Worldwide Sports News

Three teams advanced to the league championship round on Wednesday night. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers wrapped up their series wins over the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres, respectively. They’ll square off in what should be a pretty epic NLCS. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays completed their dismantling of the New York Yankees, never trailing at any point in the series. The Yankees’ World Series drought going back to 2008 continues.

Tonight, the Chicago White Sox will look to knock off the Cleveland Guardians, and they’d be advised to get it done and not face a Game 5 in Progressive Field against Gavin Williams with all the Guardians bullpen arms on alert. First pitch at Rate Field is set for 8:00 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on TBS.

LHP Parker Messick (12-9, 2.56 ERA) takes on LHP Hagen Smith (3-3, 1.29 ERA)

The Guardians have the clear starting pitching advantage, but Smith has been really good and will probably only look to go four innings before White Sox’ manager Will Venable turns to his deep bullpen.

One Yankees legend is calling for a change.

During the Fox postgame show on Wednesday night after the Bombers were swept by the Rays in the American League Division Series, Alex Rodriguez ripped the powers that be in the Bronx, calling for a “philosophy change.”

“Something has to change,” Rodriguez said, kicking off a long rant. “I’m not talking about personnel, but I’m talking about a philosophy. There has to be a philosophy change. You’ve won 27 titles one way. I’m not saying anyone should lose their job, I’ll make that clear. But [general manager Brian] Cashman has to surround himself with people that know baseball, that understand baseball, that can value both sides of the ball. 

Rodriguez took particular issue with the Yankees’ lack of stability around the diamond, arguing that a team facing elimination shouldn’t still be having to solve so many lineup and defensive questions.

“It’s unthinkable in a game where your season is on the line, and of the nine positions, you don’t know who’s gonna play five positions — first base, second base, third base, center field, and right field because [Aaron] Judge is out. If something doesn’t change, you’re gonna have the same results. We’ve been watching the same movie for over a decade, and nothing changes.”

Rodriguez’s comments echo those made by Judge, who watched from the dugout as he nursed a calf strain, after the 4-3 loss. 

“We’re the Yankees,’’ Judge said. “I feel like [the front office] should go all in and do what they need to do. If we’ve got holes, if it’s finding certain players, whatever we need … They give us a winning team every year. That’s not good enough in New York.” 

It remains to be seen whether change will be at the top this winter. 

Before being eliminated, Cashman seemed to indicate that manager Aaron Boone would be back next season.

“I think Boone’s a really good manager,” he said. “We’re here for a reason. There’s a lot of reasons behind that. And he’s certainly part of that.”

Beyond Boone and Cashman, the Yankees have plenty of questions to sort out on the roster. 

Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trent Grisham, Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario are among the position players who can test free agency, while closer David Bednar is also set to hit the open market.

Outside of George Lombard Jr. at shortstop, there are a ton of questions on the infield, and uncertainty over how much the Yankees can continue to count on the oft-injured Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter moving forward.

In what could possibly be his final game in pinstripes, Jazz Chisholm Jr. once again struck the wrong note with a former teammate.

Wednesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Rays eliminated the Yankees from the postseason, but Chisholm found the Yankee Stadium faithful’s booing “confusing,” saying the team needed their support.

Anthony Rizzo, who spent the final 3 ½ seasons of his career in The Bronx, was dumbfounded by the mercurial infielder’s remarks.

“Jazz Chisholm’s comments after the game just looks like a player who is lost,” Rizzo said in an episode of “Ross and Rizzo Unfiltered” released Thursday.

“He says after the game about being booed, ‘I don’t understand, I was confused why I was being booed.’ It surprises you that you were booed? What do you mean?”

Chisholm, 28, was among several Yankees who struggled during the eventual ALDS sweep, which included a series of misplays in Game 2 and led to his benching for Game 3.

After boldly predicting a 50-home run, 50-stolen base regular season back in spring, the impending free agent finished with 19 bombs and 41 steals during a disappointing, injury-riddled 2026.

Despite those struggles, he said he understood the fanbase but remained perplexed by its reaction.

“I already understand New York fans,” Chisholm told reporters postgame. “They booed Aaron Judge before, who am I?

“It doesn’t hurt, it’s just confusing because it’s the playoffs and we’re trying to win games. So you’re booing a guy that’s playing currently trying to help the team win. You’re hearing boos instead of trying to hype guys up. But at the end of the day, it didn’t hurt me because I’ve seen Aaron Judge get booed here too.”

But Rizzo, who previously ripped Chisholm’s “immaturity” over an ejection during the Yankees’ sweep by the Red Sox in June, once again didn’t let his former teammate off the hook.

“You’ve played there for three-plus years now, you’ve seen [Anthony] Volpe get run out of town. You’ve seen Judgey get booed. You’ve seen Stanton get booed.

“It surprises you that you got booed? That’s just not the right way to answer questions.”

Chisholm will be among several key decisions for the Yankees entering the offseason as the organization looks to build its first championship-winning squad since 2009.

The second baseman, who entered Game 3 as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-2 with a stolen base, made it clear where he wants to continue his career.

“This is where I want to be,” Chisholm said.

The Pirates season has come to a close finishing 82-80. The offense was the big story for the club this season with how dynamic and dominant they were at the plate. The pitching wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t the best in the league, let’s take a look at the Pirates bullpen this season. 

The Good

Yohan Ramírez served as a reliable workhorse and multi-inning weapon out of the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen. He racked up over a strikeout per inning (102 K in 85.0 IP) with a strong 2.86 ERA across 66 appearances. The bullpen was very questionable for a lot of the season, but Ramirez was definitely one of the more reliable and trusted arms. 

Mason Montgomery led the team with 18 saves and had a solid 2.55 ERA. Montgomery was shaky in the beginning of the season, but he looked better in the second half of the year. 

Luke Weaver was a big addition for the Bucs at the trade deadline from the New York Mets, and he looked pretty solid at times for the team. Weaver is Under contract through the 2027 season, with his next unrestricted free agency scheduled for 2028.

In the Middle

The Pirates were ranked in the middle in bullpen ERA at 14th with a 4.01 ERA. That’s not bad, but the big thing with the bullpen was inconsistency. As a team, they had 41 total saves on the year, which was an above average state compared to the rest of the league.   

Gregory Soto was a name the team called on a good bit this season, pitching in 68 games. He also had the problem of inconsistency, he had a 3.68 ERA and had an issue with allowing the long ball. As a whole, the bullpen allowed 65 home runs on the year, which was on the lower side in the league.   

The Bad

For the whole season, the Buccos didn’t have a go to closer. Mason Montgomery was thrusted into that role later in the year, but I’m not sure if he can be a legit long-term closer in the ninth inning for the Pirates next season.

To start the season, Denis Santana was the closer but he was designated for assignment by the Pirates on July 23, 2026, after posting a 6.05 ERA.

Another disappointment was Camilo Doval, who was traded from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. Doval was supposed to be this big pickup at the deadline, but he was designated for assignment by the Pirates on September 22, 2026 and was later picked up by the San Francisco Giants. 

The Pirates need to go out and get a legit closer in the offseason because they need that guy they can fully rely on. I think having Mason Montgomery throw in the seventh and maybe having Luke Weaver in the eighth can work as great set up guys. New closer to follow.

Overall, the Pirates bullpen did okay this season in places, but inconsistency killed them, especially when the Pirates had those rough months in the middle of the year. If the Bucs want to snap their playoff drought for the 2027 season, they should be aggressive in the offseason and spend some money on some guys in the bullpen that can help out. 

CHICAGO – There are some atmospheres a young team just has to experience for itself.

Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable acknowledged his team was affected by the magnitude of Game 3 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians. The team's first playoff game at home since 2021. A chance to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time since 1906. A fanbase ecstatic to be in the postseason after three 100-loss seasons in a row.

“This group has always responded well to different atmospheres, whether that's on the road or here. … It was different yesterday,” Venable said Thursday, Oct. 8, ahead of Game 4.

“I'm not sure that there was anything that myself or anybody else could have said to prepare them for that,” Venable added. They had to experience it for themselves.”

Jim Crane’s reputation for control could make Houston’s search for new leadership far more difficult than anyone wants to admit.

The two most important positions in the Houston Astros organization are either open or facing uncertainty, and the scary part is that they may also be two of the least attractive jobs in Major League Baseball.

Think about that for a moment.

We’re talking about an organization that has enjoyed one of the most successful runs in modern baseball history. A franchise with multiple World Series appearances, two championships, a passionate fan base, and a reputation for winning. On the surface, the opportunity to become the next general manager or manager of the Houston Astros should be one of the most coveted positions in the sport.

But there’s one major problem:

Jim Crane.

With Dana Brown’s departure as general manager and uncertainty surrounding Joe Espada’s future as manager, the Astros should be positioned to attract some of the brightest minds in baseball. Experienced executives and proven managers should be lining up for interviews, while young, innovative candidates should view Houston as the perfect opportunity to establish themselves on the biggest stage.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe that’s the reality.

The biggest obstacle facing the Astros isn’t necessarily the roster, the payroll, or even the organization’s depleted farm system. It’s the reputation of an owner who, in my opinion, has become far too involved in baseball decisions and far too controlling of the people he hires to make them.

Let’s be clear. Jim Crane owns the Houston Astros. He has every right to run his organization however he sees fit. He’s invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the franchise, and nobody can take away the success the Astros have enjoyed under his ownership.

But there’s a significant difference between being an involved owner and being an owner who makes it difficult for the baseball people he employs to actually do their jobs.

That distinction could become the single biggest issue facing this organization moving forward.

Why Would an Established Candidate Want These Jobs?

We will probably never know everything that happened behind closed doors with Dana Brown, Joe Espada, or even Dusty Baker before them. We don’t know every disagreement, every personnel decision, or how much authority each man actually had.

Baseball is a small world. Executives talk. Managers talk. Agents talk. Reputations travel quickly throughout the industry. Does anyone really believe that experienced baseball executives and managers aren’t going to do their homework before considering an opportunity in Houston?

If you’re an established general manager with a proven track record, why would you leave a comfortable situation to take a job where you might not have the final say on the decisions you’re ultimately going to be judged for? If you’re a veteran manager who has spent decades earning the respect of players and front offices, why would you willingly enter a situation where ownership might constantly second-guess your decisions? Look no further than the friction that surrounded Dusty Baker’s final years in Houston.

Baker was a future Hall of Fame manager with a World Series championship and decades of experience. He had earned the right to manage his clubhouse and make baseball decisions based on his knowledge and instincts. Yet even with his résumé, questions persisted about the relationship between the manager and ownership.

If someone with Dusty Baker’s credentials faced those challenges, what does that tell prospective candidates about the environment they’re potentially walking into?

Established baseball people don’t need the Houston Astros job badly enough to surrender the authority and independence they’ve spent their careers earning.

That should concern every Astros fan.

The Risk for Young, Up-and-Coming Candidates

Now consider the other side of the equation.

Maybe Crane decides to go in a different direction and hire younger, emerging talent. Someone with fresh ideas, a modern analytical approach, and a desire to make a name for themselves in Major League Baseball. That sounds exciting, right? However, put yourself in the shoes of one of those candidates.

You’ve spent years working your way through an organization, building relationships, learning the business, and waiting for your opportunity to run a baseball team or manage at the major league level. Your first opportunity could define your entire career. Would you really want that opportunity to come with the possibility of being undermined by ownership, having your authority questioned, or being held responsible for decisions you didn’t necessarily make?

Because here’s the reality of professional sports: When things go wrong, the general manager and manager usually take the blame, regardless of who was actually making the decisions.

For a young executive or manager, one unsuccessful opportunity can dramatically change the trajectory of a career. It’s one thing to fail because your philosophy didn’t work, your personnel decisions were wrong, or your team simply didn’t perform. It’s something entirely different to fail because you were never given the freedom to build and lead the organization the way you believed was necessary.

That’s a risk some of the brightest young minds in baseball may not be willing to take.

Would New Leadership Want to Tear Everything Down?

There’s another question that I don’t think is getting nearly enough attention.

What happens if the Astros do hire a younger general manager with a completely different philosophy? Would that person look at the current roster and see a team that just needs a few strategic additions to compete for another World Series? Would they see an aging core, expensive contracts, limited organizational depth, and an opportunity to completely rebuild the franchise? That’s a massive difference.

The Astros have spent years building a culture where winning the division and competing for championships are expectations, not aspirations. Despite the challenges facing the organization, there is still a foundation of talent capable of competing. A new general manager looking to establish their own identity might prefer to start over rather than inherit a roster and organizational structure built by previous regimes.

That could mean difficult decisions involving established veterans, popular players, and potentially a complete philosophical shift in how the Astros construct their roster. Here’s the bigger question: Would Jim Crane actually allow that person to execute such a plan? Would we simply be right back where we started, with another general manager carrying the title but not necessarily possessing the authority that should come with it?

The Astros Don’t Need Another Figurehead

For years, the Astros were considered one of baseball’s model organizations.

They developed talent, made calculated personnel decisions, embraced innovation, and built a championship culture that other franchises desperately wanted to duplicate.

However, successful organizations don’t stay successful simply because of what they accomplished in the past. They evolve. They adapt. Most importantly, they empower talented people to make difficult decisions.

That’s where I believe Jim Crane faces his biggest challenge as an owner. He doesn’t just need to find the next general manager and manager of the Houston Astros.

He needs to convince qualified candidates that they’ll actually be allowed to do the jobs they’re being hired to do.

If the perception around baseball is that Houston’s front office and dugout are ultimately controlled by the owner’s office, the Astros may discover that their impressive history and championship pedigree aren’t enough to attract the caliber of leadership this franchise needs. If the best candidates decide the potential headaches outweigh the opportunity, Houston could be left choosing from people who are willing to accept the conditions rather than those who are best qualified to lead.

That’s not how championship organizations should operate.

The Biggest Decision Belongs to Jim Crane

The Astros are at a crossroads.

They can build on the talent and winning foundation that still exists, make the necessary adjustments, and position themselves for another championship window, or they can continue down a path where instability, uncertainty, and questions about organizational authority become bigger stories than what happens on the baseball field.

The next general manager and manager will undoubtedly face enormous pressure to win. Before Jim Crane decides who those individuals should be, perhaps he needs to ask himself a much more important question.

Is he willing to hire the best baseball people available and then trust them enough to let them do their jobs?

Until that question is answered, the two most important jobs in the Houston Astros organization might also remain two of the least desirable.

For a franchise that has spent the better part of a decade setting the standard for success in Major League Baseball, that’s a troubling place to be.