MACAU, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Kyrie Irving #11 of Dallas Mavericks shoots during NBA China Games 2026 between Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena on the Cotai Strip on October 11, 2026 in Macau, China. 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 Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up a two-game preseason set against the Houston Rockets in Macau, China over the weekend, splitting the outcomes. Kyrie Irving had been ready to go for some time now, just awaiting the opportunity to take the court in an official capacity after sustaining an ACL injury on March 3, 2025. Despite fans and players alike anxious to welcome him back, the Mavericks sat a few players in the first of two games, extending the lengthy wait just a bit longer. When it was time to tip-off the second of the two games, there we found Irving, starting alongside Cooper Flagg for the first time.
In what easily could have been a cameo appearance where Irving saw a shot go down and maybe set up a teammate for an easy bucket before taking a seat, we instead got to see Irving get some real burn. In fact, only three Mavs’ players logged more minutes that Irving in the game, and none of them outscored him.
Let that sink in for a moment. A 34-year-old coming off an ACL injury that kept him sidelined for 586 days was the team-leader in scoring. That is not an indictment of the rest of the team, mind you, as the Mavs shot an impressive 48.2% overall, including 37.5% from downtown, while hitting nearly 90% of their free throws. Perhaps some consideration must be given to this being a preseason game in a foreign country, but even still, what Irving did left virtually nothing to be desired. As if to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind, Irving scored the first bucket of the game only 14 seconds into the contest. Better still, it came by way of his trademark wizardry in handling the ball, getting him a lane to drive and finish a reverse layup, then falling on the way down.
After 586 days… KYRIE. IS. BACK.
He led the @dallasmavs in scoring with 17 points in 22 minutes to help Dallas secure the Game 2 victory at the NBA China Games 2026 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yhaPrN9knv
It was as though Irving wanted to send a specific message immediately. As though he wanted to prevent anyone from saying “yeah, but he didn’t…” In that one play, Irving showed he still has the handle, still has a quick first step and can change direction, still can take it amongst the trees and still can get lift for a crafty finish close to the rim. From there, he showed just about everything else, including a shot-clock beating three-ball from well beyond the arc.
Although there may be some days off on back-to-backs and there will surely be the less impressive games that every player experiences, Irving left little to debate about whether or not he is back. If that painfully early (local time) game showed us anything, it’s that he most definitely is back. Irving finished 6-of-13, including 2-of-6 from deep and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. He also had two rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers in 22 minutes.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox in game four of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second time in three years and seventh time in my lifetime, the Cleveland Guardians are in the American League Championship series. This time, they face off against fellow, small-market, analytics-darling the Tampa Bay Rays.
During the 2026 season, the Rays were fifth in MLB at 104 wRC+, ninth in baserunning runs above average at +4.7, 13th in Defense at -12.6, third in starting pitcher ERA at 3.51 (3.79 FIP), and 14th in bullpen ERA at 3.99 (4.35 FIP).
During the 2026 season, the Guardians were a different team after the trade deadline offensively, so I want to provide their wRC+ from August 4th on. The rest of the numbers reflect the full season. So, after the MLB trade deadline, the Guardians were sixth in MLB at 106 wRC+, for the full season, eight in baserunning runs above average at +5.1, ninth in Defense at -7.3, ninth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.93 (3.89 FIP), and sixth in bullpen ERA 3.54 (3.70 FIP).
Looking at the numbers on paper, if you trust the Guardians are more of the offense they have been since making significant trade deadline additions, these teams are fairly evenly matched. The separator is superlative Tampa Bay Rays starting pitching… and, if you have watched these teams throughout the season, you know that the Rays consistently do ALL the little things to win baseball games. The Guardians often do these things… but definitely not as consistently and relentlessly as Tampa Bay has done. With that said, we will see how these dynamics play out in front of us shortly.
Keys to the ALCS for the Guardians
Leverage Your Lefties: The Rays were the 26th best offense against LHP in 2026 with a 90 wRC+ (the Guardians had a 91 wRC+, so… this is a mutual issue). They were fourth best against RHP at 110 wRC+. So, Stephen Vogt will likely need to maximize his left-handed pitchers value by putting them in position to neutralize Tampa’s offensive threats. Expect some heavy doses of Foster Griffin (game one starter), Joey Cantillo, Tim Herrin and Erik Sabrowski whenever they are available. Junior Caminero at 152 wRC+, Victor Mesa, Jr. 146 wRC+, Ryan Vilade 126 wRC+, and Yandy Diaz 114 wRC+ are the primary threats on Tampa’s roster, so working around them (whether with walks or pitching changes) will be crucial to making this plan effective.
Manage Martinez: Angel Martinez had a nightmare ALDS going 0 for 15 with 8 strikeouts. Yet, he had a 152 wRC+ from August 1st onwards and led the team in homers. I suspect the Guardians probably are not going to win the ALCS without Martinez figuring something out. Does seeing how his team managed to win a playoff series without him hitting help him take a breath and stop chasing everything? Might manager Stephen Vogt start Petey Halpin vs. RHP from the Rays? Should he? Figuring out the role Martinez should play in the series ahead will likely prove critical to enhancing the team’s chances to shock the world.
Pounce on the Pen: Aside from not being great against left-handed pitching, the Rays’ other weakness is their bullpen aside from closer Bryan Baker. Now, Baker doesn’t strike out a TON of hitters (9 per 9) and his expected numbers don’t back up his 1.44 ERA from the season… but guys just don’t square him up, and, when they do, they seemingly hit it right at someone. Can the Guardians force the excellent Tampa Bay Rays starters to throw a lot of pitches and get into the bullpen earlier? They’ll have to foul off a lot of pitches to do so because the Rays are strike-throwers and unlikely to issue many walks. If Cleveland can find their way to some BABIP-led hits, some opportunistic home run swings, and some lengthy foul-ball led AB’s, they SHOULD be able to capitalize on a less than ideal Rays’ relief corps.
Resist Revenge: The Guardians eliminated the Rays in the 2022 wildcard series, after the Rays eliminated them in the one-game wildcard playoff in 2013, so this is a rubber match, of sorts. However, the revenge factor goes much deeper, as I’m sure we are all aware and as will be absolutely drilled into our heads by national broadcasters looking for narratives. The Guardians traded Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero to the Rays, and Richie Palacios is a prominent former Cleveland ballplayer, also. Shawn Armstrong and Nathaniel Lowe have played for the Rays… but more prominently, Guardians’ skipper Stephen Vogt was drafted and eventually cut by the Rays. I don’t think MLB teams, as a whole, think about this aspect of the game a lot, but individual players certainly do. I am sure Diaz, Caminero and Palacios would like to place an exclamation point on Cleveland’s decision to move on from each of them, and it will be up to the Guardians’ pitching staff to neutralize all narrative attempts in that direction.
Hold on to Hot Hosey: Jose Ramirez ended the ALDS with a 211 wRC+. If he is feeling good and able to sustain something like this as a hitter, that has the potential to upend this series. However, don’t expect the Rays to spend much time pitching to Hosey if he’s still seeing the ball this well. They will begin to pitch around him/intentionally walk him quickly, which will make it so the rest of the Guardians’ hitters need to come through. Speaking of that…
DeLauter Finds De Lift: After being clearly the Guardians’ best hitter in the 2026 season, DeLauter had a suboptimal ALDS with a 53 wRC+, not taking a walk and running a groundball of 60%. I would guarantee the Guardians will need more from Chase to have a good series this time to be able to go to the World Series. He needs to be a little more patient and find a way to lift some balls off of the infield. He’s more than capable of doing it, but a balky wrist issue may be playing a factor at this point. DeLauter is my key player to watch this series for the Guardians.
Messick Meets Moment: Obviously, the Guardians need Gavin Williams and Cade Smith to continue to be great. But, they somehow managed to beat the White Sox with their best pitcher in 2026, Parker Messick, underperforming. Was Messick off because of how well Chicago knew him? Is he tiring after surpassing career highs in innings pitched? We are about to find out the answers to this question, and Messick will have to return to something closer to his regular season top-3 Cy Young-award finisher form for the Guardians to have a good shot at making the seventh World Series in the history of the franchise.
Unstoppable Force Budges Immovable Object: The Guardians’ pitchers strikeout a TON of hitters, third best in MLB at 9.58 batters per 9 innings. The Rays have the lowest strikeout rate in MLB of 7 batters per 9 innings. Something’s gotta give. Even if the Guardians manage to find some strikeouts, they will need to play excellent defense to compensate for the huge reduction in whiffs their pitchers will get this series as compared to the matchups against the free-swinging White Sox.
Likely Pitching Matchups (All subject to change, to openers, to weather in Cleveland, etc):
Game One, Monday, 8PM ET, @Tampa Bay: Drew Rasmussen, RHP 2.67 ERA (2.81 FIP) vs. Foster Griffin, LHP 3.60 ERA (3.96 FIP) Game Two, Tuesday, 8PM ET, @Tampa Bay: Freddy Peralta, RHP 3.25 ERA (3.93 FIP) vs. Parker Messick, LHP 2.56 ERA (3.07 FIP) Game Three, Thursday, 6PM ET, @Cleveland: Gavin Williams, RHP 3.76 ERA (3.47 FIP) vs. Nick Martinez, RHP 3.10 ERA (3.96 FIP) Game Four, Friday, 6PM ET, @Cleveland: Joey Cantillo, LHP 3.62 ERA (3.98 FIP) vs. Griffin Jax, RHP 3.53 ERA (3.76 FIP) *Game Five, Saturday, 8PM ET, @Cleveland: Rasmussen vs. Griffin *Game Six, Monday, 5PM ET, @Tampa Bay: Peralta vs. Messick *Game Seven, Tuesday, 5PM ET, @Tampa Bay: Williams vs. Martinez
*if necessary
The Rays in 2026 were led Junior Caminero 142 wRC+, Liam Hicks 130 wRC+, Victor Mesa, Jr. 128 wRC+, Yandy Diaz 125 wRC+, and Jonathan Aranda 123 wRC+.
The Guardians in 2026 were led by Chase DeLauter 131 wRC+, Steven Kwan 114 wRC+, Travis Bazzana 110 wRC+, Angel Martinez 108 wRC+ and Nathaniel Lowe 107 wRC+.
The Guardians will need to be incredibly crisp about their execution in pitching, in plate discipline, in defense, and in baserunning to have a shot of hanging with the Rays. Blink in ANY of those areas, and this will be a very quick playoff appearance. It feels amazing to have this opportunity, but you are never guaranteed another shot. It’s crucial for the Guardians to find a way to take advantage of the moment in front of them and fight their way to a shot a title. It is feasible they do so, and that’s all you can ask.
Glossary: wRC+ is a measure of overall run production where 100 is league average, adjusted for ballpark effects. Defense measures a team’s overall run value above average in fielding. FIP looks at ERA independent from a team’s fielding abilities.
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 12: Josh Donaldson #20 and Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate the 8-4 win against the Texas Rangers in game four of the American League Division Series at Globe Life Park in Arlington on October 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Memorable Blue Jays Playoff Moments
11 Years Ago
Eleven years ago, the Blue Jays triumphed in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Rangers.
After dropping the first two games of the series, the Jays faced a daunting challenge. Yet, they responded with a decisive 8-4 victory, scoring early and often.
From the recap:
It started perfectly. Ben Revere put down an excellent bunt single, and Josh Donaldson followed with a home run. Then a Chris Colabello home run put us up 3-0 before the Rangers had their first at-bat.
Second inning: Kevin Pillar hits a solo homer.
Third inning: Donaldson walks, Jose Bautista doubled followed by an Edwin Encarnacion ground out (Bautista tried to go second to third, but Elvis Andrus decoyed him and got him at third), scoring Josh. Colabello doubled, bringing home another. A Russell Martin walk and a Pillar single were up 7-1.
One more run in the seventh got us to 8.
A bit of controversy emerged as R.A. Dickey pitched 4.2 innings, surrendering 5 hits, no walks, 3 strikeouts, and just one earned run. Despite a manageable pitch count of 78, manager John Gibbons removed him just one out shy of qualifying for a playoff win. It seemed strange to take the win away from R.A.
Gibbons brought in David Price, despite Price’s postseason struggles—he had allowed 5 runs in 7 innings in Game 1. Price had posted a stellar 9-1 record with a 2.30 ERA since joining the Jays at the trade deadline.
With only Game 5 remaining, and assuming the Jays would win, Gibbons had already chosen Marcus Stroman to start the finale. Perhaps he wanted to avoid any controversy regarding that decision.
Personally, I would have preferred Price to be available in the bullpen for Game 5, in case Stroman struggled. Dickey deserved the chance to earn the win, and it seemed unnecessary to use Price when Dickey could have pitched deeper, keeping the bullpen rested for the deciding game.
The win set up a very interesting game five.
34 Years ago
The Jays clinched Game 6 of the ALCS, advancing to the World Series for the second consecutive year with a 6-3 victory over the White Sox.
Dave Stewart delivered 7.1 strong innings, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts. Duane Ward secured the save, surrendering a solo home run over 1.2 innings and striking out three.
On the offensive side:
Devon White went 3-for-5, capping the game with a ninth-inning home run. Paul Molitor contributed by going 1-for-3 with a walk and a triple, driving in two in the ninth—a key three-run inning, especially after Ward allowed a home run in the bottom half. Pat Borders added a 2-for-4 performance with three RBIs, highlighted by a two-run single in the second and an RBI ground out in the fourth.
The Jays would go on to defeat the Phillies in the World Series.
The first Test of this highly-anticipated series between Australia and South Africa is set to go the way of the visitors following another dominant day in Durban.
The Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday, but defenseman Lane Hutson spent time on the Bell Centre ice. He wasn’t working on his game solo; he was there for the NHL First Shift program.
The NHL/NHLPA First Shift program is aimed at children ages 6 to 10 who have never played minor hockey in Canada or participated in the First Shift program. It aims to make hockey fun, accessible, safe and affordable.
On Sunday, two groups of children spent 60 minutes skating on the Bell Centre ice. Participants thought they were skating on the Bell Centre ice; they had no idea Hutson was joining tham. Of course, Youppi! was also present; you cannot have a kids’ activity without the Canadiens’ mascot.
Abi Leard’s 9-year-old daughter, Aria, took part in the second 60-minute slot and was delighted to see the star defenseman join them on the ice. The youngster was so impressed that she couldn’t stop talking about the experience long after it ended, and she was getting ready for a show-and-tell on Tuesday.
9-year-old Aria had a fantastic time. Photo credit: Abi Leard
Hutson was generous with his time, skating along, chatting with the kids, and posing for several pictures with the young participant. It’s great to see the defenseman so invested in the community and embracing Montreal. While some American players are looking for a way out of Canada, Hutson signed an eight-year deal to remain in Montreal and has been a joy to have in town.
During the Canadiens’ Christmas break last season, Hutson also surprised fans at a Bleu, Blanc, Bouge outside rink and played shinny hockey with those who were there, even recruiting Ivan Demidov to join him the second time he went. These young players are absolute gems in a market and fully understand how important hockey is in Montreal and how much fans love the game.
Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray is set to become a free agent after a sensational debut season with Boston. The soon-to-be 37-year-old led MLB with 18 wins while compiling a 2.72 ERA and 1.148 WHIP across 29 starts.
Gray was the Red Sox’ de facto ace while Garrett Crochet missed most of the 2026 campaign due to injury. Without him, the projected 2027 rotation looks something like this:
Garrett Crochet, LHP
Payton Tolle, LHP
Ranger Suarez, LHP
Brayan Bello, RHP
Jake Bennett, LHP
Not too shabby, but extremely left-handed-heavy. Plus, Bello was astoundingly bad as a starter this year with a 7.18 ERA over 11 outings.
So, who could potentially replace Gray in the Red Sox rotation next season? Here are a handful of intriguing right-handers expected to hit the open market this winter:
Michael King
2026 stats: 12-10, 3.21 ERA, 1.178 WHIP, 159 SO, 70 BB, 185 IP (32 starts with San Diego Padres)
Age: 32
King bounced back from an injury-plagued 2025 with a stellar 2026 for San Diego. As a result, he’ll likely be one of the pricier free-agent pitchers this offseason.
That shouldn’t dissuade the Red Sox from pursuing the New England native and Boston College alum. King is as consistent as they come when healthy, and if he declines his $28 million option for 2027, he’d be an exceptional addition to the middle of Boston’s already-strong rotation.
2026 stats: 9-12, 4.51 ERA, 1.272 WHIP, 184 SO, 47 BB, 177.2 IP (23 starts with Toronto Blue Jays, nine starts with Chicago Cubs)
Age: 36
Gausman is coming off a down season during which he was traded from Toronto to Chicago before the deadline. It was the first time since 2019 that the veteran finished a season with an ERA above 4.00.
That makes Gausman primed for a bounce-back campaign at 36 years old, just like Gray was upon being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals last winter. Even if Gausman can’t put up Cy Young-caliber numbers like Gray, he can be counted on to post. He has made at least 31 starts in each of his last six seasons.
Kevin Gausman has 10 strikeouts against the A's tonight which is a Blue Jays Opening Day record
2026 stats: 15-6, 3.10 ERA, 1.094 WHIP, 109 SO, 26 BB, 180 IP (31 starts with Tampa Bay Rays)
Age: 36
After a rocky 2025 with Cincinnati, Martinez returned to form with a career year for the Rays. The nine-year veteran pitched exclusively as a starter for the first time in his career and blew away expectations while earning his first All-Star nod.
Martinez has a $20 million mutual option with the Rays for 2027, but mutual options are rarely picked up. He should be near the top of Boston’s wish list if he’s available.
Nick Martinez throws a nasty front door sinker for the strikeout.
2026 stats: 6-10, 4.32 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, 110 SO, 38 BB, 131.1 IP (16 starts with Detroit Tigers, 10 starts with Padres)
Age: 30
The 2026 season was a mixed bag for Mize. A first-time All-Star in 2025, he looked even better with the Tigers this year, posting a 2.70 ERA over 16 starts.
His strong start made him a valuable trade chip for Detroit, and he was shipped to the Padres for two prospects, including left-hander Kash Mayfield, San Diego’s No. 2-ranked prospect.
Mize struggled mightily with the Padres, posting a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts. That raises obvious concerns as the former No. 1 overall draft pick enters free agency, but the upside he showed with Detroit makes him an intriguing option for the back end of Boston’s rotation.
2026 stats: 10-11, 4.42 ERA, 1.325 WHIP, 156 SO, 63 BB, 169 IP (22 starts with New York Mets, 10 starts with Rays)
Age: 31
The former Milwaukee Brewers star struggled in Queens, but nothing really went right for the Mets in 2026. With the Rays, Peralta looked much more like his All-Star self, sporting a 3.25 ERA and 1.012 WHIP across 10 starts.
If you believe Peralta’s midseason turnaround with Tampa wasn’t a mirage, picking him as Gray’s replacement is a no-brainer. His track record in his nine years in the league speaks for itself.
The sale raised plenty of questions at the time, some of which have since been answered. There was at least one outstanding question, though: Did the value of the Lakers really increase by $2.5 billion in only one year?
As it turns out, the answer to that question indeed may be yes.
On Friday, Sportico put out its latest batch of NBA franchise valuations. The Lakers landed at exactly $12.5 billion, which put them behind only the Golden State Warriors ($14.5 billion) and New York Knicks ($12.8 billion). For now, those three are the only NBA teams worth at least $10 billion, although the upcoming Las Vegas expansion team figures to change that.
It might seem like a no-brainer that the Lakers are valued at $12.5 billion since they were just sold at a $12 billion valuation. But the notable takeaway from Sportico’s latest projections is how much valuations are on the rise across the entire NBA, not just L.A. Each of the 10 most valuable teams jumped by at least 20% year-over-year.
That’s particularly noteworthy given what happened amidst the Lakers’ latest sale. While Walter, Iger, Kushner and the Buss family have dominated the headlines, minority owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, who owns 4% of the team, isn’t going anywhere.
Chuck “Tiger” Kenworthy, the Soon-Shiong family attorney, told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times that Soon-Shiong believes “they are still undervalued.” To that point, Iger and Kushner have been telling prospective investors that the Lakers could be worth $30 billion within the next decade, according to Jessica Toonkel and Mark Maurer of the Wall Street Journal. That projection is built on the assumption that “TV and streaming rights double in value,” Toonkel and Maurer added.
Turmoil with regional sports networks has roiled the NBA’s financial ecosystem in recent years. The league is considering creating a “local League Pass subscription,” according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has already gone on record as being interested in that.
The question is whether the “Line Always Goes Up” strategy is sustainable moving forward, particularly with cost-of-living concerns rapidly increasing these days.
With cord-cutting on the rise and more streamers wanting a piece of the live-sports business, the NBA and other major sports have begun splitting their broadcast rights between more partners. That means more revenue for the league — the latest national TV deal tripled the value of the previous one — but it’s not exactly a consumer-friendly strategy, to say the least. (Unless, of course, you enjoy looking online and/or asking your AI agent to figure out where to watch your favorite team’s playoff games.)
How many ways can the NBA divvy up their broadcast rights before fans start tuning out? How many streaming services will fans have to subscribe to? What’s the limit?
Granted, those inside the industry don’t appear particularly concerned about whether franchise valuations are a multi-billion-dollar bubble.
“There’s nothing magical going on,” Zach Baran, the managing director of Arctos Partners (a private equity fund that purchases stakes in sports teams), told Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen in September 2025. “It’s perfectly explainable by fundamentals and in the context of the rest of the financial market.”
Irwin Kishner, the co-chair of Herrick Feinstein LLP’s sports-law division, told Tania Ganguli of the New York Times earlier this year that he was “absolutely convinced that we have not reached anything close to a ceiling.” Live sports may be insulated from the impact of artificial intelligence, which could only further bolster the NBA’s financial standing. The NBA has also opened the door to sovereign wealth funds buying pieces of franchises, which in turn has driven valuations even higher.
So, while the $12.5 billion that Iger and Kushner ponied up was an eye-popping, record-breaking price, it might wind up being a steal of a deal in a few years… as long as we aren’t nearing the end of a franchise-valuation bubble after all.
But it’s catcher Will Smith who has been the team’s biggest offensive problem so far this postseason.
In a 2–1 loss to the Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday night, the perennial All-Star’s recent struggles finally came into sharper, harsher focus.
Dodgers catcher Will Smith has been the team’s biggest offensive problem so far this postseason. Getty Images
He went hitless for the fourth time in five games in these playoffs. He bounced into a double play –– the first of three for the Dodgers on the night –– that killed a potential first-inning rally against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.
On the bright side, he drew a walk and didn’t strike out (something he had done seven times in the last three games).
However, the veteran slugger is now a glaring 1-for-19 in this year’s playoffs –– prompting manager Dave Roberts to be asked whether the 31-year-old needs to be dropped from the No. 3 spot of the batting order.
His answer was somewhat of a surprise.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked whether Smith needs to be dropped from the No. 3 spot of the batting order.. AP Photo/Kyla Wolf
“It’s a fair question,” Roberts acknowledged. “But right now, I still like him at the top of the order.”
The numbers, even in a small postseason sample, tell a different story to this point, with Teoscar Hernández and maybe even Andy Pages playing like better options for such a crucial part of the lineup.
Hernández had two hits Sunday, raising his postseason average to .250. Pages drove in the Dodgers’ only run, and is now 5-for-11 with three RBIs in the last three games.
Smith seems to have lost the swing that helped him hit .354 over his last 16 regular seasons. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
He was not in the Dodgers’ clubhouse postgame during the period that was open to reporters.
“He’s not swinging the bat well,” Roberts acknowledged. “It’s just, it’s hard because the body of work. He just has that knack to get a hit –– to get a big hit.”
Indeed, no one (other than maybe Miguel Rojas) had a bigger hit for the Dodgers last October, when Smith belted a go-ahead, championship-deciding home run in extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series.
It’s part of the reason why the Dodgers aren’t even considering potentially taking him out of the lineup now, either.
“That’s just not going to happen,” Roberts said definitively while batting away that possibility.
A drop in the batting order, on the other hand, could (and probably should) be under consideration. In what figures to be a low-scoring, tightly contested NLCS, the team can only afford a black hole from the three-spot for so much longer.
And five games in, the gravity of his slump is weighing on the team.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 06: Boston Celtics lead owner Bill Chisholm speaks during a media availability at The Auerbach Center on July 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Celtics franchise is valued at $8 billion, making it the 7th-highest-valued franchise in the NBA, per Sportico’s latest analysis. That trails the Golden State Warriors ($14.5 billion), New York Knicks ($12.8 billion), Los Angeles Lakers ($12.5 billion), Los Angeles Clippers ($8.2 billion), Chicago Bulls ($8.1 billion), and Miami Heat ($8.05 billion).
For reference, the Celtics were the 5th-highest-valued franchise in 2025 and the 6th-highest-valued franchise in 2024, so this valuation marks a slight downturn.
Trailing the Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets ($7.45 billion), Philadelphia 76ers ($7.15 billion), Houston Rockets ($6.9 billion), and Toronto Raptors ($6.5 billion) round out the Top 10.
The average NBA team is worth $6.64 billion, according to data compiled by Sportico. The Golden State Warriors rank first at $14.5 billion, while the Memphis Grizzlies rank last at $4.2 billion
The Celtics were sold at a $6.1 billion valuation in 2025, so in just the last year and a half, the value has ballooned. But it’s nonetheless noteworthy to see other, less successful franchises top the list of NBA valuations.
One major reason the Celtics are not valued higher is that they do not own TD Garden or control its in-arena operations, hospitality, and luxury suite revenue, as most teams ahead of them do. The ownership groups of the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Bulls all own their arenas.
Will the Celtics build their own arena?
During an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” in August, Chisholm was asked whether the Celtics needed a new arena to remain financially competitive with other franchises.
“No, but I do think we need to have an arena that is consistent with the quality and the excellence of the Celtics. We need to create the best fan and player experience we can,” he said.
The Celtics have played at TD Garden since 1995, when it first opened as the FleetCenter. The building is owned by Delaware North, which also owns and operates the Boston Bruins.
“I think we’ve got a really good partner right now on that front and we’ve got a really good location,” Chisholm said. “So making sure that we’re all aligned on that objective, which is creating the best fan and player experience possible and make sure we don’t lose focus on what really matters, which is putting up banners.”
Chisholm has previously expressed a preference for the team to remain in the Garden, the 7th-oldest arena in the NBA.
“My starting point is if we can make it work, we’d love to stay where we are,” Chisholm told the Boston Globe in April. “And making it work means improving the fan experience and the player experience. If we can do those things and remain where we are now, that’s great.”
“And if that doesn’t work there, we’ll think about other places. But my goal here is to see if we ideally make it work where we are, and I think there’s a commitment with us, with the Bruins and Delaware North, with all of that. That’s where we want to end up, and we’re working on it as we speak.”
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 10: Slade Cecconi #44 and Angel Genao #17 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Chicago White Sox in Game Five of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Guardians have announced their roster for the ALCS, making one change from the 26 guys they brought to the ALDS.
The Guardians have swapped right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi on to the roster for the longer ALCS (with more back-to-back games) and left utility man Daniel Schneemann off the roster.
There was some speculation about if Tanner Bibee would make the roster, but he’s still here after a ROUGH end to the season and terrible brief outing in game four of the ALDS. I don’t think there was a clearly better option for Bibee’s spot, but we will see what kind of exposure Stephen Vogt allows Bibee and unused Matt Festa and Cecconi to see for the series ahead.
Again, I would have liked to see the Guardians take a shot at getting some left-handed bench thump for this series (from Kyle Manzardo or Cooper Ingle, given Ralphy Velazquez is probably not an option at this point), but, hey, they just won a playoff series, so I have to trust their plan for the moment. Just feels like it would be nice to have one more home-run threat to help in potential pinch-hitting spots.
It will be important, given the length of this series and the lack of convenient off-days, for Vogt to use almost all of his 14 pitchers. Finding the right spots to let Cecconi, Festa and Bibee have a chance to contribute may become a crucial part of the Guardians’ chance at upsetting the Rays in the days ahead.
This past Saturday, the shorthanded Sixers got blown out by the Boston Celtics’ regulars in a preseason game. It was the first of two preseason meetings between the two teams as Philadelphia will host the Celtics this coming Friday in the preseason finale.
By now, it’s well known by sports fans everywhere that the Sixers and Celtics made the biggest trade of the NBA’s offseason this past summer in a move that saw Jaylen Brown go from Boston to Philadelphia and Paul George go the other way. Fans are understandably excited about what Brown can do as a Sixer, but we wanted to take a moment to think about George and how fans feel about him.
The former Sixer was the team’s marquee offseason acquisition just two years ago in the summer of 2024. By almost every objective measure, his two years in Philadelphia were a failure and Sixers fans united in their jubilation not only to bring in Brown, but to wash their hands of the final two years of George’s massive contract. But, in case you missed it after Saturday’s preseason game and got caught up in more losing from the Eagles and Flyers on Sunday, George had this to say about his time in Philadelphia.
Paul George on the #Sixers: “I love those guys…Jo, Tyrese, VJ, JE. I think these long-lasting relationships that you build along the way of this journey here. VJ calls me almost every other week.” pic.twitter.com/nDwpZrPCYd
It did make me wonder, how is George going to be received when he plays a regular season game in Philadelphia in 2026-27 in front of a capacity crowd? Was George merely the biggest source of frustration for fans when it came to the job former President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was doing or did fans truly dislike George? It certainly seems like George left Philadelphia on good terms with lots of the players in the organization.
Most fans knew Morey was rolling the dice when he unloaded the cap space that had been vacated by the expiration of the Tobias Harris contract and used it all on an aging George. Availability had been a concern for George before he arrived in Philadelphia, so the fact that he wasn’t always in the lineup shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Granted, his performance certainly dipped as well, but George did likely rebuild some of his trade value with a strong postseason this past spring.
As we prepare for the start of another season, George is gone and more importantly in the eyes of many Sixers fans, so is Morey. We’ll see if the Celtics can contend at a high level in 2026-27, but it feels like most Sixers fans have shifted their attention to the Knicks as the team’s biggest rival with both teams likely vying for the Eastern Conference championship this season.
Make no mistake, any Sixers fan that boos George this season when the Celtics come to town would certainly have every right to do so. George’s first season in Philadelphia was a disaster and his second season wasn’t much better until the playoffs. There was a lot more bad than good. But time heals all wounds and with what’s transpired over the last 5-6 months, dating back to some of those good playoff performances from George while he was still in a Sixers uniform, George’s lasting memory in Philadelphia was something we were thinking about.
He’s certainly not going to get any kind of standing ovation this season and we’re not suggesting that either. But Sixers fans, is this someone you’re going to boo vociferously this season or is he just another former Sixer whose tenure in Philadelphia maybe wasn’t as good as you had hoped it would be?
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 5: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves moves the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks during a preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last week I chose roles and a grading curriculum for the Minnesota starting group. Today, it’s the bench’s turn. Before diving into the individual players, I want to introduce one other stat that will be part of this season-long project: Estimated Plus/Minus (EPM).
You can read about the nitty gritty of EPM here, but I’d offer this big picture overview: EPM is a statistical calculation that looks at a player’s past, their current performance, and most importantly, the context of their plus/minus (game situation, players they shared the court with, etc…) in an attempt navigate all the variables that go into a +10 or -10 night on a basketball court.
As the season goes along, I’ll be tracking the trends of different players in each of the three main EPM categories: Offensive Estimated Plus/Minus, Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus and Total Estimated Plus/Minus. Here are where the numbers stand as we enter the season:
A few standout points:
Holy LaMelo. He is an EPM darling with the 3rd best offensive EPM in the league and 7th best overall EPM behind:
Victory Wembanyama: 7.8
Nikola Jokić: 7.3
Kawhi Leonard: 7.3
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 7.0
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 6.7
Luka Dončić: 6.4
It’s easy to forget how good Donte DiVincenzo was last season and how much of a boon his return will be.
Edwards had a pretty precipitous dropoff from previous seasons where he was the top EPM player on the team. With this roster being built more for him, I’d expect his number to climb back up above 3.0.
Kuminga’s defensive EPM really skyrocketed during his Atlanta stint and enters the season as the third-ranked defensive player in the group. His offense… well, safe to say there is a lot of room for improvement!
The bench minutes distribution will be fascinating to watch with Ayo Dosunmu’s role being the only one that feels set in stone – EPM numbers are making a strong argument for Bones.
That’s it for now with EPM, let’s get to the bench unit’s report card preview!
A reminder about how the grades work:
1. These grades are roles-based, so the stats I’m looking at for each player are different and meant to highlight their team role.
2. Roles on the team can change as the roster and playing time changes—I will alter or add statistical categories throughout the season as needed. Especially in a preseason article, the expectation is that some of these initial stats will change as we get to know the team better.
3. The grade ranges and their correlation to stats are educated speculation based on previous career averages, team role, and minutes expectation. Like the categories themselves, if there is a range that is clearly missing the eye test, expect some tweaks as the season goes along.
4. The season is divided into four quarters; twenty to twenty-one game increments. There will be a mid quarter update (10ish games), quarter, semester and final grades throughout the regular season and series grades in the playoffs.
Ayo Dosunmo: The “As You Wish” Bench Superstar
The Stats: Player Impact Estimate, Points Per Shot Attempt, Overall Estimated Plus/Minus
The Why Behind Them: “Hey Ayo, the offense started a little sluggish, could you come in and help us push it in transition and get some easy buckets?”
“As you wish.”
“Hey Ayo, Jaden is in foul trouble, could you come in and spend the rest of the first half as the primary matchup for the opponent’s best perimeter player?”
“As you wish.”
“Hey Ayo, the other team has a much bigger lineup than us and we could really use help boxing out and rebounding from our perimeter guys – could you focus on that?”
“As you wish.”
The role for Ayo Dosunmo really cemented in my mind during Monday’s preseason game when the backup unit was struggling to rebound, leading to Coach Chris Finch calling a timeout. Out of the timeout, everyone’s box-out effort increased, but the player who was noticeably around/going after every missed shot was Ayo Dosunmo.
Ayo’s expansive skillset as a ready short- or long-term sub for any of the Wolves’ starters (sans Rudy Gobert) is going to be invaluable to this team this season. Foul trouble, rest nights, and injuries will impact this franchise so much less because of Dosunmo’s ability to come in and fill the need for the night.
It is this ability that makes choosing stats to track a little bit more difficult. I’ve settled on Player Impact Estimate (PIE), Points Per Shot Attempt and Overall Estimated Plus/Minus.
Last season, Dosunmo ranked 4th on the team in PIE, behind Edwards, Gobert and Randle. In the playoffs, despite a San Antonio series that really hurt everyone’s numbers, Dosunmo was the best player on the team for guys that played in both series (Donte DiVincenzo was #1 overall but didn’t get hit with the San Antonio blowout tax).
Ayo has always been an efficient scorer, but it wasn’t until I looked closing at his Points Per Shot Attempt (PSA) that I realized how good his last season was: In 45 games with Chicago, he was a 96th percentile efficient scorer (128.6), and in Minnesota, he was in the 91st percentile (124.5). This is a player who knows what parts of his game he excels at and finds ways to lean into them while he’s on the court.
The last stat was probably his least encouraging number: Estimated Plus/Minus. His overall EPM last season was that of a middle of the road player, but that feels like a number that’s been pretty damaged due to seasons playing on some bad Chicago teams. I expect this season to be a bit of a market correction for Dosunmo as that number better reflects the quality of player that he is.
Joan Beringer: “Schrödinger’s Prospect”
The Stats: Minutes Per Game, Offensive Rebounds Per 36, Blocks Per 36
The Why Behind Them: Since Joan Beringer was drafted, all us fans have heard are tantalizing nuggets of information about how much the team loves him, his work ethic, and the flashes they see of a future player he could become. To this point, we’ve seen enough glimpses that make us feel very similarly to an accursed bog witch. But the problem is that it all has been short glimpses, theoretical growth, and projected roles.
It is finally time to set all of that aside, lift open the lid of the box, and finally discover what kind of prospect this franchise has.
There is a reason Beringer is second on this list: After Ayo Donsunmo, he has the most clearly defined role. The Timberwolves will be employing a Frenchman tandem on the center position, and pending foul trouble, (a fair concern) their ideal plan is for their two Eiffel Towers to handle all of the minutes at the center position.
The first and most important stat for Beringer? Minutes per game. I’m choosing this over a fouling statistic because it will prove two things: His fouling isn’t prohibitive to his playing time (cause he will foul!) and his production matches that of an NBA rotation player on a contending team.
The other two are zooming in on two skills that have already flashed in limited playing time: Offensive rebounds and blocks per 36 minutes. For players that played in at least 40 games last season (Beringer’s number), he finished 5th in the league in blocks per 36 and 13th in offensive rebounds. These are the tantalizing glimpses that we’ve seen in limited playing time that if proven to be correct, we’ll have opened the box to find the prospect was alive and thriving all the time.
Terrance Shannon Jr.: The “Left-Handed Falcon Punch”
The Stats: Free Throws Per 36, Field Goat Percentage Under 5ft, Defensive EPM
The Why Behind Them: My Super Smash playing days peaked in 1999 when I was an unstoppable flying force flying through the air with Pikachu, using a spinning quick attack in tandem with a thunderbolt. But you want to know the player that was always my nemesis? Captain Friggin Falcon.
My far superior (and honestly, more noble) strategy didn’t matter since all Falcon had to do was just spam that “B” button over and over again, inducing his fiery punch of instant death. Cue all my best laid plans laid to waste with the words that still echo in my nightmares: “Falcon PUUUUNCH!!”
In the offseason, Canis’ Thilo Widder wrote a great piece about TJ Shannon’s role and biggest value potentially being as a trade piece. Whether he’s here longterm or is being showcased for trade value, his path to success is clear: Spam that “B” button superpower.
From a defensive standpoint, there would be nothing more frustrating than game planning for LaMelo-Ant pick and rolls, lob threats to the bigs and wings, and just when you think you can take a deep breath, here comes the fiery stick-of-dynamite-like attack of the wing from Illinois, not letting your defenders catch their breath for a moment.
So that’s where I’m starting with Shannon Jr. His first two stats are all about relentless aggression on offense. In the post-season, he averaged 2.7 free throws attempted (FTA) per game in a twenty-two minute per game role – a decent chunk of that coming during Edwards’ injury stretch. Last season he took 1.7 FTAs during the regular season, so the number finds itself in the middle with the context of a healthy Anthony Edwards and a coaching staff that has zeroed in on his ideal role.
The second stat is based on this little known quirk about TJ Shannon’s offensive game: He likes to finish at the basket with his left hand. No, I’m serious. Hours of film study has revefaled this heretofore unknown part of his game… and shockingly, only using one hand around the basket led him to having the 2nd worst FG% around the basket on the team, ahead of only 100-year old Mike Conley (miss you Bite Bite!). He just has to be better and the 60% mark would be a big step up from his 52.9% last season.
The final stat I’ll be tracking is about season-long defensive effectiveness and his “A” range falls in the range of a 60th percentile defender, up a decent step from where he finished last year at -1.1 (22nd percentile defender). The advanced regular season stats were not kind to TJ last year – here’s hoping a narrowed offensive role that involves the repeated use of his greatest strength allows him to thrive off the bench this season.
*Additional note after Wednesday’s preseason game: The problem with “B” button spamming is that good coaches will help to prepare their team to be ready for it. Even in a preseason game, it was clear that Indiana defenders knew what Shannon Jr. most wanted to do and were prepared for it which made it a tougher night for the wing from Illinois. This strategy will work against a decent amount of NBA teams, but the best defenses? There is reason to be skeptical.
Bones Hyland: The Vibes Guy
The Stats: Pace and Skelly Cellys
The Why Behind Them: You’ll notice a change in tracked stats for the final stretch of guys here, and that is because the next three players are projected to be more of spot-rotation guys. If I’m wrong and they carve out regular rotation roles, I’ll excitedly add another stat for any of them to reflect the increase. But my guess now is that while these three will see the court, it will be done more based on matchups, foul trouble, or injuries.
To call Bones a vibes guy isn’t meant to diminish his basketball acumen; he had real moments of brilliance in both the regular season and the playoffs. He will have real moments this season as well. However, when the team is fully healthy and clicking on all-cylinders, he’ll have more of a deeper bench role. But when there’s an injury, foul trouble or an “off” energy night, that is going to be his time to thrive.
Stat number one is all about the turbo button. The doldrums of an NBA season are inescapable. Having a deeper rotation player that can offer some of the same things that makes LaMelo’s game so special can make the difference on any given night. Check into a game with the sleepy starting crew, inject some pace, make a logo three and turn to the crown and do your signature celebration. Speaking of…
The last stat is a first for me: A hand-counted celebration/vibe stat. A reminder that those numbers represented are per quarter, but another caveat to add: A “Skelly Celly” stat also carried over to another play hitting and shot and turning to Bones on the bench and throwing the celebration. ALSO a camera shot of Bones on the bench celebrating.
As the only member of the Skelly Celly analytics department, the number that I end up with will be final and ultimate.
Trey Lyles: The Celery
The Stats: 3-Point Percentage and Defensive Rating
The Why Behind Them: The celery role (and another very timely mid-90s reference) isn’t meant to be a dig at Lyles. I mean, Cory Matthews married Topanga afterall! And celery is good for you. It’s full of nutrients, contains lots of water, and can help lower your blood pressure. It’s just… not all that exciting.
Before the Jonathan Kuminga signing, I was ready to make a case for Trey Lyles as a starter and his excellent skillset fit between Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. His 3-point shooting is a real NBA skill and is theoretically better than every other big on the Wolves roster.
The problem is, that may be the only good-to-great NBA skill that Lyles has to offer outside of experience. He deserves time to get his NBA-feet back underneath him, but to go from Europe to a rotation player on an NBA contender is a large ask. He’s got to prove that he can still do it on the defensive end which includes being an effective player at boxing out and ending possessions.
If Lyles can show some improved defensive acumen and physicality on the glass, he has a chance to prove he’s more than just celery: He’s ants on a log.
Jaylen Clark: The Relief Pitcher
The Stats: Steals Per 36 Minutes and Offensive EPM
The Why Behind Them: Confession: There is still a Nickiel Alexander-Walker sized hole in my heart that my gut tells me Jaylen Clark is the most likely candidate to fill. Defensive effort and will is a skill that he has in bunches and one that I will always place a bet on for a long-term prospect. His ideal role on a contending squad is to act like a middle innings reliever – come in for the starter (McDaniels), “pitch” an inning or two guarding the other team’s best player, and sub out with a readiness to come in whenever game situation allows.
His struggles defensively have most to do with seasoning. Knowing when to go off-script and chase a splash play (a block or a steal), and when to calmly move your feet, use your physicality, and stay within the scope of a defensive gameplan. He chases big defensive plays a lot which is fun to watch, but also seems to get him some early hooks to the bench if it leads to being out of position and giving up an easy bucket.
On offense, Clark just needs to be better. Of all the players that saw significant time for the Wolves last season, his -1.8 offensive EPM would rank last on the team and would make him a 22nd percentile offensive player in the league. His cutting is a real skill that should be better utilized with better passers around him, but his longevity on the squad is going to come down to hitting open 3-point shots.
Donte DiVincenzo: The Return of the King
The Stat: Games Played
The Why Behind It: The only expectation that is being placed on our Ginger King is the hope that we get to see him play meaningful basketball. Should he return and prove to be healthy? Well, we’ll start planning for some impactful stats for a playoff run.
Cody Williams: Role Loading…
The Stats: Pending
The Why Behind It: Cody Williams has flashed enough in the first two preseason games that he is a late addition to the projected rotation. These flashes have been a bit of a warning shot to Jaylen Clark believers like myself because if he can come close to matching Clark’s defensive potential, Williams clearly has a much larger offensive bag that includes bits of ball handling and playmaking. The committee is keeping a close eye on the newest young wolf.
And there it is. The report cards are set for the 2026-2027 Timberwolves. I’ll be back after 10 games to offer an update on where these numbers are falling, explain any alterations or tweaks based on early season performance, and have a ton of fun overreacting to small sample size numbers. Happy Wolves season everyone!
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: during Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The promise of a low-scoring game was fulfilled in the NLCS opener, as the Brewers needed only a pair of runs to improve on last postseason’s outcome, having been swept by the Dodgers the last time out. There was plenty of frustration to go around for the Dodgers offensively—especially so considering how effective they were in getting Jacob Misiorowski out of the game early, which ties into the glass-half-full outlook they can take from this loss in what always felt like it was going to be a complicated series.
Through nine innings of Game 1 against the Brewers, the Dodgers offense reached base safely more often than it did in any of the three wins against the Braves in the NLCS. Combining walks and hits, the Dodgers got on base 13 times, including seeing at least one hitter reach base in eight of the nine frames.
This traffic amounted to next to nothing because the issues with runners in scoring position carried over. And unlike in the series against the Braves, the Dodgers’ power was nowhere to be found, as all of their seven hits were singles. Nevertheless, the Dodgers could’ve easily had a better scoring output without power if not for timely double plays that the Brewers relied on to end not one, not two, but three separate innings—most notably getting out of a bases-loaded situation in the second.
As frustrating as this performance might have been, to be this threatening so often against the best the Brewers have to offer could easily be seen as an encouraging sign. Focusing specifically on the power or lack thereof, regardless of how phenomenal the Brewers’ pitching is, this lack of thump was most likely a one-off scenario for an offense that has more than nine hitters capable of punishing a mistake. It’s extremely plausible that the Dodgers’ offense will do more with less before this series is over, maybe as early as Game 2.
Moving on to specifics, with Shohei Ohtani getting his occasional hit here and there, Will Smith has been left holding the bag as the core piece most struggling in this current version of the Dodgers’ offense. Smith was one of the few starting hitters in this game who didn’t record a hit, but he did, however, hit the ball hard in all three of his at-bats with nothing to show for it. The Dodgers’ most disappointing hitter of the regular season, Kyle Tucker, looked locked in, and although he also didn’t record a hit, the quality of the at-bats was impressive—including a couple of walks against Jacob Misiorwoski and Trevor Megill.
Dave Roberts’ respect for the Brewers’ relievers was evident in his lineup construction with a righty/lefty approach one through nine. In that spirit, potential impact off the bench might be key, and there was promise in it as well. Josue De Paula was once again asked to take a key at-bat late in a playoff game and delivered his part. The young outfielder pinch-hit for Kiké Hernández in the ninth with Trevor Megill on the mound, and he helped get the tying run in scoring position by working a two-out walk, ultimately stranded on a Mookie Betts flyout. The ability to rely on a patient hitter of his quality off the bench adds a layer of danger to this offense.
Sep 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Edmundo Sosa (33) celebrates his home run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Every team needs to have a player that isn’t quite a starter, but plays a lot more than a player considered strictly a backup. The official term is “utility player”, but it does feel like there needs to be something more than just that title.
“Not quite starter”
“Almost starter”
Whatever it is, Edmundo Sosa was the embodiment of that job, gathering over 250 plate appearances in each of the past four seasons.
As stated previously, each team needs a player that can fill in most anywhere. After adding outfielder to his resume in 2025, he actually started there the most this year, seeing his name on the lineup card in left field 32 times. Is that a good thing? Not really, but that’s more an indictment on the construction of the roster than anything else.
Sosa did more or less what we have expected him to do all these years he has been here. He’s played a good defense, popped a few home runs, stole a few bases, filled in where necessary.
Right?
What went wrong
Listen, we all know what Sosa is going to do when he goes to the plate. He’s going to swing as hard as possible at any baseball thrown in the vicinity of home plate. His walk rate, even in its meager form, is not a career low for him. He had one a mere tenth of a percentage point lower in 2023, so it’s not unprecedented to see him never take a walk.
It just felt like so much this year, his at bats were not truly productive ones. There would always be the occasional hit that won a game or tied a game in the past, but this year, there weren’t that many “B*tches love Sosa” moments that happened during the season. It was though we expected him to come up short and he didn’t disappoint.
There is even plenty of evidence that Sosa might be the most well liked teammate the team has. He’s just about the perfect player for the role he fills, but there was just a feeling of wanting a little bit more from him in 2026. Each time he was exposed to more playing time, his production fell off. His defense was still fine, but it might be time to confine him to one spot and let that glove flourish.
Final grade: C+
He was just fine, hence the tick above average.
He’s probably going to convince someone to give him a starting job and to be honest, he’s earned it. So long as a team realizes that they are going to get someone whose bat will hover in the 85-95 wRC+ range, his glove should bring enough value that he can bat towards the bottom of a lineup and be productive.
Should his market never really form and the team decides to move on from Alec Bohm, there would be worse things for them to do than give Sosa a shot at starting at third base until Aidan Miller is ready to join the club (assuming he gets to the majors as a third baseman first before he becomes a shortstop).
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 02: Atlanta Braves president, Alex Anthopoulos attends a press conference speaking about Austin Rileys contract extension and recent trades prior to the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on August 2, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are now into the offseason, which means that it’s time for General Manager Alex Anthopoulos to speak with the media and give his thoughts on both the season that was and what’s on the horizon for the team going forward. There’s a lot (and boy, do I mean a lot) to discuss from the time he spent speaking with the local media via Zoom and as you can imagine, things ran the gamut from the usual GM-speak to some general thoughts on the club, all the while giving everybody the slightest chance to do some speculation about the direction that the Braves are going in for the future — whatever the future may hold due to the impending labor war on the horizon.
I did ask AA about what stood out to him about this team relative to the expectations that he had for this ballclub back on Opening Day and his answer kind of ran parallel to what manager Walt Weiss had been saying about his ideal clubhouse.
“I probably started focusing a little bit too much on talent and less on how the pieces would fit. I was pretty determined this offseason to get back to that…We really got back to really focusing on makeup, character, team fit with everybody that we brought in…That’s probably the one thing I’m most proud of.”
“On paper, we obviously have a lot of talented players but I’ve always said that the one thing that you shouldn’t get wrong is the makeup and the character. You do enough work and make enough phone calls, you’re probably not going to make a mistake on that one. Guys might get hurt and may not play well and you’re going to make those mistakes but in terms of knowing who you bring into the room, you should bat 1.000 on that one. Maybe occasionally someone surprises you and they slide under the line [of character expectations].”
“I’m really proud of the fact that when it came to that, we got back to who we were and what we’re about. We’ve talked about the word ‘culture…’ The culture is the players that you put into it….You bring in the right guys, they come together, those 26 each year (because it’s never the same), they set the culture. They set the attitude, they set the vibes. I feel like we were successful in getting back to that and sometimes you have to…continue to evolve and continue to self-reflect. I feel like we got back to that, which was pretty important. It doesn’t mean you’re in a World Series each year but I love what we were about and the way that the group came together.”
AA did mention that he was proud of this Braves club for keeping it close against the Dodgers in the NLDS when he was asked during the press conference about whether or not he had any regrets that he’d take with him to the offseason. “All the games, except for the last one, really through the seventh inning, they were close,” stated AA. “Obviously Game 2 we won, Game 1 we had the tying run at the plate late so they were all close except for the last one. We had some moments (obviously with guys on base) but we were right there. You wanna get the big hit and you wanna score more runs but you also know you’re facing great arms on the other side too. You’re trying to walk the fine line between ‘Should we have done this’ and being able to respect the other side.”
“You can walk through so many things but you also respect the fact that you’re going to face a great team. The series was close and each game (except for the last one where we didn’t really threaten at the end) was close.”
While plenty of the focus in the aftermath of the Postseason has been on the lack of offense near the end, Anthopoulos has chosen to take the long view of things. He repeatedly mentioned that the team finished in the top 10 in batting average (.246, which was tied for 10th with both the Diamondbacks and the Nationals) and slugging (.409, tied for sixth with the Yankees) while also mentioning that some work needed to be done with their on-base percentage, which was certainly below average at .309 and 28th place in all of baseball.
Still, it doesn’t seem like it’s the type of thing where Alex Anthopoulos would be putting pressure on Walt Weiss to potetially make a change at hitting coach. “If we had a good year, I do believe in continuity from a coaching staff,” stated AA when he was asked about his thoughts on Jeremy Hefner and Tim Hyers, specifically. “That’s not to say that you keep everybody for the sake of keeping everybody. If you think you can get better, you need to make adjustments. I haven’t had any conversations with Walt — this will be me and Walt’s first offseason together and there’s no rush on that type of stuff.”
“I think continuity is important for a few reasons. One, new coach comes in, you don’t know them and you don’t get the trust factor immediately,” continued AA. “It takes time. There’s times where you’re willing to do that and wait and obviously we did it this year with a ton of new staff but it takes time,” continued Anthopoulos. “I think there’s upside for guys to continue to get better now that potentially some of them are going into year two. In terms of [Hefner] and [Hyers] again, we were top-3 in the NL in basically everything [pitching-wise]. From an offensive standpoint, we were top-10 in the Majors in a lot of things. Second half of [2025] our on-base was lot better, it’s a lot of the same guys. This past year, on-base was low but we did all these other things well. We obviously have room to get better so I’d say that I think continuity is important…I think eveyrbody did a really good job and I’m pleased with all of them.”
At multiple points during the press conference, AA was grilled about the positions that he’d be going after during the offseason, with one question going as far as to ask Anthopoulos straight-up if they were going into the offseason looking for specifically two starting pitchers and a left fielder. As you would imagine, AA was cagey about it and stayed cagey as other media members continued to push the issue — especially when it came to players who may or may not be available via trade.
“You gotta remember, our players are going to see that stuff. ‘Hey, he only mentioned these 1 or 2 guys. Why didn’t he include me?’ Now I have an agent calling me and a player calling me…There’s zero upside to that. I get the question and I get trying to piece it all together but I will tell you this: We will go into the offseason open-minded about all kinds of stuff,” stated AA. “That’s how you have discussions and that’s how you get creative. THat’s how things go. You never know — I’ve always said that everyone has a price. There’s always a deal even on a player that you’re unlikely or reluctant to ove. At some point, you include guys. I have no idea where those things are going to go but I don’t think we’re in a position to rule anything out. I just don’t believe in doing it.”
AA did go on to mention that the Braves are planning on using their exclusive negotiation rights with both Mauricio Dubón and Tyler Mahle to the best of their ability, so they’re going to give it a good shot when it comes to retaining those two. When it comes to the team options on both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies, AA didn’t commit to a decision for either player but I’d imagine that it’s safe to assume that both of them will be back.
Anthopoulos did also directly address the Jurickson Profar situation and while he did mention that Profar is under contract for 2027, he definitely stopped short of guaranteeing that Profar would indeed be back next season.
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have,” stated AA. “We know it’s coming, clearly. We know he’s under contract for 2027, we knew the suspension was gonna be a year. That’s obviously a topic we’re going to have to address and talk about, we haven’t had that discussion yet.”
“I wouldn’t be prepared to give you a definitive answer one way or another,” continued Anthopoulos. “That’s not to be cryptic or hedge. I know it’s tough because you guys can only work with what I say…There wasn’t anything for us to do or address [when it came to Profar’s suspension], he was out for the season…What I can tell you is that we’re going to have to sit and talk internally across the board about the whole thing. This is now the time to have those discussions.”
Anthopoulos also talked about Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider and while our article from Sunday touched upon those (and other) topics of discussion during the press conference, further detail really illuminated the matter. “Strider was in Florida throwing bullpens and feeling good,” said AA. “Again, you’re still far away from rehab games, innings and things like that. Schwellenbach had surgery. I think from a planning standpoint, I don’t think it’d be responsible to say ‘Okay, those guys are going to start 30 games and throw 180 innings,’ right? That’s something we’re definitely going to have to account for and talk about when it comes to where we’re going to get our innings next season.”
“I remember telling Grant Holmes even last offseason at the beginning that how he progresses was going to tell us what his potential role would be. As we sit here today, I don’t think you’re going to see us come in and say that we expect those guys to be locks in the rotation with Sale,” said AA as he continued to explain the situation. “I don’t think that’d be a responsible thing to say. We know what they can be when they’re healthy and they’re right and the upside is off the charts but right now because of the lost years for basically both…we’ll just see how the offseason progresses at this point. It’s not something going into November that we’ll have any clarity on going into next Spring.”
AA also seemed to confirm the idea that Didier Fuentes would be starting games in the future — with the future being 2027 (or whenever the next season is) if his audition for a starting rotation role goes well during spring training. “We view him as a starter long-term,” confirmed AA. “We’ve been consistent with that. We know he can be a great reliever — we just saw it. On the one hand, you have a bird in the hand that you know you’ve got a really impactful bullpen arm that we believe it’s real and that he can continue to do this — health-permitting, of course.”
“Those are things we have to weigh. We think there’s tremendous upside,” continued AA. “It’s nice to know you’ve got an impact arm out of the ‘pen but you also know that there’s tremendous upside. He can put it together as a starter since he’s still so young. The development of both the changeup and the slider are pretty encouraging.”
“What we don’t know is the workload. Can he handle 25-plus starts, 150 innings. All those things, we’ll have to have those conversations. And then, can you do that in ‘27? Are you going to go from 70-plus innings and jump to [a higher workload] and those are all things that we’ll have to talk about.”
The General Manager was really gracious with his time on Sunday, as he took questions for an hour — something that is definitely out of the ordinary. While Anthopoulos has never been shy about sharing his opinions on the team, we were certainly in uncharted territory when it came to this particular press conference. That just goes to show just how intriguing the Braves are at the moment. The current NL East Champions have plenty of questions surrounding them with an uncertain offseason looming. It’ll truly be interesting to see how things shake out for this team going forward — and whether or not we’ll have to wait out a long lockout in order to get questions to those answers. We’ll see what happens.
