Ohtani's Quiet October, Undefeated Chiefs and Niners, NHL's First Week, NBA Opening Night, and ODU's Statement Win
Saturday, October 10, 2026 / A lot is changing at once. Here’s what’s settled, what’s still being decided, and what collectors may want to keep an eye on.
01 / October baseball
The Dodgers and Brewers are moving on. Los Angeles beat Atlanta 3-1 in the NLDS, clinching the series Oct. 7 with a 4-1 win. Andy Pages delivered a two-run single, and Max Muncy added to the decisive night. Milwaukee also advanced 3-1, eliminating San Diego. In the American League, Tampa Bay swept the Yankees, 3-0.
One ALCS place is still up for grabs. The White Sox and Guardians meet in a decisive Game 5 tonight, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. ET in Cleveland. They split the first four games, and the road team won each one. Chicago edged Cleveland 9-8 in their regular-season series; across those 17 meetings, the Guardians scored just five more runs. Close margins. One game left.
The ALCS begins Monday, Oct. 12, with the Rays hosting tonight’s winner. The opponent was still undecided as of Saturday morning.
The NLCS is set: Dodgers at Brewers, Game 1 Sunday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. It’s a rematch of the 2025 NLCS. The clubs have met three times in the postseason before, and the Dodgers won each series. Milwaukee, however, took the 2026 regular-season matchup 4-3.
Keep an eye on Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio. At 23, he already holds Milwaukee’s franchise postseason records for home runs and RBIs. He walked off Mason Miller in NLDS Game 2, and MLB.com named him a player to watch in this series.
MLB’s NLCS preview and full schedule has the dates: Game 2 Oct. 12 in Milwaukee; Games 3 and 4 Oct. 14 and 15 in Los Angeles; and, if needed, Games 5, 6 and 7 on Oct. 16, 18 and 19. The World Series opens Friday, Oct. 23.
02 / Ohtani and the card market
Shohei Ohtani’s NLDS at the plate was quiet. MLB.com called it a slow start; the Dodgers’ next challenge is the Brewers, and whether Ohtani gets going could shape the pennant race. That’s a compelling October storyline. It’s not, by itself, a verdict on his career, or on every Ohtani card.
The market is operating on a much bigger scale than one series. A 2018 Topps Chrome Red Refractor rookie was reported sold for $2.44 million around Sept. 20. An Ohtani Gold Logoman redemption was reported sold for $2.85 million around Sept. 27. Sports Illustrated also reported rising valuations for Ohtani’s Topps Kings or Aces cards. Those are public reports, not appraisals, and the cards are not interchangeable: rarity, grade, population and sale details all matter.
One quiet NLDS does not erase a two-way career. Historically, Ohtani’s card market has been driven more by season-long and career-level achievement than by one playoff series. Still, short-term premiums can cut both ways. A new parallel riding a highlight may cool quickly if the player goes cold. Established rookie-year cards and genuinely scarce high-end pieces may be more resilient, but no card is protected from market changes.
A plain-language framework:
- A more considered buy: an established Ohtani rookie-year card or ultra-scarce piece, after checking the population, grade and completed-sale history, and only if you can hold through a cold week.
- A risky chase: a brand-new parallel bought on the strength of one highlight, an asking price with no completed sales behind it, or a card you can’t afford to hold if interest cools.
No comps = no proven price. A seller’s asking price shows what they hope to get, not what a buyer has paid.
When a collection grows in value, documentation matters more. A grading slab can add physical protection, while the grade and certification number create a record of the card’s assessed condition. That record may support insurance documentation and resale confidence, but a grade is not a value guarantee. Fees, shipping, transit insurance, turnaround time and the possibility of a lower-than-expected grade are real costs.
If you haven’t reviewed your collection coverage in a while, consider doing so. Virginia collectors are welcome to talk with SNL Sports about collection protection; both owners are licensed in Virginia. Start with a question, not a sales pitch.
03 / NFL after Week 4
These records are through Week 4, with Week 5 results still developing. The NFL standings show early separation in a few divisions, and some rough starts.
| Division | Records |
|---|---|
| AFC East | Bills 3-1; Patriots 2-2; Jets 1-3; Dolphins 0-4 |
| AFC North | Browns 3-1; Ravens 3-1; Steelers 2-2; Bengals 2-2 |
| AFC South | Jaguars 3-1; Colts 2-2; Titans 0-4; Texans 0-4 |
| AFC West | Chiefs 4-0; Raiders 3-1; Broncos 2-2; Chargers 0-4 |
| NFC East | Giants 3-1; Eagles 2-2; Cowboys 2-3; Commanders 1-3 |
| NFC North | Vikings 4-0; Bears 3-1; Lions 2-2; Packers 2-2 |
| NFC South | Panthers 2-2; Falcons 2-2; Saints 1-3; Buccaneers 1-4 |
| NFC West | 49ers 4-0; Seahawks 3-1; Rams 2-2; Cardinals 1-3 |
Kansas City and San Francisco remain unbeaten; Miami, Tennessee, Houston and the Chargers are still winless. Minnesota is also 4-0, though the NFL’s Week 5 power rankings noted that the Vikings fell out of the top 10. The Giants’ Jaxson Dart story is worth watching after his knee injury; his current status isn’t assumed here.
04 / NHL, one week in
The NHL season is barely underway, so these standings are a snapshot, not a forecast. As of Oct. 9, the league table had the Rangers leading the Metro at 4-1-0, eight points. Carolina was 3-1-1 with seven; Washington was 2-1-0 with four.
In the Atlantic, Ottawa and Tampa Bay were each 3-1-0 with six points, alongside Florida at 2-0-2. Boston led the listed Eastern wild-card teams with six points; Toronto had five.
Out West, Vegas led the Pacific at 4-1-0, eight points, followed by Edmonton at 3-0-1 and seven. Winnipeg topped the Central at 3-0-1, seven points. Colorado was 3-1-0 with a plus-12 goal differential; Utah had six points. Minnesota and Nashville led the listed Western wild-card teams with five apiece.
The Flames were 0-4-0; the Kings were 0-2-1. A strong start is worth noticing. A slow one this early is not a season summary.
05 / NBA is almost here
NBA Opening Night is Tuesday, Oct. 20, with a three-game slate on NBC and Peacock. Detroit visits Boston at 3 p.m. ET. The Pistons had the East’s best record for much of last season; Boston starts a new chapter without Jaylen Brown, leaning on Jayson Tatum as he returns from a repaired Achilles.
San Antonio visits Oklahoma City in a Western Conference Finals rematch. The Spurs beat OKC eight times in 12 meetings last season, playoffs included. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP, Jalen Williams is healthy, Chet Holmgren returns, and the Spurs spent part of the offseason training with Victor Wembanyama in Paris.
Then Philadelphia visits the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, where New York raises its first championship banner in 53 years after beating San Antonio in five games. LeBron James begins his record 24th season, nearing 42 and making his 76ers debut. Philadelphia added Jaylen Brown, who averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and five assists last season, alongside Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. A healthy Joel Embiid could be the swing factor.
Preseason is underway, including the NBA China Games. The league’s Oct. 10 Starting 5 noted Kyrie Irving is eyeing a return in the China Games finale.
For basketball Sports Cards, opening night often resets attention. Watch role and usage, not hype alone, during the first two weeks. Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander, Cade Cunningham and the 2026 rookie class are names to follow, without pretending a hot first game sets a card’s lasting value. The same patience applies across the NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS collecting lanes: check the player’s role, the card’s details and real completed sales.
06 / Hampton Roads: ODU’s statement
Some wins feel bigger because you know the road behind them. On Friday night, Oct. 9, Old Dominion men’s soccer beat No. 15 West Virginia 2-1 at the ODU Soccer Complex in Norfolk, in front of 960 fans. It was the Monarchs’ first win over the Mountaineers since 1983-and a measure of payback after West Virginia ended ODU’s season in last year’s Sun Belt tournament.
WVU struck first in the 28th minute. ODU answered four minutes later when Noah Dietze redirected Jacopo Caprile’s long throw into the net. Caprile delivered again in the 53rd minute: his throw found Otu Bisong, who rose at the near post and headed home the winner. A possible third goal was overturned after VAR review. Goalkeeper Alexander Aguilar played all 90 minutes and made two saves.
ODU improved to 9-3 overall with the win. Coach Tennant McVea praised the group’s effort after what he described as a challenging couple of weeks. There’s more to follow: Lewis Rourke was named to the 2026 Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List, and ODU travels to face UCF on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.
It’s a proud Hampton Roads result. College soccer adds to the local enthusiasm that also reaches MLS and international soccer, and brings new players, stories and cards to the hobby table.
The week ahead
- Oct. 10: White Sox–Guardians ALDS Game 5, 8 p.m. ET
- Oct. 11: Dodgers–Brewers NLCS Game 1
- Oct. 12: ALCS Game 1 at Tampa Bay
- Oct. 14: NLCS Game 3 in Los Angeles
- Oct. 17: ODU at UCF, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 20: NBA Opening Night
- Oct. 23: World Series begins
This roundup is for educational purposes, not financial advice. Reported card-sale prices are public reports, not appraisals. Team records, standings and schedules can change. If you’re sorting through a card, a grade or a collection question, SNL Sports is here to talk it through, no pressure, just cards first.