There’s no crying in baseball

The GIST: The LA Dodgers are your 2024 World Series champions, beating the NY Yankees in five games to win their eighth franchise ’ship. Here’s how the superstar-led Blue Crew won it all and a look at the question mark–filled baseball offseason ahead. Lights, camera, action.

Freddie Freeman homers in Games 1 through 4, named MVP: Sprained ankle, be damned — Dodgers first baseman Freeman made Fall Classic history, homering in six straight World Series games (that he’s played in dating back to 2020) to lead this high-powered LA offense to the title.

• NY made many defensive miscues in the Game 5 L, but LA standouts to seal the deal included outfielder Mookie Betts, who drove in the game-winning run, and pitcher Walker Buehler, who put an up-and-down season behind him to close out the final inning.

• Now superstar Shohei Ohtani has his first career World Series ring, LA has their first title since the COVID–shortened 2020 season, and the Dodgers faithful can rest assured they have a superstar core intact for the foreseeable future. On top of the world, indeed.

Which team will land top free agent Juan Soto?: While LA celebrates, the Hot Stove is already heating up, specifically surrounding four-time All-Star Soto, who’s due for a big payday after a standout season in NY.

• The Yanks made a massive offseason splash to land Soto last December, but there’s question of whether the 26-year-old slugger will don the pinstripes once again as he eyes a potential record-breaking contract. Where will he shuffle to next?

The GIST: After a 21-week regular season, the quest for the Grey Cup starts with this weekend’s two-game first-round slate. Start hydrating because the Canadian gridiron is already burnin’ up.

How it works: Six of the league’s nine teams — three from the East Division and three from the West — advance to the playoffs. The top team in each division earns a bye to the division finals, while the second- and third-place teams face off in the semifinals (aka the first round), which kicks off tomorrow.

The top contenders: The beast-of-the-East, defending champ Montréal Alouettes and the best-in-the-West Winnipeg Blue Bombers secured the top seeds in their divisions. The Als are looking to run it back while the Bombers have been a perennial postseason powerhouse, narrowly missing out on the 2023 title after Montréal’s dramatic game-winning touchdown last year.

• The added spice of a championship rematch is tantalizing, but the No. 2 Toronto Argonauts — headed by disgraced quarterback (QB) Chad Kelly (who was suspended for the first half of the season after a sexual assault allegation) — and the QB Vernon Adams Jr.–led No. 3 B.C. Lions could rain on the repeat parade. Hut, hut, here we go.

⚽ NWSL: Decision Weekend — Tonight through Sunday — NWSL+

• Three teams — the Portland Thorns, Bay FC, and Racing Louisville FC — are all vying for the final two NWSL playoff spots (of eight total) heading into the final weekend of regular-season play. That said, nearly all postseason seeding is up for grabs, so every match is must-see.

🏎️ F1: Brazilian Grand Prix — Sunday at 12 p.m. ET — TSN

• There’s been plenty of buzz about the World Drivers’ Championship battle between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, but there’s a new driver thriving on the track: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who’s just 24 points behind the second-place Norris. Vroom, vroom.

🏈 NFL: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers — Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET — CTV

• Forget Taylor and Whitney, there’s an even juicier rivalry hitting TVs across North America with the Lions and Packers vying for the top spot in the NFC North. No better reality TV than a pair of scorching hot Super Bowl contenders.

⚽ MLS Cup Playoffs: No. 1 seed LAFC vs. No. 8 seed Vancouver Whitecaps FC — Sunday at 8:45 p.m. ET — MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

• It’s win or go home for the Blue-and-White, who are down one game to Western Conference–leading LAFC heading into Game 2 of the Round One best-of-three series. Go time.