Sweetney rose to prominence in basketball circles as the latest in a long line of legendary Georgetown big men. In 2002-03, he averaged 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and was a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. Sweetney remains fifth all-time at Georgetown in career rebounds (887), seventh in career blocks (180) and ninth in career points (1,750).
Prayers to the family of Georgetown men’s basketball alum Michael Sweetney.
Sweetney was selected No. 9 overall by the New York Knicks in 2003 and went on to play four years in the NBA with the Knicks and Bulls.
Our Bulls family extends our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former Bull Michael Sweetney, who has passed away at 43. pic.twitter.com/UwXMTQ6cEt
Sweetney also played some in the Big3 after his NBA days. Most recently, Sweetney worked as an assistant coach at Division III Yeshiva University in New York.
The world lost a giant today. I lost a close friend. The basketball world lost a beloved star. Our Jewish community lost an ally and someone who knew exactly how to show up.
Mike Sweetney wasn’t just a friend. He was family. When you needed him, he was there. Always. You didn’t… pic.twitter.com/mwRh9UQgjA
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 15: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after the final out of a 6-3 win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn) | Getty Images
The magic numbers for the Atlanta Braves are starting to get lower and lower now that we’re entering the final portion of the regular season. As far clinching Atlanta’s first Postseason bid since 2024 and their eighth playoff appearance in the past nine seasons, the math is as simple as it gets. The Braves get in here on Friday, September 18 with either:
A win over the Astros, OR
A Diamondbacks loss
That’s it. Just one of those things need to happen and the Braves will be sharing firm handshakes and pats on the back by the end of the night. As far as the division goes, there’s still some work needed to be done. The Phillies beat the Mets on Thursday night to kick off a four-game series so the magic number for the division is still at five. The tiebreaker and the calendar is on Atlanta’s side here, so a win on Friday night for the Braves would still go a long way.
Depending on the 2026 Mets is a fool’s errand but let’s just play it out. If the Mets can get a split while the Braves avoid getting swept then Atlanta’s going to be coming back home with a shot to clinch the division against the Cincinnati Reds. If the Phillies really trip up and lose three straight while the Braves take the series in Houston then the champagne could be popping in H-Town. The latter scenario is currently the only way that the Braves can end up clinching in Houston. I am not a doomer so I’m not going to entertain the doomsday scenarios so you can do that on your own.
I think we’d all prefer to see this end as early as possible but if I had to guess, we’ll probably see this race come to an end in Cobb County against the Reds. That’s still just a guess. I don’t think anybody would like to see this race end up heading into the final weekend with the Braves having to get something against a Marlins team that would likely relish being able to play the role of spoiler for their regular tormentors from Georgia while the Phillies would be getting a Rays team that would likely already have both the division and their seeding wrapped up by then.
So yeah, hopefully this all gets taken care of much sooner rather than later so Atlanta can ultimately turn their focus onto which minefield they’ll have to navigate in the Wild Card round between the Padres, Cubs and maybe even the Phillies. Again, both the tiebreaker and the calendar is on Atlanta’s side so this should get taken care of sooner rather than later. We’ll see what happens.
The former Wild netminder enters Columbus as the team's backup to Jet Greaves. With Elvis Merzlikins failing his physical and out to start the year, Talbot will be the Blue Jackets backup.
Talbot, 39, is 278-204-53 with a 2.69 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and 33 shutouts in 567 regular-season games (533 starts) for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings and Red Wings.
In 82 games with the Wild from 2020-21 to 2021-22, Talbot posted a 51-20-9 record, a .913 save percentage, a 2.71 goals-against average, and five shutouts.
He is 16-18 with a 2.75 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and six shutouts in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff games (34 starts).
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The Montreal Canadiens recently re-signed defenseman Arber Xhekaj to a one-year prove-it deal.
Now that Xhekaj has gotten his contract signed, it is clear that he must have a hot start to the 2026-27 season for the Canadiens.
While Xhekaj has gotten his new deal, his long-term future with the Canadiens is still not set in stone. Because of this, he will need to prove to the Canadiens that he can be a mainstay on their blueline. This is especially so when noting that other defensemen like Jayden Struble, Adam Engstrom, and David Reinbacher will be competing for playing time.
Furthermore, with Kaiden Guhle sidelined for the start of the season, Xhekaj has an opportunity to show the Canadiens that he warrants more consistent playing time. If he does, it will help his chances of sticking in Montreal's lineup once Guhle is fully healthy and returns.
It is going to be very intriguing to see if Xhekaj can start the season off on the right foot for Montreal. It is a crucial year for the rugged defenseman, so time will tell if he can put together a strong campaign.
In 65 games last season for Montreal, Xhekaj posted one goal, four points, 116 penalty minutes, and 178 hits.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 18: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
But given his role in Toronto and likely few Lakers fans having watched him last season, we reached out to our friends over at Raptors HQ and asked their site manager, Julian Apolinario, for a scouting report on Mamu.
What are his strengths?
Mamu is a versatile offensive player who can be trusted to get a bucket, while often punching above his weight class — both from a height standpoint and a roster position one. He has experience playing both power forward and center, and is a great locker room guy.
With him, it’s just as much about the intangibles as it is about the stuff you see on the court. Of late he’s developed into a solid shooter with an outside shot that does really need to be respected.
What are his weaknesses?
For someone who is often slotted into the five, Mamu is a bit small at only 6’9″. In a traditional world, he’s really more of a power forward. While he’s not a cone on defense, it’s not what I’d say stands out about his game.
From an outsider’s perspective, how do you see him fitting with the Lakers?
I think his tandem with both Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler will be worth looking out for. Mamu can space the floor while maintaining interior presence in a way that could benefit Kessler if he’s slotted in next to him.
Playing off-ball with Luka facilitating for both interior looks and 3-point shots will be able to keep him as a smoothly running part of the offensive engine.
Anything else to know about him?
The fans tend to love Mamu a lot wherever he goes.
Sawyer brings nearly a decade of experience in the broadcast booth with the Winnipeg Jets, where he worked as a regional game analyst before making the move west to Calgary.
The 52-year-old also brings a perspective shaped by nearly a decade spent playing professional hockey.
Sawyer appeared in 110 NHL games over parts of six seasons, suiting up for the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 1995 and 2003. He finished his NHL career with three goals and six points, along with 403 penalty minutes.
His NHL career was built largely around his physical style of play. Sawyer spent his final three seasons with Anaheim, appearing in 97 games and recording 336 penalty minutes. He scored his first NHL goal during the 2001-02 season, when he played a career-high 57 games for the Mighty Ducks.
That experience will again translate to the other side of the game as Sawyer joins Jon Abbott and Brendan Parker for Calgary’s regional broadcasts.
The first paragraph about any story involving Cavaliers executive Brandon Weems includes the phrase "LeBron James' high school teammate," but that can undersell the time and effort Weems has put into carving his own path.
That path now includes being the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He will be the No. 2 man in the organization and work directly under head of basketball operations Koby Altman.
OFFICIAL: Brandon Weems has been promoted to General Manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers. #LetEmKnow
"Brandon has earned this opportunity through more than a decade of exceptional work with the Cavaliers and by consistently demonstrating elite judgment and the expertise required to help lead our basketball operations," Altman said in a statement announcing the move. "He has been instrumental in our player evaluation and roster-building processes, has a deep understanding of our culture, and has grown into a tremendous leader."
Weems replaces Mike Gansey, who left Cleveland last offseason to take over the Philadelphia job (then recruited LeBron James away from the Cavaliers).
Weems joined the Cavaliers as a scout in 2015 and started working his way up in the organization. Before that, he worked in college, including as Kentucky's assistant director of basketball operations under John Calipari, then at Drexel and Oakland University in Michigan.
The Cavaliers also promoted team Jon Nichols to Associate General Manager, and Brendon Yu and José Calderón to Assistant General Managers.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 23: Johan Oviedo #29 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the third inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 23, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Only one minor league affiliate is still playing, and they were shut out on a two-hitter last night. But the show must go on!
Johan Oviedo beat the buzzer and got back on the mound in a rehab game on Thursday night. It was his first appearance at any level since March 30th (for Boston). Oviedo averaged 95.9 mph on both of his fastballs, and maxed out at 98.5 mph. He struck out four batters over 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, a walk, and one earned run, and was charged with the loss. While it might be aggressive to add him to the postseason roster, at least in round one, Oviedo was expected to be a key piece of the Red Sox rotation in 2026, acquired for Jhostynxon Garcia last offseason.
John Holobetz followed and was excellent, striking out eight over 4 1/3 shutout innings. Tyler Samaniego allowed a run in the eighth, and Noah Song threw a shutout ninth.
The Red Sox were shut down by former Cardinals great Jake Woodford, mustering just a double from Allan Castro, a single from Tomas Nido, and one walk at the plate.
With three games to go against the Bulls (TB) before the season comes to a close, Worcester is 39-31 in the second-half standings, three games out of first place, with three teams ahead of them in the standings. However, since Rochester is in first place in the second half, and also won the International League first half, Worcester is not a complete long shot to make the playoffs. If you want to look at the tiebreaker procedures in Triple-A, go nuts.
Michael Sansone (2-6, 6.55) gets the ball this evening at 6:05 for the Woo Sox. The Bulls will counter with Jesse Scholtens (3-4, 4.15).
The Woo Sox then play on Saturday at 4:05 and Sunday at 1:05. Numerous promotions remain during the final homestand, including opportunities to bring your children to play catch on the field and run the bases throughout the weekend. Get out there before summer comes to a close.
With this likely being the final Minor Lines of the year for me (Dean has you this weekend), I want to thank all of the readers at Over The Monster. It’s such a joy talking baseball with all of you. You can follow me on Twitter @BobOsgood15, and you can reach me at redseatpodcast@gmail.com throughout the postseason and offseason.
Mar 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks up in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets have turned the page on their 2025-26 campaign after an up-and-down season. The Rockets made the biggest move of the 2025 offseason when they traded for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, hoping he would be the missing piece in their championship hopes.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, those plans were derailed before they even started, as Fred VanVleet, the Rockets’ on- and off-court leader, had his season ended before it started when he suffered a season-ending injury during an offseason workout. The Rockets spent the entire season trying to make up for the absence as they struggled at times to build any consistency throughout the season.
Despite those struggles, the Rockets won 52 games, the same mark as the season before. Like the season before, the Rockets saw their season end in the first round—this time at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets now head into season two of the Kevin Durant era and hope to do it with a fully healthy team. VanVleet wasn’t the only Rocket who missed significant time last season, as the Rockets’ best rebounder and screen setter, Steven Adams, suffered a season-ending injury in January.
That made an already short-handed Rockets bench even thinner and played a huge part in the Rockets’ early playoff exit. The Rockets didn’t make any big offseason splashes this time around, but they are banking on a healthy VanVleet, and Adams will be exactly what they need to get over the hump this season finally. That said, what three things must happen for the Rockets to have a successful season?
Three things the Rockets must do this season to take that next step
The Rockets performed well in some areas last season. They were again the NBA’s best rebounding team, as they have been for the last few seasons. They were also a top-10 defense all season. Despite those stats, the Rockets still did not finish in the top four in the Western Conference. The Rockets must improve in several areas this upcoming season. Here are the three areas the Rockets must change or improve.
Limit Kevin Durant’s Minutes
Last season, with VanVleet out, the Rockets leaned heavily on the remaining starters, especially Durant. The Rockets, of course, plan on leaning on Durant, considering that even at the age of 36 at the time, Durant is still one of the best players in the league. However, without a traditional point guard, the Rockets had to rely on Alperen Sengun and Durant to not only be their leading scorer but also their point guard at times.
That led to Durant playing not only the second most minutes on the Rockets but in the entire NBA. It was the most total minutes Durant had played since the 2013-14 season. Ime Udoka spoke for most of the season about hoping to limit the former MVP’s minutes but was not able to for obvious reasons. Now the Rockets must limit Durant’s minutes, as they need him as healthy as possible going into the playoffs, unlike last season.
More production from their bench
As mentioned earlier, the Rockets are hoping for a much improved bench this upcoming season. With VanVleet out and eventually Adams gone, players like Reed Sheppard and, at times, Tari Eason had to enter the starting lineup. That severely limited bench production, which led the Rockets to rank last in points per game by a wide margin. The Rockets averaged only 27.6 points per game from their reserves.
The Rockets hope the return of Adams and VanVleet, along with the additions of Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović, means they will not have to rely so heavily on their starters again this season.
Cut down their turnovers
One of the main reasons the Rockets brought in VanVleet was how much they struggled with turnovers. VanVleet’s first season saw the Rockets have one of their best seasons taking care of the basketball in franchise history. That wasn’t the case last season, as the Rockets ranked near the bottom of the league in turnovers.
The Rockets’ lack of ball security hurt them most late in close games, when teams pressured them full court and forced errors that cost them several games. The most egregious of those turnovers happened at the worst time in a must-win playoff game at home vs. the Lakers.
With the Rockets holding a late lead, LeBron James pressured Reed Sheppard, forcing the turnover that helped the Lakers force an improbable overtime, which the Rockets would go on to lose. That play was a microcosm of the Rockets’ ball security issues all season. To get past the first round, the Rockets must take care of the basketball, and VanVleet’s return should go a long way toward reducing turnovers.
The Rockets kick off training camp starting on the 23rd of this month and hope to lay the groundwork for a successful 2026-27 season, but they must improve in these three areas for that to happen.
Australia (win by 84 runs) 356-6; Zimbabwe 272 all out
Home side favourites to complete clean sweep on Sunday
Opening batter Travis Head smashed a 75-ball hundred as he led Australia to a series-clinching 84-run victory in the second cricket ODI against Zimbabwe on Friday.
Head’s swashbuckling 112 off 84 balls was well supported by captain Mitchell Marsh’s 53, his 21st ODI half century, and Cooper Connolly’s 78, his third successive 50-plus score in the format, in Australia’s sizeable total of 356-6.
This offseason, the Kings made monumental changes to their team. Is it enough to surpass the defending western conference champions?
Why the Kings Will Be Better
Although the Knights were the better team last season, that could change entirely this year. That is in large part due to Los Angeles being the better defensive team.
Last season, the Kings only allowed 2.9 goals per game while the Knights allowed 2.95 goals. Los Angeles also held a .899 save percentage, while Vegas had a .884 save percentage.
Defensively, the Kings should still remain competent and that could benefit from the new system. Coach Peter Laviolette is expected to elevate the Kings offense to its full potential.
If the offense of the Kings can take a step up, then that will pair tremendously with the top 10 defense from last year. Los Angeles has the better defense than Vegas, which could lead to them dethroning the West Champs this season.
Why the Knights Will Be Better
Speculation is only a part of the debate between the Kings and the Knights; the other part is results. When it comes to consistent seasons between these two teams, that heavily favors the Knights for this upcoming season.
Aside from the Knights making the Stanley Cup in 2026, they’ve had consistent playoff success. The Knights have made the second round three of the last four seasons and have won a Stanley Cup in 2023.
On the other hand, Los Angeles hasn’t made it to the second round since they won the Stanley Cup in 2014. The Kings haven’t won a playoff series in over a decade, let alone been a true title contender.
Vegas has proven to consistently be one of the best teams in the NHL while Los Angeles hasn’t. The Knights are expected to be contenders in 2027, while it’s a question if the Kings can take the next leap.
Overall Verdict
When it comes down to whom the best team will be in 2027, the clear answer is Vegas. The Knights have the more potent offense but can also step up on defense when it matters most.
During the playoffs, the Knights had a .907 save percentage and allowed 2.82 goals per game. Along with both defensive categories being improvements from the regular season, the offense was better in the playoffs too.
In the regular season, the Knights scored 3.22 goals per game, which ranked 14th in the league. During the postseason, Vegas scored 3.45 goals per game, which ranked 4th amongst playoff teams.
Regardless if it’s offense or defense, the Knights have shown to play at their best when it matters most. The Kings have not shown to play at their best in pivotal moments, hence why they brought in a new coach for better results.
Both offensively and defensively, the Knights have executed better than the Kings in crunch time. Therefore, Vegas is a more well-rounded unit and should be a better team than Los Angeles in 2027.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is chasing a 40 homer/40 stolen base season, which would be just the seventh such year in MLB history.
With 37 steals entering Friday’s action, he’ll need three steals in the remaining nine games to get there. And if he keeps hitting home runs — he’s hit five in his last 10 games — that obviously takes away a chance to steal. (Not that anyone’s complaining about the homers!)
Those 37 steals represent a rare level in Cubs history. Hall of Famer Kiki Cuyler stole that many in 1930. He led the National League that year and it was his third straight year with at least 37.
In the 96 seasons since 1930, there have been 590 player seasons of at least 37 stolen bases across the major leagues.
Just 11 of those years have been posted by members of the Chicago Cubs, and just four of those have been in the last 30 years:
That’s it. As you can see, it took 48 years after Cuyler’s 37 in 1930 for any Cub to steal that many bases. If PCA does get to 40/40, that puts him in even rarer territory — it would be just the 10th 40-steal season by any Cubs player since 1929, when Cuyler had 43.
“You’re shaking your head in amazement sometimes,” Counsell said. “You spend your whole life in baseball and you just don’t see this happen on a baseball field. So you’re grateful to be a part of it. You’re grateful to see things like this and then you’re grateful that the fans get to see a season like this because they’re going to talk about it. They’re going to tell their kids about it, they’re going to tell their grandkids about seasons like this.”
Counsell played in over 1,600 MLB games and was a part of two World Series champions, scoring the winning run in Game 7 in 1997. He’s managed over 1,300 other games. For someone who’s been around baseball that long to say something like this is meaningful, to me at least.
We’re witnessing a Cubs player have a season that’s perhaps not only the best in Cubs history, but one of the best by any player, ever. Don’t take something like this for granted.
I looked around for a PCA highlight video to post here but there are just so many it was impossible to choose. Here’s one of my favorites — his baserunning directly leading to a win over the Blue Jays in August:
NEW YORK — Mets first baseman Jared Young was carted off the field in the sixth inning of a 3-0 loss to Philadelphia after he was knocked out when struck on the head by pitcher Nolan McLean’s knee as the two converged on Justin Crawford’s slow grounder.
New York manager Andy Green said a CT scan at a hospital was negative. Young had concussion symptoms and full use of his extremities, according to Green.
“It was a terrifying moment on a baseball field,” Green said. “Took him a while to come to. It was a really scary collision.”
With the Phillies ahead 1-0, McLean broke to first on contact and Young initially moved back toward the bag. McLean briefly paused, at which point Young reached for the ball with his right hand as he tried to keep a foot on the base.
McLean resumed running, then collided with Young’s head, tripping over the first baseman as Crawford crossed the bag. Young fell face first to the ground and was motionless.
“It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn’t with us in that moment,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “He was just somewhere else.”
Green and an athletic trainer immediately ran out from the dugout, and a cart was summoned.
McLean put his hands on his knees and bent down as all the Mets on the field gathered near Young. Catcher Francisco Alvarez appeared to be praying and members of both teams looked on from the dugouts. Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm took a knee next to third base.
When Young came to, Green said the first baseman asked: “What happened?”
Young was immobilized on the cart and flashed a thumbs up before the cart disappeared behind the left-center field fence.
“He’s had a CT scan. Results have come back negative,” Green said. “So in that sense it’s very positive. Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now but has full use of his extremities and feels at this point in time like we’ve avoided the scariest outcomes.”
Young, a 31-year-old in his first full big league season, has established himself as a regular first baseman by hitting .266 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games. He missed six weeks with a left knee injury.
“He’s somebody we all respect and appreciate and have love for,” Lindor said. “He’s been a big part of our team this whole year.”
McLean was shaken by the collision. He remained in the game and threw a called third strike past Garrett Stubbs, ending the inning.
“Probably should have made a better decision not even letting him get the next hitter, but he was still strong enough to do it and got back out there and did it,” Green said. “I think the humanity hit him pretty hard right there.”
McLean was removed by Green for reliever Tobias Myers at the start of the seventh. The rookie right-hander threw 82 pitches, his fewest since May 25.
“Still was willing to go back out the next inning. Didn’t feel that was in his best interest at that point in time,” Green said.
We know what Utah's backcourt of the future will look like — Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George.
That is more set in stone than ever after George and the Jazz agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million extension of his rookie contract, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon and since confirmed by other reports. NBA insider Jake Fischer says the true contract value, excluding incentives he may or may not earn, is $155 million. The deal does not kick in until the 2027-28 season (George will make $6.6 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal).
George, who had emerged as part of the future in Utah long before the lottery balls bounced its way, gets starting point guard money at more than $30 million a season. Utah locks up a player who, if he continues to grow on his current trajectory, will be a good value at this price.
George joins Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson as the first players from the 2023 draft class to sign rookie extensions.
George, the No. 16 pick in 2023 out of Baylor, averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season, while shooting 37.1% from beyond the arc in the 54 games he played on the tanking Jazz. His production has steadily improved each of his three NBA seasons, although his perimeter defense remains a serious concern. That said, George emerged as part of Utah's future long before last year's lottery.
That lottery brought in No. 2 pick Peterson, who showed his star potential at both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.
How Peterson and George will mesh as a backcourt where both can handle the ball and create, and both can shoot, will be a work in progress this season for coach Will Hardy. But mesh that backcourt with Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey and Jaren Jackson Jr. and this could be an interesting team in Utah this season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, September 5, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last night it was reported that the Washington Nationals were closing in on a contract extension for Cade Cavalli, the staff ace. I was going to hold off on writing about this until it was official, but as more time passes, I thought it was important to give an update. Locking up Cavalli would be a strong statement of intent for both the front office and ownership.
Right-hander Cade Cavalli and the Washington Nationals are close on a contract extension, sources say. A deal is not done, but there is optimism about a new contract to keep the 28-year-old in Washington going forward.
Robert Murray was the first to report on this deal but many others, including Spencer Nusbaum have also confirmed that a deal is close. For years, Nats fans have wanted to see extensions. Locking up home grown players has not been happening very often in DC. The only time in recent history that the Nats gave out an extension was Keibert Ruiz’s 8 year deal back in 2023.
Since then, the Nats have been very hesitant to give out long term contracts. In fact, we have not seen them go past two years for any players since Ruiz. However, it looks like that will change soon with Cavalli. If/when this deal is done, it will be something that benefits both the player and the team.
For these extensions, it takes two to tango. With Cavalli, it is easy to see why he would be receptive to a deal. He had a very bumpy road back from Tommy John Surgery and many people lost faith in him. The organization always stood by him and kept him in the plans. That loyalty gave the two sides a strong relationship.
In his age 27 season, Cavalli has rewarded the faith and has emerged as one of the best starters in the National League. This season, he has a 3.12 ERA with 194 strikeouts in 164.2 innings. Cavalli should get some down ballot Cy Young votes in his first full season as a big leaguer. He has also taken his game to another level here in the second half.
Despite only making 11 career starts this season, the new regime had a ton of trust in Cavalli. We saw that when he was made the Opening Day starter. Giving that honor to such an inexperienced player is usual but it showed how much belief the team had in Cavalli.
Seeing two parties with a good working relationship come together and make a deal is a beautiful thing. Hopefully this extension is done before too long. While the deal is moving, it does seem like there still are a couple final hurdles to clear. That is what Talk Nats reported earlier this morning.
The fact this deal is public knowledge now makes me think it is very likely to happen though. Paul Toboni and the Lerner’s can’t really afford to let this slip away now that it is out in the open. Hopefully it can get done today before Cade Cavalli takes the mound tonight in St. Louis.
We still don’t know the official details of the deal. However, Mark Zuckerman did provide some insight. He said that the deal will buy out at least one of his free agent years. That means the deal will be at least four years.
The Nationals and Cade Cavalli are nearing a contract extension that would buy out at least one of his free agent years, per source. Young staff ace still has 3 years of arbitration eligibility, wouldn't be free agent until 2030. (@ByRobertMurray first to report nearing a deal.)
I would think that the sweet spot here would be a 5 or 6 year deal. At 28 years old, you don’t want to make the deal too long. However, I want to see them buy out multiple free agent years. A four year deal would just feel like window dressing to me.
Hopefully we can see the details soon. My final prediction is that this is a 5-year $80 million deal with a club option for a 6th year. That is just me looking at comparable deals and making an educated guess. When actual details come, I will keep you guys updated.
