The New York Mets appoint Johnny Washington as co‑hitting coach alongside returning Troy Snitker, adding him to Andy Green’s staff. Washington spent 2026 as the Atlanta Braves’ minor‑league hitting coordinator after stints with the Padres, Cubs, Angels and a KBO team. He previously worked with Mets players Jared Young and Luis Torrens. The hire follows the Mets’ search for hitting help, with Kevin Long and John Mallee ruled out, and comes as the club finished near the league bottom in OPS and runs in 2026. Fellow assistants Rafael Fernandez and AJ Ellis also join the revamped coaching roster.
Cubs outfielder Pete Crow‑Armstrong caps a historic 2026 season by becoming an NL MVP finalist after a breakout year that saw him lead MLB with a 9.8 WAR, 119 runs, 45 homers, a .570 slugging percentage and a .943 OPS, while also logging 107 RBIs and 41 steals. The surge builds on his 2025 All‑Star performance and reflects manager Craig Counsell’s mentorship, which Crow‑Armstrong credits for improving his mindset off the field. As Chicago eyes a deeper playoff run, the duo’s partnership will be pivotal heading into the 2027 offseason.
The Vikings announce Carson Wentz will start on Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills after Kyler Murray is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The blog weighs whether the change could benefit Minnesota, noting Wentz’s steady but unremarkable leadership in the first two wins—including a 9‑3 grind over Chicago—while highlighting that the team’s 6‑1 record relies more on a top‑ranked defense, special teams and turnovers than its offense. The author doubts Murray’s impact, suggesting the Vikings might not need a quarterback overhaul to stay competitive.
The Seattle Seahawks fall 34-17 to the Chicago Bears on Monday night, exposing a stark contrast between a solid overall defense and a disastrous red‑zone performance. Despite allowing the fifth‑fewest points league‑wide, Seattle ranks last in red‑zone efficiency, giving up touchdowns on all four Bears trips inside the 20. Defensive anchor DeMarcus Lawrence publicly accepts responsibility, saying he must tighten his gap awareness. With the team now three losses in four games, the Seahawks aim to rebound against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday.
The Mets, fresh off a last‑place finish in the NL East, are targeting dominant free‑agent starter Tarik Skubal. With owner Steve Cohen poised to chase big names, the Dodgers traded Skubal last season and the Brewers swept them in the World Series. On the Mets Podcast, hosts Joe DeMayo and Sal Licata discuss their backup plans if Skubal signs elsewhere: veteran Michael King, who impressed in the Padres’ postseason, and reliable reliever‑turned‑starter Clay Holmes, known for his consistency with the Yankees, Mets and Cubs. The segment weighs each option as free agency heats up.
The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off a World Series win, have three players and the team itself in contention for Silver Slugger honors. Jake Bauers (1B/utility), Brice Turang (2B) and Jackson Chourio (LF) are nominated after posting career‑best seasons—Bauers .266/.389/.874 with career highs in hits, doubles, HRs and RBIs; Turang .268 with 21 homers and 90 walks; Chourio 25 homers and a historic 20‑20‑20‑20 season before age 23. The Brewers also lead league‑wide in batting average (.258) and OBP (.341) and rank third in OPS (.744), sparking a tight race for the overall offensive team award against the Cubs, Dodgers and Nationals. If all three win, they’ll match the 1980 Brewers for most Silver Sluggers in a single season.
Four Chicago White Sox hitters—second baseman Chase Meidroth, third baseman Miguel Vargas, outfielder Tristan Peters and utility man Sam Antonacci—lead MLB as the most Silver Slugger finalists from any team. All four made the American League lists announced Thursday, and the Sox also vie for the Silver Slugger Team Award. Meidroth posted a .276 line with 16 homers, Vargas a career‑year .250 with 33 home runs and 93 RBIs, while rookies Peters and Antonacci contributed solid power and speed. Chicago topped the AL with 776 runs and 589 walks, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Winners are revealed Nov. 17.
Joe was out at One Buc Palace on Wednesday and saw Tristan Wirfs. Joe didn’t talk to the All-Pro left tackle, other than maybe to say hi, and that was about it. Wirfs was his typical jolly self, joking around […]
The Bears release their Week 9 injury report ahead of Sunday’s 7:20 p.m. CT showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Linebacker D’Marco Jackson (ankle) and guard Joe Thuney (rest) are listed as non‑participants. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (groin) and left tackle Theo Benedet (shoulder) move up to limited practice, while T.J. Edwards returns to full participation after a personal absence. Running backs Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe) and Zavier Scott (now on IR) remain out, and rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad stays limited. Jarrett’s upgrade is the key defensive development as Chicago prepares to face the league’s top rushing attack.
The Chicago Bears place running back Zavier Scott on injured reserve on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after a thumb injury forces him to miss at least four games. Scott, who was promoted from the practice squad nine days earlier and contributed on special teams in a recent win over Seattle, joins an already injury‑laden backfield that includes Kyle Monangai. The move leaves the Bears shorthanded as they prepare to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday night at Soldier Field.
The New England Patriots add depth to their secondary by signing cornerback Kindle Vildor to the practice squad, according to the NFL Transaction Wire. The 28‑year‑old, a 2020 fifth‑round pick of the Bears, has bounced around the league—stints with the Titans, Eagles, Lions (where he earned a $1.3 M one‑year deal for 2024), and Buccaneers—before joining New England in 2026. Vildor has already played five games for the Patriots, posting seven tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass defended and a forced fumble.
The Chicago Blackhawks face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6:00 p.m. CT at Benchmark International Arena. View it on CHSN (Chicago) or The Spot – Tampa Bay 66 (Tampa) and stream via the CHSN app, CHSN on Prime Video (Chicago), the Lightning app (Tampa) or ESPN+ out of market. Chicago, 4‑11‑1, is on a four‑game skid; Connor Bedard leads with 12 points, while Patrick Kane misses with an upper‑body injury. Tampa Bay, 9‑3‑2, is unbeaten at home; Nikita Kucherov tops the chart with 20 points. DraftKings lists the Lightning at -425 and the Blackhawks at +330.
The Chicago White Sox officially name 30‑year‑old Matt Roffe, a former Brewers scout who helped win the 2023 World Series, as their director of amateur scouting. Announced Thursday, the hire follows earlier reports and clarifies the role after GM Chris Getz had mentioned a “director of amateur acquisitions.” Roffe brings five seasons in Milwaukee, including a stint as assistant director of scouting, and prior experience with the Diamondbacks. He replaces Mike Shirley, who left after overseeing the 2026 draft that featured the largest bonus pool and first‑overall pick Roch Cholowsky. Roffe will lead the Sox’s 2027 draft strategy.
The Chicago Bears are facing new defensive line concerns after trading for Jeffery Simmons, with injuries leaving the interior thin.
The Los Angeles Dodgers secure three 2026 Silver Slugger nominations despite a late‑season slump. Third‑base finalist Max Muncy, at 35, posts a career‑high 29 homers, 76 RBIs and an .837 OPS, vying against Alex Bregman. Designated‑hitter Shohei Ohtani, limited by injuries, still hits 30 homers and 81 RBIs over 135 games, though his OPS drops below .900, facing Kyle Schwarber’s league‑leading 45 homers. The team itself is nominated for the Team Silver Slugger after a strong first half (111 wRC+, 204 homers, 801 runs) but loses momentum to the Chicago Cubs, who finish with the league’s top offense.
The Short Porch breaks down the free‑agent starting‑pitcher market ahead of the upcoming MLB lockout, noting that while the elite tier features Tarik Skubal, Trevor Rogers and Freddy Peralta, depth quickly evaporates. Using MLB Trade Rumors rankings (with cross‑checks from The Athletic and FanGraphs), the piece lists roughly 30 pitchers, highlighting ages, rank positions and contract outlooks, and explicitly excludes international prospects. The author stresses that the class isn’t strong beyond the top three and promises a later deep dive on Japan/Korea talent. Cubs fans get a clear snapshot of who’s available and how the market stacks up.
The Chicago Blackhawks fall to 4-11-1 after a 5-3 defeat by the Florida Panthers on November 5, 2026. Rookie Dillon Boucher makes his NHL debut, even moving to the first line, while veteran Frank Nazar silences critics with a shorthanded goal and a late tying marker, bringing his season total to five. Roman Kantserov scores for Chicago, but Sam Reinhart’s empty‑netter caps the Panthers’ win. Analyst Paul Bissonnette lambasts the Blackhawks’ lack of identity, underscoring a tumultuous start compared to last season.
Chicago Bears left tackle Braxton Jones undergoes right‑knee surgery after a partially torn patellar tendon forced him out in the third quarter of the Bears’ 27‑7 win over the Eagles on Sept. 28. The procedure ends his season, removing a potential late‑year option at left tackle and thinning the line’s depth as the team heads into the stretch run. Theo Benedet and Ozzy Trapilo will now handle the position through the final games, starting Sunday’s matchup against the Buccaneers. Jones, 27, signed a one‑year, $5 million deal and becomes an unrestricted free agent in March, with a recovery timeline aimed at late spring.
The Chicago Bears cement their contender status with a 34‑17 blowout of defending champion Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. Quarterback Caleb Williams throws for 247 yards and a TD, while D’Andre Swift rushes 27 times for 69 yards and three touchdowns, putting him on pace for a franchise‑record season. New All‑Pro addition Jeffery Simmons leads a revived defense with six tackles, two TFLs and a sack, and Montez Sweat adds pressure despite a penalty setback. The victory, coming in a hostile stadium against a top defense, brings the Bears to 6‑2 ahead of a Sunday Night Football clash with Tampa Bay.
Emma Lingan and Michael Augello are joined by Frank Zawrazky to discuss the Buffalo Sabres’ slow start to the season, the Chicago Blackhawks’ continuous struggles, Elias Petterson’s return to form, and more.
The White Sox lead the American League with five Silver Slugger finalists, highlighting an explosive offensive season. Miguel Vargas posts 33 homers, a .837 OPS and 93 RBIs, while Chase Meidroth shines at second base with a .765 OPS, 31 doubles and 4.5 fWAR. Rookie outfielder Tristan Peters adds 12 homers, three walk‑offs and a cycle, earning AL Rookie of the Month honors. Chicago tops the AL in runs (776) and ranks third in home runs (213), also securing a club nomination for Offensive Team of the Year.
Patrick Kane will miss at least the next couple of games with an upper-body injury after leaving the Blackhawks' loss to Colorado, coach Blashill confirmed.
Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor admits the loss of tight end Cole Kmet forces Chicago to craft a new TE game plan each week. Kmet’s season-ending knee injury came in the 30-24 win over New England (Week 7); he finished with 10 catches, 87 yards and a TD. With veteran Colston Loveland leading the position (33 receptions, 309 yards, 2 TDs) and rookie Sam Roush still developing (3 catches, 33 yards), Taylor says Roush’s progress is encouraging but the team needs him to step up quickly to fill the void.
The preview warns that the Chicago Blackhawks, despite a promising draft history, may be a “desperate” opponent for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 5, 2026 at 7 p.m. in Tampa. The Lightning enter as 475‑to‑1 favorites at Benchmark International Arena, with TV/stream options on The Spot, CHSN, ESPN+ and radio on 102.5 The Bone. The article questions whether Chicago’s recent talent haul will translate into performance after they traded away a top‑ten pick.
The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly eyeing Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who has one year left on his $14.5 million contract for the 2027 season. CBS Sports' Dayn Perry lists the Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners as potential suitors, noting the Phillies could benefit from Hernández’s right‑handed power to complement Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. However, his below‑average defense and the need to surrender prospects and absorb his salary make the deal risky. The article weighs the trade‑off between bolstering the Phillies’ lineup and the financial and defensive costs of acquiring the veteran slugger.