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A’s Swept By Rays, Drop Finale 10-1

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 17: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics is relieved by manager Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 17, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While the first two games of this three-game series saw the A’s barely lose, there was no doubt who the better team was today in the last game of the set. The Athletics got smacked in the finale on Thursday afternoon, losing to the play0ff-bound Rays 10-1 to wrap up their time in Florida. Just one more road series of the season left!

Springs solid early, falters late

Making what is likely one of the final starts of his A’s tenure, veteran Jeffrey Springs got the call for the finale against his former team. It’s been an overall rough season for him but he seemed to be sprinting through the finish line here at the end. The game started out well enough for the lefty as he allowed just one hit the first time through the Rays’ lineup.

Things hit the wall in the fourth however for the southpaw. If you want to look up the exact details of what happened then be my guest but it was ugly. When the inning had ended the Rays had put up a six-spot, chasing Springs from the game after he managed just one out in the frame.

  • Jeffrey Springs: 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 66 pitches

Another dud from Springs and his season ERA now stands at 6.18 through 28 starts. Today was probably he second-to-last start in an Athletics uniform, with his final start scheduled for next week at home against the Angels. He’ll certainly be glad to not call Sutter Health Park home next year.

A’s offense struggles against an ace

On the other side of things, the Athletics’ offense was going up against Tampa’s co-ace in Drew Rasmussen. The right-hander has had a fantastic season up to this point and today was no different. The Athletics managed just four hits and a pair of walks against the right-hander as he looked dominant from the jump. The A’s had a chance to push across a run against him in the third when a double-steal put runners at second and third, but with two outs they needed a base hit and Jeff McNeil couldn’t deliver. That was their best chance against Rasmussen but just couldn’t cash in. That’s why he’ll be starting a playoff game for Tampa Bay soon enough.

The A’s would not be shutout in this one though. Rasmussen was done after five full innings, making way for the bullpen for the final four frames. Right fielder Lawrence Butler greeted the first arm out of the ‘pen with a leadoff blast to start the sixth, putting the A’s on the board:

No shutout today! That was Butler’s 17th of the year and 20 home runs is definitely within reach. That should be a personal goal for him in the final week-plus we have here in the 2026 season. He started the year slow but he’s sure ending it on a high note.

The final frames

That was just about it though. The A’s would work one more walk from Alika Williams but the Rays would continue to add on, first two more in the sixth before another pair in the eighth for good measure to make it double-digits for them on the day. Funnily enough Tampa only collected seven hits this afternoon, but they also worked nine (!) walks. Can’t win like that.

Not a good day at all in Tampa. The A’s couldn’t escape Florida with at least one win and now head to their final road destination of the year with a 61-92 record. With just nine games to go the A’s should be able to avoid a 100-loss season, but the sooner we get that 63rd win the better. Hopefully it comes this weekend.

The A’s now head to Cleveland for what will be their final road series of the season. The Guardians are holding onto the AL Central lead by a thread so it’s an excellent time for the A’s to play spoiler. The A’s have yet to announce their starter for tomorrow but it could be right-hander Mason Barnett, who could get one or two more looks here in the final stretch. Cleveland does know who they’re going with as right-hander Daniel Espino gets the nod as an opener. We’ll have to wait and see how Cleveland follows him up.

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Matt Rempe gets into heated skirmish in Rangers’ first scrimmage

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage at training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, Image 2 shows Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage during training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026

The first scrimmage of a critical Rangers training camp for Matt Rempe nearly included a vintage Rempe fight. 

Around the end of the first period in a two-period scrimmage Thursday, 5-foot-11 defenseman Marc Del Gaizo checked the 6-foot-9 Rempe along the boards, which prompted Rempe to start shoving in return as Del Gaizo’s helmet came off and teammates skated over to separate them. The skirmish never escalated to a full fight with punches thrown, but it still served as the lasting image of physicality in a practice filled with it to start athis condensed preseason. 

Will Cuylle decked rookie defenseman Alberts Smits in the corner. J.T. Miller shoved Carey Terrance to the ice too. But the closest any of the Rangers got to tensions boiling over in training camp occurred when Rempe and Del Gaizo, a defenseman and Basking Ridge, N.J. native, collided along the side boards and Rempe became visibly frustrated. 

Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) crushes Marc Del Gaizo (27) into the boards during training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage at training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage at the team’s training camp, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Rempe has fought 10 times across his regular-season career in the NHL, according to HockeyFights, and in his lone one last October, he broke his thumb, underwent surgery, ended up having another procedure done in January and faced a long path back to the lineup. When the Rangers unveiled their first set of lines Thursday during their NHL-heavy Group A session, in a training camp that doubles as a sprint to the season opener Sept. 29 against the Bruins, Rempe rotated in as an extra. Tye Kartye, Joe Veleno and Jarslav Chmelar skated on the fourth line — a sign, albeit with a small sample size, that Rempe likely has to play his way into the lineup. 

And then he ended up being at the center of the defining moment of physicality in the first session with Del Gaizo — a 26-year-old who has played 55 NHL games, logged 353 AHL games and described himself to Newsday on Thursday as a Jersey native with “piss and vinegar” to his game. 

Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage during training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Marc Del Gaizo (27) fight during a scrimmage during training camp at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“These guys, I think they recognize the importance of every day and trying to maximize every opportunity we have when we get on the ice because we don’t have that many of them,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the pair of practices and the scrimmage where the team in blue jerseys defeated the team in white jerseys 4-1. “They came to play today. There was real hockey being played. There was physicality out there.” 

Thursday marked the first session with Pavel Dorofeyev as a member of the Rangers, and both Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad raved about what Dorofeyev —, whom the Blueshirts acquired in a draft-night trade, — will add to the power-play unit. He recorded 20 goals with the man advantage last year, and Fox said that Dorofeyev and Zibanejad pairing their shots together creates a “pick your poison” scenario for the Blueshirts. 

When asked if the Rangers would consider keeping three goalies on the roster, Sullivan didn’t rule out the scenario — but acknowledged that it isn’t typically best for organizations in the long-term outlook of a season. 

Dylan Garand, who was positioned as the backup until the Rangers brought in Joonas Korpisalo, described that trade as “expected competition” in a battle to replace future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick and back up Igor Shesterkin. 

“When that happened, it’s just kinda, you figure out who it is,” Garand said of the Korpisalo trade. “He’s a guy who’s been around for a long time. … It doesn’t really change anything for me. It doesn’t matter who’s here or not. My job is to stop the puck, and that’s all I’m focused on.”

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Kyle Harrison gets roughed up again, Brewers lose series finale in Pittsburgh, 7-4

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Kyle Harrison #52 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after hitting Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates (not pictured) with a pitch in the second inning during the game at PNC Park on September 17, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Box Score

It seems safe to say that Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison will not be on the postseason roster.

Harrison, who recorded the first five outs of today’s game against the Pirates working around just a first-inning double, then gave up three hits, two walks, and hit two batters with two outs in the second, allowing five runs (four earned) by the time he exited.

Harrison entered his August 31 start against the Cubs with a 2.79 ERA over 103 1/3 innings this season, but he now sits with a 4.25 ERA over 112 1/3 innings, allowing 24 runs (21 earned) over his last nine innings across four appearances. The velocity is still there, but the shape is not, and it’s all but a certainty with less than two weeks until the postseason that Harrison will not be on the roster this postseason.

That’s the bad news.

The good news?

Milwaukee’s bullpen (mostly) picked him up to get the finish line.

While the Brewers ultimately lost 7-4, the bullpen worked the last 6 1/3 innings, allowing just a two-run homer in the eighth, and right-hander Garrett Stallings once again turned in a great relief appearance.

The Brewers struck first in this one, as Gary Sánchez, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton hit a trio of singles in the top of the second to plate a run, putting the Crew up 1-0.

After striking out Brandon Lowe and inducing a groundout from Nick Gonzales to begin the second, things quickly went awry for Harrison.

He walked Ronny Simon, allowed an infield single to Jared Triolo, and a catcher’s interference by Bo Naylor (which officially counts as an E2) loaded the bases. It only got worse from there, as the rookie Konnor Griffin hit a two-run double and Oneil Cruz followed with a two-run single to make it 4-1 Pittsburgh.

Harrison then hit Bryan Reynolds with a pitch, loaded the bases again with a walk of Rafael Flores Jr., and hit Lowe to make it 5-1 before Pat Murphy was forced to pull him.

Chad Patrick entered and struck out Gonzales, but the damage was done.

Neither team had much of a threat after that until the sixth inning, when the Brewers got one back with a Joey Ortiz walk, Frelick single, and a Naylor forceout on what should have been a double play ball — Griffin threw the ball into the first-base dugout, allowing Ortiz to score and cut the lead to 5-2.

The Brewers continued to chip away in the eighth inning against Luke Weaver, as Garrett Mitchell doubled and scored after advancing on a pair of flyouts by Ortiz and Frelick. Naylor then followed with a solo home run that barely made it over the 21-foot wall in right field, as a young Brewer fan appeared to possibly reach over to (unsuccessfully) grab the ball. The homer call stood after review, and suddenly it was 5-4.

After Cooper Pratt kept the pressure on with a single up the middle, Pirates manager Don Kelly opted to go to his closer Mason Montgomery, who walked Brice Turang but got out of the inning with a strikeout of Luis Lara.

Aaron Ashby took over for Stallings — who pitched three scoreless innings from the fourth through the seventh, allowing just a hit and a walk while striking out six — in the eighth looking to preserve the one-run deficit. He wasn’t able to do it, though, as he allowed a single and a homer to Henry Davis, extending Pittsburgh’s lead to 7-4.

Andrew Vaughn drew a one-out walk in the ninth, but he was left stranded there and the Brewers were unable to complete the sweep in Pittsburgh.

It was a very rough day for Harrison (1 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 2 K) and home plate umpire James Hoye (nine overturned calls on 11 challenges), but a good day for Patrick (1 1/3 IP, 1 BB, 2 K), JoJo Romero (1 IP, 1 K), and Stallings, who has yet to allow a run over 14 major league innings this season.

Offensively, the Brewers finished the day with nine hits and six walks, but they didn’t do quite enough to make up for Pittsburgh’s five-run second inning. Frelick was the only player with two hits, while Naylor, Turang, and Ortiz each reached twice with a hit and a walk.

The Brewers will look to shake this one off as they continue their road trip in Baltimore this weekend. Dustin May gets the ball in Friday’s series opener, while the Orioles have yet to announce a starter (though it’s expected to be Cade Povich). First pitch in that one is at 6:05 p.m. See you then.

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Former Avalanche Star Did What Connor Hellebuyck Refused To Do

Matt Duchene may still be an unpopular subject in Colorado, but recent events around the NHL have made one thing worth reconsidering: for all the frustration surrounding his departure from the Avalanche, Duchene never stopped showing up.

That matters now.

After Colorado finished the 2016-17 season with a 22-56-4 record, Duchene wanted out. He had grown tired of playing for a team that appeared to be going nowhere, and his desire for a trade was hardly a secret. The Avalanche eventually dealt him to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team blockbuster with the Nashville Predators.

Everyone knows what happened from there.

Colorado acquired a collection of assets in the trade, most notably defenseman Samuel Girard, who would go on to become an important piece of the Avalanche's blue line. A few years later, Colorado lifted the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Duchene never did.

That history has made it easy for Avalanche fans to look back at Duchene's time in Colorado with resentment. He wanted out. He didn't want to be part of the rebuild. He wanted to play meaningful hockey somewhere else.

And, frankly, he had every right to feel that way.

But there is something Duchene deserves more credit for, particularly in light of what is happening in Winnipeg right now.

He showed up.

Duchene may have desperately wanted to leave Colorado, but when training camp opened in September 2017, he reported. He didn't refuse to participate. He didn't force the organization to suspend him. He didn't abandon his teammates because he was unhappy with the direction of the franchise.

Instead, he walked into camp knowing full well that everyone knew he wanted to be traded.

You could see the awkwardness of the situation. Duchene wasn't exactly pretending everything was perfect. His body language told a different story, and there was little reason to believe he suddenly wanted to spend the rest of his career in Colorado.

But he was there.

"I'm here to honor my contract. I'm here out of respect for the fans. I'm here for my teammates," Duchene told reporters when he arrived at training camp.

Those words are easy to overlook nearly a decade later, but they carry considerably more weight when viewed through the lens of what is happening with Connor Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck is simply refusing to show up to his job. Credit: James Carey Lauder - Imagn Images
Hellebuyck is simply refusing to show up to his job. Credit: James Carey Lauder - Imagn Images

Hellebuyck also wanted out. He publicly confirmed his trade request in August, saying he believed moving on was the best path for himself and his family. But when the Jets opened training camp this week, Hellebuyck did not report. Winnipeg subsequently suspended its star goaltender for an obvious breach of his contract and a lack of professionalism. 

There is an important distinction between the two situations.

Hellebuyck is not wrong for wanting a trade. Players have careers to consider, and asking an organization to explore a move is not inherently disrespectful. In fact, Hellebuyck said he had initially tried to handle the situation privately and respectfully before making his request public.

But once a player chooses not to report, the situation changes.

Duchene understood that distinction.

And while Hellebuyck has something Duchene never managed to obtain — an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games — his current situation in Winnipeg has put a different part of his professional reputation under the microscope. His accomplishments on the ice are difficult to dispute, but what happens when a player no longer wants to be where he is can become just as significant as what he does once the puck drops.

His NHL résumé is also difficult to dispute. Three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Trophy and an Olympic gold medal make Hellebuyck one of the most decorated goaltenders of his generation.

But talent has never been the only consideration when an organization evaluates a player.

Trust matters. Commitment matters. Teammates matter.

And now Winnipeg has to navigate a situation in which its franchise goaltender has requested a trade and then failed to report to camp.

That may make an already complicated trade market even more difficult to navigate.

There is an old saying in sports that great players can get away with things other players cannot. Patrick Roy is perhaps one of the clearest examples in Avalanche history. Roy was notoriously intense, demanding and, at times, difficult. But he also helped Colorado win games and Stanley Cups, making the relationship worth navigating for an organization that ultimately benefited enormously from his presence.

Hellebuyck's résumé certainly gives Winnipeg plenty of reason to value him highly. But the current circumstances create a different question for potential suitors: how much does the player himself want to be there?

That's the part of this situation that makes Duchene's departure worth revisiting.

He didn't want to be in Colorado. Everyone knew it.

But he still put on the sweater, walked into camp and went to work.

And nearly nine years later, perhaps he deserves a little more credit for that than he ever received in Colorado.

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MSG vows to fix 'mistake in our pricing' after Knicks fans condemn ticket costs

New York Knicks fans who were outraged at exorbitant ticket prices for home games when they went on sale earlier this week are getting some relief.

Madison Square Garden Corp. (MSG), the parent company of the Knicks, said Thursday, Sept. 17 it made a mistake in its pricing structure when individual game tickets for the 2026-27 NBA seasn went on sale the day prior, resulting in face value seats for the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers being listed in excess of $1,000.

And those were the prices for tickets in the upper deck of Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks, who in June won their first NBA championship in 53 seasons, had toiled in mediocrity for years during the 2010s, leading to several loyal fans voicing their indignation.

“A multibillion-dollar franchise pricing its own non-wealthy fans out of the Garden on a night the fanbase has been dreaming about for 50 years,” one fan wrote on social media. “Shameful.”

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In some cases, the ticket prices represented increases of 400% from last season. As a result, the company has decided to pause sales so that it can correct the issue.

“We are pausing Knicks individual ticket sales due to a mistake in our pricing,” MSG said Thursday, Sept. 17 in a statement. “We are rolling back to last year’s prices plus an average increase of 12%. We will restart sales with new prices shortly, and anyone who already purchased individual tickets will be refunded for the difference. Our intention was never to overcharge our loyal fans, and we thank everyone for their support of the Knicks and their patience as we get this right.”

The Knicks have increased prices in the past, particularly as they have had recent success, making the postseason five of the last six seasons.

The regular-season opener against Philadelphia is scheduled for Oct. 20, when the team will raise the banner to commemorate New York’s championship.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MSG vows to fix 'mistake in our pricing' after Knicks fans condemn ticket costs

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Where Lakers, Warriors rank in crowded Western Conference

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows luka doncic, lakers , Image 2 shows Steph Curry in a white Golden State Warriors jersey gives a thumbs up

The two premier NBA teams in California had very distinct offseasons. 

The Lakers overhauled their roster around Luka Dončić, adding Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Jaden Hardy and Cameron Carr. 

Meanwhile, the Warriors pretty much stood pat. 

The one thing both teams had in common? 

They missed out on LeBron James, who chose to leave the Lakers after eight seasons and join the 76ers in free agency. 

The Lakers, who won their first championship in 10 years in 2020, are trying to climb back atop the league after acquiring Dončić in a stunning trade in February 2025.

Meanwhile the Warriors, the league’s modern-day dynasty after winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2022, are trying to enable Steph Curry to play meaningful basketball amid the sunset of his career in a league that has gotten younger and faster, passing them by. 

So, where will the Lakers and Warriors rank next season in the very crowded Western Conference?

Here are our predictions:

The Lakers have Luka Doncic as their centerpiece now. Corey Sipkin / NY Post

Lakers: No. 3

The Thunder and Spurs are head and shoulders above the Lakers. 

Those teams have no obvious weaknesses. They have youth. They have superstars. They have depth. They have incredible defense. And they’ve proven they have the chemistry and mental fortitude to go deep in the playoffs. 

After revamping their team to get younger and deeper, the Lakers are on their way to being able to compete with the creme de la creme of the West, but they’re not there yet. 

They need an elite perimeter defender. They need time to jell. They’re a few tweaks away from being considered real contenders. 

Could the Lakers finish higher than Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets? Yes. The Nuggets had a disappointing offseason following a first-round playoff exit in April, including losing Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. 

As for the Timberwolves? They could give the Lakers fits behind perennial All-Star Anthony Edwards and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. The Timberwolves added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga to their roster and could be a fringe contender. 

The Rockets are also a team to watch. Sure, the Lakers jumped to a 3-0 series lead over them last postseason without Doncic and Austin Reaves, but both teams are going to look completely different in October. Kevin Durant is expected to be healthy, and Fred VanVleet is returning from injury. As for the Lakers, they’re only returning two starters from last season in Doncic and Reaves.

If the Lakers finish third in the West over the Timberwolves and Rockets that would be an incredible showing for Doncic, who’s eager to prove he can be the Lakers’ next superstar. He wants to win his first championship. He wants to prove his detractors wrong. And now he’s backed by a 17-time championship organization that views anything short of a title as a failure. 

Here’s to betting Doncic is able to carry the Lakers to a third-place finish in the highly competitive West. 

Steph Curry and his Warriors teammates might surprise but won’t dominate the Western Conference. Getty Images

Warriors: No. 8

We held our breath when the Warriors were pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bust. 

We were on the edge of our seat when they were pursuing James in an attempt to pair him with the team he faced in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-2018. Slump. 

The league is more fun when the Warriors are good. Curry is the greatest shooter ever. Draymond Green is a fiery defender who’s endlessly exciting to watch. Warriors coach Steve Kerr is brilliant. 

But alas, all of the Warriors’ attempts to become contenders flatlined. 

So, as of now, the Warriors are a fringe playoff team. It’s a shame for Curry, who’s turning 39 next season and is still one of the NBA’s top players. Last season, he became the oldest point guard in NBA history to be named a starter on the All-Star team. 

The Warriors are expected to try to work some magic ahead of the trade deadline to breathe some life into Curry’s 18th season.

But until then, with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody set to miss the start of the season due to injuries, the Warriors aren’t expected to make much noise. 

That said, if Curry, Green and Kristaps Porzingis are healthy, this team can’t be counted out. Remember what they did in their first play-in game against the Clippers, when Curry went unconscious finishing with 35 points (27 of which he scored in the second half), Green bottled up Kawhi Leonard (holding him to just two points in the fourth quarter) and Porzingis had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. 

If you add Butler and Moody to that mix, the Warriors could be tough.

But as of now, too many questions surround their health and durability and too many teams with fresh legs are looking to sprint past them, including the Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, Timberwolves, Rockets, Nuggets and Mavericks.

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Dodgers breeze past Reds to clinch 13th NL West division title in 14 years

The Dodgers' Kyle Tucker hits a home run during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
The Dodgers' Kyle Tucker hits a home run during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. (Justin Casterline / Getty Images)

Sheets of plastic were already in place in the Great American Ball Park visiting clubhouse Thursday afternoon, attached to the ceiling with binder clips and folded up above the lockers, ready to be unfurled after the game for the Dodgers’ celebration.

It took an extra day for the Dodgers to let them down. But with their 8-2 win Thursday, they clinched the NL West division for the 13th time in 14 years. It was never much of a contest. The Dodgers widened their lead in the division to 9 1/2 games — before the conclusion of the Padres’ game against the Rockies.

“What’s funny is Los Angeles has always been looked at, as far as sports, a Laker town,” manager Dave Roberts said this week. “I don’t know, I think we might have market share now in Los Angeles.”

They are guaranteed, at the very least, home-field advantage in a wild-card series. The next week and a half, they’ll be playing for a first-round bye, straight into the National League Division Series.

Read more:Plaschke: No more bubbly — NL West champion Dodgers appear headed for early fall

On Thursday, however — as the offense surged from top to bottom and the bullpen-day pitching staff, headlined by Justin Wrobleski’s three perfect innings and Landon Knack’s four scoreless innings, quieted the Reds offense — was a chance for the Dodgers to celebrate what they’d done so far in the season.

It’s a big deal,” Roberts said. “It’s not easy. I think a lot of people think it’s easy, it’s a rite of passage. It’s not easy to win a division when everyone is gunning for you, to keep everyone motivated to play over the course of 162.

“It’s something we’re all really proud of but that’s not the end goal. Like I mentioned [Monday] night when we clinched the postseason berth, you have to celebrate those moments and then turn the page and look forward. But it’s exciting.”

As wide of a lead as the Dodgers have in the division race, their season hasn’t been smooth sailing.

At the beginning of the year, the rotation bore the brunt of the injury bug, with left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Tyler Glasnow missing months of the season.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’s two big deadline acquisitions didn’t make nearly the impact they were expected to.

Right fielder Kyle Tucker — who continued his recent hot streak with a single, two doubles and a home run on Thursday — is still on pace for the worst full season of his career. And reliever Edwin Díaz not only has spent most of the season on the IL but lost the closer spot with poor performance when he was healthy. He’s scheduled to be activated off the IL (neck inflammation) Friday.

So, the Dodgers made a splash at the trade deadline, acquiring two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. He’s fit right in, making a now Shohei Ohtani-less projected postseason rotation still the most daunting the sport has seen in decades.

What was supposed to be Ohtani’s first full season of two-way duties since joining the Dodgers turned into a second-half injury-management debacle. The Dodgers still hope he’ll be back from the 15-day IL (right biceps and left knee injuries) before the end of the regular season.

He’s set to progress to hitting off coach-thrown batting practice this week, Roberts said.

“Overall, body feels normalish,” Roberts said. “... There’s no pain. He’s doing everything he needs to do. I still don’t know when time to (return to) play is, but everything that I hear is really positive.”

Injuries have hit the position-player group hard down the stretch, with center fielder Andy Pages (fractured left hand) — likely to return during the Dodgers’ upcoming homestand — and catcher Dalton Rushing (right elbow) also on the IL, and first baseman Freddie Freeman (right knee tendinitis) and infielder Miguel Rojas (right shoulder soreness) playing through ailments.

The rotation also isn’t out of the woods. Snell left his start Wednesday with what the team called left groin tightness, and it remains to be seen if he’ll make another regular-season start. Right-hander Roki Sasaki is working back from a blister on his middle finger and is penciled in to return from the IL next week against the Padres.

Read more:Blake Snell exits Dodgers' loss early because of injury

Despite all of that, the Dodgers have already won 93 games — matching their 2025 season total — with nine games to go.

“I don’t think we’ve been able yet in the season to be the whole group healthy and performing the way we know we can perform,” left fielder Teoscar Hernández said when the Dodgers clinched a postseason berth Monday. “But at the same time, it’s baseball. Things like that are going to happen, so just have to support each other the way we’ve been doing this year, the past year, in the hard moments, and just keep going.”

Ideally, that means the best is yet to come.

But first, champagne showers.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Canadiens’ St-Louis Believes In Kreider

The Montreal Canadiens took the ice for the first time at training camp on Thursday, and the coach wasted no time in showing his hand. He put his whole top six in Team A, the team that will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday, and in the process answered two burning questions at Habs’ camp: who would Chris Kreider play with, and who would center the second line?

Despite the Canadiens having one of the best top lines in hockey last season, the bench boss has elected to split it. While that may come as a surprise, the Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky unit struggled at even strength in the postseason, and if there’s one place where Kreider excels, it’s in the playoffs.

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Canadiens’ Anderson Pleased With The A

To insert Kreider on the top line, the coach elected to put Slafkovsky back with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. Given that St-Louis already knows that combination can deliver, and that playing with the two youngsters unlocked a new version of the big Slovak, the decision makes sense. It remains to be seen what the power play units will look like, however. Will Slafkovsky and Demidov join Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson like last season? 

If you're shocked to see Kapanen centring the second line again, remember he scored 22 goals in his rookie season. Yes, he did struggle late in the season and in the playoffs, but it’s far from unusual for a first-year player to hit a wall late in the season. St. Louis said the day before that his second-line center would need to have a good computer, and he repeatedly praised Kapanen for that last season. Some would have you believe that it’s easy to score 22 goals when you’re riding shotgun with Demidov, but you still have to know when to go and convert on the opportunities he dishes out. That's easier said than done.

Asked what he thought about Kreider, Demidov replied:

He reminds me of an older Slaf.
- Demidov on Kreider

Given his size and style of play, that’s a fair assessment and probably part of why St-Louis feels comfortable putting Kreider on his top line. Caufield and Suzuki. The coach knows Kreider very well, and it wasn’t so long ago that he worked with him one-on-one to make him a better player. He didn’t have to do that, but it looks like karma took note and made it worth St-Louis’ while; now he’ll benefit from it.

Team A also included four regular NHL defensemen: Lane Hutson, who was skating with Alexandre Carrier, and Arber Xhekaj with Jayden Struble. Luke Mittelstadt and Owen Protz were also part of the group. Given how well they both did at the Prospect Challenge, it would make sense to give them a game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night.

As for Team B, it took to the ice at 11:50, and it included the rest of the Habs’ NHL lineup. Forwards Alex Newhook, Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, Philipp Danault, Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson were all there. Still, the coaching staff elected to test some combinations involving some youngsters, aside from one veteran line made up of Bolduc, Dach and Texier. Meanwhile, Newhook and Evans skated with Brett Berard and Anderson and Danault took some reps with Florian Xhekaj.

On defense, Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson practiced with the second group, just like Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher. Right now, it doesn’t feel like there’s much chance for a forward to graduate to the NHL from the AHL, but the same cannot be said about defence. Kaiden Guhle’s injury means someone could make the jump, and in an ideal world, that person would be Reinbacher, but will he stay healthy and grab the opportunity with both hands? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, in net, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler skated with Team A while Samuel Montembeault and Kaapo Kahkonen were with Team B. That should mean Montembeault will get to play in Toronto on Saturday night, away from the scrutiny and pressure of the Bell Centre. As for Dobes, signing a big contract extension certainly hasn’t changed him:

I’m going to try to make the team, and we’ll see about what comes next.
- Dobes on the camp

You have to admire the humility. Everyone knows that right now, on paper, Dobes is the number one. He’s not taking anything for granted, though, and he’s approaching this camp like any other. Given that the Canadiens have three NHL-caliber goaltenders right now, it’s the right approach. All too often in hockey, when a player gets too comfortable, he loses his footing.

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The fat lady was an early Singer; Dodgers clinch the West

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 17: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a home run during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Fittingly, in a game in which the Dodgers secured the NL West crown, they did so in the dominant manner in which they’ve won this division—this season and in many other campaigns—beating the Reds 8-2 in the final game of this road trip.

There are plenty of games in the regular season in which you can pinpoint a couple of pitches—mistakes that were hit and others that weren’t—to argue a game could’ve gone the other way. Well, this was not one of those times, as Brady Singer could not buy a strikeout against the Dodgers, throwing less than half of his pitches inside the zone, which led to plenty of walks. And the walks were the least of his problems, as whenever Singer threw anything in the zone, it was getting hit and hit hard.

Before Elly De La Cruz could even enter the batter’s box for the first time, the Reds already trailed the Dodgers by a pair. In the top of the first, Kyle Tucker took advantage of a Freddie Freeman walk and hit a two-run bomb, crushing a low sinker right in the middle of the zone.

Because the Dodgers stranded a couple of runners who got on base in the first after that Tucker homer, the right fielder would already come back to hit again in the next frame. Tucker made it a 4-0 game with an RBI double following a Freddie Freeman RBI sac fly.

Seemingly trying to push through Singer’s struggles, the Reds kept him in there, and even in a scoreless third, the signs of trouble were evident—multiple hitters reached base, and a Josue De Paula lineout over 100 MPH was doing the heavy lifting for that only zero Singer put up on the board. It felt inevitable that in the following frame, it’d turn sideways quickly. The first six hitters to come to the plate in the fourth all reached safely, including Tucker with his third hit in as many at-bats. Josue De Paula’s RBI single made it 7-0, and Singer finally got the hook, by that point already nearing 100 pitches on the day.

As the Reds starter was running on fumes in a feeble attempt to contain the Dodgers’ offense, Justin Wrobleski was cutting it loose, as only a pitcher who knew he was in for a shorter outing would do. Sitting at 96 mph+ on his fastball and sinker—a tick and a half over his season average on the former—Wrobleski faced nine hitters and retired them all, dominating through three before handing it off to the Dodgers’ bullpen to maintain a seven-run lead. Blake Treinen contributed one inning that had the Reds’ only run—a Sal Stewart long ball—before Landon Knack came in to complete four scoreless frames, enjoying the momentum of a commanding lead to keep the Reds from making this a close contest. The final inning was left to Seth Halvorsen, who went from taking the loss yesterday to finishing the NL West-clinching game, allowing just one run—quite the turnaround for the former Colorado Rockie.

With a single, a double, and a homer after four, Tucker had multiple chances to become the first Dodger to hit for the cycle since Cody Bellinger did it back in 2017 as a rookie. He even crushed one into the gap in left center, but the Reds’ defense played it cleanly, forcing him to not even be able to try a bold move by going to third—already looking gassed from all the running around the bases he had to do.

In the ninth inning of a 7-1 game, the Reds did what they should know better than to do against the Dodgers—they let a left-hander pitch to Miguel Rojas. The Dodgers’ veteran infielder didn’t forgive this offense by tacking on a run with a solo shot, his fourth of the year, all against southpaws.

Game particulars
  • Home runs— Kyle Tucker (16), Miguel Rojas (4)
  • WP— Landon Knack (1-0): 4 IP, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts
  • LP— Brady Singer (6-15): 3.1 IP, 9 hits, 7 runs, 4 walks
Up next

The Dodgers rush back home because the Giants await, with a three-game set starting on Friday night (7:10 p.m. PT) in an exclusive broadcast on Apple TV. Tyler Glasnow starts, hoping to shake off a couple of rusty starts against the Twins and Marlins, while César Perdomo makes only his fourth appearance in the big leagues.

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Dodgers clinch 13th NL West title in 14 years as $60 million slugger finally turns up

For the 13th time in 14 seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers are champions of the National League West. And while this particular journey has been filled with unforeseen bumps, the two-time defending World Series champions just might be rounding into form at the right time.

Kyle Tucker, their $60 million-a-year-man who was rarely heard from the first five months of the season, homered for the fourth time in his past eight games and drove in three runs as the Dodgers thumped the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 Thursday, Sept. 17 at Great American Ballpark to clinch the division title with nine games remaining.

The Dodgers (93-60) hold a four-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the race for the No. 2 seed in the NL and a first-round bye. Atlanta holds the head-to-head tiebreaker so Los Angeles must finish a game clear of the Braves to avoid playing in the wild-card series.

The likeliest scenario is the Dodgers playing host to the winner of an Atlanta-San Diego best-of-three in the NL Division Series. They most certainly won't have Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, in this postseason and they may not have Ohtani the hitter near the height of his powers, or even at all.

Yet they will carry the deadliest 1-2 pitching combo - 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal - into the postseason tournament.

And they'll also have, it seems, a sentient Tucker.

The 29-year-old right fielder who signed a four-year, $240 million deal was batting just .221 with a .671 OPS on Sept. 8. Thursday, he went 4-for-5 with three extra-base hits, capping an eight-game stretch in which he went 12-for-29 (.414) with four homers and a 1.566 OPS.

His outfield mate, Teoscar Hernández, has been similarly potent, boosting his season OPS by 68 points thanks to a .385/.492/.712 line over his previous 15 games. They need the lineup length right now with Ohtani resting due to right biceps and left knee injuries.

Should the four-time MVP return, and lefty starter Blake Snell's groin scare is truly just that, the Dodgers should be well-stocked for October.

For now, their preliminary accomplishments are well in hand. This is the Dodgers' fifth consecutive division title and the lone runner-up finish in this 14-year run came in 2021, when their 106 victories were one fewer than the San Francisco Giants' 107. They probably won't get to 100 wins this year. But they certainly were good enough - and hope that holds true in October, too.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers clinch 13th NL West title in 14 years as $60 million slugger finally turns up

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Senators Add Local Veteran Ben Hutton On Professional Tryout

The Senators have added some local flair to their blue line, signing veteran defenceman Ben Hutton to a professional tryout.

Hutton was born in Brockville and raised in Prescott, making him a familiar name in these parts. He also spent more than 200 games in the CCHL with the Kemptville 73’s and Nepean Raiders before playing three seasons at the University of Maine.

The 33-year-old was the chosen by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Hutton played his first four NHL seasons with the Canucks before stops with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Drake Batherson kept the faith that he'd get something done with the Senators.

He spent the past five seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, serving primarily as a reliable depth defenceman who could step into the lineup when needed.

In all, Hutton has appeared in 575 NHL regular-season games, recording 30 goals and 139 points. He also won a Cup with Vegas in 2023, appearing in two games during that run.

Last season, the six-foot-three, 209-pound left-shot D played 55 regular-season games for the Knights, contributing six goals and 15 points. He also dressed for seven playoff games and recorded one assist as Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hutton’s year-to-year totals have fluctuated, partly because of injuries and partly because of his position on a deep Vegas blue line.

But his 55 games last season showed that he remains capable of handling a fairly steady NHL workload.

At a glance, the Sens don't have an obvious opening for Hutton on the left side. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are firmly established in the top four, while Tyler Kleven is expected to hold down the third-pairing role. But all three missed time with injury last year, and there isn't really an obvious fill-in at the AHL level.

The uncertainty is on the right side, where Artem Zub will miss the start of camp as he continues recovering from the lower-body injury he suffered in the playoffs last spring.

Head coach Travis Green said Wednesday that Zub is skating and could rejoin the team within the next week or two. That timetable doesn’t sound especially concerning, but with a compressed training camp, the Sens have to be ready with a backup plan. 

Without Zub, the Senators would almost certainly begin camp with Jordan Spence, Carter Yakemchuk and Nikolas Matinpalo filling the three right-side positions. That would put both Yakemchuk and Matinpalo inside the top six, while leaving the club without an obvious option for the seventh-defenceman job.

Hutton's arrival probably changes that. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:

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Mike Sweetney, one of Georgetown basketball's greatest players, dies at 43

Michael Sweetney, an All-American big man for the Georgetown men’s basketball team who went on to be a top-10 NBA draft pick, has died, his wife, India, announced on social media on Thursday, Sept. 17.

He was 43 years old. No cause of death was specified.

“No one loved him more and he loved no one more than his family,” India Murray Sweetney wrote in a message on Facebook. “His children were the light of his life, and he lived every day to give them the best life possible. He’s been my best friend for 30 years and my husband for almost 20. I’m not sure what we or I will do without him.”

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Sweetney made his greatest on-court mark in the college game, where the 6-foot-8, 275-pound forward averaged 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game over three seasons at Georgetown. As a junior during the 2002-03 season, he averaged 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game for the Hoyas. His production that season earned him All-American distinction from the Associated Press, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and The Sporting News.

Despite playing only three seasons at Georgetown, he remains ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list and fifth on its all-time rebounding list.

His size and college accolades made him a prized NBA prospect, with the New York Knicks selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick in the famed 2003 NBA Draft that also included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. In four NBA seasons — two with the Knicks and two with the Chicago Bulls — he averaged 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

He played professionally, primarily in South America and the Caribbean, until 2017.

Heading into his first season with the Knicks, Sweetney struggled with depression, maintaining his playing weight and suicidal thoughts after his father suffered a fatal heart attack in 2003, about a month after Sweetney was drafted.

“I was going through depression,” he said to the New York Post in 2019. “I honestly thought I would never get out of it,” Sweetney said. “When I share the story, as I’m talking, it’s still amazing to me this was going on. As an athlete, pride got in the way. I was fighting myself. I didn’t speak up. I kept it hidden and it became a snowball effect.

“Before my father(’s death), life was great. He came to every game. He was always there. I buried my father like two days before training camp. There was no time to digest it at all. Losing him, then coming to a basketball situation that wasn’t going the way I wanted, I’d never dealt with adversity.”

He remained in basketball after his playing days, serving as an assistant coach at Yeshiva University, a Division III school in Manhattan. With Sweetney on staff, the Maccabees won two conference championships and racked up a 50-game win streak from 2019-21.

“It’s not just about X’s and O’s,” Sweetney said to the Post in 2019. “Sometimes you need to see if a guy is going through something and pick them up. It’s been a great experience. I’m happy here. I’m comfortable here. I’m treated well here. It’s been amazing. To be happy and be at peace, I would’ve been shocked. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Sweetney, one of Georgetown basketball's greatest players, dies at 43

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Happy Birthday Casey Janssen and Marcus Semien

CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 20: Casey Janssen #44 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 20, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Toronto defeated Cincinnati 14-9. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Casey Janssen turns 45 today. He has always been one of my favourites, and a favourite among readers of this site. Long before I joined, the site even interviewed him back in 2008.

Janssen was selected in the fourth round of the 2003 draft out of the University of California, during the J.P. Ricciardi era. That year, the Jays picked David Purcey in the first round, with Zach Jackson, Curtis Thigpen, and Adam Lind all chosen ahead of Casey.

Janssen made his Blue Jays debut at the end of April 2006, stepping in after A.J. Burnett landed on the DL due to complications from his 2003 Tommy John surgery. Casey started off strong, going 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA in six May starts, but struggled as the season progressed, ultimately finishing 6-10 with a 5.07 ERA.

In 2007, a string of pitching injuries shifted Janssen to the bullpen, where he became the setup man for closer Jeremy Accardo. He finished the year with 24 holds, 6 saves, and a 2.35 ERA in 70 appearances. While he only struck out 39 batters in 72.2 innings, he excelled at keeping the ball on the ground and consistently got the job done.

Casey missed all of 2008 and the early part of 2009 due to a torn labrum. The Jays tried him as a starter upon his return, but after five rough outings and a 6.23 ERA, he transitioned back to the bullpen for good, where he remained a key contributor for the next five seasons.

Between 2010 and 2014, Casey appeared in 279 games, recording a 2.99 ERA and 83 saves. He served as the team’s closer from 2012 to 2014 and currently ranks fifth on the franchise’s all-time saves list and fifth in games pitched by a Blue Jays pitcher.

You might recall that he battled a bout of food poisoning over the All-Star break, which likely contributed to a difficult second half. After a solid start to the season, he posted a 5.70 ERA following the break.

Following the 2014 season, Janssen signed with the Nationals, but struggled in 2015, leading the team to decline his option for 2016. He was briefly with the Padres and Red Sox organizations, but never made it back to the majors. In 2017, he continued his career in the Mexican League.

I’m not exactly sure why Janssen became such a favourite here, but he was undeniably effective. I always enjoyed his distinctive follow-through, especially the pronounced bend in his lead leg that brought him so low to the ground. It also helped that he seemed like a genuinely good guy.

Marcus Semien turns 36 today.

In 2021, Marcus played all 162 games for the Blue Jays, slashing .265/.334/.538 with 45 home runs and 15 steals. He earned both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards for second base and finished third in MVP voting.

The Jays finished that season 91-71, which was only good enough for fourth place in the AL East.

Afterward, Semien signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers. Before this season, the Rangers traded him to the Mets. He’s not having a great season there.

Over his 14-year career, Marcus has hit .251/.319/.429 with 267 home runs and a 49.9 bWAR.

Happy Birthday, Marcus.

On this day in 2019 (seven years ago), Cavan Biggio hit for the cycle—just the third Blue Jay to do so, joining Jeff Frye and Kelly Gruber.

His game unfolded like this:

– Strikeout in the first

– Two-run homer in the third

– Single in the sixth

– Double in the eighth

– Two-run triple in the ninth, part of a four-run inning that secured the win

He also stole two bases, scored three runs, and drove in four.

The game took place in Baltimore. I noted in the recap that the announced attendance was 9,280, but estimated that about 9,000 were disguised as empty seats. The Jays won 8-5.

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McCrimmon: ‘The Organization Shifted’ When Golden Knights Acquired ‘Original Leader’ Stone

Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon doesn’t mince words. He speaks with conviction, and he means every word he says. 

His statement about inking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone to a two-year contract extension was par for the course.

“The organization shifted when we acquired Mark Stone,” said McCrimmon. “For me, that was the player that we thought could be a star— [and he] has been a star. When you factor in the character of his leadership and what he’s meant to the organization, he’s just been a tremendous, tremendous player for the Golden Knights.”

Stone, who has played exactly 400 games in a Golden Knights sweater, is coming off a career year. In 60 games, he scored 28 goals and posted a career-best 73 points. Stone was a crucial part of the Golden Knights’ lethal power play— he scored nine goals and 27 points on the man advantage.

“With him going into the final year of his contract, we were really excited to keep him with our organization for this year, plus two more,” said McCrimmon. “He feels great, and he had one of his best years last year.”

Stone’s on-ice play speaks for itself. He’s an elite two-way winger who makes up for his lack of foot speed with one of the sharpest minds in the game. He kills penalties and is on the ice in every late-game scenario. He’s one of the most underappreciated players in the game, but those lucky enough to watch or play with Stone on a nightly basis have nothing but good things to say about him.

“I think the people in this room appreciate Mark’s contributions as much as anyone does,” said McCrimmon.

If anyone has earned the right to retire a Golden Knight, it’s Mark Stone. He’s the team’s emotional leader, and the amount of effort he gives every game is never in question.

“He’s our original leader,” McCrimmon finished. “I think that we’re thrilled with his level of play, his leadership, and everything that goes with him being our captain.”

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How James Harden facilitated Cleveland’s biggest offseason splash

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 30: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in action during a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on March 30, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a tense start to the summer.

They spent weeks waiting for LeBron James to make a decision, only for the King to choose Philly over returning home. This put Cleveland’s offseason on the brink of disaster. They needed a wing — and with the free agency pool drained, the Cavs had almost nothing to show for it.

James Harden not only paused his contract extension to allow them to keep searching, but also played an active role in recruiting their biggest splash of the summer, Peyton Watson.

“Getting a call or text from [Harden] throughout my process to let me know the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested,” said Watson during his introductory press conference.

“ That matters a lot because obviously he has one of the great basketball minds we’ve ever seen. Being embraced by him immediately was something that was very flattering to me.”

Watson was one of the hottest sign-and-trade candidates on the market this summer. The 6’8” wing had a career-best season shooting the ball and fit the mold of what the Cavs have been missing.

Meanwhile, Harden waited until September to sign an extension that he could have signed in July. This gave Cleveland the financial flexibility to go big game hunting.

More importantly, Harden used his reputation as one of the game’s greatest playmakers to reel in an organizational assist.

“I was super, super blessed to hear from him, and it made me more excited about what my role could be on the team,” said Watson. “It was early on when he had first talked to me… when I got that call and was informed that I was gonna be a Cleveland Cavalier, it just made it mean that much more to me because I knew I was being embraced day one by the team and front office. That just matters.”

Vibes matter. Enthusiasm is what leads to chemistry. Watson is excited about being in Cleveland and building a relationship with Harden. That’s some of the best news that you can hear leading into training camp.

Harden can’t pick up the phone and make the trade himself. But he did everything else in his power to facilitate this deal.