The Buffalo Sabres continue their five-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, coming off a 4-3 comeback victory over the struggling Chicago Blackhawks. The Wild are without one of their best defensemen, Brock Faber, but have started the season 2-0 with wins over Boston and Nashville.
The Sabres held an optional morning skate on Tuesday morning, and had a couple injured players on the ice for the first time. Winger Jason Zucker, still recovering from off-season core muscle surgery and is a couple weeks away, and goalie Alex Lyon, who suffered a shoulder injury against Detroit during the preseason, took part wearing gray non-contact jerseys.
"(It was) kind of one of those situations where you don't really know, and then it's obviously disappointing to miss any amount of time." Lyon said. yeah, "We've got a lot of games, a lot of good teams coming up, and this early in the season, your mindset's so fresh that not even thinking about the amount of games or who the opponent is, you're just excited to play. "
Colten Ellis was once again in the starter’s net and will make his first start of the season on the one-year anniversary of being claimed off of waivers from St. Louis, and the only lineup change that appears to be in the offing is veteran Justin Danforth starting in place of Sam Carrick.
The Wild’s visit marks the return of the Foligno brothers, Nick and Marcus, to their birthplace. Marcus is playing his 10th season in Minnesota after starting his career and playing six years in Buffalo. Nick has played nearly 1300 games for six clubs, and joined the Wild at the trade deadline after spending three seasons in Chicago.
"I coached Marcus. I think it was my last year or my second-to-last year here." Ruff said. family. "For those two guys to come back and play in the building, and their dad played a good part of his career here. It's just a great hockey family."
ATLANTA — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn’t bluffing.
As he had hinted during the team’s off day on Monday, the Dodgers made significant lineup changes for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, reconfiguring their batting order and inserting a couple extra right-handed bats into their lineup ahead of a daunting matchup with Braves left-handed ace Chris Sale at Truist Park.
Shohei Ohtani is batting fifth for the Dodgers today
“I had a good conversation with him last night, told him my thoughts,” Roberts said. “And he completely understood.”
Indeed, the move wasn’t unexpected, after the physically diminished slugger opened this series with just two singles in a two-game split back in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) leaves the dugout after losing game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs to the Atlanta Braves at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
By moving Ohtani down, the Dodgers were trying to limit the number of times he potentially faces Sale (who has held him to a 3-for-15 mark in their previous head-to-head matchups). The club is also hoping to see a better approach from the four-time MVP, after he struck out twice on Sunday while repeatedly chasing pitches outside the strike zone.
“He wants to do whatever will help the team,” Roberts said, noting that Ohtani joked he almost came to Roberts during his injury-hampered slump in September to say, “Why don’t you hit me seventh?”
That, of course, was tongue-in-cheek.
But Ohtani’s acceptance of Tuesday’s lineup move –– which Roberts emphasized was just a one-day adjustment to the matchup with Sale –– felt genuine to the veteran manager.
“I just feel this gives us the best chance to beat the Braves today,” Roberts said. “To combat Sale, to combat what they’re going to throw after Sale. And I feel good about it.”
The Dodgers took other measures for their showdown with Sale — who topped even his 2024 Cy Young Award-winning performance this season by going 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA, including a five-hit shutout of the Dodgers when he last faced them in August at Truist Park.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kike Hernandez takes part in a team workout at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. The workout is ahead of Game 1 of the National League Division Series. CHRIS TORRES/EPA/ShutterstockLos Angeles Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas watches his hit for a double during the second inning of Game 2 of a National League Division Series baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
At third base, the left-handed-hitting Max Muncy was replaced for a second straight game by veteran Miguel Rojas, who was batting sixth.
At second base, slumping switch-hitter Tommy Edman was swapped out for veteran playoff performer Kiké Hernández, who will get his first start of this year’s postseason as the No. 9 hitter.
“Today, we know we’re in for a battle,” Rojas said. “We know what he’s going to feature. We know his stuff. It comes down to execution on the day … We are going to have to fight every pitch, every out. And that’s what we’re in for.”
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 22: Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup at Ball Arena on November 22, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If Naji Marshall doesn’t watch himself, the Dallas Mavericks are going to have an international incident on their hands.
It came after a practice session in Southern China as the team prepares for two preseason games against the Houston Rockets. The two teams will play on both Friday and Sunday.
Marshall apparently brought down a rim during the Mavs’ first practice session in China. He was proud of his work, taking time to snap some photos with his trophy before teammate Dereck Lively II slung it over his shoulder and carted it back toward the locker room like a felled piece of game in the wild.
But Marshall’s violent streak didn’t stop there. I mean, you can’t take this guy anywhere, apparently.
He broke a folding chair in the arena after the fact.
“No disrespect — I think I’m took big for China,” Marshall said in the video.
Mavs fans are hoping he brings the same destructive mindset to the court this year as he did last season, when he averaged a career-high mark of 15.2 points on 51% shooting from the field in 29.5 minutes per game, which is also a new career-high.
“Now that Willie, we linked up again, I feel like I’m comfortable. Going into the season, it makes it much more easier,” Marshall told Dallas Sports Journal during training camp. “I feel like easier communication, understanding that we really know each other and he knows how to get to me, I know how to talk to him. So I think it’s beautiful. … He just helped me be more of a dog. Worry less about things I couldn’t control, control what I can. Just worrying about what helps the team and stop worrying so much about myself. For real, a lot of different things, life outside of basketball, he taught me some stuff.”
The Mavericks’ preseason schedule begins on Friday, with a pair of preseason games this weekend at Macao’s Venetian Arena. Tipoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 a.m., and tipoff on Sunday is at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m., which will be an early measuring stick for your status as a Mavs sicko.
Both games will be televised on NBA TV, and for those who don’t get that channel, the Mavericks have you covered, with a stream of both games available here.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three-point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a preseason game at Golden 1 Center on October 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his first career NBA preseason game, Cameron Carr tallied 19 points (7-of-13 shooting, 3-of-7 from deep), three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He flashed impressive range and a smooth stroke beyond the arc and an ability to take tight routes around screens for space, and looked incredibly fluid covering ground with his 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot-1 wingspan.
Despite the encouraging preseason opener, Carr conceded postgame there were some jitters flowing through his body.
“I was definitely nervous. It’s real. It’s human so I was definitely nervous,” he told reporters after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-103 victory. “But it’s basketball. I enjoy it and have fun, so got to go out there with another opportunity to play basketball and now at the highest level. It’s fun to get to compete with my guys.”
At Baylor a season ago, Carr shot 60.2% on 2-pointers and 37.4% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts per game. Monday night, he appeared confident as a long-range shooter with seven attempts in 23 minutes and really did seem to read space well inside the arc (4-of-6 shooting on 2s), whether it was efficiently curling around screens to shoot or running in the open floor.
The Lakers’ wing room is crowded — even if not among the roster’s standout areas — with guys like Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Jake LaRavia (not to mention, Austin Reaves), so it’ll be interesting to see how much serious burn Carr could garner this season. Presumably, he’ll spend a good bit of time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, receiving plenty of playing time to refine his game, improve his physicality and add strength.
Regardless of how seriously he factors into the Lakers’ rotation this year, his outing Monday night was a positive showing during his first taste of real NBA basketball. Based on his own assessment, it sounds as though he’s ready to keep building on that performance and help the Lakers whenever his number is called.
“Every chance I get to step on the court,” he said, “[I’m] just growing in areas and just getting more comfortable with just playing in the offense and being more efficient.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers is helped off the court after an injury against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Ariel Hukporti went down in the opening minutes of the Sixers’ preseason opener, it didn’t look good.
Now we know Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles in his right leg, which will sideline the center for the entire 2026-27 season. The team announced he will have surgery “later today.”
Early in the first quarter, Hukporti was looking good against his former team, the New York Knicks, getting the start for the resting Joel Embiid. Then, while guarding former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, Hukporti went down — there was no contact and Hukporti seemed to know the severity immediately, staying on the ground while grabbing his right leg.
The 24-year-old center, who was born in Germany, began his professional career overseas. During the 2022 preseason, he ruptured his left Achilles while playing for Melborne United of the NBL in Australia. He was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Knicks in 2024 and spent the first two seasons of his career in New York.
It’s an injury you hate to see for any player, but especially one in Hukporti’s situation. He served as the Knicks’ third-string center last season and came to the Sixers in free agency this offseason. He was set to compete with the incumbent Adem Bona to be the team’s primary backup five. With Bona sidelined with a foot sprain, Hukporti seemed to be taking advantage of the opportunity. Now, he’ll spend this upcoming season rehabbing.
It puts the Sixers in a tough spot. Backup center is an evergreen position of need here given Embiid’s injury history. With Hukporti going down, Bona is the only true center on the roster, with guys like Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow capable of providing the team a small-ball five look. Even Exhibit 10 signee Tacko Fall is on the shelf with a hip strain and might not return to action in time to earn the Sixers’ final two-way spot.
Part of the issue for the Sixers is that final two-way spot is all that’s available to them to make an addition at the moment. Remember, the Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron since they accessed the full non-taxpayer MLE. They have an open roster spot, but not enough space below the first apron to make a minimum signing until December.
It’s a real test for Mike Gansey’s front office after a sensational offseason.
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 4: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Denver Nuggets plays defense on Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the NBA preseason on October 4, 2026 at CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a solid preseason opener, the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets shift to Salt Lake City for part 2. One talking point which will undoubtedly be repeated hundreds of times over the course of the season will be this: The tank has been parked, hopefully forever. The Jazz are trying to win and it’s apparent even during preseason.
All eyes are on Jazz rookie Darryn Petersen, who had a rather pedestrian 3/6/2 in 19 forgettable minutes. This is not a cause for panic. Rookies do rookie things. This man has all the tools he needs to be a special player and is in the perfect system to succeed now and continue development. The thing to watch as Will Hardy and the Jazz iron out their wrinkles is whether or how Petersen and Keyonte George share the floor. How does Coach Hardy balance his attack so both guards get their shots? Keyonte had a solid game last night. It appears that he is going to earn every bit of his new contract and then some:
Both guards started game 1, but don’t be surprised to see Ace Bailey or even Svi Mykhailiuk slide into the 2 spot tonight for evaluation. A Keyonte/Ace/Lauri/JJJ/Nurkić lineup would boast a whopping average height of 6’9″ and presents interesting problems for opposing defenses.
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
When: 7pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 7: Anthony Rizzo particpates in a pregame segment on NBC Sports prior to a game between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The former Yankee joined NBC Sports broadcast team as an “Inside the Pitch” analyst this season and shared his perspective from the booth as the Yankees swept the Red Sox in two games. He’s been back at Yankee Stadium for a few games during the season, but Rizzo explained that returning to the Bronx this time in late September felt a lot different.
“The drive to the stadium for the first game was a different feeling,” Rizzo told Pinstripe Alley. “I was like ‘Oh wow, I’m driving into a playoff game but I’m not playing.‘ I had a little bit of adrenaline going, but had to relax because I’m on the broadcast team now.”
However, after watching Payton Tolle ply his craft and Cam Schlittler throw consistently over 100 mph throughout the battle in Game 1, Rizzo admitted he was ultimately glad he wasn’t facing either. He also shared that the atmosphere in the Bronx during the playoffs is so uniquely intense that it makes a huge impact in every at bat.
“When the momentum is going it’s all sunshine and rainbows,” Rizzo said. “On the other end, when it’s not going well, that Yankee Stadium crowd can suffocate the home team. It’s really important as a player to get the crowd behind you in a good way, because we all know that Yankees fans are very passionate and will let you know how they’re feeling immediately. When the Bronx Zoo is Bronx Zooing, there’s no better place.”
Following the series sweep that sent the Yankees to face the Rays in the ALDS, Rizzo shared his key to get ahead of Tampa Bay as they look to advance to their first ALCS since Rizzo’s own playing days in pinstripes, back in 2024.
“If they can keep the Rays’ big three, Díaz, Aranda, and Caminero Jr. at bay, I think they have a great chance. At the end of the day, it’s all about timely hitting.”
Down 0-2 in the series following the 5-2 loss, the Yankees will look to stay alive as they return to the electric Bronx atmosphere for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
The purple colorway of the Adidas produced shoe dropped with a video – made by PrizePicks – of Anthony's brother, Bubba Edwards, and his childhood best friend, Nick Maddox, "delivering" the new purple colorway to a crowd of people in Minnesota.
Edwards said in an email to USA TODAY that the purple 3s were "the hardest shoes we’ve put out yet."
"I know people have been clamoring for the purple, so here they are," Edwards said.
"'Hey Ant Man, can you drop your purple shoes,' said four kids in Minnesota," Drake says in the ad.
The Edwards video closes with a graphic that says "no one likes a yes man."
Edwards said that the Nike ad was a sign he is "doing something right."
"He’s not the first to take a shot and he won't be the last. I love it. I love talkin' trash and I love the game," Edwards said.
The Timberwolves and the Rockets are slated to play on Nov. 4. When asked if the ads will come up during the game, Edwards said that he would "probably be locked in on the game."
"Now when we beat them, I'll definitely have something to say," he added.
Edwards, PrizePicks announce partnership
The video comes as a part of the reveal of a partnership between Edwards and PrizePicks with the former being the company's first NBA brand ambassador.
"On the day Drake and KD called out Anthony, we immediately pitched a member of Ant’s team that it would be hilarious to kick off the partnership by delivering purple AE3s to fans in Minnesota," Joey Molko, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at PrizePicks told USA TODAY in an email.
Edwards said that he chose to partner with PrizePicks because the company allows him to "connect with fans in a fun way."
"I love that PrizePicks is an Atlanta-based company that moves with an energy that felt like a great fit," the Atlanta native said. "I’ve seen the impact they've made in my home city, and they’re committed to helping me do even more in Atlanta and Minnesota."
The partnership continues a trend of NBA stars partnering with gaming and prediction market companies.
LeBron James’ previous deal with DraftKings recently expired, but he since partnered with Polymarket. In February 2026, Giannis Antetokounmpo took a passive equity stake in Kalshi that is less than 1%, and he’s doing promotional work for the prediction market. Boardroom, a sports and entertainment media network co-founded by Kevin Durant, has partnered with FanDuel, with Durant frequently appearing in ads and even floating proposed parlay bets that fans and users can tail.
As the 2026/27 Sheffield Shield season gets underway on Wednesday, there’s never been a better time for an Australian domestic cricketer to hit a rich vein of form.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws during a spring training workout Thursday, Feb. 27th at CoolToday Park in North Port. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox took big steps toward wrapping up their ALDS series early as they won on Monday to take 2-0 leads over the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. The Yankees just fell apart defensively behind their ace, probably AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler. The Rays don’t strike out much, and their mix of contact and speed, a mix the Tigers are finally working towards themselves, just had the Yankees flummoxed all game long while Freddy Peralta threw a good game for them.
Meanwhile, the Guardians just aren’t hitting much at all, and with Jose Ramirez a non-factor, it’s hard to see that changing too much under the pressure of needing to win three straight games now to advance. The White Sox just seem to have the vibes, and after dismissing them for about 15 years everytime they put together a solid roster, and being correct, I am no longer feeling that way. That’s a hungry young team playing loose and getting it done right now. We’ll see if they can put the series away on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, it will be the National League back in action, while the American League teams take a travel day to the lower seeds’ parks for Game 3 and 4, if necessary. The Brewers can knock out the Padres in Petco Park, while the Dodgers head to Truist Park in Atlanta tied 1-1 with the Braves.
Here are today’s matchups.
Dodgers at Braves: Truist Park, 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) takes on LHP Chris Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA).
Brewers at Padres: Petco Park, 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
Los Angeles, CA - August 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) talk in the dugout before an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers have a tall task against a rested Chris Sale in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, after scoring three runs in 16 innings against the ace left-hander during the regular season. They also will have Shohei Ohtani batting fifth, his lowest spot in a starting lineup since 2020 with the Angels.
“I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it,” Roberts said Monday. “And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why.”
The Dodgers are also looking for their first hit with a runner in scoring position in the series, with a related problem that they only have 10 plate appearances in those situations through two games. For what it’s worth, the Braves only have 14 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, and have just one single in 10 at-bats.
Scoring has been very hard to come by in this series, other than when hitting a ball over the wall — none of which have come with more than a runner on first base.
With the left-hander Sale on the mound, the Dodgers once again have Miguel Rojas starting, after the veteran batted .293/.340/.469 with a 121 wRC+ against lefties this season.
Rojas got one at-bat in Game 2 against southpaw opener Ray Kerr, and doubled, before Max Muncy pinch-hit for him in the fourth inning. He has two singles in 13 career at-bats against Sale, including one of the Dodgers’ five hits in Sale’s shutout win on August 27.
Rojas plays second for Tommy Edman and bats sixth, and Kiké Hernández is starting at third base in place of Muncy and batting ninth.
“You’ve got Kiké, you’ve got Miggy Ro, you’ve got Muncy. We’ve got good options. I don’t see Josue De Paula being an option. I don’t see myself sitting Will Smith,” Roberts said Monday. “At the end of the day, our guys are our guys. And, yeah, I can tweak a lineup. I can kind of insert, take out a player or two. But at the end of the day we still have got to go out there and play and execute and take good at-bats.”
The switch-hitting Edman usually hits lefties well — 113 wRC+ this year, 118 wRC+ career — but hasn’t done much of anything for the last two months or so, hitting .201/.294/.329 over his last 46 games, including five hitless at-bats plus a walk in the NLDS. Edman started against Sale in Atlanta on August 27, but struck out in all three at-bats against him.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made some major changes to his lineup for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, Oct. 6 against the Atlanta Braves.
Postseason specialist Enrique Hernandez will step in for Tommy Edman at second base and Roberts dramatically shook up the batting order.
Battling injuries late in the season, Shohei Ohtani is facing questions about his effectiveness at the plate and was moved down to hit fifth in Game 3. Ohtani went 2-for-8 (two singles) in the first two games of the series and struck out twice in the Game 2 loss on Sunday.
With the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter for the third game in a row. $240 million man Kyle Tucker, who homered in Game 1, was dropped down to eighth in the order.
Los Angeles sends last year's World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound for Game 3 at Truist Park. Yamamoto had a 2.53 ERA in 28 starts during the regular season and has posted a 2.25 ERA in 56 career postseason innings.
Here's the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 3 in Georgia:
Dodgers lineup today
Mookie Betts (R) SS
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Will Smith (R) C
Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Miguel Rojas (R) 2B
Andy Pages (R) CF
Kyle Tucker (L) RF
Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
Where to watch Dodgers vs Braves today: TV channel, streaming
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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 20, 1988: General Manager Fred Claire, second from left, of the Los Angeles Dodgers being interviewed by CBS sports broadcaster Bob Costas, second from right, while Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, far left, and manager Tommy Lasorda (C) holds the world series trophy after the Dodger beat the Oakland Athletics in game 5 to win the 1988 World Series, October 20, 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Dodgers won the series 4-1. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fred Claire, the general manager of the World Series-winning Dodgers in 1988 and a longtime public relations executive with the team, died at his home in Pasadena on Monday night, his 91st birthday.
Claire’s time as Dodgers general manager was bookended by sudden upheaval. First in 1987, after Al Campanis was fired for his racist remarks about Black players and managers in baseball on the ABC show Nightline, Claire was plucked by owner Peter O’Malley to take over as GM after 18 seasons in the PR department. Then in 1998, Claire was ousted along with manager Bill Russell once the team’s sale to Fox was finalized.
In between, the Dodgers made the playoffs three times in Claire’s 10 full seasons as general manager, including winning the World Series in 1988.
The Dodgers after winning the National League West in 1985 lost 89 games in consecutive years, and Claire was a busy man in his first offseason as general manager after the 1987 season. The Dodgers were in talks to trade Pedro Guerrero to the Detroit Tigers for Kirk Gibson, but there was also the pending decision in MLB’s collusion case that would eventually make Gibson a free agent later that winter. The Dodgers in December signed Gibson, who won National League MVP and authored one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, hitting a walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
The Dodgers in December also signed outfielder Mike Davis, who averaged 22 home runs in each of the previous three seasons in Oakland. Davis was very bad in his time with the Dodgers, but did draw a pinch-hit walk ahead of Gibson’s home run in the World Series, and also homered in the Game 5 clincher in Oakland.
At the winter meetings, Claire was in simultaneous talks with the Toronto Blue Jays (for shortstop Manuel Lee), New York Mets, and Oakland A’s. After an all-night session of talks, the Dodgers on December 11 made a three-team deal that sent pitchers Bob Welch and Matt Young to Oakland, and Jack Savage to New York, with shortstop Alfredo Griffin plus relievers Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco going to the Dodgers.
“I knew that we had to do several things to improve,” Fred Claire told True Blue LA in 2017. “We went into those meetings with three things that had to be accomplished. We had to have a shortstop to stabilize our infield. We needed a closer and we needed a left-handed relief pitcher. It’s one thing to target one player or one position, but we had three needs.”
As luck would have it, the Dodgers would play the 100-win Mets in the National League Championship Series and the 104-win A’s in the World Series that year. They beat them both.
“Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as the 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family.”
The Dodgers under Claire also made the playoffs in 1995 as NL West champions and in 1996 as a wild card team. In 1994, after contract talks to retain Jody Reed stalled, so Claire traded for another infielder, getting Delino DeShields from the Montreal Expos. Going the other way was undersized 22-year-old right-hander Pedro Martínez, who would later win three Cy Young Awards, make eight All-Star teams, and sail into the Hall of Fame.
Claire was born in Ohio but moved with his family to California as a teenager and graduated from Torrance High School before earning a journalism degree from San Jose State in 1957.
He worked at the Whittier Daily News before moving to the Pomona Progress-Bulletin, where he was sports editor for seven of his nine and a half years at the newspaper. In 1968, Claire moved to the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram to cover the Angels, and moved to the Dodgers beat in 1969, before getting hired by the team in July 1969 in public relations, becoming a vice president in that department in 1975.
When he was hired from the PR department as general manager in April 1987, Claire was aware of the criticisms coming his way for lack of experience, and speculation that his GM tenure might be a short-term affair.
Note: The following is from a lineup that is now out of date. More information on the updated lineup can be found below.
The Atlanta Braves have a chance to take a series lead in the NLDS against the Dodgers at home these evening behind Chris Sale.
The pitching is what has been given a lot of love by the media and fans alike for good reason for the Braves, but the offense has been the unsung hero. Sure, the offense has not set the world on fire, but there have been quite a few small things that has really stuck out.
During the regular season the Braves were so bad at drawing walks, that only two teams in MLB has worse walk rates. In the postseason, the Braves are first in walks. A key player in that has been Ozzie Albies.
The Braves also lead in HRs, 2Bs, and TBs. If they keep getting runners on, it will eventually lead to more runs than what we are seeing. That is easier said than done against this Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but it is a good sign. Yamamoto has only surrendered one earned run against the Braves in 16.1 innings.
So far in the postseason the question about the lineup has been which player Walt Weiss is going to put in the DH slot.
The biggest change from last game is the Ha-Seong Kim will be playing SS with Mauricio Dubón shifting back to LF. Of course, this means Lane Thomas will not be getting the start. Murphy is staying at DH, apparently due to Weiss liking him to be available pinch hit for him easily whenever he wants.
Rowdy isn’t in today’s lineup. This weekend, Walt said he likes to have Murphy at DH and Baldwin at C because it allows him to PH for Murph at the right point of a game https://t.co/NxHgAHNxuS
This strategy does hold some weight, but a lot of Murphy’s value is in his defense. You could also shift Baldwin catcher mid-game if you prefer to have Murphy catcher when a pinch hitter comes in for Murphy. The assumption would be that Weiss does not like to swap catchers mid-game.
One would have thought that the Dodgers would be deploying a similar lineup like the one they had against Chris Sale since he and Kerr are both lefties, but there have been some major changes where certain starters will be fitting in the lineup.
Surprisingly Ohtani will be hitting fifth and Tucker is dropping all the way down to eighth. Rojas will be at 2B today instead of 3B and move of to hitting sixth while Kiké Hernández will be playing 3B and Edman will not be starting.
First pitch is at 6:00 pm EDT.
[UPDATE 4:37 p.m. ET]: Apparently, we have some late shuffling and scratching going on with Atlanta’s lineup. After being originally slated to play in the outfield, Ronald Acuña Jr. has been moved to DH for this contest. As a result, Sean Murphy is now out of the lineup. Here’s a look at the new lineup:
Mark Bowman reported on social media that the reasoning for this change was that apparently Acuña’s been dealing with a sore knee since sliding during Game 2 of the NLDS. A knock on effect here is that Lane Thomas is now in the lineup and batting seventh.
Outside of that, the lineup remains the same. Nothing like a little bit of lineup drama right before the start of a massive Postseason game, right?
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From 1991-2005, the Atlanta Braves made the playoffs every year and set an MLB record for most consecutive postseason appearances.
After the dust settled on the 2026 regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers tied that unprecedented mark.
And, now, ironically enough, they’re tied once again after two close NLCS games.
Next up, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale’s elite National League clubs meet in a crucial third NLCS game this afternoon at Atlanta’s Truist Park that determines who takes a decisive 2-1 lead in this cutthroat best-of-five series.
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“Both offenses are carrying their fair shares of frozen bats: Freddie Freeman entered Sunday hitting .167 over his final 18 regular-season games before homering, while Andy Pages is 0-for-7 this postseason and Tommy Edman is 0-for-5,” The Post noted.
“Ronald Acuña Jr. is 3-for-18 without an extra-base hit this postseason, while Matt Olson is 3-for-19 with seven strikeouts.”
Simply put, expect a pitcher’s duel (that won’t end in a tie). Yamamoto and Sale are built for this kind of big game.
Here’s how to tune in to the Game 3 of the NLDS without cable.
Dodgers vs. Braves time
Game 3 of the Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS is scheduled to begin today, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET.
How to watch Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS Game 3 for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS games for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes FS1 as part of its 125+ channel options.
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