BONUS EPISODE! Two great episodes for the price of, well, none, but it was a privilege to sit down with Cardinals 2025 4th round pick Cade Crossland and I was also very thankful to be joined by prospect evaluator Kyle Reis of thecardinalnation.com who really helped fill in some of the cracks where my prospect knowledge lacks.
I am also thrilled to say that I expect to have MORE player interviews in the coming weeks and months as the player representitive agency “Bellangee Group” reached out to me recently and selected our show as one to help highlight some of their young players, we, of course, will humbly oblige, and you, the listener, will be the beneficiary of all the great content planned in that regard. So, this isnt just a random one off, this is the begininng of something really exciting and we’re happy to be able to bring that to all of you!
00:00 Introduction to Viva Elberto’s Podcast 00:12 Meet the Hosts: Jake, Gabe, and Scott 00:23 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:33 Cade Crossland’s Journey to Pro Ball 04:56 Pre-Draft Process and Emotions 07:12 College Experience and Technology in Baseball 10:36 Cade’s Pitching Style and Mental Approach 12:47 Changeup Success and Pitch Development 15:34 Analyzing Performance and Learning from Mistakes 18:32 Teammate Impressions and Opponent Challenges 21:04 Reflection on July Struggles and Promotion to Peoria 24:42 Offseason Goals and Training Plans 26:27 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 31: Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 31, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Rasheer Fleming
Power forward, 6’9”, 240 pounds, 22 years old, 2nd season
Ah, Rasheer Fleming. He’s a player with much promise, and someone you can’t help but get excited about when you project who and what he could be. Expectations must be tempered, of course. He was taken with the 31st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, meaning 30 teams passed on him for a reason. But when we watch him play, as he glides with his condor-like wings, your heartbeat starts to spike. He looks like an NBA player, which sounds like half-assed scouting. But when you see it, you know it.
After a freshman year in which he showcased promise, the true test begins. The sophomore year is typically when we see the largest developmental jump, as prospects no longer are taken aback by the inaugural sights and sounds of the Association and have had an entire summer to focus on strength training, film study, and routine.
For an organization that needs its young talent to pop, Fleming represents the possibilities for the next phase of Phoenix Suns basketball. While the expectations that sit upon his broad shoulders aren’t nearly as heavy as those of his fellow draftmate Khaman Maluach, a season in which he plateaus developmentally would hurt the long-term viability of the franchise.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
55
12.2
4.3
2.3
0.3
0.4
40.5%
34.6%
55.9%
112.7
106.6
+97
Rasheer made his NBA debut last season in the second game of the season, and scored his first NBA points in the team’s third. And while the stat sheet says he played in 55 games last season, his usage in the rotation was sporadic. Such is life for a rookie drafted in the second round. It wasn’t until late February that we began to see Felming with regularity, and with repetitions, we began to see what he could be as a player.
In the Suns’ final 25 games, Fleming played in 24 of them, averaging 18.9 minutes, 6.6 points, and 3.4 rebounds. He shot 40.2% from three-point range while averaging 1.3 stocks (steals + blocks). He was displaying his ability as a true 3-and-D player, impacting both sides of the floor. You couldn’t help but smile seeing him deny someone on one end and pump a three-ball in on the other.
He scored 10+ points in only 5 of his appearances, which is fine when you consider the role he was being asked to fulfill as a reserve. If you’re looking at box scores in an effort to define the productivity of a rookie, you’re certainly going to walk away disappointed. If you were to look at his only start of the season, game 82 when the team rested all of their regulars, there was a fortification of the promise Fleming brings. He scored 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-7 from deep, adding 6 rebounds, 3 stocks, and 2 assists.
Fleming was pretty much a non-factor in the postseason as the Suns were swept by the Thunder, although he could have been if he had been provided more opportunities. I know, I know…the ‘Disease of What If’. What if he had more run? It would’ve made sense, as one of the ways to jam up two-time MVP is to throw length at him at the point of attack. It’s something the Suns chose not to do, and SGA made them pay. When Collin Gillespie guarded him for 71.9 partial possessions, he scored 30 points on 58.8% shooting and 40% from deep. Fleming guarded him for just 1.8 possessions. The result? A block.
We’ll never know what would have happened if Fleming played more than 18 minutes in the postseason. And at this point in time, we don’t have to. What’s done is done, and we’re looking forward to what he could be, not at a series that was ultimately sealed before the tip ever occurred.
Contract and Roster Context
Fleming is entering year two of a four-year, $8.7 million contract. It is guaranteed through the end of next season, with 2028-29 being a team option.
What He Brings
Hope. That is, from a fanalyst perspective, what Fleming brings first and foremost. Effective rosters are built upon the prospects that flourish within the system. These are the players who become fan favorites. Not the mercenaries, not the veteran minimums. It is the players you draft and develop who have your heart the most. Mikal and Cam. Rasheer and Khaman. That thread of “they are ours” is what endears them to a fanbase.
Exploring the traits Fleming possesses fortifies that hope. He can shoot. He can defend. He has length, athleticism, the ability to rebound, the ability to play small-ball five, and adds size. From a prospect perspective, you salivate over the upside. From a realist perspective, you know that continued development and patience must be practiced in order for him to maximize when you believe he ultimately could be.
He should see more opportunities this season, slotting in as the backup power forward. And I assume that his versatility will put him in some unique rotations where he will shine as an ancillary player. The injury to Mark Williams should open the door for him to play center in lineups when speed and spacing are prioritized. I’m interested to see him in as a small forward as well, in lineups that emphasize size and rebounding.
What Needs to Improve
For any sophomore, the goal is not to plateau. To continue to grow and develop. What does this look like for Fleming? It starts with consistency and decision-making.
Consistency can only occur when opportunity is provided, and we witnessed this in the final 25 games of last season. That needs to carry over into this season. Consistency in shooting, consistency in positioning, consistency in rebounding, effort, and defensive discipline. If you look at who Rasheer was during Summer League in 2025 and who he was a season later, you see growth. But that needs to carry over into the minutes he will be provided this season.
Decision-making is another opportunity for Fleming. There are times you can feel him thinking just a half-second too long, and processing speed needs to become instantaneous rather than processed. That ability to react quickly is the difference between a rotation player and someone sitting on the bench.
Prediction
This is a big year for Fleming, with plenty of opportunities. His versatility should give him numerous looks in different lineup combinations, and I believe he will thrive. What does thrive mean? It’s not necessarily statistical dominance, rather, it’s someone who can contribute to the greater good of the team in a multitude of ways. The skill set is there. It’s time to see the execution.
I feel that we’ll look back at the 2026-27 campaign for Fleming as one in which growth occurred. Where confidence grew. Where he impacted the game with regularity. Will there be hiccups and mental lapses? Of course. But by the end of this season, we will have confidence that this is a rotational piece moving forward, if not a core piece.
If there is one thing that is clear, it is that I am a Rasheer Fleming Stan. I believe he has the ability to be the Suns’ version of Kawhi Leonard, without all the cap-circumvention crap. He may be quiet and unassuming, but he’s an absolute beast on the hardwood. He can lock you up and hit you with a dagger three on the other end. Does he possess the upside that Kawhi does? Probably not. He possesses the intangibles that every team needs in order to be successful. It now comes down to what happens between the ears.
1923: Chicago Bears founder, co-coach and player George Halas returned a Jim Thorpe fumble 98 yards for a touchdown in a 26-0 victory over the Oorang Indians, setting an NFL record that stood for 49 years.
1951: The United States captured the Ryder Cup at Pinehurst, defeating Great Britain 9½-2½ with a team led by Sam Snead.
1959: Chicago Cubs slugger Ernie Banks was named National League MVP for the second consecutive season after another power-filled year at shortstop.
1961: Philadelphia Warriors star Wilt Chamberlain began an NBA-record streak of 65 consecutive games scoring at least 30 points.
1962: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Bill Gadsby recorded his 500th career point in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to reach the milestone.
1965: Johnny Kerr played his 844th consecutive NBA game, then a league record, as the Baltimore Bullets lost 108-107 to the New York Knicks.
1971: Los Angeles Lakers star Elgin Baylor retired because of persistent knee injuries, ending a 14-season career in which he scored 23,149 points and made 11 NBA All-Star teams.
1976: Major League Baseball conducted its first free-agent reentry draft, a landmark business event in the sport’s labor history that included stars such as Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Joe Rudi and Willie McCovey.
1977: New York Rangers star Phil Esposito scored his 600th career goal in a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the third player in NHL history to reach the mark.
1980: Japanese home-run king Sadaharu Oh retired after a legendary career in which he hit a professional-record 868 home runs.
1987: Edmonton Oilers star Wayne Gretzky recorded his 1,000th career assist in his 645th NHL game, adding a hat trick in a 7-2 victory over the New York Rangers.
1988: The Charlotte Hornets played the first game in franchise history, losing 133-93 to the Cleveland Cavaliers before a sellout crowd at Charlotte Coliseum.
1989: David Robinson made his long-awaited NBA debut after fulfilling his U.S. Navy commitment, scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 106-98.
1989: The Orlando Magic played the first regular-season game in franchise history, losing 111-106 to the New Jersey Nets at Orlando Arena.
1993: The NBA Board of Governors awarded the league’s 28th franchise to a Toronto ownership group headed by John Bitove Jr., creating the Toronto Raptors, who began play in 1995.
1996: Houston Rockets forward Charles Barkley became the fourth player in NBA history to compile at least 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 3,500 assists as Houston defeated Utah 75-72.
2000: Grove City running back R.J. Bowers became the first player in NCAA history to surpass 7,000 career rushing yards, reaching the milestone during a 14-10 win over Carnegie Mellon.
2001: Luis Gonzalez singled home the winning run off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 to win the first World Series championship in franchise history.
2003: The Big East announced a major expansion during a wave of college conference realignment, adding Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida in all sports and DePaul and Marquette in sports other than football.
2003: New York Rangers captain Mark Messier scored twice in a 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars to pass Gordie Howe and move into second place on the NHL’s career points list with 1,851.
2006: Carolina Hurricanes captain Rod Brind’Amour collected the 1,000th point of his NHL career during a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
2007: Minnesota Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson rushed for an NFL-record 296 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-17 win over the San Diego Chargers.
2009: Hideki Matsui drove in six runs, tying the World Series single-game record, as the New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 to win their record 27th championship. Matsui was unanimously selected World Series MVP.
2012: Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 433 yards against Miami, setting an NFL rookie single-game passing record in a 23-20 victory.
2016: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s NBA-record streak of 157 consecutive games with at least one made 3-pointer ended.
— USA TODAY Network
This story was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
The Mets made a roster move on Tuesday, claiming infielder/outfielder Christian Cairo off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cairo was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Cairo was a fourth-round pick of Cleveland in the 2019 MLB Draft and signed a minor league contract with the Phillies this past offseason.
In 128 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Cairo had a .676 OPS with four home runs, 35 RBI, 66 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.
Cairo, the son of longtime former MLB player Miguel Cairo, has played shortstop, second base, third base, center field, and left field for this season.
Ryan Lambert of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
A league owned and operated by Major League Baseball that plays for a few weeks in October and November, the six teams of the Arizona Fall League are rostered by minor league players from all 30 affiliated MLB clubs. This season, the Mets will be supplying players to the Surprise Saguaros, along with the Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals.
Players are selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for a variety of reasons. Commonly, parent clubs send their minor league players to get more at-bats or accrue more innings due to injury or other issues that prevented them from playing during the regular season. Players are also sent to better evaluate changes that were made at the plate or on the mound. In some cases, it gives players who are being considered for spots on the 40-man roster additional time to showcase their abilities in front of the scouts and executives who will be making those decisions and in other cases, players are selected simply to showcase their abilities against the upper echelon of minor league prospects.
This season, the Mets will be sending three infielders, Bruin Agbayani, Boston Baro, and Cole Mathis, and five pitchers, Irving Cota, Brendan Girton, Ryan Lambert, Peyton Prescott, and Calvin Ziegler.
Bruin Agbayani, who was acquired earlier this season from the Minnesota Twins, spent much of the season injured and only appeared in 13 games for the entire season, 10 with the Fort Myers Miracle and 3 with the St. Lucie Mets. Likewise, Boston Baro, who was ranked the Mets’ 25th top prospect coming into the season, had a season beset by injuries and setbacks and only appeared in 11 games, all during a pair of rehab assignments. Mathis, who was acquired by the Mets from the Chicago Cubs, appeared in just 7 games for the Mets, and 21 in total.
Right-hander Irving Cota spent much of the early 2026 season bouncing up-and-down between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies before effectively having his season end in mid-May. He appeared in 8 games in total for the two teams combined, 7 with the Cyclones and 1 with the Rumble Ponies.
Peyton Prescott, who was drafted in the 5th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, made just a single appearance this past season, with the right-hander throwing a single inning for the St. Lucie Mets at the end of the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2025, just prior to being selected in the draft.
Calvin Ziegler, who was a top prospect in the system as recently as 2023, has lost most if not all of his prospect cache since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. After missing all of the 2025 season, the right-hander returned to the mound in rehab games at the beginning of the summer and then appeared in 12 games total, 11 with the Brooklyn Cyclones and 1 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
Ryan Lambert, who was ranked 19th on the 2026 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects List, dealt with some minor injuries that may or may not have affected him throughout the season. The right-hander appeared in 26 games for the Syracuse Mets in total and posted a 7.61 ERA in 23.2 innings, allowing 18 hits, walking 25, and striking out 31.
Brenden Girton also experienced limited injuries, mostly at the end of the season. He spent the entirety of the 2026 season with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and appeared in 33 games, making 15 starts. He posted a 6.72 ERA in 83.0 innings, allowing 81 hits, walking 57, and striking out 81.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 11: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs looks on from the outfield against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on September 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the Trade Deadline behind us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
We’ve reached the halfway point of September, several teams have now clinched postseason spots, and several more will soon. With just a couple weeks of regular season baseball left, let’s check in on the NL Central.
Note: Records and stats are through games played on September 13th.
First Place: Milwaukee Brewers (93-57)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (5.2 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski (6.0 fWAR)
The Brewers won the race to be the first team to clinch a playoff spot over the weekend, and they’re now closing in on the NL Central title. They’re in a good position to finish with the best record in all of baseball as well.
They have an obvious absolute star in Misiorowski, but the most remarkable thing about the Brewers is that they’re just generally solid at almost every spot. Only one of their hitters with over 400 plate appearances has a wRC+ below the 100 average, and that’s Christian Yelich, who’s still in the 90s. You could’ve said similar things about last year’s Brewers, and they ended up getting shoved aside by the Dodgers in the NLCS, so we shall see.
Second Place: Chicago Cubs (83-67, 10 GB)
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.8 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Ben Brown (2.0 fWAR)
Going into Monday, the Cubs would have the third best record were they an AL team. Instead in the NL Central, they’re way off the pace of the division lead. As of now, the Cubs are safely in the NL playoffs, but not so safe that they can rest on their laurels. They lost five of their last seven games going into Monday, so they can’t afford to let that skid continue.
As a team, the Cubs are incredibly reliant on their hitting and defense, while pitching has been a massive struggle for them. The two facets of the team are on such opposite poles that they’re going to go down as one of the most unbalanced teams of all time. They have the possible NL MVP in Crow-Armstrong, but can he and the rest of the lineup overcome that pitching? It’ll be fascinating to see play out.
Third Place: Pittsburgh Pirates (75-75, 18 GB)
Top Position Player: Brandon Lowe (4.1 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes (4.8 fWAR)
It was wild to realize when putting together this post that the Pirates are basically in need of a miracle run to get into the playoffs in the NL, but they would be a game out of contention with that record in the AL.
It’s probably too late for Pittsburgh to rally and make the playoffs, but there are some things they can take away from this season. They’ve gotten some good seasons out of some of their young, up and coming players. One of those players is Skenes, who has only been merely “good” instead of “Cy Young Award great.” It’s somewhat worrying that he’s taken a step back, but if the Pirates figure that out, they could be a team that is intriguing next year.
Fourth Place: St. Louis Cardinals (74-76, 19 GB)
Top Position Player: JJ Weatherholt (4.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher(s): Andre Pallante and Kyle Leahy (2.6 fWAR)
You can copy and paste some of what was said above about the Pirates and apply that to the Cardinals. Seven different St. Louis hitters aged 27 or younger have put up above average OPS+es on the season. Pallante and Michael McGreevy are both younger pitchers who’ve had pretty good years. They’re also gone nowhere in the standings, really.
Fifth Place: Cincinnati Reds (70-79, 22.5 GB)
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (5.7 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Chase Burns (4.4 fWAR)
The good news for the Reds is that Burns looks like a possible stud worthy of the No. 2 overall pick that he was in 24. More good news is that De La Cruz remains an absolute freak of nature and a genuine star. Not a ton else has gone right for Cincinnati, though. Their 22.5-game deficit in the division is the most of anyone in the league besides the Rockies and Giants in the NL West, both of whom are very bad.
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 22: Myles Bailey #12 of the Florida State Seminoles bats during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field on February 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB announced the rosters for the Arizona Fall League Tuesday and here are the seven Cubs prospects who will play there beginning in early October.
You have likely not heard of many of these prospects, as most of them have not played above the lower levels of the system.
I noted Myles Bailey in the headline because he was the Cubs’ second round pick this year out of Florida State, where he batted .363/.582/.913 with 13 home runs in 26 games. He suffered a leg injury that ended his college season in April and he did not play in the Cubs system at all this year.
The Cubs clearly want Bailey to get some playing time this year, and that’s the story for many of the prospects listed above. That’s apparently the current organizational philosophy behind the Cubs sending players to the AFL, guys who they want to get more playing time due to injury or other issues that kept them out during the regular season.
I’ll let Josh weigh in on these players as he knows more about them than I do.
The AFL is comprised of six teams, each of which have prospects from five MLB organizations. Cubs prospects play for the Mesa Solar Sox, who have home games at the Cubs spring ballpark, Sloan Park. The other four teams that will send prospects to the Solar Sox are the Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
Here are the other five AFL teams and the MLB teams sending prospects their way:
The AFL begins play Saturday, Oct. 3 and concludes with the championship game at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14. There will also be a Fall Stars Game at Salt River Fields on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Fall Stars Game and AFL championship game are generally televised on MLB Network, if you need a baseball fix in November (and who here doesn’t?).
Here’s the complete AFL schedule:
If you are in the Phoenix area during this time, attending an AFL game is fun and inexpensive ($14, or $12 for seniors 60+ and teens 11-17; kids 10 and under with an adult are free, get tickets here). There are usually a few hundred people at each game, many of whom are family members of the players. It’s an enjoyable baseball experience.
Steve Kerr is asking Draymond Green for a favor the Warriors star once requested from him: patience.
Green thanked Kerr during their postseason exit meeting for remaining patient with him through years of emotional swings, confrontations and suspensions. With Golden State entering a transition season, the coach now wants that patience returned.
“He’s going to have to adapt a little bit, and it’s probably going to be a little frustrating at times,” Kerr said on the “Tom Tolbert Show.” He added that he would need Green’s patience.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors looks on during a game against the LA Clippers on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Part of the adjustment could involve Green accepting a reduced offensive role, cutting down his turnovers and continuing to shoot open 3-pointers. The more delicate challenge may be tolerating the growing pains around him.
With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss much of the first half, Kerr said Golden State must rely on its entire roster, potentially including two-way players. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski are among those expected to carry more responsibility until the veterans return.
Kerr praised Lendeborg’s maturity and believes the Warriors’ depth can “hold down the fort.” That approach will inevitably produce uneven nights, however, and Green has never been known for quietly accepting mistakes or insufficient effort.
His combustible history gives Kerr’s request additional weight.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Green verbally unloaded on Kevin Durant during an infamous 2018 loss to the Clippers, an altercation that led Golden State to suspend him. Durant left for Brooklyn the following offseason, and both players later criticized how the organization handled their dispute.
Neither departure can be attributed entirely to Green. Durant already had complicated reasons for leaving, while the Warriors had basketball and financial motivations for moving Poole. Both episodes nevertheless demonstrated what can happen when Green’s competitive fury overwhelms the patience required inside a locker room.
Draymond Green, Dwayne Wade, Andrew Perlmutter and Omar Johnson attend Sport Beach during Cannes Lions 2025 on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Cannes. Ella PellegriniGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green talks with head coach Steve Kerr during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The Warriors now need the 36-year-old to adjust his own responsibilities while guiding teammates who will occasionally miss rotations, overlook open reads or fail to match his urgency and intensity.
Whether Green can navigate that contradiction could determine more than Golden State’s early-season record.
Warriors insider Marcus Thompson II has suggested a poor start could force the franchise to confront an outcome once considered unthinkable.
“Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline,” Thompson said.
Green is playing on a one-year contract, while Stephen Curry remains untouchable and Butler offers more upside if he returns to his pre injured form. If the experiment fails, moving Green could become the clearest signal that Golden State is finally dismantling what remains of its dynasty.
Kerr is asking for patience. By February, the Warriors may know whether Green has enough of it — and whether the organization has any left for him.
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 25: Drake Batherson #19 of the Ottawa Senators controls the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 25, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Tim Austen/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The clock is ticking toward an unusual deadline in the NHL, and teams with players relevant to it are rushing to beat the final horn.
The new collective bargaining agreement goes into effect at midnight, at which time a seven-year contract will be the longest a player can re-sign with his own team — and six years in free agency. The final eight-year deals are getting done Tuesday.
Ryan Leonard will tie Alex Tuch as the Capitals’ highest-paid player
Washington locked up Ryan Leonard for $84 million starting with the 2027-28 season. Making an average of $10.5 million a year through 2035, he will match new Capitals teammate Alex Tuch, who also got eight years in a sign-and-trade with Buffalo, for the highest-paid player on the team when Leonard’s new deal kicks in.
“Ryan is a young and talented player who is still years away from entering his prime, and we believe he has tremendous potential to continue growing into an important player for our organization,” general manager Chris Patrick said in announcing Leonard’s contract. “While reaching his full potential will take time, we have been impressed with his work ethic and the way he continues to develop his game. We are confident in Ryan’s ability to continue improving as a hockey player, and we believe this agreement provides him with the opportunity to grow and develop within our organization, while giving us the ability to keep a talented young player in our lineup for years to come.”
Leonard, a 21-year-old winger, is going into just his second full NHL season after breaking in during the spring of 2025. This contract cements his place as part of the Capitals’ young, post-Alex Ovechkin core, which is expected to also include brothers Ilya and Aliaksei Protas.
Drake Batherson signs the richest deal in Senators history
Ottawa signed Drake Batherson for $86 million, which is the most lucrative contract in Senators history. The previous record was Tim Stützle’s eight-year, $66.8 million extension from September 2022.
Batherson will count $10.75 million against the salary cap starting in 2027, surpassing Stützle’s $8.35 million. He’ll be 29 at that point.
“He was drafted and developed by our organization and has shown a commitment to wanting to be in Ottawa long term,” GM Steve Staios said of Batherson. “We view him as a key part of our core group.”
Batherson has set career highs in scoring each of the past seven seasons, topping out at 71 last year. He is just the second player in league history to do that seven times in a row, joining Vic Stasiuk from 1953-54 to ’59-60 with Detroit.
Even with the cap going up, players want long-term security
Since the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association came to an agreement on this CBA in late June 2025, 33 players have signed an eight-year contract. Twelve of those have come in the past three months, including Colorado’s Cale Makar setting the record for the most money at $163.2 million.
After being flat or nearly flat coming out of the pandemic, the salary cap is the middle of a series of record increases, now that revenues have caught up and are skyrocketing. The cap went from $95.5 million last season to $104 million this season and will be $113.5 million in 2027-28, when most of these new contracts will go into effect.
Philadelphia signing Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet in July that made him the highest-paid player in the sport at $18 million a year — which the Ducks matched to keep him — led to a spike in salaries this summer.
Vegas center Jack Eichel, who is now making $13.5 million on his long-term contract signed last October, said agent Pat Brisson told him about what was coming and they had talks with NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh and others at the union and decided to go the full eight years anyway.
“It’s an incredible deal for me and my family, and we’re super grateful for the organization and the city believing in us,” Eichel said last week. “There’s no signer’s remorse. Yeah, I’m a happy guy.”
Eichel led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023. He and fellow standouts such as Makar, Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, and Florida teammates Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad are proven commodities.
Many of the young players getting eight-year deals this offseason are team gambles of varying degrees.
As recently as Monday, Buffalo signed 22-year-old center Noah Ostlund for $52.8 million, banking on his potential. Ostlund has played in just 71 games in the league thus far.
Pittsburgh signed Ville Koivunen for $32 million over eight years in August. He has 14 points in 42 career games.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees have all punched their tickets along with the defending back-to-back World Series champions, and though all three National League divisions are about as close to wrapped up as you can get with the Brewers, Dodgers and Atlanta Braves all leading by comfortable margins, the American League is still anyone's game.
Tampa Bay holds the largest lead in any of the AL divisions with a 3.5 game cushion over the red-hot Yankees, but the Bronx Bombers also clinched their playoff berth on Monday night to set up a climactic series beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22. While the Boston Red Sox are far behind in the AL East picture, they comfortably hold the second wild card spot.
The third American wild card is where things get interesting.
The Cleveland Guardians currently hold the third and final spot, but also trail the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead by 1.5 games. They're currently facing each other in a crucial three-game series that could have major implications in both the division and the wild card. The Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers are also right on their tails, trailing the Guardians by less than two games for that coveted third spot, with the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers further down in the mix as they sit three and 4.5 games behind, respectively.
The National League wild card picture might be even blurrier at the top.
The three current frontrunners - Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres - are all within one game of each other, so there's plenty of room for those cards to be shuffled around in the bracket. The Padres have been locked in a heated battle with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final wild card spot for most of the second half of the season, but the Friars are starting to pull away down the stretch as they enter Tuesday with a 2.5-game lead over their NL West foe.
Those two will finish off the regular season with a three-game series at Petco Park starting Sept. 25 that could end up being "win and get in."
MLB playoff format
The top two division winners (best overall record) in each league receive an automatic bye into the division series.
The third division winner in each league (as the No. 3 seed) hosts the third wild card team (the No. 6 seed) in a best-of-3 series.
The other two wild card teams (Nos. 4 and 5 seeds) play each other, with the higher-seeded team hosting all three games.
The winner of the 4 vs. 5 matchup plays the No. 1 overall seed in a best-of-5 division series, while the 3 vs. 6 winner plays the No. 2 seed.
The winners of those series face each other in a best-of-7 league championship series, with the winners advancing to the World Series.
MLB playoff tiebreaker procedure
If two or more teams finish tied with the same overall regular-season record, the ties are broken by MLB's predetermined formula:
Head-to-head record
Intradivision record
Intraleague record
Interleague record after the All-Star break
Interleague record after the All-Star break, plus one
If three or more teams tie for a spot, they go through the same tiebreaker procedure outlined above based on winning percentages. However, if one team has a better record against all the other tied teams, that team gets the highest playoff seed and the others restart the tiebreaker procedure.
MLB playoff schedule
The MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29 with Game 1 of each of the four Wild Card series. If necessary, a decisive Game 3 is set for two days later on Thursday, Oct. 1.
All four division series will start on Saturday, Oct. 3. If Game 5 is needed, those will be played on Friday, Oct. 9 in the National League and Saturday, Oct. 10 in the American League.
The National League Championship Series will begin on Sunday, Oct. 11 while the American League Championship Series starts the next day on Oct. 12. The LCS round is a best-of-seven with a 2-3-2 format. If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 in the NLCS and Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the ALCS.
The World Series will begin on Friday, Oct. 23. A winner-take-all Game 7 would be played on Halloween, Oct. 31, if necessary.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Ike Irish #91 of the Baltimore Orioles talks with third base coach Roberto Mercado during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Tuesday afternoon, MLB announced the list of players heading out for the Arizona Fall League this season, with play beginning on October 3 and running through a league championship game on November 14. Eight Orioles prospects are going to be in action with the Peoria Javelinas alongside of players from the Cardinals, Mariners, Padres, and Reds.
The eight Orioles are: OF/1B Ike Irish, OF Vance Honeycutt, INF/OF Brandon Butterworth, RHP Braxton Bragg, LHP Kailen Hamson, RHP Kiefer Lord, RHP Patrick Reilly, and RHP Teddy Sharkey.
This is a fairly typical group of guys for the Orioles to send to the AFL in that most of them missed substantial development time either this year or last year or both due to injuries.
Irish, the team’s first round pick last year, had an excellent first full pro season interrupted by a torn meniscus in his knee; his season ended on July 22, when he was almost certainly closing in on a promotion to Double-A. The AFL assignment will hopefully help him hit the ground running at Chesapeake next season.
Butterworth, kind of a super utility guy who the team acquired in last year’s Laureano/O’Hearn Padres trade, was also sidelined for a decent chunk of this season, ending up with 75 level-appropriate games being played. He finished the season at Triple-A, which is probably a higher level of competition than what he’ll face in Arizona. He hit .269/.377/.497 in 52 games for Chesapeake, which is interesting.
Bragg, Lord, Reilly, and Sharkey are all guys who had Tommy John at some point in the last couple of seasons, whose development paths were thrown off as a result. This quartet of pitchers, all of whom were drafted from the college ranks in 2023, all become Rule 5 Draft-eligible this offseason.
Since they’ve missed so much time, the AFL assignment will allow the Orioles to have a little bit more information about how they’ve recovered and what kind of form they have after the elbow ligament surgery recovery, and they can hopefully make a better decision about who to protect. Except for Lord, they were all getting good or at least decent results at the level the Orioles had assigned them by season’s end, Frederick or Chesapeake.
Hamson makes the AFL cut, with the Orioles probably just wanting to get the Australian-born lefty some more action to try to help him work on severe command problems. Hamson walked 69 batters in 67.1 innings this season, and no, I didn’t mistype that. That’s more walks than innings pitched. It’s not nice.
Then there’s Honeycutt. He tantalized with his bevy of big league spring training home runs, then went on to do more of what he has done so far in his pro career when assigned to Frederick. That is, he struck out a whole lot and had extremely bad hitting numbers. The Orioles bumped Honeycutt up to Chesapeake for the final few weeks of the season anyway and he responded with a .288/.381/.616 batting line in 20 games, where he struck out only 25% of the time.
That’s a high rate for a Double-A player but it’s a low rate for Honeycutt. If he is able to put up a solid batting line in Arizona while limiting the strikeouts again, there will be a little bit of hope that he’s not a total lost cause.
Aug 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Martin Perez (33) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The start of Atlanta’s series at the Chicago Cubs didn’t exactly go to plan.
A short and ineffective Reynaldo López start ended with him going back on the injured list and dug the Braves an early hole. The offense showed fight late but couldn’t claw back into the game, resulting in a series-opening 7-3 loss.
The Braves will look to bounce back Tuesday night (7:40 p.m. ET) with veteran southpaw Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.08 ERA) on the mound against Chicago right-hander (and old friend) Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.60).
Pérez, who has been an unexpected inning-eater and rock in a tumultuous Braves rotation this season, has had a knack for not delivering back-to-back suboptimal starts.
In line with that, he bounced back from a Sept. 5 start at the Phillies which left something to be desired (3 2/3 innings, four runs on seven hits) with a stellar showing last time out against the Rays last Thursday (seven shutout innings, four hits and two walks).
Pérez’s limited experience against the Cubs hasn’t gone particularly well. The 15-year veteran has faced the Cubs just three times (two starts) and is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 11 hits allowed and eight strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
In a smaller relief sample size earlier this season, though, he found more success against Chicago, tossing a 1-2-3 inning out of the bullpen in Atlanta’s 4-1 home win over the Cubs on May 13.
Gausman, who had one very good partial season with the Braves (2018) followed by one not particularly good partial season in 2019, restored his career first in San Francisco and more recently in Toronto.
However, his 4.60 ERA in 30 starts this season is his worst since that 2019 season (5.72) by nearly a full run per nine innings.
Things haven’t exactly gotten better since he was shipped to Chicago at the trade deadline. After he had a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts with the Blue Jays, he has a 5.31 ERA in seven starts since joining the Cubs.
Last time out against the Brewers, he had probably his worst start since the trade, getting tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings in an 8-6 loss last Wednesday.
Gausman is 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta. That lone loss came earlier this season when he was with Toronto, surrendering all four runs on five hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss on June 2.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 7:40 p.m. EDT
Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: TBS, Atlanta News First (locally), BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
EASTLAKE, OHIO - MAY 06, 2026: Charles Davalan #6 of the Great Lakes Loons bats during the fourth inning against the Lake County Captains at Classic Auto Group Park on May 06, 2026 in Eastlake, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Major League Baseball on Tuesday announced rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League, which will run from October 3 through November 13. Outfielders Eduardo Quintero and Charles Davalan, both top-100 prospects in baseball, are among the Dodgers slated to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs.
When Baseball America revised their prospect rankings after the trade deadline in August, Quintero was rated 16th overall and Davalan 89th. Both lead the Midwest League in several categories in leading the High-A Great Lakes Loons to the playoffs. Quintero and Davalan were promoted to Tulsa on Sunday, and Quintero homered in his first game in Double-A. Both will help the Drillers in the Texas League playoffs beginning Tuesday night, one night before Quintero’s 21st birthday.
Also included on Dodgers on Glendale’s roster are four pitchers and two position players, all of whom missed significant time this season on the injured list:
Luke Fox: Limited to just 27 1/3 innings with Tulsa, the left-hander missed nearly four months with a hamstring injury before returning in August, only to re-injure himself in his second start back and miss another week and a half.
Marlon Nieves: 21-year-old won California League pitcher of the week in April, then soon missed 10 weeks on the injured list until July. Had 5.22 ERA in 50 innings for Class-A Ontario with 57 strikeouts and 41 walks, but only two home runs allowed.
Third baseman Chase Harlan, the Dodgers’ third-round pick out of high school in 2024, will play for Glendale. Harlan split time between Ontario and Great Lakes, hitting a combined .298/.403/.509 with 14 home runs and a 132 wRC+ in 86 games, and just turned 20 in July. Harlan last played on August 8, and spent the final month of the season on the injured list.
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) July 11, 2026
Switch-hitting catcher Anson Aroz, drafted in the 19th round in 2025 out of Oregon, hit a combined .256/.395/.391 with a 110 wRC+ between Ontario and Great Lakes, with most of the damage coming with the Tower Buzzers in Class-A. Aroz also missed two months on the injured list from June to August.
The Glendale Desert Dogs play at Camelback Ranch and are comprised of prospects from the Dodgers, White Sox, Marlins, Pirates, and White Sox. Ontario manager John Shoemaker, the Dodgers’ captain of player development in his 50th year in the organization, will manage Glendale in the AFL.
Ryan Waldschmidt (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Inspiration.
This season, many Diamondbacks were injured. Some of them performed very well. Next season, assuming they avoid injury, these high performers will play in more games. By playing more games, they will make the team better, perhaps pushing the team into solid playoff contention. Which of these players will make the most impact fromincreased playing time?
Before continuing, honorable mention to Zac Gallen (ERA+ of 67), who will be a free agent and next season he will improve the team by playing zero games for the Diamondbacks.
Also, honorable mention to Geraldo Perdomo whose batting breakout in August shows potential for increased performance next season.
Two Mighty Outfielders.
The Diamondbacks have lost two outfielders (Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas).
Outfielder Jake McCarthy was traded away before the 2026 season. This season, the Diamondbacks miss his .822 OPS.
Alek Thomas was traded to the Dodgers. Although this season his OPS was .563 with the Diamondbacks and .513 with the Dodgers, there were high expectations for his batting to improve dramatically.
Ryan Waldschmidt. Ryan Waldschmidt is young (23 years old). This season was his MLB debut. He is a “5 tool player, 25/25 threat, good CF,…” per Diamondbacks Prospects.
His defense is very good in left field and center field. Details are in the following table (Data from The Fielding Bible and Baseball Savant):
In August & September (games thru 12 September) his OPS was .724 when he played left field (league average for left fielders was .716). His OPS when he played center field was .478, so perhaps left field should be his everyday position.
He hit walk-off homers on 7 and 25 August. That was record breaking.
First Diamondback rookie to pinch hit a walk off homer.
“Everyone wants to get the opportunity to be the hero and have a chance to win it for their team, and I think just being able to go in with a pretty relaxed mentality about it, not trying to put too much pressure on myself to obviously come up in those big moments. I think that’s just how the game falls sometimes, and the game’s going to find you, especially as a young guy, and you’re going to get those opportunities.” — Ryan Waldschmidt on his mindset.
Next season, Waldschmidt’s playing time will likely go up by at least 45%, contributing to a better Diamondbacks team next season.
Nootbaar. While not as young as Waldschmidt, Nootbaar is relatively young at 29 years old. The Diamondbacks acquired him at the trade deadline. Next season will be his last in arbitration before he becomes a free agent.
His defense is slightly above average, but falls short of Waldschmidt. For example, Fielding run value is 2 (Range 1, and Arm 1) instead of Waldschmidt’s 4.
This season, his OPS was .688 with the Cardinals and .765 with the Diamondbacks. Nootbaar bats left-handed, which adds value to the Diamondbacks.
Three Mighty Starting Pitchers.
Burnes. He won the Cy Young award in 2021. He is under contract through 2030.
He missed most of 2026 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Then a teres major shoulder strain delayed his return.
Next season, I’m confident he will anchor the rotation.
Pfaadt. He is under contract through 2030. This season he has started and been a reliever. His high potential is shown by his 1.15 ERA for his nine starts between 30 June and 14 August. For the entire season, his ERA+ was 111.
Ryne Nelson. His arbitration with the Diamondbacks lasts two more seasons. Last season his ERA+ was 125. Fans expressed the opinion that he will be the most valuable pitcher this season. With an 85 ERA+ this season, it is not much of a stretch to say he that next season he will bounce back to last season’s performance.
Two Mighty Relievers.
The bullpen was better this season than it has been for years. The Diamondbacks have finally figured it out! Beyond that, there are two relievers who performed well this season, and are expected to pitch in more games next season.
Dennis Santana. He was acquired on a minor league contract. Reasons that he might be called up were considered in an AZ SnakePit article. Five days after that article, he was called up.
His performance as a Diamondbacks was incredible! Pre-trade with the Pirates, his 74 ERA+ was poor. Post-trade with the Diamondbacks, his 482 ERA+ showed a remarkable performance breakout!
Justin Martinez. His fastball frequently tops 102 MPH. this season his average four-seam fastball was 101.5 MPH and his average sinker was 101.6 MPH. He missed most of this season recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
Top Level View.
The following table shows the increased games and a subjective level of performance next season (Data from Baseball Reference):
Summary.
Seven players could have great performances next season, and will likely play more games next season compared to this season. That would have a positive impact on next season. The players follow:
Roc Riggio (No. 13 PuRP) joined the Rockies organization as part of the Jake Bird trade with the New York Yankees at the 2025 deadline. The 24-year-old infielder was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB draft out of Oklahoma State and moved his way up the Yankees’ system, maxing out in Double-A before being traded.
Riggio spent the second half of 2025 with the Hartford Yard Goats, where he slashed. 256/.346/.389, including six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored, 14 walks and eight stolen bases in 12 attempts.
Making adjustments
At the beginning of 2026, Riggio repeated in Hartford where he spent April getting acclimated but took off in May.
“I started off really slow – I started off two for the my first 33 on the season, and I was struggling with the bat – and the hardest part of that was that I felt good,” Riggio recalled. “I felt good mentally and I felt good physically, so just being able to make my day-to-day adjustments has been a blessing but also the hardest part of my season.”
He also noted that this has been his first full year of professional baseball, as he’s dealt with injuries for the last three seasons.
He’s also made some adjustments that helped him perform well in Hartford as well as in Albuquerque after he was promoted on August 12th. In 23 games with the Isotopes, Riggio is slashing .297/.359/.527 with three doubles, six home runs, 18 RBI, 13 runs scored, nine walks, and one stolen base.
And he credits that to the coaches he’s worked with this year.
“I’ve worked with a handful of people this year – (Yard Goats hitting coach) Zach Osborne, (ACL hitting coach) MJ Rookard, (Rockies hitting coordinator) Nic Wilson, (Isotopes hitting coach) Matt Snyder, my former teammate Mike Antico – and there’s been a lot of adjustments that had to be made, but they’re very minor adjustments,” he said.
“We’ve just been trying to be a little more patient in the box, a little more picky with what I’m doing, and then mechanically just trying to stay consistent every day. And we’ve been tinkering the whole year to get to that consistency.”
And all of that consistency led to Riggio being named Rockies Organizational Player of the Month for July.
INF Roc Riggio has been named the Rockies Organization Offensive Player of the Month for July. The 24-year-old slashed .303/.465/.592 with 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 11 RBI and 7 SB in 22 games, leading the Eastern League in OBP and walks (23) during the month. Riggio was acquired from… pic.twitter.com/h7Q30HcoB3
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) August 1, 2026
“It was cool,” he said of the win. “I just show up every day, and I try to be present, and I try to be here through my teammates. I try to push everyone by doing my best every day and working my hardest every day. I look every year to the year, and I got an awesome award that I wasn’t expecting, anticipating or waiting for. And that’s just another blessing from God.”
Another adjustment Riggio has had to make since 2025 is getting used to playing at altitude — something the Tarzana, California, native hadn’t dealt with much with before.
“I’ll tell you what – my first time I had to go first to third on a base hit, I got to third base, and I could hardly breathe. The altitude’s no joke,” he chuckled.
“You’ve definitely got to be in good shape. You’ve got to get used to the dry air, and I think that surprised me a little bit. I was a little bit out of gas on my first full sprint, but the ball does move a little bit differently up here. It travels a little bit differently up here, so those are minor adjustments that are still being made right now.”
Season highlights
Riggio has had a lot of highlights this season, including Hartford winning the first half and playing in the WBC exhibition game as part of Team USA during spring training.
“It was great. I mean, that team was like playing for the modern-day Avengers,” he laughed. “And to see how those guys go about their business – how they handle their success, how they handle their failure – it’s just another blessing.
“I got to play with a couple of those guys – I got to spend some (time) training with Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt. I played on Team USA with Pete Crow-Armsgrong. I know Roman Anthony very well,” he continued. “So I knew a handful of those guys, which was cool. So I went in there and I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel like a foreigner. And it’s amazing because those (guys) are the best of the best, and they all treat everyone with the same utmost respect.”
And with Hartford, he said they knew early that they had a good crew capable of doing great things.
“I think the highlight of my season probably is when we clinched the playoffs in Hartford,” Riggio said.
“That was such a fun moment. We had a really great group of guys down there, and we set out at the beginning of the year. We were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to do something special this year. We’re going to go win something.’ And we clinched in the first half, and obviously I’m not there anymore, but I wish them the best of luck. But that was the funnest moment of my season for sure.”
Full-circle moments and looking ahead
At Oklahoma State University, he was able to learn from Rockies legend Matt Holliday.
“When I went on my visit (during) my sophomore year of high school, I went on a visit to Oklahoma State, and Matt Holliday was there on my visit,” Riggio recalled. “He ended up basically doing the whole visit with me, and then I got to spend two years there. And Matt put on a Bible study every Sunday night at his house that we had a lot of baseball players go to. And now leading to (the) current day, his wife, Leslie – who’s been a big part of my journey as well – is going to officiate (my) wedding coming up. So we have a really good relationship with the Holliday family.”
Riggio was also able to share the field with Ethan Holliday during the WBC exhibition, which was a fun moment for him.
Looking ahead, Riggio will be getting married in the offseason. But he’s also already looking forward to hitting the ground running for the 2027 season.
“I love this game,” he said. “I’ve played this game the whole entire year now, so come September 22nd, I’m hitting the ground running. I’m not stopping. I’m excited to get home. I’m excited to hit the cage. I’m excited to take ground balls. I’m excited to field. I’m excited to do everything. I’m excited to get stronger, get better, and come back a better version of me next year.”
After coming to the Rockies in the Bradley Blalock trade, Jake Brooks has been making a name for himself. This week was no different, as Brooks pitched twice and allowed just two runs (one earned) across 12 innings against the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks). He started the game on September 8th, pitching six scoreless innings with just two hits, two walks and a strikeout in the 3-2 victory. On September 13th, he came out of the bullpen behind José Quintana and Patrick Weigel, but once against pitched six innings while allowing only two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts in the 10-5 rout.
Brooks had a bit of a rough stretch from July 23rd-August 9th, but since August 15th, he has not allowed more than three runs and has gone 6+ innings in five of his six appearances since then (he went 5.2 on August 27th).
⬆️ Stock Up: Sterlin Thompson
Sterlin Thompson (No. 16 PuRP) went 10-for-28 (.357) in six games against the Reno Aces. He also recorded two doubles, three home runs, eight runs scored, six RBI, three walks and only struck out three times (and also no more than once in a singular game). He had two three-hit games this week, which also both featured a home run. On Sunday, he went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, one run scored and three RBI in the 10-5 victory.
He is slashing .429/.520/.762 in September and .331/.476/.528 overall in Albuquerque in 2026. In 27 games at the big league level, Thompson hit .232/.312/.377 with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, seven runs scored, five walks and 21 strikeouts.
Upcoming
The Isotopes play their final week of games at home against the Salt Lake Bees (Angels).
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (1-2)
⬆️ Stock Up: Jack O’Dowd
Jack O’Dowd had an excellent final homestand of the regular season against the Somerset Patriots (Yankees). The catcher played in five games and went 5-f0r-15 (.333) with two RBI, three walks and five strikeouts. He also stole a base. After a meteoric rise through the Rockies’ system, O’Dowd was also recently named to the Arizona Fall League.
Across all three levels, he hit .307/.383/.564 with 30 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs, 61 runs scored, 91 RBI, 49 walks, 107 strikeouts and four stolen bases in 107 total games.
In Hartford specifically, O’Dowd played 51 games and hit .254/.333/.434 with 13 doubles, seven home runs, 18 runs scored, 28 RBI, 20 walks, 63 strikeouts and three stolen bases.
⬆️ Stock Up: Cade Denton
Cade Denton made one final appearance in bulk relief this weekend, throwing 4.1 innings against the Patriots and only allowing one run on two hits with a walk and five strikeouts. This comes on the heels of his outing against the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Phillies) where he threw 5.1 scoreless innings with just three hits, a hit batter, a walk and three strikeouts.
Denton has worked primarily as a bulk reliever in the second half of the season, only pitching a single inning one time since June 20th. Eight of his last 10 outings have featured three or more innings of work. Overall in Hartford, Denton made 40 appearances (3 starts) and posted a 4-8 record with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.
Upcoming
The Yard Goats will face the Reading Fightin’ Phils for the Northeast Division Championship starting tonight in hopes of playing the Eastern League Championship Series next week.
