KSR Today: Playoff Baseball Arrives in October

Good morning and hello. Would you look at that, it’s October! The turn of the calendar means a few things around these parts.

First and foremost, Keeneland is right around the corner. Opening day is Friday, October 3, for the 17-day meet that runs through October 25. We’ve got ten stakes races on the slate for the first weekend. Without a football game in town, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a swing on picking ponies (and probably miss, because let’s get real, nowhere is harder to handicap than Keeneland).

October means it’s fair game to bring out the fall decor. If you still haven’t done the trip to the pumpkin patch, time is ticking. I hope you’re one of those who has a giant 20-foot skeleton in your yard. No idea what you do with those the rest of the time, but I commend you for your decorative enthusiasm.

Oh, and you can’t think of October without thinking about Mr. October, Reggie Jackson. Even though game seven of the World Series would technically be played in November, this month is when the stakes are highest on the diamond. You’ll see baseball at its best, unless you’re a Yankees or Reds fan.

Reds and Yankees Enter October with a Loss

The Cubs hit back-to-back bombs to overcome a 1-0 deficit and pull away with a 3-1 win over the Padres, and the Tigers squeaked past the Guardians with a 2-1 victory. People around these parts probably care a little more about the other two games.

The Yankees gave themselves a chance, but ripped the hearts out of their fans. The Sox added some insurance in the top of the ninth to give them a two-run cushion. If you went to the bathroom during the change, you might’ve missed the Yankees load the bases. I don’t think Aroldis Chapman threw five pitches. The top of the lineup teed off on the closer with three hits.

Bases loaded, no outs, and a two-run deficit. Surely they got at least one run, maybe two to send the game into extra innings? Nope, just three outs and a 3-1 loss.

At least they had a chance. It never really felt that way for the Reds. That’s because Shohei Ohtani led off the game by teeing off on Hunter Greene with a line-drive home run over the right-field wall. It was one of two homers for Ohtani as the Dodgers tied a postseason record with five bombs in a 10-5 victory over the Reds. Cincinnati must win to stay alive in the best-of-three wild card series.

SHOHEI OHTANI DESTROYS HIS SECOND HOME RUN #POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/J9ALjsTXQg

— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2025

Playoff Baseball Schedule

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Game	Time (ET)	TV / Network	BetMGM Odds
Tigers @ Guardians	1:08 PM	ESPN / ABC	Tigers +110, Guardians -130
Padres @ Cubs	3:08 PM	ABC / ESPN	Padres -110, Cubs -110
Red Sox @ Yankees	6:08 PM	ESPN / ABC	Yankees –185, Red Sox +150
Reds @ Dodgers	9:08 PM	ESPN / ABC	Reds +200, Dodgers -250

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A Brutal October for Kentucky

The Wildcats opened the season with a forgettable September, splitting four games, with two losses to SEC foes. October will be unforgiving. Kentucky is expected to be a double-digit dog against three opponents, starting with a road trip to Georgia, a place where Kentucky has not won since 2009. Following a bye week, Arch Manning and Texas come to town. The month ends against an opponent who has consistently created nightmares for Kentucky football fans, the Tennessee Volunteers.

Kentucky gets Methodical

Kentucky is steering into the skid. The passing attack is the worst in the country. Something has to change. Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan indicated that one may be around the corner.

“I think the biggest thing from my end here in two years is we gotta play a different way to win football games. That I do know,” Hamdan said. “We’ve gotta put ourselves in position to take risks when we need to take risks and be smart when we need to play smart. It’s figuring out that balance that’s critical.

“We’ve gotta be a little bit unconventional and keep our team in better position to go win football games.”

When the Kentucky offense has taken risks, it hasn’t paid off. Maybe fewer risks can lead to more success? I mean, it can’t be any worse, right? (Maybe it can…)

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More Kentucky Football Talk

The Kentucky defense has not been the weak link, but there is still plenty of room to improve, particularly against the pass. Brad White will share his concerns on Wednesday evening after practice. Mark Stoops and Kirby Smart will chime in on the SEC Coaches’ Teleconference around noon.

If you don’t enjoy the coach-speak, don’t you worry. Adam Luckett and I will cut through the crap for a candid conversation about the concerning state of the Kentucky football program on 11 Personnel. Check out the KSR YouTube Channel at approximately 8 PM ET, right before the new SEC Availability Report drops.

October Means It’s Almost Basketball

We will not get to see the Kentucky basketball team play in a game that counts against its record this month, but we’re going to get our first looks at Mark Pope’s squad. In less than a week, Kentucky will hit the court for Pro Day. Big Blue Madness is Oct. 11, and the Wildcats will host Purdue and Georgetown for exhibitions during the final two weeks of October.

The wait is the hardest part. Jack Pilgrim is here to alleviate that pain. He’s got the latest from the Joe Craft Center with a brand new batch of insider notes on KSBoard.

Want more Kentucky basketball intel? Make sure you are LOCKED IN for Mark Pope’s second season by joining KSR Plus. You’ll get access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.