Penguins Forward Bryan Rust Out Week-To-Week

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their best players to start the 2025-26 season.

Forward Bryan Rust will be out for a minimum of two weeks with a lower-body injury after he left Wednesday's practice early. 

This means he will at least miss the first four games of the regular season against the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Rangers again, and Anaheim Ducks. He'd have an opportunity to return on October 16 against the Los Angeles Kings if he heals quickly. 

Rust had the best season of his career last year, finishing with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games. His 31 goals and 65 points are career-highs. 

His absence could open up a spot for top forward prospect Benjamin Kindel since he's been phenomenal during training camp and the preseason. There's a chance he could get the nine-game trial to open the year before the Penguins have to decide if he goes back to the WHL or sticks with the main club. 

The Penguins will play their final preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday before opening the regular season against the Rangers on Tuesday. 


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Ex-Rangers Defender Released From PTO By Atlantic Club

Ben Harpur (© Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers have announced that they have released former New York Rangers defenseman Ben Harpur from his professional tryout (PTO). 

Harpur signed a PTO with the Panthers back in September in hopes of landing a contract for the season. However, with this news, he remains an unrestricted free agent (UFA) with the regular season almost here. 

Before signing his PTO with the Panthers this off-season, Harpur spent each of the last three seasons with the Rangers organization. However, he only played at the NHL level during the 2022-23 season with the Rangers, where he posted one goal, five assists, six points, 57 blocks, 63 hits, and an even plus/minus rating. 

Following the 2022-23 season, Harpur spent each of the next two seasons exclusively with the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wold Pack. In seven games with Hartford during the 2023-24, he posted one goal, three points, and a minus-1 rating. He then followed that up by recording one goal, five points, 48 penalty minutes, and a minus-4 rating in 29 games with Hartford this past season. 

It will now be interesting to see if Harpur can land an NHL contract from another team before the season starts from here. In 198 career NHL games over seven seasons split between the Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, and Rangers, he has recorded two goals, 21 points, and 317 hits. 

2025-26 Fantasy Basketball: Hacking the Default Rankings

The NBA season starts in just three weeks, and fantasy basketball season is in full swing! While prepping for your fantasy drafts, it’s critical to examine rankings across multiple platforms. That’s where you can gain a decisive advantage over your competitors.

Some managers will draft using “best available” from their preferred platform’s default rankings list. These default rankings can and often do vary wildly, so identifying outliers from one to the next can be quite a helpful pre-season exercise.

We’ll be going through that exercise in this article, trying to “hack the default rankings” by comparing fantasy basketball rankings from ESPN, Yahoo, and Fantrax to our own here at Rotoworld.

Below you'll find some of the biggest variations among notable players.

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
Nikola Jokić headlines Rotoworld’s Preseason Top 200, but key injuries across the league make this one of the most unpredictable fantasy seasons in years.

G/F Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

Ours: 15
ESPN: 23
Yahoo: 31
Fantrax: 44

Thompson’s 2024-25 season started out slowly but quickly gained momentum. He ended his sophomore campaign with a full head of steam after earning a starting gig and making the most of his opportunities.

Thompson averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 boards, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocked shots for the season, but those numbers rose to 15.9 points, 8.8 boards, 4.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks across his final 44 games - all starts. His ability to stuff the stat sheet was evident by his 18 double-doubles and three triple-doubles, and he’s already drawing praise from new teammate Kevin Durant.

Thompson’s only deficiency is his shooting ability, but he is a hyper-athletic point forward who can rack up stats in bunches, and with Fred VanVleet out for the season, there should be no shortage of minutes for Thompson, who could operate as Houston’s starting point guard.

The Rotoworld crew is all in on Thompson taking another step forward and producing fringe first-round value. If you’re playing on Yahoo or Fantrax, Thompson’s ranked at least two rounds lower, making him a tremendous value on those platforms.

G Jalen Green (Phoenix Suns)

Ours: 79
ESPN: 42
Yahoo: 59
Fantrax: 33

Green was featured in this article last season, and some things never change. The young offensive-focused guard has been a polarizing fantasy option since he joined the league thanks to his “empty calorie” stats that lean heavily on high-volume, low-efficiency scoring. For that reason, we’re the lowest on him at Rotoworld, and if fantasy managers in your league want to bite in Rounds 3-5, let them!

Drafting Green in that range is taking him at his absolute ceiling, though he hasn’t come close to approaching that value thus far.

G Immanuel Quickley (Toronto Raptors)

Ours: 59
ESPN: 80
Yahoo: 83
Fantrax: 104

The Rotoworld crew is bullish on IQ due to his strong stat-stuffing abilities, but rankings from other platforms - not so much. Taking Toronto’s starting PG after Pick 75 presents a ton of value for a player with fifth-round upside. If you’re playing at ESPN, Yahoo or Fantrax, he’s worth targeting as a mid-round sleeper. That’s a “high IQ” strategy.

F Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)

Ours: 54
ESPN: 71
Yahoo: 32
Fantrax: 79

If you’re reading this article, you already know about Zion’s storied NBA career. He’s had trouble staying on the court due to numerous injuries, and the media has criticized him relentlessly about his diet and work ethic.

Based on his appearance heading into the 2025-26 campaign, it’s safe to say that the media won’t be offering many criticisms.

Williamson looks slim in his media day photos, and he says he feels great. His upside is tremendous thanks to his elite athleticism, scoring, rebounding and passing abilities.

F LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

Ours: 29
ESPN: 15
Yahoo: 14
Fantrax: 42

“Father Time is undefeated.”

“The dropoff is imminent.”

“No one in NBA history has played 23 seasons.”

Blah, blah, blah. We’ve been hearing similar tropes about Bron’s age for over a decade now, and he has yet to make good on any of them. James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.1 triples last season. He’s played at least 70 games in back-to-back seasons, and fantasy managers can target him in the early-to-mid third round.

Despite posting strong numbers at age 40, James is getting older and has a lot of tread on the tires. Luka Doncic should be the focal point of the offense this season, and drafting James with a top-15 pick is a bit ambitious. If you’re playing on ESPN or Yahoo, you can sit back and watch fellow managers reach.

C Mark Williams (Phoenix Suns)

Ours: 67
ESPN: 94
Yahoo: 81
Fantrax: 167

Injuries have been the hallmark of Williams’ brief NBA career, and he’s played in no more than 44 games in any of his three seasons. The big man posted career numbers in 2024-25, finishing with 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.2 swats. Phoenix was hurting at center so bad last season that they traded for Williams and selected Khaman Maluach in this year’s draft.

The former should open the season as the starter and, assuming he can stay on the court, a big season is in store. We’re the highest on him at Rotoworld and expect him to be a strong value in fantasy drafts.

F/C Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies)

Ours: 106
ESPN: Outside top-150
Yahoo: 112
Fantrax: 159

The Rotoworld team has the highest expectations for Aldama as he gets set for what could be the best season of his career. With Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey set to miss time to start the 2025-26 campaign, Aldama could be in line for substantial minutes.

Aldama posted career-best numbers in 2024-25, averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 triples across 25.5 minutes. The Grizzlies inked him to a three-year, $52.5 million deal in the offseason, highlighting their confidence in him.

G Cam Thomas (Brooklyn Nets)

Ours: 80
ESPN: 92
Yahoo: 66
Fantrax: 119

Heading into the new season, Thomas finds himself being talked about for all the wrong reasons, and he’s looking to flip the narrative.

The young guard broke out at the end of the 2023-24 season, averaging 26.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 dimes across his final 18 appearances. In 2024-25, he averaged a career-best 24 points per game, though injuries limited him to just 25 contests.

Thomas went through a tumultuous offseason with the Nets regarding his contract, but he ultimately picked up his $6 million qualifying offer to return for the 2025-26 campaign.

He also addressed criticism from the media that he’s an “empty stats” player. Thomas is going to be playing pissed off this season, fueled by his desire to silence the critics and prove to Brooklyn’s front office that it undervalued him.

If you’re playing on ESPN or Fantrax, Thomas is vastly undervalued - just as he’s been in real life with the Nets.

F/C Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Ours: 103
ESPN: 66
Yahoo: 92
Fantrax: 57

Drafting Reid around Pick 100? Naz-ty.

Drafting Reid in Rounds 6-7? Nasty.

The 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year should continue to provide instant offense off the bench for Minnesota while chipping in boards, blocks and treys, but he’s not an elite contributor in any of those categories.

Reid’s career-best 2024-25 season saw him finish 96th in per-game fantasy value, and taking him at least two rounds earlier than that for the 2025-26 campaign would be irresponsible.

C Myles Turner (Milwaukee Bucks)

Ours: 28
ESPN: 26
Yahoo: 74
Fantrax: 53

Indiana’s longest-tenured player finally left the team that drafted him after nearly a decade of trade rumors. After an unexpected run to Game 7 of the Finals, Turner felt like he wasn’t given the respect he deserved in Indy and left for the Central Division rival.

In Milwaukee, Turner should see plenty of playing time and usage as the clear No. 1 option at center. He should pick up right where he left off as a three-point and shot-blocking specialist, perfectly filling the void left behind by Brook Lopez.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks
Depending on the category you’re willing to punt, players like Giannis Antetokounmpo will have greater fantasy value.

Other notable comparisons

ESPN

Dejounte Murray: 46; Ours: 135
Dyson Daniels: 91; Ours: 35
Miles Bridges: 39; Ours: 77
PJ Washington: 62; Ours: 157

Fantrax

Cade Cunningham: 22; Ours: 7
Lauri Markkanen: 23; Ours: 50
Keegan Murray: 58; Ours: 99
Chet Holmgren: 67; Ours: 31

Yahoo

Jalen Suggs: 96; Ours: Outside top-200
Jeremy Sochan: 132; Outside top-200
Toumani Camara: 105; Ours: 126
RJ Barrett: 63; Ours: 159

New Father Of Twins James van Riemsdyk Happy To Be With Red Wings

As one of the more active teams in free agency during the offseason, the Detroit Red Wings signed multiple new players for the 2025-26 NHL campaign, one of them being veteran James van Riemsdyk. 

The second overall pick in 2007 by the Philadelphia Flyers (one spot behind now-teammate Patrick Kane, who went first overall to Chicago) already has 1,082 games of NHL experience, a factor that the Red Wings hope will pay dividends in their quest to end their postseason drought.

However, van Riemsdyk was unable to participate in Training Camp and the first several practices and games of the pre-season schedule, as he was dealing with a personal situation. 

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That personal situation was revealed to be a blessing, as his wife gave birth to twin boys. One of his new sons required some extra time in the hospital, which understandably necessitated van Riemsdyk's absence. 

Following his first practice with the Red Wings this week, van Riemsdyk expressed thanks to the Red Wings organization and particularly to GM Steve Yzerman and head coach Todd McLellan for their understanding. 

“First and foremost, I just really wanted to express my appreciation and gratefulness to the Red Wing organization, particularly Steve (Yzerman) and Todd (McLellan),” van Riemsdyk said after his first practice. “You come to a new team and you don’t really know everyone that well, but just how supportive they were the last few weeks, last few months actually, of dealing with some stuff, with the birth of our twins and just some stuff related to that with the pregnancy for my wife, just how great they were with me.”

Red Wings Reveal Centennial Jersey Night ScheduleRed Wings Reveal Centennial Jersey Night ScheduleThe 2025-26 NHL season is set to be a historical one for the Detroit Red Wings, who are celebrating their centennial campaign. 

van Riemsdyk also lauded the strength of his wife in dealing with the situation, which thankfully appears to have resulted in everything being fine with his now-larger family. 

 “One of them had some little extra time in the hospital. It’s obviously emotional thing dealing with stuff with your family, with your newborns and it keeps things in perspective. Definitely lucky to have a wife that’s very strong and did such a great job through the whole thing and obviously just feeling the support of all my family and support system and the organization here.”

Depending on how the rest of the pre-season, which has only two games remaining, goes, van Riemsdyk could potentially see time on Detroit's top line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. 

He'll also likely see time on Detroit's power-play as a net-front presence, much in the same style as four-time Stanley Cup winner Tomas Holmstrom, who made his living by making life a living nightmare for opposition goaltenders. 

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Scouts discuss how Mets could shake up core, with Kyle Schwarber an intriguing fit

In the wake of a failed season, Mets fans want change to the team’s core 00 and understandably so. But the consensus among scouts and evaluators I spoke to this week is that important changes are coming organically, via the farm system. As such, there’s no need to overreact, at least on the position-player side.

That is, with one rather huge exception.

"Kyle Schwarber would solve a lot of their problems," is the way one scout put it. "I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Steve Cohen wants to flex again this winter, he should pay whatever it would take to get Schwarber to leave the Phillies."

By "a lot of their problems," the scout was referring mainly to Pete Alonso’s free agency. Everyone I spoke to acknowledges that while Alonso’s bat is vital to the Mets’ offense, his defense, and specifically his throwing, has become too much of an issue to ignore.

"That high throw to (Kodai) Senga changed their whole season," another scout said, speaking of the play that resulted in Senga’s hamstring injury on June 12. "And I can remember a bunch more where he put his pitchers in harm’s way. Also, his throws to second, throws to the plate. If you’re the Mets, you’re holding your breath every time he has to make a throw."

Factor in David Stearns, at his end-of-season news conference, emphasizing the need for better run prevention for next season, and it adds even more intrigue to Alonso’s free agency, since the Mets’ slugger has given every indication that he wants to remain a first baseman, not be a DH.

Schwarber, of course, is a DH, the best one in baseball after hitting 56 home runs this season and racking up an MLB-leading 132 RBI. He’s also a folk hero of sorts in Philadelphia, with a big-spending owner in John Middleton, who is expected to go the extra mile to bring Schwarber back -- especially if the alternative would be losing him to the rival Mets.

"The fans here would never forgive (Middleton) if Schwarber signed with the Mets," one Philly media person told me. "And honestly Schwarber is so much the heart and soul of that team -- and he takes that role seriously -- that it’s hard to see him taking the money to go to such a big rival. But you never know; everybody has their price.

"And I’ll say this: if Cohen really does decide to go after him the way he went after (Juan) Soto, it would scare the hell out of Philly fans."

May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen sits in the dugout after batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen sits in the dugout after batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

If the Mets were somehow to pull it off, that would give Stearns and Cohen a free pass of sorts to move on from Alonso. Fans love the idea of the homegrown Polar Bear as a career Met after he became the team’s all-time home run leader and, perhaps more importantly, had an outstanding season offensively. But I think most would be fine with essentially slotting Schwarber into the lineup for Alonso.

Even Cohen wouldn’t sign both, especially with Edwin Diaz likely opting out and the Mets absolutely needing to sign at least one top free agent pitcher from the likes of Framber Valdez, Michael King, Dylan Cease, or Ranger Suarez.

Instead, Stearns surely would look for a right-handed-hitting first baseman with a good glove. The free agent market doesn’t offer an obvious fit, though Paul Goldschmidt had a solid season in the Bronx and put up big numbers against left-handed pitching. So it might be on the president of baseball operations to find one via trade.

Left-handed hitting prospect Ryan Clifford looms as a potential long-term answer at first base, but he’s only 22 and scouts think he needs more time in the minors. In truth, the lineup would be more balanced if the Mets could convince Alonso to re-sign as at least a part-time DH as part of, say, a four-year deal, but it would make for a tricky negotiation, especially if another team assured him of being a full-time first baseman.

In any case, the Schwarber scenario aside, it’s the Mets’ farm system that may dictate the core stays mostly intact entering next season. Specifically, Carson Benge and Jett Williams, ranked 20th and 29th among all minor league prospects by MLBPipeline.com, loom as answers at second base and center field at least at some point next season, if not the start.

"They both could be impact players," one scout said. "Benge is coming fast: he has a very advanced approach and a lot of natural ability as a hitter, and Williams has been slowed by injuries but he’s still young, with good plate discipline and a knack for getting the barrel to the ball.

"They both stalled a little after getting to Triple-A (in August) but if you’re the Mets, you’re probably not going to sign anyone this winter who would block their paths."

In that case, perhaps it makes sense to bring back Jeff McNeil, even as badly as he finished the season, as a placeholder of sorts for Williams at second base in the final year of his contract. Unless you want to start the season with Luisangel Acuña, whose bat remains a big question mark, even while he offers value with his speed and defense.

As for center field, Tyrone Taylor doesn’t hit enough to be an everyday player, but the Mets missed his sparkling defense in September when he was out with a hamstring injury. Perhaps they could find a left-handed-hitting platoon partner not named Cedric Mullins until Benge is ready.

/ SNY

To that end, Trent Grisham would be an intriguing option, after he hit a whopping 34 home runs for the Yankees this season, but it would almost certainly take a multiyear contract to sign him, and his lack of a track record plus Benge’s presence would seem to work against that happening.

As for other positions, Brandon Nimmo could be a trade candidate for the sake of shaking up the core, but his contract -- with five more years for $102.5 million, means the Mets would likely have to eat significant money and still probably not get the value they’d want. Nimmo also has a full no-trade clause.

Meanwhile, if Brett Baty’s last couple of months were a sign that he’s finally over the hump offensively, he could be a solid answer at third base.

Likewise, if Francisco Alvarez’s improvements as a hitter following his demotion to Syracuse (.921 OPS) are a sign of things to come, he should give the offense considerably more thump.

Finally, it’s hard to give up on Ronny Mauricio’s potential, as flawed a hitter as he appears to be, although it does feel like the Mets should trade Mark Vientos, even selling low, unless he winds up being their best option as the full-time DH.

Add it all up and it may not be the winter of new names a lot of Mets fans would like to see on the position-player side, unless Stearns gets creative with trades.

Signing Schwarber, of course, would change all of that. Is it realistic? Perhaps only if Cohen throws crazy money at him.

Otherwise, the Alonso decision will be front and center. And while it would be awfully hard to re-sign him and still stay true to the run prevention that Stearns indicated he would prioritize, his bat is vital to the Mets’ run production.

"If I’m Cohen and I can’t get Schwarber," one scout said, "I sit down with Alonso and find out how much money it would take to convince him to DH at least most of the time. Even if it’s millions more, it’d be worth it."

If that’s what ultimately happens, it’s possible that the core doesn’t change much at all. And yet the Mets could still be significantly better, upgrading the pitching staff, benefiting from Baty and Alvarez continuing to grow, and waiting on the likes of Benge and Williams to blossom.

But they should at least try first for Schwarber.

Here’s why I expect Ben Rice to start for Yankees tonight in Wild Card Series

At this hour an army of scientists, dressed in white lab coats, are hunkered in the Yankee Stadium offices, pouring over biomechanical data regarding Ben Rice’s swing path, and endeavoring a deep dive into Paul Goldschmidt’s REM sleep over the past nine days.

They are preparing Aaron Boone’s orders for tonight’s lineup, delivered with the usual threat to follow their numbers … or else.

Just kidding.

Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus, two humans, discussed and wrote the lineup before leaving the ballpark last night, as they always do. In case you haven’t yet heard, this is how the Yankees make decisions.

I haven’t seen tonight’s lineup, but amid all the chatter about first base and catcher, I fully expect the Yankees to start Rice at first in Game 3, Austin Wells at catcher and use Goldschmidt off the bench.

In Game 1, Boone opted for a righty-heavy lineup against Boston’s lefty ace Garrett Crochet. In a few cases, the manager actually went against what the team’s analytics department wanted. That’s a fact.

A game plan against Crochet is different from a game plan against another pitcher, regardless of handedness.

With their season on the line tonight, the Yankees are facing rookie left-hander Connelly Early. After Game 2 Boone would only reveal that he will start Jazz Chisholm Jr. against Early. He left first base and catcher open (why tell Alex Cora before he needs to know, right?).

But he said this:

“It's not just, it's a lefty. It's, what lefty? Is that guy going to be out there for six or seven innings? I want to leverage a spot for whoever my bench guys are to have a good matchup, not three bad matchups that I can guarantee. All of these things factor into it.”

An argument for starting Rice against Early tonight — in addition to the fact that he’s been smoking balls all over Yankee Stadium — is that the Red Sox have five left-handers in their bullpen. And that’s assuming that Crochet won’t give them an inning. It might be six lefties.

This means that if Boone starts Goldschmidt with the intent to swap in Rice after Early leaves (which could be … early), he might be waiting all night. Cora can counter with one lefty reliever after another. Might as well just start Rice.

As for catcher, that does not seem in question, and it has little to do with Wells’ game-winning hit last night. Wells is a superior game-caller, and that’s hugely important in the playoffs, not to mention when working with a rookie in Cam Schlittler.

Florida Panthers remove 33 players from training camp roster as Opening Night nears

The Florida Panthers are entering the home stretch of the preseason.

With only two games and five days remaining before they can officially shift their focus to Opening Night, the Panthers have made some big cuts to their training camp roster.

On Thursday, Florida announced that the roster had been trimmed down to 29 players, a significant drop from the 52 players that made up the roster previously.

The moves break down like this:

MacKenzie Entwistle, Nolan Foote and Wilmer Skoog have been waived, and will head to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers if they clear.

Contracted players who have been assigned to Charlotte are forwards Jack Devine, Josh Davies, Gracyn Sawchyn, Kai Schwindt, Ryan McAllister, Ben Steeves, Hunter St. Martin, Anton Lundmark and Sandis Vilmanis, defensemen Marek Alscher, Michael Benning and Mikulas Hovorka and goaltender Cooper Black.

Also heading to Charlotte are Jake Livingstone, Trevor Carrick and Hunter Johannes, who were all released from their PTOs (professional tryouts), as well as Liam McLinskey, Brett Chorske and Colton Huard, who were released from their ATOs (amateur tryouts).

Additionally, defenseman Ben Harpur was released from his PTO.

Florida’s training camp roster now features 18 forwards, eight defenseman and three goalies. They must get the roster down to at least 23 players by Opening Night.

It will be an important few days for forwards Tyler Motte, Noah Gregor and Jack Studnicka, who are all vying for an NHL job. 

The Panthers will close out their preseason with games against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night in Tampa and Saturday night in Sunrise.

An updated training camp roster can be seen below: 

Image

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Photo caption: Sep 19, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice speaks to his players during training camp at Baptist Health IcePlex. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Shohei Ohtani to make postseason pitching debut for Dodgers in Game 1 of NLDS

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut when he starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

The Dodgers open the best-of-five series on Saturday in Philadelphia.

“Very talented ballclub. It’s going to be a fun environment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented, all throughout the lineup.”

Roberts confirmed Ohtani as the starter after the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 to complete a sweep in the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. The Dodgers had planned to start Ohtani if the Wild Card had gone to a deciding third game.

Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA) didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last season while recovering from a second elbow surgery that he had in September 2023. He became the first player in major league history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases as the Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees.

The two-way superstar never made the playoffs during six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

At the plate, Ohtani revived himself in September, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He finished the regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than last season.

Against the Reds in Game 1, he hit two homers. He was 1 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the closeout win Wednesday.

Dodgers advance to NLDS with terrific offense, starting pitching, shaky bullpen

LOS ANGELES — The starting pitching is terrific. The offense is clicking. The Los Angeles Dodgers have opened the postseason on a roll in defense of their World Series title.

If their bullpen can stop blowing up, they might just be the first team since the New York Yankees 25 years ago to win back-to-back championships.

“I think we can win it all. I think we’re equipped to do that,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We certainly have the pedigree. We certainly have the hunger. We’re playing great baseball. And in all honesty, I don’t care who we play. I just want to be the last team standing.”

After a second straight shaky eighth inning by the relief corps, the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 on Wednesday night to sweep their NL Wild Card Series.

The Dodgers advanced to their 20th NL Division Series appearance — 13th in a row — in franchise history and will face the Phillies starting Saturday in Philadelphia. The teams last met in the postseason in 2009, when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series for the second straight year.

Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut in Game 1. The two-way superstar never got to the playoffs during his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and he didn’t pitch in his first season with the Dodgers after having a second elbow surgery in September 2023.

The team has carefully managed his mound outings this season, with his first coming in mid-June. Ohtani’s longest was six innings at Arizona on Sept. 23. He was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 appearances during the regular season.

The Dodgers’ Japanese contingent of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and rookie Roki Sasaki figure to gather steam as the postseason progresses. At the plate, Ohtani homered twice in the Dodgers’ 10-5 Game 1 win over the Reds. Yamamoto struck out a playoff-high nine while allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings in Game 2 and Sasaki made his postseason debut out of the bullpen with a 1-2-3 ninth Wednesday.

“I’d probably say he’s No. 1 on the growth chart,” Roberts said about Yamamoto. “Considering coming over here and trying to get his feet wet, trying to learn the culture, the game, the hitters, create a routine for himself, to then be a really big-game pitcher.”

The Dodgers essentially outscored their bullpen in sweeping the Reds.

Relievers Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer combined to issue four walks as the Reds scored three runs and pulled to 10-5. The trio needed 59 pitches to get three outs on Tuesday.

“I thought it was a good lesson for them, more so for Henriquez and Jack, but I’m still evaluating,” Roberts said. “You learn a lot from that inning.”

Former starter Emmet Sheehan and Vesia worked the eighth on Wednesday. Sheehan gave up two runs before the Reds brought the potential tying run to the plate against Vesia. The duo made a combined 41 pitches before the flamethrowing Sasaki mowed down the Reds in the ninth.

“It’s sort of a daily kind of conversation with the pitching coaches, the front office and most importantly, what I see,” Roberts said. “In the postseason, you have to go with ultimately who you feel best in that one spot.”

After illness and offensive struggles during the regular season, Mookie Betts is rounding into form. He went 6 for 9 with a run, three doubles, three RBIs and a walk.

“We had a lot of struggles really all year. But I think we all view that as just a test to see how we would respond,” he said. “Now we’re starting to use those tests that we went through earlier to respond now and be ready now. And anything that comes our way, it can’t be worse than what we’ve already went through. Just keeping a positive mindset and just keep going.”

The Dodgers had a combined 28 hits against the Reds, the first time they’ve had 13 or more in consecutive postseason games since 1978.

“We’ll be sharp going into the next series,” Roberts said.

How Derrick White randomly became a good luck charm for Red Sox

How Derrick White randomly became a good luck charm for Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Can we get Derrick White to Yankee Stadium on Thursday night?

The Boston Red Sox’ season is on the line in the Bronx as they face the New York Yankees in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their American League Wild Card series. And while White likely has other plans — his Boston Celtics just kicked off training camp — recent history suggests the Red Sox would benefit from the veteran guard being in the building.

Here’s why: White has been to three games at Fenway Park since the start of the 2024 season that have ended in Red Sox walk-off victories. Here’s the list:

  • June 24, 2024: Walk-off win over the Toronto Blue Jays
  • April 10, 2025: Walk-off win over the Blue Jays
  • Sept. 26, 2025: Walk-off win over Detroit Tigers

(A recent social media post suggested White was also at a Red Sox walk-off win on May 14, 2024; while White did attend the May 16 game — a Red Sox loss to the Rays — there’s no video evidence of White in the stands on the 14th.)

“Yeah, I’ve picked good games,” White deadpanned to Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg at Media Day when asked about his remarkable luck at Fenway Park. “… It’s been kind of crazy.”

White had some company at that first walk-off win in June 2024, as the entire Celtics team was honored at Fenway Park shortly after winning the 2025 NBA title. Jarren Duran did the honors that night with the walk-off single that sent White and his Celtics teammates into a frenzy.

White was back at Fenway on April 10 of this season to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, then witnessed Trevor Story hit a dribbler to second base that allowed David Hamilton to score the winning run against Toronto.

White’s most recent trip to Fenway was by far the most memorable, however, as the Celtics guard was in the house for Ceddanne Rafaela’s dramatic walk-off triple against the Detroit Tigers that clinched Boston’s spot in the playoffs.

For White, the fun didn’t end with the final out; he actually wandered onto the field to watch the Red Sox celebrate their playoff berth, then managed to take a selfie with the Wally the Green Monster head costume that Boston players wear after hitting home runs.

“They were like, ‘We’re going to take you through the field’ so I could get to my car, and the celebration was going on, so I was kind of just staying out there, kind of enjoying it,” White explained to Forsberg. “Then I had to use the bathroom, and then outside of it I saw (the Wally head), so I took a selfie, really for my dad. And I thought it was funny.”

White’s father, Richard White, is a die-hard Red Sox fan who grew up in the Boston area, so he deserves a hat tip for inspiring some of White’s fandom. And while we’d imagine White isn’t heading to New York on Thursday night, perhaps he’d make an appearance at Fenway next week if the Red Sox are able to punch their ticket to the American League Division series with a win Thursday night.

If that happens, history suggests there will be drama.

NHL Rumor Roundup: How Will Kirill Kaprizov's Contract Affect the 2026 UFA Market?

The Minnesota Wild signing Kirill Kaprizov to an eight-year, $136-million contract extension will make the 28-year-old left winger the NHL's highest-paid player starting next season.

It also raised questions among the punditry over how it will affect the 2026 UFA market.

Connor McDavid tops next summer's UFA class, but The Hockey News' Jim Parsons and TSN's Chris Johnston don't see Kaprizov's contract having any effect on McDavid's negotiations with the Edmonton Oilers.

Johnston believes McDavid prefers a short-term contract over a long-term deal, speculating he could get something between two and four years. As for salary, he pointed out that the Oilers need salary-cap flexibility to maintain a competitive roster around their captain.

Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Journalbelieves McDavid must choose between the security of a long-term contract at a guaranteed $144 million if he pursues the cap maximum annual salary, or a short-term one where his salary rises with the cap in a few years, despite the injury risk.

Tychkowski's colleague, Jim Matheson, doubts McDavid will accept a lower average annual value than Kaprizov's $17 million. He predicts the Oilers' superstar will give his club a discount of $18 million annually on a two or three-year contract.

Why Connor McDavid Shouldn't Consider An Oilers Discount After Kaprizov SigningWhy Connor McDavid Shouldn't Consider An Oilers Discount After Kaprizov SigningNews that Minnesota Wild superstar left winger Kirill Kaprizov signed an eight-year contract extension Tuesday sent ripple effects throughout the NHL – most notably, in Edmonton, where Oilers dynamo Connor McDavid is in need of a contract extension.

Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun agreed with Johnston that Kaprizov's contract will have little effect on McDavid's negotiations. He felt other notable UFAs would be affected, like Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings, Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, and Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche.

Vegas Hockey Now's Hannah Kirkell cited several NHL insiders predicting that Eichel could get a new contract from the Golden Knights with an average annual value between $13 million and $14 million.

While that's a lot of money, Kirkell pointed out that it would only be between 12.5 and 13.46 percent of next season's $104 million salary cap.

Bleacher Report's Frank Seravalli believes Kaprizov's deal could push Necas' salary much higher than the Avalanche might prefer, especially if the 27-year-old right winger has another point-per-game season alongside Nathan MacKinnon. He didn't rule out a $10 million average annual value for Necas.

Kaprizov's deal also ensures Winnipeg Jets left winger Kyle Connor will get a significant raise. TSN's Darren Dreger reports the two sides continue to grind away in negotiations, seeking a deal that makes sense for both sides.

Connor's been a consistent scorer for the Jets, sitting eighth among the league leaders in total goals (282) since 2017-18. He also has two 90-plus point seasons on his resume, including a career-high 97 points in 2024-25. Connor is earning an AAV of $7.142 million, and another 90-point season could earn him a raise of around $12 million annually.

Kempe has led all Kings scorers with 139 total goals since his 2021-22 breakout season. Another solid performance this season could see his AAV rise from $5.5 million to $10 million.

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Devils Star Lands Spot On New NHL Top Players List

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes once again had a strong season for the Metropolitan Division club in 2024-25. In 62 games, the 24-year-old forward recorded 27 goals, 43 assists, 70 points, and a plus-12 rating. With this, the 2019 first-round pick was over a point per game player for the fourth season in a row. 

Now, due to his latest big season, Hughes has been rewarded. This is because he has made Sportsnet's top 50 players list ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Hughes was given the No. 19 on Sportsnet's list. With this, he ranked ahead of other notable NHL stars like William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs), Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators). 

When looking at the year Hughes just had and his success over the years, it is not surprising in the slightest that he has been ranked as one of the top players in the NHL right now by Sportsnet. It will be interesting to see what kind of year he puts together for the Devils in 2025-26 from here. 

Chessum granted special permission for early Prem return as Leicester captain

  • Most British & Irish Lions on mandatory 10-week break

  • Chessum returns despite featuring in all three Tests

Leicester’s new club captain Ollie Chessum has been cleared to return to domestic action against Harlequins ahead of schedule this weekend. The majority of British & Irish Lions squad members are not being permitted to resume playing for their clubs until next week but the Tigers forward has been given special dispensation.

The 25-year-old was injured for a large chunk of last season and ended up starting only 16 games and featuring off the bench four times. Despite being involved in all three Lions Tests against the Wallabies, the player management load group overseeing the welfare of top players has allowed him to face Harlequins at Welford Road on Saturday.

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