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Northwest Sports Update: MLB Wild Card round continues, Kraken suffer pair of key injuries, drama in the WNBA as the Finals approach and more

Northwest Sports Update: MLB Wild Card round continues, Kraken suffer pair of key injuries, drama in the WNBA as the Finals approach and more

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel Photo: Associated Press


Mariners News

The Mariners will find out who their first opponent of the playoffs is tomorrow.

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Detroit Tigers 6-1 earlier today to force a decisive Game 3. Bo Naylor, the brother of Mariners first baseman Josh, secured the game for Cleveland with a 3-run homer in the eighth inning.

The Mariners will host the winner of tomorrow’s game on Saturday for Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series. If the Red Sox win their series against the Yankees, Saturday’s game in Seattle will start at 1 pm, but if the Yankees win, it will start around 5:30. Meanwhile, the MLB announced that Game 2 at T-Mobile Park will start just after 5 pm on Sunday regardless.

The Seahawks also announced that Sunday’s home game against Tampa Bay will kick off at 1:05, as planned.

Elsewhere in the MLB Playoffs, the San Diego Padres topped the Chicago Cubs 3-0 to set up another win-or-go-home Game 3 tomorrow at Wrigley.

The Yankees and Red Sox are currently battling it out in Boston over on KPUG, as the Yankees look to keep their season alive.

Kraken News

The Kraken are dealing with a pair of setbacks ahead of their season opener next week.

The team announced today that defenseman Ryker Evans will miss six to eight weeks with an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old is expected to miss the first few weeks of games, including Seattle’s season opener next Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.

The announcement came days after forward Kaapo Kakko broke his hand in a preseason game against the Oilers. The former No. 2 overall pick is expected to miss about six weeks.

Kakko had just signed a three-year contract with the Kraken over the offseason.

MLB News

A baseball legend could be tapped to head one of the Mariners’ division rivals.

The Los Angeles Angels announced yesterday that Ron Washington will not return as manager in 2026. He had missed more than half of the past season after undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery.

Washington was the oldest manager in the major this past season at the age of 73.

Now, ESPN reports that 3x MVP Albert Pujols is considered a strong candidate to become the next manager. Pujols currently serves as a special assistant to the team.

WNBA News

The WNBA Finals are set. The Las Vegas Aces edged the Indiana Fever 107-98 in overtime last night to make it back to the Finals for their third time in four years.

They’ll now meet the Phoenix Mercury in a best-of-seven series for the championship. Game 1 tips off at 5 pm on Friday from Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, WNBA leadership has come under fire after scathing comments by one of the league’s top stars.

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier accused league commissioner Cathy Engelbert of being “negligent” in her overseeing of the league during her exit interview yesterday. Collier claims the league has failed to address issues with officiating, players’ salaries and the state of the overall product, calling it “self-sabotage.”

Englebert responded that she was “disheartened” to hear how her actions have been characterized. 

It comes as WNBA players are attempting to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement that could lead to a holdout in 2026.

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