Boston, MA - July 18: Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu reacts to his go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on July 18, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It’s strange to look back at the 2026 season now that it’s over for the Red Sox. We’ve all seen graph after graph showing three sections of bad-good-bad play. We lived the ups and downs. We saw the grinding halt.
Wilyer Abreu won the AL Player of the Week award two times this season: the week ending July 18 was the first. During that “week” which was bridging the All-Star Break, Abreu hit four home runs. He went 0-4 in the first game, 1-4 in the second, then 2-4 (2 home runs), and finally 2-3 (2 home runs).
The multi-homer games were back-to-back with the first coming as part of a double-header against the Tampa Bay Rays to open the unofficial second half. The next on the regularly scheduled Saturday game. This was supposed to be the big test. The Sox had defeated the Angels, White Sox, and Mets and while no one can dispute the White Sox had a great season, even in July the question of “can Chicago keep this up?” was out there. To their credit, aside from the time playing Boston, the White Sox looked every bit the part of a contender until they just ran out of pitching in the ALDS.
Back to the Rays. Tampa Bay made the World Series in 2026. They were the Big Test for Boston in July. Thanks to a rain out the three games had become four against the best team in the American League. But the Red Sox wouldn’t slow down after the ASG, a problem they’ve had in the recent past.
The Red Sox took game one of the doubleheader 10-0, defying the wrath of the “save some runs for game two” gods. Well, they won game two 5-3. That made the winning streak 11 games strong. But they still had two more games against Tampa. And their record was 48-48. No one would blame them if they lost to a team that was 56-41.
And then Wilyer Abreu had a signature game. Yes, it was 2 home runs like he’d just hit the day before. But the stakes were now get the team over .500.
And Anthony Seigler delivered. Look at that energy! Look at that excitement!
Wilyer Abreu is tossing his bat.
He’s shouting.
Seigler is on the warning track, he’s celebrating.
The Red Sox have turned a 6-5 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
Dave O’Brien elevates the moment with a “you’ve got to be kidding me” call that finally puts him into the range of the great Don Orsillo. To be fair to O’Brien, there haven’t always been the moments to elevate, especially in the last few seasons. But this one was so big that Abreu had enough to bring Seigler, O’Brien, and Merloni into the action.
12 in a row for the team. Over .500. Two home runs in back-to-back games.
If he wins a third straight Gold Glove in right field we’ll keep taking about Wilyer Abreu this winter but we shouldn’t stop thinking of how big a part of the turnaround he was.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Max Muncy #13, Tommy Edman #25, Mookie Betts #50, Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Wednesday, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Freidman that surgery “is not on the table’ for Shohei Ohtani. Eric Stephen covers that development here.
Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times in his opinion piece thinks that the Dodgers should stop letting Ohtani pitch. He even floats the idea that if Ohtani continues to insist on pitching, the Dodgers should consider trading the modern Babe Ruth.
“Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side at the end of the year,” he said. “This year, I haven’t pitched and I haven’t pitched in the postseason. You know, I haven’t been able to really come to grips in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season. It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program. and see what I can come up with for next season.”
While trading the two-way player would be a nuclear option, it’s clear the team and Ohtani need to come to a better understanding about what best for the team.
A team that also needs to face the fact their team is aging, writes Maddie Lee of the L.A. Times. Freidman with his usual deprecating manner, commented on that and other issues, such as owner Mark Walter’s financial troubles and how he feels about the Dodgers being at the possible end of their dynasty. As usual, Freidman isn’t worried about any of it.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register also has comments from Freidman in his end-of-season press conference, including why they’re excited that Ohtani will be returning to the mound in 2027.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has an opinion piece saying that the small market teams are officially out of excuses is saying only big spenders make the postseason and the World Series. Good news for Dodger fans who have been blamed endlessly for the state of baseball today (she said tongue in cheek).
Good morning, everyone. I hope you are recharging in preparation of the upcoming World Series.
I appreciate your reading.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Trade/Free Agency Stories:
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): 5 Pitchers Who Could Address Cubs’ Shortfall of Pure Stuff This Winter. “In the age of ABS, you can’t nibble and dot your way to glory on the mound. The Cubs need much better raw stuff than they had in 2026. Let’s consider some potential sources thereof.”
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Here’s why pitching is Cubs’ top priority this offseason. “Chicago’s front office may make a push to bring back at least one arm from that group, but the whole cast might very well hit free agency.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Expected to Retain Pitching Coaches, Which Should Not Surprise Anyone. “So unless you believe Hottovy was sneaking into players’ homes in the dead of night to place their arms at awkward angles, thus leading to issues when they threw the next day, it’s hard to blame him for the issues.”
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Cubs Don’t Need to React Harshly to Nico Hoerner’s Ugly 2026 Season. “The Cubs extended their homegrown second baseman ahead of the season for six years. Then, he seemingly struggled in 2026. Is this a sign of things to come? Or was bad luck to blame?”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Mentioned as Fit if Guardians Look to Trade Steven Kwan. “Those who’ve wished fervently for the end of Happ’s Cubs tenure will surely love the idea of Kwan replacing him because it looks like a huge upgrade to them on paper.”
Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Cubs Top Prospects Who Could Make an Impact in 2027. “Technically, a prospect could shoot up the ranks and debut every year, so this will focus on a few of their major league-ready players.”
Celso Salim is an exciting emerging talent in the blues-rock scene, making waves with his remarkable musicianship and electrifying performances. Known for his distinctive guitar style and outstanding slide guitar skills, Celso captivates audiences with exciting compositions and a soulful voice. Influenced by traditional blues and the iconic sound of the 1960s and ’70s, Celso began playing at age 6 and made his stage debut at 14, setting him on an unwavering path. Originally from Brasilia, Brazil, he moved to Los Angeles in 2014, where he swiftly became a highly sought-after guitarist in Southern California’s music scene, establishing himself as one of the region’s most respected artists.
Celso has shared the stage with blues greats Magic Slim, Larry McCray, and Jimmy Hall, and opened for legends such as B.B. King, Deep Purple and Joe Bonamassa. With six solo albums, he earned 3rd place at the 2019 International Blues Challenge and received 5 Independent Music Awards including one for best blues album. Recently, he has toured with Bull Y Los Bufalos and collaborated with guitarists Johnny Stachela and Artur Menezes. His album with Darryl Carriere, “About Time”, was named one of The Big Blues Chart’s Top 100 Albums of 2024. In Brazil, he has developed a robust solo career since 2001 and is also known for his acoustic duo with bassist Rodrigo Mantovani, in addition to collaborating with prominent Brazilian blues groups such as the Ari Borger Quartet and the Sergio Duarte Blues Band.
Lime says its e-bikes are ‘not for jousting’
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 25: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals hits a single during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on September 25, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jac Caglianone had an impressive offensive season in 2026, but the focus is, what’s the next step?
Jac Caglianone spent much of the 2026 season making his mark at the plate for the Royals. But after establishing himself as one of Kansas City’s most productive hitters, his defensive future presents an interesting consideration heading into 2027 and beyond.
With much of the Royals’ lineup expected to return next season, Caglianone’s ability to play both right field and first base could provide some flexibility as Kansas City explores ways to improve its roster.
The 2026 season marked a significant turnaround for the 23-year-old, who struggled in his first taste of the Majors in 2025, battling just .157 with a .532 OPS across 62 games. This season, he led the Royals in batting average (.289), slugging percentage (.494) and OPS (.834), while finishing among the team’s top three in runs (72), hits (148), home runs (23) and RBIs (75).
Zion Rose was named the Royals top performer from the 2026 draft by MLB Pipeline.
A surprise pick to many at No. 6 overall, Rose was assigned to High-A Quad Cities out of the gate and was a part of the River Bandits’ Midwest League championship squad, hitting .241/.367/.299 with one homer and an 18/17 K/BB ratio over 23 total games between the regular season and playoffs. His 2026 isn’t done yet, however, and that’s why he’s the pick here. The Royals sent the former Louisville outfielder to the Arizona Fall League to make up for some of the at-bats he missed due to ankle and hamstring injuries in the spring, and entering Wednesday, he’s gone 7-for-23 (.304) with a homer, a triple, six walks through his first six games for Surprise.
Angeibel Gomez was named the 3rd best 17-year-old MLB prospect, by MLB Pipeline
Baseball fans rejoiced when the Royals challenged Gomez, who signed for $2.9 million as the No. 4 international prospect this year, with an Arizona Fall League assignment. Despite being the second-youngest player ever at the circuit, he’s held his own against much older competition and already looks much stronger than his listed 6-foot-2, 173-pound size. The Venezuela native could be a five-tool player down the line with plus plus speed, if he’s able to grow into more right-handed power, as scouts expect. His 1.119 OPS and .653 slugging percentage in the DSL both ranked third among qualified Minor Leaguers.
David Lesky put out part two of what he would do if he was JJ Picollo for a day.
Matthew Swigonski of Kings of Kauffman passed out starting rotation grades for the Royals.
Philip Ruo of Royals Keep points out why the Royals should keep Daniel Lynch IV.
Here is a breakdown on the Rays and Brewers bullpens, on how they are so effective, yet so different.
The story behind the Rays signing Jonathan Aranda.
TUSCON, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Ike Irish #10 of the Peoria Javelinas bats in the fifth inning during the game between the Javelinas and the Solar Sox at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 10, 2026 in Tuscon, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
With the 19th pick in the 2025 draft, the Orioles selected catcher Ike Irish. Except…not really.
Let me clarify. They did really select Ike Irish. But they didn’t really select a catcher, even if that was Irish’s announced position at the time.
The native of Grand Rapids, Mich., was a jack-of-all-trades defensively during his three-year career at Auburn University. Irish played 57 games in the outfield, 12 at first base, and, yes, 40 games behind the plate. But even then, one position made his life miserable, by Irish’s own admission.
“I’ve dealt with … the yips, catching, since I was a junior in high school,” Irish told FanGraphs’ David Laurila. “Junior year I had them. Senior year I had them. Freshman year of college. They would come off and on. … I was talking to mental performance coaches. I was doing brainspotting. I was doing everything I could to try to get rid of them. And I couldn’t.”
“When I was catching it was, ‘How the hell am I going to get this ball back to the pitcher?’” Irish continued. “I was throwing three-finger changeups back to the pitcher. I was throwing cutters. I was trying anything. It was awful.”
The Orioles abandoned the charade with haste. Irish made only five professional starts at catcher, with Low-A Delmarva in 2025, before giving up the tools of ignorance for good. This season with High-A Frederick, he played 41 games in the outfield, 23 at first base, and 12 as the designated hitter. And Irish’s eyes are smiling.
“With catching, it never felt like I could play the game with freedom,” Irish said. “As soon as I got away from that position, the game felt free again. … The game has opened up and I can just have fun. I can go out there and hit.”
And boy, can he hit.
Irish’s 2026 season was a revelation at the dish. There was nothing he couldn’t do. He hit for power (16 homers and a .528 SLG). He got on base (.388 OBP). He hit for average (.286). He was a burner on the basepaths (20 stolen bases). Irish came out of the gates hot, with five hits in his first two games of the season, on his way to a 1.039 OPS in April. He slumped to a .521 mark in May, but rebounded in a big way with OPSes of .956 in June and 1.142 in July.
It was a vast improvement over his brief pro debut in 2025, when he slashed just .230/.296/.297 in 20 games for Delmarva. That performance came when Irish was at least nominally still a catcher, which might explain his struggles.
MLB Pipeline, which ranks Irish as the #5 prospect in the Orioles’ system and #95 in baseball, praises his “mature approach” at the plate. “Irish makes hard contact to all fields and hangs in against same-side pitching. He handles velocity and spin, doesn’t need to sell out for power and projects to hit for average with 20-plus home run potential.”
Irish is proud of his ability to hit the ball the opposite way. “The plate’s what, 17 inches long? I feel like I can hit any ball that’s 17 inches the other way on the plate,” he told MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. “I mean, I like to pull baseballs, don’t get me wrong, but naturally speaking, [the opposite field] is where I’m good and that’s what I like to keep doing.”
Irish’s 2026 breakout earned him a selection to the MLB Futures Game during the All-Star break on July 12. As the starting DH for the American League prospects, he went 0-for-1 with a walk. He then returned to the Keys and started the second half on an otherworldly hot streak, going 14-for-27 (.519) with four home runs and 10 RBIs in five games. Nothing, it seemed, could slow down the luck of the Irish.
And then it all came to a devastating halt. On July 22, while running to second base, Irish tore his left meniscus. The injury required season-ending surgery, and just like that, his remarkable 2026 campaign was over. No warning. No fanfare. Just there one day and gone the next. It truly was an Irish goodbye. (Should I stop doing these?)
But while he didn’t return for the rest of the minor league season, Irish is back to playing baseball in 2026 in the Arizona Fall League. Through nine games for Peoria, he’s hitting .353/.421/.559 with a pair of home runs. Offensive stats tend to be inflated in the AFL, but it’s nice to see he’s swinging the bat well, and most importantly, that he’s fully healthy. “My knee recovered really well and recovered pretty fast, and so when I was running on it and rehabbing it, it felt really good and I felt confident in it,” Irish told Mayo.
Irish’s on-base ability and spray-to-all-fields approach give him the potential to be a top-of-the-order hitter, the kind of guy who’s a real table setter. Which, of course, would make him an Irish setter. (That’s my last one, I promise.)
With his surgically repaired knee doing well, Irish should be able to start the 2027 season with the Chesapeake Baysox for his first taste of Double-A, hoping to continue to produce offensively like he did this season. He’s got a hot bat, a clean bill of health, and he’s free from the burdens of catching. Ike Irish is ready to roll.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning!
The World Series is set to begin on Friday. The baseball media world is in full gear preparing their preview pieces and retrospectives on the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
The clearest throughline connecting much of the pre-World Series writing is a sense that this matchup is between two clubs that any organization in the game could have afforded to field. The question everyone is asking is this: What are these low-payroll teams doing better than everyone else?
The Rockies, for their part, have started the long trek towards emulating the types of systems that have kept the Brewers and Rays competitive for years. Whether or not they will be successful in mimicking them will take years to determine.
In the meantime, let’s all settle in for some World Series baseball.
For years, the Brewers and Rays have been held up as model organizations in terms of front office decision making because they have been able to remain competitive without ever running above average player payrolls. Now that they are set to face off against one another in the World Series, Kyle Newman breaks down the areas that the Rockies could potentially look to learn from with these two teams. Spoiler alert: A lot of it comes down to allocating more money into the non-player payroll portions of the organization.
Sean Sullivan’s first short stint with the Rockies this season didn’t go as anyone hoped. The soft tossing left-handed pitcher appears to have taken the setback in stride and entered the offseason with a list of things to work on. This piece from Thomas Harding calls out specifically his need to adjust to the schedule of an MLB rotation, find ways to increase fastball velocity, and diversify his pitch mix.
Don Strouble weighs whether a reunion with the Rockies best starting pitcher from this past season would serve the team’s 2027 interests. Given their lack of alternative options and a need to provide some form of stability to the rotation, Strouble argues that another low cost contract with the veteran would be worthwhile.
Every once in a while, you need a fresh set of eyes you experience often to realize what you take for granted. David Young does just that in this love letter to the Denver sports scene. If you have any friends that you want to convince to visit Denver, send them this article.
Ken Rosenthal details how this season’s World Series matchup flies in the face of MLB’s insistence that their economic proposals for the upcoming CBA are motivated by competitive balance concerns. Rosenthal argues that the continued success of the Brewers and Rays should act as a deterrent for other teams trying to blame their own poor performance on the economic disparities in the league. Rosenthal argues that fans of other low payroll teams shouldn’t be asking for a salary cap and instead asking why their favorite team can’t follow the example of the Brewers and Rays.
If you want specific breakdowns of how the players on each World Series roster was acquired by their club, Jim Callis has got you covered. This piece breaks down both World Series team and identifies how they were built. This is the blueprint for lower-payroll clubs.
This is for anyone who wants to really dive into the nitty gritty numbers. Jonathan Vander Lugt compares the aging curves of catchers versus all other hitters and finds a distinct difference between the two. There’s a pile of charts working through the specifics, but what it comes down to is that catchers appear to peak about a year later than other hitters and then decline at roughly the same rate, just delayed by that year. This may be good news for a player like Hunter Goodman, who may end up maintaining his performance at an older age than you’d otherwise expect.
Lastly, just for fun, this is an insightful piece on how plugged into the sport MLB players are when they no longer need to work. Andy McCullough surveyed 101 MLB players and asked if they watched the playoffs when they weren’t in them. The large majority said that they did though with varying levels of attention.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: A general view outside American Family Field prior to Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 World Series is set between the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 is tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on Fox and Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
As of the time this is being written, only the Brewers have announced a starting pitcher, which will be right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski finished the regular season with a 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, with 252 strikeouts to 44 walks in 174.2 innings pitched. This will be his third start this postseason, with his last taking place in the Brewer’s 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 11th, in which he allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts in four and a third innings.
Since there’s not a lot of other baseball content going on, we’ll go ahead and use this BP for Friday as well so we can follow the game here. Personally, I’m rooting for the Brewers solely because they knocked out the Dodgers (and also, I don’t have a huge preference between either team since neither have won a championship before, so National League preference wins out as well.)
Fans watch as Clippers guard Keaton Wagler grabs the basketball during a win over the Kings Wednesday at Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Starting over has to start somewhere, and so the Clippers got on with it Wednesday.
Not with superstars or championship aspirations. But with the promise of free parking, a jersey trade-in and a basketball team that is, at least, better than the Sacramento Kings, who they beat 121-96 in both teams’ season opener. Coach Tyronn Lue dedicated the win to suspended team owner Steve Ballmer: “Just want to say thank you for everything. We’re still fighting for him.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue directs his players during a win over the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Wednesday’s fan appreciation stuff was a swell gesture, as a start. But it wasn’t nearly far-reaching enough.
Not for embattled Clippers supporters who have stuck with the team through thick and thin, sickness and health, in spite of Donald Sterling, the former cheap, racist owner and now Ballmer, the wealthy, over-invested one whose salary cap circumvention cost his team its first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA drafts.
To fans, that was the most consequential part of the historic punishment dealt by the NBA, which commissioned a year-long investigation that determined the Clippers committed audacious levels of salary cap circumvention.
The league also fined the team $30 million, suspended team owner Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker for a year and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for six months.
And Leonard? He got a $700,000 slap on the wrist and got traded back to Toronto, where he signed a two-year, $115 million contract extension and on Wednesday, had Raptors coach Darko Rajaković saying he was “super excited for the chance to bring a Hall of Famer back home.”
“That’s one of the most insulting parts of it all, the way [Leonard] was able to walk away scot-free and the fans are left sort of holding the bag,” said San Pedro’s Justin Ratterree, while he tried to dodge raindrops as he waited in line, four hours before tipoff, to trade in his No. 2 Leonard jersey.
Young Clippers fans watch the team play the the Sacramento Kings Wednesday at the Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
“It’s rough right now. Defending the team this past couple months has been really rough ... and I’ve kind of just given up defending. How can you defend it?”
Even Ballmer stopped doing that, releasing a statement on Sept. 13 that read, in part: “This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets.
“I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.
“We are,” he added, “committing to put this chapter behind us.”
Yes, let them try to scrub the memory of Leonard, the intensely skilled and private player who demanded so much of the Clippers when he signed with them as a free agent in 2019. Who made no efforts to popularize the team, missed almost as much time as he worked, and who failed to lead the Clippers to their first championship or anywhere close to it in his seven seasons.
After his trade to Toronto went through on Sept. 23, the Clippers resisted posting the “Thank You, Kawhi” graphic that pro sports teams do when they part ways with a player.
Let them also forget to play a tribute video when Leonard’s Raptors visit Intuit Dome for the only time this season on Nov. 2.
And let the Clippers expand the jersey swap beyond the first 4,000 paying customers at Game 1; there was no official figure available Wednesday night for exactly how many jerseys were traded and how many of them belonged to he-who-must-not-be-named.
The Clippers should keep it going, offer the option all season. Set it up at the Intuit Dome’s Lost and Found — invite fans to exchange the No. 2 jersey of the player whom they lost all respect for a guy they’ve found themselves newly enamored with, likely rookie Keaton Wagler if Wednesday’s exchange was any indication.
Clippers fans also deserve more than having their parking picked up until an hour before gametime, on one rainy workday, on late notice.
They should have their parking at games covered all season — or at least substantially reduced from the typical $70 price that’s already too steep. (The Dodgers didn’t start charging $65 until the National League Championship Series!)
They should do more if they want to continue to draw a crowd to watch a team whose best player is now Darius Garland, whose future is compromised, whose current best-cast scenario — the play-in! — only Clippers fans could love.
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura drives past Kings guard De'andre Hunter and center Domantas Sabonis Wednesday at the Intuit Dome. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Several fans Wednesday also said they would appreciate improved transparency, including in terms of player injury and availability news.
It’s the least the team can do for these patient people, who will have the type of team that they usually fall hard for, actually — a group of gamers, devoid of divas, punching above their weight.
“All this stuff that’s going on,” Lue said, “you can’t take that out on our players … that’s not their fault, you know?”
It’s not fans’ fault, either. Let’s see the Clippers go above and beyond for them.
The NBA never wastes any time getting back to business. The first day of the season gave us the biggest opening night comeback in league history on Tuesday, and Wednesday’s full slate of games included everything that makes this league such a treat to watch, all the way down to LaMelo Ball getting away with the most obvious travel of all-time in his debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wolves beat the Miami Heat, 131-105, in a nationally televised barnburner as both sides debuted new stars. Ball and the Wolves got the win despite Giannis Antetokounmpo going off for 35 points on 11-of-19 shooting in his first game as a member of the Heat. Ball was solid with 21 points and six assists in his debut, and he helped set up teammate Anthony Edwards for a 45-point scoring outburst.
Everything was going so well for the Wolves that the refs even let Ball take about eight steps on a step-back three-pointer. Did LaMelo just forget he needed to dribble? It sure looks like it, but the refs let him get away with it anyway. Watch the play here:
I usually hate when casual fans harp on uncalled traveling, and then I have to explain the concept of the gather step. Not this time. Ball clearly traveled, but the refs let him do it because the vibes were good, I guess.
The Wolves jacked 50 three-point attempts in their opening night win. Is this team going to great the record for most threes attempted? The 2024-25 Boston Celtics took 48.23 three-point attempts per game, so it’s a high bar to clear. I was very high on the Wolves, ranking them No. 4 overall in my championship rankings coming into the season. This win was encouring for that.
The refs can’t just let players travel like this, because it gives the NBA a bad reputation. This time, the traveling scourges are right. I have no idea how LaMelo got away with this.
That total is slightly larger than the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals, whose markets combined for 3.22 million television households. The 2006 matchup itself is the smallest since the Cardinals faced the Minnesota Twins in 1987.
“Obviously, on the margins, that hurts, right?” Victor Matheson, a professor at Holy Cross who studies sports economics, told USA TODAY. “Because again, you're likely to have bigger viewership numbers in the towns that are playing.”
The Rays’ previous World Series against the Dodgers in 2020 was the seventh largest since 2006. But pairing Tampa Bay with Milwaukee – the smallest MLB market – produces one of the smallest combined markets in decades.
The Brewers last reached the World Series in 1982, when they faced the Cardinals. With St. Louis having a television market of 1.28 million, that series barely eclipsed 2 million households by 2026 figures.
Milwaukee ranks as the 39th largest television market in the U.S. by Nielsen with an estimated 960,000 homes having a TV.
The Rays’ Tampa-St. Petersburg market, meanwhile, is over twice as large at 2.28 million and is 11th nationwide.
But Matheson said smaller markets can have an advantage of their own: pent-up demand. While fans in Los Angeles have enjoyed several recent World Series appearances, the Brewers haven’t reached the Fall Classic since their seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982.
For fans in Milwaukee, Matheson said, the chance to see their team win its first championship could feel like a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” which could potentially drive greater local interest despite the city’s small population.
That logic could apply to the Rays as well, as Tampa Bay is also searching for their first title, although it has made the World Series three times now in the past 20 years.
Other factors can come into play, too. For instance, star power like Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski could draw eyeballs that might otherwise tune out.
Do bigger markets mean more World Series viewers?
Yet despite natural concerns about a small-market World Series, the size of the participating teams' television markets has shown little relationship with how many people watch.
Indeed, the most-viewed World Series since 2000 had fewer than 4 million combined households – when the Boston Red Sox ended its 86-year curse by sweeping St. Louis in 2004.
A tighter correlation may be found when the series was played; World Series viewership has generally declined since 2000, meaning that modern editions have a tougher hill to climb.
“There's a million things people can do now that they couldn't a generation or two ago,” Matheson said. “In the old days, we only had three channels on TV when I was growing up.”
The 2023 matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, which averaged just over nine million viewers per game – the lowest in World Series history – highlights that decline.
Matheson cautioned that if this year’s edition draws a similarly small audience, the Brewers’ and Rays’ home markets wouldn’t necessarily be the only reason. The increasingly fragmented television landscape could also play a role.
Regardless, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay can’t increase the size of their markets. But they do have something a ratings projection can’t measure: the chance to give baseball fans a championship story worth watching.
Methodology: USA TODAY obtained estimated television households for MLB markets from Nielsen Media Research. Toronto's market size came from Canadian audience measurement organization Numeris, which estimated 3.23 million households with TV access in the Toronto/Hamilton market for 2026-27. World Series viewership averages for 2000-25 were compiled by Nielsen and obtained via Baseball Almanac. For consistency, the same 2026-27 market estimates were applied to every historical matchup.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 04: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates in front of Donovan Sebrango #6 of the Florida Panthers at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Florida Panthers (5-2-2, 12 points, 4th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (3-6-1, 7 points, 6th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Scripps, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens get to enjoy some time at home, and a somewhat light schedule coming up. They play again on Saturday, hosting Nashville then get four days off before the Utah Mammoth come to town next Thursday.
Opponent Track: The Panthers were in action last night in Ottawa for Brady Tkachuk’s return to the city where he started his NHL career. Prior to that, they won their last three games (CBJ, VAN, SEA). After tonight their road trip continues going to Chicago over the weekend.
Season Series: Tonight’s the only time FLA is playing in the ‘Burgh this season. The Pens head down to Florida on December 10th and then again on March 4th to finish out the three-game set.
Hidden Stat: Pittsburgh enters today’s game with points in six-straight games versus Florida (4-0-2), per Pens PR.
Getting to know the Panthers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Lars Eller
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Injured Reserve: Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Jonah Gadjovich, Jacob Markstrom
Injury bug has been biting the Panthers hard so far this season. Barkov went down with a knee injury (fortunately on the other leg from the knee that kept him out all of last season), Marchand joined him soon after. Starting goalie Markstrom is now out
Tall goalie alert?! The undrafted 25-year old Cooper Black could be making his NHL debut tonight being as Schmid played last night in Ottawa. Black stands 6’8” and has played mostly with AHL Charlotte since turning pro in 2024. Black would set the record for tallest NHL goalie in league history, surpassing Ben Bishop and a handful of others listed at 6’7”.
Season stats via hockeydb (last night’s results not included)
Brady Tkachuk registered two hat tricks in his first nine games as a Panther and no goals in the other seven.
Hat tricks have been en vogue for the team, both Bennett and Verhaeghe had three-goal nights a few days ago against Seattle.
Imama has played in all the games this season, after only playing two NHL games for Pittsburgh last season (and 16 the year before in 2024-25).
Goalie was going to be the big question for the Panthers after letting Sergei Bobrovsky go and so far the results have been…ok enough I guess? Markstrom and Schmid don’t need great individual stats, as long as they can hang in there and keep the goals down (which, Markstrom’s 2.21 GAA through the first six games definitely qualifies) that should be all this team needs to handle business over the rest of the ice.
Key to the game: Florida’s tough defense, the Penguins’ not so tough defense..
It’s early but the Panthers are showing that their drop-off last season might be a one-year aberration, rebounding their goal shares (top right corner) in a major way so far in 2026-27.
The Cats don’t give up a lot of opportunities as the NHL’s top team in limited expected goals. If there’s a ray of hope, it’s that the goaltending hasn’t matched the defense and prone to allow goals (and Florida could be playing a first-time NHLer tonight in net…)
On the flip side, the bigger battle might be in front of the Pens’ net. With a pair of Tkachuks and other net-front players like Bennett, Reinhart and Lundell, Pittsburgh’s beleaguered defense is going to have their hands full keeping the front of the crease clear for their goalies. This has been an obvious and glaring flaw for the team in their first 10 games, it’s going to receive a major test tonight in that department.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Evgeni Malkin – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust*
Ville Koivunen – Tommy Novak – Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov – Hendrix Lapierre – Andrei Kuzmenko
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson
Declan Carlile / Kaeden Korczak
Ilya Solovyov / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Ben Kindel, Elmer Soderblom, Sam Girard
IR: Ryan Graves, Justin Brazeau, Trevor van Riemsdyk
Debated putting a ‘wait and see’ for this projection. Rust was injured at the end of last game and his status hasn’t yet been updated. Girard was skating before the last game, he could be getting close to drawing back in. Kindel, one would sense, isn’t likely to play after being hospitalized. How things will shake out will require waiting until the morning skate.
Otherwise, it’s just a holding pattern for now. The Pens were off the ice Monday as they traveled back from their road trip, then got an additional day off yesterday due to the delays that ensued in their return trip home.
His fault or not, Silovs has conceded five goals in four of his last five games. There’s two games ahead in the coming days before a long break and as always it will be interesting to see what the Penguins do with their goalie assignments.
Dubas speaking this morning
Kyle Dubas is expected to give a statement this morning to presumably update the status of Kindel and the events of Monday.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Don Mattingly, interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, takes the ball from Andrew Painter #24 during a pitching change during a game against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you think whoever runs the social media graphics team at the Phillies knew exactly what they were doing with this post for the start of the Sixers season?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 01: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers steals second base as Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes the throw at American Family Field on April 01, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time since 1980, we have a World Series matchup of two teams without a title. While plenty of teams have claimed their first title since that time (the 2023 Rangers were the most recent), this is the first time in 46 years that we’re heading into a World Series where we are guaranteed to see a franchise claim its first title.
Let’s take a quick look at how both teams got here, starting with the American League’s Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays
While the Rays are in their 29th season, they’ve already claimed three AL pennants, though they haven’t yet captured their first championship. Their previous appearances in the World Series came in 2008, when they beat the Red Sox in seven games in the ALCS before losing to the Phillies in five games, and in 2020, when they took down the Astros in another seven-game ALCS before losing in a neutral World Series in Texas, as the Dodgers won 4-2.
After spending the entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field — the Yankees’ spring training home — due to Hurricane Milton’s damage to Tropicana Field, they returned home this year and turned in the best record in the American League, going 98-64. They’re back in the World Series after sweeping the Yankees in the ALDS and claiming the ALCS in six games over the Guardians.
Led by manager Kevin Cash, who won back-to-back AL Manager of the Year Awards in 2020 and 2021, the Rays outperformed preseason expectations behind one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball and an above-average offense.
There isn’t much homegrown talent in Tampa, but they’ve done an incredible job of scouting under-the-radar players from across the league. The ALCS roster was constructed as follows:
MLB Draft (3): LHP Ian Seymour, OF Chandler Simpson, SS Taylor Walls
International Signing (1): 1B Jonathan Aranda
Trade (16): RHP Bryan Baker (2025 trade deadline), 3B Junior Caminero (2021-22 offseason), OF Jonny DeLuca (2023-24 offseason), DH Yandy Díaz (2018-19 offseason), C Nick Fortes (2025 trade deadline), C Liam Hicks (2026 trade deadline), RHP Brody Hopkins (2024 trade deadline), RHP Griffin Jax (2025 trade deadline), OF Victor Mesa Jr. (2025-26 offseason), INF Richie Palacios (2023-24 offseason), RHP Freddy Peralta (2026 trade deadline), RHP Drew Rasmussen (2021 midseason), RHP Cole Sulser (2024 trade deadline), OF Ryan Vilade (2025-26 offseason), RHP Tyler Wells (2026 trade deadline), 2B Ben Williamson (2025-26 offseason)
Free agency (5): LHP Cam Booser, RHP Nick Martinez, INF Jorge Mateo, LHP Steven Matz, OF Cedric Mullins
Rule 5 Draft (1): RHP Kevin Kelly
As I said, just look at how good some of those trade acquisitions look in retrospect. Bryan Baker is one of the best closers in baseball, and they got him for the No. 37 draft pick in last year’s draft. Junior Caminero is an MVP candidate who they picked up from the Guardians for Tobias Myers. Yandy Díaz was also acquired from the Guardians in a three-team deal, where Tampa Bay departed with Jake Bauers and cash. More recent deadline acquisitions in Griffin Jax, Freddy Peralta, and Liam Hicks cost them Taj Bradley and six prospects (none of them in MLB’s top 100).
That’s what most in the industry would probably define as “fleecing.”
How has that roster fared?
On the mound, they’re led by starters Drew Rasmussen and Peralta — both former Brewers — as well as Nick Martinez, a familiar foe for Milwaukee from his time with the Reds. The aforementioned Baker led the majors with 41 saves and hasn’t blown a save since May 13, spanning 30 regular season and five postseason saves. In fact, all four of those arms have been great this postseason:
The rest of the bullpen — which includes Kevin Kelly, Tyler Wells, Cam Booser, Brody Hopkins, Steven Matz, Cole Sulser, and Jax and Ian Seymour in starter-reliever roles — has been good, not great, this postseason, with a 3.60 bullpen ERA and 32 strikeouts across 30 innings.
Offensively, they’re led by Caminero, Díaz, Hicks, Jonathan Aranda, and speedster Chandler Simpson, who gives Billy Hamilton vibes. Díaz has been the best hitter in the postseason, slashing .308/.341/.564 with 12 hits, including a pair of homers and four doubles. Caminero and Aranda have also homered, while Simpson has led a steal-happy squad (perfect 11-for-11 this postseason) with three steals. Other regulars include Victor Mesa Jr., Jonny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, and Richie Palacios, with Ben Williamson, Ryan Vilade, Cedric Mullins, and Nick Fortes rounding out the bench.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers had another great season under Matt Arnold & Pat Murphy, winning their fourth consecutive NL Central title and becoming the first team in the division to do so. They also won 103 games, breaking their previous franchise record of 97 wins set in 2025.
To get here, they had to go through two of the hottest teams in baseball down the stretch in the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres swept the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series and put up quite the fight against Milwaukee, as the Brewers eked out three wins in a 3-1 series victory. The Dodgers, who took three of four from the Braves in the NLDS, were the Goliath to Milwaukee’s David after sweeping the Crew in the 2025 NLCS. This time, the Brewers flipped the script, sweeping the Dodgers en route to their first World Series since 1982 and marking the first time they’ve made it as a National League team.
Per MLB.com, the Brewers got more out of the MLB Draft than every other playoff team with the exception of Cleveland. That includes first-round picks Brice Turang (2018), Garrett Mitchell (2020), and Sal Frelick (2021), as well as junior college finds in Jacob Misiorowski (2022), Logan Henderson (2021), and Aaron Ashby (2017). They also picked up starting shortstop Cooper Pratt in the sixth round back in 2023, pulling him away from a college commitment.
They have three international signees — Jackson Chourio (2021) and Luis Lara (2022) out of Venezuela, and Abner Uribe (2018) out of the Dominican Republic.
Shockingly, the only free agent on this team is catcher Gary Sánchez, who signed a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027 back in February.
The other 15 projected players on the team came via trade. This group includes Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Joey Ortiz, DL Hall, David Hamilton, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich.
I should note that if Brandon Woodruff somehow miraculously makes the roster, he would add one more to the draft group, as he was taken in the 11th round out of Mississippi State back in 2014. He’d likely take the spot of either Harrison or Patrick, neither of whom has pitched this postseason.
The offense is anchored by Turang, Contreras, and Chourio, but the supporting pieces are solid too — Murphy has seemingly found the right mix this postseason, with Pratt, Bauers, and Mitchell joining those three as everyday players while Hamilton and Ortiz split duties at third base, Lara and Frelick split duties in right, and Vaughn and Yelich split duties at designated hitter.
On the mound, the Misiorowski-Henderson-Gasser combo has worked well atop the rotation, with May and Drohan next in line, though neither of them has been given all that long of a leash here in the playoffs. For the bullpen, the back end combination of Megill, Uribe, and Ashby has been fantastic; Hall has also been solid, and deadline acquisitions Romero and Senzatela have been better in the postseason than they were down the stretch.
Probable Pitchers
Note: Pitching matchups will be filled in as they’re announced
Game 1 (Milwaukee): Friday, October 23 @ 7:00 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (2 GS, 0-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.90 FIP) vs. TBD
Misiorowski is slated to get the ball in Friday’s series opener, and while he hasn’t been quite as sharp as he was in the regular season, he’s still been a solid presence atop the rotation. He’s made two starts thus far, totaling just 8 1/3 innings as he’s allowed three runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out 11. The likely NL Cy Young winner after a league-leading 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, and 252 strikeouts, Miz went six innings in a no-decision against the Rays back in April, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. You can certainly expect him to come out the gates with the high heat on Friday night.
Game 2 (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 24 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 3 (Tampa Bay): Monday, October 26 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 4 (Tampa Bay): Tuesday, October 27 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 5 (if necessary) (Tampa Bay): Wednesday, October 28 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 6 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Friday, October 30 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 7 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 31 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
How to watch and listen
Friday, October 23: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 24: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Monday, October 26: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, October 27: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, October 28: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Friday, October 30: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 31: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is probably the most excited, but also the most anxious I’ve ever been as a Brewers fan. These are obviously two fantastic teams, and they match up pretty evenly on paper. It certainly won’t be a cakewalk for either side. Give me the Brewers to claim their first title in six games.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 23: A general view as Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
There are now 153 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. You know the drill by now.
On the other hand, the World Series starts tomorrow. It will be over by, at the latest, Halloween. Between the Rays and the Brewers, there will be a first-time winner crowned. I think that’s fun. If all else is equal, I like to root for long droughts being broken. I think it’s good to put that kind of energy out there. Some day, maybe, it will be the Orioles turn to try to break a long drought, and it would be nice to be a sympathetic favorite at that time.
I know not every Orioles fan agrees, with some people preferring that teams ahead of the Orioles on the list not get scratched off to push the O’s closer to the top of the list of failure. It is not fun to be on those lists. Only five teams have gone longer than the Orioles without winning a title. If the Brewers win this World Series, that will be four.
The Padres and Mariners have also never won it, the Guardians last title was in 1948, and the Pirates haven’t won since (sigh) 1979. I wasn’t alive for that one, but I’ve heard enough about it, and I don’t think my “root for the longest drought to end” philosophy would ever apply to Pittsburgh. Wasn’t a whole lot of danger of having to think about that this year. Any of the other teams ahead of the O’s would probably be about as sympathetic as the Brewers, especially if they were facing another AL East team in the postseason.
The Orioles have not won the World Series as long as I have been alive, and I’m turning 43 next month. It’s a long time. Unless fortunes rapidly turn around, the O’s title drought is going to hit “get a colonoscopy” age pretty soon. It is not great that after two years in the postseason and zero postseason wins, that things stink again with no certainty of whether the people in charge can figure out how to stop that from happening. But there is quite a while yet before we will start to have any idea of whether their offseason turnaround plan is going to get results.
A look at a few Orioles that might not be back next year (Steve on Baseball) Trevor Rogers is the only name on the list that is going to make large numbers of Birdland fans sad in the strong likelihood that he does not return.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Nothing of particular interest has ever happened on this day in Orioles history. This is not likely to change until the team makes it back to a World Series, or at least deep in an ALCS series.
There are several former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2024 pitcher Corbin Burnes, 2012-18 pitcher Darren O’Day, 2005 catcher Eli Whiteside, 2003 pitcher Héctor Carrasco, 2004 catcher Keith Osik, and 1989 catcher Jamie Quirk.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: composer Franz Liszt (1811), baseball Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1907), author Doris Lessing (1919), actor Christopher Lloyd (1938), gold medal figure skater Brian Boitano (1963), and baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki (1973).
On this day in history…
In 2137 BC, a solar eclipse was recorded by Chinese astronomers. There were also reports that two astronomers who failed to predict the eclipse were executed. It wasn’t until 585 BC that an eclipse is known to have occurred as predicted.
In 1721 AD, following the Russian defeat of Sweden in the decades-long Great Northern War, Russia’s ruler Peter I proclaimed a Russian Empire, with himself as the tsar.
In 1883, New York’s Metropolitan Opera House opened. The first performance was an opera called Faust, by Charles Gounod, which had debuted in Paris in 1859.
In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy announced a naval blockade of the island of Cuba.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 22. Have a safe Thursday.
Walker Kessler mumbled just loud enough for the press to hear him as the 7'2 big man sank into his seat at the podium following the Los Angeles Lakers' season-opening 127-105 rout over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The ease with which he answered questions – at one point, he said, "Contrary to my name, I run a lot" – mirrored how effortless he looked on the floor, always seeming to be in just the right place and just the right time to receive a lob from Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves.
At one point early in the third quarter, Kessler was running behind the play as Dončić dribbled into the low post. Draymond Green stepped towards Dončić, freeing Kessler up in the paint with no one near him.
"Luka!" He shouted out.
Next thing Kessler knew, the ball was in his chest.
Dončić had rifled it behind his back past Green and right to Kessler and before the Warriors enforcer had any idea what had happened, Kessler was already coming back down from the rim.
"He's just wicked smart," Kessler said of Dončić. "His basketball IQ is crazy, and I think he recognized I was running the floor. ... He just found me."
And it wasn't just Luka Magic. Kessler finished the night a perfect 12 of 12 from the floor for 26 points, his shot chart entirely in the restricted area. Ten of those were dunks; the most in a game by a Laker since Shaquille O'Neal in 2003.
O'Neal gave Kessler his flowers on-air postgame.
"For so long, the Lakers big men have been historical and dominant," he declared on Inside the NBA. "Walker Kessler is the best big man in the NBA."
A glowing review from Laker royalty, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly.
The spotlight that comes with donning the purple and gold – especially at its glamor position – can be blinding. The weight of following in the legacy of Shaq, Kareem, Wilt and George Mikan has crushed other superstars before. Dwight Howard infamously spurned Kobe Bryant in 2013 for the Houston Rockets. Russell Westbrook became public enemy No. 1 in his own hometown.
Kessler hasn't just shown he can handle the pressure that comes with this job. He somehow looks comfortable in it.
"He understands what this is and the pressures that come with it," head coach JJ Redick said. "I think it was a good opening statement for him."
It hasn't always been that way for the North Carolina and Auburn product.
By his own admission, there were times in his college career that Kessler let pressure get to him. Outside voices dictated his own thoughts and feelings. But as he's gotten older, he's focused more on being grateful for everything that comes his way.
"I'm a big believer in what an opportunity," Kessler said. "God is so good in my life for me to be here. ... It's really hard to focus on the negativity when you actively do that, and so I've been the past couple years really focusing on that."
Wednesday was just game one out of 82. Dončić kept it in perspective, saying he was impressed with his new running mate and how they played off each other. When Luka would drive, Kessler would step up. When he was doubled, Kessler he played in the pocket.
"I think our ceiling is even higher," Dončić said. "But ... he did an amazing job today."
He knows that even if Kessler makes catching lobs look easy, the reality is far from it. But keeping in mind that this was just their first game together, the future – and present – at Crypto.com Arena looks just as bright as the lights that so many before them have shrunken under.
