Thirty-plus years later, the Swamp Dragons are finally here.
The Nets will hold Swamp Dragons Night on Jan. 29, 2027 against the Clippers to honor the zany idea for a team name that almost came to fruition in the 1990s.
The specialty-themed night will feature a bobblehead and is part of the Nets’ 60th season celebrations.
“One of the most memorable ‘what ifs’ in basketball history will come to life as fans celebrate the unforgettable identity that ‘almost was,'” the team’s press release stated.
A promo for the Swamp Dragons night. Nets
One can only wonder how the history of the Nets franchise unfolds had they been named the Swamp Dragons, a name so outlandish it sounds like it belongs in minor-league baseball.
While playing in New Jersey, team brass considered changing the name in an attempt to entice more fans.
Former Nets president Jon Spoelstra told ESPN in a 2016 article that he liked the idea of a “Dragons” nickname after it emerged as a finalist for the expansion Toronto franchise.
The swamp angle played homage to the team’s home in The Meadowlands.
“The Dragon came up right away, but we needed something to identify it locally. I was sitting in my office with Jim Lampariello, our vice president, and I just said, ‘Every time I look out the window here, I see this swamp. And every time I think of swamps, I think of swamp rats. What about that?'” Spoelstra told ESPN.
“He just said, ‘I don’t think that’s very nice. What about Swamp Dragons?’ I loved it. Dragons are mythical, and fun.”
An outside view of the Continental Airlines Arena is seen before the New Jersey Devils play the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, March 30, 2006, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Getty Images
But one very important NBA person had some qualms: then-NBA commissioner David Stern.
“David told me, ‘This is the stupidest f—ing idea I’ve ever heard,'” Spoelstra told ESPN.
Stern ultimately allowed the Nets to proceed if all seven of the team’s owners would agree on the change and all seven OK’d the name, per the ESPN article.
They reportedly agreed to proceed forward, and the NBA spent $500,000 “to protect the name and any markings they would produce,” according to ESPN.
The team’s logo would have featured a teal, purple and black dragon twirling a basketball on one claw while they breathed red fire, which would have aligned with other logos at the time.
The original Raptors logo is similar in its portrayal.
The Nets next had to get a supermajority from the league’s 27 owners to green-light the change, but some backlash reportedly emerged about using the word “swamp.”
Spoelstra told ESPN that an individual from then-Gov. Christine Whitman’s office called them and said they didn’t like the term being used.
The owners didn’t mind the backlash and reportedly OK’d the change in a 26-1 vote in what should have been a grand moment.
But that one vote somehow came from the Nets co-owner David Gerstein.
“We voted against our own name change,” Spoelstra told ESPN. “I thought (Stern) was kidding. If your own team votes no, you can’t go ahead with something like this.”
Gerstein indicated in 2016 that not proceeding was the right call.
“I don’t recall the vote, but we all thought it was inappropriate in the end. The name just wasn’t right,” he told ESPN. “I mean, would they be the Brooklyn Swamp Dragons today? The rest of the league would have done whatever we wanted, but we decided collectively to vote against it.”
The Nets ultimately changed their logo in 1997, and have since ditched The Meadowlands and moved to Brooklyn and undergone even more logo changes.
The Yankees (79-60) and the Angels (53-86) conclude their three-game series tonight in Southern California with the series tied at one game apiece following New York’s 7-3 win last night.
Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. went yard back-to-back in the first inning and the Yankees never looked back. Jones has homered in back-to-back games and Chisholm is 6-11 over his last three games with six runs scored. Zach Neto (2-4) and Wade Meckler (3-4) were the lone bright spots at the plate for the Angels in the game. The win was the Yankees’ fifth in their last six games. The Halos have now lost eight of their last nine games.
Two of the hottest pitchers in baseball take the mound tonight in this one as Cam Schlittler (12-6, 2.09 ERA) takes the ball for the Yankees opposed by Reid Detmers (4-8, 3.54 ERA) of the Angels. Schlittler was outstanding last Friday against the Red Sox silencing them over 5.2 innings. His previous three starts saw him allow just one run per game with Schlittler pitching at least into the sixth inning of each. Detmers has been at least as good over the same stretch of time. Last Friday, the southpaw pitched six innings and allowed one run. He blanked the Rangers and Royals in his previous two starts (14 innings).
While these teams live in alternate universes, the season series is tied at three games apiece.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Angels
Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Time: 9:38PM EST
Site: Angel Stadium
City: Anaheim, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES, Angels.TV
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The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Angels – September 2
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-163), LA Angels (+135)
Reid Detmers has struck out 5+ hitters in 10 of his last 11GP and 6+ in 6 of his last 9
Amed Rosario is 7-16 in his career against Reid Detmers
Cam Schlittler has struck out 6+ hitters in 9 of his last 10GP
Zach Neto has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games (21-50)
Ben Rice is 3-18 over his last 4GP
Trent Grisham went 1-5 last night snapping an 0-19 stretch
Cody Bellinger has hit safely in 5 straight games (9-20)
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Angels
The Angels are 69-70 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 68-71 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed an MLB-low 57 times in games involving the Angels this season (57-80-2)
The OVER has cashed 60 times in games involving the Yankees this season (60-75-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Angels for September 2
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Yankees:
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Carse also missed second Test after incident in Derby bar
Matthew Fisher absence is only change from Lord’s squad
Brydon Carse has been left out of England’s squad for the final Test of the summer, against Pakistan at Edgbaston next week, with police still investigating allegations of an assault connected with the late-night incident at a Derby bar last month that led to the Durham seamer being briefly arrested and placed in handcuffs. The Cricket Regulator is also investigating the incident.
As a result of the allegations, and with investigations ongoing, Carse was dropped from the squad for last week’s second Test. The 31-year-old had been in the squad for the first game, but not named in the XI. Sonny Baker, who replaced him for the second Test but also did not play, remains in a squad that has changed only by the absence of Matthew Fisher. Alongside Baker, the other squad members who were not in the team at Lord’s are Shoaib Bashir, Sam Cook and Ollie Pope.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 28: Pitcher Patrick Sandoval #43 of the Boston Red Sox throws the ball while playing the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Benjamin B. Braun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
The Red Sox have not exactly dominated this series but still find themselves with a chance to take two of three from the Mariners. Boston needs better production on the mound after surrendering 17 runs in the first two games. Patrick Sandoval is in line to do that after a terrific yet run-support-less start last time out against the Yankees when he allowed just one earned run over 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate behind him Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park.
The Mariners will counter with Bryce Miller, who could keep the Red Sox offense in rhythm as he’s allowed 16 runs (15 earned) over his previous three starts for Seattle.
PHOENIX – Andrew Painter turned in the best start of his young career and got nothing to show for it Wednesday afternoon.
The rookie right-hander pitched seven shutout innings and gave up just two hits in a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Painter left a scoreless game after seven innings and 93 pitches. Reliever Jonathan Bowlan allowed a home run to James McCann on the first pitch he threw in the bottom of the eighth inning for the game’s only run.
The Phillies mustered only three hits on the day against seven Arizona relievers. Arizona only had three hits, as well. One of them just landed over the wall.
All in all, it was a solid trip for the Phillies. They won six of nine games and took over the lead in the NL wild-card race. They return home Friday night for a first-place showdown with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
Since returning from his Triple A makeover, Painter has a 3.12 ERA in seven starts.
Painter relied mostly on his fastball, changeup and sweeper. The fastball reached 98.7 mph and averaged 96.3 mph. The changeup produced six swing and misses and four strikeouts. Painter was economical. He threw 93 pitches and recorded a first-pitch strike against 18 of 24 hitters. He did not walk a batter.
PHOENIX – Andrew Painter turned in the best start of his young career and got nothing to show for it Wednesday afternoon.
The rookie right-hander pitched seven shutout innings and gave up just two hits in a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Painter left a scoreless game after seven innings and 93 pitches. Reliever Jonathan Bowlan allowed a home run to James McCann on the first pitch he threw in the bottom of the eighth inning for the game’s only run.
The Phillies mustered only three hits on the day against seven Arizona relievers. Arizona only had three hits, as well. One of them just landed over the wall.
All in all, it was a solid trip for the Phillies. They won six of nine games and took over the lead in the NL wild-card race. They return home Friday night for a first-place showdown with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
Since returning from his Triple A makeover, Painter has a 3.12 ERA in seven starts.
Painter relied mostly on his fastball, changeup and sweeper. The fastball reached 98.7 mph and averaged 96.3 mph. The changeup produced six swing and misses and four strikeouts. Painter was economical. He threw 93 pitches and recorded a first-pitch strike against 18 of 24 hitters. He did not walk a batter.
19-year-old remains hospitalized after Sunday crash
Caudell receiving care for ‘multi-system trauma’
Lotto-Intermarché yet to update on Milan Menten
American cyclist Ezra Caudell remains hospitalized with “multi-system trauma” after being seriously injured in a crash during Sunday’s Philadelphia Cycling Classic, his team said on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Modern Adventure Pro Cycling rider was involved in a collision with Belgium’s Milan Menten of Lotto-Intermarché early in the men’s race. Caudell was knocked unconscious in the crash and both riders were taken to local hospitals for treatment, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates after he singles during the fifth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
August and September are two of the most important months of the regular season for contenders. Rosters are galvanized in August following the trade deadline, and teams jockey for a higher postseason seed in September. There aren’t too many “punt” games this time of the year now that magic numbers are counting down and managers can be aggressive with expanded rosters.
The Rays find themselves comfortable in control of their destiny and in the lead to win the AL East – securing a first-round bye. There are four key metrics I’ll be following as they look to maintain their performance into October.
Outs per batted ball
This Rays team is built on run prevention before anything else. Pitching and defense will determine how deep they play into October. So far this year, the Rays have been one of the top run prevention teams in the league. Only the Dodgers (69.1%) convert more batted balls into outs than the Rays (68.6%) this season. However, the Rays have been roughly average in this area since the beginning of August. Some of that is skewed by their west coast trip in which their flyball-to-out conversion rate dipped significantly playing in Denver and Sacramento and should rebound as they’ve been one of the best defensive outfields in the league this year. The infield has steadily improved throughout the year, and they’ve had the 9th best groundball-to-out rate since 8/1.
I’d like to see the team converting close to 69-70% of batted balls into outs by the end of the month. They’re currently at 67.4% from August 1st through September 1st. This can be accomplished by playing better defense of course, but the pitching staff will need to continue to do their part and manage hard contact.
Save plus hold success rate
The back of the bullpen has been solid all year, and the addition of Tyler Wells at the deadline along with Manny Rodriguez return from injury only makes it better. The Rays bullpen has been the best in the league at holding leads since the beginning of August. Their 97.1% success rate for saves and holds is 3% better than the next closest team and about 10% better than league average. It may fluctuate a bit the rest of the season because baseball can be random, but the back of the bullpen is hitting their stride at the right time and will shorten games in October. I expect this to remain in the 90-95% range for the rest of the year and stay comfortably above average.
Reliever runs per batter faced
The overall performance of the bullpen has been negatively skewed by the performance of some middle relief options over the last month. Rather than just looking at just team reliever ERA, it can be beneficial to account for workload by factoring in total batters faced. ERA and FIP miss the workload aspect as they are calculated on a 9-inning basis.
Since 8/1, the Rays bullpen ranks 21st in the league in runs allowed per batter faced. Some of that is brought down by mop-up outings in blow outs, but that can’t really happen as we head into October. Despite ranking in the bottom 10 in this metric, the Rays bullpen is only slightly below average. Additionally, there are plenty of internal candidates that could improve the bullpen.
They’ll need at least one of Cleavinger, Booser, Sulser, Matz, or Legumina to step up and be the bridge to the back of the bullpen. I’m not concerned about this area; there’s currently a surplus in the rotation with multiple players who will need their workloads managed as we approach the end of the season. A postseason pitching staff really only needs three true starters, so whoever isn’t starting could transition to a relief role. Jax, McClanahan, and Seymour all make sense to move to multi or single inning relief roles to support the bullpen when fewer rotation spots are needed.
The Rays bullpen is currently at 0.126 runs per batter while the best bullpens are below 0.100. I’d like to see them closer to that number, so it’ll be something to watch as the middle relief roles get sorted out over the next few weeks.
Runs per base
While the Rays might not have the roster to out-slug some of the other contenders, they can make up for it by maintaining an efficient offense. One way to measure efficiency is by looking at how many runs a team scores for each base they earn.
The Rays have the 4th best offensive efficiency since 8/1 in terms of runs per base at 0.277 and the league average is 0.255. They move runners well by bunting, stealing, and having productive outs more than most other teams. This has helped them maintain an above average offense for the season as a whole with a 105 wRC+. I’ll be looking for them to maintain above-average offensive efficiency through October.
Overall, this team is in a good position with room to improve. I’d like to see the Rays get their outfield defense back to where it was earlier this season. The return of Mesa should help with that. I’d also like them to continue to hold leads and close games at the back of the bullpen while keeping games closer in middle relief. Rodriguez should help in that area, and I’m interested to see which of the current members of the rotation could transition to a relief role in October. I’ll also be watching the group of Cleavinger, Booser, Sulser, Matz, and Legumina for those roles. And lastly, I want the Rays to stick to their identity and continue to manufacture runs with productive outs and taking an extra base as much as possible. We already know what we have in this team – they’re legit World Series contenders, but performance in these four key areas is what will make or break their postseason run.
Stage 11 won by 21-year-old as dazzling debut continues
Lewis Askey claims opening stage in Tour of Britain
Matthew Brennan triumphed again in the Vuelta a España on Wednesday, becoming the first cyclist to win three stages in his first Grand Tour since Tadej Pogacar seven years ago. The British rider secured his third victory on the 11th stage, a mostly flat route of 153.8km from Cartagena to Lorca.
“We took the initiative today again,” Brennan said. “The boys pulled as hard as they could even after a tough day in the legs yesterday. We still went full gas. Coming into the final, we really held our own place and knew that we were all strong enough to kind of get to where we want to be.”
On Tuesday, the NHL kept going with its top 15 assists from the 2025-26 season, and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson made the list for the second time with the third-best assist of the season. It’s the third time a Hab player appears on the list, after Juraj Slafkovsky manufactured the 13th-best helper and Hutson appeared for the first time at number eight. So far, Hutson and Connor McDavid are the only players to appear twice on the list.
Hutson’s first appearance came thanks to a stretch pass he made to Cole Caufield after blocking a shot that was heading for the Canadiens’ empty net in a game against the Nashville Predators. It led to the sniper tying the game and, later on, winning it for the Habs in overtime.
Hutson’s second appearance on the list is down to a sequence in which he beat three Florida Panthers in a footrace, mesmerizing them all. So much so that they only had eyes for the blueliner, and once they were all out of position, just like the goaltender, he sent the puck back in front of the net, giving Nick Suzuki one of his easiest goals of the season.
That was yet another game-tying goal, which came with the Habs’ net being empty. It just goes to show that Hutson is the kind of player who wants the puck when the game is on the line. The Canadiens ended up winning that game as well, this time in the shootout, with Caufield and Alexandre Texier finding the back of the net. Clearly, Caufield is not the only clutch player on the Canadiens, and Hutson’s competitive level is nothing short of impressive to see. The defenseman never gives up on a game; whether it’s about defending or attacking, he gives it his all.
Chris Pronger has played alongside some of the greatest defensemen in NHL history.
He knows what an elite blueliner looks like.
So when a Hockey Hall of Famer looks at Cale Makar’s record-breaking contract and sees little reason for concern, it is worth listening.
Makar’s eight-year, $163.2 million extension with the Colorado Avalanche makes him the first player in NHL history to carry an average annual value above $20 million. The number is staggering, and the commitment will shape Colorado’s roster for years to come.
But Pronger does not see the deal as a reckless gamble.
Cale Makar and the Avalanche got it done.
There’s a lot to unpack beyond the headline number.
Team fit. Cap certainty. Contract structure. And what makes Makar so special.
He sees a superstar getting paid like a superstar.
“I think it is a win-win for the player and the team,” Pronger said while breaking down Makar’s contract.
And perhaps more importantly for Colorado, he believes the Avalanche have secured the one player around whom their future should be built.
Makar’s extension does not officially begin until the 2027-28 season, with one year remaining on his current deal. But the agreement effectively gives Colorado long-term certainty surrounding the most important defenseman in franchise history.
Since entering the NHL, Makar has established himself as one of the league’s premier defensemen. He is a two-time Norris Trophy winner and, in 2022, became the first defenseman in Avalanche history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy after helping Colorado capture the Stanley Cup.
Makar has also been a Norris finalist in six of his first seven full NHL seasons, joining Bobby Orr as the only defensemen in league history to accomplish that feat.
That résumé is what separates Makar’s contract from the typical conversation surrounding massive long-term deals.
There is always risk when a team commits hundreds of millions of dollars to one player. Injuries and declining production can eventually turn a franchise-altering investment into a franchise-altering problem.
But Pronger does not believe Makar’s injury history provides much reason for concern.
“There’s not a lot of cons other than the potential issue if there was an injury,” Pronger said.
Makar did deal with an upper-body injury late last season that kept him out of the first two games of Colorado’s Western Conference Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The timing could hardly have been worse.
Makar returned for Game 3, but the Avalanche ultimately saw their season end as Vegas swept Colorado.
Still, those injuries clearly did not change how the Avalanche viewed their franchise defenseman.
Makar has been remarkably durable throughout his Colorado tenure, and Pronger believes his track record gives the Avalanche reason to feel comfortable with the commitment.
“I don’t see a drop in his production to the end of this contract, for sure,” Pronger said.
That confidence is rooted in what Makar has already accomplished.
He became the fourth-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 500 points, doing so in just 467 games. Only Orr, Paul Coffey and Denis Potvin reached the milestone faster.
Makar also finished the 2025-26 season with 79 points in 75 games and became the first defenseman since Phil Housley and Al MacInnis in 1992 to record three consecutive 20-goal seasons.
The Avalanche are not paying Makar based solely on what he might become.
They are paying him for what he has already proven to be.
“That’s the thing about this particular player,” Pronger said. “He’s proven to be this player.”
And for Colorado, the biggest advantage of the extension may not even be Makar’s production.
It is knowing he will be there.
The Avalanche can now plan around Makar without worrying about his next contract, his price as the salary cap rises or whether another team could eventually pry him away.
“They can begin to plan for the future,” Pronger said.
That becomes particularly important when considering the structure of Makar’s contract.
While the $20.4 million cap hit is eye-popping, much of the money is structured as signing bonuses. Beginning in 2027-28, Makar is scheduled to receive a $4 million base salary and a $16.8 million signing bonus, with similar bonus-heavy structures throughout the extension.
In total, the eight-year extension adds up to $163.2 million.
For Makar, the structure offers an obvious financial benefit. Signing bonuses are generally not subject to a buyout in the same way as base salary.
Pronger admitted the bonus-heavy structure surprised him.
“I was shocked that it’s heavily signing-bonus latent,” he said, suggesting Makar and his agency, Bartlett Hockey, likely placed significant value on receiving so much of the money in bonuses.
But the bigger question for Colorado is whether the record-breaking cap hit will become a problem as the contract progresses.
Pronger does not believe it will.
A $20.4 million cap hit is enormous under today’s salary-cap numbers. But if the league’s cap continues to rise, Makar’s deal should consume a smaller percentage of Colorado’s payroll over time.
Pronger believes that by the middle of the contract, years four, five and six, the deal could look considerably more manageable.
That is where Colorado’s roster construction becomes critical.
The Avalanche already have several core pieces committed long term, including Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. With Makar secured through 2034-35, Colorado knows exactly who its roster will be built around.
Now comes the difficult part: finding enough talent to complement those stars without breaking the bank.
That responsibility falls squarely on Joe Sakic and Colorado’s management team.
“They have to continue to find players to add, whether it be through college free agency, junior, et cetera, to supplement their roster,” Pronger said.
In other words, Makar’s contract does not eliminate the challenge facing Colorado.
It defines it.
The Avalanche have decided that Makar is worth building around. Now they have to find creative ways to build the rest of the roster around him.
Pronger understands that better than most.
He won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and captured Olympic gold with Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. More importantly, he knows how rare it is for a franchise to have a defenseman capable of fundamentally changing the way a team plays.
Makar is already entering that territory, which is why the price may ultimately matter less than the decision itself. Colorado has made the calculation that some players are simply too important to let go, even when paying them requires difficult decisions elsewhere on the roster.
That philosophy carries a little more weight in Colorado after what happened with Mikko Rantanen.
Colorado forward Nazem Kadri, who was playing for the Calgary Flames at the time, made his feelings clear after the Avalanche traded Rantanen in 2025, writing on social media: “Rule number one: You always keep the dawgs ... #96.”
Colorado could not keep Rantanen.
It has made sure it is keeping Makar.
“I think it is a win-win for the player and the team,” Pronger said.
On Tuesday, MLB rosters expanded for the final month of the regular season, which meant that every single organization was able to add two players to their active roster. While pretty much every team added a reliever to help their bullpens, and many of the other additions were bench players who can add depth at a variety of positions, there were some potential difference-making players who were added to the rosters.
Let's see who they are and what we can expect from them over the final month of the season.
Lazaro Montes - OF, Mariners
Montes made quite the impression in his MLB debut on Tuesday, with a solo homer, an RBI single, and a walk as the Mariners beat the Red Sox. That was Montes' first career MLB home run, but his 39th home run of the season. The 21-year-old has been swinging a hot bat over the summer, but has some contact concerns that I went over in more detail in a video this week.
Salas will make his MLB debut on Tuesday and will be the youngest player to enter an MLB game at catcher since Pudge Rodriguez did in October of 1990. This season, Salas hit .296/.374/.448 with 10 homers and 17 steals between Double- and Triple-A this year. That came with an impressive 5.4 percent swinging strike rate, and, in 24 games at Triple-A, he posted a 95 percent zone contact rate and 42 percent hard-hit rate. It’s incredibly impressive for a hitter at his age to control the strike zone and have the feel for contact that he does. MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell reports that, while there is no set role for Salas right now, he is “expected to catch, DH and serve as a bench bat.” That makes it sound like the left-handed-hitting Salas could start a few games a week with the chance to earn more playing time if he produces.
Leo Bernal - C, Cardinals
The 22-year-old is the seventh-ranked prospect in the Cardinals organization and hit .278/.363/.468 with 16 home runs, 77 RBI, and nine steals in 101 games at Triple-A this season. With Jimmy Crooks being sent down on Monday, Bernal could split time with Pedro Pages behind Ivan Herrera in St. Louis, but he started on Tuesday and hit sixth in the order. That was also against a left-handed starter, and Bernal is a switch-hitter while Pages bats right-handed, so that could be a signal that Bernal will be the true second option behind Herrera. Bernal had a 9.6% barrel rate and 40% hard-hit rate in Triple-A but posted a sub-average 75% zone contact rate, so we could have a few games like we did on Tuesday, where he went 1-for-5 with two RBI but also struck out twice.
Yohandy Morales - 1B/3B, Nationals
Morales is a player we have blurbed throughout the season because the 24-year-old former 40th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft had a tremendous year at Triple-A, hitting .286 with 25 HR and 76 RBI. If not for a mysterious injury that put him on the MiLB injured list in July, Morales could have been up earlier this season. This year, Morales pulled the ball more than he did in 2025 and got the ball off the ground more often. He still swings and misses a decent amount, but had a 13.2% barrel rate and 51% hard-hit rate at Triple-A this season. In his first two MLB games, he has played first base and designated hitter against two right-handed pitchers, which suggests that the Nationals are going to give him a chance to be a regular starter. Considering he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double, and a solo home run against the Braves on Tuesday, that makes some sense, and he has enough power to be fantasy relevant down the stretch.
Yohandy Morales' first Major League hit is a home run!
Amador made his MLB debut at 21 years old back in 2024, but his first two chances at the big leagues did not go so well. He doesn't chase outside of the zone, and he makes a lot of contact, but he didn't hit the ball overly hard and struggled to adapt to the level. In 2026, he has been a similar player in Triple-A, but has hit the ball on the ground a bit less. Despite being primarily a shortstop, Amador has a solid glove and a strong arm, which means he can play all over the middle infield. The new Rockies regime might be more invested in Amador's ability to make consistent contact and work a count. They had seemed to sour on Ezequiel Tovar a bit, so there's a chance that Amador could push him for at-bats down the stretch.
Ricky Tiedemann - SP/RP, Blue Jays
You probably know who Tiedemann is because the 24-year-old was a top 100 prospect for a few years. The left-hander missed most of 2024 and all of 2025 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and then experienced some elbow soreness again ramping up for camp in 2026, which has caused him to miss most of this season. His fastball is still sitting around 96-98 mph, and he’s throwing a new, harder, tighter slider, which should put less strain on his elbow after bone chips were also removed during surgery. He also has a strong changeup, and while Tiedemann will just be a reliever this season, finishing this year strong could give him the inside track to compete for a rotation spot in 2027.
Jedixson Paez - SP, Red Sox
The 22-year-old had allowed just four runs on seven hits in 12 1/3 innings while posting an 18/2 K/BB ratio in three starts for Triple-A Worcester before being called up on Tuesday. His first MLB start did not go so well. He allowed eight runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Mariners. He did throw 63 percent of his pitches for strikes, including 86 percent on his curve, and his changeup posted a 17 percent swinging strike rate against lefties, but his fastball locations were not good, and he simply doesn’t throw hard enough to get by without solid location. There’s a chance he gets another spot start this season to keep Boston’s regular starters fresh for the playoffs, and he could be solid rotation depth in 2027, but his impact this year remains unlikely.
The Detroit Red Wings are set to host the 2026 NHL Prospect Tournament, featuring the top young players in their organization along with the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Red Wings have also released their roster for the tournament, which will include 2023 Draft selection Nate Danielson along with 2025 Draft selection Carter Bear.
Additionally, goaltender Trey Augustine, selected in 2023 and who is expected to compete for a starting role in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, will take part.
Other notable Red Wings prospects include 2020 Draft selection Kienan Draper, the son of four-time Stanley Cup winner and current Red Wings AGM/Amateur Scouting Director Kris Draper, along with 2022 Draft selection Dylan James.
The tournament will take place at the BELFOR Training Center inside of Little Caesars Arena starting on Sept. 12, and fans can watch the matchups at no charge courtesy of the official Red Wings website.
Two days following the conclusion of the Prospects Tournament, the Red Wings will open Training Camp.
Danielson got his first taste of NHL experience last season with the Red Wings, making his debut on Nov. 9 and later registering his first goal (and assist) against the Seattle Kraken just over a week later.
Upon being returned to the Griffins, he would suffer an injury in mid-February, which prevented him from playing in the final 31 games of the regular season, and all of the Griffins' Calder Cup Playoff games.
He scored three goals with 12 assists for the Griffins in the 18 games he skated in.
Meanwhile, Bear scored 36 goals while adding 41 assists in 53 games for the WHL's Everett Silvertips, and contributed seven goals with 15 assists in 18 postseason games, helping his club advance to the Memorial Cup.
Augustine, now arguably Detroit's top goaltending prospect next to Michal Postava following the offseason trade of Sebastian Cossa, is coming off his final season at Michigan State. He posted a 24-9-1 record with a solid 2.11 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
He also skated in two games for the Griffins following Michigan State's loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA Regional Final.
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If there was any doubt about Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's intentions heading into next season, the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner made it clear when he confirmed through his agent that he has requested a trade. The 33-year-old had knee surgery, and a career-worst .895 save % with the Jets last season, but still played 57 games (23-23-11) and was the key to Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
The Buffalo Sabres were connected to Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in late June, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could not find common ground on a deal. The conventional wisdom is that now that Hellebuyck has made his trade request public, that Cheveldayoff is not in as strong a negotiating position to get the best deal for the netminder, but he reportedly is open to going to a wide swath of teams.
Unless Hellebuyck is prepared to hold out, Winnipeg could wait into the season for the right return for such a valuable commodity.
The Sabres could be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but deals that had previously been offered that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might be off the table, since he has a five-team no-trade clause that could block a trade to Winnipeg. It is expected that any deal involving Buffalo would include one of their young centers (Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius), one of their top prospect defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka) and/or an established NHL forward (Jack Quinn or Ryan McLeod).
Other teams could be in the mix for the veteran netminder, either to get them into the playoff mix, or to elevate them from a consistent postseason entrant to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
Vegas Golden Knights
Team Status: The Golden Knights surprised some by getting past Colorado in the Western Conference Final to advance to the Cup Final against Carolina, but many point to the subpar play of Carter Hart as one of the main reasons they lost to the Hurricanes. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon has found ways to defy the odds to make his club better, and in spite of a decreasing amount of assets outside their core group, his ability to do so cannot be underestimated.
Current Goalie Situation: Hart played only 18 games after being signed midway through last season, but started all 22 playoff games over Cup winner Adin Hill. Hill is 30 played only 27 games due to lower body injuries, and is entering year two of a six-year contract extension, making $6.25 million AAV. Akira Schmid played the bulk of their starts (34), but he signed with FLorida in the offseason.
Assets To Trade: Hill has a 10-team no trade clause that could prevent being included in a Hellebuyck deal, and after trading winger Pavel Dorofeyev to New York, their best young prospects are not in the NHL; 2024 first rounder Trevor Connelly, and 2026 top pick Juho Piiparipen. Forwards Tomas Hertl ($6.25 million) and Ivan Barbashev ($5 million) are still in their prime, but Hertl has a three-team trade approval list, and Barbashev a 10-team no trade list. The only likely path is for McCrimmon to trade these players to teams they are not blocked by, to gain assets to ship to Winnipeg.
This is a longshot, since there are not many clubs looking to do Vegas many favors, so Buffalo should be able to top any offer they make.
VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN - DECEMBER 17: Khalifa Diop of Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz lines up for a free throw during the EuroLeague Regular Season Round 16 match between Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and AS Monaco at Fernando Buesa Arena on December 17, 2025 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. (Photo by Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a tough salary cap position. Because they’re hard-capped at the first apron after completing the sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, they needed to sign someone with zero years of NBA experience to remain under that threshold. To accomplish this, they signed 2022 second-round pick Khalifa Diop.
Diop is a 24-year-old, 6’11” center from Senegal. He’s spent the last three years playing professionally for Baskonia in Spain. Diop played in 47 games last season in the Liga ACB in Spain and EuroLeague. He started 38 of those contests and averaged 3.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 16.4 minutes per contest on 67% shooting from the field.
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Diop’s only experience in the wine and gold came during Summer League in 2023. There, he played just three games and averaged 4 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 17.4 minutes.
Cleveland’s main roster is likely set for the start of next season. They’ve typically gone into the season with 14 players on the roster, leaving one slot open until after the trade deadline to maintain flexibility. There’s an outside chance that an additional trade gets made or a player on an unguaranteed contract such as Mario Hezonja (contract guarantees on 11/15/26) or Craig Porter Jr. (contract guarantees on 1/10/27) is waived. Barring something like that, this is going to be the group heading into the year.
Diop likely won’t get many minutes with the Cavaliers next season. He’ll be the fourth center on the roster behind Thomas Bryant. Still, there’s upside there given Diop’s physical traits. We’ll see if he can reach his potential in Cleveland.
