Improvements to the car are paying off as the team look to lay the groundwork for renewed success next season
The importance for Max Verstappen of emerging triumphant from the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was writ large in the Dutchman’s pleasure at finally being able to drive a competitive car. In a ride with which he was comfortable and able to take to a dominant victory for Red Bull, Verstappen was in his element. With it came a sense of what might have been had he not been long out of the championship fight, but also what might be to come next year.
The transformation was so marked because for so long this season the car has been a handful – the reason Verstappen’s title hopes faded long ago. That the team have come back to deliver a win in such emphatic fashion was no little achievement.
There were plenty of eyes on the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night in Buffalo.
More than 20 scouts and NHL personnel were listed in the press box for the Wild's 3-2 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
Among the names in attendance was one that should catch the attention of Wild fans: Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper.
Considering everything that surrounded Dylan Larkin and the Wild this offseason, Draper's presence is at least noteworthy.
Larkin requested a trade from Detroit following last season, something then-Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman publicly confirmed in June. Larkin, who owns a full no-trade clause, provided Detroit with a short list of teams he would be willing to join, with Minnesota reportedly among his preferred destinations.
The Wild and Red Wings were subsequently linked in trade discussions throughout the offseason, but nothing ultimately materialized.
That makes Draper's presence in Buffalo interesting and particularly interesting on a night when Danila Yurov scored his first goal of the season.
Yurov has been one of the young Wild players whose name has surfaced in speculation surrounding what Minnesota could potentially offer Detroit in a deal for Larkin.
The 22-year-old center is one of Minnesota's most valuable young assets and would make sense as a player Detroit would have interest in if trade conversations were ever revived.
With Draper watching from the press box Tuesday, Yurov gave him a pretty good look.
The former first-round pick opened the scoring at 13:53 of the second period on the power play. Jared Spurgeon found Yurov in the right circle, where he ripped a one-timer past Sabres goaltender Colten Ellis for his first goal of the season.
"I think Yurov and Shabanov are two guys that we need to step up and play well for us," Wild coach John Hynes said after the game. "I think they have."
Yurov finished the night with the goal, two shots and 14:21 of ice time. Minnesota eventually built a 2-0 lead before Buffalo scored twice in the third period and won 3-2 in overtime on Owen Power's goal with 37.4 seconds remaining.
Draper's attendance certainly doesn't mean the Red Wings were specifically scouting Yurov, nor does it mean trade talks between Minnesota and Detroit have restarted.
NHL teams routinely have scouts and executives attend games throughout the league, and Detroit was just one of many organizations represented Tuesday.
Larkin's trade request has not simply disappeared. He reported to Red Wings training camp in September, but said conversations about his future would continue once Detroit's new leadership was in place. He has five years remaining on his contract at an $8.7 million cap hit.
Minnesota was also reportedly one of the destinations Larkin was willing to waive his no-trade clause to join.
So when a high-ranking Red Wings executive shows up to a Wild game, and one of Minnesota's most intriguing young trade assets happens to score, it's difficult not to take notice.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have made their first roster move since signing veteran winger Michael Bunting on Tuesday, sending Alex Bump down to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms to clear a roster spot and a place in the lineup.
The move doesn't exactly come as a surprise by the Flyers, as Bump, 22, had just four shots on goal in three games this season, and was benched in Game 2 against New Jersey, finishing with just 8:18 of ice time.
Bump was a healthy scratch for the Flyers for Monday's 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet opting to dress the now-healthy Denver Barkey instead.
With Barkey healthy for the first time since the early stages of training camp and Bunting now in the fold, the Flyers have decided that, rather than having Bump waste away in the press box, the promising young forward will instead get game time and reps down in the AHL with the Phantoms.
Presumably, Bump will immediately assume a top-line role with the Flyers' farm team, reuniting with good buddy Cole Knuble, who enjoyed a fantastic training camp, and top center prospect Jett Luchanko.
The 22-year-old winger scored five goals, four assists, and nine points in 17 games with the Flyers last season, and added two goals in six playoff appearances.
The NHL can be unpredictable, as has been established amid the Flyers' woeful 0-2-2 start, and there is a very real possibility it may not be long before Bump finds himself in the NHL again.
An underwhelming training camp and preseason slate didn't work in his favor, and the dire state of the Flyers as currently constructed left them in a difficult position.
For now, Bump returns to the AHL with the Phantoms, for whom he scored 11 goals, 15 assists, and 26 points in 36 games last season before earning his promotion to the NHL ranks with the Flyers.
The Islanders drafted Dravecky, 18, in the fifth-round of the 2026 NHL Draft with the 141st overall pick.
The Czech defender's been off to a hot start with the Guelph Storm, posting one goal and four points in four games for the Storm. His skating is one area that already looks better than it did in his draft year.
Dravecky posted nine goals and 28 points in 58 games last season while with an elite Brampton Bulldogs team, as well as three assists in 11 playoff games.
He's also posted 7 points in 4 games with the Czech u20 team this year, building off his World Juniors appearances for the Czech junior team.
At the time of the draft, people felt the Islanders landed incredible value with his work ethic and potential upside.
Hamilton Hammers Head Coach Jay McKee, who coached against Dravecky last season, in that camp. Then, rookie camp started, and Dravecky blew the doors down. He excelled in all situations, and even had a strong showing with his one NHL preseason game.
"With Vlad being a late pick, for me, it was one of the steals of the draft for sure at that pick," McKee said during Rookie Camp.
McKee continued with effusive praise for the right-shot defenseman.
"Vlad is a very highly skilled, offensive-minded defenseman. Just saying, he's one of the best practice players I've ever coached or even played with," McKee said. "He's intense. He does everything with a purpose. Snaps his passes. He's got an active stick. He's a very, very talented player. You know, like all of them [the prospects]. There's areas of improvement, but his potential and his upside is very high."
The Islanders could use the depth in the prospect pool, especially for the right side of their defense.
The hope is that Dravecky, along with fellow 2026 draftee Lincoln Kuehne and Hamilton youngster Ryan Healey, can fill those gaps.
The Islanders have some time, but continued development is paramount for success. Kuehne will spend this year with Arizona State. Healey, meanwhile, gets his first taste of professional hockey.
Dravecky will spend this year in the OHL with the Guelph Storm and look to build on that incredible first impression next season.
Dravecky turns 19 in December, and its unclear what his developmental path will be following this season in the OHL.
Still hoping for that bounce-back, Eric. | Michael Turner / MLB Photos via Getty Images
In reviewing Arizona Fall League rosters for the original draft of this article, Twinkie Town writer Matt Monitto was stunned into silence by what he saw.
“I’m scrolling through the rosters on MLB.com, and I come across Frank Mozzicato, Tate Southisene, and I have to sit back,“ Monitto said in an interview with a mirror. ”These are guys I came across in Out of the Park franchises, and I thought they were computer-generated names. But they’re real?“
Indeed, Royals prospect Mozzicato and Braves prospect Southisene are among those assigned to the AFL by their parent clubs.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve had Mozzicato on one of my teams,“ Monitto added, ”when I did a Royals franchise a few years ago. That just makes it odder.“
When reminded that such oddity did not stop him for rooting for the eventually-demoted Eric Orze in 2026, he simply shook his head.
“I guess there, I had him as a Twin for a good number of seasons, and then he became a Twin. I’m still pulling for him.
“But when it’s other teams,” he continued, “it’s always strange. It’s cool to see Jake McCarthy breaking out for the Rockies, yet it’s a bit weird because he was my Diamondbacks left fielder for a while. And guys like Yohendrick Pinango and Yanquiel Fernandez… I thought for sure the game made up those names. A few years later, they’re in the Show.”
Monitto did not know if the same concept applies to players of MLB The Show as he has not played that game.
“But if so,” he said, “I bet there’s just as much awe… after blinking to make sure the names and players are actually real, of course.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 27: Manager Skip Schumaker #55 of the Texas Rangers reacts to a 6-4 loss against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
Evan Grant wonders how the Rangers can stop being so mediocre, and settles on either spending money or getting young, bringing in the fences at Globe Life, and translating young talent into productive big league talent.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Springfield 3 (OT) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened its 2026-27 season in front of an excited, passionate crowd in Northeast PA. However, Springfield scored payback after being eliminated by the Penguins in last year’s playoffs. Atley Calvert scored both of the Penguins’ goals, including a shorthanded tally midway through the second period. The Thunderbirds won 1:50 into overtime.
Sunday, Oct. 4 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Hartford 3 The Penguins seized an early lead a mere 86 seconds into the contest when D-man Jake Livanavage notched his first AHL goal. The Wolf Pack flipped the game in the middle frame, scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. Hartford ran its lead to 3-1 late with its second man-advantage marker of the day, but Avery Hayes quickly buried an extra-attacker goal to pull the Pens within one.
The Pens used 11 forward + seven defensemen lineups in both games. Ideally from the AHL perspective the crowded house in Pittsburgh with a couple forwards on IR will eventually lead to a quality player at this level dropping down, like David Gustafsson did in time for the second game lineup here.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 4, 2026
Overall on the week there weren’t a lot of standouts with the team scoring four total goals and losing both games, though it wasn’t for a lack of trying with the team piling up 85 shots over the two games. Atley Calvert continues to impress, he scored a pair of those goals. The goalies posted identical stat lines over the two games, with both Joel Blomqvist and Taylor Gauthier stopping 20 shots on 23 attempts for an .870 save percentage. Blomqvist picked up the overtime loss, Gauthier fell in regulation.
The slow start continues this weekend, WBS plays only two games in the upcoming week with Saturday and Sunday matchups scheduled on the road for a tour of New England. The Penguins will be in Hartford on Saturday night then turnaround quickly for a Sunday afternoon game in Providence.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Starting pitcher Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics signals for a review during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 20, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday everyone.
Last night, the National League (NL) Division Series continued with two Game 3s. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the series, while the San Diego Padres staved off elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
This afternoon, there is a full slate of playoff action. In the American League, the Chicago White Sox will attempt to sweep the Cleveland Guardians, while the New York Yankees will look to prolong their season as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to the Bronx.
On the other side of the bracket, the Dodgers and Braves will play Game 4 in Atlanta, with the Braves hoping to force a decisive fifth game. Across the country, the Padres will look to win a second consecutive game in front of their home fans and send the series back to Milwaukee for a winner-take-all Game 5.
With the Athletics not in the playoffs, the organization’s focus has turned to its first true search for a new general manager in nearly three decades. Aside from a few rumored candidates, there has not been much buzz about who will succeed longtime executive David Forst, a role the team hopes to fill by the start of the World Series.
While most A’s players are spending these days resting and preparing for next season, a handful of the team’s minor leaguers are playing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), an annual showcase for some of baseball’s top prospects. Many youngsters use the opportunity to expand their skillsets or get crucial at-bats or innings they missed this season because of injuries.
Among the A’s contingent, catching prospects Davis Diaz and Cole Conn are two players to keep an eye on. Both versatile players advanced to Triple-A this season and could compete for the major league backup catcher spot next season.
Of the pitchers, only right-hander Kenya Huggins is currently ranked on MLB Pipeline’s list of the A’s top 30 prospects. Right-hander Jay Dill and left-handers Tucker Novotny and Grant Richardson could crack the list if they pitch well in the AFL.
Which A’s minor leaguer will perform the best in the AFL? What are your predictions for how the rest of the playoffs will unfold?
This thread breaks down how the A’s can make right-hander Jack Perkins more reliable.
🧵 Jack Perkins’ path to becoming a reliable Major League pitcher in 2027 may not be through the rotation.
Perkins has shown flashes of legitimate MLB stuff, but consistency and durability remain questions. A move to the bullpen could allow the A’s to maximize his stuff while…
What steps can the A’s take this offseason to improve their pitching staff and defense for 2027?
The A’s biggest issues this season
1. Pitching staff 2. Injuries 3. Defense
Offensive issues will be fixed with better injury luck. Pitching is expensive, and difficult to acquire. Better pitching development will take a few years to see results
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) October 6, 2026
A’s in AFL update.
A’S IN THE AFL TODAY (10/6) C Davis Diaz: 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI LF Breyson Guedez: 0-4. HBP, R RHP Jay Dill: 2 IP/1 H/1 ER/1 BB/3 K RHP Kenya Huggins: 2 IP/2 H/1 R/0 ER/0 BB/1 K/Loss Mesa Solar Sox lose 4-3
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) October 7, 2026
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everybody and happy Wednesday!
The Division Series continues across baseball, so let’s get you caught up on that and more.
Alex Cora told the Phillies he is not interested in managing in 2027. Philadelphia previously approached him about their opening mid-season but turned to Don Mattingly after Cora said no.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers shakes hands with Enrique Hernández #8 and Tommy Edman #25 after defeating the Atlanta Braves in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers’ outlook wasn’t as dire as it might’ve looked after the Game 2 loss at home, just as it is not as ideal as it could appear following a Game 3 win on the road against the Braves’ ace. When it comes to their fate in this specific series, the Dodgers are well positioned to advance, but with the ultimate goal in mind of another World Series title, the problem remains the same: a team that right now seems only capable of winning with elite pitching and has yet to generate a run that hasn’t come via the long ball.
Three runs in five innings against Chris Sale is about the best-case scenario for a team that was shut out the last time it faced the future first-ballot Hall of Famer. And yet, they could have done a lot more damage off the left-hander, with him on the ropes for most of the game before Kiké Hernández’s two-run shot started the scoring in the fourth.
Whatever the offense did or did not do against Sale, it chased him off the game with just 15 outs, a crucial objective in this game. Against four different Braves relievers, though—not including Didier Fuentes, unused in this one after a masterful Game 2 performance—the Dodgers offense failed to add a single run of insurance, increasing the pressure on Yamamoto and their two star relievers, who finished this one out: Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz, neither of whom has what you’d describe as unconditional trust.
Evidently, strong pitching has been a reality of this series on both sides, with these two offenses combining for a single hit with a runner in scoring position. For the Dodgers, though, it hasn’t looked like it matters who is on the mound for Atlanta—running into one or two is achievable even against the very best; in fact, they did it against Sale and Fuentes, the Braves’ two most talented pitchers. Stringing hits together for a big rally like this team is more than capable of doing and hasn’t been a part of their NLDS performance.
While for the Dodgers offense, it doesn’t appear like it matters who is on the mound; on the opposite side, it’s a different scenario. Tarik Skubal and Yamamoto were dominant, and that’s a big reason why the Dodgers won those two games. Now, can this Dodgers team win if Tyler Glasnow brings anything other than his A+ game, which we’ve seldom seen in the postseason? The bullpen, as we’ve seen, will likely be effective, but not bulletproof. It took very little for Game 2 to go off the rails, and for that scenario not to repeat itself, the offense must find a higher gear.
Perhaps if we’re to take a more positive view, the lack of damage in Game 3 had more than its fair share of bad luck. Teoscar Hernández, for instance, had three hard-hit balls and no hits to show for it—Freddie Freeman nearly had another home run, and Mookie Betts continues to get on at a terrific clip in the leadoff spot, even if he doesn’t have the runs to show for. Moving forward, though, the threat must be capitalized on more often.
3 Mar 1999: Infielder Rey Sanchez #1 of the Kansas City Royals poses for the camera on Photo Day during Spring Training at the Baseball City Stadium in Davenport, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport | Getty Images
During their history, the Royals have had several players who were overlooked, especially on a national level. David DeJesus comes to mind, as does Kevin Appier, who was criminally underrated.
Another player whose excellence slipped past us was shortstop Rey Sanchez, who unfortunately toiled for the Royals through some of their bleakest seasons. And for a team that has set the gold standard for bleak seasons, that is saying something.
Sanchez, a native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, broke into the majors with a 13-game stint with the Chicago Cubs at the tail end of the 1991 season. He collected his first hit with an eighth-inning single off the Pirates’ Doug Drabek on September 17 at Three Rivers Stadium.
Sanchez spent most of the next six seasons as the Cubs’ starting shortstop, putting up steady but unspectacular numbers. The Cubs sent Sanchez to the Yankees in a 1997 trade deadline deal, and he hit .312 in 38 games for the Yanks and got a taste of the postseason.
He signed a free-agent deal with the Giants in the offseason and enjoyed a solid year in San Francisco, slashing .285/.325/.361 while playing his usual spectacular defense.
The Royals had been employing Shane Halter and Mindy Lopez at short, and in the offseason, Herk Robinson made one of his best free-agent acquisitions by bringing in Sanchez on a one-year deal.
Sanchez had the best year of his career as a Royal in 1999, slashing .294/.329/.370 over 134 games while finishing second in the league in Defensive WAR.
That was enough for the Royals to ink Sanchez to a two-year deal in the offseason, and he was even better in 2000 and 2001, leading the league in Defensive WAR both seasons. He wasn’t too shabby with the bat, either, hitting .273 in 2000 and .303 in 2001.
All told, his Kansas City tenure lasted for 377 games, and he was worth 9.3 WAR while hitting a combined .289. About that defense. Sanchez wasn’t an acrobat like, say, Ozzie Smith, though he did have some spectacular plays. Sanchez was smooth. He got to every ball in his zip code, made a slick pickup and threw sweet, chest-high throws to first each time. He made it look so routine that it was easy to miss the beauty of it.
I saw Sanchez play once, on July 25, 1999 , George Brett Day at the K. It was impossibly hot that day, as late July in Kansas City tends to be, at least according to Ichiro. Carlos Beltran melted early in the game and had to be removed. The Oakland A’s jumped out to a large early lead before the Royals found their footing. Down 11-5 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Royals tacked on three runs to make it interesting.
The Royals came up in the bottom of the ninth trailing by three. Jermaine Dye stroked a leadoff double off A’s closer Billy Taylor. Joe Randa sent the heat-stricken crowd into hysteria with his second home run of the day. Jeremy Giambi punched a single through the left side of the infield. At this point, manager Tony Muser elected to go for the loss. He had catcher Tim Spehr lay down a bunt. Now, you can imagine that Spehr, being a catcher, was not particularly fleet of foot. He wasn’t. He stole nine bases in an eight-year career. Didn’t matter to Muser.
Spehr laid down a beauty and somehow, someway, beat it out. Runners on first and second, down by one, no outs and Rey Sanchez coming to the plate. This is what I wrote about that at-bat several years ago.
Now the crowd was going nuts. Probably heat delirium. Muser, never one to go for the win, had Rey Sanchez bunt the runners over. This is just an insanely stupid move. Nobody out, runners on first and second, the crowd and your team going nuts…and you bunt one of your best hitters into a sure out. Sanchez could handle the bat. The man hit .294 in 1999 over 479 at-bats. Let. Him. Hit.
After the Muser out, the A’s gave Johnny Damon an intentional pass. That brought Carlos Febles to the plate. He did what you would expect, looking at a third strike right down the middle. Bases loaded, two outs, down by one. Scott Pose came to the plate and bailed out Muser with a single to center. Hansen scored to tie it, but pinch-runner Steve Scarsone was thrown out at home in a close play to end the inning. The crowd was still going bananas.
The Royals ended up winning in spite of their manager when Jermaine Dye blasted a two-run homer over the right-field wall in the 10th.
In July 2001, the Royals traded Sanchez to the Braves, where he got into the playoffs. Sanchez bounced around a little after that, spending 2002 in Boston, where he primarily played second base, before splitting 2003 between the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners. He spent 2004 in Tampa before ending his career with a 23-game stint with the Yankees in 2005.
Overall, it was a pretty darn good career: 15 years. Almost 1,500 games with a career batting average of .272 and almost 21 career WAR. I know people scoff at batting average today, but to me, it still means something, especially when you play defense like Sanchez did. Over his career, Sanchez handled 6,632 chances with only 112 errors. That’s a smooth .983 fielding percentage. Unbelievably, he never won a Gold Glove.
Omar Vizquel won the 2000 and 2001 awards for shortstop. Tough competition in those days.
Despite only playing two and a half seasons in Kansas City, Sanchez’s production places him among the best shortstops, not named Witt, that the Royals have ever employed.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: Owen Carey #30 of the Atlanta Braves throws the ball back to the infield during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
(1-3) Glendale Desert Dogs 4, (1-2) Mesa Solar Sox 3
Tanner Baumann, RP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 11.57 ERA
Owen Hackman, RP: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.38 ERA
Tyler LaPorte, RP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA
Logan Samuels, RP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 3.00 ERA
It was a busy day for all of the Braves relievers that were sent to Arizona. Braves arms were responsible for 5 2/3 of Glendale’s ten innings with four pitchers making appearances, and the results for the crew were mixed. With a 1-0 lead on the table Tanner Baumann was brought in to try to keep Mesa at bay while insurance runs followed, and the inning got off to a concerning start. Baumann had trouble finding the strike zone with anything and walked the first two hitters he faced, but he wiggled out of it to maintain the lead. He forced two ground balls off of his sinker, one of which turned into a double play, and the fifth inning was a smoother affair. Baumann never really found any of his secondaries, but his sinker was an effective pitch for him and kept him mowing through batters with two strikeouts in the fifth inning. Owen Hackman came in during the 7th inning with a lead that had been extended to three runs, and it took every ounce of effort for him to keep any lead safe. Hackman started off hot with a strikeout, but after running the next count to 1-2 an errant fastball hit the batter and derailed the entire inning. Hackman gave up a solid single, then his own throwing error scored the first run and put the tying run on base. Another base hit on what was honestly not a bad pitch brought home the next run, but Hackman received his first dose of good luck with an assist from his buddy in right field. Owen Carey threw out the runner trying to go first- to-third, giving Hackman his second out and putting him in position to shut the door on the inning with a strikeout of the next hitter.
Tyler LaPorte escaped the eighth inning and held on to Glendale’s one run lead, but it was awfully close to going south for him. His pitch execution wasn’t awful, but the Solar Sox hitters were able to make good swings when they needed to and started the inning with a hit and a walk. LaPorte gave up his hardest contact to the third hitter, but the ball found the second baseman for a force out and saved a run from scoring for the moment. LaPorte’s best at-bat came with his dismantling of the next hitter for an easy strikeout on straight sliders, but he had to get lucky and escape thanks to a hard hit ball finding a glove after leaving a slider over the plate to the next hitter. It goes in the books as a scoreless inning, but LaPorte didn’t make it too easy. We can talk more good news/bad news with Logan Samuels. The good news is his whiff numbers. He diced up hitters with his changeup and totaled ten whiffs on 18 swings in his 1 2/3 innings of work. The bad news was that Mesa managed some hard contact against him. The first was on a sinker that stayed up in the strike zone, a pitch that was the worst Samuels made in the ninth inning and led to a hard-hit double to lead off the inning. The next is one that you would be hard-pressed to blame on him. An infield single, even on a hard hit ball, is rarely the pitcher’s fault, and it’s less so his fault when the batter had to golf a chopper inches off the ground and beat the ball to first base. Samuels made french toast out of everyone else, so even though the game goes on his record as a blown save it was ultimately a well-pitched game that happened to not go his way. Owen Carey made an appearance in this game outside of his defensive work, notching an infield single in the ninth inning. It’s still his defense that was the highlight, though. Carey saw a ton of fastballs in this game but still kept chasing pitch after pitch outside of the strike zone and it led to ugly results. He made a lot of contact but none of it was quality, and pitchers don’t even have to make particularly good pitches to get him to swing right now.
Let me start by being absolutely clear about the headline to this article. On Dec. 1, when the MLB/MLBPA collective bargaining agreement expires, team owners are going to lock out players. A lockout, not a strike, so this is all on the owners.
“We’re meeting regularly, which is good,” Manfred told ESPN during the Little League Classic about the labor talks. “Every week, we’ve had days where we’ve met with the players. It’s early, but we’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re at it.
“Look, our goal is to make a deal. We want to make a deal. We want to play baseball next year. We’re planning on playing baseball next year.”
So while much of Cubs fans’ focus recently has been on the postseason run that ended last week, there have indeed been some labor-related things that you might have missed, so I thought I’d put this article together to bring you up to date.
About two weeks ago, Evan Drellich and Andrew Marchand reported in The Athletic of an interesting potential twist depending on how far into the season a lockout goes:
No one knows whether a shutdown will shorten the sport’s 162-game regular season, but if it does, 60 games — roughly the end of May, by the current MLB schedule — will bring perhaps the most crucial leverage point.
If at least 60 games are wiped out in 2027, most of the league’s national broadcast contracts would extend another year, through 2029, people briefed on MLB’s rights agreements who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Athletic.
That means the big payday owners expect from new national TV rights deals could wind up delayed by a lockout.
Ah, ha. So if more than a couple of months of the 2027 season are delayed or wiped out by the lockout, that could cost owners money — maybe a year’s worth of money that they hope to get beginning when the current national TV deals expire after the 2028 season. Instead, that could be delayed until 2029. As you know, Manfred would love to have all local and national baseball TV rights available to sell in one package; owners think they could get a lot more money from TV partners that way. That remains to be seen — and also, teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Cubs, all of whom at least partly own their current regional sports networks, would be willing to cede those rights back to the league. In the current TV landscape, RSNs are going away, but those five teams are still making pretty good money with them.
To sum up, from the article in The Athletic:
If the entirety of the 2027 season were to be missed, the networks would pay nothing during 2029, the additional season they would get in return for their ’27 outlay. If MLB missed 60 games but still held a shortened campaign in 2027, the networks would have to pay some amount for 2029.
In either scenario, the networks might be pleased they’re receiving an extra year at a bargain rate. On the flip side, the owners would eventually feel some pain. The potential impact on their future earnings makes 60 games a key threshold in collective bargaining between players and owners.
So there is at least a clue as to how long owners would be willing to hold out on their stated desire for a salary cap until they begin to feel some financial pressure to make a deal.
Another interesting article in The Athletic appeared around season’s end, written by Ken Rosenthal. Rosenthal, who also appears on Fox-TV national games, has been seen as kind of a shill for ownership’s position. Not in that article, though:
Revenue disparity between large- and small-market clubs is a legitimate concern. The league and players’ union need to adopt significant measures to make the playing field more level. But the league’s argument for greater competitive balance, if not a red herring, is at least an argument of convenience.
Right there is an acknowledgment, if not an outright statement, that owners’ claim of a salary cap is needed for “competitive balance.” Just watching this year’s postseason so far tells you that isn’t true. The headline of the article, “Even if Rays or Brewers win World Series, competitive balance argument will endure,” kind of goes against Rosenthal’s statement. And as we stand here nearing the end of the Division Series round, that World Series matchup is still possible. And that would also probably make Fox-TV executives cry, because while baseball purists would love that sort of matchup, it probably would not generate the sort of ratings the network or baseball executives want, unless it wound up a seven-game series with compelling games.
The real reason owners want a salary cap is to increase franchise values. Period, full stop. That was noted as far back as last May in this article by Drellich in The Athletic:
Why, at a time when MLB has otherwise built positive momentum, would the league pursue such an acrimonious change, and risk alienating fans with a work stoppage? Many issues are at play, but none supersede the long game owners are playing. Their mission is to maximize the worth of their teams.
Baseball has always been a business, yes — but not like this. Private equity has flowed into the sport for the better part of a decade, and someday, those investors will want a return. And even though every team continues to grow in value, many owners believe that their clubs should command still-higher prices.
Speaking of that positive momentum, MLB enjoyed an attendance increase this season for the fourth year in a row:
MLB topped 70 million fans in attendance in each of the last three seasons and did so again in 2026 — hitting a total of 71,752,722.
The Rays moving back to Tropicana Field accounted for an increase of over 600,000, and the White Sox’ playoff season got them an increase of over 500,000. Teams with big drop-offs include the Mets (down over 470,000), Astros (down over 250,000) and Royals (down about 220,000). The Blue Jays had a disappointing 2026 on the field, but their 2025 World Series appearance likely sold a lot of tickets, as they were up about 480,000. The Cubs were down, but just slightly, about 48,000 fewer than 2025.
Overall, though, the sport is riding high. Owners mess with this at their peril.
And that was the subject of a well-written column by Britt Ghiroli in The Athletic, in which she said she was almost “dreading” the postseason instead of enjoying it, because:
I’ll miss this, I think. Or, I already miss this, even as it’s happening.
That’s how I’ll feel about this postseason. Better enjoy it because, in the face of a pending labor lockout, who knows when we’ll get actual baseball again.
May? July? February 2028?
Even if the Cubs had made it past the first round, I think that’s kind of how I would have felt. Sure, enjoy the Cubs’ run but… when are we going to see them after this October? Spring Training is scheduled to begin for the Cubs on Friday, Feb. 19, 2027, but I don’t know a single Cubs fan (myself included) who thinks that’s going to happen as scheduled. As Britt Ghiroli’s article concludes:
Baseball is a beautiful sport. One team will win it all, and then its fanbase will get a victory lap muted by the league’s deafening calls for a salary cap and floor.
So, enjoy it while it’s happening, enjoy it while it lasts. Just enjoy it. I’ll be telling myself that all month.
For all of us who love baseball, let’s hope we see it next spring… and not have things delayed, or cancelled. As always, we await developments.
The New York Islanders dropped their game against the New York Rangers 5-2 on Tuesday night inside Madison Square Garden. Though it looks like a blowout, the game was effectively 3-2 until Alexis Lafreniére potted not one but two empty-net goals to seal the win for the Rangers.
The story became about two other things for the Islanders as the night evolved.
First, Alexander Romanov suffered an undisclosed injury, and is still being evaluated. An update is expected at some point Wednesday.
The other main storyline is the unbelievable, surreal return for Semyon Varlamov from partial double-knee replacement surgery.
For a 38-year-old goaltender, you'd not be surprised in the least to think that would be it for his career.
Instead, Varlamov rehabbed and worked hard for two years, and returned for his first NHL start in 676 days. Varlamov just enjoyed the moment Tuesday.
“I was having a lot of fun out there," Varlamov said postgame. "[It was] a little bit emotional in the beginning, especially during the warm-up.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results today," The veteran netminder continued. "But the whole experience was awesome.”
Unfortunately for the Islanders and Varlamov, the team did not play their best game. The Islanders coughed up far too many Grade-A chances, and the Rangers took advantage.
“Considering the circumstances, I thought he was a warrior for us out in there today," Islanders' Head Coach Peter DeBoer said postgame. "I give him full marks for what he’s gone through to come back, and this is the first step for him.”
The trouble started from the first shot of the game. Oliver Bjorkstrand was left entirely unmarked from a dangerous position.
Bjorkstrand sniped it top shelf, burying it over Varlamov's glove
."The first shot was a great shot," Varlamov said. "He did surprise me a little bit on that one. Short side goal. That's not how you wanted to start a game.
"But you know it is what it is," Varlamov continued. "I gave up the the first first goal, the first shot, but I was trying to just not to think about it too much, and then kind of like move on quickly, and then continue to just stay focused on the game."
Varlamov's composure was key, as the Rangers fired off high-danger chances one after another.
Lafreniére's first of his hat trick came on a partial breakaway just 25 seconds into the second period, sniping one over Varlamov's glove.
The ESPN broadcast pointed it out, and made it out to be a potential weakness.
Varlamov proceeded to make multiple big glove saves from then onward, not allowing another goal to beat him on that side.
The Islanders clawed back from down 2-0 to tie the game, but a late second period penalty spelled doom.
The Islanders completely lost their assignments on a puck battle, and when the Rangers emerged with it, Bjorkstrand stood all alone on the opposite side of the rink, waiting for a pass.
The pass came, and the sniper rifled it home over Varlamov's blocker, a shot he had no chance at.
The Islanders then could not do much of anything in the third period with the puck, but Varlamov kept them in it til the very end. Varlamov made 10 third-period saves to keep the Islanders alive, until the empty-net goals.
That was all she wrote, and the Rangers won 5-2. Postgame, Varlamov physically felt 100%.
“Everything feels great," Varlamov said. "Everything feels 100%. Nothing holds me back. I felt like I finished the game strong, and then did not have any issues.”
The Islanders' next three games are all at home, followed by a two-game road trip to Ontario to see the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Varlamov' next start will likely be one of those two games, if not the home game next Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Darcy Kuemper finally looked like himself again. Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Kings, it still wasn’t enough.
The former Colorado Avalanche goaltender and 2022 Stanley Cup champion stopped 26 of 28 shots Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, but the Kings lost 2-1. After giving up eight goals to Colorado in the season opener and then watching Anton Forsberg get the start against San Jose, Kuemper was back in net and gave Los Angeles a much-needed performance.
Kuemper was solid from the start and made several big saves as the game went on. It was a much different showing from the season opener, and for a night, he looked more like the goaltender who was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2024-25.
Cale Makar following a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues at Ball Arena.
The Kings gave him an early lead to work with.
Alex Laferriere made it 1-0 late in the first period, putting home a rebound after Erik Haula created the chance from behind the net. Los Angeles had a chance to add another goal in the second when Florida took two penalties, including 66 seconds of five-on-three, but the Kings couldn't score.
That ended up hurting them.
Just six seconds after the final penalty expired, Seth Jones tied the game for Florida. From there, the Kings had trouble generating much offensively. They finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while their penalty kill went 6-for-6.
Florida eventually took the lead in the third period. A turnover in the neutral zone sent the Panthers the other way, and Matthew Tkachuk beat Kuemper with 8:40 remaining. Los Angeles pushed for the equalizer and pulled Kuemper late, but Florida held on.
Kuemper played well enough to win. He just didn't get enough help in front of him.
Through two starts, Kuemper is 0-2 with a 5.11 goals-against average and a .825 save percentage. Those are rough numbers, especially for a goaltender who is trying to get his starting job back.
Kuemper has been here before, though. He was in net for Colorado when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022, and he followed that up with a Vezina Trophy finalist finish in 2024-25. The Kings signed him expecting that version of Kuemper.
So far, they haven't gotten it consistently.
His situation became even more interesting last season when he lost the starting job to Forsberg down the stretch. Forsberg went on to start every game of the Kings' first-round playoff series, which ended with Los Angeles being swept by Kuemper's former team, the Avalanche.
Now Kuemper is trying to get his crease back.
Tuesday was at least a step in the right direction. He stopped 26 of 28 shots and kept Los Angeles within a goal until the final minutes. The Kings couldn't find enough offense to get him the win, but this was the kind of performance Kuemper needed.
