The Sixers will be down at least two stars Saturday night when they finish their back-to-back.
The team listed both Joel Embiid (right foot plantar fascia injury management) and LeBron James (low back sciatica management) as out for its matchup with the Hornets at Spectrum Center. Dominick Barlow (lower back stress reaction) and Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) are also sidelined.
Both Embiid and James also sat out one leg of the 5-1 Sixers’ first back-to-back. Embiid has averaged 35.2 minutes through five games. The seven-time All-Star’s career high is 34.6 during his 2022-23 MVP season. James had his best performance so far as a Sixer in the team’s win Friday night over the Knicks, scoring 20 points and coming one rebound and two assists short of a triple-double.
The Sixers listed three players as questionable on their initial afternoon injury report in Jaylen Brown, Jabari Walker and Tacko Fall.
Brown and Walker each have a knee injury officially classified as “left patellar tendinopathy.” Brown missed his first game as a Sixer on Friday. Fall has a left quadriceps injury. The big man on a two-way contract hasn’t yet been available in either the preseason or regular season, but he’s been nearing a green light to play.
The 3-3 Hornets won’t have Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), Coby White (left calf strain) and Grant Williams (right hamstring strain).
With free agency underway, speculation surrounding ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will morph into actual negotiations, as a handful of teams look to land him.
In addition to the Mets and Dodgers, there are a bunch of other teams who have a need for Skubal and a potential willingness to spend what it takes to get him.
The Angels, finally close to being free of meddling owner Arte Moreno, will have new owner Stan Kroenke (and his estimated $27.6 billion net worth) officially taking over in early 2027, pending MLB approval. While the Angels could conceivably go after Skubal, it's fair to wonder how open he would be to signing there given the ownership transition, unsettled situations at GM and manager, and the fact that they haven't had a winning season since 2015.
The Cubs have a need and ownership with deep pockets, but also must rebuild almost their entire starting rotation -- with Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd, Kevin Gausman, and Shota Imanaga all free agents. Given how much pitching they need to add, would they be comfortable spending big on Skubal?
The upstart White Sox could also make sense for Skubal, but the biggest free agent contract they've ever given out is the five-year, $75 million deal they signed Andrew Benintendi to in 2023. So Chicago inking Skubal would relatively shocking.
Skubal's first team, the Tigers, are obviously a fit. But they lowballed him when it came to extension offers before he was traded.
The Yankees could always go nuts and add another ace to their elite rotation, but that seems unlikely given their current deals to starting pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon, as well as other big contracts on the books for Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments about being in favor of a salary cap should also be considered here.
Could the Red Sox, Blue Jays, or Padres try for Skubal? Maybe. But this really does seem like something that could come down to the Mets and Dodgers.
While the Dodgers are swimming in cash, owner Mark Walterhas been accused of insurance fraud, recently sold his majority stake in the Lakers, and has been attempting to sell the Sparks. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is loaded with starting pitching options and could be reluctant to hand a megadeal to Skubal -- even if Walter's finances don't become a major issue.
With all that to consider, how seriously should the Mets pursue Skubal? Here are the pros and cons...
Aug 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning at Comerica Park. / Lon Horwedel - Imagn Images
PROS
Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, having posted a 2.47 ERA (2.42 FIP) and 0.92 WHIP with 757 strikeouts in 626.1 innings (a strikeout rate of 10.9 per nine) in 103 starts since 2023, which was his age-26 season.
For the Tigers and Dodgers in 2026, Skubal had a 2.72 ERA (2.51 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP while fanning 186 batters in 158.2 innings over 26 starts.
Skubal's arsenal is electric, with him primarily featuring a four-seam fastball that averaged 96.8 mph this past season, as well as a dominant changeup, sinker, and slider.
In 2026, Skubal's stuff unsurprisingly rated near the top of the league, with his overall pitching run value in the 97th percentile. When it comes to how hitters performed against each pitch, none of Skubal's offerings resulted in a slugging percentage higher than .373 (or an xSLG higher than .372). Meanwhile, his vaunted changeup had an absurd whiff percentage of 46.9.
Looking at Skubal's other metrics, literally all of them except for extension were between well above average and elite this past season, including his xERA, average exit velocity against, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, and walk percentage -- which was in the 99th percentile. While Skubal is overpowering, he also has elite command, posting BB/9 rates of 1.6 or lower each of the last four seasons.
When it comes to fit, the Mets have a glaring need for Skubal or another pitcher who is a legitimate ace. But Skubal is the only true ace who is available. Putting him atop a rotation that should also include Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and perhaps another external addition, would be a game-changer for New York.
Looking elsewhere on the free agent market for other potential big-ticket additions, there really aren't many. Starting pitchers Michael King and Clay Holmes could be pricey in terms of average annual value, but won't get the kind of lengthy deal Skubal could command. Teruaki Sato, who is being posted by his Japanese club, could get a relatively big deal. But even if the Mets sign Skubal, they would theoretically be able to add Sato and/or another legitimate starting pitcher. So there's no reason to be hesitant.
While the Mets already have roughly $281 million committed to the payroll for the 2027 season (if Bo Bichette opts in), they are going to get serious relief after next season, with Sean Manaea ($22 million), Jorge Polanco ($20 million), and Kodai Senga ($15 million) coming off the books. Also off the books will be the $6 million the club is still paying Luke Weaver for 2027 following his trade to the Pirates. Then, ahead of the 2029 season, the Mets have roughly $90 million set to come off, reducing their overall obligations to around $106 million.
Given the coming payroll relief and the influx of young, relatively inexpensive players (including McLean, Scott, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Zac Thornton), the Mets are in strong position to absorb the kind of massive payroll obligation Skubal's contract will be.
There's also the fact that David Stearns seems to be in a make-or-break offseason, and could certainly use a bold and potentially tenure-defining move over the next few months -- even if it might come with some prodding from owner Steve Cohen.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
CONS
The biggest concern when it comes to a megadeal for Skubal or any other pitcher revolves around health.
Skubal's 2026 campaign was briefly interrupted by NanoScope surgery on his pitching elbow that kept him out of action from April 30 through June 13. But he continued to be dominant upon his return. After having a 2.70 ERA (2.11 FIP) over his first seven starts, Skubal had a 2.73 ERA (2.66 FIP) in the 19 starts he made post-surgery, with 10 of them coming after he was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline.
While Skubal seems to be out of the woods, he has had serious elbow issues in the past. Skubal had Tommy John surgery while in college in 2017 and underwent flexor tendon surgery in August of 2022. If he eventually needs to have a second Tommy John surgery, it's fair to wonder what kind of pitcher he would be on the other side of it.
Even if Skubal avoids a catastrophic injury during the length of his next contract, he'll be facing an uphill battle to live up to it simply because of the amount of long-term deals for starting pitchers that have gone haywire.
For every long-term, big-money deal to a pitcher 29 or older that works out (Max Scherzer's seven-year deal with the Nationals looks incredible in retrospect, and the Yankees' deal for Max Fried is aging well), you can point to a whole bunch that didn't or currently aren't (Patrick Corbin, Jacob deGrom, Jordan Zimmermann, Felix Hernandez, Corbin Burnes).
Putting Skubal's potential health and performance to the side for a second, it's probably generally wise to avoid deals for starting pitchers that could go as high as his -- an eight-year deal for around $350 million wouldn't be surprising.
There's also the pending expiration of the CBA and expected lockout to consider. But there are two reasons why that shouldn't be as big of a deal as some are making it. For one, it's hard to believe the players will bend on a salary cap. Even if they do, any cap would take years to implement, which means it would somewhat disingenuous for any team to cite labor uncertainty as a reason for not pursuing Skubal or other players.
VERDICT
Sign him.
Ahead of his age-30 season, it feels probable that Skubal's contract will not soar into the stratosphere when it comes to years. As is noted above, an eight-year deal would be reasonable and end when Skubal is 37 years old. Maybe the Mets could go even higher with the average annual value in order to get it down to six or seven years, which would obviously be more in line with Stearns' philosophy -- even if it would still require him to go outside his comfort zone.
Either way, the stars seem to be aligning for the Mets to make a strong push for Skubal. They need to close the deal.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 30: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game during the Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving wrecked the Rockets in the fourth quarter, scoring 25 of their combined 68 points down the stretch as the Mavericks completed the comeback.
Here is what head coach Dusty May, as well as the dynamic duo had to say in their postgame press conference.
Dusty May
Opening statement
I don’t know the rest of the league well enough other than film, but I can’t imagine that there’s too many teams tougher than the Rockets. I thought, especially in the second half, when the shots are going in, and you’re in a rhythm, and things are going well, you can match the other team’s physicality and intensity. When they aren’t going in, some teams just can’t do it. I thought late, some guys that weren’t having their best game stepped up and grabbed big rebounds.
Obviously, our two guys, they just made play after play, but so many other possessions jump out. Gafford’s blocks at the rim were huge. P.J.’s rebounds in traffic late. I think he got three in the last three minutes, and we needed all of them. Obviously, Zacc in the second half. Caleb Martin, back the last couple games from injury, has shown what he is — a winning player. On to the next.
What has clicked since for the team since the season-opening blowout loss to the Rockets?
I thought our effort was good. There didn’t seem to be any leak-outs — guys that weren’t in the fight. I thought we were in the fight. We took care of the ball better. We had 17 [turnovers], and that’s still better than game one. But it seemed like most of our turnovers, other than a couple of just, we had numbers and we just kind of threw it to the wrong guy. A lot of them seem to be dead-ball turnovers, which is an improvement. This is Houston. They’re tough to play against.
On Kyrie Irving’s build-up back into form:
If you just saw how much he puts into this game, and that factors into being on a young team, and bringing it every day and helping the group find solutions to problems and doing it in the manner in which he does it, I mean, it’s incredible. That’s why his stat line, 35 [points], 9 [assists], and four [rebounds], that looks great. It’s obviously impressive, but his leadership and his grace with his teammates is even more impressive to me.
How rare is it for a 19-year-old to do the things that Cooper Flagg is doing, especially at the end of games?
What a problem, where you’re in a pickle where two guys like that just have it going, and you just got to kind of rotate between putting the ball in each other’s hands, and knowing that they’re going to make the plays. So obviously, what a luxury for us. And once again, they both trust their teammates. When Houston put two on the ball, and they were determined to take it out of their hands, they continued to trust and trust and trust. And then those reps and that experience, those guys handled it better. I think we hit more, Gaff more in the short roll than we have every, all the including preseason, the games we played Houston combined. And that’s a sign of finding, you know, having some answers, but also the trust factor that Coop and Kyrie have with their teammates.
What are you most proud of with this team?
We look like a team that, you know, obviously, when things weren’t going well, you know, when I watch these games just to see how our bench is about each other. And I want to shout out Dereck Lively. He’s a big part of that. His energy is contagious, and he’s got such a positive spirit to him. But yeah, just the fact that we look like a group trying to find a way to win together, no matter what it looks like. They’re playing the game in front of them, and they’re doing it as a unit.
How did Daniel Gafford rebound after getting hurt late?
I thought he was — early on — he was having his worst game of the year. And he’s been really good for us. And the second half was just another level. I mean, when you’re able to block those attempts at the rim, usually it starts a break going the other way, but those are energizing, momentum-changing plays. And off the top of my head, I can remember several. And then to step up and knock down the free throws at the biggest moment. Just made winning play after winning play.
On Irving’s big second half:
I mean, don’t overcomplicate it. Just get the right matchup on him and let him go to work. And like I said, when he’s playing that efficiently, shooting the ball, and he’s finding his teammates, and those are leading to hockey assists or regular assists, it’s just, you know, don’t overcomplicate it.
How much does Flagg factor into how to get Irving the space he needs to operate?
When you go back and look at it, one of them would screen the other one. One of them would cut to get some attention off the other one. And also, it’s just tough to go when you’re in a tight game with probably six minutes left of a one-possession game, for one guy to do it over and over and over and over and over. It’s taxing. And then the defense that they have to play and exert the energy they have to exert on the other end — for those guys to be able to share that load and have two guys who just are closers like they are — there’s several layers to it. But, you know, that makes you feel good, very confident going into close games.
On the moment team president Masai Ujiri and May shared in the tunnel after the game:
Masai Ujiri and Dusty May share a moment after the Mavericks’ big win over the Rockets. pic.twitter.com/xOiKjwyWZy
You know, obviously I have a ton of respect for Masai, and he’s been a great sounding board, and I’ve probably asked him too many questions just as I learned — as myself and staff were trying to learn this organization and whatnot. And so it was just a little joke that I made, but just very, very appreciative of the team that front office has put together. We’re deep, we’re young, we have great character more than anything else. I haven’t been around very many teams, but this group feels like a very, very special group of human beings first, and they’re working like crazy to get better at basketball.
What makes character so important, and how doe sit align with winning teams?
You know, I don’t want to go into all that, but the teams that, whether things are going well or whether they’re going poorly, simply get to the next thing, the next practice, the next game, the next possession, those are usually the teams that are standing longer than they probably should have otherwise.
What went into the decision of not activating Naji Marshall?
He hasn’t practiced. … It looks like he’s dropped weight, he hasn’t practiced yet and we thought if we can get through this one without Naji, then he’s got two days to get his body back right, get his conditioning and then be ready to play well Monday. We needed him tonight. I mean, it was a tough decision not to throw him out there, but we just thought for our team and for him, just give it until Monday. He was down with the illness.
Cooper Flagg
How much has your confidence grown in the 75 games you’ve now played in your NBA career?
It’s grown a ton. Just being confident, getting to my spots and living with the result. That’s something I talked about last year, and it’s going to continue to be a thing. All the great players are able to just get to their spots and raise up and knock them down. So that’s all I’m trying to do — just get to my spots, and we’ll live with outcome.
Have you talked to Irving about those moments where you just know the ball is going in when it leaves your hand?
I talked to him a lot about it last year. Trying to learn from him — the mental side, but I think more and more, as we’ve gone to this year, just being able to see it in person and on the court from him and being able to learn from the experience has been really cool, too.
How would you describe what you and Irving were able to accomplish on the floor together?
I thought, like I said, just playing off each other really well. He was able to go on runs and be a very vocal leader with the ball in his hands. I was able to come in, be able to contribute in a very similar way, and it kind of just made the game easier for each other, and I thought that was really, really good.
How comforting is it to have another co-star on the roster?
That was great. We have a lot of stars. Guys are being stars in their roles, and I think that’s what we’re seeing. We’ve started to get a couple wins here early. It’s just guys really just sacrificing and being a star in their role. Guys like Zacc, P.J., Gaff, those guys are all stars in their roles, and they’re vital to our success, but it’s felt great to have [Irving] out there, someone that puts the ball in the basket better than the best of them.
On teammates’ performances in the win:
Gaff … never backed down from the challenge. He’s always there protecting the paint, getting the rebounds. I mean, that’s a big team. So I think just down the stretch, him blocking out and helping us grab some rebounds was huge. PJ, same thing, just a physical defender. He’ll knock down his open shots, but I think just the work he did, rebounding the ball down the stretch for us was huge. Caleb, I thought, was really big tonight, and what he did defensively and just rebounding. Zacc has been really good all year — just getting into [passing] lanes, getting deflections, steals, blocks, being all over the place. So yeah, those guys, they’re vital to our success, for sure.
Where have you grown the most as a player since last season?
I just think the confidence is continuing to grow and grow, and I feel like I’m just more comfortable at this point. Having a year of learning all my peers, earning their respect is a big thing for me. And I feel like at this point, it feels comfortable. And I know where I want to get to and what I want to do get there.
What were you able to take from playing in so many clutch games a year ago?
Just being comfortable. You need those game experiences. There’s nothing like it. You know, the crowd loud, everybody excited, coming down. There’s a lot of mental things that you can do to affect a game like that down the stretch. So just learn from that last year, and try to put it to use.
What has Dereck Lively’s energy been like on the bench as he continues to recuperate?
It’s been great. Live has been one of the loudest people on the bench every single night. And you can tell he’s really just itching to get back out there. But just what he’s done from the sidelines and the energy and the positivity that he’s brought to our team has been incredible. And he’s definitely been a big part.
What about [Lively’s] game makes you excited for him to join the active roster?
I think in just the small time that I was able to play with Live last year — his defensive versatility. I mean, a lot like Gaff, just holding down the paint. Being a really big presence, shot blocker, and a lob threat. So that’s a really good screen. So he sees the game at a high level too. So I think a lot of people underrate that about Live. And I’m excited to get back out there with him eventually. And people will be able to see how he sees the game and can affect it.
What’s the key to you and [Irving] divvying things up? Is it based on the opposing defense?
I mean, it’s not a perfect formula. And obviously, I think we’re still working out a lot of the kinks and figuring out how we can help each other best. And there’s been a lot of moments where we realize that we can help each other more out there on the court together. So there’s been a lot of learning experiences. And it’s been a pleasure to be able to play alongside him and learn from him out there. But yeah, I think there’s still more and more that we can do to help each other, alleviate some pressure, and continue to just learn how to play together. And make it easier for one another.
Kyrie Irving
First question muffled:
Kyrie: 35 PTS (26 in 2H) 9 AST Coop: 33 PTS (18 in 2H) 6 AST
Which part? The good stuff, or stuff at halftime where it looks like we probably didn’t give our best effort because of who was in the lineup? And it’s just art of war kind of thing. Just psychologically when Alperen Sengun’s out and then Reed’s out, we have a whole game plan for them. And then we kind of take our foot off the gas pedal a little bit. So we just had to readjust. It’s a human element of it. But when you’re in competition, you can’t do that. And I feel like we picked it up after halftime and just had a few conversations with some guys. And we all agreed. We weren’t playing our best basketball. And in order to be considered the best in this league, you got to bring the energy every single night. You got to bring the physicality. And you’re going against an undefeated team that’s very confident, playing well. They’ve had a few games down the stretch where they’ve been able to pull out some tough wins. And I think tonight was our time to prove that against them. Preseason went how it went. We’ve been talking about how we’re playing them eight times in the first 20 games. But I think it’s just a great learning experience for us. To be able to go down the stretch and just win.
What was the difference for you in scoring 26 of your 35 points in the second half?
I think my communication and also my aggression and just starting the third quarter off at a very high level. Especially pushing in transition and getting the ball above half court, over half court before 21 seconds or 20 seconds, whether it was a miss or a make. And just paying attention to the details on the defensive end. They’re always looking to catch you sleeping. Amen’s always looking to catch you sleeping on the offensive glass while he’s crashing. KD’s always looking to be around the basketball when they’re kind of going through their possessions where they haven’t scored in a minute. And Ime does a great job of letting Fred just free flow into the offense as well as Marcus Smart. And just learning throughout the minutes and possessions through the games. Just some of their cues that they’re mentioning to each other. Some of their nonverbal communication — their eyes, their eye fakes. They continue to press you and press you and press you and wear you down. I felt like we had to kind of take that energy and reverse it on them. And just make sure they played on their heels and they were trying to get up quick shots. And we were just playing with the offensive verve that we needed to.
What does tonight mean after the long injury absence?
It was incredibly special. I’m obviously, you know, it’s the in-season tournament. You know, depending on which team you play against, some teams are taking it serious, some teams aren’t. But I think there’s a good kind of pressure environment to have early in the season where it wasn’t just about me playing well or Cooper playing well. We really needed to have possessions where they mattered. And guys were, you know, making the right plays or weren’t making the right plays, and we just had to learn from it. So we’re going to be in a lot of games like this, you know, down the stretch throughout the year. I don’t know when, but hopefully we can get some 20-point wins where we don’t have to go into it. But when we’re going into some, you know, end-of-game things, we got to be able to be sharp, be focused. And I felt like we were able to do that. And the guys were really leaning on me for some emotional support, some verbal communication. And I feel like I offered that. And I also just was confident within the game. Like, we just had to break over that hump. We were within seven points, and it was five points, and it was 10, and it was nine. It’s just — we had to break that seal off. And I felt like we did it with our defense and also just having smart possessions on the offensive end.
On the chemistry between Flagg and himself down the stretch:
It’s beautiful to watch, you know, whether the ball’s in my hands or the ball’s in his hands. You know, it’s just in terms of our selection of shots. He’s going to get into the paint. I’m going to be an outside perimeter threat. He can be an outside perimeter threat. I can get in the paint. But I think overall, our teammates trusting us to be able to make the right plays. And then, you know, honestly, just in reality, since just having a teenager out there, you know, making these tough shots and getting and-ones and being as clutch as anyone I’ve seen, it’s just amazing to be a part of. And it does take some pressure off of me to be able to make plays down the stretch. And I think that’s what makes it beautiful to watch and experience. And we’re still growing. I think he said it best. You know, we still have a level that we want to get to, a higher level. And we’re going to continue to push each other to do so. And we obviously know the external chatter as well about the 15-year age gap and what we can accomplish and how we’re going to mesh. And I think we kind of throw that out the window and just really focus on what we can control, which is our effort and how we treat each other. You know, he’s a very diverse threat. I’m a very diverse threat. And we just play off each other well.
Evaluating Flagg’s development 75 games into his NBA career:
Yeah, I always speak on his competitive nature. It’s very rare. I mean, you obviously have guys that are very talented, do a lot of great things athletically. But that competitive nature and that drive to want to be the best, to want to win ball games, to want to do the little things — that has to come from and within. And I think he exudes it. Sometimes you look at him, he looks tired, and he makes an outstanding play, a block, or he hits a tough layup or he throws a lob. It just helps settle us win. And whenever we’re out there on the offensive perimeter, we’re able to identify what our match-ups are and be smart about it. So I think his IQ and his competitive nature has put him in this spot today. And I think the pressure really bothers him. He has a great supporting cast around him, including myself, a veteran, where he could look to me, and there hasn’t been too many concepts or too many things in games I haven’t seen. So I know he’s relatively new to us. He’s no longer a rookie, so we don’t have to treat him like that. But we give him his respect as he continues to earn it. And that’s what the NBA is about.
At what point in your career did the clutch shot become kind of an unconscious thing?
I mean, it probably for me started in fifth grade, to be honest with you. I think that my dad put the ball in my hands very young, and I had to earn my teammates’ trust. And I think on every team, obviously I play different roles, but when everybody’s looking at you to shoot the shots or looking to another teammate to shoot the shots, and you’ve earned it. And you got to earn it in practice. You got to earn it in the way you work on your game, and then you got to show it in the big-time moments. And you got to deal with the emotional up and down of making missing. That’s it. So the clutch gene can be developed, or it’s innate, or both.
On Risacher’s impact on the team:
Yeah. I mean, I think the practices that we’ve had, the preseason that we had, I can’t necessarily use the word surprised like everyone else in terms of his effort and what he’s been able to do. He’s right on track in terms of being a young player in this league and establishing himself and really proving himself. And it’s tough being a number one pick and having the franchise pressure on you, and then now being in a new environment and having to develop or accept a new role. And I think he’s done it fabulously. And when you’re around other talented players and high-level players, you’re going to have to adjust and you’re going to have to adapt. He started in the starting lineup in preseason, and he’s adjusted to coming off the bench, first guy off the bench at times, which helps us. So I think the selfless approach that he’s taken has been very mature of him. But we’re going to need him to do other things. And depending on health, God willing, we all stay healthy. But if we don’t, then there’s going to be times where he’s going to be in the starting lineup, and he’s going to be asked to do more. And I think he’ll be able to step up to the plate. But right now in his role, he’s superstar in it, just being able to get the stocks, be able to push and transition. He’s the fastest player on the court during every single game. It’s beautiful to watch somebody like that, just like a gazelle going up and down the court and beating bigs, beating wings. And it helps us a lot when we’re trying to make a push. And those little plays that don’t slip on the stats sheet is what he’s become great at.
On hitting shots over bigger defenders like Jabari Smith Jr.:
I mean, it’s a great feeling when you know the work translates into the games. It was the first four games, five games. I really felt like my body has been in a good place. But there’s more that I can get out of my instincts. There’s more that I can unlock in my game. There’s more of an attack mindset. There’ll be times I’m out in the perimeter. I’m not really cutting, or I’m not really active. And I just don’t want to be stagnant on those possessions. And even when the possessions change from offense to defense, I really want to be able to push myself. And that just comes with reps and comes with rhythm and also making the choice to get out and run despite just maybe some of the mental fatigue or physical fatigue. And just not thinking about like, hey, how do I feel right now? It just should be about playing tonight. And just playing the possessions out. And that’s probably the first game out of the last four where I felt like I was just playing out the basketball game by possessions, IQ, without thinking about like, all right, how does my leg feel, or how do I feel physically?
How do you feel after playing 35 minutes?
I feel great. It was great to build up to this moment. I think thinking about how we were talking about the minutes restriction in the first game versus Houston and how it was kind of controlling my internal frustration. But I trust our coaching staff. I trust our medical staff in being able to develop a great dialogue and getting to this point and just takes patience. And I’m going to enjoy it, but also give myself a lot of grace as I’m continuing to get better throughout the season.
On May’s coaching style:
Well, I’ll keep it short because I don’t want any of these other coaches around the league to get jealous. But he’s a great guy, in terms of, I’m not trying to give away all his sauce and stuff like that. He’s a great guy in terms of being able to identify what skill sets he has on his team. He’s done that very early. He’s very confrontational in terms of what he wants out of you. And I think it helps in terms of just establishing our concepts and what we need to do game-to-game and preparation-wise. He’s a big preparation guy, which I appreciate as well.
What does the NBA Cup mean to the team?
I mean, we have a chance to bring, or have an opportunity to bring home a trophy in the first part of the season. And we know who’s in our group. And we know what’s in front of us. And we just got taken one game at a time. But I think when I first answered this question a few years ago about the in-season tournament. I wasn’t that excited about it, just like other veterans or other guys in the league. But I think I understand the concept now in terms of what it means for a fandom of basketball and also for the franchise. And just getting your legs up underneath you. I think we saw the Knicks last year going against the San Antonio Spurs. And we saw that in the finals. So there is some correlation to playing well early in the season and picking it up and then being able to have some early success, and that lead to [big things] later down the line.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JULY 14: Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. congratulates Cam Caminiti, first round draft pick for the Atlanta Braves,2 at the 2024 MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum on July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No one really asked me, but MLB allegedly polled baseball fans about a salary cap. They were apparently all for it. I’m gonna need to see their voting sample, but in the meantime I’m curious about who on the owners’ side is supporting this. The players, of course, don’t want this. But since it’s the offseason now and we have lots of time to talk about it, I started asking myself which of the owners really wants this and where it’s coming from.
Do you think the Yankees or Dodgers really want a cap, or even remotely care? Ten years ago, the Yankees made a profit on 400 million dollars. I’m curious where they are now if the pre-covid-bucks-era total was so high. The Dodgers clearly don’t care. I’m not sure the Braves are interested either way. I think the Braves’ mindset on salaries is well known at this point.
Looking near the bottom of the ledger, do the Rays really need a cap and floor? They’re already over there counting cards on a level that I don’t want anything to do with them on transactions. The Brewers pretty well have their core almost locked in. The Athletics of not Oakland or Sacramento or Las Vegas ought to have higher income streams soon. Are we flipping everything upside down for the likes of Angels and Rockies?
Does it even make sense to have a floor? If you’re building the farm successfully your going to have cheap talent for three to five years at least. The salary will stay muted for a while, because of baseball antiquated process of underpaying young players while overpaying the older ones. So do we block prospects so you can pay 25 million a year on an aging second baseman?
Speaking of overpaying some infielders, Mets owner Steve Cohen isn’t hurting. I did see a quote from him, saying that his thoughts are just to do what the other owners want to do and figure out 2028 from there. Which other owners is he talking about?
The only this makes sense is that the owners and Rob Manfred wants to standardize the costs and revenues of MLB ownership. If you are looking to purchase a company, one of the first questions is what will it cost to run and what kind of profits they can bring in. Manfred is in the process of bringing teams’ TV contract into his house. They’ve already lined up ESPN, Netflix, and the other major streaming outlets as partners. The next step is to standardize the costs, which are chiefly labor and stadium construction upkeep. They have been very successful getting local governments to chip on stadiums (stadia?), so check that box. Next would be forcing player salaries into a tight band, so they can know those costs are.
MLB is looking to add two new franchises. Also, some current owners may be looking to cash in on the high valuations. And even if they don’t sell, they may be able to report a higher number to banks and be able to borrow money against the value of the team. I’m not saying they are doing that now, but they do it in a lot of other industries.
Sorry we’re 500 plus words into this and I’ve been asking questions to the universe but not you all. So which owners really want a salary cap? I just know I’d be cooler if they didn’t. Or maybe they don’t really want it and are floating this as leverage to get other things like more playoff games that they barely have to pay the players to get.
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 17, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in the final game of the Bucks’ three-game home stand, which saw them notch their first victory of the season against the Pacers before getting blown out by the Rockets. Tonight, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs roll into town fresh off a road loss in Atlanta, so they’ll be extra hungry. The Cavaliers are 3-2 so far this season, having gone unbeaten at home and winless on the road, a streak they hope ends tonight.
The Task Ahead
Despite being undefeated at home, the Cavaliers’ season has been mixed so far. Their offense is posting 114.1 points per 100 possessions, ranking 10th in the NBA. The defense, however, allows 113.4 points per 100 possessions, ranking 16th. This inability to gel on both ends is partly due to the offseason roster shake-up and, most notably, the need to integrate Peyton Watson. While Watson obviously isn’t solely responsible for the entire team’s misgivings, the Cavs still haven’t got what they paid for. Against Minnesota on Monday, Watson recorded four blocks and three steals in a close OT win over the Timberwolves. Great! He also went 0/5 from three and is shooting just 14.3% from deep this season. In Cleveland’s loss to Atlanta, Watson recorded just four points. This underscores how crucial Watson’s success will be for Cleveland’s success this season.
Therefore, a key matchup in this game will rest on the wings. If Watson can impose his will on Jaime Jaquez Jr. and use his athleticism to close out effectively and defend, the Bucks may find themselves on the wrong end of another blowout. Jaquez, though, has shown some considerable skill this year putting the ball on the ground to create when he needs to—and at his best, can even get elite defenders to bite on his fake-outs—so it will be a battle between IQ and athleticism on the wings. Another factor to watch is how well both teams move the ball. The Cavaliers and Bucks both rank in the bottom-10 in assist percentage this year, so whoever finds their rhythm first can take control early.
Injury Report
Bucks:
Clean injury report.
Rockets:
Nae’Qwan Tomlin: out (low back pain)
Jaylon Tyson: out (ankle sprain)
Meleek Thomas: questionable (ankle inflammation)
Player to Watch
Jarrett Allen is off to yet another highly efficient and effective start to the season. His usage rate is down, but his true shooting and rim protection numbers are up. Allen’s scoring opportunities, however, have decreased this year due to Cleveland’s lack of wing creation. If the Cavs can get more perimeter production from their wings, it would draw defenders out and allow Allen to feast in the paint. Myles Turner, for all of his flaws, has been solid defensively, so if anyone can pressure Allen at the rim, it is him. However, if the Bucks’ bigs are pulled out of the paint to guard on the perimeter, it could spell a big night for Allen down low.
Ryan Rollins has a bounce-back game. I predict Rollins will score above 20 points and shoot above 50% from the field. Plus, I expect at least six assists and a strong defensive performance.
How will Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
After back-to-back wins over Coventry City and Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur can prove they have turned a corner by making it three successive victories against a struggling Crystal Palace side at home.
Roberto De Zerbi is seemingly getting through to his players, but Spurs’ progress still feels fragile. Anything less than three points Saturday would create a sense that Tottenham are still struggling to shake off the trouble of the last two seasons.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to face the Dallas Stars tonight at 8:00 PM.
Dallas Stars- 7-5-1 - 15 Points - Won 2- 4th in the Central
Columbus Blue Jackets - 5-6-0 - 10 Points - Lost 1 - 7th in the Metro
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Zach Werenski has notched 5-8-13 in 21 career GP with the game winning goal in the last outing against the Stars.
Sean Monahan has notched 6-12-18 in 29 career games with an assist in his most recent outing at Dallas.
Kent Johnson has tallied 2-4-6 in 7 career contests vs. the Stars, including assists in three consecutive outings at Dallas (1-3-4).
Conor Garland has posted 5-13-18 in 19 career games against the Stars, including points in six of his last seven contests at American Airlines Center (3-7-10).
Charlie Coyle has posted 5-14-19 in 40 career outings vs. Dallas, including points in his past two games at American Airlines Center (1-1-2).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 11.1% - 30th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 74.3% - 22nd in the NHL
Goals For - 27 - 32nd in the NHL
Goals Against - 36 - 7th in the NHL
StarsStats
Power Play - 20.0% - 18th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 93.5% - 1st in the NHL
Goals For - 34 - 26th in the NHL
Goals Against - 29 - 1st in the NHL
Series History vs.Stars
The Blue Jackets are 35-36-0-7 overall, and 16-20-0-2 on the road in Dallas.
Columbus went 2-0-0 in 2025-26.
Columbus has won three straight games in the series, outscoring Dallas 12-5 since Feb. 25, 2025.
The Jackets have won two of their last four games at American Airlines Center.
The winning team has won by multiple goals in six of the last seven meetings of the series, including three by three or more goals.
The winning team scored five or more goals in five consecutive meetings before the Blue Jackets earned a 1-0 shutout victory in the most recent matchup on Jan. 22, 2026.
CBJ have killed off all seven Stars power play chances over the win streak and have denied Dallas on 24-of-25 opportunities in the past 14 meetings since Mar. 13, 2021 (96.0 pct.).
The club has also killed 36 of 38 Stars power-play chances in the past 14 games at Dallas since Jan. 6, 2015 (94.7 pct.).
Who To Watch For TheStars
Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars with 6 goals, 10 assists, and 16 points.
Jason Robertson has 5 goals and 13 points.
Jake Oettinger is 6-3-1 with a SV% of .917. His last start was on 10-29.
Casey DeSmith is 1-2-0 with his last start being on 10-27.
Injured Reserve & Other Injuries
Isac Lundestrom - Achilles Surgery - LTIR - 11 Games Missed
Ivan Provorov - Lower Body - IR - 11 Games Missed - Lightly skating. Could return soon
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 35
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be simulcast on The Blue Jackets Hockey Network and 97.1 The Fan, with Steve Mears behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
TV: CBJHN - Spectrum HD Ch. 320/1320; IP Ch. 349; Prime Video, Fubo. DirecTV Ch. 660 (streaming), 660-1 (satellite). U-Verse (1735/735)
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ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays walks back to the dugout after pitching in the first inning during Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The baseball calendar doesn’t let you enjoy much time off after the final out in the World Series is recorded, but after coming up just short of their first World Series title, the Rays have a lot of work to do to shore up their starting rotation.
Are they breaking up the band?
Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta are headed to free agency. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden projects Martinez will get two years, $48 million. It’s unclear whether the Rays are interested in signing a 36 year old to that kind of deal, but there should be mutual interest in a reunion.
Peralta seems to be out of the Rays price range, especially after an incredible finish to the season that saw him win AL Pitcher of the Month for September and ALCS MVP. He’s expected to sign for nine figures over several years, and it would take the largest free agent contract in franchise history to secure his services. Bowden projects five years, $140 million for Fastball Freddy.
Starters expected to return are Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Ryan Pepiot, Griffin Jax, and Ian Seymour. That’s enough to field a five-man rotation, but the depth behind it is suspect. And that’s assuming all five are back.
Rasmussen is entering the final year of his contract extension, which will see him earn $20 million. History tells us the Rays will explore trading Rasmussen this offseason. Another extension is possible, but you have to imagine it would be a hefty one, with the right-hander being one year away from his first foray into free agency.
Jax and McClanahan are also entering their last year of team control. Jax successfully converted to starting this season, and McClanahan pitched 118 innings after not appearing in a game since 2023. Both have some trade value, but modest extensions could be in the cards as well.
I can’t imagine Rays go into 2027 with all three unless they are on new contracts.
Pepiot and Seymour both have multiple seasons left and are strong candidates to return. Pepiot missed the entire season however, and even if he starts the year healthy, there’s no guarantee he throws more than 150 innings.
Steven Matz is under contract for one more season and could be a candidate to return to the rotation, but he seems better suited for the bullpen at this point.
Who is on the farm?
Brody Hopkins, Ty Johnson, and Joe Boyle all started the year in AAA Durham as starters, but all saw significant time in the bullpen this season, with varying levels of success. It’s unclear what the Rays see for them in the future, but their immediate opportunities at the Major League level seem limited to the pen. The other starters from Durham are not seen as serious big league prospects, at least not yet.
The next closest starting pitching prospect with an MLB outlook is probably Santiago Suarez, who had a 4.50 ERA in 126 innings at AA this year. Jackson Baumeister should also be up in AAA to start the 2027 season, but seems far away from making an impact on the big league rotation.
The farm is not as well stocked in pitching as it seemed a year ago. Michael Forret, who had put together a strong season in AAA this year, was sent back to Baltimore as part of the Tyler Wells trade.
Who can the Rays get?
It’s safe to assume the Rays will spend somewhere around $20-30 million on free agent pitchers, like they did last offseason with Martinez and Matz.
They could bring Martinez back, or look at other veteran starters on the market like Dustin May, Jack Flaherty, or Clay Holmes.
Jeffrey Springs is a free agent after a disappointing season with the Athletics, but the Rays might see him as another swing man or spot starter similar to Matz. Maybe they can recapture the magic he found during his first stint with the team.
If they wanted to make a bigger splash for one starter on a short-term deal, 35-year-old Robbie Ray is available, but it could cost them upwards of $25 million for one season. That would seem to be a gamble, as Ray posted the worst strikeout and walk rates of any full season of his career.
Spending any more than that should trigger serious discussions about what it would take to resign Freddy Peralta, a well-respected vet that clearly loved both his short time with the Rays, and working with pitching coach Kyle Snyder. If Patrick Zalupski wants to show that these are not your father’s Rays, that would be a great way to do it.
With the lockout looming, the Rays may need to act quick to solve this problem.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 31: Dodgers fans are seen dressed up in costumes for halloween prior to Game 6 of the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by LG Patterson/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
Happy Halloween, everybody. While the Milwaukee Brewers (in five) are very deserving World Series champions, I was hoping that we would have baseball on Halloween. Game 7 would have been scheduled for tonight, a perfectly timed first pitch around 8:00, the same deadline for trick-or-treaters to wrap it up in Albert Belle’s neighborhood for the night.
Sadly, the Brewers clinched on Wednesday night on the turf of the biggest dump in professional sports: Tropicana Field. And rather than preview an immortal Game Seven, as we had a year ago between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays, the focus is on Halloween and Halloween only.
And that got me thinking: What is the spookiest moment in MLB history?
I mean, where could we start other than Albert Belle’s house in October of 1995? A group of teenagers went to the door and were met by Belle’s father, who told them that they were out of candy. As Belle himself explained, “As soon as he closes the door, we hear a bombardment of egg shells on my door. So I come outside and chase them.” Belle called the police, saying “You better get somebody over here, because if I find one of them, I’ll kill them.”
The trick-or-treater claimed that he was hit by Belle’s car. Belle admitted months later: “As soon as I caught up with him, I slammed on the brakes and was jumping out of the car and was going to run after him. It was raining and it was kind of mucky back there. The truck kind of skidded, or whatever, and it slid and bumped him. He fell down and as soon as he fell down, he jumped back up and started running.”
I mean, all in good fun?
And it’s not like Belle had any history of controversy. A year earlier, in 1994, Belle was accused by the White Sox of hitting with a corked bat, which was confiscated for postgame review. Belle sent fellow Cleveland Indians pitcher Jason “The Grim Reaper” Grimsley to retrieve the bat (mid-game!). He crawled through the rafters, broke into the office where the umpires had placed the corked bat through the ceiling, and replaced it with Paul Sorrento’s uncorked bat. With ceiling tile on the floor, it was revealed that a burglary had taken place, and Belle was eventually suspended anyway for a corked bat.
Very spooky, indeed.
Some other options:
We’ve got Randy Johnson accidentally killing a bird with a spring training fastball…
The black cat that ran onto the field in a 1969 game between the Cubs and the Mets, a series that turned the division race in New York’s favor. The Mets went 23-7 in September; the Cubs 8-17.
What about the Bay Area earthquake that struck just minutes before the first pitch of Game 3 in the 1989 World Series between the A’s and the Giants? A moment that Al Michaels’ coverage received an Emmy Nomination for:
October 17, 1989
The Loma Prieta Earthquake strikes the Bay Area moments into ABC's telecast of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants.
The game is postponed. Al Michaels earns an Emmy nomination for his coverage.
LAS VEGAS , NV - NOVEMBER 13: Mookie Betts accepts the Designated Hitter of the Year award on behalf of Shohei Ohtani during the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, November 13, 2025 in Las Vegas , Nevada. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Once the MLB season is complete, it’s time to shift into the offseason, including roster moves but also awards and honors over the next several weeks. Here is a look at the schedule for awards this offseason, including a few already announced.
Monday, October 26: New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor won the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s highest philanthropic honor. Catcher Will Smith was the Dodgers nominee for this award.
Wednesday, October 28: Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong won MLB Player of the Year and National League Outstanding Player in the Players Choice Awards, voted on by the players themselves. Shohei Ohtani finished in the top three for both awards.
Monday, November 2: Hall of Fame announces the eight-person Contemporary Baseball Era ballot for managers, executives, and umpires. This era comprises folks whose main contributions came since 1980. Headliners here are expected to include managers Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker.
Monday, November 2 (11 a.m. PT): Silver Slugger Awards top 3-6 at each position will be revealed, voted on by managers and up to three coaches from every team in each league for the top offensive players at their positions.
Monday, November 2 (3-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Top three in voting for all five BBWAA awards — Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Reliever of the Year, Cy Young Award, and Most Valuable Player — in each league are announced.
Friday, November 6: MLB Players Alumni Association will announce the MLB winner of the Heart & Hustle Award winner on MLB Network. Miguel Rojas is the Dodgers nominee for this award.
Friday, November 6: Platinum Glove winners announced at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in New York City.
Monday, November 9 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Rookie of the Year winners in each league will be announced.
Tuesday, November 10 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Manager of the Year winners in each league will be announced.
Wednesday, November 11 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Cy Young Award winners in each league and Reliever of the Year winners will be announced. It’s the first year of the Reliever of the Year award for the BBWAA, and I voted for that award.
Wednesday, November 11 (6-8 p.m. PT, MLB Network): MLB Awards from Las Vegas will feature the following awards:
All-MLB first and second teams: Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Andy Pages, and Tanner Scott were nominated
Hank Aaron Award: Ohtani is one of 10 nominees for the top offensive player in the National League
Edgar Martinez Award: Ohtani will be considered for top designated hitter, which will go to Yordan Álvarez
Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera Relievers of the Year
Comeback Players of the Year
MLB Executive of the Year
Thursday, November 12 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): MVP Award winners in each league will be announced. Shohei Ohtani’s consecutive MVP streak will end at three years.
Monday, November 16 (9 a.m. PT): Hall of Fame will announce its 2027 BBWAA ballot. Longtime San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey headlines the players eligible for the first time. Chase Utley is the returner to the ballot who receive the most votes in 2026, garnering 59.1 percent in his third year on the ballot. Seventy-five percent is required for induction to Cooperstown.
Tuesday, November 17: Silver Slugger Award winners are announced.
Sunday, December 6 (5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Hall of Fame announces the results of the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot for managers, executives, and umpires.
Tuesday, January 19 (3 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Hall of Fame announces the results of BBWAA voting for the 2027 ballot.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 03, 2026: Fans stands near the Jim Thome statue during the fifth inning between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
On Wednesday, October 7th, the Cleveland Guardians traveled to Chicago to take on the White Sox for Game 3 of the ALDS. With a win, the White Sox would clinch a Playoff Series at Home for the first time in over 100 years. It would be only their 2nd ALCS appearance in over 100 years. Needless to say, everyone in and around the organization was a little excited; the players, fans, organization, alumni, and the small few who fall into multiple categories. More on that last one in a minute…
First, a little background on me, in case you’re wondering “who the hell is this guy?”; I’m Jake, a Cleveland sports fan my entire life. I was born in 1989 at the Jersey Shore, and grew up in the small town of Spring Lake, New Jersey. My Dad is from Youngstown, Ohio, and like what I assumed most Fathers did, passed his morals, religion, good hair and sports fandoms down to me. At a young age, I learned really quickly how much I was gonna live watching and playing sports. Growing up, I thought there was nothing cooler than watching the Cleveland Indians score 1,000 runs with my Dad. And still to this day, there isn’t much that can beat that.
Since birth, I’ve lived my entire life (outside of a brief D.C. tour for college) 7 hours East of most Cleveland sports fans. Some say it makes me a more dedicated fan since I’m so loyal to a team that I’ve never been physically close to. Others would suggest I don’t get it because I’m not immersed in it every day. There is no right or wrong there; I’m definitely somewhere in the middle. My only claim is that I hate the Yankees more than you ever could.
This is all to say, while I may not have a 330 or 216 area code, rest assured it kills me just as much when this team fails, we get mistreated by the national media or our Heroes don another team’s uniform.
To the point- I grew up in the 90’s. And while it was the worst time to be a kid that’s starting to watch football, I was the perfect age to start watching Cleveland baseball. Some of my fondest early memories are my Dad letting me stay up late to watch the Tribe, a team that was very good, quite often. I didn’t realize just how close we were and just how hard it was to get back. But I didn’t care yet, I just loved watching them play. Especially since everyone I knew was a Yankee fan. My team was just as good and I felt special since none of them knew a lick about my team while I knew everything about theirs. Naturally, an early hatred grew from that.
Those teams featured some great players. All Stars, MVP candidates, Hall of Famers and ultimately, Cleveland Legends. And if you grew up in the 90’s, there was a good chance that until Jose Ramirez came around, your favorite player was Jim Thome. For me, that was certainly the case. Kenny Lofton definitely had some time in there as well, but the more I started playing baseball myself, the more I realized I’m much more “power hitting first baseman” than I am a “speedy” anything at all. So yeah, Jim Thome, the Man.
I don’t need to tell you about Jim Thome. 600 Homerun club, all time Cleveland Homerun leader, 13 seasons, 3 time All Star and MVP candidate. He has a statue outside of our stadium and known to be one of the nicest guys in the game (you don’t get the name Gentleman Jim by mistake).
Jim wasn’t a lifetime Clevelander though. Like many big names before and after him, once Jim hit Free Agency he took off for a more lucrative offer. Considering where he was in his career and where the Tribe were headed at the time of his Free Agency (read; Rebuilding), it didn’t come as much of a surprise that he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies (that did NOT however stop me from crying in front of my friends on the way home from a 7th grade basketball game upon hearing said news). After three years with the Phillies, he was traded to the then defending World Series Champions White Sox, where he spent 4 pretty successful years both on the field and off, slugging against an up and coming and eventually extremely competitive Cleveland Indians team, while also growing his young family. It was there that it really hit home that Jim wasn’t Mr. Cleveland anymore.
A few years later he would return to Cleveland for a semi-Retirement tour, but upon actually retiring, Thome took a job in the White Sox Front Office, working with Fan outreach, alumni and eventually bigger roles like MLB network analyst, Assistant to the GM and President of the MLB Players Association.
In other words, for the last 13 years, the White Sox have provided Jim a Career outside of the foul lines that’s been just as long as his run in Cleveland as a player was. During this time, his children have grown up (as White Sox fans) and lived their entire lives in Chicago. And as a Father myself, I can say that that is pretty important. You can see it when Landon, Jim’s son was drafted by the White Sox this past summer. Everyone in his family was overcome with emotion, not just happy for Landon for getting drafted, but for being drafted HIS hometown team, the team he loved growing up. It was an incredible family moment for the Thomes.
Fast forward back to the American League Divisional Series this past month. Game 3. The White Sox have a chance at clinching something special. They brought out all the stops, including a “Black out” in the crowd. And when it was game time, and the cameras went searching for everyone’s favorite Chicagoans, there is Jim Thome, he of the 337 Homers in Cleveland that retired his number and gave him a STATUE, wearing all black as the Cleveland Guardians took the field.
This, upset a LOT of people. Maybe some comments were in jest, but there were calls to tear down the statue, to reissue the jersey number and to ban him from Cleveland all together. And while I was bummed to see him there supporting the White Sox, I thought to myself “what else would you expect?”.
Yes, as a player, he was Cleveland. We’ve covered that. But he hasn’t been a player for quite some time. What he HAS been for the last decade plus is a White Sox (that’s somehow the singular and plural, something I can never wrap my head around). The White Sox are his family’s team, it’s his job, it’s his life now. This isn’t to take away from his time in Cleveland, but it’s his current life, and one that has made him happy. So do you really expect him to show up to work on one of the biggest days of their franchise’s history, and start rooting for the opponent? Was that what people really expect of employees these days? They want the guy nicknamed ‘Gentleman Jim’ to spit in the face of his boss. Yeah, not gonna happen.
Look, I don’t like policing fandom. I did when I was younger and that now feels tacky and invasive. I just have a few rules I think all fans should follow.
Never bother anyone who is minding their own business. And obviously leave kids alone/follow common decency.
You represent the whole fanbase, city and team, for better or for worse, so take responsibility for your words and actions.
If you talk the talk you better walk the walk. No one else should have to answer for your stupidity/audaciousness.
Otherwise, it’s pretty much all fair game. I root for multiple college football teams and I think my reasons are valid. Have I violated these rules before? Absolutely. Am I proud of it? Absolutely not. I understand that fandom gets the best and worst out of a lot of us and I am no different.
But here I think people need to use a little common sense. I believe Jim can be respectful of his past as a Cleveland Indian, while also supporting his organization. If we don’t like it, we probably should’ve hired him back in 2013. But alas, not the case.
So in closing, I’m not gonna tell you how to feel. If you’re angry because the guy you idolized growing up was supporting the White Sox, you have that right. If you don’t think it’s a problem at all, that’s also you’re right. For me, I’m just a little bummed. I freaking loved Jim Thome growing up. I don’t want him supporting them, but at the same time, he’s in their Front Office! He’s been there for a long time, living in Chicago where his kids grew up. The White Sox are his life now, and he’s not the guy to disrespect his bosses like some wanted him to. There is life outside of playing, and we got to see first hand what his is. And as much as I love the Guards and hate the AL Central rivals, I feel like given the situation, I’d do the same as he would. Because to guys like Jim Thome, there might be more to life than the Glory Days. Those will always remain, but in the past. That’s just not who he is anymore. And I think that’s ok.
So go ahead, call me a fair weather fan or tell me to stay on the East Coast. But I’m with Jim on this one (not as a White Sox fan, just as a guy who puts his family first and worries about baseball, well after). And I’ll be happy to welcome him back to The Jake as a special alumni, because your 9-5 also doesn’t erase those times we had. The two can co-exist.
And frankly, deep down I’m willing to bet he’s pumped Cleveland pulled off the comeback (ok maybe deep, DEEP down).
The Vancouver Canucks (3-11-1) return from a two-game road trip on Saturday to face the Toronto Maple Leafs (7-6-2). Vancouver enters this game after losing its last matchup, while the Maple Leafs have fallen in two straight games. Last year, Toronto won the season series as they picked up victories in both games.
Every year, the night against the Maple Leafs is one of the most electric at Rogers Arena. There are usually challenging chants, with fans from Toronto filling a good portion of the stands. Add in the fact that some fans will be in costume to celebrate Halloween, and Saturday's game could be one of the most exciting games to experience in terms of atmosphere this season.
As for on the ice, the Canucks can't afford another sloppy third period. Vancouver looked in control on Thursday night before once again collapsing in the final frame. If the Canucks can establish a lead after 40 minutes, they need to keep their foot on the gas until the final horn sounds.
Players To Watch:
Tom Willander:
Tom Willander continues to develop into a solid defender. The 21-year-old leads the team in even-strength ice time and recorded three shots on goal in Thursday's loss. It appears that Willander has earned the trust of the coaching staff and is projected to see plenty of ice time against the Maple Leafs.
Gavin McKenna:
Fans in Vancouver will catch a glimpse of what almost was as Gavin McKenna hits the ice at Rogers Arena for the first time. The 2026 first-overall pick is having a solid start to his NHL career with 11 points through his first 15 games. Currently skating on Toronto's first line, McKenna will make the Canucks pay if they give him time and space with the puck.
Vancouver Canucks (3–11–1):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 4–12–16
Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 6–6–12
Brock Boeser: 4–8–12
Filip Hronek: 1–10–11
Linus Karlsson: 3–6–9
Goaltenders:
Leevi Meriläinen: 2–4–1
Kevin Lankinen: 1–7–0
Toronto Maple Leafs (7-6-2)
Points:
Auston Matthews: 10-13-23
William Nylander: 9-10-19
Jack Roslovic: 6-9-15
Kirill Marchenko: 6-8-14
Easton Cowan: 6-8-14
Goaltenders:
Anthony Stolarz: 4-1-0
Sergei Bobrovsky: 3-5-2
Game Information:
Start time: 4:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: KiSS West Coast
Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74) handles the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Oh, there’s no news today about Daniel Palencia. But he IS a relief pitcher.
And so am I, in a sense. Today, I’m filling in on Cub Tracks for Jeff Brown, who’s away on vacation. Josh, Ashley and I will be taking care of Cub Tracks until Jeff returns on Nov. 12.
I picked Palencia because I felt that at the very end of the 2026 season, he had finally gotten back to the form he showed in 2025, before missing much of this year with injuries. A healthy and productive Palencia could be an anchor for an improved Cubs bullpen in 2027. Palencia turns 27 in February. He should be entering his best seasons. Fingers crossed.
As we head into the offseason, for now the news bin is somewhat empty. But here’s what we’ve got to begin your Saturday.
Roster notes:
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd opt for free agency: “As for what the Cubs do with their suddenly barren rotation, well, that’s pretty much 90% of the question for the offseason. Bringing back either Holmes or Boyd is a plausible part of the answer, though even if the Cubs brought back both, they’d need another starter to join them.“
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Here’s what the Cubs are looking for in free agency. Jed Hoyer states the obvious: “From a Major League standpoint, their pitching has been exceptionally good,” Hoyer said at his season-ending press conference. “I think that’s the area that we have to double down and really focus on. Obviously, the position-playing group this year was exceptional, and I think [pitching] is the biggest area that we have to focus on.”
Other news:
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Cubs retain John Mallee on the coaching staff. The Mets apparently had interest in Mallee, but “the Cubs were so keen to make sure they kept Mallee that they proactively went to him to rework his contract BEFORE he even spoke with the Mets.“
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Turns Out the Cubs Reportedly ARE the Mystery NL Central Team in on Taiwanese Righty Jyun-Yue Tseng: “In addition to trying to coax out some results (obviously), it would also be very cool to bring in an established star from Taiwan to see about building out a pipeline to the burgeoning talent there. Get Tseng in the system, work with him in Spring Training (even if there’s a lockout, minor league Spring Training will continue as normal), and perhaps see what he can do at Triple-A first.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs have a big assignment if they want to catch up with the Brewers: “The Brewers are absolutely never stagnant. That’s the greatest lesson the Cubs can learn from their chief rivals, as they attempt to recover from a decade-long stretch of domination by Milwaukee that culminated in a championship Wednesday. Jed Hoyer’s greatest shortcoming as a team builder is an insufficient comfort with rapid change. His Milwaukee counterpart, Matt Arnold, never forgets to keep his roster moving.”
io9: Tributes pour in for the late Patrick Stewart, who passed away this week at age 86. The Shakespearean-trained actor’s greatest role was as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: Next Generation. One tribute is from actor Hugh Jackman: “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”
The offseason is here, and with it comes the natural discussions: who’s getting traded, who’s getting signed, and how long will we be without baseball for? Hopefully, not for long. The Guardians’ 2026 season wound up surpassing any and all expectations heading into the season, but building off an 85-win season and ALCS appearance can feel like a mountain to climb for a ball club unwilling to spend. Despite that, we’re going to look at a handful of free agents that Cleveland could take a look at this offseason to improve the roster for 2027*. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and you’re probably right. A Dolan ownership with a foot out the door isn’t going to spend. The Guardians started 2026 with baseball’s lowest payroll, and they’re going from 20.9% of that payroll being covered by arbitration salaries to a whopping 51.4%, per FanGraphs. Cleveland’s projected 2027* payroll sits somewhere just shy of $100-million. Arbitration alone makes a huge difference.
So, how realistic is any of this? For that answer, I recruited some help. You will see graphics throughout this article from my friend and data wizard, PastTheEyeTest. You will not find a more in-depth analytical baseball site that’s completely free like this, and he was kind enough to use his contract projection model to assist me in our endeavor here. I will then be grading on a 1-to-10 scale as to whether this player is feasible for the Guardians to sign.
The old saying goes we’re trying to turn F’s into C’s, and the trade deadline accomplished that in the short term. The addition of Foster Griffin will not be remembered as fondly as many would like it to be because Griffin regressed to his expected numbers and simply didn’t put up the same quality of outing as he did in Washington. That was still far better than what they were getting from Slade Cecconi, and when Tanner Bibee’s season took a sharp nosedive, Griffin stepped up in big spots and delivered strong outings in must-win games. This was less an F and more D-grade situation as Bibee was still generating innings eating outings, but Griffin gave Cleveland postseason innings that the other two were not trusted to provide. Griffin is set for free agency entering the ‘27 season, and Cleveland will be in dire need for starting pitching depth as their postseason run signified.
Gavin Williams was terrific this postseason, and Foster Griffin secured 10.1 innings of a 3.48 ERA (0.78 FIP) in both starting and bulk roles, but beyond the two of them, it was bleak. Parker Messick, coming off a truly historic rookie season, was visibly gassed each of his final two postseason outings showing shoddy command and little feel for his best pitches. He wasn’t throwing strikes, he was getting squared up, and two of the worst outings of his career happened just this October. There’s a deeper issue to be investigated here. Cleveland entered the season with the hopes that Tanner Bibee still had ace potential. They were very wrong. That misguided mindset created an excuse to not go and sign a starting pitcher, and the rookie Messick paid for it in innings. The brakes were never tapped for the rookie as Cleveland steamrolled its way into a divisional race with Messick headlining the rotation, and across August and September, he pitched into at least the sixth inning in 8 of his 11 starts, eclipsing 90 pitches in nine of those outings. To Messick’s credit, he was outstanding, and he will receive both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young votes because of his season. It also highlighted a need because while he was pitching like an ace, he ideally should not have been worked the way he was.
In the postseason, across 11 games, Cleveland accrued just 47.2 from its regular season starting pitchers. Cantillo was used exclusively in relief, Cecconi came on in lower leverage spots when the Guards were trailing against Tampa, and Tanner Bibee recorded a singular out. This is largely not a Stephen Vogt problem. It’s a sincere lack of quality depth for October. The lack of Cantillo boiled down to finding the right way to use him. Cantillo found success as a bulk arm later in September, finding his best outings in weeks after relieving the opener, but he never assumed the same role in the postseason, in large part to uncontainable command issues. Cecconi was moved to the bullpen after the Foster Griffin trade, and Tanner Bibee had the highest ERA of any qualified starter in baseball over the final two months of the season, including an ERA of 7.36 in September.
The simple answer is they need better arms. The more complex answer is they need better stuff. So, where can they find that this offseason? Foster Griffin is not realistic. Griffin’s camp was reportedly already seeking north of $100-million before the deadline,
— StL/MIL RHP Dustin May
Where to even begin here…Dustin May has been a name for a while now. From highly touted prospect to losing so much of his early seasons to injury to being the centerpiece of any and every mock trade for the Dodgers to a scary injury where he suffered a tear his esophagus after swallowing a piece of lettuce, May bounced back from all of that to set a career high in innings and strikeouts, and he’s now won three World Series in a row, with four overall.
May had a strong first half highlighted by a complete game, one-hit shutout as a member of the Cardinals. He was moved to Milwaukee at the deadline, and the underlying data seemed to catch up to him. May found more strikeouts with the Brewers, but whether in St. Louis or Milwaukee, May got hit hard, and the once great strength in preventing barrels and home runs turned into a weakness.
May found a cutter in Boston that he carried over into 2026, and much like Gavin Williams in 2025, it took his struggles to stay in the zone and muffled them a bit, giving him a glove side offering to hunt in the zone more. Combine that with a significant raise in arm angle from 21-degrees to 35-degrees, and May saw his 4-seam zone rate go from 47.9% up to 52.4%, and the stuff was significantly better.
May has simplified his arsenal too much in Milwaukee, and it’s been to the detriment of his sweeper. In 2-strike counts with St. Louis, May was going to his sweeper 42.3% of the time, inducing a 29.4% whiff rate and 17.7% put-away rate, above league average for sweepers. His sweeper usage in 2-strike counts dwindled to under 23% with Milwaukee, his put-away rate dropped to 10.9%, and his overall whiff rate in 2-strike counts among all pitches fell to 22.8% from 24.5%.
May fits well in Cleveland because of exactly that. Cleveland helped Gavin Williams both find and then rekindle his sweeper. Tanner Bibee developed a sweeper in this organization (that he should also throw more), Colin Holderman saw a career rejuvenation, largely because he found his sweeper again.
This is a top heavy pitching market, and Cleveland can’t wade in the pool with the bigger sharks. May could be the top end of what they’re hunting for.
Milwaukee declined May’s mutual option is $20-million, making him an outright free agent.
PastTheEyeTest Projected Dustin May contract: 2 years, $34 million — Possible Player Option Realism Meter: 7/10
— CHC RHP Matthew Boyd
The first of a couple old friends that we’ll talk about here, Boyd has been a named possibly linked to the Guardians in the early stages of the offseason. Boyd flies in the face of the ‘improved stuff’ that we’re after, but his pedigree in recent years since returning from injury and the success he briefly had in Cleveland make this an easy fit. That being said, I’m skeptical. Boyd possesses a capable 4-seam/slider combo that handles lefties well, and then he flips it to 4-seam/changeup to right-handed batters, but the fastball got hit and hit hard, and he arguably should’ve been hit harder. Boyd surrendered a .455 SLG to the heater, but his .514 xSLG was among the worst marks from a starting pitcher in 2026. The rest of his arsenal combined yielded just a .349 xSLG.
If Boyd came back, I’d look for him to implement his sinker a lot more against lefties. He all but disowned the offering in Chicago, and it put a lot of pressure on his fastball to batters of either handedness. Boyd also threw a higher rate of same-handed changeups in his eight starts in Cleveland in ‘24. Sometimes you have to let a junkyard dog have fun with the junk. As Boyd ages, his ability to locate and tunnel from his lower slot and release point will only continue to amplify his success, and for a back end arm, he would be ideal and not terribly expensive.
PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $12 million Realism Meter: 7/10
— TOR RHP Shane Bieber
Now we’re cooking. Bieber has made just 20 starts over the last three regular seasons. The once the prince that was promised needs to come home and anchor the middle to back end of a rotation that badly needs his experience. For Guardians fans, if you want to see what Braylon Doughty can become, just watch here. Injuries have plagued Bieber from 2022 on, and in looking for a fresh reboot to the winding down of a career, Cleveland provides him with something nobody else in the league can: a familiar backdrop to the best years of his career.
Bieber’s fastball just hasn’t been the same in five years, but the velocity has returned to his post-2020 Cy Young season. The knuckle-curve and slider still carry a solid to strong contingent of secondaries, and the new changeup he began to use in 2024 before a torn UCL ended his season was excellent in 2026, running a .319 xwOBA and .135 average against. In terms of bang for your buck, anticipating Bieber bouncing back going into a season fully healthy for the first time in years is one of the stronger bets you can make this offseason. Should you expect him to lead a rotation anymore? No, that ship has long sailed, but SP4-5 stability in the form of this kind of pedigree and out-getting ability is hard to find for the price he’ll net.
PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $8 million Realism Meter: 10/10
Up next, we’ll get to a couple relievers. The Guardians’ bullpen had a similar problem the rotation had in 2026. Outside of the big time leverage arms, they struggled to get any consistency or outs from them, especially in the postseason. The emergence of Daniel Espino in October was huge, but consistency and lack of a repertoire still loom as major concerns. Matt Festa is a rubber arm, useful for getting length from the bullpen when arms are burned for a day or not needed, but he was counted on for a total 1.2 innings in the postseason. Franco Aleman is a wild card both on and off the field, Shawn Armstrong is a likely free agent, and Craig Yoho should never be asked for more than middle relief in a clean inning.
That leaves a substantial gap for innings and roles. As much as I’ve defended Festa, he’s in arbitration, is likely going to get $1.5-1.7 million, and for a reliever they don’t see fit for October, that baton of long relief role should be passed along. Justin Campbell, I’m looking at you. Beyond that, I’m eyeing one more right-handed reliever and one more left-handed reliever, likely on one-year deals, who can deepen a strong but thin ‘pen.
— RHP Jonathan Loáisiga
Loáisiga was a target acquisition of mine last offseason, and while that didn’t come to fruition, Colin Holderman did, Loáisiga returned to form in Arizona, and all was right in the world. Now, with a chance to acquire another hard-throwing low release reliever, the Guardians should jump all over it. What makes Loáisiga different than Holderman is that while he creates less swing and miss, his pure stuff and his ability to tunnel his changeup and sinker make him among the very hardest relievers in baseball to square up whereas Holderman’s repertoire is so distinctly split between his sinker and his sweeper/curveball, that it’s harder for him to sequence.
Loáisiga’s dominance saw him throwing his sinker less than almost ever before and throwing his four-seam and especially his changeup the most he has in his career. His changeup is uniquely disgusting, and its ability to work off the sinker makes it even more devastating. Its 32% whiff rate was the highest off all his pitches, generates a higher, near 1800 RPM spin rate (something Cleveland loves), and ran an 84.8 mph average exit velocity. It’s not every day you see a pitcher separate their changeup velocity and average exit velocity by over 6 mph, but Loáisiga’s power change does exactly that.
Loáisiga will also likely be on the cheaper side of things, despite his strong 2026. Injuries have ravaged his career, and extending a 2-year deal would benefit both sides.
PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $7 million or 2 years, $10 million Realism Meter: 8/10
— LHP JoJo Romero
Another name that the Guardians had been attached to in trade talks in the past, Romero serves to be almost a left-handed version of Holderman from a slightly lower slot, and in adding a lefty of this quality to the bullpen, Sabrowski gets to assume the true back end role he maintained throughout the postseason. Simply put, Romero should be a priority. Romero’s funky low release height creates unnatural eye lines for the hitter, and it leads to weak contact across the board against his sweeper and changeup.
Admittedly, I bounced around either Romero or Gregory Soto, and while I think Soto is better, I have a hard time believing the Guardians would ever spend over $10-million on a reliever. It firmly got a 0/10 in terms of realistic outcome where as Romero ranked much higher.
The Guardians need a third lefty in the bullpen. Tim Herrin really came into his own towards the back half of 2026, and alleviating pressure on Herrin while letting Sabrowski kick more towards the true high leverage spots he’s needed for provides almost unmatched depth around the league.
PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $7 million or 2 years, $10 million Realism Meter: 8/10
Again, a huge shoutout to PastTheEyeTest for the graphics and contract calculations. Don’t forget to follow them on Twitter @PastTheEyeTest! We will be back next week for the always fun, always successful Guardians free agent hitters breakdown.
