LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have struck first in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.
The bats were kept quiet for most of Braves opener Dylan Dodd's three innings pitched as he managed to keep pace with Tarik Skubal on the opposing mound, but the Dodgers offense wasted no time in getting after Victor Mederos once the 25-year-old righty checked into the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Freddie Freeman worked a four-pitch walk, the first of the game by either team, before Teoscar Hernández jumped on a cutter down the middle, flipped his bat high in the air and admired the ball as it sailed a towering 431 feet halfway up the left-field pavilion seats at Dodger Stadium for a two-run home run.
LAIE, Hawaii – The Warriors on Saturday said goodbye to the BYU-Hawaii campus, which played host to five practices ahead of Sunday’s preseason opener against the LA Clippers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
“I’ve loved it all,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, Hawaii’s one of the great spots on Earth, and to have camp here, great chance for our players to bring family members and enjoy their time after practice. We also had great five days here at BYU.”
And how couldn’t Kerr and the rest of the many, many traveling Warriors not have loved their time on the north shore? The people are as welcoming as the waves. The food is delicious, and it’s the best reset away from the hustle and bustle of the NBA.
Players were on the same page as their coach, too.
“Oh, Hawaii’s beautiful,” Brandin Podziemski said. “Second time here. The people are just so nice and so welcoming. Make you feel at home.”
Finally, the Warriors soon will be back in the Bay Area playing on their home court at Chase Center. The home preseason opener is Tuesday night at 7 p.m. PT against the Los Angeles Lakers. But first, they’ll get to show off their new 5-out offense Sunday against the Clippers, as well as new defensive concepts being taught by Frank Vogel.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ fifth practice of training camp, which featured comments from Kerr, Podziemski and Charles Bassey.
Minutes Plan
The first starting five for the Warriors already was chosen Thursday when Kerr revealed a lineup of Podziemski, Steph Curry, Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Kerr on Saturday laid out the plan for how long veterans will be on the floor.
When the second half begins, at least three Warriors starters will not be on the court.
“Steph, Dray and Al first half only,” Kerr said. “Probably between 12 and 16 minutes, somewhere in there.”
Expectation is Steph, Draymond and Al play between 12 and 16 minutes https://t.co/olxSB09Qzx
As Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody continue their rehabs from injury, plus Kristaps Porziņģis not being in Hawaii due to a health issue, the Warriors already are shorthanded. They’ll lean into their depth right away, even in the preseason. Every Warrior will see action against the Clippers — including their three players on two-way contracts — as well as Dalen Terry, Alex Toohey and Miles Kelly.
The plan helps Kerr get his first look at every available player without overexhausting anybody. The training staff will take a cautious approach throughout the preseason, and the schedule doesn’t do anybody any favors.
After playing Sunday in Hawaii, the Warriors play again Tuesday at Chase Center, then again the next day in Portland against the Trail Blazers. That’s right, the Warriors already are being challenged by a back-to-back in the preseason, including playing three games in four nights with two flights.
That bundle of games quickly will throw off the Warriors’ practice schedule, and a handful of players won’t even make the trip to Portland.
“Not a huge fan, but we get it,” Kerr said of the back-to-back. “These things are tricky. It’s not easy putting these schedules together – arena availability, the Hawaii trip. So, next week’s going to be an interesting schedule for us. We’ll keep some guys home from Portland. Then we’ll have to do half the guys have the day off on Thursday; guys who don’t go to Portland practice that day, almost like split-squad type stuff.
“We’ll just have to be creative.”
Podz Point Of Attack
Training camp this year has been a far different vibe than years past. The Warriors are hammering new ideas offensively and defensively into veterans and younger players. A lot of the offensive concepts already have been drilled into younger players who were around throughout the summer.
Coaches aren’t worried about either side of the ball feeling a bit foreign right now. It’s the point of training camp and preseason, and perfection is far from what is expected.
But one of the more important players on the defensive side is someone who has been impressive offensively throughout camp. Playing next to Curry always puts extra pressure on his backcourt mate to be trusted equally on both sides. Podziemski isn’t new to this going into his fourth season as Curry’s teammate.
Defensively, what has Podziemski learned about playing next to Curry?
“I learned that he’s really good at defense still, even though it’s his 18th year,” Podziemski said. “But yeah, obviously, it’s not crazy to know that if you’re gonna play with Steph, you got to be able to play defense. I think back in the last year, I played really well defensively. I’m ready for that challenge.”
Podziemski believes his game has grown most defensively from a point-of-attack standpoint over the last few years with the challenges he has faced.
“I think the comfortability of seeing the best players for four years now,” he said. “Obviously, everybody has a rhythm they like to play with, and so learning those guys, especially like tomorrow playing against Darius Garland, playing them in the play-in, they have rhythms that they want to get to. So over time, you get more accustomed to that, and I think that’s where I’ve grown.”
As a rookie, Podziemski had a defensive rating of 115.4. That number dropped to 112.0 his second season but grew to 116.1 in 2025-26. He and Curry together produced a 110.3 defensive rating over 601 minutes alongside each other last season.
Another Draymond Adjustment
Sunday’s preseason opener will give fans their first look at rookie Yaxel Lendeborg after his standout showing in summer league. It also will be their first look at how Green, Golden State’s other starting forward, adapts to the Warriors’ 5-out offense.
There has been an emphasis on Green to shoot more 3-pointers after making at least 100 of them last season for the first time in a decade. Shooting threes might be his smallest adjustment. Green will not be bringing the ball up the floor and directing the offense as much.
The last thing Kerr wants to see is Green trailing the offense in transition.
“It’s the biggest adjustment for him,” Kerr said. “He’s trailed the play for us for years, so we’re telling him every play, ‘Get down the floor.’ And when he’s down the floor, that could mean he’s in the corner, could mean he’s on the wing, but he’s still going to be involved in the action. And when we say 5-out, it doesn’t necessarily mean five 3-point shooters, but it means five guys around the 3-point line.”
Trailing the play in a 5-out offense is for guard and wings, not for Green. We’ll see just how smoothly he has adjusted to the change.
Podziemski will be initiating a lot of offense and made it a point to compliment Green for how he has been handling the transformation.
“He’s been super mindful of that,” Podziemski said. “It’d be easy for a guy that’s been doing it for 15 years now to just be like, ‘Nah, this is how I do it.’ But his adaptability … Steph’s trying to learn the new things, it’s encouraging and it’s a good example for all the young guys to see.”
Words are one thing. Actions are another. Sunday’s preseason game against the Clippers will give insight into adjustments for all and provide plenty of tape for the team to study.
Teoscar Hernandez kicked off the scoring for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS as the California heat wave is taking its toll on baseball fans at Dodger Stadium.
Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning off of Braves reliever Victor Mederos to bring home Freddie Freeman who was on first after a walk.
Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal shined in first five innings of his start, allowing no runs and one hit until Braves catcher Sean Murphy blasted a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to bring the score to 2-1. Skubal was pulled from the mound after six innings of work.
Teoscar Hernández celebrating as he rounds the bases. AP Photo/Jae C. HongLos Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitcher Tarik Skubal pitching in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Wally Skalij for CA PostLos Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The Dodgers big offseason acquisition Kyle Tucker made his presence felt with a two-run blast of his own in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the same inning, Max Muncy hit a solo homer to extend LA’s lead 5-1.
With Saturday being the first day of a heatwave that’s expected to linger through mid-October, the fans are certainly feeling the effects of the triple-digit temperatures.
Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after a 2-run home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves. Getty Images
As fans started to enter the gates of the stadium, journalist Arash Markazi reported that they were being greeted with complimentary Dasani water bottles and were also being given free Gatorade as a way to keep them hydrated.
The Dodgers aren’t just giving fans entering the stadium a bottled water and a rally towel but there are crates of water bottles around Dodger Stadium with employees giving water out to whoever asks for a bottle. pic.twitter.com/a7p1IHqtpv
Dodgers fans seen wear towels on their heads to try to cool off during Game 1 NLDS game against the Braves. Wally Skalij
As the game was about to begin, the live broadcast showed the fans trying to avoid the sun beating down on them by stashing the complimentary towels they were given underneath their hats while covering their necks. They were also seen waving themselves with personalized fans.
Video journalist Steve Saldivar reported that during the pregame flyover, the temperature was already at a scorching level of 102 degrees.
But still, the harsh conditions weren’t enough to keep the Dodgers fan base from soaking up the sun.
On X, the account @MooneyOwnsYou posted a video of a shirtless Dodgers fan soaking in the heat, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and flip-flops, with two empty Dos Equis beer cans next to him.
@SoCalEricLittle posted photos on his X account of the Dodgers fans enduring long traffic lines to enter the stadium, while finding their seats during pregame.
When the game officially started, it was already starting to look like a packed house, as fans were seen filling in the outfield and the shaded areas in the stadium.
In Los Angeles, they’re lining up multi-Cy Young Award winners and a World Series hero named Yoshinobu Yamamoto, ready to hang zeroes for the Dodgers. Over in the other dugout, Chris Sale lurks, a future Hall of Famer giving the Atlanta Braves a chance.
In St. Petersburg, the visiting New York Yankees are so pitching-rich that Gerrit Cole didn’t even need to pitch in the wild-card round, while he and presumed Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler will square off against a pair of Tampa Bay Rays All-Stars in Games 1 and 2 of their American League Division Series.
And in Cleveland, the American League strikeout leader and a dominant rookie left-hander made the Guardians prohibitive favorites in their ALDS.
The Chicago White Sox also showed up. With five relievers in a trench coat, impersonating a starting pitcher.
And the formula remains perfect so far in this postseason.
Forget the Pope. Papal power is no match for one booming home run from Munetaka Murakami and a fantastic pitching plan, executed perfectly by manager Will Venable. And in Game 1 of this ALDS Saturday, Oct. 3 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, the White Sox showed they were for real-for real in this playoff field, recording a 3-0 victory over their Central rival Guardians.
This was a fantastic ballgame, befitting a pennant race that saw the 85-77 Guardians eke ahead of the 84-win White Sox at the end.
No biggie. The White Sox lost 121 games just two years ago, 102 last year. Now?
It feels like anything’s possible.
How could it not? This game ended with Grant Taylor, the White Sox’s sometimes-closer who never pitched more than 2⅔ innings this season, logging a four-inning save, striking out six and walking nobody.
The White Sox have now played three playoff games. They have never trailed. Nor has one of their starting pitchers recorded more than 12 outs.
Their winning pitchers? Relievers Jordan Hicks, Anthony Kay and Bryan Hudson, two of them earning Ws thanks to “scorer’s discretion.”
And why not? Hudson was the winner Saturday simply by recording the final out of the third inning, bailing starter (or, “starter”) Hagen Smith out of a bases-loaded jam. Biggest moment of the game, or at least it was until moments later, when Murakami destroyed a Messick pitch, sending it 440 feet into the Progressive Field right field seats. If anyone still doubted Murakami after his 35-homer season, 112 mph off the bat will, in fact, play.
Then again, you can’t shortchange what Taylor did. He won seven games and saved 10 this season, at least until the White Sox figured out his ability to punch dudes out (11.4 per nine innings) qualified him for “whenever we need him most” duty.
Saturday, that moment came in the sixth inning, when Venable handed him the ball and a 2-0 lead. He never gave it back.
“Incredible. Grant has been our guy the entire year,” Venable said in his postgame press conference in Cleveland. “We go into that one not expecting four innings from him.
“But he was just so efficient, kept going, wanted the ball in the ninth there. Just weren’t comfortable with the cushion to go elsewhere. But he wanted the ball. He was efficient.
“I don’t know what else to say about him. He’s a beast out there. Some incredible stuff from Grant.”
As the game reached the top of the ninth, Taylor told reporters, he did not get a look from Venable that said, “you’re done.” So he went into the tunnel. Pitching coach Zach Bove came down and a wordless exchange ensued.
Bove gave him a look that Taylor says means, “How do you feel? What do you got?”
Taylor nodded. And finished the game.
“I think that’s the mentality – this is my game, while I’m on the mound,” says Taylor. “My job, at this point, is to go as deep as they let me and hand it off to the next guy.”
The next guy – Sean Newcomb, in this case – was never needed. And that brings us to the Game 2 pitching plan.
Predictably, Venable has an idea but nothing concrete. Sean Burke, their most starter-ish starting pitcher, will figure in; he ate up four innings in Game 2 of the wild-card series.
And this might concern the Guardians: The ALDS has a day off between Games 1 and 2, a wrinkle that’s supposed to benefit the team with superior starting pitching, what with two horses able to pitch Games 1 and 2 and then 4 and 5, if needed.
Yet this day off will allow the White Sox bullpen to reload. Taylor threw 42 pitches; it’d be yeoman’s work if he raised his hand again come Monday.
And there’s still the question of whether this is sustainable. October is just beginning. Diminishing returns from bullpens are littered through postseason history.
The White Sox can’t worry about that. This unpredictable ride wasn’t even supposed to happen. And the White Sox are getting by just fine, proving that just a little is more than enough.
“If we score one run,” Murakami said through his interpreter, “I have confidence we can win the game.”
The Milwaukee Brewers host the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday night, opening the best-of-five clash.
Milwaukee won 103 games in the regular season and had the best record in Major League Baseball – earning a bye to this round – while San Diego swept the Chicago Cubs in the best-of-three wild card series to reach the NLDS.
"I think both teams are probably trying to play the same game – get out to an early lead and let the bullpen handle it the rest of the way," Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters. "They have a great one from the last guy to the first guy that's how we feel about our bullpen too. It will be a tough series. It will probably be a lot of close games because of that."
The Padres and Brewers are two of the five MLB organizations that have never won a World Series title, along with the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners. San Diego last made the Fall Classic in 1998 and the Brewers' only appearance came back in 1982.
Where to watch Padres vs Brewers today: TV channel, live stream
Game 1 (Saturday, Oct. 3): At Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (Sunday, Oct. 4): At Milwaukee, 4 p.m. ET
Game 3 (Tuesday, Oct. 6): At San Diego, 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 4 (Wednesday, Oct. 7)*: At San Diego, 10 p.m. ET
Game 5 (Friday, Oct. 9)*: At Milwaukee, 4:30 p.m. ET
Ty France shares his thoughts on Jacob Misiorowski
08:17 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams
Here's what Ty France had to say about Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski ahead of Game 1.
Ty France shares his thoughts on facing Jacob Misiorowski, how the Padres can continuing their momentum in Milwaukee and what clicked for the Padres in the second half: pic.twitter.com/X6f46y6Bxd
Here's who is active for the Washington Huskies against USC:
Out
Jordan Washington, RB
Christian Moss, WR
Jayden Limar, RB
Quaid Carr, RB
CJ Christian, S
Game time decision
Landen Hatchett, OL
USC availability report
07:30 PM ET, October 3 2026, Marcus D. Smith
Here is who is in and who is out for the Southern California Trojans.
Out
Trent Mosley, WR
Corey Simms, WR
Kendarius Reddick, S
Taylor "Taybo" Johnson, LB
Kilian O'Connor, OL
Hayden Treter, OL
Gametime decision
Alex Graham, S
Mark Bowman, TE
Alex VanSumeren, DT
Who won Padres-Brewers regular-season series?
07:25 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams
The Padres won the regular-season series against the Brewers 4-2 in 2026. The Brewers' only two wins of the series came at home. San Diego outscored Milwaukee 26-21.
Fernando Tatis Jr. takes the field
06:55 PM ET, October 3 2026, James H. Williams
Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres are just minutes away from the start of Game 1 of the National League Division Series in Milwaukee.
The San Diego Padres will be without pitcher Walker Buehler on Saturday, Oct. 3, after being placed on the postseason paternity list. Pitcher Randy Vasquez has been activated to replace Buehler.
The MLB announced the decision was approved on Saturday. Buehler is allowed to be away for a maximum of three days.
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Two games into the season, the Vancouver Canucks have already given an idea of what this rebuild could look like.
The opener gave Vancouver something to build on. The Canucks played with pressure, sacrifice and pace in a 6-5 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers. They blocked 21 shots, Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves, and turned Oilers mistakes into counterattack opportunities.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s third-period goal showed it. With the game tied 2-2, Vancouver went the other way after an Edmonton mistake. Lekkerimäki attacked down the right side and beat Tristan Jarry five-hole to give the Canucks the lead.
The same thing happened moments later. Drew O’Connor and Max Sasson capitalized on another turnover, combining on a quick give-and-go that ended with Sasson scoring. In overtime, Paul Cotter pressured Ryan Shea into another turnover, Sasson picked up the loose puck and found Cotter again for the winner.
That pace has been missing from Vancouver’s game. The Canucks have spent years trying to deal with the opposition’s speed. Through two games, they finally look capable of using some of their own.
Sasson’s matchup against Connor McDavid reinforced that point. Sasson was asked to keep McDavid’s line at bay. Arguably the best player in the world somehow finished the opener with zero shots on goal. Sasson also scored and assisted on the overtime winner.
High scoring has not been limited to Vancouver and Edmonton. Through three days of the 2026-27 NHL season, 107 goals were scored across 15 games. For the first time since 1995, multiple teams scored at least seven in their opener.
The regular season increased from 82 to 84 games, while the preseason was cut to four. That may be part of the early-season sloppiness, but Vancouver’s pace and effort still stood out.
Game 2 was a lot less clean. Edmonton came over the boards wave after wave, and Vancouver spent the night trying to recover from its own mistakes.
The Canucks fell behind 5-0 and 8-2 before closing the gap in a 9-7 loss. McDavid finished with five points, and Sasson had a tougher night.
Vancouver really struggled in its own zone. Coverage broke down, Edmonton found too much space and the Canucks spent much of the night chasing the play.
Luke Schenn was direct afterward.
“Careless with the puck, didn't defend hard enough, kind of lost structure and details,” Schenn said. “If we want to have a chance, we’ve got to play as a five-man unit. That's the only way.”
With three defencemen under 23 in the lineup, mistakes are going to happen. Vancouver will get outskilled some nights, especially against Edmonton’s firepower. What cannot happen is being outworked or outwilled. Nights like Thursday are part of the learning process, but the bigger problem is when mistakes come with lost battles and poor structure.
For the fans, 6-5 and 9-7 games are definitely entertaining. For the team, they cannot become the norm. Vancouver cannot keep asking its goalies to bail the team out while giving up chance after chance.
An 84-game season is a grind, and spending too much of it trapped in the defensive zone, blocking shots and relying on big saves will eventually take a toll.
The offence will not score six or seven every night. Vancouver has to find ways to win when it only gets two or three. A big deficit will sometimes be too much to overcome, especially against teams with Edmonton’s skill. Those comebacks will be harder to find once games tighten up.
Still, the response after falling behind 8-2 was worth something. The Canucks scored four straight to make it 8-6. Elias Pettersson returned after needing stitches earlier in the game and finished with three points.
“I am proud how we didn't give up and went till the buzzer there,” Cotter said afterward.
The comeback did not excuse the first 40 minutes. The pushback, though, was closer to what Manny Malhotra wants this team to look like.
This is still a young team, so rough nights will come. The Canucks need to clean up their defensive-zone play, but the team looks faster, more dangerous off the rush and willing to keep pushing when things go wrong.
Two games in, Vancouver has given fans plenty to watch.
That makes the early part of this season far from boring.
Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) battles with Edmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen (42) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Munetaka Murakami was a trifle excited about his two-run homer in the fourth inning — the hardest-hit ball of the entire postseason so far. | Getty Images
Cleveland ace Parker Messick made one mistake, hanging a sinker to Munetaka Murakami on the first pitch of his at-bat in the fourth, with Miguel Vargas on base, and 111 mph and 440 feet later the White Sox had a 2-0 lead. It’s definitely a moment worth savoring:
That would turn out to be all the offense the Sox would need, thanks to excellent bullpen work and lousy Guardians hitting that left the bases loaded in both the third and fourth and didn’t get anyone on base with fewer than two outs until the seventh. Sox pitchers deserve great credit, of course, but it was the team with playoff experience (and the overwhelming favorite in the series) that in the later innings took to swinging at anything thrown between first and third base and bounced fewer than three times.
Hagen Smith was cruising through his second open of the playoffs, retiring the first eight batters he faced while striking our four. But with two outs in the third inning the southpaw suddenly lost control completely, walking three in a row on 16 pitches. In came Bryan Hudson to get Chase DeLauter to hit a soft liner to end the threat (and pick up an improbable win, because he faced his one batter at the right time).
Next inning it was Anthony Kay coming to the rescue of Jordan Hicks in the same, bases-loaded, two-out situation, getting Chicago nemesis Brayan Rocchio to line to right.
But while those were momentary successes, the heavy lifting was done by Grant Taylor, who came in to start the sixth and just never left. Taylor achieved the seldom-seen (first in the playoffs since 2017) four-inning save, with two hits, no runs and six strikeouts, most of those on pitches that had Guardians flailing at pitches not even in the same area code as home plate.
Oh, yes — the White Sox did score another run, one more in the way of good fortune than good skill. Kyle Teel walked in the seventh and with two outs Colson Montgomery blooped an opposite-field dribbler against a shift that Statcast gave a 5% chance of being a hit. Teel got waved home and was thrown out easily — except Austin Hedges forgot to catch the ball:
That lousy D help from the Guardians helped make up for an excellent theft of a Tommy Pham homer in the sixth by Angel Martinez that led to a double play, with Vargas getting doubled off of first on a play right in front of him:
Today’s win means the White Sox have not trailed at any point in the postseason, and have not even been tied (beyond 0-0) over 27 innings of play.
The Sox have stolen home-field advantage in the series, with Game 2 not until 4 p.m. Central on Monday due to MLB’s inordinate fear of the NFL. The White Sox are not yet saying who will start, though Sean Burke is expected to do the heavy work.
Lyle Odelein, the Columbus Blue Jackets' first captain and a rugged Stanley Cup-winning defenseman whose NHL career spanned 16 seasons and eight teams, has died at the age of 58, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The publication said he died on Friday, Oct. 2 of a heart attack.
A native of Saskatchewan, Odelein entered the NHL in 1989 and played the first seven seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. The crease-clearing defenseman won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1992-93.
His best season came the following year when he scored a career-best 11 goals (including a hat trick), 29 assists and 40 points, while also getting his most penalty minutes (276).
Teammate Mathieu Schneider that season called Odelein a synonym for Canadiens-style hockey.
"Montreal Canadiens hockey is safe, sound hockey - not too many chances," Schneider said. "I think Lyle is the poster boy for us."
He also drew praise from then-Canadiens coach Jacques Demers.
"He was known as a fighter. He wanted a chance to play more, and I gave it to him," Demers said.
Odelein also was named to the star-studded Canadian team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and played two games.
He played three-plus seasons with the New Jersey Devils before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes, who left him unprotected in the 2000 expansion draft. The Blue Jackets selected Odelein and named him captain for the team's inaugural season.
The Blue Jackets paid tribute to Odelein on Saturday night with a video presentation and moment of silence.
The Jackets honored their first ever captain Lyle Odelein who sadly passed away today ❤️🕊️ pic.twitter.com/Zn6NzM6vMq
Odelein played in 1,056 games over 16 seasons with the Canadiens, Devils, Coyotes, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Stars, Panthers and Penguins. He scored 50 goals, notched 202 assists and racked up 2,316 penalty minutes.
Odelein recovered from a health crisis in 2018. He developed a blood infection, was in a medically induced coma for 40 days and needed to have multiple transplants.
The entire Penguins organization joins the NHL community in mourning the loss of defenseman Lyle Odelein. Lyle played over 1,000 career NHL games for eight teams, and ultimately called Pittsburgh home upon retirement. Our condolences go out to his wife, Laurel, their children and… pic.twitter.com/j9QhqtcwWh
Our organizations join with those around the NHL in mourning the passing of Lyle Odelein. Our thoughts and prayers are with Lyle’s loved ones at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/jGc2w8TKLA
Manager Aaron Boone told the media Saturday, ahead of Game 1 against the Rays, that he met with the team captain after Judge's workout on Friday to talk it through. After what the Yankees skipper called a "good conversation," he mulled over the decision for an hour or so before making the final call.
"He’s made really good progress here over the last couple of weeks. Has worked incredibly hard to be an option and wanted to be on the roster," Boone said of Judge. "Ultimately, I decided keeping him off was the best thing. Again, I feel like he’s getting close. But I feel like for us to get a version of Aaron back, and to win a World Series, this week’s important for him to continue to work towards getting back.
Boone said Judge just started running and took at-bats for a few days already, but the team believes the reigning AL MVP could use more time to build up the endurance before he becomes a legit option for the ALCS and beyond.
The endurance part of the progression was hit on a few times by Boone. The manager admits that the superstar could likely get through a game, but it's unclear how Judge would bounce back for the next game or the one after. That's especially the case if they want to use him in right field, since Judge himself said it would be better for the team if he could play the field instead of clogging up the DH spot.
That all went into the calculation for Boone and the Yankees when making the decision. They even considered just carrying Judge to take an at-bat off the bench, like how they handled Giancarlo Stanton in the Wild Card Series. But ultimately, making sure Judge was as healthy as possible was the way they went.
"I think he’s ready to take an at-bat. But in the end, I felt like the best chance to get a good version of Aaron is to get a good 5, 6, 7 days of building up his running," Boone said. "Building up his endurance, taking BP every day. Those kind of things. Yeah, we considered it all."
Of course, Boone knows the team is not guaranteed to make it past the AL East champion Rays -- who won the season series -- but this decision "was the right thing to do" to get the Judge that can help this team win a World Series back.
And despite being without Judge, Boone remains confident the team is good enough to beat anyone when they are playing well, like how they handled the Red Sox in their two-game sweep earlier this week.
"We know if we play well, we can beat anyone," Boone said. "We understand how good the Rays are. We’re playing this game here tonight [in Tampa] because they’ve been the best team in the American League. We have to play well, but we also have a lot of confidence that if we play well, we can win and beat anyone. Hopefully, we can go out there and prove that."
Why Ryan Weathers was added to roster
Aside from Judge being left off the ALDS roster, the Yankees replaced Amed Rosario with LHP Ryan Weathers.
The southpaw starter will be used out of the bullpen, and while Boone didn't say he would use Weathers for more than one inning, he did talk up Weathers' health heading into this series.
"I’m excited to get him back. Going into the Wild Card Series, he had thrown one live and then I had him throw another one the day before the series," Boone said. "Physically, he was ready to be on, but I felt that second live was important."
Boone said Weathers' situation is a little similar to Judge's. While Weathers could have been used in the Wild Card Series, the team would have had to be mindful and protective of the lefty after he was on the IL with a left forearm flexor strain. Now that he got through his second live without an issue, he can be used in a way the Yankees are more comfortable with.
"He’s ready to go now, and to play a real role for us," Boone said.
On Saturday morning, Kayla Vesia posted a video of her doing her makeup on TikTok while she was preparing for the game.
In the video, the viral audio of Kyle Jenner speaking about her relationship with makeup was playing while Kayla Vesia was lipsynching the audio.
“I don’t feel like I need makeup. A lot of the time I’m not wearing makeup, but…. No, I need makeup,” the Jenner audio said.
The heat isn’t stopping Kayla Vesia from serving face at Dodger Stadium. TikTok / @babyy_vesia
Her preparation began with her featuring eye patches on her face. The video then transitioned to her full look that she will be sporting for the game.
It’s safe to say she won’t be worried about her makeup melting off during the heat.
Alex Vesia and Kayla Vesia during a NetFlix event. Getty Images for NetflixLos Angeles Dodgers’ Alex Vesia is ready to help Dodgers on quest for three-peat. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
In the past, Kayla has been one of the more prominent Dodgers WAGS to be active on social media, as she’s constantly posting vlogs of her day in the life as a wife of an MLB player, while featuring videos of Alex Vesia and some of the other players’ wives.
While Kayla Vesia has been prepping for the game, Alex Vesia is preparing to help the Dodgers on their conquest for a three-peat World Series title.
Alex Vesia has been one of the more reliable pitchers in the Dodgers bullpen that’s been shaky throughout the regular season, appearing in 58 innings, while having a 2.64 ERA and 74 strikeouts.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 9: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards shoots a free throw during the game against the Chicago Bulls on April 9, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Will Riley didn’t play more than 20 minutes in a game until December of his rookie season. Then he played 32 minutes per contest across the final three months.
And he thrived.
Riley averaged 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists during that stretch. He scored in a myriad of ways — slithering to the bucket for contested layups, draining mid-range pull-ups and sinking a few triples.
He carried that momentum into an offseason of growth.
“[I feel] super comfortable,” Riley said. “Just coming in with confidence, knowing where my spots are, knowing how to get my shots off. Just being super physical and determined on defense.”
The 6-foot-10 wing experimented with some point guard reps toward the end of his rookie campaign and into Summer League. His size allows him to see over defenders and make reads most 20-year-olds wouldn’t process.
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) October 1, 2026
Despite a slender build — Riley said he put on 15 pounds this offseason — he drove 5.8 times per game, which ranked in the top 30% of qualified players last season, according to Sportive World. His 19.6% usage rate ranked in the top 38%. For reference, Kyshawn George tallied a 22.8% usage rate, so similar figures for two wings trusted with offensive initiation.
Riley averaged 25 points and 2.5 assists at point guard during two 2026 Summer League games. Now, he gets to learn from Trae Young, one of the league’s best point guards.
“The way [Young] is able to read the floor, he always has eyes in every corner,” Riley said. “He just spaces the floor so well. He’s able to read the game. And just the way he talks off the court, you can tell he watches the game, he studies film. He’s just a super talented player.”
Champagnie talks winning basketball
The term “winning player” is defined as an athlete who prioritizes collective team success, efficiency, and high basketball IQ over empty individual statistics.
Justin Champagnie is a winning player. The 25-year-old forward’s 3.1 win shares led the Wizards last season. His next closest teammate, Marvin Bagley III, had only 2.1.
He’s everything you want in a winning player. Now that the Wizards are focused on winning, Champagnie’s excited to make those winning plays in meaningful games.
“I think y’all all know I love to win,” Champagnie said. “It’ll be dope to put that competitiveness and that dawg energy toward something [where] we can actually win.”
Pound-for-pound, Champagnie is arguably the team’s best rebounder.
He defends one-through-four. He hustles for loose balls. He knocks down threes. He’s everything a coach wants on a competitive team.
“Justin does winning things,” Keefe said. “We’ve seen that from the moment he came in our organization a few years ago. His ability to rebound on both ends, his ability to crash the offensive glass, off the ball cutting. Those are the valuable things he brings.”
An intense scrimmage
The Wizards scrimmaged on the Mystics’ court during Saturday’s practice at CareFirst Arena. They brought in NBA referees and announced scorers on the PA system to simulate real NBA action.
Keefe told The Athletic’s Josh Robbins that Alex Sarr (foot), Tristan Vukcevic (hip impingement) and Khris Middleton (general ramp up) didn’t participate in the scrimmage.
“The scrimmage was amazing,” Riley said. “We simulated a game-like scenario, brought refs in, did our warm-ups. It was good to get back into the groove and get up and down with the guys.”
The scrimmage was closed to the media, but I could overhear the PA announcer from the media work room. The call I heard the most: “D.C. three! Traeeee Young!” A close second: “Kyshawnnnnn George!”
Keefe praised the effort and energy during 5-on-5 action as his team readies for its preseason opener Thursday against the New York Knicks.
“Loved the energy, the competitiveness,” Keefe said. “Got to see us working on things we’ve done the first four days of practice and see if we got carry-over, which he did … I was just pleased with the collective effort and the teammate work they had.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park on September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If the San Diego Padres were looking for a better way to announce themselves this postseason, they wouldn’t be able to find one. The Friars swept the Chicago Cubs at home, outscoring them 12-1 and limiting the Cubs’ offense to just eight hits. It was an all-around dominance that the Padres haven’t approached before. This is all without mentioning that Petco Park was rocking.
Now, the Friars turn to the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Brewers for their first NLDS appearance since they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. They’ll play the first two games on the road before returning to Petco for Game 3 and a potential Game 4. They need to take at least one game in Milwaukee to have a shot of advancing at home.
Taking the mound
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) v. Robbie Ray (SD)
This is a big one for San Diego. Misiorowski (the favorite to win the NL Cy Young) is the best pitcher of every postseason team this side of the bracket. He will be a true test for the Padres to see how far they’ve come since last facing the flamethrower. Misiorowski dominated San Diego back in May when the two teams faced off, twirling seven scoreless innings against the Friars.
That being said, this is a very different Padres team than they were back in May. If Misiorowski makes any mistakes, San Diego will be there to take advantage. The Friars can’t afford a misstep, and could seriously beef up their odds of winning the series if they can eke out a win over the Miz in Game 1.
On the other side, Ray gets an interesting nod for the series opener. In six career playoff appearances, he owns a 7.43 ERA and 19 K’s (13.1 IP). That being said, Ray has surged this season. The veteran southpaw posted a 3.59 ERA across 165 2/3 innings between the Padres and San Francisco Giants.
The Brewers have a sneaky offense that can scratch runs across despite their lack of pop. Ray will have to limit them in a similar way to when he faced them in Petco Park. The lefty held Milwaukee to two runs across four innings of work. It seems like all San Diego will be looking for is a few scoreless innings from Ray before turning it over to their vaunted bullpen.
Batter up!
The offense was booming in Petco Park. How much of that was them feeding off the crowd’s energy remains to be seen until first pitch is thrown tonight. Of the group, Gavin Sheets figures to be the biggest wild card (no pun intended) of the bunch. He launched a two-run shot that ended up signing Chicago’s death warrant in Game 2. It was his only swing of the entire series.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Dustin Harris, LF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Gavin Sheets, DH
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Luis Campusano, C
The stars continued to shine in San Diego’s Wild Card Series. Bogaerts, Machado, Merrill and Tatis combined to go 13-for-29 (.448) with three walks, eight runs scored and seven RBI. If that quartet keeps up their momentum, they could easily take San Diego all the way.
Relief corps
It’s all hands on deck for Game 1 of the series. Because the Friars swept the Cubs, they’ve got two full days of rest before the series opener on tonight. That’s great for San Diego because the Padres burned through plenty of guys to finish out the Wild Card Series. After Nick Pivetta finished 3 1/3 innings, Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller slammed the door, allowing only three baserunners combined.
San Diego will be hoping for a tone-setting outing from Ray, but they’ve got plenty of weapons to turn to in case of emergency. Adam, Yuki Matsui, Miller, Morejon, David Morgan and Rodriguez will be available to pitch in relief.
Forgotten ex-South African captain Neil Brand was the star of the day as Australia were made to toil to begin their pre-series tour match in Potchefstroom.
Ketel Marte’s relationship with Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo appears to be somewhat strained after the three-time All-Star second baseman endured a rocky season punctuated by an unexcused absence from the team in August.
The Diamondbacks announced a two-year contract extension for Lovullo on Thursday, and he was asked how he plans to handle Marte in 2027.
“I think what I would tell him is what I would tell every other player: the decisions you make are going to be on you now,” Lovullo said on the “Burns & Gambo Show” on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “I’m going to eliminate protecting you the way I have. And I will allow you to go out there and answer the questions on your own behalf instead of me protecting you. I think I would change my tune in that way.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) reacts after lining out during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California, Sunday, September 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I’ve taken the mindset that whenever anything goes wrong, it’s my fault. And I’m going to protect these players like they’re my own boys. And at a certain point, I can’t do that anymore. So I have to allow them to advocate for themselves in the proper space. That’s what I’ve learned over the past couple of years.”
Marte batted .249 with 22 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .748 OPS in 141 games this season for the Diamondbacks, who finished two games behind the Phillies for the final wild-card spot in the National League.
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo looks on from the dugout during a game against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at Chase Field in Phoenix. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The organization placed Marte on the 10-day injured list before he came back to the team on Aug. 31.
It marked the fourth time in the past four years that Marte went AWOL without the team’s knowledge.
“It is not my job to micromanage the players. It is Torey’s job to manage the players,” D’backs owner Ken Kendrick told Bruno and Gambo. “He’s going on record now in a way that you described. And I hope that Ketel, if he is a Diamondback, will be the player that he has the talent to be. And I hope he will overcome his consistent acts of immaturity.
Manager Torey Lovullo hugs Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick during the 2023 National League Champion ring ceremony. Getty Images
“That is what his manager should be doing, not me. I don’t mean it to come out as if I don’t have any responsibility in all of this. I do. But the primary responsibility for the ball players is the field manager once they’re selected by the general manager. And we’ve had a lot of good results from Ketel, and we’ve had some unfortunate acts of immaturity, and that needs to end.”
“I’m the type of person that when something is going on in my life, I don’t like to talk about it,” Marte said through an interpreter on Aug. 31. “That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me, I’m the one that made the decision not to show up.”
If the organization looks to move on from Marte this offseason, he has 10-5 veto rights on any potential trade with his contract running through 2031.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Dodgers staff hand out water as fans enter the gates during game one of the National League Divisional Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 03, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The temperature at the first pitch of Saturday’s Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves was a toasty 100 degrees, making it the second-hottest postseason game in Dodger Stadium history.
Official scorer Ed Munson announced the game-time temperature at 100 degrees, while the left field scoreboard at Dodger Stadium displayed 103. Either way, it’s very hot in Los Angeles.
“One hundred degrees in October in LA, that’s definitely not normal,” said Braves reliever Brent Suter, who has a degree in environmental science and public policy from Harvard. “Obviously Super El Niño is a big thing to do with that. It’s going to be a challenge for both sides to stay hydrated, especially the position players. I don’t know how they do it day in and day out with some of this heat.
On the field at Dodger Stadium was even hotter, as shown by the Fox broadcast.
Manager Dave Roberts was around for the hottest-ever Dodgers postseason game, Game 1 of the 2017 World Series, with a first-pitch temperature of 103 degrees at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won that night, 3-1.
“Yeah, it was hot. It was hot,” Roberts said Saturday. “I think for us it’s obviously do as much as we can to stay hydrated. I think honestly just not let it get to us and be more mindful of the pitcher. Outside of that, it’s the same conditions for both teams, and you’ve got to just stay hydrated and manage it. I’ll keep an eye on Will [Smith, catcher], but he’ll be fine.”
Skubal said he plans to drink a lot of water himself, and was asked if that might mean more in-game trips to the restroom. “You’re just not going to the bathroom because you’re probably sweating it out,” said Skubal. “That’s probably how it is.”
Shohei Ohtani said Friday that he wouldn’t change his gameday routine due to the increased temperatures.
“Nothing for me personally, but I know the pitchers are going to have a hard time,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I’m wishing all the best for Skuby.”
Ohtani was involved in the hottest game in Dodgers history, though as an opponent. On July 6, 2018, the first-pitch temperature in Anaheim was a whopping 108 degrees for a game the Dodgers lost in walk-off fashion 3-2 in the ninth inning. Ohtani, then in his rookie campaign, scored the tying run after a two-out walk off Kenley Jansen.
Before that game in Anaheim eight years ago, the Dodgers did not take batting practice on the field, with Roberts telling reporters, “The net of being in air conditioning and resting your body gives us a better chance to win a baseball game,” per Ethan Bauer of the Los Angeles Times.
The Dodgers did take batting practice on Saturday before Game 1 against the Braves, though were pretty much done by 10:30 a.m., when the temperature was a cool 94 degrees.
In all, the Dodgers have played in 29 regular season games in their history with a first-pitch temperature in triple digits, with the last coming on September 8, 2024 against the Cleveland Guardians, a 4-0 shutout win in 103-degree heat at Dodger Stadium that featured Jack Flaherty pitching into the eighth inning plus home runs by Ohtani and Max Muncy.
