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Yankees Rivalry Roundup: Rays’ Freddy Peralta burns the Mets again

Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It got a little weird at times, but the Yankees had control for the vast majority of last night’s game in Anaheim, a welcome return to normalcy after an ugly 10-1 blowout loss on Monday. Homers by Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. got them off on the right foot, and while stranded baserunners and a shaky sixth from Gerrit Cole allowed the Angels to stay in the ballgame, the Bombers pulled away late with some key insurance runs. They thus regained the game they lost on Boston yesterday (they’re now four games ahead of the Red Sox), and remained 4.5 back of Tampa Bay.

Here’s what else was going on around the American League on Tuesday night.

Tampa Bay Rays (83-55) 6, New York Mets (62-77) 2

The Mets might have scored a surprising victory at the Trop on Monday, but for those who have been exposed to more than their fair share of the Mets over the years, the Tuesday night showdown against old friend Freddy Peralta went exactly as expected. The one-time Brewers ace was traded from Queens a month ago when that experiment went sour, and given the opportunity, he of course spun six innings of three-hit ball while fanning seven, getting burned on a Francisco Lindor leadoff homer but really nothing else.

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Meanwhile, the Rays got to Sean Manaea via the ol’ “death by a thousand paper cuts” approach. They sprayed 11 hits on him in 5.2 innings, getting their first couple runs on RBI knocks from Junior Caminero and Ryan Vilade before breaking it open a bit with three in the sixth. Nick Fortes doubled down the left-field line to plate Chandler Simpson, Fortes scored on a sacrifice fly, and Yandy Díaz swatted a 396-foot homer to make it a 5-1 game.

Despite the deficit, the Mets did have a chance to get back into this game. Garrett Cleavinger walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, bringing Mark Vientos to the plate as the tying run. Kevin Cash called upon Tyler Wells, who got Vientos to foul out before walking Lindor to bring home one of the runners. The moment was there for Juan Soto … and he popped up.

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Alas. The Mets never got another man on base, the Rays tacked on an insurance run, and that was that.

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (75-64) 6, Seattle Mariners (65-74) 9: Amid an 8-15 tailspin that may have finally put the nail in the coffin for their 2026 season, the Mariners began September on a better note. They’re gonna need more than a few Hail Marys to save themselves, but they at least had the decency to snap their skid against Boston rather than waiting until they left town. The M’s treated September call-up Jedixson Paez like a minor leaguer in his Red Sox debut, blasting him for eight runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings, with Dominic Canzone and the red-hot Randy Arozarena both going yard. Paez’s fellow rookie Lazaro Montes broke into the bigs in style with an RBI single off Paez in the third for his first career hit; he later took Wyatt Olds deep to check off his first career homer as well.

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Bryan Woo tossed six solid innings with one earned run allowed, but because the 2026 Mariners are the 2026 Mariners, not even wins with nine runs scored come easy. Seattle led 9-1 entering the sixth, when Boston plated an unearned run with the help of an error by third baseman Brock Rodden. Eli White hit a two-run double a couple innings later and Yankees legend Jahmai Jones clobbered a two-run shot to make it a 9-6 ballgame in the ninth. So Seattle brought in Andrés Muñoz to slam the door, and he did the job for the final two outs.

Chicago White Sox (73-65) 5, Houston Astros (70-69) 1: The White Sox held serve on their three-game lead over the Guardians in AL Central by punching back after the Astros took the Monday opener. Ronel Blanco was effective in four scoreless innings for Houston, but 88 pitches forced him from the game early. The door was open for the Pale Hose to do damage against Kai-Wei Teng and Tatsuya Imai, and they obliged, with both Colson Montgomery and Randal Grichuk delivering two-run doubles. Sean Burke delivered 5.1 innings of one-hit shutout ball to lead the way for the White Sox on the mound.

AL Wild Card Rock Fight

Texas Rangers (69-70) 8, The Athletics (53-86) 5: Houston’s loss allowed the under-.500 Rangers to trim the Astros’ AL West lead back down to one game. Texas has been fortunate to draw the hapless A’s this week at home, and they’ve done what they’ve needed to do. The 8-5 final score belies the fact that Texas led this 8-1 through six thanks in great part in a 4-for-5, five-RBI night from Brandon Nimmo, and three of the A’s runs were scored off former Nationals righty Trevor Williams, who was only signed that day.

Baltimore Orioles (69-70) 2, Colorado Rockies (52-86) 4: It took the O’s just over four months to finally get back to .500 on Monday night with a miraculous catch by Colton Cowser to clinch it. Now they’re right back under after stumbling at Coors. A Jackson Holliday homer in his dad’s old stomping grounds tied it up at 2-2 in the seventh, but Baby Bomber alum T.J. Rumfield struck the decisive blow on a two-run homer after the stretch. The O’s had been just a half-game behind Cleveland for the Wild Card, but now they’re a game and a half back.

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Cleveland Guardians (70-68) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (68-71) 1: The Jays entered a three-game set in Cleveland hoping to cut into the Guardians’ lead for the last Wild Card spot and instead took a step back (to 2.5 games behind). Gavin Williams dominated the opener, fanning 13 and allowing just two hits and an unearned run across seven brilliant innings. Patrick Bailey, Angel Genao, and Angel Martínez each hit two-run homers for the Guardians as they turned a 1-0 deficit in the fifth into a 6-1 final.

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Elephant Rumblings: Musings as Disastrous A’s Season Winds Down

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 29: Elvis Alvarado #37 of the Athletics pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the ninth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on August 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Wednesday everybody.

Yesterday, the Athletics kicked off their September slate by dropping their fifth straight game and second straight against the Texas Rangers. While the Rangers are vying for postseason baseball, the A’s are on a collision course toward 100-plus losses for the third time in manager Mark Kotsay’s tenure. Given the number of injured players and league worst pitching staff, it seems a matter of when not if the team crosses that benchmark.

Since John Fisher assumed full ownership control of the Athletics in 2016, the club has often overachieved, winning games and making three postseason appearances despite his limited investment in the team.

Before the A’s played last night, the announcement regarding the Los Angeles Angels changing ownership sent shockwaves throughout the sport. It is a particularity bitter pill to swallow for A’s fans, as Fisher will have one less competitor for the worst owner in the league award.

There remains a possibility that Fisher will follow in Arte Moreno’s footsteps and sell the team for a massive amount of money a few years after they get settled in Las Vegas. Until then, fans of the Green and Gold must hope that he increases his investments to keep A’s competitive amidst a changing league.

The new general manager and his staff should receive full authority to upend how this organization operates, from upgrading its player development infrastructure, bolstering its major-league pitching staff and ultimately guiding this historic franchise back to the playoffs.

In the meantime, there are 22 A’s games left before what is expected to be a long, lockout-impacted offseason. Injury-prone outfielder Denzel Clarke seeks to make an impression over the next few weeks, while the team’s young pitchers, including Gage Jump, J.T. Ginn and Elvis Alvarado, aim to end their seasons on a positive note.

Which players are you looking forward to watching over the season’s final stretch? What keeps you coming back despite how this season has unfolded? Also, what qualities should the team look for in its search for a new President of Baseball Operations?

A’s Coverage:

MLB News and Interest:

Best of X:

This will be a great opportunity for these two A’s minor league prospects to test their skills as they move one step closer to making their big-league debuts.

How do you feel about the Angels’ ownership changing hands?

Further proof of why the A’s should have made more of an effort to retain Sean Newcomb in free agency this past offseason. It also shows just how impactful Nick Kurtz is to this team.

Which of these two All-Stars would you prefer the A’s keep long term?




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Mariners News: Ethan Salas, Carlos Estévez, and the Los Angeles Angels

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Ethan Salas #14 of the National League Futures team during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning everyone!

The Mariners bats came to life yesterday as rookie outfielder Lazaro Montes had a debut to remember in a 9-6 M’s victory over the Red Sox. The two squads are set to square off again today with first pitch at 1:10pm PT.

In Mariners news…

  • The Mariners are coming off their worst month by run differential in nearly 50 years. Ryan Blake tried to make sense of it all.
  • Zach Mason says it’s time for a change around here — the Mariners must fire Humpy.
  • Mariners prospect Carlos Jiménez is having a breakout season for the Everett AquaSox. Miguel Riera has the story.

Around the league…

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NBA fines Clippers $30M, penalizes Kawhi Leonard and more after investigation

NBA fines Clippers $30M, penalizes Kawhi Leonard and more after investigation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Los Angeles Clippers were fined $30 million and star player Kawhi Leonard was hit with a $700,000 penalty by the NBA on Wednesday for violating salary cap circumvention rules.

The league came down hard on the organization after a nearly year-long investigation.

Owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended for one year, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has been suspended without pay for six months and president of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year, all for their involvement.

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NBA issues huge punishments for Kawhi Leonard-Clippers cap circumvention scandal

NBA issues huge punishments for Kawhi Leonard-Clippers cap circumvention scandal originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Los Angeles Clippers were fined $30 million and star player Kawhi Leonard was hit with a $700,000 penalty by the NBA on Wednesday for violating salary cap circumvention rule, the league officially announced after ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.

The league came down hard on the organization after a nearly year-long investigation. The Clippers had said multiple times that they had done nothing wrong and expected to be exonerated.

Los Angeles maintained that stance after the league’s announcement.

“We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,” the team said in a statement. “What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner (Adam) Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure it’s fairness and accuracy.”

The Clippers said they will “now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence. We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.”

The NBA opened the investigation in September 2025 into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC — a company that filed for bankruptcy last year — broke league rules, following a report by podcast journalist Pablo Torre. Earlier this year, Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding investors and lenders of at least $248 million.

“I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family,” Leonard said in a statement issued through his new agent, Harrison Gaines.

The NBA said Leonard, through his former business manager and uncle Dennis Robertson, “violated the circumvention rules by pressuring the Clippers to assist him in obtaining off-court income opportunities, successfully obtaining those opportunities, and failing to reimburse payments by the Clippers for personal expenses.”

“I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone’s part to circumvent the salary cap,” Leonard said in his statement.

The league said Ballmer was suspended for “knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities,” among other issues.

Leonard’s trade to the Toronto Raptors has been on hold pending the outcome of the investigation. The Raptors had said they still want Leonard, and he apparently is just as eager to return to the team where he won an NBA title in 2019, when he was Finals MVP.

“As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate,” Leonard said in his statement.

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Filip Gustavsson Still Undergoing Physical Therapy; Expected To Miss Start Of Wild's 2026-27 NHL Season

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin was a guest on Judd's Hockey Show, providing several updates about the organization.

One topic he covered was goaltender Filip Gustavsson's health. Gustavsson underwent hip surgery following the conclusion of the 2025-26 NHL season, and his initial timeline projected that he would miss training camp and the start of the regular season.

Guerin's update didn't provide anything new, but he confirmed that Gustavsson is undergoing physical therapy and remains on his initial timeline, with no setbacks at this point.

"He's still going through physical therapy," said Guerin. "He won't be ready for training camp, but we'll see how far into the season it is. I wouldn't expect him in the first couple weeks but we'll see how quickly he's progressing."

Guerin was then asked whether the hip injury could have hampered his play following his return from the Olympics, to which he replied that the injury had been affecting him for much longer than that. 

"He played through a lot of discomfort with that, and I give him a lot of credit; he kind of bit his lip on it," Guerin continued. "Maybe he shouldn't have, but he was playing through quite a bit."

Wild's Jesper Wallstedt Gets Major Respect In NHL 27 Goalie RankingsWild's Jesper Wallstedt Gets Major Respect In NHL 27 Goalie RankingsEA Sports catapults Minnesota’s young netminder into the elite tier, ranking him alongside established stars as the eighth-best goaltender in the latest digital hockey power rankings.

The 28-year-old finished the campaign with a .904 save percentage and a 2.69 goals-against average in 50 games last year, but he lost the crease down the stretch to Jesper Wallstedt, who also started all but one playoff game through the first two rounds. 

Rumors surrounded both Gustavsson and Wallstedt through different parts of the 2025-26 season, but the Wild ultimately felt they were better off with both, or they didn't find a deal that made sense for them. 

Gustavsson's injury likely hampered the Wild's ability to gauge the market for trades this off-season as they looked for center help. Nonetheless, Gustavsson now enters the first season of a five-year, $6.8 million AAV contract as he forms arguably the best goaltending duo in the NHL with Wallstedt. 

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For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.

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Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson made quite the first impression for the Washington Nationals

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 01: Yohandy Morales #28 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates after hitting his first career hit for a home run in the third inning of his major league debut against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last night we saw two debuts and both went about as well as you could possibly imagine. Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson were both thrown into the fire, but came out stronger. The two debutants helped lead the Nats to an uplifting win with their families in the crowd. 

Yohandy Morales is the bigger name of the two, but he still had to earn his stripes. After being selected in the second round of the 2023 draft, Morales steadily climbed through the minor leagues. Before this season, he never put up bad numbers, but also never fully broke out.

Like so many Nats prospects, things changed this season. In AAA, Morales finally turned his impressive raw power into consistent home runs. He hit 25 homers at AAA this season. You can make a decent argument that he should have been called up sooner, but he is finally here now. 

Morales found out he was getting called up while he was fishing in the rain with Trey Lipscomb. When Devin Pearson called him, his screen kept freezing. However, the message was eventually received and he called his family.

Morales’ family was in the building last night and went crazy when their boy took AJ Smith-Shawver deep in the third inning. He got a splitter inside and turned his hands inside, driving the ball out to left field. It was a surreal moment for the 24 year old and his family.

Yohandy Morales’ family had to go through a lot to get to this point. His father was a baseball player in Cuba, but eventually defected. He tried to reach the big leagues himself, but could not make it. Instead, his son is the one living out his dream and you could see the emotion when his boy hit that homer.

The slugger’s night was not done after that homer though. He got two more hits including a double that almost went over the wall. Instead it banged half way up the wall and he had to settle for a double. Later in the game, he also got a single, meaning he was only a triple shy of the cycle.

Morales was not the only player to debut last night though. In the 8th round of that same 2023 draft, the Nationals selected Jared Simpson out of Iowa. For most of his career, walks have been a big issue for the lefty. Last season, he walked 57 batters in 52 innings. 

However, he has been in the zone more often this year and that has let him rise through the ranks. Simpson actually spent most of the year in Double-A. After being called up to AAA though, he continued to impress and it earned him a September call-up.

We talked to Simpson before and after the game, and the lefty is quite a funny guy. He said that he knew his stuff played in the MLB when Ronald Acuna fouled off his fastball instead of going yard. Simpson also said that facing Matt Olson was a cool moment because he used him a lot in MLB The Show. 

When Simpson got the call that he was going to the big leagues, he was actually at a Men’s Warehouse in Rochester buying clothes for a buddies wedding. Simpson had to buy some more clothes for his MLB debut too. He did not hide anything from the Men’s Warehouse employees, saying he told them he needed collared shirts because he was going to the big leagues.

Simpson also delivered on the mound. He came into a tight situation, with runners on first and second with nobody out. Simpson started his career with a twin killing, getting Drake Baldwin to ground into a huge double play. He ended the inning by getting Acuna to fly out.

The dream outing continued though. Simpson mowed down the Braves, getting nine outs on just eight hitters. A highlight of his night was painting a slider on the outside corner to Michael Harris to get his first career strikeout. 

Between Erik Tolman and now Simpson, the Nats have a couple new and exciting lefty relievers. Finding effective matchup lefties has been a big problem all season. However, if Tolman and Simpson continue to produce, they could lock down spots for themselves.

Overall, this was a great night for the organization and the two debutants. Neither are the most hyped prospects in the system, but both showed up and produced. That tells you a lot about the development system being put in place. There is true quality depth being built down in the minor leagues.

As we head to 2027 and beyond, hopefully we can see more of these lesser known names make impacts and find big league roles. Pumping out solid big leaguers is a way to find sustainable success. That is exactly what Paul Toboni is looking to do, and so far we are seeing a lot of positive signs. Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson are just two examples of that.

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The Hockey News Picks Colorado To Win The Stanley Cup. But There’s More To The Story

There is a funny thing about being right for the wrong reason.

Back in the spring, The Hockey News planted its flag on the Colorado Avalanche as its Stanley Cup favorite. The argument was simple: Colorado had finally built enough depth around Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar to avoid relying so heavily on its two superstars.

Then the playoffs happened.

Makar got hurt. MacKinnon got banged up. The Avalanche were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights, and suddenly the very depth that made Colorado such an appealing championship pick was being asked to compensate for the two players who make the Avalanche what they are.

Our Editor-in-Chief, Ryan Kennedy, isn't backing away from the prediction.

He recently doubled down on Colorado as The Hockey News' pick to win the 2027 Stanley Cup, and it's easy to understand why.

But there's one part of the postmortem I would push back on.

The Avalanche didn't lose to Vegas simply because Makar missed the first two games or MacKinnon wasn't quite himself.

That's playoff hockey.

By the time the conference finals arrive, nobody is healthy. Everyone is playing through something. Everyone is a lesser version of themselves.

Colorado wasn't uniquely unfortunate, either.

Vegas captain Mark Stone played through a torn adductor, the same injury Matthew Tkachuk battled through during the previous postseason. Noah Hanifin was dealing with an upper-body injury that could have kept him out for months during the regular season, while Brayden McNabb entered the playoffs dealing with two injuries before suffering the facial injury that became one of the lasting images of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Golden Knights were hurting, too.

And they still beat Colorado.

That's why the Avalanche's loss says less about bad injury luck and more about the matchup itself.

Vegas had the personnel, structure and discipline to attack the very things that made Colorado so dangerous. The Avalanche want to play fast, attack through the middle and turn broken plays into scoring chances before opponents can recover.

Vegas was built to make that miserable.

The Golden Knights could clog the middle, win battles along the walls and turn the series into the kind of physical, territorial fight that doesn't necessarily favor Colorado's speed game.

The injuries didn't help. Of course they didn't.

But the Avalanche didn't lose to an inferior team that simply caught them at the wrong time. They ran into a very good hockey team with a blueprint for beating them—and Vegas executed it.

That distinction matters when looking ahead.

Because Kennedy's larger argument remains difficult to dismiss.

Colorado has continued to build around its superstar core. Makar is locked in for eight years. MacKinnon remains the engine of the franchise. Martin Necas is coming off a 100-point season, while Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy give the Avalanche legitimate depth down the middle.

Brett Kulak is back on defense, and Jaden Schwartz gives Colorado another veteran forward who, if healthy, could become a valuable addition.

Then there's Zach L'Heureux.

If nothing else, L'Heureux gives the Avalanche something they have occasionally lacked: legitimate bite.

Colorado doesn't need to abandon its speed-and-skill identity. But there is a difference between playing fast and being easy to play against, and L'Heureux should make the Avalanche considerably more difficult to push around.

Fabian Lysell is another intriguing wild card.

If Colorado can turn Lysell into another reclamation success story, perhaps something resembling what it accomplished with Valeri Nichushkin, suddenly the forward group gets even deeper.

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Avalanche can win the Stanley Cup.

There are also plenty of reasons not to assume they will.

The Central Division remains loaded. Minnesota and Dallas aren't going anywhere, and the Western Conference is filled with teams capable of turning a playoff series into a war of attrition.

And if Colorado meets Vegas again, the Avalanche will have to prove last spring was an aberration rather than evidence of a genuine matchup problem.

So yes, Kennedy is sticking with Colorado.

And I understand why.

The Avalanche have the stars. They have the depth. They have the goaltending. And they’ve finally added some nastiness to a roster that has badly needed it for the better part of the last few years.

Now they have to prove all of it can hold up when the games become heavier, the space disappears and the margin for error gets razor thin.

Everything is there: the talent, the opportunity and, perhaps, the best roster Colorado has had around MacKinnon and Makar in years.

But after what happened last spring, certainty is a luxury this team hasn’t earned yet.

We'll see.

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San Diego offense slumps in untimely loss to Reds

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 01: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a home run in the 9th inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 01, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres haven’t been doing the best lately. After their ridiculously hot streak, they’ve cooled down significantly, dropping six of their last nine games. The Friars haven’t won a series since they swept the Minnesota Twins in their last homestand. They need a series win against the Cincinnati Reds, and the rubber match is the perfect stage.

Apart from Fernando Tatis Jr.’s two home runs, the Padres weren’t able to muster up much offense in Game 2. Reds starter Nick Lodolo limited the Friars to two runs over six innings before Cincinnati came back with two runs off of San Diego’s bullpen in the eighth inning. It’s the latest in a concerning trend from the Padres’ relievers. Hopefully, the club will be able to turn things around sooner rather than later.

Taking the mound

Brandon Williamson (CIN) v. Casey Mize (SD)

Williamson doesn’t have much experience at the big-league level, having made just 32 starts in parts of three seasons with Cincinnati. Much of that came in 2023, when Williamson made 23 starts for the Reds with a 4.46 ERA. He’s never been particularly effective, but has flashed some decent stuff.

Through six starts this season, Williamson owns a 6.11 ERA (28.0 IP). He’s given up four homers in that time, but has struggled more with command. The lefty has issued 20 walks this season, giving him a 1.64 WHIP. Williamson hasn’t pitched at the major-league level since April 29, so there could be some rust there.

It’s no secret that Mize has struggled as a Padre. Since joining the club, he’s given up an almost unbelievable 21 runs (16 earned). That’s resulted in Mize owning a 6.26 ERA across 23 innings with the Friars. He desperately needs to turn things around, and has proven that he can. Mize was one of the best AL starters, with a 2.70 ERA before being traded to San Diego.

It’s not totally his fault. Mize has been the subject of unfortunate circumstances. He hurt his ankle walking down the dugout steps and wasn’t pitching 100 percent in either start that he made during that time. Apart from his throwing error in his last start, Mize pitched quite well. He surrendered two earned runs across five innings versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

Batter up!

San Diego’s lineup simply couldn’t capitalize on their many scoring opportunities in Tuesday night’s loss. The Friars went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, with all but Tatis struggling to cross home plate. They’ll need their offense working tonight in order to back up Mize.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  2. Samad Taylor, LF
  3. Manny Machado, 3B
  4. Ty France, 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill, CF
  6. Luis Campusano, C
  7. Dustin Harris, DH
  8. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

With newcomer Ethan Salas reported to be making his debut on Friday when the Padres return to Petco Park, it seems likelier that Campusano will handle catching duties in the series finale versus Cincinnati. The latter entered yesterday’s Game 2 as a pinch-hitter but will probably start today’s rubber match behind the dish.

Relief corps

Starter Randy Vásquez pitched quite well despite exiting in the fifth inning. He hasn’t been granted the same long leash he was at the beginning of the season, and was taken out by manager Craig Stammen quite early. The Padres went to Bradgley Rodriguez, Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon and David Morgan to finish the game. But it was, surprisingly, Morejon who gave up the game, surrendering two pivotal runs in the eighth inning.

That leaves Jhony Brito, Griffin Canning, Kyle Hart, Mason Miller and Wandy Peralta as options for Stammen to call upon once Mize exits. With the off day on Thursday, the Padres don’t have to worry too much about taxing the ‘pen, but it would be comforting to see a quality start from Mize.

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Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman’s nagging injury reminds us: beware of trade deadline hype

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Adley Rutschman #31 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 30, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Retail therapy doesn’t work.

We know this, right? Buying something new for yourself — or even just considering buying something new for yourself — can provide a nice little jolt of dopamine. It can brighten up your day and, depending on what it is, help you imagine new and better future versions of yourself. This is true whether it’s something big, like a house, or something small, like a new pair of shoes.

But, ultimately, that jolt of dopamine is only temporary. Material objects — no matter how much we lust over them, no matter what kind of future versions of ourselves they let us imagine — do not actually have the power to fix the underlying and fundamental issues that define the human condition. The existential realities of your life are not altered by a new pair of pants, no matter how comfortably they fit or how how much they make your ass pop.

It’s good to remind ourselves of this every now again. But baseball fans shouldn’t need that reminder. We have the trade deadline.

On the day that Adley Rutschman debuted for the Red Sox, I wrote about the annoying but stubborn fact that, because the trade deadline comes so late in the season and because baseball is a game in which any given player’s impact is mostly felt over the long haul, trade deadline acquisitions are rarely as impactful as we hope they’ll be:

Of the 44 remaining games, Rutschman’s probably only going to start around around 35 of them at most. If he maintains more or less the same level of production over those 35 games as he’s maintained all season, then we’re talking about 3-4 home runs, 6-10 doubles, and 25-30 total hits from Rutschman. That’s not that much!

Well, since that day, the Red Sox have played 22 games. Rutschman has appeared in 15 of them, making only 13 starts. He has just 1 homer, 1 double, and 9 total hits. He is slashing .170/.254/.245. And he’s not going to have much of a chance to bring those numbers up, because we’re going to see even less of him going forward:

I don’t think it’s fair to call the Rutschman trade a failure at this point, or even judge it all. There’s a not very far-fetched scenario wherein he comes back healthy next season and produces at an All-Star level. Maybe he even signs a team-friendly extension. Ten years from now we could look at the Rutschman deal as one of the moves that laid the foundation for a multi-year run of on-field success.

Bu, while it’s still too early to judge the trade overall, it may not be too early to judge the trade deadline — at least with respect to its impact on the 2026 Red Sox.

Viewed through the lens of helping the 2026 team, the Rutschman and Curtis Mead deals have been abject disasters. I’m not suggesting the logic behind the moves was bad — the Mead injury was as freak as it gets — but the results are what they are, and they are ugly.

Eli White has been good as a role player, but he is very much a role player, having had only 33 at-bats. Jake Rogers was fun for a few days. Erik Miller is really the only trade deadline acquisition who has worked out, and he has worked out fantastically. But, even still, middle relievers are only so impactful.

The trade deadline — much like the fall shopping season we find ourselves in right now as summer wanes and a new school year begins — brings with it the promise of renewal. But that promise is rarely kept for long. It’s been one month since the deadline and the 2026 Red Sox are more or less the same team today as they were back then. And guess what? You’re going to be the same person in your new ass-popping jeans, too. That’s not satisfying, but it is an immutable truth about life, one that the Red Sox are learning all over again.

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NHL Odds ‘n Ends: Hellebuyck, expansion, Jagr finished?

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins shoots against Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The latest official Team USA to trade request is goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Before anyone asks, there’s no reason to expect he would be in Pittsburgh’s interests- or more importantly nor would they be on his list. The Athletic recently listed eight possibilities of teams that might make sense, and the Penguins were nowhere to be found. That about sums it up. Here’s some of the most widely speculated destinations.

Buffalo, Carolina and New Jersey are among the most common – and that wouldn’t be welcome for the Penguins if Hellebuyck ends up in the division like the Hurricanes or Devils. There are enough top goalies in the Metropolitan already, for cryin’ out loud!

Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin’s situations are interesting, how awkward it’ll be if they can’t be moved before the season starts. Everyone knows they want out, from the fans to their teammates and everyone around the organization. Their hearts aren’t in it anymore, yet they’ve signed to play for NHL clubs who haven’t felt like they’ve gotten a good trade offer yet. How those stalemate plays out will be fun to watch from afar. It could escalate even further, with some chatter picking up that Hellebuyck might not report to training camp at all and start one of the first hold outs the NHL has seen in a long, long time for a contracted player.

—

Sergei Murashov got a passing mention (at No. 12) for potential Calder Trophy contenders this season.

Overall, not to be a downer, but it’s probably even more unlikely than that. A goalie hasn’t won the rookie of the year award in the NHL since Steve Mason in 2009. The Penguins have a very casual relationship with all things defensively when it comes to limiting shots and chances of opponents. Nice to see Murashov on the radar and getting a smidge of national attention, if nothing else.

—

NHL expansion is all but confirmed to be coming again, perhaps as soon as Houston for the 2029-30 season.

The NHL has so many Canadian teams that they still have some really big areas in America to go after and try and raise their market share of fans. Adding teams in places like Houston, Atlanta and maybe even Phoenix would bring in huge, untapped markets. Being the first major North American pro league to go beyond 32 franchises is bold, but with the prices they are getting these days, it’s a no-brainer to keep growing.

What the means for the future will be interesting, most the headway seems to be pointing to going to 36 eventually, and the league reportedly doesn’t care about being unbalanced with 33 teams. Perhaps eventually they’ll split into six divisions of six teams and feature more geographic rivals.

—

Jaromir Jagr, who the Penguins traded 25 years ago this summer, looks like he is finally completed his circuit as a player. For real this time.

Jagr left the NHL in the 2017-18 season – playing for his hometown Kladno Knights in Czechia ever sense. It’s been a long drawn-down with him playing sparingly recently (Jags only played 15 games in 2023-24, and just six last season in 2025-26), but I mean he’s been 50+ years old so what can you expect? Most of his recent playing has been to drive interest at the box office for the perpetually struggling team that he once partially owned to try and make ends meet financially, while also winning enough to avoid relegation out of the primary pro league- not terribly different from Jagr’s efforts in the late ‘90s with Pittsburgh.

Along the way, he enjoyed every minute of the struggle. Next stop could finally be Toronto for the Hockey Hall of Fame if he truly is done as an active player.

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Dodgers notes: Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani, Eric Lauer

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on May 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the first time in nearly three whole months, Will Smith was back in the starting lineup for the start of the Dodgers’ nine-game homestand on Tuesday.

Smith finished the game going 1-5 with a double and two RBI on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, but his impact could only bring so much to the table in what ended up being a 13-8 defeat. The Dodgers are hoping that bringing Smith back into the mix will help invigorate the lineup for the stretch run here in September, and Sonja Chen of MLB.com noted Smith as an “invaluable” part of the starting lineup.

“The experience, the calmness in the box, the managing of the pitching staff — all that stuff is crucial,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Although there were hopes that Shohei Ohtani would pitch over the weekend in Detroit, those chances ultimately fell through as the Dodgers decided to go with Tyler Glasnow for the road trip finale. The Dodgers are still undecided as to when Ohtani will return to the mound, but they do expect to have him back to his two-way duties at some point this season, per Jack Harris of the California Post.

“Obviously, it’s tricky navigating a build-up progression with someone who is also DH’ing by night,” Friedman told the California Post in an interview on Tuesday.

But, the veteran executive added, “he obviously wants to get back out there, helping the team on the mound as well.”

Tuesday turned out to be the roughest outing for Eric Lauer for any home start as a Dodger, as the left-hander allowed seven runs over just three innings, suffering his first loss as a Dodger at home across six starts. Lauer spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA postgame where he discussed how things began to unravel for him, specifically after allowing back-to-back two-out home runs in the second inning.

“I think, overall, my command wasn’t very good— too many misses, too many big misses. I didn’t feel like I really had a good grasp on where the ball was going today, and that obviously hurt. Trying to make in game adjustments, I gotta get better at that, and just making sure I don’t let things compound like that.”

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Bleacher Report Delivers Brutal Reality Check for Flames

On Monday, Bleacher Report released its last summer NHL Power Rankings ahead of September, listing the Calgary Flames at No. 31 on its list. Because the organization has spent the past couple of seasons swapping out veterans for younger players and draft capital, the Flames are headed for some dark days before brighter ones emerge.

Although Lyle Fitzsimmons doesn't go into much detail about Calgary's recent decline, he was wise not to mention the team's inability to score. Last year, the club tied the New York Rangers for the third-worst point total in the NHL and scored just 208 goals, the lowest in the league. If fans were once concerned, the Flames scored 12 fewer goals last year than in 2024-25, when they finished with 220 (29th overall) and missed the playoffs by three regulation wins. 

After earning 96 points, Calgary didn't even come close to matching that total in 2025-26, barely reaching 77 points and posting its third losing season this decade. 

Flames Management Embrace Full Rebuild

The last time the Flames skated in the Stanley Cup playoffs was in 2022, when they lost in the second round to the Edmonton Oilers. The only player remaining from that season's team is captain Mikael Backlund, since stars like Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman have moved on to Stanley Cup contenders. 

In their place are youngsters who can barely score 20 goals and players who are not top-line skaters on other teams, but now are considered the leaders of a Flames team looking to avoid bottoming out last season at the Saddledome. Although there is a silver lining to winning the top pick at the 2027 NHL Draft, next year's crop of prospects boosts some potential game-breaking forwards.

For the past few years, Craig Conroy has collected top-prospect defensemen to help Dustin Wolf keep the puck out of the net. Now, with many of the team's top prospects getting their shot with the Calgary Wranglers, or in the case of Zayne Parekh, with the Flames, Conroy can turn his attention to rebuilding the top lines.  

As much as fans want Calgary to qualify for the playoffs and extend the life of the 43-year-old Saddledome, it's one of the more far-fetched dreams the C of Red could have.

Fitzsimmons didn't sugarcoat the Flames' current state or their position in the NHL hierarchy. Unless Jonathan Huberdeau can turn back time and collect another 115 points, it's going to be a long season for Calgary, just like their provincial neighbors, the Vancouver Canucks. Moreover, the organization would be better off embracing the NHL Draft Lottery race than sneaking into a Wildcard slot and ending up drafting 16th overall while getting swept in the first round.

Whether the Flames outperform their No. 31 ranking will depend on how quickly their young core develops. Until then, the media will likely continue to view Calgary as one of the NHL's weaker rebuilding clubs rather than a playoff contender.

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Schedule Preview, Part III: The return

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics passes the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome back to our in-depth schedule preview for the Sixers’ 2026-27 season (here’s a look back at part one and part two). Part three will be picking the schedule back up in the middle of January and stretching through the beginning of March. It’s another spread out part of the season as it contains the trade deadline and the All-Star break.

It’s a 20-game stretch that contains three back-to-backs, with most of the travel being short trips to the middle of the country. It starts with one of the biggest road trips of the season, shipping up to Boston to take on the Celtics on January 21. Jaylen Brown will have already played his former team once, but all eyes will be on him when he plays in TD Garden as an opposing player for the first time (in the regular season at least, the Sixers are also scheduled to play in Boston in the preseason.) Unsurprisingly, that game will be on national television.

It’s a bit of a wonky two-game trip as they’ll head over to Chicago for a game on the 23rd, but the Bulls should present a much easier opponent. They’ll get two more games at home against opponents that should be easier games in the Clippers and Kings before hitting the road again, this time for a back-to-back against the Pelicans and Heat.

By this point in the season, how the Sixers stagger their stars in back-to-backs will be clear, but this looks like one where they can play everyone in Miami and feel confident about that Pelicans game as well. Of course how healthy the team is generally will dictate those decisions as well.

They’ll get their fill of the Pelicans that week, playing them again at home on February 1, then they’ll wrap up their series with the Grizzlies on the 3rd. That trip to Memphis is sandwiched between five games at home, and tricky ones at that.

The Pistons come to town on the 5th, then another nationally televised matchup against the Celtics on the 7th. Things lighten up only a bit when they take on the Brooklyn Nets on the 8th, before the defending champion New York Knicks play Philly on the 11th.

February 11 also marks the trade deadline, so that’ll be a big day in several areas for the team. Not only should those three games be a pretty big measuring stick for the team, but it’ll be their last day to make significant in-season changes to the roster.

Life doesn’t get much easier as the Sixers’ next game will be in Oklahoma City on the 13th. After the Thunder they’ll just have to get through the Mavericks on the road and the Suns at home before getting to the All-Star Break.

After the time off and hopefully some participation in All-Star Weekend, the Sixers start one of their lightest road trips in terms of travel, albeit with two tough opponents. They’ll start the unofficial second half of the season in Brooklyn on the 25th before wrapping up their season series with the Knicks on the 27th at MSG. That sound you heard is every traveling Sixers beat reporter celebrating such a convenient trip. They’ll wrap up the trip with a flight to Cleveland, wrapping up that season series on March 1.

This stretch of games concludes with a home back-to-back against the Hornets and Lakers. Those certainly aren’t the two hardest opponents listed but with the lack of rest it won’t be an easy one either. This stretch of games will tell the Sixers a lot about how they stack up with the rest of the Eastern Conference and for the most part, they’ll be well rested enough to show it.

1/21: @Celtics

1/23: @Bulls

1/25: V Clippers

1/27: V Kings

1/28: @Pelicans (B2B) 

1/30: @Heat

2/1: V Pelicans

2/3: @Grizzlies

2/5:V Pistons  

2/7: V Celtics

2/8: V Nets (B2B) 

2/11: V Knicks (Trade deadline) 

2/13: @Thunder

2/15: @Mavericks

2/17: V Suns (ASB) 

2/25: @Nets

2/27: @Knicks

3/1: @Cavs

3/3: V Hornets

3/ 4: V Lakers (B2B)

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NBA 2K27 review: Re-learning the game

NBA 2K27 is a towering achievement and a testament to how good a game can be when developers listen to their players. The series has always been great, but often falling victim to resting on its laurels too much — afraid to upset the established player base, at the expense of bringing in new fans to the franchise. With a focus on MyPlayer it’s been understandable from a business perspective, but not one that pushes the series forward.

It’s with profound joy that I tell you that NBA 2K27 has flipped the script. Mammoth overhauls to defense, shooting, dunking, and dribbling has breathed new life into the franchise. 2K27 is not just the best sports game of the year, but the best 2K there has ever been — and I say this as an old head who has been playing this series since NBA 2K on the Dreamcast in 1999 with Allen Iverson on the cover.

A focus on defense shines

There’s been very little reason to play a big man in past iterations of 2K. A lack of defensive tools, particularly in the paint, paired with inconsistent shot blocking and steals meant that the only functional way to play defense was to try to contest shots — and even then it was iffy at best.

This year everything feels different. The revamped animations in NBA 2K27 make the defensive side of the ball feel more chaotic and realistic than ever before. Canned block animations that often left a big man soaring away from the ball and looking like an idiot are gone. Instead, blocks are much more contextual, with defenders rising straight up to meet slashers at the rim, low blocking scoop layups, and even coming up under shots where appropriate to knock the ball in the air, hoping a teammate can come down with it. There’s a real skill and nuance that comes with knowing when to jump up for a block, and on one occasion my timing was perfect, leading to Victor Wembanyama meeting Lauri Markkanen in the air, and snatching the ball one-handed — leading to an easy outlet assist.

The attention to detail extends to the perimeter as well. It’s now easier to fight through screens with players who are able to in real life, and even this is contextual. Jalen Brunson will use his quickness and athleticism to squeeze around the big man to continue locking down the ball carrier, while James Harden will force his way around, making more contact with the screening player to get back on the ball.

Turning up both the skill required to play good defense, as well as putting more abilities in the toolbox of players makes it equally entertaining to play either side of the ball — which is something the game has often struggled with. There’s legitimate value in playing with premier defensive players now, and it really makes lockdown two-way players like Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, or Amen Thompson feel special.

Shooting is much tougher, and that’s a good thing

One of the worst aspects of NBA 2K26 was how easy shooting had become. A factor of both a more generous shot meter, paired with a faster game pace, meant that after a few games you could lock down your timing and consistently shoot 80% from three without concern. That’s all gone in NBA 2K27 with much narrower shot timing on contested shots to “green” releases (resulting in a guaranteed make).

There are still very large green windows on wide open threes, rewarding the work that goes into shaking a perimeter defender or executing a good screen — but now there are myriad factors that go into the size of the green release window on most shot occasions. As soon as you go up for a shot the game runs through an advanced algorithm to determine how easy the shot would be. It takes into account:

  • Player rating
  • Was the shot contested or not?
  • The height of the defensive player contesting the shot
  • How they contested the shot with either a timed jump or arms up on the floor
  • Did the shooter set their feet?
  • The location of the shot on the floor
  • What happened immediately before the shot? Did the player execute an advanced Iso dribbling chain, or was this a catch and shoot?
  • Player fatigue

All of these determine the size of the window for a perfect release and a make. Use someone like Steph Curry and contested threes will still be generous; try to fade away a three after crossing the ball over with LeBron James and the timing window will be a single pixel, making the shot near-impossible to hit. There’s always the slimmest of chances it will still go, adding heightened excitement — but don’t expect it to be happening on the regular.

On the flipside the 2K team has made dunking much easier than in last year’s iteration. NBA 2K26 introduced the dunk meter, which brought the shot meter to driving on the rim, determining whether or not a dunk was successful. The major criticism with this is that the meter wasn’t contextual, meaning that far too often a big under the rim would miss a wide open dunk after getting a rebound, simply because a player’s timing was off.

That’s gone now as well. The dunk meter is still here, but context has been given to the experience. Catch the ball under the rim with a big and nobody contesting them — they’re going to dunk it. The entire dunk meter will be green, with only the smallest pixel on the meter resulting in a miss. Similarly, the dunk meter can shrink when you’re driving to the rim with a slasher. It might be very difficult for even someone like Anthony Edwards to put Joel Embiid on a poster, but the chance is still there — nail the dunk and it will pull off a highlight moment, which feels incredible and earned in a way that past dunks simply didn’t.

MyPlayer is largely the same, for better and worse

Full disclosure that I’m not the biggest fan of the online, competitive MyPlayer experience. I like to tinker around, play a few games here or there — but I’m not someone who researches ideal player builds, follows the meta, or invests too heavily.

The city from NBA 2K26 was extremely good, and it’s the same layout this year. There is now skill-based matchmaking in runs, as well as the addition of Rucker Park, which are both fantastic additions to the mode. The biggest gripe from players who deeply invest in MyPlayer are twofold: Once again it’s going to cost you anywhere from $60-80 in additional microtransactions to upgrade a player to the point where you can actually compete online, and also that this is one area where the changes to the shot meter is really frustrating players. The whole online MyPlayer meta is based around consistency and predictability, so adding a wild card like the changing shot window is a pain point.

There’s also a fully realized story that follows the trials and tribulations of a former 5-star prospect on a path through the G-League and into the NBA. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s not exactly memorable either. There are also some weird moments contrived for the story that really don’t make sense in real-world basketball. Upon arriving at a street ball tournament at Rucker Park everyone is immediately aware of who the player character is, despite him being a high school prospect from California who was set to attend Duke, but never did. People really don’t follow five-star recruits like that outside of college hoops nerds, unless they’re in close proximity. If the player character went to high school in Brooklyn, or if they committed to play at St. John’s then there would have been some reason that everyone recognized me. Also, I understand it’s for dramatic effect — but upon arriving in the G-League people tell you that “everyone is fighting for a chance at making the NBA,” which is totally understandable; however the amount of in-fighting and an attempted sabotage inside the team is beyond the pale.

More options on the women’s side, but we’re just not there yet

This year allows for women to be created in MyPlayer, so games inside the city are co-ed. This is a really good move that’s nice to see. Also the same attention to the on-court action has been applied to the WNBA, making the game feel better than it ever has before.

Still, there remain some pain points. There isn’t a fully fleshed-out story mode for a female create-a-character, which can be partially forgiven due to the budget required to make it happen — but the lack of real-world commentary for WNBA games is simply inexcusable.

For the second straight season, we have complete, NBA-realistic announce teams, two of them, with Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, and Doris Burke — as well as Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy, and Richard Jefferson on another. The NBA also gets a pseudo Inside the NBA halftime show with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith.

The WNBA gets … three voice actors who call the high school game in the men’s career mode. It’s absolutely not a knock on the three voice actors, who are genuinely good at their jobs, but it’s a slap in the face to WNBA fans. It would be the most minor of investments to get real TV commentators like Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe, who call the WNBA for ESPN — even using Michael Grady, Lisa Byington, and Mike Watts, who call the game for Amazon. Ideally it would be both, but there needs to be better representation of the women’s game and further investment to make it feel like more than a perfunctory add-on.

Final thoughts

NBA 2K27 is a monumental achievement that requires a lot of deep nitpicking to find fault with as it pertains to playing the game of basketball. The developers have created something truly special that will be on the Mt. Rushmore of greatest versions of the game ever created. Fresh defensive options paired with less-consistent shooting and an overall slower pace makes NBA 2K27 feel more realistic than last year’s entry in the series.

The cracks appear online. MyPlayer remains a frustrating cash cow for those who are invested, gatekeeping anyone who doesn’t want to shell out more money to make a player good enough to hang on the court. Honestly, it’s just not even worth trying to play in the city if you haven’t spent the money to upgrade your character, and while technically possible to grind VC on your own, it takes so long to level up that it’s worth ignoring.

If you come to the series to play NBA quick games, run a team season, or create a player to do a solo career then you will find immense joy in this game. NBA 2K27 is brilliant, and absolutely worth your time — from there it just depends how much more time and money you want to invest.