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The Chicago Cubs fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers by a score of 4-1 in the first official game of the MLB regular season on Tuesday, as the two National League rivals were playing in Tokyo.
The Cubs actually held a 1-0 lead heading into the fifth inning, but the floodgates opened when manager Craig Counsell decided to pull starting pitcher Shota Imanaga after just four frames. And here’s the real kicker: Imanaga was throwing a no-hitter.
Imanaga threw a grand total of 69 pitches, which is a relatively high amount for four innings of work, but Counsell almost certainly could have allowed him to come out for the fifth.
The Chicago skipper told reporters after the game that Imanaga was on a pitch count and 70 was the magic number, so with the Japanese hurler just one pitch away from the limit, he was removed.
Strategy or not, Cubs fans are not thrilled, and Mark Powell of FanSided was sure to point that out following Chicago’s loss to the defending champions.
“…but when Counsell dared to removed Shota Imanaga with a no-hitter when he was shy of 70 pitches, Cubs fans were unhappy. Counsell defended his choice postgame as he always does, but his explanation will not appease fans,” Powell wrote.
Powell himself defended Counsell’s decision, noting that he had the team’s “best interest in mind” when deciding to pull Imanaga, who went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA during his rookie campaign in 2024.
But don’t tell that to the Windy City faithful, who were certainly hoping to see its ace go deeper into the game, especially with the Cubs nursing a slim lead.
Chicago will play one more game against the Dodgers in Tokyo on Wednesday. The Cubbies will then have eight days of rest before facing the Arizona Diamondbacks back in their American season opener next Thursday.
More must-reads:
- Dream (but realistic) trade targets for every MLB team this offseason
- Three offseason trade targets for Blue Jays to add an impact bat
- The 'World Series single-game K leaders' quiz
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D-backs Pitcher Enters Free Agency
As the World Series comes to a conclusion, the MLB offseason officially commences. That means three of the Arizona Diamondbacks pending free agents have officially entered free agency, One such free agent is left-hander Jalen Beeks. Beeks, alongside former ace Zac Gallen and veteran backup catcher James McCann, were listed among the 137 players hitting free agency, in a statement released by the MLB Players' Association. For more on Gallen's free agency, check out the below article: Related Content: Zac Gallen Takes First Free Agency Step The D-backs are among the teams with the lower free agent departure totals. With the five-day "quiet period" following the World Series, teams will have the option to re-sign their own players without competition. Unlike Gallen, Beeks is an arm that seems like a much more reasonable re-sign for Arizona. Arizona Diamondbacks' Jalen Beeks Enters Free Agency The 32-year-old veteran left-hander was a last-second pickup for GM Mike Hazen and the D-backs, joining the team just prior to Opening Day. He quickly became one of the few arms trusted to take on a workhorse load out of the bullpen, as Arizona's relief corps suffered injury after injury. And he certainly did take a large share of the innings. Beeks tossed 57.1 innings, and likely would have been used even more if not for an IL stint (followed by careful usage) in the latter third of the regular season. Still, the lefty posted a solid 3.77 ERA, inflated somewhat by a few blowup outings. He's also had generally solid, if not eye-popping peripheral metrics, even during some of his uglier ERA seasons. Finding quality left-handed relief pitching is no easy feat. Considering Beeks made only $1.25 million with Arizona in 2025, even a slight increase in that amount would likely be money well spent. Related Content: Diamondbacks Have to Address This Bullpen Need Again The Diamondbacks already face an uphill battle with regard to bolstering their bullpen and starting rotation. An in-house option with a history of stability would be a beneficial return, even if regression is a distinct possibility. Regardless, the Diamondbacks absolutely must make an attempt at acquiring a closer (as well as another legitimate leverage arm) if they want to weather the storm before Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk return. Beeks does not necessarily fill that type of role, but he does have leverage experience, and would likely perform well in a middle-relief role without the pressure of having to serve as the setup man or closer in 2026. Related Content: Should the Diamondbacks Bring Back this Veteran Reliever? Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News
Eagles geared up for another Super Bowl run after Jaelan Phillips trade
The Philadelphia Eagles are already Super Bowl contenders, but that's not stopping general manager Howie Roseman from bolstering his roster before the trade deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. On Monday, the Miami Dolphins sent linebacker Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a 2026 third-round pick (via ESPN's Adam Schefter). It's the third defensive trade Roseman and company have made in the past week. They already improved their secondary by acquiring cornerback Jaire Alexander from the Baltimore Ravens and CB Michael Carter II from the New York Jets. How Jaelan Phillips trade benefits Eagles Trading for 26-year-old Phillips should help the Eagles (6-2) solve one of their bigger defensive problems: the ability to generate pressure consistently. Per Pro Football Reference, Philadelphia is tied for 19th in the NFL in pressure rate (19 percent). It also has 16 sacks, tied with the Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) for 23rd in the league. Phillips had just three sacks through his first nine games with Miami, but he's still a quality pass-rusher. Pro Football Reference has credited him with 18 pressures this season, tied with Denver Broncos LB Nik Bonitto and Pittsburgh Steelers LB T.J. Watt for the 12th most in the league. That's great company for Phillips to be in. Both of those star defenders are Defensive Player of the Year candidates. As of Monday, DraftKings Sportsbook gives Bonitto +850 odds to win the award and Watt +3500 odds to capture it. Star Philadelphia LB Nolan Smith Jr. is expected to return from a triceps injury in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers. He last played in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. His return and the Phillips trade may now put the Eagles defense — which ranks 19th in the league in points allowed (23.1) — in a position to hit its stride. Even if their team is winning, top GMs, like two-time Super Bowl champion Roseman, continue to find ways to strengthen their clubs. He's likely done that again by landing Phillips.
The 'NFL franchise TD-catch leaders' quiz
Happy 37th birthday to three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver and 2012 PFWA Most Improved Player award winner, Dez Bryant! The Oklahoma State product played in nine NFL seasons, eight of which were with the Dallas Cowboys. In his time with Big D he caught 531 passes for 7,506 yards and a franchise-record 73 touchdowns. He also served as an important bridge for Dallas in the Tony Romo-Dak Prescott transition, catching 50 passes for 796 yards and eight scores in Prescott’s 2016 rookie campaign. His time in Dallas ended with an achilles injury in 2017, but he did catch on for six games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 before hanging up his cleats. Which brings us to today’s quiz. How many of the players with the most receiving touchdowns for each NFL franchise can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Mike Vrabel responds to accusation that Patriots simulated Falcons' snap on key fourth-quarter play
Five worst Week 9 performances: Patrick Mahomes flops in heavyweight Chiefs-Bills showdown
After a Week 8 defined by blowouts, the pendulum swung in the other direction in Week 9, with nine of the 11 games in the 1 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET window decided by a touchdown or less. The razor-thin margin between losing and winning magnified the significance of this week's worst performances. Here are five that stood out most. Cincinnati Bengals defense The Bengals defense is the gift that keeps on giving to opposing offenses. On Sunday, the unit reached its nadir (things can't possibly get any worse, right? Right?) in a wild 47-42 home loss to the Chicago Bears (5-3). Cincinnati's miraculous comeback, which included a successful onside kick attempt with 1:43 remaining and quarterback Joe Flacco throwing for 470 yards, was undone by a 58-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to rookie tight end Colston Loveland. At the season's midway point, the Bengals (3-6) have once again dug themselves into a hole that appears too steep to get out of. And just like last season, their horrid defense is why. Detroit Lions offensive line Lions quarterback Jared Goff was constantly harassed in a 27-24 upset home loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings (4-4). Detroit's line had arguably its worst game of the season, with Goff being sacked five times. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery averaged 3.3 yards per carry, combining for 65 yards on 20 carries. Injuries played a role as Detroit fell to 5-3, but that's also a concerning sign for the future. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany suffered a knee injury, and after the game, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters the 2024 sixth-rounder would be out "for a long time, probably." Starting tackles Taylor Decker (knee) and Penei Sewell (shoulder) also suffered injury scares that must be monitored, as did starting right guard Tate Ratledge (shoulder). Green Bay Packers red-zone offense The Packers (5-2-1) suffered the most unexpected loss of Week 9, falling at home, 16-13, to the Carolina Panthers (5-4). With better red-zone production, Green Bay might have easily walked away with a win. The offense sputtered numerous times inside Carolina's 20-yard line, scoring one touchdown in five opportunities. Green Bay settled for two field goals, had a turnover on downs and a fumble, and another possession that stalled at the Panthers' 25-yard line ended with a missed field goal. The Packers out-gained the Panthers, 369-265, including 265-102 through the air, but thanks to their inability to finish drives, the game was much tighter than it had any business being. It cost Green Bay a victory and control of the NFC's 1-seed. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones Did the clock strike midnight on Jones' incredible 2025 comeback? The former first-round pick looked more like the quarterback who was benched by the New York Giants last season than the one who guided the Colts to seven wins in their first eight games during a 27-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3). Jones ended 31-of-50 for 342 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also lost two fumbles and was sacked five times, losing 29 yards. ESPN NFL writer Benjamin Solak shared some troubling numbers after the game, revealing that Jones has seen an alarming uptick in pressure-to-sack rate over the past two weeks (33.3 percent, 27.8 percent) after managing pressure well through his first seven games. Sunday may have simply been a blip, but it could also be an ominous sign for the back-half of the season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes At least one quarterback showed in the hyped 2025 chapter of the Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen rivalry. The Buffalo Bills quarterback and 2024 league MVP was nearly flawless, going 23-of-26 for 273 yards and three total touchdowns. Mahomes, meanwhile, had his worst NFL game, at least in terms of completion percentage. He was 15-of-34, completing fewer than 50 percent of his pass attempts for the first time in eight seasons as a starting quarterback, for 250 yards and an interception. Mahomes' 57.2 passer rating was the second-lowest of his career. We're used to seeing Mahomes play his best on the biggest stages, making his flop in the high-stakes AFC showdown especially jarring. He's still the best quarterback in football, but Sunday was a reminder that even the greats aren't always great.
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