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.
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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.
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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
Kevin Gausman was acquired by the Cubs, ostensibly, because of his extensive postseason experience and in particular, how he starred for the Blue Jays in 2025.
Gausman’s regular season numbers for Toronto this year weren’t that great, though some of his peripherals suggested he could return to his 2025 form.
Welp. That didn’t work out too well, did it? In nine starts for the Cubs Gausman was measurably worse (4.83 ERA, 1.232 WHIP) than he was for the Jays (23 starts, 4.38 ERA, 1.288 WHIP). In particular, Gausman fell victim to the same thing many other Cubs pitchers did in 2026 — the long ball. In 50.1 innings for the Cubs, Gausman allowed 11 home runs. He’d allowed 15 homers in 127.1 innings for the Jays.
Whatever’s causing that for Cubs pitching, they need to get it fixed before 2027.
Gausman started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series and it did not go well, as he allowed five hits and three runs in 3.1 innings.
Gausman is an unrestricted free agent — no options of any kind. He turns 36 in January. He loved playing in Toronto:
The Gausman family full of gratitude and love for Toronto and the Blue Jays ❤️ pic.twitter.com/V2fQSIQ5nr
Seems possible, if the right-hander wants to continue playing, that’s the likely landing spot.
It was, I think, a worthwhile attempt, the deal bringing Gausman to the Cubs. Brett Bateman, the key piece in the deal, played 41 games for the Jays and batted .329/.402/.424, producing 2.2 bWAR. That’s quite good. But Bateman was blocked in Chicago by Pete Crow-Armstrong and so this was a good opportunity for him. The other player in the deal, Ty Southisene, is only 20 and has yet to play above A ball.
We should all wish Gausman well. I don’t think the Cubs should bring him back, though.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, who played with Dončić in Dallas before the current Los Angeles Lakers’ star was traded, commented on an Instagram post featuring Lendeborg’s postgame remarks on Thursday. Marshall wrote, “80 ball next time they play never speak on the DON”
“80 ball next time they play never speak on the DON 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”
The warning follows a heated NBA debut for the Warriors rookie. Lendeborg and Dončić traded verbal blows throughout Wednesday’s 127-105 Golden State loss at Crypto.com Arena, with Lendeborg picking up a technical foul before halftime. Afterward, he did not soften anything.
“I was telling him he sucks,” Lendeborg said. “He can’t score on me.”
“Being in there firsthand, just watching all the whining and complaining, I lost all respect, man,” Lendeborg said.
The numbers back up part of his case. Dončić scored 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting, but he shot 1-of-5 with Lendeborg as his primary defender and committed two turnovers in those matchups. Dončić also went 6 of 6 at the free-throw line with Lendeborg on him, which fits Lendeborg’s own complaint about the whistle. Lendeborg said Dončić’s only basket against him was a half-court banker at the end of the first half.
Draymond Green on Yaxel Lendeborg going at Luka Doncic: “Everyone will say the rookie learned his lesson. What he learn? The next time he see him, go at his ass again.”
Marshall’s comment reads as a playful dare, but the rematch is already circled. The Warriors host Dončić and the Lakers in San Francisco in less than two weeks on Oct. 30.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Umpire Stu Scheurwater #85 argues with manager Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics after Kotsay was ejected during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 20, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Thursday everyone!
The World Series is nearly upon us. Just one more day before baseball fans are treated to Game 1 of the Fall Classic between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither team has won the World Series so one way or another, one organization is going to taste the sweet feeling of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy within the next two weeks.
And for A’s fans, there aren’t any major former Athletics on these teams (sorry Jorge Mateo and Chad Patrick). Still, there is a sense of comradery among the fanbases. Tampa and Milwaukee have been low-spenders for the majority of their existences, much like the Athletics. Getting to watch one of these low-payroll franchises lift that final trophy will be awesome to watch for A’s fans. A remind that even against the highest-spending teams like the Dodgers and Yankees, any team can win on any day in baseball.
Anyway, now that the A’s have their top voice in the front office, it’s time for Taylor Smith to begin staffing that office. And that’s something that the team is starting on immediately. And based off the comments from yesterday’s presser, it sounds like Smith will be hiring a GM to work under him. That’s not a shock considering that’s how most front offices work in baseball these days. Now we have to see who Smith will tab as his second-in-command.
Furthermore, from that same presser it sounds like manager Mark Kotsay’s job is safe, at least for now:
Taylor Smith and A’s manager Mark Kotsay will have dinner tonight in Vegas. Smith: “From my conversations with Mark so far, he seems like a great guy. Someone who's hungry for all the information we can get [the coaching staff], and I think it'll be a great partnership.”
That doesn’t sound like someone who is getting ready to make a change in the dugout. There wasn’t a huge expectation that Kotsay would be given his walking papers after the hiring of the next POBO but it was still a possibility. Based off those comments we can expect to see Kotsay in the dugout this spring. How long he lasts will depend on how quickly the team can begin turning things around.
No baseball today but the World Series tomorrow! Have a great Friday Junior A’s fans.
The 1st name that came out of Taylor Smith’s mouth when talking about the pitching staff was Jacob Lopez.
He was more deliberate when mentioning the other guys on the staff, but the way he blurted out ‘Lopez’ with that kind of enthusiasm was definitely interesting
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Honeywell (40) reacts during the fourth inning of game five of the NLCS against the New York Mets during the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Wednesday was light in Dodgers action in the Arizona Fall League, as the Glendale Desert Dogs were shut out in a game shortened by rain to only six innings. Against the Peoria Javelinas, Glendale managed only four hits, all singles, one of them by second baseman Charles Davalan.
So let’s expand our offseason minor league scope a bit, and turn to the Dominican Winter League (or LIDOM, if you prefer). As far as I can tell, shortstop Emil Morales is the only Dodgers minor leaguer currently active in the league, which started its season last Friday. Morales, who by season’s end was ranked the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and ranked 29th by Baseball America, did not play on Wednesday, but has played in two of five games thus for for Gigantes del Cibao.
Morales, who turned 20 in September, has a single, double, and two walks in his seven plate appearances thus far. He’s the second-youngest player on the Gigantes, with Rockies prospect Ronny Brito, a switch-hitting infielder/outfielder five and a half months younger than Morales.
Honeywell for the Gigantes on Wednesday pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief. This is the second time in his career the 31-year-old right-hander has played in a winter league, having also pitched in seven games and 28 innings for Escogido in the 2022-23 season.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ty Jerome scored a career-high 45 points as the Memphis Grizzlies used a third-quarter rally enroute to a 123-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
The game featured two of the top rookies in the current class: Utah picked Darryn Peterson of Kansas No. 2 overall right before Memphis selected Cam Boozer from Duke.
Peterson had nine points; Boozer finished 11 rebounds, seven points and five assists but was 2-of-15 shooting, 0 for 6 from 3-point range.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome (2) shoots against Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey, center, and guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. AP Photo/Brandon Dill
Jerome connected on 17 of 25 shots including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. The 45 points were the most by a Memphis player in an season-opener, eclipsing the 44 by Ja Morant in 2020.
Jerami Grant, obtained in an offseason trade with Portland that sent Morant to the Trail Blazers, scored 15, Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson scored 12 each.
Keyonte George led the Jazz with 22 points Lauri Markkanen added 18 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. made his return to the FedExForum court after eight seasons with the Grizzlies and scored 15 points before fouling out in the fourth.
Jaxson Hayes had a career-high six blocks for Utah.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Memphis led by as many as 15 in the first half, carrying a 64-51 advantage into the break.
The Grizzlies used an 18-4 run opening the third to stretch their lead to 82-55.
Memphis led by as many as 27 points and the Jazz trailed by at least 15 points throughout the fourth quarter.
The reigning champions must deal with the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for some time, while fans at Anfield were thrilled by Rio Ngumoha
Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday, but the reigning champions lost the best player in last season’s tournament, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This autumn has seen much lobbying for the Ballon d’Or, with the Georgian a popular choice, despite his absence from the World Cup. He is expected to be out for six months, although Rodri’s comeback from serious injury – he was rested by Barcelona on Tuesday until coming off the bench in the 60th minute – shows it can take far longer than that for players to rediscover their highest level.
