Kawhi Leonard’s future in Toronto has been revealed.
The Raptors and Leonard agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season.
The Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. Getty Images
Just in: Toronto Raptors All-NBA star Kawhi Leonard has agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the franchise, plus a player option for the 2028-29 season, his agent Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/naqrW8jBV3
Leonard is entering his second stint with the organization. He previously spent the 2018-19 season with the Raptors and led the franchise to its first and only NBA championship.
After being fined $700,000 for his involvement in the Clippers scandal, Leonard was traded to the Raptors after the transaction was previously put on hold amid the investigation. The two-time Finals MVP made his first public comments since the trade last week, when he explained why he chose to return to Toronto.
“I’m not really championship chasing, trying to find the best team I could win [with],” Leonard said on the Raptors’ Open Gym YouTube channel.
“I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys. The city took a liking to my family, I took a liking to the city. Really enjoyed it. My son was born here, and he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back.”
In Toronto, Leonard joins Scottie Barnes in the frontcourt. The Raptors are positioned to make a deep playoff run after securing a top-five seed last season in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard speaks to reporters before a team practice. APToronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard holds Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy after the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6. AP
On Tuesday, former Winnipeg Jets forward Kevin Hayes' NHL career has come to a close. Selected 24th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010 draft, Hayes never actually suited up for Chicago.
Instead, he starred for four years at Boston College before signing with the New York Rangers as a free agent in 2014 after the Blackhawks failed to get him under contract before he finished his collegiate career.
Hayes spent the bulk of his career in New York, where the first five seasons of his career were with the Rangers, featuring in 361 regular-season contests in Manhattan. Midway through the 2018-19 season, Hayes was traded to the Winnipeg Jets, a stop that turned into the best statistical season of his career.
Hayes closed out that 2018-19 campaign between the two teams with 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points in 71 games, a career year that came to define his time in a Jets uniform before he moved on in free agency.
He later moved on to several other NHL clubs before ending his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins for two seasons. Over 12 NHL seasons, Hayes leaves the league with 185 goals and 446 points in 805 career games. He was also a finalist for the 2021-22 Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.
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The Flyers experienced their worst nightmare in the first period of Tuesday night’s preseason game at TD Garden.
Dan Vladar, their most valuable player, suffered an apparent injury with 6:29 minutes left in the opening stanza. The 29-year-old goaltender was hunched over, favoring his right arm and stick hand as he skated toward the bench after the Bruins scored to make it 1-0.
Vladar went down as he tried to corral a rebound and lost his stick. Michael Eyssimont took advantage by deflecting a shot past Vladar, who was back to his feet but banged up.
There was no immediate word on Vladar’s status. Aleksei Kolosov took over in net.
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Football may be getting most of the attention, but there's still plenty of MLB action worth watching. Tuesday's 16-game slate includes several teams fighting for postseason positioning, making it a good time to get involved with baseball using theScore Bet promo code YAHOOBONUS.
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Tuesday MLB Schedule and Moneyline Odds
6:35 p.m. ET
Blue Jays at Orioles
6:40 p.m. ET
Nationals at Tigers
Cardinals at Pirates
Brewers at Phillies
6:45 p.m. ET
Guardians at Red Sox
7:05 p.m. ET
Rays at Yankees — Doubleheader Game 2
7:15 p.m. ET
Reds at Braves
7:40 p.m. ET
White Sox at Royals
Marlins at Cubs
8:05 p.m. ET
Mets at Rangers
8:40 p.m. ET
Diamondbacks at Rockies
9:40 p.m. ET
Angels at Athletics
Astros at Mariners
9:45 p.m. ET
Twins at Giants
10:10 p.m. ET
Padres at Dodgers
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DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors huddles up with his team before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 16, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The dust is finally settling around the Kawhi Leonard trade, as the forward has put the finishing touches on a $165 million dollar deal for three years with the Toronto Raptors. Shams Charania reported today that Leonard has signed a two-year extension for $115 million dollars, offering the team a slight discount of $11 million dollars, while waiving his trade kicker of $7.45 million dollars.
Both sides maintained consistent dialogue on Leonard’s long-term Raptors future since July after the reunion via trade — and the two-time Finals MVP expects to finish his career in Toronto. Leonard, 35, now has a total of three years and $165 million on his Raptors deal. https://t.co/kIvWY6859y
Leaving several million dollars on the table demonstrates a newfound willingness to pursue team success, and an early show of commitment to Toronto. Leonard retains a level of personal control with the addition of a player option in the third year of his contract, where he would be 37 years old.
Charania went on to note that Leonard believes that his second stint in Toronto will mark the end of his career in the NBA, reporting that he had been told that the Klaw’s insistence that he will retire a Raptor was a notable component of the agreement between the two parties.
Just in on NBA Today — Kawhi Leonard expects to finish his career in Toronto after signing a new $115M extension in his Raptors reunion: pic.twitter.com/V2dJAaxVh5
Leonard may be turning over a new leaf as he re-enters the Canadian market, seemingly moving past the pursuit of a paycheque that seems to have dominated his time in Los Angeles. As the superstar’s career is winding down, Kawhi’s unfinished business in Toronto seems that it will go on to dominate the latter half of the 2020s for this franchise, perhaps ushering the team into a golden age. Only time — and championships — will tell.
Kawhi Leonard spent most of his summer waiting on the NBA to let him go back to Toronto. Now he's seemingly not going anywhere else.
Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the Raptors that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season a person with knowledge confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because the deal was not yet publicly announced.
Leonard is in the last year of a contract that pays him $50.3 million this season. To get the trade done, he waived his full 15% trade kicker, a bonus some players get when they're dealt.
He's coming off a 65-game season, up from 37 the year before. He averaged 27.9 points and 1.9 steals and made the All-NBA second team.
The last time Toronto had him, he gave the city a championship and left a month later.
Why the Raptors paused the Kawhi Leonard trade
Toronto went 46-36 last season and lost to Cleveland in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. The Raptors agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 pick swap and second-round picks in 2030 and 2033 to the Clippers for Leonard.
On July 9, Toronto hit pause. The investigation was still open and nobody could say yet whether Leonard would be suspended. The Raptors did not comment publicly the rest of the summer.
The report that started the NBA investigation
In September 2025, reporter Pablo Torre reported that Leonard had a $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a climate-focused financial company, that asked almost nothing of him. Former employees told Torre the deal was a way around the salary cap. Investors tied to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had put money in Aspiration.
What the NBA found
The league released its findings Sept. 2. Investigators found a "pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations." The Clippers had lined up deals for Leonard with four companies, pushed those companies to sign him by offering them team business and paid personal expenses for him.
The Clippers lost five first-round picks, 2029 through 2033, and were fined $30 million. Ballmer was suspended for a year. Gillian Zucker, president of business operations, got a one-year unpaid suspension. Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, got six months unpaid. Dennis Robertson, Leonard's uncle and business manager, was banned from dealing with NBA teams for five years.
Leonard was fined $700,000 and was not suspended.
"I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgement by people within my inner circle," Leonard said in a statement. He also said he signed his Clippers contract and the endorsement deals in good faith.
What's next for Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors?
The trade became official Sept. 14. The extension means Leonard is signed for more than one season in Toronto this time. He joins Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley under coach Darko Rajakovic. General manager Bobby Webster, promoted to executive vice president this summer, made the deal.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Jordan Miller #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the Denver Nuggets during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Altman is a 6-foot-7, 26-year-old with college goaltending experience. Altman played four seasons at Quinnipiac but skated in only seven games. He last played during the 2024-25 season. Before attending Quinnipiac, Altman played for Shattuck St. Mary's, a prep school famous for producing Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Toews, and recently, Macklin Celebrini.
Previously, the EBUG served as the goaltender in the team's home arena. But under the new CBA, Altman will travel with the Panthers rather than serve as the EBUG at Amerant Bank Arena.
The Panthers haven't officially announced Altman at the EBUG, but he's been skating with Brad Marchand and Jonah Gadjovich, both of whom are injured.
After graduating from Quinnipiac, Altman took a job at ESPN as a production assistant, according to his LinkedIn account. Now, he'll have the opportunity to be on the road with the Florida Panthers and maybe feature in an NHL game.
However, the Panthers' coaching staff and front office would likely rather not see Altman in between the pipes during a regular-season or playoff game, as that would mean both Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid had sustained injuries.
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BILOXI, MS - SEPTEMBER 20: Josh Adamczewski #6 of the Biloxi Shuckers celebrates during the game between the Rocket City Trash Pandas and the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Photo by Sierra Gatz/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
As a reminder, you can find this roundup — covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates — every Tuesday morning right here on Brew Crew Ball. For consistency, all organizational prospect rankings will reference MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
The Sounds just finished up their season this week, and the Shuckers will be done either Tuesday or Wednesday. You can expect the annual Minor League Season Roundup next Tuesday, but for now, here’s the final weekly roundup of the season.
Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Current record: 80-69 Record this week: 2-4 This week’s opponent: vs. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals) Next week’s opponent: None
Standout performances:
Jonathan Ornelas: 7-for-20, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K Eduardo Garcia: 5-for-16, 2 RBI, BB, 7 K Brandon Lockridge: 5-for-18, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 6 K Akil Baddoo: 5-for-18, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Tyler Black: 5-for-22, 3 2B, RBI, BB, 4 K Bryse Wilson: 6 1/3 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K Coleman Crow: 9 2/3 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Tate Kuehner: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
The Sounds ended their season by dropping four of six games to the Memphis Redbirds, an inconspicuous ending to what was largely a successful season.
Infielder Jonathan Ornelas led the Sounds with a 7-for-20 performance that included his first two home runs as a Sound. Ornelas, who got a cup of coffee with the Brewers due to injuries earlier in the summer, is slashing .213/.327/.362 in 47 at-bats with Nashville.
Brandon Lockridge has now been in Triple-A for over a month. After this week’s 5-for-18 showing, he’s hitting .253 with a .701 OPS in the minors. Lockridge more than held his own in Milwaukee (.273 average, albeit with a .658 OPS), so while he’s not supplanting Luis Lara or Sal Frelick anytime soon, there’s a world in which he ends up on the bench in the playoffs as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive specialist.
Aside from Lockridge, Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, and Eduardo Garcia each had solid weeks. None of the three appear to be in the Brewers’ future plans, but each has held his own this year in Triple-A. Black has put up a .755 OPS in 354 at-bats this year and seems like a candidate to end up somewhere else this winter.
As for the pitching staff, Coleman Crow got hit around a bit but managed to limit the damage, allowing 12 hits but only two runs over 9 2/3 innings. Tate Kuehner put together another solid start; since coming off the injured list last month, he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his six appearances. In four of those outings, he’s allowed one or fewer earned runs, including this week’s start. Bryse Wilson was even better, tossing 6 1/3 shutout innings while striking out seven during his rehab assignment.
Double-A Biloxi Shuckers
Current record: 68-69 Record this week: 2-1 This week’s opponent: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins) (Southern League Division Series) Next week’s opponent: Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels) (Southern League Championship Series)
Standout performances:
Matthew Wood: 5-for-10, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K Dylan O’Rae: 5-for-12, RBI, 3 BB, 4 K Damon Keith: 4-for-12, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB, 6 K Andrew Fischer: 3-for-13, HR, 3 RBI, 4 K Jesús Made: 3-for-13, HR, 2 RBI, BB Bishop Letson: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K J.D. Thompson: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Josh Knoth: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Biloxi finished the first half with the best record in the South Division of the Southern League, so they’ve had a playoff spot secured for about half the season. This week, they finally got to prove their mettle and did not disappoint. The Shuckers swept a three-game set against the Blue Wahoos, winning the opener 6-3 and the clincher by an even more decisive 8-3.
Game 1 was deadlocked at 0-0 as Pensacola starter, and Madison, Wisconsin, native, Jacob Kisting (10-0, 1.72 ERA) no-hit the Shuckers through four innings. However, things took a turn when Kisting opened the fifth with two fastballs that were much slower than his normal velocity, and Shuckers outfielder Damon Keith tagged the second one for a solo home run. Kisting was clearly in pain after the pitch and was immediately pulled from the game. Biloxi then hung five runs on his replacement, Nigel Belgrave, to take the first game of the series.
Damon Keith gives the Shuckers a 1 run lead in game one of their playoff series against Pensacola.
In Game 2, Biloxi took a quick 6-0 lead and never looked back thanks to three two-run homers from Jesús Made, Matthew Wood, and Braylon Payne. Payne’s was an absolute laser, clearing the fence while he was still in the batter’s box.
Braylon Payne’s first postseason dinger leaves his bat at 117 mph 🔥
Yeah, you read that right: 117 mph, which happens to be the hardest-hit ball by a Shucker this season. It’s not surprising that it came off the bat of Payne, whose 28 homers this season trail only Andrew Fischer (who’s had a record-breaking season) and Blake Burke.
After sweeping the Blue Wahoos, Biloxi advanced to the Southern League Championship Series, where they dropped Game 1 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, 5-4, despite home runs from Josh Adamczewski and Andrew Fischer. Fischer went opposite field to give the Shuckers a 4-2 lead.
Starter Josh Knoth went six strong innings and put the Shuckers in a position to win, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Each of Biloxi’s starters this week — Bishop Letson, J.D. Thompson, and Knoth — went at least five innings and allowed no more than two runs. All three have had their fair share of ups and downs this year, but they’ve looked better as the season has gone on, and their playoff performances can only give Brewers fans more reason to be excited about their development.
Finally, Blake Burke was named the Southern League MVP (despite having been in Nashville since August 10). This season, he became the first player to hit 30 home runs in the Southern League since 2015, while his 91 RBIs broke the Shuckers’ single-season record of 90, set by Jackson Chourio in 2023. Burke slashed .285/.367/.603 (.970 OPS) in 375 at-bats with the Shuckers.
Biloxi will need to win each of its next two games to claim the first title in franchise history — and the first outright title by a Brewers Double-A affiliate since 1994. Game 2 & a potential Game 3 will be held in Madison, Alabama at the home of the Trash Pandas. Game 2 is set for 6:35 p.m. CT on Tuesday night, and Game 3 would also be at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Good ol' animosity. It's like an extra player roaming the field at Dodger Stadium as the San Diego Padres open play for a three-game series with their rivals to the north, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The National League West teams have a midweek turn that can go a long way to determining either team's plans for postseason glory. The Dodgers are four games in the black over the Atlanta Braves for the second-best record in the senior circuit, which would come with the benefit of a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Padres have their sights set on more than just October. San Diego remains on track to secure the top NL wild-card seed, carrying a five-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks with only six games left in the regular season. The D-backs face a much steeper challenge, sitting four games behind the Phillies for the league's final wild-card berth.
If the standings were to remain, the Padres would open the postseason in a battle with the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-three series. Just one game ahead of the Phillies, San Diego could slide to the No. 6 seed in the playoff bracket, putting them in a wild-card series in Atlanta.
After that, the Dodgers.
One of the sport's greatest rivalries kicks off Tuesday with storylines aplenty.
Dodgers vs Padres previews possible playoff clash
The Dodgers are 14-3 over their past 17 games and are showing flashes of a team that is leaving the dog days of August behind them. Granted, much of the latest heat check has come at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals.
Mookie Betts is again showing life as one of the best hitters in the league. His 1.214 OPS is good for third in all of baseball in September, and he has chipped in six home runs and 20 RBI in that span.
The team is getting healthier, with Roki Sasaki and Andy Pages returning for the Padres series, giving the Dodgers much-needed depth on offense and defense and time to acclimate.
Still, the Dodgers have cause for concern in a playoff collision course with the Padres. For one, San Diego has been just as hot, winning 14 of their past 16 games.
Fernando Tatis' resurgence and 1.083 OPS this month are big reasons San Diego feels hopeful, especially after the offensive doldrums he suffered earlier in the season.
Both teams are hot with the bats lately and are top two in OPS and home runs in September.
There remains the one sizable question in the form of Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers' previous World Series run was boosted by the star's two-way availability, pitching in four games in the 2025 postseason.
This year, the Dodgers will have to live with a percentage of Ohtani.
Dave Roberts gave hope that he might see action after his 15-day stint on the IL (biceps, knee). "There's a good chance next series we'll see him," Roberts said recently, pointing to this week's series with San Diego.
The Dodgers skipper continued, "It's going to be the best physical place he's been in in quite some time."
Clearly hampered by injuries, Ohtani has played in just nine games this month and batted .111 with six strikeouts.
The Padres meet the Dodgers in L.A. in the penultimate series for both teams before October baseball comes calling. These three games will be crucial to showing which team is more ready for prime time.
The Yankees shut out the Tampa Bay Rays in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, winning by a score of 2-0.
Here are the key takeaways...
-- Carlos Rodon was at his absolute best on Tuesday afternoon, limiting the Rays to just three hits (all singles) and striking out eight in eight scoreless innings.
It was the longest outing by the left-hander this season and the first time he’s completed eight innings since July 11 of last year. In fact, since joining New York in 2023, Rodon has made it through eight frames just twice in 95 starts.
-- Rodon faced the minimum for the first 19 batters of the game thanks to two double plays turned behind him. The first twin killing came in the second when Jose Caballero started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning after a one-out single.
The second was a little more unconventional. With Richie Palacios at the plate, Victor Mesa Jr. broke on the 1-0 pitch which was lined into left field and caught by Cody Bellinger. Bellinger fired the ball to first base and Luis Garcia Jr. placed the tag on Mesa who was scrambling back which ended the inning.
-- Aside from that, Rodon faced one over the minimum and was completely dominant from start to finish. He lowered his season ERA to 2.67 and has been excellent in September (3-0, 1.42 ERA in four starts).
-- Offensively, the Yankees had trouble with Rays starter Nick Martinez who was perfect the first time through the lineup. However, things changed in the fourth when Ben Rice led off with a double. On the very next pitch, Bellinger blasted one 382 feet to right field for a two-run homer to get New York on the board.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones added back-to-back, two-out singles later in the frame, but were stranded after Anthony Volpe struck out to end the inning.
-- The Yankees had another chance in the fifth after a bunt single by Caballero, followed by two steals, and a walk to Rice put runners at the corners, but Martinez got Bellinger to pop out and Heliot Ramos to fly out to end the threat.
-- New York wouldn’t get another baserunner after that, but it didn’t matter as Rodon kept the Rays off the board for eight innings before closer David Bednar came in for the save.
-- With a win in the first game of their doubleheader against their AL-East leading rivals, the Yanks are now 5.0 GB of Tampa Bay and at the very least delayed the Rays from clinching the division for a little while longer.
Game MVP: Carlos Rodon
It was perhaps Rodon's best outing of his career and came at a nice time.
With all eyes on the players battling for a spot on the Montreal Canadiens’ roster, the fact that the team’s sniper, Cole Caufield, is already in mid-season form has almost gone unnoticed. In two games so far, the diminutive winger has scored three goals in two games which is tied for the league lead.
But it’s not just the fact that he’s scoring goals; it’s when he scores them. When the Habs need a goal, Caufield always answers the call. So far, he has two overtime game-winning goals and one game-tying goal. Of course, it’s only exhibition games and ultimately doesn’t matter much, but with such a short preseason, hitting the ground running is a must.
Caufield’s chemistry with standout defenseman Lane Hutson is also worth mentioning. If Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov always seem to know where the other is, Caufield and Hutson do too, and they are a lethal combination in overtime. The Canadiens’ goal-scoring machine fell just short of capturing the Rocket Richard Trophy last year, and it certainly feels like he’ll be a serious candidate to win it this time around.
On the blueline, Hutson is leading the league in points with five in two games (one goal and four assists). The 22-year-old is literally flying on the ice this preseason, and despite his young age, he looks like a veteran out there, so much so that the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to pair him with David Reinbacher for the Kraft Hockeyville game.
Watching the pair go on Monday night felt like a glimpse into the Canadiens’ future, and as the game went on, they seemed to understand each other with even more ease. Reinbacher isn’t the same kind of defenseman as Hutson, and that’s why he complements him so well. The Austrian is very good at reading the game, and he knows when he needs to cover his partner when he joins the attack.
If Hutson carries his current form into the season, he’ll likely be in the conversation for the Norris Trophy and for numerous other seasons to come.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 05: Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider runs a Guardians flag in the outfield following the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 1 between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians on October 5, 2024, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re down to the last week of the regular season. The final few games are thankfully at Fenway Park after the Sox completed their final road trip of the year last week. First up are the Cleveland Guardians.
The Red Sox last saw them in May, when Boston took two of three while scoring 9 runs in each of their wins. It looked like The Turnaround. Of course it would be nearly a month before that would happen. The Guardians? They’ve displaced the White Sox atop the AL Central. Is the White Sox magical run going to come up short of the playoffs? Or just turn into a Wild Card berth? The Red Sox might play a role in deciding that.
Tuesday’s game has a pair of young, talented lefties facing off. Parker Messick is having a great year. He lost a game to the Sox in May but only allowed 1 run in 5.0 innings. The Sox picked up single runs in the 6th and 8th innings and then scored 6 in the 9th, for good measure. He’s matched up against Payton Tolle. Tolle, in his last start of the regular season, is perhaps lined up to start Game 1 of the Wild Card series. He didn’t face Cleveland earlier this year and he’s been cruising. The Red Sox have won four of his last five starts. He struck out 38 against 7 walks.
Foster Griffin returned to MLB after three seasons in Japan and was pretty good for the Nationals. Since being traded to Cleveland, he’s struggled. At least in terms of ERA. With Washington he out-pitched his FIP by a run, In Cleveland he’s almost two runs in the other direction. He’ll be looking to try and carry the Guardians to a win and secure the division. Sonny Gray will make his last regular season start live on ESPN. Yes, there’s a mid-week national TV game. Gray has pitched like the ace all season in place of Garrett Crochet. He’s put up four quality starts in his last five outings. He tossed the one win against Cleveland in May by allowing just a single run in 6.0 innings.
Cleveland currently has TBD listed for the Thursday finale. Last time through the rotation following Griffin, they used Daniel Espino (righty) as an opener for Joey Cantillo (lefty). Cantillo has made 30 starts this season so this isn’t a Brayan Bello situation. He’d been starting until the last two outings, when he came in for the second and third innings, respectively. Overall he has a 3.74 ERA / 4.02 FIP. He’s struck out 167 hitters in 154 innings but also leads the league in walks with 79. The Sox will send Ranger “Mr. October” Suarez to the mound for his tuneup before the playoffs. Ranger had a weird outing last time: 5.2 innings, 5 Ks, 5 BBs. The Sox did top the Rays 4-2 but he had a little trouble after issuing just three free passes total over the three previous starts. Suarez started the other win against Cleveland. He allowed 4 runs in 5.0 innings but struck out 10 and the bats piled up 0 runs to bail him out. Can’t complain there.
Rookie Travis Bazzana is hitting .246/.338/.407 with 15 homers in his 118 games.
José Ramírez has been their team MVP for a while but since he returned from the IL has hit just .234/.301/.315 for 48 games. Clearly he’s still struggling.
Since he was acquired from the Angels, Jo Adell has hit 6 homers.
After slashing just .225/.332/.282 during the first half Steven Kwan has been hot: .354/.440/.430 since the All Star Game.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, September 22: Parker Messick (2.57 ERA / 3.11 FIP) vs. Payton Tolle (3.02 ERA / 3.04 FIP)
Wednesday, September 23: Foster Griffin (3.67 ERA / 4.07 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (2.82 ERA / 3.50 FIP)
Thursday, September 24: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Ranger Suarez (3.27 ERA / 3.12 FIP)
Sexton, who was a 2017 McDonald’s All-American and one-and-done collegiate player at Alabama, became the first building block of the Cavaliers’ post-LeBron James rebuild after Cleveland selected Sexton with the No. 8 pick in the 2018 draft.
Collin Sexton started his career with the hopes of being a star for the Cavaliers. Getty Images
He finished fifth in the voting for the 2018-29 Rookie of the Year, and then had back-to-back seasons of averaging at least 20 points (including a career-high 24.3 points in 2020-21) – albeit for Cavaliers teams that won fewer than 31% of their games in each of Sexton’s first three seasons.
Sexton, and the Cavaliers, were poised for a breakout in 2021-22 after Cleveland drafted Darius Garland in 2019, trading for Jarrett Allen in January 2021, selecting Evan Mobley in 2021 draft and acquiring Lauri Markkanen during the 2021 offseason.
The breakout happened for the Cavaliers, but not Sexton, who played only 11 games before having season-ending left knee surgery.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers had their first winning season since James left, going 44-38 and missing the playoffs after being eliminated from the Play-In Tournament.
Collin Sexton didn’t get get to be a part of the Cavaliers’ 2021-22 breakout season. AP
That 2021-22 Cavaliers squad remains the only team Sexton’s finished a season with that had a winning record – let alone make the playoffs.
With the Cavaliers looking to build off their breakout season, Cleveland traded Sexton (along with Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and multiple draft picks) to the Jazz for star guard Donovan Mitchell.
What followed for Sexton were three productive seasons with the Jazz: He averaged 17.5 points and 4.2 assists from 2022-25.
But each of those seasons all ended the same way – with Sexton and his Jazz teammates watching the playoffs from home after a losing year.
After being traded to the Hornets during the 2025 offseason, it appeared Sexton was going to play NBA postseason basketball for the first time in his career after being a part of Charlotte’s midseason turnaround.
Collin Sexton had productive seasons with the Jazz, but they didn’t lead to playoff appearances. AP
But the Hornets traded Sexton to the lowly Bulls ahead of the trade deadline in February, making it eight straight seasons Sexton was going to watch the playoffs from home after the Bulls finished with a 31-51 record.
So as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Sexton prioritized choosing a team where winning mattered.
“I definitely feel like it was super important – finding a place where I can compete and not be at the crib in April right after the season ends,” Sexton said. “So at the end, just having the opportunity to be a part of this organization and be a part of the team, I was super grateful. And I’m super thankful.
Collin Sexton finished last season with the Bulls. Jason Szenes / New York Post
“And just talking to [coach] JJ [Redick[, I can tell he believes in me in my abilities and what I can bring to the team. I feel like my energy can be contagious to this team.”
Unlike eight years ago when he arrived in Cleveland, Sexton didn’t arrive in Los Angeles with the expectations of being a star.
The Lakers don’t need him to be.
But for Sexton to make his first appearance in the playoffs, the Lakers will need him to seize the chances in front of him.
“Honestly, I would say just opportunity – opportunity to go out, win and be able to compete each and every night,” Sexton said on why he joined the Lakers. “And I feel like that’s something that needs to be shown, that I bring each and every day, is that I want to compete. But also the want to win.”
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 22: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The chances are now paper thin after a series loss in Arizona, but if the Yankees are to have any shot of chasing down the Rays in the final week of the season, they absolutely must sweep this four-game series. That required a dominant performance from Carlos Rodón facing one of the AL’s best starters in Nick Martinez. They certainly got that, Rodón running rampant for eight scoreless innings, achieving both the 1,500th strikeout and 100th win of his career as the Yankees took the first game of the day’s doubleheader, 2-0.
Rodón burst out of the gate like he had a point to prove, whiffing the first two batters of the game Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda on a pair of filthy sliders. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried are likely locks for the postseason rotation, meaning if the Yankees elect to stick with a three-man unit, that final spot comes down to Rodón and Gerrit Cole. Aaron Boone has affirmed his commitment to Cole as the Game One starter in a prospective Wild Card Series. This seemingly leaves Rodón on the bubble, which might explain the extra edge he was pitching with this afternoon.
His teammates didn’t do themselves any favors early, burning both ABS challenges in the first inning. I expect the Yankees to tighten the strings on who gets to challenge and in what situation come the playoffs as you cannot deprive yourself of such a vital tool with eight innings still to play.
Martinez entered this game with the lowest walk rate of any qualified starter and among the league’s best at limiting hard contact. He was true to form going the first turn through the order without allowing a base runner. He was helped by the collectively poor approach from the lineup, with four out of the nine batters including the side in the third striking out against a pitcher with the lowest strikeout rate among qualified starters.
That started to change the second turn through the order, the Yankees finally starting to do some damage against the high volume of pitches Martinez was throwing over the heart of the plate, starting with a Ben Rice double into the corner in right to lead off the fourth. The very next pitch Martinez threw rocketed out of the yard, Cody Bellinger blasting a first pitch sinker into the seats in right for a two-run homer — his fifth homer in the last 12 games.
George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. Jones then stole second unopposed, but Anthony Volpe struck out swinging to strand the pair in scoring position. They kept up the pressure in the fifth, José Caballero reaching on a bunt single against his former team and then stealing second and third followed by a Rice walk to put runners on the corners with one out. However, Bellinger popped out and Heliot Ramos flew out as they stranded a pair in consecutive frames.
Rodón settled into an impressive groove after a Chandler Simpson single in the second, retiring the next ten batters in order until Victor Mesa Jr. led off the sixth with a single. After Rodón whiffed Jorge Mateo on a slider for his sixth strikeout, he got Richie Palacios to line out to left. Mesa was running on the play and momentarily forget he had to sprint back to first, allowing Bellinger to throw an absolute seed to Luis García Jr., who applid the tag for the inning-ending double play.
With Rodón’s pitch count standing at just 89 after seven, Boone decided to go batter-to-batter in the eighth. However, Rodón ensured his manager had no choice to make, completing the eighth inning on just seven pitches, including the 1,500th strikeout of his career. It’s tied for his longest start as a Yankee, matching the eight innings he pitched against the Cubs on July 11, 2025.
Rodón entered this start as perhaps the Yankees’ most in-form pitcher behind Schlittler. Including today, in his last eight starts, Rodón has a 1.67 ERA while holding batters to a measly .134 batting average against. He had all his pitches working today, but this really felt like a throwback to his peak years with Chicago and San Francisco. He got whiffs in bunches on the four-seamer above the zone and slider below it. In likely his penultimate start of the regular season, Rodón dominated for eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out eight to lower his ERA to 2.67 on the year.
The Yankees didn’t manage another base runner in the final three innings, but Rodón made sure that it wouldn’t come back to haunt them. David Bednar pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure his 35th save of the season. The gap to the Rays now stands at five games as the Yankees become the second team in the AL to 90 wins. At worst, they have clinched the four seed in the AL, guaranteeing home field advantage in a prospective AL Wild Card Series.
The Yankees have a few hours’ rest before taking the field again tonight. Max Fried starts the night game of the doubleheader against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET with the broadcast remaining on YES, so stick around!
