NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Sam Merrill #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the third quarter of a game against the New York Knicks in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers bench underwent a shake-up in the offseason. Anchors of the second unit such as Dean Wade, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis are no longer on the roster. For a period of time, it felt like Sam Merrill might have to be one of the names moved to shuffle the deck. However, now that NBA media day has come and gone, Merrill is still here, and every year he becomes increasingly integral to the Cavaliers.
Merrill has steadily increased his minutes since joining the Cavaliers, averaging 11 minutes in 2022-23 and nearly 27 minutes last season. Based on the skill sets of the other bench players around him, Merrill could see another increase in minutes this season.
It is well documented that Merrill is a high-volume marksman. Despite the scouting report banging the drum on this, opponents find it hard to slow down his volume and efficiency.
Even in a year mostly without Strus, Merrill still took 7.2 three-point attempts per game while knocking them down at a 42% clip. These numbers have the potential to climb even higher if other role players don’t fill the lights-out shooter role.
Merrill always seems to be Kenny Atkinson’s favorite player to set up opportunities for. Whether it’s pin-downs or running around a double screen, Merrill only needs a sliver of daylight to pull up.
It will be interesting to see how Merrill looks in his second year with James Harden running the offense. As we saw last season, this partnership led to some of Cleveland’s best offensive numbers. You’d hope in year two that they can continue the chemistry they showed last season and exceed their previous output.
Merrill’s activity on the floor and lack of hesitation make him very effective in most five-man lineups. His presence bends defenses and puts pressure on opposing players to keep track of both him and the ball. That type of command and efficiency makes Merrill one of the easier players to fit into any lineup configuration.
Elite skill sets can be a necessity for role players. The Cavaliers spent last season coming to terms with the fact that they didn’t have many players of that archetype. This season, the team appears to be taking gambles on role players who are slightly more well-rounded. At this point, Merrill appears to be the only reserve with a definitive five-star trait: his shooting.
If Merrill can take even a mini leap in attempts and efficiency from last season, the Cavaliers will continue to find ways to increase his minutes and usage.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound against the New York Yankees during the third inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
Three of the four Wild Card matchups concluded last night, with one more left to go. We’ve got all of that and more in today’s batch of links.
The Yankees’ bats went off once again, teeing off Garrett Crochet in his first appearance back from injury in a 9-2 ballgame to punch their ticket to the ALDS.
The Phillies drew even with the Braves thanks to a trio of homers, including an extra-inning bomb from Alec Bohm, in a 4-3 win. They’ll play the deciding match this evening.
In Mariners news…
Ryan Rowland-Smith made his pitch for why the Mariners need to extend right-hander Logan Gilbert.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning A’s fans!
Three of the four series of the first round ended with sweeps. The Yankees, Padres, and White Sox all vanquished their opponents and have punched their tickets to the divisional round. The Cubs, Red Sox, and Astros (yay) all saw their seasons come to an unceremonious end. None of them were huge favorites to win it all so their fanbases can only be so disappointed, but still never fun to see your team end the year with a loss.
The second round is now mostly set. After their dominance over one division rival, the Yankees now take on the #1 seed in the AL in another rival, the Tampa Bay Rays. This series could go either way and it’ll be one of the best of the second round.
The other matchup in the AL is, again, between two division rivals as the White Sox take on the Guardians. The upstart White Sox beat Houston in convincing fashion but Cleveland is a much better opponent. Can they keep the mojo going, or does their magic finally wear off?
In the NL, the Brewers now know they’ll be facing the Padres in their Division series matchup. Milwaukee was the only team to win 100 games this year and is one of the favorites to win it all. They’ve been here before though and always fall short. Is this the year for them? The same can almost be said exactly the same of the Padres: a great team year in, year out, but always falling just short of expectations. Milwaukee should be favored in this series but San Diego could be the pick if someone wants an upset in the second round.
The only team that couldn’t finish off the sweep was the Atlanta Braves. They were close, coming to within six outs of finishing off the Phillies. Their division rival managed a late comeback with back-to-back homers in the eighth to tie it and then they finished the comeback in extras, forcing one more game to decide the series. Winner-take-all. This is going to be some good baseball, and a mere taste of what’s to come in the later rounds of the playoffs.
Philly hasn’t announced their starter for the must-win game later today. They could turn to Zack Wheeler on short rest, which at this point in the year is kind of why he got that massive contract. Atlanta meanwhile has a bit more of a complicated decision for them on who starts today’s contest. It could end up being former A’s prospect Grant Holmes, who has blossomed with Atlanta. We’ll all just have to wait and stay tuned.
Meanwhile A’s fans are still waiting to find out who the new General Manager will be. There were rumors and reports that the organization wanted their choice installed before the end of the year but that deadline is long gone. The hope now is that they pick their person before the end of the playoffs so the new voice has an entire and full offseason at the helm. News could drop at any moment and any day now.
Phillies-Braves Game 3 first pitch is at 5:15 Pacific. Have a great Friday Junior everyone!
After a disappointing 93-loss season, Royals president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo said the team plans to be “aggressive in acquisitions.” But that aggressiveness, he cautioned, should not be confused with a willingness to spend aggressively on the payroll. He addressed the media along with manager Matt Quatraro in the team’s annual end-of-year press conference on Wednesday.
The season did not go as planned, with the team stumbling to a 12-19 start by the end of April. Picollo took addressed the slow start by saying “we’re responsible for the performance in April and May.” He did point out the World Baseball Classic kept some Royals players away from the team during spring training, making it more difficult to build team camaraderie. And injuries made it difficult for the team to climb their way out of the hole they had dug.
“We weren’t very good in April, and we weren’t very good in the beginning of May. I can’t sit here and tell you that I know we would have been good in June, July, August, and September, but if we had had those players on our roster and healthy and available, I think we could have made a better run.”
The Royals lost key players like Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino early in the year, in addition to having their pitching staff decimated by injuries over the summer. The Royals announced changes to their medical staff, although Picollo denied the injuries were the reason for the moves. He also contended that despite all the adversity, the team has to win.
“That being said, nobody feels sorry for you. You got to go out and win.”
Here is what Picollo had to say about how he plans to address team needs this offseason.
The bullpen
“The bullpen is going to be a focus for us,” said Picollo. “There’s no question.”
Royals relievers had a 5.07 ERA, second-worst in baseball, and a league-worst 6.65 ERA in the ninth inning. The team lost closer Carlos Estévez to injury after his first game, and got disappointing performances from Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm.
While Picollo expects the team to be aggressive, he added “I don’t want that mistaken for aggressive payroll spending.” He noted that the team was top five in spending on the bullpen over the last three years, but that spending on relievers may not be the solution due to the volatility of their performance.
“We have to look into ways at being more efficient,” he said, adding that they tried to look for that “diamond in the rough” late this year with waiver claims and small deals. They sought pitchers that presented different arm angles and pitches to give hitters varying looks.
“There’s not a clear, definitive answer on how to pull put a bullpen together. But I think the variety of ‘different looks,’ ‘different stuff’ type of relievers is the way we’re probably going to go.”
While Picollo highlighted the pitching of Steven Cruz and Nate Pearson down the stretch, the 2027 closer may not be on the roster right now.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able to sit here today and tell you we’ll have a closer. Internally, we don’t think we necessarily have it.”
Daniel Lynch IV, who enjoyed a breakthrough season in the bullpen, will be given a chance to compete for a starting spot next year. Lynch had a 1.96 ERA in 46 relief appearances this year, and a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts.
Starting pitching
Picollo said starting depth was their biggest priority after upgrading the bullpen. He admitted that the starting pitching depth he had amassed before the season was not nearly enough.
“It was as confident as I’ve ever been in starting pitching depth,” he said before discussing the injuries that hit the pitching staff. Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek all missed significant time this season.
“So we’re never going to take starting pitching for granted.”
Next year’s rotation will feature Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Noah Cameron, but the team will have to figure out who will fill the last two spots. The team expects to pick up the option of Tony Gonsolin, the former Dodgers All-Star pitcher who was signed late in the year and pitched in one game for the Royals. He could compete for a rotation spot along with Lynch, and Randy Dobnak, who impressed with a 3.51 ERA in 15 games.
Offense
As far as the offense, Picollo liked some of the underlying things they did, but ultimately the team did not score enough runs, particularly on the road. The Royals averaged 4.26 runs per game overall, finishing 21st in baseball. That was a slight improvement over their performance in 2025 when they scored 4.02 runs per game, 26th in baseball. But they finished dead last in baseball in runs on the road, averaging just 3.62 per game.
“It’s a combination of things. It’s getting on base at a greater clip. It’s running the bases well. It’s putting the ball in play when you need to with a man in scoring position. A lot is made of batting average with runners in scoring position – for us its more about ‘did you get him in?’”
He confirmed Ken Rosenthal’s report from Tuesday that hitting coach Alec Zumwalt has been reassigned to focus more on minor league development, but Picollo clarified that this was not a reflection of performance, and had been the plan all along. Zumwalt had worked with the current core of Royals hitters in the minors, and had ascended to the big league level with them. The team wants him back working with young minor league hitters, while assistant hitting coaches Marcus Thames and Connor Dawson work with the big league hitters. The Royals will likely hire another assistant hitting coach, but Picollo backed the work of Zumwalt.
“We’re not disappointed with his performance. We think he’s a very good hitting coach.”
The team will look for offensive upgrades in the outfield. Picollo noted the outfield defense regressed this season, despite the fences at Kauffman Stadium being moved in leaving less room to cover. Outfield prospect Carson Roccaforte could be in the mix, although he is left-handed and Picollo noted that the team is already very left-handed heavy.
The team will be “open to any and all ideas” on trades, even if that means trading players on the roster. Picollo added he is not interested in trading players for prospects, given their timeline and expectations to contend.
“We need to add players that help us at the major league level.”
Spending
Picollo said he does not have a specific payroll figure, but noted that ownership has approved additional spending when he has brought forward opportunities worth pursuing.
“I’ve always felt like it’s not my job to worry about the payroll. Our job is to get the most out of whatever we have,” said Picollo, noting there are teams in the playoffs with lower payrolls than the Royals, while many teams that spent a lot are sitting at home.
“I don’t think payroll is indicative of success on the field. I think success on the field comes with knowing your roster and how to get the most out of your roster and that’s our task. That’s what we need to do.”
Sherman said in August that the team is “freeing up some money” the team could invest, with about $30 million expected to come off the payroll with impending free agents.
When asked about potential long-term contracts for Jac Caglianone or Carter Jensen, Picollo deferred, saying that they typically don’t seriously consider such deals until after a player’s second year of service time. Both players just completed their first full season in the big leagues, finishing strong with each hitting over 20 home runs and posting an OPS+ over 120.
The Royals may have to work quickly to address their shortcomings simply because of the looming potential work stoppage. The collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, which could lead to an end to free agent signings until a new labor deal is worked out.
“The aggressiveness in November is going to be important for us, as we expect the entire industry to be fairly busy.”
But it is clear the Royals have a lot do before the next season begins. The Royals entered 2026 expecting to build on back-to-back winning seasons. Instead, they finished with the fifth-worst record in baseball and now face significant questions in the bullpen, starting rotation and outfield. Picollo acknowledged that the fans demand more.
“It’s refreshing to know that our fans have high expectations. We want them to have high expectations, because we gave them reason to have high expectations,” said Picollo.
“With that comes to responsibility of getting it done. I think we feel pressure every year to win.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What a way to sweep the Red Sox out of the playoffs! The Yankees brushed aside their inferior opponents, winning the two games by a combined score of 18-2. Every facet of their game was clicking — plate discipline, slug, bat-to-ball, two-strike hitting, situational hitting, base running, defense, and of course, starting pitching. It’s a winning recipe that leaves them in good stead for the upcoming ALDS date with Tampa.
The Yankees weren’t the only team to eliminate their opponents from the postseason on Wednesday so let’s jump straight into the action!
AL Wild Card Series Game 2
Chicago White Sox 7, Houston Astros 3 (Chicago wins 2-0)
After just two games, I can’t think of any playoff participant who wants to face these White Sox. That is a sentence that no one could conceive of typing at the start of the season. Two seasons removed from suffering the most losses in MLB history and on the back of three straight losing campaigns, this upstart Chicago squad came out of nowhere to crash the postseason, starting with a two game sweep of the Astros in their own building.
They have done so by scoring early and often, the White Sox lineup a deep unit one-thru-nine with multiple ways to hurt you. They work deep counts, foul pitches off, draw walks, and can put the ball in play, but can also slug the ball out of the yard from almost any spot in the batting order. On Tuesday, they scored three unanswered runs in the first two innings to put the Astros on the back foot from the word go, and Wednesday continued the trend with the Southsiders hanging a four-spot before the home team had a chance to bat.
They had a 1-0 lead just five pitches into the game against Astros ace Hunter Brown, Sam Antonacci leading off with a double before Kyle Teel drove him home with a single. A fielding error by Nick Allen on a Miguel Vargas grounder put a pair on, and three straight singles by Andrew Benintendi, Tristan Peters, and Chase Meidroth plated three more runs with help from a Lucas Spence throwing error from center.
Credit to the Astros, they did not roll over after going down four in the first and slowly chipped into the White Sox lead. Jeremy Peña led off the bottom of the first with a booming home run that clattered off the left field wall just below the train tracks. Cam Smith hit one to almost exactly the same spot with two outs in the second. Jose Altuve narrowly snuck a solo shot into the Crawford Boxes to lead off the fourth and just like that, a 4-0 game had become a 4-3 thriller.
An inning later it looked like the Astros would pull of the improbable and complete the comeback. Smith was hit by a pitch, Peña singled, and Isaac Paredes walked to load the bases with two outs for Altuve. However, reliever Anthony Kay got Altuve to fly out to medium right field to strand all three ducks on the pond. That left the door open for the White Sox to swing the momentum back in their own favor and they did so immediately. Benintendi and Peters drew a pair of walks to open the sixth, prompting Joe Espada to call on Bryan Abreu out of the bullpen. Astros owner Jim Crane vetoed a trade of Abreu to the Twins in the final minutes of the deadline, and Abreu rewarded that faith by hanging a 3-1 slider to Meidroth, the second baseman crushing a three-run bomb to left to put the final nail in the Astros’ coffin.
After sweeping this rematch of the 2005 World Series, the White Sox advance to the ALDS where they will face the AL Central champion Guardians, first pitch of Game 1 scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
NL Wild Card Series Game 2
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Atlanta Braves 3 (Series tied 1-1)
The Phillies’ season was hanging by a thread until some late heroics by Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Alec Bohm sent this thrilling series to a decisive Game 3. It was a pitchers’ duel early between two starters trending in opposite directions. Tyler Mahle entered his first career playoff start with a sub-two ERA after joining the Braves from the Giants at the deadline while Cristopher Sánchez posted an ERA above five in the month of September (though will still likely wrap up his second straight runner-up finish in NL Cy Young balloting).
The one thing the two starters do have in common is first inning struggles and that certainly played out in this game. Mahle allowed a leadoff double to Trea Turner and consecutive one-out singles by Bryce Harper and Alex Bohm to allow the Phillies to jump ahead, 1-0. However, Sánchez issued a leadoff walk to Ronald Acuña Jr., who promptly stole second and scored the tying run on a Matt Olson single.
Both starters settled in from there, trading zeroes for the next five innings, until things unraveled for Sánchez and his defense in the seventh. Sean Murphy worked a leadoff walk and Ha-Seong Kim reached on a bunt single to put a pair on with no outs. Drake Baldwin then clubbed what looked like a routine liner to right, but Harper misplayed it horrifically breaking in on the ball only to watch it sail over his glove and to the wall for what was ruled as an RBI double. Sánchez intentionally walked Ozzie Albies to load the bases, and Olson made him pay with a sac fly to double the Braves lead, 3-1.
What should have been a hammer blow to the Phillies morale did not play out as such. Schwarber immediately responded with a towering leadoff shot off lefty reliever Dylan Lee, and Harper atoned for his misplay by going back-to-back to retie the game, 3-3. That sent this game to extra innings, where the much-maligned Alec Bohm continued his redemption tour. Bohm was on the bubble of being non-tendered during the offseason, but the Phillies kept him around and drove in the first run of the series with an RBI double in the first inning of Game 1. The third baseman was the ultimate hero in this one, his opposite field solo homer off rookie Didier Fuentes in the 10th to keep the Phillies season alive and force a decisive Game 3.
San Diego Padres 4, Chicago Cubs 1 (San Diego wins 2-0)
This game featured surprisingly quick hooks of both starters as neither manager wanted to risk leaving their highest leverage relievers unused. One was certainly more deserved than the other, Kevin Gausman allowing three runs on five hits in 3.1 innings. The Cubs were desperate for starting pitching at the Trade Deadline and Gausman was supposed to be their big prize. However, he flopped after making the move from the Blue Jays, pitching to a 4.83 ERA in nine starts post-deadline, and his stinker tonight was the beginning of the end of the Cubs’ season. Nick Pivetta on the other hand held Chicago to a run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings, but Craig Stammen seemed determined to play the matchups in this one.
Ty France got things started with a double to lead off the second, advancing to third on a Jackson Merrill single, who then stole second to put a pair in scoring position for Xander Bogaerts. The veteran shortstop opened the scoring with an RBI single, which brought Ethan Salas to the plate. The 20-year-old became the youngest catcher ever to appear in a playoff game, and in his first postseason PA, he lifted a sac fly to center to plate Merrill as the Padres’ second run.
The real story of this series has been the Cubs’ inability to score. They led MLB scoring 5.25 runs per game, spearheaded by shoo-in NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong and his MLB-leading 45 home runs (PCA would go 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in the series). They found themselves shut out through the first 12.1 innings of this series, finally breaking the seal in the fourth on a Seiya Suzuki single, Ian Happ walk, and Nico Hoerner RBI single. A Carson Kelly hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with two outs, but Dansby Swanson flew out to stand all three in place.
San Diego immediately punished them for failing to fully cash in on that scoring opportunity. Bogaerts reached on a one-out double, prompting Craig Counsell to call on Daniel Palencia in relief of Gausman. Palencia yanked a 101 mph fastball right into Sheets’ nitro zone down and in, and the lefty crushed it to right for a mammoth two-run blast.
It was all hands on deck from there from the Padres bullpen looking to protect their lead for the final five innings of the contest. They proved how terrifying a relief corps they’ve been all season, allowing just three base runners — a Michael Busch walk with two outs in the fifth, a Tyrone Taylor pinch-hit single with one out in the eighth, and a Hoerner one-out double off Mason Miller in the ninth — after the Cubs stranded the bases loaded to end the fourth.
San Diego advances to the NLDS where they will face the best team in baseball. It’s an unenviable position to come up against presumptive NL Cy Young Jacob Misiorowski and the 103-win Brewers. Game 1 of that series is scheduled for October 3rd with first pitch time contingent upon the result of Game 3 between Philly and Atlanta.
What the Chicago White Sox have done in 2026 is why sports are so great. A perennial punching bag, and Major League Baseball’s biggest laughingstock a year ago has transformed into a baseball powerhouse, and on Wednesday night they proved it. The ChiSox cruised to a 7-3 win over the Astros in the AL Wild Card, clinching 2-0 and moving on.
The locker room broke into a massive party, and nobody was having more fun than Munetaka Murakami, who celebrated with his teammates, partied with his translator, and gave drunken interviews to anyone with a microphone.
“HE’S DRUNK! [gestures to translator] HE’s DRUNK! He’s my classmate [?], but he’s drunk! Yeah! I’m drunk! I’m drunk! Yesterday, maybe hungover. No, not yesterday — tomorrow, hungover. Yeah, sorry, I don’t speak English.”
The unabashed joy pouring out of Mune is contagious, and it happened again later in the evening when CHSN tracked him down for another attempted interview.
There’s just something special about this White Sox team. To lift an entire organization out of the cellar to become one of the best teams in baseball is a sight to behold, and they’re doing it together as a team — Munetaka Murekami is a huge part of that. The man deserves his drunken celebration.
The White Sox will play the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS starting on Saturday, October 3rd at 1 p.m. ET
Team principal under scrutiny after underperformance
‘Fred is the guy to take this team in the right direction’
Lewis Hamilton has backed his Ferrari team principal, Fred Vasseur, as the best person to lead the team, but believes the leadership structure above and around the Frenchman could be overhauled.
Hamilton was speaking before this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with the race being held at the Sepang circuit but branded as a replacement for the meeting that was cancelled earlier in the season because of the war in the Middle East. Ferrari go into the race with Vasseur under scrutiny, given the team have been underperforming and with the former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner having stated last week that taking over at Ferrari would be his dream job.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the New York Yankees during the fourth inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The season’s been dead for less than 12 hours, but it’s always good to start reflecting on the year that was when the emotions are fresh, because you’ll probably never feel this strongly about the details of 2026 ever again.
So with that, we’ve got a simple question today: How do you feel about the 2026 Red Sox as a whole? It’s a more complicated question than usual at September’s end given the enormous highs and lows and the uncertainty of what will happen next, but we’ve got plenty of time to ponder it now that we don’t know when Red Sox baseball will be returning next.
For me, the 2026 season is a failure, and a big one! Third place for the third year in a row, failure to win at least 90 games for the fifth year in a row, and failure to bring playoff baseball back to Fenway Park for five years and counting. The season was salvaged from being an even bigger disaster by that remarkable 32-5 summer stretch, but when it ended, the September Red Sox once again became the April, May and most of June Red Sox. They had an offense that wasn’t good enough, a slate full of boring and uninspiring games, and a complete inability to execute in key spots.
But what are your emotions right now? Use this space to let us and the rest of the OTM community know. We’ll be here with you all offseason (however long that lasts into 2027), so make yourself comfortable, and as always, be good to one another.
Jesper Wallstedt doesn't sound like a goaltender lacking confidence entering his second full NHL season.
The Minnesota Wild open its 2026-27 season Thursday night against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena, and Wallstedt enters the year in a much different position than he did 12 months ago.
After putting together one of the best rookie seasons by a goaltender in franchise history, Wallstedt will be counted on heavily early in the season with Filip Gustavsson sidelined.
And Wallstedt likes where he's at.
"I'm happy I got here early," Wallstedt said during training camp. "Got to spend a lot of time with Freddy and all the guys. Kind of made it my own little training camp, made it a little longer.
"Still played two exhibition games and feel like I'm in a great spot. I love where my game is at. So, just very excited, very pumped to finally start playing in some important games again."
The 23-year-old went 18-9-6 with a .916 save percentage and four shutouts last season. His 18 victories set a Wild franchise record for wins by a rookie goaltender in a single season.
Perhaps even more impressive was how Wallstedt performed against the NHL's better teams.
He posted a .931 save percentage against teams that qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the best mark in the NHL among goaltenders who appeared in at least 10 games against playoff teams.
Wallstedt also finished second in the NHL with a .916 save percentage overall and tied for third with four shutouts.
Now comes the next challenge.
Gustavsson will begin the season on injured reserve after undergoing hip surgery, leaving Wallstedt and veteran Calvin Pickard as Minnesota's two healthy NHL goaltenders to begin the year.
It means the Wild will need Wallstedt to carry a larger workload earlier than initially anticipated.
But unlike a year ago, when Wallstedt was still trying to establish himself as a full-time NHL goaltender, he enters this season with 18 wins and a full rookie campaign behind him.
He also had an extended runway into the season after arriving in Minnesota early and getting additional work before playing twice during the preseason.
For Wallstedt, the preseason was about getting himself ready for when the games actually mattered. Now they do.
Minnesota begins its season Thursday night in Nashville, kicking off an 84-game schedule and Wallstedt's second full season in the NHL.
And after what he accomplished as a rookie, the Wild may need his sophomore season to begin right where his first one ended.
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After traveling across the country this week, the Florida Panthers are set to take the ice for their second game of the season.
Fresh off an exciting 1-0 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida is in northern California looking to ruin their second home opener of the week when they face the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night at SAP Center.
It’s a good thing the Panthers are a team that likes being on the road, because they’re going to log plenty of miles over the first few weeks of the season.
Only three of Florida’s first 13 games take place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.
The Panthers will also get a good test when they face the young and hungry Sharks.
San Jose missed the playoffs by only four points last season and are poised to break back into the big dance this year, led by their young superstar captain Macklin Celebrini.
The Sharks will provide a much different challenge for Florida than what they faced on Tuesday in Carolina.
Speaking after the Panthers practiced at the Sharks’ facility on Wednesday, head coach Paul Maurice discussed what he’s aiming to accomplish in terms of preparation.
“That’s the great test, because we’re going to go from a wing lock, man-to-man team to a trapping zone team, so it’s more Western Conference style,” Maurice said. “And then how do we apply our game to that, that’s a great challenge. It’s not easy to do, to switch like this, but it’s a great and valuable lesson. (San Jose has) lots of speed, an awful lot of skill, and I really like the additions to made to the weight of their team, so it’ll be a good one tomorrow.”
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s swim with the Sharks:
Brady Tkachuk – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Photo caption: Nov 8, 2025; San Jose, California, USA;FloridaPantherscenter Carter Verhaeghe (23) shoots against the San JoseSharksduring the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
BRONX, NY - SEPTEMBER 30: Luis Garcia Jr. #26 of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run in the fourth inning during the New York Yankees game against the Boston Red Sox in game 2 of the American League Wild Card Playoff Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Borough of the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The playoffs have only just begun, but we have already seen former Washington Nationals make an impact. While the Nats missed the postseason for the 7th straight season, there are a lot of familiar faces to watch. There are players who have not been on the Nats for a long time, but there are also guys who were on the 2026 team.
One of those recent Nats is Luis Garcia Jr., who had a huge night in his first career playoff start. Garcia opened the scoring for the Yankees in the bottom of the 4th inning with a towering solo home run to right field. He got all of a Sonny Gray sweeper and knew it right off the bat.
LUIS GARCIA JR. STARTS THE SCORING FOR THE YANKEES!
It would not surprise me if Garcia has a big postseason. In October, you see more velocity and nastier stuff. However, Garcia has never had any issues hitting velocity. He also has a flair for the dramatic. I am happy to see Garcia get a taste of playoff baseball, though I wish he could have done it in DC. There is a chance Garcia becomes a Yankees cult hero this October.
With Garcia’s Yankees eliminating the Red Sox, Curtis Mead will not get a chance to play in October. He was actually added to the roster yesterday after Roman Anthony’s injury. Mead did not get into the game though. After a monster year with the Nats, Mead got hurt in his first game with the Red Sox. We will see what he can do next year because that Mead for Early trade is fascinating.
The other 2026 National who is playing in October is Foster Griffin. We have not gotten to see him yet because the Guardians got a bye. I am curious to see what kind of role Griffin plays for Cleveland in October. He was not as sharp after the trade, but I still think he could be their game 3 starter behind Parker Messick and Gavin Williams.
Yesterday, Griffin’s Guardians learned who they will be playing in the ALDS. The White Sox knocked off the Astros with two convincing wins. There is actually a Nats connection on this White Sox team. Erick Fedde was a first rounder by the Nats back in 2014, but did not have a ton of success in DC.
For most of his career, Fedde has struggled. However, it seems like he turns into a different pitcher when he puts on a White Sox uniform. After going to Korea for a year, Fedde came back with the White Sox and had a phenomenal first half. He was actually part of a three team trade at the 2024 deadline which led to the White Sox acquiring Miguel Vargas, one of their best players.
Fedde was not as good after the trade to the Cardinals. In fact, he got released in 2025 and pitched for 3 different teams. This offseason, he returned to Chicago and pitched to a solid 3.83 ERA in 141 innings. Yesterday, Fedde got the last out of the White Sox first playoff series win since 2005 and was fired up in his playoff debut. While he was on the 2019 Nats, he never actually pitched in the playoffs. Now he is getting his shot.
POP-A-SHOT CHAMP ERICK FEDDE SENDS THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX TO THE ALDS IN HIS POSTSEASON DEBUT pic.twitter.com/XcPHOv9hix
As we all know, the Phillies core group is littered with former Nats. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have been at the top of the Phillies lineup together for years now. Of course, all of those guys spent time in DC. With Harper’s exit from DC and the divisional rivalry, I do not suppose many Nats fans will be rooting for them though.
It looked like Nats fans were going to get a successful hate watch. After the Phillies dropped game one, they were on the verge of elimination yesterday. I know a lot of Nats fans chuckled when Bryce Harper misplayed a ball in the outfield, leading to the Braves taking the lead.
As we know, Bryce has a flair for the dramatic though. In the top of the 8th, Harper tied the game after going back to back with Kyle Schwarber. It was a true postseason moment and it honestly made me miss October baseball in DC.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper combined for 865 feet of home run as the @Phillies battled back with two big blasts
I do not want to be writing this kind of story next year. Hopefully the Nats will be able to knock the Phillies or Braves off their perch and make a playoff run of their own next season. Watching that series, I see two flawed teams who have aging or stale cores. They have enough talent to make a run, but I think the Nats have a window to strike these next couple of years.
Nationals Park in October is a truly elite atmosphere. I would do anything to get that back. With the way Paul Toboni is building things, I have faith that the Nats can get back to October sooner rather than later. Hopefully I am writing about current Nationals being heroes in the playoffs in 2027, not former ones.
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 28: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex on September 28, 2026 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Nick Nurse’s first three years in Philadelphia, the Sixers’ defense has mostly been… fine? They were 11th leaguewide in defensive rating in 2023-24, fell to 26th during their injury-ravaged 2024-25 campaign and bounced back up to 17th last year.
Granted, Nurse had an incredible array of defensive personnel during those seasons up north. Kyle Lowry was the point-of-attack defender, Kawhi Leonard and OG Anunoby locked down opposing wings, and Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol manned the frontcourt. There wasn’t a defensive weak link to be found among them.
The 2026-27 Sixers might not have the same type of defensive ceiling as those late-2010s Raptors. After all, LeBron James is turning 42 in December, while knee injuries have sapped Joel Embiid of the athleticism and mobility that he had when he was younger.
“Recently, I don’t feel like I’ve been able to get into my bag of defensive stuff nearly as much as I would like to,” Nurse told reporters after training camp Wednesday after PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck asked him what might be the biggest change from previous years’ Sixers teams. “I think now we’ve got a little bit more depth, size, athleticism. And it may take us a minute, but I think I’m most excited about that.
“I think we just have the capabilities to understand it, execute it, change on the fly, do multiple things, even if it’s once or twice, and get back to normal. All that kind of stuff, that would probably be the biggest (change).”
Most of the concerns about the Sixers defense revolve around James, whose effort has waxed and waned on that end of the floor during the regular season in recent years, and Embiid, who hasn’t been in the Defensive Player of the Year mix since 2022-23. VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown are plus defenders, and Tyrese Maxey has improved on defense since entering the league, but can LeBron and Embiid hold up their end of the bargain?
Edgecombe made it clear Tuesday that he isn’t afraid to correct James despite the experience gap between them.
“No, I’m myself,” he told reporters. “I’m myself. I told him, I was like, I mean, like, if we have a possession, so I’d be like, ‘Yo, Bron, we’ve got to switch that. We got to do it, you know what I’m saying?’ Like, whoever, we are holding each other accountable. I said, ‘We’re teammates now, man.'”
During the season premiere of Mind the Game, LeBron made clear that accountability will be the key to the Sixers having an above-average defense this season.
“I’ve been able to be on some really good defensive teams in my career,” he said. “Defense always comes down to the first thing, pride. It’s a pride thing. I’m not going to allow my guy to continue to exploit me or beat me or whatever the case may be. There has to be some kind of pride in the sense of that.
“And at the end of the day, the best defense never stops the best offense anyways, and that’s OK. But if we can make teams uncomfortable, if we can make teams turn the ball over, if we can make teams not be in a rhythm like they’re accustomed to be in a rhythm versus other teams, then it gives us another opportunity. It gives us more possessions. We want to try to win the possession game.
“And I think with Coach Nurse and the things that I’ve seen with his teams in the past, especially the [2018-19] Raptors team that won a championship, that’s what they did. They got up into you, they got into the passing lane. If you got around one guy, there’s another guy helping you. Obviously with OG and Pascal and Kyle, Marc Gasol being on that team, there was a lot of high-IQ guys as well to be able to do that. And I’m looking forward to seeing if we can kind of translate a little bit of that as well.
“‘Cause we have the speed. We have the athleticism. Now it’s about do we have the discipline to actually be able to take that on the defensive end and hold each other accountable, too. ‘Cause that’s what it’s about. You’ve gotta force guys into contested twos. Try not to give up straight-line drives. Don’t give up corner threes. And then we’ve gotta rebound. As fast and athletic as we can be, we can’t do shit if we don’t get the rebound.”
Rebounding has not been a strong suit of the Sixers under Nurse. They’ve been in the bottom third of the league in rebounding percentage in each of his three seasons. Losing Andre Drummond in free agency this past summer likely won’t help in that regard, either.
But to Nurse’s point, the Sixers now have more size to throw at opponents, even if their depth chart at center behind Embiid still looks iffy for now.
Not only did they add the 6’9″ James and the 6’6″ Brown, whom Maxey called a “freak of nature” at training camp on Wednesday, but they also added 6’9″ forward Dean Wade and 7’0″ center Ariel Hukporti. Wade made a name for himself in Cleveland with his defensive acumen, and he was the early favorite to start at power forward for the Sixers this year until they landed LeBron. Having him and Dominick Barlow coming off the bench will be a major defensive upgrade over what they trotted out last year.
Given how many new pieces they have to integrate this season, it could take time for the Sixers to hit their stride defensively. Nurse alluded as much Wednesday. They might not have a top-10 defensive rating during the regular season, particularly if Embiid misses significant time.
But as LeBron pointed out at media day, the amount of sacrifice that the starters will have to make this year could have positive trickle-down effects for the Sixers’ defense.
“Sometimes in sports, people hear sacrifice, you automatically, people start thinking negatively about it,” LeBron said. “It’s not a negative thing. You sacrifice one or two more shots, that gives you one or two more bursts of energy in the fourth quarter to slide over and take a charge, or give you one or two more bursts of energy to get an offensive rebound for an extra possession to kick out for a teammate or an extra two bursts of energy to run back on defense and get a chase-down block. Some things that don’t show up in the box scores.
“So it’s not a negative when people say, OK, you have to make a sacrifice or your role may change. If we’re trying to do something special, which I believe we are, then that’s a positive.”
It’s time for Nurse to tap back into his mad-scientist mode on defense. If the Sixers can pair an elite offense with an above-average defense, that should cement them as a legitimate championship contender this year, health permitting.
SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres tosses his bat back to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning during Game Two of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The man the San Diego Padres fanbase dubbed “Dairy Bonds” stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fourth inning with the Padres leading 2-1 after the Chicago Cubs scored a run in the top of the inning. Xander Bogaerts hit a one-out double off Cubs starter Kevin Gausman and that knocked the right-hander out of the game. Chicago called on right-hander Daniel Palencia and he got the second out of the inning with a strikeout of Ethan Salas. Austin Hays was scheduled to hit, but San Diego manager Craig Stammen called on Gavin Sheets to pinch-hit and he delivered a two-out, two-run home run that was crushed deep into the right field bleachers to give the Padres a three-run lead en route to a 4-1 win and a series sweep at Petco Park on Wednesday night.
The home run from Sheets caused the fans to erupt and seemed to deflate the Cubs, who struggled on offense throughout the two-game series. Nick Pivetta started the game much like Michael King in the Game 1 win on Tuesday night. Pivetta struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman. Pivetta then got Michael Busch to groundout to get the San Diego offense to the plate.
There were no first-inning dramatics for the Padres in Game 2, but they did break open the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. San Diego was unable to add to its lead until the Sheets home run in the fourth and did not score after, but the four runs were all that were needed by the Padres.
Pivetta pitched into the fourth inning, but allowed a run after a single, a walk and a single and Stammen went to the bullpen for Bradgley Rodriguez. The rookie reliever struck out the first batter he faced, then hit the next batter, but left the bases loaded when he got Dansby Swanson to fly out to Jackson Merrill in center field.
The bullpen took over the game after the fourth. Rodriguez returned to the mound and pitched a scoreless fifth inning and Jason Adam pitched a scoreless sixth inning. Adrian Morejon pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning before Mason Miller came in for the save to close out the game and the series which allowed the Padres to get the win and advance to the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
This is the third consecutive season the Padres have made the postseason and Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ballfeels like something is different this time around.
This is a prove-it offseason for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Following a slow collapse in 2025 that resulted in New York being eliminated from postseason contention on the final day of the regular season, the club spun out of control early in 2026 and never recovered.
That the failures of the 2026 Mets came after an offseason of drastic change engineered by Stearns has put even more pressure on him to right the ship this offseason.
Speaking in July, owner Steve Cohendiscussed the future of Stearns, who is about to enter the fourth year of the five-year deal he signed before the 2023-24 offseason. While Cohen said the Mets are going to "live that contract out," he added the caveat that there are "no guarantees."
On the day after the season ended, Stearns was reflective and accountable, explaining that he simply had too many misses last offseason and that he's going to learn from it.
Put everything together and it seems fair to believe that Stearns might be more aggressive than usual this offseason, which would likely mean stepping out of his comfort zone of pragmatism and risk mitigation.
As Stearns looks to take a 74-88 team and turn it into a group of players who can return to the playoffs in 2027, here's a step-by-step plan forward...
Add two starting pitchers, including an ace
Reading between the lines, the Mets might view their starting rotation like this heading into the offseason:
Nolan McLean is a lock, and Christian Scott should be close to a lock. Beyond that, things are up in the air.
It's easy to see Zac Thornton breaking camp as the No. 5 starter, but it's also possible he opens the year in Triple-A Syracuse as incredibly valuable depth. If Thornton meets his goal of adding two-to-three miles per hour to his fastball this offseason, though, it could be hard to justify keeping him down.
Aug 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zac Thornton (49) reacts to an inning ending double play in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
As far as Jonah Tong, manager Andy Green made it pretty clear toward the end of the season that the young right-hander has to pitch himself into the Mets' plans. That means it will be a surprise if he doesn't begin the season in the minors.
Sean Manaea, who is coming off an up-and-down season, is owed $25 million in 2027 in what is the final season of the three-year deal he signed ahead of the 2025 campaign. So it's fair to believe he'll be in the rotation from the jump if he's healthy.
No matter what, the plan should be to add two legitimate rotation pieces this offseason.
As far as the other arm, the Mets could turn to a short-term, relatively low cost free agent like Tyler Mahle. It could also make sense to call a team like the Mariners, who could possibly be open to trading from their relative excess of starting pitching.
Go external at first base
During his end-of-season news conference, Stearns talked up Jared Young and Brett Baty as first base options, but also said the plan was to look externally for help. That's a wise idea.
While Young had an impressive campaign in 2026, he does not hit for enough power to profile as the regular first baseman. He also struggles against left-handed pitching.
Baty, who is not a natural first baseman, finished this past season strong but has yet to find consistency during parts of five years in the majors.
If Bo Bichette opts in (which seems to be the likeliest outcome), the Mets will be set at third base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots, making first base perhaps the most sensible spot to try to upgrade.
The pickings are slim in free agency, with Ty France a decent choice. But he's entering his age-32 season and will be coming off a career year that could jack his price up.
If the Mets want to go bold, a pursuit of Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato makes sense.
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers right fielder Teruaki Sato (8) gestures during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita - Imagn Images
Sato, who will be entering his age-28 season, had a career-best 1.012 OPS this year for the Hanshin Tigers while smacking 37 homers and 39 doubles in 136 games. There is serious swing-and-miss in Sato's game -- he struck out 156 times this season. But if the Mets feel like his bat will translate well in the majors, he could be a lethal option in the middle of New York's lineup.
In a world where the Mets don't go big at first base, it would make sense to instead add a free agent DH option, with Seiya Suzuki standing out.
That's because Semien's offensive slide continued in 2026 and his defense fell off dramatically, creating a potentially untenable situation.
Aside from Semien, the Mets could theoretically turn to Baty at second base. But the long-term plan there is likely one of New York's highly thought of prospects -- Jefferson Rojas, Mitch Voit, or Émilien Pitre.
All three players could possibly make their big league debut in 2027, and Rojas and Voit have serious upside.
Depending on how Semien plays, it's easy to envision one of the Mets' prospects grabbing the second base job during the first half of the season and never looking back.
Aim high for a free agent reliever
Despite dealing two relievers during their trade deadline sell-off who were under team control beyond 2026 (Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazoban), the Mets' bullpen is in decent shape.
As things currently stand, the depth chart looks something like this:
Devin Williams Kodai Senga Nate Lavender Daniel Duarte Dedniel Núñez Tobias Myers Austin Warren Jefry Yan
New York Mets pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts to striking out the batter for the final out during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field / Gregory Fisher - Imagn Images
Williams is coming off a bumpy season, and might be best suited for a setup role. Meanwhile, Senga showed that his fastball-ghost fork combination can play up in relief, but it's impossible to know if a bullpen role would work for him over a full season given his meticulous routines and past health issues.
So the Mets should be aiming to find a closer this offseason.
Fortunately for them, the electric Adrian Morejon is set to be on the free agent market. Morejon, who will be entering his age-28 season, has a four-seamer and two-seamer that both averaged near 100 mph in 2026, and graded out in the 90th percentile or better in in 10 of 12 key metrics tracked by Baseball Savant.
As is the case with Skubal, Stearns would likely have to come out of his comfort zone to land Morejon, who should command a deal of at least four years.
Adding the trio of Skubal, Sato, and Morejon this offseason would be pricey, but the Mets would do so knowing that there will be lots of money coming off the books after 2027. Specifically, Manaea ($25 million), Jorge Polanco ($20 million), and Senga ($15 million) are entering the final year of their respective deals. If Bichette opts out (either this offseason or next), it would free up an additional $42 million.
Be selectively bold via trade
Following the Mets' moves at the trade deadline, Stearns was open about the possibility that some of the prospects acquired in those trades could be flipped in deals sooner rather than later.
The Mets shouldn't be actively seeking to move on from any specific prospects. However, if one of their infield prospects can be a headliner in a deal for a difference-maker, they shouldn't hesitate.
Depending on how the starting rotation is addressed, the Mets could also potentially use one of their close-to-the-majors pitching prospects in a trade.
The ramp-up to the college basketball season is officially underway, with conferences across the country beginning to hold their annual media days. The latest is the Big East Conference, which gets "talking season" underway in New York City on Thursday.
With that came the release of the preseason coaches' poll, which brought little to no surprise about who was predicted at the top: Connecticut, which is fresh off its third trip to the Final Four in the last four seasons and returns the conference's preseason Player of the Year, Silas Demary Jr., and star guard Braylon Mullins.
The top five is rounded out by Villanova, Marquette and Providence. The Golden Eagles, led by defending Big East Freshman of the Year Nigel James Jr., received the other first-place vote, while the Friars are ushering in a new era of basketball on Federal Hill with Bryan Hodgson.
Conference play begins on Saturday, Dec. 19 with a quadruple header of games: Seton Hall vs. Georgetown, DePaul vs. St. John's, Xavier vs. Marquette and Villanova vs. Creighton.
Here’s a full look at the 2026-27 Big East basketball preseason poll and preseason awards:
Big East men's basketball preseason poll 2026-27
First place votes in parentheses
UConn (8)
St. John's (2)
Villanova
Marquette (1)
Providence
Xavier
Creighton
DePaul
Seton Hall
Georgetown
Butler
The 2026-2027 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll and awards have been announced! 🏀🔥
Preseason Player of the Year: Silas Demary Jr. (UConn)
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Colben Landrew (UConn)
UConn swept both preseason player-centric awards, with Demary Jr. named the conference's preseason Player of the Year and Landrew the preseason Freshman of the Year. It's the first time the Huskies have swept the conference's preseason honors since 2003, when Emeka Okafor (player) and Charlie Villanueva (freshman) took home the honors.
Demary was a home run hit out of the transfer portal last season for the Huskies, as he not only proved to be one of the top point guards in the country but also served as the head of the snake for UConn's defense, as he averaged 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and league-best 5.9 assists per game.
Landrew, a five-star recruit and the No. 27 overall prospect in this past recruiting class by 247Sports' Composite Rankings, is the fourth straight UConn freshman to be named the conference's preseason freshman of the year.
All-Big East men's basketball preseason teams
Below is a look at all three preseason All-Big East team selections, including honorable mention:
