The Islanders drafted Dravecky, 18, in the fifth-round of the 2026 NHL Draft with the 141st overall pick.
The Czech defender's been off to a hot start with the Guelph Storm, posting one goal and four points in four games for the Storm. His skating is one area that already looks better than it did in his draft year.
Dravecky posted nine goals and 28 points in 58 games last season while with an elite Brampton Bulldogs team, as well as three assists in 11 playoff games.
He's also posted 7 points in 4 games with the Czech u20 team this year, building off his World Juniors appearances for the Czech junior team.
At the time of the draft, people felt the Islanders landed incredible value with his work ethic and potential upside.
Hamilton Hammers Head Coach Jay McKee, who coached against Dravecky last season, in that camp. Then, rookie camp started, and Dravecky blew the doors down. He excelled in all situations, and even had a strong showing with his one NHL preseason game.
"With Vlad being a late pick, for me, it was one of the steals of the draft for sure at that pick," McKee said during Rookie Camp.
McKee continued with effusive praise for the right-shot defenseman.
"Vlad is a very highly skilled, offensive-minded defenseman. Just saying, he's one of the best practice players I've ever coached or even played with," McKee said. "He's intense. He does everything with a purpose. Snaps his passes. He's got an active stick. He's a very, very talented player. You know, like all of them [the prospects]. There's areas of improvement, but his potential and his upside is very high."
The Islanders could use the depth in the prospect pool, especially for the right side of their defense.
The hope is that Dravecky, along with fellow 2026 draftee Lincoln Kuehne and Hamilton youngster Ryan Healey, can fill those gaps.
The Islanders have some time, but continued development is paramount for success. Kuehne will spend this year with Arizona State. Healey, meanwhile, gets his first taste of professional hockey.
Dravecky will spend this year in the OHL with the Guelph Storm and look to build on that incredible first impression next season.
Dravecky turns 19 in December, and its unclear what his developmental path will be following this season in the OHL.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 05: Travis Bazzana #37 of the the Cleveland Guardians warms up prior to Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Monday, October 5, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians’ season comes down to an afternoon tilt in Chicago. Here are some keys to pushing the series to Thursday:
Manage Emotions and Nerves with a Wildly Hostile, Home Crowd:
There is no doubt that the White Sox fans will be loud and desperate to see their team clinch their first playoff series at home since 1906 and complete an entire redemption of their late-season collapse to lose the AL Central. The literal Pope, ghosts of 2005, and probably even whoever is chosen to throw the first pitch will be present to haunt the current Guardians. This young team will have to shut all that out and focus on playing the best baseball game they can play. They can’t get caught up in thinking about being eliminated and the second-straight October humilation that would entail. They just need to play crisp, fundamental baseball, putting up professional at-bats as hitters and pitchers.
Score Early, Tack on Late:
Shadows will creep into play by about 5 or 5:30PM ET, so the Guardians need to find a way to score. They can’t afford to be shutout by opener Sean Newcomb and whoever comes after him and let it get to the 4th inning not having scored because the 4th-7th innings should be pretty difficult for hitters. By the 8th and 9th, the Guardians will probably see Grant Taylor and/or Hagen Smith AGAIN. They can’t afford to not get to one of these pitchers. They need to take advantage to tack on at least one more run when the shadows are gone and these familiar arms re-emerge.
Hit At Least One Home Run:
It’s very, very hard to win a postseason game without hitting at least one home run. (The White Sox just did it, though, haha. Haha.). So, who is going to hit the Guardians’ first postseason homer? Jo Adell, who should have had one Monday night? Chase DeLauter, Hit a Homer, Take Me Home (for Game 5), Country Roads? Jose Ramirez Back from the Dead? Playoff Rocchio? Patty Barrels? We need a hero, folks.
Have a Quick Hook with Pitchers:
I am very excited to have Daniel Espino start the game, but this needs to be an “all-hands on deck” game for Cleveland. Literally, every pitcher, including Gavin Williams, should be available as needed. I am sure the team has an ideal plan for who will pitch where, but Stephen Vogt needs to be quick to make moves based on swing data, handedness, and the game situation and not hesitate to use arms he hasn’t used yet. Throw the kitchen sink at the White Sox and snuff out rallies without worrying about tomorrow because tomorrow may never come.
Maintain an Overall, Good Approach from Game Two:
Aside from Angel Martinez, I think the Guardians executed a good approach, overall, in game two. They were disciplined to make pitchers work but also aggressive on pitches in the heart of the plate. They can’t afford to have, as I just mentioned, Martinez flailing at uncompetitive pitches. They also can’t afford to have Travis Bazzana, who put up some great at-bats as a whole, take a pitch down the heart of the plate for strike three after working the count full. Do not go up there with a 3-2, 3-1 or 3-0 count looking to take a walk. Look for a pitch you can do damage on and take advantage of it in those situations. The mix of discipline and aggression in game two was right… just gotta get some of those well-hit balls to find grass or the seats, and consistently force White Sox pitchers to get the ball in the zone.
I love this Guardians’ team. I hope today isn’t the last game I get to watch them this year, and I am confident they will do their best to avoid a sweep to a division rival. Let’s go, Guardians!
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LeBron James decided to suit up for the 76ers this season, but that sure doesn’t mean he wants to live in Philadelphia. In fact, he’s going to extraordinary lengths to avoid being there any longer than necessary. News emerged this last week that LeBron has decided to live in New York for the 2026-27 season, commuting to Philly for games and practice. That sounds like a colossal pain on the surface, considering it’s roughly a two-hour trip from city-to-city — but don’t worry, King James isn’t driving, instead he’s taking multiple helicopter trips a week to cut his travel time down to 30 minutes.
This wasteful and frankly ridiculous travel scheme would be one thing if it were on LeBron’s dime, but news that the travel is being paid for by Fanatics raises major questions about how the NBA is allowing a benefit like this. It feels especially hypocritical less than a month after the league announced significant sanctions against the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer for circumventing the salary cap with improper payments to Kawhi Leonard that exceeded his salary.
LeBron is making the NBA veteran minimum of $3.87M this season — but these arranged helicopter flights are so numerous and prolific that they might as well be baked into his deal. It was reported on Tuesday that James has taken as many as 12 trips via helicopter in a single week, and while it’s difficult to estimate the value of those flights taken on a privately owned helicopter, the service Blade, which is basically Uber for people who want to ride by helicopter, has a listed price of $4,645 one-way for trips from New York City to Philadelphia. This means LeBron would have racked up over $55,000 on trips alone in one week, and if we estimate he will be taking six trips per week during the regular season (and this still might be on the low side), then his benefit from these flights is tantamount to $668,000.
It’s a far cry from the $28M that Kawhi Leonard was paid under the table by sponsors of the Clippers, but it still rolls up to raise questions about how the NBA will deal, not just with direct payments, but questionable benefits that come from signing specific NBA contracts.
Fanatics is throwing up their hands and pleading ignorance, saying that LeBron has “access to corporate aviation,” as part of the endorsement deal he signed with the company in 2024. Most reasonably people would agree that there’s a fundamental difference between chartering a private jet to attend an event as part of an endorsement deal and taking 12 helicopter trips a week to facilitate NBA practices.
The water is made even muddier by the fact that Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin was a former partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, owner of the 76ers. While Rubin sold his shares in the company in 2022, he remains extremely close to the 76ers organization. There are no fewer than 50 published photos of Rubin either sitting courtside at Sixers games or in the tunnel with players, all of which were taken after he sold his stake in the team.
Would these flight benefits be extended to LeBron if he signed with the Cavaliers? It’s clear Rubin is not simply a former owner of the Sixers, but a dedicated superfan who attends as many high-profile games as possible, maintaining a close personal relationship with the organization.
It’s not like LeBron couldn’t easily afford the trips with his own money. The charter flight fees are a drop in the bucket for a man who has earned over $575M from basketball alone, and is worth well over $1B when factoring in his endorsement deals. The question is more about how the NBA plans to enforce (or ignore) contracts, in an era where seemingly everyone is finding creative ways to circumvent the cap with extra kickers on deals. It also comes at a time when it’s fair to have scrutiny of any player movement decision when numerous players have deals with predictive marketing (gambling) companies. Giannis Antetokounmpo raised eyebrows by announcing his ownership stake in Kalshi shortly after he wasn’t traded during the 2025-26 NBA Trade Deadline, while it was reported that LeBron James has an agreement with Polymarket, which will pay him more this season than his NBA salary.
LeBron made massive waves when he spurned his long-term agreement with Upper Deck to sign an endorsement deal with Michael Rubin and Fanatics in early 2024. Two years later he signed with the team Rubin has direct ties to, and now he’s getting benefits from this side deal that enable a travel schedule no other team could match. It might not be against the NBA CBA to have agreements like this, but the whole situation feels extremely icky.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Bruce Brown #1 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 5, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we patiently wait for the Knicks to host the Wiz Kiz on Thursday…
…here are the latest quotables from around Tarrytown and elsewhere.
"I think that the safest play is Drew Eubanks" – Ian on the Knicks' final roster spot
On the Knicks’ lack of physicality against Philadelphia:
“What bothers me is our lack of physicality throughout the ball game, and that’s the whole roster up and down. We weren’t great on the ball physically and we weren’t great with our defensive positioning physically.
“The rest of the [issues are] coach talk. It’s real, but it’s coach talk that we’ll clean up watching film and all that stuff. I can’t help with the physicality. That they’ve gotta find individually, which will then turn into collectively, and that’s how you find minutes. That’s how you make the team. That’s how you contribute in a way where some of those other mistakes can be ‘OK, we’ll get better in that area and we’ll get better in this area.’
“But the physicality, we have to do a better job of that from top to bottom.”
On the Knicks making the game easy for the 76ers:
“They got to wherever they wanted to when it comes to getting to their spots and getting good shots. We didn’t contest, we didn’t rear-view challenge and we made the game easy for them. We just turned and took a step to the rim and they came right over our back and got the offensive rebound, so that I’m concerned about and I don’t want to see happen.”
On the Knicks’ poor 3-point shot selection:
“I don’t care if we go 0 for 40. We took 41 and 33 of those [threes] weren’t sprays. And that’s not how we play.”
Jalen Brunson
On the importance of the Knicks’ preseason opener:
“[I put] a good amount [of stock in this preseason game]. Obviously being results-based is not necessarily a focus, but it’s like process-driven and making sure the details are there and doing all the right things. I think those are the things you need to be concerned about, results-based not so much. Obviously we want to win but make sure the process is right.”
Exclusive: Bruce Brown “very surprised” to be fighting a different kind of second apron battle https://t.co/Y8fuMU1n0P
On the second apron being used as an excuse by teams when navigating freeagency:
“I heard that all summer.”
On being surprised by his diminished free-agent market:
“I was very surprised. I played every single game last year, played meaningful minutes the whole year. Thought I did decently or good enough in my role that I was given. But when free agency started, that wasn’t the case.”
On proving himself while competing for a Knicks roster spot:
“You got to prove yourself every year. I’ve been on eight teams in nine years. Every year you got to prove yourself, prove you’ve gotten better. But with this team obviously the first and second units are pretty set, I’d say. So obviously I’d have to provide a winning attitude. I’m fighting for a job right now. So any role they give me, I’d be happy to do it.”
On returning to New York after previously playing for the Nets during the KD era:
“I love New York. Obviously playing in Brooklyn, they’re little brother to the Knicks even if, at the time, they weren’t that good and we were really good. New York’s always a place I loved, loved winning, loved being around. When I got the call, I was like, ‘Yeah, for sure.’ ”
On wanting to play for a contender:
“As you know, at this point in my career, only contending teams look for me. So I’m just trying to compete for a championship. Go back to back and help them win again.”
On fighting for a guaranteed roster spot:
“It is what it is right now. I thought I played well enough last year to be in the running for a guaranteed job. But now I just got to show my work throughout the summer and my veteran leadership somehow.”
Stephen A. Smith
On seeing the 76ers as a threat to the Knicks:
“The Sixers can make a title run. The Sixers are the team to watch out for if you’re the New York Knicks. To me, it’s clearly about the Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.”
On James Dolan and the lack of extensions for Leon Rose and William Wesley:
“Let me put everybody in New York on blast. That damn James Dolan is getting in the way again. We have some concerns. First of all, I don’t know if it’s news or not. Where the hell is the extension for Leon Rose? Where the hell is the extension for Worldwide Wes, William Wesley? Worldwide Wes and Leon Rose ended a 53-year drought and brought a championship to New York. Where’s their extension? Where is it? That’s number one.”
On the Knicks’ current contract offer to Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Number two, I’m not going to tell you that Karl-Anthony Towns deserves the max. I understand that you got Brunson and Anunoby coming down the pike, but you don’t disrespect that man by cutting him short by $77 million. You don’t do that. You give him a respectable offer.”
“You give him an offer that says, ‘Okay, listen. We need you to take this hit. Jalen Brunson took this hit. We need you to do it, too.’ So, it ain’t $277 million. It might be $225-$227 million, something along those lines because Brunson took a hit, too.”
“You might not like it, but it’s not disrespectful. You’re saying, ‘Listen, I got the cats that you want to keep with you. I’m going to have to touch that second apron. I’m going to have to take care of your other cats.’”
On the Knicks needing to take care of Jalen Brunson first:
“And we know you got to, to use his term, Big Body Brunson. We got to take care of him. That’s what we can’t go to Brunson and ask him to take another cut. The man delivered the chip, and he was the superstar that did it. Okay, he is the franchise. There will be a statue erected outside of Madison Square Garden for that man one day. He erased a 53-year drought.”
“Okay, we got to take care of Brunson. So, we might need y’all to take some hits, but you don’t disrespect him.”
On the Knicks’ history and Towns’ value to the championship team:
“For 53 years, the New York Knicks didn’t do anything but pass gas and try to tell us it was perfume. That’s what they did. They stunk up the joint year after year after year, and they finally won the chip.”
“Karl-Anthony Towns has everything to do with that. I’m not telling you that he ain’t worth—first of all, he’s worth the $277 million in today’s NBA economy. It’s just that, in light of other people you have to take care of, it’s going to call for some level of sacrifice.”
“But you don’t disrespect him. Karl-Anthony Towns deserves more money, and most importantly, he deserves to be respected and appreciated. And I’mma tell you why: New York has a problem.”
On his concerns about James Dolan after the Knicks’ championship:
“They got a problem because that same damn James Dolan that stunk up the joint for years running the New York Knicks franchise finally, after 27 years at the helm, won a chip.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if his mentality is, ‘All right, I delivered a chip. So now we can wait another quarter century before we win it again.’ He’s the kind of person that’ll have that kind of attitude and take that for granted.”
On what he sees as a broader problem with Knicks ownership:
“I’m speaking to a bigger problem. I’m speaking to a level of arrogance and dismissiveness on the part of the ownership that’s focused on the fact that he’s a champion now and not really reflecting on the years of ineptitude that he exercised running this franchise.”
“And if Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t taken care of, it sends the wrong message: ‘we don’t necessarily take care of our own.’ You see what I’m saying? And that’s where it’ll lead to you not winning for the next quarter-century and beyond when you ignore your own.”
“Even when the Lakers struggled, the Buss family always took care of the people who took care of them. That is what James Dolan has to remember.
“Leon Rose deserves his money. Worldwide Wes deserves his money. Brunson and Anunoby deserve their money. Karl-Anthony Towns deserves the money. They clearly made money for James Dolan this past season. Yeah, they made money for him. Let’s be clear.”
Sabonis’ shoe FELL OFF trying to guard Luka. He knocked down a 3 and pointed at his shoe 😭 pic.twitter.com/ah9FpBkW0H
Still hoping for that bounce-back, Eric. | Michael Turner / MLB Photos via Getty Images
In reviewing Arizona Fall League rosters for the original draft of this article, Twinkie Town writer Matt Monitto was stunned into silence by what he saw.
“I’m scrolling through the rosters on MLB.com, and I come across Frank Mozzicato, Tate Southisene, and I have to sit back,“ Monitto said in an interview with a mirror. ”These are guys I came across in Out of the Park franchises, and I thought they were computer-generated names. But they’re real?“
Indeed, Royals prospect Mozzicato and Braves prospect Southisene are among those assigned to the AFL by their parent clubs.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve had Mozzicato on one of my teams,“ Monitto added, ”when I did a Royals franchise a few years ago. That just makes it odder.“
When reminded that such oddity did not stop him for rooting for the eventually-demoted Eric Orze in 2026, he simply shook his head.
“I guess there, I had him as a Twin for a good number of seasons, and then he became a Twin. I’m still pulling for him.
“But when it’s other teams,” he continued, “it’s always strange. It’s cool to see Jake McCarthy breaking out for the Rockies, yet it’s a bit weird because he was my Diamondbacks left fielder for a while. And guys like Yohendrick Pinango and Yanquiel Fernandez… I thought for sure the game made up those names. A few years later, they’re in the Show.”
Monitto did not know if the same concept applies to players of MLB The Show as he has not played that game.
“But if so,” he said, “I bet there’s just as much awe… after blinking to make sure the names and players are actually real, of course.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 27: Manager Skip Schumaker #55 of the Texas Rangers reacts to a 6-4 loss against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on September 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
Evan Grant wonders how the Rangers can stop being so mediocre, and settles on either spending money or getting young, bringing in the fences at Globe Life, and translating young talent into productive big league talent.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Springfield 3 (OT) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opened its 2026-27 season in front of an excited, passionate crowd in Northeast PA. However, Springfield scored payback after being eliminated by the Penguins in last year’s playoffs. Atley Calvert scored both of the Penguins’ goals, including a shorthanded tally midway through the second period. The Thunderbirds won 1:50 into overtime.
Sunday, Oct. 4 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Hartford 3 The Penguins seized an early lead a mere 86 seconds into the contest when D-man Jake Livanavage notched his first AHL goal. The Wolf Pack flipped the game in the middle frame, scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. Hartford ran its lead to 3-1 late with its second man-advantage marker of the day, but Avery Hayes quickly buried an extra-attacker goal to pull the Pens within one.
The Pens used 11 forward + seven defensemen lineups in both games. Ideally from the AHL perspective the crowded house in Pittsburgh with a couple forwards on IR will eventually lead to a quality player at this level dropping down, like David Gustafsson did in time for the second game lineup here.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 4, 2026
Overall on the week there weren’t a lot of standouts with the team scoring four total goals and losing both games, though it wasn’t for a lack of trying with the team piling up 85 shots over the two games. Atley Calvert continues to impress, he scored a pair of those goals. The goalies posted identical stat lines over the two games, with both Joel Blomqvist and Taylor Gauthier stopping 20 shots on 23 attempts for an .870 save percentage. Blomqvist picked up the overtime loss, Gauthier fell in regulation.
The slow start continues this weekend, WBS plays only two games in the upcoming week with Saturday and Sunday matchups scheduled on the road for a tour of New England. The Penguins will be in Hartford on Saturday night then turnaround quickly for a Sunday afternoon game in Providence.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Starting pitcher Jack Perkins #50 of the Athletics signals for a review during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 20, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday everyone.
Last night, the National League (NL) Division Series continued with two Game 3s. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the series, while the San Diego Padres staved off elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
This afternoon, there is a full slate of playoff action. In the American League, the Chicago White Sox will attempt to sweep the Cleveland Guardians, while the New York Yankees will look to prolong their season as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to the Bronx.
On the other side of the bracket, the Dodgers and Braves will play Game 4 in Atlanta, with the Braves hoping to force a decisive fifth game. Across the country, the Padres will look to win a second consecutive game in front of their home fans and send the series back to Milwaukee for a winner-take-all Game 5.
With the Athletics not in the playoffs, the organization’s focus has turned to its first true search for a new general manager in nearly three decades. Aside from a few rumored candidates, there has not been much buzz about who will succeed longtime executive David Forst, a role the team hopes to fill by the start of the World Series.
While most A’s players are spending these days resting and preparing for next season, a handful of the team’s minor leaguers are playing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), an annual showcase for some of baseball’s top prospects. Many youngsters use the opportunity to expand their skillsets or get crucial at-bats or innings they missed this season because of injuries.
Among the A’s contingent, catching prospects Davis Diaz and Cole Conn are two players to keep an eye on. Both versatile players advanced to Triple-A this season and could compete for the major league backup catcher spot next season.
Of the pitchers, only right-hander Kenya Huggins is currently ranked on MLB Pipeline’s list of the A’s top 30 prospects. Right-hander Jay Dill and left-handers Tucker Novotny and Grant Richardson could crack the list if they pitch well in the AFL.
Which A’s minor leaguer will perform the best in the AFL? What are your predictions for how the rest of the playoffs will unfold?
This thread breaks down how the A’s can make right-hander Jack Perkins more reliable.
🧵 Jack Perkins’ path to becoming a reliable Major League pitcher in 2027 may not be through the rotation.
Perkins has shown flashes of legitimate MLB stuff, but consistency and durability remain questions. A move to the bullpen could allow the A’s to maximize his stuff while…
What steps can the A’s take this offseason to improve their pitching staff and defense for 2027?
The A’s biggest issues this season
1. Pitching staff 2. Injuries 3. Defense
Offensive issues will be fixed with better injury luck. Pitching is expensive, and difficult to acquire. Better pitching development will take a few years to see results
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) October 6, 2026
A’s in AFL update.
A’S IN THE AFL TODAY (10/6) C Davis Diaz: 1-3, 2B, BB, RBI LF Breyson Guedez: 0-4. HBP, R RHP Jay Dill: 2 IP/1 H/1 ER/1 BB/3 K RHP Kenya Huggins: 2 IP/2 H/1 R/0 ER/0 BB/1 K/Loss Mesa Solar Sox lose 4-3
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) October 7, 2026
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everybody and happy Wednesday!
The Division Series continues across baseball, so let’s get you caught up on that and more.
Alex Cora told the Phillies he is not interested in managing in 2027. Philadelphia previously approached him about their opening mid-season but turned to Don Mattingly after Cora said no.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers shakes hands with Enrique Hernández #8 and Tommy Edman #25 after defeating the Atlanta Braves in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers’ outlook wasn’t as dire as it might’ve looked after the Game 2 loss at home, just as it is not as ideal as it could appear following a Game 3 win on the road against the Braves’ ace. When it comes to their fate in this specific series, the Dodgers are well positioned to advance, but with the ultimate goal in mind of another World Series title, the problem remains the same: a team that right now seems only capable of winning with elite pitching and has yet to generate a run that hasn’t come via the long ball.
Three runs in five innings against Chris Sale is about the best-case scenario for a team that was shut out the last time it faced the future first-ballot Hall of Famer. And yet, they could have done a lot more damage off the left-hander, with him on the ropes for most of the game before Kiké Hernández’s two-run shot started the scoring in the fourth.
Whatever the offense did or did not do against Sale, it chased him off the game with just 15 outs, a crucial objective in this game. Against four different Braves relievers, though—not including Didier Fuentes, unused in this one after a masterful Game 2 performance—the Dodgers offense failed to add a single run of insurance, increasing the pressure on Yamamoto and their two star relievers, who finished this one out: Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz, neither of whom has what you’d describe as unconditional trust.
Evidently, strong pitching has been a reality of this series on both sides, with these two offenses combining for a single hit with a runner in scoring position. For the Dodgers, though, it hasn’t looked like it matters who is on the mound for Atlanta—running into one or two is achievable even against the very best; in fact, they did it against Sale and Fuentes, the Braves’ two most talented pitchers. Stringing hits together for a big rally like this team is more than capable of doing and hasn’t been a part of their NLDS performance.
While for the Dodgers offense, it doesn’t appear like it matters who is on the mound; on the opposite side, it’s a different scenario. Tarik Skubal and Yamamoto were dominant, and that’s a big reason why the Dodgers won those two games. Now, can this Dodgers team win if Tyler Glasnow brings anything other than his A+ game, which we’ve seldom seen in the postseason? The bullpen, as we’ve seen, will likely be effective, but not bulletproof. It took very little for Game 2 to go off the rails, and for that scenario not to repeat itself, the offense must find a higher gear.
Perhaps if we’re to take a more positive view, the lack of damage in Game 3 had more than its fair share of bad luck. Teoscar Hernández, for instance, had three hard-hit balls and no hits to show for it—Freddie Freeman nearly had another home run, and Mookie Betts continues to get on at a terrific clip in the leadoff spot, even if he doesn’t have the runs to show for. Moving forward, though, the threat must be capitalized on more often.
3 Mar 1999: Infielder Rey Sanchez #1 of the Kansas City Royals poses for the camera on Photo Day during Spring Training at the Baseball City Stadium in Davenport, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport | Getty Images
During their history, the Royals have had several players who were overlooked, especially on a national level. David DeJesus comes to mind, as does Kevin Appier, who was criminally underrated.
Another player whose excellence slipped past us was shortstop Rey Sanchez, who unfortunately toiled for the Royals through some of their bleakest seasons. And for a team that has set the gold standard for bleak seasons, that is saying something.
Sanchez, a native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, broke into the majors with a 13-game stint with the Chicago Cubs at the tail end of the 1991 season. He collected his first hit with an eighth-inning single off the Pirates’ Doug Drabek on September 17 at Three Rivers Stadium.
Sanchez spent most of the next six seasons as the Cubs’ starting shortstop, putting up steady but unspectacular numbers. The Cubs sent Sanchez to the Yankees in a 1997 trade deadline deal, and he hit .312 in 38 games for the Yanks and got a taste of the postseason.
He signed a free-agent deal with the Giants in the offseason and enjoyed a solid year in San Francisco, slashing .285/.325/.361 while playing his usual spectacular defense.
The Royals had been employing Shane Halter and Mindy Lopez at short, and in the offseason, Herk Robinson made one of his best free-agent acquisitions by bringing in Sanchez on a one-year deal.
Sanchez had the best year of his career as a Royal in 1999, slashing .294/.329/.370 over 134 games while finishing second in the league in Defensive WAR.
That was enough for the Royals to ink Sanchez to a two-year deal in the offseason, and he was even better in 2000 and 2001, leading the league in Defensive WAR both seasons. He wasn’t too shabby with the bat, either, hitting .273 in 2000 and .303 in 2001.
All told, his Kansas City tenure lasted for 377 games, and he was worth 9.3 WAR while hitting a combined .289. About that defense. Sanchez wasn’t an acrobat like, say, Ozzie Smith, though he did have some spectacular plays. Sanchez was smooth. He got to every ball in his zip code, made a slick pickup and threw sweet, chest-high throws to first each time. He made it look so routine that it was easy to miss the beauty of it.
I saw Sanchez play once, on July 25, 1999 , George Brett Day at the K. It was impossibly hot that day, as late July in Kansas City tends to be, at least according to Ichiro. Carlos Beltran melted early in the game and had to be removed. The Oakland A’s jumped out to a large early lead before the Royals found their footing. Down 11-5 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Royals tacked on three runs to make it interesting.
The Royals came up in the bottom of the ninth trailing by three. Jermaine Dye stroked a leadoff double off A’s closer Billy Taylor. Joe Randa sent the heat-stricken crowd into hysteria with his second home run of the day. Jeremy Giambi punched a single through the left side of the infield. At this point, manager Tony Muser elected to go for the loss. He had catcher Tim Spehr lay down a bunt. Now, you can imagine that Spehr, being a catcher, was not particularly fleet of foot. He wasn’t. He stole nine bases in an eight-year career. Didn’t matter to Muser.
Spehr laid down a beauty and somehow, someway, beat it out. Runners on first and second, down by one, no outs and Rey Sanchez coming to the plate. This is what I wrote about that at-bat several years ago.
Now the crowd was going nuts. Probably heat delirium. Muser, never one to go for the win, had Rey Sanchez bunt the runners over. This is just an insanely stupid move. Nobody out, runners on first and second, the crowd and your team going nuts…and you bunt one of your best hitters into a sure out. Sanchez could handle the bat. The man hit .294 in 1999 over 479 at-bats. Let. Him. Hit.
After the Muser out, the A’s gave Johnny Damon an intentional pass. That brought Carlos Febles to the plate. He did what you would expect, looking at a third strike right down the middle. Bases loaded, two outs, down by one. Scott Pose came to the plate and bailed out Muser with a single to center. Hansen scored to tie it, but pinch-runner Steve Scarsone was thrown out at home in a close play to end the inning. The crowd was still going bananas.
The Royals ended up winning in spite of their manager when Jermaine Dye blasted a two-run homer over the right-field wall in the 10th.
In July 2001, the Royals traded Sanchez to the Braves, where he got into the playoffs. Sanchez bounced around a little after that, spending 2002 in Boston, where he primarily played second base, before splitting 2003 between the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners. He spent 2004 in Tampa before ending his career with a 23-game stint with the Yankees in 2005.
Overall, it was a pretty darn good career: 15 years. Almost 1,500 games with a career batting average of .272 and almost 21 career WAR. I know people scoff at batting average today, but to me, it still means something, especially when you play defense like Sanchez did. Over his career, Sanchez handled 6,632 chances with only 112 errors. That’s a smooth .983 fielding percentage. Unbelievably, he never won a Gold Glove.
Omar Vizquel won the 2000 and 2001 awards for shortstop. Tough competition in those days.
Despite only playing two and a half seasons in Kansas City, Sanchez’s production places him among the best shortstops, not named Witt, that the Royals have ever employed.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: Owen Carey #30 of the Atlanta Braves throws the ball back to the infield during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
(1-3) Glendale Desert Dogs 4, (1-2) Mesa Solar Sox 3
Tanner Baumann, RP: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 11.57 ERA
Owen Hackman, RP: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.38 ERA
Tyler LaPorte, RP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 0.00 ERA
Logan Samuels, RP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 3.00 ERA
It was a busy day for all of the Braves relievers that were sent to Arizona. Braves arms were responsible for 5 2/3 of Glendale’s ten innings with four pitchers making appearances, and the results for the crew were mixed. With a 1-0 lead on the table Tanner Baumann was brought in to try to keep Mesa at bay while insurance runs followed, and the inning got off to a concerning start. Baumann had trouble finding the strike zone with anything and walked the first two hitters he faced, but he wiggled out of it to maintain the lead. He forced two ground balls off of his sinker, one of which turned into a double play, and the fifth inning was a smoother affair. Baumann never really found any of his secondaries, but his sinker was an effective pitch for him and kept him mowing through batters with two strikeouts in the fifth inning. Owen Hackman came in during the 7th inning with a lead that had been extended to three runs, and it took every ounce of effort for him to keep any lead safe. Hackman started off hot with a strikeout, but after running the next count to 1-2 an errant fastball hit the batter and derailed the entire inning. Hackman gave up a solid single, then his own throwing error scored the first run and put the tying run on base. Another base hit on what was honestly not a bad pitch brought home the next run, but Hackman received his first dose of good luck with an assist from his buddy in right field. Owen Carey threw out the runner trying to go first- to-third, giving Hackman his second out and putting him in position to shut the door on the inning with a strikeout of the next hitter.
Tyler LaPorte escaped the eighth inning and held on to Glendale’s one run lead, but it was awfully close to going south for him. His pitch execution wasn’t awful, but the Solar Sox hitters were able to make good swings when they needed to and started the inning with a hit and a walk. LaPorte gave up his hardest contact to the third hitter, but the ball found the second baseman for a force out and saved a run from scoring for the moment. LaPorte’s best at-bat came with his dismantling of the next hitter for an easy strikeout on straight sliders, but he had to get lucky and escape thanks to a hard hit ball finding a glove after leaving a slider over the plate to the next hitter. It goes in the books as a scoreless inning, but LaPorte didn’t make it too easy. We can talk more good news/bad news with Logan Samuels. The good news is his whiff numbers. He diced up hitters with his changeup and totaled ten whiffs on 18 swings in his 1 2/3 innings of work. The bad news was that Mesa managed some hard contact against him. The first was on a sinker that stayed up in the strike zone, a pitch that was the worst Samuels made in the ninth inning and led to a hard-hit double to lead off the inning. The next is one that you would be hard-pressed to blame on him. An infield single, even on a hard hit ball, is rarely the pitcher’s fault, and it’s less so his fault when the batter had to golf a chopper inches off the ground and beat the ball to first base. Samuels made french toast out of everyone else, so even though the game goes on his record as a blown save it was ultimately a well-pitched game that happened to not go his way. Owen Carey made an appearance in this game outside of his defensive work, notching an infield single in the ninth inning. It’s still his defense that was the highlight, though. Carey saw a ton of fastballs in this game but still kept chasing pitch after pitch outside of the strike zone and it led to ugly results. He made a lot of contact but none of it was quality, and pitchers don’t even have to make particularly good pitches to get him to swing right now.
Let me start by being absolutely clear about the headline to this article. On Dec. 1, when the MLB/MLBPA collective bargaining agreement expires, team owners are going to lock out players. A lockout, not a strike, so this is all on the owners.
“We’re meeting regularly, which is good,” Manfred told ESPN during the Little League Classic about the labor talks. “Every week, we’ve had days where we’ve met with the players. It’s early, but we’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re at it.
“Look, our goal is to make a deal. We want to make a deal. We want to play baseball next year. We’re planning on playing baseball next year.”
So while much of Cubs fans’ focus recently has been on the postseason run that ended last week, there have indeed been some labor-related things that you might have missed, so I thought I’d put this article together to bring you up to date.
About two weeks ago, Evan Drellich and Andrew Marchand reported in The Athletic of an interesting potential twist depending on how far into the season a lockout goes:
No one knows whether a shutdown will shorten the sport’s 162-game regular season, but if it does, 60 games — roughly the end of May, by the current MLB schedule — will bring perhaps the most crucial leverage point.
If at least 60 games are wiped out in 2027, most of the league’s national broadcast contracts would extend another year, through 2029, people briefed on MLB’s rights agreements who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Athletic.
That means the big payday owners expect from new national TV rights deals could wind up delayed by a lockout.
Ah, ha. So if more than a couple of months of the 2027 season are delayed or wiped out by the lockout, that could cost owners money — maybe a year’s worth of money that they hope to get beginning when the current national TV deals expire after the 2028 season. Instead, that could be delayed until 2029. As you know, Manfred would love to have all local and national baseball TV rights available to sell in one package; owners think they could get a lot more money from TV partners that way. That remains to be seen — and also, teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Cubs, all of whom at least partly own their current regional sports networks, would be willing to cede those rights back to the league. In the current TV landscape, RSNs are going away, but those five teams are still making pretty good money with them.
To sum up, from the article in The Athletic:
If the entirety of the 2027 season were to be missed, the networks would pay nothing during 2029, the additional season they would get in return for their ’27 outlay. If MLB missed 60 games but still held a shortened campaign in 2027, the networks would have to pay some amount for 2029.
In either scenario, the networks might be pleased they’re receiving an extra year at a bargain rate. On the flip side, the owners would eventually feel some pain. The potential impact on their future earnings makes 60 games a key threshold in collective bargaining between players and owners.
So there is at least a clue as to how long owners would be willing to hold out on their stated desire for a salary cap until they begin to feel some financial pressure to make a deal.
Another interesting article in The Athletic appeared around season’s end, written by Ken Rosenthal. Rosenthal, who also appears on Fox-TV national games, has been seen as kind of a shill for ownership’s position. Not in that article, though:
Revenue disparity between large- and small-market clubs is a legitimate concern. The league and players’ union need to adopt significant measures to make the playing field more level. But the league’s argument for greater competitive balance, if not a red herring, is at least an argument of convenience.
Right there is an acknowledgment, if not an outright statement, that owners’ claim of a salary cap is needed for “competitive balance.” Just watching this year’s postseason so far tells you that isn’t true. The headline of the article, “Even if Rays or Brewers win World Series, competitive balance argument will endure,” kind of goes against Rosenthal’s statement. And as we stand here nearing the end of the Division Series round, that World Series matchup is still possible. And that would also probably make Fox-TV executives cry, because while baseball purists would love that sort of matchup, it probably would not generate the sort of ratings the network or baseball executives want, unless it wound up a seven-game series with compelling games.
The real reason owners want a salary cap is to increase franchise values. Period, full stop. That was noted as far back as last May in this article by Drellich in The Athletic:
Why, at a time when MLB has otherwise built positive momentum, would the league pursue such an acrimonious change, and risk alienating fans with a work stoppage? Many issues are at play, but none supersede the long game owners are playing. Their mission is to maximize the worth of their teams.
Baseball has always been a business, yes — but not like this. Private equity has flowed into the sport for the better part of a decade, and someday, those investors will want a return. And even though every team continues to grow in value, many owners believe that their clubs should command still-higher prices.
Speaking of that positive momentum, MLB enjoyed an attendance increase this season for the fourth year in a row:
MLB topped 70 million fans in attendance in each of the last three seasons and did so again in 2026 — hitting a total of 71,752,722.
The Rays moving back to Tropicana Field accounted for an increase of over 600,000, and the White Sox’ playoff season got them an increase of over 500,000. Teams with big drop-offs include the Mets (down over 470,000), Astros (down over 250,000) and Royals (down about 220,000). The Blue Jays had a disappointing 2026 on the field, but their 2025 World Series appearance likely sold a lot of tickets, as they were up about 480,000. The Cubs were down, but just slightly, about 48,000 fewer than 2025.
Overall, though, the sport is riding high. Owners mess with this at their peril.
And that was the subject of a well-written column by Britt Ghiroli in The Athletic, in which she said she was almost “dreading” the postseason instead of enjoying it, because:
I’ll miss this, I think. Or, I already miss this, even as it’s happening.
That’s how I’ll feel about this postseason. Better enjoy it because, in the face of a pending labor lockout, who knows when we’ll get actual baseball again.
May? July? February 2028?
Even if the Cubs had made it past the first round, I think that’s kind of how I would have felt. Sure, enjoy the Cubs’ run but… when are we going to see them after this October? Spring Training is scheduled to begin for the Cubs on Friday, Feb. 19, 2027, but I don’t know a single Cubs fan (myself included) who thinks that’s going to happen as scheduled. As Britt Ghiroli’s article concludes:
Baseball is a beautiful sport. One team will win it all, and then its fanbase will get a victory lap muted by the league’s deafening calls for a salary cap and floor.
So, enjoy it while it’s happening, enjoy it while it lasts. Just enjoy it. I’ll be telling myself that all month.
For all of us who love baseball, let’s hope we see it next spring… and not have things delayed, or cancelled. As always, we await developments.
EuroLeague basketball owners have rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation following a meeting in Italy, Barcelona confirmed Wednesday.
The decision not to accept the NBA’s proposal of a single Europe entity was made Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker-owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs.
A statement on the EuroLeague’s website said they met to “discuss and align on key strategic decisions regarding the future of their collective property,” without mentioning the NBA.
Barcelona told The Associated Press in an emailed response that a formal merger offer from the NBA had been rejected. In a statement, the club confirmed that Barcelona president Joan Laporta attended the meeting and that club owners “took several decisions regarding the future of the competition.”
“Among those decisions was the rejection of the NBA’s proposal as it currently stands. Should that proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the statement read.
It’s not clear how each club voted. The EuroLeague declined to comment and pointed to its initial statement.
The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 20-team EuroLeague is comprised of 13 shareholder clubs immune from relegation. The rest either qualify through their domestic leagues or through invitation.
The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, is eying a 16-team model.
French sports daily L’Equipe reported that the NBA offered each future member 400 million euros ($448 million).
At Tuesday’s EuroLeague meeting, club owners agreed to move forward with converting the current 10-year licenses into franchises for the shareholder clubs. They also agreed to continue plans to increase the number of franchises.
European ambition
France’s Victor Wembanyama, Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic are among the biggest basketball stars worldwide.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver reaffirmed in January that the league was pressing forward on plans to bring a new league to Europe.
The NBA was targeting October 2027 as a potential launch date, with franchises paying what is expected to be a substantial entry fee. Media reports indicated the NBA was looking for at least a $500 million fee.
Many European basketball teams, including some in the EuroLeague, have struggled financially. The system has often relied on wealthy owners to cover team debts each year.
EuroLeague basketball owners have rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation following a meeting in Italy, Barcelona confirmed Wednesday.
The decision not to accept the NBA’s proposal of a single Europe entity was made Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker-owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs.
A statement on the EuroLeague’s website said they met to “discuss and align on key strategic decisions regarding the future of their collective property,” without mentioning the NBA.
Barcelona told The Associated Press in an emailed response that a formal merger offer from the NBA had been rejected. In a statement, the club confirmed that Barcelona president Joan Laporta attended the meeting and that club owners “took several decisions regarding the future of the competition.”
“Among those decisions was the rejection of the NBA’s proposal as it currently stands. Should that proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the statement read.
It’s not clear how each club voted. The EuroLeague declined to comment and pointed to its initial statement.
The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 20-team EuroLeague is comprised of 13 shareholder clubs immune from relegation. The rest either qualify through their domestic leagues or through invitation.
The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, is eying a 16-team model.
French sports daily L’Equipe reported that the NBA offered each future member 400 million euros ($448 million).
At Tuesday’s EuroLeague meeting, club owners agreed to move forward with converting the current 10-year licenses into franchises for the shareholder clubs. They also agreed to continue plans to increase the number of franchises.
European ambition
France’s Victor Wembanyama, Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic are among the biggest basketball stars worldwide.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver reaffirmed in January that the league was pressing forward on plans to bring a new league to Europe.
The NBA was targeting October 2027 as a potential launch date, with franchises paying what is expected to be a substantial entry fee. Media reports indicated the NBA was looking for at least a $500 million fee.
Many European basketball teams, including some in the EuroLeague, have struggled financially. The system has often relied on wealthy owners to cover team debts each year.
