ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 28: Quinn Mathews #60 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Busch Stadium on August 28, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a 3-game series against the San Francisco Giants Monday night at Busch Stadium. Quinn Mathews takes the mound for the Cardinals while the Giants will start RHP Landen Roupp. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
While Australia has a massive year of Test cricket ahead, in just over a year the Aussies will also be tasked with defending the World Cup title they won in stunning fashion in India in 2023.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 18: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 18, 2023 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The summer of 2023 was a pivotal one for the Golden State Warriors. After a volatile season started with Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole during a preseason practice, the team’s title defense ended with a second-round playoff loss. Poole and Wiggins got contract extensions in the wake of the championship, while Green did not, despite holding a player option for 2023-24. The Warriors ended up severing one branch of their two timelines, shipping Poole and 2022 draft picks Ryan Rollins and Patrick Baldwin, Jr. out of town and adding Chris Paul.
Eventually, the team also gave Green a four-year contract worth $100M, but not without some drama in the negotiations. According to Green, he was ready to join Golden State’s rivals and try his hand and whooping that trick in Memphis before the Dubs upped their offer.
Draymond reflects on the negotiations when he almost left the Warriors and went to the Grizzlies
"In negotiations, you wanna have another team, you have to sometimes make it real to the team that, 'hey you got something else'… I called the Warriors and said 'Yo I'm gonna go to… pic.twitter.com/jJkZowrUCR
Was it a negotiating ploy? Green claims he wasn’t bluffing, and that the Grizzlies had offered $10M more than the Warriors’ original offer. He did need to get his old team to participate in a sign-and-trade to get that extra money, and that’s when the Warriors raised their offer, while also reportedly “moving the goalposts” in trade talks with the Grizzlies, according to Green.
It’s not clear what the Grizzlies would have done to make the money work in such a deal, or when the sign-and-trade talks happened. Memphis eventually traded for Marcus Smart and jettisoned Green’s arch-enemy Dillon Brooks and Green came back to the Warriors for almost the exact same money and years as his previous deal.
The fit in Memphis would have made a lot of sense. Green may have antagonized the fans of Memphis over the years, but he could have complemented Jaren Jackson, Jr. well, essentially playing center defensively so Jackson could roam, block shots, and continue not to get any rebounds. Though Draymond has never been specifically suspended for grit or for grinding, he does have the lunch pail/bully ball/regular bullying attitude that the classic Zach Randolph-Mike Conley-Tony Allen-Marc Gasol Grizzlies teams embraced.
Green’s foray into free agency was similar to what happened with Andre Iguodala in the summer of 2017. Iguodala met with the Houston Rockets, another team the Warriors had recently beaten in the playoffs, and eventually got the Warriors to up their offer to three years and $48M before he came back. Two years later, they’d sacrifice a future first-round pick (which eventually became Bub Carrington) to dump Iggy on the Grizzlies, where he never reported and kicked off a weird one-sided feud from Brooks and his teammates.
Iguodala knew exactly what he was doing, however. After he held out for most of the season, the Grizzlies traded Iguodala to the Miami Heat, who tacked on an extra year to Iguodala’s contract for $15M. He went to his sixth straight NBA Finals that fall and came back to the Warriors in 2021 in time to make it seven Finals in eight years (and four rings). Now he has a venture capital firm, after being an early investor in companies like Zoom, Allbirds, and Casper mattresses.
Would Green’s presence have helped the Grizzlies? They fell off a cliff in 2023-24 thanks to a massive suspension for Ja Morant and injuries to almost the entire roster, including Smart, Desmond Bane, and Steven Adams. Maybe Green could have punched Morant every time he talked about waving a gun around?
Ultimately, Green used the same technique in negotiating with the Warriors that he does in guarding much larger centers in the paint: Leverage. The Grizzlies, the Warriors, and the world of podcasting were never the same.
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 26: An exterior view of the ballpark prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants head to Missouri today to begin a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters today’s game with a 4.00 ERA, 3.74 FIP, with 139 strikeouts to 72 walks in 150.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 2-1 win over the Cardinals last Tuesday, in which he allowed just two hits with two strikeouts and four walks in six innings.
He’ll be facing off against Cardinals left-hander Quinn Mathews, who enters today’s game with a 4.11 ERA, 4.02 FIP, with 28 strikeouts to 14 walks in 30.2 innings pitched. His last start was also in last Tuesday’s game against the Giants, in which he allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 09: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on September 9, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Having taken two out of three in the Subway Series against the Mets, it’s now time for the Yankees to head out on the road. Starting tonight, the Yankees will be in Minnesota to take on the Twins. Over the years, the Yankees have regularly gotten the better of the Twins, in the playoffs on several occasions. If the Yankees want any hope of tracking down the Rays in the AL East race, they’re going to have to do so again over the next few days.
For tonight’s series opener, the Yankees will send Will Warren to the mound. While he’s had his ups and downs for the season on the whole, Warren has been very good lately. He’s still likely to head to the bullpen once the postseason comes around, but he’s been a more than solid fifth starter, and the Yankees will hope that continues tonight.
The rest of the lineup is fairly normal, although José Caballero is in at second base after Anthony Volpe had gotten some run there after returning to the bigs.
For the Twins, Dean Kremer will get the ball. The Yankees shared a division with Kremer for several years, as he was on the Orioles before an early-August trade to the Twin Cities. He hasn’t been particularly great this year, both before and after the trade.
Here’s all the information you need to know to catch tonight’s game, and we hope you’ll come join us in the game thread!
How to watch
Location: Target Field — Minneapolis, MN
First pitch: 7:40 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES (NYY) | Twins.TV Presented by Progressive (MIN)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App (MIN)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 14: Chicago center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts during the MLB game between the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves on May 14th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Will the balls fly out at Wrigley? Or just the Cubs’ balls as they have all year?
Also, apparently the game thread experience is better in the app (I have no firsthand experience)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a three-point shot in the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks fans can start making their plans to see the champions.
Single-game tickets at Madison Square Garden officially went on sale Monday in the first of three waves.
Monday’s wave was for participants in the Knicks Fan First program who are Chase cardholders.
All other Knicks Fan First members can begin to make purchases Tuesday.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a 3-point shot in the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Tickets will open to the general public Wednesday.
Tickets for home games after last season’s championship run are dynamically priced.
The Knicks open their season in a highly anticipated showdown with LeBron James and the 76ers at the Garden on Oct. 20, but not before raising their championship banner.
They will feature in 34 nationally televised games — the maximum number allowed.
The Knicks also play in all of the league’s marquee slots, notably hosting the Spurs on Christmas Day.
ESPN Films is set to release a documentary about Steph Curry.
For the last 17 years, Stephen Curry has put together a Hall of Fame career that has marked him as one of the greatest shooters to play the game of basketball.
Now fans have the chance to relive it, plus more. But this time, on the IMAX screen.
On Monday, ESPN Films released a trailer for their latest documentary, “Portrait of an Artist,” which is set to be released in IMAX theaters on October 9.
The official trailer for “Portrait of an Artist: Stephen Curry” exclusively in IMAX October 9
“I’ve been around basketball my whole life. But the more I played, the more I started to see it differently. For me, it’s never just been a game. It’s always felt more like an art.” pic.twitter.com/RyYxAQBe5o
The trailer began with the sound of a basketball being bounced in an empty gym, followed by an aerial view of the skyline district in San Francisco.
Steph Curry attempting to shoot a basketball when he was a child. X/@jinthirty
During the shot, Curry’s voice chimed in and said, “I’ve been around basketball my whole life,” Curry says. “But the more I played. The more I started to see it differently.”
“For me, it’s never just been a game. It always like more like an art.”
After Curry is done speaking, the documentary starts to show clips of Curry from when he was a baby, shooting a basketball for the first time, to clips of him during the present era.
A voice appears in the trailer and says, “We all admire artists; they play so effortlessly.”
Another audio clip emerges and says, “Every great artist has that something, that signature where the world kind of stops and says, ‘Yeah that’s them.”
Steph Curry hitting his iconic “night-night’ celebration in a NBA game against the Boston Celtics. X/@jinthirty
In the later part of the documentary, it highlights some of his lowest of low moments, like injuries he suffered during the early stages of his career.
Steph Curry joined by his family after the Golden State Warriors were crowned NBA champions. @ayeshacurry/instagram
Throughout the trailer, there is a blend of clips throughout it that include musicians like Freddie Mercury of the band Queen, with their iconic performance at “Live Aid” at Wembley Stadium in 1985. It also includes a blend of composers and other musicians playing instruments.
The video ends with Curry saying, “This is what I was meant to do,” followed by famed sports commentator Kevin Harlan saying, “Truly the portrait of an artist. Unbelievable.”
The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers faced off in a Rookie Series featuring their top prospects this weekend. The two games were at the PPL Center, the home of the Flyers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and it was a great way to get the rookies ready for the season while bringing hockey back to the fans.
Saturday’s game felt like a back-to-school day, not just for the players, but also for the staff, scouts, media, and the fans, who were excited to finally see hockey for the first time in months. The Flyers and Rangers aren’t the only teams having these scrimmages either.
The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets had a prospect challenge in Gatineau, Quebec. The San Jose Sharks hosted a Rookie Faceoff at Tech CU Arena, the home of their AHL affiliate, and it featured six of the Western Conference teams.
The New Jersey Devils had their version as well, hosting the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon at their practice facility, the RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House. It’s something they can and should build on, as many teams around the league have done.
The Devils Home & Home Against The Islanders
The Devils' practice facilities are connected to Prudential Center in Newark, and there isn’t a lot of seating available for fans. The intention of their exhibition game against the Islanders prospects was to get the players ready for the season; the fans in attendance were a plus.
That said, it was a surprise to see the venue was full. It shouldn’t be a surprise considering this is the first glimpse of hockey in months but for a game that has zero implications on the standings, there was still an intrigue that brought a crowd on a Sunday afternoon in early September.
There was a feeling in the building that had the fans engaged. It’s the unknown of the prospects. The Devils don’t have a top prospect pool, but there’s a curiosity surrounding the few names who might crack the NHL roster. How good is the rookie defenseman Anton Silaev? Is there a depth forward poised to impress during training camp? Which prospects are under-the-radar and can turn the Devils into a playoff team? Does the skill in this game translate at the NHL level?
It’s why the PPL Center drew a strong crowd over the weekend for the Flyers and Rangers prospects. Sure, both teams have a handful of young names ready to make an impact in the NHL. However, catching the future in person before everyone else is what will attract fans to the arena, and the Devils must take note.
It Makes Sense For The Devils To Play At Their Practice Facilities
It’s easy to look around the league at all of the showcases and wonder why the Devils and Islanders aren’t doing something bigger. Both teams can host in an AHL market or a region that doesn’t see prospects up close often and give them a chance in a competitive atmosphere.
For the Devils, their practice facilities are in Newark, and it makes sense to have a game there as well. That’s why the Islanders are doing the same on Tuesday night at the Northwell Health Ice Center on Long Island.
For both teams, it’s a trip for the prospects to head to one of their AHL markets to play a few games, especially exhibitions. The Flyers, for example, have their practice facilities in Voorhees, New Jersey, a short drive away from Philadelphia, but Allentown is 63 miles away, making it an easy commute for a game. Utica is 228 miles away from Newark.
The bottom line is that if the Devils want to do something similar to what the Flyers do, or what the Sharks are hosting, they must find an arena near both their practice facilities and the Islanders. Likewise, the arena shouldn’t be the size of Prudential Center but big enough for a gameday atmosphere, like an AHL or ECHL arena.
So, Where Could The Devils host A Prospect Showcase?
The Devils can bring their prospects to a college arena, whether it’s the Hobey Baker Memorial Rink in Princeton or ProSkate Ice Arena, which hosts the Rutgers Scarlett Knights. However, both arenas have small capacities, not enough to make them major draws for the Devils.
There are a few arenas in Upstate New York that would eagerly host an exhibition game, including Albany and Binghamton, two markets that hosted Devils AHL teams in the past. However, like Utica, both are a decent commute.
The good news is that Trenton now has an ECHL team and can host a rookie series. The bad news is that the ECHL team isn’t affiliated with the Devils, and if the Islanders are hosting, they would likely choose a place that’s closer to them.
An arena that hosted AHL games in the past but won’t this season is Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It’s a great place for the Devils, but the question is whether the Islanders, who moved their team from Bridgeport to Hamilton, would be on board.
Another option is for the Devils and Islanders to join the Flyers and Rangers in Allentown. In one weekend, fans can watch prospects from all four teams up close.
Do you think the Devils should host a bigger prospect showcase? If so, where do you think they should host one? Feel free to comment below!
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 13: Max Clark #15 of the Detroit Tigers catches a fly ball during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Zack Belsky/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Detroit Tigers (70-79) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (75-75)
Time/Place: 7:07 p.m., Rogers Centre SB Nation Site:Bluebird Banter Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (8-4, 2.42 ERA) vs. RHP José Soriano (12-7, 3.48 ERA)
Player
G
IP
K%
BB%
GB%
FIP
fWAR
Melton
18
108.0
20.0
6.9
41.9
4.06
1.6
Soriano
29
163.0
22.6
10.4
53.0
3.93
2.4
Colt Keith has been scratched tonight due to left thumb soreness.
Updated lineup:
McGonigle 6 Torres 4 Greene DH Dingler 2 Callahan 7 Clark 8 Torkelson 3 McKinstry 9 Lee 5 https://t.co/w2IygofczG
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 3: Tyler Kinley #45 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the ninth inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 3, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr.Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The start of another three game series. 12 games left this season and we still have meaningful baseball. That really should be celebrated, because, over the last 30 years, Jays fans haven’t had that often enough.
12 games….would 8-4 be good enough? Likely? That would be winning 2 of 3 of each of the series we have left.
But then, winning one more game than the Guardians will do it. The Guardians are playing the White Sox tonight. The White Sox have reasons to win, so hopefully they will come up big.
The San Francisco Giants have endured the bad, the worse and the ugly throughout a 2026 campaign that started with high hopes and landed with bleak realities.
The Giants have been among the most disappointing teams in Major League Baseball this season. There was optimism in San Francisco when the team brought in first-year manager Tony Vitello from the college ranks with no previous MLB experience. Many experts predicted that the Giants would win 82 games and maybe even sneak into a wild-card berth. It would have been the most success the team has seen in nearly a half decade.
Then the season began and things shifted immediately. San Francisco isn't anywhere near discussions of making a postseason appearance. Instead, the Giants have the second-worst record in the National League (only the division-rival Colorado Rockies have a worse record).
The Giants haven't had the play they were expecting on the diamond. The Giants lacked depth in the bullpen, dealt with a series of injuries which contorted lineups, and key players just looked like a shell of themselves through large parts of the season. Vitello has been ejected from multiple games this season. Frustration has settled in San Francisco like fog covering the Golden Gate Bridge.
It's since seemed like a salvageable season after seeing younger prospects such as Bryce Eldridge see the field more. After a sluggish start, Rafael Devers found his bat as of late and is nearing a 40-homer season. There are few positive takeaways from the Giants this year, which leaves a little excitement for the next season.
Ranking MLB's 6 biggest disappointments of 2026 regular season
Steve Smith has revealed he is no guarantee to feature in the 2027 Ashes series in England, as he sets his sights on a surprise number one goal for the remainder of his glittering career.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 09: Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs pumps up the crowd prior to a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on April 09, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s a battle of lefties in Great American Ball Park on Monday night as the Cincinnati Reds welcome Tarik Skubal and the Los Angeles Dodgers to town for a four-game series.
Nick Lodolo gets the start for Cincinnati, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after drawing a walk to drive in a run in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 07, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pete Alonso will return to New York tonight in search of his 300th career home run. The Polar Bear is expected to receive a warm welcome at Citi Field after spending the first seven years of his career in a Mets uniform. The Orioles signed Alonso to a five year, $155-million deal last offseason.
Samuel Basallo will not be in the lineup tonight. Baltimore skipper Craig Albernaz said Basallo is dealing with some right shoulder discomfort. Carlos Narváez will bat ninth and catch starter Brandon Young.
Dylan Beavers is back atop the lineup and will play left field. Gunnar Henderson (shortstop), Coby Mayo (third base), and Jackson Holliday (second base) will round out the infield and the heart of the order.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand will bat sixth and DH. Heston Kjerstad will bat seventh and play right field, and Colton Cowser will bat eighth and take center.
Young has already tossed a career high 140.2 innings. With Baltimore all but out of contention, it’s fair to wonder if this could be his last start of the season. Young is 9-4 with a 3.71 ERA.
Prior to the game, Baltimore optioned RHP Yaramil Hiraldo and recalled RHP Codi Heuer. The Orioles acquired Heuer from Milwaukee for cash on August 3.
