The answer to whether Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be back on the Yankees next season might be found on their lineup card for Game 3 of the ALDS. In a win-or-go-home game against the Rays, with a righty on the mound for Tampa Bay, Chisholm did not start. In the most crucial game of the year, with him having the platoon advantage, someone else was the choice at second base.
That sound like someone who will be back? Nope.
But Chisholm, who is headed to free agency, is a high-octane talent with power and speed. He can be a strong defender. He’s got some nifty flair, too, and his athleticism can lead to thrilling plays and moments.
Even if his Yankee tenure was uneven, he seemed to enjoy the pinstripes and said after the Tampa sweep that he’d like to return, though that’s kind of the pat answer in such situations. It’s always good free agency business to mention the Yankees, too.
So should the Yankees bring Chisholm back? Here’s a look:
WHY IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP CHISHOLM
His skill set is immense -- when fully activated, anyway. He had 31 homers and 31 steals in 2025 to join Alfonso Soriano (twice) and Bobby Bonds as the only players with a 30-30 season in pinstripes.
Chisholm was inspired enough by those numbers to muse this spring about joining Shohei Ohtani, the only player ever to have 50 homers and 50 steals in one year. Didn’t happen, obviously.
His homer output dipped to 19 this season, but Chisholm, who will be 29 years old in February, stole a career-best 41 bags, which was tied for the fourth-most in the majors. In general, he's a quality baserunner and some metrics paint him as a fine defender at second.
The upcoming free agent class is generally considered to be meh. Chisholm, even coming off a down season in terms of production and optics, is one of the better hitters available. The Yankees, you might recall, were not exactly an offensive juggernaut while they were getting swept by the Rays.
WHY IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO LET CHISHOLM GO
Grab a lollipop and sit down -- this might take awhile. Chisholm lost 102 points on his OPS from 2025 to 2026 and his strikeout rate, already high, went up. He’s a left-handed hitter who, like many, has problems with same-side pitching.
His defense can be spectacular or spectacularly annoying. He was part of that gross error-fest in Game 2 against the Rays, making an awkward relay throw to try to turn an unlikely double play. Not surprisingly, the throw went awry.
After the game, Chisholm said he’d make the ill-advised toss again. Maybe read the room? Early in the season, he admitted he didn’t fully grasp a force out rule.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) hits a single and slides to the base during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Chisholm plays with a certain élan, something that often feels needed in corporate Yankeeland, but he’s also not great at harnessing that spirit. When he showed up on the field sucking on a lollipop during a game, he needed a talking-to from Aaron Boone, who was not happy. Fans didn’t think Chisholm’s mid-game treat was endearing, either.
When Chisholm talked of going Ohtani, his 50-50 bid was greeted with derision by some on social media, rather than giddy anticipation. He was booed when he popped up as a pinch-hitter in Game 3 against Tampa Bay.
Again, he didn’t start the last game of the season, and that was the second time in the postseason he didn’t start. Boone texted him the news the first time, but did not do it before Game 3 -- and Chisholm said he would’ve liked a heads-up.
There often seemed to be a disconnect with Chisholm and the Yanks. Make no mistake, the Yankees aren’t free of blame, either. Why couldn’t they get more out of Chisholm?
Verdict
Go.
Chisholm is a terrific talent and could be good elsewhere, but it feels like his time in pinstripes is over. If they don’t want him back, the Yankees should think long and hard about even extending him the $23-plus million qualifying offer.
After a down season, Chisholm might take it and try to rebuild his value with what should be a contender again next year. What happened with Trent Grisham and the QO last year might be instructive here, but Grisham was also coming off a big season.
The Yankees have in-house solutions at second in Anthony Volpe, who started both times Chisholm didn’t in the postseason, and even José Caballero. Could they get Luis García Jr., a former second baseman who moved to first, ready to shift back?
The free agent market might work, too. Brandon Lowe hit 35 homers for the Pirates last year and might hit more aiming for the Yankee Stadium short porch all year. Luis Arraez seems like the put-the-ball-in-play type of hitter who could really help a pinstriped offense that sagged last season. How about Gleyber Torres redux?
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 17: Ryan Helsley #21 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after defeating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into the season, the bullpen was probably the area of the Orioles that worried me the most. There were not enough proven arms and the one big signing Mike Elias made to address it, Ryan Helsley, was fresh off a horrible final two months of the season. This could have been really bad! At times, it was really bad.
Yet when the dust settled on the 2026 campaign, the Orioles had the 11th-best bullpen ERA of all teams in MLB. It wasn’t smooth the whole way, but on the whole this group was good enough that if the rest of the team had held up its end of the workload, they wouldn’t have been a drag on a contender, especially by the end of the season when several unexpected names had emerged into solid contributors.
In this week’s episode, I work my way down the list of relievers, from two one-gamers all the way up to Rico Garcia, to see who contributed, who was a mess, and who should and will be back next year. Give it a listen here:
If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.
This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.
How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.
The language of football is a fine and highly nuanced dialect. The majority of people involved in the game speak it with a high degree of sophistication. Minor deviations from the familiar, almost imperceptible to outsiders, can set off alarm bells: what’s really going on there? Why isn’t he happy? What’s she hinting at? But it’s an argot developed to talk about football, and when applied to other subjects, it can sound extremely jarring.
Erling Haaland is one of the brighter, more engaging players. There’s an appealing quirkiness to him that suggests he has a higher-than-usual level of self-awareness. He doesn’t mind stepping outside the norms, being a bit different. But consider his assessment of Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday.
Oct 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams (32) reacts in the fourth inning in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As I sat down to write about the Rays triumphant return to the ALCS, I was beset by a nagging question.
The Rays have a nasty habit of playing up to some opponents and down to others. Will that tradition rear its ugly head in the American League Championship Series?
I recognize the absurdity of this question. The Guardians pitching is lights out, and they — like the Rays — are a top organization in the sport. This is a meeting of two very qualified franchises, despite the lack of prestige the follows teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, or Dodgers. And yet, if the Rays are their usual selves, this ALCS shouldn’t be a challenge.
That sentiment brings me back to that nagging worry.
I know that’s not rational. The White Sox swung 80 times in an elimination game and made contact nine times. Brain! What are you thinking? Let’s center ourselves on the more important question: Should the Rays be scared of Guardians pitching after that 21-K demolition of the White Sox?
Twenty-one strikeouts. In a winner-take-all Game 5. Against a White Sox lineup that had already set the previous nine-inning postseason record with 19 Ks just a few days earlier.
Cleveland’s pitchers finished the ALDS with 75 strikeouts in five games, a Division Series record and the fourth most in any postseason series ever. Game 4 and 5 hero Gavin Williams punched out 12, tying the franchise postseason mark, and the bullpen piled on the rest while José Ramírez’s two-run homer provided the only offense in a 2-0 win.
The Guardians are rolling into Tropicana Field on Monday with a staff that just made history, and the narrative writes itself: elite miss-bat stuff meeting a Rays lineup that… well, actually, doesn’t miss with the bat very often at all. The Rays led all MLB teams in contact rate. Their 18.8% strikeout rate was the lowest in the majors, and their 20.7% swing-and-miss rate ranked among the best you’ll ever see watching this sport year in and year out. This is a fundamentally different offensive profile.
If the Rays prioritize putting the ball in play, they should have a far better time than the White Sox did.
The Guardians’ ability to generate swings and misses is legitimate, and Williams in particular can overpower just about anyone on a given night. We’ve seen the Rays face a buzzsaw of a pitcher and succumb before (Cliff Lee in particular still haunts me to this day, but most of our current core of hitters were in pre-school when that happened). This is also a seven game series, which helps considerably, and lessens the fear of needing to face Williams too often.
Lower strikeout rates don’t guarantee runs, but they do reduce the chance of a complete offensive blackout driven by the whiff. Put the ball in play enough times against a staff that just threw a ton of pitches in a short series, and the odds of something positive happening improve.
The bigger concerns for the Rays are more prosaic: executing against a group that just found another gear in October, managing the early innings against Griffin/Messick/Williams, and ensuring their own contact approach doesn’t turn into soft contact against elite stuff.
Cleveland’s pitching is good enough to beat anyone if the Guardians’ hitters (led by the impossibly great José Ramírez) keep providing just enough support. But providing just enough run support is exactly the Rays thing. One-run games are often dismissed as coin flips, the realm of luck, bullpen luck, and the occasional walk-off heroics. For most teams that’s roughly true. For the 2026 Tampa Bay Rays, it was a competitive advantage.
The Rays finished the regular season 25-14 in one-run games, a .641 winning percentage that ranked among the best in baseball. That success in the margins helped turn a solid run differential (736 runs scored, 650 allowed, Pythagorean record around 90 wins) into their surprising 98-64 campaign, the AL East title, and the number one seed.
Cleveland arrives at the Trop, where the Rays dominated this season, with practice in tight contests (they had a 27-22 record in one-run games), and the Guardians just rode elite pitching through a dramatic ALDS comeback. But the Rays also sent the Yankees to Aruba on the backs of one-run games in two of the three games where they swept.
Low-scoring, one-run games are very much on the table in this series.
Tampa Bay’s regular-season edge in those situations is encouraging, and enough to say I’m not scared of Cleveland, but postseason baseball amplifies small samples and individual performances in ways that cannot be predicted. Like Williams and Ramírez for the Guardians, the Rays will need their a few players to step up along the way to secure another trip to the World Series.
Given the year we’ve seen from the likes of Rasmussen, Caminero, and the red hot Mesa Jr, I believe.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 30: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden on January 30, 2026 in New York City. 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks are back in action today, hosting the Wolves at MSG this evening.
By chance, have you heard anything about contract issues and pending extensions? Yeah, me neither.
Here’s the latest from Coach, KAT, and a couple folks in the know.
On discussing mindfulness and personal struggles with his players:
“As a coach, it’s not all about X’s and O’s every single day. Any time you can try to enlighten guys in different areas of life, not just about the basketball court, you try to do that. This is something I thought about doing because I discussed it with a few of my coaches maybe a week and a half, two weeks ago. It was just speaking on being mindful or having mindfulness when it comes to your teammates.”
On holding players accountable while recognizing their personal struggles:
“We have to hold each other accountable, but we also have to be mindful that you may have some s–t going on in your life that may not be good. So we can’t keep trying to beat you up to be better at your job. Sometimes, it’s trying to figure out how to do that while uplifting you because I don’t know what you’re going through at home in your private life.”
To put a bow on this, for now, Karl-Anthony Towns' public response to the Knicks' public statement regarding the front office tabling extension talks until later in the season:
"It was news to me. Very disappointed to say the least. Let's state the obvious. It's business, but…
On learning that the Knicks had paused contract extension negotiations:
“It was news to me. Very disappointed, to say the least. Let’s state the obvious: It’s a business, but there is business on the court for us to handle.”
On his disappointment with the Knicks’ decision and his commitment to defending the championship:
“Obviously very disappointed, to say the least. Let’s be honest here. But even though there was no business done, there’s still business to be handled. After 53 years, we found a way to bring this trophy back to New York, and we intend for it to stay in New York.”
On whether he has considered declining his player option:
“I wouldn’t say I’ve thought about it, because I never thought it would get to this point. But I think right now what’s best for our team is we just focus on the basketball.”
On maintaining his focus on winning another championship despite contract uncertainty:
“We’re all humans, but what I do say is true: My only philosophy since we won and the only thing I’ve had in my mind is how do we win another one. For me, the same focus I came in this season with is the same focus I’ll go into Game 1 with: How do we keep the trophy in New York past just this one summer?”
On Mike Brown addressing the players’ personal struggles and bringing the team closer together:
“It was really cool to have Coach talk to us about being human, about the struggles in life. Us being together and us understanding where everyone is in life and the situations they deal with will allow us to be even more connected and allow us to be an even better team.
“I want to make sure I say that. I have to give flowers to Mike. That was an amazing job by him as our leader to approach the elephant in the room and to allow us, the players and the coaches, the ones who were on that court in Game 4, Game 5, who really found a way to get this title back to New York, to be human. I think that’s an amazing thing.”
"League sources tell The Stein Line that Karl-Anthony Towns was the only (extension-eligible Knick) whose camp had been seriously engaged by the Knicks" before Knicks shut down talks Friday…
On the Knicks prioritizing contract negotiations with Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Towns was the only member of that foursome (Josh Hart, Deuce McBride, Tyler Kolek) whose camp had been seriously engaged by the Knicks at the time of Friday’s statement. (They’ve) prioritized talks with Towns over Hart to this point.”
On Miles McBride potentially becoming a trade candidate:
“A likely trade candidate as the season unfolds given the uncertainty surrounding his own Knicks future.”
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Team news
[SI] Diamondbacks Rookies Poised For Bigger Roles in 2027 – The Arizona Diamondbacks, like all 29 other baseball clubs in the 2026 season, found themselves dipping into their pool of prospects at one point or another in their unsuccessful search for a postseason berth. Some such prospects stood out more than others. Some stayed on the roster long enough to graduate that status and become rookies. Here are three of those rookies who are likely to see their fair share of playing time in 2027, and perhaps well beyond.
[Tucson.com] Diamondbacks top prospect chasing MLB dream in Arizona Fall League – Demetrio Crisantes played soccer and baseball until he was 11, when his father and assistant coach, Miguel, told him he had to pick one sport. When they settled on baseball, Miguel decided to go “all-in” for his son. The family owned a produce warehouse consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers in Nogales, the historic border city in Southern Arizona. Miguel decided to split the warehouse in half with a blue tarp and transform the other side into a baseball training gym for the community to share. That warehouse has produced a bountiful crop.
[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks bringing back hitting coach Joe Mather – Mather has been the Diamondbacks’ hitting coach for the past five seasons, taking on the role after the 2021 campaign. From 2024-26, only the Los Angeles Dodgers scored more runs than the Diamondbacks (2,416), as Arizona led the league in scoring in 2024 and finished sixth in 2025. Throughout Mather’s tenure, the Diamondbacks have been a high-walks, low-strikeouts offense. This past season was more uneven for the offense collectively, which tied for ninth in MLB in scoring but made up a lot of ground over the final eight games (59 runs). Hitting right-handed pitching and converting with runners in scoring position were costly shortcomings, and blame has been shared between the roster construction and coaching.
[roundtable.io] Two Things Diamondbacks Need to Reach Playoffs Again – I know this might not seem like the answer, given that three of the four teams left in the playoffs are small-market teams with small-market payrolls, but Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick wants to trim payroll, and that may not be a good idea. I am not saying Arizona should run back its roster or keep bad contracts, but it does not have the luxury of shipping off too many quality players for the sake of saving money. Its farm system is not good enough for that to happen… Arizona has had some quality players recently making their way to the big leagues, such as Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy, but it does not change the fact that their system is not close to that of the Brewers or the Rays.
[MLB.com] Miz is mortal, but ‘Brewers ball’ bests Dodgers … and other key takeaways from Game 1 – The Brewers won more games than anyone this season by playing their brand of baseball — so don’t expect that to change just because they’re playing the two-time defending champs. While not quite everything went exactly to plan for the Brewers in Game 1 (more on that in a moment), they played their game to perfection. With Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal rolling early, Milwaukee manufactured the crucial go-ahead run in the fifth inning with some impressive small ball. Garrett Mitchell worked a leadoff walk, advanced to second on Cooper Pratt’s sac bunt and scored on rookie Luis Lara’s single up the middle.
[Fox] The Art Of The Out: Pitching And Defense Take Center Stage In Rays-Guardians ALCS – The Rays-Yankees matchup was David vs. Goliath in terms of payroll because New York opened the season with MLB’s third highest at $302.8 million and Tampa Bay ranked 26th at $90.5 million. But the Rays are facing a team now that spent even less. The Guardians were last in the majors at $75.5 million. Both teams emphasize contact at the plate, speed on the bases, strong fundamentals, solid pitching and doing whatever it takes to win. “I do think there’s more similarities than not,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday. “I feel Cleveland does mirror us or we mirror them. And I say that with the utmost respect to them, the way they develop pitching, the way they think about the game.”
[NPR] Opinion: Can I keep the baseball I caught? – Before we criticize anyone’s ethics, we ought to ask ourselves: what would we do if a baseball fell into our hands at a playoff game? Keep it, or give it to the nearest child? Because I am a father, I’m pretty certain I would give it to a child. But also because I’m a father, I know that within a few days, the ball so tenderly bequeathed might have rolled, abandoned, under a bed, surrounded by lost socks and forgotten Labubus. Also, a foul ball hit by almost any player would be a nice souvenir. But what if it had been a home run struck by, say, Shohei Ohtani? That ball could be as much of an investment as a Picasso!
25 JUL 1993: NEW YORK METS THIRD BASEMAN BOBBY BONILLA WATCHES A PREVIOUS HIT DURING THE METS VERSUS LOS ANGELES DODGERS GAME AT DODGER STADIUM IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. MANDATORY CREDIT: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT | Getty Images
It is easy to look at every season that the Mets have failed to make the playoffs after a large investment in a new player and evoke the title of the Bob Klapisch and John Harper book about the 1992 Mets’ season. The Worst Team Money Could Buy is an evocative title, and is indicative of the type of thinking that was and is still prevalent when discussing failing teams with big payrolls.
While 1992 led to a dark age in Mets’ fandom, there are hopes that 2027—if baseball is played at all—can and should be a better year for the Mets. But in anticipation of that potential lockout, we’re going to start up a book club where, every month for the duration of the offseason, we will read a book about the Mets and/or baseball in general, and then have a chat about it.
And so, four weeks from today, on November 9, we will have a chat in our comments section about the book. It is available to borrow from Archive.org, it is available via Bookshop.org, check your local library, and there are lots of used copies out there in the wild.
If you’ve got ideas for a future selection, leave them in the comments!
It’s been broadly hinted by Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer that the Cubs might be moving on from outfielder Seiya Suzuki after the Japanese star had five productive seasons on the North Side.
Hoyer did not go into detail on Suzuki’s situation. Hoyer simply acknowledged that things could look different in 2027, given the volume of free agents the North Siders have both in terms of pitchers and hitters.
“We can’t retain everyone,” Hoyer said. “The team’s going to look and feel different next year. In a lot of ways, that’s a good thing. But I do want to emphasize that we have a lot of good players who are going to be free agents, and we’ll be in touch.”
Well. Let’s be clear. If the Cubs wanted to retain “everyone,” they could. It’s simply a matter of extending the payroll, something Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts did this year in a “win-now” situation. The Cubs didn’t win, obviously, but why should 2027 not be the same? Does the team want to win every year?
Rhetorical question, I suppose. The article linked above also quoted Suzuki:
“If we’re talking about all the good memories, it’s going to take about three hours. Is that OK?” Suzuki said via his interpreter, Edwin Stanberry. “My first time being in the U.S., it was with Chicago. Just being with the teammates, with the supportive staff, everybody around me that helped me, I enjoyed that. And also with playing at Wrigley, and the fans. They are so passionate. I was really hoping that we could go back to Wrigley and play in front of them.
“But there’s so many good memories. My family, they love Chicago. But with free agency, that’s something new for me. And I think there’s a lot of processes involved with that. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen.”
It does sound like Suzuki would like to stay with the Cubs, though I wouldn’t expect him to give the team any sort of “hometown discount.”
So what would it take to keep Suzuki a Cub? He just finished what is probably overall his best season. His SLG of .473 was almost exactly at his career mark of .472. He set career highs in runs and walks, and by the eye test and also statistically, he had his best defensive season in MLB. That might even put him in the running for a Gold Glove.
Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Cubs just before the 2022 season, an AAV of $17 million. Clearly, he was worth everything the Cubs paid for him and more — beyond his production on the field, he helped raise the team’s profile in Japan. While Shohei Ohtani is obviously the MLB icon in Japan, when I went to the Tokyo Series last year I ran into quite a number of Japanese fans who were big fans of Suzuki. That’s certainly something worth having in addition to his baseball skills.
I think Suzuki will age better than many MLB players as he enters his mid and late 30s. He just turned 32 in August, so signing him to (say) a five-year deal would be his age 32 through age 36 seasons. He’s likely to be oe of the top hitting free agents, if not right at the top of the list.
Bottom line: I don’t think the Cubs can afford to NOT keep Suzuki. They don’t really have any ready replacement for him.
So, without further ado: Would five years and $120 million keep Suzuki in Chicago? Hoyer says he doesn’t want to get into a bidding war, but I do think the Cubs could afford that.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Tate Southisene #19 of the Atlanta Braves warms up during the third inning of a Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Desert Dogs fell to 1-6 after a late rally by the Saguaros last night. The Braves had six prospects play in the game, including the return to the diamond for Tate Southisene who has been out since July 28th after getting hit in the hand/wrist area.
To no surprise Tate’s first game back, and first plate appearance back, resulted in a five pitch at bat where the pitcher was forced to use three different pith types to retire Tate, ending in a slider on the outer third that Tate lined at 96 MPH straight to the right fielder. In his second at bat, Tate expanded his zone, swinging at a slider under the zone but ultimately grounded out to third base. In his third at bat Tate would protect the zone twice, fouling off pitches close to the zone, before taking an 8 pitch walk. Tate would be replaced in the sixth inning, ending his first game back at 0-for-2 with a walk.
Isaiah Drake got the start in right, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. In his first at bat Isaiah took an aggressive approach, swinging at the first pitch which was a cutter on the edge of the zone, popping up to second base. His second at bat came in the fourth inning when he once again swung at the first pitch, a slider in the zone, and flied out to right field this time. In his third at bat, Isaiah came to the plate with two runners on and two outs. He did a great job of protecting the inside of the plate, fouling off two pitches on the inside, before he took at 94 MPH cutter that sat middle-middle and singled to center field, driving in Dillon Lewis and putting the Desert Dogs up 3-1. Drake would then take second base on an errant throw by the center fielder. In his final at bat of the game, Isaiah came up with a runner on first and worked a six pitch at bat, where he didn’t expand once, before he lined out to left on a cutter high and inside, but in the zone.
Owen Carey hit 9th and got his first at bat in the third inning where he had an 8 pitch at bat where he fouled off four pitches in the zone, before ultimately grounding out to second. His second at bat Owen was less patient, striking out on three pitches, with two coming out of the zone including chasing a changeup high and outside the zone for strike three. In his third at bat Owen led off the seventh with a HBP, went to second on a ground out by Wyatt Sanford, and came into score on a Dillon Lewis single.
The first Atlanta pitcher to make an appearance was Owen Hackman who came into the game in the fifth inning and pitched a scoreless two innings. Owen was primarily four-seam, but also threw his sweeper, slider, and changeup. While the four-seam command was just okay, his sweeper and changeup were much better and he landed both in better locations and were used to generate weak contact. Overall, very solid two innings for Owen. He was replaced by Logan Samuels two surrendered a pair of runs but flashed a plus changeup, and solid slider, though struggled to generate whiffs. Tanner Bauman replaced Logan Samuels and picked up the blown save and eventual loss. Tanner’s slider was solid, but he struggled to command his two-seam, four-seam, curveball, and changeup. His whiff rate was impressive, coming in at 45%, but the second pitch home run he surrendered tied the game, and the eventual game winning runner was courtesy of him as well – however the run did score via an error on a missed catch by the first baseman.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 05: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees reacts to striking out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning in game two of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 05, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s not yet mid-October, but the Yankees have already been dismissed from contention for the 2026 World Series trophy after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series. We can try to find explanations and think about what could have been, but the reality is that there’s a long winter (and spring, in all likelihood) ahead for New York.
In the meantime, it’s time to reflect on the season that just ended, for them, at least. Here are the five worst moments of the year for the Yankees and their fans, in no particular order, and some honorable mentions, too.
ALDS Game 2, fifth (and first) inning
Monday was a sad day for Yankee fandom. The team got outmaneuvered and outplayed by the Rays and fell into a 0-2 hole in the AL Division Series, in a game in which New York’s defense committed not one, two, or three, but four errors. There were even more misplays that weren’t scored errors, too.
It was a nightmare from the jump, with both Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. committing ghastly errors within the first few Rays at-bats of the day. The Yankees had hoped to tie the series with their ace on the mound in Cam Schlittler, but the future Cy Young Award winner was all but helpless to stop the scoring behind him. (Austin Wells also committed a catcher’s interference error.)
The fifth inning was particularly brutal as well. Schlittler had buckled down and limited the damage, allowing the Yankees to come back and tie it up at 1-1. Jonathan Aranda opened things with a single to right that Spencer Jones got an awful jump on, rendering it uncatchable. He moved to third on Junior Caminero’s double.
Aranda scored on Liam Hicks’ groundout, and then Caminero crossed home plate after George Lombard Jr. couldn’t handle Chandler Simpson’s slow grounder. It was originally scored an error but was ruled a fielder’s choice.
George Lombard Jr. misses the ball and Chandler Simpson makes it 3-1 for the Rays 😳pic.twitter.com/FssNbFzLji
Brent Headrick entered the game and struck out Victor Mesa Jr., then Jonny DeLuca reached on a throwing error by Lombard.
DeLuca stole second, and Richie Palacios singled to bring in two. Just like that, the game went from 1-1 to 5-1, Rays. It felt like the Yankees were bleeding out slowly, but steadily, and the series got away after that inning, which proved to be even more damning than the embarrassing opening salvo.
Aaron Judge’s season-ending calf injury
If Aaron Judge’s rib injury in May wasn’t brutal enough, fate would have another physical ailment in store for him, just as the Yankees geared up for the postseason. In mid-September, he suffered a significant calf strain that ruled him out for the rest of the season. Notably, Judge went against the Yankees and eschewed any rehab games before returning from the broken rib, also chafing at being removed early in a few of his first games back. It’s in the eye of the beholder whether this rush back perhaps led to the calf ailment, or if this might have very well happened on a rehab assignment regardless.
The captain carried some hope that he would be part of the AL Wild Card series or Division Series roster, but he simply wasn’t ready. He was, essentially, trying to rehab an injury that usually takes 4-6 weeks in just 14-21 days.
Just as it happens in life, it’s the hope that kills you (sometimes). Yankees fans dreamed of the prospect of having Judge back for the series vs. Boston, and then the one against the Rays, but there was no way he would have been 100 percent ready. The offense struggled without Judge for much of the year, and though they pounded the Red Sox bullpen in the first round, they took it on the chin against Tampa Bay.
Yet another summer swoon
On July 1st, the Yankees were swept at home by a mediocre Tigers team. It wasn’t just the sweep per se: it marked their seventh consecutive loss, since the Red Sox also took out the brooms on them in the previous series while resurrecting their own 2026 season.
Over a stretch from June 18th to July 8th, the Yankees lost 15 of 20 games. It was rough, and it was awful in many ways. They looked like a minor league team, and while they had to navigate a series of injuries, it’s no excuse to play the way they did.
Wells’ ALDS Game 1 baserunning blunder
We must, unfortunately, return to that awful ALDS at the hands of the Rays. The Yankees were down 1-0 in Game 1 of the Division Series against Tampa Bay. They were being no-hit by Rays ace Drew Rasmussen. With two outs in the eighth, Austin Wells hit a well-struck ball near the right field line that looked like a double. At minimum, the no-hitter was snapped and the Yankees would have a real shot at tying the game with a man in scoring position
Regrettably, Wells didn’t hit the brakes at second like 95 percent of other catchers in the league would. He didn’t see third base coach Luis Rojas’ stop sign and tried to stretch it into a triple, and got tagged out. It was the only hit of the night for the Yankees, and they couldn’t do anything because the same batter-runner produced an out on the basepaths. The biggest insult of all? It wasn’t even a close play. Victor Mesa Jr. has a good arm and Taylor Walls is a highly capable defender, and they burned Wells with ease.
Is it fitting that three of these worst moments came against the Rays? It was early in the season, but being swept at Tropicana Field from April 10th through the 12th sure was a bad omen knowing what the season turned out to be.
It was also the Yankees’ fifth consecutive loss back then, and sixth in their last seven games. That April 12th defeat in the series finale allowed the Rays to tie New York at the top of the AL East. It’s easy to forget that in 2025, Tampa Bay finished under .500 and not much was expected of them this year. But early on, they made their statement, and it was one that had lasting impact.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate the 3-1 win against the San Diego Padres in game four of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals have made the playoffs once in the last decade, and their disappointing seasons in 2025 and 2026 have raised questions about whether the front office can build a contender. One way to get a better sense of how the Royals are doing is to compare their decisions with those of another franchise. In my recent evaluation of Royals president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo, I tried to assess how well he had done at acquiring talent. This piece takes the same approach with Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold, giving us a point of comparison with a franchise that has been more successful over the past four seasons.
The goal of my exercise was to attempt to determine which of resources or talent evaluation were the primary culprit behind the Royals’ back-to-back disappointing seasons after the surprise playoff run in 2024. I cannot realistically evaluate how big the hits or misses are without knowing what the alternatives might have been. I can’t know what the alternatives were without knowing intimate details about the Royals’ free-agent and trade negotiations to which I am not privy. It’s obvious on its face that Picollo has not done a good enough job at building a contending roster, so I am merely attempting to determine the primary limiting factor as best I can with publicly available knowledge. To that end, wins represent appropriate or surplus value for the acquisition cost, not necessarily a good add to the roster.
When we compare Picollo and Arnold, I think we need to acknowledge the reality that the Brewers have been more successful over the past four seasons than the Royals. So the expectation should likely be that Arnold is going to have a higher “win percentage” than Picollo. If that’s the case, it doesn’t mean Picollo should automatically be fired. We want to see the degree to which Picollo is being beaten to get an idea of whether this is something he is at least close on. Arnold has won Executive of the Year two years in a row, so he is considered one of the best in baseball. If Picollo is even close to the best, he’s worth keeping around for a bit. If he’s wildly worse, then I might be forced to run this exercise again with a different franchise to see how he compares to someone who is not the best because we’d have to allow for the possibility that Matt Arnold leads the best front office in baseball and it isn’t close.*
Anyway, with that all out of the way, let’s get into the scoring. In an attempt to preserve my sanity and time, I’m going to try to do less writing about individual transactions since most of you probably don’t care about these players anyway. In fact, feel free to skip to the end to read my conclusions; I won’t be offended. The only reason I’m even writing them down is as a sort of bibliography for that conclusion.
2023
Signed Blake Perkins
They paid him the minimum to be a replacement-level player.
0-0-1
Signed Wade Miley
$4.5 million for 1.0 fWAR.
1-0-1
Signed Brian Anderson
$3.5 million for 0.4 fWAR.
2-0-1
Signed Justin Wilson
Never pitched for the Brewers.
2-1-1
Signed Darin Ruf
Below replacement level.
2-1-2
Signed Julio Teheran
$1.5 million for 0.3 fWAR.
3-1-2
Signed Raimel Tapia
Below replacement level.
3-2-2
Signed Jahmai Jones
They paid him the minimum to be a replacement-level player.
3-2-3
Traded Reminton Batista for Payton Henry
Neither has appeared in the big leagues again.
3-2-4
Traded Hunter Renfroe for Elvis Peguero, Janson Junk, and Adam Seminaris
Renfroe was still useful in 2023, but Peguero was a useful piece, too.
4-2-4
Traded Kolten Wong for Abraham Toro and Jesse Winker
Wong and Winker were both awful.
4-2-5
Traded Esteury Ruiz for William Contreras, Joel Payamps, and Justin Yeager (three-team trade)
William Contreras is a perennial All-Star; Payamps was good for a bit.
5-2-5
Traded Justin Topa for Joseph Hernandez
Topa was good; Hernandez never made it.
5-3-5
Traded Taylor Floyd and cash for Trevor Megill
Megill has been a terrific closer for a couple of years, though he wasn’t this good straight out of the gate.
6-3-5
Traded Jhonny Severino for Carlos Santana
Santana was helpful
7-3-5
Traded Justin Jarvis for Mark Canha and cash
Canha was great; Jarvis never made it.
8-3-5
Traded Luis Urias for Bradley Blalock
Nothingburger.
8-3-6
Traded Alex Jackson for Evan McKendry
Ditto.
8-3-7
Traded Peter Strzeleckifor Andrew Chafin
One more time.
2023 Total: 8-3-8
2024
Signed Joe Ross
$1.75 million for 0.9 fWAR.
1-0-0
Signed Wade Miley
Turns out J.J. isn’t the only one who hangs on to guys too long, sometimes. Only threw seven innings this year.
1-1-0
Signed Eric Haase
$1 million for 0.2 fWAR/
2-1-0
Signed Rhys Hoskins
$34 million for two years totaling 1.1 fWAR.
2-2-0
Signed Jakob Junis
$7 million for replacement-level play.
2-3-0
Signed Gary Sánchez
$3 million for 0.4 fWAR/
3-3-0
Signed Brandon Woodruff
$17.5 million for 1.7 fWAR.
3-4-0
Signed Elieser Hernández
League minimum for replacement level.
3-4-1
Extended Jackson Chourio
Already paying dividends.
4-4-1
Traded Mark Canha for Blake Holub
Canha wasn’t bad in 2024. Holub has yet to make his big-league debut. He showed off some nice strikeout numbers in AAA, but he’s 27. So we’ll call it a draw for now.
4-4-2
Traded Hendry Mendez and Robert Moore for Oliver Dunn
Both the prospects traded look like they could be something, Mendez in particular looks like a potential stud (now with the Twins). Dunn was basically replacement level.
4-5-2
Traded Abraham Toro for Chad Patrick
Vice versa from above.
5-5-2
Traded Brian Sanchez and Jace Avina for Jake Bauers
Jake Bauers has become a mainstay in the Brewers lineup
6-5-2
Traded Cam Devanney and Ryan Brady for Taylor Clarke
We covered this one on the Royals’ side.
6-5-3
Traded Tyrone Taylor and Adrian Houser for Coleman Crow
Crow has been disappointing while Taylor and Houser have each had their moments.
6-6-3
Traded Justin Chambers for Bryan Hudson
Nothing for nothing.
6-6-4
Traded Corbin Burnes for DL Hall and Joey Ortiz
Joey saves this one for the Brewers because Hall has not been helpful.
7-6-4
Traded Clayton Andrews for Joshua Quezada
Quezada is speedrunning the Brewers’ system; he pitched at every level of full-season minor leagues this year at 22. I’m not sure I see it, but they sure do. Still, to stick with the conservative approach of Picollo’s review, it’s a draw.
7-6-5
Traded Thyago Vieira and Aneuris Rodriguez for Garret Stallings
Stalling debuted this year and looked pretty good.
8-6-5
Traded Gregory Barrios for Aaron Civale
Civale was good, not great; Barrios is well-regarded as a prospect but isn’t putting up numbers. No winners here.
8-6-6
Traded TJ Shook for Tyler Jay
Nothing for nothing.
8-6-7
Traded Yujanyer Herreraand Bradley Blalock for Nick Mears
Ditto
8-6-8
Traded Jakob Junis and Joey Wiemer for Frankie Montas
Wiemer has been mostly worthless as an MLB player, but Junis was fire for the Reds after the trade, and Montas wasn’t great. Without knowing more about the Brewers, it’s hard to call this a loss – maybe the mediocre starter’s innings were more valuable to them than the relief innings they gave up. So I’ll call it nothing.
2024 total: 8-6-9
Two-year total: 16-9-16
2025
Signed Grant Wolfram
Never pitched in the big leagues for the Brewers.
0-1-0
Signed Elvin Rodríguez
Below replacement level.
0-2-0
Signed Tyler Alexander
$1 million for 0.4 fWAR but DFA’d in early June because he had a 6.19 ERA.
0-2-1
Signed Jose Quintana
$4 million for 0.8 fWAR in 24 starts.
1-2-1
Signed Erik Fedde
Below replacement level.
1-3-1
Traded Devin Williams for Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin
Caleb Durbin saves this trade.
2-3-1
Traded Mason Molina for Grant Anderson
I want to call this a loss because Molina looks far more interesting as a prospect than Anderson has been as a reliever, but Molina hasn’t been quite good enough for me to pull the trigger.
2-3-2
Traded Mark Canha for Cesar Espinal
Canha was bad; Espinal is not good.
2-3-3
Traded Grant Wolfram for Daz Cameronand cash
Bad for bad.
2-3-4
Traded Yophery Rodríguez, Competitive Balance pick A, and John Holobetz for Quinn Priester
Priester was good, but not great, and underwent thoracic outlet surgery this year. Holobetz and the CB-A Pick (Marcus Phillips) look pretty good in the minors.
2-3-5
Traded Aaron Civale for Andrew Vaughn
This was when I was convinced that the White Sox were actively making everyone on their team worse and wanted the Royals to go after Luis Robert Jr.
3-3-5
Traded Jorge Quintana and Nestor Cortes for Brandon Lockridge
Nothing for nothing.
3-3-6
Traded PTBNL for Jordan Montgomery and Shelby Miller
Nothing for nothing, but an interesting example of the Brewers being willing to take on money to pay less in prospect capital. They actually wanted Miller, but took Montgomery’s salary so they didn’t have to give up much. It’s hard to tell if they ever did this again in the four-year stretch we’re evaluating, but even doing it once is more than the Royals have been willing to try.
2025 total: 3-3-7
Three-year total: 19-12-23
2026
Signed Brandon Woodruff
$22.5 million for 1.2 fWAR, a second whiff on the same player.
0-1-0
Signed Akil Baddoo
Never even appeared for the big league team.
0-2-0
Signed Gary Sánchez
$1.75 million for 0.9 fWAR; Gary is another win.
1-2-0
Signed Luis Rengifo
He was so very bad.
1-3-0
Signed Bryse Wilson
It worked again.
2-3-0
Extended Cooper Pratt
Fantastic in limited playing time so far.
3-3-0
Extended Luis Lara
Lara has not been good yet, but the extension can’t be a loss this early.
3-3-1
Traded Isaac Collins and Nick Mears for Angel Zerpa
We covered this from the Royals’ side.
3-3-2
Traded Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers for Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams
You’d rather have Peralta than Sproat, and while Myers wasn’t much, Williams has regressed a bit in AAA this season.
3-3-3
Traded Caleb Durbin, Competitive Balance Pick B, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Siegler for Kyle Harrison and David Hamilton
This looked like a hilarious win to start the season, but Durbin actually had a really good year by the end and Harrison fell off. Owen Hull, the CB-B pick, tore up High-A, too. I think we have to consider this a loss.
3-4-3
Traded K.C. Hunt for Jake Woodford
Nothing for nothing
3-4-4
Traded Jadyn Fielder for Lance McCullers Jr., Colton Gordon, and cash
Fielder’s got a little juice, but still very low. This is a tie leaning toward a loss. This would probably be at least a second example of taking on money to give up less; they cut McCullers less than two weeks after they acquired him. We don’t know how much cash they got in the deal to offset his salary, though.
3-4-5
Traded Craig Yoho and Blake Perkins for Codi Heuer and Bo Naylor
Nothing for nothing.
3-4-6
Traded Josiah Ragsdale and Alexander Frias for JoJo Romero and Dustin May
Frias is a 50 FV, and Ragsdale is tearing up the minors. Romero is a competent lefty reliever, and May has been a disappointment.
3-5-6
Traded Juan Martinez and Mark Manfredi for Antonio Senzatela
Manfredi has looked good in relief; Senzatela has not. Martinez showed a little juice in the minors, not enough to sway this, but it was already a loss.
2026 total: 3-6-6
Four-year total: 22-18-29
Conclusion
The most obvious thing is that the Brewers make more transactions than the Royals. And that’s before I realized, as I was going through this, that I had disregarded cash trades, viewing them the same as minor league free agent signings. Let’s at least summarize the cash trades here.
The Royals made 12 trades that included only cash from one side or another in the past four years. The Royals had two trades of that nature that worked out well (Yuli Gurriel and Randy Dobnak) and one that went poorly (Ryan O’Hearn, though the rumor is that there were extenuating circumstances to that one).
The Brewers made 19. They had a pair of small hits (Owen Miller, Bryse Wilson) and traded away no one they’ve ended up missing. You could argue the Royals could make more of these kinds of trades, but they’ve also got as many hits as the Brewers in fewer attempts, so maybe they’re just not wasting as much time on them.
The next most obvious conclusion is that, while the Brewers made significantly more transactions, they’ve “won” on the exact same number as the Royals, lost a handful more, and mostly ended up with extra nothing for nothings.
I went into this assuming that Arnold was going to have significantly more wins on his record over the past four years than Picollo. That fear escalated as I saw them acquire players like Durbin, Contreras, Megill, and Bauers in trades. That said, Picollo had the higher success rate. I suppose it’s possible that Arnold’s team is hitting home runs while the Royals are settling for singles from the front office, but again, some of that goes back to the resources available to them. The Brewers may not have had more money, but they had a lot more talent in their organization after the 2022 season than the Royals. That’s something that could start changing as early as this offseason, as guys like Blake Mitchell fall down the org prospect rankings despite not performing poorly.
And it’s not like the Royals don’t have big wins in the trade department, either. Aroldis Chapman for Cole Ragans was massive, even more so if Ragans can have additional healthy seasons. Freddy Fermin for Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek was even better. If Steven Cruz can take one more step forward, his trade will look as good as the Megill deal – it even took Megill time to reach this level of success. The Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha signings are better than any free agent deal the Brewers have done.
I also found it interesting that while Picollo often held on to guys too long, Arnold often brings guys back to see them underperform in a second tour. Woodruff stands out as a guy who was bad the first time and came back to be worse for more money the second time. Wade Miley was bad in his second tour. Sometimes it’s worked out for them, as with Bryse Wilson and Gary Sánchez. Still, the Royals and Brewers don’t appear to be as different in this regard as you might have imagined. I’m inferring from anecdotes and small samples here, but it seems like all front offices have guys they like and will keep or bring back even if their play hasn’t necessarily justified it. Austin Hedges in Cleveland stands out in this regard, as well.
The Royals’ assertion that they want major-league-ready guys in trades actually fits in with the Brewers’ behavior. Of the four stars the Brewers acquired via trade, three of them had already played in the big leagues before the Brewers got them; Durbin was the lone exception, and he came with Nestor Cortes Jr., who was supposed to improve the Brewers’ rotation. In fact, Durbin and Jett Williams are the only prospects acquired by the Brewers in large-ish trades, and both came with established starting pitchers even if those pitchers didn’t work out. Prospects will break your heart, but they’re worth grabbing if they can give you a second shot on a risky starting pitcher trade, I guess.
That said, one big change the Royals should consider adapting from the Brewers is a willingness to sign the young prospects who look like stars early on. Chourio and Pratt look to be huge wins for the Brewers. Even if Lara ends up being a miss, the value gained from Chourio and Pratt will outweigh what is lost with him. The Royals should absolutely be locking Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone in ASAP if they want to keep their payroll down and keep options open for filling holes later.
*I wrote that entire paragraph before beginning the evaluation. I was convinced that Arnold and the Brewers were going to do better than the Royals; I just wanted to see how much better. Imagine my shock and delight when I had finished and reached the conclusions above.
In sports, ownership means nothing until it means everything. The Arizona Coyotes saw it firsthand when the team was sold and relocated; the Utah Mammoth are constantly reminded of what competent leadership looks like.
The Philadelphia Flyers haven’t been the same team since Ed Snider passed away, going from Stanley Cup caliber to a perennial playoff team to consistently being out of the playoffs. The Detroit Red Wings certainly haven’t been the same team since Mike Ilitch passed away.
The New Jersey Devils face the Ottawa Senators and the Red Wings on back-to-back nights. It’s hard to ignore the value ownership has had on both teams, especially with how they’ve looked in recent years. More importantly, they are a reminder for the Devils, who have a competent leadership group but one that might keep an eye on.
The Subtle Changes In The Senators Under Michael Andlauer
It’s not a coincidence that the Senators became a playoff team shortly after Michael Andlauer took over as owner. Sure, they were rebuilding for a few seasons and preparing for multiple playoff appearances, but they’ve been a better team from the top down, and it’s made the difference in each of the past two seasons.
The Senators were previously owned by Eugene Melnyk. He was regarded as one of the worst owners in hockey, someone who turned Ottawa into the opposite of a destination and a place where players wanted to leave as soon as they hit free agency. The Senators still have that chip on their shoulder, notably after power forward Brady Tkachuk demanded a trade this summer. However, there’s a sense that players are willing to stay and play in the market for Andlauer.
Under Andlauer, they’ve managed to re-sign and extend core players on the roster. More importantly, they have the right people leading the team, from Steve Staios as the general manager to Travis Green as the head coach. Ryan Smith, who owns the Mammoth, once noted that the best owners hire the right people and get out of the way, and Andlauer, to his credit, has done that.
It’s hard to pinpoint what Andlauer does that makes him a great owner, or if he’s a great one at all. After all, going from the bottom of the league to the baseline is a significant improvement. What is different are the small things.
The improvements that have changed the culture and the efforts to turn Ottawa into a destination have gone a long way. They’ve turned the Senators into a well-run team not overnight but over a few seasons, and there’s a good chance this team is competing for a Stanley Cup in a few years. Their hot start despite the loss of a star player speaks volumes about the culture that’s already been built, and that starts with Andlauer.
The Red Wings Haven’t Been The Same Team Since Mike Ilitch Passed Away
In recent weeks, a conversation around the NHL, especially with the Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson drama plus a power vacuum in the front office, has been: “Could you imagine any of this happening under Mike?” The response is a defiant shake of the head.
Larkin, who grew up in Michigan and wanted to be a Red Wing his whole life, is asking for a trade. Edvinsson, who is at a stalemate with his contract negotiations, is skating overseas and prefers a trade. The late Ilitch wouldn’t let things get to this point, and there’s a good chance he’d personally fly to Sweden in an attempt to appease his young defenseman.
It speaks to the reality that the team has changed since his son, Chris, took over the team. The Red Wings became a powerhouse when he ran them, as close to a dynasty as there was in the 1990s and 2000s. They won four Stanley Cup titles and lived up to the “Hockeytown” name.
It’s worth noting that Ilitch ran the team at a different time. There was no salary cap, and the Red Wings spent heavily on the roster, outspending most, if not all, teams in the league. While it’s hard to gain that edge in today’s game (which explains a decline of the empire under the late Ilitch), owners still find ways to spend big and, conversely, cut corners outside of the cap.
The current Red Wings are cutting corners but also not making the extra push to spend on the team. The free agency classes have been underwhelming, and they’ve been tough negotiators on contract extensions, including the Larkin one a few seasons back. Some of this can be blamed on GM Steve Yzerman, but many owners will either handcuff or push their front offices. Many fans were frustrated with Yzerman yet are starting to view him in a different light, knowing he didn’t have the extra help from the ownership.
The Devils Ownership Situation Won’t Doom Them But Could Set Them Back
Josh Harris and David Blitzer have owned the Devils since 2013. For the most part, they’ve been willing to spend and invest in the team. They knew Sunny Mehta was the right person to take over as the GM this summer and made sure they hired the young, rising-star executive.
Likewise, the Devils don’t handicap their GM or coaches. When they have a chance to make a big move or a significant hire, they usually do, or at least they are in the running for top free agents or coaches.
That said, like the Red Wings, there’s a feeling that the team hasn’t been the same since John McMullen sold the team in the early 2000s. McMullen helped build the Cup-winning teams with the help of Lou Lamoriello running the front office. The Devils are still searching for a team to bring them back to those glory days.
Moreover, the current ownership group doesn’t exclusively own the Devils. They purchased the Washington Commanders in 2023 and have owned the Philadelphia 76ers since 2011. Many NHL teams are wary of their teams taking a backseat when their ownership is also invested in other teams in other leagues. The Pittsburgh Penguins ran into this issue when they were owned by the Fenway Sports Group, and the Buffalo Sabres became a bottom-feeder team, one with a 14-year playoff drought around the same time that Terry Pegula purchased the Buffalo Bills.
It’s not always an issue for NHL teams when the owner is invested in multiple teams. The Colorado Avalanche are owned by Stan Kroenke, who is invested in multiple leagues, yet the Avalanche have remained a top-tier team. It also hasn’t been an issue for the Devils. That said, it’s worth keeping tabs on, especially if the team continues to come up short of expectations.
The New York Islanders entered the 2026 NHL Draft with two clear focuses. First, drafting the best player available with the 13th overall pick.
That pick became Malte Gustafsson, whose stock has only risen since draft night. Over the weekend, Gustafsson posted another assist. That was his fourth point in eight games to start his season in the SHL.
Last year, Gustafsson posted three assists in 27 games. In just eight games, he's surpassed that total already.
The next focus for New York was adding some quality depth on the right-side of their defensive prospect pool. In the fourth round, New York drafted collegiate defender Lincoln Kuehne, who is currently at Arizona State.
The Islanders then drafted Vladimir Dravecky in the fifth round, 141st overall.
Dravecky has gone on to become perhaps the single most-exciting Islanders prospect aside from the first-round picks in the system.
First, Dravecky opened eyes at the team's NHL training camp, even earning one preseason game where he quarterbacked the power play.
After such an experience, it might be normal to expect Dravecky to have a slower start back in the OHL with the Guelph Storm.
That has not come close to happening. In Dravecky's first five games back, he posted one goal and four points in five games, a strong start for the defender.
Then came Saturday night against the Owen Sound Attack.
Dravecky torched the competition on every level.
The defender posted two goals and three assists for a jaw-dropping five-point night in a 10-5 blowout victory. Those five points led the team, and his two goals tied for the most on the night.
He scored a buzzer-beating goal at the end of the second period with a snappy wrister:
What a week for Vladimír Dravecký
• Signed his entry-level contract with the #Isles • Had a five-point night (2G, 3A) vs. Owen Sound • Leads all OHL defensemen in scoring with 9 points in 6 games pic.twitter.com/lf5MjCF0pv
Dravecky continues to raise the bar at each and every turn. The Czech defender continues to track as a complete steal for the Islanders on draft night.
Hamilton Hammers Head Coach Jay McKee told everyone on Day 1 of Rookie Camp that Dravecky's going to be a total steal.
"With Vlad being a late pick, for me, it was one of the steals of the draft for sure at that pick," McKee said after Day 1 of Rookie Camp.
Since that day, everything Dravecky's done has just turned the excitement dial further up.
All the Islanders can do is continue to hope he keeps developing and makes his way to the franchise sooner than later.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Philadelphia 76ers managing partner Josh and Marjorie Harris pose for a photo with the mascot after defeating the Boston Celtics 106-93 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 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 Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fifteen years ago, Josh Harris, David Blitzer and Co. bought the Sixers for a reported $280 million. In the ensuing decade-and-a-half, the Sixers’ value has jumped up to an estimated $7.15 billion, according to the latest estimates from Sportico released Friday.
The Sixers currently clock in as the NBA’s ninth-most-valuable franchise, just behind the Brooklyn Nets. They’re nowhere close to the Golden State Warriors ($14.5 billion), New York Knicks ($12.8 billion) or Los Angeles Lakers ($12.5 billion), but they aren’t far off from the Los Angeles Clippers ($8.21 billion), Chicago Bulls ($8.13 billion), Miami Heat ($8.05 billion) or Boston Celtics ($8.0 billion).
Their value may only continue to skyrocket, too.
For one, their estimated valuation jumped by 27 percent just within the past year, which was the fifth-biggest jump in the NBA, per Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen. If the NBA does expand to Las Vegas and Seattle—and the price of the Vegas franchise and new arena does top $12 billion, as expected—that should help push up every existing team’s valuation as well.
The Sixers also had kind of a big summer, in case you hadn’t heard. Not only did they pry Jaylen Brown away from the Celtics, but they also signed some guy named LeBron James to a two-year, veteran-minimum contract.
According to Badenhausen, 15,000 people “put down deposits on season tickets within the first 72 hours” after the Sixers signed LeBron. The Sixers “limited those to half-season and partial plans to allow more people into the building and also boost the revenue yield,” Badenhausen added. (Of course they did.) He estimated regular-season ticket revenue will increase by 50 percent this season.
They’ve also been active on the business side of the organization, as Badenhauser reported:
“Interest on the sponsorship side has been just as active, with revenue projected to grow at least 50% this season. Last month, the team signed a new jersey patch deal with Bloom Energy that is the second-biggest jersey deal in the NBA after the Warriors, according to two people familiar with the details. The 76ers are not doing any sponsor deals less than three years after signing LeBron. That will provide a bridge ahead of the new arena, which will provide further revenue opportunities.”
Even though HBSE won’t have full control of the new arena, being 50-50 partners instead of long-term tenants should further increase the valuation of the Sixers, much like the Chase Center did for the Warriors. Adding a WNBA team to the portfolio in 2030 won’t hurt, either. Until then, having LeBron on the roster should help business keep booming in the short term.
But you know what would really help? Winning. If the Sixers make good on their potential this season and keep LeBron in the fold in 2027-28, it wouldn’t be surprising if they jumped a few spots on next year’s franchise-valuation list.
It’s no secret that left field has been a black hole for the San Diego Padres. In the last three seasons, 12 players have manned the left side of the outfield. That includes two starters in Jurickson Profar (2024) and Ramón Laureano (2025-26). Behind them are depth pieces like Nick Castellanos, Gavin Sheets and Samad Taylor alongside names you’d be hard-pressed to remember like Oscar Gonzales or Tirso Ornelas.
At the end of the day, San Diego has an abundance of pressing needs in order to balance out their roster. If the Padres’ new ownership is serious about bringing this city a World Series, they need to put their money where their mouth is. That would include signing a legitimate left fielder. Who are the best options?
The Power/Speed Threat
Randy Arozarena is, without a doubt, the top left fielder free agent on the market in this upcoming 2026-27 class. It’s easy to tell why. For six consecutive seasons, Arozarena has hit 20 home runs and stolen 20 bases. He’s the first player since Barry Bonds to display that level of elite power and speed. That might sound crazy, but it’s not. Bonds tops the list of consecutive 20/20 seasons with nine. Behind him are Bobby Abreu and Bobby Bonds with seven. Arozarena is tied for fourth with Willie Mays with six.
He certainly would come with an expensive price tag, though the impending lockout and CBA negotiations could muddy that up a little bit. The bigger question is if San Diego is comfortable taking a hit on batting average and defense. From 2023-25, Arozarena never batted higher than .254. He batted .219 in ‘24. But the left fielder turned that around this past season, batting .281 and bringing his strikeouts down from 191 (’25) to 145.
Defense is the biggest issue. Arozarena has a passable glove in left field. Especially with the elite defensive duo of Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. already present, it wouldn’t be the biggest problem. However, Arozarena is tied for 101st out of 102 left fielders in Fielding Run Value with -7 FRV. Out of 35 qualified fielders, Arozarena ranks 28th in Outs Above Average (-5 OAA).
Consistency is Key
This one might cost even more than Arozarena, but it would be incredible to see. Seiya Suzuki is fresh off a 7.2 WAR season in his walk year with the Chicago Cubs. His home run total (26) went down from 2025 (32), but his OPS increased by 37 points due to increased plate discipline and bat-to-ball ability. He’d slot incredibly well into San Diego’s lineup, and be an incredible presence in left field.
It’s true, Suzuki is mostly a right fielder. But his glove should still translate well. He revamped his defense in 2026, posting +5 OAA and +8 FRV. If that trend continues, Suzuki could round out one of the most elite defensive outfields in baseball alongside Merrill and Tatis. However, the 32-year old is expected to command a long-term deal that could prove too much for San Diego.
A Surprising Trade Possibility
Ronald Acuña Jr. has been one of MLB’s brightest stars over the better part of the last decade. Unfortunate injuries have derailed an otherwise immaculate career. The superstar outfielder for the Atlanta Braves has a club option for 2027 that Atlanta seemed all but certain to exercise. However, the 29-year old went 2-for-15 in the playoffs and was a big factor in the Braves’ elimination in the NLDS.
It’s been speculated that Atlanta could make Acuña available via trade after picking up his club option. That being said, it seems unlikely that the Padres have the prospect capital to get the deal done. San Diego’s farm system is heavily depleted and the club would be much better off seeking a new outfielder via free agency.
Other Options
The Friars will have contributors Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor likely returning to the club. The two formed an incredible contact/speed platoon down the stretch for San Diego. There’s certainly questions persisting of whether that success can continue. The two seem best fit to come off of the bench for the Padres, with both being incredible pinch-hitting or pinch-running opportunities.
However, with San Diego prioritizing signing reliable starting pitching this offseason, it’s possible that they’re willing to continue with their duo of Harris and Taylor in order to invest more into the pitching staff. Hopefully, the Padres will spend on a solid starter to supplant the duo in left. Otherwise, it’s hard to imagine where else a big bat might fit in the lineup math.
