The world of sports is ever-changing. From record-breaking free agent contracts to new world champions, sports draw us in based on their entertaining, yet unpredictable qualities. As such, this column is intended to briefly recap key sports stories that have recently emerged. Here are some of the more popular stories:
MLB’s playoffs round out to final four
Major League Baseball’s division series has concluded, and teams are getting ready for the championship round. The Philadelphia Phillies edged the 104-win Atlanta Braves by a series score of 3-1. Nick Castellanos played a huge role in the NLDS as he launched two home runs to lead Philly to a victory in four games. The powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers were swept by the young Arizona Diamondbacks as the latter managed to hit four home runs in one inning during Game 3— most notably Gabriel Moreno’s deep blast to left center field. Another sweep was accomplished, as the Texas Rangers, who had the division lead all year until game 160, and their surging lineup took care of the Baltimore Orioles in three games. Texas’ starter, Nathan Eovaldi, played a huge role in Game 3, shutting down Baltimore’s bats as he answered any lasting question about his health coming into the series. Finally, the defending champion Houston Astros routed the Minnesota Twins in four games to advance to their seventh consecutive championship series behind the heroics of their pitching and big bats José Abreu and Yordan Alvarez.
Information from MLB.com.
Key notes for NHL openers
The National Hockey League season is officially back in action after three teams, including the reigning world champion Vegas Golden Knights, dropped puck during the league’s openers on Oct. 10. Although fresh off a Stanley Cup title, the Golden Knights have a bit of a goalie controversy. Playoff starter Adin Hill was signed to an extension in the offseason, but youngster Logan Thompson was an All-Star in 2022 and has showed up when healthy. Meanwhile, Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks is the most highly anticipated prospect since Connor McDavid in 2015. Bedard has three points, with one goal, through three games so far. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews is off to a scorching-hot start, scoring six goals, a league-high, over the same number of games. As of Oct. 16, the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, and Golden Knights lead their respective divisions. The season is still fresh, of course, and it is far too early to even think about playoff predictions.
Information from NHL.com and ESPN.
Mets clean house once again
The New York Mets have fired manager Buck Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler following an unproductive 75-87 season in 2023. Staff changes are not new to the Mets, who have filtered through seven combined managers and general managers dating back to 2018. That number does not include Carlos Beltran, who failed to even manage a game before parting ways with the Mets, and the six additional interim general managers. The Mets came into 2023 with a hectic offseason under their belt, one that landed them the highest total payroll in Major League Baseball at a massive $343,605,067 clip. As the season progressed, it became evident that the expensive roster was not competitive in a tight NL East race. Several key players, like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Tommy Pham, were traded at the deadline to contenders. Owner Steve Cohen has remained mum on the topic of bringing in more high-profile additions this off-season, but he knows there is a lot of work to do on a franchise that has dealt with a fair share of dysfunction.
Information from MLB.com and Spoctrac.
