LAS VEGAS — After a season plagued by elbow issues, Max Fried has gotten an offseason cleanup.
The left-hander underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow, Brian Cashman said Tuesday, though it should not affect his readiness for the 2027 season — whenever it actually begins, with a lockout looming.
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The procedure — which was not originally on the docket when Cashman and Aaron Boone last spoke to reporters in late October — comes with six weeks of rest and rehab before Fried can begin a throwing program around the second week of December.
“He should be ready for spring training,” Cashman said during the general managers meetings at the Aria Resort and Casino.
In the 20 starts he did make, he was mostly terrific, pitching to a 2.80 ERA across 112 ²/₃ innings.
Yankees starter Max Fried underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Aaron Judge recently had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Gregory Pearl — the specialist with whom the Yankees consulted on theircaptain’s broken rib last season — which essentially cleared him moving forward.
“He’s currently in a good place,” Cashman said. “So no new added features to his circumstance outside of, take the winter to continue to rest up and he’ll be ready to go. But there’s no new procedures or anything there with Aaron Judge.”
While pitching coach Matt Blake’s contract extension was previously reported, Cashman revealed that assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach Preston Claiborne are also coming back, as are third base coach Luis Rojas and first base coach Dan Fiorito.
Bench coach Brad Ausmus, meanwhile, is still waiting to hear back from the Astros after he interviewed for both their GM job (which went to Randy Flores) and manager job (which remains open).
Cashman on the Yankees not renewing the contracts of special advisers and former GMs Brian Sabean and Omar Minaya: “I was thankful that ownership allowed me to onboard those guys four years ago. As costs continue to stretch here, I had to make some tough decisions. We’re not going to replace or not going to duplicate those positions or replace them as we move forward. Unfortunately, there was some give that had to take place. They’re really excellent baseball people that I think will add value somewhere if somebody’s got an opportunity.”
Book tour will still go ahead but with changes this week’s schedule
Khawaja evasive when questioned on ABC’s 7:30 Report
Usman Khawaja’s promotional book tour has been subject to “adjustments” after the former Australia Test batter was grilled about certain claims on the ABC’s 7.30 Report.
Khawaja pulled out of some radio and television spots on Wednesday, with his publisher Penguin saying that while the tour had not been cancelled entirely, changes had been made to his schedule this week.
PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Tatum scored 21 points and outplayed former Boston teammate Jaylen Brown, and Paul George hit six 3-pointers and scored 36 points in his return to Philadelphia, leading the Celtics past the 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday night.
Brown ran into early foul trouble and scored only 13 points in his first game against Boston since the 2024 NBA Finals MVP was traded over the summer to the Sixers. His head-to-head showdown with Tatum was one of the more anticipated early-season matchups with both players refusing to say much about their frosty relationship.
Tatum tried to dap up Brown before the opening tip with a tap on the shoulder and thump on the chest that his former teammate ignored. Tatum shook hands and exchanged a big hug with LeBron James.
Brown picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and was whistled for his fourth early in the second half.
George, traded for Brown after two seasons with the 76ers, enjoyed the homecoming. He appeared to give the finger in a bowling motion near the visitor’s bench after he sank his fourth 3 of the game for a 100-82 lead that pushed the Celtics to their ninth win in 10 games.
The Sixers survived a scare late in the second half when Joel Embiid landed awkwardly and hit the court on a missed layup attempt. The oft-injured big man curled up on the court while VJ Edgecombe dunked over him.
Embiid gingerly ran down the court and hunched over as the halftime horn sounded with the Celtics up 62-51.
Embiid’s health has been a career-long issue for him, and the Sixers have declined to play him in back-to-back games. A two-time NBA scoring champion, Embiid has slumped with his shot this season, with no game worse than last Friday in Cleveland when missed all nine shots from the floor and scored only two points.
He had missed 27 of 30 (and 20 consecutive) 3-pointers entering the game. Embiid missed two 3-point attempts in the first half but opened the second with his first 3 since the second game of the season.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist and his score in the third period was the winner as the St. Louis Blues beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Snuggerud scored on a deflection with 4:02 left. Dylan Holloway got an assist on the go-ahead goal. Pius Suter and Justin Barron also scored for the Blues, who snapped a three-game skid. St. Louis had lost five of its last seven games before Tuesday.
Moritz Seider and Andrew Copp scored for the Red Wings, who dropped their fifth straight and lost for the fifth time in six games.
Joel Hofer stopped 30 shots in the win for the Blues.
John Gibson, back in the lineup after sustaining a lower-body injury in a game against Tampa Bay on Nov. 3, had 30 saves for the Red Wings.
LAS VEGAS — During an offseason in which many former players and coaches have beaten up on the Yankees, Brian Cashman has tried to speak with all of them to hear them out.
That now includes Jorge Posada, who recently said on The Post’s baseball podcast, “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” that he does not believe the Yankees want him around and he does not “feel welcome.”
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Cashman said Tuesday he was surprised to hear those comments but that he has since spoken with Posada, the four-time World Series-winning catcher.
“He is welcome,” Cashman said during the general managers meetings at the Aria Resort and Casino. “I did obviously have those conversations with him. But I think also in the world we live in today, which is a different world than obviously when Jorge played, everybody’s got a platform. There’s a lot more podcasts, social media, a lot of things are existing now in this world that didn’t exist then. So, a lot more opinions can be projected. That comes with the territory.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman speaks with the media during the MLB General Managers Meetings on Nov. 10, 2026 in Las Vegas. Getty Images
“Jorge wants us to be great. We want us to be great. Unfortunately, we have been good but we haven’t been great, and that’s the trick of trying to figure out how to get from good to great.”
Posada was the latest ex-Yankee to pile on in the aftermath of the club’s ALDS loss to the Rays, marking another year gone by since its last championship in 2009 (which Posada was a part of). The criticism also came from CC Sabathia, Anthony Rizzo and Joe Girardi, ranging from citing a lack of accountability to the current players no longer understanding what the standard of the Yankees is.
Jorge Posada participates in batting practice before Old-Timers’ Day on Aug. 9, 2025 at Yankee Stadium. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Cashman previously indicated that none of the issues Sabathia, Rizzo or Girardi brought up were the main reason for their early playoff exit.
“Winning is hard,” Cashman said. “I try to also remind people how difficult it is. There are a lot of great teams we have put together that we were all a part of that fell short. I remind any of the former players who are looking at when we are letting our fans down by not playing up to our capabilities or falling short of our dream or our hopes, it might not look good or it might look like we’re not checking all the boxes. That’s what losing looks like. It’s as simple as that. It’s not because the care factor isn’t there or because the work’s not going on behind the scenes.”
“If somebody has got some good, constructive suggestions of how to get there, then I’m open minded. I’m not shy.”
Aaron Boone has consistently invited Posada and other former players to camp every spring, but when the former catcher was asked about potentially helping the Yankees, that is when he brought up not feeling wanted.
“We value our present, but we also value our past,” Cashman said. “That’s why, in Jorge’s case, he’s invited every spring. He’s invited to Old-Timers’ Day. He did my daughter’s show … ‘Story of My Number,’ which I appreciated him doing.”
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks just experienced arguably their ugliest loss of the season, losing to the New York Knicks 117-85 after awful second and fourth quarters. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led all Bucks starters with 16 points, while Kasparas Jakucionis led the bench scoring with 11 points and four assists. Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 23 points, while Marquette’s own (and newest enemy of the Swifties) Tyler Kolek led New York’s bench with 12.
With Tyler Herro sitting out, Ryan Rollins got his first start since Halloween against Cleveland. The Bucks hit the first field goal of the game—a Turner triple from the top of the key—and hung tough in the first half of the quarter, tying it at 13 on the heels of five quick points and two assists from Rollins. The Knicks defense, though, proved stout, with Mikal Bridges rejecting Nate Ament’s first attempt on the fast break. After a quick five points put the home side ahead, Jenkins called a timeout. Some positives for the Bucks followed out of the break, with Ament spinning through double coverage for the fancy and-one finish for his first points of the night, ending an 8-0 Knicks run. Kasparas Jakucionis kept the scoreboard ticking over as the Bucks exited the first quarter down 26-21.
The Bucks got off to a slow start in the second quarter, with Kel’el Ware scoring the lone field goal nearly four minutes in. Notably, AJ Green and Ousmane Dieng started alongside Ware and Jaquez Jr., and while it was an interesting experiment, the Bucks simply didn’t have the speed to keep up with the Knicks on either end. Unfortunately, the Bucks went on another cold stretch, with a Dieng three being the only made bucket in a long stretch. Finally, Ament finally broke the seal after subbing back in and immediately picking off an Andre Drummond pass to finish in transition with balance and poise, looking more like a seasoned veteran than a rookie. Ament proved to be the lone silver lining during their regularly scheduled dumpster-fire quarter, finishing the half with a team-high seven points and two steals. Bucks enter halftime down 58-34.
Thankfully, Milwaukee got out to a faster start in the third, scoring nine quick points, a run capped off by a Jaquez steal and layup plus the harm. After turning it over on the next few possessions, the Bucks got back on track and went on an electric 15-3 run, forcing a New York timeout with the deficit down to 14. For the rest of the quarter, it seemed like almost everyone chipped in: Rollins, Jaquez, Ament, and Jakucionis all finished in double figures as the Bucks outscored the Knicks 38-27 and cut the deficit to 13, 85-72. This was largely because Milwaukee shot 64% from deep in the third and played a more physical brand of defense.
The visitors kept applying pressure to open the final frame with a quick bucket from Ware off a lob from Jaquez. Unfortunately, that was as close as they got, as the home side kept wearing them down, especially on the glass. Milwaukee scored just five points over four minutes, with the Knicks dominating the Bucks’ frontcourt. On the night, Kuzma and Turner combined for eight points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and three turnovers on 2/11 shooting. At least there was the rare Bogoljub Markovic sighting, and Bogo made a smooth pass to Dieng in transition for an easy lay-up. That was about the only real garbage-time highlight, though, as the Knicks kept pouring it in. After mounting a comeback of sorts, the Bucks went out with a whimper.
Stat That Stood Out
59: The number of rebounds the Knicks got, and yes, of course, they won the rebound battle 59-32.
Obscene Overreaction
Three Bucks starters combined for just 11 points. One of those starters was Burries, a rookie who will likely take steps forward and backward all season. The other two are Kuzma and Turner, and if the first 10 games were not enough evidence that they need to be benched, then this game should be. The Bucks are starting to lose the identity they built over the first eight games, when they ranked top five in rebounding and second-chance points. Ware played more effectively and put in better effort, so start him and Ament. If the Bucks are going to lose, they may as well do it while developing young players.
They are amused that the San Diego Padres are flirting with the idea of adding Skubal to give them three players earning in excess of $300 million.
They smirk when mystery teams are floated in the air for Skubal at the GM meetings.
They also know the bottom line: If the Dodgers want Skubal, they can have him, providing no one absolutely blows them out of the water with an offer they don’t want to match.
And, let’s face it, nobody has done that in nearly a decade.
The Dodgers wanted Yoshiobu Yamamoto, they got him at $325 million, even though the Mets and Philadelphia Phillies were willing to go higher.
They got closer Edwin Diaz with a three-year, $69 million contract last winter, not even giving the Mets a chance to counter.
They signed first baseman Freddie Freeman away from Atlanta in 2022 with a six-year, $162 million contract.
They made sure Mookie Betts wasn’t returning to Boston in 2020 with a 12-year, $365 million extension.
Whatever the Dodgers want, they always get.
Now, despite the federal investigation into owner Mark Walter’s insurance empire, there is zero indication the Dodgers don’t want him back.
Oh sure, they’d love to dump a salary or two to make it more feasible.
They’ve got outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and his remaining $21 million salary on the trade block. If someone asks, Tyler Glasnow can be theirs, too, freeing up the $30 million he’s owed in 2027 with a $21.5 million player option in 2028. Just like that, $72.5 million could be coming off the books, plenty to squeeze in the two-time Cy Young winner who’ll command at least $350 million in the free-agent market.
So, when Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes was asked Tuesday if they had a meeting set up with Skubal, too, he said, “at some point soon.’’
“We know we love the player, we love the human,’’ Gomes said. “And you kind of have to let things play out to understand what that looks like, and if it’s something that we’re going to ultimately execute.”
Why wouldn’t they?
Skubal fit in perfectly after joining the Dodgers in August after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers. He was their co-ace with Yamamoto. He went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA, and was exactly the pitcher they envisioned, and more.
“He was awesome to get to know,’’ Gomes said. “He fit in great into the clubhouse. Obviously, we know what kind of pitcher he is.
“So, for us, it’s understanding what this all looks like, as far as what does our team need? What does the contract look like? Where does he end up? I don’t know.’’
Well, considering Skubal is a native of Kingman, Arizona, a 318-mile drive to Dodger Stadium, with his parents and entire family living in Arizona, his wife’s family living in Arizona, and the Dodgers’ spring training complex a 25-minute drive from their Scottsdale, Arizona, home, there’s no reason in the world he won’t end up back in Los Angeles.
Money hasn’t stopped the Dodgers from getting everything they’ve desired since their championship run in 2020.
Why let a little investigation into finances stop them now?
“It is always easy to say, at this point in time, what is best for the team,” Gomes said. “But then as you look at the construction of your roster, it’s about making sure you’re balancing and not setting yourself up to potentially hit a slow point, or making sure you’re not doing things that disrupt what could potentially be.
“We want a very long window, and making sure that stays open.”
The Dodgers, with or without Skubal, still have a rotation featuring Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Glasnow and depth in Roki Sasaki, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone.
“We do,’’ Gomes said, “have a good amount of depth in our pitching.’’
Why not make it unstoppable, making sure that the Dodgers’ early postseason departure, being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, never happens again in the near future? It made no difference to them that they were eliminated by the eventual World Series champions. The pain was so unbearable that Gomes couldn’t even watch the entire World Series with the Brewers beating the Tampa Bay Rays in five games.
“No, it doesn’t take any sting away,’’ Gomes said. “You just don’t feel good if you don’t win. So, you’re in this stage of like, 'Man, that kind of stinks.'
“I tried to watch the first couple of games, and then after that, I was like, 'This is painful. It’s too painful. I think I’ll just check the box score for it.'"
The Dodgers haven’t endured the pain of losing a free agent they coveted since making a last-ditch bid for Bryce Harper in 2019. They offered a four-year, $180 million contract before being out-bid by the Phillies with a 13-year, $330 million deal.
There’s no reason to believe it will happen again.
The Dodgers want the man.
Skubal wants to return to the Dodgers.
When the flirting ends, and the bids stop, Skubal should be in a Dodgers uniform.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Dawson Mercer and Kyle Connor each scored twice to lead the Winnipeg Jets to an emotional 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.
The game marked the return of former Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to Winnipeg for the first time since his trade to the Devils, although he did not play. Instead, Jake Allen started in net and stopped 21 shots for New Jersey.
Former Devils netminder Nico Daws made 19 saves for Winnipeg.
Cody Glass and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils.
The victory extended Winnipeg’s win streak to four games, and halted New Jersey’s at five games.
After Mercer gave the Jets a 3-2 lead on the power play at 11:58 of the third period, Connor sealed the outcome with an unassisted empty-net goal.
The Devils, who trailed 2-0 after the first period, tied the game in the second period with a pair of goals 44 seconds apart. Bratt scored at 1:14 on a setup from Arseny Gritsyuk from behind the net. Jack Hughes also assisted to extend his point streak to six games.
Glass tied the game at 1:58 when he deflected Jonathan Kovacevic’s shot past Daws.
Connor scored during a two-man advantage at 15:06 of the first period when he deflected Cole Perfetti’s pass past Allen. Mark Scheifele also assisted, moving him into a second-place tie with Dale Hawerchuk in assists in franchise history with 550.
Mercer opened the scoring at 7:54 when his snap shot from the faceoff circle beat Allen.
The Jets came out energized by the crowd booing and taunting Hellebuyck to express their anger and jumped to a 2-0 lead.
It took the Devils 13 minutes before they got a shot on net in the third period.
Up next
Devils: Host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes speaks with members of the media during MLB's general manager meetings in Las Vegas. (John Locher / Associated Press)
Standing outside of a packed conference room, half a day into General Managers meetings, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said none of his conversations leading up to or since arriving in Las Vegas had painted a clear picture of how the free agent or trade markets would play out over this month.
The Dodgers are going to take a “business as usual” approach to the offseason, prepared to react whenever those markets reveal themselves. But even if Gomes and president of baseball operations Andrew Freidman aren’t ready to predict how threat of a lockout — expected to go into effect when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1 — will affect their offseason, it will surely color this transaction window.
The Dodgers don’t have any gaping holes to fill this winter, but they still need to fortify their roster if they hope to reclaim their spot at the top of the league.
The Dodgers have already hired former Marlins hitting coach Pedro Guerrero to fill the only opening on their coaching staff, and made their first offseason acquisition, claiming infielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Mets on Monday.
Their most pressing needs are their bullpen and bench, areas that often draw less fanfare. But the Dodgers also have a track record of splashy offseason moves.
Here are takeaways from Gomes’ media availability Tuesday:
Dodgers engaged with Tarik Skubal’s camp
Tarik Skubal during Game 1 of the NLCS. (Ashley Landis / AP)
As Freidman said they would, the Dodgers have remained in contact with southpaw Tarik Skubal’s camp, Gomes confirmed Tuesday. And they expect to have a meeting “at some point,” Gomes said.
Skubal is the top free agent available this offseason and is sure to garner interest from all the heavy hitters. The Mets have a meeting scheduled with him next week, according to multiple reports.
The Dodgers’ pitch started when they acquired him at the trade deadline this year. But it’s unclear just how aggressive they will be in pursuit of a reunion.
“I think a lot of it is continuing to see what this all looks like,” Gomes said. “He was awesome getting to know. He fit in great into the clubhouse. Obviously, we know what kind of pitcher he is. So for us, it’s understanding what this all looks like, as far as what does our team need? What does the contract look like? Where does he end up? I don’t know.
“We know we love the player, we love the human, and you kind of have to let things play out to understand what that looks like, and if it’s something that we’re gonna ultimately execute.”
Japanese phenom Shoki Oda on the Dodgers’ radar
Oda, 18, plans to go straight from high school baseball to the United States, foregoing a stint in Nippon Professional Baseball. He’s begun meeting with major-league teams.
“He’s super talented, really projectable, fun to watch him throw,” Gomes said. “I know our international guys have watched him closely, and you know, I’m not sure how that all shakes out exactly. But we think really highly of him.”
Asked if he’d had a visit with the Dodgers, Gomes said with a smile: “Potentially.”
Dodgers looking for Miguel Rojas replacement
Who can fill Miguel Rojas' shoes? (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Rojas has already begun the transition into his player development role with the Dodgers, working with Dodgers prospects in the Arizona Fall League. But now the Dodgers have to fill the hole his retirement left on the roster.
New-addition Cairo adds depth to the infield group and like Rojas is a right-handed hitter.
“He has really good bat-to-ball (skills), good defensively in a bunch of different spots,” Gomes said. “Our scouts have flagged him as somebody that they really liked, and makeup was really strong.”
Veteran utility player Kiké Hernández also entered free agency. But in a similar situation last year, the Dodgers brought him back on a one-year deal.
“Kiké’s been such a huge part of what we’ve done in the past, and we’ll continue to have those conversations,” Gomes said. “But what that looks like right now, I have no idea.”
At the beginning of the season, with switch-hitting utility player Tommy Edman on the IL, the Dodgers had two young second basemen competing for the left-handed-hitting side of the platoon. Alex Freeland won the job, and Hyeseong Kim, in his second year of a three-year contract worth $12.5 million, made nearly three quarters of his plate appearances in Triple-A.
“Comet did not have the year that he was expecting offensively, but he has so many skills that fit us well,” Gomes said. “Diving in this offseason, to continue to chip away at the potential swing changes, and he worked on some stuff at the end of the year that he felt pretty good about after presenting a plan. He’ll continue to work through those things and hopefully he’ll take a step forward on the swing mechanics and get him into a really good place offensively.”
Important offseason for Josue De Paula
Josue De Paula warms up before Game 2 of the NLDS. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
De Paula not only proved that his offensive skills were major-league ready last season, but also earned a spot on the postseason roster with a mature approach in high-pressure situations.
For him to claim a regular role next year, however, he’ll have to continue to progress on defense.
“He is dead set on proving that he’s going to be a really good defender,” Gomes said. “And he has a good setup in the off season with people around him that he’s going to go out and you know really get after it. And we have full confidence that he’s going to put the work in to really continue to take those steps forward and be the complete player that we all know he can be.”
The lockout will add another wrinkle. Because he’s on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers won’t be able to communicate with him during the lockout, as he works through his offseason program.
“We’re going to make sure that we’re set up in a way over this next month to continue to communicate with guys like we we normally do,” Gomes said. “And if things shake out in a way that we can’t, we’ll make sure that those conversations on the front end are had to kind of everybody put everybody on the same page moving forward.”
LAS VEGAS — The Mets’ checkbook is wide open as they seek roster improvements this offseason.
Even following a brutal 74-win season with MLB’s second-highest payroll, president of baseball operations David Stearns indicated Tuesday that the Mets’ modus operandi remains the same in the pursuit of a championship.
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“Steve [Cohen] has demonstrated repeatedly throughout his ownership tenure that he’s going to support baseball operations and baseball operations needs,” Stearns said at the general managers meetings. “I expect that to be the case this offseason as well.”
It’s a rotation with potential pieces that include Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton, Sean Manaea and Tylor Megill (who is returning from Tommy John surgery rehab). In addition, Stearns said Kodai Senga (who is a potential trade candidate) will head to spring training as a starter after spending most of last season in the bullpen.
A horse or horses that can carry a playoff rotation are more than a luxury for a franchise seeking to end a 40-year World Series title drought.
“Having a complete rotation is really important, and that includes having pitchers that successfully can get you through a playoff series,” Stearns said. “We have seen over and over again in the playoffs that it can be constructed in a variety of different ways and so we’re open to doing it any way possible.”
Mets general manager David Stearns talks to reporters during the MLB GM Meetings on Nov. 10, 2026 in Las Vegas. AP
Stearns, during his tenure overseeing Milwaukee’s front office and in his first three seasons with the Mets, has not embraced long-term contracts for free agent pitchers. A rare exception was the Mets’ pursuit three years ago of Japanese free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who ultimately landed with the Dodgers on the richest contract for a pitcher in MLB history at $325 million over 12 years.
Skubal, who is about to turn 30, will be in position to surpass that contract. Stearns downplayed the idea that he is against long-term contracts for pitchers.
“Every situation is unique,” Stearns said. “It’s been also well-publicized that ever since I have been here, we’ve engaged in extremely long-term negotiations for pitchers and we will do so again.
Tarik Skubal will meet with Mets officials next week, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman. Getty Images
“But the situation matters. The specific circumstance matters, and we do have to look at every individual pitcher on a case-by-case basis.”
MLB’s owners are pursuing a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement, but even with a lack of clarity on the rules and a lockout looming, Stearns said he’s treating this as a normal offseason.
“I really do think we have to go into this preparing for a season — a season that is highly consequential, and that is what we’re going to do,” Stearns said. “We’re here preparing for a business-as-usual offseason, a business-as-usual season, and that is how we’re going to operate.”
The tier of free agent pitchers beneath Skubal includes names such as Kevin Gausman, Michael King, Nick Martinez and Clay Holmes.
Stearns was asked how the Mets could fill their rotation need if they don’t land a top-of-the-market arm.
“We have a lot of confidence in the arms we have in-house and a good segment of that group showed over the second half of the year that they can compete at a high level in the major leagues,” Stearns said. “We’re going to add to that group. There is no question we’re going to add to that group. I firmly believe we have got some really talented arms that can pitch at the top of the rotation.”
Beyond the rotation, Stearns acknowledged the need for bullpen arms and possibly another bat, either as a complement to Jared Young at first base or as somebody who can receive the majority of playing time at the position.
“We think Jared Young has the ability to really be part of the solution there,” Stearns said. “I do think we’re going to look to supplement that, whether it’s someone who takes regular at-bats, someone who splits time with JY, we’ll see.”
MONTREAL (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored on a power play in the opening minute of overtime and Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves as the Minnesota Wild beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Tuesday night after Carey Price was inducted into the team's ring of honor.
Bobby Brink scored in regulation for Minnesota (13-3-4). Kaprizov scored on a one-timer on the power play 21 seconds into the extra period for his 17th goal of the season.
Canadiens forward Cole Caufield was penalized for slashing as Quinn Hughes’ stick broke in the corner, sending Minnesota on the power play with 56 seconds remaining in regulation.
Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal (11-3-4), which extended its streak without a regulation loss to 11 games (8-0-3). Jacob Fowler stopped 22 shots.
Suzuki tied the game with a wild goal at 18:22 in the third period. With the goalie pulled, Caufield’s sharp-angled shot ricocheted off Wallstedt — twice — and the post before landing in the crease before Suzuki jammed it through a crowd.
After two periods without a goal, Brink broke the deadlock 2:53 into the third when he beat Fowler with a shot to the glove side on a breakaway.
The 25-year-old capitalized on a turnover from Canadiens forward Josh Anderson, who came off the bench and bobbled the puck onto Brink’s stick after Montreal had spent a long stretch in Minnesota’s zone.
The game had been a goalie duel up to that point, with both Wallstedt and Fowler making their best impression of Price in the mid-2010s at the Bell Centre.
Newhook appeared to open the scoring on the power play with seven minutes left in the first period when he beat Wallstedt, but failed to beat the post. Defying all laws of physics, his shot struck the crossbar, rolled along it, then hit the post and bounced out.
Price received a nearly four-minute ovation before puck drop, as fans serenaded him with a blend of “Ca-rey! Ca-rey!” and “Olé, Olé” chants. The former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner – and the Canadiens’ all-time wins leader (361) – was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in Toronto.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 10: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics look on during the game on November 10, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The battle of the Jays made the headlines, but Paul George seized the spotlight in his return to Philly.
The Boston Celtics handily beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 behind George’s 36 points, as he rattled off shot after shot against his former team. Boston’s depth also put on a show against the Sixers, as 8 players hit at least 1 three-pointer and 3 players (George, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser) hit at least 4.
It was the first of four regular season games between Boston and Philly this year and, other than the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, the first time the Jays have faced each other as opponents. The teams’ next matchup won’t be until Jan. 21, when they will square off in TD Garden.
Boston’s starting squad included Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta. The team’s injury report was clear.
Philly’s starters included Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow were out with injuries.
George opened up the action for Boston with the team’s first 4 points, as he capitalized early on his advantageous matchup against Edgecombe. Less than 3 minutes into the game, we got our first glimpse of the head-to-head matchup between the Jays. Tatum was guarding Brown and forced a turnover with some fast hands, then got an easy dunk and a cutting layup on back-to-back plays.
Brown got his first points of the game on a pair of free throws about 4 minutes in, but Maxey led the way early for the Sixers, with 8 of the team’s first 12 points. Nevertheless, the Celtics had an 18-12 lead after 5 minutes and started off shooting a scalding 8-10 from the floor.
White had a nice redemption play about halfway through the quarter, where he got back in position after losing a turnover and drew a charge on Brown, who took the ball hard to the paint. The Jays starred on the next two plays, as Tatum hit a slick step back three-pointer that was followed up with a ferocious dunk by Brown.
Mitchell Robinson also put in some good work early on, battling with Embiid down low and grabbing 3 rebounds (one of which resulted in a scrappy putback) in less than 5 minutes of play time. However, he fouled Embiid on a three-pointer with less than 3 minutes to go in the quarter, which led Head Coach Joe Mazzulla to sub him out for Queta.
Luckily, Embiid hit only 1-3 free throws, and Boston rattled off a pair of layups to go up 30-21 with 26 seconds to go in the quarter, which ended with a missed Payton Pritchard three-pointer at the buzzer. The frame ended with the C’s up 30-23.
Both teams came out firing in the second quarter. Almost five minutes into the frame, the Celtics had scored 15 points and the Sixers tallied 11 of their own. Other than a lone Luka Garza bucket, all of Boston’s offense came from Pritchard and George, who were red hot to open the quarter. With 7:21 to go, the C’s had taken a 45-34 lead.
Both sides cooled off a bit about halfway through the quarter. Maxey kept Philly’s offense chugging along, but the Celtics took a 54-40 lead with the help of a few three-pointers (2 from Sam Hauser and 1 from Hugo Gonzalez). George’s hot streak continued, as he came out of a timeout, rebounded his own miss for a bucket, then knocked down a free throw to complete the and-1 play. He also hit a three-pointer about a minute later to put the C’s up 62-47.
The Sixers scored the last 4 points of the half, leaving the Celtics with a 62-51 lead after two quarters.
At the half, George led the C’s in scoring with 17 points on 63.6% shooting from the field. He also had 4 rebounds and 1 assist.
Tatum was Boston’s second leading scorer, with 13 points, 4 rebounds and a block.
For the Sixers, Maxey led the way with 12 points, while Embiid had 9 points (entirely from free throws, as he was 0-6 from the field).
Brown had 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers at the half.
Embiid hit his fourth three-pointer of the season (and his first in 7 games) to open the second half, but Tatum came back and hit a three-pointer of his own soon after. Brown also tallied his fourth foul of the game early in the quarter, putting him in foul trouble early. However, it was the Sixers who came out of the half with more of a spark. With the help of a LeBron three-pointer, a ridiculous circus shot by Edgecombe to score over Queta, and a Maxey layup, Philly went on a 7-0 run to cut Boston’s lead to 69-63.
Following a Celtics timeout, Queta cut to the rim for an easy bucket on a dime from Tatum. It was Tatum’s first assist of the game. Tatum also had what might have been the play of the game soon after, as he blocked an Edgecombe layup and flew down the court for a thunderous poster dunk on LeBron. Nevertheless, the Sixers kept chipping away, and underrated Celtics killer Dean Wade hit a 26-footer to tie the game up at 76 apiece with about 4 minutes left in the quarter.
Following a timeout, the momentum changed hands again. Pritchard and Maxey went back-to-back-to-back in a three-point shooting exchange that Boston got the best of. Hauser hit another from behind the arc soon after to put the C’s up 85-79. That wasn’t the end of the three-point shooting display, though. After the Celtics forced a shot clock violation, Tatum, Maxey, and Scheierman hit 3 three-pointers in a row.
By the end of the third, the C’s had taken a 91-82 lead.
The Celtics’ shooting stayed hot as the final frame began. Pritchard started the quarter with a deep step-back three-pointer, then hit on another a couple minutes later to increase Boston’s lead to 15 points while both Maxey and Embiid were resting. George joined in on the fun and hit a pullup three-pointer of his own to give the C’s a 100-82 lead, the largest of the night.
Philly called a timeout and subbed Maxey and Embiid back into the game, but they still had a hard time breaking through the Celtics’ stifling defense. On the other hand, nothing could stop Paul George. He knocked down a sweet turnaround mid-ranger, then cooked his defender for an easy layup to put Boston up 105-82 with about 8 minutes left to go.
Brown hit his first three-pointer of the night following a Boston timeout, but George hit another 2 three-pointers soon after to give the C’s a dominant 111-87 lead with less than 6 minutes to go in the game. The Sixers subsequently emptied the bench, all but conceding the loss to Boston. The Celtics depth then finished the job and never let Philly even whiff a potential comeback.
George racked up 36 points on 63.6% shooting, including 6-11 from beyond the arc, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Tatum finished the game with 21 points on 47.1% shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.
Pritchard, Hauser, and Hugo Gonzalez each finished in the double-digits scoring-wise, with 18, 12, and 10 points, respectively.
The team finished the game shooting 22-49 from three-point range.
Brown had only 13 points on 44.4% shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 stocks. He also had 4 turnovers and finished with a +/- of -27 for the night.
Maxey, James, and Embiid had 24, 11, and 16 points, respectively.
The Celtics will play the Toronto Raptors tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Scotiabank Arena. It will be the last game of Boston’s four-game road trip.
Murphy, 67, learned of his win on Tuesday from a hospital bed as he revealed he had gotten his hip replaced.
Hip replacement surgery could not stop Pat Murphy from accepting his third straight NL Manager of the Year Award!
The @Brewers' skipper discusses what made this year's team so special, culminating in the first World Series win in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/FlQEX0hHqX
“I had the hip replaced, feel good and, yeah, very grateful,” Murphy told MLB Network after he was jokingly asked if his recent conversation with Bruce Springsteen had put him in the hospital.
Murphy became the first manager to win the award three times in a row. If he were to get one more, he’d tie Bobby Cox, Buck Showalter and Tony La Russa for the most in MLB history.
The skipper was asked about his own long, winding baseball journey and if he’s had time to reflect on his success in Milwaukee, a place where he took over as manager in 2024 after Craig Counsell left for the rival Cubs.
Murphy’s career took him through the college ranks at Notre Dame and Arizona State, the Netherlands national team and the Padres minor league system (and a brief stint as the team’s interim manager in 2015) before he coached on the Brewers’ staff for seven years.
The Brewers, since Murphy took over as manager, have won the NL Central all three seasons. He’s been a fan favorite for his style, from pocket pancakes to holding players accountable for their actions on the field.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy holds up the Commissioner’s Trophy during a World Series title parade celebration on Oct. 30, 2026 in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Nam Huh
What followed has been 293 regular-season wins and the end of a 57-year World Series drought.
“You just have to trust that you’re doing the right thing. You have to be committed to growth. And you have to be around the right people,” Murphy said. “I think of it as we’re all under construction and as long as we can keep ourselves under construction and maybe we can impact somebody. And then these types of things happen, and sometimes they don’t. “I don’t necessarily think I’m deserving, to be quite honest with you. But it’s more a matter of just keeping everything in perspective.
Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy holds up a newspaper after the Brewers’ Game 5 World Series-clinching win over the Rays. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
“But I am just super, super, super, super grateful.”
Julius Randle #30 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket against Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
DALLAS — When Benjamin Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately,” the sentiment was about building a country.
It also applies to building a team.
The Nets are finding that out the hard way.
They enter Wednesday’s tilt in New Orleans a disheartening 2-8. And with a rare road practice the day before in Dallas, the Nets went in intent on keeping the morale up, the energy positive and — most importantly — the team together.
Julius Randle drives on Jalen Johnson on during the Nets’ loss to the Hawks on Nov. 7, 2026 in Atlanta. Getty Images
“That was one of my points after the [Dallas] game; it’s what we need to not only get better, but also come together,” Jordi Fernández said. “Our practice, the energy was outstanding and we got better. So right now we want to go out there and play a good brand of basketball.”
Getting on the same page was a main point of emphasis in their practice, as was getting in a good headspace.
“There’s a lot of things to be down about. But it’s a long season, and if we get down already, then it’s going to be a longer season,” admitted Michael Porter Jr. “So coming here with good energy and get better was what we needed to do.”
The proof will be in the pudding, or against the Pelicans.
Brooklyn was disorganized offensively against the Mavericks, with 21 turnovers resulting in 25 points.
It’s a recurring theme after coughing up 22 giveaways for 28 points the night before in a heartbreaking 124-121 loss in Atlanta.
“Yeah, it’s pretty simple, right? I know the guys are not trying to turn it over, so put less pressure on yourself when you make those decisions,” said Fernández. “It’s more about our spacing and then how we do from there because we’re pretty unorganized early and then that doesn’t help. So I don’t want them to play tentative; I want them to play aggressive, and making their decisions and playing very hard.
“And then defensively it’s going back to what is going to make us be a very good defensive team is ball pressure first. Build our trust through communication, our coverages, and then finish with multiple efforts. We’ve shown it at times, and now in this next set of five games we want to see improvement.”
The turnover issue has been death by a thousand cuts. And worst of all, those slices are self-inflicted wounds.
Shoddy spacing, bad reads and similar gaffes lead to giveaways.
Brooklyn began Tuesday third worst in the league in turnovers and turnover percentage, and fourth worst in points off those giveaways.
Michael Porter Jr. handles the ball during the Nets’ blowout loss to the Mavericks on Nov. 8, 2026 in Dallas. Getty Images
That was a huge focus in practice.
“That’s what we’re going over, so that’s all I know,” said Day’Ron Sharpe. “Especially transition, just get into our spots of transition and just being aggressive and making the right play. We’re all basketball players, we all know what to do, so just having faith in what we work on and hopefully that transitions to win.”
Knowing what to do hasn’t always translated on the fly.
“(It’s) reading how the defense is guarding us. Sometimes they’re switching and we’re not having the right reads off of that,” said Porter. “So we slowed down some parts of practice and walked through the different ways we can attack different coverages when teams are staying with their own vs. switching vs. top locking. All those things will help.
“I mean, we’ve got no choice. Any trial or tribulation can be viewed as a lesson, and that’s what we’re choosing to do. We’re just trying to grow as a team because we’re stuck with each other. And we’re right where we wanna be: here. So we have no choice but to get better.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 10: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 10, 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
The high-profile, max contract wing dropped 36 points to lead his new team to a win over his old team, just like everyone expected.
The Sixers were demolished 123-101 by the Boston Celtics thanks to a Paul George masterclass Tuesday night.
In his first game back against his old team, Jaylen Brown didn’t have the night he envisioned, putting up just 13 shooting 4-of-9 from the field, sitting for much of the second half in foul trouble.
Tyrese Maxey was the entire Sixers’ offense for too much of the night, leading the team with 24 on 8-of-12 shooting with four assists. Joel Embiid was able to get to the line but still struggled from the floor, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds and one assist shooting 2-of-9 from the floor.
LeBron James struggled as well, having 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting along with eight rebounds and five assists. George led all scorers with his 36.
The Sixers were once again without Adem Bona (neck) and Dominick Barlow (back).
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
Revenge was had on the first bucket of the game as Paul George was able to drive through Maxey for a midrange pull-up, just like everyone anticipated. He did the same over VJ Edgecombe a couple possessions later, but did foul Embiid to help the Sixers’ score their first points of the game.
Brown’s first shot against his old team was an open corner three swung to him that didn’t fall. When he got Jayson Tatum matched up on him, the crowd came to a roar, but Tatum won the first round as he was able to force a turnover with the help of a double team. As a team the Sixers had some sloppiness to start the game. Embiid had an ugly turnover trying to throw a behind-the-back pass, and they completely lost Tatum on a backdoor cut for an open layup.
Maxey got off to a tremendous start, one that the Sixers very much needed as the rest of the starters opened the game 0-of-5 from the floor. His shotmaking from all over the floor prevented the Sixers from going down into a big hole early. Desperate to make something happen, Brown did a good job to steal an outlet pass, but Derrick White was able to slide under and take a charge to discount the basket. He finally made his first field goal of the game driving by Jordan Walsh to slam it home.
Jaylen Brown comes up with the steal on the Jayson Tatum pass, Tyrese Maxey nails the triple 🎯 pic.twitter.com/EXMjdA0GIE
While he didn’t hit a jumper to break the seal, the Sixers offense came alive more with Embiid getting to the line. It’s clear he’s still trying to find that trust in his jumper again, but the way he was getting fouled in the post made him look a bit more like himself. VJ Edgecombe made a brilliant spin move to cut the lead to three.
That bucket was followed by Embiid’s second turnover of the game, a contested Maxey fadeaway, and Embiid missing two out of three from the free throw line. Maxey tried to hit Dean Wade in the dunker finishing a drive, but Wade wasn’t ready for it and dropped it out of bounds. Anfernee Simons hit a pull-up jumper to end a field goal drought that lasted over four and a half minutes and cut the Sixers’ deficit to seven points after the first.
Second Quarter
The end of the first and beginning of the second made clear the Sixers were leaning more into staggering Brown and James together, leaving the three incumbent starters together. LeBron was also scoreless in the first and hit a midrange early in the second to get on the board. He also found Simons in the corner from three, but with the Celtics scoring on four of their first five possessions of the quarter the Sixers continued to fall behind.
Nothing emphasized the Sixers’ struggles to get anything to fall like their struggles around the basket. LeBron smoked his second bunny of the game, then tried to hit Jabari Walker right by the basket, but Walker couldn’t corral it and lost the ball out of bounds. They started the game shooting 44% at the rim, which Cleaning the Glass put in just the third percentile across the league.
After a rare made basket, the Sixers were too slow getting back and conceded an open three to Sam Hauser before anyone had gotten back. Brown missing a pair of free throws followed by Hauser hitting a very contested three off the dribble made this game feel like it was starting to spiral. Coming out of a timeout, George beat Brown for an offensive rebound and drew a foul as he banked in his putback.
The combination of this game’s struggles at the rim and the season’s struggles in transition all came to a head on one play. LeBron hit Embiid with a touchdown pass and Embiid took off a little too early and missed the layup, and got his feet tangled up with George as they landed. Edgecombe was able to find the loose ball and slam it back home, but Embiid stayed on the ground for a few moments and hobbled his way through the final 30 seconds of the half. The Sixers trailed by 11 at the break.
Third Quarter
Despite that scare, Embiid was not only out there to start the second half, but he started it by making his first three-point attempt since the home opener. Maxey was able to get to the line on the Sixers next possession, but the Celtics halted any sort of momentum right there. Tatum hit a contested three over Maxey before Brown picked up his fourth foul of the night.
LeBron was also desperate for a jumper to fall and it took him two attempts in the third to finally get a three to go down. Edgecombe, who was easily one of the best Sixers on the floor so far, followed that up with a very acrobatic finish over Neemias Queta. Maxey was able to get to the basket on the next possession, cutting the lead to six and prompting a Celtics timeout.
The Sixers continued to mount momentum coming out of the timeout. Embiid was still able to get to the line and LeBron started getting downhill as well. They did a good job of not letting big Celtics baskets kill their momentum. Tatum got LeBron pretty good with a dunk and George buried another three, but the Sixers kept eating into the lead.
Wade was putting in a great night for the Sixers, and it helped that he got some threes up and buried a couple, one of which briefly tied the game up. Maxey hit a ridiculous three to keep it tied for a second, but Boston had another onslaught of their own to go back in front. One hit off the top of the backboard, but it also didn’t help that the Sixers kept leaving Hauser and Tatum wide open on the perimeter. Wade had an open three rim out to keep the Celtics up by nine.
Fourth Quarter
The Celtics drilled three more triples before the Sixers got on the board to start the quarter, prompting a timeout from Nick Nurse. The full starting five checked back into the game much earlier than normal in one last attempt to salvage the night. The first basket coming out of that timeout was George posting up Maxey, hitting his pull-up while getting fouled in the process.
George scooted past the entire Sixers defense for a layup on the following possession. Maxey appeared to have earned a trip to the line for the Sixers first points of the quarter, but Joe Mazzulla challenged the play and got it overturned. The Sixers didn’t score their first points of the fourth until the 7:37 mark when a Brown three bounced in. The Sixers waived the white flag after a couple more minutes of George burying threes on them.
