ST. PETERSBURG, FL - AUGUST 30: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres slides in to third base against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on August 30, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres dropped two of three games to the Pittsburgh Pirates before going on the road to face the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians. They return to Petco Park battered and bruised after a 1-5 road trip to host the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals.
Despite the struggles the Padres will still play meaningful games over the final 22 games of the regular season thanks in large part to the Philadelphia Phillies who took two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. San Diego is a half game out of the final Wild Card position and holds their postseason fate in its hands. The most glaring area of need after their trip to Cincinnati was hitting with runners in scoring position. Over the final two games against the Reds, both losses, the Padres went 1-for-17 in that category. Between the lack of timely hits and the untimely inability to play fundamental baseball the current potential playoff berth picture could and probably should look much worse.
San Diego will have to improve in all three phases of the game if it is going to put an end to its current streak of poor play. At times, the offense has looked unstoppable, but then it just disappears. The same could be said for the starting pitching, which had back-to-back poor outings from Randy Vasquez and Casey Mize. The bullpen, which has been the strength of the team throughout the season, has been hittable and no one outside of Yuki Matsui has been immune.
Hopefully the hometown crowd and the friendly confines of Petco are just what the Padres need to get right, but if for some reason they are not, it could be a slow and agonizing end to the season. We should have a feeling one way or the other when San Diego opens its series against New York tonight at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Padres manager Craig Stammen has some decisions to make and could have more if Nick Pivetta and/or maybe Joe Musgrove return from the IL. Fair or not, his first year and how it will be remembered hinges on how he manages the next 22 games.
There are probably questions from the Friar Faithful about what went into the decision to call up top prospect Ethan Salas. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com has the answer.
As soon as we saw that Ben Simmons was returning to the NBA, one thought came to mind:
FREAKING STATS!!!
Simmons, who just turned 30 in July, has had one of the strangest careers in NBA history, with an unprecedented first four seasons followed by injuries, mediocrity and inconsistency. He’s always been either really, really good or really, really bad. The good part of his career was so good that despite the last few years, his overall numbers are still remarkable.
Which is why we’re here!
So here we go with 10 Ben Simmons stats you won’t find anywhere else!
1. Ben Simmons had 32 triple doubles in his first 300 career games, and only three players have had more in their first 300 games, and all three are legends: Oscar Robertson (109), Luka Dončić (54) and Magic Johnson (52). Charles Barkley had the next-most among 76ers in their first 300 games with six. Overall, Simmons’ 33 career triple doubles are 14th-most in NBA history.
2. With career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, Simmons is one of only six players in NBA history to average 13 points, 7.0 points and 7.0 assists per game. The others: Dončić, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Robertson and Nikola Jokić.
3. Only Simmons, Jokić and James also averaged 13, 7 and 7 and more than half a block per game. Only Johnson, James and Simmons averaged 13, 7, 7 and at least 1.5 steals. So in NBA history only Simmons and James have averaged 13 points, 7.0 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game
4. Simmons is the 2nd-youngest player in NBA history to score 4,000 points with 2,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists. He reached the last of those milestones – assists – on March 25, 2001, in a win over the Lakers at Staples Center at the age of 24 years, 240 days. Dončić reached all three milestones before turning 23.
5. Simmons is one of only four players in NBA history to shoot over 55 percent in his career but below 14 percent from 3-point range (minimum 30 3-point attempts). Simmons is a career 55.8 percent shooter but 13.9 percent from 3. The others are former 76er Montrezl Harrell, Mason Plumlee and Bo Outlaw.
6. In 2018, Simmons became only the second rookie in NBA history to average at least 8.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and the first since Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson with the Cincinnati Royals in 1961. Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds, and 57 years earlier Robertson averaged 30.5 points, 9.7 assists and 10.1 rebounds per game. But Simmons shot 55 percent from the field and Robertson just 47 percent, so Simmons to this day is the only rookie ever to average 15 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game and shoot over 50 percent from the field. The only other 76er to do that at any point in his career is Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, with 24.3 points, 23.8 rebounds (!) and 8.6 assists per game and 60 percent from the field.
7. In Simmons’ first four seasons with the 76ers, he averaged at least 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and shot at least 54 percent from the field. Every other 76er in franchise history combined has had two such seasons – Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 and in 1968. The only other NBA player with four consecutive seasons reaching those plateaus is Jokić, who has done it six straight years since 2021.
8. With career posteason averages of 12.2 points, 6.6 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game and 57 percent from the field, Simmons is the only player in history over 12, 6 and 6 and 55 percent in the playoffs. The only other player to average 12 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds and shoot over 50 percent in the postseason is Jokić (27.4, 7.7, 12.4, 52 percent).
9. Since leaving the 76ers after the 2022 season, Simmons has averaged just 5.9 points in 108 games with the Celtics and Clippers but 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He’s the only player in NBA history to average over 5 ½ rebounds and assists in any 108-game span while still averaging below 6.0 points per game.
10. When Simmons plays his first game with Sacramento after playing for the 76ers, Nets and Clippers, he’ll be the first overall No. 1 pick to play for four teams since former teammate Markelle Fultz, who the 76ers selected No. 1 in 2017, a year after Simmons. Fultz has played for the 76ers, Magic, Kings and Raptors.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 4: Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Balmer before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Intuit Dome on February 4, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images) 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. | Getty Images
In case you missed it (or were sitting under a rock for the last couple of days) the Clippers got hammered by the league with penalties stemming from their circumvention dance with Kawhi Leonard and his uncle.
I’m sure that most of you also realized that the Celtics have a Clippers pick in 2028. But there are complicated provisions related to where the pick lands, swaps with other teams, and it just makes my head hurt to think through the different variations.
With all that said, the clearest explanation I saw on this comes from BRobb at MassLive.
Celtics get a 2028 first-round lottery pick via swap from PHI/LAC if:
The Clippers’ pick lands between 1 and 16 and/or Sixers’ pick lands between 1 and 8. Celtics would get the higher of these picks in this scenario via a swap with their own pick.
Celtics get a 2028 first-round pick outright from Clippers if:
The Clippers pick falls between 17 and 30 and Sixers pick falls between 9 and 30. In that scenario, Celtics get the Clippers pick outright without having to swap their own.
There are flow charts and percentage tables out there if you are interested. But I’ll find it hard to follow all the math until we at least get into next offseason and see what the Clippers end up doing.
So the bottom line is that we should be doing something that we would do normally: Rooting against the Sixers and Clippers. I guess I don’t have any specific dislike of the Clippers, more of a sad pity for their fans. But in this case the team dug the hole with their own aspirational shovels.
It will be interesting to see how the Clippers navigate the next couple of years. I’ve seen some suggest that they should lean into taking on bad contracts (for the cost of other people’s draft picks). Balmer is banned from the team for a year, but his money is still limitless, so they could just pay their way through this. But it will still be very hard without all those draft picks.
Anyway, the Celtics have an asset in that 2028 pick and it seems to have gotten a bit better because of all this. Now we wait and see what Brad Stevens intends to do with that asset.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 11: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save as Washington Capitals left wing Brandon Duhaime (22) tries to tip the puck past him during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals on April 11, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s something of a similar story in Pittsburgh. After finishing second in the Metro last season, after a string of campaigns in the division’s basement before that, the Penguins enter 2026-27 looking to prove their resurgence was more than a one-year fluke.
They’ll do so with a lineup that’s seen plenty of turnover this summer. New offensive talents Andrei Kuzmenko and Nick Robertson are dotted among the forward corps’ bottom six, and new blue-liners Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kaedan Korczak will slot in to replace key depth pieces. The most important change, though, might be the fact that the net will be turned over to young Arturs Silovs.
The 25-year-old split netminding duties with a veteran partner for the entirety of last season — first with Tristan Jarry and then Stuart Skinner following the trade that brought the two-time Cup finalist to Pittsburgh. It was Skinner who got the start for the first few games of the post-season, before Silovs took over and nearly pulled Pittsburgh back from an 0-3 series deficit. With Skinner headed to Winnipeg, it’ll be up to Silovs and young Sergei Murashov to keep Sidney Crosby’s club in the post-season picture once again.
It’s an interesting choice by them. The low-hanging fruit would be to pick Sidney Crosby or Erik Karlsson and call it a day. Neither of which would be an incorrect answer. Without excellent seasons from the team’s best forward and/or its best defenseman, Pittsburgh’s season is bound to have a very low ceiling.
The choice of Silovs isn’t a bad one. It highlights what we mentioned over the summer – the veteran goalie role filled by Tristan Jarry and then Stuart Skinner last year is out the door. Both players have been maligned at times, not for unfounded reasons, but both were solid last year for the Pens. Between their combined stints, the ‘veteran goalie’ provided a +13.92 goals saved above expected last season (7.59 for Jarry, 6.33 for Skinner). Jamming that together like some Frankenstein creation and the Jarry/Skinner combo would have been the 13th best GSAE goalie in the NHL last season.
Silovs was way down the list at -5.69, 75th among 89 NHL goalies. Sergei Murashov was at -1.66 in his limited NHL action.
If those trends were to continue, the Pens would be just as doomed as any variable. Though you wouldn’t see the perspective strictly from stats like save percentage or goals against average, the Pens got a big boost from their vet goalies doing more than their share to step up and make a clutch stop when needed. They didn’t get that as much from the younger goalies, and now the younger group is all that remains moving forward.
As always, there is more to the story. News came out after the year that Silovs was battling through a knee injury late in the season. That didn’t prevent him from playing three tremendous playoff games to keep Pittsburgh’s year alive. The Pens will be counting on that version of Silovs – seen before in the playoffs in Vancouver and in glimpses with Latvia internationally, to step up his level of play. More importantly, he’ll have to maintain it, or keep the valleys as low and brief as possible. That’s been a challenge for him in the past, it grows in significance now that there isn’t an established NHL starter to fall back upon.
In the end, with the way the Pens are built, they will both help a goalie with tremendous support offensively to make up for their shortcomings defensively. This isn’t a team built to try and win 2-1 or even 3-2 type of games. The Pens are going to go out there and try to score four or five goals on any given night and hope that’s enough to stand up for the win. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t their night. As seen last year, they don’t need a Vezina caliber goalie in net, they just need an anchor that can buckle down and pick them up or hold them in games until the offense can kick in and out-score their issues.
That will be Silovs’ big task moving forward as the 1A goalie entering the year. He played 39 games last season and likely won’t be asked for a large increase in that department. In the games he plays, however, the Pens are definitely going to need Silovs to step up and deliver a better GSAE than he was able to provide last season. It’s a big ask and can’t be expected that Silovs alone can rank 13th like the Jarry/Skinner combo did. It’s just going to have to be a lot better than 75th this time around.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media after Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics 106-93. 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 Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks now have five Europeans on their roster, and the NBA is getting increasingly more international and influenced by the European style of play.
After primarily focusing on the European perspective in part I and part II, it’s time to take a look at this topic from the other side in part III: the American perspective, and one European NBA coach.
Toni Canyameras, a reporter for the Spanish sports media Mundo Deportivo, covers the NBA from Toronto and has the unique perspective of a European reporter on the ground.
In collaboration with Toni Canyameras, who has been asking multiple current and former NBA coaches about their view on this exact topic through the last few seasons, we dive into how the coaches on the floor view this.
It seems fitting to start with the first European head coach in the NBA who led a team an entire season and who is the first European coach to lead an NBA team to the playoffs. That’s of course Toronto Raptors head coach – and Serbian – Darko Rajakovic, who took over in Toronto in 2023.
Last season, Toni Canyameras asked him why Serbia produces so many great players – like Nikola Jokic. His answer can be used to help explain European success on a bigger scale, as well. This is what he said:
“Serbia has a huge basketball tradition. It’s a country that has had a lot of success over the last decades and the last half century. Basketball is the number one sport in the country, there is a lot of pride, a lot of pressure when you play for the Serbian national team.”
“Serbia is a small country with only 6 million people. So many great players come from there, because basketball is so special, means so much to people – and all the kids grow up watching the stars back in the day: Djordjevic, Divac, Bodiroga… and now watching Nikola Jokic, Bogdanovic and all the young players in the league,” Rajakovic said.
In Serbia, they can’t afford to waste talent, he points out, making the development of every single player a focus.
“Player development there is very important because it is a small country. We don’t have talent to waste, so every kid shows up to play basketball being short or tall, being skinny or not skinny. We are trying to maximize every single kid that wants to play basketball and I think that helps coaches to maximize potential.”
🏀 🇷🇸 The #NBA season is approaching and the nice pregame quotes of Rajakovic, too
👉🏽 Like this reflection on why Serbia produces players like Jokic
“Basketball means so much. Player development is important because is a small country and there’s no talent to waste” pic.twitter.com/HtZuKFlzjz
This insight gives a great perspective into what seems to be the more effective developmental system of Europe. The smaller talent pool in general may not be a downside all the time at all, but could serve as a way to help find the unique strengths of every talented player rather than try to make everyone fit into a box.
If nothing else, the European boom, the European NBA revolution – or if you will, the increasing dominance of European players in the National Basketball Association (of America), does not stem from having the most athletic or explosive players – and focusing on developing that type and skillset.
Because in order to compete, Europeans had to stand out in other ways. Ahmet Melik Subaşı, Turkish basketball executive and author of part II of this series, touched on that in his piece.
“In tactical terms, they either had to develop superior systems that would allow them to play the game more efficiently with less effort and despite having lower physical standards, or they had to develop players whose fundamental skills were so exceptional that they could compensate for the physical gap – players capable of creating magic with the ball,” he pointed out in part II.
Former Blazers coach Chauncey Billups agrees. Back in 2024, he said that the gap between Europe and the US had closed – exactly because Europe has a better player development system, teaching players how to play modern basketball:
“I do think that the gap has closed. I can tell you the difference. In the United States, when we grow up learning the game, we grow up learning skills, dribbling moves, we love highlight reels, shooting.”
“I think that in international basketball, they learn how to play modern basketball from a very young age, when to drop back, how to get off screens, how to handle the pick and roll, how to read the game properly. We aren’t taught that, so international players have an advantage over us because they are taught the game the right way.”
The advantage the other way around, mostly focused on individual skills and athleticism, is not enough by itself anymore, according to Billups:
“We have an advantage because individually, we are very gifted. You see players like the Joker (Nikola Jokic) or Luka (Doncic). These guys can’t beat me in a one-legged race or jump higher than me, but nobody in the NBA can defend them because they play mentally, with their heads, and their skill level evens things out. It’s a dynamic combination.”
This dynamic combination of European skill and IQ has led to the international players winning the NBA MVP since 2019, and Europeans receiving all but the last two (which went to another international: Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). On top of that, the top three finalists for MVP have consistently been Europeans, as well, with players like Slovenian Luka Doncic, Serbian Nikola Jokic, and Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo being repeat offenders, with Frenchman Victor Wembanyama entering the race last year.
But how are these players, along with a long list of European NBA players able to continue this dominance in the best league in the world without some of the athletic and individual gifts – which Billups mentions?
Basketball IQ is one thing that keeps recurring in the NBA coaches’ answers. Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tends to agree:
“You study some trends, things they do there, and it shows they have really smart players and coaches. I like the development system they have from kids to adults. They play with the same shot clock, they understand how to read the game, they do things faster at a younger age, which develops decision-making and basketball IQ,” Mazzulla said in 2024.
But things have also changed in the way Americans develop young players, longtime NBA coach Steve Clifford told Toni Canyameras. Clifford says he doesn’t think the American players’ basketball IQ is being developed in the same way as it used to be:
“My conclusion about basketball in my country is this: kids come into the league right after college games. Their shot creation, dribbling skills, and shooting accuracy are better than ever; they’re better with the ball, but their basketball IQ isn’t even close to what it used to be. Their understanding of how to work as a team offensively and defensively isn’t even close to what it used to be, because they don’t use the best coaches,” he said.
He makes the point that American players generally aren’t spending enough time playing college basketball, which is where you find some of the best US coaches.
“There aren’t high school coaches like there used to be. We have phenomenal college coaches, but the players aren’t even there for a year, just seven months. They don’t get the benefit of playing four years for Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski, longtime Duke head coach). We’re getting kids who don’t know about basketball, how to play. Their shot creation and accuracy are phenomenal, but their basketball IQ is nonexistent.”
Their basketball IQ is nonexistent. A powerful – albeit painful – sentence that may encapsulate a lot of the reasons why Europeans have taken the lead on how to develop players and dominate the game.
But Clifford isn’t done:
“Europeans, in most countries, learn when they are 13 or 14 years old. They go to these academies and are taught to play 3×3, 4×4, they are taught how to help each other, so there is a clear difference.”
He doesn’t have a lot of faith in American development catching up any time soon, however:
“Frankly, I don’t think it’s going to change. The United States is a money-making machine and there’s no way the teaching will go back.”
Doc Rivers, in 2025 when he was still the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, talked about the shortage of American centers and why European centers are playing bigger roles on NBA teams, generally:
“I just think they don’t have an AAU. And I hate to say that, I think AAU can serve a better purpose for us. But the European kids practice a lot, they practice on fundamentals. They spend hours in the gym practicing, where the US kids play games and they don’t practice on fundamentals and skills,” he told Toni Canyameras, which echoes the point multiple Europeans made in Part I of this series.
“I think right now we’re in the middle of having to change that and if we don’t change that, we’re going to continue to be outplayed,” Doc Rivers said.
It is worth noting that the narrative of Europeans being “soft” and not as physical as the Americans, which was prevalent a decade or two ago, seems to have disappeared.
It turns out that in the most physical position – the five center position – Europeans are outplaying the Americans, as Doc Rivers touches on. Almost all of the big men, who play significant roles on NBA teams at this point in time, are Europeans.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively could be an exception, if he can manage to stay healthy. We saw him play up against Wembanyama in his rookie season, and he has a lot of what it takes to make a real impact. In 2024, I wrote a piece touching on exactly that, where I called Lively’s skillset a great sign for the future of the American big man.
But not all NBA coaches buy into the viewpoint that the Europeans are ahead of the Americans.
Toni Canyameras asked Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder back in 2024, what he saw as the differences between the American player development system and the European system:
“I don’t think there’s a huge difference between what we have here and in Europe, but there are certainly some differences. I think here, when we think about development, we always think about 1-on-1 and 2-on-2. The fact that in Europe they’re trained in a 5-on-5 system means you could say they’re taught how to play with other people through passing. There are some things that carry over to the United States and things we can learn from,” Snyder said.
And when you ask Europeans what the difference is between the two styles, that’s exactly what they respond. Playing through passing, sharing the ball, team basketball versus individualism.
Could that mean that Europe has closed the gap by playing their own style, as other coaches have implied?
Former NBA coach Monty Williams was not so sure. Toni Canyameras asked him this question based on the results in the last World Cup tournaments.
“That question has come up a lot, and I truly believe the world has improved, but I’m not going to say the gap is closed because we’ve never seen our best talent in these particular World Cup tournaments. It’s a difficult question, and I don’t want to sound disrespectful. I’ve seen the spirit of those teams. I’ve been in the corridor with our guys, listening to their music, and other teams singing their anthems, preparing for the matches. I understand how important it is for every country we face there.”
National team success is one way to gauge dominance. Here, Germany and Spain won the last two World Cup tournaments. Another is the nationality of the players topping the MVP ladder and other awards.
Basketball is a competition where the best team wins. Not the best player, or the one with the best highlight reel. There’s no way around the fact that individualism doesn’t serve anyone in a team sport – and it doesn’t create a winning mentality or team success.
And it looks like we’re seeing the brunt of that mindset right now. If and when the American developmental system and players change the focus to become more team-oriented again, Europeans will lose some of their edge. If they manage to get back to teaching players how to develop their basketball IQ early on, Europeans will have to level up again.
And for all of us, who love the competition of team sports, this is a great race to witness. The race to greatness will sharpen both sides and result in the very best basketball possible. And that should be the aim above all else – to get to witness the very best by the very best.
Thank you to Toni Canyameras for quotes, links and collaboration.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 2: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after a foul ball during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on September 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first eight innings of Thursday’s contest against the St. Louis Cardinals, the absence of Shohei Ohtani in the starting lineup was emphatically felt.
Ohtani had went 0-4 with four strikeouts during Wednesday’s 8-6 extra-inning loss to St. Louis, and the Dodgers decided to give him the night off. Although the offense floundered throughout most of Thursday, they were able to string together a ninth inning rally to walk off St. Louis 3-2.
As the Dodgers prepare to host the Washington Nationals for three games, the question of whether Ohtani will be back in the lineup or not remains undecided. Sonja Chen of MLB.com notes that a move to the injured list for the two-way superstar is unlikely, but the team will monitor his health over the final 22 games of the regular season.
“Right now, I would consider it unlikely,” Roberts said. “Unlikely, but not impossible.”
“I think it’s up to us to kind of figure out how we navigate these next three and a half, four weeks,” Roberts said. “But I’m very confident that we’ll see the guy we all expect to see.”
Teoscar Hernández was the one to send the Dodgers to a walk-off victory, with his two-run double helping the Dodgers avoid a sweep at the hands (or wings) of the Cardinals. Hernández capped off the series going 6-13 with two doubles and two RBI, and he spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA about what he was looking for from All-Star closer Riley O’Brien.
“First, I was just trying to be more patient. He was a little wild in that inning. Just trying to get focused on the middle of the plate and get a good pitch to hit… We know we’re not playing the best baseball that we know we can play. We know we’re not hitting we know we can hit. One thing they should know is that we’re going to go out, we’re going to battle, fight every at-bat and just try to win every game.”
Tarik Skubal helped the Cardinals collect a season-high 10 hits against him, but he held them in check for just two runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out six in another no-decision. Skubal spoke with Watson following the walk-off win about not having to adjust as much while fending off traffic and dealing with calls going against him.
“I think, early, the changeup was a little bit elevated. They put some good hits on it. At the end of the day, they were all singles, so it’s not like I needed to change my approach. It’s not like they were slugging anything. Just gotta stay true to myself. I bet there was 10-15 throws that were less than two inches off the plate both ways. If those were over the plate, then that’s 10-15 more strikes.”
As the 2026-27 NHL season nears, many different hockey media outlets have done different variations of player rankings. The Athletic released an NHL player tier ranking, listing some of the most notable names in the league.
From the Toronto Maple Leafs, five players made the cut. Those ranked were Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, Darren Raddysh and John Tavares.
Every player on the list had an explanation attached to their profile, and most of the Leafs players included had quotes from anonymous NHL executives and coaches.
Matthews was ranked the highest among Maple Leafs representatives. He's slotted in the second tier, called "franchise," in group 'A,' down a full tier from his first-tier rank in the previous three years.
"Based off just last year, I think Auston is a little bit high," a coach said of where Matthews is listed in this ranking.
Toronto's captain scored 27 goals and 53 points in 60 regular-season games last season. That follows 33 goals and 78 points the season before.
"You can't argue anything other than he's an elite player," an executive said. "There's been a slight downward tick (to his game), not having Marner certainly hurt him. ... Matthews is in the right spot."
Nylander is next on the list. He's ranked in tier three, "all-star," in group A. The right winger was the Maple Leafs' leading scorer last season, with 30 goals and 79 points in 65 appearances.
"He's in the top five or so players in the league when he really plays his best," an executive said of Nylander. "His skating, edge work and ability to hold onto the puck is so freaking good. He's so good, and that's why you get so mad at him sometimes when you watch him."
Knies, Raddysh and Tavares all ranked in tier five, "support," in group B.
Knies, 23, continues to grow as a power forward and looks to turn into a star from a strong supporting cast member. He scored 23 goals and recorded a career-high 66 points in 79 games.
Raddysh was certainly a star for the Tampa Bay Lightning on the back end last season, with his 22 goals and 70 points. But from a league-wide perspective and an overview of his entire career, he'll still need to prove that 2025-26 wasn't a one-off.
"If you look at some of these other guys, it's not like they've done it very long either," an executive said of Raddysh. "I think Raddysh is in this blue tier (one tier above) all day."
Tavares is well into the back-nine of his NHL career. Turning 36 before the beginning of the regular season, it's tough to consider the veteran center a star on the grand scale of the NHL. He's still been solid for Toronto, registering a team-high 31 goals last year, totalling 71 points in 82 contests.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Vancouver Canucks are just a few weeks away from kicking off the 2026–27 season. In honour of the upcoming campaign, The Hockey News’ Canucks team will be previewing Vancouver’s Pacific Division opponents. Today’s team is the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas Golden Knights 2025–26 Season:
Record: 39-26-17
Division Ranking: 1st
Playoffs: Stanley Cup Final Loss
Goals For: 264
Goals Against: 242
Power Play: 24.6%
Penalty Kill: 81.4%
2026 Off-Season Storylines:
Despite making it to the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights decided to part ways with Head Coach John Tortorella. The former Canucks bench boss was hired just before the playoffs after the team decided to fire Bruce Cassidy. As for Vegas' new bench boss, that will be Ryan Craig, who spent the last three years in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights.
Overall, the Golden Knights did not make any waves this past off-season. They are bringing back an almost identical roster, with the only major change being a new head coach. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Biggest Storyline For The 2026–27 Season:
The biggest storyline heading into next year is whether Vegas will have a Stanley Cup Final visit hangover. On top of a long run, multiple key members of the team also went to the Olympics, which could cause some fatigue. While there is a chance the Golden Knights could start slow out of the gate, they will most likely find their footing before the end of 2026.
Player To Watch:
One player to keep an eye on this season is center William Karlsson. The 33-year-old played just 14 games in the regular season while also missing the first round of the post-season with an injury. If Karlsson can stay healthy, Vegas will have one of the strongest center groups not just in the Western Conference, but across the NHL.
Key Additions:
Marc Gatcomb
Victor Olofsson
Parker Wotherspoon
Ville Heinola
Key Subtractions:
Pavel Dorofeyev
Akira Schmid
Kaedan Korczak
Keegan Kolesar
Schedule Against The Canucks
October 4 vs. Vegas
November 15 @ Vegas
March 25 vs. Vegas
March 31 @ Vegas
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart (79) makes a save on Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
HARRISBURG, PA - AUGUST 27: Anthony Eyanson #18 of the Chesapeake Baysox pitches during the game between the Chesapeake Baysox and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Casey Saussaman/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Jumbo Shrimp struck for two in the top of the tenth, but Norfolk walked it off in the bottom half. José Barrero trimmed the lead to one with a base hit, and Brandon Butterworth stepped in with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. With the infield playing in, Butterworth lined a ball up the middle. Both runs scored without a throw, and the Tides bested the Jumbos 10-9.
Barrero went a game-best 4-for-5 with a two-run home run. Enrique Bradfield Jr. finished 2-for-5 with a double, and Bryan Ramos ended the day 2-for-4 with a solo shot. Jud Fabian singled, doubled and scored three of Norfolk’s 10 runs.
Starter Trace Bright continued to struggle at Triple-A. Bright allowed seven earned runs over the first three innings. Dietrich Enns limited Jacksonville to three hits over three scoreless innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
On the night the Adley Rutschman returned to Camden Yards, Anthony Eyanson delivered six strong innings against his former team. Eyanson limited the Sea Dogs to one solo homer. He struck out eight batters without issuing a free pass and dropped his ERA to 2.00 through five Chesapeake starts.
Eyanson exited with the Baysox leading 4-1, but the bullpen let this one slip away. Richard Guasch coughed up two. Tyson Neighbors allowed the tying run to score, and Micah Ashman surrendered the fifth and final run.
Griff O’Ferrall and Vance Honeycutt both finished 3-for-5 from the top two spots in the order. Both Ethan Anderson and Anderson De Los Santos finished 2-for-4. Colin Tuft game Chesapeak a 2-1 lead with a solo shot in the second.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 12, Frederick Keys 5
The Cyclones broke this one open with a five-run eighth. Starter Boston Bateman allowed three runs over three innings. Stephen Still allowed four more (three earned), and Cohen Achen gave up the big inning.
Enddy Azocar—another member of the Rutschman deal—finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Yasmil Bucce drove in three with a majority of the damage coming on a two-run home run. Ryan Stafford shined from the nine-hole going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Delmarva was outhit 14-5 in an absolute dud. Looking for a bright spot? Stiven Martinez tripled in the sixth inning. Adriander Mejía had already reached base with a leadoff walk, but he was erased on a double play before Martinez delivered Delmarva’s only extra-base hit. Obviously the Shorebirds stranded Martinez at third.
The Shorebirds committed four errors during the game. Only seven of the 13 runs were earned.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 23: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians throws to first to complete the double play as Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies slides in during the fifth inning at Coors Field on August 23, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the strengths of the Colorado Rockies this season has been their ability to come back and win games late. They’ve been able to come up clutch and overcome deficits, making baseball more fun this season.
Including Wednesday’s 11th-inning walk-off victory, the Rockies have come from behind to win 33 games (compared to 30 last season). It’s a big reason why the Rockies have 11 more wins than they earned in 2025 with 23 games left on the schedule.
However, August didn’t go as well. It wasn’t the worst month of the season record-wise, though. That distinction belongs to May when the Rockies went 8-20, but August was close behind at 9-19.
Because the Purple Row community is awesome, you gave us a great idea to break down:
ArkieRockie, you are 100% right.
The Rockies have been able to cash in with runners in scoring position this season, but that significantly dropped off last month. Overall, the Rockies are in the middle of the pack at No. 12 with a .256 batting average with RISP. They rank No. 13 in average runners left on base per game at 6.8. In August, the Rockies hit .210 with RISP, which was the worst in MLB for the month. Their average number of runners left on base in August jumped to 7.47 per game.
Month
Games
Team ABs
BA with RISP
MLB Rank
HRs
RBIs
BB
SO
GDP
Win-Loss Record
March/April
32
270
.274
5th
4
99
38
75
8
14-18 (.437)
May
28
231
.251
15th
6
83
18
55
4
8-20 (.286)
June
26
239
.272
T-7th
14
104
25
57
5
11-15 (.423)
July
24
187
.273
13th
6
84
19
44
4
10-14 (.417)
August
28
233
.210
30th
9
89
35
68
8
9-19 (.321)
Total
138
1,160
.256
12th
39
459
135
299
29
53-85
There’s no clear answer as to why production with RISP was so bad. Like most things in life, it’s complicated.
With runners at second and/or third, the Rockies walked more — which is good — but struck out more, too — which hurts. Hitting into eight double plays isn’t very helpful, either.
At the same time, if you examine when the Rockies couldn’t come up with that big hit to bring runners home, it happened a lot in close games. The Rockies lost eight games by two or fewer runs in August. In those close losses, the Rockies went 9-for-59 with RISP. That’s an absolutely abysmal .153 batting average. They also left 59 runners on base for an average of 7.5 per game.
Can you imagine a timely hit in three or four of those eight games? If that’s three more wins, perhaps it breaks up that gnarly seven-game losing streak in the middle of the month or the five-game skid to end the month.
When it comes to individual Rockies, it helps to see who has been the best Colorado batter to have at the plate when the team needs runs. The answer is three Rockies: TJ Rumfield,Jake McCarthy and Troy Johnston.
Player
G
AB
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
Hunter Goodman
87
119
24
4
0
9
40
12
40
.202
.274
.462
.736
TJ Rumfield
91
116
39
6
1
3
47
26
18
.336
.455
.483
.938
Ezequiel Tovar
80
112
18
6
0
1
27
5
35
.161
.184
.241
.425
Jake McCarthy
82
109
35
5
2
5
57
9
17
.321
.363
.541
.904
Willi Castro
71
95
25
6
0
4
41
15
33
.263
.365
.453
.818
Troy Johnston
73
88
29
8
0
1
40
12
15
.330
.418
.455
.873
Kyle Karros
72
85
20
7
0
2
32
18
27
.235
.364
.388
.752
Mickey Moniak
58
68
18
3
2
5
41
5
17
.265
.296
.588
.884
Tyler Freeman
50
66
16
0
0
1
19
2
11
.242
.306
.288
.594
Cole Carrigg
52
64
20
8
1
3
32
5
16
.313
.360
.609
.969
When it comes to RISP, Rumfield is tops with a .336 batting average and has the second most RBIs at 47. McCarthy has driven in the most runs with 57, with an impressive .321 average. Johnston is hitting .330 with 40 RBIs.
In August, Rumfield walked 19 times, seven more times than any other month this season. If he’s drawing more walks, then he’s also not driving as many in with hits. While McCarthy is still hitting well, his RBIs dropped from 22 in July to 11 in August. Johnston’s playing time has decreased in the past two months, giving him fewer at-bats, which could also hurt Colorado’s RISP performance.
There are likely dozens of other factors that came together to make a perfect storm of RISP despair.
The good news is that September is off to a better start. In the Rockies win over Baltimore on Sept. 1, Rumfield homered with Mickey Moniak on second and McCarthy singled with Veen on third. Colorado went 2-for-11 with RISP and left nine on base, but they held the Orioles to 0-for-3 with RISP and stranded eight runners.
In the walk-off win on Wednesday, McCarthy hit an RBI triple, Cole Carrigg singled with Goodman on third, Zac Veen doubled with Carrigg on second, and Rumfield, Adael Amador and Brett Sullivan were all clutch in the 11th inning. They went 4-for-11 with RISP, leaving eight runners on base.
If the Rockies want to avoid 100 losses and build momentum to carry into 2027, they’ll need to rebound in September and return to their above-average production with RISP.
Roc Roggio hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th, but it wasn’t enough to complete a come-from-behind win on Thursday night. The game went back and forth from the beginning when Tacoma jumped out to a 1-0 lead and Albuquerque rallied back in the bottom of the frame to go up 3-1 when Drew Avans homered, Sterlin Thompson hit an RBI double and Roggio hit an RBI single.
When Thompson hit a two-run double in the eighth, the Istopes went up 8-6. But the Rainers tied it up in the ninth and scored three runs in the top of the 10th to come out on top. Roggio and Conner Capel finished with three hits each and Tyler Freeman doubled, walked and scored two runs.
A six-run sixth inning gave Reading a 9-2 lead and the Yard Goats weren’t able to come back on Thursday night. Kyle Karros went 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a strikeout in his first rehab start since going on his second stint on the IL after suffering a concussion on Aug. 12. Jack O’Dowd hit a two-run homer and doubled, Dyan Jorge hit an RBI single and drove in another run with a fielder’s choice and Roynier Hernandez added two hits.
Everett’s Anthony Donofrio tripled with the bases loaded in the fourth inning to put the AquaSox up 4-0. After six innings, they increased the lead to 6-0, partially thanks to two Spokane errors. The Indians actually out-hit Everett 6-5, but only managed to score two runs. The first came in the eighth inning when Roldy Brito led off with a single and Robert Calaz doubled to prevent the shutout. Spokane got another base runner when Tommy Hopfe walked, but two strikeouts and a groundout ended the inning. In the ninth, Kelvin Hidalgo walked and Max Belyeu doubled to drive him in.
Completing a night when the Rockies farm system was swept, Fresno got behind 7-1 after three innings and wasn’t able to rally enough to come back. Cort MacDonald hit a two-run home run, Daniel Jackson hit a solo homer, and Ashly Andujar added an RBI single and sac fly. Both Jackson and Andujar recorded two hits for the Grizzlies.
Connor Norby is making a splash with the Rockies, despite just playing in 21 games since being traded to Colorado from Miami for RHP Victor Vodnik Aug. 3. He’s got an interesting backstory from his days with the Marlins, which includes the infielder recently playing against the player he was traded for in 2024: Trevor Rogers.
The Rockies don’t often make national, positive top-10 lists, but they did this time. And it’s for the trade in which Colorado acquired Connor Norby at the trade deadline. The infielder reached base in his first 16 games with the Rockies and has put up impressive numbers in all 21 games in purple.
With 36 homers, Hunter Goodman could go beyond the Rockies homer record for a catcher in a single season, which he already owns, to join an exclusive club of National League catchers who hit or passed the 40-HR mark. He just needs four more before the season comes to a close at the end of this month.
ESPN spoke anonymously to several current players about the CBA talks and their feelings about a salary cap. No one is out singing “The Internationale,” but the players are mostly united in their support of their union and its goals.
Sam Blum and Chris Kirschner talks to former Angels players about their reaction to the sale. (The Athletic sub. req.) It’s not in the article, but Arte Moreno made former Angels players pay their own way to the ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the 2002 World Series team.
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 03: Noah Cameron #65 and Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals pose for a photo with J.J. Picollo after receiving a Player and Pitcher of the Month award prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Thursday, Caglianone was recognized as the AL Player of the Month. He is the 13th different Royal to receive the monthly honor. Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. was the last player to do so. In 2024, he was named the AL’s top player for his July surge. Now, Caglianone joins him — alongside other Royals Hall of Famers such as George Brett, John Mayberry and Mike Sweeney.
On Thursday, Cameron was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for August. He joins Royals teammate Jac Caglianone — who was named AL Player of the Month.
It’s the fourth time a pair of Royals have swept the monthly awards. The last time was July 1985 when George Brett and Brett Saberhagen were recognized by the league.
“We’ve pursued him for a couple of years just because of the power,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “There’s stuff and if you look at our advanced analytics, there are things that jump off the page. … The fastball has always been an outlier and the slider is consistent. When he can be in the zone with his fastball, you can see what he can do.”
Michael Massey also got an award:
And there were also Queens of the Diamond:
Women leaders from across Kansas City came together this morning for Queens of the Diamond, a softball tournament supporting our efforts at the Urban Youth Academy! pic.twitter.com/FBYBMTIJgm
Albus is not a pitcher who’s going to generate much fanfare at first glance. He’s a 19th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Abilene Christian, a Mid-Major school. He doesn’t cast an intimidating presence on the mound at 5’11, 180 pounds. Furthermore, the numbers have been fine, but not impressive, for a Minor League reliever.
Last season, he posted a 3.54 ERA in 61 IP with the Fireflies. This season, he has a 4.39 ERA in 26.2 IP with the River Bandits. Thus, it is easy to dismiss him as just “organizational bullpen depth.” However, he had an impressive August that should put Royals fans on notice.
In nine outings and 16.2 IP in August with Quad Cities, he posted a 1.08 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 1.84 FIP, and 29% K-BB%. He has looked in control on the mound, and his quick and efficient style is starting to pay dividends in High-A ball after an initial slow start. For context, Albus made some noise last year in Columbia with an eight-pitch immaculate inning back in late July.
It’s been a while since we’ve done “one-liner” movie reviews. They’re usually a lot longer, of late. However, I haven’t had a lot of time to write up the movies I’ve watched over the summer. So here are the quick hits.
Casablanca (1942) – An excellent movie that is still very watchable today. What more can I say about it that hasn’t already been said over the last century? Amusingly, I watched this and the next one on a the same airplane trip.
The Day the Earth Blew Up (2024) – If you told competent people to make a Looney Tunes movie in 2024, this is what you’d get. It’s a little out of date, it takes a little liberty with the source material, and it’s a little looney. But I think the creative team loved the originals and did a good job modernizing it for a new audience. I want to see Coyote vs. Acme.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) – I’ve seen it a number of times, but never really watched it with a critical eye. Broderick and Ruck are great. It’s such an 80s movie in so many ways. The movie plays Ferris as the hero, despite him basically just being all ego and justifying it by saying he’s all doing it for Cameron (when he’s really not). The Chicago love letter is nice.
The Odyssey (2026) – Worth seeing in a theater, though we didn’t see it in IMAX or whatever. Feels kindof like Gladiator did when it came out back in 2000. Hand an excellent director good source material and a blockbuster budget and they deliver a blockbuster. Bonus points to Nolan for doing it with an “unfilmable” story.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) – This is the first MCU Spider-Man movie that felt like a Spider-Man movie rather than Peter Park, Junior Avenger (and Iron Man protege). As a Spider-Man fan, this was a nice new start after No Way Home was a celebration of the entire big screen franchise.
Clue (1985) – Have also seen it many times. For as big a cast as it has, it’s not quite as funny as it should be. But it’s really buoyed by Tim Curry’s manic energy. RIP.
Wicked (2024) – Deserving of its plaudits. Looks great, acted great, sounds great, and directed great. Deserved to win more than 2 Oscars. I’m not a big musical guy, but that aspect only drags the movie a little in this half. And it’s more than made up for by the spectacular bookend duo of “No One Mourns the Wicked” and “Defying Gravity”.
Wicked: For Good (2025) – There’s nothing terribly wrong with it. However, the payoff isn’t as satisfying or as clean as you hoped from the great setup. Perhaps there was just too much going on in the first part and too much padding in the second part. You could cut it as they get on the train to Oz. But if you did that, it would come at the cost of the there-aren’t-enough-superlatives “Defying Gravity” finale.
The Wizard of Oz (1939) –Like Casablanca, what more can I say about a classic that’s nearly a century old?Saw it twice this summer. The first time was at The Sphere in Las Vegas. I loved being able to see the scene where Oz bursts into Technicolor on the big screen. The second time I watched it was after we watched Wicked.
Masters of the Universe (2026) – I thoroughly enjoyed it. The comedy was good, it looked pretty, and there was a great earnestness in the whole endeavor. The plot was a little clunky and I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to invest $200m on a mostly dormant and forgotten franchise. But if they make a She-Ra sequel, I’d watch
Masters of the Universe (1987) – Did not get to see because it was not on Amazon and I’m not paying for it. C’mon, Bezos – it can’t cost that much.
The Martian (2015) – This feel-good celebration of science is also deserving of its accolades. I think it would be impossible to not cut a few corners with science for the drama, but I think there’s an honest attempt to be mostly realistic. Also, I thoroughly enjoy the problem-solving genre of “competence porn”, as this has been described.
Project Hail Mary (2026) – It’s hard to not compare this to “The Martian”. I think I liked the former a little more – it’s a bit more tangible, a bit less Treknobabble. However, this has the wonderful buddy pic dynamic that you don’t see as often in science fiction.
FYI: We started the MCU with our son last week. So expect those reviews to start trickling out over the next year, probably in phases.
Idina Menzel is an amazing singer who had kids singing “Let It Go” for a decade. Her version of “Defying Gravity”, the initial well-known version, is a Broadway classic that has quotes like “silliest, most inspiring, most enduring song in recent Broadway history” splashed all over its Wikipedia page. To reinvent it enough to make it a new classic for a new generation – it’s an amazing performance by Cynthia Erivo, accompanied by Ariana Grande. I wasn’t exaggerating when I called it superlative-defying above. I can’t get through the song without getting goosebumps at least a time or two from the raw vocal power.
Hollywood, - August 13: A Dodger fan holds up a 1988 World Series pennent as Los Angeles Dodgers great, Orel Hershiser is honored with a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Thursday, August 13, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Though the current ultra-humid atmospheric soup we call “air” belies this observation, autumn is right around the corner. Before embarking on Labor Day plans later today, let’s widen the aperture from the Minnesota Twins and look around Major League Baseball to see how each division is shaping up for the stretch run…
AL Central
We know the drill: the current 1st place club (Chicago White Sox) could technically still finish 5th while the current 5th place club (Kansas City Royals) could technically still finish 1st. Shake the container and maybe the Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, or our Twins could sort to the top. Your guess is as good as mine.
AL West
The Houston Astros & Texas Rangers have spent the majority of summer’s dog days slightly leapfrogging each other for the top spot. But now after struggling all season long, the Seattle Mariners have re-emerged as a potential threat (5.0 GB). The rub: none of these teams are all that good. There is a very real chance the West crown could be captured with a sub-.500 record. Yuck.
AL East
The American League has two solid squads—maybe three—and they all reside on the Eastern Seaboard. The Tampa Bay Rays have been the Junior Circuit’s premiere club all year, with the New York Yankees consistently 3-5 games back. The Boston Red Sox are probably a little too far out—7.5 GB—to make a division run, but they are locked into a Wild Card berth and will be a tough out in the tournament.
NL Central
The Milwaukee Brewers have this one in the bag—the only remaining drama being whether they will procure the #1 National League seed and be able to unleash The Miz (Jacob Misiorowski) at home. The Chicago Cubs are also cruising to a WC slot thanks to Pete Crow-Armstrong’s MVP push.
NL West
As per usual at this time of year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are not battling fellow West teams—they are trying to maul Milwaukee for that top bunk. Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres & Arizona Diamondbacks—two teams nearly 10 games above .500—are in a dogfight for the final Senior Circuit WC entry.
NL East
As per their usual pattern, just when you think “the Atlanta Braves’ window has probably closed”, they make a legitimate title run (in the hunt with LAD & MIL for the top NL spot). However, those ever-pesky Philadelphia Phillies lurk just 4.0 GB. Whether as a wild card or division champ, the Fightin’ Kyle Schwarber’s will be a pernicious postseason opponent.
Have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend. When you return to reality, the weather may cool down but one thing will be for certain: the pennant races will only be heating up!
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 16: Brett Harris #11 of the Athletics bats during the game between the Athletics and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants spent much of the year acting as though the waiver wire did not exist. But they’re now ending the season by trying to make up for lost time.
On Thursday, the team announced that it had claimed infielder Brett Harris off of waivers. Harris had been designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox two days prior. To make space for Harris on the 40-man roster, pitcher Keaton Winn was moved from the 15-Day Injured List to the 60-Day Injured List.
Harris, a 28-year old right-hander, was a seventh-round pick by the Athletics in 2021, out of Gonzaga. He made his MLB debut in 2024 and has played in the Majors for the A’s in each of the past three seasons, while also appearing in games for the Red Sox this year.
He’s never really been able to find his bat in the Majors, as he holds a career .192/.307/.286 slash line in 216 MLB plate appearances. But he’s done a good job working counts, and he plays very strong defense at third base, while also being able to handle first and second. He’s spent most of this year in AAA, where he’s hit .293/.405/.459 for a 119 wRC+ with both the A’s and Red Sox affiliates. The Giants optioned him to Sacramento, so he’ll get a chance to lace up cleats for three different AAA teams this year.
While Harris could find himself in the Majors with San Francisco this year, especially if Christian Koss, Osleivis Basabe, Shay Whitcomb, or Nate Furman were to suffer an injury, it’s highly unlikely that he survives the upcoming offseason roster crunch. The Giants have a whopping 14 players on the 60-Day IL currently, meaning their 40-man roster has 54 names on it. That number will have to get trimmed down to 40 when the season ends, and lower still when the team wants to make Rule 5 protections and sign free agents. And not only is Harris unproven, but he’ll be out of options after this season.
But adding Harris now gives the Giants some extra depth in the infield for the rest of the season. And it also gives them a good chance of slipping him through waivers in the offseason, and then outrighting him to Sacramento to keep him in the system.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants kick off a three-game road series against the New York Mets today at 4:10 p.m. PT.
We started this series by looking back on one of Joel Embiid’s early postseasons with the Sixers, as the big man had a dominant Game 3 in 2019 against Toronto. At that time, fans were viewing the Sixers in a very positive light. Fast forward seven years to 2026, and fans had all but tapped out on the team’s chances of making any noise in the postseason. Then, Embiid and company found a way back into a series they appeared to have no chance in.
Before the game started, it felt like a funeral. Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence Boston was donning its black uniforms. The Celtics blew out the Sixers in Game 4 after smoking them in Game 1 and winning a hard-fought Game 3. Boston was returning to its home floor up 3-1 in the best-of-seven and poised to make quick work of the Sixers, like most No. 2 seeds tend to do against No. 7 seeds in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Once the game started, nothing happened in the first half that indicated otherwise. The Celtics led 57-50 at the break and conventional wisdom told everyone Boston would pull away even more in the second half and win by double digits to close out the series and eliminate the Sixers from the postseason for the fourth time since 2018. There was really no reason to believe anything would change, until it did.
I’m not sure what happened at halftime and into the second half, but the Sixers dominated the final 24 minutes of Game 5, holding Boston to just 11 points in the fourth quarter, behind a recharged Embiid. After missing the first three games of the series, Embiid returned in Game 4 at home and did not look like himself. A narrative quickly emerged that the former MVP had returned too quickly after the Sixers won Game 2 on the road and competed for the full 48 minutes in Game 3. But Embiid found a way to integrate himself come Game 5.
The eight assists are by far the most impressive piece of Embiid’s stat line as they are emblematic of how the Sixers got back into a series they didn’t appear to have a chance in. Of course, Embiid led the way and was doing practically whatever he wanted to do inside the arc and scoring with ease. But, in addition to Embiid, Philly had four other scorers in double figures in Game 5. No Sixer besides Embiid attempted more than 18 field goals in the game. Everyone was getting involved and suddenly the Sixers looked like a confident group after six straight quarters of getting thoroughly outplayed between Game 4 and the first half of Game 5.
Maybe this was the perfect storm for Embiid and the Sixers to relight a flame that had been extinguished for years. After losing a competitive seven-game series against the Celtics in the 2023 second round, Philly had produced a mediocre 2023-24 season, a disastrous 2024-25 campaign and another mediocre year in 2025-26. No one really thought Philly was anything more than a play-in tournament team for most of 2025-26 and certainly when the Sixers drew Boston in the first round, many people quickly advanced the Celtics into the second round.
Down 3-1 in the series and down seven at half on the road in Game 5, there wasn’t a lick of pressure on the Sixers but they seemed to embrace that in the second half. We all know the Sixers brought this lack of expectation on themselves with nearly a decade of playoff disappointment having piled up. But, to their credit, they could have laid down. Embiid didn’t have to play in Game 5 after an abysmal Game 4. Not only did he suit up, but Embiid got the Sixers back up off the mat with a stellar performance away from home.
