The Sportsletter - Wild Week Sweeps & 1 Winner-Take-All

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 3, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

Wild Card Wednesday washed three MLB teams off the playoff shores and into the ocean of the offseason. Only one series is going to a Game 3 tonight (Mets at Brewers, 7:00 pm ET). Plus, we’ve got more international soccer, and the NFL’s first in-season blockbuster trade could come at any moment.

Fun Fact: Yesterday was the last day without any football games (NFL or CFB) until the day before Thanksgiving (Nov. 27). You’re welcome.

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  NFL PICKS  

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  MLB  

Wild-n-Out: 3 In, 3 Out (1 To Go)

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Tigers, Royals & Padres Advance to Divisional Series With Wild Card Sweeps — Mets & Brewers Set for Game 3

All of 162 regular-season games for a postseason run that lasts... two nights? Three fan bases are calling in sick today after quick October exits. Our condolences to you all, but three great teams (and great stories) need celebrating. Both the Tigers and the Royals just steamrolled the home teams in two straight AL Wild Card upsets. The AL bracket’s final four is set. In the NL, the Padres finished off the embattled Braves with a clean sweep. Only one Wild Card series is going to a winner-take-all Game 3 — Mets and Brewers. The Crew’s rookie sensation, Jackson Chourio, made history with two home runs in a season-saving rally for Milwaukee last night. It's three-up, three-down, and one to go for Wild Card Week.

ALWC G2: Tigers def. Astros (5-2)

Detroit Wins 1st Playoff Series in 11 Years

If you’ve been sleeping down the stretch of the MLB season, you might have missed this ridiculous run the Tigers are on. Detroit was eight games below .500 in August before winning 33 of their last 46. Then they went into Houston and swept the Astros. The Tigers trailed in Game 2 (2-1) before a four-run 8th inning that featured a three-run RBI double from Andy Ibanez. Astros, stunned. The AL's 6-seed lives on to face the Guardians in the ALDS. DET Wins Series (2-0)

ALWC G2: Royals def. Orioles (2-1)

KC Defense Does it Again to Oust O’s

The Royals scored just three runs in two Wild Card games, and it was enough to win both. Another RBI single from Bobby Witt Jr. was the difference-maker in Game 2 as Seth Lugo (4.1 IP, 6 Ks, 5 Hits, 1 ER) and the bullpen did the rest. Kansas City is just the second team in MLB history to win a playoff series the season after losing 100-plus games (106 losses in 2023). The Royals will get the Yankees in the ALDS. KC Wins Series (2-0)

NLWC G2: Padres def. Braves (5-4)

San Diego Scores All 5 in 2nd, Holds Off Rally

You’d be hard-pressed to find another playoff team riding higher than the Padres right now. After a 4-0 shutout in Game 1, San Diego put a seemingly tired (and injured) Braves club out of its misery in Game 2 (5-4). The Padres scored five runs in the 2nd inning and locked in to hold off Atlanta despite HRs from Jorge Soler and Michael Harris II in a valiant comeback attempt. It’s Padres-Dodgers in a California dream matchup for the ALDS. SD Wins Series (2-0)

NLWC G2: Brewers def. Mets (5-3)

Chourio (2 HRs) & Mitchell Blasts Save Crew

Milwaukee is not done yet! The Brewers trailed the Mets 3-2 in Game 2 with six outs left in their season before their rookie superstar and another bat played hero in the 8th. Jackson Chourio — who already had a leadoff homer — started the 8th with a solo shot. At just 20 years old, he became the second youngest player in MLB history with a multi-HR playoff game. Moments later, Garett Mitchell launched the go-ahead two-run HR to keep the Crew alive. Game 3 is a winner-take-all tonight. Series Tied (1-1)

Today’s Schedule (Wild Card)

NLWC G3: Mets at Brewers (7:00 pm ET, ESPN)

Updated MLB Playoff Bracket

Read More

CBS Sports: How Royals & Tigers Pulled Off AL Wild Card Series Upsets

ESPN: Padres Finish Off Braves as Dodgers Await in NLDS Rivalry

  NFL  

What Happened in Vegas?

Photo: Michael Owens / Getty Images

The Raiders Are About to Trade WR Davante Adams, But Why? And Where?

Davante Adams appears to be on his way out of Las Vegas. The five-time pro bowl receiver made a living being Aaron Rodgers’ No. 1 target for eight years in Green Bay before heading to the desert for a $140 million deal and a reunion with his college quarterback, Derek Carr. Now, Rodgers is in New York, Carr is in New Orleans, and Adams? He’s stuck in the black hole of a mediocre Raiders offense.

The result was this week’s unofficial trade request that’s reportedly been granted by the Raiders. Adams is 31 years old and he’s had a quiet 18 catches for 209 yards and just 1 TD in 2024. Things got weird when Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce liked a post by Sports Illustrated suggesting that Adams had played his last game with the Raiders. Of course, we have to play the waiting game and guess where he might go. Two spots stand out.

Davante Adams’ Next Team (Odds)

The Jets and Saints are the clear and obvious top landing spots given those QB relationships, but New Orleans has an x-factor. Saints’ receiver coach Keith Williams was actually Adams’ college coach at Fresno State, and it’s been reported that he views Adams “like a son.” Carr also has more years left in the tank than Rodgers, but the Raiders want a 2nd-round pick, minimum. Here are the Vegas odds (ironic) for Adams's next team: Jets (-150), Saints (+300), Commanders (+300), Steelers (+700), Chiefs (+1200), Cowboys (+1200).

Read More

ESPN: Sources: Jets, Saints High on Davante Adams’ ‘Wish List’

NBC Sports: Raiders Might Pay Some of Davante Adams’s Salary to Facilitate Trade

  CHAMPIONS LEAGUE  

Matchday 2: Lille Guys, Big Upsets

Photo: Antonio Villalba / Getty Images

LOSC Lille Ends Real Madrid’s 36-Match Unbeaten Streak in Shocking Day of Champions League Upsets

Extreme talent and the addition of Kylian Mbappe had carried Real Madrid to one of the greatest runs in recent futbol history through the first nine months of 2024, but it came to an end on Wednesday. Real won 36 straight matches (14 UCL matches) dating back to January, but LOSC Lille shut them out in yesterday’s Champions League stunner (1-0). Jonathan David’s penalty finish just before halftime was the difference, and it’s back to the drawing board for Los Blancos. They weren’t the only upset victim of Matchday 2, either.

Elsewhere in the UCL, Aston Villa upset Bayern (1-0) and Benfica throttled Atletico Madrid (4-0). Those were two other scorelines that required a double take. We did see Liverpool dominate (2-0) and Juventus eked out a win (3-2) despite a second-half red card.

Champions League Scores & Highlights

LOSC Lille def. Real Madrid (1-0)

Benfica def. Atletico Madrid (4-0)

Aston Villa def. Bayern Munich (1-0)

Juventus def. RB Leipzig (3-2)

Liverpool def. Bologna (2-0)

Atalanta def. Shakhtar Donetsk (3-0)

Feyenoord def. Girona (3-2)

Club Brugge def. SK Sturm Graz (1-0)

Dinamo Zagreg draw Monaco (2-2)

The Champions League Returns

Matchday 3: October 22-23

  STORYLINES   

🏈 Top NFL Trade Targets

There’s no news yet on the Raiders trading WR Davante Adams, and Jets DE Haason Reddick is still holding out. Here are the top trade targets with three weeks before the deadline. (Bleacher Report)

⚽️ Pochettino’s First USMNT Roster

Mauricio Pochettino has named his first United States men's national team roster for friendlies that will see the team face Panama and Mexico as they prep for the 2026 World Cup. (CBS Sports)

⛳️ A Deal to Unify Golf

Some of golf's top power brokers are at this week's Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, including PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf backer Yasir Al-Rumayyan playing in the same group. (Sports Illustrated)

  NEWS   📰 

🏁 Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing Team Leads Antitrust Lawsuit Against NASCAR (CBS Sports)

🏀 Mavericks’ Luka Doncic Suffers Calf Injury in Preseason Workout (B/R)

🏈 Patriots Lose Center David Andrews to Shoulder Surgery (ESPN)

⚾️ Coroner Reveals Cause of Pete Rose’s Death Linked to Cardiovascular Disease (USA Today)

🏈 Texas QB Quinn Ewers on Track to Start Against Oklahoma in Week 7 (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 Atlanta Dream Fire Coach Tanisha Wright After 3 Seasons in WNBA (SI)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Tonight's Must-Watch List

⚾️ MLB Playoffs (Wild Card)

G3: Mets at Brewers (7:00 pm ET, ESPN)

🏈 NFL (Thursday Night Football)

Bucs at Falcons (8:15 pm ET, PRIME)

  POLL   📊

October Viewing Options 📺

October has arrived! It's the only month in the calendar when all five major team sports overlap. Today’s question is simple: What sport are you watching the most this month? (click to vote)

⚾️ Baseball (MLB Playoffs)

🏀 Basketball (WNBA Playoffs, NBA)

🏈 Football (NFL & College Football)

⚽️ Soccer (EPL, MLS, Other)

🏒 Hockey (NHL)

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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