LeBron James' childhood friend, HS teammate promoted to Cavaliers GM

A high school teammate and childhood friend of LeBron James is now an NBA general manager.

Brandon Weems has been promoted to general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers after rising through the organization's front office over the past decade, according to multiplereports on Friday, Sept. 18. He'd been an assistant general manager for the franchise since 2022.

Weems played basketball with James at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. James' agent, Rich Paul, described Weems as "basically like LeBron's brother" during a podcast appearance as James was deciding on a new team this offseason. His presence in Cleveland was seen as a positive recruiting tool for the Cavaliers.

In an odd twist, Weems is replacing one of the men who helped persuade James to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers in July over the Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and others. Weems is filling the vacancy left by Mike Gansey, who is now the 76ers' president of basketball operations.

Weems, 40, played college basketball at Walsh University in Ohio and then had jobs for the men's basketball programs at Oakland University, Drexel and Kentucky, where he worked under John Calipari. Weems began working for the Cavaliers as a scout in 2015, according to the Akron Beacon-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James' childhood friend, HS teammate promoted to Cavaliers GM

The Bounce: Winning an MVP is better than a title? Tracy McGrady thinks so

The Bounce Newsletter  | This is The Athletic’s daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox.

Good morning! It’s been a busier week around the NBA than I expected. I accidentally started a basketball book club on X (formerly Twitter). Let’s get to it

T-Mac’s Take

McGrady would rather have an MVP than a title

No really!

In a recent episode of his “Cousins” podcast alongside NBA legend Vince Carter, Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady said he would rather have an MVP than a championship. (He does not have either. No shade. I don’t either!) In his explanation, McGrady said the championship is for the collective, the MVP award is for the individual and nobody remembers the 10th or 11th man on a winning team.

In the days since the clip hit social media, former NBA champions like Iman Shumpert have taken issue with T-Mac’s comments.

It’s so easy to say what we would do in someone else’s shoes. But we have no clue what it took for real. I’m of the belief that a person’s view of winning is often impacted by how they view their own legacy, and T-Mac sometimes feels like a legend without a true legacy.These convos never go well for him.

The discussion of whether winning a championship matters versus winning MVP is an interesting one, because I don’t think they’re the same thing. I agree with Shump.

Ring chasing is the point. I refuse to believe there is a player who doesn’t care about their chances of winning, especially not when they’re in the prime of their careers. Shumpert’s reaction to McGrady’s comment brings to mind something Zach (yep, the Zach who usually writes this newsletter) has mentioned to me in the past: Have we reached a point where winning it all is actually underrated?

Though not a one-to-one comparison, as recently as 2025, Hall of Famer Allen Iverson has said he doesn’t regret not winning. Iverson looks at his own impact on the game and the way he changed his life through basketball as more important than a chip.

So while the rest of us might easily say winning changes everything, these guys have the benefit, the delusion maybe, of looking back on their younger selves a bit kinder and reducing the value of winning. (You also need that delusion to even reach the levels they did. The challenge is in the margins of just playing the game.)

In another viral clip, McGrady said that if you replaced Kobe Bryant with him on the three-peat Lakers, he would’ve had a similar impact. T-Mac averaged 29.4 points in the playoffs from 2000 to 2003; the Lakers three-peated in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

McGrady’s postseason scoring average during those years was tied with Shaquille O’Neal for second, behind only Iverson (30.9). Kobe ranked fourth (26.5).

These convos do make me empathize with T-Mac, though. His body betrayed him, he didn’t have talented teams in Orlando and his coach was Doc Rivers, who routinely gets clowned for choking in big moments aside from the 2008 ring many say he lucked into.

(There’s another world where we can acknowledge there are just too many podcasts and too many takes, thus creating a need to ignore facts, stretch opinions and be unnecessarily harsh.)

The last 24

🏀 Numbers game. Which current NBA players deserve to have their jersey numbers retired? Jason Jones has the list.

🏀 Into the vacuum. Ownership turnover in the NBA has only increased the power of the commissioner, Jason Lloyd writes.

🏀 Mental matters. DeMar DeRozan is nearing the end of his playing career, but he has big plans to continue his advocacy for mental health.

🏀 Eastern promises. The Knicks are the defending champs, but the Eastern Conference has a deep bench of contenders this season.

BOG thoughts

Three takeaways from NBA meeting

In case you missed it, the NBA held its Board of Governors meetings earlier this week. An editor asked my opinion about it all, and I didn’t realize I had thoughts until I did.

Here are my takeaways now that the dust has settled a little:

On the Portland Trail Blazers’ arena dispute: I found it interesting that NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he “would see it as a failure” if the Trail Blazers left Portland. Silver also said he hoped both sides could “lower the temperature” in the negotiations. But it feels like the NBA and other professional sports teams across the country are ignoring the general public’s lack of appetite for financing a sports team’s new state-of-the-art arena.

Silver admitted to wanting to be more “NFL-like” with every fan believing their team can win it. I guess that’s fine. People either love or hate parity. But something I think the NBA should also look at is how the NFL is so popular. The NFL knows its audience and leans into its established culture. The NBA can be having a good day, and the NFL will bust in like the Kool-Aid Man. Gotta figure out how to fight back.

Everybody’s ready to move on from the Clippers investigation and subsequent punishments. Silver addressed Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s statement accepting the punishment doled out by the league and said he’d spoken to Kawhi Leonard, who is officially with Toronto again. They’re all ready to move on. Understandably so. But people are definitely going to be talking about this for a good while longer. This was huge! It will be interesting to see fan reaction in L.A. at the start of the season.

WNBA future

Part 2 of our Q&A with Annie Costabile

After an extended break for the FIBA Women’s World Cup, the final stretch of the WNBA season is underway, with the regular season ending later next week.

I discussed awards races and more with The Athletic’s women’s basketball writer Annie Costabile earlier this week, but our conversation was so good (and so long!) that I didn’t want to leave anything on the cutting room floor.

So here’s Part II (and check out the rest of Annie’s recent work):

With a new CBA in place for a full season, can fans expect teams to fully upgrade their standards/resources by next season?

Annie: Teams have until 2028 to meet the facility standards requirement, and some will push it until then. The Liberty, for example, are in the building phase, but structural framing doesn’t appear to have been started based on a walk-by of the Greenpoint site.

The teams with the biggest resource issues, like the Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings are all set to have facilities open by the 2027 season. The Liberty have some flexibility because, even though their Greenpoint location looks like it may not be ready by the start of next season, they still have been leaders in the league in terms of overall resources/operational standards.

What WNBA teams need a drastic overhaul for next season? And in what ways?

Annie: The Sparks, the Sky, the Phoenix Mercury and the Connecticut Sun. I think for the Sparks and the Sky, they have to answer the question of whether or not the vision they had is the vision they want to keep. We’ve seen in L.A. they’ve already fired and hired a new general manager before the season even ended. They could look to continue that overhaul and fire coach Lynne Roberts. The Sky have to confront similar questions of whether or not GM Jeff Pagliocca and coach Tyler Marsh are capable of getting them back to playoff contention. I think what’s slightly different there is the degree of injury the Sky dealt with and what they looked like prior to Rickea Jackson’s ACL injury.

The Sun are obviously relocating to Houston, so that comes with natural change. Then we have the Mercury, and their overhaul, I think, really comes down to the roster. Is Alyssa Thomas still the franchise player? They should not have fallen from championship contention to outside of the playoffs because of one player (they lost Satou Sabally in free agency.) I don’t see a coaching change happening there.

With the women’s college hoops season approaching, I’d like to shift our attention to next season’s highly anticipated 2027 draft class that includes players like JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker and MiLaysia Fulwiley. Who’s a sleeper to watch who could boost their draft stock?

Annie: My mind immediately went to South Carolina forward/center Ashlyn Watkins. I still remember watching her win the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest in 2022 and being in awe of her length and athleticism. She rejoined Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks in June after taking a year off from basketball. If she comes back with an improved shot coupled with her defensive prowess, specifically when it comes to defending at the rim, I think she could end up going in the top half of the first round.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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Does the front office deserve credit for finding diamonds in the rough?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 14: Christian Encarnacion-Strand #32 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a double in the seventh inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Monday, September 14, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Phebe Grosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Last week Matt Blood, the Orioles’ vice president of player development and domestic scouting, was let go after seven years with the organization. It’s too early to say definitively why, but one narrative that’s seeped into the mainstream is that the front office is unhappy with how the Orioles’ draft picks have panned out. Recall that the Orioles were rewarded for years of tanking by picking in the top five of the draft four years running from 2019 to 2022, landing No. 1 overall twice (Adley Rutschman in 2019, Jackson Holliday in 2022), alongside star college outfielders Heston Kjerstad and Colton Cowser. Well, so far, the returns are underwhelming. Kjerstad still hasn’t stuck as an everyday big leaguer. The jury’s out on Cowser and Holliday. And Rutschman, the centerpiece of the whole rebuild, is now wearing Red Sox red after Baltimore traded him to Boston at the deadline. Mike Elias’s front office gets credit for stockpiling prospects, especially athletic left-handed college hitters who play up the middle, but that’s a pretty thin return out of the draft.

But while the merits of the Orioles’ drafting strategy may require further assessment, one thing the regime seems to have quietly done quite well at is turning up players nobody else wants anymore. I’m referring to the waiver wire pickups, the “for cash” trades, the minor-league deals not even the biggest Orioles sicko paid attention to when they were announced. Despite all the sour feelings around this season, we might ask, is this front office actually good at finding value where the market says there isn’t any? There are a couple names that give cause to think this.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand is one. A fourth-round Twins pick in 2021, he came to Cincinnati in 2022, mashed as a rookie in 2023 (.270, 13 homers in just 63 games), then lost most of two seasons to a wrist fracture. After a lousy, injury-shortened 2025 (.208, -0.6 bWAR in just 36 games), the Reds designated him for assignment and shipped him to Baltimore on April 13, 2026 for cash considerations, after Ryan Mountcastle got hurt. In 51 games since, CES has delivered a .277/.326/.520 with an .846 OPS and 35 RBIs in 51 games. He’s been one of the Birds’ best clutch hitters, and is hitting close to .300 over his last month. He’s also playing a good third base, too, allowing the Orioles to replace the injured Jordan Westburg’s production without relying too much on the dangerous “Coby Mayo at 3B” experiment. Seriously impressive value.

The Orioles bullpen is full of random guys like this. Granted, some arms are random and not-great, but some are pretty exciting. The gold standard here remains Yennier Cano, one of four arms (along with Cade Povich) that Baltimore got from Minnesota in July 2022 for Jorge López, an emotionally tough trade at the time that has aged pretty well, in fact. From a terrible 9.22 ERA in Minnesota that year, Cano became an All-Star in 2023, posting a sterling 2.11 ERA in 72 2/3 innings with 65 strikeouts, and though he hasn’t returned to that form, with periods of up and down efficacy, he’s posted 1.3 WAR across three seasons since, and has looked good this season, with a 3.06 ERA and a new two-year extension.

Another is Rico Garcia, a fellow journeyman and a waiver wire pickup last August after he did stints with both New York teams in 2025. Garcia competently appeared in 20 games for the O’s last season and has been a revelation this year, with career bests in ERA (2.94) and innings (64 1/3). The right-handed Garcia, with his wicked changeup, is the guy Orioles manager Craig Albernaz turns to to clean up bad bases-loaded situations.

And let’s not forget the run of waiver claims that built the 2022-23 roster’s supporting cast. Ramón Urías is a huge one. Claimed off waivers from the Cardinals in 2020, he went on to win a Gold Glove and post 10.5 WAR in six seasons before Baltimore flipped him to Houston at the 2025 deadline for pitching prospect Twine Palmer. Jorge Mateo, acquired off waivers from San Diego in August 2021, led all of MLB in stolen bases in 2022 and won a Fielding Bible Award as the league’s best defensive shortstop before injuries eroded his value and the Orioles finally let his option lapse this past November. Cionel Pérez, plucked off waivers from Cincinnati in November 2021 right after he’d posted a 6.38 ERA there, immediately ran a 1.40 ERA in his first Baltimore season. The lefty was great until he wasn’t. And Danny Coulombe, acquired from Minnesota in March 2023 for pure cash, gave the Orioles a 2.81 ERA and then a 2.12 ERA over two years before elbow surgery.

Even before that, there was Tyler Wells. Baltimore took the big righty in the Rule 5 draft from the Twins in December 2020 and not only did he stick with the team, he became a valuable swingman for them between 2021-26, with 5.3 WAR in that stretch. Wells had real high points—he was arguably the O’s best starter in the first half of 2023 (3.18 ERA, 103 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings), although he continued to battle injuries and inconsistency. Tommy John surgery cost him basically all of 2024 and 2025 but he came back in September 2025 and was throwing well enough by mid-2026 (2.67 ERA in 54 innings) that Baltimore actually got something for him: they traded Wells to Tampa Bay at the deadline for pitching prospect Michael Forret.

I should also mention the grandaddy of this whole approach, Anthony Santander, even though he predates Elias. Baltimore grabbed the talented but oft-injured switch-hitting outfielder in the December 2016 Rule 5 draft, and though he struggled to justify the pick for a couple of years, by his mid-to-late twenties he turned into a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat, racking up 11.0 bWAR across eight seasons in Baltimore before cashing in on a five-year, $92.5 million deal with Toronto. Tony Taters is the platonic ideal of the genre: a player another team was essentially happy to lose, acquired for nothing, who became an All-Star.

I don’t want to overstate things. Whether this list is probative of anything depends on your baseline (are others teams also succeeding by scavenging?). But it’s at least persuasive. This front office seems to be very good at scouting random, unappreciated talent, acquiring it, and in some cases, flipping it for something. You can’t build a playoff team this way. But as a low-cost pipeline for finding two, three, four wins a year out of players other organizations had already discarded, the record over the last five-plus years is hard to disagree with, and Encarnacion-Strand and Rico Garcia suggest that the pipeline isn’t slowing down.

Has Zack Wheeler regained your confidence?

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Fans cheer as Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks back to the dugout after being relieved in the eighth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Trevor Hayes/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Just a few short weeks ago, there was legitimate reason to doubt Zack Wheeler. He was in the midst of easily his worst stretch of starts as a Phillie and arguably the worst of his career, as he had an 8.51 ERA across six starts dating from the end of July to the end of August. It was only natural for alarm bells to start ringing louder and louder, as for all his success in the past, the fact is that Wheeler is still a 36-year-old pitcher coming off of major surgery. 

The most unusual part of Wheeler’s struggles was his lack of command, as his walk rate during the month of August peaked at 14.1%. His velocity was still good, but Wheeler could not locate his pitches and was getting hit hard. 

Fast forward to now in the middle of September, and it looks like Wheeler has regained his form. Over his last four starts dating back to August 30th, Wheeler is 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA. His walk rate has dropped back down to 8.0%, as he’s issued only 8 free passes while striking out 29. Wheeler has been able to go back to limiting hard contact as well, as he’s allowed just 4 extra base hits (three doubles and a HR) over that span. It’s a welcome sight to see as the Phillies fight to clinch a postseason spot, especially now in the absence of Jesús Luzardo. 

It’s strange to consider that Wheeler was a problem for so long, as he’s been one of the few things the Phillies could absolutely count on since he arrived in Philadelphia. It was the first time where there was serious and legitimate doubt about whether he could still perform at the level expected. After all, this is a fanbase that witnessed injury rob Roy Halladay of a graceful decline period. It’s completely understandable for there to still be some scars to consider when discussing an aging ace like Wheeler. But if these last few starts are any indication, the Zack Wheeler that has been one of the best pitchers in the sport for over five years is very much still in there. 

So, has Zack Wheeler regained your confidence? Do you feel comfortable in thinking his struggles are now firmly in the rear-view mirror?

Will the Braves mess up the AL West race?

HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 02: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Sunday, August 2, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kairi Mano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Braves’ headlong dash through a sea of contenders is nearly over. They enjoyed an off day on Thursday, they have three against the Astros in Houston, and then a couple of series against non-contenders and that’s it, the regular season is done.

While the Braves’ position is almost assured (they’ve nearly clinched a playoff berth and they could theoretically fall out of the division lead but aren’t very likely to), the same cannot be said for the Astros.

At 77-76, the Astros are a game ahead of the Rangers in the division race. The Rangers are also two games back of last Wild Card spot (where the AL Central leaders are currently tied), so it is possible that the AL playoff field involves just the AL West winner, as the final spot goes to the AL Central runner-up.

The Braves have three with the Astros. They are only favored (and even then, barely so) in the first game of the series.

The Astros then end the season on a road trip, with two in Seattle and four in Sacramento. By game-by-game odds, they’ll win 4-6 of their remaining nine games.

The Rangers have a weekend set at home with the Blue Jays, continue the homestand against the Mets, and then end the season in Minnesota. By game-by-game odds, they’re also in 4-6 of nine territory, but their odds are slightly better.

So, what the Braves do against the Astros can really tip the scales one way or another. If the Braves sweep, that could really mess up the Astros. If the Braves get swept, that could put the Rangers in the drivers seat. A non-sweep probably won’t have as much of an impact, but could still matter.

The Astros have a lot more to play for at this point, but the Braves can hopefully extract at least a win in three games.

Detroit Tigers News: Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, injury updates, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 12: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers peers from the dugout during the second inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Comerica Park on September 12, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Friday, everyone. The Tigers will be doing their best to topple their division rivals this weekend as we head towards the final week of the season (what? How did that happen??) We have a few little tidbits to get you started for your Friday, including a look at our former ace Tarik Skubal, and our other former ace Justin Verlander who is making headway towards coming back for one final start next weekend.

We also check in on some injured Tigers, some injured superstars, and see which MLB managers might want to freshen up their resumes.

So let’s just get right into it.

Detroit Tigers News

And a more general medical update on what’s going on with injured Tigers. Looks like Justin Verlander did a bullpen session this week, making it more and more likely we’ll see him pitch over Verlander weekend next week.

MLB News

  • Cutest first pitch of all time.
  • It’s not Miggy stealing nachos, but this is pretty delightful.
  • A question for the dads: do you go for the catch?

Thoughts on a 4-3 Rangers loss

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 17: Pitcher Cody Bradford #61 of the Texas Rangers walks to the dugout as he exits the game in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field on September 17, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
  • Well, dangit.
  • No sweep.
  • Winning streak is over.
  • No longer in first place.
  • And with the Astros and the White Sox winning, the Rangers are one out in the division and two out in the Wild Card race, and are tied with Toronto.
  • And things seemed to be going so well for a while.
  • Tyler Alexander did his opening thing. Cody Bradford struck out the side in his first inning of work and cruised along until being lifted in the sixth after allowing a one out hit. The Rangers caught a break when Adley Rutschman’s blast to left center off of Chase Silseth, who reliever Bradford, bounded into the seats for a ground rule double, meaning that Wilyer Abreu, whose single had chased Bradford, had to stop at third rather than scoring.
  • Top of the seventh inning, the Rangers had a 3-0 lead, and things seemed under control.
  • Robby Ahlstrom, asked to handle the seventh, walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up a scarily-deep fly ball to Nick Sogard. After a Roman Anthony RBI groundout, Jakob Junis came in to get the final batter and, we figured, take care of the eighth inning.
  • I will note that Ahlstrom was a curious choice to pitch the seventh. I assumed that the Rangers didn’t want to use Junis, and so were saving Robert Garcia for the eighth, and that’s why Ahlstrom pitched the seventh. That turned out not to be the case, given that Junis was brought in when Ahlstrom got into trouble.
  • Ahlstrom hadn’t pitched in a week, and had a 5.94 ERA and 4.97 FIP coming into the game. In his first nine major league games, Ahlstrom allowed one run. Since then, prior to yesterday’s game, Ahlstrom had a 7.67 ERA and 5.73 FIP in 27 innings.
  • He’s not someone you’d think a playoff contender would be wanting to rely upon in the late innings of a close game.
  • Kind of makes you think maybe the Rangers should have gone out and gotten another reliever or two at the deadline, no?
  • Meanewhile, a walk and a hit by pitch from Junis to start the eighth meant an early end to his night, with Jacob Latz summoned for a six out save.
  • Latz has done the six out save before this year. He had seven of them coming into this game. An eighth wasn’t too much to ask for, was it?
  • Apparently it was. Trevor Story parked a 2-2 pitch into the bleachers, flipping a 3-1 Rangers lead into a 4-3 deficit. And that, as things shook out, was that.
  • The bats seemed poised to do good things early on. A Josh Jung home run put the Rangers up in the first, and a pair of walks by Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger in the second, followed by a pair of bunts sandwiched around a Danny Jansen single, made it a 3-0 game. Could the Rangers knock Sonny Gray out early, make this a blowout, or at least a nice comfy game?
  • No, dear reader, they could not. In fact, after the Ezequiel Duran pop out with Jansen on second that ended the second inning, the Rangers didn’t get another runner in scoring position all game.
  • Texas only had five hits all game — two of them from the much-maligned Danny Jansen. The other two were Jung’s first inning homer and a one out Corey Seager single in the eighth that was prompted erased by a Jung GIDP.
  • Just to make it extra hurty, Jake Burger came up as the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after Wyatt Langford drew a one out walk, only to hit into a game ending double play.
  • Oh loss, where is your sting? Oh defeat, where is your victory?
  • Oh, wait, here it is. Loss’s sting and defeat’s victory are right here. Don’t know how I missed seeing them.
  • Tyler Alexander’s fastball hit 92.2 mph. Cody Bradford touched 90.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 88.6 mph. Chase Silseth’s fastball maxed out at 96.8 mph. Robby Ahlstrom reached 96.3 mph with his sinker. Jakob Junis topped ouat at 93.3 mph with his sinker. Jacob Latz’s fastball hit 95.9 mph. Jordan Montgomery’s sinker touched 91.7 mph.
  • Jake Burger had a 107.9 mph groundout. Wyatt Langford had a 104.8 mph fly out. Josh Jung had a 104.8 mph fly out and a 102.3 mph GIDP. Corey Seager had a 100.1 mph single.
  • Shake it off, and handle Toronto.

Mets vs. Phillies: How to watch on Sept. 18, 2026

The Mets continue a four-game series against the Phillies at Citi Field on Friday night at 7:15.


Mets Notes

  • Francisco Lindor enters play on Friday with 299 career home runs
  • A.J. Ewing is hitting .362/.424/.569 with three homers and three doubles in 66 plate appearances over his last 16 games
  • Zac Thornton was terrific in his last start, allowing two runs in seven innings against the Yankees in the Bronx while giving up five hits, walking one, and striking out four

Today's Lineups

PHILLIES
METS
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How can I watch Mets vs. Phillies online?

To watch Mets games online via Apple TV+ and MLB's "Friday Night Baseball," you will need a subscription to Apple TV+. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet, or via the Apple TV app.

 

New York Yankees vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Series Preview

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees squandered a chance to sweep the Twins Wednesday, dropping a 13-inning gut punch that diminished their chances of catching up to the Rays in the AL East. They’ll head to Phoenix this weekend for a three-game set against the Diamondbacks, who’ve dropped consecutive series and are hanging by a thread in the NL Wild Card race. With a four-game set against the Rays looming next week, this series against Arizona will be crucial in determining if the Yankees control their own destiny heading into the season’s final week. Let’s take a look at the likely starting pitching matchups.

Friday: Gerrit Cole vs. Eduardo Rodriguez(9:40 pm ET)

Tonight at Chase Field, all eyes will be on Gerrit Cole. Aside from the importance of the game on its own merits, it will be a crucial opportunity for the longtime Yankees ace to show whether he can still be counted upon as a frontline starter this postseason. After posting an exemplary 3.11 ERA in his first 16 starts back from Tommy John surgery, he’s stumbled in his last four, allowing 15 runs in 22.2 innings. Most concerning has been his battle with the long ball, having allowed seven in his last two starts. With Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodón firing on all cylinders, a strong outing tonight will help reassure the Yankees that Cole’s recent struggles are just a blip and that he belongs squarely in their playoff rotation.

Cole will face a fellow veteran hurler who’s in the midst of a career year. At the age of 33, Eduardo Rodríguez made his first All-Star team this year and has been a rock for the D-Backs, going 15-6 with a 2.62 ERA that quietly ranks fourth in the NL. Opponents are hitting below the Mendoza line against his heater and are slugging just .335 against his changeup, his top complementary pitch. The latter weapon has been particularly effective against righties, against whom the southpaw has fared batter this year than his fellow lefties. Rodríguez labored his last time out, allowing six runs in 5.1 innings, though only three were earned as the D-Backs committed two costly errors in the fifth.

Saturday: Cam Schlittlervs. Brandon Pfaadt (8:10 pm ET)

When the conversation turns from Cy Young to MVP, you’ve entered rarified air. If the season ended today, Cam Schlittler’s 2026 would rank second in Yankees history in WHIP (0.904) and eighth in ERA (1.95). He’s already seventh in strikeouts (228) and could easily crack the top three with two more representative outings. The last time Schlittler allowed more than a run in one of his starts was on August 3rd. He allowed no runs and one hit in his last outing as he ran roughshod over the Mets. At this point in the season, Schlittler is as close to a sure thing as it gets.

He’s lined up to face Brandon Pfaadt. A hero of the D-Backs’ run to the World Series in 2023, Pfaadt has struggled to establish himself in the intervening years. After spending some time in the bullpen and in the minors this year, he rejoined the rotation on June 30 and has been lights out ever since, going 7-2 with a 2.83 ERA over 12 starts. That ERA was as low as 2.38 before his last outing, a six-run implosion in which he allowed 10 hits to the Rangers in 6.1 innings. Pfaadt doesn’t get many strikeouts but also walks few, relying on soft contact generated by his six-pitch mix to work through lineups.

Thursday: Will Warren vs. Corbin Burnes (4:10 pm ET)

Will Warren may have nine lives. In mid-August, it looked like his days in the rotation were numbered with Rodón scheduled to return from injury. Instead, with Fried and Ryan Weathers landing on the shelf, the 27-year-old got a reprieve. He’s made the most of it, going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in his last five outings (four starts) while allowing just two home runs. While he’s unlikely to crack the playoff rotation barring injury, Warren has helped reassert himself as a valuable asset in the bullpen this postseason and in the rotation going forward.

The D-Backs are scheduled to hand the ball to Corbin Burnes. After signing a six-year megadeal with Arizona before the 2025 season, he made only 11 starts before missing a year-plus to Tommy John surgery. Burnes has made just two outings since his return and has looked rusty. His last time out, the former Cy Young Award winner allowed five runs in 4.2 innings to the Marlins. He threw just 75 pitches in that start as he continues to ramp up, and it’s unclear if he’ll be permitted to shoulder a full starter’s workload this time out.



Mets Morning News: “He is showing really good signs right now”

Sep 17, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Jared Young (29) receives medical attention after an injury at first base during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meet the Mets

The Mets were shut out by Aaron Nola and the Phillies 3-0 at Citi Field, spoiling a strong outing by Nolan McLean. Nola took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Mets threatened in the later innings, but could not score against the Phillies’ bullpen. But of greater concern than the score of the game was a horrific collision in the sixth inning between Nolan McLean and Jared Young that resulted in Young being carted off the field.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic

Jared Young was taken to the hospital after last night’s scary collision, but the Mets noted that he had feeling in his extremities. Thankfully, his CT scan came back negative. Though he was exhibiting concussion symptoms, manager Andy Green said the Mets are optimistic that the worst outcomes were avoided.

Ironically, before the harrowing events of last night, Will Sammon of The Athletic wrote a piece about how Jared Young is making a bit for the everyday first base job with his strong play this season.

Cameron Weston, a right-handed reliever whom the Mets claimed off waivers from the Orioles earlier this month, was called up from Triple-A yesterday. Xzavion Curry, who started on Wednesday night, was optioned to Triple-A.

With Robert Stock’s injury, the Mets will now go with a five-man rotation the rest of the way.

“He’s just been doing it for such a long time where people don’t know him as anything else but the voice of the Mets,” Pete Alonso said of Howie Rose in his return to Citi Field. On Sunday, Rose will call the last game of his storied career as his broadcasting accomplishments are celebrated at Citi Field.

Howie Rose spoke to Ian O’Connor of The Athletic about his childhood, inspiration to become a broadcaster, battle with cancer, his favorite calls, and more in an extensive interview well worth a read. “I never dreamed of being Curt Gowdy or Pat Summerall or any of the national guys,” he said. He only wanted to call games for New York.

The Mets chose to keep their catchers at the trading deadline this year. It will be interesting to see what they do this offseason, writes Will Sammon of The Athletic.

“It was his 300th. I gotta give him props,” said Mets owner Steve Cohen in response to a video that’s been going around of him applauding Pete Alonso’s home run the other night.

“On Tuesday night at Citi Field, the 2026 Mets season reached either a rather humiliating new low or a moment of catharsis, depending upon your point of view,” writes Jay Jaffe of FanGraphs about Pete Alonso’s 300th home run, calling the response from the crowd “unorthodox,” but “understandable.”

Jonathan Santucci struck out six over 5 1/3 innings in his final start for Syracuse this year and is primed to become the second consecutive Mets pitcher to lead the minor leagues in strikeouts.

Around the National League East

The Phillies claimed right-handed pitcher José Urquidy off waivers from the Chicago White Sox yesterday.

Around Major League Baseball

With their win over the Reds last night, the Dodgers clinched their fifth straight NL West title.

The Astros moved into first place in the AL West, as Yordan Alvarez blasted his 40th home run of the season.

The White Sox are also back in first place, thanks to a strong night from Munetaka Murakami in their 3-1 victory over the Tigers.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com built his 2026 All-Debut Team, made up exclusively of not just rookies, but rookies who made their debuts this season. Carson Benge is his starting right fielder.

Speaking of rookies, Jeffrey Paternostro of Baseball Prospectus continued his series taking a look at matriculated prospects from BP’s top 101 list.

Mario Delgado Genzor of Baseball Prospectus did a deep dive into the AL MVP race, which will be won by someone not named Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge for the first time in a decade.

It has been the tale of two seasons for Fernando Tatis Jr., due at least in part to a change in his batting stance. But there is a lesson about statistics to be learned here too, writes Ben Clemens of FanGraphs.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Vasilis Drimalitis previewed the final home series of the season between the Mets and Phillies.

This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1963, the Mets played the final professional baseball game at the Polo Grounds, losing to the Phillies—who they are also playing today—5-1.

Braves News: Astros on deck, Cubs series recap, and more

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves greets Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros at second base in the first inning during the 2026 96th MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves enjoyed an off day Thursday before heading to the Lone Star State for a weekend series with the Houston Astros. The Braves enter play with a four-game lead in the NL East and are coming off a series loss to the Chicago Cubs. The Astros also lead their division and enter play with a 77-76 record. 

Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes, and Martín Pérez are each penciled in to start. They will face off against Peter Lambert, Hayden Wesneski, and Hunter Brown. The series gets underway tonight at 8:10 ET.

MLB News:

Houston Astros outfielder Jake Meyers reportedly suffered a season-ending injury after fouling a ball off his left knee cap. He was placed on the minor league injured list. 

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-hander Josiah Gray from the 60-day injured list. Once he makes it into a game, it will be his first MLB appearance since April 2024. 

From the Feed:

Here is the current state of the playoff chase. 

Guardians News: No Help From the Tigers

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI double during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on September 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Guardians were off yesterday and the White Sox beat the Tigers on one swing to take the division lead back.

They did pitch Grant Taylor for like 35 pitches, so, hopefully that helps the Tigers in future games.

The Rangers lost to the Red Sox, so the Guardians are two games up on both the Blue Jays and Rangers for the third wildcard spot.

Dodgers notes: Kyle Tucker, Shohei Ohtani, Tarik Skubal

Sep 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NL West continues to run through Los Angeles, as the Dodgers clinched their 13th division title over the last 14 seasons with an 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

The Dodgers secured their 93rd win— matching their regular season total from last year— thanks in large part to a huge game from Kyle Tucker. Tucker launched his second home run of the four-game set in Cincinnati and collected four hits in five at-bats, finishing just a triple shy of the cycle. For what has undoubtedly been a disappointing first year with his new team, Tucker gave fans a prelude for what they can potentially see from him in October.

Tucker spoke with David Vassegh of SportsNet LA while celebrating their division-clinching win about settling for a double in his final at-bat, noting he wouldn’t have made it safely to third base in his cycle pursuit.

“I tried my best. I don’t think I was going to get there. I probably would’ve been thrown out halfway, but it’s all good.”

Tucker also spoke about the challenges and hurdles he faced repeatedly this season, expressing gratitude for his teammates continuing to stick with him throughout the highs and lows.

“This group is awesome. Everyone supports each other through the ups and downs. We all know where we want to be at the end of the year, and we all just try to help each other out to get there. This is a great group to play with, to play behind, so everyone is super supportive. Everyone knows what we gotta get done.”

With only nine games left for the Dodgers in the regular season, team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman gave an optimistic update on Shohei Ohtani, noting that they expect him to return from the injured list before their season finale, per Jack Harris of the California Post.

“He’s doing well,” Friedman said, as the team celebrated another National League West title around him at Great American Ball Park. “He’s progressing well.”

“I expect him back in the regular season,” Friedman declared.

Two months ago, Tarik Skubal was still the ace of a Detroit Tigers team on a downward trajectory. On Thursday, Skubal was celebrating the opportunity to pitch in the postseason for a third consecutive season, this time for the reigning two-time World Series champions.

Skubal hopes that the celebrations from Thursday were the first of many more to come as the march for the three-peat is officially in motion, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.

“First of many,” he said. “… This is checking a box, and once we get to postseason baseball and doing all that stuff, I think it’s going to be a ton of fun.”

Skubal also reflected on the resiliency of this year’s Dodgers, noting their ability to bounce back after a rough month of August with a current record of 11-5 in the month of September, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.

“I think there was no panic from this group,” Skubal said. “I think that’s why in big moments, pressure doesn’t really get to these guys.”

Friday Rockpile: Should Ryan Feltner become a Rockies reliever permanently?

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Ryan Feltner #18 of the Colorado Rockies looks on prior to the game between the Colorado Rockies and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jonathan Pensiero/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The journey to the Rockies rotation has been anything but an easy path for Ryan Feltner. 

Since the Rockies signed the Ohio State righty on June 13, 2018, the Rockies organization has placed Feltner on the injured list 10 times, ranging from the 7-day IL to 60-day. The result has been a career line that shows improvement, especially in 2024, but also limited time on the roster. After an injury-plagued 2025, Feltner has rebounded to have a fairly healthy year this season.

SeasonG/GSW-LIPERABBSOWHIPrWAR
20212/20-16.111.37562.21-0.3
202220/194-997.15.8325841.41-0.1
202310/102-443.15.8228381.680
202430/303-10162.14.49521381.341.3
20256/60-230.14.7512251.480.6
202624/226-10116.25.6350881.530.9
Totals92/8915-36456.15.311823791.462.4

In the era of increased pitching injuries, an average pitcher will make 25-30 starts in a relatively healthy season. If the best kind of ability is availability, Feltner — who turned 30 earlier this month — will hit that range for the second time in his career with one more appearance this season. Even though he’s played more in 2026, his ERA is also the highest it’s been since 2023. All things considered, Feltner hasn’t played consistently enough, or effectively enough, to be a staple in the rotation moving forward.

But what if the rotation isn’t where Feltner belongs?

Perhaps Feltner would have more longevity, consistency and success as a reliever for the Rockies.

While Feltner, Colorado’s fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, has only come out of the bullpen twice this year, both performances were impressive. Most recently, Feltner relieved Kyle Freeland on Sept. 15 to earn the Rockies lone victory against the Padres. He threw five scoreless innings, giving up only three runs and one walk with five strikeouts. His other relief appearance came against Atlanta on Aug. 30 when he gave up one unearned run (zero earned) across four innings on five hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

At the same time, Feltner has put up some good numbers as a starter, recording five quality starts this season. He’s also never pitched more than six innings in an outing, and has posted four starts when he pitched four innings or fewer. His ERA has ballooned, though, and if you subtract the scoreless relief innings, the 6.10 mark is the highest he’s posted since his rookie year.

SplitWLERAGGSCGSHOSVIPHRERHRHBBBSOAVGWHIPGO/AO
Starter 2026596.102222000107.212079732014777.2821.551.01
Reliever 2026110.0020000981000311.2421.220.56

Entering this season, Feltner and Chase Dollander battled for a rotation spot, with the runner-up headed to the bullpen. At that time, Feltner edged out Dollander for the rotation. Dollander pitched the first month of the season in relief, only to return to the rotation before hitting the IL with a season-ending elbow injury in mid-May that required internal brace surgery.

When it comes to Feltner’s health, he’s been the victim of some serious bad luck.

Feltner had a September taste of MLB action when he was called up in 2021, but really vied for a spot in the rotation since 2022. That season, he didn’t face any significant injuries, but struggled to find success in moving up and down from the Rockies to the Isotopes.

In 2023, the freak skull fracture happened on a come-backer, but Feltner proved incredible resolve to return toward the end of the season, only to face shoulder inflammation in his throwing arm. In 2024, Feltner was healthy and it showed. He put up the best ERA of his career, the most appearances, the most innings pitched, and most strikeouts.

Feltner then backtracked last year. He posted a 0.6 rWAR, making him the team’s second-best starting pitcher, but he only made six starts. Back and shoulder injuries even limited his Triple-A time, where he only made seven appearances. 

Considering the 2025 season, it is impressive that Feltner has only had one IL stint this season. He’s been able to stay on the field to post the second-most appearances and innings in his career. But those starts haven’t translated to success as Feltner has gone 5-9 in his starts, while the Rockies have gone 8-14 when he starts.

Going from the rotation to the bullpen is a move most starters don’t want to make, but just look at Antonio Senzatela. The veteran pitcher went from one of the hardest-hit starters the last few seasons to a very solid reliever in 2026, as evidenced by his trade to the Milwaukee Brewers, who are currently the best team in baseball.

On the other hand, it’s not like the Rockies are overflowing with starting pitching depth. If Feltner leaves the rotation, a solid arm needs to take his place to help the Rockies take the next step forward in their organizational progression toward being a winning baseball team.

As Purple Row’s Skyler Timmins wrote about earlier this week, both the already struggling rotation and bullpen have really dropped off in the tail end of the season. How to build better, more sustainable pitchers in Colorado — as well as determining who’s a starter and who’s a reliever — will be a major long-term project for Paul DePodesta & Co.

Feltner is making $2.5 million this season and has two more years of team control. It will be fascinating to see where he ends up.


On the Farm

Triple-A:Salt Lake Bees 10, Albuquerque Isotopes 5

The Bees jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back in a win on Thursday night. Charlie Condon hit his 26th homer, Tyler Freeman hit an RBI double and RBI single, and Nic Kent hit an RBI double and scored a run on a Jose Cordova sac fly to account for Albuquerque’s scoring. Chad Stevens went 2-for-4 and scored two runs. Freeman finished with three hits. Eiberson Castellano took the loss after giving up two runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Double-A:Reading Fightin Phils 5, Hartford Yard Goats 4

The Hartford Yard Goats season came to an end on Thursday night after Reading won Game 2 in the Eastern League Division Series. Considering the Fightin Phils won Game 1 on Wednesday 21-4, at least Hartford put up a good fight on Thursday. The Yard Goats got down 3-0 midway through the third, but rallied back. Braylen Wimmer hit a two-run double in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 3-2.

In the eighth, Jared Thomas hit a solo homer to narrow the Reading lead.

Cole Messina did the same in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough in the end.


Fearing his career was over, veteran Quintana now set for return to rotation | MLB.com

Jose Quintana will pitch again for the Rockies this season. Being out since mid-May with a left elbow strain, Quintana is back thanks to hard work and a positive attitude. Quintana was originally scheduled to pitch Friday, but likely won’t anymore since he’ll probably only pitch a few innings and the bullpen was exhausted on Thursday in a 9-2 loss to the Padres.

What they said couldn’t be done: Nomo’s Coors no-no 30 years later | MLB.com

It’s absolutely wild that Hideo Nomo threw a no-hitter 30 years ago on Sept. 17, 1996. After a two-hour rain delay. On a chilly fall night. When the Rockies were a decent team with the Blake Street Bombers. Relive the night with all the hype and details in Manny Randhawa’s piece.

Tucker’s near-cycle clinches LA’s 5th straight NL West title, 13th in 14 years | MLB.com

Despite injuries and ups and downs, the Dodgers have done it again. They keep winning the NL West and 2026 is no different.


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Ranking the Roster: Nate Ament raises eyebrows at 14

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Nate Ament #15 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In many ways, I feel like I know exactly what to expect from Nate Ament this season, but in many others, I have no freaking idea. Conventional wisdom tells you that he’ll spend a lot of the season with the Herd—certainly at the start of the year—but also, lottery picks generally do not play much in the G League. Something has to give. Ament is a unique case because he was picked at that spot based much more on potential than the raw production he showed in college. You’re looking a year or two down the road with him and wondering what he can be when his body fills out. That leaves me… confused.

Ament had an interesting Summer League. It started really slow, with the 19-year-old failing to reach double digits until the fourth game, when he broke out against the Hornets for 23 points on 7/13 shooting. This was followed by an almost game against the Sixers, where he tallied 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, but nine of those points came in the opening quarter, only for almost everything to rim out for the rest of the game (or an and-one getting reversed into a charge that seemed… very questionable).

As I’ve written about previously, Ament’s path to minutes at the NBA level will come through finding his niche and keeping his game simple. Right now, his best attribute is probably his catch-and-shoot ability; he shot nearly 40% from deep in Vegas. If he can force defenders to respect him, it will open up his ability to pump fake, drive the closeout, and make the next play. Of course, Ament does struggle to break guys down off the dribble—and I don’t know if that will ever be a strength of his—but he can drive hard left, body the defender, reverse pivot, and shoot a turnaround over his left shoulder. The Virginia native did this move repeatedly in college, and I think it will work at the next level against smaller defenders (of which there will be a good number, given his positional size at 6’10”).

The other part is the defence. It was bad at Summer League—much worse than I expected. That said, it felt like a lot of those struggles came down to over-aggressiveness and poor positioning. With the right training, this is a guy who should be able to iron out those flaws and become a plus on that end. His frame will naturally give him a lot of latitude to recover and contest shots. But yes, it goes without saying that Ament will not touch an NBA floor until he fixes that part of his game. Overall, I can’t wait to see what they do with Ament this year. Will it be mostly G League, or will he get “gifted” minutes because the franchise is prioritising development over wins this season?


With Ament gone, who’s the next man up?