Sports

Commentary: Dodgers’ Game 1 NLCS win shows financial might can make things right

Published

4 months ago

October 14, 2025

Commentary: Dodgers’ Game 1 NLCS win shows financial might can make things right

MILWAUKEE — The disparity in the payrolls was the focus of the series before the first pitch ever delivered, the handiwork of the manager of the small-market franchise that won more regular season games than any team in baseball.

“I’m sure that most Dodgers players can’t name eight guys on our roster,” joked Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers.

If the preceding six months were a testament to how a team can win without superstars, the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series was a display of the firepower that can be purchased for $400 million.

The Dodgers won a game in which a confusing play at the center-field wall resulted in an inning-ending double play that cost them a run — and very likely more.

They won a game in which they stranded 11 runners.

They won a game in which the Brewers emptied their top-flight bullpen to secure as many favorable matchups as possible.

The Dodgers won because they had a $162-million first baseman in Freddie Freeman, whose sixth-inning solo home run pushed them in front. The Dodgers won because they had a $182-million starting pitcher in Blake Snell, who pitched eight scoreless innings.

Talent wins.

The Dodgers can buy as much of it as they want.

The visions of the Brewers’ small-ball offense overcoming the absence of a Freeman or a Shohei Ohtani or a Mookie Betts?

In retrospect, how cute.

The thinking of how the Brewers’ pitching depth could triumph over the Dodgers’ individual superiority?

In retrospect, how delusional.

The Dodgers absorbed the Brewers’ best collective shot, and they emerged with a victory that won them control of the best-of-seven series.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for the Dodgers in Game 2 on Tuesday. Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow will start Games 3 and 4 at Dodger Stadium, in some order.

How can the Brewers match that?

Bring on the Seattle Mariners.

Bring on the World Series.

The Brewers’ futile effort to stop the Dodgers on Monday night consisted of them deploying six pitchers in a so-called bullpen game. The assembly line of arms was solid. Snell was exceptional.

Snell yielded only one baserunner over eighth innings — Caleb Durbin, who singled to lead off the third inning.

Snell picked him off.

Only when the Dodgers turned to their bullpen in the ninth inning did the game become close.

So the bullpen remains a problem. So the form of Ohtani remains a question mark, as the Brewers refused to pitch to him.

But neither problem is severe enough to sink the Dodgers, not against this opponent.

Entering this series, much of the conversation centered on Ohtani, who was one for 18 with nine strikeouts in the previous round against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Between the NLDS and NLCS, manager Dave Roberts publicly called on Ohtani to improve the quality of his at-bats, in particular to not swing at inside pitches off the plate.

“We’re not gonna win the World Series with that sort of performance,” Roberts said.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman offered a more charitable assessment of Ohtani’s NLDS. The rhetoric bordered on hyperbolic, with Friedman describing the performance of the Phillies’ pitchers in historic terms.

“I think it was the most impressive execution against a hitter I’ve ever seen,” Friedman said.

Friedman explained: “Look, if a pitcher who has really good stuff executes at an A-plus level, hitters aren’t going to hit. Hitting is way too difficult. It’s about hitting mistakes more than not, and they executed it on him at an elite rate.”

Perhaps not wanting to create any bulletin-board material for Ohtani, Murphy also described the mini-slump as a reflection of the excellence of Phillies pitchers Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Ranger Suarez.

“Those guys are really, really good,” Murphy said. “So I don’t consider Ohtani struggling. I don’t. It’s baseball.”

However, Murphy sounded as if he had designs of replicating the Phillies’ plan as closely as possible.

“I want to throw lefties against him whenever we can,” Murphy said. “It’s always harder for a lot of those lefties to face lefties that are throwing 95 [mph] and above and sinkers into them.”

The Brewers deployed left-hander Aaron Ashby as an opener. Ohtani led off the game by drawing a walk against him. Ohtani was walked twice more, both times intentionally. He was hitless in his two other plate appearances, but the Dodgers managed that.

Ohtani wasn’t the only premium player they could afford.

Sports

NFL releases statement on Giants co-owner’s emails with Jeffrey Epstein

Published

9 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

NFL releases statement on Giants co-owner’s emails with Jeffrey Epstein

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The NFL on Monday released a statement after New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch was found to be corresponding with Jeffrey Epstein.

The emails were released last week as part of the Justice Department’s dump of more than 3 million documents related to the investigation of the human trafficker and child sex offender. The league’s statement came as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was set to have his annual pre-Super Bowl press conference with reporters.

New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch during warmups before the Washington Redskins game on Oct. 28, 2018, at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“The league is aware of the reports and Steve’s response,” the NFL said. “Our office will look into the matter to understand the facts.”

Some of the emails exchanged between Epstein and Tisch appeared to show the two discussing women.

One thread from April 2023 showed Tisch asking Epstein whether an unnamed woman was “pro or civilian.” Epstein said his team reached out to the woman. He later added that she wanted to go to a play with Tisch but was “freaked by the age difference.”

Another exchange, from June 2013, showed Tisch and Epstein setting up a potential meeting in New York.

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New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch on the sideline during a game against Dallas at Cowboys Stadium. (Tim Heitman/USA Today Sports)

Tisch’s family owns about 45% of the Giants. He assumed control of the team in 2005 after his father had purchased a majority stake in the team in 1991.

Epstein was found dead in a Manhattan federal jail cell Aug. 10, 2019. It was later ruled a suicide. He faced up to 45 years in prison for crimes related to the sex trafficking of minors.

Tisch released a statement through the Giants on Friday as the emails came to light.

“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments. I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with,” Tisch said.

The Department of Justice released a trove of Epstein documents on Dec. 19. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

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Goodell is expected to face questions about Tisch’s dealings with Epstein and whether the NFL team owner could be disciplined for it.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Rosters announced for 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game

Published

10 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Rosters announced for 2026 McDonald’s All-American Game

Southern California will be well represented on the West team for the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 31 in Glendale, Ariz.

Selected to the boys team are Jason Crowe Jr. from Inglewood, Christian Collins from St. John Bosco, Brandon McCoy and Maximo Adams from Sierra Canyon. Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame player Tyran Stokes also made the team.

Crowe is committed to Missouri and Adams to North Carolina.

Jerzy Robinson from Sierra Canyon and Cydnee Bryant from Corona Centennial made the girls team.

Robinson is committed to South Carolina and Bryant is a Kansas commit.

Sports

Lightning players wear full-padded Bucs uniforms, get Baker Mayfield escort before Stadium Series in Tampa

Published

21 hours ago

February 2, 2026

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Lightning players wear full-padded Bucs uniforms, get Baker Mayfield escort before Stadium Series in Tampa

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The Boston Bruins were being hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning not in the usual Amalie Arena way on Sunday night, but rather at Raymond James Stadium — home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So, before they hit the outdoor ice on a very chilly Tampa night, the Lightning players were spotted coming off the bus wearing throwback “Creamsicle” Bucs uniforms.

Pads, helmets and all.

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Victor Hedman and the Tampa Bay Lightning dress in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers creamsicle jerseys and are joined by Tristan Wirfs as they travel to the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mark LoMoglio/NHLI)

Fans were cheering as the players, all with their numbers and last names on the back of the bright orange jerseys, made their way into the stadium for their clash with the Bruins.

It was a lot different than the regular blue, black and white jerseys the Lightning players are used to, but these throwback jerseys are a staple in the Tampa area. The Bucs still wear them today on occasion, though it used to be synonymous with losing when the franchise first began in 1976.

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The Bucs were an expansion team, and they turned heads with their uniform color choice. However, they went a whopping 0-26 in them before finally coming away with a win in their second season.

And it wasn’t just the Lightning players the fans were cheering for. At the head of the pack were Bucs stars, quarterback Baker Mayfield and left tackle Tristan Wirfs, leading the way while wearing the actual blue sweater the hockey team would don on the ice at Raymond James Stadium.

Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning arrives prior to the 2026 NHL Stadium Series against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Bruins also had a football theme considering their fellow NFL team in New England is going to the Super Bowl in a week.

With the Patriots back in the “Big Game,” the Bruins showed up in full Patriots outfits, looking like our founding fathers as they got off the bus.

While the NHL and its teams are having fun with this Stadium Series game, both of these squads are coming into the contest on fire.

The Bruins and Lightning each own an 8-1-1 record over their last 10 games, and the Lightning own the Eastern Conference’s best record at 34-14-4. The Bruins are not too far behind, though, at 32-20-3.

David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins arrives dressed as a Colonial Patriot before the 2026 NHL Stadium Series game between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Brian Babineau/NHLI)

Finally, hockey outdoors in Florida is usually conducive, but the NHL will actually need a heater to get the ice to the proper temperature as it’s an uncharacteristic 40 degrees on Sunday night.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.