Sports
Shohei Ohtani primed for playoff debut in Dodgers-Padres NLDS
Sep 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates his single during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images LOS ANGELES — The last two teams left standing west of the Missouri River will hunker down along the Pacific Ocean over the next week amid anything but a serene setting.
The MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the San Diego Padres, the top team since the All-Star break, when a fiery National League Division Series matchup begins Saturday.
When the Dodgers clinched their playoff spot with a rousing 20-run victory Sept. 19 on the road against the Miami Marlins, the day was better known for Shohei Ohtani having one of the best games in MLB history.
Ohtani punched his ticket to his first ever playoff appearance with six hits, three home runs, two stolen bases and 10 RBIs. If that wasn’t enough, the effort gave the Dodgers’ star the first ever 50-homer, 50-steals season in MLB history.
“It’s always been my childhood dream to be able to be in an important situation, to play in important games.” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton, explaining why he has a sense of calm on the eve of his first playoff appearance. “I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else that I could possibly feel.”
While Ohtani and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge are the postseason’s must-see players, the Padres are a must-see team with a 43-20 record since the All-Star break, as well as a series sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card round.
The Padres finished second to the 98-64 Dodgers in the NL West, but do not exude the little-brother vibe. San Diego went 8-5 against the Dodgers, the first time they have won the season series against their rival since 2010.
“We’ve been winning a lot of games against the Dodgers already and we’re prepared,” said the Padres’ Jurickson Profar, who had the best season of his lengthy career with a .280 batting average, 24 home runs and 85 RBIs.
There has been recent playoff success as well, with a 3-1 series win over the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS.
The Padres will send right-hander Dylan Cease to the mound in Saturday’s series opener. Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA in the regular season and 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.
Amid Ohtani’s historic season, he batted .326 with a .922 OPS against the Padres, and he’s 4-for-15 in his career against Cease with two home runs.
“He’s a great player, he’s having an historic year, but we feel good about our plan, and the plan is just as good as the execution,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said of Cease facing Ohtani.
While Ohtani has been the picture of health after elbow surgery in advance of his massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, other key parts of the roster have been hobbled.
With Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw injured, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start in Game 1 after appearing in just four games following a three-month absence because of a shoulder injury. Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts in his debut MLB season.
In his major league debut March 21 in South Korea, Yamamoto was torched with five runs against the Padres in just one inning. In another start against San Diego on April 12, he gave up three runs over five innings of a no-decision.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hasn’t played since Sept. 26 because of an ankle injury. It happened one day after starting shortstop Miguel Rojas came away with a groin injury. Both veterans intend to play in the series but are not expected to be at 100 percent.
“I think unfinished business is something that resonates with our guys,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I talk about it, but we’ve got to go out there and be about it. … It’s an edgy group right now, which I think is a good thing.
–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media
Sports
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
Jul 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (41) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images In the thick of the American League West and AL wild-card races, the Houston Astros placed right-handed starter Spencer Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday with nerve irritation in his foot.
Arrighetti, 26, left Friday’s start against the Chicago White Sox after one inning and 33 pitches due to the foot issue.
In a corresponding move, Houston recalled left-handed reliever Bryan King from Triple-A Sugar Land.
In 17 starts this season, Arrighetti is 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA, allowing six or more earned runs in three of his final four starts before the All-Star break. The 2021 sixth-round pick, who debuted with Houston in 2024, is 15-23 with a 4.66 ERA in 53 games (52 starts).
The 29-year-old King has made 42 relief appearances with the Astros in 2026, posting a 2-3 record with a 3.40 ERA. Across his three MLB seasons, all with Houston, he is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 138 relief outings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics activate star Nick Kurtz (thumb) from IL
![Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.](https://dailyfacthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/29355296.jpg)
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The Athletics activated All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz from the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday’s road game against the Minnesota Twins.
Kurtz sustained a right thumb capsule sprain and was placed on the IL on July 10 and the injury forced him to miss the All-Star Game. He had been elevated to American League starter when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) of the Toronto Blue Jays backed out.
Kurtz is batting second and serving as the designated hitter on Saturday.
Kurtz exited a 6-1 loss at Detroit on July 8 after 1 1/2 innings after he appeared to hurt the hand while trying to field a throw in the bottom of the first. The following day, he was the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers.
Kurtz, 23, is batting .266 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 92 games. He was the unanimous 2025 AL Rookie of the Year with a .290 batting average, 36 home runs and 86 RBIs in just 117 games.
Third baseman Max Muncy was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. He was recalled by the A’s earlier this week and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in two games.
Muncy, 23, is batting .223 with five homers and 20 RBIs over 48 games. He has a .218 average in 111 big league games over the past two campaigns.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Davis Alexander, Alouettes look to extend East cushion vs. Tiger-Cats
Nov 16, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Montreal Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander (10) looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the 112th Grey Cup Championship at Princess Auto Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-Imagn Images With a healthy Davis Alexander at the controls, the Montreal Alouettes have a chance to run away with the East Division pretty quickly.
When Montreal hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday night, it has a chance to take a three-game lead and earn the tiebreaker with a victory.
Most of that is because Alexander has – to this point – stayed off the injured list after playing just eight games last year due to a hamstring injury. Alexander has rolled up huge numbers for the Als (5-1), passing for 2,181 yards and 11 touchdowns while setting a new CFL record by throwing 336 straight passes without an interception.
Head coach Jason Maas said he and Alexander came to an understanding that he had to curb his scrambling style to be of maximum use to the club.
“He’s very smart about how he plays and what he decides to do,” Maas said. “There’s a reason he has played (six) straight games. These things, after you’ve had one, they can reoccur and it takes a lot of time to get over them.”
While Montreal is soaring with its quarterback at 100 percent, Hamilton (3-3) got back into the win column last week when its third starting quarterback in three weeks gave the offense a big lift in a 24-23 win over Toronto.
Tre Ford hit on 21 of 27 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 109 yards on 10 attempts. The Tiger-Cats struggled mightily on offense in back-to-back losses to Winnipeg and Saskatchewan, largely because star QB Bo Levi Mitchell broke his ankle in the third quarter against Winnipeg.
“Using my legs is going to be an asset for my team,” said Ford, a former starter in Edmonton before being benched last year for Cody Fajardo. “Having legs definitely helps … being able to extend plays, run around and get first downs.”
It was really helpful last week when tackles Trevor Reid and Quinton Barrow left with injuries, forcing rookie tight end Max Mang into emergency duty as a guard.
–Field Level Media
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
Athletics activate star Nick Kurtz (thumb) from IL
