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All-Star closer Mason Miller returned to the San Diego Padres’ bullpen on Wednesday night after missing one playoff game on the paternity list.

Miller was put back on the Padres’ roster for Game 4 of the NL Division Series against Milwaukee, and he joined his teammates for warmups on the field three hours before the first pitch. Miller said his wife, Jordan, gave birth to their son Tuesday night during the Padres’ Game 3 victory over Milwaukee.

“I was just so happy to be there,” Miller said.

The Padres are also hopeful that top setup man Adrian Morejon will be available for Game 4 after he was ruled out of Game 3 with shoulder discomfort, manager Craig Stammen said.

San Diego is facing elimination for the second straight night at Petco Park against the Brewers, who lead the best-of-five series 2-1. Walker Buehler is starting Game 4 for the Padres after missing the first two games of this series on the paternity list.

The Padres ruled out Miller about 45 minutes before the first pitch of Game 3, but San Diego eked out a 4-3 victory with 4 2/3 gritty innings of one-run relief from four pitchers behind starter Nick Pivetta. Game 2 starter Michael King stepped up to pitch the final two innings on one day of rest, earning his first save since 2023.

Rather than worrying about the Padres, Miller was so locked in at the hospital that he declined an offer to turn on the television in the delivery room.

“I said, ‘No, I can’t do that,’” Miller said with a smile. “Adrenaline was going pretty hard. Everything went really well, and then right when we got everybody settled, got Jordan in bed with the baby, they said, ‘The Padres won.’ It was pretty amazing.”

Miller was an elite closer throughout his first full season with the Padres, racking up 38 saves in 41 opportunities with a 0.90 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in just 70 innings — but he blew a six-out save attempt in Game 2 of the NLDS in Milwaukee.

Miller walked the bases loaded before giving up Jackson Chourio’s two-out, two-strike, two-run single to end the Brewers’ 4-3 win on Miller’s 40th pitch. Both teams dismissed widespread postgame speculation that Miller had been tipping his pitches.

Miller had been hoping that his son would be born on an off day, but he emerged from his baseball absence with a new perspective.

(Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

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“Obviously, Game 2 (was) not what I had hoped for or planned on,” Miller said. “Going from that feeling, kind of feeling like you’re not really contributing a whole lot, to now being a dad and wanting to be there for my wife, I think it’s moments like that that give you the perspective (on) what’s important, that keep you grounded to want to go out and do the best that you can every single day. You get those moments to center yourself and then try to come back and be the best version of yourself.”

The Padres have relied on Miller and his 104 mph fastball all season long while winning 91 games and earning the NL’s first wild card spot. Miller earned the save in San Diego’s clinching victory over the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series last week.

Morejon’s absence was also taxing on the Padres’ bullpen after he developed “stickiness” in his shoulder earlier in the series, leading the club to decide he shouldn’t attempt to pitch in Game 3. The Padres will evaluate Morejon before Game 4 to see if he feels good enough to pitch.

“He was feeling a little bit better postgame last night,” Stammen said Wednesday. “So we’re hopeful today that he’ll be available.”

Padres Win THRILLER Verlander, Jeter, Papi & A-Rod React to Gutsy Game 3 Win vs Brewers

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The Padres are hoping for a strong start from Buehler, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 26. The two-time World Series champion has a career 3.04 ERA over 19 postseason appearances — and in his most recent playoff outing, he secured the save in the Dodgers’ championship-clinching victory over the Yankees in 2024.

Stammen said the Padres were fully supportive of Buehler and Miller with their growing families.

“Everybody has a different situation, a different way of looking at it, a different expectation,” Stammen said. “There’s always health implications that go with it, and the No. 1 thing is you want a healthy baby and you want Mom and Dad to enjoy it. I think we’ve been able to accomplish that with the two births we’ve had here in October.”

Stammen even claimed that King is also available to pitch in Game 4, even after already throwing 14 innings with two starts in the Padres’ first five playoff games.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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Jo Adell and Jose Ramirez powered Cleveland with a pair of two-out triples, and the Guardians avoided an AL Division Series sweep by cooling off the Chicago White Sox with a 9-3 victory in Game 3 on Wednesday.

Adell’s three-run triple gave Cleveland a 4-1 lead in the third inning. Ramírez’s three-bagger drove in Travis Bazzana and Patrick Bailey for a 7-3 advantage in the eighth.

The Guardians recorded two triples in a postseason game for the first time in franchise history. They became the first major league team to accomplish the feat since the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series.

Adell, Ramírez, Bailey and Brayan Rocchio each had two of the team’s 11 hits — a complete turnaround for the AL Central champions after they managed just three runs and seven hits in the first two games of the series combined.

Game 4 is on Thursday.

Chicago won its first four games in a surprising postseason appearance after going 60-102 last year. It was backed by a frenzied crowd of 40,590 for the franchise’s first home playoff game since 2021, but there wasn’t much for the fans to cheer in the final innings.

The White Sox struck out 19 times and went 2 for 11 with runners in position. Their bullpen faltered after coming up big in their fast postseason start.

Chicago jumped in front on Kyle Teel’s RBI double off Daniel Espino with one out in the first. But Espino fanned Chase Meidroth before Foster Griffin struck out Tristan Peters looking, stranding runners on second and third.

Griffin set a franchise record for a reliever with seven strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. The left-hander allowed one run and two hits.

Cleveland rallied in the third against Bryan Hudson, who entered after Sean Newcomb pitched two scoreless innings.

Bazzana walked and scored on Steven Kwan’s one-out single to left. Facing left-hander Hagen Smith with two down and the bases loaded, Adell grounded a high fastball down the first-base line for a 4-1 lead.

Adell, who was acquired in an August trade with the Los Angeles Angels, also hit an RBI triple during Cleveland’s 4-3 loss in Game 2. He hit one triple during the regular season in each of the last two years.

Playing in his 48th postseason game — all with Cleveland — Ramírez manufactured an insurance run for the Guardians in the fifth. He doubled, stole third and scored on Chase DeLauter’s grounder to second, beating Teel’s tag with a headfirst slide.

Ramírez’s savvy baserunning gave the Guardians a 5-2 lead. The seven-time All-Star went 0 for 6 with two walks in the first two games of the series.

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Parker Messick starts for Cleveland in Game 4. Messick permitted two runs and four hits over 4 1/3 innings in the series opener. The left-hander went 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA in 32 starts during the regular season.

Chicago did not announce its pitching plans before the game. Smith started Game 1 for the White Sox, striking out four in 2 2/3 hitless innings.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The MLB postseason continues with two pivotal divisional series matchups, and new users can use Kalshi Promo Code FOXSPORTS to claim up to $2,000 in bonuses. The Yankees and Rays begin Game 3 in the Bronx, while the Padres and Brewers get ready for Game 4.

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How to Watch Game 3 Rays vs. Yankees

• When: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
• TV: TBS

*Probabilities are subject to change* 

[–>

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How to Watch Game 4 Brewers vs. Padres

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• Where: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• TV: FS1
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In Tom Brady’s eyes, we’ve got a top-five matchup in the NFL this weekend. 

Brady ranked both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the top five of his latest power rankings ahead of Sunday’s major NFC West tilt on “America’s Game of the Week.” But where does each team rank in the GOAT’s power rankings?

That’s up for debate. However, Brady has the three undefeated teams holding the top three spots on his list, with the 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings fighting for the top spot. But as Brady looked back on Week 4, he’s highly anticipating Week 5’s top game.  

“49ers-Seahawks Sunday on FOX — early Game of the Year contender? I think so,” Brady said.

Here’s Brady’s full top 10. 

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 5 ↓

Brady’s thoughts: They fell to 3-1, losing to the Chiefs only by three points at home. They outgained the Chiefs by nearly 40 yards, 437-399. The Chiefs scored 20 points in the fourth quarter.

I know, tough, but you know what? Kirk Cousins has 11 touchdowns in four games and they’ve scored a lot of points — at least 25 points in every game. They’ve looked pretty solid, albeit with a loss.

Anytime you play some of the best teams and organizations, you have to play pretty flawless football. As I was a part of all those Patriots teams all those years, we just didn’t really beat ourselves. You had to play a great game. When you’re in the upper echelon, that’s what it takes to beat those teams. There’s a reason why they’re there: so much continuity at coaching, ownership and elite quarterbacking. That’s always tough to beat. 

Record: 2-2

Previous ranking: Unranked ↑

Brady’s thoughts: The Rams are now 2-2 after beating the Eagles by four in Philly. Philly, they only had 172 yards total for the day. That Rams defense was on point, even without Myles Garrett or Aaron Donald. They had three fourth-down stops. It’s the second time this year they’ve held their opponent to under 200 yards. That’s a ridiculous defense. 

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 7 ↓

Brady’s thoughts: Check this out: They didn’t punt once against the Jets. They ran eighty-nine plays. The Jets ran 32. They rushed the ball with ridiculous numbers again, and they have three straight games where they’ve allowed 12 or fewer points. No one was talking about this defense to start the year.

And they have two wins without Caleb Williams. That shows how important the backup quarterback is. They come in and deliver when the team needs it.

The Bears’ defense definitely feels like a little bit of a stepchild to that offense after Ben Johnson’s offseason remarks, that’s for sure. You have an offensive-minded head coach who is trying to go out there and score a ton of points. The good part for any defense, I think, is when you have a very good offense going against them in practice, OTAs (organized team activities) and training camp, it makes you better, too. 

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 3 ↓

Brady’s thoughts: This last weekend, they lost to the Patriots in a very close game at home — a tough divisional loss. But let me tell you how the Bills’ season has gone: first two games, no turnovers. They have seven turnovers in the last two games. Lucky that they only lost one of them. Hopefully, they can learn from that and get back on track. 

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: Twenty-four points at the half against the Titans before Lamar Jackson exited. Lamar seems doubtful for Sunday against the Falcons. A lot riding on his ankle all season long. His health is paramount to the success of this team.

But when Jackson’s not in there, give it to Derrick Henry, the future Hall of Fame running back. He has seven rushing touchdowns in four games. Keep up that pace, big fella!

Derrick Henry has rushed for 374 yards and a league-leading seven touchdowns this season. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

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Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: Unranked ↑

Brady’s thoughts: Not a surprise. They did it last year and they’re doing it this year. The 3-1 Jags, they beat the Bengals in Cincinnati and outgained them by 100 yards. 

Nobody’s scored more than 20 against the Jags. That defense has six takeaways in the three games. Unbelievable. 

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 6 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: Last year’s Super Bowl champion beat the Chargers by seven. There were 30 penalties in that game, 30! There was more swearing in those locker rooms at halftime than a Tom Brady broadcast.

The Seahawks also had four takeaways and four sacks. That Mike MacDonald defense was on point. 

49ers-Seahawks Sunday on FOX — early Game of the Year contender? I think so. 

Seattle gets absolutely rocking. We were there for the NFC Championship Game last year, and I don’t remember a stadium in the NFL louder than that.

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 4 ↑

Brady’s thoughts: The Vikings won 15-10 against the Dolphins at home. They have one offensive touchdown in the last three games. But they were all wins, so it doesn’t matter. They didn’t score a touchdown on Sunday, but that’s fine when your kicker goes 5-for-5 and you hold the ball for 40 minutes. They’ve only allowed 51 points this year. That’s the fewest in the NFL. 

It’s absolutely easier for Kyler Murray to work through some of these early-season struggles knowing that he has a great defense behind him. I’ll tell ya, there’s nobody that was a fan of great defense more than yours truly. I always had great defenses that I could rely on, especially in the game. To not feel the urgency to thread the needle on every third down, it’s a great feeling when you’re out there as a quarterback. 

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 2

Brady’s thoughts: Kenneth Walker had another ridiculous day, averaging eight yards per carry with two scores. It was a great back-and-forth game. Hopefully it’s the renewal of a great NFL rivalry. Now, they head into their bye week. Heal up, get healthy and get ready for a long stretch of games ahead. 

What did I prefer between an early or late bye week? It could go two ways. I like the early bye week with the late Thursday night game, and I like the early Thursday night game with the late bye week. That Thursday night game can be a mini-bye. So, you can double up if it’s scheduled the right way. 

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 1

Brady’s thoughts: The 49ers beat the Broncos at home, and the Broncos are a damn good football team. The 49ers only had one penalty for five yards and zero turnovers. My coach said you can’t win until you can keep from losing, and the 49ers are not losing games. 

Brock Purdy’s on fire, too. He has 11 touchdown passes with only one interception. Offense, defense and special teams — Niners are doing it all right now. 

I was up there for the divisional game last year, when the Seahawks put it on the 49ers from the opening kickoff. I doubt the Niners are going to let that happen again. The Niners had so many injuries in that game. I don’t really think we saw a great showing from them. 

Believe me, that loss has been on Kyle Shanahan’s and the entire 49ers locker room’s minds. I’m looking forward to seeing what the 49ers’ offense can do against one of the top defenses in the league. I’m sure Shanahan’s been working on it all offseason. 

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Another step toward a World Series three-peat. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the NL Championship Series for the third straight season after eliminating the Atlanta Braves with a 4-1 win on Wednesday in Game 4 of the NL Division Series. 

Facing a 3-2 count and two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, Andy Pages hit a bases-loaded single off Robert Suarez to drive in two runs and break a 1-1 tie.

Pages’ hitoff Suarez’s fastball was the Dodgers’ first hit with runners in scoring position the entire series – driving in Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman.

Max Muncy’s homer in the ninth inning gave the Dodgers another insurance run in the win. It was Muncy’s third home run of the postseason, and 19th of his career in the playoffs.

The Braves scored first in the opening frame after Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow’s wild pitch allowed Michael Harris II to score. In the top of the second, the Dodgers then capitalized on a Braves’ mistake when Shohei Ohtani reached home on shortstop Mauricio Dubón’s throwing error.

The Dodgers will now await the winner of the NLDS series between the Brewers and Padres to see who will be their opponent for the league pennant. It also keeps the hopes of a third straight World Series title alive for the Dodgers, which hasn’t been done since the Yankees did so in 1998-2000. 

For the Braves, it was a game of missed opportunities as they went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position en route to another disappointing early playoff exit. This year’s NL East champions have not advanced past the NLDS since winning the 2021 World Series. 

Game 1 of the NLDS will be on Sunday on FOX.

Andy Pages hits CLUTCH 2-RBI single to give Dodgers lead over Braves

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No NFL owners have hit the panic button yet, despite some incredibly disappointing starts. All 32 men who began the season as head coaches are still employed. 

But that could change soon.

With bye weeks coming and patience running out, the heat is getting turned up on several coaches whose teams have been caught in an unrecoverable downward spiral. And several others probably already know that they’ll spend the second half of the season playing out the string, knowing their time is short, too.

So which head coaches’ seats are the hottest after the first month of the regular season? Here is my revised list. 

The first three years of the DeMeco Ryans era in Houston have been both fantastic and disappointing. The Texans had double-digit wins each year, won at least one playoff game each year, and still managed to come off as underachievers. That was especially true the last two years when their offense and young quarterback couldn’t keep up with their league-best defense. 

And now the bottom has completely fallen out. The defense has regressed. QB C.J. Stroud has been stuck in neutral since his rookie season. They still don’t score many points. And, worst of all, they’re 0-4. 

Firing the 42-year-old Ryans would be harsh, and he’s probably more likely to be nudged into some major staff changes. But the window is about to close on having a promising quarterback on a rookie contract. And whether they start over at the position or give Stroud a lucrative contract, don’t be shocked if they at least think about hiring a coach who can make that investment pay off.

There’s probably a way this season could have started worse for Jim Harbaugh’s team, but it’s hard to see how. QB Justin Herbert, the cornerstone player of the franchise, is regressing under his direction. He brought in a new, high-profile offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, to get Herbert going and they look like a terrible match. And given Harbaugh’s strong influence in personnel, it doesn’t help that his offensive line is still struggling, his receivers can’t catch, and the defense doesn’t look the same now that DC Jesse Minter is gone. 

In other words, they might be even worse than their 0-4 record indicates, and Harbaugh has looked like a deer in the headlights at some of his press conferences, where he obviously has no answers to offer. He’s got two years and $32 million or so left on his deal after this season, and he did go 11-6 in each of his first two years. But look at the schedule, an 0-9 start might not be out of the question. 

That’ll make owner Dean Spanos wonder if the 62-year-old coach still has what it takes to turn the sinking ship around.

Matt LaFleur was thought to be on the hot seat last year when a team with Super Bowl expectations stumbled to a 9-7-1 record and then blew a game at Chicago in the wild-card round. But apparently that was good enough for the Packers’ ownership board to grant him a contract extension.

That probably signals he’s not going anywhere, again — good luck getting a board to agree to eat a contract that is believed to run through 2029 at about $15 million per year. However, the Packers also can’t ignore what’s happening to his team. They are regressing offensively even though they have an outstanding young quarterback in Jordan Love and an array of good receivers. And the defense has taken a huge step back after the loss of DC Jeff Hafley. 

Maybe the return of Micah Parsons will help that, but there’s nothing coming to help the offense, which was supposed to be LaFleur’s specialty. They’re only 2-2, so there’s no panic yet, but they are at risk of being buried in a very dangerous division. Whether the board likes it or not, there will be a lot of calls in Green Bay for LaFleur’s head.

Nick Sirianni has won three division titles, two NFC titles and a Super Bowl in his five seasons as Eagles coach, while winning nearly 70% of his regular-season games (61-28). But if you don’t think he could take the fall for a season gone wrong, you don’t know Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and the high standards he sets. This season hasn’t gone completely wrong yet, but they’ve opened the door to competition in a weak NFC East. 

For the second straight season, their offense is struggling, too — a reminder that Sirianni has been very hit-or-miss picking coordinators for most of his tenure. That’s a big part of why they had two disappointing, first-round exits from the playoffs over the last three years. He’s also always been under scrutiny for his sometimes questionable coaching decisions, which really hurt him last Sunday in a crushing loss at home to the Rams. 

Jalen Hurts thew for just 93 yards in the Eagles’ Week 4 loss to the Rams, raising concerns over Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia’s offense. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Lurie thinks his team should make a Super Bowl run every year, and he usually has a roster good enough to do it. If he thinks the coach is holding him back at all, he’ll make a switch. After all, he at least considered doing it to Sirianni three years ago.

Dan Quinn began this season atop this list because his Commanders went 5-12 one year after making a miracle run to the NFC Championship Game. Now they’re 1-3 and don’t look like they’re much better at all. The only thing keeping him from still being in the top hot spot is the injury to QB Jayden Daniels, which was a big part of what ruined 2025 too. 

Daniels is expected back soon, though, with plenty of time on the schedule for the Commanders to turn this around. And lucky for them, it looks like a pretty down year in the NFC East, so the door is definitely open. If they can’t get it together and at least make a run at the division title, or at least the playoffs, owner Josh Harris and GM Adam Peters have what seems like an easy decision to make. 

Quinn already blew up his coaching staff in the offseason, so it’s all on him now. And they can’t let the window they opened when they went 12-5 in Quinn’s first season suddenly slam shut.

The bar and the expectations are low in New York, where Glenn isn’t really expected to win with the team he and GM Darren Mougey assembled. They are expected to be more competitive and more professional, and there was a hope that Glenn wouldn’t look so overwhelmed anymore, especially when questioned by the media about what was going wrong. 

At times, things have looked good. They beat the Titans in the opener and hung with the Packers and Lions. But they were basically a no-show against the Bears on Sunday, and Glenn’s decisions, time management, and reactions to criticism are back under a microscope again. It’s a long season; they don’t have a very good quarterback (Geno Smith) and they’re already inundated with injuries. 

Glenn has to stop this spiral before it gets out of control. If not, there will be enormous pressure on Woody Johnson to bring in a new coach — maybe a high-profile one like Mike Tomlin — especially if they land yet another franchise quarterback, as expected, in the 2027 NFL draft.

If you’re waiting for the first coach to be fired, keep both eyes on Tampa, where the wheels seem to have come off the Buccaneers. It’s not just that they are 0-4, it’s that they’ve also looked absolutely terrible, particularly on offense. And now, with QB Baker Mayfield out with an injured thumb, there is definitely room for things to get worse. 

It’s also not like Bowles was playing with any house money. They have waffled between eight and 10 wins in each of his first four seasons, and they only have a terrible division to thank for the fact that they made the playoffs three times. Bowles rarely looks like he has many answers — if any at all — and so far this season it’s hard to argue that his players have responded to anything he’s tried. 

None of their next five opponents are unbeatable — at Dallas, vs. the Steelers, at Carolina, vs. the Falcons, and at Chicago — but it’s not exactly a marshmallow march either. If Bowles’ Bucs can’t steal a couple of wins there, he might not survive their Week 10 bye.

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Max Fried gave up two home runs, the New York Yankees had one taken off the board by fan interference and then their season ended Thursday night with a whimper.

After Anthony Volpe’s would-be tying homer in the bottom of the sixth inning turned into a double on video review, the Yankees did not get a runner past second base. When leadoff hitter Trent Grisham struck out to end the ninth, it capped a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the AL Division Series and a series sweep that extended the Yankees’ championship drought to 17 years.

Without injured slugger Aaron Judge, they were one-hit and shut out in the opener, when catcher Austin Wells’ baserunning blunder loomed large. Game 2 included four errors to get pushed to the brink of elimination.

The Yankees didn’t go quietly — at least initially. When Fried gave up a run apiece in the third and fourth innings, the bats responded each time to tie the score.

Victor Mesa Jr. crushed Fried’s 80th and final pitch for a go-ahead, two-run home run that was far from a short-porch homer like Ryan Vilade’s earlier. It looked like New York would get it right back in a redemption moment for Volpe, but a Jeffrey Maier-esque moment came back to haunt the home team 30 years later.

With rookie George Lombard Jr. on base — and Wells would have been if not for a successful ABS challenge by the Rays — Volpe turned on right-hander Griffin Jax’s 95.9 mph sinker and hit it 357 feet to left field. It was a matter of inches as to whether a fan reached over the fence and interfered with the ball or it would have cleared the wall entirely.

Called a home run by the umpires on the field, video review determined the fan did interfere. The replay official scored it an RBI double for Volpe with a run scored, but the run that did not turned out to be the difference.

With the air sucked out of Yankee Stadium, Spencer Jones — who singled and doubled in his first two plate appearances — struck out swinging to end the threat. The eighth started with Paul Goldschmidt reaching on a throwing error and finished with fellow pinch-hitter with Giancarlo Stanton striking out in just his second at-bat of the postseason.

Stanton got chances to swing the bat after strained calf muscles in each of his legs sidelined him since April 24. Judge was not afforded the same opportunity, left off the rosters for the AL Wild Card Series and the ALDS because of his calf injury.

Aaron Boone again fell short of a title in his ninth season as New York’s manager, and some fans chanted “Fire Boone!” as they streamed to the exits.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Wednesday brought a full slate of injury news across the league as teams finalized their first reports of Week 5. Philadelphia’s situation keeps growing, while there was better news in Washington and lingering uncertainty in Baltimore and Los Angeles.

Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both missed practice for the Eagles, adding to an already long injury list, but Jayden Daniels is trending toward his season return for the Commanders. Elsewhere, Lamar Jackson’s Week 5 status remains up in the air for the Ravens, and the winless Chargers will likely be without right tackle Joe Alt against the Broncos.

Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

Barkley, Smith Both Miss Practice Wednesday

 

Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith officially did not practice Wednesday, both sidelined by hamstring injuries as the Eagles begin preparations for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars in London. 

Smith was already trending toward missing extended time after sitting out all of last week’s practice and being ruled out against the Rams, and Wednesday’s absence does little to change that outlook. Barkley, meanwhile, is considered week-to-week after the injury limited him to just four snaps in Sunday’s loss, though he’s believed to have avoided anything more serious.

The two join an already lengthy Eagles injury list that includes tight end Dallas Goedert (knee), linebacker Zack Baun (concussion), cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (knee), plus guard Landon Dickerson and tight end Eli Stowers on injured reserve.

Right tackle Lane Johnson’s retirement earlier this week only adds to Philadelphia’s depth concerns heading into the trip overseas.

Jayden Daniels could be back on the field for game action soon.

The Commanders quarterback was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, putting him on track to start Sunday at home against the Giants three weeks after dislocating his left elbow against Dallas in Week 2 — the second such dislocation of his career.

Daniels wore a brace on the elbow during practice that he’ll continue wearing moving forward, embracing a new approach to protecting himself. 

“I’m going to embrace the brace,” Daniels said. Coach Dan Quinn said the team has been working with Daniels on technique to avoid re-injury, comparing it to how a running back protects the ball.

Daniels said he’s still adjusting to playing with the brace. “Just trying to get used to it, it’s kind of part of me now. … I’m not really just thinking about it, I’m out there playing.” 

Giants coach John Harbaugh said his team is preparing for Daniels to play, and edge rusher Abdul Carter said Washington’s quarterback won’t be eased into contact: “With the injury he has, we want him to run. We kind of encourage it, just to see how he reacts.”

Lamar Jackson sat out practice for the Ravens on Wednesday, three days after injuring his ankle in a win over Tennessee, and wasn’t made available to speak. Jackson’s ankle rolled under an opposing player late in the first half Sunday, and he didn’t return to the game.

Head coach Jesse Minter said there’s still time for Jackson to prove he’s ready. 

“There is a lot of time between now and Sunday. To Lamar’s credit, he is getting a lot of treatment and doing things. There will be a point later in the week where we will figure out kind of where it is at,” Minter told reporters, adding that Jackson has the experience to play without a full week of practice if it comes to that: “I think he’s in that category, based on everything that he has accomplished.”

 If Jackson can’t go, Tyler Huntley, who led Baltimore to wins over Chicago and Green Bay last season, would start in place of Jackson.

Several other Ravens also sat out Wednesday, including edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (finger), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring/calf), tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe/ankle) and guard Andrew Vorhees (foot), while tight end Durham Smythe (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve. Baltimore plays at Atlanta on Sunday night.

The Chargers are winless through the first month of the NFL season, and they were just dealt some bad news.

Right tackle Joe Alt is expected to miss the Chargers Week 5 matchup against the Broncos due to a neck injury he suffered during last week’s loss to the Seahawks, according to NFL Network.

The Notre Dame alum didn’t practice Wednesday, and he is now reportedly expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Broncos. The Chargers have no plans to place him on injured reserve despite the absence.

Alt went down late in the first half with a neck injury and was replaced by Travis Burke. He was one of eight Chargers who sat out practice Wednesday, a sign the team is leaning toward resting him through the week rather than rushing him back for Sunday’s matchup with Denver.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the NL Championship Series for the third straight season, and remain on course for a World Series three-peat.

That’s a cause for celebration in itself. 

Which is why MLB on FOX analyst David Ortiz didn’t mind saluting Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez with a swig of tequila after the team eliminated the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.

Ortiz lauded Hernandez’s ability to deliver for the Dodgers in crucial moments despite being on a team with more celebrated stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.

“Every time you come out quietly and do some damage, brother. … You always come through when they really, really need you. You always prepare for those moments,” Ortiz said. 

While Hernandez went hitless in Games 3 and 4 against the Braves, the 33-year-old outfielder had a crucial two-run home run in the 5-3 win in Game 1.

Hernandez, as he was drenched with beer and champagne by his celebrating teammates in the visitors’ locker room in Atlanta, said he thrives when the team needs him the most. 

“I love [the moments]. Throughout my career, I’m not afraid to fail. I think that’s the key, and I try to pass that to thing to the new guys – don’t be afraid to fail,” Hernandez explained. “I just want to be that guy in that tough spot.”

Hernandez came on late toward the end of the season after struggling this summer. But things turned for him in September, where Hernández’s final month saw him hit .341 with a .965 OPS, along with four homers and 18 RBIs.

When asked by MLB on FOX analyst Alex Rodriguez about the mid-season adjustments he made as a hitter, Hernandez credited his improvement at the plate to switching up his stance. 

“I had like three different stances that I used throughout the season and the way I’m hitting right now is one of them. I used to have a little bit of a leg kick. Another one is similar to Shohei, to stay on the ground. 

“And another is pulling my front leg outside and doing a toe tap. I do this to control my body, to see the ball traveling and use the whole field.” 

Hernandez and the Dodgers will be back in action on Sunday in Game 1 of the NLCS on FOX. 

‘I Just Want to Be The Guy’ Teoscar Hernández on his CLUTCH Playoff Moments as Dodgers’ Advance

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If you’re a fan of offensive battles, then you must have enjoyed Sunday night’s Detroit Lions-Carolina Panthers game. 

The Panthers improved to 2-2 thanks to a dominant performance from wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, defeating the Lions 32-26. Both offenses logged over 440 yards in a matchup that felt like no one could be stopped by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. However, Carolina was able to make a pair of fourth-down stands on Detroit’s final two possessions of the game, sealing the win.

Here are my takeaways from the Panthers’ impressive win over the Lions. 

1. Panthers’ Offense Is Humming Around Bryce Young

When Carolina put up 37 points in Week 1, it was overshadowed by their defense giving up 59 to the Bears in the same game. A 34-3 rout of the Falcons validated that in Week 2, and Sunday night’s 32-26 win over the Lions allows us to appreciate how well Bryce Young is playing in his third season with Dave Canales.

Young’s connection with second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan was the centerpiece against Detroit — the two connected 14 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns (on 16 targets, no less). Add in a solid 120 rushing yards for Chuba Hubbard, and the Panth

ers were over 400 yards of offense in improving to 2-2 on the season and, for a day at least, sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

Carolina has already picked up Young’s fifth-year option for 2027, so there was a commitment in place, but games like Sunday will put Young in the $50 million-a-year club, and arguably ahead of his draft-class contemporary, Houston’s C.J. Stroud. Consider his four-year passing numbers, going from 11 touchdown passes as a rookie to 15 in his first year with Canales to 23 last year and now on pace for 38 (!) in 2026. The team single-season record is 36, thrown by Steve Beuerlein in 1999, two years before Young was born.

2. Lions’ Defense Is The Worst In The NFL

For all the excitement about the Lions getting back to playoff form this season, their defense has been a major liability, literally giving up more points than any defense in the league.

The Lions went into Sunday night giving up 31.7 points per game. The Panthers topped that midway through the fourth, putting them on track to have one of the worst scoring defenses ever. At 31.8 points allowed per game, the Panthers are on pace to allow the third-most points per game in NFL history. And the Lions were ranked 31st in three key categories entering Sunday: total defense (416 yards per game), third-down defense (56 percent) and red-zone defense (90%).

Detroit can point out that defensive backs Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are still out with injuries, but its problems run deeper than that. 

3. Dave Canales, Panthers’ Coaching Staff Shine Through Injuries

Carolina’s resounding win is all the more impressive considering how many key players it was missing Sunday night. The Panthers put both starting corners — Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson — on injured reserve this week, meaning they won’t have either for at least four games, but Akayleb Evans stepped up in a big way in his first start in two years, with nine tackles.

The Panthers were also without two solid receivers in Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette, but that didn’t stop Young from throwing for more than 300 yards. Backups Brycen Tremayne and John Metchie, who had combined for six catches in the first three weeks, had five for 69 on Sunday.  And Carolina had to play without guard Damian Lewis, with second-year pro Corey Bullock getting his first NFL start and playing without penalty.

Carolina won’t get healthy anytime soon, but their schedule has a run of middling teams that aren’t nearly as difficult as they seemed going into the season — their next three are at the Eagles, home against the winless Buccaneers and at the Packers, with a tough game against Denver after that. The NFC South is very much wide-open, so Carolina’s chances of repeating look more promising if it can continue to win while playing at less than full strength.

 

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