On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets find themselves in a must-win situation as they take on the Florida Panthers, looking to put an end to their five-game losing streak.
It marks Winnipeg’s longest skid since January, when the club dropped 11 consecutive games. Before that, the Jets’ last stretch of at least five straight losses came in March 2024, when they lost six in a row. Extended slumps have been uncommon for Winnipeg, and the team will be eager to put this one behind them as quickly as possible.
Tuesday’s matchup could present an opportunity to do just that as the Jets have enjoyed considerable success against Florida in recent years, winning six of their last eight meetings dating back to December 2022. That includes their most recent encounter on January 31, when Winnipeg secured a 2-1 victory with Eric Comrie between the pipes.
This time around, another backup goaltender is expected to get the call, with Clay Stevenson to make his fourth start of the season. The 27-year-old faces another challenging assignment but has shown he can handle the pressure. The Drayton Valley, Alberta native should have a reasonable opportunity to keep the Panthers in check, considering Florida owns the 11th-worst in the NHL with a 2.83 goals per game average.
Stevenson has also impressed in recent appearances, holding his own against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes with a 34-save performance after turning aside 29 shots against the Pittsburgh Penguins in his first start and win of the season. Through three starts, he owns a respectable 3.08 goals-against average and will look to give Winnipeg the goaltending it needs to get back on track.
The Jets offense will hope to bail out their goaltender as they have rarely this season. After managing just one goal at the Heritage Classic versus the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg now ranks fourth-worst in the NHL in scoring, averaging only 2.45 goals per game.
The club will be hoping to take advantage of a Florida team expected to start Akira Schmid, who has surrendered at least three goals in four of his six starts this season and allowed five goals on 30 shots in his lone career start against Winnipeg when playing for the New Jersey Devils in 2023.
Winnipeg Jets' expected line combinations for Sunday, October 25 vs. Montreal:
Connor-Scheifele-Perfetti
Iafallo-Björck-Vilardi
Rosén-Lowry-Mercer
Koepke-Barron-Niederreiter
Samberg-Pionk
Ferraro-Salomonsson
Fleury-DeMelo
Stevenson
Healthy Scratches: Bauer, Lambert
Injured: Morrissey, Namestnikov, Bjugstad
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Josue De Paula #95 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 season will end this week, possibly tonight, if World Series Game 3 was any indication.
The Dodgers got thoroughly skunked, which is fitting considering the fact that the Brewers are from the Midwest, and when one lives in locales that frequently get snowed in, or one is in a committed relationship with someone who grew up, one learns about card games like cribbage.
Cribbage is easy enough to learn, but one of the first terms you learn about is “skunked,” a blowout loss where you lose by more than 31 points. What we just saw over four games was the Dodgers getting roundly skunked by the Milwaukee Brewers. Still, given how badly the Tampa Bay Rays are floundering this Fall Classic, one might expect the front office to be asking itself, “What if?” Oh well.
Still, at least one current Dodger is at these proceedings: Teoscar Hernandez.
Is that Teoscar Hernandez or just some other guy that looks like him? I kinda need to know now pic.twitter.com/v770Hvcqck
Given my five-year history writing columns here, one might expect another jeremiad on these Dodgers. Those folks expecting another long-winded rant will be sorely disappointed.
Unlike 2022, when the Dodgers romped to 111 victories only to save their worst ball for the most important games of the year. Further, they were supposed to be motivated by the death of Vin Scully. They won one game and then shuffled off the stage.
If you paid any attention in August, you saw this underperforming version of the Dodgers in action, with just about every wart on display, including previous warts thought to be in remission (i.e., some of Dave Roberts’ managerial decisions). When you have a series where you lead every single game, just to lose every single time, there’s not a lot to say, apart from tipping your cap to the victors and muttering words that are unprintable in this venue.
Would a healthy Shohei Ohtani have helped? We’ll never know; it couldn’t have hurt.
The 2025 Dodgers answered a question that only the most deranged madmen would have asked last year: “Could a team hit like the 1966 Baltimore Orioles and still win a championship in today’s game?” The answer was “Yes, by the skin of their collective teeth when the opposition is on a heater, unlike the 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers.”
Last year, as a unit for the entire playoffs in 17 games, they collectively hit .233/.320/.402. There were seven players having an average OPS of .750 or higher:
Ohtani – 1.096
Ben Rortvedt – 1.071 (in four games before Will Smith came back)
Alex Call – .897 (in seven games)
Teoscar Hernandez – .788
Will Smith – .777 (in 15 games)
Max Muncy – .764
Miguel Rojas – .760 (in 8 games)
This year’s team, as a unit for the entire playoffs in eight games, collectively hit .195/.267/.323. There were three players having an average OPS of .750 or higher:
Kyle Tucker – .938
Rojas – .929 (in five games)
Muncy – .792
In one of life’s little ironies, Kyle Tucker started hitting in October; most of his teammates did not. Rojas has already announced his retirement. Even if the pitching staff repeated its stellar performance in 2026, rather than taking a step back as we all saw, this run was probably doomed.
A better team exposed the Dodgers. Where the Dodgers looked crisp and hungry in 2024 and got away with their fair share of miscues in 2025 (see Game 3 and Game 7 of the 2025 World Series), they looked slow and weary in 2026 when it mattered most during this playoff run.
It happens. Extra playoffs mean extra wear and tear, and the margin for error shrinks exponentially.
With the accelerated pace of the offseason that is about to start, let us take a moment to acknowledge something I hope happens once baseball resumes in 2027.
The 2027 Dodgers will hopefully look quite different
I make the following statement upfront: I do not think there is much appetite or wisdom behind trying to run it back in 2027. In that madness, Philadelphia lies; ask a Phillie fan how that strategy is going lately.
Unlike rogue AI agents that learned how to lie to their human masters, which is a terrifying recent development we do not have time to adequately cover here, this baseball machine is run by and carried out by people. Andrew Friedman seemed to tip his hand toward a more conservative approach to integrating the wave of prospects into the existing core, warning about a fear of winning only 86 games and missing the playoffs.
I think caution would be a mistake, and I think there’s an opportunity both Friedman and I recognize.
Yes, there is a risk that the prospects and new additions in free agency (whoever they are) will result in missing the playoffs for the first time in fifteen years. Variance happens. If anything, we’ve seen the opposite end of the spectrum here in the conservatism that Friedman seems to be alluding to in Philadelphia and over the past decade in San Francisco: you hold on too long, eventually you get thrown off the ride anyway with diminishing returns.
I am not going to argue something borderline moronic like trading Shohei Ohtani or casting off Max Muncy or Freddie Freeman. That’s silly. I am saying some of the core is reaching their autumnal years and maybe some more aggressive finessing of the roster is in order.
I think all the ink asking whether the Dodgers dynasty is over misses the point. For 715 days, from October 30, 2024 to October 15, 2026, the Dodgers were baseball’s champions. Nothing can take that away. However, in the next seven days, maybe as soon as tonight, a new champion will be crowned.
The goal now is to retool and reload now that the team is a challenger again. I don’t see this organization sitting on its laurels. Yes, they faltered. Now, maybe things can tighten up as the team remembers how bitter defeat tastes.
Unlike recent years, there is a delightful glut of promising talent in the minor leagues that will need protection from the Rule 5 draft. This year, along with phenom Josue De Paula, the team will likely need 40-man roster spots for Christian Zazueta, Jackson Ferris, Noah Miller, Jake Gelof, and Adam Serwinoski, or some combination thereof.
Things get really interesting next year, as James Tibbs III, Zack Ehrhard, Mike Sirota, and Eduardo Quintero are also knocking at the door and, coincidentally, will need Rule 5 protection at the end of 2027. Roster slots will be at a premium.
Will everyone I just listed pan out?
The law of averages says no, but my mind keeps going back to that one scene in Moneyball where not-Paul dePodesta tells Billy Beane about the opportunity present now that Johnny Damon is off the roster. If I have a criticism of the 2026 trade deadline, it’s that the Dodgers seemed conservative in trying to upgrade the roster on the fringes.
One does not have to go back very far in history to find an example of when the Dodgers were banking on a prospect to stick who didn’t, unless everyone forgot the Gavin Lux Starting Shortstop Experience?
On that note, could the Dodgers have traded players like Alex Call or Ryan Ward at the deadline? Sure. But clearly, they calculated that what was offered wasn’t good enough. Ward is in Japan now. It’s not as if another MLB roster claimed him to the team’s detriment. As for Call…read on.
The Coming Roster Crunch
At season’s end, the injured list goes away. The Dodgers currently have six players on the soon-to-expire 60-day injured list:
Ben Casparius
Jake Cousins
Will Klein
Brusdar Graterol
Eric Lauer
Gavin Stone
Some of these names will resolve themselves as you will read below. Ben Casparius and Will Klein are coming back next season; Seth Halvorsen likely so. And that calculus hasn’t even touched who gets added to the 40-man roster from the minors.
You have to make room somehow, and yes, the Dodgers are currently carrying four catchers on the 40-man roster. Put another way: you can’t DFA Eliezer Alfonzo more than once to avoid the coming roster crunch. Maybe the goal should be to wring as much baseball as possible out of the aging core while supplementing with some new blood.
The Dodgers 2026 Free Agent Forecast
It’s worth noting that since Tarik Skubal was acquired midseason in a trade, he’s ineligible for a Qualifying Offer that would give the Dodgers a marginal draft pick, due to the team’s record and being well over the draft penalty threshold.
The 2027 Qualifying Offer is a one-year/$23.15 million contract. Below are the Dodgers’ current crop of potentially departing free agents, with annotations of my best guess of what’s about to happen.
Spoiler Alert: No one is getting a qualifying offer in Los Angeles this go-around.
As a lawyer in my day job, I give myself room to hedge.
If I say “gone,” I will be shocked into silence if I am wrong. If I say someone is “likely gone,” I would say it’s a 51/49 prospect that someone is gone, more often than not, but maybe wiggle room can be had. I would be surprised, but not shocked. If I say someone is “probably gone,” I would say that it is a 25/75 prospect that someone is gone, less likely than not. I would hope that something could be worked out, but I am mentally preparing myself to see them in a different uniform.
These forecasts are based entirely on observation and experience over the past five campaigns; I have no insider information. I’m trying something new, because I have the bandwidth.
Gone
Tarik Skubal: Sure, the Dodgers would like him back. How could you not? He did what the Dodgers acquired him for. Per Andy McCullough of The Athletic:
Across the past three seasons, [Skubal] led all pitchers in FanGraphs’ version of wins above replacement (18.0), while ranking second in ERA (2.42), fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8) and fifth in innings (182 per season). In 2026, he returned from midseason elbow surgery to post a 2.72 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 158.2 innings.
He beat Atlanta, but he got beat by the Brewers and Jacob Misiorowski; there was a lot of that going around.
Blake Snell really wants him back, as he apparently is figuratively cosplaying the main characters from Step Brothers with Skubal. However, unless Skubal is willing to do a short-term, Kyle Tucker-esque deal, he’s likely to eclipse Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s contract in total or, at the very least, annual value. My best guess is in New York (doesn’t matter which team), but maybe the Dodgers’ brain trust can pull another rabbit out of its figurative hat as to the soon-to-be 30-year-old left-hander.
Miguel Rojas: Has already retired and is already eating meat with Payton Tolle of the Boston Red Sox.
Kris Bubic and Eric Lauer: Bubic was a bullpen gamble that didn’t pay off. Moreover, Bubic has been a starter for his career; is he just a bullpen guy now? Maybe. Seems doubtful, but as far as I know, he’s not on the Bobby Miller Express of forced bullpen service. Lauer was a depth piece to absorb innings. The Eric Lauer Experience is likely a one-off, barring a non-roster invite or him turning his nose up at offers from West Sacramento.
Blake Treinen: Treinen injured his shoulder warming up in the penultimate game of the regular season in San Francisco. He’s entering his age-39 season. There were five relievers over the age of 38 in MLB in 2026: Luis Garcia (39), Caleb Theilbar (39), Carlos Carrasco (39), Kirby Yates (39), and Chris Martin (40).
None of these pitchers appeared in more than 60 games in 2026; Theilbar was closest at 58. Yates has already announced his retirement, and if I were pressed, I would be flabbergasted if Treinen came back to MLB at all, much less with the Dodgers. We’ll always have 2024.
Brusdar Graterol: If Graterol is willing to come back on a minor league, prove-it deal, that’s my carve-out. But if Graterol is expecting a major league roster spot, the mark against him is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy or get healthy. He has pitched in seven regular-season games since the start of the 2024 season, and all of them were in the 2024 campaign. As much as I personally enjoy watching Graterol, those are attendance records that would make Danny Duffy go, “Man, he’s never here.”
Likely Gone / Probably Gone
Kiké Hernández: Kiké is entering his age-35 season, and while he states that he can still play ball, there are two facts that likely spell an end to his time in Los Angeles, unless he is willing to take a lesser role (think minor league invite):
The Dodgers are facing a roster crunch discussed above, and Kiké’s main claim to fame the past few years has been his effectiveness in the postseason. This past October, he went 1 for 14, granted that one hit was his 17th postseason homer off of Chris Sale.
Otherwise, it was his worst postseason since going hitless in 2016.
I can see the Dodgers moving on if they buy in on Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim. The problem with those two players is that, even with extended runways in 2026, neither player could lock down playing time.
A reunion with Kiké makes more sense than the Dodgers trying to acquire a player like Luis Arraez. The goal with this thought exercise isn’t to chase names; it’s to get younger.
Honestly, the worst-case scenario is the Dodgers trading for Kiké at another trade deadline if they can’t work something out now.
Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips: Alex Vesia is arguably one of the most underrated bullpen arms in baseball. Even when the eye test falters, his peripheral statistics have stayed consistent over the past three campaigns. Vesia has a 2.66 ERA over 367 games and 328 total innings with the Dodgers. He posted 6.3 bWAR in his tenure with the Dodgers. In the postseason, he has a 1.59 ERA over 31 appearances.
His two-year, $5.8 million contract just expired. He’s probably worth at least $5 to 7 million per year, even as he enters his age-30 season. Is he worth Tanner Scott/Edwin Diaz money? No, but no one is, apart from prime-Mariano Rivera if he were pitching today.
Vesia will likely test the free-agent market, and it seems more likely than not that someone will finally wise up and pay (or overpay) for his services. For comparison, 32-year-old Luke Weaver is currently on a two-year, $22 million contract. Vesia is probably worth at least that, if not more, due to his age and effectiveness.
When healthy, and since becoming a bullpen mainstay in 2022, Phillips has a 2.31 ERA over 225 games and 210 2/3 innings with the Dodgers. He posted 4.6 bWAR since joining the Dodgers. In the postseason, he has a 0.00 ERA over 17 appearances.
Phillips had a bit of an issue with the home run ball in his 2026 campaign, nearly giving up as many as he did in 2025 in less than half the work. Otherwise, entering his age-33 season, he is coming off his one-year/$6.5 million contract. He could have left last offseason; maybe he does this offseason, but if he and the Dodgers were willing to work something out last year, even on a truncated basis, nothing indicates it couldn’t happen again.
If the stars align, Skubal is priority one, but otherwise, you try to bring back both Vesia and Phillips back into the fold. If pressed, I would say Vesia is the top reasonable re-sign target, then Phillips.
The 2026 Arbitration Class
The Dodgers have six players eligible for arbitration.
Brock Stewart
Jake Cousins (probably non-tendered)
Alex Call (likely non-tendered)
Emmet Sheehan
Gavin Stone
Andy Pages
Same definitions as above, but with a slightly different format.
Andy Pages: He deserves his own essay as to why he should get a contract extension.
Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone: Sheehan is coming back and is probably on the cusp of getting an extension at some point, especially if Skubal does not return. Stone hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2024; I can’t see the Dodgers cutting ties with cost-controlled pitching that still has options remaining.
Brock Stewart: While Brock Stewart actually logged some innings in 2026, he was fine. If you factor in Treinen’s likely retirement and the fact that MLB Trade Rumors projects Stewart to make $1.8 million in 2027, under regular circumstances, I cannot fathom the Dodgers failing to offer him a contract.
Jake Cousins: Unless you have a hyperfixation on the 2024 World Series, you would be forgiven for drawing a blank as to who this reliever is. Technically, he was the losing pitcher in Game 1, as everyone remembers Nestor Cortes being nuked off the field after throwing two pitches: one to Ohtani and the other — let’s check the tape:
I’m a tad biased, as it’s no Miggy Ro blast, but it’ll do in a pinch. Cousins signed just before opening day, and spent most of the year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He was reinjured in Oklahoma City while rehabbing, after generally being ineffective in a handful of appearances. If there is a universe where Graterol comes back outside of a non-roster invite, it’s probably dependent on the Dodgers cutting ties with Cousins.
Most likely, the Dodgers can get comparable production with a non-roster invite to Cousins if he wants it, and protecting Adam
Alex Call: At the 2025 Trade Deadline, rumors swirled that the Dodgers were on the cusp of acquiring both Emmanuel Clase and Steven Kwan. Naturally, that move didn’t happen. In part because Clase was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave due to an ongoing pitch-rigging and sports-betting investigation. Clase was ultimately indicted for wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery. His trial is scheduled to start on November 2, 2026.
If I had a nickel for each time in recent years the Dodgers dodged acquiring a closer that would end up under federal investigation, I would have two nickels (Felipe Vasquez, Pittsburgh, 2019).
The acquisition of Call as an alternative to Kwan was one of necessity in 2025. In two seasons with the Dodgers, Call has played in 126 games with a slash line of .237/.344/.331, 3 HRs, 25 RBIs, posting a combined .5 bWAR. Under regular circumstances, Call is a serviceable fourth outfielder.
With numerous outfield options waiting in the wings, Call’s greatest value is the 40-man roster spot he currently holds, which could likely be better used to protect a Rule 5 candidate like Adam Serwinoski, as described above.
While working on this feature, two other names came to mind.
Teoscar Hernandez: This essay’s genesis was formed around a single thought while watching the 2026 Dodgers: “How many singles is Teoscar going to play into triples? Because it’s literally happened in two postseasons in a row.”
It’s not that Teoscar hasn’t produced over the past few years, because he has. Teoscar is set to earn $14.5 million in the final year of his contract, with a club option for 2028 that is unlikely to be exercised. Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors summarizes the question nicely:
Since Opening Day 2025, Hernandez has hit .256/.308/.441 with 41 homers over 1037 PA, translating to a 105 wRC+. The 2026 campaign saw Hernandez increase his batting average and walk rate from 2025 (though his 8.6BB% was still below league average), but his power diminished.
Digging further into Hernandez’s 2026 production, he was hitting pretty well before a hamstring strain sidelined him from the end of May to the end of June. Upon returning from the injured list, Hernandez went into a protracted slump for the next two months before re-adopting his old batting stance, which seemed to get him back on track. Hernandez posted a 1.015 OPS over his final 104 PA of the regular season before cooling off in the playoffs.
While the Dodgers would surely prefer more than a 110 wRC+ from a player making Hernandez’s salary, that’s still a decent level of production for a player entering his age-34 season. So, why exactly is Hernandez a trade candidate, and perhaps the L.A. regular most likely to be playing elsewhere in 2027?
My biggest fear for the offseason, apart from an idiotic lockout I have seen coming since 2022, is that the Dodgers are just going to keep trotting guys out, because they are their guys. It used to be a more ruthless calculation; just ask Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Austin Barnes, and Chris Taylor, to name a few.
A platoon of Teoscar and Josue De Paula in left field makes no logical sense, especially if you are also somehow taking away at-bats from Ohtani at the DH spot.
Once again, Mr. Polishuk:
…[T]he Dodgers don’t have a ready-made third base replacement for Muncy in the way that [Josue] De Paula or several other top outfield prospects are knocking on the door for big league playing time. This wealth of prospect depth makes it fairly unlikely that Hernandez’s 2028 option will be exercised, so Los Angeles could look to address other needs by trading Hernandez this winter. It’s worth noting that there was some buzz around a Hernandez trade last offseason, though at the time, GM Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts downplayed the seriousness of that speculation.
Now a veteran of 11 MLB seasons, Hernandez’s game is pretty well established. He brings a lot of strikeouts and doesn’t walk much, and he’s a subpar defender in both corner outfield slots despite a good throwing arm. On the plus side, Hernandez is still making plenty of hard contact with solid barrel rates, and it could be that his decreased power this season was an offshoot from his stance change and maybe the lingering impact of his hamstring strain. Playing for a team without a set DH could benefit Hernandez, as he could get some more partial rest days as the designated hitter.
[Emphasis added.]
The article also cites several potential trade partners, including the Mariners, Reds, Royals, and Orioles, just to name a few.
Honestly, it might be time for all parties involved to make a clean break. While there was some scuttlebutt that Teoscar would be traded at the deadline, Dave Roberts and the front office publicly downplayed it.
Would I be surprised if the Dodgers stand pat regarding Teoscar? No, and maybe that observation is the problem.
Landon Knack: Yes, he’s under team control for 2027. However, he is out of options and would need to be designated for assignment to move him to the minors.
Knack has played three seasons in Los Angeles, posting a 7-7 record and a 4.10 ERA over 123 innings in 29 games. Some of his peripheral stats are either terrible, namely his FIP (5.27), or are trending downward (more hits allowed per inning, more home runs allowed per inning, fewer strikeouts per inning).
Knack might need a change of scenery or a trade for a non-40-man prospect before the lockout starts. Even if players like Kyle Hurt and Bobby Miller have been disappointments in recent years, even while being serviceable in different roles, they have an option year remaining. Knack doesn’t,
What happened in 2021 is instructive
The last time baseball was in this situation was 2021, heading into the still-dumb 2022 lockout, that effectively kicked the labor can down the road, and cost Clayton Kershaw his opportunity to throw a perfect game in Minneapolis. It did not affect his failed perfect game attempt in Anaheim a few weeks later that year.
To conclude this exhaustive trip into the roster, I thought it might be instructive to see what the Dodgers did last time in this situation with a slightly less impressive crop of prospects on the horizon.
The Dodgers added outfielder James Outman, shortstop Jacob Amaya, infielders Eddys Leobard and Jorbit Vivas, and pitcher Michael Grove to the 40-man roster ahead of Friday afternoon’s deadline to set rosters in preparation for the Rule 5 Draft.
With all due respect to those listed, this list is infinitely less impressive than the current candidates under consideration. James Outman did have a far too brief moment of success while wearing Dodger blue. And, more importantly, Jacob Amaya led directly to the reunion with Miguel Rojas. No MiggyRo? No title in 2025. Okay, one last time while technically the defending champion…vitamins for everybody!
Sometimes fringe moves matter in ways that only blossom with time. On that note, let the youth movement begin!
The New York Rangers got bad news early in the season: Igor Shesterkin was injured and ruled out for the rest of the year, leaving a gaping hole in their crease. In the days that followed, the team’s associate director of player personnel, Garth Joy, and goalie scout Scott Clemmenson attended games at the Bell Centre. The Montreal Canadiens have three NHL-caliber goaltenders, but unfortunately, Samuel Montembeault, seen as the most likely to be moved, got injured in practice days before Shesterkin and hasn’t played since then. He skated on Tuesday morning, but he wasn't in full gear.
The Rangers urgently needed help in front of the net and bet on 38-year-old veteran James Reimer, signing him to a PTO with their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack. He made a good impression, winning his only game with them 2-0 against the Providence Bruins on Friday, October 23. As a result, the Rangers signed him to a one-year deal, and on Monday night he made his debut with the Broadway team. Things didn’t go as well as he had hoped, though; he was in net for only 20 minutes and surrendered three goals on eight shots. The Rangers lost to the Los Angeles Kings 6-3. Where does that leave New York?
They have no interest in trading for a goaltender on a long-term contract, since Shesterkin will be back next season and under contract for another six years. Jonas Korpisalo is also injured and considered week-to-week, but he’s not a starter. Meanwhile, Renaud Lavoie said Montembeault was expected back in two weeks, and Jacob Fowler has been on fire for the Habs.
The American has almost made it impossible for Kent Hughes to send him back to the Laval Rocket. Fowler has proven his worth, and the team oozes confidence when he plays. At this stage, sending him away would be puzzling, to say the least. Hughes hasn't wanted to keep three goaltenders, but he hasn’t found fair value for Montembeault on the trade market. Now, though, both the Canadiens and the Rangers find themselves in a pickle. Neither is in a position of strength, which could make both teams more likely to compromise. Unless, of course, the Rangers are confident that Reimer will bounce back. They will likely give him the chance, but he won’t have much of a leash. The Canadiens should keep tabs on that situation, at the very least.
BOSTON - OCTOBER 24: Starting pitcher Josh Beckett #19 of the Boston Red Sox winds up against the Colorado Rockies during Game One of the 2007 Major League Baseball World Series at Fenway Park on October 24, 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Series is here between a pair of clubs in search of the respective franchises’ first championships in the Tampa Bays Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers.
While the Red Sox work through the winter to build a team capable of a deeper playoff run in 2027 (provided there’s a season), Boston still holds the most rings since 2000 in a generational run of October success.
Each team had standout moments that defined the championship run. Among those players who helped bring a title to Boston, which players stand among the best? Or even better, who would you pick to run it back with selections from the four teams?
Let’s give it a try with a starting lineup and a four-man starting rotation composed from four Red Sox championship teams. To ease the arguments, let’s start with the best lineup based on production in the World Series. And obviously there’s crossover between 2004 and 2007.
RHP Pedro Martinez (2004) (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
LHP David Price (2018) (2-0, 1.98 ERA, 10 K in 13.2 IP)
Locking in a few spots here helped given the fact that the Red Sox had four different players win World Series MVP at four different positions. This list all came down to production in the Fall Classic, and honestly, there weren’t many debates at each spot in that realm (but comment and claw back if you feel differently!). Each player in the lineup delivered a standout moment within their sustained production — with the exception of Lugo with a key leaping grab in Colorado.
The rotation is also pretty easy to assemble as well given that each arm’s starts defined the momentum of the series. In sweeps like 2004 and 2007, you could make an argument to sub in Derek Lowe and flip-flop him and Pedro given their starts were nearly identical. Nonetheless, all of them rose to the occasion to strengthen their legacies in October.
NOW… we’ll do it based on pure talent, which honestly may not have a ton of change.
1. Mookie Betts, RF (2018) (2018 AL MVP, .346 AVG to win batting title and several other awards)
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B (2007) (2007 AL Rookie of the Year)
3. David Ortiz, DH (2004) (41 homers, .983 OPS during regular season)
RHP Pedro Martinez (2004) (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
LHP David Price (2018) (2-0, 1.98 ERA, 10 K in 13.2 IP)
The star power within the pitching staff keeps this group the same. Curt Schilling and Nathan Eovaldi likely had the best cases to join this portion of the list, but each of the four arms in the rotation spent at least one season has the established ace of the Red Sox rotation.
Do you have changes? Who’s in? Who’s out?
Make your lineups and rotations heard in the comments. Four championships has plenty to present for debate!
LAS VEGAS -- Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left Tuesday's morning skate with an apparent injury after making a butterfly save during a 2-on-1 drill.
Hart immediately skated off the ice slowly with a noticeable limp, raising concerns about his availability moving forward.
The Golden Knights did not immediately provide details about the nature or severity of the injury.
“No update. He left morning skate. He’s being evaluated. He’s in good hands,” the head coach said. “We’ve got a plan here moving forward either way. We’ll be ready for tonight.”
The coach also confirmed that Adin Hill will start Tuesday night's home game against the Ottawa Senators at T-Mobile Arena.
Hart, 28, has started eight games this season, compiling a 4-3-1 record with a 2.76 goals-against average and .889 save percentage. He has stopped 176 of 198 shots, including a 26-save performance in a 2-1 overtime victory over Los Angeles.
He most recently made 18 saves in Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss at Columbus.
Hill, 30, enters Tuesday's game with a 4-1-0 record, a 2.95 goals-against average and .882 save percentage in five starts this season. The veteran netminder was instrumental in leading Vegas to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2023, going 11-4 with a 2.17 GAA, two shutouts and a playoff-best .932 save percentage during that postseason.
Hill is coming off a difficult outing Thursday in St. Louis, where he surrendered six goals on 31 shots in a 6-2 loss. His championship pedigree gives Vegas an experienced option in net as the Golden Knights await further evaluation of Hart's injury.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart (79) tracks the rebound of his save against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena.
Drew Doughty isn’t ready to call it a career just yet. In fact, as the Los Angeles Kings defenseman approaches his 37th birthday on Dec. 8, retirement still feels a long way off.
Doughty, a 19-year NHL veteran, finds himself in the final year of his eight-year, $88 million contract. But while the end of that deal brings questions about his future, Doughty believes he still has plenty left in the tank.
“I think I can play until over 40,” Doughty told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “I believe I can. I’ve just got to stay healthy. The want to do it hasn’t dropped, so, until I lose that, I’m not going to retire.”
For Doughty, the goal is simple: finish his career on his own terms, and ideally, do it all in Los Angeles.
The Kings selected him No. 2 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, and he has since become one of the franchise’s greatest players, winning two Stanley Cups and a Norris Trophy while spending his entire career with the organization.
With general manager Ken Holland hoping to sign him to an extension before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July 2027, Doughty has made it clear he’s willing to be flexible to make that happen.
“I feel like I’m performing better than I have in my past two seasons. So, I think that I’ll take a team-friendly deal and stay in L.A. That’s my plan,” Doughty said.
And what’s keeping him going at this stage of his career? The answer hasn’t changed.
“The Stanley Cup, that’s what motivates me,” he said. “I love being around my teammates. When I retire, I’ll be crying like a baby, I’ll tell you that much. I just love the game of hockey. I love the families that we create in hockey, and I love the competition the most. And to try to get a Cup.”
At nearly 37, Doughty knows the end will come eventually. But as long as the desire is still there, he has no plans to let the game go.
On October 27, 1995, 31 years ago today, the Detroit Red Wings did something the NHL had never seen before.
Coach Scotty Bowman rolled out the Russian Five, marking the first time any team in history had used five Russian players on the ice together in an NHL game. The group was elite, headlined by Sergei Fedorov, who was joined by standout talents in Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Kozlov, Slava Fetisov and Igor Larionov. The five had come together only days earlier, when Detroit acquired Larionov in a trade that sent Ray Sheppard to San Jose.
Detroit went on to blank the Calgary Flames 3-0, with Kozlov and Larionov each scoring and the unit generating 15 of the team's 25 shots on goal.
The Russian Five would go on to score 117 of Detroit's 325 goals in the 1995-96 season, a year in which the Red Wings won an NHL-record 62 games but fell to Colorado in the Western Conference Final. Later in 1997, Detroit would go on to sweep the Philadelphia Flyers for their first Stanley Cup in 42 years.
Of the five, Fedorov became the true superstar as the Hall of Fame forward recorded 483 goals and 696 assists for 1,179 points in 1,248 NHL games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 and, this past season, had his No. 91 retired by the Red Wings.
Larionov, known as "The Professor," recorded 169 goals and 475 assists for 644 points in 921 NHL games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008. Kozlov was the youngest of the five but still put together a great career, posting 853 points in 1,182 NHL games, with the later part of it spent with the Buffalo Sabres and Atlanta Thrashers.
On the blue line, Fetisov was the veteran of the group with the former captain of the Red Army playing for the New Jersey Devils before coming to Hockeytown. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001 after recording 36 goals and 192 assists in 546 NHL games.
Konstantinov was the group's enforcer, with a hard-hitting style that earned him the nicknames "Vladiator," "Vlad the Impaler" and "the Red Shark" from media and fans. He finished his career with 47 goals and 128 assists for 175 points in 446 games and led the league in plus-minus (+60) in 1995-96. Tragedy struck six days after the 1997 Stanley Cup win, when Konstantinov was critically injured in a limousine crash that ended his career.
Detroit dedicated the following season to Konstantinov and swept Washington to repeat as champions in 1998. Captain Steve Yzerman put the Cup in Konstantinov's lap, and Fetisov and Larionov pushed his wheelchair on the victory lap.
The five changed how North Americans viewed Russian players and how puck possession was taught, leaving a legacy that still shapes the game today.
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The 2026-27 NBA season has kicked off, and we already have some fun things to break down. We had the 76ers spoil the Knicks’ good vibes on Opening Night before they came back from 29 points down to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. We've had the Miami Heat struggle out of the gate, and the Timberwolves look amazing.
Among the early headlines, there's been some impressive fantasy performances and dynasty value implications.
Let's break down two risers and two fallers this past week before looking ahead to some NBA Draft prospects.
After breaking out in 2024-25, Ty Jerome signed with the Grizzlies in the 2025 offseason. This season, he is currently averaging 29.8 PPG, 3.5 REB, 6.3 AST, while shooting 51% from the field, 37% from three and 88% from the free-throw line. He's establishing himself as a starting level point guard in the NBA.
Jerome will not continue to produce at this level, but he will be a very good fantasy player as long as he is in Memphis. There is still a lot of usage available in Memphis, so it wouldn't be crazy if he averages 23 points per game moving forward. If you're a win-now team, acquiring Jerome might be one of the best bargain plays you can find because of two key reasons.
Jerome has two inexpensive years remaining on the three-year, $27.6 million contract he signed last offseason. The Grizzlies could cash in given that he's 29 years old.
Jerome has had a lot of injuries during his career which could result in a decline earlier than anticipated. Over the previous three seasons, Jerome played just 87 games, with his lone healthy season coming during his breakout year in Cleveland.
There is a world where Jerome remains healthy and ends up being a great point guard into his 30s. There's also a world where he gets hurt again and he ends up not being fast enough to get by defenders, or he just stops hitting his shots at the rate he has been, and he falls out of the league quickly as his body breaks down. With these clear risks, you will not have to pay premium value in dynasty leagues for the production he's giving you.
Leonard Miller, Chicago Bulls
Miller has found favor in the eyes of new coach Tiago Splitter where he is getting a full-time consistent role for the first time in his career.
Last season for Chicago, Miller averaged 11.7 PPG, 5.8 REB, shooting 55.5% FG/35.6% 3PT/76.2% FT on 23.1 minutes. On a per-36 minute basis, he averaged 18 points and nine rebounds.
Tiago has had some success with Deni Avdija, and Leonard is a similar player in terms of his game as a driver. The 22-year-old (23 next month) is unlikely to overtake Matas Buzelis or Caleb Wilson in the rotation, but his scoring and rebounding could make him a valuable option in deeper fantasy leagues. He also has the potential to deliver top-100 value if given a starting role.
The biggest faller of the week is undoubtedly Kristaps Porziņģis, who is reportedly "contemplating his future in basketball" with recurring symptoms of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), per Shams Charania of ESPN.
For those unfamiliar, POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. The condition can cause an excessive increase in heart rate when standing, along with symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue and difficulty tolerating exercise.
At the end of the day, medical retirement is absolutely in the realm of possibilities. Naturally, that will hamper any return you’ll get if he’s on your roster in a dynasty league. Porziņģis has a $20 million player option for next season, but only $3 million is guaranteed.
If you're a rebuilding dynasty manager with Porziņģis, you have to sell him for whatever you can get. If you're a contending team, I would be interested in giving up any of the following for him.
A 2027 second-round pick that is outside the top 35 to get him given how this upcoming second round is going to look.
A top 300 dynasty asset on the chance that Porziņģis gives it one more go. The hope is that you get top 150 production for a month or two in your playoffs.
It's a pure risk and it might end up not working out, but if you're trying to win, you should be trying to take that risk if the price is low enough. Maybe it's someone like Cody Williams or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if your league is that deep.
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
On October 25, Jalen Williams went down with a gruesome injury which resulted in a dislocated left ankle and fractured fibula. He is expected to miss significant time and potentially the rest of the season. Comparable injuries in recent NBA history include those suffered by Paul George and Gordon Hayward. George eventually returned to form whereas Hayward was never the same after the injury, although he remained productive.
We will need to knock Williams down dynasty rankings but do not panic sell him. He is still a top-40 dynasty asset at worst and likely belongs closer to the top 30. There will be managers trying to buy low and hoping you accept a deal that is way lower than it should be. Do not do it. If I'm selling Jalen, I would want someone on a similar timeline that's also an established fantasy star. An example of this would be Franz Wagner, Deni Avdija, Paolo Banchero, or Jalen Duren. I also would be fine holding until he gets back and then reassessing the situation.
Prospect Corner
The college basketball season is right around the corner. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing matchups involving NBA Draft prospects.
As a dynasty manager, it will be important to keep tabs on these prospects as they could be the future for your team. Here's a look ahead to next Monday when the college season starts with two big prospect matchups.
Ohio State vs. BYU (9 ET)
Anthony Thompson (Ohio State) and Bruce Branch (BYU) are projected top 10 picks on most mainstream mocks. Both are wings who are projected to be in the 3-and-D role.
UCLA vs. Arizona (10 ET)
Nikola Kusturica is a projected top-three pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, and Arizona has 3 potential lottery picks with Caleb Holt, Motiejus Krivas, and Ivan Kharchenkov.
Tonight, the Minnesota Wild and Utah Mammoth square off in what could be a tone-setting matchup.
As it stands, the Wild and Mammoth are in first and second place in the Central Division, respectively. The Wild hold an 8-3-2 record with 18 points, while the Mammoth sit second with an 8-4-0 record and 16 points.
The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche sit not far behind, but with how the Wild and Mammoth have started the season, we could see these two teams fighting it out for first place all season.
While this game won't determine who is better going forward, it could be a momentum-building win.
The Wild made the playoffs and won a series last year, but they have higher aspirations this year. As for the Mammoth, they finally broke into the playoff picture but were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the opening round.
The two teams have had success this season, but in different ways, which makes tonight's fixture so intriguing.
The Wild have been potent defensively, ranking third in the NHL in goals allowed. They allow the seventh-fewest shots on goal, and although their penalty kill has had struggles of late, they rank tied for 15th. Much of their success can be attributed to their defensive structure, especially since they haven't had Brock Faber at all this season, but they can also point to goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who's been outstanding.
His .918 save percentage ranks eighth in the NHL, and he's tied for first with seven wins. As for the Mammoth, they haven't been as sharp defensively, but they've made up for it offensively. Karel Vejmelka has won six games this season but has only posted an .878 SP.
As a team, the Mammoth allow 3.33 goals per game (tied for 22nd) but do an effective job limiting shots on goal, ranking third. Their penalty kill has struggled, ranking 29th in the NHL. The Wild average 3.15 goals per game (14th in the NHL) and fire the third most shots on goal (31.3). With the seventh-ranked power play, the Wild could take advantage of the Mammoth.
But the same goes for the Mammoth. Offensively, they rank fifth in goals per game (3.83), fourth in shots on goal (30.4), and have the NHL's best power play, converting on 38.1 percent of their man advantages.
The Mammoth's top unit consists of Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, and Mikhail Sergachev. They move the puck quickly, boast heavy shots, and always look to create numerical advantages, especially 2-on-1s.
The Mammoth are 4-1-0 at home to start the season and are coming off a 5-4 overtime comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tonight's matchup should be riveting, with little to separate the two clubs. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. CST at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
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MLB owners have, as you know, been pushing the idea that the sport needs a salary cap for teams to have better competitive balance.
You would think, then, that the Brewers/Rays World Series matchup, between two teams with modest payrolls (I’m not calling them “small market” because that term is filled with conditions), would change that mindset.
“People can be entrenched wherever they want to be entrenched. We’re prepared to commit ourselves to the process,” Manfred said. “It’s easy to say, ‘I’m here, and I’m never moving.’ That’s not a particularly skilled approach to the process.
“The small markets operate at a disadvantage economically. They just don’t have the resources that our bigger markets do.”
Mark Attanasio, owner of the Brewers and a member of Manfred’s labor committee, said the league’s cap proposal “not only will help us compete, but more importantly, all of the teams with lower payrolls too, which is something also I think the fans want.”
Let’s be clear here. Owners don’t want a salary cap because they want more teams to compete. They want it to increase profits and to increase franchise values. Period, full stop.
You can imagine how that’s gone over with the MLBPA:
Bruce Meyer, the interim head of the union, called a salary cap “a nuclear bomb” and said “there’s no reason whatsoever” that the Pittsburgh Pirates can’t compete the same way the Brewers and Rays have.
“These teams have been successful doing it one way,” Meyer said. “They would be even more successful if they went out and spent more money. Tampa would probably have a few World Series under their belt if they had at any point gone out and signed some free agents.”
Meyer is right, in this sense. The reason the Brewers and Rays are where they are is because both teams have smart baseball management teams. Look at the Brewers: They let top executive David Stearns go to the Mets, where owner Steve Cohen has dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into players. For that, the Mets had 74 wins this year and weren’t close to the postseason. They let manager Craig Counsell go to the Cubs, and well, you know that story. Counsell’s done well in Chicago. But the Cubs organization, despite theoretically having more resources, hasn’t put together the infrastructure to win. They could! But they have let scouts go and their pitching development system is, in a word, terrible.
The Rays are a similar story. Executive Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay after 2014, which started the chain reaction that brought Joe Maddon to Chicago. Erik Neander, Friedman’s top deputy, took over and, as he had worked for the Rays since 2007, the transfer was seamless. The organization kept doing what it had been doing, and Kevin Cash, signed as manager to succeed Maddon, is now the longest-tenured manager in MLB.
Smart baseball management wins. Teams prove that over and over and over. When the Cubs won in 2016, they had it. Now? Not so much.
So Bruce Meyer says a salary cap is “a nuclear bomb,” which is pretty strong imagery, basically saying there’s no way players will go for it. This sentiment appears common among players:
Reliever Aaron Ashby, the Brewers’ player rep, was asked how long players are willing to sit out to avoid a cap.
“I guess as long as it takes,” Ashby said. “We’re gonna have a long season here, and I guess if that means having a longer offseason, so be it.”
In this article posted here earlier this month, I noted some discussion of what a “drop dead date” could be for owners before they blink. The TL;dr version is that about 60 games into the season is when owners could start to lose out on big TV money, because at that point the current TV deals could roll into another year and not expire until the end of 2029. That would delay the big money that owners hope to get from new national TV deals.
So we’re in a holding pattern. Neither side has changed its position, but we might get some more clarity from this, per the Drellich article:
The union holds an annual meeting with players near the end of November, which this year coincides with the final days of bargaining before the lockout. In 2021, the owners met the players where they were holding that meeting, in Texas.
These days, the union holds that same meeting in Arizona, where it opened an office in 2023. Which means this time, Arizona could be the site where Manfred announces that the sport is frozen.
“We’ve told them where we’re going to be,” Meyer said. “They haven’t confirmed, but I expect there’s a high likelihood we’ll be talking and bargaining, and you never know what’s going to happen.”
I am 99.9 percent sure that owners will lock out players when the CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. After that, it’s anyone’s guess when it will end.
Try to enjoy the rest of the World Series. We might not see MLB players back on the field for quite some time after that.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 13: Vimael Machin #25 of the Colorado Rockies bats against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 34, Vimael Machín (0.0 rWAR)
On one hand, Vimael Machín had the best MLB season of his career — one that’s spanned five big league seasons and 10 minor league seasons.
Playing in his first season for the Rockies, he hit .500 with a .500 on-base percentage and 1.000 OPS as well.
The only problem was that Machín only had six at-bats in three games.
The Rockies signed the 33-year-old infielder to a minor league contract on Dec. 21, 2025 and extended an invite to spring training. After being assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque, Machín had a successful year with the Isotopes. In 438 at-bats in 113 games, the Puerto Rican hit .288/.367/.438 with an OPS of .805. He hit 12 homers, 22 doubles and four triples, scored 61 runs, drove in 73 more runs, drew 53 walks and struck out 71 times.
He seemed like a great candidate for a September call-up, but the honor went to Adael Amador and Blas Castaño. Then, infielder Willi Castro got hurt and was placed on the IL on Sept. 5. The Rockies turned to Machín for some late-season infield depth, while optioning Tyler Freeman to the Isotopes.
From Sept. 6 to Sept.13, Machín started two games — against the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals — at third base, going 2-for-5 with two strikeouts. He also went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter against the Yankees.
When starting pitcher José Quintana was ready to rejoin the rotation on Sept. 19, Machín hadn’t proven enough to stay on the roster for the final eight games of the season.
This season proved to be much like the majority of Machín’s career has played out: success in the minor leagues that doesn’t always translate to the big leagues.
Machín was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2015 out of Virginia Commonwealth University. He then went on a roller coaster ride of climbing the Cubs farm system before being put on the waiver wire in 2019. He was then picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies and traded to the Oakland A’s on the same day in the 2019 offseason.
He made his MLB debut in 2020 and moved back and forth between the A’s and the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators throughout 2021 and 2022. He played in 73 games in 2022, but never found his way at the plate, hitting .220/.300/.287 with a .587 OPS. In 2023, Machín played his entire season with the Aviators and chose free agency afterward.
In 2024, he played for the Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, then signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles before the 2025 season. He only played in four games, going 1-for-11 at the plate. Meanwhile, in the for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, he hit .286/.347/.476 with an .823 OPS.
The same scene played out for the Rockies in 2026. On Sept. 19, the Rockies designated Machín for assignment. After clearing the waiver wires, he was outrighted to the ACL Rockies on Sept. 22. Considering Colorado signed Machín to a 1-year, $780,000 deal for 2026, and the Rockies have lots of infield depth ahead of him, Machín faces an uncertain future this offseason.
Randy Johnson (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Overview.
The book is awesome for readers who have a broad interest in baseball history. The book includes information from more than 300 interviews and many books (60 books are listed in the bibliography).
My interest and focus are on the Diamondbacks. Although my attention sometimes wandered to other teams and their players, my focus quickly bounced back to the Diamondbacks. From that perspective, reading the book sometimes overwhelmed me with stuff outside my focus.
From my perspective, I wondered about the following questions. Are any Diamondbacks in the book? For each type of pitch, “What is its characteristic,” and “Which recent Diamondback starters have a characteristic pitch type that defined them?
Are any Diamondbacks in the book?
Randy Johnson (pages 21-24). The following quote caught my attention:
“It took me forever just to get to the Major Leagues and feel like I could compete. So, when I could, I relished the moment.” — Randy Johnson
To be more accurate, he had many moments to relish. In his 22 consecutive seasons, he won many awards, including 5 Cy Young awards, a triple crown, World Series MVP, and he threw one perfect game. And he was voted into the Hall of Fame.
Curt Schilling (paragraph on page 145). An excerpt follows: “I think it’s [the splitter] one of the easiest pitches in the world on your arm because you don’t change anything. You don’t manipulate the ball with a split, you just split your fingers.” — Curt Schilling
I wonder that if it is so easy on the arm, why aren’t splitters more common?
Luis Gonzalez (paragraph on page 261). One sentence caught my attention:
“In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez floated a Rivera cutter into shallow left field for a single, winning the title for the Diamondbacks.” — Tyler Kepner
To add some detail to the importance of cutters in the winning sequence for the Diamondbacks:
The cutter was Mariano Rivera’s best pitch, with late and sharp movement.
Tony Womack hit a cutter for a down-the-line double, tying the game ahead of Gonzalez.
Craig Counsell was hit by an inside cutter, which loaded the bases ahead of Gonzalez.
Contributing to the success of Gonzalez’s shallow single was that Derek Jeter was playing in, hopeful of throwing out a baserunner at home.
What is a characteristic for each type of pitch?
The following charactistics are short, with two caveats. First, although two pitchers can pitch the same type of pitch, it’s unlikely their pitches are exactly alike. Second, pitches evolve over time.
Slider: “The slider is faster than the curveball and easier to control, with a tighter break, shaped not like a look but like a slash, moving down and away toward the pitcher’s glove side.” Page 2 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
4-Seam Fastball: “As the backspinning ball hurtles through the air, four seams cycle through each revolution. It is the easiest pitch to steer, and gives the hitter the least time to react.” Page 35 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Curveball: The curveball is thrown with topspin, the seams whooshing downward as the pitch tumbles to Earth. Only certain pitches have the loose, easy wrist action to make a ball act that way.”Page 68 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Knuckleballs: “The best knuckleballs often zig and zag away from the mitt, sending their catchers scrambling.”Page 97 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Splitter: “With the splitter, Sutter found a pitch that was meant to be thrown like a fastball, but required a dominant index finger to generate its straight-down – or down-and-away-from-a-lefty – movement.” Page 126 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Screwball: “It is a slow curve, pitched with the motion of a fastball. But most curves break away from a right-handed batter a little. The fade-away breaks toward him.” — Christy Mathewson, page 150 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Sinker: “Just take it off the plane that much, in the last 10 feet, and it’s a soft ground ball.” — Steve Rogers, page 171 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Changeup: “The hitter sees fastball from the motion of the arm and the spin of the ball which sputters as it crosses the plate, fading away…” Page 198 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Spitball: “When the ball leaves your hand, it slips off your wet fingers and clings, just a tiny bit, to the dry part of your thumb. The ball jumps on account of it.” — Preacher Roe, page 226 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
Cutter: “A good inside cutter veers off course so late that the only way to hit it on the barrel is to pull it foul. The batter must guess where the ball will end up, he does not have time to actually see its movement.” Page 260 of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches
What is a characteristic pitch type for recent Diamondbacks starters?
Each pitcher’s charactistic pitch type is from my perspective as a fan, which depends on more than just the frequency of each pitch type.
Characteristic pitch types corresponding to chapters in the book:
Slider: Ryne Nelson (increased usage last season)
4-Seam Fastball: Ryne Nelson and Eduardo Rodriguez
Changeup: Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez
Cutter: Corbin Burnes
Additional characteristic pitch types:
Knuckle Curve: Zac Gallen
Sweeper: Brandon Pfaadt (as part of a six-pitch mix)
After a day off on Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to practice Tuesday in anticipation of their next tilt Thursday, when they host the Utah Mammoth.
And, given what their injury situation was prior to the day off, there was a sight for sore eyes.
Center Ben Kindel, who experienced a vasevagal episode on the team plane shortly after takeoff from Salt Lake City International Airport on Oct. 20 that prompted an emergency landing, was back on the ice for practice. The 19-year-old was full-contact, and he was working on a second line alongside Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov, who were also both out of the lineup for Saturday's 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators but skated Sunday.
It's only been one week since Kindel was hospitalized. Now, he is back on the ice, and he is grateful to be back.
"I've kind of just been getting back to normal. Obviously, a couple of weird days, but it feels normal now just being back with the guys. So, just excited for the rest of the year."
Kindel said he started working out a day or two after returning to Pittsburgh that Wednesday and that he started more intensive training over the weekend. Tuesday marked his first day back on the ice, although he had ample opportunity to get off-ice work in.
In recalling the experience, Kindel didn't reveal anything that wasn't already known to the public through GM and POHO Kyle Dubas's press conference as well as the team's official press release. But he's ready to put it in the past.
"I wouldn't say it's that tough. For me, it's in the past now," Kindel said. "It's out of my head. Can't control what happened, just got to move forward. That's where my head's at, just looking to move forward now. So, I'm definitely not dwelling on anything or have anything holding me back coming into this weekend."
Prior to his medical episode, Kindel had two goals and four points in nine games on the season, and he was a staple as the team's third-line center. Even in the two games that Kindel missed - Saturday's game and Thursday's 4-0 rout of the Florida Panthers - there was a fair amount of lineup shuffling that occurred, particularly within the middle-six.
The Penguins were coming off of a four-game winless road trip before Kindel's incident, and they have won both games since. Hendrix Lapierre and Elmer Soderblom reentered the lineup, and young forwards Rutger McGroarty and Avery Hayes pitched in during Saturday's win. Lapierre centered the second line in both games, and he and Ville Koivunen have developed some chemistry and were, arguably, the team's best line in those two contests.
So, that's a combination that will likely stick Thursday on the third line. Tommy Novak has been working on the first line with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell and has seen some success there, so Kindel took Novak's regular spot between Chinakhov and Malkin.
Of course, the Penguins practice again Wednesday, so these are not necessarily combinations that will stick. However, it is something to watch, given how the other lines have developed together in the games Kindel missed.
"You don't have a lot of these days where you get multiple practice days in a row, so it was an opportunity for us today to see some things," head coach Dan Muse said following Tuesday's practice. "We've still got to check some boxes in terms of some of the guys that are coming back, just in terms of how they're progressing, and I think that can dictate things a little bit for lines.
"But that was a thing today. Obviously, Geno and Chinny have played together in the past. I think 'Lappy' and 'Koivy' have been playing well together - very well together - so you got some pairs there that we're looking at and building some lines off of, but we'll take it a practice at a time here."
Of course, some things could change over the next couple of days. Kindel does have a very small sample size playing with Chinakhov and Malkin from last season, and he did see a brief stint in the top-six on Crosby's wing as well. It seems he may finally be getting another opportunity to be elevated in the lineup, should the combinations stick and everyone be ready to go Thursday.
Regardless of how it all shakes out, however, Kindel is ready to pounce on the opportunity to get back out there and help the team continue to string some wins together.
"I'm just going try and do whatever I can to help the team," Kindel said. "Obviously, if I get an opportunity to play with Geno and Chinny, that would be awesome. They're both great players offensively, and hopefully, we can see what we can do, if that is a line.
"Wherever they put me, I'm just happy to go out there and try and do my best wherever and help the team win."
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 27: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game One of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are a few candidates for the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history. You could potentially including, I guess, Nolan Ryan’s no hitters or Kenny Rogers’ perfect game, but otherwise, pretty much all of them, I think, come in the 21st century, which says something about the first 30-something years of the team’s history.
As an Ian Kinsler stan, his 9th inning homer in Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS against the Rays, with him skipping out of the box on the way to first base, is still a favorite.
But to me, the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history took place three years ago today. Game 1 of the 2023 World Series, in Arlington. The Rangers, down 5-3 going to the bottom of the ninth against D-Backs closer Paul Sewald. Leody Taveras leads off with a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. Marcus Semien strikes out.
And then, up steps Corey Seager, and first pitch…
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched that clip — dozens, at least. And it still gives me goosebumps.
“He could tie it with one swing…HIGH DRIVE…ITS TIED!!!”
I defy you to watch that clip and not have big feelings.
That was a $325 million dollar swing. That was the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history.
That home run just tied up the score, but at that moment I knew — much like I knew, when Mitch Garver homered in the second inning of Game 6 of the ALCS in Houston to tie up the game, that the Rangers would win the ALCS — that the Rangers were going to win, not just the game, but the whole damn thing.
Two innings later, Adolis Garcia won the game for the Rangers in dramatic fashion:
You know, we know, intellectually, that Adolis Garcia was a beast in the 2023 playoffs. We remember that he came up huge. But watching that clip, and the one of the ALCS homers, brings the feeling back.
Five days later, in Arizona, in a game where the Rangers didn’t have a baserunner until the fifth inning, and didn’t get a hit until the seventh, a gritty performance by Nathan Eovaldi kept the D-Backs off the scoreboard for six innings. Aroldis Chapman retired a pair of batters and issued a walk in the seventh before turning the ball over to Josh Sborz, who recorded the final seven outs.
And in an echo of 2010 and Neftali Feliz, Sborz ended the game with a backwards K:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Rangers fan. As a kid, I was desperate to see the Rangers win the World Series, to be crowned champions. As an adult — especially after 2011 and 2012 — I started to think it would never happen, that the Rangers were cursed, and that I’d never see them lift the trophy.
Sometimes I find myself wondering, why do I do this to myself? Why am I a fan of this team? Why do I subject myself to the heartache and heartbreak and disappointment that is such a regular part of our fandom?
And then I watch those clips above, and my question is answered. 2023 makes it all worthwhile.
Raphielle Johnson
