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Blue Jays One Big Win Away

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – From Class-A to a class of his own, Trey Yesavage put the Toronto Blue Jays one victory away from a championship.

The rookie dominated with 12 strikeouts, Davis Schneider hit a home run on the opening pitch and the Toronto Blue Jays cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday.

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The result sends Toronto home with a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series.

Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September after pitching at four minor league levels this year, set a rookie record for strikeouts in a World Series game. He also became the first pitcher with at least 12 strikeouts and no walks in a Fall Classic contest.

“Yeah, it’s a crazy world. Crazy world,” Yesavage said. “Hollywood couldn’t have made it this good. So just being a part of this, I’m just very blessed.”

The 22-year-old, who has started two of the Blue Jays’ three victories in the series, allowed one run on three hits over seven innings.

“Historic stuff,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “When you talk about that stage and his numbers, getting ahead of a lot of hitters, tons of swing-and-miss. … I said it before the game, he’s a different pitcher when he has his stuff.”

Schneider’s homer was followed by one from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the third pitch of the game, leaving the Blue Jays in need of a victory either in Game 6 on Friday or Game 7 on Saturday to win their first title in 32 years. The remainder of the series will be contested in Toronto.

Enrique Hernandez hit a home run for the Dodgers, while veteran Blake Snell was charged with five runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Snell walked four and fanned seven.

Los Angeles star Shohei Ohtani went 0-for-4, making him 0-for-7 over the past two games after he reached base a World Series-record nine times in Game 3.

“It doesn’t feel great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of his team’s offense. “You clearly see those (Toronto) guys finding ways to get hits, move the baseball forward, and we’re not doing a good job of it. I thought Yesavage was good tonight mixing his fastball, slider and the split.”

The Dodgers shook up the lineup by moving Will Smith to the No. 2 spot and dropping Mookie Betts to No. 3. Alex Call also started in the outfield over a struggling Andy Pages, all to no avail. Los Angeles has scored four runs over the past 29 innings.

“We faced this last year,” the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman said about last year’s best-of-five National League Division Series. “We were down 2-1 to the Padres and won two games in a row, so we can do it again.”

Yesavage (3-1) ended up taking over, but only after the Toronto offense set the tone from the start.

Schneider hit Snell’s 97 mph fastball to open the game over the wall in left field, his first in seven postseason games. Guerrero waited two pitches before depositing a 96 mph fastball from Snell also to left, his eighth of the postseason and second of the World Series.

Yesavage opened the third inning by fanning Max Muncy, his fifth consecutive strikeout to set a World Series record by a rookie. Hernandez ended the run with a home run to left to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1.

Los Angeles right fielder Teoscar Hernandez misplayed a hit down the right field line by Daulton Varsho that turned into a triple to lead off the fourth, and Ernie Clement followed with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead.

Snell (3-2) left the game in the seventh inning with two outs and two aboard. The Blue Jays cashed in both runners against Edgardo Henriquez on a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI single from Bo Bichette for a 5-1 lead.

“Vlad is a really good hitter so you got to do stuff there, but the rest of the lineup, they’re ambushing,” said Snell, who lamented what he called bad luck. “If we get to a Game 7, I’ll see them again, so I can’t say much.”

Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa added an RBI single in the eighth.

Blue Jays relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Jeff Hoffman each pitched a scoreless inning to seal the win.

– Field Level Media

World Serious

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – It was not so much the heartbreak that the resilient Toronto Blue Jays overcame on Tuesday, it was the actual pain.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run home run, Shane Bieber pitched into the sixth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays got even in the World Series with a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4.

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Andres Gimenez, Bo Bichette and Addison Barger each had RBI singles in a four-run seventh inning as the Blue Jays moved past the agony of an 18-inning loss in Game 3 to guarantee a Game 6 at Toronto on Friday.

The Blue Jays powered through the physical demands after a 6-hour, 39-minute game one night earlier.

“What didn’t hurt?” said 29-year-old Toronto third baseman Ernie Clement, who had two hits and scored a run. “I barely got out of bed. … But yeah, nobody felt sorry for themselves today. We got to play a World Series game.”

Shohei Ohtani pitched six-plus innings for the Dodgers in his first career World Series start and was charged with four runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts. After reaching base nine times in Game 3, he went 0-for-3 at the plate in Game 4 with a walk and two strikeouts.

The Dodgers’ offense has managed three runs over the past 20 innings going back to the eighth inning of Game 3.

“Whether it’s during the regular season or the postseason, my goal is to be able to pitch six innings,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “The situation, this game, I wanted to go seven, and it was regrettable that I wasn’t able to finish that inning.”

Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

Enrique Hernandez gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Max Muncy.

The Blue Jays moved in front 2-1 in the third inning on Guerrero’s two-run shot to left-center against Ohtani. The long ball was the seventh of the postseason but the first of the World Series for Guerrero, who entered the night without an RBI in the Fall Classic.

“I was just looking for a pitch to do damage, and I saw it right there up in the zone, and I could do damage,” Guerrero said through an interpreter about hitting a home run off an Ohtani sweeper.

When Bieber struck out Ohtani on a foul tip in the third inning, it ended Ohtani’s World Series-record streak of reaching base in 11 consecutive plate appearances. Ohtani had singled in the eighth inning of Game 2, reached base all nine times in Game 3 (including two doubles and two homers) and walked in the first inning of Game 4.

“You know, we’re facing quality arms this time of the year against really good teams, and we’re facing the best of the best, so I think it’s not that easy,” Ohtani said about the Dodgers’ offense. “But at the same time, we could do at least the bare minimum to be able to put up some runs.”

Bieber (2-0) gave up one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

“I would have loved to give the team a couple more innings, but ultimately, it’s the World Series and a win is all that matters,” Bieber said.

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Ohtani (2-1) departed from the mound in the seventh after the Blue Jays opened the inning with a single from Daulton Varsho and a double from Clement.

Dodgers left-hander Anthony Banda took over on the mound, and Gimenez greeted him with an RBI single to left, making it a 3-1 game. Ty France delivered a run-scoring groundout before Bichette and Barger added RBI hits for a 6-1 lead.

Los Angeles got back one run in the ninth on a run-scoring groundout by Tommy Edman.

Toronto played without leadoff man George Springer because of an injury to his right side that occurred in Game 3.

“I feel really good about this team every night,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “It’s hard to play 18 innings and come back and kind of flip the narrative against a very talented team and a very talented individual in Shohei Ohtani on the mound.”

– Field Level Media

“No Way, Not Even Dead”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Hard-throwing left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman is dead set against re-signing with the New York Yankees.

Literally.

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“No way, not even dead,” Chapman said when asked if he’d consider joining the Yankees during an appearance on the “Swing Completo” podcast, as translated from Spanish.

“If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I’d pack my things and go home. I’ll retire right on the spot if that happens. I’m not crazy. Never again.”

Chapman, 37, fared well this season while pitching for the Yankees’ chief rival: the Boston Red Sox. He posted a 5-3 record with 32 saves while finishing with career bests in ERA (1.17) and WHIP (0.70).

The eight-time All-Star signed a one-year, $13.3 million contract for the 2026 season in August. The deal also includes a 2027 vesting option.

Chapman played in parts of seven seasons for New York from 2016-22.

He was a three-time All-Star with the club, however, his last season ended on a sour note after he lost the closer role to Clay Holmes and missed a team workout ahead of the American League Division Series — an act that may have contributed to him being left off the Yankees’ postseason roster.

“I dealt with a lot of disrespect (with the Yankees),” Chapman said. “I put up with a lot of things. I knew that they just wanted to find a way to get rid of me, but they didn’t know how. And I just dealt with it quietly, kept playing, and doing what I always do.”

Chapman said his issues stemmed from the “bosses,” not manager Aaron Boone or the players.

“I got along well with all the players,” he said. “Never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We’re friends and we talk and everything. The bosses are the ones who make those decisions.”

Chapman is tied with Jeff Reardon for 12th place all-time with 367 career saves while pitching for seven teams since 2010. He won World Series championships with the Chicago Cubs (2016) and Texas Rangers (2023).

–Field Level Media

It’s On to LA

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LOS ANGELES  – (Wire Service Report) – After the long 32-year wait to return to Canada, the World Series shifts back to Los Angeles, where memories remain thick from its visit just one year ago. All even at one game each, the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers will duel to get the upper hand in the best-of-seven matchup when Game 3 arrives Monday night.

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In Game 1 at Los Angeles last year, the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam against the New York Yankees on the way to becoming the first player to hit a home run in each of the first four games of a World Series.

A different kind of history is set to unfold in the opening inning Monday. Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer is set to become the first pitcher to take the mound for four different teams in the World Series.

After already appearing in a World Series for the Detroit Tigers (2012), Washington Nationals (2019), and Texas Rangers (2023), Scherzer is chasing his third career title. He will enter off a strong 5 2/3-inning start in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series when he helped the Blue Jays past the Seattle Mariners.

The outing came after he went 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA over his last six starts in the regular season.

“This is what you play for, to be able to get to this spot, to get to this moment, to have a shot at it,” said Scherzer, who is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four postseason appearances (three starts) against the Dodgers. “… Just so fortunate to have another crack at this. There’s so many great players that have never gotten to a World Series.”

Scherzer pitched for the Dodgers in 2021, when they fell in the National League Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves. He was scratched from a scheduled start in a decisive Game 6 of the NLCS saying his arm was “locked up.”

After the Blue Jays dominated Game 1 on Friday by scoring 11 runs, the Dodgers responded with Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s complete game in a 5-1 victory that evened the series.

Los Angeles is now 9-0 this postseason when a starter goes at least six innings.

“These guys aren’t going to go away. They’re very confident. It’s a very talented team,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the Blue Jays. “(Offensively), you got to continue to tack on, you got to get to the pen, and you got to beat those guys up and keep building on innings.”

Los Angeles right-hander Tyler Glasnow will follow Yamamoto’s command performance with a start in Game 3. After going 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA in 18 regular-season starts, Glasnow has been impressive in the postseason.

Glasnow gave up one run over 5 2/3 innings of a Dodgers win in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers and has a 0.68 ERA in three appearances (two starts) this postseason with 18 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.

In 11 career regular-season starts against the Blue Jays, Glasnow is 1-4 with a 5.82 ERA, last facing them at home Aug. 10 when he allowed two runs with eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings of a no-decision.

After returning from a broken hand in the NL Division Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers’ Will Smith had his best game of the postseason when he hit a home run and had three RBIs in the Game 2 victory.

“You got to embrace the emotions, but you also got to tame ‘em,” Smith said. “… You got to just focus on the task at hand. Basically, just not try to do too much at times. Kind of let the game come to you, not try to force anything, and just kind of focus on what you’re doing.”

–Field Level Media

Dodgers Knot World Series

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TORONTO – Finishing what he starts has become a postseason trend for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander pitched his second consecutive complete game Saturday night in a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays to knot the World Series at one apiece.

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Game 3 of the best-of-seven series will be played Monday in Los Angeles, with Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow opposing Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer.

With the game tied 1-1 in the seventh, Will Smith (three RBIs) and Max Muncy each hit solo homers to back Yamamoto.

Yamamoto (3-1) allowed one run, four hits and no walks while striking out eight.

“To be honest, I was not thinking I could complete the game because my pitch count racked up kind of quickly,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “But I’m very happy I completed the game.”

He managed his pitch count as the game progressed and it finished at 105 with 73 strikes, retiring his final 20 batters.

“At the end of the fifth inning, I believe the pitch count was 71, so at that point I was still trying to take it one inning at a time,” Yamamoto said. “If I was going to the ninth inning or not, we didn’t really talk about it.”

In his previous start, he pitched a three-hit complete game in a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 14. He was the first Dodger to throw a postseason complete game since Jose Lima in 2004.

Orel Hershiser was the last Dodger with consecutive postseason complete games in Game 7 of the 1988 NLCS and Games 2 and 5 in the 1988 World Series.

“Second complete game in a row in the postseason, that’s pretty impressive, with a layoff in between,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I think he made it hard for us to make him work. He was in the zone, his split was in and out of the zone. It was a really good performance by him.”

Los Angeles opened the scoring in the first inning against Kevin Gausman (2-2). Freddie Freeman ripped a two-out double into the right field corner and scored on Smith’s single to center.

The Blue Jays threatened in the bottom of the inning when George Springer led off with a double and Nathan Lukes singled. Yamamoto escaped the jam with two strikeouts and a lineout.

Toronto tied it in the third. Springer was hit by a pitch to open the inning. He took third on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s one-out single to deep left and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s sacrifice fly to center.

Game 2 then settled into a pitchers’ duel.

“After that first inning, I was thinking six (innings),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I felt he would find a way to get through six. …Then the pitch count kind of stayed where it needed to stay. And then for me, I just didn’t see anything fall off as far as his delivery and the execution.”

Gausman retired 17 in a row until Smith smashed a 3-2 fastball to left with one out in the seventh for his first home run of the postseason. With two outs, Muncy hit his second homer of the postseason, a blast to left on a 2-2 fastball.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | October 19

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St. John’s is issuing “Replica Rings” to longtime fans (file photo)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – As the 2025-26 college basketball season is now underway (St. John’s defeated Towson, 73-63, in a Saturday afternoon exhibition at Carnesecca Arena in Queens), there’s a new kid in town as some major Div I basketball programs appoint celebrity (and full time) General Managers to the mix of coaches, assistant coaches, graduate assistants and other assorted people on the team bus.

Boston Celtics great Jayson Tatum (recovering from an injured Achilles) made some headlines in Boston and Durham, North Carolina when he and Duke University announced the NBA All-Star would be the new GM of the Blue Devils. Tatum will still keep his “daytime” job as a star player for the NBA Celtics as he works his way back into playing, jumping, sprinting and full court defensive condition. Tatum’s rehab and therapy session are reportedly ahead of schedule for a possible return come NBA Playoff time.

But Tatum lending his name, his game and his money to the Duke University basketball program follows a very interesting trend which is not new to this season but trending upward as the money flows into collegiate sports.

Back in April of 2023, Villanova Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson announced the creation of a new position, General Manager of Basketball, and named former Wildcats’ Associate Head Coach Baker Dunleavy to fill the role.

There were a sprinkling of others which led to the big scoop. St. Bonaventure alum and multi-million dollar earner Adrian Wojnarowski left his mobile device and his 24/7 job as an NBA Insider for ESPN, dropped the serious coin and became the GM of men’s basketball for his alma mater. It was more of less a dream “retirement” job where Woj can still work 24 hours a day, but rather than scoop San Antonio Spurs leads, he can improve the Bonnies’ chances of making the big Dance. Surely, he’ll get some good tips on up & coming talent from RC, right?

Davidson basketball GM Austin Buntz spent several years at Under Armour, and originally joined Davidson’s athletic department in the fundraising department. But he’s recently moved over into the GM role, which he describes as “an extension” of the coaching staff.

Buntz was “one-upped” when Golden State Warriors guard and Davidson Wildcats’ most famous alum, Stephen Curry, signed on as defacto GM. Curry, at the direction of Coach Bob McKillop, led the 2008 Davidson team to a wild ride through March Madness only to fall a game away from the Final Four. And, while Curry fell short in college he made up for it in the pro game as an 11-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion, in addition to his three-time USA Basketball gold with the senior national team at the Paris Olympics (2024) and twice at the Worlds (2010-Turkey; 2014-Spain).

Curry lending his name and frequent appearances on campus helps build the Davidson brand globally while raising much needed money for NIL, and general expenses, noting the small collection of alum from such a small Carolina school.

Think that’s enough? How about other active NBA players like Portland’s Damian Lilliard as a GM for Weber State; Brooklyn’s Terance Mann helping out at Florida State; Atlanta’s Trae Young lending a GM hand at Oklahoma.

It’s not just hoops, either, as Andrew Luck is a football GM for his alma mater, Stanford; Michael Lombardi has an active, day-to-day gig as GM with Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels and former NFL head coach Ron Riviera is lending a hand at Cal, all according to a short list assembled by The Old Gray Lady,” The New York Times by way of its sports subsidiary, The Athletic.

For major change, however, college athletic departments, as a whole, need to operate in similar fashion as a pro franchise, complete with a pro mentality of investing in their product, staffing up properly – especially in ticket sales – more facility and game operation improvements, along with front office savvy. Of course, the initial investment is something college ADs refuse to entertain, so they dip their toe in the water, a bit, as long as the newly created positions come with a major donation. to the “U.”

The changes need to be much more substantial. Colleges and the NCAA have long kept a straight arm up against the professional sports leagues, citing the need for compliance and keeping their products squeaky clean and far away from the big bad wolf of professionalism and money.

Well, the barn door blew wide open when the NCAA lost its case to Ed O’Bannon and the world of N.I.L. hit the colleges like a cold slap in the face. No longer could the payments go under the table or in FedEx envelopes to addresses unknown. As it’s been written here before, Now, It was Legal (NIL). Let the Vitamin Water guy (Mike Repole) fund coach Rick Pitino’s St. John’s starting five and some.

GM positions for college basketball are the perfect example of what is really needed. Instead of the head coach making each and every decision as it relates to his program, a trusted GM – even one reporting on a dotted line to both the basketball coach and the AD – can accomplish much more, especially in season. A good GM can run a much better and deeper scouting department (both high school prospects and potential transfer portal options, never mind the upcoming oppenents.

A good GM can make 10 decisions a day that the head coach need not concern himself with at any level. It would free-up time for the coach to coach his team and better prepare for the next game. In addition to a good GM, college coaches for both basketball and football should have a right hand man to clear and guard his/her schedule for the most important activities. If the school marketing department needs a photo shoot, schedule it through the right hand man. If the development office needs some meet and greets on a road trip, run it through the right hand man to best schedule the task. That way, it’s sure to get done and the head coach doesn’t get five calls from five different people for the same requirement/obligation.

The big question is whether the power hungry, control everything head coaches, who control all aspects of basketball and football, will yield their power and responsibilities to a newfound colleague or not?

Of course, football and basketball are the revenue generators but a more professional approach needs to take place within every sport and the athletic office as a whole.

Can the colleges and college conferences make sacrifices for the greater good of college sports as a whole?

Along with the schools moving ahead, the NCAA and individual college conferences need to call a cease fire and form a truce. No more raiding each others’ colleges until a fair and universal approach can be negotiated. In other words, will the NCAA or the colleges have the clout, or will the NCAA be relegated only to run post season play?

The BIG EAST Conference will gather industry leaders this week to discuss the “Future of College Basketball” (Monday, Oct. 20, from 2:00 to 5:30pm (ET), at the Empire State Building), a day ahead of BIG EAST Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, Oct. 21st.

The seminar will start with a “One-on-One” with NCAA president and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker who will sit down with Bonnie Bernstein, a former reporter for CBS and ESPN and now Founder/CEO, of Walk Swiftly Productions.

There will be four additional panel discussions which are all listed in the BIG EAST agenda – HERE.

The BIG question for Big Charlie – will he re-establish the NCAA and his own power to rule over all of college athletics or will he allow each conference to run amok the way things have been going, which resulted in the Pac-10 imploding? Stanford and Cal playing in the ATLANTIC Coast Conference and other abnormal activities have turned college athletics into a very bad lesson in geography and business sense.

three white baseballs on gray textile

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: MLB’s Gold Gloves finalists were named earlier this week. These players are the best defensive gloves in the game of baseball. Players from the Boston Red Sox are in BOLD.

American League

P – Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers; Max Fried, New York Yankees; Luis Severino, The Athletics.

C – Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers; Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays; Carlos Narváez, Boston Red Sox.

1B – Ty France, Minnesota/Toronto; Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays; Carlos Santana, Cleveland Guardians.

2B – Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians; Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels; Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers.

3B – Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays; Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals; José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians.

SS – Corey Seager, Texas Rangers; Taylor Walls, Tampa Bay Rays; Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals.

LF – Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians; Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers; Tyler Soderstrom, The Athletics.

CF – Kyle Isbel, Kansas City Royals; Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox; Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners.

RF – Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox; Adolis García, Texas Rangers; Cam Smith, Houston Astros.

UTIL – Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays; Mauricio Dubón, Houston Astros; Daniel Schneemann, Cleveland Guardians.

National League

P – Matthew Boyd, Chicago Cubs; David Peterson, New York Mets; Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants.

C – Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants; Carson Kelly, Chicago Cubs; Luis Torrens, New York Mets.

1B – Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies; Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves; Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds.

2B – Xavier Edwards, Florida Marlins; Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs; Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers.

3B – Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburg/Cincinnati; Ryan McMahon, Colorado/NY Yankees; Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs.

SS – Nick Allen, Atlanta Braves; Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers; Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals.

LF – Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs; Tommy Pham, Pittsburgh Pirates; Kyle Stowers, Florida Marlins.

CF – Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs; Victor Scott II, St. Louis Cardinals; Jacob Young, Washington Nationals.

RF – Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks; Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers; Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres.

UTIL – Miguel Rojas, Los Angeles Dodgers; Javier Sanoja, Florida Marlins; Jared Triolo, Pittsburgh Pirates.

Winners will be announced on November 2nd.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Formula-1 racing dumped ESPN to sign a five-year deal with Apple TV. While the fringe sports trend towards big money and long term deals with streaming services, they fall short with the ability to extend their audience/reach. F-1 can kiss nightly/weekly news highlights on SportsCenter goodbye.

In other words, the ESPN TV coverage of F-1 will be as terse as their parting shot statement after the Apple TV deal was announced: “We’re incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 accomplished together in the United States and look forward to a strong finish in this final season. We wish F-1 well in the future.”

Sort of an F-U to F-1?

Speaking of ESPN, many an NBA fan expressed some outright glee when former Golden State team GM and now former NBA on ESPN studio analyst Bob Myers took a lofty position as president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment – the parent company for the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), New Jersey Devils (NHL), Washington DC Commanders (NFL) and The Prudential Center in Newark (home of the NJ Devils).

“Our goal has been to hire, grow, and retain the best and brightest executives in the world and we are a stronger, more dynamic organization with the addition of Bob Myers,” Harris and Blitzer said in a statement.

Myers was already working as a senior advisor on the Commanders’ reorganization plans.

Let’s see if the Commanders, Sixers and Devils can get one of the greatest players in their respective sports with the seventh pick of the draft?

Miami’s Erik Spoelstra was named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team through 2028. Spoelstra was selected by USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team managing director Grant Hill and was approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.

In addition to an Olympic gold coaching effort as an assistant coach at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Spoelstra was an assistant coach to Steve Kerr at the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup, where the USA finished fourth. He also served as head of the 2021 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team, which trained alongside the 2020 USA Men’s National Team ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Spoelstra is the perfect choice for this time and place, but it’s sort of amazing his boss, Pat Riley, never had an opportunity to coach the USA at the Olympic Games.

Ohtani Leads LA with All-Time Outing

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LOS ANGELES  – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Instead of postgame orange slices there was champagne as Shohei Ohtani made the one of baseball’s biggest stages look like Little League.

Ohtani was a one-man show, hitting three home runs and striking out 10 in six-plus scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to the World Series for the second consecutive season with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.

Ohtani hit home runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings as the defending champion Dodgers swept the best-of-seven National League Championship Series. Los Angeles will attempt to become the first team to win consecutive titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000.

Ohtani (2-0), who gave up two hits and walked three, became the first pitcher in major league history — regular season or postseason — to hit three home runs and strike out at least one in the same game. The performance earned him series MVP honors.

The two-way star went deep for the first time since he hit a pair of homers in the wild-card opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Ohtani, a three-time regular-season MVP, entered the night batting .121 (4-for-33) over his previous eight games.

“There were times during the postseason where (Teoscar Hernandez) and Mookie (Betts) picked me up. And this time around it was my turn to be able to perform,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “Just looking back over the course of the entire postseason, I haven’t performed to expectations, but I think today we saw what the left-handed hitters could do.”

Los Angeles is headed to the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons, getting past the Brewers in the NLCS for the second time in that stretch (2018).

Veteran left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1) allowed three runs on six hits over two-plus innings as the Brewers saw their season end after compiling the majors’ best regular-season record at 97-65. Quintana walked one and fanned one.

Milwaukee ended the four-game series with four total runs on 14 hits.

“Obviously, the last five days were not good, not the way we wanted to go,” said the Brewers’ Christian Yelich, who went 1-for-14 with two walks in the series. “It’s how it (can) be sometimes, and hopefully we can learn from this as a team and get back to this point and take that next step.”

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Ohtani opened the game from the mound by walking Brice Turang. He followed that by striking out the next three Milwaukee batters, then led off the bottom of the first inning with a 446-foot home run to right field on Quintana’s sixth pitch. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to hit a home run in a playoff game.

Los Angeles put up two more runs in the first inning, taking a 3-0 lead on an RBI single from Tommy Edman and a run-scoring groundout from Teoscar Hernandez.

Ohtani did not give up a hit until Jackson Chourio doubled to lead off the fourth. The right-hander retired the next three Milwaukee batters, including the last two by strikeout.

Ohtani belted a 469-foot home run in the fourth inning that landed on top of the corrugated metal roof at the back of the right field bleachers. He added a 427-foot homer to center field in the seventh as the Dodgers took a 5-0 lead.

“What he did on the mound, what he did at the bat, he created a lot of memories for a lot of people,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So to do it in a game-clinching game at home, wins the NLCS MVP, it’s pretty special. I’m just happy to be able to go along for the ride.”

After walking Yelich and giving up a single to William Contreras to open the top of the seventh inning, Ohtani left the mound to a standing ovation. Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki recorded the final nine outs.

The Brewers’ lone run came on a Turang RBI forceout in the eighth.

“We were part of, tonight, an iconic, maybe the best individual performance ever in a postseason game,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I don’t think anybody can argue with that. A guy punches out 10 and hits three homers. (But) I’m really proud of our team. I admire our team.”

–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media

Twins Peeking

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -The Minnesota Twins are seeking permission to interview Boston Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez for their managerial opening, MLB Network reported on Tuesday. The Twins parted ways with skipper Rocco Baldelli on Sept. 29 after finishing 70-92 and fourth in the division in his seventh season.

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Vazquez, 49, has been part of Boston’s coaching staff since 2018. He was promoted to bench coach in 2022.

On May 19 this season, Vazquez filled in for Red Sox manager Alex Cora and recorded a 3-1 win over the New York Mets. Cora was away for his daughter’s college graduation.

Vazquez played shortstop, third base and second base for parts of nine seasons in the majors with six teams from 2001-09. He was a career .254 hitter with 22 homers and 176 RBIs in 696 games.

Baldelli recorded the third-most wins in franchise history with a record of 527-505 (.511).

–Field Level Media

Sox Beat Tigers: Will They Be Back?

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers sealing the Tigers’ fate as the No. 6 seed in the American League Postseason while the Sox will hold the No. 5 and play at the Bronx against their longtime rival, the New York Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays took the American League East title.

Boston now plays New York on Tuesday, Sept. 30, Wednesday, Oct 1 and, if necessary, Thursday, October 2. The winner of the Boston vs. New York wild card will face the No. 1 seed Blue Jays.

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To close out the season today, Boston spot starter José De León pitched a career-high 6 2/3 innings in his first outing in two years. Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida and second baseman David Hamilton homered to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 victory. The Tigers’ loss gave the AL Central title to the Cleveland Guardians.

After each team wrapped up a playoff berth during the final series of the regular season – the Red Sox on Friday and the Tigers on Saturday – they both sent out lineups for the regular-season finale that allowed some regulars to rest. That included Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman.

De León, called up from Triple-A so the Red Sox could line up their starters for the AL Wild Card series, allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out eight. Greg Weissert pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Detroit starter Chris Paddock suffered his 12th loss against five victories on the 2025 season.

Detroit lost 13 of their final 16 and 22 of their last 31 regular season games to allow Cleveland to grab the Central title. Coincidentally, Detroit will travel to Cleveland for their best-of-three game Wild Card series, with the winner to play the Seattle Mariners.

 

 

Red Sox Clinch AL Wild Card

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Break out the swimming masks and the snorkel gear. Pop the bottles of Korbel. The Boston Red Sox will be playing postseason baseball in 2025.

On June 6th, the Red Sox lost a 9-6 game to the New York Yankees and fell to 30-35 and 10.5 games out of first place. On September 26, the Red Sox fell behind the Detroit Tigers, 3-0, in the 4th inning. It looked as though they’d need a win on Saturday or Sunday, the final day of the Major League Baseball regular season, to secure the Wild Card berth that hung like a slow curve ball, only because the Houston Astros dropped six of their last 10 games.

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That put the Red Sox in control of their own destiny as the Friday night lights shined upon Fenway and a season-ending three game set against the Tigers began.

Detroit had spent all but six days of the season tied or in sole possession of first place in the American League Central Division. The club went 59-34 in their first 93 games of the season which took them to July 8. They’ve gone 27-40 ever since, including the fact they’ve dropped 12 of their last 14 games and 21 of their last 29 games.

That opened the door for the red hot Cleveland Guardians to grab honors atop the Central as Toronto and New York battle it out for honors atop the AL East. Seattle holds first place and had already cliched a bye along side of the East division champ. All the others, minus Houston will play with a deck filled with wild cards.

Boston earned the postseason berth when centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela cracked a ball off the center field wall, just over the outstretched glove of Tigers centerfielder Parker Meadows. One more inch, and we’d be reading and writing about Saturday.

Boston will see Postseason play for the first time since 2021, not all that long ago. But, Friday night’s big win in front of a sold out crowd of 37.052 at Fenway marked the first time since at least 1920 that the club earned a playoff berth via a walk-off RBI, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

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Instead, Boston’s Romy Gonzalez rounded the bases to score, giving the Red Sox a 4-3 “walk-off” victory. The hit marked Rafaela’s third walk-off RBI of the 2025 season and the 12th walk-off RBI for the Red Sox this season. Gonzalez had singled to start the one-out rally in the bottom of the ninth.

Boston scored single runs in the 7th, 8th and 9th inning to earn the victory.

Masataka Yoshida continued his hot-hitting ways as the team’s designated hitter. He went three-for-four with an RBI single in the 4th inning and a run scored in the 7th. Left fielder Jarren Duran slapped an RBI single in the 8th inning, scoring Nate Eaton who had pinch-run for Carlos Narvaez who singled and allowed Boston to tie the game at 3-3.

Boston spotted Detroit a three-run lead in fourth inning of this September night. Starting pitcher Kyle Harrison had held Detroit scoreless for three innings, striking out six Tigers batters. But he allowed five consecutive batters to reach base in the 4th inning, via four hits and a walk. Harrison gave way to Justin Slaten and he retired three of the four batters he faced to put the fire out.

Sox manager Alex Cora used six pitchers in relief of Harrison. Closer Aroldis Chapman (5-3) earned the victory after blanking Detroit in the top of the 9th inning, striking out the final two batters he faced.

Detroit’s reliever, Tommy Kahnle (1-5) took the loss, the fifth walk-off loss of the season coughed up by the Tigers. Detroit is now 6-16 (.272) in the month of September as they fight off the law of averages and steep competition in the postseason, most likely as the 6th seed and final Wild Card berth in the AL.

Boston has won seven of their last 11 games, and 13 of their last 23. The club went (6-5) in their Fenway Green uniforms, but each of the six victories came in “walk-off” fashion.

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You just might wonder if they’ll wear them on the road in the Wild Card round of the Postseason?