- Shohei Ohtani’s health will be the biggest storyline for the Dodgers — if he’s fully right, a three-peat is plausible; if not, October gets a lot trickier.
- Crow-Armstrong’s 40-40, MVP-caliber season (the best Cubs fWAR since 1929) put Chicago’s offense and elite defense in the spotlight.
- The Astros quietly snuck into October at 81-81 thanks to their AL MVP favorite (Yordan Álvarez) — can one superstar carry the weakest playoff team deep?
The news, distilled into what matters.
- An independent Premier League commission found Manchester City guilty of nearly all 115 charges, saying the club used "sham" contracts to artificially inflate revenues by more than £900m; City faces severe sanctions (including possible expulsion) and plans to appeal.
- The scandal began after 2018 Football Leaks/Der Spiegel publications of hacked City emails (linked to Rui Pinto), which prompted separate UEFA and Premier League investigations; Pinto later received a suspended prison sentence.
- City previously overturned a two-season Champions League ban from UEFA at CAS in 2020 (some allegations unproven or time‑barred), but this new Premier League verdict is a major, separate development.
- Series kicks off Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock) — best-of-three between the White Sox and Astros (Games 2 Wed, Game 3 Thu if needed).
- Chicago (84-78) is back in the postseason for the first time since 2021; Houston (81-81) still took the AL West.
- Power hitters to watch: Yordan Alvarez (42 HR) leads the Astros; Chicago’s top sluggers include Minetaka Murakami (35 HR).
- Astros host the White Sox in the AL Wild Card series starting Tuesday (Game 1 in Houston, 5 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock).
- Houston returns after an 81-81 season; Chicago is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after finishing 84-78 and closing strong.
- Big boppers headline the matchup — Yordan Alvarez drove 42 homers, while the White Sox boast three 30+ homer hitters (Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery).
- Veteran Joe Musgrove is a surprise addition to the Padres’ Wild Card roster — his first MLB action since Oct. 2, 2024, after Tommy John surgery and a long rehab.
- Outfielder Miguel Andújar also made the cut despite a broken wrist earlier this summer; he recently took at-bats at Petco Park.
- Catcher Ethan Salas, 20, is on the roster and would become the youngest catcher ever to appear in an MLB postseason if he plays.
- Jerry Jones publicly blamed coaching errors in the final seconds for Dallas’ 34-31 loss to Baltimore, saying there’s “no explanation” he’s satisfied with.
- The Cowboys had a chance from the 2-yard line with 23 seconds left but after miscues the Ravens drove and won on a 56-yard field goal.
- Jones says the team is still “in the hunt” despite a 1-2 start; Dallas visits the Houston Texans on Sunday.
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