CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 15: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves will attempt to clinch a playoff spot on Friday night behind Tyler Mahle, who was been superb for Atlanta since coming over at the trade deadline.
A Braves win — or Diamondbacks loss — on Friday night would clinch a postseason spot for Atlanta and would trim the magic number to four games to win the NL East. It would mark the eighth time in nine years the Braves would be postseason bound. We will also do a bit of scoreboard watching as the Phillies take on the Mets at Citi Field.
Mahle and the Braves will be opposed by Peter Lambert, who has been Houston’s best starter in 2026. Lambert has been on a strong run lately, allowing three runs or fewer in every start since the beginning of July.
First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET. You can watch and stream the game on Braves Vision.
Pelle Larsson drives on Hornets wing Kon Knueppel during the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 14, 2026.
Pelle Larsson is a name NBA fans should get used to this season.
The Swedish wing just agreed to a four-year, $60 million extension to remain in Miami, where the Heat are coming off a transformative summer, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday.
The last year of the deal, which would be for the 2030-31 season, is a mutual option.
The deal will see Larsson — who will still bank a rookie-scale $2.3 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season — reportedly make $13.5 million in 2027-28 to begin the extension before getting annual increases.
Pelle Larsson drives on Hornets wing Kon Knueppel during the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 14, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Larsson is expected to play a huge role in his third season on a Heat team looking to contend once again.
The team executed a blockbuster for Giannis Antetokounmpo in late June, a deal which also netted Bobby Portis.
Miami sent an extensive package in the deal, highlighted by former All-Star Tyler Herro, Sixth Man of the Year contender Jaime Jaquez Jr., recent first-rounders Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis and a combination of first-round picks, including No. 13 overall in 2026, which Milwaukee used to select Nate Ament out of Tennessee.
Larsson, 25, made a big leap in his second season, jumping from 4.6 to 11.4 points per game in 2025-26, starting in 54 of his 70 appearances.
Pelle Larsson is the leader of the Swedish National Team. FIBA via Getty Images
The two-way swingman also saw his rebounds climb from 1.7 to 3.5 and his assists from 1.2 to 3.4 per game in his increased role.
The 6-foot-5 glue guy also shot nearly 50 percent from the field for the season and 32.3 percent from 3, going 62-for-192 from beyond the arc.
Larsson is also the top player on the Swedish National Team.
This offseason, he averaged 26 points per game across four contests with Sweden in FIBA 2027 World Cup qualifiers, where the team went 3-1 and pulled off an upset against Lauri Markkanen and Finland in Helsinki on Aug. 27. Larsson had 31 points in the game.
In last summer’s EuroBasket tournament, he averaged 18.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while leading Sweden, though it went 1-4 and was eliminated in Group Play.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 12: Peter Lambert #38 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, September 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: With just nine games remaining on their schedule, the first-place Houston Astros will welcome in the Atlanta Braves for their final home series of the 2026 regular season.
RHP Peter Lambert (8-9, 3.71 ERA) will make his penultimate start of the season for the Astros tonight opposite RHP Tyler Mahle (6-10, 3.91 ERA) and the Braves.
THE POSTSEASON CHASE: The Astros and Rangers are locked in a tight race down the stretch for the AL West with the two teams entering play today separated by just one game. The Astros own the tiebreaker over the Rangers with a season series victory (9-4 record).
AL WEST NEXT GAME
1. Houston: 77-76 vs. ATL (89-64)
2. Texas: 76-77 1.0 GB vs. TOR (76-77)
3. Seattle: 71-82 6.0 GB at COL (56-97)
CHALLENGING STRETCH: The Astros are within a stretch of playing 13 of 16 games against opponents with winning records (CWS, ARI, PHI, TB, ATL), going 6-7 so far in those contests. On the season, the Astros are 28-21 against teams with .500 or better records, the third-best mark in the Majors, immediately ahead of the Braves (35-28).
OLD RIVALS: The Astros and Braves are longtime rivals, having played each other 720 times in the regular season and another 25 times in the postseason. The Braves dominated the Astros early in their playoff matchups, in 1997, 1999 and 2001, before the Astros broke through in 2004 and 2005. The two teams matched up again in the 2021 Fall Classic, won by the Braves in six games.
DUBIE!: The Astros are happy to welcome back Braves IF/OF Mauricio Dubón, who’ll be recognized with a pregame video tonight. Dubón, a 2022 World Series Champion, played parts of four seasons (2022-25) with the Astros, appearing in 485 regular season games with Houston.
HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEKEND: The Astros are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Weekend starting tonight. The ballpark will come alive with Latin music, vibrant festivities, and cultural pride all weekend long. As part of the celebration, 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Jeremy Peña Retro Los Astros Jersey
LAST NIGHT’S BIG WIN: The Astros hammered a season-high five home runs in their 6-2 win in the rubber game of their three-game series with the Royals last night. SS Jeremy Peña started the home run barrage with a leadoff homer and was later joined by CF Daulton Varsho, 1B LaMonte Wade Jr., DH Yordan Alvarez and RF Taylor Trammell, who all hit solo shots. RHP Ethan Pecko (1ER/5.2IP) pitched great as the bulk reliever, allowing just three hits in his outing.
GOIN’ DEEP: The Astros have hit 206 homers as a team this year and have hit 200-plus homers in a single season for the 10th time in franchise history (last, 222 HR in 2023). The Astros rank second in the AL in home runs this season behind only the Yankees (209).
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.311), while ranking second in HR (40) and RBI (99). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.027), SLG (.598) and OBP (.429). Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL).
BIG NUMBERS: DH Yordan Alvarez hit his 40th homer of the season last night, marking the eighth time an Astro has hit 40-plus homers in a single season in club history. He’s also up to 99 RBI on the season and is looking to post the 29th 100-RBI season in Astros history. Alvarez’s career high in RBI is 104, which he reached in 2021.
LEADING MAN: SS Jeremy Peña hit his sixth leadoff home run of the season last night, and the 11th of his career, a total that ranks fifth in Astros history. He ranks tied for second in the AL in leadoff home runs this season, trailing only the Rangers DH Joc Pederson (7).
NOTHING FINER THAN YAINER: C Yainer Diaz is hitting .362 (17×47) in the month of September with two homers, five RBI and a .932 OPS. Diaz has multiple hits in seven if his 12 starts this month.
STALKING 200:1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls. Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
STARTING STRONG: In their last 13 home games, Astros starting pitchers have combined for a 2.40 ERA (17ER/63.2IP), while allowing two-or-fewer runs in 11 of those contests. Additionally, Astros starters have posted a 3.28 ERA (43ER/118IP) in their last 25 games dating back to Aug. 21.
THE LAMBO:RHP Peter Lambert has been the most consistent starter for the Astros this season, as he leads the club in wins (8), starts (26), innings pitched (145.2) and strikeouts (141). He’s allowed two-or-fewer earned runs in 18 of his 26 starts on the year and has done so in 10 of his last 13 starts.
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader has converted 26 consecutive save opportunities to open his season, which is the Astros club record. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2019 – Many milestones are reached in the Astros 3-2 victory over the Rangers at Daikin Park. First, the win clinches a postseason berth for the Astros and gives the team 100 victories for the third consecutive season. Secondly, RHP Gerrit Cole tallies 10 strikeouts in the game to reach 300 on the season, joining RHP J.R. Richard and RHP Mike Scott as the only Astros to reach that total in strikeouts. RHP Justin Verlander would also reach 300 later that season.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, September 18, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: SCHN, SCHN2 (Spanish), Peacock (subject to blackout)
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish), ESPN Radio (subject to blackout)
Sep 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Max Clark (15) scores during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (72-81) vs. Chicago White Sox (78-75)
Time/Place: 7:40 p.m., Rate Field SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Andrew Sears (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP David Sandlin (2-2, 5.64 ERA)
The Warriors didn’t have an eye-popping offseason.
But they had an under-the-radar acquisition that could help them: They added Frank Vogel to their coaching staff as an assistant.
Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Frank Vogel looks on during a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Jan. 10, 2026. Getty Images
Vogel is bright. He’s defensive-minded. He led the Lakers to an NBA championship in the 2020 bubble at Walt Disney World.
When Steve Kerr (who won five championships as a player and four as coach) decided to return to Golden State’s helm this summer, he made it clear that the team and the coaching staff had some major areas in which they needed to improve.
Kerr added that he recently rewatched every turnover the Warriors committed last season. He believes they need to tighten the ship, bolster their decision-making and work on their fundamentals.
Vogel can help with all of that.
He’s known for transforming defenses. When he was the head coach of the Pacers from 2011-2016, he helped lead them to consecutive Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014, in large part because of their discipline on the less glamorous side of the court.
Kerr has long been one of the league’s top coaches. He has a great staff. They helped the Warriors become the league’s modern-day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years from 2015-2018.
But it’s clear the Warriors could use some fresh eyes, too.
And Vogel will be very helpful with that.
Since the Warriors won their last championship in 2022, they’ve struggled. They haven’t made it past the second round of the playoffs the last four seasons. In two of those seasons, they missed the postseason altogether.
That said, those are guys who have lived atop the league the last decade and are used to winning.
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, left, and assistant coach Frank Vogel look on during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Warriors will surely look to make some major moves ahead of the trade deadline to shore up their roster holes. And Vogel will be there to help oversee it all.
Vogel has a keen eye. In many ways, he got the raw end of the deal when he was fired by the Lakers in 2022 after the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2021 and missed the postseason in 2022.
But that wasn’t Vogel’s fault.
After the Lakers won their first championship in a decade in 2020, they parted ways with some key pieces of their championship squad to acquire Russell Westbrook, a move that will live in franchise infamy. Someone had to take the fall for the Lakers’ dysfunction. Vogel was first in line, a fate many coaches around the league have suffered in a role that often resembles a carousel.
After coaching the Suns from 2023-24 and serving as an assistant for the Mavericks last season, Vogel has landed with a veteran-laden team and a future Hall of Fame coach who will surely appreciate his skills.
A pairing of Kerr and Vogel just seems right.
There’s old blood. There’s new blood. And there are two great minds who have independently carried teams across the finish line now working in tandem.
By-and-large, the Buffalo Sabres had a great 2025-26 season, finishing atop the Atlantic Division, then beating the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. That was manna from heaven for Sabres fans – and now, their appetite has been whetted.
Meanwhile, here at TheHockeyNews.com, we’re analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in an online series called “Know Your Enemy”. In each file in this series, we’re breaking down how Buffalo played against each East team, in addition to how they’re likely fare against the team this year. And in this file, we’re turning our attention to the New York Rangers.
The Rangers have one of the biggest markets in the league to try and satisfy, but there’s no assurance they’ll be better enough this year to challenge for a playoff position. Here’s this writer’s perspective on how the Sabres will do in their three regular-season showdowns this year:
BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW YORK RANGERS
NEW RANGERS PLAYERS: Pavel Dorofeyev (RW), Joonas Korpisalo (G), Marcus Pettersson (D), Sean Durzi (D), Oliver Bjorkstrand (RW), Joe Veleno (C)
2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Islanders 1-2-0
2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 25 at Buffalo; February 15 at Rangers; March 6 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres took two out of three games against the Rangers last season, but this is a significantly-changed Blueshirts roster, as GM Chris Drury is under all sorts of pressure to get his team back into the post-season after two calamitous years of constant letdown. And by THN.com’s standards, the Rangers did have one of the better off-seasons of any NHL team.
So, the Rangers team Buffalo takes on this year will be considerably different than the one they saw last season. And the biggest area of improvement – other than adding former Vegas Golden Knights sniper Dorofeyev – is on defense, where Drury picked up Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks, and Durzi was acquired from Utah in the trade that sent veteran center Vincent Trocheck to the Mammoth.
That improvement will almost certainly help star goaltender Igor Shesterkin, but if Shesterkin is injured for any significant stretch, and the Sabres are playing the Blueshirts during one of those stretches, the Rangers’ new backup – former Bruins and Ottawa Senators veteran Korpisalo – Buffalo will need to take advantage of that matchup.
Otherwise, the Rangers will be a tougher opponent for the Sabres than they’ve been for a while now. Drury still desperately needs some internal improvement and young players to step up and evolve into difference-makers, but he’s been given a mandate by Rangers ownership to retool instead of rebuild. That may be a decision the Blueshirts come to regret, but for now, at least, the Rangers will be harder to knock around for Buffalo.
And while we still expect the Sabres to win the season series against the Rangers this season, it’s going to take a stronger effort, and a consistent thrust from Buffalo to get the job done and keep the Rangers out of the playoff picture yet again.
The fate of the AL Central lies in the hands of David Sandlin tonight.
It may not be Thanksgiving quite yet, but I’d like to make a toast to the City of Detroit. Sure, your football franchise is irrelevant, your hockey team is a shell of what it was and the best thing about your city is the bridge to Canada, but you do have the Detroit Tigers. We would like to thank you for giving them to us for an easy win to get the White Sox back on track.
After back-to-back collapses at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians, the White Sox scored three runs in the first inning yesterday vs. Detroit, and dared the kitty cats to do something about it. Much like they have all season (and all decade, really), the Tigers laid an egg when it mattered most and the White Sox are back atop the AL Central thanks to their handy-dandy tiebreaker.
Unfortunately, thanks to their monthlong collapse, the White Sox still have work to do. There’s certainly pressure on the Guardians, but with their next series being against the Athletics at home, it’s mostly on the White Sox to keep up.
With a bullpen that is also absolutely gassed, they’ll need more length from their starters, as no team this season has gotten less out of its rotation in terms of innings load. To wit, it’s been more than a month since a starter has gone six innings, and that can’t continue for much longer.
Drew Sandlin gets the task for the White Sox Friday night, and he came close to snapping the streak his last time out, perfect into the sixth inning on Sunday at St. Louis. Despite mixed results overall during his first taste of the majors, Sandlin has crushed it all season at Triple-A and ran a streak of five minor league starts allowing more than a run just once. And his work vs. the Cardinals earlier this week was as impeccable as you’re going to get from the White Sox rotation. Hopefully the home crowd will give Sandlin some juice, and he can will his way to a strong start.
The Tigers will throw out Andrew Sears. While he may look like a high school robotics teacher, he’s seen some success at the major league level — with the operative word being, “some.” Means has started in two of his four appearances and it seems his performance comes down to the flip of a coin. In a relief appearance against Kansas City in late August, he surrendered five runs in four innings. He followed that up by blanking the Los Angeles Dodgers in his next outing.
Everything looked bright when he limited Cleveland to one run in his first career start, in just under six innings of work. Unfortunately for him, Means quickly followed that up by allowing four runs in under five innings in his next outing. His best two outings were against two good teams and his two worst outings came against two of the worst teams in baseball. The good news is that if Means shuts us down, that means we’re a good team, right?
As every game has felt for Chicago lately, expect the unexpected. There is no doubt that Chicago could blow Detroit out, but there is also zero doubt they could get ran out of the park by a guy with goggles we haven’t seen since the 1980’s NBA.
Ease your nerves with some wise words from Tom Cappello:
Here is the starting lineup for the Chicago White Sox:
Here is the starting lineup for the Detroit Tigers:
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on CHSN and can be heard on ESPN Chicago 1000. Drop your predictions and thoughts down below!
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 13: Gabriel Hughes #43 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is not much on the line at Coors Field this weekend.
The Colorado Rockies enter tonight’s series opener at 56-97, three losses away from their fourth consecutive 100-loss season. They are 4-11 in September and 7-23 over their last 30 games, turning another difficult year into an ugly finish.
The Seattle Mariners reached the ALCS last season and entered 2026 looking poised to build on it. Instead, they arrive in Denver at 71-82, six games back of first place in the AL West and even further back in the Wild Card race.
Seattle remains a much more competitive team than Colorado, but several parts of last year’s formula have slipped. The pitching has been roughly similar, the defense has been among the worst in baseball, and the offense has fallen from a 113 wRC+ in 2025 to a roughly league-average 102 this season.
The biggest drop has come from Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. Raleigh went from 60 home runs and a 161 wRC+ last year to a 96 wRC+ this season, while Rodríguez has fallen from 126 to 102 — turning what began as another hopeful season in Seattle into something much different.
The grind continues tonight.
Rookie Gabriel Hughes will make his 13th major-league start. He remains in search of his first win and enters 0-8 with a 6.37 ERA over 59.1 innings.
Against the Yankees on Sept. 8, Hughes generated 13 whiffs and struck out six over five solid innings. Five days later, Detroit repeatedly extended at-bats and forced him to throw 70 pitches in two innings. He allowed five runs and two home runs while generating just six whiffs.
Hughes has held hitters to an 87.2 mph average exit velocity (82nd percentile), a 29.9% hard-hit rate (96th percentile) and a 5.4% barrel rate (84th percentile), while his 4.04 FIP sits well below his ERA. The larger issue has been finishing hitters.
Woo is 12-9 with a 3.88 ERA and 163 strikeouts, including a 1.93 ERA and 0.76 WHIP over his last seven starts. One six-run outing against Philadelphia accounts for most of the damage during that stretch; across the other six starts, he has allowed just three earned runs in 38 innings.
Woo works from a lower arm slot, around 24 degrees, and changes his mix by handedness. He leans on the four-seamer and slider against lefties, with a sinker and changeup mixed in, while right-handers see a heavier four-seam/sinker combination with the sweeper as his primary breaking ball.
Both fastballs sit around 96 mph, with the slider around 89 mph, the changeup around 88 mph and the sweeper dropping into the low 80s.
Woo’s whiff rate is 24.7% (48th percentile), while he has walked just 5.3% of opposing hitters (95th percentile). Still, he has allowed some firm contact — an 89.3 mph average exit velocity (31st percentile) and a 42.0% hard-hit rate (20th percentile) — and much of it has come in the air, with a 38.1% ground-ball rate (28th percentile).
That makes his first career start at Coors Field especially interesting.
TJ Rumfield and Jake McCarthy enter play fifth and sixth in the National League in batting average, with Rumfield at .301 and McCarthy at .295. Cole Carrigg has slugged .633 with three home runs over his last 30 at-bats, while Hunter Goodman, with his 38 home runs, returns to the middle of the lineup.
For most of the 2026 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had to navigate their roster like a stout ship dashing through a storm.
Shoulders. Elbows. Backs. Necks. Knees. Hands. Biceps. Blisters. And now, with October quickly approaching, Blake Snell’s groin.
In what is turning out to be an annual occurrence, the Dodgers have spent much of their pursuit of history trying to outrun the injured list, and the numbers show just how bruised and battered baseball’s powerhouse has been.
For most of the 2026 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had to navigate their roster like a stout ship dashing through a storm. AP Photo/Tanner Pearson
According to RotoWire’s latest MLB injury severity rankings, the Dodgers currently sit 11th among all 30 teams with a 75-point score, including 11 players on the 60-day injured list and six on the 10- or 15-day IL. RotoWire’s model assigns greater weight to long-term absences, giving five points for every 60-day IL placement and three for shorter 10- or 15-day stays.
Ironically, this is the first time the Dodgers have fallen out of the top 10 in the rankings this season. At the end of August they were 8th, and have consistently been in the top 10 throughout the year. Maybe, their slip to 11th is coming at the perfect time.
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) signals to the dugout against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The Dodgers have already secured their 14th consecutive postseason appearance and clinched the NL West for the 13th time in 14 seasons. Now comes their attempt to become the first National League franchise to win three consecutive World Series championships.
That attempt will come with some of their biggest stars fighting through injuries.
Superstar Shohei Ohtani is still on the 15-day IL with lingering left knee and right biceps issues, but Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently told the California Post that Ohtani is “progressing well,” and he expects him to return before the end of the regular season.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after fouling a ball off his foot during the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. Getty Images
All-Star closer Edwin Diaz has been battling several injuries throughout the season but was activated on Friday after being sidelined since Aug. 18 with neck inflammation.
All-Star center fielder Andy Pages remains on the IL with a fractured left hand, but could be activated during the Dodgers final homestand.
Tyler Glasnow is back in the starting rotation, but missed more than three months with lower back spasms before returning in late August. Snell opened the season sidelined by shoulder fatigue and underwent elbow surgery in May and didn’t return until August.
On Wednesday in Cincinnati, he lasted just one inning before left groin tightness forced him from the game. A source told the California Post the decision to remove him from the game was “precautionary,” and Snell himself said he expects to make his next start.
All-Star center fielder Andy Pages remains on the IL with a fractured left hand, but could be activated during the Dodgers final homestand. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Roki Sasaki has been sidelined since Aug. 27 with a blister on his pitching hand, and Will Smith recently returned after missing nearly three months with neck inflammation.
The Giants and Orioles are the only two teams in RotoWire’s study that have more than 100 points on their severity score due to the amount of players currently on the 60-day IL.
Currently there are 526 roster players currently on injured lists across all 30 teams.
According to Spotrac, the Dodgers have had 26 different players on the IL this season and lead the league in total days players have been on the injured list with 2,194. They trail only the New York Yankees ($91.4 million) with an estimated cash total of $83 million in players salaries on the IL this season.
The Dodgers survived six months of baseball’s version of a demolition derby and still won the West. The question now isn’t whether they were good enough to survive the regular season.
It’s whether enough of them will be healthy enough to survive October and bring home a third straight World Series title.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 12: Starting pitcher Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers walks to the dugout after being removed during the fifth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 12, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 10: Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on April 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons finally came to terms with a core member of its young core … and it wasn’t Jalen Duren. While the extended standoff between the All-NBA center and the Pistons continues, the Pistons swooped in and took care of a different kind of business, signing young forward Ausar Thomspon to a five-year, $155 million rookie extension, per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Thompson has already established himself in the upper echelon of defenders in the NBA. At first blush, it might seem crazy to give a player who has averaged less than 10 points per game and isn’t a threat from deep a $31 million average annual contract. However, talk to any Pistons fan, or anyone who watches Pistons games regularly, and this truly feels like a steal.
Thompson thrived last season and set a high bar as a premier wing defender. He was an All-NBA First Team selection and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
And consider Ausar’s twin brother, Amen, who was picked one spot ahead of Ausar and signed a $208 million deal with the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason. Amen is certainly the superior offensive player thanks to his distribution skills, but he is also not quite the defensive presence of Ausar. To get Ausar at nearly $50 million less than Amen is a bit shocking to me, to be honest.
That doesn’t mean that Thompson can be a finished product. He certainly needs to become a legitimate offensive threat in some form or fashion. But he’s an S-tier perimeter defender, rebounds the hell out of the ball, can run the floor, and he’s just 22 years old. To be able to lock up Thompson through his age 28 season to play alongside star Cade Cunningham is a commitment to building a championship-level team for the Pistons.
You can’t ask for much better by way of complementary building blocks than Thompson and Cunningham. However, you know what is even better than a great two-person core as you try to build your way to a championship roster? A three-person core. And therein lies the Jalen Duren conundrum.
It has been widely reported and confirmed by sources close to the team that the Pistons are eager to sign Duren to a contract that would significantly exceed the $155 million Thompson deal. But Detroit is offering a deal between $185 million and $190 million, and Duren wants a deal exceeding $200 million.
I have no reason to believe either side is disputing this, representing the gulf in negotiations, and somehow neither can reach a deal. In fact, if you’re willing to believe Duren’s side, their player is willing to take his $9.6 million qualifying offer in order to chase a max contract next offseason. That would amount to him netting less than what the Pistons are reportedly offering over the same five-year window, but pride can do funny things to a guy.
While we wait for the inevitable conclusion to the Jalen Duren saga, at least we can take comfort in the knowledge that one of the NBA’s three best defenders is locked up long term with the Pistons.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: José Rodríguez #97 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo during Los Angeles Dodgers Photo Day at Camelback Ranch on February 19, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a little bit of Jays news this afternoon:
Michael Lorenzen has been DFAed.
José Rodríguez has been called up.
Anthony Santander is playing in the outfield for the Bisons.
Andres Gimenez is dealing with a hamstring, but it is ‘feeling better’. He will be available off the bench tonight.
Trey Yesavage threw a side session in Texas.
Shane Bieber will throw a side session tomorrow.
Rodríguez came to us from the Dodgers, in trade for Sebastian Rodriguez on September first this year. Jose is a 25-year-old right-hander. He has pitched in 28 Triple-A games this year, with a 4.50 ERA. in 38 innings, he’s allowed 30 hits, 23 walks and 51 strikeouts. That’s a lot of strikeouts (and a lot of walks). He throws high 90s.
CHARLOTTE, NC - APRIL 14: Pelle Larsson #9 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets during the 2026 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 14, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Miami Heat think highly of Pelle Larsson, and they’re backing up their belief in the former Arizona Wildcats guard with a major extension.
Larsson has agreed to a four-year, $60 million extension with the Heat, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal comes with a mutual option for the 2030-31 season.
Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson has agreed to a new four-year, $60 million contract extension, with a mutual option for the 2030-31 season, Austin Brown and Steven Heumann of CAA Sports tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/wVsi86w9yY
The contract extension makes Larsson one of the highest-paid players from the 2024 NBA Draft class despite being taken midway through the second round. Larsson has outperformed his draft selection (No. 44 overall) through two seasons in the NBA, becoming a vital part of Miami’s rotation.
Last season Larsson averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Larsson started 54 of the 70 games he appeared in after only starting eight games as a rookie.
The extension comes as a huge payday for Larsson, who was projected to earn $2.3 million this coming season. For Miami, the extension gives the team control of a young guard who was otherwise poised to enter restricted free agency next summer.
Miami is in win-now mode after trading for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in early July. The Heat also signed Klay Thompson this offseason.
Larsson’s former Arizona teammate Keshad Johnson enters his third season with the team after signing as an undrafted free agent.
The Detroit Pistons have locked up one of their core players.
Just not the one people thought would sign first.
The Pistons and Ausar Thompson agreed on a five-year contract extension worth $155 million on Friday, Sept. 18, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the extension has not yet been announced publicly.
The deal, which does not have any opt-outs, kicks in next season and secures Thompson's future with the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2023.
Thompson took another step in 2025-26, his third NBA season. His otherworldly defense was validated during awards season. He finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind two centers – winner Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Thompson was later named to the All-Defensive first team, becoming the first Pistons player to receive the honor since Ben Wallace in 2005-06.
Thompson and the Pistons beat the 6 p.m. ET, Oct. 19 deadline to sign a rookie extension. He will make $11.1 million in his fourth season to complete his four-year, $36.2 million rookie contract.
Thompson's new contract kicks in for the 2027-28 season and ends in 2032, and will play him $31 million per season. NBA contracts are guaranteed, unless otherwise stipulated.
Ausar Thompson stats in NBA with Pistons
Thompson's per-game averages and stats during the 2025-26 regular season:
73 games (72 starts)
9.9 points
5.7 rebounds
3.1 assists
2.0 steals (NBA-best)
0.9 blocks
1.5 turnovers
26 minutes
52.5% field goals (7.9 attempts – 303-for-577)
25% 3-pointers (0.3 attempts – 6-for-24)
57.1% free throws (2.6 attempts – 109-for-191)
54.5% true shooting percentage
Thompson was the leader of the league's No. 2 defense, which forced more turnovers and blocked more shots per game than any other team.
Ausar Thompson playoff stats
Thompson's per game averages and stats during the 2025-26 playoffs:
14 games
8.2 points
7.9 rebounds
3.1 assists
2.0 steals
1.8 blocks
1.6 turnovers
30.5 minutes
50.5% field goals (6.9 attempts – 49-for-97)
14.3% 3-pointers (0.5 attempts – 1-for-7)
51.6% free throws (2.2 attempts – 16-for-31)
52% true shooting percentage
Ausar Thompson draft pick
Thompson was drafted by then-Pistons general manager Troy Weaver in 2023 at No. 5 overall out of Overtime Elite in Atlanta – at the time, a new professional basketball league for up-and-coming prospects aged 16-20.
Ausar Thompson height and weight
Thompson, born Jan. 30, 1993, in San Leandro, California, will turn 24 years old on Jan. 30, 2026. His height is listed at 6 feet 7 in shoes, his weight is listed at 205 pounds and he measured with a 7-foot wingspan at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. His twin brother, Amen, plays for the Houston Rockets.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 31: Starting pitcher Cade Povich #37 of the Baltimore Orioles delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Clinging to ever-fainter AL wild card hopes, the Orioles are back in Baltimore to play the MLB-best Brewers over the penultimate weekend of the 2026 regular season. No big deal or anything, but the Orioles probably need to sweep this series, and definitely need to at most lose a single game, to hold on to that tenuous hope.
It’s not an impossible task. The Orioles have had some good baseball against good teams at times this year. They are capable of playing well. They are also fully capable of not playing well, reflected in their records against teams like the Yankees (2-8) and Red Sox (4-9). Not being competitive against two of their AL East rivals is one reason why they are where they are.
Scoreboard watching is almost entirely irrelevant. The Orioles have to win enough to get themselves to 83 wins and then see what happens. If the Orioles do win tonight, the best thing for their slim chances beyond that would be if the Guardians beat the Athletics and the White Sox lose to the Tigers. It’s better for the Orioles if the White Sox are the third wild card team rather than the Central leader because the O’s have the head-to-head tiebreaker over Chicago, which they don’t over Cleveland.
Again, though, it doesn’t matter if the Orioles don’t go 8-1. Maybe they could go 8-1 and it still wouldn’t matter! That’s the problem with how many games they’ve blown that they should have won this year, such that they now face a three game deficit with nine games to play. They have had some bad luck this year, to be sure, but mostly the players who were supposed to play well have not played well, with the exception of Pete Alonso. I like that guy.
Orioles lineup
Dylan Beavers – LF
Pete Alonso – 1B
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Coby Mayo – 3B
Samuel Basallo – C
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – DH
Colton Cowser – CF
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Leody Taveras – RF
Cade Povich has been recalled to make the start for the Orioles. I am on the record as a Povich disliker, chiefly because of his poor last two seasons in the majors, when he had a 5.21 ERA. Through seven games of this season, he’s done much better at a 4.05.
The Brewers are a bit worse against lefties as compared to righties, at least in terms of their team OPS. Perhaps in tonight’s game, Povich will be a good enough lefty to capitalize on that platoon advantage. That’s not to say it will be easy. Even with that weaker split as a team, the Brewers have gone 33-14 in games started by lefties. Wow! The Orioles, if you are wondering, while much better than they began the season, are 24-25 in those games.
Brewers lineup
Jackson Chourio – LF
Brice Turang – 2B
William Contreras – C
Andrew Vaughn – 1B
Christian Yelich – DH
Joey Ortiz – 3B
Garrett Mitchell – CF
Luis Lara – RF
Cooper Pratt – SS
The Brewers starting pitcher, Dustin May, began the season with the Cardinals, where he posted a disappointing 4.38 ERA (89 ERA+). Milwaukee acquired him at the trade deadline and he’s been worse for them (4.91 ERA, 85 ERA+). Orioles fans are well acquainted with the fact that this means little for how the team’s hitters will perform against a particular pitcher.
