Welcome to 'Milwaukee Community College': How the Brewers built a 5 million juggernaut

Welcome to ‘Milwaukee Community College’: How the Brewers built a $115 million juggernaut

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2 months ago

August 27, 2025

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Jesse RogersAug 27, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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As the Milwaukee Brewers pile up wins at a faster pace than anyone else in MLB — with one of baseball’s smallest payrolls — one question is being asked throughout the sport: What’s their secret?

Those in the Brewers organization insist there is no classified formula for their success, but the answer might be best summed up in an internal game the organization plays called the “Check Game.”

“It started in the coach’s room,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy told ESPN recently. “To remind us, it’s not about us. It’s about the team. Anyone is fair game.”

The rules of the Check Game are simple. If you talk about your own accolades, you get a check. If you try to defend yourself, that’s a check. If you pass on blame to someone else, that might be a check as well.

“And if you bitch about a check, you get a bigger check,” Murphy said with a smile.

“[General manager] Matt Arnold was a two-time defending champion. If he said something about a player like, ‘We drafted him in Tampa,’ that was a check.”

Even owner Mark Attanasio isn’t off-limits.

“He would come in just off the plane with his Milwaukee Brewers stuff on,” Murphy recalled. “‘Huh, you wanted everyone to know you’re with the Brewers, wearing your stuff in public?’ That’s a check. His son even got a check when he had to go up into a suite in San Francisco because it was too cold.”

The point of the game exemplifies the concerted effort across the organization to align the different departments, so every voice is heard and valued — and the game makes it clear to everyone that making the team better is more important than who gets the credit.

“The Check Game is a really important game inside the clubhouse and the culture and the ecosystem of the team,” Brewers play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson said. “It’s a little bit of a borderline shaming game, so if you’re in it for yourself, you’re going to get a check and you’re going to be on that board.

“No one wants to be on that board.”

Welcome to ‘Milwaukee Community College’

The Brewers can go toe-to-toe with the $300 million powerhouses at the top of the National League standings because instead of trying to compete dollar for dollar, they’ve created the kind of unique environment that the Check Game fosters. It’s a vibe that feels more like the atmosphere in a college locker room than what you would expect in a professional clubhouse.

As you make your way through American Family Field on game day, you come to understand that notion when you hear the team’s manager, known simply as Murph throughout Milwaukee, refer to his first- and second-year players as “freshmen” and “sophomores.”

Murphy, 66, coached 22 years at the collegiate ranks, first at Notre Dame and then Arizona State, and old habits die hard.

“We joke around with each other and say that it’s Milwaukee Community College just because that’s how we play the game and that’s the kind of guys we have,” Christian Yelich said. “And Murph’s the manager and there’s a lot more talks about fundamentals and baserunning and little details of a game that you might hear in college.”

Murphy waves off any talk that his team performs fundamentals better than most. He even gets text messages about his club’s ability to do the little things from friends — but he won’t take the bait and risk receiving a check in the game he helped cultivate.

“I don’t think we have a secret sauce, and I don’t think we do things that much better than anyone else,” he said. “We’ve got a great group that competes. We’re under construction. We’re not setting limits on what we can do. How do we get better today? That’s the emphasis. That will always be the emphasis.”

Brian Anderson calls Murphy the Casey Stengel of the Brewers, replete with just as many sayings as the former Yankees manager. A few days spent in Murphy’s office give just a sampling of what might sound like a college professor:

“You’re not looking for credit, you’re looking for credibility.

“When you squeeze that egg too tight, what happens? It cracks.

“It might be great ingredients but when stirring it, it may not taste as good.

“You can’t coast uphill.”

But Murphy isn’t just rattling off clichés, he mixes his -isms with a hard-nosed throwback style that makes it clear that the standards are high when you put on a Brewers uniform.

“He wants to win badly,” Yelich said. “When he’s on that top step [of the dugout], you’ll know if you did something wrong. Sometimes, when you talk to him, you don’t always know if he’s serious by his demeanor, but he’s dead serious.”

Former Brewers pitcher Aaron Civale, who was traded in June for first baseman Andrew Vaughn, nods his head when asked about Murphy’s collegiate style.

“He can be hard to read at times,” Civale said with a smile. “I’ve definitely had my fair share of conversations where he’s smiling back and you’re not sure. There’s definitely times where it’s, ‘Um, which way are we going here?'”

Murphy’s “hard-nosed” style, according to pitcher Brandon Woodruff, works in the clubhouse because it mixes well with the type of players the Brewers employ. He’s communicative and direct. And expects the game to be played a certain way.

“There’s a little teardown factor when it’s needed and a little buildup factor when it’s needed,” Anderson added. “He’s probably as good as anybody I’ve seen doing that.”

‘We can’t afford to make mistakes’

The Brewers know that their clubhouse is never going to be filled with free agents who signed expensive contracts — their 40-man roster payroll of $114.5 million ranks 23rd in the sport. And because of the team’s sustained success, they rarely pick high in the MLB draft.

That means operating in nontraditional ways is crucial.

“I wonder if we had more money to spend, if we wouldn’t make more mistakes,” Attanasio said of his front office’s team-building philosophy. “Organically, in every one of our transactions, we look forward three years. We can’t afford to make mistakes because it sets you back for a long time.”

Attanasio credits the St. Louis Cardinals under owner Bill DeWitt with that forward-thinking model.

Meanwhile, GM Matt Arnold is part of the continuity the Brewers point to in describing what has worked for them. He has been with the organization for a decade, first as an assistant and now in his fifth season as the general manager. He’s also the reigning MLB executive of the year with a chance to repeat. In theory, that could earn him a couple of checks in the Check Game.

So, while the Brewers have become the talk of the league because of their record this season, Milwaukee has been to the playoffs six times since Arnold arrived and are a lock to make it seven this season.

“Everyone is looking at our team as innovative,” Attanasio said. “It’s what we’ve done for 10 years.”

Like most winning small-market teams, scouting and development are the cornerstones for the Brewers’ success. But in the current era of baseball, there is a lot more to the job than just identifying talent.

Arnold works just as hard at “connecting” the different departments within the organization as he does building a roster. That means melding analytics, player acquisition, player development and in-uniform personnel into a cohesive organism.

“I think it’s one of the biggest parts for me — just making sure that there’s empathy on all sides and that they’re working to make each other better, not against each other,” Arnold explained. “That is super important to me.

“I’ve been in environments where they are working in opposition and that doesn’t work, and it can crater a franchise. You have to sort of pick sides on who you align with. And I don’t think that that’s fair. Connectivity is the biggest thing.”

This process developed under former general manager David Stearns, working with former manager Craig Counsell, but Attanasio believes the current iteration is peak Milwaukee baseball.

“Matt has organized our player development from top to bottom so we preach the same thing,” Attanasio told ESPN. “Once upon a time, different levels were teaching different things. Now from the time someone joins rookie ball with us, they’re taught the same way we instruct at the major league level.”

The Brewers brand of baseball became even more clear heading into the 2023 season. That’s when MLB’s new rules took effect. Speed and defense were re-emphasized in the sport as the shift was banned, the bases were enlarged and pitchers had limits on pickoff moves. Milwaukee leaned in — perhaps as well as anyone.

“We spent time on how are any of these rules going to impact us and what can we do to be ahead of those things?” Arnold said. “So yeah, we certainly spent time on it.”

Fueled by that shift in philosophy, the Brewers rank second in stolen bases this season, just as they did in 2024. They also lead the majors in outs above average over the past three seasons. Succeeding in those areas doesn’t cost in player payroll like it does to employ sluggers up and down the lineup in today’s game, and Milwaukee has proven that there are other ways to win beyond outslugging the opposition.

‘That one came over pizza and talking baseball’

The results of a connected process often show up by finding value in contributors who have fallen out of favor in other places, whether those players need an overhaul or just a change of scenery.

Two deals made after the 2025 season began show Milwaukee’s ability to add newcomers who become key cogs.

Because of early season injuries, Arnold sought out pitching, acquiring starter Quinn Priester from Boston in early April — a time on the baseball calendar when few significant trades are made. Priester was once a highly regarded prospect after the Pirates took him with the 18th pick of the 2018 draft but was dealt to the Red Sox after struggling in brief MLB opportunities in Pittsburgh.

Upon joining the Brewers, Priester changed his pitch mix — scrapping his four-seam fastball and adding a cutter — and immediately played a key role in stabilizing the rotation. The 24-year-old right-hander is 11-2 with a 3.14 ERA and ranks second on the staff behind ace Freddy Peralta in innings pitched (128 ⅓).

When first baseman Rhys Hoskins hit the injured list with a thumb injury in May, Arnold dealt Civale to the White Sox for Andrew Vaughn. The No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft, Vaughn had become available because he was hitting .189 for Chicago in his fifth straight season of underachieving.

Vaughn’s immediate turnaround became the stuff of legend in Milwaukee as he hit .330 with a 1.019 OPS and the Brewers went 26-4 over his first 30 games in Milwaukee.

Members of the front office, naturally, downplayed their role in turning around either player, pointing out that both were former first-round picks, so the talent was always there. After all, taking credit for the additions that helped propel the team’s early-season turnaround would be prime makings for a check.

The Brewers’ success in integrating newcomers isn’t just about finding diamonds in the rough from other major league rosters though. The roster is full of players who began their career in other organizations, and the bullpen is routinely restocked with unheralded relievers who become strikeout artists upon arriving at American Family Field.

Closer Trevor Megill bounced around between the Padres, Cubs and Twins organizations before the Brewers acquired him in 2023. Key reliever Nick Mears was acquired in an under-the-radar 2024 deadline deal with the Rockies after posting a 5.56 ERA in Colorado and Joel Payamps was released by four organizations before becoming one of the game’s best setup men after coming to Milwaukee from the A’s in a three-team trade.

But perhaps no player is a better example of the Brewers’ ability to leave the rest of the league asking, “Where did they find that guy?” than a 28-year-old who has emerged as one of the Brewers’ key offensive performers this season. When the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft rolled around in 2022, the front office zeroed in on Rockies farmhand Isaac Collins. Three years later, the left fielder has emerged as a top candidate for National League Rookie of the Year honors.

“That one came over pizza and talking baseball,” Arnold recalled. “We’re sitting in the room and having a good time. And as we’re talking through it, it’s like, man, this guy’s a pretty good player and he’s athletic and he’s a great kid and he would fit our brand of baseball.

“I think that’s really important to our success is continuing to find guys that have been overlooked or have struggled at different points and trying to see if there is an opportunity for those guys to get to that potential that once was there.”

‘Guys hold each other accountable about the little things’

For all their roster churn success stories that leave the rest of the sport in awe, the Brewers know they wouldn’t be October regulars without a core group of veteran players in the clubhouse.

Just like a college coach needs his seniors to show freshmen the ropes when they set foot on campus, Murphy points to having Yelich buy into the Brewers way — emphasizing speed, defense and situational awareness — as one key to their success. If the former MVP is practicing what his manager is preaching then everyone should, Murphy believes.

Yelich, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta have been in Milwaukee since the Brewers’ 2018 National League Championship Series run and have helped the team keep a collective chip on its shoulder despite the sustained success.

“As a smaller market, when you play the bigger markets, you’re always feeling like you have something to prove,” Woodruff said. “When you can take that mentality out onto the field, it adds up.”

After one recent game against the Cubs, Murphy reeled off all the ways Chicago was superior to his team — even though Milwaukee held a nine-game lead in the NL Central at the time.

“They have All-Stars, MVP candidates, veterans, Gold Glove winners, world champions,” Murphy said. “What don’t they have? They’re not the underdogs, trust me.”

That mantra filters down to when a new player comes on board, as most already understand what they’re getting into after watching Milwaukee from the other dugout.

“When I was with the Padres, we came here, and you kind of knew their style,” outfielder Brandon Lockridge said. “So, I wasn’t surprised when I got here.”

New catcher Danny Jansen added: “It helps playing against the Brewers and seeing that brand from the outside. When you get here, guys hold each other accountable about the little things.”

Coaches challenge players, especially about execution. “Did you get the bunt down?” “Would you, if your entire livelihood was on the line?” No negative moment is left unaddressed by a coach or veteran player — whether it comes in Game 1 or 121.

Though no one in the clubhouse will take direct credit for setting the tone — and risk seeing a check by their name on the board — players point to an attention to the little things that make the Brewers, the Brewers. And in Yelich’s estimation, it’s also what makes them lovable to fans around the league.

“I think we play an exciting brand of baseball,” he said. “I think if you’re going to buy a ticket to watch a team play, you’re going to get your money’s worth when you watch us, whether we win or lose, something exciting is going to happen.”

Yelich cites infield hits, stolen bases, defensive gems and “first to thirds” as examples of the Brewers brand. He kind of shrugs when he notes the kind of players the team acquires and employs, refusing to believe a smaller payroll innately creates a disadvantage.

“Here’s your cards, now go win,” he said.

Peralta added: “Doing the little things. That’s what we do. We don’t try to do too much.”

With September just around the corner, the Brewers are headed to the home stretch on pace for 101 victories. That mark would easily surpass the franchise record of 96 wins last reached in 2018, but there is still one lingering question that won’t be answered until the bright lights of October shine upon American Family Field: Can this style win a ring?

Milwaukee hasn’t won a playoff series since that 2018 NLCS run, often lacking the slugging needed to win in October. The Brewers believe their play during their multiple double-digit winning streaks this season has provided a blueprint to ending their postseason misfortunes.

“We were able to stack a bunch of wins together in a row and create some momentum and an identity as a team,” Yelich said. “You play it till the end, play the whole game and try to create as much havoc and traffic and pressure as you can through nine innings and see what happens.

“Assuming we get there, we could win the whole thing or be bounced in the first round. That’s the sport.”

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Fantasy hockey stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down and why?

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2 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Fantasy hockey stock watch: Who's up, who's down and why?

Sean AllenOct 28, 2025, 04:00 PM ET
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There are a lot of ingredients that go into the meat grinder when we are crafting up fantasy rankings.

Without getting into how the sausage is made too much, there’s a blend of weighted fantasy points per game averages, which are then modified by a model generated by historical comparables for each individual skater. For goaltenders, it’s even more complex with current and past team dynamics, combined with a manual crease share estimation also thrown into the mix.

But they’re never quite perfect. Some sausages don’t have the right spice blend, the proper fat ratio, or the right bind.

It’s even trickier when the meat is out of season; the offseason grind often produces sausages that are a little … undercooked.

The ESPN fantasy hockey rankings got an in-season update for the first time on Friday. The previous rankings were for preseason drafts.

Since then, some of the sausages have turned out surprisingly well, while others are still a bit raw. Certain players who were ranked far too low have been flipped, now seasoned and ready for the table, while others who were overhyped have fallen apart.

Jump ahead: Goalies | Power Play

Undercooked

Linus Ullmark, G, Ottawa Senators (previously ranked 266; 54 last week): This applies to Ullmark and several other goaltenders. They are the toughest to project. Even now, Ullmark only has 0.6 fantasy points on the season. But what we are looking for above all else are positive team outcomes and workload. Ullmark has both of those going for him, so his season-long projection has come a long way since last spring.

Chris Kreider, LW, Anaheim Ducks (previously ranked 287; 114 last week): Five games into the season, in-season outcomes have already changed his fortunes. The energy the Ducks have shown — with Kreider in the heart of the attack, when he’s not ill — has been significant enough to suggest Kreider’s goal-scoring ways are making a return.

Shane Pinto, C, Ottawa Senators (previously ranked 248; 102 last week): Good things can happen when you shoot. Pinto fired 1.8 shots per game last season. He’s averaging 4.0 per game this season. No wonder he’s already taken down more than a third of his career-high goal total in just 10 games.

Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings (previously ranked 154; 18 last week): It certainly looks like Larkin finally has the talent around him to be the dominant fantasy force that’s been just under the surface for years. Only 10 other skaters have started with better per-game fantasy totals.

Jaden Schwartz, LW, Seattle Kraken (previously ranked 200; 126 last week): To be fair, it still feels tricky to pick which members of the Kraken will truly be the ones rising to the top by season’s end. But Schwartz certainly has the early reins as offensive leader, with four goals and eight points across nine games.

Jaden Schwartz taps in the opener for the Kraken

Overcooked

Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Carolina Hurricanes (previously ranked 139; 438 last week): Just 0.3 fantasy points per game? Svechnikov can recover from this atrocious start, but he has some hills to climb to do so. And it will be too late for fantasy managers.

Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators (previously ranked 101; 341 last week): It seems last season wasn’t an aberration, but simply the new normal. Stamkos is not a fantasy force on the Predators.

Matt Duchene, C, Dallas Stars (previously ranked 105; 303 last week): Having Duchene as depth is going to payoff for the Stars, but fantasy managers can’t afford to wait for his number to be called up the depth chart.

Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings (previously ranked 99; 235 last week): Without the power play, Doughty’s stat line is getting a bit thin for fantasy. As long as the Kings keep their five-forward advantage, Doughty is out of the mix.

Goalie notes

Here’s this week’s selection of goaltending snapshots, showing crease shares, fantasy production, and key notes where relevant.

Buffalo Sabres in nine games (four last week):

Alex Lyon (crease share season/week: 77.3%/49.3%, fantasy points season/week: 21.8/3.6, 81.8% available)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (crease share season/week: 11.5%/25.7%, fantasy points season/week: -3.4/-3.4, 88.7% available)
Colten Ellis (crease share season/week: 11.2%/25.0%, fantasy points season/week: 5.4/5.4, 99.9% available)

Luukkonen might not have started on the weekend if Ellis hadn’t been hurt, so this crease is getting quite intriguing. And with Lyon ranked eighth among goaltenders for fantasy points, it’s worth paying attention to how the rotation shapes out now.

Columbus Blue Jackets in eight games (three last week):

Elvis Merzlikins (crease share season/week: 50.7%/67.6%, fantasy points season/week: 13.6/7.6, 73.1% available)
Jet Greaves (crease share season/week: 49.3%/32.4%, fantasy points season/week: 2.4/-5.0, 93.1% available)

Chicago Blackhawks in nine games (two last week):

Spencer Knight (crease share season/week: 67.1%/50.8%, fantasy points season/week: 24.6/5.8, 50.5% available)
Arvid Soderblom (crease share season/week: 32.9%/49.2%, fantasy points season/week: 1.2/-0.2, 99.6% available)

Success in a losing cause isn’t an easy task, but volume looks like it will keep Knight as a fantasy play going forward. Only four other goaltenders have more fantasy points so far, despite Knight sitting on just three wins.

Colorado Avalanche in 10 games (five last week):

Scott Wedgewood (crease share season/week: 81.4%/53.8%, fantasy points season/week: 19.8/-10.6, 29.5% available)
Trent Miner (crease share season/week: 18.6%/46.2%, fantasy points season/week: 2.0/2.0, 99.4% available)

Three consecutive outings with negative fantasy points shows the risks inherent with backups like Wedgewood. When things are good, it’s great, but when they are not, they really are not. Mackenzie Blackwood is due back soon. He should be rostered in every league, but is available in about a quarter of them.

Edmonton Oilers in 10 games (four last week):

Stuart Skinner (crease share season/week: 60.2%/49.8%, fantasy points season/week: 10.0/1.8, 32.3% available)
Calvin Pickard (crease share season/week: 39.8%/50.2%, fantasy points season/week: -3.6/-4.0, 97.3% available)

Montreal Canadiens in 10 games (four last week):

Jakub Dobes (crease share season/week: 50.5%/75.2%, fantasy points season/week: 30.2/18.8, 51.4% available)
Sam Montembeault (crease share season/week: 49.5%/24.8%, fantasy points season/week: -9.8/-7.4, 37.0% available)

Sure, it’s been about 50-50 so far, but Dobes continues his hostile takeover and is a must-roster in all leagues.

Jakub Dobes robs Flames with save

New Jersey Devils in nine games (four last week):

Jake Allen (crease share season/week: 63.2%/75.2%, fantasy points season/week: 24.2/12.0, 66.1% available)
Jacob Markstrom (crease share season/week: 25.7%/DNP, fantasy points season/week: -0.2/DNP, 45.7% available)
Nico Daws (crease share season/week: 11.1%/24.8%, fantasy points season/week: 7.8/7.8, 99.3% available)

Philadelphia Flyers in eight games (three last week):

Dan Vladar (crease share season/week: 61.3%/64.3%, fantasy points season/week: 18.6/6.4, 87.4% available)
Samuel Ersson (crease share season/week: 38.7%/35.7%, fantasy points season/week: -3.4/2.6, 97.7% available)

Toronto Maple Leafs in nine games (three last week):

Anthony Stolarz (crease share season/week: 77.4%/65.3%, fantasy points season/week: -1.6/-7.0, 17.2% available)
Cayden Primeau (crease share season/week: 22.6%/34.7%, fantasy points season/week: 3.8/2.6, 99.3% available)

Back at practice, Joseph Woll should be in game action sooner than later, relieving the pressure on Stolarz and hopefully getting both of them back to roster-worthy, as they managed to stay all last season.

Vancouver Canucks in 10 games (four last week):

Thatcher Demko (crease share season/week: 59.7%/50.5%, fantasy points season/week: 21.2/5.8, 16.4% available)
Kevin Lankinen (crease share season/week: 40.3%/49.5%, fantasy points season/week: -5.6/-9.8, 96.3% available)

Right now, it’s roughly a 60-40 split. The Lankinen contract gave us pause about a potential tandem during the offseason, but Demko is establishing clear separation. Good news for managers invested in Demko: volume is all he needs to climb from middling to near the top of fantasy goaltenders.

Power-play notes

Pavel Zacha, C, Boston Bruins (available in 74.5%)

Jason Zucker, LW, Buffalo Sabres (available in 88.0%)

If you need a specific boost in power-play points in a medium or deep fantasy league, surnames starting with Z might be the way to go. Zacha and Zucker don’t offer a lot at 5-on-5, but are both key cogs of their respective power-play units.

Zayne Parekh, D, Calgary Flames (available in 94.6%): Tuesday’s tilt is a big one for Parekh. The Flames have been rolling him into the quarterback role across the past few games and it’s a homecoming for him. But most importantly, it’s his ninth game, which is the last one the Flames get before he loses eligibility to go back to the OHL.

Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Colorado Avalanche (available in 56.1%): Elevated to the top unit over Brock Nelson, the results are starting to come in after a slow start for Nichushkin. If the second line ever gets going at even strength, he’ll become a must-have, but he fits fantasy rosters as a power-play specialist already.

David Tomasek, RW, Edmonton Oilers (available in 99.7%): It’s been nine games and the Oilers aren’t moving off Tomasek as the fifth forward on what could be one of the best power plays in the league. At some point, Connor McDavid will start scoring more, and some of that action will come on the power play. It’s worth considering Tomasek as a bench stash.

Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal Canadiens (available in 49.7%): The Habs have switched to Demidov over Zach Bolduc on the top unit, which elevates Demidov’s potential significantly. We just need him to start shooting more.

Ivan Demidov scores goal for Canadiens

Ivan Demidov nets goal for Canadiens

Brady Skjei, D, Nashville Predators (available in 44.4%): Someone has to fill in for an injured Roman Josi. That doesn’t mean you want Skjei on your fantasy team, but it’s at least worth noting. The unit did pick up a goal with Skjei at the helm already.

Trevor Zegras, C, Philadelphia Flyers (available in 45.8%): Zegras has been on the ice for all four of the Flyers power-play goals so far this season. He’s currently on what might be the second unit on paper, but is the first unit in practice, with three goals across the past three games.

Anthony Mantha, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (available in 90.3%): The early answer to who replaces Rickard Rakell on the Pens top unit, Mantha has some potential with this added assignment. His 5-on-5 line with Evgeni Malkin and Justin Brazeau is on fire. Admittedly, they’ll cool off at some point, but they are hot now. Add in some looks with Sidney Crosby on the advantage, and we could have some fantasy value for the medium-term.

Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights (available in 28.8%): So, either the Knights are in a serious funk on the advantage, or Mark Stone is absolutely critical to the attack. The top unit with Stone as part of a five-forward group had eight goals across 22:04 with 4.71 shot attempts per two minutes. With Theodore on the point and Stone injured, the group has no goals and 0.66 shot attempts per two minutes across 6:06.

Sports

Mammoth sign center Cooley to $80M extension

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5 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Mammoth sign center Cooley to M extension

Greg WyshynskiOct 29, 2025, 10:30 AM ET
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The Utah Mammoth have signed center Logan Cooley to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension, locking in one of their brightest young stars for the long term.

Cooley, 21, leads the Mammoth in goals (8) and is tied for second in points (12) in 11 games, helping to power the second-year team to first place in the Central Division (8-3-0). He is on a four-game point streak with six goals and three assists, including a goal in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers that snapped the Mammoth’s seven-game winning streak.

He became the first player in NHL history to score each of his first eight goals of the season in the first period.

“Choosing to play with this group of teammates was the easiest part of this decision, and living in Utah has been amazing since day one,” Cooley said in a statement. “The atmosphere at the Delta Center in front of our fans is unreal and Ryan and Ashley Smith have given our team every resource to succeed, which is all you can ask for as a player. We have an opportunity to do something special here thanks to the incredible people in the organization. This is an awesome day for me and my family, and I am proud to commit to the state of Utah and to the Mammoth.”

Cooley is playing out the final year of his entry-level deal before the extension kicks in starting with the 2026-27 season, when he would have been a restricted free agent. His $10 million average annual value would be the highest among current Mammoth players next season.

He had 25 goals and 40 assists last season for the Utah Hockey Club. Overall, Cooley has 53 goals and 68 assists in 168 NHL games with Utah and Arizona, which drafted him third overall in 2022.

“Logan is elite in every sense of the word,” Mammoth governor Ryan Smith said in a statement. “He’s one of the most exciting young players in the league, and the fact that he’s chosen to plant roots here in Utah says everything about what we’re building. He is part of an incredible core of young players that will have a major impact on the future of this franchise. Logan choosing to put his roots down here and commit for the long-term is another important milestone in building a championship-caliber team.”

Cooley is the second major signing for general manager Bill Armstrong within Utah’s young core. Forward Dylan Guenther, 22, inked an eight-year deal with an average annual value of over $7.1 million in September 2024, locking him in through 2032-33. Forward JJ Peterka, 23, was signed through 2030 ($7.7 million AAV) after Armstrong acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason.

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‘When those things click, it’s on like Donkey Kong’: Witnessing Vlad Jr.’s epic October run

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5 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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'When those things click, it's on like Donkey Kong': Witnessing Vlad Jr.'s epic October run

Jesse RogersOct 29, 2025, 07:45 AM ET
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LOS ANGELES — It was a swing that could turn the World Series.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got a hanging sweeper from all-world pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series — and blasted it into the night sky just moments after the Los Angeles Dodgers had taken a 1-0 lead.

It was a critical swing for the Blue Jays mere hours after they lost a heartbreaking, 18-inning affair, putting Toronto behind in the series for the first time — and Guerrero’s homer gave the Jays a Game 4 lead they would never relinquish.

It was the latest in an October full of big moments produced by the face of his franchise, and the fact that it came against the Dodgers’ two-way phenom adds to an evolving storyline: Ohtani isn’t the only superstar in this World Series.

“That swing was huge,” manager John Schneider said after the win that tied the series at two games apiece. “A sweeper is a pitch designed to generate popups…and the swing that Vlad put on it was elite. After last night [Game 3] and kind of all the recognition that went into Shohei individually and he’s on the mound today, it’s a huge swing from Vlad. It’s a huge swing to get us going. I think that gives [us] some momentum.”

Guerrero has been giving the Blue Jays momentum all month, hitting .419 with seven home runs this postseason. But don’t just label him a free-swinging slugger. Though that description might fit his famous dad, the younger Guerrero is much, much more — and his teammates have taken notice throughout the postseason ride.

‘Grabbing some popcorn and watching him do his thing’

Max Scherzer is a future Hall of Famer pitching in the World Series for a fourth different franchise, and even the 41-year-old right-hander is impressed by what he has seen from Guerrero on a nightly basis.

“He’s just locked and loaded,” Scherzer said. “He’s such a force. To me, his greatness is beyond his offense. It’s his defense and baserunning too. He’s an all-around great player.”

But nothing else Guerrero has done this season compares to the show he has put on with the bat in his hands. Even his hitting coach, David Popkins, often finds himself watching his star like a fan would.

“It’s pretty much enjoying the show, grabbing some popcorn and watching him do his thing,” Popkins said with a laugh. “He’s ahead of every adjustment before we can get to him. I learn from him every day.

“And when those things click, it’s on like Donkey Kong.”

It’s a common theme from those playing with him this October.

Closer Jeff Hoffman said he is “on the edge of his seat” every night, waiting for Guerrero to do something special. Sometimes it comes with a big home run to left field and other times it’s just shooting the ball the other way for a single, as he also did in Game 4. Guerrero is the embodiment of spraying to all fields.

“It’s a quality at-bat every time,” third baseman Ernie Clement said. “It doesn’t have to be a homer. He is battling up there and seeing pitches and just making it really, really hard on the opposing pitchers.

“This postseason as a whole is just the most amazing baseball I’ve ever seen from him. And that’s saying something because he hit like .400 in the second half last year. This is the best version of him.”

‘Helping my team win some games’

On the heels of signing a massive $500 million contract that will keep him with the Blue Jays through the 2039 season, many of Guerrero’s teammates point to the extra pressure on their superstar’s shoulders to deliver this month — but he just keeps on living up to the expectations.

He hit .529 in the division series, .385 in the ALCS and is hitting .368 in the World Series so far. Guerrero was asked what has impressed him most about his own play after his Game 4 home run against Ohtani.

“That I am helping my team win some games,” he responded through the team interpreter. “That’s what I’m impressed with right now.”

The effects of his play were echoed throughout the locker room after the latest in a month of heroics.

“He never settles,” Popkins said. “He’s really grounded in who he is as a hitter and what his foundational beliefs are based off how he was raised. He’s special in that manner.”

‘I’d probably pitch around him’

Another regular spectator for “The Guerrero Show,” Jays reliever Eric Lauer, was asked how he would pitch to Guerrero. He paused before answering, shaking his head as he thought about it.

“I’d probably pitch around him,” Lauer said with a laugh. “His bat path is so smooth and long, I feel like he can get to anything.

“Whenever he comes up, we’re just like ‘Hang a slider or a curveball. Hang something. Or throw a fastball down the middle and see how far that goes.'”

“The cool thing about Valddy is he’s not a home-run-or-bust kind of hitter,” Hoffman added.

Even Guerrero could take a moment to appreciate his home run off the best player in the game. It came one night after Ohtani stole all the headlines, reaching base a record nine times in Game 3. The Dodgers star was denied a second straight night of glory, thanks to the second-best player on the field. On Tuesday, it was Guerrero who stole the show, giving his underdog Jays a chance to upset the defending champions.

“It was very important for me to hit that home run, and from that point on, we got going,” Guerrero said. “And I know basically myself and him [Ohtani], we are the talk of the series, but when we are between those two lines, we’re competing.

“It felt good that I could hit that homer against him.”