The MLB offseason is officially underway with the Brewers crowned as World Series champions.
The Dodgers, who stood behind Milwaukee and the Fall Classic, lost a number of players to free agency Thursday morning.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates after striking out Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley during the fifth inning of Game 1 of a National League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Dodgers free agents
A total of nine Dodgers players have hit the open market:
The Padres, who also faced the Brewers in the postseason amid their unsuccessful World Series run, lost nine players to free agency.
Adrian Morejon (relief pitcher)
Ty France (first baseman)
Casey Mize (starting pitcher)
Robbie Ray (starting pitcher)
Jason Adam (relief pitcher)
Walker Buehler (starting pitcher)
Ramon Laureano (outfielder)
Luis Rengifo (utlityman)
Austin Hays (outfielder)
San Diego has also multiple players with player options, team options and mutual options this winter. Michael King, who had a $28 million option for 2027, opted out of his deal with the Padres likely in hopes of finding a long-term deal on the market.
San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King delivers against the Chicago Cubs in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the National League Wild Card baseball playoff series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in San Diego. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Relievers Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta also have player options for next season. The deadline for player options is Monday, Nov. 2.
Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta and relief pitcher Kyle Hart both have team options for the 2027 season. The Padres are expected to negotiate a new contract with Pivetta, who has a $14 million option for next season.
Team options have to be decided by Monday, Nov. 2.
Three Padres have mutual options this offseason: Miguel Andujar (infielder), Griffin Canning (starting pitcher), and Lucas Giolito (starting pitcher). All mutual options are expected to be declined by Monday, Nov. 2.
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher JT Brubaker after getting pulled in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Giants Free Agents
As for San Francisco, the Giants had only one player become a free agent at the start of the offseason — JT Brubaker (relief pitcher).
Boston, MA - July 20: Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng celebrates scoring a run. The Boston Red Sox played the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Christian Kantosky/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Well look at that, the Detroit Tigers have already made a trade. Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects reports, and Chris Cotillo confirms, that the Tigers have acquired infielder Tsung-Che Cheng from the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. Cheng will join fellow Taiwanese infielder Hao-Yu Lee in Detroit. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter is a solid shortstop with a little bit of major league experience.
The Red Sox 40-man roster was getting a bit crowded, so this clears a spot for them. Of course, the Tigers 40-man roster is also a little crowded with eight players due to be added back to the 40-man roster off the 60-day injured list. The point here appears to be developing some other options at the shortstop position beyond Kevin McGonigle. John Peck gives them a right-handed bat, and Cheng a left-handed one. If this spells trouble for anyone on the Tigers it’s probably Trey Sweeney.
Cheng signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a 19-year-old international free agent for $380,000 back in 2019. The Pirates finally released him last offseason and he was picked up by the Washington Nationals and then placed on waivers, where the Red Sox acquired him.
Cheng has some tools. He’s fast, he can play an average major league shortstop, and he has experience at second base, and a little at third as well. The problem is that he strikes out quite a bit, and his power is just fringe average. He struck out 23.8 percent of the time in Triple-A last year, though he does walk a good amount, 13.5 percent in 2026 at Triple-A, and posts solid chase rates. Still, he does swing a miss more than you’d like, and needs to trim that down to be a regular platoon player. More likely the Tigers want to work with him and stash him in Toledo with Trei Cruz gone, Sweeney lost and not recovering from a major shoulder surgery, and few other shortstop options beyond McGonigle and Peck.
Obviously the offseason just began, and for all we know, Cheng will end up getting waived by the Tigers before the offseason finally ends. He’s out of options and not a particularly notable player. For now this is a depth pickup. Perhaps they see something to unlock in his bat, and it doesn’t hurt that Hao-Yu Lee and Cheng are familar with one another as former teammates for Chinese Taipei’s 2019 U-18 World Champion team. Sometimes a little more comfort factor for international players can help.
Another trade:
Red Sox are trading IF Tsung-Che Cheng to the Tigers for cash, I’m told.
Bo Bichette’s decision to opt into a second year with the Mets was not a surprise to anyone in the organization. He had one of the worst statistical seasons of his career offensively – not exactly the kind of year players try to ride into free agency. He spoke glowingly of new manager Andy Green. And he seemed to find comfort in the clubhouse and on the New York stage – as if he had arrived with something to prove and finally remembered he was capable of proving it.
But while the Mets have expected for several weeks now that Bichette would be back, his return nevertheless qualifies as crucial to their offseason. With Bichette, the Mets lineup in 2027 will include all the key components of a group that posted the fifth-best OPS in the majors after August 1… even with Juan Soto injured for part of that time.
The top of the order looked versatile and energetic when Francisco Lindor was healthy and leading off and Soto was healthy and hitting second and Bichette was behind them, putting the ball in play with Carson Benge there to drive everyone in. Bichette’s return means the Mets can build on the offense they unearthed late last year, rather than having to reconfigure it.
But because Bichette’s decision was not a surprise, expectations for the Mets season should not pivot because of it. They still need, and plan to pursue, starting pitching. They will still explore options to upgrade offensively at first base, though exactly how high they will aim – and how much money or prospect capital they are willing to spend there – remains unclear.
And they still seem likely to give one of their infield prospects a chance somewhere in the majors next season. With Bichette back, the most obvious place for a prospect to elbow in would be second, though because Bichette has also played second base, the Mets could make room for a prospect at third.
Still, Stearns’s affinity for defensive versatility does not necessarily mean the Mets could not acquire a third baseman not yet imagined. The surest thing for the Mets next year would be to pencil Bichette in at third, then find a proven offensive producer at second base instead of relying on some combination of Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and/or a prospect. But if the market yielded a proven third baseman, the Mets could theoretically also acquire one of those, move Bichette to second and figure out what to do with Semien and Baty later. Internally, the Mets felt their defense did improve last year, even with Bichette, Baty, and others at new positions.
At this moment, however, the Mets seem perfectly willing to believe in their in-house options at second base: After watching what Benge and A.J. Ewing did after being called up last year, one can forgive the Mets' optimism about what Jefferson Rojas, Emilien Petre, or Mitch Voit could do upon arrival.
Speaking of Benge and Ewing, Bichette’s return will impact the Mets’ lineup through them as well: Bichette, their de facto older brother and alleged batting practice fashion inspiration, will be back to help them navigate the toughest thing they have had to navigate so far: Year two.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the bench in a game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A lot happened with the 2026 Colorado Rockies.
They were certainly less bad than they were in 2025. (Let us never speak of that wretched year again.) But they were still pretty bad.
Back on Opening Day when we were so much younger, we all made predictions, which you may read here and here.
So as we sum up the year that was and look to the one that will come, here’s tonight’s question for all you Purple Row Night Owls: What did you get wrong about 2026?
Me, I thought Michael Lorenzen would be a positive addition to the rotation, and if you’d told me in March that he would be DFA’d I wouldn’t have believed you.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored in the third period for a three-goal lead, Pyotr Kochetkov made 24 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Thursday night.
Kochetkov improved to 9-0-0 and set the franchise record for longest season-opening winning streak. Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven also scored and Seth Jarvis added two assists as the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes won for the fourth time in five games.
Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for Columbus. Denton Mateychuk and Kent Johnson scored in the third period.
Jankowski's goal, 16 seconds into the third period, felt like added insurance, but turned out to be the difference in the game.
Martinook beat Greaves from the left circle to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with 4:09 left in the first period.
Stankoven made it 2-0 with his team-leading ninth goal of the season, 7:47 into the second period. Stankoven has five goals in six home games this season.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres heads to the dugout prior to game two of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Padres star RHP Michael King declined his player option today and will be a free agent. Will be one of the most coveted players on market.
As was expected throughout all of baseball, San Diego Padres ace starter Michael King has opted out of his contract with the team. King signed a three-year deal before this season and had $58 million remaining over the next two years. By opting out, he receives a $5 million buyout for 2027, effectively giving him a 2026 salary of $22 million.
No quick contract agreement
His opt-out indicates that there was no quick resolution to the wish on both sides for King to remain a Padre. Widely considered the second-best pitcher to enter the free agent market, after Tarik Skubal, King figures to command a multi-year, high-value deal.
In a recent article in The Athletic, Jim Bowden estimated a four-year, $118 million deal. If that is close to accurate, it is only somewhat more than the right-hander would have gotten with his Padres deal, but with the addition of two more years. At 31 years of age, King is still in his prime and could easily fulfill a four-year deal with that value.
What will free agency bring for King
After a less-than-enjoyable turn through free agency last year (King expressed his dissatisfaction with the process at his signing press conference), the process will most likely prove to be a more lucrative experience this time around. King had just come off an injury-plagued season in 2025 when he re-signed with the Padres during the last offseason. His performance this year, a 2.59 ERA over 100 2/3 innings, showed he is fully back from those injuries and is a staff ace.
Padres are short starters
His value to the Padres is probably higher than with any other team that can make offers to the New York native.
The Padres have Randy Vasquez as the only reliable starter on the roster.
Joe Musgrove returned to the team with three postseason innings out of the bullpen, but his presence in the rotation next season is not assured.
Nick Pivetta has a $14 million team option after missing much of the season with a strained flexor tendon. This is the second season in a row that Pivetta has missed significant time with the same injury. His reliability and health are in question, and that large of an option has to be a major source of anxiety for the organization.
JP Sears is not an effective major league starter for the Padres. At best, he provides emergency depth in the minor leagues. Jhony Brito is unproven and recently completed rehab for his Tommy John surgery, certainly not a reliable option either.
All other pitchers who started for the Friars in 2026 are free agents as of Thursday morning.
Will anything change in the next five days?
There is a five-day window of exclusive negotiations for the team and the free agent. After that, the player is free to talk to any other organization.
If King wants a home prior to the uncertainty of the labor situation, he will have until Dec. 1 to make a decision.
The resources of the Padres are unknown at this point. In his season-ending media availability, general manager A.J. Preller alluded to the meetings that would be taking place within the organization to decide a budget and a plan for the offseason. No results from those discussions have been shared with the public.
It remains to be seen what financial flexibility the team will have for signing players before the new CBA is active. Preller hinted that there was some money to spend, but no one knows how much that will be.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 28: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 28, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It hasn’t been the start to the season that the Utah Jazz were hoping for. Let that be my late submission for Understatement of the Year, as the upstart Jazz have not only lost four of their first five games (their lone victory a one-point stand against a New Orleans team that remains winless at the time I’m writing this article) but have seen three members of their starting unit go down with injury.
Most notable of all were veteran bigs Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. making early trips to the locker room during the same half of play against Memphis. The two players head coach Will Hardy described as Utah’s best will both miss time, and the reserves haven’t been able to keep their head above water in their absence.
To be fair, Utah’s schedule hasn’t exactly been favorable to this point in the year. They had two dates with the Grizzlies, who might be the biggest surprise of the early year, as they sit with an unblemished record of 4-0.
It doesn’t help morale that Walker Kessler, who Utah could have retained this offseason had they been willing to pay top dollar, has been excellent in Los Angeles. The Jazz were forced to dip to their fifth-string center, Tony Bradley (always good to see a familiar face), in their second loss to the Grizz.
A glimmer of hope, however, has been the outstanding play from fourth-year point guard Keyonte George. Utah’s front office raised their hands in an overwhelming vote of confidence in Key by extending his tenure for five more years and a sizable stack of cash. Their investment is already paying off early.
Taking charge and planting his rear end in the director’s chair, George shouted into the megaphone as he dropped a season-high 31 points against the NBA Finals runners-up. They leaned on him, and they leaned hard. Hard enough that Will Hardy felt inclined to give his young point guard a breather at the beginning of overtime.
Keyonte has been exceptional this year, but the team became far too reliant on his scoring ability late into the game, and the wheels fell off in the critical stretch of added time.
Perhaps rolling out Isaiah Collier over Darryn Peterson was a sound decision on paper — putting the ball in the hands of the more experienced player is logical — but the offense stalled as Collier pounded the air out of the ball, and costly turnovers saw Utah’s early three-point advantage give way to a rapid 12-0 run. It was miraculous to see what was essentially the Jazz’s second and third unit go wire-to-wire against a healthy San Antonio side, but it’s clear Utah’s sculpture has plenty more rough edges to carve away.
And they can start by taking down a frisky Portland team in the Delta Center.
The Blazers are unbeaten behind a core of players that fascinates and perplexes me. On the surface, it’s a roster that is well-balanced and carries some real firepower.
Deni Avdija was silently one of the best forwards in the NBA last season, a master of rim-pressure and free-throw trips. He’s running the show again this season, averaging a team-high in minutes, points, and steals.
But he’s not alone this year; Portland’s front office upgraded the backcourt significantly. Shifting the uneven Scoot Henderson to the second unit in favor of Damian Lillard, who’s picking up right where he left off before being traded to Milwaukee two seasons ago. Torching the net for nearly 43% from three-point land through three games, he’s averaging 21.4 points per game.
And he’s got a running mate in Ja Morant. Morant, who was dumped from the Grizzlies’ sinking ship (which is floating quite comfortably today, interestingly enough), has played very well with his new team and, shockingly, has been shooting the leather off the basketball at 44.4% from three.
Add Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, and Toumani Camara to the mix, and it’s no wonder why the Blazers opened the year 3-0 — this is a frisky, dangerous team.
So how will the Jazz fare against their Northwest Division rivals in Salt Lake City? The inertia doesn’t bode well.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.
Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York.
CHICAGO — The Knicks will start their secondary title defense like they began their primary — against LeBron and the 76ers.
The group stage of the NBA Cup kicks off for the Knicks on Friday night in Philadelphia, a rematch of the regular-season opener from 10 days prior.
The Knicks lost that matchup, 106-100, because Tyrese Maxey took off and LeBron finished. This time, the Knicks (2-3) are coming off consecutive victories — against the Pistons and Bulls — while Philadelphia (4-1) is still riding the pace and skill of Maxey, the reigning Eastern Conference player of the week.
LeBron James looks to make a move on Josh Hart during the Knicks’ season-opening loss to the 76ers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“We just need to obviously not do what we did [the last time we played them],” Jalen Brunson said.
The Knicks are in the toughest NBA Cup group with the Sixers, Pacers (game on Nov. 13), Cavs (Nov. 25) and Heat (Nov. 27). The winner automatically advances to the quarterfinals, along with two wild cards from the six groups.
Last year, the Knicks won the tournament, with the semifinals and finals held in Vegas. This year, if they advance, the semis are at the home team’s arena and the final is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indiana, the historic basketball site from “Hoosiers” and home of Butler University.
Despite winning the NBA Cup, Knicks owner James Dolan declined to hang the banner until they won the NBA Finals.
NJalen Brunson drives past Tyrese Maxey during the Knicks’ loss to the 76ers in their season opener. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Pacôme Dadiet will hit free agency in the summer because the Knicks, as expected, are declining to pick up his $5.4 million team option for next season, a source confirmed.
Dadiet, a 2024 first-round pick, has been out of the rotation again and is worth more to the Knicks as a trade chip on an expiring deal than on the books for over $5 million next season.
The 21-year-old Frenchman has logged one minute this season. For his career, Dadiet is averaging 1.6 points on 33 percent shooting. He’s the lone Knicks first-round pick on the roster.
ESPN first reported that the Knicks were declining Dadiet’s option. The deadline is Saturday.
Sixers star Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable for Friday with knee soreness. Neither Joel Embiid nor LeBron James are on the injury report.
With the MLB offseason officially underway, the Mets kicked things by claiming infielder/outfielder Kyren Paris off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, New York designated outfielder Cristian Pache, who played in 15 games for the Mets last season, for assignment.
Paris played in just eight games with the Halos in 2026 after appearing in 44 games the year before where he hit six home runs in 126 at-bats. The youngster also added four doubles, one triple, seven steals and 20 runs scored to give him a 0.8 WAR as a reserve player.
About to turn 25 years old in November, Paris has spent his entire four-year career in Los Angeles where he's slashed .147/.238/.272 in a super utility role. In 88 career games (72 starts), Paris has played second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions, although the infield is where he's the best defensively.
Paris has spent the majority of his career in the minors, splitting time last season between Double-A and Triple-A. Despite a lackluster performance in Double-A, Paris shined in 62 games for Triple-A where he slashed .307/.427/.554 and showed off his power and speed with 31 extra-base hits, a .981 OPS and 16 steals.
In 455 career games in the minors, Paris has hit .243 with a .779 OPS and 150 steals.
As for Pache, he joined the Mets last offseason on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training before eventually signing a one-year deal worth $850,000. The soon-to-be-28-year-old fought for the club's fourth outfield spot in spring training and despite a solid showing, Pache began the season in the minors.
After making his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2020, Pache has been a journeyman and has played for six different organizations. He's never been able to produce consistently at the plate and even struggled across 93 games with Triple-A Syracuse this season.
The outfielder was called up by the Mets in early August for depth and went 1-for-8 at the plate.
The Nets came up just short of beating the Celtics in Boston in their last game, but the end result is they fell to 0-4.
For a team that’s trying to change the direction of a franchise that knows tanking all too well — and lost its first seven games a year ago — they know the results have to change.
And they believe they’re close.
Moritz Wagner reacts during the Nets’ overtime loss to the Celtics on Oct. 27, 2026 in Boston. Getty Images
“We haven’t won yet, so obviously we want to get the zero out of that column and get a one right there,’’ Michael Porter Jr. said after practice in Brooklyn on Thursday. “It’s important. That’s why that loss the other day hurt. We felt we were in a position to win the game, but if we play like that and can continue to improve, then we’ll get there.”
Their next chance comes Friday at Barclays Center against the Pistons, followed by games on the road versus Indiana and the Knicks, so it won’t come easily.
Unlike the previous two seasons, when the Nets could have benefited from losing but did not fare well in the draft lottery, this year their first-round pick goes to the Rockets as a result of the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.
So the time to start winning is now.
“We’ve just got to get that first win,’’ Day’Ron Sharpe said. “Once we get that first win, we can use it as momentum.”
And the lack of a victory is on the players’ minds.
They entered Thursday as the only winless team remaining in the Eastern Conference and one of just three in the league.
Jayson Tatum (center) celebrates with teammates after hitting the game-winning basket against the Nets in overtime. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
“For sure,’’ Sharpe said of whether the record was something the team thought about. “You don’t want to have a zero on the board. Last year, we started 0-7 and we’re not trying to do the same thing this year.”
To prevent another round of Groundhog Day — without the silver lining of a potentially high pick — the Nets will have to play like they did in Boston — without the late-game miscues that ended up costing them.
“We’re almost right there,’’ coach Jordi Fernández said. “It came down to late-game execution.”
But he added, “I think games like this in the future will lead to more wins.”
As Porter noted, the Nets are again playing with some key new players, from veterans like Julius Randle to rookie Mikel Brown Jr.
“It’s gonna take some time to develop some chemistry and I think from Game 1 to the last game, there’s been some growth,” Porter said. “Teams that are brand-new like this, it takes a while. We understand that and I think we’re willing to be patient with the process and continue to stack days and it’ll turn around for us.”
Fernández agreed and doesn’t want his team to press.
“We want to play with an edge, not anxiety,’’ Fernández said. “I just want to see continuity from what we did in the game against Boston. There’s no doubt in my mind, the first [win] is gonna come … I believe in the process. Right now, I’m not anxious about a win. I want to play consistently the right way. That [Boston] game is a clear example of who we want to be.”
Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes held clear-the-air talks this week. Fernandes was an unused substitute against Bournemouth after criticising Carrick’s tactics during the Champions League defeat by Como but it seems the situation has been resolved – for now. Dropping Fernandes did not do United any good against Bournemouth, who ran riot at Old Trafford, and the captain is expected to return to the starting lineup for the trip to Chelsea. If that happens, he owes Carrick a performance. Fernandes has been poor this season and it is time he did his talking on the pitch. Jacob Steinberg
Chelsea v Manchester United, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)
Aug 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (left) and Detroit Tigers center fielder Max Clark (middle) and third baseman Kevin McGonigle (right) pose for a photo before their game at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This really shouldn’t be that surprising. The Tigers have one of the better core groups in baseball now, and while their rotation has question marks due to injury and inexperience, it’s certainly a pretty talented group with Framber Valdez as the veteran, and Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, Keider Montero, River Ryan, and Reese Olson lined up behind the veteran lefty. Obviously they need to build a much better bullpen, but this shouldn’t really be that hard. We’ll see how hard the front office decides to make it.
The Tigers were 14th in run scoring, and 11th in team wRC+ in 2026, despite getting gutted for a good six weeks by a huge wave of injuries from mid-April through May. Max Clark has only just arrived, while Hao-Yu Lee and Eduardo Valencia broke out with the bats in the second half. They still have plenty of young hitting talent coming behind them as well. They were also 6th best in team ERA and 10th best in team fielding independent pitching (FIP). The defense got better as Clark and other young outfielders were added to the mix. It would really help that cause if John Peck can insert himself into the mix next year.
The Brewers are number one on the power rankings, as you’d expect. The Dodgers and Yankees check in second and third. The Rays, Red Sox, and Braves round out the 4-6 slots, with the Tigers in seventh.
1. Their plus-71 run differential was fourth in the AL, not that far behind the Rays (plus-86) or Red Sox (plus-78), and that’s a positive indicator for the following season.
2. They have key young players to build around in Kevin McGonigle (7.1 WAR as a rookie) and Max Clark (1.2 WAR in 51 games), plus several rookies ready to contribute in 2027, including Ryan, who came over in the Tarik Skubal trade.
3. Troy Melton (2.76 ERA in 20 starts), Jackson Jobe (3.91 ERA in nine starts) and Ryan are ready to fill the spots of Skubal and Casey Mize.
Yes, Detroit will need to address the bullpen, but this is still a deep roster that underperformed in 2026.
The Tigers have Max Anderson, Zyhir Hope, and Josue Briceño all close to pushing their way to the major leagues. The big question remains having enough pitching to be able to construct a better bullpen. We certainly wouldn’t hate the addition of a good all around position player into the mix, but that doesn’t seem very likely right now. Maybe the picture will look a little different once the CBA is complete.
Ask the Guardians how they feel about this and they’ll say it doesn’t matter. They’re right, but there is a good argument for the Tigers if they can clean up their weaknesses this offseason. How do you feel about the Tigers getting ranked seventh overall heading into the offseason after a very underachieving sort of season in 2026?
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 21: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game on October 21, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Halloween weekend is often synonymous with candy, costumes, scary movies and haunted houses. Well, this year the only thing that matters is THE MARCH TO THE NBA CUP BEGINNING. That’s right, the NBA’s convoluted, definitely not confusing Cup is once again up for grabs. The group stage begins in earnest on Friday evening, with the Mavericks and Rockets kicking off West Group A competition.
Looking at the group, it’s shaping up to be the West’s group of death. Houston is maybe the best team in the league. Denver still has Jokic and Murray. Utah has a lot of talent, although some injuries have taken their toll in Salt Lake City. Dallas has gotten off to a shockingly good 3-2 start, and Phoenix still has talent, even without a real point guard. It’s a tough draw, and Dallas getting off to a 1-0 start in group play would be very helpful towards getting them through into the knockout rounds.
Knowing what’s at stake, here are a few tricks or treats to know before Houston faces off against Dallas.
Yes, the Rockets do present some unique challenges that Dallas will have to solve. The Mavericks had a challenge simply running any sort of offense against Houston in the opener, as the defensive intensity that the Rockets brought simply overwhelmed the Dallas guards. In the four games since then, Dallas has won three of four with tenth best offensive rating in the NBA. That’s not to say that all of their issues will be solved here, as Houston has a top five defense in the NBA in their four wins since the opener, but expect Dallas to be more comfortable in this one on that end.
Conversely, the Houston offense has only been held under 120 points once, a 114-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs last Friday. Dallas got absolutely shellacked in Houston during the opener, as Houston completely dominated transition play. Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense, and Dallas will need both to hang with Houston in this one.
Treat: Tournament Dusty May
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 06: Head Coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines cuts the net after defeating the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
When it comes to tournament play, Dusty May is the best coach in the business. In the last calendar year, Dusty May has won two basketball tournaments (2025 Players Era, 2026 NCAA Tournament). Ime Udoka hasn’t won a tournament as a head coach EVER. Only Mike Brown of the Knicks (2026 NBA Cup, 2026 NBA Finals) has a comparable resume to the incomparable Dusty May. To steal a line from the late, great Stacey King: Big time coaches win big time games!
Trick: Dealing with Amen Thompson
AMEN THOMPSON SEALS IT FOR HOUSTON WITH THE REJECTION ❌
The Thompson twins are both unquestioned freaks, and what Amen has done to start the year should not be overlooked. At 18 points, over eight boards and nearly four assists per contest, the offensive counting stats are right near career bests. What’s scary is that the defensive impact on counting stats (one steal and just under a half block per game) are at career lows. You’ve got to assume that the counting stats will begin to increase at some point, and the Mavericks will have to be very good with the ball to ensure that Amen doesn’t wreck this contest.
Treat: The NBA Cup
LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 16: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks go up for a jump ball during the game during the Emirates NBA Cup Final game on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It had to feel good for Adam Silver that last year’s cup featured the two teams who eventually played for the Larry O’Brien trophy in June. The regular season can be quite a grind, so even a contrived, convoluted and confusing tournament such as the Cup is a welcome change of pace. The outrageous courts, the group play, the insistence of separating every single thing by conference, it all adds to the nonsensical nature of it all. My interest in the Cup first started out as a bit, just because everyone else on the planet hated the idea. But honestly at this point, I do like the Cup, regardless of how ridiculous it is made by Adam Silver. It’s just good, clean, harmless fun.
How to watch
<p>(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
Tipoff is set for just after 7:00 p.m. at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. I hope to see many costumes in the arena for this Halloween special! If you’re tuning in for this one, KFAA Channel 29, Mavs TV or NBA League Pass will have you covered for the broadcast.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 28: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks handles the ball as Jarrett Allen #31 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers play defense during the 2025-26 Emirates NBA Cup in the second quarter at State Farm Arena on November 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Well, that was quick. It feels like almost before it started, the World Series was over. But the good news is, we can now start looking forward to the 2026 campaign, because the wheels are in motion. The bad news? Nobody known when or in what form that’ll take place. But below, you’ll find an overview of some of the important dates on the calendar, and what they mean for the Diamondbacks. I’ll pin this just off the front page for reference over the winter.
October 29: Free Agents File
Eligible players file for free agency today, the day after the World Series ends. It begins a five-day “quiet period” where teams can negotiate with their own free agents, but the players are unable to sign anywhere else. They also come off the 40-man roster at that point. Those in question are:
Taylor Clarke
Zac Gallen
Kevin Ginkel
Jonathan Loaisiga
James McCann
Dennis Santana
Michael Soroka
Ildemaro Vargas
In addition, Ryan Thompson and A.J. Puk will become free agents, but are currently on the 60-day Injured List, so do not free up 40-man spots. That’ll take our 40-man roster, currently at 39, down to 31 spots.
Teams must decide whether to extend one-year Qualifying Offers to any free agents. To be eligible for a QO, a player must have spent the entire 2025 season with his team and never previously received one. There’s only one potential candidate for Arizona, in Soroka. But as we’ll see below, that seems unlikely. Any player that does get one will have 10 days to accept or decline it. If a player declines and signs with a new team, then his old team will receive draft pick compensation. I trust we all remember what happened last winter with Gallen.
November 1: Rawlings Gold Glove Winners announced
As discussed, Arizona have four candidates among the final nominees. Gabriel Moreno at catcher; Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop; Corbin Carroll in right field; and Ildemaro Vargas as a utility player. I think we’ll end up with just one, Moreno and Carroll probably being the most likely.
November 3: Free Agency Opens
Free agency begins and players are free to sign with clubs. This is also the last day that teams can issue Qualifying Offers to eligible free agents.
November 3: 60-day injured list reinstatement
Players that are currently on the 60-day Injured List must also be added back to the 40-man roster five days after the World Series ends. In addition to Puk and Thompson, mentioned above but departing as free agents, we have Andrew Saalfrank, Cristian Mena and Tyler Lockler on the 60-day IL. Adding that trio back in, brings the roster up to 34. At least it’s less of an issue than the D-backs had last winter, when we had nine players for whom room needed to be found.
November 3: Contract options deadline
The same day is also the deadline for clubs and players to execute or decline any options built into their current contracts. This means the mutual option on Soroka, and Corbin Burnes deciding whether or not to opt out. Odds seem very high that neither of those will be executed. Soroka will want to test free agency after an impressive 2025 campaign, while after ten innings of less than whelming baseball, Burnes isn’t going anywhere. And while not formally official, Bob Nightengale confirmed today that Corbin will be staying.
November 9-12: GM Meetings in Las Vegas
November 9-12: Awards Week
This is when the bulk of the honors get handed out, with the Rookie + Manager of the Year, Cy Young and MVP in each league announced over these four days. Though the Silver Slugger Awards are announced on November 17, and the Heart & Hustle Awards are November 6. Be interesting to see where any D-backs end up. Though I wouldn’t expect any winners, I would not be surprised to see Gabriel Moreno and Eduardo Rodriguez get some down-ballot mentions for the MVP and Cy Young respectively. At least it seems we will be spared another Ohtani love-fest this year.
November 17: Rule 5 Draft Protection deadline
The team will need to make decisions on which prospects they need to add to the 40-man roster, to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. However, there is a real question as to whether there will be a Rule 5 draft this year, as it is scheduled to take place after the expiration of the CBA. Last time it happened, the entire event was simply wiped from existence, so that’s a very real possibility this winter too.
November 17: Qualifying offer deadline
This is the day when players have formally to accept or reject their qualifying offers. Any player not accepting by this date will be considered to have declined, therefore granting his former team draft pick compensation, if they change teams in the off-season. The precise nature of the pick will depend on the value of the contract he signs, and where the team stands in regard to things like revenue sharing and whether they pay Competitive Balance Tax. But this winter, it’s not likely to be of much relevance to the Diamondbacks.
November 20: Tender deadlines
This is the deadline for teams to offer the pre-arbitration and arbitration eligible players a contract for the 2026 season (whatever and whenever that might be!). Players who don’t receive an offer are considered non-tendered and become free agents. Just four D-backs fall into the category this winter. Here’s who Arizona will have to decide on, with their service time and projected salaries for 2026.
Lars Nootbaar (5.076): $6.3m
Pavin Smith (4.144): $2.5m
Gabriel Moreno (4.061): $6.1m
Ryne Nelson (4.020): $3.4m
There’s probably just one candidate to be non-tendered, in Pavin Smith. But he may yet stick around. I kinda hope he does, purely to see the incandescent rage which results from the Twitteratti.
TBD: Hall of Fame Ballot released
None of the returning names reached even sixty percent on last year’s ballot. Chase Utley did jump from 40% to 59%, so if that’s repeated this time, he could be going to Cooperstown. Otherwise, the focus might be more on the new names joining the ballot. They’re likely headed by Buster Posey, with Jon Lester, Brett Gardiner and Ryan Zimmerman also in the 40+ bWAR club. Former D-backs who might be mentioned are mostly a “What, they played for us?” Gambo’s favorite catcher Alex Avila is eligible, as are Will Harris, Jon Jay and Joachim Soria. And a Cy Young winner, in the shape of some guy called Trevor Bauer. No possibility for controversy there…
December 1: CBA expires
Yep, at the end of the first day in December, everything seems to indicate that we will be heading for a lockout, as the players and owners butt heads, about who gets to stick their heads deeper into the trough of MLB revenue. I really don’t care about that. I just want a landscape on the far side, where teams do not need a $400 million payroll to have a chance of competing in the NL West. If the price for that is a summer where I get through my Tubi queue instead, I am fine with it.
Therefore, everything below is potentially likely to be rescheduled and/or canceled.
December 7-9: Winter Meetings in Orlando
December 8: MLB Draft Lottery
With Arizona having had the best record of the teams who did not qualify for the postseason (as well as a better record than some who did, grumble grumble), their odds of a good pick in the draft are slight. According to Tankathon, the Diamondbacks have a 2.3% chance of moving up for a pick in the top six, but only a 0.23% of getting the #1 overall choice. Hey, weirder things have happened. It’s better than no chance at all, which would have been the odds before the draft lottery. The Rockies (surprise!), Angels and Athletics are the favorites for the top pick each having about a 19% chance.
December 9: Rule 5 Draft
Minor League players not on a team’s 40-man roster who have been in professional baseball for four (for college players) or five (for high school players) are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft. During the Major League portion of the draft, any player selected must remain on that team’s active roster for the entire season or be offered back to their original club (with some stipulations around time spent on an Injured List). This has been a point of pain for Arizona in the past, losing Dan Uggla. We haven’t picked anyone in the major-league portion since Zach Pop in 2020, and he was immediately traded to the Marlins. If you’re asking “Who?” though, that’s kinda the point…
