Kristaps Porziņģis returned to the Warriors' practice facility on Tuesday, spoke with team doctors and management, but nothing else has changed.
With him being away from the team and no details on his health issue or when he might return, speculation has run rampant among Warriors fans. Porziņģis tried to cool things down on Wednesday with a social media post.
I appreciate all the internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I'm in the best hands. So everyone can relax now and I don’t have hiv or aids.
"Hello people, I'm working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health ASAP. Honestly, I'm getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I'll be feeling great again soon. It's been frustrating dealing with health stuff you can't exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it's added up, but we will get through it. Health is wealth. Thank you for all the support. I appreciate all the Internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I'm in the best hands. So everyone can relax now, and I don't have HIV or AIDS."
Porziņģis remains out indefinitely but met this week with general manager Mike Dunleavy and vice president of player health & performance Dr. Rick Celebrini, the team announced.
Previously, Porziņģis has been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS. This is a condition where a person's heart rate races for a minute or more after standing up from sitting or lying down (as part of the disorder, more blood stays in your lower body even after a person stands, causing the heart rate to race as it tries to get blood flowing again). It's unclear whether Porziņģis' current health issue is related to this or is something else.
The Warriors traded for Porziņģis at last year's trade deadline, seeing the stretch big who can protect the rim as a fantastic fit next to Stephen Curry. He played in 15 games for Golden State last season and averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Based on that, the Warriors bet on Porziņģis this summer, signing him to a two-year, $40 million extension.
Porziņģis joins Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — both recovering and expected to return during the season from knee injuries — as key Warriors sidelined at the start of the season.
The Warriors confirmed in a statement that Porzingis returned to the team's practice facility on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and remains out indefinitely after he missed all of the team's training camp and preseason games. Officials offered no indication on when Porzingis might return to practice or resume on-court activities.
The 31-year-old center has battled injuries throughout his NBA career. His latest issues have proven especially concerning because doctors have yet to identify a long-term solution that would allow him to return to full basketball activities. But the 7-foot-2 center took to social media to reassure fans in conjunction with the Warriors' announcement on Wednesday, dismissing online speculation about his health and insisting he's "getting better and better."
"I appreciate all the internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I'm in the best hands. So everyone can relax now ... and I don’t have hiv or aids," Porzingis wrote on X.
Here's more on Porzingis' injury status with the Golden State Warriors heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
The Warriors said in their statement that Porzingis met with Golden State General Manager Mike Dunleavy and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Dr. Rick Celebrini on Tuesday. The team declined to reveal what was discussed in the meeting, but noted that Porzingis is out due to "the same health-related matter" and will now be around the team.
"I'm working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap," Porzingis wrote on Wednesday. "Honestly, I'm getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I'll be feeling great again soon. It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can't exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it has added up for sure, but we will get through it."
I appreciate all the internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I'm in the best hands. So everyone can relax now 😄🙏🏼 and I don’t have hiv or aids.
Porzingis was acquired by the Warriors last February at the NBA trade deadline through a deal with the Atlanta Hawks. He appeared in only 15 out of 27 possible regular-season games after the trade. Porzingis has been out at various times with a lingering respiratory illness that causes a dramatic increase in heart rate upon standing, severe fatigue, and dizziness.
Kristaps Porzingis contract
Porzingis was brought in to answer Golden State's issues at the center position, giving them more size and versatility to defend the interior against other bigs in the league or penetrating perimeter players. He signed a two-year, $40 million contract extension in June to stay with the Warriors.
Kristaps Porzingis stats
Porzingis averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists while appearing in 32 games combined for the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors during the 2025-26 season. He has missed at least 25 games eight times during the 11 seasons since the New York Knicks drafted him in 2015.
It's unwise to read too much into preseason results. Rotations aren't set, guys are asked to do things they won't do during the season, and teams experiment with sets and lineups we won't see when the games count.
But it's been a rough preseason for Bronny James. In nearly 70 minutes across four games, he has scored just 11 points on 26.7% from the floor, and he is 1-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, with 13 assists but 12 turnovers. After the Lakers preseason game against the Warriors in Las Vegas Tuesday, coach JJ Redick was honest — but with a positive spin — about Bronny's preseason.
"I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us, but I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games. But he's had good practices," Redick said. "Again, some of it is just rhythm, some of it is who he's playing with. He's played a lot of minutes, especially in the second half of games with our two-way guys... I think that is not necessarily setting him up for success."
Bronny was nowhere near NBA-ready when the Lakers drafted him No. 55 in 2024 (coming off a serious health scare and being handed a three-year contract), but NBA talent evaluators have given him approving nods for how much he has developed in the past two seasons. He has clearly put in the work. As one league source told NBC Sports at Summer League, "He was two years away from being two years away when they drafted him, but now he's looking almost like an NBA player. He might stick."
Bronny has always been an active defender and is physically strong, but as a 6'2" guard in the NBA, that only gets you minutes if you can shoot the rock, too. That improved last season, he shot 38.6% from 3, on limited chances. Shooting has always been Bronny's issue, and the preseason results are not promising.
It's hard to envision what Bronny's role will look like this season, although he will get the opportunity to prove that this preseason was just a fluke at some point. He needs to capitalize on that. Bronny's contract is fully guaranteed at $2.3 million this season, but next season includes a team option with only $1.25 million of his $2.3 million guaranteed. It's also worth noting the Lakers have 16 players under contract right now and have to trim that by one before the season opens next week. They reportedly have been exploring possible trades for end-of-the-bench players, but could be forced to waive someone.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The NLCS resumes at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, with the Dodgers looking to embark on a comeback down 2-0 in the series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The top three in the lineup remain the same, as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández hit in the top three spots. The middle of the lineup received an adjustment that comes as little to no surprise with how Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith have hit in the postseason.
Kyle Tucker moves up to cleanup in the starting lineup, the highest spot in the order he’s been placed in this October. After a rough regular season, Tucker has found his stride at the plate at the bottom of the lineup, slashing .300/.391/.500 with a home run and two RBI over six games. Tucker has faced Milwaukee’s Game 3 starter Robert Gasser twice in his career, collecting three hits across six at-bats including a home run.
Andy Pages has also impressed at the plate this postseason, turning the page on what was a historically awful title run at the plate last year. The 2026 All-Star has five hits across 20 at-bats, with his highlights being his go-ahead, two-run single in Game 4 of the NLDS and for getting the Dodgers on the board against Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1 of the NLCS. Pages has gone hitless since his Game 1 RBI single, but he moves up to fifth in the lineup against Gasser, also the highest spot he’s hit in the postseason this year.
The elephant in the room is Shohei Ohtani getting moved all the way down to sixth in the lineup. Ohtani was adamant about playing in Game 3, and Dave Roberts ultimately granted his wish.
“He’s adamant he feels good enough to be in there. He’s close to finding something with his swing. I feel great about it,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday just before the Dodgers workout at Dodger Stadium. “He was very convicted that he is onto something mechanically. He was adamant that he can help us. He’s well enough to help us win a baseball game. So that’s all I needed to hear.”
Try as he might to will his way into the lineup, Ohtani has been a detriment offensively since hitting his final regular season home run on Aug. 18 in Denver, and he’s carried that funk over the team’s six playoff games slashing just .150/.261/.150 with zero RBI. Ohtani had never hit as low as second in the lineup until Game 3 of the NLDS, and it’s the first time Ohtani is hitting sixth in the lineup since Sept. 19, 2020 back when he was with the Angels.
Will Smith has also struggled mightily this October, and he slides all the way down to seventh in the starting lineup. Miguel Rojas gets the start at third base over Max Muncy against the left-hander Gasser, and Tommy Edman gets the start at second base, rounding things out in the lineup. Blake Snell makes his first start since getting the ball for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are in full offseason Mets mode, with a focus on free agency and what comes next.
The guys talk Tarik Skubal, Ty France and other free agency options, plus play some voicemails that kick off conversations about Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, and Bryce Harper.
"Down on the Farm" features the future for Jefferson Rojas, while the Mailbag delivers questions about how quickly the Mets can turn things around and the potential pursuit of Japanese star slugger Teruaki Sato.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
2 min: Cherki is caught dozing by Dembélé, who sends Doué scampering down a cul-de-sac on the left. Cherki will be pleased Khusanov was on point there.
PSG, in their blue shirts with red central panel, launch the kick-off in their usual rugby-union style. City in their sky blue.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 14: Geraldo Perdomo #2 and Ildemaro Vargas #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 14, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I know this was mentioned briefly in James’s Snake Bytes, but I figure it deserves a piece of its own. The nominees for this year’s Gold Gloves were announced this morning, and there are four D-backs among the finalists for the National League. Each team’s manager and up to six coaches on his staff vote from a pool of qualified players in their League and cannot vote for players from their own team. Those votes represent 75% of the final, with a sabermetric component, the SABR Defensive Index, comprising the remaining 25 percent of the total.
Catcher: Gabriel Moreno
Also nominated: Freddy Fermin, San Diego Padres and Luis Torrens, New York Mets. The guy who probably should feel hard done by here, is the Marlins’ Joe Mack, who on Fangraphs’ table, led the league in Def, was the best pitch framer, and was third in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). With him out of the picture, it’s pretty close between the three candidates. Torrens is top in Def, but Moreno has the edge in DRS. He also played 200+ more innings at the position than the two other nominees. On the other hand, might be best for the team if Gabby were not to win, because it would only jack up the price of any contract extension.
Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo
Also nominated: Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals and Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs. Again, did Miami somehow irritate the voting committee? Because the Marlins’ Otto Lopez has as good a case as, say, Swanson, matching him in DRS and slightly better in Def. Winn is probably the man to beat here, leading just about across the board in the metrics. He also has the advantage of being the incumbent, after winning the Gold Glove in 2025, and I’d be quite surprised if Perdomo were to prevail, although he did play more innings at short than anyone in the NL this season. Still, a nice honor for a season generally regarded as underwhelming, after his monstrous 2025.
A quick note on the absence of Nolan Arenado among the 3B candidates. While his fielding percentage of .975 was top four, the more advanced numbers were less impressed. He was only sixth by Def, and DRS actually had him in negative territory, at -4. Mind you, Max Muncy was nominated, despite being distinctly “Meh” as well.
Right field: Corbin Carroll
Also nominated: Carson Benge, New York Mets and Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs. It’s definitely gratifying to see how far Carroll’s defense has come. He was a nominee last year, and even that was impressive, considering his arm strength in particular received mediocre grades as a prospect and in his early major-league days. That may still be an issue – his rARM is -3 – Carroll has worked around it very well. While this is likely Suzuki’s award to lose, Carroll did lead the league at the position in Outs Above Average, and was a strong second to Suzuki in DRS (14-12). Def disagrees, however, rating Carroll below average at -0.7, good enough only for sixth place.
Utility: Ildemaro Vargas
Also nominated: Mauricio Dubón, Atlanta Braves and Jared Triolo, Pittsburgh Pirates. This is a relatively new award, having only been added in 2022, and is not one which is voted on by managers and coaches. Instead, utilizing the SABR formula and additional defensive statistics, Rawlings will select one utility winner from each League. So it’s really hard to say how this one will go. Triolo was the 2024 winner here, and Dubón won it in the AL last year, as a member of the Astros. I’ve a feeling it’ll probably be one of them. But if you’d told me at the beginning of the year that Vargas would be a Gold Glove finalist, after winning NL Player of the Month in April… Yeah. #YouCantPredictBaseball
The winners will be unveiled during a one-hour, special-edition Baseball Tonight broadcast on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Arizona time.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, or maybe it’s genuine confidence, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts truly believes that he’s about to break out of skid, batting just .150 in six postseason games without an extra-base hit.
“What I saw [Tuesday] was even more focus,’’ Roberts said. “He expects a lot from himself obviously, and he hasn't performed to his expectations. It's up to all of us to do our jobs, but I will say this: this was a different look from Shohei.
“He was determined, and that's an understatement."
Ohtani, who has never batted sixth since joining the Dodgers, understood the reasoning why he was dropped from the order where he has traditionally batted leadoff or second. He batted cleanup the first two NLCS games against Milwaukee until being informed Tuesday that he’d be dropped in the order.
Roberts also dropped catcher Will Smith, who batted third and fifth in the two games, while right fielder Kyle Tucker moved up to the cleanup spot.
“I think it's just more of what gives our lineup the best balance," Roberts said, “separating the lefties, the righties, just making it a little bit more difficult for them to try to navigate our lineup. Shohei's all on board. Whatever it takes to win.’’
Certainly, whatever move Roberts makes with Ohtani is international news_with the possibility of Ohtani even being benched reverberating all of the way to Japan – but Roberts certainly understands the scrutiny.
“It's different than any player, you might argue, in any sport right now because he's a global phenomenon,’’ Roberts said. “So anything he does is newsworthy, I understand that. You've got to be careful with your words because things get taken out of context, which I understand.
“I will say this, as far as him as a person, he couldn't be more of a team player, more agreeable. … God he couldn't be more of a joy. But I think on the external stuff, certainly it's tougher to manage, and I've got to be mindful. But man, this guy is great for our game. He's great for all of us."
And despite his struggles, batting knee and biceps problems that has kept him from pulling a ball for an extra-base hit since Aug. 26, the Dodgers still believe he’s going to come through it.
“I couldn't imagine really kind of having the expectations that he has,’’ Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts says, “and falling short in a way that it's not normal for him. Then having to come back and be present in this postseason knowing how important he is to the boys.
“He's trying. It's just really, really hard. It's really hard to make these slight adjustments in this short amount of time. …I feel for him. I know he's grinding, he's working. So we'll just see. We'll see how he comes and prepares.
“But I know he's giving it his all. We know he's giving it his all. We can at least lay our heads on a pillow at night knowing that we've given it everything.’’
And, even though the Dodgers are down 2-0, they are still brimming with confidence, with Roberts even entering the pre-game press conference walking to the left of the stage, instead of the right, just to change their luck.
“We all know what's at stake,’’ Roberts said. “It's going to be fun. There's some pressure there. But you've got to embrace this, and I think for me it's just focusing on today because I think when you start thinking about we've got to win four games, I get nervous.
“But I think that we can manage winning a game tonight.’’
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Brandon Miller #24 of the Charlotte Hornets dribbles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on April 7, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics host the Charlotte Hornets for the 3rd preseason game for both teams. The Celtics beat the Cavaliers in their first game and then beat the 76ers in their second game. The Hornets lost to the Nets in their first game and then beat the Bucks in their second game. The Celtics have one more preseason game at Philadelphia on Friday.
The Hornets have several new players this season. They signed Coby White as a free agent. They got Naz Reid in a trade from Minnesota. They got Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in a trade from Phoenix. And, they got Dennis Schroder in a trade from the Wizards. They drafted Hannes Steinbach (14th) and Christian Anderson, Jr (18th). They also lost several players from last season. LaMelo Ball, Josh Green , Miles Bridges and Tre Mann were all traded. Antonio Reeves and Xavier Tillman both left as unsigned free agents.
I can’t guess who the Celtics will start in this game. They started Conley, Scheierman, Walsh, Gonzalez and Garza in the first game and they started Walsh, White, Tatum, George, and Robinson in the second game. Joe may want to see the starters again in this game or he may sit them once again and play the reserves all game. Or, he may play them in this game and then sit the starters against the 76ers. Or, the starters may play in both or sit in both.
Likewise, as is true of most preseason games, it’s hard to tell who will start and who will play for the Hornets. They started Schroder, Allen, McNeeley, Reid and Diabate in their loss to the Nets. They started Schroder, Miller, McNeeley, Reid and Diabate in their win over the Bucks. The Hornets also have several players out and so that may limit their options in this game.
For the Celtics, Devin Carter is a game time decision with an illness that also kept him out of Saturday’s game against the 76ers. Ron Harper, Jr has missed both games so far with a shoulder injury and he is also a game time decision. Luka Garza went to the locker room late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the 76ers after an inadvertent elbow to the nose left him bleeding. He is listed as a game time decision for this game.
For the Hornets, Grayson Allen missed Sunday’s game with a knee injury and is a game time decision. Christian Anderson, Jr has missed the first 2 preseason games with an ankle sprain and is also a game time decision. Kylan Boswell (knee), Kon Knueppel (hamstring), Coby White (calf) and Grant Williams (hamstring) are all listed as out.
Boston Celtics Roster Chris Cenac, Jr Mike Conley Luka Garza Paul George Hugo Gonzalez Ron Harper, Jr Sam Hauser Payton Pritchard Neemias Queta Mitchell Robinson Baylor Scheierman Jayson Tatum Jordan Walsh Derrick White
2-Way Players Dillon Mitchell Amari Williams Exhibit 10 Players Devin Carter Tucker DeVries Hayden Gray Gabe MccGlothan Milos Uzan Injuries Ron Harper, Jr (shoulder) game time decision Devin Carter (illness) game time decision Luka Garza (nose) game time decision
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Charlotte Hornets Roster Grayson Allen Christian Anderson, Jr Pat Connaughton Moussa Diabate Sion James Ryan Kalkbrenner Liam McNeeley Brandon Miller Royce O’Neale Naz Reid Tidjane Salaun Dennis Schroder Hannes Steinbach
2-Way Players Michael Ajayi Kylan Boswell PJ Hall Exhibit 10 Players Wyatt Fricks Jarkel Joiner
Injuries Christian Anderson, Jr (ankle) game time decision Grayson Allen (knee) game time decision Kylan Boswell (knee) out Kon Knueppel (hamstring) out Coby White (calf) out Grant Williams (hamstring) out
Head Coach Charles Lee
What to Watch Team Chemistry – Whether it is the starters or the reserves or the end of the bench guys, it will be interesting to see the team building chemistry and playing well together. With several new players needing to learn the system and all of the players needing to learn to play together, building chemistry should be the main goal for the team in these preseason games.
How About the New Guys– Conley looked good in the start on Thursday and Paul George and Mitchell Robinson both looked good on Saturday. Chris Cenac, Jr, Dillon Mitchell and Devin Carter have all impressed so far. I’m hoping to see all of the new players in this game to get more experience playing together before the season. Even if they only play for half the game.
Offensive Rebounding – The Celtics dominated the boards on Thursday against the Cavaliers. They had 21 offensive rebounds to just 6 for the Cavs. They did it again on Saturday, out rebounding the 76ers on the offensive boards 19-7. Rebounding will be a key for the Celtics this season. The Celtics need to once again dominate the boards in this game.
Defense – Defense is the key to winning each and every game. In the 2 games so far, the Celtics have shown that they are making the effort to dominate on the defensive end of the court. If that effort continues, the Celtics could very well have the best defense in the league. Hopefully we will see them to continue to make defense a priority.
X-Factor It’s the Preseason – The preseason is a time for the coaches to get a look at players who may or may not make the team, to experiment with lineups and different plays. Wins and losses are not as important as learning things about the players and the team. We certainly won’t see the regular rotation for either team and that’s ok.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: The sneakers worn by Nick Sang during the game between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 4: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets during the NBA preseason on October 4, 2026 at CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are having a really interesting NBA preseason, and we’ve seen a variety of lineups with different centers. They started with Jusuf Nurkic, who later went down with an injury. The variations have included Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes starting at center, but they’ve also played lineups with Jaren Jackson Jr. at center.
The question is, what should the starting lineup be this upcoming season? With Jaren Jackson Jr. at center, Ace Bailey has gotten minutes in the lineup, and he’s looked great! It’s a big trade-off in terms of rebounding, but do Ace Bailey and Lauri Markkanen make up the difference?
Let us know what starting lineup you want in our latest poll!
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jazz fans and fans across the country.
The Utah Jazz won the 2nd pick in the NBA lottery and now have Darryn Peterson on their roster. He’s looked incredible in Summer League and in preseason when he’s had the chance to play. How will Will Hardy and the Utah Jazz use Darryn Peterson this upcoming season? Here’s a look at the secret strategy from Will Hardy for this upcoming season.
Nadeau, 21, has appeared in 15 total NHL games, registering three goals and four assists in that span.
The 2023 first-round pick has been a prolific goal scorer throughout every step in his career, having scored over 60 goals in the AHL across the past two seasons.
Beyond the scoring touch though, Nadeau has continued to grow his game, focusing more on his two-way play and his physicality.
While he didn't make the team out of training camp, he was one of the final cuts and he looks ready to be an NHL regular. The only roadblock was the Hurricanes depth, but this could be the opportunity he needs to prove himself.
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SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 06: Nolan McLean #26 interacts with Luis Torrens #13 of the New York Mets during the game between the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Saturday, June 6, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been 12 years since a Met won a Gold Glove Award, marking the second-longest active drought in the majors. But 2026 may finally bring an end to that streak, as Luis Torrens, Nolan McLean, and Carson Benge were all named finalists for a Gold Glove Award at their respective positions on Wednesday afternoon.
Torrens was also a finalist at catcher in 2025, losing to the Giants’ back-to-back winner Patrick Bailey. This year, Bailey was left off the finalist list after being traded midseason from the Giants to the Guardians. Torrens put up a Fielding Run Value of 10 despite playing in just 91 games, ranking second second in the National League behind the Marlins’ Joe Mack (13), and ahead of the fellow finalists: the Padres’ Freddy Fermin (9) and the Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno (7). His 12 Defensive Runs Saved ranked third in the majors, trailing only the Tigers’ Dillon Dingler and Moreno. Torrens would become the first Mets catcher to win a Gold Glove Award.
McLean, meanwhile, has a chance to become the first Mets pitcher to win a Gold Glove Award since Ron Darling in 1989. McLean’s 4 defensive runs saved were tied for third-most in the NL. The Cardinals’ Michael McGreevy led the pack with 5, while Chris Sale, the third finalist, came in behind McLean with 3.
Benge has his sights set on winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award after a late-season tear, but why not grab a Gold Glove Award, too? Nominated alongside the Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and the Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll, Benge’s case may be the strongest — and also the strangest — among the Mets’ trio of finalists. His Fielding Run Value of 6 ranks second among NL right fielders behind Suzuki (8), but his arm value (7) was the best among all MLB outfielders thanks to a plethora of pulchritudinous throws. Despite the eye test, Benge’s range is actually what’s hurting him. Statcast has him grading out at -1 Outs Above Average in right field. His 7 defensive runs saved in right field are half that of Suzuki’s 14. If voters value Benge’s cannon of an arm and his highlight-reel-worthy dives, he can expect to take home the hardware. But Suzuki may earn the nod thanks to his more balanced defensive grades.
If either Benge or McLean win, they would become just the second Mets rookie to win a Gold Glove Award after Juan Lagares (who also won the NL Rookie of the Year Award) in 2014. If McLean wins, he would become the first rookie to win a Gold Glove Award at pitcher in MLB history.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 18: Cole Young #2 of the Seattle Mariners fields a ground ball and throws to first in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners put out a historically bad defense in 2026, but one member of the roster is being recognized for floating above the rest of the sinking ship. 2B Cole Young has been named as a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at second base, presented by Rawlings. Young demonstrated a sizable improvement in his footwork and arm accuracy, getting a good deal out of his athleticism and average foot speed. He’s joined on the ballot by a pair of American League Central keystoners: 2B Michael Massey of the Kansas City Royals and 2B Chase Meidroth of the Chicago White Sox.
The Gold Glove Award is allotted based on a combination of votes from managers and coaches (75% weight) and a proprietary Defensive Index formula cultivated by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and Rawlings (25% weight). Young has a curious case for the award, rating clearly as the best defensive two-bagger by Defensive Runs Saved at +16. That not only has him as the best second baseman, but the eighth-best defender in the sport. Meanwhile, via Statcast and Baseball Savant, the Outs Above Average range-gauging metric has a much lower estimation of Young’s play, placing him at -6 OAA and a cumulative -5 Fielding Run Value (FRV) when attempting to gauge more of the player’s skill overall.
The Defensive Index from SABR seems to lean more DRS-ward, and while the data are not perpetually public, the organization reveals monthly snapshots of their leaderboards. Through August 9th, Young was the only 2B listed in the Top-25 American League defenders, giving him a chance at leading in that portion of the award. Given Young was the only defender it felt comfortable to hope a groundball was hit at during the 2026 season, it seems more than appropriate to see him heralded.
Young’s knock has typically been what drove him to second base in the first place: arm strength that rated as 380th out of 388 qualified players across all positions by Baseball Savant. The metric averages the top 5% of velocity throws from each player in an attempt to sample only the throws wherein the player is “trying their hardest,” and Young’s tendency for slow hands that transitioned into floating throws contributed to a M’s infield that struggled to turn double plays. And yet, Young’s accuracy with his arm, even with underwhelming pace, earned positive value from FRV for throwing. Combining these metrics with the less-useful metric of Fielding Percentage, which captures merely what MLB determines an error or not in an increasingly rare ruling, Young’s .990 fielding percentage in his AL-leading 1350.1 innings at the keystone was also best in the American League.
Congratulations to Young on being a finalist, and fingers are of course crossed for his victory, yes. That’s all well and good, but the most important thing is that the dream lives: Lookout Landing Managing Editor Kate Preusser vowed early this year to get a thematic tattoo should Cole Young win a Gold Glove this season. As the season progressed, this went from flippant and funny to plausibly possible. When asked about potential tattoos, Preusser noted she may homage departed infield coach Perry Hill with a bone-themed design, should she see Young’s name called for the award.
Winners will be announced on ESPN on Sunday, November 1st.
