CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: Lake Bachar #71 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on September 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, September 15, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers for a three-game set at PNC Park.
Getting the ball for the Brewers in the first matchup of the series is Cy Young candidate Jacob Misiorowski, who is putting together quite the season for the Brewers. Misiorowski is 14-5 and has led the team to victory in each of his last six starts, dating back to August 9. In his previous outing against the Chicago Cubs, Misiorowski went 6.1 innings, giving up four hits and one earned run, but the offense struggled to support him.
The Pirates are turning to their bullpen by handing the ball to Lake Bachar to start this contest against the Brewers. Bachar has been an opener in five of his 10 appearances with the team since being acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins last month. In his last outing against the Chicago White Sox on September 9, Bachar pitched 1.2 innings, giving up two hits and no earned runs.
With 12 games left on the schedule, the Pirates are hoping to reach the .500 mark, which hasn’t been achieved since 2018. It will be tough with the Brewers in town, but they swept them earlier in the year at PNC Park, so they will attempt for the same outcome.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Jacob Misiorowski (14-5, 1.95 ERA) vs. Lake Bachar (1-3, 3.52 ERA)
BD community, this is your game thread against the Milwaukee Brewers. Chime off in the comments section below.
The Detroit Red Wings closed out the 2026 NHL Prospects Tournament on a winning note, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in comeback fashion by a 3-2 final score in overtime.
Forward Justice Christensen, who signed with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins after playing the last four years with the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders, scored twice, including the overtime game-winning tally.
The scoring was opened Columbus in the second period after a disputed tally from Josh Eernisse; while the Red Wings argued that goaltender Trey Augustine was interfered with, the tally stood.
Christensen scored his first of two goals on the afternoon not long afterwards, firing a slap shot past Blue Jackets goaltender Nolan Lalonde from the top of the faceoff circle while on the power-play.
Columbus restored their one goal lead thanks to Jordan Dumais. However, with Augustine on the bench, Noah Dower Nilsson cleaned up a rebound in front of the net and deposited a backhander past Lalonde, knotting the score at 2-2.
In overtime, it was Christensen converting on a give-and-go rush with Sutter Muzzatti for the game-winning tally.
JUICE OT W🚨 leads the rush great pass from Muzzatti on the give and go and Christensen buries#LGRWpic.twitter.com/3Bp2IZA4oP
Lalonde finished with 29 saves on 32 shots, while Augustine won his second straight game by turning aside 21 of the 23 shots he faced.
The Red Wings, who recently named Shawn Horcoff their interim general manager, are scheduled to open Training Camp for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL campaign on Thursday.
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There’s a chance of rain this evening in Chicago (forecast link below) so here’s the local radar for you to keep handy:
Tuesday notes…
SIX HUNDRED: The Cubs now have a .600 winning percentage this year in night games, at 51-34. In day games, they are .500, at 33-33. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN DIFFERENTIAL, PART 1: The Cubs’ run differential is a season-high +142, with 806 scored and 664 allowed. Their previous high had been +141, 742-601, after a 17-3 win at home over the Brewers on Aug. 31. It had dipped to +128 following their 8-6 loss at Milwaukee last Wednesday, but since then the Cubs have tallied 26 runs and given up only 12. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN DIFFERENTIAL, PART 2: In their 84 wins, the Cubs have outscored their opponents by 406 runs, 627-261, for an average score of 7.5 to 3.1. In their 67 losses, they have been outscored b 224 runs, 403-179, for an average of score of 6.0 to 2.7. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
NOT WHIFFING: Cubs batters struck out only four times last night. They have had fewer than 10 strikeouts in five consecutive games, 16 of 17 and 19 of 21. They have not ended back-to-back games with double-digit strikeouts since Aug. 21-22 at Seattle. With nine or fewer strikeouts, the Cubs are 60-40; with 10 or more, 24-27. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Ray Burris throws a two-hit shutout and the Cubs defeat the Expos at Jarry Park 2-0 in just one hour, 45 minutes in front of a tiny gathering of just 2,782. It happened 50 years ago today, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 1976.
The Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.
Kevin Gausman’s last start was just bad, so hopefully it’s been flushed and he starts fresh tonight.
Gausman faced the Braves June 2 in Atlanta and allowed four runs in six innings, which is… not great, but not awful either. Matt Olson homered off him, one of three career long balls Olson has off Gausman.
Overall current Braves are batting .240 (24-for-100) against Gausman.
Martin Perez is 35 now, but having an under-the-radar solid year for Atlanta.
In eight starts since Aug. 1 he has a 2.18 ERA and 1.282 WHIP and only two home runs allowed in 41.1 innings.
His only appearance against the Cubs this year was one inning of scoreless relief May 13 in Atlanta. The Cub who has faced him most is Alex Bregman (10-for-42, a double, nine walks).
Please visit our SB Nation Braves site Battery Power. If you do go there to interact with Braves fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 13: Members of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after the Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Here are the lineups for the first game of two in Washington. Let’s discuss!
On this day 78 years ago, the last-place White Sox put a whupping on the AL-best Red Sox. | Chicago Tribune
1901 In a doubleheader nightcap hosting Milwaukee, the White Sox hit an MLB-record five triples in the eighth inning — and three of them were consecutive! Sam Mertes, Fred Hartman and Herm McFarland started off the barrage with three three-baggers in a row, and after Frank Isbell somehow failedto triple, two more were hit consecutively, by Frank Shugart and Billy Sullivan. The second-biggest crowd at South Side Park that year (and, possibly, second-biggest in the AL: 18,000) saw the White Sox rally, from down 4-2, with a seven-run eighth to pace a sweep of the Brewers, 5-4 and 9-4.
Billy Hoy had hit a triple earlier in the game, giving the White Sox a total of six, setting the American League record — it would be 19 years before anyone tied that single-game mark. The White Sox also had three triples in the opener (including from Hoy and Mertes), making nine total for the doubleheader.
With two weeks left in the season, the White Sox were 79-48 and in first place by seven games, on their way to winning the first major-league AL pennant.
Nineteen years later, almost to the day, the White Sox again hit six triples, again in a regulation, nine-inning game. And in-between the two contests, in fact earlier in the 1920 season, the White Sox had another six-triple game (albeit needing 16 innings to get there). Given just 15 games in MLB history where a lineup has hit six triples or more, the White Sox own 20% of those contests (and at that point in 1920 where two more were added to the White Sox docket, they had 30% of the total six-triple games in history).
Also on this day, the White Sox released shortstop Jimmy Burke, just two months after purchasing him from Milwaukee. Burke was solid in his 42 games on the South Side, with 11 steals, 12 walks and 21 RBIs during his tenure. Pittsburgh snatched Burke up the next day, and he had two more solid MLB seasons before spending most of the rest of his career in the minors, playing until 1913.
1915 Although still not yet a full-time starter, Red Faber beat the Red Sox, 3-1, with a one-hitter. Boston’s hit (and run) came in the fifth inning after a single-sac-bunt-stolen base-sac fly, and actually put the outcome in doubt by knotting the score at one.
In the sixth, the White Sox came right back with two singles and an eventual fielder’s choice RBI from Eddie Collins, and in the seventh Ray Schalk added an RBI single to finish out all scoring. In-between those runs, Babe Ruth led off the Boston sixth as a pitch-hitter — and Faber whiffed him.
1940 Ted Lyons Day was held at Comiskey Park. The “Baylor Bearcat” would eventually win 260 games with the club and be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955. His No. 16 would be retired by the White Sox in 1987.
This was the second time Lyons was so honored, the first coming in 1933.
This game was the opener of a twin bill, with Lyons getting the complete game, 5-1 win with a three-hitter.
1948 The White Sox blew upon a relatively quiet, 5-4 game with a 10-run outburst in the seventh inning of an eventual 17-10 win at Comiskey Park.
The onslaught featured four singles, three walks, a double and a stolen base before Taffy Wright — who had tapped back to the pitcher but got on safely after a failed attempt to cut Luke Appling down at home plate — clobbered a home run with the bases fully tenanted. All-in-all, Appling had singled and doubled in the inning, Pat Seerey singled and walked — and Ralph Hodgin made two of the three outs, including the fly to right field that ended the inning.
By game’s end, every player in the White Sox lineup had at least one hit, and all but Hodgin and starting pitcher Al Gettel had at least two.
On the Boston side, Ted Williams slapped five straight singles in the game before getting retired on a fly out to center field that ended the game. He raised his astronomical batting average six points to .377.
The final twist to the story: As if to prove the adage any given day, the last-place, 45-92 White Sox had entered action that night 37 games worse than American League- leading Boston.
1954 It was a massive change in the dugout, as Go-Go Sox instigator Paul Richards bolted the White Sox for Baltimore, where he would receive a three-year, $150,000 pact that surpassed any of the two-year extension offers from the Sox.
Replacing Richards in the dugout on this day, and signing a one-year deal to manage the team in 1955, was bench coach Marty Marion, former St. Louis Cardinals star. Marion was considered a shoo-in for the role, although ex-Dodgers skipper Charlie Dressen was considered, along with White Sox players George Kell and Phil Cavarretta.
1964 In his first at-bat in the American League after many seasons in the NL, pinch-hitter deluxe Smoky Burgess belted a game-tying home run at Detroit. The White Sox would eventually win the game, 3-2, in 10 innings, keeping their pennant hopes alive.
Burgess would lead the league in pinch-hits in 1965 and 1966. His 20 pinch hits in the 1966 season tied the big-league record originally set by Ed Coleman in 1936.
1970 Shortly after taking over as the new director of player personnel, Roland Hemond targeted the man who’d eventually (in his words) “save” the franchise. Hemond called Cardinals GM “Bing” Devine to see what the chances were of making a deal for slugger Dick Allen — offering franchise icon Luis Aparicio in return. Devine turned him down — but 15 months later Hemondwould get his man from the Dodgers, for Tommy John and Steve Huntz. The Dodgers also wanted Terry Forster, but Hemond refused to include the young, hard-throwing lefthander in the trade.
Also on this day, Chuck Tanner made his managerial debut, having waited to begin the job he was hired for earlier in the month until his Triple-A playoff run as manager was finished. Johnny Sain began his role as pitching coach with the White Sox as well.
1983 The White Sox set the franchise record for most runs scored in the sixth inning of a game when they tallied 11 in a 12-0 win over the Mariners at Comiskey Park. LaMarr Hoyt got the win, his 21st on the season. Even more impressive regarding the run total is that the game only lasted seven innings due to rain.
Harold Baines had a grand slam, as the Sox cut their magic number down to two for winning the division. The Sox sent 17 men to the plate in the sixth, with nine hits.
1990 Owner Jerry Reinsdorf fired the man who’d become by far his most effective GM, Larry Himes, citing “personality differences.” Himes drafted and signed White Sox future stars like Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura and Alex Fernandez.
During the press conference announcing the hiring of Ron Schueler as the new GM, Reinsdorfissued his famous “Point A to Point B to Point C” comment. Later, in a rare radio appearance, he was candid on the subject with host Chet Coppock: “The fact is, Larry Himes cannot get along with anybody. You can hardly find anybody in the Sox organization who wasn’t happy when Larry Himes left.”
Farm director Al Goldis was also fired.
1996 Frank Thomas slugged his 215th home run in a White Sox uniform, breaking the three-way tie among he, Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk. In fact Thomas homered three times at Fenway Park, off of Boston’s Tim Wakefield, yet the White Sox lost the game, 9-8. Thomaswent 3-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs.
1997 In an 11-10 loss in Milwaukee, White Sox rookies Mario Valdez and Jeff Abbott both hit their first big-league home runs. Valdez got his in the fifth inning, Abbott an inning later.
HOUSTON, TX - JULY 01: Houston Astros left fielder Joey Loperfido (10) hits a single in the bottom of the sixth inning during the MLB game between the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros on July 1, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Joey Loperfido is finally back with the Houston Astros.
The Astros today recalled Loperfido from Triple-A to replace OF Taylor Trammell, who was placed on the paternity list.
The Astros put Taylor Trammell on the paternity list and called up Joey Loperfido.
Loperfido was off to a solid start this season, batting .276 before straining his right quad running to first base on April 17, landing on the IL. Upon returning June 9, Loperfido struggled through sporadic playing time until he was optioned to Triple-A on July 4.
Loperfido hit well for Sugar Land, batting .289 with a .375 OBP and .766 OPS. He has 3 HR, 14 doubles, 29 RBI, 36 runs scored and 7 stolen bases in 228 AB for the Space Cowboys this season.
Trammell also started the season hot. After working on his swing in the off-season, Trammell started the season on fire. He was hitting .345 when he was injured on a play at third base on April 20. When he returned May 26, he seemed like he was able to pick up mostly where he left off, as he collected hits in his first 5 games off the IL.
Unfortunately for him, he has since reverted to his old struggles, and his overall numbers have reverted back in line with his career norms. He is currently hitting .204 with a .292 OBP and .645 OPS for the Astros this season.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 7: Jesus Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park on September 7, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Heather Barry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bad news on the doorstep: per Matt Gelb of the Athletic, Jesús Luzardo has been placed on the Injured List. It had been hoped that his shoulder inflammation would only cause him to miss a single start; that more optimistic scenario has not come to pass. No specific timetable for his return was given, with Don Mattingly stating that a postseason start is still possible, though uncertain.
With Luzardo out, the Phillies will have to turn to other options as they work towards clinching a playoff berth. Also per Gelb, Grant Holman has been called up and a bullpen game will be needed in the near future.
Update: The Phillies have recalled Kyle Backhus instead of Holman.
With Artemi Panarin being on 4 different teams since coming into the NHL, those 4 different teams have played a different part in Panarin's career. In Chicago, Panarin played from 2015 to 2017, logging 162 games, scoring 61 goals, and registering 90 assists for 151 points with the Blackhawks.
Artemi Panarin joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017 and played for them until 2019. In Columbus, Panarin played in 160 games, scoring 55 goals and tallying 114 assists for 169 points. After his time in Columbus, Panarin joined the New York Rangers.
In New York, Panarin spent 7 seasons with the Rangers before being traded in February of 2026. During his time with the Rangers, Panarin played in 482 games, scoring 205 goals and registering 402 assists for 607 points.
With the Los Angeles Kings, Panarin has played in only 26 games, scoring 9 times and registering 18 assists for 27 points. So, looking ahead to the 2026-27 NHL season, it will be Panarin's first full season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, and with Artemi Panarin being only 46 points away, this milestone will likely be hit, as Panarin's career-low point total is 58 points during the 2020-21 NHL season.
As of September 2026, only 103 NHL players have reached 1,000 career points, and only 4 of them were members of the Los Angeles Kings. Artemi Panarin has a chance to make history and become one of the few NHL players to reach 1000 career points.
And one month later, in October 2025, Walter was officially approved as the Lakers majority owner and purchased the franchise.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed Mark Walter during his media availability after the league’s Board of Governors meetings. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I will say at the time that we vetted Mark Walter to be the principal governor of the team, again, he was already a part owner, minority owner in the Los Angeles Lakers. We went through the full process we all do,” Silver said Tuesday. “We spoke to governmental agencies. We spoke to, in the case of Mark Walter, a heavily regulated insurance agency. We spoke to other leagues in which he has investments. We found no red flags.”
Walter’s holding company, TWG Global, released a statement in late August defending business practices and denying any wrongdoing.
The statement also made it clear the Dodgers are “not being sold and no sale process has been initiated,” and added that Walter/TWG isn’t considering selling their stakes in the Cadillac Formula 1 team or any other part of TWG Motorsports.
Commissioner of the NBA Adam Silver (far left) learned Mark Walter was selling the Lakers to Josh Kushner (middle left) and Bob Iger (middle right) after he heard from Kushner and Iger they had a handshake deal with Walter. Getty Images
Silver said he didn’t know Walter was selling the Lakers until after the deal was made with Kushner and Iger.
“Even to this day, as you know, these are — call them allegations,” Silver added. “There are issues that are now being looked into. Independent of Mark Walter choosing to sell his team right now, he was not being investigated by our league. I don’t know what’s happening in other leagues right now…I had no prior notion that he was intending to sell his team until I heard from the buyers that they had a handshake with him.”
Two of Walter’s companies — Delaware Life Insurance Company and its affiliate Clear Spring Life and Annuity — received grand jury subpoenas in February.
Federal prosecutors in New York and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are undergoing their own separate investigations.
The scrunity surrounding Walter has raised questions whether the NBA should’ve approved for him to become the Lakers owner.
But Silver defended the league’s vetting process for owners and ownership groups.
“We take the vetting process very seriously,” Silver said. “A lot of what we do is intensive database searching. You would think in this day and age with AI and everything else, everything is centralized. It’s not. In many cases, you’re going state by state. In certain cases, people are of industries that are regulated state by state. So you have to go there as well.
“We also talk to as many people as we can find who have knowledge about these people. We do interviews. But beyond that, I will say we’re always reassessing to see if we can do more. In fairness to the parties involved, even Mark Walter, as we sit here, I know no more about him than we did when we vetted him. I read newspaper articles. In fairness to him, I don’t know where those investigations are going to come out. I don’t know where any government inquiries are going to come out. We’re always seeing if we can do things better. I don’t see a trend or some widespread issue certainly among our principal owners that gives me cause for concern.”
WASHINGTON — The Philadelphia Phillies placed left-hander Jesus Luzardo on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Sept. 15 with shoulder inflammation, manager Don Mattingly said, a blow to the club’s stretch drive and, potentially, the playoffs.
Luzardo has not pitched since throwing a 109-pitch shutout against Atlanta on Sept. 7. In the wake of that start he reported discomfort and an MRI revealed inflammation. Luzardo, 28, has arguably been the best second-half pitcher in the National League, going 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA since June 23. The Phillies are 12-2 in those starts.
He reported to Nationals Park on Monday for treatment and a day later, team specialists determined he should back off scheduled catch play. At that point the club decided to place him on the IL and recall reliever Grant Holman.
Luzardo vowed to return for the postseason, though he acknowledged the compressed timeframe to rest, recover and build back up creates a narrow window.
"I can’t 100% say I’m going to start for this team, but that’s the goal. And I feel confident I can make that happen," says Luzardo, who is eligible to come off the IL on Sept. 27, the final day of the regular season. "I feel confident in my ability and preparation that whenever it is I set foot on the mound, I’ll be ready to go."
In a rotation with fellow Cy Young award candidates Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler and a resurgent Aaron Nola, the loss of Luzardo would still be significant. The Phillies are battling the Chicago Cubs for the No. 2 wild card spot and are likely to face them in the best-of-three wild card series beginning Sept. 29.
The Phillies entered play Tuesday 4 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and a half-game behind the Cubs, who own the tiebreaker between the two clubs. The team with the better record would have home-field advantage in that wild-card series.
While Luzardo likely won’t make it back to pitch in a regular season game, if his shoulder enables him to play catch, throw a bullpen and perhaps a simulated game in the next two weeks, that could keep him in play for the wild-card series. The NL Division Series would begin Oct. 3.
“It is a blow,” says Mattingly, “but you have to take care of the guy. Make sure he’s healthy before he pitches again.”
Overall, Luzardo is 14-7 with a 2.87 ERA over 178 ⅔ innings, just shy of the 183 ⅔ he threw last season. With a day off Monday, Mattingly says it’s possible the club folds rookie Andrew Painter into the rotation on regular rest Friday at Citi Field against the Mets.
Yet the club will have to throw a bullpen game sometime soon, anyway, and potentially two bullpen game turns as the season winds down.
"I don’t think anyone’s worried this is long term, this is into next year or anything like that,” says Mattingly. "I think we do think he’s going to be ready to pitch at the end of the year. We just have to take care of our business to get there.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 13: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting and RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 13, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for September 15, 2026 against the Boston Red Sox: starting pitchers are Jacob deGrom for the Rangers and Patrick Sandoval for the BoSox.
The Rangers start a very big nine game homestand with three games against Boston. With a lefty on the mound for the Sox, the Rangers have their righty-swinging crew going.
The lineup:
Foscue — 2B
Seager — SS
Jung — 3B
Burger — 1B
Nimmo — RF
Langford — LF
Duran — CF
Diaz — DH
Jansen — C
7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -135 favorites.
NEW YORK - NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league looked at precedent before taking away five first-round draft picks from the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing salary cap rules, though noted that the decision was difficult because of the impact it could have on the team’s fans.
Silver, speaking Tuesday at the end of a two-day Board of Governors meeting, pointed to how the Minnesota Timberwolves were once docked five picks for cap circumvention as the precedent used in this case. And while noting that he doesn’t believe the loss of picks will lead to what he called “permanent damage” to the Clippers, it is still a major setback.
“I think that’s, in some ways, the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes,” Silver said. “While there have to be competitive consequences, in our view, if these rules are violated we still want to be a 30-team league and we recognize that in some ways we’re unfortunately punishing the fans of that team as well.”
Those were Silver’s first public comments after the Clippers were found to have circumvented salary cap rules on Kawhi Leonard’s behalf — something the team vehemently denied during a yearlong investigation. The NBA hit the Clippers earlier this month with massive penalties as a result of that probe, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the team $30 million and forcing it to forfeit five first-round draft picks, among other sanctions.
The trade sending Leonard back to Toronto was finally completed Monday after the Raptors and Clippers got the customary league approval required for such deals. And Ballmer, earlier this week, said he would accept the penalties and that the fine has already been paid.
The Clippers were not represented at the board meeting, Silver said, since the team remains in the process of finding an interim governor.
The 2026-27 NBA season could determine whether the Golden State Warriors extend their aging foundation or finally tear it down.
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are all playing on expiring contracts, giving Golden State an opportunity to disband its veteran core if the season begins poorly.
Marcus Thompson II, who has covered the Warriors for more than a decade as a beat writer and columnist for The Athletic, raised the possibility of Green being traded during an appearance on “The Kevin O’Connor Show.”
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green during an NBA game for the Warriors. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I think this might be the time,” Thompson said. “Right now, we’re gonna figure out what happens next. I think by the trade deadline, we’ll know. This is gonna be tough, and we could really, fully be saying goodbye. Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline.”
Thompson could also envision Butler being moved, but he did not believe the Warriors would consider dealing Curry, whom he described as a franchise “lifer.”
Moving Green would not be simple. He would be an expensive rental earning $27.7 million and likely would not command the return he once did, despite remaining one of the NBA’s most impactful defensive players.
A contender looking to upgrade its defense could still pursue Green without surrendering a major portion of its future.
Stephen Curry and Warriors face important transition ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Draymond Green could potentially be traded. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Butler presents a different complication. He turned 37 on Monday and is recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last season. The veteran forward is not expected to return until late January or early February.
Golden State acquired Butler from the Miami Heat at the 2025 trade deadline. The move has not produced the intended results, with Butler appearing in only 68 games for the Warriors over parts of two seasons.
With Stephen Curry locked Jimmy Butler becomes a trade candidate if Warriors underperform during 2026-2027 NBA season. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Thompson noted that Golden State has approximately $100 million in expiring contracts, much of it attached to the core of its roster. That flexibility would allow the front office to make a dramatic pivot if it determines the current group can no longer contend.
“That’s the core players,” Thompson said. “Klay’s already gone. If Draymond leaves, there’s a sense you could feel like they just might start this thing completely over.”
Resetting during the final years of Curry’s career would be seismic, but the Warriors are already attempting to build their next generation. Coach Steve Kerr recently praised the influx of young talent on Golden State’s roster, particularly No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg.
If the Warriors stumble, the trade deadline could become more than an opportunity to adjust the roster. It could mark the end of their championship foundation.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 14: Starting pitcher Casey Mize #32 of the San Diego Padres delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 14, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a scary one, but the San Diego Padres ended it with their eighth consecutive win. Facing the Colorado Rockies in their series opener on Monday night, the Friars got off to an early lead. San Diego scored six runs by the third inning, holding a five-lead over the Rox. Then, it happened. The Padres gave up a run in the fifth, then three in the sixth.
That made it a one-run ballgame before the Friars scored in the top of the seventh. Then they surrendered another run in the bottom of the frame. They played the same cat-and-mouse game in the eighth before Mason Miller slammed the door in the ninth inning. San Diego’s bullpen has looked worse for wear lately. Thankfully, the offense has picked up the slack. They’ll need that latter trend to continue (and the former to stop) to keep their win streak going.
Taking the mound
Kyle Freeland (COL) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Freeland has had a solid season with the Rockies, despite his seemingly dismal 6.37 ERA. He’s been much better down the stretch. In his last seven games, the left-hander owns a 4.25 ERA with 33 strikeouts in his last 42 1/3 innings. Command has been a slight problem, with 10 walks in that time.
Historically, the Friars have owned Freeland. Xander Bogaerts and Ty France each have 10-plus career at-bats versus him and own a .462 and .364 batting average, respectively. Manny Machado has faced Freeland 54 times in his illustrious career. The third baseman owns a ridiculous .315 batting average and .837 OPS versus the lefty.
Buehler has downright dominated lately. In his last seven starts, the righty has pitched to a 2.88 ERA (34.1 IP). His major problem has been working deep into games. Buehler made it through just 2 1/3 innings in his last start versus the Washington Nationals. Some of that was due to a miscue by manager Craig Stammen, forcing Buehler to exit the game early.
Other than that, Buehler has given up two runs or less in every start he’s made since August 6. He’s surrendered three runs or less in every starts since July 21. It’s been a dominant stretch for Buehler, who has truly buoyed the San Diego rotation this season.
Batter up!
Thank goodness the offense has been white-hot lately, because the Friars are barely staying in games even when they do score seven runs. In their last four games, San Diego has scored 27 runs for an average of 6.25 runs per game. If the Padres continue raking, they won’t have any problems retaining their playoff spot.
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Dustin Harris, LF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ty France, 1B
Jackson Merrill, CF
Luis Campusano, C
Austin Hays, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
The Padres’ stars have been fantastic lately. Between Machado, Merrill and Tatis, the trio has looked so confident in the box. Merrill was just named the NL Player of the Week after an especially hot stretch at the plate. The center fielder has gone 15-for-30 with a 1.467 OPS in his last seven games.
Relief corps
Casey Mize pitched a very solid five innings before Kyle Hart came on in relief. Hart immediately attempted to give up the game, surrendering three runs and only recording a single out. Bradgley Rodriguez came on and finished the sixth before pitching the seventh. Apart from a solo shot, the rookie reliever looked good on the mound. Adrian Morejon and Miller closed out the game.
Hopefully Miller is alright. While pitching, he was struck on the leg by a comebacker. It seemed like he was alright since he immediately recorded the final two outs by striking out Mickey Moniak and inducing a groundout from Adael Amador. For Game 2 tonight, the Friars have Griffin Canning, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Randy Vásquez available.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 12: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates bats in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 12, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are celebrating Clemente Day on Tuesday, honoring the life and legacy of their most memorable and beloved baseball player and humanitarian.
Every September 15 across Major League Baseball is Roberto Clemente Day, paying tribute to the late right fielder who left a lasting impact in Pittsburgh still felt over 50 years later.
Each season, the Roberto Clemente Award honors the player who best exemplifies Clemente’s work in the community, character, and a positive impact as a humanitarian on and off the field.
The Pirates nominated second baseman Brandon Lowe as their 2026 recipient and is one of 30 nominees for the national award. Lowe was nominated by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022 for the Clemente Award.
Embodying everything The Great One stood for, both on and off the field. 🖤💛
In 2019, Lowe founded Home Runs for Hope and donated $100 for every home run he hit to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to help those with mental health challenges. He has continued the initiative with the Pirates and has hit a single-season record 29 home runs for a Bucco second baseman, equaling $2,900 for charity.
Stop No. 3: The Pirates Roberto Clemente Award nominee (Brandon Lowe) at the center of a rowdy game … and later signing a bow and scrunchie. pic.twitter.com/Vp8vuiRY9x
The Pirates hosted numerous community events, including a food drive for veterans at PNC Park. Lowe is active in the Pittsburgh community and with Pirates Charities’ youth baseball and softball events.
All Pirates players will wear No. 21 when the team takes the field against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.
Clemente passed away in a plane crash delivering relief efforts to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. His life and legacy live on through the Pirates, MLB, The Clemente Museum, and through the lives of fans.
