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So game four, try number two.
This time there is no rain in the forecast, but it is cold. 7 C at game time and dropping from there. It is much warmer here in Calgary and slightly warmer in Toronto.
Anyway, starting lineup:
I’ve spent the day off line, for a pleasant change, which my overlords will not like, but my well being needs occasionally.
Let’s try this again.
Two nights ago the NLCS ended, but we’ve still got plenty of action left on the AL side. In a series that features a pair of top-half teams in terms of Starting Pitcher fWAR and despite an extra day of rest with the rainout, Game Four will feature one team using a starting pitcher who barely struck out one every two innings during the regular season and just a flat-out bullpen game from the other side.
Nick Martinez gets the start for Tampa Bay. Somehow, he accrued a 2.9 fWAR this season while pitching a 2.90 ERA despite a lackluster 11.5% K-BB% and a barely above-league-average 1.10 HR/9, leading to a frightening 4.63 SIERA. Nick has already made one start this postseason, going 3.2 innings and allowing 2 runs in a series-clinching win over the Yankees.
The Guardians have already used Foster Griffin, Parker Messick, and Gavin Williams in this series, so they’re set to ask their bullpen to deliver the penultimate blow against the Rays before potentially cycling all three of those guys through in the back half of the series. Shawn Armstrong will be the first pitcher out of the gate. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tanner Bibee is asked to pitch a few innings; I also wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t actually pitch that long. Steven Vogt has shown a willingness to go to his bullpen very quickly, and with good reason in a postseason that has featured fewer innings from starting pitchers than any I can recall.
Let’s hope they actually play this time.
Take two!
Here’s the Rays’ lineup:
Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:
Let’s go, Guardians!
Jefferson Rojas - the Mets' #1 prospect according to SNY's most recent top 30 rankings - is making big waves in the Caribbean.
Rojas, who was recently assigned to the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Professional Baseball League (a.k.a. the "Dominican Winter League"), crushed a 401-foot homer in just his second game with the team.
Jefferson Rojas smacks his first LIDOM home run 💥 106 MPH off the bat https://t.co/tplDV9hlTh
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) October 17, 2026
A few innings later, Rojas crushed another no-doubter.
#Mets infielder Jefferson Rojas liked his first homer so much ... he decided to hit another! MLB's No. 68 prospect slugs his 2nd roundtripper 423 feet for the @Gigantes_Cibao: https://t.co/H4lSK3LD5p
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 17, 2026
Rojas batted eighth in the Gigantes lineup on Saturday, playing third base.
His first game with the ballclub came a day earlier, when Rojas manned the hot corner and batted seventh in the order. He finished his debut with one hit, a walk, and a stolen base.
Rojas will spend part of his offseason playing for the Gigantes alongside MLB hitters, including Mets teammate Christopher Morel, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II, and Miami Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez, among others.
Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor at this past season's trade deadline, Rojas exploded upon his arrival to the Mets' farm system.
His .929 OPS and nine homers in just 29 games with Double-A Binghamton earned him a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, where he continued to impress, posting a 1.037 OPS with three home runs across 6 games to close out the season.
Rojas is also a consensus top-100 prospect, currently ranking No. 68 in the sport by MLB Pipeline.
The New York Knicks made their final roster move of the preseason on Saturday, waiving veteran guard Bruce Brown as they finalized their group for the 2026-27 season.
Obviously, the decision clears the way for former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to remain on the regular-season roster before the campaign gets going on Tuesday.
Wiseman averaged 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds across four preseason appearances after joining New York on an Exhibit 9 training camp deal. The Knicks are now expected to convert that agreement into a league-minimum contract.
New York needed additional frontcourt depth after Mitchell Robinson left in free agency for the Boston Celtics and Ariel Hukporti departed to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks added Andre Drummond as their primary backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns, and Wiseman is now positioned to provide another option as the third-string center.
Wiseman, however, has played only five NBA games over the past two seasons with Indiana. His last extended run came with Detroit in 2023-24, when he averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds across 63 appearances.
It’s fair to say the former Golden State Warriors lottery pick did enough during preseason to secure a spot as New York’s reserve center depth and convince Mike Brown he deserved the final roster spot.
Brown, meanwhile, will become a free agent after spending last season with the Denver Nuggets, where he appeared in all 82 games and averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists… only to fail to get a guaranteed deal this summer.
Good luck, Bruce, and welcome to New York (now for good), James!
SAN FRANCISCO — Brace yourselves.
That’s been the theme of the message coming from the Warriors since the day they reported for training camp. The golden years are long gone, but at least Golden State’s brass has the courtesy to tell us all.
Coach Steve Kerr hasn’t hidden the fact that championship expectations are pretty much out the door for the first time under his watch. Instead, he said, success will be judged on process.
One of Kerr’s best qualities is his transparency, and he dropped another truth bomb this week.
A ticket to see the Warriors is not the same as a ticket to see Steph Curry. Buyer beware.
“I would just come out and tell the fans out there to be mindful when you’re buying the tickets of the schedule,” Kerr told reporters after practice Thursday. “Take a look.”
Kerr’s warning was ostensibly an attempt to get ahead of the curve on a problem that has plagued the Warriors — or, well, really well-meaning ticket buyers — for years now. Fans drop big money to catch the Warriors when they come to town, and all they get to see is Curry’s fashion sensibility on the bench.
Even an athlete of Curry’s caliber isn’t capable of keeping up with the NBA’s 82-game schedule at age 38, entering his 18th season. It’s in the Warriors’ best interests to keep him fresh for the long haul. They play 15 sets of back-to-backs this season, tied for the second most in the league.
It’s not just smart money to bet Curry won’t play both legs in many, if possibly any.
It’s just smart basketball.
“We’ve got not just Steph but multiple vets we are going to try and manage,” Kerr said. “Because it’s the only way we can do this.”
Last season, the Warriors were in a similar pickle. They had an old roster full of veterans who would need to be managed to make it through the season. Three games in, Kerr had a decision to make: Play the long game and rest his vets on their first back-to-back of the season or chase a win against the Trail Blazers in Portland after beating the Nuggets in overtime the night before.
He went for the win, and the Warriors lost by 20.
Golden State faces an almost-identical schedule this season, only with the second half of the back-to-back coming in Phoenix, rather than Portland. If Kerr has learned his lesson, then, well, sorry Suns fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Curry, you can’t say he didn’t warn you.
Heeding Kerr’s advice and looking further down the road, fans in Dallas or Memphis (Nov. 18-19), Los Angeles (Dec. 23), Phoenix (Dec. 28), Portland or Utah (Jan. 27-28), Chicago or Boston (Feb. 9-10), Houston or Dallas (March 1-2) and Oklahoma City (April 8-9) seem likely to get the short end of the stick in terms of who will actually be in the black-and-gold uniforms they paid to see.
The Warriors typically try to avoid sitting their stars at home, but some tickets are riskier than others (Nov. 1-2; Dec. 22, 27; Jan. 6-7, 12-13, 21-22; March 9, 16-17, 24-25).
All told, that makes up more than one-third of the schedule with games fans can’t go to the box office with confidence in who’s going to be on the court. That’s a larger issue for the NBA, and Kerr has repeatedly pushed for shortening the regular season to 72 games.
But his attempt at managing fans’ expectations only served to underscore the realities the Warriors are facing this season. There’s a reason why nobody, not even the perennially positive Curry, was preaching championship or bust before their first preseason practice.
At the end of last season, Kerr said the Warriors couldn’t do the same thing again. Al Horford appeared in only 45 games. Kristaps Porzingis missed more games than he played in after being acquired in February. Curry’s knee flared up and caused him to miss two months.
And yet, here they are again. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said his options over the summer came down to availability or fit, and he leaned toward the latter.
Porzingis is out indefinitely. The only active player older than Horford is LeBron James, and he won’t play back-to-backs again this season. There will need to be built-in rest days for Draymond Green, 36, as well as Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody when they return from knee surgeries.
Curry will also be handled differently this season than ever before in an attempt to keep his runner’s knee from barking. Part of that adjustment has meant a slower ramp-up than normal in the preseason. He only played 25 minutes for the first time in their final exhibition.
With only a few days to go until Opening Night, Kerr couched expectations one more time.
“He’s not yet where he wants to be,” he said of Curry. “But he’s on track.”
Coach Mike Brown takes a shot at Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby as the reigning champion Knicks prepare to begin their first title defense in 53 years:
Q: What will be going through your heart and mind during the ring ceremony and the raising of the banner on Tuesday night?
A: Obviously I’m going to be filled with a lot of different emotions. That’s a special moment. I’m going to be a little selfish, but for me individually, not only that, for my family, for the people in the organization, the team, the players, the other coaches, but just as importantly, the city of New York and the fans of the Knicks all around the world … so to see that happening while knowing the history of it, and knowing how hard it is to let alone get there on top of winning it, it’s going to be an awesome feeling with a ton of emotion inside. We’re all human, the trick is now to really appreciate and enjoy that moment and still try to lock in and get ready for the game and know you got to move forward once it’s over.
Q: What is the challenge of defending a championship?
A: There are a lot of challenges in trying to do that. That’s why it hasn’t happened in the NBA in the last eight, nine years. In all of sports, you don’t hear a ton about back-to-back champions in the modern sports world no matter what sport it is you’re playing. The added quote, unquote pressure that some people may allow to seep in as the year goes on, there could be more jealousies, that the team is not connected, and people forget about sacrificing for the betterment of the team. Everybody has naturally been telling you how great you are the whole summer, and so you think you’re great, and you don’t have to go through and/or embrace the process like you did when you got there the first time because you think you know and it’s just going to happen in moments when you think it needs to happen. There’s a lot that can impact it.
And for me, the biggest thing is trying to make sure our group understands that this is a new season, it’s a new team, and there are new challenges in front of us. Therefore, it’s not about the end result, we have to really make sure we focus our energy and effort on the process, by embracing all the details of the process. And if we do, that’s going to give us our best opportunity to do it again.
Q: Knowing your guys as you do, how will they approach being The Hunted?
A: That’s another one, everybody likes to play the Knicks anyway, especially in MSG, and now it’s just an added carrot to the whole deal. We have a mature group, and that’s one of the main things that gives me — I don’t know if hope is the right word — but gives me hope that we’re going to take this or embrace this process like no other. I truly believe that the maturity of the group is going to help when it comes to all of it, not just being The Hunted, but handling being patted on the back all year, and media scrutiny that we’re going to be under and pressures of the other things that we’re going to be under. I think that’s what’s going to help a ton.
Q: What did you take from Steve Kerr when you guys were defending your championship with the Warriors?
A: Steve was great about the process. What I mean is you can overdo it as a coach. Like you can pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound all the time because you want guys to continue working hard. You want guys to embrace all the little things. You could keep them an extra 15 minutes longer, you could watch an extra five minutes of film, you could do things like that to make sure you don’t get off track with our focus, our energy and our effort in making sure we don’t skip any steps along the way or have any slippage in the process along the way. And that might be too much. So there’s a fine line to where OK, you know what, it might be OK to lose this game during the regular season, because it’s better to lose this game now and learn from it than to press and want to win every time you stepped on the floor. And now, that type of pressure that you’re living under all year has catastrophic or bad results come playoff time.
When they won it the first time (2014-15), that next year they really pressed to have a great regular season and they ended up I think winning 73 games. And when they got to the Finals, they basically were gassed out. Same with the Dallas Mavericks, the following year they were the No. 1 seed, Golden State was the No. 8 seed and they lost in the first round. We pressed so hard to be perfect every single day that by the time the playoffs came, we gassed out. Learning from Steve that yes, you got to coach them. Yes you got to hold them accountable, but some things don’t have to be accomplished that day, even if it means taking a loss that day. You just say, “Hey, this is where we are today, we accept it, we know we got to get better, and we got to come back and fight hopefully a little bit harder tomorrow.”
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
A: Kenneth Chenault was the third African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and it was American Express. His definition of leadership is to give your group hope while always defining reality. So I’m a guy that likes to try to uplift the group but at the end of the day. I have to keep it real with everybody. And I can’t sell any false narratives to any individual and/or the team. Meaning if we’re doing well, yes, let everybody know, first and foremost. But if we’re not, no matter who you are, whether you’re Jalen [Brunson], KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns], OG [Anunoby], Pac [Pacôme Dadiet], Mo [Mohamed Diawara], Tyler Nickel, I’m going to let you know. And then on top of that, I truly believe in ownership of the process, not just with my players, but from my staff as well, everybody in this organization, because it’s not about me and my thoughts, everybody can always grow. It’s about the collective to try to figure out the best possible solution.
Q: In your offseason self-scout, what do you have to do to be a better coach than you were last year?
A: I’m a driver. When I was real young, I rose up pretty quick because I worked my tail off, I was extremely detailed, probably overly detailed, but if I had a plan, you best believe we were going to get through the plan, and I found a way to bring energy to the group, even if it was monotonous and boring. My whole thing this year is trying to find that line of keeping us on track, but not pushing too hard so we don’t gas out … even Jay Wright, they won a championship at Villonova and then there was a gap year when they didn’t win it, and he felt that gap year was because he tried to press the team too hard to be perfect, and they fizzled out at the end because of it. So trying to find that balance is my biggest thought process for me coaching this team going into this year.
Q: Did you speak with other coaches in any sport about defending a championship?
A: Yes. I’m not going to get into who because I even spoke to some competitors, and everybody was really friendly.
Q: Short answers: What is Jalen Brunson’s superpower?
A: His focus and determination.
Q: What is OG’s superpower?
A: His potential with his size and athletic and skillset.
Q: What is KAT’s superpower?
A: His skillset and his size.
Q: What is Mikal Bridges’ superpower?
A: His versatility.
Q: What is Josh Hart’s superpower?
A: His ability to connect the group, with sacrifice and determination.
Q: How do you feel about your bench?
A: I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to giving guys an opportunity that they might not have gotten before.
Q: Are you optimistic that you can compensate for the loss of Mitchell Robinson (Celtics)?
A: I talked to our guys about this. When I was in Golden State, we had a really good team the year we won back-to-back (2017 and 2018) and KD [Kevin Durant] left after that [after the 2019 season] and everybody thought that, rightfully so, we were going to go into the tank, because you can’t replace KD with one player. In 2022, we won it again, we basically had the same core minus KD. We replaced him basically with a young Jordan Poole, Otto Porter and Andrew Wiggins. And collectively, those three guys plus the rest of the group just brought a little bit more to the table, and we were able to get it done in 2022. So it’s no different with Mitch. Mitch is a great player. We’re not bringing Andre [Drummond] in here to quote, unquote be Mitch. Andre’s going to be Andre, but that means everybody else has to give a little bit more defensively, and has to give a little bit more when it comes to offensive and defensive rebounding,
Q: What did you learn about how New York and New York City embraces its champions over the offseason?
A: It’s like no other. This is my fifth championship that I’ve been a part of in some really good cities. But to experience it in New York, the raw emotions that people approach you with is unbelievable. And then, as they’re telling their story, to feel the passion and the joy, but most importantly the pride of it all is unbelievable. They’re so prideful, so passionate, so grateful for it that they literally want to give you the shirts off their back.
Q: What was it like getting a standing ovation when you walked into the Polo Club?
A: It was surreal, phenomenal. I didn’t know what to do. First of all when you walk in, there’s a bar area upstairs and everybody behind the bar was great, they were like, “Coach, Coach,” give me five and all that. Then when I walked down the stairs into the restaurant, it’s a nice-size restaurant, everybody is into their own world with whoever they’re there with, and then all of a sudden, they start clapping — everybody stops eating, everybody’s standing up and looking at you. It was the funkiest, most unreal, surreal experience ever. I wanted to kind of back up and hide a little bit (chuckle) because I didn’t know what to do (laugh). I just kind of waved and kind of mouthed the words thank you. That was very overwhelming, for sure.
Q: Did you have to pay for any meals in the offseason?
A: There is one, I won’t call the restaurant out, there definitely is one. I go into the restaurant, I’m with my stepson, and I took a few pictures with people in there, and then one of the employees comes over and says it’s either the owner or the manager wanted to know if you would take a picture with the employees over on the other side of the restaurant. I just thought it was a place out of the way of the rest of the people eating there. So I get done, I pay … good food, good service. So she goes, “Hey, let’s take it over here.” And so we slide over and we’re right in front of her signage — “Coach, you hop right in the middle of the sign and we’ll have all the employees.” I said, “Are you going to post this?” And she goes, “Yes!” I was kind of like busting her chops a little bit. I go, “So you’re going to post this, and use it for free advertising, but I had to pay for my food!” Her employees, they almost fell out of their seat. I felt bad — some of them were laughing so hard I was worried that they were going to get fired. “I’m joking, I’m just messing with ya, I’ll take the picture.” And so I ended up taking the picture. I don’t know if she posted it or not, but she said she was going to. That one I did pay for my meal. That might have been the first and only one all summer.
Q: Three dinner guests.
A: Martin Luther King, just in terms of hearing his story first hand from his mouth what he experienced because I can’t imagine the things that he went through and the daily struggles that he had to have just to keep a movement going. Sometimes in the coaching world, you get tired (laugh) of the stuff that you have to go through on a daily basis, and you feel like just going and sitting in a room by yourself and hiding, you know? I can’t imagine the weight that he had on his shoulders of trying to lead that movement during that time. … There’s just a ton of different people from musicians to actors, too.
Q: Favorite meal.
A: I’m a huge Mexican food guy. A couple of good authentic carne asada tacos and/or burritos.
Q: What was the most electric you heard the Garden last year?
A: I think [epic comeback win from 29-point deficit] Game 4. There were some other huge games during the regular season that were pretty electric. If there was one thing that I wish I would have done last year, I wish I would have had a chance to go back out and just listen and look at everybody in the Garden. I had heard that people stayed in the Garden another 30-to-45 minutes after the game was over high-fiving, and singing and all that other stuff. I wish I would have been able to go back out and see that.
Q: Your message to Knicks fans.
A: Love you guys, love your energy. Keep bringing it, because we’re looking forward to having another fun year.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their six-game road trip with a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Linus Karlsson scored his second of the season while Elias Pettersson found the back of the net on the power play. As for Kevin Lankinen, he was busy on Saturday, stopping 31 of the 35 shots he faced.
Vancouver looked exhausted after the first period. The Lightning outshot the Canucks 24 to seven during the final two frames and were able to erase a 2-0 deficit. While it is understandable that Vancouver would be tired at the end of this long road trip, the Canucks looked like they had zero energy for the majority of the game.
"The execution of details in our game," said Manny Malhotra post-game when asked about the loss. "Things that we've continuously talked about that are just non-negotiables. We need to have them to be able to be successful. Getting in shot lanes, tougher around our net, faceoff details. We continue to learn the lesson the hard way when you don't do those things; pucks end up in the back of your net."
As for the penalty kill, it was another night where Vancouver allowed a goal. To the Canucks credit, they were only shorthanded once, but their inability to block passing lanes and clear loose pucks led to yet another goal against. Vancouver has now allowed a league-high 13 goals against while on the penalty kill and has been scored on in seven of 10 games so far this season.
There was one positive from the night, and that was the play of Lankinen. While he will want a few of the goals back, the 31-year-old kept the Canucks in this game. It has been a tough year for Lankinen, but it is fair to say that he can't be blamed for this loss.
"I was really impressed with his response to, obviously, his frustration with his last couple of outings," said Malhotra about Lankinen. "But the way he stepped up today, obviously, he gave us a real chance to be in it right until the third period. A couple of ten-bell saves. We're happy for him with the response that he did."
Ultimately, there is not much that can be said about Saturday's loss. Vancouver struggled to generate any form of offence over the final half of the game and could not contain Tampa Bay's top players. In the end, the Canucks finished this six-game road trip 0-5-1 and will now head home on a seven-game losing streak.
1st Period:
15:32- VAN: Linus Karlsson (2) from Paul Cotter and Filip Chytil
2nd Period:
4:35- VAN: Elias Pettersson (3) from Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Brock Boeser (PPG)
6:30- TBL: Nikita Kucherov (2) from Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel
11:23- TBL: Nikita Kucherov (3) from Brayden Point
3rd Period:
2:04- TBL: Jake Guentzel (4) from Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Brayden Point
15:57- TBL: Pontus Holmberg (2)
Up Next:
October 20 vs Carolina Hurricanes, 7:00 pm PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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As Cameron Green was batting in Gqeberha on Saturday, a bloodcurdling howl had heads turning swiftly towards the net where the angular Australian was facing for fear he has suffered another foul blow.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored a power-play goal 6:43 into the third period to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to their seventh straight victory, 3-2 over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
The former Jet fired a wrist shot past the glove of Clay Stevenson.
Mark Jankowski — also on the power play — and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored for Carolina. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists.
Pyotr Kochetkov made 21 saves and has posted victories in all five starts this season. With fewer than 40 seconds remaining, Kochetkov made a pad save on Cole Perfetti, following that up with a save on 18-year-old Viggo Bjorck off the helmet to preserve Carolina’s lead.
Mark Scheifele and Alex Iafallo scored for Winnipeg, which lost its first game this season on home ice in regulation. Stevenson stopped 34 shots.
Winnipeg held 1-0 and 2-1 leads, before trailing in the third period. The Jets are 1-1 in matinee games this season, with nine more to play. After a three-game point drought to start the year, Scheifele is now riding a five-game point streak with two goals and six assists.
Carolina made the Jets pay on special-teams, scoring two goals while the power play and killing off Winnipeg’s lone opportunity with the man advantage. Jankowski’s second-period goal extended his NHL-leading active goal streak to seven consecutive games.
Jets: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: Visit the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
___
The Milwaukee Bucks have made the first of two moves needed to trim their roster to 15 standard contracts ahead of the 4:00 p.m. CT deadline on October 19, requesting waivers on Pete Nance, Johni Broome, and Jake Stephens. The Bucks announced the news via a media release and also on X:
We have requested waivers on Pete Nance, Johni Broome and Jake Stephens.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 17, 2026
Nance is once again the odd man out, being cut at least in part because of his non-guaranteed contract. On the court, he’d become a fan favourite and solid glue guy who always made the right play. Playing a career-high 47 games (including six starts) last season for Milwaukee, Nance averaged 5.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.0 APG on .515/.420/.364 splits. His standout performance came in April against the Houston Rockets, where he hit 5/9 three-pointers on his way to 23 points and three rebounds.
While Nance isn’t exactly young and full of upside—he turns 27 in February—he made great strides with the Bucks and was an ideal third-string big, especially as a stretch four. But with so many guaranteed contracts on the team and consolidating trades few and far between, Nance’s time on the standard roster has come to an end. Hopefully, he returns to the team on a two-way deal.
In addition to waiving Nance, the Bucks have also waived Broome and Stephens. Broome signed a training camp deal with Milwaukee on October 6 and was never really expected to challenge for the regular season roster. He featured in one preseason contest, putting up four points and three rebounds against the Chicago Bulls. Stephens, a 26-year-old 7-footer, signed with the Bucks in September and made two preseason appearances, averaging 1.5 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 5.3 MPG.
The Bucks now have 16 players on standard contracts, meaning they must still waive another player—or make a two-for-one trade—prior to opening day.
The Dodgers face several questions after an early postseason exit in the National League Championship Series.
The dynasty that the Dodgers have put together is in jeopardy of ending within the next few seasons if the front office can’t assemble another winning roster. Kyle Tucker, who was signed to a four-year, $240 million deal ahead of the 2026 season, addressed fans as the future of the franchise is in limbo.
“Through every high and low, thank you to our fans for riding with us all season. We appreciate the love and support more than you know. This isn’t the end — we’ll be back,” Tucker wrote in an Instagram post.
For most of 2026, the four-time All-Star was far from full form. Tucker ended the regular season with a .233 batting average, 17 home runs and 70 RBIs. He entered October with a .715 OPS, the lowest mark since his debut season in 2018 when he played 28 games.
Tucker’s struggles became a point of contention among the fan base, but the star outfielder came to life in the postseason. The 29-year-old averaged .333 with a .967 OPS in October, which was perhaps the only highlight of his inaugural Dodgers season.
The Dodgers, who face an uncertain future after the failed quest for a three-peat, will need Tucker to play at All-Star strength the entire 2027 season as one of the many veterans on the roster. While Tucker’s performance next year can’t be known, one thing is certain, the Dodgers will surely try to get younger this winter.
ST. LOUIS – Once Ivar Stenberg fulfilled his dream – like older brother and St. Louis Blues propect Otto Stenberg – of being drafted into the NHL, the brothers immediately went to the calendar to see when the first meeting would happen.
Oct. 8 was the first date. It was the Blues’ home opener and the second road game for the San Jose Sharks.
But alas, it didn’t materialize, and the Stenberg reunion is still on hold.
For how long? That will be up to when the Blues get their Stenberg back to the NHL.
Ivar, the younger 19-year-old brother and No. 2 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is locked into the Sharks’ roster. He assisted on San Jose’s winning goal in overtime against the Blues.
But he’s also very biased, and why shouldn’t he be, considering what his 21-year-old brother has meant to him, especially that day when Ivar donned the Sharks logo for the first time.
“It means very much for me,” Ivar said when the Sharks were in St. Louis. “He’s a really good guy and a really good person I talk to every day.
“We’re texting every day. Sometimes talking but most of the time texting just asking each other stuff.”
Ivar and Otto Stenberg, a first-round pick (No. 23) in the 2023 draft, have played on programs in their hometown of Sweden, including Stenungsund HF U16 and Frolunda HC U16 and U18’s. It’s the culmination of where Ivar said Otto fueled his push to reach the highest level.
“Yes, he’s older and I’m younger and smaller. We always play together and we’ve play against each other,” Ivar said. “We were doing everything together. We haven’t done that together in a while but … he’s meant everything. It’s crazy. I don’t think I would be here without him and my family, but especially seeing him and how hard he works every day and how much work he puts in every week is good to see when you’re young.”
And the best message Ivar received?
“Just play your game but also have fun,” he said. “Don’t think too much. Work hard. You’ve got to work hard. … He’s always taken good care of me. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Ivar said he knows there will come a day when the brothers will oppose each other but there was some disappointment it didn’t happen when he came to town.
“It will be fun. He deserves to be up and I think with all the training he put in this summer, I think he’s ready,” Ivar said. “I think he deserves that.
“… I think he’s ready this year. I don’t know how they’re thinking (but) he’s my brother and I think he’s really good.”
Otto has a goal and three assists in five games with Springfield of the American Hockey League this summer after playing 32 games with the Blues last season (10 points; three goals, seven assists).
The Blues don’t face the Sharks again until March 11 in St. Louis. Who knows what the two respective rosters will look like by then, but if Otto is up with the Blues by then, the brothers will know the date, and they’ll know and understand the meaning.
“That’s going to be special for sure,” Ivar said. ‘Kind of crazy. I’m looking forward to it.”
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Finally, real basketball is around the corner.
The Lakers played five preseason games. They had more practices than they’ll have all season. So, what have we learned about the team over the last few weeks?
With nine new players, the Lakers will have some kinks to work out. But there’s a lot to be excited about as Luka Doncic attempts to win the Purple-and-Gold their 18th title.
Right now, patience is key.
Don’t forget that it took the Lakers until last spring to figure out how to be successful with their Big 3 of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James.
Well, that process has begun all over again. James is out. And Walker Kessler is in. So, the calendar has been reset.
The Lakers are hoping they can figure things out much quicker this time around. Everyone has distinct roles. Kessler should perfectly complement Doncic and Reaves with his elite rebounding and rim protection.
That said, don’t expect them to figure things out overnight.
Kessler looked impressive in his preseason debut after playing in only five games last season because of season-ending shoulder surgery. He finished with 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, nine rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal in the Lakers’ 101-89 exhibition loss to the Warriors on Tuesday.
But Kessler was clearly shaking off rust against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the Lakers’ 121-106 exhibition loss on Friday. He was outscored by the three-time MVP 17-6, and Jokic finished with twice as many assists (eight) as Kessler (four).
That said, it’s obvious that Kessler is going to be a difference-maker for the Lakers when he finds his rhythm following what amounted to be a 347-day stretch between NBA games.
He’s well-liked. He’s a defensive powerhouse. And he’s incredibly driven after the Lakers emptied their cupboard to acquire him, giving up two first-round picks and two first-round picks swaps in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz on top of a four-year, $130 million deal.
“The support system around me with my teammates, the coaching staff, front office, they’re fantastic,” Kessler said. “They’re very vocal about, obviously being a Lakers big, there’s a certain legacy with that, but not to look at it as pressure, more so as an opportunity. So that’s kind of the attitude I’m going in with it.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili raises the Lakers’ offensive ceiling.
He has surpassed expectations this preseason. He has been one of the biggest standouts.
He averaged 13.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 55.6% from the field and 54.2% from beyond the arc.
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised him for being a “really quick decision-maker.” Reaves added that “good things happen” when he brings the ball up the floor.
“He’s a good basketball player, so we’re very excited for what he brings to the team,” Reaves said.
Williams only played in two preseason games because of a left foot contusion, but he made quite an impression.
He shot 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. He averaged 13.5 points. And he showed glimmers of what he can do on the defensive end.
If the 25-year-old can become the reliable, athletic and lockdown perimeter defender the Lakers have desperately wanted, he could change their ceiling.
Williams is the type of player the Lakers need. And the competitive Lakers can give him the opportunity he has always wanted following two seasons with the flailing Nets. This has the potential to be a great marriage.
Pat Cummins doubts it will matter how the Australians approach Kagiso Rabada in his return to Test cricket in Gqeberha on Sunday given the sight of the Baggy Green is enough to incite an inspired response in the Protea superstar.