DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 25: T.J. Hughes #13 of the Colorado Avalanche skates on the ice for the 'stars of the game' after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in a preseason game at Ball Arena on September 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
The Colorado Avalanche have just around 24 hours to do two more roster cuts before NHL rosters are due to be submitted. [Sports Illustrated]
T.J. Hughes to start season with Avalanche amid injuries up front. [The Denver Gazette]
Blankenburg joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout, then earned himself a one-year contract, after a career-best season where he posted eight goals and 16 assists with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche. [Sportsnet]
News Around the League
Jets believe they have the pieces to compete, even without star goalie Hellebuyck. [TSN]
Edmonton Oilers go from cap heaven to cap purgatory due to five injuries. [Toronto Sun]
One bold prediction for every NHL team in the 2026-2027 season. [The Athletic]
Kuzmenko returns to Russia after father killed by bear. [BBC]
Lapsed fan’s guide to the NHL season: Top teams, players, storylines for 2026-27. [ESPN]
NHL features an 84-game season for the first time in decades. [CTV News]
Ovie retirement watch among 5 NHL storylines as season gets underway. [CBC]
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the New York Knicks Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally celebrating winning the 2026 NBA Finals on June 18, 2026 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their first NBA Championship in 53 years. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It might seem like football season just started, but the NBA is already back. Every team in the league will have opened training camp for the 2026-27 season by Monday, with media days servicing as the unofficial start of the new year. It feels like only yesterday when the New York Knicks outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in one of the wildest NBA Finals series in recent memory, but so much around the league has happened since then.
Let’s dive into some of the biggest themes in the league entering the 2026-27 season.
The NBA has 3 clear championship front-runners. Will one of them win it all?
The San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks are going to be the top-3 teams in any preseason edition of NBA power rankings in some order entering the season. It feels likely that one of these teams will eventually be crowned the 2027 champion, but the league has been incredibly tough to predict in recent years. The NBA has seen eight straight unique champions dating back to the 2019 Toronto Raptors, and no team has won multiple championships or even made back-to-back NBA Finals trips over that time.
NBA history is defined by dynasties. That isn’t the case in the present era for several reasons, starting with the second-apron, which makes it incredibly difficult to keep together a great team for longer than a few seasons by functioning as a hard cap. The increased pace and space of today’s game also leads to added injury risk, with several recent champions losing their repeat bids to untimely injuries in the playoffs. The NBA wanted parity with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement rules, and they got it.
I’m starting to favor the Spurs as my championship pick. Their young core should all continue to improve after winning 62 games and reaching the NBA Finals last year, which is terrifying. Victor Wembanyama is already one of the most dominant defenders of all-time, and he could be the consensus best player in the world by the end of the season. I also think adding Tobias Harris in free agency will help them a bit this year. San Antonio is my team to beat entering the season, but if recent NBA history has taught us anything, it’s that the championship race will eventually prove to be wide open.
4 teams I’m higher on for the playoffs than the regular season
Minnesota Timberwolves: I had the Wolves at the No. 4 seed in my West predictions, and even that felt a bit generous, but I like their playoff upside. The core trio of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels has been highly successful the last three years, and LaMelo Ball injects playmaking and pull-up shooting into the mix that adds high variance in a good way come playoff time. I’m not sure how any team beats the Spurs or Thunder in a seven game series, but having two super talented guards bomb threes off the dribble seems like a decent punch to throw.
Philadelphia 76ers: I had the Sixers at the No. 6 seed in my East predictions for the regular season, but I’m talking myself into their playoff upside. Philly won a series last year and got noticeably better by adding LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade, and more over the offseason. James proved he can still turn it up in the playoffs last year, and Brown’s determined one-on-one scoring feels more functional during the playoffs than the regular season to me. Philly’s regular season defensive projection is the biggest reason I’m lower on them — along with injuries and unavailability for their core players — but Nick Nurse is smart, this team could still be really good come spring time.
Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the East. I’m worried Miami’s poor depth could hurt their regular season chances, but I’ll never be surprised when this franchise makes a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors: I had Golden State at No. 11 in West regular season projection, but I have them seventh among West teams in my championship chances rankings here. I don’t think Golden State is going to be any good this season, but if they do make the play-in, they should have Jimmy Butler back from injury and have the assets to add another key piece if they want to. I’m fading the Warriors in general, but Steph is always scary in the playoffs.
Who’s your 2027 NBA championship pick?
Let me know in the comments. NBA basketball is back, and it feels great.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 05: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on April 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Devin Booker
Shooting Guard, 6’5”, 206 lbs., 29 years old, 11 years of experience
Happy Media Day, folks!
Devin Booker has lived many lives during his Suns career. From a wide-eyed rookie absorbing everything he could from his “vets” to a grizzled veteran giving the next generation advice as they look to pave their own way. Oh, and he’s wearing number 15 now. Remember that? It’s been a long offseason.
He is still in his twenties somehow, but not for long. The Suns’ star turns 30 on October 30th, when the Suns are set to host the Denver Nuggets in their 4th game of the season.
We all know by now that Devin Booker is the Suns’ offensive engine. They go as he goes. He has been consistently one of the best scorers in the NBA, and quietly one of the most underrated playmakers.
Last Season
Devin Booker earned his 5th All-Star appearance of his career last season. Phoenix exceeded expectations as a team by a wide margin and secured themselves a ticket to the NBA Playoffs. Ultimately, Booker and company got swept by the Thunder, but they left the season with a reason for optimism.
Devin Booker has eight straight seasons averaging 25+ PPG, putting him in some historically elite company with the likes of LeBron, Giannis, and his former teammate Kevin Durant as the only active players with longer streaks throughout their careers.
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
64
33.5
26.1
3.9
6.0
0.8
45.6%
33.0%
87.3%
118.7
117.5
+201
Contract and Roster Context
This is where the discourse will get interesting as the years go by. Devin Booker is making a lot of money, and he is going to make a whole lot more in the years to come. He will be one of the top-paid players in the association, and with that comes increased expectations and responsibilities.
Devin Booker originally signed a 4-year, $220,441,984 contract with the Phoenix Suns, all guaranteed, with an average annual salary of $55,110,496. In 2026-27, Booker will earn a base salary of $57,078,728, while carrying a cap hit of $57,078,728.
Booker signed a 2-year, $132,594,000 contract with the Phoenix Suns last summer, including $132,594,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $66,297,000, per Spotrac.
What He Brings
Devin Booker’s offensive gravity is easy to take for granted. Not just his ability to get a bucket in tight quarters, but his ability to draw the defense, make quick reads, and give his teammates a chance to capitalize.
Collapsing a defense and demanding attention oftentimes has a ripple effect that can go unnoticed on the box score. Luckily, there are other ways to track playmaking, driving, and potential assists created, as Shane Young notes in the tweet linked below.
His playmaking continues to be undersold in discourse when it comes to the top playmakers in the association. The gravity he possesses, along with the fortitude to make the right play when he’s being targeted relentlessly by defenses, needs to be talked about more.
Devin Booker’s final stats as a driver and playmaker this year:
• 1,006 total drives, 5th most in the NBA • 38% pass rate on those drives
• 785 potential assists and 12.3 per game, 13th among all qualified players. • 1,053 total points generated by assists • 77 secondary…
Phoenix needs a lot from Devin Booker. That comes with the territory of his massive contract. He must be a leader. He must take over games when needed. He must make others around him better and find creative ways to get them involved.
The Phoenix Suns need him to play like a superstar more than he plays like a star. That means showing up every night.
What Needs to Improve
By now, it’s obvious that Devin Booker has a few flaws. We all know by now that the opposing defense will game plan to slow him down in any way they can. Sending another body his way. Putting an aggressive point-of-attack defender on him.
At times, he can make what looks like careless turnovers against smaller guards with quick hands like the Jrue Holidays and Alex Carusos of the world. That’s just what those guys do. He can struggle to get his shot off against longer, more athletic defenders like Jaden McDaniels, for example. He also seems to struggle against Orlando, with their big wings and forwards thrown at him every possession. Cutting down on some of the unnecessary turnovers would be item number one to focus on. Number two would be a modest increase in 3PT%. And lastly, continued consistency in his defensive intensity. And a bonus take… if the jumper isn’t falling, attack the rim with more frequency. Downhill Book is a threat as a scorer and playmaker.
The defensive questions he faced earlier in his career have dissipated over time as well, as he’s proven to be a feisty one-on-one defender and smart team defender. The run with Team USA woke some people up to that, but his defensive growth was brewing long before that for those who paid attention. He will never be on an All-Defensive team, but he is solid. And when he turns it up a notch, he can be an impactful defender.
Steve Kerr on Devin Booker:
"He's probably the guy who's been most adaptable to go from a different role in the NBA to a new one here. He's such a big scorer in the league, but just like in Tokyo, he's adapted to being an on-ball guy, ball mover, the offense clicks when he's out… pic.twitter.com/rrVfUbjEj1
He and the rest of the league know who he is at this point. The question is… does he have another gear to showcase?
Prediction
This could be the best year possible for Devin Booker to take a stealthy leap. He is sort of flying under the radar on the national scale. Dillon Brooks draws the “villain” role and allows Booker to focus more on the game, whereas in the past there were times that Booker felt he needed to fill that role while also being the franchise player.
I’m excited to see how he leads this group. They have youth, athleticism, rim pressure, and a bit more continuity as a group. The lack of playmaking and floor spacing can be solved with the right offensive game plan and rotations. Good luck figuring that out, Jordan Ott!
Devin Booker dropped four spots (from a year ago) to the 20th-ranked player in the NBA, according to ESPN. I predict that they will need to correct that and place him back into the top-15 after a “late-career” breakout. But as noted, a breakout season for Booker doesn’t look like a ton of more points scored. It’s improved efficiency, continuing to improve his already elite playmaking, and serving as the engine for a Suns team that overachieves for a second straight season.
A successful season for Devin Booker is mostly predicated on team success. Yes, his individual numbers matter, but as we all know, if he’s finding ways to impact the game, the stats will come.
Could this be Devin Booker’s best season yet?
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 27: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 27, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 10: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on April 10, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
Ousmane Dieng was one of Milwaukee’s breakout players last year. Dieng, a 22-year-old wing out of the French town of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, wound up in Milwaukee after a series of deadline-day trade deals. The Bucks acquired him in a three-team transaction that sent Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony to Phoenix. Dieng hasn’t looked back since, starting hot and averaging 11.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.6 APG in 26.8 minutes per night with Milwaukee. He agreed to a three-year, $17.5m contract in June and is expected to be an exciting piece of the Bucks’ young core.
The Frenchman is tall at 6’9”, but weighs a slender 185 pounds, giving him the athletic and positional versatility to play as a jumbo wing or even a really, really tall guard. Dieng is also a solid athlete; despite his size, he moves quickly and fluidly, which allows him to stay in front of shifty guards and create for teammates.
Tactically, Dieng can create some exciting scenarios for new coach Taylor Jenkins. He featured as a secondary creator for much of last season alongside lead guards like Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., but when those guys were out toward the back end of the season, Dieng was the primary creator, averaging 6.3 assists in his final seven games. Dieng can physically overpower smaller point-of-attack defenders and shift past larger guys due to his mobility. He’s also been proficient as a pick-and-roll operator, with his highlight reel including many fancy dimes.
Dieng could be a major source of offence for Milwaukee this season, since he can score at all three levels. He leans heavily on his jump shot (which is partly because of his relatively lean frame, if we’re being honest). He struggled heavily with his three-ball as the season wore on, though, shooting just 20.3% from three during his last 12 games.
Relatedly, Dieng often takes low-percentage shots, and his diet of pull-ups and side steps further bogs down his shooting splits; turning his streaky jump shot into a consistent one would make Dieng a dangerous offensive weapon. He also finishes well through contact when he attacks the rim, but he avoids going there much of the time because of his relatively skinny frame.
Dieng had some very solid games for Milwaukee last season. Chief among them were a 19-point double-double against the Thunder and a 36-point, 10-assist outburst in a loss to Houston. However, these highs came with sluggish lows as he navigated tough shooting slumps and adjusted to greater responsibilities in Milwaukee.
All in all, Dieng’s contract, age, and portfolio for Milwaukee make him an intriguing piece for the future, but also give him trade value, as Jack noted in his trade value rankings. If, for whatever reason, Jon Horst decides to ship Dieng out before the trade deadline, he can expect a decent return.
Selected 19th overall by the Raptors in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Santa Clara forward enters Toronto with an intriguing combination of size, shooting, rebounding and defensive ability. Unlike some first-round picks, however, Graves does not need to become an immediate star.
If he can defend, hit open threes, rebound and make smart decisions, Toronto will have plenty to work with.
What Did He Do Last Year?
After redshirting his first year at Santa Clara, Graves appeared in all 35 games during the 2025-26 season, averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 22.6 minutes per game.
He shot 51.2 percent from the field, 41.3 percent from three and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line while adding 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.
His season earned him West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and First Team All-WCC honours.
Graves also showed up when the stakes were higher, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts after making a basket against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What Makes Graves Intriguing?
Graves does not need the ball in his hands to be effective, which could make him a natural fit alongside Toronto’s higher-usage players.
At 6-foot-9, his ability to space the floor, cut, rebound and defend multiple positions gives him several ways to contribute. His 41.3 percent three-point shooting is particularly encouraging.
The Raptors will not need him to create every possession. If he can make open shots and take advantage of the attention given to players like Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard, there could be a clear role for him.
What Can We Realistically Expect?
Expectations should remain reasonable.
Graves was the 19th pick and has just one college season under his belt. A realistic goal would be competing for a rotation role rather than immediately becoming a starter.
If he earns around 10–15 minutes per game, defends, rebounds and knocks down open threes, that should be considered a successful rookie season.
His Summer League performance provided some encouragement. Through his first four games, he averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 50 percent from three, showing flashes of his offensive versatility.
Of course, Summer League is not the NBA regular season. The real test will be whether those skills translate against NBA competition.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 16: Allen Graves #22 of the Toronto Raptors shoots a three point basket during the game against the Miami Heat on July 16, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Could the Raptors 905 Be Good For Him?
This may be one of the more important decisions Toronto makes with Graves.
If he is only playing limited minutes in the NBA, spending time with the Raptors 905 could give him an opportunity to handle the ball, create shots and make reads he may not get to make in a limited NBA role.
That does not mean Graves is not ready for the NBA. Sometimes, playing 30-plus minutes in the G League can be more valuable for development than playing 10 minutes in the NBA.
At the same time, if he proves during training camp that he belongs in the rotation, Toronto should not force him into the G League simply because he is a rookie.
The Biggest Thing To Watch
The three-point shot could determine how quickly Graves earns a role.
He shot 41.3 percent from three at Santa Clara, but NBA defenders close out faster and open shots are harder to find.
His ability to attack those closeouts will also be important. If he can put the ball on the floor and make plays when defenders run him off the line, he becomes much more than a spot-up shooter.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 13: Allen Graves #22 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 13, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Verdict
The realistic expectation for Allen Graves should not be that he immediately becomes a star. It should be that he develops into a reliable NBA player.
His size, shooting, rebounding and defensive instincts give him multiple ways to stay on the floor, and Toronto does not need to rush his development.
If he earns a rotation role, great. If he spends time with Raptors 905, that should not be viewed as a setback.
Graves has the foundation of a modern NBA role player. Now he has to prove he can consistently translate it to the NBA level.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 26: Travis Bazzana #37 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with Jose Ramirez #11 after scoring during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 26, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The MLB playoff teams are in place, with the Astros and Phillies qualifying yesterday.
Here is the schedule for the first round of the playoffs. No baseball today, then a bunch of baseball tomorrow.
Zack Meisel wrote about Austin Hedges’ miraculous season as a hitter. Truly remarkable that he ended up an above average hitter.
Guardians fans have been thanking Hunter Goodman and the Rockies by donating to a Colorado charity for kids.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a solo home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, September 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to week 27 (the final week!) of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!
1. Milwaukee Brewers (103-59); 5-1 this week; Clinched NL Central
The Brewers capped off the best regular season in franchise history, as they went 5-1 against the Phillies and Cardinals to finish the year with 103 wins, easily surpassing the previous record of 97 wins set in 2025.
Brice Turang capped off a 20-homer, 100-RBI season with two homers and three doubles this week, driving in a team-high seven. Jackson Chourio added eight hits, including a homer, while driving in five, scoring seven runs, and swiping a pair of bases. Christian Yelich and Gary Sánchez also homered.
Jacob Misiorowski finished his historic season with another scoreless outing, striking out five over 5 1/3 innings to pick up his 16th win of the year. Logan Henderson turned in five innings of one-run ball, while Robert Gasser went six innings with one run allowed, striking out a team-high nine batters. Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, Antonio Senzatela, and Shane Drohan each picked up a save this week for the bullpen.
Milwaukee now enjoys a little bit of a break, as they’ll be closely watching the NL Wild Card Series between the Cubs and Padres. The winner of that best-of-three set will face the Brewers in the best-of-five NLDS beginning in Milwaukee on Saturday.
2. Chicago Cubs (89-73); 2-4 this week; Clinched NL Wild Card #2
Chicago limped to the finish line, finishing in the second Wild Card spot after dropping two of three to both the Marlins and Red Sox this week.
Alex Bregman, who exited last Sunday’s game after taking a foul ball off the face in the on-deck circle, returned with a bang, slugging two homers and a double as part of a four-hit weekend against Boston. Seiya Suzuki added the only other homer, while Pete Crow-Armstrong finished off a 40-homer, 40-steal season with three steals this week.
Matthew Boyd had the best start of the week, going seven innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. David Peterson tossed five scoreless innings, striking out six, while Gavin Hollowell, Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Jacob Webb combined for 9 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out six.
The Cubs now travel to San Diego, where they’ll take on the Padres in a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series to determine who faces the Brewers in the NLDS.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (82-80); 3-3 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Pirates ended their season on a high-ish note, as they officially clinched a winning season for the first time since 2018, going 3-3 against the Cardinals and Tigers.
Brandon Lowe slugged a pair of homers to lead the Bucs, while Konnor Griffin wrapped up a solid rookie campaign, picking up a team-high eight hits, including a homer. Rafael Flores and Jacob Gonzalez both added homers as their lone hits of the week.
Paul Skenes finished off another 200-strikeout campaign, going 6 1/3 innings with one run allowed and eight strikeouts. Jared Jones turned in a pair of solid outings, totaling 11 innings with no runs allowed and 14 strikeouts. Lake Bachar, Yohan Ramírez, Evan Sisk, Gregory Soto, Luke Weaver, and the retiring Kirby Yates combined for 15 scoreless innings, striking out 21.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (77-85); 1-5 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Cardinals continued their second-half freefall, dropping two of three to the Pirates before being swept by the Brewers, finishing the year eight games under .500.
Alec Burleson capped off a strong season with three homers this week, while Leo Bernal, Jordan Walker, and Iván Herrera added a homer each. JJ Wetherholt led the team with five hits on the week.
It wasn’t a great week on the mound for the Cards, but Matthew Liberatore turned in the best start, allowing one run and striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. Gordon Graceffo, Cooper Hjerpe, Brycen Mautz, Hancel Rincon, George Soriano, and Cade Winquest combined for 15 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out 16.
5. Cincinnati Reds (75-87); 3-3 this week; Eliminated from Postseason
The Reds went 3-3 to end the season, winning two of three from the Braves before dropping two of three to the Blue Jays over the weekend.
Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez both slugged a pair of homers, while five others added a homer apiece. Carlos Jorge led the squad with seven hits, including a homer, and Héctor Rodríguez had six hits, including a homer, a double, and a triple, driving in five.
Andrew Abbott and Rhett Lowder both turned in strong starts, as Abbott went seven frames with two runs allowed and six strikeouts, and Lowder went six scoreless, striking out two. Tejay Antone, Graham Ashcraft, Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, and Emilio Pagán totaled 12 scoreless innings for the bullpen, striking out 11.
Penrith No 7 confirms successful surgery on compound fracture
He says Knights’ Phoenix Crossland not to blame for tackle
Nathan Cleary has told fans “I’ll be back” in a social media post from his hospital bed after the Penrith star underwent emergency surgery on a horrific ankle injury.
Cleary was rushed to hospital in Penrith’s season-ending 22-14 loss to Newcastle on Sunday, after suffering a compound fracture and ankle dislocation.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on in his 700th NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins did not waste any time when it comes to accumulating injuries. The regular season has not even started yet and the team is already looking at the prospect of playing games without Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, Blake Lizotte, and Justin Brazeu. Andrei Kuzmenko is also not here at the moment for non-injury related reasons, and it would not be a surprise if he did not return for quite some time given the circumstances.
Not exactly a great way to open a season that has a wide range of potential outcomes in the standings.
If Sergei Murashov is good and a few players take big steps forward, this could be a playoff team again. Potentially a good playoff team.
If Murashov is not good, and if a few players regress instead of progress, you might be looking at that high lottery pick.
It is also the first 84-game season in the NHL since the early 1990s, adding a couple of more games onto the schedule.
It all begins on Wednesday night, in Philadelphia, with a rematch of their 2025-26 first-round playoff series with the Flyers.
The Flyers are a bit of an unknown this season because, like the Penguins, they are coming off an unexpected playoff campaign. They have a really good young core of talent that is led by Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, and a solid supporting cast around them. But while there is a good core of players in place, it’s still kind of tough to get a read on what their expectations should be for this season.
They have been one of the league’s best defensive teams for a couple of years now, but the offensive upside is still something that has to be determined. The development of players like Martone and Michkov will be key in determining where that goes.
How much of a step will Martone take after his late-season debut and emergence in the playoffs? Is he a franchise player? Just a strong building block? What does a full season of him look like at 19?
Will Michkov be able to not only bounce back from a disappointing sophomore season, but also build on it? How does his relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet evolve?
Those are two of the big questions the Flyers need answered.
There are more concerns and questions beyond the development of Martone and Michkov.
The first is related to whether or not starting goalie Dan Vladar repeats his 2025-26 performance? He had a career year for the Flyers and was not only a big part of the team’s return to the playoffs, he was a major part of their ability to beat the Penguins in the first round and advance. It was an objectively great year for him, but it was also by far the best season of his career and a complete 180 from what we have seen from him in the past.
He was injured late in the preseason, leaving his status for Wednesday somewhat up in the air, but he does seem on track to play.
If he isn’t ready, or if he simply regresses this season in terms of his production, one of their big offseason additions was Joseph Woll in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Woll is a little different than Vladar because he has been a strong performer in the early stages of his career, but is coming off a down year in Toronto. He is an interesting backup option and safety net, and depending on what Vladar does could end up being an important player for them.
The second concern is that outside of Woll, as well as the addition of former Penguins forward Noel Accairi, it was a mostly quiet offseason for the Flyers in terms of new faces.
They did take a massive swing by trying to add Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson on a restricted free agent offer sheet, but the Ducks matched the offer and kept him on the west coast. Had Philadelphia managed to pull that off it would have been a potential franchise-changer by giving them a bonafide, young No. 1 center just starting to enter his prime years. But they didn’t pull it off, and all they did instead was help reset the market for salaries across the NHL.
The Penguins and Flyers differ a little in their makeup, but both teams are wild-cards that have a wide range of outcomes that are dependent on a few X-factors going a particular way.
The Penguins 2-0-2 against the Flyers in the regular season a year ago, before losing the playoff series in six games, 4-2. That is a 4-4-2 record overall.
After playing in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Penguins return home for their home-opener on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal is coming off its second consecutive trip to the playoffs, this time having advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
It is largely the same roster coming back, with the one notable exception being the addition of veteran forward Chris Kreider.
Kreider is a strong pickup for the price tag, and does give the Canadiens a much-needed veteran winger for its top-nine.
While it was a quiet offseason in terms of additions, Montreal has one of the league’s best young cores built around Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson. All of them are signed long-term to team-friendly deals that are going to give management all of the cap flexibility they need to add a supporting cast around them. Their window is just now starting to open, and it should be open for a while.
As good as the Canadiens were, and as good as the young core looks, it was not a team that really excelled during 5-on-5 play, or in terms of its overall defensive play. They finished the 2025-26 season 26th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes, and 23rd in expected goal share. Both numbers were also among the worst when it comes to playoff teams.
You might be able to tilt the ice on them a little bit.
But it does not mean that is going to translate into goals for you, or keeping them off the scoreboard.
The big issue for the Penguins at the start is going to be the reality of playing two playoff teams, both of which advanced to the second round, without an extensive list of forwards. The entire potential third line that showed so much promise in training camp and its brief time together in the preseason is going to be out. A couple of potential fourth-line options are out. It is going to open the door for some young players at the start, but it might not be what the Penguins wanted to be at full strength to open the season.
I am curious to see how the goalie rotation between Murashov and Arturs Silovs plays out, and how they handle the line combinations. Specifically as it relates to dealing with the third-line absences, where Nicholas Robertson plays and if he gets a chance on Sidney Crosby’s line, and who plays alongside defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Splitting these two games and coming away with at least two points would be a fair start given all of the circumstances.
If the Philadelphia Flyers learned anything from training camp and the short NHL preseason, it's that they cannot depend on Aleksei Kolosov for any reason in the event of an injury to fellow goalies Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll.
Throughout their NHL careers, durability has been a question mark for Vladar and Woll, and the Flyers' depth was tested early in the preseason when Vladar suffered an innocuous upper-body injury in Game 3 against Boston, putting him out of commission for a few days.
And, while Vladar is seemingly trending in the right direction for opening night against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kolosov's performances were bad enough to force the Flyers to reconsider their No. 3 goalie of choice before the start of the regular season.
It would be inadvisable, at this point, for the Flyers to pay up draft capital or other assets for a reserve goalie, though other avenues, namely the NHL waiver wire, remain at their disposal.
And, fortunately for the Flyers, there are actually a few decent enough options available to them to fill the No. 3 goalie role, bumping Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason each down one peg.
On Sunday afternoon, with opening night rosters due Monday night, a number of noteworthy goalies were placed on waivers around the league, headlined by Czech veterans Vitek Vanecek and David Rittich.
Rittich, 34, was placed on waivers by New Jersey on Sunday with the club claiming goalie Remi Poirier off the waiver wire from Dallas, and the veteran is certifiably the best option available to the Flyers.
Rittich should be Flyers' top choice
The longtime NHL backup has had stops with Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Ontario (AHL), the New York Islanders, and now New Jersey over the last six seasons, and most recently went 14-10-3 in 30 games for the Islanders last season with a .894 save percentage, a 2.76 GAA, and two shutouts as Ilya Sorokin's understudy.
The fact that New Jersey waived Rittich in favor of Poirier, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen might deter other NHL teams from claiming him to be their No. 2, and he, like the other goalies we'll discuss, will need to pass through waivers a second time to be stashed in Lehigh Valley.
David Rittich is easily the best depth goalie available to the Flyers at this time. (Photo: David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Rittich shouldn't have any issues finding a new home somewhere in the league, though the Flyers would be wise to at least attempt to snag and stash the big Czech goalie.
As for Vanecek, the 30-year-old never quite rebounded from a brutal 2023 playoff run with New Jersey, and he's had a save percentage no higher than .890 at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season.
At the same time, he boasts a career .900 save percentage in 210 NHL regular season games across eight seasons, and behind a good Devils team, Vanecek finished the 2022-23 season with a 33-11-4 record, a 2.45 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The lows can be low for Vanecek, but the highs can be high, especially when the game is simplified for him as the Flyers did with Vladar last year, to smashing success.
Vanecek's poor 5-13-3 record with Utah last year makes it unlikely other teams will be vying for his services, but for the Flyers, he's an obvious, experienced, and more proven candidate to be the No. 3 goalie, and far less likely than Kolosov to outright lose a game for the team.
The most intriguing name at the goalie position to hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday was Nikita Tolopilo, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-6 netminder from Belarus who made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2025 under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
Tolopilo is a recent Calder Cup champion who split the 2025-26 season nearly evenly with Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford, going 6-11-2 with a 3.61 GAA and .881 save percentage on an awful Canucks team.
For an Abbotsford team that was equally bad (and had just one 20-goal-scorer), Tolopilo was 8-8-3 with a 3.07 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Certainly, the raw stats aren't very impressive, though Tolopilo has plenty of pro experience between the KHL, AHL, NHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan, and his familiarity with Tocchet and his systems works in his favor, too.
Tolopilo, like Poirier, is a fringe NHLer who could take on an opportunity elsewhere, and landing as a No. 3 goalie with the Flyers would be a good gig for him. Plus, he would get to reunite with fellow countrymen and former teammates Kolosov and Danila Klimovich, which should make for some quick and easy chemistry in Allentown.
The towering Tolopilo is older, bigger, and better than Kolosov and profiles more similarly to Vladar and Woll, which should make him an obvious option for the Flyers if they can't land someone else more seasoned at the NHL level.
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! The 2026 regular season has ended. And for the Orioles, the end of the season was a literal washout. Yesterday’s game between the Orioles and Yankees was technically delayed for about three hours yesterday, but I think we all knew the game wasn’t going to be played. The weather in New York was too severe and for the duration of the delay, the Yankees never even submitted a lineup.
But they had to pretend the game might be played, because MLB had just sent the Red Sox down to Tampa to play a game against the Cubs due to the same storm. So now the Yankees have an extra day off ahead of the Wild Card series in New York. I’m not saying it was a conspiracy. But I’m not saying it’s not a conspiracy.
Going into yesterday, there were two playoff spots yet to be finalized. The AL West had to be determined, as did the final spot on the NL Wild Card race. The Astros won and head to the playoffs with an 81-81 record. And the Phillies, who had almost frittered away their playoff spot, won to keep it at the last minute.
There is no baseball today. The Wild Card round kicks off tomorrow with four games.
But not for the Orioles. For the Orioles, the off-season begins today. And they have a lot of things to work on. If I were going to pick one thing I am looking to see improve, I am going with defense. The most disheartening part of this season was seeing plays that should have been made not be made. And on a regular basis.
Here at Camden Chat, we’re jumping right into the offseason. We have already started prospect reviews. Player reviews are coming, along with looks ahead at the 2027 season. Of course, a lot of that depends on if and when the 2027 season begins.
Henderson on Orioles’ season: ‘A failed year for us’ – Baltimore Baseball This is a few days old, but shockingly, there isn’t a lot of news right after an 82-loss team gets rained out of a meaningless game. Rich Dubroff has the transcript of Gunnar Henderson’s interview with press a few days ago.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Grant Jackson (b. 1942, d. 2021) had an 18-year career, five-plus of which were spent with the Orioles. He pitched in 209 games for the Orioles from 1971-76 before the Orioles traded him to the Yankees in that big nine-player trade in June 1976.
Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Mike DeJean (56) and Todd Frohwirth (b. 1962, d. 2017).
On this day in 1953, the American League owners agreed to move the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. Good day for us!
In 1958, Gus Triandos stole the only base of his Major League career.
In 1971, the Orioles swept a doubleheader with the Red Sox to give them 100 wins for the third straight season.
In 2011, the Orioles played the most exciting game you’ll ever see from a 93-loss team. Down 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, three straight his from Chris Davis, Nolan Reimold, and Robert Andino gave the Orioles a 4-3 walkoff victory. Moments after the Orioles won, the Rays walked off the Yankees in Tampa. The combination of games knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs. The Red Sox had been two games up in the AL East on August 27th before going 7-20 in September.
In 2023, the Orioles beat the Red Sox again. But this time it was their 100th win of the season. Much preferable.
And one year ago today, the Orioles finished the season with a 3-2 loss to the Yankees. Kyle Bradish allowed two runs in four innings. Rico Garcia took the loss. Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson hit back-to-back home runs.
Sep 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) celebrates in the locker room after win against the Tampa Bay Rays and clinching a playoff spot at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now we can breathe a sigh of relief. Taking a much needed win to make the playoffs, the Phillies are waking up today in Atlanta to prepare for the wild card round against the Braves. It should at least be entertaining.
Boston, MA - September 22: Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman and starting pitcher Payton Tolle talk in the fifth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park on September 22, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Last year, the Yankees lost Gerrit Cole, in what was probably the last true year of his prime. A loss like that would reverberate throughout a team’s entire season, usually. Instead, the Yankees more or less recreated Cole in the form of Cam Schlittler, now the favorite for the AL Cy Young and starting Game 1 of the Wild Card Series this week.
Garrett Crochet is Boston’s version of Cole: the ace, the guy you work day and night to land, and then pay him handsomely to start the big games. He has not thrown a pitch in anger since April 25th, and yet the Sox boast the third-best pitching staff in baseball, with only the Dodgers and Phillies notching more fWAR as a total unit. We start at the top, where Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez, and Sonny Gray will likely take the ball in the three Wild Card games against the Yankees (in a yet-to-be-announced order).
Wild Card Series Game 1: Tuesday, September 29, 8pm EST Wild Card Series Game 2: Wednesday, September 30, 8pm EST Wild Card Series Game 3: Thursday, October 1, 8pm EST (if necessary)
Tolle has built a solid case for AL Rookie of the Year, and while he probably won’t take the award home, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him as one of the finalists. The lefty features six pitches but like Schlittler, will offer a fastball of some variety about two-thirds of the time. He has faced the Yankees twice, allowing just a single run across 13 innings in those two outings. This will be his first postseason start, though he did retire the only batter he faced in a relief appearance last October in the Bronx (Trent Grisham with the bases loaded).
Suarez has been everything the Sox could hope for when they inked him to that five-year, $130 million contract last winter. A four-win season as the No. 2 man in the rotation, I could probably copy and paste what I said above about Tolle here, just with more postseason experience on Suarez’s time from his Phillies days. The same six pitches, the same fastball-heavy approach. The first two games of this series will see the Yankees facing a bunch of heaters in the zone — they’ll need to be ready to swing. During his October tenure in Philly, Suarez had a superb 1.48 ERA across eight starts and three relief outings from 2022-25.
Former Yankees righty Sonny Gray rounds out the trio, continuing to defy the aging curve with another 3.5 win season at 36 years old. He offers a different look than the two southpaws and will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023 with the Twins.
The rotation is formidable, but what really worries me is the strength of the bullpen, as well as a couple injections the unit is getting. We’ve seen the Yankees win a lot of games this year by being iced out by the starter and breaking out late against relievers, but that’ll be a tough out with the Red Sox, whose relief corps has the best ERA and FIP in the sport. Aroldis Chapman, for all his personal faults, is putting the finishing touches on what is a Hall of Fame resume, with 35 saves and a 33-percent strikeout rate holding down the ninth inning.
But before you even get to the ninth, there’s a series of very hard-throwing hurdles to clear. Garrett Whitlock elevated his game this season with a cripplingly low walk rate, deciding to just not throw balls anymore. Brayan Bello is only a reliever in name, following an opener much of the year; he’ll also be an option should the Red Sox need a guy that can deliver more than three outs. (Tyron Guerrero also came out of baseball irrelevance to re-establish himself as one of Chad Tracy’s favorite weapons, though a lat strain will sideline him for this sseries.)
Jake Bennett made the most of his May 1st call-up from Pawtucket, putting up 2.5 wins in 113.1 innings, but like Carlos Rodón, he’ll be shifted to a reliever role as well, at least for this series. The man chiefly tasked with replacing Crochet has faced the Yankees twice this year, facing 44 batters and allowing just eight of them to reach base. And then, of course…
Garrett Crochet threw live batting practice in Fort Myers on Saturday, as scheduled, Chad Tracy said.
It went well and he felt good coming out of it. He is likely to join the Red Sox on their flight to New York tonight.
They have not said if he'll be on the ALWCS roster.
I’m writing this at 1pm Pacific time on Sunday, and I gotta admit. I feel more confident that Crochet will be on the Red Sox Wild Card roster than Aaron Judge will be on the Yankees’. I don’t imagine the club will push their ace very far in a bullpen role, surely one inning at a time only, but we’ve seen what the southpaw’s stuff looks like, and if it plays up in relief like many guys find, that’s as devastating a one-two southpaw punch between him and Chapman as you’ll ever see.
This is not going to be an easy series. The Yankees have a lot to contend with when it comes to the octopus of Red Sox pitching, and the lineup doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Maybe they’ll surprise us all, but the pressure has to be on New York’s own collection of arms to hold serve given what Boston has at its disposal.
Happy birthday to Enoli Paredes, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1930 – As a Yankee, Babe Ruth returns to the mound after a nine-year absence at Fenway Park and pitches a complete game, beating the Red Sox, 9-3. The last time the “Bambino” took the mound, he defeated the A’s at the end of the 1921 season, and 1938 – At Wrigley Field, Gabby Hartnett hits his famous “Homer in the Gloamin'” in the ninth inning against the Pirates’Mace Brown to give the Chicago Cubs a 6-5 victory, their ninth straight. It is a key triumph en route to the Cubs’ National Leaguepennant, and other stories as well.
1941 – Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox goes 6 for 8 in a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics to finish the season with a .406 batting average. He had started the day batting .3995 — which rounds up to .400 — and his manager, Joe Cronin, had suggested he sit out the otherwise meaniningless games to preserve the mark, but Williams insisted on earning the title on the field. No player has batted .400 since.
1955 – The Yanks win the first game of the World Series as Whitey Ford beats Don Newcombe, 6-5. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Elston Howard, in his first World Series at-bat, knots the score at 2-2 when he homers off Dodgers right-hander Don Newcombe. The round-tripper to deep left field at Yankee Stadium marks the first time a black batter has hit a home run off a black pitcher in the history of the Fall Classic. In a controversial play in the eighth, with Frank Kellert at bat, Jackie Robinson steals home to bring the Dodgers to within a run of a tie, but they will fall short today.
1958 – Going 7-for-11 to end the season, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams becomes the first 40-year-old to lead the league in hitting and wins his sixth and final batting title. The “Splendid Splinter’s” .328 batting average beats out his teammate Pete Runnels, who goes 0-for-4 today and ends up the campaign with a .322 mark.
1960 – In his final major-league plate appearance, against Baltimore’sJack Fisher, Ted Williams picks out a 1-1 pitch and drives it 450 feet into the right-center field seats behind the Boston bullpen. It is Williams’ 521st and last home run, putting him third on the all-time list. The blast gives the seventh-place Red Sox a 5-4 victory. Williams stays in the dugout, ignoring the crowd’s cheers, but when he trots out to left field in the ninth, he is replaced immediately by Carroll Hardy. He retires as a standing crowd roars.
1995 – Dennis Martínez‘s fastball breaks Minnesota Twins’ Kirby Puckett’s jaw in what becomes Puckett’s final career plate appearance in the Cleveland Indians’ 12-4 win.
2008 – Mike Mussina, who has won 18 or 19 games five times, finally becomes a 20-game winner at age 39. The Yankee hurler tops the Red Sox, 6-2, as Daisuke Matsuzaka falls to 18-3 on the year. Mussina will announce his retirement after the season.
2022 – Aaron Judge ties one of the most hallowed records in baseball — the 61 home runs hit by Roger Maris in 1961, which still stands as the American League record six decades later. He takes Tim Mayza deep with a man on base in the 6th inning of a game at Rogers Centre, breaking a 3-3 tie to lead the Yankees to an 8-3 win. While three players have exceeded that total in the National League, all were active in the steroids era and their accomplishment has been tainted as a result – which is not the case for Judge.
2023 – With a homer and two RBIs in Atlanta’s 5-3 win over the Cubs, Matt Olson sets a new modern Braves franchise record for RBIs with 136, besting Eddie Mathews‘ mark of 135 set in 1953, although it is still shy of the all-time franchise best of 145 dating back to 1894 and Hugh Duffy. Olson had earlier passed Andruw Jones‘ record of 51 homers, being now at 54. The win clinches the best record in the National League for the Braves.
Today in Cubs history:
1897 – Although he gives up 14 runs on 17 hits, Dave Wright of the Chicago Colts wins his first and only major league game. The 21 year-old Dennison, Ohio native is the beneficiary of Chicago’s 11-run fifth inning when the club beats the Pirates, 15-14.
1930 – The Cubs bring down the season’s curtain as Hack Wilson has his 189th and 190th RBI in a 12-11 victory over the Reds. Wilson’s major league RBI record will remain untouched. With Riggs Stephenson and Kiki Cuyler each driving in 100 runs, the Cubs have the first all-100 RBI outfield in the 20th century. The Boston outfield in 1894 also had the same credentials.
1935 – With nothing on the line, the pennant-winning Cubs finally lose to the Cardinals and snap their 21-game win streak. The skein is the longest in the majors since the Giants of 1916 won 26 games and tied one. However, Chicago’s win streak is the longest without a tie since 1880.
1959 – In the first game of a best-of-three playoff, the Dodgers beat the Braves, 3-2, in a cold Milwaukee drizzle. Rookie Larry Sherry pitches 7.2 innings of scoreless relief. In a losing cause, Eddie Mathews hits his 46th home run to win the title. Ernie Banks had finished the year with 45.
1962 – In front of only 595 fans at Wrigley Field, the Cubs (58-101) beat the Mets (39-118) in the first meeting in major league history between two 100-loss teams before the series begins. The New York expansion team will split the remaining two games in Chicago to finish the season 40-120, establishing the record for the most losses in baseball’s modern era that will stand until 2024.
1995 – A fan takes exception when a Cub reliever gives up two-run, pinch home run to James Mouton, giving the Astros an eighth-inning 9-7 lead. As the Houston pinch-hitter rounds the bases, the 27-year-old spectator runs out of the stands and heads toward the mound, where he is immediately pinned by Randy Myers, who in addition to his pitching prowess, is well trained in the martial arts.
1998 – In the first National Leagueplayoff since 1980, the Cubs beat the Giants, 5-3, to take the National League’s wild card berth. San Francisco makes the game interesting by scoring three runs in the ninth inning in front of a very anxious crowd at Wrigley Field.
2001 – In the first home game at Wrigley Field since the September 11th terrorist attacks on America, Sammy Sosa, after hitting his 59th home run of the season, pulls out a small American flag and waves it as he circles the bases. After scoring and making a curtain call from the dugout, the Cub slugger continues to wave Old Glory.
2007 – The Chicago Cubs clinch the NL Centraldivision title with a 6-0 shutout of the Cincinnati Reds, combined with a loss by the Milwaukee Brewers. It is the third different franchise that Cubs manager Lou Piniella has led to a division title. For Chicago, Alfonso Soriano hits his 32nd home run of the season, taking Bronson Arroyo deep in the first inning. It is Soriano’s sixth home run leading off a game this month, a new major league record. It is also his 13th homer in September, tying Ernie Banks‘ franchise record.
2012 – 2B Darwin Barney of the Cubs makes a wild throw to first base after fielding Justin Upton‘s ground ball in the 8th inning of the Cubs’ 8-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. The miscue ends Barney’s 141-game errorless streak, tying Placido Polanco‘s all-time record for a single season, set in 2007.
1066 – William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, lands at Pevensey Bay in Sussex, beginning the Norman Conquest of England.
1542 – Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is the first European to sail into San Diego Bay, naming it San Miguel and claiming it for Spain.
1781 – 9,000 American and 7,000 French troops begin the Siege of Yorktown.
1785 – Napoléon Bonaparte, aged 16, graduates from the elite École Militaire in Paris, ranking a lowly 42nd in a class of 51.
1901 – American businessman King C. Gillette establishes the American Safety Razor Company.
1976 – Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton in a 15-round unanimous points decision for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight boxing titles.
1982 – First reports appear of deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules.
Today in music history:
1956 – RCA Records reports Elvis Presley sells over 10 million records.
1963 – New York City DJ “Murray The K” plays The Beatles’ “She Loves You” on the radio.
1968 – Janis Joplin announces she’s leaving the rock band “Big Brother & the Holding Company.”
1968 – The Beatles’ single “Hey Jude” hits No. 1 and stays there for nine weeks.
1974 – “I’m A Ramblin’ Man” by Waylon Jennings peaks at No. 75 on the pop chart and No. 1 on the country chart.
1974 – British guitarist Mick Ronson joins the rock band “Mott the Hoople”.
1976 – Tamla/Motown Records releases “Songs in the Key of Life,” the 18th studio album by Stevie Wonder; the double album plus EP is the biggest seller, includes “Sir Duke,” “As,” and “Isn’t She Lovely,” and wins the Grammy for Album of the Year (1977).
1978 – Metal band Black Sabbath release their eighth album “Never Say Die,” the last to feature Ozzy Osbourne before he is fired.
1981 – Olivia Newton-John releases single “Physical” (Billboard Song of the Year 1982).
1985 – “Don’t Lose My Number” by Phil Collins peaks at No. 4.
1985 – “Freedom” by Wham! peaks at No. 3.
1991 – “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M. peaks at No. 10.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 26: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers hugs his daughter Genevieve, with Spencer Torkelson #20 looking on, right, before leaving his final game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on September 26, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I get it, baseball news does not necessarily belong on Pounding the Rock, a Spurs fan site. During the offseason — when content can be few and far between — I may from time to time veer away from the Spurs and share some basketball-oriented news. If there is absolutely nothing going on in the basketball world, I may broaden the scope to “sports” at large. And some stories transcend into the fan experience. I saw this post on Saturday and initially ignored it. But Sunday it hit me again and decided sharing it was appropriate.
On Saturday evening, Justin Verlander pitched his final MLB start. After a twenty-one year career, two World Series championships, ten MLB All-Star appearances, three American League Cy Young awards, a 2011 Triple Crown, the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year award, and earning the 2022 AL Comeback Player of the year award at age 39, Verlander is riding off into the sunset.
In the fifth inning of Saturday night’s Detroit Tigers/Pittsburgh Pirates matchup, Verlander (pitching for the Detroit Tigers) was approached by manager A.J. Hinch to hand over the ball for a relif pitcher. Before he could exit the mound, he was met by his daughter, Genevieve.
This literally made me cry…more than once.
Justin Verlander has played 21 seasons in the majors. His final start was today.
After 5⅓ innings, manager A.J. Hinch came out to take him out, then pointed to the stands. Genevieve, his 7-year-old daughter, sprinted onto the field in his jersey, ran to the mound, and hugged…
Happy Monday, Pounders. Have a great start to your week.
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