NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Luis García Jr. #26 in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, September 12, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets evened up the Subway Series on Saturday, walloping the Yankees 12-2 as Gerrit Cole couldn’t keep the visitors from launching balls over the fences. It was the second straight concerning start on that front for Cole, who insists that he’s perfectly healthy but has noticed the issue and believes there’s some ironing out to do mechanically — hopefully he gets that in line quickly, because time is running out before the postseason and Cole is expected to be one of the team’s top three starters in a short series to determine their fate.
Before the finale of the series gets underway, we’ve got some things on deck for you to check out. Matt starts us off with a look at your responses to Aaron Judge’s return and how far you think the Yankees will go with him back in the mix. Then, Peter covers the Roundup where the Rays and Red Sox both managed to secure wins, John celebrates Bernie Williams on his birthday, and Estevão compares how the Yankees and Mets have done covering games without their superstars this season. After the game, John will return to deliver the weekly social media spotlight.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. New York Mets
Time: 1:35 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, SNY
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. How big of a concern have Gerrit Cole’s last two starts been on a scale of 1-10?
2. Are you going to watch any of the Jets or Giants’ season openers today?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout after he was removed from a game against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): All of a sudden, Gerrit Cole has a home run problem. He allowed four last week against the Padres including the first three batters of the game and another three against the Mets on Saturday, the combined seven the most he’s given up in a two-start stretch in his career. He didn’t have an immediate answer when asked about the cause, but did agree with the observation that chase and swing and miss have regressed significantly this season. He and Aaron Boone maintained that health is not an issue and sounded confident they would find the necessary adjustment. This stretch is reminiscent of Cole’s 2022 campaign, when he led MLB with 33 home runs surrendered.
New York Post | Zach Braziller: The recent turnaround in the Yankees’ offensive performances seems to coincide with Cody Bellinger’s return from injury. With another long ball in the loss to the Mets on Saturday, Bellinger has launched three home runs in his last four games. His bat is getting hot just at the right time, the left fielder slashing .368/.359/.605 in September, and his return alongside Ben Rice’s resurgence at the dish helps take some pressure off Aaron Judge, allowing the captain to focus on regaining his timing in time for the playoffs.
SNY | Phillip Martinez: Clarke Schmidt dominated in what he and the team are hoping is his final rehab appearance before joining the big league team for the first time this season. Schmidt threw 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three while requiring just 21 pitches for Double-A Somerset on Saturday. Schmidt hasn’t pitched in MLB since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of 2025 and focused his rehab assignment specifically to join the bullpen when he is activated to the major league roster.
Yahoo! Sports | J.P. Hoornstra: Former top Yankees pitching prospect Chase Hampton has been claimed off waivers by the Nationals after the Yankees designated him for assignment to clear a 40-man roster space for Aaron Judge’s return. Hampton was a consensus top-10 Yankees prospect and top-100 prospect overall before suffering a forearm injury in 2024 and undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2025. The 25-year-old righty was drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB Draft and at one point was the top-ranked pitching prospect in the organization before injuries derailed his career. The Nationals have assigned him to Double-A Harrisburg where he will look to improve upon his 8.18 ERA in 55 innings this year.
SAN ANTONIO, TX. - MAY 2026: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) before Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs, NBA Western Conference Semifinals, Game 5. NBA Playoffs. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Julius Randle has a simple message for anyone setting expectations for the Brooklyn Nets this season: prepare to be surprised.
Shortly after the Nets acquired Randle in June, first-round rookie Mikel Brown Jr. shared with reporters that the three-time All-Star had told him Brooklyn was going to “shock the world.”
So, when NetsDaily caught up with Randle on Saturday at a community basketball event, we asked him what he meant by “shock the world.”
“Exactly that,” Randle said. “Whatever your expectations are, whatever expectations that are put upon us, we’re gonna exceed them and we’re gonna do things at a very high level. We’re gonna build, come in with the right habits every single day, and we’re gonna do exactly that.”
The 31-year-old spent Saturday afternoon at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center, hosting a back-to-school clinic for 75 local middle and high schoolers.
Randle is no stranger to New York City, having spent five seasons across the East River with the Knicks before playing two years with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nevertheless, he understands the importance of giving back to the community.
“It’s really just about giving my time to the community,” Randle said. “Really just, you know, touching the community, touching the kids, just being a part of the community. Anytime I can give back, put a smile on a kid’s face or a parent’s face. These are the people who support us year-round, whether we know it or not, and they make the game what it is, so it’s how I can give back.”
“So many people have poured into my life and helped me become who I am, and idols that I’ve looked up to, so I feel like it’s my job to pay back as well,” he continued.
Despite being acquired in June, Randle said he wasted no time familiarizing himself with Brooklyn’s youngsters.
The veteran worked out in Texas this summer with Egor Dëmin, Mikel Brown Jr., and Josha Jefferson, giving him an early look at how they look before training camp begins.
“Egor, Mikel, Joshua, all those guys, like extremely, extremely hard workers,” Randle told NetsDaily. “Attention to detail, but just really, really hard workers. Competition level is really high. Whether it’s, you know, playing one-on-one or we’re in a shooting drill, whatever, like everything is done, you know, at game speed. Attention to detail. Smart, high-IQ basketball players.”
Dëmin is gearing up for his second NBA season after an encouraging rookie year and an even stronger summer, leaving fans excited for what his future in the league holds. Brown is getting ready to anchor Brooklyn’s backcourt around Dëmin in his rookie campaign, while Jefferson is also a first-year pro.
Randle also spent time with the youngsters away from the court, including one particularly memorable round of golf in the Texas heat.
“Played a little golf in the Texas heat, which was a little interesting for them,” Randle said. “I think about the third hole; they were all trying to take their shirts off on a golf course, and you can’t do that. So we got a little warning in the middle of playing golf.”
At the end of the day, Randle said he is building relationships with his teammates that are over a decade younger than him. And he’s enjoyed that, particularly their energy.
“It’s refreshing being around youthful energy like that,” he said. “Definitely refreshing for me.”
Randle’s experience is valuable to have in the building, but there is no doubt he can still produce. During the 2025 season, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 33 minutes per game across 79 outings.
Most importantly, though, production aside, he has clearly embraced a leadership role… before even suiting up for the Nets.
Now comes the hard part: actually shocking the world as the veteran promises.
Sep 12, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Michael Arroyo (96) raises a trident after hitting his first career home run against Athletics pitcher Joey Estes (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Mariners dominated the A’s to a 19-1 victory on Saturday night. The fun got started early as Dominic Canzone sent out a two-run home run to put the Mariners up early in the first inning.
The Mariners didn’t stop there; in rare form, they continued to pour the runs on. For an offense and team with such high expectations this year, it was nice to watch them go out and seemingly play up to their full potential.
Randy Arozarena would follow up Canzone in the third with a three-run home run of his own.
But the Mariners weren’t relying purely on power; contact played a role too, and they stayed patient in the box. The A’s walked six and hit one over the course of the game. It’s rare to see the Mariners take advantage of free baserunners, so enjoy it while you can, folks!
The A’s ended up getting one back in the 4th after a bad throw by Woo on a dribbler back to the pitcher put men on first and third, with a grounder from Shea Langeliers leading to a fielder’s choice that brought home the A’s only run of the game.
But the Mariners picked Woo right up in the next inning. Michael Arroyo led off the inning with the first hit of his career on a double, hopefully the first of many.
Wilson would advance to second on a fly ball from Crawford. Randy Arozarena would bring home his third RBI of the night with a single bouncing off the glove of A’s second baseman and former Mariner Donovan Walton.
The Mariners kept the pressure on in the 5th inning and continued to punish the A’s for giving up soft contact. A Josh Naylor single was immediately regretted as Cole “Cole Young” Young followed it up with his 17th home run of the year.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but to me Cole Young has been as advertised so far this year. The 22-year-old is well within reach of a 20-homer season in only his first full season in the majors. Having already logged 4 bWAR so far this season, the future is bright for the former first-round pick.
Jealous of the shine their fellow infielders were getting, both Michael Arroyo and J.P. Crawford decided to get in on the action. Arroyo smashed an inside fastball for his first career home run with two outs in the 7th:
After a double from Weston Wilson, his third hit of the game, J.P. Crawford brought him home with a home run of his own, pushing the Mariners’ lead into double digits heading into the bottom of the seventh:
An error by the A’s in the top of the 8th allowed Victor Robles, pinch-hitting for Canzone, to reach first. Julio punished the A’s mistakes again with a single of his own for his third hit of the night, men on first and second. Josh Naylor decided to get in on the fun and doubled down the right-field line to score Robles and put himself on second, with Julio on third.
Cole Young drove one to deep second base, but ran hard to beat out an infield single and bring in another, his second hit of the night and third RBI of the game.
Michael Arroyo, not to be ignored, follows that up with his third hit of the night and his second RBI of the game, bringing home Brock Rodden, who was pinch-running for Naylor. Arroyo finished with three hits and a triple shy of the cycle.
Weston Wilson singled to load the bases and notch his fourth hit of the game. Where were you for the Weston Wilson 4-hit game?
Lazaro Montes was sent to pinch-hit for Randy Arozarena. Not wanting to be left out of the scoring, Montes notched an RBI of his own, drawing a four-pitch walk and forcing Cole Young home for the Mariners’ 16th run of the game.
Position player Carlos Cortes came in to record the final out in the eighth, and remained in the game for the top of the 9th, promptly walking the bases loaded. Cole Young doubled to drive in Julio and Cal to put the Mariners up 18-1, his 4th and 5th RBI of the game.
As the 19th run crossed the plate to put the Mariners up 18 the Mariners set a team record for the largest margin of victory in team history. The true standouts today on offense were Michael Arroyo and Cole Young. The Greenhorns showed up big for the Mariners tonight, hitting a home run each and driving in eight of the Mariners 19 runs. Cole Young continues to show he belongs, and Michael Arroyo notches his first hit, first extra-base hit, and first home run in the first road game of his career. If both can continue to play like they have tonight, getting on and driving runners in, the Mariners might just be closer to securing a playoff spot than we think.
Now, as much as the offense deserves credit for a great performance this time out, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a resurgent Bryan Woo. Woo has struggled on the road this year, but more recently the 26-year-old has started to find his form both at home and on the road. Last time out, Woo dazzled at home, going eight innings of one-hit ball, giving up just two walks and striking out nine. Woo kept the good vibes going tonight with another great performance against the A’s. Woo went six innings, giving up three hits, two walks, and tallying five strikeouts, with just one (unearned) run allowed. The one run being counted as unearned preserves a 17-inning streak that Woo has against the A’s over his last few starts. Woo has also seemed to find his form on the road again as he continues to add to a string of impressive starts he’s had on the road since the beginning of August, owning a 1.59 ERA over 17 innings since the start of August. It’s encouraging to see Woo stay strong and even improve late in the season. With only a handful of games remaining, every performance matters, and Woo’s recent dominance has come at the perfect time as the Mariners continue to push for the playoffs.
The Mariners showed up dominantly tonight in every part of the game, keeping the A’s stifled to one run and scoring 19 of their own. Truly a full-team offensive effort, with nearly every player contributing a hit. The Mariners are still in the race for the playoffs, and wins like tonight are a big step towards making that happen. Obviously, we can’t expect the Mariners to show up like this every game, but games like this could be the start of a great run right when they need it most. The Mariners had one of the easiest schedules remaining at the All-Star break, and that hasn’t changed, as they are set to face the Angels, the Rockies, the Astros, and then the Angels again to finish the season. The last time the Mariners were in a position like this, I distinctly recall the Angels eliminating them at the end of the season; I’d like to avoid having to witness that twice.
We know how good this team is; we have seen what it can look like when it’s firing on all cylinders. Let’s hope the Mariners haven’t spent all their runs in one place and this is just a sign of more to come.
Ryan Garcia needed less than four minutes to blow away Conor Benn before turning his sights on the rest of the welterweight division.
The 28-year-old American demolished Benn inside two rounds on Saturday night to retain his World Boxing Council championship at 147lb, dropping the British challenger with a concussive right hand before the referee stepped in moments later at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The sensational finish ignited the mostly pro-Garcia crowd of 18,855 on Mexican Independence Day weekend. Then, with Teófimo López taunting him from ringside and threatening to storm the ring, Garcia made it clear he was ready to take on all comers.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Chris Kreider #20 of the Anaheim Ducks reacts after the game against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on May 08, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Getty Images
MONTREAL (AP) — Chris Kreider agreed to terms on a contract for this season with the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday after mutually terminating his previous deal with the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week.
Kreider, a Massachusetts native, wanted to get back to the Eastern Conference to be closer to family after playing last year in Southern California following a trade from the New York Rangers. The 35-year-old winger joins a young team that is coming off reaching the East final before losing to eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina.
Kreider has been booed in Montreal since colliding with Carey Price during a playoff series with the Rangers in 2014. Price did not play again that spring because of a resulting knee injury.
Sep 12, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics designated hitter Shea Langeliers (23) hits a single against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (not pictured) during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Nasty result tonight. The A’s had their butts handed to them in this one, dropping the middle game of the series to the Seattle Mariners 19-1. Nothing went right on either side of the ball. Still have a chance at the series win tomorrow.
Sep 12, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Michael Arroyo (96) runs the bases after hitting his first career home run against Athletics pitcher Joey Estes (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mariners 19, Athletics 1
Historic blowouts (complimentary): Randy Arozarena, +.18 WPA
Well, you know what they say: “You can’t win ‘em all.“ On paper, it looked like maybe we should have won this one, and if you were keeping score, it would not have been lost at you that we basically won eight out of the nine innings that were played tonight. Sadly, however, that’s not how baseball works. Early in the season, before his forced vacation in Reno, we became very familiar with Brandon Pfaadt, tonight’s starter, pitching at least okay for a handful of innings and then having there be the One Big Inning™ where everything kinda blew up. Upon Brandon’s return, we still saw some of that, except that the offending innings were generally pretty mild—one or two or three runs at most, which kept things close enough that we could get back into it. But that was not the case tonight.
He was going up against former first-round draft pick and general underperformer Kumar Rocker, and in terms of the numbers, it was a very favorable matchup. Rocker is often wild, and throws a bunch of pitches, and gives up a lot of walks, and leaves ballgames a lot earlier than you tend to want your starter to leave. Irritatingly, though, he was quite efficient in the early going tonight, as he and Pfaadt traded quick, scoreless innings in the first and second. After two innings, Rocker had thrown 24 pitches; Pfaadt, despite having given up two hits to Rocker’s none, had only thrown 23. Pfaadt had another shutdown inning in the top of the third, adding only 12 more pitches to his count and setting down the Rangers in order, and Tim Tawa led off the bottom of the third with a triple off the wall in pretty much straightaway center field:
Pavin Smith, who was for many of us a surprise call-up from Reno today, then grounded a single past Corey Seager and into left field to drive in Timmy. Three quick outs followed, but we’d drawn first blood against Rocker and that Rangers. 1-0 DBACKS
Pfaadt recorded another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, we sat down in order against Rocker in the bottom half, and then the fifth inning rolled around, much like a giant stone boulder bearing down a steep slope in a narrow passageway, heading straight for our guy. And alas, Brandon Pfgaadt was no Indiana Jones; he couldn’t get out of the way.
It started with a leadoff dinger by Wyatt Langford to tie the game, and was followed by a single, a stoledn abse, a sacrifice bunt, another single that scored a run, a hit by pitch. and then a fielder’s choice that looked like an inning-ending double play but which was overturned by a review that determined that Brandon Pfaadt’s foot was perhaps not on the bag when he ran over to cover first base. The call on the field was “safe,” and while the replays we saw on the broadcast really looked like they’d be enough to overturn that call, but it was not to be, and the call stood. That completely knocked Pfaadt off kilter, and the next three batters went single-double-single before he finally struck out Wyatt Langford, the tenth batter of the inning, to put it to bed. 6-1 Texas
And that was pretty much that. Somewhat surprisingly, Pfaadt came out and pitched the sixth, and he even recorded the first two outs in the seventh, and it was all good and all zeros, but the damage had been done.
Kumar Rocker, meanwhile, walked Nolan Arenado and Tim Tawa to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and that ended his night, and Texas got their bullpen involved and that bullpen also proved to be irritatingly effective. Both of the leadoff walks were left stranded. Rangers’ opening day starter Nathan Eovaldi, fresh off the IL and returning to big league action without any rehab starts or anything, let us get a second run in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to one-out singles by Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo, followed by a Corbin Carroll sacrifice fly that scored Moreno from third, which narrowed the game to 6-2 Texas
But that was where it stayed. Jonathan Loaisiga, Derek Law, and Juan Morillo put zeroes up the rest of the way for us, but there was nothing further doing from the offense, despite us putting the leadoff runners on in both the seventh and eighth innings. And so it was. 6-2 Texas FINAL
The Lost Ark: Nobody. The Last Crusade: Tim Tawa (3 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB, +10% WPA) The Crystal Skull: Brandon Pfaadt (6 2/3 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, -34% WPA)
It was a fairly sparse Gameday Thread this evening, with 201 comments at time of writing. Precious few recs got handed out tonight as well, and pretty much the only comments to go Sedona Red were concentrated at the start of the game, when folks were still marveling at the return of Pavin Smith to a major league roster and a starting lineup. As such, tonight’s Comment of the Game goes to onedotfive, for this solid suggestion about how we might find a way to turn his presence to our collective advantage in the remaining days of the season:
Works for me….I think Baxter is creepy anyway.
So join us tomorrow afternoon for the rubber match of the series. Hologram Eddie takes the mound for us; Cal Quantrill goes for Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm AZ time. Hope to see you around the place!
As always, thanks for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: Chas McCormick #11 of the Iowa Cubs catches a fly ball during the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Smokies right-hander Jake Knapp went on the 7-day injured list and right-hander Kenyi Perez joins Knoxville from the Development List.
Andrew Wantz started this game for Iowa and held Toledo to just one run on three hits over 3.1 innings. Wantz walked four and struck out three.
Iowa had a 7-1 lead going into the top of the fifth inning, but Toledo scored six runs in the fifth to tie it. Five of those runs came off of Luis Peralta, who gave up five of the runs on four hits over one inning. Peralta walked one and struck out one.
Tyler Ferguson allowed a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to take the loss. Ferguson’s final line was two runs on three hits over one inning. He struck out two and did not walk anyone.
Right fielder Chas McCormick hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, his 14th on the year. McCormick was 2 for 5.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu hit a two-run triple in the fourth inning. Nwogu went 2 for 4 with three total RBI. He scored once.
Center fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He drove home Nwogu after a bunt single in the fourth.
Starter Dawson Netz lasted 3.2 innings and gave up two runs on two hits and one walk. Both runs scored after he left the game in the fourth. Netz struck out six.
Luis Martinez-Gomez let in those two inherited runs, but then he settled in and threw 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just the one hit. Martinez-Gomez walked three and struck out five.
Frankie Scalzo Jr. pitched the eighth inning and got shelled for three runs on three hits including a solo home run to the first batter he faced. Scalzo walked two, hit one batter and struck out two in his one inning of work.
Both Knoxville runs came in the sixth inning when left fielder Carter Trice tripled in a run and then scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Angel Cepeda. Trice went 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and a walk. Cepeda was 1 for 3 with the sac fly.
That’s all three hits Knoxville had tonight.
The start of this game was delayed 1 hour and 43 minutes because of rain.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 11: The Atlanta Braves honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on September 11, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves have now all-but won the NL East after winning the first two games of this three-game series against the Phillies. Tyler Mahle continues to cement his spot as the presumptive game 2 starter going into the playoffs, with another solid outing Saturday. Perhaps most encouragingly, the offense showed some life, which has been a struggle recently for Atlanta. Needless to say, the Braves will need the offense to show up to have success in October.
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Here's how some of the Mets top prospects did down in minor league action on Saturday...
INF Emilien Pitre, Triple-A Syracuse
Pitre kept up his solid production since joining Triple-A with two more hits against the St. Paul Saints. The 23-year-old finished 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI and is hitting .292 with a .802 OPS in 18 games for Syracuse. His RBI came with two strikes and two outs in the second inning and extended the Mets' lead to 4-2.
1B/3B Billy Amick, Triple-A Syracuse
Amick hit his seventh home run with Syracuse and his 14th in the Mets organization since coming over in a trade. He has 37 long balls total in 116 games this season.
The home run came on an 0-2 pitch with a runner on first and gave Syracuse a 7-3 advantage. Amick, 23, finished 1-for-5 and although he's hitting .221 in Triple-A (compared to .307 in Double-A Binghamton), he still has a .844 OPS thanks to his power.
C Kevin Parada, Triple-A Syracuse
Perhaps lost in the shuffle of prospects is Parada who is quietly having a great second stint in Triple-A after finishing the season there in 2025 but struggling. Now 25 years old, Parada is slashing .298/.375/.452 with two home runs and 16 RBI in 28 games with Syracuse after getting promoted despite struggling in Double-A.
Parada went 1-for-3 in the No. 9 hole, but also had a throwing error at catcher, his third.
SS Mitch Voit, Double-A Binghamton
Voit extended his hit streak to five games following a 1-for-4 day for the Rumble Ponies. It wasn't all good for the 21-year-old, though, as he was caught stealing second and had a throwing error.
Still, Voit is hitting .347 with a .947 OPS in 29 games since getting promoted to Double-A.
After going a perfect 3-0 in last year's Prospects Showcase in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked to build on that during this year's Prospect Tournament in Detroit.
And, on Saturday, they got off to a good start.
The Penguins' prospects defeated the prospects of the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, in a shootout to open their three-game tournament slate. Brayden Edwards scored for the Penguins on the power play with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first period with assists from Jordan Charron and Tanner Howe, while defenseman Tomas Galvas and forward Pierce Mbuyi scored a pair of nifty goals in the shootout to bring the Pens to victory.
Free agent goaltender Carter Casey stopped 19 of 20 Columbus shots, and the Penguins outshot the Jackets, 52-20. The lone goal from Columbus was scored by Jack Williams.
There were a lot of positives to pull from this game, especially since the Penguins pretty much dominated from start to finish. From the drop of the puck, they had the ice tilted in their favor, and aside from the lone goal, they never relented.
That said, there were a few players who stood out above others. Here are three standouts from Game 1:
Tomas Galvas
Out of everyone in Game 1, Galvas stood out the most.
The 5-foot-11, 168-pound left blueliner's mobility and skating were on full display, as he skated around defenders with ease and glided through the neutral zone in transition effortlessly. Obviously, the offensive highlight was his crafty shootout goal that led to the 2-1 win, but there was a play late in regulation that helped show off his two-way prowess.
With only four seconds left in regulation, Columbus was pressuring. Positioned near the net front, Galvas was able to get his stick on the puck first to thwart a scoring chance on a reobund opportunity, preventing a last-minute goal by the Jackets.
With about four seconds left in regulation, Tomas Galvas saves the day on the defensive end! pic.twitter.com/1rPQfxCxsM
Galvas was far and away the best player in this game, and it will be interesting to see how he builds on this performance the rest of the way. The way he was able to command the offensive blue line was remniscent of Harrison Brunicke, who the Penguins hold in high regard and who did not play in this game.
The Ruck first selected in this year's draft, Liam was all over the ice. He seemed to be involved in every significant play offensively, even if he didn't end up with a point in this game.
What was most surprising was Ruck's speed through the neutral zone. Liam is ahead of Markus in terms of skating, and that much has been clear for a while. But he can get himself up ice surprisingly quickly, and he was able to generate as a result.
But his offensive smarts are what stand out most. His playmaking ability was right up there with the level of his brother, Markus, and he clearly has a scoring touch, too. He even had a semi-breakaway opportunity at one point that he was stymied on.
There is still some growth that needs to happen for both Rucks, but Liam was already pretty advanced and clearly one of the best players on the ice.
Like Galvas, the left-side McGowan should be one of many in the mix for a final NHL roster spot once training camp begins on Sept. 17.
And there were a few glimpses of him flying up and down the ice and imposing his will.
McGowan can really, really skate, and it's the bread and butter of his game. He even said as much when we spoke with him during development camp. He was blowing by the opposition through the neutral zone, and on one opportunity, even carrying the puck 200 feet all the way down through to the net front for a scoring chance. He also almost scored on a wraparound attempt.
Maleek McGowan can really skate, and he catches the defender a little off guard. pic.twitter.com/he3CG1MgC2
He's physical, he's fast, he's good on the walls, he wins a whole lot of battles for positioning and puck battles, and he has the ability to defend well with his stick. His mobility and aggressiveness, though, is what he showed throughout Game 1.
The Penguins liked McGowan enough to sign him to an AHL deal at the end of last season. Look for him to keep making an impression, especially in these games, where he thrives with his motor and his chippiness.
The San Jose Sharks were back on the ice for the first time in a competitive environment this season on Saturday evening as they played the Los Angeles Kings in their first game at the 2026 Rookie Faceoff.
The Sharks didn’t take long to get on the board, as Filip Bystedt was able to deflect a Jake Boltmann shot past the Kings’ netminder Carter George to make it 1-0.
George denied Bystedt’s attempt to score a second halfway through the first save, extending his body across the crease to stop a one-timer. Moments after the spectacular save, Carson Wetsch shot a bouncing puck that evaded George, making it 2-0 for the team in teal.
Less than a minute later, Wetsch would add an assist to his stat line after he found Andre Gasseau on a two-on-one rush, extending the Sharks’ lead to 3-0 just over halfway through the period.
The Kings cut the Sharks’ lead to 3-1 with roughly six minutes remaining in the first frame, with a goal from Vojtech Cihar.
The Sharks’ “veteran line” created a chance late in the period as Igor Chernyshov sprung Michael Misa on a breakaway, but Misa was unable to get a shot off.
The Kings got the first power play of the night with 2:43 remaining in the first, after Bystedt was called for cross-checking following a dangerous hit. That type of penalty certainly won’t help his chances of earning an NHL job in training camp.
Wetsch and Gasseau attempted to recreate their prior magic while shorthanded, but while the play ended up getting broken up by the Kings’ defense, the puck landed on Phillip Sinn’s stick and he found Gasseau in front. Gasseau found the back of the net with his second goal of the night, making it 4-1 right before the end of the first period.
Wetsch and Gasseau almost connected again near the midway point of the second period, but were denied by George.
Brendan Hoffman forced a turnover at the defensive blue line to create a breakaway for himself, but was unable to get the puck past George.
The Sharks got their first power play opportunity with nine minutes remaining in the period, as Kaleb Lawrence sat for holding the stick.
Right after the power play expired, Wetsch scored his second of the night to extend the Sharks’ lead to 5-1.
Eric Pohlkamp was called for slashing with two and a half minutes remaining in the middle frame, giving the Kings another power play opportunity. The Sharks killed off the penalty and kept their 5-1 lead heading into the third period.
Quentin Musty got a little shaken up after blocking a shot early in the period, but remained in the game. On his next shift, he took a slashing penalty though. Wetsch, despite being short-handed, attempted to get his hat trick when he earned himself a breakaway, but was denied by George.
Ivar Stenberg picked up his first goal of the tournament with 8:47 remaining in the third period, when Mack Oliphant took a shot from the point which deflected off of his skate. Just 23 seconds later, Stenberg scored again, this time off of a perfect feed from Chernyshov, to make it 7-1. The Kings took exception to the goal, causing a large scrum immediately afterwards.
Chernyshov and Henry Brzustewicz both received 10-minute misconducts for their role in the scrum.
Quentin Musty dropped the gloves with the much larger Woolley with 6:27 remaining in the game.
Alexander Karmanov threw a huge hit on Jakub Dvorak, which left the Kings’ defenseman shaken up. Liam Lefebvre came over and immediately dropped the gloves with the Sharks’ 7-foot-1 defenseman. Karmanov fired up the TechCU Arena crowd as he skated off. Boltmann then had a scrap of his own before the game came to an end. Pavel Martinu added the Sharks’ eighth goal of the night with a minute and a half remaining. The Sharks would maintain their 8-1 lead and turn it into a dominant victory when the final whistle blew.
