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Carolina Hurricanes Training Camp Dossier: The Fight For The Sixth Man

The Carolina Hurricanes opening night lineup is going to be a very hard one to crack given that the team is returning nearly every single player from their 2026 Stanley Cup Championship roster.

However, there is one spot that is definitely up for grabs, that being the sixth defenseman position.

RFA blueliner Alexander Nikishin and the Canes' front office are seemingly at a standoff, and with the Russian not being present for the opening of training camp, there's no telling what a resolution may look like.

So for now, that spot is wide open and there's a lot of players looking at that as their opportunity.

Up and Comers

The Hurricanes have a pair of blueline prospects in Charles Alexis Legault and Joel Nystrom who are very much in the running to make the team this year, especially given the fact that they were getting in fairly regularly last season.

Legault, 23, presents one of the more unique options for the team.

The 6-foot-4 defender is perhaps the most physical of all of the team's prospects, being both an effective checker and a willing pugilist. 

"I prepared a lot this summer," Legault said. "I feel physically ready and hopefully that shows in camp. I feel like I can find my way to contribute. Just keeping it simple and be a reliable guy out there."

But beyond that, Legault has also continued to grow his defensive game and while he doesn't have very much offensive talent, he's got the dependable style you'd look for in a third-pairing guy.

"His physical element has increased drastically," said Chicago Wolves coach Spiros Anastas. "How quick he closes, how hard he hits, he's becoming more of a man. He still needs to continue to get better on his puck touches, which we worked on a lot with him last year, but it's a confidence piece too. He wants to be in the NHL, he knows he can be and we have that belief in him too. Having a real strong camp, led by his confidence, will give him a good shot at a spot up here."

It's that defensive work and physicality that could give Legault an edge over the competition.

"I just want to focus on what I can do and be the best version of myself every day," Legault said. "At the end of the day, that's what I can control."

Nystrom, 24, isn't anything flashy, but the Swedish blueliner is dependable.

He didn't really look out of place in his 38 game stint in the NHL, providing a reliable presence with his strong skating and high hockey sense.

"I did [feel like I belonged] and the guys on the team really helped me," Nystrom said. "My goal is to just play as good as I can and do what I'm good at. Use my feet and my skating a lot and keep playing hard and simple in the D-zone. That's for sure the things I can do."

It was a quick transition for Nystrom last year, going from only a few games of North American experience to quickly having to find his way in the NHL, but he was able to adapt fairly quickly.

"I'm a smaller guy, so I was trying to play tougher and close my gaps and be hard on the sticks in front of the net and everything," Nystrom said. "That's for sure one thing I can keep improving on this year. This is a good place to be and to develop. Just focus on what I can do."

For Nystrom, his game is built on his hockey sense and his ability to read plays quickly, but as he's grown and matured, adding strength and working on his skating has allowed him to take huge strides.

“The hockey sense was always there," said Carolina Hurricanes associate general manager Darren Yorke. "That was really the concurrent thing. But the skating has gotten better as it does with most players when you get a little bit stronger, the body control and body positioning on retrievals has improved to allow him to handle the bigger, faster players in the NHL and that's all really only enhanced his game now that he can go back for the puck, make those reads with his vision and transition the puck into the offensive zone.”

Now, it's going to be about continuing to show that he can be an everyday NHLer and prove that his dependable game is what will help the team the most.

"I'm looking just to be better every day," Nystrom said on his goals entering camp. "As I did last year, just focus on what I can do and try to play as good as I can. I feel I'm in a good place to keep developing."

NHL Veterans

The organization brought in a trio of UFA defensemen this offseason, signing Mike Reilly, Juuso Valimaki and Pierre-Olivier Joseph to one-year deals.

Reilly obviously has a leg up on the competition given his familiarity with the team and having been a part of the championship roster, but Valimaki, who had a strong bounce back season in the AHL coming off of his ACL injury, and Joseph, who had good underlying numbers on a bad Vancouver team, both present interesting options too.

Reilly, 33, it the oldest of competing players, but that also goes hand-in-hand with an extensive history in the league. 

A veteran of 11 seasons, Reilly has played in 460 games in his career, with 19 goals and 133 points to his name.

The 6-foot-2, left-hander was a late signing by the team, but the fact that they brought him back and that he's been skating alongside Shayne Gostisbehere to open camp says a lot about his chances.

"Definitely excited to get going," Reilly said. "This is definitely where I wanted to be and obviously when I signed, I knew there was an opportunity and obviously that's all you can ask for. I feel like I'm in good shape here coming into camp — obviously a different preseason this year in terms of the games you can play and whatnot — but I think I was comfortable coming back here having been here last year and them getting to know me and all that. Excited for the opportunity and obviously just trying to take advantage of it."

Reilly's biggest edge in the competition is, again, that fact that he's familiar with and to Carolina.

The blueliner appeared in 44 total games for the Hurricanes (42 regular season and two playoff) and played a steady role.

"I kind of got to the point where I was just staying as ready as I could, which is easier said than done," Reilly said about being the seventh defenseman last season. "But I was in that position and I was fine with it, in a way. Obviously you want to play every night, but I think you learn a lot and you kind of feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation a little bit."

This year though, he's looking to take on a bigger, more consistent role as an everyday player.

Valimaki, 27, has perhaps the highest ceiling out of the three players.

The Finnish blueliner was a first-round pick, going 16th overall to the Calgary Flames in 2017 and his offensive game is one of his biggest upsides, having posted a 34-point campaign before.

"I like [the system]," Valimaki said. "It's simple and you can just see when you're on the ice with these guys, everyone is just doing the right things. I consider myself a smart player and I think this system, when everyone is doing the right thing and are playing smart, I think it's a great system and obviously it works and can complement my game. I think I can fit into it really good."

The 6-foot-2 lefty joined the organization midway through last season, being traded by the Utah Mammoth shortly after recovering from an earlier ACL tear, and played the rest of the year with the Chicago Wolves.

"Obviously I missed a lot of time over the last year and kind of the year before, so just in general, to be playing games again was the biggest focus for myself," Valimaki said. "We made a big playoff run as well, so got some really good experience there. Lot of good games, the people down were awesome and it was a good year for myself."

Valimaki had a really strong run with the Wolves, putting up six goals and 20 points in 24 regular season games. He then turned things up to another level in the team's run to the Calder Cup Final, producing five goals and 14 points in 21 playoff games.

"It was kind of nice to play a little bit more like myself too," Valimaki said. "I found some offensive rhythm and I'm feeling really good. There's been a lot of ups and downs in my career with injuries and kind of a lot of other things going on, but I think last year was finally where I felt like myself again and I was in a really good head space. Just trying to play hockey, enjoy it. There's been times where you kind of forget the fun part and for me, at least, when you're having fun and enjoying what you're doing, I think that's when you play your best. Just trying to carry the momentum now and ride that wave."

It won't be easy to crack a Stanley Cup winning roster, but Valimaki has belief in himself and his goal is to get back to the NHL, something he hasn't done since January of 2025.

"I'm here to stay here," Valimaki said. "That's the sole focus for me. To do everything I can as good as I can every day. I think the one thing I tell myself now is to just be yourself on and off the ice. Don't try to change who you are, the way you play. That's the way I want to be everyday, but obviously the focus and the goal is to stay up here, be on the roster and get back into the NHL."

Joseph, 27, is another first-round pick, having been selected 23rd overall in 2017, that has bounced around a bit.

After spending a few years in the Pittsburgh Penguins' system, he wound up in St. Louis and spent the past year with the Vancouver Canucks, where he played just 31 games due to injuries and scratches.

Despite that, Joseph had some fairly strong underlying numbers, something that an analytically driven team like Carolina definitely would have taken notice of.

"I've played against these guys for a bit here and it just felt like a great group of guys to join," Joseph said. "It takes a little bit to join a group, but everyone is so welcoming and has been great. The chemistry, you can see it right when you come in. I'm just excited to try and do my part here."

The Laval native has played in parts of six NHL seasons, having played in 225 games, but he's still trying to break his way into a consistent position in the league, having played more than 60 games in a season only once.

"I've definitely learned on both sides, from some good teams and some not so good teams, but [for me, the next step] is just the consistency," Joseph said. "That's where I'm trying to get to. I think I'm a solid skater, I think I can move the puck pretty well and I think that will work well here with playing quick and fast and up north."

And even though he's one of nearly half a dozen players all vying for one spot on a championship roster, Joseph has embraced the challenge before him with a lot of positivity.

"It's a healthy competition," Joseph said. "I think everyone is just trying to jump on this boat and everyone is supporting each other, everyone wants the best for each other. But at the end of the day, it's a training camp and you're trying to show that they made the right decision to call you and to sign you here. Just trying to do my part and show the best that you can."

But what the three have done in the past has little bearing on what they can bring today.

"You want to come in with an open slate," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "A year ago, I was watching those guys and got an idea for how they play, but now, it's how can they play in our system and how well do they pick up stuff that we're throwing at them. That's all part of it."

Practice is one thing, but the biggest thing that is going to determine who's left standing at the end of camp is whether or not they can show their skills in the preseason games.

With only four on the schedule, and veterans capped at playing in only two, it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out and who can showcase enough to impress.

"They just need to know how to play the way we want to play," Brind'Amour said. "I think they all get that, it's just that somebody is going to have to step up. At the end of the day, we have to take the best guys. I think it's good to have a little competition sometimes. Haven't really seen a lot of that over the years, and so it's good to have."

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NBA Scouting Report: An Anthony Edwards Prospect Retrospective

Anthony Edwards at Georgia
Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
Editor’s Note: It is our pleasure to introduce a second Leo to the Canis-verse. This is Leo Li’s first piece for CH, and he will be adding more insight into all things player development going forward. Please welcome him in the way only Canis commenters can!

Anthony Edwards’ development trajectory since entering the league in 2020 has been a topic of attention for several seasons now, and at first glance, it’s easy to see why. He was a 247Sports consensus 5-star recruit coming out of Holy Spirit Prep in Georgia, receiving comparisons to players like Dominique Wilkins and Dwyane Wade, among other all-stars and all-time greats.

However, after a one-and-done season for the Georgia Bulldogs marked by tantalizing highs and scoring explosions, as well as inconsistencies that exposed flaws in his game, serious concerns emerged about Ant’s decision-making, shooting, defense, and even his mentality and love for the game.

Heading into the 2020 draft (which was viewed as relatively weak), he wasn’t seen as a surefire star bet, and several mock drafts had him going behind future teammate LaMelo Ball, as well as the likes of James Wiseman and Killian Hayes (Kevin O’Connor, what were you thinking?), which seems absurd looking back.

As we all know, Ant would go on to be picked first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and soon bloomed into a bona fide superstar and one of the best players in the sport.

Many would claim that Ant has significantly exceeded expectations, even considering the high pre-draft praise and excitement about his ceiling. I wouldn’t argue too hard against that. Most would agree that he has left the “realistic” or “sweet spot” comparisons of Victor Oladipo, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine in the dust. Is there any way that the projections were misinformed or unjustified? The red flags were certainly there, but perhaps scouts and fans were too hasty in taking them at face value. Given all the information we had access to pre-draft, is there a way to explain his current success?

All this is to say that, although hindsight is 20/20, was Ant perhaps underrated by many as a prospect? That is what I will be making the case for. By taking a look at the scouting reports and draft profiles, we can see exactly where assessments fell short and use evidence and data to paint a different picture of Anthony Edwards, the prospect.


Ant’s physical profile was universally viewed as a remarkable combination of positional size, explosive power, and quick-twitch burst. Standing at 6’5 with a 6’9 wingspan and weighing a hefty 225 lb, while boasting a 41.5-inch vertical according to BleacherReports’ Jake Fischer, he was unequivocally an athletic specimen; an elite NBA guard’s frame with the power and mass of a running back is extraordinarily rare even among the best of the best, and it allowed him to rise for athletic finishes and dunks frequently (27 dunks in the 2020 season). However, even with respect to the athleticism, I feel some of the nuance regarding Ant was neglected in pre-draft discussions.

The prevailing sense was that he was vertically explosive, big, and fast, which helps him finish at the rim and in transition. However, scouts were still understandably concerned about his ability to score efficiently at the next level. After all, even given these extreme athletic traits, he posted a mere 51.7% true shooting percentage at Georgia, landing in the 13th percentile positionally. So how do you explain his massive improvements as a scorer? It’s easy to chalk it up to any number of factors, but the most important one is a part of his athleticism that tends to fly under the radar, even today.


Prior to the draft, the P3 Peak Performance Project measured Ant’s eccentric force production in the 98th percentile (FYI, eccentric force is the force produced by a muscle during the stretching/lengthening phase, used for deceleration movements). They note that, crucially, this is a trait shared by James Harden and Luka Dončić, players who excel at scoring using change-of-direction, stop-start moves – which is also something that Ant improved at by leaps and bounds, and was key to his ascension into one of the league’s premier scorers.

While Ant didn’t enter the league with Luka-level polish skill-wise or decision-making-wise, the athletic foundation for his current dynamic skillset was already there. Using repeated bursts and sharp brakes is a proven formula for efficient self-created volume scoring at the highest level, and Ant had brakes of the highest caliber on an extremely powerful engine.

While this was already observable during his explosive, fluid downhill forays and several of his off-the-dribble jumpers, most scouts and fans seemed more enamored with his north-south and vertical traits. Part of the reason for this is that the sheer level of shooter Ant has become is, by any stretch of the imagination, a surprise, and not many thought it likely that these qualities could become the basis of an elite, efficient pull-up 3-point shooting game, hence the comparisons to players like DeRozan and even optimistic ones like Wade, whose deceleration qualities are often overlooked.

Ant’s jump shot, which is arguably his most deadly weapon today and a focal point of his skill set, was a question mark going into the draft. His raw three-point percentage at Georgia was certainly uninspiring (29%, 10th percentile positionally), but scouts noted that the mechanics generally passed the eye test, and it was evident that he was able to shoot off the dribble with very little daylight off a bevy of moves.

A free throw percentage of 77% and 60% on non-dunk rim attempts also indicated some level of touch, which pointed towards eventual improvements in jump shot efficiency. Still, becoming a good 3-point shooter, let alone one of the very best in the world, was, nevertheless, a “maybe” even in an ideal situation.

However, it’s important to draw attention to the sheer volume of shot-creation load-bearing Ant pulled off, which is a quality that tends to get underrated. The 18-year-old managed to get up 13.5 3-point attempts per 100 possessions (92nd percentile, around 52% of which were unassisted), on a 45 offensive load (95th percentile).

His ability to shoulder a large offensive burden by generating self-created threes on demand was extremely high. In fact, it’s historically unique for a player of Ant’s level of slashing ability: Ant was the only freshman in Barttorvik’s entire database (which begins in 2008) to post more than 12 3-point attempts per 100 while also dunking 27 times over the course of the season. A special intersection of youth, 3-point creation, and athletic finishing – foreshadowing a similarly unique status in the NBA today.



At the time, his high volume of self-created, often contested jump shots was interpreted by scouts, such as Rafael Barlow for NBA Draft Junkies, as bad shot selection and poor decision-making. Prez of The Strickland believed that to translate to the next level he ought to “learn good shot from bad shot”.

Draft profiles suggested that he should shift more of his focus to attacking the rim and operating more off the ball, while toning down the volume of off-the-dribble jump shots, and that if he failed to do so, he would struggle to score efficiently. Such judgments were premature. Ant was a raw 18-year-old who was stuck on a suboptimal roster – it is only natural that these conditions would lead to several ugly looks.

In a vacuum, yes, Ant should have taken fewer contested jumpers at Georgia if you look at each decision on an individual level. However, self-created jump shot volume is an important indicator of superstar potential, as it speaks to scoring feel, stamina, confidence, and the ability to create offense when the structure of the play breaks down. It can’t be your only skill, but you certainly need it if you want to be among the best.

Far from being a detriment to his NBA career, his aggression in hunting jumpers has translated beautifully, becoming the crux of his impact on the court and a significant separator between him and several of his comps.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that all shots are good shots, and a superstar who can’t find the open man when the defense loads up on him will struggle in the NBA, where his scoring aggression can become a detriment to the team.

But despite popular takes, Ant showed promising flashes as a playmaker at Georgia, and most scouting reports acknowledge as much. He was particularly adept at interior passes, averaging three rim assists per 100 (88th percentile). It was quite conceivable that he could have refined his ability to capitalize on his scoring gravity. If anything, this is one area that he hasn’t quite outperformed expectations in thus far in the league.

Add up what’s been discussed, and what did the Wolves have on their hands in 2020? An extremely young super-athlete who could both dunk on the opposing team’s center and get up 10 threes in a single half, who was used to carrying large offensive loads, who had the stop-start foundation reminiscent of historically great NBA scorers, who showed high-level playmaking flashes, and who had solid touch indicators.

Seems a lot different than how the NBA’s media was making it seem.

This is not to say that scouts were wrong about all of Ant’s shortcomings (defense and some aspects of decision-making in particular), and certain analysts, credit to them, saw the bullish case for his shot creation. But the aversion to Ant’s “hero ball” style at Georgia was a blind spot for many, as it was that tendency to aggressively create jumpers at volume that laid the groundwork for who he is today.

The Wolves are better off today for believing in Ant’s traits, stats, and tape than in the beliefs of those outside the building.

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Red Sox Minor Lines: Braiden Ward makes his case for the playoff roster

Mar 18, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Braiden Ward (92) looks on against the New York Yankees in the sixth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Worcester: W, 16-1 (BOX SCORE)

I’ve gushed a lot about Allan Castro’s propensity to put bat to ball in the last few weeks, but it was on full display Friday night as the WooSox walloped the Bulls (Rays AAA) 16-1. Almost half of those runs driven in were off the bat of Castro as the 23-year-old switch-hitting outfielder had a home run and his two doubles, bringing his slugging percentage this month to .709. He also helped Braiden Ward’s numbers shine.

There is some buzz that, with the team’s biggest baserunning threat in Eli White going to the injury list and in all likelihood ending his season with a torn ligament via the steel of the Angels’ wall, a guy who has stolen 61 bases in the minors might get some time up in the Majors during a point in the season where he must perform. But, all the 27-year-old return for Brennan Bernardino did Friday was go 5-for-5, score each of the five times he reached base, steal two more bases and hit his 6th home run of the season. It’s quite possible Ward’s use on the team may be tested in the coming week, and even though any possible exchange with Nate Eaton (or maybe Andruw Monasterio) would be mostly a call based on Ward’s speed, it helps that Ward has been hitting well, too.

On a night when the WooSox had six batters haul extra-base hits and Castro drive in seven, they also benefitted from Michael Sansone having probably his best start of the season. The 26-year-old out of Cheshire, Connecticut made it through six innings and gave up just one hit, a triple, and a sacrifice fly directly after that three-bagger scored Sansone’s only baserunner allowed all night. At that point, though, the WooSox were up 12-0 and so the lead shrinking to eleven likely wasn’t a huge concern. If the season wasn’t about to end he almost certainly would have had the green light to tread even deeper into the game with a monumental lead. It was a great way for a guy who struggled in both Double-A and Triple-A to finish the season. Wins like this surely raise the morale for some players who have been up and down in multiple different ways in 2026.

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Optimistic Rangers Predictions Going Into The Season

Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Talk is cheap when discussing the Rangers. So is optimism. 

But that doesn't mean that optimism is bad. In fact it could make your day. Here's how a lucky ten positive things could happen to your Blueshirts and even put them in the playoffs.

REPEAT; EVEN PUT THEM IN THE PLAYOFFS

1. No matter how you shake it, the Rangers – in Igor Shesterkin – have one of the NHL's beststoppers.

2. Adam Fox will be injury-free and a Norris Trophy finalist.

3. Braden Schenider will show his critics that he was worth drafting after all.

4. Mika Zibanejad may not look like a No. 1 center; but, at last, he'll play like one.

5. Alexis Lafrenière will pick up where he left off late last season and prove that he was worth being an overall first draft pick.

6. Miracles Happen: J.T. Miller will recall his halcyon days in Vancouver and play his heart out for Old New York. And Newer Slobbovia. I'll go three steps further – he'll be a captain's captain!

7. Gabe Perreault will emerge as a monster playmaker, power play pivot and penalty-killer all in one. (In fact he'll turn out to be a better player than his Old Man!)

8. Slava (Smiley) Gavrikov will not only be one of the NHL's best shutdown defenders but he'll go neck and neck with his pal Foxy as an offensive force.

9. Tye Kartye will be such a boisterously pleasant surprise that by season's end everyone will know how to spell his name.

10. Rookie owner – ergo boss' son – Quentin Dolan will burst out of the shadows and show both fans and media that he is THE BOSS!.

GUESS WHAT? It could happen.

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Robert Suarez set for rehab assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett

SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 22: Robert Suarez #75 of the Atlanta Braves reacts to the camera during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday, June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Fresh off of confirming their spot in this season’s Postseason, the Atlanta Braves got some more good news to put out there for the morning after. Reliever Robert Suarez is finally set to go on rehab assignment, as he’ll more-than-likely be making an appearance for the Gwinnett Stripers in their series finale on Sunday. Walt Weiss informed the media of this following Friday’s win and the Stripers confirmed it with a press release this morning.

Suarez has not pitched for the Braves since making an appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers back on June 19 and that ended up being one of many scoreless innings that the right-handed set-up man has tossed this season. He’s currently sitting on an ERA of 0.56 (13 ERA-) and a FIP of 2.44 (59 FIP-) across 32 strong innings. Needless to say, if the Braves can get Suarez back integrated with their bullpen as quickly as possible (and they really have no choice since Sunday is Gwinnett’s final regular season game) then that would be a huge boost to a bullpen that has already spent most of this season finding ways to get the job done on a regular basis.

Either way, this is pretty good news for the Braves and hopefully things go as smooth as possible so that Suarez will be able to help contribute from the bullpen in time for a Postseason run. We’ll see what happens.

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Happy Birthday George Springer

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 07: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during batting practice prior to the start of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 07, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Today marks George Springer’s 37th birthday.

Springer is approaching the end of his six-year, $150 million contract.

He continues to climb the Blue Jays’ all-time leaderboards:

  • 22nd in bWAR for position players.
  • 23rd in OPS.
  • 25th in games played.
  • 13th in runs scored.
  • 11th in home runs (tied with Josh Donaldson).
  • 15th in walks.
  • 14th in steals.

And he’s likely first in huge smiles.

Happy birthday, George!

Danny Valencia celebrates his 42nd birthday today.

Valencia spent parts of two seasons with the Jays during his nine-year MLB career. The team acquired him near the 2014 deadline by trading Liam Hendriks and Erik Kratz to the Royals. Down the stretch, he hit .240/.273/.364 for the Jays, primarily at third base.

He started the 2015 season hitting .296/.331/.506 with 7 home runs in 58 games, but the Jays put him on waivers, and the A’s claimed him. That decision came after the team chose to have Ben Revere play every day. Revere went on to hit .319/.354/.381 down the stretch, helping the Jays make the playoffs.

Valencia played through the 2016 season with the A’s before moving on to the Mariners and Orioles. Over nine seasons, he hit .268/.317/.426 with 96 home runs in 864 games.

Happy birthday, Danny!

Robinzon Diaz celebrates his 43rd birthday today.

Diaz was one of several ‘catchers of the future’ who ultimately didn’t fill that role.

But we remember him because we traded him to the Pirates for Jose Bautista, one of the best trades in team history. Jose played ten seasons for the Jays and hit 288 home runs (and six in the playoffs, including the ‘bat flip home run’).

Diaz played 43 games with the Pirates, hitting .289/.315/.363 with 1 home run.

Happy birthday, Robinson!

Randy Myers turns 64 today.

Myers was a big free agent signing in 1998. A few years ago, I wrote:

The Jays signed lefty reliever Randy Myers to a 3-year, $18 million contract—a curious move (a polite way of calling it a mistake). In 1997, the Jays went 76-86, finishing 5th in the AL East, 22 games behind the Orioles. A high-priced reliever wasn’t the piece to lift us over the top.

Randy struggled, posting a 4.46 ERA in 41 games, with 28 saves and 5 blown saves.

This is where the story gets interesting. The Jays suddenly realized they were paying a ton of money for a reliever who wasn’t going to get them to the playoffs, who was 35 years old and who we would be paying for two more seasons. So Gord Ash put him on waivers. His going on waivers wasn’t surprising. Back then, most players ended up on waivers in August.

The Padres claimed him. They didn’t want him, but they didn’t want the Braves to get him. So they figured if they claimed him, the Blue Jays would pull him back and stop him from reaching the Braves.

But Ash fooled them. He let the Padres have him and saved the team roughly $14 million over the next two seasons and two months.

Myers struggled over the final two months of the 1998 season, recording a 6.28 ERA (with no saves) in 21 games. He never pitched in the majors again, and the Padres paid his salary for the next two years.

Randy played 14 years in the MLB, had 347 saves and a 3.19 ERA in 728 games.

Happy birthday, Randy!

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Yesterday was the best day for the Washington Nationals in a long time

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 18: Josiah Gray #40 of the Washington Nationals delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on September 18, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yesterday was a fantastic day for the Washington Nationals. We got so many fun moments and milestones. The good vibes were flowing and the team was playing some good baseball. I wanted to break down all the good things that happened yesterday and discuss what they mean moving forward.

There were a lot of great things that happened yesterday but the Cade Cavalli extension was the most important. The Nats have had a tough time locking up home grown talent, but they got it done with Cavalli. He signed a 4-year $47 million deal with a club option that could take it to 5-years for $70 million. We got to see our wealthy ace right away and he did not disappoint.

Cavalli tossed 5 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts and no walks. The 7 strikeouts were significant because it got him up to 200 on the season. It was the first 200 strikeout season for a Nationals pitcher since 2019. MacKenzie Gore was a strikeout artist in DC, but he only got up to 185. From start to finish, Cavalli is proving he can be an ace in this league.

If the game was closer, Cavalli would have gone deeper into the game. However, with the Nats blowing out the Cardinals, it was a perfect time to manage Cavalli’s workload. He threw 73 low stress pitches and got his 13th win of the season. In his first full big league campaign, Cavalli has a 3.02 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 169.2 innings. He will get a chance to drop that ERA under 3 in his last start of the season.

However, this day was not just about Cade Cavalli. Josiah Gray made his inspirational return to the mound last night. Honestly, Gray can look to Cavalli as a light at the end of the tunnel. Both had very bumpy recoveries from Tommy John Surgery. Cavalli has come all the way back and is better than ever. Hopefully Gray can do the same as he is further removed from his injury troubles.

With the game being 9-1, it was a perfect time to get Gray back on the mound. The right-hander made his first appearance since April of 2024 in the 9th inning. He actually looked sharper than expected. In his rehab outings, Gray’s fastball was in the low-90’s. Last night, he was sitting at 94 and attacking the zone. He threw a scoreless inning and closed out the game.

It was easy to see just how happy Gray was to be back on the mound. After he finished the game, Gray emotionally pointed towards the heavens. So much about this team has changed since the last time Josiah Gray took the mound. He has had plenty of setbacks, but he never gave up.

For now, Gray will be in the bullpen. Who knows what is next for the right hander, but I am really rooting for him. It would be great to see him have an impact on this team moving forward. If he can live in the mid-90’s with his sharp breaking balls, he might be able to carve out a role.

Personal goals were not the only thing the Nats accomplished yesterday though. The Nats 9-1 win gave them 72 wins on the season. That is the club’s high water mark since winning the World Series in 2019. They reached 71 in 2023 and 2024, but that was where the Rizzo rebuild peaked. In Paul Toboni’s first season, the Nats have already surpassed that now.

Heading into the season, the Nats were expected to win a similar number of games to 2025, where they went 66-96. Some even projected them to be even worse than that due to losing players like MacKenzie Gore, Josh Bell and Jose A. Ferrer. However, the offense has been elite and has made this team much more competitive than expected.

They were above .500 for large chunks of the season. Despite losing steam in August and early September, this group has taken big steps. The Nats only need one more win to avoid a 90 loss season, which I think is a significant milestone. With three more wins, they can get to 75 on the season as well. Obviously we will be looking for bigger goals than that moving forward, but you have to crawl before you walk.

One final individual milestone came in the first inning of this contest. CJ Abrams swiped his 30th base of the season. With 30 homers and 30 steals, Abrams has become the second Nat in franchise history to have a 30/30 season joining Alfonso Soriano, who went 40/40. 

Abrams had a rough six week stretch, but he has looked better the past week or so. It really feels like Abrams goes as the team goes. When the vibes are good, Abrams is rolling. However, he can fall into funks when the team around him is crumbling. His season may not have finished as we hoped, but Abrams overall production has still taken a massive step forward.

You can make an argument that this was the best single day for the Nats since 2019. We got a contract extension, several personal milestones, a long awaited return and a big win to reach a new high water mark for the decade. As we enter 2027, I hope to see plenty more days like this in Nats land.

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Canadiens’ Montembeault Has Turned The Page

On Friday, Montreal Canadiens’ former number one goaltender Samuel Montembeault spoke to the media for the first time since training camp began and, unsurprisingly, said he has turned the page on last year’s debacle. Being a new dad helped him do that; it made it easier to think about something besides hockey, but he didn’t take that big a break because he wanted to keep building on what he had put together when he wasn’t playing during the playoffs.

For now, what the goaltender needs is to build up his confidence, and in that sense, it may be very good for him to be training with Team B. Right now, he’s not facing the team’s top offensive weapon, and after Friday’s practice he said:

It went well this summer, so I felt ready when I got to camp. The first two days went well. Today I gave up just two goals in the whole practice, both to Florian, but I feel good, and as I said, I don’t want to think too much about what’s coming. I want to come to work every day, and we’ll see what happens.

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Obviously, like everyone else, he’s aware that GM Kent Hughes has said he’s ready to start training camp with three goaltenders but not the season, but he doesn’t want to discuss whether that increases the pressure on him:

It comes back to what I said: I don’t want to think ahead to when the season will start. We still have a couple of weeks before then, so I want to work, try to do things the right way and give myself the best odds. I’ve got a role to earn; we know that last year it didn’t go well. So it’s a new start; I want to come to work and do things the right way.

Put into context, Hughes’ declaration could mean a couple of different scenarios. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Montembeault will be traded; it could simply mean that Jacob Fowler, who doesn’t have to clear waivers, is sent down to Laval. Would that be ideal? No. Of course Fowler could use more action, but given what he showed last season, it feels like he'd benefit more from seeing that action in the NHL, facing NHL players who are more skilled and tougher to stop than AHLers. That’s one reason Hughes will move Montembeault if he gets an opportunity; besides, since the Bécancour native is playing a contract year, he certainly wouldn’t mind a shot at being number one elsewhere to prove his worth.

On Saturday night, Montembeault and Team B will head to Toronto to take on what is likely to be the Toronto Maple Leafs’ A Team, based on what we’ve seen of the Leafs’ training groups. In other words, after facing the Canadiens’ bottom six, he’ll face Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, new sensation Gavin McKenna, and new defenseman Darren Raddysh. With all due respect to the Canadiens’ bottom six, that promises to be a bigger challenge. Thankfully, that game will take place away from the spotlight of the Bell Centre, which will at least let Montembeault ease back in mentally.

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Martin St-Louis has yet to confirm who will start for the Canadiens in Saturday night's split-squad games, but logic dictates that Montembeault will get the start. Training camp is short this season, and the Habs have no time to waste. They need to see and know whether the netminder can bounce back, wherever he ends up. A strong performance would also go a long way toward improving his value on the trade market. On Jason Gregor’s podcast earlier this week, Frank Seravalli said he believes Montembeault will be the first player traded this season, and if he can prove last year was a bump in the road, that wouldn’t be surprising.

Takeaways From Early in Training Camp | Jason Gregor Show | September 17th, 2026Takeaways From Early in Training Camp | Jason Gregor Show | September 17th, 2026Today on the show we will discuss the Oilers first day back on the ice, discuss headlines form around the NHL’s other camps, look at the Jays wild card race,...

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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Bob Turley

(Original Caption) Turley Does it Again. Boston: New York Yankees' Bob Turley mops up in the dressing room after pitching a two-hit shutout in the game with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It was Turley's second victory over the Red Sox this year, and his fifth win with no defeats. He struck out 13, which gave him 46 strikeouts thus far, the American League top spot. New York won, 6-0.

In the mid-’50s, Major League Baseball introduced a couple of new awards to honor exemplary performance. The Cy Young Award recognized the best pitcher in baseball (later expanded as separate awards for each league). The World Series MVP recognized the player who had the biggest impact on each year’s Fall Classic. Since that time, six players have taken home both in the same season, demonstrating a historic level of dominance as they carried their team to a title. Among them are Hall of Famers like Whitey Ford, Randy Johnson, and Sandy Koufax as well as franchise icons Orel Hershiser and Bret Saberhagen. The sixth? Bob Turley.

Robert Lee Turley
Born: September 19, 1930 (Troy, IL)
Died: March 30, 2013 (Atlanta, GA)
Yankees Tenure: 1955-62

Turley grew up in Illinois. A baseball prodigy from an early age, he was banned from pitching in his youth league at the age of 12. Young Bob drew the attention of the Yankees after attending a tryout camp with his uncle, Ralph. The club was reportedly impressed enough to sign “R. Turley” but offered a contract to the wrong one. While Ralph briefly joined the Yankees organization, his nephew signed with the St. Louis Browns on the night of his high school graduation.

Turley immediately displayed the double-edged sword of his dominant stuff, allowing 71 free passes in 97 innings as a 17-year-old but going 9-3 nonetheless. Over four minor-league seasons, he’d post a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 411:481 in 817 innings, a harbinger of what would come in his big-league career.

Turley got the call in 1951, 10 days after his 21st birthday, starting just one game before season’s end. After that brief cup of coffee, he’d spend nearly two years serving in the Army. Returning in August of ‘53, he made 10 strong appearances for a Browns team on its last legs. When the team moved to Baltimore the following year, Turley was squarely entrenched in their rotation, pitching the home opener for the first MLB game in Baltimore since 1902.

The ‘54 season would prove to be a breakout campaign for Turley. He earned an All-Star berth while leading all of baseball in strikeouts and walks, a feat also accomplished by Hall of Fame fireballers like Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan. His 14 wins were tops on a Baltimore team that lost 100 games (Don Larsen went 3-21 for them that year).

While Turley was going places, it was clear the Orioles were not. And so, before the ‘55 season, they made a historic, 17-player swap with the Yankees, sending Turley alongside Larsen and a cadre of others to the Bronx. “I’d have crawled to New York,” Turley said later of his feelings after the trade, which flipped him from the 100-loss O’s to a Yankees team that had won 103 games the year prior.

The 24-year-old didn’t skip a beat after swapping laundry, earning another All-Star berth while winning 17 games and punching out a career-high 210. Come October, though, he stumbled. In his only World Series start, Turley recorded only four outs, allowing a Roy Campanella home run in the first and walking in a run in the second before getting the hook. It would not be Turley’s last chance to contribute in a Fall Classic.

The ‘56 season was a setback for Turley, who saw his ERA balloon over 5.00. “You had to baby him a little bit,” Yogi Berra said of Turley’s struggles. “You know, he’d get a little wild. You had to go out there and say, ‘C’mon, Bob, you’re better than that.’” The two-time All-Star was bounced from the rotation in September and worked out of the bullpen to start the World Series. But in Game 6, the day after Larsen’s perfecto, manager Casey Stengel handed the ball to his embattled star.

Turley would later call it the best game he ever pitched. Like his former Orioles teammate the day prior, he held a Dodgers lineup stacked with five Hall of Famers off the board through nine innings, recording 11 strikeouts including three at Campanella’s expense. “Man!” said the Dodgers catcher. “When you see me take three swings at three fastballs and not even foul tip one, the fellow throwing ‘em must have something. Maybe he was using a little gun to fire that ball up there.” Unfortunately for the Yankees, Brooklyn’s Clem Labine was just as tough, blanking the Yankees through 10 frames. In the bottom of the 10th, the Dodgers walked off Turley to force a Game 7. Still, after a lost season, the 26-year-old had proven he could perform under the brightest of lights.

Turley regained his mojo in ‘57, posting a 2.71 ERA in 176.1 innings and earning a complete-game victory in Game 6 of the World Series. But it was the following year that would be his pièce de résistance. Turley once again led the AL in walks but, more importantly, he led in wins (21) and complete games (19) too, edging out Milwaukee’s dual aces Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette for the Cy Young Award. He nearly took home MVP honors as well, ending up narrowly bested by Boston’s Jackie Jensen.

Facing Burdette in Game 2 of the World Series, the magical season seemed to implode on Turley. He’d face just five batters, four of whom reached base, before Stengel got the hook. Turley took the loss and wouldn’t pitch again until Game 5, by which point the Braves were up three games to one. On the brink of elimination, the Cy Young Award winner returned to form with a complete-game shutout. Most impressively, he held Hank Aaron out of the hit column, striking him out twice.

The next day, he entered in the 10th with two outs and the tying run on third, retiring Frank Torre to force a Game 7. Larsen drew the start that day but, after he put on two runners in the third, Stengel pulled out his trump card, turning to Turley. He’d allow just one run in 6.2 innings of relief as the Yankees clinched an unlikely World Series comeback. Turley was feted with the fourth-ever World Series MVP, coming just a few votes shy in the regular-season MVP race of being one of two players (alongside Sandy Koufax) to win the Cy Young, MVP, and World Series MVP in one season.

At the age of 28, Bob Turley had just put the finishing touches on one of the greatest pitching seasons in MLB history. He’d never reach those heights again, making no additional All-Star teams and receiving no more Cy Young or MVP votes. He’d have one more hurrah in the Fall Classic in ‘60. After taking home the victory in Game 2, he drew the start in the decisive Game 7 but got only three outs while allowing three runs in what would forever go down as the Bill Mazeroski Game.

Turley spent two more uneven seasons in pinstripes before splitting the ‘63 campaign between the Angels and Red Sox. He then worked as a pitching coach before entering the business world, where he made a fortune in insurance and real estate and staked a second legacy as one of the most financially successful former players in baseball history. He remained a fixture around the Yankees, regularly appearing at Old-Timers’ Day celebrations.

Bob Turley did not sustain his career long enough to end up in the Hall of Fame. At his peak, though, he was that caliber of talent, a fireballing force of nature who played a critical role on five pennant-winning squads and posted a season in 1958 that ranks among the greatest of all-time.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Astros Prospect Report: September 18th

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 04: Ryan Weiss #51 of the Houston Astros pitches in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Daikin Park on May 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (73-74) won 4-0 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the second inning scoring 4 runs on a Cole RBI single, a run on a fielder’s choice, an Austin RBI double and a Matthews sac fly. Weiss started for Sugar Land and was dominant tossing 8.1 scoreless innings while striking out 7 batters. Santos came on in the 9th and retired the final 2 batters as Sugar Land won 4-0.

Note: Santos has a 0.77 ERA in Triple-A.

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (62-76) SEASON OVER
A+: Asheville Tourists (43-87) SEASON OVER
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers – CAROLINA LEAGUE CHAMPS

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: TBD – 7:05 CT

CC: SEASON OVER

AV: SEASON OVER

FV: SEASON OVER

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Wheat/Chaff Updates As Season Winds Down

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics catches a ball hit by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Sutter Health Park on September 08, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What the A’s hoped would be a contending year turned into squarely a “development” year, even though the AL West is currently paced, with 8 games left, by two teams who sit at 77-77. Did the wheat and chaff separate itself for the A’s to properly assess their 2027 options? Quite a bit, actually…

Wheat: Henry Bolte

Bolte came out like a lightning bolte, then suffered through a horrendous July (.164/.243/.224, 27 wRC+), then rebounded big time. In aggregate, Bolte is looking more and more each day like “the real deal,” especially when you consider that his latest exploits are his finest.

While Bolte still has areas in need of refining, such as his reads on pop flies and a K rate still too high at 28.5%, two key patterns have emerged recently.

One is that Bolte’s patience doesn’t just result in too many called third strikes — it also allows him to maintain a high OBP as a lead off hitter by working the count and drawing his fair share of walks. Bolte’s 8.3% BB rate is boosted by his knack for drawing the other kind of freebie: he leads the team far and away with 14 HBP. All this has helped keep Bolte’s OBP robust at .358, impressive for a 23 year old rookie.

Wednesday’s game also featured an important milestone when Bolte took Nick Martinez deep for his 11th HR of the season. At the end of the day Bolte’s slugging percentage sat above .400 for the first time. No one doubts that Bolte has raw power, but the slugging has been slow to come due to a scarcity of balls lifted beyond the infield. That is shifting and with the slugging percentage creeping ever higher.

A stat that has been worth watching throughout is Bolte’s line drive %, which has been steadily well below average since his call up, generally checking in around 12%-15% where league average is around 20%. Progress is also being seen here as the A’s CFer has his LD% now up to 16.9% overall thanks to a solid 22.8% in August, 18.2% so far in September.

And for all the gnashing of teeth each time he gets a slow read on a pop fly and Bledays it into a single, in fact Bolte is putting up excellent defensive numbers in CF thanks to his excellent range from left-center to right-center and on balls over his head. He is at +4 DRS/+3 OAA in CF, more than good enough to warrant every day playing time.

Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler have taught us not to fall in love too quickly with a terrific partial season and not to give up too fast on a fallen star, and the jury is still out on who Bolte will prove to be long term. But right now he’s looking like an essential core piece with exciting upside, just 110 games into his MLB career.

Chaff: Tommy White

Early in his rookie season White had not one but two 4-hit games, and in Tampa Bay he HRed as part of a 3-hit night. Enjoy the occasional successes because if there’s one thing White has established in his maiden voyage is that he’s bad at everything.

Even with those pleasant 3 games, White’s season slash line stands at .253/.269/.335, good (bad) for a 58 wRC+, result of a terrible hacktastic approach of swinging early and often and getting himself out as often as the opposing pitcher plays a role.

Give White “credit” for consistency. His wRC+s month by month, beginning with his July call up, have been 62, 56, 56. His BB rate, discovered by scientists using a powerful microscope, is 2.3%, and due to swinging at scores of pitches he can’t do anything productive with, “Tommy Tanks”‘s ISO sits at a woeful .082 with among the lowest exit velocity in the league.

Defensively, White is at -3 OAA at 3B in just 173 innings. Over at 1B he’s not much better, with -2 OAA in 196 innings.

None of this is a product of White being rushed due to injuries on the infield necessitating his call up. White is doing exactly what he has been doing throughout his time in the minors and it is playing out just as you would expect.

White was drafted just before the Red Sox selected SP Peyton Tolle. Oops.

Honorable Mention:

Despite the unfortunate HR served up to Jose Ramirez last night on a flat changeup, I like Seth Johnson as a potential plus reliever going forward. He’s no sure thing, as his career 7.34 ERA reflects, but he has a plus fastball and curve with a developing changeup and has shown several flashed of genuine dominance. He’s someone I think the A’s should give a longer look to in 2027.

Alika Williams can’t actually hit, even though he has put up respectable numbers and yet he is an excellent utility infielder to have on the roster. His offensive shortcomings come partly from being too vulnerable to RHP (he doesn’t recognize spin well, helping to produce his .220/.259/.358, 61 wrC+ line), but against LHP he is at .304/.347/.489, 126 wRC+ and might be league average against LHP going forward.

More to the point Alika is a slick fielding SS and 2Bman who provides legitimate value defensively on the infield. He even reminds me just a tad of Mark Ellis in the way he seems to get such a good ‘jump’ on ground balls, seemingly moving in the right direction as the ball is hit. I feel like Williams is what the A’s hoped Nick Allen would be.

Dishonorable Mention:

Chris Roycroft, like Johnson, has a big time arm but I’m not sold on his stuff/control/command playing any better than Joel Kuhnel’s. Kuhnel has had flashes of brilliance with 3 different teams this season including the A’s, but ultimately just isn’t very good. I see Roycroft following the same path — he’s still worth a look in a lost season but I’m not holding my breath.

Carlos Cortes’ April was super fun and it’s odd how mediocre players can have incredible months out of nowhere. But enough about John Mabry. Cortes has come crashing back to earth and with Soderstrom-Bolte-Butler set in the OF with Denzel Clarke profiling as an ideal 4th OFer, Devin Taylor knocking on the door and Drew Burress not far behind, I don’t see a place for Cortes on the future A’s.

For one thing Cortes is unplayably bad in the outfield, a truth that becomes more exposed the more he is put out there. In just 731 innings (the equivalent of half a season), Cortes is at -8 DRS/-8 OAA and to the eyeballs those numbers feel generous.

At the plate, the Cortes who worked the count for 12-14 pitch at bats, sprayed liners to all fields, and could turn on an inside pitch to wallop it 400 feet? That guy hasn’t been around for a loooong time. Cortes hit .106/.160/.170 in June, and is batting all of .207/.258/.314, 50 wRC+ since the All-Star break.

Certainly he’s better than that, but he has to hit a ton to offer any value because his defense is so bad. And don’t get excited about him pinch hitting, because as a pinch hitter he has been especially terrible, going 2 for 22 with 8 K.

Any wheat/chaff additions to suggest? And do you buy, or refute, these assessments? Food for banter until the A’s battle the Guardians again at 3:10pm PDT…

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One bold statistical prediction for each member of the Lakers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Basketball fans rejoice. The Los Angeles Lakers play preseason basketball in just under three weeks. Although the roster transformation this offseason was exciting, fans are going into the post-LeBron James era cooking up a soup of intrigue, uncertainty and a sprinkle of skepticism.

My Septembers, like many of yours, are marked by an insatiable appetite for NBA basketball. Not to mention the Lakers embarking on the official start of the Luka Dončić era.

Inspired by our friends across the network — as much as we can use that word to describe Celtics fans — I want to try and predict some statistical benchmarks for each player on the Lakers’ roster. Some of these projections may seem impossible, others may be the key to a successful Lakers season. Let’s get right into it!

Luka Dončić wins MVP

I’m bending the rules a bit on this first one and am predicting an award rather than a stat.

Rookie of the Year, two scoring titles, six All-Star selections and a Finals appearance. There are only a few accolades left for Dončić as he enters the prime of his career. Boasting 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game averages last year, Dončić made a late-season push for the award as the Lakers finished as the No. 4 seed.

According to Stathead, only one other player in NBA history had a season with those averages — Luka Dončić in the 2023-24 season, where he led Dallas to the Finals and finished third in MVP voting.

As a matter of fact, only eight players have ever earned at least six All-Star and All-NBA selections, two scoring titles and won Rookie of the Year: Dončić, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson and Bob Pettit. Dončić is the only one without an MVP.

If Los Angeles (yet again) outperforms its perceived national preseason projections and Dončić has a similar (or even better) season as last year, he must be seriously considered for the award.

Austin Reaves averages 25+ points per game

Austin Reaves is the defining example of a basketball success journey. He’s improved his overall production every single year since he signed to Los Angeles as an undrafted free agent. What’s one more year of improvement?

Before a Grade 2 calf strain sidelined him for a month midseason, Reaves was having an All-Star-level season. He was averaging 27.3 points, 6.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game in the 22 contests he played in before the injury took him out of the Lakers’ Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets.

The catalyst? Either LeBron James or Dončić was sidelined for much of those games. Now James is no longer on the team and Austin moves prohibitively into that second creator role. We’ve already seen what he’s capable of as Luka’s No. 2. Now it’s just a matter of staying healthy.

Walker Kessler averages 17 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game

Many would say the success of this season hinges on how good Walker Kessler is relative to the $30 million the Lakers are paying him annually. He, after all, is one of the highest-paid big men to never make an All-Star team.

I’m not predicting that Kessler is going to achieve the first All-Star nod of his career, but what I am saying is that he, perhaps most of any of Los Angeles’ complementary players, will benefit from the creation and gravity of his star backcourt.

The prediction isn’t inconceivable if you consider what Kessler showed in only five games last season. His points average jumped from 11.1 to 14.4 per game, most notably due to the increased volume of 3-point attempts (0.6 to 1.6 per game). In 58 games the season prior, he averaged 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

Couple those numbers with an improved shot diet playing alongside Reaves and Dončić and this prediction isn’t too far-fetched.

Quentin Grimes starts every game that he plays

Quentin Grimes comes in as a dynamic two-guard and the Lakers’ best point-of-attack defender. His importance as an off-ball movement shooter matters as much as his role on defense. His presence in the starting lineup is crucial alongside an at-times defense-latent backcourt.

Grimes has started 146 of the 318 regular season games he’s played in thus far in his career. The 66 games he started in his sophmore season with the New York Knicks were the most in his career.

Unless Los Angeles trades its few remaining assets for a starting-quality wing that matches Grimes’ skillset, I don’t see anyone taking his spot in the starting lineup. Not to mention, JJ Redick loves him.

Sandro Mamukelashvili puts up at least 50/40/70 shooting splits

Those shooting numbers are right around where Mamu is for his career (49.4/36.6/73.9), with the outlier in this prediction being a career year from beyond the arc. He shot 42.3% from three his rookie season in Milwaukee but on only 52 attempts compared to the 296 he put up last year. The deep-ball number is a best-case scenario in a Lakers offense I believe will be amongst the best in the league.

Collin Sexton continues his career-long streak averaging double-digit points

That’s right. Collin Sexton hasn’t averaged single-digit points in a single season of his eight-year career. Sexton is Los Angeles’s primary spark off the bench and will likely have the greenest light as a ball handler behind Reaves and Dončić.

Slot him around the 29 minutes per game he’s averaged throughout his career and there’s no reason he can’t extend his streak.

Jake LaRavia shoots 38% from three

The biggest gripe Lakers fans had with Jake LaRavia was his inability to deliver on the sharpshooting ability he was sold to have when he came in. How do you blame them, though? LaRavia shot 42.3% from deep the season before coming to LA, a number that fell 10 percentage points while donning the purple and gold. I think last season’s shooting slump was an outlier year.

Jarred Vanderbilt starts in at least 40 games

I, similar to my colleague Darius Soriano, still have hope that Jarred Vanderbilt can be an impactful player. Vanderbilt was one of the only players last season who, if you watched the games, made a tangible impact on defense, one that often won’t show on the stat sheet.

Vando is too good at too many things to not have a lasting role on the Lakers. According to BBall Index, he ranked No. 1 in the NBA in positional defensive versatility and seventh in overall defensive rebounding talent. Those two skills alone are the mark of an elite defender.

Maybe Redick will see something different in Vanderbilt this season with a gaping hole at power forward.

Ziaire Williams shoots 40% from three

For an extended version of my thoughts on Ziaire Williams having a breakout year from beyond the arc this year, look no further than my season preview. Surrounded by elite playmaking for the first time in his young career, Williams has the tools to be an above-average catch-and-shoot wing for the Lakers.

Matisse Thybulle has four games with at least 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 stocks

In what I’m now dubbing a ‘Thybulle Four-for-Four’, this event has happened only nine times in Thybulle’s career, according to Stathead. Four of them in one season may be a stretch, but how else would I have come up with a better prompt?

Side note: after further research, James Harden leads active players with 48 of these games. Perhaps this ‘Four-for-Four’ was destined to be named after Harden.

Kevon Looney has a game with 15 rebounds

Although Kevon Looney is listed as the Lakers’ backup center, I don’t see many avenues for him to actually play many minutes as long as Kessler and Mamukelashvili are healthy. That being said, there could be a game where either of the two is out and Looney shows a flash of his prime self in that game.

Jaden Hardy has a game with at least 20 points

An underdiscussed aspect of Los Angeles’s offseason transformation is the bolstering of its depth. There’s a world where Jaden Hardy is either off the Lakers’ roster or is slotted in as the 15th man. Hardy is undeniably better than even some 12th men that have come through the team in recent years. He’s always been a threat to post the occasional high-scoring game.

Bronny James has multiple games with six assists and three steals

Bronny James is making a strong case to take another leap in Redick’s rotation next season. Last year, he showed his improved point-of-attack defensive acumen and made noticeable improvements as a primary ball handler. Coming in as the fourth guard behind Sexton, James may just pop off in a few games where he plays a good amount of minutes.

Adou Thiero finishes top-40 in the league in made dunks

Adou Thiero comes into this season looking to step into a much bigger role. While his best path to the rotations comes on the defensive end, he’s shown through an injury-riddled rookie season and the NBA Summer League that he’s an intense, acrobatic dunker. Zion Williamson was 40th in the league in made dunks last season with 77.

Cameron Carr has a game with five made 3-pointers

We still aren’t exactly sure how much of a fixture rookie Cameron Carr will be for the Lakers this season, but he has a good enough skillset to see some minutes. He made five 3-pointers five times with Baylor last season and showed impressive perimeter shooting over the summer.

Dalton Knecht scores 30 points in a game

I’ll be the first to admit how wild this one is. If I had written this ahead of last season, maybe it’d be a bit more believable. But wouldn’t it be so Dalton Knecht of Dalton Knecht to have a random 30-point game this year? (Who’s to say it’s even with the Lakers?)

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.

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Dodgers figuring out how to score runs without Shohei Ohtani

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Josue de Paula celebrating after scoring a run, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts celebrates a two-run home run, Image 3 shows Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani looking on after a game

Super Mario ran into a mushroom. Popeye devoured a can of spinach.

The Dodgers are scoring runs in bunches again.

Say what you want to say about the quality of opposition or small sample size, but the numbers are the numbers.

Ninety-seven runs in their first 17 games of September.

Nineteen home runs in their last nine games, including five in their 8-2 win over the Giants on Friday night.

With a little more than a week remaining in the regular season, the Dodgers are finally starting to resemble the team they were expected to be.

Even without Shohei Ohtani.

Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani looks on after a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Friday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dodgers doing this with Ohtani on the 15-day injured list is the most promising aspect of their recent offensive resurgence.

Because they will likely have to do something like this to give themselves a chance to complete their three-peat.

Manager Dave Roberts reported Ohtani was “in a good spot” as a result of “a really productive last three to four to five days,” but the reality is that the Dodgers have no credibility on this subject whatsoever.

Remember when general manager Brandon Gomes said earlier this month that Ohtani might pitch again this season? Or when Gomes said “nothing has indicated” Ohtani would have to be placed on the IL the day after a game in which he was shaking his arm and looking as if he was hitting on one leg?

Knowing Ohtani, he will be in the Dodgers’ lineup when the playoffs start, but his presence will be more a reflection of his willpower than of his health. The Dodgers can’t count on him to produce, at least not with any consistency.

Which is why it was important that Mookie Betts homered twice on Friday night.

Or that Max Muncy, Kyle Tucker and Will Smith also went deep.

Or that Ohtani’s replacement at designated hitter, 21-year-old rookie Josue De Paula, scored the run that tied the game in the fifth inning and doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth.

“It’s a high-floor talent level,” Roberts said. “I just like the way we’re taking better team at-bats and making up for not having Shohei in there.”

The Dodgers have scored an average of 5.71 runs per game this month, an improvement from their average of 4.89 through Aug. 31.

They are doing what Betts previously called on them to do, to build momentum in September that can be taken into October.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“We just gotta keep playing good ball and want to keep going through the end of the season,” Betts said. “We don’t want any letups. We don’t want to try and turn anything on once the postseason starts. We just want to play good ball, and we want that to be our identity.”

Betts has played a major role in that, batting .333 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs over his last 25 games.

He isn’t the only player on a hot streak.

Tucker is batting .438 with five homers and 11 RBIs in his last nine games. Teoscar Hernandez is hitting .362 with three homers, three doubles and a triple this month.

De Paula has shown advanced plate discipline, as he’s registered an on-base percentage of .448 in his first eight major league games. He’s walked eight times in 29 plate appearances and struck out only twice.

“Nothing too different, to be honest,” De Paula said when asked to compare the major leagues to Double- A.

He continued, “I always felt like I was a good hitter. I know these pitchers know how to execute a little bit better and stuff, but I know I’m up for the challenge.”

Roberts said De Paula has played his way into consideration for a spot on the playoff roster. What Roberts didn’t say was that De Paula could be an insurance policy at DH in case Ohtani’s body doesn’t hold up over the postseason.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Josue de Paula (95) celebrates after scoring on a two-run home run by shortstop Mookie Betts during the eighth inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Roberts has insisted that when Ohtani returns, he will be slotted right back into the leadoff spot, but Betts could give the manager something to think about.

Twice in the last week, Roberts batted Betts at the top of the lineup, and Betts was a combined 5-for-8 in those games.

Of hitting first, Betts said, “It’s fun and kind of feels home. But there’s a guy named Shohei that needs to be up there to get us going.”

Roberts also made no effort to downplay Ohtani’s importance.

“Obviously, we’re a better team with him,” Roberts said. “But it is nice to see that there hasn’t been a drop-off with him not in the lineup.”

The Dodgers can’t expect Ohtani to shoulder as much of the offensive burden as he did last year in the playoffs, when he was responsible for eight of their 24 home runs.

When the team wasn’t hitting in July or August, that would have sounded like a death sentence. Now, a more balanced offense sounds like a possibility — or at least more possible than it was earlier in the season.

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Guardians News: When Detroit Wins, Cleveland Wins

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI double during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on September 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Guardians beat the Athletics last night and the White Sox lost to Detroit, blowing a six-run lead, so Cleveland baseball fans are feeling PRETTY good this morning. Jake had your recap of the game here.

Jose Ramirez got his 1,000th career RBI last night. It came on his 12th home run of the season… hit while batting left-handed… is Jose’s wrist finally feeling better?

Colin Holderman left his rehab appearance with Columbus with a flare-up of his sore wrist. Feels unlikely we will see him again this season, which is sad.

Around MLB:

As mentioned, the White Sox lost, the Rangers beat the Blue Jays (so root for Texas tonight) and the Orioles also lost. The Guardians are 1 game up in the Central and 2 games up in the wildcard. Go Tigers!

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Stephen Curry: 'I wanna be a lifer with Golden State'

Stephen Curry believes LeBron James' free agency this summer was good for the league — and yes, he called up and tried to recruit LeBron to the Warriors.

Curry also said that's not his path, even as he could become a free agent next summer.

Curry appeared on CNBC this week to promote his new deal with Chinese sneaker manufacturer Li-Ning and his signature shoe coming out next year, but for hoop fans, that wasn't the most interesting part of the conversation. Curry said that yes, he reached out to LeBron and recruited him.

"If anybody didn't [try to recruit him], I think they'd be a fool. It was a good time for the NBA — obviously with a guy of his stature, his notoriety, to be in that position where he got to choose where he wanted to go."

A Curry and LeBron nostalgia tour would have been fun for fans, but LeBron surprised the NBA and chose Philadelphia, his fifth stop in his NBA career. Curry may think that is good for the league, but also said it's not his path, he wants to stay in Golden State. When asked if he wanted to test free agency as LeBron did, Curry said, "Not at all."

"I've always stated that I wanna be a lifer with Golden State. What we've built there, the fact that I get to run it back this year with Draymond [Green] and coach [Steve] Kerr. All the contract stuff, this NBA thing from year to year, is so crazy, things change really fast. But I do know my interest and mission to stay in Golden State and be competitive is there, and the contract stuff will take care of itself."

Curry is eligible to sign an extension worth up to two years and $136.7 million. The Warriors reportedly went to Curry and said they would sign him to whatever kind of deal he wanted — one year, two years, player option, whatever money he asks for — and Curry is deciding what it is he wants, but a deal is expected, possibly before the start of training camp. Curry is set to make $62.6 million this season in the final year of his current deal.