The Celtics officially converted Devin Carter to a two-way deal. While the team is excited that Carter is sticking around, he won’t be suiting up for a little while.
Carter has mononucleosis, according to multiple reports Sunday. That explains the illness that has kept him out since the preseason opener. There’s no firm timeline for his return, though the Globe’s Gary Washburn reported he could miss a few more weeks.
Devin Carter has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss a few more weeks. #Celtics did announce he has signed their final two-way deal.
That opener was a wonderful introduction. Carter scored 17 points in 25 minutes against Cleveland on 5-of-9 shooting. He went 6-of-6 at the line, putting a ton of pressure on the rim. He also added five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He showed a lot of the promise that made him a lottery pick for Sacramento two seasons ago.
His audition was unfortunately cut short after one game, but this lone performance was strong enough and his potential is too much for Boston to pass up on.
Joe Mazzulla pointed to Carter’s ceiling as the reason for the deal. “You see the talent, the impact that he could have, and you want to be able to invest in that,” he said.
Mazzulla on the Celtics signing Devin Carter: "Very talented. Has done some good things in the league … but with us, just gotta put his head down. Really impactful on the defensive end of the floor … came in with a great attitude, did what we asked him to do." @CLNSMediapic.twitter.com/JMiKpQEmRN
Carter is on his third team in four months. Sacramento took him 13th in 2024 and traded him to Atlanta in June. The Hawks then waived him in September to get down to 15 players. Mazzulla said Carter has talent and has shown flashes as a pro, but he needs to put his head down in Boston. So far, that’s exactly what he’s done.
“Came in with a great attitude. Did what we asked him to do,” Mazzulla said.
The Celtics have a lot of options in their development pipeline, but the team uses their G League affiliate in Maine about as well as anyone in terms of investing in young talent and guiding their growth. The two-way deal gives Boston more control of Carter’s trajectory. He’ll fill the team’s third two-way slot alongside Dillon Mitchell and Amari Williams.
Carter can also remain available when the Celtics need depth throughout the year, like we saw with Williams last season.
This is a second draft opportunity for both sides. Carter gets a change of scenery, and Boston takes a shot at a player with real NBA skills that has more room for growth.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 08: Devin Carter #99 celebrates with Mike Conley #45 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston has already hit on Neemias Queta, who came off the Kings’ scrap heap as well. Ron Harper Jr. went from an Exhibit 10, to a two-way, to a three-year extension. Carter could have a similar journey in store for him.
He’s a smart and tenacious defender, and Mazzulla called him “really impactful on the defensive end of the floor.” The shooting is a question mark. He shot 27.4 percent from three over his first two seasons. He has other skills worth betting on, but if the jumper comes along, he could find a home here like Queta, Harper, and others have.
Mono will delay that, but Boston’s guard room is in good shape with Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Mike Conley all healthy. While the Celtics might need Carter at some point, getting him healthy and sharpening his tools in Maine is the short-term focus.
The Celtics see the vision with Carter, and hopefully this is just a brief delay before it starts coming together once he returns.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during player introductions before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Payton Pritchard has been a starter and a sixth man. Overlooked and then underpaid. Scouted as too small, then played a big part on a championship team. Now, he’s gone from making about $8 million a year to signing a two-year, $44.2 million extension. Through all of it, he says the starting label matters a lot less than what he does once he’s on the floor.
“To me, a starter is the amount of minutes you play,” Pritchard said after Sunday’s practice. “Do you finish games? Are you playing 30-plus minutes? Then you are a starter. You know what I mean?”
It’s a useful way to think about a lineup spot, especially on a Celtics team that will need to figure out how its pieces fit together. The starting five will get plenty of attention. Pritchard’s point is that the label doesn’t tell you much by itself.
“How do you impact the game is what really matters to me.”
The label matters less than the minutes
Pritchard has seen both sides of the conversation. He started every game through the first half of last season, then moved to the bench in February as Joe Mazzulla adjusted the rotation. He remained an important part of the team in both roles. Boston didn’t suddenly need less from him because he stopped being introduced with the starters.
On the heels of his contract extension, Payton Pritchard reflects on going from being out of the Celtics’ rotation to everything he has accomplished since:
“You go through so many ups and downs, you’ve just gotta keep going, keep getting better every day. You just don’t know how… pic.twitter.com/SNY5Mhe2Dy
Now, the Celtics are working through another version of that question. Jayson Tatum is back, Jaylen Brown is gone, and Paul George joins Derrick White and Pritchard in a backcourt with a lot of responsibility to sort out. Pritchard could start or he could come off the bench. The decision will likely depend on what Mazzulla thinks the group needs at different moments.
Pritchard sounds comfortable leaving that choice to the coach. “If that’s what Joe thinks benefits the team the most,” he said of coming off the bench. He’ll try to be the best player he can in those minutes.
That isn’t the same as saying the role doesn’t matter. Pritchard has been clear about wanting opportunities to play and show what he can do. Rather, he seems less interested in the status attached to a role than in what he can do once he has one. A starting spot is one way to get minutes, but it isn’t the only way to matter. Pritchard knows that better than most.
Boston’s expectations suit him
He has reasons to value the demands that come with playing in Boston. Asked what he loves about the city and organization, Pritchard pointed to the expectations.
“You go for championships,” he said. “They hold you to a high standard. The media holds you to a high standard, organization too, and I appreciate being in an environment like that.”
That standard can make every rotation decision feel loaded. If a player starts, fans can read it as a sign of trust. If he comes off the bench, they might wonder what’s wrong with him. Pritchard is offering a much less dramatic read: look at how much he plays and how he affects the game.
He has earned the right to make that case. Pritchard is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 17 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds, a year after winning Sixth Man of the Year. He just recently signed a two-year, $44.2 million extension, giving the Celtics a longer commitment to a guard whose role has grown steadily.
Payton Pritchard on his extension: "It means a lot."
"$22M a year is a lot of money … sometimes I just like to take that and you can always work for the next one, stay hungry, go after the next one, be a better player … and then hopefully I'm awarded like that again." pic.twitter.com/OCakpw8GXO
Still, he isn’t talking like the contract or the award entitles him to a starting spot. His focus is on how good he can become. “I’m going after my personal greatness for basketball,” he said. “I’m not chasing anybody but myself.”
That’s a pretty ambitious goal for someone who also says he doesn’t care about hearing his name during introductions. The two ideas fit together, though. Pritchard wants to keep improving and take on more. He just doesn’t seem to think the starting lineup is the scoreboard for that.
The Celtics will have plenty to sort out before the season gets rolling. Whether Pritchard is in the first group or first off the bench will be one of the easiest things to track, and probably one of the least useful ways to measure his importance. For him, the real question is what he does after the introductions are over.
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Jurickson Profar #17 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at CoolToday Park on February 20, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey look, it’s a Jurickson Profar post.
The last time that this guy was mentioned as the topic of discussion on this particular blog site was back when he was in the middle of his second PED-usage scandal in as many seasons. The second failed test caused Profar to miss the entirety of the 2026 season without pay, which meant that the Atlanta Braves were missing what could’ve been a useful DH bat for the entire 2026 season.
My assumptions that Profar would be back with the Braves in 2027 were put to the test when President/GM Alex Anthopoulos didn’t exactly confirm that the embattled hitter was a lock to return to the team going forward. As such, Profar has got something to prove for this upcoming season and he’ll be plying his trade for Los Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. Lindsay Crosby was the first to report the news a few days ago. User Heydude2026 pointed it out over in The Feed so I’m sharing it over here, as well.
He also made a good point about the fact that Profar has signed with the team that Ronald Acuña Jr. has played multiple seasons of Winter ball for in the past. If Acuña goes back home to play as well, then I’d imagine that this could definitely be part of a clubhouse “goodwill assignment” of sorts, since I’d also imagine that Profar has a long, long way to go in order to smooth things over with the teammates that he has left high-and-dry for exactly 243 games over two seasons now.
Profar also just has a lot to prove in general. He posted some fine numbers at the plate during his 2025 season where he hit .245/.353/.434 with a .346 wOBA, 14 home runs and 123 wRC+ in 80 games played but the PED usage still hangs a big cloud over that production. He also didn’t seem particularly thrilled about serving in the DH role as the Braves were heading into this season and I’d assume that he’ll either try to play some outfield in Venezuela to show that he’s capable of being reliable out there or he’ll strictly focus on hitting going forward so he can fit in the role.
Either way, this is just a step in Profar’s quest to hopefully smooth things over with the Braves on all levels going forward. He’s still under contract but Anthopoulos’ comments about him during his end-of-season press conference certainly implied that his spot on the team may be in jeopardy regardless. We’ll see what happens going forwad, y’all.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 03: Brandon Woodruff #53 of the Milwaukee Brewers speaks to the media before game one of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres at American Family Field on October 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the 4th of July, Brandon Woodruff threw what he and many thought would certainly be his last pitch of 2026 and potentially the last pitch of his entire career. Soon, it was revealed that doctors believed surgery would be required to again fix the shoulder capsule in his throwing arm. Two major shoulder surgeries in just over three years would have been devastating.
Then, a sudden turn of events. Woodruff initially held off on surgery and went in for his four-week follow-up in August to determine if surgery was ultimately necessary. But the doctors found that Woodruff’s shoulder was healing much faster and better than expected. They decided not only did Woodruff not need surgery, but that it was safe for him to begin a throwing program.
The window was going to be tight. Woodruff needed a five-week throwing progression just to get his arm ramped back up before he could even get on a mound and that would take him to the end the regular season. Then he would need to be cleared to throw off a mound, get some bullpen sessions in and then face live hitters.
The margin for error was zero. Any sort of delay or setback and the hopes of making it back to the field in time for this postseason were going to be dashed. Woodruff has had numerous setbacks and delays in his previous returns from shoulder injuries, so the odds seemed slim.
Woodruff told reporters prior to the NLDS that the earliest he could possibly return to the field would be the World Series, should the Brewers get there.
Now, here the Brewers are, their spot clinched in the World Series and Woodruff remaining on time and on schedule in his comeback.
In the NLCS clinching celebration, Woodruff told Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that “it’s gonna be hard to keep me off that roster.” He threw a high-intensity 31-pitch bullpen in Los Angeles and according to Woodruff the stuff looked good.
All along this process, it seemed clear that it would take an absolute perfect storm of circumstances to get Woodruff back in a game in 2026.
I think that perfect storm has come to fruition. Woodruff has made it through without any setbacks in his recovery, the Brewers have made their way to the World Series, and there are essentially available spots on the pitching staff. To this point in the postseason, Pat Murphy has not called upon Kyle Harrison nor Chad Patrick. Shane Drohan was in that group as well before he started Game 4 of the NLCS and lasted little longer than an inning.
Not long ago, it was hard to imagine Harrison and Patrick not playing important roles on this pitching staff in the postseason. Now, it’s hard to imagine the Brewers finding a spot for them to get in a game.
Murphy has consistently talked about how much Woodruff means to the organization, how much he’s done for the team, not only this year but over his whole career. For the Brewers to reach the World Series, to have Woodruff available for it would be poetic and perfect. Woodruff helped build the Brewers to get to this point, it’s only fair he would get a shot to pitch in the Crew’s first World Series in 44 years.
However, life isn’t always fair, especially in sports. The storybook ending doesn’t always happen. The Brewers have finally gotten to a World Series berth. The next one isn’t promised. They have one shot at this, and will the Brewers, a team that generally doesn’t take the biggest risks, risk putting a pitcher who hasn’t pitched in a game since July 4th, on the roster for the most important seven-game stretch in the organization’s history?
Provided facing hitters in live BP during the week leading up to the World Series goes well, I think they will. I think Woodruff will be put on this roster and he will pitch in the World Series for this organization. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Game 1 or Game 2 so he’s in front of the home crowd. Woodruff wants it, the organization wants it for him, and the stars appear to be aligning.
Woodruff has shown he can still get outs, even with diminished stuff. He doesn’t need to be fully stretched out, just getting an inning or two. The Brewers have two pitchers that have been unused all postseason, that makes it easier for them to switch Woodruff onto the roster in place of someone. For most players, there’d be the concern of if the stuff would be good enough for that important of a game to bring him off the IL for. For Woodruff though, he’s as trusted a big game pitcher the Brewers have.
Is there risk? Absolutely. Is it a risk the Brewers are willing to take? I think so. We won’t find out for sure until the roster drops on Friday morning.
What a story this season has been for the Brewers. Not only are they looking for the storybook ending with a World Series title, but to get Woodruff back on the mound and be a part of it, that would be poetic justice.
Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon in practice on Sunday, ending his comeback attempt this season with the Sacramento Kings before the season even started.
The Kings said Simmons hurt himself during a live drill and will need to undergo surgery three days before the season opener on Wednesday night on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Simmons had signed a one-year deal with Sacramento this summer as he tried to revive his career.
The 30-year-old from Australia is a former No. 1 draft pick, three-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year, but he has struggled to perform and stay healthy in recent years. He sat out last season while dealing with back and leg injuries after ending the 2024-25 season in a reserve role for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Simmons was the first overall pick by Philadelphia in 2016 after playing one season in college at LSU. He sat out his first season with an injured foot but quickly developed into a star player for the 76ers once he returned. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2017-18, was an All-Star the following three seasons, as well as a third-team All-NBA player in 2019-20 and a first-team All-Defense selection in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
He was sent to Brooklyn at the 2022 trade deadline but missed the rest of that season with a bad back. He then played 2 1/2 seasons with the Brooklyn before getting cut in February 2025. He finished that season with the Los Angeles Clippers before sitting out last season.
But he never came close to his level of play early in his career in Philadelphia, averaging 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists during his time with the Nets and Clippers.
Sacramento is coming off a 22-60 season and is trying to rebuild around rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who was picked seventh in the draft after a stellar freshman season at Arkansas.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 16: The sneakers worn by LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during the 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 16, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While the Montreal Canadiens ultimately got the two points out of their tilt with the Buffalo Sabres, they still gave up a point, and that point means the Sabres are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference while the Canadiens are ninth. Yes, it’s early, but the Habs are falling in the same pattern that cost them home-ice advantage in the playoffs last season. They had 106 points, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, but regulation wins are the tiebreaker: Jon Cooper’s men had 40, while the Canadiens had 34.
The problem is the Canadiens can't stay focused for a full 60 minutes to close out a regulation game. Saturday night’s game against the Sabres was a good example. When Montreal led 3-1 and was on the power play, Jack Quinn cleared the puck deep into the Habs zone. Zach Benson beat Dobson to the puck and moved it before the Canadiens’ defenseman could do anything. The puck made its way to the front of the net, and it was the same Quinn who was first to the puck in front of Jacob Fowler, a step ahead of Lane Hutson, who could only watch. Those are the kind of small mental errors the coach talked about in his post-game media availability:
It has to be better than this from that angle: how we behave on the ice. We play good games, but small mental errors creep in at times and hurt us. I’m generally proud of how we play as a team and all that, but those small mental errors…you lead by two; it should be over.
Then, on Buffalo’s third goal, three Habs were between Josh Doan and Tage Thompson, and none could cut the cross-zone pass Doan sent to Thompson on the doorstep. The puck even crossed the crease on that play. After the game, Fowler also explained:
I feel like we played pretty good, kind of like it was awesome, a lot of big blocks tonight. We’ve been playing a lot of these games where the other goalie makes some big saves, and it comes down to textual hockey there. I feel I could have got a couple of sticks on a couple of those passes there not to give up some of those goals, but you know, Cole doing what he does on Saturday.
Asked about his team’s power play and the fact that the Habs had once again surrendered the lead, the bench boss added:
It was okay, but we’re better than this. […] It would be fun to put the final nail in the coffin. Buffalo is not an easy team to play with a lead; they play a wide-open game, and you have to be calculated in your actions. Even in the offensive zone, you can’t make a risky incomplete play; they thrive on that. They’re just waiting for you to try a play and fail, and then they take it the other way. You have to be patient and manage the puck in the offensive zone. It’s not necessarily about manufacturing a scoring chance, but it’s about managing the puck and forcing them to defend. When you can extend your time in the offensive zone and force them to defend, even if you make a risky play that ends up incomplete, they’re too tired to take advantage of it. But if you do that early, they pounce on the attack, and it’s not three guys attacking; it’s all hands on deck.
- St-Louis on putting games away
The coach explained how hard it is to balance killer instinct with patience and calculation. Of course, padding your goal total is always the aim of a team that’s playing with the lead, but you need to pick your moment to attack without leaving yourself vulnerable. In a boxing match, if you try to land a big uppercut and take too much of a wind-up, you leave yourself open to a quick jab, which you must avoid. There’s no magic recipe for avoiding that; it comes from experience, and while the Canadiens’ core has been together for a few seasons, they remain one of the league's youngest and least experienced teams. St-Louis knows they shouldn’t be dropping points like that, especially not to division rivals, but that’s part of the team’s growing pains.
The Sixers’ most anticipated opener in years will begin with a reminder of how last season ended.
Five months after sweeping Philadelphia out of the playoffs, the Knicks will receive their rings and raise their first championship banner since 1973.
LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the rest of the Sixers’ new lineup will then attempt to interrupt the celebration.
Philadelphia will then face a challenge that has historically favored the team holding the celebration.
Defending champions have gone 63-16 in their first home game the following season, according to an NBC Sports Philadelphia review of NBA game logs dating to 1947. They have won 79.7% of those games with an average point differential of plus-8.1.
Banner night was not always Opening Night. Before the 2000s, champions sometimes began the season with several road games. For this review, NBC Sports Philadelphia used the defending champion’s first home game of the following season.
Because documentation of early championship ceremonies is incomplete, the review uses each defending champion’s first home game as the consistent historical comparison.
The 2020 Lakers split their celebration. They received their rings before their home opener but waited until fans returned later that season to unveil the banner.
The overall trend has continued in the modern NBA.
Defending champions have gone 23-7 over the last 30 seasons. They have outscored their opponents by an average of 6.3 points.
The seven visitors that won were the 1998-99 Atlanta Hawks, 2000-01 Utah Jazz, 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs, 2006-07 Chicago Bulls, 2011-12 Miami Heat, 2017-18 Houston Rockets and 2020-21 Los Angeles Clippers.
All seven made the playoffs.
Four reached at least the conference finals. The Spurs and Heat won the championship. Houston came within one victory of the Finals in 2018. The Clippers reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history in 2021.
The same pattern extends beyond the last 30 seasons.
Only 16 visiting teams have beaten a defending champion in this setting. Thirteen reached the playoffs. Three won the championship: the 1948-49 Minneapolis Lakers, 2002-03 Spurs and 2011-12 Heat.
Winning an October game did not create those postseason runs. Strong teams are often selected to play in these matchups. It still shows the caliber of opponent that has typically been capable of interrupting a championship celebration.
Chicago produced the most lopsided example.
The Bulls watched Miami celebrate its 2006 championship and then handed the Heat a 108-66 loss. It remains the largest margin of defeat for a defending champion in the 79-game sample.
Chicago won 49 games that season. The Bulls met Miami again in the first round of the playoffs and completed a four-game sweep.
The Sixers franchise has been the visiting team in five defending champions’ first home games, including one during its years as the Syracuse Nationals. It lost all five.
Syracuse fell 107-83 in Boston’s first home game as defending champion in 1957.
The Philadelphia-era Sixers are 0-4. Three of those games came against Michael Jordan’s Bulls.
They lost 110-90 in Chicago in 1991. They returned for another Bulls celebration in 1996 and lost 115-86. One of the ropes holding Chicago’s banner snapped during the ceremony, leaving it hanging unevenly above the court.
The Sixers went back to Chicago the following season and lost 94-74.
Their most recent appearance came in San Antonio on Nov. 2, 1999. The Spurs raised the first championship banner in franchise history and beat the Sixers 89-76.
Those results have little connection to the current team. They do provide another measure of how difficult these nights have been for the visitor.
The Sixers’ results have been much different in their own first home game after winning a championship.
The franchise is 3-0. The Syracuse Nationals beat the Fort Wayne Pistons 114-113 in overtime after winning the 1955 championship. The 1967 Sixers opened their title defense with a 103-87 victory over the Lakers. The 1983 Sixers beat Washington 117-114.
The Knicks are also 2-0 in their first home game after winning a title.
New York beat Boston 114-107 after winning its first championship in 1970. Three years later, the Knicks began their next title defense with a 101-100 victory over Detroit.
Tuesday will be their third such game and their first championship ceremony in 53 years.
James has experienced this setting from the visiting side four times.
He lost with Cleveland in Boston in 2008, with the Lakers at Golden State in 2022 and with the Lakers at Denver in 2023.
His lone victory came on Christmas Day in 2011.
The NBA lockout pushed the start of that season to Dec. 25. Dallas raised its first championship banner before hosting Miami in a rematch of the previous season’s Finals.
The Mavericks did not receive their rings that afternoon. Owner Mark Cuban had waited until the lockout ended so returning players could help design them, leaving too little time to have them ready for the opener.
James finished with 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Miami’s 105-94 victory. The Heat went on to win the championship, giving James the first title of his career.
Brown experienced the other side two years ago.
He scored 23 points when Boston raised its 2024 championship banner and beat the Knicks 132-109. He will now be with the visiting team while New York holds a celebration of its own.
One game cannot answer the larger questions surrounding the Sixers. The previous banner-night winners also show why Tuesday should not be dismissed as an ordinary opener.
The teams that have beaten a defending champion in this setting have usually continued winning long after the ceremony ended.
On this day 59 years ago, the White Sox sold Dick Kenworthy to the Mets.
1912 The White Sox capped the most amazing City Series ever, having rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the final four and take the crown. And on this day, in front of a Comiskey Park crowd of 14,985, the South Siders walloped the Cubs, 16-0. The rout would stand as the biggest win and most runs in City Series history, and at the time the South Siders’ 17 hits were the most in Series history.
Due to two ties (both called on account of darkness) that started the Series, this was officially Game 9. And the October 18 date made this the longest into October the City Series would ever stretch or ever go.
The two hurlers who had finished up the previous day’s White Sox win at Wrigley Field, Ed Walsh and Jimmy Lavender, took the pill to start the Game 9 decider, and only one survived past the second inning. Already up 3-0, the White Sox crushed Cubs pitching for eight runs in the third inning, turning the game into an 11-0 laffer.
Shano Collins had an incredible game, going 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBIs, a walk and two steals. He got on base a fifth time after being hit by a pitch, which may or may not have had to do with stealing home on the front end of a double-steal in a 10-0 game.
Walsh, after 393 innings pitched in the 1912 regular season, saw action in six of the nine City Series games, amassing a 2-1 record with a save and 41 more innings. Walsh completed this win, but the wear and tear of the season had an effect: He would throw just 14 more complete games in the rest of his career, and never again reached even 100 innings in a single year.
1950 Filling the largest imaginable managerial shoes, former White Sox skipper Jimmy Dykes replaced Connie Mack in the dugout for the Philadelphia Athletics. Mack managed the A’s for 50 years, all the way back to their inception in 1901. (Dykes, who broke into the big leagues with Philly and won World Series under Mack before being sold to the White Sox in 1933, was not even Connie’s first choice. He preferred son Earle taking over, but was overruled by the rest of the A’s governing board, including one of Mack’s other sons.)
Dykes took over a floundering Athletics club but managed a winning season (79-75) in 1952, wrapped inside of two terrible ones. He was fired after the 1953 season but managed for four other teams in the years to come.
1955 The White Sox sent infielder Bobby Adams to Baltimore for outfielder Cal Abrams.
Abrams saw action in four games for the White Sox in 1956, singling in his first at-bat with the team. But he was released in May, caught on in the Phillies system, but never saw the majors again. Adams was a spot player in Baltimore and then with the Cubs, winding his career up in 1959.
1967 The White Sox sold third baseman Dick Kenworthy to the New York Mets. Kenworthy had played for five years on the South Side, sparingly — in no season did he play in more than 50 games or come to the plate more than 103 times.
However, at the end of Spring Training 1968, the two teams reversed the deal, as Kenworthy was returned to Chicago and played the most he ever had in a season — to disastrous results, as he ended his White Sox tenure (and MLB career) with a -0.8 WAR and a .221/.252/.238 slash.
1969 A little-known studio musical group had released an oddly-named song. On this date, it broke into the Billboard Top 100, and would eventually move all the way to No. 1.
The group was called Steam, and the song, “Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye).” Thanks to the efforts of White Sox organist Nancy Faust, it would become the song Sox fans used to “serenade” pitchers being removed from games.
Faust had played the song many times at Comiskey Park before it caught on as a phenomenon, but it was during a battle for first place with the Kansas City Royals at the end of July 1977 that fans started singing along to Nancy’s playing — and never stopped. The song has crossed over to every sport, The Simpsons, Congress … in short, it made Faust a cultural icon.
The song became so enormously popular at Comiskey Park in 1977 that the Steam single was reissued, with the additional notation “(White Sox Theme Song)” — and Faust was awarded a commemorative gold record for reviving interest in the track.
In April 2021, ESPN had a special short documentary on the history of the song, and how through the efforts ofFaust it became the fan base’s anthem before spreading to other teams, leagues and sports.
Although Faust only heard the Steam single and decided to move it into her rotation at the park years later, ironically the song was released just prior to her getting the White Sox organist job, taking over for Bob Creed in 1970.
Brooks posted a photo of himself in a Suns uniform on his Instagram story on Sunday night and wrote, “Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture,” while having the song “Back Down,” by 50 Cent playing.
“Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture”
Dillon Brooks trolls Kevin Durant on a social media post.
Since Brooks made the post to his story, Durant, who now plays for the Houston Rockets, has not responded to the Suns forward.
The two have had an ongoing beef with one another since 2025, when Brooks was included in a historic deal that sent him to Phoenix, which included Jalen Green, Rasheer Fleming, Koby Brea, Daeqwon Plowden, a first-round pick, and multiple future second-round picks.
During last year’s playoffs, Durant and Brooks were seen getting into a heated exchange with each other, and it has raised speculation that Brooks told Durant he was “never that guy.”
Kevin Durant was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets. NBAE via Getty ImagesDillon Brooks has inserted himself into the drama between Kevin Durant and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As the two are in the middle of a standstill with one another, it comes after Durant reposted Ishbia’s comments on X and wrote, “#blameKD even though KD stayed on top of his game at 36 and got u back this “culture” you love so much. Aye, Matthew acts like I got arrested for a DUI or sumn. Back to threads”
Durant went and added another repost shortly after and wrote, “U should be giving Thanks every chance u get. You don’t have to pay me an absurd amount of money to play for another team.”
With the NBA season on the horizon, Durant’s Rockets will meet Brooks’ Suns three times this season, when they play their first game on November 7. November 25. and on February 5 for the series finale.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the preseason game at the United Center on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The season begins for the Phoenix Suns this upcoming Wednesday as they make the trip to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s a season that carries plenty of promise and uncertainty as the team looks to build upon the foundation established last year, when it won 45 games and shattered its preseason over/under of 30.5 wins.
But that team ultimately finished as the eighth seed, lost its inaugural Play-In game, and was eventually swept out of the playoffs. So what does this season have in store?
Over the next four days, the Bright Side of the Sun writing staff will share our thoughts on this team as we work toward making our final predictions for the upcoming season. And the first question on the board is a relatively straightforward one.
What is your biggest reason for optimism heading into the season, and what is your biggest concern about this team?
There’s plenty to be optimistic about when you look at this version of the Phoenix Suns. They’ve firmly established an identity and possess continuity, two things that teams around the league are constantly trying to identify and develop. That alone puts Phoenix in a position to be competitive and potentially become a difficult opponent early in the season.
But my biggest reason for optimism is the intriguing balance this roster possesses between young players who will have an opportunity to develop before our very eyes and veterans who can keep the team competitive night in and night out. I’m optimistic that this blend will provide quality basketball that’s enjoyable to watch and translate into wins.
As for my biggest concern, I ultimately land on the three-point shooting conundrum. This is a team that attempted the fifth most three-pointers in the NBA last season while finishing 12th in three-point shooting percentage. If that volume remains relatively consistent while the percentage declines, which I believe is a legitimate possibility given the roster construction, it’s going to create some significant challenges offensively.
The Suns might find themselves needing to win more games on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side simply because consistent perimeter shooting could be difficult to come by. Sure, there are players coming off the bench who can knock down shots from deep, but how much volume are they realistically going to receive?
If the defense isn’t consistently holding opposing teams to manageable point totals, how difficult is it going to be for Phoenix to overcome deficits when the shots aren’t falling? Without reliable three-point shooting, the margin for error becomes increasingly narrow, especially when you’re trying to work your way back into games. And that concerns me.
So what does the rest of the Bright Side writing staff have to say? Here are their biggest reasons for optimism and concern heading into the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns season.
Brandon Duenas: The bench is the popular answer for optimism, and it’s the correct answer. We’re talking about how deep this team is despite losing its starting center until at least February. Just let that sink in. The trio of Gillespie, Kennard, and Goodwin off the bench is such a luxury.
The biggest concern has to be the health issues, which contradict our strength, but also make a case for it (depth) being so necessary at the same time. Injuries happen. They’ll be better prepared for them this season. We’re just hoping they don’t snowball like they did last season.
Holden Sherman: For the first time since maybe the 2021-22 season, not only do the Suns appear to have continuity and good vibes around them, but also empirical evidence that they should feel optimistic. The team shocked many last year and has reason to believe they can build on last season by keeping the roster mostly the same and upgrading at starting power forward with Miles Bridges.
Bruce Veliz: The biggest reason for optimism for me is that this bench unit looks deep and can work well together. We already saw last year that Collin Gillespie can lead the unit, and players like Jordan Goodwin and Oso Ighodaro can work well off him. Not to mention the youth with Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat at the forward position, it has the potential to be one of the league’s best.
My biggest concern for this team is that there is still no true point guard next to Booker to help alleviate the playmaking duties. With Jalen Green working with Steve Nash this offseason, there is some light at the end of that tunnel. It’s just all about waiting to see it work in real time.
Tom Mildenberger: The biggest reason for optimism is the bench. They are going to push our regular-season win total, and the Suns are going to need them to if they want to stay out of the Play-In tournament. The starting lineup is going to have games where they hit threes, and we’re all going to think, “Wow, we are really good.” But they’ll have just as many games where they don’t. You can also pencil in some inconsistency, especially early in the season, from the second-timeline guys who are going to be counted on this season, mainly Khaman, Dunn, and Rasheer. Gillespie, Kennard, Goodwin, and Oso aren’t just going to have to be good; they’ll need to be consistently good. I think they will meet that challenge in the regular season.
My biggest concern will continue to be injuries. We’re already down our starting center, and Miles Bridges has already limped off the court. While he’ll be available when the games count, his preseason reps have been limited. Obviously, losing Devin Booker for an extended period would have us hitting the under, but I’m also concerned about nagging injuries. The core four need to gel. What they’re lacking in star power, they’ll need to make up for in chemistry. The bench can lift them up through the regular season, but that doesn’t carry over to the playoffs, where it’s best-on-best. If guys are in and out of the lineup with soft tissue issues all season, they’ll never develop the chemistry they need.
Kevin Humphreys: My biggest reason for optimism heading into the season is how deep this team is. I understand the shooting limitations that this roster has on paper, but I expect Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to both take jumps in three-point shooting efficiency this season because they will be taking ‘better’ shots, plus Gillespie and Kennard are snipers. I trust Devin Booker as the Suns’ main playmaker and scorer to win games, and I trust Jordan Ott to configure the rotations to give Booker, Green, and Brooks opportunities to get up shots.
Defensively, this team should be one of the best five defenses in the NBA and have the depth to give opposing teams 48 minutes of hellish defense for 82 games. They will force a ton of turnovers, run off misses or makes, and be one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA this season.
CJ Savage: Optimistic about: Has to be seeing what Man Man Maluach can do as a starting (hopefully) center. Close second would be the promise, as yet largely unfulfilled, of Jalen Green.
Concernedabout the physical and mental decline of Devin Armani Booker. I know he’s said he’s ‘in love’ with basketball again, but what caused him to drop out to begin with? When you are dating the Kardashians and jet-setting, you no longer, IMHO, have basketball/winning a championship/HOF as your primary concern. I think the trajectory now, unless things change for him this season, is that of a former teammate of his, Chris Paul: great player, not quite enough to get a team to the promised land.
Mark Bowser: Optimistic about: I do think we’ll see Jordan Ott take a year 2 jump in the head coach role. I often lean on analytics and look at former video coordinators who became head coaches, and at their progression from year 1 to year 2. It’s honestly a mixed bag. But I believe he has the work ethic and intensity to be closer to an Eric Spoelstra (+4 wins) than a James Borrego (-16). I expect better rotations and more emotion at the right moments. Concerned: Inability to sustain injuries or foul problems at the 5 position. I thought this was a strength pre-Mark Williams’ injury. Maluach and Ighodaro are a respectable and complementary pair. If either is unavailable, all the options behind them are marked with question marks. I do not think Huntley or Reath provide enough meaningful rotation minutes, and the small-ball options each have limitations.
Where do you land? What are you optimistic about? What concerns you?
It’s eight games into the 2026-27 NHL season. So, how do we feel about the New Jersey Devils? No, really, how does everyone feel about this team? Honestly, it’s hard to read much into this team one way or another.
It’s where this week’s Devils Notebook starts. The Devils look like an average team. It’s not good or bad, but it’s hard to make sense of this team. They look different from a roster perspective, with new players in key roles, yet they look like a similar team to the ones from the past: not good enough to compete for the Stanley Cup and not bad enough to be in a lottery spot.
Eight Games In & The Devils Are Average: What Does That Mean In The Big Picture?
No matter how you dice or slice it, the Devils are, as the kids say, “mid” (if the kids are still saying that). It’s only eight games in, which is a small sample size. However, it’s enough to get a sense of how this team looks and where they might stack up by the end of the season.
The Devils are 4-4 overall. They are 2-2 against their division, split the two games against their Western Conference opponents (the Utah Mammoth and Vancouver Canucks), and are 3-3 against the Eastern Conference. It doesn’t get more average than that.
And it’s hard to deny that the Devils fit right into the middle of the NHL. Are they a top team in the league, one that can beat the best in a playoff series? No. Are they a bottom feeder, a team fighting with the Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers for lottery position? Also, no.
The Devils have an exciting forward group led by Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier that can take over games and carry them all season. Conversely, the defense has been a weakness, while the goaltending has disappointed. Add it all up, and the plusses cancel out the minuses, leaving the Devils in the middle of the pack.
Based on how the season plays out, it will be fascinating to see where an average Devils team stacks up in the division, the conference, and the NHL. They aren’t better than the Carolina Hurricanes or the Washington Capitals (Saturday’s 4-2 drubbing was a case in point). That said, they’ll be in a fight with their New York rivals and the Pittsburgh Penguins for that third spot in the division, which someone might back their way into.
The good news is that the Devils are only eight games into the season. It’s still early, and a lot will change. An average team is only a short-term issue for the Devils. If this trend continues, of course, then the big-picture questions must be asked about this roster, and the core specifically.
Gritsyuk, Meier & A Handful Of Devils Are Heating Up At The Right Time
The line change at the start of the week changed everything for the Devils, specifically their offense. It’s not a coincidence that the Devils scored 19 goals in their last five games (3.80 per game) and have won games because of their forwards.
Arseny Gritsyuk moved to the Hughes line and started to find his footing. It makes sense since he’s a fast-skating winger who keeps up with Hughes and Bratt while feeding into their rush game. Gritsyuk has three goals in the last four games and has made the most of the open looks that come from playing alongside two skilled forwards.
At the end of the recent game against the Capitals, Timo Meier found the back of the net for his first goal of the season. It’s viewed as a garbage-time goal or meaningless in a 4-2 defeat, but goals like those go a long way for a player like Meier. Like Gritsyuk, he’s building up his confidence, and as a scorer, goals come in bunches. A few more might be around the corner, and it will make a difference for the Devils' top six.
It’s also fascinating to see whether the depth scoring remains or drops off. Anthony Mantha, who started the season on the Hughes line, was moved to the Evan Rodrigues line, and it gave the Devils a viable third line. Luke Evangelista, who was a pivotal part of the top six before he was sidelined with an illness, hopes to pick up where he left off as he looks to return to action this week.
Ideally, the Devils have scoring depth that can step up when the star players aren’t delivering. This season, it looks like they have it.
Making Sense Of Some Devils Analytics
One scout noted a few weeks into the season that the Devils are passing the puck and not shooting it on net. From a visual perspective, it looks that way more often than not, as the Devils will pass the puck through the offensive zone and into high-danger areas.
According to NHL Edge, the Devils are tied with the Utah Mammoth for the second-most high-danger shots in the league with 88. That should result in more goals, right? After all, the Mammoth average 3.67 goals per game, the seventh-most in the NHL.
The problem is that the Devils’ shooting percentage in high-danger areas is 13.6%, which is 26th in the NHL. The Devils' shooting percentage is also well below the league average in all areas, as they score on 8.9% of attempts, which is 28th in the NHL. It's why the Devils average 3.13 goals per game despite generating plenty of scoring chances on most nights (that's tied for 14th in the league for those wondering).
In short, the Devils are creating their chances and not finishing them. It ties back to the same issues they’ve had in the past. They have the playmakers but not the finishers. They can pass the puck into high-danger areas, but they won’t shoot there. While Hischier sets the tone, as a center who gets to the net front and powers home goals (all four of his goals this season have come from high-danger areas), the rest of the team follow suit. So far, they haven’t, and it’s a big-picture issue with the Devils.
Quick Hits
After playing half of their first eight games within the division, the Devils have a heavy Western Conference slate ahead. The next eight games are against Western Conference teams, including two meetings against the Colorado Avalanche.
These are the teams that the Devils don’t see often and aren’t familiar with. It’s why this is the best time of the season to play them. They’ll wrap up their season series against the Avalanche while they are still figuring things out on their roster. It’s best for the Devils to face their divisional opponents later in the season, when the games are more consequential.
The Utica Comets have only played four games so far and will only play seven in October. The American Hockey League affiliate for the Devils has a light start to the season, which is fascinating considering the heavy schedule most teams face early on. The contrast is the Hartford Wolf Pack, who already have eight games under their belt.
One conversation at the arena was about how the rest of the NHL is getting better while the Devils have stayed in the same spot. While the offseason moves upgraded this team, there’s some truth to the rest of the league catching up with the Devils. Their strengths, notably their speed and skill, aren’t significant advantages anymore. The rest of the league has speed that can keep up with them. Likewise, teams are built to defend those burners like Bratt and Hughes. The game against the Capitals was another reminder of that.
Hughes scored his second overtime winner of the season in the 5-4 win over the Red Wings. Interestingly, he has yet to score a five-on-five goal, or a goal in regulation, for that matter. Presumably, that will change soon.
What’s on your mind from the past week? What will you keep an eye on in the upcoming matchups? Comment below!
Although they now have the first win of the season under their belts, it will be difficult for the Philadelphia Flyers to build or otherwise sustain momentum with the number of injuries they are dealing with.
Rasmus Ristolainen has been out since Oct. 3 with an upper-body injury, while Cam York and Travis Konecny have each been out of commission since the Oct. 8 game against the Ottawa Senators.
NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jordan Hall reported that Ristolainen and York skated separate from the rest of the team ahead of Sunday's Flyers practice, but the Flyers still don't have an update on Konecny.
Owen Tippett, who sat out Saturday night's 3-1 win against Ottawa with an upper-body injury, wasn't at practice on Sunday, and he wasn't the only one.
Although both players finished Saturday night's game, Sean Couturier and Tyson Foerster weren't on the ice for Sunday's practice, and Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet wouldn't commit to either player being available for Monday night's game against the visiting Colorado Avalanche.
Foerster blocked a shot off his hand in the first period against Ottawa and went down the tunnel immediately, but returned for the second period and toughed the night out.
"We evaluated him after, he couldn't have gone on the ice today. We'll see how he is tomorrow. Another game-time guy," Tocchet said.
The ailment Couturier is dealing with is less apparent, and the Flyers' captain conducted his postgame media availability on Saturday night as normal, something that is highly unusual for injured players or players who need treatment after a game.
"He got banged up, same thing. We're in that stretch right now. We're getting injuries. I don't know if they're playing tomorrow, so it's one of those things," Tocchet added. "We'll see how it goes tomorrow."
Flyers have nightmare matchup on tap
Flyers forward Owen Tippett will be a game-time decision for Monday's game against the Avalanche. (Photo: Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)
The Flyers were already struggling with and without injuries, and now they've gotten further injuries to add to what is now a CVS receipt.
On Monday, they'll have to face the high-flying Avalanche, the team with the third-most goals in the NHL (36) behind Edmonton (37) and Vegas (42).
The Avalanche, of course, boast star talents like Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar, and the Flyers will have to defend against them without two top-four defensemen in Ristolainen and York.
And, in terms of keeping the game within reach, both Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll have been good for the Flyers this season in goal, but will whoever starts against Colorado be good enough to buoy a team that ranks last in the NHL with 1.4 goals scored per game?
Having just earned their first victory of the season, the Flyers are back in business for now, but much work is still left to be done, starting on Monday night.
The last two years, the Dodgers’ pitching staff carried them to World Series titles –– with the bullpen doing the heavy lifting in 2024, and the rotation pitching at a superhuman level in 2025.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches during a National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: A-
It’s worth remembering: Yamamoto entered 2026 coming off a career-high 30 regular-season starts in 2025, another 37 innings in his heroic postseason run, and an appearance this spring in the World Baseball Classic. You’d have been forgiven for thinking his right arm was about to fall off.
Instead, the reigning World Series MVP was even more productive in 2026, throwing more innings (185), collecting more wins (14-9 record) and lowering his WHIP (0.87) while posting a nearly-identical 2.53 ERA (fifth-lowest in the majors). The only disappointment: He didn’t replicate last year’s historic October, suffering the Dodgers’ shortest playoff start during a pivotal NLCS Game 2 loss. Still, he’s on the (very) short list for best pitchers in the game right now.
Tarik Skubal: B+
Another member of that short list, Skubal just about lived up to the billing following his blockbuster trade deadline deal, going 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in his 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers. He also had the best postseason of anyone in their rotation, giving up three runs over 11 innings in two starts.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts during the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game one of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Still, he took the defeat in his NLCS outing. And in the end, the team’s aggressive acquisition of the two-time Cy Young Award winner didn’t work out as intended, failing to help the team complete a World Series three-peat. The question now: Will the Dodgers be as aggressive in trying to re-sign him as a free agent?
Blake Snell: D
This was not the season Blake Snell was envisioning. He was limited to just nine starts by shoulder and elbow injuries. And though he did post a minuscule 1.90 ERA in the regular season, he suffered two disastrous playoff starts, failing to complete four innings against the Braves in one and giving up back-to-back seventh-inning home runs against the Brewers in the other. He showed he still has some of the best stuff in the sport when right. But after another abbreviated regular season, the Dodgers needed more from him in October.
Tyler Glasnow: D
Glasnow’s season was similar to Snell’s. He made just 13 regular-season starts because of back problems, going 5-2 with a 3.53 ERA. His performance also regressed in the playoffs, when he blew a four-run lead with the team facing elimination in Game 4 of the NLCS. The last couple years, the Dodgers have gotten away with limited workloads from both pitchers. But next year, they will be expecting more from each of them, in the regular season and the playoffs.
Justin Wrobleski: B+
Wrobleski was having an A+ season through mid-July, going from bullpen swingman to breakout rotation star with an 11-2 record and 2.62 ERA through his first 17 outings. However, the All-Star selection finished on a sour note, getting shifted to the bullpen after a serious bout with home run struggles down the stretch. He showed he can be a quality big-league starter. Now he needs to prove he can do it over the course of a full year.
Roki Sasaki: B
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki throws during the eighth inning of Game 3 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
What started as a rollercoaster campaign for the second-year Japanese phenom finished with signs of tangible progress. In his first 15 starts, Sasaki had a 5.40 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. In his next seven starts after that, he had a 2.63 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, finding success with a reworked arsenal and improved command. A blister sidetracked that late-season surge, and prompted a shift back to the bullpen for the playoffs. But entering 2027, the Dodgers will be hoping he can take another step. Finally, they have real reason to believe he can.
Emmet Sheehan: C-
This was largely a lost season for Sheehan, whose first full campaign back from Tommy John surgery did not go according to plan. He was 5-8 with a 4.57 ERA in 23 outings. He battled inconsistent velocity and mechanics. He was sent back to triple-A for much of the final two months. He did seem to find something late in the year, giving up only one run over 17 innings in three September outings. But he has a big offseason ahead if he wants to re-cement himself as a long-term fixture in the Dodgers’ rotation.
Edwin Díaz: C-
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz celebrates after defeating the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images
For most of the year, nothing went right for the $69 million offseason signing. He battled elbow and neck injuries. He posted a career-worst 8.68 ERA in the regular season. He was nearly left off the team’s postseason roster. Despite all that, he did finish the year as the Dodgers’ expected, rediscovering his typically dominant form just in time to return to the closer’s role in October. But that was the only silver lining to take from an otherwise dismal debut Dodgers season.
Tanner Scott: B
The Edwin Díaz of 2025, Scott was significantly better in the second year of his $72 million deal. He had 25 saves and a 2.69 ERA, one of only 11 pitchers to do so this year. His 82 strikeouts were most of the Dodgers’ bullpen. However, he also gave up a pair of postseason home runs, including a go-ahead shot in their NLCS Game 4 elimination. In other words, while he was better in 2026, he still hasn’t lived up to his big contract.
Edgardo Henriquez: B+
Henriquez was a bit of a revelation in his first full MLB season, posting a 2.85 ERA in 61 outings while wowing with his 100.7 mph average fastball (second-hardest in the majors behind only Mason Miller). His postseason was forgettable. But, moving forward, he should be a key arm in the Dodgers’ bullpen long-term.
Alex Vesia: B+
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia tosses the ball after walking in the tying run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
The pending free agent had another solid season, posting a sub-3.02 ERA (2.64) for the fifth time in six years with the Dodgers. Before the playoffs, he expressed his hope of being back in Los Angeles next year. But, he should have plenty of other suitors on the open market this winter.
Evan Phillips: B
It took time for Phillips to knock the rust off following his return from Tommy John. But by the end of the year, his fastball was back in the upper-90s (even hitting 100 at one point). After re-signing with the Dodgers last year, he hits free agency again this offseason.
Brock Stewart: C
When healthy, Stewart was effective. But he continued his career-long battle with injuries, making only 28 appearances. He enters his final season of team control in 2027.
Blake Treinen: C
Blake Treinen of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. Getty Images
Treinen never quite looked right this year, while spending extended time on the injured list for a second-straight season. A season-ending shoulder injury also put the 38-year-old’s future in question. At the very least, it’s possible the soon-to-be free agent might have thrown his last pitch for the Dodgers after a decorated seven-year tenure.
Will Klein: C
Last year’s World Series hero was good in the first half, but ultimately finished the year with a 3.67 ERA and elbow troubles. He should get another chance to prove himself as a high-leverage big-league reliever in 2027.
Jack Dreyer: B
It was a decent season overall for Dreyer (3.20 ERA). But a September slump cost him a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason roster. He’ll be trying to increase his role in 2027.
Eric Lauer: B
Lauer served his purpose this year, giving the Dodgers reliable starts amid a midseason injury crisis to the rest of their rotation. As a free agent, however, he will likely have to look elsewhere for starting opportunities in 2027.
Kyle Hurt: C
Once a highly-touted prospect who had dealt with injuries in recent years, Hurt made 44 appearances this year but had an up-and-down campaign that finished with a 4.14 ERA. He’ll be one of many fringe arms trying to earn a big-league job in spring training next year.
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 16: Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Colorado Avalanche watches as the puck crosses the goal line during the second period against Goaltender Arturs Silovs #37, Sidney Crosby #87 and Samuel Girard #49 the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena on October 16, 2026 in Denver, Colorado (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s been a tough road trip for the Penguins, three games have resulted in three losses. Suddenly the type of adversity the team saw last December has showed up earlier in the season this time around.
“It’s on us. It’s on us together,” coach Dan Muse said after last night’s 6-2 loss to Vegas. “We can’t be feeling bad for ourselves. It’s on all of us, myself included. So, together as a group, we got to dig in. We have to find consistency in our game. There’s a lot coming off of tonight that we have to clean up from a structural standpoint, across the board, a number of things.”
Sidney Crosby repeated much the same sentiment.
“Nobody likes to lose,” Crosby said. “We know there’s areas we got to improve on. We’ve got to fix it quick.”
A 1-5-1 slide over the last seven games has sent the Penguins down towards the bottom of the standings. They better get to cleaning up soon.
The good news for the Pens is that after Monday night’s game against Utah, five of their following next six games will be at home. The home/road record splits speak for themselves on why that should be beneficial. Going back home could help get their season on track, perhaps at the right time in that department after a season start that will have seven of the first 10 games going on the road.
Beyond that, there’s something to be said that inconsistent teams in the middle of the pack this year. Some, like the Rangers right now, get hot and lift up towards the top of the heap. Then over time will drift back down when the back of the pack teams end up winning a few games and bunching back up.
Consternation might be the name of the game around the division right now. Aside from Carolina, anyways, where everything is on cruise control all the time. Here’s something everyone has to gripe about:
Goaltending wasn’t the reason the Rangers lost a 1-0 game last night, but they’re 0-1-1 in the last two and the reality of losing Igor Shesterkin might be growing enough to cause concern about how they’re going to handle things in the long run.
Washington has an illness sweeping through the team, which has kept PL Dubois out for four games and put four regulars on the shelf for last night. Never happy times when the an invisible opponent is laying waste to the team and more players are turning up sick.
The Islanders don’t have too much to complain about right now, though injuries to forwards Cal Ritchie and Matias Macelli last night will bring some uncertainty and worry, especially since Macelli has been their second-highest scoring forward early in the season.
New Jersey has had a trend of often giving up the first goal of a game, and often losing the game since the start of 2025-26 when they do give up that first goal. Then again, the Devils scored first yesterday against the Capitals, but the problem was the Caps scored second. And the third goal. And fourth. And fifth.
The Penguins, well, we all know the issues they’re dealing with. Rickard Rakell hasn’t scored a goal this season. The team defense is poor at times and often forced to pay for it with goals flying into their net. As mentioned above, coach and captain have to find a way to get the team out of an early-season rut in a hurry.
Columbus earned a 1-0 shutout win last night, badly needed since it sounds like Rick Bowness is itching to have a meltdown over his team’s performance. Between bashing some players summer conditioning and now going on about the defensive effort, it doesn’t seem like Bowness is having a good time professionally these days. However, with just six games in the books so far, the Blue Jackets have barely had the chance to do much to get in a rhythm.
Any team is on a red alert when a winless streak to start the season goes into the 10th game. The Flyers finally got in the win column last night, the last team in the NHL to secure a victory. Philadelphia forwards, combined have 25 points on the season – that’s barely more than Connor McDavid having 23 all by his lonesome. Add in defensive issues and Rick Tocchet’s seat might be starting to get a little warm.
Early season blues and concerns almost all around. That’s NHL hockey for you, what looks in shambles today could show signs of improvement before too long. Many teams around the Metropolitan Division right now are hoping to settle things down and try to keep up with the Hurricanes who are already starting to pull away given their .833 points percentage putting them in smooth sailing territory to lead the pack.
