Good Morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports on Monday, September 30.

BRAVES-METS

Each team needed a win in yesterday’s double-header to advance to the postseason… spoiler alert, that’s what happened. The Arizona Diamondbacks were eliminated from the playoffs, while Atlanta and New York moved on to the wild card round. But in case you missed it, game one yesterday was a heck of a ballgame:

• Atlanta took a 3-0 lead, thanks to a two-run Ozzie Albies home run and a solo shot by Ramon Laurenao. That lead held strong all the way to the 8th inning…

• As they’ve done all season, the Mets stormed back. New York put up six runs in the 8th, in a rally that was capped off by this two-run homer by Brandon Nimmo. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Mets led 6-3.

• But the Braves answered quickly. With two outs and the bases loaded, Albies crushed a bases-clearing double off the left field wall. Atlanta was back on top 7-6, just one inning away from clinching a playoff spot.

• Francisco Lindor had the last laugh. New York’s star shortstop turned on a first-pitch breaking ball, blasting a two-run shot to reclaim the lead and ultimately win the ballgame for the Mets. It was a storybook ending to a topsy-turvy game and a rollercoaster regular season for the Mets. The Braves advanced to the playoffs by winning game two 3-0, but if game one is any indication, October is going to be a whole lot of fun.

NFL

The Titans beat the Dolphins 31-12 last night in a game that included seven field goals and a safety. Tennessee also lost starting quarterback Will Levis to a shoulder injury. But we’re going to focus on the thrilling contest that took place in Detroit between the Lions and Seahawks:

• Jared Goff set an NFL record with the most passing attempts in a game without throwing an incompletion. The Lions QB was 18-18 with 292 yards and two touchdowns, leading Detroit to a 42-29 victory.

• The back-and-forth affair was very entertaining. Although the Seahawks lost, they pulled off an impressive hook-and-ladder to convert a long third down. And running back Kenneth Walker was impressive in his first game back from injury, with 116 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns– plus this have-to-see-it-twice run for a first down where Walker just refused to go down. Seattle will be disappointed to lose, but it was another nice performance from the 3-1 Seahawks.

• Amon-Ra St. Brown had six catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. But the play of the game came when he and his QB Goff switched places– take a look at this one:

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

The sports world lost two legends yesterday. Early in the morning, news broke that Dikembe Mutumbo passed away at the age of 58 from brain cancer. One of the greatest defensive big men in the history of basketball, Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA and ranks second all-time in blocked shots. His trademark finger wag remains one of the most iconic images in basketball culture. Mutumbo also worked tirelessly as a humanitarian, raising money and supporting the people in his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Later in the day, it was announced that Pete Rose had died at the age of 83. Nicknamed Charlie Hustle, no one in Major League history had more hits or won more games than the Hit King. But because he gambled on games while he was still in the league, Rose has been banned from the sport and excluded from the Hall of Fame. Rose lived a colorful and often controversial life off the field life, although many will simply remember him as one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. It’s always difficult to capture the legacies of icons like Mutumbo and Rose in a short paragraph such as this one– the links in this paragraph have been carefully chosen in case you would like to read more.

Baseball’s regular season has been over for less than 24 hours, and the changes are already underweay for next year. The San Francisco Giants have fired president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and replaced him with Giants legend Buster Posey. And Major League Baseball announced two important uniform changes: players will return to wearing their team’s uniform during the all-star game, and the new jersey material used for this season (remember all the see-through pants?) will no longer be used. Sometimes, when the fans call for a change, the people in charge really listen!

Plans for the upcoming WNBA expansion draft have been released to the public. On December 6th, the Golden State Valkyries will have the chance to select one player from each of the 12 existing franchises. Up to six players per team can be protected, with those protected-players lists revealed at the end of November– let the mock drafting begin!

MLB PLAYOFF PREVIEW

Welcome to October- the leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and it’s time for playoff baseball! Here are the reasons each playoff team will win or lose this postseason. First up, the American League (in order of seeding):

1: NEW YORK YANKEES (bye, home-field advantage through AL playoffs)

Why New York will win: Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Gerrit Cole.

Why New York will lose: There’s a whole lot of pressure on Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Gerrit Cole.

2: CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (bye)

Why Cleveland will win: Jose Ramirez. The most underrated player in baseball is capable of taking over any game. Add in an underrated pitching staff and the best closer in the league (Emmanuel Clase) and it’s clear how the Guardians won so many games this season.

Why Cleveland will lose: I hate to say it, but… it’s Cleveland. The longest World Series drought in the league, Cleveland hasn’t won it all since 1948. This plucky group of underdogs has been fun to watch this year, but I’m not sure it’s a roster built to win in October.

3: HOUSTON ASTROS (vs Detroit)

Why Houston will win: Because they’re the Astros, and they’ve made the ALCS for seven straight years. Jose Altuve and the gang just know how to win in October. Oh, and they also have a great starting rotation.

Why Houston will lose: Yordan Alvarez is battling a knee injury, Justin Verlander hasn’t been anywhere close to the same Verlander we’re used to seeing, and the bullpen isn’t as dominant as previous Astros championship teams. Little issues, but they add up and create pressure on the rest of the roster to deliver in big moments.

4:BALTIMORE ORIOLES (vs Kansas City)

Why Baltimore will win: The young Orioles core got a taste of the postseason a year ago. Then they added a true ace in Corbin Burnes. Although they stumbled a bit late in the summer, the Orioles were a popular pick to win the World Series before the season began. No reason that should change now.

Why Baltimore will lose: Is there enough pitching depth behind Burnes and Zach Eflin? It’s simple, but this is really the key question for Baltimore. Someone has to step up.

5: KANSAS CITY ROYALS (@ Baltimore)

Why Kansas City will win: They’ve got a great 1-2 punch atop their rotation in Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. Salvador Perez is a great veteran leader. And Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best all-around players in the game. Kansas City is a very exciting team with all the right pieces for a deep postseason run.

Why Kansas City will lose: The Royals were 12-1 against the White Sox this season, and 74-75 against all other teams. They’ve had trouble all season against top competition.

6: DETROIT TIGERS (@ Houston)

Why Detroit will win: Really? You think it’s a good idea to doubt the hottest team in the league? No one is beating The Gritty Tigs! Also, they have the best pitcher in baseball this season, Tarik Skubal.

Why Detroit will lose: Excluding former Astros manager AJ Hinch, Detroit lacks playoff experience. And before their late summer miracle run, this was not a team anyone expected to be here.

And now, the six teams in the National League:

1: LOS ANGELES DODGERS (bye, home-field advantage through entire playoffs)

Why LA will win: You try pitching against Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. Oh, then you get to face Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez. LA has a superstar lineup that’s been building to this moment all year long. Good luck to anyone trying to stop them.

Why LA will lose: This is not the playoff rotation that the Dodgers planned for. Without Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and what seems like countless others, will the Dodgers have enough pitching to support their otherworldly offense?

2: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (bye)

Why Philly will win: You could make the case that this is the most complete team in baseball. Bryce Harper leads a loaded offense, while Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are a two-headed playoff monster. This team and their fans are still seeking revenge for their World Series defeat two seasons ago. You’re gonna have to earn every inch against the Phillies

Why Philly will lose: The lineup can get cold as quickly as it gets hot. Plus, the rotation after the top two hasn’t finished the year as strong as they started. If things go south, they could go south in a hurry.

3: MILWAUKEE BREWERS (vs New York)

Why Milwaukee will win: I have no clue. This team has befuddled me all season, and they continue to do so. In all seriousness, Jackson Chourio, Willy Adames, and William Contreras form a solid core through the middle for Milwaukee. Timely hitting and steady pitching win ballgames, and the Brewers seem to have both abilities.

Why Milwaukee will lose: A lack of star power and postseason experience. It’s been a problem for the Brew Crew in recent years, and when you match up the rosters with the other National League teams, you can see how it may be an issue yet again.

4: SAN DIEGO PADRES (vs Atlanta)

Why San Diego will win: Honestly, this might be the year for the Padres. They play good defense and boast great starting pitching. The lineup is deadly and the bullpen reliable. San Diego is a very trendy pick to go all the way this October.

Why San Diego will lose: They’ve never won before! It’s really hard to break through, even when– on paper– you have an extremely dangerous and well-built team.

5: ATLANTA BRAVES (@ San Diego)

Why Atlanta will win: Max Fried, Reynaldo Lopez, and Charlie Morton. Three healthy starters who can dominate a playoff game. That’s a winning recipe in any playoff series.

Why Atlanta will lose: It’s been an injury-plagued season for the Braves, and they can’t seem to catch a break. Ronald Acuna, Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley are among the stars who you won’t see in action this month. The latest Brave to fall is ace Chris Sale, who may not be healthy for the wild card round. They also just flew cross-country to San Diego after playing a double-header, which may put them at a slight disadvantage.

6: NEW YORK METS (@ Milwaukee)

Why New York will win: Their second baseman has a hit song and the fans have rallied around a McDonald’s mascot. No team has better clubhouse vibes than the OMG Mets. On the field, Francisco Lindor has put together an MVP-caliber season. All together, it’s very easy to see this team make a storybook playoff run.

Why New York will lose: Like the Braves, the Mets have played a lot of baseball and traveled around the country a bit more than their opponents the last few days. There are also questions about the bullpen and lineup depth around stars Lindor and Pete Alonso. But with this Mets team, anything could happen. Who knows…

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

SOCCER: PSG @ Arsenal, 3 PM on Paramount+

• The first phase of the Champions League continues with some exciting midweek matchups, including this meeting of big clubs in London.

WNBA: It’s playoffs all day today in the US, as game two of the WNBA semifinals tip-off this evening:

• Aces @ Liberty, 7:30 PM on ESPN2 (Liberty lead 1-0)

• Sun @ Lynx, 9:30 PM on ESPN2 (Sun lead 1-0)

MLB: Here we are on the first day of October. 30 teams began this baseball season with dreams of winning a World Series. Now that number is down to 12… the best-of-three Wild Card round begins today:

• Detroit Tigers @ Houston Astros, 2:32 PM on ABC

• Kansas City Royals @ Baltimore Orioles, 4:08 PM on ESPN2

• New York Mets @ Milwaukee Brewers, 5:32 PM on ESPN

• Atlanta Braves @ San Diego Padres, 8:38 PM on ESPN

And that’s a Remix! Have a wonderful Tuesday.