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Athletics begin turbulent new era at intimate, fun Sutter Health Park

Athletics begin turbulent new era at intimate, fun Sutter Health Park originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — “I’d rather be playing in Oakland.”

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, an Oakland native, shared that pregame sentiment with thousands in attendance at Sutter Health Park and many more watching from home as the Athletics officially began a new era at their temporary home on Monday night.

There was a buzz in the air early on at the minor-turned-major league ballpark, which quickly filled with loyal Bay Area and Northern California fans after gates opened at 5 p.m, but it was hard to ignore the elephant in the room. Pun intended.

The temporary relocation from Oakland to the state’s capital, approximately 80 miles northeast of the ballpark the Green and Gold have called home for 57 seasons, is not ideal for anyone. Not the team, and certainly not the fans.

However, that didn’t stop those in attendance from making the best of an unfortunate situation, despite how some, or many, might feel about factors outside their control. That’s Oakland baseball. The fans always will have an undying love for the team on the field, regardless of the situation off it, and the feeling is mutual for the players.

“The butterflies are there, the excitement is there for the home opener, getting out there and competing in front of a group of people who may or may not have seen us play before, so that’s exciting for us,” Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker told reporters pregame.

“People seem excited. The community seems excited to have us here. The city and the people in it have been very welcoming to us as individuals and us as a group as a whole.”

From the pregame festivities to the player introductions — and at moments throughout an ugly 18-3 blowout loss to the Cubs — the fans in attendance proved they can provide the energy a major league team needs from a home crowd. The small venue, initially was packed, and the berm in right and right-center field appeared to be at capacity throughout the game with families sitting in lawn chairs and sprawled out on blankets.

“Being announced as a player was super cool,” Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson said postgame. “That was the first one for me, and it was pretty awesome to run out there and see how many people showed up and wanted to support us, so it was a pretty cool night.”

That is, of course, until the game got out of hand and a good chunk of fans started to head for the exits when the Athletics trailed 16-3 in the sixth inning.

“I thought the energy was great,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said postgame. “When we started the game, you could feel the energy. Obviously, it’s tough when you get down in a game like that, but the fans continued to stay behind us. We obviously felt that support.”

The atmosphere was fun and intimate, as most minor league venues across the country are, but on Monday night, there were times when it felt pretty close to a major league experience.

Mostly due to the 12,119 fans in attendance, who outnumbered the crowds of some Athletics home games in recent years at the Coliseum, which, of course, is a comparison stripped of necessary and unfortunate context. The upgrade in stadium peripherals, such as a bigger, brighter scoreboard in center field — minus the brief outage in the top of the first inning — or the louder, crisper sound system certainly improved the overall experience, too.

Oh, not to mention a genuinely cool fireworks/light show display after home runs, which fans saw for the first time after Wilson’s solo shot in the bottom of the third inning — the first home run of his young MLB career.

As far as the field itself, Sutter Health Park — despite its smaller dimensions and the overly hitter-friendly environment it was on Monday night and could be for the next three years — appears to be up to par for Kotsay and his players.

“I didn’t hear any complaints throughout the game,” Kotsay shared. “The lighting was great, the field surface was great, the batter’s eye seemed to be a non-issue. I think they did an amazing job with what they had to work with, giving us a major-league facility.”

There are some elements of Sutter Health Park that are a clear upgrade over the Coliseum, but of course the importance of things like video boards and improved stadium effects pale in comparison to the importance, for fans, of keeping the team “Rooted in Oakland,” and the character and charm of the Athletics’ former stomping grounds.

It’s nowhere near the same, nor will it ever be. And the same will be said for Las Vegas, whenever that time comes.

It would be naive to suggest this is a situation fans can be overly excited about for three years, let alone three months or even three weeks. They know what already has transpired for many years and what is to come in the near future. You would be hard-pressed to find a fan base more knowledgeable about the intricacies of their favorite team’s organization than Athletics fans. There is no pulling the wool over their eyes.

However, if you simply want to enjoy watching the Green and Gold play in Northern California, while you still can, it won’t be hard to enjoy yourself at Sutter Health Park.

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Nashville Predators vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Live Game Thread

The Nashville Predators (27-38-8, 62 points) kick off a three-game road trip with a visit to the Philadelphia Flyers (30-36-9, 69 points) Monday at Wells Fargo Center.

The Predators are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, while the Flyers have won two straight games since firing head coach John Tortorella late last week.

Nashville is also navigating multiple injuries to its forward group, including Colton Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body) and Jonathan Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body).

Justus Annunen will make his second consecutive start in goal for the Predators, while the Flyers will turn to Ivan Fedotov in net.

Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators

How the Predators Lined Up vs. Philadelphia

Forsberg-O'Reilly-Stamkos
Bunting-Svechkov-Evangelista
Smith-McCarron-L'Heureux
Vrana-Bellows

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Barron
Englund-Stastney
Oesterle

Annunen
Saros

Extra: Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body), Marchessault (day-to-day, lower-body), Wood
IR: Lauzon, Wilsby, Josi

With the injuries to Sissons and Marchessault, the Predators went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Flyers. Matthew Wood, who signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators on Saturday, has yet to make his NHL debut.

Predators at Flyers: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 0, PHI 0)

The Flyers outshot Nashville, 7-1, to begin the first period, and Annunen came up with some key saves early. Eventually, the Predators started to click offensively; while neither team found the back of the net during the first 20 minutes of play, Nashville was able to pull even with Philadelphia with seven shots on goal by the end of the frame.

Second Period (NSH 0, PHI 0)

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What Direction Should The New York Islanders Take?

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Scott Mayfield (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Despite flirting with a Stanley Cup playoff spot, the New York Islanders look more like pretenders right now. 

The Islanders lost seven of their last 10 games, and they’re currently on a five-game winless skid that included a 5-3 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and 6-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

They now sit three points out of a playoff spot and are behind four other teams in the battle for the second wild-card place. It’s looking like another wishy-washy campaign for GM Lou Lamoriello’s Islanders, and there are very real questions about the direction of this team and past decisions.

This is to take nothing away from Lamoriello, a deserving Hockey Hall of Famer who doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. And in fairness, Lamoriello got a 2026 first-round draft pick and top prospect center Calum Ritchie in the trade that sent veteran pivot Brock Nelson to Colorado at the trade deadline. The Islanders’ future isn’t all bad news.

That said, the Islanders currently being on the outside of the playoff picture makes some contracts look pretty questionable.

Let’s start with the contract handed out to left winger Pierre Engvall – a $3-million cap hit that runs for another five years and has a 16-team no-trade list. Engvall was already placed on waivers this season, with no takers for him. 

Engvall has eight goals and 13 points in 53 games. Five of those points came in the past eight games, but more often than not, the team looks like it could have benefited more from using that cap hit elsewhere. The team was under no pressure to lock up a depth player in Engvall for so many years with protection, but that mistake can’t be undone.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield has five years left on his contract with a $3.5-million cap hit, and his playing time has dropped. His plus-13 rating leads the team, which is admirable for a defensive defenseman, but he’s averaging 16:50 of ice time, the lowest since 2016-17, and he’s been a healthy scratch. 

The 32-year-old still has a full no-trade clause through 2026-26 and a 16-team no-trade list afterward – a lot of protection for someone the team no longer thinks is a lock in the lineup. You could get a young player to play those minutes for far less money than what Mayfield is getting.

Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, meanwhile, has another season left at a $5-million cap hit. He has 12 goals and 37 points in 70 games this year, which comes after 33 points in 82 games last year and 40 points in 70 games in 2022-23. He’s good in his role, but whether that’s a $5-million role is the question – we don’t think it is.

Cap space being used this way contributes to mushy-middle results – not good enough for the team to go on a long playoff run and not bad enough to land a top draft pick, which the Isles have needed for quite some time.

NHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 TeamsNHL Sour Rankings: 2025 Mock Draft For The Bottom 10 TeamsThe NHL’s playoff picture is coming into focus, which means the bottom-end teams are solidifying their spots in the draft lottery – and the NHL sour rankings. 

Most prospect experts see the Islanders’ talent pipeline ranked near the bottom of the NHL, and they have the sixth-oldest roster in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com. That makes it even tougher for the team to do damage in the foreseeable future.

The Islanders have all their draft picks in 2025 and two first-rounders in 2026. That will help further down the line, but right now, they don’t have many youngsters who can slot into the lineup – Ritchie is their only prospect projected to make the NHL in the next two seasons, according to The Hockey News’ Future Watch issue.

This summer will be crucial as the Islanders have seven RFAs and five UFAs to deal with. What management does this off-season could be a game-changer – one way or another – for their short- and long-term future. The last thing they need is more long-term contracts with trade protection for players that ensure the team remains in the mushy middle.

The short-term pain of choosing a direction and prioritizing a replenished prospect pool is worth it if it means acquiring elite players at the top of the draft and setting themselves up to have a terrific core for a decade or longer. Right now, this team isn’t threatening in the playoffs, the regular season or in a draft lottery.

From this writer’s perspective, it will be tough sledding for them for a long time. Lamoriello’s been running the Islanders for seven seasons now, and the team currently has its lowest points percentage since seven seasons ago. There’s legitimate cause for frustration with having next to nothing to show for this group after making the playoff semifinals in 2020 and 2021.

What matters most is whether this tough sledding results in a refreshed core a few years down the line or a similar-looking squad. If it’s not the former, it’s just more pretending.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Mets trade outfielder Alexander Canario to Pirates

The Mets are trading outfielder Alexander Canario to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team announced on Monday.

The outfielder, who was out of options and did not make the Opening Day roster, had been designated for assignment. New York will get cash considerations from Pittsburgh.

Canario, acquired by the Mets in a February trade for cash considerations with the Chicago Cubs, was competing for the final spot on the roster out of spring training. That spot went to Luisangel Acuña, with the Mets needing the depth on the infield.

The Mets had seven days to work out a trade after he was DFA'd, along with outfielder Jose Azocar.

Canario was solid during the spring – 11 hits in 36 at-bats with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, and a 1.030 OPS – but keeping him would have meant New York would have only four infielders on the 26-man roster.

The 24-year-old spent most of the 2024 season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa, slashing .243/.336/.514 with 18 home runs in just 64 games.

In 21 career games at the big league level over the last two seasons, he has 12 hits in 42 at-bats (.286) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run for eight RBI and a .857 OPS.

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2025 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 update: Ailing Bobby Witt Jr. tumbles, Julio Rodríguez joins top 10

If you were following along with the preseason edition, here's our regular-season top 300 overall rankings, which will be updated weekly on Mondays.

These are rest-of-season rankings for mixed 5x5 fantasy baseball leagues.

You can check out our rankings for dynasty leagues here.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks

**Updated as of Monday, Sept. 8**

Top 300PlayerTeamPosRkSept 1
1 Aaron Judge Yankees OF 1 1
2 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers DH 1 2
3 Tarik Skubal Tigers SP 1 4
4 Juan Soto Mets OF 2 5
5 Corbin Carroll Diamondbacks OF 3 7
6 Jose Ramirez Guardians 3B 1 8
7 Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres OF 4 9
8 Elly De La Cruz Reds SS 1 6
9 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays 1B 1 15
10 Julio Rodriguez Mariners OF 5 14
11 Yordan Alvarez Astros OF 6 22
12 Kyle Schwarber Phillies DH 2 13
13 Gunnar Henderson Orioles SS 2 12
14 Bobby Witt Jr. Royals SS 3 3
15 Francisco Lindor Mets SS 4 18
16 Paul Skenes Pirates SP 2 20
17 Freddie Freeman Dodgers 1B 2 19
18 Manny Machado Padres 3B 2 16
19 Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves OF 7 10
20 Kyle Tucker Cubs OF 8 11
21 Garrett Crochet Red Sox SP 3 21
22 Logan Gilbert Mariners SP 4 23
23 Jazz Chisholm Jr. Yankees 2B 1 24
24 Matt Olson Braves 1B 3 26
25 Bo Bichette Blue Jays SS 5 35
26 Jarren Duran Red Sox OF 9 25
27 Bryce Harper Phillies 1B 4 27
28 Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs OF 10 28
29 Pete Alonso Mets 1B 5 31
30 Ketel Marte Diamondbacks 2B 2 32
31 Jackson Chourio Brewers OF 11 30
32 James Wood Nationals OF 12 29
33 Seiya Suzuki Cubs OF 13 33
34 CJ Abrams Nationals SS 6 34
35 Wyatt Langford Rangers OF 14 38
36 Jackson Merrill Padres OF 15 36
37 Mookie Betts Dodgers SS 7 50
38 Hunter Brown Astros SP 5 42
39 Junior Caminero Rays 3B 3 46
40 Michael Harris II Braves OF 16 37
41 Chris Sale Braves SP 6 59
42 Cal Raleigh Mariners C 1 44
43 Brent Rooker Athletics OF 17 40
44 Jose Altuve Astros 2B 3 39
45 Cristopher Sanchez Phillies SP 7 49
46 Zach Neto Angels SS 8 47
47 Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B 6 90
48 Edwin Diaz Mets RP 1 48
49 Rafael Devers Giants 3B 4 54
50 Jeremy Pena Astros SS 9 53
51 Brice Turang Brewers 2B 4 62
52 Hunter Greene Reds SP 8 67
53 Cody Bellinger Yankees 1B 7 52
54 George Kirby Mariners SP 9 41
55 Mike Trout Angels OF 18 57
56 Framber Valdez Astros SP 10 51
57 Andres Munoz Mariners RP 2 60
58 Jacob deGrom Rangers SP 11 45
59 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers SP 12 63
60 Riley Greene Tigers OF 19 68
61 Ian Happ Cubs OF 20 86
62 Bryan Woo Mariners SP 13 61
63 Blake Snell Dodgers SP 14 58
64 Max Fried Yankees SP 15 64
65 Jhoan Duran Phillies RP 3 65
66 Joe Ryan Twins SP 16 43
67 Oneil Cruz Pirates SS 10 55
68 Logan Webb Giants SP 17 69
69 George Springer Blue Jays OF 21 99
70 Shota Imanaga Cubs SP 18 74
71 Freddy Peralta Brewers SP 19 79
72 Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers OF 22 70
73 Josh Naylor Mariners 1B 8 75
74 Alex Bregman Red Sox 3B 5 71
75 Maikel Garcia Royals 2B 5 77
76 Vinnie Pasquantino Royals 1B 9 84
77 Brandon Nimmo Mets OF 23 83
78 Trevor Story Red Sox SS 11 87
79 Dylan Cease Padres SP 20 82
80 Raisel Iglesias Braves RP 4 97
81 Byron Buxton Twins OF 24 76
82 Christian Walker Astros 1B 10 81
83 Willson Contreras Cardinals C 2 72
84 Randy Arozarena Mariners OF 25 85
85 Bryan Abreu Astros RP 5 80
86 Anthony Volpe Yankees SS 12 78
87 Shane Bieber Blue Jays SP 21 92
88 Brandon Lowe Rays 2B 6 91
89 William Contreras Brewers C 3 89
90 Kevin Gausman Blue Jays SP 22 94
91 Christian Yelich Brewers OF 26 56
92 Cade Smith Guardians RP 6 93
93 Nolan McLean Mets SP 23 100
94 Aroldis Chapman Red Sox RP 7 95
95 Robbie Ray Giants SP 24 106
96 Josh Lowe Rays OF 27 102
97 Carlos Rodon Yankees SP 25 98
98 Tyler Glasnow Dodgers SP 26 73
99 Salvador Perez Royals C 4 101
100 Jacob Wilson Athletics SS 13 116
101 Jesus Luzardo Phillies SP 27 104
102 Pablo Lopez Twins SP 28 142
103 Andy Pages Dodgers OF 28 105
104 Alec Bohm Phillies 3B 6 103
105 Bryan Reynolds Pirates OF 29 107
106 Trevor Rogers Orioles SP 29 108
107 Nick Pivetta Padres SP 30 112
108 Carlos Estevez Royals RP 8 127
109 Steven Kwan Guardians OF 30 117
110 Willy Adames Giants SS 14 115
111 Bryce Miller Mariners SP 31 114
112 Robert Suarez Padres RP 9 122
113 Yandy Diaz Rays 1B 11 119
114 Eugenio Suarez Mariners 3B 7 118
115 Sonny Gray Cardinals SP 32 124
116 Dylan Crews Nationals OF 31 96
117 Michael King Padres SP 33 136
118 Tyler Soderstrom Athletics 1B 12 120
119 Kenley Jansen Angels RP 10 125
120 Nico Hoerner Cubs 2B 7 123
121 Matt Chapman Giants 3B 8 130
122 Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays RP 11 138
123 Lawrence Butler Athletics OF 32 126
124 Brandon Woodruff Brewers SP 34 132
125 David Bednar Yankees RP 12 133
126 Gleyber Torres Tigers 2B 8 128
127 Tommy Edman Dodgers 2B 9 154
128 Ramon Laureano Padres OF 33 166
129 Ranger Suarez Phillies SP 35 139
130 Luke Keaschall Twins 2B 10 137
131 Pete Fairbanks Rays RP 13 131
132 Jo Adell Angels OF 34 155
133 Clayton Kershaw Dodgers SP 36 140
134 Daulton Varsho Blue Jays OF 35 159
135 Jurickson Profar Braves OF 36 144
136 Mark Vientos Mets 3B 9 145
137 Ceddanne Rafaela Red Sox SS 15 134
138 Matthew Boyd Cubs SP 37 149
139 Royce Lewis Twins 3B 10 158
140 Michael Busch Cubs 1B 13 129
141 Geraldo Perdomo Diamondbacks SS 16 157
142 Kyle Bradish Orioles SP 38 146
143 Ozzie Albies Braves 2B 11 163
144 Jacob Misiorowski Brewers SP 39 150
145 Matt McLain Reds 2B 12 289
146 Sandy Alcantara Marlins SP 40 143
147 Noelvi Marte Reds 3B 11 151
148 Ezequiel Tovar Rockies SS 17 111
149 Spencer Strider Braves SP 41 121
150 Taylor Ward Angels OF 37 168
151 Dansby Swanson Cubs SS 18 156
152 Jonah Tong Mets SP 42 135
153 Ben Rice Yankees C 5 152
154 Sean Manaea Mets SP 43 148
155 Cade Horton Cubs SP 44 183
156 Jung Hoo Lee Giants OF 38 160
157 Gavin Williams Guardians SP 45 178
158 Chandler Simpson Rays OF 39 141
159 Tanner Bibee Guardians SP 46 162
160 Chris Bassitt Blue Jays SP 47 172
161 Jackson Holliday Orioles 2B 13 171
162 Shea Langeliers Athletics C 6 169
163 Kerry Carpenter Tigers OF 40 167
164 Trent Grisham Yankees OF 41 170
165 Will Smith Dodgers C 7 147
166 Giancarlo Stanton Yankees OF 42 202
167 Brad Keller Cubs RP 14 NR
168 Spencer Torkelson Tigers 1B 14 173
169 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers SP 48 177
170 Nathaniel Lowe Red Sox 1B 15 200
171 Quinn Priester Brewers SP 49 198
172 Brenton Doyle Rockies OF 43 110
173 Luis Gil Yankees SP 50 179
174 Dennis Santana Pirates RP 15 182
175 TJ Friedl Reds OF 44 181
176 Ivan Herrera Cardinals C 8 189
177 Spencer Steer Reds 1B 16 187
178 Trevor Megill Brewers RP 16 201
179 Trea Turner Phillies SS 19 17
180 Harrison Bader Phillies OF 45 280
181 Jordan Westburg Orioles 2B 14 109
182 Xavier Edwards Marlins SS 20 164
183 Heliot Ramos Giants OF 46 190
184 Parker Messick Guardians SP 51 188
185 Ryan Walker Giants RP 17 184
186 Ryan Mountcastle Orioles 1B 17 192
187 Bryson Stott Phillies 2B 15 229
188 Max Scherzer Blue Jays SP 52 161
189 Masyn Winn Cardinals SS 21 193
190 Abner Uribe Brewers RP 18 153
191 Payton Tolle Red Sox SP 53 191
192 Ha-Seong Kim Braves SS 22 251
193 Kyle Manzardo Guardians 1B 18 247
194 David Peterson Mets SP 54 186
195 Jordan Lawler Diamondbacks SS 23 180
196 Cam Schlitter Yankees SP 55 197
197 Nick Lodolo Reds SP 56 204
198 Andrew Vaughn Brewers 1B 19 196
199 Sal Frelick Brewers OF 47 203
200 Luis Garcia Jr. Nationals 2B 16 209
201 Tanner Scott Dodgers RP 19 176
202 Brendan Donovan Cardinals 2B 17 220
203 Cole Ragans Royals SP 57 208
204 Will Vest Tigers RP 20 243
205 Lars Nootbaar Cardinals OF 48 205
206 Jesus Sanchez Astros OF 49 194
207 Drake Baldwin Braves C 9 210
208 Ian Seymour Rays SP 58 206
209 Austin Hays Reds OF 50 207
210 Wilyer Abreu Red Sox OF 51 175
211 Luis Arraez Padres 2B 18 215
212 Addison Barger Blue Jays 3B 12 174
213 Max Muncy Dodgers 3B 13 267
214 Carson Montgomery White Sox SS 24 258
215 Ryan Pepiot Rays SP 59 231
216 Yainer Diaz Astros C 10 212
217 Josh Jung Rangers 3B 14 216
218 Shane Baz Rays SP 60 236
219 Romy Gonzalez Red Sox SS 25 NR
220 Marcell Ozuna Braves DH 3 228
221 Colton Cowser Orioles OF 52 222
222 Adrian Morejon Padres RP 21 260
223 Adrian Houser Rays SP 61 218
224 Samuel Bassallo Orioles C 11 199
225 Jake Burger Rangers 3B 15 NR
226 Hurston Waldrep Braves SP 62 235
227 Hunter Goodman Rockies C 12 217
228 Ryan O’Hearn Padres 1B 20 230
229 Jac Caglianone Royals 1B 21 219
230 Eury Perez Marlins SP 63 214
231 Brayan Bello Red Sox SP 64 232
232 Dylan Beavers Orioles OF 53 211
233 Zebby Matthews Twins SP 65 261
234 Jack Flaherty Tigers SP 66 233
235 Luis Castillo Mariners SP 67 237
236 Jeremiah Jackson Orioles SS 26 NR
237 Merrill Kelly Rangers SP 68 241
238 Colt Keith Tigers 2B 19 221
239 J.T. Realmuto Phillies C 13 239
240 Tyler O’Neill Orioles OF 54 270
241 Jake Cronenworth Padres 2B 20 224
242 Jakob Marsee Marlins OF 55 223
243 Clay Holmes Mets SP 69 238
244 Carlos Correa Astros SS 27 250
245 Cristian Javier Astros SP 70 225
246 Alec Burleson Cardinals OF 56 NR
247 Kyle Stowers Marlins OF 57 NR
248 Will Warren Yankees SP 71 246
249 Drew Rasmussen Rays SP 72 242
250 Jose Quintana Brewers SP 73 NR
251 Agustin Ramirez Marlins C 14 248
252 Lucas Giolito Red Sox SP 74 252
253 JoJo Romero Cardinals RP 22 277
254 Jack Leiter Rangers SP 75 257
255 Matt Shaw Cubs 3B 16 256
256 Jose A. Ferrer Nationals RP 23 259
257 Zac Gallen Diamondbacks SP 76 269
258 Jeff McNeil Mets 2B 21 291
259 Ryan Weathers Marlins SP 77 NR
260 Ke’Bryan Hayes Reds 3B 17 264
261 Aaron Nola Phillies SP 78 244
262 Gabriel Moreno Diamondbacks C 15 273
263 Justin Verlander Giants SP 79 272
264 Brett Baty Mets 2B 22 254
265 Ryan McMahon Yankees 3B 18 276
266 Andres Gimenez Blue Jays 2B 23 245
267 Bubba Chandler Pirates SP 80 253
268 Isaac Collins Brewers OF 58 274
269 Yu Darvish Padres SP 81 255
270 Lenyn Sosa White Sox 2B 24 266
271 Brandon Pfaadt Diamondbacks SP 82 282
272 Sal Stewart Reds 3B 19 195
273 Matt Wallner Twins OF 59 262
274 Daylen Lile Nationals OF 60 NR
275 Brady Singer Reds SP 83 285
276 Nick Castellanos Phillies OF 61 165
277 Andrew Abbott Reds SP 84 263
278 Parker Meadows Tigers OF 62 NR
279 Brandon Marsh Phillies OF 63 292
280 Daniel Palencia Cubs RP 24 88
281 Masataka Yoshida Red Sox DH 4 NR
282 Joey Cantillo Guardians SP 85 NR
283 Mason Miller Padres RP 25 271
284 Victor Robles Mariners OF 64 NR
285 Luis Morales Athletics SP 86 294
286 Jordan Leasure White Sox RP 26 NR
287 Jordan Beck Rockies OF 65 227
288 Brooks Lee Twins SS 28 278
289 Victor Vodnik Rockies RP 27 295
290 Cam Smith Astros 3B 20 284
291 Tyler Wells Orioles SP 87 NR
292 Caleb Durbin Brewers 2B 25 298
293 Jorge Polanco Mariners 2B 26 NR
294 Mike Yastrzemski Royals OF 66 281
295 Emmet Sheehan Dodgers SP 88 NR
296 Jared Triolo Pirates SS 29 NR
297 Kyle Teel White Sox C 16 296
298 Janson Junk Marlins SP 89 NR
299 Cade Povich Orioles SP 90 NR
300 Shawn Armstrong Rangers RP 28 NR

Sept. 8 Notes

- Dropping off the list: Roman Anthony (66th), Adolis García (113th), Kodai Senga (185th), Seth Lugo (213th), Lourdes Gurriel (226th), Tyler Freeman (234th), Devin Williams (240th), Nestor Cortes (249th), Kyle Finnegan (265th), Emilio Pagán (268th), Seranthony Domínguez (275th), Jasson Domínguez (279th), Joc Pederson (283rd), Tommy Pham (286th), C.J. Kayfus (287th), Cedric Mullins (288th), José Soriano (290th, Connor Norby (293rd), Gavin Lux (297th), Braxton Ashcraft (299th), Calvin Faucher (300th)

- Little is known about Trea Turner's hamstring injury at the moment, so he gets a rather generic ranking of No. 179 for now. Bryson Stott has climbed from No. 229 to No. 187, as he could ascend to the leadoff spot in Philadelphia with Turner absent. At the very least, he'll probably stop receiving so much time off against lefties.

- Daniel Palencia tumbles nearly 200 spots to No. 280 after leaving Sunday's game with a shoulder issue. Maybe that will prove to be an overreaction, but there's only three weeks to go and it seems likely that he'll miss some time. Brad Keller joins the rankings at No. 167 as the probable favorite for saves in the Cubs pen. Porter Hodge could also be in the mix.

- A pair of Orioles starters, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich, made the rankings this week, mostly because they’re due to face the Pirates and White Sox in their next two starts. It was encouraging that Wells averaged 93.0 mph with his fastball last week in his first outing back from Tommy John surgery. That’s slightly better than where he was in 2023 and the beginning of 2024 (92.6 mph).

- It was between Shawn Armstrong and the Reds' Tony Santillan for the last spot, with Armstrong winning out. Santillan seems like the best bet in the Cincinnati pen at the moment after Emilio Pagán took his sixth blown save last week. Pagán, though, has been better than anyone should have expected with his 3.38 ERA and 30.5% strikeout rate in 58 2/3 innings.

- You’ll see Rockies hitters plunging down the rankings this week. Four of the team's final six series are on the road and they’re pretty tough for the most part; they’ll get the Dodgers and Padres this week and go to Seattle and San Francisco during the final week of the season.

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Tatum: C's ‘fed off' Horford's energy in win over Grizzlies

Tatum: C's ‘fed off' Horford's energy in win over Grizzlies originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Al Horford turned back the clock Monday night in the Boston Celtics’ 117-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The veteran big man, who turns 39 in June, delivered a team-high and season-high 26 points with nine rebounds off the bench. That’s the most points he has ever scored as a reserve in his 18-year NBA career.

Horford achieved the feat by knocking down six 3-pointers. He hadn’t scored 26 points in a regular-season game since Feb. 2021.

C’s star Jayson Tatum credited the ageless wonder for setting the tone in Boston’s victory.

“Al played amazing today. He kept us in it and he hit some big shots in that second half. We just fed off his energy,” Tatum told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin.

“Oldest guy on the team and he had the most energy in the last game of the road trip. We needed him big tonight. That was a special performance.”

Horford’s dedication off the court has allowed him to maintain a championship-level impact despite being one of the league’s oldest players.

“A lot goes into what you guys see out here,” Horford said after the game. “There’s preparation and getting myself ready as best I can to perform and taking care of my body. And for me, it’s always just staying ready and trying to play the right way.

“I feel like I put in a lot of work, so even though I’m older, I feel like I can do things when I’m called to contribute or impact winning. It all goes for me with my preparation and my work.”

Horford and the C’s are at the top of their game with the playoffs looming. Boston completed its six-game road trip with a perfect 6-0 record for the first time in franchise history and has now won nine consecutive games.

The Celtics will look to extend their win streak to double digits when they return home to host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

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Knicks signing P.J. Tucker to two-year contract

The Knicks are rewarding veteran P.J. Tucker with a two-year contract, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley confirms.

The deal will keep Tucker -- who completed his second 10-day contract with the club -- around for the remainder of the regular season and leaves the organization with enough room under the second apron to add another veteran free agent before the playoffs, if they wait until the last day or two of the regular season to make the transaction, Begley noted.

Of course, if New York wants to add, they would need to waive a player to create room on the roster.

Tucker logged just 107 seconds of game action during his time with the Knicks at the end of a 120-105 loss at Sacramento earlier this month, but he's been a big help elsewhere.

"Knicks people have appreciated Tucker’s off-court impact, vocal approach during his two-week stint with the club," Begley said on Monday.

The second year of Tucker's deal is a team option that will allow New York to include additional salary in any offseason trade.

The 39-year-old last played during the 2023-24 season, splitting time between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers. In 31 games (10 starts), Tucker averaged 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. He was also a part of Milwaukee's run to the NBA title in 2020-21, after coming over from Houston.

During his 14 years in the league, Tucker has played for seven different teams, with the Knicks being his eighth.

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What we learned as Athletics rocked by Cubs in Sacramento home opener

What we learned as Athletics rocked by Cubs in Sacramento home opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics’ historic first home game on Monday night at Sutter Health Park didn’t go according to plan as they lost 18-3 to the Chicago Cubs. The Green and Gold offered winks of promise early in front of a vociferous, sell-out crowd, but ultimately they couldn’t overcome Chicago’s 21 hits.

Athletics righty Joey Estes allowed four runs in the first inning during his first start of the 2025 MLB season, and ultimately exited after four innings having allowed six runs, three home runs, nine hits and four walks while striking out two. Cubs righty Ben Brown did his job over five frames and allowed three runs with five punch-outs on 75 pitches. Oh, and Carson Kelly was the first Cub to hit for the cycle since 1993, which encapsulated the night.

There was plenty of enthusiasm, curiosity and baseballs in the air throughout the inaugural West Sacramento matchup. However, the Athletics’ on-field results – especially in the top half of the lineup – didn’t match the energy. 

Here are three takeaways from the Green and Gold’s home-opening loss on their new turf of the next three years. 

New Digs

Many had anticipated seeing how the Athletics (2-3) – and MLB – would fit into a minor-league stadium after the Green and Gold announced on April 4 that they’d spend the 2025 through 2028 seasons at Sutter Health Park. Well, the new diamond definitely played a factor on Day 1, just not in the Athletics’ favor.

The Cubs (3-4) hit four home runs and finished with the aforementioned 21 hits. Kyle Tucker and Kelly had four while Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner finished with three.

The Athletics have scored roughly half of their runs on the long ball since the 2024 season. It wouldn’t be surprising if they’d soon return to form, or somewhat close, in a ballpark where a long ball requires a mere 330 feet in left, 403 in center and 325 in right.

First Bump on the Bump:

Estes, named the team’s fifth starter by fourth-year Athletics manager Mark Kotsay on March 15, stained the rotation’s encouraging first stretch of the season.

The Athletics allowed just eight runs throughout their season-opening four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park behind, in order, a pair of six-inning shutouts from key free-agent acquisitions Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs; a five-inning, one-run outing from Osvaldo Bido and a scoreless 6 2/3 innings from JP Sears.

In other words, Estes’ outing stung after the Athletics’ first four starters had allowed a combined three runs over their first 23 2/3 innings.

The bullpen had a similarly enticing beginning, too, outside of set-up man José Leclerc offering two homers to lose on Opening Day, but it also struggled mightily Monday against the Cubs. Mitch Spence relieved Estes and allowed three hits and two runs over 2/3 of an inning. He was replaced by Noah Murdock, who proceeded to give up four hits, three walks and six runs.

No. 1 gets No. 1

Top Athletics prospect and starting shortstop Jacob Wilson hit the first Athletics homer at Sutter Health Park and the first of what should be many more for him during his inaugural 162-slate in the majors.

In the third inning, after watching Brown toss a 94-mph four-seam fastball for a ball, Wilson sent a perfectly centered knuckle curve 341 feet left, which marked the first of the Athletics’ three runs.

The homer was the first of Wilson’s MLB career; he hit seven overall with Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas during the 2024 season. He’s more of a contact hitter, but perhaps his 15-pound muscle gain this offseason means there are more home runs to come.

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Braves’ Jurickson Profar gets an 80-game ban for performance-enhancing drug use

NEW YORK — Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 80 games without pay for performance-enhancing drug use.

Major League Baseball announced Monday that Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.

The suspension of Profar is effective immediately. He will be eligible to return June 29, barring any postponements.

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Kings Blow Out Sharks in 8-1 victory

© Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Kings (41-23-9) defeated the San Jose Sharks (20-44-9) in an 8-1 victory at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, March 30. 

This victory was a bounce-back from the previous two losses against some of the tougher competition in the Stanley Cup playoffs—the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche. It also helped the Kings regain their top home-ice record.

Among the standout players during this match were LA Kings right wing Adrian Kempe and left wing Warren Foegele, who scored goals during a power play and again in the Kings' offensive onslaught in the second period. 

In the first period, Los Angeles drew first blood when center Phillip Danault hit a slap shot from the left side of the San Jose net to score the first goal, 1-0. The Sharks' offense was later given two power plays off of penalties by the Kings — slashing and sticking —but could not utilize their advantages. 
Meanwhile, the Sharks also gave up penalties. During the second power play, which the Kings received after a hooking penalty, Kempe hit a snapshot to the hockey net to score another goal for the Kings, 2-0. 

As the second period skated by, San Jose scored their only goal of the night by center Cam Lund, 2-1. They could not hold back the offensive prowess of Los Angeles. 

Kings left wing Trevor Moore took advantage of a defensive miscalculation by the Sharks—too many players on one person—and hit a wrist shot to the net, scoring for Los Angeles, 3-1. The Sharks gave up three penalties to the Kings, and on the second power play of the period, Foegele was able to muscle the puck into the San Jose net with a deflected shot from their goaltender, making it 4-1.

Towards the end of the second period, Foegele scored again for the LA Kings, only this time he tipped in a shot from defenseman Mikey Anderson to blow up the lead, 5-1. Even as the period was coming to a close, as the puck was being passed along nicely by Los Angeles, Kempe struck again with a slap shot from the left side of the Sharks net for a goal, 6-1.

The third period came around for the LA Kings, but San Jose's offense skipped town despite the penalties the Kings took—roughing and cross-checking by Mikey Anderson, both in the same play. 

As the latter half of the third period came, as did left-wing Andrei Kuzmenko when he shot the puck right by the neutral zone with an impressive wrister, ballooning the lead to 7-1. Los Angeles center Trevor Lewis chimed in with insurance goals near the end, nailing a wrist shot to the Sharks net, making it 8-1 and marking the end of the offensive rampage by the LA Kings with a win.

Despite the offensive magic, the Kings will face perhaps one of the biggest challenges yet in the Winnipeg Jets, considered one of the favorites to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.