All articles tagged with #2026 playoffs
The Chicago White Sox received a letter from Pope Leo XIV just before their 2026 MLB Wild Card Series opener against the Houston Astros. The pontiff, a longtime White Sox fan, wrote to team chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to acknowledge a previous gift and to offer blessings for the team's postseason run. The White Sox won the first game 6-3, marking their first playoff victory since 2021.
The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Dallas Wings 104-80 in Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA first-round playoffs, securing their first true home playoff victory at Chase Center. The second-seeded Valkyries, led by Cecilia Zandalasini’s 22 points and Tiffany Hayes’s 21-point bench performance, outscored Dallas 37-11 in the second quarter. Despite Paige Bueckers scoring 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting for the seventh-seeded Wings, Dallas could not overcome Golden State’s defensive intensity and 18 made three-pointers. The series shifts to Dallas for Game 2 on Wednesday, with a potential Game 3 returning to San Francisco.
The 2026 MLB postseason begins with a 12-team field, where the Chicago Cubs rank first in offensive firepower despite inconsistent performance. The Milwaukee Brewers, who finished with 103 wins, face the Cubs or Padres in the divisional round. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are also ranked highly due to late-season surges, while the Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies rank lowest in offensive output.
Vegas' rapid turnaround—firing Cassidy, hiring Tortorella, and aggressively upgrading via trades and bargain-depth signings—swept the Avalanche and reached the Cup Final, underscoring a win-now mindset: fix flaws fast, stay aggressive in talent acquisition, and lean on depth to support stars, while acknowledging luck can influence playoff success.