CINCINNATI, OH - MAY 23: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds greets JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeffrey Dean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Kevin McGonigle in the AL was a no-brainer, so no point in throwing that question out there. But the NL, well… Sal Stewart won, and my question, in its basic form, is whether you would’ve helped or hurt that cause if you were one of the voters.
To me, it was a relatively easy vote for JJ Wetherholt and I don’t think Stewart even had a particularly good season, so my answer is a very easy “no.” If you want a different, much longer examination, Ben Clemens did it here over a month ago. Any specific vote aside, Stewart just didn’t really hit that well considering his home park, and I think arguments beyond his counting stat have to rely on his leverage/men on base splits, which aren’t very compelling to me for this type of award.
Anyway, are you here to make a spirited defense of Stewart, or… not?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 14: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs goes to block the shot of Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns on October 14, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs won their ninth straight game, and Victor Wembanyama decided to block that many shots in honor of this mini streak. Wembanyama also scored a game-high 40 points on an incredulous 79% field goal percentage, while grabbing 11 boards and blocking the aforementioned 9 shots on the defensive end. Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox each chipped in 17 points and 15 points, respectively.
Dylan Robert Harper with the step and the scoop in transition. Next to Wembanyama’s orbit, Harper had a “modest” 17 points, but he was just as uber efficient—hitting 70% of his shots from the floor to go along with a well-rounded 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Victor. Who are you kidding with that baby pump fake while you’re barreling down the lane? Who’s going to block your shot, huh? A bird? A plane?? The next Superman (now that Warner Bros. is going in ANOTHER direction with the DCU)??? Basketball coaches the world over do teach you to always keep the ball up, lest you bring it down and risk it being swiped. But, come on.
I believe, that in French, these two back-to-back plays are what they would say, “Merde, Victor est quelque part là-haut.”
Really, if I was an NBA player, I would use Wembanyama for every excuse if the coaches were yelling at me:
“Why did you shoot that ball?!”
Me: “I didn’t! I was trying to pass it to Victor!”
“Why didn’t you shoot that ball?!”
Me: “I did! Victor must have subconsciously blocked it with his mind. I hear he’s developed telekinesis now.”
“Why are you playing such horrible defense?!”
Me: “What is defense? Let’s break it down. The free market theory stipulates that goods and services are determined by supply and demand without government intervention. Therefore, in this case, the offense from the opposing team was in more demand than the supply that our defense could provide. If you ask me, it really goes back to what Adam Smith . . . why are you rubbing your temples so aggressively, coach?”
Who had Wembanyama shimmy and turnaround midrange fade away jumper at the buzzer on their Bingo card? The shot was impressive as well as the 15 for 19 field goal percentage from Number One. He’s shooting 75% from the field in his last two games, which in other cultures would qualify him for MVP: Make Vermicelli Prescient.
Nine blocks. The dude needed one more block for an atypical, unconventional, out-of-this-world triple-double. Why do I suddenly sound like Jackie Chiles parodying the late Johnnie Cochran? I don’t know either, but it’s preposterous, downright ridiculous, almost churlish that you would even bring up that sort of baseless, unrefined, tickety-tack accusation.
That being said, I would pay a lot of money to see Wembanyama block someone and say tauntingly, “Your face is my case.”
I have no idea what happened here below in this clip. I think Stephon Castle faked everyone out, including the cameraperson. He’s like the David Copperfield of Criss Angels on the basketball court. Is that a backhanded compliment? Absolutely not. But also, look behind your back hand . . . is THIS your card? Please don’t leave. We need the page hits. Also remember to turn off your ad blocker. Not everything has to be digested in 5 seconds on a reel. Support long-form media. I mean long-form media in general, like many of the other great articles offered here on PtR. But not here, here. I merely write highlights. A.I. (Allen Iverson) and TikTok (this kid who used to sell pirogi recipes outside the 7-11 by our house) got nothing on me.
If it makes you feel better, I think Charlie Thaddeus is on the schedule later today with “What We Learned From the Spurs’. . .”
Don’t be fooled by Keldon Johnson’s act of kindness in returning that patron’s phone. In the two seconds he got his fingerprints on it, he was able to air drop all of Hootie and the Blowfish’s catalogue into said patron’s phone. You’re welcome. I mean, thank you Keldon—for always hustling for Hootie.
Behind-the-back touch pass? In this economy? How dare you, De’Aaron Fox. Fox, for his part, kept keeping the offense rolling with 6 assists for the night, right about where he’s averaging per night as he makes sure this Spurs offensive machine chugs along.
My goodness. That spin move by Harper was so nasty, Taco Bell asked for the recipe for their next experimental amalgamation of assorted lab meats. Please don’t take that as an insult to Taco Bell. I’m having Taco Bell right now! The only insult to be had is my digestive system at my choice of amalgamated lab meats.
Now is a good time as any to just shut it down after this highlight. This man just casually hopped from outside the free throw line to gently lay the ball into the cubby with a finger roll. I suspect Wembanyama is beta testing outstretched cartoon-y Space Jam poses until he gets one he likes so that he can get Michael Jordan to sign the photo.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home for a three-game homestand and will face the Florida Panthers tonight at 7:30 PM.
Florida Panthers - 9-7-2 - 20 Points - Loss 2 - 5th in the Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets - 7-8-0 - 14 Points - Lost 1 - 6th in the Metro
Teams Notes Per CBJ PR
The Blue Jackets are led in goals, points, points-per-game (1.07), game-winning goals, and multi-point performances (three games) by 24-year-old Kent Johnson with 8-8-16 and two GWGs in 15 contests this season.
Johnson has recorded points in seven straight games (4-7-11) for the longest run on the team this season and is one game shy of his career-high (4-5-9 in 8 GP from Jan. 20 to Feb. 4, 2025). He is one of 11 skaters in the NHL to have an active streak of seven games or more.
2025-26 Norris Trophy winner, Zach Werenski, has picked up where he left off after scoring in back-to-back games, stretching his points streak to six-straight games (2-6-8).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Cole Sillinger has notched 4-2-6 in 12 career GP vs. FLA, who scored on Oct. 13 for 3-1-4 in his last 5 against FLA.
Zach Werenski has notched 7-9-16 with three career multi-point efforts in 28 GP vs. Florida and has 5-5-10 in 15 career matchups when playing at Nationwide Arena.
Damon Severson notched two assists on Oct. 13 vs. Florida to improve to 4-13-17 in 30 career matchups.
Valeri Nichushkin has collected 2-5-7 and two multi-point outings in 14 career games vs. Florida, with all points notched in four of his last five meetings against the club.
Sean Monahan has 8-7-15 with five multi-point efforts in 23 career matchups and has notched 5-5-10 in 12 career home contests vs. Florida.
Kent Johnson has posted 2-2-4 in 11 career matchups against the Panthers with 1-1-2 in his last three games after scoring on Oct. 13.
Charlie Coyle has posted 10-8-18 in 34 career games vs. the Panthers, with 6-5-11 in 18 career home matchups and assists in three of his past four games against Florida.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 17.6% - 26th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.6% - 20th in the NHL
Goals For - 38 - 32nd in the NHL
Goals Against - 47 - 5th in the NHL
PanthersStats
Power Play - 23.5% - 10th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 85.7% - 6th in the NHL
Goals For - 56 - 15th in the NHL
Goals Against - 55 - 19th in the NHL
Series History vs. ThePanthers
The Blue Jackets are 27-22-8 Overall, and 17-8-4 at Nationwide Arena vs. Florida.
Four of the past seven meetings between the Jackets and the Panthers have been decided by a single goal.
The teams have combined for seven or more goals in 10 of the last 16 meetings since Jan. 15, 2022.
The winning team has scored four or more goals in 18 of the past 22 games of the series.
The winning team has won by multiple goals in 15 of the last 20 meetings of the series, including 12 instances by three-plus goals.
Who To Watch For ThePanthers
Matthew Tkachuk leads Florida with 22 assists and 26 points.
Brady Tkachuk leads the Panthers with 10 goals
Jacob Markstrom is 4-3-1 with a SV% of .886%. His last start was on November 8th.
Akira Schmid is 5-3-1 with a SV% of .886%. His last star was on November 7th.
Injured Reserve & Other Injuries
Isac Lundestrom - Achilles Surgery - LTIR - 15 Games Missed - Lightly skating. Could return soon.
Conor Garland - Upper Body Injury - No timeline for a return.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 39
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be simulcast on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+, and on 97.1 The Fan, with John Buccigross calling the play-by-play.
TV: ESPN+/HULU/Disney+
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: Carson Benge #3 and A.J. Ewing #9 of the New York Mets celebrate their 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Carson Benge finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting—runner-up to Reds first baseman Sal Stewart, whose massive home run and RBI totals beat out Benge’s more well-rounded case.
The Mets had two other players receive votes for NL Rookie of the Year; Nolan McLean finished fourth and A.J. Ewing came in ninth.
“I do favor the Mets at this point,” said Jon Heyman on MLB Network yesterday regarding the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, which is heating up with the Dodgers facing financial constraints that may limit their ability to re-sign this off-season’s top free agent.
“I think the Mets are going to be looking to make some trades for starting pitching,” said SNY MLB insider Chelsea Janes, reporting from the GM meetings in Vegas. “I don’t expect them to go full free agency.”
The Dodgers claimed infielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Mets, who had signed him prior to the 40-man roster deadline and then designated him for assignment. They did the same with infielder Kyren Paris, but he cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.
Around the National League East
Per reporting by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Braves have “no interest” in trading Ronald Acuña Jr.
The Phillies have reportedly shown interest in shortstop Ha-Seong Kim as insurance at the position in case they decide to have Trea Turner, who has not excelled defensively, play elsewhere on the diamond.
With left-handed pitching at the top of their wish list, Adrian Morejon, Alex Vesia, and Sean Newcomb are top free agent targets for the Miami Marlins.
Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle won the American League Rookie of the Year honor decisively, with Parker Messick and Payton Tolle rounding out the top three. With injury holding him back at the end of the season, early-season NL favorite JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals came in third behind Stewart and Benge.
The GM meetings kick off this week in Las Vegas and normally one would not necessarily expect there to be a flurry of activity, but with a looming lockout, this year is different.
One team who will be active is the Cubs, who are looking to address their starting rotation, which is their biggest priority this off-season. Though that makes them a great candidate for the Skubal sweepstakes on paper, they “appear unlikely to enter the bidding war,” for Skubal, according to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. However, it is expected that Chicago will check in on pretty much every other free agent starter.
Speculation is growing that the Rangers may be shopping the expensive trio of Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi in an attempt to shed payroll. But it won’t necessarily be a simple feat; both deGrom and Eovaldi have full no-trade clauses and Seager has a partial no-trade clause and is owed $150 million over the next five years.
Per reporting from Jon Heyman, the Yankees are not necessarily looking to sign a second baseman, even with the departure of Jazz Chisolm in free agency. The club may look to upgrade at third base instead.
Speaking of notable Yankees departures in free agency, Max Ralph of MLB.com explores who may be the Yankees’ closer next year in the absence of now free agent David Bednar.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Thomas Henderson wrote about the fascinating NL Rookie of the Year race, representing a battle of more traditional counting stats against more analytical triumphs and how Carson Benge’s case combined the resumes of the run-producing Sal Stewart and the defensive skills of JJ Wetherholt.
As another offseason begins, the Braves have multiple needs to address to truly return to the being a true World Series contender. It is abundantly clear that more quality needs to be added to the Braves offense. However, reliable depth also needs to be added to the Braves rotation. A big reason for this is the significant injuries that have occurred to several young arms in the organization over the past few years. Grant McAuley dives more into the current state of the Braves internal options for the 2027 rotation.
Braves News
Ivan looks at whether or not this year’s GM meetings could be different than most years with the lockout looming.
Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers and Sal Stewart of the Reds were voted the AL and NL Rookies of the Year. Didier Fuentes received a few 5th place votes in the final results.
TORONTO, CANADA: Washington Wizards' forward Michael Jordan (R) gets tangled with teammate Christian Laettner and Raptor guard Voshon Lenard (L) during second half NBA action against the Raptors in Toronto on 15 December, 2002. Washington defeated Toronto 95-82, despite Jordan's career-tying game low of two points. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
More than 300people have worn Raptors’ jerseys in the NBA. Not all of them are well known. So we randomly picked a former Raptor to profile in the year 2026. Here is the storyof Voshon Lenard.
What do y’all know about Voshon Lenard?
I would assume the answer to be, “not much.” Which is a shame, because the more you dig into what Lenard’s career on the Raptors looks like, the more fascinating things get.
TORONTO, CANADA: Washington Wizards' forward Michael Jordan (R) gets tangled with teammate Christian Laettner and Raptor guard Voshon Lenard (L) during second half NBA action against the Raptors in Toronto on 15 December, 2002. Washington defeated Toronto 95-82, despite Jordan's career-tying game low of two points. AFP PHOTO/J.P. Moczulski (Photo credit should read J.P. MOCZULSKI/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Lenard was a 6’4” shooting guard who played 11 seasons in the NBA, and suited up for Toronto in the 2002-2003 season. He played 63 games and started 24 of them, playing more than 30 minutes a night. He had his highest career scoring average this year, with 14.3 points per game. By that point, Lenard’s sharpshooting abilities cooled off after a blistering start on the Miami Heat, but he could still be called upon to knock down a three.
And the Raptors needed every one of them they could get in this injury riddled season, where Vince Carter missed significant time due to injury, and for the first time in three years, Toronto did not make the playoffs. All together, while Lenard was a solid piece for the Raps, he joined the franchise at the beginning of the “bad times,” and left before things improved.
That year, however, Voshon Lenard did what most NBA players of the day could only dream to do, and that was to literally beat Michael Jordan at his own game. On March 5th, 2003, Lenard was the Raptors’ second leading scorer in a victory against the Wizards, where he netted 15 points, making two three-pointers.
That same game, Michael Jordan only scored four. And sure, that might have been because of back spasms, but as any Raptors fan knows, he never could have stood against the Lenard onslaught either way.
In 2020, Rob Williams of the Daily Hive ranked Voshon Lenard as the fifth best of the ‘one-hit wonders’ that the Raptors ever had, owing to his scoring production in 2003.
Bleacher Report interviewed him post-retirement in 2011. There, he talked about his charity work, and the state of the Miami Heat at the time. When asked about a possible return to professional basketball, he answered simply, saying that “I thought my time was up. Now I’m just trying to sit back and enjoy life with my family.”
In some ways, Lenard is living the dream. The man carved out a niche for himself as a professional athlete, retired after making more than $25 million dollars, and kept his family close while still remaining active in meaningful work. This former Raptor made it out of the NBA alright, and should be remembered for his contributions to Toronto sports history, and whipping MJ and the Wizards really good that one time.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 27: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 27, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks play the New York Knicks tonight in the first game of a back-to-back, still seeking their first road W of the season. Milwaukee’s rookies continue to look solid, with Brayden Burries stringing together some impressive performances as a starter, and Nate Ament finding the floor more and making the most of his minutes. The same cannot be said for Milwaukee’s bigs, however, as Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware have struggled lately and could use a bounce-back performance. The Knicks, meanwhile, are 5-4 and, despite their relative success, don’t look close to what they did a few months ago on the biggest stage.
The Task Ahead
While it may not look like it at first, the Knicks are currently playing a more efficient, better version of the game the Bucks are playing. Both teams are heavily prioritizing rebounding and second-chance points, but over the last few games the two teams have swapped rankings: the Bucks were previously in the top five, and the Knicks have played to their strengths and now sit where the Bucks were. Even more striking is that, beyond Karl-Anthony Towns, who is off to an All-NBA-caliber start to the season, the Knicks’ frontcourt rotation is breaking down and has struggled overall. Landry Shamet is their current backup PF, and Andre Drummond hasn’t looked up to the level, struggling to finish at the rim and shooting just 42% from the field.
If it is a mirror, though, it may be a mirror into the future; one where a fully formed team can still make its lack of depth work. Despite these front-court limitations, the Knicks can still find their spots and shoot at a high percentage and volume. When you look at their shot charts on 3Step, it is clear that even when you know where they want to go, it doesn’t matter: they get to their spots and hit their shots. This is largely because of Captain Clutch himself, Jalen Brunson, who is leading the Knicks’ offense at 115.7 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby is anchoring a stellar defense, holding opposing teams to 107.9 points per 100 possessions. There is no way around it: the Bucks will have their hands full trying to both contain New York’s offense and break through its defense. That said, should one of the Bucks’ guards be able to set the table better than we’ve seen in the last couple of games for the offense, and they win or keep close the rebound and second-chance points battles, there is a real chance Milwaukee can pull out the W. While it may sound lofty, the Bucks did both of those things against Minnesota and Toronto to carry leads late in the game.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Tyler Herro: Questionable (knee)
Knicks:
Josh Hart: Questionable (ankle)
Player to Watch
Going for a two-for-one here: both Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner need a get-right game. Turner arguably needs it more as a veteran, but both bigs have left a lot to be desired. There are probably many ways to dissect how bad it has been, but the eye test is enough; against Boston, Ware got tossed around by Robinson, and Queta had his way against Turner. If either big man bounces back tonight, it would go a long way toward the Bucks making it close late.
Projected Starters
Bucks
Position
Knicks
Brayden Burries
PG
Jalen Brunson
Tyler Herro
SG
Josh Hart
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SF
Mikal Bridges
Kyle Kuzma
PF
OG Anunoby
Myles Turner
C
Karl Anthony-Towns
Game Details
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (1-9) vs. New York Knicks (5-4).
Brayden Burries has been a major bright spot in an otherwise dreary stretch of basketball, and I expect him to be ready for the bright lights of the Big Apple with a 20/10/5 game!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning in game one of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A very merry Tuesday to all of you who celebrate. We have 22 days left of regular Hot Stove baseball until the owners lock out the players, so be sure to open up your lockout advent calendar for today.
Brett Taylor has more on López as well. In short, the guy throws in the upper-nineties although his control is poor, he missed all of 2026 and he only has six innings above rookie ball. But the Cubs have two years to straighten him out now.
There’s a real crisis in this country in that men don’t read anymore. That’s not entirely true, men do read some non-fiction books, usually about politics, war or history. Reading non-fiction is good. But so is reading fiction. Young men and boys, especially, have fled from reading fiction. This creates a vicious circle, as publishers are less apt to publish fiction geared towards men, because female-oriented fiction is more profitable. This causes even fewer men to read and the cycle repeats itself.
If you don’t believe me, just go to your local Barnes & Noble and look at the new fiction books. You’ll find very few male authors and a lot of books written by women with female protagonists. It’s not anti-male discrimination. It’s just capitalism.
Now there’s no reason that men can’t read a book written by or about women. Anyone familiar with my movie picks knows that I love crime fiction/hardboiled noir. And a ton of that these days is written by women for women. I do read some of the stuff written for women—I found Out by Natsuo Kirino to be excellent, for a recent example. But sometimes you want to read something that’s written mostly for you and that gets me turning to the classics of the past—Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett or Mickey Spillane. I’ve seen several Mike Hammer movies, but I’m just starting to read Spillane. Some of what Spillane wrote was clearly sexist and racist: it was a product of white men of the early fifties. But it’s also the literary version of a “guy movie” with tough guys and lots of action.
I guess my point here is that everyone should read more and they should read more from all sorts of points of view. Read books by both men and women. Read books by both Americans and from other cultures. If that happens, we’ll get a better variety at Barnes & Noble.
Finally, guitarist Richard Lloyd of Television died at 75 on Saturday. If you don’t know Television, they were one of the bands who played the legendary New York Club CBGBs in the mid-1970s. The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads and Patti Smith Group went on to big fame. Others like Television, the Dead Boys and Richard Hell and the Voidoids went on to become cult heroes. But Television’s two albums before breaking up: Marquee Moon (1977) and Adventure (1978) are considered classics by anyone who has listened to them. Unlike a lot of the punk bands of the era, Television were generally quite talented musicians and Lloyd was a very good guitarist. Unlike a lot of those punk bands, Television had longer songs with long instrumental jams and dueling guitarists in Verlaine and Lloyd. I went back to my old Trouser Press Record Guide and they wrote “A tendency to ‘jam’ onstage caused detractors (and, paradoxically, British fans) to refer to them as the Grateful Dead of punk.” I always found that description funny.
Lead singer Tom Verlaine passed away in 2023 and bassist Fred Smith died earlier this year. The aforementioned Richard Hell, who left the band before their first recording contract, is still with us, as is drummer Billy Ficca, who would go on to be the drummer for The Waitresses after Television.
Here is the title track of Marquee Moon. I picked it because it features Lloyd’s guitar playing prominently. Also because it’s awesome. But most of Television is.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 23: A general view of the Giants equipment rack before the start of the game between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants on May 23, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
As we continue looking back at the 2026 San Francisco Giants, today I thought we would take a look at another compilation that the team’s social media team put together. This time of the best defensive plays of the season.
So grab your coffee, settle in, and enjoy!
What was your favorite defensive play of the 2026 season?
In what may constitute a slight upset, the more slugger-ish Goose Goslin took down the more singles-and-speed Sam Rice to claim the “first sequel” of greatest Washington Senators.
Sam Rice (1915-1933): 2,889 H, 479 2B, 183 3B, 346 SB, .323 BA, .804 OPS, 113 OPS+, 54.1 bWAR. An outfielder who hit left-handed but threw right-handed, Rice was the ultimate speed-and-contact player for the Senators. After a stint in the U.S. Navy and a stop with the Petersburg Goobers of the Virginia League, he twice led the league in hits, once in stolen bases, and once in three-baggers. His career hit total—2,987—remains the closest to 3k of any retired player without reaching that milestone, a fact that may have kept him out of the HOF until the Veteran’s Committee voted him aboard in 1963. Perhaps best known for a controversial catch in the 1925 World Series.
Joe Judge (1915-1932): 2,291 H, 421 2B, 157 3B, 210 SB, .299 BA, .802 OPS, 115 OPS+, 48.3 bWAR. As a batsman, Judge was functional and fleet. But in an era known for shoddy defense with bad baseballs and awkward hand-wear, Judge was a consummate glove-man at the first sack. At retirement, he led the American League in fielding percentage, putouts, assists, total chances, & double plays. The kid from Brooklyn—discovered by his block’s postal worker, who gave young Joe his first glove—preserved Walter Johnson’s only MLB no-hitter with a fantastic snare for the final out in 1920. Ironically, he effectively ended the Big Train’s career in 1927 when he smashed a BP bottle-rocket into the hurler’s shin and broke his ankle. Judge died at the age of 68 in 1963 while shoveling snow outside of his D.C. home.
Buddy Myer (1925-1927, 1929-1941): 1,828 H, 305 2B, 113 3B, 118 SB, .303 BA, .801 OPS, 109 OPS+, 42.3 bWAR. A college baseball star at Mississippi State, Myer was the Nick Punto of his era—bouncing around multiple infield positions as a proto-utility player. At the plate he was known for a keen eye, with OBPs routinely at .370+ (including five .400+ OBP years). Buddy’s 1935 season was his apex, seeing him take home a batting title (.349), score & drive in 100 runs, and finish 4th in MVP voting to slugger Hank Greenberg. Never one to back down from a challenge, the diminutive (5’10”) Myer once brawled with Ben Chapman (surprise, surprise) when Chapman spiked Myer and hurled antisemitic insults at him—leading to fans charging the field and multiple disorderly conduct arrests.
Clyde Milan (1907-1922): 2,100 H, 1,004 R, 495 SB, .285 BA, .706 OPS, 109 OPS+, 40.8 bWAR. Before Ty Cobb re-wrote the record books for speed on the base paths, Clyde “Deerfoot” Milan was the gold standard of stolen bases. Twice leading the American League in bags swiped (88 in 1912; 75 in 1913), Milan averaged 40 steals per season over his 16-year MLB career. What Clyde lacked in Dead Ball Era power numbers (17 career round-trippers) he made up for by choking up on the lumber and compiling a .353 career on-base percentage. In 1911-1913 he garnered three consecutive top-9 AL MVP finishes. Milan could man all three OF stations and often led the league in assists, double plays & Range Factor. A high error total speaks as much to Clyde’s ability to even have a chance at suppressing more flying spheres than his contemporaries.
Joe Cronin (1928-1934): 1,090 H, 242 2B, 72 3B, 51 HR, 577 R, 673 RBI, .304 BA, .842 OPS, 118 OPS+, 37.0 bWAR. Joe Cronin played just seven seasons for the Senators—but he certainly made the most of them. A doubles and triples machine (once leading the league in each), the swaggering shortstop cracked the 100+ RBI mark five times in Washington via his penchant for clutch knocks. Per Connie Mack: “With a man on third and one out, I’d rather have Cronin hitting for me than anybody—and that includes Cobb, Simmons, and the rest of them”. In 1933, he became a player/manager—and in his first year at the helm led the Nats to a pennant (alas, a World Series loss to Bill Terry’s New York Giants). Joe would join the Cooperstown ranks in 1956—then be named American League President in 1959. During his tenure (‘59-‘73), the AL would expand by four markets and shift around four other franchises.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 05: Carlos Narváez #27 of the Baltimore Orioles prepares for a pitch during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles have known their plan at catcher every season since Adley Rutschman was drafted first overall in 2019. But now that Rutschman himself has been traded away, there are question marks at the position moving forward. Samuel Basallo will obviously factor into it, though it seems like the team prefers him to spend at least half of his time at DH. That leaves a void behind the plate without a clear solution. Carlos Narváez got first crack at the job in the post-Rutschman era, and it did not go particularly well.
Narváez was part of the return package in the deal that sent Rutschman (and fellow catcher Jake Rogers) to Boston. While more than a “throw in”, Narváez was certainly not the headliner in the haul coming back to Baltimore. That distinction belongs to either Anthony Eyanson or Enddy Azocar, two of the four prospects included in the deal. But Narváez’s inclusion was still important, because it gave the Orioles what seemed to be a viable option behind the plate to at least buy them time to figure out what comes next.
Heading into 2026, Narváez was expected to share the catching role in Boston with Connor Wong in what would be a competent duo with modest upside. Narváez had been quite good in 2025, posting a 100 OPS+ in the box while being a highly-regarded defender behind the dish. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference valued him at 2.8 WAR on the season.
The 2026 season, however, was more of a struggle. Narvaez was OK through May, owning a .220/.298/.321 batting line, though he had just seven extra base hits over 37 games. Even still, his glove was good enough to keep him in the lineup. But that didn’t matter much by the end of June. Narváez slumped badly, hitting .097/.143/.129 on the month. And it was not much better in July, where he put together a .172/.242/.276 slash line.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox surged, going 21-4 in July, and clawing their way back into the playoff race. Narváez was a weak link, and the team sought out an upgrade at the position. They would end up landing one of the biggest fish of the trade season, and they paid a steep price to do it, acquiring Rutschman from the Orioles on August 3. Narváez went in the other direction.
When Narváez arrived in Baltimore, he stepped back into an everyday role. Basallo was on the IL at the time, which left Yohel Pozo as the only other active catcher on the roster. It was Narváez’s job for the time being.
The Venezuelan-born backstop brought his ice cold bat with him to Baltimore. Through his first 15 games, he went 3-for-41 with two walks and 14 strikeouts. After that, his production ticked up, but just barely. From August 25 through the end of the season, Narváez hit .139/.244/.167 with one double, three walks, and 10 strikeouts. In his 33 games as an Oriole in 2026, Narváez had one extra-base hit and zero RBI.
While it would be ideal for a team’s major league catcher to be viable as a hitter, it is less important than the work he does on defense. And fortunately that is where Narváez shines.
According to Baseball Savant, Narváez was worth five fielding runs over the entire 2026 season, which ranks him in the 76th percentile of all fielders. His top skill appears to be blocking. He had 13 blocks above average, which is in the 99th percentile. Nine of those 13 came with the Orioles, even though he had half as many block opportunities compared to his time spent with the Red Sox. He also receives plus marks for his pitch framing, and prior to 2026 he had strong numbers in steal prevention as well, though that can be impacted by his battery mate.
MASN’s Roch Kubatko said last month that he expects the Orioles to be “in the market for another catcher with more offensive upside” than Narváez this offseason. That tracks with how the team has explained their plans at the position. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said in August that the “plan with [Basallo] was always to kind of rotate him though and have him catch more like half or fewer than half of the games.” That set-up requires a legitimate primary catcher on the roster to play the lions share of defensive innings. Right now, it does not seem like the Orioles have that person in the organization.
That said, it is still reassuring to have Narváez on the roster. He is a major league caliber defender, will play the entire 2027 season at just 28 years old, and he has minor league options remaining. If the team is able to land an upgrade at the position, they would then have better organizational depth at catcher than they did all of 2026, which required substantial time on the big league roster for Pozo and Sam Huff.
The Orioles do have two interesting catching prospects that could be ready for big league reps sometime in 2027. Creed Willems spent most of 2026 in Norfolk, where had a .254/.347/.414 batting line, but there are questions about his defensive mechanics as a catcher. Ethan Anderson is right behind Willems in terms of development. He just had a cup of coffee in Triple-A last year, but had a big year in Double-A (.271/.363/.518) and could be the better offensive fit in the near-term.
Narváez will factor into the Orioles 2027 catching plans in some way. He has useful skills and offers roster flexibility. But he has already squandered his best chance to prove that he should be trusted as the team’s primary backstop going into the season. Now, if they hope to compete, the O’s will need to look elsewhere.
Jonathan Clark added a Fall Stars appearance to his desert résumé this week. | (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The Arizona Fall League is underway, and Chicago has seven prospects in the Grand Canyon State. The crew includes Mathias LaCombe, RHP (No. 17); Colby Shelton, INF (No. 23); Nick Altermatt, RHP; Jonathan Clark, RHP; Grant Magill, C; Tommy Vail, LHP and Garrett Wright, RHP.
The team added Vail after Pierce George, RHP (No. 18), suffered an olecranon fracture in his pitching elbow. While it sounds like an awful injury, he is expected to participate in 2027 Spring Training. Anthony DePino, INF (No. 21), was also originally on the Dogs roster, but instead underwent shoulder surgery. He should also be ready for spring.
Caleb Bonemer, 3B/SS/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 27), concluded his fall stint on Oct. 24 after slashing .286/.364/.633 with a .996 OPS in 13 games. Over his 49 at-bats, he hit four doubles, two triples and three homers, with six walks, 12 RBIs and an equal number of Ks. Shelton also appears done for the season, as he’s no longer listed on the Dogs’ roster. He finished hitting .277/.379/.511, with an .890 OPS in 15 games.
The White Sox prospects are suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs (9-17), sharing the dugout with hopefuls from the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Glendale Desert Dogs 2, Surprise Saguaros 0 (11/4/26) Magill’s struggles at the plate continue, as he went 0-for-3 with two Ks. Clark earned his first save despite loading the bases in the top of the ninth. Fortunately, he pitched around the traffic and secured the final out.
Mesa Solar Sox 6, Glendale Desert Dogs 3 (11/5/26) It’s been a messy fall for LaCombe, and this outing didn’t help. He entered in the top of the seventh and got a ground out before loading the bases on a single and back-to-back walks. A strikeout put him one out from escaping the jam, but a two-run single ended his afternoon. Altermatt took over and got the final out, then returned for the eighth. After retiring the leadoff hitter, he had to work around an error by the second baseman. A single, ground out and double brought home two unearned runs, and a free pass put runners on first and second with two gone. Altermatt finally shut the door on the inning with a grounder.
NL Fall Stars 7, AL Fall Stars 4 (11/8/26) Both Bonemer and Clark earned spots on the AL Fall Stars squad, but only Clark saw action in the NL’s win. Bonemer wrapped up his fall stint on Oct. 24, while Clark faced three batters in relief. The righthander stopped the bleeding in the bottom of the eighth, entering with two outs, a runner on second and three runs already across. He struck out Wyatt Sanford to end the inning, then returned for the ninth and needed just one pitch to get a fly out before surrendering a single and getting the hook. His runner eventually scored after a walk, single and throwing error, leaving Clark with an unearned run on one hit over two-thirds of an inning, with no walks and one K.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Carter Jensen #22 and third base coach Vance Wilson #17 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate a solo home run hit by Jensen during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Carter Jensen finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Major League Baseball revealed the final results Monday night. Jensen placed behind winner Kevin McGonigle (Tigers) and received 31 points in the voting. McGonigle led with 204 points, including 28 first-place votes.
Jensen received four third-place votes, nine fourth-place votes and one fifth-place vote.
This season, Jensen produced a special rookie campaign. He hit .239 with 27 home runs (team high) and 81 RBIs (also team high) while finishing with a 3.3 WAR in 149 games.
Bobby Witt Jr won the Royals Les Milgram Player of the Year award (as voted by the local KC BBWAA chapter).
Witt, 26, has won the award five consecutive seasons. He ranks second behind Royals Hall of Famer George Brett — who took home the honor eight times in his career.
“Bobby, five times winning the Player of the Year, probably not going to be the last either,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You know, I mean, just the special talent, the humility, the person. All the things we love about him. You know, from his standpoint, and I’m sure he’ll tell you, he didn’t feel like he had a good year and he’s still an MVP candidate.”
Michael Wacha won the Royals pitcher of the year award and Salvador Perez won the Royals special achievement award.
Wacha earned Pitcher of the Year honors after one of the most durable seasons of his 13-year Major League career.
The 35-year-old right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.32 ERA in 32 starts, recording career highs in starts, innings (200 2/3) and quality starts (21). He led the American League in both innings and quality starts, becoming the third Royal to lead the AL in both categories, according to Elias Sports Bureau, following Bret Saberhagen in 1989 and James Shields in 2013.
A most deserving trio!
Congratulations to Michael, Bobby, and Salvy for earning our 2026 team awards! pic.twitter.com/cw5eWPbgrb
MLB mothership has 2027 Rookie of the Year candidates for each team.
Royals: Lucas Braun, RHP (No. 16) Braun’s stuff is never going to wow anyone, but he’s spent the past three years at the upper levels and is ready for a shot. He scuffled a bit after getting dealt from the Braves to the Royals at the Trade Deadline, but he’s been a very durable starter, topping 140 IP twice in the last two years (over 130 IP this past season) and could be a very solid inning-eating back-end starter in 2027.
Mizzou footbal is big mad about the officiating against Texas.
Mauricio Pochettino, current USMNT coach, is apparently the favored candidate to replace the not-yet-fired (at least as I typed this) Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
The Jaguars made a flurry of trades, highlighted by getting DT Jordan Davis from the Eagles.
Arizona Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew maybe tore his UCL in his throwing arm. Soooo…TJ surgery for a football player? How odd. They may not do surgery.
Jensen Huang, the Nvidia CEO, is in some hot water (different link than Max’s yesterday).
Your song of the day is Electric Guest with Oh Devil.
MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 31: Sergei Murashov (1) of the Pittsburgh Penguins tends net during the warmup period of the NHL game between the Pittsburg Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens on October 31, 2026, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sergei Murashov might have a new friend to greet when the Penguins play the visiting Calgary Flames later this month.
Murashov shouted out Flames netminder Devin Cooley, who has gone viral for postgame interviews in which he has offered thoughts on the psychology behind goaltending, after the Penguins’ Saturday win at the Los Angeles Kings.
“I want to pass a media message to Devin Cooley. I saw he was really popular recently, and I think most of the goalies going through something like he’s talking about, but not a lot who actually speaks aloud. So thank you to him for what he’s saying. It helps. It genuinely just helped me a little bit too,” Murashov said Saturday.
Cooley was then asked about Murashov’s comments after the Flames claimed an overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers the following day.
“I heard about it from multiple people telling me. I heard it was awesome,” Cooley said Sunday. “I’ve gotten messages from other guys in the league that have reached out, too. I’m like, ‘Man, that’s really cool.’”
He laughed, “I’m glad I can do something instead of just play a sport, because that doesn’t really make a huge impact on humanity.”
Cooley added Monday he had gotten a chance to watch Murashov’s interview and that it would “be great to meet him,” per CalgaryFlames.com’s Chris Wahl.
Devin Cooley's interviews are the gift that keeps on giving 😂
Cooley went viral last month when he said in an interview he “felt nothing” during a 34-save win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“The problem with me is that I have a lot of fun playing, but when I start having too much fun it makes me from an unconscious goalie to a conscious goalie,” Cooley explained. “And my conscious brain is really bad at playing goalie, so I have to let my unconscious brain do the work, because it reacts a lot quicker.”
Murashov has been put in a tough situation for his first season as a full-time NHLer. He has been regularly shelled (Murashov ranks 16th in shots against per 60 minutes) behind a defense that has given up the fourth-most high-danger shots in the NHL so far this season, per MoneyPuck.
The Penguins will hope Cooley’s insight can help their rookie goaltender adjust to that demanding workload as his team looks to bounce back from their ongoing 1-4-1 stretch over the five games remaining before a Nov. 25 matchup against Cooley and the visiting Flames.
George told reporters before the Celtics’ shootaround that it feels like “a regular game.”
“Had I been here eight, nine, 10 years, different story,” he said. “I was here two years. Obviously, we didn’t have the best of luck or had a great, I think, partnership in terms of my ability to stay healthy and on the floor. So that kind of played into a lot of it.
“But obviously, it’s a tremendous fan base, a great sports town to play in. So that was appreciated. There’s no ill will for me. It’ll be fun to just compete. And outside of that, it’s a normal game.”
George did play well on both ends of the floor for much of the 2026 playoffs. He helped the Sixers come back to win a seven-game first-round series against the Celtics in historic fashion. The nine-time All-Star also brought a veteran steadiness to the Sixers’ locker room and was glad to mentor younger players like VJ Edgecombe.
“Just his routine … even when he got hot, he didn’t try to force it,” Jabari Walker said Tuesday morning. “His game was smooth and I think that’s how he is as a person, just not forcing anything and having a calm energy.”
George has certainly enjoyed his early days as a Celtic.
Through nine games, he’s averaged 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. Boston will enter Tuesday night’s matchup second in the Eastern Conference standings at 8-2, the Sixers first at 9-2.
“I’ve been kind of blown away,” George said. “I think it exceeded my expectations since being in Boston. You never know how much culture is involved and how much culture changes your outlook on things and the effect it has mentally, physically, just being in an environment … and the culture that Boston presents.
“So I’ve been thrilled. I’ve been playing some of my best basketball of late, and just been enjoying grinding it out with these guys out here. It’s a fun style of play and I can’t talk (enough) about just the thrill, the happiness and the excitement and joy that it has brought being here.”
He was asked what sort of reception he expects from Sixers fans.
“Not sure,” George said. “In some ways, I helped land them a future piece for them. So with that, not sure how the reception would be.”
