BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 13: Catcher Luke Maile #18 of the Kansas City Royals drops a foul pop up as pitcher Noah Cameron #65 looks on off the bat of Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park on September 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals game in Boston was delayed by almost three and a half hours, but in the late innings, dropped the series finale at Fenway Park, 4-1.
The game started with Red Sox starter Payton Tolle throwing an immaculate inning. 9 pitches, 8 fastballs and a sinker from Tolle sat the Royals down.
For the most part, the game was rather uneventful early. Caleb Durbin hit a solo homer over the monster off Noah Cameron in the second, putting Boston up 1-0.
Cameron got out of a bases loaded jam in the 4th, with a double play ball. The Royals had 1st and 3rd with two outs in the 5th, but Nick Loftin grounded out to end the inning.
In the 6th inning, Bobby Witt Jr. singled to start the inning, Jac Caglianone was hit by a pitch, making it 1st and 2nd, but Salvador Perez flew out, and Michael Massey and Matthew Lugo struck out to end the inning.
Noah Cameron was great, throwing 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, a walk and striking out 4.
Isaac Collins and Luke Maile walked to start the 7th, Tyler Tolbert then blooped one to center, but Collins got a bad read and was thrown out at third on a force play. Carter Jensen pinch hitting for Loftin, bailed him out though, smacking a single down the line to tie it at 1. Jr. struck out with runners on the corner and Vinnie Pasquantino, pinch hitting for Cags, flew out to deep center to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th, Craig Kimbrel came in, got a flyout, but walked Durbin, who then stole second base. He also walked Nick Sogard. Connor Thomas came in and struck out Andruw Monasterio, but the lefty Roman Anthony singled in the go-ahead run.
The Royals went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 8th. Nate Pearson got the bottom of the 8th and gave up a one-out single and double, Trevor Story smacked a 2-run single, making it 4-1 Boston.
In the top of the 9th, Aroldis Chapman came in and walked the first two batters, but struck out Tolbert, Jensen and Witt to end the game.
The Royals fall to 66-84, they are off tomorrow, but play in Houston on Tuesday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.
Daniil Prokhorov poses after being drafted by the New York Islanders with the 42nd overall pick during rounds 2-7 of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Peacock Theater on June 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
If this were a preview of what Daniil Prokhorovâs first season in North America will look like, then the Islanders AHL club will be worth the price of admission in its first year based in Hamilton, Ontario.
Yes, that is certainly where Prokhorov will spend this season.
The 2025 second-rounder is too raw and too unrefined for the NHL to be in the short-term future. But you look at him and see the vision, and you watch him and see clay thatâs only just starting to be molded.
âYou kinda know his personality without even hearing him, to be honest. Heâs so upbeat,â Cole Eiserman said after he scored the overtime winner and Prokhorov scored twice as the Islanders prospects beat the Devils 5-4 at The Rock on Sunday. âYou enjoy talking to him even if itâs just a few words, but heâs super funny. Very passionate on the ice. You can joke around with him.
âHeâs like a big teddy bear, to be honest. He might be a grizzly bear on the ice, but a teddy bear off it.â
Daniil Prokhorov poses after being drafted by the New York Islanders with the 42nd overall pick during rounds 2-7 of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Peacock Theater on June 28, 2025. Getty Images
At 6-foot-6 and 234 pounds, the question is how Prokhorov can leverage his size and work around its limitations.
Just 10 forwards over 6-foot-6 played 50 or more games in the NHL last year. But that group includes Tage Thompson and Aliaksei Protas, who scored 65 goals between them. Get his development right and Prokhorovâs ceiling is as intriguing as can be.
Sunday, he got to the net for both his goals and skated well enough. There were moments where he was outmaneuvered by smaller opponents on the walls, but as a whole, it was much more good than bad.
âI kinda just throw the puck to that side of the ice, I know heâs coming with speed,â Gleb Veremyev, Prokhorovâs linemate and fellow Russian speaker, told The Post. âHeâs like a locomotive. Itâs hard to stop him. He gets to the net.â
Thatâs a quality the Islanders have lacked as a team for years and which figures to continue being problematic now with the departure of Anders Lee in free agency. A big Russian freight train might help with that down the line â and especially once the 19-year-old better learns to leverage his size.
âHeâs still young. Heâs got a big body heâs still growing into,â Veremyev said. âOnce he gets adjusted to the North American style and everything that comes with it, Iâm sure heâs gonna be a heck of a player.â
Daniil Prokhorov celebrates after scoring a goal during a game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils at RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center on September 13, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hamilton coach Jay McKee, who has been running development camp, was left impressed by how well Prokhorov moves for someone of his size. That comes after Prokhorov spent the summer training with strength coach Ben Prentissâ group in Stamford, along with a group of NHLers.
âLove playing with him,â Eiserman said. âSuper passionate on the bench. Itâs fun. He loves the game. You can tell heâs a goal scorer. Heâs gonna play for a long time.â
Quinn Finley (shoulder) didnât dress for the scrimmage, nor did Isaiah George, who was rested.
Itâs too early to say whether Finley, who has been in a red noncontact jersey so far in camp, will play in the return leg on Long Island on Tuesday, but McKee said George would likely participate.
âThese kinds of games, he doesnât necessarily have to play, but I think itâs good to get his timing,â McKee said.
It is admittedly easy to find yourself questioning just about every single inch of the process that got the Cincinnati Reds to their current position in last place in the National League Central. Itâs even easier to do so when they got outscored 34-1 across a two-game span (and allowed another 13 runs the following day).
Last place. A whopping -145 run differential.
The astonishingly bad decision to acquire KeâBryan Hayes last trade deadline, the use of funds on Eugenio Suarez and Brady Singer and the rest of the bullpen, the continued inability to develop hitters aside from Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. Giving up Mike Sirota and a comp pick for one famished season of Gavin Lux.
The poor moves that have been made tend to add up in a hurry. Thatâs how a team ends up not only in last place, but projected to remain there if and when baseball actually gets to playing next year, too, through the looming lockout.
Despite all of that, it appears the Cincinnati Reds donât have many plans to make changes. In fact, theyâre leaning hard into the same continuity that has led them through an era of zero division titles, zero postseason wins, and more last place finishes in the division than one can remember.
So says Gordon Wittenmyer of The Enquirer, who reportedly earlier on Sunday that the Reds donât appear to be intent on making changes to the group whoâs in charge of making decisions on how to run this baseball franchise.
The Reds, who avoided a winless six-game road trip with a win over the Brewers Sunday, plan to maintain continuity with their front office management team. https://t.co/C5kBofdbLN
That means Nick Krall and Brad Meador are expected to still sit atop the hierarchy. That means that future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona isnât going anywhere. While weâve not seen pitching guru Derek Johnson for months during the season, it seems as if the Reds would like to make sure he sticks around, too.
The Reds entered play on Sunday ranked dead last in defensive runs saved. They ranked third-worst in collective FIP (ahead of only the lowly Athletics and Colorado Rockies). They ranked fourth-worst in team wRC+ offensively at 93, just a hair above being in dead last â thatâs 91.
Fielding, pitching, and hitting seem to rank pretty highly on the list of things baseball teams should try to do well if theyâre intent on winning games. Fielding, pitching, and hitting are three areas where the Reds are either the worst, or nearly the worst, in the entire sport. And it now appears as if the same group who assembled this team from the ashes of the 2022 rebuild is going to get another chance to rebuild it in their image â or, even more shockingly, will get to run it back with no changes whatsoever.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Josh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners scores a run on a sacrifice fly by Jhonny Pereda #5 of the Seattle Mariners during the top of the fourth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: Kohl Franklin #48 of the Iowa Cubs waves to the crowd during player introductions prior to the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Starter Kohl Franklin gave up a double to the first batter of the game and a single to the second one, putting runners on first and third. After that, he was nearly perfect. Franklin allowed a one-out sac fly in the first, but only one more baserunner on a walk the rest of his start. His final line was one run on two hits over five innings. Franklin struck out five and walked one as he picked up the win.
Gabe Klobostis entered the game with the bases-loaded and two outs in the eighth inning. He got a ground ball to first to end that threat. Then he pitched a scoreless ninth and took home the save. Klobostis allowed just a one-out single, but that runner was quickly thrown out trying to steal second. Klobostis struck out one.
Both Iowa runs came on a two-run home run by left fielder Jordan Nwogu in the second inning. It was Nwoguâs third home run for Iowa and fourth overall. He was 1 for 3.
Center fielder Chas McCormick was 3 for 3 and scored on Nwoguâs blast.
Connor Schultz only allowed one run on five hits over three innings, but that was enough for the loss. Schultz walked one and struck out two.
Knoxville managed just two hits in this game, both singles. DH Kane Kepley and right fielder Andy Garriola were both 1 for 4.
Knoxville finished the second-half at 35-33 and in second place, 1.5 games behind Rocket City. Their overall record was 73-64 after their first-half win. Knoxville will start the best-of-three Division Series in Rocket City on Tuesday. Games two and three (if necessary), will be in Knoxville on Thursday and Friday.
NEW YORK (AP) â Clarke Schmidt will be activated this week and will rejoin the New York Yankees as a reliever, 14 months after elbow surgery.
Manager Aaron Boone indicated the 30-year-old right-hander could return during a three-game series in Minnesota that starts Monday.
âThis has been a long journey,â Schmidt said before Sundayâs Subway Series final against the Mets. âSo a lot of anticipation and itâs probably going to feel like a debut when I go out there, but itâs going to be exciting. Iâm ready to get back out there and compete with the guys.â
Schmidt had an internal brace procedure on his ulnar collateral ligament by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister on July 11, 2025, and was told recovery would take about a year. He had a 3.86 ERA in five minor league rehabilitation appearances starting Aug. 29. He threw 12 of 21 pitches for strikes and struck out three of four hitters as a reliever for Double-A Somerset on Saturday.
âI think he can be huge,â Boone said. âI think heâs throwing the ball really well. His stuffâs really good now right now. I feel like it has been for the last month. So I think he definitely could be an interesting guy for us down there and hopefully thatâs the case.â
New York began Sunday second with a 3.16 bullpen ERA, trailing only Boston. Yankee relievers have thrown 527 2/3 innings, the seventh-fewest amongst the 30 teams and Brent Headrick is second to Torontoâs Mason Fluharty for the major league lead with 75 appearances.
âI think it will shake itself out as far as what the role is,â Schmidt said. âObviously Iâm a reliever so I think that how they use me in leverage or whatever the case may be, itâs going to shake itself out. I donât think Iâm going to be throwing a bunch of innings, like three, four, stuff like that and I donât see myself probably going back to back, but I want to work myself into leverage and pitch in big scenarios and try to pitch as much as I can and help guys in big situations.â
Schmidt was 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts last season. He previously had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, a month before the Yankees selected him with the 16th overall pick in the amateur draft out of South Carolina.
The 30-year-old debuted in 2020 and made 27 of his 30 career relief appearances in 2022. He is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in 97 games for the Yankees and 5-3 with a 3.18 ERA and two saves as a reliever.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) â San Franciscoâs Rafael Deversâ season is over and he may have surgery for a core muscle injury.
The Giants placed the first baseman/designated hitter and designated hitter on the 60-day injured list Sunday, ending his season.
Devers, who leads the team with 37 homers and 98 RBIs, is to meet Monday in Philadelphia with Dr. William Meyers. If a procedure is recommended, Devers would have the operation on Tuesday.
Devers had played in 309 consecutive games before sitting out the Giantsâ 7-6 win over St. Louis on Wednesday.
âHe battled with it the entire year,â Giants manager Tony Vitello said. âI think itâs something that has bothered him for a few years now.â
Devers homered in his last two games and had eight home runs with 20 RBIs in his final 11 games.
âI think heâs pretty geeked up about next year,â Vitello said. âHis confidence in next yearâs success gives me confidence.â
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour at City National Arena on September 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This weekend it was time to spotlight the Colorado Avalanche rookies before main training camp kicks off this week on Thursday, September 17th. After the release of the 25-man roster of attendees, all that was left was finally some on-ice activity.
Practice at Family Sports Center
Bright and early Friday morning the group of Avalanche rookies gathered for a brief practice before their two game set in San Jose, Calif. over the weekend. First, some news was released as the club need to bolster their roster on the back end. Great to see 2026 draftee Teddy Lechner as one of the selections, he must be on loan from the USHL. Two of the other names were in invites in attendance at development camp a few months ago.
The following players have been added to the Avalanche Rookie Faceoff roster:
Teddy Lechner Noah Jettelson Evan Friesen
Additionally, Saige Weinstein and Connor Kelley will not be participating in rookie camp activities due to injury.
For the practice, it was a short but productive one and lasted a little over an hour. Some ideas at lines began to form with Beckett Hamilton featuring often on TJ Hughesâ right wing. There was also some center ice battle drills leading to 2v2, which was a new look, perhaps from new Colorado Eagles head coach Jussi Ahokas. Getting the special teams units up to par was also on the agenda, first the traditional 5v4 practice but then later on a down low focus of just 3v2 was an interesting new approach.
Game 1 vs. Anaheim â 7-2 WIN
How the #Avs are going to line up today, courtesy of @CurtisPashelka on the ground in San Jose.
Ilya Nabokov will get his first taste of live North American hockey that (sort of) counts. pic.twitter.com/SOYvoY39EC
To start, this game was delayed over an hour but when the puck finally dropped, it was all Avalanche in a 7-2 victory. The top line was as suspected with TJ Hughes centering Taylor Makar and Beckett Hamilton, which was the trio that got the scoring started. For the first goal Makar received a gorgeous feed from Hamilton and then Hamilton scored himself on a one timer cross-ice pass from Hughes. Other goal scorers were from Matthew DiMarsico, Shawn Carrier, Cooper Gay and invite Kalder Varga.
Defenseman Alex Gagne had a special outing with a complete Gordie Howe hat trick plus an extra assist all while wearing the captainâs âCâ on his jersey. Ilya Nabokov looked sharp in net and earned the win playing the first 40 minutes. He put on a show on the penalty kill when Anaheim was awarded numerous opportunities in the second period.
With a much thinner lineup compared to the previous tilt, the Avalanche found a tighter checking game against the Golden Knights rookies. The game unfolded somewhat similarly in the first two periods to the prior contest as Colorado built a 4-2 lead on a solid outing from goaltender Nikita Novosyolov. They received goals from invites Noah Jettelson, Kalder Varga and two from Jake Chaisson.
In the third period entered 2026 draftee Alexandre Raymond in net who was tasked with holding down the fort against Vegasâ pressure. At this point it was a total penalty-fest and Vegas evened up the game 4-4. Shortly after that Nikita Prishchepov scored on one of his half dozen penalty kill breakaways and put the Avalanche up 5-4 with only a few minutes left in the game. Linus Funck took a bad penalty and put Vegas back on the power play where they scored again and the game went to overtime.
Nikita Prishchepov on the SHORTY FOR THE LEAD late in the game! He uses all of PK skills from the AHL to take the puck away and run with it! And the video feed went to crud again. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/ysYnbiBNR9
Colorado was awarded a power play right at the end of regulation but couldnât score on the 4v3. The five minute overtime concluded without a score and the game went into a shootout. Beckett Hamilton was the only tally for Colorado while Vegas put two on the board and the game ended 6-5 in their favor.
On defense it was an interesting mix both days of AHL veterans and young prospects. Teddy Lechner, who wasnât even supposed to join the tournament as his USHL team begins their season in a matter of days, did well especially for as inexperienced as he is. Same goes for Ondrej Ruml as both were drafted by the Avalanche this summer. Linus Funck has hot and cold moments but was able to get a lot of ice time. Alex Gagne certainly will move up the pecking order with his strong showing in the first game as well. Sean Behrens set up a very nice goal in the second game but seems a bit lost in the shuffle.
Itâs hard not to get excited for Beckett Hamilton who was able to show off his talents in this setting. He had looked good in camps prior to the showcase and turned it up a notch in these games by leading all Colorado rookies with 10 shots on goal over the two games. Heâs still only 18-years-old and needs to get stronger on the puck but he has all the attributes of a NHL forward including a shot mentality to go along with a heavy shot but also great vision and playmaking ability, defensive aptitude and high hockey IQ. A goal, assist and shootout goal over the two days in a nice weekend of work heading into a tougher challenge against NHL competition where hopefully he can add a couple more shining moments. Also among the forward group, TJ Hughes and Taylor Makar set themselves up nicely to battle for NHL opportunity in main camp next week.
As the âstartersâ over the two games, both Ilya Nabokov and Nikita Novosyolov each contributed to the leads they allowed their teammates to build. Only giving up two goal each, the Russian netminders had particularly good sequences in the second periods when they were frequently on the penalty kill. Nabokov has a smoothness to his game with good reads and made an especially dramatic glove save. Novosyolov has a more aggressive style where he challenges in the crease more but was just as effective. To consider him just an ECHL goaltender would be a mistake.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) â Steven Kwan homered to lead off the game, Tanner Bibee had seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 strong innings, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins 9-2 on Sunday to pull within a half-game of the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox.
The Guardians are one game ahead of Toronto, and have a 5 1/2-game lead over Minnesota, in the race for the final AL wild-card spot. Cleveland hosts the White Sox for a three-game series beginning Monday.
Travis Bazzana drove in three runs for Cleveland, including a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
Bibee (6-15) gave up just two runs on four hits. The 27-year-old right-hander had allowed 10 runs over 8 1/3 innings in his previous two September starts.
Minnesota All-Star Joe Ryanâs tough second-half continued.
Making his second start since coming off the injured list, Ryan (6-10) surrendered four runs on seven hits in four innings. He is 0-5 with an 8.48 ERA in five starts since the All-Star Game. He had given up eight runs on a franchise-record six homers allowed in a start against the Guardians on July 20.
Kwan sent the second pitch of the game from Ryan into the row of flowers in the overhang in right field at Target Field for just his third homer of the season. He finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Jo Adell added a solo home run in the third.
Kody Clemens doubled home Luke Keaschall in the third, and Trevor Larnach hit a solo homer in the seventh for the Twins.null
Up next
Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (13-7, 3.78 ERA) starts Monday for Cleveland opposite White Sox RHP Sean Burke (8-7, 3.58).
Twins: RHP Dean Kremer (3-5, 5.65) starts Monday against New York Yankees RHP Will Warren (10-6, 4.05) to open a three-game series at Target Field.
TORONTO (AP) â For the first time this season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has homered north of the border.
The 2023 Home Run Derby champion, Guerrero connected off Baltimoreâs Trevor Rogers in the fifth inning of Sundayâs 8-1 win.
His 350-foot drive into the left field bullpen was his ninth homer of the season. It came in Torontoâs 75th home game, sparking a celebration in the dugout.
âIt looked like it was a walk-off homer,â Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of his teamâs reaction. âVladâs our guy. Itâs just nice to get that out of the way.â
Guerrero is batting .265 with 56 RBIs in 135 games.
With the sellout crowd of 41,805 cheering his name, Guerrero came out for a curtain call.
âObviously it means a lot,â Guerrero said through a translator.
It was Guerreroâs 29th career home run against Baltimore, his most against any opponent. The hit would have been a homer in six of the 30 big league stadiums.
Guerrero had eight home runs in 18 postseason games last October as Toronto reached Game 7 of the World Series. Three of those homers came at Rogers Centre, including one in Game 6 of the ALCS against Seattle.
A six-time All-Star, Guerrero last homered in a regular season game in Toronto in a loss to Texas on Aug. 17, 2025.
Guerrero Jr. had his second four-hit game of the season Sunday. He nearly homered in his second at bat, lining a double off the wall in right-center.
In 29 games for Double-A Binghamton, Rojas slashed .280/.336/.593 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.
New York acquired Rojas from the Cubs in the Aug. 3 trade that dealt RHP Clay Holmes and LF Tyrone Taylor to Chicago.
With Chicago's Double-A affiliate, the Knoxville Smokies, Rojas slashed .270/.339/.461 while hitting 15 home runs and driving in 57 runs over 91 games.
"While his skill set does not scream future star, scouts I speak to look at Rojas as a high-floor player who looks the part of a future everyday player," DeMayo wrote. "It would not surprise me if the Mets gave Rojas a taste of Triple-A before the 2026 season ended. But even if not, he should begin the 2027 season with Triple-A and put himself in position to make his major league debut if/when an opportunity presents itself next season."
ALLENTOWN, Pa. â The Flyersâ top prospects were as advertised Sunday night.
They put together a 4-1 win over the Rangers at PPL Center in the second of two rookie games this weekend.
Porter Martone (one goal, one assist) and Denver Barkey (one goal, one assist) each had multiple points. Martone iced the game with the Flyersâ second empty-net goal. Noah Powell had the first.
Brek Liske also found the back of the net. Oliver Bonk, Jett Luchanko, Maksim Sokolovskii and Spencer Gill all had an assist.
The Flyers took the first matchup, 3-2. Alex Bump led the charge and then received the night off for Game 2.
Porter Martone scores an empty-netter and then some extra stuff ensues. Maksim Sokolovskii in there as well. pic.twitter.com/jKq4oGKDXr
âą Martone just oozes with leadership qualities. You can see why he was a captain in the OHL and at world juniors.
In the second period, the 19-year-old winger tried to regroup offensively for another rush. But two Rangers converged on him and forced a turnover that resulted in Liam Greentreeâs game-tying 1-1 goal.
But Martone responded. And he was also accountable. The Flyers went into second intermission with a 2-1 lead after Martone helped orchestrate Liskeâs goal. After the horn sounded on the period, Martone found his goaltender Marek Sklenicka and apologized for his earlier mishap.
âI went up to him and just said, âThatâs on me, weâll get you back here,'â Martone said. âHe played awesome for us coming in there. Itâs probably tough with one of his first shots being off a backdoor pass. ⊠I made a mistake there, but I had to bounce back in the third and get the win. He came up big for us down the stretch.â
âThatâs what good players do,â John Snowden, the AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley head coach, said. âShort memory, things happen.â
In the second period, Barkey absorbed a heavy hit from the Rangersâ 6-foot-7 forward Dylan Roobroeck. Martone made sure to find Roobroeck after the whistle for a get-together.
âHe doesnât have to do that, I donât want to see him doing that stuff,â Barkey said with a smile. âIâve got to keep my head up, too, at the same time. But itâs obviously super cool to see someone of that caliber have the guts to go do that to a guy like that, and not back away. It means a lot and it goes a long way when you know someoneâs got your back like that.â
Denver Barkey took a big hit from 6-foot-7 forward Dylan Roobroeck. Porter Martone made sure to find Roobroeck after the whistle. pic.twitter.com/Jp8J1oZabf
âWe played for four years in London together,â Barkey said, âso I guess we know where each other is quite often.â
Barkey made a strong move in close after Bonk joined the rush and found him. Bonk, a 21-year-old defenseman, is pushing for the Flyers. The 2023 first-rounder keeps the puck out of his net and his offensive instincts are good.
âHeâs very, very smart,â Snowden, who runs rookie camp, said. âHeâs surgical on his decisions and when he jumps up into the play. Heâs really good at kind of hiding himself in those situations and just hitting with a burst, jumping into a spot at the right time.â
On Barkeyâs goal, Luchanko ignited the sequence with a subtle but impressive play along the boards while under pressure. The 2024 first-round center had a pair of helpers over the weekend.
âI think a lot of his things go unnoticed,â Martone said. âJust winning defensive battles in the O-zone, kind of starting the play. I think heâs going to have a big year this year. You can see his vision, too. He makes small, little plays around the ice that kind of get the offense started.â
âą Powell was highly noticeable in both games because of his hard-nosed, bottom-six brand. The 2024 fifth-round winger knows that will be his ticket to the NHL. The front office had to take notice.
He was a pest all weekend and dropped the gloves in Game 2.
âHockeyâs a violent game,â Powell said. âIâm not saying Iâm a violent person, but when I get out there, I definitely do like to play a violent, vicious style of hockey. Kind of get out there and make sure that itâs known.â
âą The Flyers went with their Czechia goalie tandem from this summerâs draft.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up the 2026 Prospects Showcase with a 5â2 win against the Seattle Kraken. Adam NovotnĂœ, Bennett Schimek, Gabriel Chiarot, Braeden Cootes, and Alonso Gosselin scored for Vancouver today, while Ty Young and Aku Koskenvuo split the start and stopped a combined 31 of 33 shots faced.Â
After an individually successful first game the day before that saw him score his first goal in a Canucks uniform, NovotnĂœ put on an excellent performance once again, opening the scoring with less than five minutes to go in the first period. Playing on a new line with Cootes and fellow 2026 draftee Brooks Rogowski, the winger helped advance the play into the O-zone, chipping it up to Rogowski before advancing on net and beating Kraken goaltender Nikke Kokko.Â
NovotnĂœâs impact went farther than just on the scoresheet, however, as he was also noticeably more physical in todayâs game â specifically in throwing extra jabs at the Kraken prospects after the whistle went.Â
âIn a good way, bull in a china shop,â Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou said post-game of NovotnĂœâs performance. âEverything [went] north for him, chipping pucks to areas, winning races, really tough to knock off the puck. So I think he probably just stayed to his brand.âÂ
âHeâs got an elite shot release. You saw him on his first goal today â thatâs pretty sick," linemate Rogowski added. "Just with his speed too, he just creates so well. His speed opens up ice for everyone else because guys kind of duplicate on him and it just creates more space for everybody. For a guy like him, heâs such a threat. It sometimes takes the pressure off me a little bit to give me some more space to make a play.âÂ
Just as it seemed to for Seattle the night before, once the second period came around, the Canucksâ floodgates opened up.Â
At the beginning of the second, the Kraken announced a change at goal, swapping Kokko with Maks Corovic.Â
The Kraken managed to tie things up at the five-minute mark of the second period, though it didnât take long for Vancouver to regain their lead and then some. Schimek helped start the play that led to his goal, retrieving the puck from a Seattle team attempting to break-out. After giving it to Kirill Kudryavtsev to reset, the Abbotsford Canucks forward tore into the O-zone and flipped the puck past Corovicâs glove.Â
Vancouver scored once again after things got scrambly near Seattleâs crease, with the puck hitting a Kraken playerâs stick before ending up in the net. Cootes tapped Vancouverâs fourth goal into the net after receiving a smooth pass from linemate Rogowski.Â
Before Vancouver could score their fifth, Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus found the back of the net for Seattle. Five minutes later, however, NovotnĂœ brought the puck into the O-zone, keeping it alive along the boards before passing it to Gosselin, who tucked it in for the Canucksâ fifth goal of the game. Â
By the end of the second period, the score was up to 5â2 for Vancouver.Â
The third period featured more special teams time as well as some stunning saves by Koskenvuo. This included a split-save that saw the goaltender stretch across the crease to stop the Kraken from scoring with around five minutes remaining in the game.Â
One of the most impactful changes to Vancouver in todayâs game was the switch in lines. The new line of NovotnĂœ, Cootes, and Rogowski helped score three of the Canucksâ five goals, with each member of the line registering at least one point.Â
âI think [it was] just probably something that we all wanted to see, everybody in the stands included,â Papaioannou said of the Canucks prospectsâ top-line.âGive those guys a look together, and whether they had a successful game or not, I think it was fun just to watch.âÂ
Vancouverâs prospects will now look to build on todayâs result by having a strong training camp next week.Â
Photo Credit: Izzy Cheung - THN
Scoring Summary:Â
1st Period:Â
15:54 - VAN: Adam NovotnĂœ from Brooks Rogowski and Arseni AnisimovÂ
2nd Period:Â
5:23 - SEA: Tyson Jugnauth from Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Jagger Firkus (PPG)Â
6:28 - VAN: Bennett Schimek from Kirill KudryavtsevÂ
7:56 - VAN: Gabriel Chiarot from Carson CameronÂ
9:08 - VAN: Braeden Cootes from Brooks Rogowski and Adam NovotnĂœ
11:33 - SEA: Jagger Firkus from Julius Miettinen and Ty NelsonÂ
16:24 - VAN: Alonso Gosselin from Adam NovotnĂœ and Sawyer MynioÂ
3rd Period:Â
No Scoring.Â
Up Next:Â
The next time the Canucks will hit the ice in front of their fans is on September 17 for Day 1 of their 2026 Training Camp in Penticton. The 2026 NHL pre-season begins a couple of days after on September 19, with the Canucks facing none-other than the Kraken in Seattle.Â
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New York Mets' Brett Baty reacts after hitting a double against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning of a MLB baseball game on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in New York.
Brett Batyâs return to the lineup allowed for the only really good Mets swing against Cam Schlittler on Sunday.
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After the Yankees ace fired 4 ÂČ/â hitless innings, Baty launched a double off the right field fence at Yankee Stadium. It was the only hit Schlittler surrendered over six innings in the Metsâ 2-0 loss.
Baty had missed the previous two games after departing with left knee pain Wednesday in Miami. He started at second base Sunday.
âItâs really kind of mean as a manager to give him two days off and tell him to go get Schlittler, after sitting with an off-day on the front side of that,â interim manager Andy Green said. âItâs good that he is healthy. Itâs fun to watch him slide headfirst into second base.â
Over his past 15 games, Baty has produced a 1.101 OPS.
Nate Lavender pitched a scoreless seventh in his first appearance since his streak of 14 shutout innings to begin his major league career was snapped Wednesday in Miami. The left-hander allowed one walk and one strikeout. In his previous appearance he surrendered three earned runs and recorded only one out.
âHe was right back to being himself,â Green said. âGetting lazy fly balls, getting above barrels a little bit and then just a relatively efficient inning. Heâs a guy weâre excited about. He will continue to work. I wasnât worried about him getting back on the mound after finally giving up some runs.â
Jonah Tong will be the third rookie in four games to start for the Mets when he faces the Orioles on Monday at Citi Field. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse last week and allowed four earned runs over five innings in a win over the Marlins.
The Mets will begin their final homestand of the season, with the Phillies (four games) following the Orioles into Queens.
The Mets split the season series with the Yankees. All time in the regular season, the Mets are 72-86 in the Subway Series. This includes a 21-27 record at the present Yankee Stadium.
In an appearance on âThe Bill Simmons Podcast,â Charles Barkley said the Lakers are âprobably betterâ than the 2024 Dallas Mavericks, whom Luka Doncic carried to the NBA Finals.
Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic will be key to the Lakersâ success this year. Getty Images
On the other end of the spectrum lies Norman Powell, an 11-season NBA veteran who was named an All-Star for the first time in his career last February while playing for the Miami Heat. When Powell was asked whoâs the most overrated team in the league during a conversation with streamer N3on, he named the Lakers.Â
Thatâs the fun of this. When it comes to the Lakers, no one knows what their ceiling will be.Â
LeBron James left in free agency after spending eight seasons with the team, including carrying them to their first championship in eight years in 2020. They revamped their roster, adding 10 new players. They went all in on Walker Kessler, hoping heâll transform into a star.Â
So, whoâs more right about the purple and gold: Barkley or Powell?
Walker Kessler signed with the Lakers this offseason. Getty Images
Sorry, Chuck, while itâs great that youâre a Laker fan now that LeBron has left, Powell is right here. The Lakers wonât be able to compete with the most elite teams in the West next season.
The West is just too deep.
Lakers Overrated
Even if the Lakers had no holes, theyâd be fighting an uphill battle against the Thunder and Spurs, each of whom have a seemingly endless cadre of young legs and talent.
But as things stand, the Lakers are shaky in several key areas, most notably with their porous perimeter defense. They need time to build chemistry. It remains to be seen whether Kessler and Austin Reaves are going to live up to their lofty contracts.
The Lakers might be good. But itâs hard to imagine theyâll be great next season. Theyâre still a few tweaks away from that. They need reinforcements. They need time to jell.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick will attempt to bring all the pieces together for a successful season. AP
Thereâs no margin for error in the West.
We saw how the Lakers performed against the 2025 champion Thunder last season, you know, when they lost their four regular season games by an average of 29.3 points before getting swept by Oklahoma City in the second round of the playoffs. Then the Spurs beat the Thunder to reach the Finals. Those teams are good good.
Are the Lakers really that much better than they were last year? Are they better at all considering they lost James, who pretty much single-handedly led the Lakers past the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs?
Quite frankly, the answer is no.
Make no mistake about it: The Lakers are on the right track.
They got younger. They got faster. They added a skilled center. Theyâre on their way. But they havenât arrived. Far from it.
The Lakers are having bobblehead giveaways of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves during the 2026-27 season. Getty Images
Sure, as long as Doncic is on the Lakers, theyâll be in the mix. Heâs hellbent on winning his first championship after the Mavericks stunningly traded him to the Lakers in February 2025.
Last season, he led the league in scoring (33.5 points), was third in assists (8.3) and finished fourth in MVP voting. Before suffering a hamstring strain that sidelined him for the playoffs, he averaged 37.5 points, 8 rebounds and 7.4 assists in March, leading the Lakers to a 15-2 record over that stretch.Â
Expect him to be even better next season.
But he still doesnât have enough around him to get past the Thunder or Spurs.
Reaves, whom the Lakers signed to a four-year, $180 million deal (the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted) is a borderline All-Star.
Kessler whom the Lakers mortgaged their future to acquire, giving up two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028 and 2030), while signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal, is one of the top rebounders and rim patrollers in the league.
But the Lakers need to be virtually bulletproof to reach the championship round. And itâs obvious that at this point theyâre not.
Could the Lakers finish top-four in the West? Sure.
Are they Finals bound? No.
Are they the most overrated team in the league? Arguably.
The Lakers are on their way to trying to compete for their first championship since 2020. But being on the freeway is a far cry from approaching the coveted two-car driveway of basketball nirvana.
And right now, itâs impossible to see the Lakers parked there come June.
