ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NLCS is set. The ALCS isn’t. The Senior Circuit’s juggernaut is still in play, while the Junior Circuit, regardless of the outcome of the Division Series, will be sending an underdog to the Fall Classic. (Can you really call the Rays an underdog when they’ve been one of the best teams in baseball this season? That’s a semantic question I don’t particularly care to get into).
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: A general view before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
There are 166 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. Whether an Orioles game (or any MLB game) happens on that date or any time close after is not something we are going to know until probably mid-February, when spring training begins. I’m already dreading having nothing going on in December and January, not that I expect anyone reading this to share the particular concerns of running a baseball blog.
For now, there are the playoffs as a diversion. Except, there won’t be any games played today. Both National League series wrapped up in four games, setting up a Dodgers-Brewers NLCS rematch. Their division series would have played Game 5 today. That wasn’t needed after all.
There will be one more division series game played on Friday. The Guardians-White Sox series is going five games. They will be traveling today. Cleveland piled on the runs against Chicago to knot their series at 2-2. They staved off elimination after losing both games at home to start the series. It won’t mean much if they lose their last home game as well. This Game 4 happened to be the first time all postseason that a team that scored at least four runs lost the game. The White Sox managed this because they gave up many more than four runs in the process.
Seeing these games play out, it really calls to attention what the good teams and good-enough teams have that the Orioles do not. Maybe if they had managed to sneak in, they might have had enough to knock off the Astros, and you could probably argue there’s better pitching in the O’s stable than what the White Sox have been able to bring to bear this postseason. Mostly though, the Orioles aren’t on this level. Certainly not on the level of most of the teams that will play in the league championship series round.
Can it be better next season? That’s the question we all want to know the answer to. The labor situation means that this is not a great offseason to be a team trying to enact different plans for your players, because coaches and management will not be able to check in with anybody after the lockout hits on December 1. It will take until spring training – whenever that comes along – to start to see who really did the work and who was, as Chris Bassitt recently put it when assessing the 2026 team, just checking the boxes.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
What process are the Orioles trusting? (Defector) It’s always worth reading when Defector turns its sights on the Orioles, even though you know this only happens when things aren’t going well.
Orioles missteps testing limits of fan support (The Baltimore Sun) The team managed to draw around 25,000 more fans this year than last year. If things don’t improve early next year, I wonder what that picture is going to look like.
Six Orioles ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top 100 (MASN) Is this worth anything? Here’s an indirect way of answering that: The last time the Orioles had six top 100 prospects on this list was at the start of the 2023 season. These were the prospects: Colton Cowser, DL Hall, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, Grayson Rodriguez, Jordan Westburg. You don’t need me to tell you what those six players collectively contributed to the 2026 Orioles.
2026 Orioles draft report card (Baseball America) Subscription required to see the thoughts on this year’s draft. People like it! For now.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 1966, the Orioles won their first World Series title by finishing a sweep of the Dodgers. Frank Robinson hit a home run that scored the game’s only run; Dave McNally pitched a four-hit shutout as the O’s knocked off the defending champions.
In 1971, the Orioles beat the Pirates in Game 1 of the World Series. McNally featured again, throwing a three-hit complete game as the O’s won, 5-3.
In 1996, Jeffrey Maier happened. I’m never going to be over it until the Orioles win a title in my lifetime.
In 2014, the Orioles reached a contract extension with J.J. Hardy in between the division series and ALCS rounds of the postseason. Although this seemed exciting at the time, Hardy had negative value in two of the three years of the new contract.
There are a few former Orioles who have birthdays today. They are: 2015-16 reliever Chaz Roe, 2013 four-game outfielder Jason Pridie, and 2001-13 infielder Brian Roberts. Today is Roberts’s 49th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: French scandal figure Alfred Dreyfus (1859), baseball Hall of Famer Rube Marquard (1886), The Beatles member John Lennon (1940), movie maker Guillermo del Toro (1964), University of Maryland basketball standout Juan Dixon (1978), and professional organizer Marie Kondo (1984).
On this day in history…
In 1806, Prussia launched the War of the Fourth Coalition against Napoleonic France. Nine months later, the war was over and Prussia lost half of its territory in the peace settlements.
In 1919, the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series, a series that is now known for the Black Sox scandal.
In 1986, The Phantom of the Opera opened in London. The musical is still continuously running in the West End, though its record-setting Broadway run ended in 2023. Phantom is only the second-longest-running West End musical, trailing the previous year’s Les Miserables – also still running continuously there since its premiere.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 9. Have a safe Friday.
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski reacts after striking out San Diego's Luis Campusano during Game 1 of the NLDS on Oct. 3. (Kayla Wolf / Associated Press)
Tanner Scott stuck upside-down beers in Friedman’s shirt. Alex Freeland dumped beer into his mouth and all over his face. Eric Lauer coordinated a sneak attack, announcing that he was heading to the showers before reappearing from a side entrance.
Friedman never stopped grinning. But it almost looked like he had an extra glint in his eye when asked whether he’d rather take on the Milwaukee Brewers or San Diego Padres in the NLCS.
Later that night, the Brewers advanced, locking in an NLCS rematch that could certainly deliver chaos.
The Dodgers and Brewers are meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time in nine years. Last season, the Dodgers swept Milwaukee in the NLCS.
Usually before playing a big-market team like the Dodgers, Brewers manager Pat Murphy leans into the underdog narrative by saying he suspects the opponent can’t name many of the Brewers players. But by becoming perennial playoff contenders, and posting the best record in the majors over the past two seasons, the Brewers have given up whatever anonymity they may have had when they promoted Murphy a few years ago.
The cast of characters on both sides has remained relatively consistent since last October. But even after trading away top pitcher Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee is a more complete team than last season.
But losing talented players hasn’t stopped the Brewers from winning the last four NL Central titles. They keep saying goodbye to top players — including Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, closer Devin Williams and shortstop Willy Adames — then raise their win total.
The biggest difference-maker has been Jacob Misiorowski, who had the lowest ERA (1.80) in the majors this season and is the NL Cy Young favorite. As a rookie last year, the flame-thrower was relegated to the postseason bullpen until the NLCS. This year, he was the Brewers’ Game 1 starter in the NLDS against the Padres.
The Brewers have long hung their hat on playing sound baseball, from pitching and defense to baserunning. But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
First baseman Jake Bauers had a career season, leading the team in home runs (26), on-base percentage (.389) and on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.873). Jackson Chourio, who was hobbled by a hamstring injury in the last NLCS, hit a career-high 25 home runs and led the team in slugging percentage (.487). And though the Brewers likely won’t out-slug the Dodgers — they hit 50 fewer home runs during the season — they have a pesky roster that stole 90 more bases.
The Brewers also had a better regular-season record (103-59) than the Dodgers (100-62), so the series will begin in Milwaukee on Sunday.
Signs point to a more competitive series than last year. The Brewers even entered the postseason with the better World Series odds (18.5%) than the Dodgers (16.7%), according to Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA standings.
“The mistake that the outside perspective kind of gets sometimes is to underestimate certain teams,” said Kiké Hernández as the Dodgers celebrated their NLDS victory. “And we knew we had a tough task ahead of us. [The Braves are] a team that was playing really good baseball, had a lot of momentum, and they were throwing the ball really well. They had a really good bullpen, a lot of different kinds of arms, and, fortunately for us, they were a little bit short on starting pitching, so they had to tax their bullpen to a point where it paid off for us.”
The Dodgers ended the series before it returned to Los Angeles for an if-necessary Game 5. So they got to turn their attention to the Brewers a couple days early.
“I think the strength of our team is our rotation,” Friedman said. “And so even if we weren’t able to reset it, we still feel like it would be a strength of ours. But to be able to line it up the way we want to, certainly advantageous. To be able to have a few days off our feet and rest up for Sunday, also really helpful.”
SPRINGFIELD, MO - AUGUST 30: Tre Richardson III #8 of the Springfield Cardinals high fives teammates prior to the game between the San Antonio Missions and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Sunday, August 30, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Kaylee Vaughan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
VEB points will be awarded to contributors who can identify the prospect on the opening screen. Hint…one of the most surprising break-out performances of the 2026 season, especially in regards to power.
What was going on in the minor leagues?
If you haven’t heard, power numbers are up throughout the minor leagues. Most notably, the power numbers are REALLY up in the levels AA back down through Low-A. AAA? Not so much. Almost flat-earth at AAA. The AAA league the Redbirds play in has seen only a .3% change in HR rate.
Baseball America (behind a paywall) recently published on article on the very topic I’ve been monitoring for a bit. For those with BA subscriptions, you can read it here. If you don’t have a subscription, you can satisfy yourself with my high-level summary of their work (which as usual is very good – their work).
You can see from the data points above the MiLB scoring has hit a high point in 2026. The data is a little slim to determine if that ratchet up from 2024-2025 is extreme or if it just looks that way because those 2024 and 2025 years were down years. Regardless, scoring is up.
Sure enough, homerun rates follow a similar trajectory. Lots more, especially this year. Why? First, BA stripped out AAA runs and HRs and found that the AAA experience is not nearly as extreme as the other 4 MiLB levels. Suspicious? They naturally land on the different baseball being used as a likely culprit. Intuitive, but I’m not sure they convinced me of the leap from increased HR = increased runs = juiced MiLB baseball. I checked with some Cardinal folks and they too believe that while there may be something there, the jury is still out on what or how much.
Moving on, BA focused on actual batted ball data out of the Florida State League (FSL). Every team (except Daytona) has Hawkeye systems installed, so they get the proverbial Statcast data that is publicly available.
Authors Note: You guys have seen my prior articles on Cardinals and the Technology Revolution. Through my research for this article, I was able to confirm that the Cardinals now have Hawkeye installed at all affiliates except the Florida Complex League (if you’ve seen the backfield they play on, you’d understand why not there). Now that the FSL is done, some FCL guys will play at RDS and they will get some fine detail on those players.
Long story short, in looking at the FSL data, BA found that a lot of the unusual increase in homeruns fell into a group of batted balls I would consider mid-tier EV fly balls (95-105 mph) hit at an optimal trajectory, where the avg fly ball seems to travel about 5-10 feet farther this year, leading them to suspect the ball. This finding appears to account for about 50% of the increase in runs/HRs. More specifically, they found that mostly it was the pulled and opposite field fly balls that experienced the unusual HR increase, not so much balls hit to the deepest part. Stated succinctly, a fly ball pulled (or hit opp0) that travels 350 feet instead of 340 has a pretty high chance of changing from a deep fly to a wall-scraping HR. Unlike a ball hit to centerfield, where a 350 foot flyball looks an awful lot like a 340 foot fly ball and likely has the same result as last year. Good points.
That is my summary of BA’s fine work. If you want more detail, check it out in the link above.
I’ll add to this a little science. Two batted ball metrics that affect the balls flight are the Coefficient of Resistance (COR) and drag. Interestingly, one of the weird effects of drag is that some balls hit in that mid-tier EV mph range and hit at an optimal angle tend to generate a little extra lift at the end of their journey and have a tendency to float, so a not quite barreled fly ball may float a bit if it was hit at the optimal launch angle (think: between like 27 and 30 degrees). Not dissimilar to how an airplane wing generates optimal lift at the right attack angle – not too steep, not too shallow.
So the BA data may indeed be showing us a different ball, but it may also be showing us that the hitting instructional evolution around optimizing swing path is beginning to take hold at the lower minors and making the hitting experience down there more similar to the upper minors and MLB.
How does it affect evaluation of Cardinal prospects?
I spoke with Director of Hitting Dalton Hurd about this topic. They really evaluate players on their process, less so their results. Swing path, swing decisions, launch angle, etc., etc. are what they look at. In a sense, they value process over results. Not that you ignore results, but if the process is right, they expect good results. If one year the environment produces great (instead of good) results due to the ball or the weather or whatever, they can kind of wash that out by remaining focused on the process of hitting. Not quite said, but suggested, was the implication that better coaching, league wide, is likely contributing to better launch angles and higher EV.
For years, we’d look at stat lines of players in a place like Low-A (or previously High-A) Palm Beach, and we would have to remind ourselves that a .710 OPS by a 19-year-old really wasn’t that bad, because the run environment was harsh on hitters, particularly ones who hadn’t fully matured yet. We’d attenuate our evaluation due to the environment the player experienced. Now we look in 2026 and find that the run environment isn’t quite so harsh. Why? Well, the BA article says about 50% of the offensive increase is likely due to the baseball. But what about the fact that RDS fences were moved in after the 2024 season? Also, what about the overall reduction in players due to minor league contraction and reductions in the draft length?
I did do a wee little bit of research to see if Park Factors for a renovated RDS might be part of the equation. Pre-renovation, using 2023 numbers, run production in RDS is pretty much the same (RDS suppresses runs by about 10%) as it was in 2026. Interestingly, HR suppression improved quite a bit, from an abysmal 81 in 2023 to 94 (still below average) in 2026. Ball? Or park? Or hitters? Or all of the above?
I was reminded not to overlook that the minor leagues were compresses and the draft shorten. This could theoretically have the effects that: 1) the remaining group is by definition higher quality and you’d expect higher output and 2) don’t be shocked if you looked closely and found that some higher OPS, higher whiff guys are now coming up the system faster, instead of marinating in the Complex League longer. Higher OPS, higher whiff translate to higher EV and higher HR rates, which is what BA observed as the major eye catcher when looking at the data. Even if that player strikes out a ton. True outcomes and all…
We discussed a group of players who blazed through High-A Peoria at a time when the whole Midwest League was experiencing quite a jump in HR rates. This group will include some familiar names – Tai Peete, Won-Bin Cho, Rainel Rodriguez, Jack Gurevitch, Tre Richardson III. If you are a honk for “the MiLB ball is juiced”, you will have some trouble explaining how exactly the plethora of HRs hit by that group at Peoria seemed to follow them to Springfield and didn’t stay behind in Peoria to boost up the other players, as Peoria saw a drop in offense mid-season as those guys moved up. Notably, at the same time a weak Springfield offense saw quite a surge. Everyone I spoke with denied shipping pallets of juiced baseballs from Peoria to Springfield along with the players. Also, a juiced ball doesn’t explain how each of these phenoms struggled early after their promotion and then found the right adjustment to take off (again). It’s not like the AA league quit using a “juiced ball” for a couple of weeks to confound RainRod honks.
Hurd told me they really discourage players from trying to take advantage of environmental things (like a short porch of whatever) and just stick with the process. A good swing will produce good results. Good launch angle, good EV will produce good results over time. Trust the process, they say. He said in all five cases, each of those players had successfully made observable adjustments that explains their success. Not spoken, but by implication, this suggests a player seeing an increase in offense but is not advancing may be someone who isn’t really adjusting their approach but perhaps riding the wave that lifts everyone. I didn’t ask specifically, but one might think of Sammy Hernandez in this vein.
He did acknowledge that the ball could be having some effect, although he thought the jury is still out on how much. I gathered they somewhat ignore the unusual results because they are universal. If Cardinal hitters were NOT experiencing some extra oomph and everyone else was, they’d be more concerned about it. Also, they recognize there are so many uncontrollable factors involved in hitting and it could swing back the other way next year. So they focus on what they can control – the hitting process.
In the end, the story seems to be about trusting the hitting process, and that good process leads to good results (and advancement). And recognizing that much of hitting involves a lot of things the hitters can’t control like game time, temperature, humidity, pitch quality, the ball, etc.
A rabbit hole
One thing that came up that I haven’t yet had time to fully digest. Part of the hitting evolution involves where to contact the baseball relative to the plate. Since pulling the ball requires getting to the ball further out front (and going oppo allows for the ball to travel further), I think we’d have to look not only at whether pulled/opps hits are more likely to scrape over the wall, we’d need to know if more balls are being contacted well out front (close to 36” in front of the plate) and/or allowed to travel deeper in the zone (less than 30” for an opposite field direction).
Note: This little morsel is something I’ve been poking on since it seems to be something the Brewers have discovered that no other team has. The Brewers have a pretty strong tendency to allow the ball to travel and hit the ball oppo during most game situations. They essentially sacrifice power for OBP through scattering the ball to all fields and having increased contact, instead of selling out for pull side power. This approach defeats shifting, but also sags HR rates.
Fascinatingly, in high leverage situations, they revert more to pull side power. While their overall HR rate is very low by modern MLB standards, their close-and-late HR rate is average. Like they change hitting approaches mid-game. Interesting. It stands to reason that some of the data on MiLB runs is the opposite of this…most teams are selling out for launch angle with pull side power, and those slightly mis-hit, wall scraping HRs might well be the end result of that. This winter, I might try and dig into a data source that tells me how much MiLB hitters are trying to make contact well out in front of the plate. Getting pitch-by-pitch data on MiLB batters that would include contact point might be challenging, though. If only StL made that Hawkeye data available…
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics shoots over Evan Mobley #4 and Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the preseason game at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
1. Glass Cleaners
Boston Celtics basketball is finally back! Not only in the literal sense but in the way the Celtics dismantled the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking them down 124-113 in the first preseason game of the season. This felt like a big upset in a way given the Cavs played their starters in the first half vs a Celtics team who rested most of their roster. One thing that didn’t change from all the roster turnover however was the way that Boston dominated the rebounding battle.
The Celtics out rebounded the Cavs 56-39! The craziest part for the Celtics is that 21 of those rebounds came as offensive rebounds. Boston was so good on the offensive glass that after the first quarter the Celtics had as many offensive rebounds (10) than the Cavaliers had total rebounds. Just a dominant performance on the glass that makes me excited to see what will happen when all the starters return.
2. Luka Garza Board Monster
With a lot of key rotations guys out for the Celtics in their first preseason game, Luka Garza was given the starting spot for Boston and he showed out. Garza finished with a team high 22 points along with 10 rebounds and 3 blocks on 6-17 shooting. The biggest takeaway from Garza’s performance tonight was his dominance on the offensive glass. Out of the 10 rebounds he finished with, 4 of them came as offensive rebounds and that is where we saw him shine the most.
This was a common theme of the night for the entire team but Garza was the one to really set the tone. It is going to be interesting to see what kind of role Garza plays for Boston moving forward. Obviously Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson is ahead of him on the depth chart but I hope the Celtics can still find him some playing time throughout the season.
When the Celtics signed Devin Carter to an Exhibit 10 deal back in September there was a good amount of excitement around the move. It looked like he was going to be a shoo-in for Boston’s final two-way spot but there looked to be a lot of competition with other players like Milos Uzan and Hayden Gray on the Celtics training camp roster. I would like to say there is a good chance the battle is in Carter’s favor as of now. The former Providence Friar finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 5-9 shooting and a team high +22.
Carter made his presence known on his first offensive play of the game when he went coast-to-coast throw down a monster slam over Peyton Watson. This was the beginning of a first quarter where we saw Carter lead the way with 7 points including a three point shot that looked pretty solid. With 15 points in the first half we saw an array of moves driving to the basket and finishing through contact while also playing some nice defense on Donovan Mitchell.
Devin Carter coast to coast and 1, that's 15 points in 10 minutes. Really liking this pickup for the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/LXvJUbbkPp
With the way he looked tonight I could see why the Celtics were so optimistic about taking a chance on Carter. When Joe Mazzulla was asked about the former lottery pick last week, he praised Carter’s work ethic saying, “I’ve appreciated just his mindset, his mentality, the chip on the shoulder that he brings to the game. So I’m looking forward to watching him throughout the preseason.” I am also looking forward to seeing what else Carter can do but it makes me wonder, why did the Kings trade him? Not only that, why did the Hawks waive him? Either way the Celtics have another chance to be turn the Kings leftovers into a legit piece once again.
4. Jordan Walsh Aggressive Offensively
One player who I think had an underrated game was Jordan Walsh. Walsh finished with 16 points on 6-14 shooting from the field and 2-5 shooting from three. Walsh talked in the offseason about trying to improve his offensive bag and with an increased role in this game we saw him aggressively hunt his shot. This is something that caught my eye because it looked like something he was genuinely working on.
He looked comfortable when it came to handling the ball and driving to the paint. The finishing could have been a little better but this was more of an offensive bag that we’ve seen from Walsh since he’s been in the NBA. Even in games before when starters were out before, we have never seen Walsh look to be aggressive for his shot. We know he has a great relationship with Jaylen Brown last season and he talked about how the offseason workouts with Paul George and Jayson Tatum were legitimate workouts to help build on his game. Having two of the best wing scorers in NBA history on his team could mean we see more of this offensive creation from Walsh this season and I am very excited to see how it turns out.
5. Baylor Scheierman Confidence
It felt like the Celtics had to have watched a bunch of AND-1 mixtapes before the game today because of the amount of flashy plays we saw in this game but one player I am convinced did was Baylor Scheierman. He was making some prime Rajon Rondo passes out there, including one in the first quarter where he had a shot blocked, got his own offensive rebound running towards the basket, and then made a behind the back dime to Chris Cenac Jr. for a dunk.
In total Scheierman finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists on 5-12 shooting from the field and 4-7 from three. He definitely looked the most comfortable out there when it came to playing in the flow of the offense. This makes me feel like I don’t have to worry about the production we will get out of him moving forward. Very excited for more Baylor hoops moving forward.
6. Hugo Gonzalez Solid Contributor
Finishing off the trio of young wings for the Celtics we have the performance from Hugo Gonzalez. Similar to Scheierman he played a solid game, finishing with 15 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds on 5-9 shooting from the field and 3-6 from three. A big thing I noticed in this game from Gonzalez was that everything he did looked to be faster.
From his jump shot to his Eurostep, it looked like he was dictating the pace on all his attempts. Not only did shot attempts look good, but he made some nice passes setting his teammates up for easy baskets. He also played his brand of chaotic defense that gave the Celtics life in the first half.
WHAT a sequence by Hugo Gonzalez
Phenomenal pass with his off hand to Garza after the Flare – poked the ball loose and finishes on other end pic.twitter.com/DexuYlSdNI
This game was the first time we saw 2026 Draft Picks Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell take an NBA court and I think its safe to say that they are going to be just fine. Cenac Jr. finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 3-13 shooting. I was glued to my TV screen anytime he had the ball in his because he looked incredibly comfortable creating his own shot off the dribble but just missing out on the finishing. I feel like that will come in due time but his shot looks really promising. His defense was also remarkable, protecting the paint better than I would have expected. We saw flashes of this during Summer League this year but Cenac Jr. really makes me excited to see what he can develop into under the Celtics Big Fella University.
Dillon Mitchell was also impressive tonight, finishing with 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on 4-7 shooting. One thing we knew about Mitchell was that he was going to be able to jump out of the gym with his athleticism and it was on display. He finished with multiple alley-oop slams and did a great job positioning himself underneath the basket for offensive rebounds and put-backs. His defense was fun to watch as well with both of his steals leading to the Celtics running out in transition.
I felt like Mitchell also took charge in the 4th quarter as well. When the main starters were sitting out, Mitchell looked at as the go to guy on both sides of the court and he did a pretty a solid job, finishing with a +8 in the quarter. It’s going to be fun watching both of these guys continue to develop and it might be one game, but I am willing to say the future is looking for the newest Celtics draft picks.
I need to see Dillon Mitchell jumping over a car in the dunk contest this year pic.twitter.com/79uPPbvT6c
With most of the Celtics rotation players sitting out for this preseason game, it was interesting to see that Mike Conley was in the starting lineup. Conley signed with Boston back in July and throughout camp so far we have seen him be a great veteran presence to all of the young guys on the roster. This is the big reason why he was brought to Boston but how did his play look on the court? It was fine.
Conley finished with 3 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in his Celtics debut on 1-3 shooting. He wasn’t the main scoring option for Boston by any means but he was still a great primary ball handler and even made some highlight reel passes. The one that stands out most was when he found a wide open Hugo Gonzalez for a corner three after faking like he was going to pass it to Baylor Scheierman on the wing. I don’t know how much of Conley we are going to see in the Celtics rotation this season but I do think he will be a solid depth piece for Boston moving forward.
Good mid-air redirect on the pass from the veteran Mike Conley
Saw Watson bite on the first read and gets it to the corner – Hugo knocks it down pic.twitter.com/nz0TNzADfl
It wasn’t only players that got a chance to show their talents tonight but it was also two Celtics assistant coaches that got a chance to shine as well. Celtics assistant coaches Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay were given the reigns from head coach Joe Mazzulla and coached their first NBA game. Dobbins coached the first half and MacLeay coached the second half while Mazzlla just watched the game from the locker room. Mazzulla said that his reasoning for this was, “I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches…Both those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that.”
Joe Mazzulla said that Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay will coach tonight’s preseason game against the Cavaliers
Both were finalists for head coach positions this past summer
“They'll be running the show, and excited for them, and want them to continue to grow.” pic.twitter.com/JIpyTxDWx4
So how did it go for the Celtics new coaching duo against the Cavs? Pretty well I would say. Dobbins in the first half showed his philosophy by coaching the Celtics to a 71-62 lead at halftime. Boston did a great job of controlling the paint on both sides of the ball which led to the lead. MacLeay on the other hand had some adversity out of halftime after the Cavs went on a 12-3 run to tie the game in the beginning of the 3rd quarter. But he did a great job of calling a timeout and letting the team regroup, leading to Boston winning the 4th quarter 25-17 and winning the game.
This was such a cool thing to see coming from Joe Mazzulla. Continuing to develop Dobbins and MacLeay to get them ready for future opportunities is something I feel like you don’t see often. It’s only a matter of time before we see the Mazzulla coaching tree spread across the entirety of the NBA.
10. It’s Good To Be Back
I wanted to reserve my final takeaway just to say how great it feels to watch Boston Celtics basketball today. I didn’t care if 7 players were out, I would have watched any version of this team if it meant we got to see Celtics basketball played again. This has been the longest offseason we have had as Celtics fans in a while. Obviously with the first round exit, to the roster turnover this season, to the Draft, Summer League, and Media Day, it felt like this offseason was moving at a snails pace.
But the wait is finally over. The next step of waiting is hopefully seeing all the starters play in a game at some point this preseason. I want to see the dynamic between Jayson Tatum and Paul George, the big man rotation of Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson, and the leap of Payton Pritchard. Even if we don’t see them much in preseason, we are less than two weeks away from Boston’s first regular season game in Detroit at 3:30pm on October 20th.
The Celtics next preseason game will be on Saturday October 10th when the new look Philadelphia 76ers come to TD Garden. This will also be the first time we see Jaylen Brown in a 76ers uniform since being traded away from Boston this offseason.
The 27-year-old flanker confounded expectations leaping from Durham university’s fourth XV to Prem rugby captain – don’t bet against his big England ambitions
At the start of every season for the past few years Fitz Harding has written down his goals for the next 12 months on the first page of a crisp new notebook. “You can probably guess what they are,” says Bristol’s impressive captain ahead of his team’s trip to Saracens this weekend. “I want to win the Prem, I want to play for England, I want to go to the World Cup.” He makes it sound almost matter of fact, like a list of basic groceries to be picked up on the way home.
The longer you spend with him, though, the more you wonder if those lofty ambitions may be realised. Not only is the 27-year-old Harding intelligent and personable but he is not the type to give up easily. Nor does he lack for motivation. “I don’t just want to be in England’s squad. I want to play for England. It sounds silly but just getting a phone call [ahead of the November Tests] wouldn’t mean very much to me. They’re not going to write in my obituary: ‘He made the England squad once.’”
Australia has made a dominant start to its three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, cruising to a seven-wicket victory with 146 balls remaining in Brisbane.
It was the most highly anticipated return in cricket, one that had an admittedly meagre crowd in Durban on the edge of their seats as they warmed up their vocal chords.
The Sharks improved to 3-1 to start the 2026 NHL season after a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. And for the third time this season, the win came in overtime. The Sharks have dominated in overtime in recent seasons. They have been so dominant that they now lead the entire NHL with 13 overtime wins dating back to the start of last season.
Kings of overtime 👑
With tonight's win, the San Jose Sharks have an NHL-leading 13 OT wins since the start of last season.
The Sharks got the season started off with a bang, beating the Florida Panthers 4-3 thanks to a game-winning goal from Luca Cagnoni. The next game, a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings, Igor Chernyshov found the net in overtime to help the Sharks improve to 2-0.
The Sharks lost their first game of the season to the Dallas Stars but bounced back in their most recent contest, getting the overtime win over the Blues thanks to a Darnell Nurse game-winning goal. Even without star Macklin Celebrini, who has missed the last two games with an unspecified lower-body injury, the Sharks have found ways to win.
San Jose faces a tough slate of games for the rest of the month, facing the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins at home before going on the road for six straight games from Oct. 15-Oct. 24. But for a Sharks team hungry to make the playoffs after coming up just short last season, these next few games are the perfect test to see what kind of team they are.
The Sharks revamped their roster this offseason, acquiring players like Nurse via trade and signing free agents such as forward Mason Marchment and defenseman Jacob Trouba, and entered the season with high expectations.
The last time the team made the playoffs was in 2018-19, where they made it to the Western Conference Finals. Now, with a roster full of young stars, the team hopes that this season can be the start of perennial hockey success in San Jose.
The Sixers’ still-surreal starting five was fully intact Thursday night.
The team’s newly assembled, star-heavy unit played the first half together at Barclays Center. The final result was a 114-108 preseason loss to the Nets, but the Sixers led by two points at halftime and the evening certainly was not short on positive moments.
“I think there were some really good things happening right off the bat, a bunch of back cuts and good passing,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “We obviously turned the ball over a lot, which you can never do. Just a little clunky in segments, too.
“But it’s preseason, first time that they’re together. You look at what’s good and what are the learning experiences, things that we can improve on. And just try to get ‘em together as much as we can.”
The usual horde of bodies and cameras and phones surrounded LeBron James postgame in the visiting locker room following his Sixers preseason debut.
“It obviously feels a little different playing in a new uniform,” James said, “but the game is the game.”
At 41 years old, James remains a game-changing presence.
He’s a unique physical force when rumbling downhill. The four-time Finals MVP scored 10 points in 18 minutes on a single field goal attempt, finishing 1 for 1 from the floor and 8 for 8 on his free throws. He also posted five assists, four rebounds and a steal. James enhanced the Sixers’ offense in both the half court and transition, throwing inch-perfect hit-ahead passes, feeding cutters and spotting open shooters.
The 22-time All-Star continues to be extremely impactful in obvious and subtle ways.
“It’s both offensively and defensively,” VJ Edgecombe said. “Defensively, he’s loud, he’s talking, so you’ve got confidence in guarding. And then offensively, he just creates plays. He requires so much gravity, everybody else gets open. He doesn’t care about scoring. He’s already got the (NBA) record; he doesn’t care about scoring.”
The Sixers have plenty they’d like to sharpen before they’re back in New York for opening night against the Knicks on Oct. 20.
They didn’t play a poor game on defense, but the Sixers will have higher standards for themselves in the regular season. The young Nets scored 33 points in the first quarter.
“We’ve got to do better,” Joel Embiid said. “I think we over-helped a little bit too much. We’ve got to do a better job of stopping penetration. They drove all night. … A lot to watch and learn and get better.”
Embiid committed eight of the team’s 21 turnovers and looked exactly like a player in his first game since May. Brooklyn’s defensive aggression disrupted the Sixers at times.
“A team like that is very active,” James said. “Their job is to try to pressure you, make you play against the shot clock. Besides the pick-sixes and the turnovers we had, I thought we played some good ball and it’s good to go against a team like that.”
For James, Embiid, Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, that’s one game down.
The hope is to have many to go as a first five. Brown called Thursday night “just the first step in the journey.”
“I think the more you get on the floor, the better you become,” Embiid said.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 07: A general view between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are heading into an important offseason after another NL East title ended with a disappointing postseason exit. While the team put together a 94 win season, there is still work to be done if Atlanta hopes to make a deeper playoff run in 2027. With plenty to evaluate from the past season, it’s time to look at what went right, what fell short, and what changes could help the Braves get back to the World Series.
MLB News:
Major League Baseball has proposed a shorter regular season and changes to the playoff format. The Players Association is working to review the proposals.
The ALDS is headed to Game 5 after Thursday’s matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox.
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 8: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets dribbles during practice and media availability as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 8, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks
October 9th, 2026
Location: The Venetian Arena Macao, China
TV:NBA TV and Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Fred Vanvleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Cooper Flag, P.J. Washington Jr.Dereck Lively II
Finally, after a long offseason, NBA basketball is back! (Yes, I am aware it is preseason (LET ME HAVE THIS).
It will be exciting to see the new additions to the roster play, and the return of Fred Vanvleet and Steven Adams. It will also be exciting to see the return of Kyrie Irving, and how he fits in with Cooper Flag.
We will have the postgame recap for you after the game, so make sure to check back for the recap in case you don’t wish to watch basketball at 7 am.
Oct 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) during the first half of a preseason game at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Boston Celtics took a conservative approach to begin the preseason.
Luka Garza didn’t get the memo.
Facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, without stars Jayson Tatum, Paul George, or centers Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson, Garza got the starting nod for substitute head coaches Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay.
In the game’s opening 2:21, Garza picked up right where he left off last season. He grabbed an offensive rebound, knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer off an inbound pass from Hugo González, and blocked Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen.
Garza carried that tenacity throughout Boston’s 124-113 win over Cleveland, and the second-year Celtic explained afterward that it’s the standard he intends to uphold night after night moving forward.
“That’s how we can help this team. That’s how you can make an impact every single night,” Garza told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin postgame. “Crashing the glass, creating second shots for our team. We’re a dangerous offense, so the more shots we can get, the better we’re gonna do.”
With the entire offseason spotlight shined on whether or not Queta or Robinson will be the starting five, Garza issued a reminder of his impact the very first chance he could. Garza’s ongoing battle for second chances plagued the Cavaliers and quickly became contagious among the rest of the Celtics. Every starter contributed to the team’s 21 offensive rebounds while Garza (4) himself nearly matched Cleveland’s total of six.
Last season, Garza made snagging second chances his forte as a first-year Celtic. He finished with 146 offensive rebounds, the fifth-most of any bench player in the league.
“It’s something I just learned when I was young,” Garza told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I’m a guy who wants the ball in my hands, and when I was younger nobody would throw it to me, so I had to go get it off the glass. So that’s what started it, and since then, it’s become who I am as a basketball player.”
Garza finished off the Cavaliers with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. He knocked down three 3-pointers and tallied three blocks in his 26 minutes on the floor.
Competing against veterans Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Allen, alongside reserves, newcomers and unproven players, Garza stood out. He didn’t take a single moment on the court for granted and did everything he possibly could to stay off the bench.
Coming to Boston fresh off a three-year stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he averaged just 6.3 minutes per game, Garza understands the value of making the most of every nod he gets.
“These opportunities don’t come around often,” Garza continued.
“All those guys tonight, I’ve been in that position. I’ve been an Exhibit 10 (contract), I’ve been a two-way, now I’m a rotation player. You just don’t get those chances all the time. So when they come, no matter who it’s against, you wanna take advantage of it. You wanna go out there, play as hard as you can, play free, and show what you can do.”
Garza was relatively unknown to Celtics fans when he arrived over a year ago. It took a season filled with the relentlessness that’s become his trademark for that to change. On Thursday night, Garza served as an example for those in Boston also fighting to prove themselves this upcoming season.
“That is my guy,” MacLeay told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Just the joy that he creates with the motor that he has. I don’t think you can replicate how hard he plays — it’s truly a skill. It’s a special ability that he has. He puts so much pressure on the defense with how physical he consistently is.”
“He just goes and goes and goes and goes and it’s great.”
With Queta and Robinson headlining the center rotation, Garza will have to earn every minute he gets in 2026-27.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 07: Alex Tuch #89 of the Washington Capitals scores a goal on goalie Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at Capital One Arena on October 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
After the Penguins traded forward Filip Hallander to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Spencer Stastney on Wednesday, assistant general manager Jason Spezza said Hallander was considered “expendable” based on past performance and future potential, while Stastney, 26, brings versatility and mobility to Pittsburgh’s defense corps. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins have several early-season concerns after four games, including a slow start from Sidney Crosby, inconsistent goaltending from Arturs Silovs and costly defensive mistakes. Is now the time to press the panic button? [PensBurgh]
Prospect Atley Calvert’s versatility and steady development with the team’s AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, have earned him a two-year entry-level NHL contract. The 22-year-old undrafted forward recorded 38 points in 70 regular-season games last season and added six points in 15 playoff games, including filling in at center when needed. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Three Canadian provinces — Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia — are staying on daylight saving time year-round, creating unusual NHL game start times this season. The change means the Calgary Flames have eight games scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. local time and the Edmonton Oilers have seven, while the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks also face schedule adjustments that could affect players’ routines and fans’ watching habits. [Associated Press]
At least 10 teams have expressed interest in acquiring Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. [TSN]
Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is considered week-to-week with a leg injury, adding to Florida’s injury concerns after captain Aleksander Barkov was ruled out for six to eight weeks with a leg injury. [Associated Press via Sportsnet]
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 03: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees speaks to the media prior to Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Ringer | Ben Glicksman: The Yankees have, famously, not beaten a team seeded higher than them in October under Aaron Boone’s leadership*. There are a number of structural problems with the organization, and it’s never entirely clear how much influence any manager has in MLB in 2026, but a case is starting to be made on the beat that it’s time to move on from Boonie. He still has a year on his contract, but any manager on a one-year deal should feel some shaky ground anyway.
*Save for a best-of-three 2020 Wild Card Series in Cleveland with no fans in attendance. Make of that what you will.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Anthony Volpe nearly had the biggest moment of the Yankees’ playoff run, a home run that tied the decisive Game 3 at four runs apiece. Upon further review, that fourth run was taken back, and Volpe was sent to second base. It was at best a mercurial season for the former top prospect, who with Jazz Chisholm Jr. set to hit free agency now finds himself as a potential Opening Day starter at second base in 2027, even after losing the shortstop job. (Chisholm says he wants to stay, but at least right now, it seems like it won’t be a match.) On a roster with so many question marks for this winter, Tony Fox is one of the bigger ones.
New York Post | Dan Martin: Speaking of question marks, here’s a helpful list! The biggest cloud to clear is how many games the 2027 season features, as labor strife needs to be resolved before anything else starts to matter. The Yankees have to agree to new contracts with both Brian Cashman and Matt Blake, as well as QO decisions for Chisholm and David Bednar. That’s just the start of the to-do list for a very busy, very uncertain winter.
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens ($): We close with a little more pan-baseball news, as Clemens breaks down the optimal ways to deploy a starting rotation in October. The Chris Sale Wild Card decision loomed large at the time, and didn’t end up mattering in Atlanta’s NLDS loss to the Dodgers. FanGraphs has made their playoff coverage a subscriber-only feature, but it’s still a worthwhile read.
