WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 23: Milwaukee Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer looks on during the 2026 Little League Classic presented by New York Life between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series starts tomorrow in Milwaukee at 8PM. First World Series against two teams who have never won a title since the 1980 title match.
Tim Stebbins wrote about offseason questions for the Guardians.
Zack Meisel wrote about the hitting and pitching issues that led to the Guardians losing three games straight in the ALCS. Of most note, Tanner Bibee said he is ready to make any changes needed to improve from his 2025-2026 performances.
Mar 29, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) celebrates defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the West Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Clayton Jr. rose to prominence before the 2025 NBA Draft in the NCAA Tournament, almost single-handedly carrying his Florida Gators through the clutch repeatedly. Whether it be in the Round of 32 against UConn, the unreal comeback against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, or the heroics of the National Championship game against Houston, anytime Florida needed something, Clayton Jr. provided it.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – APRIL 07: Walter Clayton Jr. #1 of the Florida Gators celebrates after defeating the Houston Cougars in the National Championship of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome on April 07, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You are probably saying to yourself “Self, Walter Clayton Jr. was drafted in 2025, I don’t care what he did in college. How did he play in the NBA last season?” The answer to that is a bit more complicated!
Clayton was selected 18th overall in the 2025 Draft by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were very much not interested in winning last season, so many of the looks he received were not placing him in the best position to succeed.
When Utah made the trade to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis, the Grizzlies demanded that he be part of that package. He was, and thus he played the last 24 games of the season in Memphis. Memphis, obviously, also wasn’t very interested in winning, thus the looks for Clayton Jr. were difficult.
However, Clayton did a much better job of assisting and getting others involved while playing for the Grizzlies, as he racked up nearly six dimes per contest. And to top it all off, Clayton was playing his best ball at the end of the regular season, shooting 50% from deep and 47% overall in the month of April.
Of course, Memphis had a roster crunch this offseason, and after being left without a partner on the dance floor, were forced to cut bait. Now, after a very short waiting period after clearing waivers, the 2025 NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player joins forces with that tournament’s highest drafted player in Cooper Flagg. So, what can you look for with Clayton Jr. here in Dallas? Here’s a few things that tell his story as a player.
Clayton Jr. is fearless
You don’t have the courage to step up and hit these outrageous shots the way Clayton did if you don’t have some intestinal fortitude, and he’s got that in spades. At 6’2”, he has to be intentional about getting shots off on the outside, and also a very physical and crafty finisher. He’s shown that in the past, as per Yahoo! Sports, Clayton Jr. shot over 60% at the rim in his final year at Florida. While he’s struggled in the NBA at times with that, I think part of that is rookie lumps, while the other part is just simply the floor math being tilted against him. I’d love to get another look at that from him in Dallas.
Shooting is a strength… I think
Coming out of Florida, Clayton shot nearly 40% on spot-up 3-pointers and 37% on off-the-dribble attempts. For a college player, those are fantastic numbers. As mentioned above, Clayton also excelled at finishing at the cup. In the NBA, he has done none of those well. Last year, Clayton shot a combined 75-of-244 from deep across his two stops, good for just under 31%. He also was just 47% on two-pointers in the NBA, a number that should be better. Now, small samples across a rookie season in which he was traded and not set up for success should be taken with a hefty grain of salt. But, it would be great to see the bounce back this season.
The playmaking has taken a step forward
One of the issues coming into his rookie year was the lack of real playmaking pop from Clayton. At Florida, he showed some flashes, but there were some head-scratching turnovers and, frankly, I just don’t think he saw the floor well at times. You could kind of crowd him a bit and with his shorter stature, it forced some issues. Well, in Memphis to end the season, Clayton averaged over eight assists per 36 minutes, while keeping his turnovers down to around three. That’s really good work and a great sign for his future.
Best and worst case outcome
The best-case scenario for Clayton seems to be a Payton Pritchard- or Jordan Clarkson-type of star-in-their-role player. If he can continue to showcase the playmaking pop, perhaps he can reach those upper-tier outcomes and become a starter in this league. At worst, Clayton is probably out of the league after the year, but that really only happens if the shot continues to fall off, he doesn’t keep up the playmaking, and is just overwhelmed when on the ball.
In reality, I do think Clayton is an NBA player. He needs a steady home and a system that can maximize what he does. At Florida, Todd Golden implored that group to run, drive-and-kick and press the defense. I think Clayton Jr. can find some of that in Dallas, and I hope he is able to make it stick.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 21: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic argues with Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks at the end of the game at Kia Center on October 21, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is the fourth of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks this upcoming season. The fourth question: what is your boldest take for the Hawks in 2026-27?
Wes: Despite the NBA being an incredible difficult adjustment for rookie guards, I predict Kingston Flemings both makes the All-Rookie First Team and finds his way into the starting lineup by the end of the season. Throughout preseason, he already looks the part of a chiseled veteran guard, getting after it on defense and protecting the ball with a pristine assist-to-turnover ratio.
It’s rare for Kelvin Sampson to trust a freshman guard to run the show at Houston, but Flemings stepped in immediately and did just that. Why can’t he do the same for Quin Snyder and the Hawks this season?
Malik: My boldest take for the season is that the Hawks finish as a top-2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This team feels like they can do something similar to what the Detroit Pistons did the last two years, where they made the playoffs (and ironically played the Knicks) and then the following year was the No. 1 seed in the East. The Hawks brought back their core and made some key additions that will make them a better team.
If Jalen Johnson and others like Dyson Daniels can take another step in their game, the Hawks could (boldly) be a team to be reckoned with this season.
Garrett: The Hawks will finish as a top five defensive team, and Jalen Johnson will finish in the top five in MVP voting. I’m buying into the combination of Daniels, Alexander-Walker and Dort on the perimeter. Atlanta has the personnel to make opponents work for everything, and I expect that to become this team’s identity. The challenge is bringing that effort consistently, but I think this group can do it.
As for Johnson, I think that defensive support helps him take another leap. Having Dort available to handle tough assignments should allow Johnson to put more energy into leading the offense. He’ll still have responsibilities on both ends, but he doesn’t have to carry every burden himself. If he builds on his scoring and playmaking while leading Atlanta to a strong playoff seed, I believe he’ll give voters a reason to put his name in that top five conversation.
Graham: The Hawks will be the NBA’s best defensive team this season. The Hawks have so many defensive options now up and down the roster, so much versatility to play with. They have the option to put out the defensive lineup of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu on the court.
However, this NBA leading defense is only possible if Jalen Johnson buys back into defense (which has never looked the same since his increased offensive role two seasons ago), the Hawks will lead the league in defensive rating. When he’s engaged on that end, Johnson is a very good defender, and if the Hawks are to contend he has to buy back in defensively.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, September 25, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When the Yankees announced they were bringing back Paul Goldschmidt for 2026, it went down somewhat like a lead balloon. He had gotten off to a nice start in 2025, but fell off down the stretch. That along with Ben Rice’s emergence seemingly made him expendable for 2026.
However, the Yankees opted to give him another year. In fairness, he did hit lefties quite well. He just ended up playing a bit more than ideal, dragging down his overall numbers. That being said, he was more than servicable in 2026 and hardly the roster’s main problem.
Initially, Goldschmidt was used mainly in just a platoon fashion. Through the end of May, he had appeared in 34 of the Yankees’ 59 games. Once again, he got off to a very nice start, posting a .261/.354/.496 slash line. Between injuries elsewhere in the lineup and the Yankees relying on him more after that hot start, he ended up appearing in 71 of the final 102 games.
In the end, the breakdown of his number of plate appearances against different handed pitchers didn’t end up being that drastic a difference. Of his 380 PAs, 183 were against lefties and 197 against righties. He was never going to only ever face lefties because that’s generally just not feasible, but the ideal plan probably wouldn’t have included that many against righties. Further evidence of that is that he posted a genuinely very good .967 OPS against lefties, compared to .590 against righties.
Goldschmidt had his moments over the course of the season. On June 13th in Toronto, he hit a go-ahead home run off the Blue Jays’ Louis Varland that ended up providing the final difference in a win.
It should be noted that Varland is a righty, so while his splits were drastic this season, playing him against righties wasn’t completely irredeemable. Additionally, Varland was also one of the best relievers in all of baseball this season and will probably get a non-zero number of votes in the AL Cy Young Award race this year. In general, Goldschmidt was a perfectly fine bench bat/platoon guy to have around. He just ended up getting used more than the Yankees planned on.
Now as we look ahead to the future, it’s difficult to make any legitimate argument to bringing Goldschmidt back again. His contract for 2026 was only one year. Goldschmidt himself wants to play on past this season. Between the way he hit lefties and the fact that he’s still a perfectly solid defender at first base, there will still probably be teams out there willing to give him another one-year contract for 2027.
However, when it comes to the Yankees, they got an even bigger breakout season from Ben Rice. They also acquired Luis García Jr. at the Trade Deadline. While García has opposite splits to Goldschmidt, he’ll also be getting games at first base. The team still hasn’t made a decision in regards to Giancarlo Stanton, and they’re also coming off a season when Aaron Judge missed a lot of time, so they might use him more at the DH spot. While the Yankees figured it out in 2026, there will be more to figure out in regards to Goldschmidt’s playable spots for 2027. I could totally picture Goldy OPSing .800+ against lefties again next year, but it’s probably for the best if he does so elsewhere.
Paul Goldschmidt is a likely future Hall of Famer. While his time with the Yankees was far too brief and far too insignificant compared to the rest of his career for him to go in as one, he’s been nice to have around for the past two seasons.
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
Aug 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryan de la Cruz (41) celebrates as he scores the game-winning run during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
outfield (noun): 1) the part of a baseball field beyond the infield and between the foul lines, 2) a position on a baseball team which the Phillies have trouble developing players.
There was a point in the season in which Felix Reyes was considered an outfielder.
Felix Reyes.
Then the team decided to give de la Cruz a shot and what do you know? He actually started to produce a bit once he made it back to the major leagues. Too little, too late?
The biggest thing that de la Cruz brought to the team was adequacy. Putting Edmundo Sosa out in the outfield was fine as a one or two game thing, but depending on him as a true part of a platoon was not great planning. It was done because they didn’t have any real options to do that…..except that they did.
He was fine at the plate, taking a few walks, striking out less than the league average, even popping a couple of home runs. He was a fine fourth outfielder.
Remember how de la Cruz was supposed to be the right handed part of a platoon in the outfield? Turns out, even in a limited setting, he wasn’t actually that good against left handed pitching. He had an .891 OPS against right handers, a .623 OPS against left handers. Neither number was with more than 50 plate appearances, so the small sample size argument is ripe here, but that does seem kind of impossible to do.
Final grade: B
In his limited time here, de la Cruz was at least productive. As stated previously, as a fourth outfielder, he’s a fine option. The issue is not with him; it’s about timing.
Why did it take so long for the team to bring him up?
While with Lehigh Valley, de la Cruz posted an .806 OPS in 356 plate appearances. His strikeout rates were fine, his walk rates were fine, his defense was….fine. What took so long for the team to bring him up? They were willing to try others ahead of him, Reyes included, for reasons known only to the team. Would he have helped them win games earlier in the season? Maybe. Maybe having a more competent outfield option helps them get through some of the early season doldrums they had on offense. By the team he was brought up, Bryce Harper was the regular right fielder and de la Cruz played more games in left. He wasn’t producing so much that the decision to keep him down was so egregious, but it was more of a roster construction head scratcher.
It highly unlikely he’d be brought back unless he takes another minor league deal. If he did that, the team should consider it. As a starter on a major league deal? They had better upgrade everywhere else first before considering that idea.
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 01: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another year, another World Series without the Phillies in it. Weeks after the Phillies’ inglorious defeat in the Wild Card round, both the National and American Leagues have crowned their champions who will now face off to determine MLB’s ultimate champion for 2026.
The Milwaukee Brewers will take on the Tampa Bay Rays. While some people will cry that the “glamour” teams aren’t involved, these two teams were the best in their respective leagues for most of the season and the matchup should make for an excellent World Series.
Since many Phillies fans may have tuned out since the Wild Card round or been distracted by such things as LeBron James and blood clots, here’s a quick guide to catch you up on this year’s series.
Milwaukee Brewers
How they got here
They led baseball with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then defeated the Padres 3-1 in the NLDS and swept the defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS.
Who you should know
Jacob Misiorowski – The second year righthanded starter is very likely to win the NL Cy Young Award. He throws very hard and strikes a lot of guys out.
Brice Turang – He had already established himself as a great fielder, winning a Gold Glove in 2024, but he’s improved as a hitter every year as well. He had an OPS of .816 with 21 home runs this season.
Logan Henderson – The rookie starting pitcher had a strong season and was unbeatable when pitching at home.
Brewers are 11-0 in Logan Henderson's 11 career home starts 🔥
Jake Bauers – Previously a journeyman, Bauers unexpectedly hit 26 home runs – more than double his career high – at age 30. He was just named the MVP of the NLCS thanks to five RBIs over the final two games.
What are they good at?
Quite a bit. Despite a lack of notable offensive superstars, they were second in baseball in runs scored thanks to their best in baseball on-base percentage. They also had the second-best team ERA in baseball thanks to a stellar top of their rotation and lockdown bullpen.
What are they not good at?
Hitting home runs. Their 154 home runs was the second-lowest figure in baseball. While it’s nice to be able to get on base with regularity, rallies can be harder to sustain in the playoffs, and sometimes you need that one big blow.
Tampa Bay Rays
How they got here
They won the American League East with 98 wins, swept the Yankees in the ALDS, and took out the Guardians 4-2 in the ALCS.
Who you should know
Junior Caminero – At 22 years of age, the third baseman has established himself as one of the top power hitters in baseball. With 42 home runs, he topped the 40 mark for the second straight year.
Yandy Diaz – The veteran designated hitter led the AL with 180 hits.
Drew Rasmussen – After a couple of injury shortened seasons in 2023 and 2024, he’s somewhat quietly become one of the best pitchers in baseball. He had a 2.64 ERA and a league-low 0.913 WHIP.
Freddy Peralta – After leading the league in wins for the Brewers in 2025, he went to the Mets and was having an awful season before being traded to the Rays at the deadline. Naturally, he pitched well down the stretch and was the ALCS MVP. (LOLMets)
On August 22nd, Freddy Peralta had the worst qualified ERA in all of baseball.
They had the second-best team batting average (behind the Brewers), third-best ERA from starting pitchers, and closer Bryan Baker was a game shortener, leading the AL with 41 saves.
What aren’t they good at?
Similar to the Brewers, their power numbers aren’t great, ranking 15th in team slugging percentage and 26th in isolated power. And aside from Baker, the bullpen isn’t all that impressive.
Who should we root for?
It’s a matchup of smaller market teams who have never won the World Series, so there’s no real “feel good” story or villain. However, the people of Milwaukee have suffered much longer than residents of the Tampa Bay area, which due to lack of fan support probably shouldn’t even have a team to begin with. I feel we also owe the Brewers some support since they not only prevented the Dodgers from earning a “threepeat,” but they did so in decisive fashion, sweeping them out of the NLCS.
If you’re the type who likes to root for former Phillies, the Brewers employ lefthander reliever JoJo Romero, who came up through the Phillies’ system and spent his first three seasons with them. He wasn’t very good for the Phillies but has had a solid career since they traded him. While the Phillies could use solid, homegrown relievers, they did get Edmundo Sosa for him, and everyone loves Sosa.
As happens when there are no teams from New York, Los Angeles, or Boston involved, there has been some consternation about what kind of ratings this year’s World Series will get. Coincidentally, these complaints are usually from fans of teams from New York, Los Angeles, or Boston.
MLB executives looking at a Brewers-Rays World Series to turn around slumping baseball ratings. pic.twitter.com/BjGNkf7rIc
Since I don’t work for MLB nor a TV network showing the games, I don’t care one fig about the ratings, and nor should any other normal fan.
Who will win?
The teams are rather similar to each other in that they score a lot of runs without relying too much on home runs and have excellent starting pitching. However, the Brewers seem to be just a little bit better at everything, and they appear to have a clear edge in relief pitching.
Brewers bullpen in the Postseason: – 40.2 IP, 1.33 ERA, 38 K, 0.89 WHIP, .159 BAA
Rays bullpen in the Postseason: – 30.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 32 K, 1.00 WHIP, .191 BAA
Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr believes the Los Angeles Lakers received a favorable whistle during Wednesday night’s NBA season opener — and was caught saying as much on a hot mic.
During the third quarter of the Lakers’ 127–105 win over Kerr’s Warriors, the legendary coach pulled rookie Yaxel Lendeborg aside as he checked out of the game and told him, “[It’s] the bulls–t in the NBA. They call all that s–t here, they wouldn’t call it in any other arena,” which was audible on ESPN’s broadcast.
A clip of Kerr saying this to Lendeborg quickly went viral on social media, and already had over 450,000 views in about 11 hours.
The stats don’t back up Kerr’s sentiment, as the Lakers actually had more fouls called on then (25) than the Warriors did (19). The two teams also both shot 27 free throws.
However, many who watched the game on Wednesday felt like some fouls that the Lakers received were questionable, so those stats don’t tell the entire story.
Lakers superstar guard Luka Dončić was the subject of Kerr’s frustration. NBAE via Getty ImagesWarriors star Steph Curry warms up at Crypto Arena before the season opener in LA. London Entertainment
Dončić had nine of the Lakers’ 27 free throws and finished with a game-high 28 points in the victory.
Kerr’s gripe seems to be that the Lakers playing at home is what led to their favorable whistle. In that case, maybe Golden State will get a better whistle when they play the Memphis Grizzlies at home tomorrow night.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Doncic, in addition to Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves, dominated the team’s in-state rival, with the Lakers’ “Big 3” combining for 77 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals and three blocked shots.
The “nasty” defense Kessler spoke about showed up in the middle two quarters, with the Warriors combining for just 35 points in the second and third periods after the Lakers allowed 33 points in the first.
The biggest hiccup for the Lakers during a night that didn’t feature many of them: A scary injury moment involving a key player on the roster.
Jake LaRavia (12) was having a strong season opener before leaving with an injury. NBAE via Getty Images
Midway through the fourth, with the Lakers up by 33 points, Jake LaRavia attempted to drive into the paint with LJ Cryer guarding him.
Cryer impeded the drive, with the 2022 first-round draft pick awkwardly twisting his right ankle/lower leg before hobbling and falling to the floor.
LaRavia laid on the court and writhed in pain before team trainers helped him back to the bench.
Jake LaRavia (12) of the Los Angeles Lakers arrives to the arena before a game. NBAE via Getty Images
He was able to put weight on the leg before going back to the locker room after subbing out of the game.
While coach JJ Redick didn’t have an update on LaRavia immediately after the game, he was encouraged about his status compared to how it felt in the immediate aftermath of the injury.
“I’m probably more positive than when it first happened,” Redick said. “But again. he’ll be evaluated. And the next time I talk to you guys, we’ll have an update.”
Jake LaRavia’s impressive preseason carried over into the regular season. NBAE via Getty Images
LaRavia was having a strong game before going down with the injury, scoring 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting off of the bench.
“I saw him being himself,” Redick said. “Again when he is shooting with confidence and making catch-and-shoot 3s, that’s an added bonus. We have a group of guys that do a lot of things to impact winning that don’t necessarily show up in the box score, certainly won’t show up in a highlight reel on Instagram. He’s a winning player.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Dalton Rushing #68 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The elbow injury that wiped out Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing’s final two months of the regular season and left him watching in October proved even costlier than previously expected. Rushing had surgery to repair the partially torn UCL in his right elbow.
To address a partial UCL tear, he was expected to undergo a hybrid internal brace procedure, which would set him up to return to catching full time in nine months. He would be able to hit well before then.
Nine months from now is after the All-Star break, which would likely limit Rushing’s first-half contributions to being a left-handed pinch-hitter off the bench.
The elbow injuries marred an otherwise important season for Rushing, playing in his first full major league season. When Will Smith went down with a neck injury in the first week of June, Rushing got the first real extended time behind the plate of his professional career, and he started 34 of 47 games at catcher through August 1.
Rushing’s injury also likely clears a path for Hunter Feduccia, who returned to the Dodgers at this year’s trade deadline, to remain as the backup catcher to start the 2027 season. Feduccia was active for both the Division Series and Championship Series but did not play in the postseason and Smith caught all 70 innings behind the plate in October.
Over the summer, the Ottawa Senators traded their captain, Brady Tkachuk, to the Florida Panthers following a trade request. Of course, Brady joined his brother Matthew, who had already been with Florida for a couple of years.
On Wednesday, Brady returned to Ottawa as a road player for the first time in his career. He was met with an incredibly negative reception, which he was expecting. Whether it was passive-aggressive comments by both sides pregame, boos during his tribute video, R-rated chants during play, booing him every time he touched the puck, or extra physical play against him, there is noticeable resentment between Tkachuk and his old team and fans.
At 10:00 of the first period, Brady Tkachuk continued his showman routine by scoring the first goal of the game. From there, it was all Ottawa. They scored 5 unanswered goals and sent Brady home with a whimper.
The Chicago Blackhawks organization hasn’t dealt with a situation like that recently, as most of the returning star players received loud ovations from a crowd that adores them. Examples include Jonathan Toews with Winnipeg and Patrick Kane with Detroit.
However, there was one notable instance where a returning player received a similar negative reception as Tkachuk did on Wednesday. That came on April 17th, 1999, when Chris Chelios returned to Chicago as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
Earlier that season, the Blackhawks traded Chelios to their bitter rival, and the fans let him have it in his return. Chelios wasn’t a Blackhawks lifer, as he was a Montreal Canadiens draft pick before playing there for 7 seasons. However, he is the Chicago-raised, Mt. Carmel native son who did play for the Blackhawks for parts of 9 years, so the fans felt a connection to him before he left.
In that game where Chelios returned to Chicago with Detroit, Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman took him out of the game and sent him to sit with Michael Jordan in the press box. He finished the game with just 3:19 of ice time. Bowman felt that Chelios being involved kept the Chicago crowd in the game.
He may have been right, because the Blackhawks hung on to win 3-2 thanks to Tony Amante’s 44th goal of the season during the third period. JP Dumont and Ed Olczyk were Chicago's other two goal scorers in the win.
Although fans didn't love Chris Chelios that night or for many years after, those hard feelings have since melted. Not only did the Blackhawks retire his number, but he is also an official Team Ambassador here in 2026.
Is Brady Tkachuk’s departure for a division rival going to end the same way that Chris Chelios’ did? Probably not, but he had a good run as a star player in that market.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Morning, all!
The Brewers and the Rays have gone to the World Series on a budget, but there are ways the Rangers can change their approach on the field to get more out of what they have.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 07: Matt Borgschulte#72 and manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals look on against the Minnesota Twins on May 7, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This morning, Spencer Nusbaum broke the news that the Nationals will be retaining their entire coaching staff. After an 11 game improvement from 2025, this is not much of a surprise, but I wanted to break things down. The hitting coaches enter 2027 under no pressure after an exceptional offensive season. However, the pitching coaches need to show results.
The Nationals plan to bring back all 12 coaches who ended the season on Blake Butera’s staff, but did not renew the contracts of five of the big-league team’s training and strength coaches, per sources.
In my opinion, the pitching coaches are the more interesting talking point here, so I will start with them. The pitching braintrust consists of assistants Dustin Glant and Sean Doolittle, as well as the main man Simon Mathews. Doolittle was the only one who was in the organization before 2026.
This season was a mixed bag for them. The surface level stats were not pretty, with the Nats 4.67 team ERA ranking 5th worst in baseball. Infamously, the Nats bullpen set the all time blown saves record in 2026 as well. While the offense took a massive step forward, progress for the pitching staff was slower.
However, there was some progress that took place. The Nats team ERA went from 5.35 in 2025 to 4.67 in 2026. This took place without a massive leap in team talent as well. Even the bullpen, which set the wrong types of records, had a lower ERA in 2026 than 2025.
There were also a few pitchers who took major strides, most notably Cade Cavalli. The Nats right hander was a popular breakout pick due to his stuff, but he still exceeded all expectations. He posted a 3.02 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 169.2 innings. The sweeper that the pitching coaches taught him played a large role in that success.
Getting the best out of Cavalli is a big feather in the cap for Simon Mathews and company. It shows that they can have success when the requisite talent is at their disposal. However, 2027 will be a big prove it year for the pitching coaches.
With Cavalli, Connelly Early and Andrew Alvarez in the rotation, the talent is beginning to come together. Now, Simon Mathews will need to prove that he is the right guy to get the most out of these arms. He enters next season with a little bit of a target on his back. If the pitching improves, that target will go away though.
While there are some questions on the pitching side, the Nats hitting coaches are riding high. The Nats offense blew past expectations this season, finishing as a top 5 unit in most metrics. Matt Borgschulte, along with his assistants, Andrew Aydt and Shawn O’Malley did a remarkable job in 2026. I wrote about what made this Nats offense special, and the coaching staff played a big role in creating this offensive monster.
The Nats offense was an absolutely elite unit in 2026. I broke down what made this offense special https://t.co/sY3oVEtjya
So many Nats hitters made huge improvements, and did so in tangible ways. Keibert Ruiz became an air pull machine, while Jacob Young elevated the ball more to get to another level. Stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams were also better than ever. There is really nothing to complain about here.
Another coach who I want to shout out is Bobby Wilson. The Nats catching coach helped turn Keibert Ruiz from arguably the worst defensive catcher in baseball to an above average backstop. Whenever I was at the ballpark, I saw Wilson working with the catchers on the finer details.
Overall, I have zero issues with running back this staff. The pitching coaches will have some pressure on them, but they earned a shot at working with more talented arms. At the end of the Davey Martinez era, the coaching staff was a massive issue. However, I have plenty of confidence in Blake Butera’s staff entering their second season.
Inglewood, CA - February 13: Ronnie Singh, known as Ronnie 2K, who is a content creator, podcaster, and brand ambassador for NBA 2K Video Games, prepares to throw a signed ball into the crowd during the 2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at The Kia Forum in Inglewood on Friday, February 13, 2026. Team Giannis, coached by Giannis Antetokounmpo defeated Team Anthony, coached by Anthony Anderson, 65-58. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks are some seasons removed from their best lineup. In fact, this season’s lineup is among the worst in the league—at least in the eyes of NBA 2K. But just how will their season pan out? To answer that question, I ran two separate NBA 2K27 season simulations: the first an AI-controlled affair, with 2K having full control over trades, signings, and player minutes, and the second a more user-controlled one to get a more realistic idea of what Bucks fans can expect in terms of lineups, minutes, and potential trades. So, hit your cross buttons and let’s get started!
Start of the Season
To kick off this simulation, the Bucks waive Pete Nance to clear up roster space (this is the only user-made choice). Their starting lineup is as follows:
PG: Kevin Porter Jr. (Editor’s note: Well, this is awkward.)
SG: Tyler Herro
SF: Kyle Kuzma
PF: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
C: Kel’el Ware
Not exactly what Bucks fans would be hoping to see on opening night, right? Other notes are that Nate Ament isn’t even able to crack the initial rotation, while Jericho Sims and Brayden Burries find themselves at the end of it, earning a measly seven minutes per game apiece. Across the league power rankings, the Bucks are twice ranked as the 28th-best team and once placed as the 16th-best team.
All-Star Break
The Bucks roll into the All-Star break 18-41 on the season, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference. They have a great turnaround to get there too; after starting the season 3-21 they steady the ship on the back of a 15-20 run. At this point, Milwaukee holds the 20th best offence in the NBA, averaging 115.8 PPG, and the 23rd worst defence, conceding 123.3 PPG. As a result of their upward trajectory, they rank 26th, 25th and 23rd across the three league power rankings. All in all, I would be happy to be in this position come All-Star Break this season. But this isn’t the only news. Prior to the trade deadline, the Bucks move on from Myles Turner, trading him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Draymond Green and his expiring deal.
Statistically, there isn’t too much that jumps out. Kasparas Jakucionis is the only Bucks player to feature in All-Star weekend, being selected for the World Team in the Rising Stars challenge. Otherwise, Kevin Porter Jr. is a bright spot for the team, averaging 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, and 1.5 SPG, with good efficiency off the bench.
The Bucks’ key stat leaders are as follows:
Points: Tyler Herro (18.4 PPG)
Rebounds: Kel’el Ware (10.4 RPG)
Assists: Ryan Rollins (4.4 APG)
Steals: Ryan Rollins (1.6 SPG)
Blocks: Kel’el Ware (1.8 BPG)
End of Regular Season
The Bucks continue their 180 compared to their start of the season, going 13-10 to end the season and finishing 31-51, one win short of their 2025-2026 season record. They finish 11th in the East and make a late push for the 10th spot to make the play-in tournament. Statistically, they end with the 28th-ranked offence in the league, averaging 111.7 PPG, but grind their way to the 16th-ranked defence in the league, conceding just 105.7 PPG—the gritty, defensive-minded team many Bucks fans want. By the end of the season, the team leaders are:
Points: Tyler Herro (16.0 PPG)
Rebounds: Kel’el Ware (10.5 RPG)
Assists: Tyler Herro (3.1 APG)
Steals: Kevin Porter Jr. (1.2 SPG)
Blocks: Kel’el Ware (2.1 BPG)
Unsurprisingly, there are no awards to mention and no one makes any All-NBA, All-Defensive, or All-Rookie teams either. As disappointing as it is, Brayden Burries and Nate Ament see very limited action (damned 2K undervaluing youth!).
And that wraps up the regular season.
Offseason
The Bucks kick off the offseason by quickly moving on from Taylor Jenkins and promoting Darvin Ham to head coach, an interesting move after such a successful end to their first season under Jenkins. They then use their second-round pick to draft a 2K-generated player.
In free agency, the Bucks are very active. First, they let Caris LeVert walk. He signs with the Los Angeles Lakers. Others follow suit: Kam Jones signs with the Chicago Bulls and Draymond Green signs with the Houston Rockets. Interestingly, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. both sign with the Miami Heat. But the moves don’t end there.
Ryan Rollins—yes, you read that correctly—signs with the Atlanta Hawks, and after just one homecoming season Tyler Herro joins Jones with the Bulls. In total, seven players depart, many who were thought of as key parts of the team’s future core. But why did Jon Horst let all of these players walk for nothing?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is why!
That’s right, Milwaukee’s greatest player of all time signs a 4-year, $265m deal to return to Wisconsin. Many Bucks fans felt like they were wearing tin foil hats when they hypothesised that Giannis would return after bolstering the team with the acquisitions in his trade package, but here he is back in Milwaukee! The Bucks also welcome an OG (no, not Anunoby)—Donte DiVincenzo, along with a few other league-minimum signings.
Heading into the 2027-2028 season, the starting lineup thus looks like this:
PG: Kasparas Jakucionis
SG: Brayden Burries
SF: Ousmane Dieng
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Kel’el Ware
Now that is a very interesting lineup that has the potential to be scary. How many games do you think this new starting five would win?
What do you make of 2K’s simulation of the Bucks’ season? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon!
In the midst of a most disappointing season, the Royals received some hope in the form of catcher Carter Jensen.
Jensen, the 23-year-old local kid out of Park Hill, emerged as the team’s primary catcher in 2026 and looks to play even more games behind the plate going forward. This year, he started 97 games at catcher while appearing in another nine. His bat played so well that he appeared in an additional 42 games as the DH, of which 40 were starts.
While he won’t win the Rookie of the Year Award, he gives the Royals another building block for the future, another piece of the core around which the front office can build. No longer will the Royals have to rely on the aging Salvador Perez to suit up every day. Instead, it’s the young man with the fresh legs and lively bat. He’s a piece of the lineup for years to come, joining Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, and (probably) Vinnie Pasquantino.
Only five players in MLB history have met the following thresholds in their rookie season…
Jensen picked up a cup of coffee in 2025, but he made the team out of the gate in 2026. He had some issues during the season, of course, including allowing a league-leading nine passed balls. As of June 6, which was the 80th game of the season, his batting average dipped to an ugly .211. His other numbers weren’t a whole lot better—.288 on-base percentage, .368 slugging, add that up and what do you get, why it’s an abysmal OPS of .657.
After that, though, he improved, first gradually, then suddenly. He finished the season by capturing the September American League Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month. He broke the Royals record for home runs by a rookie with 27, which also led the team. With 64, he broke Witt’s record for most extra-base hits by a Royals rookie. In the midst of that, he set a team record for most consecutive hits for extra-bases with a cool dozen.
Double the honors! 🤩
Carter Jensen has been named the American League September Rookie of the Month AND the American League September Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/tqYV2UICst
