The Test captain kept his promise to answer all questions at a press conference that made his position clear and filled some but not all gaps
Our coverage on Thursday said that Pat Cummins needed to front up, and nobody can fairly say that he didn’t. It was a proper ’til-they-drop affair from Australia’s cricket captain, an hour and 10 minutes at a press conference podium taking questions about the 2018 ball-tampering episode until every journalist present ran out of steam. You might have expected some partial concession to teammate Usman Khawaja’s depiction of endemic cheating, but Cummins was firm that this did not reflect the life he’d known. Once more with feeling, but more importantly with detail.
Media accounts will now depict this as Cummins and Khawaja at war, because a falling-out among friends is a juicy story to fatten up and serve for gluttony. It isn’t fair, because both have emphasised the importance of their friendship, strained as it must now be. As two thoughtful people with shared history, they have a better chance than most to find a way through.
Happy birthday to Arodys Vizcaino*, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1984 – Ryne Sandberg wins the National League MVP Award, becoming the first Chicago Cubs player to do so since Ernie Banks in 1959. Sandberg hit .314 with 19 home runs and 32 stolen bases and led the NL in runs (114) and triples (19), and other stories as well.
1989 – After 16 years with the same team, outfielder Jim Rice is released by the Boston Red Sox. Rice retires from the game with 382 home runs and a .298 average. He will eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009.
2000 – Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox becomes the first pitcher to win the American League Cy Young Award unanimously in consecutive years. Martinez, who posted an 18-6 mark with a 1.74 ERA, has copped the “top pitcher” honor three of the last four seasons.
2001 – Pitcher Randy Johnson, who posted a 21-6 record with a 2.49 ERA and 372 strikeouts, wins his fourth Cy Young Award, his third straight as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Previously, Johnson also won the honor in 1995 with Seattle, and is the second pitcher to win three consecutive Cy Young awards, joining Greg Maddux who won four in a row from 1992–1995.
1789 – In a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, Benjamin Franklin writes “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
1980 – US spacecraft Voyager 1 sends back first close-up pictures of Saturn during its fly-by.
1982 – Vietnam Veterans Memorial opens in Washington, D.C., featuring the names of over 58,000 US soldiers killed or missing in the Vietnam War.
1992 – Riddick Bowe wins the undisputed world heavyweight boxing crown with a unanimous points decision over Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas; first of their three meetings.
2001 – Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira‘s fifth studio album and first English language album, “Laundry Service”, is released.
2002 – Eminem releases the single ‘Lose Yourself’ from the soundtrack of “8 Mile,” the first rap song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
2015 – Terror attacks in Paris at bars, restaurants, the national football stadium and Bataclan music venue leave 130 dead. Isis claim responsibility.
2020 – Kylie Minogue becomes the first woman to top the UK album chart over five consecutive decades with “Disco”
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The offseason has been quiet thus far, with only a few under-the-radar signings across the league, but it seems like a foregone conclusion that things will pick up in the next couple of weeks leading into the lockout on December 1. As requested, these weekly threads will now begin with a question to get the conversation rolling. This week’s question: Which player(s) would you most like to see the Brewers add in free agency? Feel free to also weigh in on our MVBrewers #3 voting at The Feed post below.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 15: Dante Nori #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies stands in the batter's box during a game between the Surprise Saguaros and Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on October 15, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a solo home run in the seventh inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, September 25, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
In case you’ve forgotten, Pete Alonso is really, really good. and O’s fans are lucky to get to watch him. Last night, the Orioles’ best player continued to rake in the honors, finishing an impressive fifth place in the AL Most Valuable Player vote.
Alonso didn’t receive any first-place votes — and neither did anyone aside from the unanimous winner, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez — but the O’s first baseman was well represented in the final tally. Alonso appeared on 28 of the 30 ballots, which run 10 players deep. Alonso got a pair of third-place votes, and 13 votes as a top-five finisher. The only voters to leave him out of their top 10 entirely were Dave Skretta of the Associated Press and The Athletic’s Dan Hayes. Prepare the angry emails!
Additionally, Alonso was named as the first baseman for the All-MLB First Team. To be clear, it’s not an actual team — they’re not setting out on a barnstorming tour of America or anything like that — but it’s the league’s recognition of the best regular-season player at every position this year. Alonso was a slam-dunk selection as the MLB leader among first basemen in home runs (40), RBIs (113), runs (100), and fWAR (5.0).
Alonso’s latest honors are just another reminder that, as Stacey wrote, the Polar Bear was the best thing about the 2026 Orioles. Not only did he provide superb on-field production — arguably the best since his rookie season in 2019 — but he was a respected clubhouse leader and an immediate fan favorite. Alonso has jelled so perfectly with the Baltimore community that it’s like he’s been here all his life.
The O’s made a huge splash last offseason when they signed Alonso to a team-record five-year, $155 million contract, and Year 1 was a resounding success. I only wish the Orioles had built a better team around him.
Bonus Banner content (the publication, not the new GM). Jon Meoli wants the Orioles to be aggressive and start making moves right now. I would appreciate that, too, if for no other reason than to give us some O’s content to chew on while we’re waiting out a months-long lockout.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 29th birthday to Trevor Rogers. The left-hander transformed from an iffy 2024 trade acquisition into a bright spot in the Birds’ rotation the past two years, winning Most Valuable Oriole honors for his sensational 2025 campaign. Rogers is set to get a big payday in free agency this offseason, and I hope it comes from the Orioles.
Other players in O’s history born on Nov. 13 include lefty Wade Miley (40), third baseman Josh Bell (40), righty Pat Hentgen (58), and outfielder Larry Harlow (75).
On this day in 2023, Gunnar Henderson was unanimously voted AL Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Oriole to win the award in 34 years. Henderson batted .255/.325/.489 with 28 homers, 82 RBIs, and 100 runs, posting a 6.1 WAR. And I’m sure Gunnar has only gotten better since then, right? …Right?
Nov 11, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) reacts during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That clarification was needed based on how Harden’s first 11 outings had gone. He entered Wednesday’s game in New York averaging an uncharacteristic 15.3 points per game, shooting a dreadful 36.4% from the field. Harden has been a step slow and unable to create space off the dribble.
There’s a downstream effect to Harden not being able to score. The passing lanes dry up when defenders don’t have to help cut off his drives. This has left him as an inefficient scorer and inept playmaker at the start of the season.
Yet, he doesn’t have to be that player.
Wednesday, Harden showed that he still has the talent to be a dynamic scoring guard. He got the outside shot working in the second quarter, and then expanded his game from there. Defenders had to overplay him on the perimeter, which allowed him to attack inside. He used that to his advantage to score nine points in the fourth quarter, which included two finishes inside the paint.
In short, he was the Harden we’ve seen wreck defenses for over a decade and a half, not the one that we saw in the first 11 games this season.
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The Cavs would be a championship contender if they could guarantee performances like this from Harden in the playoffs.
Being able to score and playmake at this level would mean teams couldn’t load up to stop Donovan Mitchell, and it would create easy scoring opportunities for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley inside. But you can’t ensure this version of Harden on a nightly basis, or even for big games he gets up for. Age catches up to every player, especially a 37-year-old like Harden who has played nearly 50,000 minutes in his 18-year career.
Instead of counting on Harden to play as he did in his prime, he’s trying to find other ways to adapt his game to his current situation.
“I just focus on myself, things I need to do, and try to get in really good shape and learn my teammates and learn how to play a different brand of basketball, because I’m not the same fast person that I was like five or six years ago,” Harden said.
Instead, Harden will need to find different ways to impact winning in this new reality he finds himself in. If someone can make that adjustment, it’s a player as skilled and as smart as Harden. That adjustment won’t happen overnight. There will undoubtedly be more lows like we saw in the embarrassing loss to the Charlotte Hornets earlier this week, but the Cavs are more than willing to endure those games if it means Harden can eventually find his way. Because in the end, the Cavaliers’ hopes and dreams for this season and the next two depend on Harden putting the pieces together.
“Now I still score points, but I’m finding other ways to impact the game as well,” Harden said. “And I think that’s what people probably don’t understand.”
KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 18: St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom talks with Kansas City Royals Manager Matt Quartraro before a MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals on June 18, 2026, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Soon enough, if it hasn’t started by the time you read this, individual transactions for teams should have started up, perhaps even skyrocketed. I started writing this the day after the World Series ended, and I see even that first day that a few transactions have occurred. No time to like now to get started! I will try to keep up with Cardinal transactions as they occur, before this article posts.
As the Cardinals get involved in those transactions, the focus of discussion will inevitably narrow to the characteristics and potential of the player(s) involved, so very detailed. I wanted to take advantage of this interlude to take a high-level look at the pipeline, without getting into the merits of any individual player. The way I’m going to do this is to bucket players into various position groups and into various timeline brackets. The focus will be on the position groups and time brackets, not so much in trying to differentiate potential among individual prospects. My intent is to get a high level look at where the overall system (and roster) is stronger and where it is weaker, both now and into the future. Likewise, I didn’t spend copious amounts of time on the current iteration of the MLB roster. We know the weaknesses (and strengths). But which ones have solutions coming?
I had a little bit of a methodology here, which I will describe, and then talk through the groupings I formed up.
First, I separated players into position and pitching groups. I subdivided the MLB roster into position players, bench, starters and bullpen. I sub-divided MiLB players into just position players and pitcher. For the most part, only regulars in MiLB progress to MLB and almost all MLB pitchers come from the starter group. There are exceptions (Gastelum, for one), but few enough where a separate group doesn’t seem necessary.
Then I added in some timeline elements that hopefully mostly self-explanatory. I did try and avoid specific time forecasts, but one could look at each column and roughly estimate a season where a player in that column might begin to impact the MLB roster. Timing is so inexact, I took a different route in labelling the columns. They are as follows,
MLB – these are the players that by and large finished the season on the active 26-man roster (with some expected pruning yet to be announced).
MLB ready – these are the players that are not on the MLB active roster but have a realistic potential for doing so as soon as Opening Day and will more than likely see MLB time in 2027. To try and be consistent, my first screen for this was a player has to be on the 40-man roster and not on the 26-man, with one exception (Cijntje). The player has to be at AAA as well. Let’s face it, the Cardinals don’t call up players from AA, and don’t view AA players as MLB ready. Not every org thinks this of every player, but it is a good screen to apply here.
Near-ready – these are the players that appear near MLB readiness, but realistically won’t make the Opening Day roster because they have more boxes to check at AAA. Right now, the main composition of this group are the many players likely to move up to AAA from AA that are not on the 40-man roster.
Distant – this next group of players are guys who are identifiable as potential impact players, but are not near-ready. As you might suspect, these would be the guys expected to open at High-A or make it up to AA next season. This group has no chance of joining the MLB roster in 2027 and we can hope that they are at least near-ready by 2028. Some are further away, but their star burns bright enough to see.
I also had a Hospital ward – this group of players are the ones that would be in one of the upper groups if not for injury. I removed this grouping to reduce the size of the graphic. So as not to forget players like Henderson or Dobbins, who may (or may not) re-enter this pipeline at some future date.
I included only upper-tier prospects in the groups. Players not ranked on a prospect list or players below 40 FV on Fangraphs didn’t get grouped. There will certainly be an MLB-caliber player in there, but not many and likely not super impactful, and not enough to really change the overall picture. Some will want to argue this. But, but, what about Ortiz? He looks like a hitter and could fit in the 1B/DH group! Well, Deniel Ortiz has finally made it onto someone’s prospect list (BA has him at 27), but he carries a 35 FV. The potential of this one player impacting the major league roster is quite low. This isn’t a projection on Ortiz himself. I don’t know enough him individually. But right now, he doesn’t appear to make that group of incoming players materially stronger in a way that can be counted on. I left guys like this off. From 30,000 feet, we can’t see them until their star burns brighter. It may.
So, I plunked each chosen player into a position group and a timeline and came up with this distribution:
The groupings allow me to look at the system at a higher level without getting into frenzied debates about whether player X has more potential than player Y or what position the player should end up in. Here, we will look at the depth of the group, not the individual components so much.
I embellished the original groupings a bit, adding arrows to show the general flow of talent through the pipeline, which is roughly right-to-left. Once in MLB, bench players usually come from the stock of position players who can’t quite make the everyday circuit. Think about it. How often do teams promote from MiLB to the bench to improve the talent level of the team?
I added some color. MLB roster players are red if I view this as a roster spot that really just needs an upgrade. Yellow colored names are guys we don’t quite yet know what they are. These are the runway guys. On the non-MLB side, I color coded the groups based on perceived strength (and quantity). I also added prospect counts in each group, to keep the focus on the group, not the individuals.
Notice the position player side of the pipeline. It narrows from right to left. I’d kind of generally expect this. 10 Low-A prospects might be 4 by the time they get 2-3 years down the road. Peculiarly, the pitching pipeline has a more uniform shape, with pitching prospects pretty equally distributed. Just at a high level, I’d think this side of the pipeline is healthier because of that.
Some things that jump out immediately:
Notice the shortage of MLB-ready position players. I colored coded this grouping red, indicating this is (at a high level) probably the biggest area of deficit in the Cardinals system. If the MLB roster had no immediate needs, this wouldn’t be a huge problem, but the MLB roster has obvious deficits (3b, CF) and some potential deficits if the more unknowns struggle (Baez, Bernal). Jimmy Crooks isn’t going to fill all of these deficits (or perhaps any of them). With the known problems and the potential for injury or under-performance lurking, this gap is … concerning.
Worsening this look is the Near Ready group has but 4 players. An unusual amount of good fortune will have to pass over this group if they, as a group, are going to impact the MLB roster positively at some future date. The math tells us the likelihood is more like that only 1 or 2 will ascend in an impactful way.
When you look at the position players in the Distant comets group, the group itself starts to look stronger and more foundationally sound. We do have to remember that the attrition rate in this group is higher, though. And a ways away.
On the pitching side, the Cardinals come in with a solid if unspectacular rotation and a very weak bullpen. When you look at the MLB-ready pitching group, you see another 8 names (assuming Fitts is healthy). This group is colored code green as more of a strength.
We can see 5 more names in the Near Ready pitcher group. Not all of these guys will contribute in 2027, but it sure looks like the Cardinals could go ten deep in starters without going outside the organization. While I can see where they might want to bring in a veteran from the outside, this looks like a deep group.
As you look at the reliever group, the MLB talent level leaves a bit to be desired. Over time, it is pretty easy to imagine that a number of the MLB ready or Near Ready starters will either 1) push an existing starter to the bullpen or 2) end up a reliever themselves. When one thinks about the average MLB team in the average season rolls out 30 arms on MLB mounds, 12 (MLB) + 8 (MLB ready and near ready) doesn’t seem like quite enough quantity. While there is strength in the depth of the MLB Ready and Near Ready pitchers, there probably isn’t the numbers needed to both improve the rotation and improve the bullpen, unless everyone remains healthy and everyone progresses. Even with guys this close, I would call that unlikely. Some of this math probably helps inform the acquisition of Lopez and potentially others to come.
The challenge
If the MLB-ready position group is the biggest challenge, even more perplexing is how to fix it. Waiting doesn’t seem like a grand strategy. Inaction usually isn’t. Money to fill the MLB positional gaps with free agents would alleviate pressure on the AAA team, but non-performance or injury could strike at any time and expose this gap even with heavy spending.
As discussed widely, there are some potential redundancies at starting pitcher and catcher that could be dealt to fill some of these holes with trades. The match-ups don’t seem that great in the market, but it only takes one.
The longer-term option would be to take the MLB players closest to free agency (Burleson, Pallante) and deal them to acquire near-ready MLB talent. This would be unpopular with the fanbase, who are growing restive and perhaps a bit tired of the perceived slow pace of the rebuild. Plus, acquiring near-MLB ready talent is no guarantee they become impactful, which would submarine the whole affair. High risk, for sure. Even with the keen talent evaluation skills of this management group.
This bifurcated off-season should be fascinating to watch unfold.
May 9, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a double against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
For the first time since November 2023, someone other than Aaron Judge won the AL MVP award last night, with Yordan Alvarez taking home his first MVP. The last full-season AL MVP to go to someone other than Judge or Shohei Ohtani was Mike Trout in 2019. The junior circuit has been to an extent defined for the last decade by the exploits of those three greats, Judge, Ohtani, and Trout, though Alvarez’s breakthrough probably represents more of a career peak for the DH than it does a passing of the torch.
It’ll be a relatively quiet day on the site as we ease into another offseason weekend. In the morning, you can catch Josh’s discussion of Luis Garcia’s Jr.‘s fine, if lackluster, debut with the Yankees, as well as Matt’s appreciation of Mel Stottlemyre, who would’ve turned 85 today.
Questions/Prompts:
1. If the Yankees were to deal from their starting pitching surplus this winter, who would you most expect them to shop, and who would you be most OK with them shopping?
2. Which of last night’s MVP award winners has the best shot at going back-to-back next year? And which of the Cy Young Award winners?
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 11: Marcus Smart #36 of the Houston Rockets reacts during the third quarter of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on November 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Marcus Smart of the Houston Rockets was suspended yesterday for three games without pay for throwing a punch at Charles Bassey in Wednesday night’s victory over the the Golden State Warriors. The incident happened in the third quarter of the Rockets’ win, and Smart was ejected and given a flagrant 2.
Smart and Bassey begun arguing after an Amen Thompson drive, and then a Smart right hand connected with Bassey. Houston’s head coach Ime Udoka blamed Bassey for running his mouth, however, Bassey claims it was Smart who initiated the incident by “playing dirty the whole game.”
He said:
“I remember the first half, I was trying to set a screen. He grabbed my knee. He was playing dirty. I think I was trying to get a rebound. He was grabbing my hand, and I was trying to run back on defense. Then, he got up on me and just swung. Obviously, that was weak. I just think that was, honestly, fake toughness.
“It didn’t surprise me. I knew he was going to do something. I don’t think he was trying to play. I think he was trying to get himself out of the game. I think he was trying to chill. He wasn’t trying to hoop. That was fake toughness.”
Smart will miss tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards, and Monday’s game against the Miami Heat. Reed Sheppard likely picks up extra minutes in Smart’s place. He responded on Wednesday with the some clutch play down the stretch. Let’s see if that continues.
Smart is averaging 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game for the Rockets while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep. Houston is currently at 9-3 and in third place in the Western Conference.
The Rockets will miss Smart, who has somewhat taken on the old Dillon Brooks agitator role, but if any team has the depth to suck it up, it’s the Rockets.
England prevail 50-38 over France in Wollongong final
Joe Coyd scores four tries to set successful title defence
England men’s wheelchair rugby league team completed an historic defence of their World Cup title, defeating their great rivals France in a thrilling final in Wollongong which underlined the overwhelming positives of the sport.
The English and the French have been the two dominant nations in the wheelchair game, sharing the previous four World Cup titles between them. On the field, they have produced thunderous and often controversial encounters but off it, there is great respect in a sport that allows disabled and able-bodied athletes to compete alongside one another.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat after the game at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 149-128. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to advance out of the group stage of the NBA Cup for the first time. For them to do so, they’ll likely need to take advantage of a Miami Heat team that still hasn’t found its stride.
Miami has struggled to create any kind of positive momentum since trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their offense hasn’t found a correct balance, as they’ve struggled to get consistent contributions from players outside of Giannis.
Things are worse defensively. They’re giving up the fifth-most threes in the league, and opponents are hitting 40% of their outside looks against them (28th). You’re just not going to have a good defense if you’re struggling to contain the outside shot to that degree.
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Cavs injury report: Evan Mobley – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (elbow), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (back), Khalifa Diop – OUT (G League), Ernest Udeh, Jr. – OUT (G League)
It took 65 minutes and an eight-round shootout to finally get a goal, but at 10 PM Mountain Standard Time, the game between the Utah Mammoth and the St. Louis Blues finally ended. Unfortunately for the home team, their losing streak extends to four games with a 1-0 shootout loss on Thursday.
It wasn’t for lack of trying. You definitely can’t blame the Mammoth’s efforts. There was so much going against them. The team just came back from Las Vegas the night before, after an intense game against the Vegas Golden Knights. A couple of minutes out from this one, it was announced that the Mammoth would be rolling without three of their top five forwards.
After Nick Schmaltz was injured off a hit in the game against the Golden Knights, it was speculated that he likely wouldn’t play on Thursday. That speculation ended up being correct, as he joined Dylan Guenther, John Marino, Nate Schmidt, and Logan Cooley on the injury row. Head coach André Tourigny confirmed that a majority of those players are still a long way away from returning.
One man's loss is another man's gain. Coming into the lineup to replace Schmaltz was Ben McCartney, who hadn’t played an NHL game in 1,832 games, despite multiple NHL call-ups over the past couple of years and some really strong American Hockey League campaigns with the Tucson Roadrunners. Tourigny and the coaching staff had spoken highly about McCartney on Wednesday before the game against the Golden Knights, saying his time was coming. Thursday, his time finally did come.
"There are a lot of emotions,” McCartney said. “It was a grind to get back here, but I'm just so happy to be here. I just want to try to help the team win in any way possible."
It was his first game since Nov. 6, 2021, with the Arizona Coyotes. Zac Jones also made his Mammoth debut against the Blues, appearing in his first game since April 17, 2025, with the New York Rangers. Another player who has had a very good season so far with the Roadrunners.
“It took a lot of hard work, a lot of belief in myself,” Jones said. “Being a guy who was the seventh defenseman in New York for my entire career, it was tough to make a name for myself. It was nothing against them; they were great there; it was just time to move on. I think last year in Rochester, getting to play all the time rebuilt my confidence again and proved to myself that I can be a pro hockey player.”
Mammoth fans were on edge early on. Mikhail Sergachev went down early on, limping off the ice and into the locker room. Jones got extra shifts, but the Russian defenseman eventually returned and played more than 28 minutes.
This was a defensive-minded game from the very beginning. Two teams desperate for points, trying to figure each other out. A lot of credit has to be given to the blueline. They weren’t that great against the Golden Knights, but they really did well against the Blues.
Outside of Artem Duda and Jones, the top four defensemen each played upwards of 20 minutes. Especially when you consider the five times the Mammoth found themselves shorthanded, the blueline was the strongest part of the Mammoth’s game against the Blues.
“The way we defend, 5-on-5 (or) PK, all the time, a lot of pride, a lot of aggression,” Tourigny said. “I’ve talked a lot about that in the past, about how great we are when we have that aggression defensively. Tonight, we were rock solid defensively. I need to talk about Sergachev. He was really, really good. Best player on the ice, in my opinion, for both teams. He’s a big factor in why we got the point. He was at 28 minutes, and yesterday he had a lot of minutes as well. Kudos to him.”
The penalty kill ended up killing all five penalties, as mentioned. Lawson Crouse was another big factor in that. He played a very reliable two-way game and was out for a lot of the biggest shorthanded moments.
Karel Vejmelka also has to be credited with a huge part of why the Mammoth ended up getting a point. The goaltending has been highly criticized all season long. Vejmelka in particular has received a lot of flak for his play. Yet, he walks away from this one with a shutout. 22 saves in the game isn’t too shabby.
Again, it’s about finding consistency. This cannot be a one-and-done for Vejmelka. Both he and Sebastian Cossa need to find a way to perform well and win games repeatedly. Thursday’s game is a good start for the goaltender.
As mentioned, the Mammoth took this game all the way to the shootout. It is the first time in franchise history that the team went into a shootout tied at 0-0. Yet, they had some good opportunities to score throughout the match. They managed to outshoot the Blues 29-22. Not bad considering the Mammoth were missing three of their top five forwards.
“I think any team, throughout the course of a season, you're going to have injuries, and it's very important for the depth to step up and fill the role of whatever they're asked to do, and I thought everybody did that tonight,” Vincent Trocheck said.
In the shootout, the Mammoth were once again competitive. Both Trocheck and Barrett Hayton managed to force the competition all the way into the eighth round, where Connor McMichael eventually ended it. It's a sour way to end such a hard-fought battle, but at the very least, the Mammoth do get a point out of this one.
CONNOR MCMICHAEL WINS IT IN ROUND 8 OF THE SHOOTOUT FOR THE BLUES 🔥
Losing isn’t acceptable. Especially with losses in each of their four most recent games, points need to start flowing the Mammoth’s way, or they’re going to slip further and further out of the top three in the Central Division. Excuses shouldn’t be a go-to either, generally speaking.
However, you can’t fault the Mammoth for this one. They played and worked hard, which was impressive considering the number of injuries they have and the fact that they just got back from a road trip less than 24 hours ago. They also get a point, the first one they’ve picked up since their overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
“Losing the top guys that we have out, you can't really replace those guys,” Jones said. “But the guys that played, I thought, did a great job of just sticking to our roles, and honestly, we played a great game today. Credit to their goalie; he played well, and it's the way it goes sometimes.”
It is honestly the way it goes sometimes. Luckily, they do get some easier games coming up. The San Jose Sharks are a struggling team, while the Vancouver Canucks are in the middle of an all-out rebuild. They will also play the next four games at home, meaning the fatigue from traveling so much won’t be an excuse. Maybe just don't wear the Hometown Remix jerseys in those games. They are now 0-0-2 while wearing them.
Would a win be better than a shootout loss? Everyone will tell you yes. However, considering the circumstances, this is an outcome you can’t complain too much about.
“On the back-to-back, obviously we wanted the two points,” Tourigny said. “There are no moral victories in the NHL. But we lost in a shootout. We didn’t lose in a 3-on-3; we lost in a skills competition. We wanted the two points, I won’t lie, but I cannot be more proud of our guys.”
It’s a good way to look at it. The Mammoth lost in a skills competition, one they hadn't faced since April 2025. One that can be quite a gamble sometimes. There’s a lot to take and build on from this one, though. The only thing the Mammoth really can do is take those moral victories, move on, and win some of their upcoming games—something they desperately need to do.
The Mammoth will play the Sharks on Saturday. The Sharks are 8-11-2 this season and are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs were named the AL and NL Most Valuable Players on Thursday.
The 29-year-old Alvarez and 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong were the runaway winners, taking home the awards unanimously.
Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals finished behind Alvarez in the AL voting. Crow-Armstrong ended Shohei Ohtani’s streak of three straight MVPs, with the Los Angeles Dodgers star finishing second and Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang in third.
This year marks a changing of the guard after years of dominance by Ohtani and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. They were the MVPs in both 2024 and 2025, and at least one of them had been an MVP every year from 2021-25. Both players battled injuries throughout this season, with Judge playing just 66 games and Ohtani hitting his fewest home runs (30) since 2020.
Alvarez, the 2019 Rookie of the Year, had a standout season to carry the Astros to the AL West title, despite going just 81-81. He set a career-high with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs, and he led MLB in walks (109), batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.432), slugging (.601) and OPS (1.033).
After battling injuries in 2025, Alvarez played 158 games in 2026 while making his fourth All-Star appearance (and second start at DH). He hit three grand slams in June alone, becoming the 11th player in MLB history to pull off that feat.
Alvarez previously finished third in MVP voting in 2022, and this is his third top-10 finish. He joins teammate Jose Altuve (2017) and Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell (1994) as just the third Astro to win the award.
Crow-Armstrong’s MVP campaign came in his third season, and his victory was emphatic. He led the NL in runs (119), home runs (45), slugging (.570), OPS (.943) and WAR (9.8) while playing all 162 games.
Anfernee Simons and Jabari Walker shared the floor for 128 games in Portland. The Trail Blazers won 43 of them.
They sat beside one another in the Sixers’ interview room Thursday night after a victory and discussed what the other 85 taught them.
“Whether you’ve got a big role or a small role, it’s hard to win in the NBA,” Simons said. “We’ve seen it firsthand.”
Their roles were considerably different then.
Simons was an established starter entrusted with creating and scoring. Walker, a 2022 second-round pick, was trying to establish himself in a rotation. During their three overlapping seasons, Portland went 33-49, 21-61 and 36-46. The Blazers missed the playoffs each year.
Both are now reserves on a Sixers team constructed to contend. In nine games they’ve both appeared in this season, Philadelphia is 7-2.
They provided 26 points, 11 rebounds and six three-pointers in the Sixers’ 123-112 win over the Raptors at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Simons scored 17 points and shot 5 for 6 from three-point range. Walker recorded nine points and eight rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.
The Sixers outscored Toronto by 24 points during Simons’ 23 minutes. Neither former Blazer committed a turnover.
Their production helped Philadelphia overcome a 17-point first-quarter deficit and improve to 10-3 without LeBron James.
“You learn once you come off the bench to kind of read the game before you get in there,” Simons said. “Obviously, we started off kind of slow. You just want to go in, bring some energy, get some stops, get out and run. I think everybody who got off the bench brought energy.”
Simons supplied an immediate lift with a deep three-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer. His shot ended an 8-0 Sixers run and trimmed Toronto’s lead to nine.
He remained involved during an 11-0 burst late in the third quarter, knocking down a three and setting up Walker for a basket. Walker then made a three early in the fourth before Simons scored on the Sixers’ next possession.
When Toronto pulled within six with less than five minutes remaining, Simons answered with his fifth three-pointer.
Making those shots is the most obvious way Simons can help a roster already featuring James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. He said the Sixers have not made him feel as though every opportunity must go in.
“They encourage us to keep shooting the ball,” Simons said. “Knowing that a team has that much confidence in us to keep shooting makes the game that much easier. Whether you miss or make, as long as we get the right shots in the right moments, I think everybody can live with the misses and makes.”
Simons spent seven seasons in Portland before playing last year with Boston and Chicago. His move to Philadelphia reunited him with Walker and Rayan Rupert, another former Blazer who joined the Sixers on a two-way contract during the offseason.
Knowing familiar faces awaited him helped Simons enter another new locker room.
“It made the transition seamless,” he said. “Just being able to have some comfortability with guys that I played with for multiple years. It’s been fun, kind of feeling like a little bit of old times. Me, Bari and Rups have been through a lot.”
Walker’s path to Philadelphia began a year earlier and required an additional step.
After playing 188 games over three seasons with Portland, Walker signed a two-way contract with the Sixers in July 2025. He earned a standard contract in February and has since pushed his way into the backup-center conversation despite standing 6-foot-7.
Walker believes some of the work he did on losing teams was easily missed.
“When I first got to the league, I was part of a rebuilding process,” he said. “I just felt like some of the little things I did didn’t always get noticed when you’re losing. I told myself, if I ever got to be part of a winning organization, then I’d go out and expand my abilities.”
Rebounding has made Walker difficult for Nick Nurse to overlook.
Walker credited his timing and strong hands to lessons passed down by his father, former NBA center Samaki Walker. Those instincts have become especially useful while the Sixers piece together their frontcourt behind Embiid.
“Rebounding is a skill I kind of honed in on,” Walker said. “My dad was a good rebounder. He was known for his rebounding and his timing. I think it’s just a gift that he transferred to me.”
Walker has made it clear that he expected to earn a role this season.
“I don’t know if I was delusional, but I always felt like I was going to play and I was going to be a part,” he said. “I read something where they said it’s a surprise, but if you were around me this summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise. This is expected, and I just want to continue to get better.”
The freedom Simons once had in Portland is no longer necessary. Walker does not need a high volume of touches, either. Both understand that playing beside the Sixers’ stars requires shooting when open, moving the ball and handling the less glamorous work.
“You’ve got to find ways to impact the game multiple ways, even if you’re not scoring,” Simons said. “Whether it’s cutting, making the right read and pass to Joel, being the right swing pass to VJ, boxing out on defense or just being in the right position.”
Their opportunities will fluctuate. Simons may take nine shots one night and only a few the next. Walker’s minutes will depend on matchups and the health of Philadelphia’s frontcourt.
Winning has changed what they are being asked to do. Their three years together in Portland taught them why the adjustment is worthwhile.
“You feel appreciative of the times where you go into a situation where your role might be a little bit less, but you’re winning,” Simons said. “That’s something you can’t take for granted.”
