DENVER, CO - AUGUST 01: Randy Dobnak #62 of the Kansas City Royals warms up prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Game two in Toronto has the lineups set. The Royals will be going for their 10th win in a row while the Blue Jays continue clinging to hope of sneaking into the wildcard. It will be Randy Dobnak on the mound for the Royals. He has thus far put up a sparkling ERA despite mediocre underlying numbers. Can he continue to defy the math? For Toronto, Spencer Miles will open the game. He has gone as many as 4 innings at times this year, but has worked mostly as a bullpen arm.
The lineup has Jac Caglianone back in it after getting scratched on Tuesday. Matthew Lugo is still not in the lineup as he continues to be in the majors without ever debuting.
Metta Sandiford-Artest said he tried to buy a 1% minority ownership stake in the Lakers under Mark Walter, but his bid was declined.
Sandiford-Artest said he reached out to Walter after the businessman bought the Buss family’s majority stake in the Lakers for a $10 billion valuation in 2025.
The City Council celebrates “Metta World Peace Day” honoring the former Lakers star and mental health advocate, born Ronald Artest, at Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles on Friday, May 15, 2026. (David Buchan for Ca Post) David Buchan for Ca Post
“I sent the email the next day, I tried to get in at $100 [million], and they didn’t let me in,” Sandiford-Artest told the California Post. “But I wish he had let me in. That would’ve been great to have a former Laker as an owner, especially with the Buss family gone. It would’ve been great to have a Laker, a champion like Metta World Peace.”
Walter is being investigated by federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding potential loan fraud.
Sandiford-Artest, who played for the Lakers for six seasons over two separate stints and won a championship alongside Kobe Bryant in 2010, said he had a feeling that the Lakers’ eye-popping valuation was going to skyrocket.
“Once it sold, the next day I tried to buy in for 1%,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “I knew it was going to [go up in value]. I knew it. I said the Lakers are going to be valued at $14 [billion]. I thought it was going to be a $14 billion value within like 18 months.”
Sandiford-Artest said he wasn’t sure why Walter declined his offer.
“They didn’t respond, and then they were like no,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “The reason why I tried to is I knew the value was going to go up, so I missed out. I was kind of bummed about it. You have a former player who wants to put in $100 [million].”
Under the Lakers’ new ownership, Sandiford-Artest believes the valuation of the 17-time championship franchise is going to soar even more.
“The Lakers are going to be just as big as Disney, honestly,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post.
Los Angeles Dodgers owner and chairman Mark Walter speaks during a ceremony to unveil a statue of former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images) Getty Images
Sandiford-Artest said he similarly tried to buy a stake in the BIG3, a 3-on-3 half-court professional basketball league founded in 2017 by rapper and actor Ice Cube and businessman Jeff Kwatinetz.
Sandiford-Artest, who played in the BIG3 in 2018, said his offer was declined. The league is expecting a $290 million valuation when it plans to go public later this year.
“I would’ve seven-exed my money,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “I was a little bit bummed, But it goes to show you the foresight that I had.”
Sandiford-Artest retired from the NBA in 2017. He was an All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He was a four-time All Defensive Team selectee over his 17-season career.
As for the Lakers, Sandiford-Artest has nothing but gratitude for his two stints with the franchise from 2009-2013 and 2015-2017.
They transformed him into a champion after he feared he would be out of the league following the infamous “Malice at the Palace” brawl in November 2004, which led to him being suspended for 86 games when he was with the Pistons.
“I was surprised to be a Laker, honestly,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “I didn’t think that was going to happen. They helped me out by letting me play on their team and helping me get a ring. That was something I always wanted.”
President of the Los Angeles Lakers Jeanie Buss attends the Dr. Drew 60th birthday and podcast roast benefiting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at STK on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Getty Images) Getty Images
Sandiford-Artest famously made a game-sealing 3-pointer for the Lakers with 1:01 left in Game 7 of the Finals against the Celtics in 2010.
“Just the way they involved me in the organization,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “That stands out a lot. It was like a family.”
Sandiford-Artest praised Jeanie Buss and the Lakers’ executives for supporting his advocacy for mental health awareness among athletes.
“They created a platform as they got involved with UCLA Health, adding a psychologist, all of the stuff like that,” Sandiford-Artest told The Post. “I think that was a great compliment. I was already bringing that stuff to the forefront, and I think Jeanie had an interest in it.”
Jerry Buss initially bought the Lakers as part of a larger financial deal for $67.5 million in 1979 before leaving his stake in the franchise to his children after he died in 2013.
Under the Buss family, Sandiford-Artest said the Lakers felt like a “mom and pop” organization.
“They just always made it feel like home,” he said.
It has perhaps been forgotten with Australia’s marathon year of Test cricket ahead that the ODI team’s bid to defend their World Cup crown is truly about to begin.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 21: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last night the Rockies ended their longest losing streak of the season at seven with their 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals. A short but effective Major League debut from starter Mason Adams (No. 17 PuRP), a Hunter Goodman home run in his return from the injured list, and a string of effective relief appearances were enough to stop the Rockies week-long streak.
Tonight they will look to fully put that losing streak to bed by starting a winning streak with a second consecutive win against the Nationals.
On the mound for the Nationals will be knuckleballer Matt Waldron. In time split between the Nationals and the San Diego Padres this year, Waldron has thrown only 37 innings at the Major League level. His ugly 7.54 ERA in that limited sample is possibly due for some regression as his .361 BABIP is much higher than league average and his expected ERA is only 3.75.
His best season came as a member of the Padres in 2024 when he accrued 1.8 fWAR over 146.2 innings pitched. He’ll look to get back to those sorts of results at home against the Rockies tonight.
In his previous start Gordon pitched through five and a third innings against the Cleveland Guardians and allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks. On the season the 28 year-old sports a 5.75 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP despite a stellar 1.76 BB/9. Gordon will be asked to give the team as much length as possible as they are in the middle of a 13-day stretch with no off days and needed to use five bullpen arms last night.
ESPN reported that Joey and Jesse will be on the Padres’ ownership group's advisory board.
Then there’s the ongoing struggle with their sister Jeanie. She’s trying to maintain her role as governor and controlling owner of the Lakers while her five siblings are pushing for the family to sell its 17.8% in the Lakers.
The Lakers were sold this month to businessman Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion. Mark Walter bought the team about a year earlier and that sale impacted the youngest of four Buss brothers.
ESPN’s Sham Charania reported in November that Joey and Jesse had been terminated from their front office positions as the Lakers reorganized their basketball operations department.
Their father, the late Jerry Buss, owned the Lakers from 1979 until his death in 2013.
It’s unclear what role Jesse and Joey Buss had with the Lakers. But ESPN reported that as members of the advisory committee they would draw on their experience with “player development, payroll management and roster construction.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 14: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers looks on after the final out of the top of the eighth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on August 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for August 26, 2026 against the Chicago White Sox: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Sean Burke for the White Sox.
It is Game 3 between the White Sox and the Rangers, and Texas needs to win this game in order to 1) win this series, 2) get back to .500, and 3) split the season series against the White Sox, and thus not immediately lose the first tiebreaker if the teams are tied for a Wild Card spot.
The lineup:
Pederson — 1B
Seager — DH
Langford — LF
Nimmo — RF
Duran — SS
Carter — CF
Foscue — 2B
Diaz — C
Freeman — 3B
6:40 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +107 underdogs.
PORTLAND, OR - JANUARY 2: Stephen Curry #30 listens to head coach Don Nelson of the Golden State Warriors during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 2, 2010 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The Blazers won 105-85. 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 2010 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Don Nelson is one of the most important figures in Golden State Warriors franchise history. That’s why the team will be honoring him with a jersey patch all next summer — even putting it above their data center patch!
Paying homage to a legend of the game.
The Golden State Warriors will honor Hall of Fame head coach Don Nelson with a ‘Nellie’ band on their uniforms throughout the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/1gpW0Oq0z0
The Warriors will sport a “NELLIE” patch on the left shoulder of their uniforms, honoring the coach who won 422 games over 11 seasons running the team. Nelson, who passed away earlier this month at age 86, won five titles as an NBA player and led the Warriors to some improbable playoff victories. The Warriors swept the Utah Jazz and Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton in 1989 while playing 6-foot-7 Rod Higgins at center and upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in 2007 by frustrating Dirk Nowitzki with a high-paced, small-ball lineup.
Nelson once said, “The more scotch I drink, the better the game plan gets,” and in 2007, the NBA actually had to bar him from bringing cans into postgame news conferences. What a legend.
The patch joins the “IREN” patch on the Warriors jerseys, which is an Australian company that makes data centers. To truly honor Nelson, the Warriors might also want to add an “IRIE” patch, considering he began farming marijuana in Hawaii, to go along with his bed-and-breakfast and his legendary poker room, popularized by the likes of Woody Nelson and Woody Harrelson, though not Woody Allen.
It’s a common way of memorializing franchise legends for the Warriors. In the 2024-25 season, they honored longtime guard, coach, and executive Al Attles with a No. 16 patch. In 2016, they wore a No. 42 patch for Hall of Famer and barbecue legend Nate Thurmond. In the 2010-11 season, the jerseys sported a patch of Franklin Mieuli’s signature deerstalker cap after their former owner passed away.
The Warriors will also honor Nelson this season by playing small lineups, because they don’t have tall players on their roster, and having seven-foot centers launch three-pointers. As another tribute, they’ll likely be driving their fans to reach for scotch or a bag of Nellie Kush. Just as Nellie would have wanted.
The Vegas Golden Knights will make their 10th NHL season a nationally televised one.
Vegas is scheduled to appear in 15 nationally televised games during the 2026-27 regular season, with ESPN and Turner Sports splitting exclusive U.S. coverage. The Golden Knights will also have 69 games available regionally through Scripps Sports and KnightTime+, giving local fans access to the majority of the team's schedule.
The season marks another year of the Golden Knights' partnership with Scripps Sports, which will enter its fourth season providing free over-the-air, cable and satellite coverage of games that are not nationally exclusive. Scripps Sports will also make all 69 regional broadcasts available to stream live through KnightTime+.
All four preseason games will be carried on The Spot - Vegas 34 in Southern Nevada and streamed on KnightTime+.
Vegas' 10th season begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, when the Golden Knights host the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena. The matchup will also serve as the first of the team's 15 national broadcasts, with ESPN carrying the game exclusively.
The national schedule includes several marquee matchups throughout the season, including three games against the Dallas Stars, two against the San Jose Sharks and two against the Edmonton Oilers. Vegas will also take part in the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, facing Dallas outdoors on Feb. 20.
Golden Knights' 2026-27 National TV Schedule
Sept. 29: vs. Chicago — ESPN
Oct. 20: vs. Tampa Bay — ESPN
Nov. 11: vs. Utah — TNT
Nov. 17: vs. Dallas — TNT
Nov. 19: vs. Dallas — ESPN+
Nov. 24: at Edmonton — TNT
Dec. 16: vs. San Jose — TNT
Dec. 22: at Anaheim — TNT
Jan. 7: vs. Minnesota — ESPN
Jan. 20: vs. Edmonton — TNT
Feb. 20: at Dallas — ABC — 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series
Feb. 24: vs. Florida — TNT
March 7: at N.Y. Rangers — ESPN
March 9: vs. San Jose — ESPN+
April 6: vs. St. Louis — ESPN
The NHL also announced updated start times for six Golden Knights games. The changes include three nationally televised contests, with the March 7 matchup against the Rangers now scheduled for a 4 p.m. PT start.
Updated Golden Knights Start Times
Nov. 11 vs. Utah: 6:30 p.m. PT
Dec. 22 at Anaheim: 6:30 p.m. PT
Feb. 18 vs. Columbus: 7 p.m. PT
March 7 at N.Y. Rangers: 4 p.m. PT
March 9 vs. San Jose: 7:30 p.m. PT
April 6 vs. St. Louis: 7:30 p.m. PT
For fans outside the Golden Knights' television territory, Scripps Sports' regional broadcasts will also be available through an ESPN Select subscription.
The 2026-27 season will mark 10 years since the Golden Knights entered the NHL in 2017. A lot has changed since then, and Vegas will enter its milestone season with 15 games on the national schedule, giving the team plenty of exposure beyond its local market.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 21: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park on August 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
While it would probably be better to have Sonny Gray facing the Yankees in a pivotal series for playoff implications this weekend, Boston’s Cy Young candidate takes the ball in Miami in hopes of completing a second sweep in a row for the Red Sox. The veteran right-hander is a remarkable 16-3 on the year in a resurgent season in the rotation.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate behind him Wednesday evening at loanDepot Park.
The Marlins will counter with Ryan Gusto, holding a 4.32 ERA in 17 appearances. Miami is clinging on for dear life in the National League Wild Card race, sitting four games back of the final spot and one game over .500.
As Mark Vientos nears a return from his rehab assignment, the question of how the slugging right-hander fits into this version of the Mets was raised to interim manager Andy Green, and the skipper did not mince words.
"I don't know," Green said prior to Wednesday's game with the Brewers. "I was very forthright with him when he started the rehab assignment that a lot of that will be dictated by how others perform and also by how he performs. Still think there’s a very bright future for him out there if he wants to grab a hold of it. That’s on him."
The current construction of the Mets roster doesn't lend itself to a lot of at-bats for Vientos to start with. Even with the added roster spot on Sept. 1, the team has to use the DH spot to give time to other players, including Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez and Luis Robert Jr., as well as the eventual return of Juan Soto, who could see time as DH.
Vientos, who was placed on the IL back on July 10 with a fractured hand, has played three minor league games between Double-A and Triple-A. In that span, he's 0-for-9 with a walk and five strikeouts.
With no remaining options, Vientos will rejoin the team, but as Green put it Wednesday, it'll be a proving ground for the young slugger.
"When he gets back in the box, take advantage of the at-bats you do get. Prove you deserve more at-bats," Green continued. "I think people get into different phases in their career at different points in time. He has all the talent that he possessed in ‘24 when he was hitting close to 30 home runs and didn’t start the season with the big league club. It’s all right there. It’s on him for that to come out.
"We certainly want to see it come out. It’s not going to be a perfectly laid path for him, though, when he does come back."
Vientos had a breakout season in 2024, smashing 27 homers and driving in 71 runs across 111 games. The following season, Vientos played 121 games but only hit 17 homers and 61 RBI.
In 73 games this year, Vientos is slashing .211/.256/.388 with an OPS of .644 to go along with his 11 home runs and 35 RBI.
Andy Green was asked what role he foresees Mark Vientos having on the Mets when he returns from injury:
"I don't know. I was very forthright with him when he started the rehab assignment that a lot of that will be dictated by how others perform and also by how he performs.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 14: Mason Montgomery #46 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the ninth inning during the game against the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on August 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pirates bullpen is one of the main reasons why a once promising season turned on a dime and became the most disappointing in a decade.
It’s improved since the All-Star break and especially the trade deadline, but a combination of relievers sank the Pirates’ ship.
Dennis Santana opened the season as the Pirates’ primary closer, but struggled mightily.
The baton has been passed to lefty Mason Montgomery. He took it and ran.
Montgomery owns six saves in eight opportunities and a 3.19 ERA over 53.2 innings this season.
His .187 opponent batting average is the best of his career and has limited hitters to 22 walks.
Montgomery has become a significantly different pitcher in July and August, depleting a 4.68 ERA down by a run and a half since being entrusted with a more high-leverage role.
In 13 games spanning 12.1 innings in July, the hard-throwing lefty earned a 1.46 ERA. Montgomery struck out 23 and limited opposing hitters to a .073 average.
Montgomery owns a 100-101 mph fastball that has played well at the top of the zone. It’s enhanced his slider (16%), sinker (16%), and curveball (14%) usage and his ability to keep hitters off balance.
Despite being a background character in the Brandon Lowe trade, Montgomery may become the most important addition.
With Lowe set to be a free agent and Jake Mangum profiling best as a fourth outfielder, Montgomery has emerged as the Bucs’ best relief pitcher.
August has been nearly perfect. Through nine games (8.2 innings), Montgomery hasn’t allowed a run and has dominated opponents.
The results speak for themselves with 18 strikeouts compared to four hits and one walk, a 0.58 WHIP.
Montgomery has converted all four saves he’s attempted.
While the bullpen has let the Pirates down on numerous occasions and derailed the season, the brightest star shining on the mound could provide the team with a closer for years to come.
Montgomery is under team control for four more years and has sorted out his control issues that plagued him in Tampa.
In 53.2 innings, Montgomery has struck out a career-high 87 batters compared to 22 walks.
Fans pleaded for the Pirates to acquire Aroldis Chapman leading up to the deadline, but they’ve developed their own flamethrowing left-hander to anchor the bullpen and finally lock down the ninth.
With Bennedict Mathurin headed to New Orleans, there are minutes available for Jordan Miller off the bench with the Clippers. He's just not going to be able to take advantage of that for a while.
"Jordan Miller underwent surgery today to repair a torn left rotator cuff sustained during an offseason workout last week. Miller will be reevaluated in 6 months," The Clippers announced on Wednesday.
Reevaluated in six months means the soonest he might return is March, and he could return later than that.
Miller, a 2023 second-round pick out of Miami, took a step forward last season, averaging 10 points a game and shooting 34.5% from beyond the arc. He was rewarded with a three-year, $15.3 million contract this July. Miller will push to return and perform well this season because only the first year of that new contract is guaranteed.
The Clippers still have good guard depth. The expected starting backcourt is Darius Garland and No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler, with Gradey Dick (if and when the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through), Kris Dunn and Bradley Beal off the bench. If Tyronn Lue wants to play bigger, Kobe Sanders could slide to the two for a stretch.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 8: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers has trouble with his PitchCom reciever during the fourth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 8, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The series finale between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves features a wonderful pitching matchup, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale on the mound on Thursday night at Truist Park.
Sale (2.20) and Yamamoto (2.61) are second and third in the National League in ERA, with Yamamoto (3.03) third and Sale (3.06) fourth in xERA.
Yamamoto leads the majors averaging 6.59 innings per start and has allowed nine total runs in his last six starts. Sale since the All-Star break has allowed nine runs in six starts, with 49 strikeouts and only three walks.
The Dodgers scratched together three runs against Sale on May 8 at Dodger Stadium, during which the left-hander struck out seven with no walks in seven innings of a tough-luck loss.
In Part Two of this series, as we evaluate the Anaheim Ducks prospect pool, we begin to see depth at every position within the organization. While Part One highlighted five players with an uphill climb to long NHL careers, a lot will have to go wrong for the prospects ranked 11-15 not to see significant NHL time in their careers.
As the Ducks will likely have to operate with a top-heavy NHL lineup in the coming years, this second-tier group of prospects will be relied on to fill secondary roles on the depth chart and support the talented core.
Author’s Note: To qualify for this list, players must be rookie-eligible in 2026-27. Unfortunately, that disqualifies Tristan Luneau from this particular exercise.
In reverse order, let’s see who came in at 11-15 on the list of the Ducks’ top prospects:
15. Mathis Preston, 18, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
W, 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, 50th overall in 2026
Preston is the exact kind of player fans often dream their team would take in the late first or second round of a draft. He was expected to be taken much higher than where the Ducks nabbed him at 50th overall in the most recent draft due to an injury, a mid-season trade, and underproducing given what his skill set should dictate.
He’s an electric skater with some of the best pure skill in his entire draft class, and he consistently makes plays and creates chances at high speeds. With easy top-six potential, the Ducks are hoping his international resume is more of an indicator of what he can become than his junior performance in his draft year. He scored seven points (4-3=7) in five games at the 2025 Hlinka and six points (2-4=6) in five games at the 2026 U18 World Championship playing for Canada, much better numbers than his 44 points (18-26=44) in 46 WHL games last season. He’ll return to the Vancouver Giants in the WHL for the 2026-27 season, where he’ll assume a premier scoring role and aim to prove himself a steal in the second round.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2029–30
14. Tarin Smith, 20, University of Minnesota (NCAA)
LHD, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, 79th in ’24
In 2025-26, Smith wrapped up a successful junior career, playing for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. His production improved year-after-year, and his role, both on the ice and in the locker room, increased, culminating in being awarded his team’s captaincy last season. He was injured early in Everett’s playoff run and unfortunately missed a chance to play in the Memorial Cup, where the Silvertips lost in the Championship Game to the Kitchener Rangers.
Smith rounded into an all-situations defenseman in the WHL, blending smooth, explosive skating ability, quality puck-moving in all three zones, and a physical edge that will raise his floor at the next level. For his D+3 season in 2026-27, Smith will head to the University of Minnesota, where he’s likely to step into a role right away as their No. 1 defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2028-29
13. Noah Warren, 22, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
RHD, 6-foot-5, 216 pounds, 42nd in ’22
Four years removed from his draft and two full seasons in the AHL with the Gulls indicate a shot at NHL games could be just around the corner for Warren. At this moment, he’s decidedly fifth on the Ducks RHD organizational depth chart, behind Drew Helleson, Ian Moore, Nick Jensen, and Tristan Luneau. However, in totality, that’s an inexperienced, unpredictable group, and a slow start or injury to one or two players could open a spot for Warren as early as this upcoming season.
His trademark attribute will always be his size, length, and physicality in small areas of the ice, but he’s progressed admirably with his puck retrieving, footwork, and first pass. He’ll never provide much offense, but could eventually eat tough minutes for a long time in the NHL as a middle or bottom-pair defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27
12. Nathan Gaucher, 22, Anaheim Ducks (NHL)
C, 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, 22nd in ’22
Similar to Warren, Gaucher has paid his dues with three full seasons under his belt at the AHL level and should be in line for a shot in the NHL this season. The problem is that those three AHL seasons were unspectacular and unproductive. He got off to another slow start in 2025-26, but upped his production considerably toward the end of the year, finishing with 29 points (15-14=29) in 62 games, including nine (7-2=9) in his final ten regular season AHL games, and made his NHL debut during that stretch.
Gaucher was always projected as a high-motor, shutdown center, and he’ll likely top out as a third-liner. He’s strong, fast, tenacious, and possesses quality defensive habits. His straight-line tendencies will render him an impactful forechecker and difficult to play against at the NHL level. If he can find the back of the net with any sort of consistency, he can become a useful depth piece for a long time for the Ducks.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27 Opening Night Roster
11. Damian Clara, 21, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
G, 6-foot-6, 214 pounds, 60th in ’23
Clara’s career in Europe seems to have come to an end after two pedestrian seasons in the SHL, with a brief pit stop in Liiga. The numbers don’t jump off the screen, but they’ll hopefully improve in the AHL, backstopping a potentially improved defensive Gulls team, with newly promoted Dave Manson behind the bench. Clara announced himself on a global scale during the 2026 Olympic Games in his native Italy, where he posted a stunning .911 SV% behind a team that didn’t feature a single NHL player or prospect aside from himself.
Clara is a remarkable athlete in the crease and eliminates massive portions of the net with his 6-foot-6 frame. The next task for Clara and the Ducks’ goaltending coaches over the next few seasons will be to develop his puck tracking, angle knowledge, and game management skills. He remains raw and a project, but a few seasons in Southern California could effectively iron out those wrinkles and produce an excellent young goaltender by the time current starter Lukas Dostal’s contract is close to an end.
Another busy roster week for the San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliates as two of the four stateside teams had a miserable week and the Dominican Summer League regular season comes to a close.
El Paso outfielder Dustin Harris, who was released and then re-signed just a couple of weeks ago, had a blistering week at the plate and was promoted to San Diego.
Outfielder Samad Taylor began his rehab with Triple-A El Paso and should be ready soon.
Two more recently signed players, second-round draft pick Elliot Lascelles and undrafted free agent LHP Andrew Wright, were both assigned to Low-A Lake Elsinore to begin their professional careers.
Lascelles, 18, is a Canadian shortstop with advanced plate discipline and bats left-handed. His draft evaluation suggested he is better suited to second base.
LHP Luis Gutierrez finished his rehab and will be with the Double-A San Antonio Missions to finish the season.
Shortstop Bradley Frye, an undrafted free agent from last season, was promoted to Single-A Fort Wayne on Aug. 5 and was named Midwest League Player of the Week at the end of this past series. Frye went 10-for-24 with a 1.189 OPS in five games. He had two doubles, a triple, and a home run with seven RBI and three stolen bases. That puts him tops on the team, but he has only 48 at-bats in his 15 games overall.
The Dominican Summer League regular season finished with the Padres Gold team ending with a 40-16 record, advancing to the playoffs. The Brown team finished 11-44 for the season, last in their division.
The Gold team began their playoff schedule against the Giants Black team and won the first game 5-3.
The starter for the Gold team, RHP Yoandres Valdiviezo, was roughed up in the first inning, allowing two earned runs on two hits and five walks. He was replaced after 0.2 innings by RHP Wilfred Paca, who threw five innings of one-hit ball with a walk and three strikeouts.
The rest of the bullpen finished out, allowing one more run over 3.1 innings. Closer Alvieris Polanca picked up his first playoff save.
The offense plated five runs on nine hits with singles and one double. Left fielder Cristian Benavides was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, and third baseman Dawry Guerrero was 2-for-4 with a double and five RBI.
The second game of the series was yesterday.
El Paso Chihuahuas (50-75 record, last in PCL East)
The Chihuahuas went 1-5 for the week, wasting the breakout performance by outfielder Dustin Harris. Harris hit .500 with a .556 OBP. He had two home runs in his five extra-base hits with nine RBI in four games.
LHP Jagger Haynes had a two-start week with one good showing and one not as good. Over his two starts, he pitched 10 innings with six runs allowed on nine hits. Since his promotion to El Paso, Haynes has been up and down in his six games started and has a 7.13 ERA.
RHP Jhonny Brito has nine starts and 37.1 innings pitched with a 2.89 ERA. With RHP Joe Musgrove scheduled for a start with the Chihuahuas this week, Brito probably won’t be the first pitcher used to supplement the rotation. If Musgrove completes his rehab soon, Brito should be a safety valve for the Padres, if needed.
Reliever Hunter Stratton, acquired at the trade deadline, has been outstanding for El Paso. In seven games and 9.1 innings pitched, Stratton has allowed five hits and no runs with five walks and 10 strikeouts. He could also provide depth for the pitching staff in San Diego.
Catcher Ethan Salas cooled off significantly over the past series. Salas was 3-for-19 with a walk and one strikeout. Overall, in 19 games, Salas is hitting .317 with a .949 OPS, hitting three homers with 20 RBI.
Roster changes
Catcher Victor Duarte was sent to the development list in Arizona and RHP Ty Adcock was placed on the injured list.
RHP Jose Leclerc was assigned to El Paso from San Antonio.
San Antonio Missions (54-66 record, last in Texas League South)
The Missions went 3-3 for the week Fabian is third in home runs with 10 and second in RBI with 48. He has 68 strikeouts. corner outfielder and first baseman Albert Fabian having a good month. Fabian, 24, has been in the system since 2019 and will be a free agent at the end of the year. For the week, he went 10-for-25 with four doubles and a home run. Fabian is third in home runs with 10 and second in RBI with 48. He has 68 strikeouts.
Outfielder Alex McCoy has played in nine games since his promotion. In 42 at-bats, he is hitting .333 and has a .896 OPS with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
Outfielder Braedon Karpathios leads the team with 14 home runs and 58 RBI but has 148 strikeouts in 463 plate appearances (almost 32% K rate).
RHP Eric Yost turned in 6.1 innings pitched this past week with four hits, no walks and six strikeouts as a piggyback to LHP Luis Gutierrez. He has a 3.22 ERA in 89.1 innings for the year.
Gutierrez is building up after missing most of the season due to a shoulder injury in April.
Roster changes
RHP Victor Lizarraga was promoted to San Antonio from Fort Wayne.
Outfielder Carson Tucker was placed on the injured list, and outfielder Justin DeCriscio was promoted to the Missions from Fort Wayne.
Outfielder Kai Murphy was assigned to the Arizona development list.
Reliever Bernard Jose was moved from Fort Wayne to San Antonio.
RHP Johan Moreno was moved from El Paso to San Antonio.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (50-68 record, last in Midwest League East)
The TinCaps went 3-3 for the week with shortstop Bradley Fry distinguishing himself in his five games played. The other players promoted to Fort Wayne from Lake Elsinore are continuing to have difficult adjustment periods with their new team.
RHP Kannon Kemp, over his past two games started and nine innings pitched, has allowed no runs with ten strikeouts while featuring a 98 mph four-seam fastball. Overall, Kemp has a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings with the TinCaps after starting with the ACL team. The righty began the season on the injured list after suffering a right oblique injury during the spring.
Starting pitchers Carson Montgomery, Bryan Balzer, and Abraham Parra have had up-and-down seasons with Fort Wayne. All have high upsides, with Montgomery having his first season back from Tommy John surgery and Balzer relatively new to pitching but drawing attention as an intriguing prospect.
Parra, 20, is not a top 30 prospect per MLB Pipeline (the others are No. 30 and No. 5, respectively) but is an intriguing arm to follow going forward. Signed as an international prospect out of Venezuela, Parra started with the DSL in 2023 and 2024. He played his first season stateside in 2025 for both the ACL team and Lake Elsinore.
In 2026, he has 16 starts in 21 games and 89 innings pitched with a 5.76 ERA, 82 strikeouts to 56 walks. He currently features a 97 mph four-seam fastball but needs to improve his command and walk rate.
Roster changes
Infielder Yimy Tovar was promoted from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne.
RHP Maikel Miralles was sent to Arizona, and RHP Matt Watson was sent from San Antonio to Fort Wayne to replace him.
Lake Elsinore Storm (61-59 record, 2nd in California League South)
The Storm has lost seven straight, going 0-6 for the week. Struggling on both sides of the ball, Lake Elsinore will go into the playoffs after finishing their season with two more series. They won the first half but aren’t playing well to end the year.
Left-handed hitting shortstop Lascelles has infused some energy with his arrival, but the team is overall not scoring. After losing many of their best players at promotion time, the new infusion of talent started well but has tapered off significantly.
RHP Luis Maracara, 19, joined the Storm after pitching with the ACL team and has started seven games in his nine appearances. He has 27.2 innings pitched with a 6.51 ERA. In his last three games started, Maracara has 11 innings pitched and 20 strikeouts to three walks.
RHP Lan-Hong Su, 19, was signed by the Padres out of Taiwan last year. He started this year with the ACL Padres and was moved to Lake Elsinore. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds, Su needs time for maturation and development before a real assessment can be made. He is currently the Padres’ No. 7-ranked prospect with MLB Pipeline.
In August, Su has three starts and 9.2 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts and two walks. His control and command fluctuate wildly, but he is an arm to watch going forward.
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft has had a largely disappointing first professional season. Never able to get into any kind of consistent groove, Schoolcraft has stayed healthy with 20 games started and 71.1 innings pitched. He has a 5.80 ERA with 75 strikeouts and 53 walks. Both command and control have been issues with his arsenal.
In his start this past week, Schoolcraft went 0.2 innings and was removed after he walked three and allowed four runs.
2026 regular season coming to a close
Both A-level affiliates finish their season on Sept. 6.
Double-A affiliates finish on Sept. 18.
Triple-A affiliates complete their season on Sept. 20.
