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Ex-England, Chelsea and Manchester City winger Sean Wright-Phillips has given his verdict on Liverpool's struggles this season, claiming it was a mistake to allow Luis Diaz leave for Bayern Munich without a like-for-like replacement. The Colombian completed a £65.5m ($87m) transfer to the Bavarian giants in the summer, with the Reds acquiring central attackers in Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.

Diaz shines for Bayern since Liverpool switch

Former winger Wright-Phillips was clear in his assessment of Liverpool's transfer business, saying he felt the decision to part company with Diaz without replacing him with another winger was a clear mistake from the moment it happened. He said many Liverpool fans are now waking up to the quality Diaz possesses, as he thrives in Munich. 

The ex-Porto man has been a revelation for Bayern so far this term, scoring 11 goals and contributing five assists in 18 competitive appearances. The highlight of his brilliant start to life in Germany came in Bayern's 2-2 draw away to Union Berlin last month, when he rifled home a finish from an impossibly tight angle.  

Diaz was absent in the German club's only loss of the 2025/26 campaign in midweek, after he followed a first half brace with a red card in the Bavarian side's 2-1 win over PSG. Vincent Kompany's side clearly missed his direct running and physical output in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. 

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentWright-Phillps: Selling Diaz was a "mistake"

In an interview with Wright-Phillips was asked whether he thought it was a mistake to sell Diaz to Bayern. He replied: "Yes. I thought that when I heard it before it even happened. I couldn’t quite understand it. That was a mistake, but an even bigger mistake was not replacing him.

"You’re losing a winger, so replace him with another winger. For whatever reason, they chose to look elsewhere.

"I think a few Liverpool fans recognised just how good he was for them, but a lot of people didn’t really understand how important and effective he was until he started doing it for Bayern instead."

Wright-Phillips criticises Liverpool's transfer policy

Wright-Phillips continued his criticism over Liverpool's transfer spending. He was asked if the Reds failure to secure Marc Guehi's transfer from Crystal Palace was their biggest mistake, however, the 44-year-old instead referenced the decision to acquire both Isak and Ekitike without Arne Slot adjusting his tactics to accommodate both players, or bring out the best in other high-profile purchases like Florian Wirtz. Isak joined Liverpool for a British record fee of £125m from Newcastle; Ekitike made the switch to Merseyside from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal that could reach £79m; Wirtz cost £116m to acquire from Bayer Leverkusen. All three men have struggled for form and fitness  over the start of the 2025/26 season. 

"No, I don't think Liverpool missing out on Guehi was the biggest mistake of the summer. I think the biggest mistake is that Slot hasn’t adapted his approach so that Ekitike and Isak can play together," said Wright-Phillips. 

"They’re both pretty similar, so you need to work on it to make sure they can team up. But you can’t have one who drops short, because that’s where Wirtz will be. But if you have Wirtz there, you’ve fundamentally changed your title-winning midfield tactics."

Wright-Phillips went on to suggest that Liverpool had tinkered too much with their winning formula from last term. He added: "There's been too much change in Liverpool from the team that almost walked the league last season. I don't think there needed to be £400 million worth of changes. I don't think they needed both Isak and Ekitike. They could have just taken one and then they would have been well placed to go and obviously replace Diaz. But they were so focused on those two players that they didn't really do much else after that."

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Diaz's form will be add insult to injury for Liverpool fans, that have watched their expensive attack fail to gel. 

It has not been much better in defence. Jamie Carrageher unleashed an x-rated rant against Arne Slot for continuing to pick the struggling Ibrahima Konate after Liverpool's disastrous 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven earlier this week. The Sky and CBS Sports pundit suggested the Dutchman has one week to right the ship, before shis position will come under serious threat. Slot has to find the right tactical balance ahead of the Reds trip to West Ham on Sunday, and the visit of Sunderland on December 3.

This week has been an eventful one for the Chicago White Sox in ways that have had nothing to do with their play on the field.

On Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost—a lifelong fan of the team who attended the 2005 World Series—was elected Pope Leo XIV. Five days later, eight of the team's former players banned in the "Black Sox" scandal were posthumously reinstated from their lifetime suspensions.

The Black Sox scandal is probably the most famous scandal in the history of North American sports—endlessly debated, dissected, revived and handed down from generation to generation. The reinstatement of its principals, accused of throwing the 1919 World Series, is a hugedeal. The problem is that the generation that heard the story from their parents—and mythologized it in all kinds of media—is dying off.

With this in mind, here's a look back at the Black Sox scandal—what caused it, what happened, who the eight men involved were, and how it entered American legend.

What were baseball and the world like when the Black Sox scandal took place?

In the early 20th century, baseball—not unlike gambling—was a vaguely disreputable profession. Salaries were small, and the men who played it, though famous, were overwhelmingly working-class. The appeal of tanking games was considerable. Over a dozen players were banned from baseball before the Black Sox; the Louisville Four and 1916 National League batting champion Hal Chase are among the most notable.

In 1919, baseball and the United States were in transition. World War I and the recent flu pandemic had affected every corner of the country. In a bid to make money as the economy recovered, baseball's leaders expanded the World Series from a best-of-seven to a best-of-nine affair.

Chicago won the American League pennant that year, besting Cleveland by 3.5 games. Its three best players by bWAR were pitcher Eddie Cicotte, outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and pitcher Lefty Williams—all of whom had helped the team win the World Series two years prior. Its manager was former two-way player Kid Gleason, and its owner was another ex-MLBer in Charlie Comiskey.

How did the scandal unfold?

First baseman Chick Gandil—the scandal's ringleader—met with Boston bookie Sport Sullivan in Sept. 1919, and the two put a plan in place to fix the World Series in exchange for $80,000 (about $1.4 million in April 2025). What happened next is hazy: accounts of Jackson and infielder Buck Weaver's involvement or lack thereof are disputed. The movement of gambling lines, however, was enough to raise alarms with the press even before the Series between the White Sox and Cincinnati Reds began.

Cicotte hit the first batter of Game 1, Reds second baseman Morrie Rath, in the back to indicate the tank was on. Cincinnati went on to win it five games to three, but the story does not end there.

Late in 1920, with Chicago again battling for the pennant (it lagged just behind Cleveland in a tight race), seven of the eight alleged conspirators were suspended by Comiskey himself amid a grand jury inquiry into the previous season's series. The punishments dealt the White Sox's pennant chances a death blow and opened the door for Cleveland to pull away—and eventually win its first title.

The summer of 1921 saw the "Black Sox" tried on nine counts of conspiracy to defraud. The proceedings gripped the nation and raised allegations of major underworld figures' involvement, most famously New York mob boss Arnold Rothstein. The players were eventually acquitted, but that did not stop Kennesaw Mountain Landis—the holder of a new position, "commissioner of baseball," created by the owners—from banning the eight players for life.

Who were the eight banned players and what happened to them?

The scandal touched players of all ability levels, from stars to reserves.

Eddie Cicotte, pitcher

Michigan native who was in his late 30s when he confessed his involvement to a grand jury (which he later recanted). Knuckleballer was one of the best hurlers of the World War I era, a league leader in bWAR ('17), wins ('17 and '19), and ERA ('17). Worked several jobs in the Detroit suburbs and died in 1969.

Happy Felsch, center fielder

Son of German immigrants who came up playing in Milwaukee. Had been enjoying a career year in '20—.338/.384/.540 with 14 home runs and 115 RBIs—when he was suspended. Played unsanctioned ball in the prairie west—Manitoba, Montana and Saskatchewan—and died in 1964.

Chick Gandil, first baseman

Minnesota-born son of Swiss immigrants known for his temperamental personality. A so-so first baseman whose play was in decline when he initiated the fix through his meeting with Sport Sullivan; his best years came with the Washington Senators earlier in the 1910s. Wrote an article discussing his involvement in the scandal for SI in 1956; died in 1970.

Shoeless Joe Jackson, left fielder

The most famous and controversial of all the Black Sox; a South Carolina native with very little formal education. Best years came with Cleveland in the early 1910s, but was still recognizable as (in modern terms) an All-Star-caliber player when he hit .375 in the '19 Series. The first of the Black Sox to die, doing so in 1951 after years spent playing and managing lower-level teams under pseudonyms.

Fred McMullin, third baseman

Kansas native raised in Los Angeles who debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1914. Fringe player said to have overheard plans to throw the series and demanded to be involved, on pain of his teammates having their plan exposed. Held several jobs in California; died in 1952.

Swede Risberg, shortstop

San Francisco native who was just 24 when he agreed to assist Gandil. Glove-first shortstop slashed just .080/.233/.160 in the World Series. Played some lower-level baseball and died in 1975, when he was noted as the last living Black Sox.

Buck Weaver, third baseman and shortstop

Pennsylvania native who only ever played big-league ball for Chicago. Capable hitter (and one of baseball's most effective bunters) whose ban stemmed from him knowing about the White Sox's scheme and not reporting it. As was the case for Jackson, his potential reinstatement eventually became a cause celebre; he died in Chicago in '56.

Lefty Williams, pitcher

From Missouri; enjoyed a 23-11 career year in 1919 before the World Series. Lost three games in the Series, a record that was tied by George Frazier of the New York Yankees in 1981 but has not been broken. Played in several unsanctioned leagues, mostly in the Western United States; died in 1959.

What was the Black Sox's legacy?

Most immediately, the scandal shook public confidence in baseball and emboldened its owners to bring in the autocratic Landis as judge, jury, executioner and commissioner. Landis served as MLB's commissioner for 25 years, and his name—when not being cited to criticize his slowness on the issue of integration—remains a byword for iron-fisted rule in sports.

The scandal became something of a touchstone for America's Lost Generation—the demographic who, as young adults, had seen much of their spirit broken by World War I. In , narrator Nick Carraway—a veteran of that war, as author F. Scott Fitzgerald was—wonders how a Rothstein-indebted mobster character "could start to play with the faith of 50 million people."

As the 20th century wore on and baseball's history-industrial complex boomed, the scandal was canonized as North American sports' most significant. Two books ensured its immortality. In 1963, Eliot Asinof wrote , a deep dive into the scandal that compellingly argued for Weaver's innocence. In 1982, W.P. Kinsella wrote , a mystical fantasy about a farmer who builds a ballpark in his cornfield so that a ghostly Jackson may play on it. The books were turned into the acclaimed movies and , respectively.

With Jackson (and Cicotte) now candidates for the Hall of Fame, interest in the scandal only figures to grow. In some ways, the chain of events set off in Boston all those years ago has never really ended.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espírito Santo has been handed an injury update, with one member of his squad not set to return until nearly Christmas.

West Ham prepare for Man United clash after Liverpool defeat

The Hammers travel to Old Trafford on Thursday seeking to make amends following their first defeat since October, but Lucas Paqueta’s suspension after his sending off against Liverpool leaves Nuno with a real selection headache.

West Ham’s 2-0 loss to the Merseysiders on Sunday ended a three-match unbeaten streak, with Paqueta’s bizarre dismissal proving very costly.

Another Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, could make a rare start in his compatriot’s absence, while Crysencio Summerville is also a major doubt to face Man United after missing Liverpool with a calf problem.

Man United, meanwhile, arrive in confident mood after Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount both scored in a 2-1 comeback at Crystal Palace over the weekend.

Matheus Cunha could return after missing recent matches with a head injury, though a place on the bench appears more likely.

On paper, West Ham will be given encouragement by the fact they’ve won four out of their last five meetings against the Red Devils and completed the double over them last season.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

However, West Ham rank joint-second in the league for goals conceded from open play with 14, and first for goals conceded from set-pieces with 10 – weaknesses Ruben Amorin will undoubtedly look to exploit.

West Ham set for 'big decision' over selling 'most talented player' with Nuno 'fuming'

It would be a controversial move.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

Alongside Summerville and Paqueta, another player who’s set to sit out of this one is young defender Ollie Scarles.

The West Ham academy graduate, who’s been out of action since breaking his collarbone against Leeds United, has now returned to no-contact training as he slowly builds his capacity.

Following Nuno’s update, the Portuguese has now been handed a more specific timeline when it comes to the full-back’s return.

West Ham without Ollie Scarles until nearly Christmas

According to Hammers News, West Ham will be without Scarles until nearly Christmas as he continues his gradual comeback.

The Englishman could be back to face Man City on December 20 at the earliest, coming as a slight boost for Nuno given the difficulty of a trip to Eastlands.

However, the tactician might not want to risk him either, considering just how serious Scarles’ injury was and the delicacy of his recovery.

Once the England Under-20 international is back fit and firing, he’ll be a valuable asset, with Nuno starting him in each of his last two appearances before succumbing to injury.

Called West Ham’s ‘most exciting prospect since [Declan] Rice’ by members of the media, Scarles excelled at youth level with three goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances for the Under-18s.

The defender also racked up 13 goal contributions (six goals, seven assists) for the Under-21s, and Scarles has since been handed 19 senior cameos in all competitions for the east Londoners.

West Ham appear to have high hopes for the youngster, who most notably put in the best performance of his career to date in a 1-0 win away to Arsenal back in February.

Litton Das, Bangladesh’s T20I captain, had questioned the decision of the selectors after Shamim Hossain had been dropped for the T20I series against Ireland

Mohammad Isam30-Nov-2025Bangladesh have added Shamim Hossain to the squad for the third T20I against Ireland, to be played on Tuesday.The move came after captain Litton Das had criticised the selectors for leaving Shamim out of the squad for the series, saying that neither he nor coach Phil Simmons had been informed about it. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain said last Friday that Shamim was being dropped to give Mahidul Islam Ankon a run in the middle order.”I think it would have been better if [Shamim] was in the team. But this is not my call, [it is] totally the selectors’ call,” Litton, known to be a mild-mannered man, had said before the first T20I. “I don’t know why, but the selector dropped Shamim without giving us notice. I have known that a captain would know which player would be in the team, and which player would be out of the team. I don’t see any reason behind Shamim getting dropped. It would have been better if he was in the team.”Ashraf countered Litton later the same day, saying that he didn’t need the captain’s permission to select or not select a player, though there has clearly been a change of heart now.The relationship between the two has reportedly been frosty since Ashraf dropped Litton during the ODI series against Sri Lanka last year.For the record, Shamim had recorded scores of 0, 0, 1 and 1 in his last four T20Is.The T20I series is level at 1-1 going into the decider.Bangladesh squad for third T20I against IrelandLitton Das (capt, wk), Saif Hassan (vice-capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mahidul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shamim Hossain

Cole Palmer has downplayed talk of him being back to his best despite scoring in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Everton. The 23-year-old scored his first goal in three months as the Blues climbed to fourth in the Premier League table. And although the England international seems to finally be injury-free, he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

Chelsea back to winning ways

Palmer has had an injury-hit season but starred in a goalscoring display against the Toffees at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The former Manchester City man appeared to capture some of the swagger Blues fans have come to know and love over the past two years but he himself is not getting carried away following his side's victory. 

He told BBC Match of the Day: "I wouldn't say I'm at my best yet. I'm still dealing with an injury. Hopefully, it gets better and better but there's still a bit to go. It is getting better. The stuff I've been doing with the physios at the club. It's just a matter of not doing too much too soon. Literally, it's just a day-by-day thing. Hopefully it gets better."

Incidentally, England boss Thomas Tuchel was in the stands to see Enzo Maresca's side, with the playmaker very much in the German's plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup. But Palmer is taking it one game at a time.

He added: "I've not been looking too far ahead to be honest. I've been injured for three months, I just need to get back to full fitness. I know what I can offer when I'm fully fit so hopefully I get there soon."

AdvertisementAFPMaresca praises Palmer

Previously, head coach Maresca said that Palmer is Chelsea's best player, with the Englishman topping the club's goal contributions charts in recent years. And he didn't deviate a huge amount from that stance after the game.

"The game is never finished. We had many chances, we missed. But overall I'm happy with the clean sheet and the performance," said the Italian. "We said many times with Cole [Palmer] we are a better team. Unfortunately he was out for many games for us, but now he's back and for sure he will help us."

Maresca was also quick to laud the performances of Reece James and Malo Gusto – who scored and bagged an assist against Everton. 

He added: "They are good players and when they are good players they can play in every position. They can play full-back and midfielder. [Malo Gusto] took the chance and his assist for Cole, so I am very happy for Malo. If we are not able to win, win, win that still doesn't mean we're not ready to compete for titles. "When you don't concede it's not just about one player, it's about all the team. Joao Pedro's press, Alejandro Garnacho's press."

Toothless Everton

After Everton had leapt up the Premier League table in recent weeks, expectations were high among Toffees fans that they could pull off a result. But after a strong 20-minute opening, they struggled to make an impact, something that wasn't helped by losing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to injury. 

On the defeat, manager David Moyes told Sky Sports: "I thought there were some really good moments, we played really well today. We've played well away from home [this season] and today we played well. I know you can't say that when you lose 2-0 but today we did well. Maybe in the final third we needed it [a bit of luck], they were clinical in the one or two moments they got, we weren't as clinical when we got in on goal. That was the difference.  

"They did so many good things. We played well, but ultimately we didn't get three points. You can say well done as much as you like but we've got to pick up the three points."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Palmer?

Chelsea's busy run of games continues as they travel to League One side Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, before making the trip to Newcastle United next Saturday in the Premier League.

So, will Palmer play two games in a week?

Maresca replied: "In this moment, he can't play."

He added that Palmer "probably" won't feature against Cardiff. 

The Padres-Dodgers rivalry had another heated moment Tuesday night that saw Shohei Ohtani getting hit by a pitch in what seemed like an act of revenge and led to the ejection of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

It also led to Ohtani sharing an amazing picture of the moment on Instagram after the Dodgers' 8-6 win at home.

Ohtani was drilled in the leg in the bottom of the third inning. The first pitch of his at at-bat by Randy Vasquez brushed Ohtani back off the plate and then the next pitch hit him in his left knee. This came after Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch in the top of the inning.

Look at this photo Ohtani posted:

Here's a replay, which shows Ohtani hobbling out of the box after being hit:

Ouch.

Both sides received warnings following that and Roberts was tossed after arguing with the umps. Ohtani stayed in the game and struck out four times.

Key numbers from Henry’s stunning 23-ball 62 that lifted UP Warriorz from 89 for 6 to 177, before Grace Harris’ hat-trick got the job done

Deep Gadhia22-Feb-202518 – Balls taken by Chinelle Henry to get to her fifty, the joint-fewest in the WPL alongside Sophia Dunkley, who also took 18 balls to score her only WPL half-century against RCB at Brabourne in 2023.62 – Henry’s score of 62 is the highest while batting at No. 8 or below in Women’s T20s. The previous highest was an unbeaten 57 by Jersey’s Grace Wetherall against Germany in 2023.It is also the highest score by a batter batting at No. 6 or below in the WPL.Related

Gujarat Giants look for top-order runs and first win in Bengaluru

Chinelle Henry lights up Chinnaswamy with Andre Russell-inspired 'range hitting'

3 – Grace Harris became the third bowler to take a hat-trick in the WPL, after her Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma in 2024 against the same opposition, and Mumbai Indians’ Issy Wong against Warriorz in 2023.8 – Sixes hit by Henry in her 23-ball knock of 62, the most in a single innings in the WPL, alongside Sophie Devine – Devine had done it en route to 99 against Gujarat Giants at the Brabourne in 2023 – and Ashleigh Gardner – Gardner did it during her 79 in this season’s opener at Vadodara.ESPNcricinfo Ltd269.56 – Henry’s strike rate is the third-highest for a batter scoring a half-century in the WPL. Devine’s 275 and Shafali Verma’s 271.42, both against Giants in the inaugural season in 2023, take the top two spots.57 – Runs added by Henry and Sophie Ecclestone for the eighth wicket – the second-most in this tournament for the eighth wicket or lower after the 70 added by Ecclestone and Grace Harris against Giants in 2023.67 – Runs scored by the UP Warriorz in the death overs (overs 17-20), the second-most by a team in the WPL, bettered only by their own 68 against Giants in 2023.21 years, 195 days – Kranti Goud became the second-youngest player to take a four-wicket haul in the WPL after Wong, who dismantled Warriorz in the Eliminator in 2023.3 – Players who have taken four-wicket hauls in this match in Jess Jonassen, Goud and Harris – the most four-fors in a WPL match. No other match had more than one player with a four-for, in 52 matches previously played in the tournament.

The Milwaukee "average Joes" put MLB on notice this weekend after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second time this season. The Brewers officially took down the Dodgers in all six games this season and are tied for the best record in the National League on Sunday. They are riding a 10-game winning streak, and are undoubtedly the hottest team in the league after defeating the reigning World Series champions.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy did not let it go unnoticed that the relatively unknown Milwaukee players swept a star-studded Dodgers team featuring multiple league MVPs and future Hall of Famers.

“It’s a bunch of guys nobody has ever heard of, a bunch of average Joes," Murphy said after the game, via The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

“It’s pretty cool to have all those guys, the Collins, the Durbin’s, the Perkins, the Ortizes know they’re a huge part of this thing.”

The Brewers didn't just beat the Dodgers, but left them frustrated. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has risen to the top of the National League Central, alongside the Chicago Cubs, as they aim to win their third straight division crown and postseason appearance.

Murphy still believes his team has a lot of room for improvement, but also took a moment to express that he is really proud of the players for the hunger and fire they've brought this season to defeat teams like the Dodgers.

“You gotta understand that this is a bunch of people that have gotten to this point and kept clawing away," Murphy said. "We’re hungry. I’m really, really proud of them. We’ve got work to do. We can improve in every way that we can. But you can at least feel like we’re capable.”

Last season, one of the longest postseason droughts in MLB finally came to an end after the Tigers reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Now, the Angels stand alone as the owners of the longest active playoff drought.

It's not looking likely that the Halos will be playing into October this season, either, so their league-leading streak of 10 straight seasons without a postseason berth could increase to 11. We'll take a look at some of the longest playoff droughts in the league history.

Longest Postseason Droughts in MLB History

Throughout MLB history, there have been some extremely long postseason droughts, though none of the recent stretches have been longer than that of the Montreal Expos, who's playoff drought eventually transferred to the Washington Nationals when the franchise relocated. From 1982 to 2011, the Expos/Nationals were held out of the postseason, a streak that lasted 29 years. Prior to 1969, the teams with the best record in American League and National League met in the World Series, without any expanded postseason play.

That drought remains the longest ever in MLB's divisional era, and we'll compare how it stacks up against some of the other lengthy droughts throughout league history, as well as since the introduction of the divisional era in 1969.

Longest Playoff Droughts in MLB History (All Time)

Team

Length of Drought (seasons)

Years Between Appearances

St. Louis Browns

41

1903 to 1943

Cleveland Guardians

40

1955 to 1994

Oakland Athletics

39

1932 to 1970

Chicago White Sox

39

1920 to 1958

Chicago Cubs

38

1946 to 1984

Longest Playoff Droughts in MLB's Divisional Era (Since 1969)

Team

Length of Drought (seasons)

Years Between Appearances

Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals

29

1982 to 2011

Kansas City Royals

27

1986 to 2013

Texas Rangers

26

1969 to 1995

Cleveland Guardians

24

1969 to 1993

Milwaukee Brewers

24

1983 to 2007

Longest Active Playoff Droughts in MLB

Team

Length of Drought (seasons)

Last Playoff Appearance

Los Angeles Angels

10

2014

Pittsburgh Pirates

9

2015

Colorado Rockies

6

2018

Washington Nationals

5

2019

Chicago Cubs

4

2020

Cincinnati Reds

4

2020

Oakland Athletics

4

2020

Of the teams with the longest active droughts, only the Cubs are currently on pace to reach the postseason. The Reds are still in the hunt for a wild card spot, but would need a tremendous month of September to snap their four-year long drought.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge accomplished a feat rarely seen in baseball history. In Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, he struck out three straight batters in just nine pitches for an incredibly rare immaculate inning.

It was Kittredge's only inning of the game, and he was sure to make quick work of it. He got each punch out on nasty sliders that ended up getting the Reds' bats to chase and sent his squad back to the dugout in short order.

Miami Marlins starter Cal Quantrill tossed an immaculate inning earlier this season, which is mathematically even more rare than throwing a perfect game. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto came close this season too, but was robbed of the feat on a very iffy call.

Cubs catcher Carson Kelly admitted he didn't even realize the immaculate inning was in play until the last pitch.

"I was like wow, he went sinker, sinker, slider, sinker, sinker, slider, sinker, sinker, slider," Kelly said postgame with a smirk, via Marquee Sports Network. "It was pretty cool to be a part of that and I think we kept the ball so, I don't know what he's going to do with it but all-in-all, pretty special."

Kittredge was acquired by the Cubs at last week's trade deadline and was booed Tuesday after he let up four runs in less than an inning against the Reds. He took that personally, and gave the fans at Wrigley Field something immaculate to cheer for the next day.