dodgers

How Angel City turned around

From Kevin Baxter: No one in Angel City history has played in more games or worn the captain’s armband more often than Sarah Gorden. So it’s unlikely any player has enjoyed this season, Angel City’s fifth in the NWSL, more than her.

With Saturday’s 2-0 win over Bay FC, the team extended its franchise record for wins (14) and points (49) with one game to play. It has averaged more goals scored (1.7) and fewer goals allowed (1.07) than any team in franchise history, has the best goal differential (plus-19) in the league and has qualified for the postseason for just the second time.

If Angel City (14-8-7) beats Boston in its regular-season finale Sunday, it could play host to a playoff game for the first time. For Gorden, none of that success is surprising. What is surprising is that it took so long to achieve.

“Did I think we’d get here? Yeah,” she said. “I always felt like we take two steps forward, one step back. Maybe two steps forward, three steps back. But I always felt like strategically, at some point, the right pieces would be here and we’d be doing the right things at the right time.

“The backing was always there, the passion was always there, the vision was always there. For a long time it was just about getting the right pieces together.”

That was the part that took a bit of trial and error, with the team going through 64 players, five coaches, three general managers/sporting directors and two controlling ownership groups since its founding. And Gorden, who became the second player in team history when she was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Red Stars in December 2021 — five months before Angel City’s first game — has been with the team for all of it.

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Kings rout the Rangers

Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin added a power-play goal and an assist as the Kings beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night.

The Kings won for the third time in their last four games — all on the road — after going winless over their first six games of the season.

The Kings jumped on New York early, chasing goaltender James Reimer after one period. Reimer was pulled in his Rangers debut after allowing three goals on eight shots. Reimer played just one previous game this fall, a 35-save shutout in the American Hockey League on Saturday night, before signing an NHL contract for the rest of the season.

Taylor Ward opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on the Kings’ first shot. Brandt Clarke made it 2-0 at 4:52 of the first, tipping in a rebound off Joel Armia’s slap shot.

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Kings summary

NHL standings

Valkyries win WNBA Finals Game 5

Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.

Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.

Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”

Continue reading here

WNBA Finals Game 5 box score

Brewers move one win away from World Series title

Jackson Chourio set the tone at the plate, Brice Turang sparked a historic offensive outburst and Robert Gasser shut the door on the mound.

The Milwaukee Brewers are one victory from their first World Series title after routing the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 on Monday night thanks to a trio of young players who have shined in October.

Chourio bookended Milwaukee’s eight-run fifth inning with two of his four hits, and Turang’s two-run single opened a barrage of scoring with two outs.

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Game 3 box score

World Series results, schedule

All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay
at Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score)
at Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 4 (box score)
Milwaukee 10, at Tampa Bay 1 (box score)
Tuesday at Tampa Bay
*Wednesday at Tampa Bay
*Friday at Milwaukee
*Saturday at Milwaukee

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1967 — New Mexico tight end Emilio Vallez catches 17 passes for 257 yards to tie an NCAA record in a 75-12 rout of Texas El Paso.

1973 — Four players rush for more than 100 yards as Alabama sets three NCAA records during a 77-6 romp of Virginia Tech. Alabama sets records with 823 yards total offense, 743 yards rushing and four 100-yard rushers. Jim Taylor gains 142 yards, Wilbur Jackson 138, Calvin Culliver 127 and Richard Todd 102.

1984 — Washington State’s Rueben Mayes sets an NCAA record with 357 yards rushing, 197 in the first half, and scores three touchdowns in a 50-41 victory over Oregon.

1984 — Iowa’s Chuck Long completes 22 straight passes to set an NCAA record in a 24-20 victory over Indiana.

1996 — After two humbling losses at home, the New York Yankees win their first World Series title since 1978 with a 3-2 victory over the defending champion Atlanta Braves in Game 6.

2001 — Joe Paterno wins his 324th game to pass Bear Bryant for the most victories by a Division I-A coach when Penn State rallies for a 29-27 win over Ohio State.

2002 — Emmitt Smith breaks the NFL career rushing yardage record held by the late Walter Payton on an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter. Smith has 109 yards and a touchdown in Dallas’ 17-14 loss to Seattle and ends the game with 16,743 career yards — 17 more than Payton gained.

2002 — Behind rookie pitcher John Lackey and a three-run double by Garret Anderson, the Angels beat Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants 4-1 for the franchise’s first World Series title.

2004 — The Boston Red Sox are World Series champions at long, long last. Johnny Damon homers on the fourth pitch of the game, Derek Lowe makes it stand up and the Red Sox win Game 4 3-0, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals for their first crown since 1918.

2005 — Curtis Joseph makes 13 saves to earn his 400th NHL victory and Mike Comrie scores twice as Phoenix edges Calgary 3-2.

2006 — The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 in Game 5 to wrap up their first Series title in nearly a quarter-century and 10th overall. The Cardinals had 83 regular-season wins, the fewest by a World Series champion.

2007 — Curlin posts an emphatic victory against his toughest rivals in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park. Ridden by Robby Albarado, Curlin defeats Derby runner-up Hard Spun by 4 1/2 lengths.

2007 — Weber State beats Portland State 73-68 to set an NCAA all-division football record for points in a game. Back in 1916, Georgia Tech beat Cumberland 222-0, but that was before the NCAA kept track of records.

2012 — Matt Scott of Arizona gains 469 total yards and accounts for four TDs in the Wildcats’ 39-36 win over USC. Marqise Lee of USC, catches 16 passes for a Pac-12-record 345 yards and two TDs.

2013 — Matthew Stafford’s 1-yard lunge over a pile of linemen with 12 seconds left and Calvin Johnson’s 329 yards receiving lift the Detroit Lions to a 31-30 comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys. Stafford throws a 22-yard pass to Johnson, who had the second-most yards receiving in NFL history, to set up his winning score.

2013 — Serena Williams ends her best season in style, rallying past Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 for her second straight WTA Championship and 11th title of the year.

2015 — Alex Gordon hits a tying home run with one out in the ninth inning, Eric Hosmer hits a sacrifice fly against Bartolo Colon in the 14th and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the longest opener in World Series history.

2015 — American soccer star Abby Wambach announces her retirement.

2020 — Dodgers beat Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 at Globe Life Field, Arlington Texas to win their first World Series title in 32 years.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Rams get nice win over Raiders

From Gary Klein: What happened in Vegas cannot stay in Vegas.

Not if the Rams want to make a run to the playoffs.

Matthew Stafford must continue to flash his 2025 MVP form. Star receiver Puka Nacua and Rams tight ends must keep carrying a Davante Adams-less receiving corps. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum must build on an impressive combo rushing performance.

And the Rams’ defense must negate potential comebacks.

The Rams displayed all those attributes Sunday in a 35-21 victory over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

Stafford became the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes by connecting with tight end Davis Allen for two and with Nacua for another in a victory that improved the Rams’ record to 3-4.

“A good step in the right direction,” coach Sean McVay said.

Williams and Corum each rushed for a touchdown as the Rams bounced back from consecutive defeats by the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals to keep alive their turnaround from their third poor start in three seasons.

For the first time in the Rams’ last five games, the outcome did not come down to the final play.

Continue reading here

Rams summary

NFL standings

Luka Doncic scores 52 in Lakers victory

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Luka Doncic raised three fingers toward the Utah crowd. Fans were left counting more than just his points.

Doncic hit three clutch three-pointers late in the fourth quarter and took a momentum-swinging charge to lead the Lakers to a nail-biting 132-123 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday at Delta Center. Doncic led the Lakers (3-0) with 52 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the team fought back from an 18-point second-quarter deficit.

Guard Austin Reaves hit a dagger three with 34 seconds remaining to give the Lakers a seven-point lead. As Doncic salted the game away from the free-throw line, he was serenaded with chants of “MVP!” Reaves finished with 29 points.

“Getting MVP chants in someone else’s arena is crazy,” center Walker Kessler said. “But, you know, obviously deserving.”

Kessler knows this arena well. It’s where he spent the first four years of his career. But the center was quiet in his return to Salt Lake City. After he joined the Lakers in a massive sign-and-trade deal that cost the Lakers two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps and a four-year, $130-million contract, Kessler was held to just two points on one-of-two shooting with seven rebounds.

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Lakers box score

NBA standings

UCLA’s start has a big flaw

From Mirjam Swanson: In the most complimentary way, I ask: What the heck was that first half, UCLA?

Yes, really. With Saturday’s 28-10 victory over Michigan State, Bob Chesney has the Bruins football team 7-0 for the first time since 2005. Still undefeated and still the only team in the Big Ten — and SEC — conferences that can say so. Ranked No. 9 in the nation and moving on up.

And so I ask: Two lost fumbles before halftime? Two drops? Two holding penalties? A meager 84 yards through the air and a modest 14-7 halftime lead? Against a majorly depleted Michigan State team fielding a freshman third-stringer at quarterback — that also lost two more of its best players to injury in the first half?

These Bruins are too good to be letting the wounded Spartans (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) hang with them for even a half.

And yet, for a hot moment, doubt started to creep back in: Was this the day Chesney’s chariot turned back into a pumpkin? Was the last petal from the enchanted rose about to fall, this beauty of a season due to turn ugly? Was the fairy tale almost over?

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Clippers lose to the Thunder

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander scored 34 points, Ajay Mitchell had 18 off the bench, and the Oklahoma City Thunder stayed undefeated with a 108-101 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night.

Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which won its third straight to start the season but lost three players to injury, including All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who went down hard on a drive to the basket with 1:14 left. Williams left the court on a stretcher with towels covering his left leg.

Guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Mitchell was eight-for-14 shooting with six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes.

Continue reading here

Clippers box score

NBA standings

LAFC and Galaxy play to a draw

Leo Walta scored the tying goal in the 62nd minute, and LAFC clinched a playoff spot by rallying from two goals down in the second half for a 2-2 draw with the Galaxy on Sunday night.

Joseph Paintsil scored his first two goals since August as the Galaxy hung on impressively for a point, but endangered their own playoff hopes by blowing the lead in another thrilling El Tráfico derby.

The final seconds of injury time were breathtaking: Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and defender Justin Haak both made spectacular stops on LAFC chances before Denis Bouanga scored on a redirection of Tyler Boyd‘s bicycle kick — only for the play to be ruled offside.

Continue reading here

LAFC-Galaxy summary

MLS standings

World Series results, schedule

All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay
at Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score)
at Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 4 (box score)
Monday at Tampa Bay
Tuesday at Tampa Bay
*Wednesday at Tampa Bay
*Friday at Milwaukee
*Saturday at Milwaukee

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1907 — Jim Thorpe makes his Carlisle (Pa.) debut dazzling a crowd of 22,800 in a 26-6 defeat of No. 4 Penn at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field. Thorpe rushes, returns kicks and does all the kicking in putting on a one-man show.

1951 — Joe Louis loses his last fight, an eighth-round TKO to Rocky Marciano at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Marciano knocks Louis down with a left hook in the eighth round. Louis gets to one knee at the count of three and takes an eight-count before getting up. Marciano ends the fight with a right that sends Louis through the ropes and onto the ring apron. Louis’ career record is 66-3 with 52 knockouts.

1968 — Brooks Dawson of Texas El Paso completes 17 of 24 passes for 304 yards in the final 10:21 of the fourth quarter as the Miners beat Brigham Young 31-25.

1968 — Boxer George Foreman beats Ionas Chepulis of the Soviet Union for the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the Mexico Olympic Games.

1970 — Muhammad Ali returns to the ring after a 2 1/2-year layoff due to his refusal to be drafted into the United States Army. Fighting in Atlanta, Ali opened a cut over Jerry Quarry’s left eye with a right hand in the third round, causing the fight to be stopped before the start of the fourth round.

1980 — The St. Louis Cardinals sack quarterback Baltimore quarterback Bert Jones 12 times in a 17-10 victory.

1982 — Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton became the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards

1990 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the NHL first player to reach the 2,000-point plateau when he helps set up a goal by Tomas Sandstrom at 14:32 of the first period of the Kings’ game at Winnipeg.

2000 — The New York Yankees become the first team in more than a quarter-century to win three straight World Series titles, beating the New York Mets 4-2. The Yankees match the Oakland Athletics’ three in a row from 1972-74, and win their fourth title in five years.

2002 — Volponi, a 43-1 long shot, finds room along the rail and blows past the fading Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem to take the Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6½ lengths ahead of Medaglia d’Oro.

2006 — Ryan Miller stops 29 shots as Buffalo beats the New York Islanders 3-0 to win its 10th straight game. The win matches the best start in NHL history, tying the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs.

2012 — The NHL cancels all its games through the end of November because of the labor dispute between owners and players.

2013 — Octavias McKoy runs for 455 yards, setting an NCAA record for all-divisions, as Division III Western Connecticut State beats Worcester State 55-35. McKoy scores five touchdowns in the game and breaks the rushing record previously held by Dante Brown of Marietta College. Brown ran for 441 on Oct. 5, 1996 against Baldwin-Wallace.

2014 — Serena Williams wins the WTA Tour Finals for the third straight year and fifth time overall, beating Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0. Williams joins Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf as the only players to have won five titles in the season-ending championship.

2014 — Ben Roethlisberger is 40 for 49 for 522 yards and six touchdown passes in Pittsburgh’s 51-34 win over Indianapolis. Roethlisberger became the first player in NFL history with two 500-yard passing games — 503 yards vs. Green Bay on Dec. 20, 2009.

2014 — Abby Wambach scores four goals and the World Cup-bound United States beat Costa Rica 6-0 for its fifth CONCACAF women’s title.

2018 — The longest World Series game by innings and time; Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox, 3-2 in the 18th inning (7 hours, 20 minutes) in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium with a Max Muncy walk-off home run.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

The UCLA football team produced its worst quarter of the season Saturday.

After fumbling twice in Michigan State territory, halting offensive momentum, the Bruins were trailing going into the second quarter and tied 7-7 with three minutes left in the second quarter.

But for the third consecutive week, the defense shifted the momentum and ignited the offense.

Powered by a defensive unit that tallied three takeaways, four sacks and limited the opposing offense to 156 yards, UCLA earned its seventh win of the season Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, trouncing Michigan State 28-10.

It is the first time the Bruins have gone 7-0 since 2005. The team moved up to No. 7 in the Associated Press top 25 poll Sunday.

Let’s take a look at the three takeaways from the Bruins’ fifth conference win. UCLA sits atop the Big Ten standings, with its last nonconference game against 3-4 Nevada on Saturday.

Are the Bruins aggressive enough?

The final score did not reflect the Bruins’ dominance over the Spartans.

UCLA ran the ball 48 times compared to 31 passing attempts. And while the ground game was successful, rushing for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry, the Bruins had the opportunity to blow the doors off the game through the passing game.

The Bruins opted to play a clock management game, running out the entire fourth quarter with a multi-score lead instead of taking shots downfield and manipulating the defense through the air. And Michigan State adjusted accordingly, stacking the box and preparing for the run.

With the Spartans focused on stopping the run, UCLA’s offense had the opportunity to take advantage of an already depleted secondary and give quarterback Ty Dieffenbach more opportunities to get comfortable in the passing game.

Dieffenbach’s one deep shot connected with sophomore wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. for a 63-yard touchdown. But outside of that, Dieffenbach did not connect for a pass of more than 20 yards. And coach Bob Chesney acknowledged that the offense could have opened up more, but that the Bruins decided to run out the clock.

“There were moments there in the fourth, too, and the late third, where that box got pretty loaded, and we should have taken some shots on the outside,” Chesney said. “But at the same point, you’re trying to run this clock out and get out of here with the win, ultimately, and could have taken a little more risk if we wanted to. But I thought we managed it well enough to get a victory here.”

It doesn’t always have to be Wayne

Wayne Knight has been the star of UCLA’s offense so far.

But the Bruins have proven that the backfield is less of a bell cow system and more of a three-headed beast.

And despite a shaky first half, senior Jaivian Thomas and fifth-year Anthony Woods more than illustrated that they could be the featured back on any given day.

Thomas and Woods fumbled in the first half in Spartan territory — their first of the season on 118 combined carries thus far. But the duo refused to let the mistake define them. Thomas ran for 41 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries while Woods rushed for 112 yards and one score in 14 carries alongside three receptions.

Woods and Thomas’ production in the dying embers of the affair became pertinent when Knight went down with a chest/ribs injury. While Chesney said that the injury is nothing overly serious and that the tailback could have returned to the game, the coaching staff decided to keep him sidelined as a precaution.

“I thought [Anthony] Woods was rolling today. To be able to see some of the holes that he found and be explosive and physical was really good,” Chesney said. “But both of those guys put the ball on the ground early. That’s not what we were looking for, but I love their response.”

Linebacker University

All season, the Bruins’ secondary has earned praise.

Defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s unit has not allowed a quarterback to gain more than 160 passing yards during its last four games and has given up fewer than 100 yards in two of those games.

But the entirety of the Bruins inside linebacker department has hounded opposing offenses all season — dominating in all facets of defense, from blitzing the quarterback, to finishing off tackles in open space to blanketing pass catchers when tasked in coverage.

And all of that was on display Saturday.

“They understand the run scheme. They do all of the things right. They relate pre-snap. And then they communicate post-snap extremely well,” Chesney said. “And those are all the things that they have to be able to accomplish. But then they play a very physical brand of football. And when you start to blitz them, they get downhill quick, and they pack a punch when they do.”

Headlining the crew is Sammy Omosigho, who has not missed a beat since coming to Westwood from Oklahoma. He ranks first in the nation in forced fumbles with five through seven games, and ranks first in the Big Ten in sacks with five despite playing inside linebacker.

His linebacker partner — fifth-year Jalen Woods — is playing up to Omosigho’s level, with 2.5 sacks, one interception and 59 tackles, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Sophomore Scott Taylor, who has been playing as a hybrid inside/outside linebacker, has three sacks and two forced fumbles.

And senior Donavyn Pellot joined the fun Saturday, recording the first interception of his career and returning it 67 yards, flipping the field, and turning the tide of the game.

UCLA alum Natalie Nakase’s strategy change pays off

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase reacts on the sideline during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday.

(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

Former UCLA point guard Natalie Nakase shook up her starting lineup and helped spark the Golden State Valkyries’ Game 4 win over the Atlanta Dream during the WNBA Finals, evening the series 2-2.

Guard Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles joined the starting five during Golden State’s 67-62 win Saturday in Atlanta. Nakase tightened her rotation to seven players, bringing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini providing a spark off the bench.

“I just wanted to change it up,” Nakase said. “The best thing about our team is no one cares who starts, no one cares. People coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter … because we have a really selfless team, egoless team. So, yeah, I just wanted to change it, and you definitely saw some energy, better fight.”

Nakase said her players have bought into doing whatever it takes to support each other all season.

“We’re about caring for each other,” she said. “We’re about pouring into each other, and I think what’s really big key is they want to see success in their teammates more than themselves.”

Golden State will host Game 5 of the series Monday at 5 p.m. The remainder of the series schedule is in flux as the WNBA negotiates where Atlanta can play its remaining home games.

Bruins on deck

Here is this week’s UCLA athletics schedule. All Times are PDT.

Monday, Oct. 26

Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day

Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All day

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day

Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All Day

Men’s basketball vs. San Diego (exhibition), 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day

Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All day

Friday, Oct. 30

Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day

Cross country at Big Ten championship, Time TBA

Women’s volleyball vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Men’s soccer vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.

Women’s soccer at USC, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day

Men’s water polo at Cal, 1 p.m.

Football vs. Nevada, 1:15 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 1

Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day

Men’s water polo at Stanford, 1 p.m.

Women’s volleyball vs. Wisconsin, 2 p.m.

In case you missed it

Swanson: UCLA’s 7-0 start has one glaring flaw. Bob Chesney is running out of time to fix it

UCLA overwhelms Michigan State as Bruins continue their stunning turnaround season

No. 9 UCLA overcomes sloppy start, improves to 7-0 with win over Michigan State

UCLA star Wayne Knight never lost faith in himself amid a long journey to Westwood

Long frustrated UCLA fans urge others to believe in Bob Chesney

UCLA Unlocked: What we learned from the — bowl-eligible — Bruins’ win over Wisconsin

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The high school basketball season begins in two weeks, yet players have been playing non-stop since the summer. Let’s look at top players in the Southland for boys.

Players to watch

The Mission League is so loaded with talent in basketball that five teams — Sierra Canyon, Harvard-Westlake, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, St. Francis and Crespi — are considered among the top 10 teams in the Southland.

Jordan Mize, Josh Lowery and JJ Sati-Grier are returnees from Sierra Canyon’s state championship team, and Houston Rolle transferred from Heritage Christian. That’s an impressive starting four.

St. Francis has twin towers 7-foot-5 Cherif Millogo and 7-0 Yann Kamagate. Harvard-Westlake has returning guards Pierce Thompson and Cole Holden. Notre Dame’s NaVorro Bowman is headed to UConn. Transfer King Rachal is 6-7 and committed to Utah State. Josiah Nance is committed to SMU. Crespi has twins Carter and Isaiah Barnes entering their senior years.

There’s been lots of movement in the Trinity League to Mater Dei. Isaiah Williamson left Los Alamitos, Ryan Doane left JSerra and Ender Berg left Legacy Christian, all ending up at Mater Dei, which could have a starting five of former transfer students.

All-star guard Gene Roebuck, a Cal commit, will have spent four years at La Mirada, which is an achievement itself. Coming off sensational freshman seasons are guards Will Conroy Jr. from Village Christian and Quali Giran from Long Beach Millikan.

Palisades remains the team to beat in the City Section with returnees Phillip Reed, EJ and OJ Popoola and Jack Levey.

Mahamadou Diop, a 6-11 center at San Gabriel Academy, has committed to San Diego State. Nick Welch Jr. is a 6-9 center at Rolling Hills Prep ready to become a big-time player. Chris Sanders is coming off a great junior season at Redondo Union.

Davey Harris at Windward, Ethan Hill at Brentwood, Chris Paul Jr. at Campbell Hall and the trio of Evan Willis, Shalen Sheppard and Van Moczydlowsky of Crossroads are part of a wicked Gold Coast League, which will be the toughest to predict a champion.

The best three-point shooting guard is back at Damien in Zaire Rasshan. Etiwanda has 6-3 junior Devin Mitchell. Grayson Coleman of Milken should have lots of games beyond 30 points. Oaks Christian returns its leading scorer, junior Brady Sullivan. Maxwell Scott from Corona del Mar averaged 21.7 points last season and is headed to Harvard. Guard Earl Bryson is at Crean Lutheran after starring at JSerra.

This is just a refresher of some names before games officially begin Nov. 13 in the City Section and Nov. 16 in the Southern Section. And, if some of your favorite players from last season are now at different schools, welcome to how you try to win a championship in 2026-27.

Carson quarterback Chris Fields III points toward the sky after his 71-yard touchdown run against San Pedro.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

It’s week 10 and the last chance to seal up playoff spots or league championships.

Carson wrapped up the Marine League championship and the No. 1 seed for the City Section Open Division playoffs with a 35-0 win over San Pedro. Here’s the report.

Compton won its first league championship since 1979 winning the new Hub City League title. Compton finished the regular season 9-1.

San Juan HIlls delivered the biggest upset of the week, knocking off San Clemente, which played without injured quarterback Preston Beck. Here’s the report.

Tru Warrior Casas of Fairfax turned in a great individual performance, rushing for 331 yards and four touchdowns in a loss to Palisades.

Sophomore Asir Nembhard of Mater Dei set a school record with 349 yards rushing in a wild win over Orange Lutheran.

Santa Barbara’s Cade Mault accounted for all 13 of his team’s points in a 13-10 win over Westlake, getting an 85-yard touchdown reception, making the PAT and making field goals from 49 and 43 yards.

Culver City’s Nicholas Hoang passed for 480 yards and six touchdowns in a win over Torrance. Nathaniel Cadet of Marshall had seven touchdown passes in win over L.A. Wilson.

League championships are on the line in Bishop Amat at Sierra Canyon, Valencia vs. Hart at College of the Canyons, San Juan Hills at Mission Viejo. Another good game is unbeaten Mary Star at Carson, not to mention the annual East. L.A. Classic matching Garfield and Roosevelt at East Los Angeles College.

And St. John Bosco plays Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium in a game for second place in the Trinity League and a top four playoff berth in Division 1.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

Here’s the top individual performances.

Here’s this week’s 10 schedule.

Chemistry vs. talent

Quarterback Ryan Rakowski (left) and receiver Jalen Flowers before a Palos Verdes game praying. They have great chemistry on the football field.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

There’s debate: What’s more important, chemistry or talent?

In regards to quarterbacks and receivers, it’s pretty clear chemistry is a must, with both being able to anticipate and understand each other’s moves.

Here’s a look at some of the top duos this season.

The Southern Section flag football playoffs continue, but there’s still no sign any team can offer competition to unbeaten JSerra (25-0).

Here’s this week’s matchups.

The only upset in the opening round of Division 1 was Lakewood St. Joseph defeating No. 4 Huntington Beach.

Cross country

At the Mt. SAC Invitational, Sabina Cruz of Westlake stamped herself as a CIF title contender with a win in the girls team sweepstakes race in 16:35.1.

Redondo Union’s Mario Montoya ran a scorching 13:43.5 to top the boys races.

Crescenta Valley had the best team score in boys. Great Oak was second in girls.

Power of grandparents

The Reis twins, Christian (left) and Weston, are juniors for Palos Verdes and cheered on by grandparents.

(Nick Koza / For The Times)

Grandparents sitting in the football bleachers offer moments of magic at high school football games.

For a look at their loyalty and impact, here’s a look at the grandparents of Palos Verdes twins Christian and Weston Reis.

Notes . . .

Outfielder Matti Di Maggio of Dos Pueblos has reclassified from class of 2029 to class of 2028. He was on The Times’ all-star baseball team last season as a freshman and won a gold medal playing for the USA 15U national team. Now he’ll be considered a junior this spring….

Tresbien Caraway has resigned after 11 years as basketball coach at New Roads….

Mahamadou Diop, a 6-foot-11 center from San Gabriel Academy, has committed to San Diego State….

Ender Berg, a 6-11 transfer from Legacy Christian, and Ryan Doane, a 6-8 transfer from JSerra, will be eligible at Mater Dei beginning Christmas Day….

Junior center fielder Dane Disney from Oaks Christian has committed to UCLA….

Zain Majeed, a 6-8 senior at Mater Dei, has committed to Princeton….

Long Beach Wilson’s boys’ water polo team did not apply for a Southern Section playoff spot as the program deals with a hazing incident….

UCLA volleyball All-American Brandon Taliaferro, who is a 1996 graduate of San Clemente High, is the Tritons’ new boys volleyball coach. He also served as an assistant coach at UCLA….

Junior pitcher Christian Reis of Palos Verdes has committed to Oregon State….

Mark Wulfemeyer, a legendary high school basketball player for Troy High in the 1970s, has died in Hawaii. He was 70. He held the state scoring record from 1974 through 1979. Here’s a story from 1991 describing his journey in basketball and baseball. His grandson, Warren, is a top baseball player at Santa Margarita….

St. Francis athletic director Matt Luderer has died after a long fight with brain cancer. He was 54. Luderer took over at St. Francis in 2013 after being athletic director at Crespi…..

Joe Kelly, who guided Palos Verdes and Peninsula to cross-country success in the 1980s and 1990s, has died….

Junior quarterback Josiah Boyd of Vista Del Lago has committed to UCLA….

Outfielder/pitcher Jesse Mendoza of Corona Centennial has committed to Cal Baptist….

From the archives: Bryce Young

Quarterback Bryce Young in 2019 when he was selected the Gatorade state player of the year at Mater Dei.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Quarterback Bryce Young has gone from Mater Dei to Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama to No. 1 pick of the Carolina Panthers to star quarterback for the Panthers.

Here’s a story from 2020 about his father discussing the perils of the college recruiting process.

Here’s a story from 2019 how Young became a ground-breaking quarterback at Mater Dei.

Mater Dei unveiled its updated Heisman Lane campus sign that added Bryce Young.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Here’s a story from 2022 when Young came back to Mater Dei to celebrate winning the Heisman Trophy.

Recommendations

From the Star-Telegram, a story on Texas approving the 35-second clock for high school basketball.

From Elevenwarriors, a story on former Mission Viejo quarterback Luke Fahey set to star for Ohio State.

From Chron.com, a story in Texas about coaches getting stipends cut if they don’t get a commercial driver’s license to help with lack of bus drivers.

From NFHS.org, a story about high schools needing emergency action plans and AEDs for sports competitions.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the “Marina Brewers” playing in the World Series.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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In retrospect, conventional wisdom might not be all that wise. Just check out this postseason.

The Atlanta Braves should have started Chris Sale in Game 2 of the division series against the Dodgers. They didn’t. They won.

The Braves then had an edge with Sale starting Game 3. They didn’t. They lost that game, and they were eliminated in the next game.

The Milwaukee Brewers should have considered trading rookie pitcher Logan Henderson in a package for Tarik Skubal, a win-now proposition for a team that has dominated the regular season but had not appeared in the World Series in 44 years. They didn’t. Skubal and the Dodgers missed the World Series, and Henderson started Game 2 for the Brewers on Saturday, helping them move within two victories from their first championship.

That brings us to Freddy Peralta, who starts Game 3 for the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Peralta was one of the top pitchers in the majors for the Brewers last year, and he has been one of the top pitchers in the majors since the Rays acquired him from the New York Mets three months ago, but in between he performed so poorly for the Mets that he cannot really explain why.

“Sometimes I ask the same question myself,” Peralta said.

So poorly that, when the league’s website ranked the most impactful trades at the deadline, the Peralta deal did not make the top 10, behind trades for six other starting pitchers: Skubal, Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes to the Chicago Cubs, and Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Conventional wisdom? No big deal.

For the Mets, Peralta put up a 4.99 ERA and a negative WAR. For the Rays, he put up an 0.79 ERA in his last six starts of the regular season and a 1.07 ERA so far in the postseason, honored as American League Championship Series MVP.

“I feel like he’s kind of come back to being Freddy Peralta with us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 earned-run average for Milwaukee last year, leading the National League in victories and posting 5.5 WAR, third behind Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If you wonder why the Brewers would trade Peralta, well, you don’t know the Brewers.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta throws against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS on Oct. 19.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Peralta was approaching free agency, and the Brewers routinely trade All-Star pitchers like that for prospects: Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams.

This is how the Brewers restock: The Burnes trade brought two pieces of this World Series team, pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz. The Hader trade brought Game 3 starter Robert Gasser and journeyman outfielder Estuery Ruiz, and within a subsequent three-team trade, the Brewers swiped All-Star catcher William Contreras for Ruiz.

The Mets wanted Peralta for what they considered an inevitable playoff run, with the largest Opening Day payroll of any major league team, the Dodgers included. The Mets finished in last place, and Peralta’s ERA exceeded 6.00 in each of the two months preceding the trade deadline.

“I was feeling bad,” Peralta said, “because I couldn’t do anything.”

The adjustments the Mets asked him to make, he said, were “a little different” than the ones that reversed the course of his season with the Rays.

The Rays let him pitch from the stretch, as he had in Milwaukee. They modified his delivery, including having him start it from the third-base side of the pitching rubber. His fastball got faster: 94 mph with the Mets, hitting 97 mph in the playoffs.

“We see that he’s in his element, man,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s Fastball Freddy.”

In Milwaukee, it’s all love for Peralta. The fans even cheered his bullpen session there before Game 1.

He’ll start Game 3 in Tampa Bay and, after that, who knows, but he would be lined up to start a potential Game 7 in Milwaukee.

“I know how special it is to pitch on this mound here in Milwaukee,” Peralta said. “I would like to pitch here during the postseason.”

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta celebrates during Game 2 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Oct. 13.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

He would have liked to pitch in New York during the postseason too.

“They had a lot of big expectations for me, the fans too, in New York,” he said. “They were waiting for something great from me.”

Conventional wisdom can boomerang. The conventional wisdom on Peralta’s free agency in the spring: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal; in the summer: this is a bad year to take into free agency; in the fall: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal.

But, given what happened in New York, what were the realistic expectations in Tampa Bay?

“I was able to go to a new team that probably needed me for …” Peralta said, his voice trailing off.

The World Series?

Peralta beamed.

“Crazy,” he said. “For the World Series, yeah.”

Given the problem the Dodgers have with their pitchers staying in the rotation for the whole season, and the way Shohei Ohtani was lunging for sweepers, I would say, “Don’t allow him to hit anymore.” Bill Plaschke says Ohtani led them to two championships. In 2024, the 55/55 year, he indeed did, although I would argue that Freddie Freeman did even more. But last year, many others were responsible for their ultimate victory, not Ohtani. Use him as a pitcher and a part-time hitter.

Mike Schaller
Temple City

So Bill Plaschke has momentarily stopped playing psychic and has morphed into general manager, saying the Dodgers should either force Shohei Ohtani to stop pitching or trade him. Is Plaschke part of the medical staff of the Dodgers so he knows the root causes of Ohtani’s injuries this year, or what it might take this offseason to fix them?

He has written a lot of inane columns making bold statements that he usually has to eat crow on, and trading Ohtani while he is still one of the best players on the planet would fall into that category. Ohtani will eventually get to the point where his body can’t do both, but I’m sure no one is using Bill Plaschke’s medical expertise to determine when that might be.

Danny Balber Jr.
Pasadena

OK, so now Plaschke is ready to give the boot to Shohei Ohtani, the baseball GOAT, as he much as he was gleefully behind basketball GOAT LeBron James’ departure based upon his controlling of the team’s condition, from trades to draft picks. This takes more chutzpah than Ohtani’s insistence to continue as a two-way player.

When will the L.A. Times decide they’ve had enough of him?

Ron Brumel
West Los Angeles

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee is going absolutely nuts. The Brewers have sold out Game 3 and Game 4 of the World Series.

The Tampa Bay Rays will host those games, but the Brewers invited fans to come to their stadium and watch on the big screen. The Brewers sold more than 31,000 tickets to each of their watch parties at $15 apiece. On Friday morning, StubHub offered them for resale, starting at $168.

There is nothing quite like a city uniting behind a team that never has won a World Series. Ask Logan Henderson.

Henderson, the Brewers’ starting pitcher Saturday in Milwaukee, grew up a huge fan of the Houston Astros. He was 15 when he saw his first World Series game.

“My parents had always said, if we were fortunate enough to be able to watch them go to the World Series, we’re going to do everything we can to get there,” Henderson said. “I was blessed that my parents got tickets to go to the games.

“There’s nothing like it. I’m on the other side of it now. I was a spectator and a fan, now I’m a player. It’s definitely surreal.”

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson follows through on a pitch during Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers in Milwaukee on Oct. 12.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

His first World Series game as a spectator and fan? Game 4 of the 2017 World Series.

“I went to the one before the crazy one,” he said. “L.A. ended up winning that game.”

In the crazy one, the Dodgers blew two four-run leads, tied the score with three runs in the ninth inning and lost in the 10th.

If we knew then what we know now, Game 4 would be the crazy one: Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood constantly changing his signs, suspicious that the Astros might be up to something, whatever that might be.

Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood delivers from the mound during Game 4 of the World Series against the Astros on Oct. 28, 2017, in Houston.

(Pool / Getty Images)

Wood was vindicated three years later, when a league investigation revealed the Astros had been cheating in 2017, stealing signs from a television monitor next to the dugout and relaying them to batters by banging on trash cans. The practice, according to the report issued by commissioner Rob Manfred, was refined during the regular season and extended “throughout the postseason.”

The scandal outraged the Dodgers and their fans. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to demand Manfred award the 2017 championship to the Dodgers. Their players wanted nothing to do with that. A real championship, after all, would come with champagne and beer in the clubhouse and a parade through the streets.

Still, the players did not turn the other cheek.

“Everyone knows they stole the ring from us,” Cody Bellinger said.

“They cheated,” Kike’ Hernández said. “They got away with it. They got a ring out of it.”

When the Astros’ team buses arrived at Dodger Stadium for games during the pandemic season of 2020, when ballparks were closed to the public, Dodgers fans gathered outside to boo.

Dodgers fans boo Jose Altuve of the Astros after he struck out in a game on Aug. 3, 2001, at Dodger Stadium.

(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

Those were Henderson’s guys inside those buses: Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, George Springer, Lance McCullers Jr. Those were the guys that brought home the Astros’ first World Series championship, as Henderson’s Brewers are trying to do for Milwaukee.

“Personally, as a fan, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston really hard, and the Astros brought a championship to the city,” Henderson said.

“That meant absolutely everything to the city. I hope that means what it did for me to the fans in Milwaukee here.”

The Rays also are trying to bring their first championship home to Tampa Bay. In 2017, hard as this might be to believe today, the mighty Dodgers had not won a championship in 29 years.

And now, as a major leaguer, Henderson has an acute appreciation of the little things that can mean the difference between victory and defeat, between a parade and another plaintive chorus of “wait ‘til next year.”

It could be a pitcher that blows a throw he could make in his sleep, sending his team home for the winter. It could be a defense perfectly executing a seldom-seen play. It could be a ball that clanks off the roof and into play instead of flying into the stands for a home run.

It could be stealing signs and banging on trash cans.

“I would rather face a player that was taking steroids than face a player that knew every pitch that was coming,” Wood tweeted after Manfred’s report on the Astros’ cheating.

Henderson knows how hard this is to do. The Brewers haven’t appeared in the World Series in 44 years, and owner Mark Attanasio said nervous fans already are wondering whether their next appearance will be 44 years away.

So I asked Henderson if, all these years later, the scandal changed how he felt about those Astros.

He paused.

He exhaled.

He paused again.

“Maybe a little bit,” Henderson said. “It’s unfortunate. I try not to think about it or talk on it too much. I think now, being in the game, my perspective on it is a little different.

“I think for the kid in me — and the huge baseball fan I was — that team will always have a special place in my heart.”

Puka Nacua leaves practice with injury

From Gary Klein: The Rams’ injury woes continued Thursday when star receiver Puka Nacua left practice because of a calf injury, a team official said.

Nacua was sidelined for two games this season because of a hip injury, but he has played the last three games for a Rams team that opened the season as the Super Bowl favorite but is 2-4 heading into Sunday’s game against the Raiders in Las Vegas.

The Rams are already thin at receiver in the wake of a hamstring injury suffered by Davante Adams during the Rams’ 18-16 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. Adams, 33, will be sidelined for six to 10 weeks, coach Sean McVay said.

It remains to be seen if Nacua, who led the NFL in receptions last season, will play against the Raiders. He has 37 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown, and he has also rushed for a touchdown this season.

Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell and rookie CJ Daniels are other Rams receivers.

Mumpfield, a second-year pro, said he would be ready if called upon for a larger role.

Continue reading here

NFL Week 7 picks: Seahawks defeat Chiefs; Rams prevail over Raiders

Walker Kessler has great Lakers debut

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: He spent the offseason admiring the great Lakers centers that came before him. He pondered how he could possibly continue such a legacy.

Turns out, Walker Kessler makes it look easy.

The new Lakers center scored 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting with nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks in his purple and gold debut to help the Lakers (1-0) to a dominant 127-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.

After admiring Lakers legends, Kessler can now be mentioned in the same breath. His 12 made field goals without a miss were the most by a Laker since Wilt Chamberlain in 1969. His 10 dunks are the most for a Laker since Shaquille O’Neal in 2003.

Continue reading here

Clippers should do more for their fans

From Mirjam Swanson: Starting over has to start somewhere, and so the Clippers got on with it Wednesday.

While Kawhi Leonard got an NBA Finals hero’s welcome upon his return up north in Toronto, the Clippers did what they could to entice fans back to Intuit Dome.

Not with superstars or championship aspirations. But with the promise of free parking, a jersey trade-in and a basketball team that is, at least, better than the Sacramento Kings, who they beat 121-96 in both teams’ season opener. Coach Tyronn Lue dedicated the win to suspended team owner Steve Ballmer: “Just want to say thank you for everything. We’re still fighting for him.”

Yeah, but the Clippers should focus on fighting for their fans, not the billionaire whose apparent salary cap circumvention has the organization in hot water.

Wednesday’s fan appreciation stuff was a swell gesture, as a start. But it wasn’t nearly far-reaching enough.

Continue reading here

Dodgers fans should be rooting for Brewers

From Bill Shaikin: The Dodgers have been dead for a week. The sting has dissipated. The World Series starts Friday.

For the first time in three years, Los Angeles faces a Fall Classic with no rooting interest.

Might we suggest the Milwaukee Brewers?

No?

So maybe the sting has not dissipated, not after the Brewers so rudely swept the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. But did you see the thousands of Brewers fans that arose within Dodger Stadium to salute the newly crowned NL champions, sticking around long after the Dodgers fans had retreated to traffic jams in the parking lot?

“It’s a good time to be a Milwaukee Brewers fan, for sure,” NLCS MVP Jake Bauers said. “It’s always fun going into a road stadium, especially in a postseason environment, and coming out with a win and seeing how many people hang around after the game.”

The Brewers are L.A.’s team, at least for the next week.

Continue reading here

Budget cuts threaten soccer refugee program

From Kevin Baxter: Mohammed Annour spent much of his youth living in a flimsy shelter in a dusty, overcrowded refugee camp in east Africa, where the days were long, the food was poor and the future nonexistent.

“Go to the army and fight. That’s one option,” said Annour, who fled war in Sudan for the refugee camp in Chad when he was 9. “The other one is you stay there. But you don’t have a future.”

If he had stayed, Annour, now 33, has little doubt how his story would have ended.

“Probably,” he said, “I’m dead.”

Instead, he’s in Sweden, raising two boys, working as a quality control inspector for a textile company and playing amateur soccer for a team in the country’s fifth division. And the only thing that separates his experience from the tens of thousands of desperate people he left behind in the camp is the fact someone believed in him enough to give him a chance.

That would be Katie-Jay Scott and Gabriel Stauring, a pair of South Bay activists who showed up at Annour’s camp on a blazing hot day in 2011, rolled a battered soccer ball across a barren field and transformed an untold number of lives.

Continue reading here

Kings defeat Islanders in OT

Artemi Panarin had two goals, Brandt Clarke scored in overtime and the Kings won their second consecutive game, 3-2, at the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

The Kings have back-to-back victories after losing their first six games. They were the final NHL team without a win before defeating Washington on Tuesday night.

The Kings were outplayed for much of the game and were outshot 43 to 26. Panarin beat rusty backup Semyon Varlamov glove side twice, and Darcy Kuemper kept making stops even as his rebound control was lacking, finishing with 41 saves.

Kuemper cracked for the first time with just under six minutes left in the second period when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot squeezed through on a power play. Matthew Schaefer wired a wrist shot past Kuemper 7:06 into the third.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

Ducks lose to Devils

Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Hischier scored first-period goals, Nico Daws made 16 saves and the New Jersey Devils beat the Ducks 4-1 on Thursday night.

Anthony Mantha restored the two-goal lead with 6:33 left in the third, and Jack Hughes added an empty-netter with 6.1 seconds remaining. New Jersey won its second straight to improve to 6-4-0, while the Ducks dropped their fifth in a row to fall to 4-6-0.

Gritsyuk and Hischier each scored their fifth goal of the season, with Jesper Bratt assisting on both scores. Hughes assisted on Gritsyuk’s goal.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

MLB postseason schedule

World Series
All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay
Friday at Milwaukee
Saturday at Milwaukee
Monday at Tampa Bay
Tuesday at Tampa Bay
*Wednesday at Tampa Bay
*Friday at Milwaukee
*Sat., Oct. 31 at Milwaukee

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1921 — Green Bay Packers play 1st APFA (forerunner to NFL) game; beat Minneapolis Marines, 7-6 at Hagemeister Park, Green Bay, Wis.

1945 — Jackie Robinson signs a contract with the Montreal Royals, minor league farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1949 — Don Doll of the Detroit Lions intercepts four passes in a 24-7 victory over the Chicago Cardinals.

1960 — Jim Martin of Detroit becomes the first kicker to kick two field goals over 50 yards in a game as the Lions beat the Baltimore Colts 30-17.

1964 — Joe Frazier dominates German Hans Huber for an easy points win to capture the boxing heavyweight gold medal in Tokyo.

1971 — Greg Pruitt rushes for 294 yards on 19 carries to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to an NCAA record 711 yards rushing and a 75-28 pounding of Kansas State.

1976 — Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett rushes for 180 yards in a 45-0 rout over Navy to become the top career rusher in NCAA history with 5,206 yards.

1988 — Dan Marino passes for 521 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions as the Miami Dolphins lose to the New York Jets 44-30. Marino completes 35 of 60 passes as he produces the second-best single-game total yardage in NFL history.

1993 — The Toronto Maple Leafs break the NHL record for most victories at the start of the season, winning their ninth straight game by beating the second-year Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0.

1999 — Florida State’s Bobby Bowden gets his 300th win with a 17-14 win over his son, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. With the victory Bowden joins Bear Bryant, Pop Warner, Joe Paterno and Amos Alonzo Stagg as the only major college coaches to reach 300 victories.

2000 — The New York Jets, trailing 30-7 at the end of the third quarter, come back to beat the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime on Monday night. The Jets score four touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

2005 — San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson is held to a career-low seven yards rushing in 17 carries and fails to score in the Chargers’ 20-17 loss at Philadelphia, ending his NFL record-tying streak of games with a touchdown at 18.

2008 — Carolina’s Brandon Sutter gives one of hockey’s most famous families another milestone, scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh. The 19-year-old Sutter, son of New Jersey Devils coach Brent Sutter, is the ninth member of the Sutter family to play in the NHL.

2011 — Tim Tebow rallies the Broncos for two touchdowns in the final 2:44 of the fourth quarter to force overtime, and Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal gives Denver an improbable 18-15 victory over the stunned Miami Dolphins. The Broncos appeared beaten when they trailed 15-0 with 5:23 left and took over at their 20.

2016 — Jay Ajayi ties an NFL record by surpassing 200 yards rushing for the second game in a row, helping the Miami Dolphins rally past the Buffalo Bills 28-25. Ajayi rushes for 214 yards in 29 carries after totaling 204 yards a week earlier in a win over Pittsburgh.

2019 — All Star point guard Kyrie Irving pours in 50 points, setting a new NBA record for points on debut with a new team as his Brooklyn Nets go down 127-126 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Lakers win season opener

From Broderick Turner: As soon as Luka Doncic took the microphone to share some words with the Lakers’ faithful before their first game of the regular season Wednesday night, it was official that this was his team.

“Um, Laker nation. Thank you for supporting us,” Doncic said. “It’s the start of something new. It’s going to be a special season. So, thank you for your support.”

Then the game started and Doncic went right to work, throwing a lob pass to Walker Kessler for a dunk against Golden State at Crypto.com Arena.

Indeed it was the start of the Luka Doncic Show that included him finding an antagonist to direct his ire during the Lakers’ 127-105 win over the Warriors.

“I mean, obviously it’s the Lakers. It’s one of the biggest organizations in the world, if not the biggest,” Doncic said. “Some it’s a very…a lot of honor just to be the face of the franchise, and I hope I can stay here long. And it doesn’t feel…It’s very much an honor and just enjoy this moment.

Doncic and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg got into a little beef in the second quarter, leading to the Lakers All-Star guard to put in a little more effort while producing 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists with six turnovers.

Doncic got help from Kessler, who was a force with 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting, nine rebounds and two blocked shot in his debut. Ten of his field goals were on dunks, and in the middle of it all, Kessler had several Lakers and NBA milestones.

Continue reading here

Lakers center Walker Kessler believes his competitive side will overcome pressure

Lakers box score

NBA standings

Clippers win their season opener

From Joaquin Ruiz: Darius Garland, microphone in hand, waited patiently at midcourt to speak before the Clippers tipped off their 2026-27 NBA season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.

“Clipper Nation, Clipper Nation,” the eighth-year guard said to raucous cheers in Inglewood. “We’ve been working hard all summer, ready to really turn up this year. [We’ll] try to play at the highest level. [I] really appreciate the support from my teammates, coaching staff [and] organization — really appreciate everybody that comes out and … continues to support. We’re gonna be here all year.

“Clipper Nation, let’s go.”

Garland wasted no time giving Clippers fans something to smile about after an offseason of torment and transformation. He started the game shooting five-for-five from the field and three-for-three from deep, scoring 16 points in nine minutes and fueling the Clippers’ 121-96 blowout win over the Kings.

Continue reading here

Clippers box score

NBA standings

Dodgers should not let Shohei Ohtani pitch

From Bill Plaschke: As they head into an offseason of overdue rest and roster reshaping, the Dodgers really only face one obstacle.

But it’s a $700-million obstacle. It’s a 5,400-mile obstacle. It’s an obstacle whose gravitas can be found in everything from international sponsorships to stadium tours, an obstacle with expansive implications and crushing consequences.

The Dodgers have a Shohei Ohtani problem.

He is their best player… and their biggest pain.

He is insanely charming… and unrelentingly stubborn.

He has derived his worldwide popularity from his ability to hit and pitch with equal prowess, a deft duality unmatched in the history of baseball. This ability has helped earn him four MVP awards and status as the unofficial greatest player ever.

But, he’s changing. His body is changing. His skills are changing. He’s 32, with 13 seasons of pro baseball burdening his lumbering 6-foot-4 frame, and part of his game is slowly disintegrating under the weight.

Continue reading here

After NLCS exit, Dodgers face big questions about their aging lineup and future

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing to undergo elbow surgery for partial UCL tear

Angels part ways with manager Kurt Suzuki

The Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after he lost 100 games in his only season in charge of the long-struggling club.

Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki’s contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027. Suzuki has been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant.

“Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “I do not believe our record this year was a true reflection of his true abilities as a manager.”

Continue reading here

MLB postseason schedule

World Series
All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay
Friday at Milwaukee
Saturday at Milwaukee
Monday at Tampa Bay
Tuesday at Tampa Bay
*Wednesday at Tampa Bay
*Friday, Oct. 30 at Milwaukee
*Sat., Oct. 31 at Milwaukee

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1933 — Primo Carnera retains the world heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Paolino Uzcudun in Rome.

1950 — The Rams beat the Baltimore Colts 70-27.

1961 — Erich Barnes of the New York Giants ties an NFL record by returning an interception 102 yards for a touchdown in a 17-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

1966 — Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins scores his first goal.

1975 — The 10-team World Football League, citing lack of television and season ticket support, disbands before the 12th week of a 20-week season.

1975 — The Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park to win the World Series in seven games.

1976 — Twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale play together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first and only pair of brothers to play for the same NBA club.

1984 — Future Pro Football HOF quarterback Ken Stabler retires after 17 seasons in the NFL with Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints.

1994 — Alcorn State’s Steve McNair becomes the NCAA’s career yardage leader with 15,049, surpassing the old mark set by Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer, who had 14,665. McNair’s 649 yards also breaks his own Division I-AA single-game record as he leads the Braves to a 41-37 win over Southern.

2000 — Bengals running back Corey Dillon rushes for an NFL single-game record 278 yards in a 31-21 victory over the Denver Broncos. Dillon betters Walter Payton’s 27-year-old mark by three yards.

2001 — New York routs Seattle 12-3 in Game 5 to win the AL pennant for the 38th time. The Yankees become the first team since their predecessors in 1960-64 to win four straight pennants.

2005 — Mount Union drops a regular-season game for the first time since 1994, losing 21-14 to Ohio Northern in a Division III matchup. The Purple Raiders, winners of 110 straight regular-season games, had not lost a regular-season game since they were beaten 23-10 by Baldwin-Wallace on Oct. 15, 1994.

2012 — Lance Armstrong is stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling’s governing body after a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accuses him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.

2014 — Serena Williams is routed 6-0, 6-2 by Simona Halep in the WTA Finals round-robin, one of the most one-sided losses in the 18-time Grand Slam champion’s career. The last time Williams managed to win just two games in a WTA Tour or Grand Slam match was in 1998 when she was 16.

2016 — Kyle Hendricks outpitches Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras homers early and the Chicago Cubs won their first pennant since 1945, beating the Dodgers 5-0 in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.

2016 — Baker Mayfield has seven touchdown passes and 545 yards to help No. 16 Oklahoma beat Texas Tech 66-59 in the game that breaks the NCAA record for combined offensive yards with 1,708 yards.

2016 — Leonard Fournette breaks LSU’s single-game rushing record in just his first eight carries as the No. 25 Tigers beat No. 23 Mississippi 38-21. Fournette finishes with 284 yards rushing in his first action since aggravating a left ankle injury on Sept. 24. He averages 17.8 yards in 16 carries and his touchdowns go for 78, 76 and 59 yards.

2017 — The Phoenix Suns fire coach Earl Watson just three games in to the NBA season.

2020 — The NHL announced its annual All-Star Game and Skills Competition would be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024 — LeBron and Bronny James become the first father-son duo in NBA history to appear in a game together as Lakers beat Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Dodger Stadium was eerily quiet on Wednesday, as a light rain fell over the already-yellowing grass. A crow perched on an empty seat. Scattered lights flickered in mostly-dark hallways.

Before the World Series had begun, the stadium was closed down for the season, hosting just one last event before officially wrapping up the 2026 slate.

In the interview room, tucked away at the entrance to the clubhouse, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes took their seats at the podium for their end-of-season press conference.

There was the usual end-of-season checklist. Are you expecting any changes to the coaching staff or front office? “I expect status quo,” Friedman said. Is Shohei Ohtani going to undergo offseason surgery? “That’s not on the table,” Friedman said.

But from that emerged a persistent throughline.

The Dodgers had fallen short of their goal of a three-peat. But considering the age of the position-player core, the scrutiny owner Mark Walter is under, and MLB owners’ insistence on a salary cap in their early CBA proposals, was the Dodgers’ dynasty over?

“I welcome it,” Friedman said of such claims. “For us, and we’ve talked about this a lot, even after successes and we winning a World Series and then winning back to back, everything we do is for our fans. And there’s a lot of noise around us in general. We don’t really pay much attention to it. It’s a partnership we feel with our fans, and so people saying that we’re done and we’re on the downside of this run — it’s just more noise to us because everything for us is about the motivation we have to have a parade in the streets of Los Angeles next November.”

Friedman also didn’t seem to anticipate any trickle down from Walter’s outside ventures — Walter’s insurance companies are under federal investigation and face several lawsuits — affecting the Dodgers’ offseason budget.

“It’s been business as usual for us,” Friedman said. “We talked to Mark after we lost, and he was obviously really disappointed. But so much of his focus was on, ‘OK, what can we do? What are our plans? What are our thoughts for the off season?’ And our brains weren’t quite there yet, but so much of his focus was how do we put ourselves in the best position to win in ‘27?”

How will the Dodgers go about picking themselves up from their NLCS exit?

The Dodgers’ 2026 season wasn’t exactly a failure. They won 100 games in the regular season and lost in the playoffs to the only team that won more than that — the Brewers. But the Dodgers, with their star power and payroll, aren’t in the business of accepting moral victories.

Though plenty went wrong in the postseason, from Ohtani’s struggles following hisinjured list stint, to stalwart Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s surprising short start in Game 2 of the NLCS, the overarching theme in the Dodgers’ four straight losses to the Brewers was a lack of offensive execution, especially with runners in scoring position.

“Obviously throughout the latter part of the year, it was stuff we were talking about and trying to put our finger on,” Friedman said of the offense. “And in a lot of ways, it’s a little bit of a game of whack-a-mole, where it can be one thing for some period of time, and then it’s something else, and then it’s something else. Sometimes it’s noise, and sometimes it’s real. And what’s important for us is to be able to sift out the noise and isolate what’s real and what things we can improve upon. We’ll spend a lot of time really focusing on that in the off season.”

Asked if the age of the lineup could be a contributing factor, Friedman pointed to the strong finishes of some of the more veteran players on the roster.

“I don’t think it’s as easy as to paint it with that broad of a stroke,” he said.

Friedman, in an effort to continue to extend the Dodgers’ run of success, has kept in mind the cliff that successful veteran teams can fall off of, if the roster isn’t properly backfilled.

“This isn’t something that we just woke up and were like, ‘Oh wow, the age of our position player group,’” Friedman said. “We knew what things were going to look like in ‘26, ‘27, but also how talented these guys are, the way they prepare. And so much of our long-term contract bats are betting on the human — betting on the person, betting on the work ethic, betting on them doing everything they can to keep themselves in the best position to have success. But when you couple the core talent that we have at the major league level with the position-player strengths that we have in our farm system, that’s what makes us excited, is the art of how to onboard some of these young, talented minor league players.”

The Dodgers had the No. 1 ranked farm system as of mid-August, according to MLB Pipeline. But many of those prospects, including the three outfielders who the Dodgers’ Top 3 (Josue De Paula, Eduardo Quintero and Mike Sirota), are blocked by veteran players.

“For us, it’s just about having as many many talented players as we can, and things tend to sort themselves out,” Friedman said.

This offseason, the Dodgers will also have to figure out what to do about their soon-to-be free agents, a group headlined by left-hander Tarik Skubal. The two-time Cy Young winner was not only the best pitcher available on the trade market when the Dodgers acquired him from the Tigers at the trade deadline, but he’s in line to be the best pitcher available this offseason as well.

“It’s not easy for a guy to get traded in the middle of a season to come to a new city, new clubhouse,” Friedman said. “You have set routines, and you have to make those adjustments. It’s not easy. The way he was able to seamlessly transition, not just in terms of on the field, but in the clubhouse, I can’t say enough good things about the impact that he made in such a short period of time.

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for him on and off the field. … He’s put himself in this position to go out and be a free agent. And for us, it’s, continue to talk to [his agent, Scott Boras]. But he and his family have to make a choice over where they want to spend the next X number of years, and obviously we wish him nothing but the best.”

When asked about negotiations, however, Friedman spoke generally, saying the Dodgers were still “wrapping [their] arms around” their offseason strategy.

The impending lockout, which is expected to go into effect on Dec. 1 as soon as the current CBA expires, and uncertainty over changes in the next CBA, will certainly affect the free agent and trade markets this offseason. And though MLB navigated a lockout just five years ago, the owners’ push for a salary cap has many around the industry bracing for a longer work stoppage and murkier landscape on the other side.

“I never have any feel for how a market’s going to play out,” Friedman said. “We’ve kidded ourselves in the past that, like, ‘Hey, we think this is going to happen,’ and it just takes on its own life form. So for us, it’s just about being as prepared as we possibly can be, and pouncing on opportunities.”

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing was scheduled to undergo elbow surgery Wednesday, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

To address a partial UCL tear, he was expected to undergo a hybrid internal brace procedure, which would set him up to return to catching full time in nine months. He would be able to hit well before then.

Rushing had two stints on the injured list with a flexor strain in his right forearm, along with the UCL tear. He said last month that imaging suggested the slight tear in his UCL hadn’t worsened since 2022.

Rushing took on a larger role this season when primary catcher Will Smith was sidelined for three months by a nagging neck injury. By Aug. 1, Rushing had already logged 245 plate appearances, dwarfing his 2025 rookie season’s total in the majors (155).

Though he’d carried high workloads in the minors before, being a major-league starting catcher comes with added responsibility. Rushing went through a learning curve juggling his defensive and offensive responsibilities, and navigating intense online scrutiny of his outbursts on the field and in the dugout.

He’d settled into the role, and owned an .809 OPS, when his elbow injury flared while throwing before a game on Aug. 2. He landed on the IL the next day and returned at the beginning of September in a pinch-hitting role.

Rushing logged just four at-bats (0-for-4) before he aggravated the injury trying to build up in a throwing program. He returned again for the last series of the regular season, firmly in a battle for a postseason roster spot as a bat off the bench, and went hitless in three at-bats.

Rushing had initially been hopeful he’d be able to avoid surgery.

“My main plan moving into playing every day in the future is, make sure that my body can hold whatever stress or whatever is needed for this team — first base, behind the plate, whatever they need,” Rushing told the Times last month. “I want to make sure my body can handle it and do it for 162.”

The World Series is upon us, and this one should be a delight: The team with the best record in the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers, against the team with the best record in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays.

The players are about to take baseball’s grandest stage. Yet this has somehow become a strange national obsession: not how Jacob Misiorowski or Junior Caminero might shine in the series, but how many people might watch it.

Should you care? Not really. Have you ever thought about watching a World Series game and thought, “Hmmm, let me consider what the ratings might be before I decide to tune in?”

Major League Baseball cares, of course, because its owners count on billions of dollars from the sale of television rights, and those rights are worth more money when more people watch the games. And, since the fog of a collective bargaining war has enveloped the sport, the ratings make for an intriguing subplot in the World Series.

This World Series is what owners say they want: less of, say, the Dodgers and the New York Yankees, more of teams from smaller markets that seldom advance through the playoffs, if they even get there. Neither the Brewers nor the Rays have won a World Series.

Yet the ratings for the Dodgers-Yankees World Series in 2024 almost doubled those for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers in 2023, and this year’s ratings should be much closer to 2023 than 2024.

So, in a sport that already generates the majority of its broadcast revenue in national rather than local packages, amid the collapse of regional sports networks, are the owners taking a risk of making less money on the World Series?

Fox currently airs the World Series as the jewel of a seven-year, $5.1-billion deal that expires in 2028.

Ed Desser, a Santa Monica-based consultant who launched NBA TV and helped negotiate the Dodgers’ record SportsNet LA deal, said the value of a World Series featuring teams such as the Dodgers and Yankees goes beyond the large audiences they command because they play in large markets.

“It’s commonplace for people to hate the Dodgers, hate the Yankees — and, to some extent, that’s good for business, because it’s another rooting interest. Anything that gets people to focus their attention is good,” Desser said. “It’s easy to hate a team that’s in a glamorous place and spends more than almost anybody.

“I’m not sure that anybody has an ax to grind against the Rays or the Brewers. Sports is about passion.”

That said, neither Desser nor Bob Thompson, the former president of Fox Sports Networks, believes MLB is setting itself up for a big fall in revenue from the Fall Classic.

For Fox — and whatever other bidders might emerge come 2028 — ratings would be important, but not as much as you might think.

“Does expected audience matter? Of course,” Desser said. “They’re in the media business, and the way you monetize is by selling subscriptions to your channel and selling advertising.

“But, typically, you’re taking a much longer viewpoint. You’re making a deal that might be five, eight, 12 years. When you do that, you have an expectation that some teams get better, some teams get worse, sometimes you get a large market, sometimes you get a small market. It kind of evens out.”

This is the fifth season of the current Fox contract. The 10 World Series berths have been spread among nine teams, with the Dodgers appearing twice.

To a broadcast outlet, Thompson said, financial success in the World Series is not just about ratings.

“It’s about how good the matchup is and how long the matchup goes. The bulk of the advertising is sold up front (before we know the teams),” Thompson said. “Ratings for the series aren’t going to be a huge deal, unless you’re selling time in, say, Game 6 and Game 7, where you can really be jacking your rates.”

Last year’s Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series extended to seven games, attracting viewers amid a dramatic finish and ultimately getting a higher rating than the 2024 Dodgers-Yankees series, even though Canadian viewers weren’t included in that Nielsen count. The Dodgers-Yankees series lasted five games, and the Dodgers beat up on the Yankees when the Yankees weren’t beating themselves.

Even if the World Series itself might be worth less with more lower-profile teams competing, Thompson said MLB could include it as part of a larger package, or dangle it as an incentive for streaming outlets or other new bidders.

He also noted that the latest MLB collective bargaining proposal calls for fewer regular-season games and more postseason games.

“Playoffs are going to get you a premium over regular-season games,” Thompson said.

And, to the extent that postseason ratings might be in decline, ratings for everything — sporting events, awards shows, news shows, dramas, comedies, you name it — are in decline. Only the NFL is immune to lower ratings.

“Big events matter more than they used to, even with smaller audiences,” Desser said. “The World Series is still a big event, and there is a premium for that.”

The three most-watched shows on broadcast television in the week of Oct. 5-11, according to Nielsen: Sunday Night Football (Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens) with 17 million viewers; SEC Football (Alabama vs. Georgia) with 12 million viewers; NLCS Game 1 (Dodgers vs. Brewers) with 11 million viewers.

The top entertainment show that week: Tracker (CBS), with 7.4 million viewers.

The owners will make their money on the World Series, one way or another.

“Even at a lower expectation for audience, there is still going to be that value,” Desser said. “It’s one of the biggest things happening in October.”

Rams lose stunner to Arizona

From Gary Klein: Other than the missing 23 carats of diamonds, the replica Super Bowl LVI rings fans received on Sunday at SoFi Stadium looked like the real thing.

That’s more than the Rams can claim.

The team that opened the season as the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI continued to look like a cheap imitation.

They did not flash. They did not sparkle.

They looked dull. Lifeless.

And when Chad Ryland of the Arizona Cardinals kicked his sixth field goal as time expired, the Rams lost 18-16 in front of 72,573.

“There’s nothing positive that I can say,” Rams coach Sean McVay lamented.

First-year Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur, the Rams’ former offensive coordinator, outcoached and outmaneuvered McVay, his friend and mentor.

With just more than a third of the season complete, the Rams are 2-4.

“We are what our record is,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.

Continue reading here

Rams summary

NFL standings

Chargers fall to 0-6

From Kathleen Gier: The Chargers hit the road to face the undefeated, AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs, still looking for their first victory of the season.

They were unsuccessful, falling 22-6 on Sunday evening at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers are 0-6 to start the season for the first time since 2000, when they finished 1-16. They’ve also lost nine straight games since last season, tying a franchise mark for most consecutive losses.

“I truly believe and was confident that we would win this game,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. “We have to address everything, guys, and especially offensively.

“We’re not scoring enough points. That’s the bottom line.”

The Chargers’ offense, already weakened by a series of injuries to its offensive line and receiving corps, struggled mightily, recording their second-lowest output of the season at 259 total yards. They also lost wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who was ruled out midway through the second quarter with a concussion. He had just one catch in his return from a foot injury that kept him out last week against Denver.

Continue reading here

Chargers summary

NFL standings

UCLA moves up to No. 9 in rankings, USC to No. 16

Miami is No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2002, No. 2 BYU has its highest ranking since its 1984 national championship season and Notre Dame and Georgia stayed in the top five Sunday after both lost close games.

The UCLA Bruins, who are 6-0 after defeating Wisconsin, moved into the top 10 at No. 9, while idle USC moved up three spots to No. 16.

The Hurricanes took over the top spot from Georgia, which lasted one week at No. 1 after losing to Auburn at home. The Bulldogs were the second No. 1 team in two weeks — Texas was the other — to lose to an unranked opponent.

The Hurricanes received 40 of the 70 first-place votes from the media voting panel and were just 22 points ahead of BYU, which won a thriller at home over Notre Dame. The Cougars got 20 first-place votes and were 26 points ahead of Ohio State. The Buckeyes got nine first-place votes and were well ahead of No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 5 Georgia.

Miami is the first No. 1 team from the Atlantic Coast Conference team since Clemson in 2020. Other than Clemson, there had not been another ACC team ranked No. 1 since Florida State in 2014.

MLB postseason schedule

All times Pacific

NLCS

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 2 Dodgers
at Milwaukee 2, Dodgers 1 (box score)
at Milwaukee 7, Dodgers 4 (box score)
Milwaukee 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
Milwaukee 6, at Dodgers 4 (box score)

ALCS

No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 2 Cleveland
Cleveland 7, at Tampa Bay 3 (box score)
at Tampa Bay 3, Cleveland 1 (box score)
at Cleveland 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score)
Tampa Bay 7, at Cleveland 3 (box score)
Tampa Bay 3, at Cleveland 1 (box score)
Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max

World Series
All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. TB/Cleveland
Friday at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Saturday at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Monday, Oct. 26 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Wed., Oct. 28 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday, Oct. 30 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Sat., Oct. 31 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1940 — Alabama snaps Tennessee’s defensive scoreless streak of 71 quarters but still loses 27-12. Tennessee hadn’t allowed a point since Oct. 29, 1938, when it beat LSU 14-6.

1957 — Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens scores his 500th goal in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

1960 — After 13 years in Minneapolis, the Lakers opened their inaugural season in Los Angeles with a 140-123 loss at Cincinnati.

1966 — Bobby Orr makes his NHL regular season debut for the Boston Bruins.

1985 — Robbie Bosco of Brigham Young passes for 585 yards in a 45-23 victory over New Mexico.

1985 — Dale Klein of Nebraska ties an NCAA record with seven field goals in a 28-20 victory over Missouri.

1986 — Lloyd Burruss of Kansas City intercepts three passes and returns two for touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a 42-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

1994 — Duke beats North Carolina 3-2 in women’s soccer to end the Tar Heels’ unbeaten streak of 101 games.

1997 — Pittsburgh goaltender Tom Barrasso makes 22 saves to earn his 300th victory with a 4-1 win over Florida. Barrasso becomes the first American-born goaltender and 13th overall with 300 wins.

1997 — Sandy Alomar of the Cleveland Indians hits the 700th World Series home run.

2002 — Avon Cobourne becomes the fifth Division I-A rusher with four 1,000-yard seasons as West Virginia beats Syracuse 34-7. Cobourne has 108 yards in the game for 1,002 yards this season.

2012 — The National Hockey League announces the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through November 1. A total of 135 regular-season games are now lost from Oct. 11 through Nov. 1.

2014 — Peyton Manning breaks Brett Favre’s NFL record of 508 career touchdown passes and he throws four TD passes in Denver’s 42-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The record-breaker was an 8-yarder to Demaryius Thomas with 3:09 left in the first half. Manning reaches the milestone in his 246th regular-season game. Favre needed 302.

2014 — DeMarco Murray becomes the first running back in NFL history to start a season with seven straight 100-yard games in a 31-21 win over the New York Giants. Murray, with 128 yards and a touchdown, breaks Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s 56-year-old record.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It’s week nine of the high school football season and time to see which teams are on the verge of being in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Division 1 contenders

Homer King Webb of unbeaten Sierra Canyon.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

Barring late-season collapses or major upsets, the Southern Section Division 1 playoff teams are looking pretty easy to identify.

It starts with No. 1 Santa Margarita (8-0), which is in the driver’s seat to win the Trinity League championship after a 21-7 win over St. John Bosco last week. No. 2 Sierra Canyon (8-0) remains on a path to finish 10-0 and win the Mission League title.

After that, it’s St. John Bosco (6-2), Corona Centennial (5-3), Mater Dei (6-2), Orange Lutheran (5-3), San Clemente (7-0) and Mission Viejo (6-1). JSerra (4-4) and Servite (3-5) meet on Oct. 30 to decide what might be a final spot. Bishop Amat (7-1) is also in the picture with a game against Sierra Canyon on Oct. 30.

Does it really matter which teams make it? Maybe not the way Santa Margarita, the defending champion, is improving on a weekly basis similar to last season when the Eagles separated themselves and cruised to victory.

The Eagles have added receiver Grant Mosley, brother of Trent, to the offensive attack, and in his third game back against St. John Bosco, he showed off the Mosley family speed and big-play skills.

Sierra Canyon, of course, wants its chance to challenge the powers in the playoffs. With a dominant defensive line and the ability to run the ball, the Trailblazers certainly deserve respect. Centennial finally got back its best player, safety/kicker Jaden Walk-Green, so the Huskies will be dangerous come playoff time.

King/Drew players getting excited in the first half of a 39-6 win over Crenshaw.

(Nick Koza / For The Times)

King/Drew took a giant step toward winning its first Coliseum League championship with a 39-6 win over Crenshaw. Quarterback Gerald Torres completed 16 of 23 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns. Damico Martin had six receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Cleveland (8-0) and Marshall (8-0) remained unbeaten in the City Section. The Cavaliers had two running backs rush for more than 100 yards in a win over Taft. Quarterback Nathaniel Cadet passed for 256 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns in Marshall’s win over Lincoln.

Carson and San Pedro routed Narbonne and Gardena, respectively, setting up a Friday showdown at Carson to decide the Marine League championship.

Birmingham, with a new starting quarterback in former Sierra Canyon JV quarterback Delvin Young, rolled to a 32-8 win over Granada Hills. The Patriots will finish second in the West Valley League and could be an intriguing first-round matchup in the City Section Open Division playoffs.

Palisades picked up a huge win over Hamilton to move closer to a Western League title. Here’s the report.

In the Southern Section, the big upset was Capistrano Valley handing Corona del Mar its first defeat 21-17 in a Saturday game after the Norte Fire in San Clemente forced a change in days and also caused several games to be canceled, including San Clemente vs. Mission Viejo.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

Here’s top individual performances from this past week.

Here’s the Week 9 schedule.

JSerra quarterback Kate Meier reaches across the goal line for the winning touchdown an instant before her flag is pulled last season.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

The Southern Section flag football playoffs begin this week. Can anyone defeat unbeaten JSerra (24-0)?

The Lions are seeded No. 1 in the Open Division tournament and begin action Wednesday at home against Sierra Canyon, which happens to have former Orange Lutheran quarterback Makena Cook, who lost to JSerra in last year’s final.

There are seven divisions, with divisions 1 through 6 beginning Tuesday.

The JSerra passing duo of Kate Meier and Tessa Russell has been unstoppable. Seven points is the closest an opponent has gotten to JSerra, with Orange Lutheran losing 19-12 in a regular-season finale last week.

The City Section regular season doesn’t end until the day before Halloween. The big competition is in the Northern League, where Eagle Rock is 3-0 and L.A. Wilson is 3-1.

Here’s the final regular season top 10 flag football rankings from The Times.

Girls volleyball

Long Beach Poly sisters McKennah, left, and Ellie Iamaleava are two of eight siblings who have played volleyball.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

McKennah Iamaleava, the sister of UCLA quarterbacks Nico and Madden Iamaleava, has been a big-time player for Long Beach Poly entering this week’s playoffs. Here’s a profile.

Southern Section playoff pairings were released Friday.

Divisions 2-4-6-8-10 begin on Tuesday. Divisions 1-5-7-9-11 start on Wednesday. The finals for all divisions will be Nov. 7.

In Division 1, there will be pool play for the eight teams, with Mater Dei seeded No. 1 and Sierra Canyon No. 2.

Looking back: Joe Hillman

Former Hoover High and Indiana basketball player Joe Hillman speaking to the Glendale Quarterback Club.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Hoover High basketball standout Joe Hillman averaged 41.3 points his senior year in 1984. Then he became an experiment — the first player west of the Mississippi River to play for coach Bob Knight at Indiana.

The rest is history. He won an NCAA championship in 1987 and got to tell lots of stories about Knight. He returned to the area last week.

Here’s a report on what Hillman said.

Prep talk

Every day, I write about something positive happening regarding high school sports. Here’s a couple of last week’s stories.

Former Fremont High and Cal State Dominguez basketball coach Dave Yanai is 83.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Fremont High basketball coach Dave Yanai keeps enjoying basketball at the age of 83.

John McLellan, 13, a Redondo Beach teenager, is driving kart cars in Italy and competing against the best in the world for his level.

Southern California is full of future college and NFL officials starting out as high school officials.

Sophomore Matti Di Maggio of Dos Pueblos came home with a gold medal playing for the U15 national baseball team.

Notes . . .

At the Orange County cross-country championships, Trabuco Hills won the boys title and JSerra continued its domination in girls. The boys’ individual winner was Woodbridge’s Aidan Antonio in 14:10.4. The girls’ winner was Reese Holley of JSerra in 16:18.3…

At the Ventura County championships, Viggo Bortolin of Foothill Technology won the boys’ individual final in 15:15.1. Sabina Cruz of Westlake won the girls’ title in 17:67.2….

The peristyle end of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

(Melody Nishida)

The Memorial Coliseum will be the site for the Southern Section Division 1 championship football game Friday, Nov. 27. The Rose Bowl was used last season….

Former Crespi teammates De’Anthony Melton and Brandon Williams are having fun being teammates with the Golden State Warriors…..

Guard Josiah Nance of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has committed to SMU, where former USC coach Andy Enfield is head coach….

Joseph Saenz is the new baseball coach at Wilmington Banning….

Junior Emilio Young of Mater Dei has committed to UCLA for baseball….

Receiver Gavin Honore of Mater Dei has committed to Oregon State….

From the archives: Aidan Chiles

Former Downey quarterback Aidan Chiles is the starting quarterback for Northwestern. He has passed for 1,398 yards and nine touchdowns. He signed with Oregon State, then transferred to Michigan State, then Northwestern.

Here’s a story from 2022 on Chiles beginning to receive recognition in high school.

Recommendations

From Substack, a story on San Mateo Serra’s long time football coach announcing he is staying indefinitely.

From Yahoo Sports, a story on a high school football coach in Oregon being fired for his team’s onside kicks in a game that wasn’t close.

From ESPN, a story on pro athletes coaching their sons and daughters in youth sports.

From Oaks Christian, a story on former Lions quarterback Nate Bennett at Baylor.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on how a baseball coach led a tennis team to a JC championship.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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The Chesney Train is not stopping any time soon.

No. 9 UCLA football picked up its sixth win of the season Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, defeating Wisconsin 17-7, making the Bruins bowl eligible and the sole undefeated team in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.

Some penciled in a Bruin loss to the Badgers — who were the leading vote getters outside the top 25 in last week’s Associated Press poll — with starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered against Oregon.

But UCLA’s newest conductor, senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, exceeded expectations against a relentless Wisconsin defense, leading the Bruins to victory in his first FBS start.

Let’s take a look at the three takeaways from the Bruins’ fourth conference win, as the idea of a Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance becomes increasingly viable.

Ty Dieffenbach isn’t going anywhere

Heading into his first start at the Power Four level, there was still talk from coach Bob Chesney that there was a battle for Iamaleava’s replacement between Dieffenbach and Madden Iamaleava.

But after Saturday’s victory Dieffenbach more than secured his starting spot for the time being.

His final output was nothing to write home about, throwing for 264 yards to no touchdowns and one interception, but Dieffenbach more than passed the eye test.

Dieffenbach was on point from the first whistle to the last, unafraid to make difficult throws over the middle of the field and on the boundaries. Arguably his most valuable contribution was his play in high-leverage situations, consistently converting on third down through the air, and having his best drive backed up in his own end zone.

The quarterback’s pocket awareness also impressed, consistently moving up in the pocket as edge rushers converged from the outside. He also was willing to roll out when the interior of the pocket collapsed, and for the most part, excelled with off-platform throws and scramble plays.

Dieffenbach does not have to contend for a Heisman Trophy for the Bruins to be an elite team.

And he proved that he is more than capable of game-managing, effectively spearheading the UCLA offense against a formidable Wisconsin defense without the running game carrying the offense like it has in the past.

In fact, it was the passing game that led the Bruins to victory, with Dieffenbach’s throws marching the Bruins downfield and putting the running backs in position to convert in the end zone.

What separated Dieffenbach from previous quarterback play was his ball protection, largely keeping it out of harm’s way, and really only taking one avoidable sack. His one interception, which came on a Hail Mary for the last play of the first half, was his worst throw of the night.

Dieffenbach not only displayed that he can efficiently manage the offense, but the ceiling for the former Cal Poly and Pittsburgh quarterback may be higher than previously thought.

Colin Hitschler’s defense holds its own

UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s unit makes the list for the third consecutive game.

The “Bruin Bullies” held the Badger offense to just seven points and 214 yards of offense. And while quarterback Colton Joseph is not a pocket passer, the former Old Dominion signal-caller threw for only 66 yards and completed just six passes.

UCLA’s secondary dominance is becoming more of a pattern and less of a coincidence. The back end of the defense has limited gashing throws since the Purdue game, and has made the simple passes difficult with defensive backs blanketing pass catchers in coverage across the field.

The Bruins’ pass rush also created problems for Joseph and the Badger offensive line all night. UCLA pressured Joseph on 52.4% of his dropbacks, failing to complete a pass on any of the pressures.

Fifth-year linebacker Jalen Wood’s sack forced a deep field-goal attempt that missed wide and fifth-year defensive back Mason Rivera’s sack forced the Badgers to punt, putting the final nail in the coffin, as the Bruins ran out the clock.

While Joseph was productive with his legs, garnering 71 yards and one touchdown, the Bruins were effectively stopping the run — a theme consistent throughout the season — limiting the Badger running backs to 54 yards.

What impressed most about Hitschler’s unit was the ability to dominate defensively with no turnovers, the first time all season the Bruins finished a game without a takeaway. Although UCLA forced two fumbles that were recovered by Wisconsin, the Bruins proved that the influence of their defense does not lie solely in its ability to capitalize on others’ mistakes.

The process works

Chesney and his staff say it all the time — it all comes back to the process.

And the Bruins’ coach has proved it.

When Nico Iamaleava went down, it was the next-man-up mentality. Even outside of Iamaleava, UCLA played Saturday without starting outside cornerback Rodrick Pleasant and starting left tackle Jordan Davis. And the duo’s replacements did not miss a beat. Sophomore Osiris Gilbert proved to hold his own on the 23 snaps he played, splitting time with senior Dante Lovett.

On the blindside of the offensive line, junior Jensen Somerville and fifth-year Mack Indestad split time replacing Davis with 45 and 32 snaps, respectively. Despite the tandem getting their highest snap counts of the season, they did not skip a beat, with the offense allowing one sack, which came from the right side of the line.

Outside of injury, Saturday’s win guaranteed the Bruins something that has been absent the last two seasons — a bowl game. And it is not going to stop there.

Like Chesney promised during his introductory news conference, the Bruins have real playoff and Big Ten championship aspirations.

But turning a program from 3-9 to a playoff contender does not happen overnight.

It all comes back to the process.

“You gotta believe in yourself,” Chesney said. “I believe in these guys. I told them back in the spring that there’s fibers of a really high-level football team that exist within this program, and we just need to put it all together and test it in fire, and compete, and that’s just the way this program works … When they end up with a failure, it’s never fatal or final. It’s a chance to refine.”

Women’s volleyball is on a roll

The UCLA women’s volleyball team extended its win streak to five matches with two big home victories.

The Bruins defeated No. 15 Penn State 3-2 on Friday and Ohio State 3-2 on Sunday.

During the upset of the Nittany Lions, the Bruins won the first set, dropped the next two and rallied to sweep the final two. UCLA had 79 digs, eight aces and 53 assists.

UCLA now prepares for the biggest test of the season, with a match at Nebraska on at 4 p.m. PDT Thursday. The showdown will be broadcast on FS1.

Bruins on deck

Here is this week’s UCLA athletics schedule. All Times are PDT.

Monday, Oct. 19

Women’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day

Men’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day

Men’s soccer at Northwestern, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Women’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day

Men’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Men’s basketball vs. California Baptist (exhibition), 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 22

Women’s volleyball at Nebraska, 4 p.m.

Women’s soccer at Iowa, 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 23

Swimming and diving at Iowa, Purdue, 1 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 24

Football vs. Michigan State, 12:30 p.m.

Women’s volleyball at Iowa, 4 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 25

Women’s soccer at Nebraska, 11 a.m.

Women’s basketball at Texas (exhibition), 11 a.m.

Men’s soccer vs. San Diego, 6 p.m.

In case you missed it

Ty Dieffenbach shines in his first UCLA start as Bruins defeat Wisconsin, improve to 6-0

UCLA’s unlikely starting quarterback never stopped believing in himself

Gabby Williams powers to Valkyries to victory in Game 1 of WNBA Finals

USC and UCLA could benefit as College Football Playoff nears 24-team expansion

UCLA names Ty Dieffenbach starting quarterback with Nico Iamaleava out

UCLA Unlocked: What we learned from the Bruins’ breakthrough win at Oregon

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.

Two things can be true: The Dodgers’ season ended prematurely and, for Shohei Ohtani, the offseason couldn’t come soon enough.

Thursday’s elimination — a no-doubt-about-it sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, who vanquished the Dodgers in the same fashion Ohtani and Co. had summarily eliminated them last season — was apparently the only way to get the two-way superstar out of the lineup.

Now he can get some much-needed rest and recovery, a reality check and, possibly, some surgical procedures to repair the knee and biceps injuries that plagued him this season.

Ohtani didn’t rule anything out in his postgame scrum, several rows deep, in front of his locker after the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

“Hard to tell at this point,” the 32-year-old Ohtani said in Japanese, via interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s something that’s going to be analyzed, discussed over the offseason, and see if that’s a viable thing to do.”

Hopefully, for the Dodgers’ sake and for baseball’s, Ohtani and his team will see their way to a reasonable load management plan. Hopefully they’ll find a viable injury management strategy.

Especially if he continues to pitch, as Ohtani said he plans to: “Yes, definitely, and looking forward to having a better season.”

Hopefully this bumpy season — his first as a Dodger to end short of the championship following the 2024 and 2025 title runs — will make Ohtani better. Wiser. More willing to listen to his body and to communicate what it’s telling him with the ball club that relies on him so much.

“I’ll always trust Shohei,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s the best player on the planet, and he’s not completely healthy. But I just give him a lot of respect for not running from it, still wanting to participate, still wanting to play when he’s not 100%.”

But hopefully when Ohtani’s knee barks next time, he won’t pitch through it. Hopefully when his right arm tightens up, he’ll step out of the box. Even — or especially — if it takes longer than a 15-day IL stint to make him right.

Hopefully he’s learned that irrespective of a sense of duty or pride or a selfish streak, the cold-hitting fact is that a compromised version of Ohtani leaves the Dodgers’ whole team — a $400 million investment — compromised, as it was this postseason.

“I don’t really want to take it for granted for the opportunity to be able to play with these guys,” Ohtani said. “But honestly, I think I’m just very disappointed.”

In eight playoff games against the Atlanta Braves and Brewers, Ohtani hit .192 (five for 26). He struck out 10 times. He didn’t get an extra-base hit or drive in a run until Thursday, in the season finale, which reminded us of Ohtani’s power — he walloped his first home run since Aug. 18, a three-run missile in the second inning that traveled 428 feet — and his pain.

Roberts looked, for a moment, like a genius for continuing to keep Ohtani in the lineup — and to pencil him in as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter after batting him sixth on Wednesday.

For that one shining moment.

Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

But Ohtani also struck out three times Thursday — made to look foolish in a much-too-familiar way.

The Dodgers needed a healthy Ohtani to deal with a young, hungry ballclub like the Brewers.

To have a chance against a team that was, as Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández said, “almost playing perfect baseball,” they needed him dialed in and not tinkering, not staying late searching.

They need the version of him that delivered the perfect game a year ago, his three-home-run, 10-strikeout masterpiece that sent Milwaukee home in Game 4 of the NLCS.

“Ohtani is arguably the best player in the world,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

“He’s proven that to us. He had the greatest game I’ve ever seen played by an individual player last year against us.”

The Dodgers need that guy striking fear into opponents. Not him striking out, or getting stranded helplessly on base.

Shohei Ohtani tosses his bat after hitting a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

And they got a glimpse of that guy Thursday with that second-inning home run, a shot that had him throwing his arms up and screaming toward his dugout, as emotive as we’ve seen him, relieved and exulting after giving the Dodgers a 4-0 lead — and a fleeting expectation that they’d play a Game 5 on Friday.

“It was a lot of pent-up anger, frustration,” Roberts said. “It was the best ball he hit in probably two, three months, and it was a big hit.”

“It was like,” Max Muncy said, “that’s the swing we’ve been waiting for.”

Now we all wait for baseball to return — and then to learn what this season taught Ohtani, one of the most unique athletes in the history of the game.

“Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side at the end of the year,” Ohtani said. “… I haven’t been able to really come to grips in terms of what I’ve learned overall. It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program, and see what I can come up with for next season.”

The Dodgers’ offseason began at 8:07 Thursday night. Heavily favored to win a third straight World Series, they were swept into winter by the Milwaukee Brewers.

The final score doesn’t really matter, but for the record it was 6-4 Brewers. It wasn’t really that close.

The Dodgers led in every game of the National League Championship Series. They didn’t win any of them. No team has ever done that while getting swept in a best-of-seven series. So while the Dodgers didn’t three-peat, they made history just the same.

“They were relentless with everything that they did,” Dodgers infielder Max Muncy said of the Brewers. “They just strung together good at-bat after good at-bat. That’s usually what we do.

“We didn’t do it this series and they did.”

The Dodgers’ starting rotation, the most expensive in history, gave up 16 hits and 13 runs in 18 innings for a 6.50 earned-run average. The bullpen was nearly as bad, posting a 4.50 ERA in 16 innings.

The Brewers’ relievers, on the other hand, were spectacular. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy went to his bullpen 14 times and just twice did a reliever give up a run. All four victories against the Dodgers and all seven Brewers wins this postseason have gone to a reliever, with the bullpen posting a 1.33 ERA in 40⅔ innings.

“Pitcher after pitcher came in and executed,” Muncy said. “When one of their pitchers faltered, the next guy came in and picked up the slack.”

And each time the Dodgers took a lead, the Brewers waited no more than two innings to cut into the deficit. Milwaukee trailed 4-0 after two innings Thursday. By the top of the fifth, the score was tied. An inning later, the Brewers went ahead to stay, becoming the first team with six comeback wins in their first eight postseason games.

“They respond,” Murphy said of his players. “We’ve talked about it all year long. You have a bad week, you have a bad game, you have a bad at-bat, you bounce back.”

“I love the Dodgers. I love their players. They’ve got legendary players,” he continued. “But we came in with a group that would not be denied. They were hungry, very hungry.”

The two-time defending champion Dodgers, meanwhile, appeared to be full. They hit with runners in scoring position as often as they hit into double plays, going four for 27 and stranding 24.

“We had our opportunities. We just didn’t get the job done,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We won two [titles]. We came up short on the third.

Milwaukee’s Garrett Mitchell, right, celebrates with Cooper Pratt after hitting the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning of a 6-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“There’s a lot of hurt at the end of the season. Sometimes you just get beat. That’s just kind of how it goes. You have to give credit to the Brewers. They played really good baseball.”

A year ago the Dodgers swept the Brewers in the NLCS. This fall the results were reversed.

“The sadness is we just didn’t accomplish our goal,” Muncy said. “The goal every year is to be the last team standing. This year we had a chance to do something historic, and we didn’t accomplish it. And every single time you’re not the last team standing, it’s heartbreak and it’s failure and it’s not what you’re looking for.”

The Dodgers’ clubhouse was closed for more than 35 minutes after the game, partly to process that heartbreak but also to give manager Dave Roberts and veteran infielder Miguel Rojas, who announced his retirement, a chance to address the team. When the doors finally opened, nearly every player was sitting in front of his locker, most still in uniform, waiting to explain what seemed to be inexplicable.

How did the greatest team money can buy wind up so flat when the stakes were so high?

“We’ve been grinding all season long,” said right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who retired the first 10 Brewers in order, but lasted just one more inning. “No one slacked off at all. Everyone just came in and worked hard. They just played a lot better than us. They were hitting on everything. It wasn’t our year.”

“Not every time it’s gonna be us,” left fielder Teoscar Hernández added through a forced smile. “It’s not fair for us to be doing the same thing over and over every year. Teams are going to learn from their losses the same way we’re gonna learn from this one.

“So hopefully we come back next year stronger.”

Speaking of next year, no one would.

Half the players on the Dodgers 26-man NLCS roster are on expiring contracts. The core of the team — Mookie Betts, Freeman, Muncy, Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández along with pitchers Blake Snell and Glasnow — are 33 or older. The Dodgers could look very different when spring training starts — if spring training starts — in February.

“There’ll come a time when we think about next year,” Muncy said. “But that’s not right at this moment.”

The Dodgers have an extra-long winter to get through first.

What we know: The Dodgers lost. Their season is no more. Their three-peat dream has been dashed. Their winter is upon us.

What we don’t know: What the future holds, in what could be a turbulent winter for the Dodgers and for all of Major League Baseball.

Here are four things we don’t know about the Dodgers, but well worth keeping an eye on:

Shohei Ohtani

Just three short months ago, we wondered whether Ohtani would win his fifth most valuable player award and his first Cy Young Award. Has the time come for the Dodgers to consider curtailing his pitching?

As the Dodgers trudged through the playoffs, we endured daily drama over where in the lineup Ohtani would bat (first, second, fourth, fifth or sixth) and what he could produce despite playing through multiple injuries.

We’ll soon get a better understanding of those injuries, and whether rest, rehabilitation and/or surgery might be recommended for each one. We’ll also get a better sense of what the future might hold for Ohtani as a two-way player, and for his potential to perform at an elite level on both sides of the ball.

Ohtani said he plans to resume pitching next year. He is 32. He just completed his 14th professional season.

Ohtani has pitched more than 132 innings once since 2016, when he was 22 and playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters.

In his three seasons with the Dodgers, this was the first that did not involve rehabilitation from elbow surgery. He started 14 games before a knee injury prevented him from pitching any more this season.

Payroll

Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks off the field during Game 1 of the NLDS.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Major league owners are poised to shut down the sport this winter, in pursuit of a salary cap designed to restrain the Dodgers, since they won’t restrain themselves.

The owners’ initial proposal set a salary cap of $245 million next year. The Dodgers already have $347 million committed to 14 players next year, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Under a cap, the owners have promised a transition period to account for existing commitments, and an actual negotiated cap could be higher.

Even if the players do not agree to a cap — and they insist they won’t — whatever economic system that would emerge from collective bargaining would be almost certain to make it painful for the Dodgers to spend so freely.

Whatever the case, the Dodgers could face the kind of difficult roster choices they often have papered over with money this decade. Two closers for $141 million? Good luck with that.

And would they be able to fit soon-to-be free agent Tarik Skubal into their payroll? Skubal might well sign before the lockout is expected to start in December, but there is nothing agent Scott Boras loves more than pitching a marquee free agent to a new owner. The two other Southern California teams — the Angels and San Diego Padres — both have one.

Age

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, left, and general manager Brandon Gomes have decisions to make about their aging roster.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

When Andrew Friedman made his name as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, he did it in large part by taking advantage of one market inefficiency within the American League East: He beat up on the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees because they were stuck with rosters crowded with aging stars on big contracts. The Rays couldn’t have done that even if Friedman had wanted to.

He didn’t want to do it too much in Los Angeles, because it compromises roster flexibility. But, after seven National League West titles and no World Series championships, ownership went all in: Mookie Betts (12 years, $365 million), Freddie Freeman (six years, $162 million), Ohtani (10 years, $700 million), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12 years, $325 million), Tyler Glasnow (five years, $137 million), Blake Snell (five years, $182 million), Will Smith (10 years, $140 million) and Kyle Tucker (four years, $240 million).

It worked: three rings in six years. Now the bill comes due.

The Dodgers fielded the oldest group of position players in the major leagues this season. Ohtani and Betts are under contract through their age-39 seasons; Smith will be 38 when his deal’s up, Yamamoto and Max Muncy 37, Snell 36, Glasnow 35.

Something to watch this winter: Freeman is 37, signed through next year. He would like to play until 40 and finish his career here. That would take a two-year extension. Would the Dodgers say no?

Ownership

Mark Walter’s insurance empire is under investigation by federal authorities — and the subject of discussions with state regulators — over allegations the businesses he controls failed to properly follow laws designed to protect investors.

Walter’s company has denied wrongdoing, and neither Walter nor his businesses have been charged with a crime. He is, however, a defendant in multiple civil lawsuits in which insurance policyholders claim he and several of his companies committed fraud and breach of contract.

Walter may need more than $20 billion to satisfy regulators by recapitalizing insurance companies. He abruptly sold the Lakers in August, in a deal that valued the team — not just Walter’s controlling interest — at $12.5 billion. He and fellow Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly also sold a small stake in English soccer club Chelsea FC last month for about $1.27 billion, the Financial Times reported. It is uncertain how Walter would provide the rest of the money for recapitalization.

“Regarding the Los Angeles Dodgers, to be clear, the team is not being sold,” Walter’s holdings company said in a statement last month.

It is uncertain whether a resolution with insurance regulators would satisfy the Department of Justice, which reports to President Trump. In July, when the Dodgers visited the White House, Walter presented Trump with an official World Series championship ring with his name engraved on it. He also sold the Lakers to former Disney chief Bob Iger and venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law.

Major League Baseball is monitoring the situation and could conduct its own review after the state and federal matters are concluded.

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, sitting next to soon-to-be free agent Tarik Skubal at their lockers in the aftermath of their team’s elimination from the National League Championship Series elimination, made a promise:

“I’ll be recruiting,” he interjected with a smile, as Skubal declined to comment on free agency, saying it was too soon to try to predict what the future would hold for him.

That would be Snell’s side project between rounds of video games — 2K specifically. (Skubal admittedly “sucks” at the game, but Snell says his teammate “has heart, though.” The rest can be taught.)

The Dodgers, after falling short of a three-peat, will look a little different next year. Skubal, whom they acquired at the trade deadline to boost their chances at a World Series title, is set to hit free agency. So are perennial postseason performer Kiké Hernández and high-leverage relievers Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen. On Thursday, clubhouse leader and 2025 World Series hero Miguel Rojas announced his retirement.

The expected lockout, and MLB’s insistence on a salary cap in their CBA proposals, have also cast doubt on what the system will look like next year — whenever the season begins.

Not to mention, the stars in the Dodgers’ lineup, already the oldest in the majors (weighted by at-bats and games played), will be another year older.

Could this be the end of an era?

“I don’t feel that at all,” Skubal said. “It’s hard to win the World Series, and this group has done it the last two seasons. Obviously, not this year, but … I think that this group is incredibly talented. And the preparation and the work ethic that this group has — I don’t buy into that narrative.”

Said Snell: “We’re only getting better.”

Plenty of people outside of the Dodgers’ downcast clubhouse Thursday evening saw the Brewers’ four-game sweep of the defending back-to-back champions as the fall of a dynasty. But the players inside fervently disagreed.

“When you have Shohei Ohtani on your team, Yoshinbou Yamamoto, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and the years ahead of these guys, you can never think that it’s going to be the end,” Rojas said. “And I know this organization so well, they’re not going to be satisfied with this loss. I think they’re going to move forward and continue to improve the team in any capacity, and I believe that we’re going to be even better next year.”

Said Hernández: “I don’t know what’s going to happen with me personally, moving forward for next year. But this team is well-positioned to keep winning and keep competing deep into October. So not only is this locker room very talented, but there’s a lot of guys knocking on the door in the minor-league system that can be really impactful players. So the organization is in good hands.”

Rookie Josue De Paula showed down the stretch, and with his plate discipline even in high-octane moments in the postseason, just how impactful the young players in the Dodgers’ system could be. And there are more behind him.

This offseason, the Dodgers front office will try to strike a balance between continuity and fresh faces. For some of their impending free agents, who spoke highly of the organization, that meant uncertainty in the immediate aftermath.

“I love this place,” Hernández said. “I’ve played for three other teams, but every time I look at my career, I obviously go back to this place. I’ve been here the longest. I hope I get back. I feel like I have a lot left. … I would love to have one more try, trying to win another one. But I don’t really know what’s going to happen.”

Vesia, too, said he’d love to return.

“From the coaching staff, to the front office, to the players that have taken me under their wing, have helped mold and shape me into who I am and how I carry myself, how I go about my business,” Vesia said of his six years in the organization. “And if it wasn’t for the people in this room, I would not be where I’m at today. So, very thankful. This whole experience has been life-changing.”

Skubal is in a unique situation. In line to be the top free agent pitcher in this year’s class, he held his cards closer to the vest. But he gave a glowing review of his time with the Dodgers.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be here and compete with these guys, and to wear L.A. across your hat and across your chest,” he said. “It’s something that I took a lot of pride in. And, obviously, didn’t end the way that I wanted it to. But that’s life. That’s baseball. I had a ton of fun here, and I loved competing with these guys.”

A spectacular run that included back-to-back World Series championships and delivered unforgettable memories ended with a whimper for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

The Milwaukee Brewers, humiliated by the Dodgers last year in a four-game sweep, returned the favor at Chavez Ravine, defeating L.A., 6-4, in the National League Championship Series. The loss eliminated the Dodgers and ended their run at a vaunted three-peat, or three consecutive titles.

No North American sports franchise can claim such an accomplishment since the Shaq- and Kobe Bryant-led Lakers from 2000 to 2002.

How did a team of All-Stars fall short? Our sports team delivered tremendous coverage that answers that question and many more.

Columnist Bill Plaschke wrote how a team with seemingly every advantage fell short, beat writer Maddie Lee documented what led to the demise, while columnist Bill Shaikin provided updates to several questions on the team’s future. The devoted fans of the Boys in Blue have also had a chance to react.

Let’s sample some of their in-depth reporting.

Shohei Ohtani’s declining health was too much to overcome

Plaschke wrote that the single biggest reason the Dodgers didn’t three-peat centered on the health of designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani.

The owner of four MVP trophies, Ohtani began the season with a goal of also winning the Cy Young Award. So he focused on pitching, and he pitched well, going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts.

Then he injured his knee, but he still pitched, long past when he should have been pitching, said Plaschke. He was finally pulled off the mound in early July, but by then he had also injured his elbow and his offense suffered because he was so worried about the pitching. It was at this point the Dodgers should have shut him down entirely, given him a month off to ensure he would be ready for October, according to Plaschke.

But no. Ohtani insisted he was fine even though his plummeting batting numbers said otherwise. When he was finally placed on the injured list in early September, Plaschke said it was too late, and he entered the playoffs as a shell of his former great self.

An autopsy reveals much

Lee agreed with third baseman Max Muncy when he said, “The train finally ran out of steam, I guess.”

A major aspect of the challenge of winning three straight is simply workload. The Dodgers not only have played more games than any other team the last two years, but their schedule has included grueling travel.

The Dodgers started both the 2024 and 2025 seasons early and overseas, playing in the Seoul Series and Tokyo Series in consecutive years. And both years ended with coast-to-coast travel for the World Series, as the Dodgers won titles over the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

The team’s collective age — the oldest lineup in the majors this year, according to Baseball Reference, weighted by at-bats and games played — may not have helped.

Cap concerns

Shaikin wrote about a lockout expected this winter as Major League Baseball owners attempt to implement a salary cap, which limits the amount of money a team can spend on player salaries.

The owners initially proposed a salary cap of $245 million for next year. The Dodgers already have $347 million committed to 14 players next year, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

Under a cap, the owners have promised a transition period to account for existing commitments, and an actual negotiated cap could be higher, said Shaikin.

Even if the players do not agree to a cap — and they insist they won’t — whatever economic system emerges from collective bargaining would likely make it painful for the Dodgers to spend so freely, according to Shaikin.

What some Dodgers fans are saying

Most baseball teams create a now well-anticipated “thank you fans” social media post after the conclusion of a season.

Passionate fans use the post as a sounding board for everything that ails them about their favorite teams. Just look at the “thank you fans” X posts from the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies laced with profanities and vitriol fiercer than any East Coast nor’easter.

But on Friday, Dodgers fans were gracious and supportive on the fan appreciation post on X.

“Thank you for the great run over the last three years. Let’s come back stronger,” wrote one user.

“Thank you for the ride,” another tweet noted. “We’ll be back next year!”

The week’s biggest stories

A house burns off Calle Miramar in San Juan Capistrano during the Norte fire on Friday.

(Sandy Huffaker/For The Times)

Southern California wildfires

Olympics and sports news

Crime, courts and protests

More news

Editor’s pick

More picks

Things to do

(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)

• 🎭The world premiere play “Bobby Robotowitz” brings AI questions into your living room — literally — with performances on the Eastside and Westside.
• 👀 The 10 biggest revelations of Nathan Fielder’s new Elizabeth Holmes documentary, ‘You Can See Everything.’
• 🍽️ For many, like the preservationists pushing to save Santa Monica’s Mel’s Drive-In, the mere thought of demolishing the iconic restaurant is offensive. Eating there was certainly on the bingo card for columnist LZ Granderson when he and his son first drove across the Southwest decades ago, and it continues to be a favorite breakfast spot of theirs.

Today’s recipe

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Many meatballs are made with a panade, often a mixture of white bread soaked in milk, which lends moisture to the final meatballs. For these lamb meatballs, cooking editor Cody Reiss decided to make his panade out of ingredients that felt more in-line with the mutabbal he was serving them with. He ended up using a mixture of leftover pita bread and labneh (drained yogurt). The resulting meatballs were moist, herby, spiced, seasoned, spicy and just a joy to eat.

Photo of the day

Volunteers led by guerrilla activist Jonathan Hale paint over the faded crosswalks of an intersection near USC on Sept. 19.

(Etienne Laurent/For the Times)

Games

Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Game 4. What will happen? Let’s find out together.

Game 4 thoughts

Pregame

—I’m interested to see how much energy and drive the Dodgers have in Game 4. Will they go down swinging (figuratively, not literally). Will they force the Brewers to rip the title from their hands?

—Fox did a great segment on Charley Steiner before Game 3. You can watch it here. There are things you can criticize the Dodgers for, but you also have to salute them for taking care of people like Steiner and Andrew Toles. They gave Steiner some hope during his cancer battle, and that’s very important.

—One thing about Shohei Ohtani before the game begins. It’s easy to pin the 3-0 deficit on him. He’s the most famous baseball player right now, and he’s not playing well. I wish there was a lot more clarity around his injuries. However, to pin the 3-0 deficit on him is unfair. Going into Game 4, here are the batting stats:

Miguel Rojas, 1 for 2
Mookie Betts, .250, no extra-base hits or RBIs
Kyle Tucker, .250, one double, no RBIs
Shohei Ohtani, .222, no extra-base hits or RBIs
Teoscar Hernández, .200, no extra-base hits, one RBI
Tommy Edman, .167, no extra-base hits or RBIs
Andy Pages, .125, no extra-base hits, one RBI
Max Muncy, .111, no extra-base hits or RBIs
Freddie Freeman, .091, no extra-base hits, one RBI
Will Smith, .091, one double, two RBIs
Kiké Hernández, 0 for 5
Team, .165, two doubles, five RBIs

Ohtani has hit better than most of the Dodgers this series.

First inning

—The one thing that bothers me about Tyler Glasnow: It seems he gets two quick strikes on a batter, then tries to get cute with the pitches.

—Holding the Brewers scoreless in the first is nice.

—First and second, one out. Really should score a run here.

—And a double play. This could be important later.

Second inning

—Hey, they got Jake Bauers out using only four pitches. Miracle!

—And the Brewers go down quietly.

—If you mute the TV and watch an ad, but can’t tell what the ad is for without the sound, then it’s a bad ad.

—Manny Machado was in an ad. Reminds me of the old Yogi Berra quote, “Nobody likes Manny Machado.”

—Kyle Tucker has been the star of the Dodger offense.

—Here comes Dustin May to pitch for the Brewers. The Dodgers used to have a pitcher named Dustin May. I wonder if they are related.

—First and third, nobody out. It would be advantageous to score here.

—Miguel Rojas, in what could be his final game, starts, but is pinch-hit for before getting a chance to bat. You can’t let Rojas end his career like that, so a win is in order.

—Max Muncy strikes out. The worst thing you can do in that situation.

—Now, a double play?

—Andy Pages singles! Another miracle! He’s the only Dodgers who can hit in the clutch this postseason. Dodgers 1, Brewers 0.

—Kiké flies to center. Now Ohtani.

—And a majestic home run! Ohtani let about two months of frustration out with that scream after the homer. Dodgers 4, Brewers 0.

—I feel like Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own” after Geena Davis returns to the team. “We’re gonna win!”

—Now can the Dodgers stop the Brewers from responding?

Third inning

—Glasnow is pitching great.

—Max Muncy seemed to be anticipating that bunt.

—Now if Will Smith could just get going.

—The Dodgers go down quietly. But they have a four-run lead for the first time in forever.

Fourth inning

—”Buy one Subway footlong, get one free” sounds more like a punishment than a reward.

—”Meal of Horror” describes every meal at Jack in the Box, not just this special Krusty the Klown one.

—John Smoltz tried to explain why Glasnow can be dominant, but it made no sense whatsoever.

—Will Smith makes an ABS challenge and loses. Oh well, it happens.

—Brice Turang walks. Don’t walk people with a four-run lead.

—A ground-rule double. Let’s hold them to no more than one run here.

—Another ground-rule double. Uh oh. Dodgers 4, Brewers 2.

—And the Dodgers get out of it. But Glasnow will be on a short leash.

—The Dodgers can’t just rely on four runs to carry them.

—Max Muncy gets a much-needed hit for him.

—And that ends the fourth.

Fifth inning

—Please stop walking people with a lead.

—Frelick steals second. It’s not hard to steal off of Glasnow.

—And the Brewers immediately cash in. Dodgers 4, Brewers 3.

—Evan Phillips comes in. Still has never given up a run in the postseason.

—Brewers are like the Dodgers, making the pitcher work.

—Brewers load the bases with two out. And that’s it for Phillips.

—Can Alex Vesia escape the jam against the pesky Jake Bauers?

—He cannot. Bauers walked on four pitches. Remember all the little things the Dodgers did right the last two years to win the World Series? They are doing none of those things this year. Dodgers 4, Brewers 4.

—The Dodgers go down quietly. This is beginning to feel like the first three games.

Sixth inning

—And just like that, the Brewers lead. Team of destiny. Brewers 5, Dodgers 4. Some people don’t like that I’m named Houston. Will they hate that I’m named Mitchell too? Do I have to change my whole name?

—You certainly can’t blame any of the losses on Tucker. Another hit for him.

—But the Dodgers can’t cash in. This could be important later.

Seventh inning

—It’s so funny that Edwin Díaz is the steadying presence out of the bullpen after the season he had.

—But he will remain unusable, regular season or postseason in Strat-o-matic or APBA.

—Leadoff double by Pages. Can they cash in?

—Kiké bunts! Pages to third.

—And look who’s coming up.

—And Ohtani strikes out, and looks bad doing so.

—And the Dodgers waste another chance.

Eighth inning

—Well, at least it looks like the Dodgers have a closer for next season.

—Quick inning for the Brewers. Do the Dodgers have a run in them?

—Will Smith comes through. Man on third, one out. If they don’t score here, it’s over.

—And Tucker pops out.

—And Teoscar strikes out.

—Two innings in a row, the Dodgers have a runner on third and one out and fail to score.

Ninth inning

—Maybe Díaz should have pitched earlier in this series.

—Brewers add an insurance run. Brewers 6, Dodgers 4.

—Again, the Brewers are playing like the Dodgers did the last two postseasons.

—Dodgers have been out-homered 7-1 in this series.

—Bottom of the ninth. Do the Dodgers go quietly?

—Tommy Edman grounds out.

—Pages struck out.

—Kiké lines to left.

—That’s it. Remember that Tom Hanks quote from earlier? They lost that game.

—Remember what Joe Davis said at the end of last year’s World Series? “To beat the champ, you’ve got to knock them out.” And that’s exactly what the Brewers did.

—As Max Muncy said after the game, “They were relentless with everything that they did. They just strung together good at-bat after good at-bat. That’s usually what we do. We didn’t do it this series and they did.”

—The three teams with a shot to win the World Series: The Brewers, who have never won. The Rays, who have never won. The Guardians, who haven’t won since 1948. It will be fun to see who wins.

Miguel Rojas is retiring

That was indeed the final game of Rojas’ career.

“This is it, guys,” he said, announcing his retirement after Game 4. “It’s been a lot, the last four years of my life here. And obviously making my debut here in 2014 changed my life, not just for me but for my whole family. They took care of my son, my daughter, my wife, and everybody in my family. It’s really amazing what I can think about, what happened to me and to my family the last few years.

“I just wanted to say thank you to all the veteran guys for allowing me to be myself when I got here, even though I didn’t play one game for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the last eight or nine years before I came here. They allowed me to be the leader that I wanted to be, the person that I wanted to change the culture and kind of give a little bit more of a culture, chemistry to the clubhouse. I feel like that is going to be a legacy that I wanted to leave here, other than my performance on the field. … I want them to remember me as a guy who always did everything possible to help my teammates win and to help the team get better every single day.”

You can read more here.

Wrapping it up

I had a reader email me in the ninth inning that he felt ill watching the Dodgers play. Really? The team won the last two World Series and reached the NLCS in the third year. To feel ill or angry over this team is just the wrong way to look at it. Disappointed? Sure. Sad? Sure.

But if those feeling linger into Friday, remember that this team has given you many memorable moments over the last three seasons. They were outplayed by a better team here. Tip your cap to the Brewers. And, after the disappointment ends, thank the Dodgers for three incredible seasons. In fact, here are the Dodgers since 2016:

2016, Lost in NLCS
2017, Lost in World Series*
2018, Lost in World Series
2019, Lost in NLDS
2020, Won World Series
2021, Lost in NLCS
2022, Lost in NLDS
2023, Lost in NLDS
2024, Won World Series
2025, Won World Series
2026, Lost in NLCS

*-Astros cheated to win.

An embarrassment of riches.

Up next

That concludes the 12th season of Dodgers Dugout. We’ll be back in the next couple of weeks to discuss the offseason and whether there will even be a 2027 season.

In the meantime, today’s a new day. Look at the sunshine. Look at your family and loved ones. Everything is OK.

In case you missed it

Dodgers’ three-peat dream dies with Game 4 NLCS loss to Brewers

Plaschke: The Dodgers had everything needed to three-peat. This is why they failed

Miguel Rojas announces his retirement after Dodgers’ NLCS loss

Dave Roberts on Dodgers losing the NLCS and having no regrets

And finally

The Dodgers win the 2025 World Series. Watch and listen here.

Until next time …

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Dodgers are swept by the Brewers

From Maddie Lee: The hope for a Dodgers comeback in the National League Championship Series ended with the smack of the ball hitting leather.

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio, sprinting toward the warning track, had to leap to reel in Kiké Hernández’s line drive in the gap. But he secured the catch. And ended the Dodgers’ season.

The Dodgers’ hopes of making National League history with a three-peat died with a 6-4 loss to the Brewers on Thursday, completing Milwaukee’s four-game sweep.

“It sucked,” veteran left fielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Especially after [what] we had done the last two years. This year at the beginning of the year, what we’ve been through, a lot of injuries throughout the year the last two years, a lot of ups and downs. It just sucked that we’re in this situation, but it’s part of the game.

“Somebody has to win, somebody has to lose. This time, we’re the ones that lost, and just reflect on everything that we didn’t do great this year and just try to do it next year.”

As the Dodgers’ postseason hype video declared before the game: “October doesn’t remember who came close. It remembers who triumphs.”

The Dodgers, after reinforcing to their back-to-back championship roster in the offseason and entering the year as the World Series favorites, fell short. And instead the Brewers will represent the National League, making their first trip to the Fall Classic in 44 years.

“They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we have a bunch of gamers,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said from the stage. “And the gamers won this week.”

Continue reading here

Dodgers Debate NLCS Game 4: Dodgers are swept by Brewers

Dodgers box score

This is why the Dodgers lost

From Bill Plaschke: The two World Series championship trophies royally entered Dodger Stadium in a blue convertible while being cradled by two October heroes.

The 2024 trophy was held by Freddie Freeman, whose grand slam toppled the New York Yankees.

The 2025 trophy was held by Miguel Rojas, whose home run stunned the Toronto Blue Jays.

On this bright afternoon late last March, the Dodgers past shined and their future dazzled in a celebration that came with a promise.

It was elicited by an impromptu cheer by a pregame musician in a voice so loud, one could imagine it resonating until October.

“Three-peat!” shouted the man.

Yes, they were going for the three-peat, attempting to become the first team in National League history to win three consecutive championships.

On opening day, as epitomized by Freeman and Rojas, the Dodgers were unbeatable.

Six months later, the Dodgers were unrecognizable.

Continue reading here

Miguel Rojas retires

From Maddie Lee: Miguel Rojas didn’t want to take his cleats off.

The veteran infielder stood by his locker at Dodger Stadium, his eyes red and watery, his uniform covered in dirt, knowing that when he pulled them off, it would be for the last time.

“This is it, guys,” he said, announcing his retirement, after the Dodgers were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series on Thursday. “It’s been a lot, the last four years of my life here. And obviously making my debut here in 2014 changed my life, not just for me but for my whole family. They took care of my son, my daughter, my wife, and everybody in my family. It’s really amazing what I can think about, what happened to me and to my family the last few years.”

Rojas addressed the team after the 6-4 loss to the Brewers. He said he was going to stay loyal to the Dodgers organization but in a different role.

Continue reading here

MLB postseason schedule

All times Pacific

NLCS

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 2 Dodgers
at Milwaukee 2, Dodgers 1 (box score)
at Milwaukee 7, Dodgers 4 (box score)
Milwaukee 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
Milwaukee 6, at Dodgers 4 (box score)

ALCS

No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 2 Cleveland
Cleveland 7, at Tampa Bay 3 (box score)
at Tampa Bay 3, Cleveland 1 (box score)
at Cleveland 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score)
Friday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Saturday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max

World Series
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. TB/Cleveland
Friday, Oct. 23 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Sat., Oct. 24 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Monday, Oct. 26 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Wed., Oct. 28 at TB/Cle., TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday, Oct. 30 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Sat., Oct. 31 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

* if necessary

Lakers’ Ziaire Williams brings needed energy

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: He made one of the biggest splashes in the Lakers’ first preseason game. Ziaire Williams set the tone of the Lakers’ new defensive style, pressuring the ball the full length of the court and injecting energy into his teammates. The Sierra Canyon High alumnus sank three three-pointers in a stellar debut for his hometown team.

Then came the swelling in his left foot.

After a minor injury slowed Williams’ preseason ascent, the 6-foot-9 forward could be in position to return to the lineup for the Lakers’ preseason finale at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the visiting Denver Nuggets. Williams practiced fully Thursday after missing the last three games. He’ll leave the final call up to the Lakers’ medical staff as the team tries to maximize its preseason preparation.

“It’s important, man, just to get game reps with each other, but health is key,” said Williams, who had 13 points and a steal as a starter in the preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5. “If you can’t go, you just can’t. It’s not the end of the world. Going back to championship identity, we’re looking ahead at the bigger picture. So it’s not worth [it] to risk your body for a game that doesn’t count and then be out for the real games.”

Continue reading here

Rams’ Sean McVay is ready for anything

From Gary Klein: It was already going to be a short week, but Sean McVay navigated unexpected business that affected the start of preparation for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

After Monday night’s defeat by the Buffalo Bills, the Rams on Tuesday released struggling kicker Harrison Mevis, and signed Blake Grupe. Then left tackle Alaric Jackson was suspended by the NFL for punching a Bills player on the field after the game.

“You’re always ready for inevitable things to come up,” the Rams coach said Thursday.

Continue reading here

Chargers’ Mike McDaniel is always coaching for his job

From Joaquin Ruiz: Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel didn’t shy away from discussing his job security Thursday amid a frustrating 0-5 start to the season.

“I feel like it’s core to my job to always feel that way,” McDaniel said when asked if he’s coaching for his job. “I need to do the very best I possibly can, all the time, because [of] the players, the organization, the fans.

“So, that’s second nature. … I think it’s disrespectful to all those that choose to invest in our game and our team to not look at things that way. The second you get comfortable in this league, it’s a wrap; it’s too good. I will be doing my very best, because from an integrity standpoint, I think it’s really insulting to do anything else. And that won’t change.”

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1897 — Michigan beats Ohio State 34-0 at Ann Arbor, the first meeting between theses storied rivals.

1909 — In his fourth title defense, Jack Johnson KOs Stanley Ketchel in the 12th round at Mission St Arena, Colma, California to retain his heavyweight boxing crown.

1932 — After a 0-0 tie earlier in the season, the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 2-0.

1946 — Detroit’s Gordie Howe scores a goal and gets into two fights in his first NHL game. The Red Wings tie the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-3.

1964 — Babe Parilli of the Boston Patriots passes for 422 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-43 tie with the Oakland Raiders.

1968 — Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos give Black power salutes during the medal ceremonies of the 200-meter race and are later banned for life from all Olympic competition by the IOC.

1971 — Norm Ullman of the Toronto Maple Leafs records his 1,000th point in a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers. Ullman gets two assists to become the fourth NHL player to reach the milestone.

1976 — Tony Franklin of Texas A&M kicks two field goals over 60 yards for an NCAA record. The distances are 65 and 64 yards as the Aggies beat Baylor 24-0.

1977 — The Denver Broncos intercept seven passes off Ken Stabler of the Oakland Raiders in a 30-7 victory.

1977 — The Minnesota Vikings beat the Chicago Bears 16-10 in overtime with the only successful fake field goal in NFL overtime.

1987 — Mike Tyson retains his undisputed heavyweight title with a seven-round knockout of Tyrell Biggs in Atlantic City, N.J.

1999 — Fourth-ranked Virginia Tech hangs a record-setting 62-0 loss on No. 16 Syracuse. It’s the worst shutout loss by a ranked team in the history of The Associated Press poll.

1999 — Mount Union beats Otterbein 44-20 for its 48th consecutive victory, surpassing Oklahoma’s 42-year-old all-division mark of 47 in a row.

2004 — 17-year-old Lionel Messi makes his league debut for FC Barcelona in a 1-0 win against cross-town rivals Espanyol.

2004 — Mount Union beats Marietta 57-0 for its 100th consecutive regular-season victory. The Purple Raiders’ last regular-season loss was on Oct. 15, 1994, at home against Baldwin-Wallace.

2011 — Danell Leyva becomes the first American man gymnast to win a gold medal at the World Championships since 2003. Leyva wins the parallel bars title to become the first gold medalist for the U.S. since Paul Hamm claimed the floor exercise and all-around titles in 2003.

2011 — Dan Wheldon, 33, dies in a fiery 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when his car flew over another on Lap 13 and smashes into the wall just outside turn 2.

2017 — Louisville’s Athletic Assn. officially fires coach Rick Pitino nearly three weeks after the school acknowledged that its men’s basketball program is being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe. The association, which oversees Louisville’s sports programs and is composed of trustees, faculty, students and administrators, vote unanimously to oust the longtime Cardinals coach following a board meeting.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.