. He went 15-13 with the Rockies that season and posted a 4.04 ERA in 33 starts, tossing a whopping 216 innings.
What stood out was Marquis’s success at Coors Field where, in 16 starts, he posted a 3.92 ERA. What made him successful despite a 10.3% walk rate (the second-highest for a starter at home) and a 12.9% strikeout rate was that he relied heavily on his sinker, slider, and changeup to induce ground balls at a 58.8% rate.
Naturally, a player who relies on sinkers near the bottom of the zone is going to have a higher walk rate, but Marquis escaped damage with double-play balls and avoided home runs. At Coors Field, he allowed just five of his 15 home runs on the season. But what made him most valuable is that ability to be a workhorse
Across 105.2 innings of work at Coors Field, Marquis had just two starts that lasted less than five innings. On top of that, he had 13 starts go six innings or more. The fewest pitches he threw in an outing was 77 over four innings on the road in Los Angeles. Nine of his Coors Field starts saw him throw over 100 pitches, including multiple starts with over 120 pitches across eight-plus innings.
Marquis was a bulldog on the mound, attacking hitters with complete confidence in his stuff and the determination that he was going to outlast the other starter and give the Rockies a chance to win.
Jorge De La Rosa
One of the top pitchers in franchise history, Jorge De La Rosa became a reliable arm during his years in Colorado. He ranks at the top of franchise lists in most categories for good reason, as he spent nine years in a Rockies uniform. As a result, he has a vast sample size of time at Coors Field, where in 99 starts, De La Rosa had a 4.36 ERA across 561.1 innings of work
De La Rosa wasn’t an overpowering pitcher, but he was savvy and had mental fortitude. He managed to neutralize the harsh Coors Field environment with a reliance on his off-speed and breaking pitches, particularly a split-finger changeup. Despite the lack of power pitches, De La Rosa still managed a 20.7% strikeout rate against a 9.3% walk rate. He induced plenty of ground balls along with weak fly balls through his career with the Rockies.
De La Rosa’s confidence on the mound was demonstrated by his ability to pitch backwards and throw any of his pitches in any count. The ability to be confident in his entire arsenal is crucial for a pitcher in Colorado, and De La Rosa was a great example of that. He could mix his fastball and split-finger up and down while disrupting time with his unique delivery.
While many pitchers let Coors Field dictate their strategy, De La Rosa adapted his repertoire to rely on gravity-based movement and coincide with his aggressive and resilient approach to prevent a compounding of errors.
Conclusion
There are certainly plenty more pitchers we could talk about (perhaps we’ll save that for another time), but these three examples are a great place to start. You can certainly look for certain archetypes and profiles that will fit at Coors Field; that’s just part of the game, but you also have to find a way to emphasize the intangible aspects that aren’t found in a stat sheet.
Colorado is a tough place to pitch, but it’s not impossible to have success there. Mindset and repertoire are important, and the Rockies would do well to keep looking for those who aren’t just trying to conquer and solve Coors Field, but learn how to be a successful pitcher that just happens to play at Coors Field.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will be in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani will bat anywhere from second to sixth with the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers losing the first two games of the best-of-seven series.
“He was very convicted that he is onto something mechanically (with his swing),” Roberts said. “He was adamant that he can help us. He’s well enough to help us win a baseball game, so that’s all I needed to hear.”
Ohtani is hitting .150 (3 for 20) over six postseason games. He has seven strikeouts, three walks and one stolen base with no home runs, no RBIs and an OPS of .411.
He hasn’t homered since Aug. 18 at Colorado.
Ohtani admitted before the NLDS against Atlanta that he’s not 100% healthy from right biceps and left knee issues that bothered him the last the last few months of the regular season. He has appeared visibly uncomfortable at the plate while flailing at pitches.
“The symptoms have subdued a lot,” Ohtani said through a translator while making an unscheduled appearance in the off-day interview room. “The symptoms shouldn’t be the reason why I can’t hit, and even if the injuries happen by accident, I take full responsibility.”
Roberts spoke to Ohtani before the team worked out at Dodger Stadium, where Ohtani took on-field batting practice, something he rarely does during the regular season.
Roberts said their conversation wasn’t about benching the Japanese superstar, but rather offering him time off similar to Freddie Freeman during the postseason in 2024. Freeman had a sprained ankle and bone bruise, and took three days off spanning the NL Division Series and NLCS before earning World Series MVP honors.
“Over the course of this long season, there’s only really a short period of time when my mechanics is completely in sync,” Ohtani said. “So it’s just really kind of just going back and forth, finding the right parts of the swing and managing just the different parts of the swing. It’s a constant, ongoing process that’s headed in the right direction.”
Ohtani led the Dodgers to a four-game NLCS sweep of Milwaukee last year, when the Brewers hit a measly .118 against LA’s pitching.
He was 5 for 14 (.357) with three home runs, four walks and five strikeouts as NLCS MVP — all three homers came in a memorable Game 4 clinch in which he also struck out 10 as a pitcher. He had a 1.643 OPS and 1.143 slugging percentage.
“We remember vividly at this time last year that he maybe had the best baseball game ever played the day he pitched against us and hit a home run every time up, it seemed like,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “You can’t forget that, his capabilities. But you still have to go at him.”
Ohtani is known for hitting homers but the offensively starved Dodgers would take any kind of production from him at this point.
“In this big moment, we’re listening to Shohei, and we’re going to support the crap out of him and believe in him,” Roberts said, “and that’s it.”
Snell looking to rebound for Dodgers in Game 3
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell starts for Los Angeles against Robert Gasser of the Brewers in a matchup of left-handers.
The Dodgers will be looking to get considerably more innings out of Snell than in his last start on Oct. 4.
He lasted 3 2/3 innings, giving up one run, three hits, walking five and striking out five, in a 3-2 loss in Game 2 of the NLDS against Atlanta. He didn’t speak to media afterward and has kept a low profile since then.
“Just a lot of time talking to myself, figuring out where I need to get to, where I’m at,” he said. “Watching two games against Milwaukee, just kind of game planning, seeing what I can expose, what they’re doing really well. Just trying to figure them out.”
Mitchell back home
Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell grew up in Orange County as a Los Angeles Angels fan. His family had season tickets in left field. He went to high school with the son of Angels star Garret Anderson.
“Got to have some good conversations with him, take some blasts into the past and talk about memories,” Mitchell said. “I was a shortstop when I was a kid, too. So I enjoyed watching David Eckstein and Adam Kennedy, and I also have a personal relationship with Adam Kennedy as well.”
Mitchell said the way the Angels played reminds him of how the Brewers approach games.
“Guys who maybe aren’t the greatest or the best on the field but know what they’ve got to do and know their roles and grind and compete to the best of their abilities,” he said. “That’s what it takes, it’s a team effort.”
RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 13: Left Wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) of the Carolina Hurricanes fist bumps teammates on the bench to celebrate scoring during the NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes on October 13, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re just over two weeks into the NHL season, and it’s already been wild. There’s a lot of hockey left to play, but some trends are emerging that look very, very good for some of the Stanley Cup hopefuls, while fans of other teams might be hovering their fist over the panic button, ready to smash it at a moment’s notice.
Two of the most stunning teams to watch are the Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers, two teams who figured to be far removed from the playoffs are experiencing an incredible surge to start the season, though it remains to be seen if it can be sustained. Both teams crack the Top 10 after ranking 29th and 23rd, respectively, in our preseason rankings.
Here are the full rankings right now, then we’ll dive into this a little bit.
Rank
Team
Record
1
Carolina Hurricanes
6-1-1
2
Edmonton Oilers
5-0-1
3
Vegas Golden Knights
6-2-0
4
Winnipeg Jets
4-1-1
5
New York Rangers
6-2-0
6
Utah Mammoth
5-2-0
7
Boston Bruins
5-2-0
8
Seattle Kraken
5-2-0
9
Ottawa Senators
5-2-0
10
Colorado Avalanche
4-2-0
11
Tampa Bay Lightning
4-2-0
12
Minnesota Wild
4-2-1
13
Anaheim Ducks
4-2-0
14
Montreal Canadiens
3-2-1
15
St. Louis Blues
3-2-1
16
Washington Capitals
3-3-0
17
Pittsburgh Penguins
3-3-1
18
Toronto Maple Leafs
3-3-1
19
Buffalo Sabres
3-3-1
20
Florida Panthers
3-2-2
21
San Jose Sharks
3-3-0
22
New York Islanders
3-3-0
23
Nashville Predators
2-2-2
24
New Jersey Devils
3-3-0
25
Dallas Stars
2-3-1
26
Columbus Blue Jackers
2-3-0
27
Detroit Red Wings
1-3-2
28
Vancouver Canucks
2-6-0
29
Chicago Blackhawks
2-5-0
30
Los Angeles Kings
0-3-2
31
Calgary Flames
1-5-0
32
Philadelphia Flyers
0-5-3
The Carolina Hurricanes are even better, somehow
Logic typically dictates that the Stanley Cup Champion should take a step back, but there’s something in the water in Raleigh right now. The Hurricanes opened the season with a rusty two games, but have been a powerhouse ever since — winning six in a row, and beating some good teams along the way.
Carolina’s brand of hockey has always put a premium on team play over star power, comfortably settling to exist in a zone where five or six guys finish the season with 60+ points, rather than a couple registering over a point a game. Thus far in 2026-27 they’re doing both, with Sebastian Aho sitting at 13 points in 8 games, with Andrei Svechnikov at 11 points. Both players have been criticized over their careers for underachieving, but it’s as if the cup transformed them into top-tier superstars over night, and they’re not only playing the best hockey of their careers — but some of the best in the NHL, period.
The Hurricanes currently have six players on pace to finish with over 60 points, with Aho, and Svechnikov trending towards having over 100 points on the season. It’s another gear this team has reached, and they look terrifying.
The Oilers are playing like a team on a mission
Everyone in Edmonton is well aware that there’s a very narrow window for them to truly make a run. Connor McDavid gave the team two years notice when he signed a new contract designed to send a message that the Oilers need to make a run now, or lose him in 2027-28. Time is running out, and Edmonton is doing its best to convince him it can be a contender for the rest of his career.
The undefeated Oilers are the best team in the west right now, and the emergence of Vasily Podkolzin as a goal scorer has added a dimension to the top lines that the Oilers have lacked in the past. A mixture of their stellar top talent in McDavid, Leon Draitsaitl, and Evan Bouchard — paired with young players making the jump makes Edmonton a team to watch.
The Stars are in trouble
Dallas is an excellent team defensively, but for whatever reason this team can’t score a goal to save its life. Getting just two goals apiece from Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson simply isn’t good enough considering how much they’re being paid while being defensive liabilities. Goal scoring is the one thing they are supposed to bring to the table, and it’s not happening.
Jake Oettinger is bailing this team out in goal, but despite having a .944 SV% and a 1.20 GAA, he’s still 2-2 on the season because nobody can find the back of the net. This needs to change, and soon — or it’s going to be a long season in Dallas.
Philadelphia is in hell
I really bought in to the idea that the Flyers would take a step forward in 2026-27 following their playoff run, with both Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov seeming poised to break out. Not only has that not happened, but Philadelphia is ATROCIOUS.
Nobody can’t score, their passing is mediocre, the defense is bad, and Daniel Vladar has taken a step back in goal. The Flyers are winless, sitting at a -21, while being 32nd in goals for, and 31st in goals against. There’s nothing left to say.
Throughout the off-season and now as the 2026-27 NHL season is in full swing, the St. Louis Blues have been interested in adding a young, NHL-proven defenseman.
They've long been linked to the Carolina Hurricanes' 25-year-old blueliner Alexander Nikishin, but nothing has materialized. Many insiders believe the Blues are the frontrunners to land Nikishin, but progress has stalled for quite some time.
But a new young stud defenseman has hit the trade market: Detroit Red Wings' Simon Edvinsson.
Like Nikishin, Edvinsson is a restricted free agent without a contract, and he, too, prefers a trade away from the team that holds his rights. The 23-year-old is a do-it-all defender with a very intriguing skill set.
Standing 6-foot-6, Edvinsson is a two-way defender who most believe has more to offer offensively. Through two full seasons, Edvinsson's career high is nine goals and 31 points. Despite owning a large frame, Edvinsson still ranks highly in many of NHL EDGE's skating speed stats.
He uses his footwork efficiently to defend against the rush and on puck retrievals. His reach helps him maintain effective gaps and recover defensively. He plays in all situations and is on a really strong path to becoming a top-pairing defenseman, if he isn't already considered one.
Whatever team lands Edvinsson is gaining a high-end defenseman, but it will definitely come at a cost.
His contract projection keeps rising as the salary cap grows and big contracts are handed out across the NHL. But the price to acquire him might be greater. The Red Wings are in an interesting spot. They have several skilled players like Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin (another player who has requested a trade), Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider, and John Gibson, as well as several young, enticing prospects.
With that, they hope to land an NHL-proven player among picks and prospects. Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon believes the Red Wings would prefer a promising young NHL center in return, suggesting Dalibor Dvorsky as an option.
This raises an interesting question for the Blues. They think highly of Dvorsky, who has now locked down a middle-six center role for the Blues. But is he truly untouchable?
The Blues are committed to Robert Thomas as captain, made a big move to land Mason McTavish, and drafted two centers, Tynan Lawrence and Maddox Dagenais, in the first round of the last NHL draft.
A position that was once a need is now a strength for the Blues, which could help them acquire a player like Edvinsson or Nikishin to address another need.
Losing Dvorsky would be a tough pill to swallow. He's proven to be a reliable defensive center with strong offensive traits, highlighted by a heavy, accurate shot. If there were one downside to Dvorsky's game, it's his skating speed. The question is whether it's enough for the Blues to feel comfortable moving on.
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MACAU, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Cooper Flagg #32 of Dallas Mavericks dunks during NBA China Games 2026 between Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena on the Cotai Strip on October 11, 2026 in Macau, China. 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 Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In it, Windhorst argues that the NBA media ecosystem has been a little slow in recognizing Flagg’s ascension, stopping just short of declaring the second-year stud ready to “take the NBA by storm.”
That he penned a column to that effect is notable, as Windy’s time is spent to a greater and greater degree behind a microphone or in front of a camera these days. He simply doesn’t write as many columns now, so Monday’s look is evidence that Windhorst thinks Flagg’s development and potential in year two is a particularly important story, league-wide.
It makes sense. A lot of the big-name star power in the NBA has been shipped out east. The Mavericks as a franchise, remain, shovel in hand, digging their way out of a mountain of their own make, and are not particularly attractive to a national television audience as currently constructed. All this leads to a downward pressure on Flagg’s media attention.
But Windy (and others, to be fair) stays beating the Cooper Flagg drum this preseason.
ESPN Analyst Brian Windhorst is all in on Cooper Flagg. Welcome to The Resistance, Windy. | Screenshot from ESPN
“I feel like there’s not enough hype around Cooper Flagg,” he said. “I know it’s hard to say because he was tracked at Duke very closely, but because Victor Wembanyama took that giant step forward last year, and really took the league by the throat, and because there was so much attention to the tanking teams going for the 2026 Draft, and the Mavericks themselves became one of the tanking teams at the end, I don’t think people realized how breathtaking Cooper Flagg’s performance was last season. He absolutely reminded me, on an almost nightly basis, of LeBron as a rookie. All the way back to the fact that LeBron was forced to play point guard as a rookie, and that kind of took him out of his game a little bit like it did with Cooper last year. The ability for someone of his size to play multi positions, to grab a rebound and then to go down and start the offense, to guard up and down the lineup, I mean, and really, his shot is way better than I thought it’d be. I think it’s going to keep developing, and I couldn’t be higher on Cooper Flagg. I really believe that he’s going to enter the top-10 of the best players in the league sooner rather than later, and that his trajectory is really right there alongside Victor Wembanyama’s in terms of the future of the NBA.”
Brian Windhorst on Cooper Flagg:
"In all honesty, I feel like there's not enough hype around Cooper Flagg. I don't think people realized how breathtaking Cooper Flagg's performance was last season. He absolutely reminded me on an almost nightly basis of LeBron as a rookie.
The direct parallels with James, whom Windhorst built the early part of his career reporting on, and his rookie year, are startling. To think that Mavs fans could be watching the next LeBron in his ascendency is a beautiful thought to think. Just don’t let those thoughts wander into morbid reflection about how ownership might screw this one up.
Then, on the team’s trip to Macau, China, Windy echoed his own sentiments, and if it’s even possible, amplified them in an interview with DLLS.
“I am extraordinarily bullish on his future and I am really excited about his present,” Windy said. “Because of the dynamics of the league, because LeBron is in Philadelphia, and Giannis is in Miami and the Knicks are the champions, and the Celtics are the Celtics, and Wembanyama’s Wembanyama, and Luka is now separate from LeBron, the Mavericks are not on national TV that much. It’s a good and a bad thing. Number one, it means Cooper is not getting the attention he deserves. … Grab onto Cooper. Get in early. Be there, because the league is overlooking him a little bit right now. Again, it’s not like they’re looking at him and going, ‘Ehh, he’s not that good.’ There is a set of circumstances that is depressing him a little bit. Mistake. And look, at ESPN, we’re going to put LeBron and Luka on, you know? We’re going to put Giannis and we’re going to put Victor on. We’re going to put Durant on. We’re going to put Ant Edwards on, but I’m telling you, if Cooper was a stock, I would buy it all. That’s how I feel about him.”
Windhorst isn’t the only one who’s comparing Flagg to James at this early juncture in his career. Flagg’s teammate Kyrie Irving did the same in some of his postgame comments after the Mavs’ second preseason game in Macao.
“I give my respect to KD and Bron and they are on their own separate categories and trajectories and careers but I would say this, I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age,” Irving said. “He’s displaying in front of you guys what’s capable of and he’s only going to continue to get better.”
"I give my respect to KD and Bron and they are on their own separate categories and trajectories and careers but I would say this, I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age… he's displaying in front of you guys what's capable of… https://t.co/JMoXET2V3Spic.twitter.com/uoNDZKiTDw
It’s moments like these when I love being associated with this Little Fan Site That Could, because Windy, we outchea. We been here. We’ve been banging on the Cooper Flagg drum since jump. We made room for you, and we are here to declare that there is still room on the train for all of the lapsed Mavericks fans who had to take some time away from the team after the injustices suffered under the previous administration.
Glory awaits. The team is the laundry, not the financiers behind the building the team plays in. It’s become clear before his 20th birthday that Flagg is not only generational, but an all-time great in the making.
With a week to go before the Mavs’ first game of Flagg’s second year, it’s getting hard to contain the excitement surrounding the meteoric rise that this young man is about to embark on.
Joe Espada, whose tenure as Houston Astros manager was marked by sluggish starts followed by late-season rallies that left owner Jim Crane dissatisfied, was fired Wednesday, Oct. 14, two weeks after the Astros were eliminated in the American League wild-card round by the Chicago White Sox.
Espada's firing comes on the heels of Crane firing general manager Dana Brown on Aug. 24. Crane said at that time that Espada's status would be evaluated at the end of the season, a juncture that came quickly after the Astros were swept out of the playoffs in two games.
Tuesday, the Astros granted permission for Espada to interview for the vacant Seattle Mariners managerial job. Espada's contract with Houston expires at the end of this month.
"We are thankful for Joe’s hard work, his passion for the game, and for his commitment to the Houston Astros," Crane said in a statement released by the club. "He represented the Astros and the Houston community in the most positive way. We wish he and his family the best moving forward."
The Astros also announced several members of the coaching staff who will either depart or remain, most notably that bench coach Omar Lopez, who guided Venezuela to the 2026 World Baseball Classic title, will be offered a different role in the organization.
Espada, 51, took over for Dusty Baker after the 2023 season and guided the Astros to an 88-73 record and the American League West title in his first season. But the Astros were swept out of the wild-card round by the Detroit Tigers, missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons in 2025 and failed to gain traction above .500 this season, which ended in an 81-81 record that was good enough to win the AL West but not enough to save his job.
Espada had a 256-229 record at the Astros’ helm and they exited the playoffs in the wild-card round both seasons he got them there. He spent six seasons as the Astros’ bench coach before Crane tabbed him to replace Baker.
His first squad got off to a 7-19 start, yet recovered to win 88 games and the West title. Similarly, the 2026 Astros lost 20 of their first 31 games. Yet the AL West's overall ineptitude kept them in the fight.
The Astros will be looking for their fourth permanent manager in 13 years and third in seven seasons after Baker took over for A.J. Hinch following Hinch’s 2020 firing for his role in the club’s 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
The club announced that pitching coach Josh Miller, first base coach Dave Clark, field coordinator Jason Bell, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte will return.
Coaches not being retained include third base coach Tony Perezchica, assistant hitting coach Anthony Iapoce, assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz, catching instructor Tim Cossins and game planning coach Tommy Kawamura.
A complex stew of factors combined to result in the creation of this specific NFL news outlet, which launched 25 years ago as of November 1. A reader reminded me of one of the specific dominoes that fell the right way a little while ago.
As a kid, I was a baseball fan before becoming a football fan. Growing up 60 miles from Pittsburgh, I loved the Pirates. I studied the box scores in the newspaper every day. I'd listen to games on the radio with my grandfather, who used a Tupperware container as a Mail Pouch spittoon. He often missed the target.
The 1979 "We Are Family" Pirates felt like a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. (Little did I know that it was.)
The '80s weren't great (the low point was 1985, and a record of 57-104). By the end of the decade, however, the pieces were in place for three straight National League East titles.
The 1990 NLCS felt like found money. Lose 4-2 to the Reds? Fine. Next year will be the year. Blowing a 3-2 lead to the Braves in the 1991 NLCS hurt.
But that was just the appetizer.
The 1992 NLCS became the lowest point possible. My wife (two years before we got hitched) and I went to multiple games. We were there the night Deion Sanders showed up after playing for the Falcons, but didn't get into the game. Down 3-1 in the series, the Pirates won that night (our seats in the upper deck at Three Rivers were so bad that we couldn't see the ball), and two nights later the Pirates forced a seventh game.
Game 7 happened 34 years ago today. We watched the game at her apartment in Pittsburgh. I was hobbling around on a hamstring that I'd torn, and then re-torn because I was too stubborn to let it heal.
Everything was going smoothly for the Pirates. They led, 2-0, entering the bottom of the ninth. Three outs to the World Series.
When the Braves scored a run on a sacrifice fly, I shrugged. It's fine, 2-1 is fine. This is fine. Only two outs to go.
Brian Hunter popped to shallow centerfield. One out to go. I still remember walking into the kitchen at her apartment and peering over the top of the railing above the sink while leaning against the counter and holding my breath as Francisco Cabrera came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Former Pirates first baseman Sid Bream was on second; he wouldn't score on a single. Extra innings would be fine. This is fine.
And then it happened. Routine single to left. OK, extra innings. Fine. But wait. What the hell? They sent Bream? Surely, Barry Bonds will nail him at home.
The throw from Bonds was off the line and the tag from Mike LaValliere wasn't in time and I looked down at the fake granite countertop and I said, "They won't be good again for at least 20 years. I'm done."
And that's when I forgot about baseball and became even more focused on football. Nine years and 18 days later, the flip was switched on ProFootballTalk.com, and here we are.
So, thanks, Francisco and Sid — and Barry. If the Pirates had won that game and advanced to the World Series, I may have never made the NFL the center of my sports universe. And I wouldn't be doing what I've been doing for as long as I've been doing it.
Still, it continues to sting. Thirty-four years to the day later.
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies are keeping Don Mattingly as manager, removing his interim tag and giving him a two-year deal even after a late-season collapse nearly cost the team a playoff spot.
Team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced the move. Mattingly led the team to a 79-55 record and a spot in the postseason after he replaced the fired Rob Thomson in late April. The Phillies nearly blew a four-game lead for a wild card in the final week of the regular season, then lost in three games to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.
The Phillies were 9-19 when they fired Thomson in April after he led the Phillies to four straight playoff appearances, including the 2022 World Series, and consecutive NL East titles.
Dombrowski and the Phillies were rebuffed twice by former Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Dombrowski was spurned by Cora when he made the move to fire Thomson and again after the season ended, leaving him in both cases with Mattingly.
The 65-year-old Mattingly was hired last offseason to serve as a bench coach and had another year left on his contract. With an MLB work stoppage on the table in December, leaving at least parts of next season in doubt, Mattingly is the safe and familiar choice to oversee a roster that includes Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and one of the top rotations in baseball.
Dombrowski has yet to hold his annual end-of-season press conference — he and Mattingly will speak Thursday, the team said. The Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs on Oct. 1.
The Phillies’ September swoon prevented them from lining up their pitching against Atlanta because it took until Game 162 to clinch a playoff spot.
Philadelphia forced Game 3 against the Braves with three dramatic solo home runs late in Game 2. But in the end, the Phillies were eliminated from the postseason for the fifth consecutive year as they chase their first World Series title since 2008.
The Phillies’ core of Harper, Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have made five straight playoff appearances and averaged 91 wins per year during that stretch. They have yet to win a championship and have been eliminated further and further from that goal each season since reaching the 2022 World Series.
The following season, Philadelphia exited in the National League Championship Series, and the next two years saw losses in the Division Series. A wild-card exit this season marked another step in the wrong direction.
Mattingly was one of three interim managers in baseball last season. Andy Green of the New York Mets and Chad Tracy of the Red Sox each were midseason replacements who eventually had the interim tag removed.
A six-time AL All-Star in his playing career with the New York Yankees, Mattingly is the father of Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly.
Oct 13, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after pitching against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in game two of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lessons Learned from ALCS Game 1 & 2
This team had a long break heading into the ALCS, and looked rusty for it. It’s a consequence of being this good, but sweeping the Yankees meant the team essentially got a week away from baseball, and then the lineup — driven by the pitcher — featured short side platoon starters. Now with two games under their belt, look for the Rays offense to settle back in on Thursday on the road in Cleveland.
Losing Game 1 is proper kick in the butt for the Rays in a best-of-seven. The Guardians scored all seven of their runs in the final four innings of Game 1, handing the Rays their first postseason loss. Now it’s on the Rays to play up to the moment. Cash framed the winning streak ending as potentially useful motivation, and I agree! Even a top seed needs to stay locked in. Also, you know what other team lost ALCS Game 1? The 2008 Rays!
You need a little luck to be great. Junior Caminero benefitted from a walk the Guardians did not challenge that could have wildly changed Game 2. In a scoreless fourth, the Rays forced action with speed and contact on two outs. Chandler Simpson beat out an infield single, then José Ramírez’s fielding error on Ben Williamson’s grounder (the ball skipping through his legs on the turf) allowed the first run in Caminero. Liam Hicks immediately followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead—all three runs unearned. This very Rays-y small-ball inning showed how they punish defensive slips, but it never happens without that walk.
Bryan Baker is an all-time great Rays closer. With his save in Game 2, the All-Star Baker now owns the franchise record for playoff saves, and is the first player in MLB history to allow 0 hits and earn the save in four consecutive playoff appearances (h/t Greg Harvey).
Fastball Freddy firing on all cylinders. In Game 2, Peralta dialed in the Rays adjustments to his delivery and rode the adrenaline to a spectacular six inning performance, including a fastball up to 99.4 mph (averaging 96.9 mph, two mph above normal), and ripping it 71% of his 99 pitches thrown. Other than a couple curveballs, the rest was changeups, and strikeout inducing ones at that. It was an unfavorable matchup for the Guardians offense, to say the least.
Bonus: Attendance issues are back, and it certainly had something to do with prices. After much chatter online about the Rays not selling out, it was 35k instead of 42k in Game 1, and only 32k in Game 2. Those margins could have been filled if a weekday price for the 300 level in the cavernous Tropicana Field was $80 instead of $180, so there must be some sort of floor leading to strange pricing between MLB and the Rays. I can’t help but wonder if the energy behind the team’s all out media blitz to sell seats to marginal fans would be better directed at core fans who buy multiple tickets by offering discounts or clearer prices.
