After a couple of years of sharing backup catcher duties with Garrett Stubbs, the Phillies hoped that in 2026 Rafael Marchan would be able to handle the job full time. Perhaps he could even help ease the burden on overworked, aging starter J.T. Realmuto.
That did not happen. Marchan was completely inept at the plate, got injured, and eventually supplanted once again by Stubbs.
The stats: .099/.137/.165 AVG/OBP/SLG, 2 HRs, 6 RBI, -0.7 WAR
That turned out to be in no way predictive of the season he would have. He was incapable of reaching base the rest of the year, recording just nine hits (with zero doubles or triples) and two walks.
He did hit one more home run, which oddly landed right next to someone who was wearing a replica of his jersey. (Why?)
As he often does, Marchan spent time on the Injured List, suffering from tendinitis in his knee. By the time he returned in September, Stubbs had established a role as Aaron Nola’s personal catcher. Despite Marchan providing little value at that point, the Phillies kept him on the major league roster for the rest of the season which serves as a damning statement at the quality of reserves the Phillies had to choose from.
The future
The team will wisely look at alternatives for the backup catcher spot in the offseason. Marchan is still under team control, so he’ll likely be back with the Phillies in camp, though it is possible he gets dropped from the 40-man roster and winds up elsewhere. His defense is good enough to stick at the major league level, but even the best defender needs to have an OPS higher than .302.
Final grade: F
When the bar to clear is Garrett Stubbs, and you can’t clear it, you have failed.
Philadelphia, PA - April 26: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and guard Jaylen Brown chest bump in the third quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Tonight marks the first regular season game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics since the offseason trade sending Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia took place. Understandably, we’re receiving a fresh wave of reports and rehashing of events surrounding the purported fallout between Brown and Celtics star Jayson Tatum. I feel compelled to ask, do you find this narrative interesting?
I’ll start here: I totally understand why this is a thing. The NBA has become a 24-hour, 365-day entertainment vehicle that many of us consume obsessively. That reality is driven as much by drama between personalities, both real and manufactured, as by what actually takes place on the court. Brown and Tatum played together for nine seasons, their entire careers overlapping for all but one year, for a club perennially in contention which won one NBA title. If there was a fallout between them, and there seems like there’s definitely at least something there, that’s a story. If Brown had a disagreement with how he was treated by Celtics management, that’s a topic worth exploring. We’ve hit on those points on this very website (thanks for reading, tell your friends!). If you have lamb chops baking in the oven today and popcorn ready for your viewing experience tonight, cool. I get it.
Still, I can’t find myself really caring about it. Whatever happened, it all happened behind the scenes. There was no public infighting or drawn-out trade demand. The Jaylen Brown trade came completely out of left field like a flash of lightning. What Brown said the other day almost exactly aligns with my thinking on the matter:
Jaylen Brown said today that he and Jayson Tatum still haven't talked: "There's nothing to talk about. He's on his side, I'm on my side. We're playing basketball. Both of us are trying to win. So there's nothing to talk about. Check the ball up." @CLNSMedia | Q: @krisrhim1pic.twitter.com/oBvmEwZ2nc
In today’s NBA, guys change teams all the time. Plenty of breakups have been a lot messier than this one, including in Philadelphia. I’ll chuckle when someone makes a clever joke about everything, but beyond that, I can’t find myself getting invested in the whole thing. It’s Philadelphia vs. Boston. That’s more than enough for me.
How about you? Are you still finding this drama interesting or is it entirely in the rear view mirror for you as well? Vote and let us know how you feel in the comments.
Aug 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) reacts against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle and the Reds’ Sal Stewart won the AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards yesterday, respectively.
Chase DeLauter finished sixth and Travis Bazzana finished 11th. A good year for Guardians’ rookies, to be sure! You can view the vote totals here.
The Guardians will receive a compensatory pick at the end of the first round because Messick was on the Opening Day Roster and ranked in top 100 lists prior to the season.
Tonight is the Manager of the Year Awards, then Cy Young Awards Wednesday night (as well as Reliever of the Year), then MVP awards Thursday night.
The loss once again featured a ridiculous performance from Matthew Schaefer, playing over 30 minutes again while registering another point.
That extends his new points streak to three games, and gives him points in 9 of the Islanders' last 10.
He's up to 5 goals and 17 points in 17 games.
As ridiculously good as he is, his ice time deployment should ring some alarm bells.
It's not realistic to call on the 19-year-old to continually play over 30 minutes. Through 17 games, Schaefer's average time on ice is over 27 minutes.
Thus far, Schaefer has shown he can handle it, but the question of burnout and fatiguing the defenseman should be at the forefront of any conversation.
Right now, the Islanders have played 17 games. They've won 7 and lost 10. In the games where Schaefer has played 27 minutes or more, the Islanders are 2-3-3.
They've yet to win in regulation when Schaefer's above 27 minutes of ice time.
It's not proven to be a winning formula. Below 27 minutes the Islanders are 5-3-1, a better record.
It's not just about Schaefer, either.
Entering this season, Schaefer's partner Logan Stanley never averaged above 17 minutes per game.
Over 17 games with the Islanders, he's averaged more than 21 minutes. While Stanley's been a complete and total resounding success for the Islanders, the question quickly becomes whether or not this is sustainable over the course of a full season.
The Islanders are also leaning heavily on Adam Pelech, especially during penalty kills with no other defenseman having the trust he's got on the backend in those situations.
While Pelech's ice time is in line with his career averages, he needs help on the kill.
Tony DeAngelo, who has played in the top four all year, has also wound up overextended especially since the Ryan Pulock injury.
Pulock left early in the first period against the Minnesota Wild. The Islanders won that night in overtime.
Since then, the team is 0-2-2 in his absence.
When DeAngelo played 18+ minutes, the team is 1-3-3 on the year.
No one stat can be a catch-all for something like that, but it's showing where New York's weaknesses lie.
Overextending their defensemen, on the whole, is hurting more than it's helping.
The team needs to add a defenseman the team and Head Coach Peter DeBoer trusts.
Ben Hutton could be that. He scored last night, and played over 14 minutes in a game. In his season debut Saturday, he topped 16 minutes.
Still, Hutton's last topped 15 minutes per night in 2023-24, where he played just 41 games.
Matthew Kessel's done that twice in his 11 games, while Scott Mayfield has not done it in his six games. He came close once, playing 15:51, but has four of six games below 13 minutes in ice time.
It's very easy to spout off that the Islanders need to make an addition and acquire a defenseman.
However, it's become more necessary.
Alexander Romanov's season-ending injury has once again left the Islanders in a spot where they now lean heavily on their top four, while the bottom pairing becomes relatively untrusted.
If Pelech, Stanley, or Schaefer ever have to miss time, the Islanders would have significant trouble filling those voids.
This isn't an article where it says the Islanders should go out and land Simon Edvinsson, though he'd be a significant help.
This is just as simple as finding a blueliner the team can trust to handle minutes, and in case of an injury, play an even larger role.
Maybe Hutton is that, but he hasn't played a top-four role since the 2020-21 season, which he split with the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
It's easier said than done, for sure, but the Islanders could desperately use some blue line insurance.
Pulock's return will help restore some balance. The question then becomes whether or not it brings enough.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 03: Adrian Morejon #50 of the San Diego Padres pitches during Game One of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One way that a team like the Orioles that’s in need of starting rotation help could address their problem is to just sign a pretty good starting pitcher who is, as much as can be believed about any pitcher, a decent bet to continue being pretty good. Mike Elias has steadfastly refused to do this even when it seemed absolutely necessary to the Orioles fortunes, attempting a variety of other schemes. There’s one that he hasn’t pulled off yet: Signing a reliever and turning that guy into a starting pitcher. This winter affords the opportunity to do that in the form of recent Padres pitcher Adrián Morejón.
If old rumors were to be believed, the Orioles had some interest in trying to pull off this caper after the 2024 season. That winter, then-Yankees closer Clay Holmes became a free agent and ended up signing a two-year, $26 million contract with the Mets, who turned him into a starting pitcher. The results went well for the Mets, with Holmes going on to a 3.44 ERA in 51 games; they traded him for a prospect when they were out of the race at the deadline this year.
Morejón enters this winter as one of the game’s potentially elite relief free agents. He’s on a three-year heater in terms of his results with the Padres, dropping a 2.58 ERA and 1.088 WHIP over the past three seasons combined. In 2026, this included a number of multi-inning relief stints – he threw 86 innings, which isn’t exactly a starting pitcher’s workload but is closer to the way there than a lot of relievers. He had been a starting pitcher in the past, before early 2021 Tommy John surgery.
In contrast to most of the high-end pitchers on the free agent market this offseason, Morejón is still fairly young. He’ll only be heading into his age 28 season next year, so the fear of decline in the back years of a contract will be less than it might be for some others. He should be able to keep up what he’s got for a few more years.
The Statcast page for this player is a thing of beauty. Look at all that red! He throws the ball hard. He’s got a great changeup. He gets batters to chase, he gets them to whiff, he gets a lot of ground balls, he doesn’t give up hard contact. Atypically for a reliever, he has a four-pitch mix – which is another part of why there are those who imagine him as a starting pitcher. Morejón has done it before. He might have the ability to do it again.
A willingness to convert Morejón into a starter could be something that will give a bidding team an edge over others, assuming that’s something that he wants to do. (I don’t know if it is.) It’s unlikely the Orioles will really outbid the field – but they do have opportunity in their rotation that other bidding teams may not. They don’t have an ace, they didn’t have a #2 caliber starting pitcher in 2026, and they don’t have a major league-caliber lefty ready to step into the rotation in any capacity.
There are varying opinions about just how much Morejón will cost. At MLB Trade Rumors, the projection is a five-year contract worth $80 million. That’s between Kyle Bradish and Shane Baz money. Those are big bucks for a reliever, especially one who isn’t even racking up saves. Not bad at all to get a good starting pitcher. FanGraphs projected three years and $72 million – a shorter deal with a much higher AAV. That makes him either a cheaper AAV than guys like Trevor Rogers, Michael King, and Freddy Peralta, or a much shorter contract term, lessening the back end risk.
On top of the money, there will be a draft pick penalty tied to signing Morejón. The Padres extended him a qualifying offer, one of two relievers to receive one heading into this offseason. That means that if the Orioles sign Morejón, they’d also give up their third-highest pick in next year’s draft, which would most likely be a mid-second round selection. The likely departure of Rogers will give the Orioles a compensation pick at the end of the first round.
I’d rather see the Orioles just get Rogers. The thing about that is, as we are all well aware in Birdland, that Elias hasn’t spent at the high end of the free agency market for pitching before. Even after making the big splash for Pete Alonso last offseason and making a couple of modest splashes with those Baz and Bradish extensions, it’s tough to imagine him ponying up for the Rogers level.
It’s not as hard to imagine Elias trying one of his galaxy brain ideas – signing Morejón because he’ll be cheaper or take fewer years than Rogers or Peralta or King – and turning him into a starting pitcher. If he doesn’t want to pay up for a proven starter, if he doesn’t want to bundle a bunch of prospects for a speculative upside play that doesn’t hit the upside while one of the prospects dashes from Low-A to Triple-A in one year, Morejón is there.
This wouldn’t be some completely out-of-nowhere idea on Elias’s; Morejón is bandied about as a possible starter conversion in basically any article about this year’s free agent class. There are also analysts out there, such as FG’s Michael Baumann, who think Morejón retains more value as a multi-inning reliever. Whether the Orioles need one of those is debatable, but I don’t think they’ll be spending $16-20 million per year for one in any case. Getting a discount off the market rate for a roll of the dice where if it doesn’t work out, any idiot could have told him ahead of time that this would be a bad idea? Now that’s speaking Elias’s language.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 27, 2026: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on September 27, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Hello everyone!
It’s a Tuesday and the GM Meetings have kicked off in Las Vegas, so hopefully we begin to see some real offseason traction this week.
Let’s get to all of the latest news as you get your day started.
Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez made his plea to the players and the owners to resolve their issues before we lose games in 2027 — remembering how the 1994 strike caused severe damage to the sport.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 25: Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro as seen before a MLB game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals on September 25, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I was recently thinking about an article on my favorite non-Royals Review website, FanGraphs. In it, Ben Clemens goes to great lengths to analyze the old adage – one I’ve often repeated – that if you keep putting new guys in the game, you are eventually going to run into one who doesn’t have it. You really should read the whole thing, but this part has stuck with me:
Second, relievers are more likely to be in good form, too. Six arms means six chances to draw someone who turns in a clunker, but it also means six chances to draw someone who’s red-hot. And while we think of blowups as largely driven by pitchers not having it, the converse is true too. A pitcher who’s really locked in on a given day is less likely to allow a blowup.
He went on the Effectively Wild podcast to discuss his findings, and elaborating that there seems to be an assumption that a reliever will put up zeroes unless they don’t have it. But that’s simply not the case. Reliever ERA in 2026 was 3.48 across all of MLB. That means that you’d expect a run to score in approximately one out of every three innings. The lowest individual ERA among pitchers who threw at least 50 innings in relief was Louis Varland at 1.27. So no pitcher who is perfect – even the best pitchers occasionally allow runs.
And I got to thinking: that applies to managers, too. There is an expectation that managers will never make mistakes. But every manager is going to make a mistake. They’re human. And we have learned over the past few years that even computers can’t be perfect. So why would we expect that from humans?
This is the flowchart too many fans use:
This is the one they should be using.
And even that’s far too simplified, but it’s light-years closer to how we should actually be thinking about things.
One year of ABS challenges is complete
Earlier this year, I engaged in a bit of a debate with Matthew LaMar over whether the Automated Ball Strike System (ABS) was improving the sport of baseball. At the time, I thought it was accomplishing the goal, and I was content to leave it where it was. As the year continued and teams began to figure out how they wanted to implement it, however, a few patterns emerged.
The first was that while some teams, though not all, could be quite aggressive when they had both challenges remaining, the moment they lost their first challenge, the last one would be held in reserve for only the most egregious of calls. This led to a lot of calls still being wrong because teams were afraid of having no challenges in the biggest moments to counter the worst calls. The second thing that changed is that we saw fewer and fewer batters challenging pitches. It turns out that catchers have a much better view of whether a pitch is a ball or strike and could be correct more often, so teams decided that mostly saving challenges for the guys most likely to get it right was the correct way to do things.
This means there is a new advantage for pitchers in a league that’s already so dominated by defense that MLB is testing increasing infield alignment restrictions, adding outfield alignment restrictions, and implementing automated check swing evaluations that are far more lenient than umpires currently allow.* But it also made me think about “the human element.” I came to the conclusion that the human element is important when the thing they are doing is the point. Computers are terrific for filling in the gaps and supporting that. When it comes to baseball, the point is the entertainment of the athletic competition on the field. The only reason umpires ever got involved in the first place was to remove bias and add perspective to facilitate the playing of a fair game. In the case where a computer can perform that sort of facilitation better than a human, we should let the computers handle it.
*I spoke about this on the linked podcast, so I won’t go into too much depth here, but I also think a sport that is dominated by strikeouts should be more lenient with check swings.People complain that swings aren’t properly defined in the rulebook, but the rulebook says that if the umpire determines the player attempted to strike the ball, it’s a swing. Most check swings are decidedly the batter attempting to not strike the ball.We’ve just grown used to it being called differently from what the rulebook says, much like how there was always a length of time allowed between pitches that wasn’t enforced, just in the opposite direction.
There is a reason that we use timers for the pitch clock rather than have the umpires do a countdown themselves. The computers are better at it. Similarly, computers are better at knowing whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, so they should do it. Another similarity between these two things is that the pitch clock timer doesn’t call the penalty on the batter or pitcher; that’s still the umpire’s job. And it should still be the umpire’s job to announce the balls and strikes. He or she should just be getting the answer from the computer instead of making the decision based on a more limited perception. Games should not be turning on whether a team used their challenges at the wrong moments; that’s not what we’re here to see. We’re here to see if a pitcher can paint the black in a key moment or if a hitter can squeeze one through the infield.* The sport should be leaning into the latter thing more.
*That, by the way, is why I’m in favor of extremely limited shifting. I want players to be getting outs because they’re athletic, not because their front office can crunch numbers the best to ensure they’re already standing in the correct place.Players should want that, too. Defensive skill would become much more valuable if it couldn’t be replaced by equations performed in the front office.
Royals Hall of Fame, Part 2
Last week, I wrote a bit about how crowded this year’s Royals Hall of Fame ballot is. I also posted a ranked-choice ballot to allow everyone to rank the case for each player rather than trying to select five. 59 of you responded, so here are some results.
The top five candidates, in order, were Zack Greinke, Carlos Beltrán, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, and Wade Davis. I can’t find exceptional fault with those results even though I voted differently. Here’s the full order:
Zack Greinke
Carlos Beltran
Lorenzo Cain
Eric Hosmer
Wade Davis
Mike Moustakas
Greg Holland
Billy Butler
Joakim Soria
Kelvin Herrera
Alcides Escobar
Ian Kennedy
A handful of you figured out that you didn’t have to vote for everyone and could remove candidates from the ballot if you didn’t want them to even receive partial credit. One of you who figured that out voted only for Zack Greinke. Seems like a sad life to me, but as long as you’re satisfied, I guess that’s fine.
Zack Greinke was the runaway favorite, though, and I will be shocked if he isn’t actually elected. After him, Lorenzo Cain actually got the most first-place votes, but Beltrán had so many more second-place votes that he edged him out – I think there’s absolutely a world where both of them get in, too. From there, it was a big jump down in support to Hosmer and Davis, then another big jump down to Moustakas, another to Holland and Butler, and then big leaps down the rest of the way.
Based on this, I kind of expect everyone under Holland, at least, to fall off the ballot this year. That sucks for Herrera and Butler especially, to me. But that’s what the Veterans Committee is for. I expect both would get in eventually via that committee; I just don’t know how long it will be before that happens.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics reacts after hitting a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
The Rookies of the Year were announced yesterday and predictably standout first year center fielder Henry Bolte did not win the annual award. That honor went to Detroit shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who more than deserved it this year.
That said, Bolte ended up getting just one fifth-place vote, which puts him in a tie for 12th place among AL rookies. It was a strong year all around from the rookies in both leagues so the competition was stiff for Bolte, but it still feels low for him to finish there. Bolte provided solid defense in center field while slashing .277/.359/.405 while getting double digit home runs (11) and stolen bases (21). He was a spark plug atop the lineup that got plenty of rallies going and the energy he brought everyday kept this team from truly bottoming out.
And that’s with not beginning the year in the big leagues. It wasn’t until a few weeks after Denzel Clarke suffered an injury did Bolte finally get his shot and he made the most of it. One can’t help but wonder if Bolte were on a contender if he’d have gotten more points in the overall voting for Rookie of the Year. Not saying he should have won, but A’s fans know how important he was for the 2026 A’s as a rookie.
He’ll be just as important this coming season as he’ll presumably be the starting center fielder beginning his sophomore season. The jury is still out on what the club is planning to do with Clarke heading into next year. Some assumption has been that a change of scenery would be best for both sides with Bolte now the long-term option in center. It’s going to be fun watching Bolte become more confident as a major leaguer and get comfortable. And to think, he’s still just 23 years old.
The GM meetings continue today in Las Vegas. As does award season. Today the Manager of the Year awards will be dished out to the best skippers in each league. Pat Murphy is a strong contender after leading the Brewers to the #1 seed (and eventually the World Series, but postseason doesn’t count for awards). And in the American League old friend Stephen Vogt could be looking at his third straight award after leading the Guardians to the AL Central title, though Rays manager Kevin Cash could give him a run for his money. We’ll find out tonight!
The Las Vegas A’s ballpark looked huge in the renderings. Now that the roof is taking shape, a lot of people in the comments are saying it looks smaller than they pictured. Some are already wondering how deep the outfield will be and whether this’ll be a home run park.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 15: Charles Davalan #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers swings the bat during a game between the Surprise Saguaros and Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on October 15, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We began this review series of minor league standouts for the Dodgers by highlighting the Ontario Tower Buzzers’ most impactful player in 2026, one Easton Shelton here. From one MVP to another, we have Charles Davalan next on the list, elected the Most Valuable Player in the Midwest League for the 2026 season—the first Dodger to win this award since Andy Pages did it back in 2021.
While perhaps not the highest-rated outfield prospect in the Dodgers farm system, Davalan finished the year inside MLB’s top 100 prospects, landing at 79th overall after a marvelous campaign—sixth among Dodgers prospects.
The Dodgers’ second of back-to-back selections in the Competitive Balance Round portion of the 2025 MLB Draft—picked just outside the top 40 with a competitive balance pick they acquired alongside Mike Sirota in the Gavin Lux trade—Davalan’s first full season in the minors was a glaring success. Advanced enough to be thrown straight into High-A ball after a dominant showing in a mere handful of games in Low-A to wrap up the 2025 campaign, going 17 for 34. Davalan established himself as a staple of the Loons offense.
To claim Davalan hit the ground running in High-A might be an understatement, considering in his third game, the former Arkansas Razorback secured his first multihomer performance as a pro, setting up an opening month in which he batted over .300. The biggest challenge, though, came in the following two months, with a .755 OPS between May and June, but from that moment forward, Davalan became the top hitter in the league—including a .790 OPS in July with 16 extra-base hits in just 20 games, which helped fuel his MVP candidacy.
With the way Davalan wrapped up the season, the Dodgers felt confident enough to promote him to Double-A for the playoffs. While the Drillers were swept in two by the Cardinals, Davalan did his part, securing a hit in both games, including a key home run, his 25th this season.
Having a refined hit tool as one of his calling cards, Davalan had no problems handling left-handed pitchers in his first year as a pro, finishing the year with a .337 batting average across 86 at-bats against same-handed pitchers.
Still on the impressiveness of Davalan’s hit tool, the 22-year-old not only had more walks (63) than strikeouts (57), but he also nearly matched his impressive college feat of more extra-base hits than punchouts, falling one short of it with 56 XBH. He was one of three players to score 100 runs or more in the Midwest League, joined by teammate Eduardo Quintero, and his 128 hits and 29 doubles both led the league.
Heading into the Arizona Fall League, Davalan, alongside Quintero, was probably the most exciting Dodger to feature in the competition. And although his production at the plate has been disappointing (.683 OPS), one key aspect of his development has piqued the interest of those following him closely. After moving between left and center in 2026, Davalan has worked as a second baseman in the AFL, reverting to his early days as a baseball player.
If Davalan can continue to take steps forward at second, the flexibility he would bring to the table will be invaluable to this organization—especially so given all the outfield depth it currently has, both in the minors and majors.
That two-homer game in his third appearance of the season was one of four multi-homer games for Davalan with the Loons. Although it didn’t represent anywhere near his season-high mark in RBI, the one multi-homer game we’ll highlight here came in mid-August—Davalan added a double and a walk to help propel the Loons to an 8-6 victory at home against the South Bend Cubs.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 14: Hiromi Itoh #14 of Team Japan pitches in the sixth inning during the game between Venezuela and Japan at loanDepot park on March 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The son of a fisherman, Iromi Itoh was born on August 31, 1997 in Shikabe, a town in southern Hokkaido. As a young boy, he got his introduction to baseball from Koki Morita, a former relief pitcher in the NPB who happened to be a childhood friend of his fathers and gave him personalized baseball instruction from a young age as a result. He grew up idolizing Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters ace Yu Darvish and focused on pitching as a result. He attended Tomakomai High School, the alma mater of Masahiro Tanaka, but the school did not qualify for the Spring or Summer Koshien tournaments at any point while he attended.
After graduating in 2016, Itoh attended Komazawa University, but he dropped out after his first semester there, citing an inability to see himself remaining in school for another four years. After reevaluating his decision with friends and family, he enrolled at Tomakomai Komazawa University but because of college baseball rules, he could not participate in baseball games until a full calendar year passed between when he dropped out of Komazawa University. When he became eligible in his second year, he joined the Komazawa University baseball team and pitched for them for the remainder of his college career.
In October 2020, following his graduation, he was selected by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, his local hometown club, with their first-round selection in the 2020 NPB Draft; he was actually the first first-round pick from Hokkaido to be selected by the Fighters since the team moved to the island from Tokyo. The 23-year-old right-hander agreed to terms with the team and made his professional debut a few months later, when the 2021 season began.
The rookie right-hander made his first professional start on March 31 against the Saitama Seibu Lions. He would go on to make 23 more in 2021 and would end the year posting a 2.90 ERA in 146.0 innings, allowing 125 hits, walking 53, and striking out 141. Though he certainly pitched well enough to deserve it, Itoh lost out on the Pacific League Rookie of the Year Award to Orix Buffaloes left-hander Hiroya Miyagi, who posted a 2.51 ERA in 147.0 innings, allowing 118 hits, walking 39, and striking out 131.
His 2022 began inauspiciously, as he contracted COVID-19, but he did not miss any time on the mound and ended up having an all-star season. Making 26 starts, Itoh posted a 2.95 ERA in 155.2 innings, allowing 140 hits, walking 49, and striking out 112.
Following the conclusion of the 2022 NPB season, he was selected to play with the Japanese National Team in an exhibition against Australia, and then a few months later, in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The right-hander appeared in 3 games for Samurai Japan, all out of the bullpen, and was perfect, not allowing a single baserunner in 2.1 innings, striking out 3 batters. When he returned to Japan for the start of the 2024 season, he struggled and underperformed to the point that manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo considered having him removed from the starting rotation altogether. By May, he started turning things around, and while he ended up remaining in the Fighters rotation all season, it was a definite down year for the right-hander. He made 24 starts in total and posted a 3.46 ERA in 153.1 innings, allowing 147 hits, walking 41, and striking out 134.
Itoh recovered in 2024. He won a pair of Player of the Month Awards, one at the beginning of the season and one at the end, and posted a cumulative 2.65 ERA in 176.1 innings over 26 starts, allowing 150 hits, walking 39, and striking out 161. The Fighters made the postseason, going 75-60 and ending the year in second place in the Pacific League. They faced and beat the Chiba Lotte Marines in the best-of-three first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series, but lost against the league champion Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the best-of-six final stage of the Climax Series.
Itoh had been steadily improving, but everything came together for him in 2025. The 27-year-old appeared in 27 games and posted a 2.52 ERA in 196.2 innings, allowing 179 hits, walking 29, and striking out 195, his workload, BB/9 rate, and strikeout total all leading the league. The Fighters once again made the postseason, facing and beating the Orix Buffaloes, but as was the case in 2024, they once again lost to the SoftBank Hawks in the final stage of the Climax Series. While that would be the end of the line for the team, Itoh would still win one more thing. The right-hander won Eiji Sawamura Award by the award selection committee, meeting enough of their benchmarks for it to be awarded to him, unlike the 2024 season, when the committee determined that no single pitcher met enough of their qualifications and did not name an Eiji Sawamura Award as a result.
In spring, the 28-year-old right-hander participated in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He appeared in two games for Samurai Japan and allowed 5 earned runs in 4.0 innings, allowing 4 hits, a pair of home runs, not walking a batter, and striking out 7. When he returned to Japan for the 2026 Fighters season, appeared in 26 games and posted a 3.18 ERA in 172.2 innings, allowing 184 hits, walking 34, and striking out 159.
The right-hander stands 5’9” and weighs 180-pounds, which is well below the average height for a pitcher (6’2”) and would make him the shortest starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He would not be the shortest pitcher playing for a Major League Baseball club, as San Diego Padres reliever Yuki Matsui stands 5’8”. While there certainly may be some surface-level concern that his smaller frame might not be able to handle the rigors of the 162-game MLB season, Itoh has been an iron man in Japan, leading the league in innings pitched in 2025 and finding himself in the top 10 in innings pitched in five of the six years he has been pitching for the Fighters- and in 2021, the year he was not in the top 10, he was 11.
Itoh throws from a three-quarters arm slot, dropping and driving off the mound with a fairly small extension and a long arm action through the back. As many Japanese pitchers do, the right-hander features a hitch in his leg lift when the bases are empty, and wraps his wrist during the full extension of his arm circle. His delivery is smooth and balanced, allowing him to repeat his release point well and partially how he has maintained an extremely small walk rate throughout the course of his career.
Itoh’s arsenal of pitches is quite large, consisting of a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, cutter, splitter, slider, curveball, and changeup. In 2026, he threw his four-seam fastball 36.6% of the time, his slider 23.7% of the time, his splitter 13.4% of the time, his two-seam fastball 10.4% of the time, his cutter 6.2% of the time, his curveball 5.5% of the time, and his changeup 4.2 of the time. Going back to 2024, he used his cutter and splitter a bit more, but his pitch usage has otherwise broadly remained consistent over the last few seasons. All in all, Itoh is most effective in the shadow of the zone, getting batters to get themselves out by confusing them with his wide assortment of pitches that he is able to spot all over the strike zone.
Itoh’s four-seam fastball averaged 92 MPH in 2026, topping out at 94 MPH. It features above-average arm-side movement and regularly posted above-average 15”+ induced vertical break readings, making it most effective in the upper quadrants of the strike zone. Itoh’s two-seam fastball has similar characteristics, exchanging some velocity for additional arm-side movement.
His slider averaged 83 MPH in 2026, and when the pitch is at its best, it features sharp sweeping horizontal movement in addition to hard vertical break. Itoh either does not always get a good horizontal tilt on the pitch or liberally mixes in a harder gyro slider that minimizes horizontal movement. In 2026, his slider was actually an ineffective pitch, with a slightly negative weighted runs above average per 100, but in 2025 and prior seasons, the pitch was slightly positive.
His splitter averaged 87 MPH in 2026. The pitch tunnels well with his fastball and features late downward drop. Like his slider, the pitch resulted in a slightly negative weighted runs above average per 100, but in past seasons has fluctuated between being slightly above-average and slightly below-average.
His cutter is thrown hard, averaging 90 MPH last season. Last season, it resulted in the highest weighted runs above average per 100 of all of his pitches and has consistently been one of Itoh’s most effective offerings thanks to its combination of velocity and late darting movement.
Itoh’s curveball averaged 76 MPH last season. The big bender features loopy 12-6 drop and is more of a change-of-pace offering than a real swing-and-miss pitch due to its lack of bite. His changeup, which averaged 84 MPH, is similar. Because it lacks dynamic fade or tumble, the pitch is more of a strike stealer or set up to begin a sequence rather than an effective pitch in and of itself.
On the whole, Itoh does a good job of keeping the ball in the stadium, posting a 22.3% line drive rate, 41.0% groundball rate, and 36.8% flyball rate in 2026, with slight variations in those trends over the course of his career. In particular, his sinker, splitter, and changeup have been effective worm killers.
All in all, nothing in particular stands out as being decidedly above-average in pitching repertoire, but the right-hander has a high amount of pitchability. He knows when to throw what pitches, all of his offerings have synergy with each other, and he is able able to command them all.
Itoh has the nickname “Mr. White Smoke” stemming from an incident that took place during the 2021 Summer Olympics. Members of the South Korean National Team complained that the amount of rosin that Itoh was using was distracting, and that he was intentionally using so much powder in order to confuse hitters by leaving a lingering cloud of rosin in the air around the mound. Itoh’s response was that he was not intentionally trying to gain an advantage over hitters by making it harder for them to see, but that he simply is a sweaty individual.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Catcher Bob Boone #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Boone played for the Phillies from 1972-81. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bob Boone, longtime major league catcher and manager, has passed away, per reports. He was 78.
Boone spent 19 years in the major leagues. Drafted out of Stanford by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1969, Boone got a cup of coffee in 1972 before becoming the Phillies’ regular catcher in 1973. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting that season, tied with Dan Driessen and Elias Sosa, with Gary Matthews finishing first and Steve Rogers second in what was an especially strong class, which also saw Ron Cey, Johnny Grubb, Davey Lopez and Richie Zisk receive votes.
Boone was his team’s starting catcher every season from 1973 through 1989, when he caught an American League high 129 games at the age of 41 for the Kansas City Royals while winning his 7th Gold Glove. Boone was remarkably durable, even as he aged — he caught 121 games for the Angels in 1988 in his age 40 season, and is the only player to have caught at least 120 games in a season in his 40s. There have been just five seasons in major league history where a player who is 38 or older has caught at least 120 games in a season — Carlton Fisk, in 1987, at the age of 39, and Boone’s age 38-41 seasons.
Boone was a fixture behind the plate for the Phillies for almost a decade, including their three straight division title teams from 1976-78, as well as the 1980 team that beat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series for the Phillies’ first ever World Series title. Despite his being an excellent defensive catcher, the play he’s best known for is a dropped foul pop up in Game 6 of the World Series that Pete Rose snagged before it hit the ground:
Boone was acquired by the California Angels, another team striving to win their first World Series, after the 1981 season. He spent the next seven seasons as the Angels’ primary catcher, with the Angels advancing to the ALCS in 1982 and 1986. Boone was behind the plate when the Mike Witt and Donnie Moore each gave up two runs homers in the top of the ninth of Game 5 of the ALCS, turning a 5-2 Angels lead into a 6-5 deficit, and then led off the bottom of the ninth with a single that led to pinch runner Ruppert Jones scoring the tying run that sent the game into extra innings.*
* Boone’s replacement behind the plate was the Angels’ backup catcher, and future Rangers coach and manager, Jerry Narron.
Had the Angels won that game, they would have advanced to play the New York Mets in the World Series. Instead, Dave Henderson, who homered off of Moore in the ninth, hit a sacrifice fly off of Moore in the 11th to give the Red Sox a 7-6 lead. Calvin Schiraldi shut down the Angels in the bottom of the 11th, and then Boston romped in the final two games at Fenway to advance to the World Series.
The 1986 postseason was one of the most memorable in MLB history, with Boston coming back against the Angels down 3-1 in the series and 5-2 in the ninth of Game 5, the bitter six game NLCS between the Mets and Astros that featured a 12 inning Game 5 and a 16 inning decisive Game 6, and then the Mets/Red Sox World Series.
Boone spent three more seasons with California after that before joining the Kansas City Royals in 1989. Age finally caught up with him in 1990, when he missed two months due to injury and appeared in just 40 games in his final season in the majors.
Boone’s 2225 games behind the plate are the third most in major league history, behind Pudge Rodriguez (2427 games) and Carlton Fisk (2226). His place in the rankings seems safe for the foreseeable future, as Salvador Perez, the active catcher with the most career games caught, trails Boone by almost 800 games. Along with his 7 Gold Gloves and third place Rookie of the Year finish, Boone appeared in four All Star Games and twice received MVP votes. His 27.4 career bWAR places him 49th all time among catchers.
Boone had two stints as a major league manager, with the Kansas City Royals from 1995-97 and the Cincinnati Reds from 2001-03, though he was not given much to work with with either club. As a manager, he never made the playoffs or finished above .500, and had a career 371-444 record.
Boone is part of a lineage of one of the most successful multi-generational families in major league baseball. His father, Ray Boone, had a 13 year career, mostly with Detroit and Cleveland, as an infielder, making two All Star Games and finishing as high as 8th in the MVP voting. Bret Boone’s sons, Bret and Aaron, had successful major league careers as well. Bret, you may recall, had a brief stint last year as the Rangers’ hitting coach, and Aaron is the manager for the New York Yankees.
Bob Boone, the most accomplished member of a three-generation baseball family that's impacted Major League Baseball since 1948, has died.
Boone was 78.
The son of All-Star infielder Ray Boone and the father of current New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone and two-time All-Star Bret Boone, Bob Boone was a four-time All-Star catcher and star of the Philadelphia Phillies' 1980 World Series champion team, the first in club history to win the Fall Classic.
He played 19 years in the major leagues, moving on from Philadelphia to serve as the fulcrum of a California Angels squad that twice came within a game of the World Series, in 1982 and 1986. He finished his career with two seasons in Kansas City, retiring in 1990.
Yet the family's story was only reaching its midpoint.
After serving three years in the military during World War II, Ray Boone debuted on the last Cleveland team to win a World Series, in 1948. He enjoyed a 13-year career that included All-Star appearances in 1954 and '56. Just one month after Cleveland won the 1948 World Series, Ray's legacy would continue: Bob Boone was born in San Diego.
Boone eventually attended Stanford and was a sixth-round pick of the Phillies in 1969. He'd reach the majors at 24, in 1972.
Just two months before the Phillies drafted him, Boone's wife, Susan, gave birth to Bret Boone and Aaron would follow in 1973. Like their dad, Bret and Aaron were born in San Diego County and eventually grew up two hours north in Orange County as their dad became a veteran beacon for the Angels.
He served as a manager for the Kansas City Royals from 1995-97 and the Cincinnati Reds from 2001-03, managing Aaron for nearly three seasons in Cincinnati before the club traded him to the Yankees, where he'd hit his notorious pennant-winning home run in ALCS Game 7 later that year.
At the 2002 All-Star Game in Miwaukee, the generations were united in most glorious fashion, Aaron representing the Reds as an NL All-Star, Bret repping the AL as a Seattle Mariner, both posing for photos with Bob and Ray, the first family to send three generations to a Midsummer Classic.
Boone would continue in baseball, working in various capacities as a scout and special assistant, most notably in recent years with the Washington Nationals, earning a championship ring for their World Series title in 2019. Meanwhile, Aaron was named Yankees manager in 2018 and even as Bob stepped away from the game, he and Susan would watch Aaron's Yankees play from their home in California, according to Scott Miller's 2025 book Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter.
Bob and Aaron would often recount that night's game, thanks in part to the three-hour time difference.
"I would say it's actually been one of the neat things about this job I've enjoyed the most," Aaron Boone told Miller in Skipper. "Almost every night, especially when I'm at home, I'll call him on the drive home because he watches every out of every game. He absorbs it.
"It's less about the Xs and Os. It's more just talking about the game and it allows us to connect. It's more about being a supportive dad, passionate over every detail."
SAN FRANCISCO ― Jordan Poole helped the Golden State Warriors win an NBA championship in 2022, but it hasn't always gone well for Poole since leaving the Bay Area via trade in 2023.
That was certainly true in his return Monday night.
The Warriors delivered a 51-point beatdown Nov. 9 against the Pelicans, defeating them 138-87 at Chase Center. After the game, Poole sounded off after his Pelicans dropped to 4-7.
"Pretty (expletive) difficult. Pretty (expletive) difficult," Poole told reporters. He also reminisced about better days in the Bay Area.
"I mean you just played right. They played the right way, bro. They played good basketball. They played team basketball," Poole said. "Obviously, the environment is pretty high level. But like I said, once you put a lot of work and you got hardware with an organization, with a team, with a city, you're kind of cemented in the history. So it's good, but do I miss it? Hell yeah!"
Poole, who finished with seven points on 1-of-5 field goals with three rebounds and two assists, is averaging just 6.2 points on 19% shooting from the field and 23.5% on 3-point attempts.
That's a long way from his best season with Golden State during 2022-23, when he averaged 20.4 points.
"Yes. I mean, it feels like home, though," Poole said. "Driving into the (expletive) arena, you know, crossing the the Bay Bridge or wherever you're coming from, it definitely feels natural. And I think it's pretty evident, you know, the way that I play is very fitting to how I used to play here. Nothing's changed, you know, other than the system that I'm in.
"We won a championship, you know, so it works. And it did work," he added. "That's what you ultimately want to do when you come out here and you play the game. So, to answer your question, definitely. This is my last year on the deal (in New Orleans). I'm a free agent at the end of the season, so you never really know what's gonna happen."
Such a return might mean reuniting with Draymond Green. A leaked video in 2022 showed Green punch Poole during a practice that season. The Warriors traded Poole the following year. Green, who is also in the final year of his contract, wasn't opposed to a reunion.
"That would be incredible," Green said according to the Mercury News. "I have no issue with that at all. I will never stand in the way of this organization thinking they can better themselves. The issue will never be me. Ever."
Jordan Poole's contract
Poole is in the final year of a four-year, $128 million contract, he signed with the Warriors before being traded to the Wizards. Poole is owed $34 million this season and then he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. He said if there's any place he's comfortable playing, it's where it all started in the Bay Area.
"I always love coming back to the Bay. Definitely feels like home," Poole said. "The fans are always really welcoming. Always cool to see some jerseys and fans I used to see her all the time, so it's definitely a warm welcome, and I definitely miss it for sure."
Poole was drafted by the Warriors with the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, becoming a champion and a fan favorite in the Bay Area.
The Pelicans' last winning season was the 2023–24 season, when they finished with a record of 49–33. Poole, then, played for the Washington Wizards, who finished 15–67.
"It's only so much that you can control. You know what I mean?" Poole said. "I think over the last probably last few seasons, I think I've had five coaches in four years, and it's a tough recipe to be successful. And different organizations trying to figure out what they want to do with the team. Multiple front offices, so it's just been a lot of moving parts."
A lot of Poole's frustration stems from leaving a winning culture with the Warriors for franchises struggling to find their identity.
"Coming from a team that had one common goal, knew we wanted to win. Everybody's on the same page. Everybody came into camp trying to win a championship, ready to sacrifice playing team ball," Poole said. "That's kind of like the way I grew up; was the way I played my entire career. So it's definitely different, and it's been an adjustment. But there's nothing better than playing the right way and playing team ball.
"I think tonight, just watching the game was a prime example of that," he added. "I mean, it's been pretty difficult, but you know, that's life. You have to just figure out ways to keep pushing, keep thriving, and you know, try to make the most of whatever situation you have. Keep learning."
Jordan Poole share moment with fellow Wolverine Yaxel Lendeborg
Poole and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg are both former Michigan Wolverines, and the two shared a moment after the game, swapping jerseys.
"We share the same alma mater. He got a championship, I told him congrats on that. We like to keep our Michigan circle pretty close-knit," Poole said. "Let him know that he has another supporter in the league. He's been playing really well and tremendous. I just want him to keep it up man. If there's anything that he needs or anything I can do to help, you know, just being a guy who's been in the league for a little bit, I just told him to reach out."
The love and respect was reciprocated.
"It was amazing. I've always wanted to meet him since I went to Michigan," Lendeborg said to USA TODAY Sports about Poole. "Hearing, seeing everything he did here for Golden State, he's an phenomenal player, phenomenal person. He seems like a guy who pretty much has the same personality and character as me. It was great to meet him, he said a bunch of kind words. It was a great interaction for me."
DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 9: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates with teammate Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks after scoring a basket during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center on November 9, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cooper Flagg was sensational once again, finishing with 43 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, while Kyrie Irving added 35 points on seven made 3-pointers.
Let’s see what the two superstars, and their coach, Dusty May, had to say in the postgame presser.
Very good win for us in the homestand. Our two guys, superstars, obviously made play after play after play. I thought, especially in the fourth quarter, we sat down and were able to contain the basketball a little bit better than we did the first three. Indiana, they’re a tough cover. They rarely let you get your defense set. They put so much pressure on the paint, and then they play well together and spray it out. I thought their bench was incredible tonight for them. Just a good win against a great organization, a well-coached team, and a bunch of guys that we have a lot of respect for.
On the Mavericks’ execution down the stretch:
I mean, we got it to the guys in their money spots and they made plays. The Ky-Naji pick-and-roll, short roll — that short roll actually was really clicking in the first half with Caleb. When Caleb would go out, we weren’t able to get to it as well. I thought Naji created the window. Ky made an excellent pass. Even the two possessions prior to that, we got to the rim. Coop got to the rim. Naji got to the rim. They both got there and made really good plays, and the ball just didn’t drop. At that point, you try not to … overthink it. At that point, we were thinking about spreading the floor again and just trying to open up the driving lanes. We ran very simple actions to get Coop on the left side of the floor. Obviously, he just made it — did his thing.
What makes Cooper Flagg unique as a scorer?
He gets to the rim. I think him almost being a left-handed player in the paint certainly helps. He’s a great left-footed jumper, left-handed finisher. Then he’s able to square in the air from 15, 17 feet. He can just get to his spots. If there’s a smaller guy, he can jump and just square in the air over them. The last couple of games, he’s made some threes, and he’s making all of his free throws. That’s how you put up the 43 points, where you do a little bit of everything. He finished at the mid-range. He finished at the rim. He got to the line. He’s getting to the line more than he has. He affects the game in so many ways, and he makes the right plays as far as passing. Thank goodness he’s on our team. It’s unbelievable that he’s a 19-year-old doing this.
How important is Kyrie Irving’s ability to make tough shots?
Yeah, sometimes I think the plus-minus in a one-game sample size is a little bit overblown. His plus-29 tonight was very indicative of how important he is. When we were struggling to make shots in the first half. We thought we were generating really good looks. We just looked a little bit flat. I thought Kyrie’s shot-making just kind of righted the ship for us. We came out in the third quarter and were able to get over the hump a little bit. He makes tough shots. He’s able to hang in the paint and finish. The same, just like Coop, they’re so unselfish. They’re such good teammates that winning is the priority over everything.
On defending Pascal Siakam better in second half (just three points):
I thought our gap presentation was much better in his isolations. In the first half, it felt like we were close enough, but we weren’t impacting the shot line. He was able just to raise up and shoot without us impacting the line of the shot. In the second half, I felt like we got underneath him, and we had much better gap help. Then really the guy on the ball did a good job, but also the other four. Then he was able to get into the mid-post. I thought our rotations were clean. We had doubled him from the baseline side early in the game, and he picked us apart. We came from the top side, and our rotations, other than one time, were pretty clean, and it worked out well for us.
On Flagg’s energy on the second night of a back-to-back set:
You just see a guy that just continues to evolve and get better. He looks stronger. He looks more determined. When it’s winning time, you just see he’s impacting every possession, rebounding-wise. He made a couple defensive errors. I’m sure he’ll be disappointed in that, and he’s going to clean up. Just the way he impacts every possession. I think probably the mental fatigue of being so engaged is probably tougher than the physical fatigue for the 19-year-old. Those guys have to fight for every catch. They’re at the top of every scouting report. For them to do that against a team like Indiana and have the cumulative effort that they did, it’s impressive.
On outscoring the Pacers 16-3 in second-chance points:
We got 10 [offensive rebounds] tonight, and that’s actually much less than — I think we had 51 in the three games prior. Our offensive rebounding’s really improved. Tonight, it didn’t seem like — because we were playing a little bit different when we were trying to tackle some matchups and we were trying to get in the short roll, we didn’t quite have our same rhythm and flow. Late in the game, we were just getting the ball to certain players. We didn’t have cutting. Obviously, when Gaff plays less than 20 minutes, that’s a big part of our offensive rebounding. And Rez, another one being out — that’s probably the difference in us averaging 16 and getting 10. It’s probably just a personnel deal.
What makes Flagg and Irving fit together so seamlessly?
How well they complement each other and how committed they are to simply trying to find a way to win, whatever this game needs. It’s a unique deal. We’re coming out of a timeout, we may draw up a play for one of them just because the other one might have an All-League defender on him, or whatever the case, and they never roll their eyes. They know when we’re going to one of the two, the other one’s very, very supportive because they have that much respect for each other. They’re both just such good guys and great teammates.
He joins Kevin Durant (2008) as the only players in NBA history to record 40+ PTS, 10+ REB, and 5+ AST in a single game as a teenager 🤯 pic.twitter.com/MldSotO1pl
Yeah, I think that’s something I’ve talked a lot about, but just having him out there, his gravity opening the floor for everybody else — it makes my life so much easier. That’s that, but I think it speaks to our team as well. The other night, PJ had 21 in the first half. He had it going. Gaff had it going the other night. Every night is going to be somebody else’s night. We know that that’s our identity, that we’re making the right plays, no matter what, we’re trusting each other. Tonight, me and Kyrie had it going. There’s hopefully going to be a lot of nights like that where we’re able to do our thing. It’s a next-man-up mentality. No Rez tonight. I thought Santi stepped up —played really, really well. I think it’s just the identity of our team — just making the right plays and everybody having that trust in each other.
On the style of play with he and Irving sharing the floor:
I think just the unselfishness of everybody out there. Having someone like Walt [Clayton Jr.] out there too — the way he’s able to get downhill and help us initiate offense. Naji. We get lineups out there, and we just get the ball moving at a fast level. We have guys who know where they should shoot their shots — where the other people are involved. It clicks at a really high level. I just thought it looked really good tonight, moving around, swinging, finding the right shots.
On getting through tough early schedule stretch with a 7-4 record:
Obviously, we feel good. I think even some of the losses, we felt like we learned a lot from. Something we talked about after our last loss is that we’re not always going to be able to learn from the wins. Games like tonight, where you’re able to execute down the stretch — every experience, good or bad, win or loss, I think just learning from everything. We have a younger group, still with some really good older veterans. I think just being able to learn on the fly and take a lot and dissect from each and every one of these games is going to be big for us.
On his improved shot creation and getting to his spots in the offense:
I think just being able to get to my spots at a higher level and being more comfortable with that has allowed me to take a little bit of load off my body. Just kind of stopping short, raising up over people. It’s taxing going downhill all the way to the rim and trying to finish over seven-footers all night, every night. I think just adding that in there definitely allows me to pace myself a little bit, steal some easy ones. Then again, just trusting the work, trusting the spot work that I put in all summer long. Just being so comfortable with those shots. I think it goes back to my teammates, who are just trusting me with make or miss, getting to those spots. When I’m in that mindset that no matter what, as long as I’m getting the shot that I’m comfortable with, that is going to be a good outcome for our team.
On his comfort level taking tough, contested shots from the left elbow late:
Like I said, just all the work all summer long. Just preparing myself to be in those moments down the stretch. Limited space, limited dribbles. Being able to come out with a bucket and a good, comfortable shot.
On making an impact in the NBA as a teen:
Yeah, I think it just speaks to the type of basketball that I’ve always played and how I was raised, just being a true competitor. I think whenever I get out there on the court, it just goes back to being a competitor and trying to make as many possible winning plays as I can, and trying to make the easy, right basketball play out there. Just speaks to that. My teammates are putting me in good positions. My coaches are trusting me through make or miss.
Kyrie Irving
On Flagg’s play to start the year and how they fit together in the offense:
Yeah, we definitely are having a lot of fun, including with all our teammates and just the support we give each other. I think, like you said, I played with a few other great players in the league. I had the luxury of watching them up close, being in workouts, being in some high-level games, winning a lot of games, losing a lot of games. So just learning on the fly, I think that’s key, and just enjoying the process. I feel like that’s what we’re doing. We keep calling him a teenager, but he plays way beyond his years. We’ve got to give him his flowers. Just the way he’s always in attack mode, or the way he sees the game, and he’s always getting others involved — very selfless. I think it helps out our team a lot, including myself, just seeing him be able to make plays for others. But also when he’s calling his own number, he’s getting in that paint and trying to get the most efficient shot possible. Most young guys will probably move away from that contact, but it seems like this newer generation that’s coming into our league, they fear nothing. And I think he falls right in line with that. So grateful to have him on the wing with me, and just consistently telling each other that there’s another level we can get to and we can keep pushing and keep getting better. So that’s a great, great thing that we have going right now.
On playing both legs of the back-to-back set:
I won’t divulge too much information on the injury management plan because I could get my words twisted. But I would say that just in terms of our medical staff and the connection that we have, and just the build-up process over the last month — the minutes restriction, just trying to get in better conditioning, better shape, basketball shape, playing against the best players in the world. When you’re in a combative sport such as basketball, some days are going to feel good, some days aren’t, especially coming off an injury or a long period of time. So I just had to get my body back used to being in the flow of the game, and just after games, what does my recovery look like? And I was just really excited after last night’s game. We handled business in the first half. We came out in the second half, handled business again. I played 29 minutes. And I was just feeling great, and just coming into today — last night, I keep jumping around — but last night, just letting the guys know in the locker room right after the game, like, I plan on playing. So it was just telling our team, and just being prepared for whatever the Indiana Pacers were going to throw at us, and we’re going to be there together. So obviously we didn’t have Rez tonight. We still have a few guys out, but we have guys returning. And I think it’s very important for me to be prepared whether I’m playing or not in the back-to-back, but I feel like my attitude was just in the right place to be able to be prepared for this game tonight. So grateful.
On building chemistry with other stars on the court through his career:
I mean, everybody’s different. You know, everybody’s greatness looks different. Everybody’s attitude kind of looks different. But I think, you know, the telltale sign is just when you have the mutual respect of the guy that’s next to you, or the guys that are on your team — you want to see them do well. And I think that’s a trait that I’ve seen in playing with a lot of great players — the selflessness we talk about, of letting someone else go get it, or letting someone else get in their rhythm, or celebrating your teammates’ success as well, or sacrificing yourself in the possession to be able to get someone else a better shot. This is very important. And when someone exudes those types of traits, especially when they’re an offensive, all-world talent, it just does something for the group. And then also when we’re able to do it on the defensive end, where we’re making our identity, trying to limit teams to one possession and one shot, and crash the offensive glass, and just do the little things that get us wins — you know, probably not the prettiest team. You know what I mean? We need to make sure that we’re doing all of the little things. And I feel like we’re trending in the right direction. So me playing with Cooper, you know, playing with other superstars, playing with other guys, I don’t really like to compare them. It’s just the unique [unclear], or just the greatness that they try to display, that I try to complement, and vice versa.
What impresses you most about Flagg’s scoring ability?
I think it’s a multitude of things. I think last year we saw signs of it. You know, had a few high-scoring games down the stretch. The ball was in his hands. We came up short a few times, but we did win a few games down the stretch. And I think me watching from the sideline, I saw where I can implement myself to help him out, and then also seeing the positions where he naturally puts himself in, where he can help me out. And he’s definitely a hard worker. He puts in the time, and you deserve to be rewarded for that. And just coming off Rookie of the Year, a lot of pressure on him. And my goal as a veteran is to alleviate a lot of that pressure that he feels and just be ready to give what the game needs. So I think you heard Dusty say it, as well as Coop say it over the last few weeks — you know, I think the onus is on us, and, you know, eyes are on us all the time. The gravity’s always coming towards us. But for us, we all understand that we’re not going to be as successful unless all of us are galvanizing each other. And it starts with me and Coop, but obviously it leads into other avenues that other guys can take advantage of. So we’re just trying to put ourselves in the right positions out there and have fun playing basketball. And I think when you see us displaying that, it’s us having fun, and it starts on the defensive end. And then when you see us getting out in transition, it’s just a beautiful game to watch, because he makes the game easy, I make the game easy. Had a few turnovers, you know, over the past few games that we can definitely avoid. And even I think back to just the San Antonio game — you know, these past few games, just the way that we’re finishing strong and we’re able to make a lot of nonverbal cues, get in the right position down the stretch, I think we’ll be better prepared moving forward. So we needed that San Antonio game to learn a lot of lessons. I took a lot of bad shots in that game as well down the stretch, where I felt like I settled, and rewatched a lot of the film, see where I can get better, and try to vocalize that to my teammates as well. So they trust me with the ball in my hands, but also when I give them the ball. And I’m going to keep saying it starts with me and Coop, but obviously we’re nothing without our group and our coaching staff and everybody believing in what we have going on here.
On Santi Aldama getting acclimated to the team:
Santi’s a growing veteran in this league. And anytime you’re coming back from injury — I think his first basket was a layup, I believe — you know, so just anytime you can get yourself going and getting back into the rhythm, and you’re coming back in the beginning of the season, it could feel a little awkward — your body could feel a little bit out of rhythm. But it’s our job to make the game easy. And he can use our gravity to his advantage. And he’s done such a great job of being a spacer for the previous team he played on, Memphis, and being able to be available as a four-five mix, but also play the three spot. And if we do go small, it’s just diversifying, I feel like, the lineups that we can have out there. And he’s very complementary to what we’re doing and what we’re building. So I’m grateful that we can have him out there. But it also starts with our pace and our point of attack, and being able to get downhill, being able to create other opportunities when we know defenses are geared towards us.
On the team’s start through a tough schedule stretch:
I think we’re smart about our motivation and what motivates us in the locker room. I think we heard a lot of the noise before the season and some of the predictions, and I’m not going to say anybody wrote us off, because it’s not that serious. I just think because of the roster that we had, and no one really sure about where I was going to be or where our team was going to be, or some of the trade rumors that continue to circle around our team or circle me — just distractions. And I think we just laid it right there, and I let the team know out of my own mouth that these trade rumors, anything that’s going on with me, do not let this infiltrate our locker room. Don’t let this get in the way of what we have building here. We have a lot of depth, we have a lot of youth, and we should use that to our advantage, but we should not allow any external distractions or any external voices that don’t support us unconditionally or want to see us do well to infiltrate our locker room. So I think that’s one of the contributing factors. But I think another one is Dusty’s doing a great job of confronting us when we’re not doing things right, where we’re not living up to our standards, and he knows that we’re better when we’re hunting, and that’s what we are. We haven’t earned anything in this league yet. We consistently do it every night, and that’s how you build your identity in this league and you earn your respect. We try not to put the cart before the horse, in a sense, and we just try to take it slow, and when we’re preparing for games, prepare for it as though we’re getting ready for the playoffs or a great team, and give everybody the same respect and go out there and play our best basketball.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 16: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the preseason game against the Boston Celtics at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 16, 2026 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there’s one thing we love to do in Big Media, it’s re-grading trades prematurely. It takes years before we have enough perspective to know which teams actually won or lost any transaction, but who’s got the time or patience for that these days?
Fortunately, the Boston Celtics are coming to Philadelphia on Tuesday, which gives us a golden opportunity to relitigate their decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the Sixers this past offseason.
First, let’s recap the terms of the trade itself:
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics receive: Paul George, 2028 1st (likely a swap involving the LAC pick), 2031 PHI 1st, 2028 2nd (best of GSW/MIL/OKC), 2030 2nd (best of PHX/POR/WAS)
Before we go any further, we must emphasize: The final judgment on this deal won’t be rendered for years to come. We’ll have to see if the Celtics eventually use George’s contract in another trade and whether the Sixers extend Brown (and for how much if so).
But again, what’s the fun in waiting? Let’s examine whether either team should already be having buyer’s remorse.
Sixers grade: A
If the Sixers didn’t trade for Brown, LeBron James likely would not have signed a veteran-minimum contract with them in free agency. He admitted as much this offseason. That alone makes this deal a clear A for now.
That isn’t the only reason why it deserves an A, though.
With Jayson Tatum on the mend from an Achilles tear for most of last season, Brown averaged nearly 29 points per game and finished sixth in the MVP race. Unsurprisingly, his scoring output has dipped in Philadelphia, as he’s now sharing touches with LeBron, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid. Still, he’s averaging 22.3 points per game, which ranks second on the team behind only Maxey, and is doing so on an efficient 47.7 percent shooting overall and 39.2 percent shooting from deep.
A bunch of analytics dorks justified the trade for the Celtics by pointing to Brown’s mediocre on/off splits, which drew Brown’s ire.
Analytics have / are ruining the game we playing AI hoops
Ironically, Brown’s on/off splits have been great in Philadelphia thus far. They’ve outscored opponents by 4.8 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor and have gotten outscored by 1.9 per 100 with him off. That plus-6.7 on/off split is the second-best mark of his career, trailing only his sophomore NBA campaign in 2017-18.
That’s largely been fueled by defense, which Brown has repeatedly described as a “non-negotiable” for the star-studded Sixers this year. Brown is taking advantage of his reduced workload on offense by devoting more energy to the other end of the floor, where he’s often tasked with guarding the opponent’s toughest wing or forward. It was only fitting that he punctuated his 30-point outing against the Detroit Pistons—his highest-scoring game with the Sixers yet—with a game-saving block of Cade Cunningham as the Pistons were trying to mount a furious late rally.
Brown and the Sixers are still trying to get their footing on offense, particularly in half-court settings. But his ability to carry the team at times has been invaluable, especially with Embiid off to a slow start offensively.
Does Brown still take some ill-advised shots at times? Of course! Good luck finding an NBA star who doesn’t. But he has otherwise acquitted himself well to the Philly faithful in the early going. And even if he hadn’t… again, LeBron James would not be a Sixer if they hadn’t traded George for Brown. ‘Nuff said.
Down the road, we’ll have to see where the two first-round picks involved in this deal land and whether the Sixers eventually sign Brown to an extension. Any of those could impact the long-term perception of this trade. But the Sixers were staring down a third straight season where Embiid and George’s availability (or lack thereof) could have submarined their ceiling. Now, they’re one of the clear title favorites in the East.
Celtics grade: A-
When ESPN’s Shams Charania broke news of the trade on July 1, most Celtics fans spent the next 24-72 hours having a nuclear-grade meltdown.
That’s all you got for Jaylen Brown? Finals MVP Jaylen Brown?!?
In a league without a salary cap, the Celtics assuredly would have gotten more for him. But teams have gotten increasingly wary about big-money, long-term contracts, and Brown’s deal is worth roughly 35 percent of the salary cap through 2028-29. The Sixers could afford taking it on since they already had George signed to a roughly equivalent contract, but other teams didn’t have that same luxury.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens later admitted that finances were part of the motivation to move Brown. “The path looked a little bit more challenging with 70 percent of our [salary] cap and such a high percentage of our usage tied into two players,” he added. What was left unsaid: The Celtics wanted to trade Brown before they had to confront whether to extend his contract.
George will be under no illusion that he’s still a max-worthy player once his deal expires after the 2027-28 campaign. The Celtics might look to trade him before that, but if not, they should be able to re-sign him to far below a max deal. Brown, meanwhile, will likely want a max or near-max extension.
George doesn’t boast Brown’s explosiveness, which limits his ability to drive downhill. But he has long been an elite three-point shooter, which makes him a perfect fit for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s system. In the early going, George is shooting a career-high 42.5 percent from deep on 8.1 attempts per game.
George has also been solid on defense thus far. In fact, he’s currently averaging a career-best 2.3 steals per game. We’ll see how long that lasts or whether he’ll be able to sustain that level of production over a full 82-game season, but so far, so good.
Both teams are still in their honeymoon phase with Brown and George, but at this point, neither should have major regrets about the deal. If anything, the Celtics’ biggest pang of remorse might be paving the way for the Sixers to land LeBron as well.
Aside from, you know, blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Sixers in last year’s playoffs, which set the stage for the Brown trade in the first place.
