LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following a spirited day one of training camp when the 2026-27 Colorado Avalanche held their first official on-ice team activity, the squad was back after it on day two and three. Every training camp day follows the same basic schedule with the roster of 56 players (minus the injured folks) split into two groups with a mix of NHL regulars, AHL contracts, young prospects and Avalanche hopefuls. Each session lasts close to 90 minutes with a lunch break in between. The structure of the practice is a third for warm up drills, a third for controlled 5v5 and then the last third is some small area work around the net.
There was a focus and purpose in executing the drills Jared Bednar laid out for the players. Many returnees are already familiar with the system but the reality is a preseason game is just days away and they must prepare for it.
The groups were switched for this session and the Group 2 roster was on the ice in the morning. This collection is more of the depth players and they bring a bit more physicality. Zach L’Heureux has consistently shown he has a different energy and approach to the game. Fabian Lysell had a few more aggressive moments than he did on the first day. Jaden Schwartz also showed he can make some skillful plays.
Cale Makar joined the first group again in the red non-contact jersey as part of his rehab on the lower-body injury he suffered. The superstar defenseman did stay out longer than he did the previous day and looked good completing drills, he should be back to full-go soon.
Zachary L'Heureux has a very good shift in this 5v5 drill. Lots of discipline. He attacks below the net to put the pressure on and then heads straight to the front of the net. 🙌 #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/sSujIbwOfy
It was a surprise that to conclude the practices on this day there still was a mandatory skate which consisted of a few heats of speed skating style figure-eights and then the traditional mountain. There are new rules in the CBA about fitness testing and conditioning in training camp but perhaps there are certain parameters where it’s still accepted.
Saturday Skate
To conclude the official camp portion of the new season’s preparations, a smaller group of Avalanche players gathered. Taylor Makar, Nikita Prishchepov, Alex Gagne and Ilya Nabokov were given the day off as they are expected to participate in both of the upcoming back-to-back preseason contests.
With Trent Miner injured and not even taking shots in his rehab sessions yet, one name to watch has been goaltender Nikita Novosyolov. Ever since development camp he’s been consistently solid and showing improvement. He’s going to see a fair bit of AHL action with the Colorado Eagles if he keeps this up.
Nikita Novosyolov, who signed an ELC this summer, has been look great during camp. Over the last couple of weeks he has been working closing the 5-hole and squaring to the puck. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/m1tuKaNidN
Cale Makar didn’t skate as it was a scheduled day off for him. The goal is for him to keep skating and get in a game at the end of the week. Speaking of, how the Avalanche manage their two sets of back-to-back games this week will be interesting as new CBA rules prevent anyone with 100 games of NHL experience cannot play in more than two preseason games. This impacts even a guy like Fedor Svechkov who is over the threshold. Bednar also indicated the Avalanche regulars would more likely play at home, which includes Sunday’s home game against the Utah Mammoth at 5:00 p.m. MT.
First Cuts
If that wasn’t enough news to digest, the Avalanche announced their first wave of cuts, trimming the training camp roster by 11 and a reduction of the active players to 45. The AHL contracted Jayson Megna, Yanick Turcotte, Jake Wise Hank Kempf and goaltender Nikita Novosyolov were sent to the Colorado Eagles camp. Also, Shawn Carrier, Teddy Lechner, Ondrej Ruml, Linus Funck, Alexandre Raymond and Tobias Tvrznik were sent back to their junior clubs. This means that Beckett Hamilton is still with the Avalanche and should get in an upcoming preseason game.
The following players have been reassigned to the Colorado Eagles (AHL) training camp:
Hank Kempf, D Jayson Megna, C Nikita Novosyolov, G Yanick Turcotte, LW Jake Wise, C
Additionally, the following players have been reassigned to their respective junior clubs:
“I’d like to be back by the postseason, so we’ll see," Judge said. “That’s definitely the plan. I got really no answers for you on any timeline or anything like that.’’
Judge, who missed three months with a fractured rib, is eligible to come off the injured list for the regular-season finale on Sept. 27. He injured his calf in his first at-bat Wednesday playing against the Minnesota Twins. The injury is in the soleus muscle of the calf, which makes it difficult to participate in any baseball activities, he said, except throwing to keep his arm in shape.
“Definitely frustrated,’’ Judge, the three-time MVP, said. “I’ve dealt with strains before, and kind of played through them, but this was kind of in a different spot where it made it a little bit more difficult. But definitely frustrated because, you know, the ultimate goal was to try to come back to get a couple of games before the postseason, so it changes it a little bit.’’
While Judge opted to resume playing with the Yankees instead of having a traditional minor-league rehab stint after such a lengthy absence, he isn’t second-guessing his decision, nor for coming out of Wednesday’s game when he first felt his calf strain.
“You know, you feel things every single year,’’ Judge said. “I usually deal with calf stuff all year long, and it usually gets to you, and usually don’t miss any games. So that was kind of the same thing I was feeling.
“I was feeling it. I was working my way back, and then something kind of grabs you at a strange time. So if this would have happened in the rehab game, I would have been probably a little bit more pissed than I was now.
“So, it is what it is.’’
The Yankees, who are in the No. 1 wild-card spot, are expected to host the Boston Red Sox in a best-of-three series beginning Sept. 29 in the wild-card round at Yankee Stadium. The winner would play the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the Division Series.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 13: Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies gets a new ball after giving up a walk in the second inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 13, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today, the Colorado Rockies announced the following roster moves:
Reinstated LHP José Quintana from the 60-day IL.
Optioned RHP Gabriel Hughes to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Designated INF Vimael Machín for assignment.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions: – Reinstated LHP Jose Quintana from the 60-day IL. – Optioned RHP Gabriel Hughes to Triple-A Albuquerque. – Designated INF Vimael Machín for assignment.
Quintana will make his 10th start of the season tonight against the…
Quintana had been on the Injured List since May 24 when he left a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was subsequently diagnosed with a left elbow strain.
Prior to his injury, Quintana logged 41.0 innings across nine starts, posting a 5.27 ERA. He will make his 10th start of the season tonight against the Seattle Mariners.
As a corresponding move, rookie RHP Gabriel Hughes (No. 7 PuRP) was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. The former 10th-overall pick has had an up-and-down season, also throwing 41.0 IP for the Rockies across 14 appearances (13 starts) and earning a 6.33 ERA.
Finally, infielder Vimael Machín was designated for assignment. Although he had seen some success with the Isotopes — slashing .288/.367/.438 — Machín had difficulty adjusting to MLB pitching during the three games he played for the Rockies.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 07: Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron (65) throws a warm up pitch before a MLB game on September 07, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s the penultimate road game for the Royals on the final weekend of 2026 baseball for the good guys, and they’re still looking for their first series victory in September. If they don’t win today, they’ll have to wait for next week’s homestand against the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians, who are in a dogfight for the AL Central crown, so the odds don’t feel great for figuring it out then.
The bad news for the Royals is that they’ll be facing Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler. The rookie righthander debuted last year for the Pirates but didn’t pitch enough innings or spend enough time on the roster to lose his eligibility. He’s unlikely to win the award while in the same league as Nolan McLean, J.J. Wetherholt, and Carson Benge, but he’s having a more-than-solid campaign all the same.
He ostensibly features a six-pitch mix, but he throws his four-seam fastball nearly half the time. You’ll notice from the graphic above that, generally speaking, he doesn’t get an inordinate amount of chase, and he gets below-average whiffs. But his fastball does get chase and at least gets average whiffs. He also has positive xwOBACons across the board. You’ll also note a lot of orange in the velocity, extension, tjStuff+, and Grade columns, indicating that all of his pitches are nasty and they’re on you fast. It’s not going to be a fun day at the plate for the Royals.
The good news for the Royals is that Noah Cameron is pitching for probably the second-to-last time this year. One of the saddest parts about the end of the 2026 MLB season will be going more than five days without watching him put on a clinic as a pitcher after taking over pitch-calling duties for himself. Fingers crossed we get to really enjoy that today and one final time for this season next week.
Lineups
Jac Caglianone is back in the lineup tonight after getting last night off for seeming disciplinary reasons. Carter Jensen will get a shot to extend his Royals’ records for lead off home runs and rookie home runs. The Royals will bat three lefties in a row from 3-4-5, so I guess that means Matt Quatraro is cured of the curse many seem to believe he is under to create lineups that flip handedness regardless of any other factors?
Sep 3, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill (44) throws during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Miguel Vargas lets it loose as he celebrates his 33rd homer of the season, giving the White Sox some much-needed breathing room. | (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Sean Burke gave the White Sox a chance to win Saturday afternoon. His offense didn’t give him much support, but it gave him just enough.
The righthander came out firing, mowing through the first with a fly out and back-to-back punchouts. The knuckle curve had bite, and he breezed through the first three innings on just 28 pitches.
The Sox gave him a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Miguel Vargas drew a two-out walk and promptly swiped second with Munetaka Murakami at the plate. With the stolen base, Vargas became the first player in franchise history to record at least 30 doubles, 30 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 100 runs scored. Congratulations to Miggy!
The stolen bag also proved pivotal when Mune dunked a blooper into left field, allowing Vargas to race home. Small ball, but it counts.
It wasn’t exactly a fireworks show, but lately, you take the runs wherever you can find them.
Jackson Jobe was every bit as stingy on the other side. The righty pounded the strike zone, fanned the side in the fourth and made the Sox look lost — except for Colson Montgomery, who at least forced a nine-pitch battle before whiffing — four innings in, still just one lonely hit for Chicago.
Burke encountered his first real bit of trouble in the fourth when Hao-Yu Lee and Riley Greene singled to put runners on first and second with two outs. He escaped with help from Vargas, who made a fantastic play at third on Dillon Dingler’s grounder to end it. Vargas has endured his share of defensive struggles at the hot corner this season, recording -2 Defensive Runs Saved, but that was a gem.
A 28-pitch fifth ended Burke’s efficiency. After plunking Ben Malgeri and allowing a single to Brett Callahan, he walked John Peck to pack the sacks. The breaking pitches that danced early began missing, and Kevin McGonigle lifted a sacrifice fly to left to knot things up. Burke limited the damage by striking out Lee and stranding a pair to end the frame.
The White Sox immediately gave him the lead back. Braden Montgomery ripped a one-out ground-rule double and advanced to third on Brenton Doyle’s single. Sam Antonacci followed with a deep sac fly to left, putting Chicago back in front, 2-1.
Would more runs be nice? Sure. But at this point, you take what you can get and say thank you.
Burke returned for the sixth because, frankly, manager Will Venable didn’t have much choice. The bullpen is taxed, and asking it to nurse a one-run lead for four innings didn’t sound particularly appealing.
That move nearly blew up in his face.
A single and back-to-back two-out walks suddenly loaded the bases for Callahan. Burke spun a 79 mph knuckle curve that Callahan swung at, but the ball squirted away from Teel and Greene slid home with what appeared to be the tying run.
Chicago challenged the call, arguing that the pitch clipped Callahan, making it a dead ball and killing the play. The challenge was successful, sending Greene back to third and keeping the Good Guys in front. Burke finished it himself, snapping off a gorgeous 80 mph curve for the punchout. He roared off the mound, and honestly, who could blame him? The righthander gutted it out, worked through the mess and became the first Sox starter to complete six innings since Aug. 21. Final line: one run, five hits, three walks, five Ks and a quality start.
Miggy gave the South Siders some cushion in the bottom half, blasting the first pitch he saw for a solo home run. The 102 mph rocket was his 33rd homer of the season and extended Chicago’s lead to 3-1. The dinger also kept the White Sox on pace to reach 200 home runs for the first time since 2012
Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor combined to handle the rest. Schultz struck out five over 1 2/3 innings, and Taylor recorded the final four outs, and that’s your ballgame.
Detroit outhit Chicago, 8-4, but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11. Meanwhile, the White Sox went 2-for-2 with RISP.
Clutch hitting. Who knew?
Burke picked up win No. 10, the first Sox starter to hit double digits since 2022, while Schultz earned his first hold and Taylor got his 10th save.
It wasn’t the prettiest victory, but style points stopped mattering a long time ago. With their postseason hopes hanging in the balance, the White Sox needed a win, and they found a way to get one.
The Guardians are still a half-game up and get the A’s tonight.
Time to scoreboard watch, friends.
MVP Sean Burke: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K, HBP, W
Runners-Up Miguel Vargas: 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, HR, SB Munetaka Murakami: 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K Sam Antonacci: 0-for-3, RBI, SAC Braden Montgomery: 1-for-3, R, 2B Noah Schultz: 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, HBP, H Grant Taylor: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, S
Cold Cat Kyle Teel: 0-for-4, 2 K
Runners-Up Andrew Benintendi: 0-for-3, 3 K Colson Montgomery: 0-for-3, 3 K
The Buffalo Sabres played a split squad scrimmage in front of about 3,000 fans at Key Bank Center on Saturday afternoon, giving the club a workout before setting out on their abbreviated preseason in Pittsburgh on Monday. The two sides were divided equally with likely NHLers and players bound for the AHL Rochester Americans, and Team Gold won the three-period scrimmage 3-1, but Team Blue won the shootout 3-2.
Noah Ostlund, Mattias Samuelsson, and Jack Quinn scored for the Gold squad, while Beck Malenstyn scored for the Blue. In the shootout, Tage Thompson, Josh Doan and Owen Power scored for the Blue, while Josh Norris and Rasmus Dahlin tallied for the Gold.
After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff, who watched the game from the press box, said he was happy with the pace of the contest.
Noah Ostlund signs eight-year deal with the Sabres
The scrimmage marked the debut of defenseman Olin Zellweger, who was acquired from Anaheim in June. The 22-year-old was paired with Owen Power and flashed a nice spin move in the second period. The Sabres are hopefully that Zellweger can fill some of the gap created by the departure of Bowen Byram.
"I thought (Olin) closed really well. I think you're looking at guys trying to get used to how we play or want to play and how we close.” Ruff said. “I thought he closed in a lot of plays. I thought offensively , he tried to jump up in that third period where their team needed a goal. He joined on several occasions, where I thought he deferred to maybe a little bit of too much of a fancy play where I thought he probably could have delivered, but a lot to like there for sure.”
The contest also marked the return of Jiri Kulich, who played only 12 games last season due to a blood clot issue. The 22-year-old was able to get back on the ice in July, and the Sabres seem to be easing him back into the lineup, as he has been skating on a fourth-line unit with Sam Carrick and Malenstyn.
"I thought as the game went on, he looked more and more comfortable. Made some good plays, had a couple great chances." Ruff said. "I think there are opportunities. There's a few more plays out there he could have made, but I thought overall he skated really welll (and)he was noticeable.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 11: Adam Macko #71 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 11, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have placed Michel Otanez on the 15 day injured list with a viral illness, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled lefthanded pitcher Adam Macko.
Otanez was called up yesterday in place of the optioned Robbie Ahlstrom, and hopefully he didn’t give anyone in the clubhouse his virus the one day he was here. Ahlstrom could have been recalled, since he would be replacing a player who is going on the injured list, but apparently the Rangers have seen enough of Ahlstrom in the bigs for now.
Macko was acquired from the Jays for Josh Smith and Josh Stephan at the trade deadline. He has only seven appearances covering 6.2 innings for the Rangers since the trade, and allowed four runs in his previous two major league appearances, the last one of which was eight days ago.
Maybe the Rangers just wanted Macko to get to see his old teammates, and he’ll be sent back down for someone else on Monday.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 13: Bubba Chandler #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kansas City Royals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 19, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates in the middle match of a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals this weekend inside PNC Park.
The Royals are starting Noah Cameron, who is in his second MLB season with the Royals. The left-hander is 9-8 this season with a 3.4 ERA. He is coming off a no-decision in his most recent appearance on September 13 against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Cameron went six innings, giving up four hits and one earned run, but the Kansas City offense could not generate enough. They tied the game 1-1 in the seventh inning, but Boston scored four runs late to escape with a 5-1 win.
The Pirates are handing the ball to Bubba Chandler, who is hoping to continue the winning streak he built in Chicago last week. Chandler has won his last two starts against the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs, but he’s hoping he can match that energy at home against the Royals. In his last start against the Cubs on September 13, he went 5.1 innings, giving up five hits and three runs in a 4-3 victory.
The season is winding down, so Chandler has to make it count to warrant consideration for next year’s rotation.
No one expects the Warriors to be NBA champions next season.
So, will it be a wasted season?
Far from it.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry looks on during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Not everything can be judged by whether the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy is hoisted in June.
The Warriors are playing for so much more than a champagne bath. They’re playing for each other. Steve Kerr chose to return as coach because he wanted to finish what he started with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, who won four championships in eight years from 2015-2022, becoming the league’s modern-day dynasty.
They’ve had each other’s backs for 12 years. They’ve been through wars. They’re brothers.
Next season is about two players and a coach who have shown a loyalty to one another that’s uncharacteristic in a league where players jump ship at any signs of distress and coaches are cycled through faster than ephemeral social media trends.
In a world of change, the Warriors stand out.
And they’re still fun as heck.
Curry is still the greatest shooter of all time. He became the oldest point guard last season to be named an All-Star starter.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, and Draymond Green (23) stand during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, April 17, 2026. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. Getty Images
Green remains a thrilling and fiery force on the defensive end, the embodiment of a player who transformed himself from being overlooked into a Hall of Famer through sheer heart and grit.
Kerr is still one of the sharpest minds in the sport, as well as a fearless leader on and off the court.
Are they the edge-of-your-seat show they once were? No. But are they still fascinating? Yes.
There are a lot of questions.
Can they make a move before the trade deadline to become competitive? Can Curry remain the most jaw-dropping player in the league as he turns 39? Can Jimmy Butler return from injury and provide the kind of jolt he did back in February 2025, when the Warriors finished the season with a 23-8 record after trading for him?
The Warriors still have their spark, even though they haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since winning their last championship in 2022.
We were reminded of that last season.
Facing elimination in a play-in game against the Clippers in April, Curry and Green tapped into their greatness, channelling what made them the best in the world at their jobs for nearly a decade.
Curry had 35 points, scoring 27 of them in a dizzying second-half scoring spree. Green held Kawhi Leonard to two points in the fourth quarter. It was a vintage performance. It was magical.
Those guys still have that inside of them.
After that game, Kerr was beaming. His joy was palpable. His words were shiver-inducing.
“For one night, we’re us,” Kerr said. “We’re champions again.”
The Warriors are searching for that feeling again.
It might not lead to a first-place finish, not in a league with teams with young legs and deep rosters chomping at the bit.
But they’ll still have those small moments.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center, Friday, April 17, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. Getty Images
You know, the times when Curry goes unconscious from the court, leaving Green genuinely smiling and Kerr trying to find the right adjectives to describe the beauty he just witnessed in his postgame news conference.
Or when Green makes a defensive stop and roars, the type of scene that has happened so many times and led to him being called the unequivocal soul of the team.
Or when Kerr knows exactly what Curry or Green needs to be told in a specific moment, showcasing his rare and piercing ability to connect with people that has turned him into one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
Kerr, Curry and Green are playing for something different now. Their success isn’t going to be measured by wins and losses.
It will be measured by the magnitude of playing for something greater than themselves. By the camaraderie generated over 12 seasons of fighting alongside one another. By the genuine joy that comes from seeing each other shine. By unparalleled loyalty. By the dignity of standing together as their dynasty fades.
The Warriors may not be one of the elite teams in the league.
But they’re still one of the greatest shows out there.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 01: BJ Murray Jr. #83 of the Chicago Cubs hits a single, his first MLB hit, against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on September 01, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Iowa activated right-hander Tyler Santana from the Development list and placed right-hander Grant Kipp on it.
Strong start for Andrew Wentz, who got the win after going five innings and giving up just one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Gavin Hollowell pitched 1.1 innings in a rehab appearance. Hollowell faced five batters and struck out four of them. He walked the other one.
Jaxon Wiggins relieved Hollowell with one on and one out in the ninth. He threw one pitch and got a game-ending double play.
The I-Cubs scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed afterwards. Left fielder Chas McCormick hit a two-run double in the first and later in the inning scored on a ground out. McCormick went 3 for 5 with the double.
DH BJ Murray hit a two-run single in the fourth inning. Murray went 2 for 5 and also scored on McCormick’s double in the first inning.
Shortstop Owen Miller was 2 for 5 and also scored on McCormick’s double.
First baseman Owen Ayers was 1 for 3 with two walks.
McCormick’s double went high off the center field wall.
Throughout the careers of most NHL players, there are, at least, a few different uniforms that they sport until the day they decide to hang up the skates. Some are NHL legends themselves, and some have the rare opportunity to suit up next to NHL legends on teams that folks talk about for a long, long time.
For new Pittsburgh Penguins Hendrix Lapierre and Trevor van Riemsdyk, having legends as teammates and being part of winning organizations is the only thing they've known.
The 24-year-old Lapierre was dealt to the Penguins from the Washington Capitals a few days prior to free agency this summer, which means he's had the opportunity to skate with the two biggest stars of their respective generation in Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The same goes for the decade-older van Riemsdyk, who was the first confirmed signing of NHL free agency this summer with his two-year, $8 million deal and who also won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 during his rookie season.
Lapierre and van Riemsdyk are good friends, so when they learned they were both going to Pittsburgh - a very familiar foe - it eased the transition.
"It's always a nice thing to have a familiar face when you go somewhere new," van Riemsdyk said. "My first day here, I walked in with Hendrix, so I felt a little less... I don't even know how to describe it. But it's always good to have a buddy."
Granted, both just arrived in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, and they are still new to everyone and everything here. But, given the air of living hockey legends and the respective places Washington and Pittsburgh find themselves directionally, they see similarities between the organizations, their veteran players and their approach to competitive rebuilding.
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, the Capitals experienced four consecutive first-round exits before missing the playoffs in 2023 - the same year that Pittsburgh had their first miss since 2006. The Penguins were also ousted in the first round four times in a row beforehand, and when the early playoff exits became a pattern, both teams started to hold onto higher-value draft picks.
The Caps got a bit more ahead of it than the Penguins, as they selected Alexander Alexeyev (31st overall), Connor McMichael (25th overall), and Lapierre (22nd overall) in consecutive drafts from 2018-20, although none of them are still with the club. They traded their first in 2021 and have kept every first since, selecting left wing Ivan Miroshnichenko (20th in 2022), right wing Ryan Leonard (eighth in 2023), right wing Terik Parascak (17th in 2024), left wing Lynden Lakovic (27th in 2025) and center Oliver Suvanto (18th in 2026) consecutively.
The Penguins didn't start keeping their first-round picks with some consistency until 2022, when they took Owen Pickering 22nd overall. They selected center Brayden Yager with their 14th pick in 2023 - he was later traded to the Winnipeg Jets one-for-one for a different first-round selection in Rutger McGroarty - before dealing their 2024 first for Erik Karlsson, although they probably got first-round value out of one of their second-rounders in Harrison Brunicke (44th overall). Then, the last two years, they have selected Ben Kindel (11th overall) and Liam Ruck (22nd), both of whom figure to be part of their future.
Pittsburgh may be a bit behind Washington timeline-wise with how they're building out, but the approach is the same: Keep the NHL roster competitive with a few all-time great veterans and acquisitions, and make sure they're mining gold in the drafting, scouting and development departments along the way despite lacking lottery-zone picks.
Lapierre has confidence in the way Pittsburgh is building because he's seen it happen with some success so far in Washington, even if the Capitals missed the playoffs last season. He said that all the organizations have known is winning, so they know how to add playoff assets and grow young talent simultaneously.
"You can kind of see both teams trying to add some good players, some assets to try to make the playoffs," Lapierre said. "At the same time, I didn't know much about the young players here, and watching them play, I'm super impressed. And it was the same thing in Washington. So, I think it's two teams that are kind of doing the same thing, which is very good.
"In the last couple of years, the good trades that have happened around the league, or the good contracts, a lot of them involve these two teams. So, I think they're just very two well-driven, good-cultured teams, and they've had success for a number of years because of that."
Of course, the success the organizations have had in staying relevant and generally competitive as long as they have starts with the championship culture that has been cultivated in the last two decades.
And that tone is set by some of those NHL legends mentioned earlier.
"[The Penguins] have core players that have been here for 20-plus years. Same thing in Washington," van Riemsdyk said. "I think people probably expected both organizations to fall off maybe a little bit more than they have. I know, two years ago in Washington when we had a great season, I don't think many people were expecting that from us. And then, last year here in Pittsburgh, I don't think many people predicted the season that they had, and they had a ton of guys step up.
"It just shows with both organizations how much that culture can carry you even when there's a lot of turnover in players."
It's worth repeating that the Penguins are a few years behind the Capitals in terms of what they're trying to accomplish. Washington's hand was forced two summers ago when longtime veteran forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie both hit long-term injured reserve and, eventually, retirement, giving them cap room to acquire defensemen Jakub Chychrun and Matt Roy as well as forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. Those guys helped elevate them to a first-place finish in the East with 111 points during the 2024-25 season.
This summer - after taking a step back last season - Washington decided to take advantage of the rising-cap environment and use some of its assets and young players, including McMichael, to acquire high-end talent up front in veterans Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner. The Caps are at a point where they have infused their system with enough talent that they can begin to take swings in the trade market to help keep them competitive, perhaps even after Alex Ovechkin calls it a career.
As for the Penguins, they find themselves facing some decisions about moving on from key veterans in Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson in order to infuse a similar youth movement both internally and externally. They have some key complementary young pieces on the verge of full-time NHL minutes, but they still need some elite young talent at center and on defense in addition to promising young players in Kindel, Brunicke, and goaltender Sergei Murashov, who could be core pieces for them moving forward.
Like the Caps, eventually, they will probably need to say goodbye to some of their good young players and those veterans not named Crosby - like Ovechkin in Washington - in order to reach a point where their cornerstone generational talent marries with the organization's youth and high-end talent acquired via trade to build a true winner, hopefully, with said living legend still on the roster.
But the bottom line for both teams is this: Neither organization plans to go the traditional route of "tear-it-to-the-studs" in order to accomplish sustainable contention. They both have young pieces in place and plan to keep adding them as the timing, acquisition cost and market make sense.
And that culture of refusal to "lose in order to win" still makes both places a favorable destination for players - even if both teams, to different degrees, have some work to do in building toward consistent Cup contention, even if unconventionally.
"Obviously, when you get traded like me, you don't really have the option to choose which team you're going to. But, I think being a free agent, or even just getting traded, you're super happy to come [to Pittsburgh]," Lapierre said. "I've only been here for a week and a half or two weeks, but it seems like it's super well-ran."
And, as a 35-year-old free agent veteran who had a ton of say in where he ended up, there are a couple of reasons why van Riemsdyk signed with the Penguins so quickly: the organization's promising outlook for the future played its part, but so did the guys who have always made it a winner's destination - and could continue to.
"Obviously, I was part of a Cup team my rookie year. It's 13 years later now, and haven't gotten back," he said. "You realize how hard it is, and when you get older, you realize the chances are going to be limited. So you want to go places where success is on the forefront, and here, it is always like that. Sid is always pushing guys, Geno, Karl, Tanger... they've been part of great teams.
"As long as they're around, I think they're always going to be pretty damn successful."
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Tarris Reed Jr. #10 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You don’t often see teams double down on rookies at the same position in the draft. It’s even rarer that you see a team make a trade to grab a player at the same position they just drafted. That either speaks to Tarris Reed’s value, the status of Jayden Quaintance’s knee, or how dire the San Antonio Spurs’ need for center depth was. Reed Jr. is set to be the most impactful Spurs rookie, according to a recent poll.
Reed Jr. is coming off his best college season, averaging 14.7 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. He’s a bit of a throwback player with his combination of size, strength, and touch at the center position. He’s more likely to score on an offensive rebound or in the low post than to run the break in transition and soar for a dunk, or knock down three-pointers.
In the summer league, Reed Jr. looked at his best when he was using his 6-foot-10, 260-pound frame around the basket to clear the glass on both ends, or score physically through traffic. His best skill was one that won’t show up in the stat sheet but will make a real impact: setting screens. He helped guards like Ja’Kobi Gillespie get downhill with ease by cutting off angles with his wide frame.
It’s those transferable skills that should make him an immediate impact player for San Antonio. At worst, he’s another big body that the Spurs can use when Victor Wembanyama or Luke Kornet need to rest. At best, he could fight his way into the rotation as a physical presence who can give San Antonio another look from the fundamentally sound Kornet and the genetic freak Wembanyama. Expect him to get a chance to show what he can do early, like Carter Bryant and Dylan Harper had last season.
Quaintance, the 20th pick in the draft, may have a higher ceiling than Reed Jr., but will be recovering from knee surgery to start the season. There has been no timetable for Quaintance’s return yet, and depending on when he’s healthy, it may make sense to shut him down for the season, so as not to thrust a rookie into a playoff push. If Quaintance can play, San Antonio could field one of the scariest defensive lineups in the league, pairing the rookie with Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Bryant.
Maliq Brown and Gillespie are underrated pieces of the puzzle. They’re excellent two-way depth who can play niche roles. Brown as a defender and rim runner, and Gillespie as a fourth or fifth guard along with David Jones-Garcia.
San Antonio has an influx of impressive young talent. They are all well behind more veteran players on the depth chart, but could all make an impact at some point in the season.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 18: Miguel Vargas #20 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field on September 18, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jackson Jobe threw a fairly good game on Saturday, matching his career high strikeouts. Unfortunately, the White Sox capitalized on their opportunities, while the Tigers had traffic all game long but couldn’t cash in their chances. They dropped the third of four on the south side by a 3-1 margin, and will look to split the series on Sunday.
Saturday’s matchup featured RHP Sean Burke against RHP Jackson Jobe. The game was originally a night game, but fears of rain this evening prompted them to move the game up to a 2:10 p.m. ET start.
Burke struck out Hao-Yu Lee and Colt Keith in a 1-2-3 top of the first. Jobe locked up Kyle Teel with a sinker that dropped just into the top of the zone for the second out in the bottom of the first. However, he walked Miguel Vargas, who promptly stole second pretty easily. Facing the dangerous Munetaka Murakami, Jobe got weak contact with a breaking ball, but the slugger blooped one in just in front of Brett Callahan in left, and Vargas scored to make it 1-0. A perfect back foot slider whiffed Andrew Benintendi to end the inning.
A sharp one-out single from Dillon Dingler in the top of the second gave the Tigers an opportunity to develop. That came to an abrupt end instead when Max Clark grounded one up the middle and into a double play ball to end the frame.
Jobe blew away Colson Montgomery with high heat and then whiffed Chase Meidroth with a good changeup. Braden Montgomery grounded out to end the second inning. Still 1-0 White Sox.
Burke was still cruising in the top of the third. Ben Malgeri struck out and Callahan and John Peck both made routine outs on the balls in play. Jobe was spotting his stuff pretty well, and he got the first two outs of the bottom half quickly, but Kyle Teel pulled a pretty routine grounder to first and Keith booted it. Fortunately, that only extended the inning for one pitch as Vargas flew out just short of the warning track in left. On to the fourth inning.
Kevin McGonigle was up first in the top of the fourth, and in a 1-1 count, Burke drew a pitch clock violation call. Will Venable wanted some clarification on that one, delaying the at-bat for a minute, but it stuck. McGonigle grounded out to Vargas at third, making that a moot point. Hao-Yu Lee, fresh off his monster four-hit performance on Friday night, lined a first pitch slider into center field for a single. Keith flew out to left, but Riley Greene pulled a single into right. Lee was caught dancing off first and hesitated a moment on the ball in play, so he only got to second base. Dingler ripped a ground ball to the pull side, but Vargas made a nice forehand pick on the one-hopper and retired him to end the threat.
Jobe whiffed Benintendi and Murakami with good back foot sliders to start the bottom half. The breaking stuff is really coming along, and he threw some good changeups as well early on. Montgomery battled through a nine-pitch at-bat but Jobe got him on a curveball fouled tipped into the glove for his seventh strikeout. This is looking very promising folks. A surprising lack of whiffs has dogged Jobe’s early major league work, but he’s racking them up now with a really nasty six-pitch mix.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Burke clipped Malgeri in the wrist on a 3-2 pitch. Callahan ripped a sharp single to center field, and the Tigers were in business with one out. Teel missed a 2-2 challenge on a high fastball, making it 3-2, and Burke walked him to load the bases. That brought McGonigle to the dish in a key spot.
Burke was nibbling a bit and fell behind 2-1, but McGonigle got a mashable heater and fouled it off. Another curveball missed to drive the count full and there was nowhere to put him. McGonigle lifted a 3-2 pitch to left for a sacrifice fly to score Malgeri and tie the game 1-1. Burke’s pitch count had been in excellent shape, but was now suddenly spiraling, and he had to face Hao-Yu Lee with runners on first and second. Burke fell behind, but Lee fouled off a pair of high fastballs and a good curveball got the whiff to turn the Tigers away. But, the ballgame was now tied up 1-1.
So we had ourselves a tie game, and Jobe started the bottom of the fifth at 66 pitches. Meidroth flew out, but Montgomery fouled off some tough pitches. He eventually got himself a sinker and banged it off the left field wall for a double. Brenton Doyle flicked a single to left off the end of the bat, and it was first and third with one out. Sam Antonacci flew out to left, but deep enough to get Montgomery home as Callahan threw in to second to hold Doyle at first. 2-1 White Sox. Teel flew out to Clark in center to end the inning on Jobe’s 80th pitch.
Riley Greene singled with one out in the top of the sixth. Dingler flew out, and Burke fell behind Clark 3-0. The right-hander spotted a fastball at the top of the zone to make it 3-1, and a good cutter got a whiff to push the count full. Another cutter missed away to walk him. Teel wasted the White Sox last challenge on a pitch that wasn’t very close, and so Malgeri dug in with two on and two out. The Sox had lefty Noah Schultz just starting to warm up while Burke fell behind again 3-0. Malgeri took a fastball to make it 3-1, and fouled the next one back, but Burke missed again, walking him to load the bases.
Venable and company were late to get the bullpen cooking, and so Burke stayed in to face Callahan. A 2-1 breaking ball drew a big whiff, but bounced away from Teel and Greene read it perfectly and scored from third. The White Sox challenged the play, and we saw that the ball had nicked Callahan’s back foot, and so the run didn’t count and it was 2-2 to Callahan. He fouled off another big curveball out of the zone, and the Tigers rookie took the next one and it dropped into the top of the zone to strand the bases loaded. Callahan’s aggressiveness got him there, as both curveballs he fouled off were balls inside.
Jobe had a long break in that inning, and the first pitch he threw was a slider to Vargas that got punished to left field for a solo shot. 3-1 White Sox.
Jacob Waguespack and Tyler Holton got up and warming in the Tigers’ pen as Jobe’s 86th pitch got a ground out from Murakami. He whiffed Benintendi again on a good slider for his eighth punch out and got Montgomery with a changeup to wrap up the inning.
6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 9 K isn’t the greatest line of all-time, but all through the minor leagues and the beginning of his major league career, Jobe was still feeling for the optimal shapes for his breaking stuff. The whiffs were always a little light considering his velocity and spin rates. They’ve made excellent progress in both shape and command, and now Jobe looks more likely to reach his frontline starter ceiling than not. His 16 whiffs in this one tied his career high.
Schultz took over in the top of the seventh, facing Peck, who struck out. The big lefty was pumping high 90’s heat with a nasty sweeper-cutter combo away from lefties. McGonigle was unphased, lining a single to right field. That was 256 times reaching base for McGonigle, one of the all-time best marks for a rookie.
Hao-Yu Lee bit on a cutter and struck out, and AJ Hinch turned to Spencer Torkelson hitting for Keith and taking over at first. Schultz tied him up with a good cutter and then spun in another one for strike three to end that at-bat, and we were on to the bottom of the seventh.
Waguespack took over from Jobe, and quickly hit Chase Meidroth. He bounced right back to coax a double play ball from Montgomery, and locked up Doyle with a high curveball for a pretty snappy inning. The strikeouts aren’t really there for Waguespack, and he has been hit hard at times, but outing for outing, he continues to give the Tigers quality innings.
Schultz missed 2-2 to Riley Greene to start the eighth, but it was a strike and the White Sox couldn’t challenge. The next pitch was a heater that sailed inside and clipped the Tigers’ outfielder to put the leadoff man on. Schultz punched out Dingler on three pitches. Max Clark wanded a 2-2 breaking ball and dumped a single into right field to amplify the threat, while closer Grant Taylor was warming in the Sox bullpen. Schultz jammed Malgeri with a cutter first pitch, and he popped out on the infield. Eduardo Valencia entered to pinch-hit for Callahan, and this felt like the whole ballgame right here as Venable countered with Taylor to get a right-on-right matchup. He did the job, jamming Valencia and getting a bouncer to first. The Tigers had now left 10 men on base in this one.
Waguespack tied up Antonacci with a changeup for a ground out to first, starting the bottom of the eighth. Zach McKinstry took over for Valenica, playing right field. Another good changeup whiffed Kyle Teel as the veteran right-hander continued to make his case for a return engagement with the Tigers in 2027. They avoided Vargas entirely, walking him on four straight, but now faced Murakami, who whiffed on another good changeup to strike out and send this to the ninth.
Peck was up first against the White Sox’s closer, and grounded out to shortstop. McGonigle grounded out as well, and that left it up to Lee. He fought off some triple digit heat from Taylor and then grounded a curveball for a single to keep the game alive for Torkelson. Taylor fell behind 2-0, but dropped in a curve and then got a whiff with the slider to even the count. Another slider was lifted out to Doyle in left center field, and that was that.
The White Sox creep back a half game behind the Cleveland Guardians, who play later tonight. The Tigers? Well, let’s just enjoy the final week of baseball. The story of the series so far has been trouble driving runners in, as the Tigers have 32 hits to the White Sox 16. They just haven’t made enough of them count.
Ichiro did not take it easy in what was supposed to be a fun exhibition against the Japanese top high school girl’s baseball team earlier this week. Apparently girl’s hardball is rapidly becoming more popular in the land of the rising sun, and I approve. Anyway, we needed some levity after this one.
Highlight package of a 52-year old Ichiro striking out Japan’s top high school girl baseball players wild. He legit does not give AF. Uses every pitch in his arsenal. https://t.co/InhFmQfTLWpic.twitter.com/NOe9DPCqpV
When the Los Angeles Dodgers were in Cincinnati on the second leg of their most recent road trip, manager Dave Roberts approached Josue De Paula.
"Just wait until we get back to LA," he recalled Roberts telling him. "It's different."
Sure enough, the raucous 48,000 fans -- a light crowd by Dodger Stadium standards -- packed inside Chavez Ravine for his home debut on Friday, Sept. 18 surpassed whatever the rookie's expectations were. Everything, from the environment to the deafening cheers that only seemed to grow louder as the Dodgers slugged their way to an 8-2 win over the hated rival San Francisco Giants, to the air itself, felt different.
"It's like a movie, man," De Paula told USA TODAY Sports.
De Paula, 21, has played his role perfectly through his first week in the big leagues.
The No. 6 prospect in baseball carries himself with a confidence that's rarely seen in someone as young as him. He's played in only eight games since being called up straight from Double-A Tulsa after Shohei Ohtani was placed on the injured list, or "just thrown into it" as he put it, but De Paula has relied on the skillset that got him here. He controls the strike zone, seeing the ball extremely well and is selective with what pitches he swings at, rarely chasing. That part of his game has transitioned seamlessly.
When De Paula does see a pitch he likes, his calm demeanor at the plate helps him stay centered and keeps him from jumping out ahead of the ball.
"I feel the adrenaline, but I feel like I just know how to pinpoint it and focus it," he said. "I'm so locked in, but I know how to calm myself down."
And when he does make contact, it's loud. So is De Paula.
That was seen in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday. De Paula walked up to "Ima Boss" by Meek Mill (his third different walk-up song of the night by the way, this one was chosen by his mom). The triumphant horns on the 2011 anthem produced by Jahlil Beats had barely subsided over the loudspeakers when De Paula slapped a first-pitch slider from Giants reliever Jason Foley 107 mph into the gap in the right field for an RBI double that scored the go-ahead run from first.
Once he got to second base standing up, De Paula threw his hands in the air and hit the Dodgers' on-base celebration, swiveling his hips around before putting his own twist on it: pounding his chest and flexing toward his teammates in the dugout.
"He loves playing the game," Mookie Betts said. "He's full of life. When he gets on the field, it's like a quiet focus, but when he's off the field he likes joking ... and whatnot. He's a good kid."
"We got some swag in Brooklyn. We got some swag in the Dominican Republic. I just feel like I got a chip on my shoulder," De Paula said. "And it just comes out naturally."
That came out again in the bottom of the eighth when Giants reliever Philip Abner threw a first-pitch fastball up that was called a strike by umpire Louie Krupa. De Paula immediately tapped his helmet to challenge, and ABS showed the ball had missed the top of the zone 0.1 inches. The Dodger Stadium crowd got fired up as they watched the replay unfold on the jumbotron and the call was overturned to ball one, and De Paula nodded his head toward his teammates before working a two-out walk on four pitches.
Betts homered in the very next at-bat to break open a five-run lead. Will Smith then followed that up with the Dodgers' fourth long ball of the inning.
"Love De Paula," Roberts said. "I just love his at-bats. It's one of those things that we knew that coming up to the big leagues, he wasn't going to get overwhelmed, and it just helps when you control the strike zone. He takes his walks, when the ball is in the hitting zone, he can slug you, but he also knows how to get a base hit. It's been very professional."
De Paula finished his Dodger Stadium debut 2-for-3 with two runs, and RBI and a walk to bring his OPS up to .924. It's been a very small sample size, and baseball has a way of humbling even the most skilled hitters. It is, after all, a game of failure. But what he has been able to do in his first "trial run", filling in for the back-to-back National League MVP no less, might be indicative of something larger.
At the very least, he's played himself into the postseason roster conversation.
"To have (Roberts) believe in me so much," De Paula said. "I always have confidence in myself but to have someone like that believe in you, it just puts another oomph on your shoulder. It feels amazing."
For now, De Paula's just working. The weakest area of his game is his defense, and while the vast majority of this first stint in the majors will be as a designated hitter, he's using the opportunity get better. De Paula's taking advice from Roberts and the entire coaching staff. He's asking his teammates questions. He's shagging fly balls every day.
"I'm gonna shut a lot of people up with my defense very soon," he said. "It's gonna take some time."
That opportunity likely won't come for a while; Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker are both getting hot and settling into their rhythms in the corner outfield spots in the final two weeks of the regular season. If De Paula does make the postseason roster after Ohtani comes back, it would probably be as a lefty bat off the bench.
Whatever happens over the next two weeks before October, De Paula's focused on the now, enjoying every moment he can. He got the ball back from his first Dodger Stadium hit – a leadoff single to right field in the fifth inning – and he knows exactly where to put it.
"I'm gonna give it to my parents," De Paula said. "I might give it to them right now."
