(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com) 

Truman Bartman | themavericks.ca

Take a walk around Medicine Hat during August, and you’re bound to see smiling faces. Downtown’s patios are packed, Lions Park’s walking paths are being put to good use, and windows are almost always rolled down. For most, it’s an opportunity to enjoy the city’s best weather and some downtime before a busy September arrives. 

For the Medicine Hat Mavericks, when August hits, there’s no time to relax as they’re busy preparing for what they hope is a long postseason ride. The Mavs’ quest for their fourth WCBL championship begins tonight on the road at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw. 

Heading into Round 1 of the playoffs, Medicine Hat occupies the East Division’s 4th and final playoff spot. Coming off a 22-34 season, the Mavs’ path to the postseason has been anything but a smooth ride. Despite a rocky season overall, the Mavericks are hopeful that the playoffs will offer a chance at redemption and an opportunity to make the team’s 16th consecutive postseason one to remember.

Their road begins against the Eastern Division’s top-seeded Moose Jaw Miller Express. The Millers had a record-breaking 2026, including setting a franchise record for the most wins in a regular season with 41. For a team that only lost 15 games May through July, it’s clear that the Miller Express are as consistent as they come. Backed by longtime veterans in three-time all-star shortstop Thomas Soto and two-time all-star ace Westin Walls, there’s plenty of playoff experience on Moose Jaw’s roster. 

This isn’t the first time these two franchises have met in the playoffs, as they matched up in both of the 2022 and 2023 Eastern Division finals. In both cases, a trip to the WCBL finals was on the line, with Moose Jaw advancing in 2022 and Medicine Hat the year after. 

Since their last series against the Miller Express, it’s been tough sledding for Medicine Hat beyond the regular season with back-to-back early playoff exits in 2024 and 2025. Drawing in as the higher seed in each of the last two years, 2026 sees a different tale for the Mavs, who enter as lower-seeded underdogs.

Returning to the big stage in his second year with the Mavericks and hoping for a change in results is right-handed pitcher Diego Centella. After two positive outings in his final two starts, Centella is excited for a chance to represent the Mavericks in a space where competition reaches its pinnacle.

“It always feels nice to be in the postseason. This is where the real players, the real big dogs, come out to play. You really get to see who wants it more, so it’s always nice to be where the competition will be at its peak.”

“We have a good rotation and good parts in the bullpen. I’m very, really confident in our hitters, and I think we’re going to show up and, of course, have fun and compete.”

Echoing those beliefs is his head coach, Ryan Reed, who has been open about the trust he has in his guys. Even after an uninspiring stretch to close out 2026, Coach Reed commends his group’s commitment to keeping their spirits high.

“It’s always good to be in the postseason, especially after the season we’ve had. It’s been an up-and-down year. The guys have fought all year long. They’ve never folded, even when things were looking bad. They always fought back. So I’m just happy for the guys to be in and give us another chance to compete.”

Arriving at the dance is a big piece of the puzzle, and something Coach Reed is worth celebrating. However, he remains of the mindset that his crew is on the brink of clicking and that their peak is yet to be seen.

“The part I’m most confident in and feel good about is that we haven’t played our best ball yet. Getting hot at the right time is key to success in the postseason, and I think we are capable of doing so.”

As the summer cools down, the stakes rise for the Medicine Hat Mavericks as they enter the postseason. Inspired by the possibility of a deep playoff run, the Mavericks’ expedition begins away from vibrant Medicine Hat as they hit the road to face the Moose Jaw Miller Express in Game 1 of the WCBL playoffs.