Not even the bubbly and suds that dripped down his 6-foot-7 frame late Wednesday emboldened Aaron Judge enough to make any proclamations about his chances of being on the Yankees ALDS roster.
But his teammates are at least giving him a chance.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
On a day that began with Judge going to Somerset to get another round of live at-bats and continue his running progression as he rehabs a right calf strain, the Yankees finished off a sweep of the Red Sox with a 9-2 win in Game 2 of the AL wild-card series in The Bronx.
“Saturday’s a long ways away,” Judge said, referring to Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays. “But I’m doing everything I can, all morning, night, during the game, everything to prepare myself to be ready to go. Yeah, I want to be in there. But we’ll see what happens.”
Wednesday marked two weeks since Judge sustained the calf injury, and while he tried to defy the odds and make a late push to be on the roster for the wild-card series, the Yankees ultimately left him off because he was not ready.
Whether he can be ready to go by Saturday remains to be seen, especially with the complicating factor of having to play on the turf at Tropicana Field, which can be troublesome for players dealing with soft-tissue leg injuries.
“We just finished the wild-card [series]. We’ll get into that as we get closer,” Judge said amid the champagne celebration. “I got nothing for you on that yet, but my job is to continue to get ready. That’s what I’ve been doing every day.”
Aaron Judge looks on from the dugout steps during the Yankees’ Game 1 blowout win over the Red Sox at the Stadium. Robert Sabo/New York PostNew York Yankees’ Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge celebrate in the clubhouse. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Judge’s around-the-clock treatment is apparently what kept him missing from Tuesday’s pregame player introductions ahead of Game 1. He arrived in the dugout by first pitch, and then Wednesday, pulled up a seat around the sixth inning to watch his teammates finish the win.
The three-time AL MVP said he did not run the bases Wednesday afternoon in Somerset, which is a hurdle he will likely have to clear to prove he can be a right fielder for the ALDS.
“I think it’s been encouraging that a couple nights ago [Monday] for the workout he was able to get out there for live BP,” manager Aaron Boone said before Game 2. “Again, that wasn’t just, he’s just going out for live BP. He had to check a lot of boxes for the trainers and the strength guys to say, ‘OK, you’re ready for that, you can go do that.’
Aaron Judge takes live BP when the Yankees held a workout a day before their AL wild card Series against the Red Sox. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“So I feel like in the couple weeks since the injury, he’s made real strides and significant improvements. And hopefully we’re in a position to make another decision in a couple of days.”
It is possible the Yankees could carry Judge on their ALDS roster to serve as a DH, but even he has acknowledged that it would be best for the team if he can return as a right fielder because of the logjam at DH/first base involving Game 1 hero Ben Rice, Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt.
As it is, Boone had García on his bench to start Game 1 against Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle, with Rice as DH and Goldschmidt at first base.
Adding Judge into that mix would mean Rice starting at first base every game and relegating both García and Goldschmidt to pinch hitting.
Heading into the Wild Card Series, one could make a case that the Red Sox had a chance to beat the Yankees. It would take two or three great starts from Payton Tolle, Sonny Gray and/or Ranger Suarez, it would take some timely hitting to put two or three runs on the board per game, and it would take some lockdown relief innings from the back end of the bullpen.
Yet the Red Sox only got decent starts from Tolle and Gray, they set a new franchise record for offensive utility, and their bullpen was a catastrophe.
And the cherry on top was that their manager, who inked a contract extension last week, showed he certainly does not know how to manage in the postseason.
Other than that, did you enjoy the series?
Here’s everything we learned from the ever-so-brief two-game sweep in the Wild Card Series, as the 2026 team technically failed to get as far as the 2025 Red Sox.
Red Sox set ugly new franchise record
Red Sox history spans 126 seasons, so it was a bit surprising to see the broadcast note early in Game 2 that Boston was in the midst of rewriting franchise history with the longest scoring drought to start a postseason ever.
Obviously, the Red Sox’ offense has been stagnant (or worse) for weeks, but 26 previous trips to the playoffs, you’d figure that they had started off with a scoreless game and a half before.
Alas, nope. This drought was historic. It ended at 14.2 innings, broken by Willson Contreras’ solo shot with two outs in the sixth inning.
And while some of it may be explained by the absences of Roman Anthony and Mickey Gasper, there’s no excuse for a playoff team to be this helpless at the plate.
Chad Tracy is not a big-game manager right now
There may have been a case for Chad Tracy to pull Payton Tolle for Erik Miller in Game 1. Not really, but there could have been a case made for Miller’s sinker being more effective against Ben Rice than Tolle’s fastball.
Yet there’s simply no way to understand why one night later, Tracy made the exact same move.
With Sonny Gray at just 70 pitches and the Yankees leading 1-0 with two outs in the fifth inning, Tracy went back to Miller, this time with two runners on base and Cody Bellinger at the plate. The left-left matchup was presumably the reason for the call, but Bellinger crushes sliders from lefties. And when Miller threw a slider to Bellinger … he delivered.
Bellinger singled home a run, and Miller then gave up another hit to Luis Garcia Jr. The Red Sox only got out of the inning because Rice was caught at home after an aggressive send on that second single.
Gray’s pitch count of 70 was tied for his second-lowest of the season, and though he had allowed two singles in the fifth, his body of work over the season and over the past 13 years gave him a much better chance of escaping the mini jam than Miller, who had a 2.045 WHIP and 7.36 ERA in the month of September and who gave up a home run and a single while getting just one out the night before.
If Tracy was insistent that Gray had to come out of the game, he had, quite literally, every high-leverage arm available to him. Instead, he went with Erik Miller.
And with that same complement of arms available in the bottom of the sixth inning, Tracy went with Garrett Crochet, who hasn’t pitched in a game since April 25. It didn’t go well.
Tracy also showed a lack of feel for the moment when he let leadoff hitter Jahmai Jones, who batted .129 with a .432 OPS over the final 13 games of the regular season and who struck out looking twice, to take his third at-bat in the sixth inning, with the Red Sox trailing 2-0.
Given Boston’s offensive ineptitude, the bullpen decisions are perhaps all moot. But had this been a close series, or if the Red Sox find themselves in one in the future, Tracy will carry some major doubt regarding his ability to manage those games.
Simply put, Chad Tracy did not do a single thing right in these two high-stakes games.
Luis Garcia Jr.’s home run was great hitting, not bad pitching
It took until the fourth inning for the Yankees to get to Sonny Gray, but the solo homer he allowed to Luis Garcia Jr. didn’t come on a bad pitch at all.
Leading off the fourth, Garcia was behind in the count 1-2 when Gray tried to bury a sweeper down and in to the lefty. Gray hit his spot with a pitch that was set to hit the bottom of the strike zone. But Garcia simply stayed on the pitch and went down and got it.
With the Red Sox starved for runs, Garcia’s solo shot was a jarring reminder that all it takes is one good swing to put a run on the board.
Boston eventually got that swing from Contreras in the sixth, but that jolt of hope for the visiting team didn’t last long.
What could have been with Garrett Crochet …
If you just looked at the box score, you’d be shocked to see Garrett Crochet’s line. He faced four batters, allowing all of them to score. He didn’t record an out, despite getting Spencer Jones to chase strike three to start the sixth inning.
Of course, some of that outcome was fair, as Crochet allowed back-to-back singles. But Caleb Durbin couldn’t get the out at first on what was intended to be a sacrifice bunt, Crochet left with the bases loaded, and Garrett Whitlock — who had a dreadful night — couldn’t limit the damage at all.
Such an outcome was perhaps expected, considering Crochet has not pitched in a game since April 25 due to shoulder problems. But you also can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Adley Rutschman and Willson Contreras hadn’t combined to bungle Crochet’s inning-opening strikeout of Jones.
Rutschman took an extra beat to pounce on the ball that had bounced off his chest, and then he took an extra step before firing to first base. There, Contreras was planted on the back side of the base instead of the front. As a result, Jones was able to beat the throw.
Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images
Spencer Jones beats out a throw to first.
Credit to Aaron Boone for challenging that call, which was initially an out on the field, but really, it wasn’t even close.
Rutschman then compounded the matter by sailing a throw into center field when Jones stole second, allowing the runner to take third before scoring on a single. Had Rutschman made either of those two throws, it’s fair to wonder how differently Crochet’s inning could have gone.
Summing up the season
There will be plenty of time in the coming months to eulogize this season, but really, despite the 32-5 stretch in the summer, it wasn’t one to celebrate.
Last year’s team won a game in the Wild Card Series, a disappointing ending. This year’s team couldn’t even do that.
Injuries to Crochet and Anthony were certainly impactful, but this roster — and particularly the offense — was not built to contend for a World Series. The Red Sox scored two or fewer runs in 13 of their final 23 games, averaging 2.5 runs per game over that stretch.
With the season on the line, the Red Sox had Jahmai Jones, Nate Eaton and Nick Sogard in their starting lineup.
After trading three of their top-five prospects to acquire Adley Rutschman, the catcher batted .222 with a .688 OPS in the regular season before going 1-for-8 in the playoffs.
Willson Contreras, a 34-year-old former catcher with a lot of MLB miles on him, was worn down by the end of the season. Caleb Durbin, whose lows outnumbered his highs this year, went 0-for-7 in the playoffs. Ceddanne Rafaela posted the same numbers, too.
The return for Marcelo Mayer was Erik Miller, who made a strong first impression but played a pivotal role in sinking the team’s chances in both postseason losses after an extremely unreliable final month of the season.
The starting pitching staff was excellent, and the bullpen was elite. But the overall roster construction will lead to plenty of questions about Craig Breslow’s ability to build a real winner. Likewise, the two playoff games cast some serious doubt on whether Chad Tracy is a manager capable of winning games in October.
The 15-game winning streak and 32-5 stretch might have led to some internal victory laps and the decisions to stick with Breslow and Tracy for the foreseeable future. But the 2026 Red Sox, on the whole, were what they were: mediocre. And having been stuck in mediocrity (or worse) for half a decade, there won’t be much more patience in and around Boston for it to continue.
Technically, the historic season turnaround may have been a positive, as making the playoffs beats bottoming out more often than not. But considering that the Red Sox likely could have loaded up on promising players by selling off veteran pieces like Contreras, Gray, Aroldis Chapman and anyone else at the deadline, that run in July may have hurt the Red Sox in the long term — especially with the prospect haul that went out to acquire Rutschman.
In any event, the Red Sox finished as the third-best team in the AL East, and they failed to win a single playoff game, getting outscored 18-2 in their lone playoff series. That’s the final word on the season as the long offseason — potentially longer than most — awaits.
Sep 20, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (8) walks off the field during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Denis Poroy/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ethan Salas is set to become the youngest player to catch in a major league postseason game when he starts for the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
The 20-year-old Salas is catching and batting seventh in the lineup announced by manager Craig Stammen at Petco Park. Salas also will be the youngest player to appear in the postseason for San Diego.
The Padres called up their top prospect on Sept. 1, and he became the youngest player to catch in a major league game since Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez in 1991. Salas, who was born in June 2006, went 10 for 24 to finish the regular season after going hitless in his first 15 big league at-bats.
“One, he’s a very talented player, and then probably two is his character and maturity that go with it,” Stammen said on the Padres’ decision to use Salas in the playoffs. “You add talent, you add character, and it adds up to a pretty nice little combo. Him getting to play this September was good for game experience, and it was also him showing us that he’s capable of handling any and all situations.”
Salas had a series of clutch hits during his late surge, and on Sept. 16 he became the youngest catcher to have a multi-homer game. He also earned praise for his defensive skills from the Padres’ staff, and even his acumen with ABS challenges was excellent.
That was more than enough to earn a spot on the 26-man postseason roster, and now Salas is getting a start for his playoff debut. He will catch veteran Nick Pivetta, who has already worked with the youngster in the regular season and during Pivetta’s injury rehab.
“They have a good relationship,” All-Star Padres closer Mason Miller said of Salas and Pivetta. “I trust him. I know a lot of pitchers feel really good about throwing to him. Then you add in the types of at-bats he takes, working counts, willing to go the other way, put it up in the air and over the fence, too. He’s that full package that I think is only going to get better over time.”
Bob Didier was 20 years and 230 days old when he caught for the Atlanta Braves in the 1969 NL Championship Series.
Salas is a left-handed hitter, while fellow Padres catchers Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano are righties. That makes Salas a natural fit against Kevin Gausman, the Cubs’ right-handed starter in Game 2, after lefty Matthew Boyd started the opener.
San Diego jumped all over Boyd while taking the series opener with an 8-0 victory. The Padres have won 18 of their past 21 games as they enter Game 2 hoping to earn a trip to Milwaukee for the division series this weekend.
The Padres signed Salas, who was born in Florida and raised mostly in Venezuela, as an international free agent in January 2023 with a record $5.6 million bonus.
While general manager AJ Preller traded away nearly all of the top prospects in his fruitful farm system over the past several years in his attempts to win a World Series immediately, he didn’t deal Salas, who is widely considered one of the best catching prospects in recent baseball history.
The Padres haven’t hesitated to allow their top young talents onto the playoff stage during their current franchise-record run of five postseason appearances in seven years. Fernando Tatis Jr. made his playoff debut at 21 years old in 2020, and Jackson Merrill also was 21 for his postseason debut in 2024.
“He’s got enormous amounts of confidence, which is what I love to see out of young kids,” Merrill said of Salas. “He trusts himself, we trust him, and I think that bounces back on each other. We’ve shown we love him and trust him to do what he’s capable of doing, and he’s going to go out there and perform to the best of his abilities.”
"I would prefer to play at night," Roberts said on Monday, Sept. 28. "As far as who we play, I don't think we really care. But I do think that it's going to be a hot weekend, and to play at night would certainly be more beneficial."
That's not entirely in the Dodgers' control. Per the broadcast schedule MLB released on Monday, there are two scenarios facing the Dodgers for Saturday: If the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres in their wild card series, the Dodgers would play at 6:00 p.m. local time. If the Padres win, however, the start time gets moved up to 1:00 pm PT.
That significant jump might be a problem for everybody involved.
Late September/early October is generally considered the hottest time of the year in Los Angeles, as the marine layer that normally protects the region from oppressive heat in the summer months starts to dissipate. Santa Ana winds also factor in, bringing in more heat and adding to the risk during peak wildfire season. Due to El Niño and the effects of climate change, this year is set to be even worse.
Here's what you need to know about the forecast heading into Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday, Oct. 3:
Los Angeles forecast for Saturday, Oct. 3
A week-long heat wave is expected to settle into LA on Friday, with "record breaking temperatures" expected by Saturday, according to AccuWeather. The high at 1000 Vin Scully Avenue is forecasted at 103 degrees with a RealFeel of 106.
"Blazing sunshine and very hot with the temperature approaching the record high of 108 set in 1987," AccuWeather says. "Heat will be dangerous, minimize outdoor activity."
At night, the temperature is predicted to drop to 74 with a slight breeze cooling the RealFeel down by another two degrees.
So yes, the start time can be a significant factor for the Dodgers – and whoever their opponent ends up being – on Saturday.
After Tuesday’s practice, the second of the team’s training camp sessions, consider the message heard and fulfilled, to the point where Redick and his coaching staff had to cut a couple of drills and modify the latter third of practice because “these guys were just giving great effort and physicality”.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick called an audible for the team’s practice on Wednesday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“It was wonderful,” Redick said.
Redick reiterated it’s been the wings who’ve stood out the most with establishing physicality.
“We talked about a line of confrontation,” the coach said. “Picking the ball up earlier, being disruptive earlier, eating at the shot clock earlier. Our physicality off the ball has been really good. It’s the entire group of wings. Anybody that’s been out there, it’s been really good.”
The stakes for the wings during training camp are clear.
Two of the Lakers’ starting spots alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler are up for grabs.
Ziaire Williams has been among the Lakers who’ve received prays for their defense in training camp. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
As Jake LaRavia put it, the competition for not just those starting spots, but also playing time on the wings in general next to the Lakers star guards is going to come down to “who’s the best 3-and-D player for us.”
And with multiple Lakers saying defense has been the main priority early in camp, players know that will determine how much court time they’re able to see.
“It’s been high intensity from the start,” Quentin Grimes said. “We’re trying to set the tone defensively for who we want to be as a team, picking up full court, everybody, all five guys trying to switch one through five. So, just having that intensity the whole practice, JJ could see it, we could all feel it, the coaches could feel it.”
Quentin Grimes is among the players setting the tone for the Lakers defensively. William Liang for CA Post
The intensity comes at a cost, though.
“And then we have a pretty intense practice like that, things get sloppy offensively,” Grimes added. “And so [Redick] probably knew, like, ‘yeah, just shut it down’ because the intensity was getting really high, for sure.”
The Lakers’ defense has been heavily scrutinized after their offseason reconstruction, with many external observers expecting for them to once again be a subpar defensive unit.
But Kessler pushed back on that narrative.
“We’re going to be a nasty defensive team, I’m just being honest,” Kessler said. “Just seeing these guys hound the ball on the perimeter. We’re going to be really good defensively. We have a lot of defensive tools.”
Among those tools are Matisse Thybulle’s anticipation and instincts.
Ziaire Williams’ size, length and athleticism.
The point-of-attack defensive skills Quentin Grimes showed early in his career.
Adou Thiero’s strength, size and athleticism.
The hope is that’ll make life difficult for opponents, not just the Lakers who’ve had the misfortune of going against them the last couple of practices.
“Let me tell you, trying to score on Matisse and Ziaire, especially with Adou out there too, and then Walker on the back line is not easy,” Reaves said. “I had to deal with that all day [Tuesday] and [Wednesday], and it’s not fun.
“So, defensively, we’re going to be much better. Those guys compete every possession, and then everybody else, fills in their roles and plays the right way. So, yeah, I see how special we can be.”
BLANKETY-BLANK: Last night’s loss was the 12th time the Cubs have been shut out in 132 post-season games. One of them was the final game of a series. They were 7-3 in the next games of the other series, including 5-1 on the road. They won all three next games in which they were blanked on the road, then played the same team on the road in the next game. They beat the Dodgers, 10-2, after losing Game 3 of the 2016 Championship Series, 6-0. They beat the Indians, 5-1, after losing Game 1 of the 2016 World Series. Last year, the Cubs beat the Padres at home, 3-1, after losing Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, 3-0. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
GAME TWO, PART 1: In all post-season series, the Cubs are 10-17 in second games, but just 3-11 on the road. Two of the wins were the ones at St. Louis and Cleveland listed above. The third was in the 1906 World Series vs. the White Sox, 7-1. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
GAME TWO, PART 2: In the regular season this year, the Cubs were 14-12 in second games of series after losing first games. They were 8-6 after first-game losses on the road, including a win at San Diego on April 28.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Thad Bosley singles in the tying run, then scores the winning run on a throwing error as the Cubs walk off the Cardinals 2-1 in the final regular-season game of the best Cubs season since 1945. It happened 42 years ago today, Sunday, Sept. 30, 1984.
This is exactly why the Cubs traded for Kevin Gausman: His extensive postseason experience, which includes six appearances (five starts) and 30.2 innings in last year’s postseason for the Blue Jays in which he posted a 2.93 ERA. He’ll need to be that guy tonight.
As you know, Gausman has had some good outings as a Cub but overall has been somewhat of a disappointment. He suffered a minor injury to his non-throwing shoulder in his last start, which was a week ago at Wrigley Field against the Marlins.
Gausman threw six innings and allowed three runs, striking out eight, against the Padres July 12 at Petco Park. A repeat of that might be good enough to force a Game 3.
Nick Pivetta missed almost the entire 2026 season with a right flexor strain. He was out from mid-April until early September, when he returned to make four starts in which he posted a 1.45 ERA and 0.911 WHIP, with just two walks in 18.2 innings.
He has not faced the Cubs this year. Current Cubs are batting .252 (27-for-107) against him with seven home runs, among those two each from Dansby Swanson and Michael Conforto.
As has been pointed out elsewhere, he has extreme reverse splits this year: .442 OPS vs. LHB, .704 OPS vs. RHB. Both are fairly small sample sizes (61 PA vs. RHB this year, 79 PA vs. LHB). For his career he’s about equal against both left-handed and right-handed batters.
Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees fist bumps his teammates prior to game one of the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the words of a Yankee legend, it was dèja vu all over again in the Bronx last night as Cam Schlittler continued crafting a legend of his own. Just like last season, Schlittler delivered a gem of a performance against the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, staking New York to a 1-0 series lead and giving them an opportunity to close the affair out early tonight. But unlike last year’s three-game set, in which the Yankee offense never fully erupted, the lineup finally achieved escape velocity. Ben Rice and his four hits, two homers, and six RBI, led the charge — but the bottom of the lineup contributed their fair share as well.
In other words, the Yankees played the perfect ballgame last night. Max Fried will be tasked with carrying the momentum into Game 2. Fried’s second season in pinstripes has been marred by a couple of IL stints limiting him to just 20 starts and 112.2 innings, but when he’s been healthy, he’s been just as good as in 2025. He’ll be pitching on seven days’ rest in Game 2 — his last appearance was an up-and-down start against the Rays, in which Tampa clinched the AL East.
As far as the recent track record against Boston, Fried has been quite effective. He only faced them twice this season: one was a short start from when he was returning from his latest injury, the other an eight-inning masterpiece in April from before the Red Sox got it together under new manager Chad Tracy. In Game 1 of last year’s WCS, he provided 6.1 scoreless innings, scattering four hits three walks while striking out six. The Yankees couldn’t hold onto the narrow 1-0 lead he had defended, and sabotaged their own comeback effort after loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning. None of that was Max’s fault, of course. Provided the lineup supports him, an effort like last year’s will be more than enough.
Old friend Sonny Gray never caught on with the Yankees in 2017 and 2018, but he’ll have no choice but to step up under the Yankee Stadium lights with Boston’s season on the line. Over his first season with the Red Sox, the steady veteran turned in yet another outstanding season, leading the AL with 18 wins (don’t think that doesn’t mean anything to him) and pitching to a 2.72 ERA. That’s the thing about the Red Sox’ pitching: they have lots of exciting youngsters like Payton Tolle, who pitched last night, but they also routinely get the most out of their veteran pitchers too. Gray faced New York twice in June and pitched well both times. The latter outing was his best start of the season by game score — one hit, one walk, nine strikeouts over 7.1 scoreless innings.
Unsurprisingly, Aaron Boone’s lineup for Game 2 is nearly unrecognizable when compared with the Game 1 starting nine. It’s a history-making card: according to James Smyth of the YES Network, it’s the first time a team has put eight lefty batters — switch hitters not included — in the same lineup in the postseason. The portside octet includes Trent Grisham, who entered late last night for his first action off the IL. Rice will ascend to the leadoff spot, with Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr. to follow. Spencer Jones hits cleanup and plays right field ahead of George Lombard Jr., the lone righty to get the start. Jazz Chisholm Jr. draws in at the keystone, Grisham bats in the seven-spot after him, Austin Wells will bat eighth, and Ryan McMahon starts at third and will hit ninth. Naturally, expect plenty of right-handed bats to come off the bench against a lefty-heavy Boston staff once Gray’s start concludes.
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV broadcast: NBC
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP) (BOS) | ESPN Radio (national)
Captain Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 223 as India recorded the second-highest ODI chase of all time on Wednesday to beat the West Indies by eight wickets and clinch the series.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat back on the sofa in his office on Monday, looking the most relaxed he has in weeks.
He'll be leading the charge as the Dodgers try for a historic World Series three-peat starting Saturday. If the Dodgers succeed, they would be the first team in National League history to accomplish the feat. But that's not what's on Roberts' mind right now; he knows the danger of looking too far ahead once you're in October.
"It just makes life more difficult when you don't focus on the job," he said over Zoom. "And that's winning this next series."
Max Muncy echoed his skipper, adding that the team doesn't need to add any extra pressure. Instead, the Dodgers are focusing on staying sharp over the week off, coming in to workout at Dodger Stadium, take batting practice, throwing bullpens and watching the wild card games together.
The bye helps the Dodgers get healthier, too; both Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman have been using the time to work on their mechanics at the plate while managing knee ailments (and a right bicep injury for Ohtani).
It also helps the team to lock in by just being around each other.
"Winning the World Series is hard enough as it is," Muncy said. "So for us, we're just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us without the added noise to it."
What lies ahead for the Dodgers in the NLDS is still unknown. As the No. 2 seed in the NL, they'll face either the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies, who have battled through two chaotic games so far; the Braves jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Austin Riley's clutch three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth on Monday and led 3-1 late on Wednesday until back-to-back blasts from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper tied it up. Alec Bohm then went deep on a solo shot in the 10th to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday.
That means the Dodgers won't know who they play until the last possible minute. Not that they necessarily care who occupies the dugout across from them, anyway.
"Either team, it doesn't really matter," Muncy said. "You're gonna have to play nothing but good teams from here on out. It's the postseason ... any team can go out and beat you. ... Whoever we play is whoever we play."
Here's a look at each of the Dodgers' possible NLDS opponents:
Atlanta Braves
The Dodgers and Braves dueled in both the 2020 and 2021 NLCS, but just four players remain from that 2021 Braves team that won the World Series: Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Dylan Lee and Ronald Acuña Jr. The Dodgers have had plenty of turnover, too.
The biggest knock on this Braves team has been the pitching depth. Chris Sale is continuing to beat Father Time and has a solid argument against Jacob Misiorowski for the Cy Young Award, but there's a dropoff in the rotation after him. Tyler Mahle has pitched well since being acquired at the trade deadline with a 1.99 ERA in nine starts. He threw seven innings of one-run ball in Game 2 against Philadelphia, but he was also the only starting pitcher that president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos traded for this summer when the consensus around league circles was that the Braves needed at least another arm.
Atlanta's battled through injuries for most of the season but much like the Dodgers, the Braves seem to be getting healthy at the right time.
Philadelphia Phillies
This would be a rematch of last year's NLDS, with home field advantage flipped to LA. The Dodgers are fully familiar with how dangerous the Phillies' lineup, headlined by Schwarber and Harper, can be; but they're just as familiar with how vulnerable the Phillies' bullpen is in October.
And the Phillies may have showed that volatility a little early with a 10-14 September record in which they didn't secure their playoff spot until the final game of the season despite their magic number being at one for the seven games before that. They avoided a historic collapse to close out the regular season and came back from what looked like sure elimination late in Game 2 on Wednesday, but how much longer can their bats keep covering for the bullpen? If it's anything like it was in 2025, the answer is not much.
Knicks guard Miles McBride looks on during practice at their training facility.
Knicks coach Mike Brown has spent much of the early days of training camp answering questions about how his team will address what he labeled “elephants in the room.”
The 26-year-old McBride is entering the final year of his three-year, $13 million contract and is set to become a free agent next year unless he and the Knicks agree to an extension. But there has been little movement in that regard, and his long-term Knicks future is uncertain.
“Obviously I love being in New York,” McBride said after practice Wednesday. “I’d love to continue my career here, end my career here. Best fans, I feel like we’ve done, obviously, something great this past year and the years leading up to that and I want to continue with this team.”
He is one of a trio of key Knicks whose contract situations are likely to hover over the season — Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart spoke Monday about the discomfort of not yet having signed extensions themselves. But McBride is the only one currently on an expiring deal, and the Knicks front office has a history of trading players on expiring deals rather than losing them for nothing in free agency. Mitchell Robinson this past offseason was an exception.
And the Knicks have a well-documented edict from owner James Dolan to remain under the second apron. McBride, set to earn just under $4 million this year, is one of the best values in the league. But assuming he has another productive season, he is in line for a dramatic pay raise.
The Knicks have significant money invested in their starting five and will already be hard-pressed to keep that unit together, much less anyone else. It is likely just not feasible to also give a big contract to a bench player, even if he plays a key role. Robinson was a casualty of that reality.
Knicks guard Miles McBride looks on during practice at their training facility. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The Knicks also have good depth at backup guard in Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson. They lack depth at center behind Towns, with Andre Drummond the only backup who is a lock to make the roster. McBride is the best trade chip on the bench that would actually bring back good value and it would make sense that the Knicks could look to flip him for a quality big man.
“I feel like in a sense, every year you have to prove yourself,” McBride said. “I feel like there’s uncertainty across the board for everybody in the league. Everybody’s going for big contracts and this and that. So I don’t let it really bother me. At the end of the day, I just want to go out there and give it my shot, play my best basketball.”
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride speaks with members of the media during practice at their training facility in Tarrytown, N.Y., Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Along with Towns’ and Hart’s negotiations, it presents a potential distraction amid the attempt to repeat as champions.
“We’re gonna face a lot of adversity and challenges throughout the course of the year,” coach Mike Brown said on Wednesday. “I addressed the group on that. I addressed individuals on that. There will probably be a time and place that I talk to [McBride] because he’s human, we’re all human, and we all want what’s best not just for ourselves but for our family as well as the organization, too. That’s a nice balancing act. But at the end of the day, he wants to be here, we want him to be here, and that’s something that I have faith in [president] Leon [Rose] and even Deuce’s representatives to figure that out.”
That McBride played through injury and sacrificed his body last year also plays into this.
He was terrific, shooting a career-high 42.0 percent from 3-point range before being sidelined after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. He came back at the end of the regular season, though he was not as effective and struggled at times in the playoffs.
“It’s kind of crazy, thinking about how unhealthy I was playing through that playoff run,” McBride said. “You go through surgery in an area where you need it. The easy medical term is sports hernia but it was a lot more complex than that. … The pain, there’s only so much you can do with that.”
Healthy again, McBride is confident he’ll be back to his best while auditioning for a new contract — with the Knicks or someone else.
Sep 28, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers player Ziaire Williams (11) during media day at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The offseason is where rosters and expectations are formed. Training camp is where the process to meet those goals begins, and the Los Angeles Lakers have been putting in the work through the first two days.
The Lakers came into the new season expected to take a dip defensively, but if what we heard at training camp on Wednesday is true, two players are looking to turn that perception on its head in Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams.
Take it directly from the guy who’s dealt with their defensive impact first-hand.
“Trying to score on Matisse and Zaire…is not easy,” Austin Reaves said after practice on Wednesday. “Had to deal with that all day yesterday and today, and it’s not fun…I think that they’re two of the best defenders in the league. They can guard multiple positions. Matisse’s anticipation is top tier. So excited to have them on our team and see what they can do.”
Thybulle and Williams both come to Los Angeles on minimum deals — the former a veteran, the latter still just 25 — each looking to prove they still belong in the league. If the impression they’re making on the rest of the roster bears true, they both may be integral pieces in making the Lakers one of the best defenses in the league.
“It starts with the defense,” JJ Redick said of Williams. “He’s a pest. He’s disruptive. He’s got great length. I think even going back to September when we watched pickup games and through the first two days of camp, his physicality stood out. I know he probably doesn’t have a reputation as being invisible, and you combine that with the length and the instincts, and he’s got just a solid base defensively.”
Modifying practice
Redick has been a coach of great detail in his tenure with the Lakers. So, naturally, when he has to modify practice, you’d think it would be a problem for him. Not on Wednesday.
“[Today] was great,” Redick said. “I mean, we actually had to modify the latter third of practice because these guys were just giving great effort and physicality. So we cut a couple things, but it was wonderful.”
Redick expanded, saying the wings were the main source of that physicality, especially on defense, being early disruptors, eating at the shot clock and maintaining that physicality off the ball.
“It’s been high intensity from the start,” Quentin Grimes said. “We kind of set the tone defensively with who we want to be as a team. Picking up full court, everybody, all five guys trying to switch one-through-five. We went smaller a couple times today, so just having that intensity the whole practice. JJ can see it. We could all feel it. The coaches can feel it.”
“It was very intense,” Sandro Mamukelashvili added. “Everybody’s very intense, hands-on, very, very physical. We try to set the tone from the beginning of the practice, make sure we pick each other up. But at the same time, it’s very, very healthy competition and everybody tries to establish themselves and get comfortable with each other and learn each other’s tendency.
“But today, it was very, very hard. We were going at it. We’re pushing, shoving, and just trying to make sure we help each other get better.”
Imposter syndrome subsiding
The majority of Lakers fans welcomed Redick with open arms three seasons ago despite no professional coaching experience. Many pointed to his lengthy playing career, the brief, but impactful, media career that followed and the natural charisma he’s had since he was at Duke as reasoning. Outwardly, he’s always had a confidence to him, too.
That wasn’t always the case internally, though.
“As I reflected this summer,” Redick said candidly. “Probably shouldn’t admit this, but early in my coaching career, it felt like I was cosplaying a little bit. It was like I was pretending to be a coach. You get more reps, you get more comfortable. I don’t think the confidence was ever not there, and you also just know what you want.
“When I played, I played with an anger. There was an inner anger that drove my competitiveness. That’s not always a good thing as a coach, particularly now. So, yeah, just working through all that stuff. But I think the biggest thing is just intrinsic knowledge. You do things enough, you just feel more comfortable.”
Redick led the Lakers to 50-plus wins in each of his first two seasons as head coach, something the franchise hasn’t seen since Pat Riley’s first two years. Aside from the few more gray hairs Reaves jokingly said he’s noticed, there’s been a tangible impact in his coaching style.
“He’s been great,” Reaves said. “Care factor is high. Intelligence is high. He cares more than anybody else in the gym. He’s been a good leader since day one. He’s confident in what he wants to do. He’s confident in himself and confident in his basketball.”
Other notes:
Austin Reaves had to pause his media sessions to admire Luka Dončić hitting five halfcourt shots in the span of 30 seconds.
Redick says Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney will be playing closer to the basket on defense while Mamu’s usage in that role will be more matchup-dependent.
Mamu is concentrating on learning team principles and being a reliable contributor rather than worrying about starting or coming off the bench.
Veteran guard Austin Reaves said Wednesday that he believes the Lakers will be an improved defensive team this upcoming season. (Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)
Two days into Lakers training camp while integrating nine new players during yet another physical practice session, Austin Reaves has been impressed with just how good this Lakers group can be.
As he stood before the media after practice Wednesday, Reaves was asked if he saw the makings of a championship team.
“I do,” he replied.
Reaves has such high hopes because of the defensive intensity the Lakers have displayed in camp.
It starts with center Walker Kessler, the team’s new rim-protecting 7-foot-2 center.
Then it goes all the way to the group of wing players the Lakers have who have been showing their defensive capabilities.
Reaves was quick to mention newcomers Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams, two wings the Lakers are depending on to be top-notched defenders, and second-year forward Aduo Thiero, who had a strong showing in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and during offseason pick-up games as a defender.
“Let me tell you, trying to score on Matisse and Ziaire, especially with Adou out there too, and then Walker on the back line, is not easy,” Reaves said. “I had to deal with that all day yesterday and today, and it’s not fun. So, defensively, we’re going to be much better. Those guys compete every possession, and then everybody else, you know, fills in their roles and plays the right way. So, yeah, I see how special we can be.”
Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton are two other new players who have been on point on defense.
Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt are two returners who are known for their defense.
It gives Lakers coach JJ Redick a solid group of defenders on the wing.
During practice Wednesday, Redick had to make it shorter than anticipated.
“We had to modify the latter third of practice because these guys were just giving great effort and physicality, so we cut a couple things,” Redick said. “But it was wonderful.”
When asked who stood out at practice, Redick didn’t hesitate.
“I would just say all our wings,” Redick said. “We talked about a line of confrontation, so picking the ball up earlier, being disruptive earlier, eating at the shot clock earlier. And I think our physicality off the ball has been really good. We worked on some squared-up reps today. Guys great effort, but it’s the entire group of … of wings. Anybody that’s been out there, it’s been really good.”
Redick mentioned how Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean talked about “deploying the soldiers.”
“Like, the guys on the wing that know their assignment, we’re going to deploy them and they’re going to attack and they’re going to be aggressive,” Redick said. “And then we got to have commanders behind them using their voices and that’s the responsibility of Walker and (Kevon) Looney.”
The Lakers’ defensive rating last season in the NBA was 115.5, ranking them 20th in the league.
They gave up 114.6 points per game, ranking them 11th, and they allowed teams to make 48.3% of their shots , ranking the Lakers 24th.
Yet after only two days of practice, Reaves has a stronger belief in this team’s defensive abilities.
And with that, he believes the Lakers can be championship contenders.
“I mean,” Reaves said. “I left here yesterday and headed to the golf course and was very excited on the drive over there with how yesterday went and kind of what I’ve seen this team could be.”
The Thunder and Spurs are considered the best teams in the NBA and both reside in the Western Conference. Last season, the Thunder was ranked first in defensive rating (106.5) and the Spurs were third (112.3).
With that in mind, Grimes was asked if the Lakers are being viewed as an underrated defensive team on the perimeter.
“I don’t think they’re underrating it, but I think it might be getting, like, overlooked a little bit because of the presence that teams like San Antonio and OKC have set the standard for it,” Grimes said. “But I don’t think we are getting … I think it might be overlooked a little bit. So, I feel like that’s kind of cool to fly under the radar, and we’ll surprise people maybe during the season.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Tyler Mahle #54 of the Atlanta Braves throws the ball to home plate against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, you kinda just knew that this was going to be in the future for these clubs, huh?
After another close game was decided on a knife’s edge, the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are heading to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Wild Card Series. There were twists and turns but at the end of the day, the three guys who the Braves couldn’t let beat them ended up beating them. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper went back-to-back against Dylan Lee in the eighth inning (right after the Braves took the lead) and then Alec Bohm bopped one out against Didier Fuentes in the tenth inning to essentially decide the contest.
For the first seven-and-a-half innings, it seemed like the Braves were going to snatch another one. Tyler Mahle in particular was fantastic through seven strong results as he only gave up one run while he was out there. As it turned out, he was gutting his way through it as Walt Weiss dropped a bombshell during the postgame press conference and stated that Mahle was dealing with an injury right before the matchup and was considered a game-time decision.
“We had a scare before the game. He felt an abdominal pull. We didn’t know if he was going to make the start,” explained Weiss when he was asked about whether or not Tyler Mahle was truly done after the seventh inning. When he asked to explain more about Mahle’s pregame status, he explained that it really and truly was touch-and-go for Mahle heading into today’s game.
“We weren’t sure. It was right at game time after he came out of the bullpen,” explained Weiss. “He ended up working through it, and it got better as the game went on. But we were scrambling early on.” With that particular context, it makes Mahle’s start all the more impressive — especially considering that this was his first career Postseason start. A lot of credit has to be given to Mahle for going out there and toughing it out but now his status will be in question going forward, and hopefully he’ll be feeling better as the Postseason run (hopefully) progresses.
Meanwhile, this was another tough day for Didier Fuentes, who has now given up that big triple to J.T. Realmuto in Game 1 and the homer to Bohm in Game 2. It’s a very rough stat to Postseason life for Fuentes but Weiss has likely been using his own experiences as a player to keep Didier’s head high during this particular low moment.
“When you’re a late-inning reliever, these things happen,” explained Weiss. “I’ve seen some great ones that this has happened to. I saw one of the greatest. I was at shortstop when Kirk Gibson did his thing off [Dennis Eckersley,] one of the greatest closers of all time. It comes with the territory when you’re pitching late in close games. Every once in a while, they get you.“
Weiss also stood behind his decision to go to Dylan Lee, which made sense in the moment considering how Game 1 went. “Lee is our high-leverage lefty,” explained Weiss when he was asked about going with Lee in that situation. “[He] put down the same part of the order yesterday pretty easily. Threw the ball really well yesterday. So no, that’s his inning every time.”
Lastly, Dominic Smith got the call for a big at-bat at the end and Weiss had to field a question about that situation as well. Again, Weiss backed his player in that situation and stated that he had a “good feeling” about Dominic Smith potentially coming through with another big moment.
“Dom is a really good pinch-hitter and it’s a professional at-bat,” stated Weiss as he was asked about Smith coming in for the tenth inning. “I think thought there was a good chance he may even draw a walk there and pass the baton to Yaz. Just felt good about Dom in that situation. He’s come through for us.”
All in al, it’s a tough pill for the Braves to swallow (especially considering the missed opportunities that Atlanta had in the game, including a tough double play from Michael Harris II when Cristopher Sánchez was just barely holding on to a tied ballgame in the sixth inning) but at the same time, the Phillies had to take their medicine in Game 1.
It’s part of the dramatic ebb-and-flow that comes with the Postseason — especially considering that these two are divisional rivals who have been going back-and-forth with each other all season. There are no secrets left, no surprising the other. It’s just going to be a matter of who’s going to be the better team over the next nine (or so) innings.
Hopefully once the smoke clears tomorrow, the Braves will be the ones heading out to Los Angeles for the weekend but for now, it’s clear that the margin for error is just as razor thin as everybody thought it would be. The Braves threw their haymaker, the Phillies responded in kind and now it’s time to see who’s going to be able to deliver that knockout shot in Game 3. We’ll see what happens as the Braves play their first actual game in October this season — with everything on the line.
Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images
