To start off, things were looking good for the Philadelphia Flyers in their preseason opener against the Washington Capitals, but they quickly ran out of steam and fell flat on their faces. It was all downhill from there in a thoroughly unimpressive 5-2 loss.
Veteran newcomer Jack Studnicka got the Flyers off to about as good a start as they could have asked for, cashing in from close range on the power play just 2:35 into the contest to put Philadelphia up 1-0. Rookies Jett Luchanko and Cole Knuble, who have been impressive as of late, collected the assists.
Aliaksei Protas answered for Washington on a 5-on-3 power play after the Flyers got themselves in penalty trouble, and big-money youngster Ryan Leonard gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead on a laser through traffic to end the period.
David Jiricek had some trouble boxing out the much bigger and stronger Protas in front of Joseph Woll on the goal, but Flyers forward Riley Thompson also had a bad angle and allowed Leonard to walk around in the slot to pick his shot to begin with.
Early in the second period, Knuble pulled the Flyers even by cleaning up a long-range Oliver Bonk shot, but the Flyers just never truly built or maintained any momentum after that.
Bonk got caught on a bad pinch that sent Dylan Strome in alone on Woll for a score, and Jonny Brodzinski buried the Capitals' final two goals of the night past Carson Bjarnason, who relieved Woll for the final 20 minutes.
Overall, it was just a bad night for the Flyers, and one that certainly resembled a group that has been going hard and competing throughout training camp.
Flyers notes and an injury
Denver Barkey was injured in Monday's game against Washington and did not return. (Photo: James Guillory, Imagn Images)
The Flyers had a chance to seize momentum after Capitals forward Andrew Cristall was given a five-minute major penalty for cross checking and a game misconduct for bopping Hunter McDonald in the mouth after a hard hit on Leonard, but the Flyers failed to score.
Forward Denver Barkey, who opened the game as the Flyers' top center, left the game early in the second period and did not return, and players like Alex Bump and Porter Martone were total nonfactors.
Offensively, Knuble, Luchanko, Jiricek, Bonk, and Studnicka were the only players who made things happen more than a handful of times. Luchanko and Studnicka were each particularly impressive with their assertiveness at both ends of the ice.
Both Bonk and Jiricek had their shaky moments defensively, but it is paramount we keep in mind that these are 21- and 22-year-old defensemen who need time and trust as they continue to develop.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet did not have an update on Barkey after the game, and the Flyers will be right back to it on Tuesday night when they face the Boston Bruins at TD Garden at 7 p.m.
Expect that game roster to consist primarily of players who did not play in Monday night's game against the Capitals.
Doc Rivers on the red carpet prior to the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.
Doc Rivers’ time on an NBA bench is over for good, he said on Monday, as he moves into the next chapter of his life.
NBC announced that the former NBA player and coach would be joining its coverage of the league as an analyst during games on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN, while also possibly doing studio work.
Rivers’ coaching career spanned nine seasons with the Celtics, who he led to an NBA title in 2008, along with time coaching the Clippers, Sixers and Bucks.
Doc Rivers on the red carpet prior to the 2026 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“I honestly can say I’m absolutely retired,” Rivers told the Associated Press in an interview. “I had a long run. It ended up in the [Naismith] Hall of Fame [earlier this year] and I am so thankful that I was able to coach and played as long as I did. For the first time, I can focus on giving TV my 100 percent attention, which I’m really looking forward to.
“I think I’ve always been pretty honest. I’ve always celebrated the game in general, but told the truth. I don’t think anyone has ever had a problem with honesty and the way you tell the truth. There are always times where you offend people because of the truth, but I’ve never really worried about that.”
Rivers has had plenty of broadcast experience, having spent three years as part of Turner Sports’ coverage from 1996-1999 and then later did two stints with ESPN/ABC in the 2000s and was part of NBC’s Olympic coverage in 2012 as a studio analyst.
Rivers will also join his son, Austin, at the new gig since the younger Rivers is already an analyst for NBC Sports.
Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks instructs his players from the sideline during the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 23, 2026 at the Intuit Dome Getty Images
And the network already employs six former players Rivers coached during their careers, including Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Brian Scalabrine and Jamal Crawford.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 21: Jack Hughes #86 and the New Jersey Devils celebrate his game-winning goal at 17:48 of the third period against Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Rangers 3-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first look at the Devils’ rivalry with the New York Rangers this season was not the most exciting one. It is preseason, after all, but the teams came into tonight with opposite approaches. For the Devils, tonight was a night for the majority of their NHL club to get their legs under them. For the Rangers, tonight was largely headlined by their youth and AHLers. At times, this game might have looked primed for the Rangers’ B-team to pull off the seemingly unavoidable “upset” (if there is such a thing in preseason), given the low scoring. But with some Devils still putting in what seemed like a regular effort, the skill imbalance won out in the end.
In the first period, the Devils shut down the Rangers entirely, but did not create a whole lot for themselves either. Jake Allen only had to stop three shots in his allotted 20 minutes, and the big story of that period was the injury to Adam Sykora of the Rangers. Utica Comets defenseman Mikael Diotte caught him reaching for the puck by the boards, leading to him leaving the game with a lower-body injury. Sykora did not return, and I was worried that this hit was going to lead to some retaliation from the likes of Matt Rempe or one of the other physical players on the Rangers’ bench. This never really came to pass, though.
In the second period, after Nico Daws came into the game, things started opening up a bit on both ends. Nico Hischier took the puck from Timo Meier and whacked it towards the net, giving the Devils the lead halfway through the game off a deflection at the side of the crease. It was not the best goal ever, but it was fitting to see this particular group finally get going with a Nico Hischier shot.
The lead did not last too long, though, with Nico Daws giving up a rough goal to Anton Blidh. Blidh had not even crossed the faceoff circle on his entry of the offensive zone, beating Daws cleanly on the glove side. At this point, it was the ninth shot that Daws had seen, though he had not had to stop any extremely dangerous chances.
Before the period was over, Timo Meier made a play to take advantage of a really poor lapse in focus and tracking by Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand. Luke Evangelista was working behind the net, and the puck came loose to Timo Meier. When Meier wrapped quickly around the net, Garand was caught somehow unaware that he might need to make a save, giving up an easy five-hole score to Meier. I would not expect it to come this easy often in the regular season.
Things were largely more of the same in the third. The Devils outchanced the Rangers consistently and seemed to have the puck for most of the time. But time and time again, the shots were just a little off, sometimes hitting the iron, but sometimes hitting Garand right in his equipment. And eventually, the Devils were finally caught giving up a bad shot to the Rangers, and Drew Fortescue tied it back up with a shot through a screen. Siegenthaler was out a little far to block the shot, and nobody had Carey Terrance in front of Daws.
Despite drawing a hooking call on Arseny Gritsyuk not long after the goal (which itself should have been holding the stick), the Rangers did not get much in the way of scoring chances after this. The Devils shut them down on their power play, nearly scoring one shorthanded as Jesper Boqvist put a breakaway chance off the post. The top line of Evangelista, Hischier, and Meier wore the Rangers down for an offensive shift that spanned 1:18 of game time a few minutes after the penalty expired, leading to Rangers icing the puck, which brought the Hughes line on. Taking advantage of the tired defenders, Jack Hughes took the puck from Bratt at the blueline and beat Glen Gawdin wide before pivoting at the goal line and sneaking the puck into the net off of Gawdin’s stick. It was a classic opportunistic Jack Hughes goal, and it largely put the game away for the Devils.
Would I have liked to see more goals? Sure. But the Devils controlled just under two thirds of the shots on goal and expected goals tonight, and they largely held the Rangers to low-danger shots. Daws only faced two high-danger shots on goal, and Allen faced zero. For that, Daws may have dinged his stock allowing two goals as the team compares him and David Rittich as potential number two goalies with Jack Allen, but it is just a preseason game and he will have another chance to prove himself (and hopefully against a higher volume of shots). As for the Devils offense, they were content to take any shot, working from the blueline often but scoring on three of their ten high-danger shots on goal. In a regular season game, I would expect them to push a little harder for the net given the sheer amount of possession time they had.
Jesper Boqvist looked pretty great tonight, and he only missed scoring a goal on his breakaway because of that peksy iron. He moved throughout the game with great speed, and he generally looked like the Devil playing at the fastest individual pace tonight. That fourth line might not have moved the puck between each other as well, but I mostly chalk that up to Marc McLaughlin being a bit more limited in that area. Noesen, meanwhile, played pretty well but needs to be put in a position where he can make more plays around the net. In another preseason game, I think I would like to see this possible fourth line setup of Boqvist and Noesen centered by Evan Rodrigues or Cody Glass. Overall, I was also much not too convinced by the cohesiveness of the Mercer-Rodrigues-Gritsyuk line, and that also makes me want to see Gritsyuk back with Glass for a look before the preseason is over.
Mantha and Evangelista
With the big storyline coming into this game being how the new forwards looked on their lines, I would say that I honestly hope for better in their second games. Mantha in particular took zero shots attempts in 15:33 of ice time, while Evangelista at least got on the scoresheet and worked along the boards. However, I did like Mantha getting involved defensively, and I thought he drew a lot of attention away from Jack just by fighting for position by the net, while I thought Evangelista could have put pressure on the Rangers during his line’s great shift in the third had he not fanned on a scoring chance. So, both players brought something to the table while still having something to do better.
Onto The Third
On Thursday, the Devils will play their third preseason game of the year. I would expect a more balanced lineup between NHLers and AHLers as the Devils go to Madison Square Garden, and it might be a good opportunity to get Daws a bigger challenge against a presumably NHL-heavy Rangers lineup. But for now, the Devils are undefeated in the preseason after this rather uneven affair.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of tonight’s game? Did you watch? Who stood out to you? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during an at bat in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blue Jays 3 Orioles 4
Sometimes you make the right moves and yet they don’t work out.
Bottom of the eighth Mason Fluharty pitching. He gave up a leadoff walk. Then got a pop out and a fly out. With Pete Alonso up, John brought in Tyler Rogers. I liked the call. But….Alonso hit his third pitch a mile (well 400 feet) and that was the ball game. It was Alonso’s second home run of the day. And fifth in his last six games.
We scored three in the first and the batters went on strike after that.
In the first, Brett Bateman and Alejandro Kirk each walked to start the game. Nathan Lukes singled one home. George Springer singled in Kirk. And Sean Keys hit a sac fly for out third (and last) run.
We got two on with no outs in the third but Keys flied out and Kazuma Okamoto ground into a double play. Other than that, there were a bunch of three up three down innings.
Other than the bullpen blowing the game, it was much like the most of the season. We couldn’t score. Just 6 hits in all, all singles. Springer had two of the singles.
Added to the fun was an awkward catch by Bateman in the second inning, where his left knee hit the ground hard. He came out of the game, limping. They say nothing structural, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he is done for the season.
Trey Yesavage started (or opened) and gave up Alonso’s first home run, but that was his only hit allowed, and he had three strikeouts.
Brendan Cellucci got the next four out, three of them strikeouts.
Chad Dallas got eight outs, giving up an Gunnar Henderson home run.
José Rodríguez got three outs.
And then Fluharty and Rogers. The Rogers’ pitch? Missed the spot, it was mean to be on (of just off) the inside edge and instead it was pretty much center cut. These things happen. Maybe score more than three runs and this wouldn’t matter. That’s pretty much baseball, there will be that pitch that isn’t where it was supposed to be and, if you are lucky, you will hit it well. I always laugh when baseball people say ‘he only made one mistake’. No, pitchers make mistakes all the time, and most of the time, it still isn’t a home run. But the time that they hit the mistake, it can go a long way.
Jays of the Day: Dallas (0.13 WPA), Springer (0.12) and Rodríguez (0.11)
Other Award: Rogers (-0.62, hardly fair really), Okamoto (-0.13), Keys (-0.11) and Smith (-0.10).
Anyway, it has been a ride. I’ve said that I’ve lived through a lot of Jays seasons when we didn’t have meaningful baseball in September. This year, we made it this far with meaningful baseball, which makes it better than most years.
Tomorrow we have Max Scherzer (3-8, 6.07) vs. Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.64). A 6:30 Eastern start time (barring rain).
The Dodgers have lost this gamble once before. But that won’t stop them from placing the same wager again.
Rather than take every precaution to ensure Shohei Ohtani doesn’t worsen the injuries to his right arm and left knee, the Dodgers will prioritize giving him at-bats to get him ready for the playoffs.
Ohtani is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, and manager Dave Roberts said the plan is for him to play in every one of the five games that remain in the regular season.
“He’ll need those live at-bats,” Roberts said.
Shohei Ohtani is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday. Getty Images
Ohtani was experiencing discomfort in his arm and knee. The Dodgers downplayed the severity of his injuries, with general manager Brandon Gomes claiming the physical problems weren’t responsible for his hitting slump and shouldn’t require him to be placed on the IL.
So much for that.
Roberts described Ohtani as being “pain-free” Sunday, but acknowledged he was still experiencing “discomfort you can play through.” Certain levels of discomfort can be tolerated — until they can’t be, of course. That’s been the story of Ohtani’s season.
When Ohtani started feeling pain in his knee, he insisted he could pitch through it. Until he couldn’t.
When he started to be affected in the batter’s box by the throbbing in his arm and knee, he claimed he could play it. Until he couldn’t.
Roberts said Ohtani’s condition has improved over the last two weeks. But Roberts also didn’t claim Ohtani was completely healthy.
“Is he 100%?” Roberts said. “Probably not.”
In other words, what bothered Ohtani when he landed on the IL still bothers him, just not as much.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s condition has improved over the last two weeks. Getty Images
This is a problem.
What happened earlier this month showed that if Ohtani plays too many games with these particular injuries, he will reach a point where he won’t even be able to take the field.
Why not give Ohtani every other game off? Will playing five more regular-season games instead of three make that much of a difference? Because the question isn’t whether Ohtani can make it through the next five games. The question is how much closer these games will push him to the point of no return.
The objective should be to make sure Ohtani is available in some capacity throughout the entire postseason, not only at the start of it. If he has to be gradually work his way into form over the playoffs, so be it.
Ohtani would almost certainly reject such cautious thinking. He doesn’t like half-measures. Ohtani takes big swings without much regard to the consequences.
Before he went on the IL, Ohtani offered a realistic assessment of his health, saying he didn’t expect to be at 100% between now and the end of the season. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
So, if he’s going to use the final week of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs, he’ll probably do so with visions of being an impact player. He doesn’t want a Kirk Gibson moment; he wants to be Mr. October.
Before he went on the IL, Ohtani offered a realistic assessment of his health, saying he didn’t expect to be at 100% between now and the end of the season. But he said he believed he could overcome his physical problems by making adjustments to his swing.
“With some creativity, I think I can make up for what’s not right,” Ohtani said in Japanese. “Another way to say it is that it’s an opportunity to create new ways to compete.”
At the time, that meant learning how to hit with one arm and one leg.
The Dodgers let him, and Ohtani ended up on the IL.
Once again, it sounds as if Ohtani is determined to squeeze in as many at-bats as possible, and once again, it sounds as if the Dodgers will let him try.
This approach has significant upside — and downside, too.
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a home run during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After failing to score in their previous two games, the Orioles hardly looked like a team capable of overcoming an early three-run deficit. That’s why they play the games.
Shane Baz allowed three runs in the top of the first, but Baltimore held Toronto off the scoreboard for the final eight frames. Pete Alonso launched his 39th and 40th home runs of the season, and the O’s completed the comeback with a 4-3 win at Camden Yards.
Toronto kickstarted their early rally by taking advantage of a silly mistake. Baz ran the count full to leadoff hitter Brett Bateman before holding the ball for too long. The home plate umpire called Baz for a pitch timer violation, and Bateman trotted to first base. Alejandro Kirk followed by working the count full and eventually walking the old fashioned way.
Nathan Lukes delivered Toronto’s first hit of the day with a single to left field, and the Jays scored their first run three batters into the game. George Springer followed with another run-scoring single, and Sean Keys plated the third run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Baz allowed another single to Kazuma Okamoto, but the former Ray rebounded by retiring Josh Smith and Andrés Giménez.
The Orioles could have let this one spiral, but Baz settled in after the crooked number in the first. He delivered a clean second and used an inning-ending double play to erase a walk and single in the third. He retired the side in order in the fourth, faced the minimum in the fifth, and went three-up, three down in the sixth.
Baz returned to the mound and recorded a pair of outs in the seventh before giving way to Yennier Cano. He exited the game with 6.2 innings, 5 hits, three walks, and three earned runs allowed. Baz kept the Birds in the game with the quality start, but the team continued to struggle in the run support department.
Pete Alonso certainly did his part. The power-hitting first baseman stole some momentum back with his 39th home run in the bottom of the first. Alonso smoked a ball 101 MPH that cleared the scoreboard in right field. The blast marked Alonso’s MLB-best 17th opposite-field home run and continued to build his RBI lead in the American League.
The Orioles did not record their second hit until Gunnar Henderson lined a ball 105 MPH to deep center field. The ball smacked off the wall, and Henderson raced all the way to third with only one out. Unfortunately, Coby Mayo struck out and Christian Encarnacion-Strand flew out to leave Henderson at third.
Baltimore waited to record its third hit until Henderson returned to the plate with two outs in the sixth. The shortstop delivered another screaming line drive, but this one cleared the fence. The solo shot marked Henderson’s 24th homer and trimmed Toronto’s lead to one.
Encarnacion-Strand led off the seventh with a single to left, but Carlos Narváez failed to bunt him over. Samuel Basallo started the game behind the plate, but Narváez entered after Basallo took multiple foul balls off his body. Narváez popped his bunt up to the pitcher, and Rece Hinds grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Baltimore completed the comeback in the eighth with a free pass and another big fly from their team MVP. Christian Franklin pinch hit for Colton Cowser and worked a leadoff walk. Jeremiah Jackson and Dylan Beavers failed to move the potential tying run into scoring position, but Alonso proved he was in scoring position all along.
The Jays summoned submarine pitcher Tyler Rogers in hopes of avoiding the long ball, but Rogers left a ball belt high to Alonso. The slugger hooked the ball and sent it toward Mr. Splash to give Baltimore a 4-3 lead.
Yennier Cano had already returned to post a zero in the eighth, and Baltimore went with Rico Garcia in a save situation. Garcia struck out Keys and Okamoto before retiring Smith to end the game.
The win pushed Baltimore to 76-81 and dropped Toronto to 77-80. Chicago holds the final wild card spot at 80-76.
Baz rebounded, and Gunnar smoked a couple balls, but go ahead and write Pete Alonso’s name in the comments for the Most Birdland Player of the Game.
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers (6) celebrates hitting a solo home run during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
It’s a new week here at BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and join us. We’re so happy to see you. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a couple of tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week I asked you if you thought Pete Crow-Armstrong will win the home run crown. With six games to go, he’s now tied with Kyle Schwarber with 45. When I wrote this last week, PCA “only” had 44.
It was close, but 52 percent of you think that Crow-Armstrong will either win the title outright or tie with Schwarber and share the crown.
Here’s the part with the music and movies. You can skip that if you want. It’s not like I’ll know.
We’re just two days away from the 100th anniversary of saxophonist John Coltrane’s birthday. Of course, Coltrane was a part of the first great Miles Davis Quintet (or Sextet) and played on the seminal jazz album, Kind of Blue in 1959.
Here’s Davis and Coltrane playing “So What” from that album live in New York in 1959. Trane’s solo starts around the 2-minute mark and you’ll notice that other than pianist Wynton Kelly and drummer Jimmy Cobb who provide the beat, the rest of the band just leaves the stage and just lets Coltrane do his thing.
It’s not like I haven’t been watching movies this past weekend. I’ve finally watched director Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973) with Elliot Gould as detective Philip Marlowe, moved from the ‘40s to the ‘70s, but still portrayed as an anachronism. I’ve also been trying to keep up with Turner Classic Movies rundown of every film director Stanley Kubrick ever made.
So what I’m trying to say that I’ve spent too much time watching films and not enough time writing about films. I didn’t have to time to give these films that I’ve seen the attention they deserve.
So I just thought I’d throw it over to you to talk about your favorite films from either Kubrick or Altman. Do you like Spartacus or Dr. Strangelove better? M*A*S*H or The Player? Are you still in awe of 2001: A Space Odyssey? Do you love Nashville? Or compare the two: Eyes Wide Shut or A Prairie Home Companion, to mark their respective final films.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
First, an announcement from the Double-A Southern League.
⭐️ SMOKIES ALL-STARS ⭐️
A trio of Smokies are bringing home 2026 Double-A League All-Star honors! 🔥
Just in case you can’t see that, three Smokies were named to the Southern League All-Star team. Catcher Owen Ayers hit .304/.417/.591 with 16 home runs in 65 games in Knoxville before moving up to Triple-A Iowa.
Dawson Netz made 17 starts and seven relief appearances for the Smokies, totaling 85.2 innings. He struck out 103 and walked 35 en route to a record of 7-4 and an ERA of 2.94.
Brooks Caple joined the Smokies in May after five starts in Low-A South Bend. He made 16 starts and one relief appearance. He went 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA in Double-A. Caple pitched 86 innings and struck out 82 while walking just 25.
With the minor league season now over, I’m going to ask you for your pick for the Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. I’m just including position players in this vote and I’ll try to let you vote on the Minor League Pitcher of the Year either tomorrow or Wednesday.
As I see it, there are three candidates for Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. The official award that the Cubs will announce shortly is named after Buck O’Neil, so if you want, this is your vote for the Buck O’Neill Award.
The first is one I’ve already mentioned, 25-year-old catcher Owen Ayers. Ayers started the year in High-A South Bend (having spent the first two years of his professional career entirely in Low-A Myrtle Beach) and blew threw that level in just 11 games. He hit six home runs in those 11 games.
Ayers spent the middle part of the season in Double-A, and I’ve listed his numbers for Knoxville above. That got him promoted to Triple-A Iowa for his final 49 games, where he slowed down a little with the major league balls that didn’t fly quite as far. But he still did well in Iowa, posting a line of .247/.365/.356 with three home runs. Ayers also made big strides with his defense behind the plate, going from someone we hoped could stick behind the plate to someone we know can catch, even if we don’t know ultimately how good he’ll be defensively. We do know he has a strong arm as he threw out 41 out of 146 batters trying to steal over the three levels.
Between the three levels, Ayers’ final line was .289/403/.526 with 25 home runs and 13 steals.
The next candidate went through three levels this season, going from Myrtle Beach to Knoxville. Outfielder/first baseman Josiah Hartshorn was a sixth-round pick out of high school last year and didn’t make his professional debut until this year. At only 19, he was a dominating hitter through the two levels of A ball. Hartshorn only played 11 games in Myrtle Beach before his promotion and only three regular-season games in Double-A.
So Hartshorn spent most of the year in High-A, where he was named to the Midwest League All-Star Team. For South Bend, Hartshorn hit .297/.405/.560 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games.
Hartshorn’s overall line between the three levels was .284/.407/.518 with 26 doubles, five triples and 23 home runs. He stole 17 bases. He set a South Bend Cubs record with 85 RBI and he had 112 RBI total.
The third candidate only played in two levels, 22-year-old outfielder Kane Kepley. Kepley was an absolute menace in South Bend, hitting .254/.435/.424 with seven home runs and 50 steals over 93 games. He did pretty much the same thing in Double-A. He only hit .212 with the batting average, but he had a .382 OBP and three home runs and 20 steals over just 32 games.
Overall, Kepley hit .243/.422/.401 with with ten home runs and 70 steals. He was only caught stealing six times. Kepley struck out way more than he walked with 120 walks to 89 strikeouts over 595 plate appearances. (You can add his 22 hit-by-pitches to his walk total if you’d like.) He’s also a very good defensive center fielder.
So who is your pick for the Buck O’Neill Cubs Minor League Player of the Year?
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Washington Capitals rookie Andrew Cristall was kicked out of a Monday, Sept. 21 preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers after forcefully retaliating for a hit on his teammate.
Philadelphia defenseman Hunter McDonald had delivered a hard but clean hit into the boards on Washington forward Ryan Leonard. Cristall skated up and delivered a cross-check to the face of McDonald, sending him to the ice. Cristall tried cross-checking McDonald again before being intercepted by Flyers players as tempers flared.
Cristall went to the penalty box and was tossed after receiving a cross-checking major and a game misconduct, ending his night. McDonald and Leonard stayed in the game.
This is the cross-checking major for Andrew Cristall, who also got a game misconduct. Got McDonald in the neck.
“His heart’s in the right place," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said, per The Hockey News. "He’s trying to stick up for one of his brothers. He’s trying to do the right thing. … You just try want to try to do that as clean as you can in those moments.”
Cristall was drafted in 2023 by the Capitals and played last season in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where Monday's game was held.
Leonard, entering his second full season in the NHL, recently signed an eight-year extension with a $10.5 million average.
NHL preseason injury updates
Flyers forward Denver Barkey left Monday's game with a lower-body injury. ... Pittsburgh's Ben Kindel (lower body) left the preseason game against Buffalo. ... Columbus defenseman Dante Fabbro suffered an upper-body injury against Detroit. ... Rangers prospect Adam Sykora limped off the ice after being checked against the Devils.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gestures while running the bases after hitting a grand slam against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Yankees 8-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This season marks the sixth since the Rockies traded Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals. For the first time since he left Colorado, the Rockies aren’t paying part of his salary this season.
The eight-time All-Star third baseman is having a resurgence with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026, hitting .247/.322/.455 with 27 homers and 82 RBI. Thanks to his grand slam that helped the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees, Arizona has a slim playoff chance as it is four games out of the NL Wild Card race with six games left. The slam was Arenado’s third of the season and the ninth of his career, with the most famous in my mind being the walk-off Father’s Day grand slam for the cycle in 2017.
Now, Arenado and the Diamondbacks are coming to town as the Rockies host their final home series of 2026. At 35, and with one year remaining on his contract, Arenado’s career is winding down. While the Diamondbacks’ odds of making the playoffs aren’t high, they at least exist.
With all the history, the breakup and the time since, how do you feel about Nolan Arenado now?
Are you cheering him on in his career and this series?
Is it still too soon?
Would you rather the Arenado & Co. earn a Wild Card spot over the Phillies, Padres or Cubs?
This will be the second of four preseason games after the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in their preseason opener on Monday.
Like Monday's game, Tuesday's contest will feature a mix of veterans and younger players. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be in the lineup, as will Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck.
Here's the full lineup:
Forwards
Rutger McGroarty
Nick Robertson
Tommy Novak
Bill Zonnon
Liam Ruck
Ville Koivunen
Egor Chinakhov
Rickard Rakell
Mikhail Ilyin
Evgeni Malkin
Markus Ruck
Atley Calvert
Sidney Crosby
Defensemen
Kaedan Korczak
Ilya Solovyov
Tomas Galvas
Sam Girard
Finn Harding
Phil Kemp
Declan Carlile
Goaltenders
Taylor Gauthier
Arturs Silovs
This could be our first glimpse of Robertson playing on the top line with Crosby and Rakell. Robertson has been with them throughout camp and has looked very comfortable.
The same applies to Girard and Korczak on the same defensive pair, since they've played together during camp.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is in the dugout in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s return from a right thumb sprain is near, meaning the Yankees face some interesting decisions.
The second baseman could be activated from the injured list as soon as Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Rays, and while the corresponding roster move appears simple (Max Schuemann), the potential lineup moves bear watching.
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After Chisholm got hurt diving into second base Sept. 8, the Yankees called up Anthony Volpe to get some run at the position he had mostly transitioned to at Triple-A, and he made the most of it.
In the 10 games since Volpe was recalled, he has started at second base nine times (José Caballero started the other) and mostly looked sharp, batting .286 with a .753 OPS and four steals.
Whether Volpe has done enough to warrant at-bats once Chisholm returns remains to be seen. Shortly before he was called back up, the natural shortstop had also started to mix in some third base, starting three games there, though Aaron Boone would only offer, “We’ll see,” when asked whether that could be an option for Volpe with Chisholm back.
“First things first, getting Jazz back and then we’ll figure it out as the week unfolds how I want to play it,” Boone said.
The Yankees have not gotten much offensive production from their third basemen this year, especially of late. Since returning from his own thumb sprain Sept. 1, Ryan McMahon has hit just 6-for-40 (.150) with a .402 OPS, with Caballero starting at third over him Sunday against a righty. Amed Rosario has often started at third against lefties, and while he has not hit in line with his career numbers, the Yankees continue to believe he will.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) is in the dugout in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Boone could also platoon Volpe and Chisholm at second base, as the lefty-hitting Chisholm is batting only .221 with a .654 OPS against lefties. But the pending free agent had just been starting to get hot in a disappointing season, hitting .391 with a 1.028 OPS over his last 15 games before getting hurt.
If and where Volpe fits on the playoff roster is just one of the many decisions they will have to consider over this final week of the regular season.
“You know it’s going to take a lot of players and a lot of people when you get to spring training and the season unfolds,” Boone said. “We’ll have hopefully some tough decisions to make when we’re setting postseason rosters and things like that. But that’s a better problem to have.”
Clarke Schmidt was expected to see the team doctor early this week after experiencing biceps cramping while warming up Sunday, which kept him from entering the game. The right-hander had just made his return from Tommy John surgery and is trying to carve out a role in the playoff bullpen.
Ryan Weathers (left forearm flexor strain) could also have a role in a playoff bullpen, but first the lefty will need to face hitters this week as he tries to show the Yankees he could jump right into postseason action without pitching in a game since he got hurt Aug. 22.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 8: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 8, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Bucks have shown serious interest in All-Star center Jalen Duren, per The Athletic. Duren is deadlocked with the Detroit Pistons over a long-term contract extension and could switch teams this offseason or in 2027 if they can’t reach an agreement.
Still, Duren’s confidence is born out of the fact that his market for next summer looks quite robust. As The Athletic previously reported, the Sacramento Kings have signaled a willingness to pay him a max-salary deal next summer. That alone has aided his leverage, but there are at least two other teams—including the Milwaukee Bucks—that are known to have serious interest in Duren (both now and, potentially, next summer).
Duren averaged 19.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG while shooting 65% from the field last season. However, those averages slumped during the postseason in the face of physical coverage and frequent double-teams. Duren averaged just 10.2 PPG as Detroit bowed out in the conference semifinals.
ESPN recently reported that Detroit offered Duren a fully guaranteed, five-year, $200m contract to stay in the Motor City, but the two sides are still far away from concluding their contract saga. Duren reportedly felt disrespected by the Pistons’ negotiation tactics and spent most of the offseason away from the Pistons.
Although outlets cite the Sacramento Kings as the most enthusiastic suitor for Duren’s services next year, the Bucks are also reportedly vying for the 22-year-old’s services.
The roadblock preventing Duren and Detroit from agreeing to an extension is their valuation of the center. Duren reportedly wanted to sign with Detroit on a supermax deal. Duren is eligible to sign for a five-year, $287m contract, but due to Duren’s playoff drop-offs, Detroit has consistently offered Duren a much lower figure. To beat Sacramento for Duren’s signature, Milwaukee would need to offer Duren a supermax—or a very close figure—as well as a clear plan toward contention in the East.
The Bucks’ apparent interest in the All-NBA center clearly means that Milwaukee likely doesn’t see a long-term future with Myles Turner, which makes a lot of sense given his age profile. Turner slumped after signing a four-year, $109m contract with Milwaukee last July, averaging about 12 points and five rebounds last season. Especially as the Bucks grow younger and look to ease into their rebuild, the 30-year-old is no longer an essential part of Milwaukee’s future.
In theory, the Bucks could execute a sign-and-trade for Duren this summer, but it appears practically impossible. The Bucks would probably have to give up key pieces of their burgeoning young core—including Ryan Rollins and draft capital—to meet the Pistons’ price. Additionally, despite their contract saga, Detroit leadership still sees Duren as a foundational piece of their roster as they continue to compete for a championship.
With Detroit and Duren still going back and forth on a potential new contract, Milwaukee can only wait and watch to see whether Duren enters unrestricted free agency in 2027. It should be noted that, given Detroit’s spacing concerns, a stretch five like Myles Turner would theoretically fit quite well offensively.
Australian women’s captain Sophie Molineux has opened up on her surprise ascension to the top job, revealing the ‘oh, s***’ moment the prospect of leading the team became real.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Elmer Soderblom (25) skates against Buffalo Sabres defenseman Liam Valente (28) in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on September 21, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Lineup
The Penguins have a decent enough lineup for the first preseason game. Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Kris Letang are among the skaters dressed. Sergei Mursahov gets the start, with the plan to sub him out about halfway through to get Joel Blomqvist some game minutes too.
Not much to say about the visiting Sabres lineup, very much a ‘first game of the year on the road’ bare bones lineup offering. In fact, head coach Lindy Ruff doesn’t even show up, gotta love NHL preseason!
All in all, a pretty quiet period to start the season. Ryan Graves takes the first penalty of the year, the Pens kill it off. Interestingly, Kindel takes the first PK shift – which might suggest an expanding role now that it’s known that Blake Lizotte will be on the shelf for a while.
Pittsburgh scores first, Andrei Kuzmenko starts the play from his own end, Bryan Rust is the one that really makes it happen skating the puck through the zone and drawing the attention of the defenders. Connor Dewar slips into the play, Rust hits him with a pass and Dewar doesn’t mess around with a quick shot through traffic that avoids everything until it hits the back of the net.
Kindel doesn’t return to the bench after the first period, he did block a fairly weak looking shot in the leg/foot late in the period. No reason to push anything in the preseason, hopefully it’s just precautionary in nature.
Rust hit a crossbar early, a little later after a great shift by the Pens, Hendrix Lapierre whiffed on a shot all alone from in front of the net that gently hit the far post and stayed out.
Near the midpoint of the period, Murashov apparently keeps the puck out of the net in a scramble. Owen Pickering hustles back after taking an awkward push legs-first into the wall to help out.
Honestly, don’t see how that puck stayed out at the very end of the sequence, but hey, it’s preseason. Worthy of the good effort.
Pittsburgh gets their first power play with 9:30 to play in the period, they also get a new goalie as Murashov rotates out (as planned) and Blomqvist gets in the crease for the second half of the game.
First power play group is Rust, Kuzmenko, Broz, Lapierre and Letang. Lapierre is the beneficiary of Kindel’s absence.
Justin Brazeau goes down painfully on the second power play group, had his feet taken out and a heavy spill into the boards. Leads to a 32 second 5v3. A bunch of quick passes and Rust makes the Sabres pay. 2-0
Avery Hayes answered that a few minutes later, firing a spinning shot to the top shelf after he stole the puck, just seconds before the end of the period. 3-1 after two periods.
Lapierre springs Hallander for a great look on the rush, puck is stopped and then Brazeau trips a Sabre 200 feet from his net. Whoops. Pittsburgh kills off the penalty.
The rest of the period is definitely a period of preseason hockey. Buffalo pulls the goalie with about 3 minutes left. Soderblom scores on the empty net to make it 4-1.
Some other thoughts
Overall, as with any preseason game, there was a mix of positives and negatives. Nothing overwhelming in either direction but some notable items could include: Lapierre won 4/5 of his first period faceoffs, got a power play assist and very much should have scored a goal. Soderblom recorded a game-high four hits and the ENG. Hallander was strong on the puck and had five shots on goal.
On the minus side, Graves still looks as brutal as ever. He surrendered a shot on the rush where the shooter curled the puck back and used Graves as a screen, always dangerous. The penalty he took was unnecessary. Chasing players into the corner to support a partner and leaving the front of the net open. Low percentage passes turning into icing. It does look like he’s playing noticeably more physical than usual, but hardly any more effective in this look.
Also didn’t really think Broz had that eye-popping of a game. Nothing necessarily bad, but he’s a guy who needs to stand out (as he did in the exhibition games last year). Wasn’t on display tonight. Just one night, but something to note considering how some of the other fringe players were more visible.
And, of course, this could be bullet point number one but the biggest potential outcome of the game would be if Kindel misses time with the regular season starting on the 30th. He looked really good early, arguably the most visible and best player for the Pens. He won 6/7 faceoffs, drove all the way to the net for a couple of potential scoring chances, he was playing very well. Hopefully the injury is nothing, otherwise the center position for the start of the season becomes less than ideal in a hurry.
Was very surprised to see Pickering and Brazeau both continue to play after their respective spills into the boards. Brazeau even banged his stick in the wall in anger while coming off, typically a tell that some damage has been done. Fortunately that wasn’t the case.
Murashov wasn’t asked to do a lot but performed well. He was square to shooters, absorbed pucks without giving up rebounds and had a sharp night stopping all 13 shots he saw.
For his part, Blomqvist was OK. Got beat once while killing a penalty on a nice shot, not much of a demerit there. Otherwise was fine. As tends to be the case between the two goalies, Blomqvist was pretty good but Murashov was a tick better than him on this night, very much in-line with their past.
Avery Hayes has a lot of Tyler Kennedy in him, and I mean that in a very complimentary way. Small right handed forward with a good motor and never misses an opportunity to put the puck on the net (7 shot attempts). The lineup may be too crowded still for him to find a spot coming out of camp (though at this rate of injury and near injury, a couple more games remain to carve out more teammates..), but surely Hayes is looking at a mid-season callup and chance to play a lot of NHL games this season if he keeps going like he has been.
Unremarkably fine debut for the Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang pair. That’s not a dig, just not much to say. The Sabres didn’t bring a lot to measure up against them, they didn’t do anything to catch the eye in a negative way, regardless.
There’s an adrmiable simplicity to Kuzmenko’s game. He’s going to get to the front of the net, then he’s going to see what happens. Maybe he gets a pass coming in. Maybe he can knock loose a puck. He’s got a booming shot too but overall he’s a guy who knows where to go to score goals in the NHL.
Bryan Rust looks ready for another year to keep on going. A nice goal, an even better primary assist and another assist on the ENG made for a perfectly expected debut as the most accomplished forward on the ice tonight for either team. Wouldn’t expect anything less than a very strong showing and Rust definitely came through.
The Pens are right back at it tomorrow night, with even more star power for a lineup that will include Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and the Ruck twins. We’ll wait for that and hopefully a positive injury update on Kindel as the page turns away from the first preseason game of the year.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The Knicks have a new replay maestro.
Ed Flynn, a video coordinator with the Pelicans for the past three seasons, will serve as Mike Brown’s “challenge guy,” The Post has learned.
It’s a pressurized role defined by split-second decisions to recommend a challenge or pass, depending on real-time replays on his iPad. More than most positions on the Knicks staff, Flynn’s successes and failures can be quantified and directly impact a game’s result.
Jordan Brink held that job for the Knicks the past two seasons, challenging at an impressive success rate while helping win Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a momentum-shifting challenge.
Brink’s challenge recommendation changed a Knicks turnover into three OG Anunoby free throws with 2:37 remaining in New York’s 105-104 victory over the Spurs. He will get a championship ring and an assistant position with the Chicago Bulls under new coach Tiago Splitter.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brink’s contract with the Knicks expired, and the Bulls gig represented a promotion, league sources said.
Before Brink, Scott King and Darren Erman were the “challenge guys.” Now, Flynn will monitor the important iPad. His official title is assistant coach/special situations, a league source said.
According to Flynn’s online bios, he’s tall (6-foot-10) and played for Williams College in Massachusetts. He served as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, then as a video intern and coordinator with the Charlotte Hornets.
In 2023, Flynn joined the Pelicans and left as their head video coordinator. The Pelicans had significant staff turnover after hiring head coach Jamahl Mosley in May.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) warms up with assistant coach Carson Shanks before Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
The Knicks coaching staff remains mostly the same from last season. Top assistants Chris Jent, Rick Brunson, Brendan O’Connor and Erman are all returning, sources said.
Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Peter Patton, who have earned high praise from players for their individual development work, also return.
