The annual NBA GM Survey offers a fantastic yearly glimpse into what the lead executives around the league value and how they think.
It's also a terrible predictive tool — don't place your bets based on their responses (might I recommend the clever folks at the NBC Sports betting page for your tips). A year ago, 25 of the 30 GMs picked Boston to repeat (that was probably 26, Brad Stevens can't vote for his own team), yet Oklahoma City won 68 games and the title — the GMs have picked the champion just once in the last seven years (the 2024 Celtics).
So, is it a worrying sign for Oklahoma City that 24 of the 30 GMS picked them to repeat as champions? No, it's more a sign of the conventional wisdom thinking around the league, which this survey certainly provides. Some highlights from the voting:
NBA Champion: Oklahoma City Thunder (80% of the vote). Cleveland and Denver were tied for second (7% each).
East Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers (63% of voters had them first, 27% second), with the New York Knicks second (30% first-place votes, 53% second).
West Champion: Oklahoma City Thunder (87% of voters had them first). Denver was second (10% had them first).
Who will win MVP? Nikola Jokic, 67% of the vote. The next three in line were Luka Doncic (10%), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (8%), and Victor Wembanyama (7%).
Who will win Rookie of the Year? Cooper Flagg, who got all but one vote (and Nico Harrison can't vote for his own guy, so there was one vote for VJ Edgecombe). Flagg was also overwhelmingly voted the rookie that will be the best in this class five years from now (just know five years ago the GMs voted James Wiseman that honor).
What player would you pick to start a franchise? Victor Wembanyama (83% of the vote, which makes you wonder what the other 17% are thinking).
Player most likely to have a breakout season: Amen Thompson in Houston (30% of the vote). Brandon Miller (Charlotte), Ausar Thompson (Detroit) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio) were tied for second.
Which team made the best overall moves this offseason? The Atlanta Hawks (53% of the vote). The second choice went to the Houston Rockets (27%).
Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact? Kevin Durant to Houston (73% of the vote). Desmond Bane to Orlando was second, and also voted the most underrated move of the offseason.
Most surprising move of the offseason: Milwaukee waiving/stretching Damian Lillard (second on this list was the Bucks signing Myles Turner, which only happened because of the waive/stretch of Lillard).
Who was the biggest steal in terms of where they were drafted? In a bit of a surprise, it went to Kasparas Jakucionis to Miami, selected at No. 20. Tied for second was Ace Bailey to Utah at No. 5 and Carter Bryant to San Antonio at No. 14.
Best defender in the NBA: Victor Wembanyama with 80% of the vote. Dyson Daniels was voted the best perimeter defender in the league.
Who is the best head coach in the NBA? Newly minted USA Basketball head coach Erik Spoelstra of Miami, with 52% of the vote (OKC's Mark Daigneault was second, and the Clippers' Tyronn Lue was third).
Which team's level of success this season is toughest to predict? The Philadelphia 76ers got 47% of the vote (Dallas and Golden State were second and third). With all due respect to the questions around the Mavs and Warriors, how do you not pick the Sixers?
Which player is the most athletic? Amen Thompson got 58% of the vote to finish first (Anthony Edwards in Minnesota was second).
Here's one I questioned a little: The GMs voted Stephen Curry the best leader in the NBA. That surprised me. Not that Curry isn't a strong leader, but would you put him ahead of Jalen Brunson, LeBron James, or even the injured Damian Lillard?
One other interesting question and answer: What rule most needs to change? The No. 1 answer was concerns about roster construction, specifically that the tax apron rules are too harsh, and that there should be a salary cap discount for a team's own drafted players. A lot of fans feel the same way.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are on track to be the first repeat World Series champions in a quarter century, helped along by superb starting pitching, a flame-throwing rookie in the bullpen and strong defense.
They were swigging and spraying from bottles with — oops — NLCS on the labels while partying in the team’s batting cage after a wild 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in 11 innings.
“We’re going to find a way to win a ballgame even when things aren’t going our way,” utility player Kiké Hernández said.
NL West champion Los Angeles took the best-of-five NL Division Series 3-1 and will play either the NL Central-winning Milwaukee Brewers or runner-up Chicago Cubs in the best-of-seven NL Championship Series. Those teams play a decisive Game 5 in Milwaukee.
The Dodgers dropped four of seven to the Cubs during the regular season. The Brewers swept their six games with the Dodgers, outscoring them 31-16 while holding Los Angeles to two or fewer runs in four of those games.
No matter who’s up next, the Dodgers are rolling at the right time, winning five of their first six postseason games. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow lead a stellar rotation. Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is a candidate to start on the mound in Game 1 of the NLCS.
“The whole pitching staff, we don’t win this series if it wasn’t for them,” Hernández said.
The defense is helping, too.
The Dodgers made a couple of clutch defensive plays during a 4-3 win in Game 2 against the Phillies.
Freddie Freeman had a game-saving pick at first base and they successfully executed a defensive wheel play with the Phillies threatening.
With Nick Castellanos on second, third baseman Max Muncy rushed home plate to field a bunt by Bryson Stott, turned and perfectly threw to shortstop Mookie Betts, who was covering third. Betts got the out while being upended by a sliding Castellanos.
Rookie Roki Sasaki delivered three perfect innings of relief in the finale. The right-hander has allowed just one baserunner over 5 1/3 scoreless playoff innings after returning late last month from a long-term shoulder injury.
“It’s a massive weapon for us this whole postseason now,” Freeman said.
Ohtani and Freeman have not been so great at the plate. They’ll need to jump-start their offense in the next round.
Ohtani had a franchise-record 55 homers — second-best in the NL — in the regular season. He homered twice in the wild-card round against Cincinnati, but has gone silent since. He was 1 for 18 with nine strikeouts in the NLDS, going 0 for 5 in Game 3.
Freeman hit .295 during the season — third-best in the NL — and had 39 doubles and 24 homers. He was 1 for 5, extending his postseason on-base streak to 11 games with a single.
Bellinger, who had a $25 million player option for 2026, said after New York's season ended on Wednesday night that he would welcome a return to the Bronx if he opted out.
Bellinger, 30, slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 152 regular season games this year, helping the Yankees make it back to the postseason. While there, the former NL MVP performed well, despite his less-than-stellar numbers. In the seven playoff games this year, Bellinger slashed .214/.258/.393 with an OPS of .651. He hit one home run, two doubles and drove in four runs while playing very good defense.
In Game 4 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays, while Bellinger made a terrific sliding catch to prevent runs from scoring in the first inning, he went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, including striking out swinging in the ninth inning to end the game.
While the season didn't end the way Bellinger and the Yankees wanted, the 30-year-old looked fondly on his time in the Bronx and with his teammates.
"I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform. Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room," he said. "It really is special. It's such a fun group, a fun group to be a part of. We came up short and that part stinks for sure because we had a really really good group here."
Manager Aaron Boone was asked about Bellinger and Trent Grisham -- who is set to be a free agent this offseason -- and whether he hopes they return to the Yankees in 2026.
"The thing I'll say about them is they're a big reason why I was so excited about this club down the stretch and at this point. Just really proud of who those guys were and are and what they became as players, as driving forces for our team," Boone said. "But in those two cases, the two people those guys are in the room every single day and what they brought to the table as teammates every single day, I appreciate that. And I'm grateful to get to have managed those two guys. Who knows? Hopefully, in both cases, I get to keep doing it."
New York acquired Bellinger and $5 million in cash considerations last December through a trade with the Chicago Cubs for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet.
He originally signed with the Cubs on a one-year contract entering 2023, including a mutual option for 2024, which saw him slash .307/.356/.525 while hitting 26 home runs and 97 RBI over 130 games. It was his best season since 2019. That year, his age-23 season, Bellinger's career-best campaign included a .305/.406/.629 slash line with 47 home runs and 115 RBI in 162 regular season games.
After the 2023 season, Bellinger declined his mutual option and became a free agent. He re-signed with the Cubs in February 2024 on a three-year, $80 million contract that included opt-out clauses after the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI over 130 regular-season games in 2024 for the Cubs.
"I get business," Bellinger said last December while discussing Chicago's decision to trade him after he opted into his clause for 2025. "Very good at separating the business and the baseball, and I'm the baseball player and there's business in this game, so I just want to prepare and play the best baseball that I can play."
Cody Bellinger says he'd welcome a return to the Yankees if he opts out of his contract:
"I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform. Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It's special." pic.twitter.com/Ov93n3eGjF
Yesterday was a big day for the Carolina Hurricanes as they won their season opener 6-3 over the New Jersey Devils, but it was also a big moment for a few former Canes as well.
Both Brett Pesce (2015-2024) and Jeff Skinner (2010-2018) hit milestones related to the number 700, with Pesce reaching 700 NHL games played and Skinner scoring his 700th point,
Pesce, 30, played the first 627 games of his career for the Hurricanes after being selected by the franchise in the third round of the 2013 draft.
7⃣️0⃣️0⃣️ for Jeff Skinner! Congrats to the @SanJoseSharks forward, who is the 3rd player from the 2010 NHL Draft class to hit the mark 🤟 pic.twitter.com/A7DYxruK6l
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have assigned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
Del Mastro played in the Blackhawks' 2025-26 season opener against the Florida Panthers, where he recorded two blocks, six hits, and a minus-1 rating.
we have assigned Ethan Del Mastro to the @goicehogs
During this past season with the Blackhawks, Del Mastro posted two goals, four assists, six points, 21 blocks, 40 hits, and a minus-3 rating. He also played in 47 games down in the AHL with the IceHogs last season, where he recorded nine assists, 39 penalty minutes, and a plus-8 rating.
Del Mastro was selected by the Blackhawks with the 105th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 27 career NHL games over three seasons with the Blackhawks, Del Mastro has recorded two, six points, and a minus-4 rating.
In 116 career AHL games with Rockford, Del Mastro has posted seven goals, 39 assists, 46 points, 93 penalty minutes, and a plus-22 rating.
Winnipeg Jets' 2015 first round pick in Jack Roslovic signed with the Edmonton mid-game on Wednesday as they Oilers were playing in the Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames.
The Edmonton Oilers made headlines late Wednesday night, announcing the signing of former Winnipeg Jets forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5-million contract. The move ends a long summer of uncertainty for the 28-year-old, who had been skating in Columbus as an unrestricted free agent after going unsigned since July 1.
For Jets fans, the news carries a hint of nostalgia. Roslovic’s NHL story began in Winnipeg, where he was selected 25th overall in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft. At the time, the speedy American center was viewed as one of the organization’s key young pieces, a dynamic, offensively gifted forward with top-six potential. After spending time with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL, he broke into the Jets’ lineup during the 2017–18 season, eventually playing 180 games for Winnipeg. Over that stretch, he recorded 26 goals and 41 assists for 67 points.
Despite showing flashes of skill and speed, Roslovic never quite found a permanent home in the Jets’ top six. His minutes fluctuated, and his role often shifted between center and wing. As his frustration with his usage grew, so did speculation about his future in Winnipeg. By the 2020–21 season, Roslovic formally requested a trade, a move that ultimately sent him, along with Patrik Laine, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois.
The trade gave Roslovic the fresh start he’d been seeking, returning him to his hometown of Columbus and providing a larger offensive role. His production ticked upward in his first full season with the Blue Jackets, and he has since carved out a solid career as a reliable middle-six scorer. He has gone on to play for four other teams, Columbus, the New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes, and now Edmonton, amassing 102 goals and 158 assists for 260 points in 526 career games.
Roslovic’s 2024–25 season with the Hurricanes was one of his most consistent. He matched a career high with 22 goals and added 17 assists for 39 points in 81 games, then contributed four points in nine playoff appearances. Yet despite that production, he entered the offseason without a contract. Changing agents midway through the summer, Roslovic remained patient while skating in Columbus, waiting for the right opportunity and it arrived in Edmonton.
For Winnipeg fans, Roslovic’s latest move is a reminder of a player who once represented promise and potential. His time with the Jets ended amid frustration over opportunity, but his subsequent journey through the NHL has underscored the talent that made him a first-round pick in the first place. Now, in Edmonton, Roslovic has another chance to prove that he can still be the kind of impact player many in Winnipeg once believed he would become.
CHICAGO — With one big swing, Ian Happ sent a charge through an electric crowd of 41,770 at Wrigley Field.
After a rough start to the playoffs, it was a pretty sweet moment for the longest-tenured player with the Chicago Cubs.
Happ connected for a three-run homer in the first inning, sending Chicago to a 6-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that pushed their NL Division Series to a decisive Game 5.
“I’m just so happy for Ian,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think it was great for Ian to have the playoff moment that he deserved. It was a huge swing.”
Nico Hoerner singled and Kyle Tucker walked ahead of Happ’s two-out drive to right on a 1-1 fastball from Freddy Peralta. Chicago became the first team in major league history with a first-inning homer in four straight games during one postseason.
The switch-hitting Happ also connected against Peralta in Game 1, but he is 2 for 32 with 14 strikeouts against the right-hander in the regular season.
“I’ve had a ton of at-bats against him,” Happ said. “He’s had my number quite a bit. But I got him in Milwaukee on a fastball so I knew he was going to go changeup, changeup to start the at-bat and it was probably going to be a lot more soft stuff. I was able to get a fastball in that at-bat to hit.”
Happ was selected by Chicago with the No. 9 pick in the 2015 amateur draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He made his big league debut in 2017, batting .253 with 24 homers and 68 RBIs for a Cubs team that won the NL Central and made it to the NL Championship Series.
He played in his 1,000th game with the team on April 5, but struggled for much of the year. He hit .243 with 23 homers and 79 RBIs in 150 games.
“He’s been around for a while, and he’s kind of the leader of this group,” teammate Michael Busch said. “Just the way he goes about his business each and every day. No matter if it’s a spring training game, postseason game, he’s always going to give you a good at-bat, and he had quite a few of them tonight.”
Happ went 2 for 21 with 11 strikeouts in Chicago’s first six postseason games this year. After going deep in the first, he flied out to the warning track in the third and again in the seventh.
“It felt great,” Happ said of the first-inning homer. “The guys have been carrying me all postseason so to contribute in that moment and give us the lead was awesome for me. It was a really cool moment at Wrigley.”
The Seattle Mariners had an opportunity to close out their Division Series against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday in Motown...and lost. Their reward? They now must defeat Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal tonight in Seattle in order to earn the right to play for the American League pennant against the Toronto Blue Jays. George Kirby gets the ball for the Mariners.
With Skubal taking the mound, there is no doubt the Tigers are confident heading into Game 5. Skubal has given up three earned runs or more in just two of his last ten starts. He has lasted an average of 6.2 innings and struck out an average of 7.7 hitters in each of those ten starts.
Add to it the fact that Detroit rolled Seattle in Game 4 and that confidence meter ticks up yet another notch or two for the Tigers. Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres each went yard to lead the Tigers to a 9-3 win in Game 4. Detroit pounded out 13 hits in the game. The nine runs were the most they had scored since plating 11 at Yankee Stadium on September 10.
George Kirby has been special this season for Seattle, but Tarik Skubal is why Detroit is suddenly favored to move on to the American League Championship series following tonight's game.
Lets dive deeper into the matchup and numbers and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at Mariners
Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
Time: 8:08PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FOX
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Tigers at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (-131), Seattle Mariners (+107)
Spread: Tigers -1.5 (+149)
Total: 6.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Mariners - ALDS Game 5
Pitching matchup for October 10, 2025: Tarik Skubal vs. George Kirby
Tigers: Tarik Skubal (Reg. Season: 13-6, 2.21 ERA Last outing: Gm. 2 at Seattle (10/5) - 7IP, 2ER, 5H, 1 BB, 9Ks Skubal has struck out at least 8 in each of his last 4 starts with each lasting at least 6 innings
Mariners: George Kirby (Reg. Season: 10-8, 4.21 ERA) Last outing: Gm. 1 vs. Detroit (10/4) - 5IP, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 8Ks Kirby has struck out at least 7 in each of his last 4 starts and has done so without pitching more than 6.1 innings in any of the four starts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Mariners - ALDS Game 5
Javier Baez is 1-13 (.077) in his career against George Kirby
Kerry Carpenter is 5-11 (.455) with 5 HRs in his career against Kirby
Gleyber Torres is 5-12 (.417) in his career against Kirby
J.P. Crawford is hitting .625 (5-8) in his career against Tarik Skubal
Jorge Polanco has homered 3 times in 29 career ABs against Skubal
Julio Roriguez is 2-11 (.182) against Skubal in his career
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s ALDS Game 5 between the Tigers and the Mariners
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Tigers and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
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The thud of another October disappointment will certainly linger in Yankeeland and obscure a fine renaissance by a talented team over the course of what was a trying, topsy-turvy season.
These Yankees were at first great, then perplexing – and somewhat alarming – before getting themselves together. A strong stretch run led to a Wild Card series victory over the Red Sox and then an ALDS loss to, ultimately, a better Toronto Blue Jays squad.
It wasn’t what the Yanks wanted or what their fans demanded – winning second only to breathing, yada, yada, yada. Still, the Yankees had some excellent individual performances and tied for the AL lead in wins by going 94-68 with MLB’s top offense.
But there were some down years, too. All will be reflected in our Yankees Report Card.
Here are the grades. Yes, this includes the playoffs:
Plan B worked after Juan Soto left for Queens, the organization delivered some high-end young pitching, and Cashman had a strong trade deadline, even if every move wasn’t a home run. There will be the usual carping about how Cashman should pay because fans shouldn’t have to wait so long between World Series titles – the last one, you may have heard, came way back in 2009. Oh, alas!
Who knows what happens to the rotation without Max Fried? Cody Bellinger was a monster addition and in July the GM addressed a sagging bullpen and an open wound at third base. There’s work to be done on this roster – how about some contact hitters? There's also thorny questions looming this winter, but Cashman had a solid year.
The Yankees had a 6.5-game division lead in early June and then stumbled, lurching into a fundamental quagmire. Through it all, Boone remained publicly positive. While that didn’t please fans thirsting for blame-game rants, it seemed to work on the roster – and the Yanks finished with the third-best record in MLB and the seventh postseason berth in Boone’s eight-year tenure.
Maybe, though, he and the organization could have been more proactive when Anthony Volpe was struggling so badly at shortstop. Sometimes, tough love is love, too.
Boone gets heat for game-level moves – what manager doesn’t? But, as only one example, he was huge in Game 3 of the ALDS, using his best hitters instead of overreacting to the reverse-splits of Toronto starter Shane Bieber. Then, when the Yanks fell way behind early, he set a bullpen path that stopped the Jays so his hitters could rally.
Video game numbers again over the full season – his slugging percentage was 66 points higher than the next-best, Shohei Ohtani, he led MLB in average by 20 points and on-base percentage by 58. And hit 53 home runs.
And now the Negative Nellies of the world can’t even ding him for his October performance after he batted .500 and hit that seismic homer off the left-field foul pole in Game 3.
The Yankees captain is a living, breathing cheat code who does everything well. Is there a higher league he can move up to?
GRADE: A+++
Aug 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates with designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) after they score on Bellinger’s two run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
CODY BELLINGER
Defensive versatility, 29 homers and a strong all-around game added up to a nifty first Bronx season for Bellinger. He also led the Yanks with a .348 average with runners in scoring position, exhibiting a clutch gene. Needed more from him than a .651 OPS in the postseason, though. He’s reportedly opting out of his contract, so we’ll see if he returns, but he’s a strong fit at Yankee Stadium.
GRADE: B+
CARLOS RODÓN
Huge regular season in which he was the hardest pitcher in the AL to get a hit against – his 6.1 hits-per-nine was the lowest in the circuit. He finished with a 3.09 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 33 starts. He had one OK postseason start, delivering six innings against the Red Sox, but was hammered by the Jays for six runs and departed in the third inning of Game 3 of the ALDS. His 9.72 playoff ERA knocks his final grade.
GRADE: B+
MAX FRIED
Assumed the ace mantle after Gerrit Cole got hurt and delivered, big time, in the first year of his big-money contract ($218 million, most ever for a free agent lefty). His 19 wins led all of MLB and his 2.86 ERA was eighth. He was 11-1 after Yankee losses in the regular season, but was not a stopper in the Jays series – Toronto hammered him for seven runs in three innings in Game 2, which mars his final grade. He had started the postseason nicely, too, throwing 6.1 shutout frames against the Red Sox.
GRADE: A-
JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.
Was the third Yankee ever to have a 30-30 season and provides needed energy and swag to the Yanks, who sometimes skew bland. Even volunteered to play third base when needed, even though he’s best at second base where his athleticism can shine. Monster homer in Game 3 against Toronto gave the Yanks the lead for good in a comeback, though his game-changing error in Game 4 hurt chances for another rally.
GRADE B+
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the 11th inning at Rate Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
TRENT GRISHAM
We all napped on The Big Sleep, didn’t we? Grisham broke out with a career-best 34 homers and an .811 OPS in taking over center field. He provided solid defense, at least via the eye test (defensive metrics are not in love with his play), and should be set up for a nice free agent payday. Struggled in the postseason, though, batting just .138.
GRADE: B
BEN RICE
Another breakout player, Rice smashed 26 home runs and was a Statcast darling, ranking among the sports’ boldface names in hard-hit metrics. Can catch, but could be the everyday first baseman in 2026, too, though he must improve defensively.
GRADE: B
CAM SCHLITTLER
One of the most exciting developments of the year, Schlittler’s emergence as a rotation weapon cannot be overstated, as hard as we might try. The 23-year-old had a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts and then exploded in the postseason with a dominant start against his hometown Red Sox – eight scoreless innings and 12 strikeouts, no walks. Then he delivered the only competent start in the entire series against the Blue Jays. Does anyone throw 100 miles-per-hour as smoothly as this guy?
GRADE: A
GIANCARLO STANTON
He only played 77 games, but was terrific when healthy, bashing 24 homers and notching a .944 OPS. Didn’t deliver the usual October Giancarlo, though, batting .192 with a .536 OPS and no homers.
GRADE: B
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
ANTHONY VOLPE
Volpe fell way off after a strong 2024 postseason had fueled high hopes. Had the fourth-most errors (19) in baseball and a career-worst .272 on-base percentage. He looked lost in the ALDS, going 1-for-15 with 11 strikeouts. Still, he got his defense back on track after his midseason woes became a dominant Yankee storyline. Also had 55 extra-base hits, including 19 home runs, and added 72 RBI. Next year could be a crossroads-type season for the 24-year-old, homegrown shortstop.
GRADE: D
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT
Maybe he didn’t have the big power numbers (10 homers, .403 slugging percentage) that he piled up earlier in his career, but Goldschmidt provided strong defense at first base, was clutch (.312 average with RISP) and hammered lefties. He was fourth in MLB with a .981 OPS against left-handed pitching.
GRADE: B
JOSÉ CABALLERO
A fine, versatile deadline pickup who played second, third, short and the outfield for the Yanks and had an .828 OPS in 40 games. He was 15-for-18 in steals after donning pinstripes and over his time in the Bronx and Tampa Bay he led MLB with 49 thefts. How will he impact the shortstop position next year?
GRADE: B
RYAN MCMAHON
He’s a spectacular defensive player – did you see that tumble and catch into the Red Sox dugout? – who helped solidify the infield after he took over third base and let Chisholm move to third. He’s got potential for some thump, matching Rice’s average exit velocity (93.3 mph), though he only hit four homers in 54 games with the Yankees, 20 overall including his time in Colorado.
GRADE: B-
May 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) hits an RBI doube against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. / John Froschauer-Imagn Images
JASSON DOMÍNGUEZ
Mega prospect had 10 homers, 23 steals and a .719 OPS in 123 games. He really struggled as a right-handed hitter, batting only .204 against lefties. Only had one postseason at-bat, a pinch-hit double. Next year’s big for him, too.
GRADE: C+
AUSTIN WELLS
Hit 21 homers and drove in 71 runs as a catcher, so there was some offensive contribution from a defensive position, though his OPS-plus of 95 was below MLB average and he hit only .227 with a .488 OPS in the playoffs. Trusted behind the plate, he’s an excellent pitch-framer and caught 25.3 percent of runners trying to steal, well above league average (21.5 percent).
GRADE: B
WILL WARREN
Overall numbers didn’t match his nasty repertoire, but Warren has plenty of promise. The rookie struck out 9.5 per nine innings and had a 4.44 ERA and gave the Yanks needed bulk, tying for the AL lead with 33 starts and throwing 162.1 innings.
GRADE: B-
LUIS GIL
Abbreviated numbers were OK – 3.32 ERA in 11 starts after return from injury. But his underlying metrics were scary as his stuff lost some of his electricity while he tried harder to throw strikes. Another big talent who heads into a big 2026 for his career.
GRADE: C
Aug 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
DEVIN WILLIAMS
Elite reliever whose early struggles fouled his overall numbers (4.76 ERA) and incurred fans’ ire. He was the closer, then wasn’t the closer and ended as a trusted setup man with 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
GRADE: C+
TIM HILL
In 70 outings, the lefty had a 3.09 ERA and was real hell on left-handed hitters, holding them to a .181 average and .444 OPS. Had three scoreless outings in the playoffs, including a key 1.1 innings in the Game 3 comeback in the ALDS.
GRADE: B+
LUKE WEAVER
He retired only one of the seven batters he faced in the playoffs, so he had a 135.00 ERA. Yikes. His season numbers, including a 3.62 ERA, were OK, but this was not a big-time follow-up to his strong 2024.
GRADE: C
FERNANDO CRUZ
The Yanks really missed Cruz and his elite splitter when he was injured. On the split, he held hitters to a .178 average and .280 slugging. Overall, he had a 3.56 ERA and 13.5 K/9 during the regular season and a 2.45 ERA in four postseason outings.
GRADE: B
New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) throws in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre / Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
CAMILO DOVAL
Doval had a rough transition after coming over in a deadline deal, recording a 4.82 ERA and walking 11 in 18.2 innings. But he looked more like himself (2.70 ERA) in the playoffs, which added oomph to the bullpen.
GRADE: C+
DAVID BEDNAR
Bednar, probably the Yankees’ best deadline pickup, stabilized the back end of the bullpen when he arrived, even though he blew his first pinstriped save opportunity. He had a 2.19 ERA and 10 saves in 22 regular season outings and a 1.50 ERA and two more saves in five playoff appearances.
GRADE: B+
AMED ROSARIO
Utility pickup brought in to combat lefties, Rosario had a .788 OPS in 33 at-bats and then went 3-for-10 in the playoffs.
Skating on the third pair alongside Tyler Tucker, Mailloux saw just over 14 minutes of action and was on the ice for two of the Minnesota Wild’s five goals. In 21 shifts, he landed three hits and committed one giveaway.
Meanwhile, Zack Bolduc, whom Kent Hughes acquired for Mailloux over the summer, is having an excellent start to his Canadiens’ career. In two games, he has scored two goals and is a significant contributor to the success of Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach, who are off to good starts to their seasons.
Beautiful passing by the #Habs here, and Zachary Bolduc has two goals in as many games in the Tricolore. pic.twitter.com/rD6floDxCg
The Trois-Rivieres native is a real two-way player; he gives his whole at both ends of the ice, he’s defensively responsible, and a real handful for the opposition in the attacking zone. On Thursday night, he only scored one goal, but his battle with Albert Johansson in front of the net allowed Alex Carrier to score his first goal of the season.
It’s a small sample, but so far, Bolduc looks like a hockey player, not just someone who plays hockey —an expression that Martin St-Louis reserves for the best players. He’s willing to do it all, the small defensive details and the big offensive play.
So far, it looks like Hughes has had the upper hand in the deal with his counterpart Doug Armstrong, but it’s worth remembering that defensemen do take longer to develop than forwards normally. At this stage, it’s impossible to know precisely what Mailloux’s ceiling will be, but for now, the Canadiens’ decision to use him to get help up front after acquiring Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders looks astute.
LOS ANGELES — Eyes red, Orion Kerkering received words of support from his Philadelphia Phillies teammates.
“‘Just keep your head up. It’s an honest mistake. Just, it’s baseball,’” he remembered hearing.
“`You’ll be good for a long time to come,’” they added.
“It’s not my fault, then. We had opportunities to score,” was the message he kept getting.
Kerkering made a wild throw past home plate instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning. Pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim scored and the Phillies were eliminated with a 2-1 loss that gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-1 NL Division Series victory.
“It means a lot. It shows they care a lot,” Kerkering said of his teammates. “It just means everything, for sure.”
Kerkering won’t forget just the second error that ended a postseason series. Phillies fans won’t, either.
“Test wall, for sure,” the 24-year-old reliever said, managing a small smile. “Just kind of keep going with it. It’s hopefully starting a long career. Just keep in the back of my head ... get over this hump. Keep pushing.”
Nick Castellanos’ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan put the Phillies ahead, but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.
Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and went to third on Max Muncy’s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.
Kerkering walked Kiké Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a harmless grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.
Kerkering bobbled it, yet still had time to get Pages at first base. That’s where catcher J.T. Realmuto was pointing.
But when Kerkering reached back to his right and picked up the ball, in one motion he made a hurried sidearm toss toward home from 46 feet away. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt. After originally running past the plate, Kim returned to touch it.
“I was surprised he threw it home,” Kim said through a translator. “I just ran as hard as I could.”
Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees.
“Just hit off my foot,” Kerkering said. “Once the pressure got to me, I just thought there’s a little faster throw to J.T., little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to Bryce (Harper at first base). So just a (terrible) throw.”
Realmuto put a hand on the side of Kerkering’s head and then on a shoulder.
“Twenty-four-year-old kid like that, he’s probably feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders after that play,” Realmuto said. “So I just tried to reassure him that the whole game’s not on him. There was a lot opportunity for us to win that game and we didn’t do what it took.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the reliever reached the dugout.
“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”
Teammates did their best with soothing words.
“I feel bad. Not just for him. I don’t want to feel like — put pity on him, but it could have been any one of us,” Turner said. “It’s a team effort.”
Philadelphia, second in the major leagues with 96 wins this season, was held to four hits and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
“That’s a really good team over there,” said Harper, who was 0 for 4 with a walk. “We went toe-to-toe today. Pretty (good) heavyweight fight back and forth. Really good pitching, obviously, and they came out on top.”
Kyle Schwarber, who hit an NL-best 56 home runs, hit two more in a Game 3 win but was 1 for 12 with seven strikeouts in the three series losses.
Schwarber, Realmuto, left-hander Ranger Suárez and outfielder Max Kepler are eligible for free agency. Center fielder Harrison Bader has a mutual contract option, and left-hander José Alvarado has a club option.
“You make so many personal relationships with guys throughout the course of the year,” Schwarber said. “They become family. You never know how (free agency) will go. But these guys know how I feel about them. I have a lot of respect for the guys in here, our organization, our coaching staff, everybody top to bottom.”
After losing to Houston in the 2022 World Series, the Phillies were knocked out in the 2023 National League Championship Series and now in consecutive Division Series.
“You’ve got a lot of talent in this room,” Kerkering said. “I know a couple guys are leaving, but the guys that we know are going to be here next year are guys that always are going to compete every single day. Just keep grabbing for it. The goal is a championship, no matter what, no matter what group of guys.”
Jonathan Kuminga’s biggest concern in the offseason was his contract negotiations. Now that an agreement has been reached, the Warriors forward’s concerns shift elsewhere.
“The biggest thing about it is just to work and just get better every day and be a winner,” Kuminga told Spears. “No matter where I’ll be, no matter if I’m going to be here or they might ship me somewhere else. I just want to get to wherever I’ll get, or be here and just be involved and win and impact right away. That is my biggest concern.”
The 23-year-old forward is clearly focused on improving and helping the Warriors in their title aspirations. His fluctuating role and uncertain future in Golden State don’t make that easy.
“I don’t worry about things like that. I just try to get better. You never know with this life,” Kuminga told Spears. “It’s the NBA. One day you’re going to be here. One day you’re going to be somewhere else.”
Despite the unknown, Kuminga remains confident.
“I have too much confidence. And my confidence don’t just come from [inside] because I work towards it and I see how better I get every other year. The sky is the limit,” Kuminga said. “I can’t predict it, but I believe in God and I trust my work and I know I have a long way to go.”
Entering his fifth NBA season, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points per game with a 50.7 field goal percentage in his young career.
His scoring production has increased since his rookie season, averaging at least 15 points per game in each of his last two seasons.
