Sports
Shohei Ohtani has sweeping Dodgers dreaming of a different October
This wasn’t October. This can’t be confused with October. This has nothing to do with October.
Yet make no mistake, the Dodgers’ weekend sweep of the Atlanta Braves at a rollicking Dodger Stadium was a fair predictor of an entirely different sort of October.
An October with Shohei Ohtani.
Goodness, the imagination soars, like a 464-foot blast into the lunging grasps of the pavilion partiers.
My, the possibilities seem endless, like a 412-foot rocket that disappears over the center-field fence.
Ohtani authored both moments during Sunday’s 5-1 sweeping victory, once again leaving witnesses searching for adjectives.
“He just keeps doing things that we haven’t seen before,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Leading this team to its first full-season title in 36 years would qualify as something else few have seen before, wouldn’t it?
Heavens, the potential is enormous.
Ohtani, who was elsewhere while the Dodgers were failing in 10 of their previous 11 postseasons, filled his first playoff atmosphere here with ohhs and ahhs and oh yeahs.
Ohh, he wrecked the pitching staff of the team with baseball’s best record for eight hits in 12 at-bats with three home runs and six RBIs in the three games.
Ahh, he had a game-tying single in extra innings on Friday, a tone-setting homer on Saturday, and two homers among his four hits on Sunday.
Oh yeah, he signed with the Dodgers this winter because he wanted to experience the sort of playoff setting that eluded him during six years in Anaheim, so it only figures he would soak it all in.
I asked him after Sunday’s game if he could feel the big-game atmosphere.
“Yeah, very much so,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton.
Shohei Ohtani greets Dodgers teammate Teoscar Hernández after hitting a home run in the eighth inning Sunday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
He was asked what it feels like to hit a ball 464 feet, the longest Dodgers homer this season, a leadoff shot in the eighth inning that landed deep in the left-center field seats.
“Slug is part of my game,” Ohtani said. “So being able to express that in a game situation like that … is important as well.”
That first part belongs on a T-shirt, no?
Slug Is Part Of My Game.
“That’s deep, people don’t hit the ball out there,” said Roberts when asked about those traveling 464 feet.
Equally as deep is a Dodgers roster dotted with key new players who do not bear the dark stain of postseasons past.
This Dodger team has a new pitcher, James Paxson, who is now 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA after throwing five strong innings Sunday.
Paxson has a 3.46 postseason ERA in three starts for the New York Yankees, so he understands the importance of this weekend’s furor.
“We played really well,” he said. “We showed how well we can play against a really good team.”
This Dodgers team also has a new outfielder, Teoscar Hernández , who hit his eighth homer Sunday and has equaled Ohtani’s 25 RBIs.
Hernández has two homers in four postseason games, so he also seems suited for the big stage.
“With our offense, every game is winnable,” Roberts said.
With Ohtani in the middle of it all, every game this weekend felt like a victory from the first pitch to Randy Newman. The Dodgers outscored the Braves 20-6 and trailed for only brief spells in what amounted to a three-day fiesta capped by Sunday’s Cinco de Mayo roars.
“I saw signs of postseason … it was good to see our guys play to the level and energy that the fans had this series,” Roberts said.
Ohtani said the feeling was contagious.
“I just feel like we’re overall playing really well, so that’s really helping me have quality at-bats and just feeling good overall,” he said.
The scary part for opponents is that both of his Sunday home runs were essentially opposite-field hits, which means his bat has discovered its mojo.
“When I feel confident that I can hit in that direction, then I know I can cover other pitches really well,” Ohtani said.
Paxson explained that in human terms.
“He’s awesome,” the pitcher said with a gasp. “So much power.”
The Dodgers could have used that power last October when they were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a series in which they never led.
Shohei Ohtani runs past Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel after hitting a home run in the first inning Sunday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
The Dodgers could have used that slug two postseasons ago when they couldn’t score in a four-game loss to the San Diego Padres.
And, yes, certainly, they will need every bit of Ohtani this fall if they once again meet the Braves. They are 3-1 against Atlanta during their postseason run, but it is the Braves who delivered the most recent blow with a four-games-to-two triumph in the 2021 National League Championship Series.
It’s far too early to be forecasting a rematch. It’s way too reckless to be celebrating a May sweep.
Yet as this weekend proved, it’s not too early to start believing.
For the last 11 years, the Dodgers didn’t have anyone like Shohei Ohtani.
Now they do, and anything is possible.
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Winning two knockout stage games? That means you’re really in the running to win the World Cup.
Let’s check out the updated odds for which countries will make it to the quarterfinals at FanDuel Sportsbook as of July 1.
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To Reach Quarterfinals
France: -1250 (bet $10 to win $10.80 total)
Argentina: -425 (bet $10 to win $12.35 total)
Morocco: -260 (bet $10 to win $13.85 total)
Brazil: -240 (bet $10 to win $14.17 total)
England: -175 (bet $10 to win $15.71 total)
Spain: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
Colombia: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
USA: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)
Mexico: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)
Norway: +160 (bet $10 to win $26 total)
Portugal: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Canada: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Belgium: +185 (bet $10 to win $28.50 total)
Switzerland: +195 (bet $10 to win $29.50 total)
Senegal: +370 (bet $10 to win $47 total)
Algeria: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Egypt: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Ghana: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
The USA is currently one of the favorites to reach the World Cup quarterfinals (Getty Images).
Here’s what to know about this oddsboard.
Recent History: The quarterfinals are kinda a given for France, at least in recent years. The French have made it to at least the quarterfinals in five of the last seven World Cups, and they have made the final in four of the last seven years, winning the tournament twice. Les Bleus are now heavy favorites at -1250 to beat Paraguay and get back to the quarterfinals.
The Host Nations: Before this summer, Canada had never won a World Cup match in two tournament appearances. But that has all changed. Canada is through to the Round of 16 after beating South Africa in the Round of 32. As for Mexico, it has recorded four straight scoreless wins to start the tournament for the first time in its nation’s history. El Tri will look to get back to the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years after dominating Ecuador in the Round of 32. After its win over Ecuador, Mexico jumped from +290 to +140 to make the quarters. The U.S. looks to replicate the other two host nations’ knockout stage performances against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda celebrates after the Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos to win the NL pennant in 1981.
(Associated Press)
Years as manager: 1976-1996
Record: 1,599-1,439, .526 win pct
After serving as the team’s third base coach for four seasons, Lasorda took over as manager late in the 1976 season when Alston announced his retirement. He led the Dodgers to the National League pennant in his first two full seasons, losing both times to the Yankees in the World Series. He won his first World Series in 1981, knocking off the Yankees, and rallied his team to a surprise title in 1988 in which the Dodgers beat the heavily favored Athletics. Lasorda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, his first year of eligibility.
A fiery and vibrant presence who spent 71 years with the Dodgers, Lasorda managed nine players who won the NL rookie of the year award. The Dodgers also opened the Japanese player pipeline on his watch. Hideo Nomo, the first Japanese big leaguer to permanently relocate to the U.S., joined the Dodgers in 1995. Three decades later, the team features Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on its star-studded roster.
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Back in January, the odds that King James would retire before the beginning of the 2026-27 season were slightly longer than the odds that he would give it another go.
But as of now, it looks like LeBron will, in fact, give it another go but with a team other than the Lakers.
Here are the latest odds for where James could land next season at DraftKings Sportsbook as of June 30.
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LeBron James Next Team Odds
Golden State Warriors: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Los Angeles Lakers: +105 (bet $10 to win $20.50 total)
Cleveland Cavaliers: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Miami Heat: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
New York Knicks: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Detroit Pistons: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Dallas Mavericks: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
San Antonio Spurs: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Milwaukee Bucks: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Brooklyn Nets: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Washington Wizards: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
NBA free agency begins on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. However, hours before its official start, LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, made a jaw-dropping announcement.
According to ESPN reporting, Paul notified the Lakers that the franchise could move on without LeBron because he plans to play elsewhere for the 2026-27 season.
James played for the organization for eight years — the longest he’s played for any other team. While in L.A., King James broke the all-time scoring record, won an NBA title and earned his fourth NBA Finals MVP.
The imprint he’s left on the league in his more than 20 years has been immeasurable.
Where will LeBron land next season now that his time in Los Angeles is over?
In addition to his tenure in Los Angeles, he’s played for the Cavaliers and the Heat, winning titles with all three franchises. He won Rookie of the Year, has four regular-season MVPs and is a 22-time All-Star.
James has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 boards and 7.4 assists over the course of his career.
During the 2025-26 season, he helped lead the Lakers to a 53-29 record in the regular season. The team secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and defeated Houston 4-2 in the first round.
Eventually, Los Angeles got bounced by Oklahoma City in the conference semifinals, 4-0, which marked LeBron’s last dance in Hollywood.
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