Condition is prevalent in rugby and American football
Scientists are optimistic of significant breakthrough
Scientists have moved a step closer to diagnosing the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living people, after a study found a blood biomarker that identifies an advanced form of the disease.
As things stand CTE, which is caused by repeated trauma to the head and is especially prevalent in collision and contact sports such as American football, rugby and football, can be diagnosed only after death by examining brain tissue.
Pitcher Pat Hentgen watches spring training drills at the Toronto Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, Florida February 27, 2004. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Today marks Pat Hentgen’s 58th birthday.
Pat will always remain one of my favorite Blue Jays.
He won the Cy Young Award in 1996—the first Blue Jay ever to do so—after going 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA and pitching an impressive 265.2 innings. Hentgen received the award on his birthday, making for a memorable celebration. It would be incredible to see a starter log over 250 innings these days. He was also selected to four All-Star teams and owns two World Series rings. Although he didn’t pitch in the 1992 playoffs, he earned a win in the 1993 World Series against the Phillies and was set to start Game 7 before Joe Carter’s walk-off home run in Game 6 clinched the title.
During his ten seasons as a Blue Jay, Hentgen compiled a 107-85 record with a 4.28 ERA over 270 games, including 238 starts.
He ranks fourth among pitchers in franchise history in WAR (26.7), and sits fifth in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and games started.
After the 1999 season, the Jays traded Hentgen and Paul Spoljaric to the Cardinals for Alberto Castillo, Matt DeWitt, and Lance Painter. It wasn’t one of the team’s better trades. Following a single season in St. Louis, Hentgen signed with the Orioles as a free agent. After three years in Baltimore, he returned to Toronto for one final season before retiring.
Over his career, Hentgen went 131-112 with a 4.32 ERA in 344 games (306 starts) and accumulated 33.0 bWAR.
He gave us an interview, which is divided into five parts: one, two, three, four, and five.
Pat has remained involved with the organization, serving as bullpen coach in 2011 before stepping away for family reasons, then returning to the same role in 2013.
A few years ago, he spent some time in the TV broadcast booth and did an excellent job. It would be great to see him take on that role more often.
Happy birthday, Pat. Hope it’s a great one.
Today also marks Santiago Espinal’s 32nd birthday.
Espinal spent four seasons with the Blue Jays and had an excellent 2021, hitting .311/.376/.405. He made the All-Star team the following year, and by mid-June was batting .298/.350/.451. Unfortunately, his performance declined after that, as he hit just .244/.301/.300 for the remainder of the season. 2023 was a tough year, and with the team’s surplus of middle infielders, Espinal was traded before the 2024 season. He batted .246/.295/.356 with the Reds in 2024.
Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser has officially recorded his 500th-career NHL point.
Boeser hit this milestone in his 650th-career NHL game, a Friday-night matchup against the New York Rangers. He logged the secondary assist on Elias Pettersson's fifth goal of the season.
In his 11th season as a member of the Canucks, Boeser has put together seven goals and 11 assists in 21 games played. He currently sits at second on Vancouver in points with 18.
This seasson, Boeser has already entered the franchise’s top-five in power-play goals scored after notching his 80th against the New York Islanders on October 13. Boeser also shot up to 10th all-time in power-play points by a Canuck after recording a helper on a power-play goal for Elias Pettersson in the team’s home-opener.
With his 500th-career NHL point, all as a Canuck, Boeser becomes just the eighth player in franchise history to record 500 points in their time with Vancouver. Pettersson (529*), Thomas Gradin (550), Stan Smyl (673), Trevor Linden (733), Markus Näslund (756), Daniel Sedin (1041), and Henrik Sedin (1070) are the only other players in franchise history to do so.
Oct 11, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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It’s been nearly two years since the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers completed a trade for J.T. Miller, though tonight will mark Miller’s second game back at Rogers Arena since the deal.
Tonight is also expected to feature Filip Chytil’s first experience playing against the organization that drafted him in the first-round of the 2017 NHL Draft, as he missed Vancouver’s other matchups against the Rangers due to injury.
On Tuesday, Chytil expressed his excitement about possibly playing against the Rangers for the first time since being traded.
“It means a lot to me, actually,” he said after Vancouver’s practice on Tuesday. “It’s been almost two years now since the trade, and I didn’t play a game against them. I don’t know most of the team now because it’s changed as well. I know just a couple of players from there, but it was still eight years in the organization — and it was an organization that gave me an opportunity to play in the league, and I have great memories from those seasons.”
Let’s take a look at the pieces acquired by the Canucks and Rangers ahead of their fifth matchup since the trade.
To New York: J.T. Miller, Erik Brännström, And Jackson Dorrington
The season after he was traded to the Rangers, Miller was named New York’s captain. In his first full season with the Rangers post-Vancouver trade, the forward put up 17 goals and 36 assists in 68 games, good for fourth on his team in points. Miller hasn’t quite found the same performance level he reached with Vancouver in his second stint with the Rangers, though he is currently up to four goals and 10 assists in 20 games with New York.
Brännström didn’t end up playing in any games with the Rangers, instead skating for their AHL-affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack. He only ended up playing in six games for the Wolf Pack before being dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for Nicolas Aube-Kubel at the 2025 Trade Deadline. After the end of the 2024–25 season, Brännström headed back to Europe, where he’s now in his second season with Lausanne HC.
The final piece acquired by the Rangers in this trade was Dorrington, who has remained with New York’s organization since. He made his AHL-debut for the Wolf Pack during the 2024–25 season, putting up a goal and an assist in nine games that year. In his first full season in the AHL, 2025–26, he scored a total of two goals and nine assists in 70 games. Throughout the 2026–27 season thus far, Dorrington has put up one assist in 13 games.
Mar 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) battles with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Miller and Mancini were traded for each other in January. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
To Vancouver: Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, And A 2025 First-Round Pick
Chytil has played in a total of 34 games since being acquired by the Canucks, with the forward projected to face his former team for the first time tonight. He has scored five goals and six assists throughout his tenure with Vancouver, with two of these assists coming in the seven games he has played so far this year. While health has been a big issue for Chytil through his time with the Canucks, when he has been in the lineup, the forward has shown promise with his speed.
In his time with the Canucks thus far, Mancini has acted as more of a depth defenceman, floating between Vancouver and Abbotsford. He played in 24 games with Vancouver through 2025–26, putting up three assists in that span. The remainder of his playing time was spent with Abbotsford, during which he skated in 33 games and posted four goals and eight assists. The defenceman was sent down to the AHL on Tuesday and made his season-debut for Abbotsford on Wednesday.
The first-round pick acquired by Vancouver went on a little bit of an adventure before ultimately being used to select forward Jack Nesbitt 12th-overall. Only hours after the Canucks acquired the selection, they flipped it to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the trade that sent Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson (also a member of the Rangers now) to Vancouver. Pittsburgh held onto the pick until the first day of the 2025 NHL Draft, trading it to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for picks #22 and #31.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after bunting for a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
Manny Machado
When Machado signed with the Padres, it was a massive deal. To be exact, it was the biggest contract that any athlete had ever signed up to that point. Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with San Diego, keeping him in the brown and gold for the rest of his career. He’s largely followed up on that, hitting .275 or better in five of seven seasons and 25-plus homers in all of his years (excluding the shortened 2020 season).
Overall Grade: B-
However, 2026 saw a major downtick in his batting average. Including his time with the Baltimore Orioles, Machado had never finished the season with a batting average below .250. He finished 2026 having batted a dismal .217 with a .303 on-base percentage. That said, the power remained. Machado had 52 extra-base hits, with 30 of them being homers.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. Machado’s expected batting average (.243) was twenty-six points above his actual (.217), meaning he was at least somewhat unlucky. He ended the season being mostly average on offense, with a 97 OPS+ (where 100 is average). But Machado was phenomenal in the playoffs, batting .350/.480/.600 in six games.
Even in the offseason, Machado is not immune to controversy. He was a major snub from the Gold Glove awards, with Max Muncy and Javier Sanoja being named ahead of him. This despite the fact that Machado led all third basemen in Fielding Run Value (+7) and Outs Above Average (+12). The question heading into 2027 will be whether he can bat for average after his contact hitting took a dip in ‘26.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: A general view of Truist Park during Game Three of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Much of this baseball offseason is going to spent with the MLB owners and MLB Player’s Association each publicly jockeying for why they are on the right side of the pending lockout.
The MLB used its official Twitter account Friday afternoon to share the owners’ latest offering, with a pointed interest towards fans and trying to sway them to the side of the ownership.
Here’s MLB’s latest messaging:
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
Entering into a partnership with players where all revenues that are generated are split 50/50 between the teams and the players
Implementing a salary cap and floor that will regulate what each team can spend
Revenues from media generated in baseball are shared equally by the clubs
This will reduce the revenue disparity in baseball and help us address local blackouts
Major League players’ total compensation would go up and fans would get a more competitive game
It’s a win for everybody
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
1. Entering into a partnership with players where all revenues that are generated are split 50/50 between the teams… pic.twitter.com/GgeKshvFmN
What do we think, folks? I can admit I find it a bit weird that MLB uses its official social media accounts with large followings (13.7 million on X alone) to boost its case.
But I can also admit that getting rid of blackouts sounds good and I’ve been coming around on the net good that a salary cap/floor would bring to baseball.
One year ago, Juuso Valimaki wasn't even sure if he'd ever again play in the NHL.
The 27-year-old defenseman was nine months removed from his second career ACL tear and he hadn't seen NHL action since the start of 2025.
Even before the injury, the 2017 first-round picks was being continuously healthy scratched and things looked like they were quickly heading in the wrong direction.
But fast forward to today and Valimaki is on the blueline of the best team in hockey.
"We knew when we got him what he had been going through," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Lots of injuries and even last year, he played all year in the minors. Played really well, we just didn't have a spot. Then this year there was an opportunity and he's just taken it. It's nice to see that he's fully back to where he was before and maybe even better. He's really endeared himself to the group and to the coaching staff."
Not only that, but Valimaki also earned the opportunity to play in his home country in front of thousands of Finnish fans and many of his own friends and family as part of the NHL Global Series in Helsinki.
And in Game 1 of the series, Valimaki himself even got on the scoresheet, scoring the Canes' third goal in their 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
"I don't think it could have really worked out any better than it did for me," Valimaki said. "Obviously we played a really good game and that's kind of the first point of it, but I'm not gonna lie and say that it wasn't cool to score, because it was. Just really, really happy and grateful for it, for sure."
"Really happy for him," Brind'Amour said on Valimaki. "That was special for him to get that goal. He's a big part of what we're doing."
"That's what you want," said forward Nikolaj Ehlers. "You obviously want the two points, but seeing [the Finns] score makes it a little more special. We're happy we were able to get the win for those guys."
It was a storybook moment for the Finnish defenseman and one that reflects all the hard work that he's put in to get back to this level.
Things haven't been easy by any means, but Valimaki has continued to grind away and find ways to keep getting better and to see him rewarded in that way is very special.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs in my career with injuries and kind of a lot of other things going on, but I think last year was finally where I felt like myself again and I was in a really good head space," Valimaki said. "Just trying to play hockey, enjoy it. There's been times where you kind of forget the fun part and for me, at least, when you're having fun and enjoying what you're doing, I think that's when you play your best. Just trying to carry the momentum now and ride that wave."
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Our third pitcher, and the second in a row in the Vote, moved on, and in decisive fashion, as righty starter Tanner McDougal easily outpaced the field, with 30 of 63 votes (48%). It’s the second straight rout in our polling, and the third-biggest share percentage won so far:
McDougal, a fifth round pick in 2021, finished as our No. sixth-voted prospect last year, after not making the Vote in 2025. He finished at No. 33 in the 2024 Vote.
McDougal is the second right-handed starting pitcher to advance so far:
Past No. 8s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2026 Christian Oppor (24%) 2025 Kyle Teel (30%) 2024 Jordan Leasure (23%) 2023 Cristian Mena (27%) 2022 Romy González (41%) 2021 Gavin Sheets (29%) 2020 Luis Basabe (32%) 2019 Blake Rutherford (34%) 2018 Jake Burger (29%)
This latest round also marked the first votes earned for both Alex Weingartner and newcomer Sebastian Romero. It also saw the second straight tie between not one but two pairs of players, Kyle Lodise/Landon Thome and Weingartner/Kyle Casteel.
Currently rehabbing after shoulder surgery but expected to miss little or no time in the spring is first baseman Anthony DePino, who will be making his all-time Vote debut as well.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
Kyle Casteel Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 19 2026 high level Butler Area (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 10-0 ▪️ 13 games ▪️ 65 ⅔ IP ▪️ 0.64 ERA ▪️ 103 K ▪️ 11 BB ▪️ 0.685 WHIP
Casteel is the sort of player you dream of getting to start off the $150,000 round of 10 picks: A player who the White Sox had been talking to regularly that, based on how the first round fell, now was draftable knowing the club could meet the prep’s demands. It’s undoubtable that Casteel is far better than the 315th pick (MLB had him ranked at No. 162 overall), and thus the White Sox pocketed a player who should have been selected in the fifth round. Casteel has power and control, and while the White Sox will bring him along with care, he has a rare profile in a pitching-starved White Sox system.
Anthony DePino First Baseman Age 24 2026 high level Birmingham (AA) Age relative to high level -0.7 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AA) 125 games ▪️ 25 HR ▪️ 82 RBI ▪️ .262/.363/.481 ▪️ 6-of-7 (85.7 %) SB ▪️ 64 BB ▪️ 128 K ▪️ .991 FLD%▪️ 3.1 WAR
DePino was drafted as a poor man’s Jake Burger, which is a pretty fair compliment, for starters. But his breakout 2026 puts him straight on an actual Burger arc. His first full pro season was outstanding, far better than expected for a seventh-rounder out of the baseball hotbed of Rhode Island. DePino so impressed that he was tabbed for Arizona Fall League play, but ended up missing that final session of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Kyle Lodise Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level 0.0 years Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
Sebastian Romero Center Fielder Age 18 2026 high level DSL White Sox (Rookie) Age relative to high level -0.6 years Overall 2026 stats 52 games ▪️ 11 HR ▪️ 54 RBI ▪️ .277/.391/.538 ▪️ 7-of-10 (70.0%) SB ▪️ 18 BB ▪️ 61 K ▪️ .963 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
The sexy international prospect for 2026-27 is Romero, who had a boisterous pro debut, flashing perhaps all tools but hit. Or, at least the bat control aspect of the hit tool, because 18 walks — just three more free passes than hit-by-pitches — indicates a willingness to swing at ANYTHING, as does his 61 Ks against woeful DSL arms. However, when contact is made, ball go boom.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Alex Weingartner Right Fielder Age 19 2026 high level St. Augustine College Prep (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats 30 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 36 RBI ▪️ .495 AVG ▪️ .817 SLG ▪️ 33 SB ▪️ 21 BB
Oddly enough, Weingartner may be a doppelganger for the player listed right below; both he and George Wolkow were prep plums selected lower than their skill and scout rankings indicated, and both players scored sweet bonuses from the White Sox to lure them from potential college commitments. Both have rocket arms (Weingartner, in fact, pitched for his St. Augustine Hermits in 2026) as well.
George Wolkow Right Fielder Age 21 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 14 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 13 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 16 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats 123 games ▪️ 22 HR ▪️ 100 RBI ▪️ .239/.317/.446 ▪️ 15-of-22 (68.2%) SB ▪️ 50 BB ▪️ 179 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
Wolkow sacrificed speed and what batting eye he had for power in 2026, and while that made for some impressive counting stats (22-100 plays on the back of any baseball card) the hole in his swing hasn’t been sewn. If the White Sox brass is having Wolkow bet on his best tool, power, at all others’ expense, he’s slipping into the Colson Category.
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Meredith dropped from match-day 23 after defeat to England
Valetini named in XV with Australia out to avoid fourth straight loss
The Wallabies have restored Carter Gordon and Rob Valetini to their starting crew, convinced the pair will be the difference makers as they seek to right their creaking ship in dangerous Scottish waters.
Announcing the team to face Scotland on Sunday (Monday AEDT), coach Les Kiss made it clear he sees Gordon as the playmaker who can finally nail down the No 10 role that has become the Wallabies’ maddening hot-potato position, with seven different starting flyhalves used since the last World Cup.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: A detail photo of a bobblehead of Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On this chilly Friday in November, join me in ignoring the looming lockout as we pretend that baseball is proceeding as scheduled next season. (Alex Anthopoulos certainly is with the offseason’s first big splash with the signing of reliever Evan Phillips). Here, life is beautiful because Opening Day is in 131 days.
The Braves have announced that single game tickets are now on sale for the 2027 season, which (for now) kicks off on the road at Dodger Stadium. But we care about what’s going on at the home ballpark. And if you’re anything like me, what’s being given away at the gate may be a factor in when you plan to visit Truist Park.
More giveaways, ticket packages, and theme nights are to be confirmed as plans for the season finalize, but here’s what you can look forward to based on the current slate and schedule. More info is available on the Braves promotion page.
If the fireworks during the anthem/seventh inning stretch, after every strikeout (thanks, Gas South) and home runs aren’t enough, you can stick around after every Friday night home game for a Georgia Lottery-sponsored spectacular. It’s worth seeing for whatever baffling unique theme or playlist they choose to accompany the show.
The Braves Block Party returns to the Battery before every Saturday contest. Partake in live music and other entertainment before finding your seats. There’s a significant chance he Home Depot tools and Blooper and his ever-increasing horde of mascot security for roaming around for photo opps as well.
Sunday matinees are preceded by a pair of alumni showing up to sign autographs, which are TBD for now. Kids can also run the bases after the game concludes.
Gate Giveaways
The promotional gate giveaways are for the first 15,000 fans that enter the stadium. (Items in ticket packages are an entirely separate thing, more below). Depending on the item, sometimes you can rock up at closer to 7 pm and still get one. Others require some logistical magic and being in a line before most have even clocked out of work.
There will absolutely be more of these announced as we get closer to baseball being played. But for now… please enjoy the merchandising team’s best attempt at the brief: safe, apparel-forward choices that are fun enough to hopefully distract from the conspicuous absence of current player-themed items.
Magnetic Schedule (April 2 vs. HOU)
Everyone in attendance at the home opener gets one of these to slap on your fridge. Thanks, Georgia Power.
Truist Park “10th Anniversary” T-Shirt (April 3 vs. HOU)
Not sure a ton of people will be gunning for this one, but a concert-style tee celebrating your very favorite Cobb County ballpark’s 10th birthday can be yours.
BravesVision Bobblehead (April 16 vs. MIA)
Wiley erasure, unfortunately, but Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski are getting their seventh-inning cracker jack toss immortalized in bobblehead form. How do the broadcasters get a bobblehead that looks more like them than some players? A mystery.
Phil Niekro Replica Jersey (April 20 vs. WAS)
The Braves love to do things in alumni-honoring ways, and this is the first of several giveaways featuring a Braves legend. Instead of Dale Murphy like last year, Phil Niekro gets the nod here for a replica jersey.
Mystery Hot Dog Hat (May 28 vs. PIT)
Yes, baseball and hot dogs are inextricably linked. We saw the first steps of the Braves embracing the hot dog mania that’s overtaken some other ballparks last year with the introduction of the “Build-A-Dog” challenge as mid-inning entertainment. Multiple teams have glizzys that race. Sometimes they rain from the sky in Seattle. But maybe the Braves saw their division rival Nationals have immense success with a “Bad Day to be a Hot Dog” hat giveaway and wanted to copy their homework, so here’s our version. The “mystery” is if your design will feature a hot dog with ketchup or mustard.
Tom Glavine Hockey Jersey (June 1 vs. COL)
Drake Baldwin’s hockey jersey last year was one of the most coveted giveaway items. Folks lined up as early as 3 pm (and I would know, because I was among them). Merrimack Valley’s Most Valuable Player Tom Glavine gets an hockey jersey of his own in an Atlanta City Connect flavor.
Hawaiian Shirt (August 20 vs. NYM)
Vintage baseball cards of Braves HOFers and tropical flowers intermingle in this year’s version of the Braves Hawaiian shirt. This is probably going to be up there in terms of popularity.
90’s Windbreaker (September 24 vs. MIA)
If you’re in need of a paper-thin windbreaker, this might be the giveaway for you. If I had to guess this will only really be available in L and XL sizes.
Ticket Packages/Theme Nights
These specialty items are a separate ticket and you’re guaranteed the item, unlike in a gate giveaway. These are usually accompanied by other festivities at the ballpark to make it a full theme night.
Science Education Day (April 22 vs. WAS) meant for elementary school groups
Girls Night Out (April 29 vs. NYM) gets the ladies a mock neck sweatshirt
Star Wars (May 6 vs. SD) is a Braves/Star Wars jersey shirt
Military Appreciation (May 31 vs. COL) features a Braves military appreciation t-shirt
Braves Country 5K (June 5 vs. MIN) will have info available at a later date, but usually includes a t-shirt
Father’s Day (June 20 vs. NYY) offers a 200minute session of catch on the field following the afternoon game
Pride Night (June 23 vs. PHI) will have more info on the item/festivities coming soon
Summer Camp Day (July 21 vs. PHI) is for, you guessed it, summer camps
Deaf Awareness (August 1 vs. STL) gets you a City Connect-style jersey shirt with “Braves” spelled out in ASL across the chest
HBCU (August 25 vs. MIL) features a jersey shirt with HBCU across the chest and 48 on the back
Los Bravos (September 23 vs. WAS) is another jersey shirt with Latin American country flags patterned on the sleeves and jersey number
Anything in this initial batch speaking to you? What’s a must-have or a pass? What are you hoping to see announced in the future, and is that Alan Jackson bobblehead commercial still stuck in your head? Let us know.
Towards the end of October, NHL Central Scouting released its "Preliminary Ranking" ahead of the 2027 NHL Draft. There is a long way to go, and a lot of changes are expected between now and then, but most of these young prospects will have a chance to be impact players in the NHL.
Of course, this draft is currently headlined by Landon DuPont, who is currently playing at the University of Michigan. He is a dynamic defenseman who projects to be a star at the highest level.
In NHL Central Scouting's Ranking, all of the players currently projected to be selected in the first round have been given an A-rating. If the Blackhawks don't get at least one of these players, that would be shocking, as it would imply that they turned this 2026-27 season around in a big way.
This mock draft has the lottery picks (1-16) based on the best prospects who received an A-rating in October. The order was determined by the standings heading into action on Friday, November 13th, in reverse order, and includes trades. In the spring, a lottery will determine the first two picks, and more could be traded by then.
1. Vancouver Canucks - Landon DuPont, D, Michigan
2. Chicago Blackhawks - Nazar Privalov, FWD, Moskva
3. Los Angeles Kings - Sergei Skvortsov, FWD, Torpedo
4. Philadelphia Flyers - Jonah Neuenschwander, F, EHC Biel-Bienne
5. Columbus Blue Jackets - Carter Meyer, FWD, Quebec
7. Detroit Red Wings - Milan Sundstrom, FWD, MoDO Hockey
8. San Jose Sharks - Brock England, FWD, Seattle
9. Philadelphia Flyers (From Toronto Maple Leafs) - Sammy Nelson, FWD, Notre Dame
10. Calgary Flames - Alexis Joseph, C, Saint John
11. Winnipeg Jets - Andrei Pustovoy, FWD, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
12. Buffalo Sabres - Brock Cripps, D, Prince Albert
13. St. Louis Blues - Jaakko Wycisk, FWD, Guelph
14. Utah Mammoth - Jamie Glance, FWD, Jaint John
15. New York Islanders - Bosse Meijer, FWD, Frolunda
16. New York Rangers - Noah Davidson, FWD, Medicine Hat
There is sure to be somebody who was not listed here, with or without an A-rating (27 As were handed out by NHL Central Scouting), who jumps into this group. Maybe they will even be a star NHL player, but there is a lot of hockey ahead to determine that.
The thing that sticks out the most from looking at this group is the fact that there are only two defensemen. Only 5 were given As by the league, and that includes DuPont, who is a no-brainer top-3 pick, likely first overall.
Lots of players here are going to jump up and down boards. There are hot and cold starts impacting this ranking so far. For example, Alexis Joseph was a top-three contender coming into the year, but he's been underwhelming so far with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Joseph has 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 17 games. That production in the QMJHL must explode if he wants to end up being a top-five pick.
It isn't a bad start for Joseph, but not as dominant as folks believe he can be. His style is often compared to that of Nathan MacKinnon, who is a dominant top-five player in the NHL and has been for almost a decade now. Again, all of these prospects will have their peaks and valleys, and the smartest teams will be able to see through those.
Only 1 goalie, Vilmer Saleb Forsberg of Brantford, was given an A, and he is not currently projected to be a lottery pick. His position (teams don't generally draft goalies high anymore) may get him selected late in the first round or possibly even in the second round.
If the Blackhawks have the second overall pick, and they don't trade it for immediate roster help, Nazar Privalov would be a fine addition to their farm system. Their organizational pool of young players is already strong; they are just waiting for it to translate more to the NHL team. Chicago is also projected to have the first two picks of the second round, their own and Vancouver's.
The sad reality is that the Blackhawks are 5-13-1, and the likelihood of them having a good draft pick in the lottery is high. The players have not given up yet, but the organization will surely be looking at all of these rankings and will be well prepared by the time June's draft comes around.
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New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson talks to Cody Bellinger before a game against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium in New York, April 4, 2026. Getty Images
“I always felt like the NFL had a good model for this,” Rowson said on a call with reporters Friday morning once his hiring had become official. “In the NFL, they have running backs coaches, they have wide receivers coaches — they have individual coaches for areas. But at the end of the day, they have an offensive coordinator who’s trying to put all that together. …
“It’s focused on scoring. And I feel like baseball can take a page from that.”
The job is a new one for a franchise that played its first ballgames when Chester A. Arthur was president, but it’s not unprecedented as coaching staffs swell in size around the league.
The Rangers, Padres, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, White Sox and Astros have all had coaches hold the position, which may be more associated with football but is a growing trend in MLB.
The Giants will have company next season in the Royals, who promoted their hitting coach, Connor Dawson, into the role while hiring Hunter Mense away from San Francisco to serve under him.
“Kind of what through his experience he feels like will give him the structure and chain of command,” Posey said. “To have the oversight on all run production.”
Rowson, who spent the past three seasons as the Yankees’ top hitting coach, wanted to expand his purview. Vitello, with his college background, was all for it.
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello speaks to the media before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Sept. 26, 2026. Getty Images
If Rowson hadn’t suggested it, the Giants may have.
“It was an exact phrase I used with Buster and [general manager] Zack [Minasian] and some of the other guys at the end of the year,” Vitello said. “Really offense, defensive coordinator, at least mentality, and making sure we’re as structured as possible.”
One area of improvement from Vitello’s first year as a professional manager that came up in his discussions after the season with Posey and the front office was a clearer chain of command.
On the pitching side, Posey said the communication was “just a little scattered at times.” They addressed that by reshuffling the staff, keeping Justin Meccage as pitching coach but reassigning Frank Anderson to be the assistant from director of major-league pitching. Christian Wonders, the assistant pitching coach last year, will lead minor-league pitching development.
Rafael Devers of the San Francisco Giants runs the bases after a grand slam against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Sept. 11, 2026. Getty Images
Rowson’s new, overarching title is part of cleaning things up on the offensive side.
“As the offensive coordinator, I need to bring together our hitting staff, the baserunning guys, myself,” Rowson said. He added, “Tony’s gonna be in charge of how all that comes together.”
Rowson, 50, oversaw a three-man hitting staff that helped the Yankees produce the eighth-most runs per game in the majors last season. He has also served as a hitting coach for the Twins (2017-19) and Cubs (2012-13), an assistant hitting coach for the Tigers (2023) and as Don Mattingly’s bench coach with the Marlins (2020-22).
“Not saying this was a downfall of Mense,” Posey said of the Giants’ hitting coach last season, who hadn’t held a top job before, “but I do think after last year, [we wanted to] hire a guy who’s been there and done the work. By all accounts, making phone calls to different people, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again. One of the better leaders they’ve been around.”
Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants points to his dugout after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Aug. 22, 2026. Getty Images
Rowson will oversee baserunning, game-planning, basically anything that has to do with touching home plate — something the Giants did less often last season than all but four other teams. They drew walks at the lowest rate in the league and didn’t put much into action when they reached base, last in the league in stolen bases for much of the year until a late uptick.
Turning things around will take a multipronged approach. The Giants need to get more out of the veteran core of their lineup — Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers — but it’s just as important for Bryce Eldridge, Casey Schmitt and other young players to continue to develop.
Rowson’s job? It’s right there in the title. It’s on him to coordinate it all.
“The hitting coach, just in the title, and I’ve done that through the years, it’s always focused on, ‘Do the guys get a hit? How many hits did they get?’ ” Rowson said. “It’s not necessarily focused on scoring runs. And offense is to score runs to win the game. …
“If you outhit the other team, it doesn’t guarantee you the win. You have to outscore them.”
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes speaks with the media during MLB's general managers meetings in Las Vegas this week. (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
The MLB free agent market is beginning to shake out, spurred into action during the general managers meetings in Las Vegas this week.
Reliever acquisitions have been the first wave, with Emilio Pagán landing with the Tigers for one year and $11.5 million, and Ryan Weiss with the Padres for $1.85 million during the meetings. Former Dodger Evan Phillips signed with the Braves on Thursday for three years, $35 million.
Left-hander Alex Vesia, who has been with the Dodgers for the last six seasons, is also expected to garner plenty of early interest on the free agent market.
On Friday, first baseman Jake Bauers added a tally to the position-player side, agreeing to a deal with the Red Sox. Fresh off a career year and World Series title, Bauers reportedly is set to sign a four-year, $58-million contract.
So teams aren’t waiting until after the impending lockout to reinforce their rosters. But that still leaves a wide range of possibilities before the current CBA expires on Dec. 1.
“We’re totally focused on business as usual, trying to make sure we’re as prepared as possible in case things happen in different ways,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. “Whether that’s trade or free agency, continue to put ourselves in a position to be able to act if something comes up that we feel like is really important to helping our team, both short term and long-term.”
That was a common refrain from leaders of baseball operations departments around the league.
“Business as usual for us,” new Orioles GM Jared Banner said. “We’re looking to get better, and that’s our focus here. So we’ll just read and react as each day passes by.”
Business as usual, however, means a variety of things for different teams.
“We are always going to be on the front end of aggression with how we operate in the market,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “So whether the market wants to operate faster or slower than it typically does, we’re usually not listening. … Teams know that typically, if we don’t start the hot stove, we’re among the starters. So our behavior won’t change much, and my general resting place is, if our behavior is going to be unaffected, I don’t sweat too much what the other 29 teams will do, unless they’re holding us up.”
The Mariners took that aggressive approach before the last lockout too. They were one of the major contributors to an active first month of free agency, during which teams committed a whopping $1.9 billion before Dec. 2, 2021.
“It’s definitely a convenient thing to point to because there just aren’t a lot of situations that are even remotely similar to this,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said of the record flurry of activity five years ago. “I don’t think it’s going to follow the same course; I would expect it not to.”
Looming beyond this lockout is the threat of a salary cap. And though the MLB Players Assn. has made it clear that it will continue to fight the owners’ push for an overhaul of the current structure, teams also can’t completely ignore the possibility of a salary cap, or some other guardrails on spending in the next CBA.
The owners’ latest proposal reportedly included a salary cap of about $258.2 million, depending on next year’s revenue, to be implemented in 2028.
Though many around the industry expect that, in the case of a salary cap, MLB would build in a gradual rollout or specific exceptions to make the massive change a little less destabilizing, such a shift would pose a challenge to large-payroll teams such as the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have some money set to come off the books in 2028 — veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman’s contract expires after next season, and Teoscar Hernández, Max Muncy and Hyeseong Kim have 2028 club options. But the Dodgers’ current commitments for 2028 (over $275 million in CBT payroll, according to Spotrac) already put them above MLB’s latest proposed salary cap.
“We’ll put ourselves in position to see what’s available, and then go from there because we really don’t know what any of that looks like,” Gomes said. “So we have to function with what we know right now.”
The Dodgers at least don’t have many glaring needs going into 2027. At the top of the list will be their bullpen and bench, markets that they could explore in the coming weeks.
They’ve also remained in touch with top free agent Tarik Skubal’s representatives, after a largely successful trade-deadline union this past season, and are set to meet with him. But it is still unclear just how aggressive the Dodgers will be, or whether Skubal will agree to a contract by Dec. 1.
The Detroit Red Wings are currently dealing with two awkward standoffs with two different key players - but one of them has a deadline for a resolution.
Former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin announced through his agent last month that he would no longer report to the team, which responded by suspending him without pay.
Meanwhile, RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains without a contract and has until Dec. 1 to sign in order to be eligible to play this season.
However, Larkin's saga has gone on for several months since his trade request, which was made immediately after the 2025-26 season in the words of former GM Steve Yzerman, became public knowledge in early June.
Larkin's decision to not fulfill his end of his contract has not only drawn near universal criticism from the Red Wings fan base, but was roundly admonished by former NHL defenseman and current analyst Erik Johnson.
During Thursday night's national broadcast of the Red Wings' contest against the Florida Panthers, Johnson derided the decision by Larkin to stop playing with multiple years left on his contract.
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts that they signed in good faith with their team, now bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures," said Johnson, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.
However, Larkin wasn't the only target of Johnson's remarks.
"This isn't exclusive to Dylan Larkin," Johnson continued. "Lots of guys around the league are doing it. I don't like it. As a former player, I don't like these guys abandoning their team midseason, mid-contract."
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts ... bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures."
Larkin's fellow Michigan native, Connor Hellebuyck, requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets months ago and went public with his request in late August after general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff failed to move him.
Hellebuyck refused to report to training camp, was suspended, and was eventually traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Last month, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff said that there is no timetable for when Larkin could be moved, and that the club would take its time to find a deal which is in the best interest of the organization.
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