SAN FRANCISCO – Expectations for the Warriors entering the 2026-27 NBA season are as low as they’ve been in years. That’s the way Gary Payton II likes it, too.
“It’s funny,” Payton said Sunday to NBC Sports Bay Area on the ninth floor of Chase Center. “It kind of gives, in a sense, a ‘22 feeling. We’re not expected to do anything, but we still got a pretty good veteran core, and we got some talented young guys.
“The goal this year, the motto for me, is stay healthy and have fun.”
Nobody saw a championship parade coming down Market Street going into the 2021-22 NBA season. They saw a Warriors team that didn’t have Kevin Durant anymore, still was without Klay Thompson recovering from an Achilles injury, questionable youth and a group of veteran castoffs. Payton sees the similarities five years later.
The Warriors’ last championship team was coming off a 39-win season that fell short of the playoffs. This season’s group is coming off a year of 37 wins and no date with the playoffs.
Steph Curry’s co-star, Jimmy Butler, is rehabbing from injury like Thompson was. But this team also has to deal with another major loss to injury in Moses Moody’s rehab.
When it comes to youth, the Warriors can hope Brandin Podziemski in Year 4 can take the kind of offensive leap Jordan Poole did in Year 3. Yaxel Lendeborg should be much more ready to contribute as a rookie than Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman or Moody ever were.
It actually might be Brandon Williams who reminds fans of Poole the most with the way he’s able to beat a defender off the dribble and get to the basket.
Payton, who will be 34 in December, just played 73 games last season, which was a new career high and his most since playing 71 in the Warriors’ championship season – the year he found the perfect team to keep his career alive as a fan favorite. Other role players surrounding Payton five seasons ago included Damion Lee, Kevon Looney, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr.
Now, it’s more or less a group of veterans like De’Anthony Melton, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Georges Niang.
Williams will be 27 in November, Charles Bassey will be 26 at the end of October, Lendeborg will be 24 at the end of September, as will Will Richard at the end of December, and Gui Santos is 24 all season. As Podziemski enters his fourth year as a pro, he still remains the youngest Warrior, turning 24 in late February.
“Down the line, young guys are gonna win some games for us and give our vet guys some time to rest and chill,” Payton said. “And when it’s time, when it matters, I think you know we’re always going to show up. We got 30 [Curry], we got [Draymond Green]. When we get Jimmy and we get Moses back, you never know.
“We just got to play the right ball until the right time and see what happens.”
The Warriors’ comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament didn’t bring them another title. It didn’t even bring them an appearance in the playoffs after losing to the Phoenix Suns two days later. But it did bring them the taste of glory for one more game.
Curry scoring 35 points in a do-or-die situation, including 27 in the second half, was a reminder around the league and to themselves. As was Green’s incredible defense down the stretch, locking up Kawhi Leonard to seal the win. So were Porziņģis’ 20 points and monster putback dunk, Horford’s four threes in the fourth quarter, massive contributions from Podziemski (17 points) and Santos (20 points), and Payton’s two steals as a plus-8 to lead the bench.
Can they maintain that kind of performance for long stretches instead of a single game? Soon enough, we’ll find out. In the meantime, Payton and the rest of the Warriors are embracing the challenge of being completely counted out.
“It really doesn’t matter. If we get there, we got Wardell, we got Dray, we get a healthy Jimmy back and we got Al and KP,” Payton said. “You got problems if we’re all healthy when the time comes.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re eighth or we’re first, you got problems.”
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 28: Cam Whitmore #22 of the Villanova Wildcats in action against the Seton Hall Pirates during a game at Prudential Center on February 28, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 76-72. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Villanova 5-star forward/wing — and Big East Freshman of the Year — Cam Whitmore is getting another shot in the NBA, this time with the Denver Nuggets. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on Friday:
The Denver Nuggets are signing 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Whitmore enters his fourth NBA season after averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds over 119 career games — and has already joined the Nuggets for workouts in Denver. pic.twitter.com/WBhDfTIhOQ
Denver signed Whitmore to a one-year, two-way contract after the 22-year-old was traded from Washington to Cleveland in a five-team deal (which ironically involved the Nuggets) and was subsequently waived by the Cavaliers almost immediately.
Technically, Denver i Whitmore’s fourth NBA team in four years. Realistically, it’s his third stop. He never played for Cleveland, so I’m not counting that one as legitimate.
Either way, the former Villanova five-star has reached an interesting point in his young, once-promising career.
Whitmore’s career hasn’t exactly gone according to plan after being taken 20th overall by the Rockets in the 2023 Draft, but his production hasn’t been terrible either. He averaged 10.5 points in 17.3 minutes across 119 games with Houston and Washington. Per 36 minutes, his counting stats jump to 21.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Not terrible.
The question in Denver will ultimately become whether he’s the type of player a good team with championship aspirations trusts with regular minutes or not.
Whitmore has a respectable 34.9% from three over his career that dipped to 28.6% during an injury-shortened season in Washington last year. He also only has 97 career assists (0.8 per game), which feeds the “tunnel vision” criticisms the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder hasn’t been able to shake thus far. He needs to show he can contribute elsewhere on the court, either through cutting/driving/slashing and using his brute strength and athleticism or by leaning into being a secondary playmaker.
But playing with superstar center Nikola Jokic could also be exactly what Whitmore needs to finally take off.
Whitmore still has all the good that made him a first-round pick in 2023. He shot 54% from inside the arc last season and remains a dangerous finisher around the basket. In Denver, he won’t need to create everything himself. Cut, run the floor, knock down open threes and don’t stop the offense when the ball finds him.
Then there’s defense. Whitmore doesn’t need to suddenly become the defensive player Peyton Watson was for the Nuggets, but becoming more serviceable on that end would make it considerably easier for Denver to find minutes for him.
His talent has never really been the issue. Whitmore now needs to show he can complement other talented players instead of simply being one himself. If he does, Denver could finally be where his NBA career gets back on track. Nova Nation will be rooting for him.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 20: Members of the Boston Red Sox celebrate in the clubhouse after the Red Sox clinch a Wild Card spot after the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox have clinched a postseason spot. It was… anticlimactic.
The Sox allowed 4 runs before recording a single out yesterday and never made it a competitive game against the Rays, only securing their playoff berth via the Braves defeat of the Astros. They are just 9-8 over the month of September and have dropped each of the last 2 series. The team’s OPS+ of 84 is the lowest monthly mark they’ve posted all season — yes, even worse than the dreadful April (albeit just barely).
After a remarkable roller coaster of a season, we find ourselves in a weird spot. In terms of on-field results, nothing of consequence has really happened this month. The most important things that are happening relative to the Red Sox right now are happening in the trainer’s room. Will Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela recover in time for the playoffs? Can Roman Anthony find his rhythm after a lengthy injury stint? What can Garrett Crochet and Tanner Houck do, if anything, to salvage two otherwise lost seasons?
But the sting of Champagne last night was real. Playoff baseball is coming. And the truth of the matter is that if the Sox give us a memorable October, we won’t care how September felt.
Use this space to talk about whatever you want and, as always, be good to one another.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres hits a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at Petco Park on September 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jake Cronenworth extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning and he added a second two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-3 win, and season sweep, over the Miami Marlins at Petco Park on Sunday.
Cronenworth, who got the start at third base to allow Manny Machado to have a DH day, held his own at the hot corner, but it was his offensive performance that stood out. Cronenworth put the Padres on the board with a two-run home run that gave them a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. He later added an RBI-double in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 3-0, and added a second two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning that put the game out of reach, giving San Diego a four-run lead.
The offensive outburst by Croneworth was in support of Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler, who had one of his best starts of the season. His final line is a bit misleading thanks to a three-run home run by Javier Sanoja that pulled Miami within a run with the score 4-3. Buehler had been cruising through his outing and was trying to complete seven innings, but he was pulled after the home run. He finished with a final line of three runs allowed over 6.2 innings. Buehler allowed three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
The Padres’ offense allowed Buehler to work with a lead throughout the game and even after he allowed the home run to Sanoja in the top of the seventh, Fernando Tatis Jr. offered an immediate response in the bottom of the inning. The superstar connected on a one-out solo home run, giving him 25 homers on the season, that pushed the San Diego lead to 5-3 before Cronenworth added on in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The hot hitting that seemed to take off when the Padres went to Colorado continued in the series finale with the Marlins. San Diego banged out 10 more hits to give them 33 hits throughout the three-game series with Miami. The output at Petco Park over the weekend followed the four-game series against the Rockies where the Padres totaled 52 hits.
With the win, the magic number for San Diego to clinch a playoff berth is two. Any combination of Padres wins and Arizona Diamondbacks losses that equal two will put the Friars in the playoffs. That could come as early as their next game if the Padres win and the Diamondbacks lose. San Diego remains tied with the Chicago Cubs for the top Wild Card spot and one game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs hold the tiebreaker of over the Padres thanks to their head-to-head record this season.
San Diego has the day off today, but travels to Los Angeles for a three-game series against the Dodgers, which begins Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) connects with a pitch during the fifth inning of the Cleveland Guardians' home opener against the Chicago White Sox, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Guardians managed to sweep the Athletics this weekend and their magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 3 with 6 to play. (Magic number is six to win the division and get a first round bye).
Zack Meisel and T.J. Zuppe covered the playoff scenarios on the Selby is Godcast today.
We are rooting for the Royals and then Rockies, the Mariners and the Athletics, the Mets and the Twins, and the Orioles and Reds. We want the White Sox, Rangers, Astros and Blue Jays to lose, in other words.
Among those hires were Josef Boumedienne, who will join the club as Vice President of Hockey Operations; Josh Burke, Hockey Operations Data Engineer; Brooks Christensen, Amateur Scout; and Killian Hamilton, Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Throughout the off-season, the Panthers lost several members in different departments. Leading up to the season the Panthers have made additions to ammend those losses.
Boumedienne joins the Panthers after serving as the GM of Sweden’s men’s national ice hockey team for the past two seasons, including at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Following his NHL career, Boumedienne worked as the director of European scouting for the Columbus Blue Jackets for nine seasons.
Another notable name is Christensen. In July, the Everett Silvertips of the WHL announced that Christensen would leave the organization to join the Panthers, but Florida recently announced the move.
Christensen served as the Silvertips' director of scouting for two seasons and won a WHL championship. Before that, he worked as the GM of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Kyrie Irving #11 and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks pose for a picture during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks are less than a week away from kicking off training camp in advance of Cooper Flagg’s second season in the NBA. Flagg’s personal trainer, Matt MacKenzie, sat down with RG.org to discuss what Flagg has been up to this offseason and what we can expect from his pairing with Kyrie Irving in year two. The discussion was a deep dive worth reading in its entirety, however a few key points stuck out and all of them should make Mavs’ fans excited for what is to come.
The offseason regimen
MacKenzie indicated that Flagg has been going hard all off season. In so doing, Flagg managed to go coast-to-coast throughout the summer, with time spent in California, Texas and Maine, amongst other locales. Of particular note is Flagg’s time spent in Dallas where he developed some familiarity with his new teammates and coaching staff.
“He spent a lot of time in Dallas with getting acclimated to the new coaching staff and some of his future teammates. He’s learning a little bit about what they’re all about. So it’s been a really good offseason.”
A young player having the wherewithal to do this is a great sign. Putting aside the sheer magnitude and duration of work, Flagg was smart to spend some of that time in Dallas. Plenty of players have their own plans for the offseason, both personal and professional, and there is nothing wrong with that. Training camp is a great way to get to know new faces and new systems. Getting a leg up on that as Flagg has done will surely pay dividends, making training camp less of an introduction and more of a continuation.
Refining his game
Virtually every NBA player that has enjoyed sustained success in the league has done so by way of adding to their game every offseason. Mavericks’ fans are intimately familiar with this concept after 21 years of Dirk Nowitzki. It appears that in his first chance, Flagg is proving to be cut from the same cloth. In what MacKenzie describes as a well thought out, collaborative and thorough process, Flagg is adding to his game in a variety of ways. Most intriguing of those is the three-point shot.
“He’s taking not only 3s off the catch, but also 3s off the dribble. He’s using a variety of different screens and actions to get him into different shots.”
Flagg had an outstanding rookie season, good for Rookie of the Year honors. He arguably outperformed even the more ambitious expectations that came with being the #1 pick, but one area of his game clearly needed work. Flagg shot only 29.5% from beyond the arc in his first season. The long ball was an area of some concern for the Mavericks as a whole, with the team only shooting 34.4% against a league average 36%. Flagg was excellent at driving and had a solid mid-range game, so adding a deep threat could be the first steps toward becoming nearly unstoppable, to say nothing for what it will do for the team’s offensive schemes.
The dynamic duo
One of the most exciting things about this upcoming season is the return of Kyrie Irving. To this point, we’ve only been able to imagine how the two players would come together, but now we’re only weeks away from seeing them in game action. There remains some concern here, too. This is clearly Flagg’s team, but Irving is an established veteran player and a star in his own right. He’s proven before that he can share the spotlight and even defer and it’s looking like that will be the case again.
“I know that Kyrie has a ton of respect for the player that Cooper is. Just like Coach May, he wants to continue to help Cooper take that next step in his career… They’ve had a chance to spend some time together on the court and in workouts when they’ve played pickup a little bit. I think they really enjoyed playing with each other.”
Many wanted to see Irving traded in the offseason, but this shows one of the key reasons Masai Ujiri was wise to keep him around. Irving brings plenty to the court and nearly (perhaps more) as much off the court in mentorship. The last thing the team needs is to stymie Flagg’s growth or limit his opportunities on the court in his second year. With Irving as his cohort, that should not be a problem. Irving is a natural leader and a great co-lead that will surely take pressure off Flagg as his game continues to develop. The fact the two are already spending some time together and gelling nicely is an excellent sign of things to come.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Next up: How many young players will earn minutes?
Let’s start with the numbers.
The Sixers have eight players 25 years old or younger on their standard roster. That goes up to 10 if you include two-way contract players Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert. On the other side, five Sixers will be at least 30 years old by the end of the season. James is easily the oldest of the bunch at 41.
Here’s the full list of the Sixers’ youngsters, with ages as of mid-September:
“He’s a really talented scorer,” Nurse said on draft night. “He’s really fast and explosive and can really get it in the bucket. And I think with a lot of guys that can score, there’s the mentality. The swagger or confidence or something that he has is obviously one of his traits that has served him well. He played in a system at Alabama that is very pro-style. … And I think he’s certainly got two-way capability. I think he can guard.”
Philon’s defense will likely play a large role in whether or not he snags a spot in the Sixers’ rotation. As a rookie who weighed 176 pounds at the draft combine, Philon won’t be anywhere near mistake-free defensively. Nurse will care about focus, effort and attention to detail. And he’ll expect Philon to watch and learn from fellow guards Maxey, Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
The blueprint for Edwards securing a rotation place appears simple. If he sinks a fair share of three-pointers, plays sturdy defense on the wing and rebounds at a decent rate, that may very well do the trick.
Edwards averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season in 15.3 minutes per game. He shot 37.2 percent beyond the arc in the regular season and 22.2 percent in the playoffs, although that postseason number is perhaps a bit harsh because of some garbage-time misses.
Nurse has admired many of the nuances in Edwards’ game over the Philadelphia native’s first two NBA seasons, including his knack for finding open space.
“I think I’m just always in the right spot. … I always put myself in the right position,” Edwards said in April.
If Edwards is playing valuable basketball without posting eye-catching stats, Nurse will recognize it.
Both Barlow and Walker can also play at center, but each served primarily as a power forward last season. As things stand, Barlow has a far higher chance of receiving steady minutes. Only Maxey and Edgecombe started more regular-season games for the Sixers last year than Barlow. He got 59 starts and averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 23.8 minutes per game.
His role diminished in the playoffs, however, and new Sixers forward Dean Wade is a proven veteran who’s historically offered much more as a shooter. Barlow should still have plenty of viable routes to substantial playing time. He showed last year that he’s a smart cutter next to Embiid, a useful short-roll passer, and a hustling player who habitually chips in offensive rebounds, steals and blocks.
The Sixers currently have two of their three two-way slots filled with Love and Rupert.
Love is a 6-foot-3 guard who played 49 NBA games last season as a Trail Blazers rookie. He posted 10.4 points and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three-point range. Rupert is a 6-7 wing with a 7-2 wingspan who’s played 155 times in the NBA over the past three seasons and averaged 4.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.5 steals in 14.0 minutes per contest.
It would be quite surprising to see either Love or Rupert jump over more established players to seize regular NBA minutes. Of course, injuries always pop up and preseason projections are never perfect.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 24: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Kel’el Ware #7 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country.
Now that Giannis is gone, the question of who leads the team in trade value is pretty interesting. As you’ll see in my personal trade value rankings (dropping on Wednesday), I happen to believe there is a clear top three: Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Kel’el Ware, with the first two in a tier of their own. That said, you could certainly make a credible argument for a few others.
I can almost guarantee that inside the Bucks’ four walls, they would be doing similar exercises as the team transitions out of the state of flux it’s currently in. How much do you weigh raw ability, age, contract size, contract status (where they are in their contract), and a slew of other factors? These are complex, nuanced considerations. I don’t want to spoil all my thoughts on the matter, but tell us yours!
Four days and one preseason game into training camp, the Baby Islanders do not look one iota out of place.
Based on Sunday’s 2-1 preseason loss to the Devils, it is some of the veteran Isles who ought to be a little bit more worried about making the 23-man roster, for the more Victor Eklund plays, the more he looks like someone who belongs.
And though Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson are unlikely to make the final roster, both have at least done their part in challenging the assumption that it is a fait accompli.
New York Islanders’ Cole Eiserman skates with the puck during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I thought I played pretty well,” Eiserman said after scoring his team’s only goal on a power-play one-timer from the right-hand dot. “A few moments I thought I could learn from, but obviously that’s the game. I’m gonna be watching film and seeing what I can do.”
Eiserman was on the second line with Matthew Highmore and Pierre Engvall, but his minutes got a boost thanks to the Islanders spending 7:05 on the power play.
Eklund was off the scoresheet, but he made what might have been the game’s most impressive play, a silky-smooth feed to Cal Ritchie for a grade-A chance in the slot, and proved his mettle along the boards.
With both teams the Islanders and Devils playing rosters largely made up of prospects, it is hard to make real judgments. But if the question is whether Eklund outplayed his teammates with whom he is competing for a roster spot — namely Engvall, Ondrej Palat and Mitchell Chaffee, out of the group on the ice Sunday — the answer is a resounding yes.
New York Islanders forward Victor Eklund runs a drill during Development Camp, Monday, June 30, 2025, at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
“He’s just a real good hockey player,” coach Pete DeBoer said of Eklund. “Can play in any situation. Dog on a bone on the puck out there. If he continues to do what he’s doing, he’s gonna make us have to make some really tough decisions.”
Vladimir Dravecky continued to impress, as the fifth-round pick skated 18:39 and picked up an assist.
“We threw him right in running the first power play,” DeBoer said. “A lot of ice time for, that’s his first real pro hockey game. He’s probably the youngest kid on the ice or one of them for sure. Thought he did a great job. He’s had a great camp.”
Marshall Warren was on the ice for both goals against and turned the puck over, leading to Connor Brown’s decider.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers runs the bases after a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field on September 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes that the patchwork pitching for the Texas Rangers finally came undone in the series finale loss to Toronto on Sunday.
Kennedi Landry writes that despite the Sunday setback, the Rangers embark on the season’s final week atop the American League West by a game.
McFarland writes that the Rangers are gasping, panting, and wheezing toward the finish line but they do so with their goal still in sight.
Landry notes that the Rangers will have to forge ahead without Cal Quantrill as their second half rotation savior landed on the IL for the remainder of the regular season.
McFarland checks out the scenarios for the remaining week of the season where the Rangers are still vying for the postseason.
MLB dot com’s Brent Maguire checks out what’s still at stake in the season’s final week with, among them, the AL West still undecided.
And, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranks the potential playoff rotations as the Rangers would probably just be happy with a healthy arm or two.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 29: Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Grant Holmes #66 studies the electronic tablet during the Sunday afternoon MLB game between the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves on September 29, 2024 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Okay, the Braves clinched the division. It felt like it was a long time coming at some point, and then they reeled off a sweep of the Astros in Houston, and here we are. That it happened without any kind of collapse is a testament to just how profoundly bizarre the 2026 Braves team is: they continue to maintain the fourth-best record despite a below-average wRC+ and position player fWAR rank, carried entirely by pitching and the ability to win when outproduced. (Seriously, after June I figured that the team would collapse if the offense didn’t rebound to notably above average, irrespective of what else happened. Instead, the team continued to be below-average offensively through any cut except something like, mid-July onward, including July-onward, August-onward, and September and the best it could register through any arbitrary starting point through the present was 12th, but here we are. Way to go Braves, sorta.)
But, today, I want to ask about something that many of you may not care about, but has been bugging me for a while.
If you recall, in the offseason, I ran a long series of posts like this. In those posts, I provided some commentary on projected production for a handful of Braves players, and then y’all submitted guesses/prognostications of WAR production for each, as well as a confidence level.
Well, the season is nearly in the books, and it’s time to score them. (There’s also a few other questions scattered in there, including how the Braves’ rotation would perform, their overall record, whether they’d miss Jonah Heim, etc. etc. The question of how to score those is a little different, though related, but probably simpler.) The problem is, I’m not actually sure how to score them. I could pick one of the methods that has rattled around my head, but I figured I’d throw it to you all, in case there’s some kind of consensus or crowdsource-based solution that works better than anything I’ve been able to come up with.
The “issue” is that everyone submitted a single guess, and a single confidence level, but WAR is a cardinal value. Sure, we could score things by just going, “if you were right, you get a point multiplied by your confidence level; if you were wrong, you lose a point multiplied by your confidence level,” but this means that if a guy had a 3-WAR season, someone who picked 4 WAR would lose the same number of points as someone who picked 0 WAR, assuming the confidence was the same. We could do “distance from” but that raises the question of how the math should work — is it like, you get +X (where X is confidence) if you nailed it, you get zero (irrespective of confidence) if you’re 1 WAR off, and you start losing points scaled by confidence for being 2 WAR off or more? Anyway, you get the idea — it’s complicated-ish, or more to the point, there’s just a lot of ways to go about it.
I’d say the two main criteria are: 1) you want to reward people for being closer (and reward less or punish more for being further); and, 2) you want to scale things by confidence. But other than that, how we get there is what I’m soliciting input on.
So, whadda ya got? (For me, discussing this is probably more interesting than whatever else transpires with the Braves at this point.)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: Alejandro Kirk #30 of the Toronto Blue Jays can't make the catch as Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers runs toward home plate during the sixth inning at Globe Life Field on September 19, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox have all punched their ticket to the postseason. With the final week of the 2026 MLB regular season already upon us, several other American League squads are playing for a place in October, too.
Even the Rays and Yankees technically have to decide who wins the AL East, with the former enjoying a hefty advantage heading into the final week, needing just one win over the Bombers to secure it. After that, there are two wide-open divisions and an exciting competition for the last Wild Card spot.
Here’s where every team stands in the race:
Tampa Bay Rays
Remaining games: 4 @ Yankees, 3 @ Phillies Current record: 95-60 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 1st in AL East (6 games ahead of NYY)
Final week outlook: The Rays have been, far and away, the top team in the American League by win-loss record, and unless something really crazy happens, they will enter the postseason with a first-round bye and wait for the winner of the battle between the top two Wild Cards—the Yankees and Red Sox—in the Division Series. They’ll still try to play competitive games after clinching, as they certainly wouldn’t say no to having home-field advantage over NL teams in a potential World Series matchup* as they seek their first championship in franchise history, but the pressure this week is much lighter.
*We’re keeping the focus on the AL in this post, but for those curious, Tampa Bay’s 95-60 record currently trails the Dodgers’ 96-60 and the Brewers’ 98-58. Atlanta trails at 92-64. The Dodgers have the Padres and Giants to end 2026 while the Brewers have the Phillies and Cardinals, and the Braves have the Reds and Marlins.
Remaining games: 4 vs. Rays, 3 vs. Orioles Current record: 89-66 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 2nd in AL East (6 games behind TB); 1st in Wild Card race (5.5 games ahead of 2nd Wild Card spot, held by BOS)
Final week outlook: Unless they sweep the Rays and Orioles, the Yankees virtually have no chance of winning the AL East crown. Instead, they will likely enter the postseason as the top Wild Card team, as they have a healthy cushion over the Red Sox, their likely foe in the Wild Card round. The odds of that series being at Fenway rather than Yankee Stadium are extremely low, especially since New York has the tiebreaker over Boston.
Boston Red Sox
Remaining games: 3 vs. Guardians, 3 vs. Cubs Current record: 84-72 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 3rd in AL East, 2nd in Wild Card race (5.5 games behind NYY for top WC spot, 4 games ahead of CHW, owners of the 3rd WC spot)
Final week outlook: The Red Sox are highly unlikely to move from the second AL Wild Card spot, since they have a four-game cushion over the White Sox, owners of the third slot, and are 5.5 games behind the Yanks for the top one. They’ve been all but locked into this spot for awhile now and just clinched their playoff berth yesterday with Houston’s loss to Atlanta.
Cleveland Guardians
Remaining games: 3 @ Red Sox, 3 @ Royals Current record: 81-75 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 1st in AL Central (1 game ahead of CHW)
Final week outlook: Eyeing their third consecutive division title and seventh since 2016, the Guardians are currently one game up in the race for the AL Central, but need to avoid a tie with the White Sox at the top because Chicago owns the tiebreaker. Cleveland is peaking at the right time, though, and José Ramírez is finally starting to show some signs of a breakthrough at the plate. If that’s the case, they will be dangerous with a strong young core and two aces at the top: AL strikeout leader Gavin Williams and Rookie of the Year contender Parker Messick. Second baseman Travis Bazzana isn’t too shabby of a rookie, either.
Remaining games: 3 @ Royals, 3 vs. Rockies Current record: 80-76 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 2nd in AL Central (1 game behind CLE), 3rd in Wild Card race (3 games ahead of HOU and TOR, 5 ahead of BAL)
Final week outlook: Chicago’s lack of quality starting pitching seems to have caught up to them in September, but they are still a dangerous team that is trending towards its first postseason appearance since 2021. They have a chance to win the AL Central: all they need to do is finish in at least a tie with the Guardians, and though both the Pale Hose and Guards will face the Royals this week, the Southsiders have an easier other foe in the Rockies. Remember, winning the division would likely even give Chicago the second seed in the AL and a first-round bye to face the victor of the AL West/last Wild Card matchup.
It’s already been an improbably great season for the White Sox, as merely getting a winning season would’ve been a huge success for a team that lost a modern record 121 games in 2024 and 102 last year. But missing out at this point would still be quite the disappointment.
Texas Rangers
Remaining games: 3 vs. Mets, 3 @ Twins Current record: 78-78 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 1st in AL West (1 game ahead of HOU)
Final week outlook: If the Rangers finish with more wins than the Astros, they will capture the AL West despite their thoroughly mediocre record (the Mariners’ deeply disappointing 2026 really made the division a mess). It’s a key week in Texas, as the range of outcomes is wide: they could win the division and finish as high as the second seed if they can best the AL Central champ’s line; they could be the final Wild Card squad, or they could miss the playoffs entirely for the third year in a row since winning it all in 2023 behind two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager.
It’s important to note that the Rangers need to beat the Astros by at least one game to take the AL West crown because Houston owns the tiebreaker. The Rangers own tiebreakers against the Orioles, Guardians, and Blue Jays, and lost against the White Sox and, as explained, the Astros. The AL West winner is a near-lock to face the worst Wild Card team in the first round, though they will host the best-of-three.
Remaining games: 3 @ Orioles, 3 vs. Reds Current record: 77-79 Current position in division/Wild Card race: tied with HOU for 4th in Wild Card standings, 3 games behind the 3rd spot (CHW)
Final week outlook: Last year’s AL champs can’t win their division: their only path to the playoffs is the third and final Wild Card spot. With that in mind, however, they would need to finish ahead of both the White Sox and the Rangers because both of them own the tiebreaker against Toronto. It sure doesn’t help that ace Dylan Cease was scratched from his next start and is undergoing an MRI.
The Jays tied the season series against Houston, which, in the event of a tie at the third WC spot between them, would take us to intra-divisional record to decide. There, Toronto is 25-24 against AL East opponents, and the Astros are 22-24 vs. AL West foes, presently giving the Jays the edge, though that could change this week since they both face intra-divisional rivals.
For what it’s worth, Toronto won the tiebreakers against the Guardians and the Orioles.
Houston Astros
Remaining games: 2 @ Mariners, 4 @ A’s Current record: 77-79 Current position in division/Wild Card race: tied with TOR for 4th in Wild Card standings, 3 games behind the 3rd spot (CHW)
Final week outlook: Much like the White Sox in the AL Central, the Astros are one game behind in their division and own the tiebreaker against the Rangers, so all they need to do is catch them by the end of the week. They have lost three straight, though, with a -59 run differential, so despite the best efforts of MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez, they aren’t particularly good. We have seen plenty of mediocre squads make it in the past, so they definitely have a chance — especially since they get to play the mostly-hapless M’s and A’s this week.
Houston can still qualify via the last Wild Card, but the division presents a smoother path. Since we’re running through them, they own tiebreakers vs. the White Sox, Guardians, and Rangers, losing vs. the Orioles and tying vs. Toronto.
Baltimore Orioles
Remaining games: 3 vs. Blue Jays, 3 @ Yankees Current record: 75-81 Current position in division/Wild Card race: 6th in Wild Card standings, 5 games behind the 3rd spot (CHW)
Final week outlook: At this point, the Orioles need a miracle to get in. They needed to sweep the Brewers this past weekend to put themselves in a position to compete. Instead, they got swept themselves. Baltimore won tiebreakers against the White Sox and the Astros, and lost against the Rangers, Guardians, and Blue Jays. But again, they have essentially no shot whatsoever. That final weekend series in the Bronx could’ve been interesting; alas.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 7: Jesus Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies is doused with water bottles from Kyle Schwarber #12 and Brandon Marsh #16 (left) after the complete game win against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on September 7, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Heather Barry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All signs point to the Phillies treating Luzardo as a reliever to begin the postseason. When asked if the Phillies are entertaining either scenario — Luzardo as a starter or Luzardo as a reliever — Mattingly said, “Yes.”
It’s interesting that the team is considering doing this with Luzardo considering what he has meant to the rotation this year. It does speak to the confidence they have in Aaron Nola continuing his late season resurgence and how that effectiveness would carry over into the playoffs. But with Luzardo possibly moving to the bullpen for the first round of the playoffs, the question about usage with him becomes noteworthy.
How would they even use him?
If it is the wild card round, does he only pitch in one game? They can’t possibly expect him to go back to back games at all during a three game series, especially when there is no off day at all in that round. Even then, when in a game is he deployed? Would he only be used before Duran? Is he used a fireman whenever there is trouble brewing? Is there a strict inning he can be used in? These are all interesting questions to consider.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 05: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres protects the net against Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins’ preseason roster for their first of just four games has an intentional element to it. There are some veterans getting into the action – you wouldn’t see Bryan Rust or Kris Letang play the first preseason game in the past – but the key area is a level below for all the candidates to win a job on the fourth line or just stay on the roster at all.
Aside from Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, almost every other fringe forward is getting a chance to play tonight in a very visible area to try and make their case. In recent days Filip Hallander has settled into practicing with Hendrix Lapierre and Justin Brazeau. In the last practice on Sunday, Elmer Soderblom skated with Tristan Broz and Connor Dewar.
If those two lines stay united for tonight’s game, that is the primary area to watch as far as which players might rise to the occasion and make a name for themselves. That includes Avery Hayes, who has been mostly on the periphery so far in camp, yet is a player the team knows they might have a little something in as a potential difference-maker from the fourth line with his speed and ability to chip in goals that he has showcased at the NHL level in the past.
It would be poetic, though perhaps not helpful for the final decision, if a player like Hayes ends up showing out tonight and makes a crowded picture even more jumbled. There’s already so many candidates in the mix and it would serve to stand as a reminder that clarity isn’t always gained from a single preseason game.
That said, let’s see how the PK splits go and which players get turns there. What is the path for players like Lapierre and Broz at center, considering conventional thought would be the last available center spot in the lineup belongs to Blake Lizotte (who is not playing tonight)? What to do at wing, where Dewar’s looking to hold onto a spot but there are no small number of potential contenders to slide into the fourth line (Hallander, Brazeau, Soderblom, Hayes, from the players dressing tonight and saying nothing of McGroarty and Koivunen)?
Lots of questions, perhaps some answers will start to sort themselves out tonight via game performances. Or maybe not. It’s always worth wondering just how much one single data point will mean in the larger focus of how to sort out the lineup, but there are only a small handful of these exhibition opportunities, so they now have a heightened importance.
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As far as the opponent, some quick thoughts on Buffalo. As a visiting team early in the preseason, they aren’t bringing a ton of talent to measure up against. Only Conor Sheary and Jiri Kulich (who like Hallander is working back after a blood clot knocked him out for much of last season) are bonafide NHL level forwards, though some others like Tyson Kozak and Justin Danforth played enough games in recent seasons to count as veterans.
The Sabres are also bringing Aidan McDonough tonight, who they signed to an NHL contract this summer. McDonough, 26, was among Wilkes-Barre’s better players last season, working on AHL contract. He actually led the team in regular season scoring since a good bit of that team (McGroarty, Koivunen, Hayes, Broz) either missed time AHL to injury or from being on the NHL roster at different times during the year. McDonough will surely be motivated to show out against many familiar faces. Buffalo is also bringing Jack Rathbone, once briefly a WBS player. Those two, along with Sheary, make up the former Penguins involved tonight.
Sheary, 34, by the way, signed a one-year, one-way contract worth the league minimum ($850k) with Buffalo for the 2026-27 season. He had a so-so year with the Rangers last season (seven goals and 11 assists in 62 games) which was good enough to get another contract and hang on for one more year.
Overall though, the Buffalo lineup is a dud. Sheary’s 17 points last year is by far their highest scorer. Almost their whole NHL team is not making the trip to Pittsburgh tonight. It would be tough to bring less talent and still hit the eight ‘veteran’ players that the league mandates for a preseason game. Buffalo gets there thanks to players like Kozak, Metsa but it’s barely anyone worth noting for the immediate future in the NHL.
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Another key area worth watching will be in net, as both young AHL goalies who are trying to become NHL goalies this season are dressing for the game. As mentioned above, it’s not like Buffalo brought an incredible amount of talent for them to face. The Pens are dressing Trevor van Riemsdyk and Letang, plus potentially the very good pair of Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke, so maybe the Pittsburgh defense will look alright tonight? One would have to hope for that based on the team strengths on paper, anyways. It’s a big opportunity for Sergei Mursahov and Joel Blomqvist tonight to get out there and do their thing in net.
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Along those lines, while the vast fourth line competition will eat up a lot of oxygen, it’ll be fun to see what the presumed line of Kuzmenko-Kindel-Rust can do in a game. It’s an exhibition and most will be moving with 75-85% intensity, but the Pens are certainly dabbling in giving Kindel some pretty good wingers at the start of preseason. Rust is only one quick decision away from going back to his regular spot on Sidney Crosby’s line, but can this group show some chemistry and reason to stay united in the near future? It’ll be interesting to watch. Based on the lineups, you’d think they’ll get the lion share of any power play looks too.
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The game starts at 7:00pm will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh+ and is on the radio on 105.9 the X, as well as the Penguins’ app. I looked in ESPN+ and saw this game already in the preview section, so it looks like it will be streaming there for out of market viewers.
