The victory reduced the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot to 2. If the Cubs win Sunday and the Yankees defeat the Diamondbacks, the Cubs will be in. Thus it would appear very, very likely that the Cubs will be playing a Wild Card series. The question remains: Where? The Padres passed the Phillies into the second wild card spot when they won Saturday and the Phillies lost. The Cubs’ magic number to clinch home field against Philadelphia is 6, and against San Diego it’s 7. So, thanks to the tiebreaker that they have over both teams, the Cubs actually now control their own destiny — win out, and the Padres and Phillies cannot catch them for home field. (That’s not likely, of course, but it’s mathematically possible.)
First things first, let’s look back at Saturday’s win.
The game went scoreless into the second inning, which is when the Cubs took a 1-0 lead. Nico Hoerner led off with a double and Michael Busch was hit by a pitch. A force play put Nico on third, where he scored on this sac fly by Matt Shaw [VIDEO].
I cannot emphasize enough how good a pickup Taylor was. Not only can he play solid defense at all three outfield positions, but he absolutely crushes left-handed pitching, something Ian Happ is decidedly not doing this year. That makes Happ and Taylor a pretty good platoon arrangement.
The Reds tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth thanks to some sketchy Cubs defense — and that’s not a phrase we’ve used much this year, when the team defense has been at elite level.
First, Shaw overthrew his cutoff man. Then Swanson made an ill-advised throw in the general direction of third base, which got away, allowing Suárez to score and putting JJ Bleday on second. That clip is from the Reds broadcast. On Marquee, JD said that he thought Suárez hesitated going around second, though I didn’t see that. In any case, there should have been runners on first and third with one out. Instead, a run is in and there’s a runner on second.
After a strikeout, Boyd faced Ke’Bryan Hayes, who is having a miserable season. Hayes came into the game batting .144 with a .433 OPS and since returning from a groin strain Sept. 7, was 1-for-19 with eight strikeouts. Never mind all that! Hayes singled, scoring Bleday to tie the game.
After that, Boyd was removed in favor of Daniel Palencia, who threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. This was the first time since April 19, 2025 — 81 appearances ago — that Palencia had thrown two full innings in a game, and he looked really good in this outing. His velocity was up, touching 100 a few times, and he had his devastating slider working. If he can continue this, that is an enormous boost to a bullpen that could really use that. Palencia’s six outs were recorded on just 20 pitches.
The Cubs extended their lead in the top of the eighth. With one out, Happ batted for Taylor and walked. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on this single by Nico [VIDEO].
That was an aggressive send, especially since you can see Happ hesitate before the single gets through. But the throw to the plate was cut off and the Cubs led 4-2.
Aaron Civale, who’s been really good in relief for the Cubs, recorded the first two outs easily in the eighth, then gave up a single to Dane Myers and a walk to Elly De La Cruz.
Craig Counsell summoned Ryan Zeferjahn to pitch to Sal Stewart. Zeferjahn wild-pitched the runners up a base, then ran the count full on Stewart before striking him out on this nasty sweeper [VIDEO].
Hopefully, that was a confidence-builder for Zeferjahn, who’s got the repertoire to succeed if he can just throw more strikes.
A note about the pair of Cubs homers from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the second of the Cubs’ last three games in which they hit multiple home runs. They had done so in only two of their previous 14 games, beginning Sept. 1, the day after they smacked a team-record nine homers against the Brewers.
Zeferjahn was sent out for the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a leadoff single, then retired the next two Reds. But Counsell, correctly, was not going to let him face the left-handed Bleday, so Ryan Rolison entered to finish things up.
I cannot remember the last time the Cubs bullpen put together a line like this: Four innings, two hits, one walk, no runs, five strikeouts. That’s the kind of work this team is going to need if they are going to succeed in October, so it’s great to see it happen. Perhaps this pen can still come together and help the team win games.
We covered the postseason permutations above. The Cubs are 5-3 since they were swept by the Brewers in Milwaukee and if they can go 5-2 over the last seven games of the regular season, their chances of that top wild-card spot are pretty good, I’d think.
They can begin that by winning Sunday’s series finale against the Reds. The starters will be David Peterson for the Cubs and Rhett Lowder for Cincinnati. Game time is 12:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network. The BCB game preview will post at 11 a.m. CT.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (18) is greeted by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) after hitting a 3-run home run in the sixth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, May 23, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The finishing touches are being put on to the St. Louis Cardinals season and despite another season missing the playoffs, the overall year has to be seen as a success. With the season being a fact-finding mission for the roster, there are very few remaining questions on the big league squad while the minor league teams cap their seasons with championship runs.
With the experts setting preseason win totals around 68.5 coming into the year, fans were anticipating one of the most painfully long years in recent St. Louis memory. However, the Cardinals steamrolled past that total and while recency bias has really showed how bad things could have been all season, the 2026 season found a way to capture my attention for the entirety of a lost year. As things now stand, there is more clarity and a feeling of optimism that has not surrounded Busch Stadium for a handful of years.
The Cardinals know their needs for 2027 and beyond
As we look back on yet another losing season, the feelings around the club were different. From JJ Wetherholt debuting, Tarps Off, Burly and Walker doing there thing and plenty of other things in between, this team kept me interested far longer than I anticipated. I was honored to be a guest on Meet Me at Musial with friend of the site Daniel Shoptaw (C70) and we agreed that the team got answers nearly everywhere on the diamond, even if some of those answers were not the ones they wanted. I wanted to take the time to ignore these past two weeks and talk about what went right during another rollercoaster season.
1. The lineup foundation
Pretty much from game one, we can look back and see that the Cardinals have some major answers at big spots in the lineup. JJ Wetherholt has spent all but five plate appearances sitting in the leadoff spot, and while the next three spots changed until finally setting on a setup, Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, and Jordan Walker can be written with ink into the 2-4 spots next season. On Musial, of these three I mentioned that Herrera’s long-term future is the most in question, but that is not a bridge they need to cross this offseason. I believe he is the starting DH on Opening Day next year and should even get the full season to prove his downturn was due to being run down behind the plate.
Between Burleson and Walker, I do not think it is out of pocket to say I have more confidence in Burly’s career year being a platform season to further greatness than Walker’s. The lefty put together a spectacular season from start to finish and did not have a month with an OPS below .729 while staying totally healthy and playing a very nice first base. Burly’s career-best season is near what I said at the beginning of the year that he is going to be that guy you forget about putting together a handful of 30 homer, 100 RBI seasons at the wrong time for Cardinals baseball.
For Walker, he has been able to sustain his newfound success for an entire season and seemed to always correct his plate discipline right before things went off the rails again. Even as he was breaking out, there was skepticism to how much we should believe in him as a 20% league-average player. Walker is going to end the season was the Cardinals’ team leader in homers, stolen bases, and slugging percentage while finishing right behind Burly in average, RBIs, and overall OPS. The strikeout “fix” is for real and we are just going to have to live with him going down on strikes 25% of the time and looking terrible doing it at times. Being just 24, Walker had the breakout season that could eventually leapfrog him past Burleson as the contract situation gets messier for the middle of the order hitters.
The rest of the order had some glimpses of future, but I am 100% in on Leo Bernal settling in near the top half and while less bullish on the long-term future of Joshua Baez, he will provide enough offensive protection for the first four hitters. Masyn Winn needs a fully healthy season to prove his consistency, but there is no need to rush him out of the lineup. If all goes to plan, Winn could be a highly effective eight or nine hitter but has been asked to do more than that in his career thus far. Nathan Church is the starting center fielder until he is pressed out of the role and that might not come in 2027. Third base is anyone’s to take and Thomas Saggese is doing his best to be at the top of the pecking order when Spring Training arrives.
Overall, the offense was not the problem in 2026 and while expecting the entire group to remain healthy and mirror their success from this year are high expectations, little needs to be done in the lineup heading into next year.
2. Team Health
For better or worse, the Cardinals had a stellar bill of health with the arms on their major league roster yet again. This year, thankfully, the health spread to guys like Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante rather than Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas and the current group took full advantage of a full season. The end of the season for Leahy has been a disappointing taper off in order to get him ready for 175+ innings next year, and Pallante used the extended leash to put up a career-best season and a short IL stay.
Michael McGreevy has done exactly what is expected from him from a stuff perspective and the trio seems to be an easy lock into the 2027 rotation. The top and bottom slots in those five are up for debate and will probably not get an answer any time soon, but we did find out who is not that solution. Matthew Liberatore got another full season as a starter, so the team is not allowed to point to Libby needing a healthy season to prove his value. It may be possible that he is penciled into the rotation on a matter of seniority, but Quinn Mathews and Cooper Hjerpe will be pushing him from day one.
Because of the overall pitching health, the Cardinals know what they have with may of their guys. While it was disappointing to see Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins go down with injuries alongside Ixan Henderson, there is enough talent stocked at the top of the minors that stayed healthy and can figure into their remaining plans. That spot may end up being the bullpen that Chaim Bloom was unwilling to supplement, so if any of the high-octane prospects miss out of the starting rotation, they can still figure into the big league club and help to update one of the worst reliever corps in the entire league.
To no surprise, the guys who played everyday got a little more nicked up than the starters, but none of them were long-term, career-altering stays on the IL. Masyn Winn does need to find a way to keep himself healthy for 140+ games so he and JJ Weterholt can truly be the middle infield duo of the future. Wetherholt had his own mismanaged wrist injury as a rookie, but that was attributed to playing more baseball than he has in his life so no need to look too far into that yet. The overall health was still there, which allowed us to see that Nolan Gorman and Victor Scott II are not the future at third and center.
Whether it is through prescribed methods from Chris Conroy and Co. or just luck, the Cardinals bill of health has been solid at the big league level. The injuries to the pitching staff had mounted up among the prospect group, which led me to wonder if the newfound focus on stuff and velocity is the culprit since the major league group is still led by more traditional pitch-to-contact arms.
3. Prospect Debuts
There were definitely more positives beyond these three, so feel free to share yours in the comments to keep the conversation going. Honorable mentions for me before finishing the list were The Trade Deadline and Upper Minors Success
In a way to combine those two ideas, I decided to go with the debuts of the Cardinals well-regarded prospects as my final choice for the list. What Bloom was able to do at the deadline set the team up for guys to get their chances in the bigs, but what we saw from these prospects is also a major shout to the player development staff.
Joshua Baez obviously had one of the great debuts in major league history, but his overall progression to get here was also impressive. He will probably be the starting left fielder and five-hole hitter on the 2027 Cardinals and he will get as much run as possible there. The Cardinals had to be a little cautious with his usage this year, which saw him platoon a tad before going down with an oblique injury, but those restrictions will not be in place next season. The power is there, but how much the swing-and-miss interrupts his potential will be the biggest story for him next year.
JJ Wetherholt and Leo Bernal have been comfortable and consistent in their debut seasons and there is no reason to see them outside of their spots next year. Wetherholt was the best defensive second baseman in the game while showing as a perfect lead off hitter for the boppers behind him. He should see a great second year jump after what was a successful rookie year. In Bernal’s case, he may be playing his way into a top-five favorite for 2027 Rookie of the Year. The switch-hitter has not been overmatched at the plate and while he has a few errors already, he won two minor league awards for his catching so I have faith he will be okay back there. His progression makes the catching situation one to monitor again. Jimmy Crooks and Pedro Pages will likely be dangled on the market, while Rainiel Rodriguez will probably add a glove or two to his practice bag.
On the pitching side, Quinn Mathews and Cooper Hjerpe have both shown high-quality major league stuff. They have also shown the issues they will have to iron out going into their first full seasons in the bigs. Both can be seen as rotation candidates to slot in among the right-handers, but they will have plenty to compete with in the spring. Mathews has been trusted to work deeper into games as the year progressed while Hjerpe is coming back from injury, so the former may have the inside track on a spot. What happens with Liberatore will also give some look into the future, because Hjerpe has long been projected to settle in as a reliever with some starting potential.
Even as the Cardinals close out another season under .500, the 2026 season was a step forward from the previous two seasons. The vibes are different in the clubhouse and the front office has the foundation for which to build the next contender. The team’s overall success this year allows Bloom to allocate resources to a couple spots, rather than having to seek answers at a handful of positions. Outside of CBA negotiations, the 2026 offseason would be one of the most interesting for me to see if Bloom opens the pocketbook or gets aggressive on the trade market.
Sep 18, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Tim Mayza (37) pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In yesterday’s game against the Mets, the soft underbelly (or maybe, the softer underbelly) of the bullpen was exposed. Brooks Raley, Chase Shugart and Orion Kerkering were given spots in the game where they were asked to at least keep the game within reach, yet instead, they pushed it over the edge into a winless oblivion.
So now what?
What is the plan supposed to be for the bullpen and how the team is supposed to use it? Obviously they are going to have to keep trying things, if only because there are only seven games left on the regular season schedule and someone is going to have to pitch the innings necessary to finish games.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Richie Palacios #1 of the Tampa Bays Rays is mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk-off single during the ninth inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox on September 19, 2026 at at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees’ odds of winning the AL East are down to 2.8 percent per FanGraphs after getting walked off by the Diamondbacks last night. I know mathematically that makes sense, but the chances mentally feel even more extreme. I’ve been having “fun” (or whatever) comping the odds to certain pitchers from history getting a hit. We are the dregs. Remember mid-2000s Mets pitcher Aaron Heilman? I personally remember him most for giving up the homer to Yadier Molina late in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, just before Adam Wainwright famously caught Carlos Beltrán looking to win the pennant.
Anyway, Heilman was a horrendous hitter. He singled once in his rookie year, and then never got another hit. He ended his career 1-for-47, so an .021 average. So the Yankees just need magic only a little bit more sufficient than that RBI single by Heilman off Sidney Ponson on August 12, 2003! Hell yeah.
It’s not happening, but we press on because it’s good to check up on what everyone else is doing anyway. Here’s what was going on Saturday.
Tampa Bay Rays (94-60) 2, Boston Red Sox (84-71) 1
The Yankees gained a full game on the Rays on Friday for the first time in over a week, as Boston snapped their six-game winning streak. There was no such fortune to be found yesterday though; Tampa Bay made sure of that well before first pitch in Arizona, and it only got worse from there. By the end of the night, the Rays once again had a five-game lead over the Yanks; Tampa Bay’s magic number (combination of Rays wins or Yankees losses) to clinch the AL East is four.
This one was a pitchers’ duel to the bitter end. Brayan Bello had easily his best outing of a turbulent season (and probably the best of his career), firing eight shutout frames at the Trop and fanning 11 Rays, tying a personal best from July 9, 2024. As he only went 5.1 in that one and faced merely the soon-to-depart-Oakland A’s rather than the division-leading Rays.
The only true blemish on Bello’s record came when Jonathan Aranda cracked an opposite-field homer to make it a 1-1 game in the fourth. Tampa Bay had a chance to make it 2-1 against Bello in the seventh when Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson led off with singles. Bello then induced a grounder from Victor Mesa Jr. to move up the runners, and then another off the bat of Richie Palacios to Trevor Story, who nailed pinch-runner Jonny DeLuca at home. Palacios swiped second, but Bello fanned Cedric Mullins to end the inning. The Rays went down in order in the eighth to end Bello’s brilliant night.
Unfortunately for Bello, a win wasn’t in the cards because Boston put up next to nothing against Freddy Peralta and the Rays’ pitching staff. Doubles by Caleb Durbin and Roman Anthony gave the Red Sox their one run in the second, but they were stymied from there. They had chances!
Second inning after Anthony’s two-out double: Mickey Gasper lineout to center
Fourth inning with runners on first and second, one out: Story strikeout, Durbin popout
Fifth inning with runner on second, one out: Anthony groundout, Gasper strikeout
Sixth inning with runners on first and second, two out: Durbin fly out to left
Eighth inning after Adley Rutschman’s one-out double: Wilyer Abreu strikeout, Nick Sogard lineout
Even against lockdown Rays closer Bryan Baker, Boston had one last shot to take a late lead. After Story grounded out, Durbin lined a double down the left field line to put himself in scoring position for Jarren Duran. Durbin darted from second, however, and got thrown out stealing third. Duran promptly followed with a triple over DeLuca’s head in center. Isiah Kiner-Falefa bounced one to Junior Caminero at third to end the threat.
Granted a chance to walk it off, Tampa Bay didn’t waste it. Rather than blasting a homer to finish the game as he had twice earlier this homestand, Caminero began the ninth against Garrett Whitlock with a single to left. (A catwalk curtailed Durbin’s effort to catch a popup earlier in the AB.) DeLuca popped up, but Chandler Simpson grounded one through the six-hole for another hit. The runners moved up when catcher Connor Wong let a Whitlock sinker up bounce off his glove for a passed ball. Palacios ended the night with flare to center that fell in, securing the win for Tampa Bay. At least the Wild Card Series is also almost certainly going to be at Yankee Stadium now, I suppose.
Cleveland Guardians (80-75) 12, The Athletics (61-94) 6
Two crooked numbers effectively decided Saturday’s affair with the A’s in a hurry. Tanner Bibee kind of stunk and would allow six runs in a dozen hits while failing to make through five, but it hardly mattered. Cleveland erased a 2-0 deficit in the first on a three-run shot from rookie Chase DeLauter and two-run homer by Angel Martinez. The A’s got one back in the third, only to see another five-spot from the Guardians on poor Jacob Lopez as David Fry, Austin Hedges, and Brayan Rocchio all delivered RBI doubles. Martinez later added a homer and an RBI single in a career-best four-hit day.
Chicago White Sox (79-76) 3, Detroit Tigers (73-82) 1
Cleveland’s win meant that Chicago was stuck at a game back in the AL Central in the best-case, but they did at least help push one of their Wild Card foes out of the picture with a win. Honestly, this was probably kind of a dud of a game for anyone who isn’t a White Sox fan, the lone highlights being Sean Burke’s six scoreless frames and Miguel Vargas’ sixth-inning solo shot to make it 3-1, Chicago (the other runs scored on an RBI single by Munetaka Murakami and a fifth-inning sac fly). Spencer Torkelson had a chance to tie the game with a homer following Hao-Yu Lee’s two-out single in the ninth, but he flew out to center to end it.
Yeah, it’s time to stick a fork in the O’s. It was all but certain for awhile now, but Chicago’s win combined with Baltimore’s second-straight loss to Milwaukee means that the Orioles are four back with a week to play, plus multiple teams in front of them. Trevor Rogers was the hard-luck loser here while Baltimore got blanked on four hits and Rece Hinds lost a fly ball from Joey Ortiz in the sun, allowing him to triple and score on Gary Sánchez’s RBI grounder. Woof.
Texas Rangers (78-77) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (76-79) 1
The O’s aren’t the only bird that are all but shot down, either. Trade Deadline acquisition José Soriano coughed up an early homer to Josh Jung, beginning a five-inning, six-run outing that pushed Toronto three games out in the Wild Card and the Rangers into a one-game AL West lead over Houston. The only downside for Texas was that second-half surprise Cal Quantrill—who has a 1.75 ERA since re-entering the rotation in late July—left in the second with lat tightness, so old friend Jordan Montgomery picked up the slack in long relief, retiring 11 of the 12 hitters he faced with no hits allowed.
Atlanta Braves (91-64) 6, Houston Astros (77-78) 3
Houston and Texas have been wrestling all week over the prestigious “Who can win this horri-awful division with a .500-ish record” crown. Sunday it went to Texas with the Astros falling out of their tie for first place (remember that they own the tiebreaker). Isaac Paredes had put Houston ahead with a solo homer and an RBI knock in the third, but the Astros’ bullpen set that lead on fire. The big blow came off the bat of Ronald Acuña Jr., who belted a grand slam off Bryan Abreu in the seventh after AJ Blubaugh made a right mess of things.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 11 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #11.
Let's take a look.
Kevin Dineen - 2001-2003 - Drafted by Hartford in 1982.
A CBJ Original, Dineen played 129 games for the Jackets and had 29 points in the early days of the franchise. He appeared in only four games in the 2002–03 season with Columbus, and on November 5, 2002, he retired from playing. In 1188 career games, Dineen recorded 355 goals and 760 points while registering 2229 penalty minutes.
After retiring, he joined the Blue Jackets front office as a Pro Scout and later as an assistant. General Manager. He was the head coach of the AHL's Portland Pirates for six seasons before being hired as the head coach of the Florida Panthers. After two and a half seasons in Florida, he was fired and hired as an assistant by the Chicago Blackhawks.
He has since coached the San Diego Gulls and the Utica Comets in the AHL. He's been with the Utica Comets since 2021.
Craig MacDonald - 2009 - Drafted by Hartford in 1996.
MacDonald played eight games as a Jacket in 08-09 and had two points. He never played another NHL game after his time in Columbus.
He left for Germany in 2009 and retired in 2013.
Chris Clark - 2010 - Drafted by Calgary in 1994.
Clark played 89 games for Columbus and had 20 points. He never played another NHL game after Columbus.
After retiring from the NHL, he was hired by the Blue Jackets as a Scout. He later moved into the position of Development Coach and did that for 8 years. In 2019, he was promoted to the positions of Director of Player Personnel for Columbus and General Manager of the Cleveland Monsters, and he still holds those positions today. In 2023, he was also named General Manager of Team USA for the World Championships.
Matt Calvert - 2011-2018 - Drafted by Columbus in 2008.
Calvert played 416 games as a Jacket and had 149 points. Known as a player who was not afraid to step in front of a puck or lay a huge hit, Calvert personified what it meant to be a Columbus Blue Jacket. Calvert was loved by all fans for his toughness and for being a great person.
Forced to retire in 2021 due to medical issues, he co-founded CAL Sports Management, where he is the Director of Recruitment and Development.
Kevin Stenlund - 2019-2022 - Drafted by Columbus in 2015.
The big Swede played 71 games as a Blue Jacket and had 20 points. He is currently playing for the Utah Hockey Club, but won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers alongside former CBJ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Elite prospects described Stenlund as "An intelligent, big-bodied center with superb puck-handling ability. His greatest asset is his mature mindset: he thinks the game at a high level. Plays a simplified, complete game and doesn't make low-percentage plays. Uses his edges well at a level that suits his style of play - physical and hard to play against; that being said, there is still room for improvement in his skating and first three strides. Protects the puck well."
Unfortunately, it didn't work out for Stenlund in Columbus, which is a shame.
Adam Fantilli - 2024 - Drafted by Columbus in 2023.
After suffering a brutal skate cut in 2024, he was forced to miss the rest of the season. He scored 12 goals and totaled 27 points.
Two seasons ago, Fantilli got off to a bit of a slow start but really turned it around as the season went on. He finished the season tied for the team lead with 31 goals. He also chipped in 23 assists and totaled 54 points.
Last season, he set career highs in assists and points, and looks to continue that this season, but only if he's signed soon.
Luke Kunin - 2025 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2016.
Kunin played 12 games for Columbus after being traded from the San Jose Sharks at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. He failed to register a point in those 12 games.
As a free agent, Kunin signed with the Florida Panthers in August on a one-year deal. He remains unsigned today for 26-27.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 19: The New York Mets officially retired Carlos Beltran’s No. 15 jersey and inducted him into the Mets Hall of Fame before their game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 19, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets soundly defeated the Phillies 10-3, feasting on Philadelphia’s beleaguered bullpen in a memorable day at Citi Field that began with Carlos Beltrán’s number retirement ceremony and ended with Howie Rose signing off the Mets radio broadcast for the last time. It contained another piece of history too: Carson Benge recorded three hits—including a home run—to break Pete Alonso’s record for most hits by a Mets rookie in a season.
Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushingreflected on Carlos Beltrán’s place in Mets history and his place among other Mets who have had their numbers retired. Benge’s twelve three-hit games are also a Mets rookie record.
When asked about the Mets’ managerial job, Carlos Beltrán was noncommittal, stressing that he enjoys his current role in the front office. But he left the possibility open that he would interview for the position.
“We’re going to add certain voices to the front office that are going to be helpful,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said during an in-game interview yesterday—not necessarily meaning a general manager.
The Mets activated Cionel Pérez from the injured list and optioned Cameron Weston ahead of yesterday’s game, in which Pérez appeared.
Christian Scott and Andrew Painter were high school teammates. Yesterday, they faced off against each other in the major leagues.
After the game, Howie Rose signed off for possibly the last time. Gary, Keith, and Ron paid tribute to the Mets’ iconic radio announcer as well.
Around the National League East
After the Mets tagged Orion Kerkering for four runs in his outing yesterday, the Phillies optioned him to Triple-A as their bullpen woes continue.
Ethan Salas came through with a pinch-hit, walk-off hit to lift the Padres over the Marlins 7-6 in ten innings.
The Nationals played an extra-inning game as well, overcoming four errors and two blown leads by the bullpen to defeat the Cardinals 8-5 in eleven innings.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a go-ahead grand slam in the Braves’ 6-3 win over the Astros.
White Sox general manager Chris Getz recently said, “As a whole, we felt like we’ve been playing with house money. What an opportunity for these guys to go out and compete [in meaningful late-season games].”
Yes, that’s the wrong color Sox, but I’ve been thinking this exact same thing as a Red Sox fan. After the way the 2026 season kicked off, I can hardly believe we’re here, primed to clinch the second Wild Card. The months of April through June almost feel like a bad dream I once had, but no, they really happened: the team played bad baseball right out of the gate, Alex Cora was fired, Chad Tracy took over as an interim manager, and players who were seen as massively important to the Red Sox chances—Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, and more—were quickly lost to long-term injuries.
Fans were calling this one of the worst Sox teams they had ever seen. I was one of them. I had written off the Red Sox completely by the time my birthday rolled around in mid-April. I publicly wrote how painful it was for me to recap my assigned games. It looked like it was going to be a loooong season.
Now, with a shrinking magic number, they can comfortably count on the second Wild Card spot. Given what the team has been through, to be here feels incredible. This is gravy, as they say. It feels like we—I’m collectively speaking of the fans, the players, the interim coaches—are playing with nothing to lose.
The early-season chaos elevated Chad Tracy and his interim staff unexpectedly from posts across the minor league system. If things had gone according to plan, they wouldn’t have even been in the majors. There was clearly pressure, of course, with all eyes on them. But there was no immediate turnaround. The team was still bad, almost all the way through June. There’s a kind of freedom in that. Screw it, right, because what else can you say? Well, the team rose up from the ashes of poor play and IL casualties. Big contributions from unexpected heroes like Caleb Durbin, Jake Bennett, Anthony Seigler, Andruw Monasterio, Tsung-Che Cheng, Nick Sogard, and Mickey Gasper helped make this summer magical. This is the embodiment of house money, like Getz said.
House Money Vs. Real Money
The paradox here is that it may feel like house money for the fans, the players, and the interim coaching staff. Meanwhile, success is absolutely a high-stakes corporate mandate for John Henry and FSG.
The truth is, John Henry paid the toll, in real money. The 2026 season was not some accidental, low-budget miracle. FSG spent historic amounts of money and other currency (prospects!) to construct the core of this team.
For the front office, this season’s success isn’t house money—it’s an expected return on investment. From the luxury tax perspective, the Red Sox should be here. Henry has paid handsomely for them to be here. He didn’t authorize roughly a quarter-billion dollars in new commitments over the last year for nothing.
So if we’re talking house money, well, it’s John Henry’s house. He bought the house—built the whole casino, in fact—and financed the chips we’re all playing with. But the irony remains: the team living inside Henry’s casino played most of the summer with the kind of scrappy abandon that comes from having snuck in through a back entrance.
They’re a different team now, of course, since players like Story and Anthony have returned from the IL, and there may be more additions too, with Crochet and Tanner Houck possibly assuming roles as relievers. Those returns have changed the roster, and so has Tracy’s strategy of resting players and reserving energy for the playoffs.
But let’s see where this house money can take us. It’s still burning a hole in my pocket and I know I’m not the only one.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an RBI double scoring Alex Freeland #76, to take a 4-3 lead, during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2026 looked to be a lost season for Mookie Betts, as an oblique injury cost him a month’s worth of time. At the All-Star break, the Dodgers shortstop was limping to the tune of a .235/.293/.416 slashline with 11 home runs and 31 RBI over 60 games.
Since the second half of the regular season began, Betts has turned into his 2023 MVP-runner-up self, as he’s slashing .290/.364/.452 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI over his last 56 games. Betts has been on a tear his last three games, as he’s hitting .833 with five extra-base hits and five RBI, highlighted by a four-hit, three-double game on Saturday in the Dodgers’ 10-4 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Betts has hit all around the lineup, going from as high as leadoff to as low as the six hole, but Betts has been certifying himself as a force at the top of the lineup during this final homestand. Betts spoke with David Vassegh of SportsNet LA about his torrid stretch at the plate hitting at the top spot following Saturday’s win, noting that the return of Shohei Ohtani will directly impact where he hits everyday.
“It’s fun. Like you said, I’ve done it for so long, but that man Shohei— he deserves what he gets. We all know where he needs to hit in the lineup.”
Saturday was a rough outing for left-hander Tarik Skubal as he allowed four earned runs while striking out a season-low three hitters over five innings.
Despite the atypical night for Skubal, his offense was able to generate six runs after his final pitch, giving him his fourth win as a Dodger. When speaking with Vassegh following the game, Skubal gave all the credit to the offense and bullpen for carrying the team the rest of the way.
“Obviously, I wasn’t very good today. The offense, defense and bullpen picked me up big time, and that’s what good teams do— they pick each other up, and win series and win baseball games. Hats off to them.”
Mirjam Swanson at the Los Angeles Times writes about Tyler Glasnow and the ability to trust himself as the playoffs loom near. Glasnow was solid on Friday against San Francisco, allowing just two runs while striking out 10 hitters.
“Today was a step in the right direction,” said Glasnow, the formerHart High star, before leaving the clubhouse in flip-flops. “I’d rather kind of feel it, work through some stuff, and have a good one right before playoffs.
“I think I’m in a good spot right now.”
Jack Harris of the California Post has a positive update regarding Shohei Ohtani, as the two-way superstar did base running drills and used the Trajekt Ark pitching machine in the cage. Hitting coach Aaron Bates notes that Ohtani has been really good with the machine, and the next test will be how he performs in live batting practice.
“In the cage, in a controlled setting, he’s been really good. It’s 100% intensity,” Bates said. “Once he gets out to the field, if he does a live BP or something like that, and the intensity ramps up, it’ll be a good test to see what happens. But in the cage, in the controlled setting, he’s been really good.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a grand slam at Oracle Park on September 11, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball comes to a close today, so it’s time to pick our favorite highlights of the week!
Mine happened to take place a little over a week ago, but since I pre-write these I made the executive decision that my week includes the previous Friday. Which is a good thing because Rafael Devers hit a grand slam in last Friday’s game against the Padres. Grand slams and splash hits will almost always be my picks for highlights of the week.
What was your favorite highlight of the week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants wrap up this road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this afternoon at 1:10 p.m. PT.
Baseballs grouped at Sheboygan Lutheran, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Sheboygan, Wis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (CWS) 10, Norfolk Tides 6
Juaron Watts-Brown’s final start of the season did not go well. He lasted just three innings and gave up seven runs. The Knights had a four-run first that included a three-run homer. Watts-Brown gave up three more runs in the third inning another home run, plus two walks thrown in. His final line: 3 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 4 BB, 1 K. In 10 games with the Tides, Watts-Brown had a 10.22 ERA.
The bullpen allowed three more runs, but Dietrich Enns and Albert Suárez pitched two scoreless innings apiece. Enns was perfect with just 23 pitches. Suárez allowed a hit and a walk, but struck out three.
On offense, the Tides had a two-run first inning in a Creed Williams sac fly and Bryan Ramos double, which came after Enrique Bradfield reach on an error and Jud Fabian walked.
In the third inning, Enrique Bradfield manufactured a run almost all on his own. He singled, stole both second and third, and scored on a groundout by Aron Estrada. He had three stolen bases in the game giving him a season total of 44. He’s been caught just six times.
The final three Tides’ runs scored on home runs from Ramos and Sam Huff.
Ramos and Peyton Eelees both had a two-hit game. Estrada and Willems were hitless.
I would like to say that Clay Holmes’ game Friday night wasn’t that bad when he left the game. However, end the end, it WAS a bad game.
Holmes allowed only three hits over 5.1 innings with four strikeouts, but five big walks doomed him. He had a rough first three innings as the Cubs trailed, 3-2, at that point. He received a boost in the fourth with a two-run Cub inning for a 4-3 lead and Holmes responded with two good innings.
But it all fell apart in the sixth. Holmes left after he filled the bases with three walks with one out. Javier Assad was in a tough situation, but didn’t put out the fire as he allowed one-run and two-run singles as the Reds took a 6-4 lead and held it for the duration.
Offensively, the Cubs built their 4-3 lead with an RBI-single by Carson Kelly, a solo home run by Ian Happ and a two-RBI single by Seiya Suzuki. Michael Conforto had an empty 3-for-4 game. Kelly later had another single, a walk and a HBP. Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson each singled.
The Cubs had the opportunities, with nine hits and four walks, but they went 2-for 10 with RISP.
I appreciate your reading.
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Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times): Michael Busch’s caught-stealing caps Cubs’ frustrating loss to Reds. “Happ homered in the third inning, continuing his pillaging of Great American Ball Park. So why on earth did Michael Busch try stealing second base with two outs and Happ representing the tying run?”
Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): How Should the Cubs Stack Up Their Playoff Rotation? “The Chicago Cubs have several options for their postseason rotation, but which starters should get the ball in a postseason series?”
Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): When Do We Buy Into Tyrone Taylor’s Shocking Heater? “Tyrone Taylor has quietly been a major force for months. Here’s what’s powering his surge and why it may be worth buying into.”
Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs’ Ian Happ faces major problem with upcoming free agency. “”The big problem here for the four-time Gold Glover is that he’s a switch-hitter who is totally broken from one side,” Snyder writes. “As a right-handed hitter, Happ is slashing .150/.223/.276 with 48 strikeouts in 127 at-bats.”“
Bill Ladson (MLB.com): Swanson returns from left oblique strain for Cubs’ final stretch. ““Since that time frame, I felt really good and figured some things out as far as what is going to work for me offensively — hopefully for the rest of my career,” he said.“
Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Why beloved Cubs outfielder’s free agent stock being high could be a problem. “”There had previously been concerns that he might need to become a full-time designated hitter, and instead he now grades out as above average in the field,” Snyder writes. “His stock is high heading toward the offseason.”“
Joshua Barnes Howell, known as Peg Leg Howell (March 5, 1888 – August 11, 1966), was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, who connected early country blues and the later 12-bar style. He was one of the first recorded artists of the Atlanta blues scene during the pre-war period, and he was also one of the first blues musicians to ever make a race record.
Joshua Barnes Howell was born on March 5, 1888, on a farm in Eatonton, Georgia, to Thomas Howell and Ruthie Myrick. During his childhood, he grew up around music, but did not take a serious interest in playing music until his early twenties. He completed school in the 9th grade, and went to work alongside his father as a farm hand.
In 1909, he reportedly stayed up one night and taught himself to play the guitar at the age of 21. He became skilled in pre-Piedmont fingerpicking and slide guitar techniques. He continued working on the farm until 1916, when he was shot during an argument with his brother-in-law, as a result of which he lost his right leg, and had to wear a prosthetic afterwards.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team, in which the Fantable — a roundtable of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: With Williams out injured, who do you give the Suns’ starting center job to?
zenzino: From many comments I’ve seen here, I think that Maluach is a little overestimated and Oso is a little underestimated. Currently, Oso is a better player. Period. Man Man might get the edge on rim protection, but Oso is overall a much better defender with better passing and basketball IQ. Currently.
That being said, I would love it if the coaching staff deemed Man Man ready to start at the beginning of the season. He absolutely has a higher ceiling at the 5 than Oso. I will trust Ott to figure that out and won’t be unhappy if the season begins with Oso as the starter. I’ll just assume Man Man needs a little more time.
I prefer Oso off the bench, and not because I don’t think he’s good enough to start. I like Oso off the bench because I think Oso and CG are really, really good together, and them being part of the 2nd unit makes sense. Stephen at PHNX Suns did a great game tape breakdown video about the tandem, and it is definitely worth watching.
Ashton: I have maintained my stance multiple times that Oso was the firm backup center. Now, he is the Suns’ starting center. Yes, I know, many posters here want their shiny new toy in Khaman Muluch to start. But I am not one of those who believe in KM being the “Second Coming of Center Position” for the Suns. He just plain has to prove it first.
In order of depth chart:
Oso Igadaro
KM – The center, the savior
Small Ball Forwards – of which there are many to utilize in a small ball C offensive scheme. This is where Sheer steps in.
Koa Peat – Okay, I threw that last one in just to mess with you all. But no issues here if he gathers rebounds, draws fouls, and kicks to the outside shooter. But Koa is not a small-ball center. I just like to give him a shoutout when I can.
OldAz: This is an interesting question, as I could make the case for either one. Maluach provides more size and a more traditional center on defense, as well as more shooting on offense. But who is passing him the ball? On the other hand, his ability to step outside on offense provides more room for Green to get to the rim or Book to work to the mid-range. Oso also worked well last season with Gillespie in the second unit.
Despite all this and my repeated disparaging comments about Oso in the past, I think Oso may be the better fit in the starting lineup. He may be smaller and not provide much offense, but he serves as a connector/passer (point center) that could make for a more effective starting 5 overall. KM would also get to develop with more minutes against the other teams’ backups and would benefit from playing more with Gillespie.
My hope is that Ott uses the preseason and training camp to experiment and see which of these options actually works better, but I suspect he trusts Oso more and that he gives him every opportunity to win the job.
Rod: Going into the preseason games, I’d give the starting job to Oso, but give Khaman roughly equal minutes. If Khaman plays well, I’d flip the script after a few games and give him the starting job. If I were Ott, I’d make it perfectly clear to both of them that the starting spot for the regular season is up for grabs and whoever performs the best during the preseason games wins the job.
My main worry is Khaman possibly getting into early foul trouble. Finding the correct balance of aggressiveness and caution on defense can be difficult for younger players, so this is something I’m going to be watching for during the preseason games. If he shows any tendency to get into foul trouble in the preseason, you know that the foul baiters will be hunting him on a regular basis once the regular season games begin.
Q: What do you think of the Duop Reath signing?
zenzino: The fact that this is a ‘training camp competition’ contract makes all the difference and makes it a ‘why not?’ move. We can speculate whether this is a Mark Williams move, a question about Highsmith’s health, or a little of both. I guess we’ll find out in training camp, which is almost here.
Regarding Duop Reath. He’s been around, playing all over the world, and even won a Bronze medal with the Australian team before landing in Portland.
The good: He plays much bigger than he is, which is good because 6’9” is definitely undersized for a center in today’s NBA. He can get hot from outside and could be a floor-spreading big. He has a very workmanlike mentality, which works well with the Suns’ culture they’re working to solidify.
The not so good: He’s not known for his defense, especially in space and team schemes. He’s not a strong rebounder, which is something the Suns definitely need from their bigs. He was quickly pushed to the end of the bench when the Blazers added Clingan and Hansen.
This is a small-margin move to compete for a spot. It all comes down to where the Suns think they need depth. Most assume Jamaree Bouyea will be the odd man out because of how many guards are on the roster. But every one of those guards was needed last season, and that is, in fact, how Bouyea won our hearts.
While not ideal for Reath, he could also be offered a two-way. This late in free agency, it doesn’t look like teams are beating down his door. I just wonder how much runway Kobe Brea and CJ Huntley are going to be given.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Can you believe preseason is just over two weeks away?
Ashton: Every time I hear his name, I hear songs from big bands in the 1920’s. Duop Duop…Duop! Do not think this was lie. When I was 16, I was saddled with a crap Sunday radio shift that included a four-hour vinyl rendition of the big band hour. All I had to do was flip the record. I was asleep more often than not.
I am actually impressed that the Sun’s front office moved this quickly to address a need at the backup center position. Keep in mind that all NBA teams were scrambling to fill backup center positions in a trade market with more demand than available talent. Heck, look at the Lakers’ overpay for Walker Kessler as a starting center because “Thiccic” demanded it.
When Reath played Summer League with the Suns in 2022, there was quite a bit of commentary on the board to sign him to a two-way. Then he had a mini-encore breakout with Portland in 2023, who actually did sign the journeyman (and at 30 years old, his airline miles stacked up, making him a true Journey Man). But the next year, he suffered the dreaded injury that no one wants to hear from the center position. A foot fracture. Will Reath be healthy for 2026-27? The jury is out with me. Also, can he knock off the rust from not playing NBA basketball while he was recovering from surgery?
Duop Reath was buried among a strong frontcourt at Portland. Add in that Rose City’s new owner, “El Cheapo,” sucks and can write a book about how to create a toxic environment while increasing franchise evaluation, and this could be the perfect change-of-scenery scenario for Duop. Okay, he was traded to Atlanta but never played a game and was waived quickly.
So, while I appreciate the depth addition, it really does not move the needle for me on the signing.
OldAz: I always loved him with Portland and what he brought to the game, and despite his age, I love the signing. I knew they needed a third center with Williams going down, but my only hope is that he is truly used as a third center for garbage time and to make sure Maluach and Oso do not get overworked. Maluach needs minutes and every opportunity to fail, learn, and grow. Having an effective third stringer has the potential to eat into Maluach’s minutes when he struggles, and what might be better is to let him struggle and work his way through it. While I love the signing, I really hope Ott navigates this well, with the primary focus being the long-term development of Maluach.
Rod: Reath is an interesting choice and not a move that I saw coming. I really wasn’t expecting the front office to do anything this quickly, but it wasn’t the first time Brian Gregory’s surprised me.
If Reath actually makes the team, I don’t really see him getting many rotation minutes unless there’s an injury or Oso or Khaman gets into foul trouble, so I’m not expecting a lot from him. He does have a respectable three-point shot, though, which means that opponents can’t ignore him.
I’ve heard some fans propose using Fleming as the emergency/third-string center. While that would probably work, I’d rather have him concentrate on learning to play as a power forward in his second year instead of splitting his time between two different positions.
Overall, I like this addition, especially on a non-guaranteed contract. Can’t wait to see how it all works out in the preseason games.
Q3: How badly do you think the Williams injury will hurt the Suns overall?
zenzino: It doesn’t help. Mark’s absence for the last couple of months last season was a significant reason for the Suns’ unremarkable ending.
We haven’t seen him in a minute, so it’s easy to forget how much he added to the team. He ran the floor really well and he got a lot of offensive rebounds and put-backs in a way that Man Man and Oso don’t. Even though Man Man gives us a 7-footer for rim protection, MW is a better overall defender and was much better at moving his feet. Even with a breakout Summer League, Man Man often found himself lost and out of place on defense.
That’s where more experience comes in. The upside is that, whether he starts or backs up Oso, there will definitely be a lot more playing time for Man Man.
I said it last Fantable, and there were objections: get ready for small ball. Especially being down to a two-center rotation, the Suns will be playing lineups with Bridges and even Sheer at the 5, and load up on guards.
Ashton: Did you take the over on the Suns’ season projections on early odds with betting sites? You are going to sweat that bet a little bit more. I just double-checked, and the Suns actually went up a game to 40.5 in total overall wins (DraftKings). I think the loss of Mark Williams is going to be bigger than expected, but apparently, the gambling sites do not think so. I recently predicted on the Fantable that 40 wins sounded about right in the topsy-turvey West, so start considering the under.
I think the impact of losing Mark Williams will be bigger than expected, leaving two centers that could use more time off the bench, who are now thrust into starting roles. Teams will exploit this, and I think Sun fans are going to be seeing more small-ball than they ever have seen before. That is not good.
Look, Williams was hardly the savior in the post, but he was consistent and was certainly missed in the 2025 playoffs. His absence does not make the regular season win total dire, but it will lead to Coach Ott having to come up with some creative line-up solutions. Basically, I expect a different style of play from the “center butterfly effect”.
OldAz: I don’t think it makes a huge impact on their ceiling or their floor. Maybe a couple of games when it is all said and done, and that could be a lot in the tight Western conference, but I don’t think it drops them out of the playoffs entirely. I really like Williams when he is healthy because of his hustle and defensive presence. When paired with another decent forward last season (like when Brooks was healthy), he did well in anchoring the defense. I was hoping for more improvement there with the increased size across the front line.
Now the Suns will be reliant on KM to fill those shoes. Long term, that may be a blessing, but it could be a bumpy ride as he develops. However, with Oso, KM, and now Reath on board, the drop-off in center play is certainly not enough to make that big a difference in their record by the time he comes back and gets back into playing shape.
Rod: I honestly think that depends on how quickly Khaman Maluach adapts to playing meaningful minutes with the big boys. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, his play will determine how much the absence of Williams will hurt the team. We already know about Oso, and I expect him to be a solid contributor, but Maluach is the wild card in the center rotation. If he adapts quickly, they may not miss Williams at all. If not, the Suns could get off to a slow start.
And now the Suns have added another wild card into the mix by signing Reath to a make-good, training camp contract. He may not even make it past preseason, but he could be a solid contributor in certain situations because he adds a credible three-point threat to the center rotation.
Williams will be missed, but I don’t think his absence will have a huge impact on team success unless Khaman can’t handle playing a bigger role.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On September 20, 2000, the Suns were involved in the third-largest trade in NBA history, a twelve-player, 4-team deal between the New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics, L.A. Lakers, and Phoenix Suns.
In the trade, New York got Glen Rice, Travis Knight, and a first-round pick from LA; Vladimir Stepania, Lazaro Borrell, Vernon Maxwell, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks from Seattle; and Luc Longley from Phoenix. Seattle got Patrick Ewing from New York. LA got Horace Grant, Chuck Person, Greg Foster, and Emanuel Davis from Seattle. Phoenix got Chris Dudley and a first-round pick from New York.
There were a lot of moving parts in that trade, but essentially the Suns got Chris Dudley and a 1st round draft pick for… Luc Longley. Longley’s career stats for his 2 years as a Sun were 7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.6 blocks per game.
On September 22, 2017, the Suns signed former number 1 draft pick (2013) Anthony Bennett to a 1-year non-guaranteed contract. Bennett, one of the biggest number 1 pick busts in NBA history, lasted only 19 days with the Suns before being waived on Oct. 11.
On this day, they also traded a 2018 second-round draft pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for Troy Daniels and a 2018 second-round draft pick (which did not convey). Daniels played 2 seasons for the Suns, averaging 39.4% from three, playing mostly off the bench. Troy’s best game for the Suns was on December 13, 2017, when he led the team in scoring, putting up 32 points (off the bench) in a losing effort (115-109) against the Toronto Raptors.
On September 23, 1994, after signing Danny Manning and Wayman Tisdale, the Phoenix Suns traded SF Cedric Ceballos to the LA Lakers for a 1995 first-round draft pick (Michael Finley). Ceballos led the NBA in FG% at 57.6% in 1992-93 and had career highs in scoring and rebounding with 19.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg in 1993-94.
Important Future Dates
Sept. 28 – Media Day Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM (ESPN2) Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
NEWARK, NJ - SEPTEMBER 13: New Jersey Devils Ethan Edwards #73 skates with the puck during a game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils at RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center on September 13, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils versus the New York Islanders
The Time: 1:00 PM ET
The Broadcast: Local TV — MSGSN/MSG and DAZN Streaming, NHLN; Radio — Devils Hockey Radio
Shaking Out the Lines and Roles
Yesterday, I did a bit of an overview of the trends going on at Devils training camp. In addition to those lines, the third day of camp featured the first look at special teams units.
And here comes the first look at #NJDevils power play unit thinking:
PP1: Jack, Bratt, Nico, Evangelista and Luke
PP2: Timo, Rodrigues, Mantha, Gritsyuk and Dougie
Mercer looks like he's getting ready to sub in on PP2. But isn't going out with the first run.
Hischier — Rodrigues — Pesce —Hughes Glass — Brown — Siegenthaler — Hamilton Boqvist — Noesen — Dillon — Chisholm
Of course, these players will not all play today. Since it is preseason, the Devils only need to play a limited number of veterans, while the rest of players involved will be from Utica. Most of those players will not necessarily be fighting for an immediate NHL job, but for the right to be called up from Utica at some point during the season in case of injuries. Given the looks in camp so far, the true “battles” seem to be:
Amadeus Lombardi vs. Stefan Noesen vs. Jesper Boqvist for the 12th and 13th forward spots
Anton Silaev vs. Vladislav Kolyachonok vs. Seamus Casey vs. Ethan Edwards for the 7th defensive spot
Nico Daws vs. David Rittich for the 2nd goalie spot
Unless someone else really plays out of their mind during pre-season, this is more or less the spread of possibilities for the Devils in camp. They do not have a ton to worry about, but with the injuries to Bjugstad (long-term) and Kovacevic (short-term?), things are a tad more open than they were a few weeks ago.
The Islanders
Today will be our first look at the Islanders for this season. Per Andrew Gross, the Islanders have been using the following forward lines in practice:
Gross also shared the non-NHL lines and pairings, some of which will be featured in today’s game. But the big stories for the Islanders include Matthew Schaefer being tried out on the right side, largely due to the arrivals of Kashawn Aitcheson and Isaiah George, per Peter DeBoer. But they will also be watching Kyle Palmieri, who is returning from injury after missing most of last season after an ACL repair. Palmieri will turn 36 this season, so his rehabilitation will be something to keep an eye on.
Among the forwards, the Islanders have few newcomers. Matias Maccelli and Victor Eklund are the two to watch. Maccelli had 39 points for the Maple Leafs last season, while Eklund will be playing his first full NHL season this year. Last season, Eklund had 24 points in 43 games for Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League before scoring 10 points in nine AHL games along with an assist in his NHL debut. Eklund was New York’s first-round draft pick in 2025.
This policy is being met with widespread contempt, especially given the short notice. For people taking bags off of public transit into Newark, they will be forced into using the lockers at the Prudential Center. Hopefully that does not turn into an absolute disaster.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of today’s game? Will you be watching? Who do you want to see on the ice? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
PHOENIX — When Laz Diaz arrived at Tiger Stadium to make his major-league debut, Sparky Anderson was in the Detroit Tigers dugout, Phil Garner was managing the Milwaukee Brewers, and the lineups were littered with names like Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, Cecil Fielder, David Wells, B.J. Surhoff and Daryl Hamilton.
The year was 1995.
Now, 31 years later, with Tiger Stadium long gone, Diaz will be back in Detroit, this time at Comerica Park, where he is scheduled to be the home-plate umpire Saturday, Sept. 26, when future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander makes his final appearance.
Diaz, who was also the home-plate umpire in Verlander’s first postseason game in 2006 at Yankee Stadium – a 4-3 victory in the AL Division Series – now is calling it a career, too.
Diaz, 63, only the second Latino crew chief in MLB history and a former Marine Corps reserve, is umpiring his final regular-season game Sunday, Sept. 27. He and six other veteran umpires have taken the buyouts and will say good-bye to a game that has dramatically changed.
When Diaz arrived, there were no video reviews. No ABS system. No challenges. No pitch-coms. No mandatory checks for banned substances. No New York review center. No public umpire scorecards.
And no hot mics.
Being a major-league umpire is not only one the most demanding jobs in all of baseball, but also the least rewarding.
"I tell these young guys there’s so much pressure in this game," Diaz tells USA TODAY Sports. "So, if you’re not going to have fun in this game, don’t do it. Do not do it. It’s not worth it. There’s just so much scrutiny and negative stuff now.
"It’s nasty. We don’t get the recognition. Everybody is putting us down. Like with Angel (Hernandez) and C.B. (Bucknor), they got so much criticism, and they’re great umpires. But everything is just so (expletive) negative."
He’s going to miss the people and friends he made over the years, on and off the field, but the game, well, not so much.
"There are a lot of people I’m going to miss, and I made a lot of friends, but what I won’t miss is the game," says Diaz, the son of Cuban immigrants. "Not one bit. It’s just changed so much. There’s so much more technical stuff. It’s kind of restricted us. I mean, everything is black and white now. You can’t manage the game.
"You used to look at the scoreboard, and you’d see a player’s batting average, home runs, RBI and stolen bases. Now, you look up, there’s all kinds of stats up there, exit velocity, launch angle, on-base percentage, OPS. You can’t find anything because it’s all a percentage."
He also came up when umpires weren’t mic’d to notify the crowd of challenges and reviews, leading to embarrassing hot mic incidents. Twice in the the last two months, Diaz accidentally blurted an obscenity in his mic that blared the stadium loudspeakers unaware his mic was still on.
Diaz became a full-time major league umpire in 1999 after playing in the minor leagues as an outfielder and shortstop. His first manager in the minors was Minnesota Twins’ Class A manager Duffy Dyer, who happened to be the Brewers’ third-base coach in Diaz’s umpiring debut. Dyer brought out the lineup card that day, didn’t say anything to Diaz, and it wasn’t until the sixth inning that Diaz finally said to Dyer, "You don’t remember me, do you?"
Dyer: “Am I supposed to?"
Diaz: “Well, I did play for you in 1984 with Kenosha."
Now decades later, it’s coming to an end, with Diaz keeping the nameplate atop his locker after every series, and making sure to thank each member of the grounds crew in every ballpark he visits.
"I like talking to the grounds crew because without them," Diaz says, "we couldn't do our job. We couldn't play this game. I appreciate what they do. They're the first ones here, the last ones to leave, and you know every time they come by, I thank them for doing what they do. You got to give them their props."
Diaz will leave with plenty of memories, from working three World Series, Barry Bonds’ record-setting 756th home run game, Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, games in Australia and the Dominican Republic, WBC games in Japan and Puerto Rico, and the inaugural Field of Dreams Game between the Yankees and White Sox in Dyersville, Iowa.
He still has the lineup card from his first World Series game in 2007 when the Boston Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies, and plans to keep the lineup card from last game, too.
He’ll fly to his Orlando home after the game Sunday, do some fishing in Puerto Rico, and even has volunteered to help out his wife’s cousin as a deckhand on chartered boat tours.
Just don’t expect him to be at a ballpark any time in the near future.
Or maybe ever.
"I’ve been blessed," Diaz says. "The Lord has definitely blessed me throughout my career. It was a great run.
The Montreal Canadiens hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at the Bell Centre, and while the Habs had their top six in the lineup, the visitors showed up with a much weaker side, leaving their big guns at home to face the other half of the Canadiens. Habs fans got an entertaining game with a little bit of everything: nice attacking play, big hits, and fights; the crowd liked every minute, including Cole Caufield's overtime game-winner.
While Martin St-Louis’ decision to put Juraj Slafkovsky on the second line to start the preseason might have surprised a few people, the move made the coach look very good in the first game. The three youngsters looked like they'd never stopped playing together and linked up with ease. There’s a predictability there that's hard to deny; they know where they are on the ice. Shots came in from every direction, and without numerous posts, their shot total would have been even higher than seven. Overall, they were the Canadiens’ most visible line.
Speaking about playing with Ivan Demidov, the big Slovak explained:
I know the way he plays; I know what he’s going to do. I feel that’s why it’s working between him and me, because I anticipate what he’s going to do. I think we know where we are; even if sometimes we throw a blind pass or something, we know what moments, which areas, where we are on the ice…I think it’s pretty good, but I feel like there’s so much room to improve; I feel we’re only going to get better.
With Kaiden Guhle being injured to start the season, there’s a job to be won on the blueline, and Arber Xhekaj would love to grab that spot. The hulking blueliner had an interesting game, throwing his body around a lot and logging eight hits. However, at times, that meant he got himself out of the play and was beaten to the net, giving the opponent scoring opportunities.
On the Leafs’ first power-play goal, he finished a check in the corner but let his man beat him to the net. Dobes made that save, but seconds later, Xhekaj pushed his man into the goalie, causing him to lose his stick. He didn’t recover it before Toronto scored. Then, on the Leafs’ go-ahead goal in the second frame, his man got free to set it up from behind the net. This is only the preseason, though, and the coach wasn’t going to hold it against him; he still gave him 21:31 of action, made him kill penalties, even the one in overtime. Commenting on his game, the bench boss explained:
He played to his identity; he played a physical game; he got some reps on the PK; he was good in puck possession. It was a good game for him; he played to his DNA. He’s still a young player. Even though he’s got a lot of NHL experience for his age, the game may have slowed down for him too; it may be easier to make the right reads. Stress normally diminishes for a young player as they gain experience.
On the Jayden Struble – Xhekaj pairing, St-Louis said:
I don’t mind Xhako on the right side; they’re two guys that play a physical game. If Guhles can’t start the season, it’s a scenario that maybe those two play together; some familiarity there, they’ve done it last year. We’ll keep evaluating, but I liked what I saw.
The blueliner seems to have made a conscious decision to shoot more; he tried his luck five times tonight, with two attempts reaching the net. It can only help his case to use that big shot. Yes, he can bring grit and physicality, but he has other attributes he should use as well. Clearly, he’s come to the same conclusion, telling the media post-game that he has to shoot more and can’t always be looking for a pass.
Of course, he was also asked about his brother’s game in Toronto and looked like a proud teacher when he said: it was sick. I was fired up after watching it and texted him right away; it was a sick fight!
As for the top line, it wasn’t as visible as the Slafkovsky-Kapanen-Demidov unit, but it did have its moments. Having just been brought into the fold, it’s not surprising that Chris Kreider needs to adapt to the Canadiens’ style of play; but we’ve already seen some positive signs. His best play of the night might have been a great cross-zone feed to Caufield, who one-timed it right on the post; a little bit of rust is perfectly normal.
Preseason games mean very little, but if this 4-3 overtime win is anything to go by, the Canadiens’ fans are in for another fun season watching their favourites. Montreal’s next game is Monday, when they’ll face the Ottawa Senators in Trois-Rivières.
