The Washington Wizards have officially ruled out No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, for their regular season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 21, after he suffered an ankle injury during the team’s final preseason game.
On Tuesday, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe confirmed that Dybantsa will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
Wizards HC Brian Keefe says AJ Dybantsa is out for Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. MilwaukeeDybantsa remains day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale vs. New Orleans https://t.co/ZI5czBHh08
The injury occurred in the preseason matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. While attempting a mid-range jump shot, Dybantsa landed awkwardly on his right ankle, immediately collapsing to the court in visible pain. Medical staff quickly attended to him as he grasped his ankle before he managed to get up and limp off the floor to the locker room for further evaluation. Keefe said that Dybantsa had suffered a mild ankle sprain
Before the injury, Dybantsa tallied 12 points in just 15 minutes of action.
While the team has ruled him out for the season opener, Keefe did not provide further details regarding the severity of the injury or a potential timetable for Dybantsa’s return, leaving his status uncertain.
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets moves the ball against the Miami Heat on October 14, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Is Michael Porter Jr. a short-termer in Brooklyn. Brian Windhorst of ESPN thinks so. As he noted on his Hoop Collective podcast Monday:
“I would just say that one player to watch this year just in general is Michael Porter Jr. There’s been a lot of attention paid to whether Karl-Anthony Towns got a contract extension which naturally why wouldn’t there be, the man’s a champion. Porter has not gotten a contract extension, he’s in the last year of his contract and he had a pretty good year last year after getting traded there by Denver and you know if a guy’s not in the contract extension you think about you see a possible trade candidate.”
Brian Lewis in the New York Post’s season preview thinks so too. As he wrote over the weekend in Nets season preview.
“Acquiring Porter (and Denver’s unprotected 2032 first-round pick) for Cam Johnson is a home run deal by any measure. The sweet-shooting small forward led Brooklyn in scoring last season, and could again. But Porter is on a $40.8 million expiring contract and still hasn’t signed an extension since becoming eligible for one on July 6. Is he a building block or asset? If Porter isn’t extended, he’s going to have his name bandied about in trade rumors right up until the Feb. 11 deadline. And if the Nets do move him, is it going to be for future assets? Or do they kick in draft picks of their own for an upgrade?”
Neither Porter Jr. nor Sean Marks has expressed any level of panic about an extension. After all, the Nets have until June 30 to proffer him a contract and Marks has spoken about how much he likes Porter Jr. as a player and as an individual. In return, MPJ has continually expressed his desire to stay, praising his young teammates and being the first Net to publicly suggest off-season moves and internal improvements could take the franchise from its third worst win total ever — 20 — to its second highest — 50.
As everyone knows, Porter Jr. had his best season ever last year, delivering 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. On the other hand, he missed 30 games and admitted that after he was snubbed for his first All-Star berth and with all that tanking, he lost interest. Not to mention the steady stream of controversies engendered by his “Curious Mike” podcasts
“One thing I regret is that once I didn’t make that All-Star game, I kind of let my foot up off the gas because there was really nothing we were playing for anymore,” Porter said on “Curious Mike” last month. To which Draymond Green responded on “The Draymond Green Show,” his podcast, “You weren’t snubbed! If you finish the rest of that year strong, everybody’s now on the top of their mind coming into the season like, ‘Yo, we got to watch Michael Porter Jr.’ Now, because he didn’t finish the year strong, then people’s just like, ‘Oh man, he’s just out there playing on a bad team to make an All-Star game.’”
The implication was that not only did he hurt himself, he hurt his reputation around the league. Indeed, a lot of what MPJ has said on his “Curious Mike” and others’ podcasts has done that. Last season, in fact, the Nets had to take him aside and let him know he’s in New York now and his comments will get magnified, often to the detriment of him and his team.
Specifically, the organization was offended, as were many of its fans, by his comments on misogynist Andrew Tate — saying he would “test girls” on “their beliefs” by playing them audio of Tate, whose entire persona revolves around toxic masculinity. Tate is currently fighting extradition from the U.S. to the U.K., where he and his brother face a total of 59 criminal charges, including rape and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Since then, Porter Jr. said he’s opposed to gay sex but admitted that he “kicked it” with a transsexual woman in Taiwan a couple of years ago adding he didn’t realize she was trans because gender-altering surgeries in Asia ”are so good.” Indeed, Porter’s podcast controversies have become so common that no one in the media (including us) even asked him about it at Media Day.
Of course, he’s not required to tow any line or avoid others. His speech is protected as is every American’s and he often takes on subjects that no one else will. The players’ union contract offers more protections. However, as the Tate commentaries attest, your employer is also within his or her rights to condemn you or simply ask that you understand there are boundaries.
Most recently, Porter Jr. decided to interview SNEAKO, another in the long list of right-wing social media activists born out of the gaming community. His views have been identified as homophobic, antisemitic, misogynist and violent, getting him banned at one point or another from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram. Like his controversial ally, Nick Fuentes, his views on Jews have been deemed particularly hateful. He’s wished Adolf Hitler a happy birthday, said “I’ll be the Nazi and I’ll shove you in the oven like a dirty Jew.”
A lot of the criticism of the interview revolved around giving SNEAKO a forum, While much of the interview was a discussion of various conspiracy theories, the presence of demons in American life, the afterlife, Jeffrey Epstein, and other topics popular with his mostly young male audience, there was commentary on the power of the Jewish community.
After SNEAKO suggested that Jews as a people have outsized influence throughout the world — a trope used by the Nazis to justify their antisemitic laws and ultimately the Holocaust — Porter responded. “That community specifically, you can call people this name, that name, you can use any slur you want. You start talking about the Jewish community, that’s a completely different animal. That’s the only group you literally cannot say anything derogatory towards. or it can ruin your entire life. your entire image… They band together for sure.”
SNEAKO noted at one point that forty percent of NBA owners are Jews. Porter did not endorse SNEAKO’s positions and after the interview criticized him.
In the same interview, Porter also expressed frustration about how so many fans at Barclays Center are rooting for other teams, citing the Nets recent preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers which was LeBron James first appearance in a Sixers uniform.
“We just played a preseason game the other night against Philly. You would’ve thought we were in Philly. We gotta get the Brooklyn Nets fans back in there and actually be louder than the opposing team. When we play (New York) Knicks, (Boston) Celtics, Philly, (Los Angeles) Lakers, it’s mostly their fans. It’s crazy,” said Porter.
How much of all of this affects negotiations, how much is used by Nets? It’s hard to know and again, free speech matters. But, it’s difficult to imagine how it helps. And how far apart are they on money, on years? Also hard to tell. The final year of his five-year, $170 million deal signed will pay him $40.8 million.
Last season, even after the first round of controversy, the Nets didn’t bite on trade packages reportedly offered at the deadline. Then, there’s the key question: what would the Nets want in return? They already have 13 first round picks, second to the OKC Thunder’s 15. Stay tuned. Maybe you’ll find out on “Curious Mike.”
An international audience will see a Pistons team led by star Cade Cunningham and coming off its first 60-win season in two decades face the Celtics, who will be playing their first game since the offseason trade of Jaylen Brown left Jayson Tatum as the team's undisputed franchise centerpiece.
It's a compelling matchup of two teams with Eastern Conference title aspirations, and USA TODAY Sports will be chronicling all of the opening-day festivities to start a new NBA season. Follow along here for live game updates and analysis, highlights and reaction from Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit.
Both the Pistons and Celtics have altered their lineups after playoff runs a year ago, and a few of those new additions have contributed immediately. Celtics veteran Paul George, acquired in the Jaylen Brown trade, hit his first two shots with Boston, including a 3-pointer. Pistons forward John Collins, who Detroit traded for this offseason to replace Tobias Harris, is the team's leading scorer early with four points. The two teams are tied at 13 at the first timeout of the first quarter.
Celtics vs Pistons starting lineups, injury report
03:00 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The official starting lineups and final injury report for the Oct. 20 NBA season opener between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are out. Take a look:
Why Celtics vs Pistons will open NBA season in afternoon daytime game
02:49 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The first game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will officially tip off in the middle of the afternoon, and NBC hopes it can become an annual addition to the league's traditional opening night schedule.
The Detroit Pistons are set to host the Boston Celtics at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with "College Gameday-style activations," a "Blue Carpet" experience, a marching band rendition of "Roundball Rock" and other special festivities planned around Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit throughout the day, according to NBA league officials. The afternoon tip is an experiment conceived by the NBA and NBC entering Year 2 of their massive 11-year, $27-billion media rights partnership, with the goal of turning opening night into an all-day event.
"We kind of challenged the NBA," NBC Sports Executive Vice President Justin Byczek told USA TODAY Sports. "We think opening day should be expanded, and we'd love to be the network that gets behind it, and over the course of the next decade, let's try to understand where opening day can get to."
How to watch Celtics vs Pistons: TV, live streaming for NBA opening game
02:40 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The opening game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, Oct. 20, will be broadcast nationally on NBC. It can also be watched via live stream on Peacock and Fubo.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 22: Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield (7) plays defense at first base during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“It’s not easy to do in your first year,” said Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer via a phone call last week.
Of Rumfield’s defense, Schaeffer said, “It was impressive, and it was steady.”
Rumfield became one of five rookies since 1901 to have a season with at least 1,150 innings at first base and have seven or fewer errors, joining Todd Helton (1998), Travis Lee (1998, ARI), Freddie Freeman (2011, ATL), and Nolan Schanuel (2024, LAA).
“TJ, I think, has always been a fairly underrated prospect,” said Amir Mamdani, Rockies director of baseball operations, via text message. “I think in part because he doesn’t meet the archetype of a typical 1B slugger.”
He continued, “I think TJ’s gift, which we were fortunate to see on display for 155 games, is the fact that he has a tremendous feel to hit. Has always put the ball in play at an impressive rate, and while the power has been more modest (15-20 HR a season), he’s always held his own offensively as he moved up through New York’s system, and ultimately seemed pretty blocked there, behind Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, and others.”
The Rockies were happy to take advantage of the Yankees surplus.
In 2026, Rumfield saw his first year of MLB play, and he made the most of it. Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves is 32 and is already a three-time Gold Glove winner. San Diego Padre Ty France, also 32, has won a Gold Glove as well.
Rumfield is the only newbie of the group, and while he did win an MiLB Gold Glove for first base in 2023, this announcement is another way to announce the rookie’s arrival.
Now to the numbers.
Here’s how the three finalists compare defensively in terms of standard defensive metrics as shown by FanGraphs:
Olson has played significantly more defensive innings (1424.0) than Rumfield (1156.1), and both are well ahead of France (1030.1). Although Olson has one more error than Rumfield, given the number of innings he logged, it’s difficult to hold that against him. Olson also started and finished more double plays than either of the other finalists. By this metric, Olson has clearly made a case for his fourth Gold Glove.
Consider, then, what the advanced defensive metrics show, again, per FanGraphs:
Although France leads the trio in defensive runs saved, Olson again has the better numbers in terms of outs above average and fielding run value.
Still, it’s been a tremendous season for the Rockies first baseman.
“For him to be mentioned among Matt Olson and Ty France,” Schaeffer said, “those are two really good defenders, and I’m proud of TJ for the work he put in every day to get there.”
Considering what he brings to the Rockies
Schaeffer is quick to acknowledge what Rumfield means for Colorado.
“For a big man over there, which a lot of first basemen are, his hands are soft,” Schaeffer said, “and he makes pretty much every play over there — difficult plays.”
And it’s not just the plays that Rumfield makes; it’s also how he anchors his infield teammates.
“He’s got the athletic ability to read hops,” Schaeffer said, “and for me as an infielder myself, the the biggest thing for a first baseman was giving the rest of the infielders confidence that you can make a great play and not make the best throw, and your guy’s going to pick you up over there, and TJ does that on a consistent basis.”
Schaeffer added, “I think he makes life easy, way easier for [Ezequiel] Tovar and for [Kyle] Karros, and for whoever was playing second base — Willi Castro — and they know that. So they can try to make more difficult plays because they know that he’s going to pick them up on the backside.”
Rockies general manager Josh Brynes agrees.
“I thought receiving throws, like the wingspan picks, all that stuff, it felt like he saved a lot of errors or converted outs,” Brynes said over the phone, adding, “Just the infielders, their freedom of making any kind of throw is enhanced.”
Although the rebuilding Rockies are coming off a less-than-stellar season defensively, Rumfield was a stalwart at first, which Schaeffer sees as key for any successful defensive unit.
“I mean, (if) you have a really good first baseman, you can do more things. Kyle Karros can try more crazy plays where you have to be free to do it. And if you have any inkling that your first baseman isn’t going to catch the ball, you can’t make those plays. And same thing with Tovar on that side of the on that side of the diamond,” Schaeffer noted.
He pointed to other MLB first basemen to illustrate his point.
“When Christian Walker was in Arizona, he anchored that good infield that they had. Matt Olson anchors that infield. Even Freddie Freeman in L.A — they throw it over there, and they know he’s going to catch everything. So you see really good infields anchored by first basemen that receive every throw.”
Mamdani concurs.
“Defensively, I think it’s a credit to him and all the work he’s put in,” Mandani said.
“He and Andy González worked a lot this year, whether it be the red machine, or other defensive drills, and I think if you look at his contribution both from a statistical standpoint with range and defensive runs saved, but even in terms of his receiving at first base. The number of plays he made, even anecdotally, to make scoops, or catch balls as a big target that other first basemen wouldn’t be able to get to, he was just incredibly steady over there, and I’m happy for him that that’s being recognized.”
It would not be unreasonable to consider Rumfield’s season “Helton-esque.”
Even if Rumfield isn’t a Gold Glove winner in 2026, that’s some high praise, and he’s set himself up to build on this year going forward.
“It’s a testament to him and the work that he put in, because I think (with) defense, there’s skill involved certainly, but a lot of it is sort of effort and practice and focus,” said Ian Levin, Rockies assistant general manager of baseball operations, over the phone.
“And he puts in the time, he puts in the effort, and he’s done it throughout his career prior to coming to us, and then we see it with us. So, just the the ability for him to to do that, put into action, and now actually become a Gold Glove finalist for it, I think is huge credit.”
“Just to be a finalist, that’s awesome as a rookie to be among those (players),” Schaeffer said. “TJ, he set a high bar for himself in his first year.”
The Gold Glove winners will be announced on November 1, 2026.
This story was updated to include comments from Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 11: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after the game against the Orlando Magic during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 11, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Tuesday that they have “exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Jaylon Tyson” for the 2027-28 season. Tyson is expected to make $5.64 million in the final year of his rookie contract.
We have exercised the fourth-year team option on Jaylon Tyson. #LetEmKnow
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This news is far from a surprise, as Tyson has shown real growth over his two seasons. Entering the league as the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft from California, Tyson spent the majority of his first season toggling between NBA reserve and G League play. However, last season, Tyson really stepped into his own.
Tyson suited up for 66 games, including 42 starts, for Cleveland and put up 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, averaging out to 26.9 minutes per game. Not only that, but the shooting splits averaged out to an impressive 49.3% field goal percentage and 44.6% three-point percentage, which was fourth-best in the NBA.
Tyson has a development path that could see him earn more minutes and an expanded role this season. He has also emerged as a fan favorite as well as a locker room favorite. Both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have mentioned taking Tyson under their wing as someone to mentor.
“I was just trying to build a relationship with Jaylon because he does have the skills and tools to make a lot of money in this league,” Harden said. “Anything where I can see I can help him at, I try to be there for him.”
Mitchell has been cultivating a relationship with Tyson dating back to last season. Mitchell earlier in camp stated, “Him (Jaylon) and I constantly talk. If I’m ever tired, he’s always talking to me, and vice versa.”
Having relationships and backing from two superstars like Harden and Mitchell only emphasizes the belief the team has that Tyson has untapped levels to his game. The Cavaliers clearly agree as they have optioned the fourth year.
The 2026 season was by far Ohtani’s most disappointing campaign in a Dodgers uniform. His first two seasons in LA ended with World Series titles, but Ohtani’s third year ended in collapse.
The 2026 season was by far Shohei Ohtani’s most disappointing campaign in a Dodgers uniform. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
There’s plenty of blame to go around for Dodgers’ early exit in the postseason, but the team’s mismanagement of Ohtani will remain a focal point in why one of the best rosters to ever be assembled in baseball fell overwhelmingly short of the Fall Classic.
Ohtani dealt with multiple injuries in 2026 and could have very well been shut down in the summer to ensure better health come October. But that never happened.
Instead, the Dodgers let Ohtani continue playing until it became painfully clear the injuries had derailed his offensive production.
His first two seasons in LA ended with World Series titles, but Ohtani’s third year ended in collapse. AP Photo/Gregory BullOhtani’s season ended in catastrophe because of the way his health was managed throughout 2026. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
The 2027 season will be a key turning point for the Dodgers as the offseason is sure to bring changes in LA. But Ohtani has made it clear that he intends on remaining a two-way player next year.
The Dodgers will have to create an efficient plan for the aging Ohtani to do so, especially considering the implications his workload will have by October.
Dodgers fans are inevitably disappointed with the results as a three-peat seemed feasible given the star power on the roster. But the talent wasn’t enough to even muster a win over the Brewers in the National League Championship Series and that’s something the Dodgers will have to wrestle with in the coming months.
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The NBA attracts the top basketball talent from around the globe.
As proof, there are 125 international players on NBA rosters to open this season, the league announced. That's 27.8% of the available NBA roster spots going to international players
The NBA today announced that opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season feature 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents.
All 30 teams feature at least one international player.
It's not just the number of players, which is down slightly from last season (135), it's the quality and impact those players have on the league. Four international players have won the last eight NBA MVP Awards: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025 and 2026), Nikola Jokić (2024, 2022 and 2021), Joel Embiid (2023) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019 and 2020). More than that, last season also was the fifth consecutive year that three international players filled out the top three in MVP voting. Last season it was Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Jokić (No. 2) and Victor Wembanyama (No. 3).
More than that, a record 19 international players on opening-night rosters have been NBA All-Stars. At least three international players have made the All-NBA teams every season since 2019.
If you're wondering why a lot of people — *raises hand* — believe France as a genuine threat to the USA winning another gold in Men's Basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, consider this: France has a league-high 17 international players on NBA rosters, the most of any country (Canada is next with 16). France can field an entire roster of NBA players, led by Victor Wembanyama, who alone should strike some fear in American hearts.
The NBA's representation of players from, or with direct ties to, Africa — a continent where the NBA has worked hard to grow the game of basketball — continues to grow. Including both international and American players, more than 60 players were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent, a new record. Among those players are seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Cameroon), NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Cameroon), three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (ties to Nigeria), Antetokounmpo (parents born in Nigeria), two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby (ties to Nigeria) and 2026 No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (ties to the Republic of the Congo).
NBA opening-night rosters also feature 70 European players, the second consecutive season with at least that many.
The Knicks will be raising their championship banners and collecting their rings during a heavily anticipated pregame ceremony ahead of their season-opener against the 76ers Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
For a 76ers team – now with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown as part of a core that already had Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe – with their own championship expectations, it will be a gauntlet of Knicks emotions and celebrations.
Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00), guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) react off the bench late during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at MSG on Oct. 15, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
“The environment is gonna be tough,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said Tuesday morning during 76ers shootaround at MSG. “There’s gonna be a lot of people in here, it’s their ring ceremony night. It’s gonna be a long night for us. But just gonna be competitive. I know they’re gonna come out ready but we just gotta be ready as well.”
Embiid has already said that he plans to stay in the locker room during the ceremony.
But once the game starts, are the 76ers relishing the opportunity to spoil the festivities? To make a statement of their own?
“We’re not looking at it that way,” Caldwell-Pope said. “But it’s always fun competition when you can. I’ve had a few ruin my [ring] nights before, it’s not fun. But my team, we want to start off great as well. So if it’s their ring night, they gotta take the first loss.”
Caldwell-Pope has won two championships – with the Lakers in 2020 and with the Nuggets in ‘23.
He knows what banner and ring night entails.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 16, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“You have to just focus on one thing at a time,” Caldwell-Pope said.
“It’s gonna be a lot of emotions going on. They get their rings, it’s gonna be so much emotion. Their families are gonna be here. The atmosphere is gonna be crazy.”
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JULY 17: Oakland Athletics first-round pick Jacob Wilson is interviewed by As broadcaster Jessica Kleinschmidt before their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July, 17 2023. Wilson is from Thousand Oaks, Calif., and his dad Jack Wilson was an MLB shortstop and is now an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Cardinals on My Time is back for the winter in a little different capacity! With the offseason and winter looking questionable at best and the Cardinals sitting in an awkward spot, I decided to take the opportunity to expand my podcast a little bit.
Since writing all things St. Louis Cardinals for the past few seasons, my attention around the league has significantly dwindled and I cannot have that happen. Rather than just reading through articles or trying to find new podcasts, I decided to bring the external talent to me and then share it with those of you who are in the same boat. I am fortunate enough to do that through the platform called MILLIONS, which is where I will be hosting my LIVESTREAM podcasts before publishing them later on normal platforms.
In my MILLIONS debut, I was joined by Jessica Kleinschmidt who was previously of MLB.com and NBC Sports covering the Athletics. Through our conversation, I quickly realized she was the perfect person to have one and discuss the impending winter of negotiations and hearsay. Jessica is a self-proclaimed CBA professional, so it was great to hear information from someone with ties to players and owners while also discussing what could happen this winter.
CBA talks are going to go to an interesting place during the MLB offseason
In the episode, we covered plenty but I really wanted to get into comparing the make up of both the A’s and Cardinals. The more Jessica talked, the more it seemed like these are teams sitting at a similar point in their building for the future. The Cardinals obviously have Chaim Bloom as POBO, but yesterday the Athletics also announced their own POBO, Taylor Smith, who had similar lineage to Bloom and is probably going to do things that look like what we saw in St. Louis.
When we spoke CBA, we got into what the lockout will mean for the fringe 40-man players and the Rule 5 draft. Jessica and I are both smitten by Rule 5 stories and hope that the process stays in some capacity, but it will be interesting to see how teams around the league handle their player protections by the 40-man deadline. The negotiations will probably get messy with a lot of players vs. owners conversations happening beyond the salary cap commercials we are already seeing during game broadcasts.
Finally, Jessica teased that she is going to be diving deeper into her Athletics coverage in some capacity, but could not announce the full details just yet. By the end of the episode, I was glad to have expanded from rehashing the same Cardinals conversations we hear every week and get some more look around MLB. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure you drop a like, comment, and/or subscribe on your favorite platform!
On Thursday at 6pm, I will be having Double-A pitcher Michael Watson on MILLIONS and prospect guru Kareem Haq will help me lead the conversations. I will be posting a link to that stream on my socials but if you follow on MILLIONS, you will get notified when we go live.
I hope to have plenty more for you all in the near future. Thanks for sticking with me!
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 16: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards is defended by Jeremiah Fears #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a preseason game at Smoothie King Center on October 16, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa is out for tomorrow’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason. He is day-to-day, per our own Greg Finberg.
NEWS: AJ Dybantsa (ankle) is officially OUT for Wednesday's season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Dybantsa remains day-to-day, which provides some optimism for a return in the very near future.https://t.co/xlzMFS8KZO
It stinks that the Wizards’ star will not be able to play on the season opener, but we should see him play many games this season and in the weeks ahead. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Nae'qwan Tomlin #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Jaden Ivey #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be tipping off their season on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers without one of their rotation players. The team announced on Tuesday morning that Nae’Qwan Tomlin was “diagnosed with a lower back stress reaction following an evaluation by the Cavaliers medical team.”
Per the Cavaliers’ statement, the team’s medical group identified this injury during an evaluation. Tomlin will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
I wouldn’t assume that this timeline is definitive, especially with something like this that could vary in severity. It is also fair to note that, with the physical and athletic style of play Tomlin utilizes, the recovery not be as straightforward as other, more standard injuries.
Without Tomlin, the Cavs are left with Mario Hezonja and Thomas Bryant as the two established backup bigs. That is far from an ideal group, as Hezonja is still an unknown at this point, while Bryant is a volatile option.
This is definitely a missed opportunity for Tomlin to flash. Tomlin hasn’t been able to show much growth in areas of need for his game thus far, and the Cavaliers’ bench feels far from concrete at this point. The start to this season could have been one of the last chances Tomlin had to show he’s deserving of a steady role going forward.
With at minimum a month to be missed to start the year, this injury is far from ideal both for Tomlin and the Cavaliers.
Last season, Tomlin averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 assists in 64 outings and 15.2 minutes per game.
The Florida Panthers are getting ready to hit the road again, and they’ll have some new faces along for at least part of the ride.
Earlier this week, Florida brought up Cole Reinhardt and Cole Schwindt from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers while sending Sam Lafferty back down.
Schwindt skated on the Panthers fourth line during Tuesday’s practice with Boko Imama and Garnet Hathaway.
Also on Tuesday, Florida recalled another player from the Checkers, bringing goaltender Cooper Black up to skate with the national leaguers.
He was on the ice with the Cats Tuesday morning in Fort Lauderdale for their practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex.
You can check out footage from the skate in the video below:
Black’s recall is due to Panthers starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom leaving Monday’s practice early with an undisclosed injury.
Florida head coach Paul Maurice said Markstrom would be out for a week or two after being struck by a puck in a bad spot.
“He’s probably out 10-to-14 days,” Maurice said. “Just got hit with the puck.”
Markstrom also left last Monday’s game in Buffalo after the first period due to something tightening up on him, and he missed two games before returning for Florida’s 8-3 win over Seattle on Saturday.
The injuries are not related, according to a source.
Through six starts, Markstrom has a 3-1-1 record to go with a .897 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average.
As for Black, he’s played three games with AHL Charlotte, going 2-1-0 while allowing eight goals on 99 shots for a .919 save percentage and a 2.67 goals against average.
Looking ahead to Florida’s upcoming road trip, the journey begins with back-to-back games Wednesday and Thursday in Ottawa and Pittsburgh, followed by a Sunday afternoon matchup in Chicago and a second trip over the border to face Winnipeg on Tuesday.
It’s possible Black, who comes in at 6-foot-8, plays in one of those back-to-back games this week, which would be the 25-year-old’s NHL debut.
“That’s a big lad, and he moves like an athlete,” said Maurice. “He played a really strong exhibition game and looked completely comfortable, so he’s on that path. Now is the time for him to get one of these games.”
Redundancies beckon as British Cycling restructures while former cyclists and employees raise concerns over return of ‘toxic culture’
British Cycling’s most successful world track championships campaign in over a decade, in which they topped the medal table in the first qualifying event for the 2028 Olympic Games, was achieved against a backdrop of allegations of misconduct and looming redundancies.
Despite a traumatic buildup to the championships in Shanghai, which saw star sprinter Matt Richardson withdrawn from competition on the eve of the event due to allegations of “discriminatory remarks,” the British squad recovered to win six gold medals, three silver and three bronze medals.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 13: Stephen Vogt #12 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on from the dugout prior to Game Two of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians are not in a World Series, so a certain number of Guardians fans are playing everyone’s favorite game, “Blame the Manager.” Is that fair?
First, I think we should all acknowledge a couple truths. Stephen Vogt has won three division titles in three years, leading two striking comebacks to do so the past two years. He has led his team to two ALCS appearances in three years. He has done so with limited resources on the roster through no fault of his own. If you would like the Guardians to fire Stephen Vogt or trade him to Seattle, please, and I say this as respectfully as possible – touch some grass, find a God of your choosing, and learn ball.
Now, just because Vogt is a great manager does not mean he is incapable of mistakes. Let’s take a look at the four most common objections I have heard to Vogt’s managing this postseason:
Objection 1: He Overused Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski, Daniel Espino and Shawn Armstrong:
Cleveland pitchers threw 97 innings this postseason – This group of pitchers who made up Vogt’s circle of trust threw 42 of those innings. In those 42 innings, they put up a 2.57 ERA, a 3.05 FIP and a 9.64/2.14 K/BB/9. Let’s be clear – if a given pitching staff puts up those numbers for any playoff series, you would expect to win that series. However, if we stop the count before last night, this same group of players threw 36.2 of the teams 89 innings and put up an incredible 1.72 ERA, 2.34 FIP and 10.31/1.96 K/BB/9.
Guys, we all know that Smith, Gaddis, Sabrowski and Armstrong were overused. We know that Espino probably saw Caminero one too many times. But, the reason it happened was because it was still Vogt’s best shot at winning this series. He recognized his best weapons and put them in position to carry him over the top. Smith and Gaddis ran out of gas at the very end (notably, Armstrong and Espino remained extremely effective), but this is because Vogt was lacking the weapons he needed to reduce their usage, not because he was attempting to run them into the ground.
Aside from the disappointment of Parker Messick being unable to provide something like his regular season output (likely due to some combination of inexperience and fatigue), I find myself left with the most regret that Colin Holderman was hurt. I would very much like to try this Tampa Bay series again with a healthy Holderman able to take some of the innings that ended up going to Hunter Gaddis and/or Cade Smith. But, that’s something we will never know. For 2027, I have hopes that the team can make Slade Cecconi a high leverage option and that Daniel Espino will take another step forward as a high leverage guy, as well as counting on a full recovery for Holderman. If the group that is currently here can stay reasonably healthy (and, probably replace Tim Herrin with a veteran lefty), I really like their chances of not running Smith, Gaddis and Sabrowski into the ground to try to advance in a round of the playoffs.
Note that many of us armchair managers on social media were predicting disaster having Armstrong pitch for a fourth time against the Rays… and he said through the top of the order again. If pitchers execute, reliever familiarity doesn’t help much. And, that was the plan in going to the Guardians’ best pitchers so often.
Bottom line – this group of pitchers pitched a ton of innings because, even with the risk of fatigue, they were Vogt’s best chance at winning baseball games given the options he had. The one area I would like to see Vogt and the team experiment with, here, is trying to make sure their best relievers face different parts of the order when entering… but this often conflicts with the handedness advantage. I’m not convinced the idea of reliever familiarity penalty trumps the handedness advantage… or the idea of putting the guys with the best stuff in the game as much as possible. Vogt’s moves here, thus, track with a good process leading to an, unfortunately, bad result.
Objection 2 – He Should Have Started Angel Genao Over Brayan Rocchio:
Angel Genao finished the season from mid-August through September with a 40 wRC+. Brayan Rocchio is now an established major league player, while still young, and has to be counted on to put up a good at-bat and come through with a hit in a big spot at some point, leaning on his usually solid contact skills. Brayan Rocchio failed at almost every juncture. He was successful at almost every juncture as a hitter in 2024. That’s baseball for ya. But, Vogt had no option on the roster clearly better than Rocchio at shortstop, both fielding and hitting. I would like Genao to get a shot to win the shortstop job in spring training (which will probably be in MAY, but, whatever…), but for right now, sticking with Rocchio was the best choice.
Some folks will point out that Vogt pulled the rip cord on Angel Martinez. Vogt, rightly, recognized that Martinez is a lefty-masher option and that Petey Halpin is more of a threat vs. LHP than this current version of Angel. It also allowed him to get the benefit of Kwan’s defense in left and the potential benefit of good centerfield defense from Halpin (Halpin did not provide particularly excellent defense, but the potential was worth a shot). Genao has not proven himself against either LHP or RHP, so going with the established and experienced option to take those at-bats in Rocchio was the right choice, for now. Should the team have been more aggressive about pursuing a right-handed hitting veteran to play shortstop against LHP and take the bench role from Genao for these playoffs? I think so, but I also barely even raised the possibility of that at the trade deadline. I can understand why it wasn’t a priority, but the options Vogt was left with led to sticking with Rocchio.
Objection 3 – He Should Have Given Tanner Bibee a Start:
Why didn’t Bibee get a start? The answer is simple: Bibee had a 4.36 ERA/4.52 FIP, a 7/2.4 K/BB/9 and gave up a 12% home-run/fly-ball rate in 2026. In September, Bibee had an ERA of 7.36 and a 4.83 xFIP. He was giving up a lot of loud contact. The team decided that Bibee would become their “break-glass-in-case-of-emergency” pitcher for a game that went into extra innings. At that point, relying on his veteran moxie and experience would be the best option available, despite his inability to miss bats and penchant for surrendering the long-ball… but not before then.
Folks, I simply can’t argue with the reasoning. It’s statistically sound. Now, would I have, personally, objected to handing Bibee the ball for game six and saying, “Give us all you got?” Absolutely not. I would have appreciated the boldness and dealt with the consequences. But, it’s incredibly likely those bombs off the bat of Diaz and Caminero just would have happened earlier in the game. Maybe it would have been easier for me, emotionally, to see Bibee competing and getting smacked around than Smith or Gaddis running out of gas after great performances these playoffs… but that doesn’t mean my feelings should have guided the process. Also, the bullpen game for game six was actually more effective than it seems. Herrin gave up an 85 mph sure fly out that beat an outfield shift and a bad jump from two outfielders for a double, Cantillo gave up a 69 mph fly out to Caminero that would have avoided any damage in his outing, and, heck, Caminero hit a foul-pole homer off a splitter six inches inside off the plate. The Rays deserve credit for all this… but I don’t think game six was a disaster in terms of pitching plans from Vogt and the Guardians AT ALL.
Objection 4 – He Should Have Stuck with Foster Griffin Longer in Game One and Four of the ALCS:
We have now come to the one objection I find to be of the most merit in criticizing Stephen Vogt, and the place where I think he and the team’s decision-makers probably find themselves with the most regret this morning. Griffin pitched 10.1 innings in these playoffs and put up a 3.48 ERA/0.78 FIP with a 13/0 K/BB/9. Folks, those are ace-type underlying numbers, to be honest. Yet, repeatedly, Vogt only allowed Griffin to face a lineup approximately one time through the order. Why? During the season, Griffin had a 2.35 ERA first-time-through-an-order and a 4.41 ERA second-time-through-an-order. I promise you that this data is exactly what was on Vogt’s mind when he would remove Griffin… as well as mentioned above, his knowledge that his five best options to navigate a lineup outside of Gavin Williams resided in his bullpen.
I think we can now say, after seeing the bullpen on fumes in game six, that it would probably have been a good risk for the Guardians to allow Foster Griffin to go deeper into games in these playoffs, specifically in game four of the ALCS to try to save wear and tear on the bullpen (specifically avoiding a second inning from Matt Festa later in the game). With that said, this would have required Griffin, with his issues second-time-through, facing Yandy Diaz again. Griffin had a 4.04 FIP against right-handed hitters this season and Diaz has a career 145 wRC+. Junior Caminero, quickly coming up after Diaz, has a career 152 wRC+ against LHP. Griffin vs. these two players second-time in a game is a very bad matchup. However, if you can give yourself a chance at avoiding the second Matt Festa inning, it is a risk you might take and see if Griffin can work around these two. At the same time, if it goes extremely well, all you do is probably give yourself a reason to use Smith, Gaddis and Sabrowski in game four when they actually got rest. So, I don’t think the outcome of this series changes, but I do think Vogt and the Guardians need to steel themselves to try to get a little more from their starters the next time they make the playoffs, consequences be darned. May fans who watch a Guardians’ starter get lit up second-time through an order in the future remember Matt Festa for two innings and Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis on fumes. There is a damned if you do, damned if you don’t aspect to this decision.
Some folks feel similarly about Joey Cantillo. Friends, Cantillo had a 3.6/10.8 K/BB/9 in the playoffs. He was perpetually one pitch from disaster and Vogt did well keeping him from making that pitch. Exposing him to more opportunities would not have made sense.
Bottom Line:
There are, of course, other potential objections: should the team have bunted more? Attempted more steals? More hit-and-runs? It’s hard for me to argue that this offense should have intentionally put themselves at risk for making more outs. Should Jo Adell have made more starts in right field? Both Adell and DeLauter are not good fielders at the moment. Should Patrick Bailey have caught Messick in game two of the ALCS? Maybe? I can find good logic and sound reasoning behind every decision Stephen Vogt made this series, even in the places where I might have wanted a different choice. …That’s all you can ask of a manager.
In summary, my argument is that the Guardians have a very good manager, not only of the clubhouse but of in-game decisions. We just need to give Vogt more weapons in his arsenal to avoid another disappointment next time he puts this team in position to make a World Series run. Dolan and Blitzer, do whatever you can to keep this man helming the ship here forever.
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