As the Knicks look to repeat for a championship, the club has a good chance at having three All-Stars during the 2026-27 season.
Jalen Brunson andKarl-Anthony Townsare the two obvious names, with both players having made the All-Star team each of the last three seasons. Looking to join them this season is OG Anunoby.
Entering his 10th NBA season, Anunoby has proven to be one of the more valuable players in the NBA, but he has very little to show for it when it comes to awards -- with Anunoby having only two NBA All-Defensive team appearances for his career accomplishments.
Anunoby was phenomenal during New York’s championship run, with the 6-foot-7 forward averaging 20.1 points throughout the playoffs. In the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Anunoby rose to the occasion, becoming a franchise legend.
Anunoby’s tip-in that essentially won the Knicks Game 4 is one of the biggest plays in league history. That moment makes it easy to forget his game-saving block of Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox the play before. The two moments were a microcosm of the Knicks' "demon," as Josh Hart calls him. Anunoby can impact the game on both sides of the floor, and is one of the best defenders in the NBA -- both in one-on-one situations and help scenarios.
During the Finals, Anunoby was arguably New York’s most important contributor. In five games, he was second in scoring (21.2 points) and converted 16 of 32 threes. The playoff performance highlighted Anunoby’s value to the Knicks. With that added attention, there will be more awareness of how much Anunoby contributes to New York’s success going into this season.
Jun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) shoots against New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) in the fourth quarter during game four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. / Geoff Burke - Imagn Images
Non-traditional star
There are a few factors that have worked against Anunoby. He’s never been one to post eye-popping numbers. Anunoby averaged a career-high 18.0 points during the 2025-26 season, but he’s not known as a high-scoring contributor, averaging a combined 16.7 points over the last six seasons with the Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Anunoby is also not a traditional scorer since he’s not attacking off the dribble much. Of the forward’s shot attempts in the postseason, 40.9 percent came without a dribble, per NBA Stats.
Another reason is the Knicks have never had a dominant regular season. Most teams that have produced more than two All-Stars in a season in the modern era have posted dominant records.
New York has won at least 50 games all of the last three seasons, but all three campaigns were in the low-50s. Even the 53-29 mark from the championship season was low for the traditional standard of a title winner. If New York can be a top-three seed and play at a 55-plus win pace, that would help Anunoby’s case.
Luck will also be a factor, since injuries could have an impact either as a positive or a negative. Meanwhile, Anunoby’s role could level up this season after the Knicks discovered alternative styles of play in the postseason. Towns was unlocked as a playmaker, averaging 4.9 assists during the playoffs.
Anunoby’s ability to cut to the basket or spot up from the corner three makes him likely to benefit from more ball movement and have extra scoring opportunities. Also, Brunson is recovering from offseason wrist surgery. While he might not miss games, New York could manage the captain’s minutes throughout the season with an eye toward another playoff run. That might open up more shot attempts across the roster.
If the Knicks have a top record and Anunoby continues his steady production, there’s a very good chance at him earning a well-deserved spot on the All-Star team.
Danilo Gallinari has sent Kawhi Leonard a bill for his career detour.
The total: $50 million.
The proposed recipient: charity.
New York Knicks’ Danillo Gallinari reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, February 2, 2011, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The supporting evidence is considerably less tidy.
Speaking on the “A Cresta Alta” podcast, Gallinari blamed Leonard for ending his Clippers tenure in 2019, when Los Angeles included him in the blockbuster trade that brought Paul George from Oklahoma City.
“He changed the trajectory of my career,” Gallinari said. “He should pay all $50 million, not just $700,000.”
The $700,000 refers to the fine Leonard received after the NBA determined that salary-cap rules had been violated through arrangements involving the Clippers. The franchise received a record $30 million fine, lost five first-round selections and watched owner Steve Ballmer receive a one-year suspension.
Gallinari’s attempt to connect that scandal to his own exit is stranger still. The cap case centered partly on a $28 million Aspiration endorsement agreement under which Leonard reportedly performed no promotional work—an arrangement made years after Gallinari had been traded.
Kawhi Leonard attends the Public School New York SS27 show at Starrett-Lehigh in New York City on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Madison McGaw/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Whatever the no-show scheme says about Leonard and the Clippers, it did not cost Gallinari his roster spot. Turning a later salary-cap violation into restitution for an earlier personnel decision requires combining two controversies that have little to do with each other.
This seems to be Gallinari’s preferred punishment for a player he believes wielded enough power to redirect his life. Leonard wanted another star before joining the Clippers, prompting the front office to acquire George in a mammoth package that also included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round picks and two swaps.
There is something understandable beneath Gallinari’s grievance. Players routinely learn they have been traded after executives make cold calculations. Having another player effectively initiate the process might sting differently.
New York Knicks’ Danillo Gallinari reacts after hitting a three-point shot to give the Knicks the lead late in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Calling the move responsible for Gallinari’s subsequent career, however, requires some imaginative accounting.
He averaged 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds during his lone Thunder season, shot 40.6 percent from 3-point range and helped Oklahoma City reach the playoffs. He then signed a three-year, $61.4 million contract with Atlanta.
That is a strange definition of financial ruin.
Gallinari was also 31 during his Oklahoma City season. His eventual decline arrived at an age when most NBA careers begin bending downward, and only after he secured another enormous payday.
Leonard is hardly innocent in the Clippers scandal, but the cold reality of winning in modern sports is not another offense to add to his ledger.
Sep 27, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals fans celebrate across the street after The Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers and clinched a postseason spot at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
A lot has changed in a week! The Cardinals were longshots to sneak into the postseason but after getting swept by the San Francisco Giants, they’re effectively eliminated (just 5 games, per MLB.com). The Giants looked certain to be 100-game losers, but after the sweep, they need just 1 more win to avoid triple digit losses. They’re sure to win that game at some point over these final 12, but they’ll need to do it without their best player(s). Meanwhile, the Cardinals are trying to avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1994 & 1995.
Losing Rafael Devers will surely make it difficult to win on the road, where the Giants have gone just 26-49 (.347). That 3-game sweep in San Francisco was the first time the Giants had done that to the Cardinals since 2001; however, the last time the Giants swept the Cardinals in St. Louis in a 3-game series was just in 2023. Still, I don’t think a case could be made that the 2023 & 2026 squads have many similarities.
So, what is there to care about with this series? Oh, I know, I know, we’re all clinging to the 1-for-4s of a lot of guys with options or are just warm bodies, but there are a few small things that tie back to the rest of the season:
Alec Burleson leads the majors with 109 RBI and is tied with Rafael Devers for the MLB lead in doubles (36). Wilyer Abreu and Bryan Reynolds also have 36, so, it was going to be a battle down the stretch with a healthy Devers, but for now, it’d be enough to hold Burleson double-less in the series (won’t happen lol).
The Giants are at least considering shutting down Logan Webb, in which case they might continue their history-making roster size this season with a 68th player, possibly in this series!
Landen Roupp is the 19th Giants starting pitcher in the last decade to hit the 150 IP mark (150.2). If he can make it through 2 innings, he’ll surpass Justin Verlander’s 152 IP last season. He also might be able to surpass Logan Webb’s 160.2 IP this season. Roupp, a famous bigot, is about average relative to the other pitchers on this list in terms of mound performance. His hits per 9 and homers per 9 are right near the top. His strikeout rate is fine. But the walks (4.3 BB/9) separates him from the pack.
Drew Gilbert has 3 triples this season and has never had more than 4 in a season (once in college, and last season in the minors). The Cardinals haven’t allowed many triples this year (14 — 5th in MLB). Also worth point out: since June 14th — so, the past 3 months — he’s slashed .239/.338/.391 (70 G, 216 PA). A very useful player.
With three games this week in the toughest place for a left-handed batter to homer this season (seriously. Busch Stadium’s 73 Park Factor is lower than the Giants’ 77), Bryce Eldridge might not get to 20 home runs this year, but he’s just 4 away and is already just 1 of 8 Giants in the history of the franchise to hit at least 15 home runs at age 21 or younger. What a list:
Mel Ott, 1929 (age 20) — 42 HR
Orlando Cepeda, 1959 (age 21) — 27 HR
Orlando Cepeda, 1958 (age 20) — 25 HR
Mel Ott, 1930 (age 21) — 25 HR
Willie Mays, 1951 (age 20) — 20 HR
Whitey Lockman, 1948 (age 21) — 18 HR
Mel Ott, 1928 (age 19) — 18 HR
Bryce Eldridge, 2026 (age 21) — 16 HR
Although Jung Hoo Lee — who has now completed exactly 2 years of MLB service time as of yesterday, according to Baseball Reference — has settled into being a platoon/fourth outfielder type, he went 3-for-9 in San Francisco against the Cardinals with an extra base hit — a double, which he does have 29 of already. He’s 11-for-30 in his career at Busch Stadium (.367/.387/.500 in 31 PA). One more double and he’d have 30+ doubles in consecutive seasons and would be the 50th Giant to hit at least 30 doubles in a season in the Oracle Park era. The most recent 10 years is an interesting list:
Rafael Devers, 2026 (36)
Jung Hoo Lee, 2025 (31)
Matt Chapman, 2024 (39)
Mike Yastrzemski, 2022 (31)
Brandon Crawford, 2021 (30)
Kevin Pillar, 2019 (37)
Brandon Belt, 2019 (32)
Brandon Crawford, 2017 (34)
Buster Posey, 2017 (34)
Denard Span, 2017 (31)
The Giants have won just 4 road series all year and they were all before June 18th. And, keep in mind, it’s only been a week, and all that stuff I wrote last week about the young players on the St. Louis side still applies. They’re a dangerous team even if they have a losing record at home in 2026.
Series Overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (62-88) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (74-76) Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California When: Monday & Tuesday at 4:45pm PT, Wednesday at 10:15am PT National broadcasts: None
Projected starters Monday: Landen Roupp (RHP 9-13, 4.00 ERA) vs. Quinn Mathews (LHP 1-3, 4.11 ERA) Tuesday: Blade Tidwell (RHP 0-2, 4.82 ERA) vs. Andre Pallante (RHP 12-6, 3.45 ERA) Wednesday: TBD vs. Matthew Liberatore (LHP 5-14, 5.53 ERA)
Prediction time
Christian Koss has slashed .281/.337/.438 over his last 30 games (108 PA) with 4 homers, 3 doubles, and 4 stolen bases. The prediction is that he will have a multi-hit game in this series.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 13, 2026: A view of the batting helmet worn by Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Jays start a three-game series with the Tigers tonight.
The Jays are one game back of the Guardians for the last Wild Card spot. The Tigers are eight games back, not officially eliminated, but effectively eliminated.
Starting pitchers:
Tonight, 7:00 Eastern: Troy Melton (8-4, 2.42) vs. José Soriano (12-7, 3.48).
Tuesday, 7:00 Eastern: Drew Anderson (4-6, 3.80) vs. TBD.
Wednesday, 3:00 Eastern: TBD vs. Max Scherzer (2-8, 6.38).
I try not to be an ‘old man’, but I’m tired of bullpen days. I know we are going to see a few more this year, but I’d love it if, next year, we could roll out real starting pitches every game, every series. I know we are doing well in those games, but without any way to prove it, I think it adds a lot of strain on the arms of the bullpen guys.
On offence, the Tigers are sixth in the AL with 4.47 Runs per game (the Jays are tied for last with 4.05).
On the pitching side, the Tigers are third best at 4.00 runs per game (the Jays are sixth at 4.26). So, ummmm, why are the Tigers so far back in the race?
The Tigers have scored 70 more runs than they have given up (the Jays have allowed 31 more runs than they have scored). Detroit’s Pythagorean record is 81-68 (their real record is 12 games worse); the Jays 72-78 (their real record is 3 games better). So the Tigers have been very unlucky?
The Tigers are on a four-game win streak and are 7-5 in September. This won’t be an easy series.
The Tigers have some excellent offensive players:
SS Kevin McGonigle is hitting .272/.373/.425, with 17 home runs, 88 walks and 89 strikeouts, with 12 steals and a 6.3 bWAR.
C Dillon Dingler is hitting .244/.304/.456 with 27 home runs, 32 walks and 131 strikeouts for a 3.9 bWAR. He’s also thrown out 27.3% of base stealers.
LF Riley Greene is hitting .283/.370/.484 with 20 home runs, 64 walks and 145 strikeouts with a 2.8 bWAR.
2B Gleyber Torres is hitting .268/.370/.381 with 8 home runs, 51 walks and 74 strikeouts, with a 2.4 bWAR in 88 games.
In the bullpen:
Kenley Jansen is their closer. He has a 3.51 ERA, with 19 saves and 6 blown saves. Batters are hitting .168/.280/.329 against him.
Drew Anderson has a 3.80 ERA with 7 holds and 6 blown saves. Batters are hitting .239/.323/.407. He spent the last four years pitching in Japan and then Korea.
Tyler Holton is a lefty; he has a 2.74 ERA, with 14 holds and 2 blown saves. Batters are hitting .259/.318/.395 against him.
Kyle Finnegan has a 3.79 ERA with 14 holds and 9 blown saves. Batters are hitting .275/.372/.450 against him.
We still aren’t in ‘must rule the table’ territory, but we have to win one more than the Guardians. That would be easier to do if we keep winning each series.
On Monday, more and more contract extensions appear to be coming through across the NHL, while fans of the Detroit Red Wings anxiously await word on a Simon Edvinsson deal. If it doesn't happen by Tuesday night, the Red Wings will be operating under an entirely new set of standards when it comes to contracts.
That's because Tuesday marks the moment the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement officially kicks in, bringing with it several significant changes to how contracts can be structured. If you've noticed a flurry of eight-year deals getting done across the league over the past few days, that's because under the new CBA eight-year contracts will be replaced with seven years as the new maximum for a player re-signing with his own team, and six years for a player signing with a new organization.
Also changing under the new deal, teams will no longer be able to defer salary on new contracts, and front-loading deals will be significantly more restricted, closing off two mechanisms clubs have used to artificially lower cap hits.
So if Detroit wants to use the current rules to its advantage in getting an Edvinsson extension done, whether that means tacking on an eighth year or structuring the deal with deferred or front-loaded money, the window is closing fast, and the price tag isn't getting any cheaper while they wait.
The market for young defensemen shifted dramatically when the Vancouver Canucks signed 20-year-old Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $75.04 million extension carrying a $9.38 million annual cap hit. With Edvinsson holding a stronger NHL track record than Buium at a similar stage of his career, it's fair to expect Detroit's young blueliner could command a deal in a similar range, and possibly a cap hit well into eight figures.
Beyond the contract-length changes, the new CBA brings several other notable shifts that will shape the league going forward. Players further down NHL lineups stand to benefit as well, with the league minimum salary climbing from $775,000 to $850,000 in 2026-27, with further bumps to $900,000, then $950,000, and eventually $1 million by the final year of the deal.
The regular season is also expanding from 82 to 84 games, while teams must now ice a cap-compliant roster for playoff games, closing a loophole where clubs used long-term injured reserve during the regular season to build rosters that would've otherwise exceeded the cap.
Other changes include a new AHL recall rule requiring a player to play at least one minor-league game before being recalled, closing a "loan" loophole, and a provision allowing teams to assign one 19-year-old CHL graduate per season directly to their AHL affiliate instead of back to junior, though 18-year-olds remain ineligible.
Rounding out the changes, any player making his NHL debut in 2026-27 or later will be required to wear cut-resistant neck protection, and teams can no longer mandate a specific dress code like suits and ties.
The Red Wings have a rare, closing window to lock up a promising young defenseman on terms that simply won't exist once the calendar flips and once the new CBA takes hold, Detroit will be negotiating under a new set of rules.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 12: Emmanuel Rodriguez #21 of the Minnesota Twins hits a solo home run in the first at-bat of his MLB debut against the Cleveland Guardians during the third inning of the game at Target Field on September 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The youth movement is continuing to progress, with Emmanuel “Dinamita” Rodriguez making his major league debut this past weekend, hitting a homer in his first big-league at-bat. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, he’s joining the team just as they are all but mathematically eliminated from making it to the playoffs. There’s a chance, but with the way the Twins played against the division the past two weeks, it seems unlikely the team could make a miracle push in the last couple of weeks of the season, especially since they no longer face any in-division opponents for the rest of the season.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
This past weekend was the 25th anniversary of September 11th, and Zach Koenig recaps the last Twins game before that fateful day.
Aidan O’Brien checks in on the Twins’ 2026 draft class in their first taste of professional baseball.
We have our first playoff spot clinched! The Tampa Bay Rays are locked into a playoff spot and have a 4.0-game lead over the Yankees for the AL East and the AL #1 seed. Meanwhile, the White Sox and Guardians are only half a game apart. In the West, it’s just as close, with the Astros and Rangers separated by only one game. And in the wild card race, the Guardians, Blue Jays, and Rangers are all within two games of each other for the final spot.
The Brewers have joined the Rays as a lock for the playoffs, and currently hold a 2.5-game lead over the Dodgers. They have also almost clinched their division as well. It’s not much of a race in the other divisions either, with Atlanta holding a 5.0-game lead over the Phillies, and the Dodgers holding a 9.0-game lead over the Padres. The Wild Card race has also settled a bit, with the Diamondbacks now 2.5 games back from the Padres in the race for the final spot. It’s not insurmountable, but with less than 15 games left in the season, Arizona needs to pick up the pace.
Jeff Passan at ESPN shares some early intel on the offseason, and the questions facing teams and players with a lockout looming.
It's once again clinching season in Major League Baseball.
The postseason is rapidly approaching, and the field for this year's World Series race is starting to take shape. While much of the National League picture appears close to being settled, several American League races remain wide open, with division titles, wild-card spots and postseason seeding still up for grabs.
Here's a look at every team that has clinched a playoff berth, which clubs are closing in and what the postseason bracket would look like if the season ended today.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 18: Cooper Flemming (11) of the Tampa Bay Rays tags a runner out at second base during a minor league spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles on March 18, 2026 at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This was the 23rd week of full minor league play (stats are entering play on Monday, September 14th).
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), prospect Theo Gillen tops the system and might just find himself in the running for Minor League Player of the Year. Gillen ranks 4th among all minor leaguers while Caden Bodine ranks 11th.
Meanwhile, Aidan Cremarosa is the top hurler in the system. Over his first professional season, Cremarosa has a 2.82 ERA | 3.02 FIP with a 29.8 K% & 6.0 BB% over 76.2 IP in Single-A. FanGraphs slotted the 22-year old as the 30th top prospect in the Rays system during their midseason rankings.
RUMBLINGS
The Bowling Green Hot Rods lost to the Winston-Salem Dash in the South Division portion of the South Atlantic League playoffs.
Grady Emerson returned to action to pinch run for the Charleston River Dogs a few days after leaving a game early after being hit by a pitch
The Charleston River Dogs are currently down 1 game in a best of 3 series with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers in the Single-A Carolina League Championship Series
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .291, Tony Santa Maria OBP: .414, Ryan McCoy SLG: .541, Ryan McCoy HR: 21, Nathan Flewelling wRC+: 145, Ryan McCoy SB: 55, Tony Santa Maria
Bolduc appeared to be an important part of the Habs' core, but as the off-season progressed, trade rumors began to sprout, and uncertainty around his future with the organization grew. The public may have felt that way, but internally, the organization seemed to expect to complete a contract sooner or later.
Now, the Canadiens have signed their 23-year-old left-handed winger to the 2030 season, when he'll become a UFA at 27.
Bolduc has played two full seasons in the NHL, one with the Canadiens and one with the Blues, as well as a short 25-game stint with the Blues in 2023-24.
With the Blues, Bolduc scored 24 goals and 45 points in 97 games, finishing eighth in Calder Trophy voting during the 2024-25 season. After his impressive rookie season, he was dealt to Montreal in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux.
The trade filled needs for both teams, as the Habs needed middle-six depth and the Blues needed to add younger pieces to their defense core.
Bolduc has received a mid-term contract, just a bit longer than a standard bridge deal that would keep him an RFA, but shorter than a long-term deal. Mailloux, on the other hand, received a one-year contract, asking him to prove his late-year resurgence is sustainable.
As the years go by, it will be interesting to see how the deal shakes out.
For now, Bolduc will continue to be a physical middle-six winger with the potential to score 20 goals and be a depth producer on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
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The Buffalo Sabres have been proactive with a number of their own players in getting them signed to long-term extensions prior to them getting close to becoming eligible for an offer sheet or unrestricted free agency. Previously, the club under former GM Kevyn Adams signed core players Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Matias Samuelsson locked up long-term. New GM Jarmo Kekalainen has followed suit with Zach Benson, Josh Doan and Beck Malenstyn.
With the expiration of the previous collective bargaining contract structure on September 15, Kekalainen was able to get another of his promising young forwards to commit to a multi-year deal. The Sabres announced on Monday they signing of center Noah Ostlund to an eight-year, $52.8 million deal ($6.6 million AAV).
The 22-year-old posted 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 games as a rookie, and was dependable at both ends of the ice, which made him a favorite of Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff in the second half of last season.
“He’s a coach’s dream, because those are the type of players you don’t really have to coach,” Ruff said. “He pretty well knows where he’s going almost every time. Very few times in the D zone does he get out of position.”
As with most of their long-term deals, Buffalo could get paid off if their projections on Ostlund are correct. With the salary cap exploding, other clubs are rolling the dice on young forwards with potential who have not made their mark in the NHL yet.
The Pittsburgh Penguins did so with winger Ville Koivunen, who they signed to an eight-year, $32 million contract extension ($4 million AAV) after only 47 games of NHL experience and just 14 career points. Boston did so last week with center Fraser Minten, locking up the 22-year-old to a seven-year, $50.4 million deal ($7.2 million AAV).
Buffalo has both Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn entering the final year of their contracts before becoming restricted free agents, but with Kulich’s health concerns, it is likely the Sabres want further evidence before committing to him as well.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets runs the bases after his eighth inning grand slam home run against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.
MONDAY
Jonah Tong recorded 12 whiffs through two innings, tying for the most whiffs in the first two innings of a game by a Mets pitcher in the Statcast era (since 2015). The record was set by Noah Syndergaard on April 15, 2018, against the Brewers, and matched by Jacob deGrom on July 14, 2019, in Miami.
TUESDAY
Nate Lavender recorded a 14th straight scoreless appearance to begin his career, marking the second-most for a Mets pitcher behind Joe Smith (17 in 2007). Lavender’s streak would come to an end on Wednesday night.
Brett Baty recorded an extra-base hit in five straight games for the first time in his career, and became the first Met to do so since Francisco Lindor from August 13-19, 2025.
WEDNESDAY
With his 23rd stolen baseof the season, A.J. Ewing broke a tie with Lee Mazzilli and teammate Carson Benge for the second-most stolen bases by a rookie in franchise history, trailing only Mookie Wilson (24 in 1981).
The Mets won despite allowing 14 runs for the first time in franchise history. They were previously 0-86 in games in which they allowed 14+ runs. The Mets also won despite allowing 20 hits for the first time in franchise history. They were previously 0-24 in games in which they allowed 20+ hits. It was the first time a team won despite allowing 20+ hits since…exactly three years earlier, when the Orioles beat the Red Sox 13-12 on September 9, 2023.
The Mets posted multiple six-run innings in the same game for the first time since August 29, 2025, in Jonah Tong’s debut at Citi Field (also against the Marlins).
For the first time in franchise history, the Mets won a game in which they allowed three or more runs in three different innings.
FRIDAY
Carson Benge recorded his 10th outfield assist, tied with Cleon Jones for the fourth-most by a Mets rookie behind Juan Lagares (15 in 2013), Rod Gaspar (12 in 1969), and Tsuyoshi Shinjo (12 in 2001). (source: Anthony DiComo on X)
Cody Bellinger’s homer marked the first home run hit off Nolan McLean’s curveball since the right-hander debuted in the big leagues. It was just the fourth extra-base hit, along with an Ian Happ double on June 24, an Ozzie Albies double on July 5, and a Trea Turner double on July 19.
SATURDAY
The Mets hit six home runs in a Subway Series game for the first time in franchise history. The Yankees had done it once before against the Mets on July 10, 1999, in a 9-8 Mets win at Shea Stadium thanks to Matt Franco’s walk-off single off Mariano Rivera.
Carson Benge’s fifth-inning RBI single marked his 147th hit of the season, moving him past Ty Wigginton and into second place on the Mets’ rookie hits leaderboard, trailing only Pete Alonso (155 in 2019).
Francisco Lindor reached 20 home runs for the 9th time in his career. He is only the second primary shortstop to reach 20+ homers in 9+ seasons, joining Cal Ripken Jr. (12 seasons of 20+ homers).
Lindor hit his first grand slam since Game 4 of the 2024 NLDS at Citi Field against the Phillies. Lindor now has seven grand slams with the Mets including postseason games, passing Mike Piazza for the most in franchise history.
Lindor became the eighth player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run and grand slam in the same game, joining: Bobby Doerr (August 1, 1939), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985), Darrin Jackson (August 25, 1991), Kenny Lofton (August 20, 2000), Charlie Blackmon (May 31, 2016), George Springer (October 3, 2021), and Jake McCarthy (July 3, 2026). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor hit his 291st homer while playing shortstop in a game, tying Miguel Tejada for third-most behind Cal Ripken Jr. (345) and Alex Rodriguez (344). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded his 24th multi-homer game while playing shortstop, tying Ernie Banks for second-most behind Alex Rodriguez (33). (source: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded his 3rd multi-homer Subway Series game, breaking a tie with Pete Alonso and Jorge Posada for the most in Subway Series history. Lindor previously hit three homers exactly five years earlier on September 12, 2021, at Citi Field, and hit two homers on July 24, 2024, at Yankee Stadium. (credit: Sarah Langs on X)
Lindor recorded five RBI in a game for the ninth time as a Met. Three of those games have come against the Yankees.
Zac Thornton became the first Mets pitcher to complete seven innings in a Subway Series game since Max Scherzer on July 27, 2022, at Citi Field. He became the first left-hander to do it since Jon Niese on May 27, 2013, at Citi Field.
Thornton recorded his seventh quality start through 13 career games, tied for third-most by a Mets left-hander behind Steven Matz (9) and Sid Fernandez (8).
The Mets won a Subway Series game by 10 or more runs for the third time in franchise history. All three have ended with a score of 12-2 (June 9, 2000, at Yankee Stadium, and June 26, 2024, at Citi Field, were the previous two).
The Mets scored 10+ runs for the 17th time this season, tied with 1990 for the fourth-most such games in a season in franchise history. The 2000 (24), 1999 (20), and 1997 (18) teams are the only ones in franchise history with more double-digit scoring games. The Mets this season are tied with the Nationals for the second-most double-digit scoring games behind the Cubs (21).
SUNDAY
The Mets and Yankees held each other to three hits or fewer for the second time in Subway Series history. The first time was June 28, 1998, in a 2-1 Mets win at Shea Stadium.
The Mets suffered their 14th shutout loss of the season, tying them with the Mariners for the fourth-most of any team in the majors behind the Reds (16), Guardians (15), and Pirates (15).
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:
Only eight homegrown Mets have put up 30-homer seasons in orange and blue:
Dave Kingman (1975, 1976, 1982) Darryl Strawberry (1987, 1988, 1990) Todd Hundley (1996, 1997) David Wright (2007, 2008) Ike Davis (2012) Lucas Duda (2014) Michael Conforto (2019) Pete Alonso (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
The Cubs took two of three from the Pirates after getting swept in Milwaukee and entering Monday’s action hold the top wild card spot by virtue of their tiebreaker over the Phillies. The Cubs’ magic number to clinch any postseason spot is now 8.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
Three up
Alex Bregman continues his hot second half
The Cubs third baseman batted .400/.520/.700 (8-for-20) over the six games with three doubles, a home run, three walks and only one strikeout. He began getting hot two games before the All-Star break and over that 55-game span is batting .312/.391/.638 (68-for-218) with 17 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI and 45 runs scored.
Busch didn’t start the first game at Milwaukee and pinch-hit, going 0-for-1. In the five games since then: .353/.429/.588 (6-for-17) with a double, a home run, three walks, six RBI and five runs scored.
It would be great to have Busch’s bat in the postseason as hot as it was last October, when he hit four home runs in eight games.
Pedro Ramirez broke out of his slump
In last week’s edition of this feature I noted that Ramirez was in an 0-for-18 slump.
He broke out of that this week by batting .250/.286/.650 (5-for-20). Not much of a batting average — but two of the five hits were home runs. He added two doubles and seven runs scored.
I’m going to give a cautious hat tip to Daniel Palencia, whose outing on Sunday was his best since returning from the injured list. He hit 100 miles per hour for the first time and got five whiffs among 18 pitches thrown. A healthy, productive Palencia would be a huge boost to the bullpen.
Three down
Ian Happ is slumping again
After hitting pretty well most of August, Happ is in a September slide.
Over the six games, he batted .083/.389/.083 (1-for-12). The OBP looks good due to seven walks drawn over the week. But Happ also left one game early due to what was reported as a foot issue and didn’t start the first game of the week in Milwaukee.
As is the case for many Cubs, a healthy and productive Happ would be a huge help in October.
Kevin Gausman, woof
Gausman has had several very good starts for the Cubs. His last one, last Wednesday against the Brewers, was not one of those. He allowed seven runs (six earned) in four innings and got taken deep three times. It was a bit surprising, as he had held the same Brewers to one run in seven innings just six days earlier at Wrigley Field.
His next start comes up Tuesday against the Braves. He’s made three starts at Wrigley since joining the Cubs. The other two (against the White Sox and Diamondbacks) were shaky. Hopefully, this upcoming start will be better than that.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a quiet week
The presumptive National League MVP hit his 41st home run last Monday in Milwaukee.
In the five games since then PCA is batting just .150/.227/.150 (3-for-20) with seven strikeouts.
He does seem to go through stretches like this from time to time. It would be good for him and the team if he’d come out of it starting Monday against Atlanta. He’s four stolen bases away from a 40/40 season, which would be the seventh such year ever and first for a Cub.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 01: Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies throws the ball prior to the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Purple Rowers!
As a reminder, we are doing some experimenting with our morning article lineups over the next few days. Earlier this morning, you read Scaling the Rocks, which features news and links from both the Rockies as well as around baseball.
This is the Rockpile, which will continue to be our daily feature story.
And finally, in two hours you will be able to read the daily Pebble Report, featuring all of the minor league action from the previous day.
You’ll still get the same information, but it’ll be broken into smaller chunks instead of one long thread.
This is not something we’ll run regularly at this time, as we’re still in the experimentation phase, but we just wanted to make you aware.
Troy Johnston made his long-awaited MLB debut last season on July 29 for the Miami Marlins at age 29. He was drafted in the 17th round of the 2019 draft (501st overall) after playing three years at Gonzaga University, and journeyed through the Marlins’ minor league system, including 3.5 seasons in Triple-A Jacksonville from 2022-2025.
Johnston played 44 games with the Marlins in 2025 before being placed on waivers at the end of the season and claimed by the Rockies. Despite a torrid spring training that saw him hit .375/.438/.589 through 23 games, Johnston almost didn’t make the Opening Day roster. An injury to Tyler Freeman opened up the spot, and he has not looked back. But Johnston is enjoying his first full MLB season, and finding success as a ‘veteran rookie.’
“It’s a dream come true,” Johnston said.
“It’s hard to complain when you’re in the big leagues. I think about all the times I wanted to quit and I’m sitting in Triple-A or Double-A and I’m like, ‘This sucks. I hate hit. I’m just going to keep grinding it out.‘ But to be here in this locker room and get to live my dream everyday, it’s all worth it.”
He is also finding the balance of being a 29-year-old player who only has one year of service time — both leaning on his veteran baseball experiences and his new MLB player experiences.
“It’s a weird, slippery slope,” he said.
“Sometimes, I’ll take things too far, and then I won’t take things far enough, and I’ll step in when I need to and then I’ll stay back when I don’t. It’s kind of a part of knowing where my role is and trying to do my best to kind of read the room.
“And whatever the team needs me to do, I’m willing to do,” he continued, “whether that’s take control and do certain things (or if) they want me to stay back. (If) they want me to enforce certain things. I’m willing to do whatever they want. And for me, yeah I’m older and yeah I do have a year of service time but I’ve been around baseball enough. I kind of know how people work and how this game works.”
Johnston has found some success in Colorado, hitting .280/.350/.395 with 29 doubles, one triple, four homers and 48 RBI in 121 games. Up until the All-Star break, he was hitting .301, but a challenging July dipped his average from .313 on July 1st to .283 on July 31st. He had a hot August, though, slashing .319/.407/.511 through 17 games, but has had a cold start to September. In just six games in September, Johnston has gone 3-for-18 (.167) with one double, one RBI, one walk and seven strikeouts.
But he credits his overall success to hitting coach Brett Pill, and his unique approach to coaching.
“Pill and I talk about (a lot). A lot of the way that my brain works is that I don’t like to live, breathe, eat and, like, be baseball. Baseball is what I do, it’s not who I am,” he said. “I have a lot of (heavy) interests outside of baseball, and I really focus on those, and that helps me be a better baseball player because I’m not overindulging in the sport and overindulging what’s going on. I try to leave baseball at the field. I never bring it home, even in the mornings. That’s been a real key to the success that I’ve had in the past.”
Specifically, Johnston and Pill talk about golf and the similarities between a golf swing and a baseball swing.
“We talk about the way that long drivers work and the way that golfers use their bodies,” he continued, “because if you look at professional golfers, it’s very similar to the way that baseball players use their bodies. The only difference is that we use a little bit of momentum, or a little bit of a timing mechanism, and we have a moving target. They don’t, but at impact and at swing, they’re very, very similar, and I understand that very well. So Pill will talk to me quite a bit about golf swings and different things like that, and that really helps me click.”
He also credits his success to the team’s to manager Warren Schaeffer.
“He’s unbelievable. What a leader!” Johnston exclaimed. “I have nothing but good things to say about him. What an absolute leader! He cares so much about his players and so much about winning. It’s fresh, it’s new, I love it.
“It’s one of the special things you get in this game because there’s so many people that really, honestly, are there to progress in their own career and progress as a coach and they’re going to do what they need to (in order) to do that,” he continued. “But Schaeffer’s at the highest level, and all he wants to do is win and make sure that (we) as players have as much success as possible. And so to have a manager like that and have a coach like that, it’s just absolutely fantastic to have him as a leader.”
Johnston had some really early success, hitting .318 through 24 games in April. That also included his favorite play of the season.
“I had the go-ahead two-run double against the Dodgers (on April 18) and we ended up winning,” Johnston said. “It was off Will Klein. I think that’s one of my favorite memories from this year.”
His other favorite moment was his first homer as a Rockie, which came on March 30th in Toronto.
“I was 0-for-2 and looking for a certain pitch,” he recalled. “[The Blue Jays] brought in another guy, and I was like, ‘Alright, I”m going to look for a curveball here and do my best. And all of a sudden, [Spencer Miles] threw me a curveball!
“I hit it out, we took the lead, and after that we scored, like, 10. So it was awesome to be a part of that and cement myself in at least that win that day. But to help the team and do what they need me to do and have so much fun, that’s awesome.”
But Johnston has had success on the pitcher’s mound in 2026, as well.
“One of my favorite things was that I did get to pitch a little bit, and it was so much fun because I throw this little ‘air cutter’ that just kind of goes across the plate,” he laughed. “I don’t throw it very hard — I don’t throw hard in general — and so it’s fun to be able to kind of mess around and do that.”
“I didn’t realize how hard it is,” he said. “The strike zone is very, very small. And credit to every pitcher out there that can throw strikes like that. It’s absolutely incredible because when you’re at the plate, everything looks like a strike. And there’s some thing that never look like a strike. But when you’re up on the mound and you’re looking down, you’re like, ‘I don’t even know where the strike zone is.’ And I’m throwing it and I’m not getting calls and I’m like, ‘That looks like a strike from up here!’
“But it’s very difficult,” he said. “So all the kudos to all the pitchers out there that can throw strikes like that. It’s very impressive.”
But the biggest adjustment Johnston made in 2026 that he’s most proud of is taking care of his mental health.
“My mental approach to the game has been better this year than it has in years past, and I think that’s allowed me to play very free. I think that’s the thing I’m most proud of,” he said. “Numbers are going to come, numbers are going to go. Successes and failures are all part of the game. But I think I’ve stayed pretty level-headed and I’ve tried my best to know my mental capacity can only take so much. And so trying to out there and just be an actual human being and then come to the field and be a baseball player. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
There are only 13 games left in the season, and Johnston will be a free agent at the end of it. It’s hard to say what the future holds for him, but if nothing else, we’ll miss Johnston’s personality and knack for keeping things light in the clubhouse. Who knows — maybe we’ll see him in the broadcast booth in the near future.
But for now, enjoy some of this year’s Troy Johnston personality highlights:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 02: Max Clark #15 of the Detroit Tigers bats during a game between the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers on September 2, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Kevin McGonigle was promoted to the Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster late in spring training, there was plenty of excitement, and despite a failure of a season from a team perspective, the rookie has been as good as advertised and still leads AL Rookie of the Year polling. The follow up question from many was when would Max Clark, the Tigers second best prospect, join his buddy in the big leagues. It took time, but the Tigers decision to give Clark plenty of Triple-A time this season has been vindicated by his all-around strong showing since his promotion back on July 31.
The Clark situation was a bit tricky to explain in May when the Tigers were busy getting their faces rubbed into the mud by just about anyone they faced. Apart from McGonigle himself, Clark was the best pure hitting prospect the Tigers have had in decades. His swinging strike rates of 6.3 percent at Double-A Erie and 5.4 in Triple-A were even a bit better than McGonigle’s numbers. On the other hand, Clark was still working on improving against left-handed pitching, and his route running and base stealing abilities were still predicated more on pure speed rather than technique. These were the areas the Tigers wanted him to improve on with manager Gary Jones and the Mud Hens’ staff, and he certainly did so. The time to refine his game got the 21-year-old well prepared for the major leagues, and the proof is in the numbers already.
Clark has played 39 games and now has 154 plate appearances, so he’s got a quarter of a regular season under his belt. He’s already been worth 1.2 fWAR, putting him pretty close to a 5 WAR pace. He’s hitting .274/.355/.444 with a 124 wRC+, meaning he’s been 24 percent better than a league average hitter’s run production. Along with three homers, three triples, and eight doubles, Clark also has five stolen bases now, and as he’s gotten more comfortable, the level of aggression on the basepaths is increasing. He’s also dropped some good bunts down, showing the versatility in his game, and has had really good success against left-handed pitching, all elements the Tigers wanted to see him develop this season.
Here are Clark’s slash lines in his splits.
RHP: .230/.316/.368 for a .684 OPS
LHP: .356/.420/.600 for a 1.020 OPS
This isn’t going to last. The wide disparity in splits and some struggles against right-handed pitching are going to even out. Clark is unlikely to buck the heavy weight of platoon splits and actually be better against left-handed pitching, but this is something he focused on improving this season, and he’s being rewarded right now.
Results based hitting statistics are treacherous at this early stage. There will likely be some ups and downs in his age 22 season next year. Still, evidence that Clark is already thriving at the major league level is found a little deeper. His 93.4 percent in-zone contact rate is outstanding, as is his 6.8 percent swinging strike rate. He is chasing more, with a 29.6 outside the zone swing percentage compared with 20.7 percent at Triple-A, but that’s still a decent mark and should improve. Generally hitters chase more in the bigs, but not quite to this degree, especially in a player who doesn’t swing and miss much, so the odds are very good that as Clark gets acclimated, he’ll do an even better job being selective.
Physically, the tools are as advertised. Clark has good bat speed at 73.4 mph average and basically average swing length, placing him just inside the top 75 qualified hitters in baseball in that regard. His average sprint speed to first is 28.6 feet per second, which is good though not great. However, his top line marks this season have been just outside of elite territory just shy of 30 feet per second. He’s hit one ball 111.3 mph for his top exit velocity of the year in Triple-A, putting him into plus raw power territory, although he doesn’t sell out for big swings often enough for that to matter too much. As with McGonigle, it’s more just about barrelling up more balls in the air, especially to the pull side, but 20 home run seasons in his prime still seem like a reasonable expectation even if we don’t see that for another 2-3 years.
Defensively, Clark has already been worth four Outs Above Average, with only 16 players this season collecting more OAA in center field. That’s despite the fact that Clark has only played a quarter of a season. This is a center fielder who should eventually challenge top dogs like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ceddane Rafaela for the title of best in baseball.
Perhaps the element of Max Clark that is most important to his future success, and finally getting its due, is his baseball intelligence and absolute love for the game, in contrast to the accusations of hot doggery and immaturity leveled against him briefly after dropping a pair of high fly balls in the notorious spring skies down in Lakeland.
As anyone who followed Clark closely in high school and through the minor league knows, Clark is one of the most baseball obsessed players around, ready to give you a detailed scouting report on every notable player he’s competed against from memory. He breaks down at-bats, the finer details of defense and base stealing, like a successful 10-year veteran with an eye toward a future managerial career, and he has the communication skills to match. His teammates are happy to let him do the talking, because he’s very good at it, and as a result, they don’t have to say anything. A team leader is under development.
You can see him calculating his way through at-bats, learning when to use his time out to recalibrate, and when to use it to freeze a pitcher who is fighting his control. As he’s settled in, the mind games Clark is capable of playing, like feigning bunt to draw in the infield, or setting up one way in the box for the opposing catcher to see, and then adjusting slightly just as a pitcher goes into his delivery, or simply being a pest at first base to draw attention and throws from the pitcher, have become more prominent. He’s only going to get more comfortable and able to put his speed to work as he gets to know the league and settle in further as a bona vide big leaguer next year.
It was clear early on in his pro career that Clark was going to be a valuable player just on the basis of his speed, defense, and pure contact hitter abilities. That gave him a strong floor as a prospect, but just about everything else we hoped for is coming to fruition. His refinements defensively and in his base running have been impressive to watch unfold, but he’s also added strength and bat speed and now represents a fairly significant power threat to go with the ability to put the ball in play a lot and run. All the tools are in place for Max Clark to be an All-Star caliber player for years to come.
However, the real kicker always comes back to his competitive intensity and baseball intelligence. For all the flash, and his nickname is “Spark” after all, Clark is a true team player and leader, who just wants to win baseball games by any legal means necessary.
One series of moments in the weekend series sweep of the Colorado Rockies really brought this home. In the bottom of the fifth inning in Friday’s 6-2 victory, Clark fouled off a first pitch cutter from right-hander Mason Adams, and then watched as Adams fished for the outer edge of the plate away with the next three pitches. Clark might have expected a fastball up or a breaking ball down in a 1-2 count, but instead, Adams came back in under his hands with a 93 mph fastball, and Clark was not surprised. Instead he got to it and launched a game tying solo shot over the right field wall.
An inning later, he was on first base after getting hit by a pitch after Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler had powered the Tigers to a 4-1 lead. Recognizing that pitcher Nick Frasso was really struggling to locate and wasn’t paying much attention to anything else, Clark quickly stole second base, and then took third and then home on two more wild pitches from Frasso. The young rookie could’ve been forgiven if he bounced exuberantly into the dugout, feeling himself and enjoying the moment. Instead, he scored, gave thanks for a brief moment, and then went directly to Zach McKinstry in the on-deck circle to pass on some intel on Frasso.
A small moment, but an instructive one. Clark is always alert and thinking out there, trying to find those extra edges that lead to victory. This is why it’s so easy to believe that, whatever struggles may come, and they come for every player, Max Clark is going to survive them and thrive. He has all the baseball ability you could ask for in a player physically, speed, power, insane hand-eye coordination, agility, but the asset that will ensure he gets everything out of his raw ability is that intelligence and obsessive love for the game in all its detail and nuance.
Clark continues to move up in A.J. Hinch’s lineup hierarchy, now batting sixth quite a bit, but we all know what we’re looking at here. Max Clark is perfectly suited to be the Tigers’ leadoff hitter in 2027, and it would be nice to see Hinch turn the job over to him over the final two weeks and just let him run with it.
Either way, Max Clark is here to stay and is off to a very fine start to his major league career. His buddy Kevin may always outshine him a bit, but the Tigers now have an extremely dynamic duo to lead this team over the next decade. Hopefully an extension offer is in the works. As frustrating and miserable as the 2026 season has been at times, the arrival of the best prospect duo since Tram and Lou makes it a lot easier to bear. This season marks the end of a decent little run for the franchise, but it’s just the beginning for a young, athletic Tigers team now taking shape.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the first time in roughly forever, the Eastern Conference appears to be loaded this year. The reigning champion New York Knicks are atop the conference for now, but the Sixers and others will be nipping at their heels all season as they vie for East supremacy.
The Sixers loaded up by adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this offseason, but they were hardly the only East team to make a major splash. The Miami Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Toronto Raptors (finally) landed Kawhi Leonard. The Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers didn’t make any additions on that level, but Mitchell Robinson, Peyton Watson and our beloved Kelly Oubre Jr., respectively, are notable adds nevertheless.
Now that the dust has (mostly) settled on the offense, how does the new-look East stack up, and who’s the biggest threat to the Sixers this year? We’ve ranked the top five based on their current rosters and the potential matchup problems that they could present.
Honorable Mention: Miami Heat
Any team with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo can’t be dismissed outright. But with all due respect to Simone Fontecchio, the Heat don’t have much else for the Sixers to fear.
Could the Heat patch together a half-decent rotation with Giannis, Bam, Fontecchio, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Tim Hardaway Jr., Klay Thompson, Bobby Portis and Nick Richards? Sure. Is their rotation a house of cards that will collapse if either Giannis or Bam miss significant time? It sure seems that way.
The Giannis-Bam pairing should give the Heat a formidable defensive backbone, but it’s fair to wonder how they’ll fit together offensively. Bam began firing threes at a relatively high volume last year, but he knocked down only 31.8 percent of them, and Giannis isn’t a great three-point shooter either. Can they avoid getting in one another’s way?
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is the right man to figure out that problem, but the loss of Norman Powell and Tyler Herro could cramp Miami’s offensive spacing, barring a turn-back-the-clock type of season from Thompson. If the Heat and Sixers clashed in the playoffs, the Heat’s best chance to win might be turning the series into a rock fight.
But until Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson shows that he’s willing to bench James Harden in high-leverage moments, it’s hard to have much faith in his squad as a legit threat this year.
The Cavs held a 22-point lead over the Knicks in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Then Jalen Brunson started playing Hunt The Bozo with James Harden, and the rest was history. The Cavs wound up getting swept even though Donovan Mitchell averaged 27.3 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field in that series.
The Cavs did add Watson this offseason, but they also lost Max Strus, Dean Wade and Dennis Schröder, all of whom played roles off the bench for them in the playoffs. Their starting five is solid, and Sam Merill and Jaylon Tyson are nice to have off the bench, but their depth beyond that is largely unproven.
Maybe this is the year that Evan Mobley actually takes The Leap that’s been promised for the last few years and the Cavs are much more of an actual title threat than anticipated this season. But Harden has nowhere to hide defensively against the Sixers in particular, and Atkinson doesn’t have a ton of great options off the bench to replace him, either.
5. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons surged to the top of the East with a 60-win season last year, but they proved to be more of the 82-game juggernaut than the 16-game variety once the playoffs began. They barely squeaked by the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic in the opening round and lost to the Cavaliers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Jalen Duren, who remains in restricted-free-agency purgatory, went from an All-NBA regular season to looking like Jahlil Okafor 2.0 in the playoffs. His lack of a bag on offense made him a relative non-factor both against Orlando and Cleveland, which could be a major problem against Joel Embiid if the Pistons cross paths with the Sixers in the playoffs.
The Pistons moved on from Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart and Caris LeVert this offseason and brought in John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris to boost their offensive floor spacing. Those additions should help the Pistons be more well-balanced, but they still may be overly reliant on Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham is one of the league’s best young guards, but Detroit is short on players who can help him generate offense. That could prove problematic against the Sixers in particular since they can alternate between throwing Brown, LeBron, Wade and VJ Edgecombe at him.
4. Boston Celtics
The Celtics have been getting buried all offseason for trading Brown to the Sixers for Paul George and a pair of first-round picks, but you know who isn’t burying them? Oddsmakers. They have Boston with the third-best odds to win the East, trailing only the Knicks and Sixers.
It’s easy to see the rationale. George won’t generate as much rim pressure as Brown, but he’s an accurate, high-volume three-point shooter. He should fit perfectly with Joe Mazzulla’s Math Ball. And while Neemias Queta emerged as a legitimate starting-caliber center last year, the Celtics were short on frontcourt depth behind him. That won’t be the case this year after they spent their non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Robinson.
Jayson Tatum will now be roughly 18 months removed from his Achilles tear once the season tips off, and he already got about a month’s worth of games under his belt last year to shake the rust off. He should be all systems go on opening night. And considering that they apparently have Jalen Brunson 2.0 in Payton Pritchard, the Celtics might not even miss Brown this year.
We might be giving too much respect to Boston here, but 40 years worth of trauma—this past spring notwithstanding—does that to a person. But hey, remember when they blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history last year? Good times.
Scottie Barnes is already one of the NBA’s most versatile young forwards. He finished fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year race last season and averaged a well-rounded 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. He might be miscast as a No. 1 option, but he should be a strong No. 2 alongside Leonard.
Between Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, the Raptors would have plenty of supplemental scoring around that duo. But the truly terrifying prospect is the three-man combination of Leonard, Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. That type of length on defense could give the Sixers’ guards and wings plenty of trouble.
Jakob Poeltl is the wild card for Toronto, particularly with Sandro Mamukelashvili now on the Los Angeles Lakers. Poeltl has missed at least 25 games in each of the past three seasons, and his balky back limited him to a career-low 46 games last year. The Raptors don’t have much (any?) proven frontcourt depth behind him, which perhaps makes this a matchup tailor-made for Embiid in particular to dominate.
Still, with Kawhi back in Toronto, the PTSD from 2019 alone might earn the Raptors a top-three spot here.
2. Indiana Pacers
The perception of the Pacers heading into this season has me feeling like I’m taking crazy pills. They’re below the Orlando Magic in terms of their odds to win the East. What are we doing here?
Yes, Tyrese Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season to recover from the torn Achilles that he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals. He’ll likely need to spend the early part of this season shaking off rust and getting back into rhythm. But as Tatum showed last year, Achilles injuries are hardly the career death sentence that they once were.
Meanwhile, the Pacers are bringing back almost everyone from the roster that was one game away from winning the 2024-25 NBA championship. Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner are the only key rotation players from that squad who are no longer in Indiana. The Pacers have since replaced them with Oubre and Ivica Zubac, respectively.
It’s fair to wonder how the more half-court-oriented Zubac will fit with Indiana’s preference to push the pace and fly up and down the floor. He’s also a non-factor from deep, unlike Turner, although he’ll be far more of a lob threat for Haliburton in pick-and-rolls.
The Pacers might not have the top of top-end talent as Cleveland or Miami, and they might not finish with a top-four seed in the East. More than anything else, this is a bet on their style of play. They ran teams ragged in the 2025 playoffs by leaning into their pace and depth. If Nick Nurse falls into the trap of shortening his rotation and overplaying his starters, the Sixers might gas out in the fourth quarter of a series against Indiana.
1. New York Knicks
As the defending champions, the Knicks get this spot by default. After all, they’re fresh off one of the most dominant playoff runs in recent history, which made their roller-coaster regular season a distant memory by June.
Jalen Brunson is one of the best guards in the NBA, bar none. Karl-Anthony Towns’ ability to run the Knicks’ offense from the high post was the changeup that unlocked their title run. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are both excellent two-way wings. Josh Hart is the Swiss-army-knife glue guy who makes everything click into place for New York.
The Knicks did lose Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti this offseason, although they signed Andre Drummond to replace them. They also have Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson off the bench. However, they don’t have a ton of forward depth behind Anunoby and Bridges, barring a massive leap from Mo Diawara or Pacôme Dadiet.
The Sixers should be far better equipped to combat the Knicks this season than they were in last year’s playoffs, when they got demoralizingly swept out of the second round. If nothing else, the excitement around this year’s team should (hopefully) convince more Philadelphians not to sell their tickets to Knicks fans.
By mid-April, it’s entirely possible that another team will have supplanted the Knicks as the Sixers’ biggest threat in the East. But as the ancient philosopher Ric Flair once said, to be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man. Until further notice, the reigning champions hold that title.
