October is the best month for sports fans. Nearly every major sport has something going on that is impossible to miss.
Whether you’re glued to your TV, refreshing scores on your phone, or lucky enough to get a live seat, October has something for everyone. Here’s what you must look out for:
MLB Playoffs: October Madness on the Diamond
There’s no better way to start off October than with the Major League Baseball postseason, it is baseball at its finest.
Wild card matchups and Division Series have a lot of crazy games. With The World Series at the end of the month, there’s a lot to expect.
As for the New York Mets, they had a slow start but despite low expectations, they improved. The Mets wanted to focus on rebuilding during the midseason, trading stars like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander for top prospects.
Catcher Francisco Álvarez provided a lot of improvement, while Pete Alonso continued performing as usual, hitting 34 home runs.
The owner of the mets, Steve Cohen, had a long-term vision and believed in player development. With Buck Showalter stepping down as manager, the Mets are in a new era in order for future success.
Even though they weren’t expected to be that good this year since they were focusing on team rebuilding, they managed to clinch a playoff spot.
The New York Yankees have had a strong 2024 season, they managed to make their way into the playoffs, key players like Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole have led the team.
As they head into the playoffs, their prospects look promising, but their success will depend on maintaining consistent offense and strong performances. If they manage to do this, the Yankees have a solid chance to make a deep postseason run, potentially reaching the ALCS or even the World Series.
NHL Hits the Ice
For hockey lovers like myself, October is the real start of winter.
The NHL season gets started and the early games set the tone. Watching out for newly acquired talent, rookies making an impact, and veterans returning for another season always make for an interesting start of the season.
Fortunately, New York has three hockey teams.
The Rangers, Coming off a 55-win season and a first-round playoff exit, are looking to take things further with Igor Shesterkin manning the pipes with his .921 save percentage and (my personal favorite) Artemi Panarin putting up 120 points last season – which is the most in his career.
Also make sure to watch out for Matt Rempe this year, he is known for always getting in fights and is barely seen without a black eye.
Last season, the Rangers also brought in veteran coach Peter Laviolette hoping to get them farther in the playoffs.
On the other side, the New York Islanders struggled offensively last year, ranking 21st out of 32 in goals per game. But with the all star forward Mathew Barzal healthy and looking to follow up on his 80-point season, they are hoping for a comeback year.
Then theres the extremely far Buffalo Sabres, 7 hours away yet still qualifying as a New York team – somehow. They missed the playoffs (for the 13th straight season) but have an up-and-coming game with players like Rasmus Dahlin, a defenseman who put up 59 points, and Tage Thompson, who scored 29 goals.
The Sabres have a lot of young blood, so will it be enough to give them a playoff appearance for the first time since 2011? The coming season will be exciting, as all three teams have something to prove.
NFL Midseason: The Real Football Begins
At the quarter mark of the 2024 NFL season, there’s mixed results for New York’s teams.
The New York Jets are 2-2 during week 4 and have kept their playoff hopes alive with Aaron Rodgers coming back off of an injury early last year.
Quinnen Williams and rookie Will McDonald IV, who had a great last season, are backed by their combined 10-plus sacks.
In the meantime, the New York Giants are 1-3, not so good.
Daniel Jones has been under pressure all year long behind the offensive line, with 9 sacks taken so far this season. With an inconsistent performance across the board, if they dont improve quickly, the Giants might be looking at missing the playoffs once more.
The Buffalo Bills have been having another strong season, 3-1, thanks to Josh Allen. So far, Allen has thrown 7 touchdowns and rushed 2, continuing his MVP-level play and really making my fantasy team shine.
The Bills sit comfortably atop the AFC East, looking toward another deep playoff run. Lets hope for some meaningful and exciting games in December.
All sports team statistics provided from ESPN.com
